#like it wouldn't get Thanos snapped

[apocalyptic-dancehall]

i know it's like YEARS OLD and not thankfully relevant but seeing that one video™ whenever i scour for videos related to... him.. it sends me into a rage and a half and i grit my teeth

[jpmarvel90]

Sacrifice

Masterlist Natasha Masterlist

Word Count: 5148

Relationship: Sister Nat & Sister Yelena x Reader Wanda x Reader

Summary: Y/n has been haunted since she watched Natasha fall to her death on Vormir. Her own grief is only intensified when Yelena finds out and shifts blame to the one person that wished it was her who had made the ultimate sacrifce.

Y/n's POV:

Coming home from Vormir without Nat was the most heartbreaking moment of my life. Seeing our sister Yelena's reaction added to the pain that I was already feeling. When Clint, Nat and I arrived at Vormir, none of us thought we'd be leaving as a duo. As soon as the realisation hit, I knew it had to be me. Clint had a family and the world needed Natasha. I was the obvious choice.

But Nat had other ideas. She had to be the hero. Whilst her and Clint were fighting, I took the opportunity to go myself. But Nat stopped me at the last minute. My feet were off the ground as I jumped, I was content with my decision. But my stubborn sister had to be the hero. She was able to grab me at the last minute and use her strength to switch our position.

I still had a hold on her hand, but she was out of reach from Clint, so it was reliant on me to be able to pull her up. That was made even more difficult by the fact that Nat didn't even try. My eyes were filled with tears when I realised that I wouldn't be able to save her. "You can't leave us. Yelena needs you. I need you!" I begged her, a sob getting caught in my throat. "It's ok. You'll be ok." She tells me but I shake my head, tears continuing to fall. I try once again with all my strength to pull her back up. "Let me go." She whispers before kicking off the wall. I can still see her body falling as I failed to save her. The world lost a hero that day and Yelena and I lost our sister.

It never should have been Nat. She was the true hero that carried on fighting when so many gave up after the snap. She gave her life to rectifying the wrongs she was forced to do whilst in the Red Room. Her ledger was already clean, and she deserved the chance to be able to have a normal life. To not have to fight any more.

After the battle was over, we were reunited with our family and friends that we had lost five years ago. I hadn't only lost Yelena, but my girlfriend Wanda too. It had been hell, and it was the reason I stuck by Natasha and worked tirelessly with her to find a way to bring everyone back.

However, telling them both the news was almost as devastating as the moment I saw Nat die. Yelena was angry and couldn't understand it. Wanda was devastated too. Nat had been like a sister to her when she first joined the Avengers. She was hurting too. I tried to be there for them as best I could. I was still grieving myself, but I knew I had to be there for my sister and girlfriend.

It was hard as they both started to withdraw, spending more time together. They had a shared experience and found comfort in each other. I started to feel like an outsider and my relationship with Wanda was slowly becoming more distanced. Yelena rarely spoke to me. Until she uttered the most devastating words at Nat's funeral. "It should have been you." There was a venom to her words and I could see that Wanda agreed. It made everything more painful as they were true. It should have been me. No one needed me. But Natasha Romanoff, everyone needed her.

Life at the compound become more difficult by the day. Those of us left signed to work with the government to keep the world safe from another situation like Thanos. There were rumblings that Hydra had resurrected, so most of our missions focused on wiping out anyone who posed a threat.

During this, my relationship with Yelena became non-existent. Any words said in my direction were said with hate. It got so bad that Fury could no longer put us on the same missions as he couldn't guarantee my safety from my own teammate, my own sister.

Wanda never officially broke up with me, but she moved out of our shared room and no longer spared any time for me. If I walked into a room, she was quick to leave. The love we once had seemed to have vanished when Nat died. Each day, it just reiterated why it should have been me.

So, I decided that I had to find a way that I could bring Nat back. No matter what the consequences might be. I spend a lot of time in the library working out if there was anything I could do that might be able to make everything right again. Though one phrase keeps coming up. "A soul for a soul." It's what's the Red Skull had told us when we were on Vormir, could that be a replacement for a soul already sacrificed.

I decide that's where I need to start. A trip back to Vormir and a conversation with the Red Skull will hopefully set me off on the way to bringing Nat back. I just need a distraction for everyone here so I can "borrow" a quinjet and make the journey. "Hey Y/n, we're going to have a team evening together. Maybe go for a couple of drinks, want to join us?" Bucky calls out after knocking on my door.

"Are Yelena and Wanda going?" I ask as I open the door. He looks at me sympathetically and nods. The rest of the team have been a little distant with me too. Not that I blame them. They're closer to Yelena and Wanda so I don't expect them to insert themselves into the middle of whatever shit show of a relationship we have.

"I'll give it a miss tonight. Thanks, though Buck. Have a great time." I tell him with a tight lipped smile. "You ok Y/n?" He asks me, taking me by surprise. "Oh yeah. I'm good. Thanks for checking in. I appreciate it." I respond. He nods and goes to turn before stopping and looking back. "How about on Friday, you me and Sam all go out together. Make a night of it. I know you've been a little isolated recently. I'm sorry for that." He suggests. "Oh uh. Thanks Bucky, sure that would great." I agree and I see him smile. "Great, we'll sort something out." He smiles and heads off.

This gives me the perfect opportunity. If they're all out, I can start to bring my sister back. I take a bit of time getting everything in order just in case I don't come back. I leave a message for Nat, hopeful that she might be able to see it one day. I considered leaving one for Yelena and Wanda, but they won't care. They'll be happy that the right person is with them.

I hear them all leave about 6pm so I gather a few of my things and head out. One of the few skills I'm grateful for from the red room is my hacking ability. Hopefully, by the time Shield realise the jet is missing, I'll be long gone. I'm weirdly not nervous as I board the quinjet. I feel a sense of hope. I know this is the right thing to do and I just pray that I'll be able to pull this off.

When I finally reach my destination, I take the familiar walk up to the top of the cliff. I get flashbacks of the last time I was here. The last time I was with my sister. I can still hear the conversations we had as I reach the top. I familiar figure waiting for me.

I take a deep breath and make my way forward as the figure turns to face me. "Ah, Y/n Y/l/n, I wondered when I would see you again."

Wanda's POV:

This night out with the team was much needed. Since everything with Thanos, it's been difficult to find the light. We lost a lot and we're still healing. I was surprised when I felt a pang of disappointment when Bucky came to us without Y/n in tow. Not that I'm surprised, we've not exactly made a welcoming space.

I especially have been bad with her. She's my girlfriend after all, but I just let my grief consume me. Add on the confusion of missing out on five years of life, it's just been difficult to make sense of it all. Yelena was the only one who knew how I felt and it was easier to be with her than Y/n.

But now I realise what I'm missing. The support and comfort of the woman that I love. I was stupid to let myself become influenced by Yelena. I started to feel her anger, but mine wasn't directed at Y/n. It was the situation. It just became my outlet as I had nowhere else to direct it. Which is completely unfair on Y/n. She was grieving herself and lost Yelena and me on top of it.

"I'm going to check on Y/n." Bucky tells us when we arrive home, earning a huff from Yelena. "Why do you care?" She snaps. "Because she has become isolated and it's not fair. I shouldn't have let it go on for so long." He defends. "Maybe she deserves it! If it wasn't for her, Natasha would be here." Yelena bites back. "ENOUGH!" Clint shouts, stepping in front of Yelena.

"I promised Y/n I wouldn't get involved, but I can't stand here anymore and let you talk like this. Y/n tried everything to save Nat. She had to watch as she slipped from her fingers after doing everything for it to be her. Y/n had wanted to make the sacrifice herself. So please just stop. If you don't want to be around her or have her in your life, fine. But this bitching needs to stop." He scolds the young Russian. Yelena doesn't respond but lets her head hang low for a moment. "I'll join you Bucky." Clint responds, following behind Bucky.

I should go with them. But when I take a step, Yelena looks to me. "I need more vodka." She huffs, taking my arm and moving us into the kitchen to get a drink. But before she's able to drink the shot she's poured, FRIDAY makes an announcement. "Director Fury has request everyone's attention in the conference room immediately."

"Cyka." Yelena huffs, quickly taking the shot and making her way to the meeting room. I follow behind and see Bucky and Clint return but without Y/n. I don't question it, instead I take a seat next to Yelena. "Would one of you like to explain where the quinjet is?" He asks, his tone flat. "No idea. We've all been out for a team meal." Sam explains. "Was Y/l/n at this meal?" Fury asks after noticing her absence.

The silence provides his answer. "That would explain the encryption on the tracking." Fury sighs. "Wait, you think Y/n has taken the jet?" Clint asks, giving Bucky a worrying look. "Well, considering she's the only one not here and only two people in this team have that ability to hack the quinjet like that." He responds and we all know the other is Yelena.

"This is not good. Do you think she's actually done it? That she found away?" Clint whispers to Bucky who matches his concerned look. "Do you know where the jet was heading?" Clint directs to Fury who shakes his head. "No, she's hidden the location." He replies. "Shit." Clint mumbles. "Something you'd like to share?" Fury questions him. Clint doesn't respond but pushes a piece of paper towards him.

Fury takes it and I see a sadness flash across his face. My heart rate picks up a little and the regret of how I have treated Y/n these last week's grows tenfold. I selfishly thought she would always be there waiting for me for when I was able to get passed this grief.

"Ok, let's go. Hopefully we can catch her before she does something stupid." Fury moves to leave with no explanation. "Would someone like to explain what is going on?" Yelena asks angrily. "Considering you haven't cared about Y/n's wellbeing recently, I'm sure you don't care now." Clint snaps and I see a flash of hurt on Yelena's face. "We don't have time for this." Bucky steps in, bringing the focus back to the situation at hand.

Mindlessly, I follow behind the others towards the quinjet. I have no idea what's going on, but from the panic in both Clint and Bucky's eyes, I know it can't be good. "You're going?" Yelena reaches out to grab my arm and spin me around. "You're not? She's your sister Yelena. I know you're angry at her, but it seems like you might lose her too. It's a loss I know that I won't cope with." I respond, snatching my arm from her and running to the jet.

"Co-ordinates set to Vormir." Clint tells Fury as the jet takes off. Hearing those words sends fear through my body. Why would she be going there? This fear and sickening feeling just grows as we get closer to our destination. The rest of the journey is in silence before the jet touches down.

Cautiously we all disembark and my eyes instantly land on the quinjet a few metres away. "This way." Clint instructs, directing us towards a worn path up to the top of a cliff. As quickly as we can, we start off to reach our destination. Though I don't think any of us expected the sight that was waiting for us.

In this moment, I feel like my heart is in my mouth. My emotions overwhelm me as I see the person that I had been grieving for. "Natasha?" Yelena whispers in shock as our eyes land on a familiar red head in front of us. I wipe at my own eyes, not believing what I'm seeing in front of us. Nat turns around with a confused look on her face as she looks over us. "You're really here?" Yelena says as she rushes forward and wraps her arms around her sister.

My own gaze then moves around trying to find Y/n. She has to be around here somewhere. "What happened? How am I here?" Nat asks once we've all greeted her, plenty of tears shed between us. That's when I notice the sadness in Clint and Bucky's eyes. "Clint?" I ask, panic building within. All he can muster is a whisperer sentence. "A soul for a soul."

Natasha's POV:

The last thing I remember was being in this odd space between reality and wherever I was due to move onto next. I was aware I was dead, and it seemed like I was just waiting. For what, I'm not sure. But I certainly hadn't expected that I would find myself back on Vormir. I knew time had passed. I just don't know how much time.

I look over the edge of the cliff as flashbacks from that day replay in my mind. I jumped. I stopped Y/n from doing it and I jumped in her place. I died, making the sacrifice so we could get the soul stone and beat Thanos. Had we beat Thanos?

I don't get time to really take it all in as I hear footsteps behind me. I quickly turn, getting in my fighting stance ready for whatever might be coming my way. However, my question is soon answered when I see two faces that I've not see in five years. Within seconds Yelena has wrapped her arms around me and is holding me close. I take comfort in her arms and look around for our other sister, desperate to hold her too.

After greeting everyone, I ask what had happened and that seems to bring a sadness to Fury, Bucky and Clint. When Wanda pushes Clint, he simply states, "A soul for a soul." I don't understand what he means, we already did that to get the soul stone in the first place. "What do you mean? Where's Y/n? Is she back at the compound?" I ask, not getting a good feeling about my sister not being here for this reunion.

"Let's get back home and we can share what we know." Clint suggests, guiding us back towards the path. Yelena and Wanda both stick close to me. Yelena seems delighted, but Wanda has a darkness around her. A worry that I don't understand. But I fear it is related to Y/n. "How long has it been?" I ask, wanting to get some sense of the time that has passed. "Three months." Yelena responds. "It felt like we had only been gone for seconds but in that time, I had lost you." She adds on, turning to me and pulling me into a hug once again. I've never seen Yelena this vulnerable before, so I just hold her that bit tighter.

When we reach the quinjet, I notice that there are two which takes me by surprise. "I'll take this one back. Then we'll meet to discuss moving forward." Fury explains, to which Bucky nods. "Not that I'm complaining, but is anyone going to explain how I'm back?" I ask, getting a little frustrated. They all look at each other until Clint speaks up. "We actually have no idea, but we think it has something to do with Y/n." He responds, before turning to enter the jet, preventing me from questioning him further.

My mind is so confused right now. It still feels a little hazy as we fly back to the compound. I have so many questions and I can't quite make sense of what is happening right now. As grateful as I am to be with my family again, I want to understand why. Is this temporary? Will I end up back in the middle place again?

When we arrive back home, I aimlessly follow the others to the conference room. "You go and rest Natasha, we'll give you any updates as needed." Yelena instructs me but I shake my head. "I want to know how this has all happened, especially if it's got something to do with Y/n." I reply, continuing on my journey with the others. I hear Yelena mumble something under her breath and she doesn't look too happy, but ultimately doesn't stop me.

I take my usual seat in the conference room, and I realise that the others are in a state of shock. They are all staring at me as if I'm going to disappear at any moment. "Where's Steve and Tony?" I ask, noticing two very empty spaces in the room. They take the time to talk me through what happened after they returned with all the stones. Knowing that Tony sacrificed himself for the greater good brought a tear to my eye. But I'm grateful that Steve was able to get his second chance with Peggy.

Now we come on to the more difficult conversation of how I happen to be back on earth, very much alive. "Bucky and I went to check on Y/n but she didn't answer. FRIDAY notified us she had left the compound but that she had blocked her location. With the door unlocked we went in and that's when we found that note." Clint explains as Fury nods along. "That would work with the timeline of the quinjet going missing. She obviously waited for you all to be out of the compound so she could do what she needed uninterrupted." Fury responds.

"What note?" I jump in, still confused about what is going on. Did Y/n really steal a quinjet? Why would she do that? Fury moved his hand into his inside pocket of his jacket and pulls out a note before handing it to me. I open it up and I feel both Wanda and Yelena peer over my shoulder.

Maybe this time I can make things right. I'll make sure it was me. Take care of Nat.

I look up from the note to the others. Wanda is full on crying when she sees the words on the paper. Yelena won't make eye contact whilst both Bucky, Clint and Sam look like they're grieving. "What does this mean? What does she mean by making sure it was her." I question, wanting to get some semblance of what is going on. This looks like a suicide note.

I start to get frustrated when no one answers me. In fact, they all make the effort to not meet my eyes. "Someone tell me!" I shout, banging my hand to the table making them flinch. "Yelena?" Clint speaks, raising an eyebrow at her. I turn to face my sister who looks as white as a ghost. "Lena, what is going on?" I ask calmly, but again she doesn't respond.

"Her and Wanda have spent the last three months telling Y/n that it should have been her and not you. I guess she finally found a way to make that true" Bucky finally breaks the silence and my heart with it. "What?" I gasp, turning to look between the two of them. "Did you really say that to her?" I ask, shocked that Yelena could do something so horrible to Y/n. They've always been so close.

When both of them fail to respond, I stand up ready to leave. I can't believe this. "Natasha wait." Fury tries to stop me. "No! From what I can work out, these two pushed Y/n so far that she has killed herself to bring me back. That's what you're telling me without actually telling me isn't it." I snap, tears filling my eyes. "We don't know exactly what happened." Fury responds but I just scoff. "She stole a quinjet and flew to Vormir. You found me and Y/n was nowhere to be seen. I think we all know what happened." I retort.

Quickly turning to face Yelena and Wanda, I feel my anger build. "I'm so angry at you. It was my choice! I decided it had to be me. I had my chance at living and making things right. Y/n still had so much of her life ahead of her. She was in there longer than us Yelena. She had you, Wanda and she was happy. I couldn't take that away from her or you! I made the decision to jump because I thought that if it was Y/n, you'd be left without a girlfriend and you your favourite sister." I yell, jabbing my finger in the direction of Wanda and Yelena.

"Fuck! It was my choice! It was meant to be me. But now I hear that she's spent the last three months without anyone whilst she went through grief, being told it was her fault and she should have died. Her last three months were probably miserable, and you can't change that. She's gone. Y/n is dead. Do you realise that? She's not going to magically rematerialize. And it's all your fault!" I rant, anger and an overwhelming sadness taking over me.

At my words, I see the realisation hit Yelena and Wanda. Tears start to fall down their cheeks. "I jumped so she could have the life you promised me she would have. A life where she would be loved and protected. A life where you would never hurt her. But it couldn't be any further from the truth!" I spit at Wanda, venom lacing my tone.

"And you. How can you even treat our sister like that. I don't think I'm ever going to be able to forgive you." I turn to Yelena, my heart aching knowing I've lost two sisters today. Not allowing them time to respond, I storm off to what used to be my room. Ignoring the calls from behind me.

When I reach the accommodation floor, I find myself stuck outside Y/n's door. My hand hovering over the handle. There is a part of me that is wishing this is some sick joke and I'll open this door to see her sat on her bed, drawing, or listening to music. That she'll actually be alive, and I won't have to face living in this world without my sister. The sister that gave me my humanity.

Slowly I push the door open, and I instantly get enveloped by her scent. Tears once again prickle at my eyes when I see the cold room is empty. Wanting to feel closer to her, I move further into the room and towards her desk where I spot a USB sat on an otherwise spotless desk.

Pulling her desk chair out, I sit and turn on her laptop. Letting out a teary laugh when I see the photo of her, Yelena, and I when we were drunk on a night out. We look the happiest we've ever been. It was one of the first times we'd been able to just forget about life all together and this photo represented that. I reach out and rest my fingers over her face. "Oh, moya malen'kaya sestra. (My little sister) I'm sorry I failed you." I cry as the thought of not seeing her again hits me.

Composing myself, I plug in the USB and open it to see there is only one file on it. A video file entitled "For Natasha." Hesitantly, I click on the file and let out a sob when I see Y/n's face appear on the screen. Straight away I notice that she's barely slept and there is a pain in her eyes I have not seen since we saved her from the red room.

Video message

Hey Nat. I really hope that you are watching this. If you are, it means that I finally did something right and managed to rectify the mistake that I made that day on Vormir. I never should have let you jump.

You see, the thing is about you Natasha, is you don't see your worth. You believe the trauma that you went through as a child is something that you must atone for, for the rest of your life. Despite telling Yelena, me and countless other widows how our actions were not our fault, you failed to allow yourself the same courtesy.

Since joining Shield and then the Avengers, you have done far more good than you ever did bad. Not that you had anything to make up for in life. You had every right to live a normal life, to try and move on from the horrors of your past. But instead, you set your mind to saving others who couldn't save themselves.

Don't tell the others, but you were the true hero of the Avengers. Your intentions were the purest. You were not blinded by money, fame, or righteousness. You were doing everything you could to try and drive out evil from this world. To stop others having to experience a pain like you did.

It's why I decided to jump. Why it should have been me that made that sacrifice. You had already given enough. It was your time to live your life in peace. If you had chosen to carry on your life as an Avenger, then so be it. But it would have been your choice.

The world needs Natasha Romanoff. Yelena, Clint, Shield, hell even my girlfriend, needed you more than me. It's why you never should have given your life that day. It's why I was the logical choice. The only choice.

Yes, hearing that being reiterated by people I love has been hard to hear these last few months. But it's the truth. It's why I tried so hard to find away that I could rectify that mistake and make the world right again. I think I finally have that answer now. A way that I might be able to bring you back. I pray that this works and maybe Yelena and Wanda can stop hating me. Not that I'll know, I guess.

I know that everyone will be able to move one without me in their lives. But you, well we know the world deserves and needs Natasha Romanoff. I just hope that I'm able to give it to them.

If you are sat watching this Nat. Please know how much I love you. You are the reason that I experienced freedom and free will for the first time. You gave me a family, a chance at love. All things that I thought I would never experience. You saved me in more ways than one and I will always be eternally grateful for that.

Being able to call you my sister has been the greatest honour Nat. I love you with everything I have, and I hope that one day, we may see each other again. In a life where there are no expectations of us. A life where we're free to live as we want. But before that time, live your life to the fullest. Enjoy it and have a vodka for me. Ya tebya lyublyu, moya sestra. Do svidaniya. (I love you, my sister. Goodbye.)

I feel the sobs wrack over me as the screen goes black. I feel grief wash over me in waves. It physically hurts to know that she sacrificed herself for me. For her to believe that this world needs me more than it needed her. She is a light that shone brighter than anyone I had ever met. But now that light is extinguished.

With my grief overwhelming me, I feel the sudden need to leave her room. Being surrounded by her things, knowing she'll never be here again is just adding to the pain. As I stand and turn around, I spot Wanda and Yelena crying in the doorway, clearly having overheard the video.

"Natash..." "Don't." I hold my hand up to stop Wanda straight away. "She needed you. Both of you. But you were selfish and put your own grief above hers. You could have supported each other. Grieved together, moved on together and had a life together. But instead, everything is ruined." I express, pain lacing my voice.

"Natasha please." Yelena practically begs, reaching out to take my hand but I'm quick to snatch it away. "No. As far as I'm concerned, I lost two sisters today." I state before barging past them both and to my own room. Quickly locking the door behind me.

I fall onto the bed, the whole day becoming overwhelming. I don't know where to go from here. How do I live a life that doesn't have her in it. How am I supposed to live like she told me to, when I can't share it with her. I feel at a complete loss. Of all the things I have sacrificed, my own life included, this was one I was too selfish to give. But have ended up losing anyway. 

[rosepetalsinwinter]

Five Years That Felt Like a Millenium — Bucky Barnes

Pairing: tfatws!bucky x reader

Word count: 9,554

Summary: It’s been five years since Thanos snapped his fingers. Five years spent all alone. Now Sam is back and he has a new friend. Will Bucky be the one to uncover the secrets behind the bruises lining her body?

Warnings: illusions and mention of violence, abuse, manipulation, and cheating. Nothing explicit. Protective!bucky.

Note: It's been a while since I've posted. Here's a little slice to get you going before I continue with "Meant to Be." Hope you enjoy! 💜

Ao3│Wattpad│Ko-fi

Main Masterlist │Part 1 — Part 2 — Part 3

Happy reading!!

"Sammy!" A figure barrelled into Sam Wilson, almost making the five-foot-ten man topple over.

The girl's arms wrapped tightly around his bulky frame, hanging on for dear life. Her tears soaked his shirt, and her nails dug into his biceps almost painfully, but he said nothing. He only hugged her back with as much vigour and passion, letting his salty tears mix with hers.

Although no time had passed for Sam, years had passed for the girl—five to be exact—and he could feel all her emotions pouring out of her like a dam broken loose.

