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delicatebarness · 4 months

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cry baby | chapter ten

Summary: The aftermath of the makeover and another Avengers day out.

Warning: Slight violence. Fluff.

Word Count: 1682

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A/N: Don't mind me, I'm just writing 1.6k words of ramble! Please feel free to leave feedback or let me know where and how you want the story to continue, this is just as much yours as it is mine. - B

The makeover didn’t last longer than that night. The new look brought back a spark of confidence, but it wasn’t sustainable for you. The following day, you returned to your familiar, comfortable style and returned to the bar.

Steve, Bucky, and Sam were already sitting at your usual booth, they immediately stood to exchange hugs and pleasantries. You welcomed the small fuss and attention before heading to the bar to order drinks.

As you waited, you felt a presence beside you. You turned your head slightly, noticing Rumlow, a smirk already playing on his lips.

“Hey there, baby,” he spoke slowly, beginning to lean in closer than necessary. The word “baby”, especially without the ‘cry’ in front of it, sends a shiver down your shine. The memory of John using the same term in a derogatory way replayed in your mind.

Your breath hitched, the room seemed to close in as the bar’s noise faded into the background, and your heart pounded in your ears. He misinterpreted your silence, causing his smirk to grow.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” he taunted as he reached out to rub your arm.

Without thinking, your fist suddenly connected with his jaw in a powerful motion. He stumbled back at the impact, as shock and anger flashed across his face. The entire bar fell silent, and everyone's gaze turned toward you.

Your chest heaved with the rush of adrenaline as you stood there with your hand still clenched. The memory of John faded, the reality of the present replacing it.

Before you could process what you had done, or the distance between you and Rumlow which he was closing, Steve stepped between the pair of you. You felt the presence of Sam and Bucky by your side, too.

“Is there a problem here?” Steve asked, his voice calm but laced with an unmistakable warning as his protective instinct kicked in.

Rumlow glared at you over Steve’s shoulder, rubbing his jaw. “Your precious little sister here just punched me for no reason,” he spat, his confidence faltering under the men’s steady gazes.

Bucky stepped forward, his stance firmed and expression cold. “You need to leave,” he said, his voice low.

Hesitating for a moment before he backed down, Rumlow muttered under his breath as he retreated.

As Steve and Bucky turned to face you, concern evident in their features, the bar slowly returned to its usual buzz. “Are you okay?” Steve asked gently, his hand reaching up to rest on your shoulder.

You shook your head, your breath still trying to steady itself. “He called me ‘baby’,” you explained, a slight tremble in your voice.

Steve, Sam, and Bucky exchanged confused looks between each other. “Isn’t that what we’ve all called you for years?” Sam asked, trying to understand.

Again, you shook your head, more firmly this time. “No, not ‘Cry Baby’. Just ‘baby’. It’s what John would call me at work.”

Understanding crossed their faces. At that moment, Natasha and Wanda came into the bar, laughing together.

“Guys! You’ll never believe what we just saw!” Wanda exclaimed excitement consuming her eyes. Their infectious laughter momentarily lifted the heavy atmosphere. However, Natasha’s keen eye quickly assessed the situation, instantly dropping her amusement and replaced with concern.

“What happened?” she asked, noticing the tension and tears in your eyes. Steve glanced at you before answering, explaining everything that happened to Natasha and Wanda.

After a few moments, your group decided it was best to leave and spend the night at one of your apartments. The tension eased as you entered the familiar safe environment of Natasha and Wanda’s apartment. The conversation turned to lighter topics, the mood-lifting once again.

While Steve and Sam found themselves in a deep debate with Natasha and Wanda, all being very animated while discussing, you didn’t know what, you were in the kitchen with Bucky.

Bucky noticed you flexing your hand as you made drinks for everyone, and his expression shifted once again to concern. “Give me a look at your hand,” he said, closing the distance between you.

“Bucky,” you waved him off, smiling. “It’s fine. Really!”

His eyes fixed on yours with determination, as he moved his hand down to yours. “Just… just let me check.”

You sighed and extended your hand toward him. Carefully, he examined it for signs of bruising or sprain. He brought your hand up to his lips after finding no evidence of injury, placing a soft kiss against your knuckles.

“You did good tonight, Sweetheart,” he mumbled against your skin, his voice filled with admiration.

A heat crept up your cheeks as you avoided his gaze. “I don’t know what came over me,” you murmured, feeling the weight of the bar's events catch up with you.

His lips curled into a smile, brushing his thumb over your knuckles. “It was so hot.”

Your eyes widened, your face growing even warmer. Looking down, you left your hair in front of your face in an attempt to hide your blush. Bucky realized he hadn’t kept that thought in his head, quickly changing the subject.

Clearing his throat, dropping your hand, he asked slightly louder than he meant, “So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?”

Turning back to the drinks, you took a deep breath. “I was thinking about heading to the farmers market in the morning.”

“Count me in!” Natasha called out from the living room. “I could use a break from the usual routine.”

Sam called out in agreement, “Me too! Plus, there’s a new coffee place that just opened nearby.”

The group continued to chat as you and Bucky returned with drinks, and before you knew it your quiet morning borrowing fruit, vegetables, and handmade goods had evolved into a full-fledged family day out.

As you arrived at the market, the atmosphere was lively and the colors vibrant, it instantly lifted your spirits after the cruel few weeks. The streets bustled with vendors setting up their stalls and customers already curiously searching. The air was filled with an aroma of fresh produce and baked goods.

Natasha and Wanda led the way, pointing out different stalls as their interest spiked. Chatting animatedly, Steve and Sam followed. You, however, walked alongside Bucky, who was taking in the sights.

It was impossible to ignore the ripple effect of your group, it wasn’t as noticeable when you were out around the city by yourself or even just with one or two of your friends. But yet, when it was all six of you, people turned their heads. Their eyes widened in recognition, hushed conversations as you passed by while clearing a path.

“Where should we start?” Natasha asked, turning to you all with a gleam in her eye.

“Let’s check out the fruit stalls,” Steve suggested. “They have some amazing berries this season.”

You pulled a confused face, looking between Bucky and Steve. “Since when have you been into what fruits are in season?”

Steve shrugged nonchalantly. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to broaden my horizons a bit.”

Bucky smirked, giving Steve a nudge. “Next thing we know, you’ll be lecturing us on the benefits of organic farming.”

As you made your way to the fruit stalls, the displays of fresh fruit drew you in. Vendors offered you their best produce to sample with wide smiles and respectful nods.

While everyone else was picking out berries, you noticed Bucky scanning around the market. His gaze halted at a stall selling handmade wooden crafts for a moment longer than the rest. You nudged him gently. “See something you like?”

He turned back to you, meeting your gaze with a small smile. “Just appreciating the craftsmanship… Want to check it out?”

Walking over to the stall with Bucky, you both admired the intricate details on the wooden bowls and utensils. An elderly man with a friendly smile greeted you warmly, he was incredibly pleased to have customers.

“These are beautiful,” you said, examining the craved details gently.

“Thank you,” the man replied, “I handcrafted everything here with care. If you want something special, I can also take custom orders.” he offered you a smile and a business card.

Bucky picked up a small carved box, looking over the delicate patterns that were etched into the wood. “This is incredible work, Sir.”

The man beamed with pride. “Thank you, it’s always nice to meet others who appreciate art.”

After purchasing a few items and listening to Bucky tell to the man about your sketches, you rejoined the group.

As the morning turned into afternoon, you all decided to take a break and visit the coffee shop that Sam was excited about. It was a charming coffee shop, filled with vintage decor and had a cozy atmosphere, beautifully placed between a bakery and a bookstore.

On the way, you passed a florist’s stall, the beautiful blooming colors catching your eye. Roses, lilies, and cheerful daisies are arranged in picturesque displays. A bouquet of sunflowers, their bright yellow petals stood out like tiny rays of sunshine, distracting you from the group.

Bucky noticed your absence and began to scan the market. He began to panic, his heart rate quickening, and concern consumed him as he thought about how simulated and overwhelmed you can become in crowds. He finally spotted you, letting out a relieved breath as he made his way over to you.

“Hey,” he called softly, trying to draw your attention. “You okay?”

Turning to him, a warm smile spread across your face. “Yeah, I’m good! Sorry, I got distracted,” you replied, your fingers gently brushing over the sunflower petals.

He let out a soft laugh, his tension easing. He gently took your free hand. “Come on, Sweetheart, let’s catch up with the others.”

You nodded, leaving the sunflowers as you walked hand-in-hand with him through the market.

As you sip your coffee, you feel a sense of peace, surrounded by the people who care most about you. The events of the last few weeks faded in your mind, replaced by the warmth of family and the hope of a brighter near future.

---

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#cry baby series #cry baby #bucky barnes x cry baby #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #bucky x reader #bucky x you #bucky x y/n #bucky x female reader #bucky fanfic #james bucky barnes #bucky fic #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x rogers!reader #biker!bucky #biker au

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pure-garbage · 2 months

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Silent Cues! Mounting Evidence To Support The Theory

Nami was wrong about the log pose and the straw hats set sail the next morning. Most of the crew fished. Robin lounged on deck with a thick tome, Sanji fawned over her and Zoro and Lana worked through their routines.

"We're going to go over something different today," Zoro announced before meditation time.

"Oh? Is this about yesterday?" Lana ventured. She studied his expression, but it betrayed nothing out of the ordinary. He only nodded, leaving her curiosity unsatisfied. She'd stayed up late behind Nami's grove the night before replaying the events of the day and wondering if she was wrong to read into any of it.

'Is it just wishful thinking? I would be so happy if I found out Robin's theory was right. If Zoro really does want more than friendship, the same way I do... sometimes it seems that way, but...'

"Ideally, you'd never let an opponent get their hands on you," he explained, oblivious to her internal monologue. "But since you can't even avoid being pinned by me-"

"You're freakishly fast and strong, don't forget," Lana scowled.

"The line's full of pirates who can match or best me, so that's hardly an excuse," he scolded her.

"Fine, fair point. So?"

"Before you interrupted me..."

"Right. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. Today I'm going to show you how to escape after your weak ass gets pinned by a superior opponent. Which, at your skill level, is almost all opponents."

"Hey!" Lana fumed.

"If you don't like my assessment, surpass it."

"Fine."

"Now don't bother dodging."

Lana stayed obliging still while he grabbed her from behind.

Thump!

She swallowed hard and steadied her breathing with conscious effort even as her heartbeat reacted uncontrollably to his touch.

"Any ideas on how to get out of this one?" he asked, breath tickling the shell of her ear.

"Um..."

Lana pulled against his hold, to no avail.

"Hm. No, honestly, feels like I'm pretty much boned," she admitted.

'You're not," he assured her. "I'll teach you a neat trick. Widen your stance. One foot forward, one back."

"Okay."

"Now roll. Throw all your weight forward, mine too. Do it fast."

Lana's brow creased as she envisioned what would happen.

"Won't that hurt? A Lot?"

"Tuck your face."

"Not me, you!"

"I'll be fine. Do it. Go on!"

Hm... 'kay," she grumbled, caving to his urging.

She did it, executing the move almost seamlessly. Zoro grunted, rolled hard between Lana and the deck.

"Huh. You tucked too," she realized as he released her to reward her success.

"I did, but you can tell that would have been nasty if I wasn't prepared. That was good for a first try," he commended her.

"Thanks, but... what if my opponent's prepared? Like you were?"

"No one with any real experience is gonna grab you that way, and that's the reason why," he explained.

"I see. So that was basics."

"Exactly. Now... let's try this one."

Zoro drove Lana back against the mast, duplicating last night's pose.

"Can you break free?"

"Can I play dirty?"

"I never heard of a pirate needing permission to pull a trick," he smirked.

"Well in that case... you're wide open like this," she observed. "I could headbutt you."

She tapped her forehead to his playfully.

"You could, but if you do it like that you'll daze yourself as much as me," Zoro pointed out. "Do it like this instead."

He bumped his brow lightly on her jaw.

"It won't hurt you as much, but it'll send the other guy reeling. That all you got?"

"Well... if I'm taking cheap shots..."

Lana blushed furiously, but forced herself to follow through. She bumped her knee against his groin, light as a feather and quick as a whip. She was there and gone before she had the chance to feel anything of interest and she wasn't sure whether she was more relieved or disappointed by that fact.

"That is a cheap shot," Zoro chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Could be effective though... if you can land the hit. Try it again. For real this time."

"Zoro, no! I don't wanna-"

"You won't hurt me. Go on, Lana, try it."

She scowled unhappily but brought her knee up again, forceful as well as fast this time. She gasped harshly as he intercepted with his own knee at lightning speed, pushing hers aside easily and effectively forcing her legs apart. His hips slammed into hers, crushing her body between his and the mast. The impact smooshed all the air out of her lungs along with a strained little groan.

"You see the problem with that strategy?" he asked, his face once again breathtakingly close to hers. She could only manage to nod, momentarily overwhelmed by her body's primal reaction to the intense, scorching pressure of his as it trapped her.

'He must be doing this on purpose!' she thought. 'There's no way he doesn't know what he's doing to me... is there? Is he just that focused? That combat-oriented?'

Zoro's dark eyes sparkled with mischief, but the fact that he was having a good time didn't tell her what she wanted to know.

Lana had no way of knowing, but Zoro was actually thinking something very similar.

'She's so flustered... is she just frustrated because she's outmatched?'

He forced himself to pull back from her. He thought he saw a flash of disappointment cross her features, but he couldn't be sure.

"So then... what should I do instead?" Lana managed, regaining some composure now that there was a little space between them.

"Well for starters, if anyone's ever stupid enough to get as close to you as I just did, rip their throat out with your teeth," Zoro grinned.

"Be serious!"

"I'm not joking!"

"Fine, I'm not bothered by the taste of blood," Lana retorted, returning his demonic smirk with savage gusto that made his dark heart skip a beat. "And if they don't get close enough for that?"

"You're pretty flexible, yeah?"

"Fairly."

"Think you can get your feet up to my chest?"

"Both, or just one?"

"Both is good, one would work fine."

"I think I see what you're getting at here. Want me to push?"

"As hard as you can."

"Force you back."

"Exactly."

Lana had another idea. She brought her leg up, didn't stop at his chest. She moved higher with a grunt, hooking her knee around the back of his neck swiftly. His eyes widened with surprise, the only reaction he had time for. Lana turned his own high center of gravity against him again, throwing hard to the side and driving them both down onto the deck. He recovered quickly and the ensuing scuffle ended with him straddled atop her, her wrists pinned high while they both panted.

"That's not what I told you to do!" he berated her.

"I took you down though, didn't I?" Lana chuckled, way to pleased with herself given the outcome.

"Sure, but now what're you gonna do?" he countered.

"Hm... uh... well, crap. I'll come up with something."

"Will you now?"

"Unless you've got another move for me."

"Another move for you to ignore?"

"You're so freaking catty," Lana complained with a roll of her eyes. "I'll use your move if I'm ever in a serious jam. I promise. So? How do I survive this one?"

"This one? That's tough. There's not a clever way out and you're not strong enough to force your way free."

"So I just need to keep getting stronger," Lana reasoned.

"Yep. And if someone gets you on the ground like this before you're strong enough to overwhelm them..."

Zoro stood and offered her a hand up. She accepted it with a pained groan, already feeling the consequences of their short-lived wrestling match. Zoro didn't release her hand right away.

"... just start yelling my name as loud as you can," he instructed her. He squeezed her hand, holding her gaze intently. "Got it?"

"You tease too much," Lana said dismissively.

"Not this time. Say you will, Lana. Just in case. 'Kay?"

She realized he was being earnest. He still had her hand.

"Yeah, alright," she assured him. "Just 'til I'm strong enough to handle it myself. Which won't be long now, right?"

Zoro only smiled in response, then stretched and yawned.

