#code and bits ; ic
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'' Lurkers are ambush predators, dragons that pretend to be floating driftwood, gunk and water lilies. A quite similar beast to the terrible Flailibut, yet a whole lot different. Lurkers prowl in swampy, stagnant waters, at day they rest on the water's edge. At night they deploy their glowing tongues as lures trying to get the attention of unsuspecting fish, smaller dragons, and Hunters that havent learnt the meaning of sticking together and valuing your own damn life. During the coldest months, when the waters freeze, their snouts stick out frozen over, falling asleep in the frigid and anoxic waters... somehow still breathing. They're covered with all sorts of crap, algae, debri, fallen leaves, sometimes plants grow on their backs... time engulfs this creature to the point of them being almost so ancient looking. A patient killer, waiting for the perfect moment to strike with a gaze of bloodshot, crimson eyes and millions of needle like teeth that protude from their mouth. Class: Primordial Firepower: X Venom: X Speed: Slow on land, capable of short bursts of speed sprinting, however... they're quite fast on the waters they live in. Blindspot: If you look right, they're quite easy enough to spot once you become familiar with the vegetation in the marshes. Their long and massive jaws can easily be shut, and when frozen over during winter they're pretty much fair game. ''
#into the deadlands#dragon#creature design#dragon art#monster#monster art#creature art#art#digital art#redesigned them yet again... wasnt too happy with the latest design i gave them#you can see a bit more of the ice age 2 inspo here also#cretaceous coded guy
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Word gets around quick.
There was something about what he heard, some idea creeping in the back of his head. Wrong as he knew it was, he couldn’t deny— it was enticing. Enticing to be able to show this prick Martyn Littlewood what it meant to start a war with people other than himself.
Doc held the name tag in his hand.
And with a swift motion, something sprang into view.
I don’t know if this is too far, but… I’ve been thinking up a way to lure him somewhere. Care to listen?
@docs-mailbox
There's a tug in the code, and Illux is being pulled through it to appear before Doc, axe still in hand. She had been cutting down a few trees (honestly for the fun of it) and had been hanging around by herself in the small cabin she'd built in the woods for herself - if she was going to be staying, best to make a residence. However, she appears with a grin on her face, knowing exactly what this is about if she's been called by Doc.
"Too far? I doubt many things in this situation are too far, considering the base that Martyn has laid out for me in terms of how far he's willing to go. What's your plan, Doc?" The axe is exchanged for a piece of bread that she begins to gnaw on, tilting her head expectantly for him to explain his plan.
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cant believe i managed to put together a character inspiration graph. some are stronger than others, but it's fun to be able to put one together for once :') Anyway, inspiration board for aurora
Characters: -Snow Maiden (from the fairytale of the same name) -Odette (from the ballet Swan Lake) -The Unicorn/Amalthea (from The Last Unicorn) -Ninian (from Fire Emblem Blazing Blade) -The Princess (from Slay the Princess) -Sleeping Beauty/Rosamund du Prix (the fairytale of the same name/Dimension 20 Neverafter)
#aurora (oc)#character inspo board#snow maiden is the most obvious bc she literally is what auroras race is named after.#but to be specific. the ignorance. innocence. and inability to understand the world around her for her very nature and that the world#punishes her for that at times. as well as not being able to win over the first person she had feelings for i suppose lol#odette has always been a big inspo for me#bc of the curse shes under and the body transformations she undergoes unwillingly#amalthea is newer bc i didnt know about her to start but when i did learn of her i was like 'oh! points'#ninian is a soft spoken ice coded character (shes an ice dragon so lol) who is hunted by the big bad. she also gets amnesia#bc of the big bads actions similar to aurora#ninian was tied with deirdre from fe4 but ninian fit a bit better so she won out#still disappointed i couldnt find better offical art of ninian. she deserves prettier art than just moe blob shes been given#the princess is more nebulous. i cant pinpoint why exactly but i always think of aurora when i think of her. the thorn and the damsel#specifically a lot of time#meanwhile sleeping beauty on her own is someone cursed and loses So many years to the whims of another#for a slight she didn't even commit but instead her parent (s)#originally i just had sleeping beauty but i felt that rosumand is not only recognizable but also her#deconstruction of the fairytale fits into the fact aurora is a fairytale character who is Not happy about the consequences of it#anyway. gestures
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♔ | @bewitchingbaker — liked for a starter / accepting!
“sorry, what?” lucy blinks, head tilting to the side. “i didn't quite catch that.”
#thinking about that bit of plotting we did way back where lucy just#gets confused for a contact of his and he kinda speaks in code#ic; starters.#bewitchingbaker#int; bewitchingbaker.#v; main. ( keep smiling through just like you always do )
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@hcllishsins requested a meeting! ; starter call ( always accepting! )
VOX didn't know what he was looking at, or how he had gotten to this point. he was staring ... at himself? but it surely wasn't, because there was no mirror between himself && his essential reflection. uncertainty tinged his every move — he didn't know how to appropriately respond to this. he'd gotten very dizzy suddenly, && things seemed to have shifted, && now this?
who was playing at being him?
a moment more to gather himself, to make a determination of which way he wanted to handle this. simply, really. firm, professional. he was capable of that. he could squash them, if needed. but if he didn't have to, then all the better.
❝ they do say imitation is the highest form of flattery, but this might be a little far, even for me. explain yourself. ❞
bitter, spiting words in a tone of near - mirth. maybe if they had a good enough reason, something could be done with this. after all, who was this capable of imitating him?
#【 I'M GROWING COLD | VOX ( IC ). 】#【 AN ERROR IN THE CODE | VOX ( VERSE THREE ). 】#【 KEEP DIGGIN' MYSELF DEEPER | ( THREADS ). 】#【 YOU'LL BLOW US ALL AWAY | ( UNTAGGED CHARACTER ). 】#【 BIT OF A LINE TODAY | ( QUEUE ). 】#hcllishsins#( let me know if this needs to change!! )
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💞 How do you get along with the other killers? Do any of them annoy you?
For John doe
[ Muse Relationships ]
❝ G0od ! Non3 ann0y t0o m4ch . ❞
*{ John Doe didn’t have to think much about it . Even the kids didn’t annoy him ! He was good with kids , and he was usually left to care for them . When he was conscious , at least . }*
❝ Th0ugh . . 1 lik3 1x . Th3y’re co0ler th@n 0thers . ❞
#binary code and a spike of past pain ;; john doe ic#communication start up . ;; asks#new faces and new friends . . ? ;; anon#bits and pieces of me . ;; headcanons / lore#[ 1xdoe’ers come get your crumbs /silly ]
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Made a matcha latte this morning but put too much lavender syrup in it :/ still yummy tho
#I’m so fucking impressed with myself because i made the lavender syrup yesterday#got overexcited tho in using it today lol#but i cracked the matcha latte code!!! matcha powder in a little bit of near boiling water whisked with my frother. pour a bit of lavender#syrup in while mixing and then pour that over a glass of ice and oat milk#omg yum
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It takes her so, so long to track him down. Finding him is one of the hardest things she's ever done in her life. The Watchers are thorough with their work in the code, after all - isolating him as punishment and making sure that people don't get through so that they can revel in the solitary punishment and the sorrow, she can already imagine it. (It makes a part of her heart squeeze - leaving him behind, running away like that, how cowardly - she's Illux, she's unstoppable, unbeatable, she's more than that. And yet, in that moment, she had fled. How pathetic.)
It doesn't matter, though, because she's found him, after all this time of searching. Wandering through the fog and bashing through every single piece of code that tries to stop her, making a path through and forcing it aside through sheer force of will - that is what brought Illux to, finally, the other end. She knows she's near, heartbeat thrumming and fluttering like that of a hummingbird's in anticipation as she sees the first clearings of the fog up above. She's been checking the code every other second to make sure she's still moving forwards, still moving towards him. The anxiety makes her almost ready to puke - so many hours of work, all leading up to this moment where they will finally be reunited.
She pushes through the last remnants of the fog, and makes a break through it, the fog dispersing around her form as she steps through onto grass that is much less green than it should be. The Pale Garden eats away at the colour of things, turns them lifeless, saps the energy from them - Illux knows this well. She's been researching this place, after all. Her boots crush the grass as she approaches, pushing past brushes and trees.
It's a beautiful day outside. The sun shines through the branches, the sound of crows are chirping - and those must be his. Illux remembers that he always inexplicably seemed to have them gather around. She pushes through, step after step, hands shaking with the effort. And then, there it is - the sound of his voice. He is singing.
Illux chases.
(We will be reunited.)
#code and bits ; ic#hermit mailbox ask universe#hermitbox lore#// please do not reply to this this is my own personal lore#mailbox ; lethe
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Heheh, Cynthia’s getting through her stack of fliers now. There’s another unsuspecting victim of her nonsense walking past her. Well, she won’t escape Cynthia! She steps in front of the poor girl, shoving a flier at her face. “Come to the Maid Café! We’ve got all kinds of cuties ready to serve you!”
The image of the stack of papers does not escape Yuzu as she makes her way down the hall. Nor does the sudden sound of shoes frantically clanking with the ground shortly after passing said stack. But mayhaps returning to academy life has humbled Yuzu more than she’d like, as it is no more than 6 seconds after both senses that-
Plunk!
-a paper is smooshed right into the samurai’s face. Not that forcefully, in all fairness, yet the shock is enough for Yuzu to immediately latch both hands onto the paper. A grunt, and the perpetrator finally rescinds their hand, allowing Yuzu to detach it from her face and get an actual look.
A flier, advertising a…Maid Café? It agrees with what the taller girl cheerfully exclaims. The facts and images present on the flier all look familiar…Yuzu taking a moment to realize that she had in fact tried such a café - or rather, a similar establishment - in the academy already. What she fails to recall is if she had a good time…
…she then looks up at the chipper, pigtailed face that stares back at her with great anticipation. Closed eyes in excitement…is she bouncing around, too?
It is rather…”cutie,” as she says.
“Will you be serving there as well? I mean-” Yuzu coughs, only realizing the directness of her inquiry after it spills out. In recovery, she smiles at the courier that just earlier rather aggressively shoved the parchment in her face. “I mean that of course. I shall be there. You can count on it.”
#justicespeared#⚔️ ic#⚔️ asks#(MEANT TO GET TO THIS A LOT SOONER BUT TYSM CYAN)#(was gonna emma-code this a bit but I think cynthia is cute in her own ways :pleading:)
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📩 ❛ i'm here for business — not pleasure. ❜ from minthara for your bg3 verse! @likemosaic 🔆 assorted dialogue – accepting!
ellie nodded solemnly. solemnity has been what he's decided is the best way to interact with minthara. not because he wants to limit their conversations, but because minthara intimidated the hells out of her, and something told the cleric that revealing any amount of the sympathy she felt for the paladin would not be taken as the attempt at connection elinor desperately wanted. they, undeniably, had different methods, different attitudes (you couldn't pay elinor to consume those tadpoles, regardless of the power they promised). but they were allies. and elinor did care for her, whether minthara liked it or not.
"i think the same can be said for most of us." it's not dismissive, meant to confirm minthara's approach. after all, wouldn't everyone here rather be elsewhere? despite ellie's resolve, and her own words testifying the same, that business was business, he couldn't help a curiousity that washed over him. it might be better not to ask, but the worst that could happen would be that minthara would use all her noble poise to tell her to fuck off. and elinor had faced worse.
"what... what is your idea of pleasure? i mean, what are you going to do, after we deal with the absolute?"
#likemosaic#likemosaic: minthara#🕊️❛ — answered.#🕊️❛ — ic.#🕊️❛ — verse: baldur's gate iii / tav.#oh but you got me THINKIN you got me percolating u got me cookin......#bc ellie isn't a pacifist. doesn't pull punches. doesn't /like/ to kill but has a Strong Moral Code#but that strong moral code the /moment/ the party find minthara at moonrise???? shifts so Interestingly#i cannot imagine minthara would Enjoy being seen as someone who needed saved but elinor is who he is...#and that moral code reacting to the Everything when they were about to wipe minthara in the prison bit ???#i just think...... the dynamic between these two will be delicious bc they disagree on most fundamentals#except the fact that minthara should live and that minthara should be comfortable#gods help elinor when minthara's everything with orin comes out...........#the fine line between 'she does not need protecting and i don't want to patronise her' and 'but i am going to be here for her-#- whether she wants it or not'#oh tag rambling... my old friend... anyway thank you for sending this in !!!
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112024

