#TOWER OF MISTAKES IS BACK TOWER OF MISTAKES IS BACK

[arahusk]

“I need his soundwaves.”

Husk did all he could to not just give the longest fucking sigh of his life. Who knew if doing so would set the Overlord seated across from him off? Though as far as he’d known, Valentino was usually the one that resorted to a murderous rage whenever he got slighted.

No, he didn’t know what Vox would do exactly, and that made him a bit more dangerous.

“Don’t know why you’re telling me.” Husk relaxed his wings behind the chair, crossing his arms as he waited for whatever would happen next. “Is that what you kidnapped me for? Might as well have tried to go for the boss.”

Vox steepled his heavy claws underneath what would have been his chin if he had a normal head, but was now just the bottom portion of a bootleg version of a Samsung LED. Those same claws tapped just against his own screen for a face, sounding almost brittle. Must have been some cheap manufacturing. 

“Listen, you and I have the same goals, don’t we? I thought we could help each other out.” At that, Vox leaned back, putting on a showman smile that instantly reminded Husk of bad things. “Overlord to…once-Overlord. I still got a lot of respect for you!”

Husk rolled his eyes. “If your idea of respect is to get me drunk and then bring me back to your tower with a bag over my head, then that’s one hell of a definition change.”

A small spark passed over Vox’s antennas. His smile also twitched—or maybe it was just a visual glitch. “And now you’re at the dinner table of my own home. You gotta give me credit for my hospitality here!”

With that, he pushed forward another glass of scotch that he’d been serving since Husk woke. And despite it all, Husk didn’t feel like turning down a drink, even if that was why he was here in the first place.

“And let’s cut through the bullshit, alright?” Vox said with a bit more impatience now. “Alastor is never going to willingly join me, even though it would be in his own best fucking interest now. His soundwaves, my video feed; and all of Hell would be so fucking easy to control. I’ve told him every damn time and he just refuses!”

Husk downed his drink, the buzz helping deal with Vox’s irritating voice. “Yeah, he’s a stubborn prick.”

“Right?!” Vox shook his head, another spark shooting from his head. “Video is a big sell, but it only works when people are watching! So all those blind Hell citizens or the ones with no fucking eyes are not falling under VoxTek’s influence. That’s half of my demographic just slipping right through my fingers!”

If Husk had the energy, he’d have thrown this glass right at Vox’s stupid head. He’d have loved to see that screen shatter, those eyes fragmented and asymmetrical. Instead, he shrugged. “How generous of you to think of being so…accessible.”

Vox, apparently having no clue how badly Husk wanted to murder him, just nodded. “Exactly! VoxTek is here to broadcast to everyone, for everyone… To get everyone. And one way or another, I’m going to finally get our video-radio sync into reality. And you, Husk, you’ll also get what you want. Because if he joins me, he won’t have a hold on you anymore.”

Claws clinking against the glass, which was, unfortunately, already empty. “You can’t guarantee that.”

“Oh, I can.” Vox grinned, spreading out his arms. They sat within the very top of the Vees tower, the great view of Pentagram City shown through giant windows. Buildings plastered against the red backdrop of a morbid sky. “My full guarantee or your money back, with interest.”

Liar, Husk thought, but didn’t say anything. No, he considered…

Then he shook his head. “Alastor will suspect. So unless you’re guaranteeing he won’t tear my soul the moment he finds out, I’m not taking the risk.”

“Come on, old pal. Don’t be like that!” Vox slicked up his voice with so much oil, its toxicity was making Husk’s fur curl. “Work with me here. He trusts you!”

Husk scoffed. “He does not trust me.”

“Yes. He. Does!”

Vox’s voice was grating and loud, enough to make Husk fully turn to him—which was a stupid mistake. The alternating colors of red and blue that made up half of Vox’s screen engulfed Husk’s vision. The hypnotism worked startlingly fast, loosening up his limbs and making him tilt his head. It was only the last vestige of willpower—his claws pricking at his knee—that got Husk to shake out of it. The nausea left him as fast as it came.

“Are you fucking crazy?” he asked, which was also stupid. Of course the obsessive T.V. Overlord was crazy.

But maybe Husk didn’t expect the man to sound so insanely jealous, too.

Just like that, Vox’s screen went back to normal. He cleared his throat and fixed up his bowtie. The smile was back on his face, as perfect and charming as a sleazy car salesman. “Sorry about that, buddy. Got a little hot under the collar there. I just thought you’d be a bit more aware of your situation.”

Husk was getting tired of this, and was already picturing himself breaking through that window and flying right out. But he was still recovering from his hangover, and the hypnosis attempt hadn’t helped matters.

“Of course you’d know, huh?” He dimly wondered just how many surveillance cameras Vox had on him throughout the years.

“I do, as a matter of fact.” Then, his smile became more of a sneer. “Old-timey prick even told me once he considers you his friend. You, that little maid freak, and that cannibal bitch.” A chuckle left him, laden with static, electricity sparking up and down his antennae. “So trust me when I say, I know.”

Husk frowned, but mostly because he didn’t know what to say. His hand tightened over his now empty glass.

Alastor never made any sense to him. (He wished he did, the stupid idiot.)

Vox went back to a gleaming smile. He pushed another glass towards Husk, this time with some of the more expensive stuff. The alcohol glimmered like ambrosia.

“Now, be reasonable, and let’s talk business.”

[urfavhecate]

I’ll always be your shield | Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

Summary: You cared about Wanda and you decided to protect her forever.

Warnings: fight scene, oneshot, really short one, fluff, kinda comfort.

Note: English is not my first language so i’m sorry for all mistakes. I hope you’ll like it tho.

𓏲 ࣪₊♡𓂃

You and Wanda have been friends since she joined the Avengers. From the beginning, you defended the shy girl from Tony or Steve's rude comments. Wanda began to open up and talk about herself only when she was with you. It wasn’t a secret that you cared about her, but you never said how you really felt. You didn't tell her that you saw her as more than just a friend.

When the Avengers were sent on another mission which sounded like easy in and out, it turned out to be a trap. In the abandoned part of the city, you all were attacked by HYDRA agents. Snipers hidden in nearby buildings were trying to shoot you down, while agents around were throwing grenades and using lighter weapons as regular guns. The rest of the team moved forward and hid in one of buildings to avoid getting hurt while you and Wanda stayed behind. You ran as fast as you could, but the agents had a significant advantage in members and weapons.

“Y/N!” Wanda screamed as she stumbled after one of the snipers almost shoot her.

You stopped abruptly to help her, you grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. You kept running, but after the grenade exploded, fragments of the building's walls started falling on you. You pulled Wanda close to you so that she fell on her knees next to you. You covered her with your body so that none of the fragments of the wall would hit her.

You held her hand as she squeezed her eyes shut. Her body was shaking with fear. She moved closer to you hiding in your chest.

“Shhh- it’s okey Wanda, we’ll be okey.” you whispered in pain, your back was already bleeding and covered with purple marks.

When you realized that the pieces of the walls were no longer falling on your back, you grabbed Wanda's wrist and started running further. Tony then appeared, shielding you as you ran to the quinjet. Everyone managed to escape and went to the Avengers tower. As soon as you sat down and leaned your back against the backrest, you felt terrible pain. Holding back tears, you waited until you got there to tend to your wounds.

When you were clumsily trying to look at your wounds in the bathroom, Wanda entered your room. As soon as she saw you standing there without a shirt, she blushed.

“Sorry, I knocked but didn't open the door” she said shyly “I wanted to thank you for covering me with your body and I wanted to see your back.”

“I’ll be okey” you said still trying to take care of your wounds.

“Can I?” She asked, coming over, hoping that she would be able to repay you by helping you bandage the bleeding places.

You just nodded, leaning on the sink. Her nimble fingers applied the gauze and taped it quickly and almost painlessly. She was very focused on not hurting you anymore and instinctively, after finishing, she gently stroked your back and shoulders. Staring at you without a shirt on, her hands on your skin, she quietly muttered something under her breath, quiet question "why?".

“Why did you do that?” she asked louder.

“Because i care about you” you answered as you put on your shirt. “and i’ll always protect you.”

Wanda was looking in your eyes, she was clearly thinking about something, she wanted to say something important.

“What’s on your mind?”

“I like you” she whispered “i like you but more then just like a friend”

You were standing there in complete shock. In that moment you wanted to kiss her and never let go.