"I'm gonna fit a nap in," he said as he settled down. "I've got the late watch again tonight."

Lana left him to it. She caught Robin watching them over the top of her book, eyes sparkling with intrigue.

_____________________________________________

<== Previous Chapter

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== First Chapter ==

#fanfic #oc #one piece #roronoa zoro #sandbox adventures #pure garbage #nico robin

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thedivinefish · 11 months

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divinefishingtips · 11 months

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TGIWednesday: 7/11 checkout girl

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" - Lao Tzu

TGIWednesday News

Need a one-on-one session? You can get on my schedule most times within 72 hours - take a look and book! Appointments View Calendar First, Then Pay and Schedule 15 mins | 30 mins | 60 mins

TGIWednesday Video Download

Upcoming Zoom Event

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29TH 7:30PM ET/ 5:30 CT/ 4:30 PT (30 mins) Pre-register at Calendly for $22 (includes reminders and REPLAY) 👉https://calendly.com/jmh-calls/november-zoom2023

You will receive BOTH the video and audio replay links with purchase.

Pre-register now for $22

Monthly Featured Discounts

FREE Live Appearances

Watch and listen to hundreds of Radio Show replays for FREE here in the archives from the Jimmy Mack Healing Radio show.

https://thejimmymackhealingshow.com/

Come See Me In Tampa

Jimmy Mack will be offering sessions at Dr. Charla Tempone’s office at Swann Holistic Health Solutions on the last Friday of each month.

The next opporunity to see Jimmy in Tampa office is FRIDAY DECEMBER 1ST | 10-4pm

403 S. Habana Ave. Tampa, FL 33609

Just south of Azeele next to Skin Savvy

http://www.ctholisticsolutions.com

Fish Food

The Daily Bread To Feed The Fish

Tell the Fish - 365 Daily Inspirations and Affirmations - by Jimmy Mack Own this e-book so that you can read inspiration every day!

From the Fish Box

HIGH COTTON AUDIO TESTIMONIAL

Receive 24/7 Prayers from Jimmy

*Upon sending an email request after your purchase, you can receive a one-time sample/example of the software analysis. Most clients have had amazing results and outcomes!

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365dailyaffirmations · 11 months

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americancowgirl19 · 4 years

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Initials

Summary: Bucky and Steve finds their third soulmate in Wanda’s sister. Only problem is that she’s supposed to be dead, not Hydra’s new prized possession.

Warnings: fluff, angst, violence, slight gory details,

Reader: Female Enhanced Reader

Pairings: Stucky x Reader

Word Count: 2,845

A/n: This is a soulmate one shot where your soulmates initials are imprinted on the insides of your wrists.... Might do a part two, not sure yet...

Masterlist

“We’ve got a new threat,” Maria says, entering the conference room. She tosses a thin file onto the table. The Avengers sitting at the table look at the file before Steve reaches for it. The only contents within the folder is a blurry picture and a list of confirmed kills.

“This is all we know?” Steve questions, his eyes flickering up to Maria.

“That and this,” She says, motioning toward the screen. A moment later a grainy video plays. They observe the feminine figure completely take down a building of armed agents single handedly.

“Wait...” Wanda whispers, shifting to the edge of her seat. Maria replays the videos while others glance towards the her. “I know her,”

“Care to share with the class?” Tony questions. Wanda doesn’t respond right away, simply looks at the screen with misty eyes.

“Wanda, if you know who she is, we need to know,” Natasha explains lightly. Wanda blinks away the tears and clears her throat.

“She’s my sister,” She responds in a quiet voice.

“Excuse me, did you say sister?” Tony asks. “How many of you are there?” Everyone ignores him.

“Her names Y/n,” Wanda begins to explain. “She’s my older sister, she looked after Pietro and I when our parents were killed,”

“What happened to her?” Steve questions, while Bucky glances at his wrist wondering if his partner has the same feeling in his chest.

“She died,” Wanda says, glancing toward him. “Hydra approached the three of us about the experiments. They made all these promises and while my brother and I were quick to agree Y/n was more hesitant. Pietro and I wouldn’t listen to her concerns, we made it clear we were going to continue with Hydra with or without her,” Wanda admits regrettably. “We weren’t the only ones to be experimented on but Pietro and I were the only ones to survive,”

“And your sister?” Natasha questions.

“We were told she had died,” Wanda says. “Obviously they lied to us. They must have moved her to a different facility,”

“Do you have any idea of what she can do?” Steve asks.

“Before we were told she died she could heal quickly. When I say heal, I mean you could cut her arm off and a new one would grow back,” Wanda explains.

“Must be nice,” Bucky mutters. Steve continues to stare at Wanda but rests a hand on Buck’s thigh.

“It’s been years since then, I doubt that is all she can do now,” Wanda warns them. “I also know that she never wanted any of this. The only reason why she agreed was to try and keep the three of us together. Whatever she’s done, it’s not of her own free will,”

“We’ll find her and try to bring her in,” Steve says.

“We have experience with forced Hydra assets,” Bucky mentions. Wanda glances toward him. “We’ll help her,” He assures knowing Wanda’s worry about her sister getting hurt. She sends him a small smile.

Finding Y/n and bringing her in sounded much easier than it ended up being. Wanda had been right, advanced healing wasn’t the only ability she possessed.

“Hey, guys,” Natasha breathes, through the coms. It had taken a few month to figure out how to find Y/n and now the team is trying to fight her in the middle of the woods. Trying. “You sense something familiar in her abilities?”

Once Natasha had asked the question, everything clicked. Hydra had found a way to replicate any ability the Avenger’s had and give it to Y/n. She had Thor’s lightening, Clint’s wicked accuracy, Natasha’s skill in combat, Bucky and Steve’s strength, Wanda’s magic, and even Pietro’s speed. None of them knew if she had the ability to turn into a Hulk and honestly didn’t want to find out. They had enough to deal with without having to add the Hulk to the equation.

“How are we going to stop her?” Clint groans, slowly pushing himself back on his feet. “She’s going to tear us apart one by one if we don’t figure something out,” He comments looking around for a silver streak.

“Steve,” Bucky mutters, standing back to back with his partner. “Maybe we could get through to her,”

“We don’t know if we’re right,” Steve replies.

“We’re right,” Bucky states, confidently.

“Even if we are we can’t get close enough to touch her,” Steve mentions, his head snapping to the side as Tony falls out of the sky and to the ground. Luckily it wasn’t a far fall. By the time Steve and Bucky got to him, Y/n was nowhere in sight.

“I know this chick is Wanda’s sister but I really don’t like her,” Tony groans as F.R.I.D.A.Y. gives him a run down on everything that’s damaged with his suit.

“I got an idea,” Bucky says, sharing a look with Steve.

“Whatever it is, hurry up,” Natasha whines, after being throne violently into Clint. “She’s play with us right now, sooner or later she’s going to go in for the kill,”

“Wanda, what’s your location?” Bucky asks.

“Half a mile to your right,” Wanda responds. Bucky spots her.

“Can you stop her?” Bucky asks. “Hold her in place long enough for Steve and I to get to her?”

“It will not be easy,” Wanda warns.

“Can you do it?” Steve snips, a bit. Wanda looks conflicted but slowly nods. “Then do it,” He orders.

“We have to get her to Wanda,” Bucky says.

“We’ll start luring her to her,” Clint grumbles, nocking another arrow. Within a couple of minutes, Y/n speeds past Wanda before forced to stop. Wanda grinds her teeth as she holds Y/n in place.

“I can’t hold her for long,” Wanda warns frantically. Bucky and Steve both race towards her. When they’re close enough, each of them grabs a wrist. A tingling feels waves through both of their bodies as their souls recognize their mate.

The sensation of Bucky and Steve initiating the bond with her along with the extensive use of her abilities causes Y/n to pass out in Bucky’s arms. The super soldier easily scoops her into his arms and holds her close.

“Couldn’t have done that earlier?” Clint breathes, pressing his hand against his side.

“Let’s get back to the jet,” Steve orders.

“We just going to ignore the fact that she’s your mate?” Tony asks.

“Not now,” Bucky barks. Tony raises his hands and follows them onto the jet.

“Bruce will be waiting to check on her,” Natasha tells them. The two soldiers nod before taking a seat. Bucky refuses to let her go and places her feet on Steve’s lap.

“I thought she was dead,” Wanda whispers, staring at her sister. “Yet all this time she’s been through god knows what with Hydra,”

“Well, she’s here now,” Steve tries to comfort her. “She’s safe,” Bucky rests his head atop of her head. He buries the anger he feels towards Hydra at what they’ve done to her. “She’s safe,” Steve repeats, this time staring at his boyfriend. Bucky gives him a small smile.

When they landed Bruce took her to medical and checked on her. He took blood samples and scanned her body. The entire time Wanda, Steve and Bucky hovered.

Bruce tried to explain what was going on with her cells but they didn’t exactly understand what he was saying. All that mattered is that she’s safe and healthy.

It took an additional two days before she finally began to wake up. At this point only Steve and Bucky sat by her bed. Wanda had gone off to get them food.

Almost immediately Y/n began to panic not recognizing her surroundings. Steve and Bucky quickly calmed her down with a simple touch and soft words. While it helped calm her movement it was obvious she was still on high alert.

Now that she’s awake, Bruce was able to do more tests. However, the moment he entered Y/n reacted protectively of not only herself but of her mates. Her powers lashed out and successfully knocked the doctor out before Steve and Bucky were able to explain that Bruce just wanted to help and that he wasn’t going to hurt any of them.

When Bruce woke up, Y/n was still weary of him but didn’t attack again. She trusted her mates and only relaxed when the tests were done and he left.

“Where are we?” She whispers.

“New York,” Steve explains. “The Avenger’s tower,” She winces at the word ‘Avenger’.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Bucky asks, hesitantly. She doesn’t answer for a few minutes.

“They wanted a weapon to defeat the Avengers,” She explains. “Someone strong enough to kill all of you,”

“You could have easily completed that mission, why didn’t you?” Steve asks. Y/n glances at him. The conflict is clear in her eyes.

“I don’t like killing,” She whispers. “I try to stop myself but I can’t do it all the time,” Bucky instantly picks up on the fact that Hydra had instilled the same compliance protocol in her as they had him. “When they sent me to kill you all, I tried to hold back. Give you a chance to... stop me,” Bucky grips her head knowing that ‘stop’ isn’t the word she had wanted to use.

“You’re strong,” Bucky tells her. She glances to him. “Not everyone can fight the control Hydra has. I couldn’t,” She frowns her eyebrows. Bucky shares a look with Steve before explaining his story to her. Steve chimed in here or there as well as going off on his own tangents with his own background stories.

At some point while talking, the three of them moved to Bucky and Steve’s floor within the tower to be more comfortable. The both of them knew the rest of the Avengers are hesitant to have her around, not knowing if she’s in control of herself or not. They all know that if her mind were to switch again and she tries to kill them, they’d be very lucky if they could stop her.

For almost a month, Y/n stayed on their floor. Bucky and Steve stayed with her, only venturing out if they needed something like food or clothes for Y/n. Throughout the month they learned about each other. Bucky and Steve were very open with her while she was more reserved with the details of her life.

What she did decide to explain were watered down stories of what happened to her in Hydra. She didn’t want to tell them all the gory details.

She didn’t want to tell them that Hydra had tested how well her healing ability was by putting her through a meat grinder and watched her body slowly, and extremely painfully, put herself back together.

She didn’t tell them how they would electrocute her body for hours on end with no break in order to test how strong her abilities mimicking Thor were. Nor did she tell them about the grueling sparing matches that would have killed her should she have been a normal human.

Bucky had questioned her if they had tried to wipe her memories. She had to think for a moment before answering.

“They tried,” She remembers. “Multiple times but my mind would heal and bounce back too quick. It wouldn’t work. They had to find a way to get me to stop thinking about the past, to give up the little hope I clung too... They did it through the pain. They broke me to the point where all I would think about was how to live to the next day instead of reminiscing how I lived in the past,”

The anger Steve and Bucky felt whenever she explained anything about Hydra could not be measured. How they kept themselves from destroying the room is a mystery. Steve thought his anger towards Hydra was bad after everything that happened with the war and then with Bucky. But now it was amplifying as Y/n explains her story.

“I know I had a past... It’s just hard to think past the last few years,” She whispers.

“It’ll come to you,” Bucky promises, kissing the side of her head. She instinctively curls into his lap and he holds her to his chest. “The good memories will come, I promise,”

“What if I don’t have any?” She whispers, her eyes misting over.

“Then we’ll make some,” Steve tells her. He wraps both Bucky and Y/n in his arms. “We’ll make so many good memories you won’t think to remember the bad ones,” Y/n smiles, snuggling deeper in Bucky’s embrace.

It wasn’t until after several evaluations through Bruce, did Y/n leave the floor that had become her home. She started spending more time around the other’s but not without at least one of her mates right next to her.

There is one Avenger that seemed to be avoiding her.

“Do you mind if I come in?” Y/n asks, lightly knocking on Wanda’s door. At this point Y/n has been within the Avenger’s tower for about four months. She was slowly adjusting but it was happening.

“I shall give you two some privacy,” Vision states, standing from the bed he had been laying on with Wanda. Y/n gives him a polite smile and moves to give him room to walk out the door.

“You look better,” Wanda comments, sitting at the edge of the bed.

“I doubt I could have looked any worse than when you found me,” Y/n jokes. Wanda smiles a bit before patting the spot beside her. “You look so beautiful,” She whispers. “A little older than when I last saw you,” Wanda smiles, her head hanging a bit. “I’m sorry,” Wanda’s head snaps towards her.

“Sorry?”

“I couldn’t keep us together,” Y/n whispers, tears brimming her eyes. “I left you in that facility... I left you and Pietro,” Y/n’s voice chokes at his name. “I left you to deal with his death alone,”

“No, no, you didn’t have a choice,” Wanda reaches to pull her into a hug and Y/n clings to her. Both of them being to cry in each other’s arms. “It’s my fault... If we weren’t so damn stubborn non of this would have happened,” Wanda laughs pitifully. Y/n hugs her sister even tighter. “We thought you were dead... If we had known-”

“I know,” She whispers, puling from the hug. They both wipe their tears.

“He missed you so much,” Wanda whispers. “We both did,”

“Well, I’m here now... And I have you to thank for that,” Wanda smiles, shrugging slightly.

“What are sister’s for?” They smile at each other and quickly go in for another hug, this time neither of them pulling away for some time.

While mending her relationship with her sister was a large step in the right direction, Y/n still had a long journey a head of her. It wasn’t until 7 months in the Avenger’s facility did she realize that she’s not the only one trying to heal from her past.

In the beginning, when Y/n was cleared to leave medical, she had been offered her own space. Her fear of being left along meant that her own room was being used as a large closet while she spent her nights safely tucked between two large super soldiers.

Usually, her whimpers and moving around is what wakes the other two up. However, tonight it’s not her nightmares that are causing problems.

“Bucky?” Y/n groans, slowly waking from her sleep. A moment later Bucky’s body is shooting up and his chest is heaving violently. “Bucky, baby?” Y/n sits up, shoving Steve’s arm off of her. “Honey, look at me,” She whispers, gently caressing his chin. His body tenses as he involuntarily flinches from her. “It’s ok... It’s alright,” She whispers, not forcing him to look at her but encouraging him.

“Hi,” He whispers, sweat dripping down his forehead. She sends him a calm, comforting smile as she wipes the drops away.

“Hey,” She whispers back. “It’s ok... They’re just nightmares... I won’t let them hurt you,” She promises. Bucky stares at her before pushing their foreheads together.

“I’m sorry for waking you,” He mutters.

“Don’t,” She shakes her head, bumping their noses together. “I’ve woken you both up countless times, it’s nice to help you for a change,” Bucky smiles, slithering an arm around her waist. He hauls her on top of him as he lays back down. She props her head up and gently rubs his chest. “Do you want to talk?”

