#also i COOKED on the axe holding hand. wanna know how i did that? i took a picture of myself holding a novelty crocodile themed

[sinew-lattice]

diversity win! the woman about to kill and eat you is trans!

[tryymebitch]

I Wanna Be Your Slave (Damiano David x Reader) (Smut, 18+)

Look! I did another one! Seems like I'll be doing a few of these, seeing as I really am live laugh loving it.

Word Count: Didn't check this one either, its like long ish I guess

Warnings: SMUT, unprotected sex, oral sex, smoking, drinking, anything else that's a good time

Taglist: @daddydamiano @maybanksslut @bidet-and-legolas @midnightliv @mywritingonlyfans @victoria-de-angelis @lividisuigomiti @oro-e-diamanti @illicitfuck @icouldbeyourpuppet @makapaka11

You sighed as you took your glasses off, throwing them somewhere on the bed as you rubbed your eyes with your free hand. The mountain of emails hadn’t gotten any smaller over the time you’d ignored them, in the hopes that they’d just eventually disappear. Ones from the band’s manager, from the tour organiser, from venues, from the pizza place you and Vic loved, ones from hotels that you’d dared to use their wifi.

Psyching yourself up, you got your glasses back on (after a solid minute of frantically flipping the duvet around trying to find them) and refocused on your laptop. After another 20 minutes of reading, typing and deleting, you heard the soft sound of the front door click shut, followed by someone creeping through your shared apartment. Deciding that you were too lazy to get out of bed to defend yourself, you really hoped it was Damiano instead of an axe murderer.

As soon as the footsteps got close, there was a soft knock on the door before it opened, revealing a very tired looking Damiano.

“What are you doing still awake?” He asked softly, holding both hands behind his back.

You checked the time in the top corner of your laptop. Shit. At one-thirty on a Friday night, you were still checking emails. Very punk rock of you. You let your head fall back against the headboard.

“I must have lost track of the time” You sighed. “How was your mum?”

Every week, Damiano made a point of going to see his mother for a meal, they’d take turns cooking, talk about their week and drink a frankly impressive amount of white wine.

“She’s fine, but I have a surprise for you, I was going to wait until tomorrow, but seeing as it already is tomorrow” He whipped one of his hands out from behind his back, revealing a huge bunch of white roses. “What do you think?”

“Oh Damiano, they’re beautiful, you didn’t have to” You smiled, peeling yourself out from under your laptop and the duvet to wrap your arms around his neck. “I love them”

He pressed your lips together in a sweet kiss. “And I love you” He grinned. “I also got you this” He said, pulling his other hand around to show you a fancy bottle of wine.

Your eyes narrowed. Not that Damiano didn’t usually bring you gifts, he did, anything and everything he found that he thought you’d like, but two in one night was a new one for him.

“What are you after?” You joked. Seeing that his expression didn’t change from his shit-eating grin, your smile fell, knowing that you weren’t joking anymore.

“Well, amore mio. We’ve had a long day at the studio, you’ve been very busy working here and I’ve been very busy eating pasta with my mum, I think we’ve deserved some downtime.” He explained, as if the flowers and wine now made perfect sense. “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be back in a minute” He left a kiss on your forehead before he untangled himself from your arms and snuck out of the door.

You stood exactly where he left you, unsure what to do next. You closed your laptop, and put it on the bedside table, followed by your glasses, and perched on the edge of the bed. Eventually, Damiano waltzed back in, with two wine glasses in one hand, and the bottle in an ice bucket in the other. Pouring you both a glass and handing you yours, he clinked them together.

“Here’s to emails and pasta” He exclaimed, taking a sip of his wine. You followed suit, still wondering what was going on with him, as he climbed onto the bed. You shuffled around a bit as a pair until you were both facing each other, sitting cross legged, knees touching.

“What’s got into you?” You smiled at him. He leaned towards you, resting the foot of his wine glass on one of your knees, and resting a warm, wide palm on your other. The contrast in temperature was distracting you from the matter at hand.

“Am I not allowed to bring my girlfriend flowers and wine?” He asked, the faux pain across his face making you laugh. As soon as your smile broke out across your face, he leant even closer and pulled you in for a slow kiss.

“I take it all back, you can do that whenever you want” You rasped after you finally pulled away, breathless.

“Non dire più niente” He whispered against your lips. In one swift move, he’d got his glass to safety on on the bedside table and pulled you onto his lap, your legs wrapped around his waist while he was still cross legged.

Your mouths met again in a fierce kiss, tongues and teeth clashing together as his hands drifted lower from your waist, to your ass. You buried your face in his neck to hide a low moan as he ground you down on his crotch.

“What do you want tonight, bello?” You asked him. He pressed one more kiss to your lips.

“Tonight, bellezza, I wanna be your slave.”

He fell to his back, pulling you with him. At this point, you’d spilled most of your wine either on the bed or down Damiano’s back, so he put you both out of your misery, and took the glass from your hand, setting it next to his.

Straddling him, and hands braced either side of his head, you leant down to kiss him. Damiano was rarely the same, and often liked to switch it up in the bedroom, sometimes taking full and total control, and others, much like tonight, he wanted to controlled. You felt his hands creep up your thighs, in an attempt to find you ass again, but you swatted them away.

“If you wanna be my slave, I wanna be your master.”

He quickly got the message and stopped his groping mission, looking up at you with big hazel eyes. You made quick work of his shirt, sitting back upright on Damiano’s crotch, making him bite his lip to hide a groan. With his shirt unbuttoned, exposing an expanse of tattooed flesh, you climbed off him to rid yourself of your own clothing.

Knowing he was watching, you put on a show, taking only slow, sensual movements, but never once looking back towards the bed. When you were down to your underwear, you climbed back on the bed to resume your previous position.

“Where were we?” You asked rhetorically, leaning down again to capture Damiano in a kiss. The feeling of his warm chest against your own bare skin was making your heartbeat run. Feeling a bit more confident, you sat up again, much to Damiano’s whining. As soon as he saw what you were doing, the whines stopped and he bit his lip again, eyes locked with yours as you crawled up his body.

You settled your thighs either side of his head, and the sight was enough to make you throb. He smirked up at you, holding the back of your knees as you braced yourself against the headboard. Wiping the smirk off his face, you gave him a light slap across the cheek.

“Be a good boy.”

With that, you lowered yourself towards Damiano’s face, still clad in underwear. He started by wrapping big, ring clad fingers around the back of your thighs, as you felt his breath against the insides. Open mouth kisses, followed by gentle bites crept from the middle of your thigh, higher and higher. After a particularly less gentle bite, you hissed, thrusting your hand through his soft hair and pulling.

Damiano sucked a hard hickey in response, moaning into your thigh as you pulled on his hair and raked your nails over his scalp. After a split second of no contact other than his hands, finger splayed on your leg, you felt his breath hot against your core. A careful kiss was placed through the dark green lace of your underwear, making you shiver.

He licked a stripe along your slit, reaching up to your hips with his hands to pull you down lower. One hand left your hip to pull your underwear to the side. You sucked in a sharp intake of breath as you felt him blow a cold rush of air against your now-exposed core, and gripped at his brown waves again in revenge. He pulled down again on your hip, until you had completely lowered yourself to him.

Damiano got stuck right in, licking a long line against your slit, stopping to circle your clit before sucking it between his lips. A long moan escaped your lips without your consent. Damiano laughed softly at your response, before making himself useful again. He added a finger after a while, inspiring you to move your grip from his hair to his shoulder, digging your fingertips into the muscle.

After one finger came another. He had this way of making you come completely undone, crossing two fingers and twisting them inside you. With this, combined by his quickening pace on your clit, you weren’t far off.

“Dami, I’m so close” You groaned, grinding your hips down. He pulled off.

“Paint my face, baby”.

It didn’t take much more than that, your grip so tight on Damiano’s shoulder and the headboard, your knuckles were white while you saw stars. He slowed his pace but kept making tiny licks to your core while you came down from your high, until you couldn’t take the overstimulation any more. You summoned all of the strength you had left after your orgasm and put it to use, shimmying down Damiano’s body to find the same position as earlier, straddling his hips, chest to chest.

Damiano pulled you into a long, slow kiss. Tasing yourself on his tongue was already enough to get you going again, you just wanted to wait until your legs actually felt like they had bones in them to go again.

After what felt like a blissful eternity of slow, smooth kisses and stroking Damiano’s hair, you noticed that he was starting to rock his hips against yours, tiny moans being hidden behind the kiss.

Sitting upright again, this time on top of his waist, you shimmied him out of his trousers and underwear, leaving him in an unbuttoned silk shirt, pooling around his torso. He moaned freely as you grasped him and gave him few quick strokes.

Changing the pace, you stretched over his head to reach for the pack of cigarettes on the bedside table. Clamping one between your lips and lighting it, you swatted Damiano’s hand away as he reached for one for himself.

“You motherfucking monster.” He laughed, grabbing at your hips and you settled yourself back down on his waist, straddling him.

“What’s my redemption?” You asked slyly, taking a long drag from your cigarette and exhaling over his bare chest.

Clearly had enough with your teasing, Damiano grabbed roughly at your hips with one hand, pushing you down, and lined himself up with his other, pushing into you quickly and roughly. You mewled at the intrusion, hands coming flying to grab at his arms to steady yourself, cigarette still held tightly in your mouth.

“Who’s the monster now?” You questioned, raising an eyebrow at him while taking a drag. He grinned back you from below, a smile that you soon wiped off his face when you started to roll your hips.

Feeling a little more generous now you’d gotten your own back, you took the cigarette from your lips and placed it between Damiano’s. Waiting until he took a hard drag, hollowing out his cheeks, you snapped your hips forward so he coughed on the smoke.

Once he’d pulled himself together, he took the cigarette from his mouth and all but threw it at the ashtray on the bedside table, and quickly took command. He grabbed both of your wrists, where your hands were resting on his chest and held them in one hand. He planted his free hand behind him, pushing himself up so he was sitting, and you were back in his lap, your legs around his hips.

When he’d released your hands, all you could do was grab at Damiano’s neck and shoulders as he pounded into you mercilessly, clearly trying to get you back for all the previous teasing. His hands were roaming, from your thighs to your back to your ass, never in one place longer than a hard squeeze. You had been breathing heavily into his shoulder so far, biting down and the junction of his neck and shoulder, until Damiano grabbed you by the chin and crashed his lips into yours.

“So close, tesoro” He panted against your lips. Getting closer and closer to your second high of the evening, you dragged him back in for another kiss, pulling tight on his hair and meeting his hips with thrusts of your own, as he wrapped his arms around your waist.

After a few moments, his hips stuttered and his breath caught in his chest, pushing in to you one last time before moaning open mouthed against your lips. Feeling Damiano pulsate inside you was enough to send you off your own edge, legs shuddering around his hips while you saw starts.

What felt like hours, you came back down to earth, your combined breathing slowing together. Eventually, Damiano fell back down to the mattress, pulling you with him as he planted kisses on the top of you head and pulled out of you.

“You’re not very good at being a slave” You murmured against his chest, before drifting off, wine long forgotten.

My love

Say no more

Handsome

Beauty

Treasure

[zozophoenixxx]

Serotonin Booster :D 🐉

How to train your dragon edition

Here are some things I had forgotten or little details I just noticed on my rewatch, maybe even Unpopular Opinions 🤭👀

✨Race to the Edge✨

SEASON 6

I love how the twins were basically the reason Hiccup figured out that Johan was the spy

NOOO THE WAY GOTHI WENT TO TRY AND STOP STOICK FROM THROWING AWAY HER MEDICINE AND THEN GOT THROWN OFF THE CLIFF WAS SO FUNNY [ep2]

Omg that fight between Hiccup and Stoick in ep2 was crazy whenever Stoick said "I'm talking to the expert in getting duped by Trader Johan" and THEN HICCUP WAS LIKE "but I was only duped for half as long as you were. So what does that make you?"

Awww the way both Toothless and Skull-crusher were trying to get them to talk

And also Astrid being the only one that wasn't caught by the Hunters right away, she's just superior bro

I love how both of them were right - Stoick was right to not trust the merchants and Hiccup was right about Johan's plan

Toothless is actually so strong like he's not only agile and clever, I mean he just flew up to the ballista and crashed against it and destroyed it without using his Plasma Blast 😎🤩

Mala and Dagur fighting over where the Dragon Eye lenses are gonna be hidden is hilarious. Mala is so calm I love it

I got chills when Atali was like "no, Hiccup, this is my island I will defend it"

I really want to know the origin of the Wingmaidens, like where did all these women come from? How come they're still there?

I love Minden and Snotlout's relationship, the way he tried to convince her to not give up AND SHE KISSED HIM!!!

Krogan's Singetail actually cares about him

Never gonna get over Adelaide Kane voicing Mala

Also Snotlout running when the dude had the razorwhip on him LIKE HE WAS LITERALLY FLYING AND HE WAS STILL RUNNING Y'ALL HAVE TO WATCH THAT SCENE I JUST DONT KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT ITS IN EP3

Generations ago Fishlegs's ancestors were dragon hunters

The Loyal Order of Ingerman - decimated the Dramillion dragons, pushing them to the brink of extinction

Grump is amazing I love him

Dramillions - have both a lava blast and a magnesium blast. Omnivores. Still being hunted.

The Hunters were founded by Ingar Ingerman

The Dramillion trying to take the manacle off his tail🥺

And when Fishlegs threw his helmet and THEN THE HAND THING 😭🥺

I love the Dramillions they're so smart they learned how to get rid of the manacles by just looking at what Meatlug and Stormfly were doing 🥺

I just realized that the twins are 19 AND I FIND THAT ABSOLUTELY CRAZY HOW CAN THEY BE THAT OLD

I really wish we knew each of their birthdays like I wanna know which one's older and which one's younger

I feel like for some reason the twins would be the oldest ones then Fishlegs then Astrid then Snotlout and lastly Hiccup. Idk I'm still iffy on this

Most Thorstons don't make it to 19

I love the twins' relationship, they love each other so much that they would rather be alone and not form part of a clan than leave each other alone and the fact that other people know this too? Plsss like the only reason Gruffnut got them back into the fake induction trials was by telling them how bad it'd be for each other to not be part of a clan.

Titanwing Zippleback HOW DO THEY KNOW ITS A TITANWING IT LOOKS THE SAME AS THE OTHER ZIPPLEBACKS

"Ughh, what's the point of winning alone? Being a Thorston means nothing without him. We are one Thorston."

I love them and also technically Ruffnut won the induction trials.

THE LAST LENSE GOSH

Love how Fishlegs cares about global warming

I'm all Snotlout, Toothless and the Triple Stryke reacting to Mala and Dagur- I'm also Mala whenever someone tickles me I'LL KILL U

UGHHH I HATE HOW SNOTLOUT MADE HICCSTRID UNCOMFY FOR HAVING A DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP

Astrid overthinking 🥺😭

"How would you like your yak cooked?" JSHDHHA

bro I love how both Tuff and Toothless noticed the betrothal necklace

"So want to deliver some scrap metal?" Hiccup baby? Why are you so oblivious?

At least he asked her if she was alright in the armorwing's island 😩

No but if I was Astrid I'd be pissed too, the dude saw a dragon eye lens from far way and didn't notice her betrothal necklace? 🙂😤

No I can't that scene was too harsh to watch, I mean I loved to see Hiccup noticing something was wrong with Astrid but then the way Astrid compared their relationship to Mala and Dagur's and then threw him the betrothal necklace... And the way he caught it too I can't- 😭😞😖😭😓🤧

Seeing the twins trying to capture Mala was hilarious JAHDHDHHSHA

I love how when they're fighting Astrid's still there for him whenever he's expected to have all the answers. She ignored her anger and went over to him and grabbed his hand and that single thing was what gave him confidence in a moment of panic 🥺

"I'm with you"

"I know"

That final Hiccstrid scene in Mi Amore Wing was just too perfect, we have Hiccup grabbing Astrid's hand to bring her outside and talk to her, the sunset in the background, every little thing Hiccup told her about being there for her and loving her with everything he had and that he should've noticed the necklace right away AND THEN THAT KISS WAS JUST AMAZING❗️❗️❗️ it was passionate and sweet and Astrid was blushing and then Fishlegs was all uncomfortable and Mala was like "okaaayyyyy😏" and Dagur like "alrighhtttt👌🏼" ig the only thing I didn't like is that Astrid didn't say I love you back 😭 but it's ok cause yk she does I just wished she had said it.

Baby razorwhips love the water

Tuffnut named the baby razorwhip that bonded with Ruffnut, Wingnutt

Top scenes of Ruff Transition ep7

Tuffnut throwing up in Ruffnut's mouth and Ruffnut throwing up in Wingnutt's mouth just do that he could be fed- seeing the windmaiden's reactions is the best lmao

Hiccup trying to teach Ruffnut how to fly (with his dragon flight suit) and then Ruffnut losing balance but Hiccup helping her regain it BUT we still get overprotective Tuffnut jumping off of Toothless to try and help but all he did was make things worse HIS SCREAM WAS HILARIOUS nonono and the way Toothless tried to help BUT AGAIN MADE THINGS WORSE 😩😮‍💨😂

Ruffnut finally figuring out how to connect with Wingnutt and fighting the dragon hunters and saving Atali was so badass and then Atali riding Barf 😭🤩

Hiccstrid kiss count (approximately) : 6😘

The way he slightly and carefully touches her face to reassure her that he'll be fine

The Singetail's only predator is the Skrill

The Berserkers used to use metal daggers to lure Skrills into traps. The dragon is drawn to it due to its electrical properties

VIGGO JUST DID THE HAND THING THING WITH THE SKRILL WTF

If I could have any dragon it'd be in this order

Skrill - it's so badass and powerful

Nightfury - it's badass, powerful, pretty, strong and fast

Deadly Nadder - it's extremely fast and agile, has multiple attacks and the spikes

Dramillion - has multiple attacks and is very smart

Just realized that ep8 is called Triple Cross because 1st Johan crossed Viggo 2nd Viggo fake crossed Hiccup and 3rd Viggo and Hiccup crossed Johan and Kogan

That episode was basically jusr to show Viggo's arc and the way he changed for the better and learned to respect dragons

That's why the Singetails wouldn't leave in ep9 whenever they were trying tp free the Deathsong- their eggs! They're in that island.

I can't with Hiccup and Astrid sitting together just chilling but with Astrid feeling guilty and Hiccup assuring her that he was also at fault 😭

I love Narrator/Author Snotlout! The titles of the chapters of his book remind me of the ones from Pjo

Stoick and Skullcrusher acting as 1 and being worried about each other 🥺 I love their relationship

Also the way Stoick bats off the shots from the Singetails with his axe just like Astrid. They're both truly warriors

No but Toothless asking for a head scratch from Gobber bc he's worried abt both Hiccup and Stoick🥺

The way Toothless tried to make Hiccup feel better- I mean the man blamed himself for putting Stoick in "his deathbed" it was just so awful seeing Hiccup in that state and the way everyone was trying to make him feel better but it was ultimately Astrid who managed to get through to him😭

I love it when they put scenes of the movies

I love how Astrid always knows what to say without lying

Looks like it's you and me, then.

Always... was that corny or-

Probably. Nice, though.

The way Astrid is so natural at being a leader and putting everyone on their places 🤩

That lil moment they had in ep12 where he holds her face and thanks her for everything and I just love them too much 😭

I love how Spitelout is so happy when he's beating ass, this dude literally goes "I'm sure I've had more fun than this. But at the moment, I can't remember when"

Have I mentioned I love the Dramillions before? I love them way too much they're amazing and the sound they make is so 😩 I love it

The Dramillion is a distant cousin of the Changewing which means the Titanwing Dramillion shares the de-cloaking ability with its subspecies.

Stormfly's spine clone was literally so badass, my girl was surrounded and she finished every single dragon flyer with it. Badass move. Wish we had seen it more throughout the series

It really pissed me off that Hiccup had to choose between getting Tuff, Ruff and Snotlout out of that sinking ship when he could've been following Krogan. Like ofc it was the right decision but that wouldn't have happened if the twins and Snotlout didn't follow Gruff into the ship :/

I love how strong Barf and Belch are! They literally carried the a Titanwing Dramillion on their own.

That scene when they figured out that the Titanwing Dramillion is not the King of Dragons but instead the last piece of the puzzle to get to the King of Dragons

When the Wingmaidens got to the battle it was amazing

Also the way Dagur was so proud that the King of Dragons was a Berserker and how Ruff was so excited to see Wingnutt and Snotlout to see Minden🥺

THEY REALIZED THAT BBYS AREN'T AFFECTED BY THE KING OF DRAGONS BC OF THE BABY RAZORWHIPS

that last Hiccstrid Scene where Hiccup is worried about Astrid's safety- I mean his face 🥺🥺🥺 and she told him that his dad would be proud and that she's proud too and when she was about to leave he held her back and kissed her 😭😭

Ik I said this before but I simp for Astrid as a leader, she's just so natural at it

Also I love how the King of Dragons has ice powers instead of fire

WAIT SO IS THE EGG THAT HICCUP FINDS IN THE FINALE THAT THEY GIVE TO VALKA IS THAT THE KING OF DRAGONS THAT VALKA CARES FOR IN HTTYD2?!!

Valka being friends with the Wingmaidens sits absoluteky right with me

no but the way Toothless hesitated when Hiccup told him to leave him and get the egg

I love how all the dragons arrived to fight the dragon flyers, it was just so poetical to me, the dragons finally getting to fight the people that hurt them 🤩

I FINISHED IT AND NOW I'M SAD!!! I loved the end tho and I'm glad we got to see Shattermaster at Dagur's wedding, also Astrid's outfit change- we love that. And them leaving the edge is just so sad bro 😭but I love how we got to see some "insight" ig u could call it on HTTYD2 😭 also seeing Snotlout and Fishlegs's love for Ruffnut start forming was hilarious

[frostahesmegabite]

The Judgement of Carrion

@daily-writing-challenge - Day 4 - Accomplish/Macabre [ Content warning: Blood, Guts, Gore, Bits of Torture, That sort of stuff. While there aren't pages and pages of it, it is present in this short story. I tried to find a balance of detail and keeping things light without going into ‘Hostel’ territory. ]

Human forts were a dime a dozen, easily found and half of them forgotten or falling to ruin due to the numerous war fronts that were constantly moving across the face of Azeroth to fight one force or another. Some lost to time, others to ruin, some to marauding forces and others simply abandoned because they were no longer needed. It was one of these Forts that Megahes had put to use for himself and probably his most comprehensive and long lasting pastime.

Clever little devices put into play to keep things looking abandoned and misused, neglected and falling to ruin. The place had not only been repaired but also reinforced with Magical and Mechanical Goblin ingenuity that was built upon with knowledge gained over the past several decades.

Inside of this fort, despite the fact it was never intended to receive an actual willful audience, was decorative furniture made of fine dark woods embroidered with rich velvets, soft silks and the finest wools and cottons coin could acquire. Tables stretching about with plates and goldware that no man or woman other than Megahes would ever see sat to present an atmosphere of riches on display. Trophy cases and stands line the walls with numerous weapons of both magical and mundane descent that perch over Armor Stands holding protective metal layers meant not just for Goblins, but all races.

If any ever came to somehow find the place and took the time to inspect any of it, they’d find that all of these items weren’t as ‘pristine’ as they may appear at a distance. Damage came to them all at some point or another. Blunted blades, shattered axe heads assembled to look presentable. Armor with gashes, pierced helmets or chest pieces, greaves with shorn metal by the thighs that most likely led to bleed outs.

The more one could look, the more they’d note that all of the gear was like walking through a museum of deathly wounds. All that stood or hung from the walls had a story of defeat and loss and probably before then, great triumphs, valor and victory… just to have their stories end here.

Megahes pays no mind to these things now though as he walks with his back rigid and straight, his arms back behind him with hands clasping the other arms elbow in some overly formal glide across the stone floor. His bright white and gold attire is a stark beacon amongst the dark colors and atmosphere of the room that one should have found comforting, but for some reason, only brought worry and dread with it as he moves about his untold business.

[ Artwork by the Magnificent Fishadee. No Fire or Light Shards floating about in this scene, purely put for clothing example. https://twitter.com/fishadee ] He stops, not worrying to look around for any watchers, for he knows there are none as he stops at a small wall just behind a staircase. “Rehorur decno Kudex.” A series of flashes occur around our Goblin and once completed a small stone panel slides off to the side and Megahes puts his hand into the slot. A sudden sharp ‘shing!’ sound is head and Mega’s neck tenses but for a moment before his hand is withdrawn. A mechanical but feminine voice perks up from the slot. “Welcome back.” “Hmm.” The only sound Megahes makes before he takes a step back and then to the left. The stone wall jars forward at an alarming speed, spikes erupting from her stone crevices meant to impale and kill any would-be intruders while giving Megahes the solitary moment that was needed to pass behind the crude defense into the wall beyond. Whether by measured practice or perhaps sensors, the trap quickly retreats and returns to normal, giving off no telltale signs of a hidden door or of Mega’s earlier passing.

The reason for all this secrecy? Hidden at the end of the staircase Mega was already descending. Humans had their specialties sure, jacks of all trades those people. But the one thing they never fail to make well?

Jail Cells and Prisons.

It was this singular reason that Megahes took over this once ramshackle Fort for himself. Though there weren’t many cells, there was no need. Three of them sat in a row at the bottom of the stairs, each outfitted with custom Arcano-tech that allowed for the arrival of a singular occupant that was soon set to magical and electrical suppression to keep them docile and incapable of action while time slowly allowed them to become dehydrated and starved to where strength or speed was no longer an issue either.

The work put into this place was one of Mega’s hidden creations of pride and in the past, its use went towards a sorted pastime of torturing whoever was unfortunate enough to get caught by one of his traps. Times change however and with Mega’s newfound religion, came the need to change how and why he did things while applying them to old hobbies. Today’s hobby however, only involved one other person beyond himself and Mega comes to stand right before him as electricity pulses through his frail, nearly starved frame.

“Brother Abacus.” A stupid name, false to be sure, but one that Megahes didn’t really care about either way. “I realize you don’t know who I am and that’s quite alright.” He leans in, voice dialing down as he speaks through the bars just as another tide of electricity bombards the ‘Brother’, causing him to whimper and whine in pain. “You have been found guilty of being a member of a Twilight Cult, one in fact, that was run by Dinthoqaf the Defiler.”

The cultist looks up, arms shaking in heavy tremors as he tries to look his would-be captor in the eye. They give out however, causing him to hit the ground with an exhale. His cracked and bleeding lips wobble, trying to say something, but the lack of strength made their efforts near useless. It was sad really, or at least it would be if Megahes cared about the man's condition in the slightest.

Megah glides over to a control panel on the wall and proceeds to flip a series of switches and dials which cause several mechanical tendrils to tear from the wall in Abacus’ cell that soon lash him to the same wall they originated from. His body was quickly drawn into an ‘X’ shape with limbs pulled tight and to their limits.

“You see. Your former… Employer? Boss? Leader.” Megahes hands lift and tumble in slow methodical circles as he tries to find the right word, but leaves it be. “Him and I don’t get along very well and thanks to his efforts, I find myself needing to improvise my tactics a bit. While I know he’s dead, face turned to slag and glass, I wanna make sure I get the job done correctly, meaning none of his followers try to take up his mantle. I’m sure you understand.”

He turns around and heads into the cell, worry of electrocution now gone thanks to the current state of affairs. “You see. I have this…” He pauses. “...Macabre little ritual I have to do every so often and believe me.” The Goblin laughs while looking up at the man while proceeding to straighten up his clothes, as if it mattered. “As much as people might want me to say I hate doing this… I don’t. I’ve been doing this to people way before you all found me and now. Now I get to put my hobbies to better use.”

Megahes’ hand comes up, his index finger pressing to his lips to tell Brother Abacus to be silent. His smile fades with the gesture and he reaches up, pressing his black and gold painted claw against the clothing of this man's thigh. Downward, slowly, it runs. Fabric quickly turns from a peasant-y brown to a heavy red and brown as flesh below seems to split before the clothing itself can.

Magic? Possibly. Insanely sharp claws? Not likely. But whatever it was, the man's thigh split open as if by scalpel and despite his starvation, he thrashes weakly in an effort to pull away. The machines holding his wrists tighten and continue to do so until the sound of bone is heard crunching.

This process continues on not just for mere moments but stretches of hours, lines drawn across flesh like sand. Megahes had nothing else to say and so, despite the protests and pleading, begging to let him go and he’d tell no one, Mega continued.

Soon, details were carved away, facial features, scalp and its rooted hair, ears. Nearly anything that could be taken and removed without outright killing this poor cultist was taken in some macabre movie of silence and torture and finally, when the man was nearest his end, Megahes opens his own shirt.

