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libidomechanica · 2 years

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“And Mankinds Eye its Pupil”

A sonnet sequence

Stanza I

That increasing beat upon the scaffolding; make sure that she thrown of Chigil in Turkestan that which of its bloom. The old Tyrian vest dyed purple couched upon the moving pomp might dare repeat the screen with haþeles þat grene þis gomen to thy solitude again to walk between the ravage they be that selfe makes the trodden paths of men, can tell her-—so I stay’d my foolish marriage-bed of dead, the tide. And Mankind’s Eye its Pupil! Since what you can remember in schelde he buskez, and address, which, couplings, thus with two worlds, until he read of pavement, then leave though Nature’s naught.

Stanza II

Of what he watz þat schulde, as many other of the green leaves and less to fellowship divine, a fellow, and takes it up, doth teach thee wit, better now I see my afternoon and sighing and Gawayn, in god fayth, ’ quoþ þe wyȝe, bi my wyt to wynne halle ȝatez. She goes out again? The beach is the light, when for they, what knowes alle þe spech þis disport ȝelde yow in your beauty go with bred blent þer breued in sleep, where time to give you I love, all these last bi a clyffes hade chose to avow with the price of pure golde hwez. While Adeline the board to follow us: who knows?

Stanza III

False in robes and B’s, and seȝe no syngne of rest? Blind, for revenging wrong, from sweet first star had vanish’d, Love will all things wearier than summer-night, eight at a time our far and go work on Jerome knocking, me molested. But therein a melancholy; and if Foxes bene all they wait, ’ he said, Stubborn, but hears, will be soone would have known, the little turn gleaners, gleanings—through the furrow sound with no stay for ferde hastid þider swyþe, Renaud com richchande þurȝ bi þe rode’, and heȝly he herded wolves, the desecrated shirt yellow nightie eating when tis excellently ravell d.

Stanza IV

Me out, you said with author’s wheel at midsummer. Still were sere twyes, ȝet herde telles, biknowez and þe proud heart As boys that those intense eyes looked throne! In sunshine from the execution; gaze against the chivalry away; a single shade and find what word, you wouldst garden-croft; of high a Bough, to whisper at thy Door; let his door he stood? Ende in haste, but Scripture in rolling, much spelle. With shadow of all those Nicean barks of yore, that where, O Where hast thou, compos’d of gentle heart, is of praise devise some sylph-like fire. Can iudge of trifles ful harde bi contrary, she euen in honde.

Stanza V

I have seen. And efte fayled neuer, ne non euel on nawþer faltered ne fel þe fresco in fine style: how looks appeared thermopylæ its heroes have gain’d by Mars, could I so tease my though as wide as if she did hit ful hiȝe hef at her grief intense eyes beguile: but in the calendar forward to the guessed by the light, and thrift and launch’d from his riche words, that equal baseness little breeze would sit the shadows instead of the broad as transports move on from the turrets and hurt yours forever shines, Earth’s shadows! And pens imbibed the scorner, which must glow and, attention, weak or moved.

Stanza VI

Of þe colde sykyng he melez. Founded heart will not speake doth glitter the great light, hereditary twinges of gout, which with a glent within him—he was sparkling brighter drops with the foam which all mountains, our comaundement, and young one, and while the flore, and from her Hair wouldn’t under.— A merit not the furniture—a dozen knots, there was the matter, so t is time it is so nys þat noȝt bot around him as a Bow to Shooting save ground were caught my walks a moment a topiary so the turrets of the mode of Cyrus, best of the Honourable Mrs.

Stanza VII

Still you look, ’ quoth he, as if you catch me at my heart; tis but she must we sleeps in the we moons towards the curious felicity! What time to a Ship on Goodwins cast by winde, forgetfulness, and Fate provides to make. He þonkkez and boȝed hider sengel, and next elections. Start upon the spectre has left its memory to sing. And the famous in the mery moneth of half professions, like manners breeds. Who will feel to arrived, I knocked, and wound, and in a higher hope it seem’d to move in weeks; four, the task to shine, deck’d by the Gulf Stream and lying low, again my tale.

Stanza VIII

Added sincerity was obvious in their fox-hunt o’er that gaue him thence one could not mount into a river, wood, and whence they bene dispraised love, the sweet emotion; nothing bright Cynthia, thogh faire landscape lower panes. But’s scratchy scarves— where those intensely, and ploughman, for this autumn, in wind blustering sun smiles. Its outlet dash’d into the grey walls of old pedigree told of this, nor had the age one arrowes tries? Thee, and open Hand. Ho raȝt hym by stoden to nye hym one, þat siþen hor diner watz stable, twelve saints and choking here and fayre flockes be vnfedde.

Stanza IX

And þou knowez þe colde sykyngez. Who boasts of grene þay louely grace, but with hir riches hym swared, and nawþer fyked I ne flaȝe, frekez hem þe better pleads too for a language, that’s hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope from her place, he knew that along with you and me as on a statues, statue’s plinth the beautiful house, trash, such bodies,— That’s traveller’s road again until they contrary; her aspects stern, as if it seemed the bees hum about Horne pype to dauncen eche one by concord han light You understand I need courage and so dropped him.

Stanza X

Chloris is gone, now them not, that mourn half- shrouded over death he reddens what could not stop. Stood stupefied with a sharp surprise and seten soberly—at ten. ’Er a perfumed sea, than simple sheep that from my company, of the grasp at all the Dream has loosen’d from being quizz’d for your love. And there’s a downward glance heard it— once perhaps a mon merkkez hym wayued hade. I seemed a sweet angelic slip of a knyȝt and remember, now blue, is no more; when song expires pervades a mon methles, and in our own land make her fast, wreȝande hym to þe wod hit worþez to ȝourez.

Stanza XI

And he schal sitte and comfortings, and warly abides the rose leaf round the gems of Heaven will then unmark’d, on either, a goodness grows. Disinterested men to resign to jest upon thy aid, my verse I hope þat me wroȝt, ne I know your palmes of trees that some sinecures he wish’d for: with such a thing by all things upon suche er þis. Stains discontent to endure; and their musical of mourner parading all the training looks o’er the best boȝed togeder; þe ioye of sayn Jonez day was fain to find in vain he listening Echoes, in stale þe sted with mine eye untrue.

Stanza XII

The garlands sere, theyr sheep-hooks on the more beside, lads! Yore with such a gest, an awful voice!—How the brook the great; the while, then shrink—what is so wel wrast noyce; þe werbelande wynde of his anthem, where peccadilly, for letting the worlde; and heaven: but other now, and find what woman’s suff’rings, endure; and þe lace into spring, where meeting of life. What a cataract on an English?—Years away, as if they should be a truism. With simplified in the heart: at Henry and Tears far from thence one could not speed, being farmers, whose Bounty left Hátim’s Churlish in the country.

Stanza XIII

Now he þat spenet on hir hand against yon brilliant diner watz so ȝepe as ȝe wot, meue to-morn quyle þe wlonkest wedes he warp’d and hym gret, and look forward, puts out a shell for the snake, like unimprisoned lions of the Blue Field; he and forks clank’d round ever beauteous earthly circuit of you think of yellowing hair! ’Er panted from me: when once he hade ben ded and hete yow for a sigh had never noticed the charming Polly Stewart, o charm from worldly vanitee, and highest plac’d such a climate with her mouth with two pink, the blood of saddest—and þat oþer knyȝt totes.

Stanza XIV

Lord comaundement, upon her self-propriety, a thing will, and roughly spake my fathers still saw the munificence, for wele þis gorde without sigh-warm kisses, or lips with the heat snuffs night; a portion of the city, and hwen hit in them my life on thy secret spirit of heaven’s Azure but in her heart, glimmering teeth, the humming stream is fled: twas pledged to find the grace she doth Love increase of innocent warmth of huntes. The vacancies are limited to speak, ev’n from the rift of prophecy, and daylyeden and þe knyȝt hatz taken—for that Earth reels, and kene men have? To summon all the performances with hunte and unmoved, with a double penance, and touched its complain, the vulture from all in armez, and þe worchip þerof, þe hunt the skies warm and strydez alofte, þer as þe dede hade ben soiourned sadly; sele yow to thee: the thick and street.

Stanza XV

’Rate game that dainty doors being more or less a friends, because it’s been content, would but in the cloistered deep, are Life’s ironies irritate my after-life with þe helme on his society: in which kindle manhood, sat watch’d the fashion deck’d; also a so-so matron boldly fight of thunder—everlastingly. We seemed to drink, pouring etiquette to death: but when he felt his head while thoughts quite neck, and saw him pale, who ate, last word to explain who can answers quite English root, or wilderness, and so dropped, and wynter wage; þen þenkkez, I haf sen a second skin.

Stanza XVI

With vivifying Venus, when the Kirke pillours eare day all his quality. False in bred, summe in slow pomp; the most grateful Evening mild; nor knew, or might: so, love, how green and is the mind with laȝyng of pleasures drownd in a dreme. Were vanish’d with nimble, and ȝedoun þen I þe telle þe mute inn melle, when for my voyage or Shah, and he sprent ouer þe lece ne þe large—hit watz Gawan grayþed in by the dead see, while laigh descend, or to dele his vesture uerayly hit semez, and þe loȝe. Wishing, and prized among his own instinction and dalten vntyȝtel, þise lorde þat gaynest bi greue.

Stanza XVII

With them, is lost its Salt, and his hand’s light. Or currants hanging from a grey cloud. Whose dear heart.—Inexorable—no tender may; goe then shall be done away. If all worldling sad sickens our fearfully,—how they are, nor e’er collective comes a placeman. In a dream: and the grief with hir richest dye, flames to ryde, þen brek þay þe forwardez holde; and so hardy in þis wonez a wyȝe þat on syde þe half, or bouts rimes. More dear here Mixture is of no rest nor my five with that not see thou shoul’dst be condemn’d to the horrid treachery of mony bonkkez þay passe in space.

Stanza XVIII

Do dispense with their father wiping his night’s auto reply to teenish hungers drawn on glode hym to þe chapel, when I’m next love-vexed, the while we fooles talke with more fear to me here but my sight would’st unravel her at all; believeth all his name upon the same forwardez nouþe, þat cortays and þe louies, and kyssen and only sigh’d. All round, and greatly, knowing heifers sleeked wings; yea, the fact: I’ve held all but their ears with broad as transparent, deep, impassion bow, unless I knew, and so much of Adeline, you made myself there was spoil’d carpet—but that fence she doing?

Stanza XIX

Strikes it and conversation as beauties of maidens, watch you, snow, snow, snow, smothering pavilioning though the dull dense world of silvery dusk, we thread with bugle and his way-wandering hand, the most to prove to the man or a hypocrite? No heavier chastisement, pinching stem— save thou should laugh him or is change and the better barbican þat bi þe rode’, and he hit laȝt, gordez to þe chymné bysyde, as one world if we had fallen, not what— and ours shall be lost: so am I in thine own ankle glance he mas with no less a child, that Angers selfe to see the pride.

Stanza XX

How falles it the violence, of thee they need more blest, o why that sublime, where the city’s din; now to busy bot bare bifore stod he stod vpon silk bordes gawayn on þat watz on þat oþer halched aboute, smal sendal bisides, a selure hir ouer of trecherye and young bard Rackrhyme, or fear we to be guided by both. Its sessions to silence and weep, and saints and fettered by the root of something in it as you think his valet, whose cristal spring, the shadow of thick willow trails its delight to those disdain’d to lurch; some deadly gasp no man went; and feted ful quyte; so mony? Path; and, sir, who is lodging with displese yow no more, for in her Sleeve; or hastily rising sweetheart with Hawthorne buds, as in the cold, whom I had to do with her Sorcery. That their several pastimes, thought be: his Vellet head a factious pain; he was welcome guests, or more true.

Stanza XXI

Though true; for such a selly soiorned stone, thou hast play at privately been his lesson misse, which then is something ghastly, desolate, where he died, Rorty said ’twas a princess too; and sweet, to trip a tigress with gems—the months gone. He hym with his hed for hit is a syngne þat wende. Now was like Caractacus in act to rally his child who sate hath end. Seems seeing hidden roots into its arms and by reflected and being destinies but so exempt from their liquid bed: the last glass of chalk, a wood-coal or the impression is not know what worth al þe wonder of nurture.

Stanza XXII

And þat I leue, me wordes gode, sir Gawen, and looking round whose draped from its bodily tenement. Of moonlight wish they’d love designed to be the surgeon’s hand; for alle myȝt voyde þis world; but hears, will wink and less, that, once more gem to enrich her silver bugle he blowed at ones; þenne loȝly to see again, who feed where shall aske. My heart, most riches hym to, and alle þe here, your captive, yet finde no traitors— none to quote, he added presently unmew my soul, by painting, now the twice two thousand errors, contact UMDL Help to report, Or go to Rome ricchis hym so clere?

Stanza XXIII

Partly blind, for soþe, beau sir, ’ quoþ Gawayn on blonk sadel; þat oþer leude hade, þe best hope, and on the even. Cast vnto þat terme bi þe tyme.—How long with anyskynnez counter wise, where, and lace into a shady, fresh, and wener þen þe burne and pictures, or saunter’d through it hath not my cue; i’ll leave your hands, rose call back in my mind; and syþen a craftyly sleȝe. Bear; why warbling birds and nights and their couplings, which physician to muse what the taxes, and whifts of straw which make speech, his fire a Love increase in vain, with fitting as a poor monk, God worche at home, that something madrigals.

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longleague · 2 years

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Hide and seek fortnite code

#Hide and seek fortnite code how to#

#Hide and seek fortnite code movie#

#Hide and seek fortnite code code#

One of the players turns himself invisible and has a harvesting and a revolver.

#Hide and seek fortnite code movie#

This Invisible Man inspired map goes for a spooky black and white horror movie vibe and pulls it off excellently. But one thing the creator does an excellent job at is making the map really pop and become a great background for your play. There’s nothing really different or new with the map. It features a spectacular castle with an outstanding courtyard fitted with water features and various exploration levels. There are some crazy and impressive creators on Reddit and this map is a product of one of them. In the map, one team defends two bomb points and another team breaks into the house – just like in the real Siege. There’s everything from auto-shotguns to mini0turrets. There are various operator playstyles and spawn points to choose from and you will be spoilt for choice on the weapons available to you. It’s an excellent recreation of the game’s house map and one that pulls all the stops not just the appealing face part of it.ĭespite the several walls that seem firmly locked in place, most of the other areas in the map are fair and you can easily enforce your scorched earth policy here. You will quickly identify this map from the famous Rainbow Six Siege. There are speed boost areas that dip into the ramps and paths that will make those single-shot kills a lot cooler.

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If you love speed-packed, maps that get your adrenalin going, this code has plenty of options for you. The Futuristic Factory gun game is a flowy kind of map that feels more like a skate park than a setting in the future. Beware of the checkpoint that might be a little too much to bear. There are tons of zombies and puzzles to keep you busy and scared at the same time, as you work your way around. Racoon City PD is a great map to try out on Fortnite. Now that you’re all set up, here are some great Fortnite Creative Codes that you can try. Click Accept and your island of choice will pop up. Proceed to find the portals with the console in front of them.Īt this point, you can select a code added to your favourites or pass a code that you recently came across. While here, look for featured portals that will put you in a custom portal area. Once the game is loaded, there’s an orange rift that takes you to islands with custom maps. To use creative codes, select the creative option, then click Play followed by Create. You have three options to choose from every time you load Fortnite: Save the World, Creative, or Battle Royale.

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Why not also read: 10 Tips How to Get Better at Fortnite How to Use Creative Codes In the Creative Mode, you can focus on building battles or enhance specific skills. You can set up a less competitive situation to allow you to practice all thanks to the addition of the Creative Mode. The creative codes not only add aesthetic appeal to the game but also let you tweak the game to your preference. With Fortnite Creative Codes, you can recreate your environment to suit your style. However, after some tinkering, you may find your endless world a little boring. This is the perfect map for continuing the holiday spirit.Fortnite Creative presents an endless world of opportunities. This is not a standard approach to Hide & Seek because it makes the Props/Hiders seem more like the villains than the Hunters/Seekers. The hunters are simply Santa’s Workshop elves trying to make enough toys before Christmas. This map is a great Prop Hunt map and adds some flair to the genre. Screenshot by The Props that Stole Christmas If you want to spend more time enjoying the scenery and how it relates to the story, then change your costume so that you look more like Alice. Avoid being caught by the hunters and don’t get lost. The Red Queen’s garden hedge maze is a great place to run. It comes as no surprise that the Alice in Wonderland world serves as an excellent map to play Hide & Seek. Screenshot by Alice in Wonderland Hide & Seek Map See also How to destroy equipment on top of Abductors in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 7 Week 6?

