#and one of them turned into a full-blown mini-chapter

[brown-little-robin]

You’re asking me to cripple him? Me?!

[a draft-preview of Clone Six. Subject to change.]

Thad Six is my dearly beloved clone. Created by a bored villain who just wanted to watch a speedster wreak havoc, Six will be an antagonist in Strange Redemption. He is capable of enormous destruction—and he indulges himself. He believes that life is a game where the most powerful people have the most fun. As Inertia, he taunts the Flash family, creating destruction in various places to draw their attention and running away before they got close enough to confront him, dodging into unrelated fights just to create chaos. He is a master at escaping unscathed, leaving only the echoes of mean-spirited laughter behind him.

It comes as a shock to him to have his speed stolen.

Six is no stranger to injury, but he can hardly breathe when he realizes that he’s going to have to clean out the gravel stuck in his cheek. It lodged there, stinging, in that final fight with his genetic double, and his cheek will not fully heal. Ever.

Nothing can compare to the sheer power of a speedster, the sizzle-crack of lightning in their veins. The golden light of the speed force is the shine in their eyes. The speed force, with the souls of the dead, sings and whispers in the back of their minds. Six will long for the speed force for the rest of his life.

He wakes up that night with his cheek stinging, tears dripping salt into the gashes on his cheeks. It’s dark.

Six wakes up at 1:54 AM in a strange purple-swathed room in the house of his genetic double, and he thinks: I can’t do this.

He runs away six days later. Runs, not on the air, not with the wind in his face, not with the speed of lightning, but on a stinking, humid, crowded bus to Gotham City. He is surrounded by tired people, human beings, the scum of the earth, sweaty, miserable creatures. He takes a pile of pages he printed at the library, which his oh-so-generous genetic double allowed him to visit. The papers advertise a meeting of magicians on the night of the solar eclipse. That was six days ago, mere hours after he had his life ripped out of him.

He goes to the site of the solar eclipse meeting and asks around. Three bars later, after being treated like some kind of idiot child and being forced to out himself as Inertia five times in order to get any leverage, he finds a magician still lingering in town after the solar eclipse event. The magician sends him to another magician, who sends him to a witch, who sends him to an honest-to-god wizard.

By the time he reaches the hotel lobby where the wizard is supposed to be, Six’s feet are sore. His ego is sore too.

He knows by now that he was never all that special. He’s past that. His genetic double stroked his hair while he vomited into the toilet, and then he talked him through the aftermath of losing his powers in his excruciatingly gentle way. He took Six’s verbal abuse calmly. And then he named him Six, and that pretty much killed what was left of Six’s idea that he was unique. But people kept laughing at him in the bars and it hurt.

The armpits of his black t-shirt, the one item from his genetic double’s closet that he would deign to wear, are sweaty. Six is dead on his feet. He keeps trying to pull energy from the speed force and finding nothing. Like trying to drink from an empty bottle.

Speaking of which, Six should have brought water. He can’t just steal things anymore.

Six sits down on a bench in the lobby and waits until the wizard comes out of his room.

The wizard looks very normal. Hooked nose. Greying hair. Dingy jeans. A single black earring. Six wouldn’t have recognized him if he hadn’t answered to “Mr. Marzhin” as he dropped off his keys at the lobby desk thing.

The wizard turns to the doors. Six intercepts him.

“Wizard Marzhin—”

“Don’t tell me,” the wizard says, sounding utterly bored. “You just lost everything.”

Six flushes. This guy thinks he’s entitled to drone you just lost everything like it’s the most cliche thing in the world—it’s been a horrible enough week already—

To his horror, he starts to cry.

The wizard sighs. And then Six feels the wizard’s arms wrap around him, hugging him close. Wizard Marzhin smells like damp wood and mushrooms. He is very strong.

“Well, boy,” he says. “I don’t suppose you lost everything around the time of the last solar eclipse?”

Six nods as best as he can.

“Well, I guess I’m stuck with you,” the wizard sighs.

Wizard Marzhin teleports Six somewhere deep in a forest while Six is busy crying into his chest. He also gives Six a bulky kind of jacket with a furry collar and a cup of some kind of spicy drink which Six strongly suspects was drugged. Six started seeing little blue lights, then immediately fell asleep in a confusion of warm robes and blankets.

Wizard Marzhin serves fish roasted over a fire for breakfast. Six accepts that. It’s not like Six can do anything about it. He’s not a speedster anymore. And being stuck in a forest in a weird wizard’s cabin is better than being stuck in that awful ornate house with his genetic double.

Wizard Marzhin is not talkative. He lets Six follow him like a lost puppy that day, but he doesn’t speak to him at all. He doesn’t speak when they leave the cabin. He doesn’t speak as he gathers berries and mushrooms into a basket. He doesn’t speak when he starts scaling a slope barely better than a cliff. He barely even speaks when Six cuts his hand on a spiky root and has to stop for a while, more because of terror at the way the blood keeps slowly welling up than because he couldn’t move. The wizard just stands there with him and waits until Six finds it in himself to stand up and keep following him until he reaches his mysterious destination.

The destination is a tree, where Wizard Marzhin spends some time talking to an owl about, of all things, the owl’s hunting habits. Just chatting. Six watches him sourly. He walks for upwards of an hour to talk to an owl and he won’t say more than five words to Six?

But that night, back at the cabin, sitting by the fire, the wizard says he’s going to teach Six, and Six forgets his resentment.

“What kind of magic?” Six asks, staring eagerly at the wizard. In this firelight, the wizard looks more like a proper wizard; his blue eyes have a kind of sparkle to them.

Wizard Marzhin says, “What are you?”

Six stares. The wizard’s crooked nose casts a sharp shadow that dances unceasingly on his face.

“Huh?”

“Do you know what “wizard” means, boy?”

“What?”

“Wise man.”

“Okay, so?”

“So answer the question or I won’t answer yours, smart-alec. What—are—you?”

Six frowns.

“I’m... a clone.”

“And what’s a clone?”

“Do you live under a rock?” Six asks, incredulous.

Wizard Marzhin snorts. “Just explain it.”

“A clone is a copy of another person.”

“A copy,” the wizard says thoughtfully. “Is that all you are?”

Six winces. It’s not... not true.

“Well, well. You don’t have much of a sense of your own identity. Which could be good, of course... not getting too caught up in the particulars of things, keeping your eyes on the flow of nature... but then again,” he says, and his eyes flash at Six in a menacing kind of way. “If you’re just a copy, you have no substance to you.”

“Shut up,” Six hisses. “I do so.”

The wizard stretches his boots nearer the fire, sighing. The firelight flickers on his face. Six watches him resentfully until he can’t bear the quiet anymore.

“So what if I don’t have a great sense of identity? I can still learn magic. I’m smart.”

“Smart, smart, smart,” the wizard scoffs. “Everyone’s smart. No one’s wise.”

“Well how am I supposed to be wise? No one ever taught me.”

“Well put, boy,” the wizard says. “How indeed? Well... well. You’re going to have a magic by the end of the day. No time for you to have wisdom by then, of course.”

“Oh,” Six says, absorbing that. He is tremendously relieved that he won’t be left powerless. A magic, he’ll have a magic of his own by the end of the day... “Do you know that I’ll have magic the same way you knew that I lost everything?”

“Mm.” The wizard stretches his arms above his head with a yawn. “Mhm... so, boy, what magic do you want to start with?”

“I get to choose?”

“You’ll choose the first one,” the wizard says. “Or be chosen, more like. And it will be special to you forever. But the rest will come... all of it. That’s the way of a druid.”

Six says, “I’m going to be a druid? Like a nature... wizard... whatever?”

“Oh yes. Yes, clone-boy, you’re going to be a druid.” Wizard Marzhin gives one of his sharp glances. “If you don’t let that hate in your heart eat you up like a rotten apple. Then you’ll be a stunted little sorcerer with too much power and no control and someone will have to kill you.”

Six grimaces.

“So what’s it to be?” the wizard asks. “Your first magic... the thing that calls to you... what is it for you?”

Six thinks about it. He wants to ask for lightning, or light, or maybe wind: something that could give him back a connection to the speed force. He wants it so badly. But he knows with complete surety that he is never going to see the speed force again.

Six remains silent for so long that the wizard says, “For me, it was a hawk.”

“I don’t care for animals,” Six says honestly.

The wizard makes a groaning noise. Six ignores him, thinking. If he’s going to have every nature magic eventually, then what does it matter which one he initially picks? Only how it affects Six himself. And Six... his only comfort now is...

“Darkness. I want the dark.”

“The dark, boy?” the wizard says softly. “Be careful, now. Ask for too much, and you’ll go mad.”

“Not the dark in general, then,” Six says, a little alarmed at the idea of somehow owning all of the dark. He couldn’t handle that much. “Just... shadows. Some shadows. To have.”

“Shadows,” the wizard repeats. “You’ll tie yourself to them forever, you know, boy. Half your soul will be in your shadow.”

Six nods. It sounds good.

“You’re certain?”

“I’m certain.”

A cold wind comes up, pushing the flames nearly sideways—away from Six. Six shivers and pulls his cloak tighter around his shoulders.

His cloak?

He looks down at his hands. He is holding a thick fabric of shadow. The dark garment wraps around his neck and has a weight on his back, pools insubstantially around his waist and trails thinly into the grass at the edge of the fire. His hands and shoulders feel the shadows thick and heavy, but the shadows fade away behind him.

He stretches them experimentally, and the cloak spreads out across the ground, darker, darker; the fire becomes the one light in the black expanse of the night. He pulls the shadows back to him and runs them along his arms, feeling the weight of them, and then flips them backward to extend from his back, making wide wings like a black angel. He feels like he could fly, or slip into the shadows and disappear; he has a sudden awareness of every beam of light on his face making him stronger and bigger. He grows. He spreads. He becomes very dark.

Six comes back to himself suddenly. He remembers that he’s a human being with a name. He’s shivering.

His shadow is laughing.

He tucks his shadows underneath his jacket. When he looks up, Wizard Marzhin is smiling at him from across the fire.

Six doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to run cold for the rest of his life.

[xuchiya]

"Chapter 8: Yeosang saves the day!" || kang yeosang [a mini-series]

|| next: chapter 9 || if you haven't read the previous chapter, here's the masterlist.

genre: non!idol yeosang. fluff. angst. violence. mentions: gun. knives. attempt murder/kidnapping. blood. anxiety attack.

"my lady as much as I want to drive that ... chariot as our runaway vehicle ... you're on your own."

"KANG YEOSANG?!"

The next few weeks were a blur of chaos and confusion. The company's stock prices plummeted, partnerships that once seemed rock-solid began to crumble without explanation— pulling out in just a phone call. Having Karina looking at you with a down look as the call from one of the investors had suddenly stopped cooperating with your corporations, and rumours of illegal activities swirled around your family’s business like a dark cloud.

You groan, clicking the exit button with so much frustration after reading the article. It is false information, so much malice in each word and not even a hint of truth, “Karina…”

“Yes lady?” She bows her head which you did wave off a little bit, “One please don’t bow and second, can you look for this resource and take it down? If they did not for the next 24 hours,  file a case for my lawyer.”

She nodded, looking at her tablet before walking to her desk.

At first, you tried to manage the crisis, believing it to be a series of unfortunate coincidences. But as more partnerships retreated and the media started publishing scathing articles, your confusion turned into despair. The articles were brutal, accusing the company of engaging in illegal trades and using banned substances to manipulate partnerships. Your father's once-stellar reputation was being dragged through the mud, and by association, so was yours.

Then all of these articles suggested that you had admitted to feeling overwhelmed and distrusting your team. It painted a picture of a leader who was losing control and questioning the loyalty of those around her. Daniel's seemingly innocent questions from that fateful night now twisted into damning evidence against you. Each day brought a new wave of bad news, and with every plummet of the stock prices, your father's temper flared hotter. His frustration grew with every lost partnership and damaging headline. The tension in the office was palpable, a ticking time bomb ready to explode.

Then, the final blow: a paparazzi photo of you and Yeosang at a carnival, taken out of context and blown into a full-blown scandal. The headlines screamed about inappropriate relationships and misuse of company resources. 

Your heart drops, feeling your face drain from its natural color as you stare at the headline of you and Yeosang. It was undeniably you in the photo, the angle looks like you both are in an intimate position and moment. It killed from the inside on how people can manipulate their words with just one photo and boom! There goes the story and accusations. It was a harmless date— a unwind and relaxing day for you that you were forever thankful for Yeosang. 

It enrages you how people find ways to bring you down after seeing you so high up and above them but nothing can beat your father’s fury was immediate and unrestrained. A knock on your office door divided your attention, “Yes?”

Karina’s head poke in with a troubled look, “Lady … your father is looking for you.” You already know how these will go down and you are ready.

Or so you thought. 

"You think this is a game?!" he shouted, slamming his fists on the desk as the latest scandalous newspaper hit it. "Do you have any idea what you've done to our reputation? First all the percentages did not only drop by five percent but it went down to twenty?!" His nose was flared, if mythical creatures are true then he represents a raging dragon— ready to burn anything in crisp. Maybe including you, if mercy is in his dictionary.

“We can still make this work! It is not yet too late to talk to the media–..”

“Silence!” His voice echoes throughout the room making you immediately shut your mouth.

He moved around his desk, smacking his hand on the big whiteboard attached to the wall far left to his desk where various numbers and pictures of the company displayed, “Not only that but your great grandfather’s partnership?! Do you know how long he worked hard to earn their trust to invest in this corporation?!”

“I have talk them through— I insisted…–” 

“Yet nothing works! … And this—” He suddenly pulled out a bunch of photos, throwing them on the floor. Your eyes focus on the two familiar figures. A different angle between you and Yeosang at the carnival. A stolen photo. 

"I was just trying to unwind, Father! It was one night—"

"One night? Look at the damage!" He picked up the newspaper and waved it in your face, the headline blaring your name alongside scandalous accusations. "Our partners are pulling out, our stock is crashing, and now this! The media is having a field day with our family's name."

You stood your ground, but your voice wavered. "I didn’t do anything wrong. I do not know where all of these are rooted but I have contacted Seonghwa and  Jeonghan about all of these and they are taking care of them! Mr. Kim is still with us— we should be grateful for him and sticking with us! And Yeosang, dad — he is just my bodyguard."

"Just your bodyguard?" His voice rose to a fever pitch. "This isn’t just about you anymore. This is about the entire company, our legacy. Yes! I am grateful  to Mr. Kim but it does not change anything! How could you be so careless?! Every day, we are losing millions! Our reputation is in tatters, and all because you couldn’t handle all these on your hands and keep your personal life out of the public eye!"

His words started to get hurt each time he opened his mouth. It went one ear out to the other yet it left a stinging pain all down to your body and mostly down to your heart. You have never thought you would end up in this situation, a time and moment where you wish that if you did this or that— anything would counter this situation.

Tears stung your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. Your breath ragged from keeping your emotions inside, "I'm not the one causing these problems. There's something else going on here, something we’re not seeing. Father please."

"Stop making excuses!" His face was red with rage, veins bulging in his neck. "You think this is a conspiracy? It's your incompetence! You need to get your act together and fix this. Now."

You watch his figure retreat back to his desk, opening one button of his coat; gaze hard as he look outside his window before turning back to you and speaking those words you never thought he would spat on you out of rage, 

“How can I be so proud of you when all you do is fail and disappoint me all the time.”

The weight of his words crushed you, and without another word, you turned and fled out of the office. Karin and Mingi called after you, but you ignored them, running through the building and out into the bustling city streets. You didn’t stop running until the company building was a distant silhouette behind you, bumping into strangers each time it blurs and fresh salty tears stream down your face. 

Your heart raced when a car screeched to a halt in front of you, the driver leaning out of the window to yell profanities. But you barely registered his words, your mind a chaotic swirl of emotions. You kept running, desperate to find somewhere, anywhere, where you could find peace. Panting, you find yourself lost in the maze of the city— Just like Shibuya Prefecture, it is crowded with pedestrians while you stand in the middle of the throng, feeling like you are drowning in a sea of faces. Your makeup was ruined, hair disheveled, and your spirit shattered.

If calling a name like a mantra would bring back those people you deeply love and are attached to, you would have done it a thousand times but your mouth never opens and only hope it would come on its own to save you. 

On queue, rainfall started to drop on top of your head and sooner you were drenched from head to toe. Clothes clinging to your skin, a puff of air leaving your lips as the coldness turns your body into the depths of numbness; the weather and the season soon changing, drastically.

“My lady?” It was as if hope and the mantra you kept saying inside your head and the agony cannons to those who can feel your pain and sorrow, finally answered. As you spun on your heavy feet, you were faced with a confused Yeosang.

He stood there also drenching from head to toe, his hair down and unkept and his normal uniform you usually saw in him now replaced by a hoodie and dark jeans. Under his arm is his helmet. 

“Y-Yeosang?” you shakily walked towards him, fighting the part of your mind that insisted this was just a cruel trick but when he moved towards you and held your hand; pulling suddenly close to his chest as the sound of the beep of a car echoes your ears but what you heard the most is how fast is heart beats on your ear. 

“I’ll take you it that nothing good happen and you’ll get sick so I'll bring you back to mine.” You did not speak further nor did Yeosang speak more. Without a word, he reached out and took your hand, his grip firm and reassuring. As he led you through the crowded streets, his body became a protective shield, ensuring no one bumped into you. He subtly maneuvered himself to block the view of any passerby who might recognize you, keeping you hidden from prying eyes and potential scandal.

His presence was a barrier against the chaos, a constant, calming force amid the storm. With every step, you felt a little more secure, knowing Yeosang was there, guiding you away from the prying public and the relentless pressures that had been consuming you.

When you reached the shop, you heard him click his tongue in annoyance as he turned around with a contemplated look, lips pressed into thin lines, “Just a slight problem…”

You sniffed a little bit as your eyebrows furrowed in curiosity, “Why?”

“Well I did not expect to see you nor would we bump into each other so … I did not bring my extra helmet and my home is at least 6 or 7 blocks down from here.” You shake your head already seeing the wheels in his brain turning, “Yeosang I can literally hear your thoughts and we are not going down the street with me having no helmet on!”

 He chuckles, unbuckling the strap of the helmet and placing it on your head, as he leans down on the visor area, staring at you with a playful look , “Yeah?”

,,,, 

“KANG YEOSANG! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH?!” You held on to Yeosang tightly as he accelerated more than the usual speed required in the city, Yeosang suddenly pulls front part of the motorbike up in the air— a wheelie— making you yelp and hold on to dear life and call more saints inside your head, 

“Come on my lady! Are you ready?!”

“Argh! Let's get over it!” You could only hear Yeosang laugh through the harsh wind as he waves through past the cars then benking to turn down the street. He turned to you and you could visibly see his birthmark and the crinkles in his eyes— his wet hair swishing on the wind as he turned back around, “That’s my lady!”

Even with the roaring wind underneath the helmet, you felt your heart skipping a beat as you glance at him through the side mirrors. With all the chaos happening in just minutes, you had totally forgotten what happened back in the corporation and the harsh words of your father; you may be labelled as a delusion but Yeosang’s presence had diminished any sort of negative out of your life and being able to see him after months of his resignation.

You were beyond happy and over the moon relief to see him even in the midst of the crowd. It was like fate brought you back to him when you needed him (and probably him needing you the most).

Surprisingly and fortunately, after calling whatever saint you have on your mind left your lips; you arrive at his apartment safe and sound. You hop off the motorbike (with shaking legs) with his help, and remove his helmet, you hear the motorbike turning off with his soft chuckles, “Get used to it, my lady.”

You turned to him with a blank look, “Get used to it?! You swerve each of those cars, beat the red light multiple times and manage to enrage a cop?! Plus you have no gahd damn helmet on! So hell to the no!” He chuckles, taking the helmet from you. You huff making your hair blow away from your face. Your reaction was satisfying in Yeosang’s end as he watches you mumble about being dangerous while taming your wild hair, your golden-brown skin glistening under the lamppost  before turning to him.

“Yeo … we’re gonna get sick.” That snapped him out of his thoughts and cleared his throat to brush off his awkwardness. He swung his leg out of his motorbike, tucking his helmet under his arm, the same arm was a black plastic bag; using his free hand, he grabbed your hand and walked towards the elevator.

After pressing the 8th floor button, he leans on the silver bar and blows out a relieved breath. Catching your eye, he flashes a charming smirk. "Over here," he says, gesturing with an open arm. You hesitate for a beat, unsure of his sudden boldness. He seems to sense your apprehension, shaking his head with a playful smile. Reaching out, he gently takes your arm and pulls you closer, holding you loosely against his side.

You tilt your head to peek up at him, a questioning "Yeo?" escaping your lips.

He meets your gaze, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. He notices a flicker of something in your expression – maybe not discomfort, but a touch of confusion. This earns him a soft chuckle. "Well, with no prying eyes or stuffy protocols around," he murmurs, voice dropping a playful octave, "I finally get to have you close like this."

“What–”

Before you can even stammer out a response, he cuts you off with a teasing grin. "My brilliant lady," he continues, "imagine this – all day you navigate the corporate jungle, juggling numbers, percentages, and intricate company collaborations. You strategize for a dozen objectives, and on top of that, you manage to be a star student, a certified magna cum laude, no less! But..." he trails off dramatically, leaning closer to you to which in your instinct, moving your head backwards,  "do you have even the slightest clue what 'boyfriend' means?"

His teasing question sends a blush creeping up your cheeks at his unexpected praise and playful accusation. You cannot deny nor confirm anything about that last statement— sure your sister have set you up once in a while but you reject the thought of having to meet up with a stranger to fulfil your delusions or fantasies yet here you are in a situation where you couldn’t even breathe much air as how close you are to him or think of what to do next.

“I—” With the sound of the elevator ‘ding’, you took this chance to pull yourself away from him and burn yourself at the other corner of the elevator as a few more people stepped inside. It created a small distance between the two of you yet you could still feel his eyes on you and still feel those cheeks burning.

It took a while to get to Yeosang’s floor, As he brought you inside his apartment; he let you in first before closing the door behind him and the sensory lights open to help you see through the darkness of the hallway before entering the main room. As you were both removing your (semi-wet) shoes on the floor, you were greeted by a small white puff ball– barking oddly similar to a squeaky toy. 

Half of your body spun to see a maltese almost just the same height as Yeosang’s ankles. Tail wagging excitedly upon seeing his owner, looking up to him with its tongue out. “Hello Pom Pom.” The maltese— Pom Pom barks before scurrying away, hoping to get the message to play with him although with your sudden presence it whimpers in surprise before running off, disappearing somewhere else.

“Oh? I didn’t mean to scare her away.” Yeosang chuckles, grabbing a towel that was hanging off his chair and tossing it to you to which you catch it poorly and get caught up in your face. He moves towards the kitchen and pulls out two mugs, “Don’t worry, he always does that whenever Yunho and Seonghwa visit— he always runs away looking for his sister for back up. And even in his tiny form, he bites a lot.”

You smile hearing the cuteness of his dog until you realise what he had mentioned, brows furrowed in confusion, “Hold on— his sister? You have two dogs?” He nodded and to prove that he was telling the truth, the ‘sister’ walked in. You have to hold on two of the dining chairs on how you were suddenly terrified, knees buckling.

A sleek shadow slipped through the hallway. Unlike the playful Maltese, she'd described, this newcomer was all sharp angles and coiled muscle. A Doberman Pinscher, its coat a glistening black, stalked into the room. Its powerful legs moved with a silent grace that belied its formidable size.  Ears, cropped to sharp points, twitched with alertness, and intelligent brown eyes scanned the room, settling on you with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. The Doberman paused, head held high, its powerful chest barely brushing the doorway. It wasn't snarling or growling, but its presence alone radiated a primal confidence that made the air crackle with tension.

“Y-Yeo…” You heard him move behind you, holding two cups of tea. You went behind him, slightly shaking “Don’t worry. She doesn’t bite.” And set the mugs on top of the table before turning to you, “I’ll give some clothes while you shower, they’ll be on the bed.” You nodded, sitting down at the couch (using his towel so the couch wouldn’t drench), sipping on the tea he made. He walks towards the bedroom, his footsteps echoing softly against the wooden floor. You watch as the Doberman steps further into the room, each step deliberate, its eyes never leaving you. The atmosphere seems to tighten, the silence punctuated only by the distant hum of the refrigerator and the faint drip of water from the sink.

You weren’t able to take care of any sort of pet inside the manor since and you quote, “a filth inside the manor”. You shake your head as a small smile crept up your lips as you took notice of Pom Pom nibbling on the carpet, head wagging side to side until too much force caught her flying next to his sister’s foot; The Doberman scoff, pushing Pom Pom back on his feet using her nose.

The maltese yelp before returning back to nibbling the carpet, at the same time, Yeosang walks back in, “You can take a shower now, my lady.”

It had started raining— storming— rather outside, you could see some tree branches hitting the window, rain splashing on the window plus the harsh wind but your attention was on the tv as Mario kart was on it. You groan, falling back as another round, another defeat; turning to look at Yeosang, he is smiling at the ranks as he takes a shot before refilling it and then giving it to you.

Since the beginning of the game, Yeosang challenges you to drink up each time he wins the game yet at the end, it was him drinking the rest of the 2 bottles he bought from the store (a while ago before he saw you on the street). Yeosang, for the past hours since you had crashed into his place, reminded you of a place back in the Philippines. Your mom’s “kubo”.

The small hut that is made out of natural sources and a traditional Filipino house. The smell and lightweight of bamboo abundance aromas the entire house, most especially when it rains, the coldness that turns into a comfort and will lull you to sleep as you laid down on a soft mattress and the Nipa Palm leaves,, the way it is woven together and then when it’s night time, a rope to separate the leaves to stargaze. 

It felt like that. It felt like home. He felt like home.

“... hey, you okay?” You were snapped out of your thoughts by a warm hand above yours. You blink several times before gazing at Yeosang; his eyes were glossy with curiosity and weariness. He knew what state you are in—I mean, who wouldn’t be able to rest if day by day your corporation goes down including the never ending rumours and articles spreading online and people talk as if they were a victim of the business nor were there to witness the bad side of the corporation—he is respecting your space and sanity until you spoke up about your situation. He knew how hard it is, he knew how it must be a huge burden for you as the heir and the CEO of the corporation.

You inhaled, giving him a small yet tight smile feeling the small fur in your palm—Pom Pom placing himself in between your leg and by your hip were preoccupied by Suchan, the Doberman. “Yeah … just a lot in my mind.”

He nodded, leaning back on the couch. You sit side by side, watching the preview rounds show in the t.v as background noise adding the sound of the storm has lulled your body to a relaxed state yet your mind doesn’t cooperate. Yeosang turns his head to the side, eyeing your side profile before you turn to face him also, catching by surprise but mask it with a natural look, although his cheeks were red.

“... Do you think everything will turn out good in the end?” You whisper, fingers ghosting on the fur of Suchan. She huffs curling closer to you as she naps beside your hip.

Yeosang sighs softly, “Every problem has its own solution and every solution has a different answer.” You both were silent, letting the noises accumulate some kind of sound besides the tension between you both, “But…”

You listen closely, “But what?” 

Yeosang reaches over, taking your hand in his large one, “But you have to come up with your own, not everything solves with the given solution.”

“But will it end well?” He sighs, playing with your fingers before clasping them tightly in his hand; your heart soaring up to your cheeks creating a red burning hue all over them, “I guarantee you that if it's good or bad, everything still has a solution to end something in a different path.”

You look down, watching his fingers intertwined with yours. The contact feels intimate, like a promise. "Will I be okay?" The question slips out, meant for your mind only, yet it finds voice in the quiet room. Yeosang squeezes your hand gently but firmly, his eyes searching yours. "Only you can answer that, my lady."

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, and you try to blink them away, but a few escape, tracing silent paths down your cheeks. "I'm so scared, Yeosang," you admit, your voice barely above a whisper. "Everything feels like-- no, everything is falling apart, and I don't know if I'm strong enough to hold it all together."

He shifts closer, his presence a solid, reassuring anchor in your turbulent sea of emotions. "You are stronger than you think," he murmurs, his thumb gently wiping away a tear. "I've seen you face challenges that would break others. You have a resilience that inspires those around you."

You shake your head, the weight of doubt and fear pressing heavily on your chest. "But what if I fail? What if I can't find the right solution?"

Yeosang's grip tightens, his eyes locking onto yours with unwavering determination. "Then you'll try again. And again, if you have to. Failure isn't the end; it's just another step towards finding the answer. And you won't be alone. I'll be here, every step of the way."

A small, tentative smile tugs at your lips, gratitude swelling in your heart. "Thank you," you whisper, your voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for believing in me, even when I can't believe in myself."

Yeosang finds himself leaning in, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead— probably something out of his personality and something to blame to Wooyoung the next time he sees him back in his province. But his actions melted you and your heart and it melted him too, seeing what he did felt right after all.

 "Always, my lady. Always."

You close your eyes, savoring the moment, the warmth of his touch, and the comfort of his words. For the first time in what feels like forever, a spark of hope flickers within you. The road ahead is uncertain, but with Yeosang by your side, you feel a glimmer of strength returning. As the silence settles back over you, Suchan's soft snoring filling the room, you allow yourself to believe, just for a moment, that everything might turn out okay in the end.

taglist: @yeosangsbabygirlsblog, @hi-kariii,@ateez-atiny380

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1075 - Initial Thoughts

And we're back for Among Us: Egghead edition

The crew are trapped within the labophase, but something is attacking in the shadows

With the marine fleet and a gorosei already creeping in, what more will Oda add to the powder keg?

Spoilers for the chapter, support the Official Release also

The cover page is Vegapunk getting an audience with the Gorosei, given Saturn's comments prior I guess this was their only meeting face-to-face

Picking up with Pythagoras' attack, Shaka tries to scan the area

Something though attacks the Den Den Mushi to wipe out the cameras

Luffy's sensing something amiss too, comms are down

We have a map, which means we'll be spending a lot of time in this place, fortunately it is a smaller map than Onigashima

Tower A Floor C has Nami, Edison and Brook

...and whatever jewels Nami claims despite Edison's protests

Nami got so carried away with the fact that they can make diamonds that she left her bag full of loot...that may come back at some point

Downstairs in floor 2, Robin, Chopper and Atlas investigate

Turns out that people can change their faces in Egghead, so we might be seeing some deception at play, we have already seen fake faces back with that CP agent who attacked Morgans

Robin ever macabre sees floating organs and suspects it's Vegapunk

Alas it's not, but now Chopper can gush about the fact that the island can grow organs

On the same floor, Luffy goes to Shaka asking why comms are down

He's not out of breath anymore which is reassuring

But having seen all the cameras be taken down one by one, it's clear there's someone or something in the lab

In the B tower's second floor, (the left tower), Sanji is simping over Stussy while Jinbe ignores it

They're in the weapons manufacturing floor, probably not the ideal place for them compared to Nami and Chopper's placement

In Tower C floor 3, Usopp, Franky, Lilith and York investigate

Lilith's big gun is a 'bubble gun' which is made to deflect attacks

The group find Pythagoras' downed body, which btw does exonerate Lilith from at least performing the act herself

Pythagoras is alive though, since he's just his mini-head

Before Pythagoras can explain what's going on, it becomes visibly apparent given how York is playing with S-Snake

Pretty sure this will probably confirm that S-Snake's powers work on people who find her cute, so people can simmer on that point

York gets stoned, which is concerning since they are acting against Vegapunk orders

Can't be certain but S-Snake may've also blown up York too, hard to tell if that's just her or rubble

But it means that the rest of the four fall down to the floor below

Usopp wasn't told about the hover function I see...