"Sammy!" she sobbed while her body shook violently. "You're back!"

"I've been back." Sam stroked a hand over the girl's hair, offering her comfort. "I've been here. Where were you?"

The first thing Sam did after he was blipped back to life was to call his sister, Sarah. Only to be told that five years had come and gone. His nephews, who were babies when he left, were now little men. The second thing Sam did was ask about Baby Girl.

He remembered when he first met her. Her family moved to the bayou when she was just five; Sam was fifteen. When her parents died, Sam's family took her in as their own, giving her the same amount of love they gave their other two kids.

So he was surprised, then, to find that Sarah hadn't heard from her in almost two years. Sam, himself, had no luck in locating her until recently. It took him eight months, but he finally found her. She had moved to New York and cut all ties with previous friends and family.

Sam wanted to ask why. Why leave Sarah and the boys? Why leave the only home she ever knew? His questions could wait, though. Now that she was here, he wouldn't ever let her go.

"Hey, Baby Girl," Sam shushed her when she sobbed louder, "I'm here. I'm not leaving again. Promise."

So fascinated by how she had aged from an awkward teen on the precipice of adulthood into a beautiful young woman, Sam did not notice the bruises lining her sides and underneath her clothes—or the circles under her eyes—from almost two years of interrupted sleep. Or the absence of light in her usually glowing irises.

When she let her entire weight fall on Sam and sobbed as she had when her parents died, he did not question it, only held on tighter and carried her towards the house.

"I've got you now, Baby Girl. Everything is gonna be just fine."

While he did not explicitly say anything, Bucky Barnes found the Wilson Family Residence quite endearing. His house in the thirties had been small, and even his current apartment in Brooklyn was compact—which he liked—but there was something so serene about the land surrounding the Wilson residence, so very peaceful.

After ninety years of constant fights, one after the other, all Bucky really wanted was some peace and quiet. And now, he could easily find it after absolving himself of most of the guilt he was carrying.

It wasn't easy, but Bucky told Yori the truth about his son's death and since then, had managed to cross a few more names off his list of amends. A weight lifted off Bucky's shoulders as everything began to make sense.

The Flag Smasher's fiasco was over with, and while the Powerbroker was still at large, there was no immediate threat. Bucky Barnes could rest for now before trouble found him again—as trouble often did. Sam had asked Bucky to stay over for the long weekend, and Bucky had happily obliged.

"It'll be good for you. Get away from that city life."

Bucky agreed. If all went well, he might end up buying his own house. He had a little... calm in Wakanda, and he missed the solidarity.

The axe was steadfast in his hands as he brought it down towards his target, and the sturdy stump was no match for the combined strength of both, the sharp tool, and Bucky's enhanced strength. In one meagre swing, half the stump broke off and landed on the ground with a muffled thump.

Bucky wiped the sweat off his brow with his right arm. It was the middle of June, and while the days were sweltering hot and sticky, the nights could get cold in comparison. Sam had tasked Bucky to get the logs for the fire, seeing as he was the most efficient.

Bucky continued with his work until he got a steady rhythm, stopping periodically to sip his still cold beer. It was then that his enhanced hearing picked up on the strangest sound. He perched the axe on his left shoulder and looked towards the house where Sam Wilson seemed to be consoling a crying girl.

"Huh." Bucky didn't find the exchange as odd as he should have. Everyone around the bayou was always coming to Sam for something. Whether it was a favour, or a shoulder to cry on. Bucky thought she must be someone special if he was hugging her like that.

When Sam took the girl into the house, Bucky shook his head and finished the last of his beer. He continued chopping more wood until the sun began to set, which is when he deposited the axe back into the shed and made his way inside to crash on the couch. Tomorrow would be a long day, what with the bonfire Sam was hosting, and all. Bucky fell to a dreamless sleep the second his head touched the pillow.

He was a light sleeper. So Bucky immediately woke up when he heard someone coming down the stairs. It took him a second to become aware of his surroundings, as it always did. He was in Louisiana, crashing on Sam's couch for the weekend.

Bucky turned his head to the left to see who it was. Probably the boys; they were early risers and loved pestering Bucky about his metal arm—not that he minded. He found their interest refreshing and loved putting a smile on their faces. He was surprised, then, to find a girl instead. The same one from yesterday.

Huh. The girl looked a mess, with only half her hair pulled back into a makeshift ponytail and black makeup smudged under her eyes. Her pants were unbuttoned, hanging precariously from her hips, and her jacket was falling off her shoulders, a few sizes too big. She was holding a pair of shoes in one hand, her phone and shirt in the other. She was also balancing a purse in the crook of her elbow.

It was the shirt that did it. Because, while the girl's own blouse was in her hands, she was wearing Sam's grey-green T-shirt. Bucky knew because that's what Sam was wearing yesterday. She was someone special then if she was wearing his clothes.

Bucky smirked. He was very aware of what the girl had been doing. He, himself, had been on both ends of the situation before. Though it was very long ago, he still remembered the embarrassment of being caught leaving a girl's room in the early hours of the morning.

The girl screamed when she saw Bucky, not expecting anyone to be up, much less lying on the couch and watching her horrible attempt at sneaking out. "Oh, God!" Her phone slipped from her grasp and landed on the floor with a loud clatter.

There was a moment of silence where the two merely stared at each other. Bucky, with poorly concealed amusement, and the girl, with mild horror. She moved first, crouching down to pick up her cracked phone.

"Does it still work?" Bucky's voice was raspy from disuse. When tears gathered in the girl's eyes as a reply, Bucky immediately sat up, dropping his amusement in exchange for concern. He knew nothing about her, but it seemed like she cried a lot.

"No," she murmured, though Bucky heard her as if she were beside him. "Oh, God. No, no, no, no, no..."

"Hey, it's alright," Bucky told her as he crouched down to pick up the purse she had thrown in her haste. He hesitated when he saw a shiny ring peeking out from one of the compartments—too fancy and expensive-looking to be something ordinary. He quickly tucked the circle back and ignored it. Had Sam proposed to her? Bucky was offended he hadn't told him. Maybe it was recent. "Is it turning on?"

"Oh God! N-no," the girl stuttered through her tears.

Bucky was convinced that this girl—who cried a lot—only knew how to say "no" and "oh, God."

"I'm sure Sam can get you a new one, no big deal. What's your name?" Bucky offered the girl his right hand, which she promptly ignored.

She shot up on unsteady legs. "I have to go."

Bucky mimicked her. "Okay?" It was turning out to be a very unusual conversation.

"I have to go," she said again, more slowly this time, as if he were a little kid who couldn't understand a word of English.

Bucky cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting on his legs before giving the girl her purse back. "Right."

The tally was now up to "no," "oh, God," and "I have to go." At least she wasn't crying anymore. Bucky hastily stepped out of the girl's way when he realized he was blocking the hall that led to the front door.

She moved as if someone lit a fire under her. One second, she was there, and the next, she was out the door with her pants still unbuttoned, her jacket still falling off her shoulder, and her shoes still in her hand.

"Nice to meet you..." Bucky dropped his hand and trailed off when he realized she couldn't hear him anymore.

Huh. Either Bucky still didn't know how to talk to people, or that girl was on something. A lot of youngsters nowadays did drugs for fun. Bucky didn't understand it, nor did he want to. He could just ask Sam about it later.

Bucky stretched his arms above his head and cracked his neck. A couch was considerably comfier than the floor but still gave him a stiff back. No matter, a quick run could swiftly solve that problem. Bucky turned on the coffee machine and was biting into an apple when a shirtless Sam came barreling down the stairs.

"You sleep good, man?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Bucky shrugged, wiping some juice from his chin, "I slept good. Well, as good as I can, considering..."

Sam hummed before opening the fridge and taking a swig of the orange juice. "Nightmare?"

Bucky shook his head. "I don't remember it—Listen, you didn't tell me you had a girl up there."

"A girl?"

"Messy hair, pretty face. Was crying yesterday?"

"Baby Girl? You saw that?" Sam stopped peeling the banana in his hand to look at Bucky.

Bucky merely shrugged and grabbed a mug from the cupboard.

"Sorry I didn't tell you she was over," said Sam, taking a bite of his now-peeled banana. "We were up talking real late. I guess I forgot."

"Yup. Talking," Bucky muttered with a smirk as he poured his coffee. "I bet."

"What?" Sam implored.

"Uh, nothing. Just, the girl seemed nice."

"She is nice," Sam retorted. "You met her?"

Bucky nodded and took a sip of his coffee. Black, just as he preferred it.

"Didn't think she'd be awake," Sam said with a yawn. "She barely slept."

Bucky had to try really hard to keep himself from laughing. "Well, she was."

"She was?" Sam asked suspiciously. "What do you mean she was? Did she go back to bed?"

Bucky shook his head. "She left."

"She left?" Sam scoffed, propping a hand on his hip. He had never looked more like Steve.

"That's what I said," Bucky confirmed, taking another sip. "She's gone."

"Gone?" Sam grumbled. "Bucky, what the hell are you talking about?"

Sam's accusing behaviour was really starting to irk Bucky, making him think the girl's sneaking out was not mutual. Shit.

He laughed uncomfortably and put his mug down on the counter. "Your girl came running down the stairs, half-dressed. She dropped her phone, cracked it, didn't let me help. Then she said she 'had to go' and practically ran out of here, I dunno."

"When?" A vein popped in Sam's forehead as he grabbed a random shirt from the pile of clean laundry near the stairs.

Bucky hastily checked the watch on his right arm. "Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes tops."

That made Sam utter a series of colourful swears as he finished his breakfast and found his wallet.

"Wait, Sam, what's going on?"

Sam didn't answer Bucky, too busy looking for his keys in the wrong place.

"Sam!" Bucky asked louder.

"We talked about this!" Sam scoffed. "I told her to at least stay for the weekend. I can't believe this! We sat down like adults and came to an understanding." He finally found his keys on the key hook.

"Where are you going, Sam?" Bucky countered.

"I'm going to get her," Sam snapped before sighing dramatically and letting his shoulders droop. "Shit, I do not have time for this, Baby Girl."

Bucky moved over the kitchen counter and stood in front of Sam. "What about that meeting you've got?"

"What meeting?" Sam asked.

"That meeting about that thing," supplied Bucky.

"What thing?" Sam grumbled.

"You know what thing," Bucky countered.

"Oh. That. I'm gonna have to reschedule—Man! Where are my shoes?!"

"Why?"

"Why?" Sam echoed. "What's with all the questions, Buck? Because I have to get Baby Girl before she skips town and disappears on me again."

"Sam."

"I haven't seen her in eight months, man, and she hasn't seen me in five years. I'm not about to let her leave—"

"Sam!" Bucky shouted loud enough for his friend to hear. He grabbed his wallet and his keys and put on his jacket. "You're going to that meeting, Sam."

"Like hell I am," Sam retorted passionately.

"I'll go pick up your Baby Girl," Bucky said after downing the rest of his coffee. "You, go to your meeting."

Sam stopped for a moment and seriously considered Bucky's proposal. It was an important meeting. "She'll probably be at the taxi stand," he finally relented. "You know the one?"

Bucky nodded, tying up his shoelaces. "Yeah, I know the one."

"Buck?" Sam called when Bucky was stepping out the door. "You better bring her back, or else I'm gonna light a fire under your ass."

Bucky chuckled, pushing his sunglasses up his nose. "Understood, Sam."

The taxi stand was abandoned. Really, what did the girl expect so early in the morning? It was a long weekend, and the residents of Delacroix rarely needed a commute into the city on an ordinary Friday. She was arguing with the lone taxi driver, pleading with him, really, to take her to the nearest airport. But the man kept denying her. He had been up all night and insisted on napping, telling her to wait another twenty minutes.

She didn't have twenty minutes, damn it. If anything, she needed more time. Time she didn't have.

Her phone could be blowing up right now, and she wouldn't know it. She wouldn't know the consequences of her actions until she bought a new phone. But maybe—just maybe, a voice inside her reasoned—Quentin would be too busy with his work retreat to notice her absence.

The girl tried getting the driver's attention again, who shot her the most hateful look she had ever received before starting his cab and driving away. "Hey! Wait!" she called out, but he had already turned the corner.

A laugh made her spin around. It was the man from this morning, the one on Sam's couch. He stood before her with his arms crossed, a big smile overtaking his face.

"You must not be from the city," he mused, "if you're that bad at hailing a cab."

Bucky had no trouble locating the girl, what with her being the only person in a one-mile radius demanding to be taken to the nearest airport. Her feeble attempts amused him, and frankly, Bucky was having trouble believing she was Sam's girl. He didn't think Sam would've gone for someone as... difficult as her. But hey, it was Sam wanting to spend the rest of his life with her, not Bucky.

Bucky surveyed the girl from head to toe. Her hair was settled, her pants buttoned, and most of her composure seemed to have returned. However, she had gone pale once he revealed himself, her eyes wide with guilt. She was caught red-handed; now, he would be the one to deliver her to Sam.

Bucky pointed at her with his left arm. "Sam wants you home."

He was surprised to see that when she looked down at the shiny metal, recognition flared through her eyes rather than shock or disgust. Good, he thought. She knows who I am.

"No, thank you," she managed to squeak out, and Bucky was pleased to know that the girl's vocabulary extended past the three phrases he had come to know her for.

"You seem smart," he told her when he saw her looking behind him, "but not that smart."

"Yeah?" she challenged, gaining a rare bit of courage. "What makes you say that?"

"You know who I am and what I'm capable of. Smart. You think you can run from me. Not smart."

"Is that right?" she asked. Bucky nodded, and the girl took a deep breath. "I must not be too smart then."

He raised a brow in challenge, wondering where she would go from there.

Suddenly, the girl threw her arms above her head and waved them with abandon. "Mr. Thurow!" she shouted, running past Bucky. "Mr. Thurow!"

Bucky slowly walked towards the girl, unhurried in his steps. He wanted to know what she would do.

"Mr. Thurow!" the girl panted. "I need your help."

"Jesus Christ!" Mr. Thurow bellowed. "As I live and breathe! Is that you, Baby Girl?" He was a stocky man with a kind smile and welcoming eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Thurow," the girl began confidently, "it is. I need your help, please. This man," she pointed behind her at Bucky, "is—"

"Carlos!" Bucky interjected with a smile. "How are you?"

"Sergeant Barnes! Back again already?" Carlos turned his attention away from the girl.

Bucky watched with amusement as the girl's face scrunched with confusion. Her lips parted slightly, and she blinked rapidly. "What can I say, Carlos? I was missing your potato salad."

"Hell yeah, you were," Carlos guffawed.

The girl stood there dumbfounded as the two men embraced each other.

"You know, it was my great nan's recipe?" Carlos asked. "Been in the family for generations."

"I didn't know that. You bringing it tonight?"

"For the bonfire?" Carlos confirmed. "You bet I am."

"Well," Bucky gestured to the girl, "I was just taking Baby Girl here back home. She got a little lost, and Sam was starting to worry." Bucky made sure to make himself sound condescending on purpose.

He heard her scoff. "I was not lost."

"Well, you get her home safe, then. Understood, Barnes? I want to see both of you tonight." Carlos mockingly glared at the girl and winked at Bucky before departing.

"See you, Carlos!" Bucky called out to his retreating figure. "Well?" he questioned, turning his attention to the girl after a moment of silence. "Are you gonna run and embarrass yourself again, or are you gonna come with me?"

"I am not going anywhere with you!" the girl scoffed.

"I will take you kicking and screaming if I have to," Bucky warned.

The girl took a step back hastily, believing his threat. "You're a heathen."

Well, Bucky shrugged. He had been called worse. "Sam threatened me with fire, and that's not how I'd like to leave this world if it's all the same to you."

The girl seemed to consider his words for a moment. "Fire is a painful way to go," she finally mused.

"It is," Bucky agreed.

"I don't like you," she told him bluntly.

"Okay." A lot of people didn't like Bucky. One more wouldn't hurt.

"But no one deserves to die like that."

It seemed the spawn of Satan had a heart.

"Does seem excessive," said Bucky.

The girl paused again. "If I run, you'll catch me." It wasn't a question.

"Always," Bucky promised, and the girl must have believed him because her shoulders deflated, and she hung her head in submission.

"Doesn't seem like I have a choice," she whispered, though Bucky heard her all the same.

"You don't."

"Okay," she relented.

"Okay. Let's go." Bucky led her toward where he parked, and the girl followed silently.

Good, she isn't being insufferable any longer, Bucky thought. Though, luck must not have been on his side that day because not a second later, once his bike came into view, the girl started complaining.

"No. I'm not sitting on that death trap."

Bucky turned to her with an annoyed groan. "Really?"

"I hate bikes!" she told him.

"What? You rather walk?" Bucky crossed his arms.

"Yes, please," the girl replied, mimicking his posture. "I walked all the way here, didn't I?"

"Well, too bad!" snapped Bucky. "We're taking the bike." He grabbed his helmet and handed it to her. He groaned again when she didn't take it and only looked at him like she'd never seen a helmet before. Maybe she hadn't. He wouldn't be surprised. Bucky rolled his eyes and placed the helmet on the girl's head, securing the straps and confirming it fit snugly.

"It's loose," she complained.

"Your head's a lot smaller than mine..." Bucky took his previous statement back. He could definitely see the girl and Sam together. Both of them were insufferable shitheads and obviously perfect for each other.

"Sit," he gestured to the bike. And when the girl turned to him with the same blank look in her eyes, Bucky merely huffed in annoyance. He picked her up and deposited her on the seat as if she weighed nothing. And she didn't. He ignored her shouts of protest and sat in front of her.

"Where's your helmet?" She sounded worried for him.

Bucky laughed. "I don't need one."

"Yes, you do," she chastised him. "You could die."

"I'm a super soldier," Bucky said as an answer.

"Even super soldiers die," the girl retorted.

"I won't die," Bucky responded blandly before revving the engine. "Hold on tight."

"I am not touching youuuu..." The girl ended her sentence with a sudden shriek when Bucky unexpectedly released the throttle and speedily drove away. Her arms wrapped around his torso in a vice-like grip, and she hid her face in his jacket. "Oh, God!" she screamed. "Oh, my God!"

She took her flailing legs and tried wrapping them around Bucky's hips, which made him laugh in surprise. She was holding onto him like a koala bear, all while screaming bloody murder in his ears. Her nails dug sharply into his chest, but he ignored the sting. He couldn't wait to see her face once they stopped.

And eventually, they did. Bucky parked his bike in the back and told the girl to get off, which, of course, she didn't do. He got up anyway, taking her with him, though she didn't let him go once he was standing.

Bucky tapped on the hand around his shoulder. "You can let go now. It's safe."

The girl obediently unwrapped herself from his body, falling indiligently to the ground.

"See?" Bucky smirked. "We didn't die."

"Oh my God," she groaned, shaking on the ground. "I can't feel my legs."

Bucky laughed, extending his metal arm towards her, which she took without complaint. "Let's try again," he suggested once she was steady on her feet. "I'm Bucky."

The girl told him her name, and he repeated it with a smile. "I still don't like you," she said.

"The feeling's mutual, doll." And if she blushed at the pet name? Well, Bucky simply chose to ignore it.

He was on his third beer, a shame, really, since he couldn't feel it. But Bucky had developed a liking for the taste. It reminded him of better times. Before the war, and before his life completely changed.

Sam plopped down on the chair next to Bucky, a happy but tired smile on his face. Bucky turned to Sam and took a s'more from his outstretched hand, biting into the gooey center with a groan. "Man, this is good. I can't remember the last time I had one of these."

"Probably before Christopher Columbus discovered America."

"That's not funny, Sam," Bucky frowned. "Besides, everyone knows the Clovis people got here first, twenty thousand years ago."

"I didn't know that!"

"Because you're stupid," Bucky retorted.

"Whatever," scoffed Sam. He slid down in his chair and muttered "nerd" under his breath.

Bucky was preparing a retort when something caught his eye. The girl was playing with AJ and Cass, trying to catch them as they ran around the fire. Bucky cracked his knuckles and prepared to confront Sam. "You're really mean, you know that?

"Why? Because I called you a nerd?" Sam scoffed. "Well, it's true."

Bucky shook his head and levelled Sam with a glare. "Because you didn't tell me you're getting married."

A long silence followed. "Who's getting married?"

"You are!" Bucky exclaimed. "I didn't even know you had a girl."

"Because I don't!" Sam straightened. "And I'm not getting married."

"But—" Bucky was at a loss for words, then a thought struck him. "Holy shit, Sam! Don't tell me you—" Bucky leaned forward, lowering his voice considerably. "You slept with a married woman!"

Sam's face screwed up. "What the fuck are you talking about? I didn't sleep with anyone!"

Bucky was stunned, realizing a moment too late that he had completely misread the situation.

"Start from the beginning," Sam urged. And so Bucky told him what happened that morning, how the girl came down half-dressed and wearing his shirt. Bucky thought she was a one-night stand until he saw the ring in her purse, and Sam brought her back to his house.

"So, she's not your fiancé?"

"No! She's like a sister."

"But you call her Baby Girl!"

Sam rubbed his temples. "Everyone calls her that. Listen," he sighed, "maybe I should've introduced the two of you before, but I was overwhelmed by seeing her after so long. Besides, I didn't think you would start jumping to conclusions!"

Bucky rubbed his neck in embarrassment. Perhaps he was too quick to assume the girl was Sam's significant other. But if she wasn't involved with Sam, then who exactly was she?

The girl was sitting across from Bucky and Sam on the other side of the fire pit, nibbling on a s'more. The two men watched her as they talked.

"Her family lived in the plot behind ours. They were good people."

"Were?" Bucky questioned, feeling like there was more to the story.

Sam seemed to dissociate for a moment as if he were somewhere else. "Eleven years ago, my dad woke me up in the middle of the night and told me to run to town and wake as many folks as possible. There was a fire down the street, and the trucks had broken down on the highway."

Bucky tensed, hating the direction the story was taking.

"The smoke was so thick I was choking on it from a block away. Over half the house was up in flames by the time I got back. Three men went in and came right out not a second later. Folks were throwing bucketfuls of water to try and contain it, but I remember thinking that was useless. It's like the flames had a mind of their own."

It was then that Bucky accidentally made eye contact with the girl. She frowned at the intense look on his face, jerking her head as if to ask, "What?"

"What happened next?" Bucky asked without removing his gaze.

"I went towards the back, where the fire wasn't as strong. The upstairs window was wide open, and I found Baby Girl lying on the ground with twisted legs and blood oozing from her head." Sam scoffed a laugh, though there was no humour behind it.

Bucky's jaw dropped. "She jumped?"

Sam shook his head. "We found out later that her brother pushed her. My entire family was at the hospital when we broke the news that she was the only survivor."

"Shit." Baby Girl was glaring daggers at Bucky now, though he couldn't take her seriously. Melted chocolate dripped down her chin, and her hair was mussed from the wind. Bucky imagined her eleven years younger, wide-eyed and trembling as her life crumbled around her. He recalled her comment from that morning. "Fire is a painful way to go." "No one deserves to die like that." He looked away.

"She's acting like you're keeping her hostage," Bucky remarked.

"I might as well be," Sam grumbled. "She's dying to go back to New York, and she won't give me a proper reason why."

When Bucky looked back at the girl, she was chatting with Carlos Thurow, seemingly pleading with him. She waved her broken phone, and Bucky could see the cracks on the screen glinting from where he sat. Baby Girl slumped her shoulders in defeat when Carlos took his own phone out to show it had died.

