#I really hate summer and absolutely cannot function in hot weather…

[burtonsdoodles]

Dilemmas are occurring… the most immediate one being the realisation that I need to pack for this weekends newsies trip but have ZERO numbers of clothing appropriate for HEAT… uh-oh 😥

The others being that rail strike dates for next month have been announced which will definitely affect both newsies trips we have booked… so, things are going well at the moment 👍🤦‍♀️

[pillow-ghost-nan]

SPAMANO FANFICTION REC LIST

Because I’m a spamano trash and I think I’ve read way too many fanfictions than I should have.

I will try to keep this list updated. If you know some good story that isn’t here let me know. Also if there’s anything wrong with the sources feel free to message me too

Multichapter:

All of our flaws by lastdreamofmysoul

Antonio is a man whose world revolves around anyone but himself. Lovino is a man with dreams bigger than a job behind a drugstore counter. Antonio is broken; Lovino is incomplete. Will a chance meeting lead them to mending their cracks and finding their missing pieces? Human AU, trigger warning for self-harm. - Ongoing

Credo by Cameron Kennedy

AU, 1502. Fueled by revenge, Lovino Vargas hasn't failed an assassination job yet - but when a new Spanish captain comes to Rome, killing the unorthodox Antonio Carriedo might just be the death of him.

The lemon tree by StarsMadeinHeaven

AU Lovino didn't want to be a slave in that scary mansion. He needed to break free. The fight for independence, however, is a difficult path, and falling in love with the man that destroyed his life doesn't make things any easier.

This fanfiction is just absolutely beautiful. Everything is just 10/10

The Many Personalities of Spain by Writer-Girl-19

England casts a spell to rid himself of Spain. As expected it goes wrong; leaving Romano to deal with the many personalities of Spain. That sounds like a normal day for Romano, right? It would be if the personalities not had their own personifications. - Ongoing

And the Birds Sing No More by Burlesque Romantique

"Don't ever leave me." Lovino said nothing. He allowed the tense heaviness to settle among his shoulders, tighten his lungs, and spread between the space from where he stood to where Antonio was seated lethargically. Antonio's gaze sharpened. Lovino, inclining his head slightly, whispered, "I won't." Spamano, AU

Bottoms Up! by Sunny Day in February

Follow Lovino on his weird and, well, at least quite interesting trip around Europe in order to find out some of the greatest secrets ever about himself, Europe, tomato-shaped alarm clocks and the past of his lovely, but complicated Spanish partner.

This one is just hilarious. It is a bit silly but will definitely make you laugh from the beginning to end.

Softness and Light by betka23

AU. Odrzucany przez bliskich licealista Lovino nieoczekiwanie otrzymuje pomoc od swojego nauczyciela. Choć nie chce się do tego przyznać, coraz bardziej zależy mu na uczuciach Antonia. Spamano, zawiera także lekki FrUK i GerItę.

Translation: Lovino is a high school student rejected by his relatives. All of the sudden he receive help from his teacher, Antonio. Even though he doesn’t want to admit that he cares more and more about Antonio’s feelings. Spamano. FrUK and GerIta mentioned.

So this one is in Polish. If you don’t mind reading with a Google Translate help then I really recommend it. It’s short but it’s an amazing story.

Secret Tunnels from Madrid to Sicily by PrincessSmuttButt

When Antonio Fernández Carriedo begins work as a professor at a prestigious university in Britain, one of his students, a Sicilian boy who goes by the name Romano, immediately catches his eye. He is a clearly gifted writer, who closes himself off in the wake of a dark and painful history. Even wrapped in his darkness, pushing everyone away, Toni finds himself determined to bring out the potential within Romano...They drag each other into a passionate, inevitable affair--doomed, they know, to end in flames.

A very beautiful and mature story. It’s also amazingly written. I cried like little shit at the end.

Tesoro Mio by spinyfruit

Antonio’s the charming, handsome farmer with an infuriating Spanish accent, and Lovino is the mysterious wine entrepreneur who comes and goes. When Antonio falls in love, he throws society, expectations, and religion to the wayside, but can a strict Catholic like Lovino do the same?