Franky wants to fight, but Lilith points out that the odds are not in their favour, since she (think this is more a 'I means all of Vegapunk' kinda situation) created the Seraphim to be the strongest humans

Back with Luffy, Shaka and Zoro, S-Hawk and S-Bear have shown up

Turns out they were attacking the CP0 agents

Given how Shaka's orders didn't work, Shaka believes that the stella body must've given an order, not sure how that works though since the authority hierarchy didn't go Gorosei -> Vegapunk -> Satellites -> Sentomaru -> Authority Chip, the whole authority stuff is kinda spinning me

That is perhaps by scanlations though, it could be that again Shaka may be referring to 'a Vegapunk' rather than the Stella

Shaka plainly noting that someone is out to get them makes it that now everyone's aware of the Among Us situation

Lucci and Kaku finally awaken to hear that the Seraphim are trying to kill them, so they pitch an unlikely alliance

Oden and Whitebeard had their disgusted faces and I guess that these are Luffy and Zoros XD

Well it looks like we're starting the free-for-all early now

Oda's been setting pieces up, so it's a surprise he turned the Seraphim early before Saturn's arrival (unless he has found a way to order them from within the Labophase in person) but this could lead into the villainous punk situation, turning the oversight of not being able to overwrite orders with the same authority.

At this point Pythagoras, Lilith and Shaka remain most sus in that scenario, however, we saw Lilith and Shaka try to order the Seraphim down, so that may be of influence there. I would suspect S-Shark is still lurking too, probably the one who took out the Den Den Mushi. But we have four Seraphim and five groups, Team Luffy, Team Stussy, Team Nami, Team Chopper, and Team Lilith, so there's a numbers problem still to handle.

Given Lilith's comment though, I am hoping that Franky (and Usopp) surprise her against the Seraphim, perhaps pulling off a win with their own inventive genius. As for the giant bag of jewels I would expect Caribou to perhaps try and swipe that maybe, and Atlas' mention of face-swapping does feel like it will come into play.

As for an alliance, I kinda don't see it, I wouldn't trust releasing Lucci at all in this situation, but the Seraphim targeting them does mean they have to be in motion, I wonder if maybe if it is Saturn doing the order that he's trying to erase evidence CP0's presence?

It's still set up, but we're looking like we're getting to the meat of it.

[nishymoon]

Move Your Body ♦

【 This is the Chapter 11 of my Chishiya x OC fanfiction, “The Sound of Hearts”! ♠ This is chapter is only NSFW! ♦ For all other chapters, I leave here the link —> AO3 ♠ For the Italian version ----> Wattpad ♦ Last thing, there will be some references to songs, one is Sia - "Move Your Body" and the other is Katy Perry - "Dark Horse"! ♠ Music always accompanies me and I like to insert it - every now and then - in what I write, moreover, Sia is my favorite singer while my favorite group is Skillet, in fact I'm thinking of including them in some chapter in the future.♦】

               ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣

    The Sound of Hearts - Chapter 11 - Move Your Body      

               ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣

The days passed and Evaine's physical condition improved visibly. It took her only three days to fully recover under the care of Chishiya and Ann but she was "forced" by both of them to rest for more days. Now, after six days, almost a week of solitary and absolute rest, she has completely recovered and the wound has healed, leaving only an old memory of what happened in their minds. Over the course of the days, her friends and people who love her have come every day to visit and help her.

Locked in her room, she can't wait to be able to enjoy her evening at the pool with a party dedicated to her. Although the party starts in four hours, the music has already been turned on on the ground floor and easily audible thanks to the open window of their shared room. The loud music bounces between the walls of the room, carefully chosen by the Hatter, it is a party dedicated to the Mini Mori, therefore, there must be the right music, with the right preparations. This is the reason for their large advance in setting up everything. Evaine starts to sing, moving in time and barefoot on the carpet in the center of the room while Sia's song "Move Your Body" is played. One of her favorite songs of hers.

«Your body's poetry, speak to me... Won't you let me be your rhythm tonight?... Move your body, move your body!»

She continues to sing with her eyes closed, she wants to empty herself of all the accumulated tension and stress, convinced of the fact that she is not very graceful in movement and does not even care that she is. But the guy who's looking at her in a rather interested way doesn't think the same way. He watches her with a sly smile as she dances sinuously as if she were a belly dancer, her red hair following her every movement, even blown by the wind coming through their window.

«I wanna be your muse, use my music... And let me be your rhythm tonight... Move your body, move your body!»

She loves to sing and he knows this very well, but it is the first time that he has the pleasure of being able to see her so serene, for a moment he felt like he was no longer a resident of Borderland. Besides, he had never seen her dance. The music changes at that moment and she Evaine stops only to turn completely towards him. Her heartbeat speeds up as soon as her eyes meet his dark ones, he has a smug look on his face, he must have enjoyed the show to the full. And as always... he is so undeniably attractive.

«Oh... Were you enjoying the spectacle of my ballet coupled with my new bathing suit?» «Probably... and you shouldn't rest?» «I've rested enough, I haven't done anything else for days!»

She snorts in amusement as she approaches him, wrapping her arms around his neck, Chishiya's hand pleasantly tickling her side. She starts swaying her hips slightly as the new song enters their ears.

«Make me your Aphrodite... Make me your one and only... But don't make me your enemy...»

She brings her face close to Chishiya's, brushing his lips and humming the words of that song. All this without ever taking her gaze from his wonderful eyes. Eyes that are watching her as if they are studying her deep inside her, making her whole body tremble. For a split second, Eveina felt like he had glimpsed her soul.

«So you wanna play with magic?... Boy, you should know whatcha falling for... Baby, do you dare to do this?... 'Cause I'm coming at you like a dark horse.»

He snorts amused against her lips, taking a half step forward so as to brush his pelvis with hers. He's not good at dancing and he's not going to try but he likes to see her so peaceful and relaxed. Evaine raises her eyes to observe his hair, smiling pleased to find it perfectly dry, he really worked hard to fix it: «What a beautiful hair... I almost forgive you for watching me dance in an embarrassing way.»

«Embarrassing is not the term I would use, you were very graceful... and sensual.» - He smiles, barely biting her lip: «And... I've prepared something for you too, it's not a pool party but... I'm sure you'll appreciate it very much.»

He kisses her with an exhausting but at the same time terribly exciting slowness as he pushes her towards him, dragging her towards the bed. Evaine backs away, turning those kisses into something more heated as she finds herself locked in his arms. He reluctantly breaks away from her only to be able to give her a simple and concise order.

«As beautiful as this costume is... you have to take it off. Now.»

In response, Evaine bites her lip, looking at him as if she were daring him to say something more. She loves when he does that. She turns her face away from him just so she can feel Chishiya's fingers touching her chin, stroking her lightly and forcing her to turn around to look at him.

«I gave you an order, Evaine.» «You know the Nishimiro are not obedient people.» «But with me, yes, you always obey me, don't you?»

Eve's body quivers as if she's purring him and he smiles smugly, aware of her next response.

«Only in bed.» «And that's how I like you.»

Evaine detaches herself slightly from him, taking off her costume with a disarming slowness without ever losing eye contact with him, then throwing her new costume on the soft carpet. For now she doesn't need her, she can stay there too. She can feel Chishiya's gaze touch her deep inside her, he gazes at her spellbound, as if she is the most beautiful person in this world because to him she really is. She is perfect. «Good darling... she is now wearing this and lie down... I'll take care of the rest.»

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out an eye mask, the ones usually used for sleeping. Evaine smiles, this is definitely a new thing for them: «Oh... I'm pleased to note that you played early.»

«Like always.»

He approaches her, being careful not to mess her up - a promise impossible to keep regardless - and slips the mask over her head, then making it go down further, understanding her eyes. He takes her hand and makes her sit on the bed: «Come here honey... lie down.»

Without having to repeat it twice, Evaine lies on her back, her head sinking into her soft pillow and her arms abandoned on her head, as if tied by an invisible thread. She sees absolutely nothing, she only hears the sound of Chishiya closing the window - with the music still present inside the room in the background - she hears him taking things from one of the bedside drawers and taking off his sweatshirt. Now she is completely in his hands. In his beautiful and expert hands. She opens her legs instinctively as soon as she feels a weight on the bed, she feels him positioning himself better in front of her and placing things next to him.

«Good darling, you've already positioned your arms well.» - His amused voice echoes in her mind: «Now, focus on my voice and on what I'm about to do to you...»

His tone of voice is something surprisingly attractive and that alone is enough to get her excited. He slides on her body, leaning forward, caresses her lips with his fingertips, tracing their beautiful contours and Evaine nibbles them slowly, without hurting him too much. Hs hand then slides down her stretched and exposed throat, applying light pressure with his fingers as he brings his lips to her ear.

«Keep being good...»

His fingers move around her, grabbing her chin and almost forcing her to open her mouth wider and kissing her passionately without waiting a second longer. She obeys and opens her mouth, opening her lips gently and allowing his tongue to invade her mouth without hesitation. Evaine moans in his kiss, lifting her pelvis, bumping against his, still covered in his swimsuit and Chishiya smiles amused to see her already so impatient for him. His hand slips away from her chin to caress her side, sliding onto her breast, squeezing it and she arches even more as his fingers stimulate her sensitive nipple, torturing it with his thumb. Eve pulls away from his mouth just to be able to moan better from her pleasure and Chishiya bites her lower lip and immediately after kisses her softly, his fingertips starting to twist her nipple. With his lips he slides along her neck, biting and licking it, feeling Evaine's body stir under him. He leaves more kisses as he sinks onto her chest, taking the other hard nipple between his lips and sucking it. Eve moans louder, ecstatic, hearing Chishiya giggle at her nipple.

«Did you miss all this?» «Too much...»

The fingers that were playing with her nipple slide down her belly, tracing the gentle curve of her hip with his fingers, getting closer and closer to where Eve is craving it most. Piano runs his fingers over her wet femininity, caresses her gently and Evaine trembles, lowering her arm to be able to look for him, touch with trembling hands but his order is peremptory and she feels his hand detach from her intimacy to take her wrist, forcing her to keep her arms firmly above her head.

«I don't think I said anything to you.» «I want to touch you...» «You will, Honey, but not now.»

His fingers going back to her sex, using them to give her pleasure and easily find the most sensitive part of her, starting to stimulate her slowly, wetting his fingers and making her even more eager. His fingers penetrate her without hesitation, finding her already warm and wet, sucking her nipple again as she instinctively pushes her pelvis forward against his fingers in a chase gesture, she move selling herself to follow his movements.

«I beg you...» «Exactly... move for me... Nishimiro.»

He slowly moves his fingers inside her, lifting his face to get closer to her and Eve is no longer able to think of anything but him, his voice and his pressing movements. He rubs hos face on her neck, biting it like a willing cat and smiling at every jolt of her body. Evaine gasps as she feels his fingers take on a firmer, faster pace as her orgasm works its way into her.

«I am going to-» «Come, come for me.»

He comes out with his fingers only to be able to re-enter them more deeply and Evaine squirms against him for his intrusion, while another finger is added to one of his fingers. Chishiya kisses her throat and Eve feels her entire body shaking from the orgasm he just gave him, sliding out of her shortly after.

«Good Love.» - He whispers against the skin of her neck with a pleased and satisfied tone, his intense voice vibrates inside her and for a moment, she is convinced that she heard him purr: «Stay still like this, Honey.»

He gets up from her leaving her tender kisses on her chin, neck, chest and then admires that body so sinuous and eager for him and only him. He bends down again to kiss her belly and hears Eve sigh heavily: «What a perfect body... and it's all mine.»

He nibbles her side and then goes back to sprinkle her belly with kisses until he goes deeper: «But I admit you're begging me a little too little for my taste, we have to fix it.»

Eve opens her thighs even more and arches her hips towards him, waiting for his next move. Chishiya goes down with his kisses until he gets to the point that she most desires it, leaving a light kiss on her clit but this is not enough to give her pleasure. Evaine growls her disappointment at his gesture but is well aware of what he is waiting for from her right now.

«Please... please... I need it...» - Her trembling voice comes from her lips, followed by a moan from her as soon as she feels her tongue caressing her clit, tasting and teasing her.

He creeps further down and takes possession of her femininity completely, sinks his tongue into her sex, several times, stimulates her with his fingers and then returns to delight her clitoris making her moan even more, enraptured and delighted by his every movement that causes such intense pleasure. His tongue slides down again, penetrates her slowly and then comes out and back again on her clitoris as he squeezes and caresses her thigh with his hand. He detaches himself from her but only to take something, the same object that he had placed next to him before starting it all. Completely devoid of sight, Eve can only imagine but her mind is in a total state of ecstasy, too overwhelmed with pleasure to think. She feels Chishiya's fingers massaging her labia of the vagina and then opening them, keeping them open gently as he slowly insinuates the tip of something into her warmest center and at that point everything takes a different turn in Eve's mind, connecting the various pieces and understanding immediately everything. It's a dildo, taken on a dull day as they walked around Tokyo's deserted streets together. They had never used toys and Chishiya wanted to see what effect they would have on Eve and... she was also very curious to try it on herself. Driven by this curiosity, they decided to take it, to try something new during oral sex. They wanted to use it long ago but due to Evaine's injury, it remained locked in the drawer. Until now.

«Oh my God... Chishy-» - She moans about her, feeling the dildo make its way through her, stimulating her, spreading her and preparing her for him: «More... please...»

She feels it slightly wet, Chishiya lubricated it before penetrating her with it. Although Evaine is ready for him and she doesn't need to be lubricated, he doesn't want to take the risk of hurting her, that's why with the dildo they also taken some lubricant. To avoid any kind of pain and it is always better to lubricate the games before using them.

The dildo enters completely inside her, he starts moving it gently and then takes a more intense, faster rhythm and Eve screams with pleasure, lifting her pelvis and trying to move it to follow all of his thrusts.

«Honey... if that's the effect, we definitely have to take more toys... I'm really curious how you will react with other.» - He smiles bringing his mouth to her clit, licking it while with the dildo he continues to move inside her.

As it turns out, it's an edible lube, Chishiya has thought of everything. As always, on the other hand. Evaine had no doubts about it and she will never have any, he is always very precise and attentive. But this combo ravages her, she already feels her next orgasm ravage her senses. She would like to reach out and touch his head, poking her fingers through his beautiful, soft hair... but she doesn't do it because he wasn't told to. Instead of this, she moans louder, begging him to continue. Chishiya notices all this, responding by sucking harder and mercilessly pushing the dildo deeper inside her, pleasantly hitting her g-spot.

«Oh yes... Chishiya... beseech you-»

Her orgasm is powerful enough to leave her open-mouthed, her clit is so sensitive that even his warm breath can make her moan and tremble. Pleased with his result, Chishiya raises his face to find her still with her arms raised, she has not broken down in the slightest from her initial position because he has not told her that she could do it. He smiles, satisfied by that sight as erotic as it is delicate.

«So obedient...» - He kisses the inside of her thigh and Eve trembles slightly, feeling all her muscles relax after her orgasm with the dildo still deep inside her.

«You can take off the blindfold Honey, you deserve it.» «Thank you...»

She doesn't even know why she thanked him, that word sounds immediately after her so stupid in her ears while instead Chishiya finds it extremely tender, especially for the tone of voice with which she has just pronounced it. Trembling, she removes the blindfold, placing it beside her. She lowers her gaze only to see the blonde very satisfied with his work, with his hand holding the dildo safely, carefully removing it and then returning inside her making her moan. Eve's eyes widen as Chishiya turns it on and feels it vibrate inside her as he nibbles her inner thigh. He resumes a steady rhythm while Evaine moans, without strength, but as soon as her body gets used to that sensation, Chishiya removes the dildo from inside her, opening her femininity with his fingers and placing the vibrator on top of her too sensitive clit.

«Shun-» - She shakes without even being able to say his name in full, the sudden sensation on her clit sends her completely haywire.

Chishiya barely holds back a small amused smile as he gazes at her contentedly: «I think I just broke you.»

She feels it moving on her clit, the vibration is too much to bear, she moans and squirms desperately as another orgasm makes its way inside her. Chishiya stops moving the dildo, leaving it still as Evaine tries to fight against that overwhelming sensation.

«Move your hips for me, Honey.»

But currently Evaine is in total ecstasy and she doesn't listen to him. Chishiya gets up, getting closer to her, placing his hand a few inches from her face, sinking into the pillow to support his weight: «Eve...»

His voice sounds so serious and Eveina can't help but return his gaze as the dildo continues to vibrate on her.

«Move. Your. Body.» - He scans her, observing her as if he wants to penetrate her with his gaze and Eve feels completely lost in him.

And it's amazing the effect his words have on her, she starts to move her pelvis, rubbing against the dildo and obeying his request, moaning louder as her orgasms getting closer. Chishiya's beautiful lips stretch into a mischievous and satisfied smile: «Exaclty, like that.»

He leans over her, kissing her neck, biting her, sucking her as her throat vibrates from the moans he is causing her. He makes his way to her mouth, kissing her almost ravenously, digging his tongue between her lips as her orgasm comes, as powerful as the previous ones. The vibrator switches off, giving a little respite to the girl who tries to catch her breath, now completely melted under him. Chishiya stands up, placing the dildo on the bedside table, then removing the only garment he was still wearing, the swimsuit. He turns to her to look at her triumphantly, tries to sit next to her but Eve doesn't give him a chance to do so. Standing in front of the edge of the bed, Evaine strokes towards him, bringing one of her hands over his erection and massaging it, wiping the pre-ejaculatory drop with the pad of her thumb.

«I want to reciprocate...» - She smiles at him pleased as she leans towards him, her warm breath caressing the tip of his erection as she gently welcomes it with her tongue, stopping the movement of her hand and he emits a low moan but clearly audible to his ears.

«Evaine..» - That low growl vibrates like a prayer to Eve's ears, enticing her to continue licking it all the way up and over her, up to her hot tip.

Her lips part to welcome him in her mouth and he moans deeply, twitching in front of her. His moans have a powerful effect on her, increasing her desire to hear him moan for her again. She leans forward, sliding down the sat a length and wetting him with her saliva as she looks up to be able to look him in the eye. Chishiya strokes her hair, before squeezing it firmly in his fingers, guiding her even though she doesn't have the slightest need. Already alone she is able to give him pleasure.

«Yes... so... good darling...»

He starts moving inside her mouth, trying to catch her rhythm with the girl's movements. Evaine moves her hand back up and down his length, feeling his breath grow more and more. With her other hand instead, she begins to touch her still sensitive clitoris, moaning on him. His pelvis is perfectly in her rhythm along with Evaine's movements and Chishiya can feel her moans vibrating through his erection, a wonderful sensation and this was definitely the coup de grace for him. He stops her, pulling her hair lightly to pull her away from him, noticing her puzzled look.

«Why did you stop me?» «Because I can't resist you a second longer.» - He observes her and Eve sees in his dark eyes only the strong desire to unite even more with her: «Lie down. Now.»

Evaine moves away from him and without letting herself repeat it twice, she lies down again on the soft mattress of their double bed. Chishiya climbs onto the bed, taking the pillow next to her: «Lift your pelvis, Honey.»

Eve looks at him confused, but follows his order without hesitation, lifting her pelvis and feeling the pillow slip under her, making sure she can sit on top of it. Now her pelvis is higher and tilted and will allow him to penetrate her deeper. Having a boyfriend who studies medicine has the advantages, for example, together with Ann they recently discovered that here in Borderldand... one cannot conceive children. No woman has ever become pregnant because apparently it is impossible to stay there. And it's much better this way, having children in a hideous place like this is not in their life plans.

Chishiya positions himself in front of her, her legs wonderfully open and ready for him: «Trust me.»

He whispers as he bends over her to suck her neck, placing the tip of his erection in her entrance and he is immediately greeted by her sweet warmth. With a slow thrust he invades her again, slowly in such a way as to give her time to get used to his intrusion. He feels her tilt her pelvis towards him again and he smiles at her red throat.

«You are very good, Honey.» - He nibbles her neck as he continues to make his way into her: «I was just going to tell you to tilt your pelvis for me.»

Evaine moans softly as he sinks again, opening it to welcome him all the way down. His lips caress her throat, tickling her with his breath and his beautiful ash blonde hair, deeply enjoying every contraction of her body. Her sex welcomes him all in depth, opening up for him, moaning at the sublime feeling of being finally united. He moves inside her slowly before picking up on his rhythm, followed by Eve's body that doesn't stop imitating his movements and soon Evaine comes back to beg for him.

«Please... please...» «Please what, Love?» «Faster...»

Chishiya picks up the pace of his thrusts and Eve squeezes even tighter on his sex, ready for her next orgasm. Her curvy body trembles at her, unable to arch even more for him, her throat covered with his kisses as he lifts her thigh for even deeper penetration.

 «More...»

The hand with which he holds her thigh slides further down, until he finds her clitoris and between one thrust and the other he begins to stimulate her slowly, hearing her desperate moaning his name and bringing her closer to her next orgasm. She stretches her body against Chishiya's as if she wants to merge with him and slides an arm forward to encircle his neck and when her hand finds his hair, he lets her fingers free the pleasure of sinking between the locks. He lifts his head, letting go her neck as he feels her tighten around him in a spasm and there is nothing more beautiful in the world to see her come like this for him. He doesn't give her time to bask in her intense pleasure as soon as Chishiya grabs her by her hips, lifting her up and forcing her to climb on top of him.

«I want to look at your beautiful body while she takes me like this... understand?»

Evaine, still upset by this sudden change of position, tries to get straighter as his erection pulses warm inside of her, shocked by the pleasure she felt a few seconds before and which she is still trying to process. Chishiya moves his hips, hitting her g-spot mercilessly and making her moan in despair and almost making her fall on top of him.

«I asked you a question, Evaine. Answer me.» «Yes, yes...»

Her hips begin to move, first slowly then faster and faster, making this rhythm her own and her firm breasts follow the movements of her body in such a sensual and harmonious way while Chishiya still holds her firmly by the hips. Her body moves elegantly as if a goddess is dancing above him. Or rather, for him. He lifts himself up, rotating his pelvis to her rhythm, facilitating Evaine's orgasm... and his too. He puts a hand on the full, firm curve of her butt, squeezing and lifting it while his other arm wraps her, forcing her to lie completely on top of him as she relentlessly hits her favorite spot. Her breasts are pressed against his chest and their hearts seem to almost beat in unison.

«Shuntarō I... I...»

Her sex contracts, her body trembles as he feels him push hard before coming with her and exhausted, he brings her other arm around her too, closing her in her arms and squeezing her as if he did not want to let her escape. But she would never run away from him, that is the safest place in the world for her, her refuge. Their breaths synchronized, both trying to catch their breath with Chishiya still inside her.

«Thanks doctor... I definitely needed it.»

Chishiya laughs amused as he gently exits from inside her, flipping her to the side so that he can easily look into her eyes: «I'm not a doctor yet.»

Evaine smiles, satisfied, leaning forward to give him a kiss under the eye where his small mole is present, and then snuggling better in his arms and against his chest: «It doesn't matter, I love you and I would have loved you anyway , with or without a degree.»

Chishiya caresses the contours of her face, observing her in her eyes and wondering how he managed to conquer such a beautiful and sweet person. So perfect. Never breaking eye contact, he tells her what he'd wanted to tell her for a long time.

«I love you, Evaine.»

               �� ♠ ♥ ♣

[theoriginalladya]

As Luck Would Have It (Mass Effect fanfiction)

Summary: What do a mini-Irish invasion, a murdered leprechaun, and an old flame have in common? Joker’s not amused by any of them.

~~~

Fandom: Mass Effect

Rating: Teen and Up

Relationships: Male Shepard & Kaidan Alenko, Male Shepard & Abby Williams, Male Shepard/Kaidan Alenko, EDI/Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Steven Hackett/Karin Chakwas, Steve Cortez/James Vega, Jack|Subject Zero/Samantha Traynor

Characters: Caleb Shepard (O'Connell - OC), Tadhg Shepard (O'Connell - OC), Niamh Shepard (O'Connell - OC), Kaidan Alenko, Karin Chakwas, Steven Hackett, Samantha Traynor, Jeff "Joker" Moreau, John Shepard, EDI, Ashley Williams, Zaeed Massani, Steve Cortez, James Vega, Garrus Vakarian, Urdnot Bakara - Eve, Urdnot Grunt, Urdnot Wrex, Kasumi Goto, The Illusive Man - Jack Harper, Jacob Taylor, Kelly Chambers, Rahna, Brigit O'Halloran (OC), Jack|Subject Zero

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hallmark Movie AU, St. Patrick's Day, Past Relationship(s), Green Beer, bartending, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Shenanigans

Series: The Town of Norman

Chapter 1: Prologue

Excerpt:

“We were out of chocolate ice cream,” Stephen said. He looked over to where Zaeed was continuing the fight to resurrect his mysteriously broken bike. “Seemed like the sort of crisis that should be immediately solved.”

“Indeed,” Karin said. “Especially if the kids like ice cream.”

Stephen turned his attention back to her. “Something you need to tell me?”

Karin grinned at the implication, but shook her head. “No, my dear. We are too old for such a scare these days.” Stephen nodded solemnly, and she wondered again if he’d wanted the kids she’d told him she couldn’t have. “You remember my cousin, Brigit O’Halloran?”

“I remember the name.” Stephen had gone back to watching Zaeed. “Is she coming to visit?”

“Her son is. Caleb.” A sweet boy, the one time she’d met him. Barely more than an infant, blue eyes bright as he’d studied her in return. “He has two small children who are coming with.”

Stephen nodded. “A sudden interest in his extended family?”

“No.” Brigit had been vague, but her tone had been clear. “He needs somewhere to go. At least for a little while.”

Another nod. “Norman seems to be the place for that.” Stephen gave her a sideways look. “I don’t suppose he’s ex-military, too?”

“I have no idea.” Only a few years old, the boy had gone missing. Even buried in her school work, she’d made time to call home every few months. Kept her eye out for a small boy with those familiar blue eyes, just in case. Cried in Stephen’s arms for a child she barely knew, because the odds were, he’d never come home.

And then he had.

“I told Brigit they could stay here,” Karin said. “Until they find someplace they prefer.”

Stephen looked back at her, his own blue eyes grave. “They are welcome in our home as long as they have need.”

~~~

Read Full Chapter || Read from the Beginning || Read Series

Spotify Playlist

What started as an offer to lend out my Irish Shepard, Caleb, for some St. Patrick's Day shenanigans has turned into a full blown collaborative effort with @happychica, and I couldn't be more delighted! Thank you, my friend, for allowing Caleb, Tadhg, and Niamh into your sandbox to play! This has turned into such an amazing adventure, and we've only just gotten started! And huge thanks to @screwyouflightlieutenant for the fabulous commercial breaks! (I love these soooooooooo much!)

[captainsimagines]

To Topple A Giant || Chapter One

Summary: You had made it your mission to destroy even the smallest evils. When the opportunity arises to finally take down your own family after years of gaining their trust, you reach for it. And so does Steve, the man who represents a symbol of everything you hate. 

Pairing(s): Steve Rogers x Reader || Avengers x Reader

Part 1 of 10 ~ Mini-Series

Trope: ‘Enemies to Lovers’; mainly angst, mutual pining, fluff, and eventual smut

Warnings: This story contains mature themes and discussions such as extreme canon violence, strong language, emotional angst, mentions of Endgame deaths and recoveries, sexual situations, and emotional/physical abuse. All trigger warnings will be listed before the chapter. This is purely fanfiction. 

Word Count: 4000+

A/N: Ooo, let’s hope this does numbers! I love myself some ‘enemies to lovers’ tropes. It’s been a while since I’ve written Steve fanfics. :)

~

Wakanda, 2018, 4:04 pm.

     The flash of bright white light temporarily blinded you, sending you back to the ground and cupping your face in self-defense. But as quickly as the initial crack, it was over. Eerily silent and loud at the same time. The birds whistled their same tune, some higher-pitched than others. The wind seemed to blow louder, rustling the leaves from the trees and landing all around you and your teammates. 

“Thor?”

You lifted your head at the sound of Steve’s voice and checked if the coast was clear. All that remained of the evil was a new blood-stained hammer - a hammer that Thor was watching intensely, as if the answer lay hidden there. It was the only remnant left and your mind was already wondering how to use it to bring that evil back to finish a fair fight. 

“Where’d he go?”

The birds stopped singing. 

“Steve?”

You whipped your head around at the sound of Bucky’s confused voice, watching as one of your best friends dropped his gun and looked up at Steve as his hands began to disappear. In a matter of seconds, Bucky - or what became of him - fell to the dirt below. No one spoke, and you watched as Steve tried to control his breathing as he took a knee to place his shaking hand over his best friend’s ashes. A life and mind brought out of the darkness to finally amend those knots he had twisted, now ceasing to exist. In the distance you could hear Okoye shout in turmoil and Rocket begin begging. 

“What’s happening?” you finally choked out, turning just in time to see Wanda lift her head to the sky, defeated and out of will, and succumb to the same fate. “No!”

You ran and fell beside Vision’s now gray and decaying body, reaching over and palming through Wanda’s ashes. You rubbed them between your fingers, inspecting them, and brought your hand to your chest. The pit of your stomach churned as you sat there, immobile and numb. 

“Sam!”

So many names were being called but soon everyone who remained fell silent. The trees were still guiding the wind, leaves falling into the ashes of your friends, a sign of a new and unwanted chapter. You felt Steve drop beside you, turning Vision around to see the damage to his body. You winced when you saw the gaping hole in his forehead. 

“What is this? What’s happening?”

Natasha ran to where you were seated, hand over her stomach as if she was ready to vomit. And once she took one look at Vision, that’s exactly what she did. 

You removed your hands from your chest to look at them, the ashes still there and practically mocking you into finally believing this as reality. “Did we just lose?”

Steve was moments away from a full-blown panic attack. He simply looked up at the trees, watching the way the sunlight still burst through with no disruption. “Oh god.”

You caught Steve as he tipped his upper body toward you, wrapping his arms around your waist and holding onto something real. He had to believe you were real. Anyone. And you were the closest person to him. You shut your eyes and held him, running your hands through his hair, wincing when you realized Wanda’s ashes were now on him.

You held him tight, praying to any God you chose to believe in at that moment, that Steve wouldn’t disappear too. 

Unknown Location, 2025, 1:07 pm.