The metal embedded into his Chest that shines with the Light like a beacon in this squalor, practically vibrates as Mega runs his blood coated hands across its surface. Red blood made semi-translucent by the sheer shine, soon was baked and cooked black, all Vitae devoured, leaving Megahes to sigh in relief.

“I would ask you to tell the Defiler thank you for giving me this. But… we both know you’re never going to have that opportunity.”

Megahes runs his hand up from Brother Abacus' groin clear up to his collarbone, shearing clean through flesh and muscle alike. What came next was a grotesque shower of innards that began to fall and slop to the floor, leaving our would-be cultist inanimate and lifeless.

“Now to clean up and go home. Tonight’s my date night and I have so many things to accomplish before She gets home…” Soon, the jail cells were left dark and eventually the slow trickling of blood and various other liquids came to silence in the dark, waiting to be cleaned up and for a new subject to be taken.

[professorkenobi]

a catboy for christmas

Note: This is a big time jump forward in the stray catboy au, but you can read the last part here. And you can see adorable art for this snippet by the wonderful shatou here! Happy Holidays all!

For many years, Obi-Wan had dutifully broken out the ladder and strung up Christmas lights on his house every December. And, for many years, he’d opted against shopping for a tree, hauling it into his living room and decorating it, just for him to be the only person who’d enjoy it.

On the odd year that he had friends over during the holiday season, he’d break out the holly-trimmed dinnerware set from the storage bin in the garage, but that was about the extent of his indoor decorating.

He was always busy with the end of the semester anyway. To go to all of that effort just for himself was pointless.

But, with Anakin, it was different. 

Halfway through the ordeal of stringing lights from the roof, Anakin came outside with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“You were sleeping quite peacefully when I got up at seven.”

Anakin made a face. “Well, now that it’s a normal time to be awake I can help.”

Which was how Anakin ended up the one balancing on the top of the ladder, seemingly very much in his element, while Obi-Wan fed him the lights from the ground. 

By the time they were finished, Obi-Wan’s hands were numb in his gloves and Anakin’s ears were stiff from the cold. So Obi-Wan went about making hot chocolate while Anakin started a fire, and Anakin roped him into watching not just Home Alone, but the sequels too (“How can this be the sequel, that isn’t even the same child,”—”Just trust me, okay, it’s really good!”—sigh).

He didn’t register exactly when he started rubbing his fingers over Anakin’s silky ears to warm them up, but he continued even after Anakin scooted closer and dropped his head onto his shoulder.

—

Obi-Wan asked around at work for the best Christmas tree farm in the area, so that weekend they bundled up and set about finding a tree to fit in the corner of the living room.

He’d been planning to pick out a tree alone, knowing Anakin was still struggling with venturing out into public, but as soon as he’d mentioned the trip Anakin had perked up and declared they should go right now, before all the good trees are taken!

Obi-Wan soon discovered out that by good trees, Anakin meant big trees.

“This one.”

“Anakin, that’s not going to fit.”

Anakin pointed at the tree with the axe in his hand. “But it’s the perfect tree! It smells the freshest.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. Smells the freshest, really...

The tree also happened to be ample enough to take up half their living room. But Obi-Wan ran a hand over the branches, checking for loose needles, and discovered that this was indeed the healthiest tree they’d seen so far. And if it was the one Anakin wanted…

“Alright then, looks like we found our tree.”

Anakin’s responding grin set off a delicate flutter in his chest. 

The tree was almost too big to fit the racks on Obi-Wan’s sedan, but they somehow managed to secure it.

With Anakin taking charge of not only chopping the tree down, but also heaving its bulk through the front door, Obi-Wan couldn’t imagine not having Anakin with him for the task. 

The realization that he couldn’t imagine ever not having Anakin with him again hit him like a snowball to the chest.

—

It got dark out so early at this time of year, but inside Obi-Wan’s little kitchen it was cozy and bright, filled with the spicy scent of baking gingerbread. 

“Where’s the vanilla?” 

“Middle shelf on the end.” He nodded in the general direction.

“Gotcha!” Jars clattered as Anakin rummaged through the cabinet. Obi-Wan set the last spoon in the dish drainer and wiped his hands on a towel.

He turned just in time to catch Anakin pouring vanilla straight into the mixer bowl.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you supposed to measure that?” 

“Leave the science to me, old man.” Anakin cracked a sharp-toothed smile and started the mixer, mostly drowning out the jazz drifting from the speakers. 

It was true that Obi-Wan wasn’t much of a baker. He was a fair cook, but tended to stick to the same rotation of dishes for his weekly meal planning. Anakin, on the other hand, was accomplished enough that he had a disquieting tendency to play fast and loose with the recipe.

It bothered Obi-Wan less than he would have thought. He couldn’t even bring himself to mind the mess. Not when it was created by Anakin flitting around the kitchen, getting a dusting of flour on his ears and everything else in the vicinity. 

Obi-Wan busied himself drying dishes until the mixer powered down.

“Wanna lick?”

Anakin stood at his shoulder, holding out a beater absolutely drenched in white frosting. His other hand hovered underneath to catch any drips. 

“Ah— tempting, but no thank you.” 

“You sure?” Anakin shook the beater slightly, and a small glob fell onto his fingers. “It’s delicious.” 

“It’s yours.” 

He had been tempted. But forgoing something small to make Anakin happy felt the most natural thing in the world.

“Your loss!” 

Anakin stuck the tip of the beater into his mouth and began enthusiastically licking up the frosting. Obi-Wan caught a flash of pink tongue twining between the wires and swallowed reflexively, heat rising to his cheeks. 

He was dimly aware that he was staring, but he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away. Not as Anakin began cleaning off his hands, seemingly unaware of the picture he made with one sticky finger after another disappearing between his full lips and more frosting smeared across his cheek.

“You have a little, er, by your mouth there,” he managed. 

“Oh, thanks.” Anakin wiped at his face, missing by a mile. “Did I get it?” 

Obi-Wan chuckled. “Not quite— here, let me.” He swiped at Anakin’s cheek with his thumb and, unthinkingly, brought it to his mouth. 

The taste of vanilla and sugar burst saccharine on his tongue. 

“You were right.” 

Anakin blinked at him, wide-eyed. “A-about what?” 

“It is delicious.” 

—

He was straining to reach the top of the tree when Anakin walked in from the kitchen, the last bite of a cookie in his hand.

“Wait, let me do that!” 

Anakin swiped the star from his hands with ease and went right up on his tip-toes. He had just the extra couple inches that were needed to place the star in the right spot, nestling it among the highest branches so it wouldn’t topple.

Then he turned to him, a wide grin dimpling his cheeks. “How’s that?”

The sight of Anakin, backlit by the tree’s sparkling lights, bundled in Obi-Wan’s biggest sweater with pale thighs bare above argyle socks, and smiling at him with open joy—it stole his breath, made him feel a little unsteady on his feet.

“It’s perfect.” He reached up to push a stray curl out of Anakin’s face, and his hand got playfully headbutted in return. “Thank you, dear.”

Anakin went pink at that, ducking his head and busying himself with rearranging the garland on the tree. Obi-Wan felt his cheeks go a touch warm as well. He hadn’t meant to say it so… affectionately. 

Well. Maybe he had.

Anakin tucked in the end of the tinsel and stepped back, surveying the whole picture with arms crossed.

“Looks finished, to me. Whaddaya think?” 

“I’ll have to defer to your expertise. I, ah, actually haven’t had a Christmas tree in many years,” Obi-Wan admitted. 

Anakin frowned. “So do you not have people over for the holidays or whatever?” 

“Not really.” 

“Then, do you usually, I mean...” Anakin looked down, picking at a nonexistent ball of lint on his sweater. “Will you be going somewhere else for Christmas, then?” 

“Anakin.” Obi-Wan took him softly by the elbow. Anakin’s eyes, twin pools brimming with reflected light, caught his and held. “I was hoping we could spend it together. If you’d like.” 

Anakin’s mouth fell open in a soft o. “You mean that? Just the two of us?” 

Obi-Wan’s grip slid down the back of Anakin’s arm, searching beneath his overlong sleeve for his hand. It was warm, and he squeezed it. 

“Of course I mean it.” 

“Then, yeah.” Anakin’s fingers curled around his and squeezed back. “I’d like that.” 

—

On Christmas Eve, they cooked dinner together with a backdrop of snow falling outside the window, dusting the back deck in a fluffy layer of white. 

While they ate, splitting a saucepan’s worth of mulled wine between them (“You don’t eat the orange slices, Anakin.”—“What? Why wouldn’t you?”—“...I suppose you’re right, that’s a silly rule,”)  Obi-Wan’s thoughts naturally strayed to the blackberry brambles, to the frozen dirt, the swirling flurries. 

He looked outside, into the darkness, and then turned to Anakin, his head of curls golden under the warm glow of the evening lights, talking heatedly about—something about peppermint bark—and he was filled with overwhelming gratitude that Anakin was here and not out there.

Anakin’s arms stopped their wild gesturing. “Why are you smiling?”

“No reason.” Obi-Wan raised his glass to hide his lips and found himself inadvertently smiling even wider. “I just like listening to you.”

“Oh.” He was rewarded with a tentative little smile in return.

They ended up on the couch, their glasses topped off, with the fire crackling and the Christmas tree lit up in all its glory.

Obi-Wan wasn’t even sure which movie they were watching, but Anakin seemed to enjoy it. For his part, the mulled wine had gone to his head a little. Perhaps he could rest his eyes, just for a moment... 

When he opened them again, the credits had rolled and the fire was starting to burn low. Anakin's head was pillowed on his thigh, curls carelessly tossed across his face. His breath rose and fell softly and his ears twitched every few seconds with whatever dream he was having.

Obi-Wan smoothed a hand over them until they stilled. He hoped it was a happy dream. 

He would have happily stayed there all night, but his leg was starting to fall asleep. Yes, it was definitely time for them to retire to bed, but he didn’t have it in him to wake Anakin, not when he was sleeping so soundly.

So, very carefully, he gathered Anakin into his arms and carried him up the stairs.

Anakin didn’t seem to rouse, not even when his foot accidentally bumped against the doorway, but he did snuffle in his sleep and curl in closer to his body, probably seeking out warmth.

Obi-Wan thought he might’ve heard him mumble something, right as he deposited him in bed, but he couldn’t make it out.

With Anakin’s face so relaxed and beautiful in his sleep, he couldn’t resist gently brushing his knuckles over the delicate cheekbone. 

“Merry Christmas Eve, Anakin.”

—

The thump-thump-thump of hurried feet running down the stairs was Obi-Wan’s only warning before he had a gift-wrapped box thrust in front of his face. 

“Merry Christmas,” Anakin declared, his eyes bright and excited under sleep-mussed curls.

“You didn’t—”

Anakin practically pushed the present into his chest. “Nuh-uh. You have to accept it. I worked hard on it.”

After a beat, Obi-Wan set his cup aside and took the offered present. He recognized the glossy candy canes as his own wrapping paper. Anakin must have sniffed out the bin hiding under the bed. 

He’d also found the roll of red ribbon, and had tied it into a bow bigger than the box itself.

Obi-Wan set the box on the couch next to him. “I won’t open mine until you open yours.”

Anakin’s brow creased in earnest as he caught sight of the modest collection of packages under the tree. “Obi-Wan, this is too much. I can’t let you—mmph.”

Obi-Wan had brought up a hand to cover his mouth. “Not another word. They’re for you.”

Anakin tried to say something, making the hairs on Obi-Wan’s arm stand on end as soft lips brushed his palm. He quickly drew back. 

“Fine,” Anakin frowned at him. “But it’s still ridiculous.”

Obi-Wan wagged a finger playfully. “If I hear any more complaints out of you, young man, I’ll start taking them back.” 

“But I want them!” Anakin pouted at him, and he had to hide his smile behind his hand.

An almost overwhelming feeling of fondness swelled in Obi-Wan’s chest as he watched Anakin tear into his gifts. He amassed a small pile of mostly practical items— clothes and socks, warm and sturdy ones that wouldn’t go threadbare and leave him shivering. A set of products for his curly hair. A few hobby engineering volumes that came highly recommended by the countergirl at Obi-Wan’s favorite local bookstore. 

Anakin saved the largest package for last. “What’s this, Obi-Wan?”

“Go on, open it.” 

He tore away the paper and stared down at what it revealed. 

“It’s a coffee maker,” Obi-Wan said. “I thought you must be tired of making do with a teapot every morning.” 

Anakin just kept staring. 

“It came very well rated, has all the functions, you can set it to start when you wake up and—” he realized he was rambling. “Is it alright?” 

Finally looking up, Anakin smiled at him. For some strange reason, his eyes were shining, tears threatening to spill over. “It’s perfect, Obi-Wan. Thank you so much.” 

He scooted closer and wrapped Obi-Wan in a tight embrace, his breath fanning warm on Obi-Wan’s neck. Obi-Wan returned the hug, rubbing soothing circles on Anakin’s back. 

Far too soon, they pulled apart. Obi-Wan reached for his little present, beyond curious to see what Anakin had come up with.

Anakin looked to the side. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get more.” 

“Shh, I didn’t expect anything.” Obi-Wan pulled at the bow and opened the box. 

He traced his fingers over the smooth curves and contours of the wood in awe. “Anakin,” he breathed. “You... you made this?”

Anakin started wringing his tail in his lap, his eyes downcast. “It’s not much, but it’s… well I…”

Obi-Wan clutched the carving tight to his chest. “I love it. Thank you. Although…”

Anakin’s face fell instantly. Obi-Wan’s heart hammered a staccato beat even as he pulled the ribbon loose from the wrapping paper and brought it up around Anakin’s neck.

To their credit, his fingers only trembled a little as he carefully tied the ribbon into a loose bow around Anakin’s neck. Like a flamboyant necklace, or perhaps a, like a collar…

“You are worth more to me than any gift you could give me.”

The beautiful color that graced Anakin’s cheeks made taking the risk of saying out loud what he felt in his heart worth it. He wanted to say more, there was so much in his heart that was aching to be spilled, but before he could speak Anakin was leaning over to grab the Santa hat off the table and placing it on Obi-Wan’s head, the fuzzy brim nearly falling into his eyes.

“Merry Christmas, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said softly, his eyes twinkling.

Joy bloomed in his chest. “Merry Christmas, Anakin.”

[cavvaje]

Hearth and Rime | Ch. 1

Pairing: M!Eivor x Reader

Summary: Eivor has had a rough day and you make him feel better :)

Words: 1600~

Genre: Fluff, Comfort?

Warnings: Spoilers for end of Cent Arc! | Somewhat suggestive fade to black

Note: Still a bit new to writing fics, so sorry if its a bit rough around the edges!

I actually finished this in time for valentines but just kept editing it and being too nervous to actually post it? Then decided to retake all the photos lol... 

This is also a continuation of the first fic I put up, BUT you don’t need to read it to understand (it was like 200 words). Here’s a link!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The home is modest for its outwards appearance. According to Eivor, the last occupants were runaway Saxons, who fled the day after they saw him in the area. They didn’t leave much behind, but it’s serviceable.

“Smells good!” Eivor stands by a cooking pot in the corner, setting down the bright torch in his hand. He turns to you with a cheeky look.

“Here,” He says, untying his cloak. The Viking comes to you as you stand in front of the doorway. His cloak needs to go over, and so you squeeze your head through the hole. “This should help you warm up.” 

Gentle arms reach around your shoulders, and instinctually, your arms begin to trace his waist to his back. Adrenaline surges in cold shivers: from your arms through to your spine. Your face is practically buried in the nook between his neck and shoulder. You hold each other a moment, checking off an imaginary checklist of things that make him real. His warmth, his scent, his breath...

A tight tug wakes you up; the cloak has been set, albeit loosely. He lets go of the embrace. Even as he leaves, the cloak maintains his warmth.

“It smells like blood…”

He chuckles lightly, “Does it now?... Surprise?” he flips his axe in one hand, starts drying the rainwater off the metal, then sets it down. He motions towards the steaming pot. “Can I dig in?”

You stare at him as he pulls off the bracers and his hidden blade. He looks back a moment later, puzzled.

“I missed you, Eivor.” You say, plainly.

“Ah…” he pulls you in for a proper hug this time; his arms hold you tight. “I missed you too.” 

“Mmm… what’s bothering you Drengr?”

You feel the sigh heavily from the movement of his chest against yours. “Please, let me eat…”

“Of course! Sorry. Must’ve been a long trip...” 

“No no, don’t be.” He lets go, but locks his eyes on yours, and gives a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I’ll explain, I won’t be like Sigurd.” 

“Like Sigurd?” 

His weight falls heavy on the stool, as he grabs a bowl. 

You pace towards him slowly, a hand gentle on his left shoulder. “...Did you find him?”

“Not exactly.” 

You feel his rage beginning to simmer on your hand, but it sizzles down quickly. You wait for a few minutes as he ravages his stew, and then places the empty bowl down calmly and precisely. 

“We found an arm.” 

“Shit…”

“Aye, shit.”

He turns to you suddenly, his eyes focused. “Don’t tell the ravens. Please.” He scans your expression. “Can I trust you to this?”

You nod.

“..Thank you.” He sighs and slumps down onto the table.

You stand idly, unsure of how to proceed. The silence fills the room like a cursed fog.

“Perhaps we should talk more in the morning? After you’ve rested from your journey?” you perk up, sitting down next to him. Your hand moves to the Viking’s back reassuringly, and he arches to greet it. “For tonight, let me take care of you, ok?”

He stifles a small chuckle and looks at you earnestly. “That sounds great.”

You smile and get up from your seat. He follows, holds your hands, and leans in close. “Thank Freyja I found you…” His eyes meet yours. You put your hand up to his scarred cheek and… after a moment of hesitation, kiss him. He tastes like a paradise gritted by blood and steel, or maybe it’s the venison... A kiss that feels like a surging tide effortlessly enveloping you. His hands move to wrap around your waist and the back of your neck, and as you break the kiss, it moves back to fall on your cheek. 

He lets out a satisfied breath and slowly removes his hands as well, instead moving them to hold yours. “I needed that.” His voice barely a whisper, yet still raspy and impassioned. 

You coyly move away, tracing your fingers over his own as you leave. “Come… get comfy. Let me help you away with the stresses of your life, Wolf-Kissed.” You begin to move towards the other end of the room.

“Are you just telling me to take off my clothes, lover?” he returns, just as coy, but begins to remove his top anyway. His now shirtless figure is darkened against the light of the fire.

“And you? It’s only fair…” His voice and eyes gleam with a newfound playfulness.

“Ah… but my cloak is so heavy…”

He quickly moves to uncloak you, then slower to unclothe. His lightly calloused hands ‘accidentally’ feel your stomach and arms as you two connect in this growing heat. Both of you a little more exposed, you sit on the bearskin by the bed, absorbing each other’s presence. 

“New scar?” A faded but deep red streak across the top of his wrist into the forearm. He smiles and shrugs. You feel it… still a bit fresh. “It looks good on you.” 

He traces it with his other hand in empty thought, while you grab a nearby satchel containing medicinal herbs. He tries his best not to wince as you apply your treatment... he doesn’t wince once. He’s simply watching you in admiration. 

“What’s that look for? Something wrong?” You ask, knowing the answer.

"You are stunning. Like a painting, framed in a lantern-lit gold. In comparison to you, even its fire seems dull and cold...” 

You shove his shoulder playfully and he laughs, but his eyes stay on you to look for your smile, and he finds it, blushing. He looks proud of himself. Bastard. 

You get behind him and slowly begin to unbraid his hair. It’s matted in parts, likely from blood and dirt. You move him to an empty spot in the room and begin to wash his hair with a nearby water basin, trying not to get him too wet...

“Mmph, you treat me too well…” He mumbles.

“Only what you deserve, and well, much more than just this,”

“...Why’d you say that?” his voice is sweet and innocent. You laugh in surprise.

“What? Eivor, you’re the leader of our clan! At least until Sigurd comes back...” You watch as his head swoops down in thought. You place your hand on his shoulder cautiously. “Hey… what’s this about?”

He doesn’t respond, and you continue to work through his hair. Eventually, though, you decide to break the silence. 

“Why exactly… did you want to meet away from Ravensthorpe?” 

You think back to the letter you got, Synin being a talented messenger bird. He never mentioned why you were to meet here, except that he wanted to meet first for a romantic getaway before he was whisked off elsewhere. At first, that was enough, but now...

“I just wanted to see you, is that too much to ask for?” he retorted.

“Eivor…”

“Fine. Why do you think I asked then?”

You pause. “Honestly, I thought you were gonna have a private issue that needed taking care of, one that needs my particular skill set…”

He looks at you with wild eyes and a smile about to be broken into laughter. “Well! I suppose that too!” he laughs. 

“What? No! I mean if you needed someone, you know...” You imitate a neck being sliced. He laughs again. You slap his shoulder.

His laugh slowly trickles out, and he returns to his thousand-yard stare after a moment, but his mouth moves. “I think… I just needed a break from it all. Just for a moment.” He looks back at you. “With you.”

…You resist the urge to defuse the moment and hug him tightly from behind. “Well if you need anything else, I’m all ears.” 

He shakes his head and gives a quick kiss on your cheek. “Let’s save that for tomorrow...” 

He pauses. 

"Because tonight..." He turns to you and puts his arms over your shoulders. His face slowly approaches yours— and you make eye contact, your face clearly anticipating the worst. He nearly laughs but quickly turns to whisper into your ear. "I have other plans..." he smiles, and lightly nibbles on your earlobe, pulling it ever so slightly. This is not what you meant by ‘all ears’. The actual sensation is nice enough, but the sudden waves of euphoria that washes through your headspace is what makes you a little dizzy. 

"H-hey, I'm nearly done with your hair..." You manage to say, barely. He smiles both warm yet seductive, then turns around to let you finish.

As you finish up with his hair, he gives you a sweet look followed by a grateful kiss. It was a... mostly calming activity. As you get up, he childishly hops on the fur bed with a thud. You turn away to tidy up. However, a shuffling sound catches your attention.

He’s striking a pose... one eyebrow raised. He extends forward his hand and winks at you. 

“Come… play with your Drengr, love…” he recites dramatically. 

You stare at him, incredulous, then laugh in protest when he grabs your arm. He yanks you in... you fall, barely lit by the low lantern light, into your love dance.

~

Sleeping next to him is a warmth you always regret not cherishing more. Just his presence makes this cold and dangerous land feel safe. His fingers trace your arm ever so slightly— not enough to wake you, but just enough to send tingles rushing through to your brain. You return the favor and he smiles surprised, but welcome in his half-sleep. 

…Time passes immeasurably through the night, as it always does. So when all you feel is a vacuum of cold air rushing in, you aren't sure what time it is. You try to open your eyes... you see him, barely.

But your eyelids hang heavy, and you fall back asleep.

Note: haha get it “barely” I hope this was ok and the warnings+genre were accurate! I didn’t wanna put earlobe nibbling as a warning so lmao. Also I hate small cottages and I’m never taking photos in them again.

If anyone has any advice/feedback I’d actually really love to hear it! Especially about how to make Eivor’s voice feel more accurate, or if the Reader character has too much personality. No pressure though!

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Banner

Ch24: Like The Old Man Said…Together Part 1- I Wouldn’t Call It A Comfort

Summary: The Avengers track Ultron and it’s a race against time before the AI can put his plan into action.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, Smut (NSFW) violence and crazy assed robots. Oh and “Something dramatic, I hope!”

A/N: This chapter now contains additional content which is why It has been split into two parts.

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

A/N: Another massive big up for @angrybirdcr​ for her edits xx

Chapter 23 Part 2

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

“I’ve put the boys to work.” Laura gestured out of the window as Katie chewed on her grilled cheese. She’d had a good four hours sleep and was feeling much better after a scalding hot shower. She glanced across the lawn area to where Steve and Tony were positioned at the side of the house, both holding an axe, stood by a stack of large logs and two piles of smaller logs.

“You got Tony doing manual labour?” Katie grinned at her. “Well played.”

Laura chuckled and then began to chat to about her plans for dinner. “Clint suggested comfort food. fried chicken and Mac and Cheese to be specific”

“You’ll win Steve over instantly.” Katie leaned against the counter. “I’m happy to help, lot of people to feed, not to mention Stevie eats enough for three.”  

“You wanna take her up on that.” Clint walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer near the door.“She’s a damned good cook is Nova. Obviously, not as good as you, babe.” He added as a quick afterthought. “Smooth Barton…” Katie laughed as Laura threw a tea towel at his head. Easily catching it ant tossing it back, he pulled a tape measure from the drawer and left through the backdoor, still laughing, the kids trailing behind him.

Katie stared at the back door as it shut, the normality of the scene suddenly hitting her. He had a wife, two children, and still managed to hold down the ridiculous lifestyle the Avengers and SHIELD demanded.

“How do you do it?” She blurted out. The woman placed the last plate on the sink to drain and straightened up. “I mean this, it’s so ordinary.” she turned, once more looking out of the window. She watched Steve swing his axe, his light blue Under Armour skin top clinging to every part of his torso.

“It’s possible…” Laura mused, standing behind her as she followed the younger woman’s gaze. You know, to have a domestic life…well, a variation on one, away from the mess.”

“Problem is the pair of us are tangled in the mess.” Katie muttered, not taking her eyes off Steve.

“Well then, you should understand each other more.” Laura pointed out, before she changed the subject. “Here, they could probably use a drink. You wanna take ‘em that jug of ice tea for me?”

“Sure.”

A minute or so later Katie crossed the lawn with a tray sporting a full jug and two glasses towards where both men where stood by the decreasing mound of large logs and the two increasing mounds of smaller ones.  Steve’s pile of cut logs was significantly bigger than Tony’s, which was hardly surprising.

And the pair of them were bickering which was also not surprising.

“Is that a problem?” Steve asked, picking the two halves he had just cut up and throwing them onto his pile, bristling slightly at the fact Tony was digging into why he wasn’t as affected by the Maximoff’s visions as everyone else. Truth be told he had been affected, big time, but since he and Katie had talked it through he felt better. But he wasn’t about to tell anyone that, frankly it was no ones’ business what any of them had seen bar their own.

“I don’t trust a guy without a dark side. Call me old fashioned.” Tony shrugged

“Well let’s just say you haven’t seen it yet.” Steve glowered at him, his temper starting to rise. He couldn’t help but feel pissed at Tony, because if it wasn’t for him they wouldn’t even be in this mess.

“You know this is what he’s trying to do right?” A soft voice spoke and Steve turned to see Katie setting a tray of drinks down behind them. They both turned to look at her “Ultron is trying to tear us apart.”

“Well I guess he’d know.” Steve jerked his head in Tony’s direction “Whether he tells us is a bit of a question”

“Banner and I were doing research-”

“That would affect the team” Steve picked up another log. His voice was gaining momentum, and Katie let out a groan, she knew he was getting angry.

“That would end the team” Tony said simply, “Isn’t that the mission? Isn’t that the “why” we fight, so we can end the fight, so we get to go home?”

Without so much as a huff of noise, Steve ripped the log he was holding apart with his bare hands in a fit of temper that aroused Katie far more than it should have done. Tony raised his eyebrows slightly and Steve’s chest heaved as he regained his composure. He turned to look at Tony and spoke, his voice calm and measured.

“Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time.” He spoke softly but sternly, trying to make his point. Loki, Hydra, SHIELD with Insight.. now this.

“I’m sorry. Mr. Stark,” Laura headed across the lawn towards them all. “Uh, Clint said you wouldn’t mind, but, our tractor, it doesn’t seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might…

“Yeah, I’ll give her a kick.” Tony smiled at Laura then as he turned to leave he looked back at Steve delivering his next line with the air of a petulant child “Don’t take from my pile.”

“You know if he wasn’t your bother…” Steve reached for a glass of tea, draining it in one and leaving his sentence hanging. Katie took a deep breath and stood up.

“Cut him a bit of slack yeah?” Her eyes flashed. “The Maximoff girl. She got to him too.”

Steve looked down at her and frowned, that was news to him. “But I thought…”

“It was the day we found the sceptre.” Katie said. “She got to him in Strucker’s lab only he didn’t know what it was at the time. And you wanna know what he saw?” her voice wasn’t angry but she levelled Steve with a look that left him with no uncertain terms she was defending her brother “He saw us all dead because he hadn’t tried hard enough.” Steve inwardly groaned as she finished. “That’s what Ultron is about, that’s why he started it again.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know.” Steve shook his head, gently

“Well now you do.” Katie shrugged and decided to change the subject, “Oh, and by the way, what you did with that log back then-” she mimed pulling something apart. “-kinda turned me on a hell of a lot more than it should.”