We the Dreamers by TheGoliathBeetle

New York City, 1940: Antonio is a recently arrived refugee from Spain, a scarred soldier with firm political convictions. For Lovino, everything is pointless and nothing ever lasts. The two of them live, love and dream desperately, as World War Two threatens to take it all away.

Greasy by evetnt

Summer time 1955, a mechanic equally as hot as the weather had been fixing up Lovino's car for what felt like forever and their fascination with each other grows passed auto-shit and sandwiches even as the pressure from Lovino's over-protective grandfather and greaser/soc gangs rise. -ongoing

Tight Rope by TheFreakZone

Rich, spoiled kid Lovino Vargas hates pirates. Pirate captain Antonio Carriedo hates rich, spoiled kids. None of them ever thought they could feel something different from hatred towards one another. However, Fate seems to have different plans for them, and twists their lives in unexpected ways. -ongoing

Breathless in the Atmosphere by Spinyfruit

Antonio only needed money for marble. He needed to make his art. And a chance encounter on the subway offers him a job as a male escort. It was just for the money. He could stop anytime he wanted to. Really.

The Space Between the Balconies by Spinyfruit

There's a space between the balconies, where glances are stolen, smoke flies, and dreams wander. Lovino draws the blinds, and Antonio opens his windows. They see each other sometimes.

Left me crying like a little baby. This is one of my favourite spamano fanfiction. It’s short but absolutely powerful and touching

Dance with me by StarsMadeinHeaven

AU. Lovino Vargas started taking tango lessons completely by accident. Who would have thought that one day he wouldn't mind those hands roaming over his body? That he would be dancing with his teacher as if there was no one in the room but the two of them? -ongoing

Bésame Mucho   by George deValier

WW2 AU. Lovino Vargas only ever wanted something exciting to happen in his boring, everyday Italian village existence. He never expected war, Resistance, love, passion, treason, or a cheerful, confusing, irritatingly attractive Spanish freedom fighter. -ongoing

Ok, I am very aware that everyone knows about this fanfiction but still I couldn’t resist

Numbered Lithograph by youaremarvelous

AU Spain x Romano. When Lovino starts attending art school with his brother he finds his most important lesson doesn't come from his professors, but from a culinary student at a sister school: sometimes the flaws hold the beauty.

Good Vibrations by The Cilantro Family

Lovino wasn't a fun guy to talk to, he knew this very well. When he signed he was speaking, not putting on a show. Usually his expression represented what he was feeling, rather than what he was saying. But this guy, for some reason, was different. He acted like he wanted to talk to Lovino even though Lovino had nothing interesting to say, and no interesting way to say it.

Oh boy, this fanfiction is one of the best things that happened to me. Absolutely recommend

One shots/ Two shots/ short stories:

Before the Snow Falls by Spinyfruit

Lovino, jersey number nine, right winger. He was ready to pass the ball, ready to set up the win, but Antonio, opposite team, center fielder, was ready too. Someone thought, and someone didn't, and they crashed. Hard. A few months later, Lovino's on crutches, Antonio has scholarships, and they have to deal with the aftermath of what happened. —Spamano, two-shot.

Liar by starshards

Spain cannot resist Romano, even though he hates himself for it.

Fool by faerichylde

Spain really was a fool. Otherwise he wouldn't have wanted Romano so badly. After all, fools always want what they don't have.

Rebels in a Sleeping City by konstellasjon

"I felt like we were in limbo, two blindingly awake rebels in this sleeping city. I didn't know your reasons for being up and about. But, you were, and so was I, grinning at you like it was going out of fashion."

Light by annapotterkiku

Lovino was convinced that he didn't have a soulmate.

25 MPH by writingandchocolatemilk

"Any reason you were driving fifteen miles under the speed limit?"

"Safety?"

Officer Vargas frowned. "Yeah, sure. Willing to take a breathalyzer test?"

"No!" Gilbert stumbled out of the car. "That is a bullshit request! Because if you don't, Antonio—"

"I'll shoot you," Officer Vargas muttered, and Antonio wasn't sure he actually heard that. He doesn't think he was supposed to. "Sorry, do you want to take the test, instead?"