“No... Just wanna look at ya, doll,” He whispers, his hands gently gliding up and down her sides. She smiles, her head nuzzling into his neck as his hands slip under her shirt to caress her skin. It’s only a couple of minutes before Steve is rolling closer in his sleep, his need to be as close as possible to them shinning through even while in dreamland.

“We’re going to be ok, Buck,” She whispers to him. His arms tighten around her.

“That’s right, baby doll,” Bucky mutters, kissing her head. “We’re going to be just fine,”

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writingwife-83 · 3 years

Note

Hello!! I saw your post regarding sending dialogue prompts if we come up with it, so here's one :)

"I love you but we can't keep going like this."

Can you please write a Sherlolly fic for this one? I absolutely love your writing and look forward to your Sherlolly fics all the time! Cheers ;)

Hi, anon! I hope this one isn’t too much of a stretch, but this is just what came to my mind when I thought about the prompt. I tried to squeeze it all into a one shot and it started to come out weird, so I abandoned that plan. Hopefully I’ll be posting part 2 soon! Anyway, hope you and everyone else enjoy this bit of Regency AU angst and romance! 🎀

We Can’t Keep Going Like This

“Shall we dance the next set as well?” Sherlock asked as they exited the dance floor, Molly on his arm.

She shook her head, giving him a tight smile. “Thank you, no. In fact, I would much prefer some fresh air.”

Molly had been especially quiet all night, and she seemed flushed and jittery. Something was on her mind and it was only a matter of time until it came out. He could only assume their impending wedding was weighing heavily on her.

They stepped out into the late summer air which was just beginning to feel a touch cool. It was clearly a welcomed change from the stuffy confined of the ballroom as Molly shut her eyes and breathed in deep.

“Dreadfully crowded,” Sherlock commented, leaning against one of the columns of the vine shrouded veranda. “The Watson’s always seem to insist on inviting absolutely every family in the entire countryside. I hardly see the appeal. The noise and heat put quite a damper on the pleasant time that might be had enjoying music and dancing. I myself would never choose to-“

“Mr. Holmes, I shall be going away soon.”

Sherlock halted, his gaze shifting to her as he tilted his head in confusion. “Going away where?”

Molly fiddled with her hands, pacing a bit in the moonlight. “I have a great aunt in Scotland. I’ve written to her and asked if I might come and stay for a while, and just today I received her reply that she’d be happy to have me. I plan to depart in another day or two if I’m able.”

“But with merely a fortnight before our wedding?” Sherlock questioned with a little laugh. “You would scarce arrive and unpack before you’d have to return. It hardly seems worth the effort.”

“That’s just it, Mr. Holmes,” she replied quietly. “There will not be a wedding.”

He stared at her in silence for a moment, absorbing her words as best he could.

“But it has all been…arranged,” he argued, the words sounding weak, even to him.

“And it never should have been arranged in the first place.” Molly’s voice became firmer and she stopped pacing, turning to him and regarding him seriously. “I love you, but we can’t keep going like this.”

I love you.

She hadn’t said those words since…well, since that fateful day a couple of months before.

“I know there was hardly anything else for your family to do after what happened with your sister,” Molly went on.

Yes, she did rather force everybody’s hand, Sherlock thought. A crowded London ball was an inconvenient time for Eurus to go completely mad, especially since the incident included threatening Molly Hooper’s life and insisting that she and Sherlock confess their love for each other as the only way to keep her safe. It was a chaotic and heart stopping moment that he, and likely everyone else in attendance, wouldn’t soon forget. Once things were handled with his sister and the dust had settled, it went without saying that some days later an engagement simply had to be announced.

“But regardless, I cannot allow this marriage to take place.” Molly shook her head, resuming her pacing. “It is happening for all the wrong reasons but I know that neither you nor your family would ever put a stop to it, which is of course a credit to you all! So I find that I am the only one who can do what must be done. I can make a home in Scotland with my aunt, where nobody knows me. A broken engagement will be left far behind, and I can do my best to start fresh…just as you will be free to do.”

Words failed Sherlock. Not only had this completely taken him by surprise, but it also felt so very wrong.

“Forgive me, but that is quite an upheaval to pick up and move your life so far away. You needn’t make such a decision so hastily,” he finally voiced.

Molly’s lip quivered when she spoke again. “Mr Holmes, I have wrestled with myself and considered all possible options since the very moment our engagement was announced! There is nothing hasty about this decision. Surely you can see this is the most logical option.”

It was at that moment that Sherlock realized he hadn’t considered any other options. Since they’d become engaged, he’d simply accepted the fact and carried on.

“For whom is this the logical option?” Sherlock found himself questioning, stepping closer and eyeing her curiously. “Forgive me, but only a moment ago you stated that you love me, and this time it was under no duress. And yet you plan to uproot your life and flee from our impending marriage. Why?”

Molly tilted her chin in the air, squaring her shoulders as she spoke coolly. “I take no pleasure in a union that is rooted in little more than obligation and pity.”

Sherlock’s brow furrowed. “Obligation and pity? But you are my friend, Miss Hooper. We are friends, are we not?”

“I did like to think so, yes.” She smiled softly, then hesitated, blushing a little. “But, Mr. Holmes, before all of this, tell me truthfully…had you ever thought to propose?”

Air caught in his throat and he had to swallow thickly, knowing full well that a lack of response would be just as clear to her as any spoken word.

Molly’s lips twisted and she looked down for a moment before meeting his eyes again. “I shall leave a note,” she explained, a little hitch in her voice. “I will explain that I am sorry for any hurt I may cause but that I simply have no wish to marry. That will surely free you from any guilt in the matter.”

She moved to leave but Sherlock caught her wrist, causing her to whirl back and face him, eyes wide in surprise.

“And that is to be the end of it?” Sherlock asked, his voice half desperation and half confusion as his thumb moved unconsciously over the silk of her glove. “You’d truly leave England?”

“Can you not see this is for the best?” Molly whispered, a sheen reflecting in her eyes. “I beg you not to make this any harder than it already is.”

And with that, her hand slipped from his and she hurried back inside the ballroom. Sherlock watched her as she made her way through the crowds, his feet frozen in place even as he felt the urge to rush after her.

He stayed outside, replaying the words they’d just exchanged over and over, and he realized that he was about to lose Molly Hooper. The reality of it was a revelation that rivaled even his public declaration of love.

A declaration which, now more than ever, he was very sure he meant.

#sherlolly #regency au #regency sherlolly #dialogue prompts #glad to be writing something again lol

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osamiiya · 4 years

Text

Pairing: Tsukishima Kei x Reader

Requested by: anon

Summary: Tsukishima didn't notice until it was too late and you moved on.

Warnings: Angst

A/n: What is with y'all and requesting Tsukki angst?

You never think you're going to fall in love. It just hits you randomly and suddenly you're reaching for hope that they like you back.

It's been years since you fell in love with Tsukishima Kei. Walking home with him and cracking jokes, supporting him at volleyball games and scolding him when he gets hurt.

And you thought it was mutual. It had to be mutual. Your friend wouldn't intimidate other guys so that they wouldn't ask you out or approach you. Your friend wouldn't hang his arm over your shoulders as you walk home, glancing at you through the corner of his eye, pulling you closer when a bicyclist passes on your side.

Your friend wouldn't-

"Do you think that that girl from class 4 is cute?"

Your mind blanks, the pencil scribbling down math answers halting to an abrupt stop.

When you glance up, Tsukishima's blushing and Yamaguchi is snickering into his hand.

"Why? Develop a crush?" Your voice dosent sound like your own, the tone teasing and the proper response to that type of question.

"Well, I mean. She confessed and told Tsukki to give her his answer tomorrow." Yamaguchi's tone is light, but you can see the quick glance to your face as Tsukishima groans and tells him to shut up.

"Are you going to say yes?" Your heart beats so loudly you're scared they can hear it, the three of you huddled around your living room table, homework and notes sprawled around the area.

"Well, I mean, she's cute." His cheeks flush red and you smile, albeit tensely.

"I say you should go for it." Yamaguchi's eyes widen as he looks over at you, nervous chuckle bubbling out of his throat as he agrees.

The conversation ends there, Tsukishima deciding to change the topic by suddenly exclaiming that Yamaguchi did one of the problem sets wrong.

And time feels like its sped up, your mind wandering off to everything but the math, ranging from fantasies where you confessed right then and there, to how pretty Tsukishima looked, even under the lamplight.

Before you know it, they're leaving, Yamaguchi sending a crooked smile as Tsukishima just waves slightly, the two of them heading home.

It finally feels like you can breathe once you close the door, a wave of exhaustion rolling over you.

And it's not even like you purposefully ignored his texts later when he got home, it's just... overwhelming. The feeling of guilt that you cant be happy for him mixing with the feeling of regret that you didn't confess sooner.

Because, how could you confess now?

The next thing you know, she's everywhere. Hanging off of Tsukishima's shoulder, smiling up at him as he smiles back fondly. Hanging off of Tsukishima's shoulder as the, now four, of you walk to your house to do homework. And again, hanging off of his shoulder as you walk into school, the petite girl sending you a glare, a warning to not get too close.

Really, it's not like you purposefully pulled away. It's just your schedules didnt match up... your parent said that they couldn't come over... you were busy... you.

It's lonely when you're by yourself.

Watching as the three of them laugh as they leave school to head to the convenience store.

It's like you've been replaced. The dynamic stayed the same, just, Tsukishima could kiss her.

And it's embarrassing when you realize that Hinata and Kageyama start to hang out with you because they see you walking past the gym alone, no longer going in to support them during their practice.

"I don't think I like her." Hinata's sucking on a popsicle stick while hanging off the front of his bicycle, Kageyama rolling his eyes at the smaller boy.

"You just don't like her because she dosent bring you snacks during practice."

Hinata just sticks his tongue out at Kageyama before turning to you again.

"We have a practice match with Nekoma next week, you should come see us play."

After spending time with Hinata, you realize it's really hard to say no to him, and even when you explain what happened and why you can't go, he's still insisting.

"Kageyama and I will protect you." You laugh as Hinata flexes his biceps, hitting Kageyama on the arm so that the dark haired boy follows and does the same.

And before you know it, you're sitting in the Nekoma High School bleachers, elbows on your knees and hands supporting your head.

You snort as you realize that Hinata really was like a basketball, bouncing from one side of the court to the other. Tsukishima's words replaying in your mid, leaving a bad taste in your mouth.

"You know, most people don't scowl when they watch volleyball."

You blink twice before realizing that they took a water break, Nekomas captain coming to sit next to you, a smirk on his face as he takes a sip of water.

"Kuroo Tetsuro." He's handsome, in a way that Tsukishima isn't, and it's refreshing how he gives you all his attention and expresses his interest in you.

"y/n."

Kuroo smiles down at you, brown eyes sparkling with mischief.

He wipes his forehead with his shirt and turns to you dramatically.

"You're from Karasuno aren't you." And when you nod, he continues, very dramatically.

"I'm fraternizing with the enemy, luckily they're cute."

When you laugh he turns pink, thinking his joke fell flat.

"That was so bad." He groans and tucks his face in his hands, laughing in embarrassment.

You talk with him for the rest of the break and all the breaks going forward, laughing at his jokes and even flirting to match his energy.

He captures all your attention, and you don't even notice the two boys staring at you from across the gym.

"He's close." Tsukishima's has sets, and he dosent even know why. You were free to talk to whoever you want. It's not like you belonged to him, he had someone else anyways.

"Just leave them be, it's not like they're doing anything bad."

Yamaguchi had kept in contact, he texted you from time to time and knew you needed this to finally get over Tsukishima.

"Yeah but he's so close." Yamaguchi's head whips to Tsukishima, eyes widening in disbelief.

"You're jealous."

Tsukishima scoffs and shakes his head.

"Did you get hit in the head during the practice game? I have a girlfriend." Even when saying that, he can't help that his eyes wander to where you sat with Kuroo, phone held out so that Kuroo could put his number in it, laughing as Kuroo makes a comment.

Tsukishima dosent get a chance to talk to you for the rest of the day, you leave before they do, taking the bus home instead of going with them.

But it's fun to text Kuroo, see him react to what you say and state that he's actually interested in you.

And maybe you like him, and why not give it a try?

The next day at school, all you hear is whispers as you pass, something about Tsukishima and his girlfriend breaking up. Not that it mattered to you.

Until he sat next to you at lunch, Hinata nudging Kageyama so that they could give you and Tsukishima a chance to talk.

"Hi-"

"I like you."

Your mouth hangs open at the declaration as Tsukishima's ears turn pinker by the second.

When you don't say anything, he clears his throat and trys again;

"Go out with me... please?"

Your mouth does dry, and suddenly it feels like you can't sit still.

Tsukishima's heart drops when you avert your eyes.

This wasn't supposed to happen. No, Yamaguchi said you liked him. He was supposed to confess and then you'd date. This is what you wanted, this is what he wanted.

"I'm sorry I-"

Tsukishima dosent want to hear Kuroo's name come out of your mouth, he can't hear Kuroo's name come out of your mouth.

"You've moved on?" Your heart clenches as you hear his voice break, shoulders dropping and jaw tensing.

"Yeah." You feel guilty for some reason, and Tsukishima sighs deeply.

"Sorry for not noticing sooner." At your confused look he just takes a deep breath and continues.

"I didn't notice how I felt until you moved on."

There's no room for you to day anything else as he gets up, swallowing hard and walking away.

And almost as if it was planned, Kuroo's name flashes across your screen, complete with the heart that used to be by Tsukishima's name.

---

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#tsukki x reader #haikyuu tsukishima #tsukishima x reader #tsukishima kei #tsukishima kei angst #tsukishima kei x reader #tsukishima scenarios #tsukishima imagine #haikyuu angst

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worldserasingandcreatinginmymind · 4 years

Text

Unfaithful | Part Five

Series Summary: After dreaming of your perfect wedding since you were a little girl the big day is almost here. But after meeting the priest you start to question your relationship.

Pairing: Hot Priest x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2005

Warnings: angst, lots of angst, drunk priest, bad friend

A/N: Please be warned there will be some themes of toxic/abusive relationship in this series. Also, spelling and grammar is not my strongest skill so please be kind :)

Part Four | Masterlist

- - - - -

I can’t sleep.

Half excited for my hen party, and half nervous for the talk I know I need to have with the priest.

I spend hours lying awake imagining how the conversation will go, all the possible outcomes. I must of drifted off some time in the early hours because I'm awakened at 9am by a text from Daniel:

‘You looked so peaceful when I left for work I didn’t want to disturb you. But I just realised that since I’m going straight out with the boys for my stag do later, the next time we see each other I’ll be in my suit and you’ll be in your dress walking down the aisle to me. I can’t wait. Enjoy the fundraiser and have and wonderful hen party tonight. I love you Mrs Davison xxx’

The text makes me smile, until I read the last sentence. ‘Mrs Davison’ send a panic rushing through me. This suddenly all feels very real. I’m getting married tomorrow. I take a deep breath. It’s fine. I'm fine. This is just pre-wedding nerves. Completely normal.

I take another deep breath and get out of bed.

— — — —

“Ah Y/N! You’re here” Pam greets me at the church doors and swiftly ushers me around the side of the building towards the church garden where the fundraiser has already started “We’ve got an emergency”

“What do you mean?” I reply as she leads me through crowds of people till we reach a table lined with various numbered prizes.

“Ruth was supposed to be running the raffle but she’s just called to say she can’t make it, ate something bad she thinks and now she can’t stop throwing up.”

I grimace slightly at the story but mostly I’m just wondering what any of this has to do with me…

“So if you wouldn’t mind taking over and running it for us that would be wonderful. Tickets are a pound each. Thank you!”