“I like you too” you smiled and softly kiss her lips “so much”

[driedflowwr]

special connection

ᯓᡣ𐭩 on your summer vacation you know a local boy and you seem to be made for each other by the way you talk and the connection you feel, however you have to say goodbye to him on your last day.

wc. 473 warnings. makeout genre. fluff, a bit sad ?

claire's note. my first story!! sorry if there are some mistakes but english is not my first language, btw hope you enjoy !

tonight was the last night of your summer vacation. you stayed with your friends in a peaceful village beside the sea, in fact your hotel was almost on the beach.

this vacation was definitely an experience. on the first night you knew a local boy, he was tall, handsome and knew how to catch your attention. it was almost like you knew each other for years by the way you could understand each other so well.

you planned to meet on the beach, before going to sleep, ‘cause you won't see each other ever again, or at least for a long time. 

you’re walking on the warm sand, barefoot and you see his tall silhouette, a smile instantly shows up on your face, you stand beside him and talk, not loudly because you don't want to interrupt the relaxing atmosphere.

“will you finally tell me your name? it's not like we will see each other soon” and he chuckles in response, it was like music to your ears.

“of course y/n, my name is jungwon” 

he already knew your name, it was the first thing you told him, but he didn't dare to say his so curiosity invaded you.

“it suits you” you watched his profile and smiled, he was really beautiful and you felt instantly safe around him, “thank you” he caught your gaze and your cheeks were tinted with a little bit of pink.

“i was thinking… we won't see for a very long time, but i’m sure we will meet again cause i feel a special connection with you,” he smiles in between his words and now he's completely watching your face, towering over you due to the height difference “still i want to give you a special goodbye”

his fingers touched your cheek, caressing it slowly and with a delicate touch. you understand right away what he means and in no time your faces are very close, observing each other’s details.

you blush even more because right now in your stomach there are butterflies and maybe other whole animals.

“you're really pretty” he says quietly, then your lips meet yours, like it was automatic.

his soft lips brushed against yours and in a matter of time it became a passionate kiss while your hands explored his chest and his were on your waist, tightening the grip at every passing second.

the kiss stopped just because you heard your friends’ “ooh y/n!” but jungwon wasn't annoyed, he giggled and then he whispered to your ear “i hope you'll remember me, now go” and you smiled wide “i hope we meet again too” you whisper and then you walk back to your friends, while he stood there watching you, biting his lip and wondering if you really will meet again. but the special connection you both felt reassured you.

[zionangel]

So I finally got up to Michonne's last episode in The Walking Dead. Then watched The Ones Who Live again. Now I'm watching season 3 again and enjoying all the early seeds and hints of Richonne goodness.

I love how she's so hesitant to trust Rick at first because she was hurt and betrayed so badly. If she and Andrea had run into Rick and the gang first, instead of the Governor, I think she would have trusted him more quickly. she would have seen him be immediately welcoming to Andrea, and her by extension once Andrea vouched for her as a friend. Instead, she watched Andrea fall for the Governor's mask hook line and sinker, and lost (temporarily) the one friend she had managed to find. Andrea told her all about what good pepole Rick and the others were all winter, but she also thinks the Governor is a good person, so for all Michonne knows, her judgement might be shit in this case, too.

She watches him like a hawk from the moment they meet, trying to determine for herself if he's really as good a man as Andrea says. It's telling that one of the first things she observes is him discovering Carol is alive, showing how much he genuinely cares about even his found family, and how much it hurts him when he fails to protect them. AND THEN. She sees him taking care of his newborn daughter. She knows, because of the need for formula, that the mother, his wife, must have died. He has suffered a horrific loss, but is still trying his best to take care of his daughter. Later, she listens as Rick thanks Daryl for taking care of the baby while he "worked through some stuff," and Daryl just says it's what they do. So she can figure out that he was deeply hurting, to the point where he was not able to take care of his own newborn child, but he relied on the people around him, his family, to take care of her while he couldn't.

Remember what happened to her early on: she went on a supply run and, quite reasonably, expected her boyfriend and his friend to watch after their toddler and keep him safe until she got back. But they gave up hope in the apocalypse, and betrayed her by getting high, ignoring his responsibilities, and she lost everything because of it. And then, by contrast, here is a man who has suffered and lost so much, but still tries his absolute hardest to protect his family, even if he doesn't always succeed. He is the complete opposite of Mike.

I just finished 3x15, where Rick almost gives Michonne to the Governor, hoping it will buy peace. He's internally horrified by Merle's suggestions of what he'll do to her. He looks sooo guilty, thinking about how this woman who has proven herself, that he's just starting to trust and like, who CARL is starting to trust and like, is going to suffer a fate worse than death because of him. He doesn't know it's because she's his soulmate yet, but he just knows he can't stand the thought of making this woman suffer. AND THEN. When he changes his mind, and thinks he's narrowly avoided making the worst mistake of his life, and is looking forward to fighting alongside her instead. AND THEN finds out that Merle took her anyway, and it's all his fault, and he's a horrible human being who can never forgive himself. How he's nearly CRYING when he admits all this to the rest of the group, because this person (THIS PERSON. WHY IS HE SO DRAWN TO THIS PERSON???) is going to be ripped apart by a monster and he'll never see her again.

And then a little later, when he's on watch in the guard tower and wallowing in self-loathing, she just fucking. Wanders out of the forest. Cool as a fucking cucumber. Not a scratch. Because even after what she must know Rick was going to do to her, she managed to save herself, and decided to come back to this group instead of running for the hills. And after he gets over the relief that she's alive, he gets this really determined look. Like, by some miracle he lucked out and the worst didn't happen, and he gets another chance with her. And he's sure he'll have to work very hard to earn her trust back, if he ever can, but he's determined to do that, determined to do right by her this time around.

AND THEN. As he's working up the courage to apologize, trying to think of what he could possibly say to her to promise to earn her trust back, she just. Forgives him. Immediately. Without being asked. Before he can get a single word out. Just takes that whole weight off his shoulders and throws it out the window. And she says no, you're still a good person, and I still want to fight by your side and be part of this family.

There's plenty more to blather on about but it's late. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[throughtrialbyfire]

𝐖𝐈𝐏 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 ♥

hello!! i'm on time once more <3 thank you to the amazing @skyrim-forever @umbracirrus and @thequeenofthewinter for tagging me this week!!

tagging the great @dirty-bosmer @changelingsandothernonsense @your-talos-is-problematic @orfeoarte @saltymaplesyrup

@wispstalk @gilgamish @archangelsunited @kookaburra1701 , and YOU reading this!! no pressure as always, i'm excited to see what everyone's been working on!

this is a tiny snippet from my rough draft of chapter 33 of Cycle of the Serpent! Viarmo has summoned the trio up to his office a few days before classes begin at the bard's college.

Even though he outwardly dismissed all worry about Viarmo's summons, Emeros couldn't help the gnarling bramble of nerves turning over in his abdomen. Sharp and poisonous, he had to wonder just what the headmaster could want with three of the new students. He didn't see anyone else with the letters, but perhaps this was something he did here and there to check on new people. For all he knew, the headmaster could have summoned Jorn the same way on his first day at the College. What did it matter, anyhow? If the trio were in deeper troubles, then it would be more than a polite letter under the door, certainly. The idea pecked at Emeros' mind, even as he made attempts to lift the spirits of his companions with discussion of the town itself. Solitude was a gorgeous city, and it wasn't hard to pick out details to bring up, from the stone walkways carefully laid to the buildings constructed of sturdy stone and surrounded by blooms of various flowers, but still, the cormorant bird of warning called in his mind, that this city was more than its opulence, and more than its histories. It was alive in a way that unsettled him. The march up to Viarmo's office lead them through the ground floor of the Bard's College asking for directions from Giraud, who pointed them the way. Then, several flights of stairs and a cramped tower's well, then a knock on a grand door. A call by a gravel-voiced man lead to Emeros pushing open the door, his friends behind him. "Ah, there's our newest students," came the voice, summoned from the throat of a sharp-faced Altmer, whose beard jutted out from his chin into a point. His blond hair was tucked underneath a grandly feathered cap, and every stretch of material on him bore shades of gold and teal. Expensive materials, and well kept, too, there was not an out of place stitch or mended tear on them as far as the Bosmer could see. He looked to Athenath, who fiddled with their hands, then to Wyndrelis, who shuffled his feet. "I take it you got my letter, then? Good, Arteus is a great messenger, but he tends to be a bit absent-minded at times."

