#it's great to no longer yell into the void but sometimes i miss the void occasionally yelling back

[glossolali]

POV you're a little twig of a wizard and a beautiful sea nymph just saved your life and wants to kiss you (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)

(it's caleb ok... it's the caleb in my sea god au fic)

[unfriedough]

‘Delusional’- Zuko x fem!reader (waterbender reader)

Part 1 II Masterlist <3

An: GOOD DAY FRIENDS. Today I present to you: Lightning part 2! This one ends in fluff so be excited yall. Oof this one's a long one-. Anyways, if you want to read this, I recommend reading the first part beforehand. Love you all so much, enjoy!

(p.s: a part of part 1 was edited bc it made no sense, so maybe go check that out lol)

Summary:

It’s been 2 months since they ended the war, and since Yn passed, yet Zuko still hasn’t been able to move on.

Warnings: Crying, nightmares, passing out.

“Yn?” Zuko called out.

He was in a void, nothingness. Nothingness, except for Yn, who stood before him. She clutched her stomach as she shivered.

“You did this to me.” she cried.

“Yn.”

“YOU'RE THE REASON I’M DEAD, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!” she yelled as she stumbled towards Zuko.

He was paralysed in fear, unable to do anything as she came right up to him.

“It should have been you,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face, before pushing him into the void.

He screamed as he fell, a black spike cutting through his body. Blood dripped from his stomach and when he looked forward, he saw Azula, and Yn - both eyeing him manically. Azula laughed before shooting lightning at Zuko.

“AHHHHH-”

--

“AHHH-” He screamed, frantically looking around.

He was in his room, not in the void, not being murdered. He was safe. He sighed before rubbing his head, attempting to calm himself.

“Just another nightmare, Just another nightmare. It’s not real. It's not real.” Zuko mumbled slowly.

That was the third time he had that nightmare, and that’s just that week. In fact, Zuko estimates he experienced it more than 20 times so far - and it’s only been 2 months.

2 months. 2 months since he lost her.

Sighing, he pulled himself out of bed, and onto his desk. He pulled out a sheet of paper and began writing.

“Dear Yn,

I had another nightmare. My days are becoming more unbearable by the second, I can’t hang on for much longer. I miss you. So, so much. I miss your laughter, and your face, and your kisses, your hugs, even your witty comments. I miss the feeling of you holding my arm, and sometimes catch myself doing it, to fill the void. I have never felt more empty. I can only hope that somehow, I’ll be able to see you again. I hope the spirit world finds you well.

Lots of love,

Your loyal boyfriend,

Zuko”

He carefully set the pen down, and placed the paper in his drawer, a pile of letters for Yn sitting inside. It was how he coped, but lately the amount of letters has been growing quite rapidly. He tucked the papers into the drawer, before getting ready for the day.

That day was supposed to be fun, his friends were visiting! But Zuko felt really out of it, especially because of the troubles he endured that morning.

--

After spending a whole day with the gAang, he retired to his room, where he stood on the balcony. Zuko chose not to sleep, in fear of his dreams, and so here he was. All alone.

The firelord flinched as he heard ruffling from inside his room. He quickly turned around and ran into the room, only to be met with his letters all over the ground. He almost sprinted out of the room to catch the intruder, but something caught his eye. A letter. But not in his handwriting, and not directed at Yn - but at him. He furrowed his brows and walked over to the letter, gently moving the pen off of the paper.

“Dear Zuko,

I miss you more than you could ever imagine. Life in the spirit world has been great, and I managed to speak with some knowledgeable spirits. Somehow, my body isn’t fully transferred in, and so, we found a way for me to be brought back. Y-”

“NO THAT CAN’T BE IT! NO NO NO!” It appears Zuko walked into the room before the writer could finish their message.

But the young firelord knew one thing, that handwriting was Yn’s - somehow.

--

The next night, Zuko stood out on the balcony again, this time full of excitement. He had set up a pen and a paper for Yn to write on, and now had to wait patiently. After two hours, he heard soft humming and rustling, she finally came! He bounced back and forth on the balls of his feet, and listened to the melody that was her voice.

He felt a tap on his shoulder, and he whipped his head around. Only to see his door open, and the letter complete. He ran over to it, sliding onto his knees and picked it up, continuing where he left off.

“You need to be in a place which holds the wonders of spirits, dangerous yet tranquil, sweet yet poisonous. And to a sky lit pond where the animals drink for prosperity, only then will you be given further instructions.

Lots of love,

Your faithful spirit-girlfriend,

Yn”

Zuko gasped, he needed to tell his friends!

--

The next morning came relatively slowly, because Zuko couldn’t sleep. They were all seated at the dining table, and the gAang had surely noticed a change in his attitude. He carefully slid the letter on the table, Katara raising a brow as she pulled it closer.

“Zuko what?” She read, “Wait this is Yn’s handwriting.”

Sokka snatched the paper from Katara, and examined it himself.

“Where did you get this?”

“Actually I think her spirit wrote it, in my room.”

Everyone stared at Zuko, wide eyed.

“I’m sorry, WHAT?”

“Surprisingly, he isn’t lying.” Toph assured.

“Well, give us a few more details,”

“Um, well, basically. I was on my balcony and I heard someone in my room. When I went to look, there was an incomplete letter with her handwriting addressed to me. The next night I did the same, and I heard her humming a tune as she finished the letter, then she tapped me on my shoulder to signal she was done, and now we’re here.”

“I don’t know Zuko, this all seems very weird, maybe someone broke into your room?” Aang said.

“I’m not crazy! I know what I heard!” the firelord snapped.

The gAang all looked at him worried, and he realised what he looked like - an insane widower clinging onto any hope of his girlfriend. He sighed.

“Well, we don’t even know what this means, ‘a place which holds the wonders of spirits, dangerous yet tranquil, sweet yet poisonous’?”

Zuko stormed out of the room, angry at his friends' behaviour. DIdn’t they miss her? Or care for her? Or even like her? He heard Aang calling to him, but all Zuko could see was red. He would have to do this on his own, somehow.

Nightfall came, and the young firebender couldn’t decode the riddle.

“C’mon Yn, couldn’t you have made this a little easier!” He huffed as he threw his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Knock knock!

Zuko stood up and slowly walked towards the door, to find Katara on the other side.

He raised a brow as Katara slid into his room, closing the door behind her.

“I solved it.”

It took a second for Zuko to understand but when he did, his jaw fell slightly. She sat on his desk, pulling out multiple papers.

“Look,” she said, signaling for the firelord to come near.

Once he was at his desk he scanned the sheets and sure enough, she came to a conclusion.

“Wisteria Valley, at the fluorescent pond,” Zuko muttered.

The waterbender smiled.

“Get ready and meet me on Appa, in 10.”

He nodded, and she slipped out of the room. He frantically ran to his closet, pulling out a fully black outfit, and packing a simple bag.

He sprinted out of his room as quietly as he could and made his way to the Bison - quickly climbing up with the subtle assistance of the disguised water bender.

“Yip Yip, Appa!” Katara whispered as she took the reins.

--

“There, let’s land here.”

Zuko nodded as they landed. Once they grabbed all their stuff, they opted to leave Appa outside. Katara had a few connections and was able to safely keep Appa with a friend of a friend.

“Ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

--

The duo walked through the valley, admiring the surrounding nature. Friendly chatter filled the air every once in a while.

“So, Katara, why exactly did you choose to help,”

She forced a light smile before replying:

“Well, I can’t help but feel partially involved in her death. Maybe if I was a little stronger.” She bit down hard on her lip.

“I’m sure she doesn’t blame you Katara,” he smiled at her.

She offered a smile back before looking ahead.

Rustling could be heard near them, both of the young adults on high alert. A small fairy like being emerged from the trees. It neared them slowly, the two of them suddenly mesmerized by the creature.

“What do you think it is,”

“I-I’m not sure.”

As it played on Katara’s shoulder for a bit, Zuko looked around.

“Illusionist wasps,” he muttered, after seeing the hive, “WATCH OUT!”

He pushed Katara away, and the wasp began to chase them, however now it was in a pack, and in its natural form.

“Of course!” Katara face palmed.

They continued to escape it, but not too long after, they got cornered. They both instinctively tried to bend, but it wouldn’t work - this was really the end. They held onto the tree behind them, and braced for impact.

Zuko kept his eyes shut tightly, and little by little, he heard the wasps evade. When he opened his eyes, he was met with a confused Katara.

“They just left? H-how is that possible?”

“Maybe because,” he racked his brain for a possible reason.

“Maybe because a spirit invited us!” Katara yelled.

Zuko hummed in agreement.

“Is that the pond?”

The waterbender’s face lit up as she grabbed his arm and pulled him to the small body of water. They both stared at it in awe as it began to light up.

A spirit emerged. Just as it opened it’s mouth to speak, a catdeer disturbed the waters. And just as fast as it came, it disappeared.

“NO NO NO,” Zuko yelled in frustration.

Katara simply fell to her knees, staring at her reflection.

“We failed,” she said slowly.

Zuko began to sob, his knees gave up, sinking him to the grass below. He was shaking and crying, unable to fathom the fact that they were so close.

“Uhh Zuko, what’s happening?”

The firebender’s eyes shot up as he looked around. All sorts of spirit animals gathered around. A young saber tooth moose lion spirit carefully went into the water, splashing around. Just then, it was picked up by the water. Zuko looked at Katara, but she shrugged.

“That wasn’t me,”

Their attention was brought back to the pond, as a figure began to form. Figure made purely from water. The being picked up the small moose lion and set it on the land, before walking up to the pair. It moved from between them and signaled for them to follow. They exchanged looks but ultimately followed. She led them to a more secluded part of the forest.

She looked at Zuko and motioned lighting with her hand.

“I think she wants you to shoot lightning at her.”

“But why though.”

“Is that really the only question you have. If I were you, I would just do whatever walking water here wants.”

The spirit seemed to find that nickname funny, as bubbles emerged from her laughing mouth. Of course they couldn't hear her, but it was quite obvious.

“Uh okay.”

She signaled for Zuko to wait as she sat down on the ground. She motioned an ‘action’ slice with her hand, and Zuko shot. He didn’t expect for lightning to emerge (his bending hadn’t worked earlier) but it did, and the lightning was purple. The spirit began to glow, and glow, and glow, until she was so bright that the duo couldn’t see. They passed out.

They awoke hours later, the sun directly above. Zuko looked around, locating Katara and Yn.

Wait, Yn? Wait Yn! He nudged Katara, effectively waking her up, before running over to Yn.

“Zuko?” She whispered.

He nodded and pulled her into a tight hug. She pulled away slightly, and wiped a tear that fell from his eyes, before moving to Katara.

“Yn...”

Yn ran into Katara, holding her tight.

“It’s not your fault,” she said.

Katara smiled and nodded.

“And it isn’t yours either,” she turned to Zuko again, giving him a bright smile. Somehow, she knew they both blamed themselves for her demise.

“Okay let’s go home, this forest is creepy,” Yn said, finally breaking that ethereal spirit voice.

Katara and Zuko burst out laughing. She was finally back.

--

“Ya know, Zuko,” Yn started.

“Mhm,” He smiled.

“The letter you wrote was so cute, I didn’t know you were so poetic.” She teased.

Zuko immediately blushed and she pulled him in for a short and sweet kiss.

“I love you,” He said.

“I love you too,”

Katara smiled after hearing this conversation, the guilt she felt could finally be released.

An: I FINALLY FINISHED IT. Sorry this took forever, I have a short attention span ig. This story is all over the place LMAO. Anyways, AS ALWAYS, hope you enjoyed this story, SEE YA!

Taglist: <3

@shadyruinskryptonite

[cipheress-to-k-pop]

Harry Osborn x Alexander!Reader

Anonymous said: i was wondering if you could do a dating Harry Osborn headcanon but with the reader being Sam's Alexander's twin sis? (usm)

Sam was your twin brother

Unfortunately, being slightly older than you was the reason he got the Nova Corps helmet

And you were left with nothing

But he was still the greatest brother ever

Since the two of you were the only family you had left, you ended up relying on each other very much

But there was always some distance in your relationship because he would go on these amazing adventures with the guardians

And you were left at home waiting for him

But he still tried to make sure that you had a strong bond

You and Harry became friends because you had one thing in common

The fact that you had been abandoned by your superhero friends

Of course, you knew that Sam was Nova so it didn’t feel as bad

You lived with him on the Helicarrier and knew all about his superhero life

But Harry never knew that Peter was Spiderman

So, you immediately felt bad for him

You met the first time because both Peter and Sam were missing from Chem Lab

So, you two were the only ones left alone

So obviously the teacher paired the two of you up

And it turns out, the two of you make a great team

Which is weird because neither of you have an aptitude for it

And that’s how you started talking and eventually spending time together

Harry was really sweet to you

And you always thought he’d be kind of snooty because he was rich

But he’s really charming

Not to mention handsome

The amount of times he’s caught you just staring at him with stars in your eyes

Because he’s 

SO

“Like what you see?” 

DAMN

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

PRETTY

“Try not to drool.”

And you swear you don’t like him

But sometimes he teases you and leans in and it’s like you can’t breathe

Harry definitely lets it go to his head that you always get so blushy around him

Once he did this thing where he cages you against the wall

And you’re just having a casual heart attack

Sam obviously has his own things going on so he doesn’t really notice

And honestly that kind of hurts you

Harry definitely notices your disheartened face when your twin brother bails on you

Tries and makes up for it but he can’t really fill the void that your brother leaves

He definitely helps tho

And sometimes Harry is like

“I’ve just about had enough of them ignoring us.”

And he wants to give them a piece of his mind

But you always stop him because you know they can’t help it

Unfortunately, though, you and Sam begin drifting apart

And you start relying on Harry more than your brother

Things honestly go downhill from there

When the Helicarrier gets destroyed and sinks, so does your home

While your brother moves into Peter’s place as a kind of team building exercise

You get shipped off to a S.H.I.E.L.D. housing facility

Even though Sam tried to argue with you staying with him

Fury wanted Sam to stay with the rest of the team

And Peter couldn’t house you too

But you couldn’t bear going into the housing facility, filled with agents and no friends

So, when you show up at Harry’s in tears, with absolutely no belongings, he has no choice to take you in

And so, the two of you begin living together

The big kick to the stomach is that Sam doesn’t realize that you’re not at the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility

And he doesn’t seem to care that the two of you are living apart for the first time since your birth

But Harry is such a great housemate

Absolutely the best

Long drives to wherever while either talking or singing horribly to some songs

Late movie nights where he carries you to bed

Studying together on the couch

Cooking together even though he has maids and butlers

And you’re just falling deeper and deeper

It feels like your married even though you haven’t even said that you’ve liked each other

But you both know that you do

There’s a certain intimacy that you have

Like Harry kissing your forehead before he leaves the house

Cuddling on the couch while watching a movie

Back hugs while you wash the dishes even though Harry insists that the staff can do it

Harry is like the protective husband you dreamed about having

At this point, you and Sam don’t even talk anymore

Aside from some mundane chatting in the middle of the hallways

And you’re starting to get over it

Obviously, it kind of hurts

But at the same time, you’re also angry

And this whole time Harry just kind of stands on the side-lines

Watching your brother take you for granted

But the time he loses his temper is on your birthday

He tried contacting him the whole day because he wanted to have a party for you

But neither him nor Peter picked up the phone

When Harry finally surprised you with a gift

Your first response was

“Have you heard from my brother?”

“Uh, no, actually, I tried calling but he didn’t pick up.”

And that kind of hurts because you usually get alerts from S.H.I.E.L.D. whenever there’s a mission so you don’t have to worry about him

But you didn’t get an alert so he was obviously not on a mission

In reality, the team tricked Sam saying that they had a mission

And then rerouting the plane to go to a remote island to celebrate

Completely forgetting about you

And so did Sam

So, you just try and forget and open the present

And there lies two premier tickets to the newest movie

“Harry, I can’t accept this, it’s too much.”

“Nooo, please, I got invited and it’ll be such a bore if I go alone.”

“I don’t know....”

“Think of it as a birthday present to me.”

You laughed

“So, this is your birthday present and mine?? Anything else? Your dad’s birthday too?”

“Actually, let’s mix in our first date with it too.”

And the two of you are in the papers the next day as the newest couple

With pictures of Harry kissing you on the red carpet

That’s how your brother finds out that you’ve been staying with the Osborn’s for 2 weeks now

And Sam tries calling you but you’re honestly so upset that you don’t even pick up the phone

So, he goes over to your place

And you’re not home

But Harry is

And as soon as Sam sees him, he tries to give the brother protective speech

But Harry honestly gets so annoyed

He just punches him right in the face

And all the staff are like ‘le gasp’

Sam is like wtf man why are you punching your girlfriends’ brother

And Harry loses it

Yells at him about how he hasn’t been paying you any attention the past month, left you to live with someone else and basically not even giving him the time of day anymore

And the most important day of your life, the day the two of you were born, he was halfway across the world

Sam finally realizes how neglectful he’s been and immediately feels like crap

Harry tells him to get his act together because you won’t wait forever

Sam listens and goes home so he can figure out how to make it up to you

And when you get home, Harry has a bruise on his knuckles and you’re just like

“What happened?”

“Oh, I fell.”

“On your knuckles?”

“Yep.”

“Okay then.”

The next day you get a call from Sam and he asks to meet you

You’re honestly kind of surprised

And something inside makes you want to reject him

But you get over your spite and pride and agree

When you get to the cafe Sam wanted to meet you, you’re shocked af to find him with a black eye

“Oh, my goodness! What happened?!”

“I, uh, got the lights knocked out of me.”

“By a villain?”

“Sure.”

He apologizes for everything that happened in the past month

And promises to do a better job

All the feel-good brother stuff

And Harry is just so happy for you

So basically, Harry fixed your family relations and became a part of your family

Idk how to end this

The end

Forever Taglist: @simonsbluee​

USM Taglist: @imcarolinashannon​

[amara-scott]

Confessions

Movie: Harry Potter (Maurauders Era) Characters: Remus Lupin x Reader Categories: Fluffy and Sweet

More Harry Potter Universe Imagines

Full Masterlist

It was a cold winter morning when Lilly woke me up to join her at breakfast. I groggily complied, following her without having exchanged a word. I am not a morning person. And she very much knows that. But she is my friend and leaving her to go alone on a Saturday morning would be too cruel. Simply because of one person. James Potter- we all know they are meant to be. They are both just too stubborn. Well, Lilly is. James would marry her right there and then.

"Thanks again, (y/n), you know I can't handle him. Especially not in the mornings." I just smirk, nodding.

But my smirk is wiped off my tired face as soon as I catch a glimpse of Remus. Remus Lupin. Aka the death of me. Those brown locks and shy smile drive me mad. Sure I didn't tell anybody, everyone would make fun of me for it. Just like they do with Potter and Evans. Besides, I know he doesn't feel the same. He has a huge crush on that Gryffindor Girl that has luscious golden locks and full, pouty lips. It's hopeless, really. But Lilly has other plans as she drags me with her, right up to the Marauders.

"Good morning, beautiful Lilly-flower. How did you sleep?" There's the reason why I'm here.

"Shut it Potter, not today." Lilly mutters as she sits down opposite him and pulls me down next to her. Her small blush obvious to everyone. I sit down. Right next to Remus. I try not to show my excitement. Or how nervous I've gotten all of a sudden. And definitely not turn toward him.

It must have been too forced which is why Sirius sends a smirk my way. I raise an eyebrow in return.

“Why so tense, (Y/N)? Can’t handle the beauty in front of you? You seem overwhelmed-“

“Actually, let me stop you right there, Sirius. Nothing of the above.” Remus chuckles next to me but it turns into a muffled cough, which catches my attention and I can’t help and turn too look at him. The first time I really do today. And a sense of hurt fills me as I see his scared face. Another rough night. I lift a hand to touch his shoulder but decide against it mid-air.

“Remus, are you alright?” He doesn’t glance back just pokes at his food and still holding a fist to his lips after the cough. He shakes his head and ignores my question. I frown and turn back forward, trying to feel hungry. Actually, trying to feel anything but a void in my stomach. And hurt. He never ignored me. Sure, he is frank sometimes and maybe doesn’t always looks me in the eye when we talk but- he never once ignored me.

“Soo, are we going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?” James asks, trying to cut the tension at the table but I can’t hold it in anymore and am scared they will see my glossy eyes.

I shake my head and stand up briefly. “Sorry.” I speed walk down the table and out of the Great Hall. I only stop once I reached the common room and decide to sit on the couch until classes would start. Who needs food anyway. I bury my head in a book and nearly miss to leave for our first class. Potions. Funny enough this is the only class I usually sit next to Remus because James sat next to Lilly the first time. Now I slow down my walk and hope he might have switched seats. When I enter though Remus is glancing around until his eyes land on me. I freeze for a second but gulp down my nerves and take my usual seat next to him.

It’s quite for a while. I don’t look over and he doesn’t say anything. Not even raising his hand when I can clearly see he did his homework and knows the correct answer.

A paper ball lands on his side of the desk which catches my attention. I don’t want to be nosey so I don’t try to read what’s written there. But I get where it must have come from by the look he is sending over to Sirius. Sirius gestures wildly at him, looking stern and I frown until he points over to me and our eyes meet- he quickly whips his hand up and ruffles his hair, sending me an awkward smile with a wave. Then turns back around.

I frown but don’t question it any further, trying to also ignore the eyes I feel on the side of my face. I Scribble down on my parchment but can’t help and notice Remus clearing his throat a couple times. After the third time I sigh and glance up. He’s wringing his fingers below the table and his eyes dart up as he sees me looking up. His eyes growing wide for a second before he sends me a small, uneasy smile.

“Hey.” He whispers. I can’t help but let my gaze linger on the scar below his eye. It looks painful and I quickly relax my face as I notice I’ve been cringing at him.

“Hi.” I reply and have to send a smile back. I can’t stop myself. He does that to me. Goofball. I am about to turn back to our task as he opens his mouth, inhaling- as if to say something. But he stops himself.

I raise a brow at him and wait. “What’s up?” Is add, trying to encourage him to keep going.

“I- I just-“ he smiles down at his hands and turns toward me slightly, “-I wanted to apologize. You probably think I’m absolutely rude and, and insufferable-“

He wants to ramble on but I glance up to the podium to see McGonogall sending us a suspicious look. I turn back to Remus, taking one of his fidgety hands and he stops talking, looking down at our hands.

“Remus, it’s okay. I still like you- let’s get back to work and talk later, alright?” I give him another small smile and he sighs, sending one back, nodding.

It took a short moment longer before I let go off his hand and turn back forward. I shield my warm cheeks from his view with my hair covering them now. The grin on my face suppressed.

___

“So- who’s up for a ride on our magnificent sled this fine evening?” James asks as he rounds the couch of the common room where Lilly and I sit, reading and talking. Our eyes go up to him as Sirius joins his side, throwing an arm over his shoulder and sending us mischievous smile. I roll my eyes and glance over to Lilly who’s sighing. But she wears a smile, her eyes finding mine.

“What do you say?” She asks me and I shrug my shoulders, standing up and throwing the book onto the soft cushioned couch.

“Why not, it’s beautiful outside.”

“Remus is coming as well~” Sirius is singing teasingly as he walks off with James to get ready, but not without winking at me over his shoulder. My eyes grow wide at his remark. Does he know? I tried really hard to hide that crush.

“-(Y/N)? Let’s go, come on.” Lilly pulls me out of my trance and pulls me after her at my sleeve.

“So, what’s that with you and Remus?” She asks, a small grin on her lips.

“What do you mean? Nothings going on.” I reply, maybe too quickly because Lilly sends me another big goofy grin and I roll my eyes, as she rummages through her stuff, throwing a beanie at me and one of her gryffindor scarfs.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” She mumbles and we jog back down to the common room, waiting for the boys.

As they join us, James picks up a squealing Lilly and runs ahead. Sirius carries the sleds and nods at us. “See you there, losers.” He runs off as well, yelling after them. Now it’s just Remus and me. Peter needed to rest, he’s been sick for a few days already, enjoying his peace in Madame Pomfrey’s Medical Wing.

“Are you going anywhere special this Christmas?” I ask, trying to cut the tension I felt growing. I loved that we quietly, without saying a word, decided not to run after them. We kept walking normally.

“No, just staying home, what about you?” I bury my hands deep in my pockets as we step outside, the wind instantly blowing across our skin.

“No, neither do we. My grandparents are coming over this year tho, so- that will be interesting.” I mumble and he chuckles, I glance up at him.

“I couldn’t hear what you were saying.” I realize I’ve talked into my scarf and push it down a little, my face now warm anyway.

“Hey! Watch out-“ I can’t even look at the source of the voice when a snowball hits me right on the cheek. I stumble, squeezing my eyes shut but Remus holds me before I slip.

I blink my eyes open, Remus wiping at my cheek, frowning. “Are you alright?” I nod quickly, staring into his warm eyes.

“Guys, come on!” Sirius whines and runs over.

