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doomed-syko · 3 years

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Beg for Your Hand In Marriage | Robert Keating x Fem!reader

summary: It’s May, it will be Inhalers last show for a while and your boyfriend just asked you to marry him…

word count: 5.3k

warnings: the usual, swearing, a lot of fluff like a shit ton of fluff, mention of alcohol, mention of drugs, more fluff… honestly it’s fluff galore oh and yes uncle!rob is making a comeback (everyone cheered!), also like always my bad writing

request: anonymous; Hey!! Idk if you are doing requests but I was wondering if you can please do a Rob imagine where maybe he’s at band practice and stuff and they are singing a song that he wrote for you and half way he leaves and goes home to you and is like “let’s get married like right now” or something like that and you’re like “what” and he gives you like this whole speech but he doesn’t even have a ring but say yes anyways and you guys have like a shotgun wedding and it’s cute and the rest of the guys are there. Idk why lol but I imagine Robert have a Vegas wedding lmao

author’s note: rejoice rejoice i am back, sorry i took me so long but i’ve had the worst writers' block oops kinda changed the request i hope that’s fine :) (also we’re gonna ignore that you need to give a three months notice, at a civil registration service, if you wanna get married in ireland; this is fiction so i decide the rules lol)

Today was the last day of tour. It was a Wednesday in May - May fourth to be exact – and today Inhaler would play their last show for a while, at home in Dublin.

There weren't any tours, or even gigs for that matter, planned besides a few Festival appearances in the UK and Europe, spread out over June and July. After touring their debut album for almost two whole years - with little breaks in between of course, which they used to record their second album - the lads had decided that they all could use a bit of time off before said second album would come out in early September.

Today was the last of three back to back shows in The Academy and you were sure that the band would put their all into it. If this night would be anything like the two before they would blow the roof off the place without a doubt. Figuratively speaking of course.

The snapping of Robert's fingers pulled you out of your thoughts: “When did Gary say we'd have to be at the venue again?”

“Uhhh,” you looked at your phone. It was 12:10. “Jesus love, shouldn't you know that? I mean I'm not the one in the band.” You sighed, desperately trying to remember what their manager had told you yesterday. “Doors open at seven, Soundcheck's probably gonna be sometime between five-thirty and six again, so we should turn up at four at the very latest!”

“Okay.” Rob hummed, turning his attention to Neo, one of the two cats you owned, that was happily purring now that your boyfriend had decided to tickle her behind her ears. “You like that huh?”

Neo was pitch black from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail. The colour of her eyes fluctuated, depending on how the light hit them, from black like her fur to a light grey with a hue of blue.

Ziggy, on the other hand, was as white as snow — aside from the few grey stripes that were lining her tummy — and had green eyes.

You turned your attention away from the two and looked down at your phone again. You'd hadn't even checked your messages at all today, so you quickly opened WhatsApp. The chat at the top was between you and Ciara who'd apparently sent you another message sometime last night while you were already fast asleep.

'Tomorrow at 3 no later than 4, oh and give Neo and Zig a good head scratch from me'

You chuckled to yourself, your best friend knew you better than you'd like to admit sometimes. You quickly answered her ('thank you and of course, give tobert and harley a kiss from me') before moving on to the other messages that had accumulated since last night on several sites.

“Ciara said and I quote: “Tomorrow at 3 no later than 4, oh and give Neo and Zig a good head scratch from me”, so there's your answer.” You laughed turning your attention to the black furball that was comfortably laying on Bobby's lap. Reaching forward you quickly scratched her head, smiling at the way she leaned into the touch. “When do you wanna leave?”

“If we leave at 14:25, so in...” now it was Rob who pulled out his phone to check the time. “Two hours and fifteen minutes, we'll be at The Academy just before three, so we'd be on time for once.”

“Sounds good,” you yawned, a reminder that you hadn't slept more than twelve hours over the last two days combined. “I still reek of sweat, beer and smoke,” you grimaced, remembering the beer that most of your body had been showered in during the lads' set, before getting up from the sofa you were both sprawled out on. “I'm gonna go and hop under the shower real quick.”

“Okay, but don't take too long,” Rob mumbled, his eyes closed. “I was too tired to shower this morning.”

“We could safe time and water and just shower together,” you shrugged, walking toward the bathroom. “Nothing you haven't seen before!”

You purposefully stopped right in front of the door, craning your neck to try to see if your boyfriend was following you.

“I like the way you're thinking Y/N!" Bobby grinned when he had finally caught up with you, before wrapping his arms around your waist and picking you up. “Let's go, woman,” he laughed at the screech coming from your mouth the second as you lost contact with the floor.

“We don't have all day!”

You left your flat on time — at 14:23 to be exact — checking if you had everything you needed on you for the third time and making sure that Robert hadn't left any hickeys on your neck (your boyfriend telling you “Stop worrying, I made sure to spare your neck and concentrated on your boobs”) you locked the door behind you and made your way to the Luas station nearest to your place.

The walk to the station took you about ten minutes, the journey on the tram only sixteen and before you knew it you were standing at the back entrance to The Academy.

You both quickly showed your AAA passes to the guard at the door. Gary — their tour manager — had given them to you after last nights gig and you had stashed them away securely in one of the deep pockets of your leather jacket, afraid that if you'd given them to your lover he would have just lost them.

You felt Roberts fingers intertwining with yours as you walked down the narrow corridor towards the bands green room. The familiarity of the place making you feel... almost at home.

For years now the lads had been playing gigs at The Academy. Starting by playing the Academy 2 — which could hold 230 people — and working their way up to The Academy 1 with a capacity of over 830. The most memorable probably were the four back to back gigs they played in December of 2021, which had been sold out for months in advance. They could sell our bigger venues, they had done it plenty of times before, but for their last shows of this album cycle they wanted to play to a smaller crowd and there was no place better than The Academy for that.

For once, you weren't the last ones to arrive (Eli was the last one, with his phone pressed to one ear and a half-eaten chocolate cookie in his other hand) so you decided to lean back and make yourself comfortable on the worn-out leather sofas, waiting for everyone to gather in the semi spacious room.

You were talking to Ciara who was sitting beside you when Gary finally stopped talking with the venue staff and turned his attention to everyone in the room.

“Okay, listen up everyone,” his voice boomed through the green room. “Soundcheck is at five-thirty, after that you're free to roam around backstage and outside. Just try to draw as little attention to yourselves and remember to stay close and keep your passes on you at all times, the venue staff will ask you to identify yourself and check for your pass!” He looked at Elijah, his left eyebrow raised, probably thinking back to the show around three weeks ago when Eli had gone for a smoke five minutes before the show was supposed to start and wasn't let back in.

You chuckled quietly. You were there when it happened, you were the one he had called cursing and grumbling asking you to come to the back door with his pass and show the security that he was in fact allowed backstage because he was the singer of the band that was about to play to 1600 people. You hadn’t even tried to stop laughing when you showed the guard at the door yours and then Elis Pass before you were both sprinting through the corridor to reach the stage in time.

Gary’s speech was short and sweet and before you realized he was already out of the door again following one of the roadies, who had some questions for him.

“Hey, Y/N.” Eli smiled pulling you into a hug, as best as he could with you on the sofa and him standing in front of said sofa. “I hate to ask this of you, believe me, I do, but Akiras flight from Amsterdam has been delayed so she couldn’t make it here with me…” he trailed off. “Could you maybe make sure that she gets her pass?”

“Yeah sure,” you smiled at your friend, who was visibly relaxing at your assurance. “What times she gonna be here?”

“If everything goes right, she should be here at five forty, if you could just make sure she gets let in and give her the pass…” he pulled the pass out of his jacket, giving it to you. “That would be amazing!”

“Of course Eli,” you smiled, putting the pass down beside your phone on the little table that was cramped into the corner beside the sofa. “Im gonna send her a text to let her know that I'll wait outside for her!”

“Thank you so much, Y/N/N,” Eli grinned. “I owe you one!”

Time moves fast when you’re talking with your friends. Over the last hour and a half, more people had arrived, including your brother, his wife and their daughter — Lennon — who was sitting on your lap and pulling faces at Ryan from across the room. You were sitting on the armrest of the sofa, leaning against Rob's chest, his arm slung over your shoulders and his fingers playing with your hair.

You were laughing at something Josh had said when Gary came back and ushered the band out of the green room towards the stage so they could do their soundcheck. Lennon insisted to watch “uncle Robby and his friends” soundcheck, so you hoisted her up on your hip and followed them with Ciara and Gayle.

Lennon was wearing a pair of those big black headphones made for toddlers to protect their ears and was happily jumping around in front of the barrier, looking back to you every once in a while, as if she wanted to make sure that you were still there with her.

You were still there. Ciara, Gayle and you were standing right beside the front of house (sound and light) techs, making sure you weren’t in the way and keeping an eye out for your niece, who was smiling brightly at Eli, who was quickly waving at her before turning his attention back to the song they were currently playing.

Over the years you had the pleasure to experience your fair share of Inhalers sound checks. Having been friends for ages before dating Bobby even became an option – you had fancied him for a while before you finally worked up the courage to ask him out – and along the way, you'd seen them soundcheck for shows in the tiniest of clubs, slowly working their way up to play sold-out shows to hundred yes even thousands of fans.

You had accompanied the band on the first half of their UK tour — which was dating back two and a half months now — and then also joined them for the entirety of their European tour, which had ended a week ago, so your sound check experience had grown even more during that time.

The lads were five minutes into soundcheck when you felt your phone buzz in the pocket of your black jeans. It was a message from Akira, telling you that she was about to reach the Academy. You put your phone back, grabbed the Pass that was stuffed into the other pocket and asked the girls if they could keep an eye out for Lennon, before making your way down the corridor that would lead to the same back entrance Bobby and you had used earlier.

“Y/N!” you were promptly engulfed in a big hug. “Oh my god, I haven’t seen you in ages. How have you been darling?”

“Good to see you to Akira,” you giggled into the blonde girl’s neck, still swaying side to side. “I’ve been brilliant, how are you, babe?”

She finally let go of you, pushing her sunglasses up and exposing her brown eyes. It was true though, you hadn’t seen each other in a while, not in real life at least.

“Great,” she smiled. “Busy and tired but very happy to have some time off now. Honestly, I haven’t slept properly in weeks.”

“Well, I don’t think I need to tell you this, but you won’t get much sleep tonight I reckon.” you chuckled, pulling the Pass out of your back pocket. “Here’s the Pass, by the way, the lads are still soundchecking but they should be done soon.”

“You’re an angel Y/N/N!” Akira said, pulling you into another hug. “I owe you one!”

“You would not believe it, but your boyfriend said the same exact thing to me.”

“Of course he did.”

Time between soundcheck and the actual show flew by fast. Akira and you had headed straight for the green room, where she put her bags down and sat down beside your sister in law, striking up a conversation with her immediately. You grabbed a water bottle and popped some grapes into your mouth, before sitting down beside Sam and throwing your legs over his lap.

You were laughing at something your brother had said when the door to the green room was opened again, Josh being the first to enter the room his arm swung over Gayle’s shoulder, the others following them.

Robert was carrying Lennon in his arms, throwing his head back, laughing at something Ciara had said who was a step ahead of him and giggling at his reaction. Rob took a swift look around the room, crouching down slightly when Lennon started squirming in his arms, watching her take off and run towards her parents before he wandered towards the sofa Sam and you were sitting on and practically throwing himself down beside you.

You were about to jokingly scold him when but decided against it in favour of watching Elijahs and Akiras reunion.

The blonde girl had jumped up from her place on the leather couch and practically leapt into the arms of her boyfriend who quickly wrapped his arms around her and was now swaying them from side to side. It was a lovely and sweet scene.

Deciding to let the reunited lovers have some little privacy, you turned your attention to your boyfriend pressing a kiss to one of his dimples before cuddling into his chest and listening to his and Sams conversation, interjecting every now and again.

You had been to a lot, a lot of Inhaler shows in the last few years but this one was, without a doubt, the best one yet. The atmosphere was through the roof, from your place on the balcony you had a perfect view of both the stage and the crowd and yeah you were sure this was their best show yet.

The gig flew by quick — to be honest, you hadn’t even paid that much attention, rather dancing with your friends and your niece who was happily clapping and laughing along in your arms — and before you knew they were playing Cheer Up Baby, their second last song, so you all slowly made your way down the balcony and backstage again to greet the band when they would come off stage.

While Akira and you waited for them, the rest went back to the green room. Lennon, you could tell, was on the brink of falling asleep in her father's arms. You were sure that they would leave as soon as they could.

“You guys played amazing tonight!” You were beaming. You quickly hugged Louis and Josh — they were the first to come off stage — being careful with the guitar still hanging from Josh’s shoulders.

“The crowd was amazing!” Josh smiled back, saying a quick ‘thank you when Tom took his guitar from him. “Definitely one of the best shows from this tour.”

Lou, hummed in agreement, opening his water bottle and taking a big gulp.

You welcomed both Eli and Ryan with hugs as well, congratulating them on the good show, making some small talk with Ryan while you watched Eli embrace his girlfriend in a hug and waited for your boyfriend, who stepped down the little stairs a few moments later, engulfing you in a big sweaty hug.

“Hey you,” you mumbled into his neck, completely ignoring the sweat that was glistening on his skin. "You did amazing darling!"

“Thank you, love,” Rob said, pressing a kiss to your temple. “I assume you had fun?”

“Of course,” you looked up at him, moving your hands, from where they were linked behind his back, up to rest them in between his shoulder blades. “Had a blast dancing with Ciara, Akira and Gayle.”

“Yeah, I saw that,” he smiled down at you before pecking your lips. “Common,” he gently tapped your leg. “Let’s head back, so I can properly say goodnight to my niece!”

Hand in hand you walked back to the green room, where Rob grabbed a bottle of water and a towel before he went over to your brother. Lennon — who looked like she would pass out any second now — got a sudden rush of energy as soon as she saw your boyfriend; a big smile replacing the tired expression that was on her face just seconds earlier.

You chuckled quietly at the two. She really had him wrapped around her tiny little fingers, it was adorable.

“Goodnight Lovebug.” You smiled down at your niece after you joined the little group. “See you on Friday, okay?” You kissed her nose. “Oh, and be good for your Ma and Dad!”

You turned around to your lover.

“I’m in desperate need of a tab,” you sighed. “You in?”

“Of course,” Rob hummed. “Let me just get my jacket real quick okay?”

You watched him as he crossed the room to grab his leather jacket, exchanging some words with Josh, Ryan and Garry on the way back before he came back, holding his hand out for you to hold.

“Let’s go.”

