#also only just realised after getting his outfit that he has gold in his braid!!

[galarrapidash]

Faust - Literary Meditation 💼

[imaginationoverspill]

Long time no see

Summary : Two years into an undercover mission, you find yourself meeting the very man you had to leave behind.

Obi-Wan Kenodi x Genderneutral!reader

The low boom of the bass permeated through the sweaty bar as Master Kenobi and his padawan moved through the crowd.

“Master are you sure this the right place ?”, Anakin mumbled to his master, uncomfortable in the civilian clothes that many of the regulars wore. His status as a padawan hidden as his braid was tucked under the shoulder-length wig.

“Yes Anakin, I’m sure and please stop fidgeting, you’re drawing attention”, he replied as he glanced around the crowd inconspicuously.

“Yes Master”.

Eventually, the pair found an empty booth in a more secluded part of the club, but also a lot closer to one of the many circular platforms dotted around that were mainly used by scantily-clad dancers of varying species and gender. One of the platforms was directly in front of Obi-Wan’s line of sight and was a lot larger than the other platforms, probably used as the main stage. At the moment it was empty as the generic low-bass music continued to play.

“So this informant, any idea how we’re supposed to find them ?”

“Patience, young one”, replied Obi-Wan.

The music suddenly changed and the lights dimmed so that the main stage was lit up. Both men looked at the stage as two twi’leks, one male and one female, start dancing along to the beat.

Here we go again. Just like every other night for the past two years, you sat in the dressing room getting ready for your performance. At least this time, you know two Jedi will be waiting for you for information. They should be easy enough to spot, even if they think they’re amazing at being disguised. Most of the time ordinary people don’t notice them when they’re not in their robes, you, however, could spot them a mile away so it didn’t really matter that you had no idea who the Jedi you were supposed to meet was. Hopefully, after you’ve dropped the info, your undercover mission will be over and you can get back to what you’re fantastic at : bounty hunting.

“Come on honey! We’re up!”, shouted Iyal’, a young yellow twi’lek that was your only friend among the dancers.

You took your robe off, revealing the provocative outfit and sauntered on stage as your back-up dancers, Iyal’ and another twi’lek, began dancing to the beat of the song. They separated to reveal you to the audience and you began singing.

As you sing and dance sensually to the song, you check out the crowd entranced by your performance in search of the two Jedi. Your gaze lands on the two men sat in a booth near one of the smaller dance platforms and you falter slightly as you recognise him.

“Kriff”

Anakin glances confusingly at his master’s swearing. The usually calm and composed Jedi master was visible flustered at the sight of the beautiful singer on the main stage.

“Master, are you alright ?”

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and readjusted himself so as not to seem affected by the performance. When he was told to meet up with an undercover agent, you were the last person that he had expected to see.

You gave it your all on the final note, the club whistles and applauses your performance. The twi’leks move off-stage as the generic low-bass music returns. You walk off-stage in the direction of the booth.

Nervous butterflies were fluttering around in your stomach despite your confident strut towards the two Jedi. Holy Sith! Why does he have to be so hot? He was already attractive when he was a padawan but the long hair and beard just make him ten times hotter.

As you reach them, you coyly sit next to the older one.

“Of all the places I thought I would see you again Kenobi, this is certainly not one of them”

“Likewise my dear”, he responded coldly.

Anakin furrowed his eyebrows at his master’s cold greeting before introducing himself.

“Pleasure to meet you”, you reply smirking and coyly extending your hand for him to shake. Despite the coldness from Obi-Wan, you still had an act to maintain.

“Anakin, why don’t you go get us both drinks whilst I discuss matters with our informant”, Obi-Wan ordered.

“But-”.

“Now, Anakin.”

He nodded his head towards you both before getting up, slightly concerned at his master’s strange behaviour.

“ Master”, you say as if testing the way it sounded. “It suits you.”

“Yes well ... thank you”, he coughs. You smile slightly, glad you could break his impassiveness, even if only for a moment.“From what I understand, you have some information on a potential terrorist attack”

“It’s always straight to business with you, even when we were younglings”

“I hardly see why that’s a bad thing”

You smirk at him before gently removing a disc hidden in your bra.

“This disc has everything I could gather without being caught”

Obi-Wan briefly glanced down but quickly looked away before you noticed where he was looking.

“Your effort is greatly appreciated by the council”, he curtly replied as he took the disc from you.

You felt disappointed at the lack of reaction. You always knew that if you did ever see him again, the encounter would be at the least awkward, but you still hoped that somewhere deep down, he was happy to see you.

The sound of shouting above the music catches your attention. Anakin was stood with his fists clenched and struggling to stay calm as a Rodian screeched at him. The second you look at the scene, you notice a determined group walk in your direction. You recognise them immediately as henchmen from the separatist group that run the club as cover.

“Fuck, we’ve got to get out of here. Grab Anakin and meet me at the back”. If they figure out that you’re with a Jedi, your cover will be blown. You get up to meet the group of intimidating aliens, still maintaining your flirty persona.

"Hi fellas, what can a gal get ya’ ?" You flirtatiously greet.

" How about two Jedi scum.", growled the big Trandoshan. You try to hide your nervous giggle.

" Oh sugar, if that's what you want, you ain't gonna find any here"

"Really", he stepped closer to you, "then why did we catch you chatting them up." Crap.

"Oh, don't be silly. Those two fellas were just here for a good time. Here, let me grab you fellas some drinks, on the house"

You quickly turn away to escape but the Trandoshan roughly grips onto your arm. You slam your heel into his foot, causing him to yell in pain and let your arm go. Time to get out of here. You start running and pushing through the crowd of semi-drunk club-goers.

"GET AFTER THEM !"

The group draw their blasters and run after you.

You manage to run out into a dark and dirty alleyway with a dead-end.“Not so fast”, two Devaronians block both sides of the alleyway, cutting off your escape route. Oh, crap.

Suddenly the sounds of lightsabers and blaster fire catch your attention. Upon the rooftop, you spot the two Jedi deflecting blasts close to the edge. They make quick work of the thugs attacking before Obi-wan notices the trouble you’re in the alleyway below as the two Devaronians trapping you rush at you.

Without much thought -and to Anakin’s confusion- he calls your name and throws his deactivated lightsaber to you. You catch the lightsaber and ignite, smirking at the two thugs who suddenly stopped at the sight of the blue blade. They start firing their blasters but you gracefully deflect the bolts back to them before swiftly cutting one of the Devaronian’s arm off and roundhouse kick him in the face, incapacitating him. You promptly twist to face the other thug who had stepped back slightly in fear. Swinging the sabre skilfully, you use the force to pull the blaster out of his hand before slamming the hilt into his face, effectively knocking him out.

Both Jedi smoothly leap down from the roof to join you.

“You’re a Jedi ?!”, exclaimed Anakin incredulously.

“Was. I’m not any more.”, you admitted.

“Yes well, let’s get out of here”, said Obi-Wan, quickly cutting off whatever Anakin was about to say to your reply.

The three of you headed out of the alleyway and headed to the parked speeder hidden in the shadows. Upon approaching the speeder, you noticed that only seated two people and stood awkwardly looking at the men, wondering how we were going to get around the problem. Obi-Wan noticed the same issue as you. As Anakin sat in the driver’s seat, he took his place in the passenger’s side and simply patted his lap. You flushed at the action. When you didn’t immediately move, he looked at you with a slight smirk and raised an eyebrow.

Over the past two years, you became used to the flirtatious smirks and sexual remarks from both attractive and unattractive customers whilst working in the seedy club in the lower decks of Coruscant. You were used to dancing provocatively in front of an enraptured audience. But one simple hand gesture from him and suddenly you were blushing mess. You also realised this is the first time that he’s somewhat smiled since seeing him again. This only made you blush more. In an attempt to mask how flustered he made you, you moved to gently sit in his lap. He wrapped his arms around your waist to secure you, making you blush even harder and making the resurfaced butterflies flutter crazily in your stomach but thankfully he couldn’t see your face. Anakin, however, saw the entire exchange but decided not to say anything. He’ll have to question his master later.

Anakin flew the speeder to the Jedi temple, much to your reluctance. After the feeling of disappointing your master by leaving the order, the thought of ever returning made you feel queasy and the warmth of his arms wrapped around you didn’t help. As Anakin landed the speeder, Master Yoda, a blue and white astromech droid and a gold protocol droid greeted you. You stood behind the two Jedi, hoping to be ignored by your former master. No such look as he greeted you :

“Good to see you, it is, my former padawan”

“Master Yoda”, you greeted, bowing in respect, “it has been a long time.”

“Have become a fine Jedi, you would, but become an invaluable ally, instead you have. If correct, your information is, prevent losses, it may. Hmm. Been prepared for your arrival, a room has. Show you the way, C3PO will. Discuss further action with the council, we must. Talk later, we will.”

During the walk to your new room, you ignored the ramblings of the protocol droid as the familiar corridors of the Jedi Temple made you feel nostalgic. You remember the times you and Obi-wan would get in trouble as children. You shared everything with each other. But as you got older, you developed a crush that no amount of meditating would get rid of it. You had to hide your feelings as it was against the code to form attachments. However, it was far too late. You thought by distancing yourself more would make a difference but no matter what you did, his smile, his laughter, everything about him would make your heart flutter. Dismissing the droid once when you reached the room, you decided that a shower was in order.