Before I can say anything she’s gone, rushing off to check the youth band are ready for their performance. I stand bewildered for a moment, looking around at the crowds until I spot the priest who is currently admiring cupcakes at the bakery stand and laughing about something. Suddenly he turns and locks eyes with me. His face drops, he stares at me like a deer in headlights. I give him a small smile, which he doesn’t return. My heart hurts.

“Excuse me, how much is a ticket?” Someone asks, forcing me to turn my attention away

“One pound”

“Can I get five please”

By the time I complete the transaction and look back to the bakery stand the priest is gone. I scan the crowd again, but there’s no sign of him.

An hour later I still don't know where he is. What I do know is I really need the loo. I ask the person on the stall next to me to watch the table while I head inside in search of the toilets, but when I enter the building I bump into someone.

It’s him.

“What are you doing here?” He asks

“Just trying to find the ladies room”

“I mean here, at this stupid event”

“Pam didn’t really give me a choice” I explain and he just looks irritated “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise I wasn’t welcome”

“I just wasn’t expecting to see you here today”

“Well here I am” I say dryly and there’s an awkward silence. I take a deep breath before I speak again “I actually wanted to talk to you… about what happened-”

“Nothing happened. We agreed”

“But it did happen, Father, we need to talk about it”

“Oh, fuck you calling me Father like it doesn’t turn you on just to say it”

My mouth drops open, dumbfounded by his comment. I shake my head slightly as I try and think of something to say.

“I know what you’ve been doing” he continues

“Please, enlighten me because I have no idea what you're talking about!”

“Playing the sweet, innocent girl. Making me like you, fall for you. Making me think that you needed saving from the douchebag boyfriend… Was any of it real? Was anything you said actually true?”

“I never lied to you” I almost whisper as he gets really close to my face, moving my hair off my cheek to study what’s left of the burn scars.

“Did he ever really hurt you? Or did you just make that up so I’d feel sorry for you”

“Fuck you!” I say through gritted teeth as I start to walk away, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. I stop and look back at him “You’re the one who told me you loved me, remember? That was you! If you regret it, that’s fine. There’s no need to be such a dick about it”

I turn and leave again, his final words repeating through my head as I walk away.

As I walk home I can’t stop the tears from coming as I replay the conversation in my head over and over again. Why is he being like this? How can he be so loving to me one day and so nasty a few days later? What changed?

I get home and go straight to bed. I wrap myself up in the duvet and try to push everything out of my mind so I can get in a quick nap before I have to get ready for my hen party. The last thing I feel like doing right now is going out celebrating, but I know there’s no way I could cancel.

Thank God there’s going to be alcohol there.

— — — —

“Bride’s turn! Truth or Dare?”

“Truth” I say happily, finishing off my third glass of wine.

“Okay… if you could have a free pass and choose any celebrity, who would you sleep with?”

The girls start whooping and laughing, but before I can even answer Tiffany cuts in.

“She won’t answer that, she’s far too vanilla”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, slightly offended by her tone.

“Don't start Tiff” Eva rolls her eyes

“I’m not starting anything, I’m just telling the truth. She’s only ever had one boyfriend and she’s marrying him tomorrow. She lost her virginity to him and I bet you anything that they schedule the days in the week when they’ll go to bed and have boring missionary sex. Vanilla! She’s never even kissed another guy…”

Maybe it’s the alcohol in my system or the way she’s talking about me like I’m not here, but I can feel myself getting more and more irritated.

“Actually I have!” I speak up and she laughs.

“A kiss from your dad doesn’t count”

The room falls silent as everyone stops to watch my reaction. I can see from Tiffany’s face she instantly regrets her words. She knows how much I miss my dad, but it’s too late to take it back now.

“Well done Tiff” I hear Eva say as I walk away from the group. I head outside and take a deep breath of the fresh air. Looking up at the stars I find myself thinking of my parents and wishing they were here.

“I’m sorry” Tiffany’s voice makes me jump, I hadn’t realised she’d followed me outside and was now leaning against the wall next to me “that was a low blow, I shouldn’t have said that”

“It doesn’t matter” I mutter quietly

“It does! I should have thought about what I was saying… I just forgot”

“I forget too. So often I pick up my phone to call him and realise he won’t be on the other end. I would give anything for them to be here right now”

“I know, come here” she pulls me in for a hug, squeezing me tightly before leaning away to look me in the face “I’m sorry I called you vanilla”

“Maybe I am. You were right, I’ve only ever been with Daniel. Until this week he was the only man I’d ever kissed!”

“This week?” She pulls away completely and my heart drops as I realise what I’ve just said “You kissed someone? Who?”

“No I- I didn’t mean to say that”

“Its okay, you can tell me. We have been friends forever haven’t we?”

“I guess… but you can’t tell the others!”

“I won’t”

“Promise me Tiff!”

“I promise!”

I take a breath.

“I kissed the priest”

“What priest?” She replies blankly.

“THE Priest! The one who’s doing the wedding tomorrow!”

She stares at me blankly for a moment as she processes what I’ve just told her. I can almost see the cogs turning in her brain and suddenly the penny drops.

“OH MY GOD!”

“I know”

“Y/N!”

“I know!”

“Does Daniel know?”

“Of course not”

“You have to tell him!”

“Are you insane?! He’d go mad!”

“He deserves to know that his so called fiancé has been cheating on him”

“I haven’t been cheating on him, it was just one stupid drunken kiss”

“If it was ‘just a kiss’ why haven’t you told him?”

“Because-” I think about telling her the truth. That if I told him he’d get angry and most likely hurt me. But I don’t. “I just can’t”

“If you don’t, I will”

“No, Tiff please you can’t”

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t go there now and tell him” she says and stares at me as I silently stare back at her. When she begins to walk away I panic.

“Because he hurts me!” I finally admit, and she looks back at me confused “That’s why I’ve been too scared to tell him”

“No” she shakes her head “No he wouldn’t, he swore he’d never be like his dad”

“And he’s not. He’s not as bad as his father was, he just gets angry and sometimes he takes it out on me.” I explain but she’s still shaking her head in disbelief “a few days ago I had to go to the hospital because he burnt me” I pull the collar of my dress down to expose the burn scars on my neck “this is what’s left of him throwing boiling hot coffee in my face”

She looks from my neck to my face, sadness in her eyes as she processes everything. After a few moments she finally speaks.

“I won’t tell him”

“Thank you!” I breathe a sigh of relief

“But I also won’t be at the wedding tomorrow”

“Tiff, you're my maid of honour! My best friend! I need you”

“I can’t pretend to be happy for you, pretend that I agree with this marriage. I’m sorry”

“Tiff! Tiffany!” I call after her but she continues to walk away, hailing a passing taxi and disappearing into the night.

“Y/N? What happened? Where’s Tiff?” Eva asks, poking her head out the door and looking around.

“She’s gone” I say simply, turning to look at her “Guess I need a new maid of honour”

— — — —

The following morning goes by in a blur. The girls, minus Tiffany, stayed at my house over night while Daniel stayed at his mate’s house. I was awakened by the sounds of the girls running upstairs, screaming excitedly that “today is the day” as they jumped into my bed.

Once they’d calmed down we had all gone downstairs for a light breakfast before the girls began getting ready. Maybe it’s the constant sound of laughing and chatting, or maybe its the slight hangover from the night before but I suddenly feel the need to get out. I excuse myself and head outside to get some air, taking a seat on the front step of my house. I take a few deep breaths and allow my head to drop into my hands, my elbows propped up on my knees. A few seconds later I hear footsteps up the driveway and look up to see the priest.

“Hi” I say, unable to hide the confusion in my voice.

“can we talk?”

Final Chapter

#fleabag #fleabag fanfic #fleabag imagine #fleabag fic #Andrew scott #Andrew Scott priest #Andrew Scott x reader #hot priest #fleabag hot priest #hot priest x reader #fleabag x reader #Moriarty #hot priest fic #hot priest fanfic #hot priest imagine

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arvandus · 3 years

Note

Hello! Happy 750!!! So I have this OC with a singing quirk. She’s basically like Giselle from enchanted where she can control the people and animals and occasionally plants and wind with just her voice. However she processes everything around her as music so it’s constantly playing in her head and gives her severe insomnia. She’s also a member of the LOV so I was wondering what her interactions with each of the members would be like but mostly Dabi. Would they find her annoying or fun? Up to you

Thank you! It took me a little bit to dwell on this one, because the idea is so interesting! But I finally got hit by the Inspiration Imagination, and here we are! I hope you like it; I've adjusted it to x Reader per your request, and I hope you don't mind I took just a little bit of creative license for the Reader's perspective and how to describe her quirk. I also kept it very Dabi-focused in the interest of time.

Dabi x F!Reader w/ a singing quirk (SFW)

💙 It would be a rocky start at first. Dabi would have difficulty trusting you, simply because your quirk is so powerful. Anything that could potentially take away his free will would make him mistrustful and want to avoid said threat like the plague - or remove it entirely.

💙 But Shigaraki says you’re off limits, so he settles to keep you at arms length while at the same time keeping a close watch on you. One wrong slip, and he’ll handle you himself (or so he tells himself).

💙 He also mistrusts you because… well… as a fellow insomniac, he knows that you’re up at all hours of the night. He’s not sure why, of course… he never knocks on your door to ask. But he hears you shuffling around in your space, pacing in your room. What could possibly keep you up so late every single night? What’s got you looking so exhausted every day as if you never sleep? He’s convinced that you’re a spy, somehow sending messages to their enemies when everyone is asleep. Except he never hears you leave your room. Never hears you talking to anyone. So there must be something he’s missing.

💙 You’re an enigma to him, and it drives him crazy. Dabi doesn’t like unknowns.

💙 On your end, Dabi drives you nuts. He’s an asshole, every word that falls from his mouth laced in backhanded compliments and passive-aggressive accusations. You’d come close to using your quirk on him on many occasions, just to make him shut up or leave the room. Fortunately for Dabi, you have a personal code of honor that you abide by, and controlling people through your singing is only reserved for your enemies.

💙 He’s not your enemy… not yet at least.

💙 You know why he doesn’t trust you, and you don’t blame him… and he's certainly not the first person to be suspicious of you. But does he really gotta be such a dick about it? You try to be upfront with him, to explain that you live by a code and he’s safe from your quirk, but it makes little difference. Dabi doesn’t trust easily, and promises mean very little to him.

💙 His trust is finally gained when you use your quirk to save him and the other league members from certain death. There’s nothing quite like the sensation of hearing the beautiful notes of your voice while in freefall and then feeling himself being caught on a strong wind current, only to be set safely on the ground seventy meters below.

💙 After that happens, he begins to take an even greater interest in you, but this time with more curiosity and less mistrust.

💙 He starts poking and prodding, some questions being asked directly, while others are only implied. After all, he loves his little mind games, and even more so, he loves getting under your skin, especially since you refuse to use your quirk on him. It’s basically given him a ‘get out of jail free’ card for being a brat.

💙 He really, really wants you to prank the others using your quirk. And your little miss “I’m a good girl with a special code of ethics” makes the game that much sweeter. After all, you’re just as much a villain as the rest of them. If Toga can go around swinging her knives from her fingertips, then why couldn’t you sing a little song now and then?

💙 But Dabi quickly learns that you’re just as stubborn as he is, if not more so.

💙 Even so, it’s frustrating for you because if it were anyone else you wouldn’t have put up with this level of bullshit. The persuasion, the flirting, the school-yard level dares… the man has no shame and tries every tactic in the book to try to get what he wants from you. What makes it even worse is that a secret part of you enjoys his mischief. His ideas are tempting sometimes. Especially when the other league members annoy you.

💙 On top of all that, he is strangely alluring, even with his scars. And more importantly, the ‘song’ his body gives off is, well, a pleasant one to say the least.

💙 Every person has a ‘musical aura’ more or less, a small symphony of heartbeats, breaths, and something more… ephemeral. It comes through in the way they move through the environment, in the way the air particles are displaced around them and vibrate with their energy.

💙 And for some reason Dabi’s song is practically intoxicating, just like his sharp blue eyes that always seem to pin you down, heavy lids held up by a cocky smirk.

💙 The two of you reach an impasse in your battle of wills, an unspoken stand-off that never wanes. And it’s upon this competitive dance that the two of you begin to build some strange sense of camaraderie.

💙 He’ll eventually give up on his desire for pranking his comrades when he sees you use your quirk on heroes. But not just any hero, of course…

💙 Imagine Dabi’s glee when you use your song quirk to make Endeavor literally dance as the large man’s face flushes red with rage. It was intended to keep him busy while the League made their escape. But it makes it all over the news of course, and becomes viral online for months. The laughter that the two of you share when you get back to the hideout lasts for hours as you watch the news replay the scene over and over it. It really never gets old.

💙 Oh man, does he like you even more now. You’re his new favorite person. And he finally stops harassing you about using your quirk on the League members, instead finding much greater enjoyment in targeting different heroes together.

💙 There will come a time that he’ll catch you on one of your many insomnia-induced nights. It’s a hard one, sleep being kept at bay by the musical cacophony surrounding you, despite your obvious exhaustion. Your strength finally shatters, and you break down into tears in your room in frustration.

💙 Guess who ends up knocking on your door?

💙 Of course Dabi heard you. For months he’s been listening to the pacing of your feet or your frustrated sighs through the thin, old walls. It’s almost become a lullaby to him by this point, a way for him to know that you’re safe and sound… more or less.

💙 “What’s wrong, doll?” he’ll ask, as he stares down at your tear-streaked face. “I can hear ya through the walls, so don’t gimme any of your bullshit excuses.” Anyone else would hear the mockery in his voice, but for you with your quirk, you can hear the song of caring weaved through them, a hidden secret that you’re sure even he doesn’t realize is there.

💙 He won’t wait for an answer as he enters your personal space and makes himself comfortable.

💙 His sudden presence and that comforting familiar song it brings with it soothes more than you’d like to admit.

💙 But you do admit it. You admit to everything. The fatigue you feel, the way your quirk makes you suffer, and how for some reason, the song of him puts you at ease, drowning out the other noise. It’s like your inner radio is tuned just for him. Normally you wouldn’t admit to any of this of course, but you’re well past the point of exhaustion now, and your brain isn’t running as smoothly as it normally would. So what did it matter if you told him everything? You really didn’t have the strength to care anymore.

💙 “Your quirk is fuckin’ weird.” he admits. Then a grin will spread across his face. “You like my ‘song,’ huh? C’mere.”

💙 He’ll have you lay down with him on your bed and hold you close to him, your head on his chest as he rests his chin in your hair. “Does it help?” he’ll ask.

💙 Shockingly, it does. His music surrounds you, and you close your eyes as you let it cover you like a warm blanket. Everything else seems to fall to the wayside, your tired brain only able to focus on one melody - his. Before you can even nod in response, you’re fast asleep.

💙 It’ll become a habit for you two now… On particularly hard nights, he’ll keep you company and hold you. And maybe… maybe he’ll start letting you keep him company when he has hard nights too.

#Arv's 750 Followers Event #Dabi x reader #dabi x reader hcs #dabi x reader headcanons #dabi hcs #dabi headers #dabi sfw #dabi humor #dabi fluff #soft dabi

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whitexwingedxdoves · 3 years

Text

the other side | part 1 [request]

Pairing: Negan x Reader Pronouns: She/Her Warnings: Language, Death, Unrequited Love Summary: After being saved, you devoted your time to becoming the best saviour you could be until Eugene lets you in on a secret. A/N: Requested by @jinxeee im excited about the next couple of parts. ITS A FUN ONE I PROMISE. - I hope you like it <3 Click to read the next chapter

Covered in a thick paste made up of blood and mud you laid against a stone, staring up into the clouds. Surrounding you were piles of the fallen dead, some newly executed, some days old. You couldn’t remember how many days you had been there, fighting for your life but it had been long enough for the hunger to start eating away at you and the thirst to turn your throat into sand.

