#We have the canon tux moment. We can go further with this | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kiwikipedia · 3 years

Note

Hi me again! Any headcanons regarding the preffered lightsaber style of Plo Koon and Bultar? What made you headcanon she and Agen were creche mates?

I’m kinda shit at saber styles, but here we gooo!

- Plo Koon’s canon style is Form V: Shien but he is well versed in Ataru.

- According to Legends, he beat Yoda in a duel and so I consider that canon.

- Onto other things, I certainly headcanon that Plo is well versed in Djem So along with Shien because of they share the same form category

- he’s also well versed in Jar’kai and Niman, but not as much as both forms of V and Ataru.

- In the heat of battle, though, he’s known to just abandon forms and punch someone out if he needs to because for as ‘Typical Jedi’ looking as he is, sometimes you just gotta punch someone.

- He and Cin commonly duel when Plo’s dirtside and Cin’s not busy

- On that one, one of the most well-whispered duels of that year had been between the two of them because no one expected a duel to last an hour with neither giving an inch

- As for Bultar, she doesn’t have a canonical saber form but her first master, Micah’s, preferred form was Jar’kai and so he taught her that alongside Niman, but I don’t think it would be her preferred form.

- Taking that into account, lets look at her other skills: Bultar is also proficient in unarmed combat and canonically (legends) speaking, Bultar knows and excelled in a unique fighting style that blended Teräs Käsi and the Verdanaian "Sliding Hands"

- The wiki simply states: “When fighting an opponent, Swan would remain still and entice her foe to attack. She would then strike forward with awesome speed, blurring her complex routine of moves into a whirl of motion” and “a fluid and acrobatic combat style. In combat, she would use her lightsaber to block attacks while seeking an opportunity to disarm her foe. She would then rain punches and kicks on her unarmed opponent until they surrendered. Her methods in lightsaber combat were greatly influenced by her profound interest in martial arts”

- Thus, I feel she would also lean heavily on Ataru, but she definitely knows and can use Niman and Jar’Kai because of Micah, and maybe she picked up some Shien from Plo? Who knows.

- Honestly, though, Bultar forgets she has her lightsaber sometimes and just punches her enemies and it freaks Banks out so much, please help him.

What made you headcanon she and Agen were creche mates?

Honestly, it was just an idea that the two would be the funniest fucking side-character duo.

- Agen is very much the “fight first, ask later” type of person while Bultar is more willing to negotiate— but when action needed to be taken, both of them feel that further discussion is a waste of time.

- So my thought process was “haha, wouldn’t it be funny if Agen had a friend who was just as willing to fight as he was but more reigned in and also was the sane man to his more violent antics?”

- And Bultar being the “hoe don’t do it. [agen blows something up] oh my god” to Agen was just very funny to me when I decided to do it. I actually have a lot of headcanons pertaining to the Jedi and their ages, but that can be for another time.

- Also Bultar’s actress, Mimi Daraphet, looked similar in age to Tux Akindoyeni, who was Agen’s actor. This is just going by the AotC though— since it’s next to impossible to find stuff on Daraphet and Akindoyeni outside of star wars

- so logically, that means Agen’s also agemates/crèchemates with Lissarkh. Because I personally headcanon that she and Bultar are the same age. So yes, Plo was (even though it's not allowed in canon fuck that noise) training two Padawans at once.

- And then for the heck of it, I threw in Sha (Plo’s niece) and Voolvif Monn (because I love him, and Agen and Voolvif had a friendship moment in the outer rim in the 2003 series)

- So yeah, the five of them are the chaos crèche crew because I thought it would be funny. And it was. Is. To me at least.

#Templarhalo tag #Agen Kolar #Bultar Swan #Plo Koon #chaos crèchemates #penguinkiwi answers stuff #Penguinkiwi Headcanons #star wars

13 notes · View notes

otomefoxystar · 4 years

Text

A Time for Happiness

Fandom: Kissed by the Baddest Bidder

Pairing: Eisuke X MC

Warning: NSFW

Genre: SMUT

Word Count: 2,133

Written by: @otomefoxystar

Red rose petals adorned the floor of the chapel when canon in D started playing. She walked down the aisle arm in arm with her father. Her dress dragged behind her, and she smiled nervously. Her father lifted her veil and smiled softly at her, kissed her cheek, and gave her hand to Eisuke who was in awe of how beautiful she looked. He took her hand and stood facing her holding her feminine hands. Once they said their I do’s and sealed it with a tearful kiss, they walked cheerfully down the aisle to outside the cute chapel. They looked at each other and laughed. A white limousine waited outside. They held hands the whole way and chatted. He kept her talking because he knew she’d be nervous, they had never spent a night together in all the years they’ve been together she had kept him at an arm’s length. Hell, he was nervous it had been so long since he’d been with anybody, but his right hand. He had respected her wishes and didn’t touch her. Of course, he had to carry her to the hotel room he wanted to make this magical for her. He placed her on her feet once they were in the magnificent hotel room. She kissed him on the lips and laughed. He started undoing her hair and it rippled down her shoulders. “ Let me help you get out of this dress” her eyes widened “ I can do it myself” he chuckled “ no you can’t, just turn around” He started unbuttoning the buttons on the back of her dress one by one. Her heart started pounding so hard she could hear her heartbeat in her ears. “ Eisuke,” she said in a shaky voice “ Are you scared?” He stopped unbuttoning her dress “ Listen to me _ _ _. It’s going to be okay. I’ll take care of you if it hurts too bad just tell me and I’ll stop.” “ O-okay”

