#somehow it always circles back to dc ...
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
ecbsffharpc · 1 month ago
Text
sorry for the radio silence ive been doing actual comic nerd stuff elsewhere lately lol
4 notes · View notes
maedelin · 1 year ago
Note
Negative Romys (bc I know there must be chill ones out there) @ Roguneto in Xmen 97: “NOOOOOO HOW COULD THE WRITERS DO THIS AND DESTROY ROGUE X REMY?! POOR GAMBIT!!!”
Me: *side-eying all of the Marvel material that clearly shows that Romy content severely outnumbering Roguneto content by a landslide and the same Roguneto content winding up being ruined anyway by later writers just because they can* “Ah, yes…poor Gambit…”
All jokes aside, I wonder if the Romys’ concern is that if Roguneto is positively received = somehow becoming canon in the comics later? Because I know Marvel (and DC) has a history of taking a few things that the movies/shows/ side comics have done that were well received by fans or were anticipated to be well received ahead of time by fans and sometimes the companies themselves and incorporating them into the comics later
(ex. X-23 from X-Men Evolution to actual comics, Tony Stark’s personality eventually just becoming Robert Downey Jr as a comic book character, Samuel Jackson!Nick Fury from Ultimate Marvel to MCU to secret son of original Nick Fury and goes by the same name, Magneto’s Helmet protecting him from telepathy in Xmen First Class Movie to comics, Comic!Rogue’s real first name being a combination of her movie self’s name and that actress’s first name, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver not being related to Magneto after all bc their movie selves weren’t, Gwen Stacy’s fun alternative existence as Spider-Gwen/Woman , Miles Morales’s (yay!) existence, Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki influencing the comic version of him to become a sad little meow meow, Age of Apocalypse’s version of Changling/Morph being brought into X-Men 97, etc)
, but if one truly counts all of the slight/significant changes Marvel Comics have made to the main timeline because of other material, it’s REALLY not a lot.
There’s no need for anyone who ships Romy (which I also ship in addition to Roguneto bc yay multishipping!) to feel threatened by potential romantic alternatives.
And just in case the romantic ships might be altered after all (not likely): if the Multiverse is a thing, maybe we consider it’s not the end of the world if the relationships in the X-Men animated universe is not 100% going to follow how they played out in the comics.
ALSO also, when all else fails, they can just develop their writing/art skills and make fix-it aus 😆
The chaotic neutral part of me actually kinda still hopes that enough people with get on board with Roguneto though so that the comics will see the enthusiasm for them and bring them back in the main universe and shake things up again or in one of the official alternate universes and give them the love and respect the pairing deserves 🤪
I really appreciate your comments. I suppose there could be concerns from the Romy contingent regarding this. Sadly, I think at this point corporate IP is too dedicated to keeping the status quo maintained as it is for the longest time.
I agree with you, I see her relationship with Magneto as brief trysts in the mainstream universe, and an occasional AU marriage reveal. I think that Rogue and Gambit will remain a couple in the mainstream universe despite this current twist in the '97 series. There's too much time and money spent into the material, merchandise, and story that's been built for Romy in reality across various media, and in the perception of people's memories which sometimes have a rosy nostalgic glow. It takes a lot to re-educate an audience and I don't see corporations having that time and patience.
Jean and Scott will always remain together. Meggan and Brian are a duo for all time. Sue and Reed Richards are going to stay married.
No matter what, the story will always return to that. In this reboot, I think it's to give Magneto an extra angle and further reason to stay at the mansion if you leave in doubt his and Rogue's activities on and off camera.
I think my biggest complaint is how there's a circling of the wagons around Rogue when anyone (but particularly Magneto) is interested in her. It frustrates me because I believe characters should experience a lot of different relationships. It builds for a more well rounded person in reality, and a better character in the story. But with Rogue, why isn't she allowed to have other romantic encounters? Why must there be a strange arguments about age, about experience? These are traumatized beautiful people with fancy abilities in a soap opera. With capes. (And occasional opera gloves)
In short, I believe that instead of one ship, a character deserves an armada. I agree, alternate universe pairings would be fun too!
I too enjoy drama and can't wait to see how the show plays out this romance.
26 notes · View notes
Text
Chapter 4
of lost in the dark (he's got a heavy heart) by @definitelynotshouting!
( 1 & 2, 3)
"For a long moment, Grian stares at them, mind as fresh and blank as new snow. It feels like he’s circling something, drawing inexplicably closer to its event horizon with each new revolution– like any minute now it will pull him in, and he’ll fall, forever tumbling to regain his balance."
oh the spiral,,, love the use of event horizon here hell yeah
"It only takes a few simple ingredients to invert a healing potion. All he needs after that is a little time to brew them, when nobody else is looking."
extremely personally attacked bc -and this might shock you /s- my special interest is this block game and as soon as Tango mentioned potions the entire chart popped up on my brain.
Tumblr media
this one, almost exactly. backstabbed by my own autism once again
"Three or four." Grian keeps his face carefully neutral. "I dunno, maybe five?"
WHATS THAT LIKE, 15 HEARTS OF DAMAGE? 30 IF HE GIVES HIM HEALING II???? GRIAANNNN
"It's a familiar tic, and the aching thing in Grian's chest spiderwebs out in fragile fractures. He's never enjoyed lying. Half-truths, sure, and he's always loved a good loophole– but outright lying? That's not his normal style. Tango is right, five is an absurd number– it's a miracle he's even entertaining the thought."
"spiderwebs out in fragile fractures." AUGH oh how i love literature fuck yeah. that hurt
"But five will be enough to make sure. No last minute resurrections, no sudden rescues. Just himself, the void, and the universe they all belong to. He wonders if it will sing to him as his code falls apart."
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
*dies*
"You weigh like, nothing, dude," Tango informs him, and there's a little hitch in his voice Grian doesn't want to parse. It makes something in his chest shudder and curl up, tight and cold. "What the hell."
there's something so infinitely funny to me about the direct contrast between the narration and the dialog- its like tango is a muppet starring on a Noir film. very good.
Grian's chuckle is a small, reluctant thing, breaking in his throat midway, but Tango's entire demeanor brightens as if he'd burst out into howling laughter. Something swells in the air around them, and it takes a moment for Grian to pinpoint that feeling as hope.
HEAD IN HANDS orz I'M- (sobs) I'm a weak man i see hope and i go nuts
Maybe it's the knee-jerk fear that makes Grian do it, the bone-deep terror that this will somehow pollute his resolve– or maybe it's just cruel impulse. Either way, this question has been spinning in his mind ever since they found him in the void, and Grian blurts it out before he can swallow it back down. "Why are you even here?"
i loooooove dread and terror man, hooting and hollering for cruel impulses
"I'm serious, man." Tango sets his jaw, then heaves a sigh, glancing up at the ceiling. One foot taps anxiously against the wooden floor. "It's… okay. Okay, I’ll admit it. It's actually because of Jimmy." It takes a beat for that to sink in. When it does, Grian’s eyebrows rocket into his hairline, incredulous. "Tim?"
gay people?? on my block game????? more likely than you think
ok i didn't grab any specific fragments of Pearl's appearance but oh boy oh buddy oh fuck if my back didn't tense up :^> ass clenched i fear
====================================
Closing Thoughts
i know it will get worse before it gets better. but i can't help but to hope and i think that's a wonderful thing to achieve while writing angst <3
i have the urgent need to do ANYTHING minecraft-fiction related, so i might start workshoping something with my friends and i's mc ocs :Dc idk im inspired
4 notes · View notes
honestlynoisywitch · 8 months ago
Text
I agree with you comics writing is so inconsistent like imagine my frustration when I can finally get a comic and it SUCKS. And I high-key HATE Tom Taylor. But (and this is just my opinion) I feel like fans not reading canon is what's contributing to it. I can't say they are the sole reason cause no there are some writers that are just so biased and horrible I don't even know how they got their job but not knowing anything about characters and writing them however you like is contributing to characters deviating from their original characterization. Take Dick Grayson for example, a guy who's known for his competence and being the best of the best and look at how he is written today (the whole butt Nightwing is just🤢). Newer fans genuinely believe he can never gat angry or he's too nice when he's known for being an asshole when he gets mad or saying that he's a womanizer when he literally admited that he can't sleep with anyone he doesn't love. Take a fan getting into Tim Drake and Jason Todd and wanting to write them as these perfect human beings who can do no wrong, which is fine I too like my favorite characters to be perfect, but it's taken to such extremes with the robins like one has to be the victim (mainly Tim Drake) and the others have to be so dumb and incompetent and bad brothers (mainly Dick Grayson, Jason IS a bad brother), they read a couple of fics that say dick treated him horribly and so their characterization of dick will be a horrible brother. (For some reason it's always Dick Grayson who gets the short end of the stick). All of this adds up to fans who have these new characterizations (I would go as far as saying it almost feels like they're writing about completely different characters they might as well be OCs) and DC wants to make money so they will of course make comics and retcons that follow what the newer fans want and disregard what these characters are originally like. WFA is also hugely responsible for this. I would love it if there were two separate DC fandoms one for canon and one for fanon but I honestly don't believe it would work cause we will circle back to the issue of fans not even being aware that what they're writing is not canon (i am sorry but from my experience a lot of fics ARE NOT tagged as fanon in any way). I think this happens in all fandoms but it's so extreme in DC and what makes it even worse is the bad attitude of these fans (I am not saying all of them are like that but these is based solely on my experience). Most canon readers I have followed or interacted with are genuinely not trying to gatekeep or prevent fanon readers from enjoying their time. They are trying to correct some misconceptions about certain characters which somehow angers fanon enjoyers? Or fic authors who like to follow canon getting blasted in the commenst cause how dare they mischaracterize the fanon version of their favorite characters?
if you've read hundreds or even thousands of comics stop worrying about whether you know enough to write fanfiction about it. somewhere out there the most annoying person you will encounter is writing another 24k abused tim drake joins the batfamily early fanfiction based on their reading history of six episodes of wayne family adventures and a tumblr textpost. you are fine
2K notes · View notes
spacedace · 2 years ago
Text
Got another dc x dp writing prompt blurb thing for yall (this time featuring TimKon)
Elle declaring herself Queen of the Clones as a joke because Danny is the Ghost King and she should get a fun title too and accidentally making herself effectively the god of clones across all dimensions as a result.
Elle being suddenly aware of all the clones in existence in a vague way, but able to "tune in" on specific ones, or suddenly becoming aware when a clone is in serious trouble.
Elle deciding, fuck it, she's gonna take care of all the clones that need taking care of, turning her haunt in the Ghost Zone into a place of safety, using her new abilities as God Queen of Clones to make it so whenever any of them need help they get pulled to her Haunt instantly.
Connor getting mortally wounded in a fight, saving the day but getting buried in rubble away from where anyone would be able to dig him out in time to save him and suddenly being Somewhere Else.
Connor getting saved by Elle and the yetis, but having amnesia from the severe headroom (he can't remember anything except maybe the face of a boy his age, dark circles under sharp blue eyes, a wry smile, the understanding that Connor was in love with whoever the boy is or was).
Elle not being able to tell where Connor is from, her Haunt just pulls clones in trouble in when they need her help, there's no sending address or anything like that. And he was in such bad shape its not like she trusts that sending him back to where ever he's from is even safe to do.
Connor being one of the permanent residents of Elle's haunt (she always tries to find the clones that end up there a place of their own, getting Clockwork to de-age them and a good family to love them for those that want that, a spot in Amity where clones don't even register as anything weird, or just back to where they came from but now with the promise of somewhere to call home and a new family of clones to care for them) and ends up with the title of her knight or champion or something along the way, looking after everyone when Elle is off traveling and generally being vice-president of Clone Club
Elle getting captured by the GIW while out seeing the world, unable to escape but at least able to alert her family that she's in trouble.
Danny and the Pham not being able to break in because of all the upped security keeping away anything ghostly or ghost adjacent
Connor and a group of the clone club rallying to get Elle out themselves, breaking in and releasing as many ghosts as they can and destroying as much as they can and oops the Justice League has shown up
Connor not having powers in the Ghost Zone and being very freaked out when he punched Superman in the face and sent him flying a hundred yards, surprising the Clone Club with his super strength and surprising the League with his surprise about his super strength and frantic apologies to Superman for yeeting him across an open field (up to this point they assumed this was another evil clone situation Lex cooked up but now aren't so sure).
The GIW ends up closing in to attack the clones who just got Elle back and need to make a break for it before the portal back closes while that's happening and Connor decides to be self-sacrificing and give them cover, so they can escape.
Connor surrendering to the Justice League before the GIW can grab him once everyone else is free and clear, because he knows Elle and the other Clones will break him out and that's gonna be a lot easier if he's not in GIW custody
Tim and the Young Justice gang losing their God damn minds because that's Connor?? Maybe?? He doesn't remember them or the Justice League or Superman or anything but it has to be him right? They never found his body, Tim had been so sure he was still out there alive somehow - had lost weeks and months to maddening grief, desperately searching for some sign that Connor was out there somewhere - and now here he is!
Connor refusing to talk to the JL, low key trying to figure out if they actually do know who he is or if it's a trick - the Pham's stories of what they've all had to deal with and his own recent raid on the GIW has left him with a healthy suspicion of anything government related and the JL may not be with the GIW but they sure as hell are still government goons as far as he's concerned.
The main league being worried that it's mind control or a clone scheme or something like that and not really being sure what to do. There's too many questions about what happened to him, where he's been, what he was doing in that raid on that government facility - there's questions too on just what kind of facility that was, and a new case has already been opened on that whole can of worms - and Connor (if it is Connor) isn't answer their questions.
So they put him in a cell with some Kryptonite to make sure his powers are suppressed - half out of concern that him surrendering to them is a scheme, half terrified that if he really doesn't know he has powers anymore that he'll accidentally destroy the Watchtower with a sneeze. They make sure it's comfortable, he did apologize about punching Superman in the face - a lot, actually, it was pretty much the only thing he had said the entire time, along with very concerned questions on if the Man of Steel was okay - and while there's something strange going on, if it's mind control then they'd rather Connor come back to himself somewhere decent.
And no one is supposed to talk to him alone, or outside of a formal interrogation or without Wonder Woman there in case Connor gets hostile - even with the Kryptonite, they can't be too careful - but that's not going to stop Tim. His best friend is alive, there isn't a power in the universe that's going to keep him away.
Connor doesn't recognize him. Except that he does. It's weird, because his only memory has been the face of that boy, but there's also just something so familiar about Red Robin and it's the first familiar thing he's known since waking up in the Far Frozen over a year ago.
For awhile it's just Tim talking, trying to get Connor to remember, trying to do anything he can to prove (to everyone, to himself) that this really is Connor. And after over an hour he's nowhere near ready to give up, but he is maybe ready to go and have a breakdown in a supply closet for a bit, when Connor finally starts talking back.
He doesn't say much - he's suspicious, even as he becomes more and more sure that Red Robin is someone to him - but he does start talking and, it's nice. Familiar.
And just as he's considering actually telling Red Robin something - everything, really, Connor's always been a sucker for a cute boy that looked one more cup of coffee away from a psychotic break - the cavalry arrives. Ghosts everywhere, causing a distraction and looking for Connor and maybe just having a little fun fucking around for a bit while they're at it.
(Constantine is trying to sneak off to smoke somewhere he won't end up getting lectured like he's a disobedient school boy, opening a door to come face to spectral bellybutton with Fright Knight. He decides maybe Bats is right and he should quite smoking as he - fruitlessly - closes the door again without a word.)
Wulf is ready with a portal and Technus is in control of the station and the cell door opens just as Lunch Box appears to phase the cuffs off Connor (and maybe steal some of that delicious rock candy that was in those cuffs for some reason, her parents won't let her have any back at home and she's helping the royal family get one of their loyal knights back, she deserves a little treat) and it's time to go.
Tim's ready to throw down, terrified that whatever the hell these things are they're going to take Connor away again, but just as he's working out a plan on just how he's going to fight something that can walk through walls, disappear and fly (and eat fucking Kryptonite), he suddenly finds himself being thrown over Connor's shoulder and being carried through a terrifying rip in space and time to another dimension.
Conner can admit, as he lands back in Elle's haunt with all the ghosts streaming in behind him as the portal closes and the Clone Club rushing forward to check on him and Red Robin still slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes (a cute sake of potatoes, though) he might not have thought this one through.
Kidnapped by his amnesiac and possibly mind controlled best friend and dragged to hell(?) aside, Tim's just happy Conner brought him with him this time. Batman and the rest of the League, still reeling from what just happened, are not nearly as happy with that fact.
2K notes · View notes
storiesofsvu · 2 years ago
Text
A Dangerous Game Ch 23
Tumblr media
Emily Prentiss x reader warnings: language, some teasing, that's about it. Welp. We've come full circle. We are at the end of the fic. It's been a bit of a wild ride, but we made it, right? lol. thank you all for commenting, reblogging and interacting! <3. Bingo starts next month and Emily is currently dominating that one, so there's plenty of Prentiss to come! Otherwise, if you're interested in an Alex Blake series fill out that taglist to be notified when it starts! Love you all!
Buy me a ko-fi
Over the next couple of weeks you and Emily always made sure to set aside Friday nights for each other, though that wasn’t really anything new. Some nights were out on the town, finally happy to get a chance to show the other one off, while some remained tucked in one of you apartments with take out and cuddles. You got through your first couple of cases with no complaints from any of the higher ups and the reins got loosened a little bit as it was realized you were both trustworthy and putting the job above all else. You still managed to keep things hidden from the rest of the team, Garcia getting enough joy out of gossiping with Derek or one of the two of you in the meantime.
Derek had stuck true to his word, making sure to jump on the chance to bunk with you on out of town cases, much to your annoyance. Although now that you’d actually figured things out, you didn’t need to stick to your ‘Vegas’ rule, you were together at home already. But that wasn’t enough to stop Derek, little teasing remarks the entire week on a case out in Atlanta.
Currently, you’d just taken down an unsub down in Jacksonville, Florida. While the case was solved and the paperwork was done by dinner time, the jet had been loaned out to another department which meant another two nights in the sunshine state. Considering the weather in DC had started to dip, no one was really complaining about the extended vacation. The hotel had a large courtyard out front that included an oversized patio connected to the lounge just inside the doors and that’s where the team debriefed, drinks flowing, tables covered in appetizers, bits and bites to share as laughter and stories filled the air. You did your best to linger as late as you could as everyone started trickling off but Derek was holding out just as long as you were, Emily shooting him a glare when you finally caved, saying you were heading to bed and he followed your lead.
*
Emily rolled over in the uncomfortable hotel bed, her eyes scrunching before they opened to find the room still bathed in darkness. The air conditioner was whirring away under the window, but not a sliver of light was sneaking its way through the curtains. She let out a soft sigh, rolling onto her back and her head swivelled to look at the other bed where JJ was peacefully sleeping still. She curled back around herself under the blanket, shutting her eyes again in an attempt to actually sleep in considering this was the first day they could. It didn’t matter though, she could feel it already, her brain was awake and unwilling to shut back off, she was up for the day. Grimacing, she quietly reached out, plucking her phone from the bedside table to check what time it was, praying it wasn’t still the middle of the night.
*
You were just about to approach the café’s counter when the bell above the door rang, signalling another customer and you glanced over your shoulder. Your head tilted in surprise as a grin took over your lips,
“Hey…”
“Can’t say I’m surprised.” Emily chuckled in return, easily moving through the space to link your hand with hers, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek.
“What’re you doing up?”
“Couldn’t sleep.” She shrugged, “and someone once told me this was the best breakfast in the state.”
“You’re not wrong.” You smiled, turning back to the counter to double the order.
“You could’ve texted me.”
“We both know your phone’s not on silent, I didn’t wanna risk waking up Jayje.”
