arkofangels

[arkofangels]

𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 ll 𝐂.𝐊.

Summary: After one too many, ahem, “incidents,” the Justice Gang slaps Clark Kent with a temporary sex ban. He promises to behave—until one look and a little teasing from you has him breaking every rule he promised to keep.

Warnings/Tags: SMUT, Semi-Public Sex, Mentions of Bodily Fluids, Marking (hickeys, bite marks), Mild Power Play, Discussions of “Sex Bans” in a Professional Setting

A/n: *not proof-read* i had to rewrite this like 5 times, i accidentally deleted it then my computer died, then i restarted and the cycle continued

You’re not supposed to be doing this. Not after the last time.

Not after Hawkgirl walked in on Clark with his head buried between your thighs in the Fortress med bay—and let out the kind of blood-curdling scream that probably still echoes across the Arctic.

Yea, It was not your proudest moment.

One second, you were arching off the diagnostic table, breath catching as Clark murmured something filthier than sin against your skin, hair tousled between your legs like he lived there— And the next: a busted comm link hit the floor, and a very traumatized Hawkgirl stood frozen in the doorway. Wings half-unfurled. Eyes wide with horror.

She didn’t speak for eight whole seconds.

You and Clark just… froze.

He looked up slowly, like a deer in headlights.You grabbed for the nearest med blanket, which did absolutely nothing to preserve your dignity—or the sanctity of the Fortress.

Hawkgirl blinked. Then blinked again. Then— “OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE—” And spun around so fast her mace got stuck in the doorframe.

It only went downhill from there.

An hour later, you and Clark were summoned to what can only be described as the Justice League’s most awkward virtual meeting in recorded history. Video on. Full attendance. Moment ruined.

Clark sat next to you, arms crossed like he was bracing for a military tribunal. You tried to avoid making eye contact with anyone.

Hawkgirl looked like she’d gazed into the abyss. Green Lantern looked like he wanted to laugh, cry, and pass out all at once. And Mr. Terrific—tactical genius, team lead, and current moral authority—stood in front of the screen with his hands clasped behind his back like this was a high-stakes Pentagon debriefing.

“I want to be extremely clear,” he began, voice sharp enough to cut metal. “What happened today was a gross violation of mission protocol.”

You sank lower in your chair. Clark shifted beside you, jaw tight.

“The med bay,” Mr. Terrific continued, “is a sterile facility. It is not, under any circumstance, to be used as a sex dungeon, a romantic hideaway, or—god help us—a personal love grotto. Superman.”

Clark winced. “Yes, sir.”

“And you,” he added, pinning you with the full force of disciplinary disappointment. “We installed a biometric lock to keep unauthorized personnel out of restricted zones.”

“I… I didn’t know Clark’s tongue qualified as biometric,” you muttered.

Green Lantern choked on his own spit.

Clark turned bright red.

Mr. Terrific’s glare was legendary. “This isn’t funny.”

“No, sir,” Clark agreed quickly. “We’re very sorry.”

“We are,” you echoed, trying not to laugh. “Deeply sorry.”

“You’re both senior-level operatives,” Mr. Terrific said, beginning to pace like a principal prepping detention. “You’re supposed to set an example. Not—dear god—get caught in the Fortress with your pants down and your boyfriend’s cape on the floor.”

You blinked. “Wait. You seen what happened?”

“Oh, everyone saw,” Green Lantern muttered. “You tripped the internal security feed.”

You considered launching yourself into the sun.

Hawkgirl was pinching the bridge of her nose like she could physically erase the memory. “What I saw is not something you come back from.”

“Enough,” Mr. Terrific said, raising a hand. “We’ve reviewed the footage, the timestamps, the audio logs—and, of course, the distress scream that activated every emergency comm on site.”

“So,” Mr. Terrific continued, “in the interest of preserving morale, medical hygiene, and my remaining sanity, I’m instituting a temporary restriction.”

Then came the sentence. The curse. The collective punishment.

“Temporary. Sex. Ban.”

Silence.

Clark’s mouth fell open. “I’m sorry—did you say—?”

“You heard me.”

You turned to Clark, slowly. “He can’t actually do that, right?”

“He’s the team lead,” Clark whispered, sounding absolutely broken. “I think… he technically can.”

Green Lantern raised a hand. “Uh, sorry—just for clarity, are we talking a full ban? Like, no kissing? No second base? Can we define terms?”

Mr. Terrific turned on him with the force of a thousand suns. “You want me to draft a formal clause list outlining what Superman can’t do to his girlfriend?”

“I mean, someone should,” Lantern muttered. “They’re a high-libido couple.”

You briefly considered using Clark as a human shield.

Clark looked like he wanted to die.

“Duration?” he asked, voice cracking.

“Until you both prove you can prioritize the mission,” Mr. Terrific said. “You’ll be monitored for absences. I’ll be reviewing comm logs. Patrol logs. Sensor pings.”

You groaned. “So we’re grounded.”

“You’re benched from boning,” Hawkgirl clarified dryly.

Mr. Terrific cleared his throat. “Meeting adjourned.”

The screen blinked dark.

And that was the day the Justice Gang imposed the world’s most infuriating, sexually repressive ceasefire— and started the longest, most torturous dry spell of your entire life. well, technically three days.

Three days. That’s how long Clark lasts.

Three whole days of being good. Of polite forehead kisses and aching distance. Of pulling his hand away like you’re made of kryptonite every time it drifts too low. Of muttering things like “We can’t,” and “Mr. Terrific said—” with that strained, boy scout grimace like he’s afraid he’s being watched from orbit.

He tries. He really, really tries.

He throws himself into patrol like he’s punishing himself, keeps his comm logs squeaky clean, even schedules “supervised sparring” with Green Lantern—who sees right through him and says nothing, mercifully.

But you?

You’re not helping.

You’re walking around in those soft shorts he likes. Wearing his old Metropolis U sweatshirt and nothing else. Curling up next to him on the couch like you don’t know exactly what you’re doing when your bare thigh brushes against his. Pressing slow, sleepy kisses just beneath his jaw when you're “not even trying anything.”

You bat your eye say you respect the ban. But you’re lying. And Clark is cracking.

Which is how you end up here.

Pressed flat against the kitchen counter, fingers tangled in his hair, while he grips the edge like it’s the only thing keeping him from falling to his knees.

His voice is low and wrecked. “We shouldn’t—this is a—this is against orders, baby, I can’t—”

You hum, all sweet and innocent, even as your hand slips beneath the waistband of his suit pants. “Then stop me.”

He doesn’t. He can’t.

His breath catches hard against your throat as your fingers wrap around him—already hard, already leaking, already completely undone, and you haven’t even gotten the damn suit off yet.

“You’re evil,” he groans, resting his forehead against your shoulder like it’s the only way to keep from breaking in half. “I’m trying to be good—”

“You are good,” you coo, dragging your hand slow along his length. “Think Mr. Terrific would give you a gold star?”

Clark swears—a low, desperate sound, almost reverent.

And that’s it. That’s the last thread of his self-control snapping.

He scoops you up like you weigh nothing, stumbling backward in a haze of need. Your mouths crash together halfway to the bedroom, his kiss open-mouthed and wild, breath catching like it’s been years, not days, since he last tasted you.

His knees buckle when he hits the bed, and you push him down without mercy, straddling his hips with one smooth motion. He sucks in a sharp gasp as your weight settles over him, hands flying to your waist like a man gripping a lifeline.

You lean in, lips brushing his as your fingers find the edge of his suit.

The zipper hisses down slowly.

“I missed you,” he breathes, voice hoarse, dragging his mouth down your chest, chasing the rhythm of your heartbeat like it's his gravity. “I tried to be good—I swear, but those pictures—”

You laugh, breathless. “Clark… those were just selfies.”

“You were in my sweatshirt,” he growls, like you committed a war crime.

“That’s not against the rules.”

“It is,” he snaps, kissing deeper, moving lower, “when you’re not wearing anything else.”

Now...

Clark Kent knew he was strong—the strongest. Faster than light, invulnerable to bullets, capable of hearing a whisper from the other side of the planet. He could carry the weight of the world on his back and still ask if you were okay. Could stop time with his bare hands if he really tried.

And yet—

The moment you shove him back into the sheets, suit half off, chest heaving, flushed and trembling like a man starved?

Clark Kent knows he’s fucked.

“Y-you’re not playing fair,” he tries, voice breaking as you drag your slick heat along the thick length of his cock. You haven’t even taken him in yet—just teasing him, grinding slow and deliberate, letting him feel every pulse of you.

“You deserve it,” you whisper, watching the way he shudders beneath you.

Maybe he does.

Maybe the ban was there for a reason. Maybe dragging Superman to bed in nothing but his hoodie and a wicked little grin was not on the League’s approved interaction list. But the way he shakes? The way his hips twitch every time you rock forward?

He’s a man in freefall.

His breath stutters. “You know I could beg, right?” he murmurs, voice gone dangerously low. “You think I won’t get on my knees for you?”

You lean forward to press a kiss to the curve of his jaw, feel it flex under your mouth.

“I know you will.”

And then—finally—you sink down onto him.

Clark’s entire body locks.

The breath leaves him in one long, broken moan. His hands fly to your hips like he needs to anchor himself, like he’s hanging off the edge of the stratosphere and you’re the only thing keeping him grounded.

“Jesus—” he chokes out, head tipping back, eyes fluttering shut. “You—baby, you can’t just—God—”

You take him inch by inch, slow and deliberate, letting your walls flutter around every thick stretch of him. He’s already shaking under you. Eyes glazed. Lips parted. Helpless.

