#also fun fact the first picture is named “going steady” on my files after the band i was listening to while drawing these

[c0smicsurfin]

misc things

[agent-whiskeys-sweetheart]

Meant To Be (iii)

Pairing: Hotch x F!Reader

Summary: After meeting Garcia you make quick work of helping with the case, desperate to prove yourself to Hotch. Once the two of you help the team wrap everything up it’s time for them to return home. Which also means it’s time for you and Hotch to talk. One on one.

Warnings: Nothing in this chapter.

Word Count: 5,288

A/N: I wanna say I’m super happy you guys are enjoying this series cause honestly I’m having a lot of fun writing it! I love you all dearly. (If you’re just now finding this series, that’s perfectly alright! I’m glad you’re here! Feel free to catch up and enjoy the rest of the story. Here’s a link to Part 1 and Part 2 of Meant To Be.)

The elevator ride to the bottom floor of the building was quick, allowing you to make your way to Garcia’s office in a matter of minutes. There was a plaque up next to the door, indicating that you were in the right place. Taking a moment to steady yourself you exhale before knocking on the door. A voice on the other side tells you to come in so you do. Around you are dozens of impressive looking monitors, all of which are doing something different. On top of the long L-shaped desk there were several small trinkets and toys, bringing a sort of life into the dark room. The woman sitting in front of you spins around in her chair to look at you, a quick flash of confusion on her face. She looks extremely kind and everything about her appearance makes you want to smile. 

“Hello. My name is Y/N L/N. Are you Penelope Garcia?” 

“Yes, I am. What can I do for you?” Once you’re sure you’re in the right place you step forward to shake her hand. She stands so that you are both on the same level now, shifting awkwardly. 

“Sorry to barge in like this. Everything has gone pretty fast this morning. I’m a new agent for the BAU. Today is my first day. The rest of the team just left on a case and SSA Hotchner asked me to stay behind and help from here.” Her face lights up with a bright smile.

“Oh, that’s awesome! It’s really nice to meet you! Please come in, sit down. Make yourself comfortable.” With this, she pulls another chair up to the desk and then sits back down in her own. “I didn’t actually know we had any new agents joining us. That being said, welcome! I’m almost always here by myself so the company will be nice. You and I can get to know each other.” You nod with a smile, watching her as she continues what she was doing. There are several different tabs open across the screens with loads of information that she seems to be compiling. When she sees your incredulous face she laughs.

“I know, it’s a lot. I’m just trying to get as much preliminary information as I can to send to the team. That’s what you’ll be helping me with. We collect research, data, important records. Anything they need to find out, we provide. Kind of cool, right?” Remaining silent, you nod. Upon seeing this, Garcia stops typing for a moment. “I know it may not seem as exciting as field work but it’s still very important. Don’t worry, I’ll make it fun. I promise you won’t be bored.” Patting your knee, she continues typing and you watch carefully now. This is where you will be until the case is over so you intend to make the absolute best of it. Everyone on the team has their own special skills and now is the time to learn from Garcia. 

“So what exactly are you looking for right now?” 

“I am compiling a list of the victim’s friends and family, plus witnesses from the robberies who might be able to give us any information. This will give the others a clear list of where to go first. I’m also seeing what I can find about the people who were at the banks on the days of the robberies in case there’s anything useful they need to know. Financial troubles, criminal records, anything to possibly link the witnesses to one another.” Scooting your chair forward so you can see better, you lean an elbow on the desk. 

“What can I help with?” You ask hopefully. 

“Oh, I think that was the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t even count on one hand how many times I’ve had someone down here and all they do is sit and look over my shoulder. Sorry, rambling. I can get you logged into a monitor here and it looks like the next thing on my list was looking into the victim’s workplace. Sound good?” 

“Yes, absolutely.” She moves over quickly and gets a separate monitor opened so you can begin researching. 

“We’ll probably do what research we can in the next twenty to thirty minutes and then we’ll call the team to tell them what we’ve found out.” With that, you make quick work of doing everything you can in the time you have. Even if it is the last thing you ever do, you will prove to Aaron Hotchner just how valuable a team member you are. 

++++++++++

The jet takes off fairly soon once the team is onboard. They all stow their go-bags and begin settling in for the flight. It is going to be a longer one today so they are all preparing themselves for the journey. Aaron finds a seat near a far window where he sets the case file down in front of himself and begins reading. His mind is swimming with thoughts and he will do anything to quiet them. The scene plays out over and over in his head, the memory still painfully fresh. Why had he said those things? He was unnecessarily harsh and he is fully aware of this. Now the first memory you’ll have of starting your dream job will be your new boss treating you appallingly. What had even compelled him to speak to you that way? Seeing you had overwhelmed him. The way you looked when you came into his office for the first time. The way your hair framed your face, the light hopefulness in your eyes, the way you captivated him with your movements. Standing there, just feet away from him, you had looked just as beautiful as the first day he met you. God, why did he lie like that? How could he have said he didn’t recognize you when you had stayed in his thoughts more times than he would like to admit over the past year? All the emotions he felt at the mere thought of you made him nauseous and he had no way of understanding them. As badly as he felt for it, he knew that for the time being it would be best to let you work from the BAU headquarters. 

“Hotch, are you okay?” JJ’s voice brings him quickly back to reality. The fact that she could see how deeply in thought he was makes him feel an odd sense of shame and he straightens in his seat. 

“Of course, I’m fine.” With this, she goes back to her own seat. With a huff of exhaustion, Hotch continues reading. The cabin is silent for a time as the other team members sit reading their case files. 

“So,” Morgan’s voice breaks the quiet. “What do we think of Y/N?” The mention of your name causes Hotch to perk up against his will. 

“Well, I like her.” Emily is the first to chime in. “I know you guys all got to meet her before me but there’s just something about her. An inherent sweetness. I’m really excited to work with her.” 

“Me, too,” JJ says next. “I thought she was kind and open. In this job, that kind of personality is hard to find. I just hope the things she sees doesn’t cause her to lose that. The world needs more kind people, not less. She seems tough though. I think she can handle it.” 

“I totally agree,” Morgan adds, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. “She’s got a little bit of fierceness in her but I like that. You’ve gotta be tough to do this job but she’s also sweet. That’s important too. Plus, that kid’s got the cutest smile. Kind of reminds me of my sisters.” At the mention of your smile, Hotch closes his eyes briefly trying to picture that smile directed at him. He quickly catches himself and looks back down at the file. 

“Well, I can’t say I know her that well yet but she seems intelligent. She certainly has eagerness to learn. I think that will help her be successful. It’s very ... refreshing.” Spencer says with a small smile.

“I agree. Right off the bat she’s got a very likable energy,” Rossi begins letting himself trail off for a moment. “Although, I have to say there is something about her that is so familiar. I can’t quite place how I might know her though. Her name too, I recognize it. For a second I thought she recognized me too but I can’t be sure.” The rest of the team watches him for a moment as he tries to recollect how he knows you but he quickly comes up blank. “I’m sure I’ll think of it eventually. Nevertheless she seems like a good kid. I’m excited to see her at work. Just a shame we’ll all have to wait.” 

Hearing this Aaron shifts in his seat, knowing that the comment is directed at him since he was the one that made you stay behind. He is suddenly very aware of the other team members looking at him. 

“Yeah, Hotch. Why isn’t she here? I thought for sure you’d wanna see what she can do.” Derek locks eyes with Aaron, causing him to debate how to answer the question. All his life Hotch has worked to control his feelings and the way that they manifest so his face remains expressionless as he thinks for a short second.

“I think that for right now her time would be better spent helping Garcia and getting used to her new environment. I agree that she does seem very intelligent and more than capable. I would just like to speak with her one on one first before thrusting her into the high intensity atmosphere that comes with our line of work.” However, this answer doesn’t seem to satisfy Morgan’s curiosity. 

“She told me when she came out of your office that you said you didn’t remember her. Is that true?” This continued line of questioning makes his blood begin to boil. Aaron Hotchner of all people knows that lies are what cause the foundations of trust to crumble. If he can’t be honest with himself, how can he expect to be honest with his team? And yet, he finds himself unable to expose his own misdeed. 

“Yes, that is correct. We’ve had a lot of cases come and go in the last few years and no one should be expected to remember every interaction they have in that length of time. According to her it was only one day and it was a long time ago at that. I apologized to her and she understood. That is the end of it.” 

“Look, I’m not passing judgement Hotch. I’m just saying I can understand why she was so hurt,” Hearing this causes his heart to clench. “She looks up to you. She didn’t even have to tell me that, I could just see it. You mentored her in a time that was very uncertain, when she had a lot to prove. She still has a lot to prove and I’m sure she thought that you would have her back and the first thing you tell her is that you don’t even remember who she is? I get it man, you’re under a lot of stress right now but she’s a part of your team. I just thought you of all people would be a little more sensitive than that.” 

His words cut right through Aaron’s heart like a knife but before he has a chance to say anything the laptop screen in the center of the cabin lights up, revealing you and Garcia. Glad for a break from the tension the rest of the team members look toward the screen. With one last glance at Morgan, Hotch leans towards him. “We will discuss this later.” His voice is firm and dangerous but he pulls away to look at the laptop. “What did you find?” He directs at the two of you.

Seeing him causes you to straighten in your seat as you ready yourself to put on your most professional face. Garcia begins telling everyone what she was able to find out about the victim. She has significantly more information than you do but once she’s done she allows you to share what you found. The victim worked at a local grocery store but he had been previously employed at the bank where the robbery took place. The team begin building a rough profile based on the information. You listen closely to their analysis of the unsubs, making mental notes on what you might add to the profile. Before you have a chance to add anything, Hotch thanks the two of you for your work and hangs up. For a moment, you could swear you saw a hint of sadness when he looked at you but you were sure it was just a glitch on the screen. 

“Sorry sweetpea. I could totally tell you wanted to add something. They can be pretty abrupt like that sometimes.” You simply give a small shrug. “Well, why don’t you tell me what it was? It’ll give you a little practice for building profiles.” She scoots to the edge of her chair, looking at you intently to which you give a small laugh.

“Well, as we know all of the unsubs are large burly men. The five of them could easily subdue the few weaker people that were present at each of the robberies and yet they chose to bring guns. I believe this shows that they feel a certain sense of inadequacy in their everyday lives. Despite their masculine appearance I would suspect they all have mediocre jobs where they are looked down upon or treated poorly. It’s possible that they all work at the same place but I would imagine they probably met somewhere else. Maybe a support group of some sort. The use of weapons gives them a sense of power over the victims that helps them live out their mass fantasy. The victim of the last crime scene was shot in the head which indicates some personal relationship between him and the unsub who pulled the trigger. That could be a good place to start.” 

“Well, it definitely makes sense to me. Maybe we can start looking in to possible support groups for these type of men. Oh, and anyone that might possibly have had reason to kill our victim.” Garcia immediately begins typing and you scoot closer to her side. 

“Shouldn’t we wait for the order from Hotch?” She laughs at this. 

“Trust me, sweetheart. At the end of the day he’s gonna thank us for the head start. One thing to know about the boss man. He likes to see initiative but he also wants you to follow his exact orders. It’s a fine balance but once you figure out how to work the line, he’s gonna love you for it.” The thought of Hotch loving you for anything at all in the world makes your heart flutter. Almost instantly you stop that train of thought and berate yourself for even entertaining it. 

“Well, I guess we better get started then.” The rest of the day goes smoothly. You and Garcia coordinate everything beautifully, finding a good amount of information that you save to send to Hotch at the most convenient time. The day seems to be over almost as quickly as it began and you thank Garcia before heading out to your car. The drive home seems to be much more monotonous than before. It seems like you’re back inside your apartment and stretched out on the couch before you can hardly blink. Rolling over, you reach for your phone which you had thrown on the coffee table. With a groan, you begin dialing your sister’s number. As much as today sucked there was no one in the world you’d rather vent to than your sister. 

“Well hey there babe. I’ve been patiently awaiting your call. Give me just a minute to get sat down. I want to hear every last detail.” There are sounds of shuffling on the other side of the phone as she finds a seat. “Okay, I’m all good. Now, tell me about your first day at the BAU! Was it everything you dreamed it would be?” 

“Yeah, not exactly,” You laugh. “It was kind of rough to be honest.” There is a moment of silence as you think how to begin.

“Okay. Start at the beginning, walk me through it.” 

“Alright. Well, I got inside and I was honestly just in awe of being there, just getting to stand in that room. It felt like I was invincible. Derek Morgan was the first one to talk to me. He was just as charming as I remembered. Anyway, he introduced me to the rest of the team and we got to talk for a bit which was really nice, you know? From the get go I really felt like part of the team.” 

“Now you know I hate to interrupt but all of this sounds great!” 

“Yeah, well, that was the best part of the day and it didn’t last very long. After I met everyone I went up to Aaron Hotchner’s office to give him my paperwork. I’m sure you know by now that I was pretty excited to see him again, right? Well, when I told him how excited I was to be working with him again he told me that he didn’t actually know who I was. He completely forgot about me. I mean, I guess I get it. It’s been a year and a half and he meets a lot of people. Why would he remember me specifically?”

“Y/N, don’t invalidate your own feelings. What he said upset you and it’s okay to be hurt. That would have hurt my feelings too. You’re a really great person and he sucks for not thinking about you ever since he met you.” Hearing this, you can’t help but laugh a bit. Her ability to defend you no matter what always cheers you up. 

“Thank you. I appreciate that. I just wish he thought the same. Anyway, I gave him my paperwork so I could travel with the team. They got a case this morning and I was planning to go with them but for some reason Hotch made me stay behind even though I am cleared to be in the field. It just really bummed me out because I was super ready to get out there and start working but I got benched for my very first case. He had me stay with this girl named Garcia, she’s the team’s technical analyst. I mean, she’s really sweet and we worked super well together but I just wish I could have been out there doing the things that I spent seven years of my life training for.” 

“I am so sorry. That sucks. I know how excited you were. Look at the bright side, this is only your first case. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get out there and prove yourself. It’s all gonna work out.” Unable to keep from smiling, you roll over on your side. 

“Thanks. I really hope you’re right.” Sensing the fact that you’re still upset she decides to help by changing the subject. 

“So, who all did you meet today? I know you already knew a few of the team members but was there anybody new?” 

“Yeah, Elle and Gideon are no longer there. I’m really sad I missed getting to work with them but the people I met seem really amazing. The first girl I met was named Emily Prentiss. She was really nice. The other was a guy named David Rossi.” When you finish your sentence there is nothing but silence on the other end of the phone. You wait a minute for your sister’s response but there is nothing. Before you can ask what’s wrong she chimes in again. 

“Did you say David Rossi?” There is a tone in her voice that you don’t recognize and it causes concern to stir in your stomach. 

“Yeah, why? What’s up?” There is another moment of silence. 

“It’s -- it’s nothing. I shouldn’t bring it up. You’ve already had a rough day.” As if she can sense your anxiety she continues. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. I promise I’ll tell you later, okay? I just don’t think we should talk about it right now, that’s all.” As much as you want to pry you can tell that no matter how much you ask, you’re not getting the answer out of her. With a sense of unease you agree and try changing the conversation again. Once you’ve changed the topic to something other than work you can feel her ease again and the two of you talk for nearly 45 minutes. After a while you decide to call it a night and shortly afterwards you find yourself in bed. You hadn’t even realized how exhausted you were until your head hit the pillow. Your sleep is dreamless which you decide in the morning is probably a good thing. 

++++++++++

The remainder of the case is spent hunkered down in Garcia’s office either doing frantic research or simply getting to know one another. In just a short while the two of you become very fast friends. You realize quickly that you share a lot of common interests and all of your conversations are endlessly fascinating. It also doesn’t take you very long to realize that you actually enjoy the work that you do with her. There is quite a bit of skill required to dig as deeply and accurately as the two of you do. It is a race against the clock to find everything you need in order to help the team and there is a certain level of excitement that comes with that. Of course you still wish you were out in the field but in the end you learn a lot and make a good friend along the way. The case ends rather succinctly with all five unsubs found and arrested with no more casualties along the way. It’s a good feeling, knowing that you helped to catch the bad guys and no one had to die for you to do so. The day the team is set to return you and Garcia head out for coffee before they show up, figuring that you deserve a little treat after all of your hard work. You make light conversation as you make your way back into the building just in time for the team to arrive. You watch them each make their way to their desks, setting down their bags and taking a moment to rest. Of course the last one to walk in is Hotch who heads straight up to his office, shutting the door behind him. 

When you feel like it’s an appropriate time you make your way over to Morgan’s desk. Upon seeing you his lips crack into a wide smile. 

“Well hey sweetheart! I have to say, you did awesome work on this case.” As he says this, he extends his hand for a high five which you quickly grant him. “I know it wasn’t easy having to sit out but you did great. I’m proud of you.” It takes everything in you not to blush. 