you know you've hit adulthood when what gets you excited is the prospect of having good vegetables 😭
#also i cannot draw food#and im in such a i want to draw mood... definitely not bc im procrastinating on my data and code TT#which is why this has color ahaha#but i used to be such a picky eater (or in my dad's words i had high standards of living)#my sense of taste is just really sensitive to the point i used to be able to pick out what's in a dish without seeing the menu#my parents used to tease me about only drinking milk from certain regions. i can taste the difference between different bottled water.#i still have a hard time drinking tap water if it's not ice cold or brewed for tea#so i do not like to eat a lot of vegetables especially when they're just. raw. or bland.#but vegetables can be really delicious if you just cook them right!!! a lot of times it's not even hard either!!!#a little garlic and honey and sauteed! or a little bit of roasting in the oven with olive oil sea salt pepper brown sugar!#put it in stew!! add a little bit of meat to it!!! add a little soup to it!!!#this is making me hungry...#daily doodle#kk rambles
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@tvvox whispered a line !! locked in a room ( not currently accepting. ) "Well, at least we'll have a good story to tell after this." from tvvox
❛ you're telling me. ❜
it was startling, to say the very least. eyes locked on the other ... clone? alternate? it was hard to tell which, but either way, it was very unnerving to be able to see himself through his own gaze, not just watching from the cameras in a third - person point - of - view. as it stood, this was where they were. stuck in a room, without much space. one of his smaller workshop storage rooms, it seemed. something was interfering with the networks - they wouldn't be able to get out of this very easily at all.
❛ i would love to know how we ended up like this to start with. ❜ a slight sigh, knowing there was little to be done. ❛ check around for a way to dismantle the door or something. i have meetings to get to at some point, && even if i tried texting the vee's, neither of them will notice for at least an hour. ❜
#【 I'M GROWING COLD | VOX ( IC ). 】#【 AN ERROR IN THE CODE | VOX ( VERSE THREE ). 】#【 YOU'LL BLOW US ALL AWAY | ( UNTAGGED CHARACTER ). 】#【 WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS ... | ( ASKS ). 】#【 BIT OF A LINE TODAY | ( QUEUE ). 】#tvvox#here we goooo
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Just a little petty (¬`‸´¬)



Pairing: Clark Kent x fem!reader
Word Count: ~4.5k
Genre: Domestic, flirty, jealous Clark, Humor, fluff?, petty Clark, female reader.
Summary: Clark Kent might be the most powerful man on Earth, but he’s also your boyfriend and unfortunately for you, he’s a tiny bit petty.
Or 3 times Clark is petty with other people, 1 time with you
A/N: Clark is definitely a petty person, especially when he’s jealous 🫦
My masterlist
1. The Flower Stand Guy Who Looked Too Long
Saturdays in Smallville are slow, sun-drenched, and full of the kind of sweetness that seems stolen from a postcard. There’s a market in town every weekend, local produce, baked pies, soaps that smell like lavender and fresh linen. It’s the kind of thing Clark loves more than he admits. You think it reminds him of his mom. He always walks a little slower through the stalls, more grounded, a little soft at the edges.
You were walking beside him, fingers interlaced lazily, sipping your second iced coffee of the morning. His free hand carried a bag of apples you picked out together after a ten-minute debate about which farm grew the “crispier kind.” The sun glinted off his hair, and he looked especially stupidly handsome in that button-up and jeans combo, just simple enough to hurt.
You stopped at a flower stall, bright bundles of color bursting from buckets of water. You leaned in to smell something pale yellow and sweet.
That’s when it happened.
The guy running the stand, probably no older than 22, college-kid energy with a flirtatious smirk he probably practiced in mirrors, leaned over and plucked a daisy from the bunch.
“This one’s perfect for you,” he said, holding it up like an offering. “Bright and pretty. Like you.”
You blinked. Smiled a little, awkwardly. “Oh. That’s sweet—”
And just like that, Clark was beside you, silent and looming. Not aggressively. Not even impolitely. Just… there. His hand found your waist without asking. His thumb skimmed across your side, not possessive exactly, just territorial.
“She doesn’t like daisies,” Clark said, his voice so smooth it almost masked the glacier under it. “They make her sneeze.”
“I do?” you asked, tilting your head, amused.
“You do,” he confirmed. “Violently.”
The flower guy looked vaguely confused but handed the daisy to someone else and backed off like Clark had somehow made the temperature drop five degrees.
The second you were a few steps away, you elbowed Clark in the ribs, trying not to laugh. “Violently?”
“I was protecting your sinuses,” he said flatly, sipping his iced coffee like a martyr.
“Oh, so you weren’t being jealous and weird?”
“I wasn’t weird,” he mumbled.
“You get so obvious when you’re jealous. You just go full dad-mode.”
Clark stopped in the middle of the path. “Excuse me?”
“Next time just pee on me like a wolf.”
“I’m never buying you coffee again.”
“You love me.”
He sighed, kissed your forehead, and muttered into your hair, “I love you. Even when you’re a brat.”
2. The Gym Bro Who Wouldn’t Shut Up
Clark always claimed he hated gyms.
Too many mirrors. Too many people grunting unnecessarily. Too many guys named Chad who thought protein shakes were a personality.
But you’d dragged him to yours after weeks of nagging, convinced he needed some “normal” stress relief after one too many nights saving the world. He agreed on one condition: that you let him be your gym partner.
You should’ve seen the trap.
You were halfway through your workout when it started. You were doing squats, nothing too heavy, just reps for tone, when he appeared. A guy with way too much cologne and biceps that had their own zip code. He hovered nearby. Watched you for a little too long.
“You’re doing those wrong,” he said, smirking like a guy who hadn’t been asked.
“Oh?” you replied politely. “I’ve been doing them this way for years.”
He smiled. “If you ever want real results, I could show you a better technique.”
You glanced over your shoulder, Clark was across the gym, stretching, pretending not to hear. But you could see the tightness in his shoulders, the faint glow in his eyes that meant he was definitely listening.
“I’ve got a spotter,” you said.
“Oh, yeah? Where?”
And that’s when Clark strolled over.
Not rushed. Not loud. Just massive and silent and glowering.
“She’s with me,” he said simply, planting himself between you and the gym bro like a whole wall of Kansas corn-fed protectiveness.
The guy blinked. “Cool, man. Just helping.”
“No need. I know every one of her sets. And her PRs. And her recovery window.”
You raised a brow. “Since when do you know that?”
Clark didn’t break eye contact with the guy. “Since always.”
You bit the inside of your cheek, hiding a grin.
The guy left.
Clark handed you your water bottle like he hadn’t just mentally crushed another man’s will to live. “Hydrate,” he said softly. “You’re getting that glowy sweat thing.”
3. The Waiter Who Thought He Was Charming
It was your anniversary dinner, one Clark had meticulously planned. Candlelit rooftop, fancy dress, real wine glasses, the works. He wore a tie, for God’s sake.
Everything was going perfectly… until the waiter decided to make himself a third party to the relationship.
It wasn’t anything egregious. Just… little things.
He complimented your earrings. Your perfume. Your smile. Then he topped it off with, “If I may say, you’re far too stunning to be out with just one man tonight.”
Clark’s jaw didn’t twitch. His smile didn’t falter. But his hand under the table slid to your thigh like he was anchoring himself before he said something inappropriate.
You squeezed it, silently warning him: Don’t.
But Clark never needed words to be petty.
He waited until dessert, then excused himself quietly. Five minutes later, the manager came over, personally, carrying a full tray of desserts.
“These are on the house,” he said. “Mr. Kent mentioned it was your special night.”
The tray had everything. Chocolate lava cake. Berries soaked in champagne. Miniature soufflés. A heart-shaped crème brûlée with your initials carved into the sugar.
You looked at Clark, eyebrows up.
He just leaned back in his chair, draped his arm behind you, and smirked like a man who had just eliminated a threat with whipped cream.
4. You, The One Person He Couldn’t Be Petty With
It happened on a Wednesday. You’d promised to be home for dinner. Clark had made lasagna. Actual lasagna. With layers.
But you were late. Very late.
Not because of anything scandalous. Just work. A deadline gone sideways. A missed train. A phone battery that died at exactly the wrong moment.
By the time you walked in, flustered and apologetic, Clark was seated on the couch, arms folded, blanket around his shoulders like a dramatic grandmother.
You paused. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Oh no.
You dropped your keys. “Clark…”
“You said seven. It’s nine-thirty.”
“I texted—”
“Phone died.”
You sighed and walked over, flopping beside him. “I’m sorry.”
He didn’t look at you.
“Clark.”
“I reheated the lasagna three times.”
“You hate reheating things.”
“I do.”
You turned, climbed into his lap like you always did when he was being dramatic. “Are you giving me the lasagna cold shoulder right now?”
He exhaled through his nose.
“Did you light candles?”
“Two.”
“Did you wear the apron?”
He scowled. “Yes.”
You kissed his jaw. “You’re so dramatic.”
He finally looked at you. “You said we’d eat together.”
You softened. “I know. And I hate that I missed it. But you know I love you, right?”
He blinked, defenses crumbling fast. “…even when I pout?”
“Especially when you pout.”
And just like that, Clark Kent, petty, pouty, perfect Clark Kent, melted into your arms like warm sugar.
#david corenswet clark kent#Tom welling Clark Kent#clark kent x female reader#clark kent x you#clark kent fluff#clark kent x reader#clark kent x f!reader#superman 2025#superman#smallville#x female reader#x fem reader#clark kent fanfiction#petty#dc fanfic#fanfics#superman fanfiction
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❛❛ to 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 ❛❛
꩜ ۫ . SUMMARY :: based on this lovely request by @mrsmothermaximoff ;)
꩜ ۫ . PAIRING :: ceo!wanda x reader
꩜ ۫ . WARNING :: 'enemies' to lovers trope, cold and slightly mean wanda (in the beginning), forced contract marriage.
꩜ ۫ . WORDS COUNT :: 6.5k || masterlist
author's note ; i apologise for the delay but it's here now & i'm not relly proud of how it turned out despite the insane amount of times i spent rewriting this but enjoy :)

