#he gave little widows absolutely no hope

[miabucky]

thinking about how the winter soldier would’ve been experienced by others. like… at a certain point, he became a ghost, but he wasn’t always. there had to have been civilians who caught a glimpse of him, family members of military officials who saw him, widows who trained with him. i think men were always scared of him. saw big muscles and all those weapons and that arm and knew the soldier could kill them in a second. but i think most women were more afraid of the handlers than of him. the soldier was a soldier, but one without the sorts of desires that women know are dangerous. one that wasn’t going to do anything without being ordered. one that wouldn’t be handsy just because he knew they wouldn’t fight back. one who was pulled apart and pushed around in a way that they understood. one who, like them, knew not to fight back against this man, because there would be a worse one that came next. a wife watched her husband beat a man much larger than him, much deadlier, who didn’t react. watched his long hair fall in his face, watched the bruises bloom on his skin, and wondered how many times this unnamed soldier had taken a beating for her.

[luminouslywriting]

what do you think would be the reactions of the different men when they’re falling for a single mum? I think going with the time it’s more likely a young widow than a girl with a kid out of wedlock but who knows maybe John Brady just feels the desire to make an honest woman out of a poor girl at church who’s man ran off or Bucky takes to teaching his neighbors kid baseball because he sees their mom is stressed… just whatever guys you think would fit this

Nonny, this gave me actual brainrot so I hope you enjoy this so much 🥰🤍 as always, my requests are open and I don’t mind spam haha! More under the cut, cut for length, light spice sprinkled in:

Bucky Egan: (I had to run with the baseball idea haha)

-Absolutely the type of man who does not care about the past sexual history or life of a partner....and he's kinda looking for someone to date at the moment??

-But there's this kid on his block who's about six and he watches this kid attempt to throw a baseball every day and it just pains his soul because the form is awful and where is this kid's dad??

-So one day, he rolls on over to the yard of said kid and just starts offering pointers—he always wanted to be a baseball coach in his free-time and he just hasn't gotten around to it yet

-This sweet little boy makes him a deal that if Bucky comes over and teaches him how to throw a ball, lemonade will be made and given by you (his mom) and he will help Bucky paint his fence

-Bucky thinks it's a swell idea and it's at this surprising point to you that your son brings in the attractive war hero Bucky Egan straight to the kitchen and demands lemonade

-Well you and Bucky get to talking and you tell him that your husband died in the Pacific pretty early on in the war and your son has never really known a father

-That being said, it's a slow burn. He really enjoys getting to spend time with you and your son and he's afraid that he'll mess things up. But then your kid is inviting Bucky to dinner and you're telling him that it's no problem and you usually make too much food anyway.

-And somewhere along the way, he starts thinking of your house as more of a home to him than his own lonely home that he purchased. So naturally, this man panICS and has to call Gale and ask what he should do because he doesn't want to spook you or ruin the nice thing you've got going on.

-Gale definitely has to reassure him that if you both clearly want him there, then he should just go for it; Bucky deserves to be happy too.

-But he DRAGS his feet in the process....right up until your son accidentally calls him dad after hitting the ball with the baseball bat

-And then there's actual panic between you and Bucky and he's trying to apologize because clearly he's overstepped

-It would be at this point that you have to tell him that it's quite alright and you'd really like to get to know him more...because you like having him around and clearly your son adores him

-CUE THE FIRST KISS (first of many, might I add)

-It's the most darling domestic thing and he absolutely views your son as his son and he's never been so happy in his life

Gale Cleven:

-I think the most logical move here is that he finds you after Marge's passing. It was a short and love-filled marriage for them, but it was gone so quickly.

-He's devastated, naturally. And he doesn't really have anything left in Wyoming, so he sets out for Wisconsin.

-Now the thing about this is that John Egan has married Josephine Pitz—and Josephine Pitz's best friend is you. Your husband was a Marine during the war and died in action, leaving you with two little kids.

-You're doing your best but it's hard being a working single mom during the early 1950s.

-Cut to Josie and John setting this up just so

-Bucky makes the point that your car needs some work and you're a good friend of Josie's

-So this is how Gale Cleven is introduced to you—matchmaking via car-service haha

-Your two boys? Absolutely just wanna watch him work and wanna hear about everything that he's doing to the car

-But you're no fool and you know that Josie and Bucky are trying to set this up for the two of you

-So you just flat-out confront him about it and tell him that they're trying to be sneaky and that you're sorry he got caught up in their schemes

-But the thing is?? He's perfectly happy and used to their schemes. There's also the fact that this is the safest and calmest he's felt since Marge died.

-So he admits that he'd be willing to give this thing a chance if you are

-So it's a slow-burn for the two of you as you're trying to navigate around the fact that you've both already lost a partner and the fact that you have kids

-But he's so good with them and helps with the homework and genuinely just tries his best

-It's not a surprise to anyone when you're married a year later

Robert Rosenthal:

-On his way to the Nuremberg Trials, he meets you—a young lawyer who has recently just found out that you're pregnant (not that you're telling anyone that).

-You two become fast friends and he finds out that your husband was a British RAF Pilot who died. He's entirely sympathetic and sweet about the situation.

-The pair of you team up for the trials and it's amidst the preparations for the Trials that he finds you doubled over with morning sickness. This man assumes that it's the flu. Babe, it is not the flu.

-So a few weeks into you being sick and dealing with the trials, he's getting real concerned and you just have to spill the tea that you're pregnant.

-Not gonna lie, Rosie's heart shatters a little bit for you. It's not as if you want to leave the Trials to deal with pregnancy but you're also a whole ocean away and who do you have to rely on?

-Well he makes a promise that he's gonna help you through it

-And along the way, he's absolutely falling in love with you—with your dedication and kindness, the way that you're soft about the baby and continue to focus on work, and the way in which you're so determined to do everything entirely on your own

-He definitely very quickly makes you an offer that you're a little befuddled by

-The offer is marriage—and the thing is?? It's a damn good offer. You're a recent widow trying to do her job at the Nuremberg Trials, just found out you're pregnant, away from home, and have no support system

-So naturally you accept and this is a marriage born out of convenience and kindness to you....but there is so much affection and care.

-He's had feelings for you for a while and he's perfectly happy taking his time in the relationship and understands that you might not reciprocate the feelings in the same way.

-If nothing else, at least you'll be provided for, your child will have a father, and you'll always have a friend by your side

-It's at this point that your feelings start to develop because he's just such a good person and treats you so well and so clearly loves you

-The two of you are icons during the trials (Mr. and Mrs. Rosenthal), and he comes back from Europe with a wife and daughter on his arm....and no, he didn't tell anyone so it was quite a shock to everyone.

John Brady: (Also decided to run with it haha)

-Listen, this man has a picture perfect plan for what he wants to have happen when he gets home from the war and that's all fine and dandy, but this man was NOT planning on you haha

-You faithfully attend the same church as he does and it's pretty obvious that you're pregnant.....

-But man the gossip is bad. And he's not one to listen to idle gossip and just believe what people say. But evidently your fianceé had run off when he found out you were pregnant and had taken any chance of a reputable life. It's ROUGH, okay??

-And the thing is, John Brady is out here just trying to do his Christian duty by seeing if you need any help over at your house....because he also passes it on the way to Church and YIKES, your yard is going through it

-It's the first time that someone just offers to do something nice for you??? You're so thrilled about it

-So he comes over that summer and does your yard work for you and you make little sandwiches and he gets to have lunch with you

-The thing is, you two get to talking and he finds out that you weren't even planning on having kids for a while anyway and it was YOUR former man who wanted to do the deed and refused to help out in any way. This is entirely a man's folly and has ruined things for you.

-Now he feels bad, he does....

-But he's not trying to make a move or anything. At the moment anyway haha. Instead, he invites you to spend some time with his sisters because you need friends anyway and they all have kids so they can help you know what to expect for pregnancy.

-Well it's all going great and he's pretty happy with the fact that you now have a support system and he's starting to make some waves in work. And then the yard is done and finished.

-And for some reason he's offering to help with the plumbing and the inside work too? It's definitely not because he's worried about you and it's definitely not because he's very very attracted to you in any way shape or form lol.

-I don't think anything actually happens until you're right ready to pop....at which case YOU kiss HIM because you're just real impatient

-And he doesn't get to respond to anything because your water breaks and he's taking you to the hospital

-So while you're in labor, this man is processing the fact that he MAYBE really really likes you and has already planned out the rest of your lives together, but that's BESIDES the point

-He still feels like he's taking advantage here....right up until you have a son and you name him Johnny because Brady was the only person that was kind to you during pregnancy and this man just melts on the spot, professes love to you—and tells you that he wants to take care of you for the rest of your life.

-Chef's kiss tbh

[cravingcoldoreocake123]

Scarlet bullet | Simon Ghost Riley

summary: You take the bullet for Simon saving him from potential death during a mission going south, but he can’t forgive himself nor allow you to die for his sake.

warnings: Mentions of blood / gun violence / fluff / happy ending.

The mission was going south.

Outnumbered and almost out of ammo, you couldn’t help but think of the worst case scenario happening.

You had planned everything and all seemed well at first, but the enemy had the upper hand this time due to minor but fatal details, resulting in you retreating shamefully from the mission.

“Go Ghost! Start the car, I’ll cover you!” You screamed over the chaos that’s the battlefield.

He turned to look at you for a split second before almost spraining his neck turning in front of him and shooting another one down.

“Are you sure?”

“We have to retreat! We won’t make it, Ghost! Just go! GO!” You said frantically as time was running out. Hesitating in your domain could lead to failure, failure meant death, and neither of you could afford even more loss.

Guilt creeped up at him at the thought of leaving his teammate in danger, but one of you had to do it, and it was him. With one last hesitant look, Simon got up sprinting to the door, shoving his hands in the pockets of his cargos to rummage through and get the car keys.

You were busy executing everyone that got in your way or Simon’s, and as he was about to make it out the door, you spotted someone on the ground reaching for their gun and aiming it at Ghost. No words came out at the sight, your brain screamed at you to yell at him, warn him, do something to prevent it. However, silence took over you and you were glued to your place. A sight so shocking you almost felt like you were dreaming, even your eardrums gave up on you as the chaos behind you became a sound so faint that all you heard was constant ringing.

A deafening scream ripped through the air and that was enough to pull you back to reality.

With no ammo left, a voice hidden in the back of your head yelled at you to get in between Simon and the bullet, and with absolutely no hesitation your legs ached as they carried you with speed you didn’t even know you had in you, earning a bullet to your back that fogged your vision a bit and caused you to slow down, but you endured every little jab and sting urging you to stop since the thought of losing Simon alone was enough to put you through excruciating hurt better than any physical pain no matter how great it was.

His head spun around as he was running just as the bullet pierced through your delicate skin resting right in your left rib right under your heart.

To him the scene unraveled itself in slow motion, he saw you plunging with your life to protect his, he also saw your body hitting the ground with such force you stayed limp as a burgundy pool formed around you. “NO!” He screamed as he raised his gun shooting the enemy right between the eyes, but it was all too late.

He ran to you rapidly while angrily blasting his gun at everyone that entered his field of sight. “Widow! Don’t- Stay awake for me, sweet girl!” He picked you up frantically while making sure you both are safe and ran as fast as his trembling legs could to the car. He finally put your limp body down as carefully as he could in the passenger seat and ran to the steering wheel, driving to the safe cabin a couple of miles away from the location of the mission.

As he was driving he constantly and frantically turned to look at you every few seconds to make sure you’re breathing, and he kept his hand pressed on your wound to stop the bleeding, he’d spit reassuring words here and there hoping you’d hear them, but it was truly a comfort to nobody but himself. The whole car ride to the cabin he wondered why you’d do such a thing for him. He believed he wasn’t worthy of any sort of love or protection, and he scolded you the whole ride, you did hear some of it as you were drifting in and out of consciousness. He’d yell out things like “When would you stop making stupid decisions, kid?” or “I won’t forgive myself if you give up on me.” Everything else got drowned out by the beat of your own heart and the rush of blood pumping loudly in you ears.

You’d squeeze his hand slightly or groan faintly to let him know you’re still there, and each time he babbled on and on about how strong you are and that you’ll make it through this.

He stomped on the brakes as soon as you got there making you shriek in pain and discomfort, he murmured soft sorry’s and ran from his side to yours, carefully picking you up again and setting you on the then white couch, you were losing blood quickly and he didn’t know how long till evacuation would come and rescue you both, and letting you die for his sake wasn’t something he was planning on letting you do. So, with trembling hands he started taking off your gear and cutting your shirt so he could take out the bullets and stitch you up.

It took you an hour and twenty five minutes to gain consciousness again, and he was by your side every. single. second. He held your hand gently and caressed it with his thumb all while keeping his eyes on you the whole time, he felt as if you’d somehow die if he looked away. When you did wake up however, he was so ecstatic, and as soon as you raised your eyes to his he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and his gaze softened like it never has before.

“You’re so fucking reckless, widow.” He murmured, but he said it with such care and tenderness that you know he didn’t mean in a mean way, but in a “i-feel-guilty-and-i’m-worried-to-death-about-you” way.

You kept your silence and gripped his hand firmly in an attempt to comfort him.

“Seriously, you shouldn’t have, you could’ve died- I could’ve lost you.” You had never heard him talking to you this way before, or to anyone for that matter. Your lips parted involuntarily, suddenly feeling as dry as the Sahara desert, and you could’ve sworn Ghost's eyes flicked down to them for a moment. You rolled you eyes at him and gripped his hand even harder with the last bit of energy you had in you. “I’m not sorry, and I will do it again if I have to.”