“Thanks. I learned a lot and I made a good friend along the way.”

“Yeah, Garcia’s pretty great isn’t she?” He says with a knowing smile.

“She definitely is. She talks about you a lot, you know.” 

“Oh, I know. Baby girl just can’t stop thinking about me. Not that I blame her, of course.” At this you lightly punch his arm. 

“You are both such teases.” This makes Morgan laugh. 

“We gotta keep things interesting.” He leans forward as though he’s about to start his paperwork but he quickly leans back to look at you. “Hey, now that I’m back we gotta go out for drinks tonight. Everyone else is already game so long as you are.” 

“Yeah, I’d like that.” You confirm with a grin.

“Great. You know, I’d say I’m buying but I kind of feel like you owe me.” Your brow furrows in confusion.

“What do you mean by that?” 

“Well, I was trying to get some answers for you so I asked Hotch why he wouldn’t let you on the case and he royally chewed me out for it. In his defense I probably shouldn’t have asked in front of the rest of the team but that decision still just doesn’t sit right with me.” Morgan’s words mingle in your head. It doesn’t sit right with you either but it isn’t really your place to question your boss’ orders. 

“I’m sorry he got upset with you. I do appreciate you defending me though. You’re my knight in shining denim.”

“Anytime kid. I’m happy to help.” Getting to talk to Morgan has almost instantly lifted your spirits. However, it doesn’t take long for your heart to drop into your stomach. 

“Agent L/N. May I speak to you in my office please?” You hadn’t even noticed that Hotch had come out of his office until his voice drew your attention to him. With a quick look at Morgan, who gives you a reassuring glance, you push yourself off his desk and make your way over to where Hotch is standing. Once you’re at his side he extends a hand, allowing you to step inside first. He follows quickly, shutting the door behind him. “Please, have a seat.” He says, gesturing towards a leather couch on the far wall. As you begin to sit on one end he takes up residence on the other, his knee just inches away from yours. Once you’re both settled he focuses all of his attention on you. He doesn’t seem angry but you aren’t holding your breath. It’s best to just stay professional and speak with him earnestly. 

“I’m glad to see you all back safely sir.” You begin. After the stress of the case, you want to make sure he knows that as hurt as you were by his previous decision you harbor no ill will towards him. 

“Thank you. It’s not very often that cases end as well as this one did. You understand that, don’t you? This was a special circumstance.” 

“Yes, I realize that. I’m just grateful that it did end happily even if it was just this once.” There is an intensity in the way he watches you.

“Good. I just want to make sure you fully know what to expect.” 

“I do sir. I did the day that I applied for school. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” Staying silent for a moment he nods as if in thought. 

“I know before I left I said we would be able to talk. I’d like to learn a little bit more about you and from there I’ll be able to evaluate your abilities before taking you into the field. I know it wasn’t the decision you were hoping for but I hope you understand it nonetheless.”

“Of course. It’s not my place to question you and in the end I learned a lot from Garcia. Plus she was nice to work with.” 

“Good. I’m very glad to hear that you were able to make the most of the situation.” He stops for a moment, his gaze relaxing. “I wanted to tell you how well you did on this case. A challenge was presented to you and you handled it with grace. The information you provided was incredibly helpful and your suggestions were very well thought out. I was very impressed.” The softness in his eyes as he praises you leaves a fluttering sensation in your stomach. Throughout the entirety of the case you had been so hell bent on proving yourself to him and hearing him say that you had done well made every hour of hard work worth it. As much as your heart is singing you have to remind yourself to be calm. Even though he is being kind to you now, he had made his feelings known to you during your first meeting. There is no reason to read into things. Clearly he doesn’t feel what you feel. 

“Thank you sir. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed when I was left behind but I realized that I’m grateful to be here no matter what. I worked really hard to get here, to be doing this kind of work, and not everyone gets the chance to do what they’re truly meant to be doing. As heartbreaking as the outcome of this job usually is, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.” With every word the two of you are locked into one another’s eyes. For a moment you can almost swear he is holding his breath. 

“I appreciate that sense of purpose. I will always support my team but it makes it easier with members who are invested.” 

“I am. Completely. I’m here. I know you haven’t gotten a real chance to see me work but please know that my heart is in this.” 

“That was never in question,” Hotch pauses, letting his eyes fall to his lap as he considers his next sentence. “I believe now that I made a rash decision in asking you to stay behind. I can see that you are mentally prepared to be in the field. I apologize for my harsh words. I of course can’t say anything for your physical performance yet but I won’t be able to evaluate the full extent of your abilities until I am able to watch you in the field. On the next case I would like you to join the rest of the team.” A breath of relief leaves your lips.

“Of course. I’m ready to get to work.”

“I know. You’ll have the chance soon enough. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to come speak with me.” 

“Thank you sir.” Hotch simply nods in response, beginning to stand. You follow his actions, gathering that he is done with the conversation. As you make your way to the door, feeling much lighter than when you came in, he stops you.

“Agent L/N,” The sound of his voice causes you to turn back. “I just wanted to say again that I’m sorry for not remembering you. I never meant to hurt you. It isn’t that you were forgettable. It’s just that a lot has happened in the last year.” This apology seems much more heartfelt than before and you try to hide a smile. 

“I forgive you, sir.” With that you take your leave, making your way right back to Morgan’s desk. The shift in your mood must be palpable because he looks up at you with a smile.

“That’s not the face of someone that just got yelled at by Hotch.” 

“No, no he didn’t yell at me. He was just telling me I did a good job and he cleared me to work in the field on the next case.” 

“Good for you, kid. I’m glad we’re finally gonna get a chance to see what you can really do,” Nodding you rest against the edge of his desk again. “Now, see? That wasn’t too bad was it?” Looking back towards Hotch’s office you can see him bent over his desk, filling out paperwork. Being able to watch him for a moment without fear of falling apart allows you to crack a small smile.

“No. I guess it wasn’t.” 

Tags:  @talesfromtheguild @lannister-slings-and-arrows @gryffindorwriter @nopeforyou @sheerfreesia007 @roxypeanut @ohpedromypedro @ssahotchie @ithinkhesgaybutwesavedmufasa @readsalot73 @the-mechanical-angel @races-erster @maxlordd @pascalisthepunkest @paintballkid711​ @hotchafterhours @h0tchner @ssahotchswife @ssahotchhner @technotic-prophecy @klinenovakwinchester  @hotch-stufff @annadorothxa @canadailluminate @yoshigguk @gothicxbarbie @romanogersendgame​​

[guiltysecretpasttime]

Grey Eyes

This is in response to a prompt I received:

camryn-bria I have a Linzin headcanon that there is a secret (airbending) child.  Could you write a one-shot of Tenzin finding out Lin is pregnant after breaking up with her.

I’ll probably put in a better summary, tags or notes later on. But hope you enjoy this 😊 

(So I had too much fun (maybe) with this and it ended up being a two-parter rather than a one-shot, hope this is okay)

Lin/Tenzin pre-canon fanfic | 1 of 2

 Legend of Korra

---

Despite what the public thought, Chief Toph Beifong was not a heartless person.

While truly a strong woman, it did not mean she did not have emotions. Family and friends played a huge role in occupying a space in her heart.

Family.

It was precisely because of family why she was pacing in front of the doctor’s examination room.

Toph closed her eyes in worry.

Of her two daughters, Lin was the one most like her.

Her youngest daughter, Suyin, at her current state, probably was who her own mother wanted her to be.

Initially scoffed at and at the brink of being of being disrespected, Toph Beifong later on was reputed to be one of the toughest police chiefs that the region has even had.

She had welcomed her daughter during her second year as a police chief of Republic City. The father, unfortunately, passed.

Lin’s father was Toph’s fellow detective. Toph had just given birth to her and was out of the force when Kanto responded to a call. He was hit and he died.

Since then, Toph promised herself that it would simply not do to miss time at work.

The first few months of raising Lin were particularly difficult. She had then elected to live near her married friends, Aang and Katara.

Toph took it hard – spent time away from Lin for the next months and sent her to Air Temple Island. She eventually got back to her senses, realizing her daughter needed her and had reached back to take care of Lin.

Lin always wanted to be like her mother and the father she barely met. Suyin, on the other hand, well, that was another story.

“Mom.”

Toph’s reverie was interrupted by the soft voice of her eldest child.

“Oh, Lin.”

In Lin’s hand was an ultrasound photo of a child, Lin took her mother’s hand and read out to her the notes on the photo.

Indeed, Lin was the child most like her mother.

 ---

What was he doing here? He has some nerve.

“Aunt Toph?

She tried to ignore the tall bald man in her office.

“Aunt Toph?”

Persistent little bugger, eh?

“That’s Chief Beifong to you.” She felt him squirm and fidget. “The citizens desk is on the other floor. Or have you gotten lost?”

“I, uh, no. I actually wanted to see Lin.”

“Captain Beifong, you mean.”

She felt him flinch. Good.

“I -.”

“Don’t you worry your bald head about it, Master Tenzin.” Aspersion dripping with every word. “Captain Beifong is away on suspension. She won’t be bothering you any time soon.”

“But – no! I didn’t come here to complain or file charges.” Toph could here the shock at Tenzin’s voice. “You didn’t have to – she didn’t need to be suspended!”

Chief Beifong ignored him. “Captain Beifong caused destruction to property – Air Temple Island’s reconstruction will be done soonest – and basically threatened you, a government official. She would have received worse.”

“But -.”

“Is there anything else, Councilman?”

“Uhm, no. I’ll just drop by Lin’s.”

“She not there,” Toph felt the airbender pause at her door. “She’s suspended until further notice; and she been sent away from Republic City.”

 ---

At least that was what the press was informed, to explain away the disappearance of a prominent person

But internally, with the higher ups in the Republic City Police Department, they knew differently. They were told that she was out undercover and they better not try to make contact – or there will be consequences.

Toph was proud of her daughter’s strategy. She had been an absentee mother in the past years. She wanted to make up for it by supporting Lin’s decisions.

Even if it meant no contact with her in the next months.

 ---

Lin found herself in a remote Earth Kingdom town which used to be a Fire Nation colony. She had come to this place years ago in a recon mission and had known that there were a good mix of nations, making it easy to blend in.

Her current mission was not anything dangerous – just another reconnaissance mission to look into whether there was some truth to the formation of a new organization similar to the New Ozai Society, who would seek to undermine the United Republic.

As someone fresh out of her 20s, Lin thought she was (or she should be) fit enough for the job at the local bar. Thankfully, she was able to convince the barkeep to hire her even after telling him of her predicament (she wondered if maybe the man really just needed help so badly). She also figured it was a good place to get in with the locals and, well, the local gossip.

Lin opted to keep her first name (common as it was anyway), rented a small apartment unit walking distance from the city center, and now, had landed a job  (that hopefully placed her in a good spot to fulfill her mission) which paid adequate wages.

She felt she was prepared to start anew – a new job, a new mission, and a baby on the way.

 ---

Tenzin huffed as he consulted his map.

He had gone to Gaoling, to the Beifong ancestral home (that was were Suyin was sent there before anyway. But Lin wasn’t there.

He even went out of his way and chanced a visit to Zaofu.

Su was surprised to see him and, no, she has not seen or talked to her sister in years.

Instead, the airbender got a slap for his efforts (“You idiot! You broke my sister’s heart!” “You weren’t even talking to her! You don’t know what’s with her.” “I knew enough to know that she loves you!”).

He tossed the map aside. He was stumped; he didn’t know where else to look for Lin.

He did not even notice his mother, watching from the doorway of his study, looking at him with concern.

 ---

“Hey, get away from him!”

“Eh! And what’re you gunn’ do ‘bout that lady?”

“I’ll show you!”

“What the -!”

“Scram!”

“Alright, we’re going – we’re going!”

The earthbender turned to the young man on the ground (maybe late teens or early twenties in age, she guessed) who was of Water Tribe ethnicity. “Hey kid, are you okay?”

“I’m fine – didn’t need your help.” The man grumbled, standing up and dusting himself.

“Right.” The woman stated, obviously not believing it as she had just walked across the scene of several benders pulling up by his collar, whether they were mugging him or not, she did not wait to find out before launching some rocks from the road at the thieves. “Of course, you didn’t need help. You had it all in control, didn’t you?” She deadpanned.

The man rolled his eyes. “A truth seer, aren’t you?”

She crossed her arms. “Maybe.”

“No – I don’t think so.” The water tribe man shook his head. “Thanks though.”

The earthbender extended to shake his hand.

“Lin.”

He clasped it with his own.

“Noatak.”

 ----

Months passed and Tenzin had not lost hope in finding Lin, but he had to admit that the hope was fast dwindling.

Twice Chief Beifong had said that Captain Beifong’s whereabouts were none of his business and that she will put his sorry ass in jail if he pried once more.

Neither Chief Beifong or anyone from his family shared any input to the media as to his relationship status. The disappearance of Lin Beifong and the sudden reconstruction of some of the pavilions at Air Temple Island made up much of the chatter and gossip though.

His cheerless disposition just about confirmed everything anyway.

 ---

Meanwhile, in the Earth Kingdom, Lin finally gathered enough courage to send out a letter to Tenzin. She had used a post office’s box from two towns away to ensure that he would not be led directly to her should he decide to respond.

After contemplating on the matter for the past months, and after finally admitting to herself, she decided to give Tenzin the option to be a father to their child.

It was the least she could do. She did not want her (their) child to grow up without a father if he was willing to be there. She knew, she grew up with, the alternative to that.

We may no longer be together, but it does not change the fact that this child is yours as well. I’m giving you this chance – to either declare this child as your own or to simply ignore and disregard this. I am fully capable of raising this child as my own so I am open to giving you an out.

Well then, so the proverbial ball was in the airbender’s court.

Gently, placing a hand on her now visible pregnant belly, Lin knew the waiting game has started.

 ---

In an ill-conceived attempt to raise his spirits, the Air Acolytes of Air Temple Island saw it fit to host a birthday celebration for him. His mother had given it a go signal as she was also at her wits’ end to help bolster his mood. Even the passing of her husband (his father) did not seem to have dragged him down this way.

What Katara did not know, however, was that the press had somewhat managed to get in with the festivities as well.

The papers for the next few days ran a feature on the last airbender’s birthday celebration. They also printed a picture of him with just about any single female he talked to during the party.

This was followed by a steady stream of letters and messages poured into Air Temple Island as well as into Tenzin’s office at city hall.

The first few letters, Tenzin had deigned to read.

But after the seventeenth letter, the airbender, with a furious blush on his skin, went to the kitchen where his mother was calmly instructing an acolyte for tonight’s dinner.

“Mother!”

Katara dismissed the acolyte before turning to her son. “What is it?” She held out her hand to take one of the letters that Tenzin was waving at her.

The waterbender briefly went through the letter. It appeared that –

“They have been sending me propositions!” Tenzin exasperatedly explained, showing the envelopes with addresses coming from different parts of the world. “Ever since the broadsheets and tabloids have been putting in these features about me being single.” He continued to pace in the kitchen while Katara went through the other letters. The content was fairly similar – a Fire Nation noble offering his daughter in marriage, an Air Acoylte from the Eastern Temple sharing her daughter’s knowledge of all things Air Nomad culture, an Earth Kingdom merchant living in the upper ring boasting of his niece… “I’m not interested in any of these, Mother. I just – I just -.” He took a deep breath. “I need to find Lin. It’s only been Lin.”

Katara could believe that.

“I know – Mother, if letters come to the island for me, please send it to my office. I’ll have my secretary handle them.”

And with that, Tenzin swept away, leaving Katara to only wonder and hope that whatever he thought of would truly help him out.

 ---

I see.

So he has made his choice.

Lin gripped tightly the letter she received in response to the one she had sent.

She tried but there was nothing she owed him now.

The earthbender then tossed the letter into her drawer, to be hidden from prying eyes, to try and forget its existence.

 Thank you for your interest but I already have a life partner.

I would like to request for your respect in this avenue and refrain from sending any more letters in this similar vein.

Respectfully yours,

Tenzin

 ---

Noatak knocked on the door one more time.

Lin was nearing her due date and the barkeep had place a notice for a reliever, a substitute while Lin was out.

The Water Tribe man took the opportunity – he had been juggling different jobs in town anyway so what’s one more?

Lin had been showing the ropes to him the past few days and was always ever so prompt so that they have enough time before opening.

This was why he stood at her front door now. The earthbender failed to show up at their regular time and so he worried.

“Lin? Are you there?”

There was no answer.

Something felt very wrong.

He looked to the left and looked to the right. No one was around and so putting his entire weight on it, he hit his shoulder against the door several times until it gave way.

“LIN!”

To his shock and horror, the pregnant lady slumped unconscious at her living room, blood surrounding her at the floor.