“True.” She replied, somehow managing to slip between you and the counter to pay for the food, passing you your coffee. “thought about swinging by your room but I figured if I even so much as walked down the hallway Morgan would have it out for me.”
You laughed in agreeance, thanking the worker for the sandwiches before you and Emily made your way out of the shop. Her fingers tangled with yours, thumb stroking over the back of your hand as you walked the block down to the beach. Wordlessly you both kicked off your sandals, wandering through the sand to a familiar piece of driftwood that you set up camp in front of. Emily’s free hand stayed on your thigh while she took the first sip of her coffee, letting out a happy sigh at the feeling of you nestling into her side.
It was so incredibly peaceful, the waves softly crashing against the sand while the sky began to light up, colours bursting through the clouds on the horizon, slowly climbing higher and higher into the sky. Hues of orange, pink and even a hint of lilac graced the sky as a warm breeze wafted through the air. You felt Emily take a deep breath, her shoulder moving under your head as she tried to immortalize the moment, the beauty of the sky, the salty smell of the ocean, the warmth of you beside her in the cool sand. Your gaze shifted from the ocean, flicking up to look at Emily and you practically melted at how stunningly beautiful she was with the shades of the sky reflecting off her skin, the sparkle alive in her eyes. Your hand wrapped around the one of hers she had on your thigh, linking your fingers together and she finally glanced down at you.
“What?” She asked with a small smile that you returned.
“I love you.” You murmured and the smile on her cheeks broke into a bigger one. Her free hand came up to cup your cheek, guiding you off her shoulder so she could kiss you, lips lingering against yours longer than you’d expected.
“I love you too.” She replied, a misting of happy tears invading both of your eyes as she gazed adoringly at you. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”
“Same.” Smiling, you kissed her softly once more, a small giggle escaping your lips before you tucked yourself back onto her shoulder once more and her lips brushed the top of your head. A very happy silence overtook the two of you while the sun continued to climb in the sky until the array of colours had finally faded away to the classic baby blue, picture perfect fluffy clouds scattered through the air. “I wish we had sunrises like this back home.”
“Guess we’ve got a reason to come back to Florida more often then.” She replied.
“Really?” You lifted your head up, glancing over at her.
“I mean, if you want to. That’s what vacation days are for, right?”
“I say we try to find the prettiest sunrise in the entire world.”
“I mean, it doesn’t matter where we are, as long as I’m with you I know it’s gonna be the prettiest.”
“Emily!” You laughed, swatting at her arm.
“I know.” She winced, “I already regret saying it.”
“You’re a fucking cheeseball sometimes, you know that right?”
“You make me… incredibly soft.” She smiled, stroking at your cheek again and you leant in to kiss her.
“Good. Maybe I’ll get the upper hand on you one of these days.” You replied with a tease, smirk on your lips before wrapping yourself around her body once more, shifting slightly in the sand to be more entangled with each other.
It was a couple more hours by the time you and Emily made the call to head back to the hotel. The sun was fully in the sky, humidity hanging in the air and the crowds had started to pick up. Rather than the relaxing mood of the sunrise, there were people sprinkled through the sand, splashing their way into the water and setting up camp for the day. You scooped up your belongings, accepting Emily’s hand when she held it out to you and the two of you wandered back towards the hotel.
On the walk back you’d already started talking about lunch, figuring it’d be best to stop at the lounge, see what the options were so you were crossing through the courtyard rather than the lobby. You made a joke that pulled a loud laugh from Emily before she tugged you to her, kissing you deeply without a care in the world. And it was certainly lucky that she didn’t care considering the voice that you heard next was one you both recognized.
“It is about damn time! Where have you two been?”
“Penelope?” You asked, pulling away from Emily, although her arm stayed firmly wrapped around your waist, “what’re you doing here?” It was then that you actually glanced around the patio, noticing a nook of it covered in very Garcia esque decorations and balloons, “what’s… going on?”
“Garcia had this all set up back at the office, but when I told her we were staying the extra two days…” Rossi started, eyeing you and Emily with a sly grin on his cheeks.
“I figured I’d hop on a plane and bring the party to you.” Penelope smiled brightly across at you, “congratulations. You’ve been part of the BAU for a year now.”
“Pen…”
“Hold up!” JJ cut in with a laugh, “better question is what’s going on here…” She gestured toward you and Emily, who laughed at the question, her cheeks tinging pink. “Where were you?”
“Down at the beach.” You replied with a shrug, doing your best to not attempt to hide in Emily’s shoulder as you laughed it off.
“Oh please don’t tell me you were doin’ the nasty down there.” Morgan groaned.
“Hey!” Emily cut him off, “maybe if you hadn’t hijacked my girlfriend’s hotel room we wouldn’t have to sneak off for some alone time.”
“Also,” you grimaced, “absolutely not. Sand would get everywhere.”
“Okay, okay.” Penelope laughed, “interrogations later. Now…” She grabbed your hand and Emily’s arm finally slipped from your waist, letting the blonde guide you over to the table, “it’s mimosa time.” She picked one up from the table, handing it to you as everyone paused to pass out glasses until everyone had one. “congratulations to our dear sugar plum y/n. You’ve made it a full year with our chaotic little family and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You were the missing part of our team and now we’ve found you and couldn’t be happier, we love you.”
Glasses clinked together as murmurs of agreements and other well wishes were heard from around the space. Penelope pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek that you returned before taking a sip of the mimosa and accepted a soft kiss from Emily, which resulted in a little bit more hooting and hollering from the team than you would’ve normally liked, but there was still a smile on your face when you pulled back from the kiss.
“Alright, the brunch buffet is open, and the mimosa’s are bottomless. Let’s enjoy our last day in the sunshine state.” Rossi announced to another rousing cheer from everyone as little conversations started to take over.
You were immediately sucked away by JJ and Garcia, Emily watching with a fond smile as the three of you gossiped over the rims of your glasses, laughter and smiles evident all around. She took a sip of her drink as she debated browsing the buffet, despite the breakfast sandwich earlier, that had been a while ago and she was thinking about eating again when Derek stepped up to her.
“Hey,” he extended out a greeting card sized envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Just wanted to get you a little something.” He smiled, “it may be Wilson’s one year with the team but that means it’s an anniversary of some sort for you too, right?”
“I guess.” She chuckled, ripping open the envelope and flipping the card around to the front then flipped it open, her brow furrowing, “Derek did you bother reading this before you bought it?” She glanced up to him, suddenly worried by the sly look on his face, “this is a father’s day card.”
“Last time I checked, you were somebody’s daddy…”
“Morgan!” She shrieked, smacking at his chest with the card and he burst into a fit of laughter, reaching out to squeeze at her shoulder.
“Okay, okay. I couldn’t resist.”
“You fucking menace.”
“I am happy for you Prentiss, really. Happy looks good on the two of you, I’m glad you got everything sorted out.”
“Yeah.” She smiled fondly in your direction, catching your eye and you excused yourself from the girls “me too.”
“He’s not torturing you, is he?” You asked, arm easily winding around her waist and she scoffed, rolling her eyes while she showed you the card. Your eyes widened in realization as the heat began to creep up the back of your neck before you shot Derek a glare.
“You’re rooming with JJ tonight, just for that.”
“Only if you buy me ear plugs first.”
“No.” You shook your head, “you don’t deserve that. You’re gonna have to hear whatever you happen to overhear.”
Derek grimaced, raising his hands in defeat before wandering off without another word, leaving you and Emily laughing together, her lips brushing against yours briefly.
“I love you.” She murmured, simply eager to say the words again, to make it known just how important you were to her and that you always would be.
“I love you more.” You replied, leaving a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“I’m not sure that’s quite possible.”
“Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.” You grinned, clinking your glass with hers before she leant in to kiss you again.
It didn’t matter how long you would wait, because your love would be forever. And the two of you knew it that day, surrounded by your friends, your found family that you’d created and made just for yourselves. The ones who were there for you every step of the way, who’d helped you through some of the hardest times over the past year and proved that they loved you time and time again, and always would. There was part of you that had thought you would never be able to find and achieve this level of happiness, that love was a mythical concept people only talked about. But now you knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. With Emily by your side and in your corner you’d unlocked the ultimate level of peace, the greatest experience that life could bring you was one with her, and Emily couldn’t possibly be any happier than getting to be your person.  
____________________
@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @melindawarnersgf @itisdoctortoyousir @emilyprentiss4life @somethingimaginative17 @temilyrights @alexxavicry @daddy-heather-dunbar @aliensaurusrex @rustyzebra @ilovemycrayons @mandy-asimp @thegrantwater @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @m00nkn1ghts @supercriminalbean @daffodil-heart @msvenablesbitch @its-soph-xx @going-gray @just-a-torn-up-masterpiece @hopelesslyfallenninlove @peanutbutterprincess @kdaghay @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @awolfcsworld @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @s1ut4nat @midnight-sapphic @scorpsik @prentiss-theorem @unsubologyy @strongsassysexysloane @svushots @overtrred28 @happenstnces @sapphicprentiss @heidss @geekyandgay98 @pagetboobstarcomments @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @aws-l
219 notes · View notes
80s4life · 3 years ago
Text
Arthur Fleck & The Joker SFW Alphabet
Word Count: 3,993
Status: Requested!
Ask: Yo, I know this is a BIG request but would you ever be down to do a SFW and NSFW alphabet for Arthur fleck (Phoenix joker)? 👀
@: a special anon!
A/N: I really hope you liked this one! I tried hard lmao
Fandom: Joker 2019
Relationship: Arthur Fleck x Reader, The Joker x Reader
Warnings: fluff, some angsty thinking, mentions of sexual activities, mentions of social and typical anxiety (our baby Arthur)
Masterlist DC Universe Masterlist
{gifs are not mine, credits go to @justiceleague​ & @fleckficgirl}
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Activities – What are their favorite things to do with you? How do you spend your free time?
Arthur likes to watch TV, play board games, take a walk around the city, hang out as a family with his mother, or simply just lay in bed or on the couch and cuddle. Really, when neither of you are truly busy, Arthur just wants to spend US time and isn’t too picky about what it is.
Joker, well, he just likes to fuck, cause havoc, steal, or take a nice ride on his motorcycle. Everything else is either fruitless or doesn’t have as much action as he craves. I mean, he even hates to sleep because it requires relaxing his bones for a few hours.
Boo! – How do they feel about surprises, giving and receiving?
Arthur is the most considerate, affectionate man you’ve ever met! His gifts have meaning because if he were to give something random, he doesn’t feel like it shows how much he pays attention. When it comes to you giving him gifts, he will almost fight you in refusal because he feels that he should be the only one buying things for you. “No, that’s my job, Y/N/N. You are my gift, I can’t have this.” You make him take the damn gifts anyways, using it as your “greatest wishes and deepest desires.”
Joker loves to get you the most extravagant, expensive things when out on the city streets, causing yet another riot. It’s the most convenient and thrill-seeking way to display his love for you, in his natural habitat and where he shines the brightest. When you give him gifts, they’re mainly minuscule things with meaning, like tools and things he once said he liked. You could get him expensive things, but Joker personally only likes it when you wear the jewels. It’s a possessive symbol he uses, displaying to others that he can spoil and take mighty fine care of you.
Comfort – How do they comfort you when you’re upset? When the tables turn, do they come to you, or try to handle it themselves?
Arthur likes to comfort you by pulling you into his chest, laying on either the bed or the couch while shushing you like a baby. Sometimes, he’ll hum you a small tune, but he’ll always stroke your head and place kisses on it, hand rubbing your back in soothing circles. When Arthur is upset, he’ll be very quiet and moping but he will never directly seek out your attention. You, usually, will come to him with a hand on his lower back, whispering “Are you alright?” in his ear, and then, no matter his response, you will copy exactly as he does with you, placing kisses all over his face, neck, and hair.
Joker isn’t really the touchy-feely types, opting to place his arm around your shoulder, or pull you away and look deeply into your eyes, asking you what’s wrong and how he can help. He’s more like the materialistic version of Arthur, buying you ice cream or things that you like,  but he hardy ever delves into the emotional support range. He does try his best, though, only for you. When Joker is upset, he disappears. Whether it be of someone else’s doing, yours, or his own, he never asks for your help or advice. Somehow, you track him down every time and force him to tell the truth. However, where Arthur and Joker differ is when Joker is upset, it was long-term emotions in the making, so when he breaks down, he breaks down hard and will need a shoulder to cry on or a partner in crime.
Dance – Do they like to dance with you? How good of a dancer are they?
Arthur will always dance with you, are you kidding? Learning from the TV and many dances with his dear mother, Arthur is not afraid to whisk you away in the living room at the given time and opportunity; and he’s amazing at it, too! No matter if you step on his toes, he’ll just giggle and place your feet on top of his, moving the both of you around like children.
Joker is also a very good dancer, and if he’s in a particularly romantic mood, he will dance with you as well. He can dance to any genre and efficiently at that. He can always find the rhythm and get lost in it, and it’s like heaven on earth when he takes you for a spin with him.
Excitement – How do they act when they’re excited? What excites them?
When Arthur or Joker are excited, it’s like children lost in a candy store. Their eyes shine so bright and so wickedly that it never seizes to place a smile on your face. Arthur can get excited by anything new or anything that sparks excitement from you. Joker always gets excited when he’s with you, it always means something huge will happen and it’ll be extravagant.
Future – What are their plans for the future? Do they see themselves getting married, having kids?
Arthur has always dreamed of having a huge family settling down peacefully, and having the opportunity to raise his children better than what he’d gotten, especially with never really knowing his father even when he’d met him. He wants a normal, suburban life with as many or as little children as you please, little feet running around always sparking joy in his greatest dreams. And, nothing seems better than growing old with you, his biggest supporter and greatest friend.
Joker sees himself ruling the world with you by his side. When Joker dreams of his future, he dreams of huge masses of followers, his name in bold, and the huge amount of adoration he could receive. Of course, in his industry, he wreaks havoc upon the cities of corrupted governmental ruling, so when he thinks of ruling, he thinks of this powerful beats of a man (himself) with this darling little jewel as his queen (you). Kids, however, really is a bigger topic with a lot of factors to truly consider, so we really can’t say if it’s a yes or no.
Gifts – What do they give you as presents? How often do they get you gifts?
Arthur will give you anything that sparked something within you. Like, if you saw something that reminded you of a different time or something of your hobbies, you’ll always find a wrapped gift of the same object hiding somewhere in the house. Arthur isn’t very frequent in it, knowing that too much will be overbearing, but he does it enough to catch you off guard all the time.
Joker gives you expensive clothes, jewelry, and appliances. If he thinks a particular thing will look good on you, he’s adding it to the cart and asking you to pleasure him with the sight of it on you. If he sees something you like, there’s no chance you’ll leave that spot without it. The frequency of the gifts depends on how often something catches either of your eyes, yet the surprise is still there.
Hold – How do they hold you? Cuddling, sleeping, holding hands…
Going anywhere around the city, Arthur prefers to hold your hand or guide you with a hand on your lower back. Being the gentleman and holding onto older values, Arthur will ensure that his hand is on top as if to guide and lead you as the man and protector, which also corresponds with the hand on the lower back. When you cuddle, however, Arthur doesn’t mind who is the little or big spoon as long as he can hold you and play with your hair, ears, and place kisses.
Joker doesn’t mind displaying his affection and ties with you, so when it comes to being out in public, his hand is always attached to yours. The hand placement doesn’t really matter much to Joker as much as it does Arthur. He feels that you both guide and protect each other, so when you are together, whoever takes top and bottom is really absentminded and just done without either of you paying attention. When you sleep, Joker, no matter what, wants to be big spoon or the pillow you lay on. He feels comforted and reassured to feel your light breathing at all times, and he needs to be the bigger spoon to have the notion that he is protecting you even in your sleep.
Ideal – What’s their ideal date like?
Arthur could literally go for take-out food and sit on the park benches and think of it as his best date ever. If anything, that’s the type of date he prefers. It’s simple, still romantic, and provides a sense of comfort and normality as you watch the trees dance, birds fly, and people run around. It’s also very private and allows Arthur to show the true him without torment and judgement of the general public.
If you could just, you know, blow up a bank, steal some cash, and then drive into the sunset with Joker, that’s be amazing, please. CRIME. Crime is Joker’s ideal date and it doesn’t matter what you do, just make sure it’s against the law and this man is BUZZING with adrenaline and utter attraction for you.
Jealousy – Do they get jealous easily? How do they handle it?
YES. Both men are extremely sensitive in the ways of loyalty and belonging. They didn’t really ever feel supported or loved just enough when they were children, so when you come along and others try to harness your attention, both Arthur and Joker become extremely jealous - but are jealous types in separate ways. Arthur will be shy and motion towards the fact that you are together, asking you to go somewhere private or “needing” you for something he would like help with. Joker, on the other hand, will either death stare the potential suitor while kissing you deeply or placing a firm hand on your waist, or, the man will beat the suitor down for “obstruction of property” as he likes to call it. Either way, the men see you as something special and unlike any other people, especially your love, and they simply can never let you go without fighting for you first.
Kisses – How do they like to kiss you? How frequently do you kiss?
Arthur is very sensitive and affectionate in general, so when it comes to kissing you, he prefers to simply settle his lips atop of yours. If you are in a more intimate setting, he usually waits for you to initiate a little tongue action. If he had to choose, he loves to leave butterfly or Eskimo kisses as they are cute, intimate, and sweet. He loves when you peck him on top of his head from behind or simply place any small kiss on his skin, and they are usually an everyday thing like when leaving or greeting one another.
The Joker is a more bold partner, and as such, he loves to leave head, neck and forehead kisses. However, is he had the chance to, make-outs are his preferred method as he cannot get enough of you, meaning lots of tongue and wrapped tightly in his arms. He doesn’t really like the quick, sweet kisses as he prefers for you to stay longer and truly show your affection for him at times when you get the chance. Frequency in kissing depends on your days and business; if you guys really don’t have time for each other, he’ll settle for a quick peck on the lips in passing - only if he really has to, though.
Love – How do they show you that they love you?
Arthur loves to just generally be near you and care for you, even when you’re healthy and well. When you’re stressed with work or some personal issues, he’s the type to pull you away from whatever your working on, knowing your ticks and quirks and knowing you need the break, and take you out for lunch or cuddle with you for a few minutes. Arthur checks over your well-being silently and observes you without the stress of feeling like you’re a burden to him. He’s just good like that.
Joker likes to show his love for you by remaining close and sharing looks only you can observe, even in public settings and riots. He’ll hold you hand in his and just stare at you with this look that’s just so pure and so full of adoration. He tries to buy you the prettiest things to make you feel just as valuable. He takes you on adventures so that you don’t feel like your life is wasted away when you’ll look over it in the future. He may seem off-putting and cold, but there are methods to his madness and true love meddled in the fine details.
Melt – What do you do that absolutely makes them melt?
When Arthur is too busy or caught up in his own world, when you pull him away from his work and spend time with him is all he needs to melt. He also likes when you sneak up on him and press a kiss behind his ears or play with his hair when he’s too busy to really focus. Your his protector just as he is yours, and just the thought of you standing behind him in his lowest points is all he could ever ask for.
Joker is a very hard person when it comes to knowing what makes him melt, it really depends on the day. One day you could hold his hand and it really could feel like a commonality, but if you do it another day, it could almost make his heart race and create the biggest smile. Everything you do is a wonder to him and there really is nothing too special that’ll make him melt, even if you don’t always see it.
Nicknames – What do they call you, and what are their favorite things to be called?
Arthur: 
Sweetheart
Baby
(My) Love
Sweetie
Sunshine
Babe
Pearl
Darling
ANYTHING ARTHUR CAN THINK OF
Joker:
Lover
Sexy
Babe
King/Queen/Royalty
Sugar Momma
Peach
Sugar/Sweetness
Beautiful
You (for both):
Handsome
Babe
King
Love
Hero
Protector
One and Only
My Man
God (namely for Joker because he lives for that shit)
Obvious – How obvious do they make it that they like you?