“You’re crazy if you think I’d allow it, sergeant.” He chuckled.

“How about a thank you so much for saving my life? How about that?”

Ghost shook his head and smiled, genuinely smiled. He was used to your snarky remarks and witty replies, and a part of him relaxed hearing them again.

“Okay… here.” He snaked his rough arm as slowly and gently as he possibly could and turned you slightly to your side to inspect your wounds. His calloused fingertips gave friction against the blood pooling on the gauze. Hissing at the feeling, you gripped his shoulder a bit too harsh, “There you go, darling.” You felt a tingle whenever his hand came in contact with an area of your skin, his eyes held remorse and sorrow as he examined your reaction to his touch.

He didn’t notice you staring at him. He looked so godly and unbelievable under the moonlight you couldn’t bring your eyes to tear away from him. You knew it was wrong to feel such a way for your superior, but such feelings can’t be helped nor ignored.

“Why did you do it?” He asked as he draped the blanket over your shivering body.

“Hm?”

“Why did you save me?”

You felt a bit of sorrow at his question. You weakly raised your cold hand to his face, and hesitantly raised his mask just over his nose, and surprisingly enough, he didn’t object and let you do whatever you wanted. You gripped his cheek and caressed it, although the stubble did poke your skin a bit. You raised your eyes to his and silently gasped at how angelic he looked.

“You’re always there for everyone else but yourself, you’re extremely selfless and you don’t mind what you have to do or go through in order to help others, you’re way too harsh on yourself. So allow me to be there for you, allow others to help you, Simon. You deserve it, you deserve every good thing the world has to offer but you don’t realize it.”

He stayed silent for a few seconds, just soaking in your words. Although you weren’t expecting any reaction from him, you understood he wasn’t one for sympathy, but to your surprise, his hands clambered to hold your face as gently as he could, you lean into his hand and all you can do is admire him. You stayed like that for a few moments before he slid his hand down to your jaw and held your face upwards, his head lowered and your lips met in an overdue greeting. The world surrounding you all seemed to fade away and it was only you and him.

A wave of ecstasy rushed through you and you held him even closer than he already was, grasping at his shoulders, pulling his hair, sliding your hands down his chest, you did everything to savor that moment. It was messy, your foreheads and noses bumped a few times from how intense it was, you could also feel the blood from your cut up lips seeping into both your mouths but you didn’t care, all that consumed your mind was him, all of him.

You pull apart, your eyes flutter open and you make eye contact once again.

“You have no idea how much i’ve waited for that to happen.” He whispers.

The corners of your mouth lift in a soft smile at his words, “Why didn’t it happen sooner then?” You ask.

His thumb stopped caressing your cheek for a second, he started the motion again as he pondered deeply and took a moment to gather the right words before replying.

“Because i once was scared of loving you, now i’m terrified of not being able to do so.” He replied.

[buckrecs]

Hi! Do you have any single dad Bucky recs?:)

Single Dad!Bucky

masterlist | req masterlist

ONESHOT

show me the places where others gave you scars by @falcqns

Bucky's daughter Willow doesn't like you, and you're determined to change that. then, a late night call changes everything.

Bucky’s Little Artist by @marvelmusing

Single Dad!Boss!Bucky x Fem!Reader

Drabbles by @vanillanaps

Birthday Wishes by @lillywillow

Bucky wants to plan the best party ever for his young daughter.

Mother’s Day Brunch by @nikkixostan

bucky has a daughter, lyla. she doesn't have a mom but she does have an amazing aunt who is ready to step in and fill in for her and her dad.

SERIES

Parent-Teacher Conference by @coffeecatsandcandles

James Barnes, a widowed single dad, had forgotten what love felt like and let it crush him, taking his daughter, Rebecca, with him. He was cold, rude, and arrogant, being one of the few teachers at Westview High School the students seemed to absolutely despise. But when you show up, a hopeful math teacher who’d previously taught Rebecca’s kindergarten class, and are adored by your students and colleagues- James’s attitude starts to change.

Yours, Mine, Ours by @coffeecatsandcandles

Bucky Barnes has been raising his girls, Rebecca and Winnie, for the last two years. He’d lost all hope of falling in love again until he met you, a pediatrician with two children of your own- Elliot and Willow. He falls in love and he falls hard, but the challenges of being single parents still weigh on you both at times. Luckily, you’ll always have each other.

Seven-Thirty by @nacho-bucky

You were planning on a productive — if lonely — weekend, but the little girl across the hall has different ideas about how you and Bucky Barnes should be spending your time

Astrophile by @all1e23

Orion Rebecca Barnes's favorite thing in the whole world (besides her daddy of course) is spending hours after school in the bookstore by her house and the owner GIVES her any book she wants; she’s the coolest girl Orion has ever met. It doesn't take long for Bucky to notice his daughter’s sudden interest in constellations and the large stack of astrology related books piling up in her room. He’s spent her entire life trying to teach her about the stars and where her name came from with little interest from his little comet and all of sudden she’s in love. All thanks to the girl who owns the bookstore?

To Have & To Hold by @slyyywriting

Bucky is trying his best to provide and care for his daughter who just entered first grade. Everything was alright until she asks why everyone else seems to have a mom except for her. You’re just a plain mob boss who wants to turn a new leaf. Challenges arise when the world refuses to let you take a softer, non-violent route. A little girl helps you navigate a compromise.

Teacher’s Favorite by @suitk0via

You are first grade teacher and Bucky is a single dad who wants to be involved with everything his little girl - Elaine - does. He’s the dad all the parent’s and faculty drool over. You quickly become Elaine’s favorite teacher and Bucky’s just gotta meet you.

Love at First Grade by @buckysimp101

When father and first grade teacher Bucky Barnes ends up with Avery L/N in his class, the daughter of the “ruthless” CEO of L/N Enterprises, he’s in for a surprise that’s sure to change his life.

Choosing Us by @itsanerdlife

You were content with your life. The way your life was. Till you take on the Barnes Twins. Kindergarten’s worst nightmares. Epic love wasn’t in your cards. Fate didn’t deal you in, this lifetime. Till James, aka Bucky, Barnes sets his sights on you. It’s not right, you can’t. Right? Love doesn’t have a timeline. There is no set amount of time to tell you what you feel. For the way things progress when you fall in love. Can you get everything you ever wanted with Bucky and his boys, or is it just too fast?

[mollywog]

When the Stars Align

From the Beginning | Part 6

He was pleasantly surprised to find Katniss already seated when he’d come down for breakfast the next day. It was a relief to know she did not intend to avoid him now that their initial encounter was over. So in the spirit of their tentative renewed friendship, he’d offered to escort her to the Abernathy’s.

Shortly after Lord Abernathy had taken Katniss and her sister under his care, Haymitch had married Hazelle, a widow and distant cousin of the Everdeens. With her came her four children, Gale, Rory, Vick, and Posy, soon followed by the arrival of two more children of their own.

He supposes that’s why the Abernathys are generous in their use of the term family. Peeta had been enfolded in their clan upon his introduction and treated no differently than his brother who’d never been half so at ease in their presence.

This morning the Everdeens, Hawthornes, and Abernathy’s had greeted him warmly with no trace of resentment. The younger children had occupied the first half hour catching him up on their last two years of accomplishments until Rory had asked of his travels and they’d all sat in rapt attention as he told slightly embellished tales of his adventures.

He’s missed this. He makes friends easily wherever he goes and has always had a gift for captivating an audience, but this is different and he revels in the glimpses of Katniss watching on with her scowls and knowing smirks.

After a while, when the twins have been relegated to the nursery and the older boys sent to the tailors, Peeta sits silently listening as the remaining ladies discuss plans for Primrose’s debut season.

“But what of you Peeta,” Prim interrupts his musings, “Is it not time to find you a wife?”

And so it begins, he thinks grimly, but before he can reply, Katniss cuts in, “leave him be, Primrose. He’s just returned home yesterday!”

He’s been dreading this line of inquiry. He’s tried very hard to turn his mind to marriage to no avail. He can’t picture feeling content with a woman sitting across the hearth from him unless it is Katniss and marrying her is an impossibility. It’s satisfying to find that she does not wish him settled so soon; they shall be allies on this front.

Regardless, He can’t resist an opportunity to tease,“is that a proposal Ms Everdeen? Young ladies have certainly become bolder since I was last in town.”

Posy giggles and Hazelle gives a tisk.

Another debutant might have blushed, but Prim shrugs his gallantry off, “certainly not, we’d never suit; We’re too similar, you and I, but perhaps I could introduce you about? Ms Cresta is due to call this morning and Rue Starling should be arriving in town any day. Then there’s Lady Glimmer -”

“Absolutely not!” Katniss interrupts.

Ignoring her sister, Prim looks at him expectantly and Peeta shrugs, “the Countess has spoken.”

“That’s enough Primrose,” Hazelle interjects, “his lordship will not require your assistance, he is remembered quite fondly by the ladies of town.”

Peeta gave her a quizzical look.

“Oh come now. You were always intriguing as Mr. Mellark, the charming and handsome artist, but now you’re Lord Bakerston, the eligible Earl,” Prim says.

“Am I no longer handsome?”

“That sort of thing is not necessary when there’s an earldom to consider. No, I’m certain you’ll never be in want of a dance partner, though I do hope you’ll consider saving a set for me.”

His smile is pinched as he shifts in his seat, taking an interest in adjusting the cuff at his left ankle, “I'm sorry to disappoint, but I’m afraid I no longer dance.”

He’s met with several pairs of incredulous stares. He shrugs in false levity, “I never much enjoyed it and now I fear I’m out of practice. I’ve resigned myself to the card players.”

He silently thanks little Laurel for her well timed entrance, with complaints of her brother’s antics to keep further questions at bay. Katniss seizes the opportunity to take their leave in the mayhem and they slip into the hall.

“What is this nonsense about not dancing?” He should have known she would not be so easily waylaid, “you always danced well with me.”

“One always enjoys a superior partner.”

She begins to protest when a shout comes from above. They whip their heads towards the sound in time to see eight year old Mitch, the future Lord of the manor, charging down the stairs in a manner quite unfit for the title, preceded by an orange ball of fur. Primrose’s cat, Buttercup, makes a dash down the stairs, through the hall, then in an unexpected move, turns towards the cracked door behind them. Caught off guard and unable to sidestep the beast, Peeta tumbles to the ground.

There’s an uncomfortable pull at his knee and a cracking sound followed by a feminine shriek. His eyes fly to Katniss; her face stricken as she stares. He follows her gaze all down to the unnatural angle of his leg just below his left knee.

[icallhimjoey]

A Whisper Away

♥ ♥  Joseph Quinn x Fem!Reader

Summary: A continuation of Like A Poem and A Lot Like Love where we dip into your November for a couple consecutive years and see how you're getting on with the bookstore, Joe's career and... other changes.

CW / disclaimer: rpf, fem!reader,  I strongly advise you to read the previous bookstore fics before diving into this one bc some things will absolutely go over your head otherwise!

Author’s note: so i got an amazing request from Alex @darthvontrapp that made me cry and so now it's become this whole thing, a "third season" if you will! hope you enjoy!

Wordcount: 2K

part one - part two - part three - part four - part five

“Just, throw them to me, I’ll catch,” you said to Anne, balancing high up on a ladder in the store. Anne held a string of Christmas lights in her hands, also high up on a ladder but across the store from you. You held out both hands, steadying yourself with your knees, and Anne was about to throw you a loop of lights, but you were interrupted by repeated knocking on the widow so loud it felt like the whole store rattled.      

It was Joe, looking furious, wagging his finger at the both of you with his brow furrowed as he walked to the door to step inside.    

“Absolutely not, are you insane?! Get down from there!” Joe ordered you as the door swung open harshly, triggering the bell above it. It felt a little like you’d been caught by a schoolteacher doing something naughty in the back of the class, and you suppressed a giggle as you made eye contact with Anne. Joe had his fingers waving you down towards the floor, making you roll your eyes at him. You’d done much more dangerous things than this and you felt he was definitely overreacting.

“Anne, you should know better than to let her climb up there,” Joe said, keeping his eyes trained on you as you manoeuvred your feet into place to be able to climb down.

“We need to do the Christmas lights,” Anne argued dryly. The plan was to string them along the ceiling throughout the whole store to really up the whimsicality. There really wasn’t enough space for a Christmas tree, and the ornaments you’d put up in the window honestly looked a bit sad on their own.      

“Not at 7 months pregnant, you don’t. Get down,” Joe held onto the ladder you were on as you listened to his demands and started descending per Joe’s stern request. As soon as Joe could get his hands on you to guide you down safely, he held on until both of your feet were safely back on the floorboards.      

“Hi,” you smiled at his worried expression and leant in for a kiss, which Joe granted you, before bending over and pressing a kiss onto your pregnant stomach.  

“Promise me you’ll keep both feet on the floor for at least the next four to five months,” Joe tilted his head down as he looked at you and raised his eyebrows, exchanging his serious eyes for pleading ones.  

“Four months?! Joe, I–”  

“Ah, ah! Promise me!” Joe interrupted you as he started climbing the ladder you’d just climbed down from, ready to help Anne with the Christmas lights. “I know what you’re like. You’ll just put on a baby carrier and get back in here as soon as you can, endangering both of your lives, stacking shelves up on these ladders which, I’m telling you, we really have to get tracks for them installed, that would be so much safer.”  

You turned to look at Anne, who was still stood up there, holding the Christmas lights. You hoped she’d back you up, but she gave you a blank stare. When you signalled with your eyes for her to say something, she just said, “He’s right.”, and threw the string of Christmas lights to Joe who skilfully caught them.