Bucky felt a jolt in his chest as he watched the girl run her hands through her hair in frustration. Something was wrong.

Sam whistled beside him, waving Baby Girl over. The effect was immediate. Baby girl plastered on a shoddy smile, exaggerating a laugh as she waved back and made her way to them.

"You seem happy," Sam observed as the girl took the empty chair beside Bucky.

Bucky looked at Sam to see if he was joking. Sam was no spy, but didn't one have to be blind to not see how miserable Baby Girl looked under her fake smile?

"The party's very fun," Baby Girl answered. "It's—" guilt flashed across her features. "It's nice to see everyone after so long."

"Could've been sooner," Sam muttered.

"I told you I was busy!" she exclaimed. "I didn't have time to leave the city."

"But you won't tell me why," Sam countered. The fight seemed to leave his body, and he sighed. "I didn't call you over to argue with you. I won't bring it up again."

Baby Girl turned her nose to the sky in a way that made Bucky laugh. "You better not." And the conversation flowed smoothly from there.

Bucky offered her a beer, which she accepted with a smile, and the three laughed and joked about until tears ran unbidden down their cheeks. However, despite the mirth dancing in the air, Bucky could not ignore the lingering sadness in her eyes.

"You won't believe what this man asked me before," Sam guffawed, pointing accusingly at Bucky. "He asked if we were engaged!"

Laughter burst forth from mirth-kissed lips. "That's disgusting!" she managed between giggles. "What made you think that?"

Bucky felt flushed under her attention. "You were wearing Sam's clothes that morning," he explained sheepishly. "And I saw a ring in your purse."

Her face made a radical transformation. One moment, she was smiling in a way that made Bucky's heart flutter—the next moment, all pleasure seemed to drain away from her body, leaving her looking gaunt and haggard. Sam was too busy laughing at his untied shoelaces to notice the change in atmosphere, but Bucky felt the full force of it slam against his chest.

"I don't have a ring."

"But I—"

"No!" Her words seemed laced with desperation. Her sober eyes flicked toward Sam. "There was no ring," she stressed.

Bucky could see the hopelessness in her eyes. "Right," he muttered. "I must have been mistaken."

Sam, who had overcome his slight scramble with his shoelaces, sat upright. Inebriation laced his every move. "Right. But that made me think."

"That's never a good thing," Bucky interjected, trying to ease the lingering tension.

"Are you dating anyone? Sarah said she didn't know, but you can always tell me. Huh?" Sam teased. "Tell me. Who's the unfortunate bastard?"

Baby Girl's lips were a thin line, and Bucky anticipated the lie before she could open her mouth. "It's nothing like that. I'm not dating anyone." She finished the rest of her drink and immediately grabbed another.

"You can't lie to me," Sam wiggled his finger. "Come on, fess up. Whoever he is, he can't be worse than Beck."

Baby Girl froze, and Bucky's curiosity was piqued too much to ignore. "Beck?"

"Quentin Beck. Biggest asshole on the planet," Sam explained. "Beck and Baby Girl dated on and off in college. I would catch the bastard every other week with a different woman."

Bucky scrutinized the girl for a reaction, but she seemed to be holding her breath.

Sam began to pout like a child. "He always managed to win her over. At least I can die easy knowing they broke up before half the world blipped."

"He's not like that anymore," Baby Girl whispered to herself. Sam was too far to hear her, but Bucky had no such problem. "He's changed." She wrapped her arms around her body. "He's not like that anymore."

Bucky took in her dark under-eyes and trembling frame, her body sickly from stress. He believed her. Beck wasn't like that anymore. Perhaps he had moved on from his days of serial cheating and picked up a different hobby. Beck probably wasn't like that anymore, but he wasn't any better either.

The former spy suspected that Baby Girl was still involved with Beck. He observed her closely. Her eyes swirled with guilt, and her shoulders drooped in alarm. There was more to the story, but before Bucky could voice a question, Baby Girl stumbled onto unsteady feet. She swayed back and forth, betraying her inebriation, and Bucky reached over to keep her from falling.

Baby Girl pushed his hands away. "I'm tired," she croaked. "I'm going to bed." And she staggered away, bumping into people as she disappeared into the house.

Bucky relaxed back in his seat with a tired sigh. On his left, Sam was passed out over the arm of his chair, mouth open in a loud snore. Bucky craned his neck back and stared openly at the night sky. Stars twinkled brighter here than they did in the city. Everything was more serene and calm. However, since Baby Girl arrived, Bucky couldn't help but sense a slight shift in the air, as if the wind knew her secrets and was trying to warn them. One thing was made clear. It wouldn't be pretty.

It felt oddly like déjà vu. A light clambering of feet roused Bucky from his half-sleep, and as always, it took a second for him to make sense of his surroundings. He was on Sam's couch.

The steps were hesitant and controlled—so not AJ and Cass. Excitement and a sugar overload had kept them up late, and they wouldn't wake until a few hours later. Bucky was proven right when a lone woman descended the steps instead of two boys.

She looked a lot better than the last time he had seen her. Freshly showered and reasonably presentable in her own clothes this time—not Sam's. She hadn't seen him yet, so Bucky took the opportunity to observe her a moment longer. Her under-eye area was still dark, though not as sunken as before, and she carried an air of determination around her.

"Good morning," Bucky broke the silence.

Baby Girl shrieked, seemingly slipping over nothing. She tumbled backward, falling in an indelicate heap onto an armchair. "God above!"

Her vocabulary was steadily expanding.

Bucky sat up, regarding her with a guilty expression. "Sorry."

"I forgot you were still here," she mumbled sheepishly, straightening herself into a more respectable position.

There was a moment of awkward silence where neither acknowledged the other.

"I was wondering..." the girl started.

"Yeah?"

"Could I borrow some money? I didn't bring enough with me from New York."

"Uh, sure," Bucky replied, grabbing his wallet from between the couch cushions. "How much do you need?"

Baby Girl looked down at her hands, tracing lazy lines on her palm. "One grand?" she grimaced.

Bucky looked at her with wide eyes. "What do you need a thousand dollars for?"

"I can make do with less!" she rushed to explain. "I can try stretching an eight hundred," she murmured. "But a new phone would be too expensive, and I'm not sure I can find a cheap last-minute flight."

"Excuse me?" Bucky exclaimed. He was fully awake now, leaning forward to hear her better. "What was that about a phone and a flight?"

Her guilty eyes met his confused ones. "I broke my phone," she explained, "so I need a new one. I also need to get back home, so I need to buy a plane ticket."

Bucky eyed her skeptically. "I thought you were staying."

"I changed my mind," she dismissed with a shaky wave. "I already went over it with Sam."

Bucky knew for a fact she was lying. She wouldn't even meet her eyes. "Is that what he would say if I asked him?"

"Of course!" she proclaimed. But Bucky could hear the hesitance.

"Okay. I'll go ask Sam." Bucky made to get up, but as predicted, the girl stopped him.

"Wait! Don't!"

Bucky sat back down with a satisfied smirk. "You're a sneaky little thing."

"Don't tell Sam," Baby Girl pleaded. "I'm sorry I lied. I didn't have another choice. He locked my credit card. Otherwise, I wouldn't be asking you for this favour."

"Hmm," Bucky hummed, crossing his arms and getting comfortable. "I'd be willing to help you—Only..." Bucky stressed when she tried to interrupt. "If you answer a few questions first."

Baby Girl mimicked Bucky's posture with a frown. "That hardly seems fair."

"I can always call Sam."

"Fucking fine," Baby Girl grumbled.

Satisfied by the flow of things, Bucky started his interrogation. "Why are you in such a rush to go back home?" Bucky asked, deciding to start small. He could tell Baby Girl was thinking hard about her answer, trying not to give too much away. She squinted her eyes as if it were putting strain on her. He decided she would make a horrible spy.

"I left in a hurry. I only planned a day trip. I don't have any clothes or money on me."

Bucky shook his head. "That's not what I asked."

Baby Girl glared at him. "I don't understand the question."

"What's waiting for you in New York? Do you have a job? A prior commitment? A boyfriend?" Bucky stretched that last word, giving the girl a smirk.

"I don't have a boyfriend," she frowned.

"Fiancé, then," Bucky concluded. "I saw that ring in your purse." He suddenly leapt forward, grabbing Baby Girl's left hand and pulling it toward him to inspect.

She initially squeaked a protest but stayed still as he prodded her ring finger with his eyes. "Tan line," he observed, and she snatched her limb back, throwing the most menacing glare she could manage toward him.

"No fiancé," she hissed.

"I don't believe you," Bucky shrugged. "Job, then? What do you do?"

It took too long for her to answer, making it obvious she was concocting a lie in her head. "I work in the... customer field. Where I work with customers."

If Bucky wasn't on the verge of laughter, he might've cringed from the secondhand embarrassment.

"And... books." She was obviously lying. Even she didn't believe what was coming out of her mouth.

"I think my cat might be a better liar than you," He remarked drily.

The girl huffed but stayed silent.

Bucky decided to try a different tactic. "What year is it?"

The girl regarded him strangely. "2024."

"How many sides does an octagon have?"

"Eight."

"What's Sam's last name?"

"Wilson."

"Who was Iron Man?"

"Tony Stark."

"What colour is the sky?"

"Blue."

"Who locked your credit card?"

"Quentin Beck."

Bucky laughed. The girl stared at him, horrified. She gaped at him like a fish, only managing to make senseless sounds. "Y-you—w-what!"

Bucky laughed harder. "I told you that day. You seem smart, but not that smart."

"How dare you!"

"Last question. Does your boyfriend know you're here?" If looks could kill, Bucky would be dead. He raised his arms in surrender. "I won't judge. And I won't tell Sam. I'm just trying to understand the situation so I can help."

Her glare slowly softened to fatigue. "No. He doesn't know."

Bucky bobbed his head. "I figured as much." He grabbed his unlocked phone and tossed it to her, assuming she would catch it. She didn't. The device smacked her in the chest before falling on her lap, which she stared at dumbly.

"Call him," said Bucky, standing up to stretch. "Let him know you're safe. Tell him no one kidnapped you, and he can unlock your card."

She opened her mouth to reply, but Bucky beat her to it. "I can't get you a plane ticket out of here, so this is the next best thing. You want to leave? Tell Sam about Quentin Beck, and he'll let you. He isn't that big of an asshole to keep you hostage here. There's hope for him yet." Bucky stepped out of the living room but turned around and stopped to add one more thing. "Sam's been different since you arrived. He's happier. You're all he talks about to anyone. Do him one last favour; stay the weekend, and don't choose that Quentin Beck guy over him." With that, Bucky strode to the bathroom to freshen up, missing the first teardrop.

His phone was returned to him an hour or so later, accompanied by an uncomfortable smile and words of gratitude. "I told him I'm safe, and no one kidnapped me."

"Is he mad?" Bucky asked.

"He's a little upset," she confessed. "Promise you won't tell Sam?"

"Only if you promise not to run away." They stared at each other for a long moment, daring the other to disagree.

"Fine," the girl finally conceded. Bucky gave her a stiff nod and turned to leave. "Wait!" she exclaimed urgently. "He's still upset. Just ignore any other messages from him, okay? He should cool down after a while."

Bucky looked into her eyes. She was beautiful and unsuspecting looking. Fiery and transparent. He scrutinized her for deceit and instead found veiled resignation. He agreed and went to the backyard, leaving her in the kitchen.

It was an especially hot day, and there was much to do. Sarah wanted to landscape the back garden, and Bucky had volunteered. He didn't know the first thing about construction, but the boys had recently introduced him to YouTube, a magical place with the answers to all his questions. Bucky began to work, moving piles of dirt, levelling the uneven ground, and placing heavy slabs of concrete to form a pathway from the back porch to the lake.

Hours later, Bucky finished with the last slab of concrete, moving further away to admire his work. There was more to finish, but Sarah would be happy with his progress. Bucky wiped his brow, groaning at the sticky feeling of sweat dripping down his neck.

He grabbed his phone from the table on the porch to check the time, surprised at the number of notifications waiting for him. Bucky was by no means popular. The only person who contacted him somewhat regularly was Sam, but these notifications were all from the same unknown number. Bucky realized with a start that the barrage of missed calls and messages he was being attacked with were probably all from Quentin Beck.

Curiosity grabbed hold of him. He did promise the girl he would ignore any messages from him, but really, this was excessive. What if something was wrong and Beck urgently needed to contact her? He tapped on the message icon without another thought.

Bucky froze when he read the latest message.

You're dead when I find you.

He immediately scrolled to the top, reading the conversation from the beginning to try and gain some context to the threat. The thread started with a long paragraph from the girl detailing her situation, followed immediately with an exhausted apology.

I'm so sorry, please don't be mad. I'll be back as soon as I can.

Where the HELL are you?

Sam was asking questions. I tried to leave, but he got suspicious. I'll be back in a couple of days. I'm sorry.

You shouldn't have fucking seen him in the first place. I warned you.

Sam's career is in my hands. It'll only take one call to ruin him. I fucking warned you to never go near him.

He's trouble. He doesn't care about you like I do. He doesn't love you like I do.

The messages got progressively worse, teetering on the edge of insanity. Promising pain and broken bones, blaming it all on her.

Why do you make me do this?

Typical narcissist behaviour.

You're dead when I find you.

Baby Girl hadn't seen any of the messages after her rushed apology, but Bucky had a feeling she wouldn't be surprised by them either way. He clutched his phone tight, taking deep breaths to calm himself down.

What a bastard. What a self-entitled, psychotic prick. Everything came into clear focus, painting a detailed painting for Bucky to observe. Her behaviour started making sense. The bags under her eyes, the lack of light in her irises, the unworn ring... the secrets.

He decided then that he wouldn't tell her about the messages if she asked. Bucky would wait for the right time tonight to bring up the topic of Quentin Beck as innocently as he could, and offer her his help. She didn't need to know the extent of Beck's threats against her life.

Plan laid out, Bucky made his way inside for a well-deserved glass of cold water when the back door swung open. Baby Girl walked out with two lemonades and a plate of sandwiches balanced between the crook of her elbow. Some lemonade spilled over her hand when she abruptly stopped ahead of him. Bucky took the drinks from her and placed them on the small table.

Baby Girl put the plate of sandwiches next to the drinks and proceeded to lick the spilled lemonade from her hands. Bucky swallowed thickly, feeling flustered at such an innocent act. "You good?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I made us lunch and lemonade. Figured you could do with something cool."

"Yeah," Bucky was suddenly parched. "It's a hot day."

Baby Girl sat down at the table and took a large sip of her drink. "Sarah and Sam went to run some errands in the city. Said they'll be back late."

"What about the boys?" Bucky inquired, sitting down and taking a sip of his own. He groaned as the cool drink washed over him.

"They're having a sleepover at the neighbours." She handed him a sandwich, which he took with a smile.

"So it's just us today," he said, aware that the perfect opportunity for a less-than-pleasant conversation had just presented itself.

"Yup, just us."

An awkward silence fell over them, broken occasionally by the sound of chewing.

"The yard looks nice," Baby Girl blurted.

Bucky turned his neck to observe his handiwork. "Thanks. Still a lot to be done."

"You must be tired."

Bucky shrugged. "Not really. The heat is worse than anything else."

"Is that because of the serum?" she asked, immediately flushing with embarrassment. "Sorry! That's so insensitive of me. And it's none of my business."

"You're good," said Bucky. "I don't mind. Yeah, it's because of the serum. My stamina's through the roof."

"Wow," she admired.

"Could've been real handy with the ladies, back in the forties." Bucky flushed at the silence that followed. "During the war, I mean!" he corrected. "I could've used the stamina during the war."

The girl finished her lemonade in one long sip. "Right, of course."

"For battle. On the battlefield." Bucky finished his own drink, then stuffed another sandwich in his face to keep from further embarrassing himself.

Bucky's phone lit up with a notification, and the girl flicked her eyes toward the screen. "It's my neighbour," he told her. "He's looking after my cat."

Baby Girl visibly deflated. "That's nice," she smiled. "What's its name?"

"Alpine." Bucky decided this was as good a time as any to ask a few questions. "Listen, did you tell Quentin Beck where you are?" Bucky hated the scared look on her face.

"He knows I'm at Sam's," she started slowly.

Bucky took a deep breath and willed his expression to remain neutral. "Does he have an address?"

She shook her head in denial, and only then did Bucky find himself relaxing. He wouldn't need to worry about Beck showing up announced, which gave him more time to come up with a proper plan.

"I'm gonna take a dip," Bucky gestured to the lake. "Wanna join?"

"Maybe later."

Bucky stood up with a shrug. "Suit yourself." And he took his shirt off with one pull.

He felt Baby Girl's stare burning through his skin as he jogged toward the small lake, discarding his pants along the way. He entered the water in a running dive, letting gravity pull him to the bottom before kicking away and breaking the surface with a loud whoop. His body temperature slowly stabilized as he ran laps along the perimeter. He could still feel her stare as he stopped to tread.

"The water's amazing!" he yelled. "Join me!"

She threw her arms in the air. "I don't have a bathing suit."

Bucky floated on his back, arms crossed behind his head. "Who cares?"

After a moment's hesitation, Baby Girl laughed. "You're right. Who cares?" She grabbed the hem of her top and lifted it over her head, revealing a white camisole underneath. She stopped near the edge of the lake, fixing Bucky with a faux glare. "Well, turn around. You're crazy if you think I'm undressing in front of you."

Bucky smirked at her teasing nature and turned away, listening for a splash. After a moment, the water rippled, followed by a shrill scream. "Can I look?"

"Go ahead." Baby Girl laughed when Bucky whipped his head, sending a stream of water flying her way from his hair. "Damn, the water's cold."

"Feels good, though."

"Yeah."

They settled into a comfortable silence, floating on their backs and sneaking glances at each other. Her white camisole had turned see-through, giving Bucky a delicious glimpse of her skin and pale blue bra. He averted his gaze, trying to calm his racing heart.

"I'll miss this when I'm gone," said Baby Girl softly. "The peace and quiet."

"You don't have to leave," Bucky urged. "You could stay."

She turned to face him. "I can't," she replied sadly.

"You're scared for Sam," he observed, remembering the texts. "Why? He's the fucking Falcon. He helped defeat Thanos. Beck is nothing compared to that."

The girl's eyes widened in alarm. "How do you know that?"

Bucky didn't tell her he read the messages. He would've come to the same conclusion sooner or later. He ran his hand through his wet hair. "I used to be a spy." He fixed her with a pointed look. "And you're a horrible liar. Seriously, you are worse than my cat."

She huffed but didn't argue. After a moment of silent contemplation, she settled on her back and regarded him doubtfully. "Quentin has connections with the CIA, FBI, NSA, and Homeland Security. Any government official out there, he's probably on a first-name basis with them." Her face contorted in pain. "He could ruin Sam's life with a single phone call. I swore I would never give him a reason to."

Bucky's jaw clenched tightly. "What's the worst that bastard could do? Sam knows people too."

"Not enough. He could pin a drug charge. It wouldn't even have to stick. The bad press would be enough to ruin Sam's reputation."

"That's illegal," Bucky pointed out dangerously. Quentin Beck was turning out to be worse than Bucky imagined.

"He doesn't care about that when it comes to me," she dismissed. "Quentin can do no wrong when it comes to love."

"That's not love!" Bucky snapped, losing the last of his patience. They were floating dangerously close to one another, elbows brushing.

"Regardless. There's nothing to be done."

"You could stay," Bucky implored. "I'd keep you safe."

They were even closer now, both on their backs, faces turned toward the other, lips dangerously close. For a moment it looked like she might say yes. She opened her mouth to reply, but the sound of a car door slamming shut interrupted her.

"That must be Sam," she said, and the moment was broken.

Bucky moved first, swimming to the deck to grab his discarded pants. "I'll give you some privacy," he said, dragging the fabric up his legs. He left without another word.

Incessant knocking at the front door stopped Bucky in his tracks. Sam always carried a key. Bucky dropped his shirt and went around the house to the front. The car parked in the drive was unfamiliar and out of place. Sleek and shiny and black. Expensive. The man waiting impatiently at the door looked more out of place than the car. Dressed in a gray suit, brown loafers, and black shades, the man looked like he belonged on the cover of a real estate advertisement.

"Can I help you?" Bucky snapped, feeling on edge.

The man lifted his shades to regard Bucky with a look of contempt, eyeing his exposed chest and metal arm with barely concealed disgust. "Yeah, maybe you can. Is this the Wilson residence?"

"Depends on who's asking."

"A friend," the man replied.

"Funny. I didn't know Sam had any friends."

"That's because I'm not Sam's friend," he scorned. "I'm looking for a girl."

Bucky inched closer to him. "I know lots of girls," he quipped.

The man smiled dangerously. "I'm looking for a very specific one. Yay high, unchecked temper, tendency for trouble."

Bucky laughed without humour. "Doesn't narrow much down, buddy. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

"You must be the Winter Soldier," the man mused.

"I go by James Barnes," Bucky snapped. "You must be Quentin Beck." Bucky had recognized him right away.

Quentin Beck spread his arms in a wide gesture. "The one and only. I suppose she told you about me."

"She didn't have to. I can smell a bastard from a mile away."

Beck clenched his fists, face contorting nastily, and stepped forward. "You little—"

Despite the sweltering heat, Bucky felt a coldness wash over him. His advanced senses picked up on footsteps coming from around the back. His head whipped to the side just as the girl rounded the corner. She wore jeans and nothing else, her white camisole still wet and slightly see-through. Bucky watched with dread as she took in the sight in front of her, blinking confusedly. The colour slowly drained from her flushed cheeks, and she froze as her brain caught up with her eyes.

"Sweetheart?" Beck's demeanour rapidly changed, and he stalked forward with his hands raised non-threateningly. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Bucky blocked his path with a glare.

When Beck noticed her state of undress, he became angry, clenching his fists at his side. He noted Bucky's bare chest, his low-hanging jeans, and the girl's see-through top. "What the fuck is going on here?" Beck demanded.

When he fixed his icy glare on her, she reanimated, staggering back with a loud gasp, Baby Girl tripped over a rock but continued scooting backwards as she fell over. The raw fear emanating from her was enough to undo Bucky. Bucky shoved Beck as hard as he could—without using his super strength—and slammed him against his car.

"Motherfucker," Beck hissed, clutching his side.

"I suggest you leave before you really piss me off," Bucky threatened, stalking closer.

Beck staggered away, putting his car between them. "Not without my fiancé," he seethed.

"Fiancé, huh?" Bucky turned toward the girl. She was still on the ground, carefully watching the scene with wide eyes. He waited until she looked at him, then gave her a soft smile, silently urging her to trust him. "Are you his fiancé, Baby Girl?"

She jerked her head in denial. "No."

"There you have it. You heard the lady." Bucky's voice lowered dangerously. "Now leave. Before I make you leave."

"She's lying!" Beck screamed. And Bucky got the impression he was used to getting his way. "I gave her a ring."

Bucky had cornered Beck against the hood of his car and was looming dangerously over his crouched figure. "I don't see any ring. Now leave!"

Beck unlocked the car, jerking open the driver's side and inelegantly lumbering in. "This isn't over yet, Winter Soldier," he spat, and with one last seething glare toward the girl, he sped off.

Ao3│Wattpad│Ko-fi

Main Masterlist│Part 1 — Part 2 — Part 3

Comments and Reblogs are appreciated!! 💜

@marvelatthetwilight @hallecarey1 @ria132love

[endless-ineffabilities]

reconnaissance (1/3)

Bucky Barnes x f!reader

Reader goes on a recon mission with the White Wolf himself, formerly the Winter Soldier, which goes awry.