He continued unbuttoning slowly revealing the white lacy corset she was wearing paired with matching cheeky panties. The dress fell to the floor and she stepped out still wearing her satin heels. She laid the dress delicately on a nearby chair and turned around. Eisuke had never seen her like this, she had taken his breath away. “ This is what beautiful looks like.” He took her hand and led her to the bed, and gently sat her down. He knelt down and unhooked her shoes and slid them off. He kissed her ankle. “ Tonight is your night baby, let me pleasure you.” He scooted her up so that her head was laid on the pillows. “ I’m nervous” he tangled his fingers through her hair. “ So am I, we will take it slow.” “ Why are you nervous? You’ve had sex before.” He smiled at her as he climbed on top of her. “ It’s been years since I’ve been touched or touched anyone. I’ve waited for you. This is special for both of us. You’re about to experience a different world, you’ll love it I promise. I know all we’ve done is kissed, just let go and trust me.” He leaned down and pressed his lips on hers and, soon he opened his mouth and she opened hers instinctively along with his. He slid his warm tongue into her mouth. Their tongues danced and wrestled. He took her hand and put it on his shoulder, then put his hand on the side of her face as he searched her mouth. He finally released her and they were both gasping and swollen from the passionate kiss. He could already feel himself getting worked up. He sat up on his knees and took off all the pieces of his tux and dropped them to the ground. Until he came to his shirt which he unbuttoned slowly, he slid it off his arms and she took in the sight of his muscular body. She had seen him in a swimsuit before, but this was different. She wanted to touch him, she put her hands on his chest and felt down to his navel and back up. “ I love you Eisuke” he smiled “ You know I love you” she was shocked, he only ever told her he loved her on rare occasions. Maybe because it was a special night he wanted her to know his feelings? Whether that was it or not it made her happy and she smiled. He leaned back down and kissed her forehead, her nose her lips. Then, he kissed along her jaw. He licked down the shell of her ear and nippled on her earlobe. “Ahh” she let out a small moan and he smiled. He kissed down her neck to her collarbone and her head lulled back. He made a trail of tiny kissed down to her cleavage and her nervousness was at a high, but when he gently bit and sucked at her breast leaving a sizable red mark. She started to forget about her nerves. “ Rollover on your side, I’m going to take your corset off.” He helped her roll over and untied her corset. Pulling it off her body. She turned over but crossed her arms over her breasts. “ Don’t hide from me, don’t worry you’re beautiful. Soon you’ll forget about your modesty.” He took her hands and held them above her head with one hand. “ Are you going to be good? I need my hands for this.” She nodded her head “ good girl” he patted her head He put his large hands on her breasts and she gasped, he kneaded and massaged. Then he took his fingers and rolled her nipples between his fingers. “Ahhh!” He leaned down and put the tip of his tongue on the hard bud of her nipple. He circled his wet tongue around her nipple. He opened his mouth and drew it in his mouth suckling. He went over to the other nipple and repeated the action. She started breathing hard through her nose, and as he released it, he realized her legs were parted. It was the perfect opportunity for dry humping. He went back to her lips and rubbed his pelvis against hers. She held onto his shoulders, as he rubbed against her. She moaned and gasped, and once he was satisfied with how he had gotten her worked up he kissed down her abdomen to the waistline of her panties. She put her hands over them, and he looked up at her. “ I’ll be gentle” He removed her hands and slid her panties off of her delicate body leaving her laid bare in front of him. “ I’m going to touch you” she nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. He touched her clit, and started rubbing it in circles. She didn’t expect it to feel so good. She arched her back off the bed, and she curled her toes. “ I’m going to put my finger inside of you now.” He slowly entered a finger, she didn’t wince or whimper so he took that as a sign that she wasn’t in pain. He wanted to give her every experience so he removed his finger and settled himself between her legs. He put his face against her licking her clit up and down. As he licked at her he entered a finger inside of her hooking it upwards, he sucked on her clit and that was it. “ I - I feel hot” “ That means you’re going to have an orgasm.” He leaned back down and kept going with his ministrations, and the coil inside of her snapped and he orgasm came rushing forth taking over her. She grasped at his hair as she rode out her high. He licked up all her fluids and looked up at her catching her breath. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and he stood up and undid his belt and took off his pants and slowly took off his underwear allowing his cock to be released from its constraints. “ I’m going to make love to you now.” He hovered over her and lined his cock up with her entrance, and ever so slightly pushed. This time she did wince. He felt bad for causing her discomfort, but he knew she was strong and could get past the pain. He pushed in slowly as gently as he could inch by inch. Until he hit a barrier. “ It hurts!” “Do you need me to stop?” She shook her head “ I want to be one with you, keep going” He pushed with a little more force, to push past the barrier. Finally, he was all the way in and he didn’t move to give her time to adjust to having him inside of her. “ Are you okay?” “Yes, you can move now” After a moment or two he began gently thrusting, but soon what had been pain turned into pleasure. She felt up his muscular back, and he began gasping and moaning. She clawed at his back, which elicited a guttural grunt from Eisuke. Sweat formed on their skin and all that could be heard where her moans and his gasps, along with squelching sounds from their lovemaking. He pushed her legs further apart, and she was singing. He had to be gentle, he knew this. He intertwined his fingers with hers, and she looked at him. “ C- Can you go faster?” He shifted his position, looking for her special spot, and started quickening his face. “ Oh..Oh my god...Eisuke!” He kissed her sloppily “ Found it.” She looked at him confused “ You’re G- spot, but let’s make this even better shall we?” He reached between their bodies and rubbed at her clit, putting pressure on it. She was at her height with pleasure, and her legs trembled and she started moaning louder. She felt her orgasm building up in her belly, and became desperate for it to come. She squeezed his hand hard. “ Don’t deny it let it come, baby. You’ll feel spectacular I promise.” She knew he was probably right especially if this was like the first one. As his hips snapped into her and his fingers played with her she began heating up again. From the tip of her toes to her head. “ Yes, yes. Oh my... I feel... so .... strange.” Then it snapped and her vision went white. She stopped moving, and her walls tightened around his cock pulling him in further as if she wasn’t already tight enough. “ Ahhh! Eisuke!” He kept thrusting into her to help her ride out her high, and fluid leaked out in between them and he smirked, knowing she just had a powerful orgasm. Once she had come down from her high and once again was coherent, Eisuke kissed her forehead. “ Did you come just now? Because it sure felt like you did.” “ Yes, but Eisuke it’s your turn.” “ Don’t worry about me I’m almost there.” She worried that she wasn’t pleasing him, but he gave her three more powerful thrusts and he moaned sharply and found his release. He caught his breath, and slowly began to pull out. He went to take his condom off when he realized there was blood on it. She saw what was unfolding and sure enough, blood was getting on the sheets. She scurried over to the bathroom to clean herself up. Eisuke put a bathrobe on and knocked on the door. “ Get cleaned up, I’m going to have them bring up new sheets.” “ Eisuke?” She opened the door a crack He turned around, and her eyes filled with tears. He wiped them away. “ Don’t be embarrassed, most women go through it. A little blood isn’t going to scare me away” “ I need to get some pads” she looked down “ I’ll get them there’s a convenience store in the hotel.” “ But” “ I’m your husband now, I’m going to have to do this kind of thing now.” She took a hot shower, and in the meantime Eisuke had the sheets changed and bought pads. He put them on the toilet in the bathroom. She came out in a bathrobe and got her clothes and changed into a satin nightgown. “ Thank you for buying those for me.” He nodded his head and changed into his pajamas and got into bed. “ Was it okay, I mean was I okay.” He looked into her iris’s “ You were more than okay, you made me come did you not? My question is was it everything you thought it would be?” “ It was more than I ever thought it could be. I didn’t know you could feel like that.” He chuckled lightly and she laid her head in the crook of his arm and played with the buttons on his shirt. They laid there quietly and let the world run on without them as they basked in each other’s embrace.

#kissed by the baddest bidder #kbtbb #voltage inc #l365 #eisuke ichinomiya #kbtbb esiuke #eisuke smut #kbtbb fanfic #eisuke fanfic

43 notes · View notes

twilightknight17 · 4 years

Text

Forgetting to buy more SP patches before taking on the final boss was probably a mistake.

Forgetting to sell the items I can’t take into NG+ for cash that I can take into NG+ was probably a mistake.

Forgetting to get Arsene out of Lockdown so that I can record his awesome new stats for NG+ was probably a mistake.

In my defense, I was really excited. I wonder if the game will let me make a side trip while I’m out...buying flowers. Because that is what it has come to.

Buying flowers.

Shinya is a terrible brat and wasn’t in Akihabara at ALL until the day before the deadline. Thanks, Shinya. There goes my max confidants. Blugh. At least I got some other things done. Got the award for the maid cafe, so I don’t have to go back except once to open the Twins field trip. I still suck at batting even with third eye. But I am a champ at fishing, it only took me like five trips to the fishing pond to catch the Guardian! I could have done it in less if I’d figured out how to manage my bait properly sooner.

Smile, Akira, we’re awesome! ...still not even halfway to enough fish points for the award, though. :/

I am also awesome at the crane game in Akihabara, and by that I mean I am persistent and have enough yen that it doesn’t matter how many tries it takes.