“Oh, yes, let’s get wheels into the store now that there’s going to be little fingers around to get caught under them,” your sarcasm went largely ignored by the two of them high up above you. “That sounds like it’s definitely not a disaster waiting to happen.”    

“I’m still waiting for that promise. Four months. No ladders.”    

Four months was entirely too long. It was still just you in the store most days. Anne had more hours and no longer worked just on the weekends, but your store didn’t make enough to pay her fulltime. And with shelves needing stacking most days too, it felt wrong to even think about not stepping onto a ladder for four months straight. You could agree to no more ladders during the pregnancy, but after? If you’d look at a shelf that needed more books, you knew you’d be quick to put new ones in place, the gnawing urge to fill out all shelves properly could really overwhelm you. It was why you made late hours nearly every day, and why a lot of the time, if Joe was in, he’d be down there helping you out. It was also why your store always looked exactly the way you wanted it to look, which brought you great pleasure and pride because that way, it still looked just like when your granddad had ran it. Logically, though, you knew that it wouldn’t be the end of the world if the upper shelves didn’t always look the way you wanted them to for a short while.    

“Ugh. Fine. Four months, no ladders.”  

It took Joe and Anne about 30 minutes of swearing at each other to string the Christmas lights all along the ceiling whilst you had made yourself busy doing necessary work by the till, adding the latest delivery of books into the system. With your pregnancy you’d gotten so many books about having children and child care that you and Anne had ended up creating a full baby display for them. It had made your mother laugh when she’d seen it, saying that the store was really becoming an extension of what life event you were currently going through. You couldn’t help it, and they sold fine, so it was fine.  

“Jesus Chri- Anne! Would be great if you would actually look at me when I throw you something!”  

“Don’t throw them when I’m not looking,”  

“I counted down!”  

“I counted down,” Anne mocked him under her breath in a small high-pitched voice.  

You couldn’t hide how much you enjoyed the two of them bickering as you scanned barcode after barcode, a smile tugging at your cheeks the whole way through until the lights were in place.

“And now for the grand reveal,” Joe stood next to an outlet and was about to flip the switch. For a second you held your breath and silently cursed at yourself for not having checked to see if they worked beforehand and were scared they’d gone through all that work for nothing.    

“Ta dah!” but thank goodness, the lights turned on and illuminated the store in soft light that, with it dark outside and most of the other lights turned off, instantly made everything look so much nicer. Cosier. Christmassier. You all just looked up at them for a moment, admiring the view.  

“We should have them up all year round,” you spoke softly, almost upset at the fact you’d never done more to dress up the store for Christmas. It was only early November, and with the clocks turning back an hour a few weeks ago and the days becoming shorter, Anne had asked if she could do a Christmassy book display for the window. You loved Christmas and were surprised to find that Anne did too – you didn’t think it fit her personality at all. You thought she’d be way more into Halloween. Or Guy Fawkes Night. But when your gaze broke away from looking at the ceiling to scan Anne’s features, you could see the twinkle of the lights in her eyes and the smallest of smiles.

“Hank needs to hurry up so he can see it,” Anne said, checking the clock. Her shift ended about 20 minutes ago and when she noticed, you noticed too, wincing at the fact that you hadn’t stopped her when you should’ve. Anne frequently stayed late, and you’d told her time and time again that she really didn’t need to.  

Her comment made you drop your shoulders and shake your head, laughing through a sigh. “Hank?” Joe asked, giving you questioning eyes as he joined you behind the counter. “Anne,” you started, but Anne was quick to interrupt as she slung her arms into her coat. “If you won’t tell me his name, I’m going to stick with Hank.”

“Mmh… Hank,” Joe said the name, narrowed eyes trailing along the ceiling in thought, as if he was seriously considering the name.  

Ever since you found out you were going to be having a boy, the discussion about baby names between you and Joe seemed endless and was still ongoing. You liked short, simple names, like Max, or Noah, or Luke. Joe kept saying Joe Junior as a joke, or Joe the Second, and it had been funny, until it wasn’t, because Joe wasn’t making any real suggestions. He let you do all the work and then just kept shooting your suggestions down, which was very unhelpful. It had all come ahead a few days ago when you’d suggested the name Archie when cooking dinner together, and he had burst into a full belly laugh. But you hadn’t been joking, and Joe’s reaction was all kinds of wrong, you know, since you were pregnant with a painful body that was surging with hormones. You’d had to blink away angry tears and tried to calm yourself down, but when Joe kept muttering Archie Joseph Anthony to himself, softly chuckling, you’d thrown the knife you’d been holding to cut vegetables into the sink and had walked out.  

“Babe,” Joe had called after you, still laughing, but immediately backtracking his reaction when he saw that you were crying. “Archie’s a good name,” he pulled you into a hug which you accepted, but you had kept your arms by your side, not hugging him back. “Don’t lie to me. Clearly you don’t think that,” you’d muttered into his chest. “Okay, no, I don’t think that. I’m sorry.” And then you’d just stood there for a moment, letting Joe comfort you by pressing your body against his, until you heard oil splattering in the kitchen, and Joe promised that he’d think of a name he actually liked.  

“No,” you shot down the name Hank immediately. You were not going to name your firstborn son Hank.  

“Hank.” Anne said, nodding at Joe as she did up her coat buttons, completely ignoring you. “Hank.” Joe shrugged at Anne, trying to hide his smile through pursed lips, now just messing with you.

“Stop! It’s not going to be Hank!” You laughed, making Joe break too. Anne, not so much.  

“It’ll be Hank until it’s something else.” Anne deadpanned, slinging her bag over her shoulder.  

“Oh no, then it’ll probably be Hank for a while,” you groaned, focusing on scanning the last couple of barcodes before you’d be able to shut the system down for the night. “Joe's useless when it comes to names,” you placed full blame on him, because it was true.  

“I think I quite like Alfie, though,” Joe then casually said, and it made you gasp, pausing your task at hand to look at him. You felt hot, thick emotion shoot throughout your full body unexpectedly, your breath high up in your throat as you scrunched your eyebrows at your boyfriend who seemed serious about his suggestion.

“Alfie, like Alfred?” you asked with a shaky voice, tears prickling in your eyes, unsure if Joe was even aware of what he’d just said. You thought he couldn’t be. Joe couldn’t know. You’d never mentioned his name before, but that didn't mean Joe couldn't have picked it up somewhere else… he had spoken to your mother on many occasions, and you knew what a menace she could be.  

“Like Alfred,” Joe smiled at you, and you couldn’t help the sob that escaped you, falling into him and letting Joe hug you tightly as he smiled.

Anne scanned the two of you and just watched you hug for a moment. She seemed confused. 

“Who’s Alfred?” the lack of emotion in her voice balanced out the situation perfectly.  

“Her granddad.” Joe simply said, letting you cry into his neck.  

-----

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[arlana-likes-to-write]

Hey I absolutely love your writing! I had an idea for the big sister! universe if you’re interested. Maybe sometime after Natasha and Yelena escape but before the red room falls reader is on a mission and has a close call with Natasha and Yelena who are on their own mission. Reader has to find a way to keep them safe without them finding out she’s there while still trying to complete her own mission. Just a thought - feel free to use it if you want to! Hope you’re having a good day!

I am so sorry this took me forever to write! But I hope you like it. I do love this little AU

A Helping Hand

Black Widow Sister Masterlist

Warning: mention of human, implied physical torture

Word Count: 2.8k

2013 Edinburgh 

It was rare that Dreykov sent you on a mission. He liked to keep you close so he could keep an eye on you. If he needed to do work for him another Widow was dispatched to retrieve them and your part of the job was done in the Red Room. So it was a nice change of pace as you sat in the safe house; looking down at the street and sipping on coffee. You felt like you were on vacation. The mission was simple. You were tasked with observing a politician by the name of Benjamin Taylor. Everything you learned was to be reported directly to Dreykov. The miss was below your kill level but you learned quickly to never question an order. Your safe house was near Benjamin’s home. You already put mics and cameras in his home and office. You were listening to him get ready for the day. It was disgustingly cute as you listened to him joke around with his wife. 

You’ve been following him for 2 days so you’ve had his routine memorized. You placed your cup down and grabbed your messenger back. It was 8:25, he would be leaving for his office at 8:30. You put your headphones in, a beanie on, and headed out. You were able to copy his phone when you bumped into him at a cafe. You had to admit if the Red Room didn’t send you on a mission you couldn’t have guessed Benjamin was dirty. Today, you hoped it was going to be different. He was meeting with Elijah Brown, from your research you could find nothing on him. Not even a passport. 

Benjamin left his home and headed to his office. It was a 30-minute walk which gave you time to think. Mostly your thoughts were about the mission but sometimes your mind would wander. You pretended you were a normal person on your way to work or a student who was going to a nearby cafe to study. Those thoughts made you lonely. Benjamin entered his office building and you walked to the cafe not far. You had time before he got to his office. You listened to him greet everyone that worked for him. He did it every morning. You ordered a small breakfast and found a quiet table in the corner. You pulled out your tablet, plugging your headphones in there instead of your phone. You pulled up the security footage. Benjamin was sitting on the corner of his secretary's desk. You fully believed he was having an affair with her. You took a few books and notebooks out of your bag. Your cover was a student. A waitress placed a glass of water and a coffee down and you thanked her with a smile. You readjusted the tablet so no one would see it. He finally went into his office. 

You were mindlessly listening to him talk phone calls and answer emails. As he went about his day, you were skimming through your textbooks and ate the food you ordered. The books were about the various languages in Asia. You found the topic fascinating. “Your 9:30 is here, sir.” You closed the book and focused on the security camera. 

“Thank you, Holly.” She nodded with a smile and held the door open as a man walked in. His hair was dirty blonde, cut in a military style. He was wearing an all-black suit and you could tell he was carrying a gun at his side. Holly closed the door. It was like a switch flipped in Benjamin’s personality. His smile fell and a dark look was in his eyes. “It’s dangerous for you to be showing your face around here.” 

“We have a problem,” you took a screenshot of the man’s face and put it through facial recognition software. In no time you found the man’s real name; Hans Meyer. It was a name you recognized. He was a big player in a human trafficking ring. 

“Oh Mr. Taylor, what have we got yourself into?” You mumbled. You saw the waitress walking over to you and you took your headphones off. 

“Can I get you anything else?” She asked, collecting your empty dishes. 

“I’m all set,” you added an English accent. It was such a flawless switch. “But can I stay here until I’m done with my assignment?” You added with a smile. 

“Of course,” her smile was flirtatious. “I’ll bring you some coffee.” She left and you were able to focus back on Benjamin and his guest. 

“How is that my fault?” Benjamin asked. Hans poured himself coffee and faced the politician.

“It is your job to cover our tracks. Do I have to remind you what will happen if you fail?” Hans asked. Benjamin’s jaw clenched. A new cup was set on your table. You smiled but didn’t take your eyes off the screen. 

“Leave her out of this.” You wondered if he was referring to his wife. “I’ll figure it out. The Avengers won’t find them.” You felt your stomach flip. The Avengers were here. It was impossible for you to not hear that name without thinking about your sisters. You shook your head and focused on the conversation. You didn’t have time to think about your sisters. 

*

You were hunched over your desk with your tablet and papers. You were trying to find a paper trail to Benjamin and Hans. He was good. To the untrained eye, all his paperwork was in order but you were better. Benjamin was hiding requests from Hans and his organization deep within legislation he was signing off on. He was doing this all in the name of not protecting his wife but his daughter from a previous relationship. You understood the feeling of looking into the eyes of the devil and signing your life away. Your stomach growled. It was dinner time and the last meal you ate was at the cafe. Benjamin was home, eating his dinner. You put your phone and wallet in the pocket of your jeans and one headphone in your ear so you could still listen in. You weren’t going far, just down to the corner store to get a quick dinner. As you walked on the sidewalk and the brisk night air caused goosebumps to form on your arm, your mind traveled to the Avengers. Were they interested in Hans’ trafficking ring? If so, who were they going to send in to deal with it? The shop owner greeted you when the bell on the door announced your entrance. You said hello back and wandered through the isles. You were lost in your world, eyeing the different instant noodles and listening to the Taylors talk about the weather, you barely register the bell ringing and two sets of footsteps entering the small shop. On instinct, you put your hood up to cover your face. “No ice cream,” the voice made all the air leave your lungs. It’s been years since you’ve heard her voice. Natasha. 

“Maria would let me get ice cream,” it’s been even longer since you’ve heard her voice. Yelena. Panic filled your body, an emotion you’ve not felt in a long time. You glanced to the right and saw them walk past the aisle you were in. They made no indication they saw you. You needed to get out of here. You grabbed a random instant noodle and headed for the counter. “Excuse me?” Yelena’s voice directed at you made you freeze. “You dropped this.” You turned around and stared at the blonde. She was holding your wallet. 

“Merci,” you said and took your wallet. You swore you saw a flash of recognition in her eyes but it was gone quickly. “Passe une bonne journee (have a great day).” You went to pay for your noodles, grabbing a bottle of water and a chocolate bar. You thanked the older woman and left the store, quickly walking back to the safe house. You were in a lot of trouble. 

*

So the mission changed for you. You gave your reports to Dreykov but you left out small details, mainly that the Avengers were now involved. You fed on everything Benjamin said to find out his plan. He knew that the Avengers were in the city but he didn’t know who, that was good. You choose a different spot to listen to as he talked with Hans. “I have a plan,” Benjamin said. “But I need some of your men.” 