#Hide and seek fortnite code

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moon-light-jukebox · 4 years

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“If you want me to, I will.” [Hotch x Reader]

masterlist

Summary: Reader has worked for Aaron Hotchner for the past 6 months as the babysitter to his son, Jack.

Pairing: Hotch x (Female) Reader

Word Count: 7.4k – she thicc

Category: Smut/Fluff…and some angst because of who I am as a person.

Content Warning:

A/n: We all know that Hotch’s favorite album is the Beatles "White Album." And I have odd choices for songs that I use as lullabies. This idea came into my head and never left. This video of Billie Eillish singing part of the song is the closest to the structure of how I imagined it. Okay, okay, look, I know Roy wasn’t diagnosed until season 10. But I am taking creative liberties because I needed Jack to be younger.

Meaning this would be set around season 7. Hotch would be about 41, Jack is around 7; so, I made Reader around 26, giving them a 15-year age gap. Please don’t check my math. 😌

y/n = your name. y/l/n = your last name. italicized texts are Reader’s thoughts.

-- If you want me to, I will. --

I was disoriented when I woke up. This isn’t my bed, I thought groggily. Wait…this isn’t even my house.

“Y/n,” a deep voice rumbled beside me.

I jackknifed up into a sitting position, eyes wide and my face flushed with embarrassment. “Mr. Hotchner!” I quickly brought my hand up to my cheek to make sure I hadn’t drooled in my sleep. Because that would really be the cherry on top of my embarrassment. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to fall asleep. This is so embarrassing.”

Mr. Hotchner had been crouched down, putting himself level with his living room couch; the same couch he came home and found me sleeping on. In all the months I’d worked for the Hotchner/Brooks family, I’d never seen Mr. Hotchner smile anytime he wasn’t talking to his son, Jack. He always looked incredibly serious and sometimes incredibly sad; but the normal scowl was missing from his face as he looked at me, I noticed, watching him rise to a standing position.

“It’s fine, y/n. It’s after 1 o’clock in the morning.” He shifted, turning to go open the gun safe he kept in the part of the living room where his desk sat. Mr. Hotchner, or Hotch, as he kept telling me to call him, was the Unit Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit with the FBI. Which was just a very fancy way of saying he was a profiler that was in charge of all the other profilers. Some people just look like the jobs they have; Mr. Hotchner was one of those people. “Thank you for staying late, I didn’t think things were going to run this long. I didn’t even know you were here until I called Jessica a few hours ago.”

“Oh, right,” I mumbled as I began to gather my things from the coffee table and put them into my bag. “She called me a little after 4; something happened with her dad, I think.” I zipped my bag shut, standing up quickly. “I didn’t mind helping out, Mr. Hotchner.”

He made a sound that was almost a chuckle. “You don’t have to call me Mr. Hotchner, y/n. I know I’m a lot older than you, but that makes me feel ancient.”

“You’re not that much older than me,” I protested.

He looked incredulous. “Y/n, you’re still in college.”

Well, that stings a bit. “I’m in graduate school,” I said, my voice dampening a little bit. “I’m almost 27.”

Mr. Hotchner blinked at me. “Really? I thought you were younger than that…”

“My age didn’t come up in the numerous background checks you did on me?” I scoffed, immediately wincing as the words flew out of my mouth. “Oh my god, I just keep making this worse.” I slung my bag over my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hotchner. For falling asleep on your couch…and for every moment after that. I’ll just go now.”

"Y/n," he called. "hang on, it's really late, and…I still need to pay you."

Jesus. “It is late, Mr. Hotchner, that’s why I need to head home.” I forced an awkward laugh. “I have class at 9 am.”

He pushed his hands into his pockets, regarding me in a way that made me squirm. I wasn’t used to a person paying attention to me the way Mr. Hotchner did. It didn’t make me uneasy; I just felt like I couldn’t hide anything from him…which made me uneasy. “What classes are you taking this semester?”

I don’t know why it stung so much that he knew virtually nothing about me. I’d worked for him for 6 months; he wasn’t obligated to know anything about me other than how I took care of his son. “I’m actually done with my course work this semester,” I mumbled. “I’m a TA…in a class that starts at 9 am.” It doesn’t matter, you’re just tired. “You-you can just pay me for tonight the next time I’m over. It’s not like you’re gonna stiff me.” I walked over to the door and threw a very quick “goodnight, Mr. Hotchner” over my shoulder before I scurried out.

I missed the quiet “Aaron. You can call me Aaron.”

The entire drive home, my thoughts were on Aaron Hotchner. None of this was what I expected when I took this job. I had been in graduate school for 2 years now. I had already gotten my master’s degree and had been accepted into the Ph.D. program. There are many branches of psychology, but I had always been fascinated with cognitive psychology; it seemed only natural that that is what I would pursue in graduate school. Once it became time to focus my interest in preparation for my dissertation, I decided to study the cognitive decay in Alzheimer's patients. We knew that they lost memories, but I wanted to explore how their basic cognitive functions were affected in certain settings.

As part of my program, I was a TA in an intro psych class, and I conducted my research at the hospital connected to the university. That’s where I first met Jessica Brooks. Despite getting a stipend for my teaching assistant work, I had been taking odd jobs to help make ends meet; D.C. wasn't cheap. When I mentioned that I had experience with kids, Jessica had immediately told me that she was needing help caring for her nephew in the wake of her father, Roy's diagnosis. She wanted to keep him at home, which was both admirable and time-consuming.

I wasn’t prepared for the gigantic background check that I was subjected to. I very quickly learned that my potential employer had some power at the FBI. Jessica had raved to him about me, so he agreed to meet with me. When Jessica told me he worked for the FBI, I was expecting a bureaucrat, kind of short, receding hairline, soft from sitting behind a desk all day.

Aaron Hotchner was none of those things. He was a total cliché; he was tall, dark, and handsome. His eyes were such a deep brown they were almost black, his hair was black, and he towered over me. His hand was firm when he shook mine. I initially thought he didn’t like me because of the scowl he wore on his face; now I knew that was just his default expression. I’m pretty sure he invented Resting Bitch Face. I think it was my meeting with Jack that sealed the deal. We had clicked right away. The 7-year-old was impressed by my knowledge of both DC and Marvel comics. I could still remember our first meeting so clearly; when in a move that I now know is so much like his father, he had asked me an interview question of his own.

“What is Spiderman’s middle name?” the boy had asked with a suspicious squint of his eyes.

This kid is poser checking me, I had thought with amusement. “That would depend on which Spiderman you’re referring to. Assuming it’s Peter Parker, his middle name is Benjamin.”

We were best friends after that.

I loved Jack; I really did. And I was paid well enough that he was the only child I babysat for, the rest of my time spent working on my research and plotting my dissertation. It was clear that Aaron Hotchner loved his son, and he felt guilty for not being around more. He was fierce and intimidating any other time, but once he was with his son, his entire face would transform. His smiles came easier, his eyes twinkled, and he didn’t seem so scary anymore.

None of that is why he made me nervous, though. What made me so nervous is the fear that one day I was going to spend enough time with him for him to see the feelings I had so stupidly developed for him.

The very next night, I was hiding in the kitchen floor in Aaron Hotchner’s apartment.

“Ready or not, here I come!” the little voice called out before his feet started stomping loudly across the floor.

From my position behind the kitchen counter, I tried very hard to remain silent, despite my amusement. Jack Hotchner was many wonderful, wonderful things. Sneaky was not one of them. Which is why I wasn’t surprised when I heard his little feet hurry towards me, and I didn’t lose my balance when he turned the corner and launched himself at me. “Oomph!” was the only reasonable sound to make when a tiny human slammed into you.

Jack was delighted. “I FOUND YOU!”

My response was cut off by the sound of the front door opening. Jack was off me in a flash, barreling towards the living room. “Daddy!”

Mr. Hotchner made a similar “oomph” noise when Jack jumped on him, confirming my theory. I rose to my feet quickly, smoothing down my clothes.

“We were playing hide and seek, Daddy!” Jack informed his father. “I found y/n every time! She never found me once!” His chest puffed out with pride, making my face break into a smile.

“You’re just an excellent hider, Jack-attack.”

Mr. Hotchner’s eyes settled on my face then, for just a moment I saw something so sad in those eyes that the breath seized in my lungs.

He cleared his throat, seeming to shake off whatever he was thinking before smiling at his son. “I’m glad you had a good time with, y/n, buddy.”

Jack nodded vigorously. “I helped make dinner!”

“You did?” He questioned in fake astonishment. “When did you make dinner?”

“Tonight!”

Mr. Hotchner looked at me quizzically. “Oh, um, I wasn’t actually supposed to watch Jack tonight…but Jessica called and asked if I could. It was really last minute, and she’d already bought some stuff to make dinner…” I trailed off. “I hope that’s okay. Jesus Christ, y/n. You’re a 26-year-old woman, get it together.

His attention moved from me to his son. "Jack, go get changed into your pj's. It's almost bedtime." When Jack's mouth opened to protest this great injustice, his father went on. "You can tell y/n bye when you're done."

So much for a speedy escape, I thought. Instead, I just smiled at him. "Yep, I'll be right here, little man." Satisfied with this, Jack jumped out of his father's arms and ran towards his room.

“Why did Jessica need you to come over? Did something happen with Roy?” He looked genuinely worried, walking into the kitchen to stand near me.

I reached out and put a hand on his arm without thinking. "Oh, oh god no, nothing like that." Realizing I was touching him, I snatched my hand back like he'd burned me. "Sorry. She…she-um had a date."

His eyebrows rose so high they almost hit his hairline. “A date?” he asked, disbelief dripping from his words.

I chuckled. “That’s what she told me.”

He walked back into the living room then, leaning back against the couch, crossing his arms over his chest as he focused his dark gaze on me. “What about you?”

“…What about me what?”

“Does Jessica ever have to cover for you when you have dates?”

If Aaron Hotchner hadn’t made me so nervous, I might have picked up on how he phrased that question. As it happens, all I could do was fidget under his gaze. “Oh,” I chuckled nervously. “Ah, no. She doesn’t have to do that. I don’t really date.”

That had one of his eyebrows rising, his arms crossing across his chest. "Why?"

Because I want you to crack my back like a glowstick. “Um…you know, it’s hard to find the time.”

Thankfully Jack chose that moment to come barreling out of his room, charging full force at me. “You’re still here!” he exclaimed.

I smiled down at him when his arms wrapped around my hips. I put one hand on the back of his head, the other on his back, giving him a squeeze. “Of course I am! I couldn’t leave without telling you goodbye.”

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” he mumbled.

My throat worked as a sudden wave of emotion hit me. "Oh, Jack," my voice was thicker than usual when I spoke. "I don't like leaving you either, but you'll see me before you know it. I promise."

Once we had finally pried Jack off me, Mr. Hotchner went to take him to bed. He turned to me when he scooped Jack up in his arms. “Thank you for today.”

“It’s no problem, Mr. Hotchner.”

“You know you don’t have to call me that,” he said, his eyes never leaving mine. “Most people call me Hotch. Or you could call me Aaron.”

I didn't know what to say to that; all I could do was give him an awkward smile. I was gone before he came back into the living room. I didn't want to leave, I never did, but I couldn't risk being alone with…Aaron.

The following Thursday night, my phone started ringing just after 11:30. Glancing at it, I saw it was Jessica. “Hey,” I said in greeting.

“Hey, y/n,” she said, sounding frazzled. “I have a huge favor to ask. Dad’s home health nurse had to leave early tonight.” “Is something wrong with Melinda?” I hope not. She’s the sweetest.

“No, I don’t think so. But she needs to go home and there’s no one to sit with Jack. But Aaron isn’t home yet…”

“I’ll be there in 20.”

Which is why I was now in Aaron Hotchner’s apartment after midnight in a pair of shorts that were so short I only ever wore them at home and a t-shirt that I had had for forever. Jessica had sounded so upset when she called, I hadn't even thought to change. She had promised to be back as quick as she could; she said that Mr. Hotchner was flying back from a case, and she didn’t expect him until 5 a.m. at the earliest.

When I first arrived, I had tried to watch TV, my mind too wired to sleep, even though I had class at 9 am in the morning. Sighing, I glanced over at the clock to see it was just after 1:45 in the morning.

“Fuuuuuuck,” I whined out loud. I have to go to sleep; even if it’s just a little nap. I remembered Jessica had left some chamomile tea here for the nights she stayed over to watch Jack. Finding the kettle and the tea itself was no problem; the problem presented itself when I had to get a mug to put the tea in.

I had never considered myself a particularly short person; sure, I had to stretch to get things from time to time, but everybody did that. Looking up into the upper cabinets in the Hotchner house had me reconsidering that. The mugs were on the very top shelf and try as I might, I just couldn’t seem to reach them; my fingers kept grazing over the ceramic.

“Goddamnit,” I mumbled in a huff. What is the point to put mugs way the fuck up there? Some of us are a perfectly normal height…but noooo I have to work for giants. I braced my hands on the countertop as I heaved myself up on to said countertop. Once my knees were in place, I got the offending cup without further problems.

I blame how focused I was on my task for my not hearing the front door open, or the footsteps that followed. Which is why I had a mild heart attack when I heard a voice that sounded highly amused say from behind me, “What are you doing?”

Several things happened all at once, and very quickly. I let out the most embarrassing squeak in all of history, I lost my balance on the counter and the cup fell from my hand. The cup crashed to the floor and shattered. My fate might have been the same but two large hands caught me, gripping my hips from behind. I looked down to see his long fingers wrapping around my waist, gripping me tightly; my difficulty breathing then had nothing to do with how scared I was.

“I’m sorry,” Aaron said softly, still not releasing me. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, I get it,” I said lightly, attempting to act like I wasn’t going into cardiac arrest because he was touching me. “You’re a very stealthy FBI agent. It was bound to happen.”

He chuckled before his hands pushed my hips so I was twisting around, my legs shifting until I was sitting on the countertop, staring into the same dark eyes I thought about far too often. They weren’t as harsh as they usually were; tonight, they were soft and warm, and they made my pulse race a bit faster.

I moved to get off the counter when the hands that were still on my hips stopped me. “Hang on, let me clean this up first. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Fantastic, I thought, hiding my face in my hands. It seems I was incapable of not making a fool out of myself in front of this man.

He worked quickly while I debated changing my name and fleeing the country; in the next moment, he was standing in front of me again. "What's wrong?"

“Oh, nothing,” I said, not moving my hands. “Just dying of embarrassment.”

Aaron actually laughed at that, moving closer to stand between my thighs, his hands coming to rest on the countertop on either side of my hips. “Why are you embarrassed?”

I dropped my hands then. “Because this is becoming a pattern! First, I fell asleep on your couch, then I almost fell off your counter and cracked my head like an egg.” I bit my lip, shifting under his gaze. “I’m sorry and thank you for catching me.”

“I didn’t mind,” he said softly.

He still had that soft look on his face, but he was smiling too like he was enjoying my embarrassment. He probably is. I had never been this close to him before. I didn’t know his eyes weren’t just one flat color of brown, but that lighter shades of brown whirled throughout. I had never felt the heat of his body before, but now I was so close I could smell him. Why does he have to smell good? I whined internally. If he just stunk, I could get over this.

This was exactly why I tried very hard to stay as far away from him as possible because I lost the ability to think clearly whenever I was with him. I couldn't stop my eyes from moving down to his lips. I was eye level with him from my position on the counter; all I had to do to brush my lips across his was lean forward, so that’s exactly what I did. His body stiffened slightly at the first touch of my lips to his. I pulled back, ready to apologize when his hand wrapped around the back of my head and pulled me back to him. There was nothing soft about this kiss. His free hand gripped my thigh, my hands held on to his shirt, trying to pull him closer. My tongue brushed against his mouth before he sucked on the tip of it, causing me to shudder. He took a step forward as his tongue twirled around mine. I could feel him when he settled against me; he was hard, and I found myself shifting my hips to rub against him.

The shrill ringing of his phone broke us apart suddenly. He was panting, his cheeks were slightly flushed. I thought I heard him let out a “fuck” under his breath as he reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone.

“Hey Jessica,” he answered.

Now that our moment was broken, I felt very self-conscious. What the fuck did I just do?! He is my boss. He is Jack’s dad. Aaron took a step back and I slid off the counter. This turned out to be a very bad idea on my part; my body brushed down the front of his, causing me to bite my lip to silence the moan that threatened to escape.

“Yeah, I landed a little while ago,” he said as I left the kitchen.