The air outside was cool and you were glad that you had your jacket on you, cause there was no way in hell you would have taken Bobbys. Not when he was still wearing his sweaty clothes; you didn’t wanna have to nurse your boyfriend back to health because he got a cold from not wearing his jacket.

You were leaning against the cold brick wall right beside the back entrance of The Academy, Robert just a few feet in front of you. He was oddly quiet.

Having a post-gig smoke had become part of your routine a long time ago. It calmed both of you immensely and after doing it a few times it just stuck. But usually, Robert would crack some jokes or talk about the show with you, today he didn’t.

“Everything okay?” You asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Hmm?” He looked down at you. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked you if everything’s okay!” You repeated yourself, slightly rolling your eyes. “Usually you would have told me a shitty joke by now.”

“Yeah, everything’s fine don’t worry,” he grinned, taking his hand that wasn’t occupied with holding a cigarette and cupping your face; his thumb gently stroking your cheek. “I’m just a bit tired that’s all darling, no need to worry!”

The two of you stood in silence again. Your cigarette was long smoked and you were only waiting on Rob to finish his. Maybe that’s why you didn’t expect what he said next.

“Marry me.”

“What?”

“Marry me.”

“Robert, what the fuck?!”

“Im serious, I want to marry you. I think I have for a while now, but tonight, seeing you so carefree and genuinely happy, dancing with the girls and with Lennon on your arms made it all click. I never want to be without you, I don’t think I can be without you actually.” He smiled down at you. It was the most sincere smile he had ever smiled. “You mean everything to me Y/N and I would love to get to call you my wife… only if you want to of course!”

You thought your eyes were about to fall out of your head. Oh my god was this really happening right now?

“Bu- but we don’t have rings…”

“We’ll actually…” Robert grinned, quickly looking down at his shoes. “Smo might, perhaps has two very simple silver rings stashed away, that fit us two perfectly.”

And that’s when you learned that drunk Rob's ideas were things sober Sam forced him to go through with and that’s why he apparently had wedding bands for you two, stashed away in his kitchen drawer.

The next twenty-four hours went by fast. After telling your friends — who’d all hugged and congratulated the two of you — and your families, you went straight to planning.

Ryan and Josh, bless their hearts, had somehow managed to get you a date at the registry office, Ciara and Gayle had decided to bake a cake and Akira had agreed to help decorate your parents garden for the party after the ceremony (they had offered their house and garden months ago for the ‘end of tour party’), while Eli and Sam would come and pick you up from your flat to drive you to the registry office, where the rest of your friends and family would be waiting.

You would get married to the love of your life. On Friday. Which was today.

Since the whole planning of the wedding was rather… last minute, you had opted to wear a long and flowy dress, which ended right above your ankles. It was a simple summer dress you had worn maybe once or twice before and now it would be the dress you would be married in.

Besides the fact that Rob and you would get married this noon, nothing was different. Like always you had a slow and lazy start into the morning; you woke up first, got up and prepared breakfast, only to be joined by your boyfriend a few minutes later who would hug you from behind and press a kiss to your neck before helping you get everything ready. You would eat outside, on your little balcony, Neo and Ziggy joining you to lay in the sun before you would jump into the shower and get ready.

Just today you wouldn’t just throw on one of Bobby's shirts you had stolen ages ago and a pair of jeans, but the aforementioned Summer dress while Robert put on one of the suits he had worn at a photoshoot a few years back. It wasn’t exactly the same one, since it was only a loan or the photoshoot but after constant begging from you, he had gone and bought an identical one. He had never worn it, always saying he wanted to wait and wear it for a special occasion. Today was that special occasion.

At 10 am sharp your doorbell rang. Outside stood were Eli and Smo, both also wearing simple suits, big grins on their faces.

“Miss Y/L/N,” Eli winked at you, taking your hand a pressing a light kiss on it making you chuckle and roll your eyes. “Mr Keating,” he bowed in front of Robert, whose reaction was similar to yours. “Your carriage is ready for you!”

The carriage was Sam's fifteen-year-old dark blue Audi, which for once looked like it had been thoroughly cleaned, both inside and out.

“Mlady,” Eli grinned, holding the car door open for you. Which was followed by a “Stop fucking flirting with my fiancé, Eli.” from Robert.

“Boys,” you raised your eyebrows. “Behave okay?”

“Yes, Maam!” Eli said, closing the car door after you had slid into the backseat. “Let's get going,” he hummed. “Don’t want you guys to be late for your own wedding!”

The drive was about twenty minutes and before you knew it, Eli was opening the car door again and helping you out of the car. Your friends and family were already waiting, your parents welcoming both you and Bobby with big smiles and long hugs; Roberts parents doing the same.

Since the wedding was planned in just about twenty-four hours, only Roberts and your parents and siblings, and your closest friends – aka the band, their girlfriends and Sam – would be present for the official ceremony… oh and Lewis, to take the pictures.

“You look fucking gorgeous Y/N!” Gayle gushed, hugging you tight. “I can't believe this is actually happening, like what?”

“Hmm neither can I,” you chuckled nervously. “Im kinda sweating right now!”

“That’s totally normal,” the brunette smiled at you before taking your hands in hers, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “You are doing the right thing don’t worry!”

“We actually had a bet going,” Ciara chipped in. “Josh, Gayle, Ryan and I: Who would get married first; between Bob and you and Eli and Akira.” She clarified. “Gayle and I said Bobby and You would tie the knot first, Josh and Ryan said Eli and Akira – so I guess that means our boyfriends owe us twenty-five euros each.”

“Mhmm,” Gayle smirked. “We should defo remind them of that again!”

“You two are something else!” You chuckled, looking down as you felt someone tug on your dress. “Hiya Lovebug,” You crouched down to your niece. “Is that for me?”

Lennon was wearing a blue dress, her usually wild blonde locks were braided into two perfect little fishtail braids, while she was proudly pressing a bouquet of wildflowers in various colours to her chest.

“Yuppp,” she smiled up at you. “Picked them out on my own!”

“Oh wow, Lennon they are beautiful!” You booped the five-year-olds nose, before taking the bouquet. “Thank you so much, Angel.”

You watched as she ran off again, towards your brother who promptly picked her up while continuing to speak with Elijah and Sam.

“Are you ready?” Rob mumbled, pressing a light kiss to your neck, as he wrapped his arms around your waist, startling you slightly. “Am sorry if I scared you.”

“No no, don’t worry you didn’t scare me, I was just a bit surprised that’s all.” You hummed, leaning back in his embrace. “Im ready!” You answered his question. “Are you?”

“Never been more ready!” You felt his chest vibrate slightly. “Let's fucking do this!”

Your family and friends were already seated, when Robert and you walked down the aisle together, they were all happily smiling at you two and you were sure that some of them had tears in their eyes.

The ceremony was quick – it was 'only' a Civil Marriage after all – and since all you were feeling was glee and pure ecstasy it felt like it was over in the blink of an eye. The solemniser lead through the wedding beautifully; it was simple and straight to the point but you wouldn’t have wanted any other way. You happily signed the Marriage Registration Form, leaning against Robert as you watched Josh and Ciara – your two official witnesses – do the same.

And just like that, it was done. You were married. Wife and Husband. Robert and Y/N Keating.

As soon as you stepped outside of the registry office, your mother pulled you flush against her body. You felt like you were being handed from person to person before you finally stood in front of Rob again. Your husband.

“Hi,” you breathed, looking up at him. “We really did that huh?”

“Yeah,” He smiled. He gently grabbed your left hand, looking at the silver ring sitting on your ring finger before pressing a sweet kiss to it. “I love you so much Y/N, so so fucking much!”

“I love you!” You repeated the words to him. “More than you know.”

The smile on his face was probably the happiest you had ever seen him wear. It was bright and big and you could see his dimples, which was a rare occurrence. You were sure that your smile was probably just as big and bright; you hadn’t stopped smiling since the ceremony had started.

Bobby's hands moved up to cradle your face pulling it closer before pressing a sweet and long kiss to your mouth. Like routine, you moved your arms up, so they could lay on his shoulders and cross them at your wrists.

The two of you had shared a lot of different kisses over the years. Shy kisses, slow and sweet kisses, angry kisses, sad kisses, hopeful kisses… but non had been so full of love and happiness like this one was.

You took a few pictures in front of the steps of the registry office before all piling into the cars you had come in, to drive to your parent's house where the “end of tour / Bobbys and Y/N/N's Wedding” party would be held.

Your parents garden looked, to put it simply, fucking beautiful. Lanterns were hanging in the big old tree, the same big old tree your friends and you would sit under in summer and get drunk and high when your parents weren’t at home. Wrapped around the smaller apple and cherry trees were fairy lights. The same fairy lights were also wrapped around the strange mix of garden furniture, your parents had accumulated over the years. It simply looked heavenly.

It was several hours later, the sun slowly starting to set, your makeup smudged and hair far wilder than it had been that morning, your shoes had been discarded long ago and you were somewhere in between buzzed and drunk when Sam and Ryan came over to you and sat down beside you, one on either side.

The three of you sat in silence for a while before you said something.

“I heard you owe your girlfriend twenty-five euros,” you chuckled as you turned your head towards Ryan. “Better pay up before she makes it fifty!”

“Thank you for reminding me.” Ryan shook his head, not able to hide the smile on his face. “How are you doing?”

“Im doing fantastic!” You smiled, then turned your attention to Sam. “Thank you.”

“Your welcome,” he grinned. “But for what exactly are you thanking me?”

“Oh, just,” you trailed off, your attention landing on Lennon who was dancing with Rob and now manically waving at you. You waved back, grinning before turning your attention back on Sam. “I heard you played a huge role in Rob getting the rings in the first place. So without you, we wouldn’t be here now!”

“Oh yeah that,” he smirked. “Of course. I mean that’s kinda my duty as his best friend, to make him go through with the ideas he gets when he's drunk and missing you!”

The three of you all laughed before you fell silent again.

“Yknow, Sam is a great name for a baby… and it's unisex!” Sam said. Ryan snorted before chipping in. “Well, the same goes for Ryan.”

“Huh?” You looked at your two best friends, “What the fuck are yous two on about now?”

Ryan nudged you before pointing at Bobby and Lennon. “Look.”

Your husband was swaying gently with his niece in his arms. Her head was resting on his chest and she looked like her eyes would fall shut any second now.

Oh… ohhhhh

“Ya reckon that’s the next step for you two?” Ryan asked, his eyes fixed on his best friend who was now gently passing the little girl in his arms to her mother, before turning around, his eyes finding yours instantly a warm smile on his lips.

You mirrored his smile. “Maybe.”

note: if you liked this imagine, don't forget to like, comment and/or reblog, that'd be greatly appreciated! xx

taglist: (if you'd like to be tagged please let me know!) @carmccannt @1twontalwaysbelikethiss @reneissance-grxnge @vanmccannsfridge

#robert keating #robert keating imagine #robert keating oneshot #robert keating x reader #robert keating x reader imagine #robert keating x reader oneshot #inhaler #inhaler imagine #bobby skeetz #charlotte writes

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voughtcorsair · 4 years

Audio

"tumbling down" (steve harley and cockney rebel) - performed by the venus in furs, vocals by jonathan rhys meyers. velvet goldmine, 1998.

#radiowaves #jukebox #velvet goldmine #glam rock #glitter rock #steve harley and cockney rebel #oh this makes me cry a little........hope u guys enjoy :}

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living-dead-parker · 5 years

Text

Day 2: Charity Event - P.P (12DOC)

Summary: The big Stark Charity Event is here. Along with it comes big confessions of love, more annoying and entitled men, a new unlikely friend, and more background on when the reader and MJ dated? Also, Morgan is a lil badass in the making.

Warnings: Fluff, so much fluff. Cussing, plenty of it. Entitled rich men, because why not? Creepy skeevy dudes, we’re trying to make this realistic y’all. BAMF Stark reader, a bit of violence, but it’s not graphic nor bad.

Word Count: 4.5k

A/N: I know this is late, but I did have a gap in my scheduling for this, so I replaced it for this last update. I’ve been busy, but I should be more present now. Also, this gif is not mine!

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

"So, run through the schedule?" Tony asks you. Pepper is too busy on the phone at the moment.

"Soundcheck the stage at 4:00 PM. Doors open at 5:00. Start the event at 6:00," you say as you pull your phone out, already having memorized that far into the night. "Commencement speeches from Pep, Dad, and myself until 6:30. 6:45, a message from the Avengers, live music from 7:00 to 8:00 while everyone grabs food and drinks from the buffet and bar," you read off. "Then from 8:00 to 9:00, we have the choice dances. 9:00 t0 9:30 we have the auction. 9:30 to 10:30 we have the socializing hour to allow everyone to talk and do as they please. 10:30 we have the final big tree auction and the closing speeches. Everyone leaves at 11:00. Shut down at midnight."

Everyone takes an audibly deep breath at the same time. Then, in sync, you all let it out. It's gonna be a long day. It's barely 9 AM, but there's still so much to do ahead of time. So, with that, you all run around like headless chickens getting shit done. It's not till 2 PM that you're all done. So that means, it's time to start getting ready. Like always, you had to help Morgan get herself ready. However, now that she's older, she sort of knows how to do most of it. So, you throw her in the shower and let her hang out for a while as she gets herself clean. In the meantime, you and Peter begin getting all your stuff ready.

It's 3:30 when you jump out of the shower and rush to put something- anything- on. You throw on a face mask and let it sit for a few minutes before taking it off. Then four o'clock comes around and you run to the venue to do soundcheck and test the mics. You're only there for ten minutes, testing the mics and the speakers, greeting the live musicians, and checking in with the staff. However, you make a run back to the tower and up to your room to really start getting ready. When you get back, you see Peter has laid out all your stuff. Your makeup, your hair stuff, your dress is still in the bag but that's fine.

"Thank you, babe!" you exclaim as you take a seat at your vanity and start on your hair. You manage to straighten out your hair, you do a toned-down, subtle, red and green look. Then, you put on a long, dark green, velvet dress with long sleeves. You throw on a white coat with faux fur. By the time you're all done, it's 5:40.

"How do I look?" you ask Peter, turning to look at him and smiling. He's in a black suit with a green tie. His hair is slick back except for the two unruly strands that always fall to his face. His face is clear and he looks so good. Then, you two look at yourselves in the mirror, standing proud and tall together. "We look really good," you tell him. You both take some pictures together before deciding to go to the venue already. You wait in the backstage area with Pepper and your dad. Peter and Morgan went to go sit at your table. Then finally, the time came and all three of you came out.