“I’m listening.” He didn’t reveal his plan right away as if he was thinking it through. 

“They are interested in our warehouse near the docks. I think we should move the merchandise and set a trap for them,” your stomach filled at the word ‘merchandise’ knowing very well he meant girls. The German stared at the politician. 

“When do you want this little trap to take place?” He asked. 

“Tonight,” he said. “If all goes to plan the world will have two fewer Avengers.” 

*

You changed into your tactical suit and loaded up for the mission. You made sure to listen to the conversation about where they were moving the girls. You wrote a note and put all the information you found on Hans’ organization on a flash drive to leave for your sisters. You put it in your pocket and headed for the factory. You had to time this perfectly. Too soon then they could be alerted and the girls were going to be put in danger. On the other hand, if you were too late Natasha and Yelena were going to talk into a trap. You sighed, placing a mask over your face, and waited.   

It was 10:15 when you decided to strike. You snuck near the factory and looked through the window. You counted 10 men, you thought there would have been more. This was the hardest part for you. In your mind, you knew these men were bad but it was still hard to justify it. You were still taking a life. You let out a steady breath and snuck into the factory. The goal was to eliminate them quickly and quietly. The first man you came upon you eliminated quickly. He barely struggled and you gently set his body to the ground. You made it through two more guards when a body was found and all hell broke loose. You switched to your guns. They knew you were here so you might as well go loud. 

It was quick work. They barely put up a fight. You grabbed a chair and set it in the middle of the main room. You placed the note and flash drive on it and left. Now you just needed your sisters to show up.  

*

“Calm down,” Natasha said, as she drove up to the factory. Yelena was buzzing with permission jitters as she readied her pistols and Widow Bites. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “Just nerves.” Natasha chuckled, shaking her head. 

“Don’t be. You are going to do great.” Yelena smiled at her sister as she stopped the car. Yelena took a steady breath and followed Natasha out of the car. She mirrored her sister and took her gun out. They were expecting a small fight but nothing two Black Widows couldn’t handle. Yelena positioned herself on the wall next to the door. Natasha nodded her head, silently asking her if she was ready, and Yelena nodded back. The redhead opened the door. They pointed their guns into the room but Yelena lowered her gun at the sight. 

“Looks like we missed the fight,” she said. Natasha didn’t lower her gun as they walked further in. Yelena stepped over the bodies. 

“We should check out the rest of the building,” Yelena heard her sister and silently agreed but she was distracted by a chair. She moved towards it. “Yelena!”

“Yeah, I hear you. Come check this out.” She picked up a note and a flash drive. ‘The girls aren’t here. They were moved. Everything you’ll need is on this flash drive.’ She handed the note to Natasha. “Do we trust it?” The older Black Widow read it over. 

“I’m not sure,” she pocketed it. “But let’s clear the building and we’ll check it.” Yelena nodded. She had a weird feeling as if they were being watched. 

*

2013 Red Room 

“Can you tell us what happened?” Dreykov asked. You stood at attention as he placed pictures of the bloodshed that took place at the factory. “Who killed these men?” You could lie and tell him you didn’t know or blame it on the Avengers. He was waiting for an answer. Something clicked in your brain. “They worked for me. So I am going to ask you again. Who killed my men?”

“Why did you send me on this mission?” You asked. He didn't say anything. The mission was below your skill level. “Did you know they would be there?” His jaw clenched. 

“You are here to answer questions, not ask them.” He motioned to someone behind you and you were hit in the back of your knees. You fell, biting down the groan in pain. You looked up at him.

“I killed them,” you said. “And for Red Room men they were worthless.”

“Take her away,” he ordered without hesitation. Hands grabbed you by the arm and pulled you to your feet. You were in trouble but couldn’t help but smile. 

*

2017 Upstate New York; Avengers Compound 

You were sitting on the couch as the nature documentary played on the screen. Yelena sat down next to you with a bowl of popcorn. You took a handful. “I didn’t say you could have any.” You rolled your eyes. 

“You’ll be okay.” You joked and you were about to take more but Yelena grabbed your hand, tracing a few scars she could see. She focused on one scar on your wrist. 

“Where did you get this one?” She asked. You looked at the scar she was asking about. You didn’t remember how you got every scar, you had too many. But you did remember this one. 

“Punishment,” you said with a smile. “I killed some lower-level Red Room guards on a mission.” You looked at your sister. “In Edinburgh 2013.” She must have given herself whiplash on how fast she looked at you. 

“Natasha and I were in Edinburgh in 2013.”

“I know,” you said softly. “Taylor and Meyer knew you there. That factory was a trap. They were going to kill you.” Yelena stared at you, her mouth slightly open. 

“That was you,” she whispered. “And-and at that little market. I thought I recognized you.” You nodded. “Why didn’t you say anything?” You became interested in the ring that they gave you for your birthday. You spun it around your finger. You weren’t sure how to tell her the truth. “Tell me.” 

“I couldn't, Yelena,” you looked at the blonde. “We were both in the middle of our own mission. I didn’t think it was the best time for a family reunion especially when you and Natasha didn’t come back and look for me.” She frowned and looked back at the TV. There was a thick tension between the two of you. “I’m sorry.” You weren’t sure why you were apologizing. 

“I asked about you,” she said finally. “It was hard to remember you but I dreamt about you all the time. Natasha said you were better off without us.” You nodded. That sounded a lot like your sister. She looked at you. “I’m sorry.” 

“I’m not mad at you or Natasha, malen'koye solnyshko (little sun),” you put her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to you. “Natasha did what she thought was best for you and her. I’m not upset. I’m happy.” She pulled away from the small embrace and looked at you. 

“I will never understand you,” she said. The statement made your eyes widen. “I don’t understand how you can be so forgiving after everything you’ve gone through.” You shrugged and focused back on the TV. The soothing voice of David Attenborough was talking about the migrating cycle of a mother blue whale and her baby. 

“I can’t change the pass. So why focus on it and have it ruin my future.” Yelena laughed, shaking her head, and settled back next to you. 

“Was that the only mission where you helped us?” You smiled. 

“I think so. Now quiet, I am listening to David Attenborough give me facts about whales.” Yelena shook her head with a smile. You kept glancing at Yelena throughout the documentary and you were grateful that Dreykov sent you on that mission. 

_

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[twopoppies]

I absolutely love all of your fic recommendations. Thank you so much for this. Do you know of any fics, especially lesser known, where H &/or L have blue collar jobs? Construction, assembly line, mechanic, farming, etc? Thank you for your service to the fandom! 💝

Hi, darling. Oh, that’s a fun question. I think I can pull something together for you.

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An Invincible Summer by Brooklyn_Babylon / @twopoppies (E, 45K) this one is mine, I hope you like it. Farmer Harry / Temporary farm hand /author Louis

Never content to stay in one place for long, a few months down south researching for his novel seemed like an idyllic, slow-paced summer to Louis. He wasn’t ready for the blistering heat, the backbreaking work of watermelon picking, or how stifling the attitudes in rural Georgia would feel. And he definitely hadn’t anticipated falling in love with the farmer’s son.

The summer of 1946 would turn out to be everything worth writing about.

our little corner of the world by brownheadedstranger (E, 30K) This fic reads like original fiction in the best sort of way. The whole fic makes you feel like you’re stuck in the hot, dusty little town along with the boys. It’s beautifully written – slow and wistful – and I really need to re-read it now that I think of it! Line cook Harry / diner worker Louis.

The Road Less Travelled by freetheankles / @anymerrylilthought​ (E, 98K) Also known as “the lumberjack fic”, this fic is an instant classic. The author makes widowed Louis’ pain and depression so real and so moving. The characters are three-dimensional and complex and the well written sexual tension is finally relieved with super hot smut. Link is to a download. Lumberjack Louis

So Darling, Just Say You’ll Stay Right By My Side by supernope (E, 28K) Another fic I read too long ago to recall details of, and my rather unhelpful notes read, “LOVE! Slow build up, but so sexy!” So…here’s to trusting old me. I’m not too worried, this author is pretty sure bet. Chief of police Louis. Deputy Harry.

Divine Intervention by Awriterwrites / @a-writerwrites (E, 6K) This fic is short, but super sexy and bittersweet. Something about the way Louis is so gentle in it just gets to me. Building inspector Harry

where the tide takes you, I will follow by @pinkcords (E, 40K) First of all, I’m so happy this author is writing again! Second, everything about this was just lovely. The slow, dreamy tone of their writing fit the setting and the way Harry and Louis fell into each other so, so well. I love how descriptive their writing is without being flowery or pointless. The smut scenes were toe-curlingly sexy, and gave us beautiful insight into both of the boys. I just wanted to live inside this fic. Fish shack worker Louis

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it’s time to find your wings again by we_are_the_same / @why-let-your-voice-be-tamed (T, 12K) I just loved the fairytale quality of this story––not cute and cuddly, but dark and curious and intense–– more like a Grimm fairytale. So unique and so worth reading. Prison guard Louis

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O’ Christmas Tree by @justalittlelouislove (M, 15K) I love this author’s writing and this one is just 100% wonderful fluff that still managed to make me cry! It’s sweet and charming and one of the very few kid fics I actually enjoyed. Christmas tree farmer Harry.

Lambing Season by @helloamhere (E, 26K) This is beautiful little emotional fic and it’s one of my favorites. If you’ve ever wanted to leave your shitty work environment, escape to an idyllic countryside, and find love along the way, read this one. Farmer Louis.

Coup de Foudre by angelwarm (M, 15K) The characters (particularly Louis) are pretty OOC, but god this fic is gorgeous. After I read it I just sat there not knowing what to do with myself. It’s sad and hopeful and just gorgeously written. Diner Worker Harry

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————

You might also check my Military AU fic rec for jobs like soldiers, engineers etc.

[missbunnybunny]

-If you were the moon and I was the tide, no matter the distance, the tide always follows the moon. For the moon was the tides one true love.-

141 + könig x reader. CWs: none, just Widow. Fluff, and hopefully, everyone likes this!

I'll be posting every 1 to 2 weeks. Mostly 2 weeks. I hope that's okay with everyone.

°◆°◇°◆°◇°◆°◇°◆°◇°◆°◇°◆°◇°◆°◇°◆°◇

When talking about a person, they could say something along the lines of: ' Oh! they're kind.' 'They're sweet and funny.' ' friendly and an absolute sweethearts'.

But when asked to describe a certain Widow, they would say: 'menace.' 'Crackhead.' 'hyperactive.' ' crazy.' ‘She might bite your ankles if you don’t watch out type of person.’ And most of all ' unpredictable.' Is what they would say about her But they would also say that's what they loved about her. (Not the ankle biting part)

When tasked to work in such high and dangerous jobs, such as the military having some laughs to ease the tension can help a lot. And that was what Widow and Soap were, mostly Widow. She constantly made everyone smile, that or worry about her unhinged behavior.

So when she was smiling and jumping off the walls like a kid given candy on Christmas morning and was told santa left her some good present. No one bated an eye, except for 2 people. König, who obviously knew what was happening and price, who noticed that she was hyper than usual. Like he thought she was foaming at the mouth. ( might get her checked for Rabies.)

The rest of 141 started to take notice that Widow smiled up at the air, lost in thought, laughing a little more than usual. Making her look like a maniac, slightly talking nonsense to herself, still smiling. The normal, questionable but normal.

Soap notched ghost with his shoulder, making the taller male look at him, and lower his head to listen. Still keeping his eyes on the spaced out Widow, ' ya, think she finally lost it?' Soap asked. Ghost shook his head and spoke,' na', she lost it a while ago. Can't be it.'

As they still kept an eye on Widow, as a tall giant walked up to the short woman. They could see him waving his hand in front of the woman, but she was still lost in her own world. He visibly deflated, seeing that his attempt to wake her from her dream world failed. He gave her a tap on her shoulder.

The woman snapped out of her dase, jumping a little while letting out a yelp. Quickly blinking and looking up at the person in front of her. When she registered who it was, her face irupted into a red mess.

Widow quickly aderted her face from könig. Feeling her face was about to explode, like a granade. König worried, looked over Widow and asked if she was alright. She quickly responded with an ' am fine.'

Ghost and soap stared wide-eyed at the interaction unfolding in front of them. They watched as both Widow and König walked off to the cafetería. Soap stared, his mouth still open. He pointed at the now empty space and said,' Did she just...' he looked up at ghost, who gave him a nod.

Ghost and soap couldn't believe that they had just witnessed. Widow's face was red, and she could hardly look könig in the eyes. What shocked them the most was that she looked almost shy and embarrassed to see könig in front of her.

Yeah, that sealed the deal for them. Widow was indeed broken. There was no way in hell that Widow would act such a way. Widow knew little to no shame! This woman nonchalantly walked into ghost's room and took all his shirts and pants. Just cuz she felt like messing with ghost after a prank soap pulled on him.

The reason why was cuz, soap had a month before taken all of ghost's shirts, pants and black boxers. Only to leave him pink short with the words 'love mom' in the back.

But Widow had some mercy she left him a pair of pink shorts with red hearts and a sleeve-less tank top. To say ghost was confused was an understatement. Who the bloody hell rods a man of his clothes to only leave him, pink shorts and a tank-top!

Widow walked up to ghost and, with a smile, handed him a basket of his folded clothes, her excuse, 'It was my turn to laundry, hope you didn't mind.' Ghost annoyed, took his clothes back, and changed.

To say that everyone was amusement at what they saw was true, they where also so fucking confused. What the fuck is going on! Soap took as many pictures as he could of the funny sight, before ghost could beat the hell out of him.