The sound of the door knocking pulled you from the meditative state you had been in. After your shower, you started your bedtime ritual which included a small meditation session. Since leaving the order, you were no longer obligated to follow their rules and rituals but nothing helped calm you down better than meditating. It was currently three o’clock in the morning and so you definitely were not expecting anyone to come knocking. You opened the door :

“Obi-Wan ?”

“I realise it is far too late and I should be leaving you to rest but I can’t sleep.”

You silently gesture for him to come in before closing the door. As padawans, it wasn’t unusual for one of you to go see the other when we had difficulty sleeping. Nothing had to be said. You started making two cups of tea as he sat on the small couch near the window of your room. He wasn’t wearing his robes but a thin cotton shirt and trousers. For a brief moment, you both felt like padawans again.

As you handed him his tea, he shifted and the moment of nostalgia was over :

“I’ve come to apologise”, he started, “I was unfairly rude to you and I would also like to apologise for blowing your cover”.

“I somehow don’t think it was your fault. Something tells me that they had known about me long before you even turned up”

“You suspect they knew you were a spy ?”

“Yeah, call it a gut feeling”

He nodded in agreement, stroking his beard. You didn’t think he could be any more attractive but the sight of him sat on your couch in his casual clothes made everything seem intimate. You had to tear your gaze away from the hand near his mouth, hoping he didn’t sense what you were feeling.

“I hated being there anyway, so I’m definitely not upset over never having to go back there ever again”

His brows furrowed at your statement :

“More so than here ?”

“What ?”, you reply in confusion.

“I - Did you hate it there more than being at the Temple ?”

You looked at him, wondering why he would ask such a question. Normally, you would just ignore such a question and try to change the subject, but had been a very tiring day and something about the moment just made you want to give in.

“I never hated being at the Temple.”

A heavy silence followed your answer. When you left the order, you promised you would never tell anyone your reasons, afraid of rumours would spread and Obi-Wan’s devotion to the order and the code would be put into question.

“Why did you leave ?”

“Obi-Wan, I-”

“No please. I never understood why you left. I thought you were happy at the Temple. I remember the fun we had as children.”

“Obi-Wan please -”

He gently picked your hands up and held them, gently rubbing the back of your hands with his thumbs. The rough but soft caress of his thumbs made you feel weak and you felt resolve crumble.

“I loved you”, you quietly whispered. Hoping maybe he hadn’t heard you, but the sudden freezing of his thumbs confirmed that he had.“ I tried not to”, you quickly added. “ I tried so hard to be a good Jedi but it didn’t work. If anything it made me love you more. So I left. I didn’t want to ‘corrupt’ you. I knew how much becoming a Jedi Knight meant to you.”

You couldn’t look him in the eye, afraid of what you’ll see. Afraid that he would turn cold again and that it would truly be last time you ever see him again. Instead, you heard him move closer and felt his forehead gently rest against the side of your face. Confused, you gently turn your face to him so both of your foreheads rested against each other. He had his eyes closed and you closed your own. You could feel his warm breath softly flow over your face he slowly leaned in more. His nose brushed softly against yours as his lips pressed to yours. Your lips touched for a few seconds before he leaned in more, deepening the kiss. One of his hands moved up to gently cup your jaw.

After what felt like hours, but probably was only a few minutes, you both separated. You were in a daze and felt on top of the world.

AN : I had to repost this because Tumblr glitched, but anyways here it is. I spent way to much time on this and I’m still not entirely happy with it but I hope you enjoy it !

PS : Please tell me I’m not alone in struggling to find titles for their fanfictions.

[thereluctantinquisitor]

WIP Whenever

Thank you for the tag @captainsaku! At the moment, I’m still limping through the opening chapters of Stonebreaker, trying to get a feel for the story and work on strengthening my atrophied writing muscles. Anyway, I figured I’d share what I have so far of Adiran’s introductory chapter. It’s basically just an awkward, descriptive mess, but at least it’s something. At this point, I’ll count that as a win!

I also put a short glossary at the end in case some terms were confusing. <3

Chapter 3 - A Scene

Be present. Do not cause a scene.

They were simple enough requests, Adiran supposed, as he braced himself and drained his third flute of wine. He knew it was poor form to cringe after swallowing, but the dry white was about as pleasant as a mouthful of sand and only went down half as well. If he was the paranoid type, he’d think the servers were offering him the worst vintages on purpose.

Then again, the celebration had stretched into its ninth day, now. Even the royal cellars had a limit.

Despite overstaying its welcome, the event remained at a predictably lofty height of splendour. In the ballroom - Vetrose’s famed Silver Font -  delicate rivulets of water, no wider than the span of a hand, curled their way across the marble floor, draining into a shallow pool at the base of the royal thrones. Above their heads, weavelight strings were draped elegantly between pillars and across wide arches, their glowing pinpricks joining the blazing chandelier to bathe the room a honey-gold.

Beneath that radiant light, the Talveran nobility moved like swans, jewellery glittering, ankle-length gowns and embroidered jackets flashing enough to catch the attention of nesting crows. Hundreds packed the Font that night - an entirely different crowd to the evening prior, and likely the one prior to that. Attending Talveran court, with its litany of demands and expectations, was an exhausting and expensive affair. Every evening demanded a new outfit. A new glittering showpiece. A new plan for navigating the treacherous waters of social interaction, careful not to show too much interest in any one person. One night was difficult enough to survive. Very few could afford to be present for an entire turn’s worth of celebration.

Unfortunately, Adiran had no choice in the matter. It just had to be his brother returning from the northern border. As if no one else had ever come back from that waste of a campaign.

Another mouthful. Another weary swallow of something half as strong as it needed to be. Honestly, he’d almost rather be swallowing sand. At least that meant he’d be in the arena, getting his ass kicked practicing for something that mattered, instead of wasting his time decorating the wall. Divider’s Own, Lorvain was meant to have arrived by the third day! Adiran might have been able to slip away if he had been around to soak up the attentions of the lords and ladies. But no. The beloved Crown Prince had probably stopped to fawn over milkmaids and shepherds at every town between here and Morgate. Really, they should have accounted for that before throwing such a ridiculous event...

 A prince should want to know his people, Adiran. I thought you understood that?

Threading paths expertly between the nobility were almost three dozen servers dressed in vibrant Volise green. Silver trays were held aloft on the pads of their gloved fingers as they moved in rehearsed patterns around the room, making sure every hand that sought a glass found a delicate stem. It was a different sort of dance; the kind that typically went unnoticed, the same way a clock’s hands are appreciated more than the mechanism behind the face. They knew the position of every crack in the stone; every rivulet.

None of them ever looked down.

Speaking of timing, the only reason Adiran paid the servers any heed was to make sure he got his right. On cue, he finished his wine with a grimace and thrust it towards a well-groomed young woman, her dark hair braided and pinned neatly around her head. Without so much as an errant blink, she bobbed carefully at the knees, accepted the glass, and replaced it with a new one from her tray. 

“Careful not to drop that,” Adiran said, taking the drink and giving it an experimental sniff. Sweeter. Thank the Divider for that.

The server hesitated. They always did. Every night. “Your Highness?” she asked, and her lilt was perfection. Just the right amount of simpering, blended with polite curiosity. Someone had taken her training seriously.

“Am I slurring already? What I’m saying is that if the Crown Prince finally shows up and you’re in the middle of mopping a puddle, the King will have your hide for saddle leather. So...” He extended one bored finger towards the tray, a smirk curling the corner of his lips. “Tread lightly.”

The server’s mouth opened, and for a moment no sound followed. For just one blissful, fleeting second, Adiran thought he’d finally done it. He’d finally won. 

Then, like underappreciated clockwork, her lips shaped themselves into a beatific smile, and she dipped into a curtsy. The tray never even wobbled. “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. On my word, I will remain diligent. I would not dare bring shame on our King’s house.”

Damn it. The smile Adiran flashed back - half a sneer - could cut glass. But the server had already completed her parting bob and returned to her dance, weaving and gliding among the gaggle of silver-bloods with her tray of weak wine. Expression turning brittle, Adiran huffed and leaned back against one of the massive marble pillars - just one of fifteen lining the room. He’d claimed it on the first evening, like a hound staking its territory. Most people knew better than to bother him once he’d found his haunt, but the serving staff simply didn’t have that luxury. He supposed it was probably unkind, to force them to speak to him. But Divider, he was just so bored...

Scowling, he took a long swallow of his new drink, the chilled, sweet liquid a welcome enough sensation as it ran down the back of his throat.

So he was unkind. So what?

“Are you finished losing to the servers for tonight, or should I come back later?”

A familiar voice, and right on time. Adiran gave no indication of surprise, barely even turning to acknowledge the man. After all, this was just another ritual for them; a way to take a knife to long hours of affluent, barely drunk loitering. “Yeah, I’m done. An earthquake couldn’t shake them.” His gaze finally cut across, delivering what he hoped was a scathing look as Riin settled against the pillar beside him. “Took you long enough. Get distracted by all the pretty gowns and pouting lips?”