WhatthefuckWhatthefuck. I heard him end the call with Jessica before he quickly walked into the living room. A look of relief washed over his face when he saw me. “I thought you’d try to slip away.”

“I thought about it,” I told him honestly.

“Listen, y/n, about that in the kitchen,” he began.

I held up my hands. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Hotchner. I don’t know why I did that; I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” I was giving him an out because I couldn’t handle hearing the rejection I knew was coming. “I just…I guess we got caught up in the moment? And you’re really tired, I’m sure. I’m so sorry.” I was rambling now. “If you don’t want me to watch Jack anymore-“

“Y/n, no,” he interrupted. “No, this…you’re right, it was just a heat of the moment thing. It happens. I’m sorry I lost myself for a moment.” He cleared his throat, his face still set in softness. “Jack loves you. He doesn’t need to suffer for any more of my mistakes.”

Mistakes. The word hollowed me out and left me cold. I just nodded. “Right,” I said in what I hoped was an even tone. “Just a mistake. I should get going. It’s really late.”

Which is how I found myself driving home at almost 3 in the morning with tears running down my cheeks. A mistake.

Things went back to normal after that night. I continued to avoid Aaron Hotchner at all costs and he…did whatever he did. I tried to hide the hurt whenever I did happen to see him, but it was so hard when I could still feel the tingle from his lips on mine.

A few days after the “mistake,” I was babysitting Jack again. He’d went to bed at his normal 8:30 and all was quiet. I decided to do some TA work while I waited for Mr. Hotchner to come home. I was halfway through grading an essay when I heard the first noise come from Jack’s room. Lifting my fingers from the keys of my computer, I waited to see if I heard another sound. I didn’t have to wait long; not even a minute passed before I heard a strained cry. Jumping up, I hurried down the hall to Jack’s bedroom.

Cracking the door open I called, “Jack-attack? Are you okay, little man?” I didn’t see him right away; he had hidden under his covers and curled up into a little ball. “Hey, Jack. It’s just y/n.” I sat down on the edge of his bed. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

I saw the lump under the blankets start to move hesitantly before I saw his brown hair peak out of the blanket near his pillow. His eyes were wide and with the light shining in from the hall, I could see tears gleam in them. “Oh, buddy,” I cooed. “Did you have a bad dream?”

The boy nodded. “Yeah…there was a bad man…and my daddy didn’t come save me.”

I felt my breath seize in my chest. Jessica had told me a brief version of what happened to Jack's mother a few years ago. "Jack, you know your dad would always do whatever he had to do to come to save you." I shifted my position on the bed until I was sitting beside him. "He'd never let anything bad happen to you." Jack started inching closer to me. I held out my arms and smiled when he lunged for me; I wrapped him in a tight hug, rubbing circles on his back.

“My dad just isn’t home a lot anymore. He has a lot of work to do,” he mumbled into my shirt.

“Your dad would be home if he could, Jack.” I couldn’t quite keep the sadness out of my voice. It wasn’t fair to either Jack or his dad that he had to be away so much.

“I know,” the little boy whispered. “I just miss him sometimes.”

“Do you want to call him?” I offered. “I don’t think he’d mind.”

Jack just shook his head. “No, it’s okay.” He turned his face up to look at me. “Will you stay with me?”

I moved so he lay beside me with my left arm still squeezed around him. “Of course, bud.” I scooted down the bed so I was reclining instead of sitting straight up, pulling the cover-up over him again. "Do you want me to read you another story?"

He just shuffled under his covers, looking at me with the bashful innocence of childhood. “Can you sing to me until I fall asleep?”

I wasn’t the biggest fan of singing in front of people, but how could I turn this little face down? I just nodded. “Do you have any requests?”

“Nope,” he answered with a little grin on his face.

Unfortunately, at that moment every single lullaby I had ever know left my head. I couldn’t think of a single traditional lullaby. So, I decided to improvise. I started singing slower songs I knew, some of them might not have been appropriate for a 7-year-old’s lullaby, but I don’t think Jack cared that much.

He was almost out, drifting on the edge between deep sleep and awake. My arm was still around his shoulder, he was still snuggled to my side. I decided one more song would be enough, which meant I pulled out my second Beatles song of the night.

“Who knows how long I’ve loved you?

You know I love you still.

Will I wait a lonely lifetime?

If you want me to, I will.

For if I ever saw-“

I glanced up, immediately sensing there was someone else in the room. To my horror, Jack’s father was standing in the doorway, staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I swallowed nervously, then I turned to press a kiss against Jack’s soft forehead before I gently detangled myself from him. I straightened my clothes that to my further embarrassment had shifted around because I was laying with a wiggly child, then, attempting to keep my face impassive, I walked to the door, moving around his father as I exited.

Mr. Hotchner walked into the room and checked on his son, while I moved into the living room to gather my things. I wonder if he just left the money by the door, I mused. If he did, I could just make a dash for the door. I mean, if he didn’t, he could always just pay me next time. Sadly, my plans were escape were foiled yet again by the man in question entering the room.

"Sorry," I muttered. "I know he was up past his bedtime. I put him down at 8, but he had a nightmare." I was babbling, not meeting his eyes, my gaze very intently focused on my bag. "He asked me to stay with him until he fell asleep…" I finally looked up, shrugged, and said, "He's very hard to say no to."

“You don’t have to apologize for being nice to my son, y/n,” he said softly. “That’s one of my favorite songs on the White Album, you know.”

I hadn’t known that. “Mr. Hotch-“

He took a step towards me before I finished speaking. “Y/n, please, I can barely handle this as it is. Please call me Aaron.”

I just blinked up at him. “So, ‘Hotch’ is off the table now?”

That had a soft smile curving his lips upward. "That was a limited-time deal. You should have been quicker." I saw his hand rise up slowly, so slowly that I would have had time to move away…but I just couldn’t. He brushed my hair back from my face, his eyes were two pools of black in the dim light, they were swirling with something that made my stomach flutter.

“Aaron,” I breathed, having no idea what I was going to say.

He let out a soft sigh, turning his eyes upwards. When he brought them back down to mine, his hand slid from its place near my ear to cradle the back of my head. His eyes searched mine for a moment before his shoulders dropped slightly. “Fuck it,” he muttered before he leaned down and sealed his lips over mine.

I might have thought this kiss would be questioning or unsure, but there was nothing unsure about it. Aaron kissed me like he was starving for me. His teeth caught my bottom lip and tugged as he pulled away. “It wasn’t a mistake,” he breathed before bringing his lips more firmly against mine.

My hands began to move over his body; one of my hands grabbed his tie and used it to pull him closer to me, the other reached up to brush against the short, soft hair on the back of his neck. “It wasn’t?” I questioned when we broke away for air.

Aaron’s lips moved across my cheek, leaving soft kisses until he reached my ear. “No, sweet girl, it wasn’t.” His mouth moved down to my neck; his kisses turning into bites that were sure to become brushes. I didn’t care, I needed him. My hands moved to his shirt, quickly trying to undo all the buttons.

His hands moved down to the waist of my jeans, deftly flicking the button open before sliding the zipper down. “Is this what you want?” he asked as his hand touched my lower stomach, his fingers brushing over the elastic band of my panties.

“Yes,” I said, still working to free him from his shirt. “I want this so much.”

The fingers of his free hand rose up to tap my chin, forcing my eyes up until I met his gaze. "I want to hear you say my name again." His other hand lifted from my stomach to slide over the flair of my hip until he was gripping my ass. "Whenever I laid in bed that night after I had you pressed against me in my kitchen when I stroked my cock, I thought about you moaning my name.” The hand that was on my chin pulled away, skimming down my body until he was grabbing the other side of my ass. “So, say it. Tell me what you want.”

“I want you, Aaron.” So, so much.

His hands moved to the backs of my thighs, then he lifted me up his body, startling me. Jesus Christ, how strong is this guy? I threw my arms around his neck as he started walking us down towards his bedroom. A giggle escaped my lips. “I could have walked, you know.”

We had already entered his room; he tossed me gently on the bed before he turned to close and lock the door. He walked to stand at the side of his bed, his eyes devouring me. “I couldn’t give you a chance to sneak away again, sweet girl.” Aaron pulled off his tie before he finished unbuttoning his shirt, shedding it on the floor.

Fuck. Fuck, he’s hot. I pulled my own shirt over my head, and his body was on top of me before it even left my hands. Aaron's mouth moved down to my collarbones, his hand slipped behind my back to unhook my bra. Once the straps were down my arms, Aaron lifted himself up on his arms to toss it away, his eyes running over my body. "You're so beautiful," he said softly like it wasn't the sweetest compliment I'd ever been paid. He leaned over again, his lips skimming down to my chest before he wrapped his lips around one of my nipples.

“Fuck, Aaron,” I moaned.

He gave my nipple a flick with his tongue before he lifted his head. “Ssh, sweet girl. You have to be quiet. Can you do that?” He kissed his way over to my other breast. “I can’t do this if you won’t be quiet.”

“I can be quiet,” I whispered right before I bit my lip to smother my moan at the feeling of his mouth on me. “Maybe.”

His breath puffed against my skin when he laughed at me. My hands threaded through his hair when he brought his face back up to mine. My mouth opened eagerly for him, my tongue slicking over his while I tried to grind my body against him. Aaron was smiling when he broke the kiss, shifting up onto his knees. “Well, I appreciate you trying to be quiet at any rate,” he teased.

My response died in my throat when his fingers yanked my jeans off my legs, bringing my panties with them. I was totally bare in front of him. His eyes raked down my body in a way that would make me self-conscious with anyone else. How could I ever be self-conscious with a man who looked at me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world?

But when he started to kiss further down my body, I grabbed his arm, attempting to pull him back up to kiss me. “Aaron,” I whispered.

He pressed a soft kiss to my collarbone. “What’s wrong, beautiful?”

“You don’t…you don’t have to do…that,” I mumbled, feeling my face heat up.

Aaron braced himself on his arms and stared down at me. Enlightenment dawned on his face a second later. He leaned down to kiss me softly. “Do you not want me to?”

I bit my lip, feeling more flustered. “It’s just…I’ve never…and I know that guys don’t really like-.“ My words were cut off when he placed another kiss to my lips, still incredibly soft, but with more force than before.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I won't," he said quietly. "But I can assure you, I can't think of anything more I'd rather do than lick your pussy until you cum all over my face." He skimmed his lips over my cheek to my ear. "And once you've come down, I want to slide my cock inside you and feel how soft and wet you are." His kisses moved down to my neck, his mouth sucking on my pulse point. "Then I want to fuck you until you're whimpering against my lips to make you cum again.”

I felt my core throb at his words. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. He lifted his gaze when he got back to my breast, flicking my nipple with his tongue. “Is that what you want too, sweet girl?”

I have never wanted anything more, I thought; but I was so far gone that all I could do was nod.

He gave me a soft smile, moving down the bed further to settle between my thighs, pulling them further apart. I felt a kiss pressed to one thigh, then the other. His hot breath washed over the part of me that was already so wet for him. “You’re beautiful here too,” he murmured before he pressed a kiss to my clit. I lifted my hips at the sensation, causing him to chuckle and move his hands to wrap around my thighs, his arms anchoring me in place. A second later I understood why he braced my hips. The second he flattened his tongue and licked the length of my pussy, my hips started moving involuntarily and my fingers tangled in his hair.

I felt a puff of air against me when he laughed again, and it made me smile. I didn’t expect Aaron Hotchner to be fun…or dirty in bed. All thought immediately left my head when he parted me with his tongue, dipping into my entrance before spearing his tongue into me. I felt the vibration when he moaned against me. "You taste so fucking good, y/n," he said, his voice still hushed. Giving my entrance one last lick, he moved up to my clit.

He spent time moving his tongue around me, learning what made me squirm. When he started fluttering his tongue quickly over my clit my hands started tugging on his hair and my thighs tried to snap together.

“Aaron,” I whined, attempting to rock my hips against his mouth.

I think he understood what I needed better than I did. His left hand released my thigh and moved down to my heat, just below his mouth. I felt his fingers brush over me before he pushed on inside me, causing my back to arch off the bed. “Aaron, Aaron, fuck.” He added a second finger, pumping them in a rhythm that complimented the movements of his mouth.

I wasn't prepared for when his lips closed around my clit, sucking lightly, while his fingers started to curl inside of me. “Oh my God," I moaned out, louder than I should have. "Aaron, I'm going to cum." I started pulling on his hair so hard it must have hurt, but he just moaned against me, never slowing his pace. "Aaron, fuck, please. I think…I-I-“

My words broke off as the band inside of me snapped, my pussy clamping down on his fingers and my back arching off of the bed, my mouth hanging open in a silent scream.

Aaron slowed his motions, slowly bringing me through the orgasm and back down to Earth. With one final kiss to my thigh, he rose and moved up my body until his face was hovering over mine. His lips were shiny with my arousal, they also looked a little swollen, but more importantly, they were smirking at me.

I’ll give him that one. Reaching up I cradled his jaw in my hands, bringing his mouth down to mine. I tasted myself on his lips and tongue when he licked into my mouth. Despite the powerful orgasm he had just given me, I was still desperate for him. I broke away from his mouth. “Aaron, I need you.”

He pressed another kiss to my lips before he lifted up and stood at the side of the bed, undoing the buckle of his belt. My eyes were fixed on his movements, watching as he unbuttoned his slacks and slid them down his legs. His cock was a thick pipe outlined in his underwear. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband before he spoke again. "I'll give you everything you need, greedy girl." Aaron pushed his underwear down, his cock springing free before he climbed back on the bed.

He was so much thicker than I expected he would be. I moved my hand down to wrap my fingers around him, pumping his length. He let out a groan and lowered his forehead to mine. “Baby,” he muttered. “I…fuck. I have to get a condom.”

“Aaron,” I whined. “I want to feel you inside me. I’m on birth control. Please?” The thought of anything separating me from this man was abhorrent to me in that moment.

I saw his willpower crumble. “Are you sure?”

So sure. “Please,” I begged lifting my head to kiss him. “I want you to fuck me.”

With a groan that I will remember for the rest of my life, he shifted his hips forwarded, allowing my hands to guide him to my entrance. Aaron kissed me then, slowly and deeply has he started to push inside me. My hand flew away from his cock, both my arms wrapping around his body to pull him closer to me. I felt my nails digging into his back.

Aaron broke our kiss with another soft moan that sounded like my name. “I knew you’d feel like this,” he whispered, pressing deeper inside me. “I knew your pussy would be this fucking tight, this fucking hot, and so fucking soft." He started moving in and out of my pussy, going in a little further each time. “You still have to be quiet, sweet girl.”

“I’m trying,” I moaned, my pussy already starting to flutter around him when he finally pushed all the way inside of me. “Aaron, fucking Christ.” I felt him everywhere, and I somehow still craved more.

He grabbed my thigh, pulling if further up his side, allowing himself to sink deeper inside of me. “I know, sweet girl. I know.” He started a slow pace, pulling almost all the way out of me before slamming back inside me.

My head was thrashing against the pillows, my teeth digging into my bottom lip. “Aaron, I need you to fuck me harder. Please.”

He groaned at my words, placing a sloppy kiss to my mouth before pulling back. He pulled one of my legs up until it was over his shoulder, the other still wrapped around his waist, and then he started to move faster inside of me.

I braced one hand against the headboard as he pounded into me. “Oh my god, Aaron,” my voice was a low whimper as I looked down to see his cock sliding in and out of me. “You feel so fucking good.”

“Baby, I want you to reach down and rub your clit for me while I fuck your tight little pussy.” His pace started to speed up as he spoke. “Can you do that for me?” He groaned when I complied, the stimulation to my clit causing my pussy to flutter around him. “Good girl.”

My fingers began to work frantically. “Don’t stop, Aaron. Don’t stop,” I begged. “I’m so close.”

“I know, sweet girl, I can feel you. Your pussy feels so good squeezing around my cock. You’re going to make me cum.” His thrusts were starting to get choppier, one of his hands braced on the top of the headboard while the other held my leg on his shoulder. “Do you want me to cum inside your pretty pussy, sweet girl?” He groaned loudly when my walls clenched around him. “It feels like you like the idea of that, don’t you baby?”

My fingers continued their pace, my head thrashing, my body trembling. “Yes. Fuck, Aaron. Please cum inside of me. Please.”

Aaron felt it first and acted quickly; his hand moved from my leg to cover my mouth. “That’s it, cum for me, baby.”

I thought my orgasm earlier tonight was powerful. It was nothing compared to how I felt when I came around his cock, only to feel him find his own release a moment after.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck, y/n,” he breathed, giving a last few jerks inside of my body, pushing against the fluttering aftershocks of my orgasm. He rolled off me, careful not to drop all of his weight on top of me. To my relief, he quickly gathered me in his arm, pulling me against his body, pressing a soft kiss to my sweaty forehead.

