#I spent too much time trying to record the footage so you better fucking reblog this

[crab-instruments]

Powder is 11 so shut the fuck up

[tarithenurse]

Agent of Hope - 19

Your world falls into ruin together with the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcements Logistics Division when you find out that your boyfriend isn’t one of the good guys. Pairing: Brock Rumlow x fem!reader, Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader Contents: Hmmm...weapons, fluff, dealing with trauma, mention of rape, masturbation, violent reaction, difficult choices, more fluff, and kissing. A/N: Thanks to all of you who like and especially reblog <3 On a second note: been looking for houses (need to move out of my parents’ place with my husband bc omfc).  Also that GIF just is epic.

19 - An offer you can’t refuse

…   Romanoff   …

The tinny jingle from the Goldfish commercials doesn’t cause hesitation to the hands moving rapidly to find and connect the right parts needed in the task of assembling three different guns. Only when the last weapon is locked (and loaded) does Natasha spin the cell phone on the table with a frown. Unknown caller, but the small dots in the corner indicate that Jarvis is tracking down the number already and will have an answer in three…two…one…ugh! Langley.

“Afternoon.” The tone is flat enough to show the lack of enthusiasm without being downright rude. “What more does Langley want post-hearings?”

She can almost hear the crooked smile. “Hrph…I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, miss Romanova.” The twist to the last name sends shivers down the former Russian’s spine but the familiar voice continues. “I’m agent Ross…we met during the hearings…?”

The silence is allowed to reign in an attempt to get the man to talk, maybe say too much. Meanwhile, Natasha brings the Glock 26 behind the back and starts to dismantle it, counting the seconds it takes before every piece of metal is spread out on the couch cushion behind her, careful not to lose the pins or the little spring for the trigger.

“Miss uhm…miss Romanova? You there?”

Nervous. Not enough. “…yeah.”

“Good! Good. Yes…” Some paper rustles through the line. “Right…I know the hearings’ve been long and prob’ly bothersome,” agent Ross hesitates to allow for some comment but gets none, “s’I can completely understand and respect if y’aren’t interested, however…I believe that you may ‘ave information that could be of benefit to u- to the Agency, I mean, in terms of filling some gaps. Erm I think…what I’m trying to say’s would it be possible for you to – off record – have a look at our older intel?”

Wait…waaiit…one more second. An intake of breath is Natasha’s cue. “You want me to shed light on old cases that’ve gone sideways?”

“Well –“

“You think either SHIELD, Hydra, or maybe my former handlers could’ve botched it for you guys?” By now the short agent’s sputtering in embarrassment, maybe hoping for the weak protests to soothe any slights the insinuation could have caused. “Send me a top ten and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Really?!”

Yeah, why would I? Simply put, Natasha hates being out of the loop, and the spy in her is aching for the chance of (legally) getting hold of CIA intel. More than that, though, she’s learned the hard way how precious the currency known as “favours” are. Owe someone something? They’ll have a hook in you forever. Someone owes you? It can be the difference between life and death. An IOU from a CIA agent…that could be handy.

“No promises I can actually tell you more than y’know already.”

Movement behind her makes the Avenger turn her head, a smile already curving her lips at the presence of [Y/N] who eyes the weapons (and parts) cautiously.

“Oh, no! That’s okay, no worries!” An idiot might refuse the tentative offer and Ross is far from that. “I’ll compile the files and get them to…you…uhm…”

“I’ll text you an address.” A slightly oil-greased finger hovers over the phone already. “Bye, agent Everett Ross.”

…   Rumlow   …

The fly circles the room a few times before finally settling on the person in the corner, climbing across brown-stained jeans in short sprints before reaching the lax hand and taking off again. Next time the insect lands it’s by the dried spatter on the wall where the bullet had made a small crater when it exited the skull of…who was that? A glance at the pens and the old-fashioned glasses makes Brock guess at some dusty field of expertise like history or literature. Whatever it had been, the man had decided it was better to risk it all and go looking for Hydra on nothing but a rumour.