Five Times Romano Unintentionally Made Spain Blush by darkhue

...and one time he did it on purpose.

Conversations on Cups by orphan_account

Lovino is not particularly fond of his job: working in a coffee shop can get infuriating, with the long orders and hard to spell names. But frustration at one customer has melded into friendship, and even that’s beginning to shift.

Leading the Blind by steingasse

Lovino Vargas’s life was simple, tedious, and a functional amount of lonely. Then one day a hung-over stranger broke in and passed out on his couch.

Door to Door by Canadino

Do not open the door. It could be a zombie, an unwanted boyfriend of your brother's, or a persistant salesman by the name Antonio Carriedo.

Chalk Dust by counterheist

Lovino Vargas (grandson, philosophy graduate, teacher, brother, man): 1. Fate: a lifetime. It’s a start.

The Spaniard and Death by Oboeist3

The tale of a young reaper, a heavy soul, and perhaps a bit of love.

whose thing is this anyway by ShippingEverything

In which Lovino and Antonio get their clothes, among other things, mixed up

Lovers by fuckingtomatoes

Antonio loved him. He loved everything about him

Language Barrier by TheFreakZone

Even though he doesn't understand him, Antonio loves talking to Lovino in Spanish. Lovino doesn't say it, but he loves it too.

It’s a story based on a prompt that Antonio thought that Lovino doesn’t know any Spanish so he kept saying many filthy things because he was sure that Lovi did not understand. Oh boy was he wrong Super cute and hot

Non Omnis Moriar by Burlesque Romantique

Antonio knew that once someone is bitten, they're dead after dying. So all he can do is run.

Unrighteous by SnowyWolff

Lovino has been unrighteously charged for crimes he did not commit and has been sent to teach at a remote northern Magical College. There, he meets Antonio, who makes the never-ending cold a little warmer.

Lifeline by antiheroics

AU (human names used); Suicidal Lovino Vargas makes a suicide pact online with equally suicidal Antonio. They meet, they get mistaken for a couple out on a date, they drink a lot of badtasting vodka, and Lovino begins to wonder not so much if he wants to kill himself, but if he wants Antonio to.

32 Thursdays by counterheist

Antonio is a physics student in love. To Lovino’s embarrassment, so is he.

Aroma by Jacquzy  

This is how it happens; how Antonio Fernández Carriedo comes to fall in love with the sweet-scented child seven years his junior.

Progression by Horribibble

When the Vargas Famiglia lost its Don, Lovino was abruptly faced with all of his nightmares. The worst of which wants nothing more than to give him a kiss.

A Trip To The Cinema by lullabyemyuu

Surrounded by the ruins of the ruined cinema, an elderly Lovino both remembers and forgets.

I wouldn't if I were you by starshards

Romano comes to the shocking realisation that people actually think that Spain is attractive.

Cupcake by writingandchocolatemilk

"No, Lovino!" Feliciano pointed, tears evaporating. "It's a dog!"

"What?" Lovino looked around. "That's a fucking bear."

"Lovino," Antonio hissed, "be respectful! No swearing!"

"Shi—sorry. Antonio, look at that dog." Lovino pointed. "Look, it's a bear."

Ludwig leaned closer. "That's a newfoudland."

Lovino scowled at him. "That's a bear."

Disgustingly Sweet by Sunny Day in February

We all have this urge sometimes.

El Despertar by Tyranno's girl

Or 'The Awakening'. This world is filled with many strange things, people, and occurrences. Once must always be careful of who they put their trust into; everyone has a dark secret behind the mask they don in the day.

Spostare by Canadino

She was just one girl, one body in the whole human race, that made him realize he was undeniably, helplessly attracted to Antonio; and she was the one who stole Antonio's heart away. High school AU, onesided Spain/Romano

How It Is by counterheist

This is how it is in the house of the never-setting sun.

on the dimensionality of an n-night stand by counterheist

Antonio is the one night stand who just won’t leave.

Diplomat's Son by writingandchocolatemilk

Lovino is content to let Antonio touch him. Antonio is happy to do this, and he runs his hands up Lovino's sides, relishing at the feeling of skin against skin, at the quick heartbeat he can feel. His head spins and Lovino pulls him into another kiss.

