#bruce banner x original character

[avengerscompound]

The Tower - Under the Table

The Tower - Under the Table

Series Masterlist

Pairing:  Avengers x OFC, Bruce Banner x Bucky Barnes x Clint Barton x Wanda Maximoff x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Tony Stark x Thor x Sam Wilson x OFC (Elly Cooper)

Word Count: 4585

Warnings:  smut (ten personal bixexual orgy, oral sex, vaginal fingering, anal sex, some use of powers, blindfolds)

Synopsis:  It’s Elly’s birthday, and after dinner the group have their own special kind of party game, one where they find out how well they know each other, and who can keep a good poker face.

Author’s Note:  Long time no update! I’ve been writing really slow at the moment.  But I am still doing these if you have requests.  This one was Requested by bubsanddoll21 on Wattpad. You can send in your requests too.

Takes place between The Tower and The Holiday Special

Under the Table

In the early days of my relationship with the Avengers, it was a rare event that all of us had a meal together at a table.  Ten people at a table felt more like a dinner party than a date.  Sitting around on the couches just felt more familiar and comfortable. So when we did sit down to eat, it was a special occasion.

This one was my birthday.

The others had wanted to do something special, so they decorated the conference room and Bucky, Sam, and Wanda had cooked a large meal.  It was nice and at the point where most of us had finished eating, Tony leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.  “We should have brought some games up with us,” he said.  “I could go a few rounds of Cards Against Humanity right now.”

“I could go down and get something,” Steve offered.

“You’re still eating, Steve,” Wanda said.  “Someone else can go.”

“Or!” Clint said, waggling his eyebrows.  “Or… we could play a different kind of game.”

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re not talking about charades?” Sam asked.

“Because you know me too well, Sammy,” Clint said.  “I saw this thing…”

“What have I told you about watching that stuff on the company wifi?” Tony scolded.

Clint smirked at him.  “To invite you along when I do,” he teased and stuck his tongue out at Tony.  “Anyway, as I was saying; I saw this thing.  Someone gets under the table and starts going down on someone.  And if the person getting blown or eating out gives it away that it’s happening to them, they have to go under the table.  And if someone guesses the wrong person, it’s them.  Like a Blow Job Roulette.”

“Okay, that sounds fun,” I said.  “Can we?” 

There was a murmur around the table, and one by one everyone agreed it sounded like it could be fun.

“Birthday girl goes first,” Sam said.

“Shouldn’t I be the one that gets eaten out first?” I countered. 

“But then we’d all know it was you, and you’d just end up under the table,” Sam argued.  “You might as well start down there.”

I laughed.  The logic was flawed, but I figured it was as good a place as any.  “Alright, pants off everyone,” I said, slipping off my chair onto my knees under the table.  Everyone shuffled around, some of them just opening their pants and pulling their cocks out, while others stood and pushed their pants all the way down.  Wanda and Natasha were both wearing skirts, so they just took off their panties and hoisted up their skirts.  It was quite a sight under the table.  Nine people all around me, pants down, and legs spread.  Some of the men were already half-hard.  I looked around, picking my target.

Of all the members of the group, Wanda was calling to me the most.  She was wearing thigh-high black socks, heeled boots, and a black skirt that was bunched up.  Her legs were spread and the little thatch of pubic hair glistened invitingly.

I crawled over to her, putting my hands on her thighs.  She tensed and I ducked my head forward, licking up her slit.  I wondered what she looked like right now.  How she was hiding what was happening.  If she was hiding it.  From where I was, it seemed so obvious.  Her muscles had clenched and she’d tilted her hips forward.  I could even feel a slight shake in her thighs.  I couldn’t imagine it not being totally obvious from above the table, but if she was, no one had said anything yet.

I pushed my tongue inside her and flicked it up over her clit, painting little shapes over it.  She squirmed and her cunt flooded, and as the tart, musky flavor of her slick filled my mouth, Bucky, Tony, and Clint all called out at once. “Wanda!”

“No fair!” Wanda whined as I pulled away.

“That’s the game, Wanda,” Sam said.  “Now under the table.”

I crawled out and wriggled out of my pants as Wanda climbed in under the table.  I sat down and nothing seemed to happen for a while.  I could hear Wanda moving under the table for a moment, and then after that, it was just the sounds of people picking at the last of the food and random conversation in the group.

All of a sudden Clint yelped and practically rocketed up off his chair. “Wanda!” he scolded.  “No powers!”

She got up giggling as everyone burst out laughing.  “Did someone get invaded by some pink light?” Tony teased.

“That’s one way to put it,” Clint said as he climbed under the table.

It took a really long time before the next person became clear.  I was studying everyone very closely, and the only thing that had me wondering was the slightly bored looks in the eyes of Natasha and Tony.  Which made me think it was more likely Tony as he usually dominated the conversation.  It wasn’t until his brow furrowed and he moved his hand under the table that I knew for sure it was him.

“Tony!” I yelled, pointing at him.  “It’s you!”

“Ah, shit,” Tony said, reaching under the table with both hands and began to rut his hips.  “Wait, Clint, I’m nearly done.”

“Hey now,” Steve said.  “You can wait like the rest of us.”

Clint made a choked sound and stumbled out from under the table, his eyes watering, and he wiped his mouth.  “Jesus,” he cursed.  “Tony was a terrible choice.”

“Oh, baby,” Tony said, as he smoothed down his shirt.  “The amount of calls I’ve taken while I’ve been balls deep in someone.”

“Alright, alright, get under the table smart ass,” Steve said.

Tony laughed as he climbed under, and I decided on a completely different strategy.  I glanced around the table, trying to see if anyone had given it away, but at the same time, I tensed my hands and took in a shaky breath.

“Elly!” Clint, Steve, Natasha, and Sam all said at once.

“No!” I shouted and Bruce groaned. “It’s Bruce!”

“You little…!” Natasha scolded.  “That was evil!”

Tony had broken down into laughter under the table and he crawled his way out.  “That was awesome,” he said.  “Now what?  Do all of you have to get under the table?”

“Might I suggest that we alter the game?” Thor asked.  “Perhaps, rather than all of us trying to work out who is being pleasured, Lady Elise should be blindfolded and have to work out which of her lovers is pleasuring her.”

“I think that sounds like a fantastic idea,” Natasha said.  “If she can guess, then they can make her come.  If not, she just gets edged.”

“What do you think of that, Elise?” Steve asked.

I nodded enthusiastically.  “Yes, please. It is my birthday after all.”

“We might need lube and something to blindfold El with,” Sam said.  “I mean - if we’re going to have real fun that is.”

Wanda lifted her loop scarf off over her head, and Tony, Clint, Natasha, and Thor all fished in their pockets and pulled out lube.  What was funny was none of them had the same kind of lube.  Tony had the warming gel kind, Clint’s was espresso flavored, Natasha’s doubled as a massage gel, and Thor’s was an oil he’d brought from Asgard and came in a delicate-looking, hand-blown glass bottle.

Steve and Wanda approached me as the others started clearing the table.  “Let’s get you ready, Elise,” Steve said.

Steve lifted my shirt off over my head and Wanda unfastened my bra.  I let the fabric slip down my arms and Steve tossed both it and my bra aside.  Wanda kissed me softly and then wrapped the scarf around the top of my head, obscuring my vision.  When it was in place properly, and I had assured them I couldn’t see anything, Steve lifted me and put me on the table.

I lay back and lifted my legs, spreading them and resting my feet at the edge of the table.  They made me wait a moment, and while I waited, they were clearly not keeping their hands to themselves.  There were moans and the soft wet sounds of kissing around me, which only made that wait worse.

My thighs were trembling by the time someone touched me.  Right away I knew it was one of the guys and not Natasha or Wanda, and given the fact that he touched me with both hands, and they were both flesh, I knew it wasn’t Bucky either.

There was no preamble. Whoever it was just lunged in and began to lap up the length of the slit.  They didn’t even try spreading me with their fingers, rather their tongue pushed between my folds and just got to work.  I could feel the scratch of their beard.  Yet, even without that, they were very skilled with their tongue.  It started wide, sweeping up from my entrance to my clit, and then began to focus on the little but, sending little jolts through me.  I didn’t even need the extra sensation of their long hair tickling the insides of my thighs, I knew it was Thor.  The size of his hands, the beard, and the technique all screamed the god of thunder to me.

“Mmm… Thor,” I moaned, lifting my hips to meet his mouth.

A deep booming chuckle sounded between my legs and Thor sent a jolt of electricity right through my clit making my body jerk up hard.  I nearly came just from that.

“How do you even do that?” Tony laughed. “You are too good at this game.”

“You gotta make me come now,” I said breathlessly, reaching down to tangle my hands into Thor’s hair.

“Don’t worry, lover.  I will,” Thor said.

He was good to his word.  He pulled my clit between his lips and began to flick his tongue over it.  Every now and again, he’d send another spark into it, that made my core muscles clench completely out of my control.  It brought me careening to the edge very quickly and the fourth time he did it, the dam burst and I came, arching up hard off the table as my orgasm crashed through me.

“Fucking hell!” I cried out.

“Damn, Thor,” Sam said.  “That had to be some kind of record.”

“I am a god, Samuel,” Thor bragged.

There was only a short wait for the next person to move up.  It was another one of the men and once again, clearly not Bucky.  This person was much more tentative than Thor, spreading my folds with his fingers, and slowly swirling his tongue over them.   He was tender and methodical, and it sent a warm buzz through me, oozing out like honey on tiles.  There was no beard, and the very faint tickle of the hair on his head on my thighs.

“Bruce,” I moaned, arching my back and lifting one leg so it was draped over his shoulder.

“What the fuck?” Tony cursed.  “You’re gonna be having so many orgasms tonight.”

“I know you all too well,” I moaned.  “Gonna have to mess up on purpose so I don’t die.”

“Let’s see how you go,” Bruce said and eased two fingers inside me.

Bruce was slower and more methodical about things than Thor, at least initially.  He pushed his fingers in deep, touching my g-spot and then stroking over it.  As he did, he pulled my clit between his lips and flicked his tongue over it.  The louder I moaned the rougher he got, so it wasn’t long before he’d gone from careful and slow, to rough and fast.  His fingers hammered into my g-spot, over and over, sending sharp jolts right through me, making it so I couldn’t think straight.  Beside me, someone had started having sex, and from the sounds of it, it’d be a while before Clint was down between my legs.

My orgasm peaked and Bruce pushed his fingers against my g-spot and twisted his wrist, and I came, my back arching off the table as I cried out, shuddering with it.

Bruce hummed and pulled away. “Mmm… I love seeing you come,” he hummed, leaning down to kiss me.

I sucked my slick from his lips and he pulled away, running his hand down my stomach and patting my pussy before pulling away.  I didn’t have to wait very long before the next person to take their place.  Right away I could tell it was one of the women, which narrowed the choice down to two.  I almost wanted to just take a shot in the dark and really freak them out.  I didn’t even need to though, the slow tease of her fingers up my thighs, and the way she ran her nails over my hips as she leaned in, I knew right away it was Natasha.  Not because she always touched me like that, but just that it was uniquely her.

“Natasha!” I said quickly.

She cursed in Russian and Tony burst out laughing, while at least two other people applauded me.  I would have taken a bow if I wasn’t flat on my back.  “That’s my girl,” Natasha praised and got to work.

Her nimble fingers pushed inside me and immediately pushed against my g-spot. I gasped and bucked up hard against her, but she just pushed my hips back down and continued doing it.  She countered the intense pressure of her fingers against that sweet spot inside me with her tongue on my clit.  It was intense.  I couldn’t focus.  Lights popped behind my eyes and each time I tried to say something all that came out was an animalistic cry.

When I came, I gushed, spraying Natasha with my juices as I arched hard on the table.  It was so intense, it knocked every conscious thought out of my head and I just oozed down onto the table, breathing heavily, completely forgetting that there were still six more people to go.

“Well done, Mishka,” Natasha praised.“I hope you have more in you.”

I wasn’t so sure.  In fact, when the next person stepped up, it took me a moment to realize there was even someone there.  Their tongue was lapping up and down my folds before I was truly aware enough to remember I was supposed to be playing a game.

The way they lapped their tongue was almost soothing after the intensity of the last orgasm I had.  There was a scratch of beard on my skin, but my foggy head made it hard to think about which beard it could be.

Finally, it clicked into place.  No metal hand.  That cut out Bucky.  Clint and Steve were both clean-shaven.  Which just left Tony and Sam.  I was sure that Tony would want to torture me after what happened and he wouldn’t be going easy on me at all. “Sam…” I moaned, the sounds completely breathless.

“We should never have doubted you,” Thor said.  “This is truly impressive.”

“Are you sure you’re not peeking?” Clint asked.

“Just know you all,” I argued in that same breathless moan.

Sam pulled back and a moment later there was the press of his cock against my cunt. “Let’s make you come a different way,” Sam said.

He lifted my legs so they were up against his chest and he pushed into me.  As he started to thrust into me, I gripped the edge of the table to hold myself steady. “Oh fuck,” I moaned.  I was so sensitive and overworked, that I knew the next six orgasms would happen really fast.  I was going to be completely over-stimulated by the time we were done.

Sam slid his hands down my thighs and onto my cunt, and he began to rub my clit in tight circles. I mewled, arching my back and clenching tight around his shaft.  “Oh god, Sam.  Please…”  I didn’t even know what I was pleading for.  I just knew I needed something.  More, harder, slow down, be gentle.  Or maybe just to stop.

His thumb kept rubbing in tight circles on my clit and thrusting in fast and deep, and very quickly I was brought spiraling to the edge once more.  He pinched my clit and I went toppling over, crying out and clenching my teeth as all my muscles clenched up at once.

“Good girl,” Sam praised.  “There we go.”

He slipped out of me and I let my legs fall on the table.  “You still okay?” he asked.

I nodded and made an incoherent sound.  He caressed my cheek and ran his thumb over my bottom lips.  “Elise, are you sure?”

I nodded again.  “Yeah.  I can do this.”

He stepped away and the next hand touched me. Just the right hand, and it slid up my legs and when it reached the apex of my thigh, the thumb ran up and down my slit.  Someone might have been just trying to mess with me, but I didn’t think so, and when the person crouched and their long hair teased the inside of my thighs it confirmed it.  “Bucky,” I said.

He laughed. “Damn it.  I was trying not to give it away.”

“That’s what gave it away,” I said.

“Alright, alright, let’s make you come then,” he said, sounding a lot like he was pouting.

He didn’t even bother to try and go down on me.  He just pushed my legs up against my body, lined his cock up to my cunt, and shoved in deep.  I gasped as he bottomed out and I felt the sharp sting of the head of his cock hitting my cervix.  “Bucky,” I whined.

“Sorry, honey,” he said, backing off a bit.  He smoothed his hands down my thighs and began to thrust.

I reached up, grabbing his wrists as he thrust into me and I wrapped my legs around his waist, drawing him in as tightly as I could.  “Bucky,” I moaned.  “Kiss me.”

He wrapped his right arm around my waist and lifted me, so I was sitting on the edge of the table and the cool metal of his thumb brushed over my lips.  I parted them, leaning forward as I wrapped my arms around him and pushed my hands into his hair.

He kissed me, his tongue pushing into my mouth.  I flicked my tongue forward to meet his and they danced together.  Bucky kept thrusting into me and I rolled my hips to meet him.  As worked up as I was, I knew I wouldn’t last, but the way this orgasm built felt so different from the past four.  It wound around me like a warm blanket.  I was engulfed by it, cocooned completely.  It heated me from the inside and yet I trembled in Bucky’s arms.  He held me close, thrusting in deep and kissing me with a passionate intensity that took my breath away.

When my orgasm washed over me, I threw my head back and clenched tight around me.  “Oh god, Bucky,” I moaned.

Bucky’s hips stuttered and he groaned loudly, burying his head in my neck. “Fuck, Elly,” he groaned, suddenly jerking forward and coming inside me.

“Bucky Barnes, you dirty dog,” Clint scolded.  “Leaving a mess in there for us to clean up.”

I swatted lazily in Clint’s direction as Bucky started laughing. “Oh like you’re not looking forward to that.”

He pulled out of me and I lay back with a groan.  It wasn’t long before someone else was between my legs.  They lifted them and spread them wide and then did something that gave them away immediately.  They laughed.

“What’s so funny, Tony?” I asked.

“Ah fuck,” he said. “Didn’t even get a chance to trick you.  I just had plans to go to town on you.”

“Mean,” he said, reaching for him.  “Go on, you gotta give me my prize.”

“Alright, alright,” he said and pushed his cock up against my cunt.  “It’s coming and so will you be.”

I laughed, but it was cut short as he shoved inside of me.  He thrust in so hard it nearly knocked the wind from me.  I cried out and reached above my head.  Someone grabbed my hand and I held onto them as Tony began to thrust into me.

He didn’t go easy on me the way Bucky had.  He grabbed my legs, held me in place, and just railed into me.  “Fuck… fuck… fuck…” I babbled as I was jolted on the table.  My fingers tightened around whoever’s hand I was holding.  It felt like this orgasm was being hammered into me.  Each thrust of Tony’s hips just made it build more and more until I was ready to burst.

It hit me hard, lights popped behind my eyes and I cried out, my hips bucking and my body writhing under him.  “Oh fuck yes, Tony!” I mewled.

Tony kept thrusting, fucking me through my orgasm, and with a shudder he came too, moaning as he did.  “There you go, Legolas,” Tony teased as he held me in place.

He leaned down and kissed me as he pulled out, and stepped away.  A lay on the table breathing heavily, waiting for the next person the move up.

I didn’t have to wait long, and once again, I knew who it was as soon as their hands were on my skin.

“Wanda,” I said.

She giggled.  “I knew there was no point trying to trick you.  But lucky you, now you get your prize.”

She took her hands off me completely and just as I wondered what she was doing, the warm tingle of her powers touched on my feet and began to wind their way up my leg.  It was slow going, and it didn’t settle on my cunt right away, rather, it wrapped its way right around me, making my whole body buzz and tingle.

I whined, squirming on the table.  I was still holding someone’s hand, and I gripped it tighter, trying to tether myself to something real.

“Please, Wanda,” I whined, bucking my hips.

She giggled again, but things started to get more focused.  It swirled around my nipples, tugging on them, and began to buzz against my clit. I moaned, arching my back and the pressure increased.  Every moan I made made her increase the pressure of her powers on me.  My nipples hardened almost painfully and a hot current ran right through me from my clit.  I was dripping on the table as my cunt clenched around nothing.

It started to feel like some kind of torture.  I was so close, and yet she was keeping me hovering there right at the edge.  “Please.  Please, Wanda.  I need … I need…”

“Yes, Elly?” she asked.

“I need to come,” I wailed.

A jolt shot through me, and just like that, I came, arching hard off the table, and screaming as my orgasm rocked through me, making me gush onto the table.  It was the most intense orgasm yet, and for a moment everything went black.

When the world returned, I was panting heavily, completely dazed as I rode out the extreme orgasm high.

“Holy shit, Wanda,” Natasha cursed.  “That was impressive.”

“Two more left, El,” Steve said.  “You sure you’ve got them in you?”

I nodded slowly.  “Think so.”

Someone moved up and skimmed the back of their fingers up the insides of my thighs.  It was a Clint trick, but not out of Steve’s playbook. Whoever it was leaned in, ghosting his lips up the insides of my soaked thighs.  His fingers moved to my cunt, spreading it with his fingers and running his tongue up my slit.  There was no beard, but both Clint and Steve were currently clean-shaven, so that didn’t give it away.  I really had no idea who was touching me.

I lifted my feet, put them on his shoulders, and flexed my toes.  Whoever it was was broad-shouldered and muscular.  That didn’t exactly narrow it down either.  And just because Steve was broader than Clint, I chose him.

“Steve?” I asked.

“You sure about that, darlin’?” Bucky asked. 

“No… but it’s my guess,” I moaned.

Some of the group started clapping.  “Well done, that’s all of you.  How about Clint and Steve make you come together, so you only have to do one more?” Sam suggested.

I nodded emphatically.  “Please.”

Steve moved forward, the thick head of his cock pressing against my cunt.  I raised my hips to meet him, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him closer to me.  He pulled back just a little and with a snap of his hips, he sunk in deep.

I gasped and arched my back.  As I did, Clint moved up beside me on the table and began to flick his tongue over my clit and play with my breast.  The table was jostled beside us and Clint grunted and let out a moan.

“Who’s fucking Clint?” I moaned.

“That’d be me, honey,” Sam replied.  “You want to see?”

I nodded.  “Please.”

The blindfold was taken off as Steve continued to thrust into me.  I blinked at the light and looked around, Taking everything in.  Steve was between my legs, holding me in place, his brow furrowed as he fucked me.  Clint was half propped on the table, bent over me, licking at my clit and that base of Steve’s cock.  Sam was behind him, one hand braced on Clint’s shoulder and the other on his hip as he thrust into him, jostling him against me.  The others were spaced around the table.  Most just watching.  Thor was the one holding my hand, though Wanda was bouncing in his lap, her eyes glowing pink.

Everyone else was just kissing and holding each other as they watched Clint and Steve bring on my final orgasm.  Seeing them just added to my pleasure, bringing me closer and closer to the edge.

I relaxed back, just letting the pleasure wash over me, It encompassed me completely.  But in the end, it wasn’t either Steve or Clint that set my orgasm off, it was Wanda’s orgasm.

She cried out and her powers burst out of her and I was hit by a sudden, intense wave of her pleasure.  I came hard, all my muscles clenching at once making me arch violently off the table.  I cried out and my vision blacked out for a moment.  Wanda’s orgasm must have affected the others too.  Steve groaned and gripped my hips hard shoving into me and coming deep inside me.  Sam’s hips bucked and his head fell back as his hit too, and Clint suddenly arched like a cat and came in thick ropes onto the table.

I fell back breathing heavily as I rode the waves of my orgasm.  Steve hunched over me panting and Clint slithered down and lay there with his head on my stomach.

That’s how we stayed for a while and then Natasha stood.  “Okay.  How about we clean up here and head downstairs?  I think it’s time for a soak in the hot tub.” 

Steve sighed contentedly and slipped out of me.   He pulled up his pants and then picked me up, cradling me against him. “Good birthday?” he asked.

I hummed, snuggling against his chest and closing his eyes as I murmured my reply. “The best.”

~ END ~

[tessatales]

✨Multifandom Masterlist!✨

I can’t believe I’ve just done this… but I was trying to edit my master list and instead ended up deleting it! 😫 so here it is all over again I guess!

Touch starved series: (complete)

Loki x Reader - 28th October 2021

Natasha x Reader - 30th October 2021

Peter x Reader - 26th November 2021

Bucky x Reader - 30th November 2021

Tony x Reader - 20th January 2022

Dr Strange x Reader - 23rd January 2022

Bruce x Reader - 26th January 2022

Pietro x Reader - 9th May 2022

Steve x Reader - 16th May 2022

Kate x Reader - 1st June 2022

Thor x Reader - 17th November 2022

Wanda x Reader - 26th November 2022

Clint x Reader - 3rd December 2022

Yelena x Reader - 17th December 2022

Marc Spector x Reader -

Steven Grant x Reader -

Jake Lockley x Reader -

Part 2 to Pietro x Read is here (released 21st November 2022)

Coming soon... Touch starved Moon Boys (Marc, Steven and Jake):

they will be a system, it will just be how each one reacts obviously

Touch starved ❤️ Reader ❤️

My touch starved reader works are here:

Reader x Peter - 30th November 2022

My other Works!