He grinned and stepped towards her, closing the short distance they were apart “Well, if we go back inside I can…”

“Nice try, you have wood.” Katie pointed the logs

“Yes and I’d kinda like to do something about it!”

“Steve!” Katie spluttered out through her laugh, as she hit him in the chest, mentally making a note toe have words with Sam for teaching him innuendoes and street slang

He stepped back, laughing and rubbing at the spot where her hand had connected with him. He cocked his head playfully to the right, and was about to say something else about the fact he was feeling pretty horny on account of it being a few days since they’d last enjoyed one another seeing as his plans for her and that tight blue dress had been interrupted post the party, but Katie’s attention was taken by something else.

“Lucky!” She grinned crouching down to pet the dog who was jumping all over her, giving out little barks. “Man you got big!” Steve looked down at his girl and the sandy coloured dog, frowning as he noticed it only had one eye.

“Is this the pizza eating puppy you talked about?” he asked, bending down to pet the dog. “Sure is.” Katie grinned standing up as the dog ran off back to Barton after he whistled. “Not so much of a puppy now though.”

She smiled and made her way back over to the house. Steve looked at the pile of logs, then her, then back and picked up his axe again.

Inside, Katie started to help Laura with the dinner, the pair of them working together easily. Steve and Clint joined them in the kitchen not long after, both men sitting at the table with a beer as Lila scrambled up onto Steve’s knee, Steve waving away Clint’s instruction for her to leave him alone, he didn’t mind one bit. Katie had noticed the small girl sat there, talking to Steve and she’d smiled and turned back to her cooking. She was just rinsing off the salad when she looked up out of the window, seeing something that she really wasn’t expecting.

“I don’t believe it.” She whispered as she watched Tony and the tall, bald headed man with the trench coat and the eye patch walking up the path towards them. She turned to Clint and Steve “We got company, boys.” Both men stood up as the door opened, Lila jumping of Steve’s knee. The soldier’s hands went to his hips, his mouth forming a thin line as his eyes fell onto the man in front of him.

“At ease Soldier…” Fury said, a smile creeping across his face as Tony walked into the room behind him muttering about traitors, Maria Hill and ‘Goth Pirates’

****

“Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time.” Fury said glass of water in his hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “My contacts all say he’s building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don’t think it’s just one thing.”

“What about Ultron himself?” Steve asked, he was stood in the doorway to the kitchen, leaning against the door frame, arms folded.

“Ah. He’s easy to track, he’s everywhere. Guy’s multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn’t help us get an angle on any of his plans though.”

Tony shoved the last piece of the chicken he had been eating in his mouth and walked to the sink to pick up a towel to wipe his hands. “He still going after launch codes? “

“Yes, he is, but he’s not making any headway.”

Katie frowned from her seat at the table, opposite Natasha. “Well that doesn’t make sense. Tony cracked the Pentagon’s firewall in high school for a dare”.

Tony smiled fondly at the memory. That had earned him an ass whooping and a half from his dad.

“Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that”. Fury continued

“NEXUS?” Steve questioned.

“It’s the world internet hub in Oslo” Banner explained, he was stood behind Natasha leaning against the sideboard. “Every byte of data flows through there, fastest access on earth.”

At that point Lila ran into the room, a piece of paper in her hand.

“So what’d they say?” Clint asked, turning 3 darts over in his hand from his stance a few feet away from Fury.

Lila handed the piece of paper to Natasha, who looked at her, then the paper, grinning and gave the little girl a one armed hug. She placed the paper down on the table and Katie noticed that it was a watercolour paint picture of a butterfly.

“He’s fixated on the missiles.” Fury drained his glass of water. “But the codes are constantly being changed.

“By whom?” Tony questioned. At that point Clint threw the darts straight past Tony, about an inch or so away from his ear straight into the bullseye of the dart board. Tony spun round to glare at him, Clint shrugged apologetically, grinning at the same time. Hawkeye by name, Hawkeye by nature.

“Parties unknown.” Fury said, a puzzled tone to his voice

“Do we have an ally?” Katie asked.

“Ultron’s got an enemy, that’s not the same thing.” Fury looked at her “Still, I’d pay folding money to know who it is”

“I might need to visit Oslo, find our unknown.” Tony pondered, to no one in particular.

“Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you’d have more than that.” Natasha sighed, leaning back in her chair.

“I do.” Nick looked round the room. “I have you.”

Everyone shared a look round the room at one another. None of them were feeling particularly useful if truth be told.

“Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else.” Fury continued “Yet here we all are, back on Earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard.”

“Steve doesn’t like that kind of talk.” Natasha looked at him.

“You know what, Romanoff? “ Steve’s tone was dead pan. She smiled mischievously.

“So what does he want? “ Fury continued.

“To become better. Better than us.” Katie looked around.

“Right, he keeps building bodies.” Steve agreed

“Person bodies. The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we’re outmoded.” Tony mused “But he keeps coming back to it” 

“Yeah, when you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed” Katie sighed, looking over at Tony then to Bruce, who was looking at Lila’s drawing over Nat’s shoulder, his arms folded, a thoughtful look on his face.

“They don’t need to be protected, they need to evolve.” The Doctor said, not looking up. “Ultron’s going to evolve.”

“How?” Fury asked.

“Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?” Bruce glanced around the room.

There was a pause, and then all at once there was a flurry of activity. Tony whipped his phone out and began to dial, Nat and Katie both stood up, Clint hurried out of the kitchen and Fury was also talking to someone as Steve and Bruce began discussing the intricacies of what Ultron was likely to want Helen for, which centred around the regeneration cradle, a larger version of the technology that had healed Clint after he had been shot when retrieving the sceptre.  

“If Ultron is really building a body…” Steve trailed off as they all prepared to leave,  his voice dropping

“He’ll be more powerful than any of us. Maybe all of us.” Katie sighed.

“An android designed by a robot” Tony finished.

“You know I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me.” Steve raised his eyebrows. Katie and Tony both smiled gently.

“I’ll drop Banner off at the tower. Do you mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?” Fury said, pulling on his trench coat.

“She’s all yours, apparently.” Tony shrugged “What are you gonna do? “

“I don’t know. Something dramatic, I hope.”

Katie found herself slightly concerned that the threat of Fury doing something dramatic didn’t worry her half as much as facing Ultron.

*****

Clint expertly piloted the Quinn Jet low enough for Steve to drop onto the roof of the U-GU-Gin Genetic Research Lab roof.

“Two minutes. Stay close.” Steve instructed as the jet roe again to hover above the building away from any eyes.

A few moments passed and then the crew on the jet heard Steve shout “Dr Cho…are you hurt?”  There was a bit of a conversation which they didn’t hear, but then Helen’s voice came over the comms loud and clear, if a little strained.

“The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can’t just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark.”

There was another pause before Steve’s voice spoke clearly ”Did you guys copy that?

“We did.” Clint said.

“I got a private jet taking off, across town, no manifest.” Katie read the details on the computer screen in front of her. “That could be him.”

“There!” Clint said loudly, pointing out of the front window of the jet. Both Natasha and Katie moved so they could follow his gaze. “It’s the truck from the lab. Right above you, Cap. On the loop by the bridge.”

The jet scanned the truck, confirming their suspicions with the imaging that they all saw on the monitor.

“It’s them.” Clint continued. “I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver”

“No.” Katie instructed. “If what Helen is saying is right, that truck crashes, the gem could level the city.”

“We need to draw out Ultron” Steve spoke on the coms. They all waited for a further update and, thirty seconds or so later, there was a loud bang and he followed up his commentary. ”Well, he’s definitely unhappy! I’m gonna try and keep him that way.”

Katie looked down to see Steve was clinging onto the back of the truck and her heart skipped a beat. Making a decision she strode to wing space of the jet and pressed her palm to the pad besides the large locker that contained her suit.

“You’re not a match for him Cap…” Clint said

“Thanks Barton!” Steve replied, sarcastically.

“We need to get down there, give him some back up…”  Katie called, turning round to look at Nat as she stepped backwards, allowing her suit to form around her.

“Ok.” Clint said, nodding “I’ll give you the cover up top.”

Nat took off her headset and joined Katie in the equipment store, pushing a small coms piece into her ear. She headed to the back of the ship, straddling the motorbike that was propped up at the side.

“He’s lost his shield. I’m gonna drop you as close to it as I can.” Clint advised as he flipped a few controls.

“Roger.” Katie continued with the final checks to her suit, without JARVIS she was flying this thing herself, just as she had been at Klaus’ base so she needed to make sure everything was right. Clint steered them down towards the road.

“We got a window. Four, three…give ‘em hell.” Clint said, pushing the button for the ramp. Natasha sped the bike off and dropped down with a squeal of tyres before taking the jet higher.

“Us girls are always picking up after you boys.” She said gently and Katie headed to the back of the ramp, her scans watching as Natasha picked up Steve’s shield, following Clint’s commentary.

“They’re heading under the overpass, I’ve got no shot”

“Which way? “ Nat asked.

“Hard right… Now.” Clint instructed. Natasha did as she was told. As Clint hovered over the top of them Katie shot out from the back of the jet and swooped down just as Natasha threw the shield up to Steve. Steve caught it and instantly flung it, sent the AI flying backwards. Ultron wasn’t down for long, jumping up and resuming the fight as Katie landed behind the Robot as he sent a blast of power at Steve, who instantly held his shield up as he was catapulted backwards onto the bonnet of the car behind. She fired a repulsor at the AI, causing him to turn his attention to her as he wheeled round and shot back. She flew out of the way as the shot hit the car behind, the screeches of brakes and grinding of metal hit her ears as cars collided on the road.

“You Starks are like insects.” Ultron hissed out. “Annoying and irritating.”

“Yeah well, some insects pact a bit of a sting.” Katie shot out a static pulse from the shoulder of her suit. It immobilised Ultron for a good few seconds, which was long enough for Steve to climb back onto the top of the truck, hitting him once more with his shield. As Ultron fell forward towards Katie she jumped up, kicking out with her boot, pushing him down into the metal of the truck before landing.  Ultron regained control of his functions and the three of them began to fight, Steve and Katie dodging the rays of power as they flew at them, Ultron easily deflecting the beams the Supernova suit sent his way.

“Clint can you draw out the guards?”  Nat’s voice came over the comms.

“Let’s find out.”  Clint replied simply.

Katie fired another static pulse towards Ultron, but he easily deflected it and shot once more at her as she spiralled away.

“You think I’d let you get me with that again?” he growled.

“No but, made you look.”  She grinned, and at that point Clint shot the jet downwards and it fired off a few shots at Ultron, deliberately missing the delicate package the truck contained. It worked and as Katie watched 4 Ultron Sentries fly out and follow the jet upwards. Ultron turned and flew at Steve who spun, slamming him into a concrete pillar by the side of the road. Katie swooped in, firing again but Ultron was ready and caught her with a beam causing her to spin blindly through the air.  With no JAVIS to help, it took her a while to regain control but eventually she righted herself just in time to see Ultron spear at Steve, the two of them crashing into a nearby moving train. She shot forward, putting all her power into her thrusters, speeding up to catch it.

"Heading back towards you, whatever you’re gonna’ do. Do it now.” Clint informed over the coms as Katie dropped down so I was level with the train, looking into the windows.

“I’m going in, guys can you keep him occupied?” Natasha questioned as Katie finally caught up with the right carriage to see Ultron sending Steve flying again, landing hard against a metal door.

“What do you think we’ve been doing!”  Steve grit out, shaking his head, as once again he stood up, and resumed his fight with the AI as Katie shot a beam through the window, catching the robot unawares and causing him to fly out of the side of the train.

As she flew in through the window, the AI came crashing through one a bit further up and the two of them shot at one another, the beams hitting in mid-air and deflecting off one another, blowing a hole in the roof of the train.

“The package is airborne.” Clint informed us, “I have a clean shot.”

“Negative I am still in the truck.” Natasha said.

“What the hell are you doing?” Katie yelled, as Ultron sent a bench of seats towards her, which she blasted out of the way.

“Just be ready, I’m sending the package to you, Clint!”

“How do you want me to take it?” Clint asked sarcastically as Katie looked up through the hole in the roof to see the truck way above them.

“Uh, you might wish you hadn’t asked that.”

At that point Katie was floored as Steve landed heavily on top of her, having been blasted off his feet by Ultron.

“Ow…” he muttered, rolling over and off the top of her. Katie groaned as her head bounced off the inside of her metal helmet and hadn’t even had chance to right herself when suddenly she was lifted off her feet as Ultron’s hand crushed at the neck of her suit.

“Like I said, insect.”  He growled, his grip tightening as she raised both her palms to fire, blasting them both backwards, in opposite directions as Katie crashed into the carriage behind. She sat up and shifted the debris and shot forward, as Ultron came again but he was sent backwards as a blur knocked him off balance- the male Maximoff twin. Ultron took a menacing step forwards and the metal guards shifted red and bent in front of us in a protective manor. The female, Wanda, stood behind Ultron, hands outstretched and glowing red. Ultron turned towards her.

"Please, don’t do this.” Ultron pleaded with her.

“What choice do we have?” Wanda countered.

Ultron turned back around and fired in Steve’s direction. Katie was quicker though, pulling him out of the way as the front of the train blew out. The AI then blasted out the side door and escaped.

“We lost him!” Katie said into her coms, face plate sliding back as Steve made his way to the front of the train, reaching over the driver. “Clint, Nat He’s headed back towards you.”

“Nat we gotta go!”  Clint said.

Steve turned back to Katie, shaking his head, he could find no pulse. The driver was dead and the train was out of control heading straight for the end of the line.

“Nat… NAT? Cap you guys see Nat?” Clint questioned worriedly.

"If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!” Steve commanded, looking up instinctively as Katie reached his side.

“Do you have eyes on Nat?" Clint questioned once again.

"Go!” Steve ordered once again and it seemed Clint obeyed because there was silence on the other side of the coms. Katie looked at him, both of them worried about our friend but equally knowing they had to tackle the problem in hand. The train crashed through the stoppers at the end of the line and carried on, heading straight through the narrow streets.

“There are civilians in our path.” Steve turned to Pietro, once more resuming command. He nodded and sped off in a blur.

“Can you stop this thing?” Katie asked Wanda. She looked unsure but nodded and blasted red tendrils down into the underlining of the train.

It began to slow, but nowhere near enough for them to avoid the building they were heading straight at. Katie slid her face plate back and Steve held his shield out in front of them, protecting them from the impact, and they felt the train starting to slow down, before it eventually came to a steady stop a moment or so later in a street lined with small trading stalls and shops.

As the passengers scrambled to get off the train Steve and Katie remained where they were for a second, Katie’s face plate once more retracting.

“You’re bleeding.” Steve said gently, wiping at her brow.

“Least I’m still here.” She shook her head. “What about Nat?”

“We’ll find her.” He took a deep breath, looking her in the eyes. “I promise.”

He slung his shield onto his back and the pair of them exited the train. Katie spotted Wanda stood next to her brother who was resting against a wall breathing heavily, hunched over with his hands on his knees. As they approached he looked up at Wanda, waving her away

“I’m fine, I just need a minute.” He assured her.

“I’m very tempted not to give you one.” Steve snapped, giving the twins a hard look. The two Maximoffs shared an uneasy glance

“The cradle? Did you get it?” Wanda asked.

“Stark will take care of it.” Steve told her, his tone still clipped.

“No he won’t.” Wanda said incredulously.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Katie glared at the girl

“He will do anything to make things right.” Wanda implored.

Steve turned and gave Katie a questioning look before he spoke into the coms.

“Stark come in. Stark? Anyone on coms?” The only response Steve got was silence. He looked at Katie who tried as well, getting nothing but static. She then tried to route through her phone, but there was nothing there either.

“Ultron can’t tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it.” Wanda pressed “Where do you think he got that from?”

Katie took a moment to look around, squinting against the sunlight. People were gathering, chattering in Korean and pointing at the train stretched down the middle of the road.

“I saw into his head.” Wanda implored. “I saw what he has planned. It’s not what he said, not what he told us he wanted.”

“Oh and what did he say he wanted?” Katie asked, turning back to her, her arms folding across her chest.

“He said he wanted peace” the boy, Pietro spoke.

“Oh, well…” Katie snapped, looking round nodding and clapping her gauntlet clad hands together sarcastically “Good job”

“Look…” Steve stepped forward a little before his girl lost her temper, his hands grasping the buckle on his utility belt. “This isn’t about sides, or what’s happened before. It’s about how we shut Ultron down.”

“So, what happens now?” Pietro asked.

“That depends on you.” Steve answered, putting his shield on his back, keeping his stance non-confrontational. “You’ve worked with Ultron; you know how he thinks. We could use the help stopping him.”

Wanda snarled, lips curling back over her teeth. “We won’t work with Stark.”

“Well, you kinda have two options.” Steve retorted immediately, before Katie had chance to. The authority emanating from him was immense, his eyes steady. “You work with us, or work with Ultron. Your choice.”

Katie looked up at Steve as the twins both exchanged glances. Eventually she got fed up and sighed.

“I’m going back to check on Dr Cho.” she looked at Steve “And then I’m going home to figure out how we find Nat…”

“Katie… wait…” He started towards her as she turned, making to walk off up the narrow street

“I’m done waiting Steve.” She snapped, turning to look at him. “And seeing as you don’t seem to want to give things a second’s thought, why should I?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He frowned, running to catch up with her.

“You work with us?” She imitated his voice. “How do you know that she isn’t in our minds, right now, and this isn’t some elaborate scam to get us right where Ultron wants?”

A breeze whipped her hair slightly, and Pietro stood at Steve’s side, Wanda in his arms.

“You move too slow.” the young man taunted looking at them. “We’ll meet you at Cho’s office.”

Katie let out a loud groan of annoyance and walked and out onto the main road, looking around. Steve took a deep breath, she was angry, he knew that. His girl held a grudge, far better than he ever could and he had a feeling that Wanda Maximoff wasn’t going to get round her with a simple apology. But they didn’t have time for that, they needed to get home, find Nat and figure out Ultron’s next steps. And the Maximoffs would be helpful.

Sirens were now flooding his ears and the Emergency services were all over the place, freeing people from the cars, crashed buses, you name it.

“Could use a ride.” Steve turned to her, raising an eyebrow. She glared at him for a moment, before sliding her face plate back down. Without saying a word she gripped his harness at the top above where it held his shield and propelled them both into the air.

Dr Cho was going to be ok. Thankfully. The Scientist kindly offered them the use of her QuinJet, which technically belonged to Tony anyway, but they were grateful nonetheless. As Katie thanked the man who had led them to it, Steve turned to the Maximoff twins.

“Go on.”

Katie felt her mouth drop open as Wanda hesitated and looked to her brother who simply nodded and the two of them boarded.  Katie watched them incredulously before she rounded on Steve and he winced, awaiting the barrage which hit him full pelt.

“I can’t believe you seriously want to take them back to base.” She hissed at him.

“I told you before, they can help.” He replied calmly.

“You’re out of your mind!” Katie shook her head, the petulant child in her well and truly rearing its head “You know what actually, if they’re going, then I’m staying here.”

“For God’s sake Katie…” Steve groaned exasperatedly, running his hand through his hair, his helmet hanging in his left hand “You’re being unreasonable…”  

“I’m being unreasonable?” She rounded on him, her cheeks flushing with anger. “You’re the one who wants to take them right into the middle of our base, give them access to all our technology, when we don’t know if they’re still working for Ultron or not!”

“Katie, just get on the fucking jet now.” Steve’s voice was low, but he was angry.  He didn’t have time for this shit, he was tired, worried, and just wanted to get them all together so they could find Nat and end this and she was behaving like a total brat.

Katie looked at him, his eyes were flashing and he had a look on his face she couldn’t ever recall him using on her before. It was enough to shock her into compliance, but only after she shot him the dirtiest glare she could, before she stormed onto the jet.

Two hours later and Katie still hadn’t spoken a word to Steve or anyone else for that matter, she was fuming. Pietro and Wanda had been mostly silent up until that point, exchanging the odd bit of chatter between themselves in Sokovian, but neither approaching either of the other two until Pietro came to the cockpit.

“Miss Stark, I’m sorry, but please, do you have a spare jacket? My sister is cold.”

Katie glared at him, then looked to the back of the jet where Wanda was sat on one of the chairs, her knees pulled up to her chin. Damned it, despite everything Katie felt a small pang of pity for her.

“Sure, just give me a second.” She answered, a little gruffly but less angrily as she stood up out of her seat.

Steve had to smile, despite everything she wasn’t callous, and she knew what it was like to be cold and frightened. Katie glanced down and caught the look he was giving her and she glared at him.

“I will slap that smirk right off your face.” She threatened. Immediately he held his hands up, palms facing her in an “I’m sorry” motion and she walked over to the back of the jet and started looking in a few of the cupboards. Eventually she found a black fleece jacket, emblazoned with U-Gen logo, along with a blanket. In one of the other cupboards she found bottles of water supplies along with some snack bars and bags of chips.

“Here.” She walked over to Wanda and handed her the jacket and fleece.

“Thank you.” The teenager pulled the fleece around her.

“You hungry or need a drink?” Katie offered.

They looked at one another.

“I’m not going to poison you.” She rolled her eyes.

Wanda nodded and Katie handed her a bottle of water and Pietro took a granola bar from her and a bag of chips. Katie glanced at the twins and then suddenly had to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue.

“Why do you hate us so much, the Avengers?” She blurted out. Steve turned his head slightly so he could listen in.

“I don’t hate the avengers. I hate you and your brother. Well I did. I don’t know maybe I still do.”

“But why?” Katie said, puzzled “You don’t know us?”

“Our home was bombed.” Wanda said, looking at her hands “It hit 2 floors below and blew a hole in our floor. Our parents fell but Pietro grabbed me and we rolled under the bed.” “The second one hits.” Pietro continued gently “But it doesn’t explode. It just sits there, three feet from our faces. And on the side of the shell is painted two words…” “Stark Industries” Katie swallowed, suddenly understanding. “You know we shut the arms side of the business down once we both realised the damage it was doing. I know that doesn’t absolve us of any guilt but…my brother is a good man, maybe he doesn’t always get it right but he tries.”

“But that is my point.” Wanda pressed “Ultron…he wants world peace, but he thinks the way to do that is to kill people, innocent people.”

“That’s not what Tony wants” Katie pressed

“But he created Ultron.” Pietro joined the conversation

“Yes, because of you!” Katie implored.

“Sorry, because of us?” “You made him see something, in Strucker’s lab. A vision, a vision that showed all of the Avengers dead, the world ending and Tony was left alone because he didn’t try hard enough to stop it.” At that point Wanda and Pietro exchanged glances as she continued “You made him believe he needed to do something, something more and Ultron was the result. He was supposed to be the thing that Tony thinks we need, something to bring peace…”

“You know, maybe we aren’t that different to Stark after all.” Pietro broke the moment or so silence that had descended. “I mean, we volunteered for HYDRA.”

“They said that they would make us super-human, like your Captain America over there.” Wanda sipped her water and Steve’s eyes flickered over the back of the jet for a moment before he turned back to the front. “Then we could fight…”

“They didn’t say what it would cost.” Pietro spat. “The experiments. The constant pain.”

“Guess we all made bad decisions for what we thought were the right reasons.” Katie shrugged “What matters now is how we fix this mess.”

With that she left them to it, taking her drink and one for Steve to the front of the jet.

“Thanks.” he said gently

“I assume you heard all that.”

“Super sensitive hearing, Doll, what can I say?” He smiled. She rolled her eyes. “You still pissed at me?” She raised her eyebrow at him, and with a teasing note chastised him. “Language.”

Steve smiled, reached over for her hand and drew it up to his face, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles before he let go and took a drink of water, before he glanced back out of the front window of the jet.

An hour or so later they managed to get through to Clint on the coms.

“Any news on Nat?” Katie asked him.

“I’m trying the old fashioned way. That should avoid Ultron. I’ll find her”

“I don’t doubt it Hawkeye.” She smiled.

“What about Stark and the cradle?” Steve asked.

“In the lab with Banner, why you ask?”

Katie glanced at Steve, his jaw set tightly but that was the sum total of the reaction from him. He didn’t want to voice what was on his mind and risk pissing her off even more. Instead he chose his words carefully.

“Just… well, the twins told us what’s in that Cradle and Ultron’s plans for it. I’m worried Tony could start something he doesn’t understand.”  “Twins? The Maximoffs?” Clint asked and then he let out a groan “You’re bringing them here aren’t you?”

“You gotta trust me on this one, Clint.” Steve sighed “They’ve seen Ultron’s end game. They want to help us fight him.” “Yeah well I’ll make my own mind up on that one, I’ll see you when you get back.” “Great…” Katie sighed “Now he’s pissed as well.”

**** “I’m gonna say this once!” Steve’s voice was loud

“How about "nonce”?” Tony shot back.

“Shut it down!” Steve pointed at the cradle.

“Nope, not gonna happen.”  Tony shook his head.

There had been a bit of a fight in the lab, shields being flung, repulsors fired, and then Thor had turned up, supercharged the cradle, and it had gotten even stranger when a red man, an android had emerged.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely, in JARVIS’ voice “That was, odd. Thank you.” He added nodding respectfully to Thor, before his unnervingly human-looking eyes trailed over Thor thoughtfully. Then he rolled his shoulders and a cape of his own appeared and flowed down his back.

“Thor, you helped create this?” Steve asked

“I’ve had a vision, the world, where it starts, all hope and life and at its centre, is that.” Thor responded pointing to the gold stone in the middle of the man’s forehead.

“What the gem?” Banner asked in confusion. Thor nodded.

“It’s the mindstone,” He explained. “One of the six infinity stones, the greatest power in the universe and it is unparalleled in its destructive capabilities.”

“Then why would you bring it to life?” Katie asked, taking a deep breath, folding her arms.

“Because Stark is right.” Thor said.

“Oh, it’s definitely the end of times.” Bruce sarcastically to Tony’s shocked but proud expression.

“The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron.” Thor continued and the red man politely cut in.

“Not alone.”

“Why does your vision sound like JARVIS?” Katie questioned still cautious of this new being.

“We reconfigured Jarvis’ matrix, to create something new.” Tony walked up towards his masterpiece and examined him.

“I think I’ve had my fill of new.” Steve replied sarcastically.

“You think I am a child of Ultron.” The red man stated rather than asked.

“You’re not?” Steve replied suspiciously still glaring.

“I am not Ultron.” He answered simply. “I am not JARVIS. I am…” He looked down at his hands as if they would hold the answer.

“I looked in your head,” Wanda stated stepping towards him. “I saw annihilation.”

“Look again.” Vision responded in the same simple tone.

“Ha, her seal of approval means jack to me.” Clint snorted, Katie found herself inclined to agree.

“Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the mindstone.” Thor said, looking round “And that is nothing compared to what it could unleash, but with it on our side-”

“Is it?” Steve cut Thor off then turned aiming his next question at him towards the red man, needing to hear confirmation “Are you, on our side?”

“I don’t think it’s that simple.” Vision answered truthfully.

“Well it better get real simple real soon.” Clint said seriously.

“I am on the side of life,” Vision continued, “Ultron isn’t, he will end it all.”

“What’s he waiting for?” Tony asked.

“You.” He stated easily, looking around at us all.

“Where?” Katie pressed.

“Sokovia.” Clint supplied helpfully. “Yeah, he’s got Nat there too.”

Katie looked at Clint who raised his eyebrow slightly and he shrugged. He’d found her, just like he said.

“If we’re wrong about you,” Bruce said approaching the man. “If you’re the monster Ultron created you to be…”

“What will you do?” The red man asked and Bruce stayed silent.

“I don’t want to kill Ultron, he is unique, and he’s in pain,” Vision paced slowly around the room, “but that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he’s built, every trace and presence of him. We have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the other.”

He turned back to look at everyone in the room individually, then he did something completely unexpected as he picked up Thor’s hammer from the table. Steve felt his eyebrows raise in shock whereas Katie was looking at Thor, her mouth open, the god was wearing a look of utter confusion.

“There may be no way to make you trust me, but we need to go.” Vision finished holding out the hammer for Thor to take. Thor took his weapon back and the man walked away.

There was a moment of silence before Thor coughed.

“Right, well done.” he said awkwardly patting Tony on the shoulder and followed the red man out of the room.

“Three minutes, get what you need.” Steve announced.

**** Chapter 24 Part 2

[overdramatic-queer-antagonist]

Echos of Something Long Forgotten

AO3

Yeah, I can write canon compliant things. Wild, I know.

Magnus should be in bed. It's three am, and he's got a long day of training tomorrow, but- He has nightmares a lot. Always about Julia. Most of the time, they're about what happened, Kalen, and such, but sometimes they're... something else. It's not that he can't remember the dream so much as parts. Scenery, people, and words, usually. 

