#It is a 1 bedroom apartment I felt the need to clarify. The “we” is the people inside my brain and I'm still not sure where to put MY stuff

[dragons-of-jotunheim]

Sorry for no art in a while, we've been moving into our very first apartment!

It's been a lot of fun, scarily similar to the rtte episode where Hiccup shows them the design for the joint outpost.

Note to self: install zip line from balcony to ground level....

[kinardnatural]

I TRY TO LOOK AHEAD, SOMETIMES I LOOK BACK INSTEAD PART 9

READ ON AO3

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6 PART 7 PART 8

There was a soft knock on Buck's door later that same night. He froze at first upon hearing it. Chim, Hen and Ravi were still on their shift and he had just said goodbye to Maddie over FaceTime. Surely Cole wouldn’t know where he lived, right? 

He wouldn't normally hesitate to open his door, but after the events from earlier that day at the station, he felt a little bit more rattled than he had anticipated. He took careful steps from the kitchen, slowly making his way over to peer through the tiny, frosted window on his door, and relaxed when he recognized the silhouette. 

“Chim told you,” he sighed, exasperated once he had opened the door for Tommy. 

“I'm glad he did,” Tommy said, and he looked relieved to see Buck standing there in one piece. Buck should feel annoyed, but a much bigger part of him felt just as relieved that Tommy was here to check on him. He opened the door wider for him to come inside. 

“I suppose he told you my address, too. Go ahead. You can judge,” he said, gesturing at the inside of the apartment where everything from the kitchen to the bedroom and a couch could be seen. 

“It’s…” Tommy began as he looked around, his face neutral. 

“Charming?” 

“ So not you.” 

Buck let out an amused huff and headed back to the kitchen and offered Tommy a beer. “It's only temporary. Until I find something… more me,” he clarified. “Trying to find something that fits and that is affordable turned out to be a lot harder than I thought, so this'll do in the meantime. It's not much, but it gives me a place to sleep at night.” 

“I figured you'd be staying with Diaz,” Tommy hummed, all too casually. 

“Yeah, n-no. No, that's… that would not work out,” Buck sighed. Turning his face away from Tommy, he opened up the hatch to his oven to check on the new batch of cookies. 

“Oh?” 

“It's complicated.” 

Grabbing the oven mittens, he pulled out the tray to let the new cookies cool down.

“Oh.” 

“N-not like that!” Because he now realized what he had just said might have implied, and he did not want or need Tommy's mind to go those places again. “It's just that, uh… I guess we drifted,” he said with a shrug. 

“You don't need to explain anything to me, Evan. It seems like you and Chris are still close though. “ 

“Yeah, that's not going to change. A-and we still get along at work, and it's not like I don't like him. He will always be family. But, you know. Boundaries. I am learning to set them.” 

Tommy looked back at Buck thoughtfully, but nodded. “Good. Boundaries are good.” His eyes landed on the different trays of cookies. “So. You're baking.” 

“I was being given an extra few hours to add to my 72 off, so yeah! Figured I should do something with my time.” 

“It smells pretty damn amazing.” 

“Good! Because you'll be bringing some with you, so you showing up here just saved me some extra space,” Buck hummed. 

“You won't hear me complaining.” 

They looked at each other, and Buck felt his breath get caught in his throat for a moment. He broke eye contact and grabbed one of the cookies from one of the cooled trays and made himself over to Tommy. Not too close, but not leaving much of a distance either. “Here,” he breathed, nudging the cookie gently at Tommy's lips. “Maybe have a taste first.” 

And Tommy obliged. Opened his mouth to allow Buck to push the sweet treat into his mouth and let out a hum of approval. “It's sweet.”

“Good, right?” 

“Amazing. Best thing I've had in my mouth.” 

“Now I know that's not true,” came Buck's immediate response, and he very much enjoyed seeing the way Tommy's face changed from neutral to scandalised. 

“ Evan.” 

Maybe it was too soon. If it was, Tommy didn't seem too concerned about it, because he also laughed and shook his head. 

“You're a menace. But I should have known better. I walked right into that one.” 

“You absolutely did,” Buck agreed. “So, I'll, uh… pack some of these cookies up for you. Maybe a few extra for you to bring to the station, too and there's plenty of bread in my freezer too, actually!” 

“I'll take whatever you can give me.” 

“I'm just glad I got to get rid of it all. It takes up a lot of space, especially in this kitchen. It's smaller than what I am used to” Buck complained and started moving around to fish out various bags and Tupperware so he could unload some of the baked goods from his freezer. 

“Jesus, Evan. You got half a bakery in that freezer.” 

“Yeah. I had to go to different stores because apparently I caused a flour shortage in most of them.” It was an exaggeration to some degree, but he had experienced it in at least one store. 

“So what brought this on? This is… a lot of baked goods.” 

“Distraction.”

“Distraction?” 

“Uh-huh.” Grinning, Buck put the bags onto the counter where there was very little room left. “So did Chimney tell you to come check up on me or did you decide to come here on your own?” 

“Maybe a bit of both,” Tommy admitted. “He might have hinted that you were on your own and that maybe you shouldn’t be alone. I asked for your address.”

“So you’re here as a favor for Chimney.” 

“Is that what you think?” 

“I think”, Buck breathed while stepping closer into Tommy’s space. “That you want a tour of my new home. A-and I think that if you were to spend the night you can see for yourself how good I am.” Tilting his head, he placed a hand onto Tommy’s chest, letting it glide up his shoulder. He could feel his pulse quicken underneath the palm of his hand and could hear his breathing hitch for a moment, and God , he loved that he still had that effect on him. “Or.” Buck continued as he was met with silence. “We could do nothing. You can still stay over and you can go all care-taker mode to your heart’s content. Plus, my mattress actually comes with sheets and a bed frame this time.”

He remains in Tommy’s space, allowing the other man to contemplate what he wants. He had to remind himself that Tommy had only just gone through a break-up, so regardless of what his response would be, Buck would be okay with it. Despite that, he feels a gentle hand over his hip. “You make two very compelling cases,” Tommy finally says after a while. “And I am not saying no. But I would like to propose a third option, if I may.”

Buck looks right at Tommy expectantly. “Let’s hear it.” 

“I want to take you out on a drive somewhere. We’ll bring some beer. Some blankets and pillows, and we’ll see where the night will take us from there.”

“God, you’re hot when you get all impulsive,” Buck mused, reveling in the sound of Tommy’s soft laughter. “Sold. Let’s go!”

[tricksters-captain]

Bucky Barnes imagines - Some Sunny Day Part 4

AN: What a crazy episode! I definitely think this episode was one of the best so far and I cannot wait to see what happens next after that insane ending!

Overall Summary: Before the Blip, you and Bucky were close. After you both returning and Tony’s funeral, you decided to go back to your home town to spend time with your family. When duty calls, you return.  

In this chapter: Now in Latvia, you and the boys must find Karli before the Dora take Zemo away (Based on S1 EP4)

(PART 1) (PART 2) (PART 3)

Pairing(s): Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader, Sam Wilson x Platonic!Reader

Word Count: 6,123

Warnings: Spoilers for episode 4, violence, strong language.

Once inside Zemo’s apartment, you started to look through the cupboards. 

Zemo had excused himself to take a bath but you felt starved. 

Even with the limited stock you managed to whip something up for you and Sam. 

“Thank you.” Sam took the bowl from you gratefully. The food Zemo had given you on his private plane wasn’t exactly edible and you were still feeling the affects of the Nagel fail in your body. 

“Well, the Wakandans are here.” Bucky announced as he entered the apartment; having returned from his walk. “They want Zemo. Bought us some more time.”

“”Were you followed?” Sam looked up at him. 

“No.” Bucky made his way over to you and Sam by the kitchen island. 

“How can you be so sure?” Zemo pondered. 

“Cause I know when I’m being followed.” Bucky sent an unimpressed glance to the man in the bathrobe. 

You pushed a bowl of pasta towards Bucky but he shook his head and pulled out his phone.

“It was sweet of you to defend me at least.” Zemo stated. 

“Hey, you shut it.” Sam quipped. “No one’s defending you. You killed Nagel.” 

“You gotta eat.” You whispered to Bucky. 

“Do we really have to litigate what may or may not have happened?” Zemo rounded the island so he was closer to you all.

“I’ll eat later.” Bucky mumbled back to you as he furrowed his brow at twitter. 

“There’s nothing to litigate. You straight shot the man.” Sam argued with Zemo. 

“Sam.” Bucky had found something. 

“What?” Sam turned his attention to Bucky and away from Zemo. 

“Karli bombed a GRC supply depot.” Bucky showed you his phone screen so you could read.

“What? What’s the damage?” Sam’s concern grew quickly. 

“Eleven injured, three dead.” You said after skimming over the article. 

“They have a list of demands and are promising more attacks if those demands aren’t met.” Bucky added as Sam sighed. 

“She’s getting worse.” Zemo spoke up. “I have the will to complete this mission. Do the three of you?”

“She’s just a kid.” Sam was right. She was only young, she reminded you of you when you first joined the avengers. Desperate to fight for a cause. 

“You’re seeing something in her that isn’t there.” Zemo disagreed. “You’re clouded by it. She’s a supremacist. The very concept of a Super Soldier will always trouble people. It’s that warped aspiration that led to Nazis, to Ultron, to the Avengers.”

“You’re talking about our friends.” You felt the need to remind Zemo that you were actually apart of the Avengers as you placed your empty bowl in the sink. 

“The Avengers, not the Nazis.” Bucky felt the need to clarify. 

“So, Karli is radicalised, but there has to be a peaceful way to stop her.” Sam was determined there wasn’t a need for a fight. 

“The desire to become a superhuman cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum is inherently on that path. She will not stop. She will escalate until you kill her.” Zemo explained as he reached for the bowl you had originally offered Bucky. “Or she kills you.” 

You swatted his hand away to which he frowned at. 

“Maybe you’re wrong, Zemo. The serum never corrupted Steve.” Bucky argued his point. 

“Touché.” Zemo picked up a biscuit instead. Holding it on his finger as he spoke. “But there has never been another Steve Rogers, has there?”

“Well, maybe we should give him to the Wakandans right now.” Bucky suggested to you and Sam as he moved over to the couch. 

“And you’ll give up your tour guide?” Zemo asked as he opened the cupboards to look for some food. 

“Yes.” Bucky didn’t hesitate. 

“From my understanding, Donya is like a pillar of the community, right?” Sam interrupted with a new thought. “So, when I was a kid, my TT passed away.”

“Your TT?” Bucky asked, unsure of what Sam had meant. 

“Yeah, my TT, yeah.” Sam nodded. 

“Who is your TT?” Bucky asked as you sat down beside him. 

“Fine. When I was a kid, my aunt passed away and the entire neighborhood got together for a ceremony. It was like a week long. Maybe they’re doing the same thing for Donya.” Sam proposed. He could be right. 

“Worth a shot.” You proclaimed. 

“Your TT would be proud of you.” Zemo sounded more awkward at the use of the phrase before he pulled out a fancy looking tin. “Turkish delight? Irresistible.”

Sam caught the small sweet that Zemo had thrown. 

“I say Zemo put’s some clothes on and we head over to the refugee camp that Donya was staying. See if anyone knows anything about a funeral or ceremony for her.” You ignored Zemo as he looked down at the sweets. 

“Sounds like a plan.” Sam stood from his seat at the island and looked over at Zemo. 

Zemo nodded before disappearing into a bedroom to change. 

It didn't take long to get to the camp from Zemo’s apartment. 

“Shame what’s become of this place. When I was young, we used to come here for fabulous dinners and parties. I knew nothing of the politics of the time, of course, but I remember it being beautiful.” Zemo seemed saddened by the state of the buildings being used as the camp. 

“I’m gonna take a look around upstairs. See what you can find out here. And keep an eye on him.” Sam told Bucky as he gestured to Zemo. 

“I’ll stay out of your way.” Zemo promised. 

“(Y/n), you look around through there. See if you can... You know.” Sam pointed down through one of the ground floor doors. You nodded and left the men.

Most of the adults fled when you entered the building but you noticed a young girl who looked too busy with what she was doing to notice. She had looked maybe 16 or 17 years old and she was embroidering an old silk scarf. 

“That’s beautiful.” You knelt down beside her but as you spoke, her eyes shot up and widened with shock and fear. 

“T-t-thank you.” She stuttered as her eyes flittered around the room for help. 

“It’s okay. I was just wondering if I could have a look at it.” You smiled softly at the girl as you held your hand out. 

She reluctantly gave it to you. 

“This truly is beautiful. You are very talented. May I buy it from you?” You placed your hand in your pocket and pulled out a note that you had previously stolen from Zemo’s jacket.

“You c-c-can have it.” She whispered as she stood. You rose with her as you folded the scarf to place into your pocket. 

“I insist.” You took her hand gently and cautiously and placed the money in her palm. She smiled but she still was nervous and full of worry. You figured she knew who you were. 

You folded your hands over hers and that’s when you unplugged the cork on your powers. 

You closed your eyes and within seconds all the girls memories flooded into your head. 

You tried not to react as it happened. 

You tried your best to filter through the memories quickly. When you reached the time after the blip, you slowed down. You saw the horrors of them being rejected, being abandoned and then you saw Mama Donya and Karli. 

You focused on Karli. 

You watched Karli smile and laugh with all the children, she’d play and look after them as Donya looked after Karli. 

Closer memories brought what seemed like events that only just happened. Karli visiting with supplies. 

You saw the mourning of Mama Donya from everyone and then you saw the arrangements for the funeral. 

You opened your eyes and let go of the girls hand. She thanked you again and left. She would have never realised what you had seen as the memories are shown to you within a matter of seconds. 

You leant against the table and inhaled deeply. 

You felt weak again. 

You pushed yourself off the table and headed back out to Bucky. 

Zemo was surrounded by a bunch of small children.

“You okay?”Bucky asked. The second you reappeared he immediately noticed a change in you. 

“I’m okay.” You lied. “I spoke to one of the teenagers inside. I looked inside her head. You were right, Sam. They are having a funeral but she only knew that she would be taken to it later this afternoon.” You explained as Sam joined you both. 

“Good work.” Sam wrapped his arm around you and gave you a small squeeze of appreciation. 

They both knew how hard it must've been for you to use your powers after the Nagel incident. 

The toll of touching the dead had knocked you for six in the past and in a matter of forty eight hours you had touched the dead and looked into the memories of a live person. 

You’ll need an energy boost before you can do this again. 

Zemo turned back to you and you all returned to the apartment. 

“Well, I got nothin’. No one’s talkin’ about Donya.” Bucky slouched down on the couch in defeat. 

“Yeah, it’s because Karli is the only one fighting for them.” Sam joined him on the couch. “And she’s not wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Bucky asked. 

“For five years, people have been welcomed into countries that have kept them out using barbwire. There were houses and jobs. Folks were happy to have people around to help them rebuild. It wasn’t just one community coming together, it was the entire world coming together. And then, boom. Just like that, it goes right back to the way it used to be. To them, at least Karli’s doin’ somethin’.” Sam explained himself. 

“You really think her ends justify her means? Then, she’s no different than him or anybody else we’ve fought.” Bucky pointed over to Zemo. 

“She’s different. She’s not motivated by the same things.” Sam argued with Bucky.

“Sam’s right.” You spoke up. “When I looked into that girls head I saw a lot of Karli. She means a lot to those people, she is their light, their Captain America. But she’s just a kid. From what I saw she has a whole lot of love in her heart and I'm not saying that hurting and killing people is right but she sees it as the only way to help her people.” 

Zemo had walked over from the kitchen with a tray as you spoke. 

“That little girl. What’d she tell you?” Bucky questioned him. 

“The funeral is this afternoon.” Zemo only said what you already knew. 

“We know that. Now you know the Dora’s coming for you any minute. In fact, they’re probably lurking outside right now. Keep talking.” Bucky demanded. 

“Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli. Hmm. I prefer to keep my leverage.” Zemo sure knew how to push someone’s buttons. 

Bucky shot up and threw Zemo’s cup against the wall. The crashing of the glass made both you and Sam jump to your feet. 

“You wanna see what someone can do with leverage?” Bucky threatened Zemo. 

“Take it easy. Don’t engage him. He’s just gonna extort you and do that stupid head tilt thing.” Sam tried to de-elevate the situation. “Let me make a call.”

“You want some cherry blossom tea?” Zemo offered Bucky as Sam walked away.

“No, you go ahead.” Bucky grumbled, scowling at the Baron. 

“Come on.” You took Bucky’s hand and pulled him away from Zemo. 

You headed into the bathroom and started to fill up the tub with some cold water. 

“Will you get me some ice?” You asked Bucky to which he complied. 

Once the tub was full of ice water, you stripped and climbed inside. 

Bucky had taken a stool and faced the door to give you some privacy. 

“You shouldn’t let him get to you.” You said as you settled into the water. Your body was screaming at you as the ice touched it but you knew it’d give you the wake up call you and your muscles needed. 

“I don’t.” Bucky grimaced. 

“You don’t? Oh, so the shattered cup in the other room was just a scare tactic?” You mused. 

“Yep.” Bucky grumbled. 

“Okay.” You sighed before going under. 

The cold water hit your brain and you immediately sat back up. 

“Feel better?” Bucky had heard the splashing of the water. 

“Yeah.” You admitted, running your hands over your face and hair. “Can I have my towel?”

Bucky kept his back to you as he passed you the towel. 

You wrapped it around you and stepped out. 

“You can look.” You told him.

Bucky turned and his eyes went straight to the bruises that covered your legs and arms. 

“I’m okay, Buck.” You assured him as you watched the cogs turning in his head. 

“I forget you aren’t...” Bucky’s words dropped off as he stepped closer and lightly took your arm, examining the damage. 

“That I’m not a super soldier?” You smirked. “I may bruise but I can hold a lot more than most, Buck.” 

“Doesn’t stop me worrying.” Bucky admitted as he lowered your arm. 

“I know.” You whispered, looking up at the man’s deep blue eyes.

“You better get dressed. You already know what Sam is thinking with us both being gone right now.” Bucky went to go towards the door when you stopped him. 

“I had a dream about Wakanda on the plane ride here.” You confessed. 

Bucky stopped and looked back at you. 

“It was the day you finally beat the Winter Soldier.” You told him. 

*Flashback*

“These are incredible, Shuri.”  You smiled widely as you threw the new high tech Vibranium knives that Shuri had made for you. 

“I know. I know.” Shuri was well aware of her awesome brain. 

Shuri pressed the combat button on the wall which simulated attackers for intense weapon training. 

You inhaled as you closed your eyes. 

A footstep gave away your first attacker. You threw the knives to the holograms and the attackers were down. You ducked and dodged and jumped around the room as you practised with the knives. 

Shuri cheered you when you finished. You smiled through your heavy breaths and Shuri jogged towards you to give you a fist bump. 

“You are something else, my friend.” Shuri praised you. 

The doors opening behind you made both you and Shuri turn to see who had entered. 

It was Bucky. 

He rushed towards you with a bright smile. His lips seemed to quiver and his eyes were glassy. Something had happened. 

It had happened.

He embraced you tightly and you returned it. Your fingers gripped onto Bucky’s long hair as he buried his face in your neck. 

You looked back at Ayo (who had followed Bucky) and Shuri and mouthed a ‘Thank you’. 

Ayo bowed her head at you before leaving the hall. 

Bucky had finally gotten over HYDRA’s programming after all these years of being held prisoner by a few words. 

You and Bucky stayed like that for what felt like hours. The relief from Bucky washed over you and bound him to you until he was ready to part. 

It was an incredible day.

*End of Flashback*

“Maybe you could sense that the Dora’s were close on our tails.” Bucky suggested. 

“No, we all knew that they’d come for Zemo eventually.” You dismissed the idea. “I think it was after seeing Zemo treat you like him again.” 

Bucky remained silent. 

“I don’t think I ever told you how proud I was of you that day.” You folded your arms over your chest as you leant back on the tub.

“You didn't need to.” Bucky assured you. “I already knew.” 

You watched Bucky leave the bathroom so you could change. 

When you had returned to the main space again it was just about time to head out again. 

You felt a little nervous as you didn’t really want a fight with Karli since you weren’t 100% but you figured you had felt a hell of a lot worse before.

As you left the apartment, a voice and face you didn’t particularly wanna see called out. 

“Karli Morgenthau is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit.” John Walker and his little side kick were walking down some stairs towards you. 

“Ah! How’d you find us now?” Bucky called back. 

“Come on. You think three Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?” Lemar, Walker’s partner, scoffed. 

“No more keeping us in the dark. You could start by telling us why you broke him out of prison.” Walker pointed out Zemo. 

“He did that himself, technically.” Bucky corrected Walker.  

“This better be an unbelievable explana––”

“––Hey, take it easy before it gets weird.” Sam interrupted Walker before things could get heated in front of civilians.

“I know where Karli is.” Zemo kept walking as the others stopped. 

“Well, where?” Walker asked, stopping Zemo by stepping in his way. 

“All we know is it’s a memorial. So, we’re gonna intercept her there.” Sam informed them.

“That means civilians. High risk of casualties.” Lemar relaid to his partner as you continued to walk.

“All right, good, we’ll move in fast. Take her by surprise.” Walker started to talk through his plan when Sam stopped him. 

“No, I wanna talk to her alone.”

“I’m not losing her again.” Walker argued with Sam. 

“Look, the person closest to her died, she’s vulnerable. Now is the best time to reason with her.” Sam was trying to defend his reasoning but Walker wasn’t having it. 

“What? No. Wait, no! No! Stop. Hold on. Stop, okay?” Walker ran up ahead to stop everyone again. “I think we’re way past reasoning with her, unless you forgot that she blew up a building with people still in it.” 

“Sam, you walk in there cold, she could kill you, man.”Lemar tried backing up his partner. 

“If I go in hot and the op goes wrong, more people will die.” Sam handed over the other scenario. 

“You’ll let him do this?” Walker looked between you and Bucky. “Are you gonna let your partner walk into a room with a Super Soldier alone?”

“He’s dealt with worse.” Bucky told him flatly. “And he’s not my partner.”

“I used to counsel soldiers dealing with trauma, okay? This is in my wheelhouse.” Sam walked past you and Bucky to face Walker.

“I know. And I know those soldiers, which is why I know this is a bad idea.” Walker still wasn't on board. 

“Wait, John.” Lemar stopped Walker.  “If he can talk her down, it might be worth a try.”  

“Thank god Battle-scar here has some sense.” You declared. 

“It’s Battle Star actually.”Lemar smiled at you but you ignored him. 

“We’ll deal with you later.” Walker told Zemo as he caved in.

“I’m sure it will all come to an agreeable conclusion. My associate is just up ahead.” Zemo lead you towards the young girl he had spoken to earlier that day. 

“Hello, my friend. This is for your family. Can you show us the way?” Zemo handed her some money and the girl beckoned for you all to follow.  

“What the hell?” Walker seemed a little confused by Zemo’s ‘associate’ being 12.

The girl lead you to the building where the funeral was being held and you all waited for a signal. 

“Karli’s in there.” Zemo announced as the girl ran off. 

Sam went in whilst Walker cuffed Zemo. 

“You got 10 minutes. Then we are doing things my way.” Walker told Sam before he left. 

“Aggressive.” Zemo mumbled after being handcuffed. “But I get it.”

You rolled your eyes subtly at both Walker and Zemo. 

You took up a position by the door with Bucky. 

You watched Walker sit down, his grip on the shield was tight as he slowly huffed in and out. 

You frowned as you studied the man. Your eyes glanced over to Zemo who was also watching Walker. 

You shared a look before you let your eyes fall back down to your feet.  

“Uh-uh. No, no, no. This is a bad idea.” Walker started to pace as he let his impatience get the best of him. 

“It hasn’t been ten minutes, John. Just sit tight.” Bucky sighed unimpressed by the young solder. 

“Don’t do that. Don’t patronise me.” Walker glared back at Bucky. 

“Sam knows what he’s doing.” You backed Bucky up. 

You all watched Walker stop as he thought. His heavy breathes causing his chest to rise up and down quickly. 

“I’m goin’ in.” Walker didn’t want to listen anymore. He stormed towards the door but both you and Bucky stepped in his way.

“This is all really easy for you, isn’t it? All that serum runnin’ through your veins.” Walker didn’t even look at you as he squared up to Bucky. 

That really bothered you.

You took hold of the man’s upper arm and yanked him to look at you. 

“You may be Captain America right now but we don’t follow you. We said we’d give him 10 minutes. So, he’s getting 10 minutes.” You glowered at the man. 

“Your partner needs backup in there. Do you really want his blood on your hands?” Walker leant towards you, trying to be intimidating but it wasn’t working. 

“Just wait.” You looked the man in the eye with a subtle threat in your stare. His jaw clenched as he tugged his arm away from you. 

Walker went back to look at the clock again. 

After a couple more minutes, he tried once more. 

“Time’s up! Our turn.” Walker didn’t hesitate to push past you as he charged ahead. 

Bucky kept his tongue in his cheek as he watched it happen. 

You and Bucky stayed behind Walker and his partner as they marched ahead.

“Karli Morgenthau, you’re under arrest.” Walker announced as he entered the room. 

“This is what that was?” Betrayal flashed across Karli’s face as she looked at Sam. 

“No, wait––” Sam didn’t have a chance now that Walker had intervened.

“––Tricking me until help came?” Karli started to back away. 

“We had enough time to talk.” Walker exclaimed as he headed straight for Karli. 

“Nazi! “ Karli wasn't going the easy way. She hit Walker back and he went straight into a table. 

Lemar tried to keep you and Bucky back but you had easily managed to get round him to chase after Karli. 

Bucky being what he was managed to get ahead of you but you were close on their trail. 

Sam had found his own way but ultimately you all lost Karli. 

“I lost her.” Bucky sighed.

“This place is a maze.” Sam looked around at the several doorways with a frown. 

The sound of gunshots is what caught your attention next. 

“Come on.” You rushed through the building trying to get to the source. 

You didn’t manage to get there before Walker did. 

Zemo was unconscious on the floor and vials of the serum were smashed around the concrete floor. 

“What happened?” You asked as you looked down at the mess. 

“He was shooting at Karli. I stopped him but she got away.” Walker lifted his shield a little to symbol how he had stopped Zemo. 

“Let’s get him up.” Sam started down the stairs and you followed. 

Zemo woke up after a little encouragement and some smelling salts. You had decided it was best if you split up on your way back to the apartment. 

You and Sam were going to stay with Zemo and see if you can dig up anything on socials and the computer and Bucky was going to do a round and see if she had holed up anywhere familiar. 

Sam sat at his computer, he was contacting Sharon whilst you stood with your phone searching Twitter to see if any Flag Smashers appearances or Karli were popping up in recent tweets. 

Zemo laid down on the couch with a wet towel and a strong glass of scotch. 

“You got anything?” Sam asked you. 

“Nothing. I don’t think we’ll find her this time if she doesn’t want us too.” You put your phone down in defeat. It wasn't usual for people to give her Karli’s location anyway. 

“I think you’re right.” Sam hated to agree but this was the first time you had come close to actually talking Karli down and it failed. 