Here’s a list of my other fanfiction:

Drunks and Pizza, What could go wrong? (Clint Barton x Reader)

Past Scars and Future Hopes (Loki x reader) (Oneshot)

Is That What You Think? (Bucky x reader) (Oneshot)

The Resurrection of Love (Spencer Reid x OFC) (LongFic)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 !!!PAUSED!!!

The Sins of the Winter Soldier Bucky x Reader

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, (paused due to moving house!)

[wanderingmind867]

Of the original 5 X-Men, my favourite is Cyclops. I relate to him and his loneliness to an incredible degree. I also relate to Beast a bit, but Cyclops is still more relatable. I think I've made posts about this before, actually.

On the avengers (of their core members in the issues I read), Hank Pym is the most relatable. His anger issues, his mood swings, etc. It's all really relatable. Really, really relatable. I also relate to the hulk on an insane level, but he wasn't really a member of the team for long.

I haven't read the Fantastic Four in a while, but Mr. Fantastic seems like he'd be the most relatable character. He's very similar to Hank Pym in my opinion, which itself makes him relatable. But I think the thing is probably the funniest and therefore most fun character the team had, and the invisible girl is the one whose powers I'd most want.

[littlemochix17]

Avengers

Tony stark

Steve Rogers

Bruce Banner

Thor Odinson

Vision

Clint Barton

Pietro Maximoff

Male Wanda Maximoff

Male Natasha Romanoff

Male Pepper Potts

Villains

Bucky Barnes

Loki Laufeyson

Spider-Man

Tom Holland

Tobey Maguire

Andrew Garfield

Miles Morales

Abnormal

Miguel O'hara

Peter B Parker

Hobie Brown

Pavitr Prabhakar

Miles Morales (Earth 42)

Male Gwen Stacy (Ghost-Spider)

Male Mary jane Watson

Male Michelle Jones Watson

Male Gwen Stacy

[cryforcorpse]

I’ve made a marvel poly soulmate fic, it’s currently being written but here’s the link and everything. I’d love it if you gave it a chance! It’s OFC and poly with her not being the center of the relashionship!  Chapters: 3/? Summary:A girl who has spent her whole life in labs and getting experimented on gets rescued from Hammer Industries' basement by the one and only Tony Stark and is hand delivered to SHIELD's director Nick Fury. She never understood why SHIELD wanted to keep her so bad, only discovered a few years later when she boards a helicarrier that coincidently has all her soulmates in it.

[jackiequick]

—Character Study (Part 2)

Click here to check out part one - Amelia Parker 

— Stella Strange 📞

Warning: There is some sadness, death, miscarriage, bullying, and etc. in her life. Don’t like, don’t read or just skip a few parts. :-) 

Full Name: Estella Sophia Romano-Strange

Nicknames: Stella, Ella, Elle, Dr Romano, Cruella, Miss Strange

Date of birth: May 27, 1988

Nationally: America

Ethnicity: Half Latina - Puerto Rican with a mix of Columbian in her family.

Place of Origin: Manhattan, New York

Age depending on the year: 26–32

Gender: Female

Height: 5’4

Sexuality if anyone cares: Straight

Specie: Human with some magic 

Jobs: Doctor, Hairdresser, Baker and Mom (cause being a parent is a full time-job!)

Any Heath Conditions & such: Estella has stress, anxiety and struggles with her self image a lot. She also has Tremor, which is a neurological disorder that causes shaking movements in one or more parts of your body, most often in your hands. It’s usually triggered by her stress, hate, anger, certain events and etc.

Relationship status: Has been engaged before and dated in the past but never was truly joyful. Currently she’s in a pretty nice stable relationship (2015- now 2018) 

The Family 

Dad: Stephen Strange  🩺

Mom: Elizabeth Romano 🧁

Brother: Leonardo Romano-Strange 📖

Half Brother: Thiego Carlos Strange 🪄

~~~~

Early Years 🗽

Estella grow up in a household that leaned towards both American and Latin America. She loved being able to embrace both cultures every once in a while. She loved being Puerto Rican because it allowed for plenty of opportunities in the future!

Estella grow up eating plenty of meals, listens to different music and dancing Salsa and Bachata, exploring the streets of Washington Heights with her brother, visiting her country once or twice and much more. The girl enjoyed it a lot!

She learned English first with her brother Leo, since her mother feared that with Spanish, they will get make fun of like she was or possibly get confused a lot. When in reality it could’ve help a lot. Elizabeth and Stephen didn’t care at the time, as long as they were happy and healthy, and they were for the most part. 

As years went on, the parents became more busy with work and life. Once Estella’s teenage years hit, she was mad fun of a lot. Due to her stress, height, looks, being her in brother’s shadow cause she wasn’t as smart as him and her anxiety levels not allowing for her socialize every often. 

It even went far to be bullied for how she looked and it’s something she still faces. Estella knew she’s Puerto Rican and be proud of it when she possibly can, but outside of her home, she wasn’t showed the respect for it. Because to the world, she wasn’t the true Latina...

They had no respect because she was Half Latina. It was stupid. They told Stella to her face, that her mother married a white man for privilege reasons. 

Saying that she had a lighter skin tone and a more of “America accent”, that her fizzy curly hair was a mess, bullying for not knowing Spanish that well has peers, quizzing the poor girl to see if she “knows her stuff”, not having the curves and or fiery stereotypical passion one would have. The list went on!

She was faced with being too latino for her America friends and too white for Hispanic ones. Every time she had to fill out paperwork or was asked her nationally or background, it felt like it always a battle to prove herself. It wasn’t really acceptable back then, and sometimes she stay late nights crying because of the simple fact that she didn’t fit into society’s eye of being Latina. 

What made it worse was that no one helped truly helped. Her parents were busy. Leo was always off doing his own thing, being a lawyer, going on dates and or trying to one up his little sisters in academics, cause for a lot of men in the world, you were always fine. 

But for a woman of her background, it was always a consent fight! When she tried to play it off cool or snarky slightly rude comments to protect herself, she ended up with the rude nickname Cruella. 

It made her feel worse, wanting to change herself. So in result, Estella stayed having to try and prove her worth. Academically and ethically. She wasn’t the smartest one her classes or the one brightest for certain activities because her stress and anxiety would take over. But she always good with people! So she tried studying harder and grow her network with people in the city. Estella worked at her Tia’s Hair Salon, spending afternoons studying and grew her connects with everyone she met at that very salon. 

She loved it for the most part, but Estella’s parents said she needed a strong career that would pay the bills and she wanted to help people. Estella was so focused on making parents proud, she would later on forget to actually make herself happy and proud! Never got a moment to actually fully love herself, putting that aside to go into the medical field. 

~~~

Doctor Love Years 🥼

Estella Romano Strange decide to go into the medical field, to help people, make families smile and explore her surroundings. It took years of studying, stressful nights and choosing which filed to go into, finally focusing on GENERAL, while also dabbling in PEDS and OB/GYN. Because she loved children, especially the new parents faces when they meet their babies. It was a always sight to see.

Yes, she was once again in another family member’s shadow, not just her brother. Her father’s shadow, because he was a genius Nero-Surgeon who tend to sometime use magic to heal as the years went on. Always being recognized because of her dad or being told off, because of something else that happened. 

It annoyed the hell out of her, sometimes being taken advantage as well by doctors, nurse and even by patents. At least she had her moments because of some peers actually were nice people, helping each other and of course seeing the babies in the NICU. 

One day after a long night shift in late 2011, the paramedic's wheeled in a blonde man who was injured after saving a few families during a fire. It was pretty brave of him, Stella along with a few doctors took care of him quickly. 

Her and the others worked fast on getting him cleaned up and stitched up, knowing they would have to keep him 2 days or so. It was a rush, that made her feel like a hero..

The blonde man was asleep and woke up in a hospital bed confused with a headache, seeing his arms wrapped in bandages. His vision was a little blurry as he pressed a button to alert the doctors. One of doctors, Dr. Ross, made Stella on call to check on him for rounds. Estella walked in with her low bun and  blue scrubs, having removed her white coat earlier that day due to the heat of the hospital. 

“Hi.” She said softly, putting her clipboard on the bench and check up on her patent’s vials, “How are you feeling?”

It took the blue eyed blonde man a moment to speak, “I’m alright..I think?”

“Headache?”

“Yeah..”

“Thought so, we’ll get you meds for that.”

“..what happened?”

He watched Dr. Romano take a seat nearby a stool to explain to him, that he was hero saving those people from the fire. His eyes watched the way she pushed her brown hair back, her sweetly gentle smile and the ways her eyes wondered every so often retelling the tale. He found it cute and said, “I was a hero?”

“Yeah, you were.” She replied with a smile, “Do you remember you name and anything related?”

“Riley..Overstreet. Riley Overstreet.”

She smiled, watching the way he made a silly face, as if it was obvious that he knew what his name was. His blonde hair was long and messy, his soft blue eyes wondered around the room trying to figure out what to say next. 

“Good. Okay good, why were you saving those people? Is that job? Sounds cool..” She asked with a soft smile.

Riley chuckled, “I was a firefighter but I decide to go into the Air Force. I was supposed to meet a friend of mine but got distracted with the fire..”

“We tried contacting yours closes contact, no one answered..but someone named Sam Wilson picked up and said he will be here shortly.”

“That’s my wingman, Sam. Yeah, he’s a friend..”

“Okay good.”

Estella got up and got him the medication, examining his wounds and cleaning up a few bandages. She smiled and enjoying how nice he during the whole process, she found him adorable and charming. Riley watched in glee on being taken care of so well, finding her sweet and cute. “What’s your name?” He spilled out blushing and grinning softly. 

“Huh?” She said, before leaving the room as it hit her blushing, “Oh! Sorry I forgot that about that..”

“It’s alright, I couldn’t read your name on the clipboard so...”

“Doctor Estella Romano..Strange..?”

“Sorry to a bit sound rude but..you don’t like your name very much, do you?”

“Not at all..not really...but you know how you never get a choice for that..”

“I like it.”

Riley had a small smile on his face thinking of a nickname or two for the doctor who helped saved him. Then he said, “Stella..Ella..”

“Ella?” She asked repeating the nickname, liking that it was simple and cute.

“Yeah..Dr. Ella.”

“Okay..Lt. Riley “Timeless” Overstreet..I like Riri..” 

She walked out with a smile as he played against the pillow with a goofy grin. Little did Stella know, she just get her angel that day. Riley was a blushing happy guy with a love for music, determined, caring, fearless, friendly, easy on the eyes and saw the person for their true colors. The light inside of them, the good in their eyes. 

When Sam Wilson, The Falcon, came in see his friend, he met Stella and soon enough started a friendship with her while he was there. The two grew close over a week of seeing each other in the hospital. He took her out to brunch after seeing Riley. 

Sooner or later, Sam noticed the look on Riley’s face and encouraged him to ask Stella out. And ofc course, she said yes to that date.

-> We love and fall but we eventually get back up again. 

The two dated for a very long time. Date nights, morning cuddles, gifts, walks on the beach, jumping out of a airplane together, meeting the parents, having fun with Sam and the list goes on. Riley made Stella feel loved, smart  and way smarter than she seem. Stella made Riley feel brave, loved and as if he was on top of the world. Most of all they were comforting each other, til the end of the line. 

They fought and made up, that’s normal part of being a couple. And, of course Riley had long deployments but they made it work perfectly, and one day after he returned home..he proposed.  

And Stella said, yes. The two planned on good size wedding with Sam being there as Best Man, buying a huge house with a dog, a piano and guitar in the living room, and a move up in their careers. 

Then the fallout happened...

--> Warning some sadness, mention of miscarriage & death 

They found that Stella was pregnant, they were happy, brought toys, clothes and planning everything out. Sam, Leo and both of their parents were excited! But she miscarried after a few weeks or more, she blamed herself crying into Riley’s arms for weeks. 

They both cried. Riley didn’t blame her or anything, he didn’t put the blame on anyone. He knew what it felt to lose a loved one and it hurt losing a child, but life happens. He loved his soon-to-be-wife and knew they can try again one day and or adopt a child. 

They got better and felt a lot stronger, yes it still hurt at times but had each other’s backs. 

It was good until Sam and Riley went on another deployment. And only one one of them came back...Riley was a pararescueman working with the 58th rescue squadron alongside with Sam Wilson until he was tragically killed during a mission. Sam lost his wingman and best friend, while Stella got lost her soon-to-be-husband that day...the two grew closer as they could over that lose. They were heartbroken but rise up again soon enough even if it still hurt sometimes. 

Months past, she still had episodes where she fell horrible and cried. She didn’t even go to therapy as much as Sam and her mother, tried to push her to go. She only went to two session then never returned back to the office. Stella pushed a lot it down and kept working at the hospital, becoming cruel, sad and a bit mean in the process..

The years that changed her life forever 💥

Time past, 2014 hit. Everything was fine, the family was working around the clock and disagreed on plenty of things, even if they seemed to be perfectly fine. They still loved each other, but one night flipping everything upside down. Stephen Strange and his family were invited to a party nearby one of the highest hills on New York City to wine and dine, to even see him possibly win an award.

So they went, Leo was excited meanwhile Stella was overthinking it all but their mother settled both children down. At the party, they met The Felton family, Miss Rochelle Felton caught the siblings eye, mostly Leo’s as the pair spoke on the balcony for a while. Stella stayed chatting with her mother and or Rochelle’s adopted mother, who critiqued strongly the girl, asked confusing questions that annoyed her and or completely complimented her outfit. She looked over shoulder to see her mother and father on the dance floor most of the night.

Stephen had to leave early due to issue at The Hospital and to meet a friend of his (Wong). Elizabeth decided afterwards that they should head home as well, Leo tossed his little sister the keys to the other car and the three drove off. The siblings sat in the front discussing that party, their social life and their careers as their mother stop them, they settled down a bit. The radio was also playing, everything seemed alright as a strange feeling hit Stella but before she can voice her concerns, a huge truck came out of nowhere…

The truck crashed into their car, sending them off course and into the large lake nearby, the impact was so bad it left the family unconscious in a state of pain and sorrow. Cuts, bruises, glass, gashes and more laced the trio’s bodies. Sadly the impact of the accident occurred in a matter of minutes, it must’ve been hours until they were found and taken to the hospital. One only heart stayed beating and broke that night…

—> Warning: Some sadness, a bit depression mentioned, no self esteem, injures and lose

Stella wake up the next morning in a hospital bed in confusion, pain and tears. She was told everything by the doctors and nurses, that she was the only one that sadly survived the crash, that her heart rate dropped plenty of times and they almost lost her but due to a miracle she lived to see another day. Her injuries were damaging mainly to her hands and arms. The girl sobbed wishing it was her brother and mother that survived, not her. She wished they didn’t go to that party in the first place but it was too late…

She fell once again into a state of madness, high anxiety and misery, a bit depressed more often then not. Stephen comforted his daughter when he wasn’t working and noticed her self esteem downgraded. Stella’s self image fell down a rabbit hole, while attending some physical therapy for her hands.

A few surgeries, some physical therapy appointments and self esteem issues grew. Every time, Stella thought she was getting better, she fell a few steps back. Time past and she stopped going, she got annoyed..

Sam arrived in New York, before leaving for Washington D.C. and spoke to her. He held her and gave her as much encouragement and comfort that she needed. 

His last words were to keep fighting because everything happens for a reason, whether we know it or not. 

And that’s exactly what Estella needed cause that night, she left her house after less than a few weeks of being alone, finding Wong and a few other sorcerers to try and heal herself. 

Due to Stella being a time crunch, wanting to return back home in time to back to her life and be alongside the only family she had left, she didn’t waste much time. She spent time, effort and pain training to work up her strength. Pushing herself despite Wong’s best efforts to watch her heath, she eventually listened to him as her hands very slowly healed, scars closing but plenty of cuts remained as she trained with him. 

Eventually Estella discovered a few rooms in The Sanctum Sanctorum, that peaked her interest and Wong told her stories about them. The girl was in awe, she even smiled a bit after plenty weeks of frowns. Estella had ideas but kept them to herself for the time being. After a couple of nights, she seemed much better health wise to say the least but still closed off. Stephen noticed sitting down across from her, “You need to get out.”

“Wait what? Why?” Stella said practiced a mini trick using a few pin pong balls. 

“You need friends, a life outside these four walls.”

“No I don’t, I have you and your buddy, Wong...besides, my only friend is working and the others never existed.”

“I’m serious, Estella. You need to get out of here, find a few things to do, explore the city, fall in love again and-”

“Daddy, no. I don’t want to! My life after that night fell over, my career is down the drain, my fiancé less than died a year ago, the city bores me, my hands are…and...I hate how I look, feel now..”

Stephen kneeled down wiping his daughter’s fallen tears and kisses her forehead, noticing how she hide her face, arms and hands. Her self esteem wasn’t the same and she needed a change. 

“My daughter is smart, kind and beautiful. I’m sorry for everything that has happened. You deserve to be happy and explore your surroundings.” He said softly. 

“But I..what if I hate it?” She asked.

“You won’t.”

“And what about..”  

Before she had a second to even finished her sentence, a portal opened behind her chair, pushing her out and into the streets of Washington DC. She tried opening the previous portal but it was locked and she realized she forgot her ring. “Damn it!” She yelled, then walked down the streets mumbling, “..I've haven’t here in a while..” 

~~~~~~

With time, she found herself at SHIELD headquarters, meeting Maria Hill, Agent Parker and a few other faces. Estella met The Avengers one by one, finding herself introduced to The Young Avengers at the time. She grew fond of all them, keeping to herself. 

Over the weeks, she grew friendships with the older Avengers. Tony, Bruce, Natasha, Clint, and Steve. Thor was off world. She was able to use her skills to the test discovering Rochelle’s mutation with Nat, training with the group, meeting Sam again, discovering The Winter Solider and fight Hydra.  

~~~~~

A lot happened, they all moved to New York City remodeling Avengers Tower, growing together as a family. They made friends along the way, love was in the air, they lost a few members and gains some new ones. Especially Stella. 

It was during the late summer after getting settled in The Tower, she tried to return back to work as a doctor. Even if she lost plenty of strength with her time off and recking her life’s work in the fire during her depressive episodes, yet she deicide to return. Everything was good until a week later she met him. 

Her half brother. Thiego Carlos Strange. 

Neither one of the siblings knew that they existed due to Stephen not wanting anyone to know. Until Melissa Wallace spited out the facts. She wondered if her mother knew or was it before her parents got together? Stella wouldn’t get that answer and for some reason, she wasn’t mad at Thiego. Upset with not knowing earlier, hell yes but mad? No. You can’t blame the children for their parents wrong doings. She just needed time and with that time, she grew to truly love her brother. She became his number one fan and loving but annoying little sister.

Stella noticed how careful, protective, humorous and curious her brother was toward a lot of people. She saw how much Thiego looked like their father depending one how he act, other times she spotted differences.

The girl was very closed off, questioning herself and considering a lot things during that time in her life, but around Thiego she felt, safe and loved, she returned it whenever she could! They encouraged one another as well.

No one was fighting for attention, running off to do something else, proving who’s the better sibling and such like her relationship with Leo was. Yeah sure Thiego and Stella argue, become annoyed and get into trouble that’s normal sibling do.

Remember when I talked about The Older Avengers becoming like family to her as well? Well at first glance you wouldn’t think it but she grew a close relationship with some of them.

She grew closer to mostly the girls. Rochelle, Liane, Amelia, Luna, Hill and Natasha became very good friends with her. Eventually so would Cassie, with the young girl seeing her not just as a friend but a mother figure. They all grew together as people when the time came, learning and showing one another a few things.

Another being Bruce Banner, she adored how he worked, so focused and gentle, the love he has in his heart, the perfect level of patience and his humor was just as great. Honestly Estella was inspired to be like him in some way.

Love Again? 💞

Like any grieving person in society, it hurts like hell, you feel empty and like you lost a part of you. Well that’s how Stella felt after her fiancé and half of her family died, it left her heartbroken. It felt like one thing fell on top of the next, the memories are sometimes still fresh in her mind depending on the day or dream like state she would be in…

Until Stephen push her though that portal to where she meet The Avengers young and old. Like I said beforehand, Stella’s heart softened around them and eventually started letting her guard down as time went on. As from her friendship and family she made, her heart wasn’t still emotionally involved when it came to romance of it.

Estella Romano didn’t care for it or didn’t even tried searching knowing nothing will truly replace her former lover, until certain blonde and brunette came along. Steve Rogers and Logan Howlett. 

Firstly she met Steven Grant Rogers week one of her trip of Washington D.C. back in 2014. Within the second half of that same week, she found herself opening up to a man that she didn’t think twice of. She didn’t care for Steve Rogers one bit thinking he was some blonde patriot cheeky smile and a strong history if she wasn’t prepared to learn about. Oh sure he was hella cute, she would give him that but she saw Steve as a friend just like Sam. They got along very nicely, two were practically near each other’s eye-line every once in a while and talked for more than a hour together each day.

Eventually within time feelings towards each other started to grow. She was smile brightly, laugh at some of his jokes and tease him every chance she got. Rogers made her feel safe, loved and there was someone looking out for every once in a while. For Steve, it’s like he was given a second chance to be happy, he felt cared for and drawn to her like he wanted to keep her, loved from this horrible world.  but sadly the two were so dumb and afraid to notice what everyone else was saying. Until one night…

Stella set a promise to help Steve find Bucky with Sam’s help. Sam decided to searched in other locations and then headed home to rest, however the two decided to stay up instead. The two were in the lower level of The Tower alone, it was dark inside the room and the only light was the computer as they tried finding the locations.

Steve was pacing the room as the pair talked frustrated and annoyed. Eventually he sat down next to her, resting his hands on the table and said, “We spend days doing it Sam’s way…we can just do it the old fashion way of searching for someone instead..”

Stella was typing away and hushed him, “Shhh I’m working, it settling..it say he’s in New York now, so he’s close.”

“Okay, he can be anywhere..I’m sorry, it’s just—I’m just inpatient. I spent weeks searching for a friend who I thought died, i just want to make sure he’s alright…”

“I get it that you’re impatient about this and so am I gonna tell you right now you’re gonna see him again. I know how it is, to lose someone you love very much..or to just worry that you’re not gonna see him again. But you’re given a second chance here.” 

He smiled at her kind words. Being a soldier, I’m going for one fight to the next, sometimes he can get very impatient and needs someone to keep him grounded at times. Steve couldn’t be happier with Stella and Sam’s help with finding his friend, the man couldn’t thank them enough. Moments like this, he didn’t see the same Stella who’s either annoyed and worried about a situation. The blue light from the computer screen and the gentle rain outside made her look calm, understanding and focused on the task at hand.

She looked over at him every now and then smiling softly as they discuss the possibilities of the circumstances their in. The woman could be doing so many things at the moment and procrastinate her work, but instead she decided to help him out. Stella didn’t see the uptight and confused super soldier but instead a gentle man who just wanted to see his old buddy again. He was seemed relaxed, understanding and clearly agreeing to the tasks but his muscles were tensed, underneath everything Steve Rogers was just a simple guy who wanted to do the right things.