"Oh, Lovino," Antonio murmurs.

"What?" he asks, sharp, but that just makes Antonio's heart melt. "Take off your shirt. I'm not going to be the only one naked."

"Yes, sir." Antonio laughs.

A Sprinkler of Disaster by SnowyWolff

Lovino comes home one day and the surprise that waits for him behind the door is not exactly what he had expected

Baile Con La Bula by Wendigo Heart

Romano thought the bulls were actually rather pathetic, allowing themselves to be slain. It was the matador’s control that really ignited his passion. But he would forever deny a certain matador’s passion; Romano refused to be his bull to slay -The original source was deleted...  That was hell of a good fanfiction

The Art of Flying by The Goliath Beetle

They're both a little bit damaged, a little bit unscathed. Lovino can only truly see the world when Antonio describes it to him. Words can be magical, words can drive the darkness away.

Exasperation by ReinMaker

Lovino reflects on how it came to this, thanks to himself and his mother-in-law.

PWP/Porn with some plot/basically smut

Praise by learninghowtosmut

Tumblr request for praise kink, ft blindfolds and gross sappy adoration

Six Times Romano Failed at Seducing Spain (And One Time He Unintentionally Succeeded) by sapphiire moon  

Spain is sick and tired of Romano constantly flirting in front of him, and so he decides to punish Romano by not having sex with him anymore. Romano does not like this at all, and he's determined to win his way back into Spain's bed (and heart) through seduction. Awkward, awkward seduction.

A Way to Say I Love You by sapphiire moon  

Spain and Romano's first time

With No End in Sight by stardropdream (orphan_account)

It's hot and Antonio is distracted.

For The First Time In A Long Time by Chaosride

Antonio has been hunting like this as long as he's been a vampire. Human's were more ripe during sex, and the bite was pleasurable anyway, as long as he didn't drink too much, but this times a little different. He picked up an Italian in a bar, expecting a quick meal.

Beautiful by   Chaosride  

A tumblr prompt requested Spamano BDSM

Give and Take by mareepysheepy

After hundreds of years in the making, Romano is in what he would grudgingly call a relationship with Spain. At least he thinks he is. He's really not sure. Weren't relationships meant to be about mutual give, and take, after all?

Jesus Christ I think this is the best written smut I’ve ever seen

Spirito Di Punto by starshards

After Romano's driving skills send another car to super-car heaven, his boss decides that it's time for him to have something much more modest. Luckily for Romano, Spain's there to help him learn how to appreciate it.

Like a Virgin by The Cilantro Family

Antonio's never had sex before. Lovino walks him through it.

Great spamano writers:

Basically almost all of their fanfictions and great, I just didn’t want to put them all on the list

Canadino

TheGoliathBeetle

sapphiire moon  (aka best spamano smut writer you can ever find)

StarsMadeinHeaven (former Happymood)

writingandchocolatemilk  (basically tons of amazing spamano one-shots)

userscounterheist

SnowyWolff

[disruptedvice]

This love will stay and linger (GOTG fic)

Starmora week 2018 Day 1 - Summer trip

Summary: Gamora huffing and puffing as she laid on the hood of the car like she was being crucified or something wasn’t exactly how he imagined this road trip going. He hadn’t imagined the flat tire either.

All he had to do was replace the tire, but Peter had no idea just how whiny an overheated Gamora could be.

(Or roadtrip + late night swim + warm snuggles = starmora love)

AO3 link

________________________

This love will stay and linger ________________________

Gamora huffing and puffing as she laid on the hood of the car like she was being crucified or something wasn’t exactly how he imagined this road trip going. He hadn’t imagined the flat tire either. Really, it had been going fine until then. That was when it all went off rails.

Thankfully all they had to do was pull over so Peter could replace the blown tire with the spare in the trunk, but somebody wasn’t happy with how long it was taking.

“Peter, your world is too hot,” Gamora whined. Again. She had been complaining about the temperature the whole time. For someone who was supposedly good at handling extreme temperatures, this was taking a lot out of her. He was the one who usually whined about atmospheric conditions or the weather when they were out on missions, not her.