“Seriously, be more careful Sirius.” Remus mumbles, quite annoyed as he turns to him, his hand leaving my hair, where he had also tried to get the snow wiped away.

“Aw, are you mad I threw snow at your girlfriend?” He smirks and folds his arms. I stare at the icy ground now and Remus says something under his breath while bending down and collecting a pile of snow, Sirius quickly runs off and giggles. Remus runs after him, holding his beanie as it’s slipping off.

“Get back here, Black!”

I hide my smile behind the scarf and walk toward where Lilly is watching James, who seems to struggle with a spell. He rearranged his glasses, his cheeks slightly tinted pink as he sends a shy smile over to Lilly. “I nearly got it.”

“Hey, why aren’t you sledding yet?” I ask as I join Lilly’s side.

“James wanted to make the sled bigger so- more people could fit on. But-“

“-I nearly got it, okay?” He clears his throat again and gulps. He gets so flustered, trying to prove himself to Lilly. It’s absolutely adorable. “Enlargio!”

I take a step back and Lilly follows suit. The sled grows in size, not too much either. Well, I guess successful?

“See?” He smirks and gestures toward his accomplishment. Lilly claps, her mittens muting the sound.

“Well done, you mighty wizard.” I add and he glares over, taking a pile of snow quickly. I hold my hands up.

“Sorry, sorry, please don’t- I already got enough snow in my face for today.” He chuckles and we look over to Remus still running after Sirius, he finally tackles him to the ground and pushes a snowball into Sirius’ face. We all laugh at the scene and walk over, up the hill.

“Hey, let poor Sirius go, I think he learned his lesson.” Lilly states and I nod, smirking at Remus as he stands up, out of breath, just as Sirius.

The latter stands up too, wiping himself off the snow and flares at Remus.

“What was that for anyway?” James asks and Sirius smirks through his white lashes.

“Yeah, Remus, what for?”

“I just- just don’t be so rude to-“

“-to, (Y/N)?” Sirius finishes for him and I roll my eyes, Remus sighing.

“Yes.” He grits out and I raise a brow at them both. They are standing now, facing each other again, Remus looking ready to throw another snowball if Sirius kept talking. And Sirius- well he just doesn’t know when to stop.

“Why don’t you just tell her that you like her? Maybe then I’ll stop.” He grabs more snow and strides my way, throwing a look over his shoulder at Remus. I shriek and turn, running away. But I am no way as fast as he is. He grabs me around my waist with one arm and lifts me up, laughing as I try to wriggle free. He holds his other hand close to my face, turning us to face the others.

“Come on Remus, you know what to do-“

“Sirius, stop, I’m gonna get sick-“

“I like her, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Don’t tell me, Remus, tell her-“ Sirius turns me further and I stop struggling, looking at Remus. He seems in conflict but shuts is eyes for a moment. When he looks back at me he gulps and steps forward.

“I- I really like you. A lot.” I want to throw my scarf and beanie off, that’s how hot I got and run toward him. Telling him I feel the same. But before I can even say anything I feel cold snow. My eyes back closed. I step on his foot now causing Sirius to finally let me go.

Remus is by my side once again and helps me with the snow. “I’ll kill him.” He whispers and runs his thumb across my cheek.

“You may. But- not without-“ I lean up and holds his face as I press a kiss to his lips. Brief but all I needed to tell him I return the feelings. He smiles down at me, his face now warm and eyes lingering on my lips and back up my eyes.

“I’ll be right back.” He adds quietly and runs around me, Sirius not noticing at first so they both stumble to the ground and throw snow at each other.

Lilly walks up and James follows suit. “Well, that took longer than expected- I owe Peter 5 galleons now.” I whip my head toward him and frown, he looks back at me, startled. “Did I say that out loud?” I nod at him. “Oh oh.” He turns around and runs off, me hot on his heels and Lilly joins me.

“Come back here, Potter!”

_________________________________

More Harry Potter Universe Imagines

Full Masterlist

[hellisheuphoria]

No Place To Go: Chapter One.

The soloution to ending your own suffering may be the one thing you may fear the most.

[Warning! This story includes extremely triggering topics such as suicide, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and self harm so please read at your own risk. Thank you <3]

There is often nothing better than the thought of ending your own suffering. This thought often occurs when you have injured yourself. Like when you have broken a bone, or stubbed your own toe. Or when you’ve got a toothache.

There’s always someone there to help you, to relieve you of your pain. Like a dentist, or a doctor. When you’ve hurt yourself, you know there’s always someone you can turn to. They’re there in your mind, you can’t forget them.

”But why, why does it hurt to breathe?” You ask yourself, laying alone in your dark room. It was bedtime a long time ago, the entire house stood still and unmoving, and nothing could be heard.

You weren’t sure for how long you were in your room. It was completely and fully dark, with no traces of light.

You were still and motionless, much like a dormant marionette. The strings that held you together and made you move were dead and void of any life.

If only you could just sleep. You would kill someone to sleep. Maybe you could ask Solomon to aid you with a sleeping spell, or you could ask Lucifer if they sold any medicine in the Devildom.

You couldn’t feel anything. You were numb, you were dead. There was nothing to keep you grounded. Not even the demon brothers.

You were used to this, though. You’d been like this since you were younger. There was nothing in life that made it worth living for you, and perhaps you were only here, alive and breathing, for the sake of not letting those around you to feel hurt- to feel the same way you did before you would be gone.

You were no Lilith. You didn’t have any strong sense “to stay alive”. If you were in her shoes as she was dying, you wouldn’t have wanted to continue your meaningless existence.

She was admirable, and you were not. They all loved her, you know they do. Honestly, they still do. You can see it when they speak to you, happy and excited.

It’s so easy to forge a lie. It was your innate ability to speak anything but the truth, to look like anything but the truth. It was a very handy talent in the recent years of your life.

And so you would lie to them. You would “share” their happiness with them, when in reality, you just wanted to walk away and not look back. Or go sleep in your room, with the door locked. You wanted anything but to be close to somebody.

You didn’t want to feel the sense of ‘belonging’. Nothing could ever sweeten the painful continuance of your life. Not even by a little bit.

“What would happen to those who’d killed themselves?”, you pondered. You were quite literally in Hell, and could find nothing but demons as the only residents of this place.

If you’d killed yourself here, would you just come back? Would you cease to exist? Would you end up back in the human world? Or would you become a demon?

After all, it was practically a universal rule that those who died by their own hand would have committed a great sin by ending their own lives.

You were far from innocent, anyways. From what you could recall, harming yourself was another sin on the list, and there was plenty of evidence on your body to show that, such as your arms.

The blood had dried long ago, the red deepening and turning into a reddish-brown, signifying that it had started the healing process. The cuts lay jagged and messily over your arms, extending up to your elbow.

You were nothing but ashamed. Why should you care? Any sort of embarrassment you may have once felt had dried out long ago, and there was nothing but an empty shell of what you used to be in its place.

You wanted anything but to exist. So you’d hoped that if you- when you’d kill yourself, you would no longer be here, not even your soul should be left behind. It was useless for anyone, anyways.

You had it all planned out. Sometime, sooner or later, you would kill yourself. Maybe in a few days or a week. Perhaps you could drown yourself in Asmo’s bathtub, or provoke a gang of demons so they would kill you.

Nobody would miss you. They should have been used to it, by now. You were human. Your lifespan was only a blip in their radar, and they were once angels who’d dealt with people that once lived, and after death would be reverted back to their ‘true’ form, such as a soul.

You wouldn’t be missed. Your family would forget as fast as they mourned, and the demon brothers would live for thousands of years after your death, be it either from your own hand or other causes.

So why should you hesitate to die prematurely?

Death wasn’t a touchy subject for them. For Lilith, that is another case. But in general, they were unbothered. They constantly threatened with death threats to even their own brethren, and at one point you had been murdered by one of them.

Oh, how you missed the feeling of being nonexistent, feeling like you were permanently hovering in the empty space as though you were underwater. It was calm and soothing, up until the point where Lilith sent you back in time to witness the death of yourself from not too long ago, as the one who’d killed you laughed, cackling in sadistic pleasure as your flame died, snuffed and gasping for air to sustain it.

Belphegor. You would thank him a million times for allowing you to finally feel a sort of serenity that you had been craving your entire life, yet too scared to try.

He was your saviour, in a way, and you wished he would do it again. That he would hurt you, harm you, make you bleed- anything to fasten the process in which would allow you to return to the state of tranquility and serenity that you craved so much.

There was nothing for you here. Nothing in life was permanent.

You felt yourself getting sleepier, your eyes dropping and your body shifting further into your mattress. At least, this was the closest you could get to death before you would die by your own hand.

You then fell from this overbearing world and crashed into a state of nothing.

———————————————————————

You woke up to the sound of rapid banging on your door, and voices shouting from the other side- namely, Mammon.

“Hey, human!” He yelled, almost loud enough to shake the house. “Are ya getting ready for school or not?!”

You groaned, pulling a hand up to your face and dragging it, feeling the panic rise up in your chest already. “I- yeah, I’ll be ready soon. You don’t have to wait up for me.”

“What do you mean not wait? You could get attacked! And you sound sick- MC, open the door! I’m coming in!”

You flinched at the sudden high volume of his voice, and immediately looked down to see yourself wearing a tank top, baring the sin on your arm fully.

You yelled back just as he turned the doorknob, “No! Mammon, stay out there! I’m not decent!”

You heard the door knob twist back and Mammon hurriedly stumble back, almost tripping on his own shoes as he fell, rear first, on the floor.

“O-oh! I’ll just wait for you by the d-door, then! Hurry up, though! The great Mammon doesn’t have time to be waiting for humans!” He nervously exclaimed, then scurried to the entrance.

“I know you don’t.” You mumbled to yourself, while throwing off your pajamas and tslippjng on your uniform, not caring for your hair or teeth. You could always brush them later.

You tried making an effort to at least look decent, but failed, and so you settled for your “out of bed look”, which you’d been ‘proudly’ exhibiting everyday, not having any shame.

You walked over to the entrance where Mammon had been waiting and put on your shoes, exhausted to deal with the day ahead.

“Hey, MC..” Mammon trailed off, eyeing you suspiciously.

“Are you okay?”

[bebopwhore]

Ballad of The Nightmare: Spike Spiegel x Reader

A/N: hello! This is my first fanfic I’ve ever written or posted and I am so scared! I’m a Spike whore which is why I made this blog. There aren’t enough Spike fanfics/imagines anywhere and it kills me! Shoutout to @ificouldhelpyouforget for having the best Spike writing! If there are any other great ones I’m probably missing please send them my way. Anyway I hope people read and like this, requests are very much welcome:) would love to hear some feedback. I have a part 2 coming if people actually enjoy this!

ps There’s an episode reference and I’m aware Faye wasnt actually in the scene I talk about but it’s just for spice✨

Summary: You’re a part of the bebop crew and after seeing Spike fall from the cathedral window while fighting Vicious, you have a nightmare about the whole ordeal ending way worse than it did and go check on his injured self.

Warnings: a bit of violence, non detailed but mention of wounds, angsty, fluffy, a little language

Vicious was running, running straight toward me with fire in his eyes. He was an animal and there was no stopping him, he was so close to grabbing my black coat trailing behind me. Arms suddenly shove me away from him and I tumble down to the ground. It was an armed green haired figure in his long brown coat. A quick scream came out of my mouth as soon as I realized what he was doing and my voice felt gone. “SPIKE NO” I managed to let out but it was too late, his gun was flung away from him. Vicious had him pinned to the ground ready to shred him to bits with his Katana. I was shooting and shooting from the ground but nothing could stop vicious. His whole body was bulletproof in that moment. In midst of his struggle Spike slowly turned his head to look at me, the katana was against his chest about to go against our wishes. “I love you” he mouthed and I had started sobbing uncontrollably screaming his name for the last time.

Feeling like she was being watched y/n’s body shot up, waking almost immediately as soon as the katana started to cut into the chest of her green haired angel. Burying her head into her hands and knees, her head continued to throb the headache from just a few hours earlier. Images of Spike’s bandaged body from his fall at the cathedral just the night before kept flashing in her mind.

She was very bitter at Faye for leaving him by himself and wouldn’t stop yelling at her once they got on the bebop with Spike and his broken bones. Every time Spike was seriously hurt he would try not to dump his whole weight on to y/n’s side but this round he did. He was nearly lifeless and it scared the shit out of her .

Shivering, she sighed a defeated puff out of her mouth. “stupid good for nothing bitch” she breathed out. She loved Faye like a sister but hated the choices that girl would make sometimes.

I sat up slowly and got out of bed. In just my night tank and shorts I threw on a light jacket and quietly stepped out of my room, closing my door slowly and being mindful of Spike resting on the big yellow couch just a few feet away. I really needed pain relievers but I also really needed to check on him. My heart ached no matter how many times ive seen him in this condition. I worried for him all the time and this nightmare didn’t help. Heading straight to the kitchen first, making sure I made zero noise I took a Tylenol and gulped it down with water and hurried to go be with my sleeping beauty

With the intention of feeding Spike if he woke up I had an orange and a water bottle in hand. I crept slowly out of the kitchen in the dark with nothing but Ed’s monitors being my only source of light. I turn the corner and there he was, bandaged like a mummy, multiple cuts on his cheek. He was snoring very lightly with his lips parted. He looked like an Angel who just fell from the sky. I frowned and sat on the coffee table barely a few inches across from him and stared. Stared into his closed eyes, begging for them to lift up. He was in a deep sleep. I took in the rest of his body and fought so hard not to touch it. I loved seeing his bare chest and collarbones any time I could, even if they were covered in gauze. At the end of his hour long workouts I always made sure I was in the living room so I could see his bare torso and pulsing veins when he headed toward the shower. Hopefully he hadn’t caught on to that. He’d always smile when he’d see me and give me the usual “take a picture itll last longer” comment. He was a flirt and so was I but we never really touched each other. Only when it came to saving the other’s ass.

I recall the time we were in Ganymede and there was a shootout in a restaurant involving this cult rat group of siblings. Jet, Faye, Spike and I were having dinner and spying on our next hit. Out of nowhere bullets started flying everywhere and the four of us booked it under the table. As soon as I got under, Spike pulled my arm into him very quickly and held me to his chest, wrapping his arms around my head to protect it. Soon his whole body consumed me. That was the first time I’ve ever felt so safe in my life. But why didn’t he hold Faye instead? Or at least the both of us? She’s a woman too? I kept thinking afterward. I didn’t ask him in fear of the moment being ruined but you can count on Faye to say what everyone’s thinking. Spike ignored her and Faye ignored the both of us the rest of that day.

I didn’t realize I was smirking til my attention was brought back to Spike’s injuries. Blood was seeping through the bandages of his left arm, I gently grazed his wrist and opened his arm up to rest on my thighs. Carefully grabbing the emergency kit left next to me I began to wrap it up some more as it wasn’t time yet to change the bandages completely. Being very gentle I studied his face for movement, but nothing. I loved tending to him, all I wanted to do was take care of him. I softly place his arm back where it was and a breath of relief washed over me for not waking him. He’d probably think I was a weirdo if he found me here right in front of him rustling my fingertips gently through his hair. Although he did like it when I would do that whenever he’d fall asleep in random places on the Bebop and I had to wake him up to go to bed. I giggled softly at the memories and missed his voice and soft demeanor towards me.

“I miss you” I whispered, my finger tips still playing with his dark curls

I noticed my legs trembling out of lack of sleep. I shamelessly really wanted a smoke. Hesitant to leave him and without even thinking I kissed his forehead and snuck into his room and stole one cigarette. His scent consumed me the second I stepped in and I wanted nothing more than to stay in there.

I walked out and promised myself as soon as morning came i’ll fly out to Mars and get him a few more packs. I never owned any which is the funny part, Spike would always just give me his when he’d know I needed one.

I walked into the dark control center and peered out into the universe and lit the cancerous thing. I turned away from the windows and lounged on top of Jet’s shogi table. Feeling my back giving out, I laid down grimacing at the slight soreness my back pleaded. Feeling an empty void in my chest I mentally begged for Spike’s precense there with me. My eyes started to water.My biggest fear was him ending up dead before I told him how I felt about him.

I sat up as the tears started streaming faster and dabbed them away with my sleeve and I proceeded to consume myself in nicotine once again. I looked to my right and peered at Spike’s punching bag. Wanting nothing more than to be sitting here watching him release his anger on it when he would do so.

A knock came from the doorway

Oh shit

[mxvladdy]

A Break- Chapter 5

Oh lord this took too long and ‘bout killed me. I hope my edits are good! 

It’s a biggen so it’s all under the cut! 

Hope y’all like it! I know it was long over do :/

He dreams of dragons. A swirling blur of purples, reds, and yellows. His mindscape was a rich profusion of colors. Two become sharper standing out in the sea of hues. His father’s dragon emerges from the mass. The great black dragon floats ethereally around him, judging him. But, unlike the years spent under his father's tutelage, all he got were stern looks and cold words of praise. Now, he can feel a warm sense of- pride. Was his father finally proud of him? How? Of what? Next to him, another dragon appears. His mother’s dragon wove around the long form of his father. Black and pearly pink twisting and revolve hypnotically around his body. They radiated peace, and rest. An urge to join them began to overwhelm him. A break sounded nice. He deserved one, didn’t he?

When was the last time he had felt this at peace? There were a few times perhaps in recent memories. A blurry face comes to mind. A sweet smile and a laugh that is so warm and bright. He remembers the feel of soft fingers scratching along his goatee. He felt at peace then, safe and loved. It gives him pause- the urge to slip away waning. His paternal dragon stops its coiling, eyes locking with his partner. He pulls backs, separating from his mate. His mother’s dragon chirps, drifting closer and closer, she tries to touch her son. Her whiskers mere inches from his floating hand. Obsidian claws stop her from touching her eldest. His father’s dragon huffs once in warning, shaking its great head. His mother snaps at the claw, stubborn in her convictions. She wanted her son back, safe within her clutches in the afterlife. Had he not gone through enough? From the clan to his own penances? She had been so close to getting her youngest back years ago. Yet she had been robbed then too.

She wouldn’t be denied twice.

Hanzo watches helplessly as the two beasts argue in a language he does not know. He is torn between a want to be here with them, and the warm thoughts trickling slowly back into his mind. The pearlescent dragon rears back with a cry of anguish, nostrils flaring at whatever the black dragon had said. She makes eye contact with him once more. The dragon’s eyes were the same color as his mother's before she turned from him leaving his line of sight. His father gave him one last look filled with, pride? Before disappearing too. He shouts for them, crying out for his mother. To not be left alone again. But they were silent in the void. Not even in death was he good enough.

He floats again, or lays? He truly cannot tell what axis or plane he was on. But he could still feel. He felt cold and so so tired. Where were his dragons? If his parents were here surely his dragons must be too. He calls for them, but he gets no answer. The seal on his arm was horribly quiet.

He can do nothing but drift now.

He hears things sometimes, a soft sweet voice reading to him. Other times it’s a smooth accented voice walking him through something they were about to do. Hallucinations or reality he couldn’t tell. They get stronger though. Soon he begins to feel a warmth on his face. Like he was basking in the heat of the summer sun. Other times it’s the brush of something cool and wet on his neck and arms. The fingers were too smooth to be human but dexterous like them. They were humming, the tinny and augmented drone familiar. Hanzo knew that melody, he knew that voice, but he just couldn’t place it. Hanzo listens for a while, floating on the melody before it too disappears. They leave him, only an incisive beeping echoing in his head for company.

His dragons come to him after what felt like an eternity. Akuma approaches first, his massive body colliding with Hanzo’s. The archer clings to the great beast burying his face into the fur. Hanzo cares little for the claws puncturing his skin and scratching him as Akuma clicks and coos in delight. Ibuki wraps herself around them both, quiet but vibrating with relief. Hanzo opens his mouth to speak. His throat clicks, dry and inflamed. Something is choking him.

No-rest. We will get you out soon. Out? He stiffens in their warm embrace. He didn't want out. It was nice here, quiet. He didn't feel pain or much of anything in here. He could stay like this... No. Akuma nips his cheek in aggravation. Family, they need you. She needs you-

It comes back to him hard and fast. His last kiss with you before leaving for the terminal. The video before bed. Him whispering goodnight to your sleeping face ending the call before turning in himself. To the security breach and his fight. He needs to get back. If his parents left him here then he should wake up. Why wasn't he waking up? We will protect. His dragons nuzzle him once more before they push away returning to the great beyond, promising to take care of you while he gets stronger. Their determination fuels him to fight, to survive.

He trains his mind to pick up on the noises and touches happening around him while he waits. He picks up the tick of a clock and the sound of waves by his side. Their constant background noise soothing and grounding. Genji comes daily to hum and chat in their native tongue. He spoke of idle, sweet little things. The weather, who was on kitchen duty that evening, the training schedule. He sounded so hopeful every time he visited. Like his big brother was going to wake up at any moment and respond. After Genji came Mei and Ana. The two mostly acted like he was with them and discussed whatever book they were reading while waiting on him. They would come in the evenings and read passages aloud for him. It was a welcomed break from the monotony of silence. Ana came more often than Mei. He could smell the tea she would bring in when she sat by his side reading aloud in Arabic. Ah- her favorite book of poetry. She never translated this book for him, but between her cadences and phrasing, she wove the beauty of the verses nonetheless.

Ana was interrupted today though. Midway through a verse, she stopped. Her tongue stumbling over itself uncharacteristically. Hanzo felt her shift and rise without another word. He recognized Baptiste and Angela's voices talking to her, their voices low and hurried. He hears Ana laugh gently and the door to his room snaps shut.  His doctors bustle around him for a moment though he senses another person in the room with them. Odd- unless his brother came back. No, much too quiet to be him. Angie and Baptiste leave quickly, their check-up done, leaving him alone with the new visitor.

"Hey, Hanz." A soft voice brushes his cheek. "How are you today?" Hanzo’s heart hurts. How did- when did you come here. He wanted to be angry, to yell at you for coming to such a dangerous place. He wanted to hunt down whoever found you and throttle them. This was putting you in harm’s way. Yet, at the same time, he wished he could see you. He wished he could tell you how much he missed you and that he was there. Instead, floats in his own subconscious. “I-Angie says that you might hear me. Something about your brain scans?” You squeeze his hand with a light chuckle. You trail off distracting yourself by rubbing soothing patterns in his palm. “If-if you can, know that I know. Not everything, your brother has been so kind to me.” You squeeze his hand, bordering on almost uncomfortable. “But I need to hear the things he said from you. So-so get better soon, please? I miss you.” Now more than ever he wishes he could comfort you. Why hadn't he just swallowed his pride early? This could have been avoided. He hoped at least.

The rest of your visit passes too quickly for his liking. The scant bit of privacy he had with you was filled with your tender voice and gentle touches. He felt your fingers brush along his smooth jaw, stroking it like you did whenever you would lounge in bed sweaty but happy after a lengthy reunion. The kisses you placed on his brow were just as sweet too. You only left after one of the doctors came in to force you out to get dinner and stretch.

You poke at the warm meal Ana had plated for you in the mess hall. The steaming rice and tomato covered lentils sitting comfortably in your stomach. “Eat, dear. Then I think it’s best if you take a nap. When was the last time you slept horizontally?” Ana winks at you over her shoulder stirring a pot filled with browning onions and spices. The elderly medic had lost count of the number of times she had walked in on you sleeping in the chairs in the medical wing.

“I’m fine-really.” You smile rubbing at your sore neck. The hospital chairs here were soft, sure, but not meant for daily sleeping. Ana snorts but doesn’t say anything more on the matter. Instead, she distracts your haggard mind with recipes and tea ideas, sprinkling in little stores of her childhood. You find yourself relaxing more and more; the time between when you wanted to get back to Hanzo’s side and since you sat down for dinner growing longer and longer in between. You yawn widely, failing to cover it with your mouth with your hand. “Shit- sorry.” You flush. The other woman waves it off.

“It’s fine sweetheart. Just means my food and company did its job.” She smiles collecting both of your dishes to place them in the sink. “Come-let me escort you to your room.”

“You really aren’t going to let me go back huh?”

“Not a chance child. He isn’t going anywhere trust me.” She grips the back of your shirt to lead you in the opposite direction of the ICU. You scowl but follow along, dragging your feet along a little in the process.

You had been offered Hanzo’s room when you landed last week. It had been untouched since he had been transferred to the Ilios base. But you couldn’t, it felt almost rude to. He hadn’t consented to any of this. It just felt wrong. His room was what you had always imagined. Clean and tidy, the few items he had well loved and maintained. Some looked pricy, but most were homey little things that must have reminded him of Japan. You ask to stay in a vacant room but still find yourself in his room from time to time, dusting his heavy bookshelf or to vacuum his rug and shake the linens out. You only broke down once in his room, but it was enough for you to never want to go back in there. Not until Hanzo was back living in it. While mopping one day you stumbled across a little box, it was your box, the old thing was filled with letters. The creases in the paper thin and tearing from constantly being opened and reread over and over again. The trinkets you had sent him over the years were worn, but clean. The metal pins and coins shiny and discolored from fingers rubbing them lovingly. You put the box back where you found it and leave. Athena could clean from now on.