“Clark,” you murmur, voice as sweet as honey, “what happened to being good?”

He looks up at you through heavy lashes—cheeks flushed, sweat curling at his hairline, voice ragged beyond repair.

“That was before you got on top of me like that,” he groans. “Now I’m just—I’m done for, sweetheart.”

His knuckles go white in the sheets.

He’s trembling—actually trembling—like a live wire, every nerve in his body tuned to you. Overwhelmed by the heat of your body, the way you roll your hips down and lock him in like you were made to ruin him.

You move slow. Purposefully slow. Dragging yourself up until just the tip catches, then sinking down again until he’s buried to the hilt and gasping like it’s killing him.

“You’re so deep,” you whisper into his ear, syrupy and cruel, “Look how good you fill me up, baby.”

He groans—breaks—at the sound, his cock throbbing inside you.

“God, sweetheart,” he rasps, eyes squeezing shut. “You’re gonna kill me—”

“You’re Superman,” you purr, twirling a damp strand of his hair around your finger before letting it spring free. Your nails rake lightly through his curls, slow and teasing. “You’ll live.”

But Clark is barely holding on.

He looks wrecked beneath you—his chest flushed, lips swollen, brows furrowed in desperation. His hands clutch at your thighs, guiding you down harder, deeper, until your legs burn and you’re both panting into each other’s mouths.

The only sounds in the room are the slow, obscene slap of skin, the soft creak of the mattress, and the desperate little moans Clark can’t stop from slipping out—like you’re dragging the air from his lungs with every grind of your hips.

You lean in, teeth grazing his neck before sucking a deep, dark mark below his jaw—one that definitely won’t fade by morning. He shudders.

“Thought you were gonna behave,” you murmur, dragging your mouth along his neck.

“Yeah?” His voice is sandpaper and honey. “Then you probably shouldn’t’ve—fuck—ridden me like this, baby.”

You grin against his skin.

And you don’t stop—slowly, grinding circles that make his thighs twitch under yours. That make him arch and whine,breath hitching every time your hips slam back down and the stretch makes your eyes roll. It’s filthy. It’s heaven. It’s—

beep. beep. beep.

The sharp alert cuts through the haze.

The "Justice Gang" comm unit pings from the nightstand—blinking red. Urgent. Active threat level.

Clark freezes.

Just for a second.

Then he thrusts up into you, arms wrapping tight around your waist—like if he holds you close enough, this moment won't end.

You clutch at him, stunned. “Clark—”

“Just a sec,” he pants, rolling his hips again, pulling you closer. “Just… a little longer—”

“You have to answer that,” you gasp, trying to sound firm, but it comes out ruined—high and trembling as he rolls his hips, slow and devastating. “You said if it was serious—”

“This is serious,” he breathes, voice cracking. “This is so serious, sweetheart—”

“Clark.”

He groans, tortured, and finally—pulls back just enough to reach blindly toward the nightstand, his other arm braced beside your head. He doesn’t stop moving. Just stretches out—flushed and glowing, breath shaky—and fumbles for the blinking comm unit with trembling fingers, his hips still rolling slow and deep like he can’t stand the thought of pulling out.

There’s a hiss of static. Then:

“Superman here,” he breathes, voice rough and just a little cracked, like it’s been dragged across gravel. His hair is a mess. His cheeks are red. There’s a blooming mark on his neck in the exact shape of your mouth.

“I’ll be there in five.”

And then he looks back at you, still buried deep inside, still trembling with restraint, and smirks—smirks.

“You better finish what you started,” he murmurs, voice low “Because the second I get back…”

His hips roll up again.

“…there’s no ban anymore.”

Meanwhile, at Watchtower Command.

When Superman arrives, it’s a problem.

Because he’s not exactly subtle.

His suit is on—barely. The collar of his undersuit is stretched askew, the zip only half-done up. His cape’s twisted over one shoulder. His curls are still damp with sweat and your fingers, pressed flat to his forehead like he raked both hands through them hard before takeoff. And on the left side of his neck—

A dark, unmistakable mark.

Right where your mouth had been.

The kicker?

He smells like you.

The second he enters the room, heads turn. Conversation dies. Everyone looks at him.

And then immediately looks away.

Green Lantern raises a brow but says nothing — until he spots the bitemark on Clark’s throat.

“…Was the threat level internal?”

Superman doesn’t answer.

He just straightens his shoulders like a man walking to his own trial and silently hands over the datapad he retrieved from orbit, lips pressed in a flat line. His ears are red. His knuckles are still trembling.

From behind the console, Hawkgirl makes a noise like she’s begging God to strike her down. “Oh come on—”

Mr. Terrific’s head turns slowly.

His eyes scan Clark. The disheveled suit. The blooming hickeys. The faint tremor in his left hand. His faintly-glossed lips.

“…You’re late.”

Clark nods once. “Traffic.”

“You flew here,” Hawkgirl deadpans, crossing her arms.

Clark clears his throat. “We’re not—uh—discussing that.”

Mr. Terrific glances toward the holographic map they’d been reviewing and pinches the bridge of his nose like he’s physically in pain. “We said temporary ban.”

“We agreed it was necessary,” Hawkgirl adds. “Necessary, Clark. For mission focus. For discipline. For—” She gestures vaguely at his entire very un-mission-ready state. “—this exact reason.”

Clark tries to look apologetic. He really does.

But there’s something smug twitching at the corners of his mouth. That little boyish, aw-shucks grin that slips out when he knows he’s been caught but isn’t all that sorry.

“I’m still functional,” he offers, way too earnestly.

Guy lets out a low whistle and mutters, “Barely.”

“Look, I got here, didn’t I?” Clark says, running a hand through his hair again—and only making it worse. “I didn’t skip the mission. I just… had to finish something.”

There’s a pause.

Then: “I swear to Rao,” Mr. Terrific mutters, turning away.

“Oh, you had to finish something?” Hawkgirl repeats, eyebrows climbing. “Or she did?”

Clark doesn’t answer. Just kind of… smiles into his shoulder and scratches at the back of his neck.

Guy leans in. “Okay, serious question,” he says, nodding toward Clark’s throat. “Did she brand you? Like, should we call Batman? That’s got Batman-level trauma written all over it—”

“I don’t need Bruce’s opinion on this,” Clark mumbles.

“Oh, I’m calling him,” Guy says gleefully.

“Please don’t.”

Too late. Hawkgirl’s already pulling up a comm link. “Batman? You might want to see this.”

Clark sighs and looks up at the ceiling like he’s praying for strength.

From across the room, a monitor blinks to life.

Bruce’s voice comes through, flat and judgmental. “What did he do this time?”

[arkofangels]

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐢? || 𝐉.𝐒.

Summary: When Sue asks you to run a quick errand, you leave Johnny Storm in charge of babysitting his five-year-old nephew, Franklin. It’s only supposed to be thirty minutes—what could possibly go wrong? Everything, apparently. You return to find Johnny has taken it upon himself to “educate” Franklin in the ways of internet culture.

A/n: I had a dream about this. that's it.

The Baxter Building was too quiet. That was your first clue something was off.

You’d only stepped out for half an hour.

Sue had asked if you could run a quick errand—just drop off a package at one of the sub-level labs across the street. Simple. Easy. In and out. Johnny, stretched out on the couch like he hadn’t a care in the world, gave you a thumbs-up and a cocky little salute when you mentioned it.

“Go on,” he’d said, already pulling out his phone. “I totally got this. Me and Franklin are bonding. He loves me.”

Franklin, at the time, was playing with a small, levitating Rubik’s Cube and wearing a blanket like a cape. You weren’t sure if he was pretending to be an super hero he saw on tv or just a very dramatic burrito. Either way, he didn’t object.

And honestly? You didn’t question it. Johnny was surprisingly good with Franklin—chaotic, sure, but never careless. So you figured—fine. What could possibly go wrong in thirty minutes?

Apparently, everything.

You barely got one foot back into the apartment before you heard it:

“POV: You just got Ohio Rizz’d by a Skibidi Sigma 💀🔥.”

You froze.

Then blinked.

Then turned slowly toward the living room like you were creeping up on a crime scene.

And you weren’t entirely wrong.

Franklin Richards, age five and three quarters (he will correct you if you forget the three quarters), was perched on the couch cross-legged, iPad in hand, eyes wide and sparkling like he’d just seen God. Johnny Storm—grown adult man, superhero, menace—was sitting next to him, phone in hand, TikTok blasting.

Franklin giggled maniacally. Johnny nodded solemnly like he’d just handed down sacred knowledge.

“Now if someone says ‘ratio,’ you hit back with ‘You fell off + no bitches + L,’ okay?” Johnny said seriously. “Gotta defend your honor out there.”

You stared.

“Johnny.”

He didn’t look up. “What’s up, babe?”

“WHAT are you doing?”

He looked so proud of himself as he turned to you. “I’m teaching him the language of the youth.”

“You are corrupting a literal child.”

“I'm enhancing his social skills. C’mon, he’s gotta be prepared for the digital hellscape that is modern internet culture. This is survival training.”

Franklin chirped, “He showed me a video of a toilet with eyeballs fighting a cameraman!”

Your jaw dropped. “Johnny—”

“It’s educational,” Johnny argued. “We had a whole thing about Sigma grindsets, NPC energy, and Ohio-core. He’s basically fluent.”

