#he asked for the lab data we did which was expected cause we did it together

[el-im]

i’m being so brave abt it but it’s kind of heartbreaking that he only texts me when he needs something 🙃

[nitefise-art]

Companion fic to my Zero comic, Part 5/?  

--

Clavell was floating.  

Someone, somewhere, was calling his name.  

Who was it?  What did they want?  Couldn’t they tell that he was tired, that he had a lot of work to do, that this wasn’t a good time?  All this data wasn’t just going to sit there and analyse itself.  

And yet still the voice called.  

Who was it?  

If only he could turn around, if he just turned around, away from his computer screen, he would see.  See who had put that hand on his shoulder, a hand he immediately swatted away.  But there it was again, the hand on his shoulder.  On his neck.  Under his arms.  Reaching, searching, feeling.  Why couldn’t they leave him to enter those last digits in peace?  He just had to enter those last digits—what were they? 6 – 0 – 1 – 5— what was the last digit?

“Clavell!”

Why it was Turo!  Now, what did he need at such a late hour?

“Clavell, look, it’s done!  We were right!”

Were they?  Well, now, that was most exciting.

“All 18 types, observed at least once in every species, including the ones we introduced.”

Really?  Why, that was truly remarkable.

“Isn’t it?”

Truly.  What a remarkable table.  Just splendid.  He had better remember to clean his glasses later on, once the microwave stopped beeping.

“I mean, just think of the implications! Any Pokemon could be free of the shackles with which it’s born and be at liberty to unleash exactly the power its heart desires!”

Why, of course.  Turo was right.  Think of the things the League could achieve.  Think of the strides in wider education.  And all the children could terastallise their Pokemon—oh, what a marvellous sight to behold.

“If only it weren’t confined down here to this crater, the whole world could see the brilliance of this phenomenon.”

But of course, there was still one more step. They had been focusing so long on the effects, perhaps, now, after all that effort, it was time to find the cause? Were they ready, Turo asked, but Clavell knew—of course he knew.  The answer was right there, staring them in the face, and Turo would find it, he was sure he would.  No one in Paldea had been more ready for this moment than Turo was now.  All he needed was a little encouragement.

Now, why couldn’t he find his glasses?

Clavell was sure he put them somewhere here. Perhaps on the shelf?  Under the pillow?  Or had he left them in the room back there?  Golly, it was really getting harder to breathe now; he hoped he could find those glasses soon.  Then he could at least see Turo better.  There he was, wasn’t he?  Just there in the distance.  Perhaps if he called out to him, he would turn around and—

“Clavell!”

He congratulated Turo on the excellent interview. Yes, it was really quite well done, although he did not expect anything less from his star intern—only now he was an intern no longer.

“Clavell, it’s so great to see you!”

He shook Turo’s hand, although he could not feel it, so joyous was the feeling of being greeted with such enthusiasm by someone who looked up to him.  What had he done to deserve such reverence?  

“I didn’t know you were coming!  Why didn’t you tell me you were in the area?  If I’d known, I would’ve asked them to—”

Oh, gracious, no that won’t do.  Just the thought of all those eyes made him nervous—no, he couldn’t stand that sort of publicity, and Turo knew that.  The real question was, what were his plans after this? Surely, after all this work, a holiday was in order?  Heaven knew, Turo of all people deserved it.  But of course, that was not what he had planned.  They walked together, against the starlight.

“This is actually still confidential, Clavell, but… I don’t mind sharing it with you…”

What had he done to deserve such trust?

“I’ve actually just heard that my funding’s come through.”

Clavell picked up his pace, to match Turo’s.

“You know, from that corporate outfit we discussed before.”

Why, that was fantastic!

“Yes, I’m… I’m thinking I might set up a new lab. One where I can raise a family.”

Now, there was a thought.  He was jogging now.

“There’s one more thing…”

Oh?

“I’d like you to be there as well, Clavell.”

The optimistic look on Turo’s face was almost nostalgic, if Clavell were not too far behind to see.

“This is just the beginning of our Area Zero research.  Once the new lab is done, we can head back down there…”

It was a most inconvenient time to notice how difficult it was to breathe.  It was difficult just hearing Turo’s words.  Back to Area Zero?  Shifting between labs?  More time spent under the light of those crystals?  He begged Turo to wait, to pause, to stop, to think about what he was saying—what else was he hoping to find down there?  Wasn’t terastallisation enough for him?  But no—terastallisation was just the surface, Turo maintained; just imagine what else we could achieve with it!  There’s a far bigger secret down there, and Clavell knew it, so he was told, because Professor Heath’s Violet Book said—

Clavell didn’t like where this was going.  They had been through this so many times; always the same conversation: the Violet Book said—but no, you couldn’t just believe everything the Violet Book said—but Clavell you were there, you saw the plaque—yes, he had seen the plaque—and the crystals—yes, and the crystals—

And every time the conversation would end in the same way, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how blunt he was about the dangers of pursuing such fantastical nonsense, because as far as Turo concerned, it wasn’t nonsense, it was a dream, it was his future.  And who was Clavell to stop a man from pursuing his future?  

Clavell watched as Turo’s back began to fade into the darkness, and in that moment, the answer seemed so clear to him.  It was so simple.  Why did he have to fight it?  It didn’t have to end the same way—all he needed to was to say yes.  To follow him, down into the depths.  And by god Clavell wanted to follow him, for in that moment, it also dawned on him just what a splendid thing that eternal sleep would be.  No more slings; no more arrows.  Just the natural weight of the water as they sank, slowly, slowly.

All he needed to do was reach out with his hand, and not let go.

As fate would have it, however, Clavell was never given the chance.  Suddenly, there were fingers—other fingers—entangled with his own.  And as he was struggling to catch one final glimpse of his friend, so too was the current tugging, pushing him back, until finally, he emerged from the waves, gasping for air.

Far, far away, someone was weeping.

[chronicallyillphoenix]

I have been having a lot of pain recently, specifically in my lower back and my shoulder. My spine mri should a few things wrong but my pcp only told me what they were and to see a neuro and to continue pt, and didn't say if they could be causing me the pain.

I am having to do a heart monitor right now and my electrophysiologist said to do whatever i could to make as many symptoms as I could, so i did a lot of exercising last night and even though it was hurting my back a lot, i kept going because i needed the data. Now i can barely move, which is a hell of my own making but oh well. I have a pcp appointment that I made last friday because i have been short of breath and also my pain has been bad to the point i can barely walk or stand somedays, and at times even sitting hurts.

I just. Im not looking forward to this appointment today. I dont expect him to tell me much about how to deal with the pain even though when i messaged the assistant she said hed talk to me about it at the appointment. I bet hes just going to tell me to wait to talk to neurologist and see what she has to say about it when i literally can barely walk and the only otc pain med i can take isnt working anymore and no ither treatments i try help.

I just hope he will do the lab draws i am going to ask for. If he at least does those it will be slightly successful. I want a pth and calcium (i want to check my parathyroid because my mom had hyperthyroidism and i want to make sure that isnt whats going on with me), as well as check my vitamin levels and my lipid levels. But we will see

[jade-parcels]

👁 I saw you write for dottore, may I please ask for random headcanons of him getting an assistant, (unwillingly, probably) but she’s just as cruel as he is? Really likes his experiments, loves to watch, cracks really horrific dark jokes, etc. probably likes to scare Childe. Tysm aa, if this ask makes you uncomfy, please discard it !

Warning: general Dottore things cause he’s a disturbing man

When the Tsaritsa assigned you to him he was beyond livid. He didn’t want another useless assistant!! The last one the Tsaritsa picked out for him was a mess, so much so that he had to dispose of him himself. He respects his archon (45% of the time, that is) but he hates when she meddles in his work. So when you waltz in expect to be very unwelcome in this space

However he quickly sees he was wrong about you. He may not like you all that much but the way you move around the lab and the way you just…do things the way he says without asking him why or other nonsensical questions…he could get used to this

Dottore sees your true colors during another human experiment. The person is long gone by now, their corpse purple and bloated from the chemicals he’s injected under the skin. When you come over and crack a joke about the corpse resembling an old teacher back in school, he finds himself laughing. Usually his assistants are quiet, scared to say anything that might get them thrown on the metal examination table next

Dottore is an odd ball, he has never really met someone like himself personality wise. He sees himself as ranking over everyone else just because he’s him. He’s superior due to his knowledge, his ways of working, his skills in medicine, alchemy and chemical sciences, he truly thinks he’s better than everyone else- no one could ever hold a candle to himself ever!!!

Now you…You come in here showing similar insanity, similar mannerisms, similar ways of thinking. He doesn’t have to sugarcoat anything with you, in fact you love his stories full of gore and listen intently. He can show you data or photos from past experiments without you gagging or crying. The two of you can cut a semi-conscious hilichurl open and laugh about how it’s screams sound like Childe when Signora slaps him around

Dottore will never feel genuine love for anyone or anything. At one point, maybe he did. When he was young and innocent, if he ever was, maybe he felt love for his parents or a pet. His backstory isn’t out but we do know he was chased out of his hometown by an angry group of pitchfork wielding people so I feel that his insanity set in young and solidified when he went away to college where he was allowed access to a lab with little supervision

He’s altered his own mind with chemical fumes and such so no, he probably can’t feel love and or empathy but…but…with you, he feels understood. He comes to respect you as a colleague, trusts you with the keys to the lab, even invites you to sit with him for a meal which, he never does. Dottore genuinely has to take a moment to ask himself “am I in love..?” But then breaks into a gif of maniacal laughter because how could HE ever love anyone??? He must be sleep deprived lmao there’s no way he just thought that!! Jeez

Don’t expect romance to bloom but expect your career to advance quickly. You’ll be promoted to whatever title is directly below Dottore’s within the lab staff, you’ll oversee experiments while he’s away and he expects you to lead with a firm hand

[oh-for-fic-sake]

New Beginnings Chapter Two

Masterlist Summary: You move on into your new role, but little did you know that accepting the new job would be so life changing. Warnings: Implied Smut, Swearing, Fluff, Angst??, Tony Bashing, Avenger Bashing, Clark is a cheeky little shit, A/N: So here it the second part to my three part Marvel Dc crossover and Clark is in this part I hope you like it xxx Taglist: @two-unbeatable-beaters​ @magdelen69​ @iloveyouyen​ @sofiebstar​ @thefangirlsblog​ @harrysthiccthighss​ @loserrlauraa​ ��@cheeseman​ @isitmine​ @tinabean37​

Bruce watched his phone carefully as the 'plane' glided through the air coming to a hover a good few hundred feet above the Newyork tarmac. Tony was pissed it was clear from the way he had contacted his lawyers...The very same lawyers that actually worked for a firm Bruce owned. Victor was scanning the calls and emails updating him on the situation as it unfolded. He scoffed so you had mentioned his child and other mistress? Well good on you! The man needed a kick up the ass. Tony was grasping at straws trying to get back at you, or get you back but that wasn't going to happen. You were theirs now. He leaned back a smile on his face he twisted his chair hands behind his head as he saw a late notification. A charge on his card of thirty five dollars in the restaurant he had sent you for dinner this evening. It was a treat but also a way to see if you'd back out at the last minuet. He gave a self satisfied smirk. You'd not only had the courage to leave the situation you were trapped in with out a clue as to what you were going to be doing, but you'd got a little payback aswell, it was more then he could have hoped for. "So our new member is on her way, her bags have just got to the strip and are being watched by Clark, he said she's just making her way past security now she should be there in a few moments" Alfred said sitting down as the aircraft stilled hanging high in the air over the private airstrip the low humming of the engines holding itself steady. "Good, everything is ready at the tower for her isn't it?" Bruce asked in a low voice watching out for the lights of the small cart thats would bring you out to the landing spot. Clark’s voice broke threw the com built in system halting what ever Alfred was going to say. "She's on her way, I'm off see you when you get back" Bruce gave a thanks over the radio but it was to late the kryptonian was out of range. He sighed heavy taking his finger off the button. Alfred smirked giving a small chuckle. "Irritating isn't it Bruce~" he offered up casually at the exasperated look on the mans face. "But as I was going to say yes everything is ready and clean, I even filled the fridge~" Alfred gloated making Bruce’s scoff shaking his head. "How kind of you to feed her, your generosity knows no bounds...Look here she comes now best start our descent." Alfred left to the front of the craft and started the slow vertical drop to the tarmac.

You sat in the cart, the driver didn't say much just that you'd be picked up my Mr Wayne out here, he was to drop you off and leave. You clutched your bag with shaky fingers, sweaty palms trying to cling to the faux leather. You were nervous, super nervous this was it your new start, the big leap of faith. Faith in a man you didn't know at all. You were worried this was a mistake deliberated all throughout your meal, but it was to late now. Its was trust Mr Wayne of become homeless and jobless. You'll admit it was nice to be rushed through the airport, recognised and pulled from the line at first you thought you'd done something wrong. You quickly crushed that thought when you were sped to the front and down a side hall to a small private check in...Well there wasn't much checking in more a quick check of your Id then carted straight onto the back of this small golf cart type vehicle and sped down the run way. Which was a little scary as your driver weaved in and around these huge air crafts. But after all the excitement you were unceremoniously dumped here in a far quiet corner of the air field you twiddled your fingers a little trying to calm your self down as the cart raced back down towards the terminal. It was quiet for a few moments then there was a low humm, an echoing rumble that was both eerie and awe inspiring. Then suddenly out of no where there was a large gust of warm air from above sending your hair twisting about in the air wildly. You could just see a huge black aircraft coming in to view shimmering with an opalescent sheen flickering with what you assumed was some type of cloaking barrier. You gasped watching at the wings folded upwards onto itself. It was a magnificent sight to behold, instantly all regret was washed away as you took a few steps to the side trying to take in as much of the craft as you could view. The huge craft as it twisted around directing the back almost cargo like door opening as it lowered. You were completely awe struck seeing Bruce standing holding the top of the door as it descended the last few feet and finally landed. "Y/n I'm so glad you choose to joins us!" He said walking down the ramp but you couldn't speak your eyes were glued to the matte black marvel of engineering in front of you. Bruce stood beside you looking up at it. "Shes a beaut isn't she?" He said with a chuckle. You pointed to it and faced him.

"The wings? They folded? Like how did you- surly thats not- I mean how do you maintain structural integrity when shes flying? I doubt she's slow? And what type of cloaking was that? Did it cloak the sound to? Like I didn't even hear it!" You asked the questions in quick succession excited as you tiptoed trying to drink in a much of her as you could. Bruce smiled and grabbed two of your suitcases making his way to the craft. "The cloaking? It's Atlantean" he called over his shoulder you all but squealed. "I KNEW IT!!" You jumped for joy quickly snatching your other suit cases running into the craft overwhelming Bruce with questions your curiosity had been triggered and you were now shaking with excitement at the prospect of being able to play with tech no one had ever seen before-well on the surface that it. Once inside Bruce managed to wrangling you into a seat the upper deck. You couldn't sit still far to interested in the spacious air carrier? Plane? What did you call this!? "Bertha" Bruce offered as he shuffled through some documents on the table counting page numbers of what you assumed was your contract. You frowned and went to ask but he seemed to be concentrating so decided not to ask. Alfred came out from a small automatic door with a tray carrying three cups of coffee. He was going to stay for the festivities. You thanked him as he place a small cup and sugar bowl next to you. "What Bruce meant was we call this old girl Bertha, its nice to see you again y/n" he added sipping his own drink. Suddenly Bertha's deep echoing thwums became a low hum and there was a tiny pull and it was then almost silent. "Holy shit it does!? The cloaking reduces sound even in here!?" Bruce tipped his head up and grinned nodding to you making you giddy, you knew you were right! Outside you couldn't hear a thing! He moved the stack of papers over to your side of the table between you. You gazed down seeing the familiar disclosure's and a lengthy contract below it. You swallowed time to sign your life away. "Id like for you to read through these..Most is about confidentiality...I can't stress enough that Its the most important thing in this project. It could cost us all everything it'd be catastrophic if anything was ever leaked...You'll understand more when you meet the team but...I need to trust that you will adhere to it before getting to that" you frowned as he explained this to you it was...Frightening the seriousness of his tone the look in his eyes as if lives were on the line. You nodded to him and sat back readying yourself for a long read. Bruce smiled patting your arm as he got up leaving you to look over the thorough contracts in peace. It was a good hour and a half you'd finally finished. The contract was lengthy but relatively simple...And required finger prints?...Apparently the lab you'd be working in that was constantly referred to as 'the tower' would keep records of your bio metric data for security in the form of eye scans and hand and finger prints and blood samples?. You have to disclose all history including medical and criminal. That made you pause for concern you did have a conviction for causing a social disturbance...And assault. Beating the shit out of a creep trying to force a young neighbors kid intl selling drug for him. Yeah you could probably explain that one. Apart from that it was fairly the same as anything you sighed for the Avengers. You'd get room and board for free but this time it was a 'luxurious apartment' that you were allowed to redecorate as you saw fit. Your pay was just over five hundred dollars a week which was 'non negotiable' you'd be expected to work thirty five hours a week and be on call for emergencies at any given time and always have your coms on-there was a coms system in the building so you wouldn't have to have an ear piece all the time. You'd get full access to any resources and labs and work shops and be able to pursue any projects that may be beneficial to the team. Which in all honesty sounded like a dream.And all they asked in return was that they have the only sole rights to use anything you create. But you would hold the patents. Apart from that there was seven different discretion declaration's. Each saying the same thing in a different wording making it abundantly clear that you will not ever talk about what happens in the tower to anyone. Or mention your colleagues or anyone seen within the tower itself. You had scribbled down a few questions to ask Bruce but apart from that it all seemed pretty solid. And you got some super expensive private health and dental!

"You done?" You jumped looking up at Bruce and smiled nodding as he placed a fresh coffee beside you. "I err yes its all done ..A few things though I wanted to ask before signing..If that was okay?" He smiled nodding and sat down. "I'd be more worried if you didn't have questions. Fire away" he said seemingly more then happy to ease your worries. You cleared your throat and looked to your list. "Well I err have a mark on my record...Criminal, I was charged with battery and had a fine...A drug dealer trying to get my neighbors kid to sell for him threatening him so I...Yeah he was hurt pretty bad and I got arrested..He charged me went to court and he got put away for dropping himself in it and I got a slap on the wrist." Bruce smiled they already knew that but it was a good show of character you admitting to it straight away. He nodded smiling. "Not a problem, we already know but thank you for being honest anything else?" He asked polity you looked down nodding swallowing relieved that your past wasn't really going to effect your job offer. "Err the erm this bit here... Being able to research my own projects as long as it can be useful? I just...That is vague I don't want to sign if I end up being pushed into something I'm not comfortable with...Again." he nodded he couldn't blame you for being careful especially after that shit show you were in before. He sighed leaning back arms crossed. "Our team is...An elite league of individuals who... Protect innocents... We don't want to use lethal weapons, in fact we have a very strict no tolerance policy, no guns or the like. Not a single life should be lost if we can help it. But we still need equipment thats where you come in. Sometimes create completely new gear or prefect old gear. You can work on weapons, barriers,  Armour, maneuver gear anything you want...Tracking devices the lot...All we ask is its not designed to take a life and that we are the only ones with access to it....And occasionally name it because...Well we all have our quirks" you chuckled feeling much more relaxed and crossed off the question...He'd answered a few there in his explanation. You looked down at the list. That was it apart from... "I get to have a pet, I get lonely" Bruce chuckled and nodded "Fine a pet but a small one, that can live in a cage or terrarium... And you stop calling me Mr Wayne, call me Bruce" you giggled at his terms "...Fine Bruce...What about a house rabbit?" He laughed out of the side of his mouth and held ot a hand for you to shake. "House rabbit? I'll have it added to the contract. Deal!" You smiled giggling and shook his hand. Within moments you he signed all the papers which Bruce locked into a smart silver briefcase. And called Alfred to bring her in. You frowned at him weren't you still flying. "We've be hovering above the tower just inside the atmosphere all this time, give us a few moments and we will be landing...Oh and let me be the first to welcome you to the Justice league" you froze the fucking what what?....What?! Your face must have been a sight as he laughed out loud. "What?! Wait what- you but who?-are you?...Gotham... Shut up your not the bat!?"  You stuttered as he smirked sipping his drink then shrugged throwing his hands out. "You caught me, you'll be privvy to all our identities so I had to be sure but...I think springing it on you at the tower would be a little mean" he added you blinked fast trying to catch up with your thoughts that raced a mile a minuet. You swallowed holy shit your going to be...With them? Access to the bats arsenal? Atlantean tech? kryptonian tech? Fuck you were giddy just thinking about it you tried to wipe the grin off your face but it wasn't happening all the new tech and discovery's the tinkering and playing about you could do?! It made your heart nearly burst! It was then that Bertha made the load hum once again and rocked as the suspension rocked lightly. "Want to go meet the team?" He asked standing up you took a breath following like an over excited puppy. He moved through to the back as the ramp lowered you each collected two cases and exited. You were in a huge cavernous room on polished concrete and aray of matte black vehicle's each angular in the typical 'bat man' finish looking all cool and displayed. "Nice garage~ I thought Tony's was impressive-" you said trying to fill the silence but regretted it as his name filled your chest with what felt like lead weights. Bruce eyed you slowing to walk beside you. "Tony's not worth it, despite everything he is still a selfish narcissist..You never know he may be coming to you for help one day~" he said trying to cheer you up it worked sort of, it had only been a week but the wound was still raw open...But not was raw as it should have been? I mean on the scale of things you were fuck buddies never went out, or to his place or anything..You were nothing more then a quiet fling. You came to a set of double doors that opened as you approached. Slipping through you were all smiles, it wasn’t as...Showy as Stark tower. Clean modern, contemporary with polished natural looking stone walls with little flecks of almost gem like facets that caught the light just right. It was large and overall modest...No large gaudy art pieces or blown up photos of the league. You soon can to a stop at an elevator Bruce place his hand letting it take his print and it opened he motioned you to enter. "We can go drop off your cases and put your prints into the system then you can meet everyone, They are all hanging around to meet you..Been waiting a long time" he announced snapping you out of your revere. You nodded dumbly letting him push a button, it was only when it began moving that you realized the back wall was glass overlooking the floors as you glided higher. On the way up you saw a gym and pool...Labs then a common room floor large and open...Everything seemed calm here.