Neither men are particularly good at hiding their attraction. Arthur is stuttering, bashful and always determined to help or be around you in some way. Joker is always asking you to do something or find a reason to be stuck with you for a while. Either way, they think they aren’t being too obvious when they’re really straightforward and set on being around.
Pets – Do they have pets? Do they want them?
Arthur doesn’t have pets but adores them all the same, any pet any types. He loves the idea or raising something of his own and feeling the pride of taking care of it as well as he can. And, if you do get any type of animal, they love him more - much to your sadness.
Joker doesn’t have any animals either but doesn’t really mind them. He’s most likely settle for a cat or dog because they are typical and you most likely wanted them. He isn’t too keen on taking care of himself, so he’ll be more scared of the pet dying because he was unable to do any better with another living thing.
Quiet – How are the calm, quiet moments with them?
Bliss. Arthur shines in personal quiet times and actually prefers them over everything else. His language is better in the quiet where you are just able to coexist with one another without much of any expectations or verbal communication.
Joker, surprisingly, can get in the mood to just want to be quiet and alone with you. Sometimes, Joker does have a period of wanting to be alone and drained with you - albeit very, very small periods of time. You don;t have to do anything and he’ll be happy, just recharging and hanging out with his favorite person.
Romance – How romantic are they? What are their go-to ways of being romantic?
For Arthur, this is a very stupid question, are you kidding me? You have to be because he loves to be romantic and the same as when you are with him. He loves the thought of making your blood heat up and making you bashful with the simple acts of kindness romance can bring. Even in the bedroom, romance is key and where he thrives.
Joker is a romantic in his own way. He’ll hold your hand, help you up, and hold you to him in intimate and personal moments. Though, Joker is very quiet at these times and if you were to voice his little shows of affection, he’ll deny and turn away; a very short fuse and doesn’t really like when his small quirks are voiced.
Safe – What makes them feel safe and comfortable around you?
With Arthur, it’s always about the eyes. Surprising or not, Arthur does have some form of anxiety and if he has the chance to just be able to see you across the room, he knows he’s safe and that you’re there cheering for him. You know and can see the emotions in his eyes that others typically overlook; you know when he’s had enough, needs a helping hand, or just needs you near.
When he’s acting up as the villain of Gotham and being the notorious leader of other vigilantes, knowing you’re either far way or right beside him in the chaos allows him the sense of safety and a calming warmth to settle in his bones.
Tend – How do they act when you’re hurt or sick, and vice versa?
Arthur doesn’t freak out per say, but he will be at your bedside until the sickness is over and insist that you rest and never even lift a finger. You cannot make your own food, shower alone, or even walk yourself over to the couch to watch some TV - no, this is all the things he’s destined and supposed to do. Arthur will even have you sit up just so he can fluff your pillow. Although he doesn’t expect the same treatment or want to be a hassle, you show him the same love and affection, sometimes even jokingly doing just as he does so that he’ll roll his eyes and laugh.
Joker is a bitch when he’s sick and will have outbursts like a child, but even when he basically demands attention, he’ll turn you away and want to do everything himself, stating that he’s fine. However, when he gets tired enough or passes out, you’ll take his temperature, place cold towels on his head, and make him bowls of soup. Though, when you’re the one that’s sick, Joker acts like Arthur but more laid back and chill about it, he knows this is just a temporary fix.
Unique – What’s an unusual thing about them that’s oddly charming?
Joker loves to play with your hair or your hands when he’s tired or just absentmindedly hanging around you. If you have hair, he likes to make little braids that you often don’t find until later. Or, if you don’t have hair or it’s too short, he likes to trace your hands and play with your fingers. He also mumbles when he reads and sometimes doesn’t even realize it until you snort or snap a picture of him, listening to the story right along with him.
You love when the Joker ties his hair back into a messy bun or when it is just tied out of the way while he works. It’s a rare sight and just it being a sign of him out and about and just working is very hot to you. You also adore his goofy smile and laugh lines where his eyes sqint and cheeks pull tight when he’s generally happy.
Variety – Do they prefer to keep things the same, or spice it up?
Commonality and comfort - keep it the same. Arthur does like to try new things, but they have to be small and lead into a bigger change slowly as he doesn’t want to do anything too out of the realm of what is known too him. He’s a bit anxious in this sense.
Nothing is really ever the same with Joker, something is always brand new and spiced up. That’s what keeps things fun and exciting with him. It doesn’t have to be too drastic, but if it is new, that’s good enough for him.
Wash – What’s it like taking a bath with them, or helping them wash up after a fight?
Arthur prefers long bubble baths and just for the two of you to relax. When you’re in need of a quick wash, you both love to suds each other up and massaged all the tense muscles, scrub each other’s hair. It’s cute and loving and you guys can’t get enough.
Joker LIVES for when you clean him up after a fight, washing away all the blood and then helping to wrap his knuckles and bandage the cuts when you’re out. However, any shower or bath with the Joker becomes at least one type of porn we’ve all seen, okay? Let’s be real and honest.
XO – How do they show you affection? How much PDA are they willing to show?
Arthur prefers to just hold you, really; be it your hands, a hug, or even just being near each other. He isn’t too picky or too shy with PDA, you just bring it out of him.
Joker prefers to wrap an arm around your shoulder or hand on your hip as a statement. You his and he is yours, no one should ever come between that; PDA is a must.
Yearn – What do they do when they miss you?
Arthur will call you, send you a little text, or leave little love notes. He’s simple in this aspect and not afraid to tell you he misses you. If your with him, why should he be ashamed to admit that he had feelings to begin with? Arthur is truly understanding and very cooperative in this aspect and he knows that connection and trust builds stronger bonds.
Joker will sneak up on you and meet you wherever you are, in or out of state. Joker isn’t one to really voice his thoughts or feelings, but you’re a very good reader, he doesn’t need to tell you because you already know. You either visit him in your free time or he’s already bounding towards you, there is not in between. Love has no wait.
Zzz – How do they act when they get sleepy? How is it sleeping in the same bed?
Arthur is generally a cuddly stuffed animal nonetheless. When he’s sleepy, he’ll pile on the cuddles and head nudges but still allow you your time to finish what you need to get done. He’s never too pushy in having a little extra fun in bed unless you allow it or ask him for it, but otherwise, he pulls you close and spoons you as either little or big spoon.
Joker is very cranky when its comes to being tired and it’s more because it pisses himself off to the fact that he’s even drained of energy in the fist place. He loves to live on the go, so being tired is the most annoying thing for him and yourself to endure. When you finally get to bed, he insists on pulling you into him and using you as his own Joker-sized-Teddy-Bear.
144 notes · View notes
maniacwatchestheworld · 2 years ago
Note
Just want you to know, bruharvey is kinda already implied by DC. Frank Miller's works Year One and Dark Knight Returns have panels that include homoerotic subtext between them, such as the one with Batman hiding under the desk when Gordon comes in as if they have a secret affair, and Harvey later telling him to "come out", and another panel with Bruce comparing him and Harvey to lovers: "we tumble like lovers". The Jekyll and Hyde comic (notoriously bad btw, do not read) has panels oozing with homoeroticism of Harvey being super affectionate to Bruce. In the Telltale game, the player as Bruce has the option to give Harvey flowers and Bruce says to him, "you'll always be beautiful to me, Harv". The Face to Face arc has Harvey saying he and Bruce went on a date. The Batman vs Two-Face movie jokes about their relationship: "Oh my! Two handsome bachelors who are still best friends after all these years? Oh! It's enough to give a girl the vapors." And you probably already know this but in Detective Comics #1063, a love song plays over their reunion. The BTAS tie-in comics and BTAS itself has a lot of implications of something between them as well. There's just generally a lot of subtext in most Batman media featuring the two. Also this is stupid but it is notable how Harvey is usually Bruce's "damsel in distress", a trope usually relegated to female love interests for men to rescue, and Harvey as a damsel for Bruce surprisingly occurs in a lot of Batman media.
Frank Miller. The first person you decided to list on here is Frank Miller. Known raging racist and misogynist Frank Miller. Frank Miller who, while he did a lot of admirable work on The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, also wrote and drew one of the worst, most vile comic books out there in Holy Terror (No, not Batman: Holy Terror, just Holy Terror). Now I will admit that I can't personally verify that he's a homophobe (I CAN tell you that he used 'gay' and 'queer' in a very slurry context back in All Star Batman and Robin, but that was also made in the time when using those words like that was more commonplace and seen as acceptable), but I have doubts that he's an ally either. And even if he is, I don't think that we should want him anywhere near us or our community. I wouldn't chalk any homoerotic subtext in anything Frank Miller has written as being intentional, but rather being a result of that toxic obsession with masculinity that Frank Miller is known for indulging. Because we all know that toxic masculinity when taken to its extreme somehow always manages to circle back around to being pretty darn gay without the people perpetuating it ever realizing it. So... Just... Not a great place to start... >.< Also if you're going to take Frank's usage of simile and metaphor on face value as evidence of Bruce and Harvey being into each other... Then that means that Bruce also probably wants to fuck buildings... >.>
THERE'S HOMOEROTIC SUBTEXT IN JEKYLL AND HYDE!!!??? I've heard that it's bad and don't really intend to read it... BUT IF THERE'S HOMOEROTICISM! Please send me the homoeroticism! If you want to stay anonymous, you can just send me the images, I'll delete the thing that you sent it on and make a separate post for it. GIVE ME THE HOMOEROTIC STUFF FROM JEKYLL & HYDE PLEASE! I WANNA SEE IT! Otherwise I may HAVE to read it just to find the homoerotic stuff! Please don't subject me to that fate!
Huh. I've been playing the first Telltale game and I don't remember the option of being able to give Harvey flowers. Damn shame too because with how I play Bruce, he's hopelessly in love with Harvey lol (Unlike >90% of players, I DID NOT sleep with Selina!) I feel pretty convinced that they must have wanted to make Harvey a romancable option in the Telltale game, but that DC didn't let them.
Should I check out the Face to Face arc...? I know nothing about it.
I saw Batman vs. Two-Face and we can agree there! There was not a single straight thing about that film! Also yes, can verify the Detective Comics #1063 thing... Also like... Look at that cover! Wanna see Harvey as a damsel, there you go! And I have watched all of Batman: the Animated series so will agree with you there and I am still working on reading the comics for the animated series. Looking forwards to the issue with the parachute scene... >.>
I do agree with you that there's a fair bit of subtext between Harvey and Bruce out there... I know that it's there and I do see it. But we deserve better than just subtext. We shouldn't take our subtext and just be happy with the scraps we're given. If any of this is intentional (which at least some of it must be), then it just isn't enough. Headcanon is good and all, but I don't want this to be baiting and teasing that goes nowhere. As a minimum they should confirm one or both of them as bi, even if they don't get together. We as a community deserve better than just subtext and teasing! We deserve actual canonical characterization, dammit! And I think that we can actually get it! I think that Bruce and Harvey getting together would just be the right call for them narratively speaking and so want it to actually happen! Make it happen, DC you cowards!
13 notes · View notes
mouisorange · 4 years ago
Text
☰ Yandere Personality Types  〔Big Five〕
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
☰ Overview
〔Disclaimer〕 Yandere behavior and mindsets are not healthy, nor should they be sought after: this is just meant to be a fun way to analyze characters and see/understand how they may fit into this specific genre of fictional horror. 
This personality ‘assessment’ was inspired by @ddarker-dreams​‘s ‘Yandere MBTI’ as I adore their writing and have always thought that their MBTI assessment is really cool! I also noticed how other people enjoy it so I thought I would make my own assessment, though mine is inspired by the ‘Big Five Personality Traits’. I even tried to be creative and add in the little circles that you can find on the actual Big Five assessment too (which is 100% free btw!). I don’t really think I did the Big Five assessment justice, and I think that a lot more goes into the complexities around this kinda thing, but hopefully this is somewhat interesting!
If you have your own thoughts or even wanna try this out, 100% feel free to use or talk to me about it! Check it out below the cut!
Tumblr media
☰  OPEN   •  •  •  •  •  CLOSED 
〔Open〕 yanderes are blatant about their obsession. They do not try and hide it either because they believe it’s meant to be, because they’re too deep in their delusions to understand that it might be a good idea to keep their mouth shut, or simply because they’re in a position to not care about hiding their interest. Usually, this type of yandere is either seen as somewhat of a ‘lovesick puppy’ or a powerful character; though, being a ‘lovesick puppy’ doesn’t necessarily mean kind or affectionate. Whether it was ‘love at first sight’ or more of a slow-burn, these characters usually roll with their feelings with little to no hesitation. Situations with this type of yandere usually include darlings who are unaware of the yandere’s emotions (or even their existence) until they’re suddenly confronted, kidnapped, or confessed to seemingly out of the blue. 
examples︙Anasui 〔 jjba. Stone Ocean〕,  Diavolo & Doppio 〔 jjba. Golden Wind〕, Pina 〔Beastars〕, & Zeke Yeagar 〔Attack on Titan〕.
〔Closed〕 yanderes try to hide their obsessive mindset or behaviors. While they might not always be successful at hiding their interest, closed yandere types are either ashamed/embarrassed by their feelings or are frustrated by them in some way. Usually this type of yandere will ignore/avoid their darling in hopes of losing their feelings, or pretend their feelings don’t exist. This type of yandere is either upset at themselves for having these feelings or upset at their darling for ‘making’ them feel that way. Darling can possibly see their behavior coming and try to avoid the character, but this type of yandere is likely to ‘snap’ at some point and somehow corner their darling as an attempt at controlling their obsession or feelings (though, sometimes this is just the yandere trying to excuse their behavior).
examples︙Avdol〔jjba. SDC〕, Legoshi 〔Beastars〕, Alucard 〔Castlevania〕, & Klaus Hargreeves 〔The Umbrella Academy〕.
☰ Questions to consider when categorizing a yandere
〔 ⅰ. 〕 How does their behavior shift when they realize they’re obsessed?
〔 ⅱ. 〕 What are their opinions on their darling? Does this character adore them? Do they blame darling for their behavior (if so, are they angry about it)?
〔 ⅲ. 〕 How comfortable is this yandere with their feelings and/or actions in regards to their darling?
Tumblr media
☰  CASUAL  •  •  •  •  •  DIRECT
〔Casual〕 yanderes do not actively pursue their darling. This type of character is typically laid-back. They either believe that darling will inevitably fall ‘into line’ or is mellow enough to be content with simply being in darling’s life. Casual yanderes are either delusional or are not possessive enough to want more than close friendship from their darling. Though it usually takes a specific type of character for this, some yanderes here believe that they’re already in a relationship with their darling and therefore feel no need to chase after them. This kind of character can confuse their darling, and make it more difficult to get away, as their behavior can be waived off if the character is perceived as harmless, gains darling’s sympathy in some way, or otherwise is not vocal about their delusional thinking/is charming enough to convince darling to just go along with it. Some of these characters are willing to let go if darling catches on early enough, though most will just slowly follow behind regardless of what darling does (though this behavior/these reactions will definitely vary/be different depending on the character).  
examples︙ Mista 〔jjba. Golden Wind〕, Luther Hargreeves 〔The Umbrella Academy〕, Connie Springer 〔Attack on Titan〕, & Cater Diamond 〔Twisted Wonderland〕.   
〔Direct〕 yanderes, as their name suggests, directly or actively pursue their darling. Usually strict or over-bearing, these characters actively chase after their darling’s affections (or otherwise whatever goal relationship the yandere wants). This yandere makes organized, sometimes step by step, plans in order to achieve their goal. It depends on the character whether they get angry when plans have to be changed or if they just shift their angle, however, these characters are focused and will not be discouraged should darling fight against their plans. If anything, some of these characters will be encouraged by their darling fighting back for various reasons (for example, if they’re delusional or just thing it’s a part of the whole ‘chase’ thing/enjoy it). These characters will almost never give up on their darling regardless of what happens.
examples︙ Giorno Giovanna 〔jjba. Golden Wind〕, Armin Arlert 〔Attack on Titan〕, Rook Hunt 〔Twisted Wonderland〕, & Jason Todd 〔DC Comics〕. 
☰ Questions to consider when categorizing a yandere
〔 ⅰ. 〕 How goal-oriented is this character, especially when it comes to their darling? 
〔 ⅱ. 〕 How lenient is this character? Are they trying to force a bee-line to a relationship with their darling or are they willing to play the long game?
〔 ⅲ. 〕 Is this character organizing a plan in order to achieve their goal(s)? Or are they completely winging it? If they’re winging it, are they just hoping that everything will naturally fall into place, or do they genuinely believe it’s fated to happen?
Tumblr media
☰  DISCREET  •  •  •  •  •  INTENSE
〔Discreet〕 yanderes either do not have overly strong yandere behaviors or are able to hide said traits enough to be seen as ‘normal’. These characters will usually hide their behavior, regardless of the reasons, in order to have a normal relationship with their darling. While similar to closed character types, discreet yanderes differ in the sense that they usually do not struggle to hide their behavior, and will slowly (or suddenly, depending on the situation, one situation being kidnapping) merge this persona with their actual personality so that darling has no reason to want to leave. While not all characters within this category are fully aware of their behavior, most are intentionally manipulative and have some kind of end goal. They’re not ashamed of this mindset as they believe their reasons (such as “protecting” darling from something) excuse any tears that their darling might shed directly because of this yandere’s actions later on in the ‘relationship’. The period between “normal” and whatever end goal will vary based on the character. This type’s darling can have friends, and even other relationships to an extent (though this does vary), they’ll usually end up reaching the yandere’s goal without knowing about their behavior up until it’s too late to do anything about it. 
examples︙ Risotto Nero 〔jjba. Golden Wind〕, Louis 〔Beastars〕, Lilia Vanrouge 〔Twisted Wonderland〕, &  Sinbad 〔Magi〕. 
〔Intense〕 yanderes can be defined by their possessiveness, or otherwise intense behavior/mindset/emotions. This type of yandere will usually want to either isolate or monopolize their darling’s time in it’s entirety. While the character might not isolate themselves, they’ll do what they can in order to ensure that their darling is focused solely on them (or whatever goal yandere has in mind). Intense yanderes tend to come off as over-bearing or as harassers/bullies. Depending on their other traits, they will either direct their focus on getting other people away from darling or direct their focus on somehow getting darling away from other people (usually involving kidnapping or isolating them in their home). These characters have a tendency to be either cruel or manipulative and darling might believe that their yandere hates them in some way, even if the character says otherwise. 
examples︙ Illuso 〔jjba. Golden Wind〕, Melon 〔Beastars〕, Kouen Ren 〔Magi〕, & Leona Kingscholar 〔Twisted Wonderland〕.
☰ Questions to consider when categorizing a yandere
〔 ⅰ. 〕 How well would this character take rejection? Do they try and rationalize the rejection or do they just accept it (even taking whatever darling said to heart)?
〔 ⅱ. 〕 Can this character handle their darling having friendships? How do they react to darling spending periods of time without them? 
〔 ⅲ. 〕 Does this yandere need (or want?) to spend every waking (and sleeping) moment with darling? If so, what is time spent with this yandere like? 
Tumblr media
☰  AGREEABLE  •  •  •  •  •  CONTROLLING
〔Agreeable〕 yanderes seem to genuinely care about their darling and see their darling as a breathing person with their own thoughts/feelings. These characters put their darling before themselves, sometimes going as far as seeing them as someone to worship or put on a pedestal, and believe that darling is better than them in some way. In some cases, they see darling as being unable to do anything wrong (to an extent). They’re willing to debate rights or loosen rules/chains (if they even decided to do chain darling in the first place) with darling and are willing to listen to what they have to say. This yandere’s end goal usually involves some kind of genuine relationship, regardless of how delusional that might be. 
examples︙ Haru 〔Beastars〕, Floch Forster 〔Attack on Titan〕, Tim Drake 〔DC Comics〕, & Vanya Hargreeves 〔The Umbrella Academy〕.