“Don’t mind zat,” Strucker dismisses the sight easily, “ze interesting zing is zis.” Careful not to touch, he points at the darkened veins and (with the help of a metal rod) the unnaturally blue eyes. ���Ze experiment was quite a success, my friend. We are able to channel ze power of ze weapon into humans.”

“They all end up like this so far?” The eyelid hasn’t lowered again, so the endless glow of space is staring blindly at Brock no matter where he moves. “A bullet in the brain? Why did he get that?”

Chuckling softly, Strucker wipes the little stick in a handkerchief which he folds before depositing both in a pocket. “Zis man gained immense strengz but lacked control.” Oh. “Perhaps zere is a stronger connection between the state of mind and ze results zan we anticipated. We are now looking for actual volunteers.”

…

Fuck. However Loki did it remains a mystery still, but Brock won’t give up the hope that it will be possible to figure out how to control another person with the staff. Damnit, he’d seen the bit of salvaged footage and read the debriefs portraying the events when the Asgardian came to Earth and brainwashed top agents in no time.

The results of Strucker’s and his team’s work is vital both for the promotion of Hydra’s scheme…and to get anything useful from [Y/N] when she will get back again. I’ll be damned if it kills her. Brock’s all too aware that his craving for the ex-girlfriend wouldn’t be condoned if anyone knew – to be fair, he doesn’t quite like it himself because it makes him feel like he isn’t in control of his own damn mind. Every dream is either about missions and kills, sending adrenalin pumping through his veins, or they feature every detail of [Y/N].

The little smile when she was lost in thought. Her spine curving to jut the breasts upwards, skin subtle under Brock’s hands. Remembering the teasing hitches in her breath on a sunny morning, light filtering through the windows to catch in her hair as they made their bed creak together a lifetime ago.

“Godfuckingdamnit!”

Already, an erection is pressing painfully hard against tac-pants and Brock shoves a fist down to reposition the stubborn cock only for a new memory to appear the moment his fingers close around the shaft. Shea-butter mixed with sweat on pebbled nipples…perfect taste. There’s not much room to move the hand, but at least the pants are easily opened allowing for longer strokes.

The speed accelerates with each recollection, fist tightening and twisting while the echoes of [Y/N]’s moans are replaced by cries tearing from her throat when he took her with force. Fuck, it was so good, the man admits to himself, the struggle…oh yeah…the…the control. Breathing laboured, Brock has to lean against the wall, unable to stagger the last few steps over to his cot. She’d begged and pleaded, and he had been the one to grant her peace…or not.

He grunts as he comes. White stickiness spurting between his fingers, adding to the blurry haze from the inability to focus on anything else than the rush thrumming through the veins. It’ll be a short reprieve before the need returns like an endless hunger that nothing can sate. One thing can. But [Y/N] isn’t here, she’s tugged away somewhere with the fucking Avengers and that makes it all a million times worse because to think that Romanoff or maybe even Steve get to be close to her. Get to touch her, smell her.

It stings pleasantly when the hand connects with the drywalling and the structure behind it, thin strings of cum hanging from the torn plaster. At least that clears Brock’s mind a bit.

…   Reader   …

Lying awake all night, it’s almost a relief to sense the grey dimness take over the room and allow the outlines of furniture to stand out – not even Natasha’s steady breathing has been able to calm your mind after the hours of training spent to tire out your body at least. Why this time?! You’ve spent more than enough nights trying to escape nightmarish memories and negative thoughts but this…this issue is different and you’re happy with the decision you’ve made. I should just tell her.

It’s almost possible to make out the contours of Tasha against the white pillow, darker hair spreading like a halo of smoke. You know she sleeps lightly. Brushing your lips featherlight across her cheek, and she already turns to find your mouth with her own. Sweet and lazy kisses, a single tug to your bottom lip. Morning breath is a non-issue when she invites you into a bubble of gentle safety. Home.

“Morning, babe.” Her fingers tease the shortest hairs in your neck. “You’ve managed to sleep at all?”