—

It was getting late and the two were getting tired, but it can definitely be shown on their faces how determined they really.

Stella kept searching up the location of where The Winter Solider could be until she find it. She grinned and said, “Oh my god-I got it! I got his location. We got it.”

“Really?!” Steve sat up after reading the files to see the pin on Bucky and smiles* “You really did find him..wow! This is-this is..”

His epic excitement, relief and pride washed over him, Steve Rogers didn’t think as leaned down and press his lips onto hers. It was a a shock and she hesitated for a quick moment then smiled pecking his lips. It lasted a couple of seconds before breaks off the kiss.

“W-what was that for..?” Stella asked taking a breath, noticing a light lipstick stain on his lip. She felt a rush within her, blushing a bright rosy red, very embarrassed.

Steve chuckled and blushed embarrassed. He hesitated realizing what happened and simply shrugged, “I-I don’t know..just overwhelmed with all these emotions…I’m sorry.”

“N-no, it’s alright, I get it. But uh, we’re not gonna make this a thing right?”

“What? No! No, I wouldn’t dream it off. It just happened, right? Unless you..”

“Unless I feel like..you know what towards you? That’s ridiculous, it just happened..”

“We should uh, forwarded this to Sam..”

“Y-yeah! Exactly then straight to bed...s-separate rooms and stuff..my bad. Was that your first kiss since 1940s?”

“Not exactly no, I kissed Natasha for a mission once but I wouldn’t count it truly. Was I your first kiss since 2012?”

“..maybe? I mean, I went on a date or two, but it wasn’t anything major.“

Steve smiled softly and nodded, slightly blushing a bit however thankfully to the darkness of the room, no one can see. Stella chuckled softly and blushed a bit forwarding the email to Sam. Afterwards the two headed upstairs agreeing that the kiss mean nothing else but purely tiredness and excitement from getting one step closer to the case. Because it was nothing.

Time went on, fighting robots, aliens and plenty of other stuff. Domestic life with The Avengers, plenty of their friends noticed the way they slowly became closer and how life was flipped upside down. Thiego HATED that Cap looked at his sister sometimes, Stella joked that he wanted to date him as he would roll his eye jokingly. No one was good enough for his sister!

Steve went on to date Sharon Carter, while Stella had a short lived relationship with James Logan Howlett. The two met at a bar one night and hit it off rather quickly, seeming to having a mutual understanding of the past, present and future. Just wanting a break from it all and live in the moment.

Logan was the bad guy in a leather jacket and bad reputation with a kind heart and complicated life. Behind the rage and stubbornness, she saw a man running around and trying to figure out his life. Logan saw something in her, a woman with too much patience and some cruelty within her from being put down in the past.

The two would go on dates by meeting up at the park, drinking and partying a bit, cuddles in bed and late night talks. Nothing serious, more or less causal.

It was funny actually, the same time Stella was dating Logan Howlett, her brother Thiego dating Scott Summers. When the siblings and their friends found out, it was hilarious and awkward for everyone. But like i said, it was short lived as Logan admitted to cheated on Stella as she returned home in tears. Thiego comforted her saying she didn’t need a man and should try to focus once again on her studies.

—

Time kept moving forwarded, Stella forgot about trying to search for love once again and return to studying, being in the medical field. Steve ended his relationship with Sharon Carter, deciding to stay as friends, focusing on The Avengers and his works at the super solider leader.

The two grew up a bit as people, comforting each other when the worse hit, fighting aliens, supernatural beings, robots. Hell, even The government officials and SHIELD when The Accords hit on everyone. Maria Hill caused The Avengers to pick a side, it broke them apart. Steve and a few others refused to sign the paperwork ending up on the run from SHIELD. Stella signed the paperwork to cover Team Cap’s ass and provide them from being caught.

Steve and Stella fought long and hard over The Accords, the placement of the team and the reason behind everything. A few kisses were stolen and screams were heard. Team Cap ran and hide, while Team Iron Man search and ran themselves into tunnels becoming separated from each other. They all missed each other, noticing how everyone fell and practically almost killed themselves to prove who’s right.

Eventually The Avengers and SHIELD found out who was truly behind all of this mess however, it wasn’t the same after that. People grew apart, families cried, betrayal between friends, couples broke up while also stayed together. Slowly everyone got better, it hurt but they got there.

He found her one morning in the elevator after not seeing each other for a while. Stella didn’t want to see him, afraid of the risks of their relationship and the future, Steve however was willing to risk it and love her no what matter. It was

It was hard, annoying and slightly heartbreaking speech of emotions between the pair, Stella crumbled as her walls fell as Steve poured his heart to her, feeling sorry that they were drifted apart and didn’t take a chance earlier. She admitted how she feared if she fell in love again, the world would hear and she would be crying all over again. She felt like she wasn’t enough for the super solider...

“If I did anything right in my life it was to find you. It was when I gave you my heart and didn’t even know it. But when I see you smiling and standing in that door all the feelings come rushing back...” She said wiping a few tears that ran down her face. 

Steve smiled softly, bring her in close, “If one thing I know now, your the person I didn’t know I needed in my life. If I said once, I will say it again, you will be the death of me. And also be the very few lights in my life..”

"And you are mine. How did I end up with someone who will deal with me now matter what, I will never know? But I do know is that I love you..”

“Now i got one question. Can I kiss you?” 

"Thought you never ask.” 

Steven Grant Roger brought his lips up to the girl, gently pressing them onto her in such awe and relief. Estella Romano Strange leaned in, returning the kiss without a doubt, resting both hands on his chest. The warmth of their bodies and the heat rise causing the pair to remember they were still in an elevator. 

The two started to finally date after that, enjoying their time together. Hugs, kisses, cuddles, cheering the other on and supporting each other, embracing the craziness of their lives. Late night talks, acting like an old married couple at times, wondering about their future in heroes, and so on.

Friendship and motherhood 

Was all of this in the cards for Estella? Maybe? Maybe not? She wouldn’t get the answer to that for a while. She was never given a chance to wonder what she wanted for herself, it was always do this and do that, remember to make your family proud. It was always the question, if she was doing the right thing, for that she let fate decide. 

But she knew the things that she loved to do, spend time with friends and wanting to give her love to other people. Simple as that. Even if it meant doing one of the girls hair, making lunch to everyone and or just giving the person attention. That’s how she built friendships with the ladies and gentlemen of the household. 

Plenty would say that Stella has a “feminine touch” or “motherly vibe” to her, like she knew that to say or do, sometimes. Making The Avengers Compound feel like home. It just came naturally to the girl, seeing her mother and some of tias treat everyone, somehow she embraced it without knowing.

Plus it helped that she tend to sometimes follow Bruce Banner’s lead with how much of a caring, patience, loving and quick on his feet of a father he tended to be. Him and Hulk set the sweet example, she admired it. Dad Bruce, Papa Hulk and Mama Stella. Somehow the one plenty of parents in the household. However, she wasn’t a mom or even a aunt exactly to the group. 

Until one month, it was like Stella saw a rather quick shift in the air. The warm weather, sweet treats, cuddly sweaters, couples walking left and right, and the kids playing in the park. Girl got baby fever, it finally hit her...

She didn’t know how it happened, but it did! Stella thought it was a phase, she’ll get it over it. But the more babies she saw in the hospital, the kids with their parents and young teenagers in the malls walking past her. As well as the Young Avengers running down the halls everyday. She decided it was settled. 

One morning after breakfast, she sat next to the man who practically was her husband at this point. “..how do you feel about kids?” Stella asked, scrolling on her phone.

Steve looked up from his notebook and paused doodling, taking him a moment to process the question. “Uh, I love them. Why?” He asked with a smile.

“How do you feel about us having some?”

“I like that idea. Wait would we like have our own biologically? Or foster care and adopt? Cause honey, that waiting list is long.”

“What I'm hearing is a yes.”

He scoffed and chuckled, “Yes. Honey, how long have you been thinking about this?”

“Two weeks..?”

“Two weeks?! Please tell me, you didn’t file for adoption without my permission and we have a kid coming here today?”

“N-no! I’m not crazy!”

He gave her a pointed look, “Stella.”

“I didn’t!” She replied crossing her heart, promising that she didn’t. 

“Okay, just checking. This is a rather big commitment and I'm here it.” 

 The two spend days discussing the matter and how they would like to go about it. Stella even went to Bruce for his advice and hoping he could sign some paperwork. Luckily after a talk, he was on board. Little did Bruce Banner know that Stella’s future kids would see him as their amazing uncle. 

Weeks past and nothing from the adoption agency. Stella wanted for the call and wondered if she was too late to file for kids. All she wanted was to give a child a nice life and plenty of love, hell even be the embarrassing mom. 

Until one afternoon, she found a kid trying to steal from her shopping cart as he ran out of the store. She tried to stop him, but she was too late. That same teenager would be brought into the police department and such to be question. Stella was called in to watch over the teen who glared at her, but she made it work. 

She asked, “What’s your name?” The brunette finally looked up and said his name, “Bradley James...”

Stella gave him space while they were at the police department to talk to her, as she signed paperwork for him and finally after a while he did, cracking a few jokes. He smiled and she told him the plan for the week, he listened thankfully.

The first few days were hard, having not took him to The Avengers Compound right away, more to her spare apartment in the city. Steve was out for a business trip during the time. Bradley was tricky, not eating healthily, staying up late and tried sneaking out once or twice. He even made a mess of the living room, Stella had enough and decided to sit him down for a talk. 

The two talked for a least an hour, Bradley explaining what was going on and how they ended up here. Stella even admitted, “I’m here because I care..and I'm not here to replace your mother, but just so you know I will make sure you’re alright.” He hesitated before he cried into her arms as she hushed his sorrows. It was a long night and the following days were something else. But Stella knew, “I want him.”

Sooner or later the rest of the kids started popping up. Such as Kendall, who came one day after a small accident downtown, resulting in a few people getting and one of them being him. He was already an lost boy who needed a home and got hurt that day, so Stella and Steve brought him home a few days later. The couple may have some annoying teenagers boys now in their hands but they love them nonetheless.

Stella even became a auntie (or Tia as she’s called) in the result of Riley Banner-Marsh and Gia & George Romanoff being born. Her and Steve were more than happy to become aunts & uncles to those children, even if they drive them crazy sometimes.

—-

As of right now, Estella Romano Strange is happy and healthy for the most part. Girl needs therapy for some reasonable days. Aside from the stressful days and nights that happen every once in a while, she is doing alright.

—

That’s all for now, I wish I could write more but my brain is tired haha. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy it! ☀️

Tags: @blueboirick @msrochelleromanofffelton @drspencereidhotch @gaminggirlsstuff @topgun-imagines @superspookyjanelle @meiramel @gcthvile @eliohasmyheart @rooster-84 @halesfavoriteharlot and etc

[fromforeigntofamiliarity]

Cosmic Cameo

Requested: Nah

Summary: Cara doesn't remember much of anything before that fall, but what she does remember might come in handy for what will happen next

OR

In which Cara Cassidy falls smack dab in the middle of the MCU and can't help but to get involved.

Warning: None

Blue, that's all there was. Blue of the sky, no blue of the water, the sound of it rushing into her ears, the cold all over her body.

'Why can't I move? Help, I need help. Someone help me! Please!' She screamed even with knowing no one would hear her.

She can't breath the pressure was too much she has to breath, there was no way the she would be able to swim to the surface and holding her breath was only delaying the inevitable.

'1....2....3.' Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath prepared for the liquid to fill lungs but, instead she is met with air. Her eyes snap open.

Blue, that's all there was not blue of the water the sky, the sound of the wind rushing past her head  pushing her hair forward, she was falling.

Stretching her arms forward in a useless attempt to grab something, anything, nothing. Once again knowing your going to die and not being able to do anything about it.

Its coming it had to be. The ground coming closer and closer. What would it feel like? Would it be instant? Better than drowning she figured.

screams of people watching helplessly from the ground grew closer and closer.

'1....2.....3.' Closing her eyes, preparing for the impact, the end.... Nothing.

Blue, That's what she saw, trying to get over the fact that she was seeing  anything at all. Blue eyes of a person standing above her, the sound of footsteps and monitors beeping around the room.

"Hello, ma'am?" The deep voice called. "Can you hear me?" It asked.

All she could do was blink, what else are you supposed to do when you're meant to be dead. Cara thought she should be floating face down in a river somewhere or laid out across the cement.

"Hello?" The voice called again. "Do you need anything? Are you hurt?" It asked.

"What do you mean is she hurt?" Another voice sounded from elsewhere in the room. "You should be asking that crater in the ground."

"Can you tell me your name." The voice called ignoring the previous statement.

"Where am I?" Was the first thing to come from Cara's mouth. Finally able to focus she looks to the man standing in above her.

"You're safe." He replied. " Can you tell me what happened?" He asked.

"When?" She asked confused.

"Before, during or after your fall from the sky." the other voice called.

"Tony." The first man chastised. "Do you feel hurt at all?" He continued.

"No, I'm fine." She replied taking a deep breath.

"My name is Steve Rogers. Can you tell me yours?" He asked.

Steve Rogers? Was this a joke or something? Did she land in the middle of Comic Con or a Cosplay contest or something?

"Funny." She scoffed.

"Ma'am?" He asked confused.

"I said your real fun-." Chris Evans, it was Chris Evans. "Where am I?" Cara asked again.

"Where do you think you are?" The other voice asked. That can't be... Looking over to the source of the noise, Oh My God! It's Robert Downey Jr. "Or Where did you come from? You can answer either." He said walking around behind her back.

"I came from..." Trailing off as her mind went blank. "I'm.... Where am I?" She reverts back to her initial question.

"You're in the the Avenger's Tower." Chris replied. "We found you and brought you here to make sure you were okay."

"That's a nice way of saying making sure she's not a threat." Tony interjected once again.

"Am I on the set?" Cara asked.

"What set?" Chris asked.

"Avengers." She answered.

"Yes, ma'am we are the Avengers," Chris confirmed. "Now we wanted to know if you could tell us how you fell." He asked staring intensely  into her eyes.

What was he talking about, did he think that she thought that the Avengers were real so he was trying to humor her, maybe he though she was crazy, but he brought up Steve Rogers first.

"What did you say your name was again." She asked thinking maybe she had heard wrong.

"Steve Rogers ma'am." He restated.

"And we're in New York aren't we?" She asked. "In the Avengers Tower." She continued.

"Yes." He confirmed.

"You're Steve Rogers," She states before turning her head around finding Robert leaning in a table watching her from afar. "And you're Tony Stark." She pointed out.

"You know me, I'm flattered." Robert says putting his hand over his heart.

"She awake." A new voice emerged into the lab, Mark Ruffalo. "Has she said anything?" He asked.

"Let me guess." Cara replied before any of the other character could. "Dr. Bruce Banner."

"Have we met?" He asked confused as to how this unknown woman knew his name.

"No but its not hard to to figure out." She replied. "So what's going on here, are you guys like methods?" She asked. It was pretty clear either one of two things was happening right now.

1.) She had hit her head walking down the street and some how ended up being found by Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. in the middle of a rehearsal for the next Avengers movie.

But considering both Steve Roger and Tony Stark are very much unalive.

2.) She had been magically teleported into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and now she was stuck until she figured out her purpose in order to return home.

But considering that was crazy.

"You know I have a question." Robert says coming closer. "How are you not dead?" He asked causing the woman to give him a confused look.

"Tony." Chris glared.

"No, she fell from the sky and left a her sized hole in the earth." He continued. "And yet here she is talking and breathing."

"Wow if I didn't know any better I'd think you wanted me dead." Cara sassed to the older man.

"Don't take it personally." He replied.

"Kinda hard not to." She rebutted.

"It's just it would be nice to know who or what you are before we unstrap you and sent you off into the world." He informed. Unstrapped? Looking down at her hands for the first time Cara realized she was indeed restrained.

"what the hell?" She muttered pulling in the metal cuffs that appeared to be attached to the chair she was sitting on. "I don't suppose you'd take these off if I asked nicely would you?" She asked smiling up at the smug looking man with the goatee.  

"No." He answered,

"I guess were going with option 2." Cara mumbled.

Oh My God! I could save them, I could save Natasha and Loki and Tony if she had time, she could stop the Avengers from breaking up, she could save Killmonger from dying, everyone from getting dusted. But she knew she couldn't do that from here.

"I think there are something we need to discuss before those can come off." Steve states being as calm and collected as he was portrayed in the movies.

"Things like what?" Cara demand growing frustrated with the lack of mobility. "Why you kidnapped me? Why your holding me against my will?" She asked rhetorically.

"Well no," Bruce chimed in fiddling with a pen nervously. "Our line of questioning was going in a different direction."

"North, East, South...?" Cara sassed.

"What are you?" Bruce asked ending the remainder of her sarcastic remark.

"What do you mean?" She asked taken aback by the sudden question.

"What are you?" Tony repeated. "Alien? Asgardian? Angel?"

"I'm human." She stated plainly as it seemed to be the most obvious answer.

"Right," Tony replied crouching down slightly to eye level with the young female. "And regular human appear out of a portal and fall hundreds of feet at a thousand miles per hour and walk away with out a scratch?"

Leaning in closer staring straight into the eyes of the smug looking billionaire.

"You did." She smirked refusing to be the first to look away. From what she had observed from her many rewatching of the MCU was that you never back down first, and while Tony Stark was nothing to scoff at due to his sarcastic nature and witty references he definitely wasn't the most intimidating person she could be in this position with.

"Good point." He sighed out quickly standing back to full height. "Tell you what Icarus, how about once the list of human who have done that extends past you and I, we'll talk about getting those restraints removed." He shrugged turning his back before beginning to tap on some sort of screen.

"Stark now is not the time for your childish games." The Asgardian prince slightly scolded before approaching the restrained young woman. "I am Thor, son of Odin, prince of Asgard and Midgard is under my protection state you business in this realm?"

"..."

"Please?" The god questioned taking of his mask of intimacy with a slightly hint of a smile.

Cara couldn't help but smile back, it was moments like these that she couldn't help but see Thor as a puppy or a child. A 6 foot 6 puppy.

"Thor, son of Odin, prince of Asgard and protector of Midgard. 'Wow that's a mouth full' I have as much business in this realm as the man taking his morning jog through the park or the bird that is probably flying over the city. I'm just trying to live." She pleaded hoping she was pulling off the innocent look she was going for.

"Welp I for one believe lady..." He trailed off into confusion upon realizing he didn't know the name of the young woman currently being held in the room.

"Cara." She assisted.

"Thank you." Thor stated before turning back to his fellow avengers. "Lady Cara."

"Cara huh." Tony questioned. "I would have guessed something more biblical like Castiel or Lucifer."

"I'm not an angel." Cara groaned out shutting her eyes and throwing her head back in frustration. "And even if I was, what's it to you?"

"I'm sorry?" Steve asked.

"What I mean is I haven't done anything wrong, I haven't broken any laws or hurt anyone. You have no right to keep me here." She clarified.

"Look you may not know this but the last time a portal opened up and something came through it spelt bad news for everyone." Natasha spoke for the first time from her place near the exit.

"I think everyone knows about that, what I don't know is what it has to do with me." Cara said through gritted teeth. "I mean no offense but don't you people have better thing to do than to keep me captive? I know I do."

"Things like what?" Clint interjected. "Enslaving the human race?"

"Oh my god!" Cara groaned.

How was she ever going to save everyone strapped to this chair being held captive by the people who she was trying to save.

She had much bigger thing to deal with like Bucky, Thanos, Wanda, Ultron... Oh god how was I gonna stop Ultron, there was no way I could convince Tony Stark that he was wrong about anything yet alone his master plan to save the world. Maybe keeping the scepter away from him altogether.

But no Ultron means no Vision ,and what would no Vision mean for Wanda? I can't even imagine.

"Is there someone else I can talk to?" Cara huffs. "Maybe someone with a better pair of listening ears and a basic value for human right and freedoms. Nick fury perhaps?"

"How do you know who Nick Fury is?" Natasha asked coming to stand closer in an attempt to intimidate.

"I know a lot of things." She shrugged.

"I doubt that. Cause if you knew anything you would know Fury is de-."

"Hiding out after faking his death, yeah I know that too. Natalia." Cara informed holding eye contact with the former Russian spy.

"Who are you." She asked making sure not to waver her gaze.

"I'm Cara." She stated firmly. "And as much as you people want to see me as a enemy I'm an trying to prove myself an ally."

Breaking her eye contact with the red head to meet the eyes of the remaining Avengers in the room, before returning to Natasha.

"And I can prove it if you would just let me out of these restrains." Nodding toward her restricted wrists.

"I'm sorry." Steve replied causing the 24 year old you grow her head back in frustration. "But we can't take that risk."

Cara didn't remember the Avengers being so annoying before, what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty. She needed them to trust her but had no idea how to make that happen , pretty sure the truth would land her in some max security mental hospital.

There has to be a way to blur the truth and she knew just how to do it. No matter what how she got here or what may be different because of it she knew more than anything that these people loved to be right she would just let them think they are.

Taking a deep breath Cara prepared for the worst before saying it.

"Not even for Loki's scepter?" She asked and was not surprised when everyone in the room shifted their full attention to her even Tony who seemed content with ignoring her pleas for release.

"What did you just say?" Clint asked wanting to find the scepter more than anyone after living through the effects of it. 

"I know where it is." She tells him before looking around the room. "Look your right. I'm not human or at least I don't know if I am." She sighed in fake sadness.

"What do you mean." Steve asked.

"I mean ever since I can remember I've had these visions. A man falling from a train, a rainbow bridge, a ballet studio, an old man in a cave in the desert." Cara listed significant events in the lives of the heroes standing before her. "I never knew if they were real or if I was just crazy. I swear I have no idea how I came through any portal and I sure a hell don't know how I'm still alive, but what I do know is that I would never try to hurt anyone." Cara finished allowing her eyes to slightly tear up.

There was a collective silence among the group as they all attempted to figure out how this stranger knew so much about them. 

"I got it." Tony said breaking the silence. "There is a whole museum dedicated to cap and his old war buddies." Tony explained away your first 'Vision'.

"Anyone can study Norse mythology, Widow over there released all of shields files and my kidnapping is public record at this point but nice try." Tony finished with an unimpressed look on his face. She could feel the other members also start to accept Tony's debunking of her story.

'Damn it, think of something no one else would know something, anything!' She screamed at herself. 

"I think that is enough games." Thor said seeming to have changed his previous vote for your innocence. "Your attempt to fool us have gone on long enou-." Stopping once Cara started speaking. 

"I've looked forward to this day for as long as you have, your my brother and my friend. Sometimes I am envious, but never doubt that I love you."

"What is that supposed to be?" Tony asked.

"Loki." Thor replied not taking his eyes of the young mortal girl. "Before my coronation on Asgard. My brother said those exact words to me."

"You can't read that in a book." Cara smiled gently, but you can watch it in a deleted scenes video. Honestly Cara was just glad that it actually happened in this world otherwise she would look even more crazy. "So what about letting me go?" She tried again.

"Sorry your gonna have to do better than that." Steve approached arms crossed.

"Loki's Scepter." Cara states. "I can help you find it." She offered.

