#✧˖*°࿐ DASH COMM // what the FRESH HELL is going on NOW?

[voidfell]

The Wisdom of Solomon is literally banging at his door. Desperately trying to get in. But he's not answering.

[voidfcllen]

COMMENTARY / OPEN

“I’m being threatened.”

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

Attack Of The Winter Wolf: Revealed

Summary- 7.7k Alpha Steve x Little One Reader. Steve and you pack up in the Stark Jet and head across the ocean, this time to Norway. Steve seems to think that there will be the answers needed to help your friends for good. Divider made by @firefly-graphics

Warnings- None

A/N- Those that have stuck with me through this, thank you. I hope this isn’t turning into a “what the hell are you trying to do Amber” kind of deal. Haha. I don’t have any real answers, its just whats coming out. Anyways, thank you for reading, as always its so appreciated to hear what your thoughts are on it. Happy Howling 🐺💙

Chapter Three / Masterlist

It was a rush the following morning, Steve and Tony were busy checking over the jet being loaned for the mission. Meanwhile Pepper showed you around the giant Stark Towers. The last time you had been here you were unconscious, not remembering any of it. Pepper’s heels clicking against linoleum, while you rushed after the fast paced Alpha who was doing two tasks at once. But once she led you on the elevator, hitting some buttons, she tucked her tablet under her arm, turning her attention to you with a relaxed smile. 

“Dr. Banner has been wanting to officially meet you.” She stated as an explanation for the elevator ride. Twiddling your fingers, you shuffled foot to foot a bit nervous, only knowing the doctor had been where Steve rushed you to first when Pierce injected you. 

When the elevator door dinged and the two of you stepped out to what looked like a medical wing. A dark haired man stepped out while flipping through a chart muttering to himself when Pepper cleared her throat. “Bruce, you have a visitor.” His head lifted, blinking at them from over his glasses frames, confused as to who would want to intrude on him. But then recognition crossed his features and he snapped his clipboard shut, striding over. 

“Y/N! Pepper told me Steve was coming back this way for help, and I was hoping he would bring you.” His hand popped out to shake yours. You welcomed it with a tilt of your head, drawing in his scent. A part of you recognized him, the hint of warmth and freshness. 

“ Dr.Banner a pleasure… Steve told me what you had done for me, thank you for everything.” 

Bruce sputtered a bit, giving a shrug. “Ahh, I wasn’t able to do much, just send you along to someone better able to handle what happened to you. Umm, do you have a few minutes? I just really would like to ask you a few questions about your experience. If you are okay with that of course.” He added almost shyly and you smiled reassuringly. 

“I have no problem with that Dr.Banner.” 

“Bruce please.” Bruce looked expectantly at Pepper who checked her watch and nodded. 

“We got time, Tony will have Friday call for us when the jet is ready.” Bruce immediately turned on his heels and led the two of you towards his office. 

Steve went through the jet, checking all the gear stashed on board as well as settling in the controls chair to make sure he was familiar with everything before leaving Stark towers. Tony plopped in the one next to him, making the Alpha in Steve rumble at the intrusion but Steve was able to placate him. 

“So off to Norway huh?” Tony leaned forward to enter the coordinates in the dash for the autopilot. “What's in Norway that can help you with everything?” 

Steve growled as he continued going over the controls. “You saw the file Fury sent along Stark. You know exactly who is there.” 

“Okay you got me.” Tony finished what he was doing and turned the chair to face Steve. “I also know he's basically a recluse now and the chance of you getting him to talk is almost nada, zip, zilch. What makes you think he's gonna spill what you need.” 

“I have my ways…” Steve said coldly, his wolf growling softly at the other Alpha in his space. 

Tony gave a mock shiver. “Alright alright… just be careful okay? I know we're not on the best terms Steve but I do have a lot of respect for what you are trying to do.” 

Steve arched a brow and shook his head. “We’re not enemies Tony, I don’t happen to agree or appreciate that stunt you pulled with Ross. But I think now my stance on that shit is known. We can disagree and still be fine.” Tony next to him brushed it off while continuing with the switches, making his own adjustments to the system. 

“I know Steve, it was still a shitty move on my part, bringing Ross into your home, where your mate was after everything that happened. But she certainly put me in my place.” He laughed, recalling how you kicked all of them out.

Steve glanced at Tony from the corner of his eye and rumbled out a “Thank you Stark, Y/N certainly isn't taking anyone's shit, not anymore.” Tony snorted in agreement to that statement. 

“I don’t think they ever do, Pepper is the same damn way.” 

Steve laughed in return, knowing full well that everything Tony said was accurate about Pepper Potts, Tony had chosen well for himself in Steve’s opinion. For all the tension between Steve and Tony, he respected the Alpha next to him, and knew that finding his packmates was just as important to Tony as it was to Steve. Not to mention finding those responsible for Happy’s murder. Steve turned his chair to face the other Alpha. “I’m sorry about what happened to Happy Tony. I know it’s hard to have lost someone who was family to you.” 

Tony blinked at him, warring with his own feelings about everything that happened. Losing Happy so brutally had taken a toll on Tony, finding the body having been dumped just outside of his territory, he still hadn’t been able to fully come to terms with it. “Thank you. Finding the bastards who did that has become my main priority.” Clapping his hands together to end the topic, he moved to a stand. “You Rogers are ready to go, ready to Captain my jet?” 

Steve waited till Tony moved out of his space before moving to follow him off the jet, keeping quiet about the further mention of Tony seeking out Happy’s killer. After seeing what had happened with Bucky and the rest, he already had his own sinking suspicions as to who killed Happy and he knew Tony did as well. 

“More than ready to go.” Steve stated, coming down the steps off the jet. Tony spoke up right then. 

“Friday, let Pepper and Y/N know that Captain Rogers is ready.” That caused Steve to roll his eyes and fold his arms over his chest. 

“Seriously Tony?” 

A smirk flashed, Tony winked at him. “Come on, I think it's a fitting title for you.”

Bruce was furiously writing notes while you described to him what you remembered being under due to the drug Pierce had injected you with when the AI Friday announced that the jet was ready, as well as Captain Rogers. You and Pepper quirk a confused look at one another, and she rolled her eyes with a sigh. “That's gotta be Tony’s doing I'm sure.” 

You nod in agreement, turning back to Bruce. “Looks like it's time for me to go Dr.Banner…” 

“Bruce.” He was quick to interrupt and moved to a stand to shake your hand. “Thank you so much for this.” He tapped his pad of paper where he had all the notes jotted. “I will put them in my file to share with Shuri. All this is incredibly helpful knowing more about the serum used on you.” 

Giving a vigorous shake back, you smiled genuinely at Bruce, you and your Little Wolf feeling quite relaxed with the man. “If I think of anything, I will be sure to send an email.” The Little Wolf flicked her tail in agreement, half listening while she was napping. 

“Oh! Yes please do with anything you might remember, no bit of information is too small.”   

Pepper walked out with you and joined you in the elevator. Reaching the top of Stark Towers, you both were greeted by Steve and Tony, who waited just inside the jet. As soon as you saw Steve, warmth washed over you, feeling that bond between you two hum happily, your wolves sought each other, in the moment they both were teasing each other, making your mood lift from having to leave once more. The genuine pleasure at seeing Steve melded that away, just as his own did, the wolves happiness being together melded with your own. Steve enclosed you in his arms, nuzzling the crown of your head a moment before questioning if you were all set.

“Tony Stark is funding another trip for us? I’m absolutely ready.” You joked as Steve let you go so you could turn to face Tony who scoffed at you. 

“Don’t let Cap here defile my jet please!” Tony was sure to give you his signature hug, that made Steve rumble a bit although you instead laughed and gave a bop of your shoulder. 

“No promises Stark. Pepper, thank you for showing me around your home.” Embracing her in a thank you. 

“Stay safe and bring my jet back quickly, Cap.” Tony pipped up while walking off the jet with Pepper, cackling to himself at the finger Steve threw up while the doors shut you two in. 

The Alpha muttered to himself while dropping into the pilot's seat and you were quick to join him on the opposite side. You buckled in while he flicked on buttons. “Captain Rogers?” you questioned watching him get the jet ready. 

Steve rolled his eyes as he made sure everything was set and handed you a headset while fitting his own on, the jet rumbling to life around you. “Tony thinks he is very slick, giving nicknames. Apparently Cap is his new one for me.” 

You smirked at him, winking as you settled the headset on and spoke into the microphone. “I think Captain Rogers has its benefits, Steve.” 

His hand went around the handle and started to push it forward, edging the jet forward to take off, the spanse of New York City below you. Much like the night before, you marveled at the beauty only a city could offer. “You would Little One.” 

A voice piped up over the channel, Tony coming over the comms. “I think your mate has a point Cap.” 

Steve growled into the comm for a second while you started laughing in the seat next to him. “Tony! Get off this channel.” 

“It's my jet, Rogers! I will listen in if I want.” He was about to continue when Steve took off his headset, setting the jet on autopilot with the coordinates. 

You snickered into the system. “Sorry Tony, Steve is cutting you off. Bye Stark.” You effectively cut Tony off and slipped the head set off, setting it aside while you leaned forward to get a better look out the window, unbuckling in the process. “You know since I have been with you Steve, I have seen things I never thought I would. Look at this.” You directed your gaze at the expanse of the sky before you, baby blue as far as the eye could see, the skyline rushing closer till the two of you crossed over the cities edged, now nothing but the Atlantic underneath you. “Beautiful.” 

Steve settled back to admire what you were looking at, letting some of his worries sink to the back of his mind. “It is… sometimes I forget you haven't seen all this before.” He held out his arm for you to join him, which you pushed from your seat and settled in his lap, his chin resting on your shoulder. “Do you remember much from the last time I showed you?” 

You perch on his knee and look over the dash, worrying your lip. “Mmh barely.” Your eyes roved over the panels while Steve dragged the tip of his nose along the curve of your neck, inhaling against it and letting it settle him further. Both the man and Alpha wanted to enjoy the long flight with you. 

“I guess we will be getting a crash course, Little One.” He rumbled happily while you seated yourself into a more comfortable position in his lap. 

You looked over your shoulder at him, your eyes laughing at his remark and bringing the exact response he wanted. “Really Captain?” 

Tightening his arm around your waist, he nipped at your lips with teasing affection. “Tony isn't the only funny one around here.” 

Steve spent a few hours describing the functions and some of how to fly. Together you both got to watch the sun going down and eventually you started napping in the copilot's seat, even though Steve tried to get you to go lay down in the back. 

These quiet moments, Steve wandered back to his memories, the Alpha in his mind lifting his head from the Little Wolf’s back where he had laid to rest, flicking his ears back and forth a bit at Steve’s thoughts. 

The first thing that came to memory was the stinging scent of smoke.

“Rogers, don't you dare go into that building!” Fury’s voice commanded Steve who stalled in the doorway, peering into Hydras base, nose flaring trying to catch scent of their missing comrades. “You are not commander in this mission.” 

“But Buck and the rest might be in there… I'm going” Steve defied Fury, darting into the darkness and out of sight, Fury's voice echoing behind him. 

“ROGERS! GET YOUR ASS BACK OUT HERE!” 

Steve continued forward, letting his Wolf out enough to sharpen his senses. His eyes picking up the bit of light in the darkened hallways leading deeper into the compound, his eyes glimmer dangerously in the dark looking for any sign of movement. He could sense others nearby, friend or foe though he was unsure. Footsteps silent, Steve once in a while looking behind him tense to make sure no one knew he was there. Glances in rooms showed them abandoned, cleared in a haste to get out before Shield got there Steve was sure. Ahead he heard scuffles and growls, chains clanking and the sound of voices in hushed tones. The Wolf lowered to his belly, quivering in anticipation should Steve allow him to take over. He eased the door open with a creak when relief washed over him. 

There men, most of them in large cages. Familiar scents washed over him and they all perked sensing Steve. 

“Rogers is that you?” Someone muttered while Steve approached, searching for a key anywhere in a nearby desk. 

“Yes, the rest of the troop is just outside. We haven't found anyone though. Where is everyone?” 

“Bolted man, once they heard Fury was coming they grabbed their shit and left. They didn’t have the bodies to defend this place.” Dugan responded as he pushed to the front watching while Steve searched the desk. Steve opened the last drawer, cursing as he pushed aside papers and flung them to the side. Then he was rewarded with a ring full of keys. Rushing over, the two men tried sorting through them, Steve stuffing them one by one in the locks, quick to go to the next till they found another. 

“They left us and their experiments.” Dugan continued filling Steve in while he tried to find the right keys. “Some messed up stuff, they are in the next room I think.”

The Alpha rumbled to catch Steve’s attention. <Bucky isn’t with them.> The mans head whipped up while the lock clicked finally, able to pry it open and release his packmates. 

“Where is Buck?”  

“Bucky… he was brought in there and never came back out.” another said, pointing at the door across the room.

The Alpha rumbled suddenly in an alert and Steve tensed and whipped around when an eerily sharp howl sounded through the building. Dugan pushed the door open, tensing as well. “That's one of them, their experiments.” 

Steve wrangled the keys out of the lock and started to go down the line, unlocking each cage, shifters passing him to get outside. 

“Fury, you have outcoming hostages, they are friendly, don't fire.” Steve spoke into the comm. 

“I hear you Rogers.” Came Fury’s voice in a wave of static. “Any unfriendlies?” 

“No, Dugan notified me they all bailed once they heard we were coming” Steve responded before turning to his friend. “Dugan, get the rest out of here, I’m going to keep looking.” 

His friend bared his teeth at him, bristling at the notion. “You don’t know what's back there Rogers.” 

“If I have to, I will retreat, get these men out of here. I’m not leaving anyone behind.” Steve growled back deeper, the Alpha in him asserting himself and the man backed off with a disgruntled nod. 

Waiting to make sure they were going to leave, Steve approached the door cautiously, using his senses to pick up what might be on the other side, who might be on the other side. He was praying for a miracle, because nothing but death filled his senses as he eyed the door, drawing in any scent left behind. It was all jumbled, multitudes of men and women have passed through the threshhold, making it almost impossible to pinpoint any specific person. “Well… let's see what's on the other side.” Steve shouldered through the door and a lab stretched before him, ominous equipment stretched on either side. A groan came from somewhere ahead and Steve paused till he heard it again. It was so distinct to him that the hair on the back of his neck prickled, the Alphas own fur raising as well along the ridge of his back, it was another Alpha, but this one they knew. 

“Oh thank fucking god.” Steve uttered as he rushed forward to find Bucky strapped down and Steve started pulling at the straps holding him down. Wires were strapped all over Bucky's neck and chest and stretched to attach to some equipment, Steve started yanking them off as well when finally Bucky started to come around. 

“S-Steve?” His eyes sharpened and he clutched at Steve's uniform, worried that he wasn't real. 

“It’s me Buck, we’re getting out of here.” Steve tried assuring him, keeping his voice light and calm even though he was far from that. He had never seen Bucky so scared. Suddenly the howling started again from the back of the room and both men glanced that way. 

“Whoever it is just keeps doing that.” Bucky muttered when a voice crackled in the comms. 

“In-ing” then static sounded in Steve's ear, making him wince as he pressed his hand over his ear. 

“Repeat? What was that Fury?” 

“In-oming! G-t Ou-” The building started to shake and lights started zapping and popping around them. 

“We ca-t hold hi-, Get O-” Fury yelled into the comm but Steve had to rip it out, electricity zapping through it and breaking it up too much. Bucky gripped Steve tighter, his pupils blown in his panic. 

“What the fuck is it now?!” 

“I don't know… but we gotta get out of here.” Bucky started pulling Steve towards the exit, but whatever was in the back rattled its cage with a savage snarl, and Steve couldn’t leave who ever or what ever it was behind. He stuttered to a stop, Bucky pausing at the door with a shake of his head. 

“Man, we got to go… there isn't enough time.” 

Steve’s hands dropped to his pants and felt madly for the keys he had stuffed in his pocket earlier. “We can’t leave him in there Buck.” He waved his hand. “Go, I got this.” 

Bucky cursed but held tight, refusing to leave Steve behind.  

Steve raced towards the cage to free whatever was inside, shoving the key he used before into the lock and it clicked to open. Glowering green eyes blinked at him from the shadowed part of the cage, but he couldn't make anything else out in the seconds he got the door open. Bucky was screaming his name and when he managed to get the door to swing wide, a bundle of black sprang on his chest, bared white fangs yawning open going for Steve’s throat….

“Steve- Steve?” Your voice cut through and he shook his head a bit to clear it before looking at you. 

“Sorry, I thought you were sleeping Little One.” 

“I was, but the computer started beeping on the dash.” You pointed to a blinking light and Steve leaned forward to check the system, smiling. 

“We're here and just in time to. Look” He pointed out the window at the faint purple in the skyline, the sun easing up beyond the cloud cover to turn a brilliant red and orange of dawn. When Steve took over, he started to drop the jet down. Below the clouds the land turned a deep almost emerald wild green shimmering with mist stretching like tendrils to a spiderweb over the land, still in the early morning phase of waking up. 

You weren't lying earlier when you said you saw things you had never expected. From the rainforest and safari of Wakanda to the lush greenery of Norway, you soaked it all in with awe. So long spent locked away in a room, gazing with longing at the upper windows that offered nothing more than peeks of the sky. Now you soared over the world with your Mate. Even the Little Wolf was in awe, slithering away from where the Alpha was half sleeping and prancing excitedly with joy at the adventure. The Alpha stretched out, arching his back and padded heavily after her, nuzzling her affectionately while her tail waved back and forth, unable to stay still in her excitement. 

“The Little Wolf is excited.” You told Steve and he winked at you. 

“I can feel it. What do you say we take her down?” 

Steve easily maneuvered the Stark Jet down to land in a wide open field bordering the ocean. You followed him towards the doors swinging open and already wolves appeared from the long grass with tilted heads checking out the newcomers. You sidled up to Steve’s side a moment, watching the wolves dart back out of sight in the tall grass and heard their howls break the silence, announcing their arrival. It was a welcome sound, you couldn't detect any hostility in the notes. But their songs were so different. Sounded much older, almost like a language all its own. 

Steve cupped his hand and gave a sharp “We’re here” yip, that was answered resoundingly from all around you, the pack having circled you two and remained just out of sight. His arm lowered around your shoulders and you held your breath, unsure of what to expect. A bellow came, joyful and loud as a tall blonde man, even taller than Steve stepped out, his arms opened wide in greeting. 

“Why what a surprise! Are you here for the Asgard hospitality? I didn't think anything would ever get you to leave your corner in the world.” The over sized man strode towards them rather quickly, and the closer he came the more your eyes widened. You didn't think you had seen anyone who was as bigger then Steve in stature. He clasped Steve's shoulder and directed his joyful gaze down at you. “And who is this lovely maiden you bring with you?” 

“If I could be there, trust me I would. This is my mate, Y/N. Y/N, this is Thor, the Alpha here.” Steve protectively wrapped an arm around you, even though you wore his mark for Thor to see, Alphas always had a bit of tension between them no matter how much their human counterparts tried to quell it. 

Thor though seemed unaware of such a vibe as he beamed down at you warmly. “Well Little Pup, welcome to Asgard.” He took your hand in a vigorous pump and you couldn't help but warm right up to him and his exuberant nature. “We run free and feast like we are in the halls of the Old Kings here.” He swept the both of you down the path and all around his wolves started to howl and dance in a joyful manner, playing among each other much like they were participating in the Full Moon Run. “Now Rogers does tell me what has been going on across the water? It's been a while since I've visited there.” 

“Afraid we have been having some issues.” Steve started, filling Thor in on the recent attacks, taking apart the packs and capturing the Alpha’s. The viciousness in the attacks and the destruction left behind. Thor listened patiently until Steve mentioned Hydra. That's when he paused, you and Steve having taken a few steps ahead but noticed he wasn't with you. You turned to see him glowering. 

“That's why you are here, Rogers, isn't it? Because of Hydra. He wont talk to you about it you know.” 

Steve sighed and you had a sinking feeling about the situation, not fully understanding what was going on. 

“I have to try Thor, your brother was the only one who was able to break from the collars power and the mind shit Hydra does to their victims.” 

“He barely interacts with any of us Steve, he mostly stays as his animal out there.” Thor retorted, the sky started to darken slightly and you frowned to yourself at the sudden change in atmosphere while glancing up. 

Steve sighed, letting his arms hang loose at his sides to show Thor he was no threat to him. “I know Odinson, trust me. I wouldn’t be here if there was any other way. Packs, families are all being killed off, Alphas removed. How long till you think it will be till it comes over here?” Steve pointed out and Thor’s face twisted and he looked away. 

“It won’t be like before, I won’t let it.” 

“You don't know that… Shield risked sending the Howling Commando’s over here to help your people, now I’m asking for your help. Just let me try talking to him?” 

Your heart twisted as you saw Thor try to control his emotions on his face and you reached out to touch his arm, Steve for once kept quiet, inhaling deeply to keep himself in check. “Hydra really hurt him, didn't they? If it's too much we will just leave. Right Steve?” 

“If you tell me absolutely not Thor, she’s right. We will leave right now and not bother you again.” 

Thor glanced back at you, his eyes searching yours and you could see everything he was doing was about protecting this person. You bit at your lip nervously, you knew you were invading this Alpha’s space but stepped in closer anyways. “Please let us try? We just want to save those we still have left. Our packmates are fighting a losing battle with Hydra, we don't want to lose them.” 

A sigh escaped the man and he glanced over your head to Steve. “You're lucky you have her you know… she’s softened me. Slightly.” You stepped back towards Steve, who now laid his hand around your waist, chuckling softly. 

“You really don’t know half of it, she has a gift.” You wriggled in his hold a bit but he just tightened his fingers against you. “Thank you Thor for letting us try.” 

He shrugged at you both with a shake of his head. “I'm still saying that he wont talk to you, but I will show you where he stays when he is not hunting.” 

Steve gave a nod of appreciation while you reached for his hand and gave a light squeeze. “Thank you Thor.” You gave your own sentiments. 

The man looked at the two of you a moment, his eyes falling to your linked hands and motioned across the moors. “This way…” He cupped his hands, giving another howling song and the wolves joined them, spreading around Thor, these wolves were even larger than Mountain Packs wolves, giant beasts that were moving gracefully around there Alpha. You could feel the ground beneath your footfalls vibrating from there movements, the lush grass swishing to add to the melody of it all. Above them the thunder still rumbled with strong booms that cackled with electricity but had retreated from the fierceness it had flared up earlier. 

Your Little Wolf kneaded her paws next to the Alpha, lifting her head to inhale the air around them, it spoke of a wildness she was not used to. Something feral that did not adhere to normal pack constraints. The Alpha rumbled next to her, now and then dropping his muzzle to his mate to reassure her, but the pull to shift for both of them was strong. 