Folding his arms across his broad chest, Riin chuckled softly, utterly immune to Adiran’s glare. “Could you blame me if I was? Everyone looks appealing under this light.”

“That’s generous of you.” Sniffing, Adiran glanced up. Even with the smoke-glass covers encasing each glowing orb, he still had to squint against the brightness of the weavelights. “Guess it could be worse. We looked more like corpses before the covers were put on.”

“Really? I’m glad I missed it.”

“Yeah. Being dead inside is more than enough.”

Riin laughed, and a faint smile curved Adiran’s lips. He quickly hid it behind his glass. Truthfully, the entire ‘weavelight saga’ had been ridiculous. The King and Queen had commissioned hundreds of them from Tel Shival, purely because no one else had ever done it. Even the wealthiest families only ever had a few per household, usually kept in a lantern or a sconce in the most frequented rooms. After two seasons of painstaking arrangement that nearly killed two of their staff, the Silver Font soon found itself bathed in a thematically violent silver light. It had been an exciting novelty, at first; nobility flooded in from all over Talvera just to bask in the glow of thousands of wasted sicets. But then they quickly realised that colours didn’t behave the same way. Their favourite jewellery didn’t catch the eye. Their skin didn’t appear as youthful and rosy. Instead, every flaw - every stray hair or unpolished button - was placed on stark display for the vultures to pick at.

The weavelights were as bleak and clinical as a physicker’s ward. They sucked the warmth out of everything they touched.

In Adiran’s mind, the wash of corpse-light over each soiree was a perfectly fitting thing. But, as was typical, no one else agreed. So, they decided to encase each of the weavelights in honey-tinted glass and returned the room to almost exactly how it looked before. Back when it was lit by oil and flame.

That was how things were in Talvera. Decisions were made, sicets were spent, and then everyone just wanted to go back to how things used to be. Like nothing had ever happened.

GLOSSARY

Weavelight - spheres of crystal or glass, with a light-bearing glyphstring engraved by a thaumist specialising in Weaving. Maintains a bright, steady silver light. Cannot be dimmed or turned off at will. Thaumist - a well-trained practitioner of the thaumic arts, capable of manipulating thaumic essence. Turn - ten days. Tel Shival - An independent, famously insular city dedicated to the training and cultivation of thaumists and thaumaturgical study. Sicet - Currency used in the Allied Kingdoms.

---

Tagging: @frenchy-and-the-sea, @leothelionsaysgrrrr, @bladeverbena, @thefluffynug, @rufinagertrude, @arduyn, @anarchyduck, and anyone else who has a WIP they’d like to share!

[what-is-your-plan-today]

CSI: Rogers and Barnes- The Serious Cereal Serial Killer Ch 10: Surprise Surprise

Part 2 Co-written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​

REMINDER! Episode Warnings: Bad Language words. SMUT… (NSFW) NO UNDER 18s!!!!

Please read Part 1 first!

It felt to Steve like the afternoon lasted a goddamned month, but eventually he started to see everyone filtering out. He popped his head out of the door, thanked everyone for their work and apologised for his outburst earlier. Wanda smiled at him and then asked him if he needed anything else before she left. Steve’s eyes flickered to Katie who wasn’t looking at them, but he saw her shoulders tense a little. He dismissed Wanda and then it was just him, Bucky and Katie left in the room.

“Well…” Bucky smirked, standing up “I’ll leave you to it.” “Hang on, I need you to take my kit bag to yours.” Katie said, standing up

“That’s very presumptuous of you…” Steve looked at her, his eyebrow raising slightly and she shrugged, giving him a grin before she turned back to Bucky.

“I’ll walk down with you.”

Bucky nodded and then smiled to himself as Steve crossed the room, his hands gently dropping to Katie’s hips, as he dropped a soft kiss to her lips.

“What was that for?” she looked at him.

“Do I need an excuse?”

“No, suppose not.” she smiled at him. He gave her a wink in response and then turned and headed back towards his office “Don’t take forever getting ready…” She rolled her eyes in response and grinned at Bucky who smirked as she linked her arm through his and they headed down to the parking lot. Steve moved back into his office, grabbed his own bag and headed into the locker rooms. After a quick change into his outfit, he straightened his hair slightly, his hand running over his now present again, albeit shorter than it had been, beard before he stood back, taking a final look at his appearance. Deciding it was as good as it was going to get he took his bag and headed back upstairs and into his office. With a final check of his emails he glanced at his watch and, deciding that they needed to move sharpish, he closed his laptop down and grabbed his jacket.

He pulled his office door closed behind him, locking the door as always before he walked over to the key-safe and tapped in the code, placing the key on the right hook. Once he’d shut it all and secured it he turned to see Katie walking back into the main room. Not that she didn’t always but she looked especially good in a pair of dark jeans, a pale blue low cut sweater that hung off one shoulder, giving him a flash of baby pink bra strap (to which he could only hope to god she was wearing the matching bottom halves to because Jesus wept that lace did things to him) and a pair of tan-boots with a small heel. Her hair, which was starting to grow out of the short style was now hallway between her chin and her shoulder and she had pulled the longer side round into a braid. Her green eyes shone underneath a pale gold colour on her lids and her lips were slick with a clear gloss.

“You look amazing.” he said as she smiled at him, shyly, picking up her tan leather jacket from her chair.

Taking another look around the office, to double check they were alone he walked over to her and dropped a kiss to her cheek.

“So do you.” she said, stepping back to take in his white T- shirt, black zip up leather jacket, jeans and boots. He smiled, blushing slightly before he dropped a hand to the small of her back as they made their way to the elevator.  They exited the station, bidding goodbye to Heimdall who simply nodded at them, it wasn’t uncommon for them to leave together so they weren’t bothered about that in the slightest as they headed to the Subway Station chatting away.

If Steve had been trying to time it any better he doubted he could. Their train pulled in just as they walked onto the platform, it wasn’t crowded meaning they could get seats and for the first time since leaving the station Steve relaxed and tossed his arm around Katie’s shoulder, pulling her in for a kiss. She smiled at him, softly, then spotted the cheeky twinkle in his eye. “What?”

“Just wondering if you wanted to check whether Curtis was driving?”

She rolled her eyes before she smirked back “He’s retired actually. Hurt his arm in an accident, so I heard. Severed it from the elbow down.”

“Ouch.” Steve frowned, suddenly feeling a little bid bad for the guy “That’s…a bit shit!”

“I’ll say.” she shrugged “Anyway, you gonna tell me where we’re going yet?”

“Nope.” he shook his head, grinning. “You’ll see soon enough.”

She looked at him for a moment before she shrugged, changing the subject “How was Momma Rogers?”

“Oh, she’s fine.” Steve said, scratching his neck “I errr, I told her about us. Well, she kinda guessed actually but…” “I bet she took it better than Tony.” Katie smiled and he let out a snort.

“Yeah, you’re not wrong. She’s, well, a little excited shall we say.” he left it at that, deciding not to completely divulge the conversation he’d had with his Mom earlier. Some things just needed to stay between Mother and Son.

Although the ride in took them 30 minutes or so it seemed to flash by and soon they were emerging out of the Subway onto 50th Street.  Steve saw Katie shoot a glance over her shoulder at something, and he knew exactly what she was looking at, they were in the theatre district after all. Taking her hand in his he gently gave her a tug and led her down the sidewalk, which was busy as usual, leading her down to their first destination.

“You’re taking me to Joe Allen’s!” she said, giving his hand a squeeze and he glanced down at her, grinning as they turned on to 46th

“I knew you were a Detective for a reason.” he said and she nudged him with her elbow.

“Dick.” she smiled, before she looked at him “You know I love it there.”

He didn’t reply, simply squeezed her hand as they approached and then he let go to get the door for her. Greeting the maître d he gave his name for the reservation and they were led to a table at the far side of the restaurant where they were seated.

“Do you even need to look at the menu?” Steve teased and Katie shook her head, grinning.

“Nope.” she smirked “Mussels to start and the…”

“Turkey burger.” he finished for her and she shook her head.

“You know it is ridiculous how well you know me.” she looked at him and he shrugged.

“Almost 11 years now doll.” he said simply, smiling as someone arrived to take their drinks order. Given than neither of them needed to look at a menu the Waiter took their food orders as well with a smile and left them to it.

Steve leaned back in his chair and eyed his girl for a moment as she took a cursory glance around, Bucky’s words echoing in his head. Maybe now wasn’t the best time to raise this but he wanted to leave her with no doubts as to exactly what he was feeling and thinking. He wanted them to work, wanted this to be the start of something good, which he felt it was, and he was done letting external influences and other people sabotage their relationship. He’d lost her once because of that, and he was damned if he was going to lose her again.

"So, Bucky told me Wanda has been at it again?" Steve asked taking a deep breath.

He saw Katie's mood turn a bit sombre and she rubbed at her temple.

"Please, Stevie…can we not talk about her?" she pleaded more than asked.