'Not a word. Ya hear.' Ghost warned. They all nodded nervously. Widow nodded with a smile. Yeah, she was evil. After that, accurance it solified even more the fact that what they saw was the equivalent of seeing a pig fly.

Gaz knew something was up when Widow was jumping up and down, normal right. Yeah, but every time she jumped around, a small noise could be heard. It could have been her dog tags, sure , but it sounded like multiple ones, and it wasn't the normal sound of dog tags clicking together. Widow didn't usually wear jewelry, like necklaces or rings, since she was forgetful and might lose them, and the fact that she was very clumsy.

Finally, after a week 141, had a meeting regarding a mission they were to be given. After the meeting ended, Price asked what made widow Crazier that usual. He had to know and so did the rest of the task force, where also wondering the cause.

After hearing those words. She froze, completely forgetting the conversation she was having with König. ' Was it that obvious?' She asked wide-eyed.

Price let out a loud belly laugh and said,' You're not the best at hiding it.' Widow looked around to the rest of her team and saw them all nod. Her face grew red, and she hid her face with her hands, lining to hide onto königs chest. ' Why... this is so embarrassing'. She muttered out loud.

König patted her in the back, telling her that it would be fine to tell them. She looked up at him and asked shyly in a low voice,'You sure?'. König nodded.

Now everyone was confused. The hell was going on. Widow took a deep breath and took königs hand in hers and shy showed it to everyone, red faced she said 'me and könig are dating. I really like him'. Now it was königs turn to shyly look away from everyone. Widow slowly pulled up a silver chain from under her shirt.

Everyone looked at the chain to see a diamond ring. Everyone's jaw hit the floor, price choked on his cigar, gaz chocked on his soda. Ghost was left to stunned to speak, soap almost passed out. As for laswell, all her paperwork was on the floor, gone like the wind.

The thought on each and every single one of their minds was <when did this happen!?!> Soap was the first to break the ice and said,' sense when?'. Widow answered with a smile ' a few weeks ago. I was gonna tell ya, but I couldn't find the right time. You were all busy.' Her face was less red, and she wasn't hiding anymore as she spoke.

Ghost looked at könig expectantly, könig took notice and decided to speak.' I proposed.. and asked her to be my girlfriend.' Many emotions were running high, happiness, surprised, and so much more. But they were happy for them.

Everyone in the room congratulated the couple. Widow thought now was the time to tell her brothers the good news. Yeahhh, she didn't tell the either... this would be fun.

- a few hours later: Germany -

A young man was sitting on the floor, wiping his sweaty face with a towel while holding a battle of water in his other hand.

He was tired, very tired, military training was going to be the end of him, he thought. But he was glad that he was done and sense it was still early in the morning. He was planning to eat and get some rest before his duties started. He looked at his watch and read 6:00 am.

He closed his eyes and wished that at least today would be a good day. He opened his eyes to see one of his colleagues walking up to him. They told him that someone from England was calling.

He thanked his friend and went to the waiting call. ' Hello, this is lutenent Michael. Who may i be speaking to?' He asked. From the other line, he heard someone yawning ' tu hermana, i got some good news.' The woman told him.

'I know you're my sister after hearing your ugly voice so early in the morning, y cuel es la noticia? What is the news?' He laughed, hearing his sister dramatically gasp, calling a rude asshole.

' Well... I got proposed and asked to be someone's girlfriend. Como te queda el ojo - what do u think-' she heard nothing nothing but silence from the other end of the line. She checked that it didn't disconnect. Nope, it was still very much connected.

' estás bien? - you good-' she asked. He quickly snaped out of it and asked,' Are you serious? No, me jales la pierna.-dont pull my leg-. Who was it?' He asked, shocked. He was too young and too early for a heart attack.

'It was könig, listen i really like him, his kind and treats me well. Yo me mataría por el y el por mí- i would die for him, and he would for me-.'

'Ay que bueno - Ah, that's good - i didn't give him my blessing for nothing.' Michael sighed in relive, he liked könig and if his sister was happy, then so was he. Besides, maybe family diners won't leave him bed ridden from food poisoning.

'Tú que??-you what- you knew he was gonna ask me?' She asked, shocked and confused. ' he asked me and Alex for your hand'. Michael shrugged.

'No lo puedo creer- i can't believe this-'. She laughs, and she beads her brother. Goodbye. It was time to call her younger brother and tell him the news....

- Korea 10:30-

We all know that anyone in the military values sleep. They love sleep. If you would ask any military personnel what they like the most, they would say SLEEP!. Yes, they love their families and friends, and yes, have a love and hate relationship with life. But sleep.

So why in gods fucking green earth is his sleep being cut short and on his day off, oh hell no. Someone best be dying (hopefully not), his sister getting married or the world is ending. Even if the world was ending he still would rather choose sleep.

The ringing of his phone was becoming so ungodly loud. If there was any God out there, help this man get some sleep! Alex begrudgingly looked at his phone.

Unknown number read the screen, since it looked like it was no one important. He answered, the Alex way. ' 911, what is your emergency? You best be dying, eres el Cuco-your the boogeyman - or your getting jumped, which is it. May I know your emergency?'

The person on the other side of the line was silent before responding,' Ah, yes. Your sister has gotten proposed to and asked to be a girlfriend. She gladly accepted. Does that count as an emergency.' The older woman smiled and laughed at the other end.

Now it Alex's turn to be rendered speechless. After a few seconds, he answered,' Ah, am sorry ma'ma. But it seems to be that I was the one that got jumped. My apologies, maldita loca habladora.-fucking crazy, Liar.'

'Am not lying, and from a scale of 1 to 10, how jumped do you feel?' She asked, laughing. She really missed the way Alex answered his phone, when he was annoyed/unknown number or it he knew it was her or Michael.

' ummm, let me see. I feel as sleep deprived as any man in the army, but to answer. I got hit in the gut, smacked, bamboozled, and I think, Staded in the heart, might have been hit by a car along the way. My answer is 10 out of 10 hit by a HUMVEE. Does that answer your question ma'ma.'

' ah, no pues estás muerto mi hijo.-ah, than your dead, my son.' She laughed even more loudly. ' But all jokes aside, how do you feel? About the news, I mean.'

' Who was it? Oh, please tell me it was that big guy! I quite like him. If it's anyone else am pulling my gun. Am not afraid of jail or prison.' He said blankly.

'Yes to big guy no to prison or jail. You're too cute for that. Remind my dear sir, was this a worthy 911 call.' Smiled nostalgicaly. She found it funny that Alex still used her 911 joke. Although if it was anyone else, this joke would be met with confusion.

Alex responds 'very much. Next one, you better be getting married. Now, it's almost 11, and a man needs some sleep. I love you, but fuck off and let me peacefully die'. He exclaimed while throwing his face into the pillow.

'Love you too, you and me both. I need some sleep, see you on the other side.' She laughs, receiving a laugh from the other line before hanging up.

But oh well, you learn a few things from your family, especially your older siblings. Although learning a few things from Widow might not be good. But at lass that family for you.

After her talk with her siblings, she could feel a weight being lifted off her chest. She hates lying to her family when it comes to such great news. Learning to tell people what is on your mind can be hard, but widow understands that there are people who will listen and help.

Widow is the happiest she could ever be she has someone who truly loves her, a loving family, and her crazy siblings. What else could a girl ask for.

Now, it was mission time. So, no funny business. Widow, it's not mission impossible, and you're not James bond. She told herself, while humming the theme of mission impossible.

Hopefully, she can have some peaceful sleep tonight. Tomorrow is a new day and a new challenge.

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Hope you liked this chapter! Also, should I write about anything else? I am open to the count. Uuu, should I make some original characters and their own stories? Would that be alright with everyone. Please let me know in the comments.

I'll start writing about the other Fandoms I read. Am just gonna have fun.

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Please like,reblog, or boost this post, THANK YOU!

Have a good day, yall 🙋🏽‍♀️. - Author-san out.

[multifandomfix]

Pages Of The Heart - Jaskier

Summary: Though you are a soon to be wed noble, a bard who plays at the announcement of your engagement captures your heart. But is this just a passing fancy? You must decide if you will risk everything to be with him.

Word Count: 1,257

Warnings: Implied smut, tiny bit of angst

Despite the joy and merriment that filled the ballroom, the celebration announcing your engagement was a drab, melancholy sort of affair for you. You’d been saddled to a man that was over twice your age, several times widowed and about as lively as a wooden board. He carried a sizable fortune and offered certain political advantages that your parents had prioritized over your happiness.

The music, at least, provided you with some entertainment. The musician made his way around the room, playing tunes unfamiliar to you. Original works, you assumed. A true creative type. You could have bet money that your betrothed couldn’t write a two line poem should his life have depended upon it. As the musician circled the crowd, you could tell he was the absolute life and soul of the party. You’d be much happier if you even possessed an ounce of his contagiously bright energy.

When he finally stopped in front of you and your betrothed, he gave you a nod and a wink that you could have swore was flirtatious in nature. And, perhaps against your better judgement, you let yourself be charmed. He was young, handsome and charismatic, so why not let yourself have a little enjoyment in this otherwise miserable arrangement?

As the party wound down, the music exchanged in favor of conversation, you found yourself listless, and in desperate need of an escape. So, scanning the crowd, you found your bard as he slipped out of the main ballroom, no doubt having collected his coin for his performance and ready to set out for places far from here. Oh how you wish you could live a life like you imagined he did; free to roam and bring happiness to others.

You politely excused yourself as well, hoping to get one last look at the dashing bard before he disappeared from your life for good, maybe even get a word with him, tell him how much you appreciated his performance. But when you got to the hallway, he was nowhere in sight. Sighing, you made your way down to the library, your favorite part of the illustrious castle you’d grown up in. You could have easily spent your life as a scribe if given the chance. It may be a quiet life, but you could read, experience new worlds and share those worlds with others.

You picked a book from the shelf, one of your favorites, as was evident by the lack of dust on the top of its pages and its spine. Yet it wasn’t as you had left it. It bore an unfamiliar marker between its pages, so naturally, you flipped to it to investigate. It was a piece of folded parchment. You unfolded it to read the message within.

My dear royal heir, I could not help but notice your sad eyes on what should be a happy day. I hope I am right in leaving this here that you will smile at reading that I wish you all of life's little happinesses. Your bard, Jaskier.

He’d been here. You wondered if he still was. The library was not a small one, so you supposed it possible that your bard, Jaskier, may still be hiding among the stacks. Did he wish for you to find him, or was this all a silly little game you’d made up in your head in hopes that one last adventure could soothe your troubled soul? Only one way to find out.

You crept around as quietly as you could in search of him, stopping at the locations where all your favorite books resided, hoping he’d seen the similar pattern of the lack of dust as you had. Finally, you found another clue. Another one of your favorites contained one of Jaskier's notes.

Closer, fair noble. One could turn and come face to face with the object of their desire. Choose wisely. I’ll give you a moment to decide. Say no, and I will leave, but turn, and I shall offer you a gift. — Jaskier.

Perhaps you should have been frightened. You weren’t, however. Some part of you innately trusted him. You believed he would not seek to deceive you. You’d known too many that had tried, and had learned what to expect from such tricksters. So, decision made, you turned.

Jaskier stood before you now, though how he had gotten there without you hearing a thing was something of a miracle. In his hand he offered an opal ring. Where he’d come to possess such a thing was anyone's guess. He saw your skeptical look, and decided to explain. "One of your other nobles bestowed this upon me as a tip, and I could only think of how such a beautiful piece should only be worn by one who matched its beauty, and I don’t think it’s quite my style. Perhaps it is yours?"

You smiled, and to Jaskier it was a vision in the darkness of the library, lighting up the small space between you in the big room. Taking that as your own form of acceptance, he gently reached for your hand and slipped the ring onto your finger.

"Jaskier," you stumbled, barely getting his name to pass your lips. You were shaking with nerves. But here, alone with him, was an opportunity you may never see again. He was but a stranger, yet you could not shake the feeling that he was the man that was meant for you. "Will you stay here with me? I have neither the wish nor the will to go back to the festivities, nor to the man that has been chosen for me. I cannot give myself to him, but I would give my heart and my body freely if it were you."

Surprised at your words, Jaskier needed a moment to know how to respond. It’s not as if he hadn’t had his fair share of offers of this nature, but you seemed in a potentially fragile state, and he did not wish to take advantage. "I should not wish to impose myself upon you."

"You are not imposing when it is I who have asked," you told him. True enough, he surmised. "Lay with me. Right here. It is one place I know we shan’t be found."

And he did. He laid his coat down on the floor, providing some barrier between you and the hard, old, wooden floors that lie beneath. He touched and kissed you with a tenderness you knew you would never be granted with anyone else. You undressed one another, bodies now lit by only the moonlight and you made love. You knew if you kept the life laid out for you, that this would be the one memory you held onto to get yourself through it. Here, in Jaskier's arms was as free as you’d ever feel again.

"Run away with me," he said, the back of his hand running up and down your side, feeling the curves of your body.

"I can’t, I couldn’t," you replied. But why couldn’t you?

"You can, if you let yourself," he informed. "We could travel, see the world. Judging by the books you’ve read, you seem to me like a traveler, so travel with me. I may not be a fighter, but I will always keep you safe. More importantly, happy."

It was in this moment that you realized he was right. There was nothing that would make you happier than escaping, seeing the world, and sharing it with Jaskier. "Alright," you agreed. "Let’s go see the world."