“It’s so hot, I hate it,” she groaned, sounding like she was dying a slow death. Which, come on, was more than a little over dramatic.

“Seriously?” Peter exclaimed, more in disbelief than actual frustration. “Missouri is where you have temperature problems? Says the woman who was in deep space and covered in ice for nearly two minutes and came to just fine afterwards?”

“It’s too hoooottttt,” Gamora whined even louder, trying to drown out the sound of his voice.

“Oh my god, how are you so whiny right now?” He wasn’t magic- he couldn’t just blink and suddenly things would be fixed. Apparently Gamora didn’t have any patience for the time and work it took though.

Peter wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm- almost done replacing the tire. Thank god there was an instruction manual with the spare in the back. He wasn’t exactly used to fixing up Terran vehicles, and Gamora definitely would have complained a whole bunch more if he had to fiddle and figure it all out himself. Now it was just the sun bearing down on him, and even he was starting to get a little cranky. “You know, next time you try and brag about how you can withstand 80 different types of torture so of course you should be the first choice on the next high risk hostile mission, I’m gonna bring this up. 80 different types of torture my ass,” Peter muttered under his breath. “This is Missouri! You have absolutely nothing to say about my Terran physiology ever again if I can withstand this and you can’t. How’s that for weak physiology, huh?”

She lifted her head up enough to glare down at him kneeling by the front left tire.

“My species is not suited to temperatures this high,” Gamora told him haughtily, narrowing her eyes. “Humans are weird if this is normal to you. Zehoberi do not do high heat. We are particularly sensitive to that side of the extreme. And this is extreme. This is ridiculously hot,” she grimaced. He had a feeling that if she could glare the sun into submission, she would do it in a heartbeat. She sighed then, shaking her head almost woefully. “I don’t know how you can function in this. I am this close to passing out. Next comes organ failure. I am going to kill you if I end up dying on the side of this empty road in Missouri after surviving saving the galaxy a million freaking times. If I die from overheating instead of in the middle of an epic space battle, I am going to kill you so hard.”

Apparently an overheated Gamora is a whiny (and dramatic) Gamora, and sounds exactly like a whiny Peter Quill. Using such a big hyperbole and the word freaking in the same breath- the same sentence even- yeah, that was 100% his influence.

Peter dropped his tool on the ground, standing up so he could actually see her and check on how she was doing spread out on the hood.

“Is it really that bad?” He asked, a note of concern edging into his voice. “Heat’s really that bad for Zehoberis? Is it really that bad right now? How worried should I be?”

Gamora lazily opened one eye to look at him, looking more like a cat sunbathing than someone close to perishing. His head blocked out the sun though, so she didn’t even have shade her eyes as she looked up at him.

“Things are not really that dire,” she said, admitting to her tiny over exaggeration, and Peter sighed in relief. “But yes, Zehoberis and heat do not mix. You’re almost done, and then we can turn on the air conditioning. I am fine for now, but I cannot tolerate heat for sustained periods. I just cannot maintain this level of heat for extended periods,” she rephrased, revising her statement for accuracy. “It would be another hour before things get critical. Even then, I would simply fall unconscious in my body’s attempt to reduce my energy output. I’d get delirious first, though,” Gamora added with a shrug, almost as a second thought. “Trust me, you’d be able to tell if it was time to worry.”

“How come I never knew that about you before?” Peter asked, settling back down on the ground so he could actually get this wheel on properly and they could get out of there.