"How?" Thor asked.

"I've already told you how." She replied. "But you have to promise after I do no more restrains and I'm free to go." She attempted negotiate.

"How about no more retrains and we'll see." Natasha offered.

"How about no more restrains and I'm free to go."

"How about you spend the rest of your life in a super max prison?" The red head countered.

"you know Drakov is still alive right?" Cara asked shock spreading across Natasha and Clint's face before they quickly mask it with a glare. "How about no more restrains and I'm free to go."

"Fine." Steve spoke before the petty argument could continue. "No more restrains and your free to go after we have the scepter?"

"Perfect." Cara smiled nodding towards her arms and legs.

"Tony." Steve states, nothing happened as the billionaire pretends to not have heard the request. "Tony come on."

"What if she's lying?" Tony asked. "We're just gonna let her roam around my lab touching things."

"There are six of us and one of her." Steve pointed out.

after a few moments tony let out a groan before pressing a button causing the straps to retract, stretching her arms and rubbing her wrist Cara takes this time to look around the high tech laboratory.

"So." Tony begins. "Where is it?" He asked raising an eyebrow at the girl.

"Where's what?" Cara asked before Tony took a step towards her. "Okay, Okay fine." She chuckles slightly.

"Hey, I gave you a shot don't make me regret this." Steve reprimands.

"Okay, You would thing at this point in time you people could take a joke." Cara muttered looking towards the ceiling as if searching for something. "Jarvis?" She asked.

"Yes Ma'am?" The A.I. replied.

"Hey Hey you don't talk to Jarvis." Tony scolds. "How do you even know about Jarvis?" He asked.

"I'm not answering this question again." Cara deadpanned. "Jarvis can you bring me up a satellite image of Sovkia?" Cara asked.

"Right away ma'am." He answered projecting a holographic image of the small city inches from the her face causing her to back up a few paces.

"Good thanks now I need you to search the other perimeter of the city for heat signatures." She informs. "Anything moving in formation consistently." She added.

"Here you are ma'am," Javis responds. "This area has shown a consistent path of small heat signatures recorded footage from the satellite shows for about the last three months or so."

"And are there any significant power sources coming from the area near the or inside of the signatures path?" Cara continued.

"Yes, there is an abandoned factory building just inside of the heat signatures path though it is emitting a significant amount of power." Jarvis confirms.

Turning to face the group of super individuals Cara opened her arms up wide.

"Heat signatures are patrols, that building is where you'll find your scepter and a one Baron Strucker as well." Cara informed. "Any questions from the class?" She asked rhetorically, though that didn't stop Bruce from raising his hand.

"Yes, Dr. Banner." Cara called.

"These abilities you say you've had them all your life?" He asked. "And you had no idea about the increased durability of you body? Have you ever given blood? Has there ever been any unexplained anomalies in your D.N.A.? If its possible I'd like to run some tests on your blood and determine the limitations of you body." Bruce rambled on not really giving the girl a chance to answer any of his questions.

"Um....Yes, No, No, and maybe if you buy me dinner first." Cara replied. "But I kinda meant scepter related questions." She clarified. 

"So you saying that this building is where the scepter had been the whole time?" Natasha asked.

"Well not the whole time but it is there now." Cara replied. "So am I free to go?"

"After we get the scepter." Steve reminded. "But for now I think this is a pretty solid lead , so we'll hold off on the restrains for now but you can't leave this building. Am I clear?" Steve asked.

"Yes dad." Cara replied sarcastically receiving  a stern look in return. "Fine I will not leave this building."

"Thank you." He replied.

"We need to move on this now before H.Y.D.R.A. gets wind of this and moves locations." Clint says studying the hologram of the building. "Jarvis can you play back the perimeter movements for the last three months and let me know if anything has changed between now and then?" Clint asked.

"The movement seems consistent Agent Barton." He replied.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Natasha asked Clint looking away from the electronic display.

"Yep." He answered. "We land in far wood of the south side looks great." He continued.

"perfect, we shall leave immediately." Thor states walking towards the exit.

"Thor." Steve called stopping the god in his track. "Be need and plan of attack we can't just go in there guns blazing." Steve says.

"How would that be different from all the other times?" Tony asked.

"We can not wait any longer and risk loosing it again." Thor counted. "Lady Cara is an unlikely advantage that may not be around to assist again."

"He's right just because you miss the scepter doesn't mean I was wrong and doesn't mean you can keep me here." Cara agreed. "We have a deal." Cara was all for helping the Avenger but she was not going to be some sort of prisoner she had thing to do people to save just like them.

"I said once the scepter is in our hands." Steve clarified.

"It is in your hands and your letting it slip through your fingers." She rebutted.

"Hate to agree, like really hate to agree with E.T over here." Tony started. "But we have to move on this as soon as possible."

"Still not an alien." Cara added.

"Predator?" He asked.

"Fine," Steve caved. "Two day. And then we move, Is everyone okay with that?" He asked receiving nods all around.

"Great, better rest up Icarus." Tony called to Cara as he heads to the exit.

"For what exactly" Cara asked following him out of the lab and down the hall stopping and waiting at the elevator as who she assumed to be the other Avengers come to a stop behind her.

"For the mission," Tony said stepping into the elevator. "You coming?" He asked noticing no one was following. "This H.Y.D.R.A. base may be legit but you could still be leading us into a trap and if you are I'd like you to be as close to getting shot as possible." He smirked pushing on of the floor buttons.

"And if I'm not, cause I'm telling the truth." Cara insisted. "I'll be an unprepared civilian in an active war zone." Cara pointed out.

"Then you can wait in the jet." He shrugged as the lift came to a stop and the doors opened revealing the living quarters. "Besides I'm sure Widow wouldn't mind slipping in a quick lesson."

"Of course not." Natasha said walking past the curly headed girl patting her on the shoulder.

"yeah, I'd defiantly take you up on that if I was ready to die." Cara replied.

"That might actually be a good idea," Bruce stepped in. "it would be a great way to test your reflexes and pain tolerance."

"Or you could shoot me." Cara suggested. "Yeah I like that idea bet-.." She joked but was cut short as a flash of light flew across the room and hit her in the chest sending her hurdling into a wall.

heads snapped from the girl to the source of the attack only to spot Tony at the bar with the iron glove on one and and a drink in the other. Standing up from the floor Cara looks over her body, nothing seemed broken and nothing hurt.

"What the Hell?" She glared. "You could have killed me." She whispered mostly to herself checking running her hand over the back of her head before checking her palm for any sign of blood.

"Look at that not even a limp? Scratch?" Tony asked putting his glass down. "Is your shirt even slightly singed? Now that's what I call durability."

"I think we got the durability part Stark." Clint said walking over to the girl helping her to the sofa as she assured him she was fine. "She fell three thousand feet." He reminded.

"Just checking," He defended. "Never hurts to check, well it didn't hurt me or her." He pointed out.

"Your lucky I wanna keep you from dying." Cara muttered to herself.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Nothing." Cara sighed. "Nothing at all."

"Anyways," Tony said squinting his eyes. "Let's get you set up with a room and ready for that training." Tony said taking off down the hallway Cara rushing to follow.

"I'm still not doing that." Cara said slowing down as she falls into step with the older man.

Two days that was all, this was good right? It gives her a chance to get her plan together like how was she going to find  Bucky or maybe stop Scott from going into the quantum tunnel and missing five years of his daughter's life. However that was caused by the snap which won't happen if she could figure out how to stop Thanos.

"Here you go," Tony said stopping in front a door typing in a few numbers.

The door slides open revealing a quite luxurious bedroom with  various shades of grey covering the walls and floors.

"I hope this is up to you standards." Tony says following her in. "I mean it's not Asgard, but."

"I'm not from Asgard, Tony." Cara said rolling her eyes.

"Well, goodnight." Tony brushed off turning to leave.

"Goodnight?" Cara asked.

"Oh it's a term we use here on earth, before you go to sleep," Tony informed sarcastically. "and sleep is when us human close our eyes and our bodies recharge for the upcoming day." He finished.

"I know what sleep is." She counted.

"But we're still confused on the term goodnight." Tony pointed out.

"I just didn't realize it was night, I actually have no idea what time it is." Cara suddenly realized.

"The time is currently 11:46pm ma'am." Jarvis' voice flows through the room.

"thanks Jarvis." Tony answered before continuing on his way out. "Make sure to rest up cause there's no way that training with widow isn't happening." He called over his shoulder allowing the door to close behind him.

Looking around, Cara made her way over to the bed allowing her body to fall backwards and letting out a sigh.

'I'M SO SCREWED!" She shouts into the empty room. "when I chose M.C.U. New York over D.C. Gotham I didn't know this was going to happen."

All the things she had needed to do, the death she wanted to prevent. She couldn't even begin to think of a way to get into Wakanda to warn them of Killmonger, or maybe get to Killmonger and talk him out of trying to kill T'challa, Maybe stop King T'chaka from dying and the Avengers from falling apart.

There was no way she could remember all this and what if the changes she made weren't for the best... Would the T.V.A try to stop her?

Writing it down would be a disaster waiting to happen, if anyone found it Avenger or otherwise who knows what could happen.

"I need a shower." She muttered sitting up on the bed, running her hands over her face in frustration.

"I can get the shower prepared for you ma'am." Jarvis replied as running water sound from one of the closed doors in the room. "Do you have a preferred temperature?"

"Warm?" Cara asked.

"Warm water is typically between 110 - 90 degrees Fahrenheit." Jarvis informed.

"Ummm 100." Cara answered with a shrug, all these were problem she could solve tomorrow, for now the only thing on her mind was showering and getting to finally rest her mind.

[elu-is-reading]

I haven't slept yet so it's still technically Valentine's Day. This took me the whole day but it was so worth it. I think this might even be my best work yet or at least one of the top ones. Personally, I love the background. Maybe practise really helps you get better, go figure.

[hogwartsalumni08-slytherin]

Safe House Surprise

Clint Barton's POV:

I'm walking up the stairs of my little sister's house's front porch in the country. This is the one place that I could think of where the Avengers will be safe from the killer robots. Thor asks, "What is this place?" Tony says, "Safe house." I say as I'm helping Nat up the stairs because she is injured,  "Let's hope." We all go inside Holly's house.

I ask, "Holly?" Holly says, "Oh? Ummm...hi." I say, "This is my little sister, Holly." Holly says, "Pleasure to meet you all." Tony just awkwardly waves.

I hear a voice say, "Holly, darling, why do I hear people?" Tony asks, "Someone else lives here?" I shrug because honestly didn't know of my little sister had a boyfriend or not. 

Holly tucks her dark brown hair behind her ears and says, "No I uhm..." I see Loki come around the corner; and, he says, "Are you alright? I thought I heard people in the house?" Steve asks, "Loki?" Holly says, "Surprise?!" 

Tony says, "Please tell me this is a joke." Holly says, "It's no joke. Loki ended up on earth and met me." I look back and forth between Loki and Holly; they both seem to love each other like with that heart eye emoji look. Holly continues, "And well..." Then she looks at Loki with her chocolate brown eyes, Loki says, "We fell in love." Thor immediately says, "I'm honestly happy for you, brother." I give Holly a nod to agree with Thor's sentiment. Loki says, "Thank you, brother." Holly gives me a wink. Bruce looks like he is in shock. 

Tony says, "I'm about to puke. This is the same person who tried to take over earth." Holly asks, "Do you want to stay at our house or not?" Natasha gives me a strange look and I smirk because I know how stubborn my little sister is. Steve quickly says, "Thank you, Holly and Loki." 

[shewhohangsoutincemeteries]

p.s.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ amy's birthday ficlet weekend ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

bruce banner x reader prompt: love note summary: an unfinished note from bruce before he leaves on a mission leaves you confused and curious during the lead up to your college graduation. pick a prompt and a character from the list (tags beneath the cut)

Y/N, I tried calling, but you must still be in the lab. Tony called – they found a lead on the sceptre, and they need the Big Guy. We should be will be back before your graduation. I’m sorry; I’ll try calling again when I can.

Bruce.P.S.

You adjusted your trencher nervously over your hair as you joined the other graduates lining up by the stage, the note from Bruce in your other hand. He’d left three days ago for that mission, and you were still yet to hear word from him. It hadn’t been out of the ordinary since you’d met him through a Stark Industries chemistry internship a year ago for the Avengers to disappear for days at a time, but some silly, selfish part of you kept sticking on the fact that he was missing your graduation.

Stupid, sure. After all, he was just a friend and occasional work colleague now that you were now a newly paid employee of Stark Industries, but he was the only person you’d actually invited.

P.S.

There was a slight mark on the page following those two letters, a spot of ink, like he’d held the pen there for a moment before reconsidering.

What had he been going to write?

“Graduating with a PHD in Applied Chemistry: Y/N L/N.”

You straightened your shoulders as you heard your name announced, tucking the note into the pocket of your dress. Climbing the steps to the dais where the Dean stood waiting, you stopped in your tracks as you heard a lone cheer from the back of the crowd break through the polite applause. Holding back a disbelieving laugh as you recognized the voice and the Dean ushered you forward, you shook your head, accepting your diploma as your heart pounded in your chest.

*              *              *

“Cutting it kind of close there, aren’t you?” you said as you found Bruce waiting for you on the edge of the crowd, away from the curious eyes of your classmates and their families. Pulling your trencher from your head, you ran your hand through your hair, returning his greeting smile. “Couldn’t resist a dramatic entrance, huh?”

“Tony did suggest flying the Quinjet right into the event, but I didn’t want to draw any attention away from you,” he replied. He had made the effort to dress for the occasion, a blazer and button-down paired with his dark wash jeans. His tie hung crooked, and you swore you could see colour rise in his cheeks as you reached up to adjust it for him. You smoothed your fingers down it, an almost giddy smile playing on the edge of your lips.

“Much appreciated, Doctor.”

“You’re welcome, Doctor,” he responded, smile widening as you chuckled. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks,” you said, tucking hair behind your ear.

“And you…” he swallowed, gesturing awkwardly at your body. “It’s a pretty dress.”

You ducked your head, biting your lip as you smiled. Reaching into your pocket, you pulled out the note he had left. “So… you gonna explain this?”

“Ah…” he grimaced awkwardly, apologetically; his hands clasped together in front of him… a precursor to the hand wringing you saw him do whenever he was nervous. His curls caught the breeze slightly, sunlight glinting off the edge of his glasses. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more of a warning; Widow’s sources got word that the sceptre could have been in a stronghold in Nepal…”

“Not that, Bruce.” you said in amusement, trying not to roll your eyes. “The postscript that doesn’t exist?”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” you repeated, fingers curled around the note. “P.S.? P.S. what exactly?”

“Well, I…” Bruce swallowed, taking a steadying breath before he met your eye again. “That was…”

“Bruce?”

“Oh… hell, it was supposed to say this—”

Bruce took your face in his hands, bringing his lips down to your own. They were soft and warm and sweet, his fingers curling in your hair as he kissed you. The trencher fell from your fingertips, your hands coming up to rest against his biceps.

It wasn’t until you were almost burning for breath before you parted, Bruce’s forehead resting against yours.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered after a moment, his hands moving to your shoulders. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t’ve…”

“I love you, too.”

tags: @micheleamidalajedi @lovely-dreamer19 @wittyforachange @wefracturedmotivation @january-echoes @glossyloner @capitalnineteen @youclickedthislink @s0ftness @castieltrash1 @drakelover78 @queenoftheunderdark @startrekkingaroundasgard

[jackfrombaskinrobbins]

being tony stark's daughter would include... (headcanons)

type of writing: headcanons / scenario

word count: 778

request: yes / no

original request: can you do one where the reader is tony’s daughter and loves to wear fancy stuff like cher from clueless 😭. and instead of being that stereotypical “mean spoiled rich girl”, the reader is actually super sweet and people sometimes take that for granted and use her for her stuff and money?

dynamic: tony stark x stark daughter!reader

characters: reader, tony stark, happy hogan, mention of steve rogers, natasha romanoff, bruce banner, peter parker, harley keener, and miles morales

a/n: ty for the request!! also requests are still open hehe :)

coming soon: clint barton younger sibling headcanons, overprotective avengers when reader has a boyfriend headcanons, hanging at the sanctum sanctorum over break headcanons

taglist: @nutellani

(message me or send an ask if you'd like to be included in the taglist!)

-----------------------✰----------------------

tony stark is an awesome dad. 

like he just goes above and beyond to make you smile.

it’s well-known that he spoils everyone at the compound, but since you’re his daughter, he spoils you A LOT.

you’ll come home from school often to find a little box on your bed, and it’s always something you either had mentioned in passing, or something that you didn’t even know you needed. 

like you got into crocheting for a little bit. you now have buckets full of multicolored yarns in every texture and color one could ever need!!

also i feel like when you told him your favorite ice cream was the same flavor as his favorite, he literally almost burst with excitement.

and now you ALWAYS have that ice cream.

he even built a little gadget that only lets you and him eat out of it.

the only exception to the rule is happy, as thor painfully found out one day.

he went to have some and it shocked him, but happy just reached in and got it anyway.

also if you’re tony stark’s daughter, i just have to say what an iconic trio you, your dad, and happy are.

like y’all always look so badass with matching shades or whatever.

you got matching shirts for you three for christmas and they both reluctantly wore it.

natasha took like fifteen pictures and steve was literally on the floor dying because he thought it was so funny.

anyways one of the coolest things about being tony stark’s daughter are the gadgets.

for example, you have a lot of clothes. but guess what? you don’t ever have to do laundry.

all of your clothes are put in this special hamper. it washes, dries, and folds/hangs the clothes up for you, then puts them away in a neat fashion. 

you have a high tech mirror (ala cher from clueless!!!!) where you can “try on” outfits before you actually retrieve them to wear.

it’s kind of awesome? 

jk it IS awesome.

anyways you’re also super smart.

science and math just come easily.

it must be…. in your blood or something.

bruce made that joke once and tony locked him out of the lab. then peter tried to make it too and tony made him go “test” a robot that blocks people out of a room HAHA

that being said, your dad actually lets you in the lab.

ikr? kind of crazy.

you have your own little corner to work on stuff.

also you and bruce are so iconic. i think you would have tea parties every sunday. 

tony says it’s “childish” but you can tell he’s jealous

once you caught happy setting up high tea for him and tony but then he told you that you didn’t actually see anything

now, it’s usually a great thing to be tony stark’s daughter

but finding real friends is tough.

there are people who are awesome, like peter parker, harley keener, and miles morales. 

but there’s a lot of people who’ll use you to get to your dad or your money.

and yes that sounds stereotypical, but it’s really tough.

there was a group of kids who seemed really excited to go out with you, but then you realized it was all for social media clout and that they expected gifts and stuff.

so you ended up exploding on them, and it gave your dad some bad press.

you were so embarrassed that you locked yourself in your room, refusing to come out.

happy left some tea outside but you didn’t want it.

so then finally tony came in.

guys he’s iron man he can get through a locked door 

and you didn’t really want to talk.

so instead he just put on some music.

some really loud guitar music.

and then, with the door still open, tony stark began playing air guitar.

now you knew he would do this sometimes, but not with the door open.

and then he started to SING.

that man cannot sing guys.

needless to say, it gave you a laugh.

he grabbed your hands, pulled you up, and the two of you started dancing around the room, laughing harder than ever before.

when the song ended, he told you he wasn’t mad.

and that people can be losers sometimes

but that you certainly weren’t.

then he said one day he would come up with a loser detector so that you wouldn't have to go through something like that again.

and he was only half joking, so you just laughed.

but deep down, you were happy to have someone who cared for you as much as your dad, tony stark, did.

-----------------------✰----------------------

[440mxs-wife]

Songbird

Pairing: Bucky x F!Reader. Other Characters: Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff, Wanda Maximoff, Tony Stark, Thor Odinson. Mentioned: Loki Laufeyson, Bruce Banner.

Word Count: 10,170 (including lyrics)

Warnings: Friends to lovers, mutual pining, a bit of angst, misunderstanding, self-doubt. Fluffy ending (of course).

Summary: For the past 8 months, Reader has been working as the manager for the Avengers. During that time, she and Bucky develop feelings for one another, though neither one knows about it. One day after his workout, Bucky hears someone singing through the vents in the women's locker room, but he doesn't know who it is. He comes close a couple of times to finding it out, but just barely misses her. Tony somehow convinces Bucky to let him throw a fancy birthday party with a 1940s theme, complete with entertainment from that era. When Bucky finds out that the entertainer is his mystery girl, how will he react?

A/N: Happy Belated Birthday, James Buchanan Barnes. This one's for you.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hold me close and hold me fast The magic spell you cast This is "La vie en rose"

When you kiss me, heaven sighs And though I close my eyes I see "La vie en rose"

Bucky was gathering his clothes from his locker after his shower, but paused when he thought he heard....singing? He stopped for a moment to see if he could figure out where it was coming from and whose voice it was. He hadn't heard singing like that since the traveling USO shows during WWII. Hearing his type of music being sung by someone so talented brought a smile to his face and had him momentarily rooted to the spot.

With his advanced auditory capabilities, he determined that the voice originated in the women's side of the gym. Thus far, though, its identity eluded him. He quickly shoved everything into his locker, slammed the door shut, and bolted out the door towards the sound. On his way over, he ran into Natasha, who stopped him at the entrance.

"Whoa, Barnes, what do you think you're doing? You can't go in there, this is the women's locker room. Your side is over there," she pointed out, her slender fingers gesturing to the doorway behind him.

"I know, but just listen!" he exclaimed. They both stood still as the last notes of "La Vie en Rose" faded away. Bucky's shoulders slumped in defeat, as he had thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu concert. He strained his enhanced ears to hear if a new song had started, then frowned when he didn't hear anything. He curled his hands around Natasha's biceps. "Will you please go in there and, I don't know, ask around? See if anyone can tell you who was singing? I gotta know, Nat," he begged.

Natasha studied him for a moment or two, then smirked as she eventually gave in to his pleading face. "Oh all right, Barnes, keep your shirt on. Please. I'll go in there and see what I can find out," she agreed. But before she could check out the area, you walked out with a towel draped around your neck and your bag over your shoulder.

"Hey, Natasha! Sorry I didn't see you," you remarked as your eyes slid over to the handsome super soldier to her right. "Oh! Hello, Bucky," you murmured with a shy smile.

The corners of Bucky's mouth slowly inched upwards until it was stretched into a wide grin, complete with a display of his perfect pearly teeth. "Hiya, doll," he replied softly.

Natasha rolled her eyes at the two of you. "When you were in there just now, did you hear anyone singing?" she asked.

"Singing?" you parroted. "I heard music of some kind, but I thought someone had their playlist on speaker or something."

Natasha narrowed her eyes as she regarded you with a bit of suspicion. "No, that wasn't a recording, we heard somebody's actual voice. Bucky asked me to go in and take a look around, see if I can figure out who it is, but--"

"No!" you exclaimed, holding up your hands to stop her. "I mean, that's okay, I'll go in and see if I can find out who it is. Be back in a flash!" Before either of them could protest, you had already dropped your bag and ran back into the locker area.

Once inside, you chanced a quick look over your shoulder to see if you were being followed. You paused at the sink and caught your reflection in the mirror. That was a close one, you thought. Gonna have to be more careful next time. 