You were sure there was a special place in hell for Wanda Maximoff.
Probably right next to the printer that never worked unless you whispered sweet nothings to it, and directly above the coffee machine that hated you. But even then, Wanda would rule supreme. Ice-cold. Iron-spined. A goddess in a power suit who made your life absolutely miserable, day after endless day.
And yet—you never quit.
You were overworked, underappreciated, and absolutely exhausted. But the pay was good, the benefits better, and your rent unforgiving. So you survived on caffeine, spite, and a tiny scrap of pride that wouldn’t let Wanda win.
“Miss Y/L/N,” came that voice—low, smooth, and dipped in condescension.
You didn’t look up from your screen. Not immediately. Wanda hated when you made her wait, but she hated desperation more. And if you had anything left in this war, it was your ability to pretend she didn’t affect you.
“Yes, Miss Maximoff?” you finally replied, tone clipped but professional.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor, each step a countdown to your next aneurysm. She stood behind your desk, all sharp cheekbones and sharper eyes, dressed in navy with lipstick the color of fresh blood.
“My schedule for this afternoon is… missing details,” she said, gesturing to the tablet in her hand. “Are you slacking off, or simply testing my patience?”
You swallowed. “The update was sent thirty minutes ago, along with the attached files. You haven’t refreshed your calendar, Ma'am.”
A pause. You watched her nostrils flare the tiniest bit.
“Fix it,” she snapped anyway, as if you hadn’t already done exactly that. “And bring me the corrected briefing in my office. Now.”
She turned and walked away before you could reply.
You didn’t mutter a curse—but only because HR was one more complaint away from calling you in for a “tone check.”
Wanda Maximoff was also a tyrant.
There was no other word for it. She was brilliant, yes—built Maximoff Industries from the ground up after moving from Sokovia at nineteen. She was also relentless, poised, and terrifyingly beautiful in that rich, untouchable kind of way that made you feel like a peasant in a fairytale. But she had no sense of mercy.
You’d been her assistant for two years. Not her executive assistant—just her assistant. The one she assigned overtime to without warning. The one she emailed at 2 a.m. with subject lines like URGENT: color-coding is embarrassing. The one who, despite having a degree and enough ambition to fill a boardroom, was stuck being her glorified punching bag.
Sometimes, you wondered if she even knew your first name.
Most times, you knew she did—and just enjoyed saying it as little as possible.
“Something crawled up her spine and built a condo,” you muttered under your breath as you passed Peter in the break room, cradling your third cup of coffee like it owed you child support.
Peter raised a brow. “Maximoff?”
You gave him a look. “She’s on a warpath. And I think I’m the first casualty.”
He chuckled, but it didn’t last. “Yeah, she’s… not great today.”
“She’s never great, Peter.”
“Okay, true. But this?” He lowered his voice, glancing around to make sure no one else was near. “This isn’t normal. Not even for her.”
You leaned against the counter, crossing your arms. “What’s the deal, then? Mercury in retrograde? Her espresso machine died?”
Peter hesitated, chewing the inside of his cheek.
You tilted your head. “Spill. You know something.”
He sighed, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “Alright, look. Keep this to yourself, but… her visa’s expiring soon.”
You blinked. “Visa?”
“She’s still technically on a special investor visa from Sokovia. It got renewed a few times, but the latest application hit a snag. Bureaucracy crap. She has a few months, tops.”
You blinked again, slower. “But… she’s Wanda Maximoff. Her name is on the goddamn building. She’s a millionaire. You’re telling me she might have to—what—pack up and go home?”
Peter nodded grimly. “Unless she finds a permanent solution fast. And, well… you know how she gets when things feel out of her control.”
You stared into your coffee, the bitterness suddenly matching your mood.
It made sense now—the extra tension, the unusual edge in her voice, the way she barked orders like she was trying to distract herself from something worse.
. . .
You should’ve seen it coming.
The moment you stepped into Wanda’s office that afternoon—called in via a sharp, one-line email with no subject—your instincts screamed at you to run. But you didn’t. Because you never did.
Because even if she was fire and knives and deadlines wrapped in silk, you always showed up.
She didn’t look up when you entered. She was at her desk, eyes on her laptop, long fingers tapping something out fast. Deliberate. You waited, silently, in front of her desk, clutching the tablet with her updated itinerary—because that’s what she asked for.
Finally, she spoke. “Close the door.”
Your heart skipped.
Obeying, you turned, shut it quietly, and turned back. She gestured to the chair across from her without looking.
You sat.
And waited.
Wanda finally looked up—and the moment her eyes met yours, you felt something shift.
She looked… tired.
Not unkempt. Not messy. She was never those things. But there was a tension in her jaw that wasn’t always there, a strain behind the eyes like she hadn’t slept. And worse: a flicker of vulnerability trying to pass for detachment.
“I’m going to make this simple,” she said at last. “I need something. And you’re going to give it to me.”
You blinked. “You always make things sound like you’re about to blackmail me.”
She didn’t smile. “You’re not wrong.”
Your fingers tightened around the tablet.
“You’ve worked here long enough,” she went on, “to know how I operate. I like control. Precision. Solutions. And I don’t like my time wasted with unnecessary questions.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Is that your way of asking for a favor?”
“No.” Her gaze sharpened. “It’s my way of giving you an opportunity.”
You couldn’t help the dry laugh that escaped. “God, you’re really committing to the Bond villain routine, huh?”
Her jaw flexed. “I’m offering you a deal. You can either hear it, or I can accept your resignation.”
You went still.
“You’re kidding,” you said flatly. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I need to stay in the country,” she said. “Legally. My visa situation is deteriorating faster than I expected, and every other avenue is closing. I’ve been advised that the fastest way to lock in my residency and maintain the company without interruption… is to marry a U.S. citizen.”
Your lips parted. Then closed again. Then opened.
“You’re telling me this why?”
“Because,” she said coolly, “it’s either you, or someone I don’t trust. And I’d rather marry someone I can predict. Someone who already knows how to survive my world.”
You gaped. “Survive—? Wanda, I’m your assistant. I bring you coffee and tolerate your daily tantrums. I’m not your—your fake wife!”
“You’ll be compensated,” she said, like she hadn’t just threatened your career. “A year’s salary, upfront. Your debt cleared. Paid leave after the interviews. A guaranteed recommendation from me. You’ll live with me, play the part, attend events when needed. Three months minimum. One year ideal.”
Your throat went dry. “And if I say no?”
She folded her hands on the desk. “Then you’ll receive a generous severance and be free to look for employment somewhere else. I won’t lie—I’ll make sure it’s somewhere far from this industry.”
You stared at her, heart pounding. “You’re seriously threatening me into marriage.”
“No,” she said evenly. “I’m giving you a choice. It just happens to come with consequences.”
You stood suddenly, knocking the chair back a few inches. “You are unbelievable.”
“And you’re an intelligent woman who knows a once-in-a-lifetime offer when she sees it.”
Your eyes stung, but you blinked fast. You wouldn’t cry in front of her. You never had—and today wasn’t going to be the day you broke.
“Why me?” you asked, quieter now. “You’ve treated me like shit for two years.”
Wanda’s gaze faltered.
For the first time in a very long time, she looked… conflicted.
“Because I know you won’t lie to me,” she said finally. “Because I know you’re loyal even when I don’t deserve it. And because I—”
She stopped herself. Her fingers curled on the desk.
You stepped back slowly. “You don’t get to manipulate me, Wanda. Not with guilt. Not with perks. Not with desperation.”
She stood too. Slowly.
“Twenty-four hours,” she said. “Think about it.”
You stared at her a moment longer—at the way she held herself stiffly, like a soldier refusing to show injury. And for just a breath, you saw something else flicker behind her practiced calm.
Fear.
You turned and walked out without another word.
But even as the door shut behind you, her voice echoed in your mind:
“You’re the only one I trust to do this right.”
And god help you—some part of you wanted to say yes.
. . .
You stared at your ceiling for most of the night. Wanda Maximoff, your boss, had proposed—no, offered—you marriage. Like it was a project to manage. A transaction. A contract. Just another calendar entry she could control.
Marry me or lose your job.
You replayed the words again and again, the ice in her tone, the half-glint of desperation in her otherwise impenetrable eyes.
She hadn’t said please. She hadn’t even asked. And still… you couldn’t shake the way her voice faltered when she said:
“Because I know you won’t lie to me.”
That wasn’t the Wanda Maximoff you knew.
And it haunted you.
---
“You’re not actually considering this,” Peter said, nearly choking on his pastry the next morning.
You’d asked him to meet before work. Neutral ground. Coffee shop. Public enough that he couldn’t yell at you.
You gave a long sigh into your cup. “I didn’t say that.”
“Oh my God,” he muttered, leaning across the table. “You are. You are considering it.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“Y/N,” Peter said, exasperated. “This is your boss. The same boss who once sent back your PowerPoint slides because the font gave her a ‘visual migraine.’ The woman who criticized your penmanship on a sticky note.”
You pinched the bridge of your nose. “I know who she is.”
“She’s cold. Controlling. And terrifying.”
“She’s scared right now,” you mumbled, almost to yourself.
Peter stared.
You didn’t meet his gaze. “She’s losing control of the only thing she’s ever built. The company is everything to her.”
“Still doesn’t make you the solution. There are other ways to fix this. Legal ones. Less insane ones.”
“She trusts me.”
Peter laughed, short and dry. “That’s funny. Because I watched her ignore you for six months straight unless she needed coffee or someone to bleed on.”
You gave him a look.
He softened. “I’m just saying… I get that you feel like you owe something to that building, to your job, to her. But don’t let her guilt you into ruining your life.”
You were quiet for a beat. “It wouldn’t ruin it.”
Peter raised both brows.
“It’d be one year,” you said, barely above a whisper. “A fake year. With money, freedom, clean debt. I’d come out of it better off. That’s not ruining—it’s… survival.”
Peter leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. “You’re starting to sound like her.”
---
You didn’t go straight to Wanda’s office.
You paced around your desk. Sorted your inbox. Re-read her calendar six times. Practiced saying “no” in five different tones.
And then you did the unthinkable: you walked into her office without knocking.
Wanda looked up from her desk, not angry—just expectant. Like she’d known you’d come.
Her mouth twitched. “That was fast.”
You closed the door behind you. “I didn’t say yes.”
“Yet.”
You rolled your eyes. “Can you not treat this like a hostile takeover?”
She stood, slowly, and walked around her desk. “Then how should I treat it?”
“Like it’s not a game,” you said. “Like it involves me too.”
That stopped her.
Wanda’s arms crossed. “I thought I was giving you something. Freedom. Power. Money. And you’d get out after a year. Safe. Rich. Clean.”
“And what do you get?” you asked.
She hesitated. Just a flicker. But it was enough.
“I get to stay,” she said. “I get to keep what I’ve built. And I get… a little peace.”
The honesty startled you.
You blinked. “So that’s what I am to you? Peace?”
Her eyes met yours. “I don’t have time for someone I have to charm. Someone I need to lie to. You already hate me. You’ll survive this. And I trust you.”
You swallowed hard. “You trust me… more than you like me.”
Something flickered in her face. Something softer.
“I do like you,” she said, quieter now. “More than I should.”
Your breath caught.
But before the silence could stretch too long, she added, like ripping off a bandage: “So? What’s your answer?”
You didn’t say it right away. You walked out again. Sat back at your desk.
But you typed up a contract draft before lunch.
Just to see what it would look like.
You’d never signed anything that made you feel so… out of body.
And you’d signed an NDA that threatened jail time over gossiping about Wanda’s caffeine preferences.
But this?
This was next level.
A marriage contract—fake, yes, but binding. Your name beside hers, your future entangled with hers for the next year. It felt like volunteering to stand next to a tornado and hope it didn’t notice you bleeding.
Wanda hadn’t said anything when she received the contract. Just read it in silence, flipped to the footnotes, and smiled that little smile she wore when you surprised her.
Clause 3.1: Maintain boundaries at work—no "wifely" expectations during business hours.
Clause 3.5: No kissing, touching, or fake honeymoon antics unless publicly required.
Clause 4.2: One year maximum, subject to early exit with written consent.
Clause 5.0: If a dog enters the household, Y/N keeps it.
She hadn’t even blinked at the dog clause. Just said: “Very specific.”
You replied, “I’ve met you. I’m preparing for chaos.”
You tried not to look like you were dying when Peter found out.
But of course, you failed.
“You’re marrying her.” His voice cracked like his brain couldn’t compute it. “You’re marrying her.”
“Technically, fake marrying her,” you corrected, sipping your iced coffee like it would wash the guilt off your tongue.
Peter stared. “This is like watching someone walk into a lion’s mouth because the lion offered to pay their bills.”
“She needs this. I need the money. It’s one year, not forever.”
He leaned in. “You’ve worked under her thumb for two years and barely survived. You think living with her is going to be easier?”
“She’s not the same at home.”
He scoffed. “What, she says thank you now? Hums lullabies in her robe?”
You winced. “She’s not that bad.”
“She made a grown man cry last week because his pen ink was too blue.”
“… Okay. But that was objectively unprofessional ink.”
Peter gave you a long, stunned look. “Oh my God. You’re already falling into it.”
“I am not falling into anything,” you snapped.
Except maybe a quiet sense of curiosity. About the Wanda that existed off-hours. The one who never made eye contact in the elevator, but always remembered if you took your coffee black with two sugars. The one who never praised, but never forgot birthdays.
That Wanda.
The one who let herself say: “I trust you.”
. . .
You didn’t expect the shopping trip.
Or the personal driver.
Or the fact that the boutique staff already knew your name when you arrived.
“She’s paying you to fake love her,” you reminded yourself as you stood half-frozen outside one of Manhattan’s most exclusive storefronts. “This is work. These are just costumes.”
Wanda stepped out of the car next to you, her dark glasses reflecting the late morning sun. “Don’t sulk. You’ll wrinkle.”
“You didn’t warn me we were going full Pretty Woman today.”
She opened the boutique door with a deadpan: “You’re not wearing anything worth warning.”
You gave her a withering look. She smirked.
Inside, the boutique staff descended like well-dressed bees. Champagne offered. Garment racks unveiled. Names whispered and measured in thread count. Wanda moved through it all like she owned oxygen.