"Ok, I don't wanna dwell on it sweetheart, but you do believe me when I tell you I'm not interested, in the slightest, don’t you?" Steve asked looking at her intently.

Katie just nodded but she wasn't looking at him, instead Steve saw her fiddling with the cutlery, making sure it was perfectly lined up on the table.

"Are you that concerned? Coz you have no reason to be." he insisted "Look at me, Doll."

"I know." she sighed and lifted her eyes to look directly into his "I know you'd never do that to me. Not after everything we've gone through, but it just..."

"What?" Steve asked smiling fondly at her, leaning on the table.

"I don't like people touching my stuff." she blurted out, shrugging.

Steve couldn't help but chuckle at her bratty outburst and he leaned back in his chair.

"So, I'm your stuff now." Steve scoffed, with a smirk. He had to admit, it amused him when she behaved that way.

"Yeah.” she pouted, before her face split into a grin as she clocked the look on his own features and she smiled, flirting "You're my hot stuff."

Steve laughed loudly at her words, tilting his head back and grabbing his left pec. "I fucking love you." he said grinning widely.

"Yeah, you do." Katie replied also smiling widely.

"Say it." Steve commanded her "Say it back, doll."

"Nope" she said popping the p.

"Doll..." he insisted tilting his head and raising one eyebrow.

"All right.” she said, shrugging before she cocked her head to one side and gave him a coy smile. “I love you, Stevie." she purred.

******

The food, as ever, hit the spot perfectly. Katie declined desert but Steve asked for 2 spoons with his Key-Lime Pie as he knew full well that she’d end up eating half the fucking thing, and she proved him right. After a slight discussion about who was paying, Katie trying to go halves but Steve telling her over his dead body was she paying for anything on their first date, they headed back up the street, past the subway station they’d emerged from earlier and then Steve brought them to a halt on the sidewalk opposite the Gershwin Theatre.

“What are we do-” Katie began to ask him and then she stopped dead, suddenly realising where they were. Her hand tightened around his and her eyes grew wide. “No, you’re…” she looked up at him, her voice practically a whisper “You got us tickets?”

Licking his lips slightly he nodded “Yeah.”

Her face broke into the biggest smile he could ever remember her sporting and his chest flooded suddenly with warmth as she gave a squeal and threw her arms around him. He laughed and pulled her into a hug.

“I mean, if you don’t wanna go, I can always sell them…” he teased and she hit him on the chest.

“Don’t even joke about that…” she shook her head. “I can’t…I can’t believe you did this. I’ve wanted to go for like forever…”

“You may have mentioned it once or twice.” he said simply “You finished staring at the theatre or do you wanna go inside? I mean it is a pretty interesting theatre…”

She simply rolled her eyes, the grin still plastered on her face as she nodded and they headed over to the crossing, joining the crowds of people walking across the road. Steve led them over to the ticket office, where he picked up the tickets and they walked into the foyer, Katie glancing around as she took everything in, her eyes sparkling.

“D’ya wanna get a drink sweetheart?” he asked, his arm curling around her waist. She nodded and he steered them over to the bar, where they waited to be served, Katie’s eyes still darting all around before she turned to him when he nudged her and asked what she wanted.

“Can I get a prosecco?” she asked, her tone hopeful and he laughed.

“You can have whatever you want.” he said softly, and she grinned, nodding. He placed the order and paid, handing her the glass before they headed over to a spare spot a little to their right by a tall table.

“I can’t believe you did this.” she shook her head looking at him “And kept a secret. You’re like the world’s worst liar…” “Why do you think I asked you not to start digging?” he asked, swallowing a mouthful of his beer. “I wanted it to be a surprise.” “I thought I knew you well enough now that you’d never be able to surprise me.” she smiled softly.

“Well like I said, I’ve had long enough to get to know you so…”

Her reply was cut off as the voice over the PA system announced the show would be starting in 15 minutes, so with a smile he suggested they find their seats. Steve was pleased to find they were actually pretty good. They were in the mezzanine,3rd row back and their seats were at the end of the row which pleased Steve as firstly he could stretch his long legs out properly into the aisle if he needed to and secondly  he’d be able to slip out without disturbing too many people if he wanted to get them another drink. He wasn’t bothered about missing the odd bit, it wasn’t really his scene after all but this wasn’t about him after all.

Having said that, 20 minutes or so into the first act he was pleasantly surprised to find he was actually enjoying it. He did love the Wizard of Oz after all, it had always been his favourite film growing up as a kid and Katie’s too for that matter. However, what he was enjoying more than anything was Katie’s reaction. Every so often he’d steal a side glance at his girl to find her mouthing along to the songs, unsurprisingly she knew every word, and he smiled to himself, his hand dropping to her leg, curling around her thigh. She smiled, not taking her eyes off the stage and dropped her hand to lay it on top of his, her fingers gently playing with his hand in the way she always did.  When the interval came he disappeared and returned a little while later with more drinks and she took hers from him, turning to him as he sat down, leaning over to catch his mouth in a soft kiss.

“You ok?” he asked her softly, his fingers brushing the back of her neck.

“More than ok.” she replied, her eyes bright. “This is perfect Stevie, thank you.”

Perfect, fucking perfect. Steve slid down into his chair, a huge shit eating grin plastered across his face as the second act started.

**** “That was amazing!” Katie gushed as they joined the throng of people, heading towards the exit. “The songs, the lighting, the whole production, I just…” she sighed happily as her hand curled around Steve’s and he looked down at her smiling. He was just about to reply when her face split into another grin and she jerked them both sharply to the left.

“Honey, what…”

“Merchandise!” she grinned, “I just want to look.”

Steve allowed her to lead him over to the counter, as she peered down, clearly mulling something over.

“I might get a programme…”she mused, before she wrinkled her nose “Mind you I’ll never look at it again…already got the soundtrack….oohhhhh check that out!”

Steve glanced up and saw her eyes had fallen on a black hoody with the show’s logo adorned on the chest in diamantes.

“I need that.”

He laughed, “At eighty bucks you don’t need it.” “I do.” “No, you want it.” “Nope.” she shook her head “It’s a definite need.” “For you to actually need it, then I’d have to ruin all your shirts” he teased and she glanced at him shaking her head.

“Yeah, you still owe me for that…” she snorted before she turned to lead them both away from the stall. “Oh, can I just nip to the bathroom before we head out?” “Sure, I’ll wait for you by the exit.” he said. She smiled, leaned up to kiss his cheek, before she headed off.

Steve watched her go for a second before he turned back to the Merchandise desk. Pulling out his wallet, he asked the attendant for one of the hoodies in a small, he had ruined her shirt after all which he still hadn’t replaced. With a smile he took the bag and headed towards the exit, doing up his jacket as he went. It wasn’t long before she returned and wordlessly he handed her the bag. She took it from him, frowning before she grinned at the contents and shook her head, laughing.

“You didn’t have to get me this.” she said softly.

“Well, as you reminded me, I still owed you for your shirt.”

“Steve, I wasn’t hinting at that, you didn’t…” “I know.” he cut her off softly “But I wanted to.”

She smiled at him again, “You’re such a dork.” she glanced in the bag again before she looked up at him, her face soft “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome Doll…” he said, wrapping his arm round her “Now, not sure about you but I could do with a drink. Fancy heading to The Rum House?” “Oooh yeah!” she grinned as they started to walk back towards Times Square “Haven’t been in there in…well, I can’t remember the last time actually.” He pulled her in closer, dropping a kiss to the side of her head, relishing the fact that he was simply able to do so, in public, show anyone and everyone who was looking that she was his girl. It hadn’t been easy at work, for either of them, but now Tony knew as well it would mean they could relax once they both left the station and enjoy being with one another away from the office. He knew that dating in semi-secret wasn’t perfect, far from it, and moreover that it couldn’t go on for ever, but Steve was damned sure he was going to make it work for as long as they needed it to.

Hand in hand they weaved through the tourists and locals, all going about their business and it wasn’t long before they reached the bar. Steve, ever the gentleman, nodded to the bouncer who opened the door for them and he waited for Katie to walk in before him, his hand gently on the base of her back as he steered them over to the bar. Both of them removed their jackets and waited until a bar tender was free and made his way over to them. Steve’s hands gently dropped to her waist and he pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck, making her smile and lean back slightly into him.

Katie was a sucker for gin, but seeing as they were in The Rum House and he was on his first date with her, Steve convinced her they should make it a special night to remember and he ordered one the bar's signature Rum cocktails for them both. A Mojito for him and a Berry Daiquiri for his girlfriend.

His girlfriend, Steve had smiled when he had uttered those words to the bartender.

They stood listening to the background jazz music while they waited for their drinks by the bar before Steve spotted a stool was spare. He offered it to Katie but she shook her head and instead gently nudged him back onto it so he was perched on the edge, one foot on the rung and she moved to stand between his legs, snuggling into his neck when she suddenly tilted her head back to look at him.

"What cologne are you wearing?" she asked.

"Same as always. Gucci Guilty, why?" Steve replied tightening his grip around his girlfriend’s waist.

"Well, I don't know. It's doing things to me tonight." she confessed biting her bottom lip. "Or maybe it's the fact you're being particularly lovey-dovey. Not that I'm complaining."