You could tell Steve felt it as well, the way he angled his body close to yours in a protective manner, his hand moving from a simple hold to pressing against your hip, wrapping around you. You tilted your head up towards Steve, your confusion clouding your features. He dropped his head to press a nip to your neck, whispering softly just for you. “I will explain later.” 

Thor paused in front of a wood that looked ancient, the gnarled trees had stories to tell. Shadows played deeper beyond the edge, enticing you to wander in. Your Little Wolf huffed slightly, breaking the enchantment you had fallen into. 

<This isn't just a forest Y/N, something powerful lives here.> Her ears flattened and you could feel her unease and the Alpha’s wariness sharpening, his ears pricked forward before twisting listening. 

What is it? You questioned your Little Wolf and she whined unsure. You felt the Alpha slip away, in the same moment Steve tilted his face up, his nostrils flaring. You knew he was scenting for any kind of danger that might come from the old forest.

Next to you Thor boomed out loudly, making it echo. “Come out Loki!” You and the Little Wolf perked, hearing the woods shift and groan, shadows danced closer when a streamlined black shadow emerged to turn solid, the beast was streamlined. His size shifting to grow larger in the presence of you and Steve, a sharp pointed muzzle turned towards you and ears twitched with interest as he took you both in. You were a bit taken aback when you saw Loki, but he paused just after the forest ended and you could see the tip of his nose twitching, green eyes with almost emerald qualities glinting with the bit of light that somehow seemed to filter from the thunderous clouds still rumbling above you. 

What do we have here? An omega to Rogers? A true Omega? Oh what a prize he really does have here. I wonder if he knows… A voice tickled your senses and the Little Wolf spun in your mind, searching for the intrusion. The Alpha returned to the Little Wolf, curling around her with a growl and a laugh echoed through you, not one that belonged to you. 

“Steve…” You whined a bit and he furrowed his brow looking at you, confused as well as to what was going on, feeling you through your bond. 

“Rogers is here to talk with you Loki, come out and quit playing games Brother.” Thor folded muscular arms across his chest and the black canine shimmered an emerald green while disappearing in a wisp of shadow and a sharp yip barking out from nowhere. 

A resounding defiant No. 

Thor shook his head at Steve. “Loki won't interact with Alphas short of me Steve, not since Shield pulled him from Hydra.” 

The Little Wolf unweaved from the Alpha when she heard Thor. 

<Y/N, we’re not an Alpha. Maybe he will talk to us.> 

Steve would never allow us to go in there alone. 

<It's the only way, Loki won't talk to Steve. He's too much of a threat to him. Say something, that big Alpha doesn't seem scared that Loki will hurt us.> 

You took a deep breath and while Thor and Steve discussed other options, you turned to the men, catching there attention. “Let me go in and talk to him.” Steve immediately barked out a no, but Thor tilted his head, considering what you were saying. “I'm not an Alpha, he won't be threatened by me, right Thor?” You pressed for an answer from the man and he nodded. 

“Your Little Pup has a point, Rogers. Loki wouldn't hurt her. I will escort her inside so she’s protected the whole way.” 

Steve felt his chest expand as he drew up to his full height. “I'm not letting Y/N go in by herself, I know you trust your brother, but I don't.” His eyes flared yellow, the Alpha close to the surface with concerns of your safety. You could see that he was winding up to call all this off when you reached up to grasp his face between your palms, tilting his head to look directly at you. 

“Alpha trust me, I know I can do this.” You stressed to him, the furrow in his forehead deepening as you knew he was at war with himself. “If anything is wrong, I will call you. Let me do this.” His hands circled your wrists and you felt that war inside of him. The same one where it was ingrained in him to keep you safe at all costs. It was all right there, flooding through the bond you two shared, your confidence, his worry. Steve huffed slightly before lifting his gaze from yours.  

“Thor, give me a moment with my mate please.” Steve requested and Thor moved away, closer towards the border of his brother’s forest, his broad back turned towards the two of you while he waited. “Little One, if something happens. Loki isn't a normal wolf…” 

“I could tell that as soon as we came near here.” You let your fingers press through his beard on his cheeks and slide down to his neck, sure to rub his scent against you in the process as well as sharing calming touches. “But he has the answers we need, Alpha.” 

Steve knew you were right, but the inner battle was fierce. The Alpha wanted to protect his mate, an animalistic need to not let you go into that forest, every fiber of his being was on edge because of it. His human side knew you could do this and get the answer to save their pack mates. You were confident, he needed to trust you like you asked. 

<Don't you let her go in there with that Alpha. What is Loki going to do to stop us.> 

Loki is not all Wolf as you well know, he won't tolerate the intrusion. 

The Alpha bristled aggressively, licking his muzzle over and over nervously. <We won't be there to protect her should he turn on her.> 

But Thor will be… You know as much as I do that he wouldn't let any get hurt in his care. 

“Trust me Alpha.” Your fingers trailed along the mark you had left on him, your mark that made him belong to you. The most sacred of bonds a mated pair could share and made in the utmost trust that you two would take care of each other. 

She is asking us to trust her. If we can’t trust in our mate, then what hope do we have? Steve was firm and the Alpha had to concede to him. 

Steve moved his hands to your face, cupping the most important part of his life gently in his palms as he inhaled deeply and tipped his forehead against yours. “Little One, if anything happens, anything at all, call for me. I will come get you.” 

The corners of your mouth lifted and he saw it go to your eyes, pride and strength that your Alpha was trusting you to go in his place. “Of course Alpha.” You lifted to catch his lips, nuzzling your nose against his. “I know you will come for me if I need you.” You embraced him fiercely, Steve let his nose bury in the crown of your head and then let you go against his instincts. The Wolf rumbled, anxious as he paced watching you reach Thor. His eyes reached the other Alphas. “Thor…” 

“I understand what is at stake. No harm will come to her, I swear it.” 

You looked so tiny next to the man, your head tilted up to look at him with a warm smile and Thor's tilted down to look back at you. Steve watched the same warm smile cross Thor's face, making your mate proud of you, how easily you had already won Thor over. You had come so far from the runaway he first met and your warmth spread so easily to those around you. Maybe Loki wouldn't be immune to you. 

The moment you stepped into the forest with Thor, it darkened. Looking over your shoulder, the emerald green sea of the moor was almost a picture racing away to be enclosed by old tree trunks. You licked your lips nervously and folded your arms around your body, sure to keep up with Thor. He was confident in his strides, the darkening vibrant woods was just as much home for him as the windswept open land you two left behind. 

The Little Wolf was curious in the new surroundings, pacing and keeping a keen eye on everything you were hurriedly passing by trying to keep up with Thor. 

You weren't wrong that the forest had a life all its own. It seemed to breathe around you, moss stretched across large boulders that sprang tendrils of plant life curling upwards to try and reach sunlight. Heavy thick trees were bristling against your palm and almost seemed to heave in sighs at your gentle touch. Thor glanced back at you, golden tendrils clinging to his face now and his eyes crinkled in watching you loosen from your fear into awe. 

“You feel it, right?” He chuckled and you withdrew your hand from the tree back to your body. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Its soul, the magic in it all.” He braced against a tree and inhaled deeply. “All of this is very alive as you and I, it's old and has been standing long before we claimed this as home.” 

You tentatively touched a nearby tree again, feeling tingles in your palms, making you shudder a bit. “It is certainly… like home, but not quite.” 

Thor nodded with a wink. “Still a baby over there, your packs are just starting to write the stories that will live on after you are gone. One day they will have a life of their own, just like this one.” 

Your brows quirked at his words. He's a funny man isn't he. 

Your Little Wolf curled her tail around herself as she sat down. <He is, but I like him. This place feels like we belong here.> 

There does seem to be a certain calling to be here… 

You two continued on and you risked another statement. “Loki is not like you, is he?” 

Thor shook his head. “No, he is not. But you have no need to worry Little Wolf.” He paused while he glanced around, inhaling sharply. “It's just me and Y/n, Brother, come out of hiding.” 

“I'm not hiding, I can't help that you are not a more observant Brother.” A cool voice came from above and your eyes shot up to a long legged man lounging in the branches, looking almost like he couldn't be bothered. Thor snorted impatiently and motioned towards you. 

“Y/N has some questions for you.” 

Vivid green eyes fell on you and a cool grin formed as he moved to sit up and slide down. He walked in such a predatory way, almost circling you. The Little Wolf's hackles raised at him and you hitched yourself straighter. You felt that tingle in your mind again. 

Why is it your Alpha is sending you in here for Omega? My brother is right, you are just a little pup aren’t you, so new to the world...

You snarled out loud, glaring at him. “You are not welcome in my mind, and I’m no pup.” And a quick withdrawal left you and Little Wolf alone once more. You could feel your Alphas curling warmth in your mind, even if he couldn't be with you. 

Respect crossed Loki's features and he bowed his head. “Forgive my intrusion. It's not often I'm sought out, except by Thor that is.” Thor barked out a deep bellowing laugh, clasping your shoulder. 

“You can't use your tricks on this one, she is small but fierce. Her Alpha has great respect for her.” 

Loki gave a slight sniff, his green eyes sliding over you as he remarked. “I’m afraid you are right.” 

You shrugged out of Thor’s grasp now, wanting the answers you came for. “Loki, our packmates have been collared by Hydra. Steve seems to think that you know how to break from their control. Please, is there any way to break the hold they have on them.” Loki suddenly appeared next to you, his fingers catching a lock of your hair and pressing it between his fingers for a moment as if further inspecting you. You jumped and pulled away from him, making Thor growl a warning at him. But you narrowed your gaze at him, knowing well that he was testing you. You had seen it all before while living with Pierce. “Don't touch me Loki, only Steve is allowed to. How did you do that anyways, appear next to me?” 

His fingers swirled slightly, green wisps dancing around his nimble long fingers. “Magic Dear. I'm part Coyote, a Trickster. Sure your Alpha told you?” 

You shook your head. “No… He doesn't talk much about his life in Shield.” Your Little Wolf crooned in comfort, knowing sometimes you were worried about how he would be so vague about it. 

“Well it was a dark time for the shifters.” Loki admitted and glanced at his brother. “I don't much like discussing that time either.” You clenched your jaw a moment, worried he was going to flat out refuse your requests but he dipped his head. “But for you Dear, you boldly come out here without your Alpha, that deserves to have your questions answered. Come…” He beckoned to you and led you away, Thor was not far behind. Soon a small dwelling came into view and the door yawned open, which Loki stepped in. 

Inside was different from what you were expecting. Books lined shelves upon shelves, seeming to go on forever. Plush chairs were dotted near a fireplace and wooden carvings dotted the entire area. Wood shavings littered the floor, making you smile a bit because it reminded you of your Alpha, the fresh wood scent enveloping you. The place was cozy, almost like something from a story book. Of course, this whole experience was making you feel that way, like some sort of fairytale your mother would have told you before bed. Thor heavily fell into a nearby chair, quiet as his brother waved at a seat in offering to you.   

Loki approached a shelf and whispered under his breath till a box fell into his hands. Easing it open, he pulled out a collar. Silver strands weaved together into an intricate design. “This one was mine, but it stopped working on me after a time. So it was just useless metal. Why Hydra had kept me caged when Steve found me.” He handed it to you and you were caught by surprise at how light it was. Studying it closer, you could see twists of coarse black fur wedged through it where it sat on Loki’s neck. 

“Why did it stop working?” You asked curiously and Loki settled down in one of the seats. 

“Simple, I willed for my freedom. Most of the wolves have such a strong desire to follow an Alpha. Even the Alphas themselves can be forced to follow a stronger one should they come across one. Hydra didn't know I wasn't a Wolf, not completely. I can't be controlled in the same way for long. But it's that simple in how to get your wolves back. Your Alpha has to challenge them for control. Assert that he is stronger than the one controlling them with the collars.”  

You handed his collar back to him and Loki flicked his wrist to send it back to the box, the box flashing away in the same green blaze you had seen earlier. “That's all it takes?” You asked incredulously. Loki shrugged with a nod. 

“Hydra though is led by someone who has a power that no Wolf should have. It's how they are able to control such a large and secret organization for such a long time. But such power can always be challenged.” He drifted off, looking away into the fire he had burning in the fireplace. 

You let the silence sit for a few moments before speaking up. 

“Why wouldn't you talk to Steve?” 

Loki gave a slight roll of eyes. “I don't care for Alpha’s, they always feel the need to challenge and dominate. I've dealt with that enough in my life. I choose to live on the edges of my own Pack, still a member should Thor need my assistance and the rest leave me in peace.” 

“Then why me? You seemed interested in me being an Omega.” The Little Wolf stopped her pacing for just a moment, head tilted in curiosity. 

“Because true Omegas do not need to dominate or be controlled by anyone.” Loki turned towards you, his head tilting into your direction. “You might always submit to your Alpha, but that's a choice you and your wolf make together, consciously or not. If you were to ever truly want to defy him, you easily could. It's why you were able to make me leave when I was exploring your mind.” You rolled your eyes a bit at the trickster, clearly not believing him. A life time of being made to submit to Pierce against your will and the recent incidents with Steve... you felt he had you mistaken. “ You can roll your eyes at me all you want Little Pup, but I know what I’m talking about. Omega’s can be a threat to Alpha’s or for the right one, there everything. Really depends on the Alpha they are connected to. So I like you Little Omega, you are a challenge for me.” He winked and you rolled your eyes, but couldn't help the smile you gave to him. After all was said and done, you liked the Trickster. 

“Is there anything else you can tell me? How did you get the collar off?” You asked and Loki motioned towards Thor. 

“That was me. After Fury contacted me that Loki was with the Howling Commando’s Unit, I went to bring him home. I can provide you two with a special knife made to deal with unnatural made materials.” Loki rubbed at his face and his front door sprang open, a rush of air billowing into the dwelling. 

“Now I have answered your questions Omega, I can feel your Alpha pacing my border anxious. It's getting on my nerves. Return to him so he can settle back down.” 

You nodded, letting your senses open a bit and sure enough Steve was anxious, although far physically, you could feel him. Nodding as you approached Loki, you held out your hand to him. He eyed it a moment, and then slid his own in yours respectfully to give a shake. “Perhaps soon we will cross paths again, Little Omega.” 

“Perhaps we will Trickster.” You bid a final goodbye and now you left a bit more at ease, having the information you and Steve needed to save your family. 

[liquid-luck-00]

My Life is One Complication After Another 3

Cursing Ahead 🤬

Ao3 *** First *** Previous *** Next

~~~~~~~~~~

Ever since Mari's classmates stopped talking with her, they also stopped asking her for favors. Along with a blocked and rotating schedule for patrols meant that she actually had a sleep schedule. Sure she didn't get nearly enough but that was what coffee is for.

That was how she found herself down in the bakery with her papa. Roy had called her and the four of them talked and it was comfortable. Mari was the one who opened and was watching the front. She was still talking with Roy, but now it was on a headset, as he was out patrolling In Starling City.

"So as I was saying before we were oh so rudely interrupted." came Roy's voice in her ear. "So Ice cream and movies?"

A soft laughter escaped her and a smile on her lips.

"Sounds gre..." the bell at the door chimed. "Hey guys come in," she greeted the Waynes.

"Let me guess the bats?" Roy supplied as Dick bounced towards the counter.

"Good morning Marinette!" Dick practically sang loud enough for even Roy to hear.

"God how the hell is he so chipper so early." she heard Roy grumble.

"God damn morning people," she grumbled. That elicited laughter from both Roy and Jason.

"Amen to that!" Tim seconded in a monotone lifting a coffee cup. "Maman I'm going to take the Waynes up." she called poking her head into the kitchen. Her Maman nodded so she picked up her phone and walked towards them.

"I'll Let you go," Roy was about to hang up.

"Wait how about we give the Bats a heart attack." she smirked changing to the ancient language of miracles.

"I like the way you think, I'll catch you later." he responded in the same tongue.

"See ya then." she smiled, switching back the language. Ending the call and removing the ear piece. “Are you guys coming or do I have to drag you guys?" she turned back already at the door. Granted most of them showed confused faces and side eyes, but she smiled. They followed her without saying a word.

Once they were in the apartment she excused herself to change into more appropriate gear. She activated Kaalki’s miraculous, who then silently portaled out.

That being said she changed into a pair of black skinny cargo pants with red combat boots. A black long sleeve shirt under a cropped red sleeveless hoodie. Her hair was half down with red and pink streaks and a mini white gold backpack with three patches in the same white gold finished her outfit. She grabbed four parcels and went down.

"So we can either do the boring ground tour or," she held up the bundles. "we can turn up the speed."

"I like the way you think Pixie Pop." Jason stood and she handed him his.

"Roy sent me you guy's sizes, so I altered and customized a few things." she smiled. "bathroom is over there and the guest room is next to it." Dick looked torn between excited and horrified when handed his stack.

Tim seemed awake, but she knew better, "go change and I'll have a fresh pot of coffee ready." He nodded robotically as he got up.

She set the last bunch next to Damian, who was looking like an angry kitten. She sat down next to him and leaned in.

"What are you.." he started but Mari whispered in his ear.

"The jacket has a hidden sling for a katana, which will be practically invisible when on." His eyes widened slightly and there was a bit of slack in his jaw now. Before turning into an amused smirk. "Use my room up the stairs and through the hatch." she finished as he headed up the stairs.

"I'm impressed he let you close without struggling," Bruce broke his silence, as she finished prepping the coffee maker.

"Well he would have if," she began as Damian practically crashed down the stairs and all but tackled Bruce before rushing out the door. The closest she had ever seen her baby brother smile, which effectively made her smile.

"Holy crap! What are you?!" Dick made himself known.

"More importantly what the fuck did you do with Demon spawn!" Jason shouted from next to Tim, who was being propped up by both Jason and Dick.

"Tt. I am right here Todd." The scowl reappearing on his features. "It is adequate Dupain-Cheng."

"I'll take it as a compliment on one condition."

"And that is?" he rose a brow.

"You call me Marinette not Dupain-Cheng. I'm your sister aren't I?"

He seemed to war with himself for a moment before stating. "That is acceptable, Marinette."

At this point all the bats in the room were playing a game of ping-pong between Marinette and Damian. They were trying to figure out what magic spell Marinette must have used, when in reality she just seemed to fall into Damian’s good graces automatically. OK so maybe Marinette being the holder of the ladybug miraculous as well as being the great guardian of the order has that affect on most people, a sense of respect and trust that seems to permeate her aura.

She was handing Tim a huge mug as the front door swung open to reveal her Maman.

"Hello Bruce," Sabine greeted.

"It is good to see you Sabine," was his response.

“Maman," Mari pulled her mother's attention from her biological father. "These are Bruce's boys and my brothers. Tim, Jason, Dick, and Damian." she motioned to each one respectively.

"It's nice to meet all of you." Sabine smiled, "why don't all of you get something from the bakery before you go."

After finishing their small breakfast in the park Mari pulled out a map and a marker.

"So what do you guys want to see?" They listed off places that she marked down. She added a few to the list to fill it out, marked the route and took a picture and sent it to Roy. "Okay so this will work." she glanced at her phone. A quick look on social media showed no one has found Andre yet. She pulled out a case of comms and added, "Also keep your eyes out for Andre."

"Who is that?" Dick asked taking the earpiece.

"Andre's Ice cream cart, the best ice cream in Paris." Marinette answered.

"Then why must we look for him?" Damian added.

"Well he changes locations daily and turns it into a game of tag of sorts."

"Alright, lead the way Pixie." with a smirk she dashed off her brothers close on her heels.

Yes this is the best way to get to see the city, but this was also a test to see how the bats did without their toys.

Getting to Notre Dame was uneventful. Dick kept up a steady conversation with her, just a step behind with Damian, Jason brought up the rear but would constantly toss in quips and questions. Damian and Tim were mostly quiet, unless they were trying to get one of their brothers to stop a particularly embarrassing story.

Getting to the Louve was even more entertaining. Now that Dick had a feel for the Parisian roofs he would do flips and vaults to make her laugh. In the Louve is another story.

They had accidentally ran into some of her classmates, quite literally. She and her brothers were taking goofy 'walk like an Egyptian' group photos on the second floor of the Egyptian exhibit, the mini Ladybug camera was reattaching to her phone charm when Tim began asking her questions about it.

"Well my best friend loves anime, and we kinda sorta binged the entire Dragon Ball series and when we saw the ladybug camera. He said it would be impossible to create and maintain the quality of the image. So I kinda sorta made it out of spite." she mumbled the end.

"Hell if you weren't my sister I would beg Bruce to adopt you," Tim stated. "Do you have the files I would love to look through them. Maybe send them to Babs or Cy!"

"Sure I think I have it on a flash drive." That was when a tall body, walking backwards slammed into her, pushing her into Jason. "oof."

"You okay." Dick was in full mama hen mode fretting over her.

"I wasn't watching where I was going." the figure spoke as he turned around. "I'm sor." the words died on his tongue, Kim.

Max, Alix, Nino, Alya, and oh kwami no Lila, who were now all snickering.

"I'm fine Dick," she smiled to reassure him. However her classmates were shocked.

Lila of course was the one who broke the silence, by beginning to cry. "I'm so sorry about her. I know she hates me but to be so rude to a complete stranger!" her sobs breaking the sentence while her lackeys went to console her, glaring daggers at Marinette.

"Seriously girl," Alya began to scold her. "Your little out burst not only made Lila cry. Your insulting someone who is just trying to be nice."

She and her brothers were now standing awkwardly being scolded by a teenager. After three minutes of trying to figure out what they were being scolded for and why the guys hadn't apparently left.

"What the fuck did she do that your yelling at her for?" Jason finally broke Alya's rant. Now it was the five Parisians and the Italian to stand there confused.

"She called him a dick," Alya sighed exasperated.

"Yes." Dick answered confusing them further.

"Dick."Tim now called.

"What?!"

"Dick!!" Damian, Marinette, Tim, and Jason all called, and immediately began laughing.

"What? Oh, oh," a sheepish smile now on his face. “Names Richard but I go by Dick,” he explained to those who weren’t laughing, smiling at them.

"Tt. this is why I call you Grayson." Damian rolled his eyes. "Besides this one still has not apologized." he jabbed a finger to Kim.

"It's not worth it Damian,” Marinette shook her head. "We should head back to the bakery anyways. Maman has probably finished scolding Bruce." she smirked.

"Damn I wish I was a fly on the wall for that conversation" Jason lamented.

"Well..." she held up the ladybug charm and flipped it over showing an empty space.

"Two!" Tim shouted.

"Anyone who beats me back gets a copy," she smiled.

"Your on." Jason nodded as he vaulted over the safety wall from the second floor. Damian and Dick sprinted in opposite directions.

"Sorry Mars your gonna loose." Tim shouted as the last to leave.

"We'll see," she shot back. "Bye," She turned to her classmates as she grabbed the railing above and flipped up and over to the third floor, running to one of the secret zip lines the miraculous team set up.

"What the fuck" was faintly heard behind her, all but Lila and Max shouted by the sounds of it, as she jumped from the window.

She made up quite a bit of distance and seemed to be on Damian's heel. She had passed Tim and Dick was a few steps behind. Jason was just out of arm reach. So with a burst of speed both she and Damian were shoulder to shoulder with Jason.

The three of them simultaneously practically crashed into the side door of the bakery.

"I won."

"In your dreams Todd."

"I beat both you and Pixie"

"Check your eyes, or do you need the camera installed in your helmet." Jason's gaze hardened at Damian's words.

"How about we call it a three way tie and you both get a copy." Mari interrupted. "We should head up." Laughing Marinette opened the door and went up.

Lunch was rambunctious, but she was coming to expect that with her brothers.

“Too bad we couldn’t find that ice cream guy Mari,” Tim spoke up once everyone had finished eating.

“Oh let’s see if anyone has posted where he’s at today!” She went to check her phone but a message ended up distracting her.

Andres in your favorite spot I’ll meet you there at 7 your time.

"Cool he’ s in my favorite spot in all of Paris which just happens to be the last spot on our list today," she announced, sending off a text, setting her phone down, screen up.

Can't wait Katniss

"Why don’t you all go and Mari can get to know Bruce," Sabine offered.

OK granted it’s a good idea, maybe I should get to know my biological father but am I ready to? Do I want to? Am I yes, yes I want to get to know my biological father, yes I want my family to grow, my brothers are such protective goofballs and I love them already.

"Sounds good," she smiled.

That was when her phone lit up from a message. She went to pick it up, but she was to slow.

Jason was the one who snacked her phone. "Message from Katniss says see ya then Peeta. So who's Katniss Pixie."

"Well..." she started but she began to blush furiously.

"That would be her boyfriend," her Maman decided to add before heading back down to the bakery with Papa.

Dick pounced asking a million and one questions, Bruce physically froze but she could tell his mind was racing because that look was much the same as hers. Jason was pensive, while Tim and Damian just seemed bored or tired.

So that was how she found herself talking about Roy, blushing furiously. While simultaneously avoiding his name and details that would tip any of them off. After about a half hour of her answering questions did Dick start telling her about his fiancée. How they were planning on setting a date for the wedding.

After that the next few hows was spent sharing stories and tidbits of themselves.

However, thanks to Dick a design was swimming in her mind. so she did the only logical thing and ran up to her room. Grabbed three drives, her tablet and pen and ran back down. She tossed the red drive to Tim, and Jason and Damian each a black drive. Plopped down and began stretching out an Italian suit with a nock lapel. A rough coloration of a midnight blue offset by a sapphire. Accents of golden thread, emerald buttons and an Osiria rose in the lapel. She signed the design 'Mira Luck' and handed Dick the tablet.

"So I couldn't help myself," she begun to fidget. "But in my defense you told a designer about a wedding and my brain wouldn't stop screaming at me until this was on something. So what do you think? I know its rough but."

"Holy Shit your Mira Luck as in M, Jagged Stones personal designer. You are M as in the designer for the Lucky Spot!!" Tim screamed lunging to take the tablet from Dick.

"That's me," a blindingly bright smile lit up her features.

"So what do you think?" she asked again.

"It's amazing we were actually hoping to talk to you about Kori’s dress." Dick smiled. "I could call her it's not too late there."

"Perhaps it would be best to discuss it in person when Marinette next goes, that way she can get to know Gotham." Bruce interjected.

"That actually might be sooner than you think," she responded.

"I was actually accepted to be an exchange student for the next semester at Gotham Academy."

"Wait you’re willing we going to Gotham to study! You ’re going to Gotham willingly. Bruce I think your daughter might be a little crazy." Jason surprisingly brought up.

"I might be but but it’s no crazier than Paris and it’s a Akumas. Besides I would love to design your fiancée’s dress and we should head over to Andre’s ice cream before the sunsets that way we can watch the lighting of the Eiffel tower." She got up and called out. "Hey Jason mind passing me my backpack."

"Yeah sure," he went around he couch to grab it and toss it to her but before he did he finally seemed to notice the patches. "Wait are these The Outlaws."

"Yeah Red Hood, Arsenal, Star Fire, and Bizarro." she was smiling.

"Why choose The Outlaws?" Tim brought up.

"Honestly it was because Roy mentioned something about Arsenal and Red Hood and I ended up liking of the logos, so I made them into the backpack," she shrugged. "Besides unless you’re looking at it close enough you can’t tell which is always fun to see if people pay attention to it, let’s go."

At that the six of them walked out of the apartment, away from the bakery towards the Palais de Chaillot.

"So what's so special about Andre's Ice cream?" B asked.

"Personally I think he is a meta. But what he does is he can either see your true reflection or that of the person best suited to you."

"So he sees souls?" Tim added.

"Not quite, more like he sees the main qualities of you or your go." she tapped her chin.

"But he is meta,” Tim tried to figure.

"That's the only explanation I can come up with but I have no idea." Marinette shrugged.

"So how does he do it." Tim was now fully invested in this.

"Well you either ask for love or self and he usually does three to four ice cream flavors and gives a short reason."

They were now at the top of the stairs at the Palais de Chaillot looking out at the Eiffel Tower. They stood there as the last of the light faded from the sky. The city was dark for a moment as the Eiffel Tower lit up and slowly the lamps lit up.

"So that's why this is your favorite spot Minnie." A voice behind her chuckled. She turned around and nearly tackled him.

"Hey speedy." she pecked his cheek.

Not a second later did Jason scream, "Roy!"

"Ready for that movie?” Roy asked her an arm around her shoulders.

"Of course," she smiled. "See you guys around."

"What the fuck are you doing in Paris Roy!?" Jason screamed.

"Um... Date night," he answered. The Waynes were now practically surrounding the couple.

"What?" Apparently it was Dick's turn to yell.

"Seriously. I thought you said the bats and birds were detectives." she spoke just loud enough for them to hear. "It's kinda hard to believe with the big bat having a heart attack over there." Sure enough Bruce was seriously hyperventilating.

"Oh mind giving this to LB?" He handed her a small nondescript red box.

"Sure," Marinette took the box, "Au Revoir."

From there they left and oh kwamii did she wish she could replay that again, oh wait I can.

Next