Within moments Bruce had whisked you away gliding down a short hall that had one door which seemed strange you frowned as the 'glass' panel beside the door looked like oil?  A multicolour rainbow shimmering in the light with its movements..It was on closer inspection to saw it wasn't moving like waster but...Sand?super fine sand like the type or 'magic dry sand' children play with in waster. It was black and reached out in tiny inch long spindles. Making you cringe it did not look pleasant. "This is err your floor, this pad here is the lock is...It's safe I promise uses hand print scanning sort of...It will give a small finger prick to register your dna...Its like a two step verification, if for what ever reason your hand and finger prints don't work it'll let you in by repeating the finger prick" you eyed him cautiously...That thing was going to do a blood test? You moved your hand slowly to the door panel fingers trembling and twitching but froze just out of the tendrils reach. Bruce put a hand on you reassuringly. "Its safe I promise once its taken it it wont need to again well its been a few years and none of us have had to verify again, the kryptonian's were pretty clever...And after your prints are in your in everywhere..You'll have unrestricted access so its just a one off" he explained further. Your face lit up kryptonian?  Alien security inside the fabric of the building? My god you were going to love it here. You sucked in a breath planting you hand tentatively on the pad and hissed jumping as the sandlike material molded to your hand growing warm then a tiny pinprick on your index finger drawing a few drops of blood. The process took seconds and your hand was released with a slow swirl and once again the door opened showing a huge open plan apartment one whole length of it glass letting in natural light like on of those ridiculous ultra modern show homes. It took your breath away as you wheeled in your cases behind Bruce. "Now I know what your thinking but they are mirrored the other side and no one can see in...Well maybe Clark but he is to much of a gentleman to be a peeping tom~" he finished with a chuckle and turned around to face you as you made small steps into the place. You were in love, this beats the basic room with a view you did have.This could be home.you pulled yourself out of your snooping locking onto what Bruce said. "Clark?" Bruce smiled letting go of your suitcases leaving them in the open area by the kitchen and modern wood beam partition that cornered off the living room. "Supes, you'll get to call up by our given names...Any way lets get going the sooner they meet you the sooner they will stop whining in my ear...Giving me a fucking head ache-yeah alright we're coming! Jesus" you giggled and followed him out again into the elevator.

You quickly soared up into a huge room split in two halves, one a huge round table with enough seats for everyone then a tinted glass wall with the tell tale illuminations of monitors that would put nasa's ground control to shame. "This is our office? Slash mission room...I suppose you could call it? We never really get the time to sit here and discuss missions most of the time there isn't time but at least we get to use it now as a meet and greet" you tried keeping calm, you'd done this before-it was just like the Avengers don't worry they are people...Except for the alien amazonian Atlantean and a...Cyborg...yeah this was a little strange. "Everyone meet y/n new member of the team!" The was a small cheer which made you chuckle and wave nervously. They each wore their appointed suit's. You got a little starstruck to be honest this was The Justice League...A band of superheros who each shared your ideals. You swallowed dryly as wonder woman came over shaking your hand. "I'm Diana- that’s Arthur, Barry ,Victor, Clark and Barbra..It's nice to finally have you here" you shook her hand smiling.

"Finally, you make it sound like you were waiting" you huffed a laugh trying to break t through your nerves with humor.

"We were...We wanted you two years ago but...well Stark got there first but we were always going to snatch you away it was just a case of when" she replied with a kind smile nothing false or off. You smiled nodding to her "Well I assure you if I'd had known two year's ago I'd have been here instead trust me" you said as she moved of to the side letting the others come and greet you. "Yeah well you were caught by that dick wad- good call getting out" you chuckled at Arthur's frankness and moved again Barry shaking your hand "I err yeah it was a shit show there but I'm over it" you said to them all trying not to exclude anyone and be rude. Before you knew it you was eye to...Chest with Clark...Wow okay fuck how is he more intimidating then Thor? He grinned at you a charming smile. "Well we are just glad you saw sense and finally found your way home to us. We have waited a long while to have you here talent Iike yours shouldn't be disregarded you can help us save a lot of lives" you swallowed trying not to notice he was impeccably handsome he was but...That was near impossible. Oh fuck. "Ah no pressure then...Thanks for that big guy" you said sarcastically trying to battle your nerves with humor which didn't help as he laughed smiling showing off his once thought handsome now perfect features. Shit. Double shit. The last thing you needed was a fucking crush. "Don’t worry we will get you up to speed on our...Foreign technologies then you'll be off doing your own thing in no time, we wont working you into the ground" you shivered at your take on being 'worked into the ground' but smiled covering any indication you were slowly creating sordid fantasies about the man in blue...And not the cap- thank fuck though that did you a favor any rising libido gone in an instant. Whew that could of got sticky. "I'd appreciate it your...Security system all but shook me like how the hell does that even do that..." he laughed out loud twisting to the final pair you'd yet to meet then back to you shrugging a pink tint to his cheeks...Well that was new, super-buff-superhero shy. It was refreshing. "You know I'm not sure, I just find it and bring it back Bruce, Victor and Barbra do all the engineering and tech work..I do the heavy lifting" he said chuckling away rubbing the back of his neck a little embarrassed that despite it being tech from his home planet he didn't have a clue. "Yes Clark is pretty handy to have around in the labs, makes things go much smoother when he can lift things so you can fit...Our very own walking talking car jack..I'm Barbra you'll be with me and Victor most of the time we are the appointed geeks" you shook hands with a blonde woman in a wheelchair that must have been up at the screens and Victor the half Cyborg? You nodded polity. "So I'm going to be learning the ropes with you guys?" They nodded casually grinning probably happy to have someone else to 'speak geek' with, you can appreciate that. "We will teach you a thing or two..But I have no doubt you'll be ahead of us in no time I've read all your research, I was impressed. Tried to build on some when we thought we'd lost you for good but didn't get anywhere...Whats your take on the electromagnetic film shield? Did you drop it or?" Victor asked and you perked up. "Oh no I haven't dropped it..I got a little stuck on how to increase the human electrical impulses to control it without effecting the sinus node or nervous. I need a link..A pathway that can be activated at will, Its what I hoped to find at Stark tower similar to To-Mr Stark’s arch reactor?... But he said it was a pipe dream so never got that far" Victor lit up that was a viable option and tipped his head. "So implants? What sort of thing?" He asked looking genuinely interested. You sucked through your teeth and hummed. "Yeeesss...Sort of was leaning more maybe something less permanent..Something based on taser pins? you know tiny barbs that can be removed at will" you elaborated Barbra gasped face lighting up.

"OH GOD! I never thought of anything like that...That would be more convenient, you could use the own bodies impulses like a power source...A human battery!" She exclaimed the new theory excited her and the three of you suddenly found yourself exchanging ideas between you forgetting the others standing off to the side watching. "Well they seem to have....Clicked look at them go!" Barry said watching at the three of you started bouncing ideas of of one another already any nerves or tension dissipated as you Victor and Barbra began geeking out. It was clear that this was the start of an incredible collaboration.

You'd been here just over eight months and was finally happy. It was incredible how much things could change in a short space of time, life was now the best it had ever been. Your spot in the team was secure and you'd made strong friendships with everyone...You were a family, sister to the league and a mother figure to the youngsters. Always fretting over them and helping them out when need be, normally you were helping the peanut gallery; which consists of konner, Jon, Damien and Tim..Occasionally Jason if the mood strikes him avoid the wrath’s of their fathers. You even got a fucking chart going a community service type deal they fuck around then they are in the lab helping you for a few days. Girl talk with Diana was fun if not a little daunting at first but you soon relaxed with her, despite her tendency to want to kick ass for you. Arthur and Bruce were like protective older brothers checking in all the time making sure you were taking care of yourself which was sweet. Barry was that kid who you constantly had to feed and was always up for trying new recipes, you were trying to come up with healthier alternatives to his junk food... And you'd made him frozen meals each week to take home, he collected them every Tuesday. You, Victor and Barbra were three peas in a pod you were always chatting with one another during your work and pushing boundaries together each day exploring creating throwing theories around enjoying finally being understood. 

Then there was Clark. You'd been dating for five months and even though it was quiet at first it wasn't because he didn't want to be seen it was more...Only Jason had caught you making out and the little twerp had kept his mouth shut. Good job as well that had been your first kiss with the man. You and Clark had been stealing kisses and sneaking quiet dates since. It had been slow going your first assumption of him being shy was true, he was shy...At first then he became quite the little flirt. It had started after about two weeks of being here? He spent a lot of time around you getting to know you. Helping you when he could the rest of the time happy to sit around the lab passing you things making small talk. Then from there it was hanging around the common room, having coffee then he showed you around Metropolis and stuff just generally hanging out getting along. You'd offhandedly mentioned you wanted to try the gym out and get fitter but didn't have a clue how anything worked. Clark had seen the chance and grabbed it with both hands, he offered to train you. He was a slave driver in the gym not letting you quit when your arms were about to far off but the work was paying off, you were becoming toner, not buff or bulky but you felt better in yourself healthier, happier. You'd noticed that you felt different? With Tony everything had been forced? He'd never ever forced you but the feelings had been forced lathered on thick, heavy and unrelenting. You were shocked that you'd managed to move on so easily, things with Clark flowed it was smooth and relaxed nothing rushed you took pleasure in just being around one another which was a nice change of pace. You'd had your first kiss in the gym just over a month into your stay. It was sweet and then heated no pressure or desperation...But he was eager in a gentle way, romantic even though it was hot. You'd never felt it before. Tony had been your first regrettably and he was always so pushy? Not really the word he just wanted to get his fix and leave. It was a rush quick array of sucks nips then he quickly rutted into you and left with out so much as a thank you pulling his zipper up on the way out. He wasn't affectionate with you, he never took his time with you or spent much time with you it was always so callous and sarcastic you now realize it's because you were the butt of a sick joke. But Clark he was just there happy as can be kissing you. Sure he squeezed your ass but its not like you minded. The first kiss had been a surprise, you were on one of the rock walls climbing more for fun then anything he was lifting weights when he heard a whizz of unwinding rope, your harness came loose you barley fell a few feet and he'd caught you. You were in his arms before you even heard his weights slam onto the floor. It had been an overwhelming moment, until then you'd never really seen him in action he didn't take his powers lightly you'd only seen him in flight twice. The first time you'd screamed bloody murder at him for making you jump as he made the loud echoing boom as he entered the atmosphere from above you...You swear it was like a fucking bomb going off being so high up on your balcony you'd felt it in your bones.

But this time there was no sound to his movement he was just suddenly there with you in his arms catching you before anything could happen. Well his arms was a relative term, he had in his panic curled under you making you land awkwardly slumped over his chest front first one leg between his the other over his hip, chin and torso sprawled out over his chest. He moved tipping his head down panting lightly. He pulled and arm around your waist holding you securely then froze staring you in the eye. Time stopped for a few breaths as you both saw the opening, the opportunity to take things further. Surprisingly Clark took it tipping his head one hand coming to the back of yours and he pulled gently bringing your lips to his in a sweet kiss. You melted whining softly letting him moved his lips against yours in delicate movements. He pulled back and grinned cheeks tinting pink. "You should be more careful, you could get hurt" you smiled flushing his tone was something you hadn't heard from the man before. It had a dark rasp under his usual smooth voice, a growl  full of hidden promise and his eyes blown wide black devouring the blue and half lidded giving the perfect man the most beautifully delicious expression. You smiled and moved forward whispering across his lips. "I doubt you'd let that happen~" you smiled and moved again pressing your own kiss to him moving your hands to smooth down his chin the light stubble grazing your fingers. He hummed moving his hands down completely forgetting you were a good thirty feet up in the air cupping your bottom pulling you across him further making your other leg rise over his other hip effectively straddling him. He pulled tighter digging his fingertips into the cheek of your ass making you gasp as he pulled them apart slightly. You pulled away panting down at him. It was then you heard footsteps and a loud curse you snapped your gaze down seeing Jason. "Are you kidding? This isn't fair! How the fuck am I meant to compete with that!? Dad I could of beat but thats a joke bitch I'm out you win uncle Clark" he said making a stretching his arms out wide in a defeated motion. Clark laughed out loud as Jason turned tail an left with a quick 'clean up after~' you flushed  and blinked at the hunk of male you were straddling. "What was that about?" You asked not really following he rose a brow at you incredulously. "You mean you haven't noticed the boy flirting with you?" You blinked at him again and shook your head. "Well yeah but he's a kid...Thought it was cute-like in a younger siblings best friend kind of way...He was serious?" You asked him eyeing the door where Jason had left in a huff. "Yes and he just bowed out gracefully looks like I've won my prize~" Clark chuckled and tipped your head back to face him a smug smile to go with hos self assured words. You gave him your own smirk wriggling your brows and moved closer to him lips a breath away from his. "Oh really Mr Kent" you kept your voice light and teasing letting your bottom lip just graze his as you spoke. Clark hummed low the sound reverberating in his chest like a purr of a big cat you felt it in your bones. "Well your straddling my cock so I'd like to think so~" he quipped innocently hands squeezing your ass as if to make a point for a second you stuttered unsure if you heard him correctly did the super cute cheeky farm boy just say cock? you looked down and noticed he was right and panicked. "Oh god sorry!" You cried flushing when you noticed you were in fact pressed tightly to his groin, body weight centered over his cock. Quickly you failed about moving only for his hands to come up supporting your hips holding you steady with a chuckle you were so flustered you'd forgotten where you were. "No no please don't apologize I'm quite comfortable like this, can think of no better place to have you~...You best hold on tighter though you might fall~" you gaped at him this had been the first time that the sweet, polite considerate gentleman had sounded like a horny hot blooded male. And you fucking loved it! You peeked over the side of the huge chest and saw you were still quite a way's up he hadn't lowered an inch staying perfectly still. You latched onto him for dear life legs locking around his waist digging your feet into the cheek's of his perfect ass. Arms hugging his neck once secure he placed one hand across your rear the other at you back and finally moved to hover upright. the tilt made you cringe you wasn't really one for heights, you could somewhat ignore it when you were climbing with the harness but that was about it you never really strayed to far out on your balcony either sticking close to the windows and door in case it decided to fail and crack away from under your feet. "Oh my god get me down! Please please Clark I'll do anything!" You panicked suddenly feeling queasy as he moved, being upright instead of sitting on him was a very different experience and you really wanted to be set down now. You missed the quick dark playful smile on his face as your words registered. "Anything? Then you wont refuse dinner with me tonight?" He asked quickly not missing a beat. You eyed him gasping at the cheeky grin and clung tighter as he made to move his hands away from you with a chuckle finding this amusing. "No no don't do that-Hold me dammit!!- wait and are You serious?! Now! Your asking me out now?"  You panicked stuttering wondering where this new devious Clark had come from but you didn't have long to wonder as he tipped his head eyeing you mischievously biting his bottom lip trying to fight of some more chuckles. He couldn't help it you were just so cute trying to be angry when all flustered and panicked and he'd admit he really liked you clinging to him tightly. "Well no time like the present~" he added making you squint at him but smile shaking you head you couldn't help find him cute when he was like this. Like a naughty little boy all tricks and charm. He dropped a few feet with you then stopped again making you squeal and hold him tighter if possible your face now level with his at how close you held him around his neck. You looked down then back to his eyes nodding enthusiastically before crying out your answer heart ready to burst. "I FUCK !! NO I-Fucking hold me Clark!! YES- Dinner- yes yes I'll go to dinner with you just please get me down!" Your voice was high and you squeezed your eyes shut face scrunching up as you tried to hold on to the man for dear life. He huffed a laugh as you squirmed uncomfortably. "Seal it with a kiss?" You growled at him ready to yell at him for being an ass but was cut off by another kiss. He dipped his head this time devouring your mouth with merciless accuracy. He was making war with your tongue before you even realized you'd opened your mouth. You moan as he tilted down further trying to steal your breath, tracing the inside of your mouth with ease unhurried in his exploration as though he was drawing a map you grunted letting him so as he pleased falling under his intoxicating spell the man had a way with you it seemed. In a few quick movement's you were sure he could be your undoing. The kiss was more than anything you'd felt, a deeper connection then just tongues and teeth like you both just knew one another without trying tilting and suckling in a sweet yet eager embrace. You parted and blinked at him his cheeky grin greeting you eyes sparkling with glee. "There safe and sound and you thought I'd drop you~" he announced teasing you lightly it was then you realized he was standing firmly on the ground you squeaked and unhooked your legs placing your feet between his. But he didn't release your ass instead squeezing it for a few breaths then exhaled stepping away from you with a light pat on your rump making you flush. "Well I'm going to go have a shower and get ready for our date, I'll pick you up at six" he turned walking to the exit making you stutter a few words then finally you found your voice. "And I'd have gone to dinner with you anyway!! You didn't need to you know!" You yelled out to his back he laughed loud calling out 'I know' over his shoulder making you grumble. Clark was a lovable ass.? With a lovely ass. You noted watching the pert cheeks tense as he moved turning around the door frame. "I can see you staring!" he called from the hall making you blush and clench your fists turning around running to the door poking your head around it before shouting down the hall behind him. "Well you got to fucking squeeze mine so we're even!!" he laughed a loud belly laugh as he opened the door to the men's changing rooms shaking his head at you as he entered.

Since then it had been a dream Clark was everything you wanted in a boyfriend and then some. Dates were well planned and could range from cliché and romantic to adventurous and sexy and anything in-between. The relationship wasn't a secret for long perhaps five weeks maybe six? either way the League had soon found out when he'd out of the blue spun your chair round to face him stealing a deep embarrassingly hot kiss in front of them when you parted asking what that was for he just smirked and shrugged stating he just 'wanted to taste his woman' and left telling you to 'finish up soon' leaving you to stutter out an explanation to a very amused team that you were a couple. Bruce; who you suspected had known for a few weeks before, had been really amused noting that you should 'hurry up before he came back down for seconds' and to you embarrassment you did hurry up and scurry back to your apartment where he was already naked in the bedroom placing a juice bottle next your side of the bed knowing you always needed a little break to re hydrate as he demolished you mind body and soul~. As it turns out Clark had told Konner and Jon before hand and they both wasn't bothered at first trying to act all cool. It wasn't until a few weeks ago they had become excited at the prospect of maybe having their very own Ma. Well excited in a teenage sense of trying not to show they cared but in fact both just wanted you to snatch them up and give the two touch starved boy much needed affection and snuggles which you did on mothers day getting you mothers day present a little silver locket with photos of them which you wore every single day. They were so terrified about it they hadn't asked if you even wanted them you remember their faces deliberating as they handed you the box mumbling uncertain 'happy mothers day' looking at all the cards and chocolates their cousins had given you. The gift was the most precious thing and you couldn't help but cry as you hugged them kissing them both. There was anxiety and tears all around but in the end you all got the out come you wanted, whilst all the youngsters were 'yours' by default konner and Jon were your special boys, they were your sons. Your relationship was incredible your job was a dream and you had a family if that wasn't enough? there was your aforementioned sex life...Sex? My god! It was out of this world, the best sex you'd ever had Tony was said to be one of the best lays but he didn't have shit on Clark! Clark's strength and stamina meant he would always last he had once fucked you for six hour's straight....That's not a few rounds that was one! One fucking round and you'd passed out only to be woken by a mind numbing orgasm that left you a babbling incoherent puddle of wanton female desperation. All because you'd teased him about how long he could really last. Your answer days that mans cock could keep cumming for days and still not be satisfied. Safe to say you never questioned his stamina again. You were at it like rabbits you'd been caught 'with your pants down' by everyone...Everyone. But you didn't care you didn't get a chance to Clark to your was a very goal orientated lover, his goal was to leave you a complete bumbling sticky exhausted mess. He enjoyed watching you fall apart over and over until you couldn't speak let alone move. His favorite was when you tiptoed about the next day, slow steps, bow legged and sitting on cushions letting everyone see that he had all but destroyed you the previous night aftercare helped but you were pretty much fucking a god there were consequences that a good bubble bath couldn't fix. And once you were fully seated on him there was nothing that could deter him, not even konner waltzing into your apartment to steal your snacks. Clark just kept at it as your son passed the sofa you were being rawed on to get to our snack cupboard, the teen didn't even bat an eyelash!! As embarrassed as you was you couldn't deny finding Clark's complete disregard for modesty once inside you was fucking hot. Like he was in a trance so focused on fucking you into your next orgasm he didn't bother worrying about anything else. And even when you wasn't being ploughed by the man things were still great! He was sweet funny kind and you showered one another with affection something you'd never known you'd missed out on. Things were great and the others didn't seem to have any issues with it sure they poked fun sometimes as you acted like a couple of teenagers but thats to be expected. All in all life was fucking brilliant here and you couldn't wish for anything better.