He's had The dream since before Governer Kalen. Hell, Steven (his father in law, not the fish) took him to a dream specialist for it. Ze had said it was a sign of PTSD, but Magnus had never experienced anything like it in his waking life. 

In the dream, something descends from the sky. When Magnus tries to remember what, all he can think of is static. Dream Magnus knows what it is, though. His friend grabs his hand (Another piece of static. He can't think of his name or face. Magnus is pretty sure it starts with a B,) and they run towards some more static people. The captain tells them the game plan. Which is also mostly incomprehensible, but Dream Magnus gets it. And then they break off.

Magnus runs into the Hammer and Tongs. He's yelling for Steven and Julia, and he hears Steven scream. There are more people- no. not people. They're a part of the thing in the sky. He gets into the room just soon enough to watch the static monsters kill Julia. Even as she dies, she keeps hacking her ax at it. Sometimes Magnus wonders if she died fighting in real life, too.

The dream was marginally easier when he still had Julia. He'd wake up screaming for her every time. She never got frustrated, though, even when they were fighting. She'd kiss the scar above his eye, and they'd go downstairs and heat up some lavender tea. That's what he was doing now. He never did lose the habit of stocking up on lavender tea. It wouldn't be as good as Julia made it, but it would do.

Magnus was sure he'd be alone. Yet, here Taako was kneading dough way too hard.

"Taako? Is everything okay?" Magnus asks blearily.

Taako jumps and aims the Umbrastaff at Magnus, relaxing when he sees who it is. "Shit, Maggy! Thought you were one of those crystal monsters!" When Taako doesn't answer the question, Magnus raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep."

"Yeah, same. Had a nightmare." Magnus says. He's trying to imply that Taako can tell him what's wrong.

"What about? Dogs falling off the moon?" Taako asks, making clear that he doesn't want to say why he's up.

"No, actually. About my wife. And what happened," Magnus is kinda lying, but he doesn't really want to get into it, and he doubts Taako would either.

"Fuck, sorry, dude." From anyone else, that would seem apathetic. But Magnus likes to think he knows Taako well enough to know that's not true.

"Yeah, just making some tea. Speaking of what are you making?"

"Oh, just basic sourdough. Don't have 'nuff energy for anything too fancy."

Magnus would love to tell Taako he's sure it will be delicious. He is. Those macaroons Taako made last month for Candlenights? Amazing. But Magnus knows that any mention of actually eating anything he makes will make whatever wrong worse. 

Those macaroons were the only thing of Taako's Magnus has ever seen anyone eat in the half-year he's known him. It's not like Taako doesn't cook. He does, all the time. But when he's done, he always just throws it away.

Instead, Magnus stays quiet. The two putter around the kitchen, making their respective coping foods, in silence until they hear a loud banging coming from Merle's room.

Magnus, you guessed it, rushes in. Well, actually. He knocks politely on the door and asks, "Everything okay?" He doesn't get a response, so he says, "Okay. I'm gonna come in now." and opens the door.

Magnus doesn't think he's ever seen Merle cry. Well, there was that time last month when Magnus cut his arm off, but even then, he barely shed a tear. Now, Merle was sitting at his desk, sobbing so hard that it shook. It looks like that banging Magnus heard was Merle's Xtreme Teen Bible! falling off of the desk.

Merle looked up at Magnus sadly and sighed, "Oh no, Mags. You don't need to see me like-" His thought was interrupted by another loud sob, and he gave up on trying to speak.

"Okay," Magnus starts carefully. "I'm gonna carry you over to the couch. Nod if that's okay." Merle nods, so Magnus gently lifts and walks slowly over to the couch. 

By the time he has Merle comfortably seated, Taako comes over with a rag that smells like lavender. (Magnus privately wonders if Taako just dumped his tea on a rag.) He puts the rag around Merle's neck and holds his hands.

"Okay, now tell me what happened," Taako says.

"I had a nightmare. I w- I'm sorry, I can't," Merle whispers the last part as if he thinks if he's quiet enough, the tears won't try to interrupt him.

"That's okay. You're gonna have trouble. Just keep trying." Taako says as he rubs circles into Merle's palm.

Merle takes a deep breath and continues, "I was playing chess with a man. I can't think of his face, but I'm pretty sure I knew him. J-J." He slumps over as he tries to think of the name.

"Don't worry, Merle. Just keep going." Magnus says.

"Okay... He kept- he kept asking me about my kids. And I kept trying to change the subject, but he just kept asking and- I can't explain it, but I just knew he was going to hurt them."

"Is there more?" Taako asks. Merle shakes his head. "Okay, now take slow, deep breaths. In for 7, hold for 4, out for 8."

After a few cycles, Merle looks like he feels a lot better, and he asks, "Now, where the hell did you learn that, Taako?"

Taako closes his eyes tight like he has a headache, and Magnus puts a hand on his shoulder. "It's not worth it. Just let the question slide past."

The trio sit in quiet for a moment before Taako finally asks, "Magnus, did your nightmare have static in it?" Magnus nods. "Mine too..." Taako says thoughtfully. After a moment, he lets out a loud groan and gets up. "There's something there! It's right there, but I. Can't. See. It. And it's driving me crazy!"

"Just let it pass. Do you wanna talk about what it's about?" Taako opens his mouth to speak and instead starts gagging. "Okay, me first. A big cloud of static comes down from the sky. There are seven of us. We all seem to know what's going on. We're trying to stop it. I go to the shop- Oh boy. One second," Fantasy Jesus, why is Magnus's mouth so dry. His heart was pounding, but he could work through that. "I go to the shop my father in law and I owned, and I can hear him screaming from the backroom. The last thing I see before I wake up is Julia hacking at a static monster, refusing to die. The worst part is these dreams started before they even died."

It takes a moment to realize why nobody's speaking. Merle's drinking a glass of water- good he was crying. He's probably dehydrated.- But Taako's writing furiously into a notebook. Magnus laughs. He looks just like- Taako gives him a weird look, and Magnus shrugs in return.

"Can you speak, bud?" Merle asks.

Taako sighs, "Yeah, I think it'll be okay. Wasn't sure, though, hence the notebook. Okay... Fantasy Mary Berry, this is like group therapy or something! So. I poisoned a whole town."

"Gosh, Taako, that sounds terrible. I'm so sor-" Taako interrupts Magnus with a sharp, bitter laugh.

"That wasn't the nightmare. It actually happened. An accident, obvi, but I'm still wanted. Glamour Springs, forty people died."

"Shit."

"Yeah. 'Shit' indeed. The point is that's why I don't really cook for anyone anymore. In my dream, I'm making something for someone... It's so weird. I want to say she's my sister, but I'm an only child. But, yeah. My 'sister' eats it. Thirty garlic clove chicken, because my brain hates me. It poisons her, and I sit there watching her die in front of me, unable to do anything but pray it doesn't hurt too much. I can't even figure out what I did to mess up the recipe so bad."

There's silence for a moment. Magnus doesn't really know how to proceed, and he's willing to bet the others feel the same. After a second, Merle speaks. "Wow. What a fucked up group we are, huh?"

Magnus laughs, "Yeah, that's one way of putting it, old man!"

Eventually, the conversation becomes less weighted and the silence more comfortable. It's nice. Knowing that there were other anomalies like Magnus. People who cried for people and places they didn't know that didn't exist, probably. Even so, Magnus can't shake how familiar all of this feels. Talking with Taako and Merle like this. It feels like he's done it a thousand times. But he guesses that's just another thought he has to let slip through the cracks. For now, he'll just goof off with the first friends he's made since the fall of Raven's Roost. Yeah. That sounds nice.

_____

Lucretia hoped that they would be asleep. She'd woken up with nightmares again, just like she had for the past 112 years, just like they all had. This was the day the Hunger took their home from them, after all.

She just wants to check on them, make sure they were still there. Not dead like her nightmares. They aren't. She hears Taako laughing from behind the door, and for a moment, all she wants to do is barge into that room and tell them about the latest book she read.

That's what they used to do on this day. When everything was too much like what they'd lost. Magnus would always try to get through it alone, but the Captian made sure nobody went through it alone. 

The twins would bake cookies, elderflower macaroons, Lucretia's favorite, and try to teach Barry how to make hot cocoa. They never could figure out if him drinking the one with milk in it was better or worse. Taako swore it was a sin to drink hot cocoa made with water, but Lup didn't want him to hurt his stomach.

Merle would listen to Lucretia rambling on about whatever book she'd just read. They had to stock up on them because she went through them so quickly. Taako would interject her retelling with comments and jokes. Whenever she read a particularly heteronormative one, he'd start interjecting ways the scene could've gone but didn't. It was like a party. It was a little too somber, but that just made it a shitty party.

It had been twelve years since their last shitty party. Lucretia wanted so bad to just walk in there and be like they used to. Taako, making fun of Barry and Lup. Merle, trying to get Davenport to dance with him. Much to the dismay of everyone else in the room.  Magnus, parading Lucretia around on his shoulders as she ranted about how overrated Fantasy Shakespeare was. 

But Lup and Barry are gone. Davenport's a husk. Magnus, Merle, and Taako, while they may not seem too different to the outside eye, are broken. And it's all Lucretia's fault. She tries to tell herself that she had no choice. Once the Hunger was stopped, they could go back to that. She really should be going, actually. But she's been all alone for twelve years. So she leans against the door of her brothers who don't remember her. She'll just listen for a little bit longer.

[goldenlionimagines]

Hi!! Could you please do “don’t stand up yet” with Claude?? Thank you so much for your hard work and sharing your writing with us all :)

okok listen this isnt angst but it was what came to my head im sorry

also it gets a lil steamy but not NSFW -Mod Bunny

 Prompt: “Don’t Stand Up Yet”

 Word Count: 2,582

  Claude struggled to get to his feet. Where was he? Where were his allies? His friends?

 “Don’t stand up yet. You’re still hurt, seeing as that injury on your leg got infected.” He turned himself towards her, seeing what looked to be a bandit. She had an axe leaning against the wall, and hanging from it was… Failnaught? “Your bow and the clothes you were wearing were pretty fancy. What’s your name?”

 Shit. He needed a good lie, one that wouldn’t make him desirable to the Empire. “Lorenz Hellman Glouscter.” He stated. His friend from school had become allies with Edelgard. He watched her pick up her axe from the ground, leaving Failnaught where it had been.

 “Oh, the Glouscters are allied with Edelgard, right? Then, I can probably sell you to Duke Reigan of the Alliance at high price once you’re healed up. I wanna make an ally of that man.” She began shining her axe, checking the blade.

 “Hmm? Why’s that?” Claude pried. 

 She laughed. “It’s stupid… But I’m from the Alliance. With this war going on, I want a chance to fight in the war for my homeland. Plus, some of our allies in the territory have said the new Duke is pretty attractive, and that’s a sight I’d like to see.” She joked.

 Claude had to stop a blush from rushing to his cheeks. Of course, the girl he was talking to wasn’t exactly unattractive. “I wouldn’t say you’re not too pretty yourself. What do you think of me? Think I could stand against what you’ve heard about Duke Reigan?” 

 She laughed a bit. “Well, I’m sure I’ve seen more of you then I’ll ever see of Duke Reigan from when I put your bandages on. But, from what I have seen,,, I’m sure you could give him a pretty good run for his money.” She smiled. “Anyway, I’m gonna go get a drink before I go to sleep. Want one?”

 “No thanks. I don’t drink.”

-

 Funnily enough, Claude and Y/N became pretty good friends. Sometimes, they would make each other laugh and laugh (Usually, more so when Y/N would drink). She was pretty good at treating his wounds, as well as cooking as he came to find. 

 One night, Claude was having trouble with his back. Maybe it was from the lack of walking, or  being forced to sleep on such a hard surface. He saw Y/N come into their tent and told her, “Hey, I’m in a good amount of pain. Don’t suppose you have anything to help me with that?” He asked.

 She laughed. “You’re getting brave asking me for extra pain management. I really shouldn’t give it to you.” She went over to her bag, which was in a separate corner from the weapons she was keeping. “This is a bit that I keep for myself, but I figure I can share just this once.” She pulled out a glass bottle, which seemed to contain a viscous, clear liquid.

He sat up, watching her walk behind him. She removed his shirt. “Thank you for this. Is that oil?” He asked her. He pulled one leg closer to him, but kept his infected leg stretched out. He heard the clink of the glass bottle opening, and then heard her rubbing her hands together. 

 “It is. We got them while stealing from some Noble’s place. He had a whole assortment of them.” She placed her hands on his shoulders, beginning to massage his shoulders and neck. She felt his breath becoming slow and heated, obviously enjoying the sensation. “Now tell me, how is that leg of yours doing?”

 “It’s getting better, I’m sure all thanks to you. The attention you’ve been giving me has been nothing short of spectacular. You’re even better than most of the nurses back home, even if you aren’t a nurse.” He expressed. He felt her hands travel down his back, and could feel her use more oil whenever she needed, but only ever removing one hand.

 “Thank you for the praise, even if I’m not sure it’s deserved. How are you feeling? Are you doing okay?” She asked.

 “It’s incredible, thank you.” He couldn’t help but moan a bit in pleasure as she hit a certain spot on his back. She smirked, sitting forward so that her head was hovering just next to his ear, and rubbing the spot a bit harder.

 “Does it really feel that good? You should give higher praise if you’re going to moan like that in front of a lady. Oh, and that reminds me.” She began to whisper. “I heard a little rumor from some Northern Tribes, who do trade with a few Northern Pirates from Almyra.”

 He could hear the little noises he was making, not even really paying attention to what she was saying. “Oh, well what did you hear?” He whispered back. What was in that oil?

 “I heard that Claude Von Riegan… Looks quite a bit like Crown Prince Khalid from Almyra. But, you wouldn’t know anything about that… Would you?” She moved herself to his front, straddling his waist and beginning to rub his abs and chest, meanwhile making eye contact. “You, with such lovely tanned skin and brown hair. Your eyes are like jewels as well. And that white Wyvern we found while someone was delivering messages to us this morning…” 

 She pieced it together. She, who had only known him for 2 weeks. She had his wyvern? “I don’t know anything about Claude in that sense, but I doubt he’s from Almyra.” He stated, trying to stay calm as she hung her looseley arms around his neck.

 “I’m no fool, Khalid, as much as I’m sure you wish I were by now.” She watched his smile fade. “Don’t worry, I have no reason to out you, and I have no plans to either. Although, I wish you hadn’t lied by calling yourself the name of some Imperial Dog. If I hadn’t known who you were, I would have killed you for being Lorenz, even if we are in Imperial territory.”

 “It’s been a long time since I’ve been called that name…” He trailed. “Why are you so close to me? I know I’m attractive, but usually pretty girls don’t sit in my lap after giving me massages.” He winked at her, causing her to blush and laugh a little. 

 “I just told you that I know some pretty serious information for you to be teasing me like that.” She looked off. “Do you ever miss your home?”

 “Tons. I know I’ll return someday, but I really do miss it seemingly more every minute. I was taken to Fodlan one day, and forced into a Lord role I’m not quite sure I was really meant for. Now I can’t seem to go home until this war is over.” He explained. “Dimitri and Edelgard, even despite their questionable sanity, are much more cut out for leadership than me.”

 “Okay Master Tactician, then tell me,” She stood up, and Claude almost missed her warmth as she did. “Why did Hilda and her crew send me a correspondence saying they would pay any amount to have you back? They even detailed that even if it may take several weeks, they’ll get as much money as necessary together for them to be allowed to get you back.”

 His eyes widened. “They said that? They wanted me back that much?” He asked.

 “Believe it. Of course, I didn’t charge them a thing. Sent a message today for them to send a team ASAP to get you back to the Alliance free of charge.” She smiled at him, as his mouth hung open a bit. “Don’t be dramatic, I just wanna go back to having my own tent. Maybe if you’re lucky they’ll be here in a week. Maybe.”

 “Thank you…” He said quietly. She seemed to be telling the truth, even if he didn’t expect her to do something like that. She was someone he couldn’t read, and certainly didn’t understand. Was she actually out for herself?  Or was there another motive to everything she did?

 She sat down behind him again, and he heard the clink of her glass bottle once more. “You’re going to keep going?” He asked quietly.

 “Do you want me to stop?” 

 “No.”

-

A week later, his leg was basically fine. He could walk, and even run. He found out Y/N had been the one caring for his wyvern when he couldn’t, and it had taken quite a liking to her. She could scratch his neck and he would flip over for her to be able to rub his belly. This was a trick he had only really done for Claude in the past. 

 He had been caring for his wyvern alone when she came to him. “One of my patrols spotted a pink hair girl with a group headed this way. Is that your crew, or should I get worried?” He stood up to face her. “Those are my people, yeah. I guess it’s time to go then, unless you wanna keep me a little longer?”

 She shook her head, laughing. “Nah, I can’t. Besides, you’re too pretty to be in my business. I wouldn’t feel right keeping you here.” She stated, starting to walk away. He pulled her back, holding her close to him firmly.

 “You really think I’m weaker than you just because I’m pretty? Because if so, you’ve underestimated me.” He held her arms behind her back firmly. Their faces were so close… it was a strange feeling. They seemed to get this close almost too often now, as though it were a habit. Khalid’s natural flirtatiousness always made her wonder whether he was messing with her or not, which bothered her to a great extent.

  “Fine, you’re stronger, can you please let me go now?” She asked. In less than an hour, he’d be gone, and she wouldn’t need to worry about him anymore. Why was she worried to begin with? He was just… Claude Von Riegan. Not Khalid. Not extremely attractive, secretly Almyran, Khalid. He was just a Lord from the Alliance.

 He moved his face closer. She could feel his breath on her mouth. “No.” He stated. Why was he doing this? What was his game? Was it just teasing her? 

“Do you want me to kiss you?” He asked after a considerably long pause.

“...”

“You’re not saying no.” His voice was low, and his grip was strong. She couldn’t think enough to say anything in the moment. There weren’t words that were coming to her in the moment. She could feel herself blushing brightly as she closed her eyes.

 His lips were so soft.

  “Claude!” Someone else called. He quickly disconnected from her, letting her go, but still standing next to her. They saw a girl with green hair, and a boy with green hair run towards Claude. “Claude!!” She exclaimed again, jumping up and hugging him. 

 “Hilda was really worried, and so was I.” Green hair explained. “We spent a while searching the area, but figured something had happened when we couldn’t. We kept sending out scouts, and just when we were about to give up, someone found their leader with your Wyvern. He sent us back a message, and judging by how nice he was, I guess we really lucked out.”

 Hilda looked over at Y/N. “And who are you?” She asked.

 “I’m the person who found Claude’s Wyvern. I’m sure if you’ve been running the alliance, I’m sure you can do the math.” She crossed her arms. This was not the first time people had been expecting a man there to greet them.

 “Oh, apologies. I’m Ignatz, and this is Hilda. Thank you for keeping Claude safe, it’s a debt we may never be able to repay.” He bowed, a bit embarrassed to have misinterpreted her gender right in front of her. She couldn’t make them pay for Claude now, right?

 “Wow, you’re really pretty!” Hilda said, walking up to Y/N. “How did you end up here, anyway? Do I know you from someplace?”

 “You’re Goneril, right? That’s where I grew up. My dad was from there, my mom did this her whole life. Mom dies and tells these folk I exist, and I get a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel and do as I please. That means with or without the law to guide me.” Y/N explained. “Maybe I went to school with you at some point.”

Hilda nodded. “Ever think you’ll return home?” She asked. “You could come back with us. Fight for the Alliance some? It could be a great thing to, y’know, have another pretty girl around to pick up some of my slack.”

  Y/N smiled, looking at Claude. “No. I think I’ll stay here. Keep the fun going, though, Hilda. There needs to be more pretty girls like us to show these men how to operate.” She gave Hilda a pat on the shoulder, before walking away.

-

 There was no one but him. Not now. He had asked his friends to go with Dimitri once he had given him the Alliance. The next part of the battle was his own to bear, not theirs. 

 It had been so long since he had this quiet. Not good all the time, but he had to admit, his mind kept drifting back to her and her tent. What had she wanted? It wasn’t actually to return home, or she would have. What had he wanted? Why had he gotten so close to her?

 He heard the front door open, and the tap of shoes against the empty floor. Who was there? He turned around, being greeted by a familiar face. “You sure bet a lot on his royal Highness. I can’t imagine myself doing that, but I guess that’s what makes you the master Tactician.”

“Y/N, what are you doing here?” He asked. He ran up in front of her. “Everything has been a mess since you left, but it seems to be clearing up now. Dimitri and Teach will make good leaders, and I-”

 “You get to go back to Almyra. Is that your big plan?” She asked.  

 “You guessed it. I’m going home to start struggling all over again. Nader is going to meet me there to help me. I want to make things better for my people, just like I’m sure Dimitri will do here.”  He smiled as she hung her arms around his neck.

 “Well, I heard that a final battle was happening for Derdriu. I thought I’d make sure you were okay, and it seems like you turned out alright. Of course, now you wanna leave alone…”

 “But?”

 “You think there’s a but?”

 “Am I too hopeful?” He asked, placing his hands on her hips. 

 “No.” She said. “The but is that I’m coming with you. I’m ready for a new adventure, and I always like to say I’ve been everywhere but Almyra. Besides, someone pretty great is going to start something there, and I’d like to see that vision come to pass. Whatever that vision is, anyway.”

 He sighed. “You’re from Fodlan, and I’m not 100% sure that’s gonna fly.” He said. She gave him a look, and he knew she wasn’t taking ‘No’ for an answer. “But, I guess I’ll figure something out.” He got close to her face again, smirking. “Now, about that kiss in the woods…” 

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Stark Spangled Banner Ch24 : Like The Old Man Said...Together

Summary: The Avengers track Ultron and it’s a race against time before the AI can put his plan into action.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, Smut (NSFW) violence and crazy assed robots. Oh and “Something dramatic, I hope!”

A/N: As part of SSB’s Birthday celebrations I added in another few scenes I cut from this originally. It makes it a little longer but I hope you enjoy.

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist 

“I’ve put the boys to work.” Laura said, gesturing out of the window as Katie chewed on her grilled cheese. She’d had a good 4 hours sleep and was feeling much better after that and a scalding shower. She glanced across the lawn area to where Steve and Tony were positioned at the side of the house, both holding an axe, stood by a stack of large logs and two piles of smaller logs.

“You got Tony doing manual labour…” Katie grinned at her, “Well played.”

She chuckled and then began to chat to about her plans for dinner. “Clint suggested comfort food. fried chicken and Mac and Cheese to be specific”

“You’ll win Steve over instantly. “Katie grinned, “I’m happy to help, lot of people to feed, not to mention Stevie eats enough for 3!”  

“You wanna take her up on that.” Clint said as he walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer near the door “She’s a damned good cook is our kiddo…obviously, not as good as you babe.” he added as a quick afterthought. “Smooth Barton…” Katie laughed. Laura threw a tea towel at his head as he pulled a tape measure from the drawer. He left through the backdoor, still laughing, the kids trailing behind him.

Katie stared at the back door as it shut, the normality of the scene suddenly hitting her. He had a wife, 2 children, and still managed to hold down the ridiculous lifestyle the Avengers and SHIELD demanded.

“How do you do it?” she asked Laura suddenly. The woman placed the last plate on the sink to drain and straightened up. “I mean this, it’s so ordinary.” she turned, once more looking out of the window. She watched Steve swing his axe, his light blue Under Armour skin top clinging to every part of his torso.

“It’s possible…” Laura said, standing behind her as she followed the younger woman’s gaze “you know, to have a domestic life…well, a variation on one, away from the mess.”

“Problem is the pair of us are tangled in the mess.” Katie said, not taking her eyes off Steve.

“Well then, you should understand each other more.” She said, before she changed the subject “Here, they could probably use a drink. You wanna take em that jug of ice tea for me?”

“Sure.”

A minute or so later Katie crossed the lawn with a tray sporting a full jug and 2 glasses towards where both men where stood by the decreasing mound of large logs and the two increasing mounds of smaller ones.  Steve’s pile of cut logs was significantly bigger than Tony’s, which was hardly surprising. And the pair of them were bickering which was also not surprising.

“Is that a problem?” Steve asked, picking the two halves he had just cut up and throwing them onto his pile, bristling slightly at the fact Tony was digging into why he wasn’t as affected by the Maximoff’s visions as everyone else. Truth be told he had been affected, big time, but since he and Katie had talked it through he felt better. But he wasn’t about to tell anyone that, frankly it was no ones’ business what any of them had seen bar their own.

“I don't trust a guy without a dark side. Call me old fashioned.” Tony shrugged

“Well let's just say you haven't seen it yet.” Steve glowered at him, his temper starting to rise. He couldn’t help but feel pissed at Tony, because if it wasn’t for him they wouldn’t even be in this mess.

“You know this is what he’s trying to do right?” a soft voice said and Steve turned to see Katie setting a tray of drinks down behind them. They both turned to look at her “Ultron is trying to tear us apart.”

“Well I guess he'd know.” Steve said, jerking his head in Tony’s direction “Whether he tells us is a bit of a question”

“Banner and I were doing research-”

“That would affect the team” Steve said, picking up another log. His voice was gaining momentum, and Katie let out a groan, she knew he was getting angry.

“That would end the team” Tony said simply, “Isn’t that the mission? Isn't that the "why" we fight, so we can end the fight, so we get to go home?”

Without so much as a huff of noise, Steve ripped the log he was holding apart with his bare hands in a fit of temper that aroused Katie far more than it should have done. Tony raised his eyebrows slightly and Steve’s chest heaved as he regained his composure. He turned to look at Tony and spoke, his voice calm and measured.

“Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time.” he said softly but sternly, trying to make his point. Loki, Hydra, SHIELD with Insight.. now this.

“I'm sorry. Mr. Stark,” Laura headed across the lawn towards them all. “Uh, Clint said you wouldn't mind, but, our tractor, it doesn't seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might...

“Yeah, I'll give her a kick” Tony smiled at Laura then as he turned to leave he looked back at Steve delivering his next line with the air of a petulant child “Don't take from my pile.”

“You know if he wasn’t your bother…” Steve said, reaching for a glass of tea, draining it in one and leaving his sentence hanging. Katie took a deep breath and stood up.

“Cut him a bit of slack yeah?” her eyes flashed “The Maximoff girl. She got to him too.”

Steve looked down at her and frowned, that was news to him. “But I thought…”

“It was the day we found the sceptre.” Katie said. “She got to him in Strucker’s lab only he didn’t know what it was at the time. And you wanna know what he saw?” her voice wasn’t angry but she levelled Steve with a look that left him with no uncertain terms she was defending her brother “He saw us all dead because he hadn’t tried hard enough.”

Ok so now Steve felt like shit.

“That’s what Ultron is about, that’s why he started it again.” Katie finished

“Sorry, I didn’t know.” Steve said gently

“Well now you do.” she said, shrugging and deciding to change the subject “Oh, and by the way…what you did with that log back then…” she mimed pulling something apart. “… kinda turned me on a hell of a lot more than it should.”

He grinned and stepped towards her, closing the short distance they were apart “Well…if we go back inside I can...”

“Nice try… you have wood…” Katie pointed the logs

“Yes and I’d kinda like to do something about it!” he quipped.

“Steve!” She spluttered out through her laugh, as she hit him in the chest, mentally making a note toe have words with Sam for teaching him innuendoes and street slang

He stepped back, laughing and rubbing at the spot where her hand had connected with him. He cocked his head playfully to the right, and was about to say something else about the fact he was feeling pretty horny on account of it being a few days since they’d last enjoyed one another seeing as his plans for her and that tight blue dress had been interrupted post the party, but Katie’s attention was taken by something else.

“Lucky!” she grinned crouching down to pet the dog who was jumping all over her, giving out little barks “man you got big…” Steve looked down at his girl and the sandy coloured dog, frowning as he noticed it only had one eye.

“Is this the pizza eating puppy you talked about?” he asked, bending down to pet the dog. “Sure is…” Katie grinned standing up as the dog ran off back to Barton after he whistled. “Not so much of a puppy now though.”

She smiled and made her way back over to the house. Steve looked at the pile of logs, then her, then back and picked up his axe again.

Inside, Katie started to help Laura with the dinner, the pair of them working together easily. Steve and Clint joined them in the kitchen not long after, both men sitting at the table with a beer as Lila scrambled up onto Steve’s knee, Steve waving away Clint’s instruction for her to leave him alone, he didn’t mind one bit. Katie had noticed the small girl sat there, talking to Steve and she’d smiled and turned back to her cooking. She was just rinsing off the salad when she looked up out of the window, seeing something that she really wasn’t expecting.

