#Abe just likes that he can make out with someone without a dissertation

[the-shy-lonely-weirdo]

MINE

[leiascully]

Fic: Citius, Altius, Fortius (MSR, T)

This ficlet is dedicated to the commercial about the adopted Paralympian that makes me sniffly every time.  I don’t even know what they’re advertising.  All credit to AAVE for the “hip” slang Mulder uses and basically all cutting-edge words in American English.

The Olympic theme was more of a suggestion than a fanfare, but Scully still leaned forward and turned the volume down a few more notches.  She could feel Mulder giving her that crinkly-eyed smile.  She knew the remote worked just fine over the distance between the tv and the couch, but it felt like it worked better when she leaned.  It was like Jackson and his video games, a sympathetic movement.

“I don’t want to wake Gracie,” she said.

“Good plan,” Mulder said, and put his arm comfortably around her shoulders as she leaned back.  Jackson snorted and looked away, but peeked back at them to check in.  Scully was glad she was there for him, the Ginger from his journals, she and Mulder solid presences in his life, bracketed by the ghosts of his adoptive parents.

“I didn’t think you two would buy into all this jingoistic shit,” Jackson said.

“We are still employed by the United States federal government,” Scully pointed out.

“They’re basically our coworkers when it comes to repping the flag,” Mulder said laconically.  “Gotta respect the hustle.  Besides, compared to a lot of national anthems, ours kinda slaps.”

Jackson winced, predictably, at Mulder’s attempt to use slang.  Scully sensed Mulder mentally adding a few tallies to his side of the imaginary scoreboard.  It was all so sweetly familiar, a song she hummed in her dreams.

“Still,” Jackson said.  “It’s all so fuckin’ rah-rah America.  I thought you knew better.  Like you said, you work for the government.  You know all the shit they pull.”

“For two weeks every two years, I support the finest athletes that wealth, health, grueling training, and the opportunities inherent in living in the country possessing the world’s largest economy can produce,” Mulder said, a trace of irony audible in his voice.  “And also anyone competing against Russia.”

“It’s a distraction from all the shitty things happening in the world,” Jackson said.

“It’s a damn good one,” Mulder countered.  “At least they’re not supersoldiers.”

“Some of them might be,” Jackson grumbled.

“Those abs,” Mulder said, sounding a little mournful.  He patted his stomach.  “I should have gone for the upgrade when I had the chance.”

“When I was little,” Scully said slowly, “my mother would tell me that the prowess of Olympic athletes was proof that God loved us.  She said that their bodies were miracles.  I don’t think about it exactly the same way now, but there is something almost holy about that quest to go farther and faster than anyone else ever has.  In a sense, we fly without wings.  We climb higher than we thought we could.  We run faster and farther than early humans imagined.  We lift heavier burdens.  We test our nerve and our resolve in feats of endurance.  We subject our bodies to almost-unbearable forces and conditions.  We test the laws of physics, twisting in the air or gliding over the ice.  For a moment, we defy expectation, gravity, and in a sense, mortality.  The athletes of the Olympics show us the potential of the human body and the human spirit in a way that our daily lives don’t, and we feel like we are there with them as we perch on the edges of our seats, our bodies echoing their movements as if we could lend them our strength.  It’s possible that sometimes a distraction is a welcome respite.  For a short time, the world is focused on something other than war.  Many of the results may be predictable, but astonishing things happen and we learn to expect the unexpected.  Athletes from nations and peoples that have been overlooked and exploited dazzle us.  A runner falls and someone pulls them up.  Someone may shatter their leg and because of that tragedy, someone else realizes their lifelong dream.  The Olympics are a microcosm of our own attempts to strive for perfection, a supercondensed spectacle that reminds us of all our potential.  In pitting us against the people of other nations, the Olympics somehow unite us in the pursuit of a singular goal, reached by various paths: a gold medal, and the accolades of an awestruck world.”

“I love it when you give a dissertation on everyday life,” Mulder murmured, kissing under her ear.