Steve didn't say a word, he just smiled and reached up, his hand gently gripping the back of her neck and he brought her lips to his.

"Do you know that PDAs make some people uncomfortable?" Katie asked once they broke the kiss.

"I don't give a shit, doll. I’ve waited long enough and we have to hide it everywhere else." Steve shrugged with a grin plastered on his face.

******

Bucky looked up from his phone on which he had been checking his messages while his date was in the restroom and felt his mouth drop open.  He couldn't believe his eyes when he spotted Steve and Katie by the bar, easily recognising the punk gently kissing his girlfriend from the other side of the room.  Fortunately, they hadn't spotted him. How could they? Steve was all over Katie and she was smiling all gooey eyed at him, blatantly they had no eyes for anyone but each other. And, to be honest, Bucky was happy for them. They deserved to be enjoying themselves, all loved up as Christ knew, the tension at the station was getting harder to handle each day…or should that be Wanda was getting harder to handle each day. Bucky loved seeing his best friend happier than he had ever seen him and he had to admit he had a soft spot for Katie since he had met her a couple of months prior.

His stomach flipped when he realized he was going to be busted as Steve had broken the kiss when the waitress had placed their drinks in front of them and now the punk was scanning the place for a free table. No turning back now. There was no way he could stand up without Steve spotting him almost immediately and hiding under the table was out of the question.

He saw Steve look directly at him and open his mouth to say something but he frowned and closed it immediately. He turned to Katie, spoke to her and Bucky saw her look in his direction, her eyes wide open, an understanding look on her face. Next thing he knew, they had both grabbed their drinks, jackets and Steve was dragging Katie towards his table.

"Buck! Of all the places! What are you doing here? Can we?" Steve asked pointing at the vacant chairs, just moving one for Katie to seat before sitting himself on the one next to her.

"Same as you, I guess." Bucky deadpanned.

"He's on a date. Stevie. Come on, let's leave him alone." Katie said squeezing Steve's arm.

Bucky gave Katie his best smile of gratitude but it was too late.

"Yo, Captain. Katie?"

"Sam? What are you doing here?" Steve asked dumbfounded as Sam sat next to Bucky.

"I'm on a date." he said with a broad smile. "With him." he said pointing at Bucky with his thumb as he saw Steve's puzzled expression.

Bucky shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose as he heard Katie sigh and saw her purse her lips to avoid laughter. He was about to speak, better later than never, he thought but then Sam chipped up again.

"I thought you and Wanda were.." Sam began to ask Steve but stopped and jumped slightly on his seat when Bucky kicked him under the table.

Katie rolled her eyes at him and muttered under her breath “bitch.”

"No." Steve chuckled, and he looked at Katie who shrugged before he turned to Sam "I'm with Katie." he added holding her waist and placing a kiss on her head.

"Oh." Sam said surprised at first but then just nodded with a big smile on his face "Cool." he said before turning to Bucky "Why didn't you tell me? I've been missing a lot, man!"

"Sorry" Bucky said apologetically.

"Sorry? The juiciest gossip of the station for years and you didn't tell me?" Sam insisted.

"It wasn't for me to tell. They want to lay low." Bucky protested

"And just like that we're supposed to be cool?" Sam asked Bucky, faking annoyance.

"Sorry to interrupt your Married with Children scene, but you two are together as well and I had no idea!" Steve scoffed.

"You're clueless, Stevie." Katie chuckled.

"You knew?" he asked looking at her surprised.

"Yup. Not that they ever told me, but you only have to read the signs. Follow the yellow brick road, Captain." she shrugged.

Bucky could see Steve's mind whirring, trying to place the pieces in the correct slots. Signature Captain expression and all.

"So, Alex...?" he asked Bucky.

"Alex was Alexander, and Sam is Samuel, not Samantha as your ma believed." Bucky nodded and looked at his friend trying to read in his eyes an acceptance he was desperate to obtain.

"Hey Sam. Did Buck tell you he learnt what cunnilingus is today?" Katie tried to help Bucky out.

And just like that Steve spat his drink, making everyone laugh.

"That so?" Sam asked raising an eyebrow at Bucky.

"Yeah, it's a right. That's what it is." he said grinning and hi-fived with Katie.

"And now if you excuse me gentlemen, I need to go to the restroom." Katie said standing up after pecking Steve in the lips.

"And I'm buying all of us shots. Be right back." Sam stood as well.

“Hey, Sam…” Steve gently touched his arm as he moved to walk past him “Me and Katie, no one else on the job knows other than you guys and Tony. I’d appreciate it if it stayed that way, at least for the foreseeable.” “My lips are sealed man.” Sam said, patting him on his shoulder as he headed to the bar.

"Listen, pal..." Bucky said to Steve who shook his head.

"You don't have to say anything, Buck." Steve cut him off raising his palm and Bucky sighed relieved as he saw Steve smile at him.

"Gotta admit I was worried about you finding I was bi. I wanted to tell you so many times, Steve." Bucky said with a mixture of emotion and worry. “I just, guess I was scared how you’d take it…”

"You really did take all the stupid with you, didn't you?" Steve chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t give a shit Buck. As long as you’re happy.”

"Till the end of the line?" Bucky asked, holding his fist out.

"Till the end of the line." Steve nodded, bumping his own against Bucky’s.

Katie returned and took the seat next to Steve and his hand dropped to her leg, smiling as Sam returned with a bottle of tequila and 4 shot glasses, plus a load of sliced lemons and the salt shaker.

The 4 of them settled into a comfortable chat, talking about anything and everything BUT the job, and Steve found himself on more than one occasion just listening as Katie laughed and joked with Sam, more often than not at Bucky’s expense, but as he looked at his best friend he could tell he was loving every second of it. He observed a few little moments between Bucky and Sam, gentle touches and it warmed Steve’s heart to see his friend so blatantly happy.

Half an hour or so passed and they’d emptied their second drinks, and half the bottle of Tequila as well. Noticing their empty glasses Sam nodded to them.

"Want another round?" he asked.

Steve hesitated and looked at Katie who leaned over his ear to whisper "While they're here your flat is empty."

And that was enough for Steve to jerk up holding Katie's hand.

"Sorry, we're on a date and we've got, erm, places to be." he said holding Katie's jacket open so that she could put it on.

"See you tomorrow at the station, guys." Katie quipped.

"Bullshit, see you at breakfast." Bucky snarked back as she flipped him off, Sam roaring with laughter.

"Yeah, whatever. Behave." Steve said before dragging Katie out of the bar into the chill streets of Manhattan.

***** “I’ve had…” Katie undid the belt on her jacket as she walked through to Steve’s living room, “the most amazing night, thank you…”

She shrugged off her jacket, tossing it onto the back of the sofa, Steve doing the same with the bag containing her hoody and his jacket before he dropped a kiss to her lips.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it doll…” he said gently, kissing her again, pulling her to him as his hands wrapped around her back. Her arms looped around his neck as he reached down and hooked his hands round the back of her thighs, easily picking her up. She giggled, wrapping her legs round his waist, her nose brushing against his as he carried her down the hall. As they walked he heard 2 dull thuds on the floor, indicating she’d kicked off her boots and he smirked against her lips as he dropped her gently on his bed. He shucked off his own shoes as he reached behind his head and grabbed a fist full of his T-shirt, yanking it over his head before he dropped down on the bed, settling his hips in between her legs in the space she made for him as she ran her hands through his hair. He smiled softly at her before he pressed his lips back to hers, kissing her deeply, his large hands gently sliding up the side of her ribs, pulling off the top she was wearing. His fingers lightly brushed over the soft skin of her belly, stopping as he reached the waistband of her jeans. With an easy movement, his hands popped the button, sliding down the zip and he shimmied down the bed to slide the denim down over her legs, letting out a soft moan as he found out she was, indeed, wearing the matching pair of panties to her bra. He pressed soft kisses to the inside of her leg, working his way up from her knee to her thigh and she let out a sigh, her hand tangling in his hair.

“Glad your beard is pretty much back…” she said and he chuckled as he reached the top of her leg, his lips ghosting across the top of  the lace garment, placing a soft kiss just below her navel.

“You have an unhealthy obsession with my facial hair…” he said, as he hooked his fingers into the lace he was currently nuzzling at her through.

“I like the way it feels…”she muttered as he gently slid her underwear down.

“Yeah?” he asked, deliberately brushing his whiskers back along the inside of her thigh.

“Yeah…” she nodded, her hands once more in his hair, running down the back of his neck to his shoulders, and back again. He let out a sigh at her touch as his hands slid up the outside of her legs, before he gently nipped at her skin just below her hip, as she arched her back, letting out a soft cry.

“You know I heard you before…” he teased, his lips continuing their movement across her belly once more.

“What?”