(a.k.a. you two idiots are clearly in love but don't do anything about it, until circumstances become so heightened that you are forced to)

masterlist ▪︎ word count: <1k

"Come in, do you copy?"

You keep walking, ignoring Bucky's increasingly grating tone in your earpiece.

"Respond, do you hear me? Meet back at the rendezvous in 2 minutes." Bucky tries again, seemingly deciding that this recon stint is done and dusted. Without even consulting you.

"I know what I'm doing, Buck." You keep up your pace, tailing the man you're supposed to gather intel on. He rounds the corner and unlocks a room, presumably his own office on the base, and disappears inside. "I'll meet you as soon as I'm finished."

"You are finished." Bucky snaps right back. He's only a block away, but he's getting worried that if something were to happen to you, he wouldn't make it on time. "We're only meant to scout the area, assess their operation. Not tail them right inside their fuckin' HQ."

"Woah there, grandpa, watch your language." You smirk, and you can picture him grinding his teeth in frustration. Why is he so worried anyhow? From what you've gathered, this organization is made up of a bunch of blip fanatics who want to restore the world to how Thanos left it. Balanced, sure, as the old shriveled grape said. But also in chaos - with everyone sufferring loss and living listlessly.

These people are insane. And insane is easy to handle, as far as you're concerned. Not one of the big 3 - aliens, androids, and wizards - just pure idiotic nutters.

Bucky has resorted to pacing on the roof of the dilapidated apartment complex he uses as a viewpoint. "Something's not right here. The man you're tailing was never meant to head to their HQ today. I have a feeling they found us out."

"Did they also figure that I would not give a rat's ass about that and - "

"Take the bait?" Bucky interjects.

"No. That I would beat them at their own game. " You whisper irately. You pause when the man comes out of his office and walks away from where you hide. "Wait, I'm going in."

"Don't do anything stupid, doll." Bucky pleads. For a moment, you want to cave in. He no longer sounds bossy, or annoying, like he tends to be on missions where it's just the two of you. He usually tells you to stick to the plan, to stick with him. Like you're incapable of going off on your own. Sure, he has decades more experience, and the effects of a Super Soldier serum to boot, but you wish he would just trust you. But he sounds like he's either desperate to get back home and get this shit over with, or he actually cares that much about you. "Just come back to me. Now. "

"Bucky," you breathe, steadying yourself. "C'mon. This'll be just like that time in Gdansk."

He feels an ounce of relief creeping in. Maybe you're right. "Then I'll be waiting for you, doll. Like always."

Doll. That still sends shivers up your spine. But he doesn't have to know that, does he? You walk up to the office door, and try to make quick work of the lock. "I won't be long. And quit calling me doll."

"What then? Princess?"

"No."

"Sweetheart? Has a nice ring to it." He counters quickly. He must have been sitting on this one for a while.

"Bucky - "

"Yes, darlin'?"

"Alright, that's it. I'm done with this conversation." You warn him, but the colouring on your cheeks betray your tone. Good thing he's not around to call you out on it. The lock gives way, and the door creaks open. "I'm in."

"Damn it." You hear him mumble to himself, seconds later. "Why does she never listen? I think she's actually trying to kill me. Give me a damn heart attack."

"That's likely, isn't it?" You give an unsolicited response. "Considering that you're about 100 years old."

"106, actually." He quips back, pinching the bridge of his nose, tapping his foot, taking deep breaths. He tries everything to calm down and not agonize over you. But nothing works. Bucky doesn't know what he would do if anything were to happen to you.

No. That's not quite right. He doesn't know what he wouldn't do - because he would do anything, kill anyone, just to get you back.

And you just can't seem to grasp that. Though it might have something to do with how he constantly hovers over you like an overprotective older brother, with Sam once remarking how you've got yourself a personal bodyguard. You think that's all it is - Bucky being a nice guy. Bucky watching your back as you would do the same for him. Bucky wanting to keep you in line, so that the missions would go smoothly, especially since he is technically acting as your superior.

You don't see how Bucky's gaze lingers a bit too long on your lips when you relay your mission reports to him. How his hand often finds itself hovering over the small of your back when you walk side by side. You don't know that he observed (not stalked, according to him) how your date played out with that one fellow agent that asked you out. How he tried to find solace in the bottom of a bottle when you invited that agent back to your apartment.

And how he made arrangements to have that agent indefinitely reassigned to Eastern Europe the week after.

The office you enter is encased in shadow, the window shutters all lowered. You're careful not to turn on any switches, so as not to trigger alarms. With steady hands, you raise your Beretta 92FS before you, the accompanying flashlight illuminating the room.

Then you see it. A map of the city pinned to a board covering the east wall.

"Talk to me," Bucky barks in your ear. "What do you see?"

"Jackpot." You can't help but grin. Breaking Bucky's rules pays off after all. This'll show him. "It looks like some blueprint for how they plan to infiltrate the city. Red markings for the areas where they will release the poison in the water supply."

"And how the hell do you know that?"

"Well, boss," you roll your eyes. "probably because there's a note at the bottom of the damn map that says release poison in water supply."

"Oh."

Yeah. Oh.

"Don't take it with you," he starts, but you beat him to it.

"Course I won't. I've already got the whole thing memorized to a tee."

"Get out of there. Now." Bucky emphasizes, and you don't know whether to be touched by how worried he sounds.

"Alright, alright, keep your hair on." Taking one final look at the scene, you head back to the door. But the handle doesn't budge. "That's weird."

At that, Bucky knew something was definitely not right. As if he did not already warn you stay out of there. His blood runs cold, and he springs into action before you can say anything further. Sprinting down the street, he tries to get you to keep talking. "I told you not to do this, doll. I told you."

"I can handle it." But the door stays closed. It doesn't even respond to your exceptional lock-picking skills. You hear a whooshing sound to your right, like a mechanical panel opening. At once, you get into a defensive stance, gun at the ready.

You don't see anything, but you can smell it. It's some kind of gas. A strong sedative, you recall from your training.

"Oh, shit." You mutter. Holding your breath can only keep you safe for so long.

"Goddamnit," Bucky curses while running, not even out of breath, "it's gas, isn't it? I knew it, I just knew it, doll!"

"I'll try the windows." You offer, but quickly find out they're of no use. Sealed shut, like the door.

Bucky's rambling now, desperate. "Should've listened... you should've... stay with me, doll. Stay with me."

You still hear his voice as white spots flood your vision. Dread sinks in as you succumb to the sensation, but you steel yourself. You will get through this. You will.

Especially when you've got Bucky promising, "I'm coming for you, doll. No one is taking you from me."

(a/n) yes, I've rewatched tfatws again. Which prompted this lil thing. Not that I was not absolutely besotted with our Bucky for a good long time back in the day (still am). Are y'all more for Steve or Bucky? Both would be better ofc, but I've never been able to choose. Let me know! 🤷🏻‍♀️💙

part 2 coming shortly!

[originalgenshinscenarios]

Got a hurt/comfort idea for ya. How would Lisa react if she learned the person she was flirting with for the past few months was nervous around her because they'd be emotionally/mentally abused by a past lover, and thus became nervous and quiet around ladies?

Of course my Thanos snap of my inbox had to leave this request in because: 1) Lisa. 2) hurt-comfort.

You know me so well.

Lisa finding out her love interest was abused

Reader here is gender neutral

You were always so shy and adorable, literally what's there not to like? Your reactions to her teasing always made her want more.

The way you'd suddenly get so embarrassed you'd walk away from her made her heart melt. Your face, your body language, it was all too cute.

And you never put in any effort to actually push her away or make her stop. So she always thought you were shy, maybe even playing hard to get. But she could never suspect the actual truth.

She couldn't believe she didn't see it previously, but since she was so smitten by you she never realized that your reactions... They aren't exactly what she thought it was.

She always liked a little bit of teasing... But once she noticed you REALLY were uncomfortable she immediately toned down with her flirting.

From that point your interactions became more normal. Without her constantly trying to make your heart beat quicker, you found yourself really enjoying her company. Even if in the end you kept some distance.

Eventually, you allowed yourself to feel more comfortable with her. She was really sweet, and eventually you decided to tell her the cause of your distrust.

Your heart and sanity just wouldn't handle going through something like that again. Even if you didn't exactly pin Lisa as a possible abuser, you just couldn't help but feel cautious.

Her soft voice was a blessing, when she sounds so genuine it's hard to not at least trust her a little "It's okay, just take your time. It's a natural response to be more cautious, and I won't try to force you into anything"

She gave you space, she gave you time, anything you could ask for. She was listening to your boundaries and your interactions were strictly platonic even if she voiced her romantic interest in you previously.

She was okay with the idea of not being with you in the end, although it would be a shame. But if you didn't like her back or just didn't look for romantic relations, who is she to argue that?

~Mod Lisa

[coffeeandbatboys]

In The Endgame (Peter Quill x reader)

A/N it took me an hour to find this specific GIF lol

Request: from Anon

hiii i saw you were taking requests for peter quill and was wondering if you could write something that takes place during endgame where everyone who got blipped comes back and peter and reader reunite since he got blipped but she didnt? just super emotional and fluffy? thank uuuuuu <3

Warnings: angst, fluff, emotion

No...

This wasn't supposed to happen.

You weren't supposed to die in space.

None of you were.

But Thanos had taken Gamora, and Peter, Drax, Mantis, and two of the Avengers you'd met all turned to dust right in front of you.

Your heart suddenly broke, knowing that Groot and Rocket were with Thor.

And now you were stuck in space with Nebula and Tony Stark.

Two people you were not incredibly fond of.

Once you were rescued and brought back to Earth, you learned that Rocket was alive, but Groot hadn't made it.

"What the hell happened to us, Kid?"

And even though he wouldn't admit it to anyone but you, he cried.

You cried for months after losing the love of your life.

But in the five years that followed that fateful day, you never moved on.

You kept yourself busy helping Rocket and Nebula to hold the Galaxy together and searching for Thanos while many of the heroes were 'dead'. And then one day, a bug dude showed up and brought the concept of time travel with him.

And this is how you ended up back on Morag in 2014.

It was the first time you'd seen Peter since he dusted. You desperately wanted to run to him and kiss him again, but this wasn't your Peter.

As he danced dramatically to 'Come and Get Your Love', you, Nebula and 'Rhodey'—as you'd been introduced—watched on at the utter ridiculousness.

Rhodey broke this silence.

"So he's an idiot."

You couldn't disagree.

"Yeah." You smiled sadly. "He's my idiot, though."

After all you'd been through there was no turning back now.

Portals opened everywhere in the ruins of the Avengers campus, and that's when you spotted Drax and Mantis, then—

Him. Your sweet, loveable idiot, Peter Quill. Sprinting over to join your found family once again, he spotted you and broke a smile. You returned it, giving him a desperate kiss when you reached him.

"I thought I lost you forever!" You cried, clinging to his jacket.

He looked confused. "It was only a few hours?"

Your head snapped up.

"Uh, try five years."

"What?..." He whispered, eyes widening as if horrified by the concept of you being alone for five years.

You turned towards Mantis and Drax, waving to them with a giddy expression. They both waved back, and you all faced the Mad Titan's army ahead.

And soon, you were right in the thick of it.

Lunging at a nightmarish humanoid creature, you blasted it before turning to cover Peter, who was fighting off two more. Once those were taken care of, you moved in and fought them back to back. Being close to Peter again felt like heaven, even in the battlefield.

Even when you saw all of the Female avengers joining to push back against the army, you were hesitant to leave Peter's side in fear that you'd lose him again.

"Go." He told you with a smile and a kiss. "I'll be here when it's over."

You ran after Mantis and Nebula, spotting...Gamora? You weren't sure how that worked, but you were glad nonetheless. It didn't feel right that Natasha wasn't there, but this, you felt, was to honor her. It was what she would want.

Fighting a pale squid looking thing, you watched over it's shoulder at Carol, the woman who had saved you in space, entering the fight. You cheered wildly and pumped your fist in the air. There was no way you would lose, now.

As you struggled with a Titan monster, you received some help from Groot, who skewered it with a thick branch while you blasted it in the head.

"Thanks, buddy." You high fived him.

"I am Groot."

"It's good to see you too!"

And all of the sudden, the Titans were disappearing.

It was then that you looked over to see Tony, slumped against a piece of wreckage, pale and barely breathing. It hit you that he had just snapped the enemy away, and that had drained everything out of him.

You shared a sad look with Rocket.

As dickish as Tony was, he had a good heart.

And he gave it all to save the world.

Everyone stood in silence as he breathed his last. And then one by one, they began to kneel. A king, a sorcerer, a captain, a soldier, an assassin, all from different backgrounds, honored one man. You kneeled and began to cry, knowing that he had a wife and daughter, one of which would be waiting for him.

After the funeral, you sat at the edge of the lake outside the Stark's cabin. Peter sat down next to you and slid an arm around your waist.

"He didn't have to do that." You bit back tears and leaned into him.

He signed deeply. "I don't think he saw a choice."

You had learned that Gamora, was in fact not the one you knew, but the one that didn't know any of you. The last you'd heard is that she'd run off in a ship from the battlefield.

"I missed you, Peter. You have no idea." You sobbed.

He pulled you closer "I'm sorry you had to go through that, babe."

"I...I couldn't bring myself to move on. You better treat Rocket right, too. He's the only reason I'm still here."

"I'm really glad you didn't. And, were on good terms, trust me."

You chuckled, giving a small smile.

"There it is." Peter crooned, kissing your jaw softly. "Wanna go get Dairy Queen before we head back out there?"

"Hell yeah!" You cheered.

[ladychota]

I Missed You

Pairing - Loki x Female Reader

Warnings - Crying Loki, freaking Thanos dusting half the universe, grief (lmk if you want me to add anything)

Summary - The Avengers leave for a mission, leaving you and Loki alone in the compound to do whatever you want... but something unexpected happens.

Word Count - 850

A/N - This takes place at the end of Infinity War to near the end of Endgame, but Loki survived Thanos and his neck-crushing hands

Masterlist

"I'm glad they didn't let you go on that mission," You say, stroking Loki's hair as he lies on your chest.

"Oh really?" He replies. "And why's that?"

"Because it means we can spend time together. I missed you when you went to Asgard with Thor,"

You feel him smile against your stomach. "I missed you too, my love. So much. When Thanos came for us, I honestly thought it was the end. I thought I'd never get to hold you ever again,"

You hum in sad acknowledgement. "I started to get worried after the first few weeks of no contact. I was so scared that something had happened and I wasn't there to save you..."

You feel his hand stroke your face lovingly. "Well, we're here together now. That's all that matters, darling,"

"I agree," You smile. "In fact, why don't we do something? We should make use of this alone time,"

Loki sits up just enough so he can see your face, then leans forwards and presses a kiss to your lips. "I'd like that,"

You both get up and stretch, planning what you could do together.

"We could do some baking," You suggest. "Or reading,"

"Hmm... we could make those little fairy cakes you like," Loki pulls you towards him, a grin playing on his lips.

"Yes! They're my fav-" Your sentence is cut off by an odd pull in your chest. The smile is wiped from your face.

Something isn't right.

"Are you okay, my love?" Loki asks, concern lacing his every word. "We don't have to do it,"

You look up into his worried green eyes, your breathing becoming short.

"S-something's happened," You say shakily, feeling your body weakening.

"What do you mean?" Loki's grip tightens on your arms.

Something black begins to swirl around you... ashes, perhaps?

"Wait... wait Y/n! No!" His panicked voice fades away; his body disappears. You stumble forwards at the lack of contact. 

The ashes that were once floating around seem to sink into your skin. You look around at the once beautiful room as it slowly transforms. The wallpaper starts to peel and discolour, the furniture overturns and breaks itself, the light in the room disappears as the curtains are drawn.

You freeze, looking around the room as your heart is gripped by fear.

"What the fuck..."

What just happened? Where did Loki go? You feel your strength returning, but that feeling of weakness is quickly replaced by terror.

"Y/n!?" You hear a shout and fast feet down the corridor outside. "Y/n!!"

"Loki!?" He bursts through the door and freezes as you run a stressed hand through your hair. "I don't know what the hell just ha-"

You stop speaking as you notice him walking towards you slowly; timidly; his eyes filling with tears.

"Are you alright?" You ask, your voice breaking slightly with worry.

His hands cup your face, caressing your cheeks so gently it's as if he's worried about breaking you.

"Are you really here?" His voice is a hoarse whisper.

"Yes...?" You whisper in return. "Why wouldn't I be?"

His bottom lip trembles as the welling tears finally spill and trickle down his face. To think you were speaking of making fairy cakes only a moment ago...

"Y/n... my love, it's been five years,"

Your brow furrows in confusion. "Five years? Since what?"

He lets out a shuddering breath. "We lost, Y/n. That mission the others were sent on? They lost. Thanos snapped. He killed half of the universe, in-including... you,"

Your heart fills with dread, Loki's teary eyes only making it worse. "But then... how am I here?"

A small, sad smile graces his face before it disappears only a moment later. "We got the stones back. Bruce snapped and... and... you're here,"

His arms wrap around you as he buries his face in the crook of your neck, sobs wracking through his body. He's holding you so tightly it hurts, but you don't care.

"I'm here, Loki..." You murmur, trying to reassure him as tears spring to your own eyes.

He pulls away after a few minutes, attempting to steady his breathing as he looks down at you.

"I missed your beauty," He whispers. You notice how tired he looks, how the spark in his eyes seems to have died. "I missed your laugh and your jokes. I missed your voice, the twinkle in your eye, the lines you get on your face when you smile," He gives you a small, wobbly smile; you're both on the verge of tears once more as he continues:

"I missed the happiness and love you brought me. I missed the way you fiddle with your hair or my hand when you're nervous, the way you snuggle into my chest when you're tired, the way you try anything and everything to make sure I'm comfortable and happy..." He takes a deep breath.

"I missed you, Y/n,"

You feel your heart break slightly upon hearing his words, a single tear slipping down your cheek. You move onto your tip toes, leaning up to kiss him in silent gratitude, his words meaning more to you than you could ever express.

But your lips never meet.

Instead you're met with the blinding light of the world exploding around you.

[lokisprettygirl]

Under his influence (Post Avengers! Loki x female reader)

Read chapter 12 here // Series Masterlist

Chapter 13

Summary : An indecent phone conversation with Loki makes you late for your meeting with Strange.

Warning: 18+, slight dirty talk, mention of sex, mention of psychological torture, angst, insecurities, self deprecating behaviour,

"God I'd never get enough of you" she whispered as her lips lingered over his mouth for a moment before she kissed him passionately.

"I'd never want that either sweetheart " he looked down at her, he can try all the positions in the world with her but this right here was his favorite of all, her body underneath him and her eyes staring back at him with such love and adoration.

"Loo" she mumbled softly so he snapped out of his thoughts and leaned down to kiss her before he hummed "I'm scared"

"I know princess, so am I, but I have to do this, I can not lose you, I can't take such a risk" she nodded but he could still see the saddened look on her face.

"What if something happens and we aren't at the right place at the right time? What would happen to us then?" Her eyes welled up so he cupped her cheeks and kissed her before he smiled.

"My love, no matter where in the world we are, eventually we will cross each other's path in one way or another and we will do so when our timing is aligned perfectly, a moment so absolute where we would be eager and desperate to fall so deeply in love with each other..just like this, you were made for me darling and I'll find you anywhere, anytime..i promise "

He woke up with head pounding and heart beating so fast, after the training session with the Captain he had fallen asleep, more than the training itself it was the conversation they both had that had tired him out. He couldn't stop asking him about some man named Bucky and how he knew that this Bucky was alive because apparently that's what his doppleganger has said to him to distract him in the fight after the battle of New York.

He was still under the false assumption that Loki was the one to morph into him even though he had clarified it a million times, he probably shouldn't have done the same to make fun of him when he was handcuffed after they had defeated him, that's probably why Rogers was adamant on this theory.

And Now this strange dream he just had was worrying him. He have had plenty of dreams about you in the past but this one felt different, he knew he saw you but you seemed a little different, just a bit aged than you do now, not much though. It didn't even feel like he was in this dream, he felt as if he was watching two people he didn't even know. However he did recognise the shared love between them, their emotions mirrored how you two felt about each other.

Perhaps he was overthinking, he knew Thanos was looking to assemble all the infinity stones and since the day when he had escaped with the tesseract things have been different. He wondered what would have happened if Stark hadn't dropped the briefcase holding the tesseract that fine day, Thor was taking him back to Asgard, the course of his life would have been entirely different if it wasn't for him picking up the cube. He felt overwhelmed and only one person could have made him feel better so he sat up and picked up the telephone to ring you.

He dialed your number and it didn't even ring twice before you picked it up

"Hey handsome" you giggled and the sound of your voice made him smile,

"Princess, i want to apologise if I am being a nuisance while you are on the job"

"No no ..not at all, I got off early, have to see the guy remember?" Oh yes. The healer.

"How could I ever forget?"

"I'm almost ready lo, will leave in a few"

"Oh apologies darling, I wouldn't want you to be late for the meeting "

You sat down on the bed as he said that.

"Maybe I want to be late, I'm not going to see you for hours, let me just talk to you baby" he smiled at the comment.

"Okay we can talk my sweetheart, what are you wearing?" you gasped as he said that and it took him a second to realize how his words were being interpreted.

"God you're a naughty boy..it's barely two in the afternoon" you mumbled and he was grateful you weren't there to see the effect you had on him. He was a god, where was the will power and self resistance? How come you were able to break him so easily?

"No no I just mean in general, I just wanted to have an image of you in my head, that is all" he mumbled nervously

"Mmmm I'll tell you if you tell me what you are wearing"

"Well I …uhhh .." he just had a satin sheet to cover his modesty, when alone he enjoyed sleeping naked. Clothes always made him feel hot and not in a good way.

"Oh my god you're naked aren't you? " he squeezed his eyes as you said that "Oh that's a lovely image.. I can picture it you know, your tall athletic naked body on the bed, aren't you the perfect sight for my sore eyes?" Why were you doing this to him?

"Now who's the naughty one here?"

"You look so pretty lo, kinda want to be there and see you like that" his eyes filled with lust as you said that. Now he was wishing you were there to watch him while he gets himself off for you.

"Shhhhh before this escalates further"

"You don't want this to escalate, pretty baby?" He took a deep breath as you said that.

"Darling please"

"Please continue or please stop?"

"Norns..both ..I want both"

"Mmmhm I wonder what you'd do to me if you were here" your voice turned sultry as you spoke.

"You really wish for me to tell you?" He asked you so you smiled.

"Mmmhmmm please loki.. please tell me" he chuckled at the response. If you wanted to play he'd play with you.

"You sound so sweet right now princess, are you always like this when you're being dominated?" Your face flushed to the max as he said that, you could feel your ears getting hot at the sudden change in his tone. He really was a god.

"Ummm dominated?" You gulped

"Uhuhh have you never been controlled? Never been told what to do in bed? Never been subjugated or ruled over by a man much more powerful than you?" He asked you, you could sense the mischief reeking but at the same time his voice remained deep and husky, it melted in your ears and it made you feel as if he was hypnotizing you. Maybe he was hypnotizing you.

"Lokiiiii stahhhhp" you whispered buy your voice came out all whiny.

"You want me to stop now, little one?"

"Noooo..not really" you said meekly

"Figured, how do you feel knowing that i often touch myself thinking about you"

Your breath hitched and you needed a moment to answer,

"Uhhh I feel desired and sexy" you mumbled nervously.