Noatak hurried to her, feeling her pulse and closing his eyes.

He had been hiding a secret for so long, no one knew in this new life he had been living. As far as they knew, he was a non-bender – no one had paused to ask, except this woman who had asked him and had graciously not pried further when he said he did not want to talk about his past. He knew she was trying to start a new life, but he wasn’t sure why. She respected him enough as well to leave him to his privacy.

That day when the muggers had almost done him in, he thought that would have been the end of it, revenge be damned. To his surprise, someone did intervene for him.

Enough reminiscing for now though, because now, this woman needed him.

Taking a deep breath, Noatak reached forward his arms, allowing him to feel the push and pull from the two lives in front of him, not in the way his father wanted him to but to save these lives.

 ---

Tenzin was absentmindedly tapping his pen on today’s agenda in the council meeting.

The monotony of his responsibilities to the city barely weighed on him now.

It was the same old routine at the council.

His interest was peaked when the doors opened and a man, who he recognized as Chief Beifong’s trusted secretary, hurried over to the Chief of Police’s side, whispering quickly.

Toph Beifong suddenly stood up, muttering her excuses to the rest of the attendees of the council meeting and left (something about an urgent matter regarding one of her subordinates’ mission?).

 ---

“Chief, it would appear that the Captain has now given birth to a daughter.”

“What! I need to get to her.”

“Unfortunately, protocols still state that no contact be made -.”

“But I’m her mother.”

“Please, Chief Beifong, Captain Beifong explicitly indicated that in her report as well. Everything is okay and not to let you go to her as it would impact her cover.”

Nonetheless, this did not stop Toph Beifong from instructing her secretary to send off a large box of baby things to a remote town in the Earth Kingdom.

 ---

The last airbender quickly made his way out of the restaurant where that farce of a stilted family dinner (that his mother insisted on) was still on-going.

It had been uncomfortable enough when Chief Beifong arrived, nary a word towards him but quite civil with his mother and their visitors. At some point during the meal, the Fire Lord started to pass around photographs of his teenaged grandson and even Chief Beifong was obliged to share photos of her own grandchildren.

Tenzin tried to ignore the longing gaze his mother had on the photographs.

He met the eyes of his brother, who coincidentally was stationed this week near Republic City, who in turn shrugged back at him.

Yeah, that’s not happening. Unless someone comes forward to speak up about the fruits of Bumi having sown his wild oats, their mother would need to wait a little longer to have her own grandchild.

“And who might this be?” His mother brought up a photo of a baby.

“Did Su have another child?” Fire Lord Zuko peered at the small plastic booklet that Toph had fished from her uniform’s pocket.

“Eh?” Toph reached out to get it back, fingers running through the little indentions at the edge, helping her identify the labels on the photos.

Tenzin did not miss the quick panic that showed on the metalbender’s face before it was back to her inscrutable expression.

“It’s an old photo of one of her boys.” She promptly placed the booklet of photos back into her pocket. “I must have taken it by accident.”

As the rest went about their meal, Tenzin could not help but revert to the photograph of the baby. The baby appeared to be a couple of months old and…there was something that was niggling the back of his head about the child.

Conversation went to work, the new policies in the United Forces, the statue of Fire Lord Zuko in Republic City… They were all pleasantries that Tenzin did not want to talk about.

As soon as it was acceptable, he had excused himself from dinner, citing an urgent deliverable from city hall. No one tried to stop him and everyone took it at face value. He had, after all, buried himself into work in the past months in between trying to look for Lin. The airbender simply did not believe anymore that she was merely suspended from the Force after being absent for more than a year now.

Tenzin thought that Suyin Beifong, by now, would have an idea as to her sister’s whereabouts. Recalling their last interaction, however, he rubbed his cheek gingerly in recollection, he felt he needed to soften her up first.

Coming from that awkward dinner conversation, he had an idea.

Her children!

 And that was how the airbender found himself at the nearest open store that catered to mothers that carried items (food, clothes, furniture, you name it) for their children.

Tenzin had a vague recollection on how old Su’s children were. He was unsure, though, as to what do kids at those age need or want. He figured that the store’s clerk would know and headed to the store’s counter, waiting until the clerk finished assisting two ladies in selecting the best bassinet that the store offers.

The airbender leaned on the glass counter, tapping absentmindedly as he was wont to do when waiting --- when he saw a brown box just behind the counter hidden from view of the common customer (it just so happened he was tall and nosy enough to see it). There was a small sticky note that caught his attention:

Monthly order of Chief Beifong.

Why on earth would Aunt Toph have a monthly order at this place when her own children have long since grown up?

Tenzin twisted his neck to peer at the label of the box, to check the address, thinking that maybe it was headed to Zaofu for Suyin and her kids.

To his confusion, it was to a place within the Earth Kingdom.

Tenzin froze.

What if…it was to another daughter and grandchild?

The photograph!

He now realized what bothered him – the baby in the photo was relatively fair-skinned and he was sure both of Su and Baatar’s children were tanned. Su was also not pregnant back when he last saw her so it could not have been a new Zaofu Beifong baby.

Toph Beifong would be hard-pressed to care about children or babies unless they were related to her.

This left Tenzin with only one plausible explanation.

 The airbender then left the store, hurriedly making plans to get to the Earth Kingdom by the next day.

 ----

And there she was – as radiant as the last time he saw her (never mind that it was in the middle of the unleashing of her powerful fury upon his childhood home).

With a pang, Tenzin saw Lin Beifong carrying a baby, accompanied by a tall (and very young, Tenzin thought unpleasantly) man who appeared to be of Water Tribe descent. The two were engrossed in conversation that they missed the airbender who had been staring after them.

Tenzin had arrived at the town square and was about to head to the address he had committed to memory when he saw Lin. He was about to approach her when the Water Tribe man intercepted her. The airbender noted the familiarity with which the two interacted (it felt like the air was being squeezed out of his lungs). The man offered to take what Tenzin assumed to be a baby bag and Lin had easily acquiesced.

He surreptitiously followed Lin, unsure where they were going but not wanting to take the risk of losing sight of the earthbender he had been searching for quite some time now.

As he watched every exchange of the two, Tenzin could not help but feel at a loss. He had tried to think of every possible scenario, of what he would say, what he would do once he found Lin.

But none of the scenarios he imagined prepared him for the reality.

He never did imagine finding Lin as a mother.

He never did imagine finding Lin with a partner.

And she looked – content.

Tenzin felt a pit form at the bottom of his stomach. Could he – should he – possibly ruin this with his appearance?

Call him selfish but…he’ll try just one last time. If there was an inkling, of the slightest chance of a future with Lin --- he’ll gamble it.

For himself. For Lin.

 ---

“Jinora, sweetheart, be a good girl for Noatak first, please? Mama needs to work for a bit.”

The eight-month-old child burrowed herself further into her mother’s arms but nodded nonetheless. “Good girl.” Lin gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead as the younger man hoisted the child, anchoring her to his hip.

Lin had gone back to work on a part-time basis, but more on the management side of the bar (accounting, menu planning, etc) rather than being actually behind the counter, serving the customers like before. The barkeep was pleased with Noatak’s performance during Lin’s maternity leave that he had decided to hire him full-time.

They would usually come to the bar before opening hours, Lin to check on the previous night’s accounting and Noatak with preparing with the rest of the crew.

Lin was scheduled to start with the local bookstore soon on her off-days from the bar.

Today, it was accounting morning at the bar. She would usually be able to have an hour or two of continuous work while the crew would take turns looking after her daughter if she were awake. If not, Jinora would be placed on her sling and Lin could still comfortably work.

Getting out several folders and her writing implements, Lin pulled out a chair near the window, preferring the natural light while working.

She managed to work for around ten minutes when a shadow fell on her work; before she could even raise her head to address who or what was blocking her light, she turned her head to the inner part of the bar as she heard her name being called.

“Liiiin!”

 ---

When he saw the Water Tribe man leave Lin with the child, Tenzin saw his chance.

He took some time to deliberate though; he observed her quietly, soaking in his view of the woman he had let go (and would be claiming back, if she would have him).

He took a bracing breath and entered the bar.

“Lin!”

Lin would look up at him. “Tenzin! What are you doing here?”

He would kneel – “I’m so sorry Lin, I know you have a child, I’ll love her like she were my own – I promise to treat you better than Mr Water Tribe there. Please Lin Beifong please – I regret letting you go, if you’ll have me, I’ll want to spend the rest of my life proving my devotion to you. Please- Lin please.”

Then Lin would get up, maybe give him a slap harder than what Su gave him then give him a hug before making him work for it.

Before he could even say a single word to put his imagined scenario into action, another voice (that he was starting to dislike) rang out.

“Liiiin!”

“Yes, Noatak?” Lin stood up quickly to address the young man, who was carrying a giggling baby at arm’s length. “What is it? How is Jinora?”

Tenzin felt his heart skip a beat, that Lin named her daughter one of the names he wanted for their daughter… well, he was not sure how he felt about it. Maybe he will explore it a little bit more when he was alone but for now…

“I know I helped bring her into this world –,”

Tenzin blinked at the sudden hurt he felt at his chest at this.

“But please, Lin – take your evil spawn away from me.” Noatak thrusted the still giggling child dramatically back at her mother, half kidding and half exasperated. “You know how much time it takes me each more to fix my hair. Then this little girl here,” He tickles her side and Jinora squeals with laughter. “Decides to blow a gust of air to my face – imagine that!”

The airbender heard this and froze.

“I know you said this brat (“My daughter isn’t a brat!”) is part-Water Tribe,” He gestured to his now unkempt hair. “But I don’t think this is a sign of respecting her culture?”

“My daughter is acting fine.”  Jinora kicked her chubby legs as though to prove a point, disturbing the dust on the floor. “And we did discuss this – no training until she’s older. I want her to have a normal childhood.”

“Ok then,” Noatak waved his hand and nodded, obviously agreeing. “Anyway, I’m in charge of family meal today so I better start prepping.” With one last tickle at the baby’s side, he left and headed to the kitchen.

Lin shook her head and called after him “I’ll pack up and get back to the books later!” It would seem her daughter was in a mood today.

Speaking of meals…

Jinora had been tugging at her chest. “Feeding time is it?”

 Tenzin watched Lin smile softly at the baby, a smile he saw rarely, a smile that he only saw between the dark of the night and daybreak, in between sleep and wakefulness as they laid in bed together.

He cleared his throat to remove a lump that was forming, a signal of impending tears.

Lin had forgotten about the newcomer as she angled the baby go position her for feeding when she heard someone clear their throat.

“I’m sorry, how can I help –,” Her eyes met familiar grey ones. “You.”

 ---

There was a lot to take in.

The Earth Kingdom.

Lin.

The Water Tribe man (Noatak, he spat.)

Lin.

The baby.

The airbending baby.

Jinora.

There was no doubt on whose child Lin was carrying.

Tenzin pushed forward at the surprised earthbender to take them (her and their daughter!) into his arms.

----

Note: This is part one of two --- ooor we could end it there? 🤷🏼‍♀️ Let me know!

(how do you tag people anyway?? @camryn-bria

---

2 of 2 here.

[scarpool-gmk]

7

Title: Godly Marine: Killed Author: Scarpool Fandom(s): NCIS, Percy Jackson & the Olympians Pairing(s): Gen Rating: PG/K+ Summary: Chapter 7 (9/13) — Staff Sergeant Michael Kahale, Marine Corps Mechanic and Son of Athena, was murdered. Annabeth Chase is determined to find out who did it and why. She, along with Percy Jackson, Grover Underwood, and Clarisse La Rue, infiltrate NCIS where they team up with NCIS Agents Leroy Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, and Ziva David. Complete Genre: Fanfiction, Mystery, Drama, Humour, General, Action Warnings:  N/A

Gibbs's command to 'bring them all' was still ringing in Tony's head as he finished dropping off the Kahale kids in the conference room. Their father was waiting for questioning.

The elevator dinged, signaling Ziva's and Gibbs's arrival. They lead Patricia Kahale in, Ziva taking point and escorting her to interrogation.

Tony walked next to Gibbs to report. "One in interrogation, the rest in the conference room."

Gibbs nodded and glanced around the bullpen. "Where are they?"

The long Island Agents. "Uh, don't know, Boss. They weren't here when we came back."

Gibbs lifted an eyebrow but stayed silent.

"So, how do you want to do this, Boss?"

"Let's start with the father."

Tony snatched the case file as they passed his desk. Then, not because he had an urge to share his current opinion, Tony said, "And the evil step-mother?"

"Let her stew."

"Right, Boss. How about the kids?"

"Have McGee bring them down. He's in charge of any incoming calls."

"Right." Tony started for the center stairs.

"Hey!" Gibbs called out. "You're with me. Write to him or something."

Tony frowned as he followed Gibbs. Although interrogation was way more fun than dealing with McProbie and the kids, Tony was uncomfortable that Gibbs wanted him to send a postcard through the building.

"Write to him?"

"Through your phone," Gibbs said.

"Oh! Er, you mean send a text."

Gibbs stopped in his tracks. Tony cringed. "I'm writing to him, Boss."

Gibbs continued on, leading them to the interrogation wing and pushed open a door even though he was never told in which room the man was being held in. Tony shuddered. The Gind. What power it beholds.

"Hey, what's going on?" Johnathan Kahale questioned as they entered. "You said this was about my son? What's going on with the investigation?"

"Mr. Kahale," Tony said, "This is Special Agent Gibbs."

"Hi," Kahale said and, after a brief hesitation, held his hand out. Gibbs shook in greeting.

"So, you are also on Michael's case? I had only met two other agents before being picked up by Agent David and Agent DiNozzo here. I didn't realize how big your teams are."

"Yeah," Gibbs chuckled, "I'm getting that a lot recently."

"Oh," Kahale said, unsurely. Tony understood. He would have said the same thing to that.

"So, how long is this going to take? With the kids here, I should really speak to my wife."

"Your wife is also here, Mr. Kahale," Tony said.

"Really? Can I please see her?"

"No," Gibbs said.

"What? Why not?"

"You are both suspects," Gibbs said.

"Excuse me?! I don't know how you came to that conclusion, Agent Gibbs, but I assure you that neither of us had anything to do with my son's death."

"Then I'm sure you can account for your whereabouts during that time," Tony said.

"I was home."

"Asleep?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes."

"Your wife?"

"Right beside me."

"Did you know about Michael's presence in the area?" Tony asked.

"It's like I told the other agents. No."

"And your wife?" Gibbs asked.

"No."

Gibbs reached into the case file and placed a sheet down.

"Explain," Gibbs said.

"I don't understand," Kahale said. "Are these my phone records?"

"Yeah," Tony said, "There were three calls during the night. One of which you made. You called Michael."

"How do you know it was Michael? It could've been anyone."

"Like who?" Tony asked. "Who would you call at one in the morning that used a number that magically disappeared after use?"

There were a couple of 'um's and 'well's as Kahale fished for an answer. And Gibbs was able to fill in Kahale's awkward moment. "Adrian Rodriguez."

Johnathan Kahale blinked. "Who?"

"Don't know him?" Tony said, hoping to get any sort of recognition, although it was apparent the name was meaningless to the man. "First Lieutenant Adrian Rodriguez. He was assigned to the same ship as your son. He used the same technique Michael used. Make a call. Dump the phone. You have quite the phone history. Remarkably, so do the First Lieutenant's parents. In fact, most of the calls you received from out of service numbers align perfectly with the First Lieutenant's folks. Gap lengths and all. Same day. Same hour. Same location."

Kahale sighed heavily. "It was Michael."

"Why'd you call him?" Gibbs asked.

"Wanted to set up a place to meet?" Tony suggested. "A place to kill him?"

"No! Never!"

"So why lie about contacting him?" Tony asked. "Was it your wife? She doesn't like him. That much is obvious. So what? Keep it hidden? Keep the son you had with another woman a little secret?"

"Michael wasn't some dirty secret!"

"He went missing," Gibbs said.

"Yeah," Tony said, adding some interpretation to that topic. "Why did he run away?"

Kahale shifted in his seat. "He didn't run away," he said. But his posture displayed the doubt he had. Interesting. If he had communicated with his son, shouldn't he have known the answer to that?

Gibbs opened the file again and placed down pictures of Michael's body in autopsy. He also placed down Ducky's official report. "He had tissue and muscle scars old enough to have been done before he disappeared," Gibbs said.

Kahale's eyes flashed up at Gibbs. "You imply that he had ever been beaten in my home, Agent Gibbs?"

"He was different," Tony said, hoping to diffuse the situation and redirect some of the clear revulsion from Kahale onto himself. "No pictures. No social life. Behavioral problems. No steady school. Mother doesn't exist. Who was she? Just some random chick?"