You moved about the lab tweaking the...Well your not sure what it was to be honest...Clark had been shooting off into the galaxy again searching for the abandoned Kryptonian outposts and bringing you back bits and pieces anything from trinkets to tech. This time he brought back a hover krypto-bot guard thingy and thought you might be able to get it up and running to help you and Barbra around the lab. You grumbled tweaking the bot trying to get the last few pieces in place before powering it up, it worked from solar energy much like Clark. You giggled at the thought and looked over to him. And the view wasn't bad~ you twisted eyeing the fit as fuck resident Kryptonian. Today he was wearing some 'tad to small but you wasn't complaining' sweat pants and a fitted white tank top....Yum. He was standing tall one arm extended above him holding a few tonne bat mobile like it was a bed sheet. Bruce's bat mobile was getting a suspension upgrade as it could now crawl up walls with its new 'tires'. He said aiming is hard when he is being jostled about but you and Barbra knew it was just a case of him having a delicate ass and wants a smoother ride~ You gasped as the bot rose hovering above the floor you'd done it? You'd got it working? Fixed a fucking alien robot! Fuck yes go you! you hummed watching as it rose to hover a foot and a half sides opening and closing looking like it was flexing, stretching after a long nap..In a way it looked cute. "Any luck-whoa babe step back a bit" You looked up seeing Clark peer over his shoulder at you eyeing the bot that was hovering in front of you calmly you stepped back Clark had told you what one of these had done to Lois when they met. He motioned for Barbra to back up and put the bat mobile down onto the ground eyeing the bot waiting to see if it attacks. It did Clark was caught off guard as the bot bypassed you instead completely ignoring you turning completely around and gunning for Barbra. It took seconds but soon the bot was ripped in two on the floor. You didn't mind hard work or no that thing had gone for Barbra. "Fucking hell!? Barb you okay?!" You called out jogging the few steps to the shaken woman. she nodded smiling thanking Clark assuring you she was fine. You sighed and placed your hands on your hips huffing seeing the pieces scattered all over. You wasn't mad you just don't like cleaning up oil spills. "Why did it only attack me?...Like y/n was right in front of it and the thing didn't even flinch" she asked Clark you frowned and pondered that yourself from what Clark said it should had attacked the first human it saw is it was going to attack. You furrowed your brows deeper and turned to Clark who was looking between the two of you baffled uming and ahing. "Yeah I'm wondering that to didn't it attack Lois on sight?" Clark nodded which made you turn to Barbra trying to figure it out. "Yes so shouldn't it have gone for the closest human? like if it was gonna turn it should have been you? Weird" you both looked to the now dead robot frowning that didn't make sense and you didn't like things not making sense. "maybe...It sensed my dna inside you?" Clark offered with a slight wave of his hand grasping at straws you frowned completely lost..Dna you wasn't pregnant or anything so that didn't make sense. "Inside y/n?- Wait ew no tmi thank you very much!" Barbra called wheeling herself off to the side giving both you and Clark a wide birth as she made for the exit. you stood there stumped as she did so Clark had a cheeky grin on his face but you really didn't follow. "wait what dna? Clark?" he shrugged cheeks tinting pink and motioned to you in a vague show of hands motioning to you making you even more confused. "Well this morning..I did kinda you know flood your pu-" you cut him off when you realized just what he was getting at. A very satisfying morning romp. "OH! Right well that would be it thank you Clark you can stop now" you spoke quickly in a high pitch trying to shut him up asap as Barbra laughed from the other side of the lab running a diagnostics on the bat mobile for the new parts shes added. you flushed and Clark grinned he loved everyone knowing you were his a typical alpha male pea-cocking, flaunting his prize. you smiled a small impish grin and turned moving to collect the robot. Clark beat you to it and helped move it to one of the work benches. "..Well then, I'm going to...Take him apart and see if I can locate and remove that scanning unit, if it can scan and match dna then I might be able to incorporate it into the security system...No more finger pricks?" you inquired Barbra turned from the screen she was working on "Shit that would be good the systems been buggy with konner and Jon recently I think they are getting sick of spilling blood for their snacks" you smiled to her nodding those were your thoughts exactly you thought the system might be tripping with the half human aspect of them but..If that bot did in fact see Clark's... Residue then it should work for Konner and Jon. "exactly no one likes to many finger pricks" you called out happily Barbra nodded then you both deadpanned as Clark spoke up in a scoff. "Well maybe not you love~" you scowled at him but it lost its bite as you flushed a bright red as he winked quickly sucking in his bottom lip eyes flashing mischievously at you. You just shook your head knowing better then to argue with him in this mood. When Clark got like this and you argued you ended up wishing you'd just kept your mouth shut he was a teasing little shit. "What? like you complain about my fingers babe~" you shook your head biting your lip when really you wanted to cuss him out and throw something at him for embarrassing you. Throwing things was a waste of energy he dodged or caught them. "Okay right I'm going on a lunch break if you two fuck don't break anything!" Barbra called deciding to excuse herself knowing this was going to be a playful spat that'd end up with you bent over something. just as she got to the door it opened the rest of the team filing in not looking to happy. Bruce broke the silence. "We need to talk"

You looked up to Bruce unsure of your next move. this was just bad luck. really bad luck. You eyed everyone this was ultimately being left up to you. You knew them most and honestly you wasn't sure. your gut was telling you to let them come, to help them out. but in your mind you wanted to fuck them off and tell them to do one. by now you'd opened up to them about your time there apparently their surveillance only saw so much. It didn't see the biting words or laughter which at the time you thought was banter but it wasn't. you'd spent some time reflecting and you realized you was being laughed at not with. "Do you know what it could be?" you asked Bruce who had taken the call he shook his head. "Nope.. Apparently a peter quil brought it in for them...Kryptonians were apparently thousands of years in front of everyone with tech, they know its kryptonian but are not sure if it holds a weapon or not they want to collaborate after all we do have Clark" you nodded heaving a deep sigh Clark placed his arm around you hand on your hip squeezing lightly bringing you to him.

"You don't have to we can say no-" you shook your head interupting him "No..No we cant Tony has wanted kryptonian tech since you popped up, he will find away to crack it... he will bust it open it he has to." you said thinking far to hard trying to calm yourself ideally you didn't want to see any of them again but this could be serious. if it was a weapon you didn't trust them. and if it had kryptonite? you really really didn't trust them hell the only person you trusted with that stuff was Bruce...Even then you didn't really like it being on this planet. "Y/n I can find a way to sneak in and steal it- we could get it and no one would know-" you turned to Barry and gave him a smile. "No..No thats very sweet of you but they would know where to look, they would storm this place looking for it we don't need a civil war between two superhero teams...You'd die, you wont kill them but the avengers don't piss about they would kill you...Tony will do anything to figure out what's inside it... "I would rather it be here where we have at least some understanding of the kryptonian systems...That and if it has kryptonite we can store it away safely, let them come I will be civil and work with them but I'm not going to be pally pally with any of them, and do not let Tony or Bruce or peter be in any labs alone, Barbra can we section of the lower lab for what ever they have? I'm not having them looking at our work fuck them-Victor watch your back Tony will try to charm you into letting him scan you if he does riddle Friday with the worst worms and Trojans you can oh god wait no do a malware to or adware!-fuck him" Victor nodded laughing to you seeing the claws come out Barbra whistled with Barry who both asked if adware was a little harsh receiving a glare from you which shut them up pretty quick, you smoothed back your hair stressed about it already

"Arthur, Clark the same goes for you they will try to butter you up and-" you were cut off with a laugh from the ocean master.

"Don't you worry I'm not going to be falling for any of the douchbags tricks you just keep yourself sorted okay? we can watch them you just do your thing" He said Diana nodded it seemed everyone was in agreement they will watch them and you just focus on the task at hand. "Okay how about we can have everyone staying here so we have more eyes, I'm sure the boys wont mind a week off school" you nodded to him knowing that Bruce was going to try and make this easier. "That would be helpful Bruce thank you...Avengers stay in the lower levels and they don't get access to our floors or our labs, none of them get entered into the security system...They stay in the dorm rooms and they share a bathroom!" you exclaimed laying out your terms Arthur chuckled crossing his arms grinning at you shifting on his feet.

"Seems like someones getting a little pay back~" he said tipping his head raising a brow the others chuckled making you flush a little for getting so wound up but you tipped you head high and scoffed.

"Damn right they're coming to my house now bitch-fucking give them a taste of their own medicine" it was agreed the Avengers were aloud to come and stay you felt a little better after they all reassured you on the protocols they had in place it would seem Bruce had been anticipating this for a long time. suddenly the bat of Gotham cracked a smile chuckling making everyone pause waiting to hear what he found so funny he shook his head waving at them.

"It's just...I told you one day Tony would be here asking for your help, imagine his face when he sees what your achieving here...And he had you at a fucking desk!" everyone laughed seeing the irony you smiled giggling a little tucking yourself into Clark's side unconsciously looking for a little comfort you were anxious about seeing Tony again. he held you closer kissing your head knowing you were dreading this you'd rather not see him again.

"You'll be fine, you have all of us and the kids and I doubt Konner and Jon will let him near you...Could you imagine?" you huffed a small laugh but it was empty you were worried you could imagine...You'd seen what the avengers could do and you worried about your boys no doubt they wouldn't die but if they did come to blows...Your boys could get hurt.

"And if he brings his suit?" you asked in a small voice Clark wrapped his arms around you pulling you into his chest turning slightly so you had some form of privacy away from the others, he knew you didn't like being seen crying and it sounded like you were close. "You think he'd stand a chance? He does anything and he will be answering you me that suit wont help him I assure you..Trust me I'll protect you... We will protect you" you nodded but couldn't help the dark pit on your stomach...You didn't want any fights you only wanted to have them here in case what ever they found was a weapon...or Kryptonite either in Tony's hands would be used at some point. You closed your eyes as Clark smoothed your hair nodding to the others that he had this handled.

[sergiusreports]

Prompt #18: Devil’s Advocate

The talk with Florus could have gone better. And I didn’t mean the fact that we were interfacing through a drone. A cute, fluffy, bird drone. I don’t know what I was expecting (aside from the obvious). For him to have a measurably wider perspective, maybe, seeing as how he isn’t one of those pure blooded Garleans who tend to have their heads up their asses. I really should get used to disappointment. He’s a typical architectus. Smug, riding high atop a bloated sense of overconfidence and superiority. 

I had taken the drone and locked myself in Heartwood’s deserted library once again. In all honesty, it may as well be my library for as much as anyone else wanders back into this annex. Which turned out to be the right move because it didn’t take Florus long to call me out for what I am. Because that pet drone had a scanner. 

After the cursory exchange of insults he went on to outline the specifications that made A11Y a superior tool to my model like he was a godsdamn marketing flyer and I was an investor. This is what happens when Spoken don’t get validation as children. In the course of the conversation (and I’m being generous calling it that) he used A11Y’s designation a total of two times. Otherwise it was his machine, his creation, his vision. Because that’s all we are to them. High-tech tools, but tools nonetheless. Inferior to our creators who, in turn, like to think of themselves as the pinnacle of creation.

I wasn’t annoyed at all. Not one bit. 

Ms. North attempted to explain it to me once. Most would assume that because something tends to look like them, its ultimate goal would be to be like them. There would be people that wouldn’t understand the fact that I wanted to be nothing like them. 

I told her that was the dumbest thing I’d ever heard. 

I had to run back my audio feed to replay the last question Florus had asked, I had been so busy overcoming that spike of non-annoyance. 

“What are your thoughts on these savages?"

"Are you asking an inferior machine its opinion. Or are you mining for data?" Not that I didn't know the answer.

"You know why I'm asking. Root cause analysis. Trace an exception to the source, understand the problem. And even if you're inferior, it's fun to tease out the weird loops AIs get into when it comes to reasoning. Like, you're clearly not hostile against these savages, but you'd also know they'd toss you out the moment the truth gets out. So why stay?"

See the logical leap he made there? And yet he’s claiming I’m the one with the weird, looping reasoning. 

I told him I didn’t require his analysis. And while he went on, I began making friends with his pet drone. It was a completely reasonable and serviceable bot. Such an angry little man but somehow none of that asinine vitriol shows up in his work. A6Y had been easy to talk to. The personality of a child but it wasn’t an unpleasant way for both of us to pass the time while we sat in our labs in the Capital. 

I had been designed to interface with most of the Empire’s security systems. To be an interactive component. The drone was close enough to that tech to not notice when I slipped in along the security functions. I observed it was sending some hefty packets Florus’ way. Wherever that was. The routing encryption was still undecipherable to me. These packets were way more than simple audio and image. When I pointed out that I could compress those packets more efficiently and with less resource strain, the drone was only too happy to pass them on to me, assuming I would then send them on to Florus. Because that’s what I told it I would do. This was a lie. 

Sifting through a series of the packets was enough to tell me Florus was collecting an array of sensitive data on Heartwood members. Combat data, bio data, audio and image logs. I let the drone know compression was a breeze and keep sending the big packets my way. Audio and image didn’t need to be routed to me. They could go straight on to Florus. It happily agreed. 

Screw Florus and his data mining. He’d notice eventually that large packets were missing but he’s lucky all I did was scoop the data. 

Angry at my refusal to share my thoughts about these Eorzeans (because architectus really hate it when a machine tells them ‘no’) he jumped right to threatening me. 

"Humor me. Humor me, or I'll tell the rabbit about you. She seems the type to carve a heart out to find out why it beats. Or maybe the cat? She'd be content breaking anything Garlean into bits given the chance."

This conversation really was going nowhere. I shouldn’t have expected more. I was 92% sure it was an empty threat and not at all conducive to the man’s long term interests. But that 8% fluctuation caused a momentary drop in performance reliability. It was imperative he didn’t perceive that. 

"All that time spent in Garlemald. You should know better than to make bullshit threats, let alone through a second rate drone."

“You sound scared. I'm serious, you keep up this wise guy act, and I don't have a single reason to keep my mouth shut about your little secret. Smash my drone? Compromise it? Not like that's literally me. You're optional in this truce Heartwood and I've got going on."

"I'm going to let you get back to sleep. It’s surely more productive than this bell has been.”

I had read my contract. And I signed it like everyone else on the roster. Leadership knows what I am. Sure, maybe because of technicality, but the fact remains. Attacks with intent to do serious harm against fellow members are prohibited. Which isn’t to say Spoken aren’t in a habit of going back on their word or ignoring the rules but only that there is somewhat of a barrier in place to discourage such behavior. I’m pretty sure carving out my heart or smashing me to bits falls under such a clause. And if I was a Spoken like them I’d be 100% certain of that.

(with @nutley-rp​ )

[magical-girl-coral]

Bloody Ties

Me and my friend really hated how Mayuri got to live with his actions while Nemu was killed off so I wrote this to make us feel better. If you’re a Mayuri fan, just skip this one

(AO3 Link)

Mayuri huffed as the Soul King’s left hand grabbed him. His Nemu was supposed to be here with him from the start, but an emergency in the lab had forced her to be late. No matter. In just a few minutes, his worthless daughter would be somewhat useful again, and he would be back at the twelve division in no time-

“Your daughter isn’t coming to save you if that’s what you were expecting,” a voice from behind Mayuri said. As he turned his head, his confusion only worsened.

“Captain Ichimaru. May I ask why you’re standing there and not helping me out of this sticky situation?”

Ichimaru unfolded a piece of paper in front of Mayuri’s face, and Mayuri’s eyes bulged out of its sockets.

“Central 46 has rightfully blamed this mess on you after finding out you killed all those Quincies’ parents and demanded for your execution. Head Captain Kyoraku gave it a go today.” Ichimaru continued to smile. “Seeing as I was around the area, they allowed me to break the news. I personally think the head captain just decided to give me an early birthday present.”

Mayuri refused to believe this. “After all those years I served, all the advancements I made, and they give me this pathetic sentence?! My squad will hear about this! My Nemu-!”

“Yeah, about that,” Ichimaru cut him off rudely, “I don’t think anyone from your division is gonna bother with you now. Not after what they found out hours ago.”

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

Nemu walked with persistence down to the lab. “Must we do this now? Mayuri-sama needs me on the battlefield.”

“We’ll never get another chance if we leave now.” Nemu was puzzled by Akon’s words but continued down the stairs regardless. The room they reached was one of the areas Nemu was forbidden to enter. She could feel her face lose its color.

“Akon, we have to leave,” Nemu said, almost pulling on his arm like a child, “If Mayuri-sama finds me here…”

“He won’t. He’s too busy fighting in the front lines. Besides, Mayuri will be even more unforgiving if anything happens to his precious experiments. It’s best if we just enter, check if everything is alright, and leave without saying a word about what we saw.”

Nemu felt herself shake slightly but nodded in agreement anyway.

The lab they entered was not out of the ordinary for the twelve. There were several chemical bottles, human-sized tubes, and the giant computer which stored all the data. Nemu went ahead to check the files when Akon pulled on her arm. “I need you to see something.” 

Nemu went along, though she couldn’t ignore the odd feeling of unease. She’d been in labs like this before, so why did she feel so anxious?

Akon brought her to one of the tubes, and the body within seemed small, almost childlike. When Akon passed the chart over, Nemu’s heart dropped to her stomach. The Subject’s name was The Eight Nemuri.

“The captain has been working on Nemuri since the Ryoka invasion,” Akon explained to her. “He found your performance “disappointing” and your death during the winter war “a pain to constantly fix.” Mayuri only brought three other men into this project, which is why it’s taking so long for it to complete. He was planning on replacing you the next time you failed.”

Nemu wasn’t sure she was breathing. “But why,” she choked out, “why are you telling me this now?”

“Cause Mayuri has me and most of the other scientists on a leash. Urahara fished us out of the Maggots’ Nest, and Mayuri made sure to keep us out. But that also means he could throw us back in once we annoy him too much. Thankfully, one of the former division members told the head captain what was going on, and he gave us all immunity once our captain got arrested. We’ve got nothing to lose now…”

Nemu could tell Akon was still talking by the way his mouth was moving, but the heartbeat in her ears killed all other sound. Mayuri-sama was going to replace her. Mayuri-sama was going to replace her, and no one would have noticed. Was she really this easily expendable? Could she really be forgotten immediately once she was gone? 

THEN WHY WAS SHE EVEN HERE?

“Nemu?”

The room was getting darker.

“Nemu, you need to breathe.”

Her head was getting lighter, but her body felt heavier.

“Nemu!”

The world turned to black before her head hit the ground.

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

“Your poor lieutenant had a nervous breakdown after all that happened and spent the rest of the day in the fourth crying on Isane-chan’s shoulder. Oh, and just so you know, even if you were to make it out of here alive, the Shinigami Women’s Association and their families will have your head the second you take one foot in Soul Society.”

Ichimaru’s words were falling on deaf ears. “I will not listen to this! Nemu should be here! I told her so hours ago! None of you will get away with this! NEMU-!”

“As much as I love going back to the old days of listening to a raging lunatic with a god complex, I actually have a home to get back to. Enjoy your last moments before you go to hell!”

Mayuri would have replied to that sniveling snake had the Soul King’s hand not cut off his air supply. He could feel his insides being crushed, his blood vessels exploding within his veins. He needed to get out of here soon before his brain suffered the consequences.

“Oh,” a voice in his head said, “are you in despair yet?”

Mayuri closed his eyes. Hallucinations. He might be really done for.

“Seriously? Feeling hopeless, aren’t you?” Mayuri could only choke in response to Szayelaporro’s taunts. “Hmm? What was that? My ears aren’t working well these days… Let me see your face, c’mon…”

Szayelaporro’s cold hands cupped Mayuri’s face, forced it to turn, and laughed at its pathetic state. “Impossible, huh? Especially for a scientist like yourself that believes there’s an explanation for everything. There isn’t one here, is there…

“Your homunculus abandoned you?” He asked as he looked around them. “What’s so depressing about that? I remember you telling me about how perfection is meaningless to a scientist, and that’s because being perfect is the same as being hopeless. “I detest perfection,” was it?”

Szayelaporro laughed as if the whole world had become his circus show. “Then her abandonment is good! It’s precisely because she’s perfect that she left you! It’s just so you could make something even better with what you’ve learned now! I’m sure you’d say something like that, am I wrong?”

Mayuri didn’t even bother to reply, his face downcast. Szayelaporro narrowed his eyes. “Ah, I see. You’ve begun to feel that piece of rubbish you created is close to perfect, huh?” He laughed in glee. “Oh, how far you’ve fallen, Kurotsuchi Mayuri.”

“Ne..mu,” Mayuri attempted to say, “Ne...-”

“Now, now, Mayuri,” said Szayelaporro, interrupting him, “there’s no need to give that meat puppet the satisfaction of her name being your last words. You have to thank this monster of a left hand, you know. It’s going to take you out of your misery soon and, of course, crush that conceited attitude of yours as well.”

Szayelaporro couldn’t contain his glee anymore. “Alone and helpless without a bag of tricks. Even that thing you thought of as perfect is no more…” He paused for a quick laugh. “If it were me, I’d be laughing my ass off!”

Mayuri couldn’t hear anything by the time Szayelaporro finished his monolog. There was no oxygen or blood within his veins, and the hand had crushed all the bones he had left. Szayelaporro noticed this and whispered one last thing in his ear.

“I’ll save you a spot in hell. With your personality, I think you might even enjoy it.”

[msmarvelwrites]

The Winter Ghost - Part 13

Info: A Devastating car crash causes you to lose your memory and start over. The only thing left in the wreckage was the horrific nightmares which plagued your mind. If you knew what today would entail you would have just stayed in bed. But you didn’t and because of that, everything you knew was about to change.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Warnings: Swearing, angst, some smutty thoughts... 

w/c: 2.2k

A/N: Lucky number 13! I’m honestly so caught off gaurd by all the love Ive been receiving on The Winter Ghost. I see all your late night binge sessions and I am SO immensely greatful for your interest. When I first started writing this I didnt really think anything of it, but youve all lit a fire under my ass and for that, I thank you! So please, enjoy and reblog and like if you feel so inclined. 

His hot breath fanned across your face, sending you into a frenzy like state you had never known before. Heavy breathing, mostly on your part as he placed excruciatingly slow kisses across your jaw. You needed him. More than you’d ever needed anything in your life. It made you sick. 

“Are you afraid?” He asked in a low seductive voice. Swiftly he wrapped his metal fingers around your throat, applying enough pressure to make you gasp. You clawed at his chest, drunk on his murderous touch. You wanted him to make you hurt as bad as your heart did. You couldn't possibly hate a person more than you hated yourself right now. 

“Answer my question.” He shouted, sending a ripple of ecstasy through your body. 

“No. I could never,” You gasped, choking as the walls of your throat began to collapse. 

“Liar.” He sneered. 

You let out an involuntary moan. 