Genji and Angie had discussed a lot with you since you took up residence. You were grateful for their updates and check-ins. Baptiste even gave you some reading about what to expect when Hanzo is up and going through physical therapy. He emphasized that the longer he was in the ICU the longer recovery could be. “But don’t stress,” He pats your hand warmly. “That man is as stubborn as an Ox. He’ll bounce back in no time!”

You hope so. From the bits Genji told you after they found him...it had been- disparaging. The road had been rocky, though they wouldn’t disclose all the details to you. The first few weeks were touch and go before Angie finally could sign off on putting him under medically. She spoke as simply as she could but it was still a lot for you. But she was certain he would pull through, and that as soon as he could breathe on his own again she would begin the process of waking him up.

How long that would take no one knew.

You met quite a few interesting characters while you sat vigil by his bedside. Mei is a riot. The plucky young scientist is a delightful conversationalist and had many stories about Hanzo. When she talked about him you could immediately understand why they were friends. Both mathematically minded and sentimental to a fault.

Satya was more pensive when she visited at first, but warmed up to you gradually over talks of your business. Her eyes lit up when you told her your struggles with tin designs. “Let me design some for you. Your tins are wonderfully shaped, but ultimately boring.” She looks down at Hanzo’s resting form. She strokes his head lightly. The stubble growing on his crown had been recently washed. Baptist came in earlier to remove the stitches around his temporal lobe.  “I’ll send you some designs tonight.” She nods curtly before leaving you alone again. Over the next few weeks, you gradually met the rest of the agents. Whether it be them coming to say hello and check up on their comrade or in the kitchen, welcoming you to a warm meal, and thousands of questions about how you met.

It wasn’t until the second month of your stay did you meet Hanzo’s dragons. It was late, later than any of the medical staff would advise you to stay up. But, you could only stay away from work for so long and it was finally quiet. You were working by Hanzo’s side, the beeping of his monitor lulling you into a trance while you read over your spreadsheets. At first, you didn’t notice, the rhythmic beeping of his machinery was white noise to you at this point. The first few hitches you missed, too preoccupied with moving numbers and shipments around. The skips steadily grew faster and more erratic, it pulls your focus from your screen. “Hanzo?” You toss your laptop to the side, ready to buzz for help. He doesn’t move, not even a flicker behind his eyelids. Nothing was out of place until you touched him. His arm is warm underneath your fingers. Too warm, near scorching. You yelp in pain falling back at a sudden blinding light that erupts from his tattoo. The room fills with a blaze of blue and gold, the energy of the blast knocks you to the floor. You scream as two massive dragons irrupt from him. They swirl around the tiny space, scleraless eyes scan the room for something.

That something just happened to be you. Two sets of eyes lock with yours. Large fanged jaws open wide, hackles raised. You sit frozen in awe and terror. Were they going to kill you? No-surely not. Genji said they would recognize you-hypothetically. They were an extension of their master's souls. The two lunge for you, three-clawed feet open wide like birds of prey. Squeezing your eyes shut you wait for the impact of scales and teeth.

Two small projectiles collide with you. The force of which knocks the air from you. “Oph!” You wheeze arms wrapping instinctively around the squirming warm creatures clinging to your chest. Two thin dry tongues flick out and tickle your jaw and cheeks.

“I heard a scream! Are you-” Genji burst in looking about frantically, his wakizashi drawn and at the ready. Angie and Baptist barge in behind him, both armed as well. “Oh.” Genji gasps, his sword drops limply to his side. “Aniki.” You look up from your prone position, still dazed and confused by the now tiny blue dragons nestled on your stomach.

“Are you alright?” Genji asks, helping you up back to your feet and righting your upturned chair. His eyes never leave the two spirits in your hands. You nod meekly. “Come, let’s give them room to work.” He takes one last look at his brother and the doctors before leading you out with him. “What happened?” He asks in the hallway eyeing the two blue dragons now wrapped around your upper body. He punches in the code for his room and lets you in.

“I-I don’t know.” The larger of the two dragons chirps as it loses its grip on your sweater. You scoop it up to nuzzle your neck like you would an infant. It coos, wrapping its fluffy tail around your wrist. The slimmer smaller one squawks indignantly, jealous of its partner's attention. It too nuzzles at your neck, draping itself around you like a scarf. “One minute I was balancing my checkbooks, and the next I heard the heart monitor going crazy. Then these two jump me.” You glanze up at Genji. He looks so hopeful. A small sigh of relief escapes him. “Is this good?”

Genji sighs heavily and flops onto his bed. He rubs at the synthetic skin of his chin thoughtfully. He points at the two dragons. “Look at how translucent they are. It takes a lot of energy to summon them to our realm.” You clutch at the squirming reptiles taking a good look at them. The two look at you with large innocent eyes. What he said was true. You could see your hands through their bodies. Their scales were dull and lacked the luster of Genji’s dragon. The larger one’s left antler was chipped and flaking onto the floor. The smaller one was very thin and hollow looking. Genji sighs looking miffed. “My best bet is they told Hanzo you're here and he sent them out to look after you. Which is sweet, but foolish. Summoning when we are mentally or physically weak could kill us if we are not careful.” He drags his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“What happens now?”

He shrugs. “I can’t say. It’s up to him now. But, I believe this is a good sign.” Genji reaches out and scratches behind one of the dragon's ears. “Thank you for coming out to us.” He speaks directly to the dragons, bowing his head low in respect. They preen, clicking and cooing in delight. Genji’s little dragon appears shortly after jumping into the fray of blue and gold.  You sit in the cyborg’s cozy room watching Hanzo’s dragons play. For the first time in ages your chest cliches with something other than fear.

It takes another 3 weeks for Hanzo to open his eyes. Of course, he had to do it the one night you decided to sleep in a bed. Your back had been pleading for days for a normal night's rest. It felt like your head had barely hit your pillow before his two dragons woke you. Tiny claws kneading your stomach and chest. They were solid and heavy. Their scales are bright and iridescent. The larger one, Akuma bumps your face hard with his antlers. Huge, arching healthy antlers. He trills at you expectantly.  

Genji beats you to the medical ward by seconds. His exhaust vents pumping steam out like a geyser. He speaks quickly, his words fast and agitated. He switches languages rapidly, getting more and more agitated at the blank look the assistant barring the door gives him. He is getting flustered and quickly. His green lights blazed brighter and brighter with agitated arm gestures.

“Genji-Genji!” You rest a gentle hand on his cold shoulder. He rounds on you blindly, eyes electric. The hairs on your arm begins to rise as his dragon begins to awaken just under the surface. His temper cools when he recognizes just who was trying to calm him. You glance over to the trembling medical assistant. “Come- we’ve waited this long. They will get us when it’s safe to.” You assure your friend. Genji nods jerkily, taking your offered hand. He follows you down the hall back to his room. You were both tense and vibrating with nervous energy.

You lead Genji to his room, much like he did weeks ago. Punching in his room code you collapse onto the mountain of pillows he had on the floor for a chair the moment the door closed. You hug his pillows close, trying to quell the butterflies in your stomach “He’s up.” Genji spoke in awe. You crane your neck to look as Genji paces around you. His tone was tight but hopeful. “He’s up- He’s ok.” He smiles down at you, his face the brightest you had ever seen it. He wipes at his eyes and exhales a curse of joy. Dropping down next to you, he sits cross-legged by your side.

“Yes-” It was all you could manage to say. You squeeze his knee in reassurance, your own eyes prickling around the corners. Hot tears threatening to overflow. You didn’t want to admit it to him, to anyone, but you had started to lose hope. How many times had you sat there painstakingly etching each and every angle and blemish on Hanzo’s unconscious face into your memory, just in case it was to be your last time with him? How many nights had you held your breath, eyes locked with the complex monitors and pumps looking for something, hitch in his breath, or a twitch of a finger. Something to tell you he was still there. A wave of guilt washes over you just thinking of how he had woken up alone, how you weren’t there for him.

It’s not like he knew you were here, but it hurt your heart regardless. Doubt hits you. Would he even want you here? He clearly had no intentions of telling about this part of him. He had his crew to support him, and his brother here. “What are you going to say?” Genji asks gently. You feel his warm human hand land on top of yours giving you a comforting squeeze.

“What are you planning to say?” You parrot.

Genji thinks on it for a second, biting the synthetic skin of his lower lip. “Ugh- that’s why I asked you first! I don’t know if I want to punch him for making us all worry, or hug him.”

“I wish I had an answer too.” You confess. “I don’t even know if I should go see him.”

“What!” Genji gasps. “You have to! He’ll be so happy to see you.”

“Genji,” You roll on to your side. “I’m not even supposed to be here.” You nestle into the multicolored pillows rubbing at your eyes wearily. “Maybe it would be best if I went back home. Give him some space to recover. Give whatever this is time.” Your conversation partner goes quiet. His dark eyes, so expressive like his brothers bore into you. It wasn’t judgment. Nothing of the sort. It was understanding and flickers of sympathy.

“Do you want to leave?” He asks. No. Deep down you didn’t, but the high of hearing Hanzo's condition was slowly being replaced with the reality of the situation. The reality of what now? You shrug hiding your face in your arms too ashamed to admit. He lets you stew for a moment. “My brother-” He starts slowly. “My brother is many things, he is prideful and arrogant. Sometimes to the point of being unbearable to deal with. He can be as immovable as a mountain, as you might say bullheaded. ” Genji chuckles. “But, he is incredibly patient, I never noticed it as a child…but now, it’s a trait I envy.” He rubs at his eyes thinking back to the box he found in his brother’s room, the hidden pictures of you and him. He had never seen his brother so relaxed before. He would do anything to keep seeing that smile on his brother’s face. “I guess what I’m trying to say is,” Genji continues. “ just please try to see him once? If you're able to talk to him, do. I can tell you’re special to him, he will do what it takes to make this work.”

You bob your head in understanding, working to swallow around the lump growing in your throat. “I’m scared.” You admit timidly. Genji gives you a gentle pat on the leg.

“It is a scary situation, but trust me when I say you have nothing to fear from Hanzo.”

Genji leaves you at that, you both decided that when they were given that all clear to see Hanzo he should go first. He tries to object, but it was merely a formality. You could see how desperate he was to go. You spend your time waiting in his room, with his dragon Mizuki and her siblings. They could tell you were in distress and tried their hardest to comfort you. Their warm bodies blanket yours, their purring helping drift you off to sleep.

A sharp knock wakes you and your three dragons. They all perk up, ears all twitching towards the door. Akuma growls low in his throat. You open the door to Angie. She beams at you, hand hovering mid-knock. “Ah good! Sorry if you were resting.Hanzo was asking for you.” She steps back to let you out. Mizuki yips shrilly and leaps at the doctor. She catches them gracefully and strokes their head. “You can visit briefly. I am still monitoring him.”

“Right- thank you Angie.” You turn to go.

Angie stops you with a firm hand on your shoulders. “His larynx and trachea are still healing. Talking on his end is strictly forbidden, understand?” You nod. “I’m keeping him for observation for the next week- you are welcome to visit whenever he is feeling up to it.” With that she gives your shoulders a firm clap and lets you go. You walk slowly to the medbay, Hanzo’s dragons quiet and contemplative on your shoulders. For all your anxiety your mind was completely blank. Where would you even start? Knocking softly on the door to Hanzo's private room you enter.

The sigh of relief that escapes is loud in the open space. He turns to watch you from his inclined position on his hospital bed. He looks better. The tubes and wires helping him breathe and heal had been condensed down to just a heart monitor, IV drip, and oxygen. You take in the muted colors of healing bruises on his face and chest. He hardly looked like himself though. His face was clean shaven from surgery and his hair buzz cut short. It wasn’t him, but it didn’t matter. The fire was still there behind his dark eyes. They still screamed strength and perseverance. It was the same look that had attracted you from the start.

Hanzo regards you heavily, his expression gives nothing away as you come to sit by him. His fiery eyes flicker for a moment when he notices the unshed tears threatening to spill down your cheeks. He opens his mouth to speak and winces. Each breath felt like fire in his lungs. Hanzo rubs at his bandaged neck in agony. “You know you’re not allowed to talk.” You chastise him rushing up to grab his water and straw. He waves it away with a frown and sinks back into the thin pillows of his bed. You sit back down, playing with the metal straw between your fingers. “We have a lot to talk about huh?” You ask to break the silence. Hanzo huffs at the understatement of the century. He rubs his sweaty palms across the sheets covering the stumps of his legs. You watch him, he always rubbed at his knees when he was nervous. You reached for his hand not filled with wires and tubes, but stopped. Hanzo grabs your hand before you could pull it back. His large hand covering yours, he was so warm and safe. “I’m sorry.” You can feel yourself falling apart at the seams. A mix of relief and anxiety creating an indescribable feeling in you.

Damn, what were you even apologizing for? Knowing his secret? Learning about the Shimada clan without his consent, especially since he made it clear he had no intentions of telling you himself. Genji hadn’t told you everything, but it was enough to add fuel to the fire of nightly rants with his dragons. You wipe at your face hating how hot your skin felt with tears. Hanzo tugs at your hand to get your attention. “Wha-” He grunts pointing to the side table by the door and mimes writing on his palm. His com and phone sat innocently alongside his gold ribbon and a few get-well cards and dried flowers, all gifted to him by the team. He takes the phone from you eagerly and opens up to his notes app. He writes out something quickly and trusts it at you without hesitation.

I love you, I’m sorry

What little resolve you had left breaks at his admission. You pepper his waxy skin with tear streaked kisses “I love you too- truly.” You whisper into the bandages on his skull. The strong smell of antiseptics not deterring you in the least bit. He catches a stray kiss and turns back to his screen with vigor.

I know I have much to explain, secrets that I’ve held for too long and for no reason. You were never at fault for any of this, I trust you implicitly I have for a while.  

Hanzo swallows thickly, thumbs hovering over the keyboard while you read in silence.

I know I have damaged what trust you must have had in me. If this is too much, if you deem this unsalvageable… I cannot blame- I would never blame you for wanting to step back. If you desire a clean break.

“Hanzo-” He wouldn’t-

But, if you are willing to give me a chance- I will give you everything. If you are willing to wait…

He looks to you waiting. You would either stay or leave, it was up to you. You read and reread his words, both of you trying to ignore the uptick on his heart monitor. You click the phone off and put it on the windowsill. Breathing deeply you stare blindly out the window. You don’t answer with words. Truthfully you think you had any that would express what you felt in that moment. Instead, you take his hand in both of yours. You kiss along his knuckles, brushing your lips along each scar you see, both old and new alike. You knew them all by heart. They had been a calendar of sorts, the mending of torn skin and removal of stitches, your anchor. They were what kept you going on the hardest nights, they kept you knowing that the wait was worth it. You couldn’t think of stopping now, fear be damned. “I’ll be here as long as you need.”

The smile that graces his face was well worth the wait.

[willowbleedsonpaper]

Ghost Of You (Part 4)

Draco Malfoy x Muggle!Reader

W.C. : 3600

Summary:  The war with Voldemort was over. Draco Malfoy was forced to flee for his life ending up in Muggle London where he met you, the muggle whose house he broke in looking for a place to hide. You agreed to let him hide in your house if he promised to let you live your life normally. How will your relationship work as time passes and you both realize you’re no longer just partners in crime?

A/N: Hello! I am having such a great time writing this that I could update it daily, sadly I won’t be able to post tomorrow. So wait for an update on Monday maybe Tuesday. I try to be active since I enjoy writing so much but sometimes life gets in the way. Anyway, I needed inspiration for a character and if you scroll thorugh my blog you’ll see that I am a huge fan of Supernatural, so one of the characters was my inspiration for this new character, not in personality but in appearence.

THIS IS NOT A CROSSOVER!

So, yeah. Tell me what you think so far! Every comment, like and reblog is deeply appreciated. Shoot me an ask or something if you would like to be tagged. Enjoy and happy reading!

Warnings: Mentions of a curse.

*Not my GIFs. Credits to the Creators*

You had stayed that night awake until really late, chatting about everything and anything. He was good company and you quickly realized he wasn’t only good looking but on top of that he was really clever and knew a little about a lot of things. You enjoyed the sound of his voice, softly telling you about things he had done and places he had visited.

Sadly, sleep started to take over you, a yawn escaping from you almost every minute. He suggested you both went to sleep, seeing as you weren’t going to work for the next week on your boss’s orders. Something about you never getting sick so it should be something serious, if only she knew the only sickness you had wasn’t a sickness at all but Draco Malfoy himself. 

You really wanted to be mad at him for making you miss work, but he was such an enjoyable company when you weren’t getting on his nerves and he wasn't in his moody self, you almost didn’t want to admit that him staying at your house with you had been a wonderful choice. You couldn’t, it was wrong. It was a bad choice and you had to live now with it, learn from it. 

Or that’s what you told yourself when you enjoyed a little too much his mere presence

Draco walked you to your room, your sleepy self tripping in every step, giggling at every almost fall if it wasn’t for him who held you from your arm “You look more drunk than tired.” he said confused, leading you to your bed. “Are you sure you weren’t drinking?” he asked.

You had nuzzled in your bed, not even changing from your clothes that were comfortable enough to sleep in “I’m sure” you mumbled, eyes already close. Draco had walked to the door, about to close it when he heard you softly sigh “Night, Draco.”

He smiled softly, mostly to himself “Goodnight, Y/N.” he mumbled closing the door behind him. He wasn’t tired, barely sleeping at night he decided to go for a walk. He didn’t knew the neighborhood well, but surely he wouldn’t get lost from walking a few blocks down and then back, so he grabbed a sweater and made his way outside. 

The air was cold against his face, the trees dancing with the little force of it. He could see himself living in a place like this, quiet and peaceful. Maybe there was a place like that back at the Wizarding World, a place he could call home again. The Manor didn’t feel like it anymore, no matter what he did to forget everything that went down there, the images were burned in his brain. He would only consider to return for his parents but they sended him away, the last time he ever saw any of them four years ago.

They were better off without him.

He kept walking, not noticing when he made a turn towards the woods until the lights of the houses were just tiny dots in the distance. At least he knew which way to go, so he kept on walking further into the forest. The weight of his body making the fallen leaves crunch under his feet, not caring for keeping quiet he carried on without a care in the world. 

“What do we have here?” a silky voice said from behind him, making him stop dead in his tracks “It’s Draco Malfoy in the flesh” she said with soft chuckle. 

Draco hadn’t moved an inch, sliding his wand out of his sleeve “Aunt Andromeda.” he said quickly turning in his place, shooting a spell her way with the swift movement of his wrist, spell she effortlessly deflected moving her wand across her body, creating a shield. Draco straighten his posture, lowering his wand slightly “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he said, a look of displeasure in his face.

She lowered her wand completely, moving her coat tighter against her body “I see you take more after your father,” she said, eyeing him from head to toe “Both physically and in character.”

“Don’t mention my parents” he growled, the grip around his wand turning his knuckle whiter than they already were “You chose your muggle-born husband over your family. You don’t get the right to mutter their names.”

She scoffed humorlessly, giving him a condescending look from where she stood “You are one to talk” she said, crossing her arms over her chest “Or are you going to deny that you’ve been hiding at a muggle’s house for three days now?” 

His stance flickered, the statement hitting him like a ton of bricks. What was he doing? His mouth opened slightly but he was at a loss of words.

Andromeda nodded in satisfaction “That’s what I thought.” she muttered “Draco, I’m not here to judge you, I would never” she said, almost caringly “But you need to leave, you’re putting that girl in danger and they will find you. They’re close, they know you’re hiding in muggle London and it’s only matter of time before they get here” she warned, placing a hand over his forcing him to lower his wand.

“How would you know that?” he asked coldly, stepping back from her “You know nothing!” he spat, turning away from her and storming away.

“Your mother sended me” she said, successfully making him stop “Have you spoken with her lately?”  

Draco turned to her, wide eyes and a shocked expression looking back at her warm brown eyes. He shook his head, a pit forming in his stomach “They still go to the Manor?” he asked shakily.

“There is only one way she could’ve have known where they’re looking for you.” she answered sadly “They can’t move against Potter, but they can get some kind of revenge in killing you” she said, a gulp forming in his throat. 

He stared at her, his eyes void of any emotion “What should I do then?” he asked bitterly “They’ll stop at nothing and the ministry seems more worried about anything but the former followers of Voldemort” he muttered, regretting instantly saying his name. It still felt like he would appear at every turn he made.

Her face hardened and he saw a flash of his mother in her, the stern look she would give her when he stepped out of line “You have options, but none that you would like” she explained “Leave, not just London, the continent. Go to America, I’m sure you can make a good life there for yourself”

“Or?” he asked, showing no interest in leaving.

“You have to kill them” she simply said, and right there Draco saw the Black in her, the Slytherin that would do anything to get what she wanted, except this wasn’t about her.

He rolled his eyes, turning with a defeated sigh “How is that useful? I’ll end up in Azkaban for that!” he yelled, running a hand down his face.

“Only if you get caught.” she said, and he snapped his face at her “I know what has been of your life so far, Draco. You deserve to live happy and free.”

He let out a scoff “How is that gonna make me happy or free?” he asked her, really wanting to know her answer “How do I kill a monster without becoming one?”

“That is the price, Draco” she explained, grabbing him by the shoulders and guiding him to where  they could see the lights of the city again, her hand pointing to one specific house. Yours. “Your happiness and freedom lay just in front of you.”

He frowned, his eyes never leaving the green square that contained your house “What about it?” he asked, earning a sigh from her. He turned his face to her “That is temporary, I needed to hide. I'm sure you know how it is to run from Death Eaters.” her face fell sadly, but she said nothing about it.

“You seem fine now.” she stated, examining his body with a careful look “Why haven’t you left?”

He didn’t know, or if he knew he refused to say anything “I’m still hiding. I needed some rest and she agreed to let me stay. That’s all” 

“Lovely girl, I’m sure. A teacher, isn’t she?” she grinned at Draco’s dumbfounded expression “You’re not doing a great job hiding, took me less than a day to find you and I’m not as  experienced as a Death Eater, how long until they track you down to her house? To her?” her voice had turned stern, a pleading look in her eyes “Come with me, Draco. I can help you, you won’t have to hide anymore.”

“What?” he whispered. The chance to stop running, finally settle down somewhere and be free to some extent was within his reach, and yet it felt like a lie.

“A safe house,” she said, cupping his hands in hers “I moved there after the war, no one knows where it is. You’ll be safe”

He looked down to their hands, the warmth radiating from her so welcoming he felt tempted to accept right there and then. But his mind wandered back to you, only three days had he known you and he felt closer to you that he ever did to all his so called friends at Hogwarts. Yes, Pansy and Blaise had been there for the fun but only that, not really caring about deep talks like the one he had with you; other like Crabbe and Goyle followed him thoughtlessly and agreed to his every word it got boring pretty quickly. You had showed interest in him as a person and he liked the feeling of that, he wanted to get more of that. Whether you did out of precaution or genuine interest he had yet to decided, he wanted to have a chance at being your friend.

And Andromeda noticed his hesitance, following his line of vision to your house “Take time to think about it,” she let go of him, pulling her wand once more and producing a piece of paper, writing neatly on it “Write to me here when you made up your mind.” she folded the paper and gave it to him “But remember you have more than yourself to think about, you pulled that girl into all of this when you agreed to hide in her home.”

He saved the note in his pants pocket, nodding at her “Thank you.” he said lowly, not looking back at her.

“I’ll see you here if you decided to come with us” 

“Us?”

She smiled softly “My grandson, Teddy. I took him in after the war” her smile turned sad and Draco remembered the fact that Nymphadora Tonks and Professor Lupin had been married shortly before they died in the battle of Hogwarts. Teddy, as she called him, the only tangible proof of their love. “I hope to hear from you Draco. Your mother loves you and so does your father, they asked me to tell you that” and with that she vanished from his sight.

*******************************************************************************************

The soft smell of coffee woke Draco the next morning, his eyes adapting to the dark room as he focused on the window, dark clouds filling the sky and threatening with a heavy rain later in the day. He rubbed the sleep off his eyes, making his way to the bathroom in the hallway he was surprised to hear you from upstairs, softly humming away in the living room. If he leaned himself a little over the railing he could make up your form sitting in the couch with a blanket over your legs and one of your most colorful mugs in hand. The steam carrying the smell that had woken him up.

He made quick work in the bathroom, brushing his teeth and face, changing his clothes for a fresh pair of pants and shirt, pulling a sweater on to match the weather outside. His steps going down the satir caught your attention, making you turn with a chuckle.

“Morning,” you grinned “I thought I was the one tired last night, you slept throughout the entire morning.” 