~~~~~~~~~~

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[pazvizslaplasmathrower]

willing shield

din djain x reader / the mandalorian x reader

Rating: 18+

Warnings: Mentions of death, injury, swearing, brief suicidal thoughts, allusions to self harm,

A/N: more indulging emotions and feelings, sorry idk its how im processing things and somehow im not processing anything at all lmao. Please heed the warnings above as the content can be triggering.

*X*

“Are you sure you're okay taking care of him on your own?” Din asked, head tilted to the side.

You rolled your eyes, continuing to let the baby climb all over you like a jungle gym, only when you started to feel him slip did you continue to catch him.

“Of course I can. If I can save your ass from a Krait dragon, I can watch this little one while you're gone.”

He put his hands up in surrender, still eyeing you nervously. “Alright, well, if you need anything or if anything happens, make sure to comm me. Okay?”

“Yeah, yeah!” You assured him, “I got this baby thing down.”

Din Djarin nodded and watched as you walked back up the ramp and into the Razor Crest. Part of him wanted to stay and make sure that everything would be fine, though supplies and not to mention funds were now dangerously low. He had no choice but to take a local job on the vast planet of Kashyyyk and hope that it would be over relatively quickly.

It wasn't the baby he was concerned for.

***___***___***

“Alright, don't look at me like that. You're the one that ate you lunch too fast!”

Both you and the Child had found Din's ship to be rather suffocating and decided that fresh air would do you both some good. Nearby was a fast flowing river where there were plenty of fish and shellfish to choose from. But that food fiend gobbled up everything you gave him faster than you could shell the poor creatures.

A little green hand gripped an empty shell and then the baby proceeded to poke you with it.

“One more, okay? I don't want you getting sick.”

His little face was so round and with those pointy ears and wondrous eyes, it was hard to deny him what was requested of you. Plucking another clam from the river bed, you gazed up at the baby, wondering how much he could understand of your speech. The Force flowed through the both of you naturally, but the both of you were untrained and undoubtedly novice so the bond was wild and sometimes unstable. Some days you could feel his emotions quite clearly and other times nothing at all and nearly every day you could feel the baby trying to strengthen the bond. But that was something you  could not allow no matter what.

“This is your last one, so you better savor it.”

Without hesitation the Child seized the food, biting down into it with those little teeth. A dull feeling started to overwhelm, so you decided to dip your feet into the cool water using the sensation as a pleasant distraction, though the peace didn't last very long.

With his meal finished, the little one crawled over to where you were laying and proceeded to tug at the long sleeve of your tunic. You tried to ignore it, closing your eyes and shifting your arms just out of reach. The child would have none of it. He only gave you a small squeak as a warning before biting down hard on your upper arm, his teeth actually piercing the skin, going in as far as they could.

“Hey!” You yelped, jerking up. “Now that was uncalled for!”

He whined in protest, defending his offensive action quite eagerly. Though frustrated, he did have some rather decent reasons, that did not excuse in your mind the bite that was growing rather sore.

“It's for your own good.” The little one crawled into your lap. “You're a stubborn thing, aren't you? I guess you get that from your dad, huh?”

Picking him up, you headed back to the Razor Crest, feeling blood start to lightly soak your tunic sleeve. That feeling was nothing new, just uncomfortable, and it was better to take care of the small wound while you and the baby were the only ones present.

The rest of the day was uneventful, and was spent organizing the few messes on the ship, cleaning weapons, telling stories to the baby and reading over an old tome. It had always been with you for as long as you could remember and contained a plethora of knowledge in regard to your connection to the Force, but the drive to learn what had to be tied to your destiny was fading fast. The sunset had come and gone, leaving you in the hold to read by flashlight, but you had been staring at the same page for hours now, trying to comprehend a single word.

Another dull pulse came from the bite on your arm, in all honesty you had underestimated how much it hurt. Your wore a sleeveless shirt to let the injury get some air, but now that you thought about the hour, it would be wise to don something more in case Din were to come in soon. Carelessly, you tossed the tome aside and  walked over to a storage unit in the hold where the Mandalorian let you keep your things. He had been suspicious at first when your crate contained more than just ordinary items, Din had even asked why you kept such a large amount of medical supplies for one person. Easily, you brushed it off, chalking it up to over preparedness and personal vigilance. He let it go. Still, it unnerved you how Din Djarin had actually gone out of his comfort zone and actually asked you a question.

After slipping on a light jacket, you heard something odd from the outside. It could have been Din but it was too loud to be a lone man and he would never scare you on purpose. Glancing over where the baby was sleeping, you were assured he would be safe in here for a few moments. Wasting no more time, you snatched your Cortosis staff from where it lay by your makeshift hammock and slipped out of the ship. Immediately after shutting the hatch, you dashed to find cover still hearing what was now clearly blaster fire.

Amid the thick of the forest you moved forward until the moonlight shone off the Beskar you had come to know so well. Sprinting as fast as he could came Din Djarin, blaster in hand with his jet pack smoking slightly on his back. Giving up your cover you dashed out immediately covering his back, and you were right to do so. For right on his tail was another armored Mandalorian, though the person was certainly not friendly as they kept firing at you incessantly barely giving you time to block any shot that got too close.

The will to fight was nothing to compared to what it had been years ago, but the world had chipped away at your heart, mind and soul, until there was scarcely anything left. But this was different. Din's life was at stake and the future of the baby waiting for it's father.

“What are you waiting for!?” You screamed trying to keep up with the enemy's fire. “Get back to the ship!”

“Like hell I will! I'm not leaving you here alone!”

Your weapon allowed you to send small blasts in the adversary's direction, but now that they had brought out another blaster, there was little time to aim. This new Mandalorian had their own kriffing jet pack making close combat impossible. The longer Din stalled, the more energy you burned through.

“I got this!” You lied. “Just get back to the kriffing ship! That kid needs you!”

Looking back for only a second proved to be a mistake as you could feel a blaster shot graze the side of your neck, another hitting your upper thigh.

In one final attempt to tell the Mandalorian off, you pleaded with him. “Just go back! Please, Din! You're injured!”

“I'm injured?!” He repeated incredulously. “I'm not going to leave you alone!”

You could feel several more shocks of pain course through your body.

“GET AWAY!” The flesh of your throat burned.

“No! I'm not going to let you die!” Din insisted, trying his best to fire at his pursuer. “You kriffing matter too!”

His words sparked something in you. Not something radiant but something erratic and sudden. Letting out a piercing scream, you struck the ground with your staff and a surge of power burst forth. When the earth shattering pulse subsided, you promptly fell to the ground, the pain of all blaster shots sending you into unconsciousness.

***___***___***

The feeling of something warm is what pulled you back to your senses, touch being absolutely foreign, it was greatly startling. Alarmed, you jerked awkwardly moving your body in the opposite direction of the feeling.

“Hey...” A modulated voice came softly. “Careful there, you'll make it hurt more than it has to.”

“Huh?”

When your eyes could finally focus you looked around to find yourself laying on a mat that had been set up on the durasteel floor of the main hold. Surrounding you was an array of medical supplies, shed armor and bloody bandages and rags. Glancing down at yourself, you found that there was hardly a place that wasn't covered in fresh bandages.

“What...The fight...”

Din, who was now simply in his flight suit sat next to your side. “It was only yesterday,” he began in a somber tone, “Whatever you did, sent that kriffing bastard flying. I'd be surprised if he's still alive.”

For a moment you considered the previous events, feeling a tiny sense of loss, but you were quick to gloss it over.

“Well, I told you I could do it!” You offered a weak smile, but there was no reciprocated upbeat nature to be felt from Din.

“Y/N...I didn't want to leave you with the kid yesterday....”

At this you were slightly miffed. “I took care of the baby fine.”

“That,” he started, “Isn't what I'm talking about. What the hell was that last night?”

There was no aggressiveness in his voice, but a heavy concern which made your throat clench.

“I...I was trying to get you to head back to the ship.”

Din leaned against the wall, clenching his fists. “You...You were hardly putting up a kriffing fight out there, Y/N. If I hadn't let him get the jump on me...Tch, that's not the point. Y/N, something is wrong. I'm not blind.”

“I never said you were.”

“You were fighting with no intention of living.”

It felt like a rock had suddenly been lodged in your throat. All the muscles in your body clenched and the room started to spin. Din could tell his assessment had been correct given the power of your silence, but he certainly did not enjoy being right.

After two empty minutes you let you head fall forward and tears start to drip down to wet your bandages. Running was not a choice, from the little bit that you had moved, everything hurt. But the lightheadedness might have given you a chance to escape had he not kept you from falling back.

“Hey, hey, hey.” Din steadied your swaying body. “You've been out for a while, stay with me.”

He was so warm, and with all the fight drained from your body, the idea of pulling away was still in your mind but you couldn't bring yourself to do it and the Mandalorian could sense this. Relenting, you let yourself fall into him and to your surprise it was like he was expecting you to.

“I was so scared.” The Mandalorian admitted. “You can tell me what's going on...If you want.”

“To tell you the truth, I don't think I even k-know how to. At least for the most p-part.”

You asked how the child was doing, having suddenly remembered him. Din insisted he was fine and just taking his nap before having his evening meal. While you could have just laid there and said nothing, you could feel some words start to build up, and it would be better to let them out of your own volition.

“Y'know you were right, Mando. I...I didn't care if that bastard kriffing killed me. And I guess I don't.”

“Can...Can I ask why?”

“I dunno?” You admitted hoarsely. “I just...there's so much and I just don't care anymore. But I'm too fucking scared to do anything myself. But if someone has the opportunity comes, why fight it? I don't matter.”

Those gloved hands lightly grasped your shoulders, a cool metal helmet just pressed slightly against your head.

“And I guess you saw...everything else.” You sighed. “But don't worry I don't do it anymore, I'm just reckless now I guess.”

Din Djarin's breath hitched, something you noticed right away, that shakiness was unmistakable, telling you that the Mandalorian was crying.

“You matter. You realize that. You have to realize that. Y/N?”

Those words were now gone and you were left with no plan of what else to say.

“I-I don't! I c-can't...” You stammered, cursing yourself silently. “M' just so tired and I don't know what to do...”

He kept in mind your vast collection of injuries, especially the ones you had neglected to tend to. Din held onto your form as tight ad he felt he could, as if his grip slacked, you would vanish entirely.

“Can you try?”

You tensed.

“I'll be with you along the way.” Din added hurriedly. “I'll help as much as you let me. And I know you don't know what to do, but we can find out together, yeah?”

The Mandalorian could feel your shaking cease with time and to his absolute elation, you nodded.

It was the start.

[echo-three-one]

A Forgotten Memory

An Alex x OC fic

The final chapter. 😭

Link to chapter 1 here

Prev (XII - Samantha)

It was a wild ride. I hope you had fun.

XIII - Alex

"Goodbye, Alex." she whipered. The sound of her voice echoed in his mind distracting him from the matter at hand.

"Alex." He snapped as his new commanding officer asked him.

"Yes sir. I do recall Jack on his way to the safehouse that midnight." he quickly replied as he came back on his senses. Jack's MIA , because of this. It looked like he's also dealing with two losses.

"Okay. For now, intel has acquired nighttime activity on a warehouse not far from the previous warehouse. It seemed like they built a tunnel of underground connections from one place to another." The CO explained, showing footage of activity by the warehouse.

"So, how sure are you that that's our targets?" A man roared from the table. He's the Head of the CIA's anti terrorism department, quite intimidating and demanding for Alex's liking.

"Patience, we're also looking on to your intel, Sir. As a matter of fact, without Jack, you'll be leading us along with Alex here." He said, pointing to the warehouse completely away from the other one.

He paused, it looked like he didn't want to tag along but everyone was looking at him.

"Fine. If I lead, I say we leave in 2 hours. Go prepare." he declared, dismissing the whole team. Once he left, one of the heads nudged to Alex.

"We cloned his burner phone while he was on a meeting. He's the CIA mole we're looking for. He's helping Nero but his reasons were quite unknown." he whispered. Alex nodding in approval. His anger boiled when he finally found the one messing with Samantha's life.

"This one's for you, Samantha" he whispered to himself, clenching his fist as they prep for their warehouse invasion.

~

"This actually looks shady as fuck." One of Alex's squadmates peeked at the thick forestry below them.

"Detecting multiple heat signatures around the trees but nothing on the warehouse. They're not engaging." Another one added.

"Proceed with caution." The suspected mole commanded, readying up his gear.

"Are you sure, Sir? This looks like an ambush." Alex commented, everyone fell silent.

"RPG!" The pilot yelled as the head of counter terrorism, or Alex would like to call Mr. Mole, immediately posed to jump out. He quickly dashed to him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt as he's almost in midair.

"We have flares and we have no idea whether they're hostiles or not. Why would you jump out, Sir?" Alex roared, his fists very eager to punch him square in the face.

"You better tell us what the hell is going on down there." Another squadmate stood behind Alex, showing him a copy of his texts that said :

"I'm leading the squad to Warehouse Golf. Prepare for an ambush. Leave no one alive."

"Echo Three-One to Actual, it looks like we've been set up on an ambush. Looks like our mole is willing to talk. We're oscar mike back to the base now."

"Actual to Echo Three-One, Good. We're more than welcome to take him in." the comms replied as they flew back home.

As soon as they touched the landing pad, Alex quickly ran to the building in search for Samantha. He knew she meant goodbye but he wanted one final moment.

"I'm sorry Sir, She's already gone. She just finished her operation about an hour ago. She left with the head of defense." the receptionist replied on his thundering query.

"What operation?!" He asked, slamming the counter.

"It's classified, Sir. But she did leave a note for you to read." she hands over a folded piece of paper to Alex, which he slowly grabbed and pocketed.

"Thanks. I'm Sorry for causing a scene." he sighed and went out of the building, walking to the mini park just beside the parking lot.

***

My Dearest Alex,

In a span of three weeks, you managed to make me feel love once again. You allowed me to realize that even after a horrible loss, I could still open my heart and feel the joy of falling in love. I always told myself that no matter how painful it is, I'll never forget your face, your smile, your eyes and all those memories we shared together. I actually convinced myself that we were a happily married couple back in that safehouse, an illusion I made because my heart felt like it. It was a good feeling, and I want to thank you for it.

I can't help but think about a lot of things, one being that if we were destined to meet and not end up together, it would be better if I don't meet you at all. I'm sorry to say this but I do love you so much and I know I promised, but I think my heart couldn't carry the idea of you existing and not within my grasp. It's utterly heartbreaking.

So, your office offered me a chance, to alter my memories of meeting you, along with the memory that made Nero look for me. You were on a briefing and I wanted to talk to you personally, maybe feel your warmth one last time. I'd want to kiss you too, but I guess the world didn't want that to happen.

So I took the offer, and by the time you read this, I'm already on my way home to resume the life I've lost. I'm sure Maxine misses me right now.

I know you'll agree to this because I feel you always want what's best for me. If our paths would cross again, I hope you'll remember me the way I remembered you before I take this operation, A good memory that's supposed to last forever.

Apologizing in advance if I don't remember you anymore.

Don't you dare forget about me,

- Samantha

***

Alex smiled as he folded the letter and kept it in his wallet. He can't help but contemplate on each word on her letter. He's sure he will read it again and again, perhaps over a bottle of alcohol.

"I loved you too, Samantha." he whispered, wishing that his message would make it to the other Samantha, the Samantha that loved him, the Samantha that he shared his world with.

EPILOGUE

1 MONTH LATER

It took Alex one month to finish his mission report regarding Nero and Samantha. He couldn't help but stop midway everytime he reminisced each day they lived on that warehouse and everything that followed after. But he actually made it to the end and submitted it to his boss.

He spent most of his nights alone in his apartment, drinking lots of alcohol. It heals all wounds after all. Rubbing alcohol for external damage and Drinking alcohol for external damage. It was God's gift to mankind.

He also spent a lot of time writing back on her letter, dozens of crumpled paper scattered on the floor as each attempt he made, looked either too absurd or too awkward. He thought it's healthy to write down what he felt, even after being deeply intoxicated.

After a few more days of sad contemplation, he finally made his decision. He's going to a vacation to clear his head and prepared for his next mission which was bound to be assigned to him anytime soon.

~

The fresh scent of the wet marketplace reminded Alex of the time he was once here. He opted a quick stop in Brazil to acquire something important, he wished it wasn't sold to anyone yet.

He spoke perfect Portuguese as he transacted to the local pawnshop, in an attempt to purchase a pendant that was sold here about two months ago. He carefully eyed each piece of jewelry until he found the one he's looking for.