“A spectacle that displaces the people who are already the most fucked-over,” Jackson said, but there was a little less disdain in his words.  “A profit machine for corporations and a propaganda outlet for governments.  It’s a slippery slope from athletic superiority to eugenics.  Only the strong survive.”

“George Orwell said that athletic competitions were essentially a proxy for war games,” Mulder told her.  She craned her head to look at him.

“I thought you liked the Olympics.”

“I do,” he said, “but Jack has a point.”

“Hell yeah, I do,” Jackson said.

“I wasn’t saying the Olympics are perfect,” Scully argued.  “Just that they could be perceived as creating a net good.”

The broadcast cut to commercial, sentimental strings music welling quietly from the speakers.  Mulder looked away, rubbing at his eyes.  Jackson chuckled.

“It’s that easy, huh?” he said.  “All they need to get into your psyche is footage of someone winning something and some sad music, maybe a Morgan Freeman voiceover.”

“Wait until you get old,” Mulder said.  “Then you’ll be welling up at every Visa commercial.  These ads are designed by experts in psychological warfare.  The Olympic mindgames.”

“They remind us of you,” Scully told Jackson.  “You weren’t supposed to exist.  You weren’t supposed to survive.  And here you are, capable of things your father and I could never have dreamed of.”

“Whatever,” Jackson muttered, looking away and definitely not dabbing his face on the shoulder of his t-shirt.

Scully settled back into the couch.  Grace would be waking up soon - she wasn’t an Olympic-level napper - but until then, she had a moment to enjoy the half-scripted pageantry of the Games, savoring the bittersweet combination of impossible victories and unpredictable defeats.  It wasn’t unlike her own life, in a way: she’d accomplished things she’d never imagined, uncovered truths too painful to endure, run up against her own limits over and over and overcome them all to be sitting here, in her comfortable home, with her stalwart partner, dragged back from the dead, and their miraculous children.  The glint in Jackson’s eyes as he argued with Mulder was more precious to her than any medal; the sound of Grace’s sleepy sighs stirred her heart more than any anthem.  She stood atop the podium of her destiny.

She leaned her head on Mulder’s shoulder and watched the marathon swimmers cut through the water, one stroke after another, keeping themselves afloat for hours. She understood their exhaustion.  She understood their triumph.

“I like the dressage,” Jackson said unexpectedly.  “It looks like mind control if you do it right.  I’m not, like, asking for a pony.  I just think it’s cool.”

“I knew we could find some common ground,” Mulder said.  “What’s your opinion on medals for horses?”

“Horse-sized medals,” Jackson said immediately.  “Bankrupt the IOC.”

“That’s your son,” Scully told him.

“No denying it,” Mulder said in a smug voice.  The broadcast changed to gymnastics and they all sat forward, watching in awed silence, as history was made.

[221bshrlocked]

Chapter 17 (Behind the Walls)

Behind the Walls Masterlist

Pairing: Professor!Bucky X Reader

Words: 1,752

Warnings: Intense kissing…and some mentions of bad relationships!

Summary: You are currently getting your PhD in Art History, your dissertation being about The Power of Nudity in Art. Your advisor recommends you switch from being her TA to another professor because she feels her health is declining and wants you to get the best help/advice from someone new. She recommends Dr. James Barnes and believes he will be of great help to you. Things don’t turn out as you plan.

A/N: Let me know if you want to be tagged.

Tagging: @clairefxkingtemple​ @confidentrose​ @vashanatasha​ @your-puddin​ @shamvictoria11​ @gatorgal94​ @dreeams-unwind​ @sandycoelho​ @bellejeunefillesansmerci​ @thetruthin​ @mizzzpink​ @kashicanhaz​ @potteryimagines​ @fantasticimpaladoctor​ @gashps​ @nbbuck​ @maece-rette​ @harleyscheekheart @pentaholicemmi417 @sorryidontspeakgrounder-world @ifoundlove-x0vanessa0x @buckyshattergirl @lostinspace33

9:37 A.M.