You, meanwhile, got dragged into a dressing room with five different “looks” shoved into your arms and strict instructions to “pretend you’re rich.”
The first dress was too tight. The second too floral. The third was so expensive you didn’t want to breathe in it.
The fourth made her pause.
Wanda looked up from her phone when you stepped out.
Black, fitted. Minimalist. Sleeveless. It clung in the right places and flowed in the rest, the neckline sharp but elegant.
You expected another snide remark.
Instead, she just stared.
Then: “That one.”
You blinked. “That’s it? No insult about my posture or poor color choices?”
Her gaze dragged over you again. Slower this time.
“That one,” she said, voice low. “We’ll have it tailored.”
You hesitated. “You okay?”
She blinked—just once—and whatever softness had flickered behind her eyes vanished.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Next fitting.”
But later, when she turned away, you caught her reflection in the mirror.
And she was smiling.
Not smug. Not snarky.
Just… quiet. And maybe a little awed.
The driver took you back to her place after, bags in the trunk, silence stretching between you in the backseat.
You watched her out of the corner of your eye—her arms crossed, legs crossed, sunglasses on even though the tint on the windows made it unnecessary.
“You know,” you said, carefully, “if we’re doing this, we’re gonna have to stop glaring at each other like sworn enemies.”
“I don’t glare at you,” she said.
“You definitely do.”
“I evaluate.”
“Like I’m a coffee brand you hate.”
That got a twitch of a smile.
“I don’t hate you,” she said after a moment.
You glanced over. “Sure. Just mild daily contempt.”
Another pause.
Then: “I don’t hate you,” she said again, quieter this time. “I don’t think I ever did.”
You didn’t know what to say to that.
So you didn’t say anything at all.
. . .
You'd been warned that the gala would be overwhelming and you assumed that meant “dress to kill” or “don’t trip on marble.”
Not an elite ballroom filled with New York’s richest, at least six photographers outside before you even stepped out of the car and Wanda’s hand—firm, warm, possessive—resting on your lower back the second you stepped into view.
“Stop shaking,” she murmured as flashbulbs popped like fireworks.
“I’m trying not to throw up on your designer heels,” you muttered back.
She leaned in, lips brushing your ear for show. “If you puke, at least do it on Kellman's shoes. He owes me money.”
That startled a laugh out of you, a small, nervous one—and of course, a photographer captured it. You saw the flash, heard the shutter, and saw Wanda smile out of the corner of her mouth like she planned it.
She was playing the game like a master.
And you were just trying not to get eaten alive by it.
Inside the gala, it didn’t get easier.
The ballroom was gold-trimmed and glittering, a warzone of polished shoes, fake laughter, and whispered business deals behind champagne flutes. You barely recognized anyone. Wanda, meanwhile, floated through the crowd like she owned it—which, in some ways, she did.
You stayed close to her side, aware of every camera lens, every gaze. Her hand remained at the small of your back. It didn’t move. Didn’t shift. Just stayed there—anchoring you, like she wasn’t just pretending.
When she introduced you, she used your name. Said it clearly. Said it with something close to pride.
“This is my fiancée,” she told a woman from Forbes. “She keeps me sane.”
You choked slightly on your champagne. Wanda didn’t even blink.
The real trouble started with Daniel Callahan.
You recognized him from finance meetings—a charming nightmare in a tailored suit. He smiled too easily, touched too much, and once called you “sweetheart” in front of the executive board.
And now he was at your elbow, saying, “I didn’t know Maximoff had such good taste outside of stocks.”
You smiled, tight. “She has excellent taste. That’s why I’m still employed.”
He laughed. “Employed and engaged? Impressive.”
His tone was light, but you felt it. The subtle leer. The disbelief that you were the one Wanda had chosen.
Wanda stepped beside you a moment later, gaze cool as frost.
“Daniel,” she said, all saccharine silk, “Still wearing those tragic ties, I see.”
He smirked. “Still stealing the spotlight, Wanda.”
She smiled. Then—casually, but unmistakably—she reached for your hand. Laced her fingers with yours. “Of course I am.”
You went still. His eyes flicked down.
“I was just telling your fiancée how radiant she looks tonight,” he said smoothly.
Wanda’s hand squeezed yours—gently, but with intent.
“She always does,” she said. “But I’d appreciate it if you looked with your eyes, Daniel. Not your ambitions.”
His smile faltered.
You blinked.
He chuckled after a pause and excused himself.
You turned to her slowly. “That was…”
“Too much?” she offered.
You shook your head. “Weirdly flattering.”
Wanda studied you. “You don’t realize how often people look at you.”
You frowned. “People don’t look at me.”
“I do.”
It wasn’t a performance. She wasn’t smiling when she said it. No flashbulbs. No audience.
Just her.
Just you.
And a pause that pulsed like a second heartbeat between you.
Later, as the event wound down, you found yourself leaning against the railing of the second-floor balcony overlooking the dance floor. You needed space. Air. Your skin still hummed where she’d touched you.
You heard her footsteps before she appeared.
“You handled that well,” she said.
“Which part?” you asked, not turning around. “The press, the fake ring, or your little public jealousy stunt?”
There was a pause behind you. Then: “That wasn’t fake.”
You turned.
She was watching you. No mask. No posture. Just Wanda.
Your breath hitched. “We’re supposed to be pretending, Maximoff. Not actually catching feelings.”
She walked closer, heels slow and deliberate. “Who said anything about catching?”
You swallowed hard. “Wanda…”
Her voice softened. “Tell me it didn’t feel real when I touched you.”
You couldn’t.
Because it did. It always did.
Every time she brushed your hand. Every time she leaned in. Every time she looked at you like there was something worth melting in her frozen world.
You exhaled slowly. “We’re in way over our heads.”
Wanda nodded. “We are.”
But she didn’t stop walking, didn’t stop until she was inches from you, neither until her hand found yours again—quiet, steady.
And you let her hold it.
Just for a minute.
Because you wanted to.
. . .
Moving in was surreal.
Wanda had a penthouse overlooking the Upper West Side. Of course she did.
Marble floors, skyline views, furniture that looked untouched. It was the kind of place you saw in magazines—clinical in its perfection. It didn’t feel like someone lived there. It felt like someone performed there.
“This is real wood,” you muttered under your breath the first time your suitcase wheels rolled across the floor.
Wanda looked up from where she was typing on her phone. "What did you expect? Plastic?"
You dropped your bag by the front door. “I expected rich, not hand-carved oak imported from Italy rich.”
She smirked. “I like quality.”
“I like not feeling like I should tip the hallway.”
She chuckled. It was quiet. But it was real.
The first morning was the weirdest.
You woke up in one of the guest rooms—though she insisted it was now your room. There was fresh linen on the bed. A brand new vanity set already laid out. Her housekeeper had stocked the closet with three outfits in your size before you even arrived.
It was thoughtful. Organized. Weirdly… sweet.
But the kitchen was where you really saw her.
She was barefoot, in black silk pajama pants and a plain white tee, hair still damp from the shower. No makeup. Just her, in the soft light of morning.
Wanda Maximoff, pouring oat milk into her coffee like she hadn’t once told you to fix a typo with the fury of a Greek goddess.
You froze at the doorway.
She looked up. “There’s coffee.”
You blinked. “You… made coffee?”
“I do know how to function outside of boardrooms.”
You hesitated. “Do you?”
She smirked. “Stay long enough and you might see.”
You stepped in slowly. “I already feel like I’m on a reality show called ‘Rich People Do Normal Things.’”
“You’re the worst fake wife I’ve ever had.”
“I’m the only fake wife you’ve ever had.”
“Exactly.”
But then she handed you a mug—already fixed the way you liked it—and just like that, your sarcasm softened.
She’d remembered. No cream. Two sugars. Always too hot.
You met her eyes. “Thanks.”
Something flickered there.
She nodded once and took a sip of her own.
You didn’t expect it to be easy.
You didn’t expect it to be… normal.
But the days began to settle into a rhythm. You went to work together. Attended a few small press lunches. She brushed your hair back gently at a networking event when a breeze caught it funny. You let your hand rest on her shoulder just a second too long when someone asked how you met.
At home, you didn’t talk much about the “marriage” part.
But something unspoken lived in the space between your mugs on the kitchen counter.
Like maybe neither of you hated this as much as you pretended to.
Not the metaphorical kind. The real, cold, thunderstorm kind.
You came home soaked after a late grocery run. Wanda hadn’t known you’d gone, and when you walked into the apartment dripping wet, she was pacing by the window.
She stopped when she saw you.
“You’re soaked.”
“Observant,” you coughed, wiping rain off your cheeks. “It’s only a monsoon outside.”
She crossed the space in seconds. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going out?”
“I didn’t think I needed to report to you.”
“You don’t—” Her voice cracked. “You don’t. But I thought something happened.”
You frowned. “Why would you think that?”
“Because,” she snapped, then lowered her voice, “you’re not answering your phone. You left without saying anything. You’re living in my house. And I… I panicked.”
The vulnerability in her tone stunned you.
You stood there, soaked and cold and stunned, watching the most untouchable woman in the city look at you like you mattered.
“I just went for cereal,” you whispered.
She swallowed. “Don’t do that again.”
“Wanda…”
“I know this is fake,” she said, suddenly. “But I can’t—God—I can’t lose things right now. Not when everything else is one misstep away from collapse.”
Your heart cracked a little. “You’re not going to lose me.”
She looked at you—really looked. “Promise?”
You hesitated only a second. Then: “Yeah. I promise.”
She stepped forward. Her hands hovered for a second. Then she reached up, brushing soaked hair from your face. Her fingers were gentle. Warmer than you expected.
. . .
The rain didn’t stop for days.
New York blurred behind glass and gray skies, and inside the penthouse, the world shrank to the soft glow of lamps, the smell of tea, and the quiet comfort of silence not needing to be filled.
You’d never thought this would be the hard part. Not the paperwork. Not the parties. Not even lying to strangers about how you fell in love.
No. The hardest part was the quiet, the nights, the moments when Wanda was close enough to touch, but never did.
Not unless she had to.
Not unless the cameras were on.
But lately… there were no cameras, no one to watch and she was still close.
You found her in the kitchen again, barefoot, robe loose over silk sleepwear, stirring honey into her tea like it was a ritual.
“Couldn’t sleep?” you asked.
She didn’t jump. Didn’t act surprised to see you, even though it was just past midnight.
She glanced over. “Didn’t feel like dreaming.”
You frowned. “Bad ones?”
Wanda didn’t answer. She just passed you a mug—yours already waiting, already right.
No cream. Two sugars.
Your fingers brushed as you took it.
“I don’t like the sound the rain makes up here,” she said after a long moment. “Too high. It feels detached.”
You looked at her, then the view—sheets of rain washing over floor-to-ceiling glass, city lights blurred beneath it all.
“It’s loud at my old place,” you murmured. “Leaks through the window. But it feels... real.”
Wanda was quiet for a while. Then, barely above a whisper:
“Do you miss it?”
You blinked. “The apartment?”
“The space that was yours.”
The question hit deeper than it should have.
You shrugged. “I miss knowing which drawer held my socks. And that my silence was mine.”
She nodded once. “I miss things too.”
You waited. But she didn’t say what.
The power flickered a few minutes later.
Just long enough to shut off the lights, stall the heater, and kill the wifi.
You sighed. “Well. That’s our cue to pretend it’s the 1800s.”
Wanda rolled her eyes faintly but led the way to the hallway. “I’ll call maintenance.”
The bedroom you used—your room—was freezing. The rain made the windows weep. You wrapped yourself in two blankets and still shivered under them like your body had forgotten warmth.
Ten minutes later, there was a knock.
Wanda stood at the door, robe belted tighter now, a blanket over one arm.
“Heat’s out across the building,” she said. “It’ll take hours. Come to my room. The windows don’t leak there.”
You hesitated.
She added, gently, “You’re freezing.”
You didn’t argue.
Her bed was huge. More cloud than mattress. The kind of thing you had to climb into like a boat. Wanda didn’t say anything when you slipped under the covers, just turned off the lamp and got in beside you—far, far to the left, leaving oceans of space.
You laid there in silence.
Listening to the rain.
Feeling the quiet pulse of her presence, steady and near.
Then—after what could’ve been minutes or hours—she spoke.
“I used to picture this differently.”
You turned your head toward her in the dark. “What?”
“Sharing a bed,” she said softly. “Waking up beside someone. It was supposed to mean something.”
Your voice caught. “Does it?”
Wanda didn’t answer right away.
Then, softly, like a truth she hadn’t let herself say:
“It does now.”
You swallowed, heart suddenly a drum against your ribs.
The air shifted.
She didn’t move. Didn’t reach for you. But she didn’t move away, either.
Your fingers curled on the sheets. You didn’t touch her.
But you wanted to.
God, you wanted to.
You woke up before her. She was still on her side, facing you now, her hair a dark halo on the pillow. The early light barely touched her face. She looked peaceful in a way you’d never seen—like the storm had finally quieted inside her too.
You watched her breathe for a moment too long.
Then you slipped out of bed.
Made coffee.
Waited in the kitchen, hands wrapped around the mug she’d usually hand you.
She found you there twenty minutes later, sleep still in her eyes, robe loose, bare feet quiet on the floor.
“Morning,” she said softly.
“Hey,” you replied.
And then— she walked straight to you, took your coffee from your hands, took a sip and handed it back.
Your heart clenched.
Because it was exactly how you liked it, exactly how she liked it.
And she hadn’t even asked.
. . .
“Dress nice. 10 AM. My driver will take us.”
You stared at the handwriting for a full minute before turning to the small Pomeranian she hadn’t meant to adopt but had anyway, who now followed you around like you were the stable parent.
“Is she kidding?” you asked the dog.
The brownish fur ball barked and walked off.
The brunch was at a discreet little brownstone tucked between galleries in SoHo—charming, sunlit, deceptively casual. The kind of place rich people used to pretend they weren’t rich.
Wanda met you by the car. She wore soft ivory trousers, a long cream coat, and a small gold chain at her throat. She looked casual, effortless.
And, of course, utterly composed.
“You look nervous,” she said, slipping on her sunglasses.
“I didn’t realize brunch was with royalty.”
“It’s just my godmother,” Wanda said lightly. “And her judgmental wife. And a few others who might ask why I never brought anyone around before.”
Your stomach dropped. “Is this… an approval thing?”
Wanda opened the door for you. “It’s a test.”
Your eyes widened, “And you’re telling me now?”
“I didn’t want to make you overthink it.” she replied way too cooly.
You glared. “I hate you.”
She smiled like it was affection. “That’s the spirit.”
It started fine.
A few raised brows. Too many kisses on cheeks. Someone complimented your coat and then looked pointedly at your boots like they were confused how you existed in both at once.