After glancing at the mirror one last time and taking a deep breath, you counted to ten and walked back to where Natasha and Bucky were standing. "There were a couple of people inside, but nobody knew anything about any singing. Welp, I'm going to head to my room but I'll see you at dinner!" You picked up your bag and waved as you walked away from Nat and Bucky.

Natasha waited until you were out of earshot to ask, "Did that seem weird to you? Like she was hiding something?"

Bucky continued to stare after you with a dream-like smile on his face. Natasha elbowed him in the side, breaking his trance. "Oof! What did you say?" he grumbled.

"I said, did she seem weird to you, like she was hiding something from us," she repeated.

"'Weird'? Nah, I wouldn't say that, I mean we all have our own little quirks, don't we? Besides, hers are kinda cute," he chuckled.

Natasha looked Bucky up and down before throwing up her hands in exasperation and marching into the gym. She turned around just in time to see Bucky look longingly at the women's locker room entrance, then retreat into the men's side to grab his bag.

***

For the past eight months, you have been the unofficial "manager" for the Avengers. If someone were to write down a list of all of your duties, it would likely span multiple pages. One of your favorite responsibilities involved grocery shopping and general food preparation. That included, but was not limited to, snacks. That meant Thor got his Pop-Tarts, Loki got his tea, and Tony got his energy drinks. You could usually find whatever anyone asked for, no matter how exotic.

Except that Bucky rarely, if ever, asked you to get him anything special. He was a little like you in that way, meaning you didn't want to be a bother. To you, it seemed silly to have someone traipsing all over the city to find that one special thing you really wanted. Too often, you convinced yourself you could live without it. But that didn't stop you from picking up a few boxes of Junior Mints, or the occasional jar of bread-and-butter pickles for Bucky. 

As you'd gotten to know Bucky, you'd developed a crush on the super soldier. He was definitely a good-looking man, especially when he smiled. Your heart fluttered every time you heard him laugh, which wasn't often, thus you would do anything to hear it on repeat. Despite what had been done to him in his past, he didn't let that erase his kindness, his sense of duty, or his willingness to protect those he cared about.

Sometimes he'd wander into your office to see how your day was going, bring you some coffee, or to ask you out to lunch. You always sat next to each other at dinner or on movie nights. At times you could swear there were signs that he considered you as more than a friend. Those thoughts were quickly dismissed, because you were certain that current only ran in one direction. As gorgeous and kindhearted as he was, he had loads of women and even some men falling all over themselves for him. What kind of chance would ordinary you have with someone like him?

Today, you made an extra stop at the Farmers' Market being held in Union Square, where there was something for everyone. You picked up honey for Loki's tea, lots of hearty fruits and vegetables, assorted baked goods, and various cuts of meat from the butcher. To brighten up the Tower, you picked out some fresh-cut bouquets of flowers to put in vases. A wine vendor even persuaded you to add a few bottles of his best wines to your wheeled cart.

Out of all your purchases, the one you looked forward to unpacking the most was a bag of plums. The seller assured you that hers were the best, no blemishes or soft spots to be found. She gave you a few samples and explained which varieties should be used for baking and which ones were for enjoying right away. As you were handing over your cash, she tucked a few recipe cards into your bag with a wink. You thanked her with a smile before moving to the next stall with a spring in your step, eager to show Bucky what you had found for him.

***

Two hours later, you returned to the Tower and wheeled your cart into the building. As the door was closing, you heard shouting for you to hold the door. Quickly you pressed the button and you tried to maneuver your cart closer to your side to make room for the new passengers. It turned out to be Steve, Bucky, and Sam, who happened to be returning from a run.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," you greeted them. Bucky stepped on first, but with the cart, it looked like it would be a tight fit if Steve and Sam also tried to get on. "Oh, I'm so sorry, guys, elevator's kinda full with my cart in here," you remarked.

Steve and Sam gave each other a knowing look before grinning at Bucky, who in turn was trying to give them a murderous glare. "That's okay, Cap and I will catch the next one," Sam smirked. He reached in and pushed the one for the appropriate floor. You heard his cackling laughter fade as the doors closed.

Don't stare, don't stare, oh my God, he's so handsome and sweet--wait--don't stare, you chanted to yourself. "Did you have a good run?" you asked, then internally face-palmed yourself for the inane comment.

Bucky gave a brilliant smile before replying, "Yeah, it was good to be able to go outside and for once, it's not raining." Don't stare, don't stare, God, she's so beautiful and kind--wait--don't stare, he repeated to himself. "Looks like you bought out the whole farm, doll," he chuckled, gesturing to your nearly overflowing cart.

You followed his eyes and burst into laughter. "Yes, I guess I did! It's just that everything looked so good today, I couldn't pass it up. There's a little something for everyone in there," you noted. Bucky's face brightened. "Even for you, Bucky," you added, gesturing to the bag of plums in your cart.

His cheeks briefly flashed a dusting of pink. "Aw, thank you, sweets, but you didn't have to do that for me," he replied.

To catch his attention, you took his hand in yours and gazed into his baby blues. "I know, but I wanted to. It's okay to want things, because you deserve them and so much more," you swallowed hard to get your feelings back under control. "If there's ever something specific you want, please let me know. I'll be happy to go wherever I need to in order to find it. I don't mind, especially if it's something that would bring you good memories," you promised.

"That's really thoughtful of you, thank you. I'll try to remember that for your next trip. You going to need a hand with any of this?" he wondered.

"Nah, it's on wheels, so pretty easy. Oh! I'm making a beef stir fry and chicken fried rice later with some of these amazing veggies. You could....um....you could hang out in the kitchen while I cook? I-If you want to, b-but you don't have to. I'm sure you have more important--" your rambling was silenced by his left index finger on your lips.

"Let me take my shower and I'll be right there with you, doll," he grinned as the elevator dinged for your floor.

A warmth settled into your own cheeks despite the feel of cool metal on your lips. "Okay," you agreed, then backed out of the elevator, towing your cart behind you. "Meet you in the kitchen, Sarge," you smirked.

The elevator door started to close, so you didn't hear his reply. But you did see the genuinely surprised look on his face at the nickname, which caused you to laugh. As you turned to walk to the kitchen, you were stopped by Natasha, who stood with her eyes trained on you and her arms crossed over her chest. "Nat! What's up? And why are you looking at me like I'm in trouble?" you asked cautiously.

"No, no trouble," she replied slyly. "What was all that about, telling Bucky to meet you in the kitchen?"

You rolled your eyes. "That? Nothing," you answered with a shrug. When she didn't look convinced, you sighed in exasperation. "Ugh! Okay, I might have told him he could join me in the kitchen and watch while I cooked dinner for you all. We're just friends. No big deal, Tash," you muttered.

She relaxed her stance, but didn't give away any clues as to what she was thinking. Wanda caught up with the two of you and asked what was going on. Natasha explained what she saw when you exited the elevator and about Bucky watching you cook dinner.

Wanda's eyes widened and a huge smile graced her face at this development, and was only seconds away from breaking out into a happy dance. Before she could start, you held up your hand and reminded them that you and Bucky were "just friends" and it was "no big deal". Then you yanked on the handle of your cart, dragged it to the kitchen and grumbled under your breath about having so much to put away all by yourself.

Behind you, Natasha and Wanda were chattering back and forth, no doubt plotting your next move regarding Bucky. You paid them no mind, because you had more important things to worry about. Like how you were going to keep from cutting your fingers off with him watching your every move.

***

Bucky hastily kicked off his shoes the moment he crossed the threshold into his room. He rushed to the bathroom, shedding his clothes as he went and tossing them in the hamper. You had invited him to the kitchen, your sanctuary, to hang out and watch as you prepared the evening meal. He had to hurry because he wanted to spend every available minute he could in your presence.

When you were first brought on board as the team's manager, Bucky instantly thought you were the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He could tell by the way you carried yourself that you had a kind and compassionate heart, which made him fall even faster. You had a way of making everyone feel as if they were the most important person in the room when talking to them. Not exactly something he was used to having in his life, nor was having someone care about him the way you did.

Over the past eight months, Bucky has been learning about you by being around you as much as he can be. He listens when you talk about your past, your family, and your friends. He knows of your love of reading, because he hardly ever sees you without a book in your hands, even if it's a cookbook. And though you are usually up for a trip into the city with Nat and Wanda, you're much more comfortable staying in and watching movies.

He loves that you choose to sit next to him on the team's Movie Nights, and that you share your popcorn, but only with him. He appreciates that you respect his space and try not to crowd him, but lately, all he's wanted to do is get closer to you. More than a few times, you've fallen asleep on his shoulder, with his arm around you. Whenever that happened, it made his heart race and nearly sent him into the stratosphere from happiness.

But as much as Bucky would give anything to call you his girl, sometimes the doubts creep in and squash those thoughts. He had enough personal baggage to run his own airline, and what woman would want to deal with all of that? There's no way he wanted to drag you down into the deep rabbit hole that was his life, or, worse yet, expose you to any danger. He would be content to have your friendship, and it would have to be enough.

As he dried off after his shower and got dressed again, his thoughts drifted back to the singing he heard in the locker room. It was his type of music, with vocals that were nearly perfect, and it took him back to a happier time. He was going to make it his personal mission to find out who was behind the angelic voice and ask her to be his girl.

***

Never know how much I love you Never know how much I care When you put your arms around me I get a fever that's so hard to bear

You give me fever When you kiss me Fever when you hold me tight Fever In the mornin' A fever all through the night

The words and melodies from the song flowed from your lips as you chopped the various vegetables for dinner. You set them aside for the moment, along with the chicken and beef that were in a separate bowl, waiting for the wok to heat up. The rice simmered away in one of Tony's fancy, fool-proof rice cookers on the counter.

Sun lights up the day time Moon lights up the night I light up when you call my name And you know I'm gonna treat you right You give me fever When you kiss me Fever when you hold me tight Fever In the mornin' A fever all through the night

"Ah HA!" you hear someone exclaim from behind you. "I knew it was you!" Natasha declared. She had returned from her room, where she'd left her phone.

Clutching your chest at the sudden intrusion, you slowly turned around to face your friend, a panicked look in your eyes. "What?" you gasped.

"It was you, singing in the locker room a few weeks ago," she elaborated. "Barnes wouldn't stop talking about it, said he had to know who it was. I caught him roaming the halls the other day, thinking he'd figure it out by accident. Now I can tell him," she added with glee as she turned to leave.

"No, wait Tash! You can't tell him!" you blurted out. "Nobody knows about this, my singing, and I don't even think I'm that good. But....it's kinda my way of telling him how I feel about him." Your gaze dropped to the floor. "He's my friend, and if he finds out I wish it were more but he doesn't return my feelings, I....I don't know what I'd do."

She pivoted to face you and took hold of one of your hands in hers. "Trust me, you've got talent, my dear. As far as the situation with Bucky goes, I'll do what I can to help you keep your secret. But you should tell him how you feel, because you might be surprised at what happens." She gave your shoulder a pat then took a seat on one of the chairs at the island to keep you company. "Now, will you please keep singing, sweetie?" she grinned.

***

Bucky had just stepped off of the elevator and was headed for the kitchen when he ran into Steve. "Hey, Buck, where you headed?" he asked.

He explained to Steve that you had asked him to hang out while you cooked dinner, and he had accepted. He tried his best to escape before Cap could ask any more questions, but luck was not on his side. Right before they went their separate ways, Steve held out a hand to stop him and took a sniff of the air. "Wait. Are you wearing....cologne?" he wondered.

Bucky scoffed. "No, I'm not wearing cologne. Well, maybe just a little, but it's only 'cause I don't wanna risk goin' in there, reeking like the gym. I wanted to smell nice for her," he mumbled the last part, but it didn't escape his best friend's super hearing.

Steve had an inkling it was you who Bucky was trying to impress. He'd seen signs of sparks flying between the two of you and decided to dig in a little deeper. "Wait a minute. You like her, don't you?!" Steve exclaimed. He started to laugh but stopped when he saw the faraway look on his best friend's face. "What? What's wrong, Buck?"

"Shh, nothing. Just listen," Bucky whispered, breaking out into a wide grin.

Now you've listened to my story Here's the point that I have made Chicks were born to give you fever Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade

They give you fever When we kiss them Fever, if you live you learn Fever 'Til you sizzle Oh, what a lovely way to burn Oh, what a lovely way to burn What a lovely way to burn And what a lovely way to burn

"It's that voice again," Bucky remarked in awe. "A couple of weeks back, I heard someone singing in the women's locker room. The sound came through the vents--it has to be the same woman!" He was nearly shaking with excitement that today might be the day he finds out who belongs to that enchanting voice he keeps hearing. When he heard the sound of clapping, he bolted away from Steve and around the corner to the kitchen.

"Brava! Bravissima! You were magnificent, darling!" Natasha gushed, still clapping.

When you looked up from your skillet, you saw Bucky standing in the doorway, with Steve peering around him. "Hey, guys! Come on in, have a seat," you gestured to the open chairs around where Nat was sitting.

"I heard it again, that heavenly singing," Bucky noted, his eyes darting around the room, seeing only you and Nat. "Which one of you was it?"

Your eyes locked with Nat's as you silently begged her not to share your secret. "Wasn't us, Barnes. You must be hearing things," she replied, though she didn't look pleased to be lying for you.

"Well, if it wasn't you two, what was the clapping for?" Steve asked. Bucky crossed his arms over his chest, clearly wanting to know as well.

"That was....that was because I was doing my best lip-sync of the song and showing off my best dance moves. Nat was kind enough to applaud my performance, then you guys walked in," you responded. Mentally you were crossing your fingers, hoping they were convinced.

"Oh," Bucky murmured. "Need any help, doll?"

"Um, yeah, this is almost ready. If you and Steve could please set the table, that would be great," you answered, then handed him a stack of plates and utensils.

As soon as they left the room, your shoulders sagged in relief that the matter seemed to be dropped, at least for the moment. "That was a close one," you whispered.

"Yes, it was, and it's the last time I'm going to cover for you. Either figure out a way to tell him, or I will," she warned, then her demeanor softened. "Honey, that man is smitten with whoever belongs to that sweet, sultry voice he keeps hearing. That means you, sweetie. Give him a chance, hmm?" She squeezed your shoulder on her way out of the kitchen with the serving bowls of rice.

On her way back to the kitchen, she spied Tony standing against the wall, scrolling through his phone. "I hear you had a cancellation in the entertainment section for Barnes' birthday party."

Without glancing up from his phone, Tony replied, "I did have a cancellation, what about it?" he inquired.

Natasha checked her surroundings for any eavesdroppers, then sidled up to Tony. "What if I told you, I have the perfect substitution for your entertainment? A hidden talent will be revealed, and you'll get to see the resolution to a certain birthday boy's love life," she remarked cryptically.

Tony's eyes shot up from his phone to give Natasha a sideways and wary glance. "You have my attention," he stated coolly. "What is your plan, and how much is it going to cost me?" 

Nat chuckled. "It'll only cost you a shopping trip for a dress, shoes, hair, etc. Here's what I'm thinking," she added.

***

"You did WHAT?!?!?" you exclaimed. 

"I found out Tony had a last minute cancellation in the entertainment part of Bucky's birthday party, and I told him you'd fill in for it," Nat replied with a shrug.

"Without asking me first, you told him I'd do this?" you asked, pinching the bridge of your nose as you tried to keep your composure.

Wanda took your hand and guided you to sit on the couch. Tonight was "Girls' Night", where you, Nat, Wanda, Yelena, and even Pepper joined in to decompress and have fun. "Listen, I know you're scared for him to find out how you feel about him. But he's already enamored with your voice. He's just as crazy about the rest of you," she stated.

"We've all seen the way he looks at you and vice versa," Pepper chimed in, loosened up after already being a couple of drinks in. "Believe me, you have nothing to worry about in that regard. Frankly, I'm surprised Tony hasn't done anything more about it before now to push you two together," she added as she finished the rest of her drink. "You know what a meddler he is."

"Besides," Natasha added, "if you don't do it, I'll tell Thor that you forgot his Pop-Tarts that one time and didn't feel like going back out to get them. He still believes that story you told him that they were all sold out in every store. You remember how badly he sulked and pouted, how we had five straight days of thunderstorms?!?"

You gasped sharply in panic and disbelief then narrowed your gaze at her. "Ooh, low blow, Romanoff. C'mon, I was tired that day! If I remember correctly, Tony had me running all over town, picking up parts for some doohickey he was working on. You swore you wouldn't tattle on me to Thor. Huh. Some best friend," you frowned. After a minute or so, you heaved a deep sigh. "Fiiiiinnnne. You win. I'll do it."

"Honey, you have an amazing voice. And when Bucky hears it in-person coming out of the stunning figure you'll be on stage, he'll hardly be able to restrain himself," Wanda grinned.

You fidgeted with your hands in your lap, letting your friends' words sink in. You hazarded a glance at the faces of the women around you, seeing nothing but love and support. Maybe this could work, you thought. It'll have to be just the right song, though. "But what will I wear?" you smiled, then shrieked as they all threw their arms around you.

"Don't worry about that, Tony already agreed to splurge on the best: dress, shoes, hair, makeup, accessories--the works," Nat assured you.

"And trust me, we'll make sure and give Sergeant Barnes a birthday present he'll never forget," Pepper declared, raising her glass. "To Operation: Bombshell!" You and the others repeated the toast and clinked your glasses together. "Now, when are we going shopping??"

***

True to his word, Tony had pulled out all the stops for Bucky's birthday celebration. The best food, an open bar with the most talented mixologists, and a top-notch serving staff. For the entertainment, he secured a band to accompany you as would have been in the 1940s. 

Preparation for it kept you at work until late at night, more often than not. Because your job didn't always have regular hours, Tony set up an apartment for you in the Tower. That way, you wouldn't have to be concerned about safety on public transportation late at night. Nor would you have to worry about not getting enough sleep before an early morning meeting. You were grateful for the close quarters, because getting in before midnight was becoming a rarity.

On one of your many long shifts, you had forgotten something in your office, which was on the same level as the Avengers' living quarters. To get there, you had to walk past the common room, then head down a couple of hallways. Usually there wasn't anyone around this late, but tonight was the exception.

The elevator dinged to indicate you had reached your desired floor. As you approached the common room, you heard the voices of your favorite super soldier and his best friend. The closer you got, the better you were able to hear their conversation. Curious, you decided to eavesdrop a little, which, in retrospect, may not have been your best idea.

"What's the matter with you lately, Buck? Is it because your birthday is coming up, old man?" Steve teased.

"Old man? May I remind you, you're nearly as old as I am, punk," he muttered. "Anyway, nothin's the matter with me."

Steve rolled his eyes at the obvious untruth. "To put it mildly, you've been a real grump-ass lately, and I wanna know why," he paused. "It's your girl, isn't it?" Steve had confirmation of Bucky's feelings for you and wasted no opportunity to encourage him to confess to you about them.

"Language, Cap," Bucky sneered, then sighed deeply. "Yeah, it's my girl. She hasn't been able to be around very much these past few weeks. I miss her and it's starting to wear on me. I'm so used to seeing her amazing smile every day, hearing her sweet voice wish me good morning, feeling her hand on my shoulder."

You turned away from the two men, still deep in conversation, covering your mouth to muffle the sobs before they could burst out of your throat. Of course Bucky has a girlfriend, you thought. I guess the girls got it wrong this time. Those looks everyone says they see on his face are from those times he's thinking of her, not me. Whoever she is, she's one lucky lady, you noted somberly. With that last thought, you turned the corner and rushed down the hallway to your office.

***

At the sound of quick footsteps, Bucky scanned the area in time to see you dart around the corner to your office. Now's my chance, he grinned to himself. He leaped over the back of the couch and headed in your direction.

You unlocked your door and when the lights kicked on, you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. Tears had streamed down your face, leaving mascara tracks for anyone to see. You hurried into your executive washroom to clear up the damage.

With a wet washcloth, you began to wipe away the evidence of your heartbreak. Good for him, I guess. I hope whoever she is, she makes him happy. But this changes nothing, you reminded yourself. Bucky is my friend, and it's his birthday. I'm going to get up there and give it everything I've got. He deserves nothing less than the best, and this is the best gift I can give him, you resolved.

When you stepped out of the washroom, Bucky swore his heart skipped a beat with how beautiful you were to him. Though his brow furrowed a bit at your red, puffy eyes, and melancholy expression. Had you been crying? What happened? Who hurt you?? he wondered grimly.

Your eyes landed on your visitor, causing you to let out a gasp of surprise. "Sergeant Barnes! I wasn't expecting to see you here," you mentioned as you crossed the room to your desk.

Bucky moved towards your desk as well, wanting to get a better look at you, to be close to you. "Me and Stevie were hanging out in the common room, talking. Are you all right, doll? You look a little upset."

"Me? No, I'm okay, Bucky," you replied nervously. "Just a little tired, that's all. Tony's got me working on a project that's taking up a lot of my free time. Sorry I haven't been around much," you added with a brief smile.

"Must be an important project if Tony's got you involved. I did kinda notice when I haven't seen you as much as usual," he rubbed the back of his neck to calm his nerves. "Maybe after you're done with whatever you're working on, we can get together and make up for lost time?" he asked tentatively.

The look on his face held so much hope that you didn't dare turn him down. Above all, Bucky was your friend, and friends spent time together, right? "How about I get back to you about that after the project is all over, hmm?" you suggested.

Your response must have been the right one, as his face relaxed and broke out into that smile of his that you loved. "Great! Well, you be sure and let me know when it's all finished, and we'll find something to do together," he promised. You nodded in agreement.

Bucky stepped around your desk to stand at your side. He reached up with his right hand to trace his index finger along your cheek. "Get some rest, doll," he ordered softly. Your eyes closed involuntarily, right before he pressed his lips to your forehead. When your eyes finally opened again, you watched Bucky walking to the door. He paused in your doorway and looked back at you. "Sweet dreams, angel," he murmured.

As soon as he was gone, you dropped into your chair, placing your head in your hands. This was going to be harder than you thought, trying to manage a friendship with Bucky while he has a girlfriend. You decided to focus on your performance for his birthday party and hopefully everything else would fall into place. Once you picked up the file you came for in the first place, you re-locked your door and headed for your apartment for a night of restless sleep.

***

Two days before the party, Pepper persuaded Tony to give you the day off so she could take you and the rest of the girls out shopping in the city. In your mind, you pictured a long, slinky dress, straight out of a 1940s nightclub. You wanted something a sultry songstress would wear while crooning into a microphone, accompanied by an ensemble band.

You found the dress in the third boutique your group visited. As soon as you tried it on, you knew it was the right choice. It was a sparkly navy blue, A-line gown, floor-length, with spaghetti straps in the front that crisscrossed in the open back. It had a slit on the left that ended halfway up your thigh, revealing more leg than you were normally comfortable with. However, it was for Bucky, so it was added to the day's purchases.

Back at the Tower, Bucky had just finished his shower following a particularly intense sparring session with Steve. Before settling in the common room, he stopped in the kitchen for a plum muffin, which you had recently baked, and a bottle of water. Also in attendance were Tony, Sam, Peter, and even Thor was on Midgard after a long absence. "Lord Stark, I have not seen any of our lady friends around today. What is going on?"