“Fluent in what?” you cried. “Digital madness??”

Franklin nodded. “I’m learning memes.”

You rubbed your temples. “Sue is going to kill you.”

“She won’t. She can’t. I’ve made the kid too powerful now.”

“I can say 'Skibidi rizz' in a sentence,” Franklin offered helpfully. “Wanna hear?”

You held up a hand. “Please don’t.”

Too late. He cleared his throat, sat up straighter, and declared, “Skibidi Sigma walked into Ohio and rizzed up the NPCs like a GYATT.”

You stared at him.

You stared at Johnny.

Johnny beamed like a proud dad at a spelling bee. “You see that delivery? The timing? Kid’s got it.”

“Johnny. He just invented a sentence that felt like it shaved five years off my lifespan.”

Johnny shrugged, grinning. “Welcome to the internet, baby.”

You walked over, plucked the iPad gently from Franklin’s hands and handed him a juice box. “We’re going outside. Touching grass. You’re gonna learn about bugs and clouds and things that don’t make your neurons scream.”

Franklin pouted. “But what about Ohio?”

“Ohio will still be there.”

Johnny leaned back on the couch, arms behind his head like he’d just finished a shift at the meme mines. “You’re just mad ‘cause the kid’s got more rizz than you.”

You shot him a look over your shoulder. “If you say ‘rizz’ one more time, I swear to God I will ratio you into next week.”

Johnny blinked.

Then smirked. “She speaks it now.”

“I will throw you out a window.”

“And I will give Franklin unlimited screen time”

---------------------------

Later that night…

Franklin was finally asleep, snuggled under a spaceship-print comforter, one arm still loosely wrapped around his plush dog. You checked on him twice—once to be sure he hadn’t smuggled the iPad into bed, and a second time just to hear that soft, whistling snore that meant he was well and truly out. He looked peaceful. Innocent.

Totally unaware of the brain rot Johnny had injected into his young, impressionable mind.

Sue was still out—presumably having no idea that her child had learned the phrase “Skibidi Sigma Rizz God” and now believed Ohio was an actual dimension of chaos. You’d debated texting her. Maybe sending a vague warning. But you were still figuring out how to phrase “your brother turned your son into a meme lord in under an hour” without sounding completely unhinged.

So instead, you let it slide for now.

You padded back to the living room in fuzzy socks, where Johnny had settled onto the couch with a blanket over his lap and his phone dimly lit in his hand. The TV was off, but the room glowed faintly blue from the Baxter Building’s ambient tech—and from HERBIE, quietly whirring in his corner charging station, emitting soft chirps and robotic garbled sounds that suspiciously resembled words.

“Bee-boo... Hiiiiiim-booo... thyyyy…”

You paused mid-step. “Did HERBIE just say ‘Himothy’?”

Johnny didn’t even look up. “He’s practicing.”

“…He can’t talk.”

“He can’t officially talk,” Johnny corrected. “But he vibes. Let him vibe.”

You sank down beside him on the couch with a sigh, tucking your legs up beneath you. “This whole household is infected.”

Johnny smirked, leaning slightly against your shoulder, not-so-sneakily reading your phone screen. “Not my fault the youth respond to me.”

“You’re the youth,” you scoffed.

He raised an eyebrow. “I am the youth. The blueprint. The moment. The meme.”

You scrolled a bit more before turning your phone to him. “Okay, explain this one. What does this mean?”

Johnny’s grin turned slow and smug, like a sensei about to bestow forbidden wisdom. “Ah… Grasshopper. You are learning.”

You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at your lips. You didn’t stop scrolling.

By the time midnight rolled around, you were both curled up under the same throw blanket, shoulders touching, legs tangled. Your phones kept flashing with new reels and TikToks as you took turns shoving them in each other’s faces.

You blame Johnny.

Kind of.

Maybe.

masterlist~

[arkofangels]

“My boyfriend wants to show you his writing, and you better say it’s good,” you said firmly, glaring at the camera like you were about to throw hands with someone in the comments section. Behind you, a sheepish Clark laughed under his breath, adjusting his glasses as you stepped aside to make room.

“Go, babe,” you prompted, waving him forward like this was serious business.

“Uh—hi,” Clark said, voice soft and a little nervous, holding up a worn leather notebook and a printed manuscript. “So, um… I write, outside of work. Not just articles, but—short stories. Some fiction. Mostly small-town stuff. People. Ordinary lives. I guess I like exploring the quiet things that matter.”

From behind him, you were mouthing be nice or get blocked with vaguely violent hand gestures.

Clark flipped the notebook open and scratched the back of his neck. “This one’s about a kid growing up on a farm during the Dust Bowl. It’s not flashy—there’s no twist ending or anything. Just… this kid learning how to be kind when everything around him feels unfair. It’s kind of personal.”

Your face softened instantly, your mock threat melting into a look of pure pride.

“And this one,” he continued, holding up the printed pages, “is a story I wrote last year. It’s about a journalist who accidentally stumbles into a town where no one lies. They physically can’t. So everything he hears is honest—even the hard stuff. He’s forced to rethink the way he sees the world, and himself. I don’t know. It’s weird, but I liked writing it.”

You practically exploded behind him, mouthing He’s brilliant while pointing both thumbs at your chest like this is mine.

“That was amazing,” you said, walking over to kiss his cheek. “You’re, like, the most talented man alive. No big deal.”

Clark chuckled shyly. “Oh, uh—also, I run a little writing group at the community center. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6PM. We just bring pages, read each other’s stuff, give feedback. Sometimes there’s snacks.”

You stepped back into frame, beaming. “And new members are very welcome,” you said sweetly, before narrowing your eyes at the camera. “So we’ll see you there. Right?”

[arkofangels]

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐨… || 𝐂.𝐊.

Thinking about Clark Kent leaning down to hear you when you talk.

If I’m being honest, I feel like he does it often. Sometimes, it’s because the city is loud—Metropolis isn't exactly the quietist place on earth. Other times, it’s because you speak softly, and he’s attuned to that now—how your voice never tries to compete with the noise around you. Mostly, though, it’s because Clark is just… big. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Stupidly carved out of marble and kindness. So when you talk and your voice barely reaches his ears, he doesn’t make you say it again. He just leans in.

It happens like this: he’s standing next to you, arms folded loosely across his chest, posture relaxed but attentive. Maybe you’re watching a press conference on the TV in the bullpen. Maybe it’s something light, like a movie playing in the background at his apartment. Whatever it is, he’s locked in, brows furrowed in quiet concentration, jaw set just enough to show he’s listening.

Then you murmur something. A small comment under your breath. And without a beat, Clark tilts his head toward you. Slowly, naturally. Like it’s second nature—like the sound of your voice is something he’s hardwired to follow. You don’t even have to say it again yet. He just bends at the waist a little, turning toward you with the kind of patience most people don’t have anymore.

His head moves first. Then his body follows. But his eyes? His eyes linger on the screen a moment longer—blue and bright and far too gentle for a man who’s carried the weight of the world more times than anyone should. It’s like the rest of him is ready to turn to you, but his eyes don’t want to miss the moment in front of him just yet. They always fall to you last.

When he finally looks at you, it’s soft. Questioning. A low, curious “hmm?” just barely rumbles out of his chest, warm and quiet like it was meant just for you. There’s something about the way he folds himself toward you, like you’re the most interesting thing in the room—even if he was just watching a breaking news segment on LexCorp corruption. Even if the world is ending. You still have his attention.

But now, you’ve forgotten what you were saying. All you can do is stare. Because he’s close. And warm. And looking at you like that—head dipped slightly, glasses slipping down his nose a little, that one soft curl falling over his brow—it’s a lot.

“I didn’t say anything,” you lie, voice suddenly dry, heart loud in your chest.

Clark’s lips twitch, and you catch the glimmer of a smile threatening to give him away. He stands back up with a gentle exhale through his nose, like he’s choosing to let you get away with it. Like he knows exactly what you were going to say and is too polite to call you on it.

“Alright,” he says, soft and amused. “If you say so.”

Little did you know, he heard everything.

Every word. Every whisper. Even the ones you didn’t mean to say out loud.

He always does, really. But he still leans in anyway—just to give you the space to pretend he didn’t. Just to give you the choice to say it again. To say it louder. To say it when you’re ready.

He never pushes. Never asks. Just smiles like that—gentle, knowing, patient as ever—and lets you keep your secrets.

Even the ones already tucked behind his smile.

Taglist: @lcvgty-4929

inspired by another fanfic i saw on here if i can find the og poster i will tag them!

[arkofangels]

𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭, 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐧𝐲. 𝐈 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭. || 𝐉.𝐒

Summary: Johnny Storm is a lot of things: hot, charming, a literal superhero. But a human GPS? Absolutely not. Luckily, he’s got you—and you’ve practically made a full-time job out of making sure your boyfriend doesn’t get lost in his own city.

A/N: sorry guys, my computer is really struggling so updates are getting slower and more sloppy. i’m really trying to take my time to write but computer is making it a struggle.

“You’re going the wrong way.”

Johnny whips his head around, brows furrowed, sunglasses slipping down the bridge of his nose. “Babe, I’m literallyfollowing the little blue dot.”

You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose as you reach over to rotate his phone 180 degrees in his palm. “You’re holding it upside down. Again.”

“Oh,” he says, blinking. “Well that explains why the pizza place was getting farther away.”

You just stare at him.

He flashes you that charming, slightly sheepish grin—the one he probably used in high school to get out of detention and into people’s hearts. “Hey. In my defense, Manhattan has too many streets. It’s like… aggressive with streets.”