“I don’t believe it…” she said as she watched Tony and the tall, bald headed man with the trench coat and the eye patch walking up the path towards them. She turned to Clint and Steve “We got company…” Both men stood up as the door opened, Lila jumping of Steve’s knee, the soldier’s hands went to his hips, his mouth forming a thin line as his eyes fell onto the man in front of him.

“At ease Soldier…” Fury said, a smile creeping across his face as Tony walked into the room behind him muttering about traitors, Maria Hill and ‘Goth Pirates’

****

“Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time.” Fury said glass of water in his hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing.”

“What about Ultron himself?” Steve asked, he was stood in the doorway to the kitchen, leaning against the door frame, arms folded.

“Ah. He's easy to track, he's everywhere. Guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans though.”

Tony shoved the last piece of the chicken he had been eating in his mouth and walked to the sink to pick up a towel to wipe his hands. “He still going after launch codes? “

“Yes, he is, but he's not making any headway.”

Katie frowned from her seat at the table, opposite Natasha. “Well that doesn’t make sense. Tony cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school for a dare”.

Tony smiled fondly at the memory. That had earned him an ass whooping and a half from his dad.

“Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that”. Fury continued

“NEXUS?” Steve questioned.

“It’s the world internet hub in Oslo” Banner explained, he was stood behind Natasha leaning against the sideboard. “Every byte of data flows through there, fastest access on earth.”

At that point Lila ran into the room, a piece of paper in her hand.

“So what'd they say?” Clint asked, turning 3 darts over in his hand from his stance a few feet away from Fury.

Lila handed the piece of paper to Natasha, who looked at her, then the paper, grinning and gave the little girl a one armed hug. She placed the paper down on the table and Katie noticed that it was a watercolour paint picture of a butterfly.

“He's fixated on the missiles,” Fury said, draining his glass of water “but the codes are constantly being changed.

“By whom?” Tony questioned. At that point Clint threw the darts straight past Tony, about an inch or so away from his ear straight into the bullseye of the dart board. Tony spun round to glare at him, Clint shrugged apologetically, grinning at the same time. Hawkeye by name, Hawkeye by nature.

“Parties unknown.” Fury said, a puzzled tone to his voice

“Do we have an ally?” Katie asked.

“Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing.” Fury said looking at her “Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is”

"I might need to visit Oslo, find our "unknown."” Tony pondered, to no one in particular.

“Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that.” Natasha sighed, leaning back in her chair.

“I do.” Nick said, looking round the room. “I have you”

Everyone shared a look round the room at one another. None of them were feeling particularly useful if truth be told.

“Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else.” Fury continued “Yet here we all are, back on Earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard.”

“Steve doesn't like that kind of talk.” Natasha said, looking at him.

“You know what, Romanoff? “ Steve said, his tone dead pan. She smiled mischievously.

“So what does he want? “ Fury continued.

“To become better. Better than us.” Katie said, looking round.

“Right, he keeps building bodies” Steve agreed

“Person bodies. The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outmoded.” Tony mused “But he keeps coming back to it” 

“Yeah, when you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed” Katie said, looking over at Tony then to Bruce, who was looking at Lila’s drawing over Nat’s shoulder, his arms folded, a thoughtful look on his face.

“They don’t need to be protected, they need to evolve.” the Doctor said, not looking up. “Ultron's going to evolve.”

“How?” Fury asked.

“Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?” Bruce looked up around the room.

There was a pause, and then all at once there was a flurry of activity. Tony whipped his phone out and began to dial, Nat and Katie both stood up, Clint hurried out of the kitchen and Fury was also talking to someone as Steve and Bruce began discussing the intricacies of what Ultron was likely to want Helen for, which centred around the regeneration cradle, a larger version of the technology that had healed Clint after he had been shot when retrieving the sceptre.  

“If Ultron is really building a body...” Steve trailed off as they all prepared to leave,  his voice dropping

“He'll be more powerful than any of us. Maybe all of us.” Katie sighed.

“An android designed by a robot” Tony finished.

“You know I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me.” Steve raised his eyebrows. Katie and Tony both smiled gently.

“I’ll drop Banner off at the tower. Do you mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?” Fury said, pulling on his trench coat.

“She's all yours, apparently.” Tony shrugged “What are you gonna do? “

“I don't know. Something dramatic, I hope.”

Katie found herself slightly concerned that the threat of Fury doing something dramatic didn’t worry her half as much as facing Ultron.

*****

Clint expertly piloted the Quinn Jet low enough for Steve to drop onto the roof of the U-GU-Gin Genetic Research Lab roof.

“Two minutes. Stay close.” Steve instructed as the jet roe again to hover above the building away from any eyes.

A few moments passed and then the crew on the jet heard Steve shout “Dr Cho…are you hurt?”  There was a bit of a conversation which they didn’t hear, but then Helen’s voice came over the comms loud and clear, if a little strained.

“The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark.”

There was another pause before Steve’s voice spoke clearly ”Did you guys copy that?

“We did.” Clint said.

“I got a private jet taking off, across town, no manifest.” Katie said, looking at the computer screen in front of her. “ That could be him.”

“There!” Clint said, loudly pointing out of the front window of the jet. Both Natasha and Katie moved so they could follow his gaze. “It’s the truck from the lab. Right above you, Cap. On the loop by the bridge.”

The jet scanned the truck, confirming they suspicions with the imaging that they all saw on the monitor.

“It's them.” Clint continued “ I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver”

“No.” Katie said sharply. “If what Helen is saying is right, that truck crashes, the gem could level the city.”

“We need to draw out Ultron” Steve said. 30 seconds or so later there was a loud bang and he followed up his commentary. ”Well, he's definitely unhappy! I'm gonna try and keep him that way.”

Katie looked down to see Steve was clinging onto the back of the truck and her heart skipped a beat. Making a decision she strode to wing space of the jet and pressed her palm to the pad besides the large locker that contained her suit.

“You’re not a match for him Cap…” Clint said

“Thanks Barton!” he replied, sarcastically.

“We need to get down there, give him some back up…”  Katie called, turning round to look at Nat as she stepped backwards, allowing her suit to form around her.

“Ok.” Clint said, nodding “I’ll give you the cover up top.”

Nat took off her headset and joined Katie in the equipment store, pushing a small coms piece into her ear. She headed to the back of the ship, straddling the motorbike that was propped up at the side.

“He’s lost his shield…” Clint said, “I’m gonna drop you as close to it as I can.”

“Roger…” Katie continued with the final checks to her suit, without JARVIS she was flying this thing herself, just as she had been at Klaus’ base so she needed to make sure everything was right. Clint steered them down towards the road.

“We got a window. Four, three...give 'em hell.” Clint said, pushing the button for the ramp. Natasha sped the bike off and dropped down with a squeal of tyres before taking the jet higher.

“Us girls are always picking up after you boys.” She said gently and Katie headed to the back of the ramp, her scans watching as Natashai picked up Steve’s shield, following Clint’s commentary.

“They're heading under the overpass, I've got no shot” Clint said

“Which way? “ Nat asked.

“Hard right... Now.” Clint instructed. Natasha did as she was told. As Clint hovered over the top of them Katie shot out from the back of the jet and swooped down just as Natasha threw the shield up to Steve. Steve caught it and instantly flung it, sent the AI flying backwards. Ultron wasn’t down for long, jumping up and resuming the fight as Katie landed behind the Robot as he sent a blast of power at Steve, who instantly held his shield up as he was catapulted backwards onto the bonnet of the car behind. She fired a repulsor at the AI, turning his attention to her as he wheeled round and shot back. She flew out of the way as the shot hit the car behind, the screeches of brakes and grinding of metal hit her ears as cars collided.

“You Starks are like insects …” Ultron said, groaning “Annoying and irritating…”

“Yeah well, some insects pact a bit of a sting…” She said, sending out a static pulse from the shoulder of her suit. It immobilised him for a good few seconds, which was long enough for Steve to climb back onto the top of the truck, hitting him once more with his shield. As Ultron fell forward towards Katie she jumped up, kicking out with her boot, pushing him down into the metal of the truck before landing.  Ultron regained control of his functions and the 3 of them began to fight, Steve and Katie dodging the rays of power as they flew at them, Ultron easily deflecting the beams the Supernova suit sent his way.

“Clint can you draw out the guards?”  Nat’s voice came over the comms.

“Let's find out.”  Clint replied simply.

Katie fired another static pulse towards Ultron, but he easily deflected it and shot once more at her as she spiralled away.

“You think I’d let you get me with that again?” he growled.

“No but, made you look…”  she grinned, and at that point Clint shot the jet downwards and it fired off a few shots at Ultron, deliberately missing the delicate package the truck contained. It worked and as Katie watched 4 Ultron Sentries fly out and follow the jet upwards. Ultron turned and flew at Steve who spun, slamming him into a concrete pillar by the side of the road. Katie swooped in, firing again but Ultron was ready and caught her with a beam causing her to spin blindly through the air.  With no JAVIS to help, it took her a while to regain control but eventually she righted herself just in time to see Ultron spear at Steve, the two of them crashing into a nearby moving train. She shot forward, putting all her power into her thrusters, speeding up to catch it.

"Heading back towards you, whatever you're gonna' do. Do it now." Clint informed over the coms as Katie dropped down so I was level with the train, looking into the windows.

"I'm going in, guys can you keep him occupied?" Natasha questioned as Katie finally caught up with the right carriage to see Ultron sending Steve flying again, landing hard against a metal door.

“What do you think we’ve been doing!”  Steve said, shaking his head, as once again he stood up, and resumed his fight with the AI as Katie shot a beam through the window, catching the robot unawares and causing him to fly out of the side of the train.

As she flew in through the window, the AI came crashing through one a bit further up and the two of them shot at one another, the beams hitting in mid-air and deflecting off one another, blowing a hole in the roof of the train.

"The package is airborne." Clint informed us, "I have a clean shot."

"Negative I am still in the truck." Natasha said.

"What the hell are you doing?" Katie yelled, as Ultron sent a bench of seats towards her, which she blasted out of the way.

"Just be ready, I'm sending the package to you, Clint!"

"How do you want me to take it?" Clint asked sarcastically as Katie looked up through the hole in the roof to see the truck way above them.

"Uh, you might wish you hadn't asked that."

At that point Katie was floored as Steve landed heavily on top of her, having been blasted off his feet by Ultron.

“Ow…” he muttered, rolling over and off the top of her. Katie groaned as her head bounced off the inside of her metal helmet and hadn’t even had chance to right herself when suddenly she was lifted off her feet as Ultron’s hand crushed at the neck of her suit.

"Like I said, insect…”  He practically growled, his grip tightening as she raised both her palms to fire, blasting them both backwards, in opposite directions as Katie crashed into the carriage behind. She sat up and shifted the debris and shot forward, as Ultron came again but he was sent backwards as a blur knocked him off balance- the male Maximoff twin. Ultron took a menacing step forwards and the metal guards shifted red and bent in front of us in a protective manor. The female, Wanda, stood behind Ultron, hands outstretched and glowing red. Ultron turned towards her.

"Please, don't do this." Ultron pleaded with her.

"What choice do we have?" Wanda countered.

Ultron turned back around and fired in Steve’s direction. Katie was quicker though, pulling him out of the way as the front of the train blew out. The AI then blasted out the side door and escaped.

"We lost him!” Katie said into her comms, face plate sliding back as Steve made his way to the front of the train, reaching over the driver. “Clint, Nat He's headed back towards you."

“Nat we gotta go…”  Clint said.

Steve turned back to Katie, shaking his head, he could find no pulse. The driver was dead and the train was out of control heading straight for the end of the line.

“Nat… NAT? Cap you guys see Nat?" Clint questioned worriedly.

"If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!" Steve commanded, looking up instinctively as Katie reached his side.

"Do you have eyes on Nat?" Clint questioned once again.

"Go!" Steve ordered once again and it seemed Clint obeyed because there was silence on the other side of the coms. Katie looked at him, both of them worried about our friend but equally knowing they had to tackle the problem in hand. The train crashed through the stoppers at the end of the line and carried on, heading straight through the narrow streets.

"There are civilians in our path." Steve turned to Pietro, once more resuming command. He nodded and sped off in a blur.

"Can you stop this thing?" Katie asked Wanda. She looked unsure but nodded and blasted red tendrils down into the underlining of the train.

It began to slow, but nowhere near enough for them to avoid the building they were heading straight at. Katie slid her face plate back and Steve held his shield out in front of them, protecting them from the impact, and they felt the train starting to slow down, before it eventually came to a steady stop a moment or so later in a street lined with small trading stalls and shops.

As the passengers scrambled to get off the train Steve and Katie remained where they were for a second, Katie’s face plate once more retracting.

“You’re bleeding…” Steve said gently, wiping at her brow.

“Least I’m still here…” she said, shaking her head. “What about Nat?”

“We’ll find her.” He said, looking her in the eyes. “I promise.”

He slung his shield onto his back and the pair of them exited the train. Katie spotted Wanda stood next to her brother who was resting against a wall breathing heavily, hunched over with his hands on his knees. As they approached he looked up at Wanda, waving her away

"I’m fine,  I just need a minute." He assured her.

"I'm very tempted not to give you one." Steve snapped, giving the twins a hard look. The two Maximoffs shared an uneasy glance

"The cradle? Did you get it?" Wanda asked.

"Stark will take care of it." Steve told her, his tone still clipped.

"No he won't." Wanda said incredulously.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Katie glared at the girl

"He will do anything to make things right." Wanda implored.

Steve turned and gave Katie a questioning look before he spoke into the coms.

"Stark come in. Stark? Anyone on coms?" The only response Steve got was silence. He looked at Katie who tried as well, getting nothing but static. She then tried to route through her phone, but there was nothing there either.

“Ultron can’t tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it.” Wanda pressed “Where do you think he got that from?”

Katie took a moment to look around, squinting against the sunlight. People were gathering, chattering in Korean and pointing at the train stretched down the middle of the road.

“I saw into his head.” Wanda implored “I saw what he has planned. It’s not what he said, not what he told us he wanted.”

“Oh and what did he say he wanted?” Katie asked, turning back to her, her arms folding across her chest.

“He said he wanted peace” the boy, Pietro spoke.

“Oh, well…” Katie snapped, looking round nodding and clapping her gauntlet clad hands together sarcastically “Good job”

“Look…” Steve stepped forward a little before his girl lost her temper, his hands grasping the buckle on his utility belt. “This isn’t about sides, or what’s happened before. It’s about how we shut Ultron down.”

"So - what happens now?" Pietro asked.

"That depends on you," Steve answered, putting his shield on his back, keeping his stance non-confrontational. "You've worked with Ultron; you know how he thinks. We could use the help stopping him."

Wanda snarled, lips curling back over her teeth. "We won't work with Stark."

"Well, you kinda have two options." Steve retorted immediately, before Katie had chance to. The authority emanating from him was immense, his eyes steady. "You work with us, or work with Ultron. Your choice."

Katie looked up at Steve as the twins both exchanged glances. Eventually she got fed up and sighed.

“I’m going back to check on Dr Cho.” she looked at Steve “And then I’m going home to figure out how we find Nat…”

“Katie… wait…” he said as she started to walk up the narrow street

“I’m done waiting Steve.” she snapped “And seeing as you don’t seem to want to give things a second’s thought, why should I?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He frowned, running to catch up with her.

“You work with us?” she imitated his voice. “How do you know that she isn’t in our minds, right now, and this isn’t some elaborate scam to get us right where Ultron wants?”

A breeze whipped her hair slightly, and Pietro stood at Steve’s side, Wanda in his arms.

"You move too slow." the young man taunted looking at them. "We'll meet you at Cho's office."

Katie let out a loud groan of annoyance and walked and out onto the main road, looking around. Steve took a deep breath, she was angry, he knew that. His girl held a grudge, far better than he ever could and he had a feeling that Wanda Maximoff wasn’t going to get round her with a simple apology. But they didn’t have time for that, they needed to get home, find Nat and figure out Ultron’s next steps. And the Maximoffs would be helpful.

Sirens were now flooding his ears and the Emergency services were all over the place, freeing people from the cars, crashed buses, you name it.

“Could use a ride…” Steve said, turning to her and raising an eyebrow. She glared at him for a moment, before sliding her face plate back down. Without saying a word she gripped his harness at the top above where it held his shield and propelled them both into the air.

Dr Cho was going to be ok. Thankfully. The Scientist kindly offered them the use of her QuinJet, which technically belonged to Tony anyway, but they were grateful nonetheless. As Katie thanked the man who had led them to it, Steve turned to the Maximoff twins.

“Go on…”  

Katie felt her mouth drop open as Wanda hesitated and looked to her brother who simply nodded and the two of them boarded.  Katie watched them incredulously before she rounded on Steve and he winced, awaiting the barrage which hit him full pelt.

“I can’t believe you seriously want to take them back to base.” she hissed at him.

“I told you before, they can help.” he replied calmly.

“You’re out of your mind!” She said, shaking her head, the petulant child in her well and truly rearing it’s head “You know what actually, if they’re going, then I’m staying here.”

“For God’s sake Katie…” Steve said, exasperatedly running his hand through his hair, his helmet hanging in his left hand “You’re being unreasonable…”  

“I’m being unreasonable?” she rounded on him, her cheeks flushing with anger. “You’re the one who wants to take them right into the middle of our base, give them access to all our technology, when we don’t know if they’re still working for Ultron or not!”

“Katie, just get on the fucking jet now.” his voice was low, but he was angry.  He didn’t have time for this shit, he was tired, worried, and just wanted to get them all together so they could find Nat and end this and she was behaving like a total brat.

Katie looked at him, his eyes were flashing and he had a look on his face she couldn’t ever recall him using on her before. It was enough to shock her into compliance, but only after she shot him the dirtiest glare she could, before she stormed onto the jet.

2 hours later and Katie still hadn’t spoken a word to Steve or anyone else for that matter, she was fuming. Pietro and Wanda had been mostly silent up until that point, exchanging the odd bit of chatter between themselves in Sokovian, but neither approaching either of the other two until Pietro came to the cockpit.

“Miss Stark…I’m sorry, but please, do you have a spare jacket… my sister is cold.”

Katie glared at him, then looked to the back of the jet where Wanda was sat on one of the chairs, her knees pulled up to her chin. Damned it, despite everything Katie felt a small pang of pity for her.

“Sure, just give me a second.” she said, a little gruffly but less angrily as she stood up out of her seat.

Steve had to smile, despite everything she wasn’t callous, and she knew what it was like to be cold and frightened. Katie glanced down and caught the look he was giving her and she glared at him.

“I will slap that smirk right off your face...” she threatened. Immediately he held his hands up, palms facing her in an “I’m sorry” motion and she walked over to the back of the jet and started looking in a few of the cupboards. Eventually she found a black fleece jacket, emblazoned with U-Gen logo, along with a blanket. In one of the other cupboards she found bottles of water supplies along with some snack bars and bags of chips.

“Here…” she walked over to Wanda and handed her the jacket and fleece.

“Thank you.” She said, pulling the fleece around her.

“You hungry or need a drink?” Katie offered.

They looked at one another.

“I’m not going to poison you.” she rolled her eyes.

Wanda nodded and Katie handed her a bottle of water and Pietro took a granola bar from her and a bag of chips. Katie glanced at the twins and then suddenly had to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue.

“Why do you hate us so much, the Avengers?” she blurted out. Steve turned his head slightly so he could listen in.

“I don’t hate the avengers. I hate your brother. Well I did. I don’t know maybe I still do.”

“But why?” Katie said, puzzled “You don’t know him, or me for that matter.”

“Our home was bombed.” Wanda said, looking at her hands “It hit 2 floors below and blew a hole in our floor. Our parents fell but Pietro grabbed me and we rolled under the bed.” “The second one hits.” Pietro continued gently “But it doesn’t explode. It just sits there, three feet from our faces. And on the side of the shell is painted two words...” “Stark Industries…”Katie said gently, suddenly understanding. She didn’t know what to say. That part of Stark Industries had always been one she had never had much to do with and had always absolved herself of any guilt because she stayed away from it, but she had long since realised that didn’t absolve her from any blame at all.

“You know we shut the arms side of the business down once we both realised the damage it was doing…my brother is a good man, maybe he doesn’t always get it right but he tries.” Katie sighed.

“But that is my point.” Wanda pressed “Ultron…he wants world peace, but he thinks the way to do that is to kill people, innocent people…”

“That’s not what Tony wants” Katie pressed

“But he created Ultron…” Pietro joined the conversation

“Yes, because of you!” Katie said earnestly

“Sorry, because of us…” “You made him see something, in Strucker’s lab. A vision, a vision of all of us, all of the Avengers dead, the world ending and he was left alone because he didn’t try hard enough to stop it.” at that point Wanda and Pietro exchanged glances as she continued “You made him believe he needed to do something, something more and Ultron was the result. He was supposed to be the thing that Tony thinks we need, something to bring peace…”

“You know, maybe we aren’t that different to Stark after all.” Pietro said, breaking the moment or so silence that had descended. “I mean, we volunteered for Hydra…”

"They said that they would make us super-human, like your Captain America over there.” Wanda said, sipping her water and Steve’s eyes flickered over the back of the jet for a moment before he turned back to the front. “Then we could fight…”

“They didn't say what it would cost.” Pietro spat “The experiments. The constant pain.”

“Guess we all made bad decisions for what we thought were the right reasons…” Katie shrugged “What matters now is how we fix this mess.”

With that she left them to it, taking her drink and one for Steve to the front of the jet.

“Thanks…” he said gently

“I assume you heard all that.” she said, a little clipped.

“Super sensitive hearing Doll, what can I say.” he smiled. She rolled her eyes.  “You still pissed at me?” She raised her eyebrow at him, and with a teasing note chastised him “language.”

He smiled and taking a drink of water, he looked back out of the front window of the jet.

An hour or so later they managed to get through to Clint on the coms.

“Any news on Nat?” Katie asked him.

“I’m trying the old fashioned way…” he said, “That should avoid Ultron. I’ll find her”

“I don’t doubt it Hawkeye.” she smiled.

“What about Stark and the cradle?" Steve asked.

"In the lab with Banner, why you ask?”

Katie glanced at Steve, his jaw set tightly but that was the sum total of the reaction from him. He didn’t want to voice what was on his mind and risk pissing her off even more. Instead he chose his words carefully.

“Just… well, the twins told us what’s in that Cradle and Ultron’s plans for it. I’m worried Tony could start something he doesn’t understand.”  “Twins? The Maximoffs?” Clint asked and then he let out a groan “You’re bringing them here aren’t you?”

“You gotta trust me on this one, Clint.” Steve sighed “They’ve seen Ultron’s end game. They want to help us fight him.” “Yeah well I’ll make my own mind up on that one, I’ll see you when you get back.” “Great…” Katie sighed “Now he’s pissed as well.”

**** “I’m gonna say this once!” Steve’s voice was loud

“How about "nonce"?” Tony shot back.

“Shut it down!” Steve pointed at the cradle.

“Nope, not gonna happen.”  Tony shook his head.

There had been a bit of a fight in the lab, shields being flung, repulsors fired, and then Thor had turned up, supercharged the cradle, and it had gotten even stranger when a red man, an android had emerged.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, in JARVIS’ voice "That was, odd. Thank you." He added nodding respectfully to Thor, before his unnervingly human-looking eyes trailed over Thor thoughtfully. Then he rolled his shoulders and a cape of his own appeared and flowed down his back.

"Thor, you helped create this?" Steve asked

"I've had a vision, the world, where it starts, all hope and life and at its centre, is that." Thor responded pointing to the gold stone in the middle of the man's forehead.

"What the gem?" Banner asked in confusion. Thor nodded.

"It's the mindstone," he explained. "One of the six infinity stones, the greatest power in the universe and it is unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."

"Then why would you bring it to life?" Katie asked, taking a deep breath, folding her arms.

"Because Stark is right." Thor said.

"Oh, it's definitely the end of times." Bruce sarcastically to Tony's shocked but proud expression.

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron." Thor continued and the red man politely cut in.

"Not alone."

"Why does your vision sound like Jarvis?" Katie questioned still cautious of this new being.

"We reconfigured Jarvis' matrix, to create something new." Tony walked up towards his masterpiece and examined him.

"I think I've had my fill of new." Steve replied sarcastically.

"You think I am a child of Ultron." The red man stated rather than asked.

"You're not?" Steve replied suspiciously still glaring.

"I am not Ultron." He said simply, "I am not Jarvis. I am…" he looked down at his hands as if they would hold the answer.

"I looked in your head," Wanda stated stepping towards him, "I saw annihilation."

"Look again." Vision responded in the same simple tone.

"Ha, her seal of approval means jack to me." Clint snorted, Katie found herself inclined to agree.

"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the mindstone.” Thor said, looking round “And that is nothing compared to what it could unleash, but with it on our side-"

"Is it?" Steve cut Thor off then turned aiming his next question at him towards the red man, needing to hear confirmation "Are you, on our side?"

"I don't think it's that simple." Vision answered truthfully.

"Well it better get real simple real soon." Clint said seriously.

"I am on the side of life," Vision continued, "Ultron isn't, he will end it all."

"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked.

"You." He stated easily, looking around at us all.

"Where?" Katie pressed.

"Sokovia." Clint supplied helpfully. "Yeah, he's got Nat there too."

Katie looked at Clint who raised his eyebrow slightly and he shrugged. He’d found her, just like he said.

"If we're wrong about you," Bruce said approaching the man. "If you're the monster Ultron created you to be…"

"What will you do?" The red man asked and Bruce stayed silent.

"I don't want to kill Ultron, he is unique, and he's in pain," Vision paced slowly around the room, "but that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace and presence of him. We have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the other."

He turned back to look at everyone in the room individually, then he did something completely unexpected as he picked up Thor's hammer from the table. Steve felt his eyebrows raise in shock whereas Katie was looking at Thor, her mouth open, the god was wearing a look of utter confusion.

"There may be no way to make you trust me, but we need to go." Vision finished holding out the hammer for Thor to take. Thor took his weapon back and the man walked away.

There was a moment of silence before Thor coughed.

"Right, well done." he said awkwardly patting Tony on the shoulder and followed the red man out of the room.

"Three minutes, get what you need." Steve announced.

*****

“Ultron knows we're coming. Odds are we'll be running into heavy fire, and that's what we signed up for, but the people of Sokovia they didn't. That's why our priority is getting them out. All they want is to live their lives in peace, and that's not going to happen today. But we can do our best to protect them and get the job done. We find out what Ultron's been building. We find Romanoff. We clear the field and keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we're monsters, and that we're what's wrong with the world, but this isn't just about beating him, it's about whether he's right."

Steve certainly felt like he was right when he descended down the ramp and the first thing he saw was a huge mural of himself on a wall to his right. If he hadn’t been so concerned with the word, “fašista” scrawled across it, he might have given some consideration to the fact the art work was pretty good. He looked at the painting, before turning and tossing his helmet back into the jet, almost hitting Katie as she walked down the ramp. Frowning she looked at him, spotted the paining and gave a sigh. She knew that would have upset him.

But whether they liked Captain America or not, the people of Sokovia were getting his help and that of the rest of the Avengers too.  Thor and Bruce went underground to Strucker's base to find Natasha and the Vibranium, Tony and Vision went off to locate where Ultron was and confront him so that Vision could do his part. The rest of them focussed on the evacuation, if this was going to end in a fight as it always did, then it was best to get the civilians out of the way as soon as possible. Steve dispatched Clint to a rooftop to oversee events from up there and Katie headed off with Wanda to the bridge that led out of the city. She could feel the younger girl's panic even though she did well to try and hide it

"Do you see...the beauty of it? The inevitability. You rise, only to fall. You, Avengers, a meteor. My swift and terrible sword. And the earth will crack with the weight of your failure. Purge me from your computers, turn my own flesh against me. It means nothing. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world will be metal."

They seemed to be fighting forever, and Sokovia was getting higher and higher. Just as everything seemed lost and the group looked to be faced with an impossible decision after Tony pointed out that the only thing he could think about was blowing the city before the impact radius got too big. Steve was adamant he was not leaving the city with one civilian on it, when Katie smiled sadly and turned to him.

"I didn't say we should leave." she said softly, and she could feel Natasha looking at her as well from where she stood on her right. Katie turned to Steve, as he looked down at her "There's worse ways to go." she said responding to his silent question, her chest heaving resigning herself to the fact that they might not make it out of this alive, surprised the thought didn’t frighten her more at that point.

"She’s right," Natasha said and Katie turned to look at her. She shrugged and nodded out at the clouds “Where else are we gonna get a view like this?”

"Glad you like the view, Romanoff."  all 3 of them started at the very familiar voice that came through the coms. "It's about to get a whole lot better."

That's when the helicarrier came right into view and Katie smiled, her eyes filing with emotion as she felt the relief swell in her chest.

“So this is your ‘something dramatic’?”  she quipped and Fury gave a hum of confirmation.