"Good evening!" you three say excitedly into your mics. Pepper is the first to step up and do her speech, followed by Tony. Then after fifteen minutes, it's your turn. You greet the crowd, earning cheers from everybody. It's obvious you're the most liked Stark. Then it's Pepper. But most of it has to do with the fact that you did no wrong to anyone in the room, besides the Wesley's who happen to be here again this year. Besides that, everyone thinks you're the cool young Stark kid who is taking the business in a fresh direction. "It's been my dream as a kid to make a name for myself. Yeah, I have the Stark name to thank and there's no denying that. But, I wanted something of my own. Something I made, so having made my Charity event was a huge deal for me. Combining it with Pepper's event was a no brainer. It was easily the best decision I've made," you explain before diving into the thank you's.

Then you sit down next to Peter as a video the Avengers made begins to play. It shows home footage of the Avengers helping people out and saying thank you to all the donors. It ends in time and Pepper announces that the buffet and bar are open and to enjoy the first live band of the night. You go wait in the line of the buffet so you can grab some food while Peter goes to grab his friends and bring them with you. In the short amount of time you're alone, a very familiar set of faces stroll up next to you. You almost visibly roll your eyes.

"Y/N Stark!" Jeremy Wesely exclaims as he holds an arm out. With a fake smile, you take his hand and shake it. "Ah, you've grown so much in the past year!"

"Mr. Wesley," you speak out loud, pulling your hand back. "Adam," you acknowledge, taking his extended hand and shaking it. However, he has another idea when he pulls your hand close to his lips and presses a kiss to them. The action takes the woman next to him by surprise. She seems older than him. Not by much, but she seems older.

"Y/N, this is my girlfriend of six months, Anette," Adam states, revealing a beautiful redhead with a gorgeous white dress. Her green eyes stand out. "Anette, this is Y/N Stark, the 20-year-old taking the business world by storm," he states. Your brows furrow confusedly, finding his wording so weird. Who just says that totally unwarranted or without needing to? Nonetheless, you hold your hand out to the woman and her hand loosely and without any care shakes your hand. She doesn't like you for some reason.

"It's so nice to meet you, Anette," you tell her, being genuine nonetheless. "I love your gown, it's so gorgeous and festive," you tell her. Adam steps in and his father does too, pushing Anette to the back.

"So, Y/N, Wesley Inc. has an offer that Stark Industries just cannot turn down," Jeremy states. "It's a moneymaker for sure!"

"That's great, Mr. Wesley-"

"Call me Jeremy, otherwise it feels way too formal!" he states. Adam chuckles, keeping his eyes glued to you. It's kind of weird, he was already 20 when you were 17, he'd been crushing on you since then. It's gross and weird. "But seriously, we think it'd be interesting if Stark Industries used our massive textile portion to create your clothing line!"

"Clothing line?" you ask, not sure what he means. "Do you mean our line of protective gear?" you ask.

"The cool neon jackets and the stylish coats," he states.

"Yeah, that's not a fashion line, Jeremy. It's protective gear for extreme weather and for people who work or live in extreme conditions. The thought is nice, but we have a group of people who work hard to ethically source and produce these items as much as possible. Plus, we've already moved ahead with our partnership with Princess Shuri of Wakanda on adding Vibranium to improve the gear. It'd be a loss to us at this point, but I'm sure we can collaborate on other ventures," you explain. Halfway through that explanation, Peter, MJ, Ned, Harley, and Morgan show up behind you.

"Well, maybe we can set up a meeting to discuss," Adam cuts in, trying to be subtle as he glares at Peter. "There are so many ideas, it'd be criminal not to collaborate."

You chuckle rather fakely as Jeremy and Adam burst out into deep belly laughs. "Oh, haha, the only thing criminal here is your tax evasion," you say through fake laughter, but it goes unnoticed by the two men. Adam stands straight and looks at you. "Well, it was a pleasure to speak with you again, Y/N," he states as he reaches for your hand and kisses it again. "Yeah, real pleasure speaking to you again. Have fun and enjoy yourselves," you state before turning around to face your friends.

"Have they left?" you ask them as you grab Peter's arm and wrap it around your shoulders. Peter chuckles, pressing his lips to your temple. MJ nods, laughing a little. "God, they are so annoying!" you explain. "He thinks he can talk to me like nothing and convince me to be with his predatory son after he attempted to threaten me last year. Ugh, Adam Wesley is the epitome of entitled frat brat who likes to prey on younger girls."

"He sure looks like it," Harley states, looking over at the two men at the bar. "Isn't he the one who invited you to the frat party when you were 15 and tried kissing you the whole time and you called me all angry because he was mad you punched him?"

Through a giggle, you nod. You remember that night so vividly. You didn't feel like you were in any danger, and this was before you'd met Peter. You had always been able to take care of yourself and you really showed Adam that night. Since then, you'd pretended not to know him.

"Adam Wesley, is the least of my problems tonight, alright? I'm here to have fun with you guys," you state as you pick up Morgan and hold her on your hips. "And to collect money for charity. So let's get some food and eat."

After another ten minutes, you finally grab some food. At one point, Pepper snuck you a drink or two to help loosen you up a bit and make you feel more comfortable. It worked, as you felt more fluid and not as stiff by the end of your second drink. You even took a shot and called it a night on the drinking. It was just enough to get you to stop being on edge and stressed. However, eventually, nine rolls around. Pepper jumps on stage and announces the choice dances.

As per usual, your line was pretty long. The longest. Longer than Tony's. You won this year. But as you look at the line, did you really win? It's full of old men, teenage boys, and the occasional girl who you're sort of friends with. Are you really winning? It's kind of weird, in retrospect, but you ignore it because you can take on anyone in that line if you have to and it's all in the name of charity. So, Adam steps forward, being the first in line. Looking over, you see his girlfriend, Anette, first in line to dance with your dad. That makes you cringe.

"Y/N, fun dancing with you again," he states rather smugly, handing you some money for the dance.

"Sure is, Adam," you state, rather fakely. You put the money in your bra.

"So, how are things with that boy of yours?"

"Why do you constantly feel the need to disrespect my fiance?" you ask. Your eyes widen at the slip and you're so glad your head is on Adam's shoulder and he can't see your face. "Every time we see each other, you're always saying something. about him. I'm not leaving him for you."

"Fiance?" he asks. He pulls away slightly, still dancing with you. He grabs your hand and doesn't see a ring. So he grabs the other one and sees the small gold band with a small diamond on it. "Oh sweetie, that's merely a promise ring. Unless itis the engagement ring, which if it is, I can do so much better. I can buy you a whole rock with smaller rocks sprouting from it, babe."

"Don't call me babe," you nearly growl. Adam's eyes widen. "Plus, is it any of your business how I wear my ring? The size of the ring doesn't matter anyway, it's the thought that matters. Peter loves me and he bought the ring with that love in mind. He may not be some rich tall guy, but he's my best friend and he loves me for me. Not just for my looks. He loves me for my imperfections and my flaws. He's sweet and he's caring and he understands me in ways you wouldn't even begin to understand. Plus, he's not a creep. Try as you might, but Peter is my soul mate. He's the love of my life and that's that. So if you're gonna keep talking about him, we're really gonna have a problem-"

"You're so cute when you get angry-"

"Don't make me fucking punch you again," you tell him sternly. You lean in closer to him, bringing your lips close to his ear. "I will make your life hell if you keep attacking my Peter. I will make you eat the shit you talk, I will make you worship the very air I let your breath because you'll miss it, I will make it rain hellfire over your for the rest of your life if you keep talking your shit," you tell him, adding emphasis to every threat. The song nears its end and you press a kiss to your hand and slap him with that hand. "You're so cute when you're angry, but your song's up, Adam. Merry Christmas, doll."

He walks away and is quickly replaced by Peter. You giggle as he hands you two dollars. He giggles when you put the money in your bra. "So, how's my girl doing after dancing with the devil himself?"

"Oh after that dance," you speak as you pull away enough to look at him. "He probably thinks I'm the devil," you finish. Peter laughs, pressing a kiss to your jaw. "But on a more serious note, I may or may not have told him you're my fiance. A Freudian slip of sorts, but just expect that to get out soon," you say. Then you press a kiss to his cheek before sending him off so you can give an actual donor a dance. You didn't even get to see his reaction.

The dances go on for some time before they're over. Pepper announces the auction portion and you see an easel being placed on the stage. Then there are ten covered paintings in total being placed on tables on the stage. There is also one of the trees, the smaller of the two, and a pair of custom made gloves of yours you wore when fighting and taking down a Hydra base. Your dad realizes the creeps in the industry and he plans on capitalizing off of it for charity. Obviously so long as you're okay with it to some degree. You don't care, because you can take any of these men down if you really wanted to.

In the distance, you hear someone exclaim a curse word, but you think none of it. That is until Morgan is running up to you right as you're about to get on stage to help Pepper and Tony auction off some items. She tugs on your dress, catching your attention and trying to climb you.

"I heard the creepy Adam guy talk about you and how you were being mean because he was being annoying," she states. You giggle as you hold your little sister close to you. "So I kicked his leg because no one is mean to my big sister but me," she continues. Your eyes widen and you interject loudly with a call of her name. "And he looked mad, so you gotta hide me."

"Thank you, Morgan," you tell her sincerely as you try not to burst into tears of laughter. You set her down and kneel in front of her, grabbing her shoulder. "But you don't have to kick people for me. That's not very nice," you tell her. "I appreciate the thought, and that's really badass of you, but you don't have to fight everybody who says something bad about us, but I'll teach you those battles later okay?" you ask her. She nods, looking down at her hands. "Look, M, he's not gonna hurt you. I promise he will not hurt you. He's too scared of me to do that. Plus, I think you showed him how you can take care of yourself. Now go with Peter and the others for now, okay?" you ask.

Morgan hugs you before running off to where Peter and all your friends are sat, talking amongst themselves. A big smile tugs at your lips when you see Morgan tap Peter's shoulder and Peter's expression turns into such a big smile. The slip earlier feels like it shouldn't be a slip. The sight makes you feel warm inside as Morgan climbs onto Peter's lap and snuggles into him while Peter holds Morgan close.

With that, you walk onstage and greet everyone. Then you stand by the painting that sits covered on the easel, center stage. There's a screen the projects it bigger into the room. "This first painting," you state as you uncover it, revealing a painting of a scenic Winter Wonderlandesque scene. "By local artist, and one of my dear friends, Michelle Jones titled Mid-Western Winter Wonderland begins at 100 dollars," you state. Someone yells 1,000. You repeat and the numbers get higher and higher. "20,000 going once...going twice...sold to bidder number 52!"

The painting gets carted off and set aside to be labeled for the bidder. Your dad takes over, revealing a picture you'd taken of a very busy and Christmasy New York City. The bidding started at 100 and two men kept drawing it out. Adam and some guy you barely recognize named Scott. Tony grows tired, but goes on and lets them fight it out. Then Scott calls out, "200,000 dollars," nearly 4 times as much as what Adam previously called out. Adam screams, "300,000!"

Scott stays quiet and your dad finally calls it an end and sells it to Adam. The auction continues with selling four more of MJ's paintings, two fo Steve's, and two more of yours. The Scott guy took home the other two, which personally, you felt were better than the first picture. Oddly enough, the Scott guy also took your gloves too. The Christmas tree was sold off for a hefty 900,000. It makes you really hopeful about the outcome of the other one.

Now that the auctions are over, it's time for the socializing hour. In an attempt to get to Peter, you run into the Scott guy. He's a tall and lean man, almost like Steve but less bulky. Black hair, sharp green eyes, well-groomed facial hair. He's a gorgeous man, but not your type. Not your Peter.

"Y/N Stark," he calls out, a smirk on his lips. Nope. Definitely not. You and Tony are the only ones who can approach people and smirk at them. He holds his hand out and you courteously take it, shaking it firmly. "I'm Scott Stephens, soon to be CEO of Albright Enterprise. It's so nice to finally get to meet you," he states as he gets a good look in.

"It's nice to meet you too," you state softly. "Surprised my father hasn't kicked you or any of Hammer's men out," you joke, earning a laugh from the man. Hammer Industries and Albright Enterprise are your Stark Industries' rivals. Thought the truth is, SI is hard to dethrone as number one at this point. Well, unless Shuri decided to get into the field, but instead, she's offered her allegiance as a third party entity to help SI rather than totally capitalize on it. How nice of her.

"Well, it's all for charity, right?" he asks, to which you nod. "I wanted to hand you these," he says as he pulls out the gloves he'd bought for nearly a million dollars. "It was creepy to see all those men bidding so high to get your gloves and I know any of them, especially Adam Wesley would have kept them. I find that wrong and creepy, so I want you to keep them."

Your eyes widen, a genuine and dumbfounded smile taking over your features. You grab the gloves, "Thank you, that means a lot," you tell him softly. He shrugs, and you pick up on the first wave of nervousness. He's getting shy and the big cocky guy facade begins to fall bit by bit.

"Look, I know that to others it can seem I might have ulterior motives talking to you, and I'm sure you thought so too," he states, shrugging his shoulders. "The tabloids love stating I have this huge crush on you, and while you are beautiful, that's not it. I've been watching this share of power between your father, Ms. Potts, and yourself for the past four years like everyone else, and although I am like two years older than you, you're someone I look up to. You handle this life with grace and honestly, I'm terrified to be CEO of the company. I'm so scared, but I see you in world stages and conferences and you hold your head so high, despite being a woman in this field and you don't take shit from anyone. It's a sight for sore eyes and I'm in love with it. Basically, I see how lonely being a CEO can be and I see how you have it all and you give it all too, and I hate the idea of having to compete with others. I was thinking, maybe we can be actual friends. Not just for pictures, but actually get to hang out and talk to each other and be in each other's lives. I just think you're amazing and I know you have a boyfriend, and I respect that a-"

"Hey," you cut off his rambling at this point. You giggle, resting a hand on his arm to calm him down a bit. His face is red and he's not as composed as he was before. He takes a deep breath and chuckles. "I get it, It's tough. I read up on you and saw that you stopped pursuing art just for this and I get it. But you shouldn't have to quit your dreams for this. You can indulge in both, I promise. Plus, I'll be more than glad to be your friend and help you navigate this whole business thing. Admittedly, I'm still learning things too, so I'll be happy to share this journey with you. We can definitely squash all this fake beef because honestly, I think it's stupid too. I should get back to my friends, but you can join us if you'd like," you offer.

"Maybe later?"

"It was nice meeting you Scott," you tell him before walking away. You're left utterly surprised but totally happy. You just hope he's as real as he came off because, in this industry, nothing is off-limits. When you arrive at your table, everyone greets you and they notice the gloves in your hands. "I was just talking to the bidder who won these and he gave them back because he thought it was creepy, to begin with. He turned out to be the soon to be CEO of Albright and we really hit it off as friends. He was so nice and not creepy."

You notice Peter's face, slowly forming into one of confliction. "And he wasn't flirting with me nor was he interested in me in that way, so it was a breath of fresh air," you add, giggling as you press a kiss to Peter's cheek. "Plus, totally not my type."