〔Controlling〕 yanderes do not view their darling as equal, either seeing them as childish (in the sense that they don’t understand things or can’t), seeing them as some kind of pet/trophy, or somewhere in-between. They usually do not care about their darling’s thoughts, feelings, or general well-being. Usually the only thing this yandere cares about is controlling their darling, the connection they have to their darling is the only important thing when it comes to darling as a person. Some of these characters even go as far as not minding if darling dies as long as they still view darling as being theirs (example being, if prince charming kept his princess asleep in order to keep princess to himself). While end goals will vary from yandere to yandere, those in this category typically don’t care how darling feels as long as they’re getting what they want from darling. 
examples︙ Kars 〔jjba. Battle Tendency〕, Judar 〔Magi〕, Cioccolata 〔jjba. Golden Wind〕, &  Diavolo 〔 jjba. Golden Wind〕.
☰ Questions to consider when categorizing a yandere
〔 ⅰ. 〕 Does this yandere view darling as a human with their own thoughts/feelings or is darling more of a possession/plaything? 
〔 ⅱ. 〕 Is darling’s mental or physical well-being important to this character? 
〔 ⅲ. 〕 How many rights does darling have and how quickly are said rights taken away/given back? Are they ever given back? What are the yandere’s motives in taking/giving these rights?
Tumblr media
☰  RESILIENT  •  •  •  •  •  FRAGILE
〔Resilient〕 yanderes will almost never become discouraged. They’re confident in the sense that they know they’ll eventually achieve their goal. This type of character is willing to spend years trying to either break down their darling or otherwise induce a sort of ‘Stockholm syndrome’. Characters who heavily stalk their darling tend to fall into this category. More so, resilient yanderes are not likely to have any sort of breakdown over their darling, regardless of the situation. They’re strong in their thought process, and are not willing to change their mind-set/behavior towards their darling (or anyone else).
examples︙ Ibuki 〔Beastars〕, Bruno Bucciarati 〔jjba. Golden Wind〕,   Jade Leech 〔Twisted Wonderland〕, & Shigaraki Tomura 〔My Hero Academia 〕.
〔Fragile〕 yanderes, as their name suggests, are ‘fragile’ in their goals or mind-set. Usually this type of yandere is either meek or feel overly guilty about their mind-set/behaviors. These characters can be easily swayed by their darling in some way, and they can get distracted from their end-goal if darling plays their cards right. More adoring, worshipper yanderes tend to fall in this category. Characters here usually do not like upsetting their darling and (at times) are desperate for their darling’s approval. While not an inherently manipulative category, fragile yanderes will use methods like gaslighting in order to avoid any kind of confrontation.
examples︙ Pesci 〔jjba. Golden Wind〕, Allison Hargreeves 〔The Umbrella Academy〕, Jack 〔Beastars〕, & Niccolo 〔Attack on Titan〕. 
☰ Questions to consider when categorizing a yandere
〔 ⅰ. 〕 How emotional/insecure is this character? 
〔 ⅱ. 〕 Is this character confrontational, or would they rather avoid any kind of confrontation by whatever means necessary (such as gaslighting or blackmailing others in the situation)? 
〔 ⅲ. 〕 How patient are they? How long are they willing to wait and/or bide their time in order to achieve some sort of goal?
Tumblr media
﹝☼﹞
680 notes · View notes
skiesofthesketchy · 4 years ago
Note
could i pretty please (with a cherry on top) get “ask me nicely” with jj? 🥺
hi love! thanks for your request :)
ahh i know it's been so long since I've posted, and these requests came in months ago, but I now have more time and will be working on those old requests, and hopefully some other stuff too. y'all let me know what you think, love u <3
masterlist
1k celebration blurbs
Tumblr media
25. "Ask me nicely."
***
You were warm, laying out in the sun with your eyes closed as you listened to the banter between your friends about whether the DC comics were better than Marvel. You were hardly paying attention, slowly drifting into a comfortable dream-like state. However, you were rudely awakened by someone snatching the sun hat that was covering your face from the harsh sunlight.
You sat up while shielding your eyes, your vision taking a second to adjust before you noticed JJ standing above you with a sly smirk on his face, your sun hat in hand. “JJ,” you grumbled. “What the hell? Give it back.”
He just shook his head, putting the hat atop his dripping locks of hair. “No can do, Y/N. You’re coming to the water with me.”
You rolled your eyes with a huff. “I was trying to take a nap.”
“Don’t be so lazy,” he teased. You angrily stood up and reached for your hat, but JJ took it off and held it above his head, out of your reach.
“Seriously, JJ? How old are you?” He always pulled this kind of shit with you, taking your stuff and teasing you until you were forced to chase him in order to get it back. It was annoying, and you didn’t know why he found such joy in messing with you all the time.
You pulled on his arm but he wouldn’t budge, the hat still too high up for you to reach. You shoved him and tried jumping instead, but failed. He laughed at your attempt, a bright grin on his face. “You’ll have to try harder than that.”
“Oh my god, you’re so annoying!” You made sure to put on your best pissed off expression, but JJ was unbothered. Getting a rise out of you was one of his favorite pastimes.
“Ask me nicely.” You grumbled at his cute little dimples making an appearance on his handsome face as he smirked at you, eyes gleaming.
“Fine. JJ, can I please have my hat back?” You pouted your lips and batted your eyelashes for good measure. You swear you could punch this idiot sometimes.
“See, Y/N? That’s all you had to do,” he said, offering you the hat, only to take off running when you went to grab it. You had no choice but to chase after him, yelling at him the whole time while he cackled like a child in a game of tag.
Just a few strides behind him, you balled your fists and decided to jump onto his back. JJ only stumbled slightly as you tightened your arms around his neck, your legs wrapping around his waist. “Give it back, you idiot!” you yelled at him.
To your surprise, JJ dropped your hat and used his free hands to grab the back of your thighs. “Time for a swim!” he hollered with a laugh. You tried your best to wiggle out of his grasp, but with his hold on your legs, you’d fall if you let go of his shoulders. Then he was sprinting like a maniac towards the water, acting as if he didn’t have a person on his back kicking and screaming.
He ran into the sea, not stopping until the water reached his chest while you squealed at the cold temperature engulfing your warm body. Leave it to JJ to make you chase him around like a dumbass, then fling you into the ocean. You’re just glad you had taken your clothes off already at your beach spot.
“I’m going to kill you,” you muttered into his ear, your arms still clasped tightly around him.
He just chuckled at your displeasure. “Come on, Y/N. You can’t kill me. You’d miss me too much.” He released your legs but you tightened your grip around him like a snake attacking its prey, your legs wrapped around his waist. Your arm secured around his neck in a chokehold and his hands shot to your elbow to try and pull it away.
“Wanna bet, Maybank?” you taunted in his ear. He only laughed, using his superior strength to pry your arm loose enough for him to breathe. You’ve had your fair share of wrestling matches with the boys, in fact JJ was the one who showed you the move you were trying to pull on him, but you were never strong enough to actually win.
JJ expertly grabbed your wrists and held them down against his chest, but you weren’t going to give up that easily. He laughed again cockily, and you were getting even more annoyed. “You know you can’t beat me in a physical fight,” he beamed.
You couldn’t think of anything witty to say back as you tried to yank your arms free of his grip. The idiot wasn’t even phased, just laughing at your poor attempts to escape before suddenly spinning around and pulling you with him. It was a battle of strength with his fingers still wound around your wrists as you tried to get away. To nobody’s surprise, JJ was winning, and he had somehow maneuvered you to be in front of him, your back pressed to his chest while he held your arms crossed over your body.
“Ugh, JJ!” you whined. You were even more helpless now with JJ clutching you against him and not being able to move your arms. You stopped struggling and threw your head back onto his shoulder. “You couldn’t have let me win just this once?”
You felt his breathy laugh fan over your bare neck and collar bone. “What would be the fun in that?”
You closed your eyes with a sigh, letting your whole body relax now that you had given up on trying to beat JJ. “You’re an asshole.”
He chuckled again, eyes focused on you and how calm you looked now. He had a close up view of your pretty face and the smooth skin of your neck, all the way down to your cleavage. Another soft sigh escaped your lips and JJ smiled, letting go of your arms and wrapping his own around your waist. Instead of being forcefully pinned down, you were secured in his comfortable embrace.
He swayed the pair of you softly as he looked out at the ocean, and you stayed with your eyes closed. His fingers rubbed soothing circles into your skin while your legs floated out in front of you. You were actually falling back into that dream-like state before JJ broke the silence. “I’m beginning to think you like being in this position, Y/N,” he tried to flirt.
“Oh shut up,” you laughed softly. “I’m sleepy.”
“I can carry you back to the beach spot,” JJ offered, which made you smile.
“No, let’s stay here for a little while.” You didn’t see it, but JJ had a grin of his own as he brushed your hair away from your face before returning his hand to your hip.
***
add/remove yourself from my taglist!
forever tags: @anonymousbbbb@niya-savage @voguesir @itsmrsfuentes @caseyabel28 @rafej-cambanks @misssociopath @justme172 @beautifultragedy1313
outer banks tags: @brithedemonspawn@no-pogue-on-pogue-macking @theresonly-butterflies @niamhobrien99 @sarcasticsagittarius12 @catonthesideoftheroad @lovelogan @falling-perfectly @justanotherbooklover @hemmingsness @lannxyz @outerbnx-stiles @dontjinx-it @queenofthepouges @tovvaa @phantompogues @brown-eyedshell @dazzlingnightsincrediblesights @jenjie @5sosbands @justcallmemia-blog @brithedemonspawn @princess-east @dancingintheredroom @kitty084 @kickintheballsfantastic@imgoingtohellsofuckit @allaloneisokay-blog
jj tags: @lemur46@huhbble @princess-of-the-fandoms @camillemonty @baibabes-blog1 @shy-1234 @unfortunatekiwitrash @bijleegiregi @cheshirecat107 @dracoswhore007 @folkloverr @kaylinfayezink @canyoubuymetoast @lovelychanel @thefandomrainbow @canyoufixsthebroken @wwjaad @king-ronnoc @yami5525
333 notes · View notes
achillieus · 4 years ago
Text
let you down. (sebastian stan x reader)
summary: it's a universal truth but it's worth repeating; feelings eat us raw. or just an actor and a girl falling in and out of love over the course of three months.
(this was inspired by sebastian's visit to greece for his movie, monday, and is based on that, so that means in the story we’re in 2018. also i have this posted on ao3 too but while i’m writing the last parts i thought of posting it here too)
pairing: sebastian stan x reader
warnings: alcohol, sexual references, implied depression, sebastian desperately needs to hug the reader, infidelity, it's kinda slowburn because i love the yearning, this part is full of angst and built up tension,
part: 3/6
(other parts)   (masterlist)
Tumblr media
Being Sebastian Stan is not a simple thing. Some days it makes him feel like he is only a porcelain face on screen. Nothing more than photographs and rumors. He had once told an interviewer he was scared people would never know the real Sebastian. What he meant was that he was worried he’d wake up one day and the real him would be vanished.
The world would have eaten him alive.
Walking you home, in empty streets in a small country makes it all easier. His mind is clear of dazzling thoughts and his heart is not racing up. He can smile and no one will be there to take a picture of him.
Somehow that makes him smile more.
And when he does, it feels like Christmas. And you are certain there will come a day where you’ll be so close to oblivion and unable to remember what mint tastes like or what your favorite color is, but you’ll still have the turned up corners of his mouth painted in your head.
He stops walking. You look at him confused. He’s fidgeting with his fingers.
“Back at the party,” he takes a long breath as if trying to slow down his heartbeat, “You were talking with that tall guy.”
He sounds terrified. You don’t understand why. He thinks it’s better that way.
“Yeah I was.” There’s a flicker of surprise in your voice.
“Do you know him well?” You realize you have stopped in front of a pharmacy, the halogen light above you, turning your skin a sick green color.
“I know he’s an actor.” You take a step, finding the courage to walk away from him. “He’s kinda famous here.”
You can hear him move close behind you.
“Do you want me to ask Argyris if he’s single?”
There’s mockery in his voice. It makes you feel intoxicated. It’s your turn to stop walking. Your gaze falls on his face and Sebastian can feel his eyes sting but he keeps them open; wide and pale blue.
Almost green, under this light.
“No.”
“Oh don’t be sh-“
“No, I mean it. I would never date a famous guy.”
“Why?” A hasted breath escapes his trembling lips. And for a moment you think of kissing him right there; in the middle of the street, but you never do.
His world moves too fast for people like us.
That’s what you want to yell back at him, but then you remember;
The evening Sebastian fell asleep in your couch, he was more than a famous guy. He was clutching on your pillow like a kid and he was humming to himself like your father used to.
And he smiled as he fell asleep.
There is no argument left in you. He’s just a boy.
“I’m scared.” Your words slowly suffocate him. He feels the weight of your heart pulling him down.
He nods.
/
The next two days pass in a blur. You can hear him laugh with people as they walk up the stairs to Argyris’ flat. You’re not used to him not stopping at your door. It makes your cheeks red and your eyes filled with salty tears.
You haven’t realized until now, but you’ve become dependent on his presence.
So when you open your eyes at 4am with your phone buzzing with an Instagram message, you bite your cheeks.
Are you awake?
You stare at the screen to make sure you read it all correct, until it turns black and then lights up once again.
Why are you scared?
You don’t have to be scared with me.
I’m trying. You want to answer. Help me. You want to answer. Please.
You put your phone away until the words turn blurry.
/
He’s back at your door the following night. He’s wearing a white tank top and his rings. He must have just finished shooting.
You keep staring at each other, both tongue-tied with the words you’ll never say. He looks worried and desperate. You look tired and desperate. Taylor Swift is playing in the background.
“No more AC/DC?” He laughs and your eyes smile.
“Do you want to talk?” He asks.
You shake your head like you’re at war with yourself.
“Do you want to just stay here?” Your voice is too silent but it’s almost deafening him.
Sebastian thinks that he wants tons of things. He wants to hold you. And he wants to touch you. Everywhere. And he wants to know why there’s sorrow surrounding you. And he wants to take it all away.
And he wants you.
But he knows that he can’t tell you that. These words are too heavy for you to carry on your shoulders. At least for now.
“I’ll stay.” He says with a breath.
You give him an almost smile and all you can feel is gratitude.
/
You lay in your bed together. You’ve slept with other guys in that bed before. And it’s been nude and sloppy and brutal. But this is different. This is intimacy in its purest form. You’re both fully clothed but you both feel naked. And so close. So close.
All Sebastian can hear is the sound of your breathing and every bone inside him is breaking. He is afraid he’s turning paralyzed.
And then you move your body and bring your forehead next to his. Sebastian inhales deeply. You smell of faded vanilla body cream.
You look at him and you know then you can get used to that. You bury your fingers in the hem of his shirt. You want him to come closer. He knows.
“I’ll stay love,” his voice is steady and sincere “Anytime.”
He calls you love because there’s nothing else to call you. He calls you love because you both need him too.
“I don’t think that’s possible.” Sebastian thinks you’re always too sensible. It’s something you keep between the hollows of your body. “But it’s okay.”
His hand is in your hair. It soothes you.
“What happened? What broke you?” he whispers.
You don’t know what to say. You don’t know how everything started. It's hard to remember but there is one image in the back of your eyes that crawls through your skin and makes you shiver. You try to ignore it.
“I don’t know.” He turns his gaze at you but you look at the cold ceiling. It’s so much easier this way.
He doesn’t answer. He just draws circles in the back of your palm and places his lips against the scalp of your head. And while you’ve never been much of a science person, you’re certain this is how a nuclear attack emerges.
/
When the sun rises and you wake up, he’s not there. Earth moves slowly as the cold sheets press against your skin.
It’s early, there is a soft breeze coming in from your open window. A man is bickering with this wife across the street.
You can hear her call him a liar.
I’ll stay love.
You can hear him yell his apologies.
Anytime.
Why do people lie? Why do we lie?
You don’t try to search for him. You take a shower and drink some chocolate milk. You pay attention to the silence in the room. You almost forget your heart is still beating.
/
You bump into Argyris’ girlfriend while taking out the garbage. You like her a lot. She’s strong and pretty and smart. You wonder sometimes, how exactly that feels.
You pray she doesn’t mention him. It doesn’t work.
“He must be flying right now.” Suddenly you feel as if there is something rotten inside your chest. It makes you want to graze your skin and throw away everything that's inside.
You look at her slightly confused.
“He’s flying to Toronto; he has to attend a festival there.” She smiles. You’ve noticed she always smiles.
You just nod and step out of the building. Her voice stops you.
“He’s coming back in some days.”
“I don’t care.” Now she laughs.
“There’s no need to lie.” You take a sharp breath. “He cares too.”
You want to believe her words but they seem like choke chains.
You throw your garbage away.
You keep your rotten chest.
/
Sebastian sits back at his seat and orders a hundred and one drinks. The airplane is chasing the sun. He’s chasing his thoughts. Neither will ever catch up.
He used to like travelling. Airports, suitcases and foreign hotel rooms made him feel free. Now they make him feel the opposite.
The material on his seat is rugged. He wants to go back to your soft sheets. He can’t.
And then he imagines a place and a time where he could just kiss you without any possible consequences. He imagines a place where you could rest your bodies together for a long time without worries weighing you down. He imagines a place where he gets what he wants. A place where that thing between you two is more than enough.
The sun blinds him. He closes the small window and then his eyes.
Being Sebastian Stan is not a simple thing.
Some days he can’t take it.
/
You’re sitting on the floor and it’s almost 9 in the morning. You’ve calculated the time difference and it’s 2 in the morning where he is. That sounds wrong. Almost scary.
He left three days ago but he’s everywhere. There are photos of him wearing stupid floral shirts and posing in a sophisticated way. And there’s Nicole Kidman next to him.
God. I’ve become infatuated with a man who plays in movies with Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey Jr.
That’s what you think and you know you’re doomed.
You expect him to send you a message or a picture at first, but he doesn’t. You wonder if your time together was only a blurry puzzle of disconnected memories that somehow fits in his past.
He’ll simply forget all of it.
You try not to think about him but then you meet Argyris in the lobby and you have to bite the inside of your mouth so his name doesn’t jump out from your lips.
You go to bed early that day. You hold onto your pillow and you count the hours that separate you.
(13 hours with a plane)
(25 days with a boat)
You count and you fall asleep.
And you fall in love.
/
It’s not uncommon to rain in Toronto. But today rain feels heavier on Sebastian’s skin. He remembers the day he met you; it was hot and the sun made the window glass look like it was about to melt. That memory is the cause of his shivering.
Once upon a time he was in love. He was in love with a girl who had ethereal written all over her body. He was in love with a girl who was destined for divinity.
But those were the old days; they are dead and gone now. Your skin glistening under the Athenian sun changed it all.
It’s not easy to feel this way. The sky understands so it opens up and pours down on his dark hair. He presses his eyes closed with his fingers. And he tries to imagine a version of himself that doesn’t think about you that often.
He can’t.
Not even when he has a deity as his girlfriend.
/
The next time you see him, his hair is a little longer and much messier than you remember. And you have to devour all the sense that’s left inside you as not to touch it with your bare hand.
He has a cigarette in his fingers and a dark jacket thrown around his shoulders and everyone’s asking him about the festival. You just sit on the corner of your neighbor’s flat and listen to laughter and glasses clicking against each other. And you smile.
Smile; because he’s here.