He was surprised by your statement, checking the clock himself to see that in fact it was almost noon. “I must’ve been really tired” he mumbled, going to the couch across from you “What are you doing?” he asked, seeing all the the sheets of paper spread in front of you, dark stains from your coffee decorating the corners of a few, some more older looking than others.

“Well, I thought since I’m not going to work I could make some activities for the class and drop them tomorrow to Sally” you explained, showing him a few you had already finished. “I was going today but the rain flooded the streets near the school and they cancelled classes for the day.”

He hummed, reading over your handwriting “You really love your job,” he said, missing the smile that flashed over your face “I’ve seen few professors so dedicated at their work like you are.”

“Thank you” you said shyly, moving the papers out of the coffee table. “You must be hungry, since you hibernated last night like a bear.” you joked, signaling him to follow you with your hand “There’s coffee, of course. Toast, some fruit and eggs” you said, listing the options as your turned with your hands in your hips, a smile in face “What do you want?”

He frowned, moving his head to look suspiciously behind you “You don’t have to feed me” he said and you laughed.

“And let you starve to death? Not on my watch, buddy,” you said, moving to the stove “Besides everything is already done, I just need to heat it up.”

He sighed, already knowing it was a lost fight for him “Coffee and toast is fine.”

You saw him as he went to sit in his usual spot, the chair on one of the extremes next to the door. The rain was falling softly against the multiple windows in the kitchen creating a closed ambience in the room. He rested his arms on the table, holding his head with a soft sigh “You tired?” 

“Hmm?” he hummed, opening his eyes to look at you. Realizing you had said something he sat a little more casually “What?”

You smiled down at him, placing a plate with toast and a cup of coffee in front of him “You should eat breakfast and go back to sleep.” you told him, filling your own mug again “You look exhausted.”

He said thank you to you, starting to eat with a shake of his head “I’m fine.” he told you, getting another bite.

“Yeah, right.” you scoffed, getting a glare from him “You were falling asleep on the table not a second ago, you need to rest. How do you intend to out run the bad guys if you can barely keep your eyes open?” you asked him, cocking your eyebrow in his way.

He gave you a sour look, putting his mug down slowly “How do you know I am not the bad guy?” he asked you, and the smile that had been in your face was replaced by a thin line “How do you know I am a wanted man for the horrible things I’ve done?”

You looked at him sadly, your hand going to rest on top of his capturing his attention immediately. Wide grey eyes staring right into yours “You’re not a bad person, Draco.”

“You don’t know me.” he fought back, a void look in his face.

“Maybe, but you could have hurt me when I got home the night I met you and you didn’t, I was scared of you and what you could do to me or the people around me and you took the time change that” you said, his eyes shone listening at your words as he bit his lower lip, attempting to stop the faint shake of his lip.

“You don’t know what I’ve done,” he muttered, moving his hand from yours “You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew.”

You tilted your head, searching his eyes but failing. You smiled sadly, standing from the table “That’s alright,” you said, a little more cheerfully “I’ll believe your a good person no matter what you tell me.”

You walked out of the kitchen, leaving him to his own thoughts. You did wonder what he had done to think he was a bad person. Sure he was a menacing guy, his dead face and cold voice gave you the chills just by looking at him. He definitely was a person you would avoid at all cost if you came across him on the street. You didn’t have a choice when you two met but right now you didn’t regret helping him. Maybe you were still a little hesitant  of him, but you regretted nothing.

*******************************************************************************************

The night arrived and you wanted nothing more than to go to sleep, you were ready to slide into your comfortable bed and just close your eyes.

Of course, fate wasn’t on your side.

You started cleaning up your space, the work for your students ready to be delivered to Sally the next day. You couldn’t help but feel proud of you for all the work you did that day, the next morning doing nothing but relax. 

Your train of thought was interrupted by Draco calling your name. You turned to him , the crestfallen look in his face making your stomach turn inside you “Draco? What is it, what’s wrong?” you asked, dropping all the thing in your hands and walking to him and that’s when you saw it. The bag in his hand.

He was leaving.

You should have felt relieved, the strange man that broke into your house and somehow forced you to do his willing was leaving! Then why did you feel like you were losing someone, like saying goodbye to a friend? Maybe because that’s what he was. Draco was your friend.

“I-uh, I’m leaving now.” he said lowly, scratching the back of his head “And old friend contacted me, said they can help me.”

You smiled, fakely, but smiled “Right” you said “I thought no one was waiting for you.” you tried to joke, the words coming out more bitter than funny.

Panic flashed across his eyes “They’re not!” he said, maybe too quickly “It’s complicated.” he mumbled in defeat. 

“Complicated as It’s a long story or I asked you not to tell me certain things about you?” you asked, a little more cheerful than before.

He smiled, a breathy laugh coming out of him “Things you asked me not to tell you” he said and you nodded, starting to regret that decision.

You stayed silent, neither one of you knowing what to say. Draco seemed to be appreciating every little detail in your living room as you moved your feet, your shoelaces being the most interesting thing at the moment. 

You lifted your eyes, seeing him looking back at you and you felt heat rise up your cheeks. Why did he had that effect on you? You didn’t know. “I guess this is goodbye then.” you said and pursed his lips nodding.

“It is” he told you “I...I wanted to apologize” he said, and you frown, his apology taking you by surprise.  

“What for?” you asked.

“Everything?” he told you with a shrug “Breaking into your house, threatening you, cursing you…”

“Cursing me? you asked, taking a few steps back at his statement. “What do you mean you cursed me?”

He stared wide eyed at you suddenly really nervous as his heart beated hard in his chest “It’s… it’s not what it seems like.” he tried to assure you, but your mind went back to the first time you ever saw him, a panicked state.

“What. do you mean. you cursed me?” you growled, a new found sense of anger raising inside you. You were about to start yelling at him, ready to get all the dirty little details out of him when a knock came from the door. You snapped your head towards the door, your eyes hard as you debated if it was worth opening the door at all.

“Y/N…” Draco said with a string of voice, reaching his arm towards you when you snatched your body away from him, a scowl looking back at him.

“Don’t” you hissed, walking towards the door. Better to get this out of the way, whoever was at the door would hear you turn into a hurricane if you decided not to open. “Stay there, Draco Malfoy. I’m not done with you” you told him, pointing a finger at him in emphasis.

Draco started to panic, no one visited you. Ever. Whoever was at the door probably looking for him. He had to stop you. “Y/N, don’t…” but you had already burst the door open.

“Yes?!” you snapped, not even looking at who it was. Your body completely frozen at the person in front of you “Jack?” you stuttered. 

He smiled at you, giving you a shy smile “Hi” he mumbled, taking a short step forward “Y/N, I… Who is that?” his eyes hardened, falling on the blond man behind you. You turned to Draco, who had a glare on his eyes as he held his head high.

He took a quick glance at you in your shocked state and realization dawned on him “Harry Enfield” he muttered sharply, walking to your side. “You are?” he asked, eyeing him from head to toe, taking a protective stance beside.

You turned to Draco, swallowing the lump in your throat “Harry, this Jack,” you said looking back at him “My ex-boyfriend.”

TAGS: @fanficflaneuse​ @accio-rogers​ @gloriousrebelrunaway​ @slytherinprincess03​ @coldlilheart​ @aasthapiplani​ @nebulablakemurphy​ @strawberriesonsummer​ @l1teralegend​

[perseusjackson-jasongrace]

His Blood Runs Gold I

Percy is a God: Part I

Masterlist for the next part and more of my stuff

Y’all already know what this is!!!!!!!! But if you don’t then click this to find out. And i hope you enjoy Percy as a god cause i definitely do ;) *shivers*

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We were warm and shivering,

and young and ancient,

and alive.

-We Were Liars, E. Lockhart

Time is non-existent anymore. Percy should be twenty this year but now that he has ichor flowing through his veins, he can be 102 or 5. He has done things Homer would write epic poems about. If he were around at the dawn of time Ovid would have happily dedicated the Metamorphoses to him. But today Percy Jackson has been a god for three years and he has never felt more mortal in his life.

“Percy my boy, what are you doing here?”

“Hello Father, Camp Half-Blood is throwing a campfire in my honour and I thought it’d be rude not to show my face.”

“Very noble of you son. I remember back in my day the Greeks–“

Percy zoned out, tired of hearing how people bowed down to all these stuffy Olympians. The camp threw a celebration every year on the day he got immortalized and in return he reinforced the borders and blessed every demigod before they leave at the end of summer. He doesn’t know if he’s doing a good job, he doesn’t even know if what he does is making a difference, but he doesn’t know how else to give back to the camp and the people that saved his life again and again; who loved him and fought next to him and oh gods followed him into battle.

He’s never had the chance to talk to Chiron, who’s always busy with this demi-god and that satyr, and this nymph. He barely gets the chance to talk to all his old friends– between the new campers wanting to hear his stories and the general chaos of end of summer camp-life. He thanked the powers that be–what a jarring thought that he was one of those powers now– that he managed to find days in-between to see Annabeth and Grover.

He smiled to himself as he remembered the last time he saw Annabeth. She had been moving into her own apartment to start her third year at the University of New Rome. To his unsurprised delight she had chosen archaeology as her major but somehow slipped Latin and Ancient Histories into her schedule. He had helped carry bags and bags filled with books up to her room and they spent the day setting her up and making sure everything was in its place before she started the year.

Their relationship had progressed so softly, so slowly, Percy sometimes felt like he had imagined the year they had as a romantic couple. After he became a god they managed to go on a few dates, some interrupted by hothead immortals and revengeful monsters, and some blissfully alone. But once Annabeth started university and Percy was called again and again to help with this problem and that, it became a hassle to set up dates and figure out when to meet. They didn’t grow apart, so much as grow between. And although he missed the softness of Annabeth, he had gained a friend who knew him more deeply than any being alive– he was eternally grateful for that, and he couldn’t hate what they lost out on.

“Son, are you listening?” Poseidon pulled him from his thoughts.

“Yes father, it really was a great time for you. I have to go now, but Iris message if you need me.” And without waiting for a reply Percy strode out of Olympus and into the streets below.

He considered snagging a car but decided against it, since you couldn’t very well drive into Camp Half-Blood. Instead he walked into the ocean and let the current take him all the way to Long-Island, till he could smell the strawberries on the ocean wind and hear the echoes of camp games and reedpipes.

He stepped onto the beach, loving the soft sinking impressions he made in the sand. After his blood turned gold he realized he could walk on the sand and make no footprints whatsoever. The idea scared him so much he sunk under water and cried for three hours. How could he leave nothing behind? How could he have no imprint? It was Tyson, riding on his rainbow hippocampi who found him and showed him how to balance his weight; showed him how to step into the sand and not on it. When his footprints reappeared once more, he hugged his brother so hard if Tyson weren’t a cyclops his ribs might have cracked.

So Percy walked up the beach and through the strawberry fields, taking the time to breathe in the forest air, the fruit breezes, and ah the smell of chaos.

“JACKSON!” Connor Stoll yelled.

And with that single announcement Percy was home.

The day was spent in good spirits: racing with various campers up the wall and avoiding every deadly thing it spat at you– even if he couldn’t really die; then eating in the dining hall and getting to travel between tables without getting glares from various houses or Chiron; laughing as all the food turned blue just for him.

When it was time Percy walked with some of his friends; Clarisse who grew to be a steady, if raging fire, by his side, and Connor Stoll who is now the oldest of the Hermes kids since Travis left for college, and of course Will who above everyone reserves the right to make sure his friends were protected.

In a moment of vulnerability, he broke down on Percy’s immortal shoulder and wept. I don’t want to bury anymore of my friends Percy. I don’t want to be tending to them as they die in my infirmary. I can’t do it anymore. For him, Percy double, sometimes in moments of obsessiveness, triple checked his border defenses.

Now the little group walks around the perimeter of the camp and talks softly and contentedly as Percy knocks against the shimmering force, leaking power into the hollow spots.

“How is everyone at camp?” He asked.

“Fine, nothing has changed much. Ever since the Giant War it feels as if everything has calmed down to a lull. I’m wary it’s the eye before the storm but gods-dammit we deserve a break.” Connor answered.

Percy hid the rage of that truth but let the ache of those words settle in his bones. He simply nodded at Connor and turned to Clarisse.

“Are there any new campers who need to be protected?”

“Only a few, a lot have moved to New Rome over the last years.” There was a bitter edge to her words, caused by the sting of loss.

“You cannot blame them for wanting a life that is not concentrated to three months of safety.”

“I know,” Her nostrils flared, she kicked the rock in front of her. “I know. It just sucks that there’s so few of us now.”

“Maybe we can see about hosting annual games at each camp over the summer?” He suggested, careful to not step where the cracks spidered underneath him– even if the labyrinth had collapsed there was still the chance something tunneled beneath.

“I think that’s a great idea.” Will piped up, “Maybe then I can convince Nico to stay for more than one week.” He rolled his eyes, but the glimmer of happiness in them gave away his annoyed pretense.

“I will talk to the Praetors over there and let you know.”

“Thank you, Percy.”

They turned to face him.

He stared at them for a moment, studying their faces. Even now, all these years later it was jarring to see the signs of growth in their make-ups. He couldn’t say aging, they were barely hitting their twenties, gods Will was still a teenager, albeit not for much longer; but it was weird to watch as they grew up, watch as time changed their features, changed them.

Clarisse, who used to be a spitfire of rage and fierce protectiveness was now, more a well-kept hearth. She was still full of flame, but it was contained, and her fierce was warm instead of scorching.

And Connor, who had been attached to his brother at the hip, was all grown up. Travis was three years into a degree and Connor, although a prospective honours student, had forfeited college until he could figure out what he wanted to do. He was the sole head of the Hermes cabin, but somehow, he kept up the mischief as if the two were still together. The shenanigans are some of Percy’s favourites to hear around the campfire.

And Will, who is dating Nico di Angelo. The two were often running between the camps, though Nico more than the child of Apollo. It was Will, Percy thought, who brought the camp together, more than anyone. And Will, who in the process had lost the most. For him, Percy would continue to be here every year, would continue to help if they called when they were in trouble. Because he too was tired of seeing his friends die. Tired of seeing his friends mourn.

“It’s almost time for me to go but I wanted to say,” He fought to choke back the rising wave of emotions, “I wanted to say thank you. For keeping my home safe. And thank you for being my friends.”

Their hug lasted many moments, ribbons of friendship passing between them. And when Percy walked back into the sea, he was glad no-one could tell the difference between tears and ocean.

Friends, the word echoed in his head. So few and far between since he became a God. It was not that people feared him, they just became… wary. They fell into that space in-between, where one wrong move could plunge them into fear. When he first turned divine, he counted on his fingers how many friends he had, and if he didn’t have enough digits, he deemed it a good day. Now he can count with aching clarity all the people who loved him, and still have fingers to spare.

Annabeth asked him once if he regretted taking up Zeus’ offer, if he regretted turning his red blood gold.

He hadn’t answered her till three weeks later, over a three am phone call.

I don’t regret it, he had said, because I know I can help this way. I know I can protect my family and friends better this way. And when the phone had gone dark, he had whispered into the void of his room– an alcove of coral far, far, far underwater– I don’t regret it, but I’m so lonely. The tears at that admission did not stop flowing for many hours.

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Tags (If you want to be added to the tag list just let me know, all my channels of communication are open):

@thepersonyourparentswishyouwere

@lesbian-peanuts

How are you feeling?? Cause i got 6K words for this fic and i don’t see myself stopping any time soon. Give me your thoughts young ones!!!!

[iron-fist-orion]

This Hunter of Mine

“Guardians. They come and go like leaves in the fall. They fight and die, strive to protect, achieve greatness and sometimes fall into darkness. At times of great peril, they come together to save our people, our world and our galaxy. They develop friendships and rivalries. They argue, disagree, disappoint and then distrust. Over time…”

A lone wandering Titan listens in to a broadcast from Eva Levante, as she recounts her tales of Guardians she has met and lost during her time as a friendly benefactor. The moon is relatively quiet considering all of its recent activity helping Eris Morn discover the secrets of the Darkness. Hive and Eliksni have been hiding in the shadows of old destroyed buildings, though on this particular path the Titan crossed many of their dead bodies.

They had received an encrypted message asking to meet at a communications tower in the Anchor of Light. As she climbed the surrounding rubble up a makeshift path that should be more stable than it actually was she stopped before entering through the archway. The Titan glanced around the perimeter one last time, no enemy was in sight and no one appeared to be following her. She made it a few feet into the room before a voice called out to her, “Stop.”

Stop she did and as the Titan peered into the void it whispered, “Did you come alone?”

The Titan nodded slowly, she ached to step forward to greet the Guardian slinking out from deep within the shadows. A Hunter cloaked in darkness and although her helmet stayed on the Titan felt as if she could see her eyes glowing through the helmet. The darkened Hunter was careful of her steps, never stepping too close to the light and pacing the room in a way as if an ambush awaited them.

The Titan, swathed in red, breathed a sigh of relief. She was uncertain initially of who she thought she would be meeting but now she felt little more than grounded. She watched the Hunter pace the room as she replied, “I haven’t seen you since the fall of the Sanctified Mind. Where did you go?”

“That’s not why we’re here.”

“You never came back.”

“I couldn’t come back.”

“Couldn’t or wouldn’t?”

The Hunter’s sigh reverberates throughout the room, it is louder than a spawning Hive tombship, “I didn’t call you here to argue about what happened.”

The silence between them is long and awkward. The Hunter pacing and the Titan still as stone, she speaks up as the knife wielder passes her, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“But not enough to come back.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Then what was it like?”

“Can we not right now? I didn’t contact you so we can both feel guilty about the past. Something is happening.”

The Titan crosses her arms tightly in frustration. She didn’t want to argue that was true but there was a part of her that couldn’t help antagonizing the woman before her, “Something is happening alright. You’re pacing.”

The Hunter stops so suddenly that her body nearly vibrates in place and she looks in the Titan’s direction, “I don’t pace but better to pace than to brood.”

The Titan’s body briefly alights with arc energy, “I don’t brood.”

The Hunter laughs at the Titan’s reaction. If she knew nothing else of her friend, what she would know for sure would be that the missile Titan was a chronic brooder, “The Witch Queen is coming.”

The Hunter hears an exasperated groan from her friend, “Do you have to say it like that?”

The Hunter watches as the Titan shakes her head in disgust and then attempts to step forward, “Stop, you stay right there.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“I’m being cautious. You’re fireteam is never far behind.”

“I did as you asked. I’m here alone.”

“That doesn’t mean they didn’t follow you.”

The Titan rubs the back of her neck, frustrated that they were incapable of doing something as simple as talking like normal people and yet they weren’t exactly normal, “We’re getting nowhere with this conversation. I know the Witch is coming, we all know, so why are we here hiding in the shadows like a couple of…criminals.”

The Titan looks up from her tirade to notice the Hunter has finally stepped out of the darkness. For the first time she sees how taut the Hunter appears. Sure she spoke with confidence but she looks like the world is wearing her down. Wherever she had been, whatever she had seen or heard; it bothered her. “I needed to know if I called that you would answer.”

“You sent me an encrypted message.”

“Orion please.”

In that moment, Orion could hear how tired the Hunter was and breathed a sigh of relief. This Hunter, this woman, her friend had not contacted her let alone used her name in many a moon. It made her heart tingle with the knowledge that this knife wielding warrior even thought about her at all these days, “I need to know, if I call that you will come help me.”

“If you call?”

“I won’t risk you unnecessarily.”

“I can protect myself.”

The Hunter nearly charges Orion and grabs her roughly by the top of her breastplate, “You’re so concerned with protecting others that you don’t think about yourself. Can you just, let me do this?”

Orion grasps the hand on her armor and gently touches her helmet to the Hunters, “If you call for me I will help you.”

Suddenly Orion was wrapped up in a tight hug and their meeting no longer felt like they were walking on glass. The Titan wonders why they didn’t start with a hug, that would have made things so much simpler than whatever this was. The Hunter pulls away slowly and asks with a tilt of their head, “You know, you’ve been combative since you arrived. What’s wrong?”

“You missed a lot.”

“I know, that’s why I’m asking.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Orion!”

The burly Titan laughs at the Hunters exasperation and she suspects her face is contorted in displeasure. She grasps the woman by the shoulders as she explains her brief run in with Commander Zavala. During the story the two of them wander to an opening in the tower. Orion knows, her friend won’t be staying, too much on her mind and much to do but she asks anyway, “You could stay with me.”

“I could.”

“But you won��t?”

“I have a few things to take care of.”

“I could take care of you.”

The Hunter turned sharply towards Orion, a smirk on her face though it couldn’t be seen beneath the helmet. She was certain the Titan didn’t mean for it to sound as suggestive as it did and she was still aware of the woman’s lingering affections, “One day maybe.”

“I didn’t, that is to say that I…”

Orion observed the Hunter as she stood upon the ledge of an open arch and began to lean out into the open. There was too much to say but not enough time today to say it, she really didn’t want her to leave, just a little bit more time before disappearing once more, “I’ll be in touch when I’m ready.”

Then the Hunter jumped out of the communications tower and Orion rushed to the opening to watch her friend walk away but before the woman got too far the Titan yelled out to her, “Be careful Nova!”

Nova paused mid-step to glance over her shoulder. This Titan; this wonderful warrior who punched things without questioning if she should punch them at all. Whom trusted her with their life. This was her Titan, nothing and no one would take that away. Not a Commander. Not a Witch Queen. Not an Awoken Queen. “Don’t wait up. I’m going to be home late.”

And then she was gone. Hunting down whatever lead she had on Savathun and Orion hoped that Nova would return home safe.

[kitkatopinions]

Dunno if I'm late but Yang for the character ask?

Alrighty, my (kind of former) girl Yang!

My top three ships for the character

Yang/Weiss is my favorite Yang ship. They look freaking awesome together, they fit well together, they could be healthy as heck, but they could also challenge each other, and the Weiss/Yang moments in volume five were everything. Yang/Mercury, @why-i-hate-rwby-now and I wrote a fic where Mercury was on the road to redemption and these two just had a lot of chemistry and we rolled with it and now I ship these two pretty hard core. Yang/Pyrrha is my third favorite ship for her. This ship doesn’t have very much juice, I just think that if Pyrrha had lived and Yang had gone through her maturing V4 and V5 arc, they could compliment each other pretty well, and they would look just super great together.

My three least favorite ships for the character

Yang/Adam is one big ‘no thanks’ from me. Yang/Ren is also pretty bad to me, because they had no real dynamic for eight seasons, and then Yang pushed him to talk about his feelings and then yelled at him for those feelings and accused him of just trying to push everyone away. And they have so few interactions that it really felt like Yang was yelling at and judging someone she didn’t really know when she had no business pushing him to begin with. And then, Yang/Neon. I thought their fight was annoying, I thought their interactions were annoying, I think if they were together, they’d do nothing but fight. (Honorable mention to Blake/Yang, which I don’t like for a number of reasons and put on my ‘three least favorite ships for Blake,’ but honestly, the relationship isn’t as bad for Yang as it is for Blake, I feel like. I don’t know.)

My biggest criticism for the character

Sometimes the writers literally write her like she isn’t a part of her family. This doesn’t really come into play until season six (mostly,) but honestly, it was so annoying. Referring to Raven continuously as ‘Mom,’ pointing her weapon at Qrow for saying ‘hey,’ running out of a room with a bunch of Apathy ready to pour through a cellar while ignoring the fact that Ruby was still in the room and Qrow was depressed and drinking at the bar, not being involved in Qrow and Ruby talking about Summer, spending most of her screen time with Blake to the point where it feels like she doesn’t really know her other teammates well, her ‘yeah, Ruby,’ line, her apparent lack of care towards Qrow... At least she’s had a bit more with Ruby and has acknowledged Summer as her mom in V8, and even though Neo one hitting her into the void was such a bad moment, at least it proves that she cares a lot about her sister and knows who her mom is. They use Yang’s family connections sparingly, it feels like. Like they want us to forget she’s related to Ruby and Qrow until they want to tug at our heartstrings.

My favorite thing about the character

Not surprising, maybe, but her family connections in the first five seasons is my favorite thing about Yang. I always saw a lot of myself in Yang through her sisterly dynamic with Ruby, how much Yang clearly loved her and how she pushed her to grow and saw her as strong, but was still always trying to help her and protect her when the need arose. Her dynamic with Qrow and with Tai was also great, with one of the best moments in V3 being Qrow assuring her and Ruby they’d go far - if they never stopped growing. I loved watching Yang prioritize Ruby over Raven, I loved watching her tell Raven ‘I’m not here for you’ and ‘don’t talk about my family like that.’ She’s a lot like Qrow and a lot like Tai, while being her own person too. When she meets back up with Ruby, and Ruby starts apologizing for having left her, and Yang just pulls her into a hug and tells her little sister she loves her, that was the best Yang’s been. It was impactful, because Ruby and Yang’s family were always the most important thing to her. As someone who’s family is the most important thing to her, who has struggled with being in a relationship with a partner who didn’t like that fact, as someone with a beloved little sister two years younger than me who I always felt protective of despite knowing she’s capable and strong just like Yang knew that about Ruby... I really missed that. I’m glad we’re seeing more of it in Yang’s relationship with Ruby again, now I just hope they keep that energy and extend it to Qrow.