You can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of you as you tug his arm and redirect him. “Come on, human torch. You’ll melt if you don’t eat soon.”

He falls into step beside you, warm hand brushing yours until he just laces your fingers together.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he says, faux-dramatic. “Probably still stuck in Times Square, asking someone if the Empire State Building is west or just a figment of the capitalist imagination.”

“You once asked if Brooklyn was north,” you remind him.

“That was one time! And I was disoriented.”

“You were at the Brooklyn Bridge.”

Johnny groans and tosses his head back like you’re torturing him, but the smile tugging at his lips betrays him.

Later that week...

“Hey, babe?”

You lift your head from your laptop, already suspicious. Johnny only uses that voice when he’s broken something—or lost something. “What did you do?”

“I’m... not technically lost.”

“Oh my god.”

“I know where I am, I just don’t know how to get to where I want to be.”

“Johnny, you’re in a superhero suit. You can literally fly.”

“I flew the wrong way! I thought I was heading to the warehouse near Queens and now I’m, like, above Jersey?”

You rub your face and grab your phone. “Send me a screenshot of your location.”

“…How do I do that again?”

That night, back at the Baxter Building

He came home sheepishly around midnight, hair tousled by wind, holding a giant bag of takeout and a slightly dented phone.

“I got your favorite,” he announced, dumping it on the coffee table like a peace offering. “Took me three restaurants, two wrong turns, and one extremely confused cab driver to get there, but—I made it.”

You gave him a slow clap. “Heroic. Inspiring. Very brave.”

Johnny collapsed next to you on the couch with a dramatic sigh, his body instantly warm against yours. “It’s a cruel world out there. Full of alleys and one-way signs and GPS voices that betray you.”

“You ignored the GPS because it ‘sounded judgy.’”

“It was judgy—‘Recalculating’ isn’t a helpful suggestion, okay? And I swear, one day I’m gonna learn how to use a map.”

You laughed and leaned into his side, stealing a fry. “You’d die without me.”

“Correction,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to your cheek. “I’d be wandering the New Jersey turnpike forever without you.”

You snort. “You’re hopeless.”

[arkofangels]

Do you have an about me post? Your stories are good but I feel weird continuing reading or following you with your blog not stating you’re not a minor 😕

Hi, I just wanted to address this for future reference yes im an adult. im pretty sure I've mentioned this in one of my post before but I delete and rearrange my work so I see how it could've gotten lost. It's now stated in my Bio that im 18.

But here's an little about me!

im 18 and currently in college, my major is film and media production

my dream is to become an film director ( or assistant director)

I have a lot of favorite actors/actresses but my number one is Pedro pascal <3

my favorite color is green and I love leopard print (my blog is prime example)

Also checked out my masterlist that where ill be posting a lot more things and where my request form/taglist is, if that interest you!

[arkofangels]

Locked In

Summary: After an accidental lock-in together at the Daily Planet’s file room, you and Clark Kent are forced to confront more than just a broken door—you finally face the tension that’s been simmering for months.

Tags/warnings: enemies(ish) -to-friends, forced proximity, Mutual Pining, Slow burn, Slightly suggestive themes, Emotional tension

A/N: I got back into art so I might starting posting my art here :)

The file room wasn’t supposed to lock from the inside.

At least, that’s what you’d muttered the second the heavy door clicked shut and the handle refused to budge—after Clark had followed you in, offering help in that familiar gentle way of his, all low voice and warm smile.

Now it was just the two of you, locked in a 10x12 room with boxes stacked to the ceiling and only the hum of the building’s ancient ventilation to break the silence.

You sat on the floor, back against the far wall, arms resting on your knees. Across from you, Clark paced—quietly, thoughtfully, like he didn’t want his steps to disturb you. Always considerate. Always polite.

It would have been easier to be annoyed if he wasn’t so relentlessly kind.

“I texted Perry,” he said finally, phone still in hand. “He’s sending someone down to pry the door open.”

You didn’t respond.

Clark’s eyes drifted to you, brows drawing together ever so slightly. “You okay?”

You blew out a breath, resting your head against the wall. “I’m fine.”

“You seem…” he hesitated, adjusting his glasses, “…mad.”

“Not mad.”

“Frustrated?”

“No,” you said, sharper than you meant to. Then, more quietly: “Not exactly.”

Clark paused, then sat down across from you, mirroring your posture. “Talk to me.”

You stared at him. “Why do you always do that?”

“Do what?”

“Act like everything’s fine. Like nothing gets to you. Like you’re just—perfect.”

His brows lifted, surprised.

Huffing, you pushed yourself to your feet, still keeping your back against the wall. “You’re the best reporter in the building. The most dependable. Everyone likes you. You never screw up, and you always manage to make people feel safe even when everything’s falling apart.”

Clark tilted his head, watching you carefully, hands clasped loosely between his knees.

“You’re the best journalist here,” you continued. “You’ve never noticed?”

It came out as a challenge, curling off your tongue like bait, and you locked your gaze on the side of his face. He was trying not to smile. You saw the twitch of his lips. The clench of his jaw.

That asshole.

He was holding back a smile.

Instead of answering, Clark finally turned toward you, slow and unhurried. He crossed his arms over his chest, and your eyes couldn’t help but flick downward—briefly, stupidly—to the way the fabric of his sleeves stretched over solid forearms.

You looked away fast.

“Do you really think that?” he asked quietly.

You frowned. “Think what?”

“That I’m perfect.”

You crossed your arms too, matching his stance, but you felt far less steady doing it. “They didn’t make you front-page material for your sparkling humor.”

Clark let out a quiet huff—his version of a laugh, almost—but his smile faded before it could fully form. Silence settled in again, broken only by the faint hum of the emergency light over the door.

When he finally spoke, it was soft.

“Do you really think I hate you?”

That made you blink.

“…What?”

“Earlier. You said your boss hates you.” His voice was calm, but something about it felt tighter than before. “Do you think I hate you?”

You faltered, surprised by the question. The memory came back in a blur: something you’d muttered under your breath earlier that week, half-joking, something like “God, my boss hates me”—meaning Perry, of course. But maybe Clark had thought—

“No,” you said finally. “No, I didn’t mean you.”

He was still watching you. His posture had shifted again—leaning forward slightly, head tilted, the curiosity in his expression raw and honest.

“Good,” he said. “Because I don’t.”

“I didn’t think you did.”

“You seem like you do.” His eyes didn’t leave yours. “You always seem like you’re keeping me at arm’s length. Like you’re waiting for me to disappoint you.”

You pressed your lips together. “Maybe I just didn’t want to get too close.”

“Why?”

“Because then I’d start hoping you felt the same way.”

The words slipped out before you could stop them.

You didn’t mean to say it. You never meant to say it. Not to him.

But now Clark was very still.

His eyes widened just a little. “You’ve been hoping I felt the same way?”

You swallowed hard. “Forget it.”

“No.”

The answer came fast—too fast for him to think it through. His voice was low, almost hoarse. “Don’t take it back.”

You looked away, heat rising in your throat. “Clark—”

“I’ve been in love with you since the day you spilled coffee on my tie.”

Your head jerked back toward him.

His cheeks were flushed now, the tips of his ears red, but he didn’t flinch. Didn’t backtrack. He just kept looking at you like you were the only thing in the room.

“You were so flustered,” he said, a soft laugh slipping out. “Then you spent the next week leaving sticky notes on my desk with coffee coupons.”

Your jaw dropped a little. “You—wait, why didn’t you ever say anything?”

He hesitated, then met your eyes. “Because you’re brave. And sharp. And stubborn. And I guess… I didn’t think I deserved to want someone like you.”

That hit harder than you expected—like something you didn’t know you’d been waiting to hear.

Before you even realized it, you were stepping closer. “You’re… kind of like Superman.”

His eyes widened, just a little—caught somewhere between surprise and something softer, unreadable.

But you didn’t stop.

“You’re the one people look up to. You’re the one they trust when things are falling apart. I admire you, Clark. That’s the problem.”

“That’s not a problem.”

“It is,” you said, and suddenly your voice wavered. “Because you’re gentle. And kind. And I’m not always. I’m sharp-edged and loud and too much sometimes. And I didn’t want to say anything because… if you didn’t feel the same, I think it would’ve broken me.”

Clark stood up slowly. He was taller than you, but he never used it to intimidate. Instead, he stepped in close—close enough to feel his warmth, close enough to count the freckles across his cheekbones.

“You’re not too much,” he said quietly. “Not for me.”

Your breath caught.

The silence between you bloomed into something warmer. Softer.

And then—slowly, like gravity was pulling him—Clark leaned in.

He kissed you with all the gentleness you expected from him. Like he was still scared he might break the moment if he moved too fast. But when you kissed him back, something shifted. His arms wrapped around your waist. Yours tangled behind his neck. And it wasn’t just slow anymore.

It was inevitable.

When the door finally creaked open half an hour later—thanks to a very annoyed maintenance guy—you were sitting next to Clark on the floor, shoulder to shoulder, flushed and slightly dazed.

You stood up first, brushing imaginary dust from your pants.

The janitor gave you both a weird look.

Clark smiled sheepishly. “Got stuck.”

“Uh-huh,” the janitor grunted. “Try not to get stuck near the supply closet next time. Or the third-floor lounge. I’m not a locksmith, you know.”

You both mumbled apologies and fled as fast as humanly (or super-humanly) possible.