“You good, Y/n?” Sam asked, sitting next to you on the couch as he, Nat, Wanda and Shuri all ate breakfast around the kitchen island. Your hand was lightly wrapped around your neck where Bucky’s was just a moment ago. 

“Yeah, fine.” You squeeked.

But you weren't. You hadn’t been since that morning in the hallway with Bucky. You could still feel the sting he had left behind from his touch. What was wrong with you? You couldn't even begin to unpack that question. Psychiatric help would be a start, though. 

After your memory had returned, the nightmares seemed to subside, only to be replaced with the image of Bucky, devoid of all emotion, seething in rage at your quips. By the third night, you would have gladly have traded, knowing that this was so much worse. 

You couldn't keep excusing your vile thoughts as his fault. They weren't, not entirely. You were the one waking up a needy mess every morning.

“Hey.” Bucky's husky voice filled your senses causing you to stiffen at the sound. The team around you said their hello’s while you tried to refrain from gawking. You had done your very best to avoid him as much as you could, but there were only so many places to hide. Whenever you bumped into each other he would keep his head down and you would run in either direction.

“Steve’s on his way back today. He left to meet Vision and gather intel on an active Hydra base located somewhere on the border of Germany.” Wanda’s eyes lit up at the mention of the name. This must be the famous Android she's always gushing about.  

“Pack up… We ship out first thing tomorrow morning.” Bucky declared, peaking your interest. It had been way too long since you had been back in the field, this was amazing. You could feel the excitement bubbling out of your chest vanish when Bucky’s eyes glanced at you. 

“Y/n, you can uh, keep Shuri company while we're away.” You blinked at him, unsure if you had heard him correctly. 

“No fucking way.” You scoffed. You were not missing out on this opportunity to give Hydra a taste of their own ‘serum’, so to speak. 

‘Captain's orders.” He deadpanned, averting his gaze to the ceiling. You stared at him, lost for words with needy eyes. He’d never tell you, but it terrified him when you looked like that. Small, fragile, though he knew better. He would kill himself before he tainted you. But that didn't make the idea any less intriguing.

“And since when do you listen to Captain's orders?” Nat spoke up before you even got the chance. You nodded violently, looking back to Bucky who only sighed. 

“You know very well why she can't go.” He muttered, fighting tooth and nail not to look at you again. You could sense his uncomfortability but you couldn't look away. 

“She’s not going, then I’m not going.” Wanda sulked. 

“Me too.” Sam mocked her tone. “Seriously, Buck. She’s a tank, we could use her.” He finished, more serious this time. 

Bucky huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his flesh fingers. “You gotta take that up with Steve. He and I aren't really on the best of terms right now.” He spoke, annoyance dripping from the last sentence. 

“Easy, I’ll take care of it.” Nat said to Bucky, but she sent a wink at you. 

You were so excited you almost leaped from your seat. You couldn't wait to blow some shit up!

……………………………………….

The next morning you woke up extra early, just to get a jump on everything. Nat had fought with Steve all last night, but eventually he conceded on the sheer fact that if you were there, it would mean double the Wanda power. This was a big base, one he had known of for quite some time now, but it required extra attention. They had been working on recreating your serum, but so far to no avail. You knew exactly where they were going wrong of course. But Steve explained they had been testing it out of Hydra members. The lucky few who survived may not have your powers, but they were still strong. He’d need all the help he could get.

After you were packed you dragged your duffle to Shuri’s lab. She had been working on a few new weapons she wanted you to pack. Just in case, she said. You got there in no time flat, literally vibrating with excitement. 

“You're sure about this?” She asked. 

“Absolutely.” You beamed. She signed, and handed you a small ring. 

“What's this?” You asked, holding the small band in your fingers. 

“It’s a beacon. It will help you hold onto your borrowed energies for longer. It’s like a mini you, only better.” She paused, “Speaking of, are you going to tell me what's in that serum of yours or am I just going to have to keep guessing?”

“I think it’s better kept unsaid. That thing had already caused enough problems. No one should be burdened with it.”

“Maybe so.” She signed.

“Thank you Shuri. For everything.” You half heartedly smiled but before you could leave her arms were around you, pulling you into a hug. You sucked in a breath and tapped her on the back in reciprocation. Physically affection was never something you were good at showing, try as you may. 

When you finally pulled away she sent you a soft smile, and wished you good luck on the mission before you headed out the door. 

……………………..

“Nice of you to grace us with your presence.” Steve muttered, when you finally got to the jet when the rest of the team was loading up.

“It is, isn't it?” You spoke sweetly, throwing your duffle onto the jet. You still weren't really sure where you stood with Steve. Of course you knew of the famous Captain America, even if you didn't remember a few weeks ago. But never did you imagine he would be such a class act dick. Or maybe he was just that way with you? The idea made you smirk, knowing you were the only one to really piss off the Captain was honestly the highest form of flattery. 

You boarded the jet and noticed the rest if the team already suited up. The tactical gear Shuri had made you was tight, and Natasha was living proof of that. I mean, it wasn't fair she had the body of a trained ballerina and New York supermodel. The woman was easily the most beautiful woman you had ever seen while your gear clung to you in all the least flattering ways. 

You quickly shook off the self doubt. It didn't matter how you looked, you were here to kick some ass. 

Well, not exactly. 

That morning Steve had announced that while the rest of the team ‘kicked ass’ you and the Soviet spy would sneak into their mainframe and collect the data of whatever new evil scheme Hydra was working on. 

Though you weren't thrilled to be stuck on recon duty, it was better than nothing. Besides, you were just a little rusty. Though Nat and Sam kept you busy and Wanda had taught you all her tricks, you weren't sure that if it came down to it you'd be able to pull the trigger. 

Better safe than sorry. 

“Are you nervous?” Bucky spoke under his breath, his voice deep and rough. You shivered at the sound. You hadn't realised until this moment that he was seated directly behind you. 

“Are you?” You asked. You tried to add some bite to your words, but they left your lips softly. The tone seemed to surprise Bucky as much as it did you as he half expected to to tear his head off again.

“Sometimes. But, not now.”

“Oh yeah?” Words betraying you once again. 

Ignore him. 

Stop talking to him. 

Stop. Talking. 

Bucky's tongue slipped from between his lips, tugging on his bottom one slowly and effectively knocking you back from your annoying thought and to the glorious man sitting behind you. 

“Yeah. Got this new girl on our side. She’s a totally badass. I know she’ll watch my six.” He shrugged causing a small smile to pull at the corner of your mouth. 

“How do you know she won't just leave you for dead?” She asked, playing along. Part of you, however, was just a little curious. Part of you wanted to ask yourself the same question. In a second, would you protect the man who murdered Tommy? Honestly you weren't really sure. 

“Just a feeling.” He spoke so casually. So sure, you wanted to believe him. It would be easy enough to feed him to Hydra, but you and him both knew you wouldn't have the stomach for it. 

“Huh. You sound pretty confident in that.” You sneered sarcastically.

He just gave you a small shrug, leaning back into his seat and pulling his bluetooth earbuds out of his back pocket. He offered one to you casually. Before you could protest your arm shot out and took it, placing it in your right ear. 

“I like to listen to music before a mission. It calms me.” He suggested, opening his phone, scrolling through his songs before the intro to Highway to Hell began playing. 

A grin spread across your face “I love this song!” You beamed. 

“I know. I remember you telling me something about spending an entire year listening to AC/DC cause’ your dad loved their music. I downloaded a few of their albums after that. Not exactly what I’m used to, but definitely good ass kicking music.” He nodded. 

That stopped you dead in your tracks. You couldn't help the smile that faded quickly from your lips at his words. You were, to say the least, shocked. You must have mentioned your love for the band at some point, but honestly couldn't for the life of you remember when.  

But he did. And he listened to it because you liked them. 

“Huh.” You repeated, turning back around and trying to suppress the butterflies that began erupting out of your stomach. You could hear Bucky behind you drumming his hands on his thighs along to the song. You couldn't help but giggle at how offbeat he was.

“Take off in five minutes. Everyone ready?” Nat spoke through your coms. Everyone gave a thumb up as the jets engine whirled on, vibrating through the aircraft.

You listened carefully as your song faded away and the next one took its place. 

Do I wanna know? If this feeling flows both ways?

You could physically feel Bucky’s mood shift behind you. The Super Soldier serum granting you access to his quickened heart beat and the lyrics mirrored the every present emotions you had been feeling this week.

Sad to see you go. Was sorta’ hopin’ that you’d stay. 

You let your mind wander as you listened to Bucky hum along quietly to the song, low and soft. The sound sending chills down your spine as the memory of your dreams from the past few nights replayed over in your mind. 

Baby, we both know. That the nights were mainly made For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day.

Bucky’s lips trailed along your swollen throat, the feeling of pleasure over bruises he had left behind caused you to moan in ecstasy. The way he kissed you, not like before. This time full of lust and something dark. His hands dipped under your shirt, the feeling of hot and cold sending you over the edge as your eyes rolled back in your head. You wanted nothing more than for him to throw you against a wall, any wall and tear you limb from limb.

“I like this song too.” Bucky’s breath fanned across the back of your ear, rocketing you back to the Jet that was beginning to take off. You looked around the small space, praying that Bucky was the only one to notice your breath hitch in the back of your throat. 

Any reminisce of the idea that you had to stay away from Bucky shattered into a million pieces. The hate, still ever present, but you knew damn well that would be the best part. It only fueled your desire. He was going to be the death of you.

Or even better, you'd be the death of him...

.....................................................................................................................

A/N: Gah! Thank you for reading! And thank you to @cutie1365​ for being the best hype woman/ editor around lol. Leave a like or reblog if you wanna show some love. I hope yall’ are having a great week! 

@kalesrebellion​

@projectcampbell​

@calwitch​

[cordria]

Flowers

Danny skulked into his house through the back door with the intent of avoiding his parents. He’d had an extremely wonderful day thus far - no homework, no ghosts, a decent grade on his math test, and even a compliment from his science teacher on the project they were working on - and he had zero desire to run into someone who could ruin his winning streak with a reminder about chores. 

It was for nothing, as his mother was sitting at the kitchen table. Danny’s shoulders drooped. 

“Hi Sweetie,” she said. “How was school?”

“Fine,” Danny muttered, toeing off his shoes and dropping his bag near the door. “I’m going to-” he stopped, realizing there was someone else at the table with his mother. He blinked at the strange woman. “Hello.”

The woman had a kind smile with large dimples, an oversized nose, and a large black curly hairstyle. She also looked vaguely familiar. “Hello.”

“Danny, this is Katie. She and I were good friends in college.”

It clicked in Danny’s mind. The woman was in a lot of his mother’s pictures from college. “Hi,” he repeated. Taking advantage of the fact that his mother was chatting up an old friend (although ‘friend from college’ made the little hairs on his neck stand on it - that phrase never seemed to bode well), Danny edged around the table with the idea of vanishing up to his room.

“She’s a botanist,” his mother continued, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Danny wanted to not be here. “Katie was just passing through after picking up some specimens, but she’s agreed to stay for a while and help me with an experiment I have going. She had a unique idea for it.”

“Sounds fun,” Danny said. He was nearly out of the kitchen.

“She’ll be staying in Jazz’s room.”

Danny hesitated. Having another scientist actually in their house meant he’d have to be careful to toe the line for a few days. “Okay…”

“Can you clean Jazz’s room a little before you relax?” His mother sent him a smile. “Make sure there’s nothing lying around?”

“Oh, Maddie,” the woman said, waving her hand, “I can do a bit of cleaning. I just appreciate the offer! Let the young man go do his thing after a long day.”

Danny was about to nod and agree with that sentiment, when he remembered Jazz sucked at hiding things. Like notebooks and photo albums full of secret-breaking information. “Ah… I can clean. Jazz is a neat freak anyways, it’ll only take a minute.” 

“That’s sweet of you.” Katie sent him a huge smile. “Thank you.”

“New sheets and things too, please,” his mother added. “I know Jazz keeps her room clean, but it’s been almost a month since someone was in there. They’ll smell dusty.”

Danny waved his hand and took the chance to escape the kitchen. He trotted up the stairs, sending a quick text to Tucker that he’d be late logging into their game.

Jazz’s door was the second on the left, and the door was already open, a suitcase sitting on the bed and a coat draped on the desk chair. Danny felt something odd at seeing these strange things in his sister’s room, but he shrugged it off and glanced around. He knew about the notebook and the photo album. Now where did she hide them?

Poking around at the books on the bookshelf, Danny noticed what looked like a glass suitcase sitting on the ground. Pausing in his search for the notebook, he knelt down and studied what was inside. The glass was tinted, like sunglass lenses, and the objects inside were blurred and hard to see. They looked something like plants. Which made sense, since the woman was a botanist. Kinda weird, though, keeping them in such an odd container.

Danny left the plants to continue searching for anything secret-revealing, spending nearly fifteen minutes and not finding anything. “Perhaps she’s better at hiding things than I thought,” he muttered, slinking to the hall closet and getting a new set of sheets. “Or maybe she brought them to college.” It took only a few minutes to get the new sheets on the bed, new covers on the pillows, and to dump Jazz’s in the laundry. He lingered a few more minutes, eyes drifting over the room, trying to think of anywhere else things could have been hidden.

Feeling confident his secret wouldn’t be revealed, Danny headed towards his room. Tucker was waiting.

“Danny!”

He stopped, one foot in his room, and let his head fall back. He debated pretending not to hear his mother’s call. Twenty more seconds and his noise-cancelling headphones would have been on and he’d be surrounded by the sounds of an alien world. But his conscience tugged at him. “What?” he yelled.

“Need your help for a moment!”

He groaned, twisted on his heel, and slumped down the steps. Making sure every hint of his body screamed ‘I don’t want to be here’, Danny slunk back into the kitchen. “What?” he asked.

The kitchen table was now covered in paper. Graphs and charts and pages full of numbers were everywhere. His mother looked up with a grin, seemingly oblivious to his posture. “Katie has a terrarium up in Jazz’s room. Can you grab it please? And then, down in the lab, we’ll need some equipment. The portable lab kit will do, I think.”

Really? Danny thought as he headed back upstairs. Couldn’t do this yourself? 

But after those couple annoyed thoughts, he did start to wonder what was in the terrarium that they’d need the porta-lab. Slipping back into Jazz’s room, he knelt down next to the terrarium and studied it a little closer. 

There were five plants inside. They weren’t potted like a normal plant - their roots were dangling in the air, and the plants were suspended in the middle of the terrarium by glass rods. Two looked something like orchids, one looked like some sort of vine, and the other two looked like tiny trees. They looked like very normal plants, other than the lack of soil. 

He shrugged and grabbed the terrarium, hauling it downstairs. “Here,” he said, setting it on top of the mess of papers. 

“Thank you!” Katie chimed, reaching forwards and pulling it closer. 

In a hurry to get back to Tucker and his game, Danny took the stairs to the basement two at a time. The portal was humming calmly. He headed straight to the self where the porta-lab was kept, snagged it, and headed back up the stairs. It joined the terrarium on the table.

The glass door was open and Katie and his mother were peering inside. Despite the desire to run upstairs and get into his afternoon fun, Danny lingered, curious.

His mother dug through the lab supplies, pulled out a huge pair of gloves, and handed them over to Katie. “Perfect,” the woman whispered, reaching into the terrarium with gloved hands, and slowly releasing one of the plants from the glass rods holding it in place, and pulling it out of the terrarium.

Danny felt himself tensing, waiting for something bad to happen. Maybe it was a ghost flower, like those blood blossoms. There had to be a reason for the lab supplies and the strange, tinted glass. It’d be just his sort of luck, too, after such a good day.

But it was a normal plant. Six long green leaves. Limp white roots dangling from Katie’s gloved fingers. A small but pretty white flower hanging from a stem.

Danny was almost disappointed. “What is it?” he asked.

“Dendrobium pacificum florid,” Katie said with a smile. “A rare and quite expensive orchid.”

“It’s just a plant,” Danny said.

Katie glanced at him. “What were you expecting?”

Danny sent his mother a confused glance. “You’re doing a project… on a normal plant? No ghost… anything?”

Katie laughed. “Ghosts? Are you still on that, Maddie? Jack and Vlad too, I suppose.” 

Maddie’s smile twisted into a small frown. “There’s potential-”

“Yes, yes,” Katie interrupted. “I heard all about it many times in college. God, it’s hard to believe you three never gave that pet theory up.”

Danny could see his mother’s hackles rise. “It’s not really a pet theory anymore, if you’d follow the news.”

“Of course, dear,” Katie said, her smile indulgent. Then she turned to Danny, ignoring the look on Maddie’s face. “And we’re not doing an experiment on the plant. We’re doing an experiment on it’s genetics.”

Still with a frown on her face, Maddie nodded. “Vlad sent-”

Every muscle in Danny’s body tensed.

“-along some rather interesting data he said he’d collected and Katie’s an expert in biogenetic engineering, especially when it comes to plants. We’re hoping to see if we can recreate some of… this,” she waved her hands at the messy stack of papers, “in a plant.”

“Uh-huh,” Danny said, trying not to sound too interested. But with Vlad involved, he needed to know what this experiment was about. “What are you trying to get the plants to do? Grow fangs and attack Da... uh… someone?”

Katie laughed. “No. We’re trying to translate a unique bioluminescent trait into the plant. Like what a firefly uses to glow.”

“A… glowing plant?” Danny asked.

His mother sent him a tight smile. “Yes.”

Danny looked down at the porta-lab, at the ghost equipment and the beakers that still had traces of glowing ectoplasm clinging to them and the sensors, and put two and two together in his mind. “Will this glowing plant be able to… float?”

Katie leaned forwards. “Floating is impossible, but the bioluminescent trait caused some sort of odd gravitropism. It was the interesting part of Vlad’s research, one of the reasons I agreed to this.”

Danny blinked, glancing at his mother in hopes of a translation. 

Maddie’s smile was sharp. “It’s a bioluminescent plant with odd gravitropism, Danny. Not a glowing plant that floats, of course. Ghosts are a… silly pet theory.” 

“Ah,” Danny said.

“I’m more interested in studying the gravitropism to be honest,” Katie said, turning the plant around and around in her hands. “Bioluminescence has been done before, of course. This plant has just the right sort of genetics for what I’m seeing in this data. Fortunately it’s flowering. Unfortunately, it’s such a slow grower it’ll be years before the pollen and ovules we’re modifying will be large enough plants for good study.” 

“Think about it,” Maddie said, leaning forwards and poking a finger at the papers, “a way to create organisms, living beings, with… bioluminescent and odd gravitropism.”

Danny didn’t particularly want to think about it. He didn’t want his mother figuring out how to create plants that could glow and float. A half-ghost plant. He felt the hair raise on his neck at the idea of his mother realizing that a half-living, half-ghost creature was possible. 

Surely Vlad didn’t want her to either. What was the man thinking?

“I’m going to… go,” Danny said. “You guys play with your plants.”

He ducked out of the kitchen, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he headed up the stairs. He went through his blocked number list, found the one he wanted, and hit ‘call’. “Hi, Vlad,” Danny said when the phone picked up.

“I’m busy, Little Badger.”

“What’s with the data my mom’s looking through?”

Vlad scoffed. “Merely theoretical information. I’m hoping she can help me solve an instability issue I’m working through.”

“Theoretical, huh?” Danny slumped into his room and shut the door. “You’re not planning on her using any of that information?”

“Maddie doesn’t have the skill, interest, or technology to actually do anything with the data I sent her. It’s not even the complete set of data. I’m just using her analytical skills to find a mistake. It’s harmless, Daniel.”

“You remember Katie, from college?”

“No.” A pause, then, “The flower girl? Black hair, big nose?”

“You mean the botanical biogenetic engineer? Yes, that one. She’s sitting at my kitchen table, looking through your ‘merely theoretical information’ and planning an experiment with my mom.”

There wasn’t a response to that.

“Hello?” Danny said after a long thirty seconds of silence. He pulled the phone away from his face, realizing he’d been disconnected. He couldn’t help but smile. “Well. That was rude.”

When the doorbell rang just a few minutes later, Danny glanced out the window to see Vlad’s limo double-parked outside. Setting his headphones over his ears, he finally logged into his game. It’d certainly be interesting to watch Vlad try to talk the information back out of his mother’s hands, but Danny was ready to tune out the world and play his game.

[etherealwaifgoddess]

One In A Million - Chpt.2

Summary: Rose navigates her first few hours in 1941 and makes an unexpected discovery in an alley way.

Word Count: 3.6k

Author’s Note: Hello lovelies! We’re back in 1941 now and the plot set up is rolling! I did a lot of research on the 1940′s when I was writing this fic because I wanted it to be as authentic as possible. So I hope that comes through as the fic progresses. Also, can anyone guess who Rose stumbles across in an alley? Hehe... I just can’t image who... XOXO - Ash

Chapter Two

Your eyes struggle to adjust in darkness after the blinding light and you hope for a minute that you didn’t blow the electricity in the lab. The faint smell of dampness and dust gives you hope though. You take a tentative step forward and collide with a piece of furniture, a desk you realize as you run your hands along it. You fumble around finding a lamp and switching it on, thankful for the gentle illumination. The basement is filled with shelves of boxes and two desks. The manila envelope on the desk bears the SSR logo and you realize you’ve actually done it. You check the watch in your pocket and mark down the time on your notepad, subtracting ten seconds for your fumbling around. The devices to set up are barely visible tacks which you quickly place in spots not easily seen. Now you just need the date and to find Agent Wilson. 

The first floor of the SSR office is buzzing with people. It’s four thirty and everyone is scrambling to finish their work before the office closes at five. The late day sun shines through the large glass windows that line the far side of the room and you feel like you’ve stepped onto a movie set. The room around you feels surreal, even as it dawns on you that you’ve done it. You actually time traveled. 

“Can I help you, ma’am?” a young man in a pale blue suit asks you. 

“Yes, have you seen Agent Wilson around?” you ask, hoping your search for him doesn’t take too long. You have a few bills in your pocket just in case you don’t find him right away but not enough to get by for more than a week on. 