“And now with the serum’s gone. Who knows what her next move will be.” You knew that Karli didn’t have the option to create more super soldiers now and that gives her a disadvantage. The idea of an army is gone now and she would only have her current foot soldiers to help her. 

Zemo moved for the first time in ten minutes as he lifted his cold compress. 

“Were you ever offered it?" He asked aloud. 

“What?” Sam furrowed his brow at the man. 

“The serum.” Zemo replied. 

“No.” Sam smirked at the idea. 

“If you had been, hypothetically, that is, would you have taken it?” Zemo inquired. 

“No.” Sam answered instantly, his smile dropping. 

“No hesitation. That’s impressive.” Zemo nodded before removing his towel. “Sam. (Y/n). You can’t hold out hope for Karli. No matter what you saw in her, she’s gone. And we cannot allow that she and her acolytes become yet another faction of gods amongst real people. Super Soldiers cannot be allowed to exist.”

“Isn’t that how gods talk?” Sam queried. “And if that’s how you feel, what about Bucky?” There was a silence from Zemo. “Blood isn’t always the solution.” 

Before the conversation could continue, the door opened and Bucky strode inside.

“Something’s not right about Walker.” Bucky stated as he removed his jacket. 

“You don’t say.” Sam huffed with amusement. It was clear as day that Walker was at his wits end with the pressure on him.

“Well, I know a crazy when I see one. Because I am crazy.” Bucky poured himself a glass of whiskey. You rolled your eyes at his statement. 

“Can’t argue with that.” Sam retorted. 

“Shouldn’t have given him the shield.” Bucky was back on this topic again. 

“I didn’t give him the shield.” Sam rose to his feet to face Bucky.

“Well, Steve definitely didn’t.” Bucky sipped on his drink just as the doors flew open. 

All right. That’s it. Let’s go. I’m now ordering you to turn him over.” Walker commanded, his face red and his ears steaming. 

“Hey, slow your roll. Shield or no shield, the only thing you’re runnin’ in here is your mouth. Now, I had Karli and you overstepped. He’s actually proven himself useful today. We’ll need all hands on deck for whatever’s comin’ next.” Sam approached Walker to try and pump his breaks. 

“How do you want the rest of this conversation to go, Sam, huh?” Walker chuckled softly as Sam remained silent. “Yeah. Should I put down the shield? Make it fair?”

Sam scoffed, shaking his head at the man’s antics. 

Walker put down the shield but the only thing flying next was a spear that struck the pillar by Walker’s head. 

It was the Dora Milaje. 

They had come for Zemo. 

From your time in Wakanda you understood the language as Ayo spoke to Bucky. 

“Even if he is a means to an end. Your time is up.” Ayo reverted back to English. “Release him to us now.” 

Walker introduced himself to Ayo, not that she cared for him.

“Well let’s, uh, put the pointy sticks down and we can talk this through, huh?” Walker suggested, only to be met, yet again, by silence from the Dora’s.

“Hey, John, take it easy. You might wanna fight Bucky before you tangle with the Dora Milaje.” Sam tried to warn him but he wasn’t backing down. 

“They don’t have jurisdiction here––”

“––The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be.” Ayo cut Walker short. 

“Okay.” John chuckled lightly. “Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot.” Walker made the mistake of putting his hand on Ayo’s shoulder. 

Ayo responded with an attack. 

The surrounding Dora’s fell into defence positions as Ayo and Walker fought.  Lemar bounced into action, trying to help his partner out but it only warranted in more fighting. Or more asses getting kicked by the Dora Milaje. 

“We should do something.” Sam said as you, him and Bucky stood together watching. 

“Looking strong, John.” Bucky called out. 

“Bucky!” You tried not to laugh as you scolded the man. 

“Guys...” Sam nodded to Ayo about to strike John with her spear which made Bucky reluctantly intervene. 

“Ayo, let’s talk about this.” Bucky only landed himself directly in the mess. 

You realised how serious this was as Ayo didn’t hold back and went ahead to help Bucky. Sam went over to help Lemar but was met by more Dora's.

You grunted as one of the women attacked you. You had almost forgotten just how incredible they were at combat. Almost. 

You were backed against a wall with the spear to your chest when the room fell silent. 

You looked over at Bucky to see his arm was on the floor. 

You wanted to move towards him but you were stuck until orders were given to release you. 

“He is gone. Leave it.” Ayo had opened the bathroom doors to reveal the manhole had been opened. Zemo had escaped. 

You were trying to slow your breathing when finally the Dora’s fell back. 

She retracted her spear and left with Ayo and the others. 

“Did you know they could do that?” Sam asked Bucky as he pushed himself off the floor. 

Bucky reattached his arm. He groaned as he swung it round to adjust it. 

“No.” He said but the shock on his face from before had already given away that answer. 

You looked past Bucky to where Walker was still on the floor. 

“You all right, man?” Lemar offered his hand to help him up. 

“They weren’t even Super Soldiers.” You heard Walker mutter. 

“Come on.” Lemar tugged him to his feet. 

“I can’t believe he pulled an El Chapo.” Sam walked over to the bathroom and stared at the hole. 

“I can.” Bucky wasn’t really that surprised and neither were you truthfully. 

“Come on.” You beckoned the boys out of the apartment so you could talk. 

You got down to the streets and away from Walker before you spoke again. 

“Walker isn’t stable. He’s on the brink of cracking.” You kept your voice low as you spoke to the boys. 

“What do you mean?” Sam asked. 

“We may not like him but he’s not stupid. He knows that he can’t be Steve, do the things Steve did and it’s killing him. He's so obviously trying to win this fight by himself and it’s going to drive him insane if he isn’t the one to beat Karli.” 

“But he can’t beat Karli. You saw her kick him across the room like he was a cardboard box.” Sam reminded you of what happened earlier. 

“We have to get to Karli before he does because he’s either gonna stop her or kill himself trying.” You weren't worried for the man but worried about what would happen if he finally snapped. 

Suddenly, Sam’s phone started to ring. It was his sister. 

“She said what? Right. Hold on, hold on. I know, I know. Listen, pack an overnight bag and take the boys...” Sam sounded worried. 

“What happened?” Bucky asked. 

“Karli called Sarah. She threatened my nephews.” Sam told you both. “Okay. Go somewhere safe. Only pay cash. All right? Tell me when you arrive. I know. Look, I love you. I’ll never let anything happen to you and the boys. Okay. Bye.” He hung up and then immediately texted an unknown number. 

“What does she want?” You knew Karli was desperate but threatening kids was a different story.

“Karli wants to meet. She left a contact number.” Sam’s phone buzzed with a new text. “She said come alone.”

“We’re coming with you.” Bucky wasn’t going to take no for an answer. 

“Alright but keep your distance.” Sam didn’t bother to fight you on it. “We better suit up.” 

You suited up by adding a few more weapons to your body. You placed your favourite thigh holsters on that held your Vibranium knives out on display. 

Sam got his wings and soon you were at the location. 

“Karli!” Sam bellowed as you entered the building. 

Karli leant over a balcony to make herself seen. You remained on the ground floor but looked up at the girl. Bucky followed Sam. 

“You called my sister? That’s how we’re gonna play this?” Sam was upset and understandably so. 

“Sam, I would never hurt her. I just wanted to understand you better.” Karli confessed.“I see you, um, didn’t come alone.”Karli peered down at you then up at Bucky. 

“You have to end this now.” Sam told her. 

“I don’t wanna hurt you. You’re a tool in the regimes I’m looking to destroy. You’re not hiding behind a shield. If I were to kill you, it’d be meaningless. I was gonna ask you to join me. Or do the world a favour and let me go.” Karli spoke pretty boldly for someone who seemed to be alone. Super Soldier or not. 

“Hey, Sam, new Cap is moving, looks like he’s found them, or maybe they found him.” Sharon’s voice came through on Sam’s intercom. 

“It’s Walker.” Sam looked down at you and then Bucky. 

Karli jumped from the balcony at the realisation the jig was up but Bucky was quick to jump too. 

Karli kicked Bucky back but you managed to weaken Karli as you flipped over and kicked her in the jaw. 

Sam put her down momentarily as he flew down and kicked her also. 

“I’ll send you the location. Go!” Sam ordered both you and Bucky before he took off. 

You knew Bucky would be fast enough to run there but you didn’t have that luxury. 

You crossed the street to a parked motorbike and opened up it’s wiring. Just as you managed to get it running, Sam’s coordinates came through. 

You docked your phone and set off. 

You dodged through the narrow streets and traffic to arrive at another large building. Karli must have a favour for buildings you could get lost in. 

You drove through the doors and skidded to a stop. 

Bucky had gotten there before you. You could hear his grunts from a flight or two up. 

You raced up them only to be met by a super soldier fighting Bucky. 

You sent a knife forward, it embedded itself into the man’s soldier, he cried out which gave Bucky some time to throw him down the stairs. 

You tucked up, over the tumbling body, holding onto the railing and the wall. 

Bucky jumped over the rails and with one final blow knocked the soldier unconscious. 

“Stay there.” Bucky told him before climbing back up to you. He thanked you for the help, handing you back the knife that had been in the man’s shoulder. 

You then both went ahead to find Sam and Walker. 

They were fighting more super soldiers a floor up. 

You didn’t hesitate to go in for the attack.

You pulled a knife and threw it to Bucky for help; he caught it midair. 

You screamed with frustration as the soldier you were fighting, pulled your arm behind you and slammed you into the pillar. You managed to swivel around, taking out the soldiers legs as you freed your arm. 

You threw a knife into both his biceps. You only intended to injure, not kill, them anyway. 

He groaned as he pulled them and tried to use them against you. 

All at once, the fighting stopped when you all witnessed Karli kick Lemar into one of the concrete pillars. 

Lemar’s body slumped down with blood painted across his lips. 

John broke free from his attacker and slowly made his way over to Lemar. 

From the sight of the body, you already knew he wasn’t walking out of there. 

Walker desperately tried to wake him up. 

That’s when Karli took her chance to flee. 

You and the boys took off after her but lost her again pretty quickly. 

When you rounded the building, you saw a crowd gathering. 

What you saw next made you feel psychically sick. 

John Walker stood above Karli’s right hand man, blood splattered up Steve’s shield and across his uniform. 

He had killed the man in front of all these civilians. He had killed a man as Captain America. 

(PART 5 HERE)

Bucky Barnes Tag List

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[from-a-reckless-writer]

“So, Andrea asked me out, today.”

“Fucking finally,” Sam mutters under her breath, rolling her eyes at Lena as if Lena’s an idiot who should’ve seen this coming.

“I’m sorry what? What do you mean, ‘finally’?” 

“Oh my God, do you seriously have no clue about it?”

“About what?” This time it was Kara who speaks up. They were having a Girls’ Night tonight, well, usually it was just a Kara and Lena night, but Sam came in for a rare visit and here they all are. 

“About how Lena apparently is an idiot who still doesn’t know that Andrea has been making heart-eyes at her since Day 1,” Sam deadpans and Lena’s eyes widen, brows shooting up to her forehead.

“What? What- No, she doesn’t. Oh my God, Sam! She’s my best friend. We go way back, there is nothing— Sam! Stop laughing, I’m serious!”

“Oh, honey, ever since boarding school she’s had a thing for you. She wouldn’t ask if it was nothing. Remember the first time I met with her?” Sam asks and Lena just nods because, okay what the fuck she really needs time to process this.

“She was jealous, she thought I was coming on to you or something, but then you said I was just a business associate and she calmed down,” Sam finishes and flashes of memory zip unto Lena’s brain. Yes, she does remember that day, how Andrea had acted hostile and odd until they met up again with Sam again during that merger and-

Oh my God. 

 “Ah, there it is. Moment of realization hit hard much? Here, have a drink, buddy.”

Sam thinks this is funny. 

Sam thinks this is so funny and she is so smug about being right and Lena wants to wash the damn smugness off of her face. Sam was too busy laughing and Lena was too busy plotting to kill Sam that they failed to notice how Kara completely turned silent. 

“Good of her to finally have the guts to ask you out. Been a long time coming,” Sam rambles mindlessly sipping at her wine. 

“Wait, I’m still processing— Why didn’t she say anything?” 

“Probably didn’t want to ruin your friendship.”

“Then why now?”

“I don’t know, maybe because she tried not asking you out to keep your friendship. But shit happened and your friendship was lost anyway, but now she doesn’t have anything to lose so maybe she thought, might as well...” Sam shrugs as if it were nothing, but Lena, Lena’s brain was scrambling and— 

“Man, am I glad, I chose this week to visit. Say yes already, and me and Kara would even help you choose a dress. Right, Kara?”

They both turn to Kara, who has been uncharacteristically quiet this past few minutes.

“Huh? Wha- Oh, yeah. Yeah. Dress, right. Yeah,” Kara stutters out and Lena knows something is definitely wrong.

“Are you okay?” She asks and Sam just raises a brow at her.

“Oh, yeah. Just—  long day, you know?” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

But the answer was subdued and Lena wasn’t really all that convinced but Sam is interrogating her again and she really just wants to solve this Andrea Dilemma first. Besides, she’s staying over anyway, she can talk to Kara later.

“How did she ask you out? Spill, right now. Spare us no details.” 

Well…

***

“Well, I’m glad that we got that over with.”

“Couldn’t have done it without you, Andrea.”

“Mm, that’s nice to hear. I missed that, coming from you. I- I missed you.”

“Andrea Rojas, you’re getting soft on me. But for what it’s worth I missed you too.”

“Listen, I uh- I wanna ask you something, but you have to promise me you’ll think about it.”

“Is everything alright? You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Gotodinnerwithme.”

“Did you say dinner?”

“Yeah, I- want to get dinner. With you. Possibly. As my date.”

“Oh.”

***

“Well, can you blame me? I didn’t know she— “ Lena trailed off, finding it hard to think of words.

“Oh?! Oh?! That’s the only thing you said?!” Sam screeches, wine sloshing about in her glass.

“Didn’t know she had feelings for you?” Kara finishes for her with an unreadable look on her face that Lena desperately wants to decipher. But can’t. Not with Sam hovering. 

"Yeah, that,” Lena says lamely, this is ridiculous. She feels like a teenager unaware of how to function in the real world just because a pretty girl asked her to dinner. But to be fair though, Andrea isn’t just some pretty girl.

Andrea was…

Something. 

Yeah, Andrea was Lena’s something. Once. 

“I mean, I did say I was going to think about it. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings but I also didn’t want to lead her on? But I think I kind of did? Did I? Oh, fuck this. Somebody get me more wine.”

Sam pours her a generous amount.

“Well, the question is, do you want to go out with her?”

“I don’t...know,” She admits and Sam just looks at her with the kind of  eyes she sees her make when she wants Ruby to understand something. 

“The question is a simple yes or no, Lena. If you don’t want to, then don’t. If you want to, then go. You don’t owe anybody. If she feels that way, she feels that way. It’s not your fault she caught feelings. You can always say no.”

“I know that, but— “

“But what?”

“It’s Andrea.”

Before Sam can give her another lengthy advice, her friend's phone buzzes and her niece’s face lights up the screen.

“Well, that’s my cue,” Sam says before picking up and telling her daughter that yes, she’s coming home soon. 

“I guess we should call it a night,” Lena voices out as Sam hangs-up. Sam gives both of them bear hugs, whispering in her ear, “You’re going to tell me everything, after.”

And Lena kicks her out of the apartment with an eye-roll. 

She hears Kara moving behind her, probably using her superspeed so Lena doesn’t have to do anything. 

“Hey,” Lena calls out carefully, she’s been eyeing Kara all night and she can’t ignore that something was up.

 “Yeah?” Kara answers coming from the kitchen, wiping her wet hands on her pants as she approaches.

“Sit with me?” 

Lena gestures to the other unoccupied side of the couch. Kara plops down with a sigh, Lena automatically putting her feet up on Kara’s lap. 

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

To which Kara answered with, “No.”

Well, Lena wasn’t expecting that. Kara tells her everything, that was their thing. Lena has no idea how it happened but Kara tells her everything and Lena tells Kara everything, that’s just them. That was how it is. So, Lena was more than baffled at Kara’s silence. 

“Okay, then. Help me with my problem instead?”

“Fine.”

Cold. Wow, Okay. Okay. She wasn’t going to push but this is really odd behavior for Kara. 

“Do- do you think, I should say yes?

”“To Andrea?”

“To Andrea,” Lena confirms and Kara tosses her head back on the sofa and closes her eyes.

“I don’t know, Lena. That’s...your choice— “

“I know it’s my choice, I’m just asking for your input. How ‘bout a pro’s and con’s list?”“Pro’s first,” Lena says and begins a list, “She knows things about me, in a way that most people would never, that’s a good reason, right?”

“Yeah th-that’s good. She’s rich,” Kara adds and Lena laughs at that.

“Darling, I’m rich too.”

“Well, that’s another pro, you’re on the same level. No worrying about the media, no worrying about tight schedules because she’d understand, anyway. No worrying about gala dates because she’s going to be there, too. No worrying about what friends would say, it’s clear Sam approves and Jess would too. No worrying about long distances since I heard she’s staying around. She’s…”

Kara pauses and there’s this moment where Lena is just looking at her, Kara’s words looping in her head. As if Kara has thought about Andrea dating her a million times before, and what that might mean, as if—

“-perfect. She’s perfect for you, Lena. There’s— uh there’s no competing with that,” Kara’s voice trails off, “I don’t think there’s any con, about dating her. So, there you go. I helped didn’t I? I— You know what? I’m tired, I-”

Kara doesn’t even bother finishing her sentence, just pushes Lena’s legs off her lap and stands-up. Shoulders defeated and foot-steps heavy. Lena stays there on the couch. Usually, they’d get ready for bed together, but Lena has a feeling that Kara wants space, right now. So, she sits there, in the silence of Kara’s apartment, mind running a mile a minute about the implications of Kara’s behavior, listening to the way Kara’s flitting about in the bedroom, before she hears the duvet rustle and she knows it’s time. 

Lena takes her time, brushing her teeth, putting on the pajamas she keeps at Kara’s, combing her hair. She knows Kara never falls asleep without bidding her good night first. But the silence from Kara’s end makes her believe her best friend had already been taken by slumber. 

Lena slowly climbs into bed, Kara laying on her side, facing away from Lena. She claims her side and slowly leans into Kara’s back, she can feel Kara stiffen from the close proximity. Lena takes a breath and starts wrapping her arms around Kara, spooning her. Lena gives herself a moment to just breathe her in. Kara doesn’t relax.

“You know, there is a con,” She starts and she knows Kara’s listening, “There’s one con, about dating Andrea.” she waits for Kara to reply, hoping that she would.

“What?”

“She’s not you.”

“What?”

“She’s—“ Lena inhales, braces herself, fucking now or never, “She’s not Kara Zor-El. She’s not the woman I want to be dating. She’s not the one who I want to ask me to dinner. She’s not you, Kara.”

She feels Kara turn and Lena slowly loosens her arms so Kara can face her.God, her eyes are so blue even in the dark. 

“Lena, what?”

“Then why would you ask if you should date Andrea?” Kara asks, voice small and Lena clings to her tighter, puts a palm against her cheek.

“You already said that, darling,” she teases before clarifying, “I said, I want you. I don’t want Andrea. I don’t want anyone else. I want you.”

“Okay, wow. I— give me a minute, wow okay, wow.” Kara stutters out in disbelief. As if Lena would want anybody but her. 

“I needed to know if you felt the same. I have been trying, Kara. I’ve been trying to tell you how I feel. Wishing you’d pick up on it but I don’t know if you don’t notice or you just really don’t see me that way, but tonight—”

“Tonight, what? What gave me away?”

“You don’t really think, I won’t notice when you’re hurting, do you? The moment I mentioned Andrea, your face fell. You were quiet the whole night. Not to mention you were giving me the cold shoulder once Sam left.”

“I thought I was being subtle,” Kara whispers sheepishly and Lena can’t fight the grin off her face. 

“You weren’t,” Lena breathes and becomes aware of the fact that Kara’s lips are right there, and she’s pretty sure that if she asks, Kara would kiss her. Kara would kiss her, right?

“Kara— “

“Can I— “

They say at the same time and Lena doesn’t really know nor does she care who leaned in first, just that their lips are pressed together, and it’s perfect. This moment is perfect and Lena wants to keep this moment tucked away in her heart, somewhere only she and Kara have permission to.

 And God, they were just as bad as the other. Idiots pining, sneaking glances, buying companies, heroic saves, but Lena guesses it doesn’t really matter, because now they have this.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

***

Three weeks later, Lena receives a call from Metropolis, Sam’s name flashing briefly on her screen.

“You have a shit ton of explaining to do, Lena Luthor. What the fuck did Jess mean when she said, ‘Miss Luthor and Miss Danvers are out on a lunch date as of the moment.’?”

[soldierswar]

Kobik - Chapter II

Bucky x Reader

Fluff/Angst

Chapter summary: You and Bucky begin to face your new reality.

Chapter 1

“Sam was right. You do have a staring problem,” was the first thing said between the two of you after you broke the news almost 5 minutes ago.

His face was still white even after sitting down. You sat across from him, you both being in the same spots that you were in before your outburst.

Out of all of the ways that you had imagined telling him would be like, this wasn’t anything close to any of your scenarios. Granted, the reaction itself was pretty on par with what you expected.

“When were you going to tell me?” he asked still in a trance. His eyes continued to dart from the ground to your stomach back and forth.

“I found out a couple of hours before you left. I didn’t want to freak you out before—”

“And how long did you plan on keeping this from me?”

“Really? That’s your first thought?” you snapped.

“Yeah,” he retorted.

“Well maybe I was just waiting for the right time, but obviously things don’t always go as planned!”

You and Bucky had never planned to have kids. The mere idea of it scared the hell out of you guys. So for the most part, you were pretty careful.

“How did this even happen?”

You leaned forward and looked him dead in the eyes.

“Bucky,” you said.

“I’ll give you one guess.”

He shook his head.

“You know what I mean.”

Suddenly a little voice crept up on you startling the both of you for a second.

“Is everything okay?”

Bucky was the first one to look at her, and you couldn’t help but notice the softening of his features; especially in his eyes.

“Yeah. Everything’s fine, kid. We’re just talking,” he said in a comforting tone.

She frowned suspiciously as though she wasn’t convinced, but she let it go.

You thought that seeing her after Bucky told you about her whole history would have made you even more afraid of her. But looking at her now, you saw the innocence in her that Bucky was so adamant about convincing you that she had. Honestly, she was kind of adorable once you got used to some of her unnatural features.

You turned your gaze back over to the house where Sam was standing at the doorway. You wondered if he heard anything from your intense conversation.

“Are you guys done with your little moment or not?” Sam shouted.

You looked over at Bucky whose eyes were still on Kobik with a nervous expression. You realized that once again you had almost completely forgotten the whole point of your little argument, and now he was struggling with what you told him and what to do with Kobik. Now you kind of hated yourself for doing all this to him.

So you did what you now felt you had to do and let out a big sigh.

“I don’t have a car seat.”

Bucky’s face looked a little confused.

“And I guess she’s tiny enough to sleep on our giant couch,” you continued. Now he was understanding.

“But I swear if there’s a moment where we’re in any type of danger—”

“Y/N, I would never—”

“I know.”

You knew that he wasn’t lying. One thing that you always trust was that he would do anything to protect you; even when you didn’t always trust his judgement with some of his risky/impulsive decisions. But him protecting you from bad people was how you two had met in the first place.

“Hooray!” she exclaimed jumping into Bucky’s arms. Something that would be seemingly normal for a child of her perceived age; except for the fact that she jumped from an impossibly far distance, and seemed to float slowly as she went down to wrap her own arms around his shoulder. Almost like there was an invisible parachute over her.

This was going to be interesting.

…

In the hours since Kobik had come home with the two of you, there was no denying that you were avoiding her. You felt a little bit guilty about it, but it wasn’t hard to tell that she was kind of avoiding you too. You couldn’t blame her, you didn’t exactly react in the best way in your initial interaction.

You checked the time on your computer. 7:00. You hadn’t realized how long you had holed yourself up in your office under the guise of catching up on emails. In all fairness when he saw how anxious you started getting when she began exploring the apartment, Bucky did suggest that you go rest or something said that he would handle her. Whatever that meant. You also had to admit to yourself that Kobik wasn’t the only one you were avoiding. You and Bucky were incredibly tense after your outburst, and you haven’t had space or time to talk about it yet.

When you walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water you could see Bucky sitting in the living room with Kobik on his lap.

He was reading her a story from his iPad. It was what you remembered to be an excerpt of a story from his favourite book of short stories. She looked calm, and honestly quite comfortable. In fact, she was in the midst of falling asleep. Your heart might have melted if you weren’t so freaked out about the thought of her having some type of trauma-induced nightmare and burning a hole through the ceiling or something crazy like that in her sleep.

You decided to shake that thought and walked over to the bedroom to let yourself collapse onto the bed. And yet, when you got there you could not let yourself relax. All you could do was lay on the bed and stare at the ceiling wishing that you could feel numb inside instead of feeling everything else it was that you were feeling weighing down on you.

Not too much later you felt Bucky sit down on the bed right next to you. With that, you began to feel something along the lines of dread. You knew that this was the moment where you’d have to face whatever new reality you both had looming over you. The short-term ones, and the long-term ones.

After you sat up you both stared at each other not knowing where to start.

Finally, you decided to talk first.

“So how long do you think this is going to go on for?”

“Not too long,” he stated.

“We just need to find out who it is trying to find her and why. We have a few people looking into it now.”

“And then what?”

He let out a slow tired sigh and shrugged.

“After that, we just need to figure out who with and/or where she’ll be able to live with long term.”

You nodded, feeling a little relieved that he wasn’t going to try to convince you to keep her forever.

“Speaking of long term.”

‘Oh great,’ you thought.

“Yeah,” was all that you could say looking down at your still flat belly. You were still too scared to touch it like there was something or rather someone actually in there.

“How long?” he asked.

“I already told you how long I’ve known.”

“I mean how far along?” he clarified.

You suddenly thought about how cuddling with the tiny humanoid weapon in your living room might be more fun than having to go through this conversation.

“I mean I haven’t really gone to the doctor yet,” you stated.

“But if I did that math right…about 2 months.”

He didn’t say anything. Or rather, couldn’t say anything; which did nothing but succeed in driving you mad.

“Again with the long pauses?” you snapped.

“Y/N…”

But one look into your pleading, probably now red and puffy eyes made him stop.

And that was the moment when you began to cry. Days upon days’ worth of tears fell down your cheeks as sobs wracked your body. So instead of saying anything yet, he just held you. He wrapped his arms around you and rocked you side to side until you were finally able to calm down again.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly against the top of your head.

You furrowed your brows and looked up to meet his gaze.

“I’m sorry about how…terribly I’m reacting to this.”

You weren’t sure why but you suddenly felt a little laugh bubble over you, but you held back.

“If it makes you feel any better,” you sniffled.

“I immediately threw up, and then cried for three days straight. So I think I win.”

He let out a light chuckle before his eyes began to glaze over as he sunk deep into his thoughts.

You gave his hand a reassuring squeeze bringing him back to earth grateful that you were finally being the calmer one in this situation.