You held Wanda’s hand under the table out of habit now—because it looked right, because it felt expected. Because her thumb sometimes rubbed slow, silent circles into your palm when the small talk got suffocating.
You were halfway through a fruit tart when it happened.
Someone—Wanda’s godmother’s wife, you think—asked how the proposal went.
You froze.
Wanda answered too smoothly, never too quickly.
“She said yes before I finished asking,” she said, hand squeezing yours. “I think she knew I wasn’t bluffing.”
There were chuckles. Some “aww”s.
And then she added, without thinking:
“I think I fell in love with her the moment she argued with me in front of three board members.”
Your heart actually missed a beat at that.
Laughter rippled around the table again. You forced a smile.
But Wanda… Wanda looked at you then. Really looked. And her smile faltered just enough for you to know:
That part hadn’t been part of the performance.
You didn’t speak in the car on the way home.
The silence felt different this time. Not awkward. Not heavy. Just… held.
Like she was waiting to see if you’d bring it up.
And you didn’t. Because you didn’t know if it was safer to ask or pretend you hadn’t heard.
When you got back to the penthouse, you walked straight to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and leaned on the counter like it could hold up your confusion.
She joined you minutes later.
“You handled that well,” she said.
You gave her a tight smile. “I fake marry like a pro now.”
Wanda watched you. “You’re upset.”
You shook your head. “No, I’m confused.”
She took a step closer. “About what?”
You hesitated. Then: “You said you fell in love with me.”
Her throat bobbed.
“I thought the contract agreed,” you said quietly. “That there wouldn’t be feelings.”
“I didn’t mean to say it like that.”
“But you did.”
“I don’t know what’s real anymore.”
That made you go still.
“I don’t know,” she said again, quieter now, “when it stopped being pretend. If it ever really was.”
You stared at her.
Because you felt it too. The shift. The touch that lingered. The glances that said too much.
But admitting it?
That would break everything wide open.
So instead, you reached for her hand. Threaded your fingers through hers.
And whispered: “Then let’s figure it out.”
Wanda’s eyes lifted to meet yours.
And for once, there was no wall. No act. No mask.
Just her, just you.
And a truth neither of you could keep quiet much longer.
. . .
You didn’t sleep in your room that night.
You didn’t talk about it either.
There was no declaration. No sly smirk. No half-joking excuse about the heat or the window draft.
Just a quiet shift in steps—her slowing down in the hallway, your hand on the door to her room instead of your own, and a breathless moment where neither of you asked why.
You just walked in.
Together.
She lit a single lamp—low, warm, soft.
The city shimmered beyond the window, gold and blurry in the glass. You sat on the edge of the bed, unsure what version of yourself to bring into this room.
Wanda sat beside you, her thigh barely brushing yours. You could feel the heat of her, even without touch.
“You’ve stopped calling it fake,” you said, voice quiet in the hush.
“I know,” she replied.
“Is that intentional?”
“Does it matter?”
You turned your head, met her gaze. “It does if I’m not the only one confused anymore.”
She inhaled like she was steadying herself. Her voice was barely more than a breath when she said:
“You’re the only thing that’s ever confused me in the right way.”
That did it.
Whatever wall you’d built—professionalism, control, fake-wifely detachment—it cracked right down the center.
You didn’t lean in.
She did.
Softly. Slowly.
Like she was asking for permission with every breath.
And when her lips touched yours, they didn’t feel like a contract. Or a line crossed. Or an obligation.
They felt like something that had always been waiting to happen.
The kiss wasn’t urgent. Wasn’t for show. It was warm, unhurried, tender in a way you didn’t think she even knew how to be.
Your hand found her jaw.
Hers curled around your waist.
When she pulled back, your forehead rested against hers.
You didn’t open your eyes.
You whispered, “I don’t know what this is anymore.”
She whispered back, “Maybe it’s something worth figuring out.”
The next morning, Peter was already at your office before you even got there.
Coffee. Concern. A look on his face that made you brace.
“I saw the photos,” he said before you could speak.
You gave him a weary look. “Which ones?”
“The ones where she looks at you like you’re the last person in the world who doesn’t scare her.”
Your mouth opened, then closed. “It’s complicated.”
Peter sat down across from you, voice quieter now. “Is it fake still?”
You looked down.
He exhaled. “Y/N…”
“I didn’t mean for it to change,” you said softly. “But she’s—she’s different when she’s not surrounded by suits and pressure. And I don’t know how to unsee that.”
“Do you trust her?”
You nodded. “More than I should.”
“Do you love her?”
You froze.
Peter didn’t push. Just let the question sit there, heavy and true.
That night, you found Wanda on the balcony.
Blanket around her shoulders. Hair loose. No wine. No screens.
Just her.
Just quiet.
You stepped outside, wordless, and joined her under the blanket.
Her hand had found yours and you let her hold it.
. . .
The kiss didn’t fix everything.
But it opened something.
You both felt it—that strange quiet after something real slips between two people who swore they were just pretending. You didn’t talk about it the next morning. You didn’t have to. The air had changed.
So had the way she looked at you across the table.
Not calculating. Not possessive. Not even curious anymore.
Just soft.
Like you were hers in a way that didn’t need words.
You started cooking more.
It began with late-night pasta, just because she came home looking too tired to pretend she’d eaten. Then it was pancakes on a Sunday, because she’d mentioned—offhand, distracted—that her mother used to make them that way when it rained.
She didn’t say thank you the first time.
She just sat beside you, her fork slow and quiet, and said:
“You remembered.”
Like that was rarer than any gift she’d ever been given.
The first time she touched you without a reason, it was barely anything.
You were washing dishes, elbow-deep in soap, and she walked past—hand brushing across your lower back as she passed.
She didn’t look at you.
But she didn’t need to.
Your heart stuttered anyway.
At night, she started falling asleep before you.
You could tell by the way her breathing slowed, the tiny crease in her brow fading under the weight of whatever peace you’d somehow become for her.
And you—God—you watched her like she was a miracle you hadn’t asked for but were suddenly terrified to lose.
Some nights you stayed awake just to feel the way her hand would reach for yours, even unconscious.
Like some part of her had already stopped pretending.
She didn’t pull away anymore.
Not when your knee brushed hers at dinner.
Not when you leaned against her shoulder during a movie.
Not when you walked into the room after a shower in her shirt, hair still dripping, and she paused like the world went quiet just seeing you.
“Wanda?” you asked.
She blinked. “What?”
“You’re staring.”
She smiled. “I know.”
And then came the night it stopped being something between you.
And became something shared.
You were curled on the couch, her head on your lap, fingers lazily playing with the edge of her sweater. She was half-asleep, wine glass abandoned on the floor, a soft playlist humming in the background.
You thought she was dreaming until she said:
“I want you to stay.”
You looked down. “I live here, remember?”
She shook her head against your thigh, eyes still closed. “Not for the contract. Just… stay. Tonight. Tomorrow. And the days after.”
You brushed a hand through her hair. “Is that a new clause?”
“It’s not fake,” she murmured.
And when she opened her eyes—tired, raw, full of something too fragile to name—you knew:
She meant it.
Every word. Every glance. Every touch.
So you leaned down.
Kissed her like you weren’t afraid anymore.
Like you’d already chosen her in a hundred quiet ways.
And when she pulled you down beside her—blanket tangled, breath shaky, heart finally, finally open— You stayed.
Not as her employee, not as her fake wife but as someone who loved her and wasn’t going anywhere.
#🗞️— ᝰ*. natalianovas writes⭑.ᐟ#୨ৎ . . noelle's work#𓂃 ๋ ࣭ 𔘓 natalianovnas#wanda maximoff x female reader#wanda maximoff#wanda x reader#wanda x you#scarlet witch
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I’m On Fire
Pairing: Bob/Robert Reynolds/The Sentry/The Void x Thunderbolts!Fem!Reader!
Summary: The heating unit in the compound breaks during the peak of winter, leaving everyone in the tower freezing cold and grumpy, except for Bob–who’s a walking furnace. So you decide to get a taste of the warmth.
Warnings: No explicit warnings, just fluff! Bob and you are friends…With feelings…Friends with feelings I say.
Author’s Note: I really enjoyed writing this request anon, but I kept laughing when writing this because all I was picturing was this Tik Tok. Anyways, I absolutely loved writing this one! Very fun fluff for a Saturday, and thank you @receedingdawn for the cute ass banner.
Word Count: 4,034
The cold came in like a wave. It didn’t crash through the windows or blow in through the doors. It seeped through the cracks, and invaded.
It started sometime before dawn–quiet and unnoticed–at the base of the Tower, where a blinking red light pulsed steadily on the diagnostics board in the lower mechanical level. It was just a minor system alert. One line of code trying to tell someone to check the heating core. A low-priority flag. The kind of warning that gets buried under a dozen other maintenance requests, and a digital blanket.
Nobody noticed it, or bothered to check, so the cold just continued to climb. It crept floor by floor, rising like tidewater. Slow. Patient, and semi-forgiving it the alert got caught–which didn’t happen.
By midday, the lower levels had cooled to a mild chill–noticeable, but nothing out of the ordinary for winter in New York City. It was the kind that made you rub your hands together and blow against your palms to give you a little relief from the cold, before moving on with your day. But by the time the sun dipped below the skyline, the eightieth floor–the Thunderbolts living quarters–was freezing.
High above the city, the wind screamed against the glass walls like it was a living thing. The steel bones of the Tower groaned softly in response to each gust, and you could’ve sworn you could feel the floors shaking at some point. The vents blew nothing but a mechanical sighº–like it had risen a white flag in surrender to the harsh winter–and the lights that lined the ceilings flickered every so often as if they were shivering with you. The floor tiles had the bitter feel of ice cold concerte, mugs of hot coffee and tea went lukewarm within minutes of being poured, and your breath had turned visible even within the confines of the living quarters–puffing out in little clouds that hovered and curled like ghosts before fading into the stillness.
The air had a sharpness that bit at fingertips, slid down collarbones, and made people quiet, and frustrated all at the same time.
”I’m telling you,” Yelena muttered, pacing in thick socks, and two layers of sweatpants, “We are one bad power surge away from an ice age in this damn place.” She fixed her gloves on her hands, as she huddled into the collar of her sweater.
”Pretty sure my blood is trying to congeal in itself…I think I’m on the brink of death.” Walker added, hunched over on the common room couch with a blanket draped over his shoulders like a funeral shroud.
Across the room, Ava was bundled in a military-grade parka she must’ve pulled from storage. Only the sharp glint of her eyes were visible above the thick wool scarf that she had wrapped around her head. She hadn’t said a word in fifteen minutes, she just stared into her mug, watching as little frost specks floated on top of her coffee.
Nobody was handling the cold well.
Except Bob.
He looked like he had wandered in from a completely different climate–like he had gone on a beach vacation in the tropics and brought the heat with him.
Perched at the far end of the sectional, he sat cross-legged with a worn paperback in his lap, a bowl of salt and vinegar chips balanced on the armrest beside him, and a cold Coke Zero sweating quietly on the coffee table in front of him from the warmth of his hand touching it every so often.
He didn’t have a blanket or socks, just a pair of soft grey sweatpants and an old, slightly threadbare long sleeve shirt that clung gently to the shape of his chest and shoulders–damp in spots where the heat radiating off him had started to collect.
In comparison to the rest of the team–who looked like they were preparing to trek across the Arctic–Bob looked like he was five minutes away from cracking open a window. It also wasn’t just the fact he looked comfortable–it was that he was radiating heat.
It was rising from his skin in slow steady waves if you paid close attention to him. The faint shimmer was lifting off his forearms, and a soft flush clung to the tops of his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, like he had just come in from a run rather than being sat unmoving in the meat locker common room for the last forty minutes. There was even a sheen of sweat glistening at his temples, catching the light every time he turned a page and tilted his head.
Yelena froze mid-pace and squinted at him.
”Bob…” Her voice was flat, bordering on accusatory, “Are you–are you sweating right now?!” Bob blinked up from his book, pushing his light brown hair out of his face.
”Uhm…” He lifted a hand to wipe at his forehead, as if he was surprised to find it damp, “Y-Yeah? A little. I–I mean, I told you guys I run warm…A-And I’ve got the Sentry in me, so–uh–of course I’m kind of…Y’know…Hot.” There was a beat of silence, then Yelena turned to the others.
”And he has the audacity to joke about it.” Walker let out a dramatic groan from beneath his blanket.
”He‘s not joking, he is hot. Like tropical-level hot. Bob…You’re a walking space heater.” Bob went pink immediately. Not just his face–his ears, too. He ducked his head with a bashful shrug and tried to laugh it off, but it came out awkward, then he reached out for his Coke Zero and took a long sip.
From the kitchenette, where a bottle of whiskey was being passed like emergency rations, Alexei glanced up from his glass.
”We should wrap Bob in blanket burrito, then take turns crawling in like it’s sauna.” He stated, and Bucky, who had been silent until now, raised his glass slightly, unbothered by the cold.
”I’d pay to watch that happen.” Bob choked on his drink. Not a little, polite cough–a real sputter. He turned his head and pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, trying to keep it quiet, but he could feel the heat continuing to rise beneath his skin. Alexei, of course, was completely unbothered.
”Just saying,” He shrugged, pouring himself another half-glass, “You get three people in there with you, rotate every thirty minutes…Efficient heat source I say.” Walker snorted.
”We could even install a zipper on the blanket, then call it the Bob Bag.”
“Worst part is I would definitely be the first person to try it…It’s freezing.” Bob hunched slightly where he sat, trying to disappear into the cushions. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the idea of someone cuddling up next to him–it was the idea of the entire team looking at him like he was the last functioning radiator in New York City that was making his skin prickle.
”G-Guys, “ He stammered, lifting his palms in surrender, “I’ll probably end up combusting if you all t-try to–if anyone–I–I mean…” He fumbled for a save.
”H-How about we just–uh–call m-maintenance again, yeah? I’m sure they’ll help…R-Right?” No one responded. Instead, they all turned toward him slowly. Creeping forward. Ava didn’t even stand–just started sliding across the armchair like a sleep-deprived slug with one goal: heat. Yelena grinned.