     The air was incredibly musty, as if each person who struggled for breath in this room at one point or another left a piece of their soul floating in search of last minute penance for their sins. And the man in front of you was no different, choking on the purple blood that dripped down his neck and onto his now unbuttoned, white dress shirt. His chest was rising and falling, his breathing becoming less labored with each blink of the eye. His hands were tied behind his back and to the chair he sat on, a flickering light in the corner of the dark, concrete room somehow mocking this man’s last remaining seconds of life. 

“I’m not an evil person,” you started, kicking one of the legs of the chair to startle the poor man. But your guilt was minimal - it’s not like you wanted to do this - but knowing this man did exactly what everyone said he did, hands red and dripping with young blood, you selfishly took pleasure knowing this man would look at you when he died. “It’s just my job as third in command.”

You gave the man a small smile as you bent down to his level, head hanging in shame, slow breaths now pausing in between each intake. You looked to the other party in the room, handing them the gun in your holster, and walked out the room as the sound of two gunshots rang out. 

Left twist. Sting. Breathe. 

You washed away any smell from that godforsaken room, giving extra attention to the roots of your hair and under your fingertips. 

Scrub. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. 

The crack of your neck frightened even you, and you stood under the burning shower for a few more minutes before deciding the sting was enough. You changed into the most comfortable sweats you owned, surprisingly calm for such a gruesome morning you had, and took your time with your skin care routine. 

Circle. Wash. Dry.

Soft music played in the overhead speakers, the classical sounds vibrating from one wall to another and surrounding you with something tranquil - something still. There was nothing to expect from such a sound, only the next repeated chorus, no words or drops - just tranquility. You could barely hear yourself breathe but you were at peace - or mostly - and ready to sooth your growing headache behind the eyeballs with more than just music. You slipped on a pair of comfy, forest green socks and bent them at the ankle to achieve an even fluffier look. You applied your favorite perfume, lotioned up your hands, and donned your tacky friendship bracelet. 

One for you. One for Bucky. One for Peter. And one for Wanda. 

You hummed the whole way to the common room, waving at the morning staff as they fixed lightbulbs, covered holes in the walls, and swept the floors. One muffin and a cup of coffee later, you were resting with your head in Wanda’s lap as she filled your thoughts with your chosen sceneries.

      “I can make you see anything you have already seen, so yes.”

“A miniature golf course, Peter’s high school graduation, a field of all kinds of flowers, and Natasha.”

Wanda stilled her floating hand, smile faltering for a moment before she nodded. “Okay… okay, I can do that.”

     They were images well-drawn out, slow and steady to make the atmosphere similar to when you were actually there. They seemed to float across your vision, comfortable in their positions and radiating the same warmth you had felt the first time around. A moving picture. Wanda really had excellent control of this. 

     “I won!” Sam leapt into the air, pointing at a disgruntled Bucky, who stepped off to the side to not throw Sam over his own head. “I won!”

“How is it possible for you to get a hole-in-one each fucking turn?” Bucky groaned, moping in Wanda’s shoulder as she held him and struggled to keep herself standing from her own intense laughs. 

“I think we got a cheater on the loose,” Steve grinned, pointing at the ring Sam was trying to discreetly tuck back into his pocket. A friendly gift from T’Challa, no doubt. 

“Nuh-uh, give me the fucking proof, Wilson!” Bucky roared, wrapping his arm around Sam’s neck and tugging him forward. “I will not admit defeat if there was foul play involved!”

Sam escaped the hold, climbing onto the rock located to the side of the flag and a sign that read ‘do not climb on rocks’. 

“It just helped me calculate all things geometry, Barnes. We’re good.”

Bucky looked as if he was going to leap on him again, but before he could even finish that thought, Sam slipped on the wet surface and plummeted into the rushing little river. 

Laughter erupted and did not cease until you were escorted out of the fairgrounds by four security guards. 

     A flick of Wanda’s wrist and a new memory began forming, colors blending like an oil painting, dried and covered with a glossy varnish, ready to hang. 

     “Don’t trip on your way up, kid.”

Peter swatted Steve in the side as the super soldier left the room, leaving Peter alone in front of the full-length mirror. He adjusted his tie and tried to lay that pesky dangling strand of hair over the top of his head.

You got up from the couch and made your way over, wrapping your arms around Peter and resting your chin on his shoulder. “You’ll do great. We’re all so proud.”

“It’s just high school…”

You frowned and turned him to face you. “No, you should already be in your second year of college. This is seven years in the making. We are all so proud.”

Peter could feel the slight burn at the corner of his eyes but he swallowed it down, giving you a small smile and a hug. 

“And can you trip? Don’t you stick to all surfaces?”

Peter scoffed and pushed you away, his tiny smile never faltering.

     You could feel Wanda shift her legs underneath you, searching for the most comfortable position as she continued her work. You sighed, already feeling the therapeutic effects. 

     “They’re all so pretty!” you yelled cheerfully, running through the field with your arms extended to the sky. Bucky and Steve followed close behind, leaning down every so often to pluck the flower of their choosing and adding to the bouquet in their hand. 

“Which did Tony prefer?” Steve asked, snapping you from your pollen-filled, ecstatic state. 

“Aesthetic beauty, Rogers! Natasha was a sucker for anything pink and sunflowers.”

Bucky nodded, seeming to take that information into consideration as he plucked the yellow and pink flowers only. Steve chose the most healthy looking flowers, his hand struggling to hold them together as he reached the two dozen mark. 

“I think we’re good. These are good.”

You smiled at both super soldiers and admired their bouquets, leaning over to sniff their masterpieces. “Awesome.”

     Wanda sighed as she neared your last vision, debating on showing you your chosen moment instead of another one. This moment always hurt Wanda as she wasn’t there to witness it, but it was special to you. There were so many others to choose from, but you insisted this was the one you always wanted to see. And Wanda was always hesitant at first - but when she lifted her hand slowly and dropped the memory back into the front of your brain, she couldn’t help but smile. 

     “Are we ready?”

Everyone was practically bouncing on their heels, both excited and terrified. Time travel was new to humanity and you were to be one of the first to experience such a thrill. You were going to get everyone back. 

You squeezed Natasha’s hand once more before you walked back over to Thor and Rocket. You all nodded to each other, saying ‘goodbye’ and ‘good luck’ with your childlike expressions. 

“See you in a minute,” Natasha grinned, her cheeks reddening with a friendly blush as she looked over at Steve. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, a braid you had helped her make, and she was carrying an extra pair of socks in case of a long hike. 

Then a blast of color surrounded your body and the smell of peaches as you landed on Asgard filled your overstimulated senses. 

     You opened your eyes and smiled up at Wanda. You didn’t want to see old memories with your friend, but the most recent. It was like you were grasping onto that last memory of her, not wanting to change anything about her last smile, her last laugh, her last shred of existence. It was oddly calming, and so you hoped Wanda would understand. 

You thanked her again and proceeded to the kitchen. It was bigger than the one before, the soft forest green color of the walls a nice contrast from the blue ones before. You laughed to yourself and your conscience as you silently thanked the explosion that obliterated the horrid blue walls, quickly backtracking at your dumb thoughts. Still, you chose to joke about everything that happened before to avoid falling deeper into yourself. The kettle started howling, smoke circling around the tip. You poured your tea, dropped two cubes of sugar in, and added a little milk. 

It was quite bizarre how quickly you could bounce back from the morning you had. A very bloody, order-filled morning. When one order was given, you had to come up with a plan on how to not disregard the other. You had to listen to Fury and your father, gaining a few feet on each side without toppling the other. Still, it took a physical toll on you. But with Wanda’s help in easing your mind and the very sweet tea you nursed, your emotional baggage was pretty minimal. It sometimes scared you how easy it all was. 

Your morning carried on quietly as you sat on the concrete curb, happily sipping your tea in your sweatpants. You could hear Sam and Scott arguing about something a few feet away from you and Bucky taking his afternoon jog around the track. Quite distracted, the sudden ‘thwip’ and superhero landing of a certain teenager scared you enough to spill a little of your tea. 

“Goddamn, dude!” you whined, looking up at Peter as he tried to control his laughter. 

 “I’m sorry, I thought you saw me!”

“Excuse me for being distracted by the hot super soldier just over there,” you joked, pointing over at Bucky. 

Peter rolled his eyes and sat next to you, immediately reaching over to take the tea from you and take a sip himself. You let him, as you had no other choice, rolling your eyes anyway. 

“What are you doing here? I thought you had classes today?”

Peter handed back your cup, “Nah, I’ve only got classes every Tuesday and Thursday.”

“Ugh, that sounds great. I remember I scheduled my classes for every day of the week just to have more units,” you sighed, taking another sip of tea. 

 “Stupid.”

You pushed Peter’s shoulder playfully, both your laughter catching the attention of Sam and Scott. But as quickly as you had distracted them, they ignored you and went back to bickering. 

“I’m just here to see my friends, sue me!”

“Nope, you’re always welcome,” you smiled, holding out your wrist and bumping your bracelet with his. “How was your week otherwise?”

“Eh, nothing major. Just trying to navigate the world now that they know who's behind the mask.”

You gave Peter a look of sympathy, still mad at the sudden manipulation of the kid after such traumatic events. You had promised him you would protect him by any means possible, as did the rest of the team, but he seemed to be navigating the situation just fine. Staying away from reporters, scheduling his classes during the most isolated gaps of the day, and signing dozens of forms that promised to protect him, give him royalties, etc. After you had brought everyone back, it seemed the least the new management/orders could provide for you all. 

“We all have our days,” you muttered, handing your tea back to Peter. You two sat there for a while longer, enjoying the slight breeze and taste of sugar. 

An agent rounded the corner and spotted you, jogging up and handing you a yellow folder that was sealed in plastic. “For you, from Fury, from whoever before that.”

“Um, thank you?” you said as the agent walked away. You inspected the folder, turning it over in your hands and playing with the thin plastic. 

You lifted it up to Peter’s face, “Here, smell it and tell me if there’s poison.”

Peter scoffed, “I can’t do that!”

“Don’t you lie to me.”

Peter muttered to himself as he took the folder from you, sniffing it awkwardly. “Smells like paper, dude.”

“Cool, thanks.” 

You ripped the plastic off and unhooked the folder, dropping the single item onto your lap. Peter just sipped your tea and watched you open it. 

It was another envelope, but this one was white with custom-printed indents that swirled across the front and a big, red blob of wax smushed- with your initials- sealing it. You ripped it open and pulled the invitation from inside. You must have read it a thousand times, eyes rapidly scanning the small page with secret meanings. 

“You got invited to a wedding?” Peter asked, taking it from you and reading it himself. 

“Yeah, but this is so much more than that,” you said, snatching it back and standing up from the curb. You quickly went back into the compound, searching for the one person who needed to read it also.

You seemed to find everyone before you found the super soldier who wasn’t out for a jog, a line of somewhat concerned superheroes following behind you from room to room. Eager minds and yet, inflexible rib cages full of anxiety and worry, all ready (and quite not) to tackle the new evils of this new world. And whether they followed you blindly or with functioning minds, they were prepared. 

With the rest of the team behind you, you burst through the second floor with the invitation held over your head. Steve stopped mid-bite, milk dripping from his bottom lip as he stared at everyone in confusion. “Um…”

“It’s time-” you started, pulling the stool from next to him and sitting down. 

“Time for what?” Steve interrupted, his mouth still full of cereal.

“Time for this,” you motioned to the envelope you were handing him. “-to finally end.”

Steve read the invitation word for word, the wrinkles in his forehead becoming deeper as his mind worked. You couldn’t quite discern the feeling in the pit of your stomach, twisting and spinning into a tight coil, seeming to spread to the others as it grew in pressure within you. 

“All three?”

“All three,” you confirmed. 

Peter pushed through Bruce and Rhodey, “What’s happening? What’s gonna end?”

You looked over at Steve, his bowl of cereal now forgotten and soggy. 

His eyes were distant and rather cold, hands extended on his knees as if he was drying the accumulating sweat, shoulders building tension. 

“Steve, we can finally end this. We have to tell everyone. It won’t be enough if it’s just you and me.”

He wanted to explode, in both anger and anguish, to stumble over his intact persona and leave it behind - someone he hasn’t known for a long time. It ate away at him each day since Fury notified him of your selfish choice, burrowing into his now tarnished soul in the most sadistic way. But the prospect of finishing this chapter - a chapter that was unexpectedly halted when half the world disappeared - was considerably euphoric. A chance to move on. 

“Okay.”

Rhodey already had knowledge of your background, recruitment, and family but Steve’s initial involvement - the start of it - was still a mystery. You sat everyone down in the living room, making room for the others who arrived later, and clapped your hands together. “Story time!”

Steve groaned, face already pressed against a throw pillow. “Just tell them.”

You rolled your eyes at him. 

“You know whose spawn I’m from,” you began, snickers from your amused friends encouraging you. “To better transport their product, they sent me over to the states to attend college like the good little girl they think I am.”

Sam cracked open a beer and lifted his legs up onto the couch, sitting back with a massive smile on his face as he got comfortable for your story. He handed another beer to Scott. 

“Wait, product?” Scott asked, taking a sip from his drink. 

You smirked at him and tapped your nose twice, amused by his ‘O’ reaction. “Anyway, by then I already knew that I wanted out of the game. I didn’t like that life, I didn’t like the violence, I didn’t like my family.”

Steve knew that was an understatement, a cruel and restrained statement from your part, and he wanted to tell everyone just how justified you were in your words, how real you were being, and how much help you would certainly need for this. But like always, he remained silent. 

“But Fury got to me before I could leave. So, we made a deal. I would train as a field agent and he would promote me every other year to lessen suspicion on this whole ordeal. The deal being I would play both teams.”

By now, your whole team was intrigued. 

“I would do what I could for my father and still have my family’s trust, while feeding the information to SHIELD and our lovely star-spangled man over here,” you pointed over at Steve. He gave you a tiny but forced smile. 

“But after the collapse of SHIELD, my father only became more violent, more hard-headed, more suspicious. He- uh-” you stuttered, flashbacks suddenly filling your head. Wanda watched your eyes dart rapidly, sensing the rush of blood to your legs and tips of your fingers.

“He was power hungry,” Wanda said, immediately feeling your heart rate lower. Although you never actually said it, she could tell you were grateful for her intrusion. 

“Yeah, exactly,” you cleared your throat. “But Steve’s involvement all started when Fury asked me who would be the best front - the most reliable front.”

“So, with only Fury and the bad guys knowing - Y/N named me as her partner in crime,” Steve explained, head hanging low as if it was such a disgrace to do what you openly did. You knew his troubles with coming to terms with such an offensive role were multiplying daily, but you were now this close to stopping  every bad force involved. 

 “So, Captain America is the ultimate drug smuggler,” Scott spoke, somehow trying to comprehend the information all at once. You and Steve both nodded in confirmation and avoided the wide and questioning eyes looking back at you. 

“Yeah, he’s essentially the top boss.”

“Y/N-,” Steve interjected, but you beat him to  it. 

“And here we are! Him and I both invited to the wedding.”

Wanda stretched out her words, “The wedding?”

“Yes, the wedding - where three of the most famous and powerful drug lords south of the border will be attending and ready for our taking - including my father.”

Steve stood from his seat, posture straightening as he spoke to the group. “The invitation reads like a threat. No cameras, no plus-ones besides those listed specifically on the card, no speaking to reporters before or after. The trust Y/N has gained would unknowingly make us the contraband of the party.”

After going through more specifics about the whole situation, Bucky finally raised the question eating away at his mind this whole time. “Whose wedding is it, anyway?”

You grinned that stupid little grin Steve always prepared himself for. It was the grin you would display whenever you were going to make a serious matter a joke, or brush something serious off your shoulder as if it didn’t bother you. The sarcastic grin he always wanted to wipe off your face as you defied orders. 

“My lovely little sister’s.”

Rhodey stepped forward to take the invitation for personal inspection, “When is it?”

“A week from tomorrow,” you beamed. “Which means I got to get shopping for a wonderful little, red number!”

“Please, be more excited about this,” Steve groaned, sarcasm dripping off each syllable. 

You flicked your right hand up and in position to flash your charming little middle finger at him, a river of fluffed ego and delight flowing to your cheeks as he huffed and left the room in a stumbled march.

“So…” Scott’s voice ripped through the awkward silence. “We’ve been secret drug smugglers this whole time?”

~

Please let me know what you think! I listened “The Archer” by Taylor Swift and I was like... yes, I see this, lmao. Tell me if you would like to be tagged in later updates! xxMoni

[shreddedparchment]

A World of Our Own Pt.10

Epilogue

10/11/2020

Pairing: Bucky x Reader          Word Count: 1,615

Warnings: allusions to miscarriage, LOTS of fluff, past death

A/N: I know I haven’t replied to many comments or asks from the previous chapter but I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible so that the story would be truly closed. The ending was incomplete and now it is done and I hope you enjoy this ending as much as I do. It really made me so happy to write and this is the ending these babies deserve after being blown up and deserted on an island. If you happen to reblog, thanks so much for helping me spread my work! xoxo

Life doesn’t happen like we think it will.

We can plan and schedule and arrange as much as you’d like, but things will just not go your way.

As the ship docks, you sigh with frustration, rising to your feet to look through the porthole.

“We’re late.” You grumble, glaring at the darkening sky. “We were supposed to be here by noon. That way we had plenty of time to look around and make sure it’s safe.”

“Kitten, come here.” Bucky holds his arm out towards you without looking up from the small tablet in his hands.

There’s a weather radar on one half of the screen and on the bottom, an email. Probably from Fury.

You make a reluctant beeline for him, sitting on his lap when he urges you to, wrapping his arm around your waist.

With a lick to his lips, he puts the tablet down on the small bedside table—bolted down to keep from moving in rough seas—and brings his other arm around you.

“What did you just tell me last week?”

“I don’t know.” You shrug, pretending you can’t remember.

“Yes, you do, Y/N. What did you so passionately talk my ear off and insist that I remind you, especially on this very trip, if you begin to slide back on your newest and most important—your words by the way—resolution in life? What was it?” Bucky pokes your leg as he speaks, then wraps his arm back around your waist and gives you a squeeze.

“Not to stress about the things in life that I cannot control.” You sigh. “Out of all the damn things I’ve told you, why is this one the one you remember?”

“Because you wouldn’t stop talking about it for an entire day!” Bucky chuckles. “We’re a little late? So what? We have plenty of time. This is supposed to be our honeymoon. Let’s just let go of everything and enjoy our time here.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just…I wanted everything to be right.” You nod.

“It will be. We bought the island. They’ve been working on it for a year. I’m sure everything will be perfect.” Bucky soothes you, reaching up to rub between your shoulders. “You approved all the changes. They said it was done. What are you worried about? Specifically. Help me to understand this anxiety you’re feeling.”

You grab Bucky’s face and pull his lips to yours roughly. He mumbles against your lips, a small huff of a laugh seeping through.

When you pull away, he laughs. “Ow.”

“I just…we haven’t been back here in years, Bucky. And I want it to be safer than when we left it.”

Bucky’s eyes are full of sudden understanding.

“I see.” He gets to his feet as the large yacht finally stops, helping you stand too before taking your hand in his own. “Come on. Let’s go see it. You kept the hut, right?”

“I kept everything.” You tell him, following him along the narrow white hallway, pristine wooden floors varnished and gleaming. “I just had them upgrade most of it.”

“I like your dress.” Bucky states, giving your outfit a quick once over even though you’d been wearing it for the better part of the day.

You smile bright however, pleased by the compliment before you stop, grab hold of the intentionally designed a-symmetrical dress and swing it back and forth. It’s navy with pink pansy florals and light green leaves, the top more modest than the one you owned before. Capped sleeves and a lovely heart neckline, a very thin strip of pink lace along the hem.

Bucky stops with you, smiling at the shift in your attitude with one simple acknowledgment of your reference to your first time on the island.

“How many times did we end up cutting off pieces of that first dress?” Bucky wonders, letting you think.

“Too many.” You acknowledge. “It was more of a shirt by the time we left.”

Bucky lifts your left hand up to his lips, kissing your simple solitaire engagement ring, your matching wedding band also on your finger.

“Well, we won’t have to cut any of this one off. I promise.” He assures you then pulls you along once again.

Bucky makes you wait. He makes you stay behind as the two of you reach the deck of the yacht—the Paradise Lost as you’d named it—while he steps onto the long and reinforced pier.

It stretches out on the same beach where the cabin of the plane had once stood, now relocated, and honored on another part of the island for the lives that had been lost.

The graves Bucky had dug had been remade, a small graveyard built to give the pilot and stewardess a proper resting place.

You can see it from the deck, a little farther inland where you’d had a cobbled path built to lead to it from the pier.

Making a mental note to tell Bucky you want the Stewardess’s family invited to give them a chance to say goodbye. You’re not sure if you’ll be able to get them here with the secrets surrounding the plane, but you can try.

Bucky comes back fairly quickly and waves you over. Eagerly you make your way to him.

“What happened?” You ask him but he gestures towards an older gentleman on the beach.

“Mr. Lara wants to talk to you about the chef’s supplies. Looks like there was a delay in the shipment.” Bucky tells you, then hurries past you. “Don’t worry, I’ll get our bags.”

“Bucky, we’re paying people to do that!” You call after him, but he waves you off and you turn to meet with Mr. Lara.

The island, while still massively private, has been built up like a small resort. There’s your hut, which the basic structure is the same but to it have been added a full chef’s kitchen. Several bedrooms. A living room. A master bedroom and access to the beach and a private pier.

There’s a beach barbecue patio and lounge chairs. Hidden behind the hut right in the spot Bucky built it, is the bathing pool, now with built in filtration, temperature control and more sustainable materials so that it will endure.

Your little island, the world you and Bucky created was given a full makeover. You’d always known you wanted to come back. You’d hated being stranded but the memories and the connections you’d formed here were special.

After assuring Mr. Lara that you have enough provisions on the yacht to last you until the grocery delivery arrives, you make your way back to see what’s keeping Bucky.

You’re nearly there when Bucky’s sweet chuckle stops you in your tracks. He takes the ramp onto the pier and with his hand still extended towards the yacht, you wait, your heart swelling.

“Careful.” You tell him, but he doesn’t need you to remind him.

Into view toddles a black-haired angel, eyes just as blue as his father’s. Just as you had when you’d thought about the possibility of a child with Bucky how beautiful it would be to see a mini version of him with your temper running around, it’s just so.

You wait with patience, his legs sure though slightly unsteady. His eyes scanning the area with inquisitive gusto.

He’s only just two years old but he’s already smart as a whip and when he spots you, he gasps with excitement and as soon as his little feet hit the pier, he releases Bucky’s hand and races for you.

You stoop down to scoop him and chuckle as he laughs, wrapping his arms around your neck.

“There’s my big boy.” You coo, pressing a kiss to his cheek before he can pull away. “Where are we, Robin? Do you know where this place is?”

As he straightens up, he points towards the shore. “Beesh!”

“That’s right. We’re at a beach. This is an island, Robin.” You explain, moving down the pier with him in your arms.

“I-wan.” He repeats, then giggles before squirming from your grip. “Woah, easy.”

Bucky moves forward and stops the little one before he can run.

“Hey bud, we can run down the pier and play in the sand, but you have to make me a deal, okay?”

Robin lifts his little hand up, bent at the elbow with his palm turned up as he shrugs. “Dew?”

“Yeah. We can run down to the beach if you hold my hand. Okay? The water is very deep, and mommy will cry if you fall in. You don’t want mommy to cry, do you?”

“No!” Robin exclaims, his little face suddenly angry, eyebrows drawn down on the inner corners in an exaggerated expression. “Mommy no cwy!”

“Then you’ll hold my hand?” Bucky asks, holding it out for him.

Without another word Robin takes hold of Bucky’s hand ad doesn’t wait before he’s pulling him along as fast as his little legs can.

“Be careful!” You call after them but they’re not listening anymore.

Life doesn’t function according to your plan.

While you were planning your wedding, Robin came as a sweet surprise. You postponed the wedding and instead celebrated the birth of your rainbow. Much sooner than expected but welcomed all the same.

Then you and Bucky took time to nurture your son and the wedding was finally held only two weeks ago. Honeymoon delayed to make certain the island was safe for you baby.

And although you’re saving the news for the right time, you hope that you can convince Bucky to stay here for a while, at least until your second little one comes. Just another seven months.

[nsfwflint]

Infinite Love Stories: Reflections

Hello! This is the first chapter of a mini-series I have planned for Park Min Young, and my first actress piece. This is the secret project I’ve been working on several months ago, shortly before my Kang Mina piece. Might not seem like it from this first chapter, but this is going to be a legitimate story with actual plot. PMY is my absolute perfect woman, so I hope I did her justice in this first chapter. I hope you all enjoy!

Read on Aff: Here

“How long are you going to sleep, baby?”

 A gentle voice rings in your ears, causing your eyes to slowly flutter open. Rubbing your eyes, your vision is still blurry as you roll onto your side. As your vision clears, your heart skips a beat from the breathtaking view in front of you. Standing next to the bed and looking down at you is the most gorgeous woman you’ve ever seen. Beams of sunlight trickle in through the window, as she gives you a radiant smile. The soft streams of light illuminate her pitch-black hair, giving the illusion of a glowing halo. Your chest tightens as her angelic beauty washes over you.

 “Park Min Young. How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?” You groan, stretching your hand out to grab hers.

“Sometimes people are just fated to be together, you’ll understand soon.” Min Young smiles.

 She reaches down and gently squeezes your hand. Her soft fingers delicately interlace with yours. Every once in a while, Min Young speaks in a flowery and dramatic way, something you always attribute to her acting career. Your dick stiffens as you admire her sensual curves. The simple white nightgown she has on loosely clings to her sizable chest. The low collar reveals her arousing cleavage, a wondrous valley you can’t wait to explore. You pull her onto the bed next to you, her perfect breasts bouncing as she lands on the mattress. Min Young lets out a small giggle as you put your hand on her hip, slowly pulling yourself closer to her.

 “Not right now, honey. It’s a special day, and we’ve got lots of stuff to do. We can’t afford to be late.” She laughs, gently pushing her hand against your chest.

 “Well if it’s that important, I might as well join you in the shower. You know to save water and time, all that jazz.” You say, giving her neck a soft kiss.

 “Oh you’re trouble, mister. I guess we better hurry up then.”

Min Young laughs as she gets out of bed and starts walking to the bathroom. After several steps she takes off her nightgown, throwing it at your face. As you pull it off of your head, you watch her shapely ass bounce with each step as she disappears into the bathroom. Suddenly her hand reaches around the corner, beckoning for you to come join her. You immediately jump off the bed, eagerly stripping off clothes as you race into the bathroom. As you enter the bathroom, you skid to stop as you are overwhelmed by the scene before you.

  Min Young has already started the shower, standing in the stall as the water cascades over her. Water streaks down her body, drops falling from her perky breasts. At this point you’ve seen Min Young naked countless times, but her body is so perfect that it always leaves you breathless. Unable to control your lust, you rush into the shower. She giggles as you pull her close to your body, your erect dick pressing against her body. Not wasting any time, you immediately cup her giant tits in your hands. The water slickens her skin, the elasticity of her breasts rippling against your fingertips. Her soft flesh slips through your fingers as you roughly squeeze her breasts.  As your dick throbs against her body, you lean in and whisper in her ear.

 “God, you’re so fucking beautiful baby. I want you so bad right now. I just want to empty every bit of my load inside of you.”

 With a playful smile, Min Young gives your cheek a tender kiss before whispering her response in your ear.

 “I want that too, but we don’t have time right now. I can give you a quick titfuck, but that’s all we have time for.” She whispers.

 You frown at not being able to fill her, but her titfucks are out of this world so you’ll take what you can get. As you nod in acceptance, Min Young smiles and softly kisses your lips before sinking to her knees. With a seductive smile, she slowly squeezes her breasts around you, mountains of silky flesh enveloping your cock with your tip barely peeking out of the top. Pushing her tits together, she vigorously rubs them up and down your shaft. The warm water from the shower pours into her cleavage as it trickles down your dick. Lubricated from the shower, the friction from her soft skin makes a wave of pleasure wash over you.

 “Fuck baby, you’re so good. You always know exactly what I love.” You groan.

 Min Young giggles as her breasts bring you a surge of ecstasy.

 “I’ve had all the time in the world to learn.” She smiles.

 Before you have time to comprehend what she said, Min Young leans down and licks your tip as it pops in and out of her cleavage. Your dick throbs from the pleasure as her warm tongue massages your tip. As she speeds up her titfuck, her breasts aggressively slap against your waist. Pushing her breasts even closer together, her cleavage wraps around your dick even tighter. She loudly slurps on your cock as her tits furiously ripple against your shaft. You reach down and grab a handful of her hair as your tip explores her mouth. Her tongue rapidly swirls around your tip. Overwhelmed by the pleasure of amazing tits, you stumble slightly and steady yourself against the wall. With her soft skin pressuring your dick, you’re trying to last as long as you can. But the sensation of her giant tits jiggling against your cock is too much to bear.

 Suddenly Min Young looks up at you, and the picture before you is just too overwhelming. Seeing her bright eyes stare at you as her massive tits are wrapped around your cock with your tip in her mouth pushes you over the edge. You thrust aggressively, pushing your tip into the back of her throat. With a roaring grunt, you shoot your load into her mouth. Your cock throbs violently as thick streams of cum flood her throat. After one last powerful spurt, you slip your dick out of her mouth with a groan of pleasure. Min Young looks up at you with a smile as you see her gulp down the last bit of your cum. She stands up and gives you a tender kiss as you recover from your orgasm. As she softly pulls her lips away from yours, she gives you an affectionate smile.

 “Don’t worry, there will be time for more later.” She giggles, giving you a flirtatious wink.

 Several minutes later, both of you have finished washing off and are getting dressed. As you button up your shirt, you turn to Min Young to speak but no words come out of your mouth after looking at her. Min Young has changed into a light purple sundress, your favorite color. It’s not as tight as some of her other dresses, but definitely tight enough to tease her perfect curves. She turns to you as she puts her hair into a ponytail, giggling at your open mouth. The simplicity of her outfit just accentuates her natural beauty even more. You desperately want to take her right here and now, but you know that she’ll just tell you there isn’t any time for that. Trying to force your lust down, you try to start a conversation to distract you.

 “So uh, all you’ve said is that today is a special day. Do you plan on telling me why today is so special?” You ask, wrapping a lavender tie around your neck.

 “Don’t worry, I’ll explain when we get there.” Min Young replies as she slips on a pair of sandals.

 “That’s good and all, but you haven’t even told me where we’re going,” You stare into the mirror and release a frustrated sigh as your fingers struggle to properly tie the necktie. “Like am I driving us somewhere or what? You’re not telling me anything and it’s kind of frustrating.”

 Min Young slowly steps behind you, gently putting her hands in front of your neck. She smiles at your reflection in the mirror as her slim fingers finish tying your tie. Slowly moving her arms down, she hugs your waist from behind. You try to avoid becoming erect from the sensation of her full breasts pressing against your back. She softly kisses your cheek before giving you a radiant smile.