“We’re gonna figure this out,” you said giving him a soft smile.

“Yeah?” he responded wearily, returning the reassuring squeeze.

You shrugged.

“I mean we haven’t really been left with much of a choice now have we?”

He kissed you on the top of your head and sighed lightheartedly.

“No, I guess not.”

He turned to lay down with his head on his pillow and pulled you to lay comfortably in front of him.

“You know I love you no matter what, right?” he whispered while carefully resting his hand on your belly. And now you wanted to cry again. But instead of crying, you assured him,

“Always.”

You laid there for a while in silence but in peace. Also, you were exhausted. You both were. No matter how anxious you two might have been, it was one of those days where you would definitely not be fighting sleep. So as sleep came, you let it. You let it take you away into blissful oblivion.

But moments after you found yourself properly asleep, you were suddenly awoken by a child-like scream followed by a loud bang.

Kobik.

...

Thanks to all of you for all of the love I got for chapter 1. I'm pretty excited for the next few chapters. I hope you enjoyed.

Tagged:

@typicalnerd98 @veroxloki @white-wolf-buckaroo @closeyoureyes---makeawish @acciosiriusblack @pastel-boy-sungjae

[oneoftheextras]

Caged | two

Alpha!Villain!All Might x Omega!Reader

masterlist | tip jar

A lovely and generous reader gave me a Tip to write a second part to my Alpha Villain All Might/Toshinori story so here we are. Thank you so much for helping me support myself while writing, it really means a lot!

Warnings: A/B/O dynamics, smut and breeding kink

Part 1 | 

When you awoke you were alone, the sunlight peaking through the tatty blinds covering each window and highlighting the specs of dust that floated through the almost empty room. 

You were lying on your side on a very uncomfortable couch, a couch that you vaguely remembered falling asleep on in the first place. A light knitted blanket covered your naked body, but you were already sweating.

A twinge of pain in your lower abdomen triggered your memory of the night before, the realisation of where you were and who this house belonged to hit you like leaves on a train track - all of a sudden and had you flying into the air.

Once your feet were on the ground you used the blanket to shamefully cover yourself, just in case someone was lurking in one of the few rooms of the building and happened upon your nude self.

You needed a cold shower, you felt the disgusting hue of sweat coating your skin from your premature heat, normally you would have everything set out and planned ahead so you were ready for it - you weren’t expecting it so early.

Roaming the bottom floor, you opened every door you saw in an attempt to find the bathroom. You found what seemed to be a home gym and storage room, at least that’s what you’d say if you had to guess, there was a bunch of work out machines alongside multiple opened boxes filled with random stuff - there were trophies, clothes, a games console, there didn’t seem to be any form of organisation.

Feeling the dust tickle your nose you decided to close the door again and leave it be, if you were to disturb anything he would surely know.

There wasn’t much to the downstairs of Toshinori’s house, the living room took up most of the space, and the kitchen area being added to it eliminated another room.

Cautiously you moved to the bottom of the stairs, staring up at the steep steps, you collected as much of the blanket as you could into your hands and started walking up them, you didn’t want to trip so you took your time.

Upstairs wasn’t as open as downstairs, there were multiple doors leading to various rooms, you didn’t know where to start. It was now occurring to you that you were being very rude and nosy, but you didn’t care you wanted a shower.

This was the house of a notorious villain, known for destroying buildings and murdering innocent people, you realised you needed to stop delaying and get out of this place as quickly as you could.

You thanked your lucky stars that he hadn’t killed you when he found you in his house the night before, he could have done so easily but had spared you for some reason. You weren’t about to start questioning the motives behind his motives and just be thankful that you’re alive.

Opening each door to peak inside you eventually found the bathroom, it was very simple: clean white tiles, glass shower, a toilet and a sink. You couldn’t help but feel like this man lived a very basic life - the house was not a home but definitely had potential.

Hopping into the shower you allowed the water to run over your aching body, only now could you feel how much it hurt. There were tiny purple bruises littered around your hip bones and waist, yet another reminder of the night before.

The water helped you to feel cleaner but there wasn’t much you could do about the aching in your bones and stomach, your skin craved the warm feeling of a gentle touch.

Normally you would use your heated blanket in your own bedroom, but you were far from home and the damp towel wrapped around your body was nothing in comparison to it.

Then it hit you, the only clothes you had were your work clothes and they were drenched in sweat. You wandered out of the bathroom in search for some clothes, Toshinori had forced your heat to come early, the least he could do was make you feel comfortable. You were sure he wouldn’t notice some clothes missing.

Earlier when you were snooping around you’d found, what you would assume to be, the master bedroom. The bed was huge with dark grey sheets, the size was probably to accommodate his large form, you remembered how he towered over you, he was easily twice your own size.

The thought made goosebumps crawl across your skin, now was not the time to indulge in such thoughts, you needed to get dressed and leave as quickly as possible.

You made your way over to a huge mirrored closet and slid the door to the side, there were a few pieces of clothing hanging up but they all looked the same.

Some were ginormous and some were average size, there was a black hoodie that seemed tailored to his muscular body that you had to resist the temptation to snuggle into.

Instead you found a plain white top and a pair of green combat trousers, they were a bit baggy on you but it was enough to get you home.

As soon as you pulled the fabric over your head you realised your mistake, even though it was clean the remaining smell of his cologne entered your nostrils and consumed you.

That familiar smell of caramel and oak wood filled your entire being, and you felt a cold sweat start to break out on your forehead as you started to shake. Determined to get threw this and out of the house, you pulled it down over your chest and stomach.

You reached a hand out to grab the pants you’d seen hanging up but your attention was drawn to the hoodie, you tried your best to concentrate but your body deceived you. Before you knew it you were slipping the hoodie off of it’s hanger and bringing it up to your face.

The fabric was soft to the touch and the smell was beyond amazing, he must have worn this recently and then put it back in the closet. You wondered what other things he had worn recently that had his Alpha scent on it.

Ten minutes went by and you’d pulled out half a dozen items of clothing that were now laying on the bed, you’d somehow managed to find a big metal basket at the end of the bed that had a variety of blankets in it, all of which you had confiscated.

You organised them into a messy circle on top of the plush mattress and wrapped a particularly fluffy blanket around you, strangely it was helping your sweat. You were fully aware that you were nesting in a villain’s home, but you couldn’t stop.

Never before had you had an Alpha around during your heat, normally you would go through it alone in your apartment, you’d dabbled in the idea of going out to quench the urges you had but you knew better than to go to a bar smelling like a desperate Omega. That was how you would get yourself killed.

Now that you’d had the taste of an Alpha you were thirsty, like you hadn’t drank water in three weeks, your lips were chapped and your throat yearned for him.

Cuddling up to the black hoodie you had found, you were starting to whine, you were both uncomfortable and comfortable at the same time - the nest gave you physical comfort but you wanted more, you wanted him back.

All plans to leave had gone out of the window, you needed to be satisfied in ways that suppressants couldn’t control and toys wouldn’t come close to.

Almost as if on call, the bedroom door swung open and Toshinori stared at your small body curled up in a pile of his clothes and blankets. You hadn’t heard the front door open or any footsteps coming up the stairs, you were so wrapped up in controlling your inner urges.

As soon as you caught scent of him your eyes shot open and towards where he was standing, he looked nervous, scared - concerned? You weren’t sure, your eyes wouldn’t focus properly, but you needed him.

“I came as quickly as I could” he said breathing heavily, he too was sweating, “How did-” you started but couldn’t finish, you wanted to ask him what he meant but couldn’t form the words.

“I don’t know, I just had a feeling that you needed me” he explained, he too was confused, “Let me take care of you” he commanded, puffing his chest out and transforming into the figure you knew as All Smite.

“N-No!” you whined reaching a hand out for him, he was half way across the room to you when he stopped, the look of hurt on his face said it all - me must have thought you didn’t want him at all.

That couldn’t be further from the truth, you wanted him, very very badly. But this wasn’t him, this was All Smite, a villain. You wanted to Toshinori you knew, the thin blonde man that never failed to put a smile on your face while your work day was dragging you down.

“Not like that” you clarified, your eyes were starting to water, it felt like if he didn’t hold you within the next couple of seconds then your body would crumble into a pile of dust.

He was stumped, he opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it again, “This isn’t you, I want you” you begged him. You started to emerge from your clothing fort you’d made to get closer to him, you were afraid that if you tried to stand your legs would fail you so you shimmied your way to the end of the bed.

“This is me” he said glancing down at his muscular body bewildered. You shook your head furiously and muttered out a “Please”, finally you were able to meet his blue eyes and you noticed the twinkle of realisation hit him and a small pink blush paint over his nose.

White steam seeped from every part of his body until you weren’t able to see him through the cloud of fog, desperately you wanted to see him again, you reached your hand out into the smoke to find him when you felt his hand clasp around yours.

At the feeling of physical contact your skin felt as though it was set on fire and spread quickly from your hand all the way through your body and down to your toes.

Gently he pulled you up towards him so you were up against his chest, you allowed yourself to snuggle into his warmth more and it made you feel complete. 

Softly he put his hand under your jaw and lifted your face to look up at him, he seemed embarrassed and uncomfortable. Pushing yourself up on your knees, you brought yourself up to the crevice of his neck so you could brush your nose against his scent gland.

A quiet growl came from him when you made contact making you stop for a second to check that it was okay to continue, twisting your head to glance up at him he hastily took the opportunity to kiss you, sealing your lips with his passionately.

One kiss turned into two and two turned into two dozen, all the while he pushed you back up the bed and towards the nest you’d made. You pushed clothes aside to make room for your guest without breaking contact with him, every kiss stoked the fire that was burning in you.

Finally he released your lips so he could pull his top up over his head and you made sure to grab it and add it to the pile before it even touched the ground. He chuckled at your actions with blown out lust-filled eyes and started to undo his jeans.

That’s when you realised that you never got around to putting on any pants of your own, you were wearing only his white top. 

You allowed your body to slowly recline until you felt the soft mattress touch your back, at this point Toshinori had finished undressing himself so you could admire his fully naked form.

It wasn’t as muscular as his bigger figure but his muscles were still defined, he was leaner but still very strong. He didn’t give you much time to inspect him before he crawled on top of you and continued his assault on your lips.

Hooking your hands around his neck, you pulled his head towards you so you could deepen the kiss - you were so full of his embrace that it made you jump when you felt one of his fingers brush against your entrance.

His hand retracted at you flinching and he stopped kissing you so he could reassure you “I’ll be gently today, I promise” he smiled, looking deep into your eyes, regardless of how he treated you the night before you whole-heartedly believed him.

“Are you sore?” he asked, moving his head so he could place gentle kisses on your neck, “Mhmmm” you nodded as you felt his fingers glide through your folds, you were impatient.

“I’m sorry if I was too rough” he kissed, pushing one finger slowly into you as though you were made of glass and any quick movements would shatter you. Moaning softly, you gripped onto the back of his head and moved your legs further apart to give him room.

He slid his finger in and out of you at a painfully steady pace, you whined in between moans and thrust your hips towards him to let him know you wanted more.

You felt him chuckle against your neck as he pulled his finger out of you, the warm breath against your skin made your whole body tingle, “Okay, okay” he said as though he was scorning you for not being patient enough.

That’s when you felt the smooth head of his cock push your lips aside, as he promised, he pushed himself into you; forcing your walls to clench wildly around him for something to grip onto.

You relished in the deep groan that came out of his mouth and splashed against your ear, it was so quiet that you probably wouldn’t have heard it if all your senses weren’t giving him your complete undivided attention. 

“Please” you begged again, hardly able to control yourself, you wanted every part of him and you wanted it now. Slowly at first, he pulled himself nearly all the way out of you and then almost as carefully, he pushed all the way back in. You could feel every bump and vein of his cock brushing against your insides and it felt wonderful.

Once he had found his pace, you wrapped your legs around his waist and hooked your feet together to deepen the angle, you weren’t proud of the noises that were coming from you.

He tried to continue kissing your neck and jaw line but his own need took over, making his thrusts faster and more erratic and his kisses were just the same. He sloppily let his bottom lip rest against your skin in an attempt to keep the contact, but all you could feel was the exhales from his pants and that was just as blissful.

Using the heel of your foot, you matched his pace, pulling him harder so he could fully sheath himself inside of you, it didn’t take long for his gentle pace to fade into hard and melodically thrusts.

You didn’t even attempt to conceal your screams, you wanted him to hear what he was doing to you - his right hand roamed in search for yours as he kept up the relentless pace that he had set.

The headboard of his bed was thumping against the wall in rhythm with him, eventually he found your hand and entwined his fingers with yours and let them rest on the pillow above your head.

Attempting to do the same with the other, you started to feel his knot forming, something that you’d been thinking about all day. It pushed against your entrance hard as though each thrust was making it knock and ask for your permission.

You felt Toshinori’s teeth against your neck as he grit them, in one particularly strong thrust, his knot pushed itself inside of you and stretched you even more.

Sure, he wasn’t in his muscle form, but he was definitely still hung.

Almost instinctively, he gripped your throat in between his teeth and bit down sharply, you yelped as you felt the pain rocket through your neck and jaw. He didn’t let go immediately, he continued to hold your flesh in his mouth as he thrust into you. He was like a wild animal that had finally caught it’s prey after hours of stalking and chasing.

Eventually, he released your skin and continued to kiss where he had marked you, you were unsure why he had mated with you - why would the number one feared villain in the whole of Japan want to mate with you, a barista.

That was until he started to speak “I’ve wanted to make you mine for so long Omega” he grunted while he pumped himself into you even faster, your head spinning as he called you by your title “I’m going to fill you up completely, do you want that?” he huffed, lifting himself up so he could look upon your face.

With every sentence he said, you felt your orgasm creeping up as though his words were coaxing it out of hiding, your clit tingled with delight, you were so close.

You sloppily nodded your head as he pinned your other hand above your head, “I’m going to fill your belly with my seed until your body has no choice but to carry my pups” he told you, everything he was saying made you moan even more, you wanted everything he said and more.

His thrusts became off beat, the rhythm was gone, just a few more thrusts until you felt him spill himself inside you, triggering your own orgasm. You both rode out your blissful high together as he rested his forehead against you own and the last couple of drops entered you.

Panting, you laid there unmoving, not because you didn’t want to but because his knot wouldn’t allow you. He let go of your hands and held you against his chest, he rolled onto his back and in turn pulled you on top of him, cock still fully inside you and very very hard.

“Did you mean it? What you said?” you asked breathlessly, he looked down at your tired and sweat covered body, “About wanting you for a long time?” he clarified and you nodded.

Pushing a strand of your hair out of your face, he smiled “Yeah, you didn’t think I really liked that crappy coffee, did you?” he laughed, making your head bounce along with his chest. You lifted you head so you could give him an offended look.

“I knew from the moment I saw you that you were my Omega, I just never knew how to approach you, and then you practically fell into my lap” he explained, it was a weird and unconventional way for someone to find their soulmate but you were just happy you’d found him.

There was still something nagging in the back of your mind, he was a villain, how did you know he wouldn’t abandon you. Almost as though he had read your mind he kissed you on the forehead, “I’m here now, and I wont let anyone or anything hurt you - especially not me” his eyes were full of adoration for you.

“I prefer you like this” you stated, poking a finger into his ribs making him flinch, “Like this huh?” he smirked, putting his arms around your torso and slowly moving his still hard cock out of you and then back in again.

It was clear he was a man of his word and truly wasn’t done with you, “I’m glad” he smiled, it was a genuine smile, one full of love and pure happiness. Something told you he would indeed keep you safe, and you would be the one to show him how loved he truly was.

Tag List:

@mylife-demonstrates-murphys-law @hereticpriest @enagmaticether @anxiousgoddest

[becomewings]

Hi Wings! I was wondering if you could please explain to me the meaning behind the Euphoria video. Is it a dream? Or are the members in heaven? Thanks in advance

Hi nonie, thank you for entrusting your question to me! I will try to keep this quick out of respect for your time and mine. Euphoria is part of the BU (BTS Universe) storyline, as indicated by the “BU content certified by Big Hit Entertainment” note at the end of the YouTube video description. I am generally aware that there are/were fan theories with variations on “the character(s) are dead” (or perhaps SeokJin specifically), “it’s all a dream,” etc. No judgment from me if you did/do subscribe to any of these theories, but given the information presented now in the texts (Notes and mobile game), they would either be a major plot twist or thematic departure at this point in the narrative. So my following overview of Euphoria is based on connections between the MV and existing texts, acknowledging that some elements may be open to interpretation. Dates are from the texts, as this MV does not include any, but Euphoria is actually one of the easier MVs to map to specific events in the narrative.

(Also a quick content warning for references to homicide, suicide, and violence)

Beginning - 3’05”

The opening segment is a combination of old and new footage. The old footage from earlier BU MVs/films is slightly distorted with visual effects from the original. These scenes represent earlier iterations of the time loops, e.g. NamJoon at the gas station before he gets in a fight with a customer (11 April), TaeHyung killing his father (20 May), TaeHyung jumping from the seaside platform (22 May), etc. The new footage mostly depicts events being fixed (by SeokJin’s influence) in the “current” timeline that is shown through the rest of the MV, e.g. JungKook saving YoonGi from the fire (exact date varies depending on the loop; usually early May), JiMin catching HoSeok before he falls in the hospital staircase (12 May), etc. Though it is not specifically depicted, JungKook does not jump or fall from the building in this loop because YoonGi calls him (11 April — see this official Smeraldo Books tweet).

In this loop, the boys also successfully rescue JiMin from the hospital (15 May). The depiction in the MV varies slightly from The Notes and game because it is filmed during the daytime rather than at night, when the rescue actually occurs in the texts.

The curtained window is a recurring image for SeokJin. When the time loop resets, he always wakes up on 11 April Year 22 in his bedroom.

3’06” - 5’09”

We can infer that these sequences of the boys hanging out occur sometime between 20 May and 22 May (if not entirely on 22 May) because TaeHyung’s bandaged hand is from 20 May. The broken bottle cut his palm when HoSeok stopped him from attacking his father. These shots are from before or earlier in the day on 22 May because…

5’41” - 7’21”

On 22 May Year 22, the boys all visit the sea together. Euphoria depicts one of the major versions of this day in the time loop: SeokJin climbs the observation tower instead of TaeHyung, preventing his friend from jumping. This post covers the parallels between the loop when TaeHyung jumped (as seen in the HYYH On Stage Prologue and referenced in SeokJin’s 11 April Note from the Answer album) and the version when SeokJin climbed up first (Euphoria and The Notes 1). There is another major version in Notes 2, but more on that another time!

Post-Credits

Another reused shot (from I Need U) — we know that although SeokJin prevents TaeHyung from jumping on 22 May, later that night things fall apart. (The preceding quote is when TaeHyung presses SeokJin for answers at their seaside lodge in Notes 1: “SeokJin, is that all? Aren’t you hiding something from us?”) JungKook is struck by a car after the group hangout dissolves, so this shot is referencing that.

You may have noticed that I skipped 5’10 to 5’40”. I don’t want to introduce any further confusion, but I personally find this seaside wall shot rather ambiguous to place in the timeline. JungKook has kept a photo of the first time they went to the beach together on 12 June Year 19. In BTS Universe Story, the photo looks exceptionally like this Euphoria shot, except the boys are wearing casual school uniforms. In the MV, they’re wearing the same white clothes in the following sea scenes, which definitely occur on 22 May Year 22. So perhaps the characters staged the same pose in the present? This Smeraldo Books tweet actually does little to clarify the date for me because the quote (“I didn’t tell anyone, but I felt on that long-ago day that I had finally found a real family…”), while sourced from JungKook’s 22 May entry, is actually referring to their 12 June Year 19 beach trip. You can make of all this what you will!

I hope this overview helps contextualize the events of Euphoria! If you have any more specific questions, please feel free to send them in and I will do my best to answer as I have time.

And if you are interested in seeing more parallels of the changed events in the time loops, I recommend the Timeline series. (Note: currently only covers variations through Notes 1.)

[thirtysomethingloser92]

Chapter 1.

Summary: After being removed from his own time, Agent Daniel Sousa finds himself in 2020 lost, alone and vulnerable. You, an Avenger, find yourself face to face with Director Coulson and Agent May begging you to help another man out of time. This time however, instead of a super soldier, you meet an average man haunted by war and a time he once knew.   Pairings: Daniel Sousa x Reader.

You loved the mornings.

You truly did. You loved being awake before everyone else, the stillness of the cold air outside, a chance to reflect towards the day ahead. Almost every morning you could be found by the compound lake watching as the mist dusted itself off the top of the water with a hot cup of coffee in your hand and headphones in your ears. Once upon a time, you would be joined by the blonde super soldier you had helped adapt years earlier, a tight shirt covering his chest and a drink bottle in his hand. The mornings would be filled with laughter and joking as you both prepared for the day head. These days however, the years after the accords and the dismantling of the Avengers, you found yourself longing for those days with your friends in front of the television or training with the most deadliest assassins in the world.

You missed your friends.

"Good morning Audrey," You smiled at the young brunette woman who was currently leaning against her door frame flicking through her mail, "How are you today?"

The young girls brown eyes lit up as she gave you a wide smile. Audrey, last name unknown because she never told you or you never bothered to really ask, was your unusually quiet neighbor who occasionally made her presence known by knocking on your door and coming in for a cup of tea, usually talking about her recently deceased grandparents or her family.

"I'm great. Would be better if I stopped getting bills but hey, that's capitalism for you," She laughed as she placed the envelopes in her back pocket, "Oh! I almost forgot to mention, your uncle and his girlfriend are visiting. They asked me to let them in earlier and I've seen them come in and out of your apartment before so I hope you don't mind,"

Your mouth fell open slightly, "Erm sure, thanks Audrey. Next time could you call me though?"

The young woman nodded, "Absolutely, I'm so sorry,"

You nodded and turned to your door, "It's fine honestly. I trust him with my life. Just next time let me know there's people in my apartment," You grinned as you pushed the front door open, giving the young woman a small wave as you entered your apartment and closed the door.

Throwing your bag down on the ground you made your way through the hall and into the living room where you saw your long time friend and mentor Phil Coulson,  Agent Melinda May and a dark haired brown eyed man sitting next to them with his hand gripping the golden handle of a walking stick.

"A phone call wouldn't go amiss every now and again," You smiled as Phil stood up and embraced you in a hug. Phil Coulson was the man who vouched for you, who gave you a second chance when SHIELD deemed your powers too unstable. He was the man who stood by your decisions and guided you in a way that a father could. When you found yourself in the Treskellion all those years ago, so young and afraid, you remember his gentle words, the way he didn't treat you like an agent, but as a human. Not a freak like you had believed yourself to be. But as an average teenager.

"We've been out of range," Phil explained, he turned to Melinda, "You remember Agent May?" The Asian woman gave you a nod and a small smile, "And this is Daniel Sousa,"

Your eyes landed on the man who gave you a curt nod by decidedly stayed silent, "Sousa? I recognize that name. SSR later SHIELD. Died in 1955,"

Phil nodded, "That's right,"

"So uh, not to be rude. Why is he in my lounge room, in the year 2020?"

Phil offered you a seat and slid a manila file across the table to you. Flicking it open, you saw a photo of a younger version of the man out of time among numerous pages of his background.

"He had to die. Officially in 1955," Phil began, "But we couldn't let a good man die,"

"So you kidnapped him?"

A small smile crossed Daniel's face.

"I wouldn't say kidnap. We preserved a timeline," Phil clarified, "Look, I remember how well you got Steve Rogers to adapt to the 21st century. We were wondering if you could do the same for Agent Sousa. Get him up to date about what he missed. Help him get comfortable,"

You turned to look at Daniel who suddenly spoke up, "He's also in the room," You could see that he was trying to keep his face void of emotion, but his eyes showed that he was confused, somewhat scared of this new time. Of his future. "Is no one going to ask what I want?"

You nodded in agreement, "Okay then Agent Sousa. What would you like?"

"To go home. But since that's obviously off the table," He looked at Phil, then to Melinda, and finally to you, determination suddenly set in his eyes, "I'll stay. If I'm not intruding on you and your life,"

You shrugged, "I'm an Avenger, my life's always intruded on so it doesn't bother me," A small smile crossed your face, "This is going to be hard, but I've read about you. You're gonna be okay,"

<>

You made your way down the hallway and into the spare room with your arms filled with a large blanket and pillow, your new roommate limping behind you. After rejecting his help numerous time, he had finally become silent as the walls echoed around you. "I haven't really had a chance to clean this room up so you  might need to open a window or something tomorrow once it warms up a bit," You explained, turning on the large overhead light and throwing the blanket and pillow on the bed. You quickly moved around the room tidying it up and making the bed, "I wasn't really expecting a new roommate so soon after the last one moved out so I apologize if you find any woman's clothes under the bed or in the wardrobe. Just let me know and I'll give them to my friend when I see her next," Placing your hands on your hips, you gave Daniel a smile which quickly dropped once you saw the dejected look on his face.

"What do I do now?" He asked you, sitting ion the edge and looking down at the wooden floor, you watched as he swallowed deeply, "I've been to war, I came home and I've never felt as lost as I do now,".

You sat down next to him, being sure to keep your distance, "72 hours ago you were in 1955. You're 65 years in the future. It's a pretty hard pill to swallow. There's no manual on how to deal with that. When was the last time you slept? Maybe that's your first step,"

"Properly? 1955,"

You stood up and made your way to the door, "I have something that might help. A Stark concoction,"

"Howard?"

"Howard died in 1991. Tony's his son. Egotistic, but his hearts in a good place. I'll get Agent Coulson to bring over some files about what's happened to your colleagues between 1955 and now," You paused in the doorway, "You're not allergic to anything are you?"

"Not that I know of," He replied picking at the bed cover and glancing around the room.

You gave him another smile and motioned for him to wait a moment before making your way to  your kitchen and opening the medicine cabinet. A clear jar filled with 4 white pills sat in the center, the special concoction that Tony and Doctor Bruce Banner made for you many months earlier. You poured one carefully into your hand before replacing the lid and putting it back in the cupboard.

Gently, you could hear the slight tapping of Daniel's walking stick on the wooden floor as he moved around the room. You poured water into a cup and slowly made your way into the bedroom where you saw him watching the early morning sunrise. "At least that's one thing that will never change. A New York sunrise," He commented lowly.

You held out the pill in the palm of your hand and the water in the other, "The strongest sleeping pill we have. It'll knock you out for a few hours and when you wake up we can start dealing with all this,"

He turned to you and looked down at your hand before shaking his head, "No thank you. I-I'm not comfortable taking that. Thank you for the gesture,"

You gave him as reassuring smile, "It's fine. Ill leave it on the bedside table and if you think you might need it you can take it. Or not," You set the items down on the bedside table and watched as Daniel resumed his position on the edge of the bed.

"If you uh, if you don't mind I'd like to be alone now," He stated.

You nodded and pointed to the drawers, "I think there's a singlet and pajama pants in there from an ex boyfriend somewhere. Feel free to use those. I'm just going to do some housework so feel free to come grab me if you need anything,"

He gave a small nod and you gently closed the door behind you, making your way through the hall and into the living room, you turned on the television and began to clean the dishes on the lounge table.