"She wasn't random. And she wasn't just some chick. She was intelligent. Exquisite. Knowledgeable about every subject. Well-travelled. Skilled beyond measure. She knew me before I even laid eyes on her. She's a goddess. And I fell for her, even knowing the consequences."

Wow. Tony might be jealous if his partner lit up like that about a previous flame that had no records. Not to mention, bringing a kid into the picture.

"I loved his mother. I still do. No matter how much she may now despise me. And I love Michael. I could never blame him for any of the things he brought with him. How could I blame him?"

'Blame him?'

"What happened?" Gibbs asked.

"Why'd he leave?" Tony said.

Kahale let out a breath. "He wanted to find his mother's relatives."

"Is she dead?" Tony asked.

Kahale shrugged. How helpful.

"You didn't know where they were?" Gibbs asked.

"No."

"So, what," Tony said, wrapping his head around this idea. "You just let a ten-year-old kid travel the country? Unsupervised? Alone? With not a clue where to go?"

"It wasn't planned," Kahale said, "He didn't say anything; he just left."

"But," Tony dragged the vowel out. "You were okay with his disappearance?"

The silence was the confirmation.

This was crazy! Who would do that? No, scratch that. Tony knew the answer to that. But these people just didn't fit that profile. This guy had to be lying. He was just following the given story, hoping that it would pan out.

"Well," Tony said, "that would explain why a couple of lawyers sent a missing person file knowing nothing would happen."

"Get someone to review his statements," Gibbs said, packing up the case file. "You're not charged with murder yet, but you will be charged with a list of other crimes."

Tony flung the door out dramatically. "Yeah, like child neglect."

Gibbs walked out, and Tony started to close the door, slowing down so it wouldn't close too fast. He waited for Kahale to plea. To bargain. To let loose.

But he didn't. And Tony had to eventually close the door. The click as empty as the amount of nothing they had gotten from that interrogation.

-Ζήβα-

Ziva sat on the corner of the table as Gibbs took up his spot on the chair.

Patricia Kahale sat on the other chair, hands folded and eyes pointed straight at the one-way viewing glass. She had remained silent on the car ride over. Interestingly enough, she had not requested a lawyer even though promising she would when last questioned.

Gibbs placed down the profiles of the two children, Jeremy Swallar and Natasha Hibashira.

"Last time you were here," Gibbs started, "You told me you did not recognize them."

Gibbs waited for a reaction. Mrs. Kahale did not so much as avert her gaze.

"Mrs. Kahale?" Ziva asked. 'If this is how it's going to be, we might as well just cut-'

"Who's on the other side?"

Ziva blinked, forced out of her thoughts.

"Another agent," Gibbs said.

"One of yours?"

"Yes."

"No one else?"

"No, just my guy."

"Good."

Ziva remembered how Mrs. Kahale reacted to Agent La Rue and seemed to dislike Agent Jackson. Did she know something they did not?

Gibbs tapped on the pictures. "You said you didn't know them."

Mrs. Kahale glanced at them. "I did."

"You lied."

"A mistake, surely."

"You were seen talking to them at a bar," Ziva said.

"What did you say to them?" Gibbs asked.

"I didn't say anything to them," Kahale stated. "Besides, aren't they a little young to be at a bar unaccompanied?"

"Who said they were unaccompanied?" Ziva asked.

"Was that not what you implied? Why would I talk to them, if they had their parents with them?"

Ziva had to hand it to Kahale. She could dance. Ziva gave her a little smile. If only just.

"They were looking for a ride," Ziva said, "We believe you suggested them to go to Tarsibo. He is your client, after all."

"I did not speak to them."

"You don't want to talk about them. Fine," Gibbs said, "How about we talk about your stepson. You haven't seen him for years?"

"No."

"You haven't spoken to him?"

"No."

"Your husband was," Gibbs said.

"N-" Mrs. Kahale stopped and threw them a questioning look. "If he was, I have no knowledge of that."

Ziva frowned. "So, you did not know that your husband was in regular contact with Michael?"

"No."

"Did you know your husband called him right before he died?" Ziva asked.

"No."

"You told me you didn't know he joined the Marines. Did you not know what happened to him? That he was even alive? Did you not care? Your husband never told you anything, and you never asked?"

"No," Mrs. Kahale said.

Ziva leaned back. One word for all of her questions. She was used to it, but Gibbs at least cared.

"I suppose it was his way of respecting my desire to not be a part of it," Mrs. Kahale said. She scoffed. "His way of shielding me from that side of his life."

"His ex-wife," Gibbs clarified.

"She was never his wife," Mrs. Kahale said.

Gibbs shrugged. "Your husband had a kid with her. He speaks very highly of her. I would understand if you were resentful."

Mrs. Kahale glared at him. "I don't hate her, Agents," she said, "But if she's so smart, why does she make so many rash decisions? I'll tell you why. Selfishness. Pride. She doesn't have to deal with the consequences of her actions. Someone else always deals with them."

Ziva raised an eyebrow. Yes. Definitely resentful.

"Sounds like you know her," Gibbs said.

"No. But I've heard plenty of stories."

"What kind of stories?" Ziva asked.

"Dramas."

Gibbs hummed. "You would describe them as tragedies?"

Mrs. Kahale lifted her chin. "I would."

"Like the epic stories of the Greek myths," Gibbs said.

Mrs. Kahale said nothing.

"Your husband said she was a goddess. So, was he a part of some cult?"

Mrs. Kahale kept silent.

Ziva narrowed her eyes. The woman obviously did not like whatever it was her husband and this mystery woman were a part of. Why keep silent?

"You can tell us what's going on," Ziva said, "We will help you. Why don't you say anything? Are you being threatened? Your children are here and safe."

Mrs. Kahale swallowed. "It's nothing like that."

Oh, but it was. There was a response at the indication of being threatened and her kids, just as clear as to when Gibbs mentioned Greek myths.

"The kids," Gibbs said, tapping the pictures. "How do they fit in this?"

The woman looked down and took a breath, collecting herself. Ziva sat back. 'Just when we were making progress.' Were they looking at this wrong? Were the kids simply an unrelated event?

Patricia gave an annoyed huff. "As I already told you-"

The files flew from the desk. Gibbs was frustrated. Ziva did not envy this woman. He slammed his hands on the table, glaring down at her. "Then tell me something new. And make it the truth."

No. Ziva did not envy this woman at all.

The door clicked open.

Gibbs turned his death glare at McGee.

"Um, B-Boss," he stammered, "you really need to know this."

Ziva quickly followed after Gibbs. Although apparently suicidal, McGee was still a dear friend, and Ziva wouldn't like to see Gibbs murder him.

Gibbs growled. "What."

McGee nervously wet his lips.

"Well, Ducky has already released his findings. All these reporters who were following the case got them and reported the info to their respective medias. Reshaun Sachs, the bartender; you knew that, of course- well know, you haven't forgotten. Well, he decided to find out what was going on since his business is obviously involved and-"

Oh no. McGee was rambling. And Gibbs's face was darkening with each word. Would her gun be helpful? Or perhaps her knife would be more practical. She decided on simply clearing her throat. Loudly. McGee stuttered to a stop. Ziva gave him a pointed look.

Ziva was relieved when she saw his face alight with understanding.

"Patricia Kahale was at The Drowsy Owl during the time of death. She could not have killed Staff Sergeant Michael Kahale."

-Αντώνης-

Tony did not like this.

He watched as Gibbs and Ziva entered the interrogation room.

"You are free to go, Mr. Kahale," Ziva said.

"Thank you. If I can just see my wife, then we can-"

"Your wife isn't cleared," Gibbs said.

"What?"

"She admitted to killing your son."

"What?! No! She couldn't have."

"How do you know?" Ziva said, clicking the door shut behind her.

"She was at home."

"Weren't you home as well?"

"Yes, but- she just couldn't have done it."

"We know," Gibbs said, taking a seat. "Although not in your house, she is witnessed being at a bar during the time of the murder."

"Then you know she didn't do it. That she's innocent."

"Mr. Kahale, aren't you curious as to why she would be at a bar so late at night?" Ziva asked. "Not telling you and lying that she was?"

"Maybe she was meeting with her friends. I trust my wife."

"Have any idea as to whom these friends might be?" Gibbs said.

"No, I did not see them."

"What did they tell you?"

"Nothing. As I said. I did not see them."

"But you spoke with them. You received a call before and after you spoke with Michael. A blocked number."

"You had to be awake to answer your phone. You had to have known your wife was not lying asleep next to you. Why did you lie?"

"No, I-"

"Did you follow her?" Ziva said.

"Were you at your house?" Gibbs asked.

"Ye-"

"We have your kids here," Ziva said, "We can ask them."

"How about you ask them?" Gibbs said.

"Stop, please-"

"Maybe," Gibbs said, "you can tell them why you killed their brother."

"THEY HAD HER!" Mr. Kahale screamed. "They had Patty! And they were going to kill her! Unless…unless…"

"Unless you killed Michael," Ziva finished for him.

A gasp broke Tony's attention away from the interrogation room to the reason he was placed behind the glass. Patricia Kahale stood next to him with her hands over her mouth, staring intently at the scene before her.

"I warned him. I called him. They gave me a car and a bullet. I needed to save my wife. I wanted him to help me. But he said there was no time and that there was no one in D.C. that could help."

He bowed his head. "They had my wife," he sobbed.

"No," Patricia whispered.

"She's not part of this life," Mr. Kahale said, "She shouldn't die from it. How could I have brought her into it?"

"No," Patricia said again, and the look in her eyes gave Tony a bad feeling. "John, no!"

Tony was a half-second too late. The woman ran out of the viewing room. Tony sped out after her to see her flinging the interrogation room open.

"How could you do it?!" She cried.

"Boss," Tony said, "I'm sorry she just…" He stopped as Gibbs held a hand up.

"I'm sorry," Mr. Kahale said, "But I couldn't let you be involved. I couldn't let them have you! And you came back home and didn't say anything, acting fine-"

"I was always involved! Michael's stench led them to our family even after he left. They threatened to take me, you, our kids. They told me what they did to people."

"You took up a deal," Gibbs said, "You help them get what they wanted, they leave you alone."

Mrs. Kahale nodded.

"How many are there?"

"Too many. It's a nest that has grown through some sort of pact between them all, and nothing is killing them."

"Why didn't you call the police?" Ziva asked her.

"That would just make things worse. Besides, Michael has obviously delivered a message to his people."

Gibbs froze for a second.

"Boss?" Tony asked. What was going on?

Gibbs snapped out of it. "You two," he told the Kahales, "Stay."

He stalked out of the room. Ziva and Tony followed, having to jog to keep up with him. Tony quickly texted McGee a heads up and to send the Kahale kids back upstairs. When Gibbs took the stairs, they knew whatever he figured out was bad.

"McGee!" Gibbs barked. "Search the Long Island team."

"But I already- okay," McGee easily complied, after looking at his boss, "Looking up Lima."

McGee shared his screen on the plasma as he loaded up the federal database.

"No," Gibbs said, "Not Lima. Don't go through any federal sites."

"Um, okay? Doing an internet search of Percy Jackson."

"News sites," Gibbs said.

"Boss there are hundreds of Percy Jacksons," McGee scrolling through articles, "We'll never find-"

"That one," Gibbs pointed.

It was an article from a few years ago. "Percy Jackson, Criminal or Victim?" The photo had an image of a young, disheveled Percy Jackson. And by his side…

McGee was freaking out. "Boss, I'm sorry. Their profiles should have-"

"Her," Gibbs pointed, "Age her up to now."

"Right. Aging."

McGee cut out the photo of the blonde and plugged it into the program. He had wisely shut his trap. As the image began to come into focus, Tony felt his heart stop. There was no denying it.

"Gibbs," Ziva said, quietly, "That's-"

BANG! Gibbs slammed his desk drawer closed and shoved his firearm in its place at his hip. There was utter silence in the bullpen as Gibbs strode off.

A few seconds later, Tony was the first to move. No matter how angry Gibbs was, Tony was still a cop. The rest of his teammates quickly followed.

They left the image of Annabeth Chase, otherwise known as NCIS Special Agent Anne Lima, on the screen behind them.

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[hyperionswrath--archived]

@onepartbrave

The surprise coming from Seifer was palpable. It set Squall’s mind on another path of querying why he was shocked and what part of his short sentences caused it. …Or maybe he leant in something putrid and hadn’t noticed? Eh. Whatever. Patience holding strong, he waited for the man to pass over the device he requested, having it pressed into his palm a heartbeat later. Turning back to rest both elbows on the table, he directly ignored the way it tickled when fingertips brushed his hand. Why yes, he did blank the way his heart skipped a beat at the strange, almost gentle demeanour his former rival had taken tonight. He was more than willing to forever discount the clenching of his stomach as he continued to overthink every minor detail.

…I’m never drinking again. I swear to Hyne.

When the backlight illuminated in his face, Squall squinted at the offending brightness, mouth down-turning in vague displeasure. Curiosity still loitering like a bad smell, the instant a missed message notification popped up, he automatically pressed on it to open. Revealed to him was a string of messages from one ‘Kerryboy’ with an emoji heart after. Allegedly, the man demanded to know Seifer’s whereabouts because some blockhead was interested. A picture came up as he scrolled a little, brow arching at the display.

Psh, why would Seifer take this guy out? Why did he care? …S’not that great looking. Reiterating, why does he care?

“I don’t,” he muttered aloud, moodily. Scrolling nosily to the end, he picked out the fact these people were at ‘Diamond Dust’—whatever that was—and waiting for the blond to make a grand appearance. Some obscure notion in the back of his mind barrelled forward and demanded attention. Obviously unable to ignore it in his reasonable state of mind, he found himself inclined to… tag along. Seifer didn’t appear to be sick of his company yet and he was feeling far too lucid considering he’d wanted to waste the night away, literally. With a miffed snort, he guided himself through the phone to contacts and efficiently added his own to the list under ‘Squall’.

“Not going home,” he announced when done, switching the phone back to standby and passing it back to its owner. Sitting upright and making his appearance seem less dishevelled and tipsy, he glanced the man right in the eye and exclaimed, “Goin’ with you. So, let’s mosey.”

Let’s mosey? Seriously, shut up.

For once he didn’t feel guilty over leaving food, but just in case, he shifted a little awkwardly until he was able to reach into the back pocket of his jeans and retrieve his wallet. Flipping the leather case open, he fished out (possibly) too many bills and plopped them eloquently on an empty platter dish, secured in place by the semi-empty bottle. “Should cover it,” he explained amiably, then shifting closer to Seifer on the seat to get out—despite being able to exit the other side.

“Move,” he ordered, but impatience set in and a newfound, puzzling sense of daring bolstered him on. He’d show those idiot friends who was ‘worth it’. Careless of who was watching, or any consequences caused, he climbed over Seifer to reach his target of freedom. Petulant defiance guided him and he wiggled his way, quite gracelessly, over, noting absently that Seifer’s lap too was very warm and the dancer before had the right idea of sitting on it. Finally over, he managed to get his feet out first instead of faceplanting off the end and used the backrest as support to stand.

Once he was up and ready, he glanced back at Seifer over a shoulder expectantly. “Well, c’mon, you’re showin’ me the way.”

Being busy with catching the waitresses eye, Seifer did not register the over-curious brunet sticking his nose into business it didn't belong in, namely his text messages, only looking at him with brows lifted in an inquiring manner when the man murmured "I don't" to no one in particular. "Huh? Whad'ya mean?", newly infused rum slurring his language just so. Frowning and shaking his head in confusion, the blond finally found himself able to wave the waitress over so he could let her know they wanted to pay. She sauntered away again to fetch their bill and her purse.

Irritated by how long Squall was taking to type in his number, his fingers started thrumming on the tabletop, thoughts not once brushing the idea that the man could be filing through his stuff. Frankly, he wouldn't expect the guy to be interested in his shit anyway.

But then as it turned out, nothing seemed to be really how he expected Squall to be, for suddenly he appeared to have changed his mind when he handed the phone back to him, announcing he was, in fact, not returning to his hotel. "Err... okay?", the tall blond retorted, a bit sheepishly maybe, still confused at the 180 Squall was apparently able to pull. With the notifications on his phone gone, Seifer simply stored it in the pocket of his pants, watching how slim fingers started brushing and pulling at the unruly brown hair as if to make himself look more presentable. What in Hyne's name.....?

"What? Where?" Thoughts now racing, he was simply too confused to follow the turnings of the SeeD's mind. Did... he want to come back to his home? But... why? All signs had seemed to reassure him that Squall did not want any of the closeness they somehow had ended up in for a few moments, why did he want to come with him now? He was even too perplexed to tease the choice of rather weird words. "You lost me somewhere here.", he muttered as Squall now dropped a more than sufficient amount of bills on the table, clearly not even wanting to wait for the barmaid to come over and finish the payment properly.