"Well, you see, Asgardian Barbie, this morning, Pepper gathered up the ladies and took them shopping in the city," Tony replied. "Barnes' birthday bash is happening in a couple of days, and they all needed new dresses for the occasion," he explained.

Bucky heard Tony mention the shopping trip and realized he hadn't seen you at all today. He wondered if you had accompanied them, and if you would be at his party. He was walking from the kitchen, but in a moment of distraction, he bumped into Steve. The water bottle flew out of his hands and crashed to the floor, creating a puddle of water. He swiftly grabbed some paper towels, and as he cleaned up his mess, he asked Tony if you would be there.

Tony shrugged. "I don't know, Barnes, why don't you ask her yourself?" he gestured with a tilt of his head. Bucky's eyes followed the sound of giggling and other happy noises from you and the others as you exited the elevators.

In addition to your dress, shoes, and some accessories, you had brought back pizza for dinner. You and the girls had a late lunch, complete with cocktails, which had started to wear off in the car on the way back to the Tower. "Hey, guys! How's everything going? I shopped 'till I dropped, and I really didn't feel like cooking tonight. So, pizza it is, dig in!"

You left the pizzas on a table and headed for the kitchen to get some plates for everyone. Bucky stealthily followed you to see if you needed any help. After removing the right number of plates from the cabinet, you turned to leave, only to run straight into his chest.

"Whoa there, doll, careful. Here, I can help you with that," he chuckled as he took the stack of plates out of your hands.

"Thank you, Bucky. I'll put some drinks on a tray and bring them in," you told him.

Bucky passed out some of the plates to those already eating, then left the rest of them near the pizza boxes. He returned to the kitchen to see you still pulling drinks from the refrigerator. "So, um, my birthday party's in a few days," he started. You hummed and nodded in response. "Was kinda hoping--er--wondering if you were going to be there?" he asked.

He's so cute when he's all flustered and shy. I wonder if he's that way with her, you thought wistfully. You mentally shook off the negative notions and graced him with a smile. "Of course I'll be there, Bucky! I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Great! If you're getting ready here, I can stop by whichever room you're in. And I'd be honored to escort you to the party," he offered.

"That would normally be great, Bucky. It's just that I have a prior commitment that night, so I'll be a little late. However, I promise that I will be there to help you celebrate," you affirmed as you carefully placed the tray on the table. "Think it's time to collect my shopping bags and head to my apartment," you added while trying to stifle a yawn.

He looked around and pointed at the stack, which you nodded to confirm they were yours. "I've got them for you, sweets. Lead the way," Bucky replied. He picked up your bags with one hand, then held out his other elbow for you to take.

"Thank you, Sarge," you giggled as you slipped your arm around his and waved goodbye to everyone with your free hand.

As you walked the halls towards your apartment, you chatted about how you'd spent your day shopping, while he was training with Steve. All too soon, you reached your apartment, thus it was time for you to part ways. You were insistent that you could carry your bags inside, but Bucky would have none of it. He was equally as adamant to fulfill his duties as a gentleman and wouldn't let them go, placing them on your couch.

Bucky realized that he'd never been in your Tower apartment before today. In looking around, he noticed the personal touches you had scattered about the space, which were perfectly you. There was a soft-looking quilt draped over the back of the couch, a pair of fluffy slippers under a chair, and some photos in frames on various flat surfaces.

His eyes soon landed on the stuffed bear he'd won for you at Coney Island, sitting on a small, cushioned chair near your bookcase. He smiled to himself at the black sleeve with the gold thread woven through it that you must've stitched to the bear's left arm. There was no mistaking that the bear was meant to signify him, which warmed his heart. He kept his thoughts about it to himself while he waited for you to return to the living room area.

"So what's in the bags, doll?" he grinned mischievously as he started to peek into one of them.

You reached over and nudged him out of the way so he couldn't snoop in any of the other bags. "Oh, no you don't, mister," you interjected. "This is all 'top secret' girl stuff. You'll have to wait and see it at your birthday party, not a minute before," you added loftily.

Bucky pretended to be shocked at your refusal, then switched to giving you puppy dog eyes as a way to sway you. "Aw, come on, sweets. Please?"

You laughed at his attempts to convince you, but you waved him off. "Does that really work on your girl, the puppy dog eyes?" you asked in what you hoped was a playful tone.

A confused look briefly crossed Bucky's face at your question. "Must need to work on it a little harder, then," he murmured. "If it's okay, I'm going to head back to get some pizza before Steve and Sam eat it all," he chuckled.

Suddenly you realized he'd completely bypassed the food you'd brought in so he could walk you back to your apartment. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Bucky! Of course you don't need to stick around here with me. I've got it from here."

"Not for nothing, but if I wasn't so hungry, I'd stay here with you for a while. Have a good night, and I'll see you around, angel," he remarked.

You walked him to the door and when he had taken one step across the threshold, you called his name. He turned around to face you and in a moment of impulse, you reached up on your tiptoes and pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek. "Good night, Bucky," you whispered, then gently closed the door.

On the other side, Bucky stood and stared at your apartment door. His right hand reached up and touched the spot on his cheek that still tingled a bit from when you kissed him. A smile slowly crept across his face until it stretched from ear to ear. He didn't recall how he got back to the main living area, but he definitely remembered how it felt when you'd kissed him good night.

Bucky's dazed demeanor didn't escape Sam's notice, and he certainly wasn't going to let it go. "Get some sugar tonight, did you, Bucky?" he cackled. When Bucky didn't react, Sam commented further. "Look at him, he's so in love, all he can think about is his girl."

That seemed to snap Bucky out of his trance, because he rolled his eyes at Sam's comments. He grabbed a plate and started piling it high with slices of pizza. "Besides, a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell," he smirked, which started Sam's laughter again. Bucky rolled his eyes and took a seat next to Steve on the couch.

"So.....?" Steve prompted.

Bucky swallowed his bite of pizza and turned to meet Steve's gaze. His neutral expression gave way to a broad smile. That told him all he needed to know, that something had happened with you to make his best friend happy. Steve was sure that the two of you belonged together, and he was more than content with the notion.

***

On the night of Bucky's birthday party, your room was a flurry of activity. All the ladies decided to get ready there, except for Pepper. She promised Tony she would arrive at the venue a little early to help him greet people. You agreed that before the end of the night, a picture would be taken of all of you, dressed in your best.

Down the hall, Bucky was putting the finishing touches on his suit. Truth be told, he'd much rather be wearing something a bit more casual for his birthday party. Since you told him you'd be there, he decided to make an effort to dress up, but chose to skip the tie.

The suit was all black, with satin peak lapels on the jacket. He left the first two buttons undone on the shirt to show off his dog tags. He'd swapped out his regular boots in favor of a pair of well-polished dress shoes.

Bucky gave himself one last look in the mirror and was adjusting the collar of his shirt when Steve popped his head into the room. "Hey, Buck, happy birthday," he grinned. "You about ready to go? Stark's already there, greeting people with Pepper."

A final check of his overall appearance and Bucky declared himself ready to go. He was feeling a little nervous, especially since he normally didn't make such a big deal of celebrating his birthday. But Tony insisted, and Stark's parties were rarely, if ever, boring so he gave in. Besides, he was looking forward to seeing you there and hopefully steal a dance or two with you. "Yep, let's head out, punk," he smirked.

***

Natasha and the other girls had somehow snuck you out of the Tower and down to where Happy Hogan was waiting with the car. He shuttled you over to the venue where Bucky's birthday party was being held. Once there, he hurried around to your door to help you out of the car and wished you good luck.

Behind the stage curtain, you nervously paced back and forth, waiting for your cue to take your place out front. You ran through the lyrics in your head and practiced some of your dance routine. One by one, the band members arrived and took their places, then worked on tuning their instruments. 

About ten minutes before your performance was to start, Natasha and Wanda found you doing some last-minute rehearsing. Nat informed you that Bucky had arrived and that he was sitting at the far end of the dance floor, with everyone else filled in on either side. Before they left, they each offered some words of wisdom.

"You're going to do great, honey," Wanda assured you. "With that voice of yours, you'll probably knock Thor and Loki all the way back to Asgard." The three of you shared a laugh at the image.

"Nah, there's only one man out there she wants to impress, and he has been checking the doors like a hawk for you every time they open. And Barnes isn't my type, but let me tell you, he is looking like a delicious snack and dressed to kill," Natasha remarked. "Now get out there and use that beautiful voice of yours to tell him how you feel, sweetie," she nudged with a kind smile.

You gave each of them a hug and told them to let Tony know you were ready for everything to start. The band was putting the last minute touches on everything, adjusting their ties, or making sure the music was open to the right page. With a deep breath, you walked to your mark on the stage and waited for Tony to start the show.

"Good evening, good evening, good evening, everyone," he greeted. "We all know why we're here tonight, so let's give a warm birthday greeting to our favorite Tin Man, Bucky Barnes!"

Everyone around Bucky wished him "Happy Birthday" with a handshake, a shout-out, or even just a wave. "To commemorate his 107th trip around the sun, we have some first-class entertainment for everyone. This particular act was chosen specifically with the Birthday Boy in mind." Bucky gave Tony a puzzled look at the remark. "Without further ado, I give you your elusive Songbird."

As Tony took his seat, the house lights dimmed until they finally went out. The curtain drew back to reveal a '40s-type band, with men dressed in black pants and white jackets. There was a horn section, a string section, complete with a stand-up bass, and a percussion section.

You stood in the middle of the stage, with your back turned to the crowd. A deep breath, then the opening verse:

Birds flying high You know how I feel Sun in the sky You know how I feel Breeze driftin' on by You know how I feel

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good

The last line is said while looking over your left shoulder. As soon as you say the last word, the band's horn section kicks up and a spotlight turns on to highlight you and your sparkly dress.

Bucky's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. There you were, his girl, his songbird, standing before him. You were dressed like he would've seen you in a nightclub from the '40s, complete with the red lipstick and the Victory Rolls in your hair. He sat on the edge of his seat, thoroughly hypnotized by your performance.

Fish in the sea You know how I feel River running free You know how I feel Blossom on a tree You know how I feel

With the microphone in one hand and your dress in the other, you sauntered down the steps in the front of the stage. Hips swaying, you first approached Bruce and laid a hand on his cheek. As you walked away from him, you gave him a finger wave. Then you sashayed over to where Thor was sitting on the other side. He reached out, but you stepped away before he could make contact. You wagged your finger and tossed him a wink over your shoulder, bringing a mischievous grin to his face.

By this time, Bucky was having a difficult time sitting still as he watched you flirt with his fellow Avengers. His eyes never left yours, focusing on your every movement as you worked your way across the floor to him. His hands itched to pull you onto his lap and lay claim to any part of your body you would let him explore. He longed to whisper about his feelings for you in your delicate shell of an ear.

Sam and Steve were keeping a close eye on Bucky, enjoying the effect you were having on him. At one point, Sam stood up from his chair and started walking towards you as if he were getting in on the act. Before he could take two steps, Bucky grabbed his jacket and forced him to return to his chair, Bucky's eyes never straying from you. Sam knew his point had been made, and mostly behaved himself for the rest of the number.

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life It's a new life For me

And I'm feeling good I'm feeling good

Bucky was perched on the edge of his chair, entirely under your spell. Once you were finally close enough, you draped one arm around his neck and with your first two fingers, you tilted his head up. You gazed deeply into those baby blues you loved so much and noticed that only a thin rim of color was visible. When you leaned over, you put your lips close to his right ear, and whispered, "Happy Birthday, Sarge."

"It was you," he whispered back. You nodded, finally providing him with confirmation that it was your voice he's been hearing in his dreams for the past few weeks. Almost reverently, he grazed the knuckles of his right hand along your cheek. You pressed a lingering kiss to his left cheek, then turned back towards the stage, your hips swaying as you went.

On stage, the band was finishing up with the last few measures of the song while you resumed your mark, keeping your back to the crowd. As the band continued to play, you replaced the microphone in its stand and locked eyes with Bucky over your left shoulder. You gave him an exaggerated wink and blew him a kiss. When the last few notes died, the area thundered with applause, all except Bucky, who was still in his chair, stunned into silence.

As the curtains closed, you quickly exited the stage, thanking the musicians for their fabulous performance. Natasha and Wanda were waiting in the wings, where they watched the entire show and couldn't wait to congratulate you.

"Oh my God, that was amazing!!" Wanda shrieked and enveloped you into a bone-crushing hug. She bounced up and down a couple of times until she finally released you, a beaming smile on her face.

Natasha strolled over to you, gave you a wink and a knowing smirk, then pulled you to her side in a half-hug. "Knew you could do it. Bucky had his eyes on you the entire time, couldn't look at anything or anyone else but you. Still think he considers you two as 'just friends'?"

You sobered a little at her remark, remembering the conversation between him and Steve from that night you stopped at your office. Before you could tell her about it, you heard the sound of a throat being cleared. The curtain was pulled back to reveal Steve, a sheepish grin on his face and his eyes locked on you.

"Um, excuse me, but the guest of honor requests your presence for a private conversation. I have been sent to escort you to the balcony, where he's prepared to wait all night if he has to," Steve explained.

Glancing nervously at your best friends, you were met with nothing but encouragement and assurance from their gazes. Though you were nervous to hear what Bucky had to say, you felt that you owed him a chance to say his piece and let the chips fall where they may. "Okay, Steve. Lead the way, please," you replied.

Steve grinned as you curled your hand around his offered arm. "By the way, you were wonderful up there tonight. Just like the sirens me and Buck used to see on stage in the nightclubs. You know, back when we were young and full of hormones," he joked.

You lightly swatted his arm as you joined in his laughter. "Thank you, Steve. That was probably one of the bravest things I've ever done. So far, anyway. I sure hope Bucky liked it," you added.

He snorted in response. "Oh, trust me dollface, he loved it. Couldn't stop staring at you," he assured you.

On the walk over to the balcony area, many of your friends congratulated you on your singing and performance. You smiled and thanked each of them for their comments. All too soon, you were standing at the doors that led you to Bucky. A flight of butterflies took off in your stomach at full speed as you desperately tried to regain your composure.

Then you remembered what awaited you on the other side, out on the terrace. A man you were grateful to have met and considered to be one of your closest friends. A man who had always been kind to you, despite what life had put him through. Someone that made your world a better place by being in it. You couldn't see your future unfolding without him in it, nor did you ever want to.

"He's waiting for you," Steve gently reminded you. He untucked your hand from his side and kissed the back of it before returning to the party. You pushed down on the handle and swung the door open.

Bucky was standing with his hands clasped behind him, staring out over the ledge at the horizon. The noise volume from the traffic and other sounds of the city wasn't as loud as it was at the lower levels. His face lit up at seeing you, as the echo of your high-heeled shoes on the patio surface caused him to reverse his position.

"Hello, Bucky," you greeted.

"Hiya, doll," he replied, a shy smile gracing his lips. "Probably shoulda known it was you that day I heard the singing in the locker room," he grinned. His hand slowly reached up to brush his knuckles along your jawline. "You were incredible up there, sweetheart."

"Thank you, that's kind of you to say. I'm glad you enjoyed it," you replied shyly.

"I absolutely, 100%, loved it, doll. Reminds me of those clubs me and Steve used to sneak into so we could go dancing. Where'd you learn to sing like that?" he wondered.

"My grandparents kept a large vinyl collection of music from that time. My brothers and I used to spend summers with them, and it was in all the old movies we used to watch. I guess it kinda grew on me," you giggled with a shrug.

Bucky threw his head back and laughed. "Well, I'm certainly glad it did, because that was one of the best birthday presents I've ever received in my life." His hand brushed back a stray lock of hair and tucked it behind your ear, while his eyes shifted their focus from your eyes to your lips. He slowly leaned closer to you, giving you every chance to resist what he was about to do.

Suddenly your index finger was pressed against his lips, halting his advances. "Bucky, wait. Not that I haven't thought about this, but what about your girl? Isn't she here with you at the party tonight?" you worried.

Bucky gave you a puzzled look. "My girl?" he wondered. "What are you talking about, sweets?"

"I heard you and Steve in the common room. It was late and I had forgotten something in my office. You said you missed your girl and that you were so used to seeing her 'amazing smile every day'. How it was starting to wear on you about not hearing her wish you good morning or feel her hand on your shoulder," you explained.

Bucky saw how your gaze had dropped to the floor and felt you slipping from his grasp. As he racked his brain trying to recall what conversation you were referring to, you continued.

"I mean, until I heard you talking that night, I thought 'maybe....', and the girls all seemed convinced as well. But after what I'd heard...." you trailed off. "All I would ever want is for you to be happy with someone, Bucky. Even if that someone isn't me," you whispered.

You started to feel the burning of tears behind your eyes and started to move towards the door. No way did you want to break down in front of the man you loved, on his birthday, for something that wasn't his fault. You were determined to hold back until you had returned to your room.

But Bucky had other ideas.

He was still holding your hand as your steps took you closer to the exit. He gently squeezed it, which caught your attention and halted your escape. You turned to face him and when your watery eyes caught his, you saw only compassion and a hint of another emotion you couldn't quite name.

"Now, darlin', there's only one girl I can think of that I want to call mine. She's smart, funny, a bit sassy, but sweet. She's thoughtful, always thinking about others before she thinks of herself. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and has the voice of an angel. I have missed her these past few weeks, but I'm guessing it's because she wanted this to be my best birthday ever. And that's made me fall even more in love with her," he declared.

As Bucky was giving his speech, he inched closer to you, step by step, until there was barely any space between you. His right hand drifted upwards to curl around your neck, his thumb brushing gently along your cheek. "You love me?" you whispered.

Bucky nodded, a tender smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Oh baby, ever since I met you, I've wanted to call you mine, but never thought you'd feel the same. Nor did I think I deserved to be with someone as wonderful as you."

Now it was your turn. "Bucky, you deserve all that this world has to offer and more. I've had feelings of more than friendship for you for a long time, probably since we met. Thought you were way out of my league, though. Parts of this world haven't been kind to you, but you haven't let it destroy the best parts of you. Past and present, all of it makes you the man I've fallen in love with. I love you, James Buchanan Barnes," you affirmed.

Bucky surged forward, crashing his mouth into yours with a groan of satisfaction. At first, the kiss was dominant, his lips moving almost feverishly against yours. Then he slowed it down, wanting to convey every ounce of passion he felt for you. He draped your arms around his neck, then pulled you closer into his embrace until you were flush with his body. Your fingers played with the short hairs at the nape of his neck, causing him to shudder. You smiled against his lips, which created an opening for Bucky's tongue to slip in and deepen the kiss, taking you by surprise.

The need for oxygen finally broke the kiss, leaving both of you panting, trying to catch your breath. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he remarked. "Definitely worth the wait."

You giggled in response. "You don't know how many times I've imagined or dreamed about kissing you. Reality is so much better," you replied.

The two of you stood, perfectly comfortable holding each other, until the balcony door opened to reveal Steve on the other side. He cleared his throat to get your attention, averting his eyes but not before you noticed a teasing smirk on his face. "Uh, Tony wanted me to let you know that it's time for cake and for you to open your gifts. Although...." he trailed off with a grin.

"Hey, punk, show some respect for me and my girl," Bucky playfully growled. Then he turned his attention to you. "You ready to go back out there and show 'em who you belong to?" he asked in a seductive voice.

"Only if you're okay with showing 'em who you belong to," you countered through half-lidded eyes and a sultry smile.

"Absolutely," he agreed. After one more searing kiss designed to make Steve a little uncomfortable, you separated. Bucky took your hand in his, intertwining your fingers and led you both back to the party. When everyone saw your joined hands, cheers arose throughout the crowd in celebration of your happiness. You both laughed when you saw money change hands between a few of your friends, Tony with Natasha and Sam with Steve.

You turned to face Bucky, resting your palm on his cheek and sighing when you felt him lean into your touch. "Happy Birthday, Bucky," you whispered.

Bucky tilted his head to kiss your palm. "Best birthday ever, doll," he remarked.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tags:

@katelyn--renee @lassie-bird @emoryhemsworth @hintsofhoney @wayward-dreamer @never--doubt @akshi8278 @rooweighton @phoenixisred @krazykelly @imherefordeanandbones @missvelvetsstuff

[jtargaryen18]

His Inheritance ~ Chapter 28

Part 28: Fatal Trespasses

Series Masterlist

Words: 6.7k

Pairing: Mobster Steve Rogers x Mobster daughter reader

Warnings: References to mob crime families, strong language, physical violence, character death. This is a dark fic. Please read responsibly.

Disclaimer: The author of this work claims no ownership of characters aside from the reader, and original secondary characters mentioned. This work is not intended for those under the age of 18 due to explicit sexual content and darker themes. By reading this work or any works on my blog (jtargaryen18), you agree that you are at least 18 years of age. I do not consent to have my work hosted on any third party app or site. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but archiveofourown and tumblr, it has been reposted without my permission.

Summary: For @alexakeyloveloki. Your father is the head of one of the most powerful crime families in Boston but he’s protected you from that life. In your quiet home outside the city, you’ve been cared for and protected. When the desires of a more powerful man with the will to dominate bursts into your life, all your illusions are shattered as he comes to claim what is his.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clint paused to see Belova’s number on his phone, especially since Steve tossed her out. He understood why his boss did it, he just didn’t entirely agree with it. Belova was young, but she had a lot of potential. She was strong and loyal. Clint had no reason not to trust her.

That, more than anything, had him answering the call.

“Belova?”

“I’ve got a location on Banner,” she said.

That got his interest. “Where?”

Belova gave him the address, an apartment over a dive bar on Stark’s turf. He knew the place.

Neal’s words about Belova falling into enemy hands crossed his mind.

“How do I know you’re not walking me into a trap?” he had to ask.

“I may not be working for the Rogers family at the moment,” she said. “But I still serve Mrs. Rogers. She would want me to relay this information.”

“Yeah, she would,” Clint said. Mrs. Rogers trusted her and considering how she’d supported him and Nat, well, that meant something to him.

“There’s more on Banner,” she went on quickly. “It will be sent to you from an unknown number when this call ends. I hope you’ll find it helpful.”

Clint did too. “Take care of yourself.”

“You too,” she said, ending the call.

Sure enough, the text came through a few seconds later. The attachment didn’t have much to offer about Bruce Banner. But his Senator brother? Clint had to read over it again to make sure he read it correctly. If what he was reading got out, the scandal would ruin the entire Banner family.

How the hell did Belova pull it off?

He and Scott were supposed to carry out their part of the boss’s plan tonight, around midnight. Clint had almost six hours to kill before getting ready for that. Did he trust Belova? Would he find Banner if he went to that address?

Anger for every bruise, every cut on Nat’s body rushed to the surface as he considered the intel he’d just been given. His Nat would need weeks to physically heal from the beating she’d taken at the hands of her husband. The fear she’d experienced in the trap of her marriage would take a lot longer to recover from if she ever did.

Guilt clawed at him from the inside, like an old, wounded beast. He could have put a stop to it. He could have taken her and run. He would have betrayed his loyalty to her brother, his boss. But maybe they’d be somewhere safe right now. Maybe she wouldn’t have terrible nightmares and shadows behind her eyes.

Maybe Steve would have killed them.