"Such a good girl, that's how you deserve to feel all the time" you squeezed your thighs together at the soft praise, his voice had gotten so firm like a school teacher but in the sexiest way possible.

"I am a good girl..but maybe I'll disappoint you in bed" there you go ruining the sexy moments with your insecurities. His brows furrowed as he noticed the sadness in your voice so he propped himself on his elbow to flip the phone to the other ear.

"Why would you say that my sweet princess?" the soft voice made your eyes tear up. Why were you like this?

"Because my ex told me"

"He did?" His jaw clenched as he heard that,

"But it was my fault, i wasn't as invested in having sex with him as he was"

"Because of the heat?"

"Mmmhmmmm"

"What did he say to you?"

"Ummm let's not discuss that lo"

"What did he say?"

"Just that..I was awful in bed and that I needed to show more enthusiasm and partake in the act of pleasing him rather than him doing everything..you know" He got absolutely quiet so you spoke again, maybe you should have kept your mouth shut. Your mouth was one of the reasons why you had trouble keeping the guys interested in you for long.

"I'm sorry..I don't know why I told you that.. please ignore it and can we go back to being naughty?" you chuckled nervously even though your eyes were welled up now because of the embarassement.

"I apologise for going quite on you. I'd love to show you how wrong that scoundrel was about you. It takes two to battle my darling, perhaps he wasn't capable of pleasing a woman as sensual as you are"

You bit on your lips at his words, the slight anger in his voice made you smile though, he was protective about you and it gave you all the butterflies in the stomach, you have never had a feeling like this before "Well I do hope he is wrong though"

"He is, you want to know how I know that?" He smiled

"How?"

"Last night, the way your body responded to me, just thinking about it makes my cock ache for your warmth" he mumbled

"Goshhhhh lokiiiii" you sucked a deep breath in, voice barely a whisper

"And that voice of yours, norns my little love.. I'd do anything for you as long as you're moaning so sweetly for me, as long as you're making those pretty little noises in my ears" he whispered softly and your fingers settled between your legs involuntarily.

"Mmmmmhmmm I'll do anything for you lo.. whatever you ask"

"I know you will.. I know you'd do anything for me"

You sat up as your breathing got heavier. The meeting. Oh god.

And you also had to change your underwear now.

"God I have to gooo" he chuckled as you said that.

"That's a shame"

"I know I'm sorry..that was thrilling..oh wow i need a moment" he chuckled again. He rubbed his cock slowly in order to suppress those sensations you had evoked in him but it was only making it worse so he stopped touching himself.

"Princess?" He wanted to share the dream he had about you two but now wasn't the time, you were already late.

"Mmm?"

"Nothing..I uhh ..you'll miss me?"

"Lokiii I am missing you right now and we are talking, you don't even know how much I'm going to miss you"

His heart fluttered as you said that.

"So will I, and perhaps i will see you tonight"

"Please do and maybe we can umm play with each other again just like last night"

You smiled widely before you hung up, leaving him to stay hard the rest of the day, he sighed as he put the phone down on his chest and then his mouth curved into a smile thinking about the last few minutes.

You really wanted to tell him that you loved him but was it too soon to do that? You had no idea.

“I’m sorry I’m late” you apologized as you spotted him at the restaurant, your mom had mailed a picture of him to you so it was easier to recognise.

“It’s fine I guess, I’m used to such tardiness” he was smiling but you could tell he was annoyed, you didn’t miss the sarcasm in his tone.

“Ummm okay actually I don’t think I got your name yet, my mom told me everything except your name, I’m y/n by the way” you raised your hand forward so he looked at it for a few seconds before he shook it.

“Hello y/n, my name is Doctor Stephen Strange”

You didn't know how to talk to him, when you tried to order something to eat he told you that he had already done it for you so now you had nothing else to do or say.

You sipped on the drink in order to avoid the awkward silence between you two. So this was going soooooo well right? You missed loki, even the pin drop silence was never awkward with him, back when you two were purely friends and he was hiding in your apartment, the conversation between you two never felt forced. Sure you blabbed unnecessarily at times but he always smiled and he never seemed annoyed. You both would often sit on the sofa with your backs resting on the individual armrest and your legs almost touching each other, you'd watch something on your phone and he would read his books, it felt cozy and comfortable.

How the hell did you even stumble upon someone like him?

"Why aren't you eating?" Stephen asked you so you smiled but before you could answer he interrupted you

"Let me guess, you're one of those women aren't you, those who pretend to not eat on dates even though the reality couldn't be farther from it..no offense " Well you took it.

"First of all I love eating but beef steak isn't the idea of a hearty lunch for me" he snickered as he cut himself a piece, the precision he used with his knife was enough to tell you that he indeed was a surgeon.

"You were extremely late, I had to order for us"

"Yeah thank you for not waiting for me to get my opinion, I bet you're one of those men who think they are superior and can decide everything for their women"

"Last time I checked you weren't mine" he winked at you so you rolled your eyes.

"Look I'm only here because my mother forced me to–"

"That's also why I –"

"Stop interrupting me" you cut him off and that felt really nice.

You pointed a finger at him so he went quiet but now you forgot what you were even saying and he used the opportunity to speak again.

"That is exactly why I'm here as well so let's just eat and never see each other again alright?" He said rudely so you nodded.

"Yeah I'd like that"

"Good"

"So New York City, what's it like?" You questioned him and he glared at you,

"I can't just stay quiet, and you're eating awfully slow" he sighed at the statement.

"It's definitely been much worse since the attack"

"The Chitauris?" You asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, isn't it funny how they glorified the man responsible for the whole mess and turned him into an Avenger, best way to redeem a criminal right?" Your jaw clenched as he said that, he didn't even know Loki.

"Do you not watch news, Loki wasn't an accomplice, he was a victim"

"Fantastic story isn't it, heart wrenching, it's so easy to befool the humankind"

You wanted to say so many things but you couldn't even defend him in public, people would think you were just a crazy fan or worse one of those simps who just wanted to fuck the Asgardian god. You did want to do that though.

"So where were you when it happened?" You asked him to change the conversation, hoping he'd keep his resentment to himself.

"In the nearest building performing an extensive and very critical surgery, have to say it was not at all hard to focus with the sounds of grenades going off every few seconds"

"Ohhh..well that's admirable that you didn't feel scared or ran away" he snickered as you said that.

"Yeah, an innocent woman would have died on my table if I had lost my concentration that day and the man responsible for it got away with no remorse or repercussions, he's being celebrated instead"

Okay that was enough.

"Well you don't know that, you don't know what he's going through, how much guilt he carries or how bad it is for him to sleep at night when he's all alone..you don't know him or why he did what he did..what would you do if a powerful entity had influenced you and tortured you for a year like that?" He looked at you, slightly taken aback by the sudden outburst before he snickered condescendingly.

"I see you're one of those"

"Whattt?" You looked at him confused.

"The ones who wants to fuck him"

"You are so judgemental, I bet you judge other people's brains when they're splayed open in front of you"

"Uh-huh by the way Didn't he want to commit mass genocide even before the whole ordeal?"

"Yeah so did Thor, but he's a hero isn't he?" Why you were you fighting with him? You should just leave right?

"Well to be fair I don't think too highly of him either" Leave now.

"You know what this was fun..byye bye..see you never "

You stood up and walked out, he didn't stop you either, you had to cross the road to get to the other side but you heard him calling your name so you stopped like a moron in the middle of the street to turn and look at him, that's when a man with a motorbike came out of nowhere and hit you. You didn't remember much after that, you remembered the sharp pain in your right leg and you remembered seeing Stephen's stupid face before you lost consciousness.

A few hours later you woke up and your head was pounding, when you looked to the side, Stephen was there reading a newspaper,

"Did you perform a brain surgery on me?" You asked him so he raised his eyebrows.

"Do you have one in there because the way you stood there in the middle of the road was foolish"

"That guy came out of nowhere "

"Very well, now that you're awake, I'm gonna leave" he said as he got up so you sat up hurriedly.

"Wait wait how would I get home, oh my god is my leg broken?" You looked at the bandage on your right ankle and your eyes widened. No it can't be, it can't be. Thirty years, you had gone thirty years without a broken bone and you were planning to keep it that way all your life, it can't be broken right?

"I broke my bone, didn't i? " Your eyes welled up so he sighed.

"It's just a sprain, you'll be fine in a week or two"

"A week? I can't not work for a week, they'll fire me" you groaned

"Well you should have thought about that before you–"

"You know what..just shut up okay?"

He rolled his eyes and luckily he agreed to drive you home. He had to assist you to walk though and you didn't really like the idea of being so close to a man you barely knew.

"So whose car is it?" You asked him as he sat you down on the passenger seat.

"Rental"

"Figured"

"Why did you ask if you figured?"

You crossed your arms and didn't respond to him, to avoid the awkwardness you turned the radio on.

Hey I just met you and this is crazy but here's my number so call me maybe

You immediately changed the channel to not give him any sort of wrong signal. He seemed the type to take wrong signals.

My universe will never be the same. I'm glad you came, I'm glad you came.

You bobbed your head back and forth to the beat of the song and he shook his head in disbelief.

It was around 11 at night, how long were you out for? You were surprised he stayed by your side and didn't just flee, maybe it was the doctor in him. Well atleast he wasn't the worst man you have ever met in your life.

God you wanted to talk to Loki, you grabbed your purse and took out your phone but it was discharged completely.

Luckily your building had the lift but he still accompanied you to your apartment, as soon as you opened the door and even though you couldn't see him, you just knew he was there. Loki was there, you could smell his cologne

"Umm would you like a cup of coffee or something?" Please say no..

He looked around the apartment and his face contorted in disgust. Was this your mother disguised as a man? Well you had no idea you would be bringing him back here, this wasn't a date and you were too distracted before the meeting to even think of cleaning the space.

"No thanks. Here's your medicine" he passed you the small prescription bag so you took it from him.

"Well ummm thank you and I'm sorry i won't be able to show you around" you said to him so he rolled his eyes.

"Good, I'm relieved"

An awkward silence and even the worst goodbye handshake later he finally left, you were still on the couch and before you could say anything Loki appeared and locked the main door from inside. His face seemed blotchy, eyes red, cheeks dampened, you could tell he had cried.

He walked towards you and got down on his knees in front of you, then he lifted the right leg up to inspect the injury.

"Lokii"

"Who did this to you ?" He asked you

"Some guy on a bike..It was just an accident"

"That man isn't responsible for this state of yours is he?" He asked you so you shook your head, you cupped his face to make him look at you and his eyes were filled with fear.

"I'm sorry, i would have called but my phone died and ummm I was unconscious "

"Norns y/n" he flinched away from you and stood up, only to pace back and forth in front of you. You were worried that he was angry but then the look on his face was enough to tell you that he was scared, he wasn't able to get in touch with you at all and that must have been terrifying.

"Looo baby" you called out to him and put your hand forward so he took it and sat down next to you on the sofa.

"I'm okay, it's just a sprain"

Well unfortunately you couldn't climb on his lap so you somehow scooted closer to him and hugged him.

"I am sorry darling, I was losing my mind here" his arms wrapped around your tightly and he placed his head down on your shoulder.

"I know I know it's okay i would have been the same"

After a minute or so, he got on his feet again and picked you up in his arms only to lay you down on the sofa again.

"How bad does it hurt?" He asked you and your face scrunched in response, it wasn't bothering you when you came back to consciousness but now you were starting to feel it.

"I think the meds will help"

He sat down on the corner of the sofa and placed your legs on his leg carefully before he grabbed the right one and trailed his fingers all over your ankle, the longer he did it the better you felt.

"Did you just fix me?"

"I wish I could darling but I'm not that kind of God, i can barely lessen the pain and discomfort that comes with it" you smiled as he said that. He was talking as if this wasn't an otherworldly magic in itself.

"How do you do that? I mean how is it possible... like in a scientific way?" He chuckled as you questioned him "I'm sorry I'm on drugs i think"

"No you can ask questions..it's just you're adorable when you do" you giggled at the compliment, he carefully hovered on top of you, avoiding your leg to not hurt you any further and kissed you softly.

"It's just a form of energy being used differently darling"

"Energy?" You looked at him confused so he tucked your hair behind your ears before he kissed your forehead. Everytime he kissed your forehead you couldn't help but giggle.

"Mhhmm In simpler words whenever you see me doing this–" he said as he conjured a flower out of nowhere and gave it to you "I am merely harnessing the cumulative energies from multiple dimensions in order to fetch me whatever I need from my vault" you nodded even though it made no sense to you.

"You're so cute but I don't understand anything" he chuckled and kissed you before he got off the sofa, picked you up again and then laid you down on the bed so you could rest.

"Fancy a cup of tea madame?" You nodded as he asked you.

He made tea for you, he fed you dinner that had to be a takeout because he wasn't even going to attempt to cook and burn down your apartment. You smelled like the hospital and wanted to shower so he helped you get to the bathroom, luckily you had put on a dress for the meeting instead of a jeans so it was easier to take off, you noticed how he had kept his eyes closed like the gentleman that he was when you asked him to take you back to the room while you just had a towel wrapped around your body.

By the time you were in bed again you felt extremely exhausted, the meds were making you feel drowsy already.

"I'm going to abhor leaving you all alone here in the morning" he cooed in your ears so you pecked on his lips.

"Mmmm don't leave me then..stayyy"

"I wish I could princess, I truly wish I could be here for you all the time"

"I know baby it's okay i understand, besides I'll be fine, it's just a sprain"

"How long will it take to heal completely?"

"Two weeks at the most, but I heal fast so one week" you laughed and it warmed his heart.

"Ummm okay I have a proposition for you"

"What?" You smiled because you thought he was going to say something silly to make you laugh again but what he said made you sit up and contemplate, how was this even going to work? Especially with Melissa and those Avengers around.

"Come stay with me at the tower while you're healing"

💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

Tag list (if you want to be tagged or removed let me know.. also I’m not able to tag some of you, please check your settings)

@annoyingsweetsstranger @mcufan72

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@obscureenigmatic @janineb86 @sflame15-blog @nyxlaufeyson @lokidokieokie @purplekitten30 @sunnixart

[tony-starkinator]

Roast. Thanos.

Thanos? More like Thanks for being a pathetic excuse for a supervillain. I mean, seriously, he wanted to erase half of all life in the universe? Talk about overcompensating for his own insecurities. And don't even get me started on his fashion sense. That armor he wears looks like it was made by a blindfolded toddler with a box of discarded toys. It's a wonder he was even able to snap his fingers in that ridiculous gauntlet. I bet even Thor's hammer would have been embarrassed to hang out with him. Thanos' chin is so weak, even his snap couldn't fix it. Seriously, I've seen better facial symmetry on a piece of toast. And don't even get me started on his obsession with those Infinity Stones. It's like he's compensating for something. Maybe if he spent less time collecting rocks and more time in the gym, he wouldn't look like a grape turned into a human. I bet even Captain America could lift more than him…oh wait, he already did. Thanos has the emotional depth of a teaspoon. Seriously, his plan to erase half of all life was so unoriginal it's like he got tips from a middle school emo poetry club. And his voice sounds like he gargles gravel for breakfast. I mean, is that supposed to be imposing? Give me a break. If he ever tried to pull that 'I am inevitable' crap around me, I'd just laugh and ask him to inevitable get some therapy. Thanos' fashion sense is like a colorblind parrot with a fetish for leather and metal. His armor looks like it was pieced together from the castoffs of a sci-fi thrift store. I can't decide if he's trying to look like a discount Darth Vader or a rejected extra from a low-budget space opera.

-Tony Stark

[otomiyaa]

PSA: Back up your blog, check your tumblr e-mail for copyright strikes

Hi everyone, after suddenly losing my account with main blog + sideblogs last week, I would like to share the following warning with y'all. Not to scare you even though it is shitty, but to raise awareness. If this somehow results in me getting kicked off the platform again, so be it lol.

If you post anything fandom* related on your tumblr blog**, whether that's gifs, screenshots, videos, cosplay pics or even fics (?), you may risk getting a copyright strike (up to 3 in 18 months) or even immediate account termination. The chance is still rather small, but just know that it can happen.

*I say fandom in the broad term, so blogs that post about movies and series, anime/manga, games, celebrities, models, sports/olympics, etc. and it goes for gif and fic creators too. Not just accounts that post music or videos for example.

**I say tumblr blog, but this goes for all of the internet ofc. People have been getting this problem on any platform, from insta to etsy, youtube and twitter.

Disclaimer: I am no legal expert, just an unlucky blogger who lost her silly multifandom fic blog after 7+ years.

This will be a bit long and detailed so I proceed under the cut!

What can you do?

...To make sure you don't suddenly lose days, months, and years of content:

CHECK THE EMAIL LINKED TO YOUR TUMBLR. I know a lot of people don't do it, myself included. Tumblr does send warnings (though not always). It wouldn't have changed anything for me because I wouldn't want to appeal - since I don't want to go into this "fair use" discussion for just a fic & editing blog. I personally don't know the chances of retrieving your blog if you protest against the claims, so can't say much about that.

Back up your Tumblr blog if you can. Also save your Tumblr chats with people dear to you if you can. Account termination seems to work differently than deactivation. I was still able to see chats with people who deactivated long ago. But my blog that got terminated has vanished from everyone's DMs and ask boxes à la Thanos snap. I mourn my years of Tumblr chat with my best friend. It was not as if we even considered exporting/copying it just for the memories of the start of our friendship. But now that it's entirely gone, hehe, well. It is sad.

Save URLs and masterposts outside Tumblr. After losing your account, for I thiiink about 24-48hrs (I didn't clock, but it was temporary) you will be able to access it at least temporarily through cachedpages, if you have the URL. It doesn't seem to work for everything, but most of my Tumblr posts I could still see shortly through this site, even after I got wiped off the platform. I did this by googling my tumblr username + certain keywords, and the posts would pop up and give me the URL.

...To prevent getting copyright strikes and losing your account?

Probably nothing - but like I said, I'm not the expert, just the fool who lost her account. The termination e-mail will give you a numbered URL so it's not easy to see which post resulted in the account loss, but for me the keywords were:

-

-

Despite the 7+ years of posts, many followers and a lot of memories, I did not gain anything else from this blog and didn't think it was worth the (legal-) risks and effort to try and get it back. It would require filing an objection against the copyright claims with personal info from home address to name, and consenting to USA legal law stuff.

Even if I don't know the exact details, I'm sure they're not wrong, because whether it's fair or not, most fandom stuff has copyright issues in the end, so I can't protest against the claims with 100% certainty it won't get me in real trouble. Besides, I read about similar cases, lost cases, and admitted defeat right away.

They work with manual reports and most dangerously, bots, who seem to be randomly picking unlucky people to take down their posts and possibly the entire account.

So besides putting an entire halt to fic writing, gif making, video editing and other fandom indulgement, or the inconvenient act of censoring every single word and image, I don't think there is a way to entirely prevent getting targeted.

The one that treated me to the strikes leading to account termination was a certain Mr. Green who seems to have targeted mostly people on Etsy. But apparently now also on Tumblr. More about this I can share here for further information. I also share some other links that can inform you about how far the copyright problem can go. Again, no reason to panic. It's rare and I was unlucky. But it happens.

About Mr. Green, using bots all over the internet to take down fandom related material:

Tumblr post about his attack on fandom.

Long detailed doc from an Etsy user.

Insta post about also loss of Etsy account.

Also Etsy related, but same Mr. Green and his bots taking down something only because it used the NAME of an anime character.

Tweet about him and his company not being officially contracted but getting compensated.

About copyright claims on Tumblr - they are still rare, no panic, I just call it russian roulette and these are all unlucky people like me :')

Post by user @/marilynjeansiims about claims against users who post about Sims, including a petition against it.

Post by user @/happyheidi about Moomin posts facing issues.

Post by user @/hanyusan about olympic related claims.

Example by user @/koov about what a vague copyright warning looks like.

Good news, post by user @/yunghos about getting their account back after filing a counter notice. It seems to be possible.

Post by user @/iamkatehardy about getting a strike for using a gif.

Post by user @/stxrshxpxd about getting their acc terminated for no 100% clear reasons.

Post by user @/tekweela about getting terminated mercilessly because of a reblog.

Post by user @/fromanotherroom-revived about losing their account with similar advice as I write here.

Post by user @/ladyphasma about gifs and US law

Knowing this won't bring lost accounts back, or change the law, I do hope at least you can be better prepared just in case it happens... Better prepared than I was at least.

[dystychiphxbia]

☆ - Childhood friends

isagi is so underrated, not proofread

honestly i went through so much trouble when tumblr posted this despite me saving it to drafts, and after that it just thanos snapped more than half of my writing away. i loved the first one, and this rewritten one just doesn't compare. unfortunately my memory isnt that good that i would remember everything i wrote, even if i remember the plot.😭

You've known Isagi Yoichi for as long as you can remember.

At this point, you don't even remember how the two of you met. Maybe it was through family friends, maybe you met in kindergarten, or maybe you two met at a playground and just decided to be friends.

But it no longer matters how and when you two met. Isagi and you were best friends, inseparable.

And you wouldn't wish for anything more. You wish that you didn't. But your heart can't help skipping a beat whenever you see him. When he's running towards you to greet you, with that huge grin of his. When you two walk to school together. When you pass by the football field. When he walks you home. He's your first thought when you wake up, and your last when you go to sleep.

You aren't entirely sure when your feelings turned out this way. It feels so foreign and new, and yet so familiar and like it was always there.

Your friends all knew. And you were sure that Isagi's friends knew too. But Isagi was oblivious to your feelings. You know him too well. You've watched him have crushes and fall in love, and it crushes you that he doesn't look at you the same way.

You are just his best friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

Then, Blue Lock came along. Isagi was so excited when he told you, and you were just as excited for him. You wished him good luck, and told him to text you whenever he got the chance. He promised you that he would.

But he never contacted you. At first you were upset about it, but you just figured he was busy with his training. But as weeks passed, you started to lose hope. Maybe you didn't matter that much to him, after all. You assumed that he would find the time for even one little text message.

It wasn't until you saw his mother one day that you heard that he didn't have his phone with him. Feeling a bit embarrassed by how you had reacted to the radio silence, you now felt at peace, and waited for him.

You were so excited when his parents invited you to come watch the U-20 game with them. Even if you didn't get to talk to him just yet, you would get to see just how much he had improved.

On the field, Isagi seemed different. He wasn't the sweet Yoichi you were so used to. However, you saw how he occasionally sent glances to the audience. Once his gaze fell on you, he gave you a wave and a smile, even though his teammates were quick to tease him about it. Seeing him surrounded by like-minded people made you happy.

There was no emotion to describe the feelings you had watching the match. Isagi had scored the final goal, making you full of joy. However, the distance between you two made you feel a bit sad. He was right there, so why did you feel like he was so out of reach?

The moment Isagi got his phone back, he texted you that he would come over immediately after getting home. You told him to spend time with his parents first, but seeing how he was soon in your doorstep drenched in sweat, you knew that he had just dropped his bag off and ran to your place.

"Hi." He said bit awkwardly. "Hi, Yoichi." You closed the door behind you so your parents couldn't eavesdrop on your conversation. Isagi seemed to ponder what to say next, before he quickly dropped to the ground on his hands and knees, bowing his head. "I'm so sorry (Y/n)!! I didn't know they would just take my phone away like that and I didn't have time to text you!! Please forgive me!!"