 “I know it’s frustrating honey, but I promise that I’ll explain it to you. It’s just a short drive away. Do you remember that romantic spot you took me on our first date, the one with the ocean view? That’s where we’re going.” She whispers in your ear, gently squeezing your waist again.

 You smile at the memory of your first date with Min Young several years ago. You were so nervous that you tripped out of your car when you picked her up. At dinner you spilled sauce on your tie and you didn’t notice until the waiter offered something to remove the stain. Towards the end of the night you had brought her to your favorite spot. A small cove on the beach that was tucked away in a secluded area. While you both watched the sun set over the tide, you were convinced you weren’t getting a second date. Then to your surprise, she kissed you and told you she had fun. You were blown away that she enjoyed herself when you were thoroughly convinced you ruined the entire night. The two of you went on even more dates, moving in with each other a little over two years later.

 Min Young’s soft lips press against your cheek again, bringing you back to reality. You turn and give her a loving smile. Leaning in, you gently press your lips against hers. Slowly pulling away, you both lock eyes and give each other a warm smile.

 “All right. Let’s get going then.” You say.

 After giving you another soft kiss, Min Young gently grabs your hand. Her delicate fingers interlock with yours as she pulls you out of the apartment and to the car. Every few steps, she gives your hand a light squeeze as if to make sure that you’re still there. Getting into the car, you smile at her as you turn around to look out the back. You’re still not sure what exactly is going on, but you know you’d go anywhere with Min Young. Pulling out of the parking spot, you start the long and scenic drive to the beach.

  The radio blares as you both sing along to the songs that pop up. Street signs fly past in a blur as you start to leave the city, the last ones you remember seeing being an intersection of Parkway Terrace and Evergreen Drive. Laughter fills the car as each of you chuckle at the small stories you tell each other; the two of you fully enjoying each other’s company as you zoom down the highway. Finally, you pull up to a long stretch of beach. A warm breeze blows as you both get out of the car. You turn to see Min Young’s dress lightly flitter in the wind. She gives you a shy smile as she moves next to you. Grabbing your hand again, she pulls you down onto the warm sand.  The two of you start to play around on the beach, running around and splashing each other. It’s like a scene from a drama as Min Young gives you a perfect sight to save in your memory forever.

 Dark sand crumples around her feet as she stands in front of you. Waves crash around her, white seafoam swallowing her ankles. The crimson sunset reflects off the clear waters, paling in comparison only to her radiant smile. Min Young dips her fingers into the emerald waters, playfully splashing water at you. The scene is so picturesque that you swear it’s moving in slow motion. Drops of ocean water twinkle in the sunset as she throws another handful at you. Every part of the scene is so perfect, you capture it in your brain to remember for an eternity. Her dark ponytail drapes over her shoulder, providing a stark contrast to her pale skin. A beaming smile lights up her face as her eyes shower you with love. You swear the water she’s splashing is moving in slow motion. Suddenly everything snaps back to reality as Min Young grabs your hand, running as she pulls you to the cove.

 Exhausted from the running around, the two of you sit on the sand and watch the sun retreat underneath the waves. Min Young cuddles up next to you, putting her head on your shoulder. You look down at her, the view next to you even more incredible than the one in front of you. She turns to you and gives you an affectionate smile. As you both stand up to go home, Min Young suddenly drops to one knee. Worried that she fell, you kneel after her, grabbing her shoulders to keep her steady.

 “Are you okay?” You ask as you frantically check her for any injuries.

 “I’m fine, I’m just doing something really quick.” She smiles.

 Confused, you stare at her with a quizzical look on your face until it registers.

 “At this very spot 5 years ago, we ended our first date. You tried to act confident, but I could tell how nervous you were. Despite that, you tried so hard to make sure that I was still having a good time. When you finally brought me here, I already knew that I was going to go on a second date with you. The fact that you had shown me this intimate spot only you knew about made me decide to go on the third.” Min Young says as she looks up at you, her warm eyes glistening in the last remnants of sunset.

 As she continues her speech, everything about today sinks in.

 “I brought you back here 5 years later because this is where I realized I fell in love with you already. The more time we spent together after that, the more I knew we were connected. Whenever I was having a rough day, you were miraculously there just in time to make my day better. The more hardships we endured, the more our bond was strengthened. I know that our fates are tethered in a way neither of us can understand.”

 You’re a little confused by her speech. It sounds grandiose, but coming from Min Young, it feels as natural as air. As if she knows something you don’t.

 “We’ll always be together, no matter what. Our love will last for eons, even if you might not believe it. This is just the first page in our infinite love stories.”

 Min Young starts to choke up as a tear streaks down her face. With another radiant smile, she finishes her speech with one last sentence.

 “Will you marry me?”

 While you always figured you were going to be the one to propose, you can’t control the happiness you’re feeling right now. Both of you collapse into happy tears as you wrap your arms around her. A crying, laughing mess, you happily give her your answer.

 “Park Min Young, I will gladly marry you.”

 As the tears slowly stop falling, you hold Min Young for a few more seconds before pulling away. You look into her eyes with a giant smile on your face. She matches it with her own radiant smile before slowly leaning in. Her warm lips gently press against yours. The joyful sensation of the tender kiss spreads throughout your body. Min Young slips her tongue into your mouth, slowly swirling it around your own. You pull her closer as your tongues massage each other. A drop of saliva slides from her lips onto your chin as her tongue retreats from your mouth. You gently bite her lip, softly pulling on it before letting go as Min Young releases a small moan. Staring into her eyes, you know what’s about to happen. Desperate to get home, you stand up and pull her up with you before she stops you.

 “I need you inside me baby.” Min Young whines.

 You gulp anxiously as you feel your erection slowly press against your pants.

 “I need to be inside you, but not here. Let’s get home first.”

 “Why? I don’t know if I can wait that long…” She whimpers.

 “As much as I love you, I don’t want to have beach sex. I don’t like sand, it’s coarse and irritating. Plus, it gets everywhere.”

 While disappointed, Min Young nods. She gives you a seductive look and you both sprint to the car. Eager to get home and have what’s bound to be some of the best sex you’ve ever had, you frantically run to where you parked. You both swiftly get inside the car and within seconds of sitting down you speed out of the parking lot. As dusk falls, the street lights flicker on while you hurriedly navigate the highway home. Racing down the highway, you flinch when you suddenly feel Min Young stroking your dick through your pants. She slowly unzips your pants before whispering in your ear.

 “I can’t take it anymore, I need you inside me right now. I just need you so bad, I want you to fill me as much as you can.”

 Min Young gives your ear a quick nibble before slowly pulling your cock out of your boxers. A wave of pleasure washes over your body as she softly rubs her thumb across your tip. With an excited exhale, you quickly pull over to the side of the road. You slide your seat farther back and on cue Min Young dives down onto your cock. She takes your dick into her mouth all the way to the base, gagging slightly as your tip hits the back of her throat.

 “Oh, fuck baby.” You groan, reaching your hand onto the back of her head.

 Her warm tongue gripping your shaft, Min Young pulls her head back so just the tip is in her mouth. Pausing suddenly, she sits with your tip resting in her mouth. Saliva slowly pools in her mouth, gradually drowning your dick with pleasure. As she gently massages the tip of your cock with her tongue, your fingers slowly creep towards her hair tie. You messily release Min Young’s ponytail, her midnight hair tumbling down her shoulders. She brushes a strand of hair behind her ear as she swirls her tongue around the tip of your dick. Swallowing the saliva that was pooling in her mouth, the sudden friction of her cheeks against your tip surprises you. Your cock throbs violently as Min Young lifts her head off your cock.

 “You’re finished already? You just started.” You frown.

 “I was just getting you ready. No foreplay tonight, I just need you inside me right now.” Min Young whines needily.

 Min Young crawls over from the passenger seat, lustfully staring into your eyes as she hovers over your lap. Slowly pulling the sundress off, the purple fabric clings to her incredible curves as she reveals herself to you. You lick your lips in anticipation as she throws the dress back into the passenger seat. A sharp grunt leaves your mouth as Min Young slides her underwear to the side and slams herself on your dick. Her tight cunt constricts your cock as her body trembles from pleasure. Giving you a sly smile, she slowly reaches behind her back and unhooks her bra.

 You let out a deep exhale as Min Young undoes the final clasp on her bra. The large cupped purple bra falls on your lap, revealing her immaculate chest. Your cock throbs inside of her as you take in the sight of her massive chest. She giggles as you slowly run your hands up her sides, savoring the journey along her silky skin. Her small giggles turn into soft moans as you finally reach her giant tits. The sensation of her full breasts in your fingers pleases you in a way nothing else can. Your fingers press into her soft flesh, squeezing and pulling on her tits. As you lose yourself in the sensation of her breasts, Min Young suddenly cups your face. Leaning in, she gives you a soft kiss before pulling back and looking into your eyes.

 “You always loved my breasts.” She teases.

 “That’s because everything about them is perfect. I could spend forever attached to them. Besides, you like when I play with them just as much as I enjoy playing with them.” You reply.

 “You have no idea.” She smirks.

 Again, you get the feeling that she’s laughing at a joke only she understands. That leaves your mind after the next sentence that leaves her mouth.

 “Come on baby. Suck on them like you always do when I ride you. I need to cum.” Min Young moans needily.

 All other thoughts exit your brain as you dive into her delicious chest. Your lips immediately find her nipple and attach to them. The sweet taste of her flesh fills your mouth as you swirl your tongue around her stiff nipple. Min Young squirms in pleasure as you suck on her breasts, her hot walls writhing against your dick. Loud moans fill the car as she starts to lustfully bounce on your cock. As you slurp and suck on her tits, you squeeze them aggressively. Her silky skin ripples against your fingertips as you knead her breasts in your hands.

 “Fuck just like that baby.” She screams.

 Min Young’s moans pierce your ears as she continues to ride your dick. Now fully lost in your lust for her breasts, you bite and pull on her nipples. You continue vigorously squeezing her tits with one hand teasing the nipple that isn’t in your mouth. As you pinch it softly you pull on both nipples simultaneously, one with your fingers and the other with your teeth. Her velvety walls pulse against your cock as you continue devouring her breasts. Spit slowly leaks out of your mouth as your tongue continues to swirl and circle around her nipples. Suddenly you feel a tightness in your balls and curse yourself for not lasting long enough. Able to see it in your eyes, Min Young smiles.

 “It’s okay baby. We’re going to keep going either way. Cum inside me. Fill me up.” She manages to get out between moans.

 Grabbing the back of your head, Min Young pushes your face into her breasts. Her thrusts become livelier, her hips now mindlessly bouncing on your cock. You aggressively suck on her nipples, slurping and swirling your spit around them. With another pleasured shriek, she speeds her thrusts up even more. The sound of her heavenly flesh crashing against yours fills you with ecstasy. Her lustful humping on your dick causes the entire car to shake. Your cock slamming against the entrance of her womb, you feel your tip throb harder than it has all night.

 “I’m going to cum.” You groan, heavily muffled from her breasts in your mouth.

 You’re not even sure she heard you until her frantic moans contain words.

 “Do it, I need your cum inside me. Fill me up baby, I want all of your cum inside me, as deep as you can. I don’t want any of it to drip out.” She screams in needy moans.

 You don’t know what’s gotten into her tonight, but the entire sight in front of you is the most arousing thing you’ve ever seen. Your beautiful now-fiancé bouncing wildly on your cock as her breasts jiggle and ripple against your lips, desperately begging for you to fill her with your cum. The entire picture is perfect because you’ve never had such a hunger to release everything inside her as you do tonight. With absolute perfect timing, Min Young bounces on your cock with one final slam.

 “FUCK.” She screams louder than you’ve ever heard her.

 The entrance of her womb slams against the tip of your dick as her body shudders around it. The forceful pressure from her orgasm brings you to yours, your cock violently erupting inside her. A torrent of cum floods out of your tip, forcefully plastering against her tight walls. You release your mouth from her breasts, as she collapses against your body. Her hot cunt still trembling, it squeezes one last shot of cum out of you into her depths. The two of you lay against each other silently, slowly recovering from your intense orgasms. Finally, Min Young looks up at you with a mischievous smile.

 “That was amazing.”

 Min Young slowly lifts herself off your cock. Your cum slowly drips out of her pussy, forming a small puddle on your waist. Surprised by the amount that came out, she looks at you with awe as she crawls back over to the passenger seat.

 “You came so much honey.” She exclaims.

 “You told me to. Your wish is my command.” You joke, as if you have any control over how much you cum.

 “Good. That’ll satisfy us enough long enough for you to get us home for round two.”

 As she slips her sundress back over her body, you realize that Min Young forgot to put her bra back on as her stiff nipples poke through the soft fabric. You quickly tuck your cock back into your boxers and zip your pants. Pulling your seat back up to the original position, you turn to see Min Young biting her lip.

 “You should hurry and get us home. I’m going to have you empty everything you have inside me tonight, and you’re gonna need more room to do your magic.” She says in a seductive whisper.

 Without a second thought you immediately pull back onto the highway and speed towards your apartment.

  You don’t even have your fingers on the keypad to the lock on your apartment door before Min Young resumes her attack on you. Wrapping her arms around your waist, her hand reaches down and grips your cock through your pants.

 “Baby please, we’re not even in the door yet.” You say, squirming as you try to punch in the door code.

 “Then hurry up. I need you.” Min Young whispers in your ear as she strokes your dick through the crotch of your pants.

 Finally managing to input the door code, the electronic lock clunks open. You barely push the handle down when Min Young shoves you inside. As you trip over the doorway, she follows you in before turning around and slamming the door shut. When she turns back around your eyes meet hers and you can see an intense mixture of lust and passion burning inside them. Rushing towards each other, your lips messily crash together. The warmth of her tongue fills your mouth as it slips past your teeth. Your tongues rapidly swirl around, rubbing and massaging each other. Soft moans vibrate both of your tongues as you pull her body against yours. Her full breasts pushing against your chest, she takes her tongue out of your mouth and you gently bite her lip.

 Your bodies press tighter against each other as you suck and pull on her lip. As moments pass, it slowly transforms from one long kiss to a flurry of quick passionate kisses. Drowning each other in kisses, you both move in sync as you slowly walk towards the wall together. Min Young moans in surprise when her plump ass bumps into the nearby table. You hastily pull off your necktie, throwing it deeper into the apartment before working on unbuttoning your shirt.

 “Where are we doing this? Couch? Bedroom?” You ask, pausing slightly between each question to continue kissing her.

 “Too far. Just fuck me right here.” Min Young moans, panting in the short breaks where your lips leave hers.

 Min Young puts her hand on your chest and softly pushes you away. With almost superhuman speed, she lifts her dress over her body and throws it towards the door. Out of the corner of your eye you briefly register it landing on the doorknob. But your focus is quickly shifted to her perfect body in front of you. It’s the most beautiful sight in the world and you’ll never tire of it. As you admire her endless curves, she turns around and quickly pushes everything off of the table. Envelopes briefly flutter in the air before falling to the ground and the small plastic bowl used for holding keys clatters across the apartment. Min Young bends over and braces her elbows on the table.

 “No need for foreplay tonight. Just fuck me as hard as you can. I need you to fill me with your big cock.” She says in a commanding tone.

 Not wasting a single moment, you quickly unbuckle your belt and drop your pants, your boxers joining them on the floor. You step out of your pants as you approach Min Young’s body. Your erect dick is the first thing to reach her, pushing against her wet folds. The tip of your dick smoothly slides inside her, the warmth of her tight walls surrounds your shaft. Finally, she takes you fully to the hilt as your tip presses against her womb. You always wonder how your bodies could fit so perfectly together. The thought quickly leaves your mind with her cunt tightening around your cock as moans escape from both of you.

 “Fuck, Min Young. You feel so fucking good. I feel like I could spend forever inside you.” You groan.

 “You have no idea.” Min Young replies.

 Before you can even register her response, she slowly pulls her hips up your shaft so that only your tip remains inside her. Deciding to meet her halfway, the two of you slam into each other as hard as you can. A deafening moan fills your apartment as her body trembles around your cock. Some nights you are able to control your lust for Min Young’s body and give her more sensual love making. Tonight is not one of those nights, but thankfully it doesn’t need to be. You withdraw your shaft before quickly piercing back into her.

 “Fuck, baby. Yes, yes, yes. Just like that.” She screams.

 Min Young’s perfect body ripples beautifully with each thrust. Her bountiful ass jiggles wildly as you aggressively piston inside her. The heat of her pussy drives you crazier every second you’re being gripped by her tight walls. You violently pump your cock into her depths, her wet cunt tugging on your shaft. Staring into the mirror in front of you, you somehow get even harder upon seeing Min Young’s face drowning in pleasure. You grab her hips and mercilessly ram away inside her, your dick slamming against her womb.

 “Oh my god. You’re so fucking big. Keep filling me up baby.” Min Young moans needily.

 “You’re so tight, baby. You feel so fucking good.” You groan.

 Your hands travel from her hips along her sides, savoring every touch of her silky skin. Finally reaching her massive breasts, your fingers immediately sink into her soft flesh. You squeeze and knead her chest roughly as you slam your cock into the depths of her cunt. With her giant tits heaving your palms, you pull her body up so since she’s standing in front of you. Seeing her breasts bounce uncontrollably from each thrust, you feel your balls start to swell already. Min Young turns around and sticks her tongue out for a kiss. You lean in and begin swirling your tongue around hers. Frantic moans leave both of your lips as your tongues twist and rub against each other.

 The tight pressure of Min Young’s cunt builds against your cock with every thrust. Her slick juices soak your shaft. Every time you slam your cock against her, you can feel her hot walls hungering for your cock. Your aggressive pounding begins to slow down slightly as you start trying to pace yourself a little.

 “Don’t you dare slow down. Keep fucking me. I want you to fuck me so hard I won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow. We’ll be going for several rounds after this, so just pound me as hard as you can.” Min Young demands in between shrill moans.

 Never one to argue with Min Young, you speed up your pace again. Your frantic pounding pierces deeper and deeper into her cunt. As you slam into her depths, you can feel her womb enticing you, eagerly trying to devour your cock. You pinch her nipples as you continue squeezing and pulling on her huge tits. Screams of pleasure echo off the mirror. Her hot pussy hungrily tugs on your dick with every violent thrust. Your harsh slams take their toll and Min Young falls forward, bracing herself on the table again. As you continue to knead her breasts in your hand, you feel your tip twitch violently.

 “I’m about to cum, Min Young. You feel so fucking good that I can’t take it anymore.” You moan, indulging in the feeling of her tits rippling against your fingertips.

 “Fuck baby. Cum inside me. I don’t care what happens, I just need you to fill me with your cum.” Min Young begs with desperate screams.

 As you pound your last few thrusts, you become hyper-aware of everything around you. Her plump ass rippling wildly against your cock. The heavenly sensation of her magnificent breasts jiggling and heaving in your fingers. Vice-like pressure from her hot walls clamping around your cock. The beautiful symphony of your flesh crashing together as you sink into her depths. Min Young’s face drowning and contorting from lust and ecstasy in the reflection in the mirror. With a primal grunt, you shout Min Young’s name.

 “Min Young-ah. I’m cumming Min Young-ah. I’m going to cum inside you.”

 “Fuck.” She screams.

 Min Young’s body trembles violently as her ear-splitting moans echo off the walls. Her intense orgasm makes her pussy tighten more than ever before. The hot walls of her cunt clamp on your cock as you continue thrusting through her orgasm. You can feel the slick juices of her pussy dripping down your dick. With all the strength you can muster, you give one last forceful slam as your tip kisses her womb. Right at that moment, you reach pure orgasmic bliss. Your cock throbs aggressively and you feel the cum surging through your shaft. The tip of your dick erupts; a torrent of cum flooding out of you. You feel yourself pouring every drop of cum you have into her womb as her cunt hungrily tightens around your cock.

 As the two of you recover from your powerful orgasms, silence fills the apartment. The only audible noise is the panting as you both try to recover your breath. You don’t know how long you spent inside her before finally pulling your dick out of her warm walls. Turning around, Min Young gives you a radiant smile filled with satisfaction. She leans in and gives you a soft tender kiss before staring into your eyes again. Even though her smile is satisfied, her eyes still gleam mischievously.

 “That was amazing, honey.” She smiles.

 “Yeah it was baby.” You nod.

 “Now come on. We’ve got a few more rounds to go.” Min Young says playfully, grabbing your hands and dragging you towards the bedroom.

  “And then I decided that an elephant would be too big to be my kidney donor.”

 The ridiculousness of the sentence pulls you back to reality.

 “What?” You look at Min Young confused.

 “I was trying to get your attention; you were zoning out.” She pouts as she hugs your arm.

 “Sorry. I was just remembering the night you proposed.” You smile and kiss the top of her head.

 “That was a great night.” She pulls your arm tighter against her side.

 “Yeah. Yeah it was.” You say smiling as you glance at your matching wedding bands.

 As the two of you continue your romantic walk through the city, you slowly turn your head as someone walks past you. Your eyes follow Min Young walking down the street before turning to the Min Young attached to your arm. It wasn’t a lookalike. You struggle to comprehend that you just saw another exact version of your fiancé walking down the street. After seeing what you were looking at, she sighs as you stare at her in confusion.

 “What the hell was that?” You exclaim.

 “That’s a long story. We should head back home first. Trust me, we’ve got all the time in the world for me to explain it to you.” She responds cryptically as she drags you towards your shared apartment.

[sugarbundust]

updates; blurb; semi-rant

ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ At the home-stretch! Wanted to try to post early, but the last few days have been a bit chaotic.

tl;dr til next bold point - Money issues, and a random ass deer deciding it wants to live rent-free in my yard lmao

So many job interviews while being on/off sick, and then got sent bills for additional things we didn’t anticipate having to deal with (like a giant tree in our front yard the township decided it wants to cut down, but the law in our State is we have to pay??? I’m;??;). So I had to try and sell a bunch of things for quick cash, because they won’t work with us for a payment plan.

Goodbye special edition Pokémon Nintendo Switch, and majority of our games and manga. 😑 (Also why are these town services so expensive????) 

I’m incredibly salty. I keep telling myself it’s only monetary goods we can rebuy when we’re not hurting financially, but it’s still upsetting. I hate having to sell stuff. Our savings are pretty much depleted by now, so that’s a looming cloud that’s just the best. /s 

Got some positive news about one potential source of income, though, so knocking on wood that that works out. 🤞🏻

Then today we found out a pregnant deer somehow got into our gated backyard and had a baby, and it was in the middle of a rain storm so bad you could barely see. 😵‍💫 

For context, I live in a town. Deer like this don’t ever wander around here. I can count on a single hand the amount of times I’ve seen them (and never in our yard!). They’re way, way more common farther up by the river, which is like a half-hour drive, so I guess it wandered and got lost? They just... they don’t live here lmao it’s too many people/cars, no shelter or trees for them to hide, etc.

And I don’t say all that because I’m enamored by the fact that they exist—I’m actually very used to deer being around, due to living in areas where they’re far more common. They would run in huge herds through my parents’ property when growing up, along with bear and the like. 

It was just super weird to see one at random when our gates are too tall for them to normally jump???? Like, we don’t even know how she got in?? The baby deer couldn’t get out on its own, we had to help them both leave and stay united, and also panic that they don’t go running into a street with cars. @w@

So that was fantastic way to start the day, being in the heavy rain with a dog that I had to walk, and being surprised by and then advanced on by an angry/panicked mother deer. I don’t need to be trampled lmao and right after I woke up, sans coffee 😂 It was a good thing I had my dog on a leash for all parties involved lmao 

It’s one of those weeks where it’s like, what else can happen?

Also, for those wondering, yes, both deer are fine. 

Now, the positives! Got a lot of editing done last night. Went through over half of the chapter, making it more coherent and trimming fat. Only a small chunk left to go, and then I can post and start drafting the next chapter. Got a bunch of ideas for that, but I’m trying to figure out how far I can stretch things before the fighting/action-scenes begin again. I don’t want to have another mini arc turn into a full-blown ten chapter episode (thank you again, Shinsou). 😂 But there are a few things I want to touch on before we get to the 1-VS-1s. I hope it will be entertaining!

Also had to redo my embedded blockquotes all over again (Thank you AO3 for not following my inputted HTML every time I Save Draft.) lol, so I’m really hoping mobile-readers are going to be okay 🥲  It’s actually worse than the chapter with Aizawa’s learned packet breakdown. OTL If it’s not easily legible when posted, I sincerely apologize!! I tried for a ridiculously long time to make it work 😭 

I’m not going to do deep-set blockquotes going forward. This was it lmao. I understand now why most people just create graphics and embed them into their work 😭💀 Rich Text to HTML conversion was hard enough already. (Why did I make so much more work for myself? lol I always seem to do this. 😂)

But alas. Gonna try to finish tonight! ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ I hope it will be worth it! ❤️

[fanficshiddles]

Trust, Chapter 18

Loki had to conjure up earplugs during the night when Darcy started snoring. It had been that or shove her out of the bed, luckily for Darcy he had gone for the former.

He was awake before her and took a moment as he looked at her. She was a peculiar mortal. Unlike the others she wasn’t vain and always worried about her looks, even around the likes of him. Being a God and all. What you saw was pretty much what you got with Darcy. And he liked that about her, there was no bullshit.

What he didn’t like, however, was the fact she was drooling on one of his pillows. He groaned and rolled his eyes as he slipped out of bed to go for a bath.

When he emerged, dressed and ready for the day, Darcy was awake. Her hair dishevelled and her eyes slightly puffy. It took her a little while to wake up though, unlike Loki who looked bright eyed and ready pretty much the second he opened his eyes.

Darcy stretched with a groan as her muscles started to wake up.

‘You were snoring again.’ Loki said as he folded his arms over his chest. ‘And drooling on my pillow.’

‘Geez, good morning to you too. It’s just moan, moan, moan with you. I’m sure you can just poof it clean.’ Darcy shrugged and got out of bed. ‘Besides, I’m sure you’ve had far worse bodily fluids on your bed.’ She patted his chest as she walked past him to the bathroom.

Loki rolled his eyes but did smirk a little.

Loki and Darcy joined Thor and Jane for breakfast in a fancy golden room, Thor called it the mini hall, even though in Darcy’s eyes it was pretty huge. There was a full buffet for them with various fruits and meats, Darcy thought she had truly died and gone to heaven as she stuffed her face.

Frigga came in not long after they were finished eating.

‘Just coming to see if you ladies are needing dresses for the celebration tonight?’ Frigga asked Darcy and Jane.

‘I still have my dress from last time I was here.’ Jane smiled.

‘I actually took something with me to wear tonight.’ Darcy said, looking at Loki slightly uncertainly.

‘You can’t wear a dress from back home, Darcy.’ Jane said quickly.

‘If you have something you wish to wear, that’s no problem. Some Midgardian flare isn’t a bad thing.’ Frigga said kindly, making Darcy grin.

‘You may regret that, mother. I have not even seen what it is she has taken.’ Loki said, amused.

‘Well, a nice surprise for us all.’ Frigga winked at Darcy, who couldn’t stop grinning.

‘She’s glad to have you home.’ Thor commented to Loki after, when they were showing Darcy and Jane around the gardens.

‘It is nice to see her again.’ Loki said with a nod, looking straight ahead.

‘You should speak to father. I’m sure you can patch things up with him.’ Thor tried.

‘He is not my father. Never was and never will be.’ Loki snapped. ‘If he wants to patch things up then he can come to me. I will not be going to him and grovelling for forgiveness when it’s his fault in the first place.’

Loki swiftly walked away from Thor and caught up with Darcy, who was having a look at a huge plant that was like a Venus fly trap, but deadlier…

‘Do not ever put any part of your body on there. It is not like the ones on Midgard. It will cause your flesh to melt and will rot your bones instantly.’ Loki picked up a small stone and threw it in one of them. It instantly snapped shut and dissolved the rock within a second.

‘That’s SO COOL! Let me try!’ Darcy then proceeded to chuck various objects she could find into them, making Loki chuckle.

‘Think I could get Jane to stick her finger in?’ Darcy said quietly to Loki.

He smirked. ‘Come now, I doubt you truly want her to hurt herself to that extent.’

Darcy shrugged.

‘Besides, she is smarter than Thor.’ Loki said.

‘Has Thor ever touched them?’ Darcy looked up at Loki, eyes wide.

‘Yep. Took years before his finger healed and grew back properly, with many potions and spells from mother. Of course, being a God helped. But he is so gullible.’ Loki laughed at the memory.

After wandering around the city for a few hours, it was time to get ready for the celebrations. Obviously, it didn’t take the Gods long at all. Mere seconds to change into their royal armour.

But Darcy was taking ages in the bathroom, Loki was getting bored waiting. He ended up engrossed in a book when Darcy finally emerged.

He hadn’t been sure exactly what he was expecting. But he was slightly blown away when he turned around to look at Darcy.

She was wearing a low-cut black dress that went down to her mid-thigh on one side and slightly lower on the other, but it had a dark green, light and airy, under skirt that went down to just above her ankles. But the dress really pushed her breasts up and out more, showing her figure better. Her hair was up in a messy bun with some strands down.

‘Well, what do you think?’ She asked as she spun around, her dress flowing out beautifully.

‘I think it’s the first time I’ve seen you in a dress, you pull it off rather well. You should wear them more often.’ Loki smirked and walked towards her.

Darcy put her hand on her hip and glared at him. ‘Don’t get used to it. Oh! Wait!’ She ran to her suitcase and rummaged through it. Loki still couldn’t quite understand why she had packed so much stuff, for just two nights away.

She pulled out a pair of black high heels and slipped them on. Gaining a few inches, but when she squared up to Loki, she pouted as he still towered over her. ‘Damn. I was hoping to get much more height.’

Loki laughed and put his arm out for her. ‘You’re just fine. Now, shall we?’

‘Hell yeah, I’m ready to be a princess for the night!’ Darcy grinned as she took his arm and they made their way to the main hall.

‘Nice touch with my colours, by the way.’ Loki said on the way.

‘Ah you noticed. I thought it would add some extra flare and get the people talking, like we planned.’ Darcy swished her dress about, making Loki laugh again.

As soon as they turned the corner into the hall, there was screeching came from a group of girls who were dressed over the top in green. They rushed towards Loki, but stopped a few feet away when they saw Darcy on his arm.

‘Ladies.’ Loki nodded politely to them as he strolled on by with Darcy.

‘Are they some of the desperate Asgardian commoners?’ Darcy asked, loud enough for them to hear.

Loki was delighted having someone that was up to his par with being mischievous. ‘They are indeed.’ Loki replied in the same tone, hearing some gasps from the girls behind them as they followed the two towards the table where Loki and Darcy both picked up some wine.

‘Well, they better keep their hands off my man or I will smite them with my taser.’

Loki almost choked on his wine as he was mid sip. The girls swiftly dispersed upon hearing the threat. Not knowing what a taser was.