And then he notices you and you’re pretty sure his eyes linger on your face a little longer than it's normal for humans. And his gaze is so brilliantly blank and loony that you don’t know how to respond. And then he starts to cough. And he never looks at you for the rest of the night.
You want to believe it’s better this way.
But it makes you so angry; you want to clench your teeth hard.
/
It goes like this; you don’t exchange any words for the next two days and it feels like your lips will start to bleed.
And you don’t know but his head feels like battlefield.
“When do you know you can’t stop it?” He asks Argyris. He feels ashamed.
“When you don’t want to stop it.”
He grabs the beer can and drinks his confusion away. He hopes alcohol will send his thoughts to sleep but instead it sends him to your door.
He rests his head against the wooden material. He can hear water running down and he can hear you humming a song.
And the foreign words make no sense to him but somehow they sound like lyrical poetry.
He waits for the water to stop and then he knocks.
/
Your hair is wet and sticks to your blue shirt. Your eyes grow wide when you see him standing there.
“I thought you’d never come at my door again.”
He looks at the floor.
“I shouldn’t.”
He sounds defeated; defeated by his own self. And you can smell the flammable liquid on his breath. And you can see that he has his nails pressed against his palm. You take his hand in yours and he closes his eyes. You caress the little cuts with your fingers. There are no scars but the skin is still red and painted with fear. You understand and it makes you feel dirty and obscene.
You look thoughtful for a moment and then you decide you can’t go on like this. It will split your souls.
“How’s Canada?” His eyes fill with surprise and he laughs. It gives you pride.
“Never been?”
He takes a step inside your place and his eyes fall on the empty bottle of pills at the kitchen table.
He doesn’t say a word about it.
You love him for that.
“I’ve never been anywhere.” Your cheeks are flushed with a soft raspberry color.
Sebastian realizes then that he wants to show you the entire world. Every corner of it. He wants to hold your hand as you walk beneath the Corsican stars. And he wants to memorize the Northern lights with you by his side. And he wants to see you laugh as he falls off his surf board in New Zealand. And he wants every cliché thing there is to do.
His heart stretches at the thought of it.
“Canada is beautiful in its own way.” He looks out of your window.
You wonder if he’s trying to find some more constellations in the sky, but then he turns around and walks towards you.
“I’ve been there a lot of times.”
Of course you have, you think.
He brushes a strand of hair behind your ears. It’s still damp and cold.
“Have you been to a lot of places?” He smiles and nods.
And then you can sense it; the sharp feeling of heartbreak crawling under your skin. You try to ignore it.
“I used to be grateful I travel all the time.”
You place your hand on his chest. The beating makes you calm.
“You’re not grateful anymore?”
He rubs his palm over his face.
“I am,” he inhales “But sometimes I just want to stay where I am.”
Yeah, I know.
He leaves an hour later, still drunk.
Still in love.
/
On Sunday, he takes you out for dinner. You tell him you don’t like dates. He promises it’s not a date.
You know you’re both lying.
He orders some red wine and he drinks as he watches you eat. It all feels natural to him. Somewhere at the back of his head though, there’s still some rationality left, that makes him think, this can’t be wrong, when it feels so natural.
He doesn’t drink any more.
/
You’re playing with the maraschino cherry on your dessert when his phone rings and your world comes crashing down.
You don’t intend to but you see the caller ID.
Love.
He had called you love one night.
He feels too guilty to look at you so he grabs the device and gets out of the place.
You want to throw the ice cream on the floor.
And then you want to hit the wall; with your head. But you can’t. So you just bite down at the cherry and wait for him to come back.
And when he does, things are different.
He doesn’t to try to make jokes and you don’t laugh. His eyes are everywhere but on you and your hand stays away from his.
You tell him you’re done with dessert so you can leave.
He has never felt more relieved.
/
Your pace is fast, but he catches up. You can’t outrun him.
His breath quickens as he comes closer. It’s almost innocent and childlike, the look he gives you.
“I’m sorry.” He whispers and it makes you laugh. You laugh and you shake your head and it’s not enough.
“Why?” He can taste the bitterness all over you. “This wasn’t date. So why are you sorry?”
You keep walking and his breath keeps echoing in your ears. You find the entrance of your building.
You’ve seen the place a hundred times but only now you notice how old it looks. It makes you disgusted. It makes you want to vomit.
It starts with him saying he doesn’t want to hurt anyone.
And then you rest your body at the soiled wall, trying to remind yourself you’ve had your heart broken before. And your eyes are not dry anymore. And you can taste salt in your lips. And he comes closer and he holds you.
You swear you see tears in his cheeks too, but he’s too fast to wipe them away.
“Have you ever done anything only to regret it a second later?”
You’re not certain which one of you asks but you can hear your bones breaking as you throw your head around and he arches his back.
His hands touch the dried tears on your face and it stings like sewing needles. And his lips touch yours. And for a brief moment you feel like you’re stealing from life.
And he can taste all of you; raw.
And it feels like fists that punch him.
And when you pull away you both have already regretted everything.
“Now you have something to be sorry for.”
You wonder if perhaps a broken dignity is better than a broken heart.
/
i really appreciate feedback, it motivates me tons and also tell me if you’d like to be tagged :)
tagging: @lharrietg @awkward117 @dannaloureen @broccoligf @cutestfangirlvevo @caitdaniels @arymb @buckybarnesishot310 @roguesthetic @itsaliceheree @sara-1705 @dorothea-hwldr @freshfreakoaftrash​ @drinkfantasy
443 notes · View notes
aries-writingblog · 4 years ago
Text
Detonation
Summary: As an FBI agent, YN deals with bad guys all day long. So does Bucky as an Avenger. When their worlds collide, it’s never pretty. Especially not when they are the targets.
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader
Word Count: 4620
Warnings: language, violence, bombs and explosions, bomb threats, hostage situation
AN: This was another request from @cherry-season and if you can’t tell by reading this I’ve been watching criminal minds again so I hope you guys like this one. GIF is not my own credit to original creator.
Tumblr media
YN leaned back in the desk chair, spinning it halfway back and forth. Boring a hole into the scattered papers of the police department. She was exhausted. Their team had been after this same guy for a week now. A real piece of work: planting bombs in DC banks. Leaving cryptic messages with them. Fortunately, their bomb squad made it in time to dismantle the charge before it blew. But they were no closer to catching the guy than before.
“Shitty coffee?” A deep, masculine voice approached her side. Placing a coffee cup in front of her. YN smiled, gratefully accepting the beverage. She glanced up to the provider, one of her teammates, Alex Knowles. “Look like you could use it.”
“That a way of telling me I look worse than the coffee?” YN teased, chugging the lukewarm drink down. So accustomed to cheap, watery coffee, she barely even gagged at the bitter taste as it went down. “No leads?”
Alex shook his head, pulling up a chair and plopping beside her. He sighed, gazing out over the bustling police station. Watching the beat cops go in and out of the doors, suspects and victims all being questioned or held in the same room. A Mecca of activity unfolding before their eyes. Progress. Just not the progress they needed.
“Kinda hoping Bryant would bring something back in- he went to question a couple witnesses that were around the bank at the time the guy dropped the bomb off.” He reported, sitting forward to shuffle through the papers on the desk. “What’s all this?”
“Those are previous reports…” YN explained, brushing stray hair back from her face. “I thought he could’ve had a previous record… he built these bombs with some kind of knowledge- whether it be academic or street smarts, I’m not sure yet. Besides, not doing anything else.”
Alex nodded, letting the paper slip through his fingers and back to the desktop. He watched his teammate reorganize the stacks- the glittering diamond on her finger catching his eye. A devilish grin cracked his lips, whistling appreciatively.
“Barnes finally asked that question, did he?” He asked, putting his cup down and gesturing for her hand. YN rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile as she complied. Alex studied the rock more closely, examining the quality. “Got good taste for somebody as old as he is.”
“Oh shut up.” YN laughed, yanking her hand back.
She and Bucky met on a case. Their FBI team had been invited into a local investigation of suspicious activity. Turns out, the Avengers were also looking into it. Well, a team of four Avengers anyways. Bucky Barnes being one of them. He was smooth, a sweet talker. Managed to wriggle his way into her phone, later he would swing a date. Two years later, Bucky was down on a knee in her bedroom. Asking one of those life altering questions.
That had been three weeks ago. They barely had time to see each other after that night. She was pulled back into work, he was pulled halfway across the globe on a mission. He did call every night, checking in. Asking about her day. Making outrageous, silly promises about the wedding and their new home, their future. Making her smile, distracting her from her day. At the same time, allowing himself to dissociate from the mission he was on as well.
“I’m happy for you.” Alex’s tone turned sober, serious. YN glanced over to him. He leaned his elbows on his knees, smiling broadly. “You both deserve someone like the other… you deserve each other. I mean it in the best, possible way.”
“Thank you, Alex.” YN replied, reflecting her sincere gratitude as best she could. Alex was always in her corner. No matter what- he trusted her. In their world, that meant everything and more.
“Hey, LN- Knowles!” Ricky Bryant came rushing into their area, flushed and out of breath. “Listen, I think we might’ve found the bomber’s identity: Casey Griffin. ”
“What?” YN leaned forward, staring up at him. Her eyebrows furrowed, a faint pin struck the back of her head. “Griffin… Casey Griffin- that sounds familiar. Why is that familiar?”
Ricky opened his mouth, ready to spill all the information he had gathered about the man. A woman interrupted their circle, a panicked look in her eyes.
“Agent LN- there’s a call on line six for you. He claims to be responsible for the bombings and he’s demanding to speak with you.” She interjected, nodding to the desk phone. YN glanced from Ricky to Alex.
“Get Robbie on the phone- tell her we need to trace this call immediately.” She instructed, rolling to the desk to pick up the phone. She waited a moment, allowing Ricky to call Robbie, the fourth member of their team. Their tech analyst. “Ready?”
“Yeah- go ahead.”
YN took a deep, calming breath. Her fingers tightened around the phone anxiously. Swallowing back her creeping nerves, she pulled the phone off the receiver.
“Agent LN, may I ask who’s calling?” She began slowly, giving Robbie a chance to snag the call’s location. There was heavy breathing on the other end, as if he had been running.
“You know who’s calling, YN. Don’t play coy- it isn’t a good look on you.”
Recognition struck her like lightning as she heard his voice. He had been one of the hostages in the first emergency scene. YN had taken down his statement herself. She ground her teeth together, anger flooding her system. She had been played.
“You’ve got me there, Casey.” She chuckled, her free hand wiping down the thigh of her tactical pants. “This is the first time you’ve called- why are you just now contacting us?”
The sound Griffin made was far from a laugh- the dark, slow noise was bone chilling. Nauseating. She could feel it deep into her clothes, settling like frost against her skin. She bit her cheek, staving off the urge to shiver through the discomfort.
“I’ve decided I want to give you front row tickets to the show, of course.” He crowed, voice leaping in octaves. “Corner of West and Fifth. You have half an hour, unless you want all these lovely people to end up blood splatters and burn marks on the floors.” YN winced, clenching her jaw. “Oh, and YN? Come in alone.”
The telltale click and beep ended the call, leaving YN to stare blankly at the desk before her. Clenching the phone in her grasp so tightly the plastic creaked. Knuckles lightening. She swallowed, something was clutching her throat. Restricting her lung capacity. Her shaking fingers pressed the phone into the receiver. Pushing her chair back, she stumbled to her feet.
“YN- “
“I just need a minute, okay?” She snapped, snagging her jacket from the chair across from the desk. YN shoved past the incoming traffic of people, fumbling her way outside.
The city was full of noise; Blaring car horns, shouting, a low murmur of pedestrian conversations. Sirens. The thrum of the city’s heartbeat under her feet. Taking a left into the alleyway, YN dug through her pockets, fingers brushing against the carton of cigarettes and lighter.
Hands trembling, she put a stick between her lips. Blowing smoke as soon as she lit it. Tilting her head back against the weathered brick of the station. A shaky exhale following the wavering grey smoke. She clenched her jaw, bowing her head.
She knew it was a trap- Casey was asking to meet alone. But he was holding hostages in a bank loaded down with explosives. And who knew what he wanted, why only her? Why alone? And why was that name familiar? None it made sense- facts blurring together. Shrouding him from her senses.
A sudden buzz against her abdomen sent her reeling back into consciousness. Her cigarette was gone- flicking the filter to the ground. Pushing it into the cement with her boot. Her fingers scuttled through her pocket, retrieving her phone.
Bucky’s contact photo- one of him fast asleep with fridge magnets on his arm. She smiled- somehow Bucky always knew right when she needed him. Like he had a sensor on her emotions, giving him timely reports. Updating him constantly.
“Hey, Buck.” She greeted, begging her voice to not crack. It sounded normal. Or at least enough that she hoped Bucky didn’t question it. Tucking the phone between her shoulder and ear, she lit another cigarette. Blowing the stress away from the speaker.
“Hey, sugar,” She could hear his smile through the phone. That excited one he always got when he first saw her. Wide, showing off his teeth. Stretching his face so much she wondered if it hurt. “I’m just callin’ to tell you I’m home. And I know you’re busy but, I wanted to hear your voice again.”
YN laughed, falling into the regular rhythm with him. Allowing herself to feel the stress melt from her bones. Bucky always had that affect on her. Something she couldn’t quite understand. Why the man was such an addictive drug.
“Well, you’re in luck- I’m on a break right now.” She wanted nothing more than to sit and talk with him, listen to his baritone drawl. Lulling her into a state of comfort and security. But she knew she couldn’t- she had limited time. She had to make a decision. And soon.
“Are you smoking again?” Bucky asked. YN smiled, biting down on her lip. She made a noncommittal noise, neither agreeing or disagreeing with his statement. He had been after her for their entire relationship to make her quit the habit. Trying to help her kick it. Nothing ever really helped. “YN…”
“I know… I’ve only had two. I just… I needed a break.” She admitted, bowing her head. She shifted her eyes to the alleyway opening, seeing Alex and Ricky approaching her. “I’ve got to get back. I’ll see you at home?”
“Yes, I’m making that soup you like for dinner. Don’t let it go cold.” He warned.
“I won’t. Love you.”
“Love you too.” She shoved her phone into her back pocket, meeting her partner’s halfway. Their faces drawn with concern and hesitancy.
“Gear me up.” She pushed between them, not looking back. She feared if she looked at them again, she would lose her nerve. Holding her shoulders back, chin tilted with her head held high. She had to keep the air of confidence around her. If she didn’t- they would never believe her. YN needed full backup for her plan. “I’m going in.”
~~~~~~
The building seemed to loom over her, taunting her as she stood before it. The large windows were gaping at her, a threat to her minuscule presence. YN swallowed back the terror she felt, pushing it down and locking it away. Out of reach.
“We’ll be talking with you through the comms unit the whole time.” Ricky explained, securing the equipment over her ear. He carefully tightened the straps on her vest, glancing to meet her eyes. His brows dipped. “You don’t have to do this you know? We can raid the building or get a sniper down here. This isn’t the only option.”
YN shook her head, clipping her holster over her belt, around her waist. She sighed, the exhale was shaky. Biting down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling, she clipped extra ammunition to the side.
“It’s the one where everyone makes it out. Those hostages are the main priority right now.”
“Hey.” Ricky stopped her nervous movement, hands on both of her shoulders. Forcing her to look up at his face. “Don’t do that. Don’t make it seem like some small bust… this is serious. We’re worried about you. About this. It’s dangerous. Give a little of that focus to yourself.”
“Okay.” YN agreed. She inhaled again, this time a little more steady. Giving a final affirmative nod, she squared her shoulders and backed away. She turned, facing the group of DC police officers and FBI squads. “Alright, these comms go both ways. I’m negotiating for hostages first. If anything goes wrong, clear the site. We don’t know how many explosives he has in there.”
YN watched the groups follow her orders, setting up to accept hostages. Loading guns for a raid if needed. Both ambulance and fire department had been called in. The companies were also preemptively preparing for the worst. She began walking toward the bank, eyes forward. What felt like thousands of eyes followed her to the door, fire burning against her back.
As she approached, she could see a woman standing at the glass door. She had been crying- her face stained with tears. YN stopped at the glass door, standing face to face with the woman. After several moments of staring, the order was finally given to open the door. The woman’s shaking fingers unlocked it, pushing it open.
“You’ve served your purpose.” A quiet voice spoke across the lobby, echoing on the tiled floors. “You may go.” The woman burst into tears, shoving past YN and onto the street. “Agent LN… how courteous of you to take her place.”
YN entered the lobby tentatively, keeping her head on a swivel. She turned the corner, coming face to face with the bomber. Casey Griffin stood behind the group of hostages, hands tucked behind his back. A twisted, sacrilegious grin on his lips. The group at his feet were huddled together, most were sobbing quietly. Holding people they most likely didn’t know. She knew from experience that tense situations erased all lines between humans. Everything begins to blur when terrified panic sets in.
“I’m here, Griffin. What do you want?” She demanded, her hand resting on her weapon. There was a buzz of static in her ear, the line opening.
“We don’t have a visual of you anymore, LN. Get back into sight.”
Griffin took a step forward, around his subjects. A small, black remote in his hand. Eyes steady on her face. Studying her. He exhaled sharply, coming to a stop right before her.
“I was hoping you’d be more… well, more.” He frowned, disappointed. YN’s eyebrow lifted, unable to follow his thoughts. “Such a shame… I’ve read all these great things about you. Every case you’ve solved, every step you’ve made to get here. You’re much more impressive on paper.”
“Get to the point.” YN sneered, her jaw clenched. Griffin smirked, eyes scanning down her face again. He sighed, rolling his eyes.
“All you feds- no taste for the theatrical. I much rather prefer the Avengers.” He grinned, eyes sparkling dangerously. YN felt her heartbeat pick up It’s pace. Heart threatening to burst out of her chest. “Oh, that’s right… congratulations, by the way. What’s it like- being engaged to a fossil? Are his brains still scrambled?”
“Shut up.” She hissed, fingers itching to reach out and wrap around his throat. He only tilted his head, pouting. He began pacing, orbiting around her slowly. Her shoulders tensed, defenses began raising even further. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, you see, I’m very well acquainted with Sergeant Barnes.” Griffin slowed to a stop again, on her right. He leaned in, close enough she could feel his breath against her skin. “He murdered my husband.”
The pounding in her chest seemed to have leapt into her throat. Breathing was much harder now, her skin crawled as her brain went into overdrive. Something was wrong… what was going on?
“He doesn’t do that anymore.” YN admitted, her voice lower than she thought it would be. Threatening to crack.
“But he does.” He hissed, gripping her arm tightly. Yanking her to his chest. His free hand came up to her ear, ripping the unit out and flinging it into the wall. His fingers fluttered down to her chin, grasping it tightly and forcing her face to his. He stared down at her. Anger burning in his irises, the dark circles under his eyes. His nostrils flared. “What makes it even worse is that he chose to do it. With Hydra, he had no choice. But with the Avengers? He had every decision laid out before him and he chose.”
YN flinched, flecks of saliva landing on her cheek. Her jaw clenched down tighter, eyes closing momentarily. Griffin’s hand crept down from her face, into the pocket of her pants. His fingers grasped the device, pulling it out. He held the device to her face, unlocking it then shoving her away.
“So now,” Griffin gave her a maniacal grin. YN was beginning to get whiplash from his mood swings. He was unpredictable. Unstable. Devolving before her eyes. She glanced back to the group of hostages. “He gets to flex that autonomy again. Oh, how lovely- he was your last call.”
“Why do you have me here, Griffin?” YN demanded, attempting to take control of the situation. If he was distracted, she could maneuver and gain the upper hand. “If you wanted to go after Bucky you would’ve done it. Why do any of this? Why do you need them?”