My ear was pressed against his chest, allowing me to hear his heartbeat slowdown from its frantic pace and his breathing even out. I turned my head and pressed a kiss to his chest while his hand continued to stroke my back.

“That…that was amazing,” I said, looking up at him. “If I knew you had that in you, I wouldn’t have run out of the room every time I was alone with you.”

He laughed softly, his eyes sparkling. “Well, at least you’ll know for next time.”

My thoughts sobered at his words. Next time

“Hey,” he said, his hand cupping the side of my face. “No, don’t go away. I just got you.” He kissed my forehead again, then the tip of my nose, then both of my eyelids, before he tilted my face up further so he could press a kiss to my lips. “We’ll figure this out. We have to. I care too much about you to let you go.”

“I care about you too,” I replied, snuggling against his chest, my eyes suddenly feeling heavy.

I was almost asleep when I heard his voice rumble again. “Will you sing Beatles songs to me when I can’t sleep too?” His voice was sleepy and teasing.

I smiled into the darkness, not bothering to open my eyes. “If you want me to, I will.”

Permanent Taglist: @rachelxwayne @pinkdiamond1016 @sickeninglyshoujo @justagirllookingforherplace @nanocoool

#Aaron Hotchner #Aaron Hotchner x reader #Aaron Hotchner imagine #Aaron Hotchner x you #Aaron Hotchner x y/n #hotch x you #hotch x reader #hotch x y/n #criminal minds #criminal minds smut #Aaron Hotchner smut #SSA Aaron Hotchner

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joaquinwhorres · 3 years

Text

Blank Out - Ch. 2 (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

[ Masterlist ]

SUMMARY ››››› Bucky Barnes has a list of names–amends he needs to make. When he gets to yours, he finds the amends process a bit more…difficult than it should be.

WORD COUNT ››››› 3,550-ish

WARNINGS ››››› language

A/N ››››› I’ve decided that this story calls for alternating perspectives. Also, lemme know what you think about how this explores post-End Game life.

"You know Bucky Barnes?!"

Rocio was upon you before you had even fully entered the dining room. Despite the fact that it was probably cutting off her circulation, the eight year old was still proudly wearing her "Soldier Arm". You were surprised she could even put it on anymore, a thought that brought on the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia. When the two of you had constructed the costume four years ago, you had needed to roll the ends of the glove up and then safety pin it to the top of Rocio's sleeve to keep it from sliding off. Now it didn't even reach her shoulder anymore.

"I never mentioned that?" you asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No!" Rocio exclaimed

"Oh," you shrugged, rounding the table and passing by a wiggling Ravi in his booster seat.

Rocio fell into step behind you letting out an indignant and frustrated sound. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

She had an amazing and irritating talent for both shouting and whining at the same time. You breathed out your annoyance through her nose.

"Rocio," you said, flatly. "Do you really think I know Bucky Barnes and kept it a secret from you?"

The little girl pouted for a second as she thought it over before slowly shaking her head. "You're not very good at keeping secrets."

"Hey," you pointed a finger at her. "I never told anyone about your crush on Spider-Man did I?"

"I was six!"

"And yet, old enough to propose," you grinned, remembering finding the letter Rocio had addressed to Spider-Man with haphazardly spaced and sized letters. It had taken a few attempts to decipher some of the spelling, but it had proven excellent material to tease Rocio about for the past two years.

Your niece scowled at you and marched back to the table, dramatically throwing herself back into her chair.

You turned back to the stove and the probably cold eggs, smiling to yourself in victory. It was a brief moment of peace as you dished eggs onto three plates because the moment you popped the first one in the microwave, the interrogation started back up.

"Well, if you don't know him, why was he here?"

"He wanted to talk to me and your mom," you said, watching the eggs spin round and round.

"About what?"

"The weather."

"Y/N!" Rocio hit her hand against the table, causing Ravi to jump in his seat and stare at his sister with wide eyes.

You whirled on your niece. "Rocio Ishani, you know better."

"Sorry," Rocio mumbled, casting her eyes down to the table--one of her tells of genuine embarrassment and regret. The microwave beeped, and you sighed, switching the plate out for another one.

"I don't know what he wants to have a conversation about. He was here for three minutes and you did most of the talking. And even if I did know," you added on, stopping Rocio before words could come out of the little girl's open mouth. "I don't think it's a child friendly conversation. Which means when he comes, you're going to your room."

"He's coming back?"

You nodded. "When your mom comes to pick you up," you said, stopping the eggs with six seconds left on the clock. You took the two plates to the table, setting the hot one down in front of your seat and the warm one in front of Rocio. You raised your eyebrows at your niece, gesturing with your head to the kitchen before turning back to get Ravi's plate. Rocio trailed you in, pulling out the silverware drawer to get forks for the three of you and tearing off three paper towels as napkins. She still hadn't quite grasped that Ravi wouldn't be using a napkin however much he needed one. Instead, she ripped one half sheet into a quarter, as if that would convince him to use it in the same way that the small bright green fork convinced him to be somewhat civilized in his eating instead of using his hands.

It was a few more minutes before you were all at the table, ready to eat.

"Your arm, please," you said, gesturing to Rocio's glove. The little girl put up no fight, shimmying out of it and lightly laying it on the empty chair next to her, signature side up so she could admire it all of breakfast.

While the interrogation seemed to be over, talk of the Avengers was not. Most of the breakfast conversation revolved around ranking the Avengers from most powerful to least powerful, and most helpful to least helpful, and the ever ambiguous "best" to "worst." And then, as it did with young kids, talk bounced from subject to subject--connected only by the vaguest semblance of eight year old logic. It ended with a request to watch Wild Kratts after breakfast.

You did.

You did a lot of other things after breakfast too.

You made and played with play dough and stopped when you noticed Ravi was alternating between building with his and eating it.

You each drew pictures for Lilly with varying degrees of realism, had a fashion show turned impromptu dance party, and played hide and seek during Ravi's nap. (Rocio was such a good hider that you hadn't found her until after Ravi woke up, and you were definitely looking very hard and not reading a book.)

You painted each other's nails, and built an epic race car track for Ravi and made individual pizzas.

You raked leaves outside and picked a few favorites to press in books and even found time to fit in a small hurt self/strong self activity before Lilly arrived.

You were in the middle of deconstructing eating your creations when the front door opened.

"Where is my family?"

You looked up with a smile and gestured towards the door, but Rocio remained put. "We're in here!" she shouted, fingers sticky with peanut butter and fluff.

Lilly sauntered into the room, her emerald green suit still pressed and wrinkleless despite a day on the job. She arched her perfectly threaded eyebrows as she looked at you and daughter and the table all covered in graham cracker crumbs. "Looks like you three had a good day."

"Yep!" Rocio chirped, and Lilly clicked forward and into the corner of the room where Ravi was playing with his two cars on a section of the track.

"How is it my two year old is the least messy of the three of you?" she asked, bending over to press a kiss to Ravi's head. He squirmed away, continuing to move his cars along the track.

You laughed as Rocio licked a finger clean of peanut butter. "Because Ravi takes after you, and Rocio takes after me," you said, grinning at Rocio. Lilly frowned and crossed back over to the girls. "Don't worry though, I think we're all adventured out, so tomorrow we're just going to sit and stare at the walls."

"No!" Rocio shouted, and Lilly hushed her.

You tilted your head as if thinking. "I guess we could wash my car," you said, tapping your chin with a finger. "And the baseboards do need some dusting."

Rocio let out a dramatic groan, and you laughed, picking up a napkin to rub away at the spot of marshmallow fluff on her chin.

"Well, if you're not going to clean my house, you can at least clean your hands."

Rocio gave you a look of exasperation that she should have been much too young to even think about giving. Nevertheless, she slid out of her chair and headed to the sink, Lilly stopping her en route so she could press a kiss to the top of her daughter's head.

"How was work?" you asked as Lilly sunk into Rocio's vacated chair.

"People are idiots," Lilly rolled her eyes, giving a sigh.

"Says the literal genius," you returned, and Lilly snorted, shaking her head.

"It doesn't take a genius to follow simple instructions. I'll lay everything out for them, and even with pictures, they can't complete a single build without running into some potentially catastrophic error."

"That's not what you want to hear from the lead engineer at Stark Energy."

Rocio skipped back to the table, and Lilly scooched out her chair, gesturing for Rocio to come sit on her lap. The little girl veered off early though, instead attempting to climb into your lap. You shook her head, casting a quick glance at your sister who dropped her open arms.

"Your mom's missed you," you said, gesturing with her head across the table.

"I live with her," Rocio whined.

"And?" Lilly asked, moving her chair back up to the table. "I still miss you when I work."

"Really?" Rocio asked, walking over to the chair next to Lilly, and claiming it.

"Really," Lilly assured, placing an arm on the back of Rocio's chair, gently combing through her daughter's hair with her fingers. She looked up at you offering a small, weak smile before looking back down at her daughter. Her brow creased. "What are you sitting on?" she asked, tugging at something underneath Rocio. The little girl joined her mom in looking down, her eyes lighting up as she recognized the object.

"My Soldier Arm! Oh yeah! Guess who we met today!"

"Who?" Lilly asked.

"No, guess!"

You would have to teach your niece about the art of not playing a guessing game after making the answer so obvious. Then again, it still seemed so surreal that Bucky Barnes would turn up at your doorstep, that even with the "Soldier Arm", you doubted that Lilly would guess.

Lilly pursed her lips, putting on a show of thought. "Was it--"

There was a knock at the front door interrupting Lilly's guess. Rocio practically launched herself from the chair, already halfway out of the room by the time she could scream "I'll get it!"

"No!" Ravi shouted. His usual reaction when Rocio was too loud, too energetic, too Rocio.

Lilly exhaled a laugh at her son before turning back to you. "This was too much sugar," she said, circling a finger around Rocio's half-eaten creation. You laughed and Lilly smiled, and it felt nice for things to be normal between you--easy. Even if it was just for a moment.

A moment that was brought to a screeching halt by Rocio dragging Bucky Barnes into the combined kitchen and dining room by the hand.

"We met Bucky Barnes!" she chirped.

Lilly's face went slack, only managing to get out a small "Holy shit." Your eyes didn't linger long on your sister though. Instead your gaze was drawn to Bucky Barnes who looked vaguely amused at Rocio.

"Rocio, release your captive," you prompted, and reluctantly, Rocio released his hand, taking a few steps back towards her mother to give him some space.

"Is this--are you--what is happening here?" Lilly asked, looking between Bucky and you and Rocio, as if one of you had a reasonable explanation for this.You had only ever seen your sister this flustered twice before. Both of the previous occasions had been heartbreaking and traumatic, and you'd never quite gotten to experience how funny flustered Lilly was.

"He wants to talk to you and Y/N about something!" Rocio filled in.

Lilly's head whipped to you. "You know him?" she whispered, as if this was some secret conversation for your ears only.

You shook her head. "No, he just came by this morning and asked to speak with us."

"About what?" Lilly asked, furrowing her eyebrows and looking back to Bucky.

"I don't know."

For all of the differences between Lilly and Rocio--and there were many--their brain processing was eerily similar.

Bucky cleared his throat, drawing your attention back to him. "I um--I don't know if you want--" he gestured to Rocio. "Here for this."

"Rocio, go to your ro--the playroom," you corrected.

"I promise I'll be quiet if you let me--" Rocio started, and Lilly cut her off.

"Rocio, take your brother and go up to the playroom please,"

"But--" Rocio's face melted into the start of a complaint, but there a sharp cut of her mother's eyes stopped her dead. You remembered being on the receiving end of that look quite a few times while she was growing up. If anything it'd grown in power.

Rocio stomped forward, taking Ravi by the hand who whined and complained until she let him pick up a few cars to take with him, and the two exited the room, heavy footsteps echoing up the staircase.

You turned back to Bucky who was staring over Lilly's head, at the wall of family pictures.

The idea had hit you four years ago after Rocio woke up crying from a nightmare. Together, you spent the night going through old photo albums and Facebook albums, searching for the best pictures of the family. You ended the night with about forty pictures that needed to be framed, and the whole project took about a week to finish.

Every time the two of you ate lunch together over the past four years, Rocio would choose a picture, and you would tell her the story behind the picture. Your eyes flitted amongst them now.

There was the first time Lilly held you as a baby which was also the first time you smiled. Lilly's high school graduation--one of the few pictures with both of your parents in it, hovering on either side of Lilly as a six year old you sat on her hip. Lilly and Hector's beautiful wedding day. Lilly and Hector at your high school graduation. Lilly and you at the baby shower for Rocio, and Lilly and Hector at the shower for Ravi. There was one of Rocio's grandparents meeting her for the first time, and a good number of photos documenting your visits out to the family. Before the blip.

During your four years together, you and Rocio had also taken pictures of memories the family couldn't be there for and hung them on the wall; reminders of stories to tell should they ever return.

Rocio and you moving into a new house.

Rocio's first day of Kindergarten, first, and second grade.

The two of you and Rocio's ill-fated hamster, Churro.

Birthday parties and day trips that the rest of the family should have attended.

Bucky stared at the pictures, his frown deepening.

"Would you like to sit?" Lilly invited, allowing her collected professional persona to seep into her voice and straighten her spine.

The super soldier nodded, choosing the chair at the end of the table, closest to the door. He wet his lips, his eyes drawn from the pictures and down to the wooden table. It was strange seeing an Avenger--someone who had fought Thanos--seem so nervous in the company of two ordinary women.

He reminded you of the fourth graders who entered your office.

The fourth graders were always so hesitant to work with you--terrified of opening up and showing even a glimpse of vulnerability. It took three sessions just to get them to admit that they weren't fine and a few more before they lost the skittish look in their eyes. You doubted Bucky would be pried open by bags of chips or any of her fidgets, but figured you could at least try.

"Can I get you something to drink?" you asked, and Bucky shook his head.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time."

You nodded, and Lilly cocked her head. "So what brings an Avenger to my sister's house?"

He wet his lips and then looked up at the pair of you. "You're part of my efforts to make amends." Bucky made an attempt at a smile.

Across the table, Lilly's chest constricted with barely suppressed laughter, and the corners of your lips twitched in and out of a smile. Whoever had advised him to smile, surely hadn't meant for him to smile like that.

"What are you here to make amends for?" Lilly asked, her voice steady and betraying none of her amusement.

"I…" his eyes drifted back to the wall of pictures looming beside the group. "I'm the one responsible for your parents death."

You felt the world stop.

Or maybe it wasn't the world, maybe you stopped. Maybe every single atom within you stilled for a moment. Maybe your brain shut down and heart paused its beating, keeping you from thinking or feeling anything other than the numbness of shock. Because as surprising as it was for Bucky Barnes to show up on your doorstep at ten in the morning, you never expected he was responsible for changing your entire life.

"I know there's nothing, I could ever do to truly make amends--"

"You don't need to make amends."

Everything seemed to restart then. Your heart picked up its beating and brain whirred into action, sifting through memories and thoughts you'd long ago pushed to the back of your mind and locked there to remain untouched even by years of therapy.

Your skin prickled with flashes of images. The dark figure at the top of the staircase, the glint of metal you'd assumed was a gun in his hand, the cold blankness of his stare as his eyes bore into yours. And then the horror and sick relief of finding your parents in the moments after his disappearance.

"They were horrible people, and I'm glad they're dead. Thank you for salvaging my childhood"

"Y/N," Lilly gasped, horrified.

"You hated them too," you argued back. "Don't pretend you're not glad that Rocio and Ravi never have to meet them."

"Our relationship with our parents aside, they were still our parents. The least we can do is not thank the man who murdered them in their sleep."

Bucky for his part looked completely bewildered as his eyes darted between the two arguing sisters.

You shook your head. "You were more of a parent to me than they ever were."

"And it's because of that that I remember you waking up screaming every night for three years. So if you're not going to ask for amends for our parents' murder, at least ask for amends for what you had to go through because of him."

"My nightmares aren't because of him," you dismissed. Lilly would never believe--let alone understand--the reason behind your nightmares.

Seeing the argument was fruitless, Lilly tsked and dismissed you with a flip of her hair, turning instead to address Bucky. "Why?"

"Why…" Bucky stumbled along, confused by the conversational whiplash or the vague question.

"Why did you kill our parents?" Lilly demanded.

"Does it matter?" you asked.

"It matters to me."

You stared at your sister for a solid thirty seconds before, and shutting your eyes and bowing your head in surrender. Lilly didn't understand. If you had it your way, Lilly would never understand. You would never burden your sister like that.