‘Loki, where are your manners.’ Frigga said as she approached the two, having seen Loki spit some wine back into his goblet.

‘Apologies. Darcy is just far too funny.’  

‘Indeed. You have caused quite a stir already. Though I must say, you look absolutely stunning.’ Frigga said as she gently cupped Darcy’s cheek.

‘Thank you. I’ve never been to anything like this before. It’s quite fun being dressed up for a change.’ Darcy couldn’t stop swishing her dress around.

‘Make yourself at home and enjoy. But don’t get up to too much mischief, the both of you.’ Frigga said knowingly as she wandered off.

She went over to her husband and joined him at the head table.

‘What is it with the Prince’s of Asgard courting Mortal women.’ Odin grumbled.

Frigga laughed and put her hand on Odin’s arm. ‘Come now, love. You know Thor loves Jane and vice versa. Loki and Darcy are not together, but they are putting on a show tonight. I think to spare Loki from the swooning commoners. But even if he was courting Darcy, I like her. She’s good for him.’ She said fondly as she watched Loki and Darcy drinking plenty of wine.

It wasn’t long before Loki started pulling pranks, mainly on some of the higher royals from other realms. Things such as adding the odd super-hot pepper to some of the food, causing the unsuspecting royal to need to rush off to the bathroom with a bright red face. Childish things really, but they made Darcy laugh too.

As the celebrations continued into the night, Darcy and Loki proceeded to get more drunk on the Asgardian wine. They were certainly turning some heads as they danced together, Loki actually spinning her around so much she almost fainted from being so dizzy. Everyone thought they were together, and many talked that they had never seen Loki seem so happy and jolly for a change. Instead of just lurking alone in the shadows with a sullen look on his face as he was badgered by commoners.

At the end of the night, Darcy and Loki stumbled back to Loki’s chambers. Darcy was glad to get her heels off, Loki smirked and stood tall on front of her. ‘That’s better, back to your usual height.’ He teased, patting her head.

‘Shurrup.’ Darcy playfully pushed at him.

She was drunk enough that she didn’t care if Loki saw her naked, she just wanted to get into bed. So she just took her dress off at the side of the bed, with Loki watching with an eyebrow raised at her boldness, especially since she wasn’t wearing a bra.

Loki decided to just remove his clothes too. Within seconds, of course, using his Seidr. Darcy looked over at him and her eyes widened when she saw the state he was in.

‘Bloody hell, Loki! You’re hung like a fucking horse!’ She said in surprise, making Loki laugh.

‘Well, forgive me for being in this state. But I am a male after all, and seeing a beautiful woman with such luscious breasts on display is going to affect me in such a way.’ He winked at her.

‘Are you... are you flirting with me?’ Darcy asked, narrowing her eyes at him, hands on her hips.

‘Perhaps.’ Loki shrugged, smirking.

‘Wanna get it on?’ Darcy asked, biting her lower lip.

Loki’s eyes darkened slightly. ‘Are you sure? You are not just in some drunken state?’

‘Yes, I’m drunk. But I’m female, you’re male. And judging by the look of you, we are both horny. So why not?’

Loki didn’t need any more convincing as he leapt onto the bed and crawled over towards her with a predatory look in his eyes.

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Banner

Ch 13: On Your Left

Summary: Steve and Katie meet a new friend whilst out jogging, and Steve is sent on a mission to rescue a ship- the Lemurian Star…but it fast becomes apparent that not everyone on his team is pulling in the same direction.

Paring: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Language! Smut (NSFW, 18+)

A/N: We jump forward a couple of months here and slip straight into the Winter Soldier storyline. Credit to @angrybirdcr​ for another lovely edit, and this re-post contains additional materiel- I’ve written the mission out instead of merely skipping over it.

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.

Chapter 12 Part 2

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

 End of March/Beginning of April 2014

“Turn it off,” Katie’s voice was muffled from the pillow she had buried her face into as the alarm rang around the dark bedroom. Steve moved slightly to turn it off, but he wasn’t fast enough for his Girlfriend’s liking. “Steve!”

With a huff he leaned over and slapped the offending item with his palm, hitting the snooze button.

“Why is it even set?” She grumbled “It’s not like you don’t normally wake up at the crack of dawn anyway…and who uses an alarm clock when they have a phone?”

“You know, no one makes you stay here.” Steve teased, with a chuckle moving so that his front was pressed to her back.

“You’ve been away for five days, I never sleep as well when you’re not here.” She mimicked his line from the night before in a baby voice.

“And that’s why the alarm is set, because I do sleep better with you.” His arms circled her waist and he grinned to himself as despite the fact she was grumpy and tired she melted into his arms as he nuzzled at her neck, revelling in her smell, her warmth.

“Jerk.” She grumbled. “I mean what time is it anyway?” There was a pause as he continued to simply breathe her in and she glanced at her phone giving a scoff as she saw the ridiculous time on the screen “5:30? In the morning. Five. Thirty…”

“You said you wanted to go running.” He murmured, his eyes still closed.

“No, you said you were going running and I said I might tag along because I’ve eaten nothing but shit whilst I’ve been in New York, which, by the way is your fault…”

“My fault?” Steve laughed, cracking an eye open “I wasn’t even there.”

“Exactly” she muttered “No one to stop me.” “I wouldn’t stop you anyway. You’re a big girl, you make your own decisions…” “Big girl? You calling me fat?” she teased as she rolled onto her back and turned her head to face his, just about making out his features in the dark room. He rolled his eyes, God she was a pain in the ass at times.

“Yeah, you’re huge.” he deadpanned, his hand travelling over her flat stomach and coming to rest on her hip. “Enormous.”

“Ok, well now that we’ve established I need to run, you know on account of me being a hippo, that still doesn’t answer the question why we have to go so damned early anyway. It’s not like we have to be anywhere…” “It’s less crowded.” he shrugged.

“Yeah, that’s because it’s a ridiculous time.”

“Stop being a fucking brat!” Steve laughed and she huffed out breath again.

“I’m not being a brat, it’s just a stupid time to be getting up.”

“I love how full of sunshine and happiness you are in the morning.” Steve muttered as he dropped his head so his lips could gently trail a few lazy kisses down her neck before landing at her collarbone and giving a quick nip, his hand tightening on her hip.

She sighed, her body already starting to respond to his touch, the way it always did, betraying her. 

Damned him and his fucking bastard sex appeal.

“Okay, if you want to actually get up now…” She muttered, as his mouth travelled back up and she rolled her head back to give him access to the spot on her neck that drove her wild every time he found it.  “I suggest you stop.” “I hit the snooze button.” he muttered, lips brushing her ear as he spoke. “We got about eight minutes left.”

“Eight minutes? You have a very high opinion of yourself.” Katie replied, tilting her head so she was looking at him, smirking.

Steve said nothing, just cocked a single, mischievous brow at her before his lips met hers, his hand running down from hip to thigh then across, parting her legs slightly. They were still naked from the night before, clothes strewn all over the apartment after he’d been so desperate to get his hands on her.

She moaned gently into his mouth as he slowly sank two fingers into her and her hips instantly bucked upwards, drawing a grin from his mouth. 

“Easy, Baby.” He whispered, his mouth returning to her neck.

Four minutes later she lay beneath him, a quivering wreck and he was right behind her, two shallow thrusts later as he tumbled over that edge with a low groan, eyes fluttering shut as he fell forward onto her. He smirked into her neck when she had finally regained her senses enough to quip that he’d beaten his best time by a full sixty seconds. And sixty seemed to be the flavour of the day as it was almost another sixty minutes before they got to his favoured running spot, the National Mal thanks to the fact it had taken Katie half an hour minutes to locate her running shoes which she’d eventually found in her car.  Steve had seized the opportunity, as always to lament her for the fact she was messy. 

“I’m not messy.” She scoffed indignantly as they walked the seven blocks. “I’m just not as OCD about everything being in its right place, all the time, like a neat-freak Soldier”

The good natured jibing had continued until they reached their destination and walked through the park to the reflecting pool

“How many laps did you do last time?” Katie asked, as Steve stretched his arms upwards, cracking his back.

“Six.” he said.

She looked at him, frowning. “That’s like what? Twenty miles?”

“Nearer twenty-two.” He grinned.  “You want me to keep your pace?”

She laughed “No way, you’ll just bitch at me for being slow.”

“I do not bitch…” “You bitch like a 14 year old girl.” Katie lamented, gently shoving him in his back. “Now go, go on!”

He smiled again, jogging backwards for a second before he set off at a rate of knots. Exercise always made him feel good. Running, boxing, sparring…fucking. Pushing away the dirty thoughts that had arisen to the forefront of his mind, he was quick to find a comfortable pace, his trainer clad feet slapping the concrete.

It didn’t take Katie long to find her rhythm either. Despite not being with SHIELD anymore she had kept her fitness training up, sparring three times a week with either Natasha or Steve in the local gym. She was technically still an Avenger after all, Tony having now fashioned her another Supernova suit which was basically a version of his latest Iron Man suit but in Silver and Blue, the Nova shaped star sported in the chest where the mini arc reactor powered it. She’d given it a trial run whilst she had been back in New York and was just as impressed with it now as she had been with the prototype he had blown up.

Her feet gently slapped the ground as she ran, the sun was rising on the last day of March and it was promising to be a sunny, bright spring morning.

"Hi.” A voice greeted her as another jogger she hadn’t seen before caught up with her and fell into step with her.

“Nice day for it!”  Katie smiled.

“You normally run this early?” He asked “Haven’t seen you around before.”

“That’s because I don’t normally run here!” She smiled “But I just spent 5 days in New York eating crap so…!”

He laughed and held out his hand. “Sam Wilson.”

She took it and gave it a shake. “Katie Stark.”

“Well I’ll be damned!” Sam grinned “I didn’t recognise you. Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

As Steve was about to lap Katie for the first time he noticed she was running with another jogger, a black man wearing a grey sweater with short, cropped hair. At one time this would have sparked the green eyed monster in his chest, but not now. Not only did he know she wouldn’t stand for it, but he knew she was just sociable in general. She would talk to anyone given the chance and moreover, she was his girl, he knew that. As he approached them he breathed out an “On your left.” as a warning as he sped past into his second lap.

Sam frowned, looking round and Katie smirked, trying not to laugh at the look on his face as Steve’s frame whizzed off into the distance.

“I never tire of looking at these.” She commented a short while later as they rounded the monument.

Again the sound of heavy footsteps came. “On your left.”

“On your left.”

“Uh-huh. On my left. I got it.” Sam called after him as he entered his fifth lap.

Katie didn’t even try to stop herself this time and she laughed at the slight look of frustration on Sam’s face.

Not long after they were making a lap around the pool at the base of the memorial. Sam gritted his teeth at the wholly unwelcomed sound of footsteps behind him once again, he looked over his shoulder “Don’t say it. Don’t you say it!”

“On your left.”

“Come on!” Sam shouted and Steve allowed an amused smile to spread across his face.

Sam tried his hardest to pick up his speed to match that of Steve’s but failed miserably after only a few moments, now completely gassed out.

“Are you alright?” Katie asked laughing as she approached his hunched over figure, catching her own breath.

“Oh, here he comes…Superman himself…” Sam said gesturing to where Steve was now walking towards them, hands on his hips. He paused at his girl’s side and looked down at Sam.

“Need a medic?” he teased.

“I need a new set of lungs.” Sam chuckled breathlessly. “Dude, you just ran like thirteen miles in thirty minutes.”

“Guess I got a late start.” He shrugged, shooting Katie a pointed look. She responded with her best innocent stare, batting her eyelids at him. Rolling his eyes, he turned his attention back to the stranger who began to talk again.

“You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap.” He scolded jokingly. “Did you just take it? I assume you just took it.”

Steve smiled, he couldn’t help but like this man. As he looked at him, he noticed the military symbol on his grey sweater.

“What unit were you with?” Steve asked changing the subject and motioning to the man’s shirt.

“Fifty-eighth, Para-rescue. But now I’m working down at the VA. Sam Wilson.” He said motioning for help up.

“Steve Rogers.” Steve held out his hand and pulled Sam to his feet.

“I kind of put that together.” Sam said as he tried to catch his balance. “Must have freaked you out, coming round after the whole defrosting thing.”

“It takes some getting used to. But I’ve had help.” He smiled, looking at Katie who grinned back. “Good to meet you Sam.”

“Yeah, bye Sam!” Katie smiled as Steve gently placed his hand on her lower back to steer her away.

"It’s your bed right?” Sam called out from behind him.

Steve paused and they both turned back around. “What’s that?”

“Your bed, it’s too soft.” Sam went on to explain. “When I was over there, I’d sleep on the ground and use rocks as pillows. Like cavemen. Now I’m back home, in my own bed, feels like-”

Steve cut him off. “Like lying on a marshmallow, feels like I’m gonna sink right to the floor.”

"How long?” He asked Sam

“Two tours.” Sam responded. “You must miss the good old days huh?”

“Well, things aren’t so bad.” He folded his arms, taking a quick glance at Katie who raised her eyebrow at him, teasingly. “Foods a lot better. We used to boil everything. No polio that’s good.” He paused before making a gesture with his hand. “Internet so helpful, I’ve been reading that a lot tryna’ catch up.”

Sam nodded and then moved his right hand from where it had been folder across his chest and held it, fingers extended. “Marvin Gaye, 1972, ‘Troubleman’ soundtrack.” He said, returning his arm to its resting position “Everything you’ve missed jammed into one album.”

“Ohhh man!” Katie groaned “I love that film.”

Steve nodded, smiling and pulled out the notebook she had bought him the previous year, “I’ll put it on the list.”

“We can download it later.” Katie offered. Steve smiled as he closed his book before he reached into his other pocket for his phone which was going off. It was Natasha.

'Mission Alert. Extraction imminent. Meet you at the curb :)’

He showed the message to Katie who read it whilst he looked over at Sam.

“Well Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that’s what you wanna call running.” He joked extending his hand.

“Oh that’s how it is?” Sam says amused shaking the offered hand.

“That’s how it is.” Steve responded, laughing slightly.

“Okay, anytime you two wanna stop by the VA. Make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Steve said as Natasha pulled up in her black chevvy sports car.

“Hey guys, anyone know where the Smithsonian is? I’m here to pick up a fossil.” She quipped.

“Hey Nat!” Katie waved at her and she nodded whilst Steve simply shook his head.

“That’s hilarious.” He commented dryly as he turned to Katie. “I’ll call you as soon as I can, okay?” She took a deep breath. “Be careful.” She instructed as she leaned up to give him a kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Steve made his way to the car, opened the passenger side of the car and dropped into the seat.

“How you doing?” Sam called with a smile as he squat down to get a better view of both Natasha and the car.

“Hey.” She responded with a small smile.

“Can’t run everywhere.” Steve joked smugly, looking back at the man.

“No you can’t.” Sam chuckled and Steve shot one last look at Katie who waved as Natasha surged the car forward.

Katie watched them go before she turned to Sam.

“Military girlfriend huh?” He teased and she laughed.

“Something like that.” “Fancy a coffee?” Sam nodded to one of the stands parked over on the square and she smiled.

“Sure, why not?”

Sam insisted on paying, despite Katie’s protests and they took their coffees over to a bench, sitting down in the early morning sun. As they talked, Katie fast realised she really liked this man, and he was pretty damned interesting too. He told Katie about his time serving in Afghanistan and how he had chosen, post the loss of his partner, Riley, to leave active service and focus his attention on helping others through work at the VA.

Katie had never really dug into the VA much, but it seemed like it did some pretty good work, helping those Soldiers who needed help adjusting to life post discharges for medical or mental health reasons. Sam confided in her that the DC branch was under threat due to lack of funding, and she made a mental note to speak to Tony about it being something that maybe the Stark Relief fund could look into partnering.

When they both realised they had been sat on the bench chatting for almost an hour and a half the pair of them both, knowing they had other places to be, exchanged numbers and she promised to pass his onto Steve.

The rest of her day went pretty quick, in a flourish of telephone conferences and various other ad-hoc emails to deal with, talking to the editors and Business Development team about potential authors to target. By the time she logged off for the evening it was gone eight. She leaned back in her chair, glancing up at the photos that decorated her office, her eyes being drawn to the one on the shelf of herself and Steve which had been taken at the New Years Eve gala last year. 

Picking up her phone she debated texting him, but she knew better than to bother him. From personal experience, STRIKE missions were heavy going. Instead she decided she was going to break with their usual routine whereby he would come to hers if it wasn’t too late post mission, and she was going to wait for him at his.

******

 “The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star.” Rumlow spoke, moving images along a screen as they all stood watching as the jet flew over the Indian ocean. “They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, ninety-three minutes ago.”

“Any demands?” Steve asked.

“A billion and a half.”

“Why so steep?” Steve asked, frowning. That wasn’t so much steep as fucking vertical.

“Because it SHIELD’s.” Rumlow replied and Steve took a deep breath.

“So it’s not off-course, its trespassing.” He said exasperatedly, turning to his left and looking at Natasha.

“I’m sure they have a good reason.” She met his eyes, her face not faltering for a second.

“You know, I’m getting a little tired of being Fury’s janitor.” Steve raised his eyebrows as she looked back at the screen.

“Relax.” She drawled. “It’s not that complicated”

“How many pirates?” Steve looked back at Rumlow.

“Twenty-five.” he replied, once more swiping at the screen. “Top mercs, led by this guy. Georges Batroc” he pulled up a photo of Batroc on the monitor. “Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He’s at the top of Interpol’s Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy’s got a rep for maximum casualties.”

“Hostages?” Steve pressed.

“Uh…mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell.” Rumlow flashed up Sitwell’s photo and Steve shifted slightly “They’re in the galley.”

“What’s Sitwell doing on a launch ship?” He queried, an air of frustration in his tone as he pulled on his gloves before he took a breath and issued his instructions without waiting for an answer. “Alright, I’m gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you’ll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep up after, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get ‘em out. Let’s move.”

“STRIKE, you heard the Cap. Gear up.” Rumlow nodded to his team and they all began to bustle around the jet.

Steve moved towards the back, checking his ear piece, raising his wrist communicator to his mouth. “Secure channel seven.”

“Seven secure.” Nat picked up a few more bits of equipment from the shelves, passing a coms device to Evans as Steve walked behind her to the ramp. “Did you do anything fun Saturday night?”

“Well, seeing as all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, I had to settle for a movie and pizza with my girl.” He shrugged as he fit his ear piece, a smile tugging at his face. “Yeah, it was fun.”

Natasha grinned and Evans gave a chuckle as the pilot spoke into his ear. “Coming up by the drop zone, Cap.”

Steve punched the button to lower the ramp before he grabbed his helmet.

“You know, I think it’s cute. You’re like a regular, normal couple.”  Evans said, and Steve turned to him as he fastened the straps on his helmet.

“That’s because we are normal.” He replied, a little louder as the noise of the air blowing through the ramp surrounded them. Steve grabbed his shield and swung it onto his back, the irony of his statement making him smile even more as he walked towards the end of the ramp.

“Yeah, because most people do this type of stuff for a living.” Natasha shot after him and he turned to face her, smirking.

“Well, at least it doesn’t get boring.” He grinned, before he threw himself off the jet.

“Was he wearing a parachute?” Rollins turned to Rumlow who gave a huff of a smile.

“No. No, he wasn’t.”

Steve held his arms and hands out to the side of himself as he was free falling through the air, before he shifted, straightening his legs out below him and crossing his arms over his chest. He speared straight into the ice cold water below and, after a moment to adjust, he started swimming toward the ship, using the anchor chain to climb up onto the deck. He dropped silently over the railings and grabbed the guard who had walked past seconds before in a choke hold, rendering him unconscious as noiselessly as he could. Then he set off at a sprint and it wasn’t long before he encountered two more of the pirates. Using his shield he hit the first one and took him down then sent the vibranium weapon flying once more where it ricocheted off the hull of the boat and took down the second. He caught it and continued running around the side of the deck where he encountered another three. The first one he dispatched with a harsh kick, taking the others down with a quick leg swipe and a harsh punch to the face. The next one he saw wasn’t looking so Steve sped up and used his momentum to shoulder barge him over the side of the ship, before he launched at the next one, taking him down with a swinging choke hold. The one after had a knife, which was slightly more inconvenient, but Steve managed to disarm him and used the dagger he now had possession of to pin one of the other guards hands to the wall as he was reaching up to hit the alarm button, before knocking him out with a kick to the head.

That was how it went for the most of it. Steve ran the entire deck, taking everyone down using his shield, arms, legs, body, any means he had before anyone could raise the alarm. And he was almost home and dry, until he dispatched of what he thought was the final merc, until as he caught his shield, he heard the click of a gun right behind his head.

“Bouge pas!” The man spoke and Steve tilted his head slightly to glance at the man in his peripheral, understanding the words to mean don’t move. So he didn’t, especially not as he had just spotted Rumlow drifting down towards the deck. The STRIKE leader shot at the pirate, taking him down and landed a few feet away.

“Thanks.” Steve nodded to him.

“Yeah. You seemed pretty helpless without me.” Rumlow joked and Steve turned to see Natasha and Evans parachute down onto the deck to join them.

“So you know you said before about things not getting boring?” Natasha asked as they strode across the deck, Steve slinging his shield onto his back. “If you ever need any tips on how to keep it from getting boring in the bedroom, just ask.”

Steve shook his head and let out a groan.

“When you gonna ask her to move in with you?” Nat continued.

“Secure the engine room, then we can talk about my sex life and living arrangements.” Steve deadpanned back

“I’m multitasking” Nat sing-songed as she effortlessly hopped over a set of railings, disappearing onto the lower part of the deck.

Steve set off at a run, vaulting up a few steps, using railings to swing himself onto the higher level of the ship before he stopped just below the bridge, shooting one of Lawson’s listening devices at the windows. He listened in as Batroc instructed his men to fire the engines and then Steve retreated to a spot where he could see Batroc clearly through the window of the control bridge. Crouching down he continued to listen into their conversation, easily able to understand the French they were speaking, one of his many skills picked up in the war. It had come easy post the serum, as with everything it had enhanced his ability to memorise and grasp things like that.

Batroc was being informed by one of his officers about the radio silence from SHIELD and Steve watched carefully before Evans’ voice cut across the jabbers of French.

“Targets acquired”

“STRIKE in position” Rumlow replied.

“Natasha, what’s your status?” Steve whispered into his wrist coms, but there was no reply. “Status, Natasha?”

“Hang on!” She said loudly, and Steve waited as he heard a bit of a struggle before she spoke again twenty or so seconds later. “Engine room secure.”

That was it, they were clear to engage.

“On my mark” Steve whispered “Three. Two. One.”

With that he set off running towards the bridge, leaping up a small set off steps before he flung his shield through the window. He jumped in after it and Batroc caught him with a kick to the chest before sprinting off and kicking his way out of the door. Steve jumped up, wrenched his shield from where it had been wedged in the metal panels at the back of the control room and ran after him.

“Hostages on route to extraction.” Rumlow informed as Steve emerged onto the end of a set of steps. “Romanoff missed the rendezvous point, Cap.” The STRIKE leader continued as Steve jumped down onto the main area of the deck. “Hostiles are still in play.”

Steve looked around before he turned on his heels and started walking “Natasha, Batroc’s on the move.” He instructed quietly into his coms. “Circle back to Rumlow and protect the hostages.”

There was no reply, and Steve was starting to get pissed off at her radio silence.

“Natasha!”

But then, out of nowhere Batroc flew at him with another harsh kick which sent Steve flying, and no sooner had he righted himself, there came another. The two engaged, toe to toe, fists flying, legs kicking, arms blocking and Steve had to hand it to Batroc, even after he knocked him down with his shield, the man was quickly back on his feet. Steve aimed a knee to his gut and flipped him backwards only to see Batroc effortlessly fling himself into several back flips before landing on his feet a short distance away, smirking as he eyed Steve up.

“Je croyais que tu étais plus qu'un bouclier.” He chuckled slightly and Steve cocked his head to one side, chewing over the man’s words… I thought that you were more than just a shield.

The arrogance in Steve won out and he straightened up out of his attack stance. You wanna go, fucker? Fine. Let’s dance.

He took a breath, stashing his shield on the harness round his back, and undid his chin strap, pulling his helmet off. “On va voir.” He said simply, tossing it to the floor, his eyes not once leaving Batroc’s who gave a huge grin.

They dodged for a second or two before they began to fight once more, trading punches, kicks and a few more knees to the gut before Steve threw himself up into the air, twirling his body round into a huge over-head kick, connecting his boot straight with Batroc’s head. Batroc fell to the floor and soon staggered back to his feet, but Steve didn’t give him chance to recover properly. He ran at him, spearing them both through a door, and sitting up slighting, Steve knocked Batroc out with a huge punch to the head.

He took a moment to draw his breath when a voice rang out across the room.

“Well, this is awkward.”

He looked up to see Natasha smirking at him from where she was bent over a computer.

“What are you doing?” Steve demanded as he rose to his feet.

“Backing up the hard drive. It’s a good habit to get into.”  She retorted.

Steve glanced over his shoulder, happy Batroc was still out cold, before he strode purposefully towards her.

“Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you doing here?” He drew up behind her and glanced at the screens. As it registered what she was doing he shook his head in exasperation. “You’re saving SHIELD Intel.”

“Whatever I can get my hands on.” She drawled, still tapping at the computer as she looked at him, before turning back to the screen.

“Our mission is to rescue hostages.” Steve glared at her.

“No. That’s your mission.” Natasha corrected as she finished what she was doing and pulled the pen drive out of the slot. She turned towards him and smiled causing Steve’s anger to bubble even more. “And you’ve done it beautifully.” Her tone was almost patronising as she smirked, moving to pass him.

At that, Steve felt his temper snap and he grabbed her arm stopping her in her tracks. “You just jeopardized this whole operation.”

“I think that’s overstating things.” Natasha stated calmly but before Steve had time to reply a movement caught his attention. Batroc stood up and threw a grenade at the two of them as he ran off. Steve deflected the bomb with his shield before he grabbed Natasha round the waist and hopped up onto the desks. Jumping to another one, Natasha shot out one of the glass windows into an internal office and they dived in just as the bomb exploded.

Smoke, ash and debris rained down on them and Steve gave it a second before he looked over his shoulder and out before sitting back down to take a moment. He was beyond pissed off. Pissed at Natasha and pissed at Fury for not bothering to tell him the full story.

“Okay. That one’s on me.” Natasha breathed out.

“You’re damn right.” Steve grit his teeth and pushed himself up, storming out in anger. Of course, Batroc was nowhere to be found.

**** Steve was that angry about the cluster-fuck of a mission that he didn’t speak a word to Natasha all the way home and yes, he knew it was childish, but he was getting seriously pissed off at the secrets and lies that seemed to be part and parcel of any goddamned mission Fury sent him on. Once back at base he stormed off the jet, ignoring pretty much everyone and simply barking out that they would debrief in the morning.

It was just before midnight when he got home, and as he pulled his bike up into the designated space allotted for his apartment, he noticed Katie’s car was in one of the guest spaces that lined the street. He frowned slightly, she never normally waited at his for him. Not for any particular reason other than he normally spent the hours or so after a mission debriefing before heading home to decompress for a few hours and then if it wasn’t too late he would head to hers. But the more he thought about it now he realised that he had no idea why he did it that way. It wasn’t like she didn’t understand what it was like being a SHIELD operative, or that he didn’t want her at his. 

Knowing that she was there made him smile for the first time since he’d left the Lemurian Star and, despite his various aches and bruises, he found himself taking the steps to his apartment three at a time, his eagerness to see her wiping all other thoughts from his mind.

She was on the couch, bare denim-short clad legs tucked underneath her, and she looked up from the TV as he walked into the living area and leaned in the doorway, smiling softly at the sight of her, hair tousled slightly from where she had been leaning her head against the arm of the couch.

“What are you doing here?” He asked gently as she sat up.

“Decided I’d wait for you.” She shrugged “You complaining?” “Not at all.” He smiled, turning away as he unzipped his jacket and hung it over the back of one of the stools by the breakfast bar before he crossed the room.

“You had a good day?” He asked.

“Yeah.” She replied as he walked back into the lounge. “Vanity Fair have written the article already, if I’m happy with it tomorrow then it’s going to be published this month.”

Steve couldn’t help but smile at her tone. She was proud, and she had every right to be. So was he. Stark Independent Publishing LTD had taken off like a rocket and the glossy magazines were queuing up to interview the youngest Stark prodigee. She had declined all of them until the board had suggested she do one interview for Vanity Fair, along with a photoshoot in her office. She’d reluctantly agreed, but had confided in Steve she’d actually kind of enjoyed it.

“That’s fast.” he said, heading back into the room.

“Yeah they’re really pushing for it.” She smiled as he dropped besides her with a groan, lifting her legs up so they crossed his lap. As he did so he jostled the bruised ribs and muscles he’d obtained on the Lemurian Star and let out a hiss, rubbing slightly at his torso. Katie spotted this, as always, and frowned, moving her legs so she was sat up, scooting over to where he was and gently tugged at his t-shirt. He didn’t stop her as she examined the large bruise over the side of his ribs and gently ran her fingers over it.

“Ouch.” She mumbled softly, looking up at him and then tilting his face round. He knew there was a small cut on his temple but other than that and the bruise to his side he was uninjured. “Is this it?”

He nodded.

“So how did you do it this time?”

“I got blown through a window.” Because that was a perfectly normal thing for Captain America to do, Katie merely rolled her eyes and dropped a kiss to his cheek as she stood up “I’ll get the arnica and fix you something to eat”

He loved this, the way she just wanted to take care of him, but he was aware of what time it was too, and he didn’t want her to feel like she had to play the dutiful housewife.

“Kitten, you should go to bed, its late.” He grabbed her hand. “Once I’ve patched you up and fed you I will.” She shrugged stubbornly, tugging gently on his hand and he allowed himself to be pulled up “Go take a shower, I’ll sort your dinner.”

This time he didn’t protest, simply smiled, dropped a kiss to her head and headed to the bathroom.

He stepped under the hot water cascading from the shower and let out a groan as it hit his body, allowing it temporarily to soothe his mind and his aches. He still couldn’t shake his annoyance at how the mission was gone. Suddenly, he was distracted by his stomach grumbling and he realised he was actually really hungry. He quickly washed off before cutting the water and stepping out, grabbing a towel. He could hear Katie in the kitchen as he walked down the hall towards his bedroom where he dried himself off and dressed in a pair of loose sweats and a grey T-shirt.

The smell of food hit his nostrils as he walked into the kitchen, making his mouth water. Her food was always good, he had no idea what he was in for tonight but he didn’t care. As he approached where she was stood, both his hands dropped to her hips and he placed a soft kiss on her neck, an easy sign of affection before he let out a heavy sigh and reached into the refrigerator.

“So, you wanna tell me what happened?” She asked, turning to look at him as he downed pretty much an entire bottle of water before he slumped down at the breakfast bar and explained everything to her. She listened, asked questions, shook her head, and when he reached the bit about the ransom she whistled slightly through her teeth, coming to the same conclusion he had when he heard the demand.