He pointed it, grabbed his wallet and paid for it, remembering that someday, he'll cross paths with her again. And if not, then it's a keepsake on one of his unforgettable relationship.

His phone rang as soon as he received the receipt for his purchase, quickly pocketing the piece of paper and fished his phone.

"This is Alex speaking." he answered courteously.

"Alex, this is Kate Laswell. We need you."

"Roger that." Alex replied.

CONTINUE TO : Whatever It Takes

[demon-winchester]

Tremors Behind The Veil Chapter 8

-Chapter 8- Sylvia's POV: You need to pull yourself together I thought to myself as I was leaving my cover. "We meet again" I screamed at Abigor. He glanced at me and I could feel he was smiling. "Hahaha, the small girl survived... I still remember the splendid taste of your brother little vamp" Abigor replied. That broke something in me... Vengeance was calling my name. I started rushing towards the knight, he still had Aiden on his grasp and it was time to free him. I summoned my Twin Sickles and I started stabbing him. The attacks did nothing and I could see Aiden turning purple. I dashed back and I started rushing again. I jumped on some tables, I grasped my sickles tightly, I stretched the chain and I lept on Abigor. I tied the chain on his neck and I started hanging from him. He started sidestepping and I heard him choke, that's when I knew I needed to apply even more pressure. He threw Aiden on a wall, he grabbed my chains and he started gasping for air.

Aiden's POV: I started gasping and gasping trying to catch my breath. This fucker actually came close I thought to myself. I saw Sylvia hanging from him with her chains tied around his throat. "Oh so you finally decided to join the fun?" I sassed while getting up from the rubble. "Oh shit" I whispered. Abigor managed to free himself and he grabbed Sylvia pushing her to a wall. I picked up my gun and I started shooting him. The bullets were affecting him but he wouldn't stop. He kept hitting her while she was down. "You have no magic to help you this time little vamp" he growled. I kept shooting and shooting and after two magazines he screamed in pain. "Erebus...Drag your hand across its blade and let it cut you" Sylvia managed to say while Abigor started to push through the pain. I removed my gauntlet and I followed the instructions cutting myself. As the blood was touching the sword when I was dragging my hand, the blade started changing. It grew wider and somehow purple, it was shining and whatever was inside the blade it was moving around.

While the blade was getting transformed I started losing my armor and my wings, I was now a simple human with simple clothes holding a big shining purple sword. What the hell I thought to myself. I know I need to work fast. I rushed towards Abigor significantly slower than before and this time the sword was actually doing damage, it was really scratching his armor and it left an aftermath of energy after every attack. Red smoke was coming out of every scratch. He was in terrible pain... His screams would shake the ground but he would still not let her go. "You know what...You have taken a toll on all of us...I am ending you" I growled. He started laughing as I was letting the energy from the sword travel through me. I closed my eyes and I took a deep breath as I was trying to contain the energy. One breath, one movement, one moment and this torment would stop. I breathed out and a purple ray flew from the edge of the sword hitting Abigor on his chest. The blast left a hole on his body and red smoke was flowing out of it, he finally fell down helpess. I helped Sylvia up and we slowly approached him. I held the sword on top of his neck. "Sylvia, grab the handle along with me... It's closure for you too" I said to her and if she hadn't been through hell she would smile. "Any last words?" I asked Abigor. "Curse you, your children too. And their children, forever true." he answered as he was chocking. That made me smile. "So...Shall we?" I said to Sylvia. "May God have mercy upon your soul because I won't." I sighed and we pushed the blade through his neck. And with that, complete silence. He stopped moving and what was once the club was now a building in ruins. "Bastard" Sylvia said and she spit on him. "That's a great time for a drink" I said with joy and I headed to the few bottles that weren't destroyed with Sylvia right behind me. I jumped behind the bar. "Pick your poison love" I said.  We agreed on a bottle of red wine and we were ready to start drinking. "You know what, it's the perfect time for a toast." I exclaimed. "To putting an end to unfinished bussines." she said raising her glass. "To lady death and may she be on our side on the approaching fights." I continued and our glasses met. "Are you old enough to drink?" she asked. "We killed an executioner that had returned from the dead...Do you want to see my ID or does that cover you?" I sassed. She started laughing. "Calm down boy..let me jest" she answered and she kept laughing. "Anyways, with your club destroyed what are you going to do?" I asked. "Well, good question actually...I've always wanted to move to another country for a fresh start and I don't think I'm getting a better chance... I can't help but see hope throughout this mayhem and well, a fresh start is all I need...I hope. What about you?" she said. "Hm, now that I'm powered up again I need to find Circe though there's a talk I need to have with Lydia." I continued. "How so?" she asked. "Well, you see she doesn't have powers and she came all the way here in the middle of the night while we were fighting...She could've been killed, I told her to stay away from me" and as I was saying that a slap hit me. "She came here to help you, you fool and you're going to hold it against her? You know, you might know how to fight but you really need to learn to understand people more..." she said with anger in her voice. "So what do you think I should do?" I asked. "You should figure it out yourself" she said and she took a sip, "Also about Erebus" she continued. "Oh yeah what's up with that... My armor went away while I transformed it" I said. "Well that's the thing... The hunger this blade has while transformed is insatiable, it draws energy from whenever it can and your armor is a great source, you should remember though... Don't hold it in this form for more than a few minutes after your armor has gone away, it starts eating life force and that's not ideal." she continued. "Alright then, I'll have it in mind" I replied. We talked for a bit more, about her story and about mine too, the bottle had reached its bottom. She placed the glass on the table, she got up, she took a sealed one and she started walking away. "It's time to say goodbye Aiden and about Circe you should try searching in abandoned churches, those places are rotten grounds, perfect for Harbingers...Give her my regards." she sighed. "Bye then, I'll take your words to heart and I hope we meet again." I said with a smile. "You shouldn't hope." she said and she closed the door behind her. Time to head out I thought to myself so I grabbed a bottle of wine and I returned to the hideout..It was morning by now and people have started gathering around the ruins of the club. It took me some time but I reached the hideout and that pun in the entrance always makes me laugh. I jumped on the couch and I fell asleep almost instantly.... I hadn't slept that good in ages. I woke up and I checked my phone. A text from Lydia saying hello sent 10 hours ago....God how long have I been sleeping. "Hi there" I answered and she instantly started typing.

Hello                    Hi there                    What's up MY GOD YOU'RE ALIVE                    You're not getting rid of me that easily ...... Look we need to talk                    Okaaay, feel free to say what you want Not here... I mean talk in person                    What's going on? Look, can you be at the garden behind the hotel at 12?                    Like... Midnight? Yes                    Alright... I'll be there

And so time came to pass... I dressed up and I headed to the garden. The place was beautiful. Bushes with unique colours all around... A fountain in the middle frozen from the cold with patches of icebound flowers surrounding it, benches placed under old lamps and snowflakes longing to hug the frigid landscape. I saw her and I approached her, we nodded and we both started looking at the frozen fountain. "Look" I told her, "I know I haven't been the most supportive friend. I've been so caught up with the -whatever the fuck this shit is- and I never took a moment to think that I didn't act the way I should have". She raised her eyebrow. "No matter how difficult this thing is, I should have considered how nerve racking must be seeing a friend you've known all these years put himself on the grasp of death..." I continued. "Could you please tell me what you did that you think was wrong?" she asked. "Well, for starters, when I talked to you about this situation you wanted to help and I did my best to stop you from that, even if I wanted to protect you I should have been a bit more careful. Next when I lost my bluetooth I didn't even try to contact you another way which led you to coming to help me.. I should have escorted you out of harms way that very moment but instead I screamed at you and I returned to the shitshow... Lastly, I should have contacted you the moment I was safe..." I replied.  "Hm" she said, "Do you know why I called you here?". "No" I replied. "Look, I do want to apologise myself... I felt like a burden coming on the club, I shouldn't be something else you have to have your mind on".  "Wait" I said interrupting her, "I never got to tell you that but thank you... You weren't a burden... on the contrary, I don't know how that fight would have ended if you hadn't stepped in at that moment".  "Nevertheless, we had a deal and I broke it... The moment that I saw those pieces of rubble fly towards us I knew that I shouldn't have been there and the fact that I made you endure the hit really made me feel bad" she continued. "Please don't do this... You were the best support I could have asked for" I said. "This world isn't for me and I can't pretend that I am able to withstand the anxiety that comes with it... I don't know if I can help you anymore and that includes comms... It's hard for me to say that you know" she sighed. "I understand... The moment I saw him approaching you... I've never felt so much concern and so much hate, not towards him... Towards me for dragging you into all...that" I said. "What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry and thank you.... You were a big help and I'd feel happy to have you on the comms if you're up to it..." I said with a small smile. "There's another thing... The trip ends in a couple of days and you'll be alone here which will make the situation even worse. I'm asking you... Leave this behind and come home with the rest of us" she continued. "I can't do that... I would love to return to how things were but now that's something I'm unable to do... My plan now is saving Circe, returning home and finding a way to get these stuff off of me" I sighed. "That sounds fair" she said, "So, all good?". "It seems like it..." I replied, "We still have a night to spare, what are you in the mood for?". "Okay, I have a great idea. We head to this great 24/7 diner, get a bite, a drink and then walk in the old city" she said excited. "You know what... I dig that, let's not waste a moment!" I replied. And so we begun. We headed to the diner and we bought some snacks and hot chocolate . We started walking around talking laughing and just enjoying this part of the city. The cold was stinging a bit but nothing we couldn't handle, I didn't really mind because it was just what was needed for the scenery to look like that. Roofs covered in snow all around, tall trees almost crystallised by the cold and snowflakes dancing in the breeze. The time was passing fast and after walking around for hours we concluded that we should return. We were moving in an alley to save time and we saw a person emerge from its end. I have a bad feeling I thought to myself, I looked behind us and I noticed someone was on our tail. "Give me your gloves" I said with a low voice and that's exactly what she did. I summoned my gauntlets and I covered them with the gloves. We had almost reached the end of the street but the man was still blocking, he now had his hand inside his jacket... We were getting closer and closer. "Look what we have here" the man said while drawing a knife , "such a great night to do a good deed and help my poor soul". We tried to step back but a woman was in the way with a knife on her hand as well . "I don't think they are really into charity love" she said to who I presume was her boyfriend. "Here's the thing kids, if you give us your stuff we'll let you go, it would be terrible to stain this street with blood wouldn't it" the man said to us, "I like your pink gloves dude, really... Manly" he continued and the couple started chucking. "Oh you have no idea" I said under my breath. "Don't" Lydia told me. "We don't have all night, start with your wallets" said the woman. "You heard the lady, now hurry... It would be a pity for something bad to happen to your lady friend... You get me dude, man to man, you know how that is, she looks like fun" the man said and I felt my heart pumping. "You done fucked up" said Lydia. "Stop talking girl" said the man while putting the knife closer to her throat. I grabbed the hand and I smashed his elbow, a loud crack echoed in the alley, the man fell down and he started screaming in pain and in disbelief. "You little shit!" screamed the woman and she tried to stab me but I blocked the knife with my gauntlets. "What the fuck" she muttered and I grabbed her head with my arm, I smiled and I smashed it on the wall letting her drop down unconscious. His screams were still going and I saw Lydia kicking him in the guts. "His stupid voice enrages me" I said to her and I approached him. "Nah I got it" she said, she took a few steps back and she kicked him in the head knocking him out. "Ouch, that's gonna hurt like a bitch when he wakes up" I chuckled. "Thank you... Exactly what I was going for" she replied and she started laughing. "I hope you won't kick me too but I may have stained your gloves with a tiny bit of blood" I said. "Nah they make them look less childish... You know, the blood really brings out a murderous intent the normal pink just can't" she replied smiling. "Cool point of view... Does that mean I should stain your pyjamas too?" I said with a grin. "Sheesh, I'm trying to make a joke here and you take it as a chance to hit more people" she laughed. "On my defense I read on a fashion magazine that scarlet red is gonna be worn a lot this year" I continued. "Admitting you're reading fashion magazines isn't a great defense per say but you do you" she replied with a laugh. "We should probably call the police shouldn't we?" I said and she pulled out her phone. "Already on it" she Said. She left an anonymous tip and we continued our wall back. Some time passed and we finally managed to reach the hotel. I followed her to the lobby "So I guess this is goodnight" I said. "Oh, you're not going to your room?" she asked. "We shouldn't give miss old hag the chance to ask questions should we" I replied. "Fair" she said, "That was fun... You know, up until the mugging part". "Attempted mugging you mean... But yeah, it was fun" I said. "The trip days are running out" she continued, "we should do something tomorrow". "I would love to but I have a lead for Circe that I need to follow... Can't wait for when I get back so we can hang out more" I said. "Likewise" she said and she yawned, "I guess it's goodnight then". "I guess it is" I replied with a smile, "Goodnight". "Night" she answered and she started going up the stairs. Time to go back to the hideout and be all alone I thought to myself and I sighed. I walked out of the hotel and the sun was rising.

[beckzorz]

caduto dalle nuvole (one-shot)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x f!Reader Words: 5012 Summary: A detour on a mission leads to destruction, and a discovery. Warnings: Canon-typical violence and gore. A/N: Happy Secret Seba, Paige @sebastiansloserclub​​!!!! It was a pleasure to write for you! Thank you to @jobean12-blog​​ for beta reading <3 The title, “caduto dalle nuvole,” is an Italian idiom that means literally “fallen from the clouds” and figuratively “taken aback.” Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy xoxo

Steve raises an eyebrow. “Any questions?”

You close the mission briefing and tuck the file under your arm as you stand, just barely controlling the tic in your jaw. “None, Captain.”

“Good.” His relief is palpable. “The jet leaves in ninety minutes. Good luck, agent.”

—

“I’ll be back,” Antonio says, and then he slams the barn door shut.

You gape. A key scrapes against a lock. Your heart stops for a horrible moment, and then you bolt forward.

“Hey!”

You slam into the door, body and door shaking from the impact. A chain rattles on the other side, and a car engine starts to purr.

“Hey!” you scream.

The car drives off, grinding against the gravel drive. You bang your fists against the door, rage clouding your vision, filling your veins.

Behind you, your partner lets out a breath and a thump. You turn, blinking away the red in your vision, and stare.

Bucky Barnes is sitting on a pile of hay, hands clasped between his spread thighs and his expression sardonic.

“Well,” he says. “That went well.”

You whirl back to the door, teeth clenched. You can’t manage a reply, not when it was his idea to hitchhike instead of taking the bus. Your own mother had hitchhiked across Europe in the seventies, but it’s not the seventies anymore. It’s decades later, and now… now you’ve been kidnapped. Kidnapped!

“We’re literally locked in a barn,” you snap. “And you just want to sit there?!”

Bucky sighs. “Look, this guy clearly has something up his sleeve. I did some research in the back seat while you were being sociable. SHIELD’s made a note of this guy before. Our mission isn’t so urgent that we can’t delay a day to figure out what his deal is.”

You lean your shoulder against the door and gape at him. “What, you think Steve will just say, ‘Sure, Buck, that’s totally fine! It’s not like I specifically tasked you to find these dangerous terrorists or anything?’”

“Uh, that’s what he said, yeah.” Bucky shifts on the haypile and holds up his phone. “I texted him to check.”

“Typical,” you mutter. You turn back to the door, the start of a headache pricking at your temples. You crouch down and peer through the crack of the barn door, looking for the chain.

“What are you doing?” Bucky asks. His voice seems small in the open barn.

You don’t answer. What’s the point? Surely it’s obvious. Why else would you be studying the way out except to break out? To enjoy the view?

Besides, it’s not like he ever tells you anything. If you hadn’t asked, would he have even mentioned he’d spoken with Steve?

He’s never told you anything he hasn’t needed to.

You stare at the chain through the gap in the door. It’s afternoon outside—if you rattle the door, you can see the sun glinting off the shifting links. Something to look at while you consider why your frustration is tinged with dejection.

When you’d first joined—when you were recruited, you’d had so much hope in Bucky Barnes. The Winter Soldier, stolen and used and come back to himself? It was your own story, if decades out of sync. Sam Wilson, bless him, even encouraged you to strike up a friendship with him. Sam, the only one who knew your whole story. Steve probably does by now too, but still. Sam was the first to know. He was the one who got out you. Got you free.

Of course, all the attempts you made to befriend Bucky fell flat. He was—and still is—polite, but unfathomably distant. Anyway, why would he bother opening up to you? He has Sam, Steve… Even Natasha, the only other person you might have felt comfortable talking to. He doesn’t like talking about his past, Steve once said. Try Natasha. But if you talked to her, she’d tell him everything.

And you don’t want to be talked about.

Not like that. Not by them.

You force yourself to your feet and step back. The hinges on the door are bolted in place—no easy removal there. Maybe a tool kit…?

The barn is dim, hazy. The sunlight streaming in from the small windows slants down in clouded beams, turning the hay-littered dirt floor into a mosaic of light and dark. And Bucky is all in shadow on his yellow throne. He’s barely moved since you last looked his way. Just sitting, and watching you.

“Did you see a toolbox anywhere?” you ask.

Bucky turns his head left, then right. “Nope.” He props his elbow on his knee and rests his chin in the palm of his hand. “Whatcha thinking?”

You prowl the perimeter, looking in every built-in shelf and drawer. “Unbolt the door hinges. Neither of us’d fit through the windows, and—wait a second.” You whirl to face him, quivering with relief. “Forget that. You can just force the door open!”

“Are you kidding?” Bucky asks. He holds up his left hand—it looks like a regular hand for the mission, but under the smokescreen is that same vibranium, that same strength. “Do you really wanna advertise that the Winter Soldier is in Italy? Right now? While we’re on an undercover mission?”

“Um, regular people break through doors all the time, Barnes.” You dash over and try to pull him to his feet.

He doesn’t budge.

“Seriously?!” You drop his heavy arm, muscles tight and hands quivering. “Are you just going to sit there? And do nothing?”

Bucky raises his eyebrows. “Yeah, I am. And as mission lead, that’s the call I’ve made. So sit down and chill, firecracker.”

Your fists curl into balls and you stalk away.

Firecracker.

A nickname, one you’ve despised since the first time Natasha sang it out over the comms on a mission last month. Firecracker, of all things! Like you’re no more than a party trick. An object. Not even an animal. Not even something powerful. Firecrackers are all about a lot of noise, not power. And you…

You slow as you reach the door. The wood is rough as you slide your palms across it and press your forehead across the gap. Outside, it’s still bright. Still afternoon. Inside, it feels like a nightmare.

You haven’t been locked in anywhere on a mission since… since…

For a long time.

You don’t like it. You close your eyes, breathe in—the air in the barn is stale, but if you squish your nose enough, you can get a hint of freshness from outside. The door scrapes your cheeks as you settle yourself.

It’s okay. You’ll be okay. You’ll be—

A hand on your shoulder: you spin, catch their wrist, and stop short when you realize it’s only Bucky.

“You okay?” he asks. Is that pity in his voice?

“Of course I’m fine!”

His skin is hot to the touch; he and Steve have always run warm, but it’s a strange feeling to be touching him like this. It’s not part of training, not part of a fight…

You drop his hand and sidle out from between him and the door. Your hands are still trembling. You straighten them out until your bones ache, fingers flexed and muscles straining. Even your jaw is trembling.

“You’re not,” Bucky says flatly. “What do you need?”

A hollow laugh escapes you. You lean against a pillow and slide down until you’re sitting on the floor. “To not be in here! What the hell do you think? That I’m thrilled to be locked in somewhere I’m more liable to disintegrate than not?”

“What do you…”

Bucky trails off. You don’t bother looking up at him. God knows what he thinks of you.

But it’s one thing to be in hiding. It’s another thing to be locked up. God, how can he bear it? After everything, how can he—how can you—how could you ever—

“Hey.”

Your head jerks up, your eyes wide. Bucky is kneeling a few feet away, his hands clasped between his knees. They both look like human hands; a smokescreen disguises his left. It’s a good disguise, but it looks wrong on him all the same. He—it’s not him, it’s not…

“Look at me, firecracker,” Bucky murmurs. Your eyes snap to his; your eyebrows draw low.

“Don’t call me that,” you hiss. “I’m not some toy.”

He blinks. “It’s a nickname. A term of endearment, not ridicule. Hell, Sam calls me Tin Man. Does that make me brainless?”

“Sam’s your friend!”

Bucky’s mouth drops open and his blue eyes round as saucers. “Wha—”

He stops mid-word. He cocks his head to the side. You open your mouth, but he holds up a hand, silencing whatever you’d been about to say.

His sudden silence, the way he’s listening—is someone coming?

You give Bucky a look, and he nods. You both let out a breath and stand silently. Whatever you’d been talking about, it has to wait. Right now, you’re done arguing.

Right now, you’re a team.

Tires screech outside; you look to Bucky for confirmation. He holds up three fingers.

Three vehicles.

How many people in them?

And why, why are they here? Did they recognize Bucky? He’s not immediately recognizable out of uniform, at least to the untrained eye—but are these trained eyes? Was Bucky’s face the only reason you got picked up on the side of the road? This kind of mishap has happened before…

Car doors open, footsteps crunch in gravel, and you flex your fingers and reach for that spot of warmth hidden in your chest. It reaches out, settles around your bones, through your veins until your fingernails glow. Bucky glances down, his lips quirk up, and then his eyes settle on yours. His pupils are wide with adrenaline, and he’s looking at you so intently your breath catches in your throat. Your fingertips are white-hot now, casting an eerie light from below.

He looks all the more terrible and wonderful for it.

“Ready?” he murmurs.

Your focus rams back into place. It’s just your mission lead, just Bucky. And there’s bigger fish to fry right now than the dark sky in his eyes.

“Ready.”

Bucky tilts his head towards the fused hinges on one side of the door. You press your hands against the top one, and the rusty metal begins to glow. Red drops of molten iron slide down catch on the wood, which begins to smoke. Licks of fire sprout from the jamb, and you hop back, shaking out the sparks from your fingertips.

Bucky maneuvers ahead of you and kicks the door open, wood splintering at the bottom, his left arm up. Twin shouts of surprise, two quick gunshots, and the door shudders from the impact.

“Get the other one!” Bucky snaps, pulling the bust-open door back into place as shouting begins in earnest.

You dash to the other door. Bullets pepper the door, but the wood is thick enough to contain them—for now. Something niggles at the back of your mind, but you push it away. Of course something’s wrong. But now’s the time to act, not think.

The second hinge disintegrates faster; the longer you go, the hotter you get. This is the longest you’ve ever lasted like this on a mission—usually you have guns, tools, equipment… Today you have only yourself.

Sparks fly, settling on your pants, little spots starting to burn away. The glow in your fingertips spreads down to your second knuckle, third knuckle…

Bucky pushes the two doors forward together, driving them forward like a shield wall against the god-knows-how-many people approaching. You stick close, scooping up a handful of gravel and shaping it in your palms. Gunshots ring out, striking the padlocked chain, the doors, the dirt at your feet.