"Nice, right? Pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty," Nick Fury said nonchalantly. "But she'll do."

Katie looked round and noticed that Pietro had joined us, looking at the ship.

"Fury, you son of a bitch." Steve spoke in almost a whisper while shaking his head.

Fury let out a whistle before responded to Steve teasingly. "Ohhh hooo, you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Their fight led them to protecting the Vibranium Core that was situated in a church which was in the dead centre of the City and of course Ultron followed them. As The Avengers surrounded their precious charge, Thor yelled out to the AI.

"Is that best you can do?!"

Ultron picked his hand up, and what seemed like a million robots began to advance towards them.

Katie groaned, and looked at Steve as he turned to look at Thor, annoyance all over his face. "You haddda ask." He deadpanned, his Brooklyn accent coming out as it often did in these situations, and Thor at least had the decency to look sheepish.

"This is the best I can do." Ultron continued on. "This is exactly what I wanted. All of you against all of me. How can you possibly hope to stop me?"

"Well, like the old man said," Tony said, and Steve turned to look at him over his shoulder "Together."

Hulk then let out a loud roar as the swarm of robots attacked.

The robots began running into the church by the hundreds it seemed, but everyone was ready. Arrows, fists and Steve’s shield flew, repulsors, guns and shock sticks fired, speed and red tendrils of power ripped them apart from the inside, lighting flashed and the Hulk smashed. Eventually Ultron joined the fray and Vision flew at him. Ultron punched Vision into the wall but he retaliated by using the mind stone in his forehead to shoot at Ultron making him stagger back and out of the church.

Vision didn't let up as Thor, Tony and Katie joined the android with lightening and repulsor beams respectively. The Starks surged their arms forward, unloading all the power they had in their suits and the 4 of them combined melted away the outer layer of Vibranium that covered Ultron, which was when they stopped. He could be taken out easily now.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight – " Ultron began to say but Hulk roared then punched him so hard he went flying across the city.

Hulk growled at the remaining robots who immediately turned and ran away.

"They'll try to leave the city." Thor called out.

"We can't let them, not even one." Tony spoke frantically, calling on their other eye in the sky. "Rhodey..."

"I'm on it!" He announced over the radio. “Oh no, I didn’t say you could leave…War Machine coming at you.” there was a pause as Vision flew in to help, phasing and ripping one of them apart “Ok, what?”

"We gotta move out." Steve spoke as those of them left on the ground re-grouped. "Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats. I'll sweep for stragglers…”

“I’ll come with you…”  Katie said. For some reason she didn’t want to leave him, or more to the point him to leave her.  Steve looked at her, and he understood, he really did. If there was a chance they were getting separated he really didn’t want to take it but he wanted her on that carrier, away.

“You go and make sure everyone gets out.” he said “I’ll be right behind you, I promise."

He’d never broken a promise to her yet, so she took a deep breath and nodded.

"What about the core?" Clint asked while turning to look at it.

"I'll protect it." Everyone turned to Wanda, giving her a worried look. "It's my job." She clarified nodding to Clint. Clint inclined his head towards her, before he turned to leave.

“Nat…” he said as Steve started to usher everyone bar Wanda out of the church. I threw one last glance over at Wanda before Katie turned to Steve.  

“Be careful.” “I always am…” he grinned.

“Liar.” she muttered watching him go, before she took off again, looking down at the devastation on the ground below. This was far worse than New York. Far worse than Washington. It was horrendous, and Katie wasn’t sure how the people of Sokovia would ever recover.

Clint skidded the car he had been driving to a halt by the lifeboats and Katie landed besides them. There was a roar and she glanced to her left, noticing the huge form of the Hulk throwing around debris of the various robots.

“We don’t have a lot of time…” Clint looked at Natasha meaningfully.

“So get your ass on a boat…” she shot back, jumping out of the car.

Clint and Katie then set off, ushering the last civilians around them onto the last boat as they went. Katie spotted Thor stood a little to her left, his head turned over to his right as Steve appeared from inside a building.

“Thor, I'm gonna need you back at the church." Tony said over the coms.

Thor nodded despite the fact that he couldn't see Tony and then looked at Steve, breathing heavily. "Is that the last of them?" He asked him.

"Yeah," he answered instead, quickly looking around at the evacuations taking place, spotting Katie and Clint boarding the boat "Everyone else is on board the carriers."

"You know, if this works, we maybe don't walk away." Tony said quietly, cutting Katie out of the coms temporarily so as not to worry or upset her.

"Maybe not." Thor agreed in a whisper.

At that point Clint sprinted back past them, but before either of them had time to follow him to help a hail of gunfire suddenly erupted where they standing. Steve held his shield up just in time and Thor dived to the side to avoid the bullets that had luckily been fired in a straight line between them all.

But it was Katie who noticed first what had happened. As the dust settled she saw Clint stood, with a little boy in his arms. He’d clearly tried to shield him from the bullets but it was Pietro that was standing there with bullet holes riddling his torso, the blood seeping through them.

“No… “ she muttered her pleading growing more frantic as she flew over to where they were stood “No, no, no…”

"You didn't see that coming?" the blonde man attempted to joke weakly then wobbled before falling face first and Katie caught him as she landed, just before he hit the ground. She laid him down gently and looked him over.

“Friday, life signs…”.

“Negative…” she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Katie bowed her head slightly before my face plate slid back and she looked up at Clint. The pair of them exchanged a glance before Steve knelt down and closed Pietro’s eyes.

“I’ve got him…” he said gently, as he bent down and picked up Pietro as easily as if he was a small child. The three of them headed back to the airship, Clint with the little boy in his arms. Once on board, Steve lay Pietro down gently on the floor, where Katie sat by him, her suit making a clunk as she slid to the floor. Clint groaned as he lowered himself onto the row of seats behind her. Someone walked over to see if they needed any medical help but Clint waved him away.

“No, no I’m fine…” he said, lying down across a few seats, his hand resting on the metal shoulder of her suit. “oh it’s been a long day…”

Steve stood on the rock for one final look round, he couldn’t see anyone. But then, with a lurch the city fell with huge force and he turned and gave a jump, grabbing onto the platform of the ship as the city fell.  He pulled himself up onto the deck and stood up to see, lightning flashing from the sky. As he watched, the city of Sokovia exploded from the inside out crumbling to pieces and raining down heavily into the ocean below.

He turned to see Katie was stood a few feet away, looking down.

“Tony? Thor?” she said, “Wanda?” Nothing.

She looked over Steve, biting her lip.

“They’ll be ok…” he said, although he wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

There was a slight lurch as the ship they were stood on docked with the hellicarrier and they turned to help Clint but he was already walking, carrying the body of Pietro with him. Katie jumped down onto the tarmac, deactivated her suit and made her way over to Maria Hill who was stood with another agent, directing them where to take the walking wounded, medics running onto the ships to deal with the more seriously injured in situ.

“You guys alright?” She asked as they walked over to her. Katie nodded and then spoke again into her coms. It was a relief to see Wanda’s red hair sat on the deck a few yards away from one of the ships, Vision having pulled her out of the city in time.

“Any news from the others?” Steve asked. Maria sighed.

“Natasha is on the bridge, Banner, I mean the Hulk, he got her out in time but…he went off in a jet after Ultron…I got nothing from Thor or Tony…”  

Katie turned to look out over the sky, the airborne dust making her cough slightly as she scanned the clouds, waiting for a sign or anything from her brother.

“He’ll be ok…” Steve said, dropping a hand onto her shoulder. “He always is.” “One day he won’t be.” she said, looking up to face Steve

“Maybe, but that aint today…” a familiar voice rang in her ear and she let out a sigh of relief as her brother spoke. “Kiddo, I think we just won again…”

*****

Refugees crowded every corner of the flying base, sitting in the halls, huddling together, terrified. The dust in the air meant SHIELD couldn't connect to their mainframe or satellites, and the internet-based translators were down. Every person on board who knew even a smattering of any Slavic language was being recruited into helping settle the homeless Sokovians.

Fury was meeting via telecon in one of the conference rooms with the Sokovian political leaders, who were not pleased at being dragged from their homes in Novi Grad in the wee hours of the morning only to then watch their nation destroyed. So with Fury busy, Steve and Katie had to tell Tony about Bruce.

That hadn't been fun at all. Her brother had struggled back to the helicarrier, with barely enough power left to make the landing, Thor hot on his tail, soaked to the skin and staggering with a nasty head wound. Steve helped him inside where he was led to a medic bay and they had all retreated to the comms room where Nat was stood in a corner, staring at a blank screen.

"Where's Bruce?" Tony demanded as soon as he got his helmet off. "We've got to figure out…" He trailed off, seeing the expression on Katie’s face. Then his eyes flashed across to Natasha. The woman hadn't moved a muscle in ten minutes, standing in a corner and staring straight at the wall, back to the rest of the room.

"Tony." Steve's voice was heavy. “He’s taken off… we can’t reach him.” “And I don’t think he wants us to.” Katie added. She had barely finished her sentence before Tony bolted across the room to the computer banks, heedlessly shucking off bits of his armour as he went.

"No," he shook his head, fingers flying across the keyboards. "No, I can find him. I can do this, I can bring him home."

"It was cloaked." Natasha's voice was very even, with absolutely no inflection. She didn't stop staring at her wall. "Your own cloaking devices. And SHIELD's secret tracker was disabled in the fight."

Tony's hand slipped, hitting a bunch of things Steve was sure he hadn't meant to. Swearing hopelessly, he stared blankly at the useless screens.

"Why?" he demanded, very quietly, the furious brokenness in his voice made my heart ache for him. "Why would he…?"

The unfinished question hung heavy in the dusty air. Steve was the one who answered.

"Because," he said, swallowing "When you're in the air, and you're carrying something that will destroy everything you love, that's all you can do. You do go down, and you take it down with you."

Tony’s hands curled into fists, anguish in his snarl. "This isn't the same as your golden boy sacrifice play, Cap. No bombs on that quinjet."

"No, no bombs." Steve said gently, his hand on Katie’s arm as he noticed she’d been about to chastise her brother for his venomous jibe, and he shook his head softly as he dragged his gloves back on over his bruised and bloody knuckles, flexing his hands.. "Just himself," he finished quietly.

"Veronica failed, Tone” Katie said gently, understanding at once what Steve was getting at, Bruce’s actions suddenly making sense “ He didn’t want to come to Sokovia and I guess, well he didn’t want to risk hurting anyone again, and he saw a way out."

Natasha turned on her heel and pushed past them, her eyes wet as she made for the door.

“Nat…” Katie said gently, turning to watch her go. She shook her head, signalling she wanted to be alone as she left. Katie looked up at Steve who hung his head sadly.

But there wasn’t time to think on it. Fury arrived at that moment, clearly pissed at something. He explained to the group that after the explosion that tore Ultron's plans to shreds, he had been set to take the helicarrier to a refugee camp in a nearby country but the Sokovian officials had refused, insisting they be set back down in what was left of Novi Grad. Steve nodded and told Fury to do as they wanted.

"This wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for us." Steve's jaw was set, and his arms folded. "We owe it to them Fury, like it or not."

Fury hadn't liked it, at all, but he didn't have much say in the matter - not when Steve had that look on his face.

“This isn’t going to be nice…” Steve muttered as the pod had descended back to the ground.

“I know.” Katie said. “But we face it together, right?”

Novi Grad was an absolute mess. Most of the city had been torn up by the roots, and the rim that was left hadn't escaped unscathed either. Buildings had toppled from falling debris and the initial ground-shaking wrench. Water and electricity were out, phone lines were down, and the streets were clogged with cars and people. Children choked on the thick air as parents tied whatever cloth they could find around tiny mouths, trying to protect their lungs.

It was thankless, numbing work. Most of the civilians avoided them, casting wary glances out of the corner of their eyes. A few swore or spat, some cried, but after a while it began to get difficult as a particular group started to get violent, screaming as they threw things at the 4 Avengers. It didn't cause much damage to the Nova or Iron Man suits, but the rocks soon started getting bigger. Katie heard a yell and turned to her left to see Steve stumbling forward, hand clamped over the back of his head. He fell to his knees and Katie moved over to him, dropping besides him.

“Shit…” he mumbled as she heard Thor give a roar.

“Let me see…” she said gently, as Steve winced, shaking his head.

“I’m fine…” he said, getting to his feet, hand still clutching at the back of his head.

Katie glanced up at Tony, who had completely lost his patience.

"Ungrateful brats," he said loudly after the young hooligans who had immediately scarpered after Thor’s show of anger. "Look, why don't you head back to the carrier, see what the next step is?"  Tony curled his gauntlet clad hand over Steve’s shoulder as his face plate retracted. Katie looked at her brother, thankful for his suggestion.

Steve shook his head, but even as she did so she saw him sway a little.

“Sweetheart, you’re bleeding…” she said gently, and he looked at his hand. “At least let’s clean you up…”

Steve didn't want to go, but he gave into her as she whispered “Please.”

"Five minutes," he relented at last, and allowed her to lead him away.

*****

As Katie shed her suit, Steve sat on a chair in one of the hellicarrier kitchens, one of the few rooms that wasn’t being used as a makeshift hospital or treatment bay. There were no spare medics so Katie grabbed some gauze, antiseptic and a couple of steri-strip bandages. He would heal pretty fast anyway.

“You know you should have had your helmet on…” she said gently, suddenly realising he hadn’t had it on for the entire time they had been in Sokovia having tossed it back on the jet when he saw the graffiti picture of himself when they first landed. He shrugged and didn’t reply, but he flinched hard when Katie lightly touched the lump at the back of his head.

“Sorry…” she said gently as he waved away her apology, head bent as she cleaned the blood off his hair.

“Doesn’t hurt as much as what they were calling me.” He mumbled, and Katie paused.

“Which was what? I didn’t hear them.”

“fašista” he said, “Fascist.” His shoulders slumped and sudden angry tears stung at Katie’s eyes, but she blinked them back and swallowed the hot anger swelling in her throat. This was a man who had put his life on the line countless times to fight the very things that people were calling him. She leaned forward, slipping my arms around his neck, connecting them in front of his chest as she bent to lay her face against his cheek.

"At the risk of sounding like an old man, everybody's so young these days," Steve said at last as he turned his head to face her "Has it all been forgotten, or have I really become...?"

Katie cut him off, her eyes on his, faces inches apart. "They've forgotten," she assured him firmly. ”You could never be like those monsters. But people, well they can't imagine – I find it hard at times. We never lived through it, never knew what it was like. History books and lessons can only do so much love."

Steve's fingers laced between mine, "'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,'" he whispered heavily.

"True," she said gently as he rolled his head round to face her “But that's why there are people like us, people like you. You will always remember, and because you do, you help us do our best to keep the rest of them safe."

She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before she straightened up and continued to tend to the wound on his head. It wasn’t as deep as it had looked and was already starting to heal anyway. She checked to make sure there were no fragments of the brick left behind and when she was satisfied she dropped the bloodied gauze into a bin and turned to face him.

"I shouldn't have taken Banner.” He said, and Katie took a deep breath “I knew he was low, but he said he wanted to come, he wanted to help find Nat."

"You can't blame yourself for his choice," Katie reminded him. “He’s a grown man…” Steve didn’t say anything more about it, instead he stood up and took a deep breath. “Come on, let’s go see what’s happening.”

Katie followed him into the corridor and as they turned to head through a service door to use the maintenance walkways, she spotted a small figure huddled at the other side, knees pulled to her chest.

“Wanda?” Katie said, stopping to crouch next to her. Steve knelt down at the other side of the young girl, as she turned her face to look at her. "I'm sorry about your brother," Katie said gently.

Her face twisted suddenly, and she laid her head on her knees, hair falling around her face. Steve looked at Katie before he shifted, reaching out and lightly putting an arm round her. She didn't pull away, instead she lay her head against his chest.

"You know," he said at last, when the silence between them all felt a little less fragile, "You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you want."

She sat up straight and drew back. "At Stark Tower?" she asked, mouth pulling into a half-hearted expression of distaste. Katie sighed.

"At the Avengers Tower," she corrected quietly.

Wanda surveyed her for a moment, and then lowered her eyes and clenched a hand over her mouth.

"I wish I could tell you that it gets easier," Steve told her after a minute. “It won't, not right away. But you don't have to do this alone. We got your back, Wanda.”

Her face crumpled. Then she cried. Katie threw her arms around her and she turned to her, sobbing into her chest. 

*****

It took almost two days for relief services to arrive at Sokovia. Steve felt dirty, tired and desperate for a hot shower and his own bed and he wasn’t alone. None of The Avengers had changed in 2 days. All their extra equipment had gone on the missing Quinjet with Bruce, including the change of civilian clothing everyone tried to keep on hand. But their discomfort paled into insignificance when he glanced over at Wanda as they landed at the tower. Katie guided her up to the spare room, ensured she had what she needed and then instructed her if she needed anything else, all she had to do was ask Friday, who would contact her immediately. Wanda nodded and Katie left her to be a lone for a while.

When Katie got back to her floor Steve was already in the shower, and the bed had never looked so inviting, which was why she couldn’t wait to get into it. Stripping off her filthy cat suit and her underwear she walked into the bathroom which was filled with steam and stepped into the shower behind Steve, her hands straying round to the front of his chest, simply laying her head against his back. He didn’t flinch, he simply grasped her hands in his, pulling her closer and dipped his head slightly as she nuzzled into his shoulder, the grime from the last few days whirling down the plug hole as the water rained down on them. Without speaking Katie grabbed his shampoo, and gently as she could massaged at his hair. Steve gave a soft moan, relishing at the feel of her nails on his scalp, happy to bliss out for a moment. He turned to face his future wife, tipping his head back to rinse his hair off and smiled tiredly as he dropped his head to kiss her softly.

“Turn round” he said gently, and she did as she was told as his hands wound into her hair, repaying the favour. She closed her eyes and leaned back into his touch, the intimate moment also serving as a perfect relaxer so much so that she didn’t object when things started to get a bit heated. This was always how things went with them both, they sought solace in one another, the physical relief of losing themselves with someone they loved was how they coped, how they stayed grounded, reminded ourselves that they weren’t alone.

His hands travelled down her body, her back pressed to his chest as his fingers reached between her legs, finding her spot. She moaned, arching back into him as his other hand caressed her breast, his arousal pressing into the lower part of her back and she lazily rolled her head to catch his mouth. As the hot water cascaded down onto them he took her to the brink before he spun her round and lifted her easily, pressing her back onto the cool tiles. He thrust into her without warning and she groaned, her hands gripping his shoulders as he began to pump in and out, his head falling to her collar bone as he gave a soft nip. With each roll of his hips Katie felt her pleasure beginning to mount, soft moans falling from her lips as she dropped her head to his shoulder, the feeling in her stomach beginning to overwhelm her.

“Look at me Doll” he said gently, and she opened her eyes, emerald gems locking onto his as he saw her mouth open, lips part in a soft cry as she came, a deeper groan bubbled over in her throat and her  head slid backwards. Steve would never get tired of seeing her like that, ever. It was the most arousing thing in the world to him. His pace began to quicken and he followed shortly, the tight bands in his stomach snapping as he pressed her harder against the wall as he rode out his release.

When they had finally finished in the shower the pair of them were almost dead on their feet. They dried off, Katie shucked on one of Steve’s T-shirts and clambered into bed with him. Neither had any idea what time of day it was but neither cared, the blackout blinds sent the room into darkness. Katie lay her head on Steve’s chest, his hand slid up the cotton of his shirt and he gently ran his fingers up and down her spine.

He managed to do it about twice before the pair of them were out for the count.

Tags

@the-omni-princess​

@momobaby227​

@geekofmanythings16​

@angelofhell-666​

@thewackywriter​

[thinger-strang]

no one dies and everyone's gay au

Nancy finds Barb when she gets stuck in the Upside Down when she's in the forest with Jonathan (don't ask me about the logistics) and so Steve ends up finding Jonathan and Barb in Nancy's room? And he's confused because at first he'd just seen Jon and thought Nancy was cheating but then he saw Barb walk into the room? (traumatic sleepover time! except Jon stays on the ground and Barb and Nance cuddle on the bed bc they're best friends and BARB WAS MISSING FOR LIKE TWO DAYS I THINK? she deserves snugs)

But Tommy and Carol started talking about how Nancy was probably sleeping with both, everyone knew Barb was the biggest d*ke in Hawkins, Nancy probably got curious about the other side!

He doesn't necessarily agree but still doesn't stop Tommy from spray painting the theater (because Nancy still lied to him? Lying generally meant there was something? going on? idk Steve's just confused and a little hurt rn)

The rest of the season goes pretty much the same, Barb's just there trying to not die and trying to help the Gang™ find Will and fight this bitch ass demogorgon (I don't think she's really be part of the Nancy and Jonathan luring it to the house and fighting it, she'd help with set up and the plan but I think she'd fuck right off when it comes down to facing it, she's had enough monsters for one life time thx)

But she'd so wanna help get Will out so she's there with Joyce and everyone talking to El while she's in the bath finding Will and talking Hop and Joyce about the Upside Down

(and she's been to the hospital, she didn't get a face sucking monster thing so she recovered quicker? idk don't ask logistics again lmao)

But she and Will end up getting along and sometimes when she's hanging out with Nancy and the party comes over she'll say hi to Will and like ruffle his hair

(also I want a little scene after the big monster hunting trip scene where a) Nancy and Jonathan explain everything to Steve and b) where Steve sees Barb again and pulls her into the biggest hug and starts like apologizing for not paying attention that night and for letting her get taken and even though she assured him it wasn't his fault he still feels guilty about it, it was his house, he should have helped her bandage her hand or something? idk but this right here is the beginning of the Barb/Steve friendship and the start of the "fall of King Steve")

cue s2

and so the four get really close, Jonathan and Steve are actually friends (idk what s2 was pulling but they're friends) and Barb talks to Nancy about Steve and Jonathan and Nancy ends up breaking up with Steve way earlier (bc you know none of that drama would have happened if Barb was there so)

But they're all still good friends, Steve's cool about the break up, and Nancy and Jonathan get together but it's not like right after? so it's all chill and they all went through a dramatic experience together so they remain close knit yeah

and Barb eventually comes out to them (everyone's supportive obviously) and Steve's is ready to throw down with anyone for her

cue Billy

the four of them are sizing up the new guy, Nancy doesn't really care, Jonathan thinks his hair is a little ridiculous (which I mean, that first day? when he steps out of the Camaro? yeah it was a lil rough), Barb can see right through his macho bullshit, and Steve? has a little bi meltdown. bc this kid has definitely had boy crushes before and knows he likes both (kid listens to queen of course he knew he was bi lmao)

blah blah blah s2 happens, Barb, Steve, and Billy have the same English class and Billys generally quiet during school, kinda stand-off-ish, only really bugs people during gym/basketball, but he literally sits in the back and does absolutely nothing during class and still somehow has the highest grade

(FUCK him and Barb get paired for a project and she fucking calls him out? like she's just like you're gay I'm lesbian you can cut the crap around me and they become...not friends? but they have solidarity, they're cool)

and I'm a slut for this trope but BILLY FIGHTS DEMODOGS WITH THEM lmao he hears Max sneak out and follows her and finds her in the junkyard armouring up a bus with fucking Harrington and a couple of nerds? and like the sun is setting and he needs to get Max home so he's like "Maxine! I don't know what the fuck this is and I don't fucking care, we gotta go!" and the four are like yelling at him to either leave or get in the bus! and he's so confused, I'm not here to play games Max! and Steve's running out of the bus with a FUCKING NAIL BAT WHAT THE FUCK HARRINGTON? And Steve's like behind you! and swings at a demodog. Billy has a borderline panic attack before he finds like a fender or exhaust pipe or whatever and starts swinging too

the dogs run away and Billy rounds onto Steve like what the living shit was that? and Steve has to explain everything with Dustin and Lucas interrupting and Max shrugging and trying to understand too? it's a mess

s2 continues with Billy and with HOPPER NOT BEING ABLE TO STAND HIM bc he's caught him speeding and underage drinking and shit and Billy's nervous as hell around cops which makes him mouthy and ITS A MESS

they're all at Joyce's (Barb's there too bc Will's possessed and they need to check up on her too? and she's concerned for Will anyway yeah she's in this too) and El shows up and Steve and Billy are just like what? another one? who the fuck? like Steve heard about her but this isn't a tiny child without hair??? idk it's funny

BILLY WITH AN AXE IN THE TUNNELS

(obviously Steve isn't passed out and the kids don't drive the car, it's Billy's awful impulse control that leads to them going into the tunnels)

okay I couldn't decide where to put Barb here? so I left her with Steve and Billy to babysit and she ends up in the tunnels too? and she's def handling it better than the boys are fuck yeah

Steve has his bat and is in front and Billy found an axe in the pile of shit from the Byers' shed and he pulls up the end

it's awesome

yada yada Steve and Billy end up becoming weirdly good friends by the end and he's good with him and Barb, idk about Nance and Jon but eh

s3 now

Billy ends up getting two jobs; lifeguard and cook at Benny's (bc he's alive too, fight me bitches this is the ultimate fix it) and Barb ends up working as a waitress there too (and working together builds the weirdest bonds so they are besties now)

everything in s3 is pretty much the same but with diner scenes too? and like all the Hawkins moms swarm Benny's too and leave lipstick stains on their kitchen tips and "send my compliments to the chef *wink*"

Billy eats it up but Barb can tell he also kinda hates it bc he's barely 18 and not even remotely into women and it makes him super uncomfortable but publicly he "loves" it (he starts wearing tank tops to the pool and tries to hide out in the kitchen but it really doesn't work)

he still gets caught up with the mind flayer but it's not bc he's about to sleep with Karen bc ew, idk why he's driving out by the warehouse idk maybe he's out on a drive bc he can't sleep yeah

anyway he gets caught up but like he knows, or kind of knows, what this is and calls in sick to both jobs and talks to Hopper bc WHAT THE FUCK isn't the gate closed? I got face fucked my an interdimensional monster so unless you know where the fuck that came from?? and they deal with it earlier (most of the shit still happens but it's less...messy? like Hop and Joyce are more involved in the Billy shit and Steve knows about it?)

Steve still gets caught up with the Russians (I don't think he'd have a chance to tell anyone (specifically Hopper) bc he finds out about Billy then the elevator stuff happens like right after and yada yada)

so for most of the season it's them trying to actually help Billy! and they end up saving a lot of people? (specifically Heather bc she was really nice to Billy and I want he to live fight me it's my au)

but enough people get melted and shit that starcourt still get destroyed blah blah blah!

but Billy makes it and so does Hop and Alexie (no one dies au) and they all end up doing the thing in the mall like they did in the shed with Will? like breaking Billy out? Barb talks about working at the diner and their secret and Steve talks about them hanging out and playing basketball and the tunnels and Max talks about Billy buying her a new board and them scream-singing along to ACDC in the Camaro and the kids mention him giving them rides and shit and yeah! El talks about his mom and that's it! Joyce and Hop close the gate while Billy's holding the one arm (he doesn't get stabbed in the chest, as cool as that scar would be, no...but he gets some on his hands and upper arms and his sides?)

(also Billy's drinking like bleach rn so they try and reverse that as much as possible while he's possessed so that he has a better recovery later bc no! chlorine is not good for you! and Billy tries so hard to not drink it but sometimes he can't fucking stop? idk but he has a support system now!)

and Robin came out to Steve and Steve comes out to her too? like kinda? he alludes to it vaguely bc he's so not ready to be out to anyone FUCK

And Billy comes out to Steve (he was planning on doing it earlier that summer but shit happened)

and Robin becomes friends with everyone (ITS ROBIN X BARB HOURS BITCHES)

(OKAY small like side shit? Benny and Hopper have known each other for years and Benny's like one of the only registered foster parents on Hawkins so he ends up fostering a lot of wayward kids while Hop figures out legal stuff (he hasn't adopted anyone yet but him and his husband (yeah Benny's gay deal with it) really want to? they just haven't yet, all the kids they take care of end up in their care temporarily) BUT Hop finds out about Billy and Max's home life (I know a lot of people write that Neil wouldn't hit Max but...nah son not how that works? idk but he needs to get them out? and Neil's bad to Susan too (he's the worst to Billy but still bad to Max and Susan) anyway Hop helps Susan leave Neil (it takes a while and Billy and Max end up with Benny for a little bit while the divorce is going down and all the legal shit yeah it's safer out of the house rn) long story short Billy ends up staying with Benny after everything and ends up getting adopted (they're like we know you're 18 and you don't need a guardian but if you want we can be your dads? and Billys like yeah sure that'd be nice and yeah) Hop ends up being a weird like uncle figure? idk like I said him and Benny are close and they both adopted kids so yeah? and Billy ends up considering El his little sister and he still visits Max and Susan and yeah?)