A few hours later after the work was done, you slowly made your way down the hall and knocked gently on Daniel's door. Upon not hearing an answer you pushed it open and poked your head inside. Your heart broke at what you saw. Daniel was laying stomach down on top of the covers, his walking stick laying abandoned on the floor, dried tear trails down  his face, the white pill on the bedside was gone and the water half empty.

You gave a sad smile and realized that helping Daniel Sousa was going to be absolutely nothing like helping Steve Rogers.

tags:

iamwarrenspeace

  jcc04220

  pancakefancake

  buckywhitewolfbarnes

  jutima55

   thegirlwithoutaname87

 @cleocc

​  

nalabarnes1031

  ovemesomepietro

   joyfullyswimmingface

  astudyoftimeywimeystuff

   nikey-no-likey

  maraudersandco

[miss-noo-na]

And Then There Were Three (Part 5)

Title: And Then There Were Three

Rating: Mature.

Warnings: Smut; rough sex, dirty talk (vulgar language this chapter), choking

Summary: After catching you with Jooheon, Changkyun becomes distant. You’re determined to find out if he’s as jealous as you think he is.

Note: See masterlist for parts 1-4!

Just as you were able to read the shifts in Jooheon’s moods, you could do the same with Changkyun, but he was less subtle about it.

There was a heat that radiated off of him when you came near, and not the kind you were used to. His tone was deep and curt when you spoke at work, though it wasn’t unusual to appear casual in your professional environment. But this was different. This read like anger.

You hadn’t had the chance to be alone with him since he walked in on you and Jooheon at the dorm. Their schedule was getting hectic again and they barely had the time to breathe, much less do anything else. 

“Do you think he’s avoiding me?” You asked Jooheon in a hushed tone as you stood at the back of the room, looking busy with accessories.

Jooheon shrugged, feigning ignorance, but when he glanced at his friend you could see his gears turning.

“If he was upset about it, I feel like he would tell us. He’s not exactly shy about his feelings.” Jooehon offered with a small, reassuring laugh. 

“Has he said anything to you?”

“Not really.”

You sighed, knowing you would have to bring it up to him eventually.

For now, you focused on your job, or at least tried to. Every day, you asked yourself if this was a mistake, if all the fun was worth the turmoil you might find yourself in if someone got too jealous. You didn’t understand why now, when he had never once expressed even a hint of it before. He made it apparent since day one that it was exclusively physical, and he didn’t even bat an eye at sharing you with his best friend and co-worker. If anyone should be okay with it, it would be him.

There was more to it than that, though. You couldn’t help but think back to what it felt like being alone with Jooheon, his care and precision, his tenderness and his words. He didn’t treat you like a thing to be discarded and it was becoming apparent that you were more than a physical fancy to him. 

He could hardly help himself sometimes. The way that Changkyun felt compelled to seduce and play with you, Jooheon often had to stop himself from being too affectionate. It was getting to the point that the others teased him about it, and that didn’t help your situation with Changkyun one bit.

The worst part was that you liked it. You blushed and felt the slightest hint of butterflies from time to time that you put a great deal of energy into squashing. Catching feelings was the last thing you needed, and you were convinced it was only because it had been so long since you felt something other than lust. Plus, there was this profound sense of guilt you had for it, like you were cheating on Changkyun somehow.

Just as you were formulating a plan for how to approach him, you received a message out of the blue. He would be alone tonight and he wanted you to come over. The abrupt and welcoming message threw you off-guard, but you happily accepted the invitation. 

When he invited you in, his cold demeanor hadn’t changed much, and you wondered what his intentions were. You were anxious, watching him put something on the TV and meander around the kitchen before coming to sit next to you. He was surprisingly relaxed,  but you could feel the invisible wall he put up, even if he didn’t realize it.

“Are we going to talk?” You asked after a few minutes of silence.

“About what?” He asked almost too quickly in response. His gaze was hard-set into you as he turned and you felt challenged. That’s when the fear started to dissipate and boil up into anger. You had nothing to be sorry for.

“You know, I don’t appreciate all this attitude you’ve been throwing at me lately.” You said sternly, and you could tell he didn’t anticipate push-back this early into the conversation.

“I’ve barely spoken to you.” He laughed, and there was something smug about it that only pushed you further. You remembered being in relationships in the past and just knowing that a fight was brewing, and this was exactly like that.

“You’ve been passive-aggressive for over a week now, will you just tell me what's wrong?” You sighed, already exasperated. You thought being in a physical relationship only meant that you could escape these kinds of conversations. Apparently not.

 He turned away and you could see his jaw tighten, like he was holding back.

“Is it about me and Jooheon?” You asked, knowing that was the only thing it could be.

He looked back again just as quickly, eyes narrowed. “Maybe it is, but what does it matter?”

Finally, something you could work with.

“You couldn’t just tell me you were jealous?”

He laughed, “Who said that?”

“Oh my God,” You rolled your eyes and reacted with your entire body. “This is exhausting, why are men such babies about everything? Just communicate like an adult, Jesus. Why are we even fighting? We’re not married, this is pointless.” You rambled, not even looking at him because you were lost in your own frustration. When you stopped, he was half-smiling at you.

“I like when you get all flustered.”

You blinked and closed your mouth, then scowled as the words sunk in. “What?”

“You’re right, there’s nothing to fight about. I got a little upset about it, so what?”

“Oh, so you’re admitting it now?”

He edged himself across the couch so he was closer to you. “Fine, you want the truth?”

“Preferably,” You nodded.

“It wasn’t anything as petty as jealousy, I don’t get jealous.”

You narrowed your eyes, unsure what to make of his response, but curious to let him continue.

“I felt something different, and I didn’t really know how to process it quite yet, so I took some time to myself to think about it.”

He reached up and ran a finger from underneath your chin across your jaw line, his eyelids hanging low. You felt your heart rate speed up and cursed yourself for it.

“And what was that?” You asked quietly.

“I felt, hmm,” He mused for a moment before grinning. “Possessive.”

You swallowed the sound that threatened to part from your lips. Instead meeting it was an inquisitive “Oh?”

“I don’t own you.” He clarified, then let his eyes drift down, “But I do, don’t I?”

It was all part of the game. Realistically, out in the waking world, you were two capable adults with independent minds and the freedom to feel and do as you pleased. But once the door closed and you were under him, you knew you would let him do almost anything. It was the dynamic you both agreed upon from the first night, letting go of your inhibitions and self-imposed restraints and letting him have the control. It was the thing you longed for, the thing that kept you coming back to him.

“I’m a rational person, so I knew I couldn’t just be upset with you over something so normal and something you have every right to do.” He explained, then his voice deepend as he leaned in closer, “But I also couldn’t help picturing all the ways I was going to make you mine again.”

That word, mine, echoed in your head. Someone else had also uttered it to you in a moment of passion recently, and it sent a shiver down your spine. You had two people who seemed to want you desperately, and while you knew logically this was dangerous, it also excited you.

“You put me through all this just to tell me something I already knew?” You asked, and he smiled. 

“Would an apology help?”

You thought about it for a moment before answering. “I think that’s fair.”

He took you swiftly by the wrist and stood up, tugging you along. You fumbled for a moment before you stood and let him lead you to his bedroom.

You barely had time to process what was happening, one minute arguing on the couch and now here he was sitting you down on the edge of the bed, leaning down and kissing you before he knelt on the floor in front of you.

“What are you doing?” You asked, his hands trailing up your bare calves, up to your knees where the bottom of your skirt stopped and rested over your thighs. He then gripped your legs and pulled them up off the ground, causing you to lose balance and fall back onto the bed with a squeak. He pushed your legs open and the skirt fell back, too, exposing what was underneath.

“I’m apologizing.”

The initial shock wore off and you felt your cheeks warm as he laid a hand over your clothed center and pressed, teasing you for a moment before slipping his fingers underneath and feeling between your folds.

“Hm, you’re already wet but I know you can do better than that.”

He gripped the fabric and pulled it hard, forcing your legs up and together to rid you of the garment. When you let them fall back on either side of him, he wasted no more time, pushing your thighs apart and ducking his head down to taste you.

A sharp moan left you without warning and your hands fell to his hair. It had been a long time since he’d done this, and you almost forgot what his tongue felt like bearing down on your clit, rolling over the flesh and sucking you into his mouth. Changkyun abandoned this stimulation to travel downward, and you gasped unexpectedly when his tongue forced its way inside you, hands pressing back on your thighs to get deeper. Your fingers gripped his locks tight as you arched back and almost couldn’t take it. 

He pulled back for a moment, mouth glistening as he observed you, a low satisfied hum emanating from his chest.

“Look at what I do to you, you’re a mess.”

You blushed and closed your eyes tightly, feeling both aroused and embarrassed, and could only moan in response.

“Turn around.”

His voice was gruff as he stood up, and you let your feet fall gently to the floor as you sat up and stared up at him in awe for a moment. He was undoing his belt, looking down at you as he licked your juices off his lips.

“You heard me.”

You quivered as you went to turn over, and as your knees hit the bed he was already yanking the skirt and the rest of your clothing off you. Suddenly you were naked, kneeling on your hands and knees and arching your hips up as you peered back over your shoulder. 

He had discarded his own clothing and took his hard cock into one hand, stepping forward and deliberately brushing it against your entrance. You mewled and pressed back, trying to let him enter you, but he resisted.

“Do you want it bad?” He asked with a smirk.

You thought about making a sarcastic remark, knowing he was enjoying playing this game with you, but instead you countered him the only way you knew would actually make a blow to him.

You reached back and pulled yourself open, biting your lower lip and giving him a wanton yet demure stare. “Yes, please.”

His eyes darkened and the smile fell away from his face, he let out a rough, low sound as he grabbed your hips and aligned his cock with you. 

“I know I’m not the only person who can turn you on,” He started before leaning forward, sinking his cock deep into you just as he grabbed a handful of your hair and pulled your head back so his lips came as close as they could to your ear, “But I’m the only person who can give it to you like this.”

With that, his hips snapped into a pounding rhythm, fucking you like only he could, hard but with intent, making you grip the sheets in your hands and your legs to tremble. This was the moment when you were his, when he made it clear you belonged to him, at least for right now, and you embraced it. You craved it.

The harder he fucked you the weaker you became, arms starting to wobble in an attempt to hold yourself up. His thrusts were unrelenting, like he had been storing up all his energy just for this moment. 

The hand that still held your hair dropped down to your shoulder and he stopped briefly to pull you up. You wavered, dazed and shaky as you fell back against his chest and his arms circled under yours. One came up to lock your throat in his hand, and the other forced itself between your thighs, slick with your arousal. You groaned and arched against him, not sure which one you liked better.

Then he started to move again, thrusting up into you steadily, burying his cock to the hilt before letting gravity pull him back out just to do it again. His fingertips found your clit and he rubbed circles around the wet, swollen flesh as his other hand tightened around your neck.

“All of this is mine,” Changkyun growled against your ear. “Your body, your pleasure, your cunt. I own this.”

He was always rough, always commanding and always made you feel like you were his, but this was different. Unlike his typical playful candor, he sounded serious. The passion and possessiveness was overwhelming, somehow equal parts terrifying and exhilarating and you didn’t even consider stopping. Instead, his consuming words rasped heavily into your ear were pushing you toward a toe-curling, full body orgasm you couldn’t stop even if you wanted to.

You felt so exposed like this, nothing to hold on to, so you reached back and dug your nails into his thighs as your pleasure mounted. 

“I can’t,” You near-sobbed, trying to tell him you couldn’t hold on anymore.”I’m-it’s too much.”

He knew, he could read your body like the back of his hand; your shallow breaths and clenching muscles, slurred words, all tell-tale signs that your end was near. 

“Don’t hold back,” He said through his teeth, “Give me what's mine. Come for me.”

You sucked in a lungful of air as your eyes slammed shut, body pulling taut, then released it all in a long moan, bowing into him, squirming in his arms as you pulsed around his cock and sank your nails deeper in his skin. As you rode the last wave, he released you, letting you fall forward onto the bed and grabbing onto your hips to pull you flush against his pelvic bone, spluttering moans against the back of your neck as he came deep inside you.

You couldn’t hold yourself up anymore, collapsing face first on the bed and wrapping your arms under your head, breathing hard and dripping sweat. Changkyun managed to hold himself over you, but rested his forehead between your shoulder blades and panted against your moist skin.

He finally pulled himself from you and fell heavy on the bed next to you, and you peered up from over your arm.

“Sorry,” He mumbled, eyes glassy as he stared up at the ceiling, trying to control his pounding heart.

“For what?” 

“I kind of got out of hand there,” He rolled his head toward you and forced an awkward laugh. 

“It’s okay,” You rolled over on your side facing him, cheeks tinged with pink. “I liked it.”

The humor eased from his features as he looked at you for a long moment. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“I sort of lied earlier,”

“Oh?” You gave him a curious look, though you could guess what he was going to say.

“I may have actually been a little jealous. I was just trying to save face before.”

“I mean, the way you just fucked me made that abundantly clear.”

For the first time in all the times you had been with Changkyun, he blushed.

“I didn’t want to be petty about it, I don’t know what came over me.” He looked away. “It was fine when it was the three of us, it felt more like Jooheon was just an addition to something you and I already had. But when I saw just the two of you….” He trailed off with a sigh.

You couldn’t help but smile a little bit, it was nice to see him vulnerable for once. 

“How did it happen?” He asked suddenly, looking back at you with a sense of urgency, to your surprise.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean did you call him? Did he call you? I’m curious.” He said, trying to seem vaguely interested but you already knew it was more than that. You decided to humor him.

“I came over to talk to him. He had been acting distant, as you recall, and I wanted to know why.” You answered with a half shrug.

“Why was he distant?”

“Same reason you were. Feeling a little jealous and being too proud to just talk to me about it.” You smiled and he had a laugh at himself.

“This is going to sound weird, and probably selfish, but..” He faded out, waiting to continue. 

“But?” You encouraged.

“What does he have that I don’t? I mean, what does he do, that makes you want to be with him?”

You hadn’t expected that question, but it did seem natural now that he asked it. His ego was hurt, he was used to being the one who satisfied you, the one you came running to for your urges. 

“It’s...different with him. Not necessarily better, just different.” You tried to explain.

“Care to elaborate?” He asked, becoming visibly antsy to find out.

“I don’t know, he’s ...tender.” You struggled to find the words. “It’s not rough but it's passionate. And it’s not boring, but it's kind of soft and makes me feel precious.”

Changkyun’s face looked troubled as you spoke. “That makes sense.”

“Like I said, it’s not better. I like what you and I have, but sometimes I just want-”

“You want to feel loved.”

You blinked at him in surprise. The word love was troublesome to you. You had thought you were in love, once. It was foolish and naive and ended terribly, so you decided you would avoid those feelings if at all possible. But maybe he was right? Maybe you missed that feeling. But that didn’t mean you were in love, or that Jooheon-

“Jooheon is in love with you.” He spoke bluntly, cutting off your thoughts. Now your eyes widened even more and you spluttered out a laugh. “What? No…”

“He hasn’t told me or anything, but I can tell.”

You couldn’t believe that at all. Maybe he had a crush on you, but love?

“The problem is,” Changkyun reached out and pushed a stray piece of hair away from your eyes.

 “I think I might be, too.”

[chan-yolo]

Benevolence - Part 11

You were on the run. The were chasing you down and you needed to live. You would do anything to stay alive. But does anything include falling in love? Getting captured by EXO gave you a new survival plan, but will that all go out the window when you meet someone who’s life means more to you than your own? 

A/N - look at me updating this close together! I’m not really sure how I feel about this one, it’s kind of a filler chapter. 

Pairing: Byun Baekhyun / Reader

Genre: Mafia AU, Fluff, Angst

Warning: none really

Word Count: 2884

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | 

 Reaching your room, you swung open your door, sliding down the wall next to it, your cries finally coming through. What you didn’t know was that as soon as you had left, Baekhyun had followed. Rushing through the door, he took you into his arms, keeping you close to him, as your cries could be heard throughout the house.

“it’s going to be okay y/n, I’m so proud of you, your so brave.” Baekhyun comforted you, staying beside you as you let out everything you had been keeping inside.

 You wasn’t sure how long you had sat like that. With Baekhyun shushing you, his voice soft and reassuring, calming you down from the panic attack you had just had. The darkness outside made you think that darkness outside made you think that you must’ve been sitting there for a while, the moon casting a light into your bedroom. With a hoarse voice you let outa small ‘thank you’, not knowing what else to say to him.

“You didn’t have to tell us all of that you know.”

“I know, but you deserved to know.” You sniffled looking up at the man holding you.

“Hyunsuk, what he did toy you…” you moved out of his grip, rubbing your eyes that were sire from the excessive crying.

“I don’t want to talk about it, not anymore.” A silence went between you, neither of you quite knowing where to lead the conversation. After a minute of silence, Baekhyun rose to his feet, disappearing into the bathroom. You watched where his form had left, shortly after his disappearance, you heard the water running. When Baekhyun retuned, he gave you a smile, patting you on the head.

“Go take a bath, I’ll be back in a sec.”

   Sitting in the steaming bath, you watched your skin turn pink from the heat. Flashbacks to your bother entered your mind. All the memories you shared with each other, looking after each other. He was the only family you had. You still couldn’t forgive yourself for what happened. His death was on your hands, and nothing would make that go away.

You felt the tears fall down your cheeks before you could stop them. Dunking yourself under the water, you rose back up, slicking your hair back, rubbing your running nose.

A light knock at the door took you out of the daze you were in. Baekhyun’s head peeked around, his smile making your insides warm up.

“I made tea.” The simple act made you smile. ”Can I come in?” you gave him a small nod, watching him slowly come into the room. Two big steaming mugs of tea in his hands. Handing you one mug, Baekhyun took a seat at the foot of the bathtub opposite you, sipping his own drink.

“I’m sorry for everything.” He began, making you look up at him over your mug. “Not just for hat he did to you, but for what your parents did.”

“What’s done is done.” You shrugged, looking into the colourful bathwater, the holographic reflection of the bubbles taking your attention.

“Tell me about your brother?” Baekhyun got comfortable in his spot, looking at you expectantly. Leaning over to put your mug on the floor next to you, you rested your arms on the edge of the tub, resting your head stop them, looking at the man in front of you.

“He was six years younger than me, 16 when my parents sold him to Hyunsuk. He was into gaming and all this different tech. you would’ve liked him.” the both of you shared a smile with each other.

“He was going to school, studying well. He was my best friend you know? We were one in the same.” Looking off into the corner of the room, you felt that same wave of sadness from earlier hit you. “I really thought I could save him, that if I could at least take his place, he could carry on. I don’t even know what happened to him.” Baekhyun moved opposite you, so quickly you didn’t even notice until his face was in front of yours. The palm of his hand came to rest on your cheek, his eyes searching your own.

“What was his name?”

“Kihyun.” Baekhyun nodded.

“I promise you we will find out what happened to him. when Hyunsuk is finished we will do that for you.” You smiled at him, believing that he would do that for you. “You finish up, I’ll go find a movie for us to watch.” Taking the mugs, he left a lingering kiss on your forehead, before leaving the room. In that one moment. You wondered if it was possible for you to find someone as great as Baekhyun.

 ***

 The next morning you walked in the kitchen, met by sympathetic stares from eight men.

“Oh come on man.” You let out exasperated, moving away from them all.

“Y/N, are you sure everything is okay?” Yixing asked you, worry clear in his voice.

“I am. It’s over now, and you guys don’t get to feel sorry for me. That’s the last thing I want.” You looked at them all in disgust.

“You heard what she said.” Suho inputted dismissively, turning the page of his paper. Nodding in thanks, you turned towards the cabinet behind you. Extending your arm to reach for a glass, you were stopped by a hand grabbing one for you, placing it in front of you on the worktop. Turning around, you were greeted with the cheeky face of Baekhyun.

“Good morning.” He smiled at you.

“Morning.” Staring at each other, you shared some sort of conversation that only you two could understand. One that entailed warmth, thankfulness. Though it was soon broken by the clearing of Suho’s throat.

“Well I suggest you get something to eat, we have a meeting in 20 minutes.” Moving away from each other, you went to the opposite end of the counter, following the leader’s instructions.

***

Sat around an oval mahogany table, you all looked over the graphs in front of you. Each with their own red marks pinpointing a possible location Hyunsuk could be in.

“First things first, we need to find him. we’ve managed to get the floorplans of each of the properties he owns. Y/n, did you stay at any of these?” Suho asks, pushing a clearer copy towards you.  Nodding, you pointed to the ones that were familiar to you.

“The holiday house in Busan, the main house in Seoul, and the apartment in Hongdae. Sometimes he would pick a few of us out to travel with him.” You explained. You saw Baekhyun’s disgusted expression, his hand that laid on the table had clenched into a fist. Without any thought, you held his hand in your own, trying to calm him down.

“He spends most of his time here in Seoul, though he could be in Hongdae. Depends on business.” You clarify.

“So where do we go first?” Chen questions Junmyeon.

“Nowhere, not yet. Baekhyun we need you to get us everything about the two min houses. Who goes in and out. Chanyeol will help you. Minseok, Yixing and I will work on getting in. Y/N, you, Chen, Kai and Sehun will go talk to Taemin.”

“Suho, I don’t think she should go…” Baekhyun’s voice was cautious.

“She’s part of the team now, which means she goes out with us. If she agrees.” Junmyeon directed his stare towards you.

“She does.” Looking over to Baekhyun, you gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll be fine, promise.”

“I want a full report of what you find before the night’s out.” And with that you were dismissed.

***

Standing in your room, opposite the full-length mirror, you admired the effort you had put into dressing up for going to this club. The dress you had been given was an emerald green mini dress with a slight split in the thigh. Smoothing it down your curves, you nodded appreciatively at the fit. A knock at the door drew the attention away from yourself.

“Come in.” Baekhyun stopped in his tracks, taking in seeing you in a dress for the first time.

“Sehun told me I couldn’t wear jeans and then threw this dress in my face. But it doesn’t look too bad right?” You winked at him playfully.

“Urm, yeah, it’s… yeah.” You laughed at his nervousness, choosing not to make fun of him this time.

“what’s that?” you pointed to the black box in his hand.

“Oh, this is for you.” Walking over to you, he opened the box, revealing a small necklace. Gesturing for you to turn around to face the mirror again, he clasped the piece of jewellery around your neck before laying his head on your shoulder.

“This necklace is kind of like a panic button, if anything happens to you just press it and it will tell me where you are.” Looking from the necklace to him, you whispered your thanks, hearts warming at the worry and care he has for you.

“You should thank Chanyeol, he made it.” A small kiss was left on your cheek in gratitude. Shortly another knock was heard, but this time it was Chen. Looking at you both, he raised an eyebrow before speaking.

“ready?” You nod at him.

“I’ll be out in a second.” After he had left, you turned to Baekhyun, leaving a kiss on his cheek.

“Be careful.”

“Always.”

***

Sliding into the back of Sehun’s sleek black Range Rover, you buckled yourself in smoothing your dress down in hopes you didn’t reveal too much trying to hop in the vehicle.

“So, where are we off to lads?”

“Diamond.” Kai’s voice was uninterested, scrolling through notifications on his phone, his silk shirt hanging low, showing his collar bones.

“Ahh, the strip club.” Nodding, you look out the window remembering the night Baekhyun had come back from that same club.

“We go in, we find Taemin, we get the info and we go home. There’s no time for anything else tonight. Is that clear?” Chen clarified. All of you nodding in agreement. Sehun parked around the side of the club, the line for the entry heaving. Minseok must do good business here, you think to yourself. Stepping out of the vehicle, Kai ushered you between himself and Sehun.

“Y/n stay close to us.” Entry wasn’t a problem, but you hadn’t been into a club in god knows how long, and you’d never been into an actual strip club. Everything was dark and smoky but at the same time there were so many colours everywhere. Each hint of silver or gold being hit by the lights and catching your eye. You were led straight to a private booth, away from all the rowdy businessmen in the front. Drinks were handed to you immediately by a waitress who seemed to go as quickly s she came.

“Okay, Kia, Sehun and I will go and find Taemin. Y/n just stay here, wait for us to come back, don’t wander an don’t speak to anyone.” Chen orders before the three of them walk off. Alone, you look out to the dance floor below you. You observed the people around you, the kind of people Hyunsuk would entertain, sipping the champagne you had been given, you looked at the women on stage. They were gorgeous, enticing, mesmerising. You held respect for these powerful women in stage. All too soon your gaze was pulled towards a different corner of the room. The feeling of someone looking at you prickled the hairs at the back of your neck. As your eyes met the person who was staring so intently at you, you found just the person you were looking for.

Taemin was seat at the bar, his stance casual. He looked as if he fit in here, though he always did. His shirt was an intricate paisley print, flecks of silver woven into the silk. It matched his silver hair. Without thinking you placed the champagne down and started off towards him. sliding onto the stool next to him, you gave him a once over before finally talking to him.

“What does a lady have to do to get a drink?”

“Which lady is asking?” he looked you up and down. Rolling your eyes at his answer you turned to face the bar.

“Long time no see.”

“So you’re with EXO now?” Taemin signalled for the bartender, ordering two drinks.

“”Looks that way doesn’t it.” You glanced towards him, looking him over once again. “You still the snitch we all know and love?” taking a sip of your drink, you continued to study the bar.

“Not anymore.” Turning to look at Taemin, your eyes met his as he was fully facing you. “Shortly after you left I gave it up. Y/N, the things he did, they got worse. I couldn’t be there anymore. So like you, I left.”

“So why isn’t he out here trying to catch you then?”

“You know what Hyunsuk is like, he’s all pride, and you hurt it. there’s nothing more dangerous than a powerful man with a damaged pride.” Taemin sipped on his drink, looking at you with what seemed like a hint of sympathy.

“They’re going to get him you know?” You moved closer to the man, trying to make his eyeline meet yours. “And if you help us we can make sure we never have to see him again.”

“And have a target on my back? I don’t think so.” Taemin tried to speak to you in a hushed voice, now conscious of the people around him.

“They can protect you Taemin.”

“How can you guarantee that?” For the first time in a long time, you saw how scared he was. It took you back to when you had first been moved to that house, how scared you all were.

“I promise I can. I’ve never broken a promise have I? So, will you help us?” Before he could give you an answer, Kai, Sehun and Chen appeared by your side, all looking quite annoyed.

“What did we tell you? Why are you so incapable of following instructions?” You roll your eyes at Kai’s bratty attitude, watching as Taemin rose to meet the other men’s height. “And you are?” Kai turned his attitude towards him.

“Taemin, Y/N says you need my help.”

***

Suho’s first impression of Taemin was underwhelming to say the least. It didn’t help that you weren’t actually supposed to bring him back. The leader, taking off his glasses, looked at Taemin and then disapprovingly and the four of you stood behind him.

“Taemin I assume.”

“At your service” Taemin gave an exaggerated bow.

“In other circumstances you would have never made it this far. But I have been informed you’re willing to help us.”

“I’m not doing this for you or your gang, I’m doing this for Y/N and everyone else lost to that man. As long as I’m not sold out at the end.”