A headcanon I have about them

I honestly don’t really like the implication that Yang ‘raised Ruby’ by herself while Tai was shut down. That implies that Yang (aged anywhere from four to six) was given all the parental responsibilities for a few years after Summer died at least, which is pretty blatant neglect. I personally headcanon that Tai’s shut down was more temporary, and that Summer had only been dead for at most a month before Yang (six, in my headcanon) went to find Raven with Ruby and almost died, and that when Qrow saved them and brough them home he moved in for a bit and took over as the primary care giver while Tai recovered. Then after Tai had been recovering for a year and a half to two years and he didn’t need Qrow as much anymore, Qrow started doing his ‘flitting in and out of the picture on the regular’ thing. And Yang was given more responsibilities than she arguably should’ve and did take a bit more of a maternal role with Ruby, but didn’t raise her and didn’t grow up neglected herself. Idk, I just like that so much better.

What I would change about them if I was making a re-write

Hmm... I think I’d have Yang’s PTSD and growth get a bit more focus in V4, and then keep it around longer after V6. I’d also have Summer more clearly important to her, being an inspiration for Yang joining the Huntsman academy and being at the forefront of her mind when she learns about all the magic stuff - asking Qrow if she was involved, what she thought of it all, etc. Past that, I’d just put more focus on her relationships with her family in V6 - V8. That’s not to say that Yang starting a romantic relationship is wrong in any way and I’d still keep that (though I’d have her and Weiss start a confirmed romance rather than her and Blake hinting at having a romance,) I’d just make sure it doesn’t take over Yang’s other relationships and make it clear that the most important person to Yang is and always will be her beloved little sister.

What I I think of their character allusion and what (if anything) I would change about it

Yang’s references to Goldilocks are pretty ‘in name only,’ with the gimmicks being her having blonde hair, her fighting some guy in a bear suit in her first yellow trailer, and her ‘just right’ line in V5 when that creep was hitting on her. There’s not usually a lot of character to give to the ‘Goldilocks’ character (who originally was a silver haired old woman,) so I’m not sure exactly how to fix Yang’s allusion. Maybe extending her stay in Raven’s camp, having Raven present it as a home, but Yang doesn’t want it and knows it’s not where she belongs. Kind of like a swapped three bears story where the bears are trying to pressure Goldilocks to stay in their house and she knows none of it is ‘just right.’ Idk, maybe that’s stupid.

[wonderlandmind4]

Delicate Stages of Life: 24

A Piece of Me

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC; Platonic Steve Rogers x OFC

Summary: Life in Wakanda is filled with love, laughs, some tears, all emotions, lazy days, goats, hot springs, a soul connection, and something dark that looms over Bucky’s and Ana’s domestic bliss…

Warnings: Language. Angst. Loss, Grief. Labor pains. Non-graphic child birth.

Words: 11,820

A/N: Again, sorry for taking so long to update. This was a monster for me to write and it’s just been hard to write lately, BUT, this chapter jump starts the last phase of the Drabbles...  (Do not read unless you’ve read Delicate Stages first) beautiful moodboard by @afewmarvelousthoughts​ and thank you for all your help and tears and yelling at me. I’m sorry! <3 **I have never given birth, just going off experiences of mothers I know**

Holidays: 29 weeks Dec 13th:

One morning Ana wakes up to a solid kick from inside her stomach, rapidly blinking at the odd light streaming through her window. After she carefully sits up, soothing her hands over her round belly, she blinks again, startled.

Snow. It had snowed sometime during the night and with the sight comes the realization; it’s the middle of December. Time had ticked by in muted colors to Ana that when she finally came back to herself, five months had passed. Five months since the air filled with ashes. Five months since she last touched Bucky. Five months since the absence of his soul.

Now it’s nearly Christmas. Ana can’t even remember her birthday or Thanksgiving passing. Though by the tears escaping her eyes and the ache in her chest, it’s not going to be a good day. She continues to stare out the window, the snow-covered ground and trees in the distance offer a bittersweet illusion of a perfect world. Quiet. Tranquil.

A memory invades Ana’s mind from last year. Her and Bucky snuggled together in front of a fire at Tony’s cabin, talking about a future family. She shakes the memory from her head and finally gets out of bed, ignoring the very real feeling of Bucky’s arms around her. Ignores the phantom scent of his breath and the spiced apple toddy he drank that evening.

Waddling her way to the kitchen with her hand supporting an ache in her lower back, she spots a blessed pot of coffee freshly brewed. Ana hasn’t had such a desperate urge for the taste of coffee in so long, that she nearly drops the mug she pulls from the cabinet in haste. Once she’s poured herself a generous amount, she inhales deeply. The nutty aroma sending her mind straight back to the first day she met Bucky, and all the sessions that followed.

She revels in memory, when she was proud of herself for pulling a smirk out of the infamous Bucky Barnes after she told him she didn’t poison the coffee. How they starting to bond over silly conversation of coffee, how he used to tease her but ask how to make it properly. How Bucky would sometimes show up before her, waiting for her to arrive with coffee in hand. Ana is so lost in her mind, she doesn’t register the shift of air behind her.

“That’s caffeinated, and I know you are not about to drink it while seven months pregnant.”

Snapping back to reality, Ana shoots a glare over her shoulder at Steve. “Being seven months pregnant is the perfect reason to drink it.”

The sigh Steve emits makes her step back out of his reaching range, just in case. “Ana,” He draws out in mock disappointment.

“No! I need it need it, Steve,” She practically whines, clutching the hot mug to her chest. “Especially today. With the snow and these fucking memories, and Carol isn’t here to help regulate me, and my rings don’t fit right now. I just need caffeine, just this once.”

His eyes narrow. “Just this once?” He repeats incredulously. “Didn’t Rhodes catch you sneaking his coffee a week ago?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that,” Ana shrugs, lifting the mug to her lips.

Sounds of scuffling come from the front hallway then, Ana distracted enough for Steve to finally and carefully, snatch the mug away from her hands. She makes a noise of protest, before she sees the dark green branches of a pine tree. Natasha and Rhodes carry in a small tree, with Rocket following behind them, an axe propped over his shoulder.

“What the hell is that?” Ana demands quietly, her chest tightening.

“It’s a tree,” Nat snipes dryly. “What the hell does it look like?”

They set the tree down in the living room, adjusting the stand that’s already anchored to the trunk. An onslaught of rage and heartache overcome Ana for reasons she can’t quite comprehend. Abruptly it takes everything she has not to grab the axe from Rocket, chop the tree into little pieces and throw them into the fireplace.

Holidays are meant to be joyful. Holidays are meant to celebrate with families and loved ones. Holidays are meant to bring brightness. They’re meant for the rest of the world to fade away into warmth, sparkles, the smells of baked goods.

Not this time. Ana sees nothing joyous about that tree, just the inevitable death of its needles. She doesn’t feel the warmth of the season, just the continuous frigid void in her chest. Outside, the falling snow morphs into ashes.

“Get it out of here.” Ana nearly growls, her fists clenching; the lights flicker. She can no longer look at it without wanting to scream.

“Uh, why?” Rhodes demands, crossing his arms. “It’s nearly Christmas.”

“I don’t care, just get it out! I don’t want it in here! It doesn’t belong here!”

Rhodes serves Ana a look so stern, she abruptly feels like a scolded child.

“Yeah, you’re gonna have to dial that back,” He commands, gesturing to her. “This is misplaced anger, and you’re taking it out the wrong way. This might not be something you want, but don’t forget, you aren’t the only one suffering through depression. And maybe if you recognized that, you’d realize a damn Christmas tree just might make everyone else forget the shit that’s happened for once.”

His words are a punch to her heart. Immediately all her anger melts from her bones as she looks at the floor. Rhodey is one hundred percent correct, embarrassingly Ana is reminded of how much she truly missed when she shut her emotions off. She hasn’t been fair or considerate of anyone for months. Just because she can’t handle a fucking tree, doesn’t mean she can force anyone else to do the same.

Her throat burns with that wake-up call; the flicker stop flickering. Ana slowly gathers herself, breathes deeply while stroking her hands over her stomach to soothe herself. The baby moves and rolls in response. Finally, she nods.

“You’re absolutely right,” She concedes, meeting his eyes once more. “I’m sorry I snapped. I just…I’m just not in the mood to celebrate any holiday, but I shouldn’t expect anyone else to. I apologize.”

Rhodes stares her down a few moments before his expression breaks. “Accepted.”

The tense silence that follows is heavy and awkward, until Steve pushes the coffee mug back into Ana’s hand. “Just the one cup.”

She silently takes the mug, barely feeling the warmth of the coffee on her fingers. “I’m just going to go lay down now.”

As she makes her exit, Rhodey stops her. “Do you…need anything?” He offers kindly.

She gives him a grateful smile over her shoulder. “No, thank you.”

*

Steve has been distracting himself from checking up on Ana by pulling the dust covered box of decorations from storage and going through it. Oddly, a glass ornament is wrapped in newspaper, and with a delicate swipe of his fingers over the ink, he’s brought back to another lifetime eight decades ago.

Christmases during The Great Depression weren’t grand; far from it. Memories of Steve stuffing his shoes with old newspapers to keep his feet warm- and possibly give himself a few extra inches in height- fill his head. His mother carefully wrapping handmade ornaments in those same newspapers. 

A slightly dirty Bucky just back from working odd jobs here and there, holding up a turkey he received as payment. He had dragged both Steve and his mother over to the Barnes household for a rare Christmas Eve dinner.

Giggles of four little girls huddled together as they watched Steve nail their brother in the face with a slush of a snowball. A quiet night of serving his mother tea as she laid sick in bed. Yet she still gifted him fresh parchment bound together to go with the charcoal pencils Bucky got him earlier.

The memories turn melancholy as Steve remembers that first Christmas without his mother. How Bucky selflessly spent the night away from his own family, taking care of a feverish Steve, even though all he wanted to do was stay huddled in bed and cry himself to sleep from grief. Instead, Bucky pulled out a bottle of whiskey from his tattered coat and dumped some into Steve’s tea.

“Nicked it from that banker's house on the other side of town,” Bucky had shrugged, looked proud of himself before he took a swig from the bottle.

“Buck,” Steve had reprimanded weakly. Until he remembered that banker is the one who cheated on his wife and bragged about it. He had taken too big of a gulp, nearly choked and spluttered.

Bucky waited, patted his back until his airways cleared. “Did that no good, two-timer notice you?”

“Hell no,” Bucky laughed. “Guys like him deserve to have his illegal booze stolen, he’s got enough money to smuggle more. Did you take your medicine?”

Steve held up his mug. Bucky rolled his eyes, then gently pushed him over to snuggle in next to him. Not once did he ever leave Steve’s side. Instead he chatted his ear off with stories of Rebecca attempting to make her own dolls, and that one brunette, brown-eyed dame he tried to save from a sleazy man before she decked the guy square in the jaw.

“I’m sweet on her now. Whatty’a think, Stevie? Think I’ve got a chance with a dame like that?”

(Steve huffs a laugh when he remembers that bit. Bucky always did have a type; it’s no wonder he fell for Ana so quickly.)

"Nah,” Steve said through a cough. “A girl like that wouldn’t give you the time of day.”

“Punk.” Bucky rubbed his knuckles atop his head.

“Jerk.” He weakly shoved him in retaliation.

Silence fell between them; sleep quickly took over Steve’s tired and sick body. He had slid further down the bed, pulling the thin blanket up to his chin.

“Thank you, Buck. For being here.”

Bucky took a minute to respond. “Didn’t want you to be alone during the holidays. With you til the end of the line, pal.”

The light pitters of something wet hitting the newspaper brings Steve back to the present. A few dark drops absorb into the paper before he realizes he’s crying. He hastily wipes the tear off his face, clears his throat and wills away the pain in his heart. Steve gets it. He understands why Ana reacted the way she did.

Shaking his head to clear his past, he rewraps the ornament and returns to his task. Once he’s done, Steve just sits in the closet by himself for a while; allows him himself to wallow. He’s absentmindedly scratching his growing beard, wondering if he should give it a shave when FRIDAY alerts him.

“Captain Rogers, the weather is a brisk 25 degrees outside, with steady snowfall.”

Frowning up at the ceiling as if the AI can see him, he replies, confused. “Thank you? Is there a reason you’re giving me a weather report?”

He swears FRIDAY sigh. “Mrs. Barnes has been sitting out for-“

“Got it, thanks.” Steve cuts her off, yanking the door open. He knows exactly where Ana is.

As he quickly makes his way through the compound, Steve apologizes to that younger Bucky during the all those winters. He recalls his exasperated best friend every time Steve hid out on rooftops and fire escapes after getting into fights. Every time, Bucky had been there with Steve’s coat, or just taken his own coat off to wrap around Steve’s scrawny little shoulders instead.

“Christ, Stevie, your lungs ain’t gonna work anymore the longer you stay out here, punk.”

When Steve climbs through her window, and finally opens the door to the roof, the irony isn’t lost on him. Ana is sitting on the furthest chair, staring out into the frosted woods, snow catching in her long hair. Only a thin blanket over her lap protects her from the cold and the biting wind from the height of the deck. Her hands are protectively cradling the bump of her stomach.

“Ana, what are you doing out here?” Steve questions, briskly walking to her. He places the jacket he found in her room over her shoulders; one of Bucky’s jackets. “You’ll freeze your toes off.”

“You’ll freeze your damn toes off, and I will not explain to your Ma why her son got frostbite.”

He wraps an arm around her, pulling her into his side to share his body heat with her. The old memories of Bucky practically yanking his asthmatic self into a slightly warmer building fade away.

“This is where we kissed the first time,” Ana reminisces, a quiet reserve to her voice. She points adjacent to them. “Right there, when I said those triggers words, he kissed me.”

Steve remembers when Bucky couldn’t stop pacing in his room after that night, panic stricken because he didn’t know how to process his feelings for her. He couldn’t understand how she put so much trust into him. Steve squeezes her shoulder, hoping to offer her some comfort.

“This is where Bucky told me he loved me for the first time. Up here, with pizza.”

His chest feels hollow realizing how many memories this rooftop holds for her. “C’mon honey, it’s not good for you to be out here, let’s go back inside. Warm you up.”

“Nothing is ever going to be the same,” Ana laments as if she didn’t hear him. “Holidays, birthdays, celebrations. Life.”

“Yeah.” Steve exhales wearily.

“I knew this. I knew all of this, but…for months I acted like I was the only one holding onto this grief so heavily. I’ve lost everyone, Steve. I’ve lost my whole family and I never thought I could feel more pain and grief than that. But I was wrong, this is so different. Because I could feel him leave me. I could feel Bucky’s soul rip from mine.”

“It’s incredible, Stevie. I can feel her all the time, like her life energy is this infinite sunlight around me.”

He sees that day clearly when Bucky had said those words to him. He remembers the look of pure awe and adoration on his friend’s face that day. Steve squeezes her closer, offering his comfort in the cold bitter air. Something wet falls onto his shirt, soaks in quicker than the snowflakes. He lifts his hand, gently wiping the tears off her cheeks before the cold can freeze them there.

“Hey now, Steve, c’mon. No tears, they’ll freeze on your face, pal.”

Steve swallows back yet another whispered memory, when he was frustrated the neighborhood bully just kicked his ass no matter how many times Steve got back up.

“Your pain isn’t invalid, Ana,” He tells her delicately, lifting the sleeve of the jacket to dry her face. “That is something none of us will ever begin to comprehend, that connection you both shared.”

“Maybe not,” Ana sniffs, “but that shouldn’t erase anyone else’s pain in my mind and that’s exactly what I was doing.”

“Watching you turn off your emotions was- fuck, it was haunting. It was scary because we couldn’t tell if doing that was just hurting you instead. I hated that you did that, but I also understand why you did. I think we just-“ Steve pauses to gather his words properly.

Ana speaks up before he does. “I’ll never be able to express how sorry I am for shutting everyone out, for acting like- well...like a cold hearted-“

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Steve chastises firmly. “I think we just wanted to have any ounce of your old self back. We were all concerned.”

“I’m still trying to find that myself,” Ana sighs, voice cracking; she sounds exhausted. She tilts her head to the side, leaning on his shoulder. “I got mad about the tree because the memories of last Christmas are perfect. It was our first one together, did you know that? Our first time celebrating the holiday season. I don’t want to celebrate anything.”

“So, keep the eggnog away from you then?” Steve quips lamely. Ana winces and gags.

“Fuck no,” She picks her head back up. “I don’t think the baby’s palate will tolerate that.”

“And I don’t think the baby can tolerate the cold much longer,” He counters. “Let’s get you inside.”

Steve drops his arm in favor of carefully helping up from the chair. Ana winces again, her hands covering her stomach. Pain flashes over her face for a moment, and panic shoots through Steve’s chest.

“Are you okay? What was that?” He asks worriedly, hand hovering along her back.

“It's fine,” She pants, waving him off with her hand. “Just some pressure is all. Little Bean’s running out of room I think.” Relief shags Steve’s shoulders. Until- “The baby is moving a lot. Do you want to feel-?”

“I’m good. That’s not, uh, it’s kind of intimate. Time to go inside.” Steve ignores her bewildered look and focuses on guiding Ana down the stairs safely. He keeps Bucky’s jacket wrapped tight around her.

*

The memory of last Christmas spent snuggling close with Bucky in front of a fire and talking about their future mocks Ana. It was one of those perfect moments in a lifetime, and she didn’t want to tarnish the memory with this Christmas being...widowed. Alone and 7 months pregnant.

Since Rhodey’s harsh truth, Ana has kept any bitter despair to herself. However, she did allow herself one moment of a Christmas song. It made her smile briefly, before a memory of both Bucky and Tony singing at the top of their lungs as they decorated the tree cut it short.

Ana does not want to decorate the tree. She stays in her room, until Rocket barges in, trailing a bunch of silver tinsel in his wake.

He demands to know, “Who was the asshole to make such a messy infuriating thing to put on a damn stupid tree!?”

Nebula stood at the doorway, a murderous expression on her face as she fights with several pieces of tinsel, static making it cling to her. Ana can’t help the surprised laugh that bubbles out of her at the both of them.

Vaguely, in the back of her mind as Rocket drags her out of her room demanding to untangle the tinsel, Ana thinks the two might have planned it all. She’s exhausted by the time she unknots the stuff, focusing more on the silver plastic and quietly refusing to put anything on the tree.

By the time she’s done, she waddles back to her room, Natasha close behind. All she does is hand Ana a hot mug of cider and snuggles in close. Nat talks to and gently pets her hands over her stomach and promises the baby to teach them her “death by thighs” move one day. Ana drifts off to sleep, head tucked under Natasha’s neck.

When Christmas does come around, it’s with stinging emptiness, of several people missing and the weight of the whole world grieving. At breakfast, as she’s slowly eating, Ana finds herself with a small pile of gifts next to her on the table. Her glare prompts a response from Steve who had given her one more.

“You stayed locked in your room for your birthday last month,” He shrugs, rubbing the back of his neck. “You aren’t having a baby shower. Just accept them. Please?”

Most gifts end up being for the baby anyway, including a crib, so Ana lets it slide and quietly thanks them.

She ends up fighting back tears the longer she stays out in the living room, desperately wanting to escape. She’s exhausted, down to her bones, and the aching in her chest throbbing Bucky’s name hurts more and more. She closes her eyes and breathes, flexing her fingers and smoothing her hands over her stomach. The baby kicks and moves before it settles a few moments later.

Someone sits next to her, and she doesn’t have to open her eyes to tell that the stupidly large and warm bicep pressing against her own arm is Steve. He doesn’t say anything, just simply takes hold of her right hand, and squeezes. 

He doesn’t let go, and despite the prickling of tears behind her eyelids and the trembling of her lips, Ana leans her head against his shoulder. The sense of comfort seeps into her own energy, and soon after she falls asleep.

30 Weeks Pregnant:

Just on the verge of her eighth month, Ana hears Natasha’s irritated sigh, as she munches on a slice of mango pizza. 

"Ana, I swear if you don’t stop nesting in the office, I will throw away all the mangoes and you’ll be stuck with mushrooms for your pizza topping from now on.”

As Natasha Romanoff threats go, it’s rather mild. She shrugs as Nat holds up two files as proof.

“It was messy!” Ana defends, her feet propped up on the coffee table.

“Lucky you’re pregnant,” She grumbles.

“Enhanced hearing, remember?”

Natasha glares at her. “It took me an hour to find my notes. Why don’t you organize Steve’s shit? Or Rocket’s? I haven’t seen you in Nebula’s room, go nest in there.”

“Nebula would cut my hand off, pregnant or not.”

“It’s true.” Nebula speaks up with her husky low menacing voice, pizza slice in hand. Ana raises her eyebrows at her. She pauses. “Maybe.”

Ana beams. Natasha huffs, coming over to join them. She bends over to gently pat Ana’s belly. Which has grown even more in the past weeks, but dropped as well, the baby’s head sitting lower.

“Your mama better name you Natasha after I put up with her little tendencies huh little one?” Nat coos.

“That’ll go over well if Bean is a boy,” Ana jokes, also patting over where she thinks its little foot is. There’s a responding nudge, a rather firm one. Ana frowns. “Sassy.” Natasha chuckles, then steals Ana’s slice. “Hey!”

“Now someone’s hand will be chopped off,” Nebula inputs at the scene. Ana nods with a pout.

“What are you going to do? Waddle after me with your swollen ankles?” Nat teases.

“You’re being mean to me,” She whines, but can’t keep the smile off her face.

Neither can Nat. “Then keep your nesting habits away from my files, Barnes.”

Ana steals the slice back. “I also reorganized your knives.”

 That earns another glare. “So, so lucky you’re pregnant.”

It’s rare, these little moments of teasing and humor. Five months have passed since The Snap, and Ana’s grief and pain are still as crushing as ever. Her dreams remain constant. Dealing with feeling her emotions again has become a little easier, but there are days where she feels shattered by them, and cries into her pillow, or the nearest pair of arms.

Lately, it’s been Natasha. But these moments are what helps get Ana and everyone else through the day. Hour by hour, day by day, week by week. She has also been keeping herself in check and trying to be attentive to everyone’s feelings around her.

“Has Steve woman upped yet and felt the baby kick?” Nat wonders. The red roots of her hair are growing back faster now.

“No…He’s still a little creeped out,” Ana yawns. “It’s kinda funny.”

Humming, Natasha suddenly stands up. “Time for your checkup, let’s go.” Groaning, Ana shoves the last bits of her pizza into her mouth. “Come on. It’s one of the last ones before your due date.”

Ana shimmies from her rather comfortable spot on the couch to the edge, taking a deep breath and readying her swollen ankles to stand. Both Natasha and Nebula carefully grab an arm and help Ana up, keeping her steady until she can stand on her own. An odd sort of pressure throb through her stomach, and she frowns, suddenly thankful she does have a checkup today. 

*

Three days later has Ana gasping awake from her dream. This time she swears she feels ashes slip through her fingers. Brings her right back to that horrid day in Wakanda, when she couldn’t reach Bucky in time. The same constricting feeling settles in her chest, and the room begins to feel hot; a golden orange glow briefly emits from her clenched hands.

Before her powers can lash out, Ana moves the best she can, hurriedly grabbing one of the beads. It only takes a few moments to get a video up, but the second she hears his voice, her heart begins to settle. The glow fades, and the rattling in the room that had started ceases.

Bucky’s timbre soothes her, replaying his lullaby twice more. On the third time, Ana pauses the recording, the projected image frozen on Bucky’s sweet face. The gentle fondness in his blue eyes, the slightly crooked smile, his long hair pulled into a bun, his beard just a touch unruly.

She remembers this day precisely; one of the last days Bucky sang to her stomach, to their child. No matter how many times Ana reminded him that the baby couldn’t hear him yet, he never cared.

It never stopped Bucky from randomly moving from one spot -be it the couch, bed, another room, the hut- to wherever Ana was and kept singing. It never stopped him from dropping to his knees as she made another strange snack she was craving in the kitchen and nuzzling his face against her barely there bump. Never kept him from staying up as she fell asleep to his words whispering lovingly against her skin. Feeling his warm breath, his sweet lips, his soft beard, his gentle caress of his fingers over her stomach. Feeling his heart, his love, his soul.

“I can hear it. The heartbeat.” Bucky would tell her, voice thick with emotion.

She hasn’t felt Bucky for months. 

Ana reaches out like she does in her dreams, fingers curving over his holographic jaw. She keeps her touch delicate, as to not distort the image. In this moment, only for a moment, she pretends she can feel him. Pretends that her husband is truly looking back at her.

“I’m sorry, Snowflake,” Ana murmurs, tears burning in her throat. “I haven’t been the same without you. I turned off my emotions. You wouldn’t have liked that at all, would you? I don’t even like myself right now.” 