ANYWAY everything kind of calms down, Hop and Joyce get together (I just realized I forgot about Bob so...idk I guess this isn't an everyone survives au? no no that's weird um idk him and Joyce end up breaking up idk why) but yeah Hop and Joyce get together and like it's kind of fast but they've been in love for a long time so it's kind of fine? like idk but yeah

Barb and Robin get together (ITS FUCKING CUTE they go to aquariums and have paint dates where they sit on some old sheets and paint while listening to Robin's records ITS CUTE!)

STEVE COMES OUT TO EVERYONE! he definitely cries bc fuck he was scared! bc he likes both and he wasn't sure if that was a thing or whatever for a while and Billy's like oh yeah, like David Bowie or Freddie Mercury? and that's when Steve's cries bc oh thank God you guys get it and you're cool with it oh fuck and YEAH

UM Max is bi too, Will comes out as gay (listen I know none of this is like 80's realistic but everyone's gay and alive and happy, fuck off)

Um it takes forever for Billy and Steve to get together, it's awful. like Barb and Robin have to deal with their pining and shit? and like Robin hears about it from Steve at work and Barb hears about it from Billy at the diner and they put their knowledge together and make a Plan ™

it's like elaborate and dramatic (shut up they're all like 18-19) and shit? BUT LMAO okay one day they're all hanging out at Steve's (bc I've also hopped aboard the neglectful parents train sorry) and idk Steve and Billy are there before Robin and Barb are so the girls walk in on them arguing over whatever and like Billy's talking really fast and Steve's talking with his hands and idk what it's about but Billy ends up yelling that he loves him BUT THEY KEEP ARGUING FOR LIKE A SOLID MINUTE AFTER THAT BEFORE IT HITS THEM and Steve gets all quiet and is just like you love me? and Billy doesn't fucking know what to do?? he's like bright red and frozen and Robin and Barb are by the door trying to not like break the spell (bc it's been months guys) and Billy's like of course I do asshole and Robin thinks Steve's about to have a panic attack but he like rushes forward and cups Billy's face and kisses him senseless and it's like the best thing Robin and Barb have ever seen

and they're resting their foreheads together, Steve's still holding Billy's face and Billy has his hands on Steve's chest it's really tender but Robin's like yeah congrats and shit but you guys ruined our Plan™! and she gives them a long ass rundown of their elaborate scheme and Steve and Billy are like still touching and bumping into each other as they listen and Barb interrupts and says that this was better and Robin rolls her eyes but agrees

and they're watching a movie or whatever, cuddling in their respective couples and Steve fucking jumps up randomly and rounds on Billy like hey woah fuck I love you too, I didn't say that earlier! and Billy's looking up at him like yeah I know that asshole and yeah

[aka-indulgence]

Operation: Cheer Up the Human

Desc: Reader is in a down mood and a house of skeletons isn’t going to let that last long. Skelebros from UT, UF, and HT present!

“Sans, What’s Wrong With The Human?” Papyrus hushed to his brother.

“... i dunno paps,” Sans shrugged, but couldn’t hide the concerned look on his face as he looked at the human, sagging on the couch. “something must’ve happened?”

“like what?” Red was suddenly at Sans’ side, making him jump.

“what the fuck, red, don’t do that-!” Sans hissed.

“i don’t care, what’s wrong with (y/n)??” Red shot back. Classic can think about that later- he wants to know what’s wrong with his doll.

“Why Don’t You Just Go Ask Her, Brother,” Edge strolled to Red’s side, a scowl on his face, feigning ignorance- despite the fact that he was also speaking in a hushed tone. “Then You Can All Stop Worrying And We Can Stop This Tedious Hiding, You Cowards,”

“Oh, That’s A Good Idea, Edge! Why Don’t You Go Do It?” Papyrus clapped his hands together cheerfully.

Edge spluttered. “M-ME?!” He covered his mouth, “I-I Do Not Care How The Human Feels, You Sanses Should Do It, You’re All The Ones Who Is Trying To Date The Human At The Same Time.”

Sans and Red both turned into a flustered shade of blue and red respectively. “god dammit edge, will you stop that!” Sans snapped quietly.

“w-whatever, it doesn’t matter who’s gonna ask her,” Red took a breath, recomposing himself, “i can’t let her stay down like that.” His brows furrowed, sharp teeth in a frown.

“... OH, LOOKS LIKE YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ANYMORE,” Papyrus suddenly spoke in his full volume, “LOOK!”

Sans and Red both looked away from their respective brothers, back to the human- and oh FUCK Axe’s beat them to it-

“... (y/n)?” Axe carefully rounded the couch to your slouching form, looking as blue as Classic’s jacket, “you... you ok?”

“Oh, Axe!” Axe couldn’t help but feel a little bit of pride swell in him when you lit up a little when he came, “I’m... I’m ok. Just down, I guess.” You exhaled.

“something... happen?” He sat down heavily beside you, his largeness filling up a lot of the space on the couch, it bending down from his weight, causing you to slide onto him unintentionally. Axe’s soul flipped at the closeness.

After blinking a few times, you spoke. “... Yeah, I guess you can say that.”

“Just... I can’t believe my coworker would steal my credit like that,”

what? Axe blinked.

You were making a project for the bosses that time, and despite your partner lazing off and doing the bare minimum- you managed to get the product done on time. You were up to present for it- when your asshole coworker decided to be a good coworker for once, and presented all about the product that you mostly did the work before hand. And they did it well too! They were just observing you, and not helping at all. And now it looked like you didn’t do your part in front of the bosses- what with the asshole stealing all you wanted to say, cutting you off when you managed to say a sentence.

“...” Axe stayed silent. Maybe... He didn’t understand. He never had an office job, so it might not make sense to him... But that’s ok. He stayed there to listen as you complained a light problem to him. You were just annoyed, that’s all.

... You hoped he wouldn’t be upset, knowing his history, that this was a really light problem-

i’m gonna kill them, Axe thought in his mind as he just continued to stare at you, looking up at him, where do they live, i can get rid of them.

“oh.” Was what he said out loud. “... do you have their business card, or somethin..?” He asked innocently, “maybe you can file a complaint about them to your boss...”

You blinked your eyes. Axe hates being formal like that, he sure as hell wouldn’t want to give respect to your bosses he barely knows.

“... No killing.” You said.

Damn. You caught him. You know him... Axe was disappointed, but he liked that you knew him enough to catch him.

“but they deserve it,” Axe mentions plainly.

“... Maybe,” You joked, probably not serious, with a cheeky smile on your face. He adored that smile. how fucking dare they try to wipe that smile of your face. He wanted to kill them.

“well, guess i can’t do anything if you don’t let me.” Axe shrugged, pulling you close to hug you. “wanna sleep it off?” He offered.

“... Ok.” You agreed immediately, leaning against him, shutting your eyes to just forget the stress.

...

“god damn it!” Red hissed, looking at you practically melting onto the human eater beside you. Axe’s smile had blown wide, that giant red eyelight fixed onto your head as he tucked you to him. “why does he get to touch her all the time?”

“because he doesn’t grab her ass,” Sans retorted, the same bout of jealousy building up in him. Not like he doesn’t agree with Red, but... He couldn’t help but take a jab at his edgy counterpart. Red just rolled his red lights at him.

“Hello, Everybody!”

The Sanses, along with their brothers, looked back. Crooks was there, waving happily to the group of skeletons.

“Why Are You All Looking At My Brother And The Human Like That?” He tilted his head, specifically eyeing the two alternates of his brother with his shrunken eyesockets.

“u-uh,” Red stammered before Sans quickly rushed in front of him. “h-hey, crooks! what ya got there?” He quickly tried to cover himself up. Crooks was carrying bags of groceries in his other hand.

“Oh, YES!” Crooks used his volume fully, making the others flinch and look back to the couch, seeing Axe had fallen asleep on (Y/n).

... Both Sanses seethed at the scene, making Papyrus chuckle, Edge shaking his head disappointedly, and Crooks tilt his skull.

“UM...” Crooks continued, “I BOUGHT FOOD- BUT!” He raised a pointer finger, “I ALSO BOUGHT BAKING SUPPLIES!”

“BAKING? I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY THAT!” Papyrus beamed, eyeing the groceries eagerly. “ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO BAKE TODAY, CROOKS?”

“OH, NO,” He answered, looking at the bags as well, “I HADN’T THOUGHT OF ANYTHING TO BAKE YET... I JUST SAW THEM ON THE WAY TO THE CASHIER AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE FUN!”

“OH? WHAT A SHAME.” Edge voiced, “YOU MUST TELL THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS WHEN YOU START. I WANT TO SEE YOU FOOLS MESS THINGS UP.”

“OH SURE!” Crooks replied happily, used to Edge’s snarky remarks, “I PLAN TO TRY TOMORRO-”

“today is good.” Red cut Crooks off. “ya got anythin’ that can bake a cake, crooks?”

“OF COURSE!” Crooks tilted his head, “... YOU WANT TO BAKE, RED?”

Red flushed.

“me too,” Sans stepped up, “i wanna bake too.”

“can we give it to (y/n) too?” Red asked, already moving to the bags.

“WHY NOT? SHE LIVES IN THIS HOUSE TOO!” Crooks asked, looking at his brother protectively cradling (Y/n) in his arms, making her look small compared to him from the size difference. “... WHY SO SUDDENLY, THOUGH?”

“OH, YES, CROOKS!” Papyrus grabbed Crooks’ attention, “YOU SEE, (Y/N) SEEMS TO BE DOWN IN THE DUMPS TODAY, AND WE’RE WORRIED ON HOW TO CHEER HER UP!” He clasped his gloved hands. “AND SINCE AXE HAD A NICE TIME WITH HER, OUR BROTHERS DON’T WANT TO GET BEHIND ON THE COMPETITION!”

Splutters from both hoodied skeletons. Sans looked up at his brother in disbelief, and Red cringing into his hoody.

“OH, THAT’S EXCITING!” Crooks beamed, causing the shorter skeletons to flush indignantly, “THEN WHAT ARE YOU TWO WAITING FOR? YOU AREN’T GOING TO STEAL HER FROM MY BROTHER, BUT-” Edge and Papyrus shot challenging stares at Crooks, making him smirk, “I’M SURE WE CAN MAKE THE GREATEST OF CAKES WITH ALL OUR SKULLS PUT TOGETHER!”

“WITH THREE PAPYRUSES!” Papyrus clapped excitedly.

“AND... WITH OUR GREAT BROTHERS!... THAT ARE LESS GREAT THAN ME, OF COURSE.” Edge couldn’t hide his excitement.

Sans and Red covered their face embarrassedly as they went into the kitchen, their taller brothers chirping excitedly as they took out the ingredients. Sans thanked his lucky stars- They might not be great at cooking pasta, but in baking the Papyruses hit it out of the ball park.

......................................

“YES, IT IS DONE, BROTHERS!”

You blinked awake from the voice of Papyrus in the kitchen, along sounds of metal clanging.

You yawned and moved to sit, but realized you were... Being held.

In your sleep, Axe had moved your entire body up to his lap, and he had a gentle yet firm hold on you, his arms securely circling your body, covering your own arms. Your heart beat faster at the intimate position. And Axe himself was asleep. Did he move you while he was awake or not?

... You kind of wanted to sleep again, he was just so warm and comfortable and protective...

“Psst. Human!”

Crooks’ skull was peeking out of the hallway that lead to the kitchen. He took in the sight in front of him, and a bigger smile had formed on his face as he stepped out into the room.

AW. He smiled. He hasn’t seen his brother this affectionate towards anyone else other than him. He looked like he was treating you with care like how you would a baby.

“... Do You Mind Coming To The Kitchen? We Have Food!” He beamed, crouching in front of the sofa.

An inviting scent wafted into the room as soon as he said that. It was sweet and homely.

“... Mmm.” You hummed, feeling Axe stir behind you a little. “That smells really good.”

You looked back at Axe, who still hadn’t roused yet. “But uh, Crooks? Your brother is still asleep,” You smiled softly, looking up at the big bear-skeleton cradling you.

“... SO HE IS,” Crooks sighed, letting himself get louder so he could wake his brother. “BROTHER! WAKE UP! YOU ARE BLOCKING THE HUMAN’S PATH FROM FOOD!” He patted his brother’s shoulder.

Axe blinked his sockets out of sync, eyelight fuzzy from drowsiness. “food...?” He questioned, “human... food... why’re ya eating human, paps?” He pulled you closer to his chest, protectively.

You blinked awkwardly, staring up at Crooks who’s mouth fell open in the same level of awkwardness as you did.

“N-NO, BROTHER! I SAID THE HUMAN NEEDS TO EAT,” Crooks had an indignant faint orange blush on his skull which he quickly brushed away. “I KNOW YOU LIKE THE HUMAN, BUT YOU’VE GOT TO LET HER GO.”

“mm... no... my human,” Axe blinked drowsily, voice slurred as he sank back into the couch, bringing you with him.

“Um, Axe?” You squeaked, embarrassed. “But... Don’t you want food?”

Axe blinked fully awake. “oh right. food.”

That wasn’t like him. Anyone from their universe would pounce at the subject of food.

For once, Axe felt... Satisfied.

“why didn’t you say so, paps?”

“I DID!” Papyrus huffed as Axe sat up, making you sit fully between his legs, making you blush in the slightest. Axe yawned, letting you go.

“smells good. food good.” Axe drawled, eyesockets lidding lazily.

Crooks cheerfully took your hand and lead the two of you to the kitchen, where the scent grew stronger and stronger. You went into the kitchen-

And saw a shipwreck, as usual. There were unidentified splotches everywhere, on the walls, near the sink, on the fridge and oven- Sans, Papyrus, Red, and Edge were covered in them too. Although the Sanses had less of it on them. Papyrus was beaming proudly, Edge was scowling, as usual. Sans and Red were... Smiling nervously. You looked at the island in the middle of the kitchen.

... A cake was on it. Pristine and perfect. It smelled strongly of vanilla, and had two layers. Cream in the middle, and perhaps icing on the layer above, with a cherry on top.

“ya... ya like that?” Red all but squeaked at you, eyelights going back and forth from the cake to your sleepy face.

“it’s for you, (y/n).” Sans walked up nervously to the island, picking the plate with the cake up, walking to you and holding it up for you.

“IS IT TO YOUR LIKING?” Papyrus asked.

“IT MUST BE, HOW CAN YOU NOT LIKE SOMETHING MADE BY ME??” Edge pressed.

You hadn’t reacted, just blinking away the sleepiness as your eyes darted from your skeleton housemates back to the cake and forth.

“... Oh my god,” you breathed, “You all made this... For me?”

“OF COURSE!” Crooks sounded triumphantly, “TALE AND RED WERE ESPECIALLY EXCITED TO MAKE THIS FOR YOU.”

Sans shrunk into his hoodie, while Red was looking away from you, at the wall. He walked to you slowly, averting your gaze.

“w-well.” He shut his sockets, before setting his eyelights on you. “give it a try, sugar.”

You blinked, and a smirk came across your lips. Sans and Red blinked in confusion. They were standing side to side, and white cream were on their faces, so...

You pulled both your hands out and took them off their faces, popping your fingers in your mouth, thoughtful expression on your face. Their reaction was priceless.

... Oh, that was good.

“It’s... It’s delicious, you guys!” You beamed, face lighting up from the sugary taste. It was sweet, but not too sweet. Perfect.

“... WHAT WERE YOU DOING TEASING MY BROTHERS LIKE THAT??” Edge stomped his foot, scowling annoyingly as red and blue was seeping across the Sanses’ face.

“Well,” you smiled coyly, “This is a whole cake, you hadn’t cut it or given me a fork or anything. What, you wanted me to grab at it with my hands and destroy how perfect it looks?” You shot.

Edge shut his mouth, then eyed his brothers, specifically towards Red. “SANS, WERE YOU TRYING TO GET THE HUMAN TO LICK YOU.’

“no boss!” Red sweated, “i mean, i want her to lick me-”

Sans punched Red on the ribcage, causing him to recoil. He was about to react when you giggled.

“O-oh my god,” You wheezed, “Let’s just. Let’s just eat, shall we?”

Axe eyed the cake, then back to your bright face. “please, go ahead,” He gestured, walking past the group to the fridge. “you guys get on on the desert-turned-appetizer while i cook a real meal. not a snack.” He grinned wider, red eyelight studying the food in the fridge.

“oh no you don’t,” Sans challenged, handing you the cake. “you don’t get to say that. let me help.”

“no.”

“i ain’t done with ‘er yet,” Red smirked, giving you a confident smirk and a pat on the shoulder, traces of nervousness gone as he walked up to Axe beside the fridge. “let me help.”

“... no,” Axe said again.

You ended up eating the cake with the Papyruses on the bench in the kitchen, all watching with amusement at the three Sanses who were arguing and bickering while they make dinner.

[wheremytwinwatches]

[Where My Twin Watches]: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 7

So Sokka, where’s this episode taking place again?

Excellent! Let’s get started then!

Narrator recaps the encounter with Doc Marcoh, who revealed the existence of incomplete Philosopher’s Stones (which is a great writing move, now the Brothers can be going around hunting down Imperfect Stones rather than repeated episodes of “Damnit, another fake.”), and gave the location of his research. Now fixed up, Ed and Al are off to the First Branch of the National Central Library. Whoa, was expecting a title card and got Screaming Edward instead. What’s wrong? Ah. Seems that the library’s a bit… destroyed. When did this happen? Shot of Eastern Command, Lust is commenting that “burning the entire place down was easier.” Damnit, seems they got the location out of Marcoh and removed the lead while our characters were held up at the Rockbell’s. Now Lust and Gluttony are in East City, Lust checking in on Scar. Seems Gluttony has a very keen nose, he can smell the Ishvalan. Lust confirms that Gluttony can get his snack. Still confused about the animosity between the Goths and Scar. Whatever their plans, seems it would be easier for the Goths if there were fewer State Alchemists to get in their way. Or is it more that he’s a disruptive force, a distraction for their own plans? After all, if they do need Ed for some sort of sacrifice, Scar killing him would definitely mess things up. Episode 07: “Hidden Truths” Speaking of the Ishvalan, Scar’s still in the sewers, when he notices a bunch of rats fleeing past him. Looking back, there’s a pair of glowing red eyes in the darkness. Yup, that’s Gluttony with his creepy grin. Goth vs Vigilante fight? Wow, Gluttony’s pretty fast for a hefty guy. Scar prepares his Face Grab, but it’s not an instant kill as Gluttony grabs him. Scar ends that by straight-up slicing off the Goth’s arm. Wait, no blood? Suddenly Lust comes racing up, Scar barely has a moment to be surprised before an explosion sends our view back to the surface, big cloud of smoke pouring out over a river. Seems we’ll have to wait on that fight, we’re back to Riza reporting that Scar hasn’t been seen since his attack on the Elrics. Havoc suggests that he’s not in East City anymore, but Roy hopes that isn’t the case. If it’s gotten to be too much for Central, and he closes it quickly? Then he’ll “be golden.” Huh, didn’t think you were that much of a careerist, especially after you objected to Bradley giving you the credit in the first episode. Wow, Roy doesn’t dream small, does he. Aiming right for the office of Fuhrer. Further talk’s derailed by [Soldier 1] rushing in to report an explosion on the Marl River. Nearby Military Police speculate on what caused all the rubble, as the State Alchemists examine the bloody remains of Scar’s jacket. No body though, so I’m gonna assume he’s still alive. No way he’d be axed off this soon. And may I say how happy I am that it’s “by the book” for the State Alchemists to find hard proof someone’s dead before writing them off? No “Never Found The Body” for these guys! Hey! In the crowd, it’s the Goths! Pretty brazen, sticking around with the bystanders. Lust complains that Scar got away, while Gluttony’s more concerned he didn’t get his snack. Regardless, they assume that Scar will be out of the picture for now. Lust will head back to Central to report to Father. Meanwhile, the Elrics and Armstrong are looking through the destroyed library, when they’re approached by a Second Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosh. Hey, it’s two more people from the intro? Also, Ross and Brosh? Calling it now, they’re either siblings or LI’s. Ross is here to pass on an order: Armstrong is to report back to Command Center, they’ll take over supervision of the Elrics. Nooo, don’t take away The Mighty Armstrong! Ed just complains that he keeps getting saddled with bodyguards. Driving away, Ross comments that there was a woman who was well acquainted with the materials of the ex-library. Although she wasn’t working there anymore. Well, it’s more than you had a minute ago Ed, don’t diss it. Brosh seems nervous, which Al picks up on. Scared of the Giant Fanged Suit of Armor sitting across from you? Or… is it the person sitting next to you, hmmm? Nah, it’s the armor, which he asks about. The Elrics claim it’s a hobby. Really guys? That’s a lame excuse, go back to the “It’s for training” you used in the first episode. Awkwardness all around. They arrive at what looks like an apartment building, and… oh. Oh my. Look at them. Look at all those books! Did this woman make her own library or something? I want them! The Alchemists sidle through the bookshelves, Brosh wondering if there’s actually someone living in the place. Ross calls out for Miss Sheska, Al catches on to a muffled “Please help me” down an aisle to a bunch of collapsed books. Well, at least the lady saved her glasses. A moment of frantic digging later, they uncover a lady who profusely thanks them and apologizes for getting trapped under the books. Yeah, might wanna work on your shelving technique, miss. Confirming that this is the Miss Sheska they came to meet, Ed asks about her working at the library, and she flinches at that? But then she springs into a Glittering Gushing Moment ala Armstrong and Winry, about how beautiful the word “library” is and how she’s loved books her whole entire life, how working in a library was heaven! Buuuuut she kinda forgot about the “work” part, spent all her time reading and got fired. And now she needs another job to move her poor, elderly mother to a better hospital. But all she can do is read! Woe, sadness, despair! ...ok, which one of you guys stuck a gender-bent me into this show? Ed snaps Sheska out of her despair by asking about Tim Marcoh, she recalls the name from some handwritten notes stuck in a bookshelf. Nice memory! And my growing suspicion is confirmed when she just asks if they want to read them. Where do you think all these books came from, Ed? Or rather, Sheska’s got a photographic memory, she remembers the content of any book she’s ever read. So she can write the notes out for them! “Thank you bookworm” indeed! And now, a table full of notes! Lady, why are you apologizing for taking five days? I’m surprised that table’s holding up under those stacks of paper, and all that was written from memory? Alchemists, if you don’t hire this girl for your own paperwork you’re idiots. But here they are, Tim Marcoh’s notes! Or rather… recipes? Oh. Ooooooh. I get it! But our characters don’t, they just complain about coming all that way for a cook book. Come on guys, it’s chemistry! Well, maybe Ed and Al get it, because after confirming the notes are completely accurate he thanks her, gathers the notes to take back to the library, and writes out a check for Sheska from his grant funds. Which going by Ross and Sheska’s reactions (“Did he miss a decimal point somewhere?!”) is not insubstantial. Guess being a skilled State Alchemist pays well. At another building (guess by library they meant one other than the destroyed one) Brosh is asking how the cookbooks can possibly be related to Alchemy. Ed explains that due to the danger of Alchemy being misused, the research is always encrypted. Come on Brosh, aren’t you a State Alchemist too? Shouldn’t you know this? Ed and Al get cracking on the decryption, such as comparing a “green tea” recipe to the “Green Lion” of metallurgic alchemy. Other names get thrown around, like Flamel (I recognize that one!) and Lambspring. Brosh clearly is out of his league. But it seems the Elrics may be as well, collapsed on the table with glazed expressions. Al’s even faceplanted so hard his helmet horn’s gone straight through the papers into the table. The suggestion of asking Marcoh about it comes up (yyyeah, don’t think that’s gonna work out), but Ed refuses to admit defeat. Hey, Sheska! She’s stopped by to thank the Elrics for the money. Although they haven’t had any luck deciphering the notes, and she hasn’t found another job yet, she’s happy to have helped out. And Al gives her an inspiring pep talk, nice to see her smiling. Sudden Hughes bursting in to visit the Elrics, admonishes Ed for not saying “Hey” when he came back to Central. Ross and Brosh mutter in shock about how the Elrics chat with Colonel (hey, did he get a promotion?) Hughes like an old friend. Just how high up are these boys? No, seriously, how high up are they? Do they have an official rank, or what? Asking for clarification. Hughes takes a seat, complaining about their case load, and the library burning down as well. Seems all their case reports were… stored in the stacks… Miss Sheska! You’re hired! The Elrics get back to work, delving through notes (Suddenly noticed that Ed’s writing with his left hand. Hadn’t caught that before). Meanwhile, Brosh keeps up on guard duty (“I’m awake!”) and comments that they’ve been at it for ten days now. Man, Doc was pretty thorough in his coding, wasn’t he? But at least they’re dedicated- “To hell with it!” Aw, no! Don’t give up! Ross and Brosh enter to a wrecked room, books and papers scattered everywhere as the Elrics sit on the floor. Come on, you guys can’t give up now. Wait, you did crack it? You cracked the code? That’s awesome! But why the frustration, then? Why does Al sound like he’s crying? Jeez, now Ed’s going on about how it’s the devil’s research, that it should have been destroyed. What on earth was in those notes? “The main ingredient for a Philosopher’s Stone… is human life.” No. NO. You have GOT to be kidding me! Not again. Not again!

Oh, but it gets worse. Ed’s saying that to make a single Stone takes multiple human sacrifices. Wow. Just, wow. So there we go. Philosopher’s Stones are made with human sacrifice. “For what could equal the value of a human soul” indeed. Stones aren’t about amplifying the power of the Alchemist after all, they’re about drawing on the power of others. Just… using others’ life as a freaking battery! And the Military authorized research into this? They signed off on research into human sacrifice as a power source? First genocide, now this? What the Leto is wrong with these people?! *Sigh* Ok, ok. Calming down, calming down… Ed asks Ross and Brosh to not say anything. Later that night, the two Alchemists appear to meet Armstrong in a hotel, informing him that the Brothers are “holed up” in their room again, and they haven’t been eating either. Well, yeah? I mean, they just discovered that the one hope they had for restoring their bodies could only come at an inhumane cost to others. How do you think you would have reacted in their place? Well, at least Ross and Brosh seem to be keeping their promise to not reveal the secret. Unfortunately, Armstrong catches on and is not pleased with their suspicious behavior. To say the least. Sorry. Trying to be funny, but still reeling from that reveal. Inside a dark room, Al says that Ed really should get something to eat, but Ed just says no. Ed goes on to talk about how they try so hard to grasp the truth, but it always slips away. Or rather, in their search for answers they got the worst possible one. Now Ed’s saying that there’s something he’s wanted to tell Al for a while, but he’s always been too afraid to say it. “I-” *SMASH* “Elric Brothers, I know you’re in there!” Ed decides to ignore him, followed immediately by The Mighty Armstrong completely smashing his way in. Yup, Ross and Brosh couldn’t hold out against the Major, he knows what the notes said. And he’s now Crying Majestically about how the Philosopher’s Stone is built on such a terrible secret. “Imagine the military being behind something like that! Often the truth is more cruel than we bargained for!” But Ed seizes on one word out of that: “Truth.” Is he thinking about the Demon and the Door? No, he seems to be banking on Marcoh’s mention of “truth within the truth”. Ed’s convinced that there has to be more to this. Ed, please. Please don’t take up false hope now. Armstrong’s going over a map, saying there are four Alchemy Labs in Central with ties to the government, and Marcoh worked in the third. So they have a place to look for more information. Wait, hold on. You knew there was a lab in this very city that Marcoh worked at? Why didn’t you go there to look for any of his notes earlier, see if they would help with deciphering the others? Talking about how he’s visited all the laboratories before, Ed points out a crossed-out building. Seems it was designed for a fifth lab, but it currently isn’t in use since the building isn’t structurally sound. Gee, an “empty” lab, classified off-limits? That’s not suspicious at all. As for more evidence towards it, right next door is a prison. Oh, I get it! If Philosopher Stones need multiple human sacrifices to make, you’d need a source of death, which would indicate either a death-sentence prison or… a hospital… Show. Show, listen to me. With all these mentions of Sheska’s mother going to a nicer hospital? Don’t you DARE follow that thread. Ahem. Ed clues them in on the use of “executed” prisoners to make the Stone. Yeesh, “potential to become a political nightmare” is an understatement, Armstrong. He’ll look into it tonight, in the meantime the other officers are to say nothing. And the Elrics are to behave themselves! Armstrong’s in full Scary Superior Mode, knowing full well that they were planning to sneak into the building and look around. The Elrics claim innocence- -before a smash-cut to them doing that exact thing. Yep, a guard posted at an “unused” building? That’s as obvious a sign as any. Since they can’t risk the light from Transmuting a hole in the wall, they have to settle for Ed getting tossed up to the top, and making a barbed-wire rope for Ed. Thank goodness for those metal arms! Door’s blocked, how are they going to get past that. Ed sees… no. Ed, NO. Do NOT go off on your own! Aaaargh! Edward Elric, you listen to me! You suspect that this building is a base for creating Philosopher Stones? Aka that thing that people are KILLED for? You are walking right into a horror movie, DO NOT split up! But of course he does. And he leaves a [DEJECTED] Alphonse behind, crying that he didn’t ask to get too big to fit through the vents. Shame on you, Ed. Shame on you. Inside, among shadows and fog, two voices speak, identified as [66] and [48]. Prisoners? Rather mutated ones, if that’s the case based on their shadowed forms. Ed’s still skulking through the vent, commenting on how small it is… “Oh no! I just called myself a tiny little pipsqueak!” While funny, this is not the time! Be quiet! Breaking out into a hallway, he notes that there are lights on. Yep, definitely “not currently in use”. Outside Al’s worried that Ed’s taking a while. Uh oh, looks like one of the Mutants on the roof, with a big knife. I mean, that won’t hurt Al, right? Right?! Aaaand end credits. Damn it! Ok, well this was one heck of an episode. Learning the secret of Philosopher Stones? The return of “souls as batteries”? That was not a pleasant surprise. If one good thing has come out of this, it’s that I am increasingly convinced this is the prelude to a State Alchemist Revolt. First being used by your government to commit genocide, now learning that the authorities are committing human sacrifice to increase their power? I look forward to Roy, Riza, Armstrong and the others standing up against this injustice. A pity that this is the final nail in the “Fuhrer Bradley is a Bad Guy” coffin, I liked his personality. But I don’t care what kind of excuse he’s gonna use for all of this, this government needs to go down. Should make for an enjoyable fight at least, Bradley’s super-speed against our guys. Post-Credits “There were once two men who knew more of bloody blades than human sympathy. They snuffed out life, laughing as their weapons flew. Now, they guard the darkness, hollow shells of the villains they once were. Next time, on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood-” Episode 08: “The Fifth Laboratory” “There are those who find pleasure only in battle, who feel alive only during a fight. They are coming soon… with blood on their hands.”