"Forgive my forwardness-" Emeros began, cut off by Athenath stepping forward and starting their own sentence. "Can we ask what this is about? I didn't see anyone else with letters." They kept their eyes focused on Viarmo, but something tense caught in their voice, Emeros' gaze snagged on the edge of their shoulder. Viarmo leaned back in his chair, his barrel-figure elaborately dressed, complete with his darker teal, velvet cloak covering his shoulders, slits in its side making holes for his arms to move through. The headmaster didn't speak for a while, merely touched the tip of his tongue to the inside of his cheek, and Emeros' mind flooded with the worry that his friend had just made a grave mistake. He didn't voice this concern, however, as before he could put word to it, Viarmo laced his fingers together over his middle and smiled. In a low voice, as though sharing a secret with the trio, he said, "I hear you three were at Helgen. What's more, Phoebe tells me that you played a crucial role in the taking down of that dragon in Whiterun. Is this true?" The trio looked between one another, sharing glances understood in the tiniest shreds of expression. Athenath answered, "yes, sir. We, uh, didn't expect to… Encounter dragons, but we did." Viarmo leaned forward, resting his clasped hands on his well-polished, mahogany desk. It was definitely imported from Alinor, Emeros thought as he took in the details, drinking of the carved, frond-like shapes in the legs of the desk, along with its multiple drawers, its mother-of-pearl adornments, its strong stature. Each carving was the pinnacle of Aldmeri wealth, and he almost deigned to think of what it cost before dragging himself from such speculation. Whatever it amounted to was enough to dizzy him. Either Viarmo was a very celebrated bard in both the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion, or he had friends in high places, and he didn't find himself in the mood to question which one it was. "You do realize what this means, don't you?" Viarmo pressed after a long moment, as though giving the question much thought, himself. "The return of the dragons, that is." "We figure it's probably something very important to history, that's for sure," Athenath replied quickly, managing to bubble out a small, uncomfortable laugh. "Sir, may I ask what all of this is about? I know we didn't audition, but-" "Oh, nevermind that," Viarmo sat upright and waved the thought with a heavy hand away, "we've barely got enough students to justify a building right now. Yes, normally, we'd have you three audition and then carry out tasks for the College, but right now, well, it's a complex situation, you see. And what's more, with the war going on… I'm not surprised more bards are choosing to stay in their home cities or just flat out go to other provinces that aren't Skyrim." Athenath's shoulders relaxed as the headmaster spoke. The blond Altmer shifted his posture, rummaging around for extra paper and a quill, drenching the end in thick, good-quality ink. "Now, tell me about the dragons. What were they like?"

It wasn't hard to sum up the dragons themselves: large, threatening, big teeth, and they shouted men to pieces. They set fire with a word in a language none of them knew, and they swept across the land like a great shadow, death in its wake. Viarmo furiously wrote down every detail, asking a question here or there, and when the trio finished giving their account, he looked up with a clever grin. "You know, as Giraud would tell you, history is nine parts truth, and one part fiction. Your factual accounts of the dragons are invaluable to future generations of bards who may never get to see the beasts themselves, and the College thanks you for it." As he set the paper aside to dry, he flattened a palm in the direction of the door. "If you don't have any questions for me, then you're more than free to go. Classes begin on the sixth of Heartfire, so do be sure you have all your books and supplies. Your instructors will tell you what you need." Athenath gave a small nod, turning to the door, Emeros and Wyndrelis following close behind the younger Altmer. Dismissed, the trio made their way back down the squared, winding stairwell, and back to the ground floor. Several students were making their way around the main area, up and down the stairs to the dorms and kitchens, the large, museum-like room housing the instruments filled with more presences than the previous day. This would become routine, it seemed, for the next few days.

[hugz4hoon]

can't live with you, can't live without you - y.j.w.

summary — ever since jungwon became your academic rival in high school, you two have hated each other's guts. anytime you saw him, your heart would race with anger. just pure hatred. that's what that feeling is, right?

pairing — rival!jungwon x fem!reader (briefly ft. jay)

genre — fluff with the teeniest angst (i think? tbh idk what classifies as angst and what doesn't), suggestive near the end

wc — 3.3k

warnings — alcohol, being drunk, kissing, pretty suggestive at the end (read at your own discretion!)

a/n — UMMM accidentally got carried away and made it really steamy and suggestive at the end oops </3 the jungwon brainrot is too obvious in this one guys i'm sorry ... there's just something about sexual tension between rivals u cant blame me here (also this is not proofread yet, it is currently 4:30am so i'll read it through for mistakes after i sleep)

As you look around the living room, you take in the view of a chaotic blur of bodies and music. The small get-together you originally planned it to be spiraled into a full-blown house party after one friend’s drunken invitation spree. You navigated through the crowd, feeling the bass of the music thumping in your chest and the sharp scent of alcohol mixed with sweat. Despite the chaos, you couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching your every move.

You don’t know when the weird sensation began, but it’s been there for about fifteen minutes now—an unsettling awareness at the back of your neck. As you pushed past a very unsober group of partygoers, your eyes finally landed on Jungwon, leaning against the wall with a drink in hand, his gaze fixated on you.

You and Jungwon had an interesting relationship to say the least. Since high school, you two had been consistently at each other’s throats. It all started with competing in academics, and just as you grew, so did your rivalry. From racing during track meets to see who’s faster to battling for the position of student council president, and now just bickering over random trivial matters, you two always seemed to find yourselves at odds. Everyone knew you both couldn’t stand each other, yet there was always an unspoken tension beneath your constant clashes—an underlying electric current that neither of you dared to acknowledge.

Tonight was no different. The intensity of Jungwon’s stare brought a flush to your cheeks, though you refused to admit it was anything more than irritation. His expression was inscrutable, a familiar mix of annoyance and something else you couldn’t quite place. As usual, you tried to ignore his stare, and continued making your way through the sea of people. However, to your frustration, Jungwon caught up to you before you could escape his line of sight. 

“Hey, nerd.” His familiar voice reaches your ears.

Turning towards him in your drunken state, you realize he’s towering over you. Since when was he so tall? While attempting to push that thought aside, you raise an eyebrow at him. 

“There’s no way you’re still calling people ‘nerds’ in 2024,” you reply with a touch of snark in your tone. 

He smirks at you, “Not people, just you. Even in high school, you were always my favourite little nerd.” You feel your body heat up a bit at that comment, but again, you try to push the feeling aside.

“Please, you’re acting like you weren’t studying 24/7 just to score higher than me in tests. If anything, you were the bigger nerd.”

Jungwon's eyes sparkle with amusement as he steps closer. "Maybe, but I always made it look cooler. Besides, beating you was half the fun." He moves in slightly, his smirk growing. "Admit it, you loved the challenge."

You feel your heartbeat rapidly start to pick up. A familiar surge of annoyance bubbles up, but it's laced with something else you can't quite identify. As always, you attribute the rising heat in your cheeks to pure aggravation towards him.

“Oh shut up, Jungwon,” you scoff at him, “why do you always have to be so annoying?”

He leans down a bit, whispering only for you to hear. “Well, maybe it’s the only way to get your attention.”

Jungwon’s bluntness catches you off guard. You don’t have it in you to find a reply as your mind is currently filled with shock at his sudden remark. Being as buzzed as you are, you stare up at him with wide eyes, and you feel yourself gradually inching closer to him. After a second passes, Jungwon’s soothing voice fills the silence, as he leans in a bit, unconsciously mimicking you.

As he opens his mouth, his eyes are only on your lips. “What, cat got your tongue?”

At this point, your bodies are almost touching, and your faces are only centimeters away from each other. But before anything happens, the sound of him speaking snaps you out of your daze, and you pull back from him.

What the hell was that? Annoyance fills your whole body as you process what happened. How fucked, you think to yourself, that he would really stoop this low just to keep infuriating you, just as he always has.

Quickly turning away before he can say anything else, you continue to mingle in the large crowd, determined not to let Jungwon’s presence ruin your night.

As you make your way to the makeshift bar, you bump into Jay, an old friend from high school.

“Y/N! How have you been? It’s been so long,” he says while pulling you in for a small hug.

“Jay! Yeah, it’s been a while, you look great!” You reply, with a bit of blush now gracing your cheeks. Honestly, you had a bit of a crush on Jay in high school. You’ve always had a thing for guys with good style, and Jay has good style. His charm, sweet personality, and perfect looks might have also had something to do with it. Seeing him again as he’s now grown into his features is making your heart rate increase a bit.

“Yeah, you look really different too,” he states while eyeing you up and down.

“Oh? In what way?”

“Like, you look crazy…” he trails off at the end while scanning your body again.

You laugh and look at him incredulously. “Crazy? Yeah, maybe not the best thing to say to a girl.”

“Wait, no! No, sorry,” he waves his hands in front of you as he shouts to correct himself in the loud environment, “I was going to say crazy good! You’ve always been pretty, but you just look amazing now, wow.”