“That’s steep.” she frowned and Steve snorted.

“That’s what I said. Turns out its SHIELDS.“

The microwave finished and Katie moved to open the door, stirring whatever was in there before removing it and placing it down in front of him, along with a plate of his favourite bread. He was silent for a moment as he stirred the hot stew, Ghoulash, before taking a small mouthful to test the heat. Damned she could cook. He nodded appreciatively.

“It’s good.” “You sound surprised.”

“Behave.” He admonished, giving her a look. “You know what I think about your cooking.”

He continued to eat as she stood up and fished about in the cupboard he stored the bottle of Arnica gel she insisted he keep to hand. As he ate, she settled next to him and hitched his shirt up, gently and carefully applying the ointment to his side. The bruise extended from the middle of his rib cage to an inch or so beneath the band of his sweats.

It was relaxing, and he relished her touch and her gentle tone as she continued to talk.

“So did you get the hostages?”

“Yeah.” He nodded in between mouthfuls. “That bit was pretty easy all things considered.”

“So what’s wrong, love?”

She could tell there was more to his mood than what he had told her, and her instincts were proven right when he let out a soft sigh as she continued to rub at his side softly.

“I’m just annoyed Sweetheart.” He sighed eventually “At Fury, at Romanoff.”

“At Nat? Why?”

“She was running a separate mission, which meant the task I gave her to back Rumlow up with the hostages wasn’t done.”

“Fury?”

He nodded.

“More secrets” Katie sighed, feeling a flash of anger. “You know this is exactly why I got out…legacy or no legacy.”

“Tell me about it.” He dropped the spoon into the empty bowl. “We were lucky no one was hurt, or worse. I mean, Rumlow was great, got everyone out but, Doll, how can I lead a team when half of them are lying to me?”

“Nat was just doing as she was told.” Katie spoke softly, trying to deal with each issue one at a time.

“Since when is retrieving Intel more important than people’s lives?”

“I’m not saying it is. I’m just saying don’t be so hard on her.” She reasoned, her fingers still tracing shapes on his skin. “She has a job to do, same as you. Its Fury you should be talking to about it.”

“Oh I intend to.” Steve snorted. “I’m going to go see him tomorrow morning after de-brief…”

“Well, at least you’ll get an explanation. I mean it might not be what you wanna hear but…”

She was right, of course. Pushing it from his mind, Steve concentrated on her touch as she was still gently rubbing his side. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of contentment, and was disappointed when she finally finished and let his t-shirt fall down before she stood up to put the ointment away.

“You want any more to eat?” She asked, once she’d washed the arnica off her hands.

“Is there any?” He looked at her hopefully.

She smiled, nodding, and then gave a small yawn which she tried to stifle, but Steve noticed it.

“Okay, I’ll warm some more up and you’re gonna go to bed.” He said, standing up “And that’s an order.”

“Bossy bastard” She retorted. He replied simply with a raised an eyebrow and stern glare as he crossed towards her. She held her hands up, “Okay, I’m going…” She leaned up to kiss to his cheek.

“Won’t be long.” He smiled.

Steve had another bowl of food before he slipped the dishes into the dishwasher and headed to the bathroom to clean his teeth. He turned off the lights, crossed into the dark bedroom and pulled off his T-shirt, sliding into bed behind Katie. His arm curled over her waist, surprise surprise she was in one of his shirts, which did nothing to ebb his growing desire and the twitching in his groin. Hoping she wasn’t asleep, his nose gently nuzzled at her neck, and he was pleased when she responded.

He needed this. Wanted this. Wanted her.

“When you told me to go to bed…” Katie sighed, as his lips gently started their assault on that spot, “I thought you meant to sleep.” “Want me to stop?” Steve practically purred into her neck.

“Didn’t say that.” She replied, rolling her head to catch his lips as his hand crept down her inner thigh. She let out a contented sigh and he smiled against the side of her neck as he traced his fingers over her hip, hand flattening as it crept down and round to the top of her panties, his fingers slipping inside, where he found her hot, wet, ready for him. It was enough to harden him completely as he started to gently tease her, causing her to groan at the pleasure, her back arching whilst his lips continued to kiss and caress her neck.

“Steve.” She moaned softly, her tone pleading. “I want you…”

Fuck, he would never get tired of hearing that. Ever. 

“Yeah?” he whispered.

“Yeah. Please Stevie.” He didn’t think he’d ever be able to say no to her. His hand moved up and he gripped at her hip, gently rolling her so she was lay on her back, using his leg to part hers. He guided his shirt over her head, pulled down her panties, before he stripped off his boxers, fingers lacing in between hers, as he crawled over her, pinning both hands above her head as he worked his way into her. They both groaned as he stretched her, and she looked up at him, those eyes locking onto his as he leant down to kiss her, starting up a slow, gentle pace. He moved slowly, again and again, lips caressing hers, then her jaw, then her neck, all the time his hands wrapped around hers, causing her to surrender to him completely.

He kept up that soft, gentle pace, loving her completely. He could tell she was close, he knew the signs well enough now and as she groaned in delight, tightening around him he coaxed her, “That’s it baby girl…” lips soft on her ear.

And then she came, shuddering underneath him, her head tipping back, as she let out a gentle, low, broken moan of his name. It sent shivers down his spine and he continued to thrust through her orgasm, the tale heat spreading across his belly and then he tipped too, jerking and groaning slightly before he fell forward, burying his face in to her neck.

“Love you.” She whispered softly into his ear as her hand ran up his neck, into his hair and he gave a hum of contentment as he regained control of his senses.

“Love you too, so damned much, Sweetheart.” He rubbed his nose up against hers and she chuckled slightly as he rolled off of her. She scooted closer so she could lay her head on his chest and his arm curled round her, large hand tracing shapes on her skin at the bottom of her back as she tossed her leg over his.

“What time are you in tomorrow?” She asked gently, hand rubbing absentmindedly over his chest.

“Half nine.” He gave a sated yawn.

“We can have breakfast together, I made cinnamon rolls.” She muttered through a yawn of her own.

“That so?” “mmmhmmm”

“You know, you’d make a good little housewife.” He grinned, thinking back to his thought before. He knew her response before she had uttered it. “Fuck you.” He chuckled, dropping a kiss to her head and they both fell silent. And his last thought as he drifted off to sleep was just how her being here had made him almost forget his worries.

Katie lay still, listening to the sound of his breathing which grew even as he fell asleep, clearly exhausted. He always needed food and rest after missions, his metabolism drained him. She stole a glance up at him, long eyelashes lay against his cheek as his head lolled to the side slightly, facing her.

“Night soldier.” She whispered softly, placing a peck on his lips before settling down and succumbing to her own tiredness. ********* Katie woke the next morning, tangled in Steve’s arms, his face pressed into her neck as he’d done his usual koala impression. As gently as she could, she moved to check her phone for the time, and found it to be twenty-five past seven, five minutes before her alarm was due to go off. Cancelling it, she glanced back over at Steve who shifted onto his back, the arm that had been thrown around her gently resting on his chest. Smiling, she climbed out of bed deciding to leave him to sleep as long as she could.

Considering what a light sleeper he normally was, Steve didn’t stir when Katie returned following her shower and was still out of it when she finished dressing so she unset the alarm on his bedside clock and headed to the kitchen. She put on a fresh pot of coffee, threw the fresh rolls she had made the previous day into the oven and settled down on his couch, flipping on the TV whilst she quickly scanned through her phone, looking at her schedule for the day. She only had one meeting in the afternoon, and it wasn’t important so she fired an email through to her PA asking her to reschedule.

At about eight-fifteen, there was still no sign of Steve so Katie headed through to the bedroom to wake him up. Any longer and he would be late for his debrief. He was lay side on, facing her side of the bed so she dropped next to him…

Something was tickling his nose, right on the bridge. He gently sniffed, and then soft lips met his. Again, again…Steve made a completely involuntary noise that was halfway between a groan and a sigh as he realised his girl was kissing him awake, before her lips met his and this time he gently responded.

“Hey.” That soft voice greeted him and he smiled, gently cracking an eye open and meeting that emerald green.

“Morning” He said groggily and she smiled.

“It’s almost eight-fifteen.”

He frowned, that was late. “My alarm didn’t wake me?” “I turned it off, sorry-not-sorry” She said with a tone so blasé it made him chuckle “You needed the rest.” She gave him a soft kiss again “There’s coffee in the kitchen and breakfast is ready.” “You know I could get used to this” He rolled over so he was on his back as she rose from the bed. “Coming home to a ready-made dinner, waking up to ready-made breakfast before I go to work. And you.” “Nice to see which one of those is your priority.” She teased over her shoulder as she left him to it.

“Always you, Doll.” he murmured with a smile. But as he lay still for another few minutes, he thought about it more and more. Over the past four months, other than when they were away either on missions or business trips they had spent every night together, either at his or hers but last night, something had felt different to him, more intimate. She’d taken care of his mission injuries, cooked for him, made love to him, and now here she was making him breakfast before she would wave him off to work later on. It was almost normal, what people with mundane nine to five jobs did. And he realised he wanted that all the time, he wanted to come home, find her there, wake up with her, every single day.

“When you gonna ask her to move in?” Natasha’s voice popped back into his head.

If he was honest, he hadn’t given it a lot of thought, it wasn’t something people did back in his time before marriage. But times were different, hell he was different, and as he lay there contemplating it, he realised, it wasn’t such a bad idea.

When he headed through, Katie was sat at the kitchen table, laptop fired up, mobile glued to her ear.

“I know!” Her tone was one of utter excitement. “I mean I didn’t think they would turn out so good…or they’d be done so fast but they’re pushing for this month’s edition…”

He dropped a kiss to her neck and glanced at the screen, pausing when he saw the image. It must have been one of the photos done whilst she was in New York and as he looked at it, he felt his mouth drop open. His girl was stood against a wall in her office in the tower, one leg bent, high heeled foot raised back against the flat surface behind her, palms splayed either side of her thighs as she looked to the right. Her hair was pulled back in a slick, high pony tail, her make-up was heavier than normal and utterly flawless, and she was dressed in a grey charcoal pinstripe suit which cinched in at her waist, with a low cut white blouse underneath.

“Yeah, I know Tony.” She continued speaking into the phone as she glanced up and saw the expression on his face. She pressed a button on the keyboard and it flipped to another picture, this one of her sat in her chair, legs apart, elbows resting on her knees, as she looked beyond the camera, laughing at something. She looked absolutely fucking stunning. His eyes roved the image on the digital copy of the article and he began to read the writing that was next to it.

There are a lot of things you might absolutely hate about Katie Stark. Aged just twenty-nine she has more money than anyone could possibly wish to spend in a life-time, looks and a figure that you would kill for, and a Super Soldier Boyfriend with a jawline that seems to be carved from marble. However, after thirty seconds in her company despite wanting to hate her for all of the above, it was simply impossible not to like her.

Unassuming, accommodating, and with a smile that you simply can’t help but return, she welcomed us into her office and was remarkably humble about the entire thing, admitting that she still wasn’t quite so sure why we were so interested in her. We took the time to grill her on how the first three months of Stark Independent Publishing LTD has gone and what we can look forward to in the future.

Katie stood up and gestured for him to sit down and carry on reading the article. She headed off into the living room, continuing her call, so he read as he ate a hot cinnamon bun. The article ploughed through a load of questions about the book that had launched the business when they published, the fact the company had already registered over fifty-percent first quarter turnover, where she thought the business was going, future pipeline projects, her favourite authors, genre, books, previous role in Stark Industries before she had spent a few years working for a Government Agency following the Battle of New York (no mention of Supernova or SHIELD) and then the final paragraph took a personal turn.

When asked if she would indulge us with a personal question she sighed slightly before grinning and telling us to ask and see if she answered. So we did…

“We know that you’re a notoriously private person, in comparison to your brother anyway, but most of our readers are dying to know…what’s it like dating Captain America?”

“No idea, I’m dating Steve Rogers.” She replied immediately, a faint flush hitting her cheeks as she spoke, all the time fiddling with a delicate yet gorgeous antique looking emerald ring which sits on her right hand, a gift we suspect from the man in question. When asked to elaborate slightly, she bit her lip and simply smiled before explaining; “Steve isn’t just Captain America. There’s more to him than a shield. He’s the kindest, gentlest, most caring man I’ve ever met and he makes me unbelievably happy.” The blush spread from her cheeks to her ears “And that’s not down to the Serum or outfit, it’s just who he is. The fact he’s 6ft2, drop dead gorgeous with a smile I’d happily die for is a bonus.”

Steve felt himself grin as he read the words and glanced at the small photo they had framed the paragraph round. It was the shot of them together that had been taken at the Stark Industry’s New Year’s Gala as they danced. His eyes continued to the final part of the article, this one complete with a picture of Katie and Tony. Katie sat at her desk as Tony leaned over, looking at something on the computer screen. 

When asked about the other man in her life, her brother Tony, she smiled again, another genuine smile, the love she has for her elder sibling evident on her face and in her voice.

“I owe everything I have to Tony. He brought me up from the age of seven, gave me absolute, unconditional love and opportunities I know I was extremely fortunate to have. People have a pre-conceived image of what he is like, and sometimes he can play into that, but to me he’s been nothing but loving and supportive, my father and brother rolled into one and I can’t thank him enough for everything he has done and given me. He backed my decision to open SIP from the off and believed in me and has always pushed me to be the best I can be.”

We couldn’t resist another personal question, so we asked her a little cheekily how Tony had reacted to news that she was dating one of his fellow Avengers, who had served alongside their Father Howard in WW2. Hesitating slightly, she flushed before smirking and answering, a grin on her face.

“How he found out wasn’t ideal, but once he realised we were serious, he was fine about it. I think deep down after my last car crash of a relationship, he’s just happy I’m with someone who puts me first.”

“Do they get on?” At that she laughed. “They have a love-hate relationship. In that they hate the fact they love one another. Tony has these ridiculous nicknames for Steve and he can be an absolute nightmare at times, but to be fair Steve’s quite sarcastic himself too but I know full well that they have each other’s six and, even though they would probably deny it, they are quite close and would miss one another if they weren’t around.”

Steve, grudgingly, had to admit she was right. Tony could be a pain in the ass at times, but he would miss the billionaire if he wasn’t there. Underneath all his bravado he knew that he thought the world of his sister and, despite their initial meeting whereby Steve frankly thought the guy was a dick, he’d fast learnt during the Chitauri Battle that underneath that persona he had a heart of gold and was more like his father than he would care to admit. A fact that Steve was even more convinced of having gotten to know him much better on a personal level over the last two years or so.

Whilst the siblings certainly share a lot of attributes, both good looking, tough, hard-working, Katie has a certain softness to her edges and we challenge anyone who spends time in her company not to warm to the youngest Stark. Stark Independent Publishing has, in our opinion, a very bright future ahead of it whilst it is spearheaded by such an astute and shrewd business woman and we wish her all the best.

“What do you think?” Katie watched as Steve read the article, leaning against the wall, nibbling at her thumb, nervous to see his reaction.

Steve jerked his head round and smiled at her. “I think it’s fantastic. The photos are stunning, the article is well written. Are you happy with it?” “Yeah.” she nodded as she walked over to his chair, standing behind it and slipping her arms round his shoulders from behind “They wouldn’t drop the whole So you’re dating Captain America angle though, so our PR department told me to answer a few personal questions to shut them up. Are you ok with it?” Steve smiled and turned side on in his seat, pulling her into his lap. “Seeing as I’m the kindest, gentlest, most caring man you’ve ever met how could I not be?” “I meant every word of that.” She smiled, rubbing her nose against his.

“I know baby.” He gave her a peck on the lips. “Now I need to go or I’m gonna be late.”

Sighing she stood up as he did the same, grabbing a final cinnamon bun from the plate.

“I’ll be back at mine” She informed him as she walked to the door with him, “I have a few calls to do this morning.” “I’ll come over when I’m done.” He smiled. “And maybe we can do something this afternoon?”

“Sounds perfect”

***** Chapter 14

**Original Posting**

[elisaphoenix13]

Once Upon A Summer (Ch.1)

This first chapter is for @chocopiggy (thanks for the commission, and hope it's to your liking)! This actually won't be connected to the Mama Bear AU, but Stephen will always be a mom in my heart. 😂

It all started because of an alert that Tony received from Friday. It wasn't one that told him that Peter was in danger...just that something had happened with his suit. Maybe a malfunction? Friday couldn't tell him either but she made sure to let him know that the teen was safe. When Tony checked Peter's location, his eyebrow shot up.

"What the hell is he doing out of Queens?" He mumbles to himself.

When the little dot shows no signs of moving, Tony walks over to his balcony and suits up to go check on the teen. Peter never really left Queens and if he did, it was to visit Tony. Well...until now that is. Peter now permanently resided in the tower penthouse with Tony and now the roles were kind of switched. He patrolled on the way to Queens, stayed there for a few hours, and then made his way back to the tower. Then again, Greenwich Village wasn't really out of the way. Maybe Peter followed a perp in that direction and...got lost.

Tony was even more confused when he landed in front of a building that he knew housed a couple of sorcerers he only really knew about. He never actually met them but he supposed now was as good a time as any if his tracker was accurate. He stepped forward and knocked on the door, and the door opened to let him in.

"Great. Place is haunted." Tony says as he walks in.

"It took you long enough." A voice says and he looks to the side to find one of the sorcerers.

He was the first thing Tony noticed because press photos didn't do Stephen Strange justice. He was much more attractive in person and Tony could feel butterflies in his chest. Not his stomach, because that would just mean he was nervous, but his chest...it warmed. It had a tingly feeling that was nice and unconcerning for a change. Stephen's eyes were beautiful and it was even more attractive to see him make butterflies fly around...a baby? A baby wearing the Ironspider suit…

"What did you do to my kid?!" Tony accuses immediately.

"Not me. Another sorcerer." Stephen dispels the butterflies he had been keeping baby Peter occupied with. "He was caught in a crossfire of spells and this happened."

"The enemy tried to turn you into a baby?" Tony asks.

"I have no idea. Possibly. Or he was hit with a different spell that affected him differently."

Stephen carefully picks up Peter, who looked to be about six months old, and carries him over to Tony. He wasn't sure what to do with a baby, but he took him regardless and Peter cooed as he reached for Tony's sunglasses.

"Why haven't you changed him back?"

"This is something that needs to wear off on its own." Stephen replies with a sigh.

"How long will that take?" Tony asks suspiciously.

"Anywhere from weeks to months."

Tony balks. "What?! No! I'm in no way qualified to take care of a baby. At least for that long! You're a better option Doc."

"I'm a neurologist Stark. Not a pediatrician."

"I'm sure you've made the rounds though." Tony says and moves his head back a little to keep Peter away from his sunglasses. "This is partially your fault."

"He'll be fine." Stephen huffs.

"What if there are some magical side effects?" Tony counters. "That's apparently your area of expertise and you have to help until he's back to normal. I swear if he grows a tail-"

"He's not going to grow a tail."

Tony could practically see the thoughts running through Stephen's head and he watched as the sorcerer finally sighed. They both knew Tony was right and that Stephen had to take some kind of responsibility for what happened. If some magical side effect came up, Stephen would be the one to deal with it, and he kind of was a better choice to take care of a baby. Tony was willing to do what he could, but there was very little he knew about babies.

"Alright. I'll check in every day." Stephen acquiesces. "Fortunately it seems his powers are dormant so neither of us will need to pry an infant from the ceiling." He points at the baby. "He's been diapered and fed but he'll likely be hungry again soon. I'd get baby supplies if I were you."

"Guess we're going shopping, Doc."

"...we?"

"Who's the medical doctor here?" Tony huffs. "I know less than you do about child rearing. I'm not sure what to feed him or anything like that!"

Stephen answers with another sigh and nods. With some magic, he changes into some normal clothes and walks over to the front door. It was enough of an answer for Tony and he followed Stephen out of the Sanctum and to the nearest store that sold baby items. From food to furniture. Which happened to be a Target. To Tony's relief, Peter was old enough to sit up by himself so he could sit in the shopping cart and Tony's arms could get a break. Stephen simply led the way to the furniture items first and both men looked at the collection apprehensively.

"Am I the only one who feels like we stepped in some strange land?" Tony jokes.

"Good to know it's not just me." Stephen mumbles. "I may have worked with babies before but that doesn't mean I know what half of this stuff is."

"Bare essentials then." Tony grins and grabs a set of plastic keys that they walk by and he hands them to Peter. "Here you go kid."

Peter babbles as he accepts the keys, immediately stuffing them into his mouth, and both Stephen and Tony watch as some drool drips from the baby's mouth.

"Bibs." They say in unison.

"Oh, you know what those are?" Stephen asks immediately after and Tony rolls his eyes.

"Oh very funny wizard."

"Sorcerer...and it's Stephen."

Tony smirks. "I know. I like watching your eyebrow twitch when I call you wizard though."

"You would." The younger man scoffs.

"So what's the bare minimum I need? Crib?" Tony asks, changing the subject.

Stephen shrugs. "I suppose you could buy a portable changing pad to change him on instead of getting a table."

Tony winces. Right. Peter wasn't currently potty trained anymore and the thought of changing him made him a little uncomfortable. He didn't know how to change a diaper in the first place and he didn't raise Peter from birth. His kid was just a temporary baby…

"It's going to have to happen eventually." Stephen says, as if reading his mind.

Maybe he was.

"Maybe a playpen too. It's portable and it can keep him out of trouble if you have to take your eyes off of him to make dinner." Stephen continues.

"That's definitely coming." Tony says as he grabs the box to throw in the cart.

Stephen, meanwhile, stands in front of Peter and gently sticks his thumb in the baby's mouth. Peter babbles around the sorcerer's finger and Tony watches curiously as Stephen gently opens his mouth. It was clear the doctor was looking for something, but before he could ask, Stephen removed his finger, earning an audible protest from the mini human. When it became clear that Peter wasn't getting the finger back, he turned his attention back to his plastic keys as Stephen grabbed another toy off the rack.

"He's at the age where his teeth are coming in." Stephen finally explains. "You can put this in the freezer and also get some teething gel to numb his gums. You might be in for some long nights."

"Not like I have a regular sleeping schedule anyway." Tony bemoans.

"If you're lucky, a little gel before bedtime should do the trick."

They finish up in the baby department by grabbing some bibs, toys, burping cloths, bottles, and even a sippy cup before heading to the area of the store with the food and diapers. Stephen showed him what size diaper Peter would need, the cereal and fruit purees he could try feeding him, and also grabbed formula. It was still important at his age since it had the nutrients a baby needed. Once they finished by grabbing some wipes, they had to go back to the previous baby section because they realized they had forgotten to grab clothes. Onesies, pajamas, tiny shirts and tiny pants...Tony couldn't decide whether to freak out, tear up, or laugh when he saw the socks because it was a reminder that Peter was currently tiny and fragile and was relying solely on Tony (and Stephen) to survive.

He considered buying bubble wrap.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this...but kids are expensive." Tony remarks as they wait in line.

"Incredibly. People do it multiple times too."

"They can't be trusted." Tony jokes. "Anybody who puts themselves through that over and over again are closet sadists."

"You're an idiot." Stephen rolls his eyes as Tony unloads the cart onto the belt.

The cashier, and even a few nearby customers, gave them both a curious glance but nothing more was said. Probably because it was him buying baby stuff and was accompanied by another man. Fortunately they were in a day and age where for the most part, people didn't bat an eye when they saw a child with a same gender couple. Of course, Tony decided that he was going to have fun with it and looked over at Stephen who had grabbed a magazine to flick through.

"Honey, can you grab the keys from-" The billionaire is promptly interrupted when Stephen rolls up the magazine and smacks Tony with it before tossing it on the belt as well.

Peter found it hilarious and laughed which made Stephen smile and Tony to get that fuzzy feeling in his chest again.

"You can pay for that too since I had to resort to ruining it." Stephen huffs and gently takes the keys from Peter.

It was a quick ordeal. Peter had the super strength that every baby seemed to have when they didn't want something taken from them, and when Stephen finally won, his lower lip wobbled dangerously. The doctor held out the toy so it could be scanned without the cashier having to touch the drool covered keys, and then given back to Peter before his fussing could turn into full blown crying. Stephen may have some experience with children but it was like he was made to be a parent.

It kind of turned Tony on.

Which was weird? Sort of. He appreciated both men and women, and he and Pepper broke it off for the final time a while ago so it wasn't like he was in a relationship. But he barely knew Stephen. All he knew was what the tabloids had of him on his work, his car accident that ended his career, and then his supposed disappearance. Tony only knew about Stephen's new "career" because of chance. They very briefly fought together when Stephen had a mystical threat to take care of and Tony had been in the area, but everything happened so quickly that he didn't get a proper look at the sorcerer or a proper conversation.

Tony didn't mind looking at all.

"Do you mind?" Stephen suddenly asks, holding up a chocolate bar.

Tony motions to the belt. "Not at all."

"We should get water too. I didn't feed Peter so I'm sure he's getting hungry." Stephen says as he places the chocolate on the belt and grabs a couple of water bottles from the small fridge nearby.

"Oh, yeah. Good idea. I don't think those keys will keep him occupied much longer."

It didn't take long for the items to get scanned and for Tony to pay, but when they got outside, he realized his predicament. He flew to Greenwich Village in his suit. He couldn't fly back with a baby and all of the items he suddenly accrued. But then Stephen directed him to the side of the store where they would be out of sight and opened a portal. To his kitchen at the tower from the looks of it. Tony was a little uncomfortable with the idea of using magic to get home, but it was efficient and he didn't want to be caught in the middle of New York with a baby in the dark. The sun had nearly set.

So he takes a deep breath and gets the purchases through the portal as Stephen carefully pulls Peter out of the cart and walks through the portal. Tony had the mind to return the cart to a nearby corral before following the sorcerer through, and he watches as Stephen looks around the penthouse as the portal closes behind Tony.

"A playpen was a good idea." Stephen finally says. "This isn't exactly a baby friendly environment."

"I should probably set that up." Tony says. "I have a feeling holding him doesn't feel too good on your hands."

"Let me make him a bottle first."

Stephen hands Peter to Tony and digs through the bags on the counter to fish out the needed items to make him a bottle. Tony made sure to watch closely and listen to the amounts Stephen said to feed Peter and soon enough, the sorcerer took the baby back and sat on the couch with him where he handed Peter the bottle. He fortunately didn't have any trouble holding it himself and was able to drink from it while Stephen held him on one of his legs and Tony set up the playpen and the crib. The latter he was told to set up in his bedroom.

When he finished (to his enormous relief, there were some things he never cared to put together again), he exited his room to find the tv on a child friendly cartoon and Peter bouncing happily on Stephen's knee while he watched the pretty colors fly across the screen. What was surprising was seeing the younger man looking so content as he wipes Peter's mouth with one of the burping cloths. No irritation. No expressions to betray that he hated every second of this. In fact, Tony was pretty sure Stephen was enjoying it.

"Want to stay for dinner?" Tony blurts out and Stephen's head snaps up in surprise. He recovers quickly and shakes his head.

"I have things I need to do. Thank you though." Stephen gets up with Peter and holds him out for Tony to take. "I'll come by tomorrow."

"Alright," Tony replies, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "See you then."

"Good night."

And he was gone through another portal. Just like that.

"Bud…" Peter looks at him and Tony smirks. "I think you're going to end up being my little wingman."

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

The Little Things in Life - 1

Warnings: non-consent sex (series); nothing for this chapter

This is dark!Steveand explicit. 18+ only.

Series Summary: Your suburban life begins to show cracks and your next door neighbour, Steve Rogers, seems intent on shattering what’s left.

Note: I’m still working on Syster and BJB and all my other WIPs. This was supposed to be a one shot but I got about 22 pages out and realised that we weren’t even close to an end. Anyways, hope you enjoy a subtle Steve. Slow burn. Thanks to everyone for their patience and feedback. :)

I really hope you enjoy. 💋

<3 Let me know what you think with a like or reblog or reply or an ask! Love ya!

You liked to do your gardening early. Even on the weekends. You let your husband Logan sleep in; your daughter, Kayla too. You basked in the morning balm as you rooted around for stray roots and watered the leaves which looked a little too brittle in the dew. The birds sang as the neighbourhood still slept. It was a rare moment of your own.

Well, almost all yours. 

You turned at the steady beat of sneakers on the pavement. You stood and dusted off your gloves. Steve, your neighbour from just across the street, stopped as he reached the end of your walk. He smiled and wiped the sweat from his brow. 

“I don’t know how you do it,” You said. “You’ve got a newborn keeping you up all night and here you are, running the entire neighbourhood like it’s nothing.”

He laughed. “Never got much sleep to begin with,” He said. “You know, if you ever get bored of the dirt and grubs, you’re welcome to join me.”

“You know I couldn’t keep up with you, Cap,” You grinned. 

“Not anymore,” He said. “I hung that shield up.”

“Oh yes, Logan told me you let him toss it around.” 

“Well, he tried,” Steve said. “I… you know, I’m happy I ran into you. Me and Sharon, we’re having this thing next weekend. A party for all us restless parents. No kids.”

“Yeah, she was saying the other day.” You replied. “I’m sure I could get the sitter and Logan never says no to a beer or two.”

“Maybe we could hit the felt again. It’s been a while.” He ventured. “We had to move the table but I got the cues all ready.”

“Yeah, maybe,” You said. “So she let you keep it.”

“It’s in the garage now but it’s still in one piece,” He preened. “You should pop by some time. After dinner, I like to try a few trick shots.”

“I’ll try,” You said. “I’m usually the one cleaning up dinner and Kayla. But, maybe we could do doubles sometime. Nap time, maybe.”

“I might be able to convince Sharon,” He rubbed his neck and glanced over at his house. “Speaking of, I should go check in on her. Got a serious diaper run to go on this morning.”

“See ya,” You said. “Say hi to Sharon for me.”

“See ya,” He turned and jogged across the street. 

He stopped at his front door and turned back to look at you as you collected your watering can and basket of tools. He waved and you waved back. A coffee would be nice before you roused the little monster. Saturday was pancake day and she rarely forgot it.

🏠

That day you kept thinking about your neighbours. Steve and Sharon used to be your weekend buddies. You’d stop by after you put Kayla down for the night and have a few drinks. That was until Sharon had gotten pregnant and they’d both descended into full blown panic mode. Baby this, baby that! It was a peculiar type of excitement which had them both beaming and baffled.

You’d seen Sharon for lunch every now and then and at her shower. She was so swept up in it all that she wasn’t as social as before. You were glad to hear she was throwing one of her parties. She was finding her balance again.

As for Steve, you only really saw him in passing. Doing yard work or random chores around the house. He was always busy it seemed. Well, that was life.

You went about your usual Saturday routine; pancake breakfast, dishes, play time with Kayla, lunch, nap time, a walk to the park, dinner… The days only varied when you worked and most times, you did so from home. You were lucky enough to spend much of your time with your daughter, though you wished you could say the same of Logan.