”You’ve been outvoted, human furnace.” Walker stood.
”Don’t resist Bob…Embrace your destiny.” Bob’s shoulders hit the back cushion as the group began to close in.
“G-Guys, I’m being serious–”
His voice cracked at the end–not from fear, but from that thing under his skin, the one that didn’t like being crowded. Not when he didn’t want it. Not when he wasn’t ready. Then his eyes glowed. Just a soft, flickering glint beneath his lashes. It was enough to make everyone freeze. Walker stepped back instinctively. Ava’s mug lowered a fraction. Even Yelena lifted her brows and let out a soft scoff as she retreated a step.
“Ugh…The sunshine god always has to ruin the fun and scare us off,” She commented, letting out a long sigh, “I guess I’ll call maintenance again and see what the hell they’re doing. Probably still trying to figure out how to reset a server without breaking a nail.” She grabbed her phone from the coffee table and turned her back on the couch. Bob exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“S-Sorry guys…Didn’t mean to uh–to flare.” He hated that part. That undercurrent of otherness. The way people joked until something flickered in his eyes, and then everything stopped being funny. How he went from Bob to the Sentry in a heartbeat without meaning to. Even here, in this mismatched pile of sarcasm and trauma and second chances–they still backed off when the light showed.
Bob was still hunched over, fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose, trying to will the faint glow in his eyes away when the sound of teeth chattering echoed down the hallway.
Everyone turned toward it.
The sound grew louder–soft footsteps over the cold floor, the rustle of layered blankets, the stifled clatter of a mug being carried between violently trembling hands. And then you appeared in the doorway, wrapped in two fleece throws like a cocoon, shoulders hunched, cheeks flushed with windburn, and face pulled into a miserable grimace.
You looked like you were on the verge of dying. Or committing murder. Possibly both.
“The hell…” You croaked through your chattering teeth, breath curling in front of your lips, “How did this happen without anyone catching it on time?”
Your voice wavered on the last word–not just from frustration, but from the way your whole body was trembling. You were shaking, jaw clenched, knees knocking together slightly under the blankets as you shuffled forward like someone trying to survive a blizzard in a hoodie.
Bob’s heart slammed in his chest. Not from panic, or from Sentry wanting to see you, but just from pure instinct. He felt it burn inside him–this pull toward you, this immediate, deep, animalistic need to wrap you up and make you warm. Not just because you were cold. But because you were you–someone that had connected and tethered to him on more than just a baseline friendship level. Though it was hard for Bob to really contain himself, and the desire to take care of you in general because he knew you probably didn’t see him in the manner he saw you in.
“They probably missed it. That’s the only reason this could’ve happened. Nobody flagged it in time.” Ava responded first, her voice muffled behind her scarf. You exhaled hard through your nose, steam huffing from your lips. Your eyes flicked to the sectional–to the wide, open space beside Bob. You took one step toward it, then paused.
Your eyes landed on him.
You blinked slowly, your gaze dragging from his flushed face to the damp edge of his collar to the Coke can on the table still sweating with heat.
Then it clicked.
“Oh, right,” You rasped, eyebrows lifting. “I forgot about you running hot, you’re gonna be my life saver!”
Before Bob could respond–before he could stammer out anything–you moved.
You dropped onto the couch beside him with the exhausted weight of someone who had given up on survival. You let your blankets slide open just enough to let the heat in, curled your toes beneath you, and leaned into his side with a soft, contented groan.
Bob stopped breathing.
He felt you. Every inch of you. Your icy fingers brushing his thigh. The chilled edge of your arm nudging his ribs. Your cheek settling lightly into the curve of his shoulder. And then–God help him–the tiny, blissful sound that slipped from your lips when the warmth of his body hit you full-force.
It was quiet. Barely audible. Just a hum of deep, unconscious relief.
“Mmm…”
But to Bob, it was devastating.
His entire body tensed like he was preparing for impact. His breath caught in his throat. His hands twitched on his thighs, and the heat under his skin flared so suddenly he had to will it back down before his shirt started to steam.
You didn’t even notice.
You were too cold. Too relieved. Too focused on not crying from the sheer comfort of finally, finally finding warmth after what felt like an hour and a half of your limbs feeling like they were going to shatter.
“Oh my god,” You whispered, pressing your face against the side of his arm like you were trying to melt into him. “You’re boiling. This is perfect.” You breathed in deeply, smelling the cool mint scent of his body wash, letting it invade your lungs, as you nuzzled even closer to him.
Bob swallowed hard. “I-I…Uh…”
You sighed again. And this one was worse. Better. More dangerous. It wasn’t just relief–it was pleasure. The kind that only came from thawing out after a deep freeze. A sound that vibrated low in your chest and hummed right against his ribs.
He couldn’t look at you.
If he did, he’d die. Spontaneously combust on the spot. Sentry and all.
You tugged the top blanket around the both of you, like it was natural–like sharing heat was second nature. Like you weren’t undoing him with every breath that ghosted across his neck.
A long silence settled over the room.
Not awkward. Not exactly. But heavy with something unspoken.
You didn’t notice the way everyone else had gone quiet. You didn’t see the way Yelena lowered her phone without pressing call, or how Walker and Ava slowly exchanged looks, eyebrows raised. You didn’t catch Bucky’s subtle nod from the kitchen, or Alexei’s low whistle as he leaned back in his chair like he was watching the beginning of a very good movie.
Because you were too busy melting.
Literally and figuratively.
Your arm moved slowly. Almost imperceptibly. It slipped from beneath your blanket, slid across Bob’s damp shirt, and curled around his torso–fingers splaying wide across his side. Not in a flirtatious way. Not in a way that begged attention. Just an unconscious, instinctual kind of closeness.
A gesture that said: you’re warm, and I need all of it.
Bob’s heart skipped.
He didn’t move. Couldn’t. His spine had gone rigid, and his breath had stalled somewhere between his throat and lungs. You were touching him. Really touching him. Not in passing, not in jest, not in the familiar bump of shoulders during a mission or a sarcastic pat on the back.
But this. A full-body lean. An arm around his waist. Your chilled hand flattening over his ribs, tugging him–gently–closer to you.
And he let you.
Because he would’ve let you do anything.
Your fingers brushed a damp spot on his shirt. He was sweating. Badly. But you didn’t flinch. Didn’t comment. You just let out another of those sighs–low, content, sinful in its softness–and nestled closer until your forehead touched the curve of his neck.
“God…” You mumbled into his skin, breath curling warm under his jaw, “You’re saving my life right now.” Bob let out a shaky laugh that sounded more like a whimper.
His hands were still on his thighs, white-knuckled, as if he were holding himself down. As if one move would tip this entire fragile balance into something he couldn’t pull back from. Because it wasn’t just warmth he was giving you–it was everything.
Every part of him was screaming for more.
More of your voice. More of your weight leaning into him. More of your fingers splayed against his side and the way your leg was now casually draped over his calf under the blanket.
And yet–somehow–you still didn’t seem to notice what you were doing to him.
From across the room, Yelena’s voice broke the silence.
Soft. Distant. A whisper clearly not meant to be heard.
“Oh no…She’s gonna kill him.”
Walker coughed into his sleeve. “He’s not gonna survive the next ten minutes.”
“I give him five.”
“Three, if she sighs again.”
Ava hummed in agreement. “He’s gonna short-circuit.”
Bob could hear them. He could hear everything–every shifting blanket, every laugh being swallowed behind a cup, every knowing glance being passed around like popcorn.
But all he could feel was you.
The weight of your body against his.
The cold that finally eased from your limbs.
The way your breathing slowed, softened.
And the way you whispered–barely audible, but so close he could feel the words against his skin:
“…Think I could stay here all night.” The words left your lips like a sigh—half asleep, half joking—but Bob felt them hit.
They lodged somewhere between his ribs, soft and brutal, and echoed in his chest long after the sound had faded into the blanket-wrapped stillness.
He didn’t respond right away.
Couldn’t.
His mouth opened slightly, but no words came. His throat was dry. His breath was shaky. The heat he’d been radiating all evening was nothing compared to what flared through him now–less like warmth and more like a furnace igniting from the inside out.
You shifted again. Just a little. Your fingers flexed slightly against his ribs. You were settling in deeper.
Bob’s voice, when it finally broke free, was small and trembling.
“Y-You can. I-I mean–if you…If you want. I-I wouldn’t–I wouldn’t mind.”
You didn’t say anything at first.
But after a beat, you tilted your head and looked up at him.
And that was it.
The end of him.
Because you weren’t even trying to do anything. You just looked up–sleepy and flushed, lips parted, eyes soft–and you saw him.
The way his jaw was clenched. The way his shoulders were locked up. The way his fingers curled into his thighs like they were holding on for dear life. The way his shirt was soaked from heat and nervous sweat and yet he hadn’t dared move.
And then your eyes met his.
And you saw it.
The wreckage.
His face was flushed–burned red at the ears, his lips slightly parted like he was afraid to exhale too hard. His eyes were wide, glassy, stunned. Not from embarrassment. Not from discomfort.
From everything.
From being touched, and wanted, and needed.
From your breath on his skin, your arm around his waist, your words curling like ribbons into his ear and tying knots he didn’t know how to undo.
You blinked once, slowly.
“…Bob?”
His breath hitched.
“I-I’m f-fine,” He stammered, the lie so thin you could hear the tremble beneath it. “J-just…Y-You’re really close, and I-I’m trying not to–uh–I mean, I d-don’t wanna–”
He stopped himself.
But the damage was done.
You stared up at him for another long moment, blinking against the golden flush of his cheeks and the sweat dotting his brow, and the way he couldn’t quite meet your eyes now.
And something shifted in your chest.
You loosened your grip around his waist–but not to move away. Just enough to smooth your hand against the curve of his side. Gentle. Careful. Tender in a way that quieted everything else.
“…Am I making you uncomfortable?”
Bob shook his head before you’d even finished the question.
“N-No. G-God, no,” He said quickly, too quickly. “Y-You’re not. I-I like it. I–”
He swallowed hard.
His eyes finally flicked toward you, just briefly.
“I-I just…Don’t k-know how I’m doing this w-without Sentry going o-off the rails…” Your lips curved into a quiet smile against his skin.
“Maybe he’s used to me pestering you by now,” You murmured, voice low and teasing, “Maybe he knows not to get in the way of things.”
Bob blinked.
His chest lifted with a deep breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, and the glow in his eyes flickered briefly behind his lashes.
“Y-Yeah,” he said softly, with a quiet sort of wonder. “M-Maybe.”
He didn’t add that Sentry was right there. Listening. Not pushing forward, not flaring to the surface like he so often did when Bob felt overwhelmed.
He was just…Calm.
Not silent, exactly. But watching through Bob’s eyes with something that felt like reverence. A kind of awestruck stillness that made Bob feel like his ribs were filled with golden thread instead of bone.
You were still watching him. Still close enough that every breath he took shifted you slightly. And even in the dim light of the living room, he could see the soft twitch of your lips and the calm around your eyes–like your nervous system had finally unclenched for the first time all day.
“Sorry I’m so clingy,” You added after a moment, eyes fluttering shut, “I know this probably feels like being tackled by a human-shaped block of ice.”
Bob’s voice cracked again.
“Y-You could tackle me any time.”
Your eyes opened slowly.
“What?”
His ears turned bright pink. “N-Nothing. N-Never mind.”
You snorted–this breathy, fond little sound–and let your hand trail lightly across the shape of his ribs, fingers drawing lazy circles through the soft fabric of his shirt.
“I think I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that,” You said, lips curving into a slow smile. “For your dignity’s sake.”
Bob swallowed hard. You shifted a little closer until your forehead was tucked under his jaw and your fingers were curled in the hem of his shirt like you didn’t want to let go.
He could feel your eyelashes brushing against his skin.
Your voice dropped to a whisper.
“Give me a few more minutes with you…And then I’ll untangle and let you recover.”
That almost made him laugh.
But it caught in his throat because something about the way you said it–something about the gentleness behind the tease–made it feel bigger than just cuddling on a cold night.
It felt like you knew.
Maybe not everything.
Maybe not how often he thought about you. Or how many times he caught himself daydreaming about a moment like this–exactly like this. The weight of you against him. Your breath slowing. Your body folding into his like it belonged there.
Maybe you didn’t know how much he ached when you brushed against him on missions or leaned on him when you were too tired to stand. Or how long he’d been pretending it was nothing when every second of contact burned through him like a star being born.
Maybe you didn’t know that every part of him had been waiting for you.
But maybe you felt it. Just a little.
Because you didn’t pull away. You didn’t tease too much. You just settled in, calm and warm and real, and gave him the one thing no one had offered in a while.
Time and gentle touch.
A few more minutes. A few more inches of closeness. A few more breaths shared between them. Bob turned his face slightly toward your hair, just enough to breathe you in. Your scent was cold, but there was a depth of warmth beneath it, something fruity–like jammy blueberries and blackberries, maybe a field that had ripening strawberries. It was like you were bathing yourself in something that was tropical to emote the sense that you were someplace warm instead of a cold compound.
Finally Bob lifted his hand, and let it rest over your back. It was tentative at first, then more solid, like a soft protective weight. His thumb stroked gently across your spine, and he whispered:
”Take as long as you want.” You didn’t respond, you just let out a slow, steady breath that warmed his neck and a soft hum of contentment as you curled into his chest and closed your eyes again.
#marvel fanfiction#spotify#lewis pullman#bob reynolds#bob reynolds imagines#bob reynolds x reader#bob x reader#robert reynolds#robert reynolds fanfic#robert reynolds x reader#bob reynolds fluff#bob reynolds fanfic#bob reynolds x you#bob thunderbolts#robert reynolds fluff#robert reynolds x you#x reader fluff#x reader#thunderbolts fan fiction#thunderbolts fanfic#thunderbolts*#thunderbolts#marvel#lewis pullman the man you are#lewis pullman characters#sentry fluff
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(⋆) = black!reader/writer.