“I see. Kai will you take him to one of our room and have someone stationed outside.” You looked at Suho in confusion, and concern. Not fully understanding the hostility.

“He’s not a criminal Suho!”

“We don’t know him; therefore we can’t be so liberal. This will be continued tomorrow.” Waving you off, he placed his glasses back on completely ignoring you. You watched as Taemin was led down the corridor, leaving you stood there alone. Huffing, you went in your own direction. Heading towards the room where you figured the only reasonable person was. Reaching the computer room, you knocked on the door, peeking your head around the door, reminiscent of Baekhyun the night previous.

“Your boss is insanely irritating; you know that right?” you pouted at him, closing the door.

“What did he do now?” Baekhyun took off his headphones, arm extending for your hand. Interlocking your fingers, you lightly swung your hands.

“Treating Taemin like he’s a criminal.”

“Can you blame him for being cautious? We don’t know him.”

“You didn’t know me when you brought me here.” You countered.

 “That’s true.” He pulled you onto his lap. “But it felt like I always had.”

“Ever the romantic.” You smiled at him, your foreheads touching.

“Were the guys good to you?” He started to play with the strands of your hair, his other hand gripping your thigh.

“They left me in a booth by myself.” Pouting at Baekhyun, you wound your arms around his neck, pulling yourself closer.

“And I bet you left it.” The cheeky smiled made your own grow. Nodding proudly you both started to laugh. “You will never learn.” Moving closer to you, his lips grazed your own, your noses rubbing together.

“Well they’re not my boss.” You nipped at his bottom lip. Lifting you onto his desk, you let out a laugh as he stood in between his legs.

“What are we going to do with you?” his lips covered your own, his cheekiness and fondness engulfing you. Each kiss had you reeling, a shot of happiness being vaulted around your body with each touch. With his hand on your thigh, his lips on your own and your hand in his hair, there wasn’t anything that could bring you down.

Or so you thought.

[the-original-b]

Archangel: For the Good of the Public, Part 3

Format: Prose / Fiction, multi-entry

Part in Series: 3 of 3 (Part 1 | Part 2)

Word Count: c. 4,700

Premise: She’s an assassin--one of the finest in the world--which gives her the right to ask for vast sums of money to do what she does so well. But every so often there comes a job she’s happy to do for free.

Warning(s): blood, graphic violence

Seza remained in her car after Teller dismissed his staff for the evening, tucked out of sight to observe the Pehle Avenue office from behind her dashboard. When the last person in the building left that night, she waited for an additional half-hour before exiting the car and heading back to the building.

She tapped the keycard she lifted earlier that afternoon on a reader next to the front door to gain entry to the space, then headed up the stairs adjacent to the elevator toward Teller’s office. Luckily for her, he hadn’t locked the office door on his way out so she wouldn’t have to pick the lock; she turned the doorknob down and walked right in, heading straight for the desktop computer and moving the mouse to wake it from sleep.

She remarked to herself about his lack of security on the device and combed through the documents on Teller’s desktop, eventually finding a staff directory that listed the names, home addresses, and next of kin for his top lieutenants. Seza retrieved a USB flash drive from her pants pocket and plugged it into a port, then executed a copy-paste command to transfer the information to the drive.

Moments after the transfer was complete, she heard the elevator doors open across the hall. She yanked the USB drive from the computer and sprang to find cover; the keys fumbling in the already-disengaged lock gave her just enough time to put the computer back to sleep and tuck herself behind the doorway.

She watched a distraught Chris Teller stagger through the office doors and make his way to the desk. He hung his coat on the rack then took a seat and immediately rested his face in his palms, his shoulders heaving as he wept.

Then Seza realized, circumstance hadn’t given the man the opportunity to mourn his wife. Silently, she sidestepped to the office door and let herself out, allowing him to grieve properly. Then she headed back down the stairs to the lobby, and then her car to return to her safe house.

Once there she headed for the kitchen area to lift a piece of the flooring loose and inspect the weapons she kept cached away there—a .380 Makarov clone and a V40 fragmentation grenade. She slid a magazine into the Makarov and placed it into a specially designed holster before returning it to her cache, then undressed and headed to her bedroom to steal a few hours of sleep. When she awoke, she decided, she was going to study those documents, then use them to tear Chris Teller’s enterprise down.

~~~~

The man in the hospital bed blearily opened his eyes to the quiet, high-pitched beeps of the equipment he was tethered to. He felt the poor state of his ribs and face despite the pain killers coursing through his bloodstream and groaned weakly, barely able to move with all the tubes coming out of him.

He felt a sharp pain under his jaw when he tried to get more comfortable, but this one was different—it was cold. He tilted his gaze downward to see a Ka-Bar knife resting on his throat, and the ice blue eyes of woman holding it in place. The beeping of the monitoring equipment started to quicken.

“Make a sound,” Seza said, “and you die.” She had her hair tied back to keep it out of her face, and wore dark tactical pants, boots, and a black commando sweater under a pale gray swing coat. “You were there the night Scarlett was moved from the warehouse,” she continued in her native accent, “yes?”

The man gestured the hospital bed with his eyes, trying to communicate to her I can’t move.

Seza got the message. “Blink once for yes… twice for no”

The man blinked once.

“Good. You’re going to tell me where she is.” She circled to his right, keeping the blade against the man’s neck as she moved, and took a seat on a stool while she unfolded a public bus map with her left hand. “Point it out to me on this,” she ordered, holding it under his right hand.

The man followed her with his eyes, and studied the map. He was able to identify the waterfront, Park Avenue, and the warehouses out of which Teller’s entire operation was run. He rested his finger on an area near North Bergen.

Seza followed his lead. “The Pier?”

He blinked twice.

She looked back at the map. “The park, then?”

He blinked twice again.

Seza thought back to the documents she studied earler and recalled a house in North New Jersey, reserved for what were described as special conditions. She took the map away from his hand to find where the house would be, near a park in North Bergen. “Is she here?” she asked, indicating the intersection mentioned in the stolen documents.

The man blinked once.

She had a location now, and a plan for eliminating everyone in the organization who could ever threaten the girl again. “How many men are guarding her?” she questioned.

The man looked blankly at her.

Seza sighed. “You don’t know, do you?”

He blinked twice.

“I see.” She took the knife away from his neck and returned it to its sheath, inspecting the area of his neck it rested on for any marks that would give her away to hospital staff. “Thank you for cooperating.”

An attending physician entered the room with two nurses on either side of her. “I’m sorry miss,” the doctor said. “Unless you’re family, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Seza straightened up immediately to address them. “He’s my brother,” she returned in her false accent. She subtly pulled her coat together to conceal her attire from them. “I heard he was hit by a car, I had to see him..!”

“I understand. But you’ll need a visitor’s pass if you want to stay.”

Seza looked down at her coat, feigning guilt. “Oh, I’m sorry. I must have walked right past the check-in. Which direction is it in?”

“Down the hall to your right,” the doctor said. “Past Physical Therapy.”

“Perfect, thank you.” She flashed the doctor and nurses a warm smile before heading down the hallway. She of course turned left toward the exit, making a note to be better prepared the next time her work took her to a hospital setting. She headed right for her car and started the engine when she entered it, putting the car into drive to head to where the first of Teller’s lieutenants lived, squinting in the early morning sun.

By late that afternoon, she had successfully dispatched all but one of her targets. Her burner phone buzzed in her pocket as she descended the steps of the apartment complex in which her most recent victim resided. She retrieved it to read a text message Teller sent to all of his top lieutenants, calling a meeting at 5pm that day.

She turned her wrist upward to glance at her watch, deciding she would have to intercept her last target at the office along with Teller himself. She trotted back to her car and started the engine.

 ~~~~

Running her fingertips over the grenade in her coat pocket, Seza watched the building from her car parked in the shadows, waiting for the last of Teller’s lieutenants to arrive. When he did, he quickly scanned the area for the others, but headed inside when none were there to meet him. She waited in the car for a little while longer, then stepped out of the vehicle to half-run up to the building and navigate between the arrays of flat desks set up throughout the lobby to meet him.

“We’re already late,” he said to her. “Are we it?”

“Do you think we should wait for the others?” She addressed him with her American accent, trying to mimic his air of bewildered concern.

He shook his head. “No, it’s bad enough we kept him waiting this long.” He gestured the elevator. “Let’s head up, maybe we can reach them later.”

She followed him into the elevator, and look a place behind him to his left.

He sighed and retrieved his cell phone from his coat pocket. “Let me see if I can get a hold of one of them—”

Seza interrupted him with a kick to the back of his knee to drop him to the floor, then wrapped her left arm around his neck and pressed it harder into her arm with her right hand. “That won’t be necessary,” she said, reclaiming her native accent.

When she felt him lose consciousness in her arms, she moved her hands to either side of his head and twisted it to break his neck. He hit the floor just as the elevator came to a stop. “I know,” she said to his lifeless body as she stepped over it into the hallway. “It’s not fair.” She quietly made her way to Teller’s office and stepped through the door. Knowing nobody else would be in the room but the two of them, she stepped up to the direct center of the office, opposite Teller on the other side of the desk. The man wore a black waistcoat and slacks over a white shirt, his collar was open.

He looked up at Seza, befuddled. “Where are the others?”

Seza shrugged, taking a moment to switch back to her false self. “They’re not coming.”

“Like they have a fucking choice..?” He retrieved his cell phone from his pocket to reach one of his lieutenants.

“You mistake me,” she clarified. “They’re not absent by choice.” She pressed down on the Makarov in her holster, freeing it while disengaging the safety and chambering a round at the same time, and raised it one-handed to hold Teller in the sights. “They’re dead,” she continued, finally dropping her persona once and for all.

Teller’s eyes narrowed as he slowly put the phone down and made sense of the events of the last few days. “Is that how it is, then?” he snarled. “You come here with that looking-for-work shite just to kill me..? Is that what they hired you to do?”

“No. I’ve been hired to return Scarlett to her family. Killing you,” she added as she took aim. “That’s a bonus.”

She squeezed the trigger once just as Teller made his move, catching him just under his right collarbone. She kept the gun at the ready as Teller fell backward, landing behind his desk and hiding there.

Seza figured he was waiting for her to get closer and confirm the kill to lash out and counter-attack, at a range where the handgun would be useless. But she thought ahead—backing toward the door, she fired again and again over the desk to keep Teller behind it as she fished in her coat pocket for the small grenade and retrieved it. She held the pin in her teeth as she fired her seventh and eighth shots, then yanked the explosive away from her face and pitched the device over the desk as she backed out of the office and shut the door behind her.

She backed away from the door and held herself against the wall, holding her breath as she waited for the boom of the grenade.

It came three seconds afterward, shaking the hall and causing the lights to flicker for a short while.

Seza let herself breathe again and headed for the elevator. She hit the button for the ground floor—her empty Makarov still in her hand—and leaned against the wall as the elevator descended. She took a breath to calm herself before reengaging the safety on her handgun and placing it back into the holster. She could relax now; Chris Teller was dealt with, and in just a few hours the girl would be safe with her family again. She breathed a content sigh as the elevator doors opened, and she stepped off to head for the exit, past the stairwell.

The stairway door flew open just as she walked by it, and she registered the glint of a fire axe swung in her direction at eye-level from behind the open door.

She threw her head backward to avoid the blade with such force she landed flat onto her back just as the axe buried itself into the wall to her left. She crawled backward away from Chris Teller and his axe, distancing herself from the giant man as he wrenched his weapon free and turned to pursue her, murderous intent in his eyes.

She scrambled back to her feet and slid behind one of the desks in the lobby to break his line of sight, and Teller bounded over to the table in pursuit.

“Come here you slag!” he barked. “I’ll split your fucking head open..!” With his left hand he turned the table over and raised the axe with his right, but stopped when Seza wasn’t there. He returned both his hands to the axe as he scanned the other desks in the lobby, and stalked around the space looking for her. “Come on,” he challenged. “Come and get your bonus..!

Seza peered around the corner of a desk to keep him in sight. She tried to slow her breathing but her fear betrayed her. Teller was twice her size, armed, and angry; without a way to tip the advantage in her favor she wouldn’t stand a chance against him in a one on one fight. She knew she had to even the odds somehow, and with her knife in the car she had no choice but to slowly reach up above her head to grab hold of the only weapon readily available to her in the space: a ballpoint pen. Silently, she broke from cover and moved to attack.

She kept a few feet distance from her prey as she followed him; she had to be close enough to strike while leaving enough room to comfortably avoid his weapon if she had to. She maintained her silence as she slowly closed the distance between them, then jammed the tip of her pen into the back of Teller’s right knee and pulled it out just as quickly, with just enough time to duck out of the way of the axe as he swung it backwards and chipped the floor.

Teller released a pained groan as he collected himself. “Okay, Jane…” he growled. “You want to play!?” He swung the axe across to his left, destroying one of the desks, and then swung it to his right one-handed to bury it into another.

That’s good, Seza thought. Tire yourself out. Keep your heart rate high. Bleed faster. From behind the corner of her desk she watched him move further from her, destroying the tables one by one to eliminate her cover. She couldn’t allow that—she had to draw him to her, and weaken him faster.

With her foot she slid a chair backward, making just enough noise to get his attention, then moved into position.

Teller turned over his shoulder in response to the noise. “Ready or not,” he said, half-running-half-limping toward the distraction, “here I come..!” He raised the axe above his head with both hands and brought it down onto the table top, nearly obliterating it in a single blow. His anger began to build and swell as he sorted through the rubble.

Seza sprang out of cover behind him and jammed her pen high into the inside of his left thigh, then rolled into cover to avoid his gaze as he turned around and brought the axe down again into the floor. He collapsed to his knees this time as he released all his rage.

“Where the fuck are you!?” he roared. He braced himself against the axe with both hands to stand up again, and supported his weight against it like a cane as he slowly moved through the lobby to search for her.

Seza looked on her prey from behind cover as she assessed the state he was in—he had a .380 in his shoulder, a puncture wound in each leg, and was bleeding profusely from all three places. He was leaving bloody imprints of his shoe treads wherever he stepped, and his breathing was labored.

This is the time, she thought. She darted out of cover and leapt toward him with the pen in her hand, targeting the side of his neck.

She would have landed her strike if Teller hadn’t heard her coming and jerked his right arm backward.

A freight train barreled into Seza’s ribs, and she was sent back several feet landing flat onto her back. “Found you!” Teller exclaimed. He looked down at Seza, still stunned from the blow, and chuckled venomously. “Not bad, Jane,” he said. He let go of the axe handle and shuffled over to her. “Not bad at all. You really had me going, there.” He sank his weight down onto her and wrapped his left hand around her neck. Then his right, and began to squeeze.

Seza couldn’t escape him, no matter what she did. She tried in vain to peel his hands off of her, but there was nothing stopping Teller from squeezing the life out of her.

He maintained his vice-like grip on her. “You don’t get to die quick,” he taunted as his lip curled into a sinister smirk. “No, I’m going to take my time crushing your windpipe…”

She kicked her legs out underneath him, trying to throw him off balance as darkness narrowed her vision. She found herself counting each breath she tried to take under him, anything to keep her mind in the moment because to fall asleep now meant death, and probably something worse along with it. She gurgled defiantly under him, denying him the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

“…and I am going to savor every second of it..!”

His arms were longer than hers, and he was much stronger; she couldn’t break his grip even if she targeted his elbow to weaken it. Her only hope lay in the destruction around her. She held her breath and reached down by her side with her right hand, and when she felt her sliver of salvation her fingers wrapped tight around it and jammed the point of her pen into the crook of his left elbow. She did it again when he only cursed in response and didn’t move. She stabbed his arm three more times before it finally bent, then pushed his elbow to bend his arm further and bring his head within reach. Then she inverted the grip on her pen, held the back of his neck with her free hand, and drove the point of the pen deep into his neck right where it met his jaw.

Teller stopped applying pressure immediately, in shocked disbelief at what just happened. He freed Seza’s neck and put both hands around his new wound, trying but failing to stop the bleeding as he fell onto his side.

Seza clutched her own neck as she gasped for air. She rolled onto her elbows and knees as she took deep breath after deep breath to fill her lungs with fresh oxygen and regain her strength. Fortunately for her, she was able to act before Teller’s attempt on her life left any visible marks; after a moment she was able to slow her breathing to a normal rate and collect herself.

“Who was it?” Teller hacked “Who sent you to get the girl?”

Seza looked over her shoulder at Teller, dying in a puddle of his own blood next to her. When she was sure enough of her footing, she exhaled and stood up to retrieve the fire axe a few yards from them. She picked it up by the far end of its handle, allowing its head to drag behind her as she returned to Teller.

“Was it Cross..? That skinny bitch on Sixth Avenue..?”

Seza rolled him onto his back with her foot, and adjusted her grip on the axe to carry it with both hands.

“Did they have Maria killed to get me to give her back? Tell me, Jane,” he entreated weakly. “I have to know…”

“My name is not Jane,” Seza finally said. Then she swung the axe over her head and brought it down onto Teller’s, landing the blade between his eyes and upper jaw.

She let go of the axe, where it remained embedded in him, and took another set of deep breaths to slow her heart rate and allow the adrenaline to filter out of her blood. She leaned back against one of the intact desks in the lobby area as she did and, looking down at herself, observed Teller’s blood all over her coat. She stood up and calmly headed to the restroom to clean herself.

She removed her coat to place it in the trash bin and washed the blood off her hands and face, scrubbing it out from underneath her fingernails. Then she inspected the janitorial closet for cleaning supplies, finding a Sodium Hypochlorite solution. She took a paper towel from the dispenser to grip the handle and another to open the bottle, then poured half of its remaining contents onto her coat in the trash receptacle.

She carried the open bottle into the lobby to empty the container onto the axe handle and Chris Teller’s remains, then discarded the bottle before leaving the building and heading to her car. She started the engine after she sat down, then took a moment to load her Makarov with another magazine from the center console, where she kept her Ka-Bar knife as well, then headed off in the direction of the house where Scarlett Marlow was being held. She learned her lesson after today—she would never again allow herself to be unarmed while on the job.

 ~~~~

Seza pulled her car up to the Calloways’ front door that night, Scarlett in the back seat. She unlocked the doors to let her out as she stopped the car and removed her handgun holster from her person. She stepped out of the car and rested the gun on the dashboard as she walked around to the passenger side, looking on as Scarlett threw her arms around her mother just outside the house. She leaned against the hood of the car and watched as her father and the dog rushed up to greet her as well. She couldn’t help but smile at the tearful reunion.

Mrs. Calloway looked up from her daughter at the woman who promised her safe return, and with tears in her eyes broke away from Scarlett to wrap Seza in a warm embrace to express her gratitude. Seza, taken aback at first, returned her hug.

“How can I ever repay you?” Mrs. Calloway asked her, letting go.

“You don’t need to repay me,” she said, resting her hands on Mrs. Calloway’s forearms.

“You gave our daughter back to us..! There has to be something we can do for you, anything.”

“It’s fine,” Seza reassured her. “Really. It’s enough to know she’s safe. And that those responsible can’t hurt her again.” She broke away from Mrs. Calloway. “Good night,” she bid them all. Then she returned to the driver’s seat of her car and started the engine, pulling the car out of the driveway to return to her safehouse. She recalled her own experiences when she was barely Scarlett’s age—the hard floor of the dark cellar, her bound wrists—and took solace in the fact that she was able to spare one innocent girl that fate.

She found herself revisiting those memories as she lay in bed that night, and couldn’t help but wonder how many other innocent girls and boys were out there sitting on cold cellar floors that night with their wrists shackled. She considered the number of families who weren’t as lucky as the Calloways—the Marlows—were to have their children delivered to them.

 ~~~~

The following afternoon, the proprietor of a bar in Downtown Jersey City a half-hour’s walk from the waterfront held a phone to his ear as he read the words crawling across the television screen in the corner of the room. They detailed how alleged crime boss Christopher Teller was found violently murdered in an office building in Saddle Brook. The news report continued by saying investigators found a discarded coat near the crime scene, but that it and the murder weapon were soaked with bleach to the point that no intact DNA samples could be recovered.

“Have you turned on the news today?” he said onto the receiver. He turned away from the screen to scan the nearly-empty room. “Either that or a personal vendetta. That man made a lot of dangerous people very angry, there’s no end to that list…” He watched Seza walk in through the front door, dressed in a gray pullover hoodie with dark form-fitting jeans and sneakers, and place herself at the far end of the bar. He acknowledged her with a nod. “Sorry, I have to go. We’ll talk later, Miss Khai.” He returned the phone to the cradle then turned to address Seza. “You’re early, Shelli.”

Seza looked up at him. “Yeah,” she said. “It’s been a rough past few days. I had to clear my head.”

“That family emergency you mentioned, yeah?” He took a glass out from behind the counter and placed it in front of her, and uncorked a bottle of 23-year Ron Zacapa. “Still your favorite, right?” He poured her a finger’s depth.

It wasn’t really her favorite, she just said it was because it reminded her of him. “Yep. You can take it out of my check.”

“Nonsense. This one is on me.”

She smiled warmly at him, taking the glass and holding it gently with both her hands. “Thanks, Horace.” Absentmindedly, she ran her fingers along the edges of the glass as she played the events of the last few days over and over in her head. She considered what could have happened to Scarlett if she hadn’t decided to take the job, and remembered that was the reality for thousands of others across the country and around the world. “My cousin,” she lied, “went missing the other day.”

“Oh, wow,” Horace lamented. He leaned on the bar across from her. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“We got her back, thank God. But guys like the ones who kidnapped her… how many of them are still out there? How many families aren’t so lucky? I don’t know, I just had a lot of time to think about that lately.”

“Well, then you might get a kick out of this—Chris Teller was found murdered this morning. Somebody went to work on him with an axe.”

She looked up at him, feigning surprise. “Chis Teller the alleged gangster?”

“Gangster. Come on, Shelli, it was hardly a secret what we was involved with… looks like he made one bad deal too many. And between you and me, the son of a bitch had it coming.”

“Huh…” Seza took from her glass and placed it back down on the countertop. “Still, for every Chris Teller that gets what he deserves, it seems like two more replace him.”

“I wouldn’t count on that… I hear people talk some nights. One time they mentioned someone calling himself Nomad, saying how he was cleaning up the underworld. I don’t know how true any of it is, but they were scared shitless of him.”

Seza subtly broke eye contact as she finished her drink, carefully considering what to say next that wouldn’t give her away. “Do you think Nomad is real? Could he have been the one to get Teller?”

“I guess we’ll find out together,” he smirked. “When the folks start talking again.”

“Yeah, I suppose we will.” Seza stood up to carry her glass to the sink behind the bar. She quickly washed, dried, and returned it to where the others were kept before heading to the back room to remove her hoodie and start her shift.

(Masterlist)

[seriouslyhooked]

When We Collide (Part 5)

Emma Swan has always known one thing: trust no one but yourself. Unfortunately she forgot her one rule and now she’s paying for it. One bad decision led her to the monstrous ‘Crocodile’ a mobster in New York who goes by the name Gold. Hope seems lost until she meets another person in this underworld, Killian Jones. Despite the place they find each other, a true love blossoms, and they manage to get away. But what will happen when Emma discovers who Killian really is? Will love prevail? Um, yeah, I’m writing this, so duh – it’s all love all the time. Fic features motorcycles, hot guys in leather cuts, and a bit of action/drama. Will end happily, and despite the first chapter, will be light on angst. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. Available on FanFiction Here and AO3 Here.

A/N: Hey everybody! First and foremost, just want to thank those of you still on this journey with me. My motivation to write has been so much lower than I thought it would be, but I haven’t lost sight of what I want from this fic and I am happy to finally share a new installment. This chapter brings a last burst of road trip fluff and the build up to a big moment  – Emma’s introduction to Killian’s life in the MC. It’s going to be fun to explore these dynamics in the next few chapters, but for now I hope you will enjoy, and I can’t wait to see what you all think. Thanks so much for reading!

In the quiet, tranquil calm of a woodland morning, Killian watched the cabin bedroom fill with sunlight, bringing the softest golden glow to the rustic room where he and Emma had spent the night. Birds chirped to greet the new day’s light, and the gentle breeze among these mountains brushed branches from a nearby oak against the windowpane. The whistle of the wind and the gentle swish of leaves on glass melded together into something deeply familiar, a symphony of sound, the song of sunrise.

Sadly, this song was the last of its kind that Emma and Killian would enjoy on this journey. The final portion of their cross-country trek would come today, and when they arrived back home, a new reality would set in. Things would change drastically, Killian would have to reengage with a life he’d long ago left behind, yet despite the challenges that awaited him, Killian was astounded at the peace he could feel in this moment. Holding Emma as she still lay sleeping, he was filled with contentment, choosing to anchor himself to something that would be forever constant: his love for this incredible woman.

“You’re doing it again,” Emma murmured, stirring from sleep and already entirely aware of him before she’d so much as opened her eyes.

Killian let the sultry sound of her sleep-laced voice wash over him. It sent a similar sensation coursing through him as the soft brush of her fingertips over his chest. Strumming an unknown melody, her hands on his skin lit him up inside, and though he’d just taken her a few hours ago, he was already ready to devour her again. Strewn out like this, in the glow of early morning, Emma was a vision with gold hair and sun kissed skin. She was stunning, and through the grace of God and all good things, she was miraculously his. The thought of that gave him great comfort and his own hold on her tightened ever so slightly. In truth, he was so distracted he nearly forgot to answer her sassy statement, but the smile that appeared at her lips as her green eyes opened for the day demanded that he ask for more.

“Doing what, love?”

“You’re loving me so much that I simply can’t sleep through it.”

Another man would deny such a cheesy proclamation, or deflect from the depth of his feelings, but not Killian. No, his Swan had called him to the floor, and she was right. He was up this morning thinking only of his love for her, and while other thoughts may threaten to encroach on their time together, he had pushed them all aside. She was the best way to stay grounded and centered, and he was selfish, needing to soak up every last drop of their moments together just to keep his peace of mind.

“I’d offer some condolences, Emma, but I think we both know how you feel about my loving you.”

He murmured the words against her skin, taking advantage of her lingering drowsiness to pepper kisses on her lips, her jaw, and then the hollow of her neck. He hummed out a sound of sheer delight when he felt her shiver beneath him, and when she let out that perfect moan of hers, the one that was part gasp and part plea for more, he was lost. All conversation was behind him, and he knew the only thing left was to show her how much he loved her. Luckily for Killian, nothing had ever come so naturally.

The choice he must make this morning was between a fast and hard claiming, or a slow, steady savoring of two souls becoming one. The payoff for either was bound for greatness, but Killian was keenly aware of how everything would soon be different. Once they arrived back with his brothers, the solitude they’d cultivated would be encroached on, and though Killian had his own house, which could provide ample space and privacy, he also had a sneaking suspicion that his brother and fellow club members would be highly invested in him and his woman. After weeks of it being just the two of them, Killian knew he’d have to share Emma’s attentions, and that he too would have to interact with people other than his Swan. It would all be good in the end, but he wanted to make the most of these last truly secluded moments that they had together.