"And what is your type?" MJ asks, teasing Peter by sticking her tongue out at him. You giggle, looking between her and Peter. Remembering that at some point, you dated her. "Apparently," you being. "People with brown curls, brown eyes, and soft skin," you say. The two look at each other, bursting into laughter. "You do have a type, huh?" MJ asks.

"Oh shut it, we only dated for like two months. Anyways, he was nice and wants to be friends because and I get him. So, expect some guy to come around a bit more often. Platonically!"

The final tree eventually gets sold for a million dollars and then everyone left. Now it's midnight and the only people left in the hall are Peter, a sleeping Morgan, Harley, Tony, Pepper, and yourself. Tony walks up to you and hugs you, holding you so close to him. "You did amazing tonight sweetie," Tony states. "Plus, I hear tensions between SI and Albright might be coming to an end in the near future?"

"I think people just like me better," you tell him. He pinches your arm playfully, causing you to giggle. "But in all seriousness, Scott is a great guy and I really do see myself in him. But I know to take it with a grain of salt too, dad."

"I trust you and your judgment," Tony tells you. "I just want you to be careful in this world. By the way, I totally feel like I've been pimping you out tonight especially with the glove thing, so apologize for that. It felt wrong," he states. You smile at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks, father. I appreciate that."

He bids you a good night and walks over to Pepper, pulling her into his arms. You walk over to Peter and Harley, seeing Harley carrying a very tired Morgan. Tony walks over and takes Morgan with him and with that, you all exit the hall.

"So, fiance?" Peter asks you as the two of you walk through the snowy pavement. "A slip?"

"Freudian, if you will," you joke. Peter wraps an arm around you, smiling when you wrap an arm around him. "But I mean, that's what the promise was for, right? That at some point, we will be engaged because we do see ourselves getting to that point. I can't deny that I have strong feelings for you, Pete. I know that we don't need each other. Realistically, we don't. We want each other, and I think that's more romantic than needing each other. Needing implies we have no choice, but we do. We chose each other and we continue to choose each other despite the fact that we don't have to. You're it for me, you're all I want."

Peter stays silent, but at the moment, he doesn't need to speak. Just the way he pulls you in tighter, the way he holds you close. The way he rests his head on yours. It all speaks for him. So, the two of you walk in silence and he carries you to your bedroom, where he sits you on the cabinet in the closet and undresses you again, helping you into your pajamas as you grow more tired. He changes into his and carries you into bed and the two of you doze off with dreams of kissing under the mistletoe and dancing to the nutcracker or some Christmasy shit. Holding each other close and indulging in each other's warmth.

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theycallmequeenie · 5 years

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Lexie And Happy

Part Four

Master List

Tig held his niece and did his best to calm her, as he did he felt her nod her head to answer his question. She still loved Happy and she always would. Even after all the thing she and Happy had dealt with over the years.

“That answer is Always, Uncle Tig. I tried to move on but there was no moving on. I couldn’t, my heart wouldn’t let me.” She spoke with her back to the clubhouse, not knowing Happy was within earshot. Wiping her eyes she forced a small smile and walked back to the garage to get back to work on the three cars that were waiting.

Happy waited until after she had walked away before approaching Tig. He wasn’t sure how to process what he had just heard, with a puzzled look on his face he looked to Tig asking if he had heard that right. Tig nodded, telling him that he had and sighed. Happy rubbed his face and made eye contact with his brother, “I gave her the ring back, Tig. I think I’m just going to head home and get cleaned up and some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Tig nodded and patted him on the back, watching as he went to his bike firing it up and speeding out of the lot. Tig also caught his niece watching as Happy left, he knew those two had to get back together, somehow.

The day flew by and they finished up all three vehicles that were there for repairs calling three very surprised owner to inform them that their cars were ready for pickup days ahead of schedule. Tig had called Venus to tell her he wanted to take her out for a date night, that way Lexie and Sunnie had some time to themselves to adjust to their new surroundings and calling Happy to tell him she would be by herself tonight that he would appreciate it if he were to stop in and check on Lex and the dog. He knew what would happen by the time he and Venus got home tonight he wasn’t quite okay with it but he wasn’t angry with the idea of it either. If there was such a thing as couples who were meant to be those two would definitely classify as that. All the crap they had went through over the course of things would destroy weaker souls but not those two. They persevered through it all. Yes that car accident did a good bit of damage to Lexie’s psyche but it never damaged either of those two’s love for each other.

As Tig and Lex returned to his home for the evening he told her that he and Venus were going out for the night and she and Sunnie would have the place to themselves. Jokingly telling her to behave herself and no wild parties which had them both laughing. Venus met them in the kitchen almost ready to go out and offered up a smile to Lexie who simply waved in return. Lexie kissed Tig on the cheek thanking him again for letting her and her dog stay there until she was able to find a place of her own and said she was going to get the grime of the day off of her. Wishing them well she went to the guest bathroom and started a shower.

Lexie wasn’t known to talk long showers but today was a rare exception. She enjoyed every second standing under the hot water letting the feeling of the water pounding on her muscles relax her. She never heard the sound of someone breaking into the house and shutting Sunshine in a closet in one of the other rooms.

The man that broke into Tig’s house wore no identifying clothing but appeared to be a member of the Mayans MC. He roamed around the house ransacking the place and waiting for the young woman that he had seen enter the home. He had been briefed that she was Happy’s old lady and that she was to be kidnapped at all costs.

Lex had gotten out of the shower still none the wiser to the intruder got out of the shower and put on an old SAMCRO tee and a pair of plain black pajama pants. As she left the bathroom she was checking her phone and saw a text from Happy saying that he was on his way over. She hummed to herself knowing Tig had to be the one to give him her number. Sighing she made her way to her room looking for Sunnie trying to figure out why she would be hiding from her and that’s when she realized there was someone else in the house. Lex instinctively screamed when she saw the intruder and ran for her uncle’s room because she knew he kept a gun in the nightstand on his side of the bed. But she was tackled to the floor before she could make it to the door.

She started to fight the moment she hit the floor, punching, biting, kicking, and scratching. She was not going without one hell of a fight. She knew Happy was on his way and she was praying he got there soon, but in the mean time she was going to fight for as long as she could. As she was fighting, the intruder was tried to tear her shirt off of her and managed to get in a solid punch to her face. As Lexie her the sound of ripping fabric she started fighting harder, screaming for help as loud as she could trying to get anyone’s attention.

During the struggle at the man was trying to strip her of her clothes a familiar roar of a Harley could be faintly heard which made Lexie, who was starting to tire, yell to Happy for help.

Happy parked his bike and noticed the front door open and started running looking for Lex. Then he heard her screaming for help, this prompted him to draw his own gun and run toward the sound of her panicked voice. As he got to her the intruder had managed to tear away the clothes she had on and had her pinned to the floor. He instantly attacked the man beating him senseless allowing Lexie to get away from the man who was attacking her and get her uncle’s gun.

After grabbing the nearest blanket to cover herself she grabbed the gun and quickly ran back out to the hallway, took aim, and fired a round into the unknown man’s leg just below the kneecap. This made Happy and the Man cease their blow for blow battle. Happy Looked at Lexie and gave her a proud grin while the man writhed on the floor screaming in pain.

Lexie hung her head and asked Happy, “Can you handle that while I go replace my clothes and find my dog?”

Happy’s eyes went wide, nodding to Lexie before scowling down at the unknown Mayan making sure to give him a good swift kick in the knee that had been shot. Grumbling lowly, “That’s for the dig. You better pray you didn’t hurt her either, asshole.” And then proceeded to put his boot on the guys throat and called Tig first then Chibs to let them know what had happened.

Lexie decided to throw a soft pastel blue maxi dress on just to be quick so that she could look for Sunshine. She was worried for her fur baby. She was going room to room looking for her calling out her name and listening for any canine like sounds in response. She wasn’t hearing any and was starting to panic. As she continued to search the rooms she could feel her anxiety start to spike and that was the last thing she wanted Happy to see. Thankfully she was able to find Sunnie in the next to last room she hadn’t checked. She was so thankful that Sunnie wasn’t hurt and just sat on the floor and held her dog.

At this time the other two Sons that Happy had called arrived at the house along with Venus, all Lexie heard was a thick Scottish brogue screaming “What the hell happened here?!” Unfortunately what Lexie didn’t hear was Tig seeing Lexie’s shredded clothes on the floor in the middle of his hallway. As soon as Tig laid eyes on the now scraps of fabric he jumped on the guy and started punching him in the face over and over again. Happy had to physically remove him to keep him from killing the Mayan. Happy was repeating, “She’s okay Tig. She’s in another room with her dog.” in Tig’s ear. Chibs had said something about calling Althea before being told no by the other three.

This prompted Lexie to poke her head out of the room she ended up in and frown softly, “Please no more people knowing about this. It’s bad enough Happy called Telford.” Which got her a glare from Chibs and an eye roll from he uncle as he rushed to her.

“Did he…” Before Tig could finish Lexie shook her head and hugged him. “Oh thank god,” Was all that was her as he wrapped her up in his arms and held her to him.very thankful that he helped raise a fighter.

Lexie playfully started tapping on his shoulder mumbling that she needed air and started explaining what had happened and just how thankful she was for Happy’s timing. She walked over to Happy and whispers something in his ear that makes him smile and sort of puff his chest out then kisses him on the cheek thanking him before looking to Venus and speaking to her, “ Well, Auntie V, want to help me get patched up? I’m fairly certain I’m going to have a shiner in the morning….”

To Be Continued…

Part Six

#happy lowman #happy lowman imagine #happy lowman x reader #happy lowman x ofc #happy reading #HappyxLexie #sons of anarchy #sons of anarchy fanfiction #sons of anarchy fandom #sons of anarchy imagines #soa fanfiction #soa #soa fandom #soa fic #queenie writes

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diinofayce · 7 years

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Like A Whisper In The Night - 7

Layne sat next to Bucky in a black armored car in the parking lot of First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. She looked out the window at the black painted building a let out a shaky breath, smiling softly when she felt Bucky’s metal fingers trace along the knuckles of her hand in comfort. The bricks were covered in silver painted stars, the names of performers who graced the iconic stage written in big black letters in the stars. One large golden star stood out from the rest, PRINCE written in the middle and purple flowers taped to the wall, a candle sat undisturbed on the ground below it.

It had taken Layne two days to call in all her favours and make a solid mission plan before they could come out. Clint, Natasha, and Steve were working security and bartending at The Myth fifteen minutes out of town. Wanda, Vision, and Loki were at The Pourhouse eight blocks down. Sam, Tony, and Bucky were with Layne at First Avenue. Marcus, the owner of First Avenue and Seventh Street Entrance, called for a big price when Layne called him up. They had a night with no band and a Dorothy reunion would sell out the venue. It didn’t matter that she said that her employer, Tony Stark, was the VIP; Marcus was a man who always got what he wanted. This forced Layne to bite the bullet and call up the best friend and bandmate that she abandoned without a word. Layne did a lot of apologizing, a lot of crying, and then spent a whole three extra hours catching up with her guitarist like they had been speaking every day since Layne left. The band agreed to get back together for the show and First Avenue indeed sold out, causing Marcus to close Seventh Street so that he could have enough staff on First Avenue.

And that’s what puts us in this dingy parking lot that was already housing a large beat-up red pickup truck that had the tailgate open and amps ready to be brought in. “Those idiots are going to get their shit stolen like last year,” Layne grumbled unlocking her door and stepping unceremoniously into the freezing Minnesota wind. Despite it being almost March the city was still frigid, icy, and blanketed in a thick layer of snow.

“At least it’s cleaner than New York,” Layne heard Sam say from his and Tony’s car behind her. “About as dreary, though,” Bucky replied. “Who the fuck uses the word ‘dreary’ in real life?” Sam shot back.

Their bantering was lost on Layne as she stood staring at the open doorway to the back of the club. A woman in her mid-forties came stomping outside. Bucky and Sam silenced instantly and Tony lowered his sunglasses to get a better look at her. She was all tits and ass in a tiny black tank top with a Harley Davidson leather coat, ripped up black skinny jeans and high heeled motorcycle boots. Her red hair rivaled Natasha’s and was swept back into a red bandanna. Her persona oozed power and control and dared everyone in her path to fuck with her, no seriously, please fuck with her.

“Now, I know that trash bag, Layne Hardin, did not just step out of some foreign piece of shit that costs more than my house.” The bark that came from the woman was unabashedly northern Minnesota.

“Well, I know only one gutter hoe that drives some rusted piece of shit Chevy and leaves fifteen hundred dollars worth of equipment out in the open to get stolen. Must be fucking Susanna Sweet.” Layne called back, hands on her hips, hair falling down over one shoulder.

Susanna took her aviator sunglasses off and stared Layne down sternly before her face broke into a large smile, a jovial laugh ripping out of her. “Girl, get your skinny white ass over here.” Layne ran at Susanna and jumped into her arms.

The three men just looked at each other with wide eyes full of concern and confusion. Tony stepped forward, straightening the suit jacket he was wearing over his vintage AC/DC shirt, which Layne had already threatened to steal.

“Um, yeah, hi. Excuse me? What’s happening here?” Tony asked pointing between the two ladies.

Layne giggled as Sue put her back down on the ground. “This, gentlemen, is Minnesota’s, no the entire fucking tri state area’s, best and most in-demand guitarist. Ms. Susanna Sweet. She’ll fuck you up,” Layne added, her face going very serious. “Suzu, this is Bucky, Sam, and Tony.”

“Girl, you flatter me. And still curse with such a wonderful eloquence and fluidity, only good thing to come out of you being a Navy brat. Now grab your shit and help unload the truck,” the biker babe laughed and grabbed a large Marshall stack amp.

“You’re a Navy brat?” Bucky asked, him and Sam looking at her with mild disgust. Layne sneered at the Army boys and stuck her tongue out.

“Does it make you like me less? Honestly, the Army ego coming out of the three of you could choke a horse. Can we least agree that at least I’m not Air Force and get some fucking help with heavy shit?” Layne scoffed. The boys looked at each other and shrugged in agreement before going over to the truck to help with the cabs and amps.

Layne grabbed her guitar case and a garment bag from the car and led the boys into the venue. Sue caught up to her and threaded her arm into Layne’s. Layne didn’t know if she was ready for this and she knew she had to keep herself toned down if she wanted to keep some semblance of professionalism after this was said and done, but this Minnesota air brought a lot back for her.

“So, Ms. Sweet, you were in the Army?” Sam asked sidling up to the two of them.

Sue smirked. “Mm, are you offering to buy me a drink and swap war stories?”