Griffin spared a quick glance to the group of shivering civilians. He hummed quietly, pressing dial for Bucky’s number. YN felt a drop of sweat bead down her neck. Rolling to meet the bulletproof fabric over her torso. She was alone in here, responsible for the lives of those petrified people. Staring and waiting for her to do something. Help them.
Her eyes fell to the remote in his hand. She could snatch it. The bomb was his power move. His leverage. Then again, the hostages were bargaining chips. He had to give something up. She had to remove variables.
“Let them go.” YN urged, holding her hands out in surrender. “You’ve got me, you’ve got my attention. Let them go.” He sighed dramatically, eyes rolling as he pressed the button for speakerphone.
“It’s no fun without an audience.” He whined, shrugging as he turned to the hostage group. “And to think- we were just getting to the good part. Fine! Leave, all of you.”
The group all scrambled to their feet, taking their leave before he changed his mind. The stampede rushed the door, cramming themselves out into the street. YN’s heart slowed, the adrenaline fading in her veins slightly. Her priority was taken care of- they all made it out alive.
“Hello?” YN never thought she would be nervous to hear Bucky’s voice. Casey smiled at the phone, eyes boring into her skull. “YN? Hello?”
“She can’t make it to the phone right now.” Griffin responded, giving her a mocking pout. The other end fell silent. YN could almost feel the paranoia settle over his body. “I would ask you to leave a message but I’m afraid she won’t be around much longer to hear it.”
An idea began to form, tingling at the base of her skull. YN gulped nervously. She had to keep him distracted- keep him focused on Bucky. But that also meant she had to stay focused on Casey. She couldn’t say a word to Bucky. Not yet.
“Who the fuck are you and what do you want?” Bucky hissed. YN closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She could pull her weapon. But could she pull it fast enough? Griffin could blow the place to smithereens. She could try to get the remote- every solution seemed to fall back to the same outcome. She grit her teeth- he had the upper hand. She could do nothing but wait it out.
“Joshua Rivers.” Casey replied. While his voice was smooth and unrestrained, his eyes told a different story. Seething, red hot rage burned in his veins. “Does that name ring any bells to you, Sargeant? Let me give you a hint anyways- I know how fragile the mind can be in the older years. He was a lead operative for Hydra. Four months ago, you raided his warehouse and instead of arresting him, you put a bullet through his skull.”
“He deserved more.” Bucky hissed, his voice crackling through the speaker. Echoing in the empty building. Casey scowled, his nose scrunching in anger. “That warehouse housed human experimentation projects.”
“That doesn’t matter!” Casey screamed, veins in his neck popping out against his skin. Pumping adrenaline in time with his heart. “He was a person- he had people who loved him, cared for him. You took that away from me. I can’t help but wonder… how you’ll feel about the same circumstances.”
“Where is YN?” Bucky demanded, keeping his voice level. YN began to creep her fingers up, toward the gun in her holster. She had one chance. He was distracted- she could gain the upper hand.
“Well, that’s a tricky question. It’s only a matter of time before she’s… everywhere.” Griffin shrugged, swinging his gaze back to YN. Her fingers faltered, halting at her hip. She was close, her thumb brushed the cold metal of the gun. “So now… now I think I’ll return the favor. You took something from me. The only person that ever mattered. You destroyed my world.”
“If you touch her, I swear to-“
“You don’t believe in God, Sergeant.” Griffin’s slow drawl interrupted the threat. His tongue ran over his lips, taking a deep breath. “He’s not real. If he were, don’t you believe that none of this suffering would happen?” There was a ruckus of noise on the other end of the phone, Bucky panting heavily. A door slamming. “This is your repentance, James Barnes.”
YN’s fingers wrapped around the metal plating, her nerves settling. She could make this draw. It would be fast enough. It would be accurate. She could end it once and for all. She exhaled slowly, counting down.
Three…
Two…
One…
In a flash, YN pulled her gun from her side. Aiming it at Casey’s chest and pulling the trigger. The loud gunfire echoed- ringing in her ears. Her heart sank. Stomach plummeting to her feet.
She missed.
Casey’s expression settled into one of contempt. Disappointment. The hell fire turned to her, his focus shifting from Bucky to YN. Surging toward her, his hand swung out, shoving the muzzle to the ceiling as she fired again. Casey’s fist tightened around her phone, a strong punch to her kidney sending her to her knees, wheezing for air. YN grunted, her hand swinging at a wide angle, but it was only deflected as the heel of his hand connected with her nose. Releasing a sharp cry, YN cradled her nose carefully. Eyes watering and face stinging. Bucky’s frantic shouts barely audible as she knelt, gasping in pain. Her thoughts muddled and slow.
Casey sighed dramatically, ripping the weapon from Yn’s hand. She groaned, disoriented as a fresh wave of pain throbbed from her face. Blood seeped from between her fingers, dripping down into a puddle on the tile floor.
“Say goodbye to your fiancée, Sergeant.”
~~~~~~
Bucky all but tossed the motorcycle onto the curb as he skidded to a stop. A blazing inferno consumed the building, scorching the blackened trees that once surrounded it. The hand gripping his throat squeezed tighter as he stumbled toward the police line. Shoving his way through bystanders.
He felt sick- choking back the nausea bubbling from his stomach. Fire bellowed from the gaping, blown out glassless windows. Portions of the building were collapsed, the rest soon to follow. He barreled through shouting police officers, desperate to reach the building.
“Barnes!” He didn’t turn- even though the voice was familiar. He had to get to her- she was still alive, he knew she was. She had to be. “Barnes- man, you can’t go in there!”
Hands grasped his metallic shoulder, pulling him back roughly. Bucky grunted, swinging his arm around, taking hold of the man’s bulletproof vest. He clenched his jaw, staring down at Alex Knowles. One of her partners. Knowles’ eyes were puffy and rimmed with red. His skin was irritated, probably from wiping tears away.
“She’s still in there.” Bucky stated, without asking if she had been pulled out yet. He knew the process of these kinds of situations. The fire chief had to clear it and the area was nowhere near safe enough. But his girl was in there, in danger. Dying slowly, the longer he stood around. It had already been too long.
“Teams haven’t been sent in yet… I know you’re scared but you could make it worse if you go in there guns blazing. It could collapse the rest of the way.” Knowles warned, his eyes begging Bucky to stay put. Bucky shoved him away. Stripping off his jacket, Bucky scowled at the man.
“I will be the something worse if she’s not alive. Don’t test me, Knowles.” He growled, tying the jacket sleeves around his waist. Bucky turned on his heel, sprinting for the blown out doors of the bank. Ignoring the shouts of the firemen and police officers on the scene.
Inside, the flames locked the walls, staying maintained. It seemed the only thing the department had been doing since the explosion was clearing the fire. They had been prepared somewhat.
Bucky stumbled through the rubble, boots tripping over chunks of concrete and twisted metal. He had to find YN, she was somewhere. He had to keep himself from thinking the worst- she was alive. She would be okay. He just had to find her first.
He turned what would’ve been a corner of the bank, his heart rocketing through his chest. The beat thumping wildly.
Two bodies. Lying side by side.
“YN!” He picked his way through rubble, skidding to his knees beside her. Deep cuts laced her dirtied features, trapped under a chunk of concrete from the waist down. For now, he didn’t care of the implications that could lie beneath the rock. His trembling fingers found the pulse point in her neck, bowing his head and stifling a sharp sob as he felt a faint, slow thrum. He brushed the hair from her face gently, biting his lip to keep himself together. “Don’t worry sweetheart, I’ve got you.”
Bucky shuffled down to her waist, hooking his fingers into the rock. Just as he began lifting, a sharp gasp startled him, almost dropping the rubble. He glanced back at YN- wide awake and sobbing. Carefully, Bucky spared a glance under the concrete. A metal rod went directly through her thigh, blood seeping from the wound.
“Shit…” It had been contained until he lifted it- now she was going to bleed out. He had to move fast. “YN, doll, I’ve got you. This is gonna hurt but it’ll be okay.”
She didn’t respond, sobs ripping from her chest as he stilled. Bucky took a deep breath, collecting his nerves. He moved quickly, throwing the concrete across the room with a loud grunt. An ear piercing shriek fell from Yn’s lips, her fist pounding the ground at her side. Bucky untied his jacket, wrapping it tightly around her injured thigh.
“Okay, sweetheart. We’re gonna get out of here.” Bucky’s chest tightened as he gathered her in his arms. She was shivering, huddling close to his body as best she could. Her skin was filthy, covered in soot, dirt, and blood. “Try to talk with me, sweet girl. Stay awake.”
“Ja- James…” YN’s fingers twisted into his shirt, tears soaking into his fabric. His heart clenched. It was his fault- that idiot had gone after her because of him. He held her closer, tighter, as he picked his way back to the doors. “I… I think I’m done- done smoking.”
Bucky almost laughed, forgetting his location. The situation fading as he spared a glance down to her face. She was grimacing, lips pulled and forehead wrinkled. But here she was- trying to joke with him.
“Why’s that, doll?” He questioned, emerging from the collapsed bank. The sunlight was strong, glaring down into his eyes. He hunched slightly, trying to block the intense light from her sensitive eyes. YN groaned, tugging weakly at his shirt. “We’re almost there, doll. Keep talking. Why’re you quittin’?”
“I’ve had enough smoke for one lifetime.” She replied, eyes fluttering. Paramedics rushed toward them, a gurney wheeled to their side. Bucky carefully lay her back, grasping her hand tightly as they rushed toward the ambulance.
Bucky didn’t reply, lips pressed together. Concern running rampant as they moved. His eyes caught Knowles and Bryant’s, averting his as soon as they landed. Loading into the ambulance.
“Bucky?” He quickly stepped up, sitting down in the back. Squeezing her hand tightly. YN gave a half- hearted return. Her fingers tangling with his, eyes closed. “Stay… please…”
“I’m here, sweetheart.” Bucky smiled, hoping his face could mask the desperate panic he felt in the pit of his stomach. “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
59 notes · View notes
petite-ely · 4 years ago
Text
Afraid // JJ Maybank
Six - Too much to risk
Pairing: JJ Maybank x fem routledge! reader
Warnings: Mention gun, being shot at, swearing, slight mention of death, maybe some mistakes oopsie, tell me if I missed something
Description: A small improvised visits by Petekin leads to a hectic afternoon in the marsh.
A/n : Hellooo guys, gals and pals, this is quite a long part. I really wanted to finish the first episode. also I really don’t know how to had a little read mor thing I don’t know how. Sorry! hope you like it!
Previously next
Afraid masterlist
Tumblr media
gif by @robinsbuckly
Song recommendation
It was now far later in the morning, meaning the sun had fully risen and it was a much more reasonable hour to be up at. JJ had left a while ago and John B was still peacefully sleeping (and loudly snoring). Y/n hadn’t been able to go to sleep after her talk with the blond boy and she was now sitting on the couch reading her book (actually reading this time). So, when she heard the front door open, she didn’t bother looking up, assuming it was one of her friends. Who else would just come in like that anyway?
"Hey, there’s coffee made in the kitchen if you want any,” she said, still not pulling her gaze of off her book.
“That’s kind of you to offer, but I’ve already had two cups this morning, I don’t think it would be reasonable for me to have more.” Y/n’s book fell to the ground.  
“Sheriff Peterkin, I’m so sorry. I-I thought you were someone else-” she got up from her seat, “-do you, do you need anything, water or uh-”
“You don’t have to bother sweetheart, I’m not planning on staying that long. I just want to talk for a bit,” answered the adult.
“Okay,” she took a pause to swallow. “I’ll go get John B.”
“If you don’t mind, I’ll go get him myself.” Y/n nodded, watching as she disappeared into the hallway leading to her brother’s room.  
She started pacing around the living room, ferociously biting the nails on her left hand. It wasn’t every day a cop showed up in your house. She had absolutely no idea why Peterkin would want to talk. Actually, she had about 25 different ideas, starting with the fact her uncle hadn’t been on the island for about 3 months. And the party last night, what if she knew about the gun? Would JJ be in trouble? Whatever it was, it wasn’t good, that she was certain of it.
>>
The conversation went on for much longer than expected. Basically, Peterkin knew about their uncle being awol and she offered to help get  dcs off of their back for a while if they helped her in return. She had also mentioned that it wouldn’t be good if they had seen a shipwreck, which of course they denied despite that being actually true. Y/n didn’t fully understand what Peterkin meant. But she knew that it meant there was something valuable in that boat. And Jonh B knew it too. Yet, he was afraid, which was understandable, considering everything. They were pretty much guaranteed to be put in foster care if they got caught. Not good at all.
“You know what? I'm calling it off,” announced John B.
Y/n raised her head from her sketchbook, dropping her pencil on the low table in front of her to listen to what her brother had to say. She had been drawing silently while the other pogues, all sitting in different ridiculous positions across the backyard, talked and did their own things. She was only half listening to what they were saying, sketching messily the outline of the château. It wasn't very good, but it was calming to do. When she heard the seriousness in her brother’s tone, she closed her sketchbook, otherwise she’d be too distracted.
“Peterkin told us that if we stayed out of the marsh, she’d help with dcs.” The girl grimaced remembering the woman’s words.  
“And you believed her?” “Yes, JJ I believed her.”
“You really think that she’d help us?” asked y/n. “It’s been more than 6 months, bird. If she really wanted to help, she would have helped earlier, no?”  
“Yeah, she’s a cop, an actual cop. And you think she’s telling the truth?” added JJ.
“Look,” John B glanced at y/n. “All we gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days and she’ll help us.”
“I know, I was there.” Kiara snickered softly at her friend’s words. “But I don’t know, I feel like we’re getting tricked or something. What if she’s like trying to lure us out of there-” she gestured to the water behind them, “-because there’s something she doesn’t want us to see, uh? What if it’s about dad?”  
J.B rubbed the back of his neck before turning his body slightly to face the ocean. “Look,” he addressed his sister. “I get that you’re curious and you want to know what’s down there, but I'm only trying to do what’s best for us. And I think it would be better if we listened to Peterkin. I’m just trying to keep you safe, to protect you, bug.” His voice softened as he finished his sentence.
“And it didn’t help that JJ was shooting a gun last night!” Y/n raised her eyebrows at Pope, her face clearly showing intrigue. She wondered where this conversation would lead, a fight between the two boys most likely. Her gaze shifted to JJ who seemed annoyed at the Routledge boy’s words.
“You know what, I should’ve let Topper drown your ass.” John B laughed. “Topper was gonna drown me?” “Sure looked like it.”
“Boys can you plea-” Y/n tried to stop the small bickers, miserably failing as her brother interrupted her. “Funny.” A loud sigh escaped the girl’s lips and Kiara beside her pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Have you looked in a mirror?” “Tell me some more. Come on.” “They always win don’t they, man?”
“Kooks versus pogues. They always, always win!” You could hear the frustration dripping from his voice. Which was understandable. He had a point, kooks always won, it was time for a change.
“Goddamn!” “Look, it’s okay!” Kie tried to reassure him. “No, it’s not okay!”
“He’s right,” agreed y/n. “They always win, or find a way to avoid the consequences.”
“Exactly, they don’t want us to go down into the marsh, that means there's something valuable down there and you know it.” He said to John B. “I know you do.”
“And I understand why you wouldn’t want to go,” he pointed to Pope. “You’re the golden boy, you got way too much to risk. And you,” he turned to Kiara. “I mean you’re already rich as fuck anyway.” Okay, that was an exaggeration.
“Why would you bother.”
“But us, you, me and y/n, we’ve got nothing to lose!” His eyes glowed with something y/n hadn’t seen in him in a long time. Hope. It made her sad to think about how JJ really had nothing in his life besides the pogues. But if he was hopeful, then maybe, maybe...
“We really don’t.” “Yes, we do have something to lose.”
“If something goes wrong and dcs comes in, y/n and I would be brought to the mainland in foster care. That means placed with families who probably only care about the check that comes in every month and her and I getting separated from one another and from you guys.”
Y/n thought about what her brother had just said. He had a point, if things went wrong, they could lose everything. Each other mainly and the pogues. It was the worst-case scenario. But if they didn’t get caught, it would make their life so much better. Was it worth all the risk though? That was the question.
“Do you understand what that means? How horrible it would be?” The girl got up from her seat and went to stand next to her brother. “I do,” she said. “I understand, bird.”
“I know that you’re scared and so am I.  It’s a pretty big risk. If we get caught, we’re fucked, but listen to what JJ has to say. I think that it might be worth the risk. And if we do get caught-,” she put her hand on his shoulder and turned him around so that he faced her, “we’ll find a way to find each other again. We’re Routledges, we always find a way to solve our problems, don’t we?” Her hand squeezed his shoulder softly. “We’re gonna be alright, bird.”
A small smile drew itself on John B’s lips. “So, what’s the plan,” he said to JJ.
“You got the key to Cameron’s big boat, right?” “No,” J. B’s face scrunched in disagreement.
“There’s scuba gear. We borrow that and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon and that’s what’s gonna save you, man,” exclaimed JJ. “You don’t see rich kids going into foster care, do you?”
Y/n breathed out loudly. She was scared as hell. This was going to be pretty tricky, but she knew something was down there. And if it wasn’t money or something like that, then it was something related to her dad’s disappearance. She could feel it deep into her soul.
>>>
“This is empty, you took empty tanks,” announced Kiara to the group as she furrowed through the bag of oxygen tanks.
Y/n put her head in her hands. Their plan had seemed so perfect and now they didn’t have the one thing they needed for it to work.
“Okay this one’s a quarter full. It’s enough for one of us.” “Love it when a plan comes together.”
“Does anybody know how to dive?” asked the brunette but only to be answered by a chorus of shrugs and denying nods. “Anybody?”
“It’s kind of a kook sport,” JJ looked at her.
“I, … I read about it,” tried Pope.  
“Great, Pope read about it, now someone’s gonna die,” exclaimed Kie dramatically.
“Look.” JJ’s gaze circled the group of friends.  “You put the thing in your mouth and you breathe. How hard can it be?”  
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” confessed y/n.
“Yeah,” agreed Pope. “If you come up too fast, Nitrogen gets in your blood and you get the bends.”
The girl’s eyes widened. She remembered a book she had read a while ago where one of the characters had the decompression sickness (and how tragic their death was).  
“Bends like bend over?” JJ joked as he bent his body in a way to stick his butt up in the air. Typical JJ joke, weird and somehow always a bit sexual. Y/n slapped his arm as a way to tell him off.  
“JJ, the bends is deadly,” she had a stern expression, “it kills you.” “Oh, right.”
“I can- I can dive,” announced J.B. “Yeah, you can dive I’m cool with that.” “Since when can you dive?”  
“No, you can’t dive,” scoffed his sister. “I’ll do it, it’s fine.” “What? The hell?”
“Let’s do some calculations real quick.” Pope pulled out a pen and started writing some numbers. Y/n got up from her seat and went to stand beside him. “So, that boat’s about 30 feet down.” “okay.” “So, it’ll take about 25 minutes at most at that depth.” “Twenty-five.” “Which means you need to make your safety stop at about... 10 feet. Alright? For two minutes.” “Ten feet, two minutes got it.”
They all watched as Kiara jumped straight into the water, her shirt already removed. “Uh, what was that all about?” “I don’t know, but I liked it, a lot.” y/n nudged her brother on the shoulder to get him to stop staring. He cleared his throat.
“Uh, so.” “All righty.”
She sat down on the edge of the boat, waiting for her friend to resurface from underwater. “Yeah. Uh, when you- when you’re down there, you look for the cargo hold. You stick this thing inside and you twist and pull, okay,” explained JJ. “Stick it in, twist and pull.”
“You okay?” asked y/n, while the boys kept on rambling. “Needed a swim?” Kiara rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face.  
“Hey!” she called to guys, John b more specifically. “I tied my t-shirt to the anchor about ten feet down. It’s where you need to do your safety stop.”