“You, and Natasha…and a certain something being a right…”

He glanced up at her in time to see her open her eyes and grin at him but before she could make any snarky come back he set his mouth on her causing her unuttered words to die in her throat as she let out a low groan and began writhing in pleasure as his tongue and lips worked her over. He felt her hand tangle into his hair, and heard the rustle to the side as her other gripped at the sheets. Her sweet, salty tang on his tongue set every nerve in his body on edge and the more he tasted the more he wanted. He knew he was groaning himself with each lick and suck he gave her but he was aroused, really aroused and the warm feeling across his stomach was getting harder to ignore the more he worked her. He focused his attention back on her little bundle of nerves, licking at it before closing his lips around it and sucking it into his mouth, gently grazing with his teeth and with that he felt her body convulse, her back arched and she let out a strangled cry, his name on her lips and it made him slightly smug to hear. Steve held her down gently, one strong arm over her small waist and as her hand gripped his hair harder, she groaned brokenly once more pushing on his head, too sensitive now in the throes of her orgasm. Taking the hint, he moved his mouth and crawled back up the bed, taking in her flushed appearance as she looked at him, her chest heaving.

“Good?” he asked breathlessly, staring at her, seeking confirmation despite the fact she lay completely and utterly undone beneath him.

“God, yes…” her voice was gruff, as she kissed him, the fact that he could still clearly taste her on his tongue meant that she would be able to too, and the fact that she didn’t care made him shudder.

She began to trail her hand back down his chest reaching for his buckle her fingers gently grazed his stomach, lingering there before moving down to his jeans. He bucked at the touch as she slowly undid his belt, taking her time as she locked her eyes onto his again, lust had turned into softness. He stared right back at her, her eyes reminding him of emeralds, deep green, speckled with dots of brown, the slight ring of amber surrounding her pupil reminded him of the sun. Telling him of the power she exuded over him and the warmth she brought to his life. He was aware that his breathing had quickened and he let out a low growl before he kissed her, harder and his hands slid underneath her. She arched her back slightly allowing him to undo the clasp of her bra and he placed a gentle kiss on each shoulder as he slid the straps down over her arms, removing it completely. He was achingly hard now, and he needed to do something about it so he quickly stood up, shedding the rest of his clothes and in a flash he was on her again, mouth hungrily covering hers as his hands trailed up her legs, to her hips, up the side of her body and then onto her breasts teasing gently. She groaned, rolling her head back on the pillow at the sensation, her hips bucking upwards.

"Fuck." he seethed out at the feeling of her grinding up against his rock hard crotch, and he nuzzled at her neck with his nose again. She dragged her fingers up his spine as he buried his face in the side of her neck working at the pulse spot beneath her ear, the little noises of pleasure she was making were music in his ear. Her hips began to move, pushing up against him again, groans falling from her lips at the sensation as he nipped slightly at her neck and then moved his mouth to her chest, taking her right nipple in. Her groans were growing louder now and Steve couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted to be in her, surrounded by her, feel her. But before he could do anything about it, Katie sat up slightly, pushing on his shoulders. It was just a hard enough shove to make him understand she wanted him to lay on his back, and he was more than happy to let her take control.  As she straddled him his hands tangled in her hair, pulling her face down to kiss him and as he did so she reached down between them, taking him in her hand. He groaned but didn’t release her mouth as she adjusted position to take him in. Slowly she slid down onto him, a dirty moan flowing from her mouth which he swallowed with his kiss as she stayed pressed against him, and she began to move, rolling her hips forward. She was quick to find a rhythm and her mouth fell open against his lips and she let out a shaky moan before sitting up fully.

The sight of her on top, illuminated by soft light streaming in through the slight cap in the curtains was almost enough to tip him right over there and then. He wanted to touch her, so he did, bringing her hands up to run them up her sides until his hands cupped her breasts, thumbs running over her nipples as she let out another moan. As she picked up the pace his hands went to her hips, pulling her down onto him harder, thrusting upwards to meet her for every move she made. She continued to move, quickening, her eyes never leaving his.

“Stevie…”she groaned, as he tilted his hips up harder and he let out a groan himself, increasingly determined to get her there again before he lost it. As he felt himself beginning to tip over the edge, his hand moved from her hip to stroke at that spot between her legs and that did it. He felt her tense up and tighten around him, crying out loudly and unbridled as she shook. The sight of her coming undone on top of him, her cheeks flushed, lips pink, mouth open in a now silent scream, was simply incredible and quite possibly the single most exquisite thing he had ever seen. All of that, coupled with the force of her heat tightening even, more made him lose himself.

“Fuck, Doll…” the curse fell from his lips as he thrust upwards, before he spilled himself inside her again, the wave of pleasure deeper than anything he’d felt before. Katie collapsed forward onto his chest, her tremors subsided, both of them panting. He held her close, his fingers running up and down her spine as she let out a soft “hum” of contentment and he sat up, wanting to see her face to face. Still cradling her close he pushed the hair that had fallen over her face back behind her ears and she reached up, running her hands through his, causing him to close his eyes at the sensation of her nails on his scalp.

When he opened them again and looked at her something flashed in her eyes as the slight gleam of light through the curtains caught her face. She was looking at him, features soft, almost as if she was seeing him for the first time. His breath quickened slightly as he simply looked at her, seeing the adoration in her eyes, no one had come close to ever making him feel like this.

“God, I love you.” he whispered, pulled her closer, his nose rubbing up against hers.

Without missing a single beat, she spoke in return as their noses continued their lazy dance, the words coming easily.

"I love you too.”

It wasn’t the first time they’d said that, but for some reason right there and then it just felt different. Like it meant more, as if they were both understanding there and then in that moment that this was it for them, that this was the start of their forever. The realisation lit a fire in Steve’s chest and he kissed her softly, grinning like a total idiot as she was smiling too, the kisses growing softer and shorter until she pulled away completely, her hand gently on his cheek, fingers tangling in his beard. He could see that her eyelids were heavy, clearly exhausted from the exhilaration of the entire day and night, and with a last kiss to the tip of her nose, he set them both down in the bed and slid a hand under her and pulled her to him, chest pressing into her back. He placed a final soft kiss on the back of her neck before he pulled the covers back up over them and closed his eyes.

Right there Steve knew that there wasn’t possibly any man on the planet that could claim to be happier than he was.

[hellsparadiseessays]

Little details from Chapter 71

[Under the read more for the sake of keeping the post short and not spoil people]

This chapter is, again, focused on fights, so the general action is fairly straight forward and a conclusion to what we’ve been shown in the early chapters, when our criminals arrived on the island with the Asaemon. Still, there are some neat little details worth pointing out in it. 

It looks like UG decided to associate the rose with Chôbe? It’s also interesting that he picked rather a rather practical outfit, compared to the more regal allure of the Tensen - a good reflection of his personality, we already saw him put his sleeves up in a previous chapter as well, it seems Chôbe, while conscious of his appearance, still enjoys practicality/comfort.

Tao Fa wears her silk scarf like a Tenne. An element of the Buddhist divine iconography, used to signify the celestial aspect of the character depicted, it is also found in Shintoism and associated with gods such as the twin gods of Thunder and Wind Raijin and Fujin, or with Bishamonten, the god of War. It is commonly associated with Bosatsu, especially Kan’non, the God/Goddess of Compassion and Mercy. The latter’s iconography is, interestingly, partially applied to the Kishikai form of the Tensen. Fun fact: Bosatsu/Boddhisatva are persons who achieved Nirvana but renounced it to act as guide for the salvation of the soul (breaking the cycle of reincarnation) by reincarnating themselves. It fits the divine and enlightened aspect of the Tensen - though it is pretty ironic in their case, considering they are terribly human themselves and more enclined to kill humans for the sake of their research than help them find salvation. 

It looks like Fuchi is still mad at Tôma for his betrayal. Tôma may have judged him as a creepy weirdo, but Fuchi really is a sensitive soul despite his strange demeanor, isn’t he? Tôma’s hesitation is also very interesting. Could it be the key to Chôbe not murdering everybody, in the long run? They already have a good point for having taken good care of Tôma, after all, and Chôbe showed gratitude for that - albeit in his own way, by letting Fuchi and Tamiya handle Tao Fa. It’s a good match-up for them too, since Tao Fa is Wood, while Fuchi is Metal and Tamiya is Fire: in the Theory of the Five Elements, Metal hinders Wood and Wood generates Fire. 

It’s not really a neat little detail but I was waiting for Chôbe to start shit with Ju Fa ever since Rien took him to Hôrai. It’s hilarious because Ju Fa was probably too haughty to realise he was next to a man really motivated to murder him - even when said man straight up announced it by saying it was himself and his brother Ju Fa had nearly killed and thrown in the Tan Pit. Ju Fa, you’re an idiot blinded by your arrogance. Chôbe being the first one to strike him is gold, really. Concerning their fight, him and Tôma may not have it easy, since Fire (Ju Fa) hinders Metal (Chôbe)... However, we also saw Chôbe able to not only go head-to-head with Gabimaru (also Fire), but capable of taking Ju Fa’s hits without being brutally taken down - him being able to hold his own like that, in such a short amount of time, was even deemed exceptional. Let’s just hope that Chôbae won’t be too reckless in his fight - Tôma may inform him of the danger of too much regeneration, in order to protect him from his own recklessness. 