There’s no reason to answer, just plant a peck on her nose. “I’ve made up my mind,” you offer as consolation, “and I hope you’ll understand why it’s important to me.”

The love never disappears from the touch while she sits up against the headboard. If it was light enough, you think you might see cautious interest mingled with concern in her eyes because Tasha isn’t as good as hiding it as she thinks she is. That’s a secret though.

“Okay…” She drags you onto her lap, straddling her so the strong arms can wrap around your waist. “Is it about the call from Ross?”

The scent of shampoo still clings to her hair as you bury your face in it, happy to talk into the red mess. “Yes, but mainly it’s about wanting to do what I can.”

Of course your reasoning isn’t perfect, but Natasha doesn’t interrupt even once as you explain how you want to do your part to support the hearings and the new request from the CIA by giving a testimony. Gifted or not, at least there’s information about Brock that can be of use and it seems someone else than just the Avengers are trying to clean things up…hopefully that includes tracking down the people that can be identified to Hydra through the data dumped on the net the day SHIELD fell. You promise to keep the ability secret to anyone outside of Natasha and her friends...admitting that you’ll have to be careful although you’ve got the most convincing cover to any strange phrasing “thanks” to what Brock and his people have put you through while in their hands.

The colours have returned to the world by the time you finish explaining. Dusty lavender heightens the rosy cheeks of the woman looking at you with a serious expression that makes your stomach knot. I have to do this. It’ll be hard as fuck, but it feels right. Feels important.

“I’ll let him know,” Tasha whispers, pulling you in for a tight embrace, “and I’ll be with you all the time.”

[boogiewrites]

Reports and Repertoire Pt. 3

Characters: Eddie Brock x Candace Miller (OFC)

Word Count:  4700+

Summary: As the month's pass, Eddie and Candace turn into good friends. As it goes when two people that are attracted to each other, spending a great deal of time around each other, the facades they've created to appear better than they are starting to falter. Sometimes this is a good thing, moving their relationship forward, sometimes this is a bad thing, making them have to stop and reflect on their decisions. Eddie has a breakthrough that will lead to the end of their working together on this case and Candy is left with making a decision because the rule of 'I can't sleep with him because we work together.' will shortly, no longer apply.

Warnings/Tags: Language.Fluffy, getting to know you, conversations of a sexual nature, mentions of mild violence.

Positive feedback is MUCH appreciated! Reblogs, likes, asks and comments feed me to write more! Let me know if you’d like tagged in my work.

My Masterlist.

Over the next two months Eddie and Candace find a lot of their downtime being dedicated to the case and to each other. They see each other at least once a week, spending entire Saturdays together as he starts volunteering with her at the shelter. They text each other almost every day, whether it's about the case or not. The topics had started to drift to things besides work as they'd gotten comfortable with each other.

About a month into the partnership, she'd muttered, "I bet Eddie would like that." while she was out with Stephanie. Her friend rolled her head obviously to her, giving her a knowing smirk. The flush in Candace's face let her know that this was certainly past just being co-workers.

They hadn't moved past being friends, there was still a line drawn in that sort of behavior. Even although their nights were spent practically on top of each other, hiding in dark, tight alleyways and him putting her on his shoulders to get a better shot for the footage they needed. Despite the physicality, there were still no obvious signs of romance growing that were going unnoticed. She really did like the man, and he seemed to like her as well. There was a comfortable nature of their relationship now, he'd let her come to his place, she'd let him come to hers. They'd even fallen asleep on the couch together while waiting for a video to finish rendering. But there were no stolen glances, no lingering physical touches to speak of that she could recall. The only sentimental advancement had been him switching to calling her by her nickname instead of her full name.

On one of their late nights, Candace talks to Steph on facetime. Steph is out and she sounds drunk and Candace is telling her to go home in a playful way.

"But Caaaaaandyyyy." she whines before she laughs loudly.