“Get that damn thing on!” someone shouts.

A colossal hum groans into life, flooding your ears as you lose all sense of feeling. Bucky cries out, digs in his heels as he left arm shoots forward, but you’re a million miles away as the doors fall away from you and clatter to the ground. Dust clouds in the air as you realize that the molten rocks in your hands have dripped through your fingers, burning your shoes away. You step back, hands shaking, suddenly cold as the warmth in your chest fizzles out.

Then you run.

Gravel bites into your bare feet and makes way for tough grass. But there’s rocks here too, hidden ones, and within seconds you stumble, a sharp rock tearing a gash in the pad of your foot. Still you run, eyes burning more than your hands had been, ice settling fresh in your veins as footsteps pound behind you, harsh breathing that isn’t yours whistling in your ears.

A grunt, and someone’s hand brushes your arm. You gasp, air slicing against your screaming lungs, and pump your legs harder, harder—

“Augh!”

A hand catches your elbow, yanking your shoulder, yanking your whole body to the side as you keep going, heartbeat frantic, brain screaming, eyes barely seeing except to realize that this is the first you’ve seen again, and it’s just like you remembered, oh god, oh god; you pull your arm against the tight grip, but there’s no breaking free, the grip is too strong. You manage to get a few steps farther, dragging your assailant with you, but he digs in his heels.

Like Bucky dug in his heels.

Your eyes swivel in your head back to the barn, back to where Bucky is still fighting against some machine aimed at him, making waves in the air as it pulls at his left arm. Even from a distance, you can see he’s confused despite his bared teeth and furor. He glances your way, and the fresh strangeness in his expression takes you off-guard.

The other one who’d been chasing you grabs you, catching your other hand.

“Gotcha,” he grunts, breathless and gleeful.

You can’t take your eyes from Bucky. He’s looking at you more now. The tears pricking at your eyes make it impossible to read what he’s thinking, but you know.

The first one knees you in the gut; you fall to your knees, eyes watering afresh and nausea tickling the back of your mouth.

You know what Bucky is thinking. You’re just a firecracker. You’re useless. You’re a party trick—

You surge back to your feet, hand curling into a fist as you drive your knuckles into the first one’s neck. They choke, eyes blown wide and hand instinctively dropping from your elbow to clutch their throat. You swing your other arm, ready to drive it into their gut, but the second one catches your wrist, twisting your arm up behind you. You scream in pain—your pulled shoulder is useless now—and make to get out of their hold, but you’re caught, and someone else has come along now, and they kick you facedown into the grass. Still you persist, wriggling and kicking and trying to force yourself to your feet, to your knees, onto your back—to anything other than in the grass, blades prickling against your cheeks and mouth and nose.

God knows how, but you manage to twist over and drive your foot into someone’s crotch. They squeal and hobble back, and you grit your teeth through the pain and push yourself up before someone drives a foot into your stomach again, slamming you back onto the ground.

“Stay down!”

It’s the second man, the one who’d pulled your shoulder. He steps heavy on your chest until your bones creak, and you scream from the pressure, the pain.

“Stop, you idiot!”

You freeze. Your scream dies in your throat. The man lifts his foot away, and even through your tears you can see his scowl.

That voice—

No. No.

No.

You curl your fingers into the grass. It’s alive in your hands. Something alive, that thinks no ill of you, that wants nothing from you, something green and alive and you are not going to let them take you again.

With a cry, you push yourself up and launch yourself at the man who’d held you down. Your punch to his jaw sends him reeling. There’s nothing left of the warmth from in the barn in your chest, but you reach for it anyway, desperate, as you dash towards the man whose voice you never want to hear again.

He’s holding a gun, pointed loosely at you, his suit clean as ever and his hair as short. His eyebrows are raised, as if he’s surprised, but you don’t care, you don’t care, all you want is to break is neck and never let him speak another word as long as he—

Crack.

White-hot pain lances through your hip as he shoots, but you keep going until you’re on top of him and he’s in the dirt and your hands are around his neck and you’re squeezing and then your hands are on empty air as that idiot pulls you off.

You stumble a few feet away. There’s no warmth for you to pull at, but sparks shoot intermittently from your fingers as you snarl, blood pulsing at your hip. The idiot has a cattle prod in his hands, and he’s thrusting it at you, the buzz sending shocks through you long before it touches you.

The boss, on his knees, lurches forward towards the two of you, his eyes comically wide.

“Don’t—”

The cattle prod hits you.

White.

All you can see is white.

White fire burns in your veins, under your skin, burning searing screaming—

—

White fire flares out from where you’re caught between a bunch of the goons. Something explodes. For a moment, the whole area is flooded with white, turning the world into static. Bucky’s heart stutters—he can’t see you, where are you, what have they done to you?

A wave of heat hits him with such intensity that he shouts, his arms automatically flinging up as protection. The world goes white; something clatters nearby.

Arms? Arms?

Yes, both arms. What happened to the electromagnet? Was it the heat?

Whatever it was, he’s free. He lurches towards where the electromagnet had been, teeth gritted against the pain of the heat in the air. He can hear frightened breathing, swearing—fuck fuck fuck fuck fu—and he pounces, landing awkwardly on someone’s shoulder, but not so awkwardly that he doesn’t knock them unconscious before they can land a single blow. He stumbles off of them, ears cocked for any other noises, any other sounds, but all he hears are footsteps running haphazardly away.

They’ll get found, eventually. Right now, he can’t leave. Not without knowing what’s happened to you.

Bucky’s vision clears slowly. It’s still uncomfortably hot—sweat beads on his forehead, on his neck—but there’s a slow breeze. There’s a column of smoke to his right, where you’d run off to, and he slowly moves in that direction as he blinks away the whiteness from his eyes.

Every step forward, the heat intensifies. There’s no more grass, just dirt, with black smoke spiraling up from the bare ground. Sweat drips down the hollow of his back, catches in his eyebrows—he shakes his head, teeth bared, and forces himself forward.

What the hell happened?

Had they come for him, or you? Why would they have come for you? Whatever he thinks of you personally, your powers have never seemed that extraordinary to him. Your work at the barn, turning wrought-iron hinges into molten metal in seconds—that’s the most impressive thing he’s seen out of you to date.

Whatever had happened, the white fire and the horrible heat and the whole world gone white—that can’t have been you. But you can’t be burned, can you? Whatever it was, it can’t have hurt you.

Could it have?

He breaks into a run, squinting. A shadow on the ground catches his eye.

Bucky freezes in his tracks.

A corpse, burnt nearly to the bone. Red-hot metal pools under its pelvis—a belt buckle? A gun? No, that’s the gun there, with the extra charring on the ground. Is that what had exploded earlier? Must be.

Bucky’s mind fast-tracks past the corpse. If this is what had happened to someone else…

He steps over a charred, skeletal foot, his heart in his throat as he squints against the hot smoky air.

If that’s what happened to someone else, how could you have survived?

Bucky’s eyes water more than ever as he walks faster. “No no no,” he mutters. “That’s not…”

Another charred corpse, this one truly burnt to the bone, tendons just barely holding it together. Tears track down Bucky’s cheeks as his eyes run from the long foot up the leg, over the hipbones—

A bare foot is caught in the ribcage. A skull cradled against a bare hip, scraps of charring fabric caught in the sockets. One hand, full and alive and covered in soot, flung across your belly.

Bucky falls to his knees and crawls forward until a tear falls onto your sooty skin. Your face is turned away from him. His hands quiver as he reaches for you—for the first time, he realizes the smokescreen has died—and touches your shoulder, the back of your hand. You’re still, too still, and your skin is cold to the touch. He can hear your heartbeat, but it’s faint as a whisper and slower than molasses. There’s no sound of breathing.

“Breathe, dammit,” he mouths.

He nudges you, presses down on the hand over your belly, trying to force some movement in your lungs.

Nothing.

He takes your face in his hands; they’re shaking more than ever. He turns your head towards him, crying outright now.

“Please,” he breathes. He shifts his knees until he can bend his face inches from yours. If he has to get you to breathe by giving you breath himself, by god he’ll do it, he’ll do it a hundred times, a million, because you can’t be dead here on the ground, you can’t be, he won’t let you.

Bucky sucks in a breath, the smoky air stinging his lungs, but before he can pinch your nose shut, you shift, groan, and turn your head just enough so he can see your lips parting and a tear tracking down your cheek.

Relief washes over him like a tidal wave. For a moment, all he can do is close his eyes and press his forehead to yours. Your skin is still cold, but you’re not dead. You’re not dead. You’re alive. You’re alive, and you’re going to be okay. He’ll make damn sure of it.

One last shaky breath, and Bucky sits up on his heels. He shucks off his coat, tucks it around you, and hoists you into his arms. The skull rolls to the ground. He has to work the ribcage away from your foot with his own hand, but then he’s taking you away, back to the burning barn, away from… He glances back. It looks like a bomb has gone off. It looks…

It looks…

It looks like something he’s seen before.

Bucky’s steps slow as he stares down at the top of your head.

He’s seen this before.

The white blast. The scorched earth. The charred corpses.

He’s seen it in South Africa, in China, in Ukraine, in Venezuela. Terrorism attacks, with tenuous links aside from the identical carnage.

Monthly attacks that ended… the same month you joined the team.

It’s only habit that keeps him walking now. Force of habit, and how cold your skin is, and something past thought that has his throat clogged with horror. But he can’t drop you, no matter what conclusions his brain is coming to now.

The air is clearer here. The barn is on fire now, whether from your handiwork earlier or… or just now, he couldn’t say. But the breeze is blowing the smoke away. One of the three cars is missing—some of them must have fled, but someone will find them. Someone.

There’s an SUV with open doors. Bucky settles you in the passenger seat, careful to tuck his jacket around you properly as your head lolls. When you come to, there will be enough to explain.

There has to be an explanation.

There has to be.

Bucky pulls out his phone. Sam’s on speed-dial.

Sam’s voice, when he answers, is answer enough.

—

It’s cold.

The air is warm, but you’re cold, so cold. Like your heart is ice. You squeeze your closed eyes shut further and reach for that spot of warmth in your chest.

It’s not there.

You whimper, try again.

Nothing.

You’ve wrung yourself dry.

How—

Your faces twitches as you try to remember. All you remember is white, the static of whiteness.

Whiteness…

Your eyes pop open as you suck in a harsh, smoky breath, every muscle taut and shaking as you stare at the burning barn through—through a windshield? You’re in a car? Your heart pounds out of your chest. Did they put you in a car to take you away?

The door to your right is open; you lurch out of your seat and land on your bare knees in the gravel, one hand clutching the open door for support. You stagger to your feet. There’s no warmth in your chest and no strength in your bones, but you force yourself away, away, away—

A hand touches you, and you scream, flailing blindly until your wrist is caught.

“Hey hey hey, careful,” a soft voice says. Another hand settles on your waist, the hand on your wrist shifts until it’s holding yours, and it’s then that your eyes refocus on—

Bucky.

His eyes are wide, fixed on your face. You blink. His face is sooty, but there are clear tracks running down his cheeks. Was he—was he crying?

“You okay?” he asks.

His voice is still soft, still gentle. His eyes are still fixed on your face.

Whiteness…

“I—I don’t know,” you stammer. You put your free hand on Bucky’s arm, head swimming. The gravel bites into your feet, and you wince.

Your shoes must have burned away. Your shoes, and—

A strangled breath escapes your throat as you realize. Your shoes burned away, your shoes and your clothes. You’re wearing Bucky’s jacket, but it falls only just past your hips.

God, what did he see? You stare at him again, only more confused than before. What happened?

Whiteness.

You clap a hand over your mouth, eyes wide.

You remember it all now, as starkly as if it was happening all over again. The run, the struggle, the gunshot, the cattle prod.

The whiteness.

“Did I—did—what—”

“It’s okay,” Bucky whispers. He gently wraps an arm around you and tucks you against his chest. “You’re okay. Sam is coming.”

Your hands wind into Bucky’s shirt, tugging it tight. You stare down at your bare feet as tears roll down your cheeks. Your left foot stings; are you bleeding? You shift your foot; yes, there’s blood on the gravel where you’d been standing. Your hip is less painful than you’d’ve expected, and you flex a muscle there experimentally. Something pulls at your skin—had Bucky patched you up? He must have.

Bucky.

What does he know?

“What…” You swallow. “What happened?”

“They set you off,” Bucky says.

You let out a slow breath. So he knows. You disentangle yourself from his hold and limp to the car; Bucky helps you along, and back up into the passenger seat. “Oh.” You turn away and look at the bottom of your foot, wincing. Yes, still bleeding.

“‘Oh?’” Bucky repeats incredulously.

You turn back to him, eyebrows raised. Bucky’s hands are wide open at his sides, as though he’s struggling to keep them from curling into fists.

“Why did no one tell me about this?” His voice is low, tinged with frustration. “Why didn’t I know?”

“Only Sam knows. Knew,” you correct. “He’s the one—”

“Who got you out,” Bucky finishes. He leans against the car, boxing you in. “But why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why would I have told you?” you ask, voice flat.

Bucky stares, mouth open, argument flashing in his eyes. You lean your head back and close your eyes. You’re still groggy and cold and tired, and there’s no way out with Bucky standing so close. All you can do is answer him.

“Forget why, when?” you continue weakly. “We’ve never been particularly friendly.”

“I can’t help being shy, can I?” Bucky snaps.

“Yes you can.” Your chin drops a little; your eyes are still closed. “I did my best, to try and make friends with you. I thought… it’d be good for me. Have someone who knows what I went through.”

“I didn’t know,” he says. He’s not snapping now. He’s quiet, almost plaintive. “I wish I had. I wish Sam had told me. I wish…” He trails off, sighs.

You peek open an eye. Bucky leans on his arm against the open car door jamb, eyes closed, face downcast. He looks… he looks like he’s more weighted down than you are.

A little warmth flares in your chest. You can’t tell if it’s real or just a hope.

You reach out and put a hand on his face. His skin is warm to the touch, as it always is. Bucky’s eyes pop open and he looks at you, his lips parted and his eyes wide and blue.

“It’s okay,” you tell him. “And I’m sorry. It wasn’t fair not to tell you. Not… not when we were supposed to have each other’s backs.”

“I’ve got your back no matter what,” Bucky declares, and the warmth in your chest coils and warms you straight down to your fingertips.

There aren’t words for what you’re feeling. All you can do is crane your neck and press a kiss to his sooty cheek and wrap your arms around his neck and kiss his cheek again.

Bucky shudders in your hold, and it’s all you can do not to cry as he wraps an arm gently around you.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs. “And I’m not letting go.”

[gumnut-logic]

Blue & Yellow

aleatory (n.) - relying on chance or an uncontrolled element in the details of life or in the creation of art (from these wonderful prompts)

Many thanks to @scribbles97​ for the read through and support :D

Paint splattered in a rainbow of reds. The force behind the brush, the hand, the elbow and arm came down hard, flicking the blood-like liquid onto the laid-out canvas on the studio floor.

Paint.

Wet, luscious, stains of pigment, turning blank white to vivid emotion.

-o-o-o-

The air screamed as Thunderbird Two tore into a turn midair that almost…almost defied the laws of physics.

“Gordon, now!”

Virgil’s harsh yell skipped across comms to his brother deep in the belly of the plane where his hand flicked a manual release.

Outside in the howling storm a lone grapple threw itself into swirling grey.

-o-o-o-

Grey.

Not Payne’s Grey, not the subtle blue of a stormy midnight.

No, this was a sickly grey. A destructive grey. A grey that could reach out and strangle you when you weren’t looking.

It dripped. Single spots landing amongst the red slashes.

Until anger splattered it hard.

-o-o-o-

“Virgil talk to me! Did it work?”

“Negative.” The word was dragged across his lips. Virgil tugged on the yoke, fighting with his ‘bird. She wanted out, but he needed her to be here.

He had to be here.

“Discard and reset.”

“Do we have time?”

“Just do it!”

An explosion at a high-altitude military platform while they were attempting to evacuate the crew caught both One and Two into its unexpected blast range. One went down, crippled, her starboard scorched and wing buckled. Two faired better, but for a few moments there, Virgil had thought the worst.

He managed to keep her aloft and give chase to his plummeting brother, but half her systems were fried, including the firing mechanism for the grapple launchers. Fortunately, his targeting system was intact, but in order to activate a launcher, Gordon had run downstairs and fire it manually.

Two wailed as he forced her to dive once again, engines working against the forces of Mother Nature herself.

-o-o-o-

Black.

It the most appropriate. Not for its colour, but its lack of it. It shone in his studio lighting, mesmerising as a glob on the end of the fat wide brush in his hand. He could almost find beauty in it.

If it wasn’t sucking his soul dry.

It dripped lonely spots.

Black on red.

Black on grey.

Black on empty white.

He just stared and let it happen.

-o-o-o-

Their last chance was so sudden there was no time for thought.

A flash of lightning, a flicker of display and Thunderbird One fell past them once again.

Virgil spun his ‘bird into striking distance, his targeting sensors lit up the dash.

“Now!”

His younger brother didn’t reply, but the grapple fired.

Thunderbird Two shook in the wind.

Almost impossible.

Impossible.

God, please!

His readouts suddenly flashed green in confirmation of a strong connection.

Yes!

Two shook again, her whole flight stability shuddering.

“Gordon, get up here!”

And then the grapple line snapped tight.

-o-o-o-

Blue.

He held the tube in his hand.

It was the correct blue. Cerulean. The blue of skies. The blue of International Rescue. The blue of his uniform. The blue of hope.

He held it and his fingers tightened.

-o-o-o-

Thunderbird Two tipped sideways and fell.

Virgil yelled as he fought the yoke. “Goddamnit!” His fist pounded switches and VTOL roared out of sequence, her rockets firing erratically in a desperate attempt to right herself against both the storm and the sudden weight of her sister.

“C’mon!” It was one hell of a fight. He’d obviously done something to piss off Mother Nature recently because she wasn’t giving an inch. Wind and rain battered at Two’s fuselage, tossing her about, and in her weakened state, she was struggling.

But ever so slowly, she righted herself and began gaining height.

Her airframe whined.

“You can do it. C’mon, Number Two.” He bit his lip clean through.

It was slow. Ever so slow, but Thunderbird Two crawled up and out of the hurricane, reaching into the whites of swirling cloud.

Into the blue.

-o-o-o-

Blue.

It swelled over his fingers, the tube popping open and bleeding through his grip.

A hand touched his and took the tube away.

A rag appeared and gently wiped the paint from his skin.

So soft. So caring.

The rag was put aside and blue, blue eyes dipped to peer into his. “Virgil?”

That sky so far above that hurricane swirled in his brother’s irises.

Virgil opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

-o-o-o-

“Scott! Do you read me?! Status?”

The commline creaked with static, but his heart started beating again when he finally heard his eldest brother’s voice.

“I read you…-ird Two. Thanks for the -ave. No flight -bility, but no injur-y. S-me fancy flying there, Virg-“

Virgil let out a laugh in relief. Thank god. “Gordon! Scott’s okay!”

The only answer was the drone of Two engines.

“Gordon?”

-o-o-o-

Blue.

His big brother’s shirt was blue.

Long arms wrapped around him and drew him in.

Harsh breath against blue fabric.

“It wasn’t your fault, Virgil.”

“Wasn’t your fault.”

-o-o-o-

He couldn’t put her on autopilot. She was barely flying as it was.

“Gordon?! Answer me!”

His little brother didn’t.

Panic swelled into his throat.

“Scott, I have no response from Gordon.”

He brought their little convoy to a halt, keeping her in a fragile hover far above the clouds.

He didn’t need to ask. Scott was there in minutes.

And Gordon was found.

-o-o-o-

Virgil let the comfort last a few more seconds before gently removing himself from his brother’s embrace and turning back to his palette.

Yellow.

It glared at him.

“Virgil…”

He reached over and picked up the tube. Cadmium Yellow. The most vibrant yellow available.

The cap was tight and it bruised his fingers as he unscrewed it. Squirted onto his palette, the paint was as luscious as the red before it.

“Virgil…”

A fresh brush and he dipped hairs into that glossy shine. He lifted the palette up in one hand and knelt down in front of the canvas…almost reverently.

The acrylic already on the canvas was drying, all except for the thickest spots of paint.

His brush drew a line, bright…ever so bright yellow amongst the depression of the grey, the spots of all consuming black and the anger and pain of the red.

He drew a line.

Then another.

The cadmium took the red and made it orange, the grey disappeared under its opaque pigment and the black bled green.

“Virgil…”

His hand moved faster, paint slapped onto the canvas, catching the few flecks of blue that had been splashed.

A moment and he grabbed that mangled tube from the bench where his brother had left it. It was tacky, damp, and it messed up his fingers.

But it was sky blue. The blue of his brother’s eyes and the blue of their uniforms.

The blue of hope.

Combined with the yellow of sunshine, of his brother, Gordon.

It made green.

Beautiful, beautiful green.

The canvas transformed under his fingers. Where red and black tragedy had splattered a sun now rose over green fields, scattering the grey sky.

It was awkward, irregular and messy. Unpredictable, but beautiful.

Much like his little brother.

Scott crouched down beside him. “He’s going to be alright, Virgil.”

Yellow paint stained his fingers, along with the blue and the secondary green. “I know.” A staggered, indrawn breath and he turned to his big brother. “I can’t do this without him, Scott. Any more than I can do it without you.” Ever so quiet. “Blue and yellow make green.”

A hand gentle on his shoulder. “He is going to be okay!”

Yes, Gordon was going to be okay, but a broken collar bone, broken leg, and so much bruising, how many injuries was his little brother expected to bear in his life? Those moments of desperately trying to catch One, the sudden wrench to port. Gordon had been unsecured and thrown about like a rag doll. He was lucky he hadn’t been killed.

And Virgil hadn’t given it a single thought.

Too focussed.

Too determined.

“I should have realised. I should have…known.”

How could he not have known?

“And what could you have done differently if you did?” His brother’s voice was worried frustration itself. “You did what you had to do.”

Injure one brother to save another. “I…” He closed his mouth.

A hand landed on his shoulder. “You did your best. You saved me. We saved Gordon. It is what we do.” A pause. “You need to forgive yourself.”

He didn’t know if that was possible.

Paint dripped.

And the colours blurred in his vision

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[ladyideal]

Away Mission Gone Right

Pairing: Leonard McCoy x Reader

Word Count: 3279

Warnings: cursing, mention of injury, slight description of said injury, lots of angst, couple medical procedures, people arguing(?)

Summary: You fight with Leonard in the morning, and had yet another bad-luck-filled away mission. Getting back to the ship injured, you admit to yourself that Leonard was right all along. With that, you apologize and make up. Requests and headcannons are open, and my masterlist is up. Link below. 