No, Clint told her over and over that he loved her. That one day, maybe Steve would change his mind and they could be together as they were always meant to be. And that day finally came. Neither of them dared to ask for more. Steve allowing them to be together was more than they could have hoped for.

But Nat had taken a severe beating to get them to that point. And Steve still wouldn’t have gone to check on her if hadn’t been for his wife’s insistence. Not with everything going on all around them.

He would have given anything to take that beating for Nat.  He’d felt so helpless that day when they found her like that in her husband’s house, broken and small. Yet again, Clint had been forced to contain the rage he hadn’t been allowed to express or act on. It had been one of the hardest things he’d done in his whole damn life. And he’d been recovering from getting shot on top of it.

But now, just maybe Belova had given him something he desperately wanted – a chance at some payback.

Steve? Well, Steve warned Banner that he needed to disappear. That the man only made it as far as Stark territory was surely not what the boss had in mind.

Banner never paid any attention to the soldiers outside his house. He took them for granted. Setting up a diversion for the armed guards staying with Banner was just too easy. Within an hour, Clint had Banner delivered to the old warehouse on the outskirts of the city. They often used it for such special occasions.

Slumped in the wooden chair with his hands bound in front of him and a sack over his head, Banner just sat, waiting. Clint would have had him tied to that chair but his arms, shown off by the dirty white t-shirt he wore, showed layers of bruises. They looked as bad as those on the woman he loved.

Clint smiled. It was the least of what the fucker deserved.

When the sack was pulled from his head, Banner’s gaze wildly scanned the room. When he spotted Clint, outrage blended with fear to find himself at the mercy of his wife’s lover.

“What the fuck is this?” Banner asked. His lower lip was cut, a dark ugly scab at its center. One of his eyes was blackened. “Steve and I had a deal.”

“Sure you did,” Clint told him. “You either disappear or you would disappear. But holing up on Stark turf? That’s not really disappearing, is it?”

“And you’re doing this to prove what?” Banner asked, eyeing him warily.

“Got nothing to prove,” Clint told him, taking a step closer.

Banner’s dark eyes hardened in anger. “Don’t you?”

Clint watched the anger that Nat described so many times about darken his face. Banner always seemed so calm, collected whenever Clint observed him during business transactions for the family.

When the two men crossed paths, the anger Clint held in check was always close to the surface. Banner was married to the woman he loved, and the man’s entitlement and contempt made Clint sick inside, like poison. Banner had Steve fooled, painting Nat as pampered but unstable and dramatic. Banner had to know Nat was with him every opportunity they had – and there were precious few times. Bitterness that he could never make Nat love him drove Banner to abuse her, verbally and mentally.

That was bad enough. When Nat learned she was pregnant, Clint came so close to getting her to run away with him. She thought about it. One tearful night, she told him she would. That was the night of the horrible fight Banner had with Nat. The one where Nat was left broken at the foot of the stairs.

She lost the baby. His baby, not Banner’s. That loss haunted her, and she blamed herself. For him, that loss was a wound that never healed, a hole in his heart.

Clint waited, not willing to let the lawyer draw him into a debate. It wasn’t easy.

After a moment, Banner chuckled, shaking his head though Clint could tell the effort physically hurt him.

“Steve’s got his sister back home now,” Banner taunted him. “He’ll even let you take care of her like the good dog you are. But he’s never going to give her to you. Not even now. Not while he can marry her off to benefit the family. You are stupid if you believe that.”

Clint had to give the bastard credit. He always knew the worst thing to hit someone with, how to strike at their deepest fears. He was a fucking lawyer. He’d been doing it to Nat their entire marriage. On nights when Clint was out there in the night, waiting to do Steve’s bidding, he’d reflect on the stories she told him. On the cutting things her husband would say to her.

Clint shrugged. He wasn’t about to play the game.

“Sounds like he already has someone in mind,” Clint lied casually. “Yeah, she needs to heal up. She looks worse than you do. But once she’s on the mend, I imagine Steve will marry her off again.”

The smirk on the other man’s mouth faded. Banner hadn’t expected him to say that.

“What?” was all Banner could say.

Clint folded his arms across his chest, standing over the bastard. “Steve can’t have Nat in his house for long. Not with his own little wife. It’s not an ideal situation. I’m sure you understand.”

Banner’s snort was an ugly sound. “Steve can’t handle his wife. If he knew how to deal with her, we wouldn’t be here, now would we?”

“Sounds like you’re blaming all this on Mrs. Rogers,” Clint pointed out.

“It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?” Banner demanded. “Steve doesn’t usually make time to do welfare checks on his sister. He could handle women just like I handled his sister. Until he married her. I showed up at his house and that little bitch met me at the door. I knew it was her that sent him to my house. She wasn’t even trying to hide it.”

“Then you get why Steve can’t let Nat linger.” Clint tried to keep the emotion out of his voice, to sound like he didn’t care.

Banner’s mind looked to be going a mile a minute. Anger flashed in those dark eyes as he studied Clint hard.

“I hope she gets what she deserves,” Banner’s tone took on a hint of bitterness. “Honestly, Nat played you and me both. She didn’t love either one of us… Ungrateful bitch.”

Clint’s fist flew before his mind could override it, striking Banner’s unbruised eye. Banner somehow managed to stay in the chair, a grin on his face when he returned his gaze to his rival.

“I knew you were full of shit,” Banner called him out.

“I’m full of shit?” Clint demanded. “I’m not the one that’s cast out, am I?”

“I served Steve well,” Banner shot back. “He couldn’t have had a better consigliere and he made a mistake. A huge mistake.”

Clint didn’t like the way he said that with a sly grin playing along his split lip.

“Now he’s got another consigliere,” Clint pointed out. “He’ll be fine.”

Banner dropped his head, shaking it in frustration. What was he not saying? That Banner was still bitter about how his marriage ended? That was obvious. But somehow, he didn’t think that Nat was the sole issue here. Why had Banner still stayed close by?

“Something else you wanted to say?” Clint asked meaningfully.

It pissed him off that Banner was now trying to ignore him. It had always pissed him off that Banner considered himself better than Clint. But that was nothing compared to how he’d treated Nat, the woman he knew Clint would die for.

Anger rose as Clint grabbed a fistful of Banner’s hair and yanked his head back sharply, making the man look at him. And Banner did look him in the eye, pure defiance flashing in those cold depths. But he wasn’t saying anything.

With his left fist, he punched Banner in the nose. The second time he felt the cartilage give beneath his knuckles. Blood gushed from the man’s nose, but he stoically kept silent. Clint struck his chin, his injured eye. Banner muffled his cries of pain, fighting to be silent.

The glee Clint expected to feel at such a moment just wasn’t there. Banner wasn’t begging him for mercy. He wasn’t cowering as Clint imagined he would. That meant the fucker had some hope he was hanging onto. He thought about Banner’s senator brother.

“Counting on your brother to save you?” Clint asked, smirking. “I wouldn’t count on that.”

Clint released his hair. Banner held Clint’s gaze. “Yeah?”

The bastard didn’t look concerned. Yet.

“Yeah,” Clint said. “He’s going to go through some things.”

Banner looked only mildly concerned. “Is he?”

Pissed off, Clint leaned down to get in his face. “You’re not worried about that girl that died on your brother’s boat last summer?”

Banner rolled his eyes. “Why should I be?”

“Someone out there knows her death wasn’t an accident,” Clint informed him. “And they have proof.”

Of all the things he expected the fucker to do, laughing wasn’t one of them. It irked Clint so fucking much, he reared back and punched Banner again, the blow knocking him off the chair. Banner was still laughing.

Trying not to let frustration best him, Clint turned back to one of the two men he brought with him, silently watching from behind him. “Give me those pliers.”

Clint didn’t take his eyes off Banner, gripping the metal tool once it was placed in his hand. The man trying pull himself off the floor with his hands bound before him did look less amused. His dark eyes were on the pliers Clint held.

Wait. Banner wasn’t worried at all about his brother’s scandal, the only reason Steven didn’t make him dead for what he did to Nat. But he was worried about the pliers.

“Put his ass back in the chair,” Clint told his men. He watched as they rushed over to Banner and none-too-gently hauled him back into the chair. “Tape him to it.”

That had Banner’s attention. Wildly, he watched as one of his guys pulled a thick roll of duct tape from his pocket. Pulling up a strip, it made a loud familiar sound.

“Wait,” Banner was worried now. “What are we doing here?” They started taping him to the chair and Banner was shouting “hey!” and “stop!”

It occurred to Clint that Banner wasn’t worried about his brother’s potential scandal. That was in the future. He was worried about having his teeth pulled out of his mouth one by one in the next few minutes. The time frame…

“What did you do, Banner?” Clint moved closer once his guys finished taping him to the chair. “What’s coming?”

Banner was silent. Now he was scared. Holy fuck. What was going on?

“Hold his head,” Clint ordered.

Banner shouted “No-no-no-no-no-no-no!” Smart enough to know what was going to happen.

Grabbing Banner’s upper lip, he pulled it painfully back from the man’s teeth.

“You know something,” Clint told him. “For every minute you don’t tell me, I’m pulling out one of these pearly whites. Got it?”

Banner didn’t immediately speak. Clint took the pliers, using them to grip one of Banner’s upper front teeth. Thrashing in the chair, Banner grew more desperate by the second, drooling and yelling “no!” at turns while Clint’s men held him steady.

“What’s coming?” Clint asked.

“I d-don’t know,” Banner managed around the tool and with Clint holding his lip. “Don’t!”

Clint pulled the tooth out with a quick yank while Banner screamed, thrashing in the hold of his men. Blood flowed from the hole where his tooth had been, from his nose, and his eyes were wide when Clint tossed the tooth casually away.

“Let’s try this again,” Clint said calmly, fear of what he didn’t know battling with the satisfaction of torturing the miserable fuck.

Clint aimed for the other front tooth when Banner cried, “Wait!”

He paused, but he didn’t move the pliers. Banner appeared desperate.

“Barnes knows!” Banner yelled.

Those two words had Clint taking a step back, taking the pliers with him. “Barnes knows what?”

Clint was all too afraid he knew the answer to that.

“Everything!” Banner cried. “You pulled my fucking tooth out!”

At Clint’s nod, his men stepped back. He got in Banner’s face again.

“What do you mean everything?” Clint wanted to know. “You been a rat all along, Banner? Is that it?”

“Hey, I’m not the rat,” Banner told him, blood filling his mouth.

“Then how do you know anything about Barnes?” Clint didn’t like this. Was something going to happen tonight? Had someone told Barnes all about their plan. This is bad. “If you’re not the rat, who is?”

Banner was shaking his head, blood running down his face, staining his clothes. Forcefully, he spat out blood.

“They’ll kill me,” Banner told him, worry flooding the man’s expression.

Clint had to laugh at that.

“What do you think I’m going to do?” Clint demanded. “You were just handed the woman I love, and I had to watch that shit, all these years. I got to watch while you betrayed her, laid hands on her.”

“Betrayed her?” Banner yelled. “She betrayed me! She never gave me a chance. I was her husband. I would have done anything for her. And she didn’t care. She was off fucking you every chance she got. Faithless bitch!”

“I will pull every goddamn tooth out of your head if you say another fucking word about her,” Clint promised, waving the pliers in front of his face. “What does Barnes know and how does he know it?”

“I wasn’t involved with any of it… until Steve broke off from Katerina,” Banner said after a moment.

And that was before Steve got married.

“Paulina’s sister, right? The one you’ve been fucking?” Clint asked.

Banner spit at Clint in anger, the bloody lob barely grazing Clint’s shoe. “I wouldn’t have fucked anyone else if I have a loyal, loving wife.”

“What did I say?” Clint’s grip tightened on the tool in his hand. “And?”

“After Steve cut her off, Kat took up with Barnes,” Banner explained.

Clint was already shaking his head. “Kat wouldn’t have known anything,” Clint told him. “Steve wouldn’t do that.”

“But I did,” Banner admitted. “One night I got to Paulina’s place and Kat dropped by. Barnes was with her.”

Holy shit.

“Barnes wasn’t trying to get me to rat anyone out,” Banner explained slowly. “But he made me an offer.”

Clint was sure he did. “What offer?”

“Barnes told me he was looking for a new consigliere,” Banner said, defiance shining in his dark eyes. “Everybody knows Petruzello is going to retire soon. Hell, he’s been with them for decades… Barnes told me he could use a guy like me. He saw me for my talent. Saw how I was being treated over here.”

“How you were treated?” Clint’s voice rose. “Are you fucking kidding me? What were you fucking lacking? You had Nat and she’s all I want in this world. You had a beautiful fucking house, nice cars, nice whore. Lot of money. Explain it to me.”

“You know what else I had?” Banner grumbled. “I had competition. And no matter how many fucking times I begged Steve to get rid of your sorry ass, he refused.”

“But Barnes was willing to, right? Is that why I got shot?” Clint shook his head, barely holding his rage down. “You must have been so fucking disappointed that I lived.”

“I was.” Banner’s glare stayed on him.

“So then what? In your anger, you beat the shit out of Nat? Is that it? You took it out on her?” Oh, something Clint said had angry color flooding Banner’s face. “Am I wrong?”

“I wouldn’t have laid a hand on my wife,” Banner said indignantly. “Not without good reason.”

“There is no good reason to hit a woman,” Clint shot back. “Never… It also wasn’t the first time.”

“How would you have felt?” Banner yelled, struggling with the tape holding him in the chair. “It was bad enough that she cheated on me with you. She never got fucking over you. Then she turns up pregnant… I completely lost it.”

The back of Clint’s hand flew, sending Banner’s head spinning. But he wasn’t backing down. With an angry glare, Banner said, “You think you would have done better? If it had been my baby, you wouldn’t have done the same?”

It took everything in him not to just shoot the bastard. Banner knew Nat was pregnant and he knew it wasn’t his. Rage clouded his mind but as he blew out an exhale, Clint tried to focus. The pregnancy had been the reason he’d beaten his wife the first time.

Why did he do it the second time?

“Did you agree to beat Nat that night for a diversion?” Clint asked him calmly. “Because the very next day, Steve called a meeting of the families. The very next day, Hansen attacked Steve’s house. He tried to take Steve’s wife. And that was your job, wasn’t it? You beat Nat to try and draw Steve out. Barnes would have known Steve only leaves the house now for business talks. Am I right?”

The corners of Banner’s mouth tipped up as he glared at him. The answer to Clint’s question was in that self-righteous smirk.

Barnes wanted Steve’s position that badly. They’d underestimated him.

“What was in it for you?” Clint had to know. “Besides taking over as Barnes consigliere. What?”

“What the fuck do you think?” Banner shot back. “The plan was for him to take Steve off the board and you with him. I’d be his new consigliere and Nat would be mine. No more interference from her brother or you. She would finally, totally be just mine.”

Swallowing back the sting of bile in the back of his throat, Clint stared him down. “Is that the plan for tonight, Banner? Is tonight Barnes’ second shot at it?”

But then it occurred to him, Banner had been tossed out. He wasn’t there when they made the plan for tonight. He had no way of knowing what was coming down. Not while his only ties left to the Rogers’ family was Paulina.

The bullet came out of nowhere, piercing Banner’s forehead and sending his head sharply back.

Clint dropped the pliers and hit the floor as another shot from behind him hit one of his men in the head. Fuck! Finding cover behind a stack of shipping pallets, Clint pulled out his .45 and began trading fire with whoever the hell it was. The other soldier he brought with him stayed behind him.

Popping up, Clint fired shots at where he thought the shooter must be. One of his bullets found the target, the rough cry sounding familiar. The sound of retreating steps had Clint sprinting in that direction, trying like hell to see who exactly who the fucker was.

If it wasn’t the rat in their family, and Clint suspected it was, it was one of Barnes men. By the time Clint reached the old rusty warehouse door, whoever had been there was gone.

Clint’s mind spun. Barnes was coming after them tonight. His first responsibility was to get to Steve and let him know they were in a world of shit right now.

His heart had him making a different choice. With shaking, blood-covered hands, Clint pulled out his phone and called Nat.

“Clint?” She still answered the phone quietly, as she had the last several years when no one was supposed to know they were talking. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, baby,” he assured her. “But we have a very big problem right now and I need you to do something for me.”

“Okay,” she said.

“When I end this call, I’ve got to tell Steve that we’ve been ratted out,” Clint explained quickly. “Barnes knows what we planned and that puts all of us in danger.”

“Oh my, God,” she whispered.

His heart squeezed in his chest. His Nat had been through so much.

“I don’t want you to worry about that,” Clint told her. “I want you to go get your sister-in-law. Right now. Get her out and take her to your mother’s sewing room. I need you to promise me you’ll do this as soon as you get off the phone.”

“Clint, I’m n-not dressed,” she said in a shaking voice. “I’m in pajamas—”

“You’re not going to take the time to get dressed, baby,” Clint said firmly. “You’re going to do what I tell you. Get the two of you in there as fast as you can. Okay? Do this for me?”

A moment passed. Finally, she said, “Yes… I’ll go now.”

“I love you,” he told her. “Always remember I love you so much.”

“I love you,” she said through tears. “Please stay alive. I can’t l-lose you now.”

Clint didn’t know what they were facing. He really didn’t.

“You won’t lose me,” he told her. “Now go. Get to that room and stay there.”

“Clint!” His other man yelled to get his attention as he pocketed his phone. “Incoming. Look like Barnes’ men.”

Taking a deep breath, Clint got ready for whatever was coming. And he had every intention of getting back to Nat.

***

The sound of the key rattling in the doorknob of your room pulled your attention from the book you really weren’t reading. It was a little early for dinner but maybe Dyson had a reason for arriving early. You knew the family had plans tonight. Dangerous plans.

You didn’t expect Nat to scramble into your room like a scared mouse, swallowed by the dark green bathroom she wore over her pajamas. Her eyes were wide, and fear reflected from those depths.

Something was very wrong here.

“Nat?” You rose from the bed, and she dashed over to you, her hands twisting around the old-fashioned ring of keys like nervous birds.

“Clint called me,” she whispered. “H-he said something about us being ratted out and… he wants me to come get you and take you to my mother’s sewing room.”

“What?” You didn’t understand. “Nat, slow down. Is he talking about—”

“Please,” she begged you. “He wouldn’t have told me to do this if things weren’t really, really bad. We have to go.”

You were shaking your head.

Nat was trying to pull you by the arm. “Why are we going to your mother’s sewing room?”

“Please, just come with me,” Nat begged.

“Okay,” you told her. “Just a minute.”

You wore a sweater with jeans, quickly pulling on a pair of ankle boots. You sprinted for the closet, pulling out the cloth bundle that concealed the handgun Dyson left you. Slapping a loaded clip into the 9 mm, you shoved the other clips and boxes of ammo into a tote bag, carrying it out with you as you went back to Nat.

Her green eyes were wide on the gun in your hand. “How do you have that?”

“Dyson,” you told her. “Let’s go.”

Instead of leading you down the stairs to the rest of the house, Nat led you the other way. You passed her bedroom, the other guestrooms. She stopped in front of what you thought was a linen closet. She opened the door, and the neat shelves of bedding and towels confirmed your suspicions. When she pushed a button on the wall, the shelf and the wall behind it moved, sliding away to reveal a small chamber behind it.

A secret room?

Nat pushed another button and the shelf and wall slid back into place, closing the two of you in a darkened room that was about the size of a child’s bedroom. In her defense, there was a small table with a very old sewing machine on top of it sitting off to the side and a dressmaker’s dummy next to it. There were cobwebs everywhere, like no one had been in the room for years. There was a small oval window, filtering sunlight to brighten the room.

“Oh,” Nat said, kneeling by the sewing machine and pulling a box from under it. There was a small oil lamp and a cigarette lighter. Setting it next to the sewing machine, she lit the lamp to brighten up the room around you.

“So, a sewing room?” you asked, tucking the gun in the waistband of your jeans at your lower back.

Nat nodded. “It really was once. I think our grandmother or great-grandmother actually sewed in here.”

“With a secret door?” You smiled.

“That was put in later,” Nat explained. “By my father. I guess something happened when we were kids that got him thinking. He decided we needed a room that no one else knew about in the house to hide. You know, us and Mom. Sometimes whatever illegal thing he wasn’t supposed to have. He was very proud the feds never found it.”

You nodded. That made sense. But you really needed to know what was going on.

“Okay, now that we’re here,” you spoke quietly, “what did Clint say? What’s going on?”

Taking a seat on the padded bench seat by the sewing machine, Nat took a deep breath. You didn’t like the way her hands shook in her lap.

“He just called me and told me that we’d been ratted out,” she told you. “He said Barnes knew our plans and that put us all in danger.”

Shock and fear had you staring at her. Dyson told you that those plans were dangerous to begin with and now Barnes knew them? You’d all been ratted out?

“Wait, he told you to get to the sewing room?” you asked.

“No, he told me to come get you and for us both to come here.”

Things were serious then. Fuck.

“Did Clint tell you anything that was planned?” you asked. “Anything at all?”

Nat shook her head. “I wouldn’t understand if he did. I’m just so afraid… if something happens to him., I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“Try not to worry,” you told her. “Clint’s not going anywhere now that you’re together.”

Her lips quivered like she wanted to smile but was afraid to.

“I hate this,” she said quietly. “I always have. This business they are in. I know it’s how I’ve had a roof over my head and all the nice things I’ve had in life. But it’s so terrifying to know it can all be gone in the blink of an eye. I remember sitting in here with my mother and Steve a couple of times when we were kids. It wasn’t just knowing we were in danger. It was not knowing anything.”

Your parents had been part of that world too. You’d been spared that. Everyone thought you were disfigured, kept off to the side because of it. If you’d ever been in any danger before Steve came into your life, you weren’t aware of it.

Now? You understood it.

“We know some things,” you told her. “Apparently someone ratted us out. I have a pretty good idea of who that is.”

“Who?” she asked.

“It’s Neal,” you told her. “I’m sure of it. I don’t know how or why but it’s him.”

Nat snorted. “For all we know, it’s Bruce.”

“It’s possible,” you told her. “He probably has a hand in it. I mean, we know he has a link to Barnes. Kat and her sister.”

Her green-eyed gaze never left you.

“But, no offense, he’s a lawyer,” you told her. “He might have gone to Barnes when Steve got you out of that house. But what does he really know that would benefit Barnes? He’s not a soldier. Not part of their plans… But Neal?”

Just the thought of the damage the man could do flooded your mind. He would have been part of planning whatever was supposed to happen tonight.

And Neal was flagrantly ambitious and arrogant. The way he conducted himself in your household with everyone but Steve? Especially you. What would have happened with Banner that day if Scott and Yelena hadn’t been there?

Clint was right. Everyone was in danger. Jesus. You had to think.

“Where was Clint when he called you?” you asked.

Nat shook her head. “I don’t know. All I know is that he said he and Scott were ‘running into town’ tonight. And that was when he left this morning.”

You didn’t miss the fear in her tone.

“Did you bring your phone?”  you asked her.

Nat pulled her phone and a charger from the pocket of her robe. You smiled when she handed it to you.

You tried texting Dyson first but got no response. Steve? You weren’t going there. He needed to have his head in the game and think you were safely tucked away.

Luca answered when you texted him, thinking you were Nat. If you could get him up there, to trust you, he might have the information you needed.

Luca: What you need, hon?

“What’s something you’d normally ask for, Nat?”