Your face heats up from the sudden compliment. “Thank you,” you respond shyly, suddenly feeling giddy. You two continue to flirt for a while, until it starts getting a bit provocative. At some point, he goes in to kiss you, and with all the alcohol clouding your system, you decide to let him. As your lips meet, you suddenly sense the intensity of a gaze on you, just as you did earlier. You pull away from Jay, to scan the room, and that’s when you see him—Jungwon, standing across the room, staring at you with an unreadable expression. For some reason, seeing him watching you pissed you off. With all the anger and adrenaline in your system, you pull Jay back in for another lustful and aggressive kiss. Jay matches your intensity and the kiss turns into a slightly heated makeout. By the time you pull away, Jungwon isn’t in your sight anymore. You do a quick room scan again and ignore the minor heaviness in your chest when you don’t see him anywhere. 

Whatever. I don’t need him anyway.

You and Jay spend the rest of the night inseparable from each other, catching up and dancing for the rest of the party.

--

The next time you see Jungwon is on campus, two days after the party. You’re heading home after your last evening class, when you decide to stop by the campus cafe, where you see him in line. He sees you walking towards him and immediately turns away with a roll of his eyes. 

Weird, he’s never acted like that towards you before.

You turn to him and greet him awkwardly to ease the tension. Instead of responding, he turns to you and gives you a small nod while avoiding eye contact. He’s never been this cold to you before—he usually greets you with teasing and playful banter, not … whatever this is. Jungwon’s sudden distance confuses you.

“Oh, so that’s how it is.” You state annoyedly. Who the hell does he think he is? Is he mad at you? What reason does he even have to be angry?

“What are you talking about, Y/N,” he sighs, not even turning to you.

“Cut the shit, Jungwon. You’re being weird, what’s going on with you?”

“Stop pressing me, I’m fine.” His tone is harsher than you’ve ever heard it before.

“Well, obviously not. I’ve known you for a couple years now, Jungwon. I know what you’re normally like, and it’s not this.”

This seems to trigger something in him. “I’m fine! Why do you care anyway, you never did before,” he finally faces you, “just go hang out with your boyfriend or something.” He spits out.

Now, you’re confused. What the hell is he on about?

“What?”

“Jay? The guy you were sucking face with the whole night at the party? You shouldn’t be with him, Y/N, I’m telling you.” He almost yells, with an angry and slightly disgusted look on his face.

“What the hell? We’re not dating, it was a party and I was fucking wasted!” You’re trying your best to keep your voice down, but right now you’re annoyed as hell. “And also, what if he was my boyfriend? You never talked to him in high school, but we were pretty close, and he was the sweetest guy I knew! He’s hot as fuck too, so if anything, I should be dating him!” Without realizing, your voice gets louder as you rant at Jungwon in defense of your friend. Your anger is now at its peak, which limits your awareness of your surroundings as you’re now tunnel visioned on him. Jungwon, however, notices that people are starting to look at you two as you’re yelling. 

As much as he wants to respond, he doesn’t want to be the center of attention in this quiet cafe. Right as you spit out your last sentence, he grabs your wrist to pull you out of the cafe, and into the small area on the side of the building, away from the crowds and busyness of the bustling sidewalk.

“Let go of me, Jungwon, what the fuck!”

“Do you really feel that way about him?” He asks you with an impenetrable expression on his face, just like he had at the party.

You’ve never seen him like this before, and it worries you a little bit. You’re in a bit of a daze as you try to figure out what’s going on, so you’re still confused as you answer his question without processing your words. “Huh? I mean, yeah, I do think he’s really attractive and sweet, and I mean he’s a really good kisser—”

His eyes break contact with yours as he suddenly interrupts you. “Alright, Y/N, whatever. I’ll see you around.” But before Jungwon can leave you hanging, you grab his arm to stop him.

"Wait, Jungwon," you say urgently, your grip tightening on his arm. His sudden withdrawal and coldness have thrown you off balance, and you need to understand what's happening between you two.

He looks at you, his expression guarded but softer than before. "What is it, Y/N?" he asks, his voice tense.

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your racing thoughts. "I don't understand why you're acting like this," you admit, your voice quieter now. "What happened? Why are you so upset about Jay?"

Jungwon lets out a bitter laugh, his shoulders stiffening. "Why do you think, Y/N?" he snaps, eyes flashing with jealousy. "Seeing you with him, kissing him like that… Do you have any idea how that felt?"

His words hang heavy in the air, catching you off guard. You hadn't expected this level of emotion from him, not after everything that's transpired between you two.

"You care?" you repeat, your voice barely above a whisper. "Why didn't you say something before?"

"I thought you knew," Jungwon admits, his frustration evident. "I thought it was obvious."

You shake your head slowly as his confession sinks in. "No, I didn't know," you mumble, feeling a mix of confusion and regret. "I really thought you hated me, Jungwon."

He sighs as his expression softens at your words. “How could I ever hate you? You’re beautiful, funny, smart, and kinda mean.” Jungwon sees you giggling at his comment, which eases his worries a bit as he continues speaking. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Y/N. The only reason I was so annoying to you all these years is because I knew that was the easiest way to keep your attention.”

Jungwon feels like his insides are caught in his throat as he wants for you to respond, but you’re at a loss for words. Jungwon has feelings for you? Although your heart is fixated on the excitement you're feeling right now, your mind is running laps trying to understand what’s going on.

“Jungwon… I don’t know what to say right now,” You look up at him in hopes that he can fill the silence that’s currently weighing between you two.

Jungown steps closer to you. "Just tell me," he murmurs, his voice low and intense. "Tell me that you don't feel anything for him. That what I saw was just the alcohol talking."

“I really don’t feel anything for him, it genuinely was just the influence of alcohol. With you, it’s different.”

Jungwon's expression shifts, relief washing over his features. After years of holding back his feelings in fear of losing you or scaring you away, it suddenly feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Now, with the knowledge of your disinterest in Jay, a flicker of possibility sparks in his chest. “Different how?” he asks, his voice softer now, almost hopeful.

“Everytime you were around me, I’d feel a rush in my body. I always ruled it as irritation or anger, but thinking about it now, it was definitely something more.” 

Not wanting to get his hopes up too much, Jungwon pushes for clarification with his eyes as wide as you’ve ever seen him. With this expression of expectancy plastered on his face, he almost looks like a little kitten. “Something more…?”

You smile at him adoringly while nodding. “Something more, as in maybe there was some underlying attraction and feelings for you below the competitiveness and irritation.”

Despite the shyness that takes over him due to your words, Jungwon beams brightly as you say exactly what he wanted to hear. He hopes you don’t notice how ecstatic he is as he tries his best to play it cool. He takes a step to bridge the gap between the two of you and takes your smaller hands into his. 

“I can’t believe this is happening, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear this, Y/N. Although, I could do without you reminding me of how irritating I was all the time.”

You squeeze his hands tighter, feeling a sudden burst of giddiness and affection for him. “Well, maybe I wouldn’t have to say it so much if you weren’t so annoy—”

Before you could finish your sentence, Jungwon’s lips are on yours. His plump lips are soft as he moves them against yours, and you place your arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. It starts getting heated as his hands move to hold your waist under your shirt, his cold hands making contact with your skin. The unexpected contact forces a small gasp out of you and Jungwon takes this opportunity to lick into your mouth. The sensation of his tongue against yours sends a shockwave through your body, igniting a long-suppressed desire that you had been denying for so long. His touch feels both familiar and exhilarating, like finally finding the missing piece of a puzzle you didn't know was incomplete.

As the kiss intensifies, Jungwon presses you gently against the wall of the building, his body molding perfectly against yours. His hands continue to roam around underneath your shirt, sending shivers down your spine as they trail along your skin. Every touch, every caress, only heightens the growing heat between you.

You pull away to give him a couple of light kisses on his neck, before giving him one last peck on his lips. He leans his forehead against yours, his breath mingling with yours. The sounds of cars, indistinct chatter, and you two catching your breaths fill your ears.

You both open your mouth to speak but he beats you to it. “Y/N, I really like you. A lot,” he murmurs, his voice husky and filled with a mix of longing and uncertainty. “I've wanted this for so long.”

You gaze into his eyes, seeing a vulnerability and passion you've never witnessed before. Jungwon brushes a strand of hair from your face, his touch tender yet filled with unspoken promises. “I don't want to rush things,” he says softly, “but I also don't want to waste any more time pretending there’s nothing between us.”

You nod, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. “I understand,” you reply, your voice steady despite the torrent of emotions swirling within you. “We can take it slow.” With a gentle smile, Jungwon leans in to press a soft kiss against your lips once more. 

“I never thought this would actually happen,” Jungwon mindlessly voices his thoughts out loud. The only things circling his mind are that he can’t believe this is happening, and the fact that you look as beautiful as ever looking up at him with your big eyes, rosy cheeks, and puffy lips, swollen from kissing him.