Ana swipes the tears off her chin with her left hand. “But I swear I’ll try to be better. I swear I will take care of our baby for both of us, and he, she- our child will grow up knowing exactly who you are and how much you loved them. I just…I miss you. God, I miss you so fucking much I can’t breathe most of the time, and it hurts.”

Inhaling a shuddering breath, tears overcome her, sobs hitching in her chest. Ana brushes her shaking fingers over his cheek, the image rippling from her touch.

“I love you.”

When she turns off the bead and the image vanishes, she weeps into her hands. Ana wipes her cheeks, attempting to calm herself. Taking deep breaths, she places the bead back into it’s safe place in the drawer. A rather sharp kick from within makes her wince, then chuckle.

“Sorry, baby. I know I’ve been crying a lot lately.” Ana says to her stomach, rubbing soothing circles over her belly. “That can’t feel too good for you either.”

Once Ana’s crying slows, she cleans her face with tissues, blows her nose, and throws the tissues away in the bin beside her bed. Just then her ears pick up a sound outside her room. Carefully standing up, she walks to the door, pulling it open.

“Steve,” Ana greets with a sigh. She shouldn’t be shocked at this point.

Steve smiles sheepishly. “You alright?”

“Yeah. How much did you hear?”

He leans against the door frame crossing his arms, his shoulders hunched. “Just the ending. Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Just came by to see if you want to-“

Another kick and more movement briefly make Ana miss what he’s saying. Blowing a slow breath out she presses her hands over the spot; things are starting to get more uncomfortable.

“Sorry, could you repeat?”

He flashes her an understanding look. “Asked if you wanted to go for a walk with us. Nat and I.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Ana agrees, fighting a wince from the kicking. “Dr. Hammond suggests it now that I seem to be healthy enough. Said the walking could help calm the baby.”

He laughs under his breath. “I can kinda see why,” He says, eyes on her stomach.

“Yeah, this little bean has been more active lately,” She pauses “Steve, um, would you like to feel the baby kick?”

Steve’s eyes snap up to her. “Oh, um, isn’t that a bit personal? I mean-“ He stumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

Ana rolls her eyes fondly. This is her husband’s best friend, he shouldn’t feel weird about it. She grabs his hand, placing the flat of his palm just to the right of her stomach. A few long seconds pass, Ana carefully watching Steve’s expression. 

His brows are furrowed, his mouth curving down, as if he’s sad the baby isn’t moving for him. Then, the same rolling pushing movement comes once more and Steve’s blue eyes light up.

His mouth falls open slightly, a toothy smile across his lips. “Ana,” He gasps, meeting her eyes. “That’s…amazing.”

Ana can’t help but laugh, her heartache forgotten for the time being. “See, nothing to be nervous about. Kinda cool, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah. This, this is your baby. You and Buck’s…” His excitement fades into sorrow. Steve lifts his other hand to the opposite side, lightly scrunching his fingers as if he’s waving in a way.

“How about that walk now?” Ana cuts the melancholy short. She’s starting to feel the energy around them changing. Steve’s energy; the same kind he has been keeping from her. “Is it nice out?”

Pulling his hands off her stomach, Steve clears his throat and nods. “Bit warmer today, 56 right now.”

“Let me get dressed and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

“No rush.” Steve takes a step before he halts. “Are sure you’re okay, Ana?”

She gives him her most convincing smile, which is a good attempt on her part. “Yeah. Just, missing him a lot today. That’s everyday though,” She chuckles humorlessly. “I swear I’m good, Steve.”

Steve’s scrutiny lasted longer than Ana would have liked. Then he nods. “Take your time.” 

 *

The only entertaining thing about New Year’s passing was Ana sitting out on the patio, watching Rocket and Rhodey rig together a contraption to set off fireworks. Natasha sat next to her, Ana’s legs on her lap as she massaged her swollen ankles and feet under a warm cable knit blanket, sitting next to a heater. Nebula and Steve are locked in a card game, when the first firework goes off. Steve flinches then frowns. His eyes meet Ana’s for briefly, before he goes back to discarding.

As explosions go off in the sky, Bucky tightens his arms around Ana’s waist, his face hidden in her neck as he presses a kiss to her pulse. “I don’t think I’m fond of fireworks.”

Ana brushes her fingers through his soft hair, gently scratching his scalp. Slowly she uses her ability to calm his energy, soothe him deeper than a touch. “Makes sense. You are a war vet.”

“Used to hear them go off in Romania sometimes,” Bucky had confessed. “Always thought it was a sign Hydra found me. That they had bombs set around the building I lived in. It was something I could never shake.” 

Another one goes off in the distance; Bucky inhales her scent, his hands clutching her skin. Ana catches Tony walking by. “Tony, I thought no one was allowed to set off fireworks up here.”

He catches on quickly, pointing his glass of whiskey towards Bucky. Ana nods, then with an annoyed flare, he says, “Those damn kids. Goodie! I felt like chewing someone’s ear off tonight. I’ll call them!”

Bucky snorts, then sighs in content as Ana continues to relax his nerves with her powers. “They’re pretty, but...too loud.”

“I got you, Snowflake,” Ana promised, pulling up the blanket to cover them both and hide them away. 

“I know you do, Annie Doll,” He breathes sleepy. “You’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen though.”

Ana chuckles, kissing the tip of her husband’s head as he drifts off to sleep. She can’t think of a better way to bring in the new year than Bucky feeling safe enough in her embrace to fall asleep, even with the ghosts that still haunt his past.

 POP!

Another firework glittering in the winter sky rips Ana out of her memories. She catches the small wince of broad shoulders.

“Hey guys,” Ana calls out to Rocket and Rhodey. “I don’t think the baby is fond of fireworks right now. Do you mind if you stop please?”

Rhodey acknowledges her meaningful look, beginning to replace the ones he took out. Rocket shrugs, turns off the machine they built with a wide grin.

“I just wanted to see if I could build it. I did, now I’m bored.” He states, then meets Ana’s eyes.

“How’s about we beat these losers at a game of poker?”

“Deal.”

Ana only lasts two rounds of poker, before Steve is helping her settle into bed. He insisted on following her and carrying her hot tea for her. She adjusts her body pillow and gets comfortable, tapping her hand over the lower part of her stomach where the baby settled with her.

“Thank you,” Steve says, pulling the comforter up for her. “For the fireworks. I know you did it for me.”

“Bucky and I,” Ana begins, pausing only to push past the lump in her throat. “We stayed at Tony’s cabin during the holidays. I don’t think he heard fireworks go off in a while, and out in the woods you aren’t allowed to bring them or set them off. Some neighbors did, and he was nervous about them. I calmed him as much as I could.”

“He never told me that,” Steve says, frowning. The look he gives Ana though, makes her feel bashful. His features soften, and he almost looks...happy. “He was always so in love with you, Ana, before he even knew it. Bucky wasn’t one to ever open up to anyone, even when we were kids. Watching him with you…I’m glad he found you.”

Ana sniffs, rubbing her eyes to stop the tears welling up from falling. The empty ache in her chest is a permanent feeling.

“Sorry, too much Bucky talk. You were having a better night, I shouldn’t ruin it.” Grabbing her hand, he gives it a firm squeeze.

“It’s alright. I just...didn’t want you to feel that same way.” She squeezes back.

“Get some sleep, Ana.”

As she relaxes, her body ready for said sleep, she says, “You too, Steve.”

It’s one of her better days; Ana sleeps through midnight, but the haunting call of her name still echoes through her mind. Her soul still screaming for its other half.

The week following the new year is slow, as if 2019 wants to remind them of half the universe gone. However, Ana’s panic slowly begins to build as she realizes there’s just over a month of the baby arriving.

She’s sitting in the room they decided to turn into a nursery -the room right next to hers- slowly stroking her hands over and over her round stomach. Looking around the room gives her mixed feelings.

A part of her seems to be happy, almost excited to be a mother. The other parts outweigh the joy, however. The bare walls, void of any decorations, makes her heart break. The dark wood of the crib and the changing table makes her seethe. The little animal mobile above the crib breaks her. The mobile hangs an orange fox, a gray owl, a brown bear, and a white wolf. 

Pushing herself off the rocking chair, Ana grabs the wolf and tears it off. The whole mobile comes down, crashing into the crib, but the wolf is clutched in her palm. She stares at it, anger boiling in her blood for reasons she can’t explain.

The harder she squeezes, the brighter her hand becomes. Flickering lights throw the room into shadows, over and over. Smoke is beginning to emit from the little wolf, her chest tightening as the edges singe. 

“I leave for, what, three weeks, and here you are literally starting fires in your hands.”

Ana snaps her head up. Carol Danvers is standing in front of her, amusement dancing in her eyes instead of any reprimandation. Carefully she places both of her hands over Ana’s fist, and all her raging energy subsides. She hadn’t been aware of anyone coming into the room, so focused on the white wolf.

Quickly pulling her hand out of Carol’s, Ana slowly uncurls her fingers. Sitting in the middle of her palm are the remains of the wolf, completely incinerated. Panicking, she drops it, the tiny ashes caught between her fingers.

“Oh my god,” Ana whispers, horrified at herself.

“Hey, Barnes, I’m sure it's fine,” Carol tells her gently. “They can get you another one.”

“You-you don’t understand,” Ana shakes her head frantically. Ash. Ashes on her hand, her fingers, ingrained in her skin. “I-I have to wash my hand. I have to wash my hand!”

“Come on.” 

Carol guides her out of the room, a steady hand on her back, and into the bathroom. Ana proceeds to scrub her right hand at least four times, and once again until her skin feels raw. She feels out of breath afterward, reaching for Carol once more.

“Can you take some deep breaths for me?” Carol coaches, helping her sit on the edge of the tub.

Ana huffs. “I’m trying. I-I can’t. No! Don’t touch me! What if…what if I hurt you? Like I hurt Steve?”

“Look at me, Ana. You are fine, you’re okay right now. You just got worked up and that’s okay.” Carol keeps firm eye contact. She attempts to hold her hands again, this time Ana allows her. “I won’t let anything happen to you. You aren’t going to hurt me or anyone else.”

Finally, Ana gets a deep breath in. She regulates her breathing with help from Carol, until she feels like her senses and energy are no longer overstimulated. Once she’s calm, they leave the bathroom and head outside to the bac deck at Ana’s request. The chill of the air clears her head more as she sinks into a chair. 

“It was a white wolf,” Ana tells Carol. Her silence is a cue to elaborate. “My husband...Bucky. He was given that moniker while he was recovering in Wakanda. He told me they sort of adopted, well, accepted him into their family, their culture. King T’Challa told me it also meant strong warrior.”

“That why you tore it off?” She guesses.

Ana shrugs, thinking it over. “I think I was already feeling too many emotions. I saw it, it reminded me of him and how- how everything in that room, we didn’t pick together. Hell, I barely picked anything in that room. I really appreciate Pepper and Nat setting it up, but we couldn’t do it together.”

Danvers remains quiet again, but Ana is grateful for it. She’s pretty good at reading how Ana is feeling, and her silent support is more appreciated than she knows. Ana’s energy always seems to stay dormant every time Carol is close. It’s something interesting to look into later.

“Where have you been?” Ana asks after some time.

During this time Steve found them after FRIDAY alerted him and gave her a thick blanket to keep warm. He stayed long enough to turn on the heaters, then left the women alone, but quietly thanked Carol in a nod Ana caught.

Carol sighs, slumping in her chair and propping her heels on the table. “Other planets. Some are worse from the repercussion of what that purple scrotum sack did. Been getting a lot of hits on my radar. I came back to bring you more elixir in case you needed it. And to check in on my favorite avenger.”

“M’not an avenger but Nat’s in the shooting range. Nebula is...I don’t know what she’s doing but I’m afraid to ask sometimes.”

She snorts. “So, should I not get you a stuffed wolf when the baby is born?”

Ana flicks her off, but Carol’s resounding laugh brings a smile to her face. 

*

When Pepper calls two days later, Ana can’t help but feel something odd about their conversation. As they chat about pregnancy, (”It’s like every ten minutes, Pep, I have to pee every ten minutes!”) Ana asking for any advice her cousin may for her upcoming labor, something continues to feel off. Especially when Pepper drops Tony’s name three times. The mention of him causes her to remember something about FRIDAY.

“Oh!” Ana perks up. “Has FRIDAY informed you of anything about me? Or to-”

A little voice pops up in the background, begging for a snack. “One second, sweetie,” Pepper says to her daughter, then back to Ana. “She just tells me your vitals sometimes.”

“That’s it? She doesn’t ask you for permission to use a security protocol?”

“I- Morgan, be patient please, I’m making it now. Sorry, Ana.”

“It’s fine. I was just wondering why T- um...FRIDAY would feel the need  to program an added feature.”

“What are you trying to ask?”

“I just...why would someone need to add an electric defense mechanism-”

“You know what?” Pepper cuts her off, exasperated. “I’m tired of being a go between. I have a toddler to raise who is currently trying to cut her own grapes, and I can’t deal with this right now. I love you, but if you want to know why, you need to ask him yourself.”

“Pep, what are you-”

“This riff between you two has gone on long enough. Talk to each other. I already have one child, I don’t need to raise two more. Speaking of which, you need to tell him. Here!”

“Wait, no!” Ana’s shout disturbs Rhodey from reading his book. 

He casts a curious glance her way. She frantically shakes her head, though Pepper can’t see her. Rhodey has now put down his book, mouthing an over dramatic what? Before she can let him know what is about to happen, it happens. There’s a shuffling on the other side of the line, followed by a confused yelp.

Quickly pressing the phone to her chest, she looks over at Rhodey in panic. He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms; a sign of him agreeing with Pepper after he caught on. Taking a few calming breaths, Ana puts the phone back to her ear.

“-think the line went dead,” Is what she hears on the other side. Tony’s voice.

Heartbeat kicking up several notches, Ana braces herself. “I’m- I’m here.”

“Oh.” There’s a brief pause. “Hello.”

He sounds like he’s meeting a CEO of a company he dislikes. As if he would rather be anywhere else than speak with her.

“Hey, uh, hi. H-how are your day?” Ana cringes, wishing the ground would cave from under her. How are your day? Why is she so nervous to just speak with him!

“Good, great. If that was a question.” Tony answers, his voice is carefully calculated. “How are your day?” He repeats.

If she wasn’t feeling so guilty, so anxious, she may have laughed. Instead, she decides to get right to it. The sooner she tells him, the sooner she can end this painful phone call. “I have something to tell you.”

“Pepper mentioned.”

Right. Fuck, if she didn’t answer her phone, this wouldn’t be happening. Maybe Ana would have been fine with never telling Tony, and he would just have found out some other way. She just knows, deep down, how hurt he might possibly be.

She has never kept anything from Tony for as long as she knew him. With the way they left each other five months ago, well, telling him something he hadn’t known for this long could just drive the wedge between them even deeper.

Ana opens her mouth but all that comes out are tiny sounds of words dying on her tongue. She closes her mouth, eyes shifting to Rhodey, who nods encouragingly. Ana gathers herself once more, swallows her hurt and any pride she may have.

“Tony,” She finally says.

“Yep?” His response is quick; a tone Ana knows all too well. It’s the tone he uses to mask his own hurt.

“I-I should have told you sooner, but-” Inhale. Exhale. It shouldn’t be that hard to tell him this. Tony had been with her through some of the hardest events in her life. Suddenly not telling him feels like she insulted him personally.

“I’m pregnant.” 

The silence that stretches lasts so long, Ana has to check if the line went dead; it didn’t. “Tony?”

“How far? Five months?” Tony finally speaks up. He sounds distant.

“Eight.” The word comes out as a whisper. “I’m eight months along. 34 weeks.”

“Had an inkling. Do you want a congratulations?”

Ana feels like she was just slapped in the face. Tony doesn’t sound angry, just neutral, but even so, the words sting more than she ever thought they would. Her eyes prickle, her vision gets blurry. She clears her throat, turning her back on Rhodey so he doesn’t see her reaction.

“No, no, it’s fine. Just wanted you to know.”

“Girl, boy?” He asks.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Going old school, I see.”

“I just...I figured it was time to tell you,” Ana’s voice trembles. Her heart is aching, like she just ripped a band-aid from a gaping wound she forgot about. “I’ll let you-”

“Is it healthy?” Tony abruptly cuts her off. “Are…are you healthy?”

The question catches her off guard. “I- yeah. Um, there’s been some emotional stress and bed rest incidents, but otherwise, we’re healthy.”

“Good, good. That’s good. It’s late, you should go, rest.”

“Oh, okay.” Ana says weakly, feeling drained and disappointed. “Yeah. Um, have a good night.” She pulls the phone from her ear to hang up, then hears Tony call her name.

“Ana.”

She quickly holds the phone back up. “Yeah?”

“Will you let me- let us know? When it’s time?” 

Ana can’t be too sure, but she thinks she picks up a hint of hopefulness in his voice. “Yeah, I will. I’ll tell you.”

Another beat of silence passes. “G’night, kid.”

The nickname feels bittersweet, but maybe it’s a step in rekindling what she ruined of their relationship. “Goodnight, Stark.”

After she hangs up, a firm yet comforting hand squeezes her shoulder. “You good?” Rhodes checks.

Nodding, Ana shoots him something close to a smile. “Yeah. Yeah, I just...I think I miss him. I do miss him.”

“You should have told him that. I know he misses you too.”

“Maybe...next time.”

Just those few minutes of that conversation has left Ana exhausted. She decides to take a nap, hoping that maybe sleeping will ease the ache on her chest.

*

Annie

Pain abruptly pulls Ana out of her sleep, ripping away from that dream world. She stares at the ceiling in confusion, wondering what exactly hurt enough to wake her up. Minutes pass, her eyes closing as she’s on the verge of falling asleep yet again, when the second wave hits.

“Oh fuck!” Ana yelps, her hands flying to her stomach. “F-F-FRIDAY, am I having a contraction?”

“I cannot be 100% accurate,” FRIDAY responds quickly. “I have alerted Agent Romanoff. There is a possibility of Braxton Hicks Contractions. I suggest changing positions and counting the minutes between each one.” 

Annie

A mixture of a sob and laugh escaped Ana’s lips, because of course she would hear his voice now as she hisses curses through her teeth. Oddly, the voice seems to calm her internal panic, through her pain. As she begins to sit up and shift, Natasha throws open the door. 

She’s talking but Ana can’t focus on her words just yet, too busy trying to lay on her side and fight through the contracting pressure. Thankfully, Nat helps her move and settle into a new position. Too long goes by, but finally the pain stops.

“Breathe, remember those exercises,” Natasha is telling her, rubbing her back. Ana adjusts her pillows, feeling utterly exhausted. “Do you know how long that was?”

“Two minutes and 24 seconds,” FRIDAY informs them. “Twenty minutes apart from the first one.”

“FRIDAY get Dr. Hammond on the phone please.”

“Already contacted.”

Ana just shuts her eyes, listening to the slight commotion around her. The baby moves, an elbow or foot clearly unhappy about the lack of space inside her uterus. She rubs her hand around her stomach, ignoring her fear of not being ready quite yet; it’s too early to give birth. Ana begins to wonder how Bucky would have handled this. 

Instead of feeling sad, a small smile spreads across her lips. Imagining someone like Bucky who was usually pretty calm and level-headed in most situations, his longtime soldier status the reason for that, would probably be panicking. Considering how he always acted any time Ana was in pain or discomfort.

“You look like a crazy person smiling like that.”

“Hasn’t anyone told you not to call a pregnant woman crazy?” Ana mumbles, cracking her eyes open to see Rocket smirking at her. “Are you so starved for entertainment you wanted to see what potential childbirth is like?”

Rocket shrugs, smirking. “Once I convinced some jerk the only way to smuggle his gun off Contraxia was to shove it up his ass. This isn’t as fun.”

A chuckle escapes her mouth, and suddenly the pressure she’s been feeling in her lower abdominal eases away. Ana heaves out a deep, long breath. Rocket’s smirk morphs into concern as he reaches out to gently pat the back of her hand. 

“Can I confess something?” She whispers to him. He steps closer, tilting his head down. “I’m not ready yet.”

Rocket leans closer. “If you want to know my opinion. I think you got this.”

Then he winks as if they’re conspiring. Ana reaches out to gently stroke his ear. Rocket looks shocked at the affectionate gesture, then he relaxes, smiling like he’s proud to make her feel better.

Natasha interrupts their moment. “Ana, Dr. Hammond is on the phone. She’s on the way but wants to talk to you if you can.”

Taking the phone with her doctor relaxes Ana further. Though when she explains the severity of the pain, Dr. Hammond suggests she have a bag ready in case she does have to go to the hospital. The doctor also requests that the AI to monitor her closely and send FRIDAYs system readings be sent to her On-Call phone, just in case.

Through the night, two more odd contractions occur. Although being irregular and far apart though not any less painful, one more call to the doctor has Ana cursing Braxton Hicks contractions. Natasha stays with her the whole time, and Steve lingers by the closed door for far too long.

Sighing, Ana demands sleepily. “Rogers, just come in already, my god.”

Sheepishly, Steve enters the room, and hunkers down at the end of her bed. Ana drifts off into the same world where Bucky is always waiting for her, always barely able to touch her. When she wakes up from the clouds of ash, she slowly turns over. The sight she’s met with makes the tears in her eyes dry up.

Apparently, during the night, everyone made their way into her room. Nebula, Rocket, Carol and Rhodes all sleeping around the bed or propped up against the wall or chair. Smiling, Ana falls back to sleep.

35 Weeks: January 22nd

Over the last three days, Ana has become lethargic. She’s just so tired all the time, despite sleeping for a few solid hours. Maybe the constant trips into that dream world with the little girl and Bucky leave drain her energy more than she ever thought it would. Maybe waking up, never able to save Bucky is taking its toll, and her heart, her soul just aches. She is just so tired.

Though being eight months pregnant and having false contractions probably has something to do with how exhausted she’s been. Ana has yet to tell anyone about her dreams, or how they leave her feeling just as empty as the day it happened. Informing anyone would just lead to more worry, have them doting on her more than they already do.

Steve constantly eyes her, a twitch in his corded muscles as if he is ready to jump into action for her. He thinks he is being covert; he isn’t. Ana can still read and pick up on feelings and energies. Natasha is more inconspicuous about it, rather she just lingers in any room Ana shows up in. Nebula has taken to just drop next to her, pulling out the deck of playing cards, her dark eyes keen if Ana just shifts wrong.

Rocket chats her ear off with stories of him and the Guardians. Most adventures leave Ana clutching her big round stomach in laughter. It’s the most she has laughed in months, and she swears the little raccoon does this because she admitted she was scared to him.

Rhodes has been pulled away for more government and military business, although he calls to check in everyday. Carol keeps offering the last bottle of elixir but when Ana refuses, she just gives her a cup of tea instead. With sneaking suspicion, Ana thinks the tea is laced with the elixir anyway.

As the winter sun begins to set, its light casts an orange glow through the windows, makes the whole area look warm. To Ana, it bares too much a resemblance to her dreams. She turns to head to bed early, leaving the haunting sight of the sunset to paint the interior with its mockery. Ana grabs the mug of tea Danvers left seeping for her, turning her back on the light.

With the twist of her hips, a sharp stabbing pain shoots through her stomach. Ana shouts, dropping the mug, shattering on the floor as she doubles over in pain. This clenched pressure is more severe than the other night, Ana can’t even straighten up. She clutches the counter for balance, panting and gritting her teeth.

 Annie.

 “Ana!?” Someone calls in fear.

Trying to regulate her breathing, the pain slowly eases up. Ana cautiously straightens up, but the second she does, another pain zings through her lower stomach. Her fingers grip the counter so hard, the granite cracks, gives, then crumbles under her vice grip.

Strong arms wrap around her, balancing her the best they can. Ana is vaguely aware she’s being moved, but through the blinding pain, there’s an internal fear of something hurting her baby. The pain, the agony, the hurt; something isn’t right.

“Ba- the -ba-by,” Ana stammers, chest heaving, hands now clutching her stomach. Beneath her palms, she feels the baby writhe. “Fuck! It- it’s hurting.”

“What? What’s hurting the baby?” Someone demands urgently. “Call 911! Or get the jet ready! Anything! Ana. Ana, honey, look at me, can you hear me?”

All she hears is a panicked tone, firm callous hands squeezing her elbows. The baby shifts, curling and twisting in her stomach. Ana wants to reach in and protect her child, their child, from whatever is causing this white-hot agony.

She won’t release her arms from around her stomach, she can’t respond to anyone’s worried calls. She just shuts her eyes, tears stinging before they escape. She’s panting, trying to breathe but the darkness around the searing pain is almost too seductive to resist.

Suddenly, the pain stops. Ana can finally breathe in and out, in and out. Once she can inhale without any more contractions, she can finally speak.