Gamora thought for a second. “We’ve never been in a place this hot for this long. Any higher temperature planet we’ve always had a cool ship to stay on. It’s never been a problem before,” she tilted her head side to side, mulling it over. Since she’d lost his head blocking out the sun she’d closed her eyes again, and even laid her arm across her face, because it was still so bright through her closed eyelids. Seriously, what was wrong with this planet? No one should live under a sun this unyielding. “And probably because I can withstand higher temperatures than your body can. I am better at withstanding extremely high temperatures than you- just for short periods of time. Small bursts. You’ve probably never known because I am always the first choice for high temperature aspects on missions because I can withstand extreme temperatures and remain coherent and competent. I function the best of all of us in extreme heat situations, and can get in get out quick. You would pass out in two minutes in a 12 kant environment. You would be dead within nine. Same goes for Drax in a 13 or 14 kant environment. While I can maintain functionality in 17 kants for a quarter of an hour. But I suppose it’s like that- that thing said. With all the- all the earth facts,” Gamora pressed her lips together, trying to remember the fuzzy details. Her memory was already starting to lag behind mid-ramble from exposure to this insufferable heat. Oh well, she knew he knew what she was talking about. She was talking about the thing. “How humans and cheetahs are the best runners of land species on this planet. The growly animal is the fastest, with short bursts of speed. But humans are the best long distance runners at a sustained speed. I’ll confess, I was surprised by that fact. Anyways, when it comes to heat, I am the cheetah in this scenario, and you are the human in this scenario. You’re the human in every scenario,” she laughed to herself after she heard what she said. Snickered to herself, more like it- like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Gamora suddenly stuck her arm straight up and wiggled it in the air. “It feels like… maybe 8 kants right now,” she estimated, feeling the heat on her skin. Though she could be off (it was very likely, actually) since her mental faculties were already beginning to suffer what with not being able to remember what the earth fact thing they saw was. Luckily, no one was going to quote her on her exact temperature estimation skills right now. She didn’t need to be precise. “Yes, I will be fine enough for an hour or so. I would probably lose consciousness not long after, though. Humans are insane. You consider this temperature livable? What did Terrans do before they invented air conditioning?”

“Gamora, we didn’t have air conditioning when I was a kid,” Peter laughed, loud and full.

Gamora gasped in shock, rolling onto her side to look down at him still working on the tire, to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. The horrified look on her face just about doubled when she realized he was telling the truth.

“Well, the school did, and most of the shops in town,” he clarified, “Just, we were really poor, and our old farmhouse didn’t have air conditioning. Going swimming in lakes during the summer when it was hot as hell was pretty much the go to way to escape the heat. Sometimes my mom would bring the garden hose to the front and we’d play in the water, or she’d set up the sprinkler and I’d try to jump over it, or any number of inane games I invented as a kid. Open windows and lots of fans at night were pretty much a necessity to get to sleep. But yeah, this temperature is pretty livable. I grew up in this temperature. I’d play for hours in this temperature, then relax in the shade for some time to cool off with an ice cold drink, then go right on back to playing.”

“Humans are weird,” Gamora intoned.

“So you’ve told me.” ________________

It was less than five minutes later that Peter was loading everything up in the trunk and they were getting back in the car and blasting the AC.

Gamora sighed and slipped into the front seat, undoing her braid so she could use the tie to put her hair up in a loose bun on the top of her head, effectively freeing up the heat trap on the back of her neck.

Peter, meanwhile, was just dripping with sweat, from changing a stupid tire while being scorched by the sun. He would kill for an ice cold drink right about now. He still had sweat dripping down the back of his neck, gathered on his brow, and he could even feel how drenched his shirt was on his upper back.

“Ugh,” he groaned, pulling his shirt up to his face and wiping off as much sweat as he could. When he glanced back over at Gamora, she had a deep, almost thoughtful look on her face that he didn’t understand.

“What?” He asked warily, wondering if he should be worried about getting another physiology lesson.

“I like this,” Gamora said, lazily reaching out, moving her hand up and down to make it clear that the this was all of him.

“What?” Peter laughed almost hysterically. “You mean me? Right now? I’m so frickin’ sweaty right now, Gamora. Seriously. Have you seen the back of my shirt? Drenched. I’m covered in sweat.”

“Mhmm,” she hummed. Gamora sat up slightly, like she was about to lean over to him, but apparently it was a struggle much harder than she thought it would be, like it took too much energy- much more than she was expecting- because she gave up in less than two seconds.

He didn’t even know what she was trying to do, but it made him want to laugh. She looked so cute with her little pouty face of determination.

Gamora pushed herself up again, this time sliding along the back of her seat til she was leaning over towards him.

“I like this,” she said again, following a trickle of sweat down his temple with her finger. “Looks like ‘d taste good,” she murmured, and Peter’s adam's apple bobbed.