You walked to class with Bucky, talking about what to work on next with your paper. Because you helped Steve, you barely had anytime to think about the midterms for Bucky’s classes, both of which were on Wednesday.

“How about we just work on those tomorrow and we can work on your paper today?” Bucky asked while opening the door for you.

“Honestly, I think we can just work on that after the midterms.”

“Ya but we’ll be correcting them. I don’t want to be put a hold on your paper for that long.”

You smiled at him and tried to remain unaffected by how caring he was. “We can correct those on Wednesday and Thursday and then just work on my paper on Friday.”

“You seem more excited about this than I am.” He laughed and motioned you to take a seat.

“Good morning. So as you may have read on the syllabus, your first exam is on Wednesday. Now, please don’t panic. If you took good notes and listened to my rambling, you’ll do absolutely fine. Yes in the back?”

“What’s the format of the test?”

“Good question. I will go easy on you guys for the first one. I hated them when I went to school so I won’t put you through the pain of having to memorize for them; there’ll be non IDs-” Before he could finish, everyone started clapping and you heard a few “thank god” and “wow he isn’t an asshole after all” which made you smile.

“Let me finish…the exam while consist of 2 essays. Obviously I don’t expect them to be like the reports I am asking of you guys, but please do come up with a good thesis. Onen essay will just be about one work of art and the other will be a compare and contrast. Before you ask me, I will pick the works we discussed most and ones that you could write a lot of information about.”

“Will the final be the same?” Someone asked from the back of the class.

“Not decided yet. Any more questions?”

“One last thing, the works we will discuss today will not be on the midterm. I think that would be unfair.” He started lecturing after.

11:32 A.M.

“That’s all I had for today. We’re finishing lecture early today, Dismissed.” He started collecting his papers and you walked back with him. “Hey how come you ended early?” You sat next to him on the couch.

“Honestly, I didn’t prepare for the next lecture and I needed to put some notes together.” He turned on his laptop and dug through some files.

“Why? Is everything okay?” You asked with worry apparent in your tone.

“Ya I just..I don’t want to tell you just yet. Might freak you out.” He chuckled nervously and avoided your gaze.

“Babe what’s wrong? Did something happen?” You looked to see if the door is shut and it was.

“Ya ya I just…after our talk on Saturday, I realized something and I thought about it all of Sunday.” He placed his laptop on the floor and looked at you. “I just…you were so open with me and I wasn’t and I think I should tell you what happened to me the last time I fell in lo-” He stopped himself before saying anything.

“I love you Y/N. I know it’s way too soon. You don’t have to say anything now but I just needed to get this out of the way and I want to be as open with you as you were with me. Jeez I’m rambling and you’re probably thinking I’m cra-”

“I love you too.” You couldn’t tell who was more surprised, you for blurting it out without thinking or him realizing what you just said.

The next few minutes happened without either of you remembering where you were. You almost attacked Bucky with the way you straddled him, and he was holding your hips so hard you were sure his hands were going to leave marks on your body. You kissed him like your life depended on it and the more you pulled on his hair, the more intense the kiss got and your moans grew louder by the second. His hands started to roam up and down your body and you couldn’t tell which one you enjoyed more. You felt his metal one through your shirt and it send shivers down your neck but when his other hand grabbed your neck, you arched your back without noticing.

He took this chance to attack you with kisses on your neck and pulled your shirt down a bit, licking your clavicle down to your shoulder, making you aggressively pull his hair. This snapped him out of the haze he was in and rested his head on your shoulder.

“Shit…that was….we need to.” He wasn’t able to form a sentence and the only sound you heard was your heartbeat and his rapid breathing.

“James-”

“No please…don’t…please don’t say my name like that. I can’t control-” He stopped talking and rested his head on the back of the couch.