The teasing slowness of his ministrations became a torturous affair not just for Emma, but for him as well. He began by tasting her everywhere, tracing every line and curve of her, with extra attention paid to the places that made her blood sing. He hung on every breath she released, and every charged call of his name that whispered past her lips. When she came apart from his touch alone, his sense of pride surged dramatically, but the most beautiful sight was when she relaxed back into that post-climax moment, gazing at him with love in her eyes and nothing but a soul-deep contentment in her heart. It made a man feel worthy to know he had put that look on his woman’s face, and for Killian it was the closest he would ever feel to absolution. He’d done wrong in this life, made choices that veered well off the path of what was good or moral, but somehow, she still loved him, and Killian was better for that love.

By the time she was ready to be taken, Killian was so riled, his senses were frayed in all directions. Knowing that he was already worked up, Emma decided to push him further, murmuring that she loved him and asking him to make her his. The searing heat of his need for her was constant, but the feeling when he thrust inside and claimed her was the most agonizingly incredible feeling in the world. Nothing should feel this right, or this perfect, but with Emma it always did. Their rhythm was synced to perfection, their love palpable in the air around them, and though Killian did his best to savor every bit of it he could, it always felt like it was over far too soon. All it took was Emma arching her back, crying out in ecstasy, giving over to bliss, and he was right there with her, spent but saved and feeling like despite the uneasiness of this next moment, he and Emma could handle anything.

“Whatever happens today, it won’t change anything,” Emma said, her fingers running through his hair that was growing longer than he normally allowed it. She pushed it out of his face, before looking into his eyes and smiling in a way that melted his heart. “I love you, and I always will.”

“It’s the same for me, love, but rest assured, if you feel even the slightest discomfort, we will move on. We’re bound to nothing but each other.”

“Killian, this is your home -,” she began. He quieted her thought with a kiss before clarifying the truth to her.

“You are my home, Emma. Wherever you wish to be is where we will be, and I will be the happiest man alive just for being by your side.”

Emma readily accepted this promise from him, whispering that she felt the same as they continued to laze for a while more together, enjoying their connection and soaking in this last bit of privacy. Eventually, they had to get up and check out from this retreat, and they moved through the morning with a practiced precision of two people who had done this for weeks. Travelling had become second nature to them both, and the six-hour ride standing between them and his brothers would be easily managed.

For Killian, the journey honestly felt too short, though he made sure to stop and keep a steady pace for Emma’s sake. He knew she had never been to California before, and there was something magical about this place compared with every other. It was easily the most beautiful of the terrain they’d been in for weeks as well, and in Big Sur specifically, there was a natural beauty totally unique to this corner of the world. Giant forests rose impossibly high into the sky, a cross between the woods of the pacific northwest and the jungles of South America. Trees stood so tall the tops could not be seen, and even in patches where fires had blazed in seasons past, life prevailed, with green vegetation growing from ash and soot and dust. When they reached the ocean, Killian felt Emma’s hold on him tighten, an indicator of her excitement, but he still drove quite a few miles down the cliff-lined coastal highway before pulling off to stop.

“Now this is the kind of view I could get used to,” Emma murmured as he helped her off the bike, taking in the secluded patch of beach they’d driven towards where not a soul was nearby. With her hand in his, Killian immediately felt stronger, but the look on Emma’s face prompted a gentle, pleasant aching in his heart. She was happy to be here, in awe of this place, and to Killian that meant everything.

“We’re closing in on our destination now, love. We’ll be back well within the hour if we drive straight through, but there’s something I would very much like to show you, if you’re interested.”

“Lead the way, Captain.”

He led her down the pebbled path to the seaside, torn between watching her reactions and actually navigating their course. The best part of this was that Emma had no idea what was coming. They’d approached from the perfect angle, preserving a truly hidden gem from sight. Only when they rounded the corner would she see it, and as they made their move, he heard her gasp and felt her hand squeeze his tightly.

“Oh my God… I don’t even have words for how beautiful this is.”

Killian completely understood the feeling, though his own sensation of being struck speechless by something truly stunning often came directly from Emma. In this case, the beauty in question was an old, yet faithfully enduring shore house. It was painted white, weathered from storms, but still well-kept and largely preserved against the passage of time. The nearby community saw to it, since the owners of the home had long since gone. This shoreline was all public lands now, but the house remained, a testament to the man who once lived there, a gifted artist, and a natural born storyteller.

The remnants of his decades old art were painted, drawn, and constructed into the very foundation of this home and the mediums of expression were all treasures from the sea. Sea glass especially was plentiful here, drawing dizzying swirls of color along the house, the wood working and more. The glass had been cemented there for decades, but it shone with the same fervor and sparkle as ever. Shells of all shades, some whole and some not, were also used. Iridescent golden hued pieces, hewn from the mix of cold ocean water and warmer kelp garden pools were the stars of the show. They were each a small treasure uniquely found along these rocky coasts, often collected by the sea otters who called this sea shore home. This collection of the rare shells was astounding, and made all the more beautiful by being mixed in with others that were delicate shades of white and ivory and some that were a cooler oyster blue. They hung from wind chimes in the beach trees and off the lanterns, while some darker shells had been ground down to a painted stain that had been used in part to tattoo larger rocks that were too big for the sea to claim. Wherever the eye looked it was drawn to spiraling shapes and stories, never running out of objects to admire.

“How have I never heard of this? And how are we possibly the only ones here?” Emma asked, moving closer and looking at the intricate designs of shells and stones that had been added to the sands and earth more recently. A local commission of artists was in charge of these added displays of beauty, updating them occasionally, but usually waiting for nature to clear the slate. After a big storm where rainwater washed it all away, or higher tides than normal where the sea came just to the house’s front steps, new designs were created and enacted. But it was clear that there had only been sun for some time, and they were fresh on the heels of an exceptionally well-done redesign.

“Very few people know of this place, love. It’s a secret that is guarded by the people of this town so tightly you’ll find no books or blogs or trace of it anywhere. Liam and I are two very rare exceptions, outsiders with the good fortune to know it’s here.”

“How did that happen?” Emma asked, leaning into him and eager for the story from his past.

“My brother and I needed escape when we were here with our father, but we had little means of finding it,” he admitted, bracing himself for talk of that past life, and knowing he should get used to it now that they were nearly home. “The sea was the only thing of comfort for both of us, and we came to it as often as we could. We scoured every last bit of the coast, and I mean every bit. One day we landed here, and happened upon this house as we were searching the coastline for unknown coves. It was easily the best find we ever made. Of course, we nearly scared the life out of the woman who was crafting the shellscape that day, and once she alerted the other town’s people there was a big to do. We were sworn to secrecy and all the like. We never did tell a soul. It remained our secret – one idyllic hideaway from the world we lived in.”

“But now you’ve broken your oath,” Emma said, looking at him curiously, though she was clearly glad for his breach of that old promise.

“Some may believe that.”

“But you don’t?”

“No, love. I believe the promises I have made and will make to you supersede any others. Besides, I am fairly certain that the promise is null when it comes to my wife.”

“Funny, I don’t remember getting married,” Emma said, though her teasing was a front for the rush of emotions she was feeling. “In fact, I don’t even remember you proposing.”

Let’s change that, he thought to himself knowing he had the ring in his pocket right now, but reason won out in the end, and he remembered his plan. He wanted to get Emma totally settled into their new life first, and to make sure she was ready in all ways. He knew she loved him and that she would be his forever, but it was only right to ensure that he do things properly.

“Soon enough, love. You have my word on that.”

Emma grinned at his affirmation, pulling him down by the collar of his leather jacket and kissing him passionately. When they broke apart, she asked him to promise they’d come back here and he did, and after a bit more time in this private oasis, they headed back to the road, driving towards their destination once more.

The ride along the coast was quick, far quicker than he remembered, and when they pulled off the coastal highway and to the discrete exit leading to the town he’d once grown up in, Killian could sense Emma’s surprise. They didn’t need to share a conversation for him to gauge her apprehension and excitement. She was no doubt wondering if they were really going to be living amongst this dense and beautiful forest. It would be a big change from her life in the cities she’d always known.

Soon enough they made it to the town line, reading the hunter green placard that announced their arrival. Unsure of what he expected, Killian was surprised to see just how much improvement had been made in his time away. Their town had always been quaint, but it could easily be described as ‘down on its luck’ when he was a boy. He knew it was his brother’s hope to not only remove the stain of his father’s shady dealings, but to help revitalize this community in a way that had been lacking for decades. But when Killian departed to seek his revenge on Gold, those ideas were mere figments of a would-be dream.

Liam has truly made good, he thought to himself as they cruised down the main street. Here along the town’s center there were new businesses and old ones that had been repaired and shaped for competing in the world today. Things were still classic and beachy, but the energy around it all gave away two important facts: the first was that this town was being tended to and cared for by its tenants, the second was that it was also being protected, and that anything that may threaten this currently peaceful ecosystem would not be allowed.

In this stretch of the ride, Killian could see some familiar faces in the mix, people from his old life in this town who were going about their day to day none the wiser about his return. There were also quite a few new faces as well, but Killian could spot the tourists right away. Their biggest tell was their fixation on his bike. People who lived in this region regularly would be densensitized, and since Liam had imposed a safety parameter for the town from other gangs, they wouldn’t bat an eye, even at a biker without his cut.  

Not far beyond the center of town was the Den, the once large warehouse that had been reconfigured to fit the Land Pirate members and families when need be. When he was here last, the place was little more than a dump, with tell-tale signs of partying strewn about both outside and within. There was also a crappy, rusted gate around the perimeter that did the job of securing the place on some level, but had always been a huge eyesore. Gone was all of that, and in its stead was higher tech, better quality fencing. The Den was now fortified, and Killian could see the precautions put in place that passersby may not realize were installed. He also took note of the probie standing guard at the entrance.

Well this should be interesting, Killian thought as he drove up. He had no idea who this probationary member of the club was. Killian would have to explain who he was and that could get awkward. But before he had the chance the unknown man was speaking.

“Well I’ll be damned. Pres was right. Hook’s come home again.”

“Pres?” Emma whispered and Killian replied quietly.

“That’s Liam’s title here, love.”

“And Hook?”

“My road name.” Emma nodded, taking it all in stride as Killian turned his attention back to the probie. “So, he’s expecting me then?”

“Has been for weeks. You sure took your time getting out here, Hook.”

He looked at the probationary patch on the man’s Land Pirates leather cut and saw the stitched name ‘Mouse.’ Had to be a story behind that name. Didn’t exactly blend with the others who were patched in when Killian was here. “How do you even know who I am?”

“You kidding? You’re a legend, man, and so is she.”

For a minute Killian tensed up, thinking that Mouse was talking about Emma. He was feeling protective, and didn’t like the idea of other men looking her way unless they were going to show the proper respect. Only when Emma let out a laugh did he realize his mistake.

“Oh my God, you mean the bike! That’s classic. Please tell me it has a name.” Emma’s joking was incredibly apparent, and Killian was surprised at how nonplussed she was by their being on unknown turf.

“She,” Mouse stressed and Emma bit back her laugh, but her body still shook with it. “And yeah, bikes get names.”

“Wait don’t tell me. This will be way more fun if I can guess. Hmm, Harley? No that’s kind of obvious. Uh, I mean what do you call a gendered bike? Kind of a tall order… Oh I know, Lady. Kind of on the nose with the whole ‘it’s a she’ thing, but it works, right?”

Killian chuckled at the way Emma was enjoying herself, and he noticed the look of shock on the probie’s face. Clearly he didn’t understand the situation. This was no ordinary woman on the back of his ride giving him shit for having named his bike. This was the most important person in his world, and no one, club member or not, was going to question that.

“Look, kid, my woman and I have been on the road for awhile. We could use the rest, and it’s probably best not to keep my brother waiting anymore.” The overt use of the label for Emma created a total mood shift in Mouse. He had taken the hint.

“Absolutely, Hook. Ma’am.”

The change in tone as he nodded at them and buzzed them through to the compound was pronounced, so much so that Emma mentioned it when they parked and she stepped off the motorcycle.

“Is the somewhat caveman ‘me man, she my woman’ thing baked into this whole MC life?” Emma asked, her brow arched even as a smile teased at her lips. “I’m not complaining, per se. Just curious if I’ll have to announce my belonging to you everywhere I go.”

“Probies are probies for a reason, love, and the reason is they’ve got a whole lot to learn and more than one thing to prove. The men in this club with a patch, my brothers, they know better than to disrespect a woman, Old Lady or not.”

“Ah right, I forgot about that charming title. I don’t know who possibly came up with that one. ‘Old Lady.’ It’s so… unflattering. Had to be a man.”

“In this world, you can blame nearly everything on a man, love,” Killian quipped and Emma grinned at his assessment before continuing to lament the biker term for a man’s significant other.

“I honestly thought I’d have a few years before getting called ‘old lady’ and even then it would be by bratty neighborhood kids, not hot guys in leather who name their motorcycles.” Killian growled at the mention of men being hot and Emma teased him with a nip against his lips that was designed to have him wanting more but was only meant in jest. “But don’t worry, I’ll make up for all of this somehow. I’m gonna find you the perfect partner nickname that undercuts how irresistibly sexy I find you in all your leather. I just need a little time.”

“You can call me any damn thing you want, Emma. As long as you call me yours.”

The words were honest and immediately shifted the sass of Emma’s commentary to something softer. Instinctively, she placed a gentle and loving kiss on his lips before they both turned to the warehouse. Together they walked hand in hand towards the door, and when they entered, Killian held his breath. Would this place look like the nightmare of his youth? The place he’d have fought through anything to get away from? It took only the briefest moment to see those worries were unfounded.

Killian was utterly relieved at how normal the Den looked, and how the relic of old had been completely rehabilitated. The general concept was the same, starting with a vastness in the entrance that made it seem like this place went on forever. The entryway blended into a great room where club members and guests spent a lot of time, and in the back there’d surely be more changes to go along with these ones. Killian knew the kitchen and living quarters, the war room and Liam’s office all would have been revamped if this part of the warehouse was. But this communal space in particular held a lot of painful memories. The ghosts of this place had haunted him for some time, but they were nearly all cast away by the warmth and modern makings of this renovation. It made Killian want to see more, something he never truly believed was possible, but as curious as Killian was, there simply wasn’t time. Soon the renovation was forgotten, and instead he was faced with the all important figure standing there, waiting for him after years of no contact. 

“Liam.” 

…

Post-Note: So I know I have stopped it right at the start of a hugely important reunion, but I fully intend to make up for it in the next chapter. Introducing the actual MC is going to be such fun for me, but, as with this chapter, it may take some time before I have a next installment out. My muse has been tricky, but I am hoping to get a bigger chunk of my story, ‘Feels Like This’ written by the end of the year so I can hopefully finish it up. Anyway, I would love to hear what you all thought of this chapter, and as always, I really appreciate you all reading and thank you so much for the support! Until next time!

[the-badger-mole]

Marriage AU Part 2

Here is the second in a series of vignettes centered around an arranged Zutara marriage.

Zuko was pleasantly surprised to find that Katara was able to keep up with him with little problem. She got onto the rooftop without his help. Once they reached the top, Katara took off the balaclava Zuko had given her. She must have felt Zuko’s consternation because she put her hands on her hips.

“No one can see us,” she said defensively. “And it’s stuffy in there!” Behind his mask, Zuko raised an eyebrow. But after a moment, he conceded she was right on both counts. He reached up and undid his own mask.

“Your mask is so much cooler than mine,” Katara sighed, taking the mask from Zuko. She held it up to her face and growled. Zuko let out a snort of laughter as he took down his hood.

“It was the best I could do on such short notice,” he told her with an apologetic shrug. “I’ll get you a different one for next time.” Katara lowered the mask and regarded Zuko archly.

“So, there’s going to be a next time?”  she asked. Zuko folded his arms, his eyes narrowed pointedly.

“I don’t know. Is there?” Katara’s cheeks flushed and she mumbled something as she handed Zuko back his mask,  ignoring his knowing smirk. She went to the edge of the roof, careful to stay in the shadows. She watched the activity in the street below with a longing sigh.

“I’m sorry we can’t go down.” Zuko stood in the space beside her, and Katara thought she recognized the same craving for the press and flow of the crowd in his eyes. It surprised her. She hadn’t taken him for a people person.

“This is nice, though,”  she said, suddenly needing to reassure him. Then she laughed nervously. “You know, it...it kind of feels like a date.”  Zuko turned to her sharply, eyes widened in shock.

“Wha…?”  Katara felt her cheeks bloom in what she was sure as a spectacular blush.

“I - I mean,  I’m not saying it actually is one,” she stammered. “It just...I don’t know… kind of feels like one.” Zuko was blushing now, too.

“I guess it does,” he admitted. They couldn’t meet each other’s eyes now, and Katara mentally kicked herself for making things awkward when they were getting along for once.

“I wouldn’t know anyway,” Katara continued, unable to catch a hold of her tongue. “I’ve never been on a date.” That caught Zuko off guard.

“Never?” he repeated incredulously. Katara pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“I didn’t really have the chance when we were...travelling. And after the- the betrothal,  there just didn’t seem to be much of a point, you know?” Zuko wasn’t expecting the tide of sympathy  that rose in him. Suddenly he understood what Katara had sacrificed in the name of peace. She had gone from war orphan, to child warrior, to political bride. Had she ever experienced any of the normal things a young woman was supposed to? Zuko felt unworthy  of everything she’d given up.  He wished that he could go back to the peace talks and assure the Water Tribes that he was done with his family’s war, and they were safe from the Fire Nation, marriage treaty or no.

“We...we could  call this a date,” he offered shyly. Surprise was evident in Katara’s wide eyes. Zuko lowered his gaze and mumbled, “ If you want to.” Katara looked back down at the street and fiddled with the edge of her shirt. Just as Zuko was contemplating finding an earthbender and asking them to bury him, Katara cleared her throat.

“It...it wouldn’t be a bad thing,” she said. “We are married, after all. We should at least try to...to be friends?” Zuko glanced up to find Katara watching him with wide, hopeful eyes. They  looked impossibly blue in the light of the crescent moon. Zuko’s mouth went dry, and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. He swallowed hard and nodded. Katara smiled at Zuko then, wide and bright. She had never smiled at him like that. He had barely seen her smile at all since she arrived. Zuko felt overwhelmed.  To his relief, she looked away a moment later, and he could breathe again.

“So,” she chuckled, “my first date ever is with the man I’m already married to.”

“It’s kind of lame. I’m sorry.”  Iroh, Zuko thought, would be disappointed. He should have given Katara flowers, and they should have gone to a nice restaurant in nice clothes. Instead, he had her scrambling up on the roof of an abandoned, and probably condemned building in a mask.

“I’m having a good time.” Katara sounded as surprised as Zuko felt. “Besides, it’s not like I have anything to compare it to.”

“I- I’m having a good time, too,” Zuko admitted. Katara smiled at him again, and his heart sped up in the strangest way.

“What about you?” Katara asked.

“Huh?”  Zuko replied intelligently. Katara chuckled.

“Is this your first date?” she clarified.

“Oh!” Zuko blushed slightly. “Well...no.  I- I had a girlfriend before…”

“Oh!” Katara took a step backwards. “I didn’t know that. Wait...you didn’t  break up because of me, did you?’  Zuko’s mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to form a coherent answer. His hesitation spoke volumes, though. Katara took another step back, and Zuko panicked. He could see the warmth that had been building between him and his new wife was crumbling.

“It’s… complicated,” Zuko told Katara. “But I chose this with my eyes open. It’s not your fault we broke up.”  There was a suspicious shine in Katara’s eyes. She blinked hard, and it was gone. Zuko reached out hesitantly, taking Katara’s hand. “We both gave up a lot for this. For what it’s worth…” Zuko trailed off, uncertain of how to finish. Katara smiled weakly and turned her hand to hold his.

“Yeah,” she murmured, agreeing to neither of them really knew what.

“Besides, I think Mai and I-”

“Mai?” Katara snatched her hand back, sputtering. “Mai is your ex? No one told me I was having lunch with your ex!”  Zuko hit his face with his palm. Now he knew why his uncle always said not to discuss past relationships on the first date.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to spring that on you.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell me that sooner?”Katara buried her face in her hands and groaned. Her face was once again blazing in her humiliation. No wonder Mai had seemed so cold towards her, and Ty Lee so awkward. And Azula so...eager to have them all share a meal together.

“I didn’t think it would matter,” Zuko said. “And we weren’t really talking before.  I just...I’m really, really sorry.” Katara laughed mirthlessly.

“She must hate me,” she muttered. “You both must.”

“I...I don’t hate you,” Zuko took Katara’s wrists and gently pulled her hands from her face. Katara didn’t fight him, but she was clearly distraught. Her bright smile was long gone.

“Did you...do you love her?” she asked. Zuko felt a prick of guilt. His last conversation with Mai before his betrothal was announced flashed in  his mind. He remembered the hurt in her eyes when he told her what he had decided.

“It’s...it’s complicated,” he said again. “It’s also the past. You’re my wife. We’re partners now.”

“But you loved her,” Katara gestured towards the palace where Mai was sleeping in Azula’s apartments. “And I came along and-”

“And gave up everything to make sure the world has a chance for lasting peace,” Zuko cut in earnestly. “And I made a vow to you. Maybe this isn’t the marriage either of us planned on having, but what you’ve done is incredibly brave.”  

“Well, you did it, too, “ Katara pointed out.

“You gave up your home,” Zuko said. “Your family. Your first date. I haven’t done much of anything by comparison.”

“Zuko-” Katara looked down at his hands still closed around her wrists.

“I’m going to do everything I can to be worthy of that,” Zuko promised. “You’re the most important woman in my life now. The only woman in my life.”

“But you were in love,” Katara’s eyes were so full of compassion. It fell on Zuko like a weight, and he had to turn away.

“I told you,” he murmured. “It’s complicated.” Katara’s brows knitted together in confusion. Zuko sighed.  “It’s for me to deal with, okay? It’s not your fault.”

“I-” Katara started.

“It’s not your fault,” Zuko pressed. “Say it.”

“I-it’s not my fault,” Katara repeated.

“Good.” The corner of Zuko’s mouth lifted in a half smile. Katara returned it hesitantly. Then she freed her hands from Zuko’s and wrapped her arms around herself.

“Do you mind  if we go home?” Katara asked after a moment.

“Huh?” They had only been gone about an hour and a half. Katara looked up at Zuko apologetically.

“It’s getting chilly,”  she explained. “I didn’t think to bring a sweater.”

“Oh…” Zuko couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“I’ll remember next time,” she promised.

“Of course,” Zuko said quickly. “Next time.”

They made their way back to the palace without being spotted. Zuko led Katara to a trellis near their rooms, and Katara was certain he had done this before.

“Should we be worried that security is this lax?” she questioned as Zuko helped her onto the balcony.

“I’ll talk to Uncle about it tomorrow,” Zuko promised. He looked over the balcony railing and frowned. Katara was right. With the assassination threats against them both, it should not have been quite so easy for them to sneak onto the palace grounds.

Katara opened the door into their sitting room. Zuko followed close behind and lit the sconces on the walls. Katara handed him back the mask he had loaned her.

“I had fun,” she told him. Then she hesitated a second before she stood on tip toe and gave Zuko a peck on the cheek. Zuko stared after her, too stunned to move, as she practically fled the sitting room, and shut the door to her bedroom behind her.  

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12 ,13 , 14, 15 , 16

[arazialotis]

Winchester & Co. - Part 4

Pairing: Dean × Reader

Word Count: Around 3100

Summary: When most people run away, they join the circus; but the Winchester boys were running from it. They wanted more than their father’s business; a paranormal circus of horror and delight. Dean Winchester thought he would never step foot here again but John’s death obliged him to return. Now that he’s back, the only thing that may tempt him to stay is you. The girl with white hair and a gift to see the future. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Warnings: Violence, Language

Beta’d by the wonderful @misguidedconqueress

As the days passed, you were nowhere near closer to solving the mystery surrounding John’s death. Snippets of the future from staff lead to more questions than answers, loose strings that you and Dean couldn’t tie together. Your stolen moments in the field shortened as Dean dove further into his father's office, looking for hints; but soon the demands of the business pulled harder. Balancing books, distributing salaries, ordering supplies. The witch Celeste by far had the most extensive list, requiring ingredients for the potions she peddled. 

The ledgers were sprawled across his father’s desk as Dean attempted to recall the past weeks of spending and income. He scratched up his own writing and mistakes, muttering to himself at his hopeless attempt. A rapping knock at the office door stirred him from the concentration. 

“Sorry to intrude.”

Dean smiled and sighed in relief. His kid brother, now taller than he. Sam entered the room, greeting Dean with an embrace.

“Man, am I glad to see you.” Dean gently beat against Sam’s shoulder. 

Two years prior to Dean’s own departure, Sam had left the circus after a furious confrontation with John. He packed his bags and took a train out to the East Coast, landing a spot at some pretentious institute and coming out with a law degree. It was far from accounting, but as far as Dean was concerned, Sam could handle the bookkeeping far better than he. 

“It’s been too long.” Sam matched the sentiment, lightly patting Dean’s jaw, taking in his exhaustion. “An event such as this shouldn’t have to force us together.” 

“Agreed.” Dean went back to the scribbles of his books but paused again. “How much do you know?” 

Sam furrowed his brow. 

“About Dad’s death?” Dean clarified. 

Sam nodded his understanding. “I met with Crowley at the tent. He caught me up to speed, leaving out a few key details I’m sure.” 

“Call me crazy.” Dean wrung the back of his neck. “But I’m beginning to trust that son of a bitch.” Dean could see the confusion painted on Sam’s face. “He’s motivated by greed. Being Dad’s second in command was the best thing going for him. Without knowing what was in the will and a hefty pay increase last quarter, I just don’t see it.” 

“And the girl?” Sam pried. 

“What of it?” 

Sam sat down in the office chair, kicking his feet up onto the desk. “Is your judgment surrounding her clouded?”

Dean clenched his jaw. Sam had his own past here. “Why were you really at the tent?”

Sam cleared his throat and brought his feet down. “Point taken.” He shuffled through the papers. “And the will?”

Dean pointed towards a ledger and Sam found the slip underneath. “It’s pretty straight forward. Not much legal jargon you need to sort through.” 

Sam leaned back, running his hand through his untrimmed hair, verging on a length the courtrooms wouldn’t find acceptable. “What the hell are we going to do?” 

It was a question Dean found himself asking over and over again this past week. It was no longer a home to him, but a home to so many. Home to you. “I have no idea.”

***

The warmth building in the caravan transmitted into your dreams, making it hard to breathe. Looking up, two unfamiliar figures loomed above you, heated in an argument. Her hair, the color of fire sparked with her temper. And he, a modest man, a cooling dark against her hot spirit. His hands were calloused from hard labor. 

“You have to keep a better eye on her!” The woman yelled. “You know it’s not safe for her to go out.” 

“What would you have me do, Eileen? I work two shifts so you have a place to live. I need to sleep sometime!” He defended. “You're not the only one who works!” Showing her hands, colored from dyes and chemicals. 

Tears slid down your eyes, though you didn’t know why. It felt like your fault. 

“All that talk? It’s all just rumors! If they see her… they’ll understand.” He begged. 