You were initially caught off guard, but soon you couldn't keep your laughter in. "It's fine, Yoichi. I was upset at first, but then I heard from your mom that you didn't have your phone."

"I was so worried you were angry at me! I didn't think that you would even come to the game." Isagi got back up, and from his expression you could see that he was being genuine. You gave him a soft smile, "Of course I came. You are my best friend, Yoichi." Those words hurt you, but you knew they meant the world to Isagi.

"Yeah...best friend." His voice was quiet as he let out an awkward chuckle. This confused you, as he usually never reacted like that. Usually he would nod and flash you a huge grin, which you would then think about nonstop for weeks. After thinking for a while, you realized something...

"Do you mean that you now have another best friend, Yoichi?! Is it that Bachira Meguru guy, we talked with his mom during the match and-" "(Y/n). What?" Yoichi cut you off with a dumbfounded look on his face. "What are you talking about?" "What?" You questioned him.

After a moment of silence and confused looks, both of you burst out laughing. "Okay, (Y/n). It's nothing like that. Listen." Yoichi's expression turned serious, which made you stop laughing. "Yeah?" You asked, a bit worried. Yoichi seemed to ponder what to say next, but instead he grabbed your hand. "Come with me!" He pulled you along and took you to a nearby park you two often went to.

You sat down on the bench, and Yoichi let your hand go. He looked tense and to you, it almost looked like he was shaking when you looked at him fidgeting with his hands. He was looking straight ahead, instead of at you. You nervously waited for him to start talking. You tried to calm him down by holding his hand, but he quickly moved away from your touch. That broke your heart a little.

"(Y/n). I- uh. I don't really know how to say this...I-" "Yoichi. Do you have a girlfriend?" Isagi's eyes widened as he turned to look at you. "What? No! No, that's not it!" "Really? Then what is it?" You tilted your head in confusion.

"Here goes nothing." Isagi took a deep breath, and took your hands in his. "(Y/n). I...really like you!" His grip on your hands tightened and his eyes were shut, as he waited for a reply. When you stayed quiet, he slowly opened his eyes. Complete panic washed over him when he saw that your eyes were filled with tears.

"N-nothing has to change between us, I promise! I just had to get this off my chest!" He tried to explain, but you just shook your head, wiping some of the tears away. "That's not it Yoichi. I've liked you for so long by now, I never thought this would actually happen." Isagi processed your words for a while, until a smile creeped on his face. Soon it was replaced by a confused expression.

"Wait. How long have you liked me for?"

"For as long as I can remember."

"What?"

"What?"

Once again silence followed, which was soon replaced by your laughter. Oh how foolish the two of you felt.

"You are always calling me your best friend though!" Isagi tried to protest. "You do too! You know how much it hurt when you always nodded and smiled at me so brightly when I said that?" You pouted at him. "Give me a break, I had to protect my own heart!"

After a bit of bickering, Isagi's expression turned serious. "I have an important question for you." "What is it?" You gave him a small reassuring smile.

"Will you...wait for me?"

A bit disappointed and confused, you waited for him to keep going.

"With this whole Blue Lock thing, I don't think you would be happy to be in a relationship with me. But once this is all over and I'm at the top, I'll come to you." His hands almost let go of yours, and his eyes showed a glimpse of sadness. "I understand, Yoichi. Go be the best striker in the world for me, okay?" You smiled at him, which he immediately answered with a nod and a smile.

You hung out with Isagi every single day on his two week break. He told you all about his training, his teammates, his new friends and rivals. You told him about how things were in school, and whatever had happened during the time that he was gone. He listened, despite your stories being less interesting compared to his.

Two weeks flew by, and soon you two had to say goodbye once again. It felt bittersweet, with your hug lasting a lot longer than usual. You wished him good luck, and promised to always root for him.

Now you were left alone once again, forced to just wait for the next time you could see him.

[somegirlontheinternet135]

NO ONE F*CKING TOUCH ME!!!

Alright, I know a lot of ppl weren't the biggest of the last Beast Yeast update, and to that I say it's understandable, they could've done a lot more with what they had in my opinion. . . But from just the first trailer alone, this looks really redeemable!!

For now, let's hope it's better than what we got last time!

You already know the jist, time for predictions!~✨ (Of course, spoilers ahead for the trailer!)

Given we now have Cacao heading off to Beast Yeast with his gang, I suspect that this'll be a common thing throughout the future Beast Yeast updates, with Hollyberry and Golden Cheese probably coming to Beast Yeast and meeting the owners of their respective soul jams

This'll probably end in them reuniting and creating some touching moments, before the final battle with Dark Enchantress (and or the Beasts)

But that doesn't mean we should leave everything in the last Beast Yeast update as after thoughts. From the 3rd Anniversary interview devs did, they confirm that Shadow Milk Cookie will be a looming threat within the Beast Yeast saga, though it is mostly unknown to us how. We do have a decent idea of what is to come

Back to the update, I think it'd be kinda cool, and very fitting, to have each of the characters represent the 5 stages of grief, with Mystic Flour representing death itself. I took a liking to this idea because firstly, death is a very present theme within the update so far, and secondly it's due to one scene; you know it, you love it, the Thanos snap scene! Within those short seconds of our favorites turning into dust(or well flour) we have Crunchy Chip yelling out to his majesty, practically begging for his life how "he doesn't want to be sick!" as everyone else accepts their fates

More on the subject, that'd be another interesting thing to see in this update, seeing Chip placed in such a vulnerable position like this could introduce a side to his character we've only briefly seen. As yes, this isn't the first time we see Chip get jumpy around the idea of death; if we turn back time, back to the Odessey, when the gang meets Seaweed Cookie, he's horrified by the fact they were walking over corpses (aka cookie crumbs) And this doesn't go unnoticed either, as he gets called out by Wildberry, which causes him to backtrack. I wouldn't even be surprised if his implicated fear of death may be part of the reason he's the Crunchy Chip we know & love today, maybe he uses his relationship with wolves as a means of protecting himself? Wolves are an apex predator after all! Will this add anything to the story? Possibly not, but would it flesh out Crunchy Chip as a character? Absolutely! (Sorry for the tangent, I thought this was all worth talking about cause it's such a cool idea!)

Now, we can't go anywhere without discussing the massive elephant in the room. . . Dark Choco Cookie's sudden return. Unlike most things, we do have a good idea of why he decided to follow his dad & come back. Firstly, it's a update focusing on Dark Cacao Cookie and his kingdom, it's a no brainer Choco would show up. Secondly from the Warm Together update, we know that he's been healing alone for a long time, so logically speaking, he wants to reconcile with his father, once & for all. And this is just my idea, but it'd really be cool to see Cacao & Choco work together in defeating Mystic Flour!

And that's all I got for now!✨ Surely, I'm only scratching the surface of what update has to bring, but I would say these are some solid ideas!~ Regardless, I'm super excited for this future update and the second trailer!!~

Please let me know what you think! Be on the lookout for my other projects And as always, stay tuned^^

[mckiwi]

McKiwi's Fic Recs

(Stephen Strange / Tony Stark)

These are all completed. Some are multi chapter. Most have very little smut, if any at all, so if you like that kind of stuff, you’re on your own. AUs are included. If I felt the characterizations were too off, it’s not here. If grammar was unacceptable, it’s not on this list. All of these have Stephen as a main character. These are organized by word count and genre. I've tried to include a little bit of (almost) everything. If you have any suggestions, feel free to reblog with those.

Blue indicates registered users only

REC LIST UNDER CUT

"Daydream" by InkDippedFingertips: [1052 words / Hurt/Comfort] It wouldn't be easy at all, Tony thought, to walk away.

"Say A Slow Goodbye" by InkDippedFingertips: [1086 words / Angst] No more suffering.

“The Truth” by ironstrangle: [1368 words / Hurt/Comfort] Wong is relieved when Stephen Strange gets hit with a truth spell. He'll finally tell Tony what's going on, right? Little does he know, that's not the only confession he makes.

"Do No Harm" by thedevildinosaur: [4691 words / Canon Divergence] Stephen Strange is a doctor. Stephen saved the universe. He is not the kind of man who ruthlessly kills his enemies. Tony can say that with confidence, because he knows Stephen Strange even better than he knows himself.

"Lost and Found" by flyingonfeatherlesswings: [12976 words / Canon Divergence] Stephen finds himself back on the streets after the new Sorcerer Supreme, Karl Mordo, decides that Strange breaking the natural law cannot be forgiven. For the IronStrange Midsummer BigBang.

"A Hard Man Humble" by Anonymous: [15282 words / Hurt/Comfort] “A loop like Titan?” Tony’s sensors are instantly on alert, hand in the air. Looking at different timelines, future after future after future that would now never come to pass. Enough to break a man, or his mind, if Thanos and his minions didn’t. That much devastation and death. “Red alert?” “No,” says Strange in a distant tone, caught in some memory. “It’s me. Stuck on the wrong track.” He snaps out of it. “It threw me towards –” You.

“Arriving Somewhere (But Not Here)” by Imagined: [15817 words / Alternate Universe] “It wasn’t so bad,” Stephen says. “I thought you hated it there?” “Parts of it, maybe. Not everything.” Wong slowly nods. A lamp flickers above their heads; with a snap of his fingers, Stephen brightens it again. The yellowish light seems all the more pronounced for it, casting shadows over Wong’s face. “I don’t regret that I never got the invitation to Ilvermorny,” Wong says eventually. “I would’ve wanted one at the time, I think. But that is what the Sanctum is for. It catches those who fall through the cracks - the unwanted and unseen of the magical world. They would’ve taught me things that would take a lifetime to unlearn. I see that in you, too.” Or: When he is twelve, Stephen Strange gets an invitation letter to the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is only the start of a life spent studying and defying one kind of magic - the one that Stephen seems to belong to, and yet cannot make his own. That is, the road to becoming the Sorcerer Supreme is a long and meandering one.

“Survivors of the Wreck of Time” by amethyst-noir: [16199 words / Hurt/Comfort] Stephen had been in love with Tony Stark for so long, and through so many different timelines, that the feeling had become a fixed part of his being, something that was just there, fully intertwined with his very soul. Something that was treasured, something that gave him strength and comfort when he needed it, something he held close to his heart without even consciously being aware of it. (Sometimes a timeline has to bend and twist to make things that are supposed to be happen.)

“We’re Not In Kansas?” by Catxtopia: [17448 words / Alternate Universe] It was turning out to be a relatively lovely end to a hectic day. So naturally the universe had to throw a wrench in there somewhere. Said wrench came in the form of a strange flying object shooting out of the sky. (Or: Iron Man 3 AU, where Tony crash lands in Nebraska and meets a small town doctor by the name of Stephen Strange)

“If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” by twobettafish: [19290 words / Alternate Universe] Mystical threats always need to be dealt with, even if doing so requires Tony Stark's help. (Sometimes, though, those threats can be kind of stupid.)

"theme of wonder" by graveltotempo: [23889 words / Alternate Universe] When Thanos, the Mad Titan, breached the walls of the Underworld, in a bid to kill Hades and make Persephone his own, the King and Queen of the Dead cast a spell. A spell of time and souls, so that their love would be everlasting and so that they never would be without one another. So that their soul and immortal spirit would continue to reincarnate into different human bodies for cycles to come, and so that they could always find each other, not matter when or where. And for centuries, through the fall of Alexandria and the Salem Witch Trials, through the rise of the Ottoman reign and the fall of the Roman Empire, it works. Until Persephone wakes alone in a cave, surrounded by ash, smoke and sand, and Hades wakes alone in Kamar Taj, drenched in water and with blood on his sheets. Both alone. And as the Infinity Stones start popping up around them again, and the oddness of this cycle continues, they know that the reckoning is approaching, that the end is near. That the Mad Titan is once more at their door.

"Sometimes Goodbye is a Second Chance" by Aelaer: [37524 words / Canon Divergence] In 2018, the world almost ended. The world almost ended on a surprisingly frequent basis, Stephen had discovered in the last two years. But this time, this time the solution seemed just as bad as the problem itself with five years lost and so much suffering in the interim and the years after. So Stephen pushed himself farther than he ever had before to see if he could find something else: a solution that was less cruel, less harmful, less impacting to both Earth and the universe as a whole. He found it sometime after approximately 22.3 million futures.

“Stop-Loss” by twenty3: [41363 words / Canon Divergence] Tony Stark killed himself on a Monday morning. Peter Parker found his body. Stephen Strange was the first person he called. After the devastating loss, Stephen makes a decision. To use the time stone. To go back and fix things. To fix Tony before he can make the same choice to end his life. It doesn't work. So he tries again. And again. And again. It was his fault the world had lost him. It wasn't going to be his fault it stayed that way.

"A bargain with a dragon" by Mermaid_in_space: [46992 words / Alternate Universe] In a time of need, only one Tony Stark would be stupid enough to strike a bargain with a dragon, to ensure the future safety of his father's kingdom. Little does he know that the prize will be the one thing he treasures most. A Prince!Tony Stark / Dragon!Stephen Strange fantasy AU

“By the End of Today” by Imagined: [53835 words / Canon Divergence] For Stephen, Thursday doesn’t end. He is stuck reliving the same day and over again. This by itself is already something of an issue, especially with the Time Stone destroyed and well, and Stephen having little to no clue as to who is behind it, and why he’s the only one who can remember what is going on. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to destroy time loops. Surrounded by people unaware of the situation, Stephen has to navigate his friendships and feelings to hunt down the cause of the green light that keeps restarting the loop, and put an end to the endless Thursdays. It might’ve been a little less complicated, had Tony Stark not been connected to the time loop.

“14,000,605 Pieces of a Soul” by CookieCloud: [57371 words / Hurt/Comfort] After the Snap has been reversed (and everyone survived), Tony's life isn't working out as planned. Things with Pepper are not going well and the Avengers are still split up. Also there is the small problem of Tony's judgement being clouded by the effect of Wanda's mind spell. At the same time, Stephen is struggling to come to terms with all of the futures he experienced in the time stone. And that's already without the spiritual effects they've had on him. But maybe, they can help each other.

"A Crown of Thorn and Shadows" by Golden_Asp: [58465 words / Alternate Universe] Anthony Stark, King of Blood and Darkness, ruler of the Unseelie court, did not expect to find Prince Stephen Strange of the Seelie chained up in his torture chamber, cold iron being driven into his hands. Stephen Strange, a Seelie healer, never dreamed of finding himself in the court of nightmares, being cared for by the king that the Seelie called a monster. They must work together to find the traitors in two Faerie courts that have not spoken in over six hundred years and reclaim Stephen's memories before the courts descend into war once more.

"Time After Time" by lantia4ever: [64186 words / Alternate Universe] Months after dealing with Dormammu, the Time Stone offers Stephen a deal – it will fix his hands so he can once again be a doctor. For a price. A balance. It's everything Stephen could ever wish for and the price is laughably insignificant - so he accepts. After all, what could he possibly ever love more than becoming a doctor again? Written for the IronStrange BigBang 2019 \o/

"...and dance by the light of the moon" by atypicalsnowman: [69972 words / Hurt/Comfort] Stephen was in trouble. Big trouble. The kind of trouble that even Tony with his nearly limitless resources couldn't get him out of. He's never been a praying man, but they need a miracle. He’s not sure about God, but Thor always said wonderful things about his mother. At this point, Stephen needs a goddess’ intervention, so Tony sends up a prayer and hopes. The good news is, Frigga hears Tony’s prayer and decides Stephen needs the help of a guardian angel. The bad news is the angel she sends is Loki.

"Looks Like Bending Time" by FriendlyNeighborhoodFangirls: [74899 words / Alternate Universe] The dawn sings in Stephen Strange’s ears when he is born. The dawn and the fields and the souls of his mother and father and the watch his sister buys him on his ninth birthday—it all sings, countless melodies written into the universe. There are songs and there is the boy, and there seems to be no way to separate one from the other. Stephen listens and pretends he cannot, and he lives in safety as a surgeon and a success. But he can only hide from the unknown for so long. The search for answers leads him into a dance of spies and realms and conspiracy, side-by-side and saving a man with a song like a falcon spreading its wings. There is a watch and a suit of impossible armor and a lurking serpent seeking power from the shadows. And always, there is the song. What is silence, really?

"Time-Lost" by Bravehardt, Foxglove_Fiction: [107078 / Alternate Universe] Reoccurring nightmares kept Tony up at night; dreams of those closest to him dying over and over again in an endless cycle - haunting him and depriving him of sleep. Reaching his breaking point, Tony consults Stephen to help rid himself of these nightmares. It seems as though Stephen might be closer to Tony than he initially thought - or hoped and the barriers between patient and doctor relationship are starting to blur. Neither of them could have predicted that some of the dreams they have both been subject to are more than simple dreams but possibly fragments of memories from a life long passed.

[geeky-politics-46]

Sacrifices - Part 2

Click here to read Sacrifices - Part 1

Pairing: Doctor Stephen Strange x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader

Summary: The time heist has worked & brought Stephen back to you, but at what cost?

Warnings: Heavy angst & some mild references to smut - language, reference to injuries, death, mental illness, complicated feelings about cheating, general sadness, references to sex.

Stephen smut coming in Part 3! Some slight canon divergence. Based on a request from @magnificentfurybluebird.

All you could do was wait and hope.

Wait to see if your best friends and your lover would come back. Hope that your husband would come back.

Wait to see if a broken world could be fixed. Hope that the Avengers, full fledged and honorary alike, could beat Thanos at his own game. 

While you waited, at least you could try to work out a way to explain to Stephen what had gone on between you and Steve. You hoped he would forgive you. Just the thought made you sick to your stomach. 

No matter what, you were still stuck waiting and hoping.

You made dinner for Vincent, and both of you settled into the bedroom he had picked out as his. Your plan once the battle kicked off was to keep him occupied so he hopefully wouldn't notice any of the chaos outside. So you two played his favorite games and watched his favorite shows. If it weren't for the worry picking at the back of your mind, it would have been a very fun night with your little man. 

Somewhere between playing Avengers with his action figures and watching the end of 101 Dalmatians, you began hearing what sounded like thunder far off in the distance. Opting to tell your son that's what it was, when you knew it was a sign the battle had begun. Luckily, he was distracted pretty quickly when he started asking once again if you could get a dog. 

Once Vincent had fallen asleep, you snuck out of his room and over to the large round window decorated in the Seal Of Vishanti. You could just see a glimpse of the battle, you assumed it was where the Avengers Compound had been. The dust flying, the laser fire from weaponry, and the large ships of Thanos' army. You couldn't see enough to know what was happening, just enough to keep your nerves on edge. This was your equivalent to standing on a Widow's walk, staring out at the ocean waiting for your lover to return from sea.

You suddenly thought about the letters you had seen Nat slip into Vincent's Captain America backpack. You quickly went to retrieve them. Stealthily grabbing the red, white, and blue bag from Vincent's room without making a peep. Sitting on the floor outside the room as you looked for them. Finding them both easily amongst the books and toys.

One envelope was addressed to you, and the other was addressed to Stephen. You carefully set the one addressed to Stephen to the side, face down. Almost not wanting to even touch it at all for fear that it could jinx the possibility of him coming back. Even though you knew that it wouldn't really alter anything that had already been set into motion. 

You gingerly unsealed the envelope. Trying your hardest not to disturb where Nat had left a lipstick print from clearly kissing the envelope after sealing it herself. Inside, you found several handwritten pages and a photo.

The photo had been from Vincent's last birthday party at the Compound. The giggling little boy sat in the center of the photo behind a homemade cake you and Nat had fumbled through making. Luckily, it tasted better than it looked. Nat was on Vincent's right, and you were on his left. Wong and Steve stood behind the three of you. Tony, Pepper, and Morgan were all to your left. A holographic Rhodey on the far right. Tony made him attend even if he couldn't be there in person. Mainly, so he would have to talk to Steve less.

You smiled as you stared at the picture. It was easy to focus on the bad times since the snap, but there had been plenty of good times too. You were glad to have had the people around that you did. To have a support system. Even if you missed Stephen, you had still had some happy times. You would have to frame this photo for sure. 

Moving on, you eventually unfolded the letter. Nat's elegant handwriting already making it look perfect, like a letter written for a scene in a movie. You took a moment to admire it before you began reading it. 

You could never have expected to find what you read. Your heart dropped more with every word you read:

My dear friend,

I imagine as you are reading this, you don't know the outcome of our mission. Hopefully, you have Vincent tucked into bed, safe and sound. You can stop hovering outside the door, you know. He could never be safer than he is with you. Never forget how strong you are. Even when you don't feel like it. You are an incredible woman and an incredible mom.

Now comes the hard part of this letter…

If all goes according to the plan, you won't see me again. At least, hopefully not for a very long while.

Clint and I were sent to retrieve the soul stone from the planet of Vormir. According to Nebula, Thanos took her sister, his daughter, Gamora there and only Thanos returned. In order to get the soul stone, a soul must be given in return. So I plan to give myself so that Stephen, Clint's family, and everyone else we lost can return. 

I chose not to tell you or Steve or even Clint about my choice before the mission. As you all would turn around and offer yourselves without a second thought, and if it means your happiness, I would sacrifice myself a thousand times over. You know how long I've spent trying to erase all the things I did before joining S.H.I.E.L.D., this is just one more wrong for me to right in the end.

I don't want you to cry for me. I don't want you to mourn. Instead, I want you to remember the good things. Remember the nights we spent talking. Remember the jokes and the chaos that ensued whenever either of us tried to cook more than macaroni & cheese. Remember the cake in that photo. How Tony thought for sure he would get food poisoning as soon as he saw it. How Steve was ready to defend our terrible cooking at every turn.

When Stephen comes back, because it is when not if so get that look off your face, give him my letter. It basically says if he breaks your heart or hurts you in any way, I'm coming back to kill him myself. 

I love you like a sister, and I always will. No matter what. Make sure Vincent knows how much I love him, too. 

Nat

Ps. If you ever meet a girl named Yelena, she would make an excellent surrogate big sister for Vinny. Just saying.

Your tears were falling hard and fast by the time you finished reading. Nat had given her life in the hope that you would get Stephen back. You had thought your heart had never healed, but it must have because you felt it breaking all over again.

For at least an hour you sat there and cried as you listened to the sounds of fighting in the distance. Suddenly not sure if this would all be worth it. Now if the Avengers lost you had not only lost your husband, but your best friend too. Would you lose Wong? What about Steve? How much more could you lose before your heart literally stopped beating? 

You were not religious by any means, and the last time you even thought to try and pray was five years earlier when you had the horrible feeling that Stephen wasn't coming home. As you stared at the Seal Of Vishanti adorning the large window with tears still running down your face you clasped your hands and brought them up to your chest, and prayed. 

You prayed to Vishanti, to Agamotto, to the Ancient One herself and anyone else who would listen. You prayed for everyone fighting out on that battlefield, for the Avengers and the rest of the universe to get home safe. That no one else had to lose in order for you to win. 

Repeating the words over and over. Willing them to come true. Only stopping when you suddenly started hearing the telltale sizzle of a portal being opened using Eldritch magic. You jumped to your feet but didn't rush to grab a weapon, if it was Thanos or his army they wouldn't be portaling in. It had to be a sorcerer or one of the other masters. 

The portal opened to reveal a very weary looking Wong. When he stepped through he looked even worse for wear than first glance. Your eyes focusing first on the black soot and dirt on his robes. Small slashes on the fabric over his arms, clearly having fought something with claws. Scrapes and injuries were to be expected though, even in small fights, but if he was even here in the first place it had to be a good sign. 