“Bucky…we gotta go! Class is in 15 minutes and you didn’t prepare yet.” You started fixing your hair and your shirt. You realized you were still sitting on his lap and decided it was best to get up before this went any further. But when you stood up, you saw the tent in his pants and you blushed so hard, you were sure you looked like a tomato.

“Bucky?” You saw him clenching his hands and grabbed the water from your bag.

“Here I think you need this more than me at the moment.” You laughed and sat on the farthest chair from him. He looked down and tried to cover himself with his laptop. Chugging the whole water bottle down, he looked up at you and saw how red you were. “I think I should be the one embarrassed right now, not you. Sorry doll..I can’t really control-”

“Are you kidding me? The sexiest man I ever met just got a boner from me. Bucky…that’s the confidence boost I needed.” You both laughed really loudly and you decided to go to your office and leave him to focus.

2:09 P.M.

If he wouldn’t have told you, you would have thought that he prepared this lecture ages ago. The man was a genius and for some reason, that turned you on even more than before your little make out session in his office. You couldn’t look at him the entire time he was talking because you knew for sure both of you would blush like cornered nuns.

On your way to get lunch, you met Steve, and he decided to join you.

“Y/N are you free Friday?” Steve asked in the middle of chewing a pizza slice.

“No why?” Bucky replied before you could even open your mouth.

“Wow Y/N your voice got offly deeper lately. You coming down with a cold?” You laughed at his sarcasm and saw Bucky paying more attention to the food now.

“So I’m correcting the tests for him on Thursday because we haven’t worked on my dissertation in a while and we were going to try and get some stuff done on Friday. Why?”

“That’s okay I’ll just ask one of the other graduate students to help me correct the midterms.”

“I mean I can correct the IDs. That’s shouldn’t take too long so I’ll just do it Saturday morning.”

“Why Saturday morning in particular?” Steve asked and then realized he was being too nosy. “Sorry that just came out..no need to answer.”

“No it’s fine. I’m going out with friends Saturday night and I’m pretty sure I’m waking up at noon on Sunday.” You heard Bucky stop eating and not moving next to you. “Are you ok?” Steve asked and you just stared at him.

“Ya ya fine. Good. I’m just…GReat.” He collected his food and walked stood up, leaving a smirking Steve and a confused you.

“The hell just happened?” You looked at Steve.

“That is the most dangerous trait in the world my friend. It’s called jealousy.” He continued eating as if nothing happened. You finished eating and excused yourself from Steve.

3:13 P.M.

You walked in the office and saw that Bucky had students with him so you just went straight to your office. You looked through your notes and recordings to see what he discussed most and brainstormed some ideas for the midterm questions. Some time passed and when you heard the door shut, you looked at your watch.

5:07 P.M.

You walked out with your laptop, content with the questions you came up with and ready to talk to Bucky about them. You saw him sitting at his desk.

“Hey so I have some ideas ab-”

“Were you going to tell me about Saturday night?” He looked at you sternly and you were shocked by how serious he got all of a sudden.

“I mean it would have probably come up during our conversation. Why?” You realized why he got angry during lunch. “Let me guess: you thought I was going with some guy didn’t you?” You sounded more harsh that you meant and he got out of his seat.

“No I didn’t. I thought ‘shit some guy might try to do something to her and I won’t even be there to protect you.’ That’s what I thought Y/N.”

It was quiet for a while until you grabbed his hand and started playing with his fingers. “That’s why we take Pietro with us. He usually punches anyone who gets close to me or my other friends.”

“Fucking…that Pietro. You’re making me hate him when I never even met the guy.” He relaxed a bit but you sensed how tense he still was.

“He’s just a friend…nothing more.”

“Are you sure?”

“Bucky…I’m not his type! Believe me.” You laughed.

“How do you know doll?”

“Because I am sure that if you ever do meet him, he’ll try to steal you away from me.” Bucky realized what you were saying and that made him relax even more. “So you had ideas for the exams?”

You spent the rest of the day preparing the exams and decided to call it a day when you saw how dark it was outside.