The Routledge girl admired her friend in the water. Her body moving gracefully as she swam back towards the boat. She seemed so, at ease. It used to be that way for her too, but now, even looking into the darkest part of the water gave her a feeling of vertigo. She wondered if she could still swim as good as she used to. It had been almost a year since the last time she had dove right into the marsh. It felt so far away. If only she was braver.
She hadn’t realised she had completely zoned out until she heard JJ speak. “Zen. Think Zen, you know.” She joined the group on the other side of the hms, her brother already suited for his dive.
“Hey, if we get caught out here in the marsh we’re basically screwed, so,” reminded Pope, “better get a move on.” “Copy that.”
Kiara got up and planted a small kiss on J. B’s cheek. Y/n looked at the two boys next to her with a confused expression. They both shrugged in answer, clearly just as confused as she was. “Diver down?” “Diver down.” She watched as his figure disappeared slowly into the water.
“All right.” “See ya, dude.”
She went to sit next to Kie. “I only love him as a brother,” she mocked her friend. “Yeah right, my ass.”  
“It’s just a small kiss y/n/n, it doesn’t mean anything. I still mean what I said yesterday. It’s just that,” she took a pause, her eyes squinting at the sun, “I’m just worried for him, you know he’s going through a lot and then there’s the shipwreck and all.”
“Uh huh, I totally get what you mean,” ironized y/n. “Shut up,” Kie nudged her with her elbow. “No, but seriously-” started the girl before being interrupted by the sound of a police siren behind her.
“Shit, guys.” “Guys, that’s the police.”
“Oh no, no, no, no, no, that is not good. Not good at all.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” “Yep that’s the police.” “Just act fricking normal.”
Anxiety bubbled at the pit of y/n’s stomach. Hopefully he wouldn’t recognize her, otherwise she was dead. So dead. She sat down beside Kiara in a somewhat natural position, her legs crossed to keep them from bouncing.
The police boat parked itself beside the hms. Officer Shoupe behind the wheel. “Evenin’ officers,” greeted Pope. “Evening.”
“How you kids doin’ ,” asked Shoupe. “You know the marsh is closed.”
“No.” “No.” “No, wow.” “I didn’t know that.” They all feigned ignorance, hoping to fool the two adults. “Why- why is it closed?” questioned Pope, adjusting his cap nervously.
“Well, we’re conducting a search out here,” informed the man. “Boat went down.” “Oh.” “Oh, no.”
“Seen’ anything?” asked the deputy.
“No.” “No, boats. No.” Y/n’s fingers tapped rhythmically on the boat, trying to keep herself from looking at her brother in the water.
“Where’s your friend you always hang with?” The pace of the rhythm fastened. “He here?” She opened her mouth, trying to think of a good excuse for the missing presence of her brother, but nothing came out.
“He’s working,” lied Kie. All of their heads nodded softly.
“I’m gonna check your little boat out,” announced Shoupe before hopping on the hms. “Yeah.” “Yeah, hop aboard.” The rhythm stopped, y/n’s nails digging into her palms.
He picked up a safety jacket. “You got another one of these?” “Yeah, yeah.”
“Of course, it’s uh, it’s in the hold,” JJ pointed to where the girls were seated. They both got up quickly. “Show him,” instructed Kie. Y/n’s joints were turning white.
“Okay.” JJ opened the hold and pulled out one of the jackets. “Yeah, here we go.” “All right.” The latch closed loudly. Shoupe’s gaze inspected the teens suspiciously. The tension could be cut with a knife.
He climbed on the flat part of the boat. “Be careful.” “Be careful out there, you don’t want to slip.”
He put his sunglasses on, staring at the exact place where John B and the ship were. The pogues exchanged worried glances. Hopefully, he wouldn’t see anything. He stood on the very edge of the boat, his figure towering over the water of the marsh.
“All right,” he finally turned around. Y/n breathed again. “All right.” “All right.”
“Beautiful day, innit?” “Sure is.”
“You let us know if you see anything on your way out,” he ordered as he started the engine. “Will do, will do.”
“We’ll be gone soon, sir.” “Yes, you will,” finally said the man before he vogued away.
Once he was far enough, the group hurried to the side of the boat, all worried about their friend. He’d been under for quite a long time now, there was no way he had any air left.
“He’s definitely out of air,” declared Pope.
At that exact moment, John B surged out of the water. Y/n felt relief take over her body. She felt her whole body unclench and let go of the grip her nails had in her hand.
“There he is!” Exclaimed JJ. “Oh god, Jesus Christ.”
“God damn it, Bird. I’m so glad you’re okay,” spoke y/n.
“Don’t scare us like that!” All of the pogues exclaimed, all so happy that their friend was all right.
“How’d it go down there?” wondered JJ. “Uh,” John b groaned and his sister hurried to the side of the boat to help him get in.
“Did you find anything?”
“Did I find anything?” He repeated throwing a large duffel bag onto the boat.
“Yeah there we go, that’s my boy!” JJ exclaimed excitedly.
“Are you okay?” Y/n asked as he coughed rather loudly. “Yeah, I’m good, but I ran out of air.” Her eyebrows scrunched together on her forehead. God, they were so lucky, what if J.B had ran out of air earlier? Or what if Shoupe had figured out what they were doing? Things could have gotten so bad.
But they didn’t, the girl reminded herself.
“You scared the shit out of me,” confessed Kiara, though it sounded more like a reproach.
“Yeah, same for me,” replied y/n. “Need a hand?” she stuck her hand out at him which he gladly took. The contact of the water with the cuts her nails had made in her hands burned, but she clenched her jaw and ignored the pain. She didn’t want to bother anyone.
“Yeah, the cops were up here but uh, took care of ‘em,” informed Pope.
“My bad.” “You’re all good.” “Yeah, you kinda missed the show, brother.”
“Hey guys?” Kiara’s voice was tinted with worry. “Guys, bogey, two o-clock.”
“What?” They all turned in the direction she was referring to. In the distance they noticed a strange looking boat heading towards them.
“Do you recognize that boat?”
“I’ve never seen it.” Kie put her hand above her eyes to hide herself from the sun. “What are they doing back here? The marsh is closed.”
“Honestly, they could ask us the same thing,” pointed y/n.
“Well, I think it would be better if we didn’t stick around and find out,” said JJ.
“JJ, get the bowline.” “Yeah.”
“Should we wait on ‘em?” asked Pope.
“Uh, I don’t think that would be a great idea,” responded y/n. The boat was coming in very fast and the people driving it looked angry and dangerous. It was much safer to just leave. “Go get the stern, go!” Hurried John B.
The blonde pulled the rope as fast as he possibly could. “Guys, don’t wait for me. Go,” he said. Y/n inspected the unknown boat in the distance, nothing about it seemed familiar. Who could these people be? And what did they want from them? “Let’s go.”
She kept her eyes glued to it as the motor started. “I have a really bad feeling about this,” she confessed, turning her head to John B. behind the wheel. “Yeah, I don’t like this either,” agreed Pope.
“Are they coming for us?” asked JJ. “Sure looks like it.”  
“Maybe they’re fishing?” proposed Pope. Y/n’s gaze paused on the two men. They were intimidating, to say the least. And their eyes, both had looks filled with something threatening. It wasn’t anger or hatred, no, it was the eyes of people who would do anything to get what they wanted and that was scary.
“Go, go, go, go!” “Go into the marsh.” “Let’s go!”
“I’m going. Act natural,” stated John B as he directed the hms towards the nearest channel.  
The white boat sped up, the motor roaring loudly. “Hey guys, they’re following us,” announced y/n. “Oh, this can’t be good.” “Shit”
“Dude, you gotta go faster!” “I’m going!” “Gun it!”
The sound of a gun shooting in the air echoed in the silence of the marsh. The pogues all went down instinctively. “Holy shit, guys!” “Oh my fucking god, what the fuck!”
JJ grabbed the back of y/n’s shirt with his hand, bringing her closer to him. “John b get down!” almost hissed the girl. Another shot fired, y/n clung onto JJ.
“Oh my god, we’re gonna die!” yelled Pope. A third shot fired. Y/n’s eyes caught the net at the back of the boat and an idea sparked in her head. She looked at Kiara, who clearly had thought of the same thing.
“Pope, move,” ordered the brunette as her friend stood to go grab the green net. Another shot flew into the air beside her, the bullet barely missing her.  
“Get down, y/n!” shouted her brother desperately. She headed towards the back of the boat and threw the net into the water. It slid down the current and got caught right into the motor of the men’s boat, making the engine come to a halt abruptly. It clanged loudly and the two men shouted in anger. A sigh of relief left the girl’s lips. Her plan had worked.
“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” hurried Pope. A last gunshot was heard but the hms was too far away to be reached.
“Oh my god!” “Whew!” The pogues all cheered and laughed at their small victory. They were all so glad to be away from these men and all in one piece. Kiara pulled y/n into a hug.
“Y/n, don’t you ever do something like that again. You fucking scared the crap out of me,” said John B as they approached the dock of the château. “I can’t promise anything. Who knows when someone else will shoot at us?”
They all hurried themselves onto the dock, excited to know the content of the bag. “What do you guys think it is?” “Maybe it’s like jewelry? Would be a weird place to keep it but who knows?” “Gotta be money, right?”  
“That or a couple of keys with street value to the low- to mid-mils!” JJ’s eyes glistened with excitement. Y/n smiled softly.
“Can we please just open the bag?” burst Pope. The group all started at him.
“Wow Pope,” y/n giggled. “That was a rare outburst of emotions.”
“You guys are literally killing me with anticipation. Open the bag. We almost died over this.”
John B. pulled out a smaller bag which contained a metal canister. Every pair of eyes was fixed onto it as he pried it open and revealed a compass. Y/n kneeled next to her brother not believing what she was seeing. They exchanged a look, neither of them saying anything. They both knew what that object was and what it meant to their father, but what the hell was it doing there?
“Oh, wow. Yup, that’s about right.” Pope was clearly disappointed by their findings. “Good job, everybody. We found a compass.” Y/n raised a trembling hand to the compass, carefully taking it into her own hands to examine it. Was this really what she thought it was? How could it be? It didn’t make any sense.
JJ removed his hat in frustration. “Dude, what? It’s not worth anything.”
A small smile creeped on Jonh b’s face, his eyes still not looking away from the compass. “This was,” he started.
“This was our father’s,” completed y/n.
Taglist:
 @kaelyn-lobrutto24 @poguestyle17 @im-a-stranger-thing @lasnaro @thoughtsofthestars @briandaflores19 @lunaposey @allycat449-blog @ifilwtmfc @kitty084 @coloradogirl07 @ponyboys-sunsets @chaoticbisous @p0gue420 @sloaneemily @babygal-babygal
Tell me if you wanna be added or removed!
148 notes · View notes
hotchseyebrows · 4 years ago
Text
thoughtfulness in little things
a derek morgan x penelope garcia fic
a/n: can you believe that is my first ever full length morcia fic? me? resident morcia nut? wow. what a world. anyway!! i hope yall like this (and if you noticed it was already on ao3 earlier today shhh this is a scheduled tumblr post im Sleeping rn) and hopefully i dont take 4 months in between posting fics again, but i make no promises!!! my brain is Evil
thank you @blkantigone for being my beta and thank you @derekmorqan for letting me barf 1k of this in our dms a while back, i love you both sm
they do kiss a fair bit in this (it is, in fact, a first kiss fic) and its a little steamy, but by no means explicit and is rated teens and up on ao3 :)
read it here on ao3!!
Penelope splutters. “Sugar, you don’t have to stay here with me, it’s really not that big of a deal.”
He shrugs. “How am I supposed to party when my best girl is stuck at work?”
-
Everything changes during a late night in Penelope's batcave. But really, nothing changes at all.
word count: 3000
Friday nights without a case are a rare treasure for SSA Hotchner’s highly sought after team of profilers. Normally, Derek and Penelope would be taking advantage of the freedom by dancing all night, but sometimes the universe has other plans. 
Penelope used this week’s case-free time to put the finishing touches on an antivirus and security software of her own creation. The personal information of her beloved BAU babies was a hot commodity well worth the additional protection, and she’s always looking for a reason to fiddle with Quantico’s servers. It ended up being a whole production, taking the entire afternoon and then some. Apparently, she still doesn’t have all of the permissions required to make certain adjustments which means that she’s fiddling and bending her way into all of the things she needs to do. If that wasn’t bad enough, the whole damn thing crashed around 4:00. She managed not to pull her hair out, but it was a close thing and it set her back at least an extra hour.
Derek stops by a little after 5, his jacket slung over his shoulder. “Baby girl, I can hear the bottles of DC’s finest vodka and Hennessy calling our names, are you almost ready to leave for the day?” He pauses in the door, taking in her furious typing and furrowed brow. “Whoa, Mama, what’s the matter? You’ve got Hotch’s eyebrows.”
She throws her arms up. “The entirety of the FBI and also the world is getting on my nerves!” He walks over to her, leaning on the side of her chair and turning her away from her monitor. His hands gently grab both of hers and he rubs a soothing circle with one of his thumbs. 
“Explain, baby girl.” 
She does, eventually just ranting and raving about how annoying it is to still be put in metaphorical handcuffs by the FBI as if she can’t just do what she wants anyway. “I’m not even breaking any rules, technically, they’re just making things annoying and long winded.” She sighs, moving her hands to interlock their fingers. “But now that it’s started, it would be doubly annoying to stop it and come back later. So I’m stuck here until it’s done, which might take a while.”
He nods, thinking. Then he straightens up, grabs the extra rolling chair, and sits down. 
Penelope splutters. “Sugar, you don’t have to stay here with me, it’s really not that big of a deal.”
He shrugs. “How am I supposed to party when my best girl is stuck at work?” She blushes, turning away to hide it on instinct. 
“You cheeseball.” She spins around to lightly push on his arm. He just smiles. 
They sit together for 20 minutes in relative silence as she continues her work. It’s a comfortable silence; his occasional humming soothes her rising annoyance at how needlessly long this is taking. She can hear him playing with one of the fidget toys she keeps on her desk behind him. When she gets to another point of sitting and waiting, she turns towards him and asks him about his day. He tells her about how Prentiss helped him get Reid back for a prank by distracting him in the break room while he switched out the keyboard of Reid’s computer with an identical one with a grass garden planted inside. “It’s a long con for sure, but I’m hoping it sprouts this weekend.”
She laughs. “How long did it take you to set this up, dumpling?” She already knows the answer, but it’s nice to see his slightly sheepish but proud look about his dedication to his prank war. Her computer beeps at her, and she spins back around to begin working again.
He rolls closer, avoiding her question and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “You getting hungry yet?”
She relaxes, leaning against him. As if on cue, her stomach grumbles. “Yes, I’d say so.”
He leans over and moves a strand of hair out of her face. “Okay baby girl, I’ll go grab us food and be right back.” She nods, lifting her cheek on instinct to meet the kiss she knows is coming. He stands and sure enough, leans down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll be quick. Be good.”
“How can I do anything else if you’re not here?” She bats her eyes up at him. 
He grins. “Oh, I’m sure you’d think of something.” He brushes his knuckles against her cheek. It makes her shiver.
She watches him leave, catching the kiss he blows at her from the door. Turning back to focus on her work, it feels like she blinks and he’s back. A glance at the clock tells her it’s been over a half hour. He puts the bag of food onto the table before coming to pull her away from the computer. 
“One minute, I promise, I’m so close to just letting this thing run for a little.” He twirls her hair around his fingers before dropping his hands onto her shoulders, rubbing away the tension. A minute and a half later, she leans back in her chair with a sigh. She tilts her head back and sticks her tongue out at him. He smiles at her. 
"Come eat, baby girl. Don't think you're getting out of eating my hard won dinner." He moves to the table and pulls out her chair. She follows and sits.
"Hard won — mon cher, you didn't tackle a wild animal and lug it home to our log cabin in the woods, you drove your car 20 minutes."
He kisses her temple, handing her a pair of chopsticks. "Yeah, but I would lug home whatever you needed anytime, so the sentiment is the same."
She smiles and knocks their feet together under the table lightly. He moves his chair, so they are sitting right next to each other on the same side of the table. The heat from his arm is palpable.
Derek grabs a box from the bag and splits the vegan pad thai within onto two paper plates. He opens the box of spring rolls and places it in between them while she places napkins in front of them both. He pops the cap off of her bottle of lemonade without her asking, and sets that in front of her too. “Thank you, handsome.” He smiles in response. They start eating and the comfortable silence returns. 
She talks him through what she still needs to do to fix everything in between bites, even though she knows he doesn't really understand her technobabble. But Penelope can feel his eyes on her, and without looking, she somehow knows that something has shifted in the air around them.
"What?" she asks, turning her attention away from gesturing at her computer with the chopsticks. "Do I have something on my face?"
He chuckles. "Actually, yes, c'mere." He brushes away a stray spot of sauce on the corner of her lips with a gentle swipe of his thumb. The rest of his hand stills on her cheek. She shivers. She can see him notice it, his attention focusing in on her. Penelope's blood is thundering in her ears as he glances in between her lips and her eyes.
She leans purposefully into his hand. His thumb brushes over her lips again and her mouth falls open a little. 
"Penelope, I-" he cuts himself off with a hard swallow. "Penelope." His eyes flicker down to her lips and back up to her eyes quickly again.
She can only blink at him for a moment. "Yes, Derek?"
"I don't kn- um. Can I-" She's never seen him flustered and unsure like this. But they've never been out of sync before and they aren't about to start now, so she nods, bringing up a hand to rest on his. A smile grows on his face before he starts to lean in. His hand slides along her cheek to more firmly grip her face- it makes her gasp.
He pauses, thinking something is wrong. "Penelope, are y-" Her heart swells at how careful he is to take care of her always, and she meets him in the middle, pressing their lips together in a soft, purposeful kiss.
For a moment, all is still. The world boils down to just the place where their lips are touching. Their lips barely brush against one another, but already Penelope feels light headed. Derek separates their lips for a moment before kissing her again, a firmer touch this time. She sucks in a breath through her nose. His lips are incredibly kind- that’s the only word for it. He doesn’t seem to know the word “take” right now because all she can feel from him is “give.” As he presses into the kiss and gently cups the side of her face, her brain wildly spins through thoughts about how of course he’s like this even when kissing her and how good he smells and how she can’t believe they haven’t done this sooner.
He draws her closer against him, pressing into the kiss more insistently before bringing his other hand up to her face and holding her. His fingers move to cup the sides of her neck and she tilts her head to the left a touch, letting her mouth fall open in a sigh. He makes a soft noise before tentatively sliding their tongues together. A full body shiver runs down her spine and through her limbs. Another small noise falls from the back of his throat. Her stomach swoops like they've just dropped down the side of a huge arch in a roller coaster. She places both hands on his chest, pressing forward. He moves with her, chair squeaking underneath him as he presses closer, one arm snaking around her back. Penelope’s heart pounds even louder. His tongue is gentle even in its insistence as their kiss turns slightly desperate. 
It feels like someone has lit a fire underneath Penelope’s chair, warmth washing over her whole body and radiating out from everywhere they touch. One of his hands tangles into her hair as he gently tilts her head back. If she wasn’t sitting her knees would have buckled so long ago, but now she would absolutely be on the floor. It’s no surprise that Derek Morgan is an incredible kisser, but knowing something and knowing something is so different. 
He pulls back, letting their foreheads rest together. Her eyes stay closed, tingles radiating from everywhere his fingers are tenderly holding her face. She tightens her grip on his shirt. He kisses the tip of her nose. "You still with me, baby girl?"
She nods, breathless. She slowly opens her eyes and smiles at him. "Hi." It's the first thing she thinks to say. 
He laughs. "Hey you."