She dragged her finger along the trail of his sweat droplet, down his throat, to the sweat that had collected on his collarbone. She swiped it up on her finger, which she then put in her mouth.

Peter’s breath hitched- that or he stopped breathing- he wasn’t exactly sure.

“I was right,” Gamora told him with a smug tone.

“Holy fuck,” he gulped. “Don’t tell me heat makes you horny too.”

“No. You make me horny. Heat makes me want to kill things. I am feeling delightfully cool right now. I love air conditioning.” She sighed, sinking back into her seat and basking in the cold blasts of air. ________________

It was in the low 80s that night, so they went for a swim in the pool at the place they were staying. Funnily enough, Peter never forgot the Fahrenheit temperature scale. Or really, it immediately came back when they got here. He thought he remembered back when he was a kid in school all his teachers saying they were going to have to learn a different way of measuring temperature, but three decades later and it looked like that still hadn’t happened yet.

He remembered mom got him an outside thermometer to put on the porch, one that was shaped like a little frog, so he could see when it was over 100 degrees instead of asking her “It sure feels hot, huh?” Like he had heard adults do when making conversation.

There was a major heat wave that summer, the year he was taken. There were a lot of days over 100, more than there had been in a long time, Momma said. He remembered how excited he was when he brought his mom out on the porch to look at his frog thermometer when it said 108 degrees. She looked down at him, ruffled his hair, and smiled, “Sure is hot, huh, baby?”

It was pretty hot today too, but the water was cool, and Gamora said the evening air was pleasantly warm, so they went for a little swim. They had booked a room at this little motel, and the pool didn’t have any hours posted, so yeah, they went for a late night swim. Well, technically they were in the hot tub, not the pool, but the hot tub wasn’t on or anything. They just kinda wanted to sit together in the cool water and talk and look up at the sky, so that’s exactly what they did. ________________

“I always thought earth would be the perfect temperature,” Gamora hummed, resting her head back on his shoulder

Although she was much more amenable to the current temperature, after nightfall it became merely warm, rather than unbearably hot. She liked it much better now.

She also liked Peter behind her, his arms wrapped around her as she reclined against his chest, and just let her legs float or idly kick as he held onto her. She got to lie back almost on the water’s surface, and rest her head on his shoulder so they could look at the stars together. “How wrong I was,” she noted with a soft chuckle.

Peter nuzzled into her neck, a wonderful contrast to the cool water that night. “And why is that?” He asked glibly, his voice low and teasing as he nipped at her and nibbled her earlobe. “Why’d you make that assumption? That earth would be the perfect temperature for your species?”

“You,” Gamora answered easily, without a second thought. She didn't need to think about it at all. “You are always the perfect amount of warm in the middle of the night. Just the right temperature to always feel warm and safe and inviting. You always have a draw-me-in warmth. It's hard to imagine the place where you were from could be any different. But earth is intolerable. I thought it'd be the perfect temperature like you are. You are always just the right amount of heat to curl around me in the middle of the night. I never imagined the place you come from could be so… uncomfortable. You're my favorite source of heat. I can't believe you come from this miserable planet.”

Peter laughed at that, genuine and true, and Gamora was sure his laughter was one of her favorite things to hear- it always filled her with a feeling of home.

“Well, glad to be of service,” he joked, fingers twirling in her wet hair. “Though they’ve got lots of varied climates on earth. I guess Missouri is one of the hot places, though not the hottest by far. We still get snow here. But there are places on earth that are so cold they're covered in snow year round. We’ll just have to get you to one of those places.”

It sounded like a promise, the way he said it. And Gamora had to admit, she liked the sound of that. ________________

“Peter?” Gamora reached up to languidly card her fingers through his hair, flicking out the wet droplets at the ends from when he had dunked his head underwater. She knew they’d probably be getting out soon. But he looked so breathtaking right now, the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the water and onto his face, softening his features into something hazy and almost glowing as the surface rippled from her movements. He was beautiful, she thought.

“Hmm?” He tilted his head down at her, and if she thought his face was beautiful, then she didn’t have a word for the look of love and contentment in his eyes.

“I’m glad we came on this trip,” she said sincerely, fingers tracing along his jaw before cupping his cheek.