What you hadn't quite expected was the large,wide, almost giddy smile on his face and the brightness shining in his eyes. Your stomach leapt up into your throat. There was only one reason why Wong would look that excited. They had to have won. You had to have won.

Before you could say a single word Wong stepped to the side and you were greeted with a sight you had not seen in real life in five years. Stepping through the portal into the Sanctum was your husband. Doctor Stephen Strange. 

Dressed exactly as he had been when you last saw him. In his dark blue sorcerer's robes, the crimson Cloak of Levitation hanging from his broad shoulders, and the Eye of Agamotto still hanging around his neck. He hadn't aged a single day.

He did not look nearly as surprised to see you as you did to see him. Wong clearly must have told him you were at the Sanctum waiting. He looked just as battle worn, but to you he looked perfect. He was there. 

You wanted to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming. That he was really right in front of you. Instead you simply ran into his arms and started sobbing. Your fingers gripping in his hair and in his robes making sure he wasn't some sort of hologram or illusion.

Your lips slammed into his and you swore time stood still. It seemed like only a second passed before you were forced to pull away to breathe. You both repeated this pattern of kiss then breathe, kiss then breathe several times over. Eventually you finally had enough proof he was really there that you could speak again. 

"Stephen, it's you. It's really you. You came back. You came back to me. I missed you so much. I can't believe you really came back to me after five years. I love you so much." 

Stephen tried to simultaneously laugh and hush you. Urging your tears and your breathing to slow down, even though he wasn't far from just as excited as you were. He hadn't heard everything yet, but he knew the gravity of what had just transpired. Seeing you again on top of everything was almost too much, even for a Sorcerer Supreme to handle.

"I love you too, sweetheart. Of course I'm back. You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?"

He pulled back to smile at you and wink before descending in to kiss you again. You were so overwhelmed you nearly missed the tugging at your pant leg and the feeling of a tiny body huddling close behind you. 

Stephen's eyes suddenly fell to the small figure peeking out from behind your leg. In the commotion you hadn't realized that Vincent had woken up. Of course he came out to see what all the noise was, hearing your laughter and excited cries. 

As soon as Stephen's blue eyes met the matching set peering up at him hesitantly, he fell to his knees on the hard marble floor of the Sanctum. He immediately knew those blue eyes that matched his had to belong to his son. Even if he hadn't met him yet, he would know him anywhere.

Where you saw Stephen when you looked at Vincent, Stephen saw you. He saw the way the little boy chewed at his lip, just like you. He saw the beautiful flush your cheeks always had. He saw a perfect little boy who had been raised by the most perfect woman alive. 

A small quiet "hi there" slipped from his lips with a soft smile as he kneeled down to get at eye level and brought one hand up to wave at the little boy. Trying to not fall apart and let his son approach him first. Although he wanted to grab both you and him tight and never let go ever again.

"Don't be scared Vincent. It's okay. This is your daddy. Do you wanna say hi?" 

A small voice squeaky with hesitation and trepidation coming from the little boy. Understandably, still trying to process exactly what was happening. 

"Daddy?... Daddy!!!" 

The small boy suddenly ran into the arms of the sorcerer, of his father. Nearly knocking Stephen over with the force that he threw himself at him. Locking his little fingers tight in Stephen's blue robes and clinging to him like a koala bear. Stephen immediately wrapped the boy up and buried his face in Vincent's dark brown hair.

You quickly sat yourself down snuggling yourself close to your two boys. Vincent safely cocooned better the two of you, for the first time ever. At least the first time since you had been pregnant with him.

You leaned forward and pressed a couple of kisses in Vincent's hair, then a couple more on Stephen's cheek. Copying your son's motions when he snuggled tighter into Stephen's arms. Soon, finding the three of you wrapped as close as you could possibly be. Your legs tangled with Stephen's, but neither of you were about to untangle yourselves. None of you wanted to move from your spot in the middle of the Sanctum floor. 

You glanced back towards Wong as he tried to stealthily open a portal to Kamar-Taj. To let the three of you have your first ever real bit of family time. A soft content smile on his face as he watched the three of you, and the glassy look in his eyes giving away just how close he was to tears of his own. 

You mouthed a "thank you" to him and blew him a little kiss too. Wong was at the very top of the list of people you would never be able to fully repay for everything they had done for you and Vincent. You would happily try though.

He gave a single silent nod and placed his hand over his heart before he backed through the portal, quickly closing it in his wake. Leaving you alone in a suddenly more homey feeling Sanctum with your son, and now back with your husband.  

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You have no idea how long the three of you sat there together on the hard marble floor before you finally made the suggestion of finding somewhere more comfy. Inevitably ending up in your current bedroom. The bed was smaller than the one in the master bedroom, so you were all packed in a little tight, but it seemed right to wait and re-christen that room with Stephen once the two of you could be alone. 

Vincent snuggled in between the two of you with his Captain America bear in his arms wearing his Incredible Hulk pjs while you ordered pizza. There was no way you were cooking and Vincent didn't want either of you to leave for longer than it took to go to the bathroom. You were the one to run down and get the boxes when they arrived, both you and Vincent a little scared if you let Stephen out of your sight he would disappear again. 

When you got back Vincent was busy telling Stephen all his favorite movies and TV shows as they tried to figure out what to put on. Vincent got all excited when Beauty & The Beast came up on the screen. 

"Stop, stop! Dis is one of mommy's favorites. We should watch dis!" 

"Why don't we let daddy take a shower and get changed okay? Then we can all eat and watch whatever you want, bud." 

Vincent immediately started to protest, scrambling to grab onto Stephen. Not wanting his dad to go anywhere without him ever again. You could see the tears and lovestruck smile on Stephen's face, he hadn't said it yet but you knew he was already just as obsessed with the little boy.

"It's okay pal, I can shower right here in this bathroom. I'll even leave the door cracked so you can hear I'm still in there. You or your mom call for me and I'll be right back out. I promise. Sweetheart, do you think you could go grab me some clean clothes?"

Your son grudgingly nodded and gave Stephen permission to shower. Untangling himself and snuggling his Cap bear with one arm and his Black Widow bear with the other. You kissed the top of his head and tucked all the blankets up around him so he was nice and cozy. Stephen made sure to call out from the bathroom to make sure Vincent was okay with the distance and amount the door was cracked. 

You waited until the water started running before distracting Vincent with an episode of Paw Patrol so you could go get Stephen clean clothes. Moving quickly and trying not to focus on anything other than the task you had once you entered the master bedroom. Grabbing Stephen's light blue Columbia sweatshirt, some boxers, and some pajama pants before jogging back down the hall where your boys were waiting. 

When you snuck into the bathroom to leave Stephen's clothes, you found him partly undressed and assessing a series of scrapes and bruises from the battle. All in all he didn't seem phased by them, but you couldn't help the worried look on your face as you reached out to touch one over his ribs. You nearly fell apart in tears again at the feeling of his bare skin warm under your fingers. 

He pulled you closer, and you let your left hand drag up his muscular chest to rest over his heart. He smiled, noticing you were still wearing your engagement ring and wedding band. Letting his left hand come to rest on top of yours, your wedding bands clinking softly, as he pulled you all the way into his arms and captured your lips in a deep, passion filled kiss. 

Your other arm wrapping around the back of his neck as he backed you up against the bathroom counter. You both knew you couldn't go any farther at the moment. Not with your son just outside the cracked open door. Paw Patrol wouldn't keep him occupied long enough to do what you both really wanted to do.

So before you could both become too wound up to stop, you slowly let your lips separate. Leaving your foreheads pressed together a moment longer, nuzzling noses and enjoying the feel of being back in each other's arms. 

"I missed you so much Stephen. I love you so, so much. I think you are even more handsome than I remembered."

"I missed you too, and I don't think I could possibly love you any more. I want you so much, my beautiful, darling wife." 

You hummed in delight at the suggestion. You wanted him just as badly, but alas being mom and dad had to come before being husband and wife for the moment. You left one last soft kiss on his lips before starting to pull away. Knowing before long Vincent would be calling for you.

"Well hurry up and get showered, Doctor. Maybe we can sneak back in here after he falls asleep later, but first we get to spend time with our son. I'm so glad to have our family back."

You started trying to walk back towards the door only for Stephen to pull you back for one more kiss. 

"Me too. I can't believe how big he is. How much I missed. Go on mama, but I'm gonna hold you to that bit about sneaking back in here later."

He finally let you go with a suggestive wink. Turning back to check the temperature of the shower before starting to undress his lower half. You made yourself leave the bathroom before you could start watching again. Stopping only to give the Cloak of Levitation a little scratch on the collar from where it hung on the back of the door. 

Your cheeks feeling hot and flushed as you rejoined your son on the bed. Helping him plate his pizza before moving the box back over to the dresser. Letting him get settled back into the middle of the bed, making sure to leave space on both sides for you and Stephen.

You would eat once Stephen rejoined you. Although right now you really weren't hungry for pizza, but for your husband. Shaking your head to clear the inappropriate thoughts as you queued up another episode of Paw Patrol to play until Stephen came out. 

You couldn't wipe the grin off of your face at the butterflies in your stomach. Especially when your handsome husband emerged from the bathroom. His gray streaked hair damp and tousled perfectly. If it was possible you wanted him even more now, and you knew he could tell from the way he flirtatiously smiled at you. 

He stopped to grab one of the pizza boxes, carrying it back over to the nightstand before crawling into the bed on the other side of your son. Leaning over to give you a kiss on the lips.

"Alright, mommy's turn to get changed for bed. I'll be right back. Then it's all night with my baby boy and my wonderful husband. My two favorite guys in the universe."

That made both Stephen & Vincent smile, making them look even more alike. As you turned and grabbed a large t-shirt to sleep in from one of your drawers, you made a mental note to take a lot of photos over the next few days. Not paying attention to anything but the sound of joy coming from the bedroom. You quickly splashed your face with water and headed back into them.

You knew that later you would have to have some difficult conversations with Stephen. He would have to tell you everything that happened in the fight. Who all was hurt, and who was lost. You would also have to tell him about what you had done with Steve. Whether or not it really counted as an affair you weren't sure, but you knew that now that you had Stephen back you never wanted anyone else ever again. 

You wanted to tell Stephen that he was your endgame, that as far as you were concerned, there was no you without him. As great as Steve was as a friend, and as much as you did care about him, that was all he would ever be for you again. If Stephen doubted it, you would devote your entire being to proving it. To proving that he was the one true love of your life, not including your son of course. 

When you entered the room, you were trying to figure out why Stephen was looking at you with one eyebrow quirked up. You could feel yourself blushing under his gaze as you walked over to grab a slice of pizza from the box he had set on the nightstand. Taking a bite and pulling at the bottom of the shirt you wore, trying to make it longer even though it already came to your mid thigh and covered everything. 

Looking down, you suddenly realized why he was looking at you weird. In the middle of the light gray t-shirt was Captain America's shield. The shirt had been a joke gift from Tony once he found out about you and Steve. You didn't realize you had grabbed that particular shirt.

"Wow, there seems to be a lot of Captain America stuff here. Should I be worried?" 

He said it with a chuckle at the end, clearly meaning it as a joke. Having no idea he had unintentionally hit a nerve. You immediately wanted to go change. You didn't want to ruin the first night you had Stephen back.

Of course, it was at that moment Vincent chimed in. Not knowing the gravity of what he was revealing to his father. Not even looking away from the TV screen as he spoke.

"Uncle Steve is mommy's special friend. He spends the night with us sometimes. He's really nice, daddy, and he's really strong! You'd like him. He taked good care of Mommy and me while you were gone." 

You saw Stephen swallow hard at the revelation. Knowing exactly what his son had meant with the words 'special friend', even if his son didn't really know. His eyes darted away from you and to the blank wall. His lips pursed and his eyes started to water a bit. You were on the verge of hyperventilating. Trying to keep yourself from having a panic attack. 

The tears were already starting to fall from your eyes as you grabbed one of Stephen's hands and pressed his knuckles to your forehead before bringing them down to your lips. Silently begging him to understand.

Stephen took a deep breath to steady his voice before he spoke. Keeping a light tone in his voice to keep from alerting Vincent that anything was wrong. Trying to keep Vincent distracted by the TV. 

"Okay. Well, Mommy will have to tell me about that later. Right now, I think we were gonna watch a movie, right? You get to pick. I'm glad he was there to take care of you for me" 

You were about to go change when Stephen wouldn't let go of your hand. Blinking back tears as he tilted his head, gesturing for you to get into the bed as is. Your pizza long forgotten as you were practically already trying to crawl in Stephen's lap as Vincent started to scroll through the movie options. 

"Hey kiddo, scoot over a little. I want to snuggle with Daddy, too." 

Hiding a little sniffle as your son somewhat grudgingly inched over to give you just a hint more space. Stephen welcomed you into his lap and held you tight. Hating the feeling of your tears falling softly into his neck. 

Once Vincent had circled back around to Beauty and The Beast and Belle's first song was underway, you tilted your head up to whisper in Stephen's ear.

"I'm so sorry, Stephen. I love you so much. I can't… there's no excuse. I missed you so much, and I thought you were never coming back, and it just happened. I'm so, so sorry. Please, please, please don't hate me. Please, please don't leave me again." 

He shushed you softly as he felt you starting to shake. Kissing your forehead and brushing his hand through your hair. You knew that he wasn't exactly happy to hear about your tryst with Steve. You knew he hated the idea of you being with someone else, but he also understood that you had been through far more than he could know. He also knew from the moment you kissed him after he returned that you were still his, totally and completely. Your panicked response to Vincent's statement was not lost on him.

"I know, I know. It's okay. I could never hate you. It will be okay. Okay? We will talk it all out later. I love you, and I'm not going anywhere. Never again. I'm here to take care of both of you now." 

He pulled his other arm back from where it had been draped behind Vincent. Reaching into the front pocket of his sweatshirt and slipping on his sling ring. Already starting a spell before he spoke.

"This shirt, however, does need to go..." 

In a shimmer of gold, Cap's shield on your shirt slowly started morphing into the seal of Vishanti that adorned the large central window of the Sanctum. You felt a cocky lopsided smile curl up on his handsome face once his magic had finished.

"That's much better." 

You smiled and nuzzled further into his neck as he moved to put his sling ring back into his pocket. Still staying nice and quiet as you responded, a double meaning hidden in your words. Placing a long kiss under his ear afterwards. 

"I agree. Much better." 

Shortly after, Vincent asked for everyone to get under the covers. Trying to hide the sleepiness quickly overtaking him again. Protesting when you asked if he wanted to go to bed. Saying he just wanted to make sure Mommy was warm and comfortable. He may not have spent much time with his father yet, but his stubbornness was most definitely inherited from Stephen.

He managed to stay awake a little while longer. At some point, he grabbed ahold of Stephen's hand that wasn't resting on your hip and started mindlessly tracing his scars. That action alone brought Stephen back  near tears. It was something you had always done when you two laid in bed together talking or watching something. It also warmed his heart that his son wasn't scared by the raised, somewhat jagged scars all over his hands or the way they trembled lightly.

"Let me know if you have any questions about my hands, okay kiddo? I know they can look a bit ugly or scary, and I can't always do everything with them, but I never want you to be worried about it." 

You were listening and smiling. Over the moon that Stephen seemed to fall right into the role of a good dad as soon as he met Vincent. You remembered him spending countless nights, pacing the floor and unable to sleep. Terrified he would be a horrible father. Wondering if the apple didn't fall far from the tree. You always knew he was underestimating himself.

"They aren't scary, daddy. You got them because you got hurt bad. That's how you met Uncle Wong and learned magic. Mommy told me all about you. Uncle Wong said he thought you were 'nnoying when he met you, but that he missed you too when you were gone. He told me not to tell you that part though. Oops."

You couldn't help but snort at that admission. Even Stephen giggled before grinning deviously. Oh Wong was so going to pay for that remark later, for both of them actually. 

After you finished laughing, Stephen leaned down to nuzzle his nose against your forehead. Pressing a kiss there before whispering against your skin how thankful he was that you told Vincent about him. He knew it must have been incredibly painful at times, but he was so glad that you had done it. So Stephen didn't lose even more time with his son now that he was back. So that his son didn't look at him like a stranger, or even worse, think Rogers was his dad. That might have just killed him.

Before long, Vincent was fast asleep with a death grip on Stephen's arm. Even though it meant the two of you might not get to sneak off for your adult time, you were both plenty content with you snuggled into his chest and a leg thrown over his hip. Especially with the cloud of the battle and all that had happened hanging over you. 

Once it was clear Vincent was completely out and not going to wake up easily, Stephen broke the silence by telling you what happened. About the biggest loss and the thing that had ultimately allowed them to win against Thanos. Their checkmate, Iron Man.

"Tony is gone." 

Your head snapped up from Stephen's shoulder. Genuine shock from what you had just heard. You kept your voice low to not wake up your son, but you needed to know what had happened. 

"What?!"

Stephen instinctively started rubbing your lower back to soothe you. Already seeing the tears welling in your eyes. 

"He sacrificed himself and used the stones to snap away Thanos and his army. I knew it was going to happen, it had to if we were going to win, and I couldn't do anything to save him. I couldn't even tell him or it wouldn't have happened. I think he was the only one we lost. Pepper was there with him at least. Lots of other injuries, but… "

Your tears flowed freely as you thought about Pepper and Morgan. How they were now in the positions you and Vincent had been in before. You hated how part of you was so glad it wasn't you. That you had your husband back, even though it meant you lost a friend, Pepper lost her husband, and Morgan lost her father. You buried your face back into his sweatshirt and let yourself cry for them.

That made you think about Nat, too. She may not have had a husband or biological children, but you considered her family. You knew Clint, Steve, and Bruce did, too. Stephen didn't know she was dead. So many of them, everyone who blipped, must not know yet. Did he even know who she was?

"No, he isn't. Nat is gone, too. She sacrificed herself so Clint could bring back the soul stone from Vormir. So Bruce could get everyone back in the first place. She knew before they even left that she wasn't coming back. She actually wrote a letter, one for me and one for you, explaining it. I don't know what she wrote in yours, but she basically said that she did it so Clint could have his family back, and so Vincent and I could have you back. She said she didn't want us to mourn her. I don't know how not to though. She became my best friend." 

You could hear Stephen sniffling and you knew he was crying too. You knew how overwhelmed he must be to be openly displaying his emotions, even just in front of you. The only other time you had seen him cry was when you were pregnant with Vincent, the night after you had gotten your first ultrasound. You held him tighter in response. Letting him know it was okay.

"Then we honor her by being happy together. By raising him happy, and we make sure he remembers her. That he remembers them both. I'll ask Wong to put together something at Kamar-Taj to honor Tony and something for Natasha. We can make something in the little rooftop garden here too. Although it's probably pretty much all dead weeds right now." 

You hummed in agreement and the two of you snuggled in tighter. Pressing endless kisses to each other wherever you could reach to comfort each other. Slowly lulling both of you into a deep sleep alongside Vincent. For the first time ever, there was a part of your soul that felt full. Even though you had lost so much that day, you had gained even more back, and you never wanted to let go again.

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The day of Tony's funeral came quickly. Wong met the three of you at the Sanctum before opening a portal out to the remote cabin where the private memorial would be held. It was the first time you had seen everyone since the day of the time heist. It was the first time you had seen Pepper and Morgan in probably at least a year. 

Even if Steve and Tony still hadn't been on speaking terms, Pepper and Tony helped you a lot with Vincent early on. Especially after they had Morgan. 

Vincent and Morgan became fast friends as they started to grow. You and Pepper even liked to joke that maybe someday in the future, you might get lucky enough to be in-laws. Watching a childhood puppy love form between your kids. A Stark and a Strange finding love together, you all weren't sure the world would ever be able to handle that.

Once you got involved with Steve, things got a little more complicated. Tony didn't really want anything to do with him. Not after everything that had happened even before the snap. After, he didn't want anything to do with the crime fighting life he had left for the much simpler one he had currently enjoyed. You still spoke often with Pepper on the phone, but play dates became fewer and farther between. You all only got together for birthdays and holidays. That was when you forced the boys to play nicely together. 

After the memorial, Wong had agreed to have Vincent spend the night at Kamar-Taj with him, giving you and Stephen some alone time. The two of you still hadn't managed to get much of it in the few days that he had been back. Vincent clinging to the both of you. You still hadn't gone back to sleeping in the master bedroom. Instead Stephen had been sleeping in the new bedroom you had picked. 

You also still hadn't had sex yet. You had fooled around a bit for sure. There had been plenty of touching and kissing, even  some dry humping but you hadn't managed to get all the way to the main event without getting interrupted. Tonight that was going to be remedied. First, though, you had to get through the day. That included coming face to face with Steve again, and so did Stephen. 

Happy greeted everyone at the door and led you into the house, telling Vincent where he could find Morgan. You made a beeline for Pepper to see if there was anything you could do for her. Stephen and Wong headed out into the large backyard to find the others. 

Stephen, of course, found Steve first. Walking out the back door and nearly bumping right into him standing with Sam, Bucky, and Wanda. The three of them promptly excused themselves as did Wong, heading over to stand in a clump with Bruce right at the edge of hearing distance. No one ever accused the Avengers of not being nosy gossips.

"Oh good, so I guess they all know. About you and my wife… while I was blipped. She told me about it, obviously. I guess I should get your take on it before I tell you that it definitely won't be happening anymore." 

Steve clenched his jaw and rolled his eyes at Stephen, still knowing well enough to hide the eye roll from the sorcerer. He knew that if your husband came back, of course, the two of you were done. It didn't mean that you didn't have feelings and care for each other. He wanted Stephen to know that, that he did care for you. 

Although he didn't know if Stephen needed to know about the night you two discussed what would happen if the time heist didn't work. What you had decided if Stephen didn't come back. That Steve had promised to take care of you and Vincent. To marry you if you wanted. He knew you would still have feelings for Stephen, just as you knew he would never really get over Peggy, but you could be happy together. Happy enough anyway. 

He also didn't want to give Stephen more information than he needed about your sex life together. About how those first few nights you spent together, you had been almost too insatiable even for a super soldier. That until Steve you had kept any semblance of being a sexual being shoved down deep, dormant. How he did things with you he had never done with anyone else. Not that his body count was more than three or four women anyway. How even if he knew he could never have you completely, he would still be happy to be the man who got to pull those beautiful noises from you. 

Steve was honorable enough to play nice though. He would keep all that to himself if it made everything easier for you. He understood Stephen's frustration with him. You were his wife.

"We agreed as much before the time heist. I was only ever a placeholder anyway. I just happened to be there and someone she trusted. You are the one she loved. That she loves. You know she never took off her wedding rings the entire time you were gone? She was always Mrs. Stephen Strange, I just provided comfort sometimes. A shoulder to cry on of sorts."

He could see Stephen flinch from the corner of his eyes at the suggestion that Steve 'comforted' you. Knowing that a hug and a pat on the back weren't what Stephen was imagining.

"As much as I would prefer to pretend that it never happened, I do want to say thank you. For helping take care of Vincent and for keeping her safe. So, thank you for that. I owe you for that."

Steve turned to face the doctor. Seeing just how hard it was for him to admit he was thankful for Steve helping to take care of you and Vincent. Clearly saying thank you was something Strange was unaccustomed to doing. He could definitely see why the sorcerer didn't get along great with Tony. He could also see you approaching with a panicked look at finding your husband and your lover talking. 

Both of them looking as handsome as ever. Steve in a simple classic cut suit. Stephen, in a clearly tailor-fit, more stylish cut. You couldn't have picked two more different, albeit both incredibly sexy, men if you tried. 