A/n: Oh look, 2 stories in a week and back to back. Hooray. 4am addled mind can really conjure something interesting up. Not something I would really recommend though

“Have you lost your corn-fed mind?” A snarl echoed from behind you. You rolled your eyes, impatiently waiting for the lift doors to open up so you wouldn’t be hearing yet another lecture.

“It’ll be fine, Leonard. I’m a grown ass adult. I can take care of myself,” You argued, hurrying out of the turbolift.

“Fine my ass! You’ve got over four hundred crew that could take your place in this forsaken away mission,” An angry Chief Medical Officer nipped at your heels, following you closely like a lost puppy. “Yet here we are, once again, barreling towards certain death.”

“It will be okay, Len. It’s a routine supply drop,” You tried to explain again for the umpteenth time. “Besides, I’ll have a couple of security guys and Jim with me.”

“Don’t come to me to kiss your boo boos when you get injured again,” He growled, a permanent scowl on his face now. “Same goes for you too, Jim.”

Jim slung an arm around Leonard’s shoulder in an attempt to placate his best friend. “I’m here to protect her. Besides, the natives are no harm towards us.”

The mother hen of all mother hens grumbled something about idiots under his breath.

You understood his worry, and you would too if the places were swapped. However, this was your job. You signed onto Starfleet to explore beyond the Alpha quadrant, to see what else was out there. Danger was a risk everyone took when they were first accepted into the academy.

“The natives are friendly towards the Federation. Simple down and back,” you tried once more. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“And how the hell do you claim to know that?” Leonard took a step towards you, face livid.

“Len, it’s my job to know these-,” You started, but he continued on as though he didn’t hear you.

“Tell me you’re not acting just as reckless as Jim is right now too. Tell me that you’re actually responsible for yourself for once on this goddamn ship,” Your boyfriend spat out. 

“Leonard, please.”

“I thought you would listen to me this one time! If we lose you, we lose the captain of this damn tin can.”

“Leonard McCoy! Could you at least listen to what you’re saying right now?”

“And I suppose, why I should listen to myself when you don’t listen to me?” The doctor paused, catching his breath. “Whatever, forget it.”

The entire transporter room was silent as everyone watched him turn on his heels and stalked away. Some eyed you nervously, unsure of your reaction. Slowly, you let out your held breath. Jim placed a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“You okay?” He asked quietly, as you stood at your place on the teleporter pad.

You briefly looked up at him, but shook your head. “Everyone ready?” you called, glancing around at the others that were going down with you. Sagely, the affirmative was given. 

“Energize.”

The entire trip towards the settlement, you were quiet as you went over Len’s words. Wordlessly, Jim walked beside you, filling in the silence with small talk to avoid the awkwardness that the away team witnessed. 

“I know couples are supposed to fight, that it’s a sign of getting through hardships together,” you mumbled, only loud enough for Jim to hear. “But it’s never been this bad and I don’t get why he doesn’t understand that it’s my job.”

“Bones is just scared of losing you,” Jim explained. “Now that he’s got you in his life.”

“Maybe he could care a little less angry?” You desperately wiped away your unshed tears with the back of your left hand. “How do I look?”

“Gorgeous as always. But Bones being angry is how he cares.”

You sighed. “Let’s just get this over with first, and I’ll figure out how to apologize to him later.”

As the team broke through the tree lines, guards rushed forward with their weapons drawn. Calmly explaining them that you were from Starfleet, from the starship Enterprise, and that the team were carrying supplies for the town. Looking begrudgingly, the guards parted, escorting you and the team into the heart of their village. 

Huts of varying capacities were neatly structured in rows, both men and women were gathered outside doing chores and tending to their campfires,kids of all ages ran past the team, giddy with their little games, while the elderly followed with their careful eyes. Most inhabitants paused what they were doing to gaze curiously at the newcomers, while the young ones pointed at the team.

“The Enterpwise! The Enterpwise! The Enterpwise!’ A few danced up and down, tugging on their parents’ clothes in hopes of satisfying their curiosity.

You chuckled, winking at them, delighted that you would receive such a warm welcome. Your team stopped before a smaller gathering, away from the hubbub of the center.  A man strode forward from the security of his group.

“I am who they called, Imam,” He spoke, a stoic expression on his face. You glanced warily back at Jim, whom only shrugged at your silent question. This wasn’t whom you were expecting to meet. “You are Starfleet.”

You cleared your throat unsuccessfully. “I am Captain Y/N Y/L/N of the USS Enterprise, and these are my crew,” You introduced with a wave of your hand. “But I was supposed to meet someone else by the name of Loren.”

At the mention of the name, the group hushed. Clearly, something had happened during the last twelve hours after contacting the natives that the Enterprise will be arriving. 

“Yes, Loren,” Imam spoke, almost reverently. “He was killed by the neighboring tribe, one that does not like the Federation. May the gods above take him back home. I was his second.”

You stilled, completely caught off guard by the revelation. Once again, you glanced at Jim, and some of the other red shirts around you with a grim look. This wasn’t expected, but you never heard of the other surrounding tribes having trouble with the Federation. Forcing your worries down, you quickly thought of your next words. The previous leader was a staunch Federation supporter, but Imam? You didn’t know.

Catching yourself, you composed an apologetic smile towards the new leader, now understanding how fresh the death was. “I’m sorry to hear that, he was a great man. We’ve brought some medical supplies along with what you requested when we received the distress signal.”

Something was odd, but you couldn’t put your finger to it. There was noticeable tension in the air, as if a ticking time bomb was ready to be let off soon. Jim caught your eye, an equally worried expression on his face. It wasn’t a gut feeling anymore, you realized, everyone felt it. 

“Thank you for your generosity. The Federation has never ceased to be helpful. I wish you all good luck and safe travels,” Imam spoke carefully, as if he himself was about to be the bearer of bad news.

“But we can not let you leave.”

“What do you mean, we can’t leave?” You spoke after a shocked moment, as a shiver of dread coursed through you. Regarding the vicinity, this wasn’t good, not at all. The trees behind you could offer you some protection, if only the rest of the team knew. 

“Once we turn back for the trees, we will be out of your hair,” You emphasized, desperately hoping that the others understood.

“I’m afraid not,” Imam spoke, as the guards around him pointed their weapons at the team. Before you could speak, the others raised their phasers, ready for a fight. “I swore to Loren’s son, Sgiern, that this would never happen again, that the Federation would never arrive and take away what’s ours.”

Although you too had reached for your phaser, your brows furrowed in confusion. “Excuse me, but take what away? We were never informed of anything else, but to deliver supplies.”

“I’m sorry, but I can not take back what I’ve sworn,” Imam took a step backwards before turning away altogether. 

“Shit!” You cursed, grabbing your phaser out of your combat boots and running for the trees as arrows flew overhead.

Desperately returning shots behind you as the team dived for cover amongst the tree lines, you fumbled around for your comm.  

“Y/L/N to Enterprise!”

“Hear yer loud and clear, lassie,” Scotty replied through the communicator.

“Now is not the time for- fuckin’ Lieutenant, duck, will ya?” Your eyes scanned through the foliage, until you had found a large stump.

“Captain?”

“Scotty, it would be really appreciated if you can beam us back right now!” You yelled back, hopping over roots and branches that littered the forest floor.

“Uh I cannae Captain,” The Chief Engineer sounded strained. “Something is disrupting the transporter from grabbing a hold of ya.”

“Well, figure it out soon, Scotty. We are in a bit of a bind, and have medbay on standby.”

Coming to rest behind the stump, you carefully looked around you, hoping for signs of the armed guards. They couldn’t be far. At the moment, all you could hear were the distinct sounds of phasers firing, someone screaming, and arrows thudding against tree barks. Out of nowhere, a figure slammed into your very spot, knocking your head hard against the rough stump.

“Oh god’s sake, I’m sorry, Y/N. Didn’t see you there,”Jim grimaced, catching his breath.

“Have you seen the others?” You gasped out, rubbing the back of your head tenderly. 

“Last I saw, they’re all together. Injured, but still in one piece,” he reported. “You’ve seen better.”

In the mad dash to the trees and your frenzy of keeping the attackers at bay, you had failed to take stock of your own injuries. 

“Cuts and scrapes. Let’s go, and get the others. Scotty’s working on getting us beamed back up.”

With a nod, you crouched away, letting Jim lead as you watched his back, sides, and your back. How did it come to this? First, it was Leonard. Now, the away mission went completely sideways. Perhaps if you didn’t come, the outcome would be different. No, it would still be the same. The natives already had a change of heart, whomever beamed down didn’t matter. 

You nearly crashed into Jim when he stopped momentarily, and brushed some ferns away, revealing the rest of your exhausted team. Other than mud on exposed skin, a couple nasty cuts, two sprained ankles, and a broken arm, everyone was still alive. Thank god for that at least.

“Stick together,” you whispered. “Lieutenant, take the lead. Ensigns, stay in the center. We move at your pace. Jim, you’re with me.” Everyone nodded in understanding. “Move out.”

As quietly as a group of six could maneuver, you shook your head a couple times. Leonard was right all along. He knew that you knew the consequences of what could happen if this mission went sideways, when every mission was risky business. You mattered too much to him, you knew that too, and that losing you would devastate him far more than anything else. 

But everyone else had people that cared for them, that loved and cherished them in one way or another, be it family or friends. There was someone waiting back at home, and you had sworn to protect lives, not to take it away. If there was a way to save your crew in any way possible, crazy or not, you would do it. 

“Enterprise to Captain Y/L/N.”

“Pipe down, Scotty,” you scowled into your comm, even though you knew he couldn’t see you. “It better be good news.”

“Once ya out of the trees, we can grab you,” He quieted down.

“Thank god,” you mumbled back, sliding your comm back into your pocket. 

Jim arched an eyebrow at you, a silent question that you returned with a sharp nod. With some hurried whispers, the rest of the away team understood. Listening to the sounds of the forest and the jumbled shouts of the natives behind, you held up one finger.

Two.

Three.

On three, the team burst out and into the clearing.

“Scotty!” You heard Jim roar into his comm. 

Before the golden threads grabbed you, an intense force came from your sides, and a radiating pain bubbled up. Almost as though time was comically slowed down, you slackened onto Jim. As reality rushed back, you screamed in pain, and collapsed. Before you hit the ground, Jim caught you before gasping out at your injury.

“Shit, shit, Y/N, hang on. Bones is gonna murder me,” Jim secured you in his arms, moments before you were all beamed back onto the safety of the ship.

As the team materialized back in the transporter room, you let out a weak cry of pain. All the crew that stood in stand by, were in shock at the bloody mess in front of them. Leonard's stomach dropped at the bloody sight of you in Jim's arms. After a heartbeat, medical converged as Doctor McCoy beelined first for the captain.

“What in god’s name happened down there, Jim?” He frantically knelt down, firmly pressing a gauze to the gaping hole on your side. “Sweetheart, can you hear me?”

“Natives turned hostile,” Jim explained as you groaned in answer to Leonard’s question. You watched him blearily as your vision had gone fuzzy along the edges. Another minute gone by as nearby tricorder buzzed over you, and a hypo was pressed to your neck, releasing its sweet, sweet contents.  

“Len, I’m-.”

He shined a light. “Follow my fingers.” An order, not a request; nothing like the Leonard you knew behind the calm mask.

“Put her on the stretcher, Jim,” Leonard continued, watching you closely as Jim did so. You cried out again, this time coming out as a groan. Sparing his friend another glance, you were rushed down to medbay. 

Your eyes threatened to close as the gauze was repeatedly changed, time and time again. There was no need to look down at yourself, you knew that you were heavily bleeding out. You barely felt the pokes as an IV was put in, and another hypo pressed to your neck. The tricorder,  placed so close to your face, whirred constantly. For the first time today, you shivered, as a cold settled in.

"Keep your eyes open." Another order.

“Len,” you rasped out, gaining the attention of his hazel eyes. “About earlier, I-.”

“We can talk when you’re better. Just try and stay calm for me first,” he interrupted, as his emotions finally broke through the professional mask he had on. There was urgency in his voice, panicky even. In your weakened state, you could tell he was on the verge of crying. For you, he had to pull himself together. Looking away, he continued barking orders left and right at the nurses around.

Weakly, you grasped his sleeve, ignoring the red that immediately stained it. You wanted to tell him, needed to tell him that you were sorry for fighting with him earlier in the day. 

“I’m sorry.”

With that, you passed out before you could hear his response. 

~

It was an ache that woke you, steady and uncomfortably persistent. Next thing you figured as your senses slowly warmed up, was that one of your hands were sweaty. Opening your eyes, you took stock of the room, realizing that you were in a private room of the medbay, a luxury that only the sickest could afford. While the heart monitor pinged alongside yours, you followed the hand that clasped yours, and towards its owner with a mop of dark hair, snoring on the small cot beside. 

Leonard. You hated waking him up when he looked so peaceful in his sleep. Nevertheless, you concentrated on your fingers and squeezed his hand.

Leonard’s head shot up, confused for a minute. His eyes widened when he saw yours was open too, and immediately jumped to his feet. 

“Thank god, you’re awake, Y/N. Welcome back,” He studied the numbers above the biobed. Satisfied that you were indeed stable, he looked back down at you. “Are you in pain?”

You shook your head. “Just an ache,” you rasped out, feeling like your throat went through a sandstorm.  

“Darlin’, can you sit up for me first?”

Checking that you didn’t have a concussion, he pressed a button on the side of the biobed, slowly sitting you up. Once you had your fill of water, you laid back down, trying to find a more comfortable position

“Tell me if it hurts where I press,” Leonard continued. You nodded in assent as he started palpitating around the stitches. 

“I had to take you in for immediate surgery. You were bleeding out on us. Here?” He started. You flinched. “Your pancreas, gallbladder, and liver were a mess. I was on limited time to stitch you back together before you bled out on my table. How about here?” You winced. “Needless to say, you don’t have a gallbladder anymore. I thought it was easier to have you sedated while everything was getting regenned. You’ve been out for a couple of days. Here?” You held in a breath, but nodded. 

When the doctor was done, he pulled the blanket back up to keep the chill away. Sitting back down in his chair, you finally noticed the dark bags under his eyes, and the stubble under his chin. 

“Leonard, I-,” You started again, but was cut off with Leonard shaking his head. 

“Your vitals aren’t near as good as I liked them to be first.” He replied firmly, as your shoulders relaxed. “We can have the conversation later when you get some rest first.”

The next time you woke up, the ache was still there, but was considerably a marked improvement from whenever you first woke up. As if you had some magic that could call the doctor, Leonard strode right into your room, just as you were wondering where he were.

“Hi sweetheart,” He looked much better too. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. Can you help me sit up?”

While he did so, a silence fell between the two of you. Soon, all that was left was Leonard staring at your hands.

“Len, I’m sorry. You were right with what you said,” You opened up the needed conversation. “I should have known better to have gone down, and forget who I was leaving behind. You were right to be pissed at me. I would be the same too if our places were switched.”

He listened to you, quietly taking in your words for a moment. “I’m sorry that I yelled at you earlier. You know I lose my temper every time I see you do something reckless with your life, and your health. We are in this together now, darlin’, and I want you to remember that. You’ve got me, and I’ve got you as a team.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “After that fight, I thought I pushed you away, that what we had was it. I was afraid you would never come back to me again.”

You reached for his hand, but he was faster. He gripped yours as though you were his lifeline. 

“We fight, we learn, we make up,” You murmured softly. “And that’s how we grow together. Isn’t that right, Doctor McCoy?”

Slowly, your CMO brightened up at your words, a smile gracing his features. A rare sight that not many were fortunate enough to see. “Dammit Y/N, I’m a doctor, not a counselor.”

You chuckled, knowing that the past was behind you. Whatever happens in the future, your favorite doctor would be right by your side.

Here’s my slowly growing masterlist.

Tags: @cuddlememerrick @mapachefaerie @floreatetona (if you would like to be tagged, please send me an ask)

[voidfell]

Dash Commentary

Turning up the radio, thank fuck his broadcast tower is sound proof so he doesn't have to hear those two morons making their idiocy the entire hotel's problem.

[voidfcllen]

Dash Commentary

“Hey, Hey, no! You two keep your hyperactive chaos away from my shame temple!”

[the-gunslock]

Hiver 7 - Infinite

This is a story about reality and my meeting of the one who stands against those who threaten it.

“Honey? Amanda?”

The awoken woman called to the dark. No answer.

“Trinity?”

The little light never appeared. She looked around frantically.

“Selene! Reyla! ...Junko? Uh, Luna?”

The ground to her feet had begun to shift into a blocky, dull grey platform. The ambient around her had turned into a stone and metal room with rectangular, jagged edges. After a while of looking, she spots a dash of burnt blonde hair. Relieved, she runs to meet it.

“Amanda!” She says, ecstatic to see a familiar face, specially her lover’s.

But, to her dismay, no response.

“Honey?” She starts tearing up in desperation. She waves a hand in front of her face and snaps her fingers.

Nothing.

Then she reaches out.

Immediately she is met with a wall of intense solar energy that causes her to stumble backwards. As she regains her vision, she sees that the image of Amanda had burnt away and in its place…

Spun a Harpy. Not a common one -- its eye and shell glowed a bright, phased blue, and it was much larger. The Warlock had only heard dreadful stories about them, from Guardians more experienced than her.

Gorgons.

Vex constructs that patrolled a cave inside the Vault of Glass and held the power to define what is real or not.

Its bright, ice-blue eye gazed into Hiver’s soul as it started to give a deafening, almost pained, mechanically-filtered shriek and released pulsating red energy in all directions.

She was paralyzed. Tears started to roll down her eyes as she struggled to bring her hand to eye level, watching her body be deconstructed in white simulation particles.

Feeling like her existence was little more than… a nuisance. A speck of dust that needs to be sweeped away.

As she sobbed at the extinguishing light of this cursed creature, she started to hear a faint sound.

“..er.”

A voice? Couldn’t be.

“Ier.”

She had almost lost her entire body now. Fear overcame her as she felt the disintegration reach her neck--

“Hiver.”

The voice clearly said her name now, but she couldn’t do anything.

“HIVER!” The Shipwright’s husky voice called to her, with a load of worry on top of it. Hiver gasped awake to see Amanda’s face close to hers, her fingertips tapping against her cheek.

It’s sunrise. The light grazes the clouds with a soft touch, making the whole sky purple.

She rolled onto her back and brushed her hair out of her forehead, sobbing uncontrollably. Amanda softly wiped the tears from her nose and temples, sitting her up and hugging her tightly, trying to appease her crying.

“You’re okay, babe. Everythin’s alright.” She says, alternating it with soothing ‘shh’ noises with her mouth. Hiver is hiccuping so much she can barely breathe right, let alone say a word.

After reattaching her mechanical leg to her thigh, she takes her girlfriend’s hand and helps her stumble to the kitchen. The blonde sits her down on the island’s chairs and gets her a cup of water so she can normalize her breathing. While the Warlock gulps it down, the Shipwright stands beside her, caressing her hair. She tries asking her what she saw, knowing from her that Awoken tend to experience extremely vivid dreams.

Good or not.

Hiver started to tell the dream the best she could, trying to catch her breath and staring vacantly at the water cup.

“I… I-I was alone. Unknown place. It was… Vex built. cough I saw you, called out to you. You turned into… a… a Gorgon. I had to… sigh, stand still as… as it stared into me... and, and slowly deleted me from existence.”

Amanda hugs her from behind and smooches the top of her head.

“I…” Hiver blurted out, putting the cup down. “I felt... every second of it. And I heard your voice calling to me. Couldn’t answer. Couldn’t do anything. Not even say ‘I love you’. Or ‘goodbye’.”

Amanda sighs. “Babe, you ain’t in a simulation. You’re here, with me, where it’s safe. You ain’t gonna need to say goodbye. Okay?”

The Awoken girl opens a smile. “Okay.” She replies as she starts feeling better, and gets up to face her girlfriend. Both of them walk together to the bedroom.

“I might need proof of that, though.” She continues, sitting back on the bed. Amanda sighs, just wanting to use her precious hours of sleep.

“Hiver…” She says tiredly as they lie down again. “What proof do ya want? It’s like... 5 in the morning.”

Hiver giggles as she pulls the blanket over them both again. Her face close to Amanda’s once more, she blinks and puckers up for a second before going back to her calm grin. Getting the message, Amanda pulls her closer for a ‘sleep well’ kiss while caressing her hair once more, Hiver gently scratching her back under her tank top.

Both of them having relaxed, they happily drift off together once more. Hiver has an idea for what she’s doing the next day.

It’s now noon, and everyone is at their workstations. The Chief Shipwright is having difficulties understanding what happened to the Sparrow in front of her. It clearly had not been treated well, giving that most of its hull was missing and the engine metal was completely fried. Whoever used this was a worse pilot than Hiver, and it’s saying something.

Amanda was using a datapad to scan the ill-fated vehicle in front of her, trying to assess whether she could order spare parts to repair the thing, or if it would have to be scrapped entirely and sell the owner a new one. Either way, it wasn’t gonna be easy or cheap.

“My Light, why do Guardians always do the stupidest Sparrow stunts? They forget someone has to fix their mess?” She mumbles to herself while her stomach grumbles in anger. “Damnit. Guess I’ll just grab ramen real fast or something… I don’t know. Ugh, this job.” Luckily, her Guardian angel appears just at the right time, wearing her usual black duster, Black Armory boots and gauntlets, and big smile on her face.

“Amanda!” The Guardian called out, carrying a black, aluminium-like case by the handle in her hand, jogging towards the Shipwright.

“Hey darling, what’s up?” She greets before noticing the case she is carrying. “...What’s that?”

“It’s almost noon and I’m leaving for Mercury. So…” She starts, holding the case close to her chest before offering it to Amanda, and also taking a thermos out of her duster’s bag. “Brought you this.”

“Oh, thank ya! Have a safe flight there.”

Hiver kisses her on the cheek, whispering “love you, honey”, and walks off, transmatting into orbit, leaving Amanda with the case. Pulling up a chair and unlocking the side clasps, she finds out the case has three layers, one having a small case with a plastic lid and two large cases on top of each other.

The first one carries silverware and a little post-it note, and the other two carry two parts of a fresh meal. Spaghetti with bolognese sauce, vegetables and rice, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. She smelled the thermos she was handed which contained lemonade, still cold.

The note had a coupon for Spicy Ramen under it, reading: “Honey, treat yourself if I’m not back soon enough to make you dinner. I love you. ♥ - Hiver”

Hiver put everything there to get her girlfriend back on her feet for the workday. It made her blush and smile in fondness, but then she looked around to realize some of her workers and Guardians walking around the hangar had their attention captured by the girls’ little display of affection… drawing varied reactions from them.