He watches the love on Candace's face as she laughs and points her finger to scold her friend, He keeps sipping away at his beer. Candy. He ponders the nickname. It fit her empathetic face and her kind actions. He lets a little smile come to his lips, watching her laugh and roll her eyes, the alcohol letting him get swept away in thought about how nice she'd been to him, what a good person she was, what a great friend she'd been.

She closes out the call, shaking her head and looks over to see Eddie watching her. "She's not usually that much of a mess." she smirks. The fact that she's defending her friend's drunken actions makes him speak before he thinks about it.

"She called you Candy." he states.

"Yeah it's a nickname." she shrugs dismissively.

"She call you that because you're so sweet?" he blurts out, he covers for himself by laughing and rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's a shortened form of Candace but...I don't mind that interpretation." her shoulders shake while she laughs.

"I like it, y'know." he shrugs as she doesn't take her inquisitive eyes from him. "Suits you." he gives a hesitant nod and a closed lip smile grows across her face.

"Because I'm sweet?" her eyes are confident, not shifting like his.

"Well...yeah." he looks down and lets out a nervous chuckle, cheeks flushing slightly. After a few moments of silence, Candace's eyes watching his anxious body language he speaks again. "You..." he pauses swinging his eyes back up to meet hers. "You mind if I call you that?"

"Candy or sweet?" she grins, surprisingly finding his behavior to be very adorable.

"Both?" he asks with a scrunched up face and tilted head, reminding her a puppy that heard a sound it was unsure of.

"How about this," she says, shifting her body towards his. "You can call me Candy in public, as long as you don't call me sweet around anyone else." she let's out a warm laugh that makes a dopey smile come across his face.

"I can do that." he says with an almost proud expression on his face that she found to be very charming. ---------------------- She didn't have to live in total denial about the fact that the man was attractive anymore to function around him, which was nice. He was human now, a peer instead of someone unreachable, but she had found that was making her more attracted to him, which she hadn't expected. By this point, most men were annoying her to the point of their level of attractiveness being irrelevant. But that hadn't happened with Eddie. Not yet anyway. It'd been almost two months, and she kept finding herself smiling when she'd see he texted her and she doesn't recall that happening anytime in her recent memory. She'd had a handful of racy dreams about him, but she wrote those off as her brain trying to take care of her needs that weren't being fulfilled and he was the closest male in her life.

------

One day she went over to his apartment unannounced, not the most polite thing to do, but she wanted to pick up her USB so she could work. When she arrived he answered the door soaked in sweat, tugging earbuds out of his ears.

"Hey." she says flatly, trying to ignore the way the white shirt clung to his body, the grey sweats that hung low on his lips. She had the thought that it wasn't her fault she was swallowing the drool the sight had caused if he was going to wear the official 'fuck me' uniform of hot guys.

"Oh hey Candy!" he says with a big smile, endorphins pumping away inside him. "What's up? Somethin' wrong?" his voice changes to concerned.

"No," she shakes her head, taking a pause that lasted too long. "I needed my USB, I know you said you'd bring it tomorrow but you know me." she shrugs and lets out a small breathy laugh.

"Yeah, work work work," he says with a teasing nod. She has to watch him walk all the way to the other side of his apartment and his solid, stocky form doing that masculine shoulder shifting saunter that caught her eye in the first place. He tosses the towel he'd had on his shoulder onto the weight bench after ruffling his hair with it. She rolls her eyes at herself and how the muscles in his arms and across his shoulder shifted as he did so. Man, she needed to get ahold of herself. And get laid, she concludes. She recovers in time for it to look like she wasn't staring at him as he returns with the object in hand. "Here ya go." he says entirely too casually for the way her pulse was speeding up.

"Thanks, Eddie." Why did it feel dirty to say his name when he looked like this?  "I'll see you tomorrow." she nods and turns quickly to walk in a controlled way, maybe she swung her hips a little more than necessary, maybe ran her fingers through her hair so her jacket would lift up enough to show her ass a bit.

He leaned out the doorway watching her leave, and man did he enjoy the sight of it. WIth the hormones still going as fast as his heartbeat, he lets out a low groan as she disappears down the stairs. Working out usually resulted in jerking off in the shower, and it seemed this would end no differently, but at least now he had some clear inspiration.