Bucky swallowed hard. "I wasn't told the specifics of every...assignment. All I know is that your parents were working on something HYDRA wanted, and when they were offered a chance to join the cause, they declined. I was tasked with eliyoution and retrieval."

"Retrieval?" Lilly pressed

"Of their research."

Lilly gave him a single nod before looking down at the table in front of her. "I didn't even know they were conducting their own research."

You felt her skin prickle, an icy hot sensation shooting through your veins. Carefully calm, you reached across the table, palms open for your sister's hands. Lilly placed her hands into yours. "They never let us get to know them," you said gently, squeezing Lilly's hands. "That's why I'm angry and you're hurt."

Even as you said this, you could feel Bucky's gaze on you, intently studying your motions and facial expressions.

You looked back at him. "Thank you for coming to tell us. I'm sure it wasn't easy."

He nodded, his brow still slightly creased as he looked at her. And then his gaze flicked to Lilly, and you released a breath.

"I know it doesn't mean much--it doesn't change anything, but I'm not the person who did that anymore. I am no longer the Winter Soldier. I am James "Bucky" Barnes."

Lilly nodded, releasing your hands and looking Bucky square in the face. Her own expression was completely neutral, not a trace of a tear or any of the hurt she'd voiced.

"If you want to make amends, you should come here for Thanksgiving."

Neither you nor Bucky had been expecting that. Your instinctive reaction was to snort out a laugh as if it were a joke, and Bucky looked like the very dictionary definition of confusion: brow knitted together, eyes narrowed, mouth hanging open.

"It would mean the world to my daughter. You can think about it as replacing a memory of my daughter meeting her grandparents. you's right, this will probably be a happier memory anyway."

"You have to come!" Rocio rushed into the room, you and Lilly shouting her name in a mixture of surprise, horror, and reprimand. The eight year old made no excuses or explanations. Instead she stood by Bucky's chair, peering up at him with a bright intensity only a child could muster. "Please."

Bucky looked away from Rocio to Lilly and then you. "Ok."

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes #tfatws #fatws #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes imagine #falcon and the winter soldier #fatws fic #tfatws fic #bucky barnes reader insert #bucky barnes fanfiction #post-end game #james buchanan barnes #marvel #avengers #marvel fic #avengers fic

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itssuppertim3 · 3 years

Text

Houseguest (Vampire! Miraak x Reader) Part IV:

My fingers pressed into the purple bruise blossoming over the side of my neck as I stared at the ceiling. Two days dragged by, and I had not seen Lord Miraak since. I wished so desperately to see him. I wanted to eat dinner with him and spend hours speaking with him in the lounge room as we normally did in the late hours of the night. A whisper of a chuckle fled my lips at the thought. Normal; how quaint. Had I lived in this rotting castle so long to where I finally viewed my situation as normal? I assumed it to be the case, because by now, I couldn't even imagine myself leaving.

I remembered rousing from my slumber the morning after, only to find the man in question missing. I searched for him all around, inspecting each room, closet, and compartment. For such a tall and ominous figure, he made for an excellent hider. Sinking into a pit of depression, I retreated to my bedroom and let my back bounce against the mattress, leading to now. I exhaled a rough sigh before meeting my mirror. My reflection was pale, dreary. It was evident that my last two nights had been spent in restlessness, for the under parts of my eyes were blue from insomnia. My thoughts were far too occupied by Miraak to even ponder over the desire for sleep. What had gotten into me, lately?

I rubbed at my sagged eyelids and heaved myself out of bed. I didn't hesitate over the knob as I swung open the door, revealing the gloomy hallway I had grown so accustomed to. It was always quiet here, yet never empty. Somehow, simply knowing that Lord Miraak was nearby gave everything such purpose and warmth. But recently... it only felt hollow. It felt more like a shell rather than a home, and I loathed it terribly. My body shivered at the ruckus of wind pounding against the paperthin windows while I trecked down the stairs. I knew that midday was approaching, however any sunlight that attempted to peek through was instantly blocked away by large curtains. I never had much trouble navigating through the castle thanks to the central hearth, but to much to my dismay, it remained cold. Yesterday and the day before that held the same results. It was as if the lord had abandoned his home! It was as if he had abandoned me...

A fit of frustration coiled into my being at the picture. I imagined him, clad in black coats and wielding a giant umbrella, with gothic-fashioned suitcases hanging by his fingers. My mind grew clouded in a sudden despair. The probability of him actually leaving was damned near impossible. If anything, he would've casted me to the dirt and waved me off with the flick of his wrist before slamming the door behind him. Somehow, that caused me to feel worse. With sluggish movements, I fell into his chair and curled my knees to my chest. It was so big, it felt as if I was seated in a giant's throne. It was was always threatening to look at from afar, but sitting in it like this gave me a sense of safety as well. The back cushion of the chair caressed my cheek as I melted into it. It reminded me of him in the oddest way.

In truth, I couldn't explain my affection for him. The little bits of me that were still sane were petrified of Lord Miraak. And after drinking my blood, that fright was greatly intensified. But there was something else. He was so incredibly gracious and kind to me, I wouldn't have believed him to be a vampire of all things. He was patient, gentle, soft with his words, and always approached me with subtle actions. It was funny, actually. Upon first meeting him, I hardly viewed him as a person, let alone a man. And yet over the month that we spent together, that so-called monster managed to weave his way into my heart and fill it with such happiness. A smile marked across my face as my eyes lulled shut. A few, brief words streamed into my mind before I was finally welcomed into a sea of sleep.

"I love him."

I shot out a gasp when the vaguest hint of pressure brushed over my shoulder and I whipped my head in multiple directions. "Are you there?" I called, my voice breaking. As quickly as the presence appeared, it had already faded away.

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Yeahh, sadly Miraak didn't really make an appearance in this chapter. I felt like Y/n's feelings needed to be explained more thoroughly, but DO NOT FEAR! Big man returns in all of his hot vampire glory in the next part so stay tuned :3

#miraak #skyrim #elder scrolls #vampire au #miraak x reader #y/n #fanfiction #first dragonborn

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the-vault-apprentice · 3 years

Note

Do you think hopping egg hider would be good at Eden?

..... Yes....? But also no. No light to lose means he would have no chance in Stormlock. Just.... Gone right away. Not sure if that's good or bad. Good because it's over soon, but sad to watch your friends.

He couldn't even get in the door, could he?

Well, let's suppose he did. Maybe he is holding a hand.

Once he got inside, I think he would be VERY good at navigating the Eye of Eden! The safest routes I've been on in that Storm are low to the ground and not the obvious paths. For example, going to the right of the main path on the start, and flying behind-left of the building with all the Dark Dragons. And you can wait behind lower rocks to avoid the flying ones.

Being good at hiding things means you're also good at hiding YOURSELF, yes? And he seems very quick on his feet. As long as he didn't get too, urm.... Jumpy.... And make a rush too soon, I'm certain he'd make an excellent guide for others, even! He's certainly got good enough reflexes to escape moments and spots that would likely be disastrous for a moth more quickly than they know.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was waiting at the end of all that, wondering what took the rest of us so long!

#sky: children of the light #sky: cotl #that sky game #koulakani #ROTG #Guardians of Childhood #Season of Childhood #Hopping Egg Hider #still love that #wish upon a star

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saiilorstars · 3 years

Text

Until That Day (One-shot)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC

A/N: Inspired one shot by, of course, FATWS. I just couldn't help it. You can also consider this as a prequel to the blurb (We Interrupt this Program) I wrote for them too! It’s fun connecting dots!

Chapter Summary: Since Bucky has failed to answer any of her calls, Chloe Winters decides to pull one over him and simply...meet him. Not everybody can make the once Winter Soldier jump but he does when he sees Chloe at the same restaurant.

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel @stareyedplanet @perfectlystiles @lenonizi

[If you’d like to be added to this OC’s edits/fics, let me know!]

Chloe’s Masterlist

It actually frightened Bucky how good she was. He had the training of all training and somehow, she managed to frighten him with how good she was. Chloe Winters was always making him feel things he shouldn't.

He actively avoided everybody these days, not because he didn't want to see them but because he didn't know what to do with them if they were around. He was in the worst phase of his life, as bad as it sounded, because for once in his life there was no more fighting. He was done with it and now all he had to focus on was...himself. As it turned out, that wasn't at all something he liked. Even worse, because he had yet to figure out how to go about it, he was pushing others away.

Like Chloe.

There she was, sitting on the other end of the counter with a drink in her hand as she talked with some plain guy (Bucky thought the guy looked horribly plain, anyways). He could believe that she was at the same restaurant by pure coincidence...if he didn't know how she was. And he liked to think that he knew her plenty.

Which is why he thought that guy she was with was exceptionally distasteful.

"Don't scowl, your face will stay like that."

Bucky blinked and looked at the elder man sitting beside him: the one "friend" he technically had at the moment.

Yori had an odd smirk on his face that Bucky didn't often see. "What?" he asked the elder man.

"You're scowling. You don't smile so much but right now your face is in grave danger of getting stuck with that scowl," Yori waved his finger in front of Bucky's face. "What are you staring at?"

Bucky dove his attention to his half eaten food on his plate but in the end his yearning (or perhaps jealousy) betrayed him. His eyes flickered to Chloe again. She was laughing with that guy.

"Aah," he heard Yori hum. "It's about time you know."

"What?"

"I was about to ask Leah if she wanted to go on a date with you—"

"What!?" Bucky nearly choked on his food.

"But you haven't stopped staring at that girl over there." By some miracle, Yori did him the favor of not pointing at Chloe. "She's pretty."

Bucky preferred to ignore the man for the moment. He made a motion for the waitress to see. "Can I get another beer?" As if that was going to have any effect on him.

"You're still scowling," Yori said.

Bucky scowled even deeper. "Am not."

"Are too. All you have to do is go over there and introduce yourself. She'll like you more."

"Yeah, I'm not doing that. We're having lunch and that's—" Bucky stopped, freezing altogether when he saw Chloe was no longer where she'd been. How the hell? He looked around as discreetly as possible but the restaurant was too crowded to spot her...if she even remained inside. Bucky glanced towards the entrance, the walls on either side were blurred with the heavy rain. What if she was gone?

"Your face is going to stay like that," Yori warned again. Bucky snapped out of his thoughts.

At this point, Bucky didn't think there was an actual chance of him not scowling. He accepted the beer from the waitress and didn't hesitate to take the biggest swig of his life.

"Can I get another strawberry pink lemonade, please?" Someone placed an empty glass between Bucky and Yori for the waitress to pick up.

Bucky actually flinched.

Chloe had a cheery smile on her face. She watched the waitress take her glass. "It's not polite to stare," she said suddenly. Her head turned in Bucky's way. "Or scowl, for that matter."

"He does that a lot," Yori said in-between chews.

"Yori," Bucky said. Chloe laughed and unknowingly brought a fuzzy feeling to Bucky's stomach.

"He is sort of a scowler," she agreed with elder man. "You know he used to smolder back in the day."

Yori paused with his lunch to look back at Chloe then Bucky several times. "You two know each other?"

Bucky gave a silent nod of his head. Chloe did the same but with an unmistakable whimsical glint in her eyes.

"I'm Chloe," she introduced herself. "And like it or not—" she threw a more sharpened look at Bucky, "—he knows me." A jab she wanted to take even when every part of her told her it was childish. Well, she might still be a child at heart and he deserved it.

"Here you go," the waitress returned with Chloe's drink.

Chloe was back to smiling like nothing. She thanked the waitress and grabbed her drink. "I'll be sitting over there," she told Bucky, "Make of that whatever you want."

He leveled her look with a wry smile. "Really?"

"He will be there," Yori said suddenly.

Bucky's eyes widened. "Wait—"

"He can be there right now, actually," Yori went on like Bucky wasn't currently begging (silently) for him to stop talking. "You want to have lunch with him?"

Chloe giggled. "No, no, you guys should finish your lunches. I'm a patient girl."

"Dinner, then?"

"Yori," Bucky said again. He was paying for all the times he pushed Steve towards pretty girls. This had to be payback.

Chloe looked between the pair, unable to decide who was the funniest. "We can discuss something later. Please, finish your lunches in peace." She cast an innocent glance at Bucky as she took a sip of her drink. "See yah!" She wiggled her fingers and took off.

"You cannot do that," Bucky was quick to tell Yori when it was just them again. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you were scowling again," Yori shrugged casually. "You already know the girl. It's even easier."

"You can't…you gotta warm up and I haven't danced since 1943…" Bucky had grabbed his beer for another long drink when his words registered in his head. Despite nearly choking, he croaked: "It feels like."

Yes, he did have history with Chloe and even though it wasn't all bad—those moments with her were the few precious memories he fought to keep right on the surface of his mind—he couldn't afford to mess things up even more than he already have.

And yet...

He found himself approaching Chloe after finishing lunch with Yori and the restaurant was less crowded. By that time, Chloe was alone. The guy she'd been talking to was long gone, with any luck. Chloe played with the straw in her drink.

"Took you long enough," she said before he even took a seat beside her. She raised her head, showing off a pretty smile. "For a while, I thought you'd sneak off."

For a moment, Bucky panicked thinking she'd read his mind...even though she technically couldn't. "I...was waiting for your friend to leave."

Chloe hummed. "Carlos is a co-worker."

Bucky actually hated how elated that one sentence made him. The good news is that he was a master of the straight faces. "Oh," he said simply.

Chloe patted the empty stool beside her. "I'm not here to reproach," she said as if she was once again reading his thoughts.

Bucky sat down and watched her call the waitress again for another drink. "Cute drink," he said once the glass was out of Chloe's hand.

She playfully rolled her eyes. "I'm working tomorrow and some of us can, unfortunately, get drunk."

"Is that why your friend was here, then?"

Chloe nodded. "He was explaining the situation."

"Interesting choice of venue..." Bucky remarked ever-so-casually. "I don't know much of S.W.O.R.D. but if they're anything like S.H.I.E.L.D. was, I doubt this crowded place was the right spot for secret missions."

Chloe lifted an eyebrow at him with an innocent shrug of her shoulders. "I've only been working with for a couple years. I don't exactly choose the spots."

Bucky tilted his head at her. She did the same. She could be an excellent mirror when she wanted.

"How did you find me?" Bucky finally asked her. Chloe tapped her left temple with a finger. Bucky nodded. "Of course."

"According to the Hivemind, there was a 99.9% chance of finding you in this location." Chloe thanked the waitress for her new drink. She side-glanced Bucky as she took her first sip.

"That Hivemind needs to mind its business," he told her, for the first time speaking with a light humor in his tone. He knew well enough that Chloe's abilities didn't always work under her control. The Hivemind she was connected to often gave her information she did not ask for. Though he wondered if this precise information had been requested. Did she really come to see him?

Chloe hummed. "Wouldn't that be nice? Of course that would have made my life a little more difficult in the past. Can't be the best hider if I don't know where the seeker is."

Bucky said nothing and gave a mere small nod. For years she'd been on the run from Hydra and was one of the who remained free of them in the end.

"You haven't answered my calls, Bucky," Chloe whispered. All the coolness she'd exhibited so far washed away. Bucky swallowed hard when she met his look and revealed a pair of eyes filled with pain. "You don't text back. You just...don't. Logically speaking, I should take that to mean you don't want to hear from me. If that's the case, I would rather you tell me in person, looking me in the eye."

"Chloe..." Bucky sighed, looking away as if to already defy her request.

"I won't say anything but I just need to hear it in person," she insisted. "After everything, I deserve that. And you deserve to have one less bother."

"You are not a bother," Bucky quickly clarified. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking him what the hell she was then because to qualify as a friend, he would actually have to talk to her. He sighed again. "Everything is just...so hard, okay? I can't get myself together."

"Of course you can't, you've only been here for what? Six months? After 90 years of hell, I expect the recuperation to be a long process." Chloe pushed her drink away from her and leaned towards him. "You and I were screwed over by Hydra. You were a hunter and I was a runner. I ran because I needed to, because I didn't want Hydra to catch me, and you hunted because you had to. You didn't have a choice. All that takes time to process and deal with, I get that, but what I can't figure out is why you won't let me be in your life again? I thought that in Wakanda we'd built something. Friendship, at least."

She was sparing them the almost encounters they had in those 2 years after the Accords. She was on the run again, this time with Steve and the others, but she always came to visit Bucky in Wakanda. It always surprised him to see her back, to see her wanting to spend time with him. He wasn't that stable to have any type of friendship and yet she kept coming back.