“WHAT?!” She angrily bellowed at the meddlers, making them resume their jobs or disperse, before digging in on her lunch.

No matter what anyone thought, it definitely brightened up her day.

The Warlock touched down near the intimidating triangular gate where she had been months prior. She had hoped to never go in again, but her curiosity was deeper than her fear.

With a sigh, she stepped into the jagged hallway leading to the Infinite Forest and unformed her helmet.

“Trinity, can you reach Sagira?”

“A minute.”

The duo waited for a moment while Sagira didn’t pick up the message, Hiver trying not to regret this decision.

“Welcome, Guardian.” A smooth female voice came through the comms minutes after.

“Hey, Guardian-thief.” Trinity answered, eliciting a chuckle from the other Ghost. “My partner here is kind of having an existential crisis and could use some Osiris wisdom right now.”

“Sure. Step inside.”

A portal opens up in front of Hiver and her Ghost, and they go through it to find Osiris and Sagira sitting at a currently empty portion of the Forest. Mossy and levitating in the massive space between the planet’s mantle and core, replaced by Vex atmosphere and engines.

The old Dawnblade is inspecting his rifle’s magazines in order to pass the time as he waits, his attention caught by the Awoken Stormcaller who just stepped through the portal.

“Hello, Guardian.” He said sympathetically, his standing up motion rustling the many feathers in his armor. “What can I help you with?”

“Hello... Osiris.” Hiver greets back, unsure of where to start. “My name is Hiver. I came to Mercury to get your input on some concerns I’ve been having.”

“Careful, girl. If he wasn’t kicked out of the City for his prophecies, it would totally be for his terrible women skills.” Sagira replies, causing both Ghosts to laugh.

“Do not be concerned with her.” Osiris says, causing Sagira to pout. “Speak your mind.”

Hiver sits down on one of the stone blocks and gathers her thoughts. “I’m not the most eloquent of individuals, but I’ll do my best. See, I’m… afraid. Of the Vex. They haunt me whenever my mind decides to be cruel.” She starts fiddling with her fingers. “I’m a Guardian, sure, that is what’s nailed into my head since I came back. But also at some point I… realized I’m a person.”

Osiris listens intently, caressing his beard as he starts to piece together what the Warlock is trying to transmit.

“There is the “me” that is not a Guardian. She is building a life. She has… clanmates, she has friends, hell, just last week she got a girlfriend who makes her the happiest woman in the world. I love her so much, I love everyone so much but… but the Vex... and their space-time manipulation… make me wonder if this is all a hollow shell of a life.”

She punches the block near her thigh in frustration, slightly cracking it. Osiris starts to get up and puts his bird-shaped helmet on.

“I’m sorry, I… rambled too much.”

“How about a trial, Warlock?” He says, taking a strange device of three cubes with glowing runes of them, and rearranging them into a specific order. He gets an immunity barrier.

“Oh boy.” Sagira and Trinity state at the same time.

“Prepare yourself. It is a test of force of will.”

Trinity transmats back into nothingness. Hiver is tense, jumping down from her seat and putting on her helmet as Osiris rearranges the device once more, materializing Vex units on that part of the forest. She stands before them, ready to draw.

“Okay...”

Three Goblins raise their guns, and she fans her Ace’s hammer on their Radiolaria cores while running to her right for cover, spotting Hobgoblins on the platforms above. Gliding upwards, she intercepts more Goblins and a Harpy with her Arcbolt grenade, chaining lightning between them and disintegrating them all.

Dodging Wire Rifle shots from said Hobgoblins, she sees a Minotaur and more Harpies coming in her direction. Avoiding them, she climbs up the platform and slides while destroying their cores as well.

Switching to her Kindled Orchid to engage the Minotaur, she jumps down and rolls sideways to dodge its teleporting blow, immediately countering with shots from the void revolver, which shatter the heavy machine’s barrier and cause it to stumble backwards. Switching once more to her Hammerhead machine gun, the Warlock gunned down the remaining enemies.

“You face the final round.” Sagira states, imitating the missing warden of the Prison of Elders.

To the final round, a Hydra appeared, with its three immunity shields circling around it. It tried to hit Hiver with an energy wave, but she managed to float safely to the ground, circling around and unloading her machine gun’s belt at the eye of the menacing robot, which goes down in a spectacular fiery show.

She jumps back and holsters her weapons while the Hydra explodes in front of her. When everything is back to normal, Osiris floats back to the platform and Hiver removes her helmet.

“You perform exceptionally against the Vex.” He praises. “As such, I believe I have an idea as to why you are afraid of them.”

“Or, more precisely, why you aren’t.” Sagira elaborates, much to her confusion.

“I’m... not?”

“No. Sit down, Warlock, and I will explain.”

She obeys, sitting on the same stone block as before, reloading her weapons. Osiris clears his throat and begins his explanation.

“The Vex are terrifying creations. With their incredibly accurate simulations, they have made us question everything we believed we knew about time and space, and if reality is actually a linear concept or just a branch out of an eternally multiplying tree where every possible choice is happening simultaneously.”

Hiver starts getting visibly unsettled.

“But you wouldn’t be afraid of them if they were just the murderous proxies you find in the field. You can dispatch them very easily.”

“You love your girlfriend, right?” Sagira asks. Hiver nods. “You love your clanmates, you appreciate your allies, you care about your reality. You want it to be real.”

“Correct.” The Warlock confirms nervously.

“Then, your fear is not of the Vex, it’s of the possibility that you might lose all you love. Or, rather…”

“That what you are living right now has never been ‘real’ in the first place.” Osiris concludes.

Hiver is starting to tear up for the second time today as anxiety hits her once more. Osiris moves closer to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“A simulation is exactly that. A simulation. Imitation. Mimicry. It requires a model, a starting point. And more than hundreds of years studying and battling the Vex have shown that this is the model they are using. We are the start of their digital futures; everything else is mere extrapolation entertained by their stone-cold calculations and amoral what-ifs.”

He removes his hand and turns to face the blue-colored sky on the Infinite Forest. Sagira is using her shell’s pointy bits to try and wipe Hiver’s cheeks, careful not to hurt her. Trinity does the same.

“As much as I despise admitting it, the Light is the reason. The Traveler bears an unsimulable force, and the Vex have to circumvent this in every timeline they create. It’s very convenient to us. Our continued efforts and meddling have set them back from our reality.”

Osiris turns to her again.

“Does your emotion feel real? Can you feel the things you don’t want to lose?”

Hiver looks at him with a puzzled expression, turning her head to the right slightly. “Of course it does.”

“Then, to you, it doesn’t matter if there are alternate timelines or simulated realities.”

He pokes her forehead, eliciting a bit of a smile. “Your reality is here.”

Then he pokes her duster’s leftside collar, over her left breast. “And your affection is here. And it is as real as you’d like it to.” He backs down with his arms crossed. “Go home. Cherish all that you have, and don’t let fear prevent you from living how you see best. After all...”

He transmats his bird-shaped helmet over his head and pulls his red bandanna over his mouth. Then he picks up his rifle and loads it.

“If any Vex want to get to you, they do have to go through me.”

“They have tried infinite times, and failed just as many times. So I’d say it’s par for the course for you. And, by the way...” Sagira begins.

Hiver’s spirits have been lifted a tenfold since she came inside the Forest, and she’s ready to go on with her day. Osiris can feel the change in his fellow Warlock.

“Thank you two.” She sneaks in before she concludes.

“...You’re welcome. Damnit!”

Hiver laughs, Trinity sending a triumphant “Got you” Sagira’s way.

“Nice talking to you, Sagira.” Trinity bids her farewells. “Call us if you need some mess fixed.”

“Same to ya, Trinity. I’d love to know you two better. And give Amanda my cheers on finding such a cute girlfriend!”

“Congratulations on finding love, Guardian. If you ever need to find me again, you know where to find me.”

The Stormcaller giggles and blushes while turning to walk away through the portal.

“Wait.” She turns around again. “I never told you her name was Amanda.”

The two Ghosts trade looks for some seconds and vanish. Osiris lets out a hearty laugh.

“Goodbye, Hiver.”

“Bye, Osiris.” She said, relieved, as she stepped through the portal back to Mercury.

On her way to the ramen shop, Amanda receives a text message from Hiver.

“Going back home. You want to have ramen or eat at home?”

“Can we have both?” She replies with a cocky smile.

“Of course, I’m on my way. Love you honey ♥”

Amanda was eager to hear about whatever it is she went to do on Mercury. But whatever it was, it definitely helped her recover from her nightmare and put her in a lighter mood.

Both of them silently hope it stays that way.

[fantabulousfunnelweb]

Chonky Spider-Tober Prompt dump (12-19)

200+ Words per Prompt, Feedback appreciated.

(Be prepped for a lot of Lore for Funnels Earth, don’t be afraid to send Asks seeking an explanation of things though, I’ll explain gladly)\

Minor Warning:

Mention of Gunshot Wounds

Minor Profanity use

Scars 

Day 12: Cold

Beanies over full-face masks look rather stupid, a token reason Funnel had forgone such a thing in exchange for a cotton-lined Pauper hat. The only problem was that with no receivers for the bioelectric seaming, this piece of headgear was sailing off his head almost every second swing. The Winter streets below echoed with the frantic shouting of the Spider, his once elegant travel turned into a display most akin to a cat in heat, darting across the air to retrieve his hat in every instance it joined the snow in their act of falling. Kyles never wholly disliked the cold, but his perspective changed after swinging around so much. “Gotcha!” he cried as they scooped their hat up from midair once more, posture going lax with relief upon his landing upon an old billboard. “This hats more trouble than it's worth, but I’d really rather not risk getting a literal brain freeze...” “Do you really like hats that much? You seriously could’ve just worn a scarf or something.” The ever investigative tones of their partner Kamala breaking the silence of the thought-to-be inactive comm line, catching the Spider off-guard and nearly causing him to drop the hat again. “Jesus Kamala, were you listening to all that?” “You bet, it's amazing how often you keep forgetting to disconnect all the time.”

Day 13: Sidekick

“Just a minute asshole, since when did I become your sidekick?”

“What? We’ve worked together a few times now, besides you’re… clearly younger.” Kyles clenched at the fists, mask furrowing quite visibly to mimic a low, angered brow. “Seriously!? You’ve been at this for how long compared to me and you think I’m just gonna happily be your sidekick?” The Defender fell silent. Funnel could see the moment of unsureness cross his face before they let out a response, “Okay well... But I’ve saved your life! That's gotta be worth something, huh kid?” “Nighthawk, look, I’m thankful for what you’ve done for me, I truly am. All I’m saying maybe you’re taking this a bit too far, I’ve got no interest playing Sidekick to anyone.” Even if he didn’t want to admit it, the Defenders were certainly right to call this guy rather self-centred, another one in the shortlist of things they agreed on. Nighthawk could see his chances slipping, and went to grasp for some kind of bribe, “But I can pay you! I can get you a better suit! Better Webs!. '' Kyles had certainly heard it all now, expression unchanged as the only thing left to do was walk out, “Get yourself a better attitude, then we’ll talk.” disappearing out the closest skylight without so much as a noise.

Day 14: Winter Suit

The dust pile coating the old closet interior kicked up into Jonathan's face, causing the unfortunate soul to become blasted with a hail of months old dust. “When the hell did you guys last clean this thing!?” Kyles sputtered through his sleeve as he shook the old hairs & dirt off of him. Darcy’s voice echoed from the bathroom down the hall in response, “Beats me, I asked Phil to clean that last month! Remind him if you see him, ‘kay Kyles?” “Yes Miss Marko!” With only minimal dust to complicate things, Jonathan began sifting through the bulging racks of downright ancient jackets, humming to himself as they inspected whatever caught their eye. Whilst he had claimed his want for a different jacket was just to mix things up, he was desperately on the search for whatever he could assemble as part of his more ‘lower-temperature’ suits. His past 2 weeks braving a New York Winter for the first time had left him barely wanting to even get out of bed. But he knew eventually Mayday would kill him if he kept the suit stuck underneath his bed for more than a week. “Do we have any fur jackets?” “Fur Jackets?! What are we, rich?” an unfortunate eavesdropper on Kyle’s own ramblings, Miss Marko barked from her porcelain palace, “Come on Johnny! It's not like you’re in the cold that long, man up!”

Day 15: Scars

“This? Bullpup Slug clipped my thigh.”

Her pale skin exposed to the harsh, crude old lighting, the interested Teens could see the splotches of raw skin faintly, like accidental paint dots blemishing an otherwise perfect canvas. Leaned in from their seats at the table, the young heroes marvelled silently at Chetz’s aging wounds, seeing it as something of a mark of dedication than a past injury. “Alright, someone else’s turn.” Silence struck the dilapidated warehouse room before someone stepped up to the plate. “Alright, Let me see what I got.” Raising a gloved band to his tightly affixed Vest, Patriot popped a button or two, “Funnel, remember the mob front we took down a month or two back in Upper Harlem?”

Eyes darted towards the Spider. His telescopic lenses shooting wide in surprise, his agape mouth shielded by the mask. “So you DID get shot?” He blurted out, curled fingers rapping against the rusted metal bench they all resided, “Why didn’t you tell me?” Patriot shook his head in return, gripping his thick undershirt and pulling it up to reveal. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“You got shot!”

“I got better.”

Funnel arched himself over his chair, head staring up into the dingy, grime coated ceiling lights. “Christ Patey, If all our adventures don’t kill you, I will myself someday.

Day 16: Movie

“Snacks too? I don’t want to take too much of your money...”

Chetznakova didn’t listen, shoving the note into his arms and strutting past him towards the snack booth, followed quickly by Kamala & Elijah. Kyles had no other choice but to follow, kicking off his heel to catch up with them once more, “I’ll try not to get too much, I’d-“

“Jonathan. Seriously, It’s fine.” It hardly felt that way for him, spider-senses rendering them alert to the prying eyes of public onlookers. Compared to his friends, he didn’t look like the sort to be hanging around this part of town. “I-... Okay.” The harsh lighting of the tiled snack booth bathed the quartet of teens in light, reflecting off the weathered plastic candy containers that they began to pick at with the aid of equally small shovels. “I’ve been waiting to see this movie for a while, you guys?” Looking to change the subject to another topic, he gazed towards his compatriots, waiting to see who would receive & answer. 

“Saw the first movie last month, didn’t look like a bad idea to see the sequel when you guys offered.” Chetz relayed, scooping a handful of sour gummy-bears into her snack bag. “It reminds me though, we hitting any more places after this?”

Day 17: Town

KA-CHING

A momentary transaction brought the fresh paper bag into his grasp, weighed down by its cargo as it dangled lightly in the air. “Thanks Sir!”The Spiders eyes fell onto the Umbrakenite to his right, staring her featureless costume in its face. The Shadow-being met his gaze with the void of her own, almost motionless as light ceased around her. “What.”“Say Thank you.”Her head noticeably twitched in confusion, “Sorry, What?”Funnel gestured to the employee at the register, clearly too deep into his graveyard shift to emote to any substantial degree. “He let us buy snacks”“So? That’s his job.”Knocking his head back, the Funnel-Web pulled the shopping bag to his side, “Y-... Whatever Let's go.” Turning on his heel to brush past the counter and onto the short path outside, Dusk followed without a moment's hesitation, taking to his side in an instant. “Did we get those Chips Patriot wanted?”

“Yes.” Parting the bag open with a thumb to double-check its contents before scrunching it back closed in a fist. “...Do you want your thing yet?” choosing to look past her lack of gratitude for the team being, he awaited her answer.

“...Yes, Thank You.” A surge of momentary anger dashed through his system, snapping in & out of gaze with the Unregistered as they frustratingly reach into their bag and snatch a carton of Orange Juice from within, thrusting it into her grasp in their attempt to avoid doing anything overly aggressive

Day 18: Luck

The moments between the bullet graze & the ensuing pain certainly made top-list of worst moments Kyles ever had this week. An almost deadly High-caliber round piercing the dense mesh of his suit as the albeit minor impact still sent him flailing through the sky, buckling the reinforced steel of a car roof upon touchdown with the street. The aches of a bruised back paled in comparison to the torn flesh & muscle of his left arm, a holeshot clean through the Spiders tricep and leaving him to bleed across his side and the dented metal of some unfortunate person car.

Sensations dulled as the world around him began to fade, the blinking lenses of his mask informing its hazy user of the blood they’ve lost before coming to reap the consequences of such loss, vision going dark as the disturbing bliss of silence washed over them…

“Jonathan...”

The word prodded at his subconscious like a fly, persisting as the world around the Spider began slowly, yet surely creeping back into conscious. Shapes formed, colours came into sight, and the fuzzy blob in the near-distance was saying something.

“Woah Woah, stay still there Kyles, We-... You’re still hurt.”

Without so much as thinking, the wounded youth shifted his feet, unable to feel them underneath the electric blanket coating them, inciting a tired groan of partial panic & frustration.

“The hell did I just say?! Just… Lay down okay? You’re lucky to even be awake right now after that.”

Day 19: Freestyle

Kyles always considered himself to have a weird relationship with pets, minor allergies aside, he enjoyed their presence, yet whenever one got close, strings of panic never failed to dart his mind, feeling as if at any point they would grow hostile and attack him, and now? His latent fears had paid off after so long. His soles met the intricate ceiling with a hard thud, curling up with his hat firmly within hold as Miss Hardy's ravenous cats hissed and leapt in an attempt to claw & maim the intruder, their wild scampering rousing the attention of their owner from their slumber.

“Castel!?! What’s all the noise about-”

“Uh… Hello Miss Hardy!”

Her snow-white hair frayed and her night-gown creased, Felicia Hardy gazed upwards to the unexpected entry, currently cowering in fear on the ceiling to escape her… aggressive family.

Furrowing her wrinkled brow, she reached the cat bell from the high-shelf and jostled it, the piercing brass-on-brass echoing across the room and bringing the ravenous feline herd to a stop. “Run along now children, Mommy has business.” a dismissive gesture scattering them in flocks back to their mundane cat lives.

“Th-Thank you Miss Hardy.”

“Save it Little Spider, Care to explain what you’re doing here?”

The affectionate nicknames never failed to irk Kyles the wrong way, feeling the hair stand up on his arms as he fumbled for his purpose of coming here.

“Its Barracuda, I think he's sent someone after you.”

[gmariam321]

Hi! So I hit another milestone here - another 100 followers, which is just amazing! Instead of writing something new, like I did last time, I thought I would post the beginning of the story I’ve been working on for what now feels like forever. Because I like to share, and hopefully it will motivate me to keep going and get to the point where I can start posting it on AO3. Until then, I hope you enjoy the opening and find it intriguing enough to read when the rest of it is up. Thank you for following! Enjoy!

Working Title: A Rift in Memory

Summary: Jack is forced to deal with an unexpected loss, while Ianto must make a difficult sacrifice to fix it.  

Chapter One

Jack bounded into the Hub, still lit up like a Christmas tree with fairy lights wound around every surface Gwen had managed to decorate. It was overdone and out of place now that the holiday was long over, and Owen never stopped grumbling about it, but even Ianto had admitted that it made the Hub feel warmer on cold, dark mornings.

"Hey kids, we're home!" Jack called.

Gwen rolled her eyes in what Jack hoped was a fond, if exasperated, way. "That's so old, Jack. You need a new line."

"He's needed new lines since the day I met him," called Owen's voice from the medical bay. There were some mumbled agreements from the same vicinity. Jack exchanged a look with Gwen as they hurried over to the railing, glancing down to find the rest of their teammates.

Tosh was sitting on the bed, Ianto standing behind her with his sleeves rolled up and a plaster on the crook of his elbow. Owen was running some scans on Tosh, who appeared fine but was frowning as Owen ran his tests.

"What happened?" asked Gwen before Jack could say a word. "Tosh, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Tosh replied with a frustrated sigh. "Owen hasn't found a thing wrong, he's just being paranoid."

"Oi," said Owen, standing up and prepping Tosh's arm for a blood draw. "Do you want to wake up with tentacles and a craving for seafood tomorrow?"

"It's not fun," said Jack. "Especially the tentacles, although you can do this thing—"

"No thanks," said Tosh. Ianto frowned at Jack before looking away. "Draw the blood and make sure."

"Thank you," said Owen. "I do know what I'm talking about, you know."

"Most of the time," murmured Ianto, earning a good-natured glare from the doctor.

"What happened?" asked Gwen again. "Why do you need to make sure they're not going to grow tentacles?"

"We got zapped," Owen mumbled, bending over Tosh, then swearing. He motioned Ianto over. "Sorry, teaboy, but you helped with your own draw so can you manage Tosh's as well? Better than me nicking the artery and having her bleed out."

Ianto shrugged. "Always wanted to take up phlebotomy as a hobby," he said, and Tosh smiled.

"It's fine, Ianto," she said. "I trust you." He smiled back and followed Owen's instructions. Jack and Gwen stayed silent until they were finished so they weren't distracted. Leaning on the railing, Jack tried again, hoping to catch Ianto's eye for some sign that he was all right. "So what do we mean by zapped?"

Ianto glanced up, his eyebrows pulling together as he looked away with another frown. Jack filed it away as something to ask about later. He directed his gaze toward Owen.

"Hell if I know," the doctor replied. "We checked out that Rift alert while you two were chasing down those Weevils and found a piece of space junk in the park. And it zapped us."

"Is that a technical term, doctor?" Jack asked dryly. Owen shrugged and bandaged Tosh, then turned away to begin his analysis.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Tosh offered, standing and glancing up. "The scanner said it was safe, but I was about to pick it up and place it in the containment box when there was a bright flash. We all lost consciousness for several seconds and were on the ground when we came to."

Jack frowned down at them. "And you feel all right? You haven't noticed any side effects?"

"No sir," said Ianto, grabbing his jacket and starting up the stairs. He pulled his sleeves down and put his jacket back on before coming to stand with Jack and Gwen. "Other than a bit of a headache, that is. Which is probably normal after being zapped."

Jack crossed his arms over his chest as he studied Ianto. The other man was holding himself differently, stiffer than usual, and still wasn't meeting Jack's eyes.  Something felt off, and Jack didn't like it. Alien zaps were not usually a good thing, and even if they felt fine now, it could be hours before they noticed any effects.

"Around here anything is possible. Owen, do your thing and keep an eye on everyone. Tosh, did you manage to contain the device and bring it back?"

"Of course we did," she said, joining them upstairs. "I want to know what happened!"

"I know you do," Jack laughed, touching her arm. "But don't work on it too hard. How's your head?"

"Nothing some paracetamol won't help," she replied. "I'm fine."

"Take it easy and let us know if you feel any different."

"I will," she said, and hurried off toward her station, obviously eager to examine whatever it was that they had found. Ianto turned to follow her, but Jack stopped him. "Ianto, can I see you in my office please?"