Ryuji truly knows the way to my heart. <3 I missed two episodes of Featherman; one I forgot to check the TV, and the other I was laughing so hard at the title that I forgot to write it down. But I know where they are, so it’s something else for NG+. ^_^

So I romanced Sumire, and I’m...slightly off-put. Only slightly. Not because of her, but once again, because of the writing. Sumire is cute, but the game is singling her out as “special” again.

She is the only one who confesses to you, and you explicitly have the option to turn her down, rather than the implications of a confession that you can shoot down indirectly (Haru’s, Makoto’s, Futaba’s), or the absolute fucking galaxy-brain leap of logic that is Ann’s dialogue choices. X’D

If you ignore that, though, they’re stupidly cute. Akira’s a little shit, as usual. Sumire asks you to “look at her”, based on her whole confidant thing of realizing that having someone you care about watching you makes you want to do better.

And so Akira looks.

And looks closer.

Dorks. XDDD

They’re sweet. Not my favorite romance route; that still goes to Haru. I think in the end I still prefer Akira adding another member to his army of younger siblings. He’s gotta be better than Yu. XDDD

So I got Kasumi’s rank 10 and literally the next day was February 2nd, and I spent the afternoon getting her third-tier persona. So I didn’t even get to see...Vanadis? in battle. Vanadis matches a little too well to Arsene for my tastes, and Ella is pretty, but I’m not sure how I feel about it looking kind of bride-ish when Maruki’s running around in a wedding tux.

Anyway...what do we do the night before the meeting that will decide everything?

We make curry and we pretend everything isn’t about to go to hell.

So, Maruki. Let’s chat.

Does no one die in your world? Or move away? What if someone’s dream is to move abroad, and someone else’s dream is for that person to stay with them forever? If what we saw in your Palace is any indication, both of them would be tortured into accepting new dreams where they wouldn’t hurt each other. Dreams that you deemed acceptable. And that’s why you’re wrong.

So you’re giving up your happiness to make sure everyone else is happy? Why can’t you just use your powers to make her remember you, without the trauma? Are you not all-powerful?

Or are you running away from the person that reminds you how helpless you used to be? You’re not moving on, you’re dwelling, and using it as an excuse to be terrible. For all of your kindness, you know Akira is a threat. And benevolent or not, you’re being manipulative. You’re using Goro against him. You’re hoping that he makes the decision you didn’t, and chooses the person he cares about over the reality he wants.

Every time he says something like this, I feel exactly the way he says he didn’t want me to. Newsflash, asshole, that’s exactly what it seems like. If we break your reality, you’re heavily implying he won’t be here afterwards. And you’re gambling that it will be too much pain for Akira to bear, because you know how important they are to each other.

Goro, meanwhile, is both perfectly determined and perfectly stupid.

“Don’t tell me you think dangling my life before us is going to have any impact on our decision.”

Goro. Honey. Do you really think he cares so little that he wouldn’t hesitate for just a moment?

Akira practically throws the calling card at Maruki before he leaves, which I think sums up his feelings pretty well.

I appreciate that Morgana understands that this is something between them.

Goro doesn’t want to be controlled or manipulated ever again. Which... I get it. He’s never had a chance to have full control of his own life. But that doesn’t mean Akira isn’t going to be upset by the idea of him dying. Again.

Two out of three dialogue options are basically “hang on one fucking second, your life matters to me.”

“Don’t oversimplify this.”

“Oh, but it IS simple. Do you think I’d be happy with this? Being shown mercy now of all times? I don’t want to be pitied-- this isn’t something I’m debating with you! Your indecisiveness is essentially a betrayal of my wishes.”

It’s not pity, you stubborn, idiot boy. ...and I hate that you see it as a betrayal.

Maruki is...very confident. And very kind. And part of the reason he upsets me is because he isn’t wrong, in many cases. But he uses that to justify imposing his will on everyone.

And being kind doesn’t mean that you are free from sin. You can be kind and still be manipulative. And selfish. In the end, that’s what separates him and Akira. Akira, despite all of his hesitation, refuses to be selfish. Even when he has every right to be. He will not hurt someone else to prevent himself from being hurt.

He will not hurt Goro by refusing to fight Maruki, even if it will rip his own heart to pieces.

Oh, I like you. At first glance, the silhouette was very similar to one of Mordred’s original pieces of concept art, though, and I was ready to Yell before I looked closer. XD

And so, at 11:30pm, having completely forgotten the several things I needed to have done before the meeting with Maruki, we head in to steal the Treasure.

This man needs to stop. How dare he know how much I love Cool Stairs?

I find it very concerning that the core of Eden is a writhing mess of tentacles. The metaphorical worm in the apple? X’D We were so close to getting Nyarlathotep, but Azathoth is suitably intimidating. And I appreciate that he’s using the same concepts as the Thieves: his will to rebel against what he sees as an unfair reality, and removing his mask to summon his distorted persona. Thanks for validating all of my headcanon meta about Adachi and Palaces all in one go.

But...

I can’t do this. What the fuck are you wearing?

At least Azathoth is cool.

Somehow I managed to bring exactly the right team to get consistent four-person baton passes for the whole first round. That one was about half an hour.

...the second round was an hour and fifteen minutes because holy shit this thing was a tank and had entirely too many arms and really needed to stop healing.

The torch is very pretty, at least.

And then before we can completely book it out of there, he steals the torch back and literally forces his second awakening so he can keep going. And at that point...what is he even hoping to accomplish? What is he going to do? Are you really willing to kill us to maintain this illusion?

The answer is apparently yes because it was a surprisingly poetic battle as each teammate in turn got a chance to fling themselves in the way and stop it from crushing Joker to death with it’s big giant hand.

And THEN he goes even further and validates some canon meta and me all at once by fusing with his own persona in a continuing last-ditch effort to... I really think he’s trying to kill us. I think he’s that far gone. Or at least his persona is. Because after the fusion, it’s specifically called “Adam Kadmon”, not Maruki. The persona is in control. It’s canon that if you try to summon something stronger than you, it can overtake and possess you. I know Maruki seemed to willingly give up control, but it’s also possible that forcing his second awakening like that left him with a persona that was entirely too strong for him.

(Nevermind that him being that strong in the first place is kind of ridiculous. That’s a discussion for after the final credits. I’m just hyped that someone fusing with their persona was a thing that actually happened!)

He’s so big. Where’s Satanael so I can fuse with him and we can have a megazord fight in Collapsing Ideal Tokyo? XD

The kids up the Holy Shit Quotient by a mile by catching the giant fist all together so that Joker can deal the final blow.

And what a final blow it is.

I really like this, because I don’t know if it was deliberate, but I read it as a callback to Daybreakers. Which came out before the game, iirc, so the first real piece of content. It’s just on a bigger, grander scale.

Everything comes full-circle in the end.

I really like the Mona helicopter. XD I just wish it was a little bigger, because poor Goro squished into the bottom. And poor Akira not managing to make it into the helicopter.

And this asshole WILL NOT STAY DOWN.

What is the point of punching it out on top of the collapsing Palace? Are you trying to kill us both? Do you just want to keep going until neither of us can stand? Dude.

And of course Akira won’t let him die. I think the upsetting thing about this, though, is really that you don’t get the chance to say a proper goodbye to Goro. Or anyone, really, but mostly Goro. The Palace crumbles, Akira wakes up in jail, the Thieves wake up the next morning after fighting all night, and Goro is...gone.