He worked hard, you couldn’t fault him that. Most days, he stayed late. By the time he got home, he was so wrapped up in it that it was all he could talk about. But he was a good dad when he was there. He loved Kayla and he treated you well enough.

Sunday was lazy. The afternoon was disappointing as Logan spent much of it on the phone with his boss. You took Kayla out to the garden so she couldn’t disturb the call. She helped, or tried to help you transfer some flowers from your garden into a pot. Proud of your creation, you took her across the street and knocked on the door.

Steve answered it to your surprise. Sharon was usually quick to the punch. You greeted him with a smile. 

“Sorry, we didn’t mean to disturb, I just thought… well Sharon said she liked the flowers so we brought you some.” You held out the pot.

“You can put them in your garden,” Kayla said cheerily.

“I need to make a garden first,” He grinned at her and took the pot. “Thank you. I’m sure Sharon will find a place for them. She’s just sleeping with the baby right now.”

“I get it,” You said. “We were a bit restless and just wanted to say hi. She wanted to give them to Ethel but you know she has terrible allergies.”

“I appreciate the thought,” He leaned down to talk to Kayla, “You’re getting big, kiddo. How old are you now?”

“Four,” She chimed. “Mommy says I’m old enough to go to school.”

“I would think you are,” He replied as he stood straight. “I’ll let Sharon know you came by. Oh, and… the pool table is still open.”

“Maybe tomorrow,” You offered. “Logan’s taking Kayla to a Paw Patrol show.”

“Tomorrow,” He accepted. “I’m gonna hold you to it.”

“What happened to that friend of yours; James?” You wondered.

“Bucky. He’s around now and then.” Steve shrugged. “But not as much as I like. And he prefers poker.”

“Ah,” You took Kayla’s hand before she could wander away. “Well, I’ll see ya.”

“What time’s the show?” He asked before you could back away. 

“Six.” You answered.

“Then I’ll see you at six-thirty. How’s that?”

“Six-thirty it is,” You confirmed as you picked up Kayla and turned away. “Okay, you little brat, let’s go bug your father.”

🏠

You were glad Logan was getting some time with Kayla. You wished you could go with them but keeping to your new budget, two tickets were all that could be had. The upside was that you didn’t have to sit through the cartoony mascots dancing in an arena full of hyper children.

You gave Kayla a kiss on the cheek and barely sneaked a kiss on Logan’s lips before she tugged him away from you. He strapped her into her seat and gave a smile as he climbed in the front. You smiled as they left but when they were gone, you felt restless. There were only a few times you were without Kayla; at work and during your early morning gardening sessions.

You went inside and wandered around the kitchen for a few minutes. You poured yourself a glass of wine and looked at the clock. You were suddenly very grateful for Steve’s invitation. The game would keep your mind off your listlessness.

You finished your chardonnay and rinsed the glass. You stepped out the front door and found Steve’s garage door open as he ducked beneath it to wave you over. You looked down the street before you crossed and jogged up the drive. 

“Hey,” You entered the cool garage. The pool table took up much of the space not occupied by the aged motorcycle Steve had been working on for years. “What’s up?”

“Oh you know, getting some practice in,” He grabbed the cue leaning against the table and another from the rack on the wall. He handed you one. “Hope you’re not too rusty.”

“You know, I’ve been playing online but it’s not quite the same,” You kidded. “What’s Sharon up to?”

“I asked her if she wanted to come out and join us,” Steve shrugged. “But she’s been on the phone with her mother all day.”

“Maybe next time,” You watched as he set up the balls in the frame.

“You want a beer or something?” He asked as he stood.

“I shouldn’t. I just had some wine. I don’t like to mix drinks… or rather, my body doesn’t.” You chuckled.

“I’m sure I’ve got some wine,” He went to the mini fridge. “Aha, pinot… grigio.” He squinted at the label as he turned around. “Sharon hasn’t touched the stuff in ages. It hasn’t been opened though.”

“Really, I shouldn’t.” You waved him off.

“Come on.”

“Is this some sort of tactic?” You teased. “To get me off my game?”

“Maybe,” He twisted open the bottle and handed it to you. “It’s open. You gotta at least have a sip.”

You tilted your head at him.

“I don’t have any glasses out here,” He grinned.

“Just a sip,” You took the bottle and drank less than a mouthful. You placed it on the metal side table against the wall and fiddled with your cue. He returned to the fridge and grabbed a tall can of beer. “Thought that stuff didn’t get to you.”

“Doesn’t, but it’s comforting,” He approached the other side of the table. “When I was… serving, the men didn’t have much to do but drink on their time off.”

“Ah,” You leaned your cue on the top of your shoe. “It’s like how tequila makes me wanna run as far as I can in the other direction.”

“I guess,” He said. “Guest’s honour. You can break.”

“Alright,” You went to the head of the table and lined up the cue ball. “Wait.” You paused as you bent over the table. “What do I get when I win?”

“If you win,” He corrected. “And, I don’t know. Twenty bucks.”

“No fun. How about… I get to try on the helmet.”

“Helmet?” He blinked.

“That old war relic you have in your den.” You said. “You know I always wanted to try it on.”

“It’s an antique now,” He said. “Rusty.”

“Like you?” You taunted.

“Like me,” He rolled his eyes. “Fine. And what about if I win?”

“Name your price,” You narrowed your eyes at the table and set up your shot.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind a touch of that green thumb,” He said. “I… wanted to do something special for Sharon. Clean out the garden, replant everything that’s died.”

“That’s not really an even trade,” You mused as you hit the ball. “But it’s a bet.” You stood as the coloured balls shot in all directions. Three solids plopped into the corner pockets. “Oh, I also get a selfie in the helmet.”

🏠

You glared at the felt. Then the bottle of wine. You should have stopped at a sip but you had gotten carried away in the game. You’d also missed your last shot and set up Steve to sink the last stripes before he set his eyes on the eight ball. He called the top left pocket and you hoped he missed. Crossed your fingers around the cue.

The clack of the balls echoed in the garage and the black ball made a slow path to the pocket. It tipped over the edge and you curse. You stomped your foot and spun the cue in your hand.

“No fair,” You pouted. “You’ve been practising.”

“And… I’m sure that online pool is quite the workout.”

“Only for my finger,” You held up your index. “So… the garden?”

“Can we start this week?” He asked.

“Sure,” You smiled. “You’ll have to grab seeds or whatever. Please, anything but rose bushes.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know where to begin but I’m sure I could ask someone at the greenhouse,” He mulled.

He went to the table and reached into the pockets. He pulled out a yellow ball and a red ball. He place them parallel at the other end.

“Or maybe… I don’t know, I know you’re busy but you could help me?”

“That wasn’t part of the bet,” You said. “But sure. I can do Wednesday afternoon. I hope you don’t mind if Kayla tags along.”

“Of course not,” He lined up the cue ball in front of you.

“What are you doing?” You stepped away from the table as he grabbed his cue.

“A trick I’ve been working on,” He said. “I saw it online and gave it a go. It’s fun.”

He bent over the felt and hit the ball. It hit the yellow ball which bounced off the red one and sent both of them into opposite pockets. He stood and smirked proudly.

“Your turn,” He rearranged the balls and you frowned.

“I can’t,” You argued. “I think I had too much of that wine.”

“Come on,” He said. “Just give it a try.”

You looked at your phone. It was already past eight.

“It’s not that late,” He urged.

“Fine,” You took your cue and approached the table. 

Your shot was less successful than his. The yellow ball hit the red in but came to a halt several inches from the pocket. You shrugged and stood straight.

“See.” You huffed.

“Practice,” He positioned them again. 

He came around the table as he placed the cue ball before you. He stood behind you as you relented and lined up your shot. You paused as he adjusted the end of your cue and neared. He leaned over you and helped you position the nose of the cue. He was almost flush against you, just for a moment before he backed away.

“You just gotta put some force behind it,” He said as he walked along the side of the table. 

He stepped back to see the table. You hit the white ball and shakily retreated from the felt. The yellow and red split off and the latter plopped into the pocket while the former bounced off the edge of the corner.

“Close,” He said and went to the table. He shoved his hand in the small pocket. “Night’s not over til you get it.”

[jadekitty777]

On Your Six, Chapter 8

You’re going to be offended when I tell you I’m still not done. How did this happen? How did this end chapter get so long that I have to break it in half and I still have not finished it? 

Oh right, I wrote myself into a corner and had to get myself out of it in the most outlandish way possible. Yeah that checks out.

For now please enjoy chapter 8 of what is now a 9-chapter story. Because I have no self control.

Day 8: Free Day for @taiqrowweek

Rating:  T for this chapter, M for overall

Words: 6.5k

Summary: Qrow was what most of society would call a small-town criminal. But to those oppressed, he hoped only to be a healer. In an effort to make a change in the world, he moves from kingdom to kingdom, searching for branded omegas in need. His goal? To turn the derogatory words the reformatories forced them to bear on their skin into works of art.

Then one day, his past catches up to him in the form of Taiyang, his former best friend, with a brand of his own stained onto his skin and a plea for help in his eyes. Qrow has no choice but to answer, even if it means he’d have to face his mistakes once and for all.

[An ABO-style universe in a modern-day style Remnant. No Grimm, because people are the real monsters in this one]

Ao3 Link: Hang...

~

Qrow was thirty-two when it finally happened.

He was working out of Mantle on the cusp of winter. The bustling, compact metropolis had become a bit of a mainstay for him over the years, thanks to his connections with the Omega Alliance. The political party had formed half a decade ago, heralded by none other than Robyn Hill. The movement was quickly becoming a worldwide spectacle, with more factions forming in every major city of the four kingdoms almost every week. With the main branch strategically close to Atlas though, it had become a media-struggle to both stay in the spotlight and to silence the oppressed.

It was just the kind of thing that might turn the tides for omega rights once and for all.

However, for Qrow, the Alliance had become a bit of a safe haven. The group had welcomed him in with open arms and encouraged him to continue his work, with the stipulation the Alliance would be endorsing the rebranding efforts in their press conferences and rallies. In turn, he was given a ‘secret nesting spot’ no matter where he seemed to travel to and a donation fund that kept him so well off, Tai stopped trying to measure his waistline with his eyes whenever he came to visit. All the while, his anonymity was kept intact and his clientele full.

It seemed like an eternity since he’d been able to live so comfortably.

Which led him to where he was that fateful day. The Greenleaf Inn was a well-sized, three-star hotel that always conveniently had its mini-suite open whenever he was around. The bed alone was worth its weight in lien, but the mini-bar fridge and spa tub made him feel like he was a king. The extra space also allowed for more pleasant accommodations for his clients.

That day, he was working with a young journalist by the name of Forest. He was a chatterer and a bit of a political enthusiast, his support for the Alliance borderline fanatic. Most of their time was spent discussing current events.

“Vacuo’s press conference is all in an uproar. Pride leader Kali can’t even get a word in edgewise; no one’s listening to her. It’s all looking pretty bad – then her Alpha gets to his feet. He’s like a monster of a man – wider than a truck and tall as a house. Everyone shuts up when he clears his throat and says his mate has something to say. Then he just sits down and lets her talk. Sienna reported that Kali turned into a real lioness and took charge!” Forest mimicked the swiping of claws. “It was spectacular! But of course, the headlines are all about what Ghira did and Kali’s performance is just a side note. It’s always about the alphas – uh, no offense.”

Well maybe discussing was too strong a term. “None taken.” Qrow replied offhandedly from the floor, more concerned with getting the arch of the fox’s face just right where it curled over the shin bone. He wasn’t even sure Forest heard him anyways.

“Suppose the end result is what matters though. Vacuo was the last agenda we needed to be on. Now we’re ensured the UFK really starts discussing omega affairs this winter. And I think-”

He never did find out what Forest thought – because a rapping on the door cut him off. Qrow turned off his pen, wary as he got to his feet. It wasn’t typical he got visitors out of the blue.

Then a voice shouted from the other side. “Harbinger, hurry up!”

“May?” Forest sat upright.

Qrow was already across the room in two strides, throwing open the door. The blue-haired omega was in a state, her scent bleeding panic as she cut right to the chase, “You need to get out of here! The police are in the lobby, looking for you!”

“What?!” He barked, heart rate skyrocketing. “But how?”

May pushed him back, hurrying inside. “Don’t know. Joanna’s trying to stall, but we only got a few minutes at most before this place is crawling. What do you need? Forest, you too, get up!”

The reporter seemed to snap out of his daze, jumping to his feet. “Why don’t we just hide in another room?”

“That might work for you, but not him. They’re gonna raze this place from the ground up.”

“Then hide him. I’m going down the stairwell.” Qrow insisted, having already thrown his kit back together and snapping the case closed. He got to his feet, pulling his scroll from his pocket. “Here. Destroy it.”

She looked from the device to him, uncertain. “But I can help-”

“No.” He barely withheld the growl. “You’re a lead member of Atlas’ branch. They see you helping me and the kingdom’s gonna run with the bad press. You don’t need that, especially not with the UFK assembly so close.”

For one long terrible moment, he was certain she was going to keep arguing. But any bluster was blown out with a heavy sigh and a helpless, “Good luck.”

He was going to need it.

~

“Shit.” Qrow cursed as he caught a gander of the lobby floor from the little window in the stairwell door. The place was crawling. He could already see a pair of officers at the elevator doors. There was almost definitely one at every exit point as well.

He backed up, trying to think. There was no way he was getting out undetected and the moment they started questioning him or asking for identification, he was going to be in trouble. He thought about reconsidering Forest’s idea – but even if they played a game of Scooby Doo chase with the cops, it wasn’t going to be long before they caught sight of him. He couldn’t just go up to his room and wait for the inevitable either.

He was trapped. His only hope was if he spontaneously learned how to fly.

Unless… He tilted his head up, looking at the flights of stairs. Which went all the way up to the roof.

The buildings weren’t that far apart.

It was crazy. But, it might be his only chance.

Qrow shoved his tattoo kit underneath the last stairwell, pushing it in the corner until the black case was hidden in the shadows. It would be too heavy to take with him. He’d just have to hope no one would be able to find it in the meantime. Appeased, he rushed up the stairs, trying to take several at a time. He was about halfway up the third when he heard the first-floor door open. He froze.

“You really think he’ll come down this way?” A voice, high and reedy, floated up from below.

The other voice was gruff and masculine. “You heard the chief, Viola. She wants all exits covered.”

“Just seems excessive Taylor. All of us for a guy not even hurting anyone.”

“Rookie, I’ll give you some advice: the judgment calls are for the courts. We just need to do our jobs. And yours right now is to get to that top floor in case our perp makes a break for the roof, capeesh?”

She sighed. “Got it.”

The first footfall hit the steps.

Qrow thought about it for half a second – and then he bolted.

Surprise was on his side, because it took the officers a precious few seconds to understand before their shouts rang up and they started chasing after him. He could hear Taylor fumbling with a radio, calling for backup. By that point, Qrow was bypassing the second floor and heading toward the third.

“Stop! Police!” Viola’s voice cracked on the yell.

He felt kind of bad, scaring the newbie. Had he had any breath left, he might have shouted back an apology. As it were, all his focus went onto the stairs in front of him, trying his best not to fall as he climbed five… six… seven… eight-

Bam!

The roof access door swung open and hit the brick. He paused long enough to scope his options –apartment complex to the left, half a story lower, flat rooftop; warehouse to the right, higher, guardrail fencing on the perimeter – before he made a decision and skirted left. The ground underneath him was slippery from rainfall that had frosted over with late autumn’s crisper temperatures, so he struggled for traction, preparing to jump.

“Don’t do it!” Viola yelled just as he did it.

For a moment, as he leapt over ten feet through the air, nothing below but a sharp drop to the alleyway, he felt weightless and free.  He really was flying.

And then realty was rushing up to meet him as his feet hit the opposite roof, slipped on the ice, and slipped again when his hands weren’t enough to catch him. The impact, mostly taken on his right side, was jarring and left him a little breathless and aching. Still, he was able to stand a few moments after, turning back to look at the officers staring down at him across the gap.

“Ha! Better luck next time turkeys!” Qrow saluted them before he strut towards the roof hatch. Now all he had to do was-

Wait.

Why was everything spinning?

The distant sound of cars was fading, and as he lifted his hand to his face, he watched it double before his eyes.

Shit. He was gonna-

The ground rushed up to meet him a second time, having just enough consciousness left to land on his back.

He watched the sky above him until the last star blinked out.

~

She’d been staring at him for the past five minutes.

He could just barely see her above the pages of the newspaper he was pretending to read. He figured she would eventually go and pester her dad, just one room over and making quite a racket in the kitchen as Tai no doubt overdid it in trying to be the perfect host (and would only try harder if Qrow told him it was no big deal). But the longer he tried to wait her out, the more it became obvious his niece had a mission and he was part of it.

Eventually he folded – both the newspaper and his resolve – and turned to her, trying not to be appear as intimated by a mere child as he actually kind of was, “Something wrong?”

Yang lifted her chin up high, stomped her way over from the staircase to his little corner of the couch, and slammed a box of markers down on the coffee table. “Make me pretty.”

“Huh?”

“Like daddy.” She said with great exasperation. She climbed up beside him and with the lack of shame only children could have pulled off the shirt of her PJs and turned so her back could face him. “I want to be pretty too.”

Understanding slowly dawned on him. “Shouldn’t we ask your dad first?”

“I did, he said it was fine.” She hadn’t but Tai thought it was too adorable to be mad about it.

“Alright then.” Qrow turned, pulling a blue marker from the box. But when he turned back to face her, the pen was now black and Yang was two years older. “What do you want this time firecracker?”

“A motorcycle!” She shouted, bouncing excitedly.

He laughed, draping her long hair over her shoulder. “A motorcycle? Now what would a girl like you want that for?”

“I’ma get one when I’m older. Daddy said! I can get a real motorcycle when I turn eighteen.” She told him.

He uncapped the marker. “And that’s what you want, huh?”

“Yep.” She nodded. “He said I could get a real tattoo too, as long as I think really hard about it since this one won’t come off in the bath.”

Qrow started to outline the wheels. “That’s right. You want to make sure it’s something you want forever.”

“Once I decide, you’ll do it for me, right?”

The words halted him momentarily, overcome by the sudden fondness filling his heart. “’Course I will.”  

“You swear?” Yang turned her head, trying to look serious but only managing to look adorably pouty. “Even if they pop out your eyes?”

The snort of surprise burst out of him. “It’s scratch out your eyes – and yes, even then.” And just so she could know that he meant it, he crossed an X over his heart.

“Good.”

He pressed the marker back to her skin, moving onto the bike’s frame, when Tai called out to him, “Qrow, look!”

He rose his head, looking out across the yard to see the omega holding a square, plywood board between his hands. As he gave the nod, Yang didn’t hesitate to bust her fist right through it.

“Looking good!” Qrow called back, before turning back to Ruby. Draped over his lap so she could reach her toys, she was making little action noises with her mouth as she crushed Bastinda underneath Zwei’s massive paws. He was just adding the color to the fur of the corgi version on her back.

A sharp movement had Bastinda flying down the porch steps and a stripe of white going all over her back. Luckily, six-year-olds weren’t picky.

“Bye, bye mean witch.” Ruby waved before she started taking her wolf on a walk along his side. “Uncle Qrow, who’s your favorite?”

He wrinkled his nose, trying not to think of the shoddy reboot that was slowly destroying the integrity of the original. Still, he answered honestly, “Rosette.”

“Why?”

“’Cause she was the big hero.” He explained. “I wanted to be just like her growing up.”

Her eyes lit up. “And now you are her, right?”

He quirked a brow. “What do you mean?”

“Daddy told me that’s why you’re gone so long, ‘cause you’re out making the world a better place.” Another stripe went down her back. She blinked curiously. “Why’d your face go all red?”

“Ah, nevermind that! Hey, you know what this needs?” He looked away, grabbing at the pink marker.

It was the same color his cheeks had been by the time he was turning back around, no longer outside but sitting up in Ruby’s room, consoling the sniffling ten-year-old the only way he knew how.

As he added to the growing chain of roses growing along her shoulder blades, he said, “Don’t let them get to you kid.”

“But it’s not fair! I’m way faster at running bases than Cardin, but they made me sit on the bench the whole time! I didn’t even get to play.” She swiped angrily at her eyes.

If Qrow listened real hard, he could hear Tai’s voice rising from downstairs. The phone call didn’t seem to be going well. “You’re right, it’s not fair at all. Do you know why your teacher did that?”

“Because,” Ruby buried her face in her pillow, the rest coming out muffled, “I’m going to be an omega and omegas don’t do great things.”

He was glad she couldn’t see his scowl. “Who told you that?”

“Everyone knows that.”

“I don’t.” He capped the marker, setting it aside before shifting on his knees, brushing back her hair with his fingers. “Because I’ve met omegas from all over the world, and so many of them are doing great things every single day. Dangerous things even, all so that they can make things more fair for everyone. They’re some of the bravest people I know.”

She rose her head. “Really?”

“Really. But you know what the big secret is?” He lent back, tapping his scent gland. “It doesn’t matter what’s here.” He tapped his head. “It matters what’s in here. As long as you put your mind to it and work hard at it, then there’s nothing you can’t do.”

Ruby considered this, asking, “You’re not just saying that?”

“Hey now, take it from the alpha who can draw. I know my stuff kiddo.”

It earned him one of the few things she seemed to share with her dad – a bright, beautiful smile. But as she went to a respond, a knocking on the door drew his attention.

Qrow blinked blearily at the cell doors where the guard was banging his nightstick against the metal. “Branwen, up! You got a visitor.”

Gingerly, he pulled himself up, his healing ribs screaming in protest at the movement. It took several moments longer before he could actually stand and shuffle his way out the door, following the guard down the hall. He kept his head down, not wanting to meet eyes with any of the other prisoners.

Since he was injured, he was being kept in the protective custody side of the prison. It had its bonuses – he didn’t have to share a cell or run through the motions the general population side did. He also didn’t have to cuff up when they let him out of his cell, mostly because they couldn’t get them on around the sling. The downside was the PC side of the jail was also where the most violent criminals were kept. There was one inmate in particular who-

“Oh little bird, you’ve come fluttering my way yet again.” Tyrian jeered.

-particularly got on his nerves. Qrow didn’t look up, but that didn’t stop the fierce growl from leaving his throat. The serial killer only cackled at his display.

If this was what it was like in here, he wasn’t entirely sure how he’d survive once he was reassigned into GP. A whole room full of alphas, all of them constantly competing for dominance, was a disaster waiting to happen. Not for the first time since he’d arrived, did he start wishing he’d presented differently. He’d have better chances in an omega-beta prison.

So preoccupied he was by his anxious thoughts, he’d forgotten entirely why he was out of bed in the first place until he was walking into the visitor’s area. The section was marked by a row of doors, each one leading into a small room that had nothing more than a few chairs and a wooden counter separated in half by bulletproof plexiglass. There was a metal, slated ring in it to allow the two parties to talk.

The guard unlocked the rightmost room, saying, “You’ve got one hour,” before swinging open the door.

Seeing a familiar face, even if it was only Clover Ebi’s, filled him with so much joy he could have cried.

The soldier was all smiles for him, though the cursory look over he gave him left a twist of worry at the corner of his eyes. “Hey Qrow. I’m so relieved to see you. You look… rough.”

“What gave that implication? The fractured wrist or the three broken ribs?” He replied tightly, delicately sitting down. “Suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you know my name either.”

“’Fraid everyone does at this point. You’re all over the news.”

He grimaced. “Internationally?”

“If I said no, would it make you feel better?”

“Not if I know you’re lying.” Gods, Tai was probably having a heart attack right now. And the girls… he wondered if they even fully understood what was going on. He raked a hand through his hair. “Fuck.”

Clover’s expression was one of sympathy. “Hey, it’ll be alright. Now that I’ve found you, we can get you a good lawyer, rather than the pro bono one they appointed you to. Robyn’s already running rallies in the streets of every kingdom and donation rings to hire the best in the business. And Fiona’s calling about a dozen firms a day. She’s already got-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Qrow cut him off, disoriented. “Slow down trigger. I get I’m not in a great position, but isn’t that a bit excessive for a small end criminal court case? And anyways, it’s not like I’m going to trial tomorrow.”

His flippancy only seemed to make the omega more agitated as he lent back, running a hand over his face. “Oh shit. They didn’t assign you a counsel, did they?”

“I’m not that depressed.”

“A legal counsel Qrow!” He scoffed. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Okay, now he was so off-track he wasn’t even sure he boarded the train. “Am I… missing something?”

With a deep breath, Clover schooled his features, resting his arms along the tabletop to lean forward. “Qrow, your crime is being considered as a global offense. They’re expediating your case through the process so you can be tried at the UFK.”

Realty cracked and shattered around him.

“W-What?!” He squawked, panic setting in immediately. “Are you fucking serious?!” When the other could only offer him a solemn nod, Qrow withdrew, dropping his head onto the table and curling his one good arm around his face, as if it would be enough to shield him from the future. “Oh Gods. Oh fuck.”

He was screwed. Utterly and royally.

The UFK, or United Four Kingdoms, assembly was a yearly session of the kingdom’s four heads of state and their councils. Mostly it was a peace gathering, a way to discuss the improvements or needs of each kingdom and provide support or discuss any eco-social changes that may need addressing. It was why the Alliance had been so prominent in recent months; so that the four heads might talk about potential alternations to omega rights. A discussion that had not been gaining enough, if any, traction in the past few years. That was why Robyn had organized the ‘Prides’ – a central team in each kingdom whose sole job was to attend the national press conferences and make a loud enough roar that the council would have to take notice. Each one had done a fantastic job, and the news channels had been bustling with stories about how this year’s session would absolutely have to focus on the matter of omega equality.

And in one fell swoop, Qrow had ruined that.

Trials weren’t unheard of at the UFK, but they were extremely rare. In the eighty years the assembly had been convening, there’d only been three prior cases that had gone to court there and each one had had a huge impact on universal laws. If he was tried and convicted, there was no telling what impact his case would have.

A tapping on the glass made him look up tentatively.

Clover’s jaw was set with determination. “It’s okay, Qrow. We’re here to help you.”

“No!” He sat up, gritting his teeth around the pain it caused him. “None of you should get involved! I can’t drag you down with me.”

“Qrow, think for a minute – do you really believe your arrest was just a coincidence?”

That drew him up short. “I…”

“Face it, you’re not exactly impossible to locate. Someone’s probably known where you were for a while and they were just waiting for the perfect moment to bring you in.” He indicated the air around them. “And this is it. The absence of counsel, the lack of prep time, keeping your whereabouts classified. It all adds up. They’re trying to turn you into a scapegoat.”

It was hard logic to beat. Qrow wasn’t exactly uninformed on just how messed up the legal system could be – and the more involved he’d gotten with his work, the deeper the rabbit hole just seemed to go. But to have it be twisted onto him in such a way, like he was merely everyone else’s plaything, made him feel violated.

He wondered how his mother would have felt, seeing him like this.

“So now what?” Qrow finally asked.

“Now, we fight back.” Clover replied assuredly. “Your case could be a gamechanger for omegas everywhere. We aren’t just going to lie down and watch it happen.”

He snorted. “So you’re turning the scapegoat into a martyr.”

“No.” The soldier declined, then added with a quirk of his lips, “We’re turning you into our harbinger.”

It took Qrow a moment to get it. Then he laughed.

A harbinger of change. There might just be some hope left after all.

~

Three days later, he met his defense attorneys.

Pietro was a kindly, wheelchair-bound beta with thirty years of experience. The minute the man started talking, it was obvious he knew his stuff as he lined out what to expect for the court process and what laws that may entangle them from certain kingdoms they might have to prepare for. Things Qrow hadn’t even considered, like operating a business out of a building with only a residential grade fire system – a law the more wildfire prone Mistral took very seriously.

His understudy was named Rhodes. Also a beta, as all lawyers were, the man had only a few years on Qrow himself, but he had a sharp wit and passionate aspiration for justice. He spent most of the time keeping a detailed note log on the things being said, explaining it would help them decide on the best strategy to use when they were in front of the UFK.

“The most difficult thing we have to contend with is time.” Rhodes affirmed. “Unlike most high-profile cases handled in the courts, the kingdoms aren’t going to allow the hearing to go beyond a single day so it doesn’t interfere with the other agendas they have to get too. That means limited evidence presentation and witness testimonies. We’ve got about eight hours to prove you’re an innocent man, which means every second in that room is going to count.”

Qrow swallowed hard. “What about the jury? They on a time limit too?”

“No. The jury are the councils.” Pietro explained. “The members of each kingdom’s council board will give their verdict, and it’s the majority vote of each council that decides their verdict. As long as you get a unanimous majority, you’ll be given your verdict. So, our focus will need to be on swaying each kingdom individually.”

Yeah. No pressure.

Rhodes tapped the end of his pen on the desk between them. “As you can see, it’s a bit of a balancing act. Ideally, our witness testimonies need to come from all over. If you can get us even just a moderate list of people from each kingdom you believe would be willing to speak for you then we can scope out the best choice from each one.”

“Perhaps.” The elder beta intoned, rubbing his chin. “Though Vale may not need any pushing. Our focus should truly lie in targeting the kingdom’s core values.”

“We also need to make sure to address the issues with improper due process.”

“A fine point.”

“I hope you both know I’m barely keeping up with this.” Qrow admitted.

Pietro smiled forgivingly. “Don’t worry your head about it, my boy. Just focus on giving us everything we can possibly work with to keep you out of jail. Do you have any family or friends who might speak on your credibility of character?”

There was only one person that came to mind – and there was no way he would even dare suggest Tai to spill his whole story for millions to hear.

“No.” He replied shortly.

“Not even-”

“Really. No. My old man’s a deadbeat. I haven’t seen my sister in over a decade. And unless these things come with a séance, my mom ain’t gonna have much to say either.” He lent back, shrugging his good shoulder. “As for friends, I haven’t exactly been living stably to form many close relationships. ‘Fraid I won’t be much use on that list either – never kept a detailed record to keep my clients safe. But, I know someone who just might be able to rally up a few.”

Pietro nodded. “Then let’s start there.”

Thankfully, that was the last time they asked him about family.

~

One day short of a week later, he was visited by someone other than his attorneys.

This time, the sight of a familiar face did actually make him cry, even if Tai immediately laid into him.

“You jumped off a roof?! What in the Gods’ Realms were you thinking? You could have died!” Tai smacked his hand on the table for emphasis. He wasn’t even sitting, too agitated to. Had the glass not been separating them, he was pretty sure he would have been in for the ear pinching of his life. “Are you okay, or did the fall knock out what little brain cells you have left?!”

Yet, the omega’s worry was so strong, Qrow could scent it through the little holes in the metal ringlet. It was familiar and more comforting then even a single second locked up in this awful place could even marginally hope to feel like. So, he broke down harder.

Tai sighed and gave up, dropping his forehead against the glass. Qrow struggled to reign himself in, but the days had been too long, too awful and too terrifying to stop the broken dam. The most he managed to get out was a wobbly, “m’sorry.” As he curled himself over the desk.