“Holy shit!” a voice echoed through the empty field and left you feeling even more vulnerable, which you had once thought was impossible. Using every bit of energy you had, you pushed yourself into a sitting position looking for the source. Your eyes met with a rather tall man, wearing a leather jacket and what seemed to be a bat hung from his shoulder. Behind the man were two others, though they didn’t quite hold the same confidence that the man in front did. You watched as he approached you, kicking a few of the dead out of his way, he levelled with you now crouching in front of you using the bat as some sort of crutch. “You’re one badass bitch” a smirk creased his features as he stared at you, you were too dazed to fight anymore you accepted your fate with these men as you laid back down on the rock to find peace in the clouds allowing your eyes to flutter shut.

Once your eyes opened again you started to panic, not feeling the liberating breeze that you allowed yourself to fall asleep too. You felt much more rested, fitter to fight again. Your eyes darted around the room you now laid in, taking in the medical equipment and the grey concrete walls, you had never seen this place before and though it felt like a miracle that somewhere like this existed in this world you still remained sceptical. You pulled the needles from your hand that connected to a drip bag and pushed yourself out of the bed, taking light quiet steps as you came closer to the door. You grabbed one of the tools from the medical bench, a scalpel, just in case and turned the knob on the door slowly, peering out of the crack you made. It seemed safe enough to leave having not seen or heard anyone in the corridor.

You stood against the wall in the hallway, the tip of your toes holding you weight. “Hey!” your head snapped behind you as you saw a man run towards you, you held the scalpel close to you, your grip tightening the closer he got. Once he was close enough you jammed the tool into his forearm, sending your knee into his delicates. Your plan was to run but before you could even turn you felt arms wrap around you, holding you in place. Thrashing as much as you could to be released from their grip only caused them to hold you tighter.

“Well fuck!” you recognised the voice that ran through the hallway, it was the voice of the man back at the field. You stopped trying to free yourself when your eyes met with his. “I was right, you ARE a badass!” his laughter filled the silent halls as he stepped over an injured man to come face to face with you. “I like you” he whispered into your ear.

You were escorted back to the medical room by a woman and the man, a doctor who seemed to be waiting for your arrival as you sat back down on the bed. “Who are you?” you whispered as the doctor checked your vitals, not baring to look up at any of them.

“We’re Negan!” the woman spoke, your brow cocked at her words. “We save people… Negan saves people” she finished, your eyes now darted to the man in the leather jacket. You’d never let the way he smirked leave your mind, it was infectious. He seemed to be full of pride as the woman bragged about his work here. Your eyes welling at the sound of it all, she made him sound like such a saint. “He saved you” she added causing the tears to fall down your cheek, his eyes now met yours.

“Thank you” almost choking on your words, you allowed yourself to relax a little more.

After the doctor cleared you to leave, the woman you’d now learned was named Laura took you to your new room, though it was to be shared with her. That night you spent a lot of time thinking about Negan and how incredibly lucky you were that he found you. Your heart seemed to swell when you thought of him and the way his leather jacket fit snug to his body, the stubble on his jawline and the way it highlighted his smirk. You were ready to be one hundred percent devoted to him.

It had been a while since Negan saved you and you had spent every second of your time since then trying to prove your loyalty to him. He placed you with Laura for a reason, to teach you about the way things worked and to teach you the ropes on how to be the best saviour you could possibly be and you were, one of the best. You did everything Negan asked you to without even batting an eyelash, you would never deny him anything. Your love for him grew stronger every day, it hurt sometimes that you couldn’t call him yours but at least you could be by his side and protect him.

Today your job was to watch over Dr Eugene, make sure he was getting everything he needed and to keep him safe. You didn’t mind this job so much, Eugene never really spoke too much to you, he only ever told you things that you had no interest in knowing but he was easy to block out most of the time. Today he seemed different, a little off from his usual self, he paced his room and seemed a lot more jumpy. You really didn’t like it, it was like he was up to something he shouldn’t be. “What’s going on smarty pants?” Eugene even jumped at your question causing you to smirk a little. He shook his head and insisted nothing was the matter. “Sure doesn’t seem like nothing! Come on, spill the beans otherwise I’ll have to get Simon in here and he doesn’t play quite as nice as I do” you teased tapping your foot on the floor awaiting his explanation but when he responded with silence you turned on your heel and headed for the door. “Fair enough, SIM-“ the man cut you off mid sentence, clearly scared for his life.

“No… no need.” Turning back around you took a seat on the armchair and gave him a smile. “The wives…” he started, almost second guessing his choice to tell you about what had happened.

You sat in complete silence as Eugene told you all about the wives plans to kill Negan with some sort of pill and how they made them before fully thinking it through. He held the two tablets in a zip lock bag in front of you, you took them from him with force, your cheeks turning red at the story he just told you couldn’t say you didn’t believe it or that you didn’t see this coming, you saw how his wives acted around him and heard what they would say when he wasn’t there. Ungrateful bitches. You pushed yourself onto your feet and gave the fragile southerner a warning look and he took a couple of steps away from you and out of your reach. “You ever try this shit again, I’ll have your head on a pike.” You whispered in his direction before leaving the room. You shouted to the guards on his door to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t leave his room as you stormed towards the wives bedrooms.

Fuelled only by anger you ripped one of the doors open, the zip lock back still in your hold. The girls looked over at you, like deer in headlights noticing the pills in your hand and as the door shut one of the girls took her chance at wrestling you for the poison in your hand. When the others realised what was happening and that she couldn’t fight you on her own, the rest joined in piling on top of you scratching and pulling at your hair, pushing you down to the floor as you tried to scream and fight your way out of them. Without even thinking you pulled out your handgun and started shooting rounds into the women who hovered over you. It felt like a curse being such a good shot as you watched each wife drop, a few falling on top of you. You laid there for a moment, like you did in the field, completely speechless, your body now covered in their blood. You heard the door swing open but you didn’t dare look to see who it was. You just laid there, allowing the blood to soak into your clothes.

You recognised the next set of footsteps that came through the door, you knew for a fact it was Negan. Swallowing the lump in your throat you pushed the girls off you and sat up right, your eyes following Negan as he made his way across the room. Your eyes filling with tears as he witnessed the massacre. “I'm sorry” you croaked but you didn’t seem to grab his attention as he looked down at his fallen wives in pure disbelief. “I had no choice” the guilt had crept up now, strangling you with every breath you took. That’s when he looked at you, a look you could never forget. He looked so confused yet angry at the same time as he took in the sight of you, bathed in his late wife's blood, he didn’t talk, he just looked in the direction of the door before turning his back to you.

“Put her away” he spoke softly, not allowing his emotions to better his judgement. You shook your head as you stood up to your feet, attempting to avoid the other saviours.

“No, you don’t understand. Please let me explain! They were trying to kill you, they had pills. You have to believe me.” you cried but it was no use.

You had been in the small box room for a while now, still covered in blood, you sat in the corner of the dark room, holding onto your knees as tightly as you could replaying the last couple of years in your head. You never felt so much shame before after everything he did for you, you go and kill his wives. Why you didn’t tell him before you went in there all Rambo you’ll never understand. The anger got too much for you to process. The sound of the door unlocking broke your concentration. You looked up hoping and praying they would let you out now. The light stung your eyes a little, causing your arm to act as a barricade as they adjusted to the new light. “We didn’t find any pills” the voice that once made you melt like butter now only causes you tears, you looked at the man in disbelief, though all you could see was his silhouette.

“No, no… you have to look again. Ask Eugene, he made them. Please Negan you have to believe me” you pleaded as he leant down to your eye level… similar to the way he did when he first found you.

“He doesn’t know what you’re talking about” his tone was soft which only made you more anxious. You shook your head vigorously, why would Eugene lie like that

“No, please. I would never lie to you, Negan. Please.” Your tears seemed to clean your bloody face as you reached forward to place your hands on his but he pulled away. “Please, I love you. I would never try to hurt you like this” you almost skipped passing, admitting your feelings for the man as you sat there pleading but the butterflies swam in your stomach as you heard his breathing getting heavier.

“So you did all this… all this because your a jealous fuck?” he screamed at you, you could hear the sound of your heart breaking. “You’re pathetic.” He finished before turning on his heels and shut the door behind him. You heard the lock on the door turn once more but you bolted towards it anyway, slamming your fists into the door attempting to speak under your cries but to no avail. You sat back in your corner, attempting to catch just one breath but you couldn’t… all you could do was rock back and forth… hoping one day he would see sense and free you from this cage.

#negan smith #negan #twd negan #negan x reader #negan x y/n #negan x you #twd fanfiction #negan fanfiction

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valwentinefics · 3 years

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Sunlight (Leave then pt.2) - Helmut Zemo x Reader

Plot: It has been years since you told your husband to leave when you hear a knock at the door before the sun has even risen.

A/N: I have almost all my requests done so I thought I’d indulge myself with a part 2 of my recent fic. Feel free to send in requests, they’ll always be open I just can’t guarantee I’ll do them.

Warnings: Description of a depressive state, angst, if theres something else I should warn for let me know.

Part 1

Your days were endless and mundane. You tried to find joy in them, you truly did, but every day the ache in your heart worsened and you couldn’t stop the tears that would pour down your face every time you were alone. Eventually you gave into the emptiness that gnawed at your heart, spending days on end in your bed.

You had heard of what had become of your husband, his imprisonment ruining all hope of you ever having someone to hold you in their arms. It was true you could start over with someone else, but the thought brought you so much guilt you dismissed it entirely. How could you create a life with someone else after all that had happened? You weren’t sure if you had the capability to love anyone else anymore, hell, you didn’t even have the capability to love yourself. Helmut’s words ran through your head on silent nights. “There was nothing keeping me here anyways” Were you that worthless to him? If your husband couldn’t even love you enough to stay with you, how could anyone else love you? How could you love yourself?

There were few moments you were spared from your self loathing and depressive state, namely in the morning when the sunlight began to emerge above the horizon. It gave you a sense of hope in a way, perhaps one day the pale gold sunlight would shine upon you and you would finally be okay. However, once night returned all your hopes of being okay went away as you lost yourself to the memory of that night every time you saw the moon. You had lost the last person you had left that night, and the scene replayed over and over in your head, taunting you cruelly.

The sun had not yet risen when you heard a knock on the door. Your mind urged you to ignore it, but for some reason you got up anyways, fixing your hair and tossing on a silk bathrobe to give yourself the appearance of being somewhat composed. Despite the events that had transpired all those years ago between you and your husband you were still Baroness Zemo to the world, and because of your lingering love for your estranged husband you acted the part.

As if you had been punched in the solar plexus, all breath left your body when you opened the door to see the man standing on the front steps. Helmut’s gaze was as steady and piercing as you had remembered it always being, but it had aged along with him, a few wrinkles you didn’t remember being there had appeared on his face. It was clear his time in prison had been spent reflecting upon himself, he was no longer the broken and vengeful man you had remembered from that night. He had time to ponder many things when he was in that cell and now he stood before you with an air of purpose.

“Y/n.” You had missed the way your name would roll off his tongue. His eyes pleaded with you to hear him out, and you relented. Reluctantly you stepped aside, opening the door wider to allow for him to enter the house you had kicked him out of before.

“Helmut.” You greeted him with a nod, deciding to be cordial with this interaction. You longed for his warmth but you knew you had to figure out the purpose of this visit first. However, your body was already alive with anticipation. Were you getting him back? Would you finally be happy again? “Why have you come to visit? Shouldn’t you be locked away in some German prison?” You asked him as you headed to the kitchen, turning the kettle on. Although this was his property you were determined to be a good host.

“I came here for you, to see your face. You are all I thought of during those years. I will be sent to an even higher security prison shortly, but I wanted a proper goodbye.” His words made your fist tighten around the teacup you held. You weren’t getting him back. Your eyes began to sting as they produced tears but you closed them with an exhale, willing them to go away.

You stayed silent, the click of the electric kettle finishing its boiling filled the room and you carefully poured tea in the two cups. Carefully you brought them over to the couch Helmut sat on, handing him his cup before taking a seat on the chair across from him. What was there to say? The one thing you wanted came back, but soon he would be ripped away again.

“Y/n, speak to me, please.” Helmut pleaded.

“You’re cruel Helmut.” You found your voice after a few more moments. “All I wanted was you, and you came back, but only temporarily. It’s not fair.” You spoke as you gazed into your tea, stirring it absently. “Why don’t we get a happy ending? What did we ever do wrong to deserve that day?”

“Nothing, Liebchen, we did nothing to deserve it. It was just the cruelty of fate.” He explained, his voice soft yet littered with a bitterness you knew wasn’t for you but for the Avengers. “My biggest regret is leaving you, do you know that?” His words made you look up into his misty eyes. “Even though my plan succeeded I feel empty inside. I should have stayed and grieved properly with you. I left you all alone with nobody. It was painful imagining what was going on with you while I was gone, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how you felt. You probably can’t stand me after that night.”

You sniffled, tearing up at his words but this time allowing yourself to show that weakness to him. “Helmut, I’ve learned not to resent you for your decision over time. I just miss you. I miss being in your arms, walking Carl to school together, I miss being a family.”

“Remember when we were young, when we first met at that gala? It was your first one and you-”

“I spilt my drink all over the right side of you and everyone expected you to get upset with me and make me pay for your outrageously expensive suit, but instead you pulled me close to you and said I had to accompany you for the rest of the event to hide the stain.” You cut him off, finishing the memory. The corners of your lips turned into a slight smile as you thought back to your first meeting.

“I told you I never wanted you to leave my side that night, and it still holds true.” Helmut said softly. “Even though I’ll be gone, I want you to always love me and keep me close to you, just like I will with you.”

You let out a quiet laugh through your tears, sniffling after. “I could never stop loving you Helmut. You’re my Husband, I love you. Always.”

Helmut reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden necklace, handing it to you. “It’s a locket, it has all of us in it. Me, you, Carl. I want you to have it. It comforted me when I was away from you, and now you need it more than me.”

You carefully flipped the delicate golden jewelry open, a gasp leaving your throat at the sight of your family back when everything was okay. “Will you put it on for me?” You asked Helmut who replied by standing up along with you and gently taking the locket from your hands.

The delicate jewelry felt cold against your collarbone as he placed it on you, clasping the necklace on you. With Helmut now behind you, you had a clearer view out the large window he had sat in front of. The sun was rising, and as its soft golden rays shone through the window and onto your skin you felt Helmut’s lips press against the back of your neck gently. In that moment, for the first time in years, you were finally okay.

#zemo x reader #helmut zemo #helmut zemo x reader #baron zemo #baron zemo x reader #zemo

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kissinginkitchens · 3 years

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You Bring Me Home—Chapter Four: You Can Hear it in the Silence

a/n: hello again!! So glad to have you back :) I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. It's been wonderful to read some of your comments and thoughts! I do have to give a special shoutout to @harrysblackcoat and @determined-overthinker for their continued support and feedback, it really means the world to me, so a huge thank you to you both!! I am tremendously grateful for all of you lovely readers and I hope you will enjoy chapter four as much as I enjoyed writing it! As always, my inbox is open, so feel free to drop by and chat with me after reading! Much love, Mel <3

Pairing: Hawai'i!Harry x Original Character

Warnings: swearing, allusions to sexual content

Word Count: 6.7k

read parts one, two, and three

“You kissed him?” Maleah gasps over FaceTime, her mouth so wide, Alani fears her jaw will detach from its socket.

She had finally decided to tell her best friend everything, excluding the Rolling Stone details, nearly two days after the last time she had seen Harry. The entire next day had been spent replaying every moment and listening to the recorded interview on her voice notes until the phone battery was completely drained. Alani’s stomach fluttered at the sound of Harry’s voice and it only made her miss him more. The part that she desperately needed her friend’s input on was what had happened immediately before she left.