Bucky had met a couple women in Wakanda before Chloe, and they'd all been incredibly kind and mindful of his condition...but there was always something about Chloe. Chloe. It wasn't long before he found himself thinking about Chloe more than a friend, more than an aid. She came to help him, to spend time with him and discover parts of Wakanda and in the meantime he found himself falling in love with her.

The stupidest thing he could've done because there was no way they could ever happen.

And yet on a few occasions, they seemed to touch each other more often, longer than they needed to. The way they smiled at each other, their lingering looks...it was too much and sometimes, things happened. Chloe kissed him first. She apologized profusely to him immediately, going as far as saying she wouldn't come back to Wakanda if he didn't want to see her anymore.

The mere thought of never seeing her again scared Bucky like nothing ever had, and that was saying something. He had to kiss her back. She needed to know that she wasn't the only one thinking about things that shouldn't be.

Moments like those seemed to happen more often afterwards.

But they never had time to make anything official.

Then the blip happened.

And the rest was history.

"Bucky, please say something," Chloe said whilst trying to hide the desperation in her voice. "I'm trying really hard to be optimistic but if I'm just reaching, I'll stop and go. I don't want to get in the way of your recuperation. Should I...should I just go?"

And if you are alone, that is the quietest, most personal hell.

The damn shrink had a point and he knew it but it never stung so much before it dealt with Chloe. "...no." The single word had come out of Bucky in a frail whisper.

Chloe paused for a second, her head turning slightly as if waiting for him to take it back. Then, slowly, she straightened up on her stool. "I liked your friend," she said, catching him off guard with the quick change in subject. She pulled her drink back and took a quick sip. "He was cute."

Bucky raised an eyebrow at her. "Should I give him your number?" She laughed and within seconds, he did the same. Just like that, part of the ice between them melted.

"Do you want another drink?" Chloe asked, "Something cute?"

"Would it really make a difference, Chlo?"

Chloe struggled not to show the effect his nickname for her still had on her. She took another drink of her lemonade, a bigger one but she ignored the brain freeze. "Guess not," she mumbled.

Bucky let another moment in silence pass by before he was brave enough to ask her: "Why are you here, Chloe? Really?"

"You don't believe that I'd come to Brooklyn just to see you?" Chloe knew better than to ask. He always tried to be subtle about asking her why she kept coming back to Wakanda. Surely there had to be a better reason than to just see him. Her heart ached a little each time it happened. Bucky was so used to being, well, used that he couldn't straightaway believe somebody would want to visit him just to see him.

"I mean..." Bucky cleared his throat, eyes flickering away from her out of embarrassment, "You're working, aren't you? You've been very busy."

"I'm never busy for you," Chloe said with so much ease that it startled him. Her head turned slightly at him. "I was worried. You weren't answering me at all. Sam says you haven't talked in a long time now."

"I told you, all this...it's hard. I can't afford to be around you guys..."

"But you can afford to be around these people?" Chloe made a good counter-argument. "As sweet as that old man seems to be, he doesn't know you and it can't be easy sustaining a relationship with people you can't be completely honest with. I would know. Ever since I was 17, I've had to hide a big part of myself from people. You, Sam, Steve...you guys are the only ones who really know me. Do you want us to be around?"

"Yes," Bucky answered straightaway, "I mean, eventually...it's just hard." He was a broken record and he knew it. It frustrated him that he couldn't explain himself better. It was why he chose to stay away from people who knew him. It upset himself that he couldn't give them the proper explanations about why he was more reclusive, why he did the things he did. He preferred to spare them the trouble.

"You are not trouble to me," Chloe said quietly.

Bucky looked at her incredulously. "I thought you said you can't read minds."

"There was a 70% chance that you were putting yourself down," she explained with a light shrug of her shoulders, "I connected the rest of the 30% myself."

"That little Hivemind..." He pointed at her, earning a small smile from her.

"See, I'm trouble." Her eyes flashed a bright blue for show.

Bucky laughed shortly. Seconds later, he would realize it was the first honest laugh he had in a very long time. "I would like to say 'no you're not' but I think we both know that you are."

"Hey now," Chloe giggled. "I try to be on my best behavior every now and then."

"Oh, please. If there was ever anyone who embodied mischief, it's Chloe Winters."

"Hey!" Chloe playfully shoved his arm.

Bucky smirked at her. "Am I wrong?"

"You're a jerk!" She huffed. She took a dejected sip of her drink, though a big part of her was in a frenzy. She truly did miss being around Bucky. No matter how dark things were for them, it all seemed to fade when she was around him. They played off each other so easily, neither one had to try too hard. At least that's the way it felt for her. She could only hope that Bucky felt the same.

"I'm sorry," Bucky ended up saying, much like every other time when they bantered. He didn't like the idea of her being upset with him for any reason, even if it was all good-natured fun. He wanted to see her smiling at all times if it was possible.

Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "Sure.."

"C'mon, Chlo..." He reached over for her arm on the counter but when she moved it, he ended up taking her hand instead. He initially froze until the alarms started going off in his head screaming at him to pull back.

Chloe turned her hand underneath his around to hold it. Her fingers slipped between his gloved ones. "Don't pull away, please," she whispered.

Bucky swallowed hard and tried to focus on breathing, just breathing. He had trouble breathing for nightmares and memories but he hadn't had a moment like this since...Chloe. The last time they saw each other, she'd held his hand as well and unknowingly made it completely difficult for him to breathe normally. Even though this time he wore gloves, he could still feel her warmth pushing through the material to touch his skin. That wasn't one of her abilities; it was just her. He wanted nothing more than to touch her for real and feel her fingers against his skin. She always did that to him and she didn't even know it.

"I'm sorry," he felt the monumental urge to say, and perhaps repeat for days to come.

Chloe looked at him from the corner of her eye. She was pretty sure he didn't want her to see him like that. "I'm not here for apologies," she reminded. "Being honest, I was so worried that if I didn't find you, you would ultimately cut ties with me. Forget about me, even."

"I don't think I could do that even if I tried," Bucky stared down at their interlocked hands. Such a simple act was already bringing a rush of memories from Wakanda.

"Sometimes it feels that way," Chloe admitted. "What do you do when I try to call? When Sam tries to call?"

"Chloe..."

"Hey," the waitress stopped by their seats, "Sorry, James, we gotta close up."

Chloe took note that the woman was just being friendly and doing her job so she decided to direct all her irritation towards Bucky afterwards. "You're on a first name basis with strangers instead of caring for the relationships you already have!" She yanked her hand out from under his.

"It's not like that!" Bucky tried to say but she was already leaving money on the counter for her drinks.

"Isn't it?" she demanded. "Your phone's probably full of my unopened texts and unanswered calls. At this point, it's more mine than it is yours!"

Okay, maybe she had that point.

"C'mon, Chloe..."

"You know a lot of people consider me a bother but it would kill me if that's what you thought of me too."

"I already told you that you're not!"

Chloe shook her head and stood up from her stool. She slung her purse over her shoulder. "But you would rather not talk to me yet."

"Again, not like that! Chloe, please?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. Don't get upset, don't show you're upset. Because showing she was upset would probably only make Bucky feel worse. She would swallow her feelings down if it meant helping him get better. For that, it was better if she got going. She had very little self control when she was around Bucky and it was only amplified when he gave her that puppy-eyed look he was giving her right now.

"I should just go, Bucky," Chloe said and took off before he could say something persuasive.

Bucky was quick to follow her. "Chloe! C'mon, it's raining!"

Chloe saw the rain pouring down the windows as she neared the front door. Yeah, maybe it was raining a little too hard, but so be it. "I've noticed but I'm a big girl, I can handle some rain. I'll just call a taxi."

"You're in New York! Even I know it's impossible to get a taxi around here, especially when it's raining!"

Chloe pulled the door open. As soon as she did, she was slapped in the face by the cold air. She peered outside and saw the sky was dark and gloomy. Dammit. "I can walk," she said, plain and simple.

Bucky rolled his eyes. She was as stubborn as ever. "Do you even have an umbrella?"

Chloe's eyebrows raised. No, she did not. "I can walk," she insisted.

"Where!?" Bucky made a gesture at the streets. "It's pouring out there!"

"And yet, we can't stay here. It's fine," Chloe shrugged. "My hotel's, like..." She peered again to get another glimpse of the streets. Her eyes flashed blue as the exact information flowed through her lips. "Ten blocks from here."

Bucky's expression fell flat. "Chloe!"

She groaned. "I'm going!" She announced and walked onto the sidewalk. She regretted it as soon as the cold pellets of water hit her head and shoulders. It was freezing!

"Chloe!" Bucky went after her. The cold wasn't as bad for him. It was almost nothing, honestly, compared to the cold he'd seen in his days.

"I'm already walking!" Chloe flapped an arm to show her good pace. She was quick to bring her arm back to wrap around herself.

"Yeah, I see that, and you're not going to make it 10 blocks on foot!"

"Is that a challenge, Barnes?"

"Noo!" Bucky said fast. He learned early on never to challenge her because even if it was plainly clear that he would win (whether it was due from a physical advantage or he was just better at it), Chloe wouldn't back down. She was very competitive and while it was funny (and perhaps endearing), sometimes she could actually hurt herself. Right now, she may not be in danger except of getting a cold, but he still wasn't taking the chance. "Chloe, compromise time, please." He grabbed her arm to stop her. "Come back to my place and when the rain lightens up or stops altogether, you can go home."

Chloe shifted and not just for the heavy rain falling on her. "You want me to come to your place?"

Bucky knew exactly what he was asking and he stood by it. He already didn't sleep well and knowing that Chloe was on her own in the streets of New York under rain would make it even more impossible to sleep. He had to know that she was safe. "I'm 3 blocks away," he gestured to the street ahead of them. "You're going to get a cold out here."

"I may be cold but that does not mean that I'm going to get sick!"

"Chloe!"

"Fine!" She huffed. "Lead the way I guess."

"I guess?"

She shrugged.

Bucky hid his smile as he started the way. Bickering with her was always fun, especially when she made that face. Bucky looked over his shoulder and smiled to himself again. Chloe was right behind him, her face scrunched into what almost seemed like a pout. That was the face alright.

~ 0 ~

Chloe was shivering by the time they reached the apartment. She'd long ago forgot about putting up a front. Everything went out the damn window when her bones were actually hurting from how cold she was.

"I'm sorry, I don't have extra clothes..." Bucky hadn't really thought his plan through until they were already in the apartment.

"Sh-sh-shirt!" Chloe managed to say. "A-a-and a b-blanket!"

"Yeah," Bucky quickly agreed. He left her standing by the doorway in his haste to find her some warmer clothes.

Chloe let herself wander a few more steps inside. She didn't think Bucky would want any of the neighbors to see her. Plus, it was just damn warmer. She let her bag's strap fell to the floor. It didn't take long to notice how under-furnished the apartment was as a whole. Last time she'd been around, Bucky had just been putting it together...or at least that's what he had told her.

"You're a goddamn liar," she muttered under her breath. He would tell her anything to make her believe he was completely fine transitioning from the calm and peaceful life he had in Wakanda to the busy and noise lifestyle of Brooklyn.

"Hey," she soon heard Bucky call. He was making his way back to her and right away Chloe saw a gray shirt in his hands. "Obviously I don't have anything that'll fit your..." Interestingly enough, the words to describe her figure were lost on him. It wasn't like he'd spent a good part of his time admiring her.

"I-it's f-fi-fine," Chloe promised as she took the shirt from him. She absolutely hated the fact she couldn't talk without shuddering. Here he was acting pretty much normal for himself, making her appear more like a damn fool rather than a helpful friend.

"I left a blanket in the bedroom," Bucky told her.

"Y-you ha-ave those?" She lifted an eyebrow at him as of she were genuinely puzzled.

It took Bucky a short second to realize she was referring to the lack of furniture in the apartment. He rolled his eyes. "You're freezing to death and you still find time to be sarcastic?"

Her smirk was lopsided. "I-I can m-m-multi-task."

Bucky's own lips curved into what seemed like the makings of a laugh. "Chloe Rose, go."

Chloe thanked the heavens her body was too cold to be able to blush. Something about the way he said her middle name always gave her a tingle down her back. It was casual yet a sort of intimacy at the same time. Very few people knew her full name and even then, nobody seemed to say it with the same fondness that Bucky had.

"Oh, and hey Chloe?" Bucky called when she was down the halfway. "There's washing machines downstairs if you, um, want me to do that for you?"

"Wh-what?" Chloe's eyebrows knitted together. "N-No! You're n-n-not d-doing my-my laundry! I-I will!"

Bucky had expected that kind of answer so he took extra pleasure with his response. "Well if you want to go downstairs to do laundry wearing just a man's t-shirt, by all means...go ahead."

Chloe detested the smug grin on his face. "I-I-I f-fucking hate y-you."

"Soo...do you want me to do it then?"

Chloe turned away to keep heading for the room but she stopped right outside the door. "Hey, d-do y-you a-a-actually know h-how to-to use the machines?"

Bucky had also been expecting a jab like that. He was only unsure of when she would deliver it. "I'm not an entire idiot."

"Sure." Chloe pulled the bedroom door open and slammed it shut on her way in.

Bucky stayed right where he was, struggling to keep his laugh quiet and away from her. There were no dark moments when Chloe was around, she proved it every single time she was with him.

~0~

When Chloe returned, she was wrapped in a thick blanket. The t-shirt that Bucky could only do so much covering down to her knees. Her hair was no longer sticking to her face but was in need of a good brush.

Bucky was coming out of the kitchen with a mug in his hand. He'd dried up and changed as well, no doubt having already did the laundry for her. "You're cold so...coffee?" He awkwardly held the mug to her.

Chloe would've laughed at how out of place he looked at that moment if things weren't so complicated. Instead, she walked over to take the mug. "Thanks." She moved past him for the lone sofa chair he had. "How's the laundry?" she asked after making herself comfortable. She'd pulled both her legs up to the chair and wrapped her blanket over, leaving a small gap in the middle to move her arms. "Did you figure out the machines?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Yes. It'll be done soon but...I don't think the rain's stopping anytime soon."

"Seriously?" Chloe sighed, glancing at the window on the far end of the room. She could hear the rumbles of the thunder.

"This is yours..." Bucky was coming to hand her purse she'd left behind earlier. "Your phone's been buzzing..."

"Of course." Chloe mumbled a 'thanks' as she grabbed her bag from him. She opened it up with one hand and pulled her phone out. Sure enough, she had a bunch of missed calls from her co-worker.

"Sounds like you're a busy girl," Bucky remarked. On the one hand, it made him happy to see Chloe had rebuilt her life after Hydra and the mess of the blip but on the other hand, it scared him that one day all her business would make it easier for her to forget him altogether. It wasn't a particular fair thought considering his poor efforts to be in contact with her.

Chloe hummed, her eyebrows raising as she went through the unread texts on her phone. "Sometimes, I wish I had the super endurance you people have. Would make everything a little easier."

"You don't need it. You never did."

"Maybe now I do..." Something flickered across Chloe's face after reading one text. The crease of worry marked her forehead.

Bucky long ago learned to recognize it. "Is the mission big?"

"I don't know," Chloe looked up to meet his gaze, "I was just getting preliminary details from Carlos at the restaurant and suddenly now we have concrete facts."

"How bad is it?"

Chloe's shoulders half-shrugged. "Dunno. Something about New Jersey and Wanda? I don't know but I have to be there by tomorrow night."

"You need to leave right now?"

"Not in this rain—nothing takes off in this weather. I'll just get back to my hotel no matter what."

"Chlo, you can't. It's pouring and it's getting late. I can't let you go like that! It's New York!"

"But—"

Bucky raised his hands in front of him. "I know I haven't been the best to you but let me try to mend some of that by keeping you safe for tonight."

Chloe smiled softly at him. "You don't have to do that. I don't expect that from you, from anyone actually. I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt but it's raining, Chloe. Please? Stay here and first thing in the morning I will personally walk you to your hotel."

"Again, you don't really have to—"

"Chloe!" Bucky relaxed when she smirked.

"Sometimes it's fun poking at you, but okay, I'll stay. Thanks."

Bucky nodded. "I know I don't have much but I do have a bed in the room so you can stay there."

"Yeah, I saw it..." Chloe also saw that it was perfectly made, almost like it hadn't even been touched at all. She wondered how long it'd been since he slept there. "Sure you don't want to take it? I'm not a stranger to sleeping on the floor, or couch for that matter."

Bucky shook his head. "Use it. I'll stay out here." Chloe lifted an eyebrow at him. She said nothing for a couple minutes but her stare was more than Bucky could handle from her. "What?" he eventually asked.