And the weirdness kept on giving when the lithe figure suddenly made to climb over his lap. Blinking, breath short from the sudden proximity of the other, all he found himself able to do was lift his hands to steady the brunet on his way by placing them gently on his hips. Okay, whatever was happening right now, he really didn't want to complain one bit about it, but Six, he hadn't been this flummoxed in... never? Also, the wiggling really didn't help here and the blond had to stifle some very improper sounds by biting on his lower lip. This was some kind of fever dream. He drank too much and had probably simply faceplanted into the dishes before him, was imagining things. There was simply no way that Squall Leonhart had just wiggled his hyne-bedamned way over his lap.

But yet he did, now looking down at him with impatience and, thanks to the state of mind he found himself in now again, with a look over his shoulder that was to die for. Shit, fuck, damn.

"Help me out here, where exactly are we going?", he demanded again, figuring it was pointless to keep sitting and thus pushing himself up from the bench, grabbing his coat in one go. He hated not knowing what was going on and Squall seemed to... - hold on. Frowning at the smaller man, he retrieved his phone once more, sliding his thumb over it to unlock it and navigate to his messages. Aha! Squinting an accusing look over the device to the brunet pest, he shook his head. "You read my messages?" The fact itself being so atypical for the other man, he couldn't feel the righteous anger he should but instead found himself amused, more so when he read what exactly it was the other had snooped in. Chuckling, he sat to move, still shaking his head. This was going to be interesting.

"What, you wan’ the guy they're trying to hook me up with for y'self?", he teased as he made his way to the door, holding it up for Squall and following him outside. The poor idiot had no idea what he was getting himself into right now. The 'Diamont Dust' was one of the cities biggest strip clubs, an establishment far from any tasteless bar around a corner. Here there was expensive alcohol, even more expensive company for booking and the entire building was more palace than a club. Seifer and his 'band of brothers' would usually take their more openminded dates there for some exquisite fun that could also be had inside, in special areas. He was already looking forward to the face the brunet would make. Slightly shivering when he stepped into the alley, he was about to pull on his coat when he noticed Squall, the clever leader that he was, had no jacket with him. "Here," he said flatly, shoving the Kingsglaive coat into the brunet's arms.

[tinyavenuesailor]

The Perfect Stranger

Special thanks at @fandom-mashup for beta-ing this piece of work. I hope you guys enjoy this!

Peter wasn’t sure if he was ready for this again. He didn’t have the best track records in dating. Most times it ended up in someone getting hurt because of him. Almost always with his heart being broken. He had come up with three hundred reasons (and counting) to not do this, and yet he was throwing himself back into the fire pit. He was obviously a masochist,  if his side job wasn’t already enough of a hint.

“Peter!” Peter spun around to the sound of his name and his heart skipped when he saw Spencer jogging towards him. That bright sunshine smile was enough to dispel any last-minute doubts floating around in Peter’s mind. “Sorry, I’m late,” Spencer's hands fell to his knees and he panted. “You didn’t wait long, right?”

 “No, no,” Peter shook his head. “I just got here.” Fifteen minutes ago... maybe twenty.

 “Great, I would hate to make you wait,” Spencer reached out for Peter and wrapped himself around Peter’s arm, their bodies flushed together. Peter kept the squawk at the back of his throat away from Spencer’s ears. “So, where to?” Spencer tilted his head up with expectations in his eyes. Peter wasn’t sure if Spencer was doing all of this on purpose or if he was just that naturally adorable. Either way, it should be illegal because the charm is working.

 “We could walk around Central Park if you want?”

 “Yeah, I haven’t been able to laze around there for so long,” Spencer sighed into Peter’s shoulder.

 “Seriously?” Peter paused and furrowed his eyebrows. “I thought you just moved here.”

  The sunshine smile on Spencer’s face cracked at the corner of his lips but if Peter noticed he chose to ignore it. Spencer ducked his head away from Pete’s eyes, “I uh, did but I used to visit here a lot when I was younger.” That’s the first time he’s ever heard that from Spencer. It shouldn’t have been odd since New York City got thousands of tourists each day. Most Americans either had family living in the city or used it as a big vacation spot to mark off things on their bucket list. He just thought it would be something Spencer would definitely mention over the past few weeks. “It’s really no big deal, it was so long ago,” Spencer tugged on his arm. 

 “Cool, we can just take it slow then,” Peter tore his eyes away from Spencer and began to lead the way to Central Park. Any wary thoughts in his mind about Spencer went quiet after that moment.

  “So despite any of your conclusion-jumping thoughts, it was not my fault that I was late,” They were only a few minutes into their stroll in Central Park, but Spencer was already on a spiel about why he was not to be blamed for being late. “Seriously, I had everything planned out…”

 Spencer really loved to talk. He would find a conversation in the smallest of things and drag the usual five minute topic out to an hour. It could be overwhelming to Peter who enjoyed a little peace and quiet but he overall enjoyed listening to Spencer’s stories. And he loved(too soon) liked that Spencer enjoyed listening to his own stories too. He would give Peter room to respond and valued his opinion,genuinely interested in what Peter had to say. It was rare that a conversation grew dull between them.

 The thing was when Spencer’s mouth started going at it he tended to let loose a few pieces of information.

 “And like when I’m finally ready to leave, my sister tries to take my jacket. I mean it’s her jacket but how could she take it. It completes the outfit and it looks so good on me. I had to wrestle her out of there which is not easy, trust me.”

 “You have a sister?” Peter stopped in  his tracks. Peter didn’t have a problem with any information Spencer revealed about himself. That was the point of going out on a date: to get to know each other. In fact, Peter was open to learning everything he could about Spencer; he wasn’t the issue.

 The problem was that Spencer didn’t seem to share the same sentiments.

 Spencer voice fell silent , “Yeah, I have a sister.” A short and quick answer, no stories, no pictures, no further details. Whenever Spencer realized he spilled certain details about himself to Peter, he would quickly try to switch the conversation or divert Peter’s attention elsewhere. Peter wouldn’t go so far to call himself a professional detective, but after years of crime-fighting and carrying out multiple investigations you pick up on a few things. The most obvious would be Spencer’s relentless avoidance on any topics about his family or home. Peter does not get the feeling that Spencer comes from a bad home. With the few slip-ups that have happened Spencer sounded very content with his home life, but he’s been wrong before. The only things that Peter knew about Spencer’s family or home life was that Spencer cooks, always has hot water, and now has a sister to which he has no picture nor a name to match to.

 In addition to Spencer’s secret family, he also never named friends. Unlike his family, Spencer would freely tell Peter many stories and adventures about his friends-- nameless friends with very little descriptions and again no pictures. Peter had to wonder if this is what having a personal conversation with Spider-Man sounded like. Peter had to stick names to the people in Spencer’s stories like the annoying neighbor, a frequent in Spencer’s tales. Peter has managed to put together that the man had to be very tall and muscular( thankfully sounded older, hopefully not handsome). The facts were that Spencer obviously didn’t want Peter knowing some things. Why the knowledge of his sister would be filed under classified in Spencer’s mind was a mystery Peter was still trying to solve.

 Spencer eyes snapped over to a lake ahead of them,“Oh, look, they are doing boat rides.” And there was Spencer’s distraction. Peter had gotten used to Spencer’s deflections by now. He played along with it for the most part, but there were moments he was tempted to use the covert interrogation techniques he managed to learn from Cat and take a crack at Spencer. Dig until he found his answers.

 Peter glanced over at the lake with several boats already drifting on it and looked back at Spencer’s innocent eyes. “You sure?”

 “Yeah, it’ll be fun!” Spencer grabbed Peter’s hand and dragged him over.

 If Spencer wasn’t ready to share then Peter would respect that. It’s not like Spencer was the only one keeping secrets.

    “Ummm, Spencer?” Peter started as he continued to row both of them out. Spencer liked the idea of a row boat but hated rowing, leaving it up to Peter to take the fancy dame out to the good scenery on the lake. He had a feeling that rowing was not the only thing Spencer disliked on a boat.

 “Mmmm.” Spencer hummed. He had his eyes set down on the water while spot between his eyebrows scrunched up.

 “Do you like water?”

 Spencer didn’t react to Peter’s question. His eyes flicked up to get a quick glance at Peter before going back down to the water, “Why would you ask that?”

 “Well, you’ve been glaring at it from some time now.”

 Spencer snapped his head up and sighed, “I don’t hate it.”  He looked around at the nearest land which was a good distance away from them.

 “Is it that you can’t swim?” Cause that was the first conclusion everyone jumped to when a person didn’t like water.

 “I can swim,” Spencer shrugged. “I just don’t like being wet most times.”

 “Most times?” Peter raised an eyebrow. “What about the beach? You said you love the beach.”

 “It’s different,” Spencer shrugged, “and no one goes to the beach to really swim.” Spencer said it was like some unwritten rule Peter has never heard of.

 “Then what go to the beach to do?”

 “Tan, take some pictures, beach volleyball, and show off your new swimsuit,” Spencer smirked.

 “Pool Party?”

 “An excuse to get drunk while showing off your new swimsuit.”

 “Skinny dipping?”

 “That’s unfair.”

 “You need to get wet.”

 “But you’re doing it for the sex.”

 “Touche.”

 Spencer rolled his eyes and chuckled before staring back down at the water. He stretched his hand down and ran it through the green water. Spencer attention steadied on the ripples he created in the still water. Peter tilted his head with his gaze heavy on his date . As if reading Peter’s mind Spencer spoke, “I’m not scared of water. It’s just,” Spencer paused and fixed himself further away from the edge of the boat, “I just have a complicated relationship with water.”

 Peter stopped rowing, “We could go back.” Farwell that wasted fifteen dollars.

 “No, no,” Spencer shook his head and leaned back on his hands. “Honestly I’m fine Peter. This is romantic. I like it.”

 “You do?” Peter pursed his lips.

 Spencer nodded and looked around, “I mean it’s so beautiful.” It was still the early days of October, the green trees have already started to fade into a mixture of oranges and reds. A few already falling onto the water. Spencer took a deep breath in and let it out in content, falling deeper into himself. Rather than admiring the beauty around him, Peter found himself much more distracted with the one in front of him. If there was one word to describe Spencer, it was perfect. Perfect laugh. Perfect hair. Perfect blue eyes that Peter never wanted to look away from. Laughed at his lame jokes. Loved Spider-Man. Interesting. Funny. Smart. Beautiful. Kind. Sweet. Had the most perfect natural lighting that would have any photographer itching to take a photo. Why didn’t he bring his camera? Fuck! He should have brought his camera?! Harry always said that all Peter had to do was wait before the world dropped a beautiful person into his lap. Peter had his issue with the statement, but he couldn’t argue that he has dated some beautiful people in his life. Gwen, Felicia, MJ, and now Spencer and as usual Peter felt he was pitching way out of his league. “It really is peaceful,” Spencer sighed to himself and a moment passed before his eyebrows started to furrow. He could only hear the splash of waves against the boat as they floated along quite different to the bursting sounds of laughter and conversations that surrounded them a few minutes ago.  “Like its really quiet.” Spencer straightened up to see only a single boat or two around them. “We are really far out.” Oops. Spencer tried to look back to where they began but it was too far. “How did you row us out here so fast?” He may have used a bit too much Spidey strength.

 “I workout,” because that answers everything.

 Spencer raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, you are really strong.” He propped his chin up on his arm.

 “I chase web-slinging heroes for a living,” Peter stumbled out an excuse, “you gain some muscle on the job.” Spencer looked Peter down from head to toe, observing the bulging muscles hidden underneath is shirt and bit his lip. He moved from his seat to a spot next to Peter. “Uhh Spencer?” Peter was suddenly aware of the secluded area they were in.

 “What?” Spencer gave Peter’s bicep a good squeeze and he hummed in delight. “You don’t mind do you?”

 “I don’t,” Peter watched Spencer inch in closer.

 “It’s such a shame to hide all this under baggy clothes,” Spencer sighed. He leaned in closer, slowly moving hand up from his bicep to his chest.

 Peter inched in closer until their noses were almost touching, staring right into Spencer’s eyes, “I’m really loving this but getting sexy in a boat is really uncomfortable.”

 Spencer froze with only a small distance keeping his lips from connecting with Peter. Soon after his head dropped and he covered his face, “You couldn’t just enjoy the moment, could you?” Spencer was already moving closer to the edge of his side of the boat away from Peter.

“I’m sorry?” Spencer wasn’t going to believe that apology with the shit-eating grin on his face.

 “Well, good luck kissing these lips, Parker.”

 “Okay, I am really sorry.”

 “Nope, not accepted,” Spencer smirked, “you are going to have to work for it.”

 Peter was about to make a comeback with another smartass comment when the buzzing in his head began, and on instinct, Peter grabbed onto the boat with a tight grip. Within a second, Peter was able to spot Iron Man speeding above the river with two smaller flying robots chasing him. Peter had a good guess that they weren’t asking for his autograph. The trio flew over them, causing giant waves to ripple and rock their boat. Peter had a tight grip on the boat and was able to stay inside, but heard a scream and a splash from his neighbouring spot. When the boat settled down Peter rushed to the other side of the boat.

 Spencer was threading in lake, no doubt soaked down to every last bone in his body and glaring up at Peter. Well it’s a good thing he really can swim.

 Peter managed to rescue Spencer from the lake and drag him back into the boat. They both decided that their short romantic boat ride was over. He saw Falcon and Thor flying from Iron Man’s direction with the two now broken robots in their hands. The Avengers had dealt with it so Peter could sit back and relax for once (yeah it was weird for him too).

 “This is hideous,” Spencer stepped out of the bathroom with an ‘I love NYC’ shirt and matching sweatpants. His previously worn clothes were far beyond saving, and had no chance of drying in October weather, so Peter had managed to force Spencer into a generic New York City fan outfit.

 “I think it looks kind of cute,” Peter chuckled under his breath.

 “Zip it,” Spencer groaned, “I doesn’t help that a fashion disaster like you thinks this is cute.”

 Peter took out the towel he bought and reached to dry Spencer’s hair, “Come on, it's not that bad.”

 “It is.”

 “Is not,” Peter massaged Spencer’s scalp through the towel,  “You look cute no matter what.” Spencer’s breath hitched as a light blush dusted his cheeks. Peter started leaning forward before his mind could catch up to his body. Spencer moved his hand to clutch onto Peter’s shirt, and met him halfway to press their lips together. Spencer’s lips were soft and sweet, no doubt from the lip balm Peter would see him apply daily. But there was also this heat Peter could feel. It wasn’t the same kind of warmth Peter was used to feeling when kissing another person, it was hot. Again Peter gets this sense of familiarity that he can’t seem to place, and it drives him crazy for more.

 Peter retreated before he reached a point where he couldn’t stop. Spencer’s eyes flutter open, and for a moment they stayed silent. Spencer’s fingers still clutching around Peter’s shirt; Peter hand settled around Spencer’s face. Until Spencer finally spoke, “Aren’t you going to kiss me again?”

 Peter happily obliged.

    “I’m so glad that my nephew could take a break from his busy schedule to take me shopping today.” Aunt May may have the face of an angel, but he could feel the daggers in those words. Cancelling one too many dinner nights has its consequences. Peter is only lucky that it’s just shopping. Plus…

 “You deserve it Aunt May.” Because she always did putting up with flaky behaviour, even if it was for the overall good of the city. But she didn’t know that, so she still got Aunt of the Year. If Peter could beat up bad guys every night, he is sure he could handle a little shopping with his Aunt May… he thinks. Give him a break. He doesn’t get shopping; he picks the cheapest decent thing on the sales rack and heads to the cashier.

 “Peter, what do you think, the red or purple?” Aunt May held up two shirts one dark red and the other with a soft purple.

 Peter eyes flicked back and forth between the two shirts that Aunt May presented in front of him, “Uhh, I think either one would look good on you Aunt May.”

 “Peter, you’re so sweet,” Aunt May chuckled, “but not the answer I was looking for.”

 “Sorry Aunt May,” Peter scratched his head. “I’m not much of a shopper, but I will hold all of your bags unconditionally.”

 Aunt May went off to find a sales representative while Peter relaxed back on one of the few available seats in the store. He wasn’t much help with shopping but he’s sure that Spencer would be a way better shopping partner for Aunt May. Spencer had a casual style, but it wasn’t hard to tell that his clothes were all selected and bought with a fair amount of thought behind them.  He could see Aunt May and Spencer hitting it off quite nicely.

 His date with Spencer at the park ended very well, with the expectation of a second date very soon. If things kept up at the pace they were going, Peter was going to want to them to meet. Was that moving too fast? No matter how taken Peter was with Spencer, it didn’t change that Spencer was still very much a stranger. One that wasn’t comfortable opening up about his family or friends. And taking Peter’s unexplainable gravitation towards him out of the equation, he only knew Spencer for a couple of weeks. He didn’t want to introduce a stranger to Aunt May even if he was perfect.