You gently kiss his collarbone before looking back up at him and taking hold of his face to force his gaze into yours. “Well, believe it, Jungwon. I’m all yours.” You tell him with a bright smile adorning your features.

Your words quickly pick up Jungwon’s heart rate, if it was even possible for it to beat faster than it has been this whole time. You look so cute peering up at him, he can’t help but want to smother you with kisses all over his face. It feels different seeing you like this, he’s so used to seeing you scowling at him. Looking into your sparkling eyes and seeing your adorable toothy smile, he realizes that he would do anything and everything to forever keep that smile on your face.

“I’m yours too, Y/N. I always have been, whether you knew it yet or not.” Jungwon’s words fill your heart with happiness as you pull him down for another kiss.

The world around you fades away as you get lost in the kiss. His touch ignites a fire within you, a yearning you never knew existed. Jungwon intensifies the kiss, his hand moving to your neck to pull you in closer. You tangle your hands in his hair as your lips move together slowly and passionately, your breath hitching as his touch sparks a desperate need within you.

Suddenly, a loud honk cuts through the air. You pull away from Jungwon abruptly, both of you breathing heavily, eyes wide with surprise. The honk is followed by a series of more honks, and people yelling at each other on the road. The unexpected interruption throws you off balance. You glance back at the road, then back at Jungwon, his expression a mixture of desire and frustration. He leans in again, his voice husky as he hums against your lips, “I’m not done with you yet.”

Your heart hammers against your ribs, a combination of nerves and amusement coursing through your body. “What do you suggest?” you whisper back, your voice barely audible over the car honks.

Jungwon's eyes darken with a newfound intensity. “My place isn’t too far from here, what do you say?”

You raise an eyebrow at him. “Wow, we just got together and you’re already taking me home?” You reply with a mischievous smirk dancing along your lips.

“We've been rivals for so long, Y/N…” Jungwon trails off, his gaze lingering on your mouth. A slow smirk spreads across his face, and he mirrors your expression with a hint of challenge. “Don't you want to see who gets the last word?”

A shiver runs down your spine at his words. 

“Oh, bring it on.”

[thick-woollen-socks]

Albus Dumbledore’s flaws because at this point i’m going to hand them out for free so that Dumbledore Basher’s posts aren’t so mind-numbing :

1) detachment

that man was so detached not only from the people around him but also from reality, it was like he lived in his own world and occasionally graced people with his presence in reality.

he was often left unable to comfort those around him and attempted to fix their emotional distress by dismissing it ( ie, telling Hagrid that he wouldn’t accept his resignation and that he expected to see him at dinner ) grandpa what are you doing ???

his detachment from the world itself meant that he was often unable to understand why people may act the way they do, he didn’t really consider that Harry might be upset in OOTP when he was ignored for the school year. Albus lived in his books and the clouds and as a result missed out on what we call normal human experiences.

2) arrogance

grandpa was so arrogant even when he was trying to be humble. he couldn’t help but praise himself for the mirror plan in the first book, claiming it to be among one of his best. he unknowingly used his arrogance to separate himself from his peers, if they weren’t as clever and powerful as him how could he treat them as his equal ? enter Gellert Grindelwald

3) self-righteousness

oooh he loved to do things for the greater good, he had this idea that since he was the most clever and powerful wizard that he should take control over dangerous situations.

while in terms of the wizarding wars this was the correct move, we can also see this through minor actions where he goes behind other peoples backs to implement his own ideas because he knows best. it’s not that Albus wouldn’t let someone else take control, it’s that he believed he was the best person to do it.

we see in DH that Dumbledore allowed Gellert to lead him that summer, this idea is emphasised also in the FB series. Albus would have contently followed someone if he believed them to have been just as great as him. but besides from GG who was that ?

he disapproved of opinions that weren’t his own and viewed them as lesser, look at the dumb people and their wrong opinions. we see this through Albus’ rather cruel demeanour towards prophecy’s, he sort of mocks them and those who believe in them ( not saying that he was cruel to seers, just that he often dismissed Trelawney )

4) tendency to hesitate

baby boy loved to hesitate, he didn’t like to act until the last minute because despite his arrogance and self-righteousness he was also very insecure….

he did this when it came to facing Grindelwald, waiting until 1945 to do it and he also avoided telling Harry about the prophecy. there are more but i don’t want to list them all. ( i’m feeling lazy )

5) lack of faith in those around him

he always expected those around him to make mistakes, mixing this with his detachment left the unsavoury mix of someone who expected someone to fail and allowed them to do so. a kind of throw a kid in a pool to teach them to swim situation. while he always saved the day last minute that natually doesn’t account for the emotional toll that the person who had failed him had.

it’s this odd mix where he hoped that the people around him would make the right choice but he simultaneously never actually thought they would, like how he wanted Snape to kill him at the tower because he knew Draco would fail.

6) chronic liar / manipulative

Albus loved to lie to those around him, he often believed that it benefited both parties, that the lie would help them both. natually something that can be traced to his childhood and having to lie to protect his little sister. Albus was a phenomenal liar and often utilised this to emotionally manipulate those around him; while these lies were never for selfish purposes often being brought about to help the person being lied to or to help the wider wizarding community in general the trait itself is still a rather tricky one….

things that Albus wasn’t : powerhungry, selfish, pedophilic, egocentric, judgemental, greedy, cowardly, narcissistic etc…

[radaverse]

Ch II. On My Own - Page 7

Tower of Mistakes

First - Previous - Next

[unexpectedbrickattack]

Drinking Buddies :)

[hanzajesthanza]

i worry about running into mistakes with auto-translate in my web-delving, but then i remember i can’t possibly run into anything worse than david french sword of destiny something more part iv “she ordered me to cheat you. and kill it.”

[atomskdluffy]

I finished Baldur's Gate 3 tonight, and I am almost completely satisfied. It was a spectacular game! A lot of thought and patience goes into it, especially when you play like I do with mods that expand the party and my insatiable need for loot. The story and the characters are all beautifully written, and I can see how there might be thousands of different ways to play it! I think the only addition I could possibly ask for is for something at the very end, one of those sequences where the narrator tells us what each character in the party goes on to do after the credits roll. Other than that, I am quite satisfied with how it turned out! I got the endings I wanted, the mods I used upped the quality of life to the max, and I had so much fun playing! If you have the time for a game as involved as this one, I absolutely 100% recommend it!

[hyacjnthus]

going inactive until i finish the sun and the star so i don’t have to worry about spoilers ✌️

[patron-saint-of-lesbeans]

when has the Christian religion ever not been corrupt. Show me one Christian community that isn't racist or sexist or homophobic or xenophobic or covering up abuse or severely neglecting the poor or misogynistic.

and if you say "we all fall short of God's glory" it isn't hard to not be an abuser of people in those ways. like that's the lowest possible standard of human is to not be bigoted.

Let’s break this down a bit - I’m answering this as being asked in good faith.

“When has Christian religion ever not been corrupt? Show me one Christian community that isn’t racist or sexist or homophobic or xenophobic or covering up abuse or severely neglecting the poor or misogynistic”

You are asserting that Christian religion has always been corrupt by that first statement but fail to provide evidence how, at its inception, a faith built around Christ and his teachings of love for one’s neighbor and divine goodness, Christianity is corrupt.

Are the Coptic Christians of Ethiopia who did not partake in the Crusades for respect and love of their Muslim neighbors (among other complex socioeconomic reasons) equal to modern Alt-Right RadTrads who call for another Crusade? Are the priests who died administering last rites and tending to bubonic plague victims undifferentiated from those overseeing the abuse and genocide of indigenous peoples during Spainish colonization? Are the nuns who live and work among the homeless and petition for housing and food and social change as detestable as the bishops and archbishops who demanded indulgences of peasants for forgiveness of sins?

Every faith of humans has individuals who do good, and those who do wrong. There have been many, many wrongs, small and great, committed in the name of Christ; but to dismiss the many, many good deeds, small and great, done in the same name is willful ignorance.

I did not in my post say “we all fall short of God’s glory,” but you are correct to assume that such a sentiment is a slippery slope to “all abuses and wrongdoings are expected and therefore tolerated.” It is true that, as humans with free will, we are liable to sin. Part of the act of contrition is “I firmly intend, with the help of your Son, to make up for my sins and to love as I should.” Christianity, in Catholic dogma, calls all people to reflect on their actions and to make a conscious effort to do penance for sins and to avoid committing sins in the future. But Christianity does not call one to simply be “the lowest possible standard” either - we are all called to be Saints devoted to serving God through our work - service to the poor, company to the imprisoned, and aid to the immigrant are common dedications in religious orders.