At least the Thieves seem properly sad this time. Even if it’s only for one scene.

Lavenza calls it “ironic” that “your wish for other’s happiness prevailed over your own.” I just call it unfair. Once again, hasn’t he done enough? At least he was only technically in jail for nine days from his perspective, but that must have been a whiplash of an adjustment.

Out of jail, Sojiro acknowledges he was Terrible at the beginning of the year, it’s 2:30am, time to do Valentines and then go to bed before the final walkaround.

And then Valentines passes. I spent it with Sumire. They’re cute.

And then it was February 15th and all the rest of the girls gave me chocolate?? It was just a constant ambush of being given chocolate all day?

And then it was March 3rd, and the Thieves are all splitting up and moving away? Are we sure this isn’t Scramble’s timeline? I get it, narratively, they’re taking the opportunities to move forward that Maruki’s reality would have denied them, but it still hurts.

And then it was March 13th and I still can’t save and now it’s 3am and apparently we get to play out White Day and Sojiro is giving me advice for the perfect date because captain idiot here forgot to plan anything and what heckin’ restaurant is getting this flustered that just mentioning Sojiro’s name is enough to get a table when they’re fully booked and---

Now it’s the 14th and I have to go buy flowers for my dinner date and I have finally been given control and saved and I am free.

Now next time I play I have to see if I can go sell my leftover items, because I’ve got a couple-hundred-thousand yen worth, and also rescue Arsene from prison. X’D

More thoughts on Maruki and everything after I see the ending, most likely.

#Li plays P5R #long post #the Longest Post #2.5 hour boss fight O_o #last time I spent that long on a boss it made me so mad I put the game in question down for six months

9 notes · View notes

chicklette · 6 years

Text

I have this angsty head Canon about a world-weary Cap dating a younger, earnest bucky and things going disastrously wrong when Bucky wakes up one morning and says “I love you” and Cap is like, uh, “that’s ok.” This is how it goes (angsty, rated M-ish for mature themes):

Steve wakes early, thinking about a run. He’s almost made to pull off the covers and get moving when he realizes that the frantic energy he usually starts the day with isn’t there. Instead, he feels…he feels okay. So he turns over, pulls Bucky into his arms, closes his eyes, and goes back to sleep.

It’s later in the morning when he wakes again. He’s been at a light doze, flitting in and out of dreams that disappear the moment he’s conscious enough to take a look at them. He considers closing his eyes and going back to sleep, but his body is suddenly very aware that he has a handsome, lithe, twenty-four year-old kid in his bed, and well, it’s interested.

Bucky must sense he’s waking, because he snuggles deeper into Steve’s arms. He snuffles against Steve’s neck, pressing a kiss there, before sighing, “I love you.”

Steve doesn’t move.

It must take a moment for Bucky’s brain to catch up with his mouth, because suddenly he freezes. “Shit,” he whispers, and Steve feels the breath of it against his skin.

“That’s, uh, okay,” he says.

And fuck. Fuck!

He knows it’s the wrong thing to say the moment it leaves his mouth, but he can’t say the right thing, the thing the kid wants to hear, because that would be a lie, and he’s way past lying to save someone’s feelings. That opens up bigger problems for everyone.

They lay like that for another moment, and then Bucky slides out of his arms. “Gonna shower,” he says, and sure. He’s probably embarrassed, or at the least, feeling sheepish.

“I’ll make coffee,” Steve says. He pulls on a pair of boxer briefs, the kind he knows Bucky likes, and pads out to the kitchen to start the coffee. He figures the kid’ll be in the shower a while, so he gets started on some omelets, slides a tray of bacon into the oven, and pulls out the carton of fruit salad from the deli on the corner.

By the time Bucky’s out of the shower, the food’s ready. They sit down to eat, but the air is heavy, stilted.

“Listen,” Steve starts, and Bucky holds up his hand.

“Just…don’t. I didn’t mean to say it,” he says, and Steve’s breath catches in his throat.

This kid. Christ. He’s all pale, creamy skin and blue-gray eyes that are currently snapping fire at him.

“I didn’t mean to say it, but I don’t regret it either. Is that going to be a problem?”

Steve breathes deep because yeah, yeah he guesses it is.

Bucky’s watching him, eyes wide. His mouth, God. Steve’s done a hundred lewd things to that mouth. Wants to do a hundred more.

Then Bucky blinks. Looks down at his plate. “Okay,” he says. “Okay.”

He stands up and Steve watches him.

He’s seen a lot of things since they pulled him out of the ocean, out of the ice. He’s battled aliens and robots and those weirds sentient plants that sprayed out the purple mist that made everyone want to fight for the longest six days of Steve’s life. He watched the love of his life wither and die, enduring the heartbreak each time she forgot him, and each time she remembered.

He’s watched his friends start to settle down. Clint and Nat – saw that one coming a mile away. Tony and Pepper never married, but Pepper’s having his baby, due in October, and Tony’s a damned mess. Sam’s got a girl he’s seeing regular. Doesn’t bring her around the tower, but Steve’s out a weekend running partner, and Sam’s smiling a whole lot easier these days.

He’s seen a lot of things in his time out of the ice. Learned a lot about technology, learned a lot about himself, about humanity. Maybe some things he wishes he hadn’t. But watching Bucky walk to the bedroom, shoulders high and tight, that’s something he didn’t see coming. He hurts for the kid, he does.

But he’s not going to lie. Not going to say something he doesn’t feel.

Fact is, Steve thinks he’s probably past all that.

Watching Peg die, SHIELD fall, watching a bunch of suits try to seize power and turn the Avengers into their lapdogs? None of that was good. Steve’s come to terms with it all, best he can, but he can’t find it in him to wish for some kind of happily ever after.

Meeting Bucky, well, that seemed like just enough good luck. And maybe a little bit like something Steve deserved, after all these years. They were at the SI Holiday party, the one for all the folks working on Avenger’s tech, the one with all of Tony’s pets. He’d been talking to Dr. Cho and looked over when he felt someone watching him.

Bucky was eyeing him up, looking tall and handsome in a tux, his hair gelled up into that stylish disorder that Tony seems to appreciate. He saw Steve catch him staring, bit his lip, then smirked over the top of his glass of champagne.

Getting him into bed took no time at all, and Steve was thrilled with how enthusiastic, how eager Bucky was.

He’d dated some age-appropriate people, and he’d spent a lot of time with his own dick in his hand, so having someone who didn’t just tolerate Steve’s ramped up drive, but actually appreciated it? Well, suddenly the weekends had a whole lot to look forward to.

He was a smart kid, too. Kind and funny, crazy about his family and dedicated to his work. The first time he told Steve he’d have to reschedule because he was working late, Steve breathed a sigh of relief.

It was good to have someone who understood about work. About responsibilities.

He just hadn’t thought the kid was going to go and catch feelings.

Steve’s not surprised when Bucky emerges from the bedroom with his overnight bag. He walks over to the living room and retrieves his laptop, stowing it in the padded sleeve and zipping it into his overnight bag.

He stops at the kitchen table, where Steve is still sitting like a fucking punk, and sets down his bag. He strokes a hand across Steve’s face before tipping it up. He’s looking down at Steve and Steve wants to wrap his arms around this kid, hold him tight and kiss his face, anything to get that look off of it –that brave little soldier look. Steve’s seen enough of that look to last a lifetime.