When Eddie was checking out at his local corner store, Mrs. Chen asking him why he was buying two packs of different beer instead of his usual one, it dawns on him he'd done so without thinking much about it. He knew Candace would be over at some point and she liked this beer, so he'd gotten it so he'd have it for her. He plays it off, but he can't lie to himself in the face of an obvious behavior like this. Not when it was coupled with varies other signs he'd swept under the rug.

He hadn't been looking for or expecting to find what he had in Candace. At first, she was a distraction. She quickly became a welcome one and with that, seeing her started to be something he looked forward to. At first, he'd focused on the work, assuming the feel-good hangover he'd have was just him being happy to get back out there again but it soon became obvious to him it wasn't only the work. He felt better when he was around her, like he was his old self again, someone that mattered.

The real turning point for their relationship together had been one particular night of hiding out. They were finally getting the footage they needed. Trying to remain non-partisan and let the events fold out how they may and only documenting, not interfering, had come to a head for Eddie. As the cops antagonized the two women to fight each other his fists clenched, he let out a low growl of a noise.

"Eddie calm down." Candace whispers curtly, eyes still on the camera screen.

"But look at 'em Candy, look what they're makin' those poor girls do." he almost whines, his toes gripping into his sneakers as he pushes up the sleeves of his hoodie.

"What are you doing?" she snaps at him in a whisper, grabbing his forearm and keeping him out of sight.

"I"ve got help them out, we can't just let 'em do this, we know them." he turns back to look at her before trying to move again but she yanks him back into the alley, setting the camera down in the direction of the action and pushing him against a wall.

"This is why we're here Eddie," she says sharply. "If we don't record it, we won't have evidence and if you intervene now, our cover is blown and no one will be getting anything for anyone. If they get hurt, the payout from a settlement they get will make it worth it if we do this right. There have been no deaths since this started, so just take a big breath, put on your big girl panties and let's do our job." she says just inches from him. Her tone is annoyed, her eyes serious as they burn into his emotionally torn ones.

As she holds him against the wall with both hands to his chest she can feel his heart racing. She keeps a strong look into his eyes and when his face wines and twitches, looking to the side to the sound of the women fighting she grabs his chin and makes him look at her. He feels sometimes inside him shift.

"Eddie. We've worked too hard to blow this now. And I'm not going to let you fuck this up for us." she says in an even, cool tone. Her whispered orders make his brain pay attention, despite her being shorter, although only by a few inches, he feels as if she shrinks him down with her actions.

His chest heaves only once more, before his eyes go back to a normal width, the deep blue now calmer, his brow lowering and resting heavy again above them. He licks his lips and swallows noisily.

"Okay," he whispers, a quick grouping of nods. With that she releases the rough stubbled cheeks under her fingers, hand still on his chest.

Her face softens but doesn't lose its edge. He notices the freckles on her cheeks, the sharp dip of her cupid's bow as his eyes nervously dart over her features. "You're right. You're right Candy." he says quietly. He averts his eyes like a scolded puppy, his heart still beating fast but no longer because of anger. He knew certain things about himself, what role he naturally fell into, and it seemed she also naturally fell into a certain role of her own with him at that moment.

She leans away, hand still on his chest, "Okay." she says softly, finally releasing the pressure on his chest that held him against the wall. His posture slumps immediately and she can tell he's ashamed. She's relieved he didn't fight back, although a part of her felt like she knew he wouldn't. -------- Back at her apartment, she's going over the footage to see what's salvageable, letting out a heavy sigh when his little episode makes the ending of the action unusable. She lets out a heavy sigh, putting her thumbnail in her mouth to gnaw at it as she stared at the screen.

"I'm sorry about that." he says again, unprovoked.

"I know." is all she says and from the corner of her eye she sees him slump again.

"I just-" he lets out a huff of breath. "I get really caught up in the work."