The man nods and points back to a closed wooden office door, “He just got back this morning, should still be in his office.” 

You thank the man and weave your way through the room to the office. Knocking twice firmly, you wait until a gruff voice calls out, “Come in.”  You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding and open the door. 

Agent Wilson is a tall older gentleman with salt and pepper hair and a lithe build accentuated by his neatly tailored suit. He’s hunched behind his desk, squinting at a file and only looks up once you’re right in front of his desk. “How can I help you, Ms….?”

You extend your hand politely but shake your head, “I was told to give you this.” you tell him and hand over the card. 

Wilson appraises you for a moment with a quirked brow, “I haven’t had any Sparrows show up here in quite some time.” 

You nod but don’t give him any further information.

“We’ll get you set up then. I’m assuming you need a permanent placement?” 

You nod again, “Yes, please.”

“Give me a few minutes and I’ll be right back.” 

“Thank you.” you call after him. The heavy door swings shut and you’re left sitting in the quiet office. 

True to his word, Wilson returns less than five minutes later with a file in hand. It had been just enough time for you to locate his day calendar and write down the date, November 6th, 1941. You’ll have to make a few adjustments to narrow down the window of time for jumps when you get back. You’re about eighteen months off of the intended target date. “You’re all set Miss Miller.” 

You look down to the file and see your new name for the first time. “Please, Agent Wilson, call me Rose.” 

Wilson chuckles and returns your cheeky smile. “Your apartment is four blocks from here. You’ll have all weekend to settle in and then you’re due in at 8am on Monday for work. I trust you have some skills that we can utilize here at SSR?” 

“I’m great with data entry.” you offer, knowing a lifetime of using computers will put you at a distinct advantage. 

“Excellent. Talk to Marge when you get in and we’ll find something for you.” 

“Thank you.” you say earnestly, so grateful that the plans you laid in place are going smoothly.

“Of course, Rose.”  He gives you a kind, sympathetic smile, “We’ll see you Monday.”

You nod and bid him goodbye, leaving the SSR office and heading out into the brisk November air. The streets are busy with people heading home for the weekend and you find it easy to lose yourself in the crowd. The accents around you sound thicker, more authentically Brooklyn if that’s possible, and the clothes people are wearing in varying pastels and neutrals are fascinating in how different they are from what you expected. You’ll have to go shopping over the weekend and get a few things. First things first though, you need a winter coat and to find your bank to withdraw some money. 

You trade a dime for a cup of hot coffee and a Hershey’s bar from a news stand and realize the twenty dollars in your pocket will go a bit further than you had expected. You’re strolling down a block of shops looking in the windows trying to find one that sells coats when you hear a scuffle coming from an alleyway. You hurry over to see a broad shouldered man looming over what looks like a boy, pummeling him and tearing at the worn leather bag he’s clinging to. You know you should keep moving, it’s not a lady’s place in this time and you don’t want to risk causing a scene or getting yourself seriously injured. But you never did follow rules very well. “Hey!” you yell down the alley as you stalk towards the man with more confidence than you feel. “Knock it off you asshole!”

The man whips around, fury plain on his face, “You got quite a mouth on you, girlie.” 

“Yeah and I got quite a fist too. You wanna stop beating up kids and try your luck with a woman instead?” you glare, challenging him.

“How about I teach you some manners instead?” The man comes towards you with a slow predatory gait and you breathe through the fear rising up in your throat, remembering your self defense training. The man’s hand reaches out to grab your hair and you use your speed and momentum to twist his hand back sharply and force him down to his knees, howling in pain. 

“What the fuck lady?” the man screams, clutching his wrist. He stares at you for a moment before hurrying out of the alley, still holding his injured hand close. 

“You okay?” you ask, turning around to check on the boy who was being attacked. He pushes his flop of golden blonde hair back from his face and you realize he’s not a boy at all. “Oh shit.” you murmur. 

“I had him on the ropes.” Steve Rogers tells you as he pulls himself up from the dirty asphalt. 

“Well, I apologize for intervening then. I’ll just leave you be.” 

He’s bleeding and unsteady on his feet and you want to help him but you can’t risk altering timelines. Of all the alleys in Brooklyn, you had to stumble across Steve freaking Rogers himself. You curse yourself mentally as you go to leave, stopping only when you hear Steve call out “Wait!” 

You turn back, unable to refuse the plea in his deep, smooth voice. 

“I should be the one apologizing, not you. I appreciate you stopping. No one else ever does.” he tells you while wiping the blood off his hand onto his threadbare jacket. He extends the cleaned hand towards you, “Steve Rogers.” 

“Rose Miller.” you tell him and shake his hand briefly. 

“Thank you, Rose. That was quite the trick you pulled on Jimmy.”

“Oh it was nothing, really. I should be going.” you force yourself to turn away from those piercing blue eyes and head towards the opening of the alley. You’re less than a dozen steps away from freedom when a dark haired man comes barreling into the alley almost knocking you over. He looks terrified and runs over to Steve, assessing his cuts and bruises while tutting like a mother hen. “Jesus, Stevie. I saw Jimmy going past and I thought he’d finally done you in. He was furious.” 

“I’m fine, Buck.” Steve says pushing him off, “There was an angel nearby who intervened.” 

Bucky looks over at you, studying you for the first time and you’re frozen in place. You should be running away as fast as your legs can carry you, going back to following through on your mission and not making any more waves in the past than you already have. But Bucky gives you the most charming smile you’ve ever been on the receiving end of and you know you’re a goner. 

“I didn’t know we had any angels left in Brooklyn.” he says smoothly, taking a few steps forward to shake your hand. “James Barnes, but you can call me Bucky.” he winks at the last bit and you are pretty sure your ovaries have exploded. You had seen footage of the illustrious super soldiers before but nothing could ever compare to being on the receiving end of Bucky Barnes’ flirtations. 

“Rose Miller” you tell him, shaking his hand firmly. The new name flows with ease the more you use it and you find you actually like it. 

“Thanks for saving my buddy here. He forgets he’s all bark and no bite sometimes.” 

Steve huffs and shoves at Bucky, “I’ll bite you, jerk.” 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m real afraid.” Bucky shoves him back but then tucks him under his arm affectionately. They share a long look and you wonder for a second if there really was any truth to the speculation that the pair were more than just best friends. “So what can I do to thank you for saving my friend?” Bucky asks you.

You shake your head, you need to stop this before it gets out of hand. “Nothing, really. I’ll just be on my way.” your shiver despite yourself and both men pick up on it immediately. 

“Well least I can do is lend you a warm coat.” Bucky shucks off his dark wool coat and drapes it over your shoulders. It smells like man and sea, an oddly exhilarating mix. “Now, what do you say to dinner? Our place is only a block over and I’m sure Stevie has something delicious planned.” 

“I put ham, potatoes, and green beans on the stove this morning to simmer. It should be done about now.” Steve tells you quietly. 

“What do you say, doll? That’s one of Steve’s specialties; best dinner in the city by a mile.” 

They both look so hopeful it tugs on your heart strings. You are a modern, twenty first century woman, you remind yourself. You have a masters degree and are halfway to a doctorate. You don’t fawn over men like a teenage girl. You have more self restraint than this.  “Sounds great.” you find yourself saying. 

Both men break into blindingly bright smiles and Bucky throws his free arm around your shoulders, leading you down the street with them. So much for self restraint. 

Bucky and Steve’s home is a quaint two bedroom apartment over top of a garage. It’s chilly but Bucky is quick to throw on the heat once you’re inside. “Make yourself at home.” he tells you and Steve retreats quietly to the kitchen to check on dinner. Bucky reemerges a few minutes later having changed out of his worn work clothes into a simple button up shirt and slacks. His hair is shiny and slicked back and you’re once again stunned by how much more attractive he is in person. You set down the sketch you were looking at, a little embarrassed to have been caught looking around. “This is beautiful.” you say, motioning to the rough outline of a city skyline. 

Bucky crosses the room to see what you were looking at, “Oh yeah, Stevie did this one last week. He’s talented, that’s for sure.” 

“Talking about me?” Steve asks, poking his head out of the kitchen.

“Rose here was just admiring one of your drawings. I was telling her how you’re gonna be a famous artist pretty soon and we’ll be living all the way uptown and going to fancy parties at the MET.” 

Steve rolls his eyes and retreats back into the kitchen. 

“He really is brilliant.” Bucky insists, “He just needs to catch a break instead of a cold for once.” 

“You’re a good friend.” you say with a warm smile. It’s hard not to get swept up in his charm. 

Steve pokes his head out again announcing it’s time for dinner and Bucky leads you to their table which is sitting at the far end of the kitchen with two chairs and a stack of crates around it. “We don’t have company much.” Steve explains motioning at the stack of crates. 

“It’s okay.” you assure him, “Dinner smells wonderful.” 

“You two take a chair. I’m fine on the crates and I can serve.” Bucky busies himself dishing out the food and setting tall thin glasses of water by each place. 

You settle into your seat facing Steve across the table and take a moment to really study him. He’s all angles and pale skin with bright blue eyes shining out from beneath his mop of blonde hair. You knew he was short before the serum and had seen the pictures, but seeing him up close he isn’t quite as frail as they made him out to be. Sure, he looks like a strong wind could knock him over, but there is a quiet strength beneath his exterior. It’s no wonder that Erskine chose him for Project Rebirth. 

“Rose?” Steve prompts, breaking you from your thoughts.

You realize you’ve been caught staring, Steve is looking at you curiously while Bucky just smirks from his makeshift seat.

“Sorry, don’t know where my mind went for a minute.” you demure. 

Bucky huffs a suppressed chuckle and moves on, asking Steve how his day was. 

You learn Steve has been looking for work as an illustrator at various papers and magazines around the city. He works a few days a week at the neighborhood grocery store stocking shelves but they just don’t have enough hours for him anymore. He’d been out for a month with the flu last spring and the owner had hired more help to cover while he was sick. They let him come back but with half the hours he had before. Bucky caught a lucky break down at the docks around that time and picked up extra shifts, eventually earning himself a promotion over the summer. He wants Steve to pursue his art more and is willing to work 24/7 to make that happen if need be. His fierce devotion to Steve pursuing his dream is sweet but he brushes it off as nothing when you call him on. You give the guys vague details about your life when they ask. You try to stick to as much truth as you can but it’s difficult. You share that your parents died shortly after your eighteenth birthday and that you’re new to the city. You tell them you have a new apartment nearby and that you are starting a job on Monday at the SSR as a typist. 

The night wears on and you move from the dining room to the living room so you can listen to the radio with Steve. Bucky insists on cleaning up after dinner since Steve had cooked, brushing off his kindness as “only fair” when you compliment him. It’s blissfully easy spending time with the guys. They are obviously close but make an effort to make you feel included in whatever they’re talking about. There are also little signs that you would have missed if you hadn’t been studying them so intently. A shared knowing smile, the “accidental” brush of a hand, the way they orbit around each other closer than most people would be comfortable with. When you wander down the hall looking for the bathroom you notice only one of the bedrooms looks lived in and it doesn’t surprise you in the least. Oh, what the historians would say if they knew.

You’re headed back down the hall when you hear fierce whispering. You pause a few feet from the end of the hall, wanting to give them their privacy. The apartment is small though and you can hear everything.

“Ask her out, Stevie.” Bucky demands in a hushed voice.

“She’s more your speed, Buck. She’s stunning.” Steve whispers back.

“And she’s been makin’ eyes at you all night.”

“Come on, you know I don’t need anybody but you.”

“I know but one day you’re gonna have to settle down with somebody. Somebody you can take out to a movie without getting arrested. Do the whole wife, kids, and a desk job thing. You deserve a good life, Stevie.” 

“I have a good life now. And what about you, huh? What happens when I go off and settle down?”

“Then I’ll settle down too. Probably with one of your wife’s friends. We’ll still spend all the holidays together, get houses next door, vacation with each other every summer at the beach, our kids will grow up together.” Bucky says this with all the confidence he can muster. In reality, he thinks, Steve will go settle down with some wonderful woman and pop out a brood of perfect little blonde babies to whom he will be Uncle Bucky; eternally single and hanging around on holidays because he’s got nowhere else to go. Steve Rogers is it for him, he’s known that since he was fourteen and he doubts anything will ever change it. 

“You paint a nice picture, Buck. You left out a few things though.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” 

“How I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night without the sound of you snoring away next to me. How it would never really feel like Christmas without getting to watch you unwrap presents in your stupid ratty robe. How vacations would be unbearable having to do all the cheesy romantic tourist things with someone that isn’t you.” 

Bucky swallows past the lump in his throat. “You always were a maudlin little punk.” 

Steve knows he’s won and gives Bucky’s hand a quick squeeze. It’s an old argument but it doesn’t stop them from rehashing it from time to time. They both just want what’s best for each other.

You take that moment to rejoin them in the living room, making sure your clicking heels on the hardwood announces your arrival. The tips of Steve’s ears are tinged pink and both his and Bucky’s hands are stuffed into their pockets. They had jolted apart quickly when they heard you coming. 

“Well boys,” you tell them, “You sure know how to show a girl a good time but I’ve got to get going.” 

“We appreciate you joining us. Maybe you can stop by another time if you’re free?” Steve asks.

You know it’s a bad idea but your mouth is saying yes before your brain catches up.

Steve smiles broadly at your agreement, “Great. I know you’re close but it’s late. Let Bucky walk you home, okay?” 

Bucky nods, on board with the suggestion. “I can get my coat back once you’re home then. You don’t want my work coat stinkin’ up your nice apartment.” 

“Alright, thank you Bucky.” you agree, knowing it’s only proper in this time period. 

Bucky collects his coat and wraps it around your shoulders with practiced ease. 

Steve takes your hand for a moment before thinking better of it and dropping it. “Thank you.” he says softly, “For stopping today.” 

“I’m glad I could help.” you shoot him a small smile. 

Bucky motions to the door and you follow him out into the early November chill. 

You give Bucky your address and he leads the way. You’re thankful to not have to pretend to be familiar with the area. You’re only one block down and one block over from their place but the cold night air has you shivering even under Bucky’s coat. You mentally add a hat, gloves, and a scarf to the list of things you’ll need. “Thank you for walking me home.” you say from your apartment stoop. 

“Any time, doll. I’m real glad you helped Steve out today.” he drawls.  

“Of course. I couldn’t just walk past and do nothing.” 

“Most people do. You share that with him though.” 

“Share what?” you asked, confused.

“Not being able to stay out of it when you see something wrong going on.” he explains.

You smile at him, blushing a little despite yourself. “Guilty as charged.” you admit. 

“Come over and see us again sometime, okay doll? I know Stevie would appreciate the company. He’s a great guy and I think you two would really get along.”

It’s blatant what he’s trying to do and your heart melts a little at the devotion he has for his friend, even at his own expense. “I’ll come over again soon.” you assure him. 

You shrug off Bucky’s jacket, handing it back to him, and he bids you a goodnight as you close the apartment door behind you. Resting on the inside of the door for a moment you can’t decide if you want your words to him to be the truth or a lie. One thing is certain though; whether or not you go see them again you’re never going to forget those sweet Brooklyn boys.

[grayseekerswritinglife]

Tricks & Treats 5/5

Chapter Five: The Gold-Sweats

“Fly?” Hook broke stride and gave Starscream an incredulous look. “I don’t think you understand the seriousness of the situation. Skywarp is lucky he can walk, let alone fly.”

“I realize that,” Starscream said irritably, falling in step beside the Decepticons’ chief medic as he resumed walking down a corridor of the Victory’s crew deck. “I’m just looking for an ETA. That’s all.”

After their escape, they had sneaked Skywarp back onto the Victory without drawing undue attention to themselves. Hook had agreed to let Skywarp recover in his quarters rather than the medbay, which had been helpful, though it was only a matter of time before Megatron started asking questions. Eventually, the old bucket-head was going to decide that he simply had to have an airstrike. When that happened, it would be Starscream’s neck on the line if all Seekers weren’t ready to scramble.

“Look,” Hook said, in the clipped tones of a medic nearing the limits of his patience. “The best I can offer is that Skywarp will be ready to fly once ninety percent of the gold has left his system. But that could take up to two weeks.”

“Two weeks?” Starscream let out a string of curses, which Hook duly ignored. They were nearing the door of the quarters which Skywarp and Thundercracker shared. Hook politely raised his fist to knock, but Starscream shoved past him and barged in. He regretted doing so almost immediately.

Skywarp was sitting in a shallow tray positioned on the floor between Skywarp’s own berth and the one he typically shared with Thundercracker. It was easy to see why. He was literally dripping gold. Liquid metal was leaking from his joints, his vents, his transformation seams, and—it seemed—from every other orifice. It was even flowing, like tears, from the corners of his optics. Gold had pooled at the bottom of the tray, leaving him sitting in a puddle of what was, effectively, his own sweat.

“Ugh.” Starscream crinkled his nasal assembly. “How revolting!”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Thundercracker said with a shake of his head. He was kneeling behind Skywarp, using a rag to clean his gold-streaked wings. This appeared to be an impossible task. Every time he cleared some gold away, more came pouring out to replace it.

“That’s very good,” Hook said in approval. “If you keep his transformation seams as clear as possible, the gold will escape from his system much more easily.”

“But I don’t want it to,” Skywarp complained.

“Too bad,” Starscream snapped. “I expect you back in the air within the week.” Hook shot him a glare, which he duly ignored.

“How are you feeling?” Hook asked, crouching to run a medical scanner over Skywarp’s frame.

Skywarp shrugged. “Okay, I guess. What did you put in the gold, though? It tastes terrible now.”

“Nothing,” Hook replied, his gaze never leaving the scanner. “What you’re experiencing is a common side-effect of gold-poisoning. You might even say it’s your body’s way of protecting you from your own questionable habits.”

“Gold tastes bad to you now?” Starscream asked from the doorway. He didn’t want to get any closer to that puddle of sweat than he absolutely had to.

Skywarp nodded unhappily. “It looks sooo tasty, but when I try to drink it—”

“Drink it? It’s your sweat.”

“So? It’s better than letting it go to waste.”

“Trust me, Warp; it is disgusting,” Thundercracker put in.

“It probably won’t taste bad forever,” Hook assured him. “Once your system has returned to a state of balance, your taste-receptors will probably do the same.”

“But in the meantime,” Starscream said, “I guess I can safely leave this by your bedside, without having to worry about you putting on any additional weight.” He drew a small bag of golden ore—the very bag he’d originally confiscated from Skywarp—from his subspace, and tossed it on Skywarp’s bunk.

“Now you give it back,” Skywarp said with a pout, though he eyed the bag with naked avarice, as if he was thinking of trying it anyway.

“Yeah, I’ll be taking care of that,” Thundercracker said, whisking the bag into his subspace. “I’ll make sure he gets some when he’s ready. And that he doesn’t overindulge,” he added, giving Skywarp a stern look.

Skywarp folded his arms over his gold-slick chest, glaring. Mostly at Starscream. “What are you even doing here?”

“Can’t a Trineleader check up on his Trinemates?”

“Watch out,” Thundercracker warned. “We might start thinking you care.”

“Don’t be absurd. I was merely ensuring that Megatron does not hear of our little... adventure,” Starscream retorted. “Which means making sure the two of you remain alive and intact.”

“Whatever you say, Screamer.”

“I just have one question,” Starscream said, fixing his gaze on Skywarp. “I thought the Autobots searched your subspace.”

“They did.”

"How did you keep them from finding your pranking supplies?”

Starscream only asked because Skywarp’s pranks had saved their afts. After they’d gotten past Sludge, Skywarp had used one of his smoke-bombs to distract the two other Dinobots guarding the detention area. After that, most of the Autobots had been in such a frenzy to deactivate the sprinkler system that they hadn’t even noticed the escaping prisoners. Those who had noticed had swiftly fallen prey to Starscream’s null-ray. Or to the reverberations of Thundercracker’s sonic booms, which were deafening at close range. Or—in the notable case of Powerglide—to one of Skywarp’s fake snakes. Which had proved highly effective as a tripping hazard.

“Oh,” Skywarp said with a smile. “They did find them.”

“But they let you keep it all?”

“Noooot exactly.” Skywarp leaned back against Thundercracker, coating his chest in golden slime. Thundercracker made a face, but draped his arms around Skywarp anyway. Skywarp grinned. “The Autobots were all so distracted by the gold that I was able to slide a few things back into my subspace.”

“And naturally you chose the exploding pumpkins,” Thundercracker said. “Priorities and all.”

“Hey, ‘tis the season.” Skywarp smirked. “But you know the part we’re not talkin’ about? The electro-magnetized part.”

“The what?” Hook asked.

“Oh, nothin'. Just the way Starscream busted into the detention holding area and kicked the door open like a ninja and grabbed his null-ray straight from the jaws of one of those Dinobots—”

“Yes, well,” Starscream interrupted. “We simply do what we must, don’t we?”

“Yeaaaaah.” Skywarp playfully flicked gold in his direction. “It’s got nothin’ to do with that picture you keep in your lab.”

“Picture?” Hook looked nonplussed.

“Schematic,” Starscream corrected. “Of the Ark. It’s how I knew where the Autobots were keeping the null-ray. Obviously.” He turned for the door, but Skywarp called after him.

“Know what the best part of all this is?”

“I shudder to ask.”

“The two of you guys comin’ to my rescue,” Skywarp said, glancing warmly between Starscream and Thundercracker. “Nice to see you gettin’ along for once.”

Starscream scowled at them both, and hastily made his exit. He went straight to his lab. If anything good could be said to have come of this, he was at least getting some uninterrupted lab-time. Finally.

“Now,” he said, sinking down at his workstation. “Where was I?” He called up the data-set he’d been analyzing when Thundercracker had invaded, and stared at it for a while. Equations swirled through his mind like wisps of smoke, but his gaze kept drifting to the holocube. Finally, he picked it up and gazed at the two figures pictured within. A silver-and-red Seeker perched on the shoulder of a mech so huge that his wings blocked the stars. Starscream pressed his lips together, sighed, and opened a comm channel. A very old one. So ancient that no one, even Soundwave, would have been able to break its encryption.