“No,” Alani clarifies, quickly. “Well, almost. Maybe—I think,”

“I’ve only been gone a couple of weeks,” Maleah starts, brows furrowed as if her brain is malfunctioning. “And you’re already swooping in on my man?”

Alani feels her cheeks warm but she pushes past it and rolls her eyes. “There is no swooping going on,”

“I don’t know. You two were caught in the rain together, sounds like swooping to me,”

“But that’s the thing,” Alani huffs. “I don’t know what it is. And I don’t know if I’m just making a big deal out of nothing,”

Maleah nods understandingly and pushes any jealousy out of her mind, the love for her best friend winning out.

“Well, tell me exactly what happened before the kiss,”

“There was no kiss,” Alani emphasizes, thinking back to the last few minutes spent in Harry’s car.

The sun had already set when the two of them arrived at her house, leaving little light in the already darkly tinted Range Rover. But even in the darkness, Alani could see the intensity in Harry’s eyes. Their bodies had been close enough in the confined space that she could feel the warmth radiating from him, and his vanilla scent enveloped her in an intoxicating haze. For a moment, her eyes had darted to his plush lips and she imagined what it would feel like to close the space between them. She could have sworn that he had done the same, finding his eyes wandering just below the tip of her nose when she looked up. Before anything could happen, however, she found herself reaching for the door handle and stepping into the crisp night sky.

“But did you want him to kiss you?” Maleah questions.

Alani waits a beat, but she doesn’t have to think about the answer. “Yes,”

“Well there you go!” her friend responds enthusiastically. “Problem solved,”

“Problem not solved,” Alani corrects. “What about the fact that he’s, like, famous? I mean what happens when he has to go back to L.A. or London or whatever?”

“Woah, woah, woah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,”

Alani anxiously nibbles on the skin of her lower lip, not stopping even when she tastes blood. “But it’s true—”

“Yeah, well, you don’t have to think about it right now,” Maleah assures her. “What if you just let things happen and… enjoy it for what it is?”

Alani doesn’t miss the double meaning in the last part. “Mi, you and I both know that I’ve never been one to just enjoy it for what it is,”

“I know this, and I love you,” Maleah starts slowly. “But as your best friend—and I say this with nothing but love—you need to get laid, for real,”

Alani groans, slumping further into her mattress. “But what if that’s all he wants? I just don’t think I’m ready for that,”

“And that’s perfectly fine,” her friend coos. “But from what you’ve told me so far, it doesn’t sound like that’s all he’s after,”

Alani considers this for a moment before Maleah continues.

“Look, let’s start with something simple: do you like him? I mean, do you like spending time with him and just generally being around him?”

“Yes,”

“Then start there,” Maleah suggests. “You can enjoy someone’s company without making it romantic, it’s just friendship. Don’t put pressure on something that you’re not ready for, or something that might not even be there,”

Alani feels a small weight lifted off her shoulders and nods. “Yeah. Yeah, no you’re right I shouldn’t psych myself out over something that didn’t even happen. I mean, for all I know he has a girlfriend,”

She waits a beat before a new concern enters her mind. “Wait, does he have a girlfriend?”

“I don’t know,”

“Well even if he does, it doesn’t matter,” Alani reaffirms. “Because we’re just friends,”

“When are you gonna see him again?” her friend asks.

Alani stomach drops. In all her concentration of the past, she hadn’t even considered what will happen when she has to face him again. “I don’t know,”

“Who initiated the last hang out?”

“He did,” Alani admits, thinking back to the hours he had spent reading in the café until her shift was over.

Maleah hums. “Well then it looks like the ball’s in your court,”

Alani is quiet for a moment, which her friend takes as her cue to offer some more reassurance.

“I’m sorry I don’t have more answers for you, Nani, but it’s gonna be okay. Promise, ”

Alani sighs, kneeling to look out the window next to her bed.

“No, Mi, it’s okay. I really appreciate you just being there, it means a lot,”

“Of course, babes. Keep me updated.”

“Will do.”

The call ends and Alani continues watching the palm trees sway in the wind. Will do—the very same last words that she had spoken to Harry that night. Her mind wanders back to the moment right before she had opened the door to escape and plays out an alternative scenario. What would have happened if she had leaned just an inch closer?

********

Harry pinches his lower lip between his index finger and thumb. Will do, he repeats in his mind— two words that he never knew could carry so much weight.

“I said ‘I think Manchester United is shit,’” Nick Grimshaw says loudly, shrugging at Mitch and Jeff Bhasker when his plan doesn’t work. “I dunno, that should’ve gotten him,”

“Oh hey, Alani,” Mitch speaks into his phone loud enough for Harry to hear. This piques the singer’s attention immediately, his heart racing. “Yeah he’s right here,”

“What the fuck?” Harry questions, zeroing in on Mitch.

“Who’s Alani?” Nick teases with eyebrows raised into his hairline.

Harry springs from his seat and corners Mitch, who holds his phone above his head. “Gimme the phone!”

“Hello,” Nick interrupts, watching the struggle continue. “Feeling neglected here, who’s Alani?”

The guitarist ducks and sprints to the opposite wall, Harry chasing close behind. They hop from couch to couch and swerve around fragile equipment while Mitch snickers and guards his phone close. Harry had no idea why Alani was calling and why she hadn’t reached out to him directly, but he’s dying to hear her voice again and is growing increasingly frustrated with his friend’s antics.

“Mitchell, stop fuckin’ around!”

“I’m sorry,” he relents, holding out the phone with an amused laugh. “It wasn’t her, wrong number,”

Harry huffs and returns to his seat disappointedly, a guitar resting in his lap. Nick, who had only been able to drop in for the weekend due to his busy schedule at the BBC, narrows his eyes at both boys before speaking up again.

“Once again, no one has answered my question.”

“She’s just a girl he’s been hanging out with,” Jeff explains nonchalantly. “He wants to have her babies.”

“Don’t,” Harry warns.

Despite already having his fun, Mitch can’t resist adding on. “It’s none of our business… but I’ve heard a summer wedding is in the works.”

“I’m gonna go drink now,” Harry announces, standing. “And none of you fuckers are invited.”

He wanders down the hallway and into the kitchen, immediately reaching for the tequila. Is it too early for margaritas? he wonders before deciding that he wants a second opinion. No new texts are displayed on his phone screen, much to his disappointment, but he decides to open the messages app anyway. He carefully types in Alani’s name and writes, then re-writes, the text several times before pressing send. As soon as the tag reads “delivered”, his body is filled with apprehension, but there’s no turning back.

Harry: Is 10 a.m. too early for margaritas?

There’s a minute of silence, then two, and Harry turns his phone face down onto the counter to reach for the ingredients. It dings just as he opens the bottle of tequila and he immediately lunges for it.

Alani: Never. Morning margs were invented for a reason.

Relief. He quickly types out a risky response.

Harry: Any chance I can convince you to join me?

He stares at the screen, willing the “delivered” to turn into a “read,” but it doesn’t budge. His lips ghost over the rim of the tequila bottle before he bites the bullet and takes a sip.

Alani: Working :( sorry. Another time maybe.

Defeat. He knows that “another time maybe” is a polite “never.” Another swig of tequila down the hatch.

Harry: Yeah, no worries.

Alani sets her phone down on her nightstand and brings the duvet up to her chin. She hopes with every muscle in her body that Harry doesn’t show up to the restaurant, though if he’s planning on drinking, perhaps she’s safe. Maybe I should do the same. She wonders, thinking about the rosé her mom keeps in the cupboard for special occasions. Surely heartache must be a good enough reason to crack it open. Regardless, Alani doesn’t think she has the stomach to keep it down at the present.

********

Harry pushes the remaining peas around on his plate with the prongs of his fork. His chin rests in the heel of his hand.

“And then I said ‘what’s the difference?’” his manager remarks, sending the rest of the group into a fit of wild laughter.

“You’re so fucking stupid.” Mitch comments through a chuckle.

The laughter slowly dies down and their eyes all wander to Harry who hasn’t budged for the past twenty-five minutes. They exchange worried glances, and Jeff begins to wonder if his initial advice for Harry to go out with Alani was a mistake.

“Hey, H,” he begins gently. “You feelin’ alright?”

Harry looks up from his plate and musters his best fake smile. “Yeah, jus’ tired,”

It was partially true; the crew had spent their entire afternoon at Honoli’i Beach practicing their surfing, though it was mostly unsuccessful for Harry—his life seemed to be a series of wipe-outs these days.

“I’m gonna go watch a Rom-Com in my room,” he announces, standing with his plate. “Probably doze off.”

The group exchanges “good nights” before Harry saunters down the hall to his room. Settling into the bed, he flicks through the movie selection and clicks on one that he knows by heart. He contemplates texting Alani again, scrolling through their brief conversation from three days ago. Against his better judgment, he types out another message and presses send.

Harry: Opinion on The Notebook?

He waits, attention briefly occupied by Rachel McAdams until the phone dings.

Alani: A classic, though not as good as Dirty Dancing if I’m being honest.

The corners of his mouth curl and he immediately types out another response.

Harry: You have a problem with The Goss?

Alani snorts, planting her spoon into the pint of strawberry ice cream to reply.

Alani: First, I have many gripes about you referring to Ryan Gosling as “The Goss”. Second, I was actually rooting for Lon Hammond, but maybe that’s just because I’m partial to James Marsden. And third, the scene where Baby and Johnny are dancing alone in his room. That’s all I have to say.

Harry hums, hanging on every word.

Harry: Confession: I’ve never actually seen Dirty Dancing…

Alani: We need to change that immediately.

His heart pounds. So she didn’t plan on ghosting him forever.

Harry: So Lon Hammond, that’s your type?

Alani doesn’t know why she finds it unsettling that Harry steers the conversation away from any possible talk of them hanging out again. She reminds herself that she had been the one to decline his invitation for margaritas and shovels another scoop of ice cream into her mouth.

Alani: Kind, supportive, successful, handsome? Yeah, I’d say so. Not to mention he forgave Allie for cheating.

Harry: But Noah built her a house. Her dream house, I might add.

Alani: I’m not discrediting Noah, I love a grand romantic gesture as much as the next person. Just think Lon deserved better.

Harry grins, entirely ignoring the movie at this point. Grand romantic gestures, he notes, good to know.

Harry: And what about the fact that Noah wrote it all down and reads their literal love story to her every time she forgets?

Alani: Maybe he deserves some rights for that.

Alani taps the spoon against her lower lip and thinks about Cecily’s words. Just let things happen. She desperately wants to, but she doesn’t know how. The thought of getting too close only to let it all slip through her fingers is too overwhelming, so she starts with something simple: do you like spending time with him? Alani doesn’t think she could enjoy anything more. Her mind wanders back to the passenger seat of Harry’s car and the image of his wrist draped over the steering wheel, lower lip captured between his fingers. She had noted this tick early on and found it endlessly endearing. Save for the awkward fifteen minutes of their very first interview, their conversations all seemed to come so easily. Alani enjoys his quick wit and the way he speaks slowly, as if carefully weighing each word. She likes that even though the entire reason for their relationship is for her to learn all that she possibly can about him, he makes an equal effort to get to know her. Alani compares Harry’s sincere reaction to hearing that she was a journalist to David’s snarky remark. Harry had believed in her from the get-go—he had trusted her. He makes her feel seen and known. Isn’t that what it means to be loved? To be known? His words echo in her mind.

Harry: How’s the article going?

Alani’s stomach drops. Fuck. In all her contemplation over the almost kiss, she had forgotten the truth behind her motives. She had lied. Harry had trusted her, and she had lied. Not yet, she thinks, I haven’t lied yet. It would only be a lie if she submits the article to Rolling Stone. Her throat tightens. But I’m so close. She thinks about telling him, but quickly shuts the thought down when she considers that she still doesn’t have enough material and can’t afford to risk it now. This is her chance, there’s no doubt about it. Why else would the universe have planted a world famous rockstar right at her feet just when she had decided to give up for good? Alani had to at least try, she owed it to herself, and she reasons that if Harry really cares about her, he will understand. He would have to.

Alani: It’s going.

Harry: Can I get a sneak peek anytime soon?

Alani: Soon. Good night, Harry.

She sends the last text and sets her phone face down next to her. If she was going to do this, she had to do it right—even if it meant putting some space between the two of them. She owed that much to Harry.

He sinks further into the mattress, not understanding what he had said or done wrong, but he grants Alani her space, anyway.

Harry: Good night Alani.

********

“You’re listening to KWPX The Wave and that was the latest single from Ariana Grande,”

Alani stops fiddling with the radio and sits back with a defeated huff. She had been in a rut with her own music lately and after spending nearly fifteen minutes in her driveway shuffling through songs, she decided to turn on the radio and leave it up to fate.

“Next up is a song from everyone’s favorite ex-boyband: One Direction,”

Goddamnit, Alani groans. She had forgotten what a bitch fate could be.

“Now, I have to say, DeeDee,” the radio DJ starts. “I was personally heartbroken to hear the news, and I know my daughters were too,”

“Oh definitely,” DeeDee replies. “And I can’t help but wonder what this means for all of them. I mean, what do you think they’re up to these days?”

The first DJ gives a snide chuckle before he continues. “Probably doing what every twenty-something year old millionaire does: booze, cruise, and schmooze—the pretty girls, especially,”

Alani scoffs, rolling her eyes at his insinuation. She had begun to resent all of the gossip and speculation surrounding Harry’s whereabouts, especially after learning how much privacy meant to him. Moreover, she hated the twinge of jealousy that coursed through her veins at the thought of him with another girl. Alani supposes that it wasn’t entirely out of the question since they were far from romantically involved. While he had occupied her mind over the past few weeks, she knew that it was highly unlikely that he paid her the same attention. The thought still brings bile to her mouth.

“Well whatever they’re up to, one thing seems to be pretty clear,” DeeDee speaks up again. “All eyes will be on Harry Styles. I mean, he’s really the one to watch in all of this, isn’t he?”

“I think you’re right. I’m curious to see what he’s got in store. Maybe he’ll join Justin Timberlake and Nick Jonas with the ex-boyband buzz cut. But without further ado, here’s Drag Me Down.”

Alani knows that she’ll have to talk to Harry eventually; over the past week and a half, she had dodged every invitation to hang out, left cut and dry responses to all of his texts, and even ducked into the restaurant’s walk-in fridge when he unexpectedly showed up one afternoon. While the temptation to indulge his friendly advances was high, professional boundaries needed to be established. She had already begun working on the article with material from the two previous interviews—and it wasn’t half bad—but there was still so much of the story to fill in. If Alani was going to make it all worthwhile, she had to keep digging and do it fast; she couldn’t afford to let her personal feelings get in the way.

Her car sputters slightly as she heads south on Mamalahoa Highway and the radio fades in and out. Alani checks all of her gauges—she had made sure that the gas tank was full before leaving—and doesn’t see anything unusual. A few miles later, it jerks again before coming to a complete stop.

“Fuck,” she cries, pounding her palms against the steering wheel. “No, no, no, no, no!”

Alani waits a moment before turning the key again, but the engine refuses to start. She whips her phone out of the cupholder and scrolls through her contact list.

Pua—no license.

Maleah—out of town.

Dad—also out of town, catering a wedding in Oahu.

Mom—probably scrubbed in on a major, life-saving surgery.

She continues scrolling until her finger lands on a name that makes her heart race and sink at the same time.

Harry Styles—no.

There’s no way she can justify calling him, not after giving him the cold shoulder all week. If texting back and forth was unprofessional, then asking to be rescued off the side of the road surely crossed several boundaries. Alani scans her surroundings, shielding her eyes from the blinding afternoon sun. There isn’t a car or person in sight for miles—what other choice does she have? With shaking fingers, she dials the number and presses the phone to her ear. Harry answers after the third ring.