She nods, still looking at the screen. She wasn't mad at him, annoyed, but not angry. He'd apologized and done nothing out of turn since. "That happen often?" she finally asks, turning her head to him, resting her jaw on her hand.

"Oh, well...I mean sometimes, yeah." he says with twitching lips.

"Is that what happened with Drake?" she asks bluntly. Face set to that cold indifference to match her tone and he feels his chest tighten.

He hadn't expected the question, but he certainly deserved it. "I found out he was doin' these experiments that were killing people. I had to do someth-"

"No you didn't." she interrupts him and his mouth, hanging open like a fish closes again. "There are rules, procedures with these kinds of things. You're too smart to act like that, Eddie. You've got to get control of your emotions. If you don't they'll run away with you." she says before taking a deep breath and sighing, setting her back straight again on the couch. "You'll just keep sabotaging yourself if you don't." her face isn't as hard as it was, it wasn't exactly pity but he felt that the words came from a place of kindness even if they didn't feel like it.

"Yeah," he says quietly, looking away and nodding. "I know that. I do. I'm just-I'm sorry, alright?" he looks back over to her, swinging his head as if it were heavy.

She reaches out and pats his knee. "I'm not mad at you Eddie," she says with a frown. "I just don't want you to jeopardize this. Okay? It means too much to me and I need to know I can trust you." her hand stays on his thigh, he finds the touch comforting.

"You can." he nods, his apologetic voice soft in its delivery. "I'll do better next time." he leans forward slightly, and she sees in his eyes that he means it.

"Alright," she says with a friendly inflection. "But now we've got to go back again and try to get the last half of this footage. We'll have to see the same thing happen and you won't try to interfere next time, right?" her voice is back to its usual warmth, her hand squeezing his leg slightly.

"I won't. I swear." he feels the fear of losing this opportunity, the fear of losing her, this new woman that he'd ushered into his life at that moment. He bites his lip, brow heavy, and a solemn nod.

She returns the gesture, a quick pat to his knee again before her hands move back to the laptop to start dissecting the footage. She was only half paying attention. He really was sorry, she hoped he'd keep his word. She believed he would. She wasn't particularly pleased with her own feelings at his reaction though, she saw how pitiful he could be and instead of finding it to be a major turn off, his vulnerability was somehow very endearing to her. Maybe he was feeling fragile still, she didn't know the entirety of his personal life, just the glimpses he'd allowed her at his local bar, his apartment, the buzzed, late night conversations that got a little deep suddenly with the lack of sleep and physical closeness added to the concoction.

She didn't want him to let her down, she knew that for sure, and not just for business reasons. As she chews the inside of her cheek, messing with the brightness on the footage to see what she could improve, she realizes she'd really miss Eddie if she had to stop working with him. This project wouldn't last forever, they were in the final acts of it now and she feels an odd twisting in her stomach at the thought of not getting to be around him like she was now. She mouses over the same tract of audio again, hearing their whispers to each other over the background sound of the thumps and bangs of fighting. A thought and a problem for another day, she thinks, compartmentalizing the personal from the professional again. --------

Candace and Steph sat in her apartment. Candace had just been a guest on her friend's podcast, they were finished up and now Steph sat on the couch, one headphone in and messing with the recording software. Candace's phone rings, she sips from her long-stemmed glass and reads a text from Eddie.

"That who I think it is?" Steph grins, looking over with raised brows over her own glass as Candace.

"Yeah, he's gonna bring up my USB. Says he's got something to go over with me."

"I bet he does." she snorts.

"I've got two friends meeting for the first time happening here so if you could behave and not scare him off I'd appreciate it. We're close to wrapping this thing up." Steph opens her mouth and Candace points a finger in her face. "You make a condom joke I'm gonna throw this Moscato at you." she threatens with a smile.

"You're no fun." she shakes her head and laughs, eyes moving back to her screen. "I was gonna say I didn't know you were into voyeurism...wrappin' it up with me here. Maybe I should have you talk about that next time."

"Not that I'm not open-minded, but that never really did anything for me."