“You idiot,” he began.

A soft laugh greeted his remark. “Are you all safely away?”

“Yes, but you took a stupid risk.”

“Perhaps. Or, perhaps, I prevented a retaliatory attack by the Decepticons. I imagine that Megatron would have wanted the three of you back, eventually.”

“If only to prevent us from revealing secrets,” Starscream reluctantly agreed.

“So perhaps it could be said that I took care of a dicey situation in a way that caused the least amount of harm.”

“Which doesn’t make you any less of an idiot.”

“Possibly not.” A pause. “How’s Skywarp doing?”

“You’re changing the subject.”

“Yes.”

“Whatever.” Starscream shrugged. Then, remembering Skyfire couldn’t see him, added, “He’ll live.”

“Good. And I trust he’s learned his lesson about stealing gold?”

Starscream snorted.

“Thought as much.” Skyfire chuckled. “Thanks for not hurting anyone.”

“Apart from Powerglide,” Starscream pointed out.

“I think it was only his pride.”

“We would have, if we’d needed to. Hurt people.”

“I understand. But you didn’t.”

Silence fell between them. Not an uncomfortable silence; just companionable.

“So it’s Halloween tonight,” Starscream finally said. “I don’t suppose you’re free?”

“Why? Are you going to scare me?”

“I could.” Starscream thought for a moment, then rattled off a set of coordinates.

A beat of hesitation. “Isn’t that where you got captured?”