For anon

Forever Tag: @borg-queer, @ghostsunderstoodmysoul

Jaskier: @retvenkos, @dancingwith-sunflowers, @randomfandomimagine, @lettersoftroy, @dandycandy75, @kaiiromanoff, @rubyqueen819, @roxi-reid, @hc-geralt-23, @floresferae

[merle-bookdragon]

Five different fandoms, five different ships

Get to know the blogger, via five different ships from five different fandoms! Okay, so almost two months ago (yikes on my part), @piecesofeden11 tagged me in this, and I forgot about it because my spicy brain hates remembering things. ANYWAYS, I apologize for the delay, but I still wanted to do this :)

So this was very hard, and I'm obviously having to exclude some absolute favorites, but here we go in no particular order:

Caleb Widowgast/Essek Thyless (Critical Role) I was attached to these two even before they became canon, but when they did become canon, it made me even happier. Also getting some little tidbits now that Essek turned up in C3 I'm just doing little dances of happiness all the time :D Wizards my beloved <3

Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier (The Witcher) Don't get me wrong I am a huge Yennefer fan, but I have never liked her together with Geralt. I can also get behind Geralt not having a partner at all, but honestly? Jaskier is SO much fun and I can totally see him worming himself into Geralt's life in more than just a platonic way. And I particularly love the pieces where he gets to see Kaer Morhen and/or where he is some sort of non-human creature :D

Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski (Teen Wolf) This is such a random ship, but towards the end of Teen Wolf, I was laughing way too much at these two's antics. While they can obviously be read as friends, this round is just a lot of fun. :D And there are so many works that work through all that trauma! It's a great fanfiction source, hahaha.

Paige Mahoney/Warden | Arcturus Mesarthim (The Bone Season) I wanted to include these two to balance out ships because they are a bookish ship AND they are canon. Well, it is precarious since the world is kinda against them, but I know they will persevere! I just hope they shall survive the last three books! Just two people swearing their undying devotion to each other in their native languages you know <3

Wu Zetian/ Li Shimin/ Gao Yizhi (Iron Widow) I had to include my favorite badass emperor and her wonderful polycule because, of course, I had to. I can't believe Xiran Jay Zhao actually gave us these three together in all their chaotic, traumatized, lovely glory, and I am just slightly worried about book 2. We do need more fanfiction for these three, though, please.

Okay, I feel like I absolutely do not have enough mutuals on here, and I don't know who feels comfortable being tagged, so just take this as an open call! :D

[rulers-of-hungary-tournament]

ROUND 1B, MATCH 1

***

WHAT MY PROFESSOR OF MEDIEVAL HISTORY SAID ABOUT THEM

Orseolo Péter (Peter Orseolo) 1038-1041 1044-1046

nephew of I.István trough his sister, who married the doge of Venice, he was István's designated heir after the whole "blinding and imprisoning his own cousin" thing

the start of his reign relatively unproblematic, he started minting his own coins and build benedictine monasteries

so of course Péter, (to borrow a phrase from YouTuber Jack Rackham) the petulant little mischief maker that he was, started to piss off absolutely EVERYONE; he exiled István's widow after feuding with her for a while, also he relied on foreign advisors, which wasn't popular with domestic elites, also he supported raids into the Holy Roman Empire borderlands, and of course he also pissed off the Byzantines by supporting Bulgarians in their struggle against them

he was so unpopular he was overthrown by an uprising led by Aba Sámuel, but somehow managed to convince Holy Roman emperor the whole "raiding the borderlands" thing and gained the throne back with his aid

in the end, he was overthrown AGAIN after two years by a pagan uprising

II.András (Ondrej II.) 1205-1235

on his backstory see entries for Imre and III.László, allegedly ascended the throne with the ambitions to build a "new order" - which he did, if by "new order" you mean "seeds of feudal anarchy" (buckle up kids, this one is going to be a long one, basically this dude did a lot of things and none of them well)

tried to gain support of the nobility by giving away royal land (he later came to his senses and tried to gain back at least some of it, but it was too late), and then compensated for the lost income by a series of questionable orders (special taxation, customs fees - which hurt Hungarian trade, devaluation of the coinage); all of this empowered his closest circles while also being a Bad Time for everyone else, lower nobility (or its closest equivalent in medieval Hungary) eventually got fed up with his sheneningans and forced him to issues the Golden Bull of Andrew II., a document entrenching the privileges of all nobility regardless of wealth (freedom from taxation, right to rise up against the king if he doesn't respect their rights etc.), many consider this the real beginings of nobility in Hungary (privileged classes of course existed before, but only the Golden Bull unified them under one label)

the three aims of his foreign policy were keeping good relations with the Byzantines (which he doesn't seem to have failed particullarly badly in), gain the throne of Galicia (which he did get part of in an agreement with Leszek, duke of Poland - don't know which one exactly) and go on a crusade to the Holy Land (which was an unmitigated disaster, basically he left for a while and when he returned, the country was in shambles)

he also settled the Teutonic Order in Hungary and gave them various privileges, hoping to use them to protect the country against Cuman raids, but then they started causing trouble and act as a state within the state, so in the end he was also the one who kicked them away

he did a couple of good things too, like settle more Saxons in Hungary, welcome mendicant orders into the country and so on, but honestly these things pale in comparison with his numerous fuckups

[itsthegameilike]

Best Books of 2022

And I’m back again with another list of books that I think everyone should read. Or, at least, books I think are halfway decent given the other books I’ve read this year. To be fair, it was a better year than I thought. Anyway, without further ado, the best ten books I read, plus some honorable mentions:

Nona the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir In full disclosure, I knew this book would be on my list before I even read it and I was not disproven in that assumption by the time I finished. Hands down, the best book I read this year and it’s not even that close. Books tend to take me a lot longer to finish as I get older, but this one took me two days. Obviously, if you haven’t read Gideon the Ninth or Harrow the Ninth, you should, but this odd little sequel was probably my favorite one yet. Nona is such a refreshing character--a bombshell of light and love and curiosity--and it is as queer as ever. Bonus, if you have a soft spot for Camilla or Palamedes, as I do, you got blessed this book.

In the Dream House - Carmen Maria Machado I actually read far more nonfiction this year than I usually do, thanks to getting burnt out on fantasy, my staple. This book is the best of the bunch and absolutely incredible. The writing is poignant and lovely and careful and the topic of domestic abuse is tackled by an author who is invested in making you understand what they went through. It’s personal, it’s internal, and it broke me more than once. Definitely worth looking up trigger warnings, but also definitely worth reading.

The Half Life of Valery K - Natasha Pulley If Natasha Pulley publishes a book, it goes on this list. I have an unending love and devotion for the romances and relationships she crafts. There is such a tenderness and solitude and loneliness to all of them that always punches me straight in the gut. I love her and I am very biased, but this book was as incredible as always. Bonus points, you learn quite a bit about nuclear reactors and nuclear poisoning, too. Not her most realistic and probably not her best, but I still love it to bits.

The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov This is a Russian novel from the 1940s that I think is best described by saying that the devil shows up in Moscow and wreaks absolute havoc. It is bizarre and mythic and surrealist, but it is also heartfelt and an utter joy to read. I was never bored, the characters were five parts humorous and five parts relatable, and I still regularly think about the magician show scene on a daily basis.

Clear Light of Day - Anita Desai This book is in many ways indescribable for me. I read it in August, when the days were hot, and the book felt exactly like those long summer afternoons. It cast a sort of spell over me and I would often sit and read twenty pages, then sit and think about them for forty-five minutes. It’s a deep dive into the decay of a country and the decay of a family and their relationships and an exploration of the choices we make in life, how they alter it, and how often we sit and imagine what would’ve happened if we chose differently.

Time is a Mother - Ocean Vuong My one book of a poetry and another that I was positive would end up on this list. Ocean has been a wordsmith rock of mine since college and he did not disappoint in this collection. I highly recommend “The Last Dinosaur” and “Almost Human”. If you read nothing else, read those.

Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a More Tranquil Mind - Alan Jacobs If there was a required reading list for anyone who would like to approach what they read with critical thinking skills, this would be on it. This book is a manifesto to the grays of the world, a sort of rejoicing in how nothing is black and white, and I felt so refreshed reading it. There are also so many great book recommendations in here, including Clear Light of Day already on this list, so it has alternate functions, as well. This book gave me hope, to be honest, so if you need that, look no further.

Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao Man, this book. It is like an electric shock to the system. There is so much good here that even the occasionally clunky dialogue means nothing to me. The characters are stunning, there is really excellent polyamory the way I wish more media would display it, there’s Chinese myth, and big metal monsters smashing the patriarchy. The end had a twist that was actually shocking and I cannot wait for the second book. I’ve mostly outgrown young adult at this point, but please read this one, even if you feel the same.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess - Sue Lynn Tan This book was breathtaking. It feels lush when you’re reading it, the descriptions so well done, and I was so swept up in the setting, in the plot, in the pleasant, warm reminders of other Chinese dramas it gave me, that I hardly minded the naivete of the main character, Xingyin. The love triangle isn’t unbearable, as there are clear, obvious breaks with the love interests when she is romantically interested in the other, and Xingyin grows into something just as bold and beautiful as the book. One caveat, I also read the sequel this year and I kind of wish I hadn’t. It’s not nearly as good and I sort of wish this had been a standalone experience for me.

Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner I read this at the very start of the year, so I don’t remember everything, but I do remember that this book was profoundly sad, deeply meaningful, and heartbreakingly lovely. Nothing is held back by the author as she explores her relationship with her mother and the grief that came with her death. I would recommend this to anyone at any time for any reason. It’s that good.

Honorable Mentions: The Charm Offensive by Allison Cochrun, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, Deathless by Catherynne M Valente, Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher, H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald, and The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novak

[moonlit-imagines]

Half Trouble

Bruce Wayne x child/teen!reader

warnings: the batman spoilers, injury, death/murder mentions

a/n: are you guys proud of me for posting or what? (ps i changed this up a little bit so it just wasnt ooc)

prompt: anonymous: “Hello! Hope you’re doing good. Could I request a (Pattinson)Batman x child reader (platonic) one shot. where the reader is an assassin who has had training for their entire life (kinda like black widow). They’re sent to kill Batman. But when they’re fighting he manage to catch them of guard and knocks them out. He pulls off their mask and sees that they’re just a kid and feels bad so he brings them to the bat cave to stitch them up. When they wake up they’re still a bit guarded but he manages to make them explain everything and they tell him that they didn’t want to kill him but they had to or someone would kill them. Maybe it ends with him comforting them, offers to take care of them and keep them safe.”

You stalked this city for its masked menace, the man lurking in the shadows doing more harm than good. That’s what you’d been told, and you knew better than to question it. Before the vigilante roamed the streets of Gotham, terrorism wouldn’t cross anyone’s mind on the average day, but now these people lived in fear of who this Bat would set off next.

That was where you came in. A preventative measure to eliminate the Bat from being any other madman’s trigger—permanently.

You noticed as a light suddenly shined into the sky against the cloudy, dark sky. His call, the signal of the Bat. He’d be here soon, and you’d be on the move to track it to the source, which didn’t take much effort as it did energy. Across rooftops and around buildings, you looked down on this city like you were taught to. Absolute scum, meant to be saved by a plan, not a suit. That’s why these people lived in fear, even those who had done nothing to deserve it.

You found yourself in the scaffolding of a nearby building in process, looking across the way to two figures beside the light’s source. Now, whatever call this man was supposed to answer would have to wait. Or preferably be cared for by their police force.

He descended to ground level in the elevator as you climbed down yourself, watching his cop friend take off before himself. And when there was an opening, you struck. He never even saw you coming as your foot came flying towards his face, but he didn’t ask questions before he began fighting back. At first, you were a match for him. Blocking steadily, you held your own just as you were trained to, then unsheathed your swords and revealed your intent, a kill. His armor had weak spots, points that were precise between slats of armor, it was all about timing.

You managed to get his shoulder, just barely, but his kick to your stomach sent you flying back. You looked up at the night sky—no longer calling for their hero—and hopped back to your feet as he stomped forward. “Lucky.” You growled while charging at him and sliding underneath his parted legs, kicking him back from behind. You smiled as he crawled back to his feet and raised your swords together behind him to attempt at a final blow, but not before he knocked you back with his grappling hook and gave you a good blow to the head.

Unconscious. Your superiors wouldn’t be pleased.

Batman kneeled beside you and ripped your cloth mask away from your face to reveal a youthful complexion, you were just a child. The Batman had just gone up against a child. And a child had nearly finished him off for good.

You had slight injuries from your altercation, a head injury from how rough he’d been neutralizing you, and he needed to make this right. He lifted you off the wet pavement and carried you around to his car, seating you in his passenger seat and restraining you as best as he could. He did not need you to wake on his way across town, whatever mission you’d been sent on would be completed to the best of your abilities, even if it meant assaulting him behind the wheel.

There was no way he’d be able to bring you back to his headquarters, his family name was plastered all over the walls and with someone like you, he’d be compromised in mere moments.

No, he had other places to go. In light of recent events, he knew of a vacant apartment that could be used to nurse you back to health. He knew for a fact it was still furnished, still stocked, and quite cozy if you could get past the smell of cat piss.

He stepped out of the car to open the garage, then parked the car within. Truth be told, it drew a lot of attention. Times like these called for a more discreet parking job.

You’d still been out cold, he checked just to be sure and carried you up the stairs to the lonely apartment, laying you in a squeaky old bed next to two sleeping cats who hadn’t got the memo yet, and restrained you once more to make sure you couldn’t strike immediately upon regaining your consciousness.