Now that I’ve answered your ask in good faith, I’m going to be honest and say I don’t actually think you sent this in good faith. I’m assuming you have had personal or cultural negative/traumatic experiences with Christianity. Your feelings regarding this faith are valid, and I’m not answering this ask to convince you of it’s merit or convert you to its cause. I only ask that you reflect on your sweeping generalizations of a religion that spans thousands of years and across continents, practiced by millions of people as an important part of their life and identity.

[fxllfaiiry]

─ you're the sunflower ੈ✩‧₊˚

✶ pairing: miguel o'hara x fem!reader

✶ synopsis: everyone on the team loves you, expect miguel who seems to hate you more than anyone.

✶ warnings: angst!! major angst. sunshine!reader x grumpy!miguel. reader is nicknamed sunflower, mentions of death.

✶ notes: there's one spanish sentence in this, I'm not good with spanish so if I've made a mistake please tell me so i can fix it! part two is already up!!!

Everyone on the team loved you from the moment you joined, everyone, except Miguel. 

You knew Miguel was cold towards everyone, but he was extra cold with you. Maybe it was because of how different your personalities were. 

You were the embodiment of sunshine, always positive in any situation, putting others before yourself. Hence why everyone calls you sunflower, it fits perfectly, Miles was proud of coming up with it. 

Miguel on the other hand was cold and distant but that didn't stop you from trying to get him to open up. You'd try to have simple conversations with him but nothing, all you would receive in reply was an eye roll or a slight grunt, but you wouldn't give up that easily. 

Like today, you got him some coffee. 

"Morning, boss. Got you some coffee." You said in your usual cheerful tone. 

"Why?" He raised his eyebrows, looking down at you suspiciously. That's the most he's said to you all week. 

"Because I wanted to." You shrugged, placing it down on his desk. 

He steped down walking towards his desk, you couldn't help but stare at him, unfortunately for you, everything about him was so attractive, it's such a shame he hated you. 

"This isn't how I like my coffee." 

"Huh?" You snapped out of your daydream at the sound of his voice. 

"The coffee, it tastes terrible. Get it from another place next time." 

"Well, actually I made it-" But he had already walked away from you not listening to a word you said. "Alright, never mind, I'll just go back to work." You mumbled hurt by his words. 

"Wait, hold on." You looked up, thinking, maybe he'll say something nice after all. 

"Yeah?" 

"Take the coffee with you, I won't be drinking it." 

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

"Girl, why do you look so sad? Did Miguel do something again?" Jess asked with a frown, she did not like seeing you sad. 

"No."

"Sunflower…"

"Okay, yes." Miguel being cold towards you was normal, he never spoke to you unless necessary. Out of everyone here, he probably hated you the most, even more than Miles.  

"Sunflower, I've told you to stop trying." Jess sighed. 

"I know, I know… why does he hate me so much, Jess?" 

"That's just the way he is, don't overthink it. It's his loss, baby." She replied, gently patting your shoulder. 

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Today was going to be a good day, you were so sure of it. 

But, of course, you were wrong. 

Everything was going great up until a few hours ago. 

Miguel had assigned you on a mission to catch an anomaly, alongside a few other spider-people. His instructions were clear, stick to the plan and catch the anomaly. It was supposed to be simple. 

If only you didn't disobey him. You screwed up badly, and because of that, you could have been killed. 

"Why don't you ever listen?" Miguel shouted. No one had ever seen him this angry. 

"I was just tryin-" 

"¡Ay, por el amor de Dios!" Being yelled at by your boss in front of your coworkers was humiliating, everyone was looking at you with pity. 

"I'm sick of this, why can’t you follow simple instructions? Is it that hard to understand?" He barked, towering over you. 

"It's not a big deal." You tried to keep your composure, you didn't want to humiliate yourself further by bursting into tears. 

"Not a big deal? You could've died! A simple mistake would have ruined the whole mission." 

Don't cry. Don't cry. 

"But we're all fine, aren't we?" You weakly chuckled. That was the wrong thing to say because it only made him angrier. 

"Oh? If that's the attitude you have then you shouldn't even be on the team." Ouch. 

"Miguel, I think that's enough-" Hobie said, quickly jumping in. 

"Not now, Hobie." He growled. 

Never once did you think that you'd be in a situation like this. 

"If you put more focus on trying to be good at your job, rather than impressing me, we wouldn't even be here!" Oh, so he did notice that. 

At this point, tears were streaming freely down your face and you made no attempt to stop them. 

"Yep, you got it, boss." You smiled up at him through your tears. It was pathetic, but you did not care, you just wanted to leave and never come back. 

"Next time make sure this doesn't happen." 

"It won't happen next time." That's because there won't be a next time.

[navybrat817]

I wish I had a smitten Bucky. Just sees me and wants me. 🥺

I know the feeling, nonnie.

Check Yes or No

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: Bucky instantly falls for you, but waits to ask you out.

Word Count: Over 2.1k

Warnings: Fluff, could be seen as instalove on Bucky's side, attraction, slight insecurities, minor time jump, Alpine being the best, slight feels (it's me), Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?).

A/N: I can't send Bucky your way, lovelies, so I hope you enjoy this short, surprise fic! ❤️ Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Bucky wasn't looking for love the day he met you, but it found him anyway.

“Hey, Buck,” Steve greeted from his seat when he walked into the conference rooms and nodded to the spot beside him that you occupied. “I’d like you to meet our newest transfer. She’s also moving into the Tower.”

He was a changed man the moment your eyes met. Breathtaking was a word to describe you given how he had forgotten to breathe. He had witnessed many sunrises and sunsets in his life, a kaleidoscope of colors painted in the sky to both soothe and awaken the soul. They paled in comparison to the beauty before him.

One glance and he belonged to you completely.

“Hi, Bucky. It’s nice to meet you.”

While he wasn't sure if Heaven existed, you speaking his name was like hearing the voice of an angel.

“I’m Bucky.”

Of all the things he could've said, reiterating his name was what his mouth went with.

Instead of giving him a weird look or brushing him off when he scowled at himself, you smiled. “I look forward to us working together.”

Bucky couldn't tell you what the meeting was about that day, but he remembered the details about you. The way you leaned forward in your seat to pay extra attention when someone else spoke, also giving him an ample view of your chest before he reminded himself not to stare. The slight crease in your forehead when you jotted down an important note. And the soft giggle you let out when Steve cracked a joke.

He suddenly wished he was funnier.

“Have a good rest of the day, Bucky,” you said when the meeting ended.

Bucky didn't have to try to smile with you. It just came naturally. When you smiled back, it was easy to imagine what it would be like if you were his girl.

“You, too,” he replied, giving himself a mental victory for not screwing up his words this time. “Wait!”

You paused and looked at him expectantly. “Yeah?”

Bucky realized he had no reason to keep you from leaving. He just didn't want you to go. “Do you need help moving your stuff in?”

“I actually got my things moved in late last night, but thanks for the offer,” you replied, checking the time with wide eyes. “I'm so sorry. I have to go. I’m in 2L if you need anything!”

“Bye,” he called after you, turning in his chair to watch you go.

How did he miss you already?

Though Steve had a knowing look in his eyes, he graciously kept his mouth shut as he left the room. He reminded him an hour later that he wouldn't break any bylaws by asking you out. The punk somehow knew that you weren't seeing anyone.

Which made him happy.

While he appreciated Steve looking out for happiness, he still had to get his head on straight.

“Once I completely trust my own mind, maybe I will,” Bucky said, even though the stuff was already out of his head. He owed it to himself to take his time. And you.

Imagine his surprise when he found a note from you on his door the next day.

Hey, Bucky! Lunch on me today? Check YES or NO.

The lopsided grin on his face wouldn't go away when he read it again. You must've been interested in him enough to ask about him. How else did you know his apartment number? Why else would you ask him to lunch?

He nearly shouted “YES” in the hall before he came to his senses and simply checked the option before he returned the note to your apartment door.

When he met up with you later, he told himself it wasn't a date. It couldn't be, right? It didn't keep his heart from stopping when you answered your door. Dressed down and casual, you looked like an angel went to Earth just for him.

“Hey, Bucky,” you smiled. “Ready to go?”

He hadn't said much on the way to the cafe since he was too busy hanging on to your every word, but it was like he had known you for ages as you carried on the conversation. Your questions weren't invasive and you didn't seem to mind the occasional short answers. It was also the shortest meal of his life, over too soon for his liking, and he also refused to let you pay for his meal.

He wanted to show you that gentlemen still existed.

“Lunch again next week?” You offered.

“Sure,” he answered, his head spinning from giddiness.

But it wasn't a date.

It was time to change that.