“Hello?” he responds loudly over the sound of cymbals crashing and laughter in the background.

“Hi,” Alani greets, raising her voice to be heard. “It’s Alani,”

She hears shuffling on the other end and then Harry’s voice, softer this time.

“Oh hey. How are you?”

“Good, how are you?”

Harry senses that something is off, but he’s glad to hear from Alani, nevertheless. His friends continue their antics in the studio, despite his silent gestures to knock it off, so he heads outside.

“Uh, yeah I’m fine. S’good to hear from you,” he offers shyly.

Alani’s chest tightens.

“Ditto,” she replies. “Hey listen, um, I’m kind of in a bit of trouble I—”

She hesitates. What the hell am I doing?

“I need your help,”

Harry’s heart sinks, immediately filled with worry.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she reassures him. “It’s my car,”

“Where are you?”

“The highway, southbound. Just past exit 243, I think,”

“I’m on my way,”

“Thank you,” Alani offers gently. “Really, thank you.”

A soft smile spreads across Harry’s lips. “Anytime.”

He arrives in a pink Cadillac fifteen minutes later, pulling over behind Alani. She doesn’t recognize the car and her confusion only deepens when a man with short-cropped hair emerges. As he approaches, a wave of recognition and relief washes over her.

“Harry?”

“Hey,” he greets, walking up to the driver’s side. “Need a lift?”

Alani’s mouth hangs open ever so slightly, scanning his new appearance. He looks like a completely different person than the one she remembers, and he has the faintest trace of stubble above his lip and jaw.

“You cut your hair,”

“I did,” he confirms.

“It’s so short,”

“Do you like it?”

“Of course I do,” Alani offers with a light laugh, feeling flustered under his gaze. “I mean it looks great, really suits you. Not that it matters what I think, it’s your hair,”

But it did matter. Everything she did, or didn’t do, said, and didn’t say— it all mattered to him for reasons he couldn’t quite explain. And it mattered more than she would ever know.

“So Stevie quit on you?”

Alani sighs. “I don’t know what’s wrong, honestly. All of the gauges look fine and I filled the tank this morning,”

Harry asks her to pop the hood and makes his way to the front of the Bronco. He looks around, not seeing any smoke or trace of other issues, though his knowledge of cars isn’t as comprehensive as he’d like in this situation.

Alani joins him, doing her own scan over the inside of the hood despite the fact that she has no idea what to look for. Her eyes wander to Harry’s strong hands as they prod the various bells and whistles, and she notices the way his tanned skin glistens under the sun. The cross pendant nestled behind his white t-shirt escapes when he leans over, swinging like a mesmerizing pendulum.

“I called a tow truck,” he says standing with his hands on his hips. “Should be here soon,”

“I’ll pay you back,” Alani offers quickly, her throat dry.

Harry waves her concern away with a hand and places the hood back. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you’re okay,”

“I really owe you one,” she says appreciatively.

He leans against the car with his arms crossed, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Have lunch with me and we’ll call it even.”

“Deal.”

The tow truck arrives ten minutes later and the driver gathers all of Alani’s information, letting her know which mechanic the car will be taken to and when she can pick it up. She sighs watching Stevie pull away down the road and imagines the dent it’ll make in her savings. Harry nudges her gently, motioning for her to get in his car.

“New ride?” she questions, running her fingers over the cotton candy paint.

“It belongs to the owner of the studio,” he explains. “All of the cars do except the Rover, she’s a rental. But Jeff took her out to get us lunch,”

“I’m so sorry for interrupting your plans,” Alani apologizes. And for kind of ghosting you, she thinks.

Harry shakes his head, shifting the gear between them. “Nah, you didn’t interrupt, we were just messing around. But I am curious to know what brought you all the way out here on a Tuesday afternoon. Skipping town?”

Alani giggles at the way he says “Tuesday,” but responds despite the curious look he flashes her. “Day off. I was gonna go to the beach,”

“Bummer,” Harry offers, thanking every deity that he can name. “We could still go,”

“Your friends won’t be mad?”

“They’ll be fine,”

Alani nods, her eyes studying the orange checkers on her trousers.

“What’re you hungry for?” Harry speaks up.

She thinks for a moment and is reminded of her original plans. “I could go for some sushi,”

“Know any good places?”

“Yeah, I’ll show you,” Alani’s curious gaze falls to the glove box before her, immediately wondering what’s inside. “Do you think the owner will be mad if I open this?”

Harry glances down at what she’s pointing to and shakes his head. “Knock yourself out,”

Alani pulls down the hatch and reaches inside; her fingers make contact with what feels like a pair of glasses. When her hand re-emerges with a pair that are pink and heart-shaped, she smiles.

“They have good taste,” she comments, putting them on.

Harry looks over and flashes a wide grin, the dimple that Alani has become so fond of emerging.

“Look good on you,”

“Try them on,” Alani suggests, handing them over.

He obliges and pushes his own pair up to make room for the other lenses.

“What d’you think?”

“I think you should keep them,” she says. “They suit you.”

And they really do; they compliment his face well and hint to the fun, easygoing parts of his personality that Alani has recently discovered.

She directs him to her favorite sushi spot near Bayfront Park, which is buzzing per usual. After they’ve been seated on the patio outside, Harry tucks the heart-shaped sunglasses into his t-shirt and contemplates addressing the elephant in the room: the ghosting. He doesn’t want to spook her, though, so he decides to pose the question lightly, but Alani speaks before he has the chance.

“So what’s with the haircut?”

Harry blinks, clearing his throat before he responds. “You hate it,”

“No!” She defends. “I like it, really, it looks great,”

“You wouldn’t bring it up if you didn’t absolutely hate it,” he teases in mock offense.

Alani rolls her eyes, a playful smile spreading across her face. “It just seems like a huge step and I’m curious, that’s all,”

He considers this, deciding to stop giving her a hard time, and responds. “Well if you must know, it’s for an audition,”

“For?”

“A movie,”

“A movie?” Alani’s eyes grow wide. “You’re gonna be in a movie?”

“Maybe,” he clarifies. “Dunno yet,”

“Wow,”

Harry leans forward, his elbows resting on the table. “What have you been up to? Any life changing decisions?”

Alani shrugs. “Same old. Work, my summer class,”

“And how’s your family?” he asks, which catches her off guard.

“Good. My sister’s… a moody teenager. My dad is catering a big wedding in Oahu right now. Mom’s saving lives like the badass woman she is,”

Harry laughs lightly at her comment and Alani tries to store the soundbite in the back of her mind for safe keeping.

“What about yours?” she questions.

“Fine, yeah. Mum’s good, so’s Gemma. Talk to them at least once a week just to check in,”

He pauses to take a sip of his water before continuing. “Ever since I was about...ten, maybe, ‘ve had this feeling like—protect mum at all costs. But she’s strong, has the greatest heart,”

Alani finds it sweet that Harry speaks so highly of Anne. Her own mom had always told her that a lot can be said about the character of a man by the way he treats his mother.

“I’m sure she misses having you around,” Alani comments, thinking of her own close relationship with her mom. “I don’t know if I could let my child leave home as early as you did,”

Harry brushes the tip of his nose with a knuckle and nods. “Was kinda hard at first, but she’s always been really supportive.”

“I bet she’s really proud.”

He offers a shy smile in response, scanning the scenery around them.

“I’m sure your family’s proud of you too.”

Alani and Harry continue their light conversation through the entire meal, sharing stories about their families and childhood. She finds herself wishing that she could have met a teenaged Harry, pre-fame and general world domination. He enjoys her anecdotes, soaking up every detail that he possibly can as if his life depends on it. The two of them go back and forth well after the meal is finished, only pausing when the waitress stops to check on them.

“Maybe we should go,” Alani suggests, checking her phone for the time. “I always hate when customers stay for hours,”

“Just like I did the first time at the café?” he asks, putting his signature on the bill.

Alani feels her cheeks warm and she quickly back pedals. “No! I mean—well, yeah, kinda—”

“And the truth comes out!”

“I was just annoyed because my sister kept bugging me to fill up your water. She was afraid you were gonna, like, get dehydrated and die or something.”

“Tell her I appreciate the concern.”

Alani laughs lightly, feeling a bit of relief when the breeze soothes her burning cheeks. The two of them make their way back into the restaurant and out the main entrance, padding down the boardwalk side by side. Harry never knows what to do with his hands, usually opting to stuff them into his pockets as he hurries down a busy street, but he desperately wishes to occupy them a different way. His pinky involuntarily brushes the back of Alani’s hand, but he pulls away quickly to avoid freaking her out. She wishes he hadn’t.

“What were you gonna do at the beach?” he asks to break the ice.

She thinks for a moment, watching the different couples huddled together on the beach. “Relax, get some air. Do a little reading,”

“What’re you reading?”

“Currently this book about Laurel Canyon in California and some of the musicians who lived there during the 60s. You might like it,”

Harry’s brow raises. “Think so?”

“Yeah, it’s got Joni, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Mamas and the Papas, all those guys. They talk about their experiences of coming to terms with rapidly growing fame, the reality of the peace and love movement, the collaborative process. Seems like something you might find interesting—relatable, even,”

"I’ll check it out,” Harry promises with a nod.

Alani smiles gently and refocuses her attention on the horizon. “So what were you gonna do today?”

“Not much,” Think about you. “But speaking of books and stuff, I‘ve been meaning to ask. When you become, you know, the next Pulitzer Prize winner, do I get to be your plus one?”

She scoffs, squinting under the bright sun to look up at him. “I don’t know, I have to make it first,”

“And what does ‘making it’ mean to you?” Harry had been trying to re-define success, himself, and was curious to hear Alani’s thoughts on the subject.

She ponders the question for a minute, adjusting the straps of her orange tank-top to occupy her anxious fingers. “Move to New York, work for some big publication, something like that,”

“New York?” he asks, slightly taken aback. “And leave all this behind?”

“I think I’d like the change,” Alani reasons. “I love it here more than anything, but I think I’ve gotta make my own way, my own decisions. My grandma used to say that you ‘gotta swim before you drown because the ocean’s too vast and too interesting to get stuck treading water in the same place,’”

Harry nods, understandingly. “Wise woman,”

“Carolina,” Alani says, using the Spanish pronunciation that sounds like music to Harry’s ears. “That was her name, I was named after her,”

“Middle name?”

“Yeah,” she clarifies. “I’m half Mexican on my mom’s side,”

He hums. “Ever been?”

“To Mexico?” Alani asks, proceeding when he nods. “Yeah. Once when I was like, five, we went to Xcaret for my aunt’s wedding,”

“It’s beautiful there,” Harry notes.

“What’s your favorite place that you’ve been to?” Alani questions, imagining all the stamps that must be in Harry’s passport.

He thinks for a moment, a hum buzzing low in his throat as he sifts through his memory. “Probably Italy,”

“Lucky,” Alani muses, picturing the Gothic cathedrals that she longs to visit.

“You’d like it there.” Harry says, truly believing it. A part of him felt that she belonged in every beautiful place he could think of.

The two of them walk in silence for a few moments, each taking time to scope out the view around them. Alani sees a couple leaned against a staircase railing, looking deep in conversation, though probably not a pleasant one.

“You think they’re breaking up?” Alani asks gently, nodding her head in their direction. “Or just having the talk?”

Harry scans the scenery before his eyes land on the pair that she's referring to. “Ah yes, the talk. Ye olde chat,”

“What do you think you’d be if you weren’t a musician?” She poses suddenly. He laughs to himself at the way Alani jumps from topic to topic and reasons that her mind must always be going a mile a minute.

“A virgin,” Harry jokes, hoping that it’ll land. When she lets out a sudden, bright laugh, he looks over in relief.

“God, you are so…” Alani trails off, shaking her head.

He waits to see if she’ll finish the statement, but he doesn’t think she will. Truthfully, she doesn’t know what to say. The more Alani learns about Harry, the more he seems to surprise her. One minute he can be serious and thoughtful. The next, a ray of sunshine—aloof and carefree. She finds herself anticipating his every move, every word, and loving each minute that he allows her to. It makes her head spin at times, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

They journey down to the shore and discard their shoes in favor of feeling the cool sand beneath their toes. Alani tells Harry about the sea glass collection she had as a child, and he makes a mental note to scan the ground for any pieces she might like. She asks him if the beaches are nice in England, to which he responds a hard “no” compared to the ones in Hawaii or California. A couple of children splash in the shallow water nearby, and Alani doesn’t miss the fond look in Harry’s eye as he watches. Eventually, they wander back up to the main boardwalk when they spot a group of people happily sipping milkshakes. Harry noticed her eyes following them, practically drooling, so he suggested it before she had to.

“Want some?” Alani asks, her mouth full of strawberry.

Harry gladly accepts, taking a sip from the straw that she holds out to him. He hums, letting the taste sit on his tongue before he offers his own cup full of vanilla. She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear before leaning over for a taste. The flavor is sweet and comforting to her, despite popular opinion that it’s boring. Alani swipes her tongue across her lower lip and thinks for a moment that this is what his mouth must taste like. She wishes she could verify this thought.

“I’m really glad you got the strawberry,” he notes, stirring his drink with the straw. “I was having a serious crisis over what to get,”

“When in doubt, always go with the pink one,” Alani says, tapping her temple, and suddenly Harry remembers that the contents of her bag were all various shades of bubble gum and dusty rose.

“It’s the only true rock ‘n roll color,” he offers, taking another sip of his milkshake.

“Paul Simonon?” she questions with narrowed eyes, instantly recognizing his reference to a quote from The Clash’s bassist.

“Nothing gets past you.”

********

The clouds above start to resemble puffs of cotton candy, signaling that the day will soon draw to a close much to both Harry and Alani’s dismay. They lounge in the pink Cadillac, which is parked in an area that overlooks the entire beach, and take turns picking out the one lie amongst two truths about one another; it was a game that Harry had proposed.

“Is it,” Alani starts, her lower lip caught between her teeth. “The four nipples?”

Harry makes a buzzer sound effect through his own laughter, temple resting against his fist as his arm drapes over the seat.

“Wrong-o, sorry,”

“What?!” she exclaims, eyes wide. “You’re messing with me,”

“Am not,” he defends proudly.

Alani lets out a surprised chuckle, fighting the urge to let her eyes wander below his neck. “I don’t believe you,”

“I’d prove it,” he shrugs. “But then I’d have to flash you,”

“Guess we’ll never know, then,”

Their laughter settles down and the only sound between them is the crashing of waves in the distance. Harry lets his eyes trail down the slope of Alani’s nose to her cupid’s bow—dangerous territory. Little does he know, Alani does the same, noting the fact that his lips are heart-shaped and the perfect shade of strawberry. How sickeningly charming, she thinks. Her eyes lift back to Harry’s and there’s something hidden behind the sea-glass that she can’t quite read. The air becomes charged and the two of them are like magnets, drawn inexplicably towards one another. Alani inches closer, her heart pounding so violently in her chest, she’s afraid that he can hear it. The sound of his own blood rushing in his ears prevents this, however, as he leans in too. The space between them gets smaller, eyes fluttering shut in anticipation, when the high pitched ringing of Alani’s phone sends her jolting backward. Harry curses every deity that he can name.

“Hello?” she responds, turning her back to him. She listens for a minute, a soft “mhmm” escaping every few seconds. “Okay, yes, I’ll be there. Thank you,”

Alani dreads having to turn back to Harry and face the consequences of whatever lines were almost crossed. She chooses to simply ignore it all together, as if no time had passed between his shocking personal revelation and the ringing of her phone.

“Stevie’s ready.” she says weakly.

Harry swallows down his frustration and offers a polite smile. “Let’s go get her.”