“I knew what I was getting into,” Bucky says. “And I don’t regret it.”

He leans down and kisses the corner of Steve’s mouth, once, twice, then stands again. “Take care of yourself, Stevie,” he says, and Christ, Steve can hear the hurt in his voice.

“Hey,” he says. “Hey.” He reaches out and wraps an arm around Bucky’s waist, pulling him in tight, pressing his face into Bucky’s belly. He’d expected Bucky to be soft everywhere, but was surprised – and delighted – to find that Bucky had abs and well-defined muscles underneath all that lithe grace.

“Okay,” Steve says, finally. “Okay.” He presses a kiss to Bucky’s stomach. “Go…fix the world,” he says, and Bucky gives him a tight-lipped smile as he pulls away.

A moment later he hears the door close and figures that’s that.

It was a good run.

“I don’t know what to tell you Steve,” Dr. Cho says, putting aside her stethoscope. “You’re in perfect health – just like always.”

“Okay, yeah,” he says. “Thanks.”

“Is there anything more you can tell me about your symptoms?”

Steve thinks back to the last couple of weeks. “No,” he says. “I feel lethargic, and kind of…achy? Like maybe I’m coming down with a cold.”

“I’d like to do some additional tests. It could be any number of things.”

It could be the serum finally breaking down is what she doesn’t say, but they both hear it anyway.

“Yeah,” Steve says. “Sure.”

But three days later, the tests all come back, and nothing’s changed. Steve is still the picture of health, the serum working overtime to ensure that he remains that way.

“Have there been any significant changes?” Cho asks.

Steve thinks back, but there’s nothing remarkable. “I was seeing someone, but we called it quits.”

“Was it serious?”

“Not – not for me,” he admits. He still hates that Bucky got hurt, but he supposes it was inevitable. Lesson learned.

“Hmm,” she says, and Steve looks up. “It’s just…a lot of these symptoms – it could be depression.”

“Nah,” Steve says. “Saw a head shrinker back when they first pulled me out. I’m all good.”

Cho purses her lips. “I’d still like to have a look at your serotonin levels, if that’s okay.”

“Yeah,” Steve says, rolling up his sleeve. “Sure.”

“What the hell do I have to be depressed about?” Steve gripes.

Sam shrugs, then dodges the next blow coming his way. He’s not enhanced like the rest of the Avengers (you will never, ever convince him that Clint doesn’t have a bionic eye – no one is that good), so he has to be extra alert when he’s sparring with them. Especially with Steve, who has been a real bear lately.

“Gee,” Sam says, grunting as he lunges forward. “I can’t imagine.”

“Hey, I’m serious,” Steve says.

“You know, Rogers, for someone so smart, you sure are dumb.”

“What does that mean?” Steve asks. “Nat said the same damned thing.”

“Lord,” Sam says, rolling his eyes.

Steve swings around, bringing in a left while coming up from below with his right. Sam blocks one and dodges the other, then steps back and holds up his hands.

“Means it’s been so damned long since you’ve been happy, you didn’t recognize it when you had it. And now it’s gone and you’re feeling it.”

Steve stands back, staring, and then starts unlacing his gloves.

Sam is prepared to spell things out further if he has to, but he hopes he won’t have to. It’ll be better if Steve gets it on his own. From the gleam in his eye, Sam thinks he’s just about there. He hopes so anyway. Happiness looks good on Steve Rogers, even if he doesn’t know it.

“Hey,” Bucky says, as he opens the door. “Oh.”

He takes Steve in and Steve sees the bright light in Bucky’s eyes, a genuine smile on his lips, and Steve’s chest aches to see it. Then Bucky tamps it down and all that light, brightness, leaves his face.

“Hey,” Steve says. “Sorry to just.…” He shrugs.

“Thought you were the pizza,” Bucky says. The looks he’s giving Steve – irritated and sullen. Damn. He looks every bit the kid that Steve had him pegged for.

After a beat, Bucky’s eyes widen and the irritated look gives way to confusion. “Did you want something?”

“Yeah, I think, uhm. I missed you,” Steve says and Bucky looks good and unimpressed.

“Well,” Bucky says, and that derisive tone is not a good look on him. “You think you missed me? So what, you come over here, expecting…” and there he shrugs.

“Buck,” Steve says, and reaches out to touch, but Bucky moves away.

“No way,” he says, shaking his head. “You know, I was fine with how things were? I mean, you’re – you’re Captain America, but you’re also Steve. You’re him, too. And I was okay just having a little bit of Steve. I was okay with not having it all the way. I didn’t ask you to love me back, Steve.”

“I know, Buck, I –“

“No,” Bucky says, and he’s really getting some steam going now. Steve can see it in the way his cheeks get those two bright splotches, high up on his cheekbones, the way they get when he –

“You don’t get to show up here because you’re lonely,” Bucky says. “I deserve better than that. I deserve better than someone who keeps calling me kid, throwing my age up in my face all the time like I don’t know. I know, Steve. Jesus.”

He’s – Christ, he’s gorgeous. Just…glorious in his anger, all pink faced and red lips, eyes blazing like nothing Steve has ever seen before and he – he wants it. He wants Bucky coming at him, telling him he’s wrong and putting him in his place. He likes the soft Sunday mornings, the nuzzling, snuffling, coming awake slow, bodies getting what they want, soft and easy. But he wants this, too.

It his him then, hard and visceral, in his gut the way it hasn’t until right now: He’s in love with this kid. He’s in love with – with – with Bucky. He’s in love with him.

Steve feels winded all of a sudden, and vulnerable like he hasn’t in years. He’s looking at Bucky, but what he’s seeing is his heart, beating there outside of his chest, where anything, anyone, can come along and harm it.

It’s – He takes a deep, steadying breath, and then another. He wants to reach out, grab Bucky and hold him tight, shield him with his body so that nothing can ever hurt him. Hurt them.

Bucky sees something’s wrong. The fire dies down a touch and instead his brows knit with confusion. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah, I –“ His mind races, catching up, cataloging all of this new information, finally realizing what his body’s been trying to tell him for weeks. He feels winded because he finally sees this all from Bucky’s point of view: how they never go out, how Steve never invites him to meet any of the team, any of his friends. How he’ll answer any question Bucky asks, but he still keeps his guard up.

God, he’s a shit.

“Bucky,” he says, and he straightens up and looks Bucky right in the eyes. “I’m,” he shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know, and I handled everything so badly. I’m –“ in love with you. He means to say it, but he – not now. This isn’t the time or place. Not like this.

Bucky’s standing back, looking skeptical, but listening.

“You’re right about everything,” Steve says with a shrug. “You deserve so much better than this. And I hope, I mean, if-“

“Delivery for Barnes?”

Steve turns, startled. There’s a pizza guy behind him holding one of those padded bags and how the hell did he miss that guy slogging up the three flights to Bucky’s apartment?

“Thanks,” Bucky says, and Steve steps aside to let the transaction occur.

As Bucky’s signing his name, a strand of his hair escapes its gelled confinement and falls across his forehead. His tongue is sticking out and he’s holding the receipt to the wall and shaking out the pen, trying to get the ink to run.

“I love you,” Steve says.

Bucky startles, stops, and looks at him, eyes wide.

They stare at each other in shocked silence for a moment, until the pizza guy clears his throat.