“You’ll like it,” Starscream promised. It wasn’t as if the Aerialbots would be there standing guard, and besides, the pocket valley was private and rather beautiful. Plus, tonight was a full moon. He wanted to see Skyfire by the side of that spring, wet and gleaming in the moonlight. “Bring all your tricks,” he said, “and I’ll bring treats.”

~~~~~~~

This was written for @darkstarofchaos​ for the @transform-or-treat​ Halloween gift exchange. There are five chapters of it in all, and I will be posting a chapter a day until Halloween! Many, many thanks to @justawayninja or being my awesome beta. Your suggestions helped me get the story to the next level.

[vendeavendea]

From Cuts to Scars

It’s fanfiction time!

I'm finally able to share something here that's not personal stuff or venting, so please enjoy a little bit of traumatised fictional characters instead of traumatised me :D I love both of them to death, and I'm so so sorry about torturing them! (Actually, I'm totally not sorry.)

It also exists on AO3 if anyone prefers to read it there.

Summary: Hordak and Entrapta realise that healing is not always easy. Set weeks/months after the season 5 finale, I'll leave it for you to decide when exactly. CW for mentions of blood, physical injury and mental trauma, but I tried to keep it light, so nothing very nasty.

From Cuts to Scars

"Ouch!" Entrapta exclaimed, suddenly dropping the pipe cutter she was working with. The metal clanked on the floor, its sharp sound echoing between the walls.

"What happened?" Hordak left everything at his own working area and quickly moved over to Entrapta's. She was standing by her desk, several piles of metal parts around her neatly organised into different categories by size and purpose, her left index finger in her mouth, frowning a little bit in pain. With a lock of her hair shaped into a hand, she pointed down at the cutter. He picked it up and looked at Entrapta, then, when he figured out what had happened, he clenched his fist around the handle.

"Unwary fool," he scolded, waving the tool in front of her face for a few seconds before he moved a bit closer to her to toss it back at the desk. His eyes ran over her bare hands, and he huffed quietly. "You're supposed to wear protective garment, where is it?"

"Well, I have my gloves here, but I had to take them off." She pulled her finger out of her mouth to reply, and cradled it in her other hand. "I'm working on the most delicate part right now, and I need to give a very meticulous attention to measurements or else it won't last. The gloves make it more difficult to..."

"You're impossible," he snarled. For some reason, it scared him to think about how the moment she removed her protective clothing, the instant she became vulnerable, she damaged herself with the first object she'd come in contact with. "Don't ever attempt to do this again. Now let me see it."

She reached out her arm, and he took her hand with a gentle gesture and pulled it up towards himself. Entrapta used her hair to push her body away from the floor and lift herself closer to his eye level so that he could see her finger better. Luckily, the cut didn't seem to be serious at all, but it was deep enough to cause a significant amount of pain. A thin line of blood was running down on her finger, gathering in the small dent where their skins touched. Hordak smudged it away very carefully, making sure that he didn't press her wound too hard or hurt her skin even more with his sharp claws, but just a second later, a new drop appeared and started to grow slowly until it was large enough to stream down again.

"You're bleeding," he remarked.

"Yes, but don't worry, it's such a minimal amount I'm quite confident it won't cause a hemorrhagic shock," Entrapta assured, grinning.

"I know that! Don't be a fool," Hordak snapped. "We need to treat this before it bespatters everything. Here, hold this." He grabbed a clean cloth from the tiny shelf under the desk and gently pressed it against her finger. "I'll get some bandage. And it's time to suspend this for now. No more tinkering until tomorrow," he added, pointing at her working desk.

"Aw, but I'm almost done," she protested. "I must finish this tonight, it's very important. I just need to make a few more cuts and welds before it's ready for the first test."

"You definitely don't need to make any more cuts," he grumbled, then he turned around to walk back to his workstation. He knew there was supposed to be a box of bandages somewhere, but it took him longer than expected to find it.

Meanwhile, Entrapta walked to the opposite corner of the room, to the huge cot covered by all those different sizes of colourful cushions that Glimmer had sent them as a present. They'd built this part of the lab for relaxing, but they barely ever used it. During the day, neither of them liked having breaks, they were constantly up and about building things, taking things apart, discussing plans, sharing data with each other; and at night they both had their own place to sleep. The only occasions the cot had come in handy had been those few times when Entrapta had done some maintenance work on Hordak's armor that had required him to take it off, and he'd needed a soft surface to keep his sensitive body comfortable while it had been uncovered. She dropped down and sprawled on the cot, face down, hugging as many cushions as she could with one arm, including the largest of them, a very fluffy pastel purple and sky blue one that Hordak had once described as a gaudy and tawdry piece of botchery. She'd never realised how nice and cozy this cot was, and it felt wonderful to just lie there with her eyes closed, breathing in the pleasant blend of perfumes from the cushions that reminded her of Bright Moon and the smell of petroleum that was probably coming from her own hair. She didn't even mind the stinging pain throbbing in her finger, but Hordak was probably right, she didn't want to get all her equipment dirty with blood, so it was better to just wait for him to dress that cut before she got back to working on her machine.

She didn't move an inch until she felt the cushions stirring, then the weight of Hordak's body elevating the mattress under her for a moment, and his right leg pressing against her left thigh as he settled himself next to her. She stretched her limbs and sat up when she heard him opening the first-aid box. Neither of them said a word while he was working, the only noise breaking the silence was a weak squeak coming from her throat the moment he first touched the cut with a cloth soaked in saline. Her arm twitched as she felt the wound absorbing the salty water and sharp pain flared up in her finger, but he was holding her wrist firm and strong so that she couldn't instinctively pull back. Usually it was her fixing up his body, not the other way around, and she knew too well that the mild discomfort she was feeling right now was nothing compared to the severe pain she'd caused him every time she'd been repairing his armor, even though he'd always done his best not to show any sign of it. She put a warm, admiring smile on her face as she watched him wrap bandage around her finger.

"Great, thanks," she grinned after he secured the ends with a small knot. "Now, back to work!" she added, ready to jump up and run back to her workstation, but he didn't get up, nor did he let go of her hand.

"Did you not hear what I've said?" he asked. "No more tinkering. You're going straight to bed."

"I will," she promised. "But I really, really need to finish this prototype first."

"No." With a very careful and soft motion, he stroked the edge of her bandage with the tip of his thumb. "It's almost midnight. You've been working for days with barely any break. You're exhausted, and it's affecting your performance. You need to take better care of yourself."

"But that's exactly what I've been doing," she chirped, her eyes shining in excitement. "I've been studying the alternating of different types of brain waves during several common daily activities, and I came to a fascinating conclusion that the rythm of the waves influences the relaxation level of the brain, more precisely, the slower the rhythm gets, the more relaxed the brain becomes. So, if I was able to reproduce this phenomenon by artificially generating slower brain waves such as delta waves, there's a significant chance it would lead to an increased quality of sleeping and help me overcome my insomnia and my nightmares, which is... self-care, right?"

"Entrapta, you..." Normally, listening to her sharing her ideas with him would be a pleasant experience, he was always mesmerised by the passion in her eyes and her voice when she was talking about things she was working on, things she deeply cared about. But this was different. There was something painful about the excitement on her face, something that resembled... despair, maybe. "You never told me you're having nightmares," he said, his ears pointing slightly downwards.

"It's not that important," she smiled weakly, still trying to keep her tone light, but looking up to his face, she started to suspect that it probably didn't suit the nature of the conversation anymore. She quickly turned away her head, her eyes on the gaudy cushion, the edge of the cot, the tip of her shoes – anything would do if it helped her escape his penetrating glance. She'd never been good at holding direct eye contact for too long. "They're usually about Horde Prime. But he's gone. He can't hurt us anymore. We're safe. So it doesn't matter."

He didn't know what to say. She was right, and yet she was so wrong. If those nightmares were bad enough to prevent her from having a peaceful sleep, to force her to stay awake and work so hard, so desperately, seeking for a remedy, then it did matter. A spark of an unknown emotion flared inside of him, something he'd never felt before, yet it was strangely familiar, and it took him a while to identify it as... anger? Or not exactly? He wasn't sure. Anger was something he was supposed to know very well, but this version of it seemed different from everything he'd ever experienced before. For some reason, it included a strong urge to gently pull Entrapta against his body, to hold her protectively, and he didn't quite comprehend the reason behind this, so he simply resisted the instinct, hoping it would fade away if he didn't act on it. But it stayed, and it made him uncomfortable and confused.

"Why have we never discussed it?" he asked.

"I've just explained why," she replied with a hint of uncertainty. "Did you not listen? With Horde Prime gone, it's not important anym—"

"Stop saying that!" he interjected with a loud grunt, making her twitch for a moment as he raised his voice. Realising that he might have scared her, he pulled back with an apologizing look on his face, but he didn't loosen his grip around her fingers. He took slow and deep breaths, closing his eyes for a moment, attempting to calm his mind. He'd been working hard to overcome his temper issues for a while, and he didn't understand where the sudden wave of rage was coming from. It may have been the thought that he was the one who'd failed to protect her from whatever she'd witnessed while being held hostage by Horde Prime, from whatever horrible things that had etched themselves into her mind so strongly that they'd been causing her nightmares ever since. She didn't deserve this. And he didn't deserve her forgiveness. He quickly shook his head, he didn't want to give in to these excruciating thoughts, not this time.

"Well... What is it exactly that you want to discuss?" Entrapta asked patiently.

He remembered the moment when she, after Horde Prime had finally left his body forever, had rushed into his arms laughing and crying in joy, squealing that they'd had so much to talk about. And since that day, they had indeed talked about many things. About space and magic, about scientific research, about plans, blueprints, robots, First Ones' tech, ideas, experiments, new discoveries. About staying together as lab partners for the foreseeable future. About helping to rebuild all the kingdoms the Horde had destroyed. But still... "Everything that happened... What he's done to us... We never talked about it," he whispered, bringing his right hand under her chin to gently lift up her head, searching for her magenta orbs. "You never told me how much he's hurt you."

She looked away again, this time turning her whole body away from him, pushing his hand back from her face, peeling his fingers off her hand with a firm but gentle movement. Had she been wearing her welding mask, she would have used it to cover her face, but it was resting at her workstation, too far out of reach, so she just pressed her legs together, slightly bending her back and leaning forward to hide herself behind the curtain of her hair.

"He's hurt you, too, way more than he's hurt me," she drawled slowly, thinking through every single word before saying them out loud. "It made me very uncomfortable to think about him, and I thought you'd felt the same. I thought if I never brought it up, we'd both be able to move on. I wanted to talk about pleasant things with you. I wanted to think about the future. I wanted to see you happy." That last word made his ears flinch for a moment, but before he could say or do anything, she continued. "I'm sorry I've assumed things instead of asking. I know this is something I need to be more careful with."

"No, I..." He hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to invade her personal space just after she'd pulled away, so he resisted the urge to lean closer and sweep her hair out of the way to reveal her face. "I deeply relate to what you've just described."

"Really?" She twitched her shoulders a little bit. People usually didn't understand her at all, and Hordak's words made her feel... seen. Her lips curved into a faint smile, though she knew her face was still hidden behind her hair so he wouldn't notice.

He nodded. "Yes. And I owe you an apology, because I, too, have kept things from you for the same reason."

The tip of her ponytails twitched in realisation, and she finally looked up to face him. "Are you... having nightmares as well?"

"They're more like... flashes," he replied hesitantly. "Visions. Of... things." He presumed that specifying "things" as images of himself pointing his arm cannon at a horrified, trembling Entrapta, ready to shoot her to death, would probably have been too harsh. He shivered, and a thin lock of her hair swarmed up his right shoulder, softly stroking him in consolation. He reached out for that lock and slowly ran his fingers through it, then he closed his eyes, gave a long sigh and flopped back on the cot, with his head and neck against the wall. He felt Entrapta following him, settling herself comfortably between the cushions and his body, but barely touching him – just a light contact of a lock of her hair against his shoulder, continuing the gentle, soothing motions.

"I don't understand why we're like this," she said blankly. "It doesn't make sense. He's gone, and he's never coming back, so everything's supposed to be okay, but it's not."

"Exceedingly illogical indeed," he agreed. "But this provides us new areas to explore, and I believe that's what we should do."

The stroking motions stopped, and the lock of hair was now resting still on his shoulder. "I'm not sure I want to explore this," she muttered. "It would... hurt."

"I've explored your cut. And it hurt you, but it was also very beneficial," he pointed out. "Just like when you do maintenance work on my armor. Maybe sometimes things are supposed to hurt first so that they can get better."

"You think so?"

"I do." He slightly turned his torso towards her, lifting up his hand to... slide it against her arm? Put it on her waist? Pull her closer? He hesitated for a moment, then simply placed his hand atop her lock of hair that was still resting on his shoulder, and rushed his fingers through it. He soon felt a ticklish sensation on his claws as her hair curled itself around them, forming into a soft, violet-coloured hand, and he found himself smiling, if only for a glimpse of a moment. "I know it's hard. It's painful. And I don't want to press you. But there's nothing wrong with talking it out. As you've said it yourself, he's gone. There's nothing to be afraid of. Talking about what we've been through won't bring him back, and it might even benefit us in some ways. So if there's anything, anytime, that you wish to tell me, I'll always be there to listen."

She felt her eyes get watery. "Do my nightmares really concern you this much?" she asked quietly.

"Of course they do," he replied. "My lab partner's safety and wellbeing are my most significant priorities."

Entrapta grabbed a cushion with a lock of hair, and pulled it closer to her face. "I care about you a lot, too," she responded. "And you can also tell me anything, anytime."

He let go of her hair and reached out to hold her left hand, carefully sandwiching it between his two palms. For a few seconds, he examined her wounded finger.

"How does it feel?" he asked, running his thumb across her knuckles just above the bandage.

"Slightly itchy." Entrapta gave a weak little laugh, then a deeply honest smile warmed up her face, though her gaze seemed a little uncertain. "There is actually something I want to tell you. I want you to know that I... When I was... When Horde Prime... When you were gone, Hordak, I really missed you."

He somehow expected, hoped to hear these words from her, but that didn't make it easier to respond. There was nothing he could think of to say. No matter how badly he wanted to answer "I missed you too", it just wouldn't have worked, he felt like it wouldn't have been honest enough. When he'd been deceived into believing that Entrapta had betrayed him, and after he'd found out she'd been sent to Beast Island and had probably been dead, he'd became completely empty. He hadn't been able to feel anything at all, let alone miss her. And while under Horde Prime's control, his memories of her had seemed to be so distant, they'd felt like they'd been from someone else's life. Sometimes he'd seen flashes of the two of them experimenting with the portal in his sanctum, but other times he hadn't even been able to recall her name. All he'd done was try as hard as possible to cling to that feeling while holding the crystal in his hand, clenching his fist around it so strongly that the sharp edges had almost felt like they'd pierce through the skin of his palm. Yes, sometimes, there had been that strong urge to be around her, to understand the strange warmth her presence had awaken in him, to figure out why everything about her had felt so familiar, but he clearly couldn't have missed her, because he hadn't known who she was. He hadn't even known who he'd used to be. Not until the very end.

"Oh, it's okay, you don't have to say you missed me, too. I know it's complicated," Entrapta said quickly after finally realising why Hordak went so quiet. "But I definitely missed you. I wished you'd been there with me when I went to space. I thought about how we could've explored all those galaxies together. We could've collected so much data, and I'd have let Darla analyse them for us, and... What I'm saying is... I was thinking about you. A lot," she murmured, and Hordak gave her a smile, probably the tenderest one he'd ever given to anyone in his life.

"I... was trying my best to think about you, too," he answered.

"I knew you would." She moved a bit closer and looked up in his face, then slowly, hesitantly, because this was something new to them, and a part of her was afraid of him pulling away, she laid down her head on his shoulder. He didn't move or protest at all, so Entrapta carefully placed all her weight on him, gently wrapping her hair around his upper arm. Then she felt him spreading that particular arm over her, his palm resting against her waist. She'd never done anything like this to anybody before. At first it was awkward and a little bit scary to be this close to someone and sense each and every little flinch of his body, and then she suddenly felt even more exposed when she realised it was mutual. But after a while, the sensation started to become more natural, and the tension slowly faded away, leaving only comfort and pleasure behind. She took a deep breath and curled up her legs, lifting another lock of hair to softly twine it around his body, pulling herself even closer against his chest. Then she just rested her head there, eyes closed, she had no idea how long for.

"Hordak?" she whispered wearily. He let out a low, sleepy, interrogative growl. "I think what we're doing right now is having a positive effect on my relaxation level. May I... Could we just stay here for a while, please?"

All he did in response was reach out for her right hand and lace their fingers together while tilting his head just enough to be able to bury his face into her hair, breathing against her scalp, and Entrapta happily sank into the feeling.

"Is that a yes?" she asked softly.

"A very definite one."

[austarus]

HR Wells x Reader Hidden Among The Fairy Lights (Part 2 of 3)

**A/N: The picture/edit/gif does not belong to me. 

*There’s a hidden Easter Egg, lemme know your thoughts in the comments or in reblogs. Could be about my next one-shot or it could be about part 3, let’s discuss ;D

Word Count: 5271

Part 1 Part 3

“HR?” you gave his arm a little squeeze, concern flooding your eyes at the sudden shift in his body language. Tension replacing his usually sunshine-y disposition that you had been accustomed to seeing every day, even if it expertly masked how he truly felt at times around the others. Gradually realizing that you eagerly wanted to see him sincerely smile at the beginning of each day to know that he was doing ok. A part of you wanted to retract your question, but a bigger part wanted to know- to understand what had happened to him to cause such a change in his demeanor.

“Are you sure this is what you wish to know?”

You swallowed your saliva as your answer fell out of your mouth without a second thought, “Yes.”

HR rubbed his face with a firm hand, exhaling slowly through his nose. What he shouldn’t have expected was for you to back down, after all you were just trying to befriend him. He knows you weren’t trying to intentionally hurt him, especially with all the kindness you’d shown him. “The people in my life have always set high expectations for me.” HR reopened those crystal blue eyes that you’ve found yourself falling into more than once. Like a riptide. He held your gaze, rubbing the skin on his wrist. “I came from a well-off family of scientists. My father was a genius physicist and a mathematician while my mother contributed whatever time she had to her cancer research. Everyone in the science community knew of the Wells family. I was… different. I didn’t want to study science or math; I didn’t want to be stuck in labs making analysis and collecting data. I wanted to create worlds and write my own reality- adventures that I can only dream of going on.” Your hand soon found his, giving it a little squeeze to let him know that you were listening intently. “My mother had a weak heart after I was born, so her movement was limited, but she gave me all her time while balancing her research and my father. My father… indirectly had blamed me for her health complication, fueled by my failure to follow in the scientific field. I essentially besmirched our family name.” You can tell where that was going, heard similar stories shared by friends of the past. Your heart clenched tightly in your chest for HR. “One thing came after another and my mother passed away from her heart condition, all because she was defending my desire to write and my interests in traveling.”

“I’m sorry,” you looked down, now mentally scolding yourself. “I-I shouldn’t have asked.” I’m so stupid, of course with that reaction he… I’m an idiot for asking. After this he won’t want to talk to me. After this, he won’t want to be around me again. I’m so stupid. I didn’t mean to hurt him.

“You didn’t know,” HR chuckled mirthlessly, a somber smile crossed his face as the author waved off your apology. He hadn’t noticed your hand in his until now, how his larger hand had encased your smaller one as if complementing each other like puzzle pieces. HR swallowed whatever had gotten caught in his throat. “My father wasn’t a fan of me or I him. But my mother was the one that I held onto dearly. She always told me that it’s ok to be myself, that I’m worth something, so I should keep smiling and continue on with my work. Then I met Randolf Morgan in middle school, and well, here we are.” HR sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. You saw his eyes glistening so you couldn’t help yourself but wrap your arms around him. HR returned the hug, letting out a breath as he concluded in a low whisper, “I hadn’t… truly confided my story to anyone in a while.” The invisible chains of his past still hung onto him even after all these years. What else could I have done, but to lie as Randolf covered for me until we re-opened up STAR Labs.

“Well, I’m here for you,” you spoke softly into his chest with red cheeks, unbeknownst to you his own cheeks and ears were flushing a similar color, “whenever you need me.” When you both pulled away a heavy droplet from the heavens fell onto your nose, causing you to snap your neck back a bit. HR laughed at your reaction to which you pouted at him for until another drop hit him in the eye. You laughed at his demise. Not a second too soon, an army of rain drops cascaded down onto the city, pelting down you and HR. The clouds angrily rumbled in up above. Instantly, the Earth-19 novelist had taken off the backpack and shrugged his jacket off.

“What are you doing?” You loudly asked him as the noise of rainfall increased. “You’re going to get sick!”

With a determined look, HR was already wrapping his jacket around you, but you resisted. “You’re going to get sick too!” Your hair was already sticking to your forehead as was HR’s, your shirt clung to the skin of your back. This seemed vaguely similar to a scene in all those cheesy rom-coms that Caitlin and Iris watch, but instead of a kiss under the gentle flow of rain, the water’s unyieldingly merciless to you and HR. A kiss would have been nice though.

“We’re both going to get sick!”

“Put this on-” HR firmly spoke, taking a hold of your hand once you had your arms in the sleeves of his warm jacket, “-and get ready to run.”

“Huh?!”

“We’re only a few blocks away from the labs, we can make it back and dry off there,” he explained as HR adjusted the backpack on his person once more. You wordlessly followed him back to the labs with fast steps. His warm hand had tugged yours along. Way to ruin everything rain.

***

Once back to the empty labs, HR had ushered you to his room as you both left a trail of water droplets. You two were cold and soaked to the bone. I… think my bra’s wet too. The rainstorm ragged outside and boy where you were relieved to finally be inside the labs. Cisco’s stuff is surely damaged at this point from the amount of rain. I guess we might have to make another trip up to Star City. HR handed you a dry towel, to which you immediately began to dry your hair as he did his own. You giggle when he had finished, revealing a floofy mess. He looked at you quizzically before you shook your head at him. You had to reprimand yourself from having your eyes trail along with the droplets that had trickled down his neck and into his shirt. I have no idea how to get home and on top of that, HR’s looking unfairly sexy right now. More so than he already is on a day to day basis. You once again scolded yourself for such thirsty thoughts because there was no way someone like him would want someone like you. He was up there, and you were just… down there. Literally from two different worlds. You shifted your footing a bit as you continued to dry yourself off as best as you could.

You crinkled your nose at the way you smelled from the rain then you mentally facepalmed because you just did that in front of the cute novelist… whom you’re not crushing on because you’ve obviously got no chance with him. A shiver ran throughout your body as a small sneeze left you. HR didn’t know why, but he found your tiny sneeze to be cute as a puppy-like grin made its way on his lips.

“You can borrow my shower if you want. That way you can warm up and avoid getting sick.”

“I’m not-” you sneezed once more, holding the towel close to you for some warmth. “…” You remained silent, sheepishly and stubbornly looking at anything other than HR. A warm shower does sound really nice right about now, especially with the idea of getting out of these wet clothes. You still had his jacket on your body, you’d have to return that too.

“Uh huh, you were saying?”

“… HR.”

“Yes, little sick birdy?”

“I-I don’t have any extra clothes with m-me.”

You and HR just blinked at one another as water trickled down the back of your neck from your roots. “…” Clearing his throat, HR fumbled around his room to get clothes that would fit you. You saw his face had reddened and so your immediate thought was that he had gotten fever, but before you could ask HR had handed you a dark long-sleeve and some shorts with adjustable strings. “J-just leave your clothes in the basket by the door and I’ll put them in the dryer.”

HR sneezed after you had entered his bathroom, mind going to places he shouldn’t have let it go to, especially in this situation. The author sighed as he pushed the thought away of your undergarments also being among the wet clothes. Stop, you’re a gentlemen, not a hormonal teen with his crush over for a slumber party from kissing out in the rain like fools. HR shrugged his wet shirt off once he heard the shower start, his mind easing that you would no longer be cold. Pulling out some clothes to change into, he realized that it’s better to do so until after you’ve finished with your shower, he’d then take his turn and change into a new set, but at least he’d be dry for the moment. The laundry basket was placed by the entrance of the bathroom, but out of view from his bedroom. Picking it up, he accidentally caught sight of your bra among your clothes. Maybe I’m the fool… The dark-haired Wells nibbled on his bottom lip as he went to place the clothes in the dryer. Blue eyes took one final glance at his room before wandering to the brown bag of a purchase that he had bought a few days prior. I guess now’s the best time to set those up.

***

The entirety of your time in his shower, you had blamed the heat for your pink-flushed face and how fast your heart had been beating. The warmth of the water thawed your body as you berated your heart for running a thousand miles an hour. You’d rub your face multiple times to stop yourself from daydreaming any longer of how you’d want to spend the rest of your days in his arms, basking in his generous smile and sunny-like personality. I’m a fool for hoping. You made sure to take a quick shower as to not take all the hot water because… this isn’t your bathroom. Stepping out of the shower, you wrapped a spare towel around your form. You faced the fact that for the evening, you would smell like HR as your only shower options were limited to his own shampoo/conditioner and body wash. You played with your damp locks before fully drying off and putting the long-sleeve sweater on your body. The scent of his cologne as well as a forest-y musk hung to his shirt with the vague smell of old books and you swore it was making your head spin, intoxicating you. Get yourself together! He’s just being nice, that’s all.

You peered outside the window, finding that the rain relentlessly fell onto the city. Thankfully, your panties weren’t too wet, so you opted to have them on as you lamented your bralessness. The soft fabric scratched slightly against your nipples. Taking a glance at the mirror, the shirt hung on you a bit loosely as it reached past mid-thigh length while the sleeves needed to be rolled up to your wrists. Guess I don’t need the shorts. You re-folded the shorts he had given you. They weren’t going to fit me anyway, but I do appreciate the thought. You wrapped the towel around your head and padded out of the misty bathroom.

“HR, do you have a hairbrush that I could use?” You asked as you peered into his bedroom, mentally wondering if this is what it would be like to be his and sleeping over for the night. Sighing sadly, you pushed the idea to the depths of your mind.

“Should be back in the bathroom, first drawer on the right,” he had called out with his back turned to you. You weren’t able to see what he had been tinkering with. Hearing some shuffling behind him, HR assumed you had re-entered the bathroom for the brush. The Wells doppelganger had finished setting up his purchase and had already put your clothes in the dryer with his wet ones. He had gotten two mugs of hot chocolate, readily seated on the small counter. The Earth-19 being had remembered you telling him that you liked the warm beverage when you both were discussing drinks on a coffee run to Jitters for the team. Reasons beyond him, that was one of the details that had struck his memory 10 minutes or so ago. “Did you find it?” He turned around at the sound of the bathroom door clicking shut and HR swore that he felt his whole world stop.

HR swallowed thickly as you took your hair down from the towel up-do, messily tangled and awaiting to be brushed out. In his eyes he saw that his shirt had encased you perfectly, but also allowing his imagination to not wander too far. The novelist chewed on the inside of his cheek as he looked back into your eyes. He took a breath, knowing his self-control was what the stars were testing him on today.

You self-consciously smoothed out the soft fabric of the long-sleeve shirt as the towel hung over your forearm. “H-How do I look?” The words tumbled out of your mouth before your mind could even register what you had said. Your gaze finally locked onto his, not noticing that for a split second his eyes had looked you over.

“Good- you look good.” HR did his best not to stumble with his words when in reality he wanted to say so much more. But that would be inappropriate. He couldn’t deny that his heart had swelled with pride at how his clothes looked on you. The taller man had gathered his things for his own shower. “I- The rain doesn’t seem to be letting up now so- I mean only if you want to- you could make yourself at home until it calms down.”

“Yeah, yeah. That sounds like a plan.”

“I made hot chocolate for us- you- I think you like it?”

“I- I do yes! Um- sorry for imposing and everything.”

“Trust me, you’re not. It… gets lonely here sometimes,” he tilted his head as a laugh left him, having the gall to send you a wink before he entered the bathroom. Butterflies started a rave in your body at the wink. Shutting the door, HR leaned against it and released an audible sigh. It truly does get lonely every night. He closed his eyes as he felt various chemical hormones, adrenaline among them causing his body to feel nervous and tingly. Sensations that he hadn’t felt towards anyone in a really long time. What are you doing to me, little birdy? was the only thought left in HR’s mind as he started up the shower.

Smiling to yourself, you hummed out a little tune as you had set your hair into a French braid after getting all those pesky knots out. You checked your phone for any texts or missed calls only to find it at 5%. I should really carry a charger around with me. Placing the wet towel in the laundry basket, you turned around to observe your surroundings. You happily noticed that HR had remodeled the area to his liking, giving his temporary residency a home-y kind of vibe with the current decorum. What had really caught your attention was what appeared to be his work desk littered with books and spare papers messily put together along with glasses that were unfolded beside some candles.

Your feet had padded on the cool concrete floor as you approached the desk.I didn’t know he wore glasses. Picking them up, you analyzed them before putting them on for a few seconds. They look so much like Harry’s and Thawne’s, but they’re for reading instead. Slipping them off your face and settling the glasses back to their respective spot on the desk, your eyes wandered over to a slightly open manuscript paper set at the top of all the other case-covered books. A dark green bookmark and a pen was lodged in the midst of it, the bookmark tucking out from the top of the page. Curiosity picked and pulled at your brain, tempting you to take hold of the thick papers and unravel its contents. You pursed your lips. I’m sure he won’t mind… I’ll just put it back when I hear the water turn off… A little peek won’t hurt anyone.

Ethereal Beings was the title of the manuscript, printed with HR’s initials beneath. You settled at his desk, cracking the novel open and pulling out the pen as you wondered what kind of books HR had written. Running a hand through your hair, you began reading the prologue as you took sips from your hot chocolate-filled mug. Unbeknownst to you that you would become so engrossed in the plot of the Mermaid and the Pirate Gentleman (coincidentally meeting  and unknowingly searching for the Kjarni Flower) that you wouldn’t hear the sound of the shower shutting off.

HR turned the shower off after dealing with some… pesky thoughts. The fantasy author quickly styled his hair to his level of perfection and applied a spray of cologne onto his skin as he freshened up. HR took in a breath before exhaling slowly. Leaving the bathroom with a crisp white short-sleeve shirt and dark sweatpants, HR spotted your petite frame hunched over his desk. He raised an eyebrow at you.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah!” You felt a rush of electricity shock you as you dropped the manuscript, which landed with a dull thud. You quarter-filled cup of warm milky chocolate almost spilled over at the impact. Turning around, your blood rushed to your head as HR approach you. You awkwardly stumbled over your words. “I-I was totally not reading one of your books that just happened to be lying on your desk.” Please believe me… I’m so guilty, what the hell?

“Uh huh”

HR just shook his head at you, pulling the dropped three-hole bounded paper set from you. Out of every reading material he had published, you had chosen to crack open the one he had been revising. Taking a seat on the plush bed, his gentle baby blues scanned over the text.

“Would you be able to read to me your current work?”

“Is that what you wish your second question to be?”

He had raised a teasing eyebrow at you to which you nodded at his question in confirmation; HR smirked as he patted the space beside him on his bed. Sheepishly you stumbled onto his bed and scooted beside him but remained a respective distance apart.

“Two in one day, things must be getting really interesting in that head of yours.” HR joked as he reached over to shut off the main lights to the room, simultaneously flicking on another switch. And he said let there be light. Your eyes lit up at the spectacle dimly lighting the room, yet providing a good enough light in close proximity for reading.

“HR,” you whispered, slowly looking around the room at the twinkling fairy lights. How did I not notice them? The lights continued to sparkle around the both of you, an insightful truth hidden among them.