Today was the day. Six months from the day he met you. Six months of chatting with you between missions and slowly getting to know you over weekly lunches. Six months of falling for you more and more each day and he finally worked up the courage to ask you out.

But falling was the easy part. Confessing was an entirely different story. He would either crash to the ground and hope his wounds would later heal or you’d catch him as he fell. No matter what, he wouldn't let his nerves get the better of him.

“Just like we practiced, okay?” Bucky asked.

“Meow.”

Alpine nuzzled her head against Bucky’s with a gentle purr when he huffed. She was his little partner-in-crime through and through. Like you, even though you didn't realize it, the little white ball of fur helped save him. He was fairly certain he wasn't supposed to bring her to this floor, but any reprimand would be worth it.

Besides, the Tower, office, anywhere they operated should allow them to have their pets with them, especially for emotional support.

“I'm counting on you,” he teased, placing the folded up piece of paper in her mouth. “Go.”

He peeked around the corner when he set Alpine down. The sun illuminated you from where you sat in the lounge, curled up in your normal spot on the sofa. You liked to relax there occasionally to read. He wondered what book you had with you today.

Thankfully, no one was around to disturb you.

Except for him.

“Alpine, is that you?” You asked when you looked up, closing the book as the cat approached you. While the feline was cautious of some, she warmed up to you immediately when you met and solidified that you were the one for him. “Whatcha got there? Where’s Bucky?”

His name spilling from your lips was still one of his favorite sounds.

He held his breath when Alpine jumped up beside you, opened her mouth, and dropped the paper in your lap. He immediately began to second guess himself when you unfolded it with a furrowed brow. Why did he think this was a good idea? Why didn't he just ask you like a normal guy?

To be fair, he hadn't been normal for some time.

“Will you go out with me? Check YES or NO. Love, Bucky,” you read out loud with a huge smile, which was enough to make his heart race. You giggled a moment later when Alpine bumped your hand, the soft noise making his stomach do a funny sort of flip. “Okay, okay. Let me get my pen out of my bag.”

Bucky exhaled a little as he moved to stand in the doorway. You didn't toss the paper away, so that had to be a good sign. He carefully kept himself from showing any outward emotion when you met his gaze, but his knees nearly gave out. His palms also began to sweat when you gave him a half smile.

Just when he thought you couldn't look more beautiful than you had the day before, you proved him wrong.

He ran a hand through his hair and hoped he looked halfway decent since he hadn't brushed it. But you commented a few weeks back that you liked it long when you saw an old photo, so he wanted to grow it out. He lost count of how many times he imagined your fingers in his hair

Maybe one day.

Watching you grab your pen, it was like he was drowning. The tide pulled him under as you made a mark on the sheet. His lungs burned when you handed it back to Alpine. He couldn't come up for air. He couldn't breathe.

Until you smiled again.

“Thanks, Alpine,” you said.

His cat gracefully walked back to Bucky and he swore he caught you trying not to giggle as she climbed up his leg. His heart hammered in his chest when he took the slip of paper from her mouth. Meeting your tender gaze, he couldn't bring himself to open it though.

After he told himself he wouldn't let his nerves get the better of him.

“Not going to see what my answer is?” You asked as he carried Alpine into the lounge.

“I want to,” he replied, sighing as he took a seat beside you. His cat was perfectly content to lay in his lap. “But I’m questioning if I did this the right way.”

The note you gave him for a simple lunch request may have been a small gesture in your eyes, but it meant the world to him. He thought by asking you out this way that he could give you something meaningful in return. Something that only the two of you shared.

That was all he wanted.

You turned toward him, your knee touching his. The small touch sent heat down his spine. “Open it and you’ll find out.”

He nodded, thankful that his vibranium hand didn't shake as he lifted the sheet. “Wait, let me say something before I do.”

The corner of your lip tugged as you tried not to smile. “Bucky-”

“I like you. I really like you. I have since the day we met. And I'm going to like you tomorrow. And the day after that and the day after that,” he admitted in a rush, catching your sharp inhale as he looked into your eyes. “But I know my past isn't easy to deal with. If you just want to be a teammate or colleague, that’s okay. Just. Being a part of your life in some way is more than enough.”

Alpine lifted her head and looked between the two of you, as if she was waiting with baited breath to see what would happen next.

Bucky felt a crack in his heart when you didn't speak or react, his body slumping slightly into the couch. It was okay. He took a chance and told you how he felt. He wouldn't force you to reciprocate.

“Bucky?” You asked above a whisper, reaching over to help him unfold the paper. He gasped when he saw the checkmark beside “YES”, blinking rapidly to make sure you picked that box. “I really like you, too.”

“You do?” He exhaled, grasping your hand with renewed joy. He was careful not to squeeze too hard. Hurting you was the last thing he ever wanted to do.

“Yeah. Pretty much since the day I met you,” you admitted, glancing in your lap before you met his gaze again. He saw stars in your eyes. “And your past isn't your fault, Bucky. You aren't something to ‘deal with’, okay? You’re a good man. I can give you a whole list of reasons if you need it.”

Physically, Bucky’s body was in peak condition. Your confession, however, caused all of the air to leave his lungs and made him weak in the best possible way. A familiar warmth moved through Bucky’s veins as he breathed again and it dawned on him at that moment that he hadn't felt cold since you walked into his life.

Not once.

Your faith in him gave him strength. Your mere existence gave him the courage to try. And he didn't have to go it alone.

“Wow,” he breathed, relieved and elated as he gave you a small smile. “How about tomorrow night?”

“It’s a date,” you smiled.

“Great,” he smiled back. A date. He couldn't wait to see the look on Steve's face when he told him that he finally asked you out.

“And I think the note was purrfect,” you teased at Alpine before you scrunched up your face. “I ruined the moment, didn't I?”

Bucky brought your hand to his mouth, kissing it as gently as he possibly could. He could hear your heart race. So was his. “Not at all.”

He knew it was too soon to say he loved you and it was likely too soon for you to feel that way about him, but he felt hope in your smile that you would one day.

For now, he had a date to plan all because you checked “yes”.

We know it'll be the best date ever, right? Love and thanks for reading! 💙

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[inkedbybarnes]

unclear

bucky barnes x fem!reader

summary: everyone thinks you're dating bucky, except yourself.

word count: 2.4k

warnings: 18+ minors dni. miscommunication (i love this trope, sue me), angst with a happy fluffy ending, quite stubborn reader, implied smut if you squint, usage of petnames such as baby and doll. lowercase for basically everything.

i haven't finished anything in decades, but i suddenly had an idea just now and decided to write it down. surprisingly, i finished it? might have a lot of mistakes and such since i haven't proofread it yet. also, sorry for using lowercase for this, i kinda like how it looks. hope you enjoy this one!

dividers by @cafekitsune!

comments, reblogs, and likes are highly appreciated. thank you! ♡

“you're confusing me. so... you're not dating bucky?”

wanda tilted her head, confusion etched on her face as you spent your weekly girl's night with natasha. it usually consisted of eating food you all desired, drinking until you got wasted, and spilling secrets to one another.

although tonight, you weren't sure if you had any secrets to spill.

"as far as i know, no. we're just friends, teammates. nothing else," you answered with a heavy sigh. "can we talk about something else?"

"hold your horses, young lady! we are not skipping this topic again. you obviously want a label but he isn't giving you one!" wanda protested. she has been constantly asking about you and bucky's relationship for the past weeks, and you always had the same answer. you don't know.

"have you never talked about it with bucky? he looks at you like you'd get lost if he looks away for a second. not a single soul in the tower would think that you're just friends," natasha interjected, taking another sip from the bottle of beer she held. she had a point, as always. "if he's just playing with you, which i highly doubt for barnes, then just end whatever that is. you deserve better than having doubts and confusion, babe."

you've tried asking him multiple times, but every attempt felt like you were stepping on his boundaries. after years of being controlled by hydra, you knew it was possible that he'd hate the feeling of being rushed and entering a relationship that could potentially feel like a cage to him.

but natasha was right. your "relationship" was no longer anything friendly. he sleeps in your bed, claiming he slept better in it, and wakes up beside you to shower you with kisses. none of you even tried to hide it after some time. you always cooked your meals and ate them together, casually feeding one another and stealing kisses in between. you even stopped going on dates and you had no idea if you were exclusive. you deserved to know what your relationship with bucky was, but you were too scared to lose everything once you asked.