“I love you,” Steve says again, because now that he’s said it he doesn’t know how to stop. He’s said those words to three people in his life: His Ma, Peggy, and now Bucky. “I hope that’s good news,” he says, “but I’ll go if you want me too. I love you and you should – you should know that. If it makes a difference.”

Bucky doesn’t say anything, and the pizza guy clears his throat again.

Without taking his eyes from Bucky, Steve reaches for his wallet and pulls out a couple of bills. “That cover it?” he asks. It must, because the guy hands Steve the pizza and leaves.

Bucky’s still staring at him, and Steve’s starting to worry. Did he leave it too long?

Turning, Bucky walks into his apartment and Steve follows, closing the door behind him. He looks around. It’s small but neatly furnished. Steve knows Tony pays well, but Bucky is still new to his career. It strikes him then that while he’s been here to pick Bucky up, he’s never actually spent any time here, and feels like an asshole all over again.

“Shit,” he says. “You probably thought I didn’t want to meet your friends.”

“You didn’t,” Bucky says, and he’s right. Steve wasn’t thinking of Bucky in any way other than how they could spend time together, alone, and preferably naked. All those other things, cooking together and listening to music, Bucky working at the dining room table while Steve sketched. All that was just extra. An afterthought. He hadn’t even realized it was the best part. Or he had, but he’d hidden that away from himself, afraid of what it might mean to be let himself feel that way about someone again.

“I do now,” Steve says. “I want –“ so many things. Things, he’s coming to realize, he might not get.

“Why?” Bucky says. “Why now? Did you finally get lonely enough? Because Steve, there are plenty of people who would fuck you, no strings attached. No feelings.”

“I don’t want that,” Steve says. It’s kicking up his temper, Bucky mouthing off to him like that. He knows he has a right, hell, he knows that it’s his due. But he’s had other people following his orders for so long, it riles him when they don’t. It riles him to be questioned.

He reaches out for Bucky, and this time, Bucky doesn’t bat him away. He settles a hand on Bucky’s waist, then another, and pulls him close. His heart is beating hard.

What he wants is to devour this kid – this man – in front of him. What he wants is to open his mouth and swallow him whole.

Instead, he tips his head down, and brushes the softest, lightest kiss he can manage against Bucky’s warm lips.

It takes him a moment to realize his hands are trembling.

“I love you,” he says, soft, a whisper, so that Bucky can feel it against his lips.

For a moment, he’s afraid that Bucky will push him away.

“That’s okay,” Bucky says, and reaches his arms up around Steve’s neck. “That’s…going to be just fine.”

By the time they surface from their next kiss, the pizza’s gone cold.

“Come on,” Steve says, taking in Bucky’s disappointed pout. “I know this amazing place in Brooklyn. We’ll eat it there. I brought the bike.”

Bucky looks at him for a long moment before a genuine smile lights his face. He looks so fresh, so young. It’s dazzling.

Steve’s been an absolute fool.

“Yeah,” he says, and goes to the closet for the leather jacket that Steve bought him the first time he’d picked him up on the bike.

When he turns around, Steve takes a moment to zip it up, tightening the band at the collar and checking that the turtle shell armor is still in place. When he’s satisfied, he looks up and Bucky’s giving him the most indulgent grin.

“Shut up,” Steve says, leaning down to brush another kiss at Bucky’s mouth. “I take care of what’s mine.”

“Does that mean I’m yours?”

“It means that one day I hope to have earned it.”

The grin that Bucky gives him is feral and hot.

“Why don’t you start working on that now?” he says, and Steve grins.

“Because you’re hungry.”

“Baby I’m starving. I feel like I haven’t eaten in weeks.”

Steve grins, unable to take his eyes off of the incredible man in his arms. Now that he’s letting himself see it, he wonders how he ever saw anything else.

“Thank you,” he says, wrapping his arms around Bucky and holding him tight. “Thank you.”

“Yeah?” Bucky says. “Well don’t let it happen again.”

“Never,” Steve answers. “Never.”

#chicklette writes things #stevexbucky #steve/bucky #stucky #ficlet

1K notes · View notes

chimpukampu · 6 years

Text

A Dork Named Adrien, Day 4 - Fashion

For @seasonofthegeek Adrien Appreciation Week challenge

AO3 | Fanfiction | Wattpad

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

BTW in France, they call their tuxedos as smoking same with other European countries but I'll stick with the American English term instead to avoid further confusions.

This chapter is about Adrien and his male classmates, 'coz canon failed to focus on their tight friendship. Also, lots of fashion tips for men…and bad puns.

Slight S2 spoilers.

"You need a what?"

"A fashion guru, man. A fashion guru. One who knows about fashion," Nino told him casually "You're a fashion model so you're very much familiar with suits."

"Nino, I do Haute Couture. It's not similar with Prêt-à-Porter."

"Who cares? They're both articles of clothing anyway." Kim interjected but was nudged by Max.

"Prêt-à-Porter is a high quality, factory made fashion that is only available pre-seasonally, catering to climate and economic changes. Haute Couture, on the other hand, is a high-quality custom-fit piece made for a specific client and is regulated by a French law."

Markov settled himself on his bespectacled master's shoulder and added "Haute Couture houses are committed to present collections twice a year of at least thirty-five pieces of – "

"Will you two just stop explaining irrelevant things?" the jock scowled much to their chagrin "It's not helpful."

"Hey!"

"Can we just drop those fancy names and simply call Prêt-à-Porter as 'ready-to-wear' while Haute Couture as 'high-end fashion'?" Nathanael offered, which earned a nod from Ivan.

"I'm a bit confused. I don't understand why you all want my advice," said Adrien who was scratching the side of his chin "Why can't you just approach Marinette? She's an aspiring fashion designer and she knows all about tailored suits."

"No way we will ask Marinette about this," his best friend shook his head with a grimace "Even if Marinette kept this as a secret, Alya will still be able to pull the information out of her mouth. Alya can even interrogate a mute and they will tell her everything. You have no idea how scary she is."

"I'm pretty much aware of her cape-abilities."

"I'm going to let your pun slide, Agreste. Don't make me strangle you."

"Once Alya knows this," Ivan interrupted their banters "No way she will never share it with the girls, especially to Mylene."

"Or to Chloe," Nathanael added.

"Okay, I think I get what you mean," the blond model chuckled "Who doesn't want to dress to impress their girl? Am I right, Nino?"

"Shut up, you filthy rich brat."

"I don't need to dress to impress," Kim patted his chest proudly "Because Ondine is already proud of me – OUCH! Max, what was that for?!"

"Nobody wants to know your icky love story," the bespectacled boy sneered as he unrolled the magazine that he used to hit his friend's head "It's not helpful."

The boys' raucous laughs erupted when Kim's cheeks turned into an overripe tomato.

Mayor Bourgeoise made an announcement that his beloved daughter will be celebrating her birthday party in Le Gran Paris, and since it was a black-tie event, it was expected that there will be some famous celebrities, politicians and the press attendees there.

Despite the glitz and glamour, Chloe extended the invitation to her 'peasant' classmates. And of course, the class wholeheartedly accepted it.

"We better not screw this up," said Nino who was forced to slouch on the car seat as Ivan's large arm occupied almost half of the backrest "Not only for our girlfriends' sanity but also for our dignity. I bet there will be reporters there that could capture our mess and ruin our future."

"C'mon man, live a life! Yolo guys, Yolo!" answered by Kim who was sitting on the opposite side "Nobody cares if we'll do something funny there."