“Something is wrong,” She breathes out, fear clenching around her heart. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“Just continue to breathe like you are,” Natasha urges, her voice shaky. “If you’re able to make it to the quinn jet we can fly you to the hospital.”

Bracing herself on whoever is holding her, Ana grabs at their shoulders slowly standing up. Concerned blue eyes gaze down at her, roaming over her face for any other signs of pain. Steve lifts his hand to her forehead, pressing his knuckles against her skin.

“Shit, you’re burning up. Let’s go, I’ll carry you if you can’t walk.” Steve offers, about ready to do just that.

“No,” She heaves, wincing as a lesser contraction wrecks her. She waits until it eases up. “But-but- these are too close together.” Ana gasps then, looking down at her legs, her pants soaked. “My water just broke.” She whispers, terrified. “Steve, it’s too early.”

The way those blue eyes shift from his own fear to determination soothes her terror just a little. Steve and Natasha volunteer to go with her, though Carol insists she help bring Ana up to the launch pad. As they leave, a concerned Rocket waves, wishing her good luck.

“Have fun,” Nebula pipes up after Ana is nearly out of ear shot.

“Have fun?” Rocket deadpans.

Nebula just shrugs, her hands balled into tight fists.

**

Arriving at the nearest hospital only takes fifteen minutes by jet. By some mercy, Ana doesn’t have another contraction or pain during the flight. Once they get her a wheelchair though, another occurs. People are talking around her as she fights and breaths through the pressured pain entering the hospital.

“Who’s your obstetrician?”

“Uh,” Ana pants, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face. “Dr. Hammond.”

Thankfully, she doesn’t have to continue talking after that, as Dr. Hammond rushes through the doors of the floor they’re on. Grateful for Natasha taking over for filling out the remaining information needed.

“Is anyone coming in with you, Ana?” Dr. Hammond inquires, after speaking with some nurses. She looks between Steve and Natasha. 

The question catches her off guard. “No! No. I-” Ana chokes up, nearly breaking down with grief because Bucky isn’t here. She feels his absence, his death more than ever. “I can do it on my own.”

Those words seem to strike a chord with Steve. He abruptly moves in front of her, bending to her eye level. Fierce protectiveness shining in those blue eyes. Steve grips her hands hard enough for her to know.

“Ana,” He begins lowly, firmly. "You don't have-"

“I’m scared," She admits. Her bottom lip trembles as hot tears finally spill from her eyes. "I’m so scared. It’s too early. What if-“  

Hushing her gently, Steve carefully pushes back her damp hair. “I know, I know you’re scared right now. You can do this. I know you can. You are not alone. I’m with you, Natasha’s with you. We’re right here for you. You don’t have to do this alone if you don’t want to.”

Ana squeezes his hands as another mild contraction rolls through her. She hunches over, listening to Steve instruct her to breathe deeply. When it subsides, she looks up at him through tears.

“How can you be so sure?” She asks breathlessly.

He blinks, taking a second to realize what she means. Then his face softens. “Because you’re you. Because you’re the most determined, stubborn, and strong woman I know. You can do this. Then you get to meet your child after, and that is going to be amazing.”

Ana nods, trying her best to believe him. “Yeah, yeah you're right. I-I wish Pepper were here though.”

“We called her, she’s one her way.” Natasha pipes in, handing back the clipboard to the nurse.

"Nat,” Ana shudders out another deep breath as the baby wiggles around. Suddenly Steve’s words strike her deeper. “Will you stay with me?”

“I won’t leave your side.” Natasha promises fiercely.

Dr. Hammond jumps in then, informing Ana of a drug they’re going to give her to slow the labor, then run some tests. She instructs Natasha of a nurse coming out to bring her sanitary and protective gear for the delivery room when it’s time.

They wheel her towards another set of double doors, and that’s as far as Steve can follow for now. Before they go through, he bends over, placing a kiss on top of Ana’s head.

“You’re strong. You can do this. Everything is going to be fine. I promise.” Steve reminds her fervently.

Annie

A newfound strength enters her body. Ana can’t be certain if it was Steve giving her one last encouragement through her powers, or the voice in her ears.

*

Administering the drug does help slow Ana’s labor down, and thankfully she’s able to get the epidural put in. Steve is allowed to visit once she’s checked into her room and bed. Pepper gets delayed by a mild snowstorm but promises to be there as soon as she can.

Usually giving a drug to delay preterm labor to a soon to be mother works better, if the mother didn’t have a form of super soldier serum in her DNA. The drug wears off just nine hours later, as Ana found out as she awoke with more intense pains. Before she knows it, it’s time.

“Ready?” Dr. Hammond questions as she settles between Ana’s legs.

Frantically Ana shakes her head, scrambling to find Natasha’s hand. Nat grabs her hand with both of hers, leaning close to her head. It’s still too soon. What if something goes wrong? What if her powers act out? Oh god, what if baby doesn’t survive?

Natasha’s soothing voice in her ear encourages Ana as she pats the back of her hand. Listening to her words as the doctor and nurses prepare behind her propped-up feet, begins to calm Ana just a little. She swears she feels Nat’s steady, relaxed energy seep into her.

Instructions to push when necessary are relayed to Ana, but as she screams and shouts through gritted teeth and crushes Natasha’s hand, she has to. When the pushing starts, the lights in the room glow brighter. They begin to flicker, the room fading in and out of darkness. A golden hue shines around Natasha’s hands clasps over Ana’s. Her friend calling her name is slowly fading away, as she begins to fall under water.

Annie

She hears the muffled concerned voice of the doctor; something is wrong with the baby. Ana fights to stay awake. Fights to give her baby a chance because if Ana fades away now, will she take her child with her?

No. She refused to let that happen. Pushing with all her might, she channels what she has of her own energy through her blood, her body, to her child.

Annie

The voice beckons to her again. Over and over; a haunting echo of a lullaby. Ana stops fighting, allows the darkness of a faded loving caress to pull her in. She hears cries fill the room just as her world goes black.

 *

Stillness. Quiet. Serenity.

The absence of sound slowly pulls Ana up from the ground. As she stands there, her mind void of any thought, she stares ahead at the endless horizon. An invisible grip tugs from inside her chest, her feet moving of their own accord. She moves through the glassy sea, ripples spreading out with each step.

Blinking to awareness, Ana is face to face with a dark wooden door.

A small touch wraps around her left hand. Looking down, she sees that same little girl; her beautiful green skin, the markings on her cheeks, her red-brown hair. It’s her big eyes that gaze up at Ana that always reach into her heart. Ana closes her fingers around her little hand.

“Where am I?” Ana inquires, her voice quiet echo.

The child smiles. There’s something sad about it. “I think you know.”

Casting a glance around at the horizon of every way, she nods. “What is your name?”

The girl pauses, but only for a moment. “Gamora.” It’s then she releases her hand and steps back. “You aren’t here for me though. That’s okay. I can wait.”

Perplexed, Ana asks, “What do you mean?”

Without answering, Gamora holds her arm out to the door in front of them. Ana shifts her eyes to the door, and what awaits on the other side. When she looks to the little girl once more for guidance, Gamora is gone. She doesn’t ponder where she could have vanished to. Ana places her hands on the door, and pushes.

Warmth blooms from her chest, as if her soul ignites within. Her heart fills with hope, with love, and with terror. Ana has been met with this same sight before. Has felt these same feelings race through her veins every time she sleeps.

Bucky stands before her. Same ocean blue eyes, same soft expression, same little smile on his lips. He takes a step forward, lifting his right hand. Ana bites her lip, dreading for when they make contact, he will crumble into ash like always.

“Hi Annie,” Bucky speaks. His voice seeping into her bones.

Despite the inevitable pounding through her chest, Ana brings her own hand up. Slowly, she reaches for him, the warmth of his hand erases any fear. Bucky intertwines their fingers together, his smile widening. Ana moves closer, squeezing his knuckles. When Bucky remains solid and firm in front of her, tears fill her eyes.

“Bucky.” His name leaves her lips on a sob.

Her husband gently cups her cheek with his left hand, the cold of his metal palm sending goosebumps all over her skin. Ana presses her lips to his hand, holding onto to this moment for as long as she can. Bucky pulls his hand from hers, only to wrap his arm around her waist, tugging her to his chest. Ana grips him tight around his back, resting her ear directly over his heart that she can hear pounding in his chest.

“Are you real?” She murmurs, tears falling down her cheeks.

His soft chuckle rumbles through his chest. He leans back, delicately cups her cheek to pick her head up. Bucky connects their foreheads, eyes gazing affectionately into hers. His vibranium thumb sweeps along her cheekbone, wiping away her tears.

“I’ve always been real in your dreams, darling.”

Ana lifts her hand from his back to brush her fingers through his soft hair. “Is that what this is then? Just a dream?”

"Not exactly.” He laments with a sigh. Ana leans back, and the happiness in those beautiful eyes of his fade away. “I fear you may be here permanently if you don’t leave soon.”

“But I- I just got you back,” Ana frowns, shifting her hand from his thick hair to his cheek. The soft scruff of his beard tickles her palm. Bucky turns his head, kissing her palm. Her heat sinks then. “This isn’t real.”

Sadly, Bucky shakes his head. “This isn’t your world. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be selfish and just hold you a bit longer.”

Ana fully throws her arms around him in a vice grip, foolishly thinking if she can hold him tight enough, he can stay buried in her soul forever. His returning hug is just as hard, the pain from his grip just confusing her more. They move at the same time, finding each other’s mouth and placing a firm, desperate kiss to their lips.

“I need you to go back now, love,” Bucky gently urges, after he breaks their kiss.

“I don’t want to,” Ana cries, now clutching at his chest. “I need you.”

Bucky’s eyes suddenly fill with tears, falling over the edge and down his cheeks. For the first time Ana has ever entered this dream world, Bucky has never cried. She delicately wipes the wetness from his beautiful face. His smile breaks her heart.

“Someone else needs you now, Ana.” He tells her. Bucky kisses her forehead. “It’s time to go.”

Her chest tightens then, as if her soul is losing him all over again. Nodding as tears continue to fall, Ana wraps him up in her arms one last time, holding onto his warmth. She presses her right hand firmly over his chest, memorizing the rhythm of his heartbeat.

“I love you, Bucky. James, I-I love you so much,” Ana sobs.

Bucky runs his fingers through her hair, bringing the strands up to his mouth, before letting the hair fall back into place. “You’re my heart and soul, Ana. I love you.” He gently kisses her lips. When he pulls back once more, his blue eyes shine with pride. “She’s beautiful, by the way. Take care of her, Annie.”

“She?” Ana frowns, confused.

He places his hands on her chest. “Wake up.”

Then, Bucky fades into dust.

 *

Ana gasps.

"We got a pulse!” Someone shouts.

Ana blinks up at too bright lights, dazed, confused, abruptly cold. The commotion around her fades into the background as she slowly becomes aware of her surroundings. Her fingers scratch against stiff cotton, her damp skin making them feel too sensitive against her hands.

A dull pressure releases from her lower half, from her stomach perhaps? Her back? Her hips? Nope, it’s definitely soreness between her legs. She’s cold and sweaty, can now feel her hair sticking to her face. Her chest is heaving, her arms lifting as to reach for something.

“I don’t understand, her vitals stabilized quickly. They’re all normal, doctor.”

The minute the words break through the muffled barrier of whatever ocean she was under, is the minute she hears the crying. In a rush of sensory overload, everything crashes back to her.

Her baby. Ana just gave birth.

“Mrs. Barnes? Ana, can you hear me?” Dr. Hammond’s voice is speaking to her right.

Nodding frantically, Ana answers her hoarsely. “Y-yes. I’m fine. I-where’s my baby?”

Still a little unfocused, she misses when the nurses double check her vitals, and then, the wails of an infant come closer. Someone questions if it’s a good idea, doubts the steady condition she seems to be in. Whoever it was is shot down though, as blonde and red hair come into Ana’s vision.

“Thank, god,” Natasha breathes, her shoulder sagging. “You scared us.” She shakes her head, then smiles. “Would you like to meet your daughter now?”

Carefully, Natasha hands over a little bundle of a blanket, laying Ana’s baby on her chest. Hands works to gently tug down her gown and unwrap the blanket. It’s that first skin to skin contact, that first feel of her baby girl’s beating heart against her mother’s, that breaks Ana.

Ana cries, sobs, as she delicately holds her daughter against her chest. For the first time in a long time, her soul pulses with warmth.

 ***********************************************************

Drabbles: Twenty-Three     Drabbles: Twenty-Five

(Note: Ana’s labor/birth is loosely based off of my sister-in-laws experience.)

Tags:  @thecreatiivecorner​​​ @buckyland​​​ @stressedasalways​​​ @watchoutforfrostbite​​​ @justreadingfics​​​ @keldachick​​​ @eurynome827​​​ @elatedmarvel​​​ @shesalatesh​​​ @paintedgreywriting​​​ ​​ @buckaroo-blue​​ @afewmarvelousthoughts​​ @crushedbyhyperbole​​ @shesalatesh​ @jaxthebookworm​

[hello-im-not-a-possum]

Prompt: Wally Franks, but he's a wizard.

One wizard Wally coming right up!

It was a miracle how the Janitor kept the studio clean.

Even when it was just a tiny shack of a building, it was a busy tiny shack of a building that had ink and papers constantly spilling everywhere; crumpled up balls of paper that would miss the trashcans, broken bottles of ink, and god knows what else because people are messy. But it was manageable and easily cleaned. After all, if Wally 'slacks off until the last possible second every single day in that dumb hat of his' Franks managed to keep the place spotless, it couldn't be that hard.

Anyone in the studio could recognize Wally without even meeting the man because of that ridiculous hat, but nobody could tell why he wore such a thing as he always changed the story behind it.

"Laugh now, but dese are all the rage ouva in dose hoity-toity upscale cities. I'm gonna mistaken for one of those shmucks and get famous!"

"Oh, dis old thing? Okay, let me set the stage fah ya: Way, way, back in good ol' 1692, my great-great-insert a couple dozen or so more 'greats' in dere grandpa really cheesed off a witch in da woods... *one over the top ridiculous story later* ...and now my entire bloodline is cursed to weah stupid hats."

"I Might've lost da first bet, but ya should've seen da getup the outha guy's stuck with!"

"Da best way ta keep a clown from sneakin' up an killin' ya is ta trick 'em into thinkin' you're one of them."

"All my outha hats got covered in ink."

"Didn't ya see dat Mickey Mouse short in da 'Fantasia' thang Disney put out? Obviously I wear dis stupid hat 'cause gives me magical powers."

"Isn't 'Steamboat Willie' they only animation that Disney made?"

"Aw shoot- I mean, I must've been thinkin' about something else then."

Often after answering he'd laugh and nonchalantly change the subject. Nobody really thought anything of it, the Janitor was the biggest chatterbox in the studio and always had a bunch of different subjects on his mind.

The day after Henry left, the studio expanded.

More rooms to fill with art, more people to fill the void of the lost creator, more ink to fuel it all. In fact, it didn’t stop there, why should it? Joey more musicians and started hiring voice actors to make future cartoons even better than the old ones, to prove to himself that he didn't need Henry to make their creation successful. Yet in spite of this rapid growth, the cleaning staff still only had one member; a single janitor and his stupid, colorful, pointy hat.

Joey didn’t even bother trying to hire anyone else for the studio’s cleaning staff. Even when animators and musicians got concerned for Wally about being the only janitor at such a big studio, Joey always said that he could never find anyone as ‘talented’ as Wally for the job. And to the Director’s credit, he was correct. No matter how large the studio grew, no matter how often the janitor slacked off, and no matter how bad the messes got, the studio would always be completely and perfectly spotless when the workers arrived in the morning. While Wally did complain to high heaven about having to clean up after everybody and often repeated what was essentially now his catchphrase, he never seemed to be exhausted from the job itself. If anything, he seemed to be overall more well rested than the other staff.

However, almost no one paid mind to this, after all, they work to do and had deadlines to meet, no time to spend wondering about the Janitor's uncanny ability to stay on top of his workload, they just were used to it and accepted it as one of the studio workers’ natural mysteries. Like how the building felt like it was changing itself sometimes, or how the projectionist seemed to be anywhere and or everywhere, or how the music director seemed to be a seer who made bitter, sarcastic, and or dry humored remarks that would often turn into accurate predictions of the future, or how Joey always seemed to know where everyone in the studio was. (Okay, that last one might’ve just been that he had the building wiretapped and there was nothing supernatural about that.)

Thankfully for Wally Franks, there was only one person who really took the time to sit down and question how he managed to get all several stories of the now almost constantly inked studio completely spotless was the man who had piled on a couple extra chores with his and his machine's arrival.

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

“So I’m cleaning da studio late at night an' I almost forgot dat Mistah Conner started doing late night shifts an' he almost caught me in full swing, I had brooms and mops out flyin' everywhere an' he almost saw everythang! Luckily, his footsteps are pretty heavy so it was easy ta know when he was coming but man dat was close! And I'm startin' ta think he's caught on to da fact dat there's something fishy goin' on down 'ere an' I bet I was really something suspicious back 'dere. 'Dis is the first time since dat incident he let me outta his sight while on da clock. What do ya think Sam? Last straw? Should I really get outta here before it gets worse? How'd my futuah look eitheah way?"

The music director sighed in annoyance before answering the janitor.

"For the last goddamned time, I CAN'T really see the future, Franks! That's just a dumb running joke between the studio."

"But you definitely can! And wit' accuracy too! remembah when ya told me ta not eat dat sandwich in the fridge or else I'd get punched even though it was MY Sandwich and afta I shrugged ya off, Jerry went an' clocked me in da jaw? You saw the freakin' futuah! You saw that I'd get punched and ya tried ta warn me!"

"Or, I saw the fact you have a long history of eating other people's food, had my back turned to you at the moment, and thought you were eating Jerry's sandwich. Jerry probably also thought you were eating his sandwich because you two brought in the exact same lunch!"

The musician stood up from his seat to refill his coffee mug, but before he could, the janitor dropped down on his knees in front of him and gave him his best 'puppy dog eyes'.

"C'mon Sammy! Please tell me what I should do! I don't wanna end up stuck in jail or dead from this! I have a girlfriend and a kid!"

The unwilling prophet pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought of something to tell the "wizard" to get him off his back.

"My best advice to you is to tell Conner about your secret in a secluded area, preferably a night shift you both work. If he doesn't believe you, demonstrate a simple yet flashy spell. And then wait for his reaction. If you get the feeling he's going to tell the world, tell him that if he tells anyone else, you will curse him and his entire bloodline."

"Wait, really? I mean, I don't plan on ignorin' ya but is dat really the best caurse of action?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Well fer starters, cursing an entirah bloodline ain't somethin' you should take lightly! Even if it's something small, just, an' kinda silly like; 'Every time ya yell at someone for somethin' they didn't do, yer voice turns all high pitched and squeaky'. Ya could end up ruinin' someone's life! What if Tom's great-great grandson or whateva decided ta become a lawyeah and while defendin' his client, his voice got all squeaky. He'd be da laughin' stock of da legal system an' I'd be ta blame!"

"Okay, fine. Then just curse Conner specifically if he tries to ruin your life."

"But I don't even use magic on livin' things! What if I screw up an' accidentally turn him inta some kinda squeaky toy? Besides, is dere any otha way than just, revealing my secret dat I kept for my entirah life ta some guy who came in here an' started bossin' me around?"

Sammy rolled his eyes in annoyance. An action that registered to Wally as 'Why do these people keep asking me for help with the future if they keep fighting against me over the advice I give?' While Sammy knew his action meant 'Why am I constantly being bothered by my coworkers over their dumb running jokes pretending that magic is real?'

"Well, you told me, didn't you?"

"I mean, yeah, but dat's different! We're both, you know, and he's... well, not! I know you won't out me, but he might, even unda da threat of cursing!"

The two stood in silence for a bit before Sammy tried to leave again and Wally blocked his way.

"Just in case, do ya have any otha predictions?"

"I predict that if you stand between me and the coffee machine for any longer, you will suffer a terrible fate by my hands."

"Okay, okay! jeeze..."

And as the musician left for the break room, Wally silently dreaded the next time he and Tom would work a night shift together. Hopefully the studio's constantly irritated oracle was right about this being the best course of action.

[redspeedy]

Together

Hey everyone. I am new to tumblr and english is only my second language, but I have enjoyed reading everybody’s stories and posts and I wanted to try writing something myself. Hope you’ll enjoy this.

Prompt: - “What are you doing here?”                - “I missed my last chance, so I thought I’d creat a new one”

Credit: #theworldofprompts

Natasha Romanoff was standing on the edge of the balcony watching the last light of the day slowly disappearing into the void. She had never been a sentimental person, but even the Assassin had to admit that it was a beautiful view to enjoy. In a few hours the Team would set out for Wakanda and make their last stand against Thanos. This was not how she had expected her return to the Avengers facility. They had been on the run for a couple years now and this morning her and Steve’s biggest worry was finding another safe house to stay in. Now they were once again faceing the end of the world. At least this was going to make a good story to tell to Yelena if she would ever get to see her again.

The sound of footsteps on gravel interrupted the redheads musings and she didn’t have to turn around to know who was about to join her at her hidingspot.

“Well, this all seems horrible.” a warm voice greated her as Bruce Banner placed his arms on the railing next to her. He had changed into a purple dressshirt and greyish cotton trousers. The sad smile on his face reminded her of simpler days and the thought made her heart clench in her chest.

“You found your wardrobe.” she commented with an even tone, trying to hide just how much it hurt to see him this way.

“I honestly thought you guys would have thrown out most of my things, but everything is still there.” Bruce shrugged and looked into the distance as if facing Natasha was something he wasn’t ready for.

She joined him at watching the sunset. For a while they were just standing in silence. Natasha felt the fabric of his shirt slightly brushing against her bare arms whenever he moved and he moved a lot. Bruce wrung his hands, pressing his fingers together only to release them a minute later. She watched him fidget and shook her head, amused.

“You know, I have always liked sunsets and this new bulding you guys got? It’s really nice, Tony really outdid himself.” The scientists voice broke the fragile silence around them and Natasha exhaled a long breath.

Never one to take any bullshit the spy faced her former teammate. “What are you doing here, Bruce?” she asked. “Aren’t there other things you could do to occupy yourself with? I am pretty sure the lab has everything you need to fix up Veronica. If you are still serious about taking part in the fight.” Natasha couldn’t hide the bitterness that entered her tone as she spoke and he flinched.

Bruce’s disappearence had been hard on her. On one hand she blamed herself for pushing him into a hole on the other hand she hadn’t had much of a choice, but it didn’t change that she had been worried about him ever since. When he strolled into the facility earlier today she hadn’t been sure if she should yell at him or hug him. Now, she was just angry. At him, at herself, at the fact that they didn’t have time to figure things out before propably getting killed.

Bruce took a deep breath. “Ouch. Well, I propably deserved that.” He rubbed his hand over his features and turned a little to face Natasha before he continued. “Nat, listen. I know you propably didn’t expect that we would see each other again like this. To be honest, the circumstances are pretty grim.”

“I have seen worse.” she joked dryly. Bruce regarded this with a pained smile, but soldiered on, nervous as he was. “The thing is... we kind of missed our last window, so I thought I’d create a new one.”

Natasha’s head snapped up. Her expression nearly stunned by the familiar words. “What are you saying, Bruce?” She didn’t want to believe it. After all this time and everything she had done, why would he choose these words to say to her now.

The Doctor released his arms from the railing and took a step closer. “What I am saying is that I want a chance. I know this is messed up and the world will propably collapse tomorrow, or sometime next week and we should worry about pretty much everything else then the thing we used to have a few years ago.” He breathed out hard as if he was steeling himself for something, her rejection perhaps? But as Natasha kept silent he continued. “To me, Sokovia was just a few weeks ago. It feels distant. I don’t know how to describe it, but one moment you were kissing me and the next thing I remember is Thor telling me I had been the hulk for two years an” “Bruce?” Natasha interrupted. “Yes?” “You are rambling.”

Bruce wanted to answer, but the two of them were interrupted by an announcement. “Miss Romanoff and Doctor Banner. Your attendance has been requested at the HQ” FRIDAY informed them and she sighed. “Duty calls.” he said with a sad look on his face. Natasha nodded. She turned and walked a few steps, then stopped. No! She refused to just let it go. The world would have to wait for a minute. Natasha whireld around and closed the distance between her and Bruce. Her hand found the back of his neck and their lips met.

It was like something melted inside her. Bruce smelled familiar. His aftershave and the smell of what she associated with a warm summer evening still clung to him like it did in Sokovia. Warmth spread through her body as he returned and deepened the kiss. Bruce’s arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.

They remained like this until they were flushed an breathless, holding onto the other as if their life depended on it. “How, what?” Bruce was the first one to speak and clearly confused. “You’re right. We did miss our window.” She said with a smile. Bruce shrugged. “Sooo. If we’re really lucky and the world doesn’t end tomorrow. Could we create another one?” he asked now smiling too, holding Natasha close and secure in his arms. She nodded against his chest. “I think that sounds like a good deal, Doc.”