“Tea,” she told you. “But not for a couple of hours yet.”

Can you bring my tea up early, please? My nerves are bad today, you typed.

Luca: Sure. Give me bout 15 minutes.

Fifteen minutes exactly, Luca came up the stairs with the tray. He’d just reached her bedroom door when you approached him from the other direction. Luca’s dark eyes were wide on you.

“Shit,” he muttered.

You motioned for him to follow you. His expression was a study in reluctance, but he followed you back to the linen closet, waiting for you to open the door to the hidden chamber. Nat stood up when the two of you walked back in.

“What’s this?” Luca asked, handing the tray to Nat and focusing on her.

“Nat just did what Clint asked her to,” you told him. “He called Nat and told her to come get me and for us to come here. He said we’ve been ratted out.”

Luca scrubbed a hand over his lower face, concern bleeding into his expression. “Seriously?”

You nodded. “We don’t know where Clint is. Dyson wouldn’t answer me.”

Luca’s gaze on you was a wild mix of uncertainty and dread. You understood the position he was in.

“I’m not sure where Clint is,” Luca told you. “Dyson? Here in a while, he’s supposed to be meeting Neal. Something to do with Hansen.”

Your anxiety was consumed by fear then. “What? Oh, my God. Luca…” You took a deep breath, trying not to let fear get the better of you. “Luca, if Clint’s right and we’ve been betrayed, and I believe him, who do you think the rat is?”

“Just because you don’t like Neal doesn’t make him a rat,” Luca said calmly.

“I wasn’t there for tonight’s planning session,” you said. “But I’m guessing you were. If we’ve been ratted out, it had to be someone in that room. I know it’s not you or Dyson. I know it’s not Clint. Who else was there?”

“Scott and Neal,” he said.

“Do you really think Scott would do that?”

“Fuck,” Luca muttered, his answer telling you he didn’t believe any more than you did.

“Wait, where’s Steve?” you asked in a panic.

“Locked away in his study with the new consigliere.”

Nat set the tray with the tea on the floor at her feet, riveted to the conversation.

“He just got a new lawyer.” You shook your head. “Do you know him? Could he be a problem?”

“Nah, Murdock’s good people,” Luca told you. “Besides that, he’s blind so…”

If Luca didn’t suspect anything there, you’d trust his judgment.

“Where’s Scott?” you asked. Any of Steve’s trusted circle could be in danger right now or worse.

“Scott and Clint are supposed to be heading this way in the next couple of hours,” he said. “To meet with Steve about their part in this.”

“From the way he sounded, I don’t know if Clint will be there,” Nat whispered.

Steve and Luca were safe. You didn’t know where Clint and Scott were. And Dyson?

“We have to find Dyson and Clint,” you told him before turning your attention to Nat. “Clint called you first, to tell you there was trouble. If Steve’s down there meeting with his lawyer, Clint didn’t get in touch with him which means he’s in trouble.”

Nat’s face crumbled and you hugged her, eased her back down onto the padded bench.

You and Luca both tried Dyson and Clint, you on Nat’s phone. That he wasn’t answering Nat had your fear escalating.

When Luca’s phone rang, he answered immediately. “Scott? Hey, where are you?”

You couldn’t make out what Scott was saying. Luca nodded, mouthing “he’s fine.”

“Do you know where Dyson or Barton is?” Luca asked him, shaking his head.

“S’alright. I need you to get over here,” Luca told him. “Now.”

Luca ended the call, looking from Nat to you. “Scott don’t know where anyone is… Listen. You two need to stay right here, okay? I got to get to the boss and let him know we have a situation. We gotta find Dyson and Clint right fucking now.”

Nat buried her face in her hands, crying. You met his gaze squarely, nodding. Luca had trusted the two of you on what you knew. You were grateful.

“Stay in touch with me,” you told him.

“Will do,” Luca said, making his way out of the sewing room.

There was one more call you had to make. You knew Yelena’s number by heart. You didn’t know if she would recognize Nat’s number or if she’d answer, even if she did.

On the fifth tone, someone answered. “Natasha?” Yelena’s accented voice whispered.

“No, it’s me,” you said.

“You’re already out?” There was a pause then. “I’m so sorry about—”

“I am so sorry about what happened,” she said in a rush. “I’m so sorry—”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” you cut her off. “But we’ll talk about that later. Are you safe? Dyson said you were safe and with friends.”

“I’m safe,” she told you. You could hear the smile in her voice. “I promise.”

“Do you have any idea where he is right now?” you asked.

“Dyson? No,” she said. “Why? Is something wrong?”

You heard the same fear you felt in her words. “Yes, and we don’t know where he is. Or Clint.”

“Clint?” Yelena asked. “I talked to him earlier. I gave him some intel on where he could find Banner.”

Oh, shit.

“Can you give me the location?” You needed it. “He might be in trouble.” You told her how he called Nat and what he’d said.

“Where is Neal?” Yelena asked.

“Not sure, but I’m told his part of the plan was to go with Dyson to see Hansen,” you explained.

“Neal is the traitor,” she said gravely.

“I know. And we can’t let him kill Dyson.”

“We won’t,” she assured you. “Does Steve know?”

You had to laugh at that. “He soon will. Luca’s going to talk to him.”

“Let me know the second you get any leads on Dyson,” she told you. “We will go find Clint.”

You didn’t know who we were. But you trusted her.

“Thank you.”

“Stay where you are,” she told you. “With Nat. For now.”

You couldn’t promise her that, but you also didn’t want to mess with her head.

“I will,” you said. “Please be careful.”

***

Yelena ended the call, walking back into the living room of the little cabin where Dyson had stashed her for safety. Dyson’s friends, who needed a place to lay low from some trouble they found themselves in, were scattered across the room.

Clay and Aisha were watching something on the History Channel, drinking beer and eating popcorn. Pooch and Cougar were still playing cards. Only Jensen looked up from his laptop to see her return.

“What’s up?” Jensen asked.

“Dyson maybe in trouble,” she told them.

And that was all she needed to say. Now that she had everyone’s attention, she filled them in on the details. Like her, there wasn’t a lot they wouldn’t do for their mutual friend.

Clay was a strategist and didn’t take him long to come up with a plan of action.

“Three of us are going to the location where we sent Barton,” he said. “Three of us are going to Hansen’s place.”

She didn’t miss the distaste in his voice when he said the name Hansen. She wasn’t the only one the bastard had fucked with over the years.

“Yelena, you take Pooch and Cougar and find Barton,” Clay said. “I’ll—”

“No,” Yelena cut him off. “I’m going to Hansen’s.”

Aisha and Clay exchanged a worried glance. “You sure about this?” Clay asked her.

Yelena nodded. After everything Dyson had done for her, for all of them, she wanted to be there to protect him if she could. If anything happened to him, it would devastate her.

It would devastate her boss. And Yelena had no intention of having to tell Mrs. Rogers that anything happened to Dyson on her watch.

Clay nodded. “Aisha, take Pooch and Cougar and go find Barton. Yelena, you and Jensen are with me.”

PS: Just on my fic posts, I’m adding a tip function. In honor of the kitty we just lost in February, I’m donating everything to our local animal shelter. Tips are not, will never be, and have never been expected. But if you feel so inclined, thank you. 🙏

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@rosedpetal @sincerelytlh @wolfieeebbbyyy @stories-by-hails

[nekoannie-chan]

Secrets Chapter 22: She is not for you

Pairing: Steve Rogers X OFC, Brock Rumlow X OFC.

Word count: 1597 words.

Summary: Sometimes keeping secrets can be dangerous or a heavy burden, which is what Kathleen has been doing for years. She will also be in charge of guiding Steve Rogers into this century; meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. will be looking for a way to kick-start the Avengers Initiative by integrating her as one of the superheroes, but that won't be the only danger they face.

Warnings: Jealousy.

A/N: After long time working on this longfic, I finally post it. If you wanna be added to the taglist, let me know.

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

Secrets masterlist.

Previous chapter.

Next chapter.

Kathleen was walking down the corridor, she had had that horrible dream again, although more than a dream, it was a memory, one of the worst she had, although sometimes she saw the spirit of her best friend... It was simply awful what had happened to her, she didn't even notice that someone was walking behind her.

“Anzai," a woman called out to Kath. Kathleen Anzai! “she grabbed Kath’s shoulder, who turned around when she felt the movement. But if you're in love little Kath, you're in love with Steve, aren't you? “Nat questioned when he saw Kath’s expression.

“ W-what? No... I'm not in love or anything," stammered Kathleen, with a quick movement the spy took her personal phone from Kath.

“Then how do you explain this? “Natasha unlocked the phone to show the photo Kath had as wallpaper. I bet you have hundreds of pictures of him..." she mocked while the other tried to take the phone from her until Natasha realized that the picture was not of Steve, but of Kath, probably in her teens with a group of guys she didn't know or at least didn't work at S.H.I.E.L.D.

“It's none of your business, Romanoff," Kath felt her cheeks burning, she was probably completely red, she didn't want anyone to know what had happened to her friends, to any of them. At least I don't look for silly excuses to go to the Stark Tower to see a certain doctor “she smiled when she saw that she had hit the right spot, so she managed to get her phone back.

“ How do you know that? “Natasha had been careful about it, the only one who knew was Clint.

“Your mind screams "Bruce Banner" as if it were a bright billboard in the middle of the night," Kath replied, however, that was true, whenever Nat was around that thought popped up. What's wrong, why are you making that face? “It was notorious for the sad face of the spy, maybe she missed her hand, although the other one was the one who started to bother.

“I don't think he corresponds to me, he's too busy with his investigations and he's afraid of hurting someone with the other guy “confessed Romanoff with a sad voice leaving the mutant surprised, it was known that Natasha never opened her heart to any other person that wasn't her best friend.

“I think you have a chance, just find a way to control the other guy and with that, you will have earned it “he advised”, on the other hand, I... “Kath kept quiet, she couldn't say more, they were not friends, nor did she have the confidence to tell her absolutely everything that happened.

“Agent Anzai, the Director wants to see you," said Maria, appearing behind Kath.

Kath entered Fury's office, nervous, as she had a bad feeling seeing the director upset.

“ Where were you the other day? “And tell me the truth, you know you can't hide anything from me.

“I went to see someone who might be of use to us," he answered dryly.

“ Who did you go to see? “he asked.

“Doctor Pym; wanted to see me, I know what you are thinking and no, obviously he is not going to give us his particle, but he is looking for someone to take his place to wear a suit and you know that we will probably need in the future," she anticipated before any other question so Fury did not continue asking, she was right, maybe in the future they would need him, if she could talk and convince with all those who had some ability there was the possibility of avoiding future tragedies.

“Speaking of the future, I already got the council to approve Project Insight, so now you will have more work to do," he said as he handed her the files for her to review.

Taking advantage of the fact that Steve was in an interview with the rest of the team; an interview to which she obviously had not been invited, she would catch up with the review of the files until someone knocked on the door of Kath’s office, she put the documents away before opening the door, she knew that this project had a certain degree of confidentiality and she also knew who was not included. When she opened the door she met Rumlow.

“Kitty, you owe me a date, remember? “Brock said entering the office.

“I know, I know, but Fury really left me a lot of work and I haven't finished, you know his crazy ideas," he lifted his shoulders while making a tender face in apology.

“I can help you with some of your work, while you buy me a drink and I'll consider the debt paid," proposed the commander.

“It was a deal," agreed Kath as she poured him a cup of tea.

They began to arrange the documents in the files to have everything in order while they chatted trivially, everything was in disorder, and many missions were mixed up with others.

“ Aren't they in the archives department supposed to do this? “Kath asked.

“Supposedly," the other replied, his gaze lingering on the picture of Kath and him and them under a cherry tree that had been taken shortly after she had joined the organization and then flicking to one of Kath and Steve at Disneyland. And that miracle your friend isn't here bothering you? “He tried to sound casual rather than jealous.

“Interview with the others for I don't know what magazine, you know the news and you two have to get along or else Fury will force you to go on a mission all alone or something crazy," he replied lightly.

“You don't want that," Brock suddenly blurted out without taking his eyes off the pictures.

“ What? “He wasn't paying attention to what his friend was doing.

“Rogers," he said coldly, she looked at him without understanding, "You like it," her voice was very annoyed.

“ And what's the problem with that? Anyway, I'm not reciprocated, it doesn't matter who I have feelings for or not, I just don't have time for it," she didn't want to have that conversation.

“He's going to hurt you and he's too old for you," Brock warned her. Kitty, I don't want anyone to hurt you," he turned to look at her.

“Brockie, I really don't want to talk about it," her voice sounded sad, "You know people still hate mutants, even though it's been a long time since...that massacre," her voice cracked.

“You look exhausted, you haven't slept well, have you? “Brock asked with concern.

“More or less “Kath answered, if she felt tired, the nightmares were recurring again and the guilt was still there, deep down she thought that maybe she could have saved her friends.

“ Are you having nightmares again? “He stroked her hair and she nodded.

Brock hugged her and they stayed like that for a while, if he could erase all those bad memories she had, if there was any way to make her notice him...he would make her very happy, they could run away, start a new life far away from all that.

“ What about you, are you seeing anyone? “asked Kath suddenly, he shook his head, "You really haven't dated anyone since Suni*? “she looked at him.

“Just a few dates, nothing important, I have to take care of you," Brock clarified, he didn't dare to confess his feelings to her either, although after what had happened in a certain mission he thought that everything would be different... until Rogers appeared.

“Again with that," Kath rolled her eyes, "I'm a big boy and you can't stay alone forever, at least buy yourself another dog or a cat or something, stop being so bitter Brockie," joked Kath.

“You're the one who should change your code name," she replied mockingly.

“ Why, what's wrong with mine? “She didn't know that the STRIKE team had given her some nicknames.

“Agh...no nothing forget it “mentally it hit her, she didn't know anything.

“Now you tell me, I'm giving you the chance or I'm going to get mad at you “she threatened him.

“The guys don't think you can fall in love and they refer to you in different ways because of how mmmmm cold you can be “Rumlow explained, he didn't want to tell her too many details so he wouldn't hurt her.

“Ugh it was probably your little friend Rollins, wasn't it? That's why I dislike him so much, anyway they don't care what he does or doesn't do," she said.

Steve appeared in the Triskelion's gym, he was looking for Brock, they had to finish planning the strategy for the next mission, and the only one he found was Jack.

“Rollins, have you seen Rumlow? “he asked urgently.

“Oh yes, he's in Anzai's office, just the two of them," the agent pointed out mischievously.

He immediately ran to Kath’s office, thousands of thoughts of all kinds went through his mind, he could not trust her to be alone with the Commander, when he arrived at the place, he opened the door with a bang.

“ Steve? “she exclaimed astonished to see him there, "Didn't you have an interview?

“It ended early, what are you two doing? “she hissed.

“Brock was helping me arrange some documents and I hope you didn't damage my door or else I'll have to file a complaint," the mutant pointed out a bit annoyed, Steve sighed in relief.

Ꭲꭺꮐꮮꮖꮪꭲ:

@saiyanprincessswanie  @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad

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[rwac96]

Ask Box ReOpened/My Mood

Ask Box reopened and current mood for the week.

(CURRENT) MOOD

Original Stud AU: Mundane AU, Super AU, Celebrity AU, Childhood Friends AU, Super AU: Superhero AU, Domestic AU, Future AU, Farmer AU, Domestic AU, Fantasy AU, Prison/Jail AU

Alpha Stud AU: Domestic AU, Lust Virus AU, Super AU: Superhero AU, Future AU, Farmer AU, Domestic AU, Domination/Submission AU, Fantasy AU, Prison/Jail AU

General Mood(s): Crossover AU/Fusion AU, Loving Sex, Wholesome Sex, Rough Sex, Slutty Sex, Tender Sex, Sexual Slavery, Free Use, Degradation

Main Muses: Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Batman/Bruce Wayne, Ragna The Bloodedge, Naruto Uzumaki, Sonic The Hedgehog, Son Gohan, Sarah Fortune/Miss Fortune, Tifa Lockhart, Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee, Shallot, Bruce Banner/Hulk, Morrigan Aensland, Lilith Aensland, Sakura Haruno, Lumine (Genshin Impact), Noel Vermillion, Makoto Nanaya, Jaune Arc, Sally Acorn, Felicia Hardy/Black Cat, Diana of Themyscira/Wonder Woman

Male Muses: As listed in the Character/Muse List

Female Muses: As listed in the Character/Muse List

Memes: Crossover Crack Ship OTP/OT3, FMK Game, Condom Break, Wet Dream/😴 💦, Pornhub Meme, Bubble Tea Challenge, Fertilization, Forbidden Passion, Full Moon Lunacy (White/Red Moon), Fucking Off The Tab, What Would X Do?

[miscfandomwrites]

A/N: I needed a break from the mama series for a bit. This was an idea that I came up with while dealing with some chores, and my adhd brain would NOT stop pestering me to write this down before I forgot it. I might make this into its own series, but it’s honestly a drabble more than anything. I also just really wanted to write a fight scene. Oh, and I did edit it so the name of the character is Wolf, not dog. 

Pairing: Avengers x Werewolf! Reader

Location: Marvel > Avengers > Avengers Team > Oneshots

Warnings: Violence, language (?)

Words: 1.3k

Tagging: @tyler-t0t

~~

“You’re joking.” I asked the man in front of me.

“I am not. You are to meet them, and see if they like you.” He replied.

It was difficult not to roll my eyes at the situation. 

“Fury, having them like me is something I can live without. I’m back up, after all.” I told him. 

He sighed, before pushing the folder in front of him to me. “I know.”

He got up and left me in the conference room, wondering if it was too late to get on my motorcycle and ride out of the state completely. 

He’d close the building up before I stepped foot into that garage anyway. I told myself, opening the massive folder and flipping through the various papers in it.

Avengers Initiative. Steve Rodgers. Carol Danvers. Tony Stark. Natasha Romanoff. James Barnes. Bruce Banner. Thor. King T’Challa. Scott Lang. Clint Barton. Wanda Maximoff. All to protect the world from larger-than-them fights. Bullshit.

I skimmed through the rest of the file, only taking time to read through Barnes and Romanoff’s profiles.

I finished skimming through the folder before closing it and getting up from the table. Stretching my limbs and bending backwards to pop my back never seemed so good. I had sat in that chair for nearly an hour as Fury told me about the Avengers and my role to partake today. 

Shit, when was the meeting again? 

I checked my phone for the time and was relieved to see I had fifteen minutes until I was ‘needed’ at the meeting. 

Enough time for coffee, and maybe a bagel. 

I grabbed the file and donned my leather jacket, checking all my pockets and weapons in case they were loose or had moved since I had sat down. After clearing that, I headed out of the room towards the cafeteria. 

Bullshit. I’m back up-they never need backup. 

They were the Avengers for fuck’s sake, “Earth’s mightiest hero’s my ass” I grumbled to myself as I stalked down the hallway. 

It took a decent amount of self control not to throw open the cafeteria door, mostly because last time I had to pay for it.  Why the fuck are the doors so expenis-oh, pure steel. Enough to stop bullets. Right. 

I cut off the thought as it appeared, and I headed to the coffee station in the back of the room, ignoring the looks I got as I walked past the tables.

Being the person I am, having a reputation can be a dangerous thing, yet I tried to stay in good graces of everyone. The only time I wasn’t polite or made an effort not to snap at anyone is when I knew it would impact my life with S.H.I.E.L.D. 

While I was born into Hydra as an experiment, I became a part of S.H.I.E.L.D nearly seven years ago when my plane had crashed and I was captured. My abilities made me a prize possession of the agency, and once I proved myself useful it was only a matter of gaining trust from others.

I grabbed a disposable coffee cup and poured some (thankfully) hot coffee into it, before snapping on the lid. I checked the time and was really, really, disappointed that I did not in fact, have enough time to get a bagel.

I headed out of the cafeteria and out of view of the stares, and made my way upstairs and to the conference room. 

The one thing I did not like about the conference rooms were the pure glass walls-you could shade them, but no one even bothered to hide the fact that not just the original Avengers were there, but all of them. I lost track of all the faces I saw.

I took a large sip of my coffee before taking a deep breath and pushing open the door to the room. 

“I’m glad you could join us, Ms. (L/N).” Fury spoke with a tone of indifference. I did notice the gleam in his eye-surprise. He was surprised that I actually went through with this. 

I nodded to him, before taking off my jacket and draping it across the chair at the foot of the table. 

Steve Rodgers, otherwise known as the defacto ‘Leader’ of the Avengers came around to me, holding out his hand.

“Steve Rodgers, but you can call me Steve” He told me, I stifly shook his hand.

“(F/N) (L/N), but you can call me Wolf.” I replied, before taking my hand away and tucking it into my pocket. He walked back around to his spot, and everyone took their seats besides Fury and I.

“Ms. (L/N), otherwise known as Wolf, is the new applicant for this position.” Fury told everyone, handing out a stack of folders to everyone.

“And her test?” Natasha Romanoff asked him as she got her folder.

Fury just nodded, finishing passing out the folders before standing at the head of the table again.

I heard the door open behind me, and sensed the four men before I saw them. 

All well built, no main identifying features other than a faint remembrance as the top of the fighter’s guild last year. All wore the same suits, all looked clean, and all looked nervous. One stood at my left, another at my right, and two behind me.

“Fury.” I spoke in a warning tone. I had no idea what the hell was about to happen, but I didn’t like it. 

“Worried?” He asked me, raising his eyebrow.

“Not for myself. You’ve seen me fight, are you sure you are willing to risk their lives to prove a point?” I asked him, with venom coating my final words.

He smiled at me, before nodding. The man at my left side shifted nervously.

“You could have let me go into a small battle with them, yet you decided that unleashing me in a closed room with four men would prove your point?” I told him as I set my coffee down.

“No weapons, no death” He replied.

I nodded, before widening my stance. I knew the men would only attack on his command, and I would honor that.

He nodded, and all at once the men leapt for me.

I ducked low and as one of the men behind me made to grab my shoulder, I grabbed his arm and threw him on the table. Everyone stood up in shock, papers scattering and chairs rollin gin every direction.

I twisted his arm and went left as the man on my right came at me. I twirled, ducking the left man’s fist as he swung at me.

The other man behind me grabbed my arm, and I turned and kicked him with all my force into the widow behind him. It spider-webbed, but didn’t break. Another man grabbed me around the stomach and I shook him off of me, before turning around and punching him square in the face.

He cursed at me and held his nose, his blood running through his fingers and staining his white undershirt. I snarled at him, before roundhousing him in the face.

Luckily I dodged the other man coming at me, and he shoulder-checked the other man at the window, borderline breaking it. 

I dragged him off of the other man, and slammed my head against his, breaking his nose. I then swung a right hook into his jaw, rendering him unconscious and only the man at the window to deal with.

I turned towards him, as he stood taller, both fists up, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

“You’re just Fury’s lapdog, born to take orders!” He yelled at me. I stood still for a matter of three seconds as he started to realize that he truely, royally, fucked up.

I approached him with a deadly calm that made my head swim. 

“I belong to no one.” I snarled at him, before kicking him into the window, finally breaking it and sending him falling to his death thirty six stories below.

I turned towards Fury, wiping the blood off my hands, and growled

“Is this enough proof?”