They hovered there, in silence.

Then, for the second time in his life, Tai purred at him, “I‘m here. You’re okay.”

It was like being draped in an extra soft blanket or pulled into an exceptionally warm hug, something he felt from the inside out. The shakes started to fade and the tears slowed to a drizzle, and then even that went away.

When he lifted his head, Qrow could almost pretend the outburst hadn’t happened at all. “Sorry, meds I’m on just make me emotional.”

“Sure they do.” Tai let him lie, finally taking his seat with the heavy gracelessness of someone who just got off an overnight flight.

While there were at least a dozen questions he wanted to ask, the most prominent came forward first: “Where are the girls?”

“In the waiting room. Ruby got scared. Somehow she got it in her head you’d be crippled.” He gave him a disdainful look, “Can’t imagine why she’d think that.”

He hid his grimace behind a smile, “Shoulda just told her birds my age can fly.”

It was the wrong thing to say as Tai scowled. “Don’t joke! Seriously, I can’t believe how idiotic that was. You’re lucky that little stunt only resulted in a few injuries.”

“Well, I ain’t feeling very lucky.” He snapped back. “Seriously what did you want me to do?”

The omega threw up his hands. “Not try to kill yourself! Do you know how terrified I was?! And then I couldn’t find you no matter how many jails and hospitals I called and I thought-!” His shoulder dropped. “I don’t know what I thought.”

But Qrow knew. He knew exactly what kind of worst-case scenarios must have played through his head when suddenly Qrow was all over the headlines after he tried to escape police arrest and was transported to a nearby care facility for his injuries, only to then disappear completely, the system deliberately hiding him to secure him for the big case. It wasn’t until he’d started meeting with Pietro and Rhodes that he’d learnt just how many infringements of his rights there’d already been. He wasn’t even supposed to be in a prison without being tried first. They were trying to work it into his case.

“If it weren’t for Robyn I never would of even of found you.”

Qrow’s confusion spiked. “Wait, how do you know her?”

“I don’t. She called me off your scroll.” So much for destroying it. “Once she got me in the loop, I took the first flight over I could.”

He didn’t know whether to feel thankful, or violated.

Wait.

He sucked in a sharp breath. Robyn was the one he’d directed his attorney team too. “She didn’t tell you anything else, did she? About the trial?”

“She just told me you were going in for it soon and that you could use some support.” Tai replied. “They aren’t really letting anyone in to see you if they can’t show that they’re family. I had to bring Yang’s birth certificate just to get in here.”

(Qrow might have cited Clover – if he wasn’t fairly certain the man could get himself into anywhere on badges and charisma alone.)

Still, relief swept through him. By whatever graces of the Gods there were, it sounded like Robyn had played him straight on this one. She must have figured out why he’d chosen not to disclose that information himself – and of that he could be grateful. He’d rather spend a hundred years in jail then let any of his family take the stand.

Now he just had to make sure Tai didn’t screw the pooch instead.

“Just be careful with that little tidbit. If the press gets a whiff of it, they’ll be all over you.” He warned.

If anything, Tai seemed insulted. “I’m not afraid of some headliners. I can handle it.”

“Can the girls?” The statement drew the omega up short. Qrow felt bad, playing that card, but it wasn’t like reporters had a moral compass. “Just being realistic. This case isn’t exactly coasting quietly under the table, and the last thing I want is my family being dragged into it all ‘cause of my mistakes.”

“They’re not mistakes.”

“Renegade behavior then.”

“You-!” Tai sighed, running a hand down his face frustratedly. “Stop that. You’re not a joke, you know?”

It was Qrow’s turn to draw up short, heart catching in his throat.

Tai barreled on, unconcerned with his organ transplant. “I’m proud of what you do. More than that, I believe in what you do. You make a difference, every day, even if it seems small. You wouldn’t have risked so much, if you didn’t think that yourself. So will you please try to trust in that, so you can tell those judges where to shove it?”

Still stuck in limbo, his heart pressed insistently against his voice box, willing him to say those accursed three words that desperately wanted to burst out. Instead, all he managed was a wheeze of laughter, and a quiet, “I will.”

“Good.” Satisfied, Tai got to his feet. “I’m going to go get the girls, okay?”

“Okay.” He watched him head for the door, calling just as he opened it. “And Tai?”

“Yeah?”

“…Thank you.”

For supporting me.

For being here with me.

For always knowing just what I need to hear.

He couldn’t decide on what was most important to say, so it all got stuck just like before.

Tai smiled like he’d heard them all regardless. “Anytime.”

~

“Are you ready, my boy?”

Qrow looked away from the airship window, where the Amity Tower was looming, to Pietro’s kind smile. It did little to calm the storm in his stomach. “Pretty sure no one’s ever ‘ready’ for this. My whole life’s about to be decided by a bunch of rich assholes who’ve probably never used the word ‘struggle’ in their lives.”

“Then I suppose it’s up to you to define it for them.”

He scoffed, falling back against the glass. “Hate to tell you this wheels, but English was my worst class.”

That at least earned him a hearty laugh. “You know there’s a saying among us lawyers: You don’t cry until it’s all over. So for now, keep your chin up and fight hard.”

Would be an easier fight if it didn’t feel like he was armed with only a pocketknife going against a trove of machine guns. Still, he couldn’t deny the weight of that sentiment. Especially knowing there was so much more to this fight than just what would happen to him.

Momentarily, as he shut his eyes, he could see Ruby. Coming home with tears streaming down her face after being told she wasn’t good enough to play baseball like the other kids. What if her fears were realized and she did present omega? What if she didn’t and, beyond all expectation, Yang did instead? What if one day, someone decided to throw either one of them into a reformatory and he wasn’t there to overwrite the wrongs?

The idea made him sick inside.

He rose up, facing Pietro once more. “Alright then, let’s do this.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Qrow tried to hold onto that feeling of confidence as long as he could as he continued to watch Amity Tower draw near. Like a beacon welcoming travelers to its side, the building stood alone on the seaside of the most northern part of Sanus. It wasn’t really a tower – it was more akin to a concert hall in size and shape. But it got its name from the spire that shot up in the middle of the roof. The decorative piece was meant to mimic the communication towers that each kingdom built to allow for scroll communication across the nations. A display that proclaimed this place would always be a venue in which the kingdoms could speak freely to one another.

As they began their descent towards the airstrip, he finally noticed the crowd. Circling Amity like a school of sharks were dozens upon dozens of people. They were spilling out along the grand front steps and thickly congested across the massive lawn area to the point barely a patch of green could be seen.

“What in all realms is going on?” Qrow breathed. He’d expected a few news reporters, sure. But nothing like this.

Before he could answer, Pietro’s scroll began to ring. He was quick to answer it. “Ah Rhodes, got here safely then? How are the witnesses doing?”

“Everyone is settled and prepared.” He replied assuredly. “Heard you guys were touching down, so I figured I’d warn you about the protest group.”

“Group?” Qrow echoed. “That’s an army. What are they even protesting?”

“Your arrest.”

His head snapped around; eyes wide.

Rhodes continued, unaware, “They’re all omegas or omega supporters from every nation in Remnant. They’ve been gathering here for days.”

“Incredible.” Pietro declared, adjusting his spectacles. “In all my years, I’ve never seen something quite like this.”

The rest of the conversation faded to background noise as he turned back towards the window, something unexplainable but good lifting him. Somewhere inside of him, he knew they weren’t really here for him, but what he represented. He was a loose cog in the machine, a shift from the system, a shield against the onslaught of endless ammo. Or, as Clover had jokingly coined, their harbinger of change.

Yet it didn’t stop him from feeling overwhelmed with support as the doors to the airship opened and the roar of cheers started up. It was a massive, thunderous noise that shook him to his very core then solidified there like an unbreakable diamond, giving him strength he hadn’t had just minutes ago.

Even as he was led out in cuffs, barred between two officers, he found himself walking tall. Like land making way for a river, the crowd parted for them. Some were carrying signs that said things like ‘Justice for Qrow’ and ‘Branwen can win’. There was even a really ridiculous one that said ‘Uncage our bird!’, complete with an illustration of a crow in a birdcage.

They made him smile, as did the few encouragements that he managed to pick out from rumble of hollers trying to reach him.

“You got this!”

“We’re here with you!”

“Your story’s not over yet!”

He carried it all the way up the stairs and through the entrance. Yet, as the large ornate double doors swung closed behind him, it muffled most of the noise.

Silenced once more.

[let-the-dream-begin]

In My Daughter’s Eyes Chapter 9: Affirmation

Chapter 8

Read on AO3

A friend of mine just made some incredible fanart for this story, and I am so in love with it! Please check it out for some adorableness!

November 25

Claire took a shaky breath, still gripping the steering wheel despite the fact that her car had been in park for about five minutes. She was parked in the Abernathy driveway, a store-bought apple pie (something she’d discovered that Americans eat on Thanksgiving) sitting in the passenger seat.

Thanksgiving had been this past Thursday, but both Claire and Joe had been working. Upon realizing that Claire had never celebrated Thanksgiving and had no intention of really doing so, he insisted that Claire come over on Sunday when he was off for her and Faith’s first Thanksgiving Dinner.

Claire had no idea why she felt so panicked; it was just Joe, after all. He had seen her at her absolute worst at the hospital, repeatedly. He knew the ins and outs of Faith’s condition because Faith seemed to be the only thing Claire could talk about other than actual hospital business. He had promised that his wife would be aware, that he would make his kids as well aware as possible. He’d texted her several times that he and Gail were so excited to have her, that their little Delia was dying to meet Faith.

Still, the devil on her shoulder was screaming that Faith wasn’t ready for this, that if she slowed the slightest bit of discomfort, Joe would never welcome them into his home again, and he’d look down on her as an incompetent parent for the rest of her life.

“Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was?”

Faith’s sensory overload had been triggered at an Oxford event, a full-blown meltdown had ensued, and they’d had to leave twenty minutes after arriving.

“She can’t help it, Frank. It was too much for her. I should have known that she couldn’t handle such a big crowd.”

“You’re right,” he snarled, roughly loosening his tie and throwing it on the dresser. “You should have known.”

Claire shook her head to clear her mind, repeating the familiar mantra:

Joe is not Frank. His family is not the Oxford faculty.

Taking advantage of a sudden boost of confidence before it disappeared, Claire got out of the car and unbuckled Faith. She got halfway up the driveway before she realized she left the pie on the passenger seat, then ran back to get it. She stood on the porch and crouched down to straighten Faith’s brown and green dress and flatten a few wild curls, then stood up and straightened her own sweater, pulling it further down over her jeans.

“Ready, baby?” Claire said. “We can do it, yes?”

Faith gave Claire a thumbs up, and that was all she needed to ring the doorbell.

“Lady Jane!” Joe exclaimed as he opened the door. “You look lovely, my friend.”

“Thanks, Joe.” Claire smiled warmly.

“And this little cutie must be Faith.” He crouched down, eye level with her, as Claire had mentioned made her least anxious when meeting strangers. “Hi there, sweetie. I’m Joe, your mom’s friend. It’s great to meet you.” Faith shyly pressed Horsie into her face. “I like your horse, Faith. I’m glad you brought him. There’s plenty of food to go around.”

Claire chuckled as Joe stood to full height once more. “She okay?”

“Yes, I think she’s fine.”

“Great, come on in. Let me take that pie.” As they crossed the threshold, a beautiful black woman swooped in from the end of the hall, her purple sweater making her eyes glimmer.

“Oh, look at you!” she exclaimed. “It is so good to finally put a face to the name.” She gave Claire her hand. “Gail.”

“Claire. And this is Faith.”

She hid behind Horsie again as Gail crouched down. “Hello, little lady. It’s great to meet you. Your dress is very pretty.”

“Say thank you, baby. You know the sign.” Claire crouched down next to Faith and signed thank you. “Miss Gail said your dress is pretty. Say thank you?” She signed again, and Faith copied the best she could with one hand clutching Horsie. “Good girl, Faith. Very good.”

“You’re welcome,” Gail said warmly. “What’s the sign?” Claire’s smile got even wider, showing Gail the sign, and she repeated it to Faith. “You’re welcome, Faith.”

Faith hid her smile in Horsie, but Claire could see it.

“She likes you,” Claire said, standing up along with Gail.

“Well I like her, too.” Gail winked down at Faith. “Here, give me your coats, come in, have a drink, relax.”

A loud shriek suddenly rang through the house, and Faith dropped Horsie to cover her ears.

“Easy, little man,” Claire heard Joe’s voice, followed by:

“Gotta be quiet, Lenny,” a little girl said. “Mama said.”

Claire picked up Horsie and Faith and rocked her. “It’s alright, darling. It was just a little baby. It’s okay.”

“I’m so sorry,” Gail said as they entered the living room. “I swear he doesn’t usually do that.”

“It’s okay, she’s fine,” Claire assured her, despite the fact that Faith’s hands were still glued to her ears.

Joe was standing by the fireplace holding a toddler, three-year-old Lenny, and standing next to him was an adorable little girl in a blue dress.

“Hi, Miss Beauchamp,” the girl said politely. “I’m Dee-Dee.”

“Well hello, there,” Claire said, smiling again. “Your Dad has told me all about you, Dee-Dee. Please, call me Claire.”

Delia looked skeptically to each parent, waiting for their approval to address her informally.

“Okay. Hi, Claire.”

“Faith, lovie,” Claire coaxed, whispering into her temple. “There’s a little girl who’d like to meet you. Can you please move your hands now? It isn’t loud anymore, I promise.” Faith looked down at Delia. “I’m going to put you down now, okay?” Claire slowly lowered Faith to the floor, and she didn’t object.

“Hi, Faith,” Delia said. “My Daddy told me you’re real special. Wanna play?” Faith stared back at her. “I brought lots of dollies from my room that you can play with. Wanna see?”

“Can you show her the dolls, Dee-Dee?” Claire said gently, taking Faith’s hand.

“Uh-huh, follow me.” She led them to the corner of the living room, where the girl had obviously created a little arrangement of all her favorite dolls, surrounding a little dollhouse. “See? They’re pretty.”

“They’re very pretty,” Claire agreed. “Here darling.” Claire picked up one of the dolls and handed it to Faith. “See? Dee-Dee is going to share her dolls.” Faith took the doll in the hand that wasn’t holding Horsie. “Can you be a good girl with Dee-Dee, Faith?” Claire held up her thumb, and Faith copied. “There you go. Good girl.”

“Don’t worry, Claire. Daddy told me we gotta play quiet games,” Delia said seriously. “All my dollies are quiet, and I’m really quiet, too.”

“That’s very good, sweetheart. Thank you so much.”

Delia nodded, then sat down on the floor. “C’mon, Faith. Sit down and play.”

Claire slowly backed away from them, waiting for Faith to start whining for her to come back. She breathed a sigh of relief when she made it to the couch without Faith protesting. Gail was already waiting with a drink, and a plate of appetizers had been put on the coffee table.

“She’s so sweet,” Claire said as she accepted the drink from Gail. “Very thoughtful and sensitive. And she’s only six?”

“Yeah, she’s a good one,” Gail said, sitting down next to her. “Not like that one.” She gestured to Lenny, who Joe had to scoop up again to prevent from launching himself at the girls. “Troublemaker.”

Claire chuckled. “Drives her crazy, I bet.”

“Sure does. Doesn’t help that she bosses him around.” Gail took a pig-in-a-blanket into her fingers.

“Big sisters do that,” Joe piped in, sitting in an armchair with Lenny in his lap.

“So, Claire, tell me all about jolly-old-England. I’ve never been out of the States,” Gail said eagerly, popping the mini hotdog into her mouth.

Claire chuckled and took a sip of her drink. “Well, what do you want to know?”

——

The afternoon progressed without a hitch; Joe and Gail were always careful to remove Lenny from the room if it seemed like he was about to be loud, and they took turns keeping him occupied so he didn’t bombard Faith. Claire was overwhelmed. Never before had anyone taken such measures to be sure that her daughter was comfortable. Back in England, if Claire had merely suggested that they bring awareness to Faith’s special needs to anybody who invited them over, Frank immediately shut it down. He had truly made her feel like she was crazy, like there was really no need for her to worry at all. And then when things inevitably went wrong, it was her fault for not having the foresight to leave her home.

Delia was especially a marvel. She must have been the calmest six year old Claire had ever met. She was so gentle with Faith, and spoke so calmly. She didn’t seem bothered at all that Faith didn’t answer when she talked to her; she seemed more than happy to take the lead on whatever game they were playing. She just chattered away to her, and Faith seemed quite content.

She’s never had a friend.

Claire almost cried into her turkey to think about it.

The meal was quite delicious, a wide assortment of things that Joe assured her were “Thanksgiving foods.” Faith refused to eat the turkey no matter what Claire tried so, in the end, to avoid a meltdown, Claire removed the poultry from her plate and gave her extra carrots instead. Faith’s favorite, by far, was the sweet potatoes with marshmallows, something that Claire had reflexively wrinkled her nose at. Joe, however, insisted she try it at least once, and she had been proven wrong immediately.

The Abernathy Thanksgiving tradition was a board game in between dinner and dessert, and Delia decided on Candy Land. Faith sat in Claire’s lap while she played, letting her pick the cards and move the piece where Claire told her to. Lenny had free range of the living room while Faith was otherwise occupied. Claire found herself dizzy with glee for the entire game, thoroughly enjoying Joe and Gail’s competitive banter, as well as Delia’s constant insistence that she would win.

But it was Faith’s joy that took the cake.

She wasn’t just comfortable, she was happy. She was enjoying herself. She was humming, and stimming, and bouncing in Claire’s lap. How many years had Claire been terrified to take her out of the house, and now here she was, happy as ever…?

Joe had nearly won the game, but he purposely kept making silly mistakes so that Delia would win. Winner, of course, had to clean up the game, while Gail and Joe set out dessert in the dining room. Claire blushed with embarrassment to see that the pie she’d brought was the only store-bought item on the table.

“I almost put it in my own container and pretended I made it myself,” she said jokingly.

Joe laughed. “Doesn’t matter where it came from, Lady Jane. What matters is that you brought it.”

Claire almost burst into tears again.

Dessert was just as delicious and fun as dinner. Evidently, Claire’s apple pie paired quite nicely with Gail’s homemade pumpkin and chocolate pie. Everyone made sure to have at least one piece of each, Joe going in for a second of each. By the end of the night, Claire’s stomach hurt from laughter, and her cheeks were sore from smiling. Faith fell asleep on Claire’s lap, face nuzzled into her breast, and Lenny was down for the night upstairs. Delia was more than content to sit at the table and listen to grown-up conversation, though she was quite close to falling asleep on her hands.

Claire had mentioned Faith’s therapy at the hospital, but Joe was eager to hear more, and Gail was excited to hear about it at all. She regaled the story of Faith’s first interaction with the horse, and the first time she got on the horse. She told them all about Jamie, how he had this magic touch that settled Faith immediately, how he went above and beyond to make Faith happy.

The more Claire went on, the more Joe was getting this look on his face that Claire couldn’t put a name to. Then, as she continued, she realized that the look appeared every time she mentioned Jamie…which was actually quite often. She said his name again, and Joe looked at her again, cocking an eyebrow. She opened her mouth to say something in response, something snarky, but she lost her nerve the longer she thought about it.

Which was strange, because she was never one to lose her nerve.

She quickly turned the conversation back on Joe, and before long, Mister Jamie and his blue eyes were out of sight and out of mind.

“You know,” Claire said, everyone coming down from laughter over an anecdote of a particularly spirited patient they’d had this week. “I’m really, really grateful that you had us today. Your home is beautiful, the food was great, and you’re all just…wonderful.”

“Please, Claire, it was our pleasure,” Gail said. “You’re great company. Ever since Joe’s family moved we’ve missed having people over for Thanksgiving. And Dee-Dee loved playing with Faith.”

Delia shook herself awake enough to nod in response.

“Faith liked playing with her too.” Claire rubbed her back. “She was really great with her. You’ve both done a lovely job with her.”

“Well thanks,” Joe said. “You’ve done a great job with yours, Lady Jane.”

Claire smiled and leaned her cheek on the top of Faith’s head.

“Speaking of…” Gail said. “Looks like it’s past somebody’s bedtime.”

“Not tired, Mama.”

“Oh, yes you are. Come on, young lady.”

“I should get going, too,” Claire said reluctantly, standing up with Faith.

“Oh, are you sure?” Gail said. “You can put Faith down in the guest room and we can have some more drinks.”

“I appreciate that, truly. But I do have a six o’clock shift.”

“Ah, that’s right. Claire takes all the crappy shifts,” Joe said.

“Just so I can have weekends off,” Claire said. “I’d do anything they asked if it means I don’t have to work Saturday or Sunday, or Fridays past four for that matter.”

“Of course, of course,” Joe said.

“Well hold on, now, you’re not going anywhere without leftovers.” Gail shuffled into the kitchen. “Come on Dee, you wanna stay up, you’re gonna help Mama.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“It’s your food,” Claire objected, following her into the kitchen and shifting Faith’s weight around. “I don’t want to take it, please, we don’t need — ”

“Oh, stop being so damn polite.” Gail waved her off, shoveling potatoes into a Tupperware container. “No way we’d eat all this before it goes bad. This’ll feed you both for a week.”

Claire couldn’t help but smile. “I guess all those microwave dinners will have to sit in the freezer for another week.”

They all laughed at that.

Leftovers packed in containers and a paper bag, everyone shifted from the kitchen into the main hallway.

“Listen, Claire, let’s not wait for another holiday to do this again, alright?” Joe put a hand on the shoulder that Faith’s head was not laying on. “It was really great to have you. Both of you.”

Claire’s heart felt fit to burst, and she couldn’t stop the tears that rushed to her eyes.

“Thank you, Joe. Really. This means…a lot to us.”

“Us, too,” Gail said, Delia wrapped around her waist, half asleep.

“Goodnight, Lady Jane.”

“Goodnight Joe. Gail, Delia.”

“Goodnight, honey.”

Claire had to keep pausing in her buckling of Faith’s car seat to wipe tears from her eyes.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered, brushing frizzled little curls off of Faith’s forehead. “We’re doing it, lovie.”

This fresh start was truly the best thing that ever happened to them.

——

December 18

Claire was bouncing in her seat, almost exactly like she’d seen her daughter do countless times. She’d rearranged her entire schedule this week so that she could meet Gillian’s plane. She’d come straight here from work, with Faith still at home with Mrs. Lickett. As much as she’d love to have Faith greet her Auntie right away, she figured that would not be wise considering how things had gone the last time they were in an airport together.

She kept checking her phone, as if planes could actually adhere to their exact schedules. The plane was supposed to arrive in five minutes. Claire remembered quite vividly the day she’d said goodbye to Gillian back in Oxfordshire, the bone crushing hug and the tears they shed on each other. They hadn’t been apart more than a few days since the day they met, and no one else had been there for her as steadfastly when Frank left. That day, she wasn’t sure she could go on without her. Which was more than she could say for going on without her husband. She was quite sure she could do that.

So to see her in more or less five minutes after three months had her as giddy as Faith anticipating the opening notes to Frozen.

After an eternity of about fifteen minutes, the announcement that her flight landed sounded and Claire jumped out of her seat. Obviously it would be another ten minutes at least before the plane was lined up at the gate, but she just couldn't sit still anymore.

When people finally started pouring out of the bridge, and Claire caught sight of that strawberry-blonde head, she suddenly felt like a freshman in college again, waving like an idiot to get her attention across campus.

Her elfin face lit up immediately upon seeing her, and she shoved past about six people and started sprinting toward Claire. With a girlish squeal, the two women collided with a force that knocked the wind out of Claire.

“Oh my God!” Gillian exclaimed, squeezing the life out of Claire. “Jesus! Let me look at you!” She held Claire at arms length, and she squealed again. “My God, Claire, ye’ve gotten even hotter!”

Claire gave quite an unattractive guffaw and swatted her arm. “You look great too, Gi.”

Gillian promptly squealed again and pulled her in for another air-compressing hug.

After about five more minutes of fawning over one another, they proceeded arm-in-arm to baggage claim, then outside to Claire’s car.

“Hope ye didn’t pay too much fer parking,” Gillian said as she slung her suitcase into the trunk.

“Oh, you know, America,” Claire said, rolling her eyes. “It was robbery, of course.”

Gillian snorted before getting into the passenger seat. “It’s a lovely set o’ wheels. How long did it take ye to no’ drive on the wrong side o’ the road?”

Claire chuckled as she put the car in reverse to pull out of her spot. “Not as long as I thought. I do still have to consciously think about it.”

“I hope it isna too long to yer place, I’m starving. That shite on a platter they give ye on the plane just doesna cut it. No’ to mention I’m dying to see my wee niece.”

Claire beamed. “She is so excited to see you. I’ve been telling her every day for a week how many days until Auntie Gi. She was practically vibrating this morning when I told her today was the day.” They both shared a laugh at that. “And as for being hungry, I already placed a delivery order to arrive shortly after we get home.”

Gillian leaned her head back into the seat, sighing. “I could kiss ye.”

Claire scoffed affectionately, giving Gillian’s thigh a pat before turning her attention back to the road.

——

When they arrived at the apartment, Gillian was in awe at the sheer suburban-ness of the place. Together, they lugged the suitcase up the stairs, and Claire couldn't help but smile already before she even turned the lock.

As she’d expected, Faith was already right by the front door, having heard the car arrive, and promptly threw herself on Gillian’s legs.

“There she is!” Gillian cried, bending down to lift her and settle her on her hip. She gave an exaggerated grunt as she did. “Jesus, Faith, ye’ve gotten so big I can hardly lift ye anymore!”

Faith was squealing with giggles, stimming without restraint, humming loudly. She threw her arms around Gillian’s neck and squeezed tightly, causing everyone, including Mrs. Lickett, to laugh affectionately.

“Och, I missed ye so much, wee girl,” Gillian crooned as she stepped into the apartment, Claire following behind with the suitcase. “She really has gotten so big, how has it only been three months?”

“I know, I can’t believe how fast she’s growing.” Claire leaned against the couch, her heart full. “Oh, Gillian, this is Faith’s caretaker, Mrs. Lickett.” The older woman smiled warmly from the other side of the coffee table.

“Great to meet ye, I’ve heard so much,” Gillian said.

“So have I, about you,” Mrs. Lickett returned.

The woman gathered her things and left, Gillian coaxing the little girl in her arms to wave goodbye.

“Fifteen minutes until Italian food,” Claire sighed, plopping herself on the couch.

“Ah, New York Italian food,” Gillian said, sitting down beside her and putting Faith in her lap. “A delicacy.”

“Indeed. You were right about that.” Claire watched gleefully as Faith hummed and ran her fingers through Gillians straight, silky hair. It was quite a different texture from her mother’s untamable curls, so she was likely enjoying the sensation quite a bit.

Dinner arrived and was eaten with much celebration, including a bottle of wine that Claire had been saving for the occasion. Faith had vehemently insisted on being given some, which Claire had anticipated, and cleverly served her a little cup of grape juice. They clinked their glasses and cups together, making Faith smile wide as ever.

A comedy of manners ensued when they tried to get the air mattress blown up in the living room, especially with the obtrusive Christmas tree in the way. Several failed attempts later, it was blown up and fully made, just before Faith’s patience ran out in waiting for her movie. They sat cuddled under a blanket on the couch watching Beauty and the Beast, Faith laughing her head off at Gillian’s extremely poor attempts at singing along.

After Faith was in bed, Gillian and Claire spent hours cuddled under the blanket, passing the wine bottle back and forth, updating each other on anything and everything. They were up much later than Claire should have been, being that she had a shift at eight in the morning, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Sitting there, tipsy, with her best friend, whispering and giggling into the wee hours of the morning was the most uninhibited she’d felt in years.

[theoriginalladya]

As Luck Would Have It - (update) Day 6

Summary: What do a mini-Irish invasion, a murdered leprechaun, and an old flame have in common? Joker’s not amused by any of them.

~~~

Fandom: Mass Effect

Rating: Teen and Up

Relationships: Male Shepard & Kaidan Alenko, Male Shepard & Abby Williams, Male Shepard/Kaidan Alenko, EDI/Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Steven Hackett/Karin Chakwas, Steve Cortez/James Vega, Jack|Subject Zero/Samantha Traynor

Characters: Caleb Shepard (O'Connell - OC), Tadhg Shepard (O'Connell - OC), Niamh Shepard (O'Connell - OC), Kaidan Alenko, Karin Chakwas, Steven Hackett, Samantha Traynor, Jeff "Joker" Moreau, John Shepard, EDI, Ashley Williams, Zaeed Massani, Steve Cortez, James Vega, Garrus Vakarian, Urdnot Bakara - Eve, Urdnot Grunt, Urdnot Wrex, Kasumi Goto, The Illusive Man - Jack Harper, Jacob Taylor, Kelly Chambers, Rahna, Brigit O'Halloran (OC), Jack|Subject Zero

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hallmark Movie AU, St. Patrick's Day, Past Relationship(s), Green Beer, bartending, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Shenanigans

Series: The Town of Norman

Chapter 17: Day 6

Excerpt:

“What’d’ya mean you’re closed?”

Without another word, James thumped a bucket on the diner counter.  Its contents sloshed noisily, a tiny wave threatening to breach containment.

John peered over the rim, frowning at the expected contents.  “It’s green.”

“Our dumbass ex-transportation expert flooded the town’s pipes with green food coloring,” James said. His voice had that not quite formal, not quite sing-song quality to it. “While the water seems to be fine, the inside of the pipes are stained green now, which means the perfectly drinkable water comes out green now. Which means!” James pointed at the ceiling in half-hearted emphasis.  “It is a health and safety violation to so much as make somebody coffee here this morning.”

Seated on the stool next to him, Kaidan looked aghast.  “You don’t have *coffee*?”

“A conspiracy from your husband to make you stop drinking the stuff,” Sam teased.

John shot her a disapproving look as Kaidan rounded on him. “It is no such thing.” He took one of Kaidan’s hands in both of his. “I love you,” he said, holding that upset, coffee deprived gaze. “I would never force you to give up your gross morning ritual.”

“Which I skipped,” Kaidan said, the roller coaster of emotions finally settling at wounded annoyance, “because we were coming to the diner and James makes the best coffee in town.”

“I do,” James agreed, puffing a little with pride, “but not today, medico.”

With a groan, Kaidan folded his arms on the countertop and dropped his head onto them.  “John.”

~~~

Read Full Chapter || Read from the Beginning || Read Series

Spotify Playlist

What started as an offer to lend out my Irish Shepard, Caleb, for some St. Patrick's Day shenanigans has turned into a full blown collaborative effort with @happychica, and I couldn't be more delighted! Thank you, my friend, for allowing Caleb, Tadhg, and Niamh into your sandbox to play! This has turned into such an amazing adventure, and we've only just gotten started! And huge thanks to @screwyouflightlieutenant for the fabulous commercial breaks! (I love these soooooooooo much!)