They remained on their spot for a little while longer wrapped up in each other. Whatever was waiting for them in Wakanda they would face it together.

[bgn846]

Origins of the Sun and Night

         Summary:            

Prompto and Noct are exploring their new relationship together when things take an interesting turn.  First introductions are made and a new future might be dawning.

                 Notes:    

This was supposed to be a short drabble, sure, I'm capable of that... not.  Anywho I hope you enjoy some cute young love.  :)

Noct and Prom are 18 and Ignis is 20, Gladio is 21.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

             Work Text:          

“Seriously Prom, don’t do that, I’m gonna have to take another shower,” Noct whined.

“Come on I’m just resting my head on your shoulder!” Prompto lamented.

“Yeah, and I already told you Gladio has a really, really good sense of smell for an alpha, he’ll know I was hanging out with someone new.”

“Sooooo, he’s just your shield, what does it matter to him. It’s not like you’re in a pack together or something.”

“He will ask me eighty billion questions, that’s why I don’t want him to know,” Noct sighed.

“Oh, sorry,” Prompto mumbled clearly upset by the thought as he pulled away and stared at the floor.

Noct could tell that he’d hurt Prompto’s feelings. Thinking fast he tried to come up with another answer that wouldn’t sound so rude. “It’s not that I don’t want you to meet Gladio or Ignis for that matter, it’s just that I don’t want anything to ruin what we have. Ya know?” Noct paused and waited to see if he had Prompto’s full attention.

“I guess I understand, but won’t I have to meet them eventually?”

“I suppose, but for now I want to have you all to myself,” Noct smiled as he reached out and squeezed Prompto’s knee. 

“Don’t they already know about me though? I had to go through that background check and everything,” Prompto huffed.

“Um, well, I actually asked the Marshal to do your check instead of Ignis. I made him swear not to say anything, so long as you passed.”

“Oh em gee, you’re keeping secrets from Gladio and Ignis, this is getting exciting!”

“I really like you, Prom, I don’t want to mess this up,” admitted Noct. He knew he needed to speak his mind soon, Prompto might meet another alpha and then his chance would be gone. Finding a mate and starting a pack of his own had seemed like such a stupid topic before he’d befriended Prompto.  Now it was all his hormone-addled, teenage brain could think of.  Being an alpha sucked sometimes.

“I like you too buddy, don’t worry about all this stuff. Let’s just have fun with it okay?”

Noct did manage to have fun with his beta for almost six months until it happened. Gladio and Ignis officially met Prompto and Noct’s world changed forever.

--

Prompto was nervous, only because he hadn’t told Noct that he was coming. He doubted the prince would see him in the crowd of people, but it made him fidgety none the less. Thankful that he was a beta and usually not pestered, Prompto made his way along the wall towards the front of the lobby.

Not willing to ever admit it, Prompto secretly liked it when Noct dressed up in his formal attire.   They’d been sorta dating for almost three months and Prompto was learning how to ask for things he desired. It wasn’t something he’d grown up doing, so having an alpha, a prince no less, wanting to do things for you was odd at times.

Finding a spot near some other betas Prompto waited for Noct to take the makeshift stage. His friend was supposed to be cutting the ribbon for a new multi-building housing project that had finished.  Sure, it was boring but Prompto didn’t care, he wanted to support Noct no matter what.

However, when Noct walked out some people in the crowd started booing. Great, that was the last thing Noct needed right now. People needed to leave him alone.   Torn between looking to the stage and trying to find the people making a ruckus, Prompto missed an important detail. Gladio, Noct’s bodyguard had taken the stage as well, but he was dressed in standard crownsguard fatigues.

Glancing back up to see if Noct was still going to speak, Prompto merely saw what he always called Noct’s babysitting crew in attendance. Paying no mind to what they looked like he focused on his friend. That is when he heard it, someone yelling about ‘tearing it all down’ and ‘to hell with the monarchy’. Shit, that wasn’t something you wanted to hear while standing shoulder to shoulder crammed in a small space. The lobby, though grand, could only hold a few hundred people at most. The confines of the space meant any kind of commotion would lead to a rush of people trying to leave.

Hoping security would remove the angry people without incident, Prompto worked to stay calm. He wasn’t rewarded with that outcome, instead, a fight broke out. People began screaming and pushing against him to get away. Unable to hear anything aside from the panicked cries of those nearby Prompto worked to stay upright. Falling over meant he’d surely get stepped on.

Checking the stage quickly, Prompto couldn’t see Noct anywhere. Giving up on his chance to see his friend again he moved with the crowd toward what he prayed was the exit. That is when he saw him, a tall angry looking guy, probably an alpha, moving against the flow of people. Determined dark eyes unmistakably locked with his own, for a moment Prompto couldn’t breathe.

There was no way this guy could reach him, the crowd was too heavy.  Ducking down slightly Prompto made an attempt to weave sideways. Given the number of people and general chaos, this was no easy task. Spying a side security door, he pushed through the throngs of people in hopes it would be unlocked.  If he could make it out another way, this scary dude wouldn’t be able to catch him.

Not stopping to think about why the guy even had his sights set on him, Prompto forced his way over to the door. Surprised when the knob gave way he nearly fell through when it opened. Other people followed behind him and soon a steady stream of spectators was pushing him forward. The corridor beyond was narrow but it had an exit sign at the other end. Risking a glance behind, Prompto nearly shouted when he saw the same dark eyes boring a hole in his skull.  The guy was only a few yards away!

Breaking out into a full-on run, Prompto barreled towards the exit door and threw himself out onto the street. Not even taking a moment to get his bearings, Prompto kept on running.  He had to get away. The sidewalk he was running along bordered the building and was free of people. However, he realized too late that there was a tall chain-link fence between him and the parking lot beyond. Forced to run on ahead, Prompto tried not to get distracted by what were surely heavy footfalls behind him.

His lungs were burning and he was about to try and jump the fence when someone called his name. Momentarily caught off guard he slowed slightly and scanned the area in front of him. When his name was shouted again, Prompto finally figured out that it was someone from behind.  Looking over his shoulder he saw the guy still chasing him but his expression had changed. No longer angry looking, the dude seemed upset.

Of course, the astrals had it out for Prompto because when he turned back around he tripped. The stupid sidewalk had turned to avoid a tree and he ran straight into the immovable concrete curb.  A sharp pain erupted from his big toe and caused his mind to go blank. Falling to the ground in a heap he cried out in pain.  All prior desperation was forgotten as he writhed on the grass holding his foot.

“Hey, whoa calm down there, you’re okay, calm down,” The guy who’d been chasing him cooed as he kneeled in the grass a few feet away.

“What – do you want?” Prompto managed as he tried to keep from crying.

“I was tryin’ to get you to come with me, so I co--.”

“No! I don’t wanna – I’m not going with you anywhere!” Prompto all but screamed as he sat up.

“No, no, no it’s nothing sinister, I’m Noct’s shield, Gladio --.”

When the guy dropped his name, Prompto’s ears started ringing. All he could do was stare helplessly at the man in front of him. Why was he so stupid sometimes? Gladio was wearing a crownsguard uniform, after all, it would make sense he wasn’t some random weirdo. Coming to his senses Prompto attempted to pick up on what was Gladio was saying.

“—only wanted to get you outta there and in a safer place. Noct said he saw you and had me go try and get you.” Gladio finished not even aware that Prompto had spaced out halfway through the conversation. “So like I said, you’re okay, you’re safe.”

“I think I broke my toe,” Prompto whimpered in response since his brain had turned to mush.

“I’ve got my field medic certification, can I take a look?” Gladio asked kindly as he inched closer on the grass.

Nodding Prompto looked away as Gladio worked to get his shoe off.  Even with him being careful it still hurt. Hissing in pain Prompto put his hand up over his mouth to keep quiet. That’s when he noticed the pain diminishing slightly. What was going on? Taking a deep breath caused his mind to relax even further. “Wha’s goin’ on?” he asked before falling backward in the grass again.

“Tryin’ to help with my pheromones, tell me to stop if it’s bothering you.”

“Feel’s good,” Prompto hummed.

Staring up into the tree canopy Prompto spaced out as Gladio poked and prodded his foot. The pain from before was gone and exhaustion was slipping into to fill the void. The sound of glass breaking caused him to look up and over at his foot. The cool rush of something numb and tingly was rushing through his system. Blinking in surprise, Prompto tried to figure out what had happened. The pain was gone and by all accounts, his foot seemed perfectly normal. Not even a bruise in sight.

“What did you do to me?” he asked in awe.

“Used a potion, figured Noct would be upset if I took you back inside with a broken toe.”

“Oh, that’s cool, I’ve never used one before,” Prompto whispered as he put his sock and shoe back on.

“Really? I figured since you hang out with princess all the time these days that he’d let you use one,” Gladio teased.

Shaking his head no, Prompto forgot about the fact that Gladio shouldn’t even know about him, let alone that he’d been hanging out with Noct. “We’ve never had a reason to use one, we just hang out and play video games and do homework.”

“Nothin’ else?” Gladio asked with a devilish grin. “Sure looks like a hickey you’re tryin’ to hide under that collar.”

Prompto felt his face heat up in lieu of an answer. “It’s not like that, exactly.”

“I’m not upset by it blondie, don’t stress out. I’m only teasing.  Come on let’s go find Noct, he’s probably driving Iggy mad trying to come out here and look for himself.”

After a minute Prompto felt strong enough to get up and follow Gladio back towards the building.  The adrenaline rush was long gone and Prompto felt a little light-headed. Accidentally bumping shoulders with Gladio caused the man to look over in alarm.

“Hey, you okay? You’re looking a little pale.”

“M’good, just tired, I got caught in a mob, chased by an alpha, and broke my toe.”

Gladio simply barked out a laugh and reached out to ruffle his hair.  “You can cuddle with Noct once we get inside; just let me know if you feel faint.”

Groaning at the sheer embarrassment of it all, Prompto dutifully followed Gladio back into the building. They passed several other guards along the way, each time Gladio would put an arm around his shoulders and usher him through first. It seemed to be enough to signal to the others that he was meant to be there.

Finally, when they’d reached what was most likely a suite of administrative offices, Prompto heard Noct call his name.  The prince appeared seemingly from nowhere and rushed over. “What took you so long?!” he demanded looking mostly at Gladio but sparing a few worried glances in his direction.

“Blondie here can run real fast, not sure you’d know anything about that, ‘Mr. I cheat by warping’, Gladio chuckled.

“I can run plenty fast!” Noct defended as he wavered in place.

Prompto wanted to hug Noct so bad but it appeared as if he’d have to wait, Noct wasn’t moving to initiate the action.  Not wanting to get the prince in trouble Prompto stood and smiled instead.

“Go on, don’t wait on my account,” Gladio urged suddenly as he pushed Prompto forward. “You both need a hug from the looks of it.”

Turning to look at Gladio, Prompto almost didn’t believe what he was hearing. “It’s okay?”

“Sure, gives me an excuse to dote on Iggy while you two are distracted.”

Noct’s arms were around him barely a second later. “I was so worried about you, are you alright?”

Nuzzling into Noct’s neck, Prompto took a deep breath. The alpha’s scent mixed with Gladio’s scent helped to further calm him down. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Noct hugged him tighter and began rubbing his back, “Why do you look so frazzled?”

“I didn’t recognize Gladio when he came to get me,” Prompto muttered softly, he knew Noct felt bad when he tensed briefly.

“Sorry about that, I guess I should have introduced you earlier, huh?”

“It worked out, he’s nice.”

“Come on, we’re leaving and I’m taking you back to my place to chill out.”

Prompto had no time to protest when Noct stepped back and grabbed his hand, pulling them towards another set of doors.

“Specs, I want to leave, can we go yet?” Noct whined loudly. Before he’d taken another breath to continue another man appeared followed closely by Gladio.

“Yes, I do believe the exit has been cleared and our car is waiting. Shall we?” The man, Specs, indicated with a sweep of his gloved hand.

Distracted for a moment, Prompto felt himself staring. Licking his lips he managed to utter a shaky hello. The man in question arched a perfectly groomed eyebrow at him and smiled.

“You must be Prompto, my name is Ignis Scientia, and I’m Noctis’ royal advisor.”

“Hi,” was all Prompto could manage to say again. Ignis was gorgeous. “Um—nice to meet you,” he tacked on for good measure.

“Noct, buddy,” Prompto hissed under his breath. “Why didn’t you tell me Ignis was an alpha too?”

“Wha? Ignis isn’t an alpha, what are you going on about? He’s with Gladio, they’re bonded.” Noct offered like it was obvious as he waved his arm around.  “See how they look at each other, it’s so gross.”

“Wait, wait, you’re telling me Ignis is a beta like me?” Prompto asked hopeful.  Getting to meet another beta sounded really nice. Noct was really his only true friend and having another person in their small circle was promising.

“No, I’m an omega,” Ignis cut in with a charming smile. Turning to look at Noct he continued. “I like your friend already highness, anyone that mistakes me for an alpha is a keeper.”

“Ahhhh, wait, what are you talking about? We’re not um – well we are but like you’re not supposed to know about it.” Noct lamented.

“Highness, Gladio sniffed out your new friend months ago, we were simply waiting for you to tell us all the juicy details. However, it seems I don’t have to wait for you to spill the beans, I can ask the source.” Ignis offered as he held out a hand to usher them all out to the car.

The car ride was a bit of a blur, Noct had pulled him close and they sat holding hands for the whole trip, much like Gladio and Ignis across from them.  Having never ridden in a limo before Prompto was slightly overwhelmed by the whole thing. Soon enough the rocking of the car and Noct’s warmth lulled him to sleep.

A gentle touch to his arm woke Prompto sometime later. Opening his eyes he saw Gladio kneeling down and smiling at him.

“We kinda want to send the driver home, wanna come inside?” he asked softly.

Looking around Prompto noticed that Noct had passed out as well, no wonder Gladio was trying to rouse him. “Sure thing big guy,” he offered without thinking. Pausing briefly with a panicked look, Prompto waited to see how Gladio would take the nickname.

“Big guy huh? I could get used to that.”

Blushing furiously Prompto ducked his head and scooted forward to move near the already open door. “What about Noct?”

“I got princess don’t worry.”

Watching the crown prince get carried around like a doll was very trippy. Gladio looked like he’d done this move a thousand times; Ignis barely batted an eyelash. Once they were upstairs and Noct had been safely deposited on the sofa, Ignis started his round of questions. Thankfully, they were all friendly in nature and easy to answer. It seemed that Gladio and Ignis already knew quite a bit about him, maybe that background check hadn’t stayed as under wraps as Noct initially thought.

“So um, what’s next?” Prompto asked once Ignis had finished.

“You finish school and continue to support Noct as his friend and whatever else you see fit to add in the future.”

Prompto felt his face flush, he knew what Ignis was alluding to but they’d not gotten there yet. Kissing and several heavy petting sessions were all that had occurred between them so far. “So, does that mean I’d be allowed to like, um, officially be with Noct? I mean if he wants me.” Prompto added in a rush.

“Certainly, there are no rules against the prince taking a mate of non-royal blood,” Ignis replied.

“What about that princess, the one from Tenebrae, isn’t she supposed to bond with Noct?” The question had flitted around in Prompto’s mind for months but he’d been too scared to ask Noct. Ignis on the other hand was easy to talk with and gave straightforward answers.

“Lady Lunafreya, I believe, has already found a mate if I am to understand correctly.”

“Yeah, she and Ulric are busy tryin’ to make babies,” Gladio commented with a toothy grin. Ignis simply rolled his eyes and reached out to thwack the shield in the arm. “What? It’s true, they’re really cute together.” Gladio defended.

“Yes, well there you have the answer, is there anything else you wish to know?”

Sitting and thinking, Prompto couldn’t think of anything else. He was allowed to be with Noct if the prince wanted him. Until a small thought wheedled its way into his psyche, “Uh, if we um, you know become a bonded pair, do you think Noct will have to find an omega in addition to me?”

Ignis tilted his head in thought and hummed quietly. “I’d not considered that, do you ask specifically for the reason of producing an heir?”

Nodding, Prompto waited to see what Ignis would say.  He wasn’t not open to the idea of being in a pack with Noct, but it would depend on who the other person was.

“At this time I don’t believe Regis will force his son to do anything he’s not comfortable with, including furthering the line of the Luci.”

Prompto’s eyes went wide, “Doesn’t that mean the crystal won’t work anymore?”

“There is that risk, but I would think Lady Lunafreya in her position as oracle would be able to supply a suitable solution via the gods.”

“Oh, that’s really heavy.”

“Heavy indeed, but not something you, yourself, need to worry about. Being a beta male you cannot bear children anyway.”

“What about you?” Prompto blurted. “Can you have kids?”

Ignis nodded and smiled, “Yes, I can, though I’d have to plan ahead to stop taking birth control.”

Grinning at the idea Prompto turned his attentions to Noct, the guy needed to wake up already. “Hey! Sleepyhead wake up! Ignis wants to have a baby!”

Noct shot up off the sofa and nearly fell over the coffee table, “What? Who’s having a baby?”

Gladio was snorting with laughter at the sight; Ignis was even laughing at their prince. “I said we should have a baby.”

“Oh my sweet astrals, I thought you said Ignis was having one,” Noct sighed as he flopped back down on the couch.  “Can we not talk about kids until like another six years have passed? I’m not ready for that kind of commitment.”  

“Sure thing buddy,” Prompto offered as he winked across the room at Ignis. The advisor merely smirked at the display.  At least the omega found it amusing, they could both pick on Noct, this was going to be fun.

“Hey Noct, why have you never shown Prompto how to use a potion before?” Gladio cut in curiously as they all relaxed.

“I never needed to why? What kinda question is that?”

“Just wondering, cause when I used one on him earlier, he was kinda in awe.”

Noct straightened up again and glared at Gladio, “What did you do to my beta?”

“Nothing princess, he stubbed his toe so hard he broke it.”

The prince looked stricken at hearing what had occurred, Prompto would have normally been worried about making him feel better, but he was stuck on what Noct had called him. His beta. “Did you mean it?” Prompto asked softly, “Am I yours?”

“Huh?” Noct sputtered as he reached out to grab Prompto’s arm. “Yeah, of course, you’re my beta, I love you.”

Whatever else Noct had to say on the matter was drown out when Prompto surged forward and tackled him for a kiss. “I’ll make – you – so happy!” He said in between kisses.

“You always make me happy!” said Noct as he pulled him down for another round of kisses.

Prompto wasn’t sure but he thought he heard Ignis and Gladio offering their goodbyes as they made out on the couch. He was pretty sure they’d be having another heavy discussion soon about what it was like to really date the crown prince. In all honesty, Prompto was looking forward to this new chapter in his life. Good things were coming and he could hardly wait.

[starstruck-thirst]

Hisoka Morow: On the Brink

Warnings: Sleep deprivation, paranoia

______________________

You jumped as your head tried to roll forward into the unconscious void. Everything felt heavy and sluggish. You hadn’t slept more than three hours in as many days, and eating had been in small bursts, so your energy was in no way regulated or normal.

But you had to keep moving. Walking forward because if you stopped you’d lose.

Currently you weren’t going anywhere though. The call of a park in the middle of the day had been too strong. You couldn’t remember sitting on the bench, but it felt nice to give your leg muscles a break. There was no way you had been resting longer than a minute before you had almost fallen asleep where you sat, and knowing how long you had dozed was equally as impossible. All sense of time and space was warped and your staring into a nearby tree’s leaves weren’t helping.

The green discs fluttered in the slight breeze, moving the highlight and shade in a mesmerizing way.

“Want some gum?” a girl asked her friend as they walked past. Like an abused dog you jumped at the mere mention of gum and watched the friends with caution as they walked by. They didn’t look at you or seem to notice you in any way. You had been paranoid for no reason.

“Fuck, I’m exhausted,” you muttered as you hung your head into your hands. “I just need some sleep.”

‘But you can’t stop,’ you thought to yourself. ‘You could have been sitting as long as thirty minutes already. That’s too long.’

“I know.”

‘If you don’t get up soon you might actually fall asleep.’

“I know.”

‘And if that happens, you’ll be found. And hide and seek will be over.’

“I know!” you yelled. A woman gasped lightly nearby, startled by your strange outburst. Sitting up you could see her look over her shoulder at you with caution before collecting her book and water bottle and leaving the nice grassy spot she had been sitting in. “I’m sorry! I’m not crazy I’m just-!” you paused and sighed, lowering your voice again, “I’m just really tired and running out of ideas.”

With great effort, the kind of effort you imagined it would require to pull the moon from the sky, you stood up on both feet again and began to trudge out of the park and back towards the bustle of the city. Each limb felt weighed down by rocks, and your mind swam with thoughts. The thoughts weren’t always clear and concise. Sometimes they were words, sometimes pictures, other times they were just colors and strange forms that couldn’t really be called anything.

You needed a plan, but all you could think of was how a bed would feel under you. Soft and embracing. Like a hug from someone you loved. Never before had you felt this level of total drain. It felt as if you could sleep for a week without waking up.

‘Stop thinking about sleep!’ you snapped at yourself.

With one last sigh of sweet park air you emerged into the city proper again, immediately stopping once more at the nearest crosswalk. Ahead of you was a scene of normality. People going in and out of businesses as cars in a rush.

Three days ago you had moved with that kind of purpose. Even chancing the energy loss to run at times. But now the idea of moving faster than a calm walk seemed impossible. “I just have to find the Ace,” you said to yourself as the light changed and you began to cross.

“It has to be in this city. And without it I can’t win.” A few people nearby tried not to be obvious as they eyed you, probably wondering if you were literally insane. “There has to be a hint I’m missing.”

A sweet smell hit your nose and you froze. “Is he here? Already?” you asked audibly, but very quietly to yourself. Time seemed to slow around you as your eyes darted from face to face. A flash of pink hair to your right and your heart squeezed. You backed up as your eyes searched wildly for the sign of the hair again, finally focusing enough to see a bored looking man with round features as the owner of said hair. 

From behind, a low maniacal chuckle flowed. You could feel it slip through your body like a slithering snake and without a second thought you started to run. Where the energy came from you couldn’t be sure, but you shoved people left and right to get to a nearby alley way so you could gain some distance without as many obstacles.

The alley was dark. Too dark for midday in spring, and you couldn’t figure out why as you turned into it. Black, questionable puddles splashed under your feet as you ran as hard as you could. The part of your brain that was in charge of keeping you aware of your surroundings questioned how you had the energy to run at all. You weren’t even sure you were being followed and you were expending the last of the resources you had, but all of your tired and strained neurons said /run/.

Concrete back walls blended with red brick in your vision as you ran. A sour smell mixed with the gray of the street under your feet and for a moment that strange combination made you stumble. A quick touch to the ground with your fingertips had you moving again, not even a full stop. You would have been proud if you could focus on anything for longer than two seconds.

‘I’m too tired.’

“No!”

Nails against the nape of your neck, running up to your hair.

‘I can’t keep running much longer.’

“You have to!”

The thought of a sharp card running down your back.

‘I can’t.’

A guttural scream erupted from you as you tripped and fell clumsily onto the open street again.

“What the fuck?” a male sounding voice asked as you collapsed to the sidewalk.

“H-help,” you pleaded in a raspy voice between deep breaths. There was nothing left in your body. Not even to put your palms to the ground and push your face off the dirty concrete.

The man hesitated, feet shuffling in indecision. “I’ll help her,” a different voice responded, sounding absolutely amused by this event.

The steps that presumably belonged to the first speaker shuffled away with awkward haste, and calm footfalls came closer to where you laid on the ground. “Well now, I thought I had lost you and here you are finding me. That isn’t how hide and seek works, you know,” the voice said with delight.

Your sluggish blood turned to ice as you realized what you had done. “Well, did you find my Ace of Spades?”

Truth be told, you didn’t want to respond. Admitting to your failure as you laid face down on the dirty city sidewalk was too much. But you couldn’t have if you /had/ wanted to. Your brain was too tired to regulate emotions well, and your face pulled into itself in tight lines as tears welled up in your eyes.

“Too bad.” A foot slid under your shoulder and flipped you over carelessly. Above you, and upside down to your vision, the smiling face of Hisoka appeared. “Luckily for you this was just a practice round,” he continued as he knelt and rested his face against his open palm, tilting his head innocently against it.

Warm tears slid down your cheeks as you mustered up the ability to speak at last. “Pr-practice round?”

He chuckled, a single finger wiping away a tear from your dirty face. “Of course! Now that you know what the game is like it’ll be much more fun. I won’t have to go so easy on you.”

Easy?

Easy was three days of almost no sleep, very little food, and shot nerves. That was what Hisoka’s ‘easy mode’ was.

“Now I won’t hold back. Don’t forget, you promised me whatever my little heart wanted if I caught you first,” playfully he booped your nose, sincere and joyous smile still on his face. “And I intend to collect.”