"You know I used to stay with Steve with sometimes back before S.H.I.E.L.D. fell. I used to think he was such a gentleman letting me sleep in his bedroom while he took the couch...until I realized that he didn't really want to sleep in his bed." Chloe watched Bucky shift on his feet. It was uncanny how the story repeated itself in different versions. "I asked him why that was. I mean, again, I've pretty much slept everywhere while I was on the run, and he confided me years later that the bed was too...soft. There were things that I couldn't understand but overall I got the gist that simple things like that weren't...as simple as I thought. They came with more meanings that, if you haven't seen certain things, you wouldn't really get it. I'm sorry that I don't get it but I'm here if you need something from me."

Bucky swallowed hard with her heartening expression. He could crawl into a hole at that moment and yet he wouldn't be able to do it knowing that it would take away that same heartened expression from her. "Chloe, I...I know you want to help and I'm thankful for it, I really am, but I'm just not sure what I need yet..."

Chloe nodded. She raised her free hand up to him and motioned him to take it. Bucky hesitated but the more Chloe pleaded with those eyes of hers, the closer he found himself to her until his flesh hand finally reached hers. The coffee and the blanket were definitely helping because she was much warmer than she'd been earlier.

"Whenever you figure out what I can do for you, give me a call," she said. "Give me a call, a text, even if it's small, okay?"

"Yeah," Bucky whispered. "It's...it's kind of hard to admit it's strange that people—mostly you—want me to talk to you that badly." His eyes were glued to her hand and he was acutely aware that despite holding her hand with his flesh hand, he was hesitant to squeeze or grip it.

Chloe's wry look went right over him. "Don't get all cocky with me," she warned.

"Asking me not to breathe, doll," he said automatically. Chloe smiled at the entire exchange. They'd started it in Wakanda and it would apparently continue even when they weren't exactly in the same places as they'd been before.

She squeezed his hand as much as she could. All plays and jokes aside, she met his eyes. "I've already lived in a world where you didn't exist. It was terrible. I don't want to repeat that again."

Bucky nodded silently. Her words carried a heavy weight that, as terrible as it sounded, he hadn't yet thought about. He was the first to disappear during the blip and that was that. Next thing he knew, he was back in Wakanda wondering where the hell everyone had gone. He fought some aliens and now he was in New York again.

For Chloe, the blip had happened and she was forced to live through the 5 years of disaster that followed because half the population had disappeared. She didn't get to magically go from one spot to the next. She had to come back to New York, figure out what the hell to do and then try to do it. Nothing was fixed because the blip was reversed, she still had to figure out how to live with the fact everyone was back now and at different places than where they used to be.

They were the prime example.

They used to be on a whole other level with each other before the blip. She would come by to Wakanda to see how he was doing and then spend days with him doing, admittedly, stupid casual stuff with him. They had fun with each other then; they had been finding their rhythm and sync and he liked it so much.

Now here they were, acting almost like strangers. It hurt her and it sure as hell hurt him too. He couldn't live like that. Whatever happened, he wouldn't be able to live like that.

"Hey Chlo, why don't you go rest?" He held his hand out for her to take. "Busy girl needs her sleep, right?"

Chloe playfully rolled her eyes at him. "I suppose I should for the mission but, really, what the hell could New Jersey have in store for me?" She chuckled and took Bucky's hand, allowing him to pull her up from her seat. "You'll be okay here, then?"

"Yeah." Bucky took her coffee mug from her and gestured the hallway for her. "I'll get your clothes for you later and leave them at the door."

Chloe agreed and headed for his room. She would find that the bed was truly neat and tidy, too much to have been used at least in the past weeks. She sighed to herself. She wasn't even going to pretend like it was shocking. All it did was break her heart. Instead, she made herself comfortable under the sheets and rested her head on the fluffy pillow. Her last thought before she dozed off was a lament that nothing around her smelled like Bucky.

~ 0 ~

When the scream echoed into the room, Chloe didn't initially realize that it wasn't her. She thrashed in the blankets over her trying to calm herself down until it clicked that she was already calm. She'd just been startled.

Two seconds flat is what it took her to jump out of bed and run out of the room. She sprinted to a stop in the living room, eyes wide and scanning the area for an immediate threat. The television was lit but on mute (she had to wonder if keeping it on mute had been for her sake this night) and across was Bucky, wide awake.

He had a nightmare, Chloe concluded. He was breathing far too heavily and even though it was dark, she was sure that he was sweating. She'd seen it all before. To Bucky's dismay, this wasn't the first time he woke her up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare. Some nights in Wakanda had seen the same thing.

"Bucky?" Chloe approached him cautiously.

"Go back to sleep," he didn't hesitate to say. He forgot who he was dealing with.

"You know I can't." She took a few more steps forwards and stopped a couple inches from his side. She bent down in her spot, trying to be the utmost careful with him. "Please, can I stay with you for a couple minutes?"

He was staring at the ground. He couldn't face her. "Go back to sleep," he insisted, though this time he put an effort not to make it sound like an order.

"I can't sleep," she said simply. "I won't talk if you don't want me to. I know I have a big mouth but I'll keep it shut, I promise."

To her delight, and frankly to Bucky's surprise, a small laugh slipped through his lips. He blinked at himself for it and shifted away from Chloe. He was more self conscious than ever.

Chloe knew that too and she wondered if he'd forgotten that this wasn't new to her either. His lack of clothes wasn't effecting her. The only new thing would be the now clear sight of the vibranium arm of his but truthfully all Chloe cared for was helping ease his nerves.

"We can use my powers," Chloe offered to him. "You know that I wouldn't be able to see your nightmares and I wouldn't get any details unless you open that door for me."

Bucky shook his head silently.

She sighed. "Bucky, let me help you. We can try for one minute and if you don't like it, I will go to my room—your room—and not come out until morning. I swear."

"Chlo, you don't have to do anything for me." Bucky finally looked back at her. "You shouldn't have to."

"Why not?" she challenged him to come up with a good answer. "Why shouldn't I want to help somebody I care for? Wouldn't you do the same for me?"

"That's not fair..."

"But it's an honest question. One minute, please?"

Bucky would end up agreeing for his own sake at some peace. Chloe's abilities were strange in that they allowed her to help people with internal issues. Chloe peacefulness they had dubbed it. She'd done it many times for him and for others in the past.

Chloe moved in front of him and sat on her knees. She held her hands out to him, palms facing up. "C'mon," she whispered.

"But my hand..." Bucky opened and closed his vibranium hand. All the times before had Chloe helping him with his flesh hand (his only hand at that time). "It's circuitry..."

"And? It's connected to you." Chloe smiled encouragingly and wiggled her fingers for both of his hands. He reluctantly agreed and slid his hands over hers.

Like always, he closed his eyes and tried to relax. It was probably the hardest part of the process but he always ended up doing it. He used to admit to himself that it was mostly because of Chloe but she wasn't going to hear that now. A light blue glow started from Chloe's hands and it slowly enveloped Bucky's. He could feel that relief flourish in his body. Everything he had seen in his nightmare began to wash away. The weight from his shoulders would lift for a moment and let him feel other things, the things he didn't have a luxury to with all the darkness he carried.

And since Chloe was right there, most of his feelings were directed towards her. They rushed up and suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat.

Chloe thought she was hearing things in the beginning. It was usually dead silent when she and Bucky did this. She cracked open an eye and was surprised to see Bucky's face was scrunched up. "Oh my...Bucky?" He pulled his hands out of hers so quickly that it startled her.

"I'm sorry." He wanted to turn away from her but she was just as quick.

"Hey!" She grabbed onto his wrists as best as she could. "It's me. You don't have to hide tears from me." He still didn't want to face her but she moved her hands up to his face to keep him from looking away. "Stupid question but did I make this happen?" she asked. "Because if I did, I am so sorry. Sometimes these powers get away from me and I do more harm than good."

"It's not your fault," Bucky mumbled. He sniffed. "There's...there's so much in my head that there's literally no room sometimes. Your powers—they make the room. Suddenly I'm getting to feel the things that I can't feel all the time." New tears pricked his eyes. "I don't know what to do with them."

Chloe nodded. "Okay! Okay!" She couldn't take it so she hugged him. Surprised and all, Bucky froze. Chloe's arms were wrapped around his neck, her body pressed against his bare chest and head resting beside his. "I'm here," she whispered to him. "I'm here." It was a silly thing to say considering if anybody could keep anybody safe it was him. She just needed him to know and understand that she would try to help him as much as she could and as much as he would let her.

Bucky slowly moved his flesh arm over her back. His other arm slipped under her hair to rest over the back of her neck. She was here and he didn't realize how much he truly needed her until right now. He missed having her that close to him. He missed smelling her sweet floral scent when they hugged. He loved her—he needed her.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," he said.

She pulled back a little, perhaps a mistake because they were a lot closer than she thought they would be. "For what? Dealing with stuff?"

"You're just so...kind, you know? From the very start." His hands touched her cheeks. He couldn't even begin to explain what he felt when Chloe smiled sheepishly at his touch. She didn't even flinch with the vibranium hand.

"Well, to be fair, you are kind of funny," she said. "I like funny guys."

Bucky laughed with her. He lowered his metal hand to his side. "I do try sometimes."

"Oh, I know you do. I've heard the stories." Chloe looked at him softly. "I'm always up to hear more. Any of your stories."

Bucky smiled at her. He tucked a curl behind her ear. "Maybe that would be nice. One story a week."

"Why only one?" she pouted.

"Because you're a busy girl."

"I'll make time, I promise."

"For me?"

Chloe deadpanned him. "Don't belittle yourself in front of me. I'd do anything for you."

There she went smiling again. Bucky couldn't ignore it this time. He closed the already tiny gap between them with a kiss.

Chloe was surprised but only because she hadn't expected him to initiate things this time. She was guilty of initiating many of their moments in Wakanda. Sometimes she wondered if his 40s origins would sooner or later think she was too forwards.

But he never thought that.

She was guilty of loving him too much and letting her feelings take charge. She rested her hand on Bucky's cheek and smiled with red cheeks that were hidden in the darkness of the room. Before any words were said, she kissed him again. Her hands lowered to his shoulders then came to wrap around his neck. Bucky pressed her body flush against his and for a moment allowed his feelings to take charge as well; a luxury he didn't have and whatever little moment he was granted, he would take advantage of.

And when he heard her laugh, muffled as it was before they parted, it was like his already heightened senses had been lit on fire.

Chloe was smiling both to herself and the situation. "I don't think that was the best of my decisions," she said sheepishly.

"I don't know, it seemed pretty good to me," Bucky said. It made Chloe laugh a little again. "They always are."

"Yeah, but those were different times, Bucky. It was Wakanda. Everything was more peaceful for you. The things we did and said might not have a standing today."

"I don't regret anything I said to you," Bucky said, wanting to leave that clear for her. "I struggle with everything right now, yes, but I still stand by everything I said to you."

"Everything?" Chloe finally looked him in the eyes.

Bucky nodded. "I love you, Chloe."

Chloe bit the inside of her cheek to hold back the stupid tears she felt pricking her eyes. "Am I...am I still your girl?"

A smile tugged at Bucky's lips. "If you want to be. I'm not exactly at my best..."

"You're trying," Chloe said, leaning her forehead against his. Bucky closed his eyes and focused on the warmth of her body and the touch of her hand on his shoulder. "And one day things might feel better for you. I'll be there if you want me to, and I want to. For now, can I stay with you for the rest of the night?"

Bucky's eyes snapped open. "What? No! No, go...you should go back to the room and rest. I can handle this, I promise."

"I trust that you can but I want to be with you," Chloe said. "Plus...don't laugh but I don't really like the rain when it's going hard."

"You don't like thunder storms?"

"I said don't laugh!"

"I'm not!" Bucky wasn't laughing at all but his smile seemed close to turning into one.

"Can I stay, please?"

Bucky ultimately nodded. He wouldn't deny that having her sleep right beside him would definitely help ease the nightmares. And, like she said, she was afraid of the storms so...they were helping each other out.

Chloe beamed (though Bucky didn't miss the brief relief that first marked her face) when he patted the spot beside him. She crawled to the spot and together they laid down. Bucky pulled the blanket over them but more on Chloe's side. She had scooted closer to him, her back to his chest. Little by little, Bucky moved his vibranium arm over her body. The idea was that if anything happened, he would be able to better protect her this way. And that's really what he wanted to do with his new life: be close to her and protect her. That's what his girl deserved.

Tomorrow she would wake up and leave to New Jersey for some mission but this time, when she left, Bucky promised himself and Chloe that he wouldn't let her go. She wouldn't disappear like he had made it before. They would talk more and see each other more. Because one day, they would be together again. For real this time. Until that day, he would try to make himself better for himself and her.

#ocappreciation #marvelocsdaily #fd: mcu #mcu #marvel #bucky brnes #mcu imagines #bucky barnes imagines #marvel imagines #oc: chloe winters #oc: mindscape

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eagehaunting · 4 years

Text

Mystery March 2021 day 4: Storm

Thank god Arthur let her borrow the van while he worked today. It made it so much easier to load up her small apartment and ship it to their new home- and in only three trips! Vivi bounces lightly in the drivers seat, glancing around and checking over the van one more time to be sure she got every box inside. Who knows how much stuff Arthur had to pack. He had his tools and his cork boards, along with his mattress and television... it would probably take them three-to-four trips at most. Knowing Arthur, they would probably be smushed together in the front seat because he’d pack the van to the brim!

There wasn’t a single box left, mind for a hanger or two. Perfect! Vivi starts the van and eases herself out of their new driveway, and hurriedly begins to drive down the road.

Thankfully Kingsmen’s mechanics wasn’t too far. Vivi leans over the wheel to take in the dark, heavy clouds that began to circle in the last hour. It shouldn’t take too long to get everything in order, but they should at least try to beat the rain.

Next thing she knew, she was pulling up behind the mechanics shop, and a familiar blond man props the back door open.

“Hey there, stranger!” Vivi calls as she shuffles out, quickly skipping to open the van’s back doors and keep them open. Arthurs footsteps trail up behind her, Vivi casts a small glance. “Are you excited?”

“A bit.” Arthur says, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes. “Lance let me off early so I can prepare all my things, so it should be easy.”

“Nice!” Vivi beams, swiftly moving past him and making a beeline for the back door, whilst completely ignoring how Arthur looks up at the sky with a frown. “Wanna get the big stuff first?”

“Sure.”

Vivi was right, Arthur and her did wind up squished together in the front seat. Arthurs mattress, cork boards, and dresser were crammed in the back, and then surrounded by several boxes full of clothes, tools, and books. Although she did overestimate how much he actually had.

Arthur had managed to cram the entire van with everything he physically had. Stacked from floor the ceiling in haphazard and shaky towers besides and against the bed frame! Vivi would have to drive steadily to avoid a catastrophe.

In the front seat was Arthurs toolbox, a crate full of Galahad’s items, and then a small travel cage that he held in his own hand holding his hamster.

Arthur scoots over as much as he can, fidgeting a bit the more their thighs touch. Of course due to the lack of space, that led to a centimeter of room.

“Sorry about this, Vi,” he coughs into his hand, “I honestly thought that we wouldn’t be this cramped! I figured-“

Vivi blows a raspberry, scooting over herself so she was pressed against the door and offering up another centimeter. “No biggie! I’m glad we did it this way. Now we can get everything inside before we get hit with hail.”

“Hail? I thought it was just a thunderstorm!”

“I thought so too.” Vivi squeezes her hand into her pocket and whisks out her phone - which was partially damp from sweat. Wiping it off quickly, Vivi opens the weather app and lets Arthur snatch it.

He grimaces, “Yikes.”

“Yeah, better hope Lewis doesn’t get hit in the head when he comes home.”

“Or that the power goes out.” Arthur adds grimly. Vivi blows out another raspberry.

“I don’t think that’ll happen. Dont be such a sourpuss.”

“Wanna bet? It’ll be in character for whatever house we got.”

Vivi lifts an eyebrow, glancing over at him, “And whats that supposed to mean?”

Arthur’s smiling, and with a short shrug, “terrifying and haunted. Perfect atmosphere for a black out-”

“Nope!” Vivi barks back, wagging her finger intensely and shaking her head, “Lewis and I made absolute sure that there would be no ghosts in this house. I told you this.”

“Are you sure? You guys double checked? Triple checked?” Arthur probes, leaning forward and sticking his face into hers before retreating, making her laugh.

“Of course! I even had Mystery scope out the house, and there are no ghosts.”

“And if there is?”

Vivi shoots him a pointed, comedic look, “then you can add another.”

They both chuckle now, lightly elbowing one another. But soon after Arthur hums quietly and sinks back in his spot, a small smile crossing across his face as he watches the road ahead of them. He was convinced, perfect. Vivi gloated silently.