"we're not dating. i only see him as a friend, so you can both stop worrying about me." you lied through your teeth, your chest aching as you realised how stupid this was. you sighed and faked a smile, shifting the attention to natasha. "so, tell me about your date with steve! how was the first ever date of captain america since the 40s?"

wanda was distracted by the question, immediately bombarding the now blushing widow with questions. on the other hand, your mind flew away for a minute, finally deciding to get an answer from bucky.

the annual ball that tony stark held for, well, nearly anyone, was nearing. you only had two weeks left, and you haven't even gone out to find something to wear. it was hard to find any motivation to do all that effort when the person you've been waiting to ask you as his date hasn't asked you yet.

although, bucky had a tendency to get shy and hold back. you knew that. so here you were, standing behind the doors to the gym, knowing that bucky would be training at this hour. you still haven't asked him the question you were supposed to ask him, so you decided to do it all at once.

after you've finished your small pep talk, you opened the door to enter the room and your first instinct was to search for bucky.

considering that he was a huge chunk of a man, he was easy to find. however, the sight of him standing in front of a woman that was too close for your comfort wasn't delightful.

he didn't see you entering the room since he was facing the opposite direction, conversing with the agent that happened to be training as well. she had the sweetest and flirtiest smile on her face, bringing her hand up to his arm, slowly caressing it. you didn't mean to easily hear their conversation as you walked closer.

"so, do you happen to have someone for me to have as a date for the ball? i don't want to be lonely on that night, sergeant," the agent said with an extra pout, swaying her hips side to side like a child asking for candy.

"oh, yeah? i think i have someone for you," bucky replied, breaking your heart into pieces with how enthusiastic he was with his answer. "i'm sure you'll—"

you sniffed. unconsciously. not knowing that your tears were already falling, causing your nose to get stuffy. how pathetic, you thought.

your little sniff caught the attention of both the agent and bucky, looking at you in shock. although, the girl was more pleasantly surprised than the opposite. thankfully, you already had your tears wiped before they could see them.

"oh, we didn't see you there!" she greeted you with your name. "we were just talking about our date for this year's ball. who are you bringing?"

"i haven't decided yet, no one's worth it even if i try," you answered bitterly. "so you're going together?"

before bucky could answer, the agent already had her arm wrapped around his, happily smiling at your question. "yeah! amazing, right? i actually thought you two had a thing, but i guess not. glad things worked out in the end."

and that was your last straw. "well, enjoy yourselves. i have to go and find natasha."

you turned to leave, ignoring the loud calls of bucky. you were glad that you never asked him about your relationship and the ball. you were going to be hurt either way.

you spent the next hours stuck in your room, body covered with a thick sheet as you ranted about your frustrations to friday.

it was silly, you knew that, but you refused to call natasha and wanda to remind you of your stupidity and decided to let an ai robot listen to your problems instead.

"and he even flirted back! answering coyly like a teenager. he's 107 years old, fri!" you whined, not noticing the new nickname you've given the alternative intelligence. "ugh, now i have a broken heart and no date in sight. how did it get to this?"

"perhaps you must discuss this matter with sergeant barnes first. your conversation ended quite abruptly with no clear conclusion."

"no, i don't want the truth rubbed on my face," you said, grabbing another piece of tissue to sneeze in. "you restricted him from entering my room, right?"

friday answered with a yes, then you thanked her for listening and decided to get some sleep after tirelessly crying for hours. you knew you had a team meeting with the avengers in a bit, but you couldn't bring yourself to even walk a few steps.

your sleep ended and you were woken up with friday's reminder that it was time for dinner with the team.

with a groan, you pushed yourself off your bed. bucky would be there, but you were too hungry to care. it would be awkward, of course, but you had to face him at some point anyway.

your feet padded towards the door, opening it after trying your hair in a bun.

"ah, fuck."

you jumped at the voice and the body falling to the floor as you opened the door.

"bucky?" you asked, still in shock. "were you sleeping outside of my room?"

you watched bucky stand up, his hand massaging his aching nape as he looked for your eyes. "friday won't let me in. i waited outside instead. i guess i fell asleep during that," he explained, a frown forming on his face. "did you restrict me from entering our room?"

your eyes widened at his choice of words. our room. he considered your room to be his room as well. while that would've made you melt in an instant, you were still hurt to entertain that possibility.

"this is my room, barnes. not yours, not ours. and yes, i had you restricted because i couldn't face you yet. what do you need anyway?"

"i wanted to see you, talk to you." a flash of pain crossed his eyes. "whatever happened at the gym, it's—"

"bucky, you don't have to explain anything to me. we're just friends. it's my fault i assumed we were something. i just need some time to get over it."

"but i thought we were something as well..." he replied, his voice was almost as quiet as a whisper. "i thought we were dating."

"were we?" you asked, genuinely curious. "we never.. you never said anything. i mean, yeah, i wished it meant something, but i thought you wouldn't want to be trapped in a relationship with me, so i just waited. apparently, i was right and i can't blame you for that."

"right about what? the thing that happened in the gym this morning?" he asked. you nodded in response. "i know it sounds like i was flirting back, well i didn't know at the moment, until i asked steve who was clueless but he called nat to help me out and explained that it looked like i was flirting back. i wasn't. i was just going to suggest sam as a date for her. i would never agree to anyone."

oh. so he just wasn't interested in anyone at all.

"besides this one girl who's constantly been in my head. that's if she'd even give me a chance and say yes. i fucked it up badly before i could even ask her properly."

you knew what hoping got you, but you couldn't help but think that he was talking about you. he'd have to be clueless to say all those things in front of you only for it to be someone else.

"i love you, baby. i should've told you that, i should've made it clear sooner. i'm so sorry i let you have doubts when i could've been reassuring you about what i feel for you."

"bucky..."

"i would never feel trapped with you, doll. only you made me feel so much love and freedom. i'd be a fool to let go of that. i'm sorry it took a few hits and harsh words from natasha to make me realise that i wasn't giving you enough when you deserve everything." he held your face in his hands, bringing you closer to him. you felt breathless, tears threatening to fall but this time it was out of joy. "hydra made sure i had no voice to express myself. now, i'll use it to let you know that i love you so fucking much that it hurts when you're not around. i promise to work on it. if anything like this happens again, ask me, baby. demand things from me. i'll give you everything in a heartbeat."

"even if i ask for your arm?"

he laughed, a sound that was music to your ears. "it's yours baby. although, i do like fucking you with my metal—"

"bucky!" you scolded him, hitting him lightly on the chest.

"sorry, baby. couldn't help it. missed my girl so much."

his girl. you loved hearing that.

"it's only been a few hours. don't be silly," you reminded him, but you knew you also felt the same.

"i miss you even when i don't see you for a second." you couldn't help but laugh at his words. "something funny, doll?"

"sorry, natasha said something similar about you a few days ago," you answered. "i'm sorry for assuming so quickly, bucky. you deserved the chance to explain."

"and you did let me explain. i can't blame you for assuming and getting hurt when i never gave you the confirmation to believe otherwise. don't apologise for it, baby."

"i love you," you said, causing him to grin widely.

"yeah? you love me too?" he asked, a hint of pink tinting his cheeks. "this is official now, right? we're dating?"

you nodded happily, giggling as he landed a kiss to your mouth. "so, you wanna go to the ball with me?"

he kissed you again. "don't. i'm supposed to be asking you that. i had an entire thing prepared for you, i even dragged half of the team to help me out days ago. besides wanda and natasha, of course. couldn't let them tell you about it."

your heart swelled, he was already planning to ask you before all of this misunderstanding happened, and it could've been solved with communication. lesson learned, indeed.

"well hurry because i can't wait to say yes," you playfully threatened him, kissing the tip of his nose until the loud rumble of your stomach interrupted your sweet moment. "ah, right. i was on my way to eat dinner when i opened the door."

bucky laughed, his eyes twinkling witth adoration as he kept his eyes on you. "we can't have you starving, that's for sure. come, let's get you something." he held your hand, and dragged you to the kitchen. he turned to look at you with a playful smile. "wanna cook together like the old times?"

you smiled. "like the old times."

in the middle of your cooking session, you heard whistles and claps along with the footsteps that entered the kitchen. you both turned to find the rest of the team with shit eating grins.

"finally! so is this real or do we need to smack your heads?" tony asked, his hand placed on his hip.

"it's always been real, stark," bucky answered, wrapping his arm around your waist. "except this time, i'm making sure my entire world knows it."

"i think everybody knows you have a thing for each other, barnes." clint added.

"i meant my entire world, not everybody." bucky looked at you with awe. "she's my world."

bucky's answer gained various loud reactions from the team, mostly calling him a cheesy old man and fake gags, but there you were, cheeks heating up as you looked back at him with the same amount of love, if not more.

and he did ask you to be his date to the ball the day after, surprising you with his so-called secret plan.

a year later, he surprised you with a ring as he knelt on one knee.

if you have any requests for bucky, send them my way! 💌