Snark really is Chôbe’s primary weapon, isn’t it? The fact that he never had any respect for them and it totally flew over their head do show how far up their own pseudo-godly arse the Tensen are. Even when faced with an oddly earnest liar like Chôbe, they failed to consider he may actually try to fuck shit up as soon as the opportunity arises. A good punishement for their hubris. 

This has been a running gag on the Discord server, but Ju Fa really is that Jealous Emo Boyfriend, isn’t he? You’re not the only person who’s pissed off, Chrysantheum Boy.

After the reference to an old Idol duo (if I understand correctly, UG’s version is something along the line of The Stardust Brothers lol), we get the Team Rocket. UG lowkey being a meme lord with the Aza Brothers is something I live for. (Second pic coming from here)

Edit: I told you something was up with Chôbe’s braid btw lol UG even liked my tweet on that matter without replying, he knew I was onto him and his plot haha

[slytherinmuggle-born]

Chapter Three

Victoria, unlike one might think, was not obsessed with blood status. However, with her family background, her parents' expectations, she tended to pretend otherwise. She was currently in her room at Malfoy manor, reading a classical Muggle book she had kept hidden from her family’s sight for over a year: Wüthering Heights by Emily Brontë, pretty good but not enough. Her room consisted of a vast bedroom with a semi-circle balcony. The latter was accessible through tall windows hidden with heavy, burgundy velvet curtains on either side and white, silken curtains in the centre. A white marble and black vanity sat on the far right corner, opposite the entrance, and a white and gold velvet ottoman was on the right wall, with a queen-size four-poster bed with white silk beddings and dark burgundy velvet curtains. On the right was the door to her study, with overflowing ebony bookshelves, her father's life-size portrait on the wall right behind her black leather desk chair, a mahogany desk, and two chairs on the other side of the desk. Her bathroom was all white marble, her bathtub has golden lion paws, and her full-length mirror has similarly coloured borders.

She was on her way to replace the book when she heard a hesitant knock on her door. Frowning, she made her way towards the source of the sound. Victoria opened the door to see an almost scared Draco standing awkwardly in the corridor.

"Since when do you knock on this door?" She asked, raising a well-shaped brow at him.

He gulped hard before storming in her room and sitting on her ottoman. "Do you love me?"

She sat on the cushioned chair near her vanity and crossed her legs. “What’d you want, Malfoy?

He knew his request was doomed when she called him by their common last name, but asked anyway, "Would you like to go to Hogwarts one last year and graduate?"

"What the bloody f—?"

"Language, young lady!" Her father warned from his portrait in the study.

"Sorry father," she apologised. "What hatred would compel you to ask me such a thing?"

He filled her in on the morning's events: the meeting with Middleton, the plan he had in mind, and finally, Edmund's dare. She lost it, then.

"You did WHAT?!” Victoria bellowed, making Draco wonder if she was related to Bellatrix in any way.

"He does have a point," he objected raising his hands protectively. "We should just perform our N.E.W.Ts so that we can work later and—"

"I do not want to work! The deal was always that after seven years at Hogwarts, I got to live in peace. I have my inheritance and I’ll probably marry rich, why break tradition?” She asked, approaching him slowly, threateningly. “Because you roped yourself into some kind of wicked game with the old Zabini?!” She ended her furious seething by pulling out her ash wand and pointing it at him.

"He-He-Hey, stop that, you're not seventeen yet!" He stammered, poking his vest for his mother's wand.

"So what?" She asked, voice terrifyingly soft. "Are they going to expel me? Oh, bother…"

"They’ll also break the wand you’re pointing at me,” he murmured, as she pressed the tip of said-wand against his Adam’s apple.

She pursed her lips and retracted her hand slowly. "Why did you want to sabotage her interview, anyway?"

"Because it made sense. For old times’ sake… Not to mention I would have hated to see her each time I visited Blaise," he stated casually, still eyeing her wand.

"You’re acting like you still go there regularly. The last time you’ve been there, aside from today, was three months ago." Victoria demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "Why did you do that?"

"I uh… Listen, do you promise not to tell anyone?" He asked, lowering his head.

She nodded. "Do you not know to trust me, by now? Now speak, from the very beginning, I want to know everything."

He sat back on the ottoman and she sat opposite him, on her bed. "Well you remember that final battle, right? Well at one moment I was outnumbered by Death Eaters, and—"

She interrupted him. "I thought you were on the Dark side?"

He glared at her before saying, "Don't interrupt me again, and I just realised that Voldemort was doomed, so Blaise and I started fighting Death Eaters. Any last questions?"

"Not a question but when I say to tell me from the start, you'd better tell me the bloody start. Go on." She faced him, her head on her right hand and her elbow on the bed.

He sighed. "All right, so we were fighting and one of them Stunned Blaise, leaving me alone against two Death Eaters when she came and practically saved my life—” She raised her left hand, asking for permission to speak. "Yes?"

"No surprise, there. You were always the lesser fighter.”

A scowl played at the edges of his lips before he continued. "Well, whenever I ask her why she saved me, she never truly answers which I found annoying and I went to sabotage her interview…"

She took his silence as an opportunity to speak. "And condemn me to go back to that school with zero freedom, thanks a lot. You're the best!" Victoria interjected her tone overly sarcastic.

His dawning scowl dropped. "I apologise, I don't want to go there either. I'm the traitor, remember? The one who was there when Dumbledore died, the one who brought Death Eaters into Hogwarts.”

“It’s not like it’s undeserved,” she muttered, earning a glare. “You dragged me down with you; you are not immune to this kind of remark from me!”

"All right, all right… So say, how are we going to enrol again if they don't send us the letters?"

"Don't you know Zabini by now?" She asked sarcastically and he frowned. "He must be owling McGonagall at this exact moment, the man is probably extra worried about our education now that you went to him and tried to be a smartass."

"Language, Victoria," Draco sighed.

"Is your name Marcus?" She asked.

"No..?" He said unsure.

"Then shut the hell up!" She exclaimed.

He scoffed and stood up on his way out, but she spoke again.

"Hey I think it's the Triwizard Tournament, this year!"

He turned to her abruptly. "The what?!"

"The Triwizard Tournament, you know dangerous, deadly, fame and stuff…" She trailed off casually.

"It's this year?" He ascertained.

She nodded. "Positive, I read about it in the Prophet about a fortnight ago."

"Mother is going to lose her head, there’s no way she’s going to let us go." Draco sighed.

"I'll talk to her, don't worry." She assured him.

"Thanks Vicky," he flopped down on the ottoman again, having stood up when he exclaimed about the Tournament.

With that, she ushered him out of the room. She went back to her bathroom and stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She was wearing wide, white, linen shorts, and a dark grey tank top. Not the best outfit to talk to her aunt about such a sensitive topic. The messy golden bun was not the right hairdo, either. Victoria took a bath. If she was going to speak to her aunt, her hair had better be straight again instead of looking like oddly squished brass wires, tousled from the hair tie. The Slytherin Chaser then put on a white sundress. She wore her hair in a neat French braid with help from a house elf she had summoned; and then she put on just enough makeup to give herself the subtle glow of a porcelain doll. Victoria then asked the elf where Narcissa was and followed her directions to the drawing room. She knocked on the thick wooden door and heard her aunt's breath of a voice.

"Come in."

"Hello, Aunt Cissy," she murmured as she walked in. "How are you, today?"

"Quite alright, thank you dear," she replied sweetly, pulling the needle on a new stitch of her embroidery.

"There is… Something I'd like to ask you, more like a request," she began as she sat down on an armchair, facing her aunt.

"What is it?" Narcissa asked sternly, looking up.

"You see, Draco and I are really concerned about our futures. Without our N.E.W.Ts, we will never be able to have apply for proper work, and we will always be looked down on, especially with most of our inheritance taken by the Ministry, following the war… So what I ask of you is to let us go back to Hogwarts for this year, for our seventh year in order to take our N.E.W.Ts.," she declared in one breath, leaving out the anticipation that threatened to make her panic.

"I expect there is a 'but', isn't there?" She asked suspiciously, lifting one eyebrow.

"But," Victoria sighed, emphasising the word. "This year, there is going to be the Triwizard Tournament, therefore I ask you not to worry about us—"

"No, no you will not attend." She hissed, standing up "I forbid it."

"Please, Aunt Cissy, I promise I will not put my name in the Goblet and I will see that he doesn't either I'll even Stun him for that!" she begged, holding Narcissa’s shaky hand.

Narcissa sat back down with a huff. "It's dangerous; you children have no idea how… You know what happened to my fool of a brother, thirty years ago; he signed up for this death trap of a game. He craved the fame and glory of the winner, but in the end… In the end he…" The words died in her throat as she looked down at her embroidery on her lap. It looked suspiciously like the Rosier coat of arms.

Victoria walked over to her, knelt before her, and put her hands on her aunt's before murmuring soothingly, "Aunt Cissy, we know how much pain that put you through, we realise how averse you feel toward the Tournament, and we'd die before causing you any more harm than what you've already experienced.

"All we're interested in is our studies, our futures… If we do not find proper jobs, we will soon decrease in wealth; our inheritance is not nearly enough to satisfy our lifestyle… You wouldn't want to sell this house, would you?" She finished indulgently.