The mechanic shop is twenty minutes from the beach; Harry and Alani spend the entire ride in silence. Neither of them address the almost kiss despite the fact that it hangs over their heads like a raincloud of uncertain emotion. She occupies her gaze with the scenery whizzing past while he tightens his grip on the steering wheel. Alani mourns the fact that their little bubble had been popped so soon, but she figures that it’s for the best. Don’t get attached, she reminds herself. Easier said than done. Harry also wallows in the aftermath of the interruption, wishing he had acted sooner. When they finally arrive at the shop, the mechanic reveals that the cause of her car troubles was a simple dead battery. Harry offers to foot the bill, but Alani refuses, deciding that she shouldn’t accept any more favors from him in order to restore the boundary.

“So I guess this is where we part ways,” Alani says gently, toying with her keys.

Harry scans his brain for something—anything—a single excuse to see her again, and soon. He doesn’t think he can take another week and a half of icy silence and he has a suspicion that she can’t either. After all, she had leaned in, too—hadn’t she?

“There’s this thing,” he blurts out. “A sort of jam sesh at the studio tomorrow night. There’s gonna be booze, otherwise I’d tell you to bring your sister. But I’d love for you to come, and I think it might be good for—the article, or something,”

Alani weighs the pros and cons in her mind, one of which he had already mentioned: a chance to listen to what he’s working on. It seemed professional and innocent enough, not to mention the fact that there’d be other people around to keep them in check. Once she decides it’s safe, she nods.

“Okay, sure,”

“I can pick you up,” Harry offers.

Alani shakes her head gently and offers a shy smile. “No, that's okay. Tomorrow night?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be there.”

They exchange good-byes and Alani thanks him for coming to her rescue, to which he offers a modest shrug. Harry speeds down the highway and back to the house, but three words linger in the silence.

I’ll be there.

#harry styles #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fanfic #harry styles writing #harry styles x oc #harry styles fluff #solo harry #one direction #harry fic #ybmh #sooo :))) how we feelin now

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sokkascroptop · 4 years

Text

traitor. (sokka x f!reader) pt 15

part 1 | part 14 | part 16

A/N: originally I wasn’t going to write a part that occurred during “Sokka’s Master” since Y/N was training Sokka but I changed my mind last minute. We all know who’s Sokka’s master is so...

Y/N shook her head and smiled. “Let’s allow the benders to save the day for once. We’ll get the next one, yeah?”

“Wow, I’ve never seen a meteor shower before.” Y/N stared in awe at the falling stars in the sky.

“Isn’t it cool? Makes you realize how insignificant we are,” Sokka said absently.

“Eh, you’ve seen nothing once you’ve seen it a thousand times,” Toph informed them.

“Oh my spirits,” Y/N sat up suddenly from where she was laying in the dirt. “What the hell?!” One of the meteors had broken off from the rest of the shower and looked like it was flying right towards them.

“You’ve never not seen anything like this,” Sokka trailed off as what looked like a ball of blue fire whizzed hundreds of feet above their heads and landed somewhere in the mountains behind them with a loud bang. The ground vibrated beneath Y/N’s feet and she knew Toph could probably see exactly how and where the meteor hit the ground off in the distance. The five of them clamored onto Appa without saying a word to one another because there was no way they were just going to not find out what happened.

---

“The fire is going to destroy that town!” Katara shouted.

“Not if we can help it!” Aang said.

Toph, Aang, Sokka and Y/N slid off of Appa’s back. Katara jumped to sit on Appa’s neck and grabbed the reins. “I’m going to bend water from that creek onto the fire.”

“Come on Toph, let’s make a trench to keep the fire from coming any closer.” Aang and Toph ran off closer to the crater.

“What are we gonna do?” Sokka grumbled.

Y/N shook her head and smiled. “Let’s allow the benders to save the day for once. We’ll get the next one, yeah?”

Momo sat on Sokka’s back and rested his head on the top of Sokka’s as they watched their three friends from a small hill away from the fire. It was still amazing to Y/N to see the different types of bending. She’d always known they existed of course but she’d never seen them before leaving the Fire Nation with Azula. Y/N looked up to see Katara flying overhead on Appa with a large bubble of water that she dropped into the middle of the fire. Toph had raised a slab of stone and was flipping it end over end, using it to stifle some of the flames.

Katara dropped another bubble of water to Aang and Y/N felt the wind pick up as he used airbending and waterbending together to cover the fire completely. Unfortunately for Y/N and Sokka, they were right in the blast zone. It happened so fast by the time she had blinked she was waist deep in something that was cold and wet.

She stood up and shook her legs letting the white, fluffy stuff fall to the ground. Her teeth began to chatter. “What is this?” She asked Sokka.

He held up a handful of it and raised an eyebrow. “Um, snow?”

Y/N bent down and picked up her own handful. “No way! I’ve never seen it before. I’d always imagined it would be hard or something.” She stuck her tongue out experimentally, and licked the snow in her hands. It was cold and immediately melted to water on her tongue.

Suddenly she was hit in the shoulder with something. She looked down to see snow dripping down her arm. Katara quickly pointed at Aang who ducked his head. Y/N took the snow in her hands and threw at the two of them but the flakes just fluttered harmlessly to the ground. She gasped. “How did you make it so you could throw it?!”

A snowball sailed over her shoulder and hit Aang in the chest. “Snowball fight!!” Sokka shouted.

Y/N watched Sokka pick up more snow from the ground and pack in between his hands. She did the same and threw it at Katara. She bent it away like it was nothing and it fell on Toph’s head. “Hey, no fair!!” Y/N yelled.

Toph wiped her face. “Yeah, I’m going to second that!”

Y/N made another snowball to throw but by the time she was done she was soaking wet from the onslaught of snow Katara had already bent at her. Katara was laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath and the sound made Y/N start laughing too. Y/N threw the snowball and Katara was distracted enough that it slammed into her cheek. “Oh it’s on,” she grumbled.

Y/N shrieked and started to run away but someone grabbed her around the waist and pulled her behind a snow drift.

Sokka leaned close to her face. “Rule number one. Don’t start a snowball fight with a waterbender. Let alone two.”

“You were the one who started it!” Y/N protested.

“Actually, Aang did. He threw the first one,” Sokka said matter-of-factly. He leaned up and cocked his arm back to throw but was subsequently hit in the forehead with a snowball. Y/N could hear Aang cackling from wherever he had hid himself. Y/N giggled at the look on Sokka’s face as the snow dripped down it.

He turned to her and Y/N thought her heart was going to slam right out of her chest. “Stop laughing or I’ll kick you off my team!” He tried to say it seriously but his own laugh tumbled out of his lips and betrayed him. He smashed the snowball in his hand above her face and let it rain down.

Y/N’s heart was so full, at the feeling of playing around with her friends in snow. Y/N wasn’t sure she’d ever have this feeling again. This immense joy that came with letting go for a moment. Y/N wanted so badly to just take a snapshot of this in her mind so she could go back and replay it over and over; watching her friends pelt each other with snow and laugh about it. Her cheeks were hurting from smiling so much and her hands were red and numb but Y/N was sure she’d never felt better. Her chest was heavy with… some type of feeling she couldn’t describe. Affection? Love? But it was all moot, she couldn’t waste any more time trying to figure it out. Y/N grabbed another handful of snow and packed it into a ball. There was a snowball fight to win.

---

At the moment, Y/N was trying to pinpoint exactly when their sparring matches became less about her teaching Sokka and more about practice between the two of them. Somewhere in the last few weeks, Sokka and Y/N had become equal partners because he knew everything she could teach him. Sure, she still beat him, she was faster and more agile and smarter about the moves she used but each match was longer and more grueling and they usually stopped after a few because they’d both be soaked with sweat and panting for air.

Sokka slammed her sword with a downward cut. She pushed his sword away, but she was still on defense. She was so distracted by her thoughts and how good Sokka was getting she didn’t see the rocks behind her–which she most definitely should have noticed–and she tripped. She didn’t fall, just lost her balance but Sokka’s sword still ended up pointed at her chest. He smirked as Y/N sighed. She really needed to stop thinking when they were sparring.

“What’s wrong?” Sokka asked, fixing her with an intense gaze. He sheathed his sword.

Y/N let the tip of her sword dig into the grass. “Nothing, I’m just distracted.” She didn’t feel like elaborating anymore on that so she added, “I can’t focus enough to kick your ass.”

“Come on, I’m done anyway.” He threw an arm over her shoulders and guided them out of the clearing and back to their camp.

It was meant to be a friendly gesture, it wasn’t the first time he’d done it either, but Y/N didn’t miss the way her heart sped up at being pulled so close to him. And it wasn’t the first time that happened either. She was always searching for an excuse, a reason other than the most obvious. Her mind supplied the most logical ones: Her heart was beating fast because they were sparring five minutes ago! She couldn’t catch her breath because she was tired! It made a little bit less sense when it was dinner time and he smiled and she couldn’t help but grin back just because he smiled at her. But you know! Friendly!

She matched her steps with his and let their hips bump as she racked her brain to figure out when she started to feel like this around him. When had this all happened? How had it happened without her knowledge? Y/N was pretty sure crushes didn’t come in a day so how did she not see this coming? Now Sokka was beating her at swordplay because all she did was think and that just couldn’t happen! Spirits, she felt so silly, having a girlhood crush. Sokka was her friend and yet her mind kept telling her that wasn’t enough.

Sokka settled his back against a rock and pulled out some of the invasion plans he was always pouring over in his free time. Y/N leaned against a rock opposite of him and started sharpening her sword. No one was at camp when they arrived, Y/N knew that Katara had talked about taking Appa to the town to get some food and Aang and Toph must have tagged along.

---

It wasn’t long before Y/N realized that she was spending more time watching Sokka work than she was sharpening anything. Sokka frowned over something on the paper he was looking at and marked it away with a pencil. He tapped his fingers on his knee in thought before writing something else down. Y/N set aside her sword and whetstone and made her way over to sit next to Sokka.

She peered over his shoulder at the paper he was holding. “You..made this?” She asked and pointed at the drawings.

Sokka looked up like he didn’t even know she was there and then back down over the plans. “Yeah, I mean. I drew this out, I have to send it off to the machinist to actually build it but, yeah.”

She traced a finger over the lines. Most of the work was way above her head. “You’re actually a genius,” she muttered. “Can you tell me about it?”

Sokka’s face grew red. “Uh yeah! So these are waterbender-powered submarines. They’re gonna take us underwater so we can’t be seen by the Fire Nation scouts as we’re sneaking in.” Sokka began explaining the more complex details of how they worked. Y/N knew Sokka was dumbing it down for her but it didn’t matter that she still couldn’t grasp most of the concepts, Sokka liked to talk about it and Y/N liked to listen to him.

---

Y/N woke with a start. She looked around for the reason she woke up but she couldn’t find any. Appa was nearby, Aang snoring softly on one of his legs. Toph’s rock tent wasn’t too far away on the other side of her. Katara was sleeping next to her and Sokka–wait where was Sokka?

Y/N didn’t have to look long, he was next to the fire with his legs pulled up, staring at the orange embers. His hair was down and he looked a little sad.

Y/N slid out of her sleeping bag and kneeled next to him. “Are you okay?” She whispered.

Sokka shrugged and nodded his head. “I had a nightmare.”

Y/N let out a sharp exhale. “You want to go for a walk?”

Sokka nodded his head again and Y/N led them to the lake they’d camped by. The moon was full enough that the reflection on the water made it easier to see one another.

“Do you think that Azula really killed the Kyoshi Warriors?” Sokka picked a blade of grass and began splitting it down the middle.

Y/N drew in a deep breath and let it out of her mouth. Y/N wasn’t aware Katara had told him. She had kept Suki and the other warriors out of her mind for far too long. Y/N thought, naively, by not thinking about them, by ignoring the glaring problem, it might have all been a dream. That none of it had ever happened.

“No, I don’t think she did,” Y/N said honestly. There was a little twist in her gut at the fear that she might be wrong but she pushed that aside because she was sure she wasn’t. “I thought maybe that she did at first but then I remembered something Zuko told me: Azula lies about everything. I think she knew saying it would hurt me. She knew that I let them go and her punishment for me was to take away the good I’d done; to knock me down a peg so I had no choice but to go crawling back for her forgiveness.”

Sokka seemed to be relieved by her answer. “But you didn’t.”

“No.” Y/N remembered the way Katara had come running into the throne room yelling for Suki. It had never occurred to her that they were all actually friends and that they all cared about each other; that it was more than just ‘yeah we’re all on the same side’ type of deal. Y/N thought about how sad Sokka had looked when he was staring into the fire like it was the only thing that existed around him. She definitely hadn’t thought that it was possible that Sokka could have cared for Suki in the same way that Y/N did. Jealousy burrowed into her heart but she couldn’t even tell who it was directed at; Suki or Sokka.

Y/N needed to switch gears before she fell way too deep into that thinking. “Is that what your nightmare was about?”

“Something like that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No–just. You don’t need to apologize for everything. You know that right?”

“Sorry.” Y/N smiled sheepishly. “Do you want to talk about the nightmare?”

Slowly, Sokka nodded. “It was just a dream where I lose everything. I feel so responsible for everyone, being the oldest–well, before you came. I have to keep everyone safe and I just feel like everything is on me. I can’t lose anyone,” Sokka said desperately. “I can’t.”

Y/N didn’t know what came over her when she reached for Sokka’s hand. She was more surprised when he laced their fingers together. They stood there for a moment, just staring at the water, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand absently. “You are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Literally, since Aang is supposed to save the world and you’re taking responsibility for him. Don’t do that to yourself. We are all capable of taking care of ourselves. No one is going to get hurt.”

It was wishful thinking on Y/N’s part. This was war. It didn’t spare anyone because of their age. But she didn’t need to tell Sokka that.

Sokka didn’t reply but picked up a few rocks and chucked them into the water. His face was half-hidden by his hair but she could see the upturn of a wistful smile.

“I get nightmares too,” Y/N murmured. “It’s usually the same one. Me, Katara and Aang are in the crystal catacombs but we don’t make it out. I’m all alone again. Azula makes me choose, you know, ‘live with me or die with them’.”

“What do you choose?”

“I don’t know. I always wake up before I do. Part of me wishes I would stay asleep long enough to find out.”

“I know what you would do,” Sokka said softly, skipping a flat rock on the water.

“I think I do too.” Y/N watched him for what felt like a minute too long. She was a little struck by the way the reflection of the moon lit up silver on his face. Y/N thought about what she wanted to say to him because she wasn’t done, not even close. She couldn’t just go back to her sleeping bag and fall asleep now. Not when the world was silent, waiting with bated breath for her to confess. Right now was the perfect time, they’d already laid the foundation of trust between them weeks ago. They’d just told each other innermost secrets of nightmares that haunted them. She had thought, and thought and thought all day and she was tired of it. She wanted to do something. Sometimes when we spar or sit next to each other during dinner I think I like you. You’re funny and smart and you believe in me which is more than I could ever ask for. And sometimes I think you like me too.

Y/N squeezed Sokka’s hand, which she couldn’t believe she was even still holding and he turned his head. His azure eyes seemed to burn into hers and her heart sped up. Y/N opened her mouth to say it, just three little words but she took too long and she lost her nerve. If she had even had it to begin with. Both of them seemed to be holding their breath with the world.

“Can you teach me to skip rocks?” Y/N asked. Sokka laughed; and the bubble around them was broken. There was something so carefree about his laugh and Y/N wondered how this boy who was just lamenting his friends’ possible death could still find enough joy to laugh like that.

“Yeah, of course!” Sokka pulled his hand from hers but immediately replaced it with a cool, flat rock.

Y/N hoped she would find out where that laugh came from when she finally told him.

---

A/N: :)))) On another note, as much as I love writing, ideas for the next part and subsequent parts are really evading me so give me time. I’ll get her done ❤️

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