~*~

There was a half an hour before doors open and the stage was all set up and sound tested. Layne had introduced her boys to Cass and Taylor, her bassist and drummer. Cass was a tiny pixie of a thing, barely scraping over five feet and had a shock of short purple hair. She was decked out a red leather dress with black knee high, fur lined Demonia’s to give herself an extra six inches. Taylor was taller and stockier, she had well defined muscles from constant drumming as she worked as studio drummer now for a living and filled in with different bands as needed. She always dressed simple for shows since it got hot and she was behind a kit, she wore one of their old band tank tops and a pair a black biker shorts under a black kilt with white Converses, her thick blond hair was up in pig tails.

Everyone was milling around the main center bar when Layne approached, wearing an ostentatious tan faux fur coat that brushed around her knees, it was clasped shut so you could only see the torn fishnet stockings and blood red Doc Martins. Her makeup was her traditional over smoked eye and bright red lips and her hair was curled and coiffed with probably an entire can of hair spray.

“Well, that’s a look, rock star,” Sam said staring down his nose at her. Layne rolled her eyes and waved at Dave, the bartender.

“We keep Layne around for the tight ass and sex hair,” Sue joked handing out shots of whiskey as Dave passed them to her.

“No drinking on the job, Hardin,” Tony started and tried to take the shot from her only to have three Minnesota ladies block his hand.

“No, no, no. You do not get to stop this train wreck, this train wreck gets us paid. It’s a sold out show and besides, we bought you one too.” Cass waved a finger at Tony before presenting him with his shot. Layne winced at the multiple accounts of being called a train wreck, but let it go. Taylor raised her shot and was met with shots from the other girls. The boys shared That Look again before shrugging and raising their glasses up as well.

“SKOL!” Taylor called slamming her shot on the bar before tilting it back down her throat. The girls mimicked followed by three very confused boys.

“What job are you working that you can’t fucking drink at? Sounds like piss,” Taylor cussed tapping the bar for a refill. Dave obliged and the girl pounded that shot as well.

“I am…working in the genetics lab for Mr. Stark,” Layne supplied carefully. Layne wasn’t ready to tell her friends that she was an Avenger. She didn’t want to let these two lives leak together, they were oil and water and they needed to always be separate.

“Fucking told you she’d lie about it. Ah, well.” The blond drummer deflated. Layne looked at her girls sadly as Cass and Susanna both frowned at Layne.

Susanna shook her head placed her elbow’s on Layne’s shoulders and her chin on top of her head. “Doors open soon. Let’s get backstage and look at that notebook of yours. Plus you need to tell me which one of these three you’re sleeping with, because I know it’s one of them.”

Bucky choked on his water and Sam and Tony gave him a reproachful look. Sue, Taylor and Cass headed towards the back snickering to themselves.

Layne sighed and dropped her elbows on the bar top. Dave handed her a 1.75 of Jack, as per normal, and Layne smiled tersely. Pulling a silver Sharpie out of the top of her boot she scrawled her name across the front and stuck the Sharpie back in place.

“Gonna stay level up there, kid?” Tony asked suddenly clapping her on the shoulder.

Layne smirked and caught Bucky’s eyes. She wanted to make sure he heard her. “Oh, this isn’t for me. You’re in for quite a show boys. And Bucky, you better be damn good on that front line because you’re going to have a rough ride.” Layne moved to head to the backstage, catching the flush on Bucky’s cheeks and smirking, but Tony kept a hold of her shoulder. He pulled a wooden box about the size of his palm out of his inner suit pocket.

“Stark, I’m flattered. But it’s not me, it’s you,” Layne joked holding her hand up in a stop motion.

“Ha. Ha. You’re adorable. Here,” he opened the box and inside were two silver bangles about an inch thick. He pulled them out and clasped them around her wrists. “So, ideally, these are grounders. They should let you half project, again ideally. We haven’t had time to test them obviously. It should be able to let you still see auras, but you wont be leaving your body. Which also means you can’t actually project into someone else, so you’ll need to hit this button to deactivate them. But you’ll still hit the dirt. I don’t know what to do about that.” Tony looked at you anxiously as you admired the simple bands on your wrists, rotating your hands so they glinted in the overhead lights.

“Thank you, Tony. They’re perfect. They’ll work perfect on the stage, too.” Layne reached over and gave Tony a peck on the cheek. She nodded to the boys and took off after her girls.

~*~

There was nothing between Bucky and 800 people except for waist high metal fence that wasn’t even latched to the floor. It was those grates and two other security guards that were separating the screaming fans and the stage. Bucky’s eyes flashed around to all the exits and doors and bars anxiously. There were too many people and he had no clue who he was looking for in the sea of bobbing heads and crashing shoulders. There weren’t enough exits to not make a dangerous situation even worse in case of a stampede. His tongue flicked out over his lips and he was slightly reassured by Redwing hovering above everyone - not that he would ever admit that to Sam. His blue eyes cast up to the balcony where Tony sat on the long leather couch with a glass of amber liquid, a few girls in tiny dresses, and one of the house security guards (purely for appearances at this point).

The two guys on either side of him had warned Bucky of Layne’s shows. They told him of the two times the show got so crazy they had to call half of the Minneapolis police department because the party spilled into the streets after the show. They warned him about how she liked to jump into the crowd. They warned him that she could drink like a fish, puke off stage during a guitar solo, then come back and keep drinking. All the bartenders called her Puke’N’Rally with a fondness and they had two cases of Jack Daniels tucked up off stage for the girls and the crowd. They warned him that Layne would probably mess with him, she messed with all the stage security, but the new guys always got it rough.

Bucky tried to reassure the men that Layne wasn’t drinking because this was for a Stark work event, but they just gave each other a look that Bucky could tell meant they didn’t believe him.

“Lesser men than Tony Stark have tried to get that girl to quit drinking,” the large black man to his left, Darren, said. “I’ve carried that girl out into a cab more times than I can count.”

“Well, she’s fucking sad and just a kid,” said the guy to his right, Mike. The man was all long grizzled silver hair and beard and sounded permanently stoned. “Like, you can hear it in her music. No one taught her how to cope. I’ve been there, man.”

Bucky looked between the two men who knew her so much better than he did, then any of the Avengers did. He felt tense in his chest, was she just placated him back in the kitchen when she promised she would moderate herself? And Bucky understood that she wanted to hit the pause button on whatever they were doing, but even with the plane ride to Minnesota and in the car to the venue she had barely said two words to him. He knew what it was like to be trapped in your own head and he probably wasn’t the shining example of healthy coping, but anything was healthier than what she was doing. He found himself extremely worried that she didn’t care enough about how much she was hurting herself.

The opening band was another local three piece girl band called Kloud. They sounded fast and angry, Sam told Bucky through the ear piece that it was called punk and that they were pretty good. He wasn’t a fan, he definitely preferred the more blusey stuff. He peeked over his left shoulder and saw Layne standing off to the side stage with the rest of her band going over something in a notebook. The last of the stage hands finished setting Dorothy’s instruments and the lights lowered in the room. The crowd started going nuts, they surged forward and Bucky placed his foot against the bottom of his rail to keep it place.

Cass, Susanna, and Taylor strutted out onto the stage, fists in the air, and took up their instruments. Cass hits the first chord on her bass and the note shakes the entire building. She picks a beat, a steady dum-dum-dum, and Taylor follows in march behind on the bass drum. Its to that beat that Bucky’s ears pick up the stomp of Layne’s gait onto the stage, he sees Sam’s eyebrow raise on the second floor and takes a peek over his shoulder. Bucky’s heart stutters in his chest as he took in the sight of Layne’s lithe form being hugged by a black silk and lace negligee under her billowing fur coat. It ended maybe inches below her ass, the small straps barely holding up the swell of her breasts. A black velvet choker wrapped around her neck, a flat black stone nestled in the soft of her throat.

Her brown eyes cast around the crowd and into the balcony - finding both Sam and Tony, a small smirk gracing her face before she punched her fist into the air. “Minne-fucking-apolis!” She called and the crowd just roared triumphantly. She poured a few shots out of her bottle of Jack into little plastic cups and carried them to the front of the stage, standing behind the security guard to Bucky’s left.

“How is everyone feeling tonight?” The crowd roared back. “Oh no, that doesn’t sound good enough. Let Momma make it better my wild ones.” Layne carefully stepped on the guard’s shoulder and he held onto her ankle as she reached forward and handed out the shots. The fans who got them cheered and slammed them down. Bucky tried to hold down the acidic taste of jealousy that burned in his stomach as he watched Darren’s large hand wrap around her shin. It was done so casually that Bucky knew that wasn’t the first time those hands had been there. “That’s better! I want you bitches clapping!” Layne pushed gracefully off of Darren’s shoulder, her fingernails dragging slowly over his cheek and made her way back to the center of the stage, sliding her microphone in it’s stand.

“Oh, Set me on fire Oh, Kerosene eyes Oh, Lookin’ right through me Sellin’ my soul for one night”

She spread her arms out to the side, baring herself wide for everyone in that venue. Every time Layne opened her mouth it was like Bucky could hear further into her soul.

~*~

Layne missed this, being surrounded by her girls and the music and the screaming crowd. She would often sit back at Avengers Tower and wonder what her life would be if she had signed that record deal instead of agreeing to keep the world safe. If she hadn’t let her parents break her spirit, she really thought she could have been something.

Layne grabbed her bottle and ripped her microphone from the stand. Walking to the front of the stage she fell to her knees behind Bucky and carded her fingers through his hair. She felt him stiffen slightly and turn his head to look back at her with a warning glare. She winked and licked her lips at him.

“Oh, Doin’ me dirty Oh, Tellin’ me lies Oh, You are not worthy Tellin’ myself it’s the last time”

Layne flung one leg over Bucky’s shoulder, hooking him at the knee and pushed her other foot off the front of the stage so he’d lean forward. He held her leg close to his chest and gave her a furious look as she held her bottle out to pour the amber liquid into the mouths of the people on the other side of the barricades.

“Cause nothing good comes after midnight Ain’t no good love come from pain Nothing good comes after midnight When you play the Devil’s game Oh, after midnight.”

Layne pulled back from the fans and Bucky took that as his sign to help her back onto the stage. Layne leaned down, her hair creating a curtain between them and the rest of the venue, and brushed her lips across his cheek. Layne straightened and pumped her fist in beat with the drums and guitar. “Hands in the fucking air!” Layne clapped along to the beat, getting the whole venue into her motions.

“Susanna Sweet, everyone,” she called out, and the crowd cheered as Susanna stepped forward - her black Les Paul with lime green cobwebs shining in the stage lights. Layne stepped back and sat down on the drum stand, setting down her bottle of Jack and grabbing a bottle of water. Sweat was running in rivulets down her neck and into her cleavage already. She looked down at the bangles on her wrists and made sure they were turned on before taking a deep breath and feeling herself start to float.

It felt like there were chains binding her consciousness to her body, but she could see everyone’s auras like if she was separated. She could feel her head turn as she scanned the crowd, counting the yellow auras of enhanced individuals. There were more than she expected, at least forty that she could see on the main floor and about twenty up on the balconies. Layne settled back into herself, blinking slowly as her vision readjusted just in time for the guitar solo to end. She strutted back across the stage finishing the song and sending hand signals to Tony and Sam about her count.

The song ended and the crowd cheered. Layne gave a brilliant smile and motioned up at RedWing hovering above everyone. “Everyone smile for the cute drone. You can buy the DVD of this performance next month on our Facebook page.” Layne winked up at Sam as he sent RedWing down around the crowd taking facial scans of everyone that looked into it’s camera. All the intel was being sent direction to Agent Hill back at the compound.

The next song started and Layne switched back from undercover agent to performer. Halfway through the show she shed her coat entirely, she definitely noticed Bucky keeping a sharper eye on her when she got close to the other security or stretched over to the crowd. At one point she got tired of his side looks and poured half a bottle of Jack over his front, making the ladies in the audience hoot and holler as his black shirt stuck to his chiseled form. He growled at her angrily and snatched the bottle from her hand, lobbing it into the crowd who cheered and the other security guards looked at him with “I told you so” stares. Layne had simply cracked a new one from the box next to the drum stand. It was common for them to go through at least ten bottles a show.

During the solos Layne would take the opportunity to recount auras. She had noticed a definite five were missing, but at a whiskey peddling rock show that could be for any reason. It wasn’t until towards the end of the night that she noticed a yellow aura and a blue aura towards the back in the shadows pull another yellow aura towards them and fight them towards the front door. Layne sent a quick signal to Tony and Sam, who immediately went on the move. Layne moved to Susanna and whispered in her ear that she had to go do work. Susanna looked into Layne’s eyes for a moment before nodding and starting the opening to their traditional show ender.

The crowd started to dance and clap to the beat. “Whiskey in the air, Minnesota. You know how we end this shit!” Layne nodded at Bucky who looked back at her with steely blue eyes. She knew that either Tony or Sam informed him of the problem over the comlink, but he didn’t know how he was going to get Layne off stage to go after them. Layne gritted her teeth, having left that part out of debriefing Bucky because she knew he would argue her on it.

Cracking a new bottle of whiskey, she signaled for the security guard to Bucky’s left. Darren had been stage security at all of their shows, he knew what was about to happen. He held his hands palms up for her as she carefully stepped onto his shoulders, holding one of his hands gently as she stepped down onto the barrier. Bucky was about ready to rip her back towards the stage but she just signaled him with her chin to meet her on the other side of the main floor. He glared at her and licked his lips before darting out to the side stage.

“Oh, mama, don’t you leave me alone No tellin’ what I’ll do on my own Oh, mama, there’s a pit in my soul So deep I gotta fill it up now, fill it up now FILL IT UP NOW!”

Layne stepped carefully onto the shoulders of the man on the other side of the barrier, she poured a shot from her bottle into his mouth as she stepped to the man behind him.

“Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey fever You’re my evil, you’re my evil Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey fever You’re my evil, you’re my evil love”

Layne made her way across the room on the shoulders of the crowd, pouring shots down their throats as she went. The crowd crammed together on her path, she could see Bucky’s frustrated blue eyes at the end. His gloved fingers were twitched for the weapons he kept hidden on his person, ready to give chase with the rest of them.

“Whoah, mama, can’t you say that I’m wrong Bad habits been bustin’ my bones Hell, mama’s gonna swallow me whole God knows I gotta fill it up now, fill it up now FILL IT UP NOW!”

Layne made it to the end and hopped down into Bucky’s arms, smiling as his whiskey damp shirt smacked into her sweat drenched face. “Up,” she whispered to Bucky who rolled his eyes and lifted her up. “Thank you Minnesota. I love you so much! Make sure you all get a beer and put it on Tony Stark’s tab!” Bucky set her down and Layne left her microphone with Dave behind the bar. She grabbed Bucky’s hand and pulled him out to the door with the crowd chanting ‘Dorothy’ as they ran out into the cold Minneapolis air.