Back in the newsroom, as you returned to your desk, Lois gave you a slow, knowing look.

You froze.

“What?”

She smiled, sipping her coffee. “Took you two long enough.”

Taglist: @lcvgty-4929

[arkofangels]

𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲

Summary: One night with Clark left you sore, satisfied, and—unfortunately—forgetful. Blissed-out and beautiful, he walked into the office the next morning completely unaware of the little “present” you accidentally left on his neck

AN: ★·.·`¯´·.·★ 𝘚𝘋𝘐𝘠𝘉𝘛 ★·.·`¯´·.·★ JK, but I made a smallville reference even though I've never seen it, lol.

You swore it wasn’t going to happen again.

You swore.

But then Clark Kent had shown up at your apartment the night before—looking like sin in glasses, apologizing for missing your lunch date with a bouquet of actual starflowers from actual space—and next thing you knew, you were shirtless on the couch, Clark was holding you like you weighed nothing (because you kinda didn’t to him), and the couch was now definitely crooked.

You woke up tangled in sheets, kissed him goodbye, and got to the office first, smugly sipping your iced coffee like the world hadn’t just been shaken by Kryptonian strength and very human hands.

Everything was fine.

Until Clark walked into the bullpen two hours later, waving and greeting everyone with that impossibly soft “good morning,” and the newsroom... paused.

You didn’t notice at first. Too busy pretending to type something while eavesdropping on the city desk. But then you caught it.

Whispers.

Not suspicious ones. Not Superman-level whispers.

No.

These were gossipy whispers.

And Clark, bless him, looked completely unaware. His tie was slightly crooked (you did pull him down by it last night), his hair was still a bit too perfectly tousled (your fault again), and most damning of all—

There it was.

A Hickey.

On full, blotchy display, just above the collar. A perfect little bruise in the shape of your mouth.

You died inside.

Clark had no idea. He just kept smiling his golden-retriever smile, walking around like a walking HR violation, asking if anyone had seen the sports section.

It wasn’t until Lois passed him with a smirk and a very pointed eyebrow raise that he frowned.

“Is there something... on my face?”

“No, farmboy,” Lois said, sipping her coffee with the same delight as someone watching a house burn down. “Just your neck.”

You watched the light drain from his face. He practically slow-motioned back to his desk, dropped into his chair, pulled out his phone, and subtly turned the camera on himself.

The second he saw it, he slapped a hand over his neck and swung a look straight at you. Mortified. Betrayed. Deeply blushing.

You, being a professional, pretended not to notice. You typed something like “weather patterns Metropolis July heatwave” to cover the fact you were silently losing your mind.

But then the email came.

Subject: URGENT: Supervisory Review

From: Janet Harrows, Managing Editor

To: You

“My office. Now. We need to talk about damaging company property.”

You choked on your water.

You stood in Janet’s office five minutes later, hands behind your back like you were being court-martialed. She leaned back in her chair with a look that was half-stern, half-glee.

“Close the door.”

You did.

“Sit.”

You did that, too.

She steepled her fingers. “You know we take workplace professionalism very seriously here at The Daily Planet.”

“Yes, ma’am,” you said, doing your best not to implode.

“So when one of my top reporters strolls in looking like he got mauled by a very affectionate octopus, I’m forced to ask: who did it?”

You blinked. “I—I wouldn’t say mauled, exactly—”

“Clark Kent,” she continued, ignoring you, “is a treasured employee. Polite. Punctual. Alarmingly sweet. Company property, one might say.” Her brow lifted. “And you’ve marked him.”

“Technically, he’s not—”

“Marked,” she repeated, like a gavel strike.

You opened your mouth, thought better of it, and shut it again.

Janet leaned back in her chair. “I’ve had two photographers ask me if they can pitch a Valentine’s special called ‘The Mysterious Hickey Chronicles: Love Bites in the Bullpen.’”

You buried your face in your hands.

She chuckled. “Next time, maybe aim below the collarbone. Or bring a scarf. He’s making the interns who thought they had a chance cry.”

She waved you off. “Go. Shoo. Get your story in before five.”

Back at your desk, Clark was pretending to do work but was definitely Googling “how to fade hickeys faster.” He glanced up, looking wounded.

“I thought we said no visible marks.”

You dropped a post-it note on his desk. On it, you’d scribbled:

"Tell that to your neck, Smallville."

He blushed.

You winked.

And Lois, two desks away, let out a dramatic groan. “God, get a room. Or at least an office with a door.”

“Already did,” Clark muttered under his breath.

You kicked his foot under the desk.

And from Janet’s office, a voice rang out:

“KEEP IT PG, PEOPLE!”

[arkofangels]

Working for the Enemy || 𝐂.𝐊

Summary: This is a Clark Kent/Superman x Reader story that follows a crisis PR specialist (you) recently hired by LexCorp. On paper, your job is to help clean up the company’s image after another high-profile clash with Superman. But behind closed doors, you’re handed a different assignment: shake public faith in Superman—and if possible, uncover who he really is.

You're not a spy. You're not a hero or a villain. Just someone good at spinning stories. Still, something about this feels different. Worse.

A/n: Still a work in progress! Trying to keep it grounded and character-driven, with a slow burn tone and some emotional messiness. but first chapter will probably be out soon after I work out the kinks and get over my depressive laziness

You’ve worked crisis PR long enough to know what real damage looks like. You’ve seen people torn apart by headlines. You’ve written the copy. Cleaned the blood off the pavement with spin and charm and pretty numbers. But this—this feels bigger. Not messier. Just wrong.

Still, you close the folder and say, “Got it,” because the benefits are good and your lease is expensive.

You carry the folder back to your desk—one of a dozen identical cubicles lined up under too-bright fluorescent lights. It’s not the kind of place meant for high-stakes assignments. But the contents of the folder say otherwise, and as you sit down and flip it open, the weight of it settles in.

You start with the basics—Superman press coverage, sighting maps, archived interviews. It’s a mess. The internet’s full of theories—alien clone, government weapon, future god, literal angel. Nothing solid. Just speculation stacked on top of wishful thinking.

And at first, it feels like another dead end. Then it doesn’t.

Clark Kent.

His name shows up again and again in Superman features. Not a household name, not a flashy byline—but his writing stands out. Grounded. Specific. Less spectacle, more story. It doesn’t sound like someone describing a myth. It sounds like someone describing a person.

You start reading. One article turns into five. Then ten.

The man writes like he’s been in the same room as Superman. Like he’s seen the hesitation before the flight. The way he fidgets with his hands when someone calls him a hero. The way he always—always—glances toward the sky before answering a hard question.

It feels too personal. Too familiar. You scroll back through his work history.

Small-town beginnings. Local columns. No profile picture. Just years of quietly published articles that shouldn’t matter but somehow do.

You sit back in your chair, letting the quiet hum of the office settle into your bones.

If anyone’s got a lead on Superman—if anyone’s gotten past the performance—it’s this guy.

You type the message carefully.

Polite. Vague. Just enough interest to seem legitimate. A media firm working on a piece about Superman’s image. You don’t use your real name. Just initials. A burner email. Professional enough not to alarm, anonymous enough not to trace.

You hit send.

You expect silence. Maybe a polite decline. Maybe nothing at all.

But less than an hour later, your inbox pings.

“Sure. I’ve got some time Monday.” —Clark Kent

[arkofangels]

your dunk story has awakened something in me. can you please write another story featuring him?

ofc this is one of my first request so I want to take time to make it good, so please enjoy these dunk headcannons in the mean times!! I promise it well be posted very soon :)

Dunk Headcannons (SFW & NSFW)

SFW Headcanons – “BIG Wholesome Himbo Energy”

Gym Bro with a Heart of Gold: Dunk is the type to spot you at the gym before you even ask, handing you your water bottle like he’s been waiting his whole life to do it. Encouraging, uplifting, and always has a dad-joke locked and loaded. “Hydrate or diedrate, champ.”

Physical Touch and Acts of Service is His Love Language: A squeeze to your shoulder. A back pat that lingers. One-armed, sweaty hugs after a workout that leave you breathless in more ways than one. Even during breaks, his hand somehow finds your thigh—or your pinky hooks around his.

And when it comes to acts of service? He’s all in. Helping you stretch, spotting your lifts, tying your shoes, hauling groceries, massaging your calves after a run—he doesn’t just do things for you, he means them. Every action says: I’m here. I care. I want you to feel good—always.

Motivational Overdrive: You could be struggling through a single push-up and he’ll act like you just won the Olympics. “That’s my baby!! Look at that form! Hall of Fame material!!”

Attempts to Meal Prep, Fails: He tries to be healthy but ends up putting peanut butter on everything and calling it a day. Once offered you “a protein parfait” that was literally Greek yogurt, beef jerky, and granola in a Gatorade cup.

Sleeps like a Starfish: Sprawls out like he’s trying to take up the whole bed and win MVP while doing it. Wears only boxers and maybe one sock. Snores lightly. Definitely mumbles in his sleep.

NSFW Headcanons: (Now stay with me here, this man is a FREAK and you can't tell me otherwise.)

Praise Kink Hall of Famer: Everything is a cheer session. “You’re takin’ me so good, baby.” “Look at you—MVP of my heart.” “Fuck, your body’s my favorite sport.”

Built Like a Tank, Fucks Like One Too: He’s big. Thick. Always stretching you just a little too wide—but slow at first, always checking you're good before he starts really moving. He’s the type to leave you shaking and full.