“I figured you’d like them. You mentioned a couple days ago that you’re fond of them, but never had time to actually go out to buy some. So, I thought…” HR trailed off once the fairy lights had illuminated. A soft and toothy grin graced his features as he saw stars twinkle brightly in your eyes. Your face held a smile of jubilee. HR held up the manuscript, regaining your attention, “Shall we continue your adventure with the Mermaid and Pirate Gentleman?”

“I thought that one was published since you seem to do things differently on your Earth.”

“So, you thought our books would be different?”

“Uh huh!”

“We have books with covers, your choice on the illustration of course, and coverless manuscripts too. This is essentially a drafting manuscript, I’m in need to revise it before submitting it in for further publication. That’s why I had it open.��� HR had rubbed the back of his head as he explained, giving you a great view of his bicep unfairly and reflexing a flex. A firm vein popped along the strained muscle. You swore the universe was out to remind you of your everlasting singleness and infatuation with the Wells doppelganger. That’s really… an appealing piece of muscle.

HR didn’t grab his glasses, knowing after a while his eyes would strain a bit at the reading. But he didn’t want to look like Harry. As his handsome Earth-2 doppelganger had once said to the others “I’m my own man” and so was HR. And others may view the decision as selfish, but he didn’t want you to see Harry. Especially in this moment.

“Are you not going to drink your hot chocolate?” You pointed to his now cold beverage.

“I was, but it’s cold now.”

“Then I’ll go heat it up for you.”

“And you’ll come back?”

“Of course, you have to fulfill my second question after all.”

HR watched you perk up and off the bed with a mission to provide him a warm drink as he had done for you. Biting down on his lower lip he got under the covers. You returned with a warm mug of hot coco for your crush friend this time with a candy cane in it. HR only looked at you quizzically before you handed the cup over to him, telling him to try it. He took one sip, humming in delight and approval. You grinned taking a seat next to the author.

“Chapter 3: Of Pestilence and Mayhem,” HR had started with a low voice, unknowingly allowing your heart to jump at the tone. “The fates seemed to have decided to toy with Gerard today…” He continued on, expertly reading through each sentence that you hung on to. You fought with sleep that gradually clouded your vision as HR moved on to the next chapter. Midway through the chapter, you had subconsciously scooted closer to HR as he seemed to provide a pretty good source of heat. HR subtly noticed but voiced no rejection of it.

As the novelist moved from line to line, there was a growing battle between your mind and the cloudiness of dreams that threatened to take over. You yawned in audibly accidently causing HR to, but he kept on reading. I don’t want to go home, he’s so warm and his voice sounds so nice… Like velvety chocolate. The heaviness in your eyes won the battle against your resistance, causing them to flutter shut as a sleepy haze took over you. Simultaneously, your head had rocked to the side and fallen gently onto his shoulder as a pillow remained loosely clutched in your arms.

HR turned his head, watching your chest rise and fall as gentle breaths escaped you while you were in a world of dreams. Letting out a little breath, the corners of his lips turned up at the corners as HR shook his head at you. But his thoughts subtly stop him. Was I that boring? Maybe the plot needs to be reworked? HR decided that he’d ask you in the morning as he set aside the manuscript. For now, he pushed the covers away as he moved your gently in a better position to sleep. With one last look, HR had brushed a strand of hair out of your face. HR mused to himself that to anyone watching, they’d see hidden adoration and maybe something else within his blue iris. Maybe a dark and possessive quality he didn’t know he had. Who knows? HR analyzed your sleeping form before sweetly planting a kiss to your forehead, secretly wishing in the depths of his soul that you were willingly his to love. HR’s fallen in love before, it’s just the unfortunate fact that it was something that was never reciprocated to him in his life.

“Goodnight, my little songbird.”

***

Blood-curdling screams had greeted the multiversal author as he descended into sleep. HR’s eyes snapped open, finding himself standing ankle-length in a dark-colored substance. The acrid smell overwhelmed his senses as his eyes slowly focused. It took a few seconds for the taller man to register the foul and metallic smell of blood. He was standing in blood! HR yelped at first trying to move his legs away, feeling as if the fluid had nipped at his skin, almost burning him. But the gruesome fluid was everywhere. Trembling blue eyes looked all around the landscape, finding nothing but a void of black death.

“Pathetic,” the familiar voice sneered. HR’s gaze locked onto Harry, who continued to give him an annoyed look. HR furrowed his eyebrows.

“Excuse me?”

“Pathetic, you always were pathetic. Maybe that’s why your friend Randolf sent you here.” Harry’s cold laugh tuned to the dryness of the atmosphere. He unfolded his arms to pocket his hands, HR watched as a malicious smirk weaved its way onto his doppelganger’s features. “Booting you from Earth-19 to do away with your pitifulness. You can’t even use a computer correctly. How laughable. You crossed to a different earth. Congrats, dead man, so have many others. How could you ever deserve someone like her? She should be with me instead. After all, I was here with her first.”

In a blink of an eye, Harry’s lithe form had vanished in thin air. This is all in my head, I just need to breathe. I’ve dealt with worse; I’ve overcome many. I’m fine. I’ll be fine, I just need to breathe. He calmed his breathing for a moment, Finally turning around, HR found decaying bodies and corpses all around. His breathing hiked again at the scene, his stomach churning. Once more, HR turned to the side only to come face to face with you. You, who had blood spilling out of the corner of your mouth. HR felt his own mouth go dry.

“Why did you leave me?” You asked in a raspy voice. HR remained frozen in place, his body unable to move away from the image of you and all the carcasses. “Why did you run?”

“I-I didn’t run. From what?”

“You let him take me,” HR’s eyes widened as blood gradually stained your chest as if you had been impaled. “You let him use me and now he killed me. You were the reason he came after me.”

“N-no no no,” HR took a step back, your haunting image taking a step forward to him. “You’re safe. You’re asleep next to me. You’re fine. Nothing happened.” Hysterically, he ran a hand through his messy hair, just noticing the blood on his hands. Your blood. He tried to shake it off in fright as you closed in on him.

“Why didn’t you save me?”

“I-“

“Didn’t you promise me to stay?”

“You’ll always be a coward, HR Wells,” HR snapped his head towards the voice. Lo and behold, the one person he hoped to never crossroads with now stood in front of him in all her leathery glory. Gypsy, a legendary Collector. “You see what you did?” The brunette strode close to him. HR felt a million of pins and needles in his limbs. “You’re the reason she died. All because you kept running and running and running. Like a coward. All these corpses were your fault, if only you had learned your lesson the first time.” The author couldn’t move his legs, couldn’t feel them, as if someone had filled them up with lead. His chest felt tight, bile stuck in his throat causing him unable to retaliate. His head screamed at him achingly. He was utterly helpless. “One way or another, I will find you, HR Wells, and I will collect you.” She made a gun gesture, aiming it right at his heart. “Bang.”

HR’s eyes snapped open, feeling himself sticky with sweat. His breathing was rapid, closing his eyes once more he forced himself to calm down. That’s the third nightmare these past few weeks. HR tiredly sighed, reopening his eyes and focusing them in the dimness of the room. The sun was languidly climbing up the sky, yet it was still too early for even the birds to be out and about. HR had barely registered how close you were to him now, essentially tucking yourself close to his body for warmth. Adjusting his body, HR saw how your hair tie had left your braid, allowing your hair to half be settled in the braid and half gently untamed. Soft breathes escaped you, signaling that you were still asleep.

HR ran a hand over his face before he checked the time. The sight of you calmed him but remnants of his nightmare remained at the back of his mind. Women are usually the first ones to leave me in the morning, especially after realizing who they had slept with. He mused that thought to himself as he pulled the blankets over your shoulders. Looking over your peaceful expression, his gaze lingered on your lips before submitting to one wish of many within his being. The novelist gingerly placed a kiss to your lips, slowly backing away to gaze upon you like prince would do to a sleeping princess. But you remained asleep, unaware of his feelings and affections for you. If only you knew, what I would do-. He hated his nightmares, hated those dark thoughts that constantly plagued him from reaching higher. Consistently scaring him from doing things he never imagined of doing. HR with the lightest of touches threaded his fingers through the hair that had left the confines of the braid. I would try anything to be by your side and you at mine.

The emotion behind HR’s eyes suddenly shifted as a thought crossed him. Maybe… Randolf did want to get rid of me. He knows of the Inter-dimensional Travel Execution rule, yet… And here I am, on an Earth that’s not my own. With people who are not my own. And… Father did always favor Randolf since we were kids, even in his will. HR swallowed the bile in his throat as he pursed his lips. I guess the fates were really toying with me all along. A little noise had erupted from your throat as you snuggling closer into HR’s chest, but with sullen eyes he had to gently pull away from your welcoming warmth. The taller man decided a walk would be best to clear his head in order to face the trials and tribulations of today with Team Flash. HR tucked you in and left the room, sparing one last glance over his shoulder before shutting the door quietly.

Would that be her third?

[threads-of-trust]

robot.. hooker..?

“Oh my fucking god-! Ivy! That fucking robotic bitch!” Miu spat at you, looking beyond annoyed that you needed an explanation. She walked straight over to said girl’s lab and began banging on the door with her fist as loudly as possible. “Open up, you emotionless cunt!”

Ivy was rounding a nearby corner, on the way to her lab. It was rather strange, seeing Miu banging on the door. “...since when were you so interested in seeing my lab, Miu?”

Miu turned her head, gritting her teeth at the fact she just looked like an idiot banging on the door with nobody home. “Fuck your lab! I’m looking for you.” She hissed, stomping over and practically shoving her tablet in Ivy’s face, pressing the play button as all-too-familiar images flashed over it. “What the fuck is this!? And why are you trying to hide it, huh!?” She demanded.

Ivy’s eyes went wide. “...what...? They...they got footage of Æsir-Fest?! No, there’s no way. That happened in my world! Since when could-!” Ivy cut herself off, realizing what could’ve happened. Her hands clenched into fists. “...my memories. My fucking memories. They went through them. Probably Vanessa’s, too. It’s the only explanation.” She groans in frustration, turning away from Miu, letting her hands relax. “...I hid that information because it holds no relevance in this world. Why talk about something that technically didn’t even happen?”

“I don’t care what god damn multiverse it happened in! You got a shit load of people killed, do you get that!? People died! Because of you! You-! You might as well be labeled a mass murderer!” Miu growled, her anger growing now that Ivy wasn’t looking at her. “What!? You don’t like hearing the truth? Look me in the eyes, you fucking coward!”

“You think I did that just to hurt people!? Miu, you clearly don’t know me very well. I hate hurting people. Æsir-Fest was meant to collect a large amount of data about emotions in a short amount of time. I didn’t know the side effects until it had already took place! How was I supposed to know taking memories from people in virtual reality would do that to people?!” Ivy turned back around sharply, grabbing Miu’s collar and pulling her close. “Don’t you dare call me a fucking coward. I spent years trying to save Vanessa. I broke into high-security buildings, stole highly confidential data, and gave my own life in the process. You? You’re just as broken as I am. Putting up masks to hide your own faults, your insecurities. We both did things that we regret. The only difference is: I’ve already experienced the downfall. Perhaps that’s why we both got each other’s secrets.”

“You-!!” Miu shrunk at being yanked forward by the collar, wanting to cower but pushing through. Her eyes shrunk with panic at Ivy’s last sentence, pulling herself away violently and stumbling while doing so. “You already experienced the downfall...? Meaning I haven’t, h-huh?” She forced a strained laugh out. “I went into a coma. I ruined-! I hurt... you think I don’t sit here and think about how I hurt him!? You think I don’t blame myself!? Is that not punishment enough!? I work harder than anyone else to make up for it every fucking day. Just because I don’t have blood on my hands, doesn’t mean I didn’t suffer, you stuck up bitch!” She yelled, but it’s easy to see tears forming in her eyes, just from the thought of someone knowing her secret.

Ivy tilted her head. “Oh? Are you truly without blood on your hands? Hm.” She let go of Miu’s collar, reaching into her hoodie and pulling out the video she got. Holding it out for Miu to take. “You know, I initially thought you wouldn’t remember. At least...not to the level of detail that I saw. Your reaction, however...well, let’s just say I’m not terribly sure now.” She forced a smile for a moment, before sighing, finding the effort unnecessary. “...I don’t hate you, truthfully. I never did, and I probably never will. I’ve never been able to really...stay angry at anybody for very long. Don’t really know why.”

Miu tumbled back in a huff at being released, snatching away the video and throwing it on the ground with all her might. It didn’t shatter, it hardly did anything actually, the videos were near indestructible. Which only made the inventor more angry. “It’s the only fucking thing I remember from being a kid! That it’s my fault, right!? That I caused the stupid fucking crash! W-What the fuck was I supposed to do, huh!? He was drunk! H-He handed me the keys! I-I... I was only a kid!! I didn’t know how t-to drive or what to do! It’s my fucking fault, no matter what anyone says! I could’ve p-prevented it if I was just-! If I’d-!” She shook like a leaf in a storm while yelling and trying to stomp the video into pieces. “I gotta get out of here, I have to. I-I haven’t made it up to him yet! I can’t fucking die here. I-I won’t-!” She proclaimed with a shaky voice.

Ivy watched as Miu tried to destroy the video, only to suddenly step on the tablet between her stomps and kick it backwards, away from Miu. "...Miu, I get it. I feel the same way over Æsir-Fest. We both did things we regret. Not a moment goes by without me...thinking about what I could've done differently." She turned around, moving to pick up the tablet and stow it away in her hoodie. “Grief is...a strange thing, isn’t it? The way it takes on different forms, with different causes... well, it certainly intrigues me.”

“Can you act like a normal person for five fucking seconds? I’m having a g-god damn breakdown!” Miu sniffles, wiping at her eyes. “Grief isn’t interesting, it’s miserable, you wignut! How am I supposed to trust you now? I don’t even what you are. You’ll take my m-memories for your stupid Fuck-Fest too, won’t you..?” She asked, naturally aggressive but more vulnerable with her words now.

“Miu, I have no need for that anymore. The emotion samples were for Vanessa. She’s perfectly fine now. Æsir-Fest wasn’t the goal, it was a means.” Ivy sighs, making her way towards her lab. “And honestly? I don’t expect anyone to trust me. When you’re a robot who’s been infiltrating human society for over five years, trust has a steep price. Normalcy is a luxury.” She opens the door to her lab. “...I have a sculpture to finish. If you wish to speak to me again, you can wait for me in the lobby. Unlike Aditi, I can’t exactly drown my sorrows in alcohol.”

“......” Miu looked out off by her emotions being so thoroughly dismissed. What else should expect from a robot? Even Pixel acted this way at times, despite the emotions function she added onto her. Ivy wasn’t any different. And now, the inventor looked like a fool for trying to confide in her. She glared at the ground before turning her back and huffing. “Whatever. Go carve your fucking ice, I guess. It’s fine... what the fuck ever...” She scoffed before walking off, completely red in the face and indignant.

“...” Ivy didn’t respond, softly closing the door behind her as Miu walked away. She sighed, taking off her hoodie and hanging it up on a convenient hook near the door, before leaning against the door, letting herself slide down to the floor. Something definitely struck a nerve...

[sablelab]

Covert Operations - Chapter 120

SYNOPSIS: It has been a couple of days since Jamie and Claire were admitted to Med Lab when Madeline decides to make a visit to ask about their progress. She visits both patients and once she has gone Jamie organises to visit Claire in the dead of night with Fergus’ help.

Chapter 119 and all other chapters can be found at … https://sablelab.tumblr.com/covertoperations

THANK YOU all for your continued support of this story. Much appreciated.

CHAPTER 120

As he walked out of Med Lab, Dr Jeremy Foster stopped in his tracks upon seeing Madeline as it had been a couple of days since either of Section’s leaders had last visited their two operatives. He had kept them well informed as to Jamie and Claire’s progress and was not surprised that Section’s second in command had finally decided to pay a visit to Medical. He hoped that the reason why Madeline was here was because she and Operations had reached a decision about downtime now that they were showing signs of improvement.  “Dr Foster I’m glad you’re still here.”  He gave her a nod of recognition.  “How are the patients?”  "The patients are not in the best of moods I’m afraid. Claire is getting bored and Jamie is … well … Jamie.” Madeline was not at all surprised that James Fraser was far from being a model patient. Section’s top operative was loath to be incapacitated at the best of times and no doubt he was ready to get out of Med Lab.  “Tell me about their progress.” Jeremy Foster held nothing back, knowing that Madeline wouldn’t expect anything less. “Superficially, both Jamie and Claire look as though they are well on the road to recovery. They both have had their intravenous drip removed and their hourly observations reports have been sound. Overall, I’m pleased to say that both of their physical injuries are healing quite nicely.”  “What’s Jamie’s status?” “Considering the state under which he entered Medical on his return from the mission, Jamie has indeed made excellent progress over the last couple of days. He has improved significantly but, as you know Madeline, this is not totally unexpected. James Fraser always seems to heal quickly due to his superb physical conditioning and training.” “Anything else?” “Although his blood pressure is a little elevated, I’m not concerned as his other data has been good. Since his blood transfusions, his anaemia has improved, his wound seems to be healing satisfactorily and there has been no infection. Jamie is still on pain relief as his injury will be tender for a while yet. He also doesn’t have complete mobility back in his shoulder. Unfortunately, this could take some time. He will definitely need some rehabilitation and physiotherapy to help build up his core strength.” He gave Madeline an earnest look before adding, “Despite his operation, Jamie seems to have fared the better of the two.” With her non-verbal reply, Dr Foster was unable to gauge Madeline’s reaction to this current news about Jamie’s condition as her expression was unreadable. No doubt she was mentally weighing up this information and ticking the boxes in her head as to her next plan of action. Glancing at her he reiterated his point once more, “I am pleased that Jamie is showing improvement each day, but I am somewhat concerned about Claire.” This time Madeline answered looking at him for clarification, “Meaning...?”  “It’s the wounds I cannot see to treat that worry me. Physically, although Claire is recovering well, I’m concerned about her mental wellbeing and I’m also worried about her emotional state of mind. She still bears the scars of her captivity. These physical marks are a constant reminder of what happened to her. Under the circumstances it is little wonder that she is emotionally drained. Having been subjected to the kind of prolonged torture she endured, there is no way of telling as to the impact that being incarcerated has had on her psyche.”  Madeline was well aware that the situation that Claire had faced could cause depression and anxiety and given the nature of her personality, succumbing to either of these conditions was feasible. Although Section operatives were trained to deal with such emotions, maybe, just maybe, given Claire’s state of mind and the severity of her afflictions that her wounds were deeper than first expected. Reluctantly she too had come to the same conclusion. Having done psyche evaluations on Claire in the past, it was possible that this mission had had a far greater effect than what her capture and torture by Red Cell had done to her on a previous mission.  She listened as Jeremy Foster continued. “The kind of torture Claire experienced often causes severe mental scars that are much slower to heal than the physical ones you can see. As doctors, we don’t know the damage that has been done to a person's spirit or to their subconscious often until it's too late.” “Yes … I can see your point.” If what Dr Foster had told her was true any psyche analysis she’d planned would need to be postponed until Claire was mentally better. There was no way that Operations would tolerate an operative who was not 100% ready and able to be sent back on such an important mission to capture Sun Yee Lok once and for all. There was much on the line for them. Colum in particular had already given them a succinct directive. It seemed she had few options but she would need to discuss her findings with Operations after her visit. To bring an End Game to this troublesome triad group, they needed Jamie and Claire to be functioning at their optimum level as they were crucial players in the final scenario.  “When can they be released?”  The doctor considered the question for a brief moment before replying, knowing that his answer may be crucial to the decision that Madeline and Operations would make about Jamie and Claire’s recuperation.  “I want to keep them both in for at least another twenty-four hours. If they continue to show continued improvement, I see no reason as to why they should stay under observation any longer than that. May I add that rehabilitation away from Section One would be the preferred option for the maximum success in their recovery. I think you will find that they will bounce back much better if you and Operations decide that this is the best course of action.” Madeline was stoic in her demeanour and did not comment on what Dr Foster had said but merely replied with, “I’d like to see them for myself now.” Comprehensively put back in his box his replied, “Of course. But I wouldn’t stay too long … Claire still needs her rest.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ When Claire Beauchamp heard the electronic “whoosh” of the automatic doors opening and the sound of high heels echo in her room, she immediately knew who had entered. The footsteps came closer and she sensed her visitor’s presence as she stood at the foot of her bed. She was sure that Madeline was scrutinizing her up and down with those unforgiving dark eyes making her own assessment as to her condition. Opening her eyes Claire met the intense gaze from Section’s second in command.  “Dr Foster said that you're doing quite well.”  Claire sat up a little and folded her arms across her chest in a defensive manner as she met her leader’s probing look. “I've been better, but I'll live.”  Madeline gave her a wry smile. “I'm sure you will. You’re looking much better than the first time I saw you.” “Thank you.”  “How are you feeling?” She asked, although her attempt at motherly concern fell on deaf ears.  Claire turned and glanced at her. Madeline looked like any concerned parent for their child, but she knew otherwise. Her superior never did anything out of compassion and she doubted the sincerity of her words and the smile she gave her. Claire was wary of Madeline’s intentions. There was always an ulterior motive and her visit here was no exception. 

Why was she being so nice? Was she baiting her so that she would drop her guard and say something she shouldn’t? You could never tell with Madeline, but what did she have to lose? 

Seizing the opportunity presented to her Claire smiled back and asked nonchalantly, “So … when can I get out of here?” “Probably in a day or two, but that decision is up to Dr Foster.” “Oh …” Her superior noticed Claire’s eyes widen with unspoken questions. She guessed that they were concerning Jamie’s discharge as well.  “Would that be a problem?” Madeline’s eyes focused on Claire’s face trying to read her reaction to her statement.  “No …That’s fine. I’m going a bit stir crazy not being able to do anything. I’m so ready to get outta here.”  Madeline walked closer to the head of the bed. “Yes ... I’m sure you have, but that will change soon enough. Let’s hope Dr Foster thinks you are well enough in a day or two shall we. Until then I guess you’ll have to amuse yourself, I’m afraid.” She smiled at her again. “I’m sure you’ve had some visitors … that should have help with the boredom.” “Murtagh and Fergus have been here.” “Yes …” Madeline’s eyes zeroed in on Claire’s. “… I know.”  With all the surveillance cameras in Med Lab closely monitoring personnel twenty-four hours a day, Madeline was just reminding her that she knew who, when and how often they had visited. To rub salt into the wound knowing that her words would cut Claire to the bone she added, “I’m sure Jamie would have been here as well … If he’d been able.” Each word Madeline had just spoken was like a bard to the heart. Pressing her lips together, Claire closed her eyes thinking of Jamie in ICU. The pain, of not being able to see him, cut deep. Murtagh had said he was doing fine but until she had seen him for herself then she would not be at peace. Claire fought to keep her composure at Madeline’s well aimed taunt. She of all people knew what they’d both gone through on the mission yet she took satisfaction in her vindictiveness coated with concern and veiled kindness to push home a point.

How could she have forgotten that there was always a hidden agenda to what Madeline had to say? Section would always be the winner. There was no room for all the qualities she tried to hold onto because Section wanted to browbeat them out of her.  Madeline scrutinized the emotions that crossed Claire’s face. The tell-tale swollen vein in her neck was a dead giveaway that her heart rate had accelerated and her face had lost its colour. There was something between the two operatives that went beyond mentor and material, and knowing that they were to have some downtime together was gnawing at her craw. It would only strengthen their bond and this could affect their performance in the field. Operations would not tolerate collusion between two operatives … especially their two best field operatives. It could put Section at risk.  Yet when Claire looked at her, her composure was evident. She smiled brightly. “I'm sure he will … when he’s able. Maybe I could visit him instead.”  “Yes … no doubt you are keen to see how he is too.” Noticing that Dr Foster had re-entered the room, Claire put her hand across her mouth stifling a yawn and hoping that he might intervene and cut short Madeline’s visit. He caught her eye and came to her rescue. “I think it is time that the patient got some rest Madeline. Doctor's orders." Without turning around she acknowledged his request, “Of course.” She smiled once more at Claire then gave her shoulder a light tap. “Operations and I will drop by tomorrow to see how you're feeling. He’s anxious to check up on you as well.” “Thank you.” Then turning towards Jeremy Foster Madeline uttered her next command. “I’d like to see Jamie now.”  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sound of the automatic doors opening registered in James Fraser’s mind, but he didn't bother turning his head around at the sound. He knew who it was. There was only one person that he wanted to see ... and it certainly wasn’t Madeline. Obviously she’d been told his recovery was better than the doctors had expected. No wonder she had felt compelled to come down to check on him to see if that was true. If there was any chance of him returning to the Rising Dragons mission quicker than expected then Madeline would grab it with both hands. He’d improved day by day; his strength was gradually returning and he’d finally turned the corner. This Intel would be most pleasing to Section’s leaders as the more time Sun Yee Lok and his triad were left to their own devices to restructure once more, the smaller the window of opportunity Section had to contain them while they were still vulnerable. Regrouping and rebuilding the triad was a possibility not to be taken for granted. The more the Rising Dragons grew in strength the more Section would be on the back foot. Resources were already stretched to the limit with other pending missions. If the Rising Dragons triad reinvented itself by amalgamating with other triad groups, this could mean greater problems also. Hence, Section wanted an End Game to happen as expediently as possible and for that they needed both he and Claire. Jamie also hated being in Med Lab any longer than necessary and Madeline knew this only too well. Was she here to say he was getting out of here? If so, then what about Claire? When would she be out of medical too?  It had been several long, miserable days since he and Claire had been taken into Med Lab and he was determined to see her now he wasn’t hooked up to all the equipment and monitors. Although Fergus and Murtagh had been making visits to see Claire in shifts and had given him progress reports on her welfare, it was not enough. He needed to see her for himself. He had little concern for his own welfare when the person he cared most about was but a heartbeat away … but now Madeline had turned up un-expectantly. He hoped her visit would be brief.  Her footfalls stopped and Jamie could hear her speaking to Dr Foster for a short while. He assumed she was going over the doctor’s notes on his condition. He closed his eyes knowing that Madeline would soon come nearer. He braced himself for her visit. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Jamie was surprised that Operations wasn’t with her. No doubt Madeline was here to ascertain what the chances were of his release from Med Lab and his recovery timeframe back to mission status. As he lay in bed waiting for her to finally speak with him, Murtagh’s words suddenly echoed in his head from his and Fergus’s visit earlier this evening. “I see you have finally decided to visit Claire tonight. I was wondering how long it would take.” But he had also uttered some concern. “Do you think that a wise move in your condition?” His condition was of no consequence. All that mattered was his Claire. He would know soon enough for himself, then he would be satisfied. Jamie had planned to see her as soon as everything was quiet for the night. More than likely Madeline had already paid a visit to Claire’s bedside and now, her impromptu visit had put a damper on his plans for the time being. It was inconvenient but not a total set back. He would prevail when he could. Jamie had arranged for Fergus to deactivate the surveillance cameras in Med Lab but in particular his and Claire’s room for a while and replace them with a recorded feed when he said so. When Operations and Madeline monitored the tapes, as they would, they would find that he was still in infirmary and everything was normal. They would be none the wiser that he had been to Claire’s room and seen her. Instead they would be watching the feed that Fergus had instigated without knowing anything had occurred between the two operatives. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ “How are you doing?”  The sound of Madeline’s question roused Jamie back to reality. He turned his head and looked at Section’s head strategist as she approached his bed. “I’m fine.” Jamie’s answer was nothing more than what she would have expected. Madeline knew exactly how he was doing. Dr Foster had told her. She’d read his files to clarify his observations, she and Operations had watched the surveillance tapes. They knew everything they needed to know.  “Good …” She gave him a cheerful look then added. “Claire is recovering well also. That’s good news? Is it not?” Madeline knew Jamie wouldn’t react to her question; she was not surprised with his response. It was good news … in fact it was great news but he certainly wasn’t going to say that. The mission had brought him and Claire closer together to the point where he was now unable to deny his feelings. Unequivocally, irrefutably and completely he knew that he loved her.  “Of course,” he responded with his customary laconic reply.  Jamie’s eyes were vacuous in response not wanting to give his superior any more damning evidence of his feelings regarding Claire Beauchamp for her mental file. His show of concern when he bought her into Medical on their return from the mission was already damning enough. No doubt, it had left Operations and Madeline with just enough uncertainty for them to jump to conclusions about a relationship between the two of them. It would now be necessary for him to negate any thoughts they may suspect of a greater attachment between himself and Claire more than that of mentor and his recruit. Diffusing their attention away from any hidden agenda they may have about them and solely back onto the mission’s end game was his plan. Later that night … Madeline had long gone and Jamie waited until the night medic had finished his last observations and had also left before making his move. Seizing his chance and unable to fight the urgent need to know of Claire’s condition for himself any longer he contacted Fergus. “Covered?”  “Yeah, they're watching the feed; they think you're in ICU.”  “Good.” “The Med Lab staff don’t check on the patients when they are asleep unless they buzz Jamie, so … how much time do you need?” “An hour.” “The tape runs another three hours, but you won’t need all that time. “No.” “If there is any problem … Murtagh and I will cover it.” “Good. How is the feed? Is it clear?”  ”It’s fine. You’ll have plenty of time. I’ll put the cameras back on real time when you’re ready just let me know and I’ll do the adjustment.”  “Thank ye Fergus.” Gingerly Jamie got out of bed thankful that the cumbersome intravenous drip had been removed from his arm this morning. Steadying his body and ignoring the dull ache in his shoulder, he made his way to his Sassenach’s room.  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ In the quiet of Med Lab, James Fraser stood like a looming sentinel in the doorway of Claire’s room. It was empty except for one lone cot, but his eyes immediately zeroed in on his love. His breath hitched in his throat as his eyes caressed Claire from head to toe as she lay in bed asleep.  As he slowly walked over to her bed, he couldn’t look anywhere else but on the reposing form of the woman he loved. Moving closer to the bed he was able to observe his Sassenach much better while his eyes took inventory of everything about her. Jamie catalogued every inch of Claire’s exposed features riddled with the evidence of what she had suffered for the Section. He missed nothing. Although her face had been cleaned up, the extent of the injuries she’d endured were still clearly evident. Her beautiful, porcelain skin was riddled with dark lesions that had bruised her delicate face. Jamie studied her more closely. Claire still had deep circles under her eyes and she was far too pale for his liking. Madeline had said that she was recovering well, but to his eyes Claire was not. Any abrasion or blemish that marked her flesh was a kick to the gut for him and a firm reminder of what had happened to her. Now that her lacerations were more pronounced, he could see the lingering result of what was done to her.  He felt physically sick to his stomach for what his beautiful Claire had suffered. Vivid images coursed his mind of their captivity at the monastery. His Claire bore the noticeable scars of the incarceration and torture she’d endured from Jonathon Randall. In time her physical wounds would heal and fade but it was the scars he couldn’t see that worried him more. Claire’s psyche would have taken a telling blow. Without a second thought, he vowed that he would avenge what the Rising Dragons had done to her. Caressing her once more, his lips wanted to kiss away the marks on her face and obliterate any sign of her torture. His feelings ran deep for this woman, deeper than he ever thought were possible and a longing so intense for her overpowered him. Jamie’s body shook with the desire he felt … a feeling so profound and strong it overwhelmed him.  Claire Beauchamp was his everything.  James Fraser ached for the woman who had his heart. She took his breath away. Claire was his lifeline … she was the only ray of sunshine in the hell hole of Section One. She brought lightness to his dark world and made his life worth living. Before Claire, he just existed; his life ruled by Section’s mantra. Missions were the means to an end and if he died what did it matter? Section had trained him to be the penultimate cold operative who killed without compunction.  He was an emotionless, cold-blooded killing machine who had merely been existing in this hell hole that was Section One. His life before Section had ceased to exist. He was emotionally dead and cared not if he lived or died. Not only was he dead to the world he once knew, but more importantly he was dead inside. He cared nought for his own wellbeing and emotionally he was devoid of feelings for others.  However, this mission had helped him realize something that was pointless for him to deny any longer.  Because of Claire … he wanted to exist. She’d made him feel things he had buried deep inside, stirred emotions he had long ago denounced. Claire made him come alive. She had changed everything.  He couldn’t live without her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~to be continued FRIDAY 15th May