 If he had known Spencer for years, it would be different but it was impossible for things to ever be that perfect.

 Peter rested on his knees and sighed.

 Aunt May was taking longer than expected. He has been sitting here for almost twenty minutes and there was no sign of her coming back. In his own boredom Peter got up from his seat in search of her. She wouldn’t stray far without notifying Peter so it wasn’t long until Peter spotted her conversing with a man?

 “The purple just looks so soft against your skin,” the man fixed the shirt against Aunt May. Was his Aunt being hit on?  It wouldn’t be the first time because no matter how uncomfortable it made Peter, his Aunt May was hot, as told by Mary-Jane. This would be the youngest one he’s seen attempting to make a move - and that was Johnny Storm. His flaming idiotic best friend, Johnny Storm. The last time Peter Parker had seen Johnny was the ‘cafe incident’ where he may or may not have left Johnny in tears. He’s been trying to catch Johnny in his civilian form but the last place he expected to see him was at a small time department store like this? “I do have a bias, red is one of my favorite colors.”

 “Oh, well this would look great on you,” Aunt May lifted the shirt up to Johnny’s chest. Okay, Johnny was a natural flirt but his Aunt May was flirting back…... Yeah, Peter thinks it's about time he cuts in before he sees something he can never unsee.

 “Aunt May!” The two jumped up in their spots and jerked their heads towards Peter. He took a step closer, almost wedging himself between Johnny and Aunt May. Peter’s shoulders fell when he faced the blonde and spoke in a hushed tone, “Johnny.” He approached with caution now that Johnny had all reason to be an asshole to him. He expected Johnny to at least cut him off with a cold remark but was surprised to be met with a smile that crinkled at his eyes.“Hey, Peter.” Peter feels the warm rays of Johnny’s smile warm him up deep in his core. He tries to remember how he ever managed to get angry at that gorgeous face. It’s hard to recall but the chains of guilt wrapped around his arms and leg have only gotten heavier with each passing day. 

“Peter you never told me that you knew Johnny Storm,” Aunt May hit his chest and gave him the ‘you should have told me’ look.

 “It’s more of a professional relationship,” Peter shrugged.

 “Yes, Johnny told me you take pictures of them for the Bugle,” Aunt May exchanged smiles with Johnny. “I follow Johnny’s food blog on instagram, so exciting meeting the chef in person.” Johnny had a food blog? Aunt May had an instagram account?

 “You know I could send you a couple of my recipes if you want,” Johnny tore his eyes off of Peter and back to May.

 “That wouldn’t be too much trouble?”

 “No, for a family member of Peter it’s really no problem.”

 “Seriously?” Peter furrowed his eyebrows. He’d been an asshole to Johnny, so the last thing he was expecting were lovely gestures towards him or anyone associated with him.

 “Yeah, it’s no big deal,” Johnny waved it off and shot a bright smile. Peter had almost mistaken him for an angel.

 May’s eyes rolled over from Peter to Johnny and the corner of her lips slightly curled up. She cleared her throat, “Well, if you excuse me I need to go try these on.” Aunt May scurried off to the nearest changing room leaving Peter alone with Johnny. When he was sure his Aunt was out of ear shot range he spoke to Johnny. “Are you and my Aunt best friends now?”

 “Oh I hope so, I need to learn her beauty secrets.” Johnny tucked his blonde hair behind his ear.

 An awkward silence settled between them. He wasn’t going to get another lucky chance like this. Peter started, “Johnny I’ve been meaning to apologise for a long time,”

 “For what?” Johnny lips curved down.

 “I didn’t have my best attitude the last time we met.” The chains tightened just thinking back at the moment in the cafe.

 Johnny’s face froze for a second before falling into a helpless smile“Oh, Peter you weren’t exactly wrong,” he flipped his hand, “I wasn’t being the greatest friend, it really doesn’t matter.”

 “It does!” Johnny went silent. “There was a better way to say what needed to be said and I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you. I’m sorry.”

 “You’re forgiven.” Johnny said for Peter’s sake. If he didn’t give Peter some other form of reassurance the photographer would never forgive himself.

 “I really would love to be your friend given another chance.”

 “I thought you were already my friend?” Johnny tipped his head.

 “I guess we are.” Peter tried to remain calm on the outside, but on the inside there was a festival of butterflies celebrating in his stomach. He managed to not ruin his new friendship with Johnny as Peter Parker. He is sure that is why he had that weird feeling shooting throughout his body. Peter was free to now listen to Johnny’s babble and stare into those blue eyes.

 Blue eyes?

 “Peter?” Johnny furrowed his eyebrows when Peter started to lean in closer to him.

 “You’re eyes….” Millions of people had blue eyes but there was something about Johnny’s that was bugging Peter’s mind.  “They look so familiar.”

 The words themselves were ridiculous because Peter was already well acquainted with Johnny as Spider-Man and his civilian self. He has had numerous chances to memorize Johnny’s features, and the famous crystal blue eyes belonging to the Storm siblings was a fact many of their fans could recall. There was that nagging in the back of Peter’s head like he had forgotten a person with similar eyes.

 “It's just like you said, the purple looks great on - oh,” Aunt May stepped in. “Am I interrupting?”

 Peter jerked back away from Johnny. “Interrupting what?”

 “Nothing dear,” Aunt May sighed. Her shoulders drooped down and her smile grew small. Peter was able to immediately pick up on her dampening mood.

 “Something wrong Aunt May?” Peter asked.

 “Oh well,” May eyes flicked over to Johnny and back to Peter. “You know I’m a little hungry, why don’t we get something to eat?”

 “Sure.”

 Peter was ready to say his reluctant goodbyes to Johnny when Aunt May spun on her toes to Johnny and smiled, “Would you like to join us?”

 “Me?” Johnny pointed at himself just as surprised as Peter at the sudden invitation.

 “Yes, I would love to chat more with you.”

 “Aunt May, Johnny is busy, we shouldn’t disturb him,” Peter intervened.

 “I’m not that busy.” Peter did not predict Johnny contradicting him.

 “You really don’t have to force yourself, you probably have someone to save this very minute.”

 “Peter even superheroes can get breaks.” Not a second after Johnny’s phone starts alarming. He snatched it out of his pocket and watched a number of messages fly by on the screen from his sister. His face fell and groaned, “but not today. Duty calls.” Johnny tucked his phone back in his pocket. “It was nice to meet you Aunt May. I’ll see you around Peter.” He shot them a sad look before running off.

 May looked up to Peter and huffed, “Did you really have to jinx it?”

 She couldn’t be blaming him for this. How could he know that Parker’s luck was contagious.

    Peter scrubbed the dishes and hummed to a sweet tune in his head while his Aunt May and Jay chatted in the background. He stayed for dinner and offered to wash the dishes as a make-up for all his previous cancellations. The craziness in New York was down for a few hours, so he might as well use the time spoiling his Aunt.

 “We could always help with those, Peter,” May looked over at Peter from the dining table.

 “Aunt May it’s fine. You two rest and just let me clean up,” Peter shook his head at them before returning to his humming. May spun to her husband across the table from her and they both exchanged looks. Jay looked up sat Peter one more time and shook his head with a light smile, “I’m not gonna say anything.” They continued to watch Peter wash and dry the dishes while he was caught up in his own little world. When Peter finished he took a seat with the ederly couple. They each had a mug of hot chocolate to sip on while they chuckled to themselves.

 Peter rested his chin on his fist and watched the two before he asked, “Did I miss the joke?”

 “No,” Jay’s lips quivered. “Your Aunt is just finding herself quite entertained.”

 “What so funny Aunt May?”

 “Nothing,” she waved her hand and huffed, “it’s really nothing dear.” He didn’t believe that for a second. Aunt May set down her cup and looked at Peter with a shrewd gaze in her eyes; the one that sent a shiver down his spine. He remembers getting that look every time she tried to hook him up with the latest lovely niece or nephew of one of her friends.

 In that single thought Peter decided that he should leave. “Look at the time.” Peter pointed to his non-existent watch.

 “Too late to run now,” Jay at least shot Peter a sympathetic look.

 “So anything good happen lately,” Aunt May continued.

 “Aunt Mayyyy,” Peter groaned.

 “Just tell us Peter,” she hit his shoulder lightly. “Did you meet someone?”

  Peter shook his head. He had unknowingly stepped into dangerous territory. Escaping was futile. Aunt May had his address, phone number and he would love to come back and be spoiled with Apple pie. “Yes,” Peter relinquished. “I did meet someone.”

 “Peter!” She hit his arm harder this time.

 Before she could get to any more questions Peter rushed out, “But we’ve only been on one date and we don’t want to rush anything.”

 “It’s Johnny Storm isn’t it.” If Peter had been holding a mug it would have been shattered against the tiled floor. Johnny? Storm? He hadn’t misheard.

 “W-Why would you think I’m dating Johnny Storm?” Did Johnny say something to Aunt May?

 “You looked so happy when you spoke to him. I haven’t seen you smile like that in so long.” What? Smile like what? Aunt May turned to Jay with her hand in her cheek and started to gush, “I know what they say about him on the news but he was such a sweet boy when we ran into him. So polite and helpful.” So Johnny didn’t say anything.

 Peter leaned back in his seat. His fingers carded through his hair to rest on his neck before he released a long sigh, “Sorry to break it to you Aunt May but its not him.”

 Aunt May’s smile fell. Her head tilted to the side, “You don’t like him?”

 “Aunt May you can’t be serious,” Peter shook his head. “Johnny isn’t interested in guys like me.” It was sweet that Aunt May thought he was the most handsome man in the world, but he wasn’t delusional. Johnny dated people with the pockets of Tony Stark, and the face and body of a young Steve Rogers. He was borderline broke, and while Spidey genes had contributed greatly to his ripped body, he couldn’t live up to the Captain’s face or that tight ass.

 Aunt May still had a slight frown on her face. “He looked very smitten with you to me.” She continued to rattle her head as she picked up the empty mugs off the table. “Honestly it seemed like he was waiting for you to make a move.”

 Peter shook his head. Aunt May would always be his number one fan,“Only in your eyes Aunt May.”

 She looked down at Peter and sighed. “Oh, Peter,” she sighed and cupped one of his cheeks. “You need to start opening your eyes.”

    “Shit, shit, shit!” Peter nearly fell off the statue of liberty as soon as he landed. He wasn’t exactly expecting to be greeted with an onslaught of curses. Was it too hard to get a ‘Nice to see you Spidey’? “Oh come on you worthless piece of…”

 “I can take my pizza and leave,” Peter snorted.

 “Spidey!” Johnny snapped up so fast he nearly fell off the statue from where he was sitting. “Don’t sneak up on people!” Johnny scowled after him.

 “I’m sorry you were too busy verbally abusing…” Peter eyes squinted down at Johnny’s wrist where Johnny’s previous contempt had been focused on. “A watch?” Peter tried to get a better look at the device on Johnny’s hand. “Are you really taking your frustration out on a watch? What has that thing ever done to you?”

 The watch face on Johnny’s hand went red and beeps before shutting down. Johnny’s head snapped to it and he screamed before attempting every button he could press on the watch. Peter doesn’t think he’s ever seen Johnny so frantic towards a device before. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I need you in my life!” Well then…. Is it weird to feel jealous of a watch?

 The watch powered back on and the face turned blue. Johnny let out a breath of relief, so Peter guessed everything was now fine and dandy. He took a seat next to Johnny and observed the device on his wrist. It didn’t look like anything from earth. That wasn’t impossible with the Fantastic Four’s ‘field trips’ as Johnny liked to call them. Could be alien. Could also be one of Reed’s inventions. That man’s brain was beyond their world. The scientist in Peter screamed to know more. “What is that?” Peter leaned in closer to get a better look.

 Johnny eyes flicked down to the watch and back up to Peter, “Nothing.”

 “I can see it on your wrist so it obviously isn’t nothing.” Johnny pressed a button on his wrist and the watch disappeared.

 “There nothing.” Johnny gestured to his arm now clear of any technology.

 “It has a camouflage mode?!” Peter’s jaw fell open. “Now you’re just teasing!”

 “It’s just something a friend gave me, okay,” Johnny his wrist away from Peter’s curious eyes.

 “Would this friend happened to be Alien or Atlantean?”

 “Maybe.”

 “Can I just get a peek?” Peter’s fingers inched closer to Johnny’s wrist.

 “No,” Johnny continued to pull his wrist away from Peter, “it's already acting funny. I don’t need you messing around with it with your weird science experiments.”

 “Weird Science Experiments? Do I look like a mad scientist to you?”

 “You understand the language of Reed,” Johnny flicked his eyes up and down on Spider-Man. “So, yes.”

 “Jokes on you,” Peter scoffed, “being compared with Reed Richards is a compliment.”

 Peter rolled his mask up to his nose and offered a slice of pizza to Johnny before taking one for himself. His eyes shifted to the watch disguised on Johnny’s wrist every now and again but Johnny was adamant about not talking about it. He can’t believe Johnny is keeping something so cool away from him. Johnny always loved to show off his gadgets. There was even a time where he persuaded Peter to sneak down to Reed’s lab to check out the new inventions. Johnny didn’t keep much from him. Family matters, friendships, relationships, break-ups, sex, very, very detailed descriptions of sex. He even was offered to watch to his sex tape which Peter declined maybe regretfully. The thought of watching Johnny with someone else was very repulsive in his mind.

 “Spidey!” Peter snapped his head in time to see a flaming pizza crust circling towards him. He yelped and dived forward off the statue barely missing the hot projectile. Peter shot a web up before his Spider body could go splat.

 “What the hell man!” Johnny scrunched up his face in annoyance. “I’ve been trying to get your attention!”

 “What the hell is up with you?!” Peter grabbed onto the ledge and pulled himself up. “Are you trying to set me on fire?!”

 “Why didn’t you just dodge?” Johnny folded his arms.

 “You set pizza crust on fire and throw it at me, but I’m the problem because I didn’t dodge!?”

 Peter was lost as to why Johnny would think throwing any flaming object at him would be a suitable way to get his attention. “Spidey,” Johnny started, “You let me set two dozen objects on fire and throw them at you while blindfolded and you dodged every one.”

 “That’s ridiculous, why would I let you do that?!”

 “I bet you a hundred bucks you couldn’t dodge them.”

 “...” That did sound like something he would have done for a hundred bucks. How does he not remember winning a hundred bucks? That doesn’t matter. “You can’t go throwing flaming objects at me!”

 “But doesn’t your spidey sense help you?”

 “It doesn’t work with…!” Peter bit his tongue and swallowed back that last word.

 “Is something wrong with your powers?” Johnny quickly melted into concern.

 “No,” Peter sighed. “It’s just complicated.” Johnny remained quiet,hoping he would continue but Peter had decided to change the conversation. “So, you have my attention.”

 “Huh?”

 “The reason you nearly turned me into a roasted Spider?” Peter glared at him from under the mask.

 “Oh, yeah,” Johnny tucked his hair behind his ear.

 “Sooo.”

 Johnny looked down to his lap, “When did you decide to tell your girlfr- ex-girlfriend about this life.”

 “That’s a bit tricky.” MJ already knew from the beginning. He could see Johnny waiting for an answer. “I guess when I knew I wanted to keep her in my life?”

 “Weren’t you scared?”

 “Well, yeah but I still had to tell her.” Peter gulped when Johnny torso continued to lean towards him. The distance between their bodies steadily decreasing. Peter’s instinct screamed for him to escape, before selective forgotten emotions resurfaced, but there that look in Johnny’s eyes that scared Peter.

 “But what if it was a deal breaker? What if you telling them changed everything for the worse?”

 He was weak for Johnny and he hated it. He hoped that Johnny himself would never find out. “You can’t go into a serious relationship halfway, either you’re all in or you’re not.” Peter eyes start drifting to Johnny’s lips, soft and pink, and like gravity he starts to drift towards them.

 “Even if it means losing everything you have with them.” Peter gets a good slap in the face by reality just enough for his brain to start functioning again. He had put some distance between him and Johnny before the other glanced back up. Thankfully Johnny is clueless about Peter’s actions and blinks at him. “Spidey?”

    He nearly kissed Johnny Storm. He wanted to kiss Johnny Storm. He was going to kiss Johnny Storm. If Peter hadn’t come to his senses back there, he couldn’t imagine what would have happened. A rejection from Johnny. An awkward atmosphere. A ruined friendship. There’s also the fact that he was probably seeing someone at the current moment.  

 “Are you sure you’re feeling well?” Spencer gave Peter’s hand a squeeze and frowned up at him. Spencer, his maybe boyfriend, has been worried about the heavy look on Peter’s face since they arrived at the amusement park. The immense guilt brewing in Peter’s stomach couldn’t help but show on his face.