While you laid motionlessly, almost peacefully, in the room, Batman searched the bathroom for medical supplies his old friend left behind when she left town, and there was plenty to use on you, clean your cuts and ease your pain. That’s all he wanted to do, make this right. You couldn’t have gone on this mission alone and he knew it, he’d figure out just why you were given it.

He also gathered what amount of ice was left in the fridge and set it on the large bruise left on your stomach, frowning at the damage he’d done. A child with pain inflicted by him, it didn’t sit well with him at all. He didn’t know, but he didn’t care. There was pain inflicted before him by whoever forced you into this life, a horrible burden thrust upon you and you most likely wouldn’t even know.

He pulled a chair beside the bed and waited for you with a glass of water on the side table. The windows had all been covered as a precaution, he knew personally how easy it was to see inside. And now, he’d just wait. And as he waited, he watched. Just watched. Watched and waited.

Until you suddenly jerked awake and fought your tight restraints. He rose from the chair and tried to hold you still. “I’m not going to hurt you. Calm down.” He bluntly, and unconvincingly, assured. You wouldn’t stop kicking, and even began to scream, which forced him to cover your mouth. “Don’t make this difficult, I’m trying to help you. I injured you.” Once he felt you stop fighting, he slowly let you go.

“Then why am I tied up?” You asked him.

“In case you woke up and tried to kill again.” He described what you just did and you dropped your head into the pillow, noticing the throbbing as it fell. You clenched your jaw and stared at the popcorn ceiling, feeling immense shame for your current status of the mission. “I didn’t know you were only a child. Why are you trying to kill me?”

“You are ruining this city. That mask has ruined this city far worse than it had been before.” You explained, glaring at the masked menace. “I was tasked in your assassination to cleanse this city of your presence and bring back balance.”

“There’s no balance in this city. That’s why I’m here.” He offered you the glass of water, but you refused.

“You did not balance the scales of crime in this city, you tipped them in their favor. You are no better than the scum on the streets.” You spat at him, getting nothing, not even a flinch from him.

“What makes you any better?” He questioned and you began to wonder yourself for a moment. “You wear a mask, you claim to fight for the greater good, what makes you different?” Then you got it.

“I am not a symbol. No inspiration nor target. I merely complete my mission and move along.” You replied, slowly trying to slip your hands out of their bonds while he was distracted, but he knew what you were doing.

“And you think killing will help this city?” He asked.

“It will cleanse it.” You repeated the message drilled into your brain, but being in this situation seemed to be distracting you from your teachings, giving you an opportunity for free thoughts. You tried to fight them, but you’d really never had a conversation with anyone outside of your superiors. “I will cleanse it.”

“You’ll instill more fear.” He said just as one of your hands flew out of their binds and swung straight at his head, your wrist being caught firmly by his gloved hand and you struggled to come loose. “You’ve been doing this for a long time, I can tell. You’ve had no life.”

“Says the guy dressed like a bat.” You pulled against his grip, but once you stopped, he let go.

“How many lives have you taken?” Batman asked you.

“Forty-nine.” You said, a hint of shame within your voice.

“Did you enjoy any of them?” He questioned further, handing you the glass of water once more.

“That’s a stupid question.” You shot back, staring into the clear glass and wondering if he’d put something inside.

“It’s an important one. Did you enjoy taking any of those lives?” You stayed silent and took a sip of your lukewarm water, which told him what he needed to know. “I think you should stay here for now. You don’t need to be out on those streets.” He stood up and untied the rest of your limbs and you quickly sat up.

“Wait!” You said as he turned away. “I can’t. They’ll kill me.” He looked at you from the corner of his eye and kept walking, heading straight for the door.

“No, they won’t. I won’t let them.”

taglist: @ravenmoore14 // @summersimmerus // @xoxobabydolls // @evilcr0ne // @wild-rose-35 // @alwaysananglophile // @ruvaakke // @vee-simps-a-lot // @girlmythlegend // @mowisdvdspecial // @diansaprince // @v0idl1nq // @theseawakes // @stitched-mouth //

[bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky]

Work From Home | Bucky Barnes x Reader

Hi, friends! Here's a fluffy, silly little thing!

If you like my stuff, throw me a reblog 🥰

Warnings: imposter syndrome, stupid jokes

-------------------------------

“Whatcha dooooin?” Bucky plopped down into a kitchen chair, bowl of cereal in hand. He noted your cold coffee, the way you scowled down at the stack of paper in front of you, the transfixed stare you wore. Either Fury had sent you some truly perplexing intel, or you weren’t pleased with your last month’s credit card statement.

“Buck, hey. Good morning, babe…” You dragged your eyes from the important documents, your need to see Bucky’s sleepy morning smile and messy hair taking priority. “When did you get up?”

Bucky shook his head, “Doll, I’ve been clanging around in the kitchen for like, twenty minutes. I even called out to you- you didn’t hear me?” He took a bite of his cereal and shot you a wink, knowing damn well that you’d been too engrossed in what lay before you.

Embarrassment warmed your cheeks. It was just like you to have tunnel vision when it came to work. And if Bucky hadn’t sat down in front of you just now, you wouldn’t have noticed he was awake until lunch.

“No… I’m sorry.” You threw Bucky a sheepish smile, “I was just really focused on this stuff Fury sent me. Some of it is… weird”.

Bucky cocked an eyebrow at you; to hear you call intel ‘weird’ instantly piqued his interest. Nothing about your life together was ‘normal’. He was the ex- Winter Soldier turned hero, and you, the special agent he’d fallen head over heels for. The two of you had seen a talking racoon from space, Thanos, and an event that eliminated half the universe’s population- what could be weirder? 

“This is a list of all the new players SWORD has picked up on recently,” you thumbed through the large stack of papers, “Fury wanted me to flag anything that seems like a threat”.

“Oh, I wanna help. Hit me!” Bucky sat up straight and took another bite of his cereal, ready to help you sort out the mess.

“Okay, um, there’s a young woman, Kate Bishop: expert martial artist and archer.” She seemed promising. The prospect of a strong young woman joining the team warmed your heart. Kate Bishop seemed to you like a promising young upstart, but your premature approval quickly soured. “Oh… she was once thought to be the Ronin. And her mom works with King Pin.”

Bucky fervently shook his head, “Her mom works with who? Yeah, no, absolutely not. I don’t trust her”. After everything that happened with the Hydra / SHIELD double agents, Bucky wasn’t interested in any possible gray area when it came to new team mates.

You scanned the rest of the page, landing on a particularly fun fact. “Okay, hear me out: Says here that she recently befriended Clint.”

“Ehh, I don’t love that”, Bucky sighed. “I mean, he was the real Ronin. How does that-”

“Hang on! Apparently, she gets on Clint’s nerves all the time. Like, drives him crazy”, you giggled.

“Oh… then in that case, it’s fine. She’s cool”.

Bucky couldn’t help but smile at the loud laugh you let loose. “I thought the same. But it also says that she actually helped take her mom down and saved a lot of people, too. But the Clint thing is what really sold me”.

Bucky shoveled more cereal into his mouth and gave you a thumbs up, signaling for you to keep going. He knew this wasn’t a game, and that a very real threat could lurk withing the pages in front of you- but he found himself smiling. He loved spending time with you, even if it was work related.

“Next is another young woman: Yelena Belova, former Black Widow assassin. Known associates include Red Guardian, General Dreykov, and…” Your mouth ran dry at the next name on the list, “Natasha Romanoff. Holy shit- she’s Nat’s adoptive sister”. 

Bucky gave her the immediate thumbs up. He knew just how hard Nat had worked to try and wipe her ledger clean, and trusted that Yelena was the same. His chest ached every time he thought about his friend Natasha- he never even got to say goodbye. Part of him actually hoped to meet Yelena on the off chance that she’d remind him of his lost friend, of the woman who’d helped him get his life back.

“I’m not worried about her,” Bucky shrugged, “What’s next?”

“Okay, um, apparently there was some kind of multiversal opening in New York City that let two other Peter Parkers into our world-”

“Oh, so now there’s three Peter Parkers? Nope. Red flag. I don’t like it.” Bucky gave you a double thumbs down, paired with a dramatic frown. 

“Oh my god, Buck”, you laughed, “you gotta get over this weird thing you have against Peter. He’s a kid!”

“He’s a little asshole, babe. I don’t like him- and I don’t want two more of him running around”. 

You held your hand up to Bucky, silencing him as you continued to read the file on Peter Two and Peter Three. “Okay, just hang on. It says here that the other two went back home already. They helped defeat some guys who came from their worlds- oh, it was that massive showdown at the Stature of Liberty! They took down some guys called Green Goblin, Electro, Sandman, The Lizard-”

“The Lizard? What kind of name is that for a villain?” Bucky scoffed and took another bite of his Cheerios, “Or was it just a big lizard? Like, Godzilla style?”

Your eyes scanned the page for a while before landing on the information Bucky was after. “Oh, ‘The Lizard’ is the alias of Dr. Curtis Connors, a formerly well-respected biologist previously employed by something called Oscorp. So… doctor turned lizard, I guess.”

Bucky shrugged, “alright, well, if the other Peter Parkers fucked off, then we’re good. Who’s next?”

Bucky watched you read over the next page, a puzzled expression pulling at your features. Your eyes reached the end of the text, only to shoot right back up to the top. This was something you’d never seen before, had never even heard of. 

“Next is… okay, it’s this guy- or, guys? I don’t know.” You looked up at Bucky and then back down at the page, “one is a ‘gift shoppist’ named Steven Grant from England, and the other, Marc Spector, is a mercenary from the US.”

Bucky waited for the other shoe to drop. He wasn’t sure what was so odd about these guys, or why someone who worked in a gift shop would grab SWORD’s attention. But a long moment passed without any elaboration on your end, and Bucky found himself needing answers. 

“Okay… so? What’s their deal? Are they a team of bad guys committing gift shop heists or something?” Bucky chuckled at his own stupid joke and dove back into his Cheerios.

“Um… no, not quite. It appears that they’re kind of… two pieces of one person? Like, sometimes Steven does things, but then doesn’t have any memory afterward.”

Bucky laughed with a mouth full of cereal, “huh, been there!”

You rolled your eyes at Bucky, “No, not like that. This isn’t a brainwashing situation. It says here that Steven is an alter of Marc.”

Bucky cocked his head to the side, “an alter?”

“Yeah…” you ran your eyes across the paragraphs of text a few more times before fully understanding. “Ohhhh. Marc has Dissociative Identity Disorder.” You clocked the uncertainty in Bucky’s eyes, the need for more information. “It’s like Steven is living in Marc’s head; Marc created Steven when he was young as a way to cope with the guilt of his brother dying”.

“Shit. Well, that’s- wait, why is he in SWORD’s file? Doesn’t sound to me like he poses even a whisper of a threat”.

You slapped your palm against your forehead with a satisfying smack, “oh, duh, maybe I should tell you the important part- the part that really tripped me up.”

“Let’s hear it, doll.” Bucky rubbed his palms together in preparation for some wild shit, but never could have expected what you said next.

“Marc is an avatar for the Egyptian god of the moon, Khonshu.”

Bucky stared at you with a blank expression, “I’m sorry, what?”

“It says here that Marc was on death’s door after he got shot on a job in Egypt, but Khonshu saved him by turning him into his avatar.” You glanced up at Bucky and then back down to the page, “um, apparently, he now ‘protects the travelers of the night, and brings vengeance to those who would do them harm’. Thoughts?” 

Bucky shrugged, “I don’t know. Sounds like a cool guy to me”.

You rolled your eyes at Bucky, “I mean, yeah, babe. He sounds cool, but do you think there’s a threat there?”

Bucky once again spoke with a mouthful of cereal, “Oh, right. Nah, I think it’s fine. I mean, he protects people, right? That’s his thing?”

Before today, you’d never even heard of Marc Spector or his Egyptian god friend Khonshu, and yet you found yourself tasked with deciding whether he posed a threat. “Um, yeah? I guess? I don’t know… why did I volunteer for this job? I don’t know anything about any of this”. 

You pushed the file containing its many mysteries as far down the table as it would go, hoping to banish the information from your brain. Sometimes, you hated how fast your mind moved. It often left you reeling, spinning in dizzy circles of information. Bucky watched as you slumped forward and grabbed for your coffee, but he couldn’t let you take a sip.

“We both know this is cold, doll. Let me get you a fresh one, okay? I’ll be right back”. He prepared your coffee just the way you liked, adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to the top. Bucky knew just how eager you were to please, how your hand always shot up first when Fury asked for a volunteer. Bucky loved the pride you took in your work, but hated the self-doubt that followed soon after.

He placed the coffee down in front of you and took the seat next to yours. His hands rested gently on either side of your face, locking your gaze on him. “Okay, listen to me. I know I’ve said this to you a hundred times before, but you’re not an imposter.” Before you could come up with a self-deprecating rebuttal, Bucky stopped you. “I know it feels like you don’t know what you’re doing, but everyone feels that way. Nobody knows what the fuck is going on, doll, especially in our line of work.”

“I don’t know, seems like everyone else on the team is an expert in this shit” you grumbled. Bucky was sweet, but his words couldn’t stop the parasite of self-doubt devouring your brain. You’d always felt like your best wasn’t good enough, like everyone else soared while you struggled to get off the ground. “It’s not self-doubt if it’s true, Buck”.

Bucky pulled you into his lap and held you close to his body- it was the only thing that could make you feel better when the negative self-talk crept in. Silencing it was damn near impossible, but if you couldn’t put it on mute, the comfort of Bucky’s embrace could at least lower the volume.