"You aren't really a, sit on the sidelines kind of person."

"Thank you." she smiles smugly. "I would be inclined to agree."

"I think your cold calculation mixed with your warm honesty will work well with my listeners," she says with a nod. "I mean, everyone fantasizes about a woman in a position of power don't they?" she smirks.

"I'll keep talking about the dichotomy of in the street versus in the bedroom if it'll help." she shrugs.

Steph had a podcast about sexuality, same subject of her blog that accompanied it. She'd started it after getting on at a sex shop years ago. It started as little blurbs about customers habits, finding people were fascinated with others interests and purchases so she decided to branch out. So it couldn't really be helped if she had sex on the brain constantly.

"What I like about you is you don't do the strong woman in the streets and the baby girl in the sheets." she grins, fingers tapping away at her laptop.

Candace shrugs, "I'm sure it's some deep seeded need for control and fear of losing it in a world of traditionally male power structures but being a bottom has just never really been my thing." she chuckles, sinking into the couch. "But you know me, I'm always down to try something new." she shrugs, taking another drink.

"And that's why I love you." she smiles, clinking their glasses together. There's a knock on the door. "Speaking of bottoms." Steph mutters in her wine glass and Candace feels just buzzed enough to snort and give an eyebrow wiggle in response. Steph is sure to watch every move the two make while they interact with each other. She's been onto Candace's coy little smiles and mentioning Eddie one too many times in their conversations as of late for her to not think something was going on between them.

"Hey Eddie." she practically coos out, meeting him with a pushed out hip and the wine glass in her hand.

"Hey Candy," he says, eyes bright and meeting hers. Steph smirks to herself at hearing that she's letting Eddie call her by her nickname. "I got your thing here." he says pulling one hand out the pocket of his denim jacket, handing it to her.

"Thanks for bringing it, you didn't have to." she says, ushering him in and shutting the door, taking the USB to her desk on the other end of the studio apartment.

"Nah, I was driving through." he lies. His eyes meet Stephanie's as she indifferently studied him, having noticed him watching Candy as she walked away from him. "You're...Steph, right?" he asks, pointing a finger at her, a friendly smile on his face.

"That'd be me." she smiles and nods. "Nice to finally meet the infamous Eddie Brock." she smirks.

"Oh." he lets out a huff of a laugh, Candace eyeballing her friend, a look of warning. She was making him nervous and she didn't want her to. "I don't know about all that." he shakes his head.

"Don't mind her. She's territorial over me is all." Candace interjects, patting Eddie's arm as she moves into the kitchen.

"Can't blame me." she shrugs, "Can you Eddie?" her voice is teasing and Eddie's eyes narrow slightly. He wasn't threatened but gives her a knowing smile in return.

"No I cannot." he says with a more certain nod, his eyes moving back to Candace.

Steph gives him a nod of solidarity. Okay, maybe not so much a total pushover. Eddie was updated in the profile she was building of him in her head. His retort had earned him a few points in her eyes.

"What was it you wanted to go over with me?" Candace interrupts the power struggle.

Eddie's mouth hangs open for a moment, gathering his thoughts as he pulls a small notebook out of his pocket. He motions his hand to Steph who had gone back to looking at her screen.

"Oh, you can talk about anything around her, it's fine." she says in an informative but obvious tone.

"I was tracking the locations again last night and I noticed somethin'." he says, standing next to her, bodies turned in towards the other, the notebook between them as Candy leaned in to follow his ringed finger as it tapped the page.

Steph stealthily watches from her seat. Look at that body language, she thought. Both touching and seeming totally comfortable with it, they were farther along than she'd given them credit for.

"I looked at the arrest dates and ran that with the patrols we observed, the nights they hassled versus the nights they actually booked anyone and it seems these two shifts, are the ones that have the most activity. Three officers rotating on them so far, they might be the ones doing this, I don't think it's all them in the area, just isolated incidents. So that means we've got tomorrow and Sunday night for potential action."