 Peter forced a smile and nodded, “I’m fine.” He wasn’t fine. He thought he buried those feelings years ago, why did they resurface after all this time?

 “We can take a break,” Spencer pulled him to a stop. “You look sick.”

 “We’ve only been on two rides, I’m not weak.”

 Spencer looked unconvinced, “I’m not kissing those lips if I see that face going green.”

 “Oh really,” Peter leaned towards Spencer and pressed their lips together. He heard a tiny giggle from Spencer before he leaned in to kiss Peter back. This was good. What he had with Spencer felt right and was real. He didn’t need silly feelings with unrealistic expectations ruining what he already had.

 Peter retracted and placed another quick peck, “Come on.” Peter towed Spencer to the nearest roller coaster he could find, and Spencer gladly followed with a giant grin on his face.

 Peter pushed all his troubles to the back of his mind with Spencer at his side. He was able to distract himself from the flame head with quick chaste kisses with Spencer, and stuffing his gut down with popcorn and cotton candy. Taking a break from the thrill-seeking rides, they took a maze where a few of the walls were transparent. Safe to say Spencer was not the greatest at puzzles and details.  

 “Ow,” Spencer had run into his third wall since they entered here. “I hate mazes.” He folded his arms and grumbled as a spot on his forehead turned red.

 “Maybe you should watch where you are going?” Peter snickered.

 “How is anybody supposed to see anything in this horrible lighting?” Peter grabbed Spencer’s shirt in the middle of his rant. Spencer raised an eyebrow at him to which Peter pushed his hand forward and knocked his hand against the mirror Spencer was about to walk into. Spencer went silent and folded his arms, “Why don’t you just lead the way then?” He may have the unfair advantage of Spidey sense to help him.

 “It’s fun watching you suffer.”

 “Oh, is that-” A tiny beeping interrupted the sentence.

 “Do you hear that?” Peter looked around trying to find the source.

 “Hear what?” Spencer’s eyes went wide, and he suddenly began to fidget. “I have to go to the bathroom, now.” Spencer dashed off without not waiting for a reply. Peter was sure he heard Spencer bump into a few mirrors, but he ran off pretty quickly. Does he even know the way out? Spencer had a hard time getting around the maze when they came in. Peter doubts he’ll have a swell time trying to find the exit.

 “Oh, come on, where is the exit to this stupid thing.” Figures. Peter chuckled at the curse. He turned the corner with a shit eating grin on his face and started,

 “How are you lost already?” Peter stopped in his tracks when he saw the curly fluff of blonde hair. “Johnny?”

 The human torch froze when he saw Peter, “P-P-Peter, what are you doing here?”

 “I was about to ask you the same question,” Peter stepped forward and looked around. No sign of Spencer. “Hey, have you seen a guy with black hair, around my height walking into the walls around here.”

 “No, no, nope, just plain old me, alone, no one else,” Johnny’s smile was tight.

 “Oh.” He didn’t know where Spencer had run off to. He swore he saw him run around this corner. This amusement park had fun making a name for itself with their maze attraction. It was painfully complicated with its dark lighting and transparent walls strategically placed to drive people like Spencer insane. Peter could only hope that Spencer could find a way out.

 “You know you look busy and so am I,” Johnny started to back up, “so how about we catch up late- ow!” Johnny spun around in what was an attempt to leave this corner but instead walked right into one of the transparent walls. Peter blinked as Johnny cursed in pain. It was already weird running into Johnny, the one person he didn’t want to think about at an amusement park, but also in a maze. Johnny didn’t like doing those things. Maybe an exception would be on a date to get alone time with the person. Was Johnny on date? Peter didn’t see any date. He should punch himself in the face for feeling relieved.

 He should leave. Take the opening Johnny gave him and leave before he does something he regrets. “Do you need help?” He’s a bastard.

  Johnny shook his head and kept had his hands follow along the mirrors to help guide him. “No, no,” He does. Peter is only asking because Peter Parker is not supposed to know much more  than the public details about Johnny Storm.  “I love mazes so I should be fine.” He loathes mazes. He’s seen Johnny on the edge of burning down a haystack maze.

 “You know I’m also looking for the exit maybe I could tag along,” because he couldn’t leave Johnny in this helpless state, but Johnny would not just accept his help, so the only option left was to trick him.

 “Oh,” Johnny straightened himself, “if that’s the case then sure.”

 He may regret this.

 Peter easily found an exit to the maze, but the journey was torture. He couldn’t even look at Johnny, much less hold a conversation with him, and Johnny wasn’t up to much conversation either. In fact, he avoided all eye contact with Peter. This looked like the beginning of a great friendship. Aren’t they just the bestest of friends. When they reached outside, they were both long in an awkward silence.

 “So uhh,” No small talk topics came to Peter’s mind. An attempt to end the heavy atmosphere worsened it with Johnny still waiting to hear the end of Peter’s sentence. “I should go I need to find my boyfriend.” Way to go Peter Parker.

 “Oh,” Johnny ducked his head. His mouth curled down into a frown. “So, I guess I’ll see you around,” Johnny started to back away from him into the other direction.

 “Yeah, I guess.” Spencer, Peter had to remind himself. He resisted the urge to call Johnny and entertain him. He was here with Spencer and he was not going to be an asshole on the second date. He watched Johnny spin on his heels and hurry to disappear into the crowd. Peter stood there, waiting for Spencer to get back. His eyes occasionally drifted off to the spot he last saw Johnny, but he quickly shut down any other thoughts.

 When fifteen minutes had passed Peter started to get worried with no sign of Spencer. He wondered if Spencer was still stuck inside, walking into walls. He decided to ask the employees working at the maze. After a couple of questions, they were quick to check the cameras in the maze and confirmed that the only people in there was a family of four.

 Peter then went in search of the nearest bathroom. If he didn’t find Spencer, he could always go back to the entrance of the maze. Arriving at the bathroom Peter was relieved to see Spencer strolling out. His mind did a double-take when he saw the deep frown etched into the usually jolly face as he spoke one the phone.

  “Do you really need me now?” Spencer rolled his eyes. He didn’t notice Peter trailing some distance behind him. He could hear most of what Spencer was saying from the level the man was speaking. “I’m very busy.” Spencer eyebrows furrowed even deeper as he listened to the person on the other side. “I’m on a date!” Spencer screamed into the phone “Believe it or not I have a life you know! Not all of us have found our soulmates and are living happily ever after!” Spencer shoulders collapsed with all of his anger released. “No, just leave it,” he sighed. “I get it just give me a -”

 Peter felt his Spidey sense and suddenly the ground beneath them was shaking. There was a loud rupture followed by a symphony of terrified screams. What did New York have in store for him today?

 Was that a giant alien worm? In New York City? Heading straight for the amusement park? Wow just wow. Parker’s luck really had a way of just slapping him in the face sometimes. Where else does this happen?! Peter snapped his head towards Spencer, who was in shock at the creature like the rest audience around him. Peter sighed in regret to himself, with his resolve to find the nearest hiding spot to transform to Spider-Man instead of running off with Spencer to a safe place. While the latter was rather tempting, there were other civilians exposed to danger that he had to protect.

 As soon as he got changed, Peter swung up to a high structure to get a good vantage point of the amusement park. The most concerning thing right now were the people still stuck on the rides. Peter could see a disaster less than a mile away with that alien monster working its way around. The ride operators were working as fast as they could to have everyone off their respective ride, but would need time, which means keeping said giant alien away as far as possible. He’s just happy to have someone like Spencer helping to evacuate the area. It’ll be much easier to get that thing under control with less people around

.

.

.

Wait...

 Spencer?!

 There he could see the black-haired male directing people inside enclosed rides and booths for shelter. This would be great, l if Spencer was not running exactly into said danger at the same time! Why can’t he ever date normal people that run away in the face of danger? Does he have a type? A reckless, stupidly brave, always-gets-mixed-up-into-trouble type. Peter shot a web and swung down with a long sigh. Accelerating down he reached down and easily grabbed Spencer by the waist.

 Spencer yelped when his feet were suddenly picked off the ground, and spun to see his masked face. “Spidey?!” Peter was impressed; most civilians would have spent a good minute screaming at a sudden pick up.

 “The one and only,” Peter set Spencer down once he was sure they were a good distance away from any danger. Spencer eyes were blown wide at him. Peter remembered that he was a big fan of Spider-Man. First time meeting his favorite superhero must be a shock. “Look, I’m really happy to see other civilians pitching in to do their part, but it would be great if you could get to safety.” Maybe a little talk from his hero could knock some sense in him.

 Spencer eyes hardened and he pushed himself away outside Spider-Man’s grip, “No, I can’t, my boyfriend is still down there.”

 “Boyfriend?” Now that caught Peter’s attention.

 Spencer placed his hands on his hips, “Peter Parker, you should know him.”

 “I do.” He was boyfriend status!

 “Well, I need to find him.” Spencer tried to step around and run right back into the hazard territory Peter just rescued him from. With his quick reflexes, Peter grabbed Spencer shoulder and spun him right back around to the exit.

 “No, you need to get to safety,” Peter pointed to the giant exit way of the amusement park every other sane person was running to. “I’ll find Peter and make sure he’s safe.”

 “I’m not leaving without him.” Spencer refused again.

 For the love of all that is stubborn in the world! “I’m sorry, are you not freaked out by the giant alien looking worm terrorizing the park?” Peter pointed at the alien worm on a rampage screeching.

 Spencer eyes shifted up to it and he shrugged. Actually shrugged. “It’s not the worst thing I’ve seen.” Peter jaw was on the floor. Spencer was not acting; Peter could see Spencer searching the monster up and down with half-lidded eyes waiting for something to impress him. It’s a giant alien worm rampaging through the city what more does he want?! An alien invasion?! He was extremely worried, not for Spencer’s obvious indifference of giant creatures destroying things, but because he was still going to ask him out on another date.

  Peter didn’t have time to think over his interest in weird people. “Just get out of here, preferably somewhere safe and far away from here. I’ll find Peter!” Peter shot a web out and left Spencer with hope that he would listen.

 The worm had blasted through the merry-go-round and continued to screech

 “I’m sorry sir!” Peter blasted a web ball in its face. “You surpass the maximum size allowed on that ride.” That was enough to catch its attention towards Peter and bared it razor teeth at him. “Look, buddy I don’t make the rules, you’ll have to talk to management.” Peter flipped off seconds before the worm’s body tried to bash into him. Peter used the air time to shoot his web at the body of the monster to help restrain its movements. Peter then shot two of his webs to wrap around the monster and tightened his hold.

 “I really think we can talk this out, spider to worm,” The worm started to lose against Peter’s strength. “I mean you’re a bug and I’m an arachnid but I’m sure we can meet in the middl-ah!.” A sudden strong pull from the worm the momentum threw Peter in the air. With his webs still attached to the worm, he swung around like one of the amusement park rides until he was whiplashed across the park into the Ferris Wheel controls. “I’ll take that as a no,” Peter groaned. He was definitely going to be feeling that tomorrow.

 Peter’s head floated up to the screaming above him. There were still people trapped on the Ferris Wheel. He quickly grabbed sight of the worm which was making its way across to him. Not good. He pushed his aching body up and prepared himself to once again go head on with a giant alien worm. An alien worm that now had a grudge against him. Before he could attack the worm, it hit against an invisible wall.

 “Aaahhhh!” Ben came running out of nowhere and body slammed into the worm sending it flying.

 “Careful, Ben we don’t want to hurt it,” Reed voice came in the distance, where he was being carried by Sue.

 “Really, Stretch, that’s what you’re worried about!” Ben wrestled with the worm as it hissed its teeth after him. “Me hurting it!” Reed hopped down to help Ben and wrapped his body around the worm to stifle its movement.

 “Are you hurt?” Sue landed next to Peter.

 “No, no, nothing I can’t handle,” Peter shook his head. “More importantly, we need to get these people to safety.” Sue looked up at Ferris Wheel passengers and nodded.

 “Got it!”

 While Ben and Reed kept the monster under control Peter and Sue started to extract civilians from the ride and escort them to safety.

 “So, would any of you know why this thing is rampaging through the city.” Peter ripped open the door and gave way for them to step on Sue’s levitating force-field.

 Sue’s shoulders fell and she let out a breath in exhaustion, “We may have busted an illegal underground alien auction.”

 “New York has illegal underground alien auctions?” Well color him surprised.

 “The wealthy got bored of their rare exotic animals.” She rolled her eyes and set down the mass of people they collected.

 “So, they went for more extra-terrestrial tastes?”

 “Would ya stop yappin’ and hurry so ya can help me down here?! I don’t know how long I can hold him down!”

 “Where is Johnny?” Peter asked Sue noticing the absence of petty talk and teasing towards him.

 “Off doing better things.” Ben grumbled

 “Ben...,” Reed started in warning.

 “I swear I’m  globberin’ that kid when I see him.”

 “Oh, I’m sorry that I’m not always readily available.” The Human Torch flew above them his tone obviously displeased with Ben.

 “Flamebrain!” Peter set another civilian on the ground.

 “I thought you were busy?” Sue said with no ill-intent in her voice.

 “I was until this thing came and ruined everything.” Johnny mumbled under his breath. He hurried to rescue the last person on the Ferris wheel. He landed beside Sue and they both exchanged looks. Peter glanced between the both of them a couple of times before he realized they were in the middle of one of their sibling standoffs.

 “You could have told me you had a date,” Sue folded here arms

 “You had a what?!” Both Johnny and Sue ignored Peter’s exclamation.

 “It’s a bit weird right now I don’t want to scare him off.” Johnny eyes drifted away from her

 “How is telling me that you have a date going to scare him off?”

 “Uhh can we reverse back to the part about the date.” Peter tried once again to intervene.

 “Because you would want to meet him.” Johnny gave her that look that she knew exactly what he was talking about. Peter had an inkling. He would be scared too if he was getting the ‘if you ever hurt him’ speech’ and Sue was on the other side.

 “Only if it was serious,” Sue threw her hands in the air, “which it obviously looks like it is.”

 “Serious? How are you seeing someone, and I don’t know about them!” Peter pushed himself in front of Johnny. The green monster growing stronger in the pit of his stomach.

 “It’s complicated okay!”

 “Don’t worry about me honey!” Reed shouted in the middle of their squabble.

 “It’s not like we ain’t struggling to hold down this ugly bug!” Ben yelled as the worm’s movements

 “Johnny,” Sue pointed at the worm and their two teammates tangled together

 “On it” He flamed on and flew above them. Ben and Reed suddenly let the worm go

 The bug hissed at the hot flames and curled up into a tight ball to protect itself.

 “T-Thank you Johnny,” Reed was finally able to catch his breath with everything finally in control. Johnny landed beside him along with Sue and Peter. The group went quiet everyone exchanging looks with each other until Reed stopped his glance on Johnny. He gave him a small smile, “Sooo, how was your date?” If there were metal bars in Peter’s hands, they would be bending in two.

  Peter excused himself at the first opening, not being able to stomach any details about Johnny’s date with a boyfriend he forgot to mention to him. Another good slap in the face, sponsored by reality. Maybe now his heart would get the memo. File those dusty old feelings away for good where no one could find them. Better yet, burn them. Johnny already had plenty of better candidates to choose from.

 Why was he even thinking about Johnny? He had Spencer now. He had his boyfriend, Spencer, to think about now. Peter quickly got changed and checked his phone. Three missed calls and ten text messages all from Spencer. “Shit!” Peter cursed under his breath. Peter immediately called and he got an immediate response.

 “Hello, Peter? Where are you?! Are you hurt?!”

 “I’m fine, I’m fine,” Peter eased Spencer’s worries. “What about you?”

 “I’m fine, nothing to worry about.”

 Peter fixed the phone against his ear, “Where are you? I’ll meet you there.”

 “Wellll,” Spencer trailed off. “I think I’m somewhere near that Rock n’ Roll coaster?Oh I see the maze that we went in, never trying that again.”

 Peter hoped he was hearing wrong. “Uhh, Spencer,” Peter cleaned out his ears, “it sounds like you are still in the amusement park.”

 “Yeah, I am.”

 “You’re what!” Spencer screamed at the volume and cried about his ears. “What are you doing there? Didn’t Spider-Man tell you to leave?!”

 “Yeah but….” Spencer trailed off, probably trying to cook up some excuse.

 “Don’t worry, stay right there I am coming to get you!” Peter ended the call before Spencer could reply. Completely reckless, stupid, not-well thought out..!

 He can’t believe he’s still going to ask this guy out again. Does he know how to pick them or what?

  Peter didn’t run much of a distance since he got changed just a few rides away from the maze. He was able to easily spot out Spencer, especially since there was an absence of the usual thousands of people in the amusement park. But Spencer wasn’t alone.