MATHEW BARZAL last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀DOWN BAD (smut) wc: 5.2k⠀⋆⠀friends with benefits.
⸺⠀TWISTED IN BEDSHEETS (smut) wc: 6.2k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀DRUNKEN CONFESSIONS (fluff) wc: 0.6k⠀⋆⠀friends to lovers.

BRADLEY "ROOSTER" BRADSHAW last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀EXECUTIVE DECISIONS (political!au) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀coworkers to lovers.
⸺⠀STRANGER (smut) wc: 0.3k⠀⋆⠀one-night-stand.
⸺⠀RUN ME DRY (smut) wc: 3.8k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀PICTURE PERFECT GUY (smut) wc: 2.5k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀ASHES, ASHES (oc!avery mitchell) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀age gap.
⸺⠀BIRDS OF A FEATHER (angst & smut) wc: 4.1k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

JOE BURROW last updated⠀⁎⠀06/05/2025
⸺⠀ROLL FOR INITIATIVE (gender neutral-coded) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀friends to lovers.
⸺⠀SECRET OF US (angst) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀(⋆) CARPE DIEM (fluff) wc: 6.8k⠀⋆⠀meet cute.
⸺⠀(⋆) OPERATION (dad!joe au) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀SWEET ON YOU (dad!joe au) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀HORNS DOWN (lsu!au) wc: 30.7k⠀⋆⠀slow burn.
⸺⠀ROOM SERVICE (smut) wc: 1.7k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀6 INCH HEELS (smut) wc: 1.7k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀HEADLOCK (smut) wc: 6.3k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀BREATHE (angst & fluff) wc: 4.4k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀PAR FOR THE COURSE (smut) wc: 1.6k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀(⋆) HEART OF THE MATTER (oc!marlowe dominic) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀slow burn.
⸺⠀WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS (smut) wc: 3.2k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