“You wouldn’t be on the team if you didn’t know what you’re doing, sweets. You’re smart, and you’re strong, and you work harder than anyone.” He tightened his grip on you just a bit, “You know exactly what you’re doing, but your mind is sabotaging you. It’s analysis paralysis, baby.”  

Without warning, Bucky shifted you from the comforting cradle of his arms and had your legs straddling his hips. His hands found your face, and his eyes drilled into yours. “Trust your gut! Without thinking- does this Marc-Spector-moon-guy seem like a threat? No thinking! Just answer!”

“No!” you shouted, the confidence returning to your voice. “I think he’s fine. And he’s basically two heroes in one, that’s a pretty good deal”. The smile finally returned to your face as the weight of your task melted from your shoulders. It felt good to side-step the second guessing and commit to what you knew deep down to be the truth. 

Your lips found Bucky’s in a perfect, gentle kiss full of admiration and gratitude. He knew you better than anyone, even better than you knew yourself. He understood the inner workings of your mind almost too well, as though he’d found a manual somewhere and read it cover to cover.

“Thanks, Buck. I know I get a little too intense sometimes, and I can’t stop thinking, and then I question everything, and it’s like this-”

Bucky silenced you with a kiss. “All I ever wanna do is help, doll. I got your back.” He pulled you close and ran a gentle hand through your hair, eliciting a contented sigh from your chest. “You should always trust your gut.”

Bucky didn’t know how right he was. It was a gut feeling that first told you he needed a friend- and another that pushed you to introduce yourself to him. You’d trusted yourself all those months ago when your friends and parents cautioned you against dating the ex- Winter Soldier. And listening to your gut when it told you that Bucky was special had been the easiest thing in the world. 

With a renewed sense of confidence, you reached for the file and threw it open, “You ready for round two, Buck?” 

He gave you a nod and pressed a kiss to your cheek, “let’s do this, baby”.

“Alright…" you sighed, "we gotta talk about Wanda”.

———————————

Tag list: @beefybuckrrito @shadytalementality @everything-burns-down @rainbow-unicorn-pony @mandersshow @breakablebarnes @psychoticmason @glxwingrxse @deepsketchsupernaturalcowboy @mrsdrysdale18 @lonewolf471 @dreamerglassesgirl @the-gods-gloted-but-they-burned @purpleshallot @strangerduchess @seitmai @itvy5601 @hisxsoulmate @dailyreverie @navs-bhat @eviesaurusrex @themorningsunshine @masteroflightningz @evangeliamerryll @god-ofthunder @broadwaybabe18 @the-kestrels-feather @avocadotoastwithegg @goldylions

[missvelvetsstuff]

I got a little stuck on Friday's Place but this has been dancing around in my head. Lemme know what you think. Any feedback is appreciated.

I might have another part or two, not sure yet so tell me if you want more.

Cold hearted

Steve Rogers x reader, Steve Rogers x Sharon Carter, Bucky x Natasha, Bucky x reader x Nat(past. Future?)

Warnings: swearing, angst, cheating, Steve is a dick, Sharon is a bad person, poly relationship

Chapter 1

Today was a beautiful day. BB and Nat were in the city looking for wedding dresses. Wanda was supposed to be there but was out on a mission with Steve, Sam, Bucky and Sharon and they couldn't wait because the wedding is in less than 2 months.

Nat woke her up when room service came to their room with breakfast.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty. Let's move BB. We have work to do"

BB groaned, they had been up late drinking and talking, planning the minute details for her upcoming wedding to Captain America himself. "It's not even 10am yet. Why did you make me stay up so late?" she grumbled

Nat pulled the blankets off of her "Come on now, we have to find your dress and our first appointment is at noon. Food is here so grab a bite and get showered."

"I'm so tired of trying on dresses, can't we just elope?"

Nat chuckled "I doubt Rogers would go for that so you need to haul your ass out of bed so we can get going."

"Ugh, fine." BB texted a good morning to her fiance then set the phone down to grab some food.

"You just saw him a few days ago and he's back tomorrow, can't you two survive apart from each other for a day or two?" Nat grumbled

She laughed "We can but why would we want to? He isn't going to be home till tomorrow. Can't let him get distracted by Sharon."

Nat grimaced "Sharon? Why did they have to take her along? She's still trying to weasel her way back into Steve's bed."

"She's annoying and pathetically obvious but I trust Steve, they are just friends, colleagues." BB replied as she headed for the shower.

Nat and Y/N came up in the Red Room together. Nat is a few years older and gave Y/N the nickname Baby Black Widow which became BBW and then was shortened to BB. Nat and Bucky trained her and were her only friends for those long years. They supported each other, loved each other and found comfort in each other when no one else would.

After visiting 2 more boutiques and trying on some truly awful dresses they found the one. Y/N walked out of the dressing room, saw herself in the mirror and started to choke up. "Nat, this is the one."

Nat nodded and teared up. She was happy for her friend but still in love with her which made it bittersweet "It's absolutely perfect, so very you. You are going to be such a gorgeous bride, I hope Rogers appreciates what he has.

Lets find the bridesmaid dresses to go with it."

Once they finished with bridesmaid dresses picked out, alterations marked and deposit paid they headed to lunch.

Y/N looked down her list while they were eating and marked off some items they had accomplished.

She looked up at Nat "You mailed the invitations and gave the announcement to the newspapers right?"

"Of course, we're almost done with everything. Only 6 weeks left before you become Mrs Rogers"

Y/N smiled "I can't believe this is really happening. I feel like a princess. Since we're done here let's go back to the compound today instead of waiting till tomorrow so I can surprise Steve when he gets home."

They went back to pick up their things from the hotel and chatted and listened to music for the drive home.

When they made it to the residence area they saw Wanda in the kitchen drinking tea.

Wanda startled when she heard them "Oh, hey. I thought you weren't coming back till tomorrow"

BB smiled "That was the plan but we found the perfect dresses so decided to come home early. We didn't expect you to be home already"

Wanda looked around nervously "Yeah, things wrapped up easier than expected.

How exciting about the dresses. Did you get pics?"

Nat pulled her phone out to show Wanda "Of course. And we gave them your measurements. We have to go back 2 weeks before the wedding for final fittings but it's all done."

"I'm going to go see my fiance before he has to leave" BB said as she walked away.

Wandas eyes went wide and she felt her stomach drop as she tried to stall them "But, wait. What about shoes and jewelry? I'll be home for the next couple of days so we should-"

"It's all handled. I'll see you guys at dinner" and she headed to the room she shared with Steve.

Nat turned to look at Wanda "What's going on? I don't need to read minds to know you're nervous. Are you ok?"

Wanda nodded "Just nerves with all the wedding stuff. I've never been a bridesmaid before"

Nat looked at her skeptically "Dont worry. All we need to do is support BB on her big day, help alleviate the stress as much as possible. If you're here then so is Bucky, I need to go welcome him home" Nat winked and left in search of her husband.

When BB opened the door to her room she heard murmuring and shuffling. "Oh Stevie" she sang out "I found the perfect dress. You're gonna die when-" she stopped cold when she saw Steve and Sharon on the couch, looking flustered and guilty, faces flushed and hair mussed.

"What are you two up to? Working on reports?" She asked.

Steve rubbed the back of his neck "Yeah, reports are done. We need to talk to you about the wedding."

Y/N looked at the smirk on Sharon's face. "Oh, no. Don't take it personal Sharon but I don't need anymore bridesmaids"

Sharon laughed "I'm not interested in being your bridesmaid. This is much bigger than that."

Y/N looked at Steve confused "What is she talking about?"

Steve looked at the floor "We were just talking and I think we should cancel the wedding."

Her stomach dropped and she stammered for a minute until she could speak coherently "Cancel the wedding? Why?"

Sharon scoffed "Because he deserves better than you."

"Steve? What's going on? Why is she here?"

He finally looked her in the eye "Look, sweetheart. You know that I love you-"

"Do I?" She snapped "I'm not feeling very loved"

"We just aren't sure getting married is a good idea. As Captain America I have a lot of responsibilities and expectations on my shoulders. I don't know if marrying a former Widow sets a good example. Especially since you can't have kids." Steve tried to explain

"I suppose Sharon would be a better match? What did she say to you, Steve? Two days ago we were fine and you were looking forward to this just as much as I was. You spend a couple of days with Sharon and I'm suddenly not good enough for you?" BB snapped

"And Why do you keep saying we? Why is she in the middle of this?" She looked at his face but his eyes wouldn't meet hers but then she saw something "Steve, is that a hickey on your neck? How long has this been going on?"

Steve's hand moved quickly to cover up the mark "I know this seems like it's coming out of left field but the people might not understand me marrying someone like you" he explained awkwardly

She bristled "Someone like me? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Do Nat and Bucky know you think we are beneath you?"

Steve tried to take her hand but she pulled away as if he had bitten her "You know what it means, a former red room assassin. Marrying you would hurt my reputation, would hurt the country."

She slapped him "You son of a bitch. None of this is news, you told me a million times that my past doesn't matter. How would dumping your fiance help your reputation?

And Since when do you care about image and reputation? The Steve I fell in love with didn't care about all that. He cared about loyalty and doing what's right regardless of how it looked. You're obviously not that man."

Her face went blank, her eyes cold and emotionless "How. Long. Have. You. Been. Fucking her?"

Sharon scoffed "That gutter talk is one of many reasons you aren't right for him. And we've been together since I came back. You were just a placeholder"

BB glared at Sharon "You did this. You've been trying to get him back since he helped you get a pardon. I guess you win. He's all yours, just let me get my stuff moved."

She took off her engagement ring and dropped it on the coffee table then walked away to box up her things.

As BB carried boxes to her old room she ran into Nat and Bucky who looked confused by her tears and moving boxes

Bucky went to help her "What happened, Doll? Is this going to storage or something?"

When Bucky took the boxes she tried to speak up but couldn't and raced for her old room where she fell onto the bed, sobbing. Nat followed her and held her friend until the crying calmed.

BB looked up at Nat and Bucky with red, swollen eyes and whispered "He dumped me, wants to cancel the wedding. Said I'm not good enough for Captain America, it wouldn't look right for him to marry a former widow who couldn't have kids. He always told me he didn't care about any of that. It was Sharon, somehow she convinced him. She said they've been together since she came back." She couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

Bucky growled "I'm gonna kill him. I can't believe her would do this to you."

"No Jamie, please stay with me." BB pleaded.

Bucky nodded and leaned back against the headboard. BB laid her head on his chest and he wrapped his left arm around her rubbing up and down her back. Nat cuddled into his right side and laced her fingers with BB's hand on his chest. It didn't take long for the exhaustion to knock her out.

Bucky leaned over to kiss Nat, full and soft on the lips then the other way to kiss BB on her forehead "I dont know if I can let her go again, Nat. It kills me that she's hurting and Steve caused it. I want the three of us back together. Like we used to be." He whispered softly.

"I know love. He promised me that he wouldn't hurt her. We can't change what he did but I will do everything in my power to help her move on and to make Steve and that bitches life miserable."

Bucky chuckled softly "I know you will, my love. Just let me know what I can do to help."

BB woke up a couple of hours later because her stomach was growling. When she remembered where she was and why her stomach turned. She was still laying half on Bucky but Nat had gotten up awhile ago.

Bucky kissed her forehead "Hey beautiful. Did you have a good rest?"

BB tried to smile but her eyes started to fill up with tears and he pulled her close "Sshhh, it's alright Doll. I'm here. Nat and I will always be here for you."

"Where did she go?"

Bucky squeezed her "Nat went to get us something to eat, we didn't think you would want to deal with everyone tonite. Wanda made a stew and French bread."

BB sighed "Thank you Jamie. I don't know how I would survive without you and Nat. I don't understand why Steve is being like this." Tears started pooling in her eyes.

"I dont know baby but we've got you. Always." He tried to comfort her.

In the dining room dinner was loud like always, the returning team members telling stories about the last mission, some more believable than others. Sam loved to embellish.

When Nat came out alone Sam asked her "Where's your old man? You wear him out already?" He teased.

But before she could answer Steve came out holding Sharon's hand, causing Sam to do a double take "Excuse me, Cap? What the hell? Where's your girl?"

Steve held up his and Sharon's hands "Right here, where she belongs."

Sharon smirked and the table went silent while Steve acted like it was no big deal.

"Since when is Sharon your girl? What about BB?" Sam was getting angry

Steve sighed "We decided to cancel the wedding. It wasn't working"

"Go on, Rogers. Tell them what you did. Tell them why it wasn't working. Why you betrayed my friend." Nat spat at him.

Sharon rolled her eyes "That's between me and Steve, we are soulmates, meant to be together."

Nat growled "Sharon you need to shut the fuck up before I make you. Just remember karma is a bitch and so am I." She strode away with dinner for BB, Bucky and herself. Laughing at the sound of Sam, Wanda, Tony and Clint tearing into Steve.

When Nat returned to BBs room, BB had calmed down some and taken a quick shower. She couldn't eat much but forced a little down.

Clint stopped by to see how she was doing, he was like a brother to BB. She cried a little more but felt like she was out of tears already. Clint gave her a bear hug and promised to always be there for her. Even offered to take her to stay with him and Laura if she needed to get away. BB declined but thanked him and he headed home for a few days.

After watching some silly movies they all settled down to sleep.

BB was heartbroken, her chest felt hollow, like her heart had been ripped out and stomped on. She knew she was in for a rough time trying to deal with a breakup while still seeing the ex and his new partner every day but she also knew that she would always have Nat and Bucky. She fell asleep hoping tomorrow would be a better day.

Chapter 2