 “What the hell!” Peter was able to recognize Sue Storm, and she was in the middle of an argument with Spencer.  She had that motherly scowl set on her face that she used to (sometimes still does) give to him, Johnny and the rest of the Fantastic Four when they have stepped out of line.

 “I know okay! I know! So, I don’t need some goddamn lecture about what I’m doing.” But Peter has never seen anyone but Johnny snap back at Sue like that.

 Her eyes narrowed down at Spencer with a terrifying ferocity, “Great, I don’t have to explain to you the moral implications of every single thing you are doing!”

 “I’m being serious here!” Spencer still didn’t back down.

 “If you were being serious, you wouldn’t be messing with this person like you are now. What are you going to do when they find out huh?!”

 Spencer hesitated and dropped his head, “I’m not messing around; I’m planning on telling them when the time is right.”

 Sue’s glare softened and she sighed “You don’t-,”

 “Stop treating me like a kid, Sue! I can make my own decisions!” A watch suddenly appeared on Spencer’s wrist and Peter could instantly recognize it from it unique looking style. That was the watch that Johnny was wearing. It started to glitch and Peter saw the black hair on Spencer’s hair fade to blonde. His body and face shrunk slightly in size. As Peter watched Spencer transform, the one thing that remained the same were those damned blue eyes he couldn’t get out of his head. They were familiar because he’s been seeing them for years on the one and only Johnny Storm. “Shit,” Johnny cursed at the watch. “Why do you keep doing this?” Johnny groaned and looked ready to start a one-sided rant with the watch, when he looked up and meet Peter eyes. Peter was staring back at him with an unmoving gaze. They both know what he just saw.

 Spencer was Johnny.

 Johnny was Spencer.

 What was it that he said before? The he had Spencer in his life? Finally moving on from Johnny? Peter could laugh at himself. Spencer wasn’t his.

 Spencer wasn’t even real.

 “P-Peter?” Johnny trembled. Sue turned to look at him, her eyes already clear about the situation. “Peter,” Johnny tried again. “J-Just let me explain, okay.”

  Johnny flinched at Peter’s icy glare. Even Sue found herself taking a step back. “Explain what?!” His words dripping with venom towards the boy his heart ached for. He was an idiot. All those smiles, those laughs, those good times Peter treasured they were meaningless. None of it was real!

“Peter, please it’s not what you think!” Johnny’s voice cracked on the last three words. Those blue eyes Peter had been so obsessed with became glossy and started to pool with tears. Maybe a few moments ago when he hadn’t known the truth he would have rushed to Johnny’s side and dried them away with his fingers but now he had the burning in the back of his eyes to deal with. “Pete-”

“Save it for someone who cares Storm,” Peter spun away from Johnny, away from anything that could change his mind. He didn’t want to give Johnny a chance. So he did what was the easiest thing for him to do. The only thing he knew to do during these emotionally stressful situations.

 He ran.

   Few weeks ago

 Johnny blinked and tried to steady his breath. Just a moment ago he was out flying above New York City in an epic battle with his team and Spider-Man against a group of wannabe magicians. They had managed to corner the group but in a rushed moment to wrap it up quickly he got caught off guard with a spell and got a direct hit. The last thing he remembered was Spider-Man reaching out for him before blacking out. Now he was standing in the middle of a kitchen he was unfamiliar with; in an apartment he couldn’t identify with no idea what that spell did. He would say teleportation, but he wasn’t in his uniform. He was in pajamas with a fresh cup of coffee sitting in front of him.

 Still he had everything under control. Just remember what Reed said, ‘Don’t freak out and….’ He may have forgotten the rest. But he’s sure the most important part was don’t freak out. He can do that.

 “Daddy?” Johnny's went still when a little boy with light brown hair and blue eyes looked right up at him.

 Okay, he was freaking out!

 To be continued

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1769 - Steve x Reader

Summary:  You’re an Avenger by the name Anima, whose powers are immortality and invulnerability. You’re on a mission with a few from the team when your abilities are put to a test.

Warnings: Light swearing, light violence.

Words: +2 900

A/N: Please request! I’m up for writing just about anyting! Also, this is my first writing on this blog so please go easy on me :)))))))))

Truth be told, I quite like the thrill of warfare. Call me damaged and psychotic all you want, but there’s something about it that gets me riled up like nothing else. Perhaps it’s the patriotism in me igniting for fighting for my country? Perhaps it’s the built up rage being relieved by punching a few bad guys in the face? Perhaps it’s the fact that I know I won’t fall on the battlefield? I can’t really put a finger on the reason as to why I enjoy it so much. Maybe I am a lunatic? I don’t think I’d know if I were one. Lunacy tends to shield itself rather well from the person it possess. Let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised if a doctor went on to tell me I was medically mad. The amount of bloodbaths I’ve gone through with a smile on my face are too many to count on my both hands.

“Y/N?” Steve called out as he looked across the Quinjet from his seat to mine, a crease carved between his brows. “We lost you there for a second.”

Had they? I didn’t realize I had been so deep in my daydreaming. "Sorry, just memorizing the Declaration of Independence in my head.” She made fun of the Captain of the America who always rolled his eyes at her nationalistic comments.

“I was going over the plan. Are you okay with being ground-bound on the west side? According to the little intel we have, that’s the side that’s the most guarded area of the premises. Lang and I will head for the center to get the files while Romanoff and Barton guard the entrance. All you need to focus on is the-”

“Bomb, yes, I got it.” She saluted only to receive yet another eye-roll.

“I hate to interrupt, but am I the only one worried that this bomb might go off? Who says it’s not an atomic bomb? We could put a big hole in the middle of Canada’s map here.” Scott said, anxiously looking between the group of five who had been assigned the mission to infiltrate the newly created Hydra facility in the middle of the cold, harsh Northwest Territories.

“It’s not atomic and it won’t blow up. If it does however, I can’t promise that I’ll go to your funeral.” She leaned her head back casually and shut her eyes to rest for a moment.

“Oh- oh you douche. That’s a low blow.” Scott whined.

“Stop it, both of you. This is a serious mission that we have in front of us. Hydra have never had a permanent structure this close to America before. If I were you, I’d take this a little more seriously. God knows what they’re up to out here.” Steve lectured before his eyes trailed out the window to the seemingly endless forests spreading out beneath them. He remained staring out for a while with an empty look in his eyes before returning his focus to within the aircraft. “How far off are we?”

“T minus 2 minutes, according to this shitty GPS system Tony upgraded to.” Natasha informed from her seat in the cockpit.

 "You know I’m on the line, right?“ Tony’s voice erupted into everyone’s earpiece. ”Talk shit about my equipment agin and you might just have to use your own.“

"I’ll happily do that anyway. Hell, even the GPS on my phone is better than this.”

“Stop!” Steve repeated, louder and more urgently this time. I looked at him and could see the worry in his eyes which was an unsettling sight. The whole mission was really setting him on edge. Hydra had been his arch nemesis since day one as Captain America. Maybe she didn’t know everything about them, but as far as her knowledge stretched, Hydra had never left Europe in this way before, not by settling down at least. Maybe she was too uneducated about the subject to even assume how things had been and how they were, but Steve really seemed to dislike that they were so close this time around.

“We’re approaching.” Natasha broke the short silence which had filled up the Quinjet awkwardly. “I don’t know how high tech these guys are, but if they have radars, we’ve been on them for a couple of minutes at least.”

“Right. Just prepare for drop-off and we’ll handle things as we go. Y/L/N, you’re up first.” Steve ordered and I simply nodded. I unbuckled and stood up, looking down on my black and grey suit with imbedded with hundreds of vibranium disks, making it flexible yet damage-safe of incoming projectiles of as good as any kind. I slid my finger across the keypad by the back and the mechanism to the door began to buzz as the hanger lowered. Air whirled inside violently and wipped my ponytail around my neck to my throat and I narrowed my eyes as I observed the ground that no longer was so far beneath us. There was straight road which cut through the forest, leading up to the Hydra outpost with at least four guard towers along its way that I could see. No doubt there were more around the facility itself.

“Ready for drop off?” Clint, who had been silent for the hour prior, called back to make sure I was good to go. I held up a thumbs up, and on cue, the jet slowed down and steadied whilst hovering in the air.

I exhaled deeply before turning my back to the open back of the aircraft and closing my eyes again, feeling the wind grab onto my snug attire as I let myself fall backwards. As I continued to fall I peaked my eyes open, seeing the Quinjet flying across the grounds to where Steve and Scott would be dropped off. As a couple of seconds passed, I arched my back and raised my arms above my head skillfully until my body swung around in the air and aimed with my feet down. Only a split second went by before I landed with a ground breaking thud, literally. I would like to think that I timed the turn due to skill, but knowing myself it was most likely because of coincidence.

As I stood there, thanking higher forces that I had spared myself from an embarrassing landing with my whole back facing down, bullets began to pepper at my side. I slowly turned towards their source only to find three Hydra soldiers brutally shouting as they did little to none in damage. As they began to realize that themselves, their facial features turned from offensive to defensive and their open fire ceased until none existent.

“I already hate you guys…” I couldn’t help but mumble as I picked up speed with the three soldiers in my sight. In panic, they opened fire again. Bullets rained down on me like a goddamn, tropical storm and I could feel them ricochet off of both my armor and my skin. When I finally reached them, I grabbed a hold of one and threw him over the two others, knocking them all to the ground. They tried to scramble to their feet but before they could I held one of their rifles in my hand and grabbed the end of the barrel.

“Don’t…” I used the weapon as a golf club and hit the head of one of the men, knocking him out. “Be…” I hit another. “Dicks!” I hit the end of the weapon in the head of the remaining soldier and let it go afterwards, the rifle flying down the cliffs which began shortly outside of the fence surrounding the premises.

“Language.” Steve commented into my earpiece and I couldn’t help but let out a long groan.

“Don’t you start with that again.” I warned him, not in the mood to have my profanity pointed out. As the line remained silent after that I grabbed the two rifles left on the ground before I continued my way inside. I put my free hand into the net fencing and tore it apart, creating a hole large enough for me to enter through. A soldier patrolling on the roof of the concrete structure opened fire and I took one of the rifles in my hand and threw it like a dart, knocking the soldier to the ground like someone had slapped a fly with a flapper.

“Tell me when you got eyes on your target, Anima.” It was Steve again, and my focus was pulled from reality upon hearing him call me by my superhero name, or whatever I was. He never used it, never used any of the names we all were called. I can’t honestly tell if I like it or not. I can’t tell in what way he said it either. Unemotionally and negatively, or motivationally and inspiringly?

“Yes, sir.” I couldn’t think of a witty answer. A few soldiers had rushed out upon hearing the shooting and fired at my head and upper body, a few bad shots hitting my legs and the ground behind me. “Could you not?” I turned towards them. As they didn’t as much as stutter in their attack, I took the last rifle and threw it towards them. They flew back into the wall beside the door where they had exited and unconsciously sagged to the ground into a pile.

Anima was not something I came up with myself, but I did allow it to stick around. Originally it had been Peter’s idea. When I first became part of the team, months after things had settled after their civil dispute, a late night in the Stark Tower after an all too long party, a rather tipsy Tony insisted that I should have a superhero name. I had refused at first but everyone else had liked Tony’s idea and before I knew it, Peter had names me after the Latin word for life. It grew in the team and I didn’t really argue about the naming, so it stuck. Now, that A clings onto the upper parts of my suit like an emblem I should be proud to wear, which I actually kind of am.

I was inside before I knew it but things didn’t exactly looked how my mind had pictured. There was a huge room like that of a hangar, a few cars in one end and a dozen of guards surrounding my obvious target in the very center. They opened fire, just like all their coworkers, and I pushed forwards in their peppering ammunition.

“God that’s loud.” Clint commented on the line, referring to noise from my end.

“I’ve tried to tell them to stop a few times now but it seems they don’t want to listen.” I replied as I reached the men. They tried to engage in hand to hand combat instead but I began to knock out one by one slowly but surely. As my focus was on grabbing a guy from the floor and toss him down the large room, a crash filled my left ear as I felt a poke at my cheek. I turned my head around just in time to see the shards of a knife fall to the floor, a soldier standing with its handle by my head where he had attempted to pierce it.

“Did- did you just try to stab me, in the face?” I questioned him, watching the blood drain from his own face in absolute horror. “Do you know how much I like my face?!” I grabbed hold of his body armor and slammed him down to the ground. His helmet pushed up over his forehead but he was still able to see. “Did you seriously think I’d let you get away with that?”

I waited, gave him time to come up with some kind of an answer, but as he began to whimper in fear and rattle like a dry leaf in the wind, I used my head against his own to juggernaut his ass to sleep. I rose to my feet, eyes locking onto the bomb centered in the great hall when I noticed the small screen on it, my limbs numbing upon realization.

“Fuck!” My hands reflexively went to my head to pull at my hair, but it was tightly kept back and I felt my hands drop to my sides.

“Lang-”

“It has a timer!” I interrupted Steve, definitely not in the mood to be scolded cause of my language. “The bomb has a fucking timer on two minutes!”

“What?” It was Natasha, not wanting to believe what I was saying.

“One minute fifty seconds! There are no buttons on it, no wires. I can’t disarm it!” I could feel my breaths becoming shallow, my heart racing inside my chest. I’ve never been worried about dying, simply because I can’t, but everyone I know doesn’t have the blessing in a curse of being immortal and invulnerable. The blast radius of the bomb could be the size of the room it was in, but most likely it would wipe out the entire base and then some. Hell, even what Scott said about it being an atomic one seemed plausible when the timer was ticking down right before my very own eyes.

“Scott, you need to get to Y/N and get inside the bomb. We need to disarm it..” Steve ordered and I just shook my head, not caring that no one was around to see me do it.

“There’s no time! I’m improvising.” I watched as the timer went past one minute as I picked it up, cradling the cylindric piece of metal in my arms. I could hear Steve yell something about not doing anything stupid through my earpiece, but frankly, I couldn’t care less of what he had to say. I was holding a bomb and god knows how much it’ll take down with it if it goes off. I emerged from the door I had entered through, almost tripping over the soldiers still hanging around outside. I began to turn the corner when more billets began to rain down and I threw myself back to the safety of the wall. That way was a no go, so to the left it was.

I walked around the other corner of the extended part of the facility, a clearing which seemed to be a landing area for helicopters and such expanding before me. I glanced down at the bomb, seeing that the timer was down to forty already. “I’m north west of my drop-off point and I really need you guys not to come here right now.” I said as I came to the middle of the landing platform, kneeling to the ground with the bomb resting against my thighs.

“Y/N, I see you.” It was Steve. I looked up only to see him and Scott further away, far enough so that I couldn’t see their faces properly. “Don’t do this. We don’t know if you’ll survive!”

“Get back, Captain!” I called out, probably audible physically as well as over the intercom. “I walked around Hiroshima the day after the bomb dropped. I kissed a guy who died of the plague, whilst he was kissing me! I’ll be fine!”

“You’ve never contained a bomb before, you stubborn idiot! Drop it and run!” Steve truly begged now.

I looked down towards the timer, seeing it count down to ten. I took long breaths, feeling my body relax as I cradled over the bomb and covered as much of it as I could, a smile spreading on my face. “Cover your ears, guys. This one is gonna be loud-”

The bomb detonated. Flames whirled out from the areas where her body hadn’t covered it. Steve and Scott flew into the wall behind them as the shockwave rammed into them. The ground quakes at their feet and the Hydra base around them rattled in the bombs wake. Steve crawled up to his hands and knees before grabbing ahold of the wall for support. His knees buckled but he managed to stand, eyes gazing out over the helipad where he saw nothing but smoke.

“No…” He felt his heart sink. “No, no, no. Please-”

Steve went quiet as the smoke began to clear out, my body being detectable in its midst. I brushed sooth off of my attire, pouring as it stained the grey fabric black.

“Are you kidding me? I just cleaned this.” I tried to rub it with my fabric clad hand, my fingers peaking out from the fingerless gloves being just as black as them thanks to the sooth which was there too, along with the rest of my body.

“Oh you f-…” Steve cut himself off, beginning to jog my way. I tried to not look over at him as if I hadn’t noticed him. Instead, I nonchalantly continued my useless attempts in cleaning myself up. As Steve from out of nowhere was an arms length away, I looked up only to have two, huge arms wrapped around me. My eyes blew open and my body remained stiff as a stick as he continued to hug me without remorse.

“Uh… Steve? You good?” I questioned as I tried to wiggle my arms free and could feel him tighten his grip of me instead. After a few more seconds he let go and looked into my eyes, his being burning red from the smoke around us.

“You’re a damn idiot, you know that?” He seemed to wait for an answer, and I awkwardly broke eye contact before smiling again.

“I was born in 1769, Steve. I think I’ll live a little longer.”