“You can’t believe that’s true. Look at how they treat us! Our people! They’ll treat her just the same. Even worse for what she is.” A kettle screamed from the kitchen, she threw her hands up and left the conversation to take it off the stove. 

He followed, the words becoming blurred as you looked out the window to towering buildings stretching for miles, wishing to fly over them and breath fresh air. 

The sound of heavy boots stomped outside the hallway. You ran to her, burying your face into her skirt. A knock sounded on the door. The couple looked at each other. The man went for a fire poker while the woman bent down to meet you. She pushed white hair out of your eyes. 

Her voice filled with worry, hissing like the kettle. “Hide. Hide, Moonchild.” 

In the small apartment, there were few places to hide. You ran to the bedroom and slid under the bed. You peeked out from the sheet, hanging an inch or two above the floor. Muffled voices and the sound of scraping feet. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe you should come out. Your heart thudded against your chest. Bang! A shot rang out through the air. A scream escaped your lips and your hands went to your ears, covering them from the woman’s cries. 

Her feet scurried into the room and her plea’s protested against the attacker. Another shot. Red dots speckled the floor where she fell with a thud. Her eyes open, staring at you. Your hands covered your mouth this time, backing up further under the bed until you hit the wall. Boots thudded around the room. You couldn’t breathe. They were right next to you. ***

You woke up in a panic. Your mouth and eyes dry, panting in the warm air. Sunlight crept through the cracks of the caravan. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. You repeated over and over to yourself until the panic subsided. 

Scuttling around your little caravan, you went for some water to quench your thirst but were out. A trip to the well then. You grabbed a large wooden bucket and rag; leaving the house, not bothering with a shawl or shoes. 

The circus was already up and bustling. They were all up earlier to be first in line for a trader from town. He came around monthly, selling goods and trinkets. Items for purchase that were not made available by John. You fancied a lotion he sold, that smelled of amber and vanilla. You took it in your hand. Strictly to use for your desire, not because you wanted to entice a certain someone. A smirk crept over you at the thought of him. Inspecting other items, you settled on just that and tossed him a few coins, before continuing on your way. 

You weaved through the stalls and shacks, waving to familiar faces as you went. You waved to Castiel who was meeting with Celeste, though he didn’t seem to notice your presence. Pausing to wait, it seemed they were having something of a debate. 

“Celeste, pull your act tonight. We’re running out quicker than I anticipated.” His arm leaned against her small home, watching as she brewed away some type of potion. “Things are going to get out of hand.”

“There are too many.” Celeste hissed. “I can’t remember them all.” 

“I’m working on it.” He assured. “Just do what you can. With both boys…” He stood straight when he noticed you. “Y/N, pleasant morning for a walk.” 

You swang your bucket back and forth, as if you only just arrived, hoping he didn’t realize you were eavesdropping. “Ay.” You agreed. “What brings you out to these parts?” You eyed Celeste suspiciously. 

Castiel pushed up off the house and joined you in the path. “Customers complaining that the love potions are too weak, making sure the next shipment has all of Celeste’s ingredients this time.”

“That seems more up Crowley’s alley.” You stood your ground, not being so easily fooled. 

Castiel sighed as your eyes darted between him and Celeste, working out what they had been discussing. “Walk with me Y/N.” He instructed. You followed him along the path to the well. The wooden shacks that passed as homes began spacing out and grass filled in the gaps. “Listen Y/N. I know how fond you are of Dean.” A blush filled your cheeks, you looked down to your feet and kicked a loose pebble. Had it already traveled that fast around the circus? He continued. “And Dean, he’s like a brother to me, but he’s been out of this a long time. With John gone, there’s a lot of gaps Crowley is trying to fill. I’m trying to help, is all.” 

You clicked your teeth, and shrugged away your suspicion, mostly. “Well, I’m not doing much of anything, so I’m happy to help.”

Castiel stopped as the path split and rested his hand on your shoulder. “That means a lot. I’m sure once we understand the scope of things, there’ll be something for you to do, no doubt.” His hand dropped as he looked down the path. “Well, I’d better get a move on it.” “See ya, Cas.” You headed down your own. “Oh Y/N.” Castiel turned from his direction. “How are you? From our last reading?” 

You chuckled. “Oh, fine. Just fine. It seemed like just a fluke. Maybe I’m only supposed to read humans, not angels.” 

Castiel nodded. “Makes sense. Take care.” He waved goodbye. 

You waved him along, silent with your thoughts; sorting out the whole ordeal. You pushed it away. Celeste and Crowley, now that would be a pair to be leery of. But Cas, no. You had seen the stress trying to run the operations had caused Dean. He needed all the help he could get. Not that he would ask for it. From what Castiel had said earlier, Sam was back. That should calm things down for the foreseeable future.

The well broke away from the surrounding trees, a small clearing in the forest. It was quiet today, others were not gathered around. You lowered your bucket in and brought it up, the water sloshing as it went. 

You smiled, finally being able to quench your thirst and cool the heat of the day. You cupped your hands and brought a drink to your lips, before splashing the remainder on your face. You wrung the rag, now damp and worked it behind your neck and down your arms. Pulling up your skirt and revealing your bare legs underneath, you scrubbed away at sweat and dirt. Finally satisfied, you indulged in the sweet scent of the lotion. The sun glistened against your skin as you rubbed it up and down your legs, humming as you went. 

A whistling tune joined your melody. Your cheeks flushed and you whipped down your skirt to cover yourself, turning towards the noise. “Ah.” You scowled at Dean and tossed the rag at him. “How long have ya been there?” He chuckled and came closer. “Only a bit, didn’t want to spoil the view.” He was standing over you, smiling ear to ear. As much as you tried to suppress yours, a smirk still came through. “You rotten scoundrel.” You playfully accused.

He sat down next to you on the edge of the well. “We do have facilities with running water, you know.” 

You shrugged your shoulders. “I find this more soothing, and typically more private. Though I do realize it may not be as effective, hygienically speaking.” 

He took your chin in his hand, turning you to face him. “You smell lovely.” 

Your lips turned up devilishly. “Perhaps I taste even better.” 

Dean leaned in. His soft lips working against your chapped skin. He trailed from your lips down your neck. You moaned from the pleasure, your hand snaking through his hair, pulling him further into you. His name faintly escaped your lips as his hand clutched at your waist. The crash of the wave settled as he finally came up for air. 

“Inconclusive.” He stated. “Further testing will have to be done.” He teased. 

He leaned in, yet you pushed him away, giggling as you did. “Rotten.” You repeated before lowering your voice to a sultry whisper. “As for further testing, you’ll have to come by later tonight.” 

“So actually…” As he spoke, you huffed in defeat. “With Sam back home, we were planning a small ceremony for dad tonight.” Your pouty-ness melted away at the good cause. “Of course you’re welcome to attend.” 

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

***

A full-length mirror was one of the very few items that adorned your caravan. Looking at it now you were displeased. Not because of the chipping gold varnish, or the discoloration in the glass, splotchy, and in need of a polish. No, it was because of what was looking back. You had ditched your traditional garb for a tea-length black dress. It was John’s funeral, after all. But the material picked at your skin. The dress itself made you appear darker, more sinister than you cared for. Like you were the demon-witch they all accused you of being. You swallowed the memory. This wasn’t about you or your comfort. You’d make a respectable appearance, you convinced yourself while pulling on stockings and sliding into shoes. It was suffocating, but you could deal with it for a few hours. 

Dean, Sam, Crowley, and a few others were gathered at the Winchester’s home. You greeted Sam with a hug, keeping the moment somber, but making a mental note to tease him about his astonishing height later. Dean and you kept close but avoided direct affection in the crowd. You made your way past the garden to an oak that matched the pair at the circus’s entrance. A white picket fence surrounded the area of stones within. John’s parents, brother, and Mary before him. A deep hole now in the earth for him to join them. 

Dean held the box, wrapped in parchment, close as a local minister led the group in solemn words of prayer. Words of comfort, healing, hope. None of which you felt. You tried to picture John now. What he had meant to you. A rescuer, a savior, a home. Blood speckled across his face. You gasped, your heart picking up pace. No, that wasn’t… you pushed it down, refocusing on the minister. 

Dean’s pinky wrapped around yours. You gently squeezed against it, conveying you were there for him. When instructed he let go of you and placed the box of ashes into the ground. He took a shovel and sprinkled on a covering of dirt, followed by Sam and then others. The shovel passed to you. You dug into the mound, hovering over the hole for a moment. 

Anger flushed against you and a thought crossed your mind. ‘Rot in Hell.’

You blinked away the feeling, the emotion, and without sprinkling dirt over him, you passed it off to the next person. You shouldn’t be here. Aimlessly, you began wandering away, your head spinning with confusion. 

“Y/N. Hey.” Dean called for you, his voice out of breath. You looked back, realizing you had made it farther away than you thought. 

“What’s wrong?” Dean regained your attention, his voice filled with concern. 

“I…” Your voice faltered and chest heaved for air. 

A scream ripped through the air, both of you whipped to the direction of it. Shouting rang afterward, coming from the fairgrounds. Dean took off in a sprint; you followed quickly behind, shoes flying off as you ran. 

You slowed your pace as you neared. A large crowd circled around. Fire spitting up into the air. Dean and you pushed your way through to the front. Danny, the vampire, and a fire-spitting side act were riled up in the middle of it. Danny’s hair was noticeably singed. “Hey!” Dean’s voice boomed, with none of the gentleness you had previously known. “What’s going on here?” He demanded. 

The dragon spoke first, defending his actions “He stole it! I know he did. Saw him sneaking around earlier this morning.” 

“I did nothing.” Danny hissed. 

“Stole what?” Dean asked. “My watch. My golden watch.” The dragon begged for its return. Danny rolled his eyes. “I have no need for useless trinkets.”

“Take that back!” The dragon snarled, his throat turning red from the heat.

“Hey!” Dean pushed himself into the middle, separating the two. “Knock it off!” When he felt assured the dragon had calmed, he looked at Danny. “Turn out your pockets.” 

“I don’t take orders…” He started. 

“Turn out your pockets!” Dean yelled again. 

Danny obliged. Nothing but an empty vial, a paper parchment, and a spare string. 

Sam caught up, pushing his way to the front, but not interfering with Dean’s authority. 

“Sam, round up a few volunteers and search Danny’s belongings.” Dean heard the vampire growl behind him. “If he is innocent, then he should have nothing to hide.” 

Sam nodded and called on a few to follow him. “As for the rest of you!” Dean’s voice boomed over the crowd. “We have a business and show to run, now get back to work!” The group began to disperse but Dean grabbed the dragon by the collar of the shirt. “Don’t make a habit out of quarrels.” He threatened in a hushed tone. “Come to me before taking it into your own hands. Understand?” The dragon nodded and Dean pushed him away. As a few straggled behind, he found you, himself at a loss for words or explanations. 

“Since when did the dragons here give a shit about treasure?” He asked you, perplexed as if he had forgotten the past. 

“They don’t.” 

Dean sighed, rubbing his forehead, waiting for the next disaster to strike. He was off to follow Sam to ensure Danny wasn’t causing any additional trouble.  

“Mr. Winchester, Mr. Winchester!” A shapeshifter ran through the grounds calling after him. “It’s the werewolf. She’s transformed. On her own!”

“What?” Was all he managed to mutter. 

“The angels have her cornered, trying to corral her into the cage.” 

He caught up to speed. “Is anyone hurt?” She shook her head no. 

“Fetch Crowley, have him meet me there.” He instructed. 

She jolted off. 

He looked at you, a young innocence shining through his eyes. He didn’t sign up for this but it was in his hands now. 

“Go!” You waved him on. “Go.” 

His feet sprung before he intended to, swinging into motion, running towards the tent. He didn’t look back. You thought about joining him, but a werewolf on the loose was out of your element. You’d just be another body in the way. 

Taking in the faces on the grounds, you slowly spun around as they got back to work. Sweeping steps, practicing tricks. Their faces, shallow and sunken. Stress and tensions high. The circus no longer felt like a sunlit field, a refuge from the world. No, this was dark. Gloomy. A horror people perceived your kind to be. 

 “Are we all going mad?” The panicked question caught your breath, rushing out unexpectedly, to no one in particular.

----

Tags:

Forevers: @mogaruke @deanwinchesterforpromqueen @jotink78 @blushingdean @sup3r-pott3r-lock3d @dancingalone21 @carryonmyswansong @atc74 @superapplepie @cassieraider @adaliamalfoy @iwriteaboutdean @spnbaby-67 @monkeymcpoopoo @adoptdontshoppets @maddiepants @onceuponathreetwoone @thisismysecrethappyplace

 Dean x Reader: @akshi8278 @boxywrites @its-not-a-tulpa @tacklesackles @aubreystilinski @iamabeautifulperson18 @jerkbitchidjitassbutt @spn-dean-and-sam-winchester @ria132love

Winchester & Co: @flamencodiva​ @shamelesslydean​

[lelitachay]

Frozen fanfiction: Søsken

Summary: Even though Anna loved her sister-in-law, she couldn’t help but notice there was something peculiar about Elsa. Everything starts to make sense after an accident and a forced family reunion.

Modern AU. Kristanna - Frohana - Kristoff & Elsa BrOTP.

Chapters 1 to 10 - Here  

Chapter 11 - Repercussions    

Chapter 12 - Time apart

Chapter 13 - Guilt

Chapter 14 - The way I see it

Chapter 15 - Reconnecting

Chapter 16 - Finding home

Chapter 17 - What the future holds

Chapter 18 - Broken trust

Chapter 19 - Reopening old wounds

-

The visit

Lying in bed for several hours had proved to be useless for Elsa. It didn’t matter how tired she felt, her mind wouldn’t let her rest. She had tossed and turned for hours, hoping to finally get some sleep, but her mind kept going back to her conversation with Anna. It kept going back to the document she had found and what it meant for her.

She had gone to bed shortly after Anna had left. But she had barely slept for an hour or two before another nightmare woke her up. And after that, falling back asleep had proved to be impossible. 

Talking about her past to Anna had opened up scars that weren't completely healed. Her days inside the clinic had been the worst of her life, and talking about them always triggered the worst memories. Memories that took days or weeks to fade once again.

In the past, every time those memories had come back to haunt her, she had calmed her restless mind with the idea that those days were over. They were part of a troubled past that she was little by little leaving behind. But this time, however, she couldn’t find that silver lining. 

Telling the world what Weselton had done put her on the spotlight, and being in the public eye could backfire. Kai’s petition meant she was going to be forced to talk about her past in front of people. She was going to be asked question and possibly requested to give more details than the ones she had given Kristoff and Anna. And she knew for a fact she wasn’t ready to do something like that. She knew there was no way she could face a courtroom full of people and talk about her past without her powers manifesting, or what was worse, they acting on their own and hurting people around her.

In short, she couldn’t put her mind at ease if there existed a slim possibility of people finding out about her powers and locking her up once again.

She sighed and turned for the umpteenth time and faced the ceiling once again. Eighty-four wooden planks. Eighty-four wooden planks and nine beams. She didn’t even need to count the wooden planks in her ceiling. It had been the only activity that had helped her keep her mind distracted, but it was no longer working. 

Tired of lying in bed and fighting against her own mind, Elsa got up and went to the kitchen to find something to drink. She needed her mind to stop over-thinking things for just a moment, and she guessed that moving could actually help with that.

The idea of drinking a beer was tempting, but she thought better of it. She found it hard to stop at just one whenever she was feeling anxious and the last thing she needed was to wake up the following day with a hangover. Opting for a glass of milk instead, she opened the fridge in hopes of finding one last bottle. But to her disappointment there was none. It was at that moment she remembered she had planned to spend the afternoon grocery shopping instead of trying in vain to fall asleep.

She closed the fridge's door with more force than necessary and sat down on the closest chair. Yet another tired sigh escaped her lips as she rested her head on the wooden table. She knew she could still catch the last bus to town and continue with her original plan and pretend the events of the previous night hadn't happened; but part of her knew she couldn’t face her family just yet. 

She wasn't sure she wanted to confront her father so soon. And even if Anna insisted she should listen to him before jumping to conclusions, she couldn’t stop feeling disappointed and hurt.

She raised her head when a knock on her door distracted her from her thoughts. At first she thought it had been her imagination, but a second knock made her realise there was actually someone waiting outside her door. 

The first person to come to mind was Marshmallow. He usually travelled to Trolheim on Saturdays, and from time to time he would offer her a ride. And since she didn't wish for him to see her like that, she stayed where she was pretending she wasn’t home.

She knew he was bound to ask questions giving her appearance, and she wasn’t sure she could make up a believable story. After all, she had big bags under her eyes and she was still wearing the old baggy t-shirt and worn out shorts she wore to bed. A look that didn't match a fake smile.

After three more knocks, when she thought he had finally left; she heard the door open. Knowing Marshall would never enter her house uninvited, she got up to see who was entering her house.

"Elsa! You're here!" said Kristoff, when she walked into the living room. "Why didn't you open the door?" 

"Why does everyone enters this place as they see fit?" she answered, ignoring her brother’s question completely.

"You never lock your door." A lame excuse, he knew.

"That doesn't give you the right to barge in."

"Sorry," he apologised. It was clear she was angrier than usual about his lack of manners, and he just wanted to avoid a fight. "We thought you weren't home. We were going to wait inside until you returned." 

"I should listen to Kai and start locking the stupid door," she said to herself, a little bit louder than intended. 

"Yes, you should," came Kai’s reply from outside the door.

"Dad?” The lack of sleep was surely making her mind play tricks.

"Can you please let us in, Kristoff?" asked Gerda from the outside, tired of waiting for her son to move from the entrance.

Only when he did move, she was able to hurry to her daughter's side. "Elsa, dear, how are you feeling?" 

Not wanting to be rude, Elsa told her she was feeling fine before asking, "What are you doing here?" She didn't like the sudden visit, and she knew there was a reason behind her mother's fussiness.

"Are you sure, sweetheart? You look exhausted." Gerda insisted, as she cupped Elsa’s face with her hands.

"We came to see you," answered Kai still standing near the door.

"Yes, mum. I'm fine," repeated Elsa as she moved her face from her mother's grasp. Elsa made sure to hold the old woman’s hands, preventing Gerda from touching her again.

She didn’t mind her mother’s affection under normal circumstances, but right at that moment she wanted some space. Elsa knew Gerda was going to notice things were not okay, but she still wanted to keep up the appearance. However, it was really hard to do so if Gerda continued fussing over her.

"What are you really doing here?" Elsa asked Kristoff, hoping her brother was going to be more straight forward with his answer. 

Contrary to what his mother was doing, Kristoff tried to give Elsa some space, and he sat on the couch. "Anna told me what happened last night. We came here to talk.” Noticing the way his sister's face suddenly contorted with worry, he clarified, “Actually, dad came here to talk. Mum and I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Dear, your hands are really cold." Gerda had always made the effort not to point out Elsa’s powers without a reason, but right at that moment Elsa was still holding her hands and it was becoming hard to pretend they weren’t painfully cold.

Her mother's comment made Elsa realise there was a thin layer of frost covering her hands and she let go in an instant. Putting some distance between her family and herself, she said, "I don't blame Anna for worrying, but right now is not the best time.” They way her powers had just reacted was clear indication of that. “I'm not in the right mood to have this conversation."

“I’m sorry, Elsa. But we need to talk about this,” said Kai. “The sooner I explain what that document you found is, the better.”

“Dad-” she tried to stop him. She was still hurt about his idea of opening her case once again, and she wasn’t sure how to explain to him her fears.

However, Kai interrupted her before she got the chance. “First of all, I'm sorry you found out about this on your own. I wanted to talk to you and explain things to you before doing anything. That document you found is part of a formal petition-”

"Anna explained to me what it is,” Elsa cut her father off. She was tired. She didn’t want to hear him talk in a methodical way. She wasn’t part of another police procedure, at least not anymore. The least she expected from her father was for him to be straightforward. “You're requesting for my case to be opened once again."

“Yes. That is correct,” he admitted. “However-” Elsa turning around and walking to her bedroom interrupted him mid sentence. “Where are you going?”

“Elsa?” called Gerda soon after. 

Before they could follow, Elsa reappeared with the document in her hand. 

“Here,” she said as she put the paper in Kai’s chest. “You can have it back. Do whatever you want. But I won’t take part in any of this.” Not waiting for her father’s answer she walked into the kitchen ready to continue with her original plan for the evening. Find something to drink and go back to bed.

Gerda took a step closer to Kai and whispered, “Kai, you better do something.” 

He exhaled as he thought what was best to do. Elsa was clearly hurt, he could see it in her eyes, but he couldn’t solve anything if his daughter didn’t give him the opportunity to talk and explain himself.

He entered the kitchen and said, “Elsa, we need to talk.”

Continuing with what she was doing, Elsa closed the cupboard door and ignored her father. Maybe some tea could help her fall asleep.

“Elsa.”

“I'm not in the mood to discuss this right now.” She didn’t turn around to face him.

“I need you to listen-”

“No!”

It wasn’t the angered response what surprised Kai, but the sound of a cup breaking.

“Damn it!” Elsa cursed when she noticed the cut on her finger. Her control over her powers had slipped for just a moment, and it had broken the cup she was using to fill the kettle. She hated whenever her body didn’t let her do the simplest tasks. "Useless freak."

Gerda entered the kitchen just in time to see her daughter muttering to herself after the curse. And then she noticed her hand covered in blood. Her instincts kicking in, she rushed to Elsa's side. “Let me help you.”

“It’s fine.”

“But-”

“I said it’s fine.” Turning around, Elsa looked for a piece of cloth and wrapped it around her finger to stop the bleeding. She could feel the disapproving look of Gerda, but she didn’t care. She could just clean the wound later.

Kai waited till the situation was under control before trying to talk with his daughter once again, “Can we talk now, Elsa? Please.”

"I don't want to talk,” countered Elsa in a lower tone of voice. “I don't. But that doesn't matter, does it? It doesn't matter what I want.”

“Of course it does.”

“Then why did you open my case?” she asked. Finally reaching her breaking point. "You promised me you wouldn't, yet you did. My opinion didn't really matter after all.”

“Elsa, you're getting ahead of things. This is just a petition. A request. Your case is not open yet.” He tried to reason. He could understand Elsa’s distress, and he wanted to make sure she knew there was nothing to worry about. 

To hear Kai say the case was still closed allowed Gerda to sigh in relief. At least things could be resolved inside the family.

“You’re not answering my question. Why did you do it?” Elsa didn't stop to think about his answer. At that moment she wanted to hear her father's reasons more than anything. 

Thinking it was best to just answer her question. His explanation could wait. “Because I care about you. And I think it's unfair you're the only person who didn't obtain justice in his trial.”

“I don't blame you for wanting justice, Kai. I do too. But this was not the right way to proceed,” Gerda was still mad her husband had written the petition without taking Elsa's wishes into consideration. 

“You and Gerda promised to help me build a life away from my past. Away from everything I went through. That paper is the opposite of that,” said Elsa pointing to the document in his hand. 

Kai walked to the closest chair and sat down with a sigh. “Look, I know it isn't exactly what I promised,” he agreed. “But I need you to understand I had your opinion in mind, all the time. I wasn't going to send this without your approval. I was going to talk with you.” Turning around he looked at his wife and son, who had also entered the kitchen, and clarified, “all of you.”

Noticing his sister wasn't reacting, Kristoff picked the document from the table and skimmed over it quickly. “It's signed by several police officers. Why would you take the trouble to do that before talking with Elsa?"

“At the beginning, I thought it was plausible to open a case against Weselton without getting Elsa involved.” He looked at his daughter to make sure she was listening and continued, "Some colleagues let me see it wasn't going to work and they all agreed it was best to work with Elsa's original case if I wanted justice. They offered their help; and soon after, the petition was written and signed.”

Even if Kristoff didn't agree with his father's methods, he too believed Weselton needed to pay for his crimes. And it made him happy to know there were other police officers willing to help Elsa find justice. 

"I found myself with half the initial work done before I knew what to do," continued Kai before his son could answer. "It’s for this reason I kept the document inside one of the composition books until I decided what to do." 

"Why were you looking for it earlier today?" Gerda couldn't help but ask. 

"I wanted to show it to you and ask for your opinion, Gerda. I wanted to talk to Elsa and I didn't know how." He looked down in shame at that. The love he had for Kristoff and Elsa was immeasurable, but there were times Kai still felt inadequate to communicate with them. It was hard for him to express his ideas and not sound like he was imposing them. 

“So, you never sent the petition?” asked Kristoff, wanting to make sure there was nothing to worry about.

Kai shook his head and asked Kristoff to hand him the document back. “This is the original document.” 

“Rip it up,” Elsa demanded. Hoping to put an end to her problems.

Kai looked at her and then at the document in his hand. He wanted to destroy the document and be on good terms with his daughter again. He wanted to make Elsa happy and show her she could trust him. However, a part of him still wanted to help that little girl he had seen in a hospital bed all those years ago. “Are you sure you don't want to give this a second thought?” he asked.

Arms crossed in front of her chest, she answered with resolution. “Yes, I’m sure.” 

Not having the heart to go against her wishes for a second time, Kai tore the document apart in front of her. He was letting go of their chance to keep Weselton behind bars, but he couldn’t force Elsa to do something she didn’t want.

Elsa remained where she was. Leaning against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest. She was feeling a lot better now that she knew there wasn’t any risk of people finding out about her past and her powers; yet pain and sadness still lingered in her mind.

Just like everyone else, Gerda stayed silent lost in her own thoughts after Kai complied to their daughter's wishes.

From the very beginning Gerda had been against Kai’s idea of opening Elsa’s case once again. She was aware of the consequences of exposing Elsa to the public eye. The prosecutor had been more than clear about it years before. 

Nonetheless, there was a part of her that still wondered if what they were doing was right. The idea of such an unscrupulous man walking free was unacceptable. And she knew anyone would agree with her on that matter. Anyone but Elsa. Or at least that's what it looked like. The way Elsa had reacted let Gerda see she'd rather accept Weselton’s freedom, than being requested to speak in front of a jury.

Gerda couldn't help but think of it as something strange. One would think she'd be the first person to ask for justice, but that wasn't the case. 

Elsa wanted to keep her past behind and move on with her life. That was clear. But Gerda could feel there was something else. 

Not thinking twice about it, and believing it was finally time Elsa opened up about the way she felt, Gerda dared ask, “what's keeping you from accepting your father's offer?"

Elsa raised her head to look at her mother, who was a few steps away from her. “What?”

“I don't want to change your mind,” she said before Elsa got defensive once again. “I've got my reasons to believe it's best to leave things as they are. But I want to hear your reasons. After all..." She took a deep breath knowing it was a sensitive topic. "Weselton will be walking free in a few years.”

“Mum...” Kristoff tried to warn before things got out of hand. He understood his parents' concerns, but he also understood Elsa’s fears.

Elsa’s silence only encouraged Gerda to continue. She usually avoided talking about this with her daughter, but she felt it was best to have the conversation now that the wound was open. "I just want to hear your reasons, Sweetheart." 

Not knowing how to explain the way she felt, Elsa simply answered, “I can’t face a jury. I just can’t."