Narcissa looked away. "Fine. But I will disown any of you who put your names in that cursed Goblet. This is my only warning."

"And you'd be right to do so," Victoria agreed, standing back up. "Please don’t worry about us, we will do our best to be the safest possible."

"I hope so," she murmured almost absently, getting back to her work.

"Your embroidery looks lovely, by the way." Victoria stood up and left the drawing room.

Victoria gently closed the door and walked towards her cousin's room. She let herself in without knocking, making him look up at her expectantly.

"We can go but I have the liberty of Stunning you if you try to put your name in the Goblet of Fire," she declared, regarding him haughtily from where he lay in bed.

"Remember, that’s only in case I try to put my name in,” he warned, half-joking.

“Whatever. You owe me twice over, that’s all that matters.”

[axelsagewrites]

Raphael Santiago*Babysitting

Requested by anonymous:

Magnus' daughter when she's like 7 and Raphael babysits for a night and they bond?

Child!Reader X babysitter!Raphael (Platonic)

Masterlist HERE

Wattpad HERE

Magnus had adopted (Y/N), a young warlock when she was 5. She had almost killed her family with her magic which was strong and the family had basically dumped the child on his doorstep. Magnus took her in and for the past 2 years he hadn’t thrown any parties or had her stay over at anyone's house. Yes, he had had drinks and had people over to hang out but he didn’t want to leave (Y/N) behind. Tessa had helped him sometimes with her and stayed over but Magnus was scared to let her out his sight. He was worried her magic might come out and hurt, or kill, someone like it almost did years before. Though after 2 years her magic was better under control and only flared during a tantrum. Magnus still was slightly nervous about leaving (Y/N) with one of his friends so chose not to. Well, until the clave had summoned him. He was to attend Idris for some hearing or trial, he didn’t really care so forgot, and he didn’t want to expose (Y/N) to the cruel shadowhunters. Tessa was also going to the thingy, Catrina was rushed off her feet with being a nurse, Ragnor wasn’t answering his letters and all his other friends were party animals Magnus wouldn’t trust to look after (Y/N). All but one; Raphael Santiago. Magnus knew Raph had had little siblings but he also knew Raphael's personality was cold and sarcastic. Even still he was the last option. It's not that Magnus didn’t trust him, he did, but its that Raphael isn’t someone who looks like they like little kids. He seems like the one to steal their candy. When Magnus phoned Raphael to ask if he was busy he said he wasn’t though he was sceptical when Magnus asked him to come over to his apartment. Reluctantly Raphael went through the portal Magnus sent for him. Magnus had cleaned the apartment, put meals and snacks in the fridge and laid out (Y/N)’s clothes for the next day. The only thing he hadn’t done was told Raph why he was coming over. Raphael stepped through the portal clearing annoyed. “What is it, Magnus?” “I need a favour.” Raphael lifted an eyebrow at that. His gaze was drawn down to Magnus’s legs as (Y/N) stepped nervously out from behind her dad. Raphael knew Magnus had a daughter but hadn’t met her. “Can you look after (Y/N) for the night? The clave called me in.” “Why can't you ask one of your friends?” “Cat’s busy, Tessa’s in Idris and Ragnor has gone off the grid,” Magnus said in one breath. “No, he isn’t. he’s been answering my messages, you're just annoying.” (Y/N) pointed at Raphael and said in a high pitched voice “He’s being mean papa.” (Y/N) faced Raphael and said in the same tone “You’re not allowed to be a meanie beanie!” “Says who?” Magnus shot him a warning look. (Y/N) crossed her arms and walked over to him. “Me. You cant insult, my papa. Or else.” “Or else what?” Raphael crouched down to her level. They stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds. Magnus swallowed the lump in his throat. “Or else Santa won't get you anything for Christmas.” Raphael smiled when she said that. She was so innocent, she still believed in the jolly old fat guy. “You’re right, princessa.” Raphael stood up but (Y/N) wasn’t done. “You need to apologise.” Raphael rolled his eyes and looked at a smirking Magnus. “My apologies, Magnus.” He said in a dead voice. “Better.” She chirped before running off. “Please,” Magnus asked Raphael. He sighed. “Promise you won't bring up my apology again,” Magnus nodded and Raph sighed again. “Fine. But I want to be paid. I want at least 2 more suits out of this. Italian.” “Deal.” Magnus said his goodbyes to (Y/N) and Raphael but before he left through the portal he told Raphael were everything was and to not leave the apartment with (Y/N).  Raphael nodded along, not really listening to him.

After Magnus left Raphael turned to (Y/N) who was sat on the couch staring at the ceiling. “I'm boreeeeed!” She whined. “What do you want to do?” Raphael stood in front of her. It was around 4 o'clock and he didn’t want to have (Y/N) kick off at the beginning of the night. Knowing Magnus he thought (Y/N) would be like him; annoying and dramatic. She thought it over before looking at Raphael with a pleading look. “Your makeup” “Oh, no no no.” “Oh yes yes yes.” She copied. “Please,” She dropped to her knees and clasped her hands together. “I promise to be on my best behaviour if you say yes.” 20 minutes, a lot of glittery makeup and Raphael getting poked in the eye with eyeliner at least 5 times later were they finally done. Raphael’s face was smeared with makeup. It wasn’t horrible but he hated it. (Y/N) wanted him to do her make up so Raphael did it on one condition. She wasn’t allowed to touch his hair. She promptly agreed. Her makeup was even worse than his but (Y/N) assured him she loved it. It was around dinner time at this point so Raphael went to the fridge. The ‘food’ Magnus said he left in the fridge was leftover takeout. Raphael sighed and decided to just make (Y/N) something. (Y/N) wanted to help so for the next hour Raphael taught (Y/N) how to make paella the right way, not phoning it in. After Raphael made (Y/N) help him wash the dishes and clean up. She was bored at first but once Raphael started telling her some old stories his mother had told him she was happy again. After cleaning (Y/N) asked him to teach her to bake as well as cook. Raphael agreed, not realising how wrong it could go. Flour was thrown, eggs were smashed, and cake mix was ate raw but somehow after another long, long hour in the kitchen, the pair sat down to eat the cake that was somehow ok. The kitchen, not so much, so after another hour cleaning the pair collapsed onto the couch to watch crappy kids show. Raphael didn’t admit it but adventure time became his new favourite show after watching it. Around 8 in the evening Raphael got some calls from Lily, saying some fledgelings were having a party and she was done with their crap. Raphael sighed but knew he would have to go investigate. (Y/N) was meant to be going to sleep in an hour so Raph got (Y/N) in her pj’s and got some clothes for tomorrow and told her to pack a bag. He said they were going somewhere to have a sleepover and she squealed to go get ready. He got her different clothes than Magnus had laid out since the ones he had put on her bed were all obnoxiously pink and glittery. Even (Y/N) grimaced at her papa’s choice. Raphael didn’t admit it but he did love clothes. He had a great sense of fashion, in his opinion, so didn’t have an issue picking (Y/N) an outfit. They settled on a black shirt with flowers embroidered on the shoulders, black jeans and a gold bow tie. Raph folded it and placed it in (Y/N)’s backpack which she had shoved some toys and stuff in. Raphael made sure he took out all the makeup from the bag. That reminded him, he quickly went into Magnus’ room and got some wipes. He cleaned him and (Y/N)’s faces and headed off to the Dumort.

Raphael wasn’t worried about the vampires at the Dumort as they all understood not to mess with him. That’s probably why the fledgelings waited till he was gone to mess around. He quickly explained to Lily why (Y/N) was here and got Lily to take her to his room while he dealt with the fledgelings. He came back to his room to find Lily and (Y/N) in face masks with (Y/N) standing behind Lily, braiding her hair. Upon seeing Raphael the girls grinned. Within 10 minutes Raphael was in a face mask and playing some silly games (Y/N) had brought over.

(Y/N) hadn’t wanted to go to sleep. Luckily Raphael had had little siblings so knew how to handle it, unlike Lily who almost pulled out her hair. After half an hour (Y/N) was sleeping in Raphael's bed. He didn’t often sleep in it but it was times like this he had it.

In the morning (Y/N) hung out with Raphael and some vampires who were still up. She loved meeting new people and was only a little shy. Most of the vampires gushed over her and played along with whatever crazy game she was doing. Then again the vampires were also tired so that might be why.

Magnus was frantic when he got home to an empty apartment. He phoned Raphael and his worry turned to relief and anger when he heard where (Y/N) was. Magnus quickly portalled over there and took (Y/N) home. He was worried about Camille being there but Raphael ensured him she was off at her lover's for the weekend. For the next week (Y/N) kept talking about Raphael. It would have been annoying if it wasn’t for the picture (Y/N) showed Magnus. A photo of Raph with his make up done that she had taken when he wasn’t paying attention. After that night Raphael would look after (Y/N) at least once a week. It meant Magnus could go and party again and that (Y/N) could hang out with Raphael and sometimes the vampires. Especially auntie Lily and uncle Raph. Though she didn’t call her auntie Lily for long as within the month (Y/N) developed a crush on her and Raph and Magnus made sure to tease her for it.