Loves When You Wear His Gear: Especially his knee pads or sweatbands. Sees you in just his jersey and malfunctions. Will bend you over the nearest bench like a post-game press conference doesn’t exist.

Very Loud. And Very Into Yours: Grunts. Growls. Whispers “so fuckin’ hot” into your neck. But the thing that gets him off? Hearing you. The more noise you make, the more unhinged he becomes.

Into Overstimulation, But In A Loving Way: The kind to go multiple rounds and keep you in his lap, whispering, “You can give me one more, right?” while rubbing slow, lazy circles over your most sensitive spot.

Dom With a Sub Braincell: Will absolutely rail you senseless while calling you “coach.” Has no shame in begging for a taste, going down on you like it’s his pre-game meal. Big tongue. Big effort. Always finishes the job.

also did I forget to mention dunk is 1000% an ass over tits man, He lives for standing behind you while you squat, pretending it’s about your “form,” but his hands are already on your hips, eyes locked in. And don’t even get him started on the treadmill—he’ll suddenly “need” to stretch right behind you, pretending to tie a shoe while blatantly enjoying the view.

[arkofangels]

Stretch It Out!

synopsis: After helping you ease into working out, Dunk offers some hands-on motivation

Pairing: Duncan "Dunk" Shuttlecock x Reader (Date Everything)

Content. MDNI: GN! Reader, personal trainer!Dunk, praise kink, size kink, rough sex, overstimulation, creampie, athletic dom energy, sweat, choking (light), spit, dumbification , muscle worship (from both sides), improper use of yoga positions

“Th-this is where you’re weak, right?” Dunk’s voice cracks—deep and guttural, like he’s just fumbled the ball and liked it.

You don’t answer. Can’t. Not when he’s got you pressed chest-down on your yoga mat, sweat-slick and trembling, your legs splayed as wide as they’ll go under the strong, caging weight of his body. He’s got one bulky arm laced around your midsection, the heel of a calloused palm pinning your wrist above your head, and the other hand—

Fuck, that hand is dragging your hips back like he’s trying to line you up for a perfect field goal.

The blunt head of his cock nudges your entrance, flushed hot and slick from everything he's already done to you—stretching, teasing, edging with his stupid mouth full of praise and filth.

“Right here,” he pants, his cleats digging into the floor as he jerks forward and shoves the thick, veiny length of himself into you in one slow, spine-bending thrust.

“Oh fuck–mmghhh!” Your mouth falls open, drool stringing from your lips into the mat below. “D-Dunk—right there!”

“Right there, huh?” he grunts, voice all hoarse and starved and dripping heat. He braces one elbow—elbow skate grinding against the mat—and slams into the same spot again. “This your weak spot? Right where you get all soft and squishy f’me?”

You choke out a whimper, body locking up, toes curling in your socks.

And Dunk groans like a man in his prime scoring the winning goal in triple overtime. “Shit, yeah. You’re clutch, baby. Makin’ me feel like a fuckin’ champion.”

He’s not subtle. He never is. Every thrust is a penalty-worthy foul, full-body and brutal—his padded hips hammering into your ass with a wet, smack! of skin on skin, the seams of his football-textured pants brushing your thighs raw.

And you love it. You’re taking him like a champ, brain turning to static, vision sparking with every drag of his cock along your g-spot.

“So good,” he growls, low and rough in your ear. “So tight. Taking me like this? You were made for me—swear to God. Can feel you tryin’ to pull me back in every time I leave. Mmmph—don’t worry, I ain’t going anywhere.”

His fingers twist in your shirt collar—yanking you halfway up, arching your spine so he can get even deeper, stretch you out more, ruin you. His mouth is right at your ear now, warm breath ragged as he growls out praises like a dirty coach from hell.

“You’re doing so fuckin’ good. I mean, look at you. You’re—shit—you’re beautiful like this. Sloppy, sweatin’, fuckin’ perfect.”

The sound you make is more animal than human, all heat and overwhelmed bliss.

“S-slow down,” you whine, even though your hips are moving to meet him. “It’s too—too much—”

“Oh no, no no.” Dunk chuckles, deep and mean and amused. “We don’t quit halfway through a workout, sweetheart.”

Then he slams into you again. Hard. Vicious. Filthy.

You nearly scream, forehead digging into the mat, tears dripping freely now.

He leans down, mouth pressing at the back of your neck, lips brushing the sweat there. “One more set, baby. Just one more. And then I’ll let you cool down on my chest. Promise.”

And when you finally come—crying out like you just crossed the finish line of a marathon, your whole body twitching under him—he follows with a growl that sounds more like a war cry than a moan, spilling deep inside you and holding you there, locked to his body like a medal he refuses to take off.

Afterward, you’re a pile of boneless mush sprawled across his sweaty chest, legs still twitching. He strokes your back with gentle fingers, breath slowing.

“That,” he whispers, brushing his stubbled jaw against your temple, “was the best cardio I’ve had in years.”

You murmur something incoherent.

He grins. “No bummers allowed, remember?”

[arkofangels]

Productivity Is Dead, and So Is Hope

Pairing: Doug (Date Everything!) x Reader Summary: You’re spiraling again—stuck in your apartment, haunted by half-finished emails and a growing pile of undone tasks. Enter Doug: the literal embodiment of your existential dread, wearing pink boxers and a smug attitude. As you try (and fail) to be productive, Doug mocks you, comforts you, and dares you to face the crushing weight of existence with at least a little style. It’s not about fixing everything—it’s about showing up, even if you're a mess. Especially if you're a mess.

Because Doug isn’t going anywhere. And honestly? You kind of need him.

Even if he calls you “dork” every five minutes.

You’re running.

Not physically. God no. You’re “running” from responsibility by walking in anxious circles around your apartment while holding a mug you reheated three times and still haven’t touched.

Your phone buzzes. You ignore it. Your to-do list stares at you from across the room like a judgmental ex.

And then, like clockwork, comes the voice:

“Well, well, well. Look at this sexy, twitchy little disaster parade.”

You spin around. Doug’s perched on your kitchen counter, legs swinging like a bored teenager, abs fully present and accounted for. He’s holding a spoon for no reason. Possibly to mock you. Probably just because he can.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” you snap.

Doug gasps, offended. “Excuse you. I am doing something. I’m observing your majestic descent into existential paralysis.” He gestures broadly with the spoon. “Art. Truly. You should charge admission.”

You take a sip of your coffee. It’s still cold.

Doug watches you like a smug cat that just knocked over a priceless vase. “You know you’ve read the same email draft seventeen times, right? At this point, I think you and that apology email are in a committed relationship.”

You groan, setting your mug down. “Why do you always show up when I’m falling apart?”

He shrugs. “Because I’m the hot ghost of your subconscious who thrives off emotional instability and the faint scent of body spray. Also, you left your mind wide open, and I crawled in like a raccoon in a garage. Congratulations.”

You sit on the couch and bury your face in your hands.

Doug drops down beside you. “Look, dork. I know the void is screaming. I can hear it too. That’s kind of my whole thing.” He nudges your leg with his knee. “But if you just sit here marinating in self-loathing, you’re basically inviting me to move in full-time. And I do shed metaphorically.”

You peek at him through your fingers. “Do you ever stop talking?”

“Nope. I’m like the world’s worst motivational speaker. Except instead of making you believe in yourself, I make you hyper-aware of your failure potential. But, like, hotly.”

You roll your eyes. “What’s the point of anything?”

Doug flops back dramatically, arms stretched wide. “Ohhh, there it is. The classic line. The main event. You’re asking me—a metaphysical sadboy with sculpted abs and the emotional range of a Dostoevsky novel—what the point is?”

He grins at you upside down. “There isn’t one, dork. That’s the beauty of it. There’s no cosmic scoreboard, no divine Yelp review. You’re free to screw up gloriously. So why not at least try something stupid before you die?”

You stare at him. “That’s the worst pep talk I’ve ever heard.”

Doug smirks. “And yet, you’re still here. Listening. Interesting.”

You grab a pen off the coffee table. You don’t even know what for. Doug leans closer, his voice low and teasing.

“There you go. Tiny, pathetic act of agency. So brave. So tragic. I’m weeping internally.”

You flip him off. He looks delighted.

You open your laptop. You delete the draft. You start again.

Doug lies across the back of the couch like a morally gray cat, watching.

“You’re doing it,” he whispers. “You’re ignoring me. How dare you grow.”

You smirk. Just a little.

Doug leans in, voice soft, almost… warm? “Seriously, though. You’re not completely hopeless. You’re like… faintly hopeful. Like a moldy slice of bread that might still toast okay.”

You laugh, despite yourself.

And for now, that’s enough. Because the dread is still there. But so are you. And so is Doug.

Unfortunately.

[arkofangels]

Beach Episode Imagine

Pairing: Hank(s) x reader

Summary: The Hanks want a beach day. You want to survive it. There’s sunscreen, a sandcastle war, and one heartfelt group moment just before sunset. Mostly, there’s love.

a/n: something quick and simple for today, also I feel that im kind of legally required to write at least one fanfic before bed. also suggest more characters I should write for. (surprisingly I have one for Doug in my drafts)

It starts like most of your adventures do—with one of the Hanks bursting into the room wearing something absolutely uncalled for.

“TA-DA!” Hank 3 announces, twirling in a banana-print swim trunks, matching shades, and a sunhat that says "LIFE'S A BEACH."

You blink. “Why.”

“Because,” he says, beaming, “we’re going to the beach.”