“Why?" she tried again. "Try to put into words the way you feel. I think it’ll help your father and I understand.”

Kristoff stayed silent looking how with gentle words and patience his mother was able to get Elsa to open up. He admired that about the old woman.

Elsa, on her part, took some time to put into words the way she felt. After taking a deep breath, she gave it a try. “I'll be on the spotlight.”

“And?”

“And I'll lose control of my powers as soon as I start talking. I'll be exposed…" She made everything in her power to avoid her mother's eyes. "Everyone will know how dangerous I am.”

“You’re not dangerous, Elsa,” said Kai interrupting their conversation. He couldn't stand Elsa talking about herself in that way. 

“As soon as I lose control of my powers people will think I am.” She continued, ignoring her father. “It will be easy for Weselton to prove his point then. Everyone will see reason behind the things he did."

"Elsa, wait. Try to-" Gerda tried to make her slow down. 

"Sooner than later, they'll lock me inside a clinic to be studied again.”

“That won't happen, Elsa,” said Kai not tolerating even the idea of that happening again. 

“Yes, it will.”

"No, it won't," he insisted. "The judge and everyone involved will be surprised, but if you explain what that horrible man did to you-" 

"It won't make a difference because people hate the things they can't understand… People can be cruel, Kai." 

The look of pain on her face broke Gerda’s heart. It hurt to know she was talking from experience. 

"I know what it feels like to be at the mercy of cruel people. Not you."

Kai had to agree that it was true. He hadn't experienced cruelty first hand, but his job had taught him a thing or two and he knew he could keep her safe. “I won't let anything happen to you.”

"You can’t promise that," answered Elsa dejectedly. "You don’t know how my powers are going to react under so much stress. It could be a disaster. If I end up hurting someone again, everyone will see reason behind Weselton's actions and I’ll be forced back in a cage." 

“No one's going to force you back in a cage. I won't allow it.”

“Yes, you will.”

“How can you believe something like that?!” To hear Elsa had so little faith in them hurt him deeply. “After everything we've gone through-”

Gerda, on the other hand, didn’t take Elsa’s statement to heart. She wasn’t accusing them. She was merely stating a fact, as if she believed the right thing was for them to allow that to happen. “What do you mean, ‘hurting someone again’?” she asked, interrupting her husband.

Elsa held her mother’s for just a fraction of a second, before looking at the floor in remorse. That was the reason she never talked about the way she felt, she always ended up saying a little too much. She stayed silent battling what to do. She could feel her powers tickling under her skin and the lump in her throat getting bigger.

From where he was standing, Kristoff noticed the tears streaming down her face. He considered it was time Elsa told their parents everything she had gone through. He believed they were going to understand. He was certain. And finally knowing about her past was going to help them understand. “Elsa, they deserve to know,” he said, surprising everyone in the room.

“What is your brother talking about?” asked Gerda gently. Elsa had come so far, she just needed her to say had really happened to her.

“I hurt someone with my powers once,” she answered after several minutes, when she felt the ice was more or less under control. 

“Who?”

“A nurse. It was inside the clinic.” She couldn’t raise her head. She couldn’t face her mother’s disappointment.  

“How bad?”

“Bad. I never saw her again-” A sob interrupted her. “I don’t know what happened to her.”

“Oh, dear…" Gerda walked the distance that separated them. But Elsa moved away just before she could wrap her arms around her.

"Mum, aren't you listening? I'm a threat." She said with a broken voice. 

Angered by the fact Elsa wouldn't even allow herself to be comforted. Gerda forced Elsa to lock eyes with her. "Look at me. Look at me," she repeated when Elsa tried to look away. "Get it into your thick head. You are not dangerous. You were just a child trying everything in your power to protect yourself. You're not dangerous. Those who locked you up are." 

Not giving Elsa the chance to put some distance between them, she hugged her tight.

There wasn’t anything Elsa wanted more than to believe her mother’s words, but it was so hard to ignore the frightened look of that nurse. “I still don’t understand why you aren’t afraid of me…”

Her big blue eyes carried so much guilt and sadness, Gerda couldn’t fathom the idea of someone considering her dangerous. "Because when I look into your eyes and I see how much you care. We know who you really are. You are not your powers. They are part of you, That’s true. But they don’t define who you are.” Gerda held Elsa tighter, showing her how much she really trusted her. “You’re just a scared child." 

Finally letting her walls down, Elsa hid her face in her mother’s neck and hugged her just as tight. She let go of all the pain and frustration she had been holding and allowed herself to cry.

It was only when she had calmed down that Gerda spoke again. “Your father and I need you to tell us everything you went through, okay?” She offered her a sad smile as she dried with her thumb the remaining tears. “It’s the only way we can help you and protect you. Not to mention the only way we can avoid doing stupid things like-”

“Opening my case again?” she asked in a low voice.

“Exactly,” said Gerda with a smile.

Kristoff couldn’t help but chuckle at his father’s mortified expression.

“Okay…” agreed Elsa.

--

It was almost midnight when Elsa finished her story. Somehow having told her story to Anna the previous night helped her open up to her parents. Kristoff’s presence and constant support also made things easier. Just like she had done with Anna and Kristoff, she had avoided the most gruesome parts, but she knew her parents perfectly understood the things she didn’t say.

Both her parents had cried and cursed, but true to their word, they didn’t suggest doing anything against Weselton. And it helped Elsa feel more relieved, knowing that they had found logic in her fears, and they weren’t going to force her to do anything that could put her in danger.

They only bid their goodbyes after Elsa assured them she was going to be okay on her own. Going straight to bed and calling them first thing in the morning.

Kristoff, being the last to walk out the door, stopped in his tracks and looked at Elsa for a moment. He offered her a smile and said,  "I'm sorry we showed up the way we did. We were worried."

"I know."

“I didn't want you to be alone and I thought Kai owned you an explanation.”

Elsa nodded, perfectly understanding her brother’s reasoning. Maybe her mind was a mess right at that moment, but she was honestly happy her family had showed up. She still felt somewhat hurt for Kai’s actions, but she couldn’t blame him for caring. “I'm glad you came, Kristoff.”

“Elsa?” 

“Mmh?”

“Can I give you a hug?”

A small smile appeared on her face. “Since when do you ask permission?”

“Since this afternoon, when I thought you were going to kill me for entering your house without permission,” he answered, trying to light the mood.

Elsa gave him a hug and then watched him go, together with their parents. 

Once inside her house, she cleaned her wound and made herself some tea. She sat on the couch to think about everything that had happened in just forty-eight hours. It was crazy to think she had been so miserable the day before. She felt good about the fact she had been able to tell her brother the truth when he was leaving. She was truly happy her family had showed up when they did. And she was relieved she had finally opened up about her past with the people she loved the most.

When she was about to turn the lights off, a pile of letters on the coffee table called her attention. Idunn’s letters had been tossed over it earlier that day, and she hadn’t given them much thought.

She pondered for a moment what was best to do with them. The idea of burning them came to mind, she definitely wanted to. But those letters contained the answer to several questions about her childhood. Thinking it was best to ignore the letters until she could think more clearly, she picked them up and put them in between some books inside her library. Maybe one day, she could give Idunn a chance.

--

Several knocks on Kristoff’s door woke him up from his slumber. He stretched his arm and picked the alarm clock on the bedside table. He wasn’t surprised to see it was already midday. After all, he had arrived late the previous night feeling more tired than usual.

Even if hir sister had been the one who had opened up about her fears and her past, Kristoff had been nervous himself for most part of the conversation. He had felt like that fourteen-year-old kid all over again, who didn’t know what to do to help his parents or his sister.

He remembered the excitement he had felt when his childhood friend became his sister. But once the excitement had worn off, he began to notice how much Elsa had changed in a just a few years. She didn’t smile as often, and the silly jokes once amused her, no longer made her smile. He had noticed his parents’ constant worry and he had felt useless. It was for this reason he had self-appointed himself as Elsa’s protector.

But there was little he could do to protect his sister when the things hurting her were her memories and the distorted version she had of herself. It was then he let his mother do what she did best, which was to prompt Elsa to talk and help her in the process. Something he believed she had done perfectly well the previous night. But still, the meeting had been emotionally taxing, and for that reason he was having such a hard time getting out of bed.

Sven barking near his front door reminded him someone was knocking at the door. And he had an idea who that someone was. Jumping out the bed, he hurried to let his girlfriend in.

Anna entered the apartment and Sven didn’t waste time to jump and greet her. “Sven, you saw her yesterday. Please, let her be.”

“You know I don’t mind,” she said while she kneeled in front of the dog to scratch his ears.

Sven got tired after a few minutes and he sat near the door once again, expectant to see if it didn’t open once again.

Once Anna was standing once again, she pointed to the dog’s strange behaviour. “What’s with him?”

“He always does that when he misses Elsa.” He called the dog’s attention, “she’s not coming, buddy.” The dog whined a couple of times and then gave up, going back to sleep on the couch.

“I should take him to the mountain next weekend.”

“About that…” Anna said, finally getting to the point of her visit. “How’s Elsa? Did you see her yesterday?”

“She’s okay,” he said with a small smile. “I took my parents to the mountain and Kai explained everything to her. She’s still a little hurt at him for making her worry, but she was finally able to explain her fears to my parents.”

“Did she tell them everything?” She hesitated, not knowing if Elsa had come clean about that part of her past.

“Yes.” Kristoff offered Anna something to drink and continued, “they reacted the way I’ve always imagined they would.”

“They don’t blame her.”

“Of course not. Just like you and me, they let her know she was just a child trying to protect herself.”

“What about the petition? Will she have to face a jury?” Anna was really concerned about it, and she was willing to fight her parents-in-law in order to help Elsa.

“Turns out that was the only copy. No one outside the family read the petition. Kai ended up tearing it into pieces.”

Anna let a sigh of relief escape her lips. The idea of talking in a courtroom was nerve-wracking even for herself, she imagined how stressful it could be for someone like Elsa. “So, she’s okay?”

“She’ll need a few days to tame her mind and control the unpleasant memories. But she’s okay, yes.”

“Are you sure?”

The concern in Anna’s voice made him smile. For her, everything about Elsa was new, and Kristoff couldn’t blame her for worrying. “I’m sure.”

“And what about… Never mind.”

The way she kept fidgeting let Kristoff know her question was in fact important for her. “What is it, Anna?”

“Did my parents have anything to do with the petition?” She didn’t want to ask the question. She knew Kristoff was still having a hard time accepting her parents as Elsa’s biological ones.

“I asked Kai after we left Elsa’s place. He said they’ve met your parents a couple times, but opening Elsa’s case was his idea entirely.” He was still unsure how he felt about his parents meeting the Arendelles behind Elsa’s back, but he guessed it made sense. After all, they were the main reason Elsa had ended up in the hands of someone like Weselton. Kristoff could see his father taking the trouble to see if they were worth Elsa’s tears.

Even if he hadn’t forgiven Anna’s parents, Kristoff guessed they were actually good people. Kai wouldn’t have met them more than once if that hadn’t been the case.

“I need to talk with mum and dad. I can’t believe they’ve been meeting with your parents and they didn't care to tell me.”

He understood his girlfriend's discontent, he had felt the same way when he found out the previous day. “I think you should.”

“Would you like to be there when I do?" Deep down she hoped for him to accept. She missed the days Kristoff would visit her in her parents' home. "I could use your company.”

“Anna…" He didn't like to disappoint her, but he wanted to avoid a confrontation. He couldn't face Agdar and Idunn since he still blamed them for Elsa's miserable life. "You know how I feel about your parents.”

"Let me know if you change your mind...” It pained her to be in the middle of the chaos. But there wasn’t much she could do when her heart understood both sides.

--

Marshall sighed for a third time, as he tried to find the courage to knock on Elsa's door. He had been waiting for her in the slope for an hour before he accepted she was not going to show up. And for some reason, instead of going back to his place, he found himself standing in front of her door.

He had no real reason for his visit. Elsa could simply had been busy. But she had never stood him up in the past, and the few times she hadn’t been able to meet him, she had called in advance.

Part of him wanted to turn around and simply accept the fact she probably had better things to do than spending time with him. Still, his curiosity to see if she was all right was bigger and he decided to knock. 

Straightening his back, he waited for the door to open. And, to his relief, it only took a few seconds for Elsa to greet him.

“Hey,” he said with a smile, pleased to see there was nothing to worry about.

“Marshmallow? What are you doing here?” The mountaineer usually worked on weekdays, and it was strange for him to spontaneously visit after work. 

“Just stopping by,” he said as he scratched the back of his neck. “I wanted to see if you were okay…” 

Elsa looked at him puzzled. She had no idea what reason he could have to worry about her, unless her brother had called the guy and bothered him. If that were the case, kristoff was not going to hear the end of it. “Did Kristoff call you?”

“What? No. I-”

“Because if he did-” Elsa interrupted.

Trying to get his point across before she jumped to any other strange conclusion, Marshall explained in a hurry, “you didn't show up at the slope like we agreed, and I worried.”

“What?”

"You-" Elsa’s confused expression made him think about the possibility he had been mistaken. Hadn't he asked Elsa to meet him like he had intended? Not wanting to make a fool out of himself, he said, "It doesn't matter. I should've just called." 

Elsa grabbed his arm before he could turn around and leave. "Wait, Marshmallow, what are you talking about?" 

"On Thursday, when I called you," he began to say, as he scratched his beard - a nervous tic she had seen him do many times before. "I told you I was free today, and you said you'd meet me at the slope."

"Oh?… oh!" Everything that happened had made Elsa forget about her plan with Marshall. "I completely forgot."

"It doesn't matter. There wasn't much to do there anyway. Most of the snow is melted." 

Elsa could see he was trying to pretend it wasn't important. But she knew he had probably been waiting for her. "I really am sorry, Marshall. Truth is I had a hard weekend." 

“Everything okay?”

“I’ve been better.” There was no way she could explain to him her problems, so she left it at that. “I wish I had remembered about our plan. It would have been a good distraction.”

"Would you like to come to my place?” he offered. “We could eat something. If you want…" 

Elsa wondered if it was a good idea. She felt guilty for the little time she had been dedicating to her studies, and she had finally found the will to sit and work in her assignments just before his visit. On the other hand, she could really use some time away from her worries.

Before she got the chance to answer, however, Marshmallow said, "the cats miss you."

Smiling at his ridiculous attempt to convince her, she asked, "Do they?" 

"Yes. Well…" He cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment. He wanted to punch himself for the moronic reason he had come up with. "I think they do. And maybe they can be a good distraction from whatever is bothering you." 

"Okay."

"Okay?" 

"Yes." Smiling after days of sadness felt nice. She had to be thankful Marshall was considerate enough to invite her right after she had stood him up. "Maybe you're right, I could use some company. And I've missed the cats too."

Marshall smiled too, pleased to notice she wasn’t really talking about the cats.

--

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I apologise in advance for any mistakes. I’ve been writing the whole day, and I can’t identify mistakes at this point.

Big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review and share this story. You’re all amazing!

Tagging: @swimmingnewsie @melody-fox, @kristoffxannafanatic, @kristannafictionals, @neptrabbit, @skneez, @ellacarter13, @wondering-in-life, @who-i-am-8, @fanfictionrecommendations-com, @815-allisnotlost, @khartx, @joannevixxon, @betweenthedreams, @lilrann, @burbobah, @rileysfs, @zutonium, @earlvessalius, @blood-jewel, @disneydreamer8901, @the-sky-is-awake, @disneyfan103, @the-magic-one-is-you, @anamaria8garcia, @welovefrozenfanfiction, @bigfrozenfan-archive, @bigfrozenfan, @frozen-snips  @deisymendoza  @zackhaikal123 @cornstarch @roostercrowedatmidnight @wandering-bard-from-the-id, @showurselfelsa @fuzzyelsalikeiduna @when-dawn-arrives​ @drafteedragon​ @snowycrocus​ @tare8chan​ @localarendellian​ @wabitham​ @roostercrowedatmidnight​ @aries1708 @tare8chan, @just-your-local-history-nerd, @dontrunintofirexoxo @daphmckinnon @poketin @bruni-is-love @luna-and-mars, @anotherpersondrawing @lovelucywilde

Wish you guys the best. Stay safe!

[noona-clock]

The Risk - Part 7

Genre: Fighter!AU

Pairing: Park Seo Joon x You (Female!Reader)

Warnings: Emotional angst

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 | Words: 2,571

Seo Joon had to stay at the hospital overnight to make sure he didn’t have a concussion, and once he was in the clear the next afternoon, they discharged him and sent him home.

Obviously, you drove him back, and he held your hand in his lap the whole way. His vision was impaired at the moment, and it just made him feel a lot better to physically know you were there. He couldn’t quite see you, so he had to feel you.

After stepping in through his apartment door, he murmured that he would go take a shower. He was fairly sure he could manage, and he would be extra careful when he washed his hair.

“Are you hungry?” you asked softly, your brow furrowed deeply as you laid a hand on his back.

“I could eat,” he replied with a quiet chuckle.

“I’ll see what I can whip up.” You shot him a tiny smile, and Seo Joon started to lean down and kiss you. The motion threw him a little off-balance, though, and you quickly grabbed onto his arms to steady him.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“Here, let me,” you said before you stood on your toes and pressed your lips to his. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

He simply hummed in response before stepping away, feeling your hands slide off him hesitantly.

If he couldn’t even bend down to kiss you properly... this was going to be a very long recovery period.

It took about three times longer than it normally did, but Seo Joon managed to get himself showered and dressed.

But that had been about ten minutes ago.

He had perched on the edge of his bed to put his socks on and after that... he had just stayed there. Sitting silently.

“Everything okay in here?” you asked, and Seo Joon heard your footsteps shuffling toward his bedroom door.

“Hmm?” He looked up slowly, not wanting to get dizzy or lightheaded or disoriented because of the bandage over his eye. “Oh -- yeah. Just...”

You paused in the doorway for a second before making your way over to the side of his bed. When you reached him, you put your hands on his shoulders, and he moved to slide his arms around your waist.

He couldn’t help but sigh when he’d fully embraced you, pulling you in-between his legs and hugging you close to him. You began to comb your fingers through his wet hair, and Seo Joon had to close the only good eye he had right now because it felt so damn good.

“How are you holding up?” you asked softly.

“I’m okay,” he answered, though at the moment, he really wasn’t sure how true that was.

“I made spaghetti,” you told him, and Seo Joon nuzzled his cheek against your chest, comforted by the gentle vibrations as you spoke.

He simply nodded and let out a deep sigh; he was hungry, but he didn’t want to move a single inch right now.

A minute or two of silence passed before Seo Joon realized he had been thinking about something. Something that was so obvious -- laughably obvious -- that he didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before.

“Stay here,” he murmured, lifting his head and pulling back to look up at you.

“Of course, I will,” you answered with a small grin.

“No, I mean -- stay. Here. Live here. Move in here. With me.”

Your brow furrowed slightly, and you moved your hands to cradle his cheeks gingerly. “Well, I do have to take care of you,” you said softly.

Seo Joon tightened his hold on your waist, moving to press his cheek back against your chest. “Move in here, take care of me, quit your job --”

“Wait, what?” you interrupted. “Quit my --”

“Just for now,” he clarified. “Until we know more about... what might happen.”

And before you could argue again, he added, “I have more than enough money for both of us for a while. Just... stay here with me. You -- you can work on that book you’ve been wanting to write. I just -- I --”

He felt a little pathetic admitting this, but he was extremely vulnerable right now. And if he couldn’t say this to you, then who could he say it to?

“I don’t want you to leave me. I need you.”

You held him close to you after hearing his words, hearing the slight quiver in his voice. “I’m not going to leave you,” you assured him. “Ever. If... if it’ll make it easier on you, I’ll quit my job. But as soon as the doctor gives you the okay, I’m looking for one. I want to contribute, too. I don’t want to be a gold-digger or have to rely on you for money or --”

“Okay, I get it,” Seo Joon smirked, lifting his head again and pursing his lips to request a kiss.

You obliged, of course, kissing him about three times before whispering an ‘I love you’ and pulling away.

“Come on, the food’s getting cold,” you said, holding out your hand so you could walk with him back into the kitchen.

He groaned softly as he stood up, slipping his hand into yours and following you. Right now, he followed you into the kitchen, but... truthfully, he would follow you anywhere.

The next couple of weeks were...

Rough.

The pain in Seo Joon’s eye only got worse before it started to get even marginally better, and it got to a point where it just felt pointless to try and hide it from you. But then, you were pretty powerless to do anything about it, so when he did let on just how much it was hurting, you ended up feeling anxious and guilty because you couldn’t really help him.

You could put ointment on his cuts, but that was about it. Seo Joon could tell you didn’t like doing it, though, because it still looked pretty gruesome. Your eyes always fluttered a little when you first took off the bandage, and you had to take deep breaths so you wouldn’t faint. Just like going to his matches, you didn’t like it, but you still did it.

You were truly such an angel.

But anyway.

So, not only was Seo Joon in pain and you felt basically helpless, but Seo Joon couldn’t train -- obviously.

You had taken to being unemployed quite well, actually. When you weren’t taking care of Seo Joon, you were cleaning and meal planning and grocery shopping and drafting the novel you’d had stuck in your head for a few months now.

I mean, really, Seo Joon would be pretty surprised if you decided you did want to find a job once he was able to get back in the ring.

If he was able to get back in the ring.

Unlike you, though, Seo Joon didn’t have much to fill his time. He had been banned by his doctor from doing any strenuous physical activity, and he wasn’t supposed to strain his eyesight more than he absolutely needed to. It was a lot more exhausting than it sounded.

You forced him to go on walks every day, and he accompanied you to the grocery store and took you out to eat, but other than that... he really did a whole lot of nothing.

He hated it.

He was actually a little surprised that you were taking this whole situation a lot better than he was.

He had been injured before! He knew what it was like to take a hiatus and put training on hold for a little while. He thought for sure you would be a worrying, anxious mess most of the time.

But... you seemed pretty fine, actually. You had established a routine, you checked off all of the items on your to-do lists, and you slept well each night.

Seo Joon, on the other hand, woke up a few times a night, every single night. He wasn’t sure if it was from the pain or from restlessness or something else, but whatever it was, it was relentless.

And, as if on cue, Seo Joon woke up at -- he slowly turned his head to look at the clock on his nightstand and saw it was 3:27am. That was a new one. He was fairly sure he hadn’t seen 3:27am yet, so at least that was something.

He let out a sleepy groan, rolling over carefully so he could do what he always did when he woke up during the night: reach over and cuddle you until he fell back asleep.

But when he stretched his arm out, expecting it to land over your waist... it fell and hit the mattress next to him with a soft thud instead.

His brow furrowed immediately, and he opened his eyes to make sure he wasn’t, like, just facing the other way or something.

But, no. The pillow next to him was empty. The covers were folded back.

Just out of curiosity, he passed his hand over the sheets to gauge how long it might have been since you’d been there. Maybe you’d just gone to the bathroom or something. 

But the sheets were a very solid room temperature, almost cool.

You hadn’t been there for a while.

He sat up, blinking through the darkness to see if any lights were on in the rest of his apartment, but nothing --

Wait.

Was that...?

Seo Joon narrowed his good eye in concentration, leaning forward to try and hear the sound clearly.

It sounded like someone... crying.

Without wasting any more time, Seo Joon swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, quietly following the sound into the en suite bathroom.

There was a small nightlight plugged into the wall, but that was enough for Seo Joon to see you huddled against the wall, your face buried in your arms. He didn’t need any light at all to hear you were crying.

No -- not crying.

You were sobbing.

“Hey,” he said softly, getting down onto the floor and crawling over to you. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

You let out a small, startled cry, lifting your head to look at him.

“Oh, god,” you sniffled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake --”

But Seo Joon had put his arms around you and pulled you as close to his chest as he could before you could even finish your sentence.

And you broke down all over again.

“I’m sorry,” you repeated, your voice muffled both from crying so hard and from pressing your face into his shirt. “I just -- I can’t take it anymore.”

At least, that’s what he thought you said. It was a little difficult to decipher your words through your body-wracking sobs.

“What’s wrong, baby?” he asked, cradling the back of your head and rubbing your upper arm and shoulder. He had to swallow a lump down in his own throat because hearing you cry like this? It felt like his heart was physically ripping in two.

“I’m still so scared,” you wailed. “Whenever I close my eyes, I see you unconscious -- and all the blood. I don’t ever want to see you like that. It was the worst -- And I’m so angry at him for doing this to you. It’s not fair, how could he just do that? It’s not right! Why would he want to hurt you like this? I know that’s the point of the whole thing, but why would you want to try to hurt someone so badly that it may end their career? Or make them blind?! And I feel so guilty because you may not ever fight again and I know you’ll hate that but I’ll love it but I don’t want to love something that will make you unhappy and I just --”

You cut yourself off with a hiccuping sob, and Seo Joon simply held you tighter.

“I was there,” you continued. “I saw it happen.”

Seo Joon jerked slightly in surprise because... you hadn’t ever told him that. He’d just assumed you had gone from your graduation ceremony straight to the hospital.

But you’d been there? You’d watched him get knocked unconscious?

He was saying the word ‘Fuck’ in his head in as many different ways as he could possibly think of at the moment.

“I saw it happen, and I keep seeing it happen, and I felt helpless then because I couldn’t go to you and help you, and I feel helpless now because I can’t make it better. I want to take your pain away so badly, but I can’t, and I don’t know what to do. I can’t do anything!”

...What in the world could he say to all that?

And here he’d been thinking you were all right. That you were dealing with this better than he was. That you were pretty fine!

Apparently, you’d just been holding it in. Or faking it. Or some combination of the two.

So, he just sat there. He held you. He murmured ‘It’s okay’ in your ear over and over. He combed through your hair and rubbed your back and let you sob until you had no tears left in your body.

He couldn’t even be sure how much time had passed before he realized it had been silent in the bathroom for a while now. You had stopped crying, and neither of you had spoken yet.

“Come back to bed,” he whispered.

He wouldn’t have been surprised if you’d fallen asleep, but you almost immediately nodded and moved to stand up.

Once Seo Joon was standing, however, he carefully bent down and picked you up bridal style. You had been taking care of him for over two weeks now, so it was his turn to take care of you. He may not know what to say to help you, but he could at least do this.

You limply hung your arms around his neck, pressing your forehead against his cheek as he held you up close to his chest. When he laid you down on the bed, he didn’t even give you enough time to let go of him before he was cuddled up next to you. His arms were around you, one over your waist and the other sandwiched between your body and the mattress. Your head was tucked right underneath his chin. His leg was hooked over yours. He was protecting you with every inch of himself that was able, and if it was possible, he wouldn’t ever let you go.

You fell back asleep quite easily; after crying so much and now being in such a warm solid embrace, it was no wonder. You were exhausted and comfortable.

But Seo Joon lay awake for the rest of the night -- the rest of the morning, really. His eyes had glimpsed that it had been 3:52am when he’d set you back in bed, and he didn’t even attempt to sleep before carefully crawling out at 7:18am.

He’d spent all three and a half of those hours thinking. His brain had been whirling around with too many different thoughts to count, but... they all led to one thing.

He knew what he needed to do, and he needed to do it now.

Part 8