Ianto whirled, a look of such wide-eyed surprise on his face that Jack frowned, once again noting the unusual reaction. "Er, yes, sir," he stuttered. Jack had thought they were long past that; perhaps the encounter had affected Ianto more than they thought.

"Gwen, get started on the Weevil report and keep an eye on the monitors for anything else we need to chase down. Hopefully the afternoon won't be as busy as this morning." She nodded and moved away as Jack turned toward his office, Ianto reluctantly following. When they stepped inside, he watched nervously as Jack shut the door behind them.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jack started, moving closer only for the other man to step away from Jack's touch. "You seem different."

"In what way?" Ianto asked warily.

"I'm not sure," Jack replied. "Something feels off about all this. Tell me again what happened?"

Ianto rolled his eyes; that, at least, was familiar. "The same thing Owen already described. We were walking toward the object—a small, black sphere—when there was a flash of light. I remember reaching up to shield my eyes, nothing after that. We all woke up on the ground, approximately thirty seconds later, with no apparent injuries other than a headache."

Jack thought for a moment. "Have you ever seen one before, this device? In the archives, in London?"

Ianto shook his head. "It didn't look familiar, sir, but I plan to head downstairs and check the files."

"Right," Jack murmured. He was watching Ianto carefully and noticed that the Welshman was once again avoiding Jack's eyes. Maybe he was embarrassed? Or perhaps his head was bothering him more than he wanted to let on. "Look, take it easy, and make sure you have your comm on so you can call if you feel any different and need help."

"Yes, sir," Ianto replied. It was far too formal for their normal interaction, even at work as employee and boss. He turned to leave, but Jack couldn't resist calling him back.

"Ianto?"

"Yes, sir?" he asked. Jack lost his nerve; maybe Ianto was simply rattled and out of sorts. Maybe he'd be fine later.

"Never mind," Jack said, not wanting to push even though his instincts told him something was wrong. "I'll come down when it's time for lunch. Maybe we can get some fresh air, pick something up for the team together?"

"Er," said Ianto, looking confused. "It's raining again, so I was planning on having it delivered, like usual. I'll report back in an hour, sir."

He dashed out the door, leaving Jack surprised and concerned, and feeling strangely hurt though he wasn't quite sure why.

* * *

Owen was convinced he was unaffected thanks to his undead state, and Tosh and Ianto appeared to be relatively fine as well. Owen had found nothing in their bloodwork to note, and neither had complained about anything else after their encounter with the alien tech that morning. Tosh's headache responded well to paracetamol, though Ianto did need more, admitting that his head was still bothering him. Tosh also seemed her normal self, but Jack still felt like something was off about Ianto. Different. Wrong.

The Welshman worked in the archives through the rest of the morning, then went up to the tourist office to collect the lunch order he'd had delivered. After which he worked in the tourist office for several hours. Though there were certainly days when they both did their own work and only met over coffee every few hours, it still felt like he was pointedly avoiding Jack. Every time he saw Ianto and made an attempt to talk to him, or touch him, Ianto responded with distance and discomfort, or frowned and backed away, as if he wanted nothing to do with Jack. He didn't seem angry or upset, but wary and increasingly confused.

When the Rift alert went off late afternoon, Jack took Gwen and Owen out to Splott, where they spent a miserable hour running down space bugs in a downpour that seemed timed to ruin their day. The creatures were the size of cats and didn't seem to like him at all, leaving Gwen and Owen to chase them into cages to transport them to the Hub. There were only half a dozen, but Jack hated them by the end, and couldn't wait to get back to the Hub to throw them in a vault, change, and warm up. He was relieved when Ianto had coffee ready for them, but disappointed when he disappeared with the space bugs almost immediately.

Once the space bugs were settled, Jack sent everyone home early for the night, hoping Ianto did not leave immediately. Gwen was the first out, as usual, followed closely by Tosh, but Owen tended to stick around longer now that he had less to do with his time. Ianto waved goodbye to the girls and began picking up. Jack leaned against the doorway to the kitchenette, watching him clean.

"You feel up for dinner tonight?" he asked, almost stepping back when Ianto turned yet another wide-eyed look on him. It was as if Jack had suggested something shocking, even though they usually had dinner together at the end of the day. Jack was certain something was wrong.

"Oh, er," Ianto stuttered, looking adorably nervous, only Jack was too worried to appreciate it because it was so out of character for such a simple question. "I was going to pick up something on my way home."

"Mind if I join you?" Jack asked, stepping into the small space. "We could call ahead to that Thai place around the corner from your flat, take it back to yours."

Ianto frowned. "Are you inviting yourself over to my flat for dinner?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused, then continued before Jack could answer. "Because I'm fine. I don't need a…a nurse or anything. You don't have to watch over me."

"Maybe I want to," Jack said. He moved closer to Ianto, who looked like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights, terrified and anxious at the same time. Jack felt awful, but something was not right, he could feel it, and he knew he had to push things to figure it out. When he reached out and took Ianto's hand, the Welshman tried to snatch it away, but Jack was prepared and held tight. "Something's wrong. Talk to me."

If Ianto could have run, Jack was fairly certain the man would be on the Plass by now. He shook his head. "Nothing's wrong, sir. I feel fine, except for a headache. Are you all right?"

"Of course I am, except for being worried about you. Why do you ask?"

"Because you've been watching me all day, like I did something wrong," Ianto replied, glancing down. "You're standing far too close for a proper boss, you just asked me out to dinner, and now you're holding my hand."

"I'm not your boss," Jack murmured. "Not right now."

Ianto clearly didn't understand. He huffed nervously and took his hand away. "Are you someone else right now? Or is someone else in charge, perhaps?"

"Ianto," Jack said, sad and confused at the same time. Either Ianto was playing a very convincing and cruel game—though to what end, Jack had no idea—or he really didn't know what was going on between them. Not that Jack knew how to explain, when they sort of were what they were.  "I'm worried. This isn't like you."

"What's not like me?" Ianto asked. Jack took a step closer and raised his hand to Ianto's cheek. The other man turned away from it. Jack brought his face back toward him, searched Ianto's eyes for the truth.

"It's like you don't know…you don't remember," Jack said quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ianto said. "Remember what?"

"Us," Jack replied, and Ianto shook his head.

"There is no us, sir."

He meant it as truth, and Jack felt his heart stutter a little in his chest. This wasn't a man who was unsure of his place in Jack's life, as Ianto was often wont to feel; nor was this a man angry with Jack and pulling away to avoid getting hurt, like he had done in the past. This was a man who genuinely seemed to have no idea that he and Jack were together.

Jack leaned forward to kiss him. Ianto watched him move closer, his eyes open wide as Jack kissed him. He did not return the sentiment and quickly pulled away. Jack let his head fall forward.

"You really don't remember, do you?" he whispered. It hurt more than he would have ever thought, to be forgotten by the man he was sleeping with.

"Jack, what's going on?" Ianto asked, sounding scared as he finally used Jack's first name.

"I don't know," Jack said. "But we'll figure it out, I promise."

"Figure what out?" Ianto insisted. "Because I have no idea what you're talking about, why you're …why you…" He waved his hand between them, apparently at a rare loss for words.

"Why I'm what?" Jack asked. "Why I'm so worried? Why I kissed you?"

"Both," said Ianto quickly. "But especially the latter."

Jack stepped back. "Do you remember what happened this morning?" His gut told him that had something to do with it. It was when Ianto had been in the medical bay that Jack had first felt like something was different.

Ianto rolled his eyes; that much at least had not changed. "Of course I do. I haven't lost my memory, sir."

"How would you know if you did?" Jack countered. Ianto opened his mouth once, then shut it. Jack nodded. "Do you remember going out with Tosh and Owen and getting hit by the alien tech?"

"Yes, and all of Owen's tests, coupled with several instances of your usual harassment the rest of the day."

Jack sighed. "I wasn't…never mind. Do you remember anything about yesterday?"

"I spent the morning in the tourist office, the afternoon making coffee and phone calls, and went home early." He paused. "Which was good, because it was storming."

"No, we stayed here last night," Jack said. He ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Everything else about the day is right, but we stayed in my bunker last night because we were too wet and cold to drive back to your flat in the storm."

Ianto crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the counter. "What do you mean by we? I remember going home last night, alone. It started raining as I pulled in."

"We went out to dinner on the Quay. It started raining as we walked back and we ran into the tourist office, soaking wet," Jack insisted. "Only for some reason you don't remember."

"No, I don't," Ianto replied. "Because it didn't happen. Why would we go out to dinner? Why would I spend the night in your bunker?"

Jack's hands went to his pockets as he thought about what to say. There was no way around it. "Because we're together. Us." Ianto looked skeptical, and it hurt yet again. "Yes, you and me. We had dinner last night and spent the rest of the night in my bunker…well, trying some interesting new things."

"What?" Ianto exclaimed. He stood up straight and pushed his way past Jack back into the Hub. "You're taking the piss. You're just trying to get into my pants, like you have been for months."

"No!" Jack turned after him. "No, Ianto, it's not like that. And I'm not making it up, either. Me and you…we really are…" He trailed off at the look of scorn on Ianto's face, as if it was absurd for him to even consider the idea of being with Jack.

"I don't remember it because it's not true," Ianto told him. "Because you would never… not with me, not after the Savior, after Abaddon… and I would never…it's ridiculous, Jack! Completely, utterly ridiculous!"

"What is?" asked Owen, coming up the steps from the medical bay twirling a pencil. Ianto whirled on him.

"Nothing," he said, glancing back and forth between him and Jack. "It's nothing."

"Must be something worth shouting over," Owen said with a shrug. "Although if you two are having another lover's spat, I'm out of here, because last time was miserable." He paused and made a face. "Especially when you made up."

Ianto's eyes went wide. "Last time?" he asked, his voice sounding strangled.

"Owen," said Jack, before Owen could make a crude joke. "I think that device affected Ianto after all."

"No, it didn't, " Ianto hissed. "I'm fine!"

Owen frowned at Ianto's vehement denial. "Why?" he asked Jack. "What's wrong?"

Jack took a deep breath. "He doesn't remember things. Like me."

[metalotaku-da]

Kinkance Victories

“Ryan! Oh my god. You just scared the shit out of me dude!” Lance said bracing himself against the hall wall with one hand and a palm to his chest to support it from bursting out of his chest like it felt. He was practically bent in half as he stood in front of the MFE pilot. Ryan at least raised a brow at the wreck he unintendedly caused Lance to turn into. The Voltron pilot still in his hospital gown. His iv-bag tied haphazardly to his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Ryan asks the paladin once Lance has visibly collected himself enough to drop his hand from his chest and pull himself up by the wall back to standing height.

“What am I doing?” Lance asks back. “What are you doing?” Lance shoots back with a scrunched accusatory look at the MFE pilot. Causing the taller boy to raise his brow even higher and turn his head just a centimeter to the side at it.

“Patrolling.” Ryan answers still keeping his eyes on Lance.

“Pa...tro...lling?” Lance draws out the word looking around the dimmed hall they are in. “Just outside the medical ward?”

“there is a vulnerable important resource in the area.” Ryan says with a tone of authority.

“in the medical ward?” Lance says again. A skeptical brow raised and head tilt with a hand on a cocked hip.

“yes. One of which is currently out of its designated area.” Ryan says still keeping his eyes on Lance.

Lance looked around the hall again before turning back to Ryan. “and you know this… how?”

Ryan couldn’t hold back the little chuff snort at that. “I’m looking at him.” And Ryan would be lying to himself if he didn’t say he enjoyed watching the paladin turn a shade of his lion.

Lane sputtered a bit before getting out. “excuse you, I am not vulnerable.” He pointed an indignant finger at the ground between the two.

Ryan dropped his chin and both of his eyebrows rose at that exclamation. “you are unarmed, you have no pants, and your iv is tied to your arm.”

 “And as a paladin of Voltron I've been at a worse disadvantage in a more hostile location. So, I'm just dandy thank you.”  he flapped his hand condescendingly at the wrist at Ryan with an up turned nose and puckered lips.

 “I'm still under orders to see to it that all paladins remain in their rooms for their required bed rest until discharged.” Ryan states plainly with full authority in his voice and posture. Shoulders squared and back, chest out and locked eye contact with the offending party.

 “Right…” Lance says slowly pushing himself up and away from the wall a bit to stand up straight. He clicks his slippered heels together and brings his hand up for a salute. “Good luck with that cadet Kinkade.” Just as the look of puzzlement at the strange address and tone of respect directed at him kicks in Lance is turned and taking off running down an ajoining hallway. Giving the paladin a few second head start while Ryan's processing rebooted to follow. It does not take long for MFE pilot to catch up to the fleeing paladin. He is taller, uninjured and wearing rubber soled shoes. Just as he gets up alongside Lance the skinnier and more agile boy cuts a tight turn into another hall. Sliding a bit on his improper shoes and nearly colliding with a wall. But managed to keep moving forward until he righted himself. Getting another small lead as Ryan needed more time to make the turn and follow.

 “Please do not get more injured on my shift. I don't want to fill out the paperwork.” Ryan called out as he watched Lance slip into another turn. He followed the sound of Lance's struggling laughter to find where his target had slipped into his next turn.

 “Crap.” He heard from Lance as he made the turn to only see the paladin hunched over a bit braced once again on the wall of a dime hall way.

 “Lance…” Ryan cut off as a finger was jutted up at him at an odd angle behind Lance's back.

 “Minute. I just need a minute. I call a time out.” Lance got out between a few wheezes. Ryan carefully positioned himself behind Lance putting an arm around him at the shoulders above his ribs for support. Carefully maneuvering his other arm over his shoulder so as not to crush his iv bag. “No… no. I said time out. I'm not giving up my chance at freedom yet.” Lance said through some struggled breathes. Making an attempt to push away from his would-be jailer.

 “You are not a prisoner.” Ryan says flatly with a roll of his eyes.

 “Correct, I’m a captive. Prisoners get yard time at least. I’m done staring at the same four walls, and the teasing window that does not open. I need fresh air. I need out of this tin can. You are not going to stop me either. Been there for 3 weeks. I’m going stir crazy Here. We got out more on the trip home in deep space.” Lance all but yells at Ryan still trying to pull away from the man’s hold while panting.

 “Five.” is Ryan’s response

 Lance stares at Ryan for a hard minute, but he stopped straining against his hold also. “what?”

 “You were unconscious for two.”

 Lance Stares slack jawed at Ryan for several long seconds before squawking out loud enough to make Ryan flinch away from the sound. “You think that’s helpful? Less bad? Anything besides making it worse and justifying my mad dash for freedom?”

 “It was just factual.” Ryan tries to sooth. But Lance just frowns deeper at him. Ryan let out a sigh. “if I take you back to your room will you…”

 “I’m making my escape as soon as your back is turned.” Lance cut him off glaring at him. “I’m getting out of here for a few hours. You are not stopping me. No matter what. Do not think just because I’m in pain now that I’m letting you win this.” Lance seethed at him.

“you’re in pain?” Ryan said giving the boy in his arms a pained look.

Lance just gave him the most deadpanned look he could while hanging off him.  “that’s your take away from what I’ve said.

“is there anything I can say or do to change your mind?” Kinkade asked carefully watching Lance’s face.

 Lance puffing out his lower lip and rolling his eyes with a huff. “No, there is no changing my mind on being stir crazy and trapped like a rat on this ship. No offense to Allura’s mice.”

 “Then,” Kinkade let out a sigh. “I'll accompany you.”

 “What?” Lance asked confused by the response at first. Then completely caught off guard by Ryan sweeping his feet out from under him to lift him into his arms bridal style. Lance would deny the shriek that left him from the action, and that he clung tighter to his jailer bring up his free hand to wrap around the man's neck. While pressing his face into his own elbow propped on Ryan's shoulder.

 “I won't drop you.” Ryan said turning down the hall he came from to head towards an outer exit to the haul of the ship.

 “That is not the point. Why did you even pick me up? I can walk on my own.” Lance protested verbally. He made no attempts to get free though. Lifting his head to look around and get his bearings on where they were headed. His heart pounding away in his chest at the fright slowly settling though his breathing still a bit short.

 “You still seem to be having some trouble breathing. I've failed my duty if you are made worse in the execution of them.” Ryan answered clearly.

 “Ok, but like won't you get in trouble for sneaking out with me? What about the rest of your rounds?” Lance asked looking to Ryan with a worried lilt to his voice and face.

  Ryan managed to catch it from a side glance before his attention was pulled to the door he was at. An air lock That was set to its atmospheric parameters. “Hold tight so I can open the door.” Ryan instructed instead of answering his charges questions. Once he felt Lance tighten his grip around his neck, Ryan dropped his arm from Lance's upper back and grabbed his key card attached to its lanyard at his waist swiping it across the lock before allowing it to retract to his belt. He swiftly brought his arm back up to support Lance before walking into the airlocks chamber. Once the inner door was shut he crouched down and set Lance up with his back to the door they just entered. Was he was clear of the paladins grasp.

 Which Lance did seem to be a little hesitant to release at first. And maybe had a little regret in doing so the way his brow was furrowed as he watched Kinkade step away from him to swipe his key card to the exit door. Pressing a few keys to keep the door open. Allowing the cool night air to flood the room and giving the two boys a view of the sky from this upper deck. “I don't want to get you in trouble Ryan.” Lance said with some sadness to his voice and features when Ryan turned around to look at the paladins sitting on the floor.

 Kinkade chose to sit down beside him before answering once his back was pressed to the same door as Lance's. “My shift is almost over anyway. I call in a favor to get my relief on duty early.”

 With those words to Lance Ryan pushed his call button. “Kinkade to Griffin.”

 “What is it Kinkade? Why aren't you at your post?” Griffin's voice came in clear over the comms. “Rizavavi brought you dinner and you were not at your post. She's on shift now because of you.”

 “Apologies. I was needed to escort an escaped paladin.” Ryan's hand shot up to cover Lance's mouth before the boy could say whatever words he had hanging from his lips in indignation at being ratted out by the boy besides him. “In process now.”

 “Are you kidding me!?” Griffin's angry tirade over the comms echoed off the walls. “You tell Kogane to get his ass back to his room and actually follow orders!” Lance's eyebrow raised at that and Ryan gave him just the slightest up turn of the side of his mouth. “He maybe be head of Voltron, but he is not in charge of anything here at the Garrison. He the same lowly cadet as the rest of us. And he needs to step back in line.” They both smiled, Ryan feeling Lance's on the palm of his hand and seeing it in his eyes at the comm as a frustrated growl came through it. “Where the hell are you at Kinkade? I'm checking your location.”

 “Sector Hulu 23 sir.” Ryan answered before James responded in like.

 “Is he on the outside of the atlas again?! You get him inside and back to his room! Do you hear me Kinkade. Put your comm out the fucking airlock.” James didn't even wait more than a breath before he started screaming. Ryan wincing and Lance bringing his hands up to cup his ears. ” Kogane back inside the ship or so help me I will have the entire science R&D department on a way to keep your dog from disappearing. Do you hear me?! I will find a way to extend your stay in medical another 3 weeks asshole, you are not above a fucking medical order for bedrest.”

 “I don't think you have that kind of pull sir.” Kinkade answered with another grin when Griffin stopped for a breather. His smile widened as Lance had heard and when dropping his hands from his ears had to quickly clamp them over Ryan's pressed to his mouth to keep from laughing.

 “That is beside the point Kinkade. Is he coming to you or not?” Griffin practically growled.

 “He is not on the outside of the ship sir.” Kinkade answered in his same stoic voice he had been using the whole conversation with James. No hint of emotion or lie to his words. Lance watched him in awe as he easily lied to his Superior and basically pinned it all on Keith without actually doing either.

 “That son of a bitch.” Griffin cursed. “Kinkade your shift is up. Get food then hit the hay. The rest of us will find the black paladin and escort him back.”

 “Thank you, sir.” Ryan answered before turning off his comms before pulling his hand back from Lance's mouth and taking both the other boy’s hands with him.

 As soon as the obstructions were clear words spilled from Lance's slightly swollen lips. “Holy shit!” His hands shot up to pull at his hair. “did you… did you just… throw Keith under the bus to buy me some free time in the yard?” His hands darted from his head to Kinkade’s collar to shake him by it slightly.

 Ryan's face was back to its emotionless mask as the paladin shook him. Only raising a single eyebrow while responding after grabbing the boy’s wrists to stop the jostling. “I did not. Just because he's escaped 4 times this week and Griffin chose to jump to conclusions instead of asking for more information, does not mean that I threw anyone under the bus.” Once Lance released his collar Ryan moved his hands a few inches away from his body before releasing them. “And this is not the yard. It's barely a patio or balcony.”

 At that Lance fell back against the door to laugh before his giggles turned into groans and he held his sides while coughing and groaning between giggles. “I wouldn't have picked you the type to skirt the rules Ryan.” Lance said with labored breathes. Before he turned to look at Kinkade fondly with his head at an angle. “Thank you for doing it for me. Even for something stupid like seeing outside.”

 “It's not stupid. You were gone for almost five years. You deserve to get to see the earth.” Ryan said with his own soft look at the paladin before turning his attention to the view of the moon and stars out the air lock. “Besides, maybe Kogane should take one for his team. He is your leader. And the action of those under him fall under his responsibility.”

 With that Lance threw his head back to laugh loudly again before it caused another flare up of pain. “I like you cadet Kinkade.” Lance said once his breathing steadied again. “He got under your skin too at the academy?” Lance asked still a smile plastered to his face as he looked out at the constellations he thought a few times he'd never see again in the past few years.

 Ryan gave a small shrug in answer. “I hated doing unnecessary drills.” and Ryan caught out of the corner of his eye Lance's smile grow impossibly bigger.

 “Yeah, me too. You want some revenge on him. Tell him we had a bonding moment that I actually remember.” His last word getting cut off with a yawn.

 “Will you remember it? Sounds like your about to fall asleep.”

 “Definitely. And I am not. I wouldn't want to make you deal with waking me up to go back to my room in the ward. I'm cranky when I get woken up. Unless you are yay tall.” Lance raised his hand to roughly gesture the height of his niece and nephew.

 “Don't worry about it. I'll watch your back and carry you back after you fall sleep.”

 “You don't have to do that Ryan.” Lance said with another yawn.

 “No, but I want to have to return my charge. Even if a Bit late. Small victories.” those words follow with a soft smirk of the lips from Ryan.

 “I got to get out, so we can both have this one. Though I think I won more. I got some nice company I wasn't expecting.” Lance said with a lighter smile. “Thanks again.”

 “No problem.” The two sat in silence for about an hour before Lance slide on the wall till he was leaning against Ryan's shoulder fast asleep. The older boy lifting his Voltron counterpart into his arms to carry back to his hospital bed. A warm smile on his face the whole way.