Candace and Steph both look at him with impressed looks on their faces. The boy was smart, they had to give that to him. A man with observation skills that keen, she thought they were only a myth.

"Look at you, Brock!" Candace says with a big grin, her hip knocking into his side. "That'll save us a ton of time." she says with an enthusiastic nod, taking a sip of wine.

"I thought, y'know, it'd help since I kinda went and fucked up the footage last time." he says quietly, lips pursed, eyes meeting hers that were still saying he was sorry.

"I think this cancels it out as far as I'm concerned," she says in a warm tone that makes him sigh in relief. "You want to try for tomorrow?" she asks, her voice inflected upwards with curiosity.

"If that's good for you, it's good for me." he shrugs with high brows that give over the reigns to her once again.

"Then it's a date." Steph snorts from the couch.

Candy frowns, one eyebrow quirked up at her friend who is looking rather smug and not making eye contact as she types away. Eddie stays straight-faced, only his eyes moving over to Steph. As he lets out a small laugh Candy's face shifts back to its normal pleasant expression as they meet eyes again. "You wanna pick me up at the usual time?" she asks, rolling her eyes at the antics of her friend.

"Yeah, sure. You wanna grab something on the way? That way I don't have to hear you complain about bodega hot dogs all night?"

Steph laughs from her seat. Candance fakes a look of offense taken. "They're awful, I make no apologies."

"Wasn't askin' for one." he says with an attractive smile, his shoulders hunching in defense, taking a few steps back towards the door.

She pauses, eyes looking at his face, quickly taking in the broad expanse of him so close before returning to his face. "That's a good idea. Gonna be a long night." she says, following him.

"Might get dangerous." he says, with a wrinkle of his nose and a tilt of his head as he stands in the doorway as she holds open the door.

"I know, but that's what I've got you for," she says softly with a smile, putting her hand on his bicep, pretending not to get distracted by how solid he felt. She gives his arm a pat and he gives her that quirky little half smile in return. "If we're together we'll be fine." she says reassuringly.

"You're probably right." he nods, looking at the ground, then only his eyes looking up to meet hers, shooting her a glance that takes her off guard with how good he looked as he took a moment to look her over. "I'll see ya at 8, Candy." he says in a soft voice, a little almost cocky nod to accompany it.

"See ya, Eddie. Be careful." she says after him, holding a hand up to acknowledge the order. She turns, back against the door to see Steph staring at her.

"My fucking god, are you KIDDING me?" she says with wide eyes loudly.

Candace shuffles towards her, shushing her before plopping on the couch next to her.

"He is somehow SO much hotter in person. Jesus Christ." Steph says exasperatedly, fanning her face. Candace let's out a sigh, taking a big drink of wine. "He wore the hell out of that denim jacket." she adds with a nod, looking to the door.

"He wears the hell out of everything." she quietly admits. "I squeezed his bicep. That was a mistake. He's...ugh..." she rests her head on the couch back.

"Bitch. Seriously." she says shoving her friend's arm.

"I KNOW," she says as if she's angry. "But we're working together, dude, I can't sleep with him." she whines, taking another big drink.

"Yes, drink more, wine makes you horny, I want some honest answers." she laughs, tilting the glass into Candace's mouth as she sputters and laughs. "He's too fine, Candy. And he was nice. When's the last time you met a hot, nice guy?"

"Never." she states with a deadpan delivery.

"When this job's over if you don't sleep with him I'm fucking going to!" she says with a grin.

"Couldn't blame you." she shakes her head.

"So are you going to? I mean, you clearly like each other, not in the playground like-like sense but genuinely as people."

"Which somehow means more, doesn't it?"

"Exactly. You don't have to go bringing feelings into it. You're both adults, both professionals. If this is a world where two smart hot people can't bang one out just 'cause then I don't wanna live in it!" she says loudly, taking a big drink of wine.

"I'll drink to that." Candace laughs and she and Steph clink glasses, realizing she'd have to make an actual decision soon, which prompts her to down the rest of the contents of the glass in one go.

Pt. 4 (NSFW)

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