You’re not sure how the Hanks managed to schedule, plan, and pack for a beach trip without telling you—but when you stumble into the living room, there are already seven Red Bowls full of snacks, three umbrellas, two inflatable flamingos, and one extremely detailed binder labeled “Sun Safety & Group Sand Strategy – Hank 2 Edition.”

“Did you guys… borrow my car?”

“We upgraded it with a speaker system,” Hank 1 says, sliding on driving gloves like this is Fast & Furious: Hanger Drift. “Don’t ask how.”

The second your feet hit the sand, things immediately unravel.

Hank 5 tries to befriend a seagull. Hank 4 gets in a passive-aggressive towel turf war with a six-year-old. Hank 2 sets up a shade tent that somehow collapses into a modern art installation. Hank 3 challenges you to a “sunscreen fight” and ends up smearing SPF 50 on your nose like a very flirty lifeguard. Hank 1 disappears with a boogie board and a thousand-yard stare.

And yet… you’re laughing through it.

-----------------------------

You team up with Hank 2 and 5 to build a sandcastle “so emotionally stable it should be in therapy.” Hank 1, 3, and 4 immediately declare war on it. There’s yelling. There’s betrayal. There’s a dramatic “storm surge” via cooler water. You and Hank 5 pretend to mourn your castle like fallen royalty. It ends with everyone soaked and sandy and holding hands in a peace circle while Hank 2 gives a speech about erosion.

“Nothing lasts,” he says, dramatic as ever. “But this moment? This weird, beautiful, sunscreen-slick moment? It’s ours.”

As the sky melts into orange and gold, the chaos simmers down. You all sit on towels, wrapped in oversized hoodies and still picking sand out of your shoes.

Hank 3 lays his head in your lap. Hank 2 rests against your side. Hank 4 is drawing a tiny heart in the sand with his finger. Hank 5 is feeding bits of sandwich to a hermit crab. Hank 1 just watches the horizon like he’s memorizing it.

“I’m glad we did this,” you say, voice soft from sun and joy.

“We needed it,” Hank 1 nods.

“Next time,” Hank 2 mutters, “we should bring four shade tents.”

“Next time,” Hank 3 grins, “we should rent a yacht.”

“Next time,” Hank 5 whispers, eyes wide, “we should adopt the crab.”

"We are not adopting another sentient thing ," Hank 2 groans.

The crab blinks.

Hank 3 leans toward it. "Are you... emotionally available?"

You facepalm. The hermit crab retreats into its shell.

And just like that, you're back to laughing again.

[arkofangels]

Hang in there, BABY?

Pairing: Hank(s) x reader

Summary: When your friend unexpectedly drops off a baby for the night, you and your five hanger boyfriends—The Hank(s)—are thrown into a whirlwind of diapers, pacifiers, and existential panic. 

A/N: sorry its been take me so long to write, my computer is literally on its last legs and I can't afford to get a new one :(

(its a 8 year old Mac book and i swear i can hear it cough after every update 💔)

You don’t ask questions when your friend drops a baby off at your door.

You try, of course. You get out “Wait, why—” before she slaps a diaper bag into your arms, kisses your cheek, and says something like “It’s just overnight, you’re the only one I trust, I’ll explain everything later, BYE.”

And then she’s gone.

And you’re left holding a real, human baby. And also surrounded by five animate "hangers" in jumpsuits who have very strong and very different feelings about this.

“A baby?” Hank 2 squeaks, already Googling CPR on your cracked phone. Hank 1 crosses his arms. “We can handle a baby. We’ve done trick dives into volcanoes.” “Those were miniature volcanoes made out of papier-mâché and sadness,” mutters Hank 4. “Do we think the baby’s got a favorite already?” teases Hank 3, batting his lashes. He’s immediately silenced by a diaper to the face. “I love this baby,” Hank 5 whispers, gently cradling the child with sock-like reverence. “We should build it a tiny hammock and name it Bean.”

You make a list. You don’t know what babies eat (mashed peas? socks?), but you know what you have:

Five hanger boyfriends

A half-eaten sleeve of saltines

Eight Red Bowls

And now, apparently, a baby.

Operation: Don’t Let the Baby Die begins.

Hour 1: Hank 2 is already spiraling. He’s checking the baby’s pulse every six minutes. “What if we drop it? What if it senses our fear? What if Red Bowl finds out and tries to sponsor it?!”

Hour 2: Hank 1 builds a diaper-changing station out of your bookshelf. It is both sturdy and somehow... emotionally grounding. “Babies need confidence. Eye contact. Structure. And a little jazz.”

Hour 3: Hank 3 plays peekaboo. But it turns into an impromptu stand-up set. “You ever notice how pacifiers are just, like, emotional corks? Amirite?” The baby stares. Then drools. Hank 3 swoons.

Hour 4: Hank 4 is writing a detailed list of potential baby names (even though you told him it already has one). “What about Clasp? Or Hookifer. No? Too thematic?”

Hour 5: Hank 5 and the baby are both asleep in a pile of pillows and blankets on the living room floor, baby toys scattered like confetti around them. You gently drape a blanket over them and whisper, “This is my life now.”

You didn’t expect this. You didn’t expect to be jobless, babysitting someone else’s infant at 3 a.m., surrounded by five sentient hangers in jumpsuits who somehow care more about your well-being than most people ever have.

But when the baby starts to cry at 3 a.m.—a loud, wailing, existential sound that cuts into your sleep like a Red Bowl promo jingle—they all show up.

Hank 2 with a warm bottle. Hank 1 with calming noise (a Spotify playlist labeled “Jazz for Infants and Sad Adults”). Hank 3 with interpretive dance. Hank 4 with one (1) stolen baby sock he insists is sentimental. Hank 5 with a lullaby that is definitely just the Red Bowl theme song hummed gently.

And you.

Tired. Overwhelmed. Absolutely not ready to be responsible for anyone, let alone six people (five of whom used to live in your closet as inanimate hangers—until the glasses happened)

But you hold that baby. And the Hanks hold you. Figuratively. And then, literally.

And in that tangled pile of limbs, soft snoring, and the faint scent of baby powder and Red Bowl plastic, you realize: this is your family.

In the morning, when your friend returns and gasps, “Wait, why are there five hot men in jumpsuits in your living room?”—

You just shrug.

“Long story,” you say. “But we’re good with babies.”

[arkofangels]

Flushed with Emotions

Pairing: Jean Loo Pissoir x Reader – Date Everything!

summary: After losing your job to AI, your life takes a bizarre turn when you receive the Dateviators—enchanted glasses that reveal the true, dateable forms of your household objects. One of them? Your toilet.

a/n: sorry for the corny rhyme idk what to write

Your day started the same as every other since you got fired. You'd shuffled into the bathroom, bleary-eyed and barely awake, trying not to think about your rent or the way your boss had said “the algorithm just does it better.”

Now you’re standing in front of your toilet. And it’s talking to you. In rhymes. With a French accent. And a chain that holds a mic named Ballcock.

You blame the sunglasses.

The Dateviators, gifted to you by a trench-coated weirdo outside the unemployment office, are perched on your nose. And ever since you put them on, your apartment hasn’t been the same. Your microwave flirts. Your vacuum growls. And now—this.

“Bonjour, mon cœur,” the toilet purrs, tilting its porcelain face toward you. His plunger-hat leans rakishly to the side, as if it’s seen some things. “You look like a clogged soul… in need of a flush.”

You stare. “Okay. Nope. No. We’re not doing this.”

Jean Loo doesn’t miss a beat.

“You flush your feelings, bury them deep, But mon amour, the pain still leaks. Sit down, relax, let’s unclog this mess— The bathroom’s a church, and you came here to confess.”

Your eye twitches. You point at the door. “Out. No rapping in the bathroom.”

“I am the bathroom,” he says, arms out like he’s Christ on ceramic. “And the rapper.”

You groan and walk out, only for Jean Loo to follow. Somehow his boots make a flush sound with every step, and the toilet-seat shoulder armor creaks dramatically when he moves.

“I didn’t invite you into the living room.”

He shrugs. “Everything in this home is mine to access. Or are you forgetting who handles your… delicate situations?”

You want to scream. You want to laugh. You want to throw the glasses out the window. Instead, you flop on the couch.

“…You smell a little like bleach.”

He leans on the doorframe, arms crossed. “Merci. I shower in Lysol. Most find it… invigorating.”

You bury your face in your hands. “Why me?”

He suddenly quiets. You peek through your fingers and see something rare—earnestness.

“You looked sad. Lonely. Your eyes were heavy like a tank with no flush,” he says softly. “And I—Jean Loo—do not let my cherie rot in solitude.”

You lift your head. “Did you just say I’m like a neglected tank?”

“…Romantically, oui.”

You sigh, but it’s a little less hopeless now. Maybe a tiny part of you—some small, unhinged recess of your unemployed brain—likes having someone (thing?) around. Even if he does come with freestyles and flexible hoses.

You lean back. “Fine. You can stay. But no freestyling during me time.”

Jean grins. “But all time with you is mon temps préféré.”

“…That better not mean what I think it means.”

He winks. “Would you prefer a bidet pun?”

You hurl a throw pillow at him. He catches it with flair—bowing like you’ve just thrown roses.