Bucky handed Layne her com and she placed it in her ear. “Whisper online,” she said, her eyes darting around the dark night looking for a sign of Stark or Wilson flying around.

“Hey, rock star! That was quite a show. We’ve got tail on a white laundromat delivery van. We watched two males shove a woman inside. They’re approaching Hennepin Street,” Wilson said and Layne turned in the direction of the corresponding street.

“This way,” Layne said breathlessly and took off at a run, Bucky close on her heels. “Get team Pourhouse out here. They’re on Hennepin, might catch them faster.”

“Layne, you have no weapons or armor. You should go back to the venue,” Bucky yelled, watching as her slip slid up to just underneath her butt. He flushed crimson and tried not to focus on where he was running.

“Maybe don’t stare at my ass, Barnes, and it wouldn’t be a problem,” Layne looked at him over her shoulder briefly with a wicked look in her eyes. She reached up to the choker on her neck and pressed the black gem, a ripple passed over her body as her black cat suit spread out down her arms, torso, and legs.

“Loki already hooked me up,” Layne laughed as she took a sharp turn into an alley and hopped onto the grating of a parking garage, pulling herself up to the third level and running to the side that faced Hennepin. Bucky came to pause next to her and looked down the road, ignoring the fact that she was panting heavily next to him clearly out of breath from sprinting.

“Hey, thanks for keeping your word on the whole drinking thing. Granted, you could have not poured it all out over me,” Bucky said softly, pulling his Glock out of it’s holster.

Layne looked at him sideways for a minute while pulling her long dark hair up in a ponytail. “Um, well, I told you I don’t drink on missions. I mean, that one shot excluded. Did you think I was lying to you?”

Bucky shook his head, his brown hair tied into a loose knot on the back of his neck. “No. I mean, I had heard you’ve tried to stop in the past and it not working out but, I mean, I…don’t…know” Bucky’s words died in his throat as he watched realization dawn on Layne’s face. She clicked her tongue and nodded, a smile of disbelief on her face.

“Here I was thinking you were going to be something different,” Layne said harshly, more to herself than to Bucky. The white van came into view, stopping at a red light below them. Without giving Bucky a heads up she pushed from the shadows of the parking ramp and landed on the roof of the van, rolling to lessen the impact and hopping off just as she felt the van lurch with a crash signaling Bucky’s landing on the hood.

Layne wrenched the back doors open and eight sobbing girls came into view. They were all wearing bar clothes, makeup smeared across their faces from their tears. Their hands and feet were bound and a cloth was tied in their mouths. She could hear the sounds of running footsteps behind her and the jets from Tony and Sam.

A man was in the back with the girls, his brown hair shaved short on the sides contrasting with long thick curls on the top, his brown eyes the same shade as Layne’s. He stood quickly and rushed at Layne, shoving her back into the ground. He smirked at her as she stared up at him with shock.

“Danny?” she whispered before her youngest brother vaulted off of her and took off into the alleys.

NEXT CHAPTER

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#bucky barns fanfiction #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky x ofc #bucky fanfic #bucky fandom #marvel fanfiction #marvel #avengers #avengers fanfiction #avengers fanfic #dorothy #minnesota #minneapolis

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klc-archive · 26 years

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Velvet Goldmine - Harley (The Venus in Furs)

In 1984, British journalist Arthur Stuart investigates the career of 1970s glam superstar Brian Slade, who was heavily influenced in his early years by hard-living and rebellious American singer Curt Wild.

Director: Todd Haynes

#Keith Lee Castle #Velvet Goldmine #Harley (The Venus in Furs)#1998 #Film #Video

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theimpossiblescheme · 7 years

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Part 24/80 of my Female Rogues of Gotham City series

Many people in Gotham have only ever known Harley Quinn as the only woman in the Joker’s life, but the Clown Prince of Crime had actually gone through his fair share of henchgirls just like any other rogue. However, the cost of working at his side was considerably higher than it was for the rest of the Gotham underground—one false move or one wrong word could have the poor girl lying on the sidewalk with a bullet between her eyes or tied to a fire hydrant laughing hysterically, provided he didn’t simply abandon her to the dark and hostile streets. Only the most capable survived unscathed. And as assurance of their loyalty, he forced each young woman to give up something precious to her, thus swearing her old life away and binding herself to his side; if she ever broke that bond, she had better hide herself far away and hope the Joker never showed up to demand her return or to settle the score.

Queenie was the heiress to the biggest makeup manufacturer on the East Coast and had never known anything but luxury; her family liked to joke that she spent more time in a Sephora’s than her own crib. But even with all of her beautiful trappings and lavish corporate parties, she eventually became bored with her own immense privilege, much to the annoyance of her father’s employees, and started expressing a desire to run away from home and see the world…a desire the Joker promised her he could make happen if she were willing to supply him with spiked cosmetics and a getaway car. Eagerly accepting the offer and earning herself a reputation in the tabloids as a sort of spoiled Disney princess gone rogue saddled with a loathsome Prince Charming, Queenie became one of Gotham’s biggest scandals, but was quickly forgotten and discarded once her inevitable prison stay and new criminal record stripped her of all her glitz and glamor, even being disowned by the family she should have been more grateful for.

Susie seemed to have an almost perfect life as head cheerleader, secretary of the student council, and one of the most popular girls at Aaron Burr High School, but her meager home life and neglectful divorced parents left her feeling hollow and yearning for the beautiful things in life she had missed out on. When the Joker promised her a place among his gang and rewards of fine fur coats and bottles of foreign perfume, she leaped at the opportunity, but soon found herself in an even more precarious situation, lecherously pawed at by the clown’s henchmen and facing the daily risk of death should she fail in her duties. A botched forced entry into Gotham Academy left her bleeding and delirious after the Joker had demonstrated his displeasure, but Susie found a sort of second home at this new school; some of the professors offered to shelter her from the law and her old boss under a new name as long as she could help pass on her musical and athletic talents to the students.

Jill had been in and out of foster homes for most of her childhood and teenage years until one of the Joker’s former henchmen took her in; their new home was cold and bare and less than ideal, but it was nevertheless a place where she could feel safe and taken care of, especially when her new father would bring home expensive stolen spoils from his criminal conquests. But when the Joker decided to “get the band back together” and bring back new recruits for a strike on the Gotham Stock Market, she got to see what the crime scene was like up close…and she hated it. Jill came to loathe the Joker, and the clown took special glee in rubbing her nose into all the messy and unpleasant aspects of his exploits, even as he rewarded her good behavior with furs and fancy drinks, but she stayed out of loyalty to the man who had adopted her, even taking a bullet for him in a firefight at the steps of the Stock Exchange.

Cornelia also came from a broken home; her dreams of becoming an Olympic gymnast went completely overlooked by her absentee mother and business-minded father, who owned a rather large locksmithing operation and wanted his daughter to be the spokesgirl and advertisement model. So standing and looking pretty was all she ever knew how to do; even when the Joker offered her a chance for adventure and a change of scenery, she was always worrying about her appearance and what her family would think of her. Her last job with the Joker was to break into her father’s storeroom and steal a box of priceless skeleton keys, but she accidentally tripped the alarm and ruined the whole scheme; after being beaten and abandoned by her gang and deathly afraid to go home again, Cornelia ran as far away as she could and eventually stumbled into a warehouse full of out-of-work rogues, who sympathized with her plight and offered to teach her a few tricks of the trade so that she might prove herself a valuable criminal ally after all.

Josie Miller was a modern Southern Belle and a gold-digger par excellence, extorting close to four million dollars out of her numerous wealthy dates and paramours across Gotham and only failing to capture the heart of Bruce Wayne. Fortunately for her, the Joker was planning on trying again to crash Gotham’s economy, starting with its most rich and lucrative citizens, and hired her to seduce Wayne’s riches right out from under him; her charms worked so splendidly that the man even drunkenly proposed to her on the third date. However, her new clueless crush also proved to be her undoing, as he found a man to pose as Josie’s “husband” and prove her less-than-honorable intentions; the ironic thing was that even as she was exposed, she was beginning to believe her own lies and genuinely fall for Wayne, even wishing that they might be together in another time.

Venus was once a historical reenactment and Ren Faire actress who had already garnered quite a bit of acclaim for her ability to disappear into a character and was on the verge of a theater career, but decided instead to try her hand at putting her skills to the test in the criminal scene. What started out as fun and games alongside the Joker turned into a near-bloodbath when he nearly crushed young Robin and Batgirl to death in front of her, and she was so utterly horrified that she ran away, intending to find Batman and turn the Joker in so that he could never hurt anyone, much less children, again. She was able to get Batman to listen to her, but the Joker did not stay down; Venus now lives outside of the city, hiding fearfully from the criminal element, trying to get her life back on track, and pleading forgiveness for all the grief she may have caused innocent people.

Jane Towser was practically a professional muse, posing for sculptors and painters up and down the East Coast, attending gallery openings, and judging art contests; she had grown up around the strange and avant garde and courted the strange and exotic, but still found herself spellbound and completely fooled by the Joker’s counterfeit Pollack piece. Convinced he was the next great artist she could attach herself to and clearly underestimating how dangerous he could be, she fawned over the “performance pieces” that were his deathtraps and disguises, but he soon tired of the attention and simply told her to “make herself useful”, making her rob various houses and establishments with a gun to her head. Her time as an unwilling moll came to an end when Alfred Pennyworth, of all people, fought the Joker to a standstill in her defense, and to this day Josie has been a grateful friend to the man who saved her life and a great deal wiser for the wear.

Undine was a Scandinavian exchange student and the closest thing to a human sea nymph who found herself flourishing under the Jersey Shore sun and waves, becoming an expert surfer and high diver in less than a year and effortlessly charming every man and woman she said a word to. Her natural charisma and daredevil streak made every rogue in need of fresh blood in their gangs sit up and take notice, but it was the Joker who showed up at the hot dog shack she worked at for the summer and offered her the chance to earn a little money under the table via extorting her customers for him and sabotaging contests. She turned out to have a real aptitude for crime, adoring the thrill of danger and adventure, and although the Joker’s barbarism eventually turned her off of working for him, Undine remains a popular henchgirl for numerous criminals across Gotham.

Emerald was an enormous movie buff, having a particular love for sci-fi and the monster movies of old, and dreamed of one day making her own creepy special-effects extravaganza that would dazzle audiences the world over; she had also worked for the Joker for several years and had since retired from crime to legally pursue her passion. But her old boss had not forgotten her—he remembered her loyal service, fascination with other worlds, and considerable amount of scientific skill and glibly offered her a place alongside him with the Injustice League to thumb their nose at Brainiac, knowing she would never be able to resist the opportunity to see what her film collection had only hinted at. And at first it truly was exhilarating, but unlike the rest of the League, Emerald was nowhere near a match for the likes of Brainiac and tried to flee in terror of what the alien could do; the Joker nearly choked her to death and Lex Luthor threatened to have her thrown into the bottled city of Candor for bailing out so late in the game, but she was almost relieved to finally be apprehended by Batman and the rest of the Justice League.

#dc #batman 66 #queenie #susie #jill #cornelia #josie miller #venus #jane towser #undine #emerald #Female Rogues of Gotham City series #my aesthetics #character aesthetics

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ichifaitdesbios · 5 years

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ELIJAH WHITES

Elijah White, 35 ans,DRH d’un cabaret.

Un cadeau de noël qui arriva avant que le célèbre père ne passe réellement. La veille même. Mais ce n’était pas un cadeau voulu par tous, si la mère elle le voyait ainsi, d’autre pensait à un cadeau empoisonné. La jeune mère n’était pas la mère idéale, elle en était l’opposée même. Droguée et vivant dans un squat, elle n’était pas vraiment en mesure d’élever cette enfant. Mais elle le voulait. C’était son enfant, ce qu’elle avait de plus cher, à la minute où elle aperçut son visage pour la première fois, elle en était tomber amoureuse. C’est un amour si fort et si inconditionnelle qu’il en était impossible de l’en séparer. Elle ne l’a jamais fait, malgré les tentatives désespérés de ses fréquentations absolument pas fréquentable. Pour eux, cet enfant nuisait à leur business. Elle avait même fini par fuir, juste pour le protéger. Elle avait tout quitté pour cette petite chose innocente. Prête à tout, elle se sevra et trouva un vrai travail, bien que celui-ci était très peu payé et quelque peu dégradant. Elle s’en fichait. C’était pour nourrir son enfant, pour qu’il grandisse en bonne santé et que sur ses petites lèvres y soit affiché un grand sourire. Ce qui était le cas, le bambin était un enfant heureux malgré la pauvreté et la précarité de sa vie. Il ne connaissait rien d’autre alors pour lui, c’était normal et il aimait sa maman. L’absence de son père ne l’a jamais vraiment marqué.

Mais malgré tous les efforts de la douce, ce ne fut pas suffisent pour élever correctement son enfant. Avec le peu d’argent que la jeune roumaine possédait, elle n’arrivait pas à l’envoyer à l’école, alors elle lui apprenait ce qu’elle pouvait d’elle-même. L’enfant n’arrivait qu’à peine à lire et à écrire. C’est les voisins, un peu trop bien intentionné qui avaient fini par la dénoncer aux services sociaux. Pour eux, c’était sauvé l’enfant oubliant dans leur geste héroïque que ça pourrait le détruire dans la foulée. Les services sociaux prirent assez vite le dossier en main, enquêtant sur le passé de la jeune mère et en conclurent qu’une seule chose. L’enfant n’était pas dans un environnement sain, c’était dangereux pour lui. Alors un matin alors qu’elle lui préparait son maigre petit déjeuné, on toqua à la porte. Derrière celle-ci, une femme, rousse avec un tailleur bleu marine et un homme beaucoup plus âgé que la femme qui l’accompagnait. Ils étaient là, pour récupérer l’enfant, de force s’il le fallait. Ce fut d’abord cordial, ils voulaient paraître pour les gentils, mais le petit Elijah les voyait tout de suite pour les méchants. Leur discours moralisateur et condescendant envers sa mère le mettait en colère. Puis la rousse s’était approchée de lui et commença à lui parler comme s’il était stupide, le gamin la rejeta d’un bloc. De son roumain maladroit, il lui criait dessus. Elle lui disait qu’elle devait l’emmener et que c’était pour son bien. Mais l’enfant ne voulait pas, il voulait rester avec sa mère. L’homme la tenait, alors que la rousse finit par attraper le gosse fortement pour le porter. Tentant en vain de se retirer de son emprise, il hurlait, secouait ses jambes de toutes ses forces. Il hurlait le nom de sa mère, pleurant et suppliant qu’on le lâche de son vocabulaire limité.