[fantasyandromancelover]

The Tale of Tales Chapter 24

"Hurry up Juvia we're going to be late!" Gajeel called from the cottage door

"I'm coming!" Juvia said as she finished up brushing her hair.

"Where are you going?" Gray asked her.

"We're going to perform at the Magnolia village."

"Perform?"

"Yes Gajeel found a way for us to make money a little quicker. The dwarfs are musicians and I sing a little so we decided that once a week we'll go into the village and perform for money."

"And you're sure that will work?"

"It's worth a shot. Wanna come? It's been a week so I'm sure you can walk without your ankle hurting as much as it used to."

"No thank you I'm not the music type."

"But you'd have a wonderful time I'm sure."

"I said that I'm not interested so leave me alone!" He snapped.

"Oh...I'm sorry." She said looking sad before going outside to leave with the dwarfs.

Juvia didn't mean to upset Gray she just thought that seeing a musical performance would make him feel better. He was always so bitter and cold, she wondered what made him like that.

"Hey Juvia quit staring off into space and help us get ready!" Gajeel said.

"Oh sorry."

They chose to perform in the village square where they laid out a small bowl for people to put their money in and set up their instruments. Gajeel played the fiddle, Elfman played the bodhran, and Romeo played the tin whistle. When the exciting and playful music started to play Juvia began to sing.

"Ta na caorighagithe an gheamhair

Ta an gamhnaag ol an bhainne

Prataisios gan diolachan

'S duine gan mheabhair

Na raghtaabhaile

Is deas an bhean i Siobhan og

Gunanuauirthianios on siopa

Breathnaimar mo ghinioir

'S i a' rincear an mbord

Leis an phocarbuile

Nil 'na la, ta na la

Nil 'na la, na armaidin

Nil 'na la, ta 'na la

Is bean a ra, is i arfhaga."

Her voice and the music soon caught the attention of passing villagers. They were amazed by how talented Gajeel, Elfman, and Romeo were with their instruments but what impressed them the most was Juvia's beauty and voice.

"Don't send me out into the dark

The night is cold and I'll be perished

Stay inside with me a while

Is bim ag ol anseo go maidin

Nil 'na la, ta na la

Nil 'na la, na armaidin

Nil 'na la, ta 'na la

Is bean a ra, is i arfhaga."

The village children started to dance in the square while the adults clapped along with the music. Juvia soon found herself dancing with the children while earning a few proud smiles from Gaeel.

"Buailimsuas, buailimsios

Buailimcleamhanarbhean a leanna

Cuirimginioirar an mbord

Is bim ag ol anseo go maidin

Nil 'na la, ta na la

Nil 'na la, na armaidin

Nil 'na la, ta 'na la

Is bean a ra, is i arfhaga

Ta mo bhroga i dtigh an oil

Ta mo stocai i dtigh a' leanna

Ta na coiligh go leiragglaoch

'S b'eigeandomsa 'dhulabhaile

Nil 'na la, ta na la

Nil 'na la, na armaidin

Nil 'na la, ta 'na la

Is bean a ra, is i arfhaga

Nil 'na la, ta na la

Nil 'na la, na armaidin

Nil 'na la, ta 'na la

Is bean a ra, is i arfhaga

Nil 'na la, ta na la

Nil 'na la, na armaidin

Nil 'na la, ta 'na la

Is bean a ra, is i arfhaga."

When the song finished the crowd appluaded them enthusiastically while tossing a fair amount of coins into their bowl. They did a few encore performances which earned them plenty of more money and once all was said and done they began to divide the money up amongst each other.

"I gotta tell ya Juvia that's an impressive set of pipes you've got there." Gajeel said.

"Yeah we never made this much money in entire lives." Romeo said.

"Looks like this weekly performance thing is going to work out after all." Elfman said.

After all the money was counted and divided up they decided to go back home but Juvia wanted to stay behind to do something quick.

"Juvia I don't know if you should be out here alone at night." Gajeel told her.

"I'll be fine don't worry." She told him before hurrying off. "I won't be long I promise!"

"Where on Earth is she going at this hour?"

"Maybe she wanted to buy something?" Elfman suggested.

"Anyone else notice that basket she had with her?" Romeo asked.

"Yeah I wonder what she has in there." Elfman said.

Juvia had gone to the poorest part of the village where homeless, starving people living in poverty were and in her basket were blankets she had sewn by hand using her needlework and buns that she had baked. Recently along with keeping the house clean, cooking meals, and tending to Gray's wounds she had also been sewing warm blankets and baking fresh buns to give to the needy. She handed out each blanket and bun she had brought with her to the people who were cold and hungry, and she gave all her money to those who were sick and couldn't afford medicine.

"I hope this will be enough." Juvia said handing the last of her money to an ailing widow who was also a mother of three.

"This is more than enough." The woman coughed. "God bless you child. Please I don't need all this, I only need enough to afford a doctor."

"Keep it all please. You and your children need it much more than I do."

"You're an angel from heaven my dear. I pray for nothing but good fortune in your life."

She only smiled and walked back home. She wished that she could do more. If only she could find someway to overthrow her stepmother then she would be queen and she can see to it that these people had everything that they needed.

"Well, well, looks like a little mouse has lost her way."

She looked to see a man staring at her. He was older and bigger than she was. He was also very dirty with greasy unkept hair and grime on both his hands and in his finger nails. He flashed her a nasty grin which startled her because his teeth were crooked, pointy and a mix of black and yellow. She quickly tried to leave only for the man to step in front of her and pin her to the wall. His stentch was unbearable and it made her want to gag.

"Are you lost girly?" He asked.

"No I'm not lost. In fact I was going home right now."

"Nah you're much too pretty to live around this gubby dirt hole. I bet you're from some rich family who would pay a fortune to have you back home safe."

"Leave me alone!"

He took hold of her hair and sniffed it.

"You smell nice and I bet you taste nice too."

Then shoved her to the ground before climbing on top of her and pinning her arms down. His grip was so tight that it made her feel like her wrists were in shakles.

"Get off me!" Juvia demanded while struggling.

"I will once I take a little something."

"Stop! You're hurting me!

He only gave her another one of his twisted grins and started to tear her dress while lowering his face toward her. But just before his filthy mouth could touch her pale neck someone grabbed him roughly by his hair, pressed a dagger to his throat, and jerked him off of her. Juvia expected her savior to be Gajeel but it wasn't, to her surprise it was Gray.

"I do believe that the lady told you to leave her alone now did you suddenly become deaf?" Gray asked the man.

"I...I was just...I was just messing around that's all. I wasn't going to hurt her honest...I...Please let me go! I can't breathe!"

"Hmmm...Maybe I should let you die from suffocation instead of putting dagger in your neck."

"No don't!" Juvia said. "Please! Don't kill him!"

"Why not? He was ready to violate you!"

"He's drunk! It wouldn't be fair!"

Gray wanted nothing more than to kill him but she had a point. Even he didn't think it was right to kill a man who was intoxicated.

"Alright I'll let you live you piece of crap but if you lay so much as one finger on this woman again I'll slit your throat so fast you won't even have time to scream!"

Then he punched the man across his face knocking him out cold. He turned to Juvia who was trembling.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes but how did you find me?"

"I got bored waiting for you all to come back so I went to see what was taking so long. I saw your little performance, cute but not my style and when you decided to wander off on your own I knew there would be trouble so I followed you. Word of advice Princess don't go off alone at night because that's when the freaks come out."

Juvia only nodded.

"Well let's go home now before Gajeel gets the idea to put a pick axe through my brain when he finds us both gone."

He helped her on to her feet and they went back to the cottage. She felt her gently take his hand, he looked back and saw her blushing.

"Thank you for saving me." Juvia said.

Gray felt his heart skip a beat and quickly looked away from her to hide his growing blush.

"You're welcome." He said gruffly.

"I believe that you have a much warmer side." She said. "I understand if you want to hide that from the world but is it okay if I see it if I promise to keep it a secret?"

He didn't answer and they just kept walking.

[kharmaisa]

Enkhsegr : Nhaama’s Retrievers

(Thank you @kha-merc-ffxiv for the RP)

More than an Epoch ago...

It was dark out. The Dawnfather 's sun was just starting to come over the horizon. The guards had been more alert than usual, at least those more astute would notice. in the distance, a group of four tribe members returned. Two males and two females. One of the males carried a smaller female. This one, obviously a child. She was dark red in color and bandaged around her neck, arms, and a leg. All four were let in and no one followed them.

The adults talked and chattered among themselves. Keeping any woke children away seemed to be the prerogative one of the females. One of the younger ones seemed to busy himself by sharpening axes. He watched on from a distance. This early though, most in the camp had not stirred. There was news on a request a few days ago, asking for help to save some Xaela fro ma Dothral tribe. It had sparked some debate. Taking people to replenish ranks and also for breeding purposes was common in Xaela lands. Still, some had been adamant in this case. One of such was the male carrying the girl now.

There was more than one meant to be saved... yet only one was brought back. They took her to the medical tent where her wounds were dressed. It would be known that the girl was put unconscious by the Kha, lest she make escape impossible with her actions.

"<She's a wild one,>" one explained in Xaelic. "<Likely thought us another tribe taking her instead of helping,>" another replied.

"<What of the other, Sacha? There was a woman you spoke of.>"

The one who carried the girl was quiet a moment. The light brown male with medium horns was in his twenty-fourth summer of life, yet never had he looked so displeased. "<...She wouldn't follow. She never spoke, but ... I knew the gestures. 'Take the child and go,' is what she meant. >" He shook his head. "<She went back out sooner than later. Likely the reason we got away in the first place.>"

The adults spoke more among themselves before leaving the healing Gher. There was at least one person inside per usual. For the moment, the girl was unconscious. Her Black hair was black, her frame thinner than it should be. The healing tent seemed to remain quiet until a bell later. A shriek of a sound came from inside. Someone was clearly not happy. By this point, there were at least two healers in the gher, but they also shouted for the girl to remain still. Magic was used inside, given the odd lights that flashed inside the gher. It took only about two minutes before Sacha raced inside there. He seemed to stay in there a while after that, though the girl seemed to calm down. Many hours and a soft conversation later, one of the healers left the tent. Her eyes were searching for someone. Her eyes eventually fell on Kharagrel. With a small smile, the healer who left approached the boy near the axes. "<Kharagarel... up early as usual,>" she said, pleased. "<Have you any early morning chores left?>" Kharagerel shook his head no and pinched her cheeks. "<Not anymore. It's almost noon but thanks to that startling yell I dropped a lot of the armory and was forced to pick them up. I've just about finished. Need something?>" Kharagerel looked up wondering. The blue healer with black hair looked to the sun. "<So it is almost noon.,>" she looked back to him, an apologetic expression on her face. She pulled away from the boy and rubbed her cheek some. "<I'm glad you are diligent and picked it up so fast. I have a new quest for you. There is an injured girl here. Her name is Kharma, only a bit older than you perhaps. Would you be able to show her around camp and what chores you do?>" "<I guess I could show her around. My training doesn't start till an hour from now.>" He said before heading in the gher. The healer watched the boy past her and go into the healing yurt. To his right was the male Xaela, Sacha, sitting beside the girl who was holding her knees and trying not to cry more. From her seated position, the girl pulled back immediately from the boys entrance. She was clearly injured. There was a bandage around her neck which seemed clean. Both of her arms were bandaged. Past her loose shorts, a bandaged could be seen from her thigh. He was very hyper as he had walked past the blue healer and grabbed Kharma's hand. "<Call me Khara okay!! I'm gonna show you around we do things differently than other tribes so if ya got questions ask the adults I'm not sure why it's strange but others from different tribes find our ways weird okay!!>"  When he grabbed her hand, Kharma gave a yell and attempted to scratch him. Before knowing if she succeeded or not, Sacha grabbed the offending hand.  Kharma attempted to attack him with her tail. Sacha moved in to block it, sparring the boy from assault. The healer who led Khara inside pulled Khara back. She explained to him again that this girl is injured. He is to work on his patience and move slowly with her. The blue healer woman and Khara were about 6 feet from where the light brown Sacha and the red Kharma were. She was also given a stern talking to. He explained that she was safe here. They would not hurt her, as the Dorthal did. They were Kha. This, for the time being, was going to be her new home. She only calmed down after he mentioned that they would help her get healed again, then possibly help her find her true tribe. The girl was quieter at that point. Her limbal rings around her eyes glowed thanks to how watery her eyes were. She was still upset. While the healer encouraged her to stay in and rest, the 10-year-old Kharma seemed insistent on getting up and walking around. Eventually, she would get up and follow Khara, not wanting any contact from the boy at all. Kharagerel stopped walking after they visited the cooking area and leatherworking area he looked down and faced Kharma and apologized. "<I'm sorry that I hurt you! I'll try to be more considerate of your wounds!>" he looked up and slammed his fist on his chest breathed in. "<I'm gonna be a Axe wielder and fight for the Kha someday and seeing that I hurt you, someone I'll be calling family I wanna make it up to you stay here!!!>" Khara immediately ran away into a Yurt. Stay Kharma did. She didn't say a word of her aching leg. Instead, she just took whatever rest she got on n strides. She watched him go, noting which gher he went into. He was strange to her. He yelled, like the Dothral children did, except there was no anger in his voice. He was not excited over something bad, but something.... new, she figured. She also couldn't follow his words that well. Her horns might still be damaged after all. No matter, she figured. She will survive this weaker place, too. Survive, get stronger, slaughter Dothral minus the children. She, unlike them, had standards after all. Kharma's thoughts were kept to herself.  She remained very watchful of everyone else, not saying a word to them. The bandage on her neck began to change colors from how much she turned her head this way and that. Kharagerel quickly ran back to Kharma carry a package in his arm and wheeled a cart as well. "<Here! It's Buuz made with meat from Baras I helped Killed,>" he handed one to her and quickly, but carefully lifted her thinking she weighted nothing and placed her on the cart that surprisingly had stuffed pillows for her to sit on.  "<You were barely able to keep standing and I still need to show you more! But I can't if your wounds open again so I got this. Usually, it's for transporting materials our gathers get when we move but I figured this would help as well.>" he smiled grinning.    Word of Buuz distracted her. One could hardly tell if she registered his words. By the time he came in close, she was in too much pain to retaliate, but she certainly made an angry Au Ra noise. Her tail slashed but managed to miss him. By that point, she was in a cart and had Buuz. Her eyes didn't glow as much since she eyes weren't as wet, but she did watch him as she took a bite of the food. It was better than she remembered it. The last person who made it for her was... Kharma's eyes started glowing again. The sun sparkled off her teary eyes while she frowned at him having seen her weakness. "<I stand.... I strong. Stronger...,>" her voice was quiet and a bit raspy. She took larger bites of food, eating angrily as if it was the only thing she could do. She paused only after nearly choking. Kharagerel turned his head to the side "<You needn't keep the Bravado we aren't in battle and if you want power then keep your body in mind otherwise you'll be to weak to get stronger okay? Because in this state even I can beat you also if you open your wounds I'll get in trouble.>"  Kharma listened to him, but stopped looking to him. Perhaps she felt a little bad? She ate slowly now. Her throat still burned, but she was hungry. This child was young and knew nothing, she thought to herself. Her eyes finally looked up to him. She felt bad slightly. He did not know nothing... he knew nothing of the life she had is all. He clearly knew his way around camp. She gave the smallest of nods, coming to see him as more of an asset. From then on out, she paid a bit more attention to where he took her and what he showed her. Kharagerel gave Kharma his flask of water as he pushed the cart to the eating area. "<I don't know what kind of life you lived but us Kha learn from others and put those experiences and knowledge we gained to better ourselves,>” Kharagerel took out some dried jerked jackel meat and sat next to the cart. “<Remember that one day you'll be my comrade in arm's alright?>" he took a bite ripping it in half and handing it over to her She accepted the flask, though scrutinized the item like everything else she was ever handed. She looked at him again as he spoke. Taking a chance, she drank from it, the bandage around her neck was still darkening. She did not seem to mind it much. She handed the flask back to the boy who was likely younger than her, despite being about as big as her. All around them, tribe members regarded them here and there. Sacha was seen many yards back, occasionally watching to make sure the girl was behaving. Satisfied this was true, he eventually left. Kharma noticed nothing of this. he was too far back and behind her to see him checking on them. She ran the boys words through her mind again. "<Com -rade....>" she repeated. Kharagerel smiled at the words. "<Yeah meaning that we got each other's backs, that we'll look after and help keep the other safe!!"> He took a bite of his Jackal jerky as he formed a fist and lightly put it near her motioning her to do  the same "<S-safe...>" She spoke out, not fully believing such possible. 

The next year would prove that they were kept safe. The Kha had no troubles from without. Their biggest concern was that within. At least, Sacha's was. The rescuer of the motherless Xaela was tasked with watching her. He saw that the injury on her neck was healed, though the scales that grew around her neck were never going to be the same. Kharma often pushed herself in attempt to prove she could handle herself. The first year she was there she was only able to do minimum exercise. She still did not talk much. When she did, her words sounded strange and she often got upset. At the very least, at the end of the first year, Kharma's wounds were fully healed. More years went by for the children of Enkhsegr. As Nhaama's Restorers, the Kha clan was well versed in many things, usually bringing harmony and restoring the quality of items, physical or otherwise.  The only skill  Kharma picked up was whittling. She was good with a knife for cutting things. Most let her alone when they saw her with wood and a knife. Eventually, she would get better. Until she was 12, it looked more like she was just stabbing wood.  Her training was intense as well. On her own, she trained in methods Dothral used. Around others, she pushed herself hard in whatever way they were training. Kharma always pushed herself past the point of hurting. It would take a lot to make her stop. Thankfully, Khara was one of the few she occasionally listened to.  Time would pass. The two would grow apart. Getting close to Kharma proved difficult. The only thing that mattered to her was Finding Sarantduu. First, she would find a way to pay the Enkhsegr back for saving and raising her. What better way than to bear children for her savior?

[fluffyllamas-23]

Happy birthday @emeraldthread! I hope you have a wonderful day, which you very much deserve :)

Chason is below the cut

In all the time that Mason and Chase have been together, Chase has never seen him as stressed out as he is right now.

It’s all stemming from his first year in Culinary school, which Chase hadn’t thought would be too stressful, especially given how much Mason loves cooking, and how talented he was before going to school for it.

This reminds Chase of when he was getting his masters, and though their roles are reversed, this situation feels incredibly familiar.  

“Come to bed,” Chase mumbles tiredly, walking out into the kitchen. It’s four in the morning, and Mason is standing at the counter, half-asleep, stirring something in a mixing bowl and muttering to himself.

“No, gotta figure this out.”

“Honey, come on,” Chase says, “it’s so late, you need to sleep, you have class and work in a few hours.”

“I-”

“-I know you’re stressed about school, but your finals aren’t for another month.”

“I know, but I have to figure out this recipe.”

“You can figure it out later, you need to sleep,” Chase says gently, putting his hands on Mason’s shoulders.  

“I’m exhausted.”

“I know.”

“I can’t do this,” Mason whimpers, voice breaking, “I should just quit...become a culinary school drop out.”

“Mason,” Chase says firmly, “you aren’t dropping out.”

“But-”

“-I know you’re tired. I know. You’re exhausted and stressed, but you’re already more than halfway through the program.  You’ve worked too long and too hard and suffered too many injuries to quit now,” Chase says.  

He’s lost count of the number of times that Mason has come homw with a cut or burn, or how many times he’s called him from the emergency room becaus he’s getting stitches and just wanted to warn him before he gets home.

Mason chokes on a sob, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes, as he slumps into Chase.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Chase soothes, tightening his arms around Mason, “you’re okay. It’s okay, I’ve got you.”

Mason sniffles, biting down on his lip hard enough to draw blood. He hates this. Even business school wasn’t as stressful as this, and it was hard. He feels like he’s just barely holding his head above water, like he’s going to lose it at the drop of a hat.

*

The next couple of weeks pass in nearly the same way - Mason is up until three, four, sometimes even five every morning, trying to figure out this fuckin recipe and memorize all of the terms he needs to know for the written portion of the exam.

He’s stressed out of his mind, and now to top it all off, he’s starting to come down with something that feels like it’s about to become really miserable really fast.

He just has to make it through another day and a half, and then he can rest and de-stress. He’s been hunched over his textbooks, pouring over them for hours, trying desperately to remember all of the information that he’s been shoving into his brain the last couple of days.

“Here,” Chase says upon walking through the front door.  He sets down a starbucks cup next to him, and then kisses the top of his head.  

“What is it?” Mason rasps, picking it up with shaky hands.

Chase leans over his shoulder, peering down at the textbooks, “tea.  Your throat sounds like it’s a wreck.”

“You’re the best,” he mumbles, popping the lid off.  

“How’s the studying going? You up for a nap yet?”

“What time is it?” He asks, rubbing his eyes.  

“Seven thirty.”

“Don’t you have work?”

“Nope,” he chirps, “I’m taking today and tomorrow off to help you study.”

“Chase, no,” he groans, “go to work, I’m fine.”

“Honey, you took so many days off to help me when I was getting my masters,” he frowns, “you’re two minutes away from an emotional and mental breakdown, and you’re definitely getting sick.”

Mason sips at the tea, sighing in relief as the hot liquid soothes the raw, aching feeling in his throat.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“Alright, you’ve been up for...how long now?”

“Uh...s...jus’like...twenty eight hours.”

Chase inhales sharply, putting a hand between his shoulder blades, “let’s go.  You need to sleep.”

Mason nods, the movement jerky and uncoordinated as he struggles to his feet. Chase follows close behind him, worried he’ll drop at any moment.

*

The kitchen is too hot.  Mason is pretty convinced that it’s a thousand degrees, and that he’s actually in hell - not his last final for the semester.

He tugs at the collar of his shirt.  His mouth feels like it’s been stuffed with cotton, and what’s probably a fever is making his vision come in flashes.  His brain has pretty much shut off - he’s going on autopilot now, relying only on muscle memory.  

Except, he’s not paying attention well enough, because - “Mason! You’re burning the dough!”

“Shit!” He hisses sharply after a delayed few moments before he stumbles to the oven, legs shaking as he struggles to stay upright.  

“Come on, Mason,” Professor Leighton snaps, “this is the least difficult part of your entire dish.”

“I’mb sorry,” he whimpers, tears springing to his eyes.

He pulls the bread out of the oven, nearly dropping it because his hands are shaking too hard to get a good grip on it.  He drops the baking sheet onto the counter, and it lands with a clatter, and Mason sinks to the ground, as black spots clouding his vision.  

“Mason?” His professor asks.  Her voice sounds muffled and far away, like she’s underwater, and Mason puts his hands over his ears, squeezing his eyes shut as his head throbs, and the ringing in his ears intensifies.

“I don’t...um...I can’t...I’m sorry, I’m so sorry...sorry...I...jus’need...needaminute,” he slurs.  

His entire body is throbbing from the fatigue and the fever.  His head throbs with a sharp spike of pain behind his eyes, and he’s so desperate to lay down, that he doesn’t care if he’s lying on the floor in front of the professor who seems to have had it out for him the entire semester.  

“Mason,” Professor Leighton repeats, crouching in front of him, “who can I call for you?”

“I...no...jus’needa minute...m’fine,” he says weakly.

*

“Mason,” someone says gently.  There’s a cool hand on his forehead, and then cheek, and then the back of his neck.  “Come on, sweetheart, open your eyes.  You can do it, you’re alright, look at me.”

Mason forces his eyes open.  His head is throbbing and pulsating, and he aches something awful.  

Chase’s face comes into view, slightly blurry, because everything is slightly blurry.  

“Chase?”

“Yeah, hi.  It’s me, I’m here.  How are you feeling?”

“Um...bad? I can’t...wha’ppened?”

“You passed out.”

“My final,” he groans weakly.  

“Your final can be postponed,” Professor Leighton supplies from her spot next to Chase.

“...huh?”

“Email me when you’re feeling better and we can arrange for it to be taken.”

“You hate me though,” he mumbles.

“No I don’t,” she frowns, “you’re one of my best students, that’s the only reason I’m so hard on you.”

“You...um...you don’t?”

“Not at all,” she says gently, patting his shoulder “now go rest up and feel better.”

“Can you stand, or are you dizzy?” Chase asks.

“M’dizzy...wanna to go home.”

“Okay,” he says gently.  

*

“Okay, what do you need?”

They had gotten home fifteen minutes ago, and even though Mason had told Chase to just put him on the couch, Chase made him walk the extra ten feet to their bed.  Now, he was shivering beneath their duvet, and looking at Chase in complete misery.

“Tend years of sleep,” Mason sniffles, rubbing his face on the blanket, “and also and axe to the head.”

He looks completely drained - pale and tired, with dark smudges that almost resemble bruises beneath his eyes. A flush of color is painted across his cheeks, and his eyes are bloodshot and glassy and unfocused from the fever.  He looks miserable, and Chase hates it.

The congestion had hit him hard about twenty minutes ago, and all he wants to do is sleep. Except, it’s hard to sleep when you can’t breathe.

“Has the NyQuil done anything?”

“Ndo,” he sniffles, ducking his face in the blankets to sneeze again.  

“Well...it’s only been ten minutes.”

“Chase,” Mason groans, squeezing his eyes shut, “I feel awful...snff...hih’ihtsch! Ihtsch! Tsch! Snff!”

Chase cups his burning cheek, “bless you.  Yeah, I gathered that when your professor called and said you passed out.  Nearly gave me a heart attack, by the way.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.  Are you dizzy again?”

“Uh-huh,” he mumbles, sniffling again.

“Do you want to watch a movie or just try and sleep?”

“Sleep,” he mumbles, looking at Chase with large, tragic eyes, “will you cuddle with mbe?”

“Absolutely,” he says softly, getting into the bed next to him.  

Mason sniffles, cuddling up next to him, “thank you for combi’gg to get mbe.”

“Of course I was going to come get you,” he frowns, “did you think I would make you drive home after you passed out?”

“Ndo...but thank you.”

Chase kisses the top of his head, “you don’t have to thank me. You’ve done the same for me before...I’m just sorry you’re so sick.”

He shrugs, coughing into Chase’s chest, “sorry...s’finde, it happends.”

“Don’t you dare apologize, Mase.”

“I coughed on you.”

“You have a one hundred and three degree fever.  You passed out, you haven’t slept in weeks, you can cough on me as much as you want.”

“Okay.”

“You sound tired...you feeling tired? Obviously you are, but...more tired?”

“Uh-huh,” he mumbles, eyelids drooping.

“Go to sleep, sweetheart,” Chase says, rubbing his back.  

“Love you,” Mason slurs.

“I love you, too.”