[arkofangels]

Because I Love You

Pairing: Joel Miller x reader

Summary:In the aftermath of discovering the truth behind the Fireflies and the cure, you confront Joel — the man you’ve grown to love — about the lie he’s lived with for years. What starts as anger and betrayal becomes something far more complicated as Joel finally confesses why he did it: not just to protect Ellie, but because he couldn’t bear to lose you too, and the life you built together. 

a/n: not proofread because I spent the last 24 hours at an amusement park and now I’m severely dislexscy. this fic is running purely on my last two brain cells.  enjoy the emotional damage <3

The air was heavy. The kind of thick silence that comes after something breaks — not with a crash, but with a slow, agonizing crack.

You stood with your back to him, fists clenched, shoulders tight. The Fireflies’ hidden lab had been empty for years, but what they left behind told enough of a story. Enough for the pieces to fall into place.

“You said the cure was never real,” you whispered, your voice hoarse. “That there was nothing they could do.”

Joel didn’t answer right away. You could hear his breathing steady, almost measured. Like he was holding himself together with both hands.

“They were going to kill her,” he said at last, quietly. “They didn’t ask. Just wheeled her in like she wasn’t even—”

“Joel,” you cut him off, turning around slowly, eyes burning. “You didn’t just kill them for her.”

He swallowed hard.

“You killed them because you couldn’t bear to lose her. And now you’re here — with me — pretending you’re someone I can trust.”

He flinched like the words had struck him across the face.

“You were supposed to protect people, Joel. That’s what you taught me. But instead of telling her the truth… you made it like there was never a choice at all. Ellie was ready to give everything, and you took that away from her. Not just the cure. Her choice.”

“I know,” he said, voice rough. “I know what I did.”

You stared at him. “Why?”

His eyes met yours, and for a moment, he looked so wrecked, so human, that your heart nearly softened.

Then he spoke.

“Because I’m selfish.”

You blinked.

“Because I loved her. And because I love you.”

The words hung there, bare and bruised.

Joel stepped closer, cautiously, like he wasn’t sure if you’d let him. “I’ve lost everything before. My daughter. My brother. Pieces of myself I’ll never get back. And then I met you. And for the first time in twenty years… I didn’t feel hollow anymore.”

He paused, shaking his head.

“I was supposed to die that day. Hell, part of me wanted to. It would've made sense. Her life could’ve meant something. Mine would’ve, too. But I couldn't do it. I couldn’t lose her. And I sure as hell can’t lose you.”

You looked away, chest tightening. “So you’d do it again?”

Joel nodded. ���If I had a second chance… if I stood there in that hospital all over again? I’d do the same damn thing. Even knowing what it would cost.”

You didn’t say anything. Couldn’t.

He took another step toward you, voice breaking.

“Because I love you in a way you probably can’t understand. A way that eats me alive. A way that makes me selfish. Makes me stupid. Makes me weak.”

He laughed bitterly under his breath. “And maybe one day, you’ll leave. Maybe you'll turn away from me because you can’t look at the man I really am.”

Tears pricked at your eyes.

“But if you ever love someone the way I love you,” he whispered, “if that day ever comes… I hope you do better than me. I hope you’re braver than I was.”

Silence again. But it didn’t feel empty this time. It felt full — of love, of grief, of everything Joel Miller never says out loud unless it's already too late.

You turned back toward him, slowly. His eyes met yours, filled with regret and longing.

“I don’t forgive you,” you said quietly.

He nodded. “I wouldn’t ask you to.”

“But I do love you.”

His breath caught.

“And that’s what makes this so goddamn hard.”

Joel didn’t reach for you. Didn’t try to close the space. He just stood there, letting the weight of his choice settle between you both.

He was selfish. And he would never stop being selfish — not when it came to you.

Because love, to Joel Miller, was never about saving the world.

It was about not losing the one person who became his world.

[arkofangels]

~Highways & Headaches~

Pairing: Bob Reynolds x Reader (implied) Cast: Bob, Yelena, John (U.S. Agent), Ava (Ghost), Alexei (Red Guardian)

Summary: When Valentina sends the Thunderbolts on a "simple" mission—lay low at a safehouse upstate and absolutely do not draw attention, she probably shouldn’t have handed them the keys to a barely-functional government van. What follows is fifteen chaotic hours of existential crises, GPS mishaps, emotional support raccoons, pickled egg warfare, and Bob trying (and failing) to bond with an alpaca. 

Word Count: 2.1k

It started with a van.

Specifically, a rust-colored government-issued behemoth that Valentina handed over with a smile that meant “Good luck, idiots.”

“The mission is simple,” she said. “Drive to the safehouse in upstate New York. Lay low. No powers. No attention. Just blend in.”

“Like a family vacation!” Alexei declared, slapping the roof of the van so hard the mirror fell off.

Everyone blinked.

“No,” Yelena said. “Absolutely not.”

But it was too late. The Thunderbolts were hitting the road.

Hour One:

You’d barely left the city when Bob, wearing sunglasses indoors and out, leaned over the front seat and whispered, “Can I drive?”

“No,” John said. “Absolutely not.”

Bob pouted. “I can fly faster than this thing idles.”

“That’s why you’re not driving,” you muttered.

Meanwhile, Ava phased through her seatbelt for the sixth time, causing the van’s warning beep to have a full-blown meltdown.

“Stop doing that,” John snapped.

“I am restrained,” she said, casually floating halfway into the floorboard.

Alexei drove one-handed while balancing a Tupperware container of pickled eggs on his knee, chomping away like the road was his personal picnic. The smell was chemical warfare, and no one in the van could escape it.

Yelena cracked a window and stuck her head out like a golden retriever. “If I jump out now, I’ll only get mild road rash.”

Hour Three:

You stopped at a gas station that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since the Cold War. Alexei, somehow, got into an argument with a raccoon over a discarded burrito.

Bob returned from the restroom pale and haunted. “I saw something in there,” he whispered. “Something… dark.”

“You looked in the mirror again, didn’t you?” Yelena joked.

“Maybe.”

Ava stole three bags of kettle chips without blinking. Bob paid for seventeen granola bars and a novelty mug that said World’s Okayest Hero.

Back in the van, John tried to input the safehouse coordinates into the GPS. The GPS promptly died, And so did everyone’s patience.

“Let me try,” Bob said, tapping the screen.

The GPS rebooted… in Spanish. And refused to switch back.

“¡Excelente! A la derecha en cien metros,” the robotic voice said with cheer.

“No one touch it,” you warned. “We’re committed now.”

Hour Five:

Yelena had created a playlist titled Murder Pop & Existential Bops. Bob added twenty-seven sad cowboy ballads. Alexei added Soviet war chants. Ava uploaded thirty minutes of white noise because she was “tired of feeling things.”

John tried to assert control and was promptly booed.

“This van is a lawless land,” Bob declared. “We live by vibes now.”

You were too tired to argue. You ate gas station gummy worms while Bob rested his head on your shoulder and muttered, “I think the Void’s in the glovebox.”

“Then close it gently,” you whispered. “We’ll feed it a cheese stick later.”

Hour Eight:

A wrong turn sent you three hours off-course into rural nowhere. The GPS was now offering unsolicited life advice in Spanish. Alexei insisted he remembered the way “by instinct.”

His instinct led you to an alpaca farm.

Yelena made friends with a creature she named “Greg.” Bob tried to telepathically bond with it. John threatened to turn the van around. Ava disappeared for twenty minutes and returned with hot cocoa she refused to explain.

“I’m not even mad,” you said. “I’m just confused.”

Hour Ten:

It started raining. Hard.

The windshield wipers wheezed like asthmatic pigeons. Bob pressed his hand to the window and whispered, “Do you think the rain’s judging us?”

“I hope it is,” Yelena said. “We deserve it.”

The van started making a noise like a blender full of nails. Everyone turned slowly to look at John.

“I didn’t do it,” he said.

The van then made a second noise, worse than the first. Something thudded beneath the floorboards.

“Void?” Ava asked.

“Possum,” said Alexei.

“Definitely one of you left the back door open again,” you sighed.

Bob pulled you closer. “If this is how I die, I want you to know—your playlists are bad, but your heart is good.”

You snorted. “Shut up and help me find the possum.”

Hour Thirteen:

The possum was, in fact, a raccoon stowaway from the gas station. Alexei named it Dmitri. Yelena tried to train it to fetch snacks. Bob offered it a granola bar and said, “We are the same, you and I.”

John tried to enforce order.

“No unauthorized wildlife in the van!”

“Then what do you call Alexei?” Ava asked.

Alexei growled. The raccoon growled back.

You intervened before a full-blown dominance war broke out in the back seat.

Bob handed you a thermos of lukewarm tea and said, “We’ll make it. Probably.”

You smiled, leaned into his side, and said, “This is the worst trip I’ve ever loved.”

Hour Fifteen:

The van broke down half a mile from the safehouse.

Everyone sat in silence as steam poured from the hood. It hissed like the entire vehicle had finally, finally had enough of your nonsense.

Bob patted the dashboard. “You did your best.”

John kicked the tire. “This whole team is cursed.”

Yelena tossed her backpack over her shoulder. “Well. Let’s walk.”

Ava phased through the side of the van to scout ahead.

Alexei insisted on carrying the raccoon.

You and Bob stayed at the back,

“Next time,” he said, “we fly.”

“Next time,” you agreed, “we bring snacks that aren’t war crimes.”

“And I drive.”

“Absolutely not.”

He laughed, softly. “Fine. But I’m choosing the playlist.”

“That might be worse.”

But still, you let your hand slip into his. Even with wet shoes, aching muscles, and a raccoon in the lead, it felt like something close to perfect.

Not because it went smoothly.

But because it went together.