JENSON BUTTON last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀BLURB (smut) wc: 1.2k⠀⋆⠀age gap, established relationship.
⸺⠀YOU'RE CUTE (fluff) wc: 0.9k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

SIDNEY CROSBY last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀SLEEPLESS IN PITTSBURGH (fluff) wc: 2k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀GOLD DUST WOMAN (smut) wc: 6.9k⠀⋆⠀dad's friend, age gap.
⸺⠀ICE QUEEN & HER HOCKEY PLAYER (angst & fluff) wc: 19k⠀⋆⠀slow burn, enemies to lovers.
⸺⠀MANGO SEASON (smut) wc: 3k⠀⋆⠀established relationship, age gap.

LEWIS HAMILTON last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀(⋆) PRIVATE LANDING (dad/husband!lewis au) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀hard launch.
⸺⠀(⋆) SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A DRIVER (smut) wc: 1.8k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀(⋆) MORNING BLURB (smut) wc: 1k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

JUSTIN HERBERT last updated⠀⁎⠀07/24/2025
⸺⠀KISS ME (fluff) wc: 8k⠀⋆⠀friends to lovers.
⸺⠀MERRY CHRISTMAS, PLEASE DON'T CALL (angst) wc: 11k⠀⋆⠀ex-friends with benefits.
⸺⠀(⋆) THE PLAGUE (fluff) wc: 4.1k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀IT'LL ALL WORK OUT (angst) wc: 8k⠀⋆⠀breaking up.

JACK HUGHES last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀QUINN AND LUKE WATCHING JACK FALL IN LOVE (fluff) wc: 0.8k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

LUKE HUGHES last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀FALLING INTO PLACE (angst & fluff) wc: 22.3k⠀⋆⠀unrequited love.
⸺⠀PROMISE RING (fluff) wc: 0.7k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀BOUND BY TWO HEARTBEATS (angst & fluff) wc: 3.6k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀OPERATION GET LUKE A GIRLFRIEND (fluff) wc: 4.2k⠀⋆⠀friends to lovers.
⸺⠀QUINN AND JACK WATCHING LUKE FALL IN LOVE (fluff) wc: 1.3k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

CHARLES LECLERC last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀1-800-HELP-ME-PARK (fluff) smau⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀BED HEAD (fluff) wc: 0.7k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

JAVY "COYOTE" MACHADO last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀A LITTLE BIT OF FUN (smut feat. jake "hangman" seresin) wc: 1.8k⠀⋆⠀one-night-stand.
⸺⠀BONES, HEARTS, & MARRIAGES (angst, fluff, smut) wc: 11k⠀⋆⠀marriage of convenience.
⸺⠀IT'S NOT ROTTEN WORK (smut feat. jake "hangman" seresin) wc: 4.2k⠀⋆⠀friends to lovers.
⸺⠀BAD LIAR (smut) wc: 1.1k⠀⋆⠀brother's best friend.
⸺⠀I DON'T LOVE YOU LIKE I USED TO (fluff) wc: 2.3k⠀⋆⠀brother's best friend.

MASON MOUNT last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀I'M YOURS (fluff & smut) wc: 14k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀SUMMER LOVING (fluff & suggestive) wc: 2k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀THE MOMENT HE KNEW (fluff & smut) wc: 7k⠀⋆⠀friends to lovers.
⸺⠀MADE TO BE MINE (fluff) wc: 14.3k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀DON'T GET CAUGHT (smut) wc: 3k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

JAMIE OLEKSIAK last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀TANGLED SHEETS, TANGLED LIPS (smut) wc: 0.5k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀DBF!JAMIE (dad's best friend!jamie au) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀age gap.

OSCAR PIASTRI last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀WHO TOLD HIM TO GET "JACK"ED (fluff) smau⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀(⋆) CAR SEX (smut) wc: 5k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

DANIEL RICCIARDO last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀THIGHS (smut) wc: 1.9k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀SWEET TEMPTATIONS (smut) wc: 1.3k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

SIMON "GHOST" RILEY last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀PROMISE RINGS (smut) wc: 5.2k⠀⋆⠀coworkers with benefits.

CARLOS SAINZ JR. last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀MORNING CARDIO (smut) wc: 2k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

JAKE "HANGMAN" SERESIN last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀BRUISES (angst) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀mission gone south.
⸺⠀SIGN OF THE TIMES (soulmate au) multi-part series⠀⋆⠀reinarnation.
⸺⠀SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS (fluff) wc: 4.7k⠀⋆⠀meet cute.
⸺⠀A LITTLE BIT OF FUN (smut feat. javy "coyote" machado) wc: 1.8k⠀⋆⠀one-night-stand.
⸺⠀IT'S NOT ROTTEN WORK (smut feat. javy "coyote" machado) wc: 4.2k⠀⋆⠀friends to lovers.
⸺⠀BOOBS (suggestive) wc: 0.7k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀SECRET FAMILY RECIPE (fluff) wc: 1.3k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀ON THE BRINK (angst) wc: 2.6k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.

ANDREI SVECHNIKOV last updated⠀⁎⠀04/03/2025
⸺⠀FLEETING (angst & smut) wc: 17.5k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀1 A.M. IN NEW YORK (angst) wc: 2.8k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀FROZEN (suggestive) wc: 2.8k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀ANTE UP (smut) wc: 5.7k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀RAW (smut) wc: 5.8k⠀⋆⠀established relationship.
⸺⠀THE ONE (angst) wc: 8k⠀⋆⠀friends with benefits.
⸺⠀TAKE ME TO EDEN (fluff & smut) wc: 22k⠀⋆⠀age gap, sugar daddy.

read my work⠀⁎⠀masterlist.
#&. fic rec masterlist.#mathew barzal x reader#bradley bradshaw x reader#joe burrow x reader#jenson button x reader#sidney crosby x reader#lewis hamilton x reader#justin herbert x reader#jack hughes x reader#luke hughes x reader#charles leclerc x reader#javy machado x reader#mason mount x reader#jamie oleksiak x reader#oscar piastri x reader#daniel ricciardo x reader#simon riley x reader#carlos sainz x reader#jake seresin x reader#andrei svechnikov x reader
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