"No Kim, Nino's right," Nathanael defended glumly "Unlike you who has a scholarship grant, us here have to avoid any controversial issues that could reach to our prospect schools and lead them to cancel our application. Universities are quite sensitive to mass media nowadays."

Kim grumbled incoherently then slumped in his seat.

"This is a nice change of pace after our horrendous Bac," Ivan commented as he stared at the windows.

Nino groaned while cradling his head "Please don't remind me about that."

Adrien was supposed to be commuting with his friends, but when they learned about Gorilla's presence, they pleaded him to take them for a ride in his limousine.

He couldn't say no to their loud whines.

Now the six boys and a floating miniature robot – plus an undisclosed kwami in the pocket – were all cramped at the passenger's seat.

The ride to Haussmann-Saint-Lazare-Opéra was quite short. Considered as the commercial heart of Parisian shopping, this urban center is a home to major department stores and cheap deals, especially on men's clothing.

"According to the data that I have gathered last night, Manteau et Cravate sells the cheapest yet high-quality tuxedos in town," Max said as he swiped something on his phone. "They also have tux rentals too."

"I don't think I'll have another chance to wear a tuxedo after Chloe's party," Ivan mumbled, with eyes skimming on the store displays that they've passed. "As this is just a one-time event."

"You can still wear a tux on some formal occasions like weddings or anniversaries," their jock classmate supplied "We never know, Chloe might invite us again next year."

"Hmm, you might be right."

"Maman said that the jacket might not fit me after a year or two." Nathanael told them "So I'll just rent a tuxedo instead."

"So rent we shall do," said Nino, pushing the store's glass door open.

Shopping with male friends is way different than Chloe's, Adrien bemused as he observed the ruckus that was happening inside the shop. For his childhood friend, shopping means hopping from one store to another, multiple dress fittings and carrying several tote bags as they marched to another boutique.

Nino and the gang, however, prefer to stay at one place that could cater all of their needs. No window shoppings, catalog viewings, dress fittings or side trips like cafe and restaurants.

He never realized that hanging out with a group of boys for shopping was pretty straight-forward until now.

It was quite refreshing.

"What the hell is the difference between tuxedos and suits?" Kim complained as he rummaged the jackets that were hung neatly on the display racks "They all look the same!"

"Tuxedos have satins while suits don't," the blond model explained, "There are few exceptions to the rule though, but I think you'll find it sew-fisticated."

He guffawed when someone socked him with a pair of rolled socks. Thankfully, they were unused.

"Hey, Adrien," Nathanael called his attention behind the shelves "Which of these bow ties do you think would match on my dress shirt?"

"Bow ties?!" the jock reacted "Ew, that's for oldies! Why can't we use long neckties?"

"That depends on your jacket and shirt collar, Kim," reasoned Adrien. "Though most tuxes are best suited with bow ties."

"I hope you did not say that to deliver a pun," he deadpanned.

"Hey, all of my puns are intended."

This time, it was Nino who socked him with a belt.

Ivan emerged in front of them, holding two pieces of black garments "Adrien, waistcoat or cummerbund?"

"For you?"

His huge classmate nodded.

When he showed him a double-breasted coat, he answered: "Waistcoat would be tear-riffic on your attire."

Ivan made a non-committal hum as he left for a dress fitting.

"Can I use suspenders?" Max asked, showing him his single-buttoned jacket with silver lapels. "What colors should I use?"

"You can," Adrien answered, "But suspenders should never be visible and must be hidden completely beneath the waist covering and jacket, so it denim matter if it's a black or white."

Kim hastily shoved some lapel accessories on his face "Hey, I want a flower like what I saw on the ads! Can I use a flower on my jacket, Adrien?"

"Y – You mean Boutonnière? Of course," was his cringe reply after removing an artificial petal from his mouth "Just stick to a single flower, preferably red or white."

"Can I use yellow?"

Adrien gave him an impassive look for a moment before he sighed defeatedly. He turned his head around and noticed Nino on the other side of the room with a blanked expression.

"Hey dude, are you okay there?" he asked, tapping his best friend's shoulder lightly.

The DJ groaned inwardly "I'm having troubles on selecting tux here, man. They're all the same shade of black yet I'm not sure if any of these will compliment my skin complexion."

"I know what you mean," said the blond as he began to examine the tuxedo sets on the racks "You can wear a dark jacket and trouser to play safe, but if you're asking for my opinion, I'd prefer if you wear an off-black one. Like this."

Nino eyed the articles that he pulled out from the hanger "Are you sure about this, dude?"

"I'm a fashion guru, remember?" his friend announced proudly then flashed him a lopsided grin "I'm well Versaced in this area."

"I have no idea what Marinette sees in you," he retorted dryly.

The blond crossed his arms as if offended, "There Armani things that Marinette sew in me. And if she knows about this, I bet she would be very Prada me."

"Adrien, no."

Before the boys left the shop, Adrien reminded them of their shoes.

"Does that mean I can't wear my sneakers?!"

"No, Kim. You can't," the blond retorted with a straight face, "That's a fedoral offense."

37 notes · View notes

theclaravoyant · 7 years

Note

Hey! I'm loving your trans!Fitz series. Could you write a like, more FS centered piece within it? Like, how they got together, their first time sleeping together, anything like that? Thank you for such amazing works with such good representation

AN ~ Thank you so much! I’m glad you’ve been loving Leopold!

This is basically “first date” fluff - though I would also be up for writing their first time etc. if that’s still a point of interest for people? Perhaps a more AU version?

Anyway, without further ado, enjoy!

Read on AO3 (~1700wd)

Spearmint

“Why don’t you ever come swimming?” Jemma wondered, bringing her ponytail around to the side so that she could sponge it dry a little before moving onto the rest of her body. A bikini decorated in bright orange and pink floral print contrasted her pale flesh, but Fitz couldn’t help but blush a little as he tried not to look too hard. She was his best friend, but he was only a man.

“I- I don’t know,” he explained. “I guess I still don’t like taking my top off.”

“Why?” Her eyes darted down to his chest. “Do you have scars?”

Fitz crossed his arms.

“I’d rather not talk about it. Just… hurry up and put a shirt on, please.”

Jemma rolled her eyes and tugged a loose shirt over her shoulders. Then, wrapping the towel around her hips, she gestured for Fitz to lead the way from the pool area.

“You know, there are bathing suits that wouldn’t require you to wear a top. And plenty of the guys swim in tanks.”

She gestured to a group of them, as one leapt almost out of the water to spike a volleyball into the opposing side. Fitz fixed her with a sardonic glare.

“Oh yeah because I can do that.”

“You could if you wanted to.”

“Have you seen me?” Fitz gestured to himself. “I’m made of spaghetti! I was not built for physical prowess, Jemma, I am a massive nerd and I have accepted my place.”

Jemma laughed, a snorting, nose crinkling laugh.

“You do know we attend a school full of certified Massive Nerds, right?” she reminded him. “It’s not like we’re the only prodigies in the world.”

“I’m the youngest guy here by almost three years,” Fitz pointed out, holding the gate open for Jemma. “Do you know how much puberty you can go through in three years? It’s a lot.”

“You’re not the youngest person here, though,” Jemma insisted. “You can’t tell me some of the girls haven’t been looking. Come on.”