Les deux agents eurent du mal à les séparer mais y parvinrent tout de même. Le gamin était maintenant à l’arrière d’une voiture, plaqué à la vitre, essayant d’apercevoir sa maman pour la dernière fois. Dans un premier temps, il se retrouva dans un orphelinat pour les enfants de son âge. Là-bas, on commença à essayer de lui apprendre à lire et à écrire, mais le gamin refusait. Il ne communiquait avec personne. Il avait développé un mutisme assez persistant. Très peu de mot ne sortaient de sa bouche. Il était rare d’entendre le son de sa voix. Suivi d’assez près par un psychiatre de l’enfance, il ne réussit par à le soigner, le traumatisme semblait être trop fort pour le gamin. Une année plus tard, la même rousse que la dernière fois se ramena dans sa chambre avec un énorme sourire, semblant vouloir lui annoncer une très bonne nouvelle. Bonne nouvelle pour elle, certainement. Ca devait l’être, pour la plupart des enfants ici, d’enfin avoir une famille. Mais lui, lui il avait sa maman et on lui avait enlevé. Visiblement, une riche famille américaine avait décidé de l’adopter. Grand bien leur fassent, Elijah ne voulaient pas aller chez eux, ni chez personne d’autre. Mais encore une fois, on ne lui laissa pas le choix. Il allait les rencontrer le lendemain à l’aube. Encore une chose qui n’encourageait pas le gamin à s’ouvrir, parce qu’une fois devant eux, personne n’eut la chance d’entendre le sang de sa voix, ni de voir le moindre sourire sur son visage. Les deux américains avaient beau se montrer des plus gentil avec lui, le gamin les ignorait. Ces derniers devaient rester quelque mois en Roumanie avec lui selon la procédure, mais ils restèrent plus longtemps parce qu’Elijah n’acceptait pas complètement. Mais au fur et à mesure des mois, ils avaient fini, par s’ouvrir un petit peu, sans exprimer un mot, mais autrement. Il faisait des efforts. La mère adoptive prenait énormément de son temps pour rester avec lui, pour lui apprendre à écrire et lire. Ca rassurait le gamin, lui donnait l’illusion de retourner avec sa mère bien que ce n’était pas elle. Il formait simplement des liens avec celle-ci.

C’est donc à l’approche de ses neufs ans qu’ils partirent enfin pour sa nouvelle vie. Une vie à l’opposé de celle où il avait grandi. Que ce soit le pays ou la langue, mais surtout, les Whites étaient riches et ça, c’était vraiment le jour et la nuit à coté de son enfance avec sa mère. Il ne manquait absolument de rien. C’était une vie totalement différente. Il allait à l’école, traînait avec les enfants de son âge. Si son mutisme était un petit frein, il avait quand même des copains. Tout restait particulièrement difficile. Même s’il s’ouvrait un peu, il n’en restait pas moins un enfant compliqué à gérer. Ses crises de colère n’étaient pas rares, ses fugues encore moins. Il continuait toujours d’appeler sa vrai mère. C’était les seuls sons qui sortaient de sa bouche. Il n’y avait qu’avec les années et le temps que les choses s’arrangeaient, quand les souvenirs s’estompaient un peu pour laisser place aux nouveaux. Parce qu’il en construit plein avec sa nouvelle famille. Il ne pouvait pas non plus nier qu’il y était bien. Et l’adolescence, étonnant que ça puisse être était la période où il avait fini par se calmer. Il avait commencé à parler à nouveau, bien que très peu, il était encore loin de tenir une conversation. A grandir de la sorte, il avait fini par ne plus avoir besoin de s’exprimer de cette manière. Ce n’était donc que pour le nécessaire.

Le problème du blond, c’est qu’il ne savait absolument pas quoi faire de sa vie. Rien ne semblait lui plaire. Dans un premier temps, il se dirigea vers des études d’art, mais ce n’était définitivement pas trop pour lui, c’était trop… perché pour lui. C’est finalement en économie qu’il avait atterrit, il était doué avec les chiffres alors c’était venu comme ça. Puis une chose en amène une autre, il finit par faire des études en ressources humaines, pour quelqu’un qui ne parle que très peu ou pas, c’était peu banal. Mais il était doué pour comprendre et analyser les gens, il avait fini par développer cette capacité, de lire « entre les lèvres ». Il s’exprimait bien plus par ses expressions faciales et ses gestes que par sa voix alors il savait reconnaître celle des autres. C’est d’ailleurs une des choses qui fait qu’il sait souvent quand on lui ment. Parfois il fait le choix d’ignorer, parfois non.

Elijah avait besoin, de se faire sa propre voie, il ne voulait pas être dans les pattes de son père adoptif et choisir la solution de facilité en allant dans son entreprise. Il commença au plus bas, comme tout le monde. C’est à l’entreprise d’Ezra Corps, qu’il évolua. Ce dernier semblait apprécier ses talents et par force de travail, il est arrivé là où il en est. Ignorant d’ailleurs beaucoup de chose sur son patron et ami. Peut être qu’il le sentait, mais il semblait simplement pas vouloir le voir. Il se sentait enfin bien et complètement à sa place, il ne voulait pas perdre ça. Alors il continuait de jouer à l’aveugle et de ne pas voir qu’Ezra lui ment et qu’il n’est pas l’homme qu’il prétend être.

Chose à savoir :

Elijah a souffert de mutisme une grande partie de sa vie, il ne parle que très peu, voire jamais. Il ne le fait que lorsque c’est nécessaire. ☾ C’est un grand rêveur. Il est souvent dans la lune. ☾ Il ne s’exprime que très peu avec les mots, mais il le montre souvent par ses gestes, c’est un bagarreur et un colérique. ☾ Même si il a abandonné l’école d’art, il continue d’apprécier celle-ci. ☾ Il exprime son art par la photographie et le dessin, même s’il ne pense pas être spécialement doué avec un crayon. ☾ Toujours extrêmement touché par ses racines, il a appris le roumain et l’écrit (parle) couramment. ☾ Il lui est arrivé d’essayer la drogue quand il était plus jeune mais il n’a jamais continué. ☾ Cependant, il fume, surtout quand il est à cran. ☾ Il a fait des tatouages dans sa jeunesse et il n’est pas très fière de certain. ☾ Il n’est pas très habitué aux relations longues durées, il a tendance à souvent perdre ses petit(e)s ami(e)s pour des raisons qui lui sont totalement obscure. ☾ Elijah déteste particulièrement que l’on fasse des remarques sur sa façon d’être « Bah alors, t’es pas très bavard » l’agace tout particulièrement. ☾ Il déteste aussi qu’on le prenne pour un con. ☾ Il n’aime pas spécialement les menteurs, surtout ceux qui le font très mal. ☾ Il a le « don » des « mentalistes » et arrive à décrypter les expressions des visages. ☾ C’est un grand fan de la musique des années 80 (US) ☾ Il possède une Harley Davidson qu’il considérait presque comme sa meilleure amie, c’est sa bécane et sa plus grande fierté. ☾ Ayant grandit avec quasiment rien, il sait se contenter de peu et n’aime pas spécialement le luxe même s’il a finalement été élevé la dedans.

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gregorianchantss · 7 years

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tagged by the other only zola jesus fan on this site aside from me @blvnblwrld to do this quiz thing

name: george/jorge

nickname: king george lol but only for a while

birth month: october, libra sun aries moon scorpio rising venus in libra aka i’m literally crazy

height: 5′8

ethnicity: mexican american/chicanx

orientation: *laura palmers theme begins to play*

favorite fruit: strawberries, pomegranates, mangos, oranges, grapes, apples

favorite season: autumn/winter obviously

favorite book: lmao something super gay like the picture of dorian gray..flowers in the attic, collection of short stories by flannery o’connor, i used to read a lot but can’t remember

favorite flower: sunflowers, poppies, roses, lilies, violets, amaryllis, orchids

favorite animal: the goat that was split open and hung upside down and pinned down after being butchered in some farm at night where people were eating it and i was just sitting there refusing to eat any of it as a child

favorite beverage: water, coffee, black and jasmine and chamomile tea, iced tea

hours of sleep: depends on my mood :)

favorite fictional characters: eric draven/the crow, laura palmer, the log lady, the vampires lestat, akasha, louis, nicolas, lead characters of the living end, the blair witch, dorian gray and basil, jeans grey, harley quinn, poison ivy

number of blankets i sleep with: i live in a desert in texas idk what blankets are

dream trip: going to goth/gay clubs in new york at night while wearing a long black fur coat and black glittery eyeshadow or driving down sunset blvrd at night in the arms of an older man while listening to curve/tamaryn

blog created: lmao 2010 or 2011 i think

follower count: 1,050

i tag @martyred @detailles @stevenmeiselbitch @naznomad @cowboybibos @sheppettiboneremix @twentyvolumesuicidenote @anxietypuppy @francasozzani @90sheartthrob

#this is like too long sorry #me

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dylan-hague · 8 years

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Chapter 20

Arkham Asylum, Gotham City. January 16th, 2018. 7:47 PM.

Batman and Gordon stepped through the reinforced doorway into the "holding cell". There in the center of the bunker was a titanic glass chamber -- Poison Ivy's greenhouse. The whole thing had been Bruce's idea; if she were surrounded by her plants instead of tossed into a barren cell, perhaps she would be more cooperative. He was right. The greenhouse was mounted on a platform which rose up through a hatch in the ceiling until it was just overlooking the roof of the facility each day at noon, giving both Ivy and her beloved flora plenty of sunlight. Then once it came back down, a built-in irrigation system ensured that all the plants received adequate water, and an attendant brought a fresh bottle for Ivy herself... Ivy could just as well soak up the water from the irrigation system like everything else in the greenhouse, but it was easier and quicker for her to absorb water through her stomach like a regular human being. It would be more efficient if she would eat normal food as well. But for some time now, Ivy has declined any meals, in favor of photosynthesizing as her darling plants do. Of course, Bruce was sure to provide the highest quality soil and fertilizer available... but for some time, he suspected that the Asylum staff had begun giving her the bodies of any inmates who were killed during their time in the Asylum, and that she and her plants had also been feeding on their remains. This raised the question of whether her sentence should be extended on grounds of cannibalism, but Bruce was unsure of the technicalities of the situation... considering how, at this point, Ivy was just as much a plant as she was a human.

"She likes to block the cameras whenever she gets a visitor," Gordon grumbled. "We've told her over and over to keep her plants away from them, but she just likes to push our buttons. She's making progress, but..."

"It's alright, Jim." Batman put a hand on the Commissioner's shoulder. "Go ahead and turn the cameras off. Ms. Isley and I need to have a private conversation."

Jim turned to the caped figure beside him. "Is this about..."

Batman nodded solemnly. "Jeremiah has given clearance to turn her over to me until the clown is back in custody. Besides..." The masked man turned and looked at the older policeman beside him. "She deserves to know about Quinn."

Gordon nodded, gesturing for the men in the Security room to cut the camera feed. Once that was done, Batman stepped into the greenhouse, the steel door sealing shut behind him. Once he was certain no one could see into the glass chamber, he pressed a button on his left gauntlet, and his cowl separated into several pieces, which shifted down to his shoulders.

"Pam," Bruce called out. "It's just me. Nobody's watching, you can come on out."

Bruce walked further into the greenhouse's interior, looking around at the multitude of plants all around the chamber. Ivy had been very specific that she wanted the whole floor to be covered in soil, not separated into rows. She wanted her plants to be able to grow freely, not confined to some organization scheme concocted by man. As Bruce came to the center of the greenhouse, he stood before a rose the size of a large helipad. After all this time, all the incredible things he'd seen her create, Bruce still had difficulty wrapping his head around the fact that Ivy was able to grow a flower so massive. Slowly and gracefully, a plethora of vines wrapped around his limbs gently carrying him into the air as the rose began to blossom. He'd asked her about it before, how she manipulated the plants to do her will. Her explanation, while intimidating, was rather simple: once she contributed to the growth of a plant, it became connected to her nervous system, effectively making it an extension of her body. And when she created and grew something all on her own (like she'd done with everything in the chamber they were in), she could literally feel every inch of it, controlling it as if it were an additional limb. In essence, the massive garden she'd grown here was her body. Bruce was a foreign object in her body, but one she welcomed. After all, he'd been the one to provide her with this place to create her new body.

Gently, the vines carried Bruce into the enormous rose, where he slid down into the center of the flower. There, wrapped in the rose's pistils, was a beautiful red-haired woman. She was only around 5'7", but her body had a soft quality to it, her hips curving in a way that had captivated many a wandering eye. Her once peach skin was now a minty green, and her body was covered in several hundred leaves which concealed her more sensitive areas, but left her limbs, back, and belly mostly exposed, with a few small vines wrapping around her wrists and ankles. Her eyes were a pale blue not unlike his own, and her lips were a dark forest-green. As Bruce came to a stop before her, Pamela Isley's eyes softened, and she smiled as she walked through the stamens to him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Hello again, Bruce." Ivy's voice was soft, almost a whisper. "Thank you again for all of this."

"How are you doing, Pam?" Bruce put his arms around her as she pulled back to look into his eyes.

"I feel better now than I've felt in years." The villainess beamed up at him. "I've been getting along much better with the attendants as of late. I think I can really..."

Pam trailed off as she noticed the look in Bruce's eyes. "... something has happened. What's wrong?"

Bruce let out a sigh. "Harley has been missing for the last three days."

Ivy's face shifted to display her shock, which quickly turned into anger. All at once, the vines threw themselves around Bruce, this time gripping him like a vice. Ivy rose up on her own vines out of the flower, and carried the Batman over to an enormous Venus Flytrap which grew nearby, and quickly threw him into it.

"Hear me now, Bruce," Ivy shouted in a heated rage. "While I leave this place to go find her, you are going to stay right here. And if I find out you had anything to do with my Harley getting hurt, I swear I'm going to make sure you dissolve slowly, for days. And when you can't speak, but only cry out in your mind for death, only then will I--"

"Joker has her." Bruce shouted loud enough for Ivy to hear through the thick flesh of the carnivorous plant. Pam Ivy froze for a moment, then gently sent her vines into the flytrap, lifting Bruce back out and holding him up to eye-level.

"... please tell me it's not true..." Pam's voice trembled with fear. "The things he'll do to her..."

"That's why I need you to come with me," Bruce pleaded. "I know how much she means to you. Dr. Arkham has given his consent to let you come with me until Joker is captured. I need you to help me stop him."

Ivy nodded. "Of course I'll help you. I won't let anything happen to her."

East End, Gotham City. January 16th, 2018. 9:35 PM.