She has so many questions- how long have you wanted to do that, can we do that again right now, can we do so much more right now, right here- but before she can ask any of them, her computer beeps loudly. "Oh!" She jumps at the sudden noise. He drops his hands and leans back, looking far too much like the cat who got the cream. "I should- right, I should deal with that," she says, standing on shaky legs. Heels were never so precarious. Of course, there is no hiding from a profiler.
He grins up at her. "Need some assistance?" His eyes are shining like he's hiding a joke. She scrunches her nose at him, biting back a smile.
"Oh, hush you. I’m perfectly capable of walking 3 feet, thank you very much." Her tenacity is a little undercut from the way her hands are trembling a little as she smooths her skirt, but still. The point remains.
He raises his hands in surrender. "Alright baby girl, go on then."
She walks over to her computer and stays standing to fiddle with the wires behind it before bending over at the keyboard and reading the report on the screen. "It shouldn't be much longer now, it just needs to run the last new anti-virus- what?" He's leaning back in his seat and staring at her, a small smile dancing on his lips.
"What, Mama?" But he knows what, clearly evident from the way he is trying to school his expression into something innocent.
She blushes. "Derek Morgan, I don't know what I'm going to do if you keep looking at me like that."
"Oh, I don't know. I might have some ideas."
She sucks in a sharp inhale through her nose. Playing nonchalant, she turns back to her computer. "Well, I might have to hear your ideas out."
"Yeah?" 
She glances at him out of the corner of her eye and he's grinning.
"Yeah." she says, not trusting what will come out of her mouth if she elaborates (probably something along the lines of “I’d listen to all your ideas, do your ideas include any semblance of forever, if you keep grinning like that I'm gonna lock the door and do something reckless”).
They sit in relative silence, just the sounds of her typing filling the room. When she finishes, she spins her chair around. "Hi," she says again.
"Hi baby," he responds.
Her fingers twist and curl the hem of her skirt. "So, uh, well, that's gonna take at least another 30 minutes to finish running."
He raises one eyebrow. "30 minutes, huh?" 
She nods. "Might be a good time for some of those ideas." 
He stands and walks across the room to her. She takes his offered hand and stands as well. They stay there, inches apart and holding hands as the charged atmosphere around them seems to crackle. In the same breath, they lean in to kiss again. Both of her arms wrap around his neck as he tucks his around her waist. He pulls her against him, fully pressed together as the soft kiss deepens into something heated and desperate.
He bites her bottom lip gently before the kiss turns open mouthed and slick. She arches against him as they slide into a slow rhythm. She feels fluttery, like his arms are the only anchor point in the whole world and if he let her go, she’d simply float away. He tastes like lemonade, sweet and alive. She hums as he tracks his hands in a slow circle at the base of her spine. Her knees really do buckle a little as he attempts to tug her closer, but he holds her steady. She rests a hand on his cheek and grounds herself by using the other to grip the back of his neck. She’s utterly swallowed up by him, his arms and his mouth and just him surrounding her in their own little cocoon. He separates their mouths to kiss across her jaw and down her neck, hands flattening on her back. He places a line of long kisses down to the crook of her neck. She lets out a sigh, letting her head fall to the side to give him more room. He sinks his teeth into the same spot lightly, and she shudders. 
"Derek," she whispers. She can feel his smile against his skin as he kisses the same place again.
They slow to a stop, tucked against each other. He rests his face against her neck and mumbles something against her skin. "Hmm honey?" she says, hand rubbing a circle on the nape of his neck.
"I got us that Talenti ice cream you like," he says, only moving enough to be heard. “Chocolate peanut butter cup, and the color changing spoons are still in the break room.”
"Oh Der, that's so sweet, you didn't have to do all of that." Her heart skips a beat. 
He shrugs, kissing the side of her neck. "I wanted to."
She is half tempted to haul him in for another kiss, but as if on cue, her stomach grumbles. He picks his head up and smiles at her. "Come eat now," he says before giving her another quick peck. 
She lets him pull her to the table, but before they sit, she pulls him in again. He chuckles into the kiss.  "Eat, you menace." He mumbles against her lips. Pulling back, he plants a kiss on the apple of her cheek as he guides her into her seat.
She bites a retort about how she was trying to but he sees it on her face anyway. 
"Later, baby girl. Dinner first."
“Then dessert?” She tilts her head and gives him a flirty smile. 
He runs his thumb along her bottom lip. “All the dessert you want, Penelope.”
Much the same as before, they eat in comfortable silence. Except this time he rests a hand on her thigh, and traces a slow lazy circle with his thumb. The conversation picks back up and turns to unrelated things. Derek muses about possible retaliations from Spencer once he notices his new desk plants as he casually offers her a bite from his plate. She takes it, humming.
Something Penelope did not realize had lost its footing resettles in her chest. Nothing is different, not in any way that would scare her or be a loss. They are just the same as they've always been, but also more. (Though she'd be hard pressed to think of a time when this wasn't the way they were. Maybe things are just being unveiled, not changed.) 
When they finish eating, he goes to get the ice cream and two of the fun spoons from the break room. They split the pint and laugh far too loudly for how late it is. The computer beeps for a final time, software finally fully uploaded and settled. She still has to run tests and double check that everything is working, but that can wait. Derek offers her a bite of ice cream, and if he kisses her again to remove the ice cream from her bottom lip, she can't say she minds.
100 notes · View notes
highdramas · 4 years ago
Text
bandit like me | criminal!bucky
warnings: language, violence, references to criminal behavior, allusions to sexy shit, bucky being a cocky asshole
word count: 2197
summary: if you and bucky are doomed, you want to see the glorious fallout.
note: this is the start of a bucky au series which will eventually be based on the heist from oceans 8! this is just an intro to bucky’s history with the reader, and their dynamic, but i’m so excited to continue!
enjoy! <3
Tumblr media
god, you love vegas.
there’s a certain sort of dirty glamour that you can’t find anywhere else, you think-- and while you spend the majority of your time in new york these days, you find that your heart always has a certain tug to las vegas. after all, it is where you got your start as one of the finest pickpockets and swindlers on either side of the mississippi.
among other things.
it’s where you met james buchanan barnes for the first time.
you’d heard his name like a whisper in the wind for years before you met him in person. james “bucky” barnes, criminal extraordinaire. of course, you were young, and you had stars in your eyes and you had not yet been hardened by the world. you had not yet had to kill your way out of a shady job, had not yet conned a man of everything he was worth.
that was your favorite part, you think.
taking from men what they had earned unfairly.
if justice wasn’t coming for them, you would bring it upon them yourself. you would take it all and you would feel no remorse. their wealth, their assets, their connections.
sometimes, even their wives.
but those were petty games that you had played when you were young. you like to believe that you are more mature now; both in your swindling and in your personality.
sometimes, you miss those days. you miss running with natasha and chewing up men and spitting them back out. you miss the high of pulling off a real good job. you miss watching a man crumble beneath you, begging for mercy. of course, you would never give it. but you would make a show of thinking about it, and natasha would laugh, and she would say, “stop playing with your food, honey.”
that’s another thing.
you rarely reveal your real name.
not even to your closest confidants. not even to natasha.
no, you find that there are two ways that you introduce yourself. you either stare straight with a narrow gaze, murmuring something along the lines of, “your worst nightmare.” or, you smile sweetly with an outstretched hand and your head gracefully tilted. “call me honey.”
there’s only one person that you’ve worked with who knows your real name.
and he’s sitting at the hotel bar.
already, you can feel your annoyance begin to bubble. you can do one of two things-- you can saunter over there and properly ignore him, knowing that he will notice you instantly. or, you can go up to your room.
you decide you need a drink more than you need your sanity.
somehow, you’re sure that he already knows you’re here. you approach the bar and tap on it, smiling at the bartender. “cosmopolitan.” you turn your head to the right and he’s already looking at you.
“i thought you’d never show, doll.”
a smirk begins to play on your lips, and you thank the bartender as you slide your drink to yourself. “i should get a restraining order,” you muse as you lift your glass to your lips, taking a lengthy sip. “you creep.”
bucky laughs and he takes a sip of his own drink, and you don’t even have to look to know what it is-- whiskey coke. god, you always gave him shit for it. told him he should at least drink his whiskey neat. he would always give you that same stupid smirk and he would say, “what, i can’t have a little sweet, honey?”
“that’d be no fun,” he says and god you know that he’s right, but you hate to admit it. “who you here for?”
all the attempts of not looking at him are futile, and you throw a glance in his direction. he looks as glorious and handsome as ever. the man drips with luxury. from his suit to his hair to his beard which has grown out slightly since the last time that you saw him-- everything about him tells you that he is expensive. “you think i’d tell you?”
“i’m here for pleasure, darling. i’m not going to infiltrate on your job.”
you scoff. “i have a hard time believing that. when are you ever not thinking about work?”
bucky’s desire to work is the cause of all of his success, as well as all of his problems, you think.
part of you feels sorry for him, knowing how much stress he places upon himself. another part of you can’t help but resent it, knowing it is the reason that you two would never, ever, ever possibly work as something more than easy flirtation and a good night between the sheets.
“i’m a changed man, honey.” bucky gestures to the barstool beside him. “you gonna stand and drink that all night?”
a pointed look is thrown in his direction and you finally take a seat. “you knew i would be here, didn’t you?”
“heard from nat,” bucky takes a sip from his drink. “i’ve got some intel on your hit.”
your hit isn’t your normal vegas regular. no, your hit is alexander pierce, one of the highest ranking government officials you could sink your claws into. you’d met him networking at an event in dc and he had been quite interested in you, which you always liked to use to your advantage. luring him out to las vegas took little effort and much amusement, buying you time to do your research.
you’d clear his room of all his belongings and sell off the paperwork to your government contacts who would purchase them for a steep price, and you would be on your way.
without a trace.
you were good at that part. going off the grid. no social media footprint, nothing to track you by-- you were living in the world partially invisible. you like to keep it that way.
though, sometimes it gets lonely.
no one knows that better than the man who sits beside you now.
“spit it out, then.”
bucky smiles and for a moment, you think he might say something else, but he begins to divulge quickly. information about his security detail, shift rotations. information you could’ve found out easily, but don’t mind having handed to you. but you’re less interested in that. your brows furrow as you look at him. “how far out of your way did you go to get this intel?”
he gives a nonchalant shrug. “far enough.” he smiles. “gotta help out my girl.”
“i’m not your girl,” you say with a smirk. “if anything, you’re my bitch. getting me intel, following me around to tell me.”
this gets a laugh out of him and you look forward again, finishing off your drink. “now that’s my girl.” he throws a hundred dollar bill onto the bartop and follows suit, tipping his head back to empty his cup of its contents. “walk with me?”
you stare and watch as he outstretches his hand to you. despite your better judgement, you take it. the pair of you walk side by side until you’re stepping out into the still warm air, but the breeze offers enough of a chill that the hairs on your arms stand up. bucky looks over at you and begins to shuck off his jacket, making you immediately protest. “bucky, no--”
but he’s already draping it over your shoulders, and you are tugging it just a bit closer to you, and you note that it smells like him. like that stupid ysl cologne you bought him all those years ago.
well, you didn’t buy it. you’d stolen it.
no words are exchanged as you move along on the sidewalk, watching on at people busking and performing on the street, ignoring the elsa’s and spiderman’s who try to pull you in for photo ops. one of them gets particularly aggressive and bucky pulls you into him, as if you’re not a woman who has driven a dagger into the gut of a man for far less, saying, “move along, pal.”
“so touchy tonight,” you purr, leaning into him slightly when he doesn’t remove his arm from your waist. “like the good ‘ole days.”
“oh, you remember?” bucky jokes, and it already has you laughing. “you were acting so coy back there in the bar, i thought that you might’ve forgotten me altogether.”
you shake your head and you stop in the street. you wear his jacket and he straightens his tie and he smiles down at you. “of course i didn’t.” you jut your chin up. “doesn’t change anything, though.”
what doesn’t it change, exactly?
it doesn’t change that the last time you saw james buchanan barnes, you had told him that you loved him. and he had told you that he loved you in return. and you had both agreed that it needed to end now before either of you caused irreversible damage to the other.
criminals being with criminals never ends well.
“not a thing,” he agrees with you. he pushes a piece of hair back and it’s getting harder to remember why you were so stubborn when it came to him. why, exactly, you felt the need to push your feelings away so desperately. “wish it would, though.”
“yeah.” a small, almost shy, smile works its way onto your lips. “me too.”
bucky’s jaw slacks and his fingers trail your cheek, and you can feel the cool metal of his rings against your flesh. “it’s not like this with other people, is it, honey?”
“of course not,” you nearly hiss. “is it like this with other people for you?”
bucky has a knowing sort of smirk. “no.” he wets his lips, his eyes settling on your lips for just a beat too long. “it never will be.”
the tension surrounds the both of you, and you’re the one to break it. you press your hand to bucky’s chest and push on it slightly, pushing him away, pushing away all of the feelings and confusion that comes with him. “we’re not doing this tonight. i’ve got a job to do in the morning.”
you begin to walk, and bucky is on your heels. “so our pillowtalk can be about work,” he says, and you can practically hear the cocky and sly charm in his words. “i made sure to get a king bed. and a bottle of moet.”
again, you stop, and you turn to him. you’ve nearly walked a circle around the block, and you can see the hotel not far off. “you really got info from nat about my job, got me intel to butter me up, and then want to take me to bed?” you huff and even you can’t help but laugh. “nothing’s changed, barnes.”
you set off again and he groans, following after you. “you know it’s not like that.” he catches your wrist and he spins you, getting you to face him. “it’s never that that… simple with you.”
you rip your wrist from his hand and make your way into the hotel lobby, making sure your hips swing just a bit more than usual. you remember bucky laughing and gripping those hips on a late winter night in new york city, nearly three years ago now-- “such a tease,” he had said into your ear.
“bucky,” you say as you both approach the elevators. “it’s not happening.”
he sighs and he hangs his head. “yeah.” he looks up at you. “i do miss you, doll.”
“yeah, i know.” the elevator doors open and you step into them. bucky tries to follow after you, but you hold your hand up. “i’ll be seeing you, james.”
“see you, honey.”
the doors click shut and you practically collapse. the effort of pretending to not love bucky is exhausting.
in a blur, you go to your room and unpack your things. you take off your makeup and your expensive jewelry that you plucked off the wrists and necks and fingers of random passing civilians during all of your worldly travels. when you pick your phone up, you notice that you have a text from an unknown number.
floor 45, room 7.
you roll your eyes and toss your phone back onto the bed. you’re a strong woman-- certainly strong enough to resist the temptation of knowing exactly where to find the one person that you want.
one hour passes. you scroll through instagram.
another. you finally crawl into bed.
three hours. it’s nearly three in the morning and you cannot sleep.
by four, your feet are in slippers and you wrap a silky robe around your body.
you don’t move. 4:30am blinks at you on the clock.
at five, bucky is opening the door, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and staring at you.
“don’t say a word,” you hiss before you’re grabbing for him, pulling him to you, and pressing your lips to his.
but bucky is a smug asshole. as you move through his suite, his hands are everywhere, and he pushes you back onto the bed. once he’s hovering over you, his lips just a ghost above the shell of your ear, he can’t help but whisper…
“looks like nothing’s changed.”
140 notes · View notes
batmanisagatewaydrug · 2 years ago
Note
alright I'm finishing Killing Time. not hiding this one under the cut because it's the grand finale.
Eddie's flirting with Clock King in the flashback while Selina's appearance reaches peak Batman Returns
Tumblr media
oh my god Tom King shut UP about how The Help knows everyone. if Lady Shiva met this cunt she would not have let him walk away! he's simply too smug! he started out as such a delight but you have worn out his welcome!
Tumblr media
alright. fine. that's my son, King did one thing right.
Tumblr media
I want to be so clear that I hate the way both of them are written, ESPECIALLY Selina, but there's something so close to compelling in the idea of this dynamic. only out gay kid and mean white trash cookie monster pajama pants girl banding together in gym class kind of energy.
Tumblr media
wish this wasn't funny but alas
Tumblr media
Ra's would not fucking say that
Tumblr media
I did also chortle at this but it's sort of a cheap joke to cover up that the Clock King, the man who's been behind this whole batshit heist and somehow predicted every buckwild thing that happened, is just kind of incoherently rambling and possibly had no motivation at all
Tumblr media
the girls are back at is again in their matching bff straightjackets and color coded arkham uniforms. unclear who's providing Selina with this truly deranged amount of eyeliner.
Tumblr media
yeah okay I just had to google this to make sure that I didn't miss anything and it's uh. it's what I thought it was. the mcguffin that everyone - Batman, Catwoman and the Riddler, the Penguin, the Help, the United States government - spent the entire series fighting for was a fake and always has been, and for some reason Clock King a.) knew this and b.) still orchestrated this scheme that killed 137 people so that he could snag the mcguffin and then just give it away to a flight attendant.
what was the point, Tom. what was the fucking point.
there are kind things I could say about the series, in the name of being fair. as I've noted, the framing and darting through the timeline are actually pretty fun. it starts out as a solid heist, I liked that. Croc and Penguin have cool character designs, even if neither of them are very important to the story. Batman, I regret to say, is actually pretty impeccable, especially as a raw new Batman still capable of being overwhelmed as he tries to get his feet under him. the Help is an enjoyable original character, mostly. Selina and Eddie's dynamic is always this close to being fun, until one of them opens their mouth again. when he gets shot in the chest she takes him to a vet and that is, I'll admit, pretty funny.
there are a lot of unkind things I could say too, and I will. Tom King seems to harbor either a spectacular hatred or a deep misunderstanding of Selina Kyle, who he depicts as a truly deranged and animalistic killer with a hair-trigger temper who's inexplicably willing to serve as the Riddler's attack dog. King is seldom content to leave well enough alone in regards to the Help, insisting on using existing characters to shill him rather than letting his creation stand on its own merits.
the art, courtesy of David Marquez, is amongst the worst of DC's current trend of depicting characters as so inhumanly pretty that they circle back around to being uncanny and bland; as I noted above, it's actually with the deliberately ugly characters like Penguin and Croc that Marquez really shines. he, too, treats Selina poorly, with no real concern for the logistics of her anatomy except for an unpleasant preoccupation with her feet. he's also maybe one of the worst offenders I've ever encountered for trying to make the Riddler not just conventionally attractive, but pretty.
the unusual excess of bloodshed (this is a series with a recommendation of 13+) starts out shocking and then continues until it's gauche, made more absurd by the explosion of censored profanity across each page. "look", King seems to say, gesticulating desperately, "this is a serious story, a proper grown-up's Batman story. you can tell because it's grim and violent and these characters might be saying fuck." it reminds me, very unfavorably, of his issue of One Bad Day, in which a very different version of the Riddler somehow manages to spook an entire SWAT team so badly that they all shoot each other to death just by telling him that he knows where their families live. sure, it's a shocking visual, but is so stupid that if you think about it for more than three seconds braincells start dripping out of your nostril.
the big reveal at the end, this terrible fucking twist that it was all for nothing and Clock King did this for, apparently, shits and giggles, is a juvenile notion of cleverness. King doesn't have anything to say about what his dogshit stupid characters have done in the pursuit of nothing, there's no deeper meaning to this hollow-ass victory.
near the very end of the story the Riddler finally realizes the stupidity of the story he's in, and says this:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
obviously the views of a character don't necessarily express the views of the author; we've had more than enough discourse about that. but I believe Tom King might actually think that people don't typically gain anything from reading a story, if only because no one has ever gained anything from reading one of his.
Don't know if you've ever seen that panel floating around but Killing Time is also where 'narrator: [Batman is fighting tigers] goons off-screen: "He is fighting tigers!" Bruce: "I am fighting tigers"' is from. Peak of Tom King's writing career , truly
... okay hang on I have to go do something
96 notes · View notes