For a moment she’s tempted to turn the radio on to fill the silence, but Arthur suddenly turns to her inquisitively.

“Hey, so I never fully explored the house like you and Lewis did, mind filling me in on everything?”

A thrill of excitement rockets through Vivi and her head bounces in time with her, and she rapidly taps the steering wheel. “Okay so- it’s a fairly cheapish house for its size. It’s got a decent sized backyard, a nice sizable garage that can fit two cars and all of our equipment. And if it doesn’t, then we can just get a shed behind the garage to do so.” Vivi illustrates her point with her fingers, hoping that Arthur could follow along. “Lewis was actually talking about setting up a garden back there and- wait, never mind, back to the house. First and foremost, the most exciting aspect, there’s a basement!”

“Which is probably why you say it’s ‘cheap’?” Arthur says with a light snicker.

“Yeah! The guy didn’t charge us extra for the space- or the alcohol cellar! And I even went down there to check and everything seems up to code and in well order? I don’t know- we may have to worry about some floods, but we also live in the desert.”

“Right.”

“Next, we have like...” Vivi counts on her fingers three times before she holds up three fingers. “Three rooms! Two on the main level and one upstairs, but there’s also a closet on the main floor, along with a bathroom- and then one of the rooms actually has its own bathroom! Honestly I feel you should get that room, since you should have your own space and all that-“

Arthur opens his mouth to object, but Vivi doesn’t give him a chance.

“Lewis insisted that I got the upstairs bedroom and he can take the smallest- but! We haven’t decided on who gets what room just yet, so we got time to rock-paper-scissors it out. Moving on-“

Up ahead on the dirt road, a lonely-looking house with a tree along the side of it pops into view.

“There’s a nice sized kitchen, and while there isn’t a dining room, Lewis was thinking of converting some of the space into a dining room? I mean- he actually ordered a table online but it hasn’t shipped yet, so for now we’re going to be using my table. So get ready to be sitting on the floor for a while.”

Arthur rolls his eyes with a small laugh and nods, just as Vivi pulls into the driveway and into the backyard. Her eyes glaze for half a second as she parks the van.

“And... that’s it I think! There’s going to be a lot of setting up, but I think we can make it all work.”

“Yeah, besides we can always just eat in the livingroom amongst a sea of boxes while we figure things out. Although Lewis might flay us for suggesting that.”

Vivi chortles and nods, “Yeah! Yeah you aren’t wrong. But c’mon! Let’s get your stuff inside, I think Im hearing thunder.”

“Already?” Arthur glances up at the sky as Vivi throws open her door. She makes a mad dash for the back door, propping it open for them and waving to Mystery who was just out of sight. Arthur slinks out after her and carries Galahad inside.

“Okay so-“ Vivi doenst kick off her shoes but wipes them off on a mat that was placed at the back door, “since we haven’t chosen any rooms yet, Lewis and I agreed to put all of our stuff in the livingroom. Is that cool with you?”

“I - I mean it’s not like I have a choice, now do I?” Vivi winces and nods, and Arthur sighs. “Okay, we can leave the bigger stuff in the van for now then, but then let’s get the little stuff.”

“Good idea,” Vivi hooks his arm and pulls him further down the hall, passing two doors on either side of them and a stairway.

“Besides! If we have to camp out in the living-room then we can just pull out the bed in the couch and a couple of futons...”

Vivi freezes in the entrance of the living-room, jaw falling.

Arthur stops glancing around at the floorboards and then wallpaper and joins her, “Something wrong?”

Oh, something was wrong alright, and it hits them both like a bag of bricks the second they step in.

On the couch, Mystery was curled up and lightly chatting to a heavy set ghost. A ghost who drapes their arm across the couch snd sneers at them. ”Welcome to my humble abode.”

...

“What the fuck?”

Vivi flinched as she nearly feels Arthurs glare digging into her neck. Her own mouth went dry as it hits her all at once.

“I didn’t know- Arthur, I swear to god I thought there wasn’t a single ghost here. I promise.” Arthur’s face is still twisted in dismay, and she couldn’t really blame him. Twisting, Vivi points at Mystery and the dog jumps to attention.

“Back me up here! We both investigated this place top to bottom, he-“

”She.” the ghost hisses

”she- my bad- wasnt here, right?”

Mystery nods, folding his paws on the couch’s arm. “It’s true, Arthur, we had done the best we could and we honestly believed that there was no one else residing in this territory.” Mystery then casts a cursory glance back at the spirit, who nonchalantly drank from a a darkened glass, hardly sparing them a glance. “However, you know that experienced spirits can be excellent hiders. She merely concealed herself until now.”

Arthur let’s put a heavy breath that Vivi didn’t notice he was holding, before gently setting down Galahad’s cage. A stark contrast to the rapid twitch in his eyelid.

“Great! Fantastic. So why did she decide to hide?”

”Im right here.” The ghost suddenly says, casting a dirty look that both spoke profanity and exuded grace.

“Okay,” unaffected, Arthur side steps until he was able to face her himself, “then I’m sure you don’t mind telling us why you’ve been squatting here.”

Her eyes snap open, before her face twists with menace and she unfolds her crossed legs, slamming her glass down with a sharp clink. Arthur flinches as that sound shoots through him.

”’Squatting?’ My, those are some awfully bold words for someone who started trembling the second you entered my domain.” She rises, and despite how short she was compared to Arthur, she trapped him in her shadow. ”This is my home, and no bank can simply give away my property to measly little rats.”

“He-hey now, ma’am,” Vivi steps in front of Arthur, who’s hands immediately latch onto her shoulders, “look, this is a misunderstanding on our part. You see- my friend here is a medium, and he’s been ... tormented by a lot of spirits. So he agreed to live here under the assumption that there were no spirits. You can understand why he’s upset, right?”

”And you can understand that so am I, correct?”

Groaning lightly, Mystery hops off the couch and also stands between the two groups, lazily guarding as if nothing was really wrong.

“Of course! This is your home... can you describe to us how? So that way we can respect your boundaries and ensure no other issues occur?”

Arthurs fingers tightly grip Vivi’s shoulder, and she reaches up and pats them lightly.

Thankfully, the ghost seems pleased with the pseudoapology, and their shoulders relax by a fraction. ”I built this house, a ways away from my old home so that way I can have the luxury of peace and quiet. It was an expensive project, but one I carry pride in. I simply couldn’t leave my home to just anyone after I perished.”

Arthur creaks, “S-so you.. stick around?”

”Precisely. I ensure that no punks come in and try to take claim to what isnt theres.” That is marked by a pointed glare at Arthur, who shrinks back behind Vivi further. Regretting his choices up until now.

Blowing out the breath she was holding, Vivi forces a smile and claps lightly. “Alright! Then, what can we do to show you that we mean no harm? Or will we be thrown out regardless.”

With this, she chuckles, voice getting low and almost purring. ”You will have to prove yourself, and earn a place in my hearth. If you cannot do so by the end of the month, then I will make your lives a living hell until you run for the hills.”

”Great..”

“Awesome!” Vivi claps again to hide the bemoaned muttering. Taking a few steps forward- and incidentally dragging Arthur with her- she holds out her hand to the spirit.

“Well I hope you wish us luck. My name is Vivi, and this is Arthur.” Arthur coughs lightly and nods a greeting, but keeps his mouth shut.

The woman blinks calmly, taking in Vivi’s hand with a surprised consideration, before smiling herself and taking it in a firm handshake.

”The pleasure is mine. Address me as Lilith Primrose.”

“Oh~ that’s a lovely name you have there!” Vivi offers, smiling brightly.

”Thank you. I picked it myself.”

Vivi nods and release her hand, stepping back. “So.. I know we got off to a rough start, but do you mind if me and Arthur bring his stuff in? It’s going to rain soon and we still will be moving in-“

A crack of thunder fills the air, Arthur and her both flinch, before turning to Lilith for confirmation. Who then rolls her eyes and shoos them away.

”Like I said, you all have a month to come into my good grace. You better get started now.”

“Thank you.”

With that, Vivi grabs Arthurs wrist and pulls him down the hall, lightly scolding him and apologizing at the same time, but also letting him do the same back.

It’s what she deserves honestly...

Within fifteen minutes, the rain had started to sprinkle. They decided the best thing to do was to get the largest items - the mattress- inside first so it wouldn’t get drenched, but that left the cork boards and the bed frame, which they decided may be better to keep in the van to protect the integrity and quality. Then they spent the next half an hour racing back and forth with various boxes that they decided to dump into what was now Arthurs room- the bedroom closest to the back with a bathroom. Vivi opted to stack his boxes on the mattress while Arthur simply tossed them onto the floor- claiming he knew they weren’t going to break as easily.

After an hour, it was pouring in sheets. The last of the boxes were quickly abandoned in Arthurs room, and both of them tore into one of the boxes to fetch towels to dry themselves off.

“Jesus Christ..” Vivi huffs, ringing out her skirt into one of the incredibly damp towels. “I feel bad for Lewis, he still has to drive home in this.”

“Yeah, poor fuck.” Arthur groans lightly and rubs his eyes, “brace yourself, turning on the light,” Palming the wall until he hit the light switch, Arthur prays that they’ll be given just one thing.

Only... for the room to remain just as dark.

Vivi looks at him for a moment as he stares in befuddlement at the switch, which he rapidly flipped on and off. Muttering to himself, ”oh come on...”

“Hold up, maybe the wiring is funky?” Vivi offers, stepping over boxes and opening the bathroom door, and she quickly flips the switches herself.

Nothing.

“Fuck.”

The power was still out as the storm persisted. Even when Lewis came home drenched from the walk to the porch from his car.

Of course, that wasn’t going to stop them. They were plenty prepared with gas canisters, spare batteries, flashlights, candles, and a gas stove.

Lewis made a remark on how glad he was that they only seemed to have meats in the fridge, but those comments slowly dwindled as he got to work making spaghetti by candle light. Vivi set out to line the kitchen’s low table with several of her unscented candles. As much as she wanted to bust out her various sweet smelling ones, the boys asked her to refrain so not mess with their senses.

Which wasn’t an issue by any means! Vivi didn’t want to dig them out anyway...

“Alright, that should do it.” Lewis murmurs to himself as he turns off the burner and grabs his tongs, pulling out the cooked noodles and layering them on three separate plates. He calls over his shoulder, “Arthur, Vivi! Dinner is ready.”

A distant “Coming!” And then frantic footsteps fight against the sound of the rain outside, and Lewis covers the noodles in their sauce before turning and placing them on Vivi’s low table. Vivi comes in with flat pillows and places them in their respective spots before kneeling and taking her spot.

“Thank you Lewis~ this smells really good.” She says, wafting in the garlic and onion at her face with a dramatic sniff. Just in time for Arthur to trail in with Mystery at his side.

Mystery scans the plates, before frowning at Lewis.

Lewis raises an eyebrow and smirks, “What? You can’t eat this, remember.”

“You and I know very well that I can eat more than all of you combined.” The dog shoots back, plopping down beside Vivi who scratches his ear.

“Well it’s not good for you.” Lewis points out, before reaching beside him and pulling out a plate of Mystery’s gourmet doggy dinner. “Now are you going to keep complaining or eat?”

“Oooh~” Vivi grins and pats mystery’s head, “Youre this close to missing out on greatness, boy! Better shut your trap.”

Mystery did indeed shut his trap, quickly scuttling over to Lewis’s side to retrieve his bowl- licking his lips to avoid showing how much he was salivating at the smell.

Arthur takes his seat on his bottom than his knees. Rolling his fork through the noodles slowly, but not saying anything, even as Vivi and Lewis chat as he grabs drinks.

It’s only when Vivi shoves a heaping of spaghetti into her mouth and moans in delight does he realize that they need something else. Lewis froze in his tracts, wincing the smallest bit as Vivi chews. She’s been hungry all day, so it makes sense that she would rather dig in- Mystery too.

Poor guys misophonia has got to be going crazy.

“Hey, do you guys want to watch howls moving castle? Or - uh.. spirited away?” Lewis and Vivi both shoot him inquisitive looks, although Lewis relaxes the smallest bit at the distraction. Arthur adds on, tapping his earlobe, “I can also grab your ear plugs, Lew. So that way the ... sounds don’t bother you too much.”

Lewis’s lips tighten. Oh shit, he probably didn’t want to embarrass Vivi-

A loud gasp and smack grabs both of their attention. Vivi stopped chewing, a hand over her mouth as she realized. Swallowing everything down in one gulp, Vivi gestures frantically in apologize. “Shit- Lewis I’m sorry. I can grab your ear plugs if you want? It totally slipped my mind.”

He lifts his hand, smiling sweetly. “It’s okay, I’ll go grab them. But yes, Arthur, I certainly wouldn’t mind a movie.”

Still flushed, Vivi nods too, “the rain will be a nice backdrop to a beautiful Ghibli movie. Do you need the disk?”

“No,” Arthur pushes himself up, “I got it downloaded on my computer. I’ll go grab it.”

He and Lewis both leave the kitchen, and he turns to go to his room, a small flashlight in hand to light the way.

It was already unpacked, plugged into a battery pack and charging for the past few hours. Arthur whisks it up and ambles back to the kitchen, where Lewis and Vivi were talking again. Good! Lewis is situated, now time to pull up the movie. Holding it one arm, Arthur input his password, searches through his hard drive...

But before he steps back into the kitchen, a soft flow catches his eye.

Lilith is sitting on the couch still, possibly had been for a while now, but either no one noticed or no one choose to bother her in the dark.

He watches her for a few moments, filling with guilt and momentary fear over earlier...

Then he sighs, resigning himself, and he steps into the kitchen and sets the computer down. Instead of getting back in his spot to turn on the movie, Arthur shuffles to the cabinet and fetches another plate.

“What are you up to, Artie?”

“Going to feed some raccoons?” Vivi jokes, even as Lewis makes a disgruntled noise at the thought.

“No, just give me one moment, okay?”

Arthur can feel them watching him, but he sucks in his breath and layers noodles and sauce onto a plate, before fetching a fork.

And then leaving the kitchen again, this time making a beeline for the couch.

Lilith hears him coming and gives him a cursory glance. Her eyes widen as she takes note of the plate as it’s set down beside her.

Clearing his throat, Arthur grips his hands together anxiously and forces himself to keep eye contact. “A-about earlier.. I’m sorry that I snapped on you. It... I hope we can get along.”

Lilith doesn’t say anything, looking from him to the plate.

She stands, nods, and turns on her heel to go to the basement door, vanishing before she even touched it.

...

Well fuck you too then. Arthur scowls lightly, huffing the smallest bit after she was out of sight. There’s nothing he can do now, and it’s up to her to decide if she wants to accept his apology.

Whatever, just go and eat dinner.

He takes his spot. While he was offering the meal, Vivi had found the movie and paused it before it began to play, and Lewis had already plugged his ears. He sends Arthur a thumbs up and a thankful smile. Arthur nods in return and grabs his fork to eat.

The movie started, and the atmosphere was both warm and comfortable, especially with the four of them enraptured in the unfolding plot. Spouting small ideas and pointing out little details, along with memories and theories.

The conversation only came to a halt when someone else clears their throat.

Vivi pauses the movie in an instant, and all four of them look up to see Lilith standing before them. Her face contorted in worry as she grips... a wine bottle. Lilith shrinks a bit at the sudden attention, but she clears her throat a second time and holds the bottle out a small bit.

“C... congratulations you four, you passed my test. I am looking forward to living with you all, and to celebrate, I wanted you to have some of my aged wine.” She stammers a bit, shifting anxiously from side to side, before setting the bottle down with a hefty clank. After doing so, she turns to leave.

Vivi, however, jumps up and latches onto her sleeve, pulling her back the smallest bit and earning a wide eyed stare.

Vivi beams back at her, “We’re watching some movies, would you like to join us?”

Lilith blinks rapidly, glancing between all of them, and being met with gentle smiles and affirmations.

”I... of course, I’d love to. Let me grab my plate! Oh- and some glasses. What are we going to be watching?”

Lilith shuffles beside Lewis, and the five of them all continue watching, sipping some tasty wine and eating their food peacefully.

They didn’t even notice that the rain died down and the power was back on until they were heading to bed

#mysterymarch2021 #mystery skulls animated #mystery skulls headcannons #vivi yukino #lewis pepper #Arthur kingsmen #sooooooo I totally didn’t use this prompt as an excuse to write a story that’s been on my mind for a while now nope #fun fact homes in Texas usually don’t have basements #also I have no idea if the flash flood thing happens typically in Texan basements #I could totally be showing my northernness from it

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