As Selina Kyle darted across the rooftops, her breath came out as a visible wisp of vapor in the frigid air. She'd heard the clown was back, so she figured it would only be a matter of time before someone -- be it him, Bruce, or both -- would be coming for her. She needed to be ready... which meant she should probably lock up back home before Joker got to her, because there were things in her apartment that needed to be kept safe until Bruce could get to them, and frankly, nobody knows whether or not they'll live through any given encounter with the Joker.

After making her way across half the district, Selina finally slid through her apartment window, letting out a sigh of relief as she shut it behind her. She quickly changed out of her Catsuit and strolled into her livingroom. She didn't turn on the light, but in the darkness she could see in her peripherals the shape of a figure standing in the corner, a cape draped over their body. She bent down to pick up a black kitten at her feet, stroking it gently.

"Well..." Selina spoke aloud to the mysterious guest. "I was expecting someone to show up here sooner or later, in light of what's happened. But... you're too short to be the Bat. Plus, that hair is a dead giveaway. You're no Batman."

"... Half." The figure stepped forward, and Selina turned to see Red X looking back at her.

"Oh. Hey Junior," Catwoman greeted the Titan casually, walking into the kitchen to find the kitten's mother.

Damian slid the mask off of his eyes, following her across the living space. "We have reason to believe that Joker has captured Harley Quinn. What the circumstances were that led to her capture are still unknown, but whatever he's planning needs to be stopped before she or anyone else get hurt. Father sent me to ask you to help us."

"Yeah, that much I figured out myself," Selina sighed, setting the little creature down to open the cupboard and retrieve a fully-grown black cat. "I just... look, I want to help. But whenever that freak comes back, he always comes for me sooner or later. Right now, I have to focus on not getting killed."

"I know," Damian went on, gently stroking the kitten's fur. "That's why Father also wants you to consider taking one of the rooms in the Manor."

Selina turned to the young Wayne, caught off-guard by his message. "Hold on... Bruce wants me to come stay with you?"

"Yes and no," Damian replied, lifting his hand away from the little feline as it began to feed from its mother. "It would only be until Joker has been apprehended, and you would be able to leave anytime, since Father is aware that you prefer to have your own space. He's also offered to let you stay in the Regency room, and actually recommends against taking a room in the guest wing, because that's where my team and I are staying..."

"I thought Bruce gave the Regency room to you?" Selina asked, her eyes on the two cats on the counter in front of her.

"He did. I finished moving out last March since I don't live in Gotham anymore." Damian leaned up against the counter as he turned his eyes back to the thief. "While I'm here, I'm staying in the guest wing with my team."

"Oh, that's right! Bruce told me you were with the Titans now," Selina looked back up at the boy with a sly smile on her face. "He also mentioned that you brought someone home with you to Thanksgiving last year. That right?"

Damian paused for a split second before looking away, a smile spreading across his face. "It is... Her name is Raven. She's... she's wonderful."

Selina's smirk turned into a grin. "You been usin' protection?" Damian's smile vanished as his face turned redder than the X on his chest.

"What? N-- I would ne-- we don't!" Damian straightened back up onto his feet, waving his hands spastically in front of him. "Miss Kyle, she and I aren't like that! I mean, I love her, and she loves me, but we aren't--" Selina couldn't help but laugh as she moved forwards, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, I'm just kidding!" She said as her laughter died down. She then walked past the flustered Damian back into the living room. "But joking aside, it sounds like you two are pretty serious."

Damian took a beep breath to recollect himself. "We are," he sighed, turning and following Catwoman. "At the end of March, we'll have been together for a year. I wanted to do something special for her, so I got her this..." Damian reached into a pocket in his belt, pulling out a sizable wad of protective shipping paper, which he gently unwrapped to reveal the brooch. "... Also, I owe Father twelve thousand dollars."

Selina's eyes grew wide as she looked down at the gift. "My God, Damian! That thing is beautiful!"

"Thanks. I really hope she likes it..." Damian carefully wrapped the brooch back into the packing paper before slipping it back into his belt.

"LIKE it??" The woman threw her eyebrows up in astonishment. "Dame, she's gonna lose it when you give her that thing!"

Damian couldn't help but grin at that. He could hardly wait to see the look on her face when he gave it to her. March 30th couldn't get here soon enough.

"Okay, okay, back to what you were saying earlier..." Selina paused for a moment before nodding her head. "I'll do it. Until we deal with Joker, I'll come stay in the mansion."

"That's great to hear," Damian said, regaining his composure. "I have a bike parked downstairs. How soon can you be ready to go?"

"I always have a go-bag ready. Just give me a couple minutes to grab some more clothes." Selina walked off to her bedroom, and Damian ran a gloved hand through his hair, turning to look out the window. He could just barely make out the bird with black feathers perched on the other side of the glass, which looked like a little piece of the night sky. He smiled contently at the bird, his mind adrift with thoughts of his own Raven... he'd been thinking a lot about where his life was headed since Richard and Barbara's big announcement at Thanksgiving. He'd thought up dozens of different potential lives he could lead; in one he became Batman, and in another he remained Red X. In one he returned to Gotham, and in another he stayed in Jump City. In one he joined the Justice League, and in another he stayed on as leader of a new generation of Titans. There was even a scenario that saw him hang his cape up for good, settling into a life at the head of his father's company.

But in every single version of his future that Damian could conjure up in his mind, there was a single constant. One thing that remained the same in every life Damian could possibly picture himself living. Raven. No matter what Damian was going to do with his life, he knew that he needed Raven to be there. It was that moment that Damian realized that this was more than just affection. This was devotion. Undeniable, insurmountable devotion. As the realization came to him, along with it came the urge to personify this dedication, perform some sort of action to display it to her, and to everyone around... and he smiled as a new thought sparked in his mind.

This was the first time that Damian Wayne ever gave consideration to the idea of marriage.

As the bird outside the window flapped it's wings and took off into the sky over the city, Damian turned to see Selina, now in her Catwoman uniform, with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. They exchanged nods, Damian opened the window, and the two of them climbed out, shutting the window behind them and descending to the street below.

Wayne Manor, Gotham City. January 16th, 2018. 11:44 PM.

Raven shuffled out of the bathroom, her eyelids heavy, and crawled under the covers into the king-size bed. It had been an eventful day; combat training this morning had been far more intense than it was back home in Jump City. Then again, it was the Batman she had been training with today, so a more intensive regimen was to be expected. For a brief moment, Raven began to wonder how Damian managed to endure the physical and mental strain of training with his father for three whole years. But as soon as the thought entered her head, she remembered: Damian had been trained to be the pinnacle of non-powered human capability practically from the moment he learned how to stand on his own two feet. If anything, training someone as well-bred as Damian would have been a difficult task for Bruce. But then, one would be left to wonder how Bruce managed to keep teaching the boy for three years.

After morning training (and an hour of recovering from said training), Raven accompanied Mr. Pennyworth on a little "tour" of the mansion. She was the only one who had both the interest and energy by that time, so it was really just her following along by herself as he told her about the history of the house, as well as the occasional stories about each of the children the butler had helped raise in it; drawings done by Bruce when he was a child prior to his parents' deaths, Dick almost destroying a $30,000 chandelier when he used it to practice his acrobatics, teaching Jason how to change the oil in a car, and one particular story of having to perform surgery on Tim after, of all things, Damian beat the older Robin half to death on his first night in Gotham. Raven wasn't sure whether to be concerned or amused; Damian was certainly not the same person now that he'd been then.

Eventually she and Alfred reached the library, and after agreeing that they'd done enough walking for awhile, the they each took a book off the seemingly endless shelves, sat down, and read quietly. Alfred has chosen a collection of Shakespeare, whereas Raven found herself pouring over The Silmarillion. Of course, their reading time was cut short, as Carrie came to bring the mage girl back to the Batcave to discuss their assignments for the afternoon. Alfred offered to take the book Raven had picked out to her room for her so that she could pick it back up later, and Raven smiled as she glanced over at the little bedside table to see it lying there, a bookmark reserving the page she had stopped on.

Ironically enough, Raven's actual assignment had been easier than morning training; she had been sent to Park Row to inform Red Hood that the Joker was back. While it had taken her a bit longer than she would have liked to track him down, Raven eventually found Jason and delivered Bruce's message. Bruce had told her that, in all likelihood, Jason would agree to help, but refuse to come stay in the Manor. Apparently things were still strained between the two of them, although not so strained that Todd would refuse to come home for Thanksgiving. But to Raven's surprise, Todd accepted the offer to stay with them until Joker was stopped. She and Hood came back to the Cave, and that had been it. But when they arrived, Bruce proposed another round of combat training, this time pitting Raven against Todd. Raven noted that, while he wasn't quite as disciplined as Bruce was, Jason's fighting style was far more aggressive and, in its own way, more challenging than sparring with Bruce. Of course, both training sessions had been trying for her, due to the fact that Batman had insisted she fight without the use of her magic. Raven had picked up some basic martial arts from Damian, but not nearly enough to go head-to-head with the most dangerous man on Earth, or even his wild ex-protégé. By the time they were done, it took every modicum of her mental fortitude just to keep from collapsing in the ring.

Just as she had gotten to the point where she could ignore the aching in her muscles enough to drift towards sleep, the sound of knocking on her door brought Raven swiftly back to full consciousness. She nearly reached out and opened the door with her powers, but then realized that, one: using the blessing of Azar for such an insignificant task, while not seen as an offense by the goddess, was something that Raven personally was uncomfortable with doing too often, and two: Raven couldn’t let anyone in her room at the moment, because she wasn’t even dressed; she would have been lying there in front of whoever needed to see her wearing nothing but her underwear. Of course, this meant she was going to have to get back out of bed, which in itself was disappointing.

"Gimme a second," Raven called out, dragging herself out of the bed and back into the bathroom. After slipping on a yellow tanktop and dark blue sweatpants, Raven stumbled over to the door and pulled it open. Before she could even greet him properly, Damian stepped through the doorway, pulling the door shut with his foot behind him as he put his arms around her waist and pulled her into a kiss. A sudden burst of bright purple light filled the room as Raven closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck and unintentionally lifting the two of them up off the ground. But just as the pulled away from each other, the overwhelming soreness covering Raven's body lurched to the forefront of her mind, and the two of them dropped to the floor, Damian reacting quick enough to catch the girl before she could topple to the floor.

"Easy now, easy. Where does it hurt?" Damian had gotten quite good at reading Raven's facial expressions, which was useful for situations when it was important to maintain silence, or when Raven was too worn out to communicate telepathically. He lifted the girl gently off her feet and carried her back to her bed, laying her horizontally across it.

Raven looked up at Damian, her eyes radiating gratitude and affection, albeit through a wall of pain. "Everywhere..." she groaned. "Had to spar with your dad and brother... not so easy without my powers. Too worn out to heal myself..." She turned away, frustrated that she allowed herself to become so vulnerable. "Sorry..."

Damian brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face, looking down at her with a soft smile. "Don't be sorry," he whispered, moving his hand down to her cheek. "Everything is alright."

Damian walked around the bed and carefully slipped his fingers into place on either side of Raven's neck, and began to gently work at the exhausted muscles beneath her pale skin. Raven looked up at him, the clouds in her irises swirling and billowing, showing the faintest beams of light from behind them, as he gradually moved his hand down to her shoulders. As he began to tenderly knead the tense muscles in her trapezia and her shoulder blades, Raven's head gradually titled back, her eyes drifting shut as the aching slowly dissipated under Damian's hands. Damian continued to work his fingers delicately into her back, and felt a wave of relief wash over him as he heard a thick sigh slip past her lips. Taking care not to aggravate any areas he hadn't gotten to yet, he slowly lifted Raven to an upright position, and began treating her middle and lower back. Raven's breathing became slower and less-labored, and her mind gradually cleared up. Smiling, she lifted a finger on her left hand, and Damian slowly rose into the air, covered in the shadows cast by her magic on the very air around him. She sat him down gently in front of her on the bed, and then closed her eyes and began to display a subtle amethyst glow as she healed the rest of her body. It took only a moment, and the light faded from around her; Raven's skills as a healer had grown exponentially since Damian first experienced her restorative powers.

"Tomorrow I'll be here all day. I'll come wake you up in the morning." Damian smiled as he started to turn, meaning to climb out of the bed, but Raven took his hand before he could touch his feet to the ground.

"Hold on a second..." Raven slid towards the young Wayne, a tough of curiosity in her eyes. "When you kissed me, I felt something... there's something different in your heart. What is it?"

Damian looked back silently at the girl for a moment, smiling as he tried to construct a sentence that adequately expressed what he was feeling.

"... I've been thinking lately. About you and me. About where this is all headed." Damian paused, still struggling to find the words. "Y'know... years from now. Decades."

Raven looked into Damian's eyes, tilting her head forward just barely as she waited for Damian to continue.

"I... I don't have any idea where my life is going. I don't know if I'll ever leave the Titans, I don't know if I'll ever take my father's place... I don't even know if I'll keep being a hero at all." Damian looked down at Raven's hand, still holding onto his. "... but I know that... I know that I want to be with you for all of it. I... I need to be with you. For the rest of my life, I need to be with you."

After a moment of taking in Damian's words, Raven's expression shifted to one that gave off an overwhelming sense of endearment. Sliding in closer, the young half-demon pressed her lips to his again, running a hand through his hair with her other arm around his neck. Damian's hands shifted as well, his right hand holding him upright as his left came to rest on Raven's thigh. As the two of them lost themselves in one another's presence, the air around them seemed to shimmer, as the tiniest purple lights began to swirl around them like stars in the night sky. Ever so slowly, Raven began to guide her Damian back into the bed, until by the time that they pulled away, he was lying on his back, looking up at her loving face with a myriad of twinkling lights all around them.

"If forever is what you want..." Raven spoke softly. "Then forever is what you have."

Damian's cheeks burned as they turned a bright scarlet, a subtle smile forming on his lips. After a moment of looking into one another's eyes, he sat up with the intent to leave for his own room, but Raven put a hand to his chest to to stop him.

"Stay," the girl urged quietly. "I don't want to do anything yet, but... sleep here tonight. Hold me, like you did in the Tower this Christmas. Let me wake up in your arms tomorrow... lay here with me, just for tonight."

Damian smiled, touching his forehead to hers. "I would lay beside you for all eternity if you asked me to."

Raven and Damian slept in one another's arms that night. During their slumber, Raven's magic flowed freely from her to him, and from him to her. It carried with it bits from each of their dreams, which drifted from one person's mind into the other's. Among several other things that passed between their minds in the night, one thought that repeated itself throughout their dreams stood out above all else: a single line of a song, sung clear and soft in the voice of Raven's mother...

"Seasons may change, winter to spring... but I love you, 'till end of time."

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