She swore she saw his eyes twinkle as he smiled. Peter leaned in and brushed his lips against hers in featherlight whisper of a kiss.

“Even though the car broke down,” she added when their lips parted, though it was completely unnecessary.

“Popped a tire,” he corrected, and kissed her again. ________________

“I don’t want to go back,” Gamora confessed quietly, laying in bed together that night. They had long since dried off from their late night swim and settled into bed together, curling up under the covers. They only had two days left on this road trip. Then it was back to their real lives. Always in danger, in missions or battles, one explosion after one fight after another.

She loved their family, she really did- she loved the home they’ve created with the Guardians. It’s just- something about the past three days with Peter, cruising around in the earth car, this road trip with just the two of them, absolutely carefree and nothing to worry about- it’s been magical. And unreal. Like a dream she’d been incredibly present for, and she’s never been happier, like they’ve been in their own little world.

She hasn’t felt like Gamora, last of the Zehoberis these past few days.

She’s just felt happy.

It’s been so nice being able to abandon all cares and responsibilities, being able to exist in this life where they were just two normal people in love the past few days.

She wished she could freeze time in this moment forever.

She wanted them to stay here.

Gamora liked being a Guardian of the Galaxy, she liked going on missions, figuring things out, saving people who no one else could, and she loved the rest of their family.

She still thought it would be nice to stay here with Peter forever, curled up in this hotel bed for the rest of time. Have a normal life. With him.

It’s been so nice these past few days. She knew it was just a fantasy, that they’d ever really be able to continue on and on like this, but it was a really nice fantasy. She wanted to stay in their own little world.

She pulled the covers tighter around her shoulders, feeling a sudden sense of vulnerability, and moved closer to him, nestling right up against him, really. Peter’s warmth always was the perfect comfort late at night, and now was no exception. Having him close always made her feel safe.

Peter’s fingertips trailed as her temple, almost caressing the soft stray hairs that framed her face with such an incredible amount of care. He gave her a bittersweet, heartrending, and utterly understanding smile. Gamora’s eyelashes fluttered to a close under the weight of his gaze.

His chest absolutely ached at her expression, at the longing in her voice. He was thinking the exact same thing too, feeling the exact same feeling he could see in her eyes.

He wanted this to never end. It was nice to pretend that they could ever have a normal life.

Peter let his eyes slip shut too as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I wish we could stay,” he whispered, and Gamora swallowed thickly.

They were silent for a while after that, just curled into each other, holding each other close.

“Thank you,” Gamora finally said, her voice barely even a murmur as her breath grazed his cheek. She didn’t know why she was being so quiet- it wasn’t like anyone was going to overhear them. It just felt right. Being soft and quiet with him in this moment.

“For what?”

“For… for giving me this. These past few days. They have been… everything,” she told him, throat tight with emotion.

The arm that he already had encircling her held her tighter, pulling her in even closer, like they could never be close enough. Peter buried his face in the crook of her neck and nuzzled into her. “You’re my everything,” he whispered into her skin.

It should have sounded cheesy, but it didn’t. His voice was as choked up as hers was, and it sounded right. The fact that it meant as much to him as it did to her made her heart feel like it was going to burst. In a good way. The best way. ________________

And maybe they’d have to go back to their lives of constant danger and explosions and the responsibility of keeping the galaxy safe. But they’d always have these five days, cruising around Missouri and feeling utterly complete.

They’d always have these five days of their own little world. And they’d always have each other, no matter what world they were in.

That was enough to make everything else inconsequential. They had each other. That’s all that mattered. Still.

They’d always have these memories too.

________________ 

~FIN~ ________________ 

Author’s note: Fic title is from the song Oceans by Misterwives, which I highly recommend, and thematically fits this fic so freaking well, even though I already had this written before I remembered I’d always wanted to use that line for the title of a starmora fanfic

PS. some of my nerdiness worked it's way into this fic, so you can know that the information Gamora spouts off about humans and cheetahs being the best runners on earth is actually scientifically accurate. My headcannon for this fic where she can't remember what she's referencing is that they watched a documentary (maybe while curled up together on a motel bed?) and that's where she learned that fact.