She grinned, and looked him up and down a little mockingly. He was fully dressed in shorts, a tank, and a half-open button-up tee, but he still felt tempted to cover himself further, squirming under her gaze. Realising he was uncomfortable, Jemma sobered up a little.

“Nobody?” she wondered. “Well, have you asked anybody?”

“A few people,” Fitz admitted, “but we never get past a first date.”

Jemma baulked and glanced back over her shoulder, feeling her blood begin to boil in indignant defensive rage.

“Not because of that,” Fitz assured her, and urged her to walk on before they could make a scene. “That’s not first date material. It’s just… me. I can’t flirt to save my life, I find forced conversation boring, and I’m too insecure. If I’m attractive it’s because of my brain, but once they realise the brain comes with this grouchy, gangly… mess… it’s all over.”

He shook his head and Jemma puffed her chest, still indignant, though not as enraged this time.

“You converse with me all the time!” she insisted.

“You’re not forced!” Fitz explained. “Or boring. And for some reason, you like this gangly insecure mess. If you could tell your friends why, I’d be much obliged.”

Jemma laughed a little, but this time, it died out as Fitz stopped them by the corner of the rec centre’s café and began to dig in his pocket for some cash. How was she supposed to tell him it was because of lines like that? It was because he was sweet and funny, as well as smart, that she liked him. But, it seemed, he did not like her back, or he – genius that he was – would have surely thought to ask out the girl, apparently the only girl, that he enjoyed having conversations with.

“I was just going to get a candy bar,” Fitz prompted, “but I’ve got time before Calc. Want to stop for a milkshake? I’m buying.”

“A milkshake?” Jemma raised her eyebrows. “In this weather?”

“Swimming?” Fitz gestured to her shirt, which was beginning to soak in places she had not finished drying off. “In this weather?”

Touché. Jemma’s incredulity turned into a smug smile and she slipped into a nearby seat as her reply.

“Spearmint, please,” she specified.

“Naturally.”

“A burger joint?” Jemma mused, looking around as Fitz held the door open and she stepped through. “You should have warned me. I would have worn my full skirt.”

“And that’s, what, a half-skirt?”

Fitz gestured to the rich ruby-red dress she wore.

“No, I just like syncing my outfit with the mood of the evening, that’s all.”

“Well, I didn’t have a 50’s suit lying around, so fair’s fair,” Fitz explained. Jemma smiled appreciatively at his tux. They were probably overdressed for this place, but it was one of the classier themed restaurants she had been too – and frankly, they had been through too much to give a damn anyway.

“I wanted to take you somewhere swanky,” Fitz continued, “but given the, uh, heaviness of our last first date I thought I’d keep things a bit lighter this time around. And I know you like burgers, and curly fries, and you hardly ever let yourself eat them.”

“I have a reputation to maintain,” Jemma explained, but her eyes glinted with mischief as the waiter brought a basket of curly fries over to the table. She plucked one out the instant it was set down, and bit into it hungrily.

“This was a brilliant idea, Fitz!” she exclaimed. “And not just because I’d like to eat my weight in these fries and never look at garlic bread again. Good food, a fun theme, it was really clever of you to think of it. I love it. Even if I do have a skirt with literal poodles on it that I never get to wear anymore.”

“Didn’t you buy that as a costume for Daisy’s birthday?”

“I fell in love with it, okay?!”

Fitz refrained his laughter as another waiter came around with two milkshakes – chocolate for him, spearmint for her – and set them down on the table, and left again. Jemma blinked as she watched them leave, and looked around. Leaning across the table, she whispered:

“Fitz? Did you book out this whole place again?”

“You said it was sweet.”

“And expensive!” Jemma gasped. “You don’t have to do that anymore, you know I’m okay now, right?”

“Jemma.” For a moment, Fitz’s eyes were solemn as he lay his hand over hers. They were so far from okay that even thinking about the distance was too much, really, and Jemma’s expression softened.

“It is sweet, though,” she acknowledged. “It’s just… also sweet to know we can afford to eat for the next month.”

“Oh, Coulson’s paying. For the venue, I mean. Everything else is on me but he insisted on contributing to your ‘mental health fund’. Which he’s put me in charge of, because he knows you’ll never touch a penny if you can help it.”

Jemma rolled her eyes.

“That’s sweet too, damn it.” Blinking, she found herself tearing up. “No, this was supposed to be fun! Fun!”

“Hey, happy crying’s alright,” Fitz assured her. “We don’t do much of that these days. Have some milkshake. Uh - you still like spearmint, right? I don’t think we’ve had it since… you know.”

Jemma took a deep breath, creeping apprehension filling her gut. Part of her wished he’d never brought it up, but now that she thought about it, if she took a big gulp and hated it she’d never drink spearmint again. Squeezing his hand where he still held hers, Jemma took a slow, hesitant sip…

And then she drank deep, and sighed in satisfaction. Her memory filled with long days at the Academy where Fitz had shouted her more than a few of these shakes. Of swimming with her friends even when it was cold. Of beachside holidays with her family, and car trips through the crisp morning air. Of Fitz and Daisy sword-fighting with tongue-sharpened candy-canes, and Fitz bringing her breakfast in bed, and of the snow and the sun, and back here.

Fitz was smiling. She could see the curiosity in his eyes, wondering where she had gone, but he kept the question to himself.

“Still good?” he asked instead.

“Still good.”

“I’ll have the bran berry forest yoghurt, please,” Jemma requested. “And he will have…”

Jemma nudged Fitz with her foot under the bench. The diner was a lot more contemporary-road-house than 1950s-milkshake-bar, and the all-but-soldiers that had traipsed in that morning were far from the goofy teenagers or overdressed second-first-date-goers that had gone before them, but they were not immune to hunger. Or to sentiment. Maybe, Jemma thought, just maybe, sharing bacon and eggs, hashbrowns and pancakes with his dearest friends might help lift Fitz out of this funk, at least for a while.

“Fitz?” she pressed. “Would you like me to order for you?”

For a moment longer, she contemplated dragging him outside or out the back for a scolding and a speech insisting that she was not going to let him stave out of this misery. But then, he smiled uncertainly at the waitress.

“The English Breakfast, please,” he requested softly. “And, uh. Two milkshakes, please? One chocolate, one spearmint.”

“Sure thing, sir.” The waitress nodded. “Can I take your menu?”

“Hey, can I get in on that milkshake thing?” Daisy wondered. “What’s the best one? Chocolate? That’s always a safe bet, right?”

“Sounds good for you, but I’ll take a vanilla,” May said. “We do have a chocolate-banana if you’d prefer it?” the waitress offered. “Or choc-mint or choc-peanut.”

“Damn, I’m allergic to peanut,” Coulson muttered, “but I’ll take the choc-banana. Daisy? Choc-banana? Mack? Elena?”

The rest of the table erupted into a rousing debate on milkshake flavours that was both intriguing and entertaining given the waitress’ expression. At the end of the table, Fitz and Jemma let it fade into noise.

“Thank you,” Jemma murmured, taking a sip of her shake. Fitz smiled a little, and she felt her heart settle in equal measure, as he showed her that despite his fears and doubts, he still saw some place with her.

“It’s no problem,” he assured her.

She reached for his hand, and he let her take it.

#fitzsimmons #thefitzsimmonsnetwork #aosficnet2 #aospositivitynet #trans!fitz #prompt me stuff #Anonymous #clara's fic tag

25 notes · View notes