"I had plenty of help. Vincent is a great kid, and she is something special. You're very lucky. Speak of the devil…" 

Stephen's brow furrowed in confusion until he felt your hand slip into his and your other hand holding onto his arm. He leaned down to kiss you, to stake his claim in front of the Captain. Even though it had just been established between the two men anyway. 

Steve excused himself after saying hi and how happy he was to see your family back together. Leaving you and Stephen in private until the service was about to begin. Little clumps of heroes stood around the edge of the lake listening as Happy and Rhodey each told a couple stories about Tony. 

When Pepper and Morgan stepped forward, you felt Vincent cling onto his father's leg a little tighter. All of you watched in silence as they released a flower wreath with Tony's arc reactor set in the middle. One by one, each of you then stepped forward to pay your respects for the fallen hero. Wong moving forward with Stephen and your family. He was part of your family, after all.

After a couple more hours of talking and reminiscing, everyone started to disperse. Each of you saying your goodbyes to Happy, Morgan, and Pepper. You made a point of telling Pepper that her and Morgan were welcome at the Sanctum whenever and that you would be happy to watch Morgan whenever she wanted. Vincent gave Morgan a big hug before leaving, telling her it will be okay.

Wong bid them his own goodbye and opened a portal back to the Sanctum. You, Vincent, and Stephen followed him through. Back to your own home. You took Vincent upstairs to get him changed and get his overnight bag for him to spend the night at Kamar-Taj with Wong. 

You could tell Vincent was having second thoughts about the overnight by the time you got back to where Wong and Stephen were waiting. It had been a long, stressful day for all of you. You were nearly ready to say forget the whole thing until you saw the way Stephen was eyeing you, and you realized just how much you really did need your alone time with him. 

"Alright baby, be good for Uncle Wong. You know you can call at any time if you need me. We will see you in the morning after breakfast. Love you, sweetie. Have fun." 

You gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Sending him to go over and get a hug and kiss from Stephen too. Wong took his little hand and seeing the pout on his face whispered loud enough for you and Stephen to hear.

"Trust me, it will be more fun at Kamar-Taj. You don't want to be here when they get all mushy. I've seen it. It's gross. Besides, we've got candy there right now." 

That made Vincent giggle and he happily walked through the portal into the courtyard of Kamar-Taj, the moon already sitting high in the dark night sky dotted with stars. Your little boy not even stopping to wave as he headed off. 

Stephen walked up behind and wrapped his arms around your waist, his suit jacket and tie had been shed while you were getting Vincent ready to go. He ducked down so his face was nuzzling into your neck. Already leaving kisses on your sensitive skin. His fingertips digging into and kneading the flesh of your hips and belly. 

You let your head drop back onto his shoulder and closed your eyes. Focusing on the smell of Stephen's cologne.

"So I'm thinking we share a nice long soak in the tub with a bottle of wine, then we break in those brand new sheets on our bed. We can spend the whole night making that bedroom ours again. If I remember correctly, the couch and the dresser also have some fond memories we can recreate."

A soft sigh falling at the ideas. Honestly, as much as you wanted Stephen, a long hot bath sounded incredible on its own. All it took was a nod and a little moan to communicate how perfect that all sounded. 

When you opened your eyes, you found yourself already standing in the master bathroom. 

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

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[stevetonyisendgame]

It’s the fifth day of work reveals for A Second Chance: A Steve/Tony Endgame Mini-Exchange and we have 12 fics and 1 artwork today!

Thank you to all participants - we’re so excited to share all these beautiful gifts with you! Enjoy and remember to leave kudos/comments for our hardworking creators to show your appreciation!! ❤️

A reminder to our dear creators that you can change the publication date of your works now that they have been revealed, so that they appear on the first page of the tags.

Let’s Stay a While for geekymoviemom | ART - M

Some one had to return the stones just with a little company this time around and hopefully a little less chaos. They’d dealt with a life time supply of crazy already as it was if you asked Steve.

2. Sound the Reveille for AirlocksandAviaries | FIC - 2.1k, T

Steve wasn't in denial about his feelings toward Tony but they weren't something he expected to confront on the battlefield, either. Then Tony put the gauntlet on and snapped his fingers, and Steve thought he wouldn't get another chance.

3. don't fear our futures and dreams for captainstars | FIC - 8.9k, T

“Do you accept this chance, Steve Rogers?” There is no trace of laughter in the Keeper’s voice now, only grave formality. “I do.” For the first time since Tony had looked at him in that long-ago-2012 and asked you trust me? and Steve had replied without hesitation, Steve feels completely sure in the choice he’s making. During his journey to return the Infinity Stones, Steve discovers to his horror that Tony is in fact, not dead, but trapped inside the Soul Stone. The Keeper grants Steve one chance to save Tony. He takes it.

4. ever be afraid to say for captainstars | FIC - 1.4k, T

Steve sees it happening a moment just before it does, Tony snapping on the Gauntlet and facing Thanos head-on, eyes bright and ever-defiant. And Steve—Steve’s heart falls to his feet. No.

5. Once More for the First Time for Neverever | FIC - 4.1k, G

It was like clockwork. Get together, do a mission, part ways. Steve wondered what would happen if he asked Tony to stay.

6. Zero to One for lomku | FIC - 2.8k, T

Steve returns the Stones, comes back to 2023, names Sam the successor to Captain America, and sets off on his bike. Life is transient, and grief is all-encompassing, until Steve starts dreaming of Tony every night.

7. you are all I was hoping for for Areiton | FIC - 4k, T

His life had been so much emptier without Tony in it, and he missed him. He missed him so much that he felt better being in his company for even a little while.

8. way to a father's heart for robertdowneyjjr | FIC - 6.8k, G

Steve loves kids, and kids like him. He’s never met one who hadn’t immediately taken a liking to him. He’s good with kids. At least, he thinks he is. But these are Tony's children, and that fact alone makes all the difference in the world. He needs to make sure that he gets along with them. Otherwise, he can kiss his chance to be with Tony goodbye.

9. Right Where I Belong for This_Is_Captain_Handsome | FIC - 1.8k, G

After Endgame, Steve struggles with Tony's injuries. Will he ever recover?

10. Here To Stay for wingheads | FIC - 5k, M

Steve visits Tony (not unscathed but alive) in his cabin, post-endgame, and stays there longer than intended, because they have so much to do and because Tony never tells him to leave.

11. A New Vision of the Future for Thahire | FIC - 3.8k, G

Natasha watches Steve and figures out he's watching Tony - a lot. She watches it all become a mess and watches as Steve never stops pining.

12. Momentum for Thahire | FIC - 6.9k, M

He had said “resentment is corrosive.” He had shaken Steve’s hand, had nearly said more. He wanted to say more, but what was left to say? “Resentment is corrosive and I hate it, but I still feel it, and also I feel a lot of things about you and I don’t know how to untangle them all?”

13. Darling, let’s run for IronChantress3000 | FIC - 1.7k, G

Now, if I were a supersoldier, where would I go? Tony quickly scanned the doors with his glasses for Steve. He spotted his figure behind the door labeled Margaret Carter, Director. Of course. Where else would he be? Tony thought wryly.

Creator reveals will take place tomorrow on June 21st! Get excited to see who created these awesome works!

[mimisempai]

Take a chance on us

Tony wakes up in a hotel room with a hangover.

First observation: he is not naked.

Second observation: he is not alone.

Third observation: he can't remember anything he did the night before.

But why is he wearing a wedding ring?

Sometimes things are not what they seem...

Notes

This is only my second fanfiction for Loki/Tony, and watching Infinity War and Endgame, I wanted to see them happy, both of them and start a series of one-shots about their relationship.

On AO3

6257 words - Rating G

The first thing Tony noticed when he woke up was that his head felt like it had been pierced by a drill and his stomach was yo-yoing.

Despite his closed eyes, he could feel that it was daylight, but he didn't dare open them right away for fear of aggravating his headache. He tried to collect his thoughts, but had absolutely no recollection of what had happened the night before.

At least he was still dressed.

He tried to recall the events of the previous night and suddenly remembered some parts.

Thor's bachelor party.

He and Jane were supposed to get married on Asgard, but Tony had insisted that he at least experience it the human way.

That's how Thor, Loki, Bruce and Rhodey had ended up in Las Vegas, all paid for by Tony for two days and one night.

So what happened between last night and this morning?

Finally deciding to be brave, Tony slowly opened his eyes, letting them slowly adjust to the light. Recognizing the hotel room, he carefully slid to the top of the bed and just as carefully sat against the headboard.

It was then that he realized he wasn't alone in the bed.

His heartbeat quickened slightly as he turned very slowly to avoid aggravating his headache. At first, all he saw was a figure wrapped in the white sheet. For a moment, he hoped it was Rhodey. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he spent the night with his best friend. But the long locks of black hair peeking out from under the sheet quickly proved him wrong. 

This hair could only belong to one person.

Loki.

What had happened last night?

It was then that his stomach decided to rebel, preventing him from further assessing the situation and forcing him to run to the bathroom.  A few minutes later, as he refreshed his face and his thoughts with large gulps of water, Tony reflected on the situation.

Loki was in his bed.

He had spent the night with Loki.

Him and Loki.

In the same bed.

His forbidden dream.

Quite a twist of fate.

Of course, he'd often thought about it. 

Not at first, of course.

After all, Loki was the god who had thrown him out the window, so you couldn't blame Tony for being a little wary, even if Loki had been a big help against Thanos.

But in an unexpected way, the god of mischief had wormed his way into Tony's heart.

After Thanos, they had all taken new paths, their perspectives had changed.

Against all odds, Tony had survived, though his right arm and the right side of his face bore the marks of using the stones to reverse Thanos' snap. 

His greatest fear finally gone, he had left the Avengers to the younger members under the supervision of Captain Marvel. He occasionally lent a hand as a freelance Iron Man, but he preferred to stay in his workshop in the Tower and devote himself to his inventions. Finally, he could do what he loved without the sword of Damocles hanging over his head. Pepper, who had remained SI's CEO, and he had broken up for good; they were better friends than lovers, and she had realized she couldn't change him. 

Thor, for his part, had matured and taken responsibility for Asgard, preparing to take his place on the throne vacated by Odin, aided by Frigga's wise counsel, and to marry Jane. 

He had actively campaigned for Loki's forgiveness on both Asgard and Earth. This, Tony's testimony, and Loki's actions during the final battle had convinced people of the god of mischief's sincerity, and Loki now acted as an intermediary between Earth and Asgard to coordinate a space defense in case of future attack.

When he came to Earth as part of his new role, Loki lived in Stark Tower, and so he and Tony became so close that Loki would come even when he had no diplomatic reason to do so. 

"Boss, Loki just entered the tower."

"I don't remember him having a meeting today."

"He doesn't."

Tony put down his tools, wiped his hands on his jeans, and mostly ignored the feeling of eagerness he felt.

"Loki asked if he could join you here."

Tony looked at his current project and sighed at the thought of having to stop.

"Tell him he can come."

Moments later, Loki walked through the workshop door. 

Okay, Tony had to admit it, Loki in Midgardian garb was a sight for sore eyes. 

Of course, Tony was only thinking that because he appreciated beautiful things.

There was absolutely no other reason behind these incongruous thoughts.

"Hey Lokes, what brings you here?"

"I just felt like visiting a friend."

"A friend? Oh, you mean me?"

Loki laughed softly.

"Who else, Stark?"

Tony put his hands on his hips and countered, "If we're friends, why don't you start calling me by my first name?"

"Anthony?"

Tony wanted to refuse; only his mother had ever called him that, and the memory it brought back was sometimes painful. But... there was something heartwarming about hearing it in Loki's deep, warm voice.

He nodded, "If that's what you want. Or Tony. The choice is yours."

Loki sat down on the workshop couch and asked, "So, Anthony, what are you working on?"

That was all Tony needed, and he launched into a detailed explanation of what he was creating. He stopped after a few minutes when he saw Loki's amused expression and asked, "Am I boring you? I'm sorry, I've said too much again."

He turned to his workbench and looked a little dejected. He was used to it. There were few people who could stand to listen to him talk about what he was passionate about, and even fewer who understood him. It had been a long time since he had accepted that, but coming from Loki, he didn't know why, it stung a little.

He heard Loki stand up and felt a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, you're not boring me. I was just amused by your excitement. So go on, show me."

Tony asked, "Are you sure? Don't force yourself just because you feel sorry for me."

Loki came to stand in front of him and replied with a raised eyebrow, "Since when do I do things I don't want to?"

It had only been the first of many times since. Sometimes Loki would join in, sometimes he would watch, sometimes he would read when he saw Tony needed quiet. 

It was only natural for Tony to develop deeper feelings for Loki, but he had always refused to give in to them. 

Tony had no family left and counted his friends on the fingers of one hand. The idea of risking his precious friendship with Loki for something that probably wouldn't last had kept him from crossing the line. He was too used to relationships being cut short because people inevitably left him. So he wasn't going to risk losing Loki that way, and he'd locked his feelings deep inside his heart, never to think about them again.

Until now.

Closing his eyes, he tried to remember what had happened the day before, and most importantly, why Loki was in his bed. A few fragments came back to him, like flashes, but nothing that would allow him to reconstruct the end of the evening. 

Staggering a little, he emerged from the bathroom to find that Loki had not changed position and seemed to be sleeping as soundly as before.

Feeling his heart racing, Tony thought he'd better find something to ease his headache first so he could think with a clear head. He looked around the hotel room and found his bag, thinking that with any luck he'd have something to ease his pain. He rummaged through every pocket, and sure enough, in the last one he found a half-full blister of Advil.

He took a tablet and returned to the bathroom to swallow it with a sip of water. On his way back to the bedroom, he heard his cell phone vibrate. He quickly grabbed it, glanced at the bed to make sure the noise hadn't woken Loki, and then turned on the screen to see that he had several notifications.

Rhodey

Tony, buddy, are you all right?

Received 11:00 p.m.

Rhodey

No answer? 

How much have you had to drink? 

Received 11:15 p.m.

They'd spent the evening together so why was Rhodey asking him that?

Rhodey

I'm starting to get worried. 

Call me as soon as you get this message!

Received at 11:30 p.m.

Bruce

So boys, are you enjoying yourselves? 

How's the wedding night going? 😏

Received 01:30 am

Bruce

Rhodey doesn't believe me, 

you better come to breakfast 

before he comes kicking down 

your bedroom door!

Received at 9:30 a.m.

Rhodey

Tell me Bruce is kidding!

Received at 9:35 a.m.

Tony read each of the messages with growing confusion, and only understood their meaning when he opened Bruce's last message, which contained a single picture that made him gasp in shock.

He and Loki were holding hands and smiling broadly in front of what appeared to be the altar of some kind of chapel. The banner above their heads left no doubt as to what had just happened.

Congratulations on your wedding!

Without thinking, Tony stood up, grabbed his jacket and bag, and left the room without looking back. He wasn't one to run from problems and had always faced them head on. But to discover that he'd married one of his best friends, the object of his fantasies, and not remember it at all, was too much to face, with a hangover to boot.

In the hallway, he leaned against the wall and breathlessly dialed the number of the only person who could help him.

" Rhodey?"

"Tony, for God's sake! Where are you?"

Tony breathed a sigh of relief as his friend's voice continued: "What happened?"

If only he knew.  But sensing the concern in his friend's voice, Tony simply replied, "It would take too long to tell you over the phone. Where are you?"

"We're at the breakfast table in the downstairs dining room."

"We?"

"Me and Bruce."

"And Thor?"

"Looking for his brother."

Not having the strength to take on several people, he asked Rhodey, "Can I see you alone?"

Rhodey must have said something to Bruce because Tony could hear whispers but couldn't make out the words. Rhodey spoke again, "Meet me at my bedroom door on the sixth floor."

"Yeah, I remember that," Tony muttered.

"All right then. See you then."

Tony slipped the phone into his pocket and headed for the elevator. When he reached the hallway where his friend's room was, he saw Rhodey waiting for him at the door. He quickened his pace to join him and when he was in front of him, he said, "Rhodey, I think I've screwed up." 

Rhodey just looked at him and nodded, then replied enigmatically: "Only time will tell."

The two friends entered Rhodey's room in silence, and once inside, still in silence, they sat for a few moments without saying a word. Then Tony, now that he had calmed down, realized his state. He was wearing his clothes from the night before and probably smelled of alcohol, if not something worse. 

A little embarrassed, he says weakly, "Before we start, can I... can I take a shower? I feel awful."

Rhodey nodded gently and said, "Go ahead. And if, as I think, you haven't swallowed anything yet, I'll have some coffee brought in for you."

On his way to the bathroom, Tony exclaimed, "You're the best!" 

With a look of disgust, he tossed his clothes into a corner and, after adjusting the water temperature, gleefully slipped under the steaming stream. The hot water seemed to wash away not only the dirt of the previous night, but also the remnants of his hangover.

He heard the bathroom door open and Rhodey said quietly, "I'll put some clean clothes on you at the sink."

Tony thanked him and finished his shower.

Once dry, as he put on the jeans and clean t-shirt Rhodey had brought him, he tried again to remember the night before. 

But everything was still such a blur.

Tony remembered in detail what they had done, their time at the slot machines, his talk with the manager because Thor had been hitting the buttons with the same force as his hammer, the fact that Loki had had to be moved away from the roulette wheel because he had used magic to make it stop on the right number.

Then Tony remembered the restaurant and finally the nightclub where he and Loki had laughed at Rhodey as he tried to give Bruce and Thor a sense of rhythm on the dance floor.

He also remembered that they had shared several drinks.

Now he remembered Loki's gentle smile and the gleam of mischief in his eyes as he tried to use magic to upset his brother's balance.

He remembered the heat in the club that had driven him to consume gin and tonic after gin and tonic, unaware of the devastating effects of that alcoholic beverage. After the third, everything in his head became very hazy. 

He had another flash of Loki's hand on his and reflexively lifted it to look at it. 

He gasped as he realized it was wearing a ring.

A wedding ring.

He had never worn a wedding ring before.

He had to make sure.

After hastily dressing, he left the bathroom and, ignoring Rhodey, went to his phone. He reopened Bruce's latest message and pressed on the photo, zooming in on his and Loki's entwined hands.

There was no doubt about it.

Loki was wearing a ring as well.

He murmured, "So it really happened..." 

Rhodey asked worriedly, holding out a cup of coffee: "Are you all right, Tony?" 

Tony took the cup, sat down on the sofa and replied, running his hand over his face, "Honestly, I don't know... do you... do you know anything?"

Rhodey shook his head, "I know what Bruce and Thor told me, and the... picture."

Tony took a sip of coffee and sighed, "Damn! I was really hoping this was a joke, but this..." he pointed to the ring on his left hand before continuing, "and what you're telling me confirms that it really happened.

"You really did marry Loki," Rhodey declared bluntly.

Tony took another sip of his coffee.

"I don't know what to do, Rhodey... This is so messed up."

Rhodey replied barely audibly, "...is it that bad?"

Tony, not sure if he had heard what his friend had just said, asked, "What?"

Rhodey shook his head, "Nothing...were you able to talk to Loki?"

Tony bit his lip and replied, "No, I ran away. I'm such a loser." 

He let his head fall into his hands as Rhodey put a hand on his shoulders and said quietly, "I don't know what to tell you.... I'm not in your situation. But running away, Tony... can you imagine him waking up in your room? And besides, he might not remember anything."

Lifting his head, Tony sighed again, "Yeah, I know. Besides, we're all going home in the same car later. I know I'll have to face him sometime. I just wish I could remember how we got there."

Rhodey insisted, "That's why you need to go back and talk to Loki."

Tony nodded and stood up, "You're right, it's not like me to run away like this."

"And yet..." Rhodey replied in one breath.

"What?" asked Tony confused.

"Forget it. Go now."

"Yeah, I'll go right now, maybe I can soften the blow."

Just as he was about to step through the elevator door, he heard Rhodey's voice calling out to him, "Tony, wait! I just got a message from Bruce, Loki is with him and Thor in the dining room downstairs.

As he spoke, his friend joined him and they entered the elevator together. A little later, they sat at the table in a somewhat awkward silence until Rhodey scolded Bruce, "I don't understand why you didn't stop them!"

Bruce smiled and sarcastically replied, "First of all, they're adults, and secondly, I thought they were so cute, and thirdly, by the time I saw them, it was already too late."

"But Bruce! They were drunk!" 

They all gasped as Thor slammed his fist down on the table.

Loki and Tony exchanged glances, a little annoyed that they were talking about them when they were right there.

Apparently Tony had had enough, because he intervened: "We're here, so stop arguing about nothing. Now that it's done, let's deal with it like adults. I'm sure this isn't the first time something like this has happened here, so we'll work it out."

Tony caught Rhodey's eyes on the two of them and saw that he had the same expression on his face that he had every time there was talk of ending the marriage. 

As if he disapproved.

Bruce spoke up: "As far as the law is concerned, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting this marriage annulled. You were drunk, so you were technically incapable of giving valid consent in the eyes of the law. "

He turned to Thor: "See, it's not that dramatic after all."

Thor growled, shook his head, then Rhodey replied, still with the same strange look, "Okay, so we just need to get the papers, and when we get home, you can get the marriage annulled."

Hearing Rhodey say those words made things more real and Tony tried to ignore the pang of regret he felt in his heart.

But he had no reason to. Even if there had been something between him and Loki, Tony was far from ready for such a commitment. But the question didn't even arise.

There was nothing and there never would be.

He glanced at Loki and was surprised to see his friend look at him strangely before quickly looking away.

Rhodey stood up and said, "Right, I'll go get the papers, you get your things ready and we'll meet at the car in two hours as planned."

Tony couldn't help but find Rhodey's tone particularly cold, but he figured he was probably imagining things. Besides, he still wasn't thinking clearly enough to analyze the whole thing. Bruce stood up: "I'll go with him. Since I was a witness, maybe I can help. Come on, Thor, it's your brother's business."

Tony and Loki looked at each other and laughed slightly at Bruce's lack of subtlety in leaving them alone.

When it was just the two of them, Tony reached for his cup to calm himself down and asked Loki softly, "Are you okay?"

Loki shook his head, "I feel like Mjolnir is constantly hitting my brain, but otherwise I'm fine."

Tony reached into his pocket and handed Loki an Advil tablet, but Loki shook his head and replied, "Nothing I can't cure myself."

Tony sheepishly replied, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left like that this morning.

Loki shook his head again: "Honestly, I don't think I would have reacted any differently if I had woken up first. You know what really happened yesterday?"

Tony replied even more embarrassed: "I don't remember anything after my third gin and tonic."

Loki replied, "Me neither. When I try to remember, it's a black hole. I guess we'll never really know the end of that story."

Tony sighed, "I suppose."

A silence fell between them, neither of them able to fill it. Tony's throat tightened as he felt he'd lost the connection he had with Loki. Unable to bear the tense silence between them, he drained his cup of coffee in one gulp and stood up.

"Well, I'm going to my room to rest and pack. See you later."

He didn't wait for Loki's answer and was getting ready to leave when he heard his friend calling softly, "Hey, Tony..."

Tony turned immediately, unable to stop himself from feeling a little bit of hope rising in his heart.

"Yeah?" 

"Is that..." Loki paused, then shook his head before continuing, "No, forget it, it's not worth it."

Tony asked, confused, "Are you sure?"

Loki nodded, "Yes, yes, don't worry."

Disappointed, Tony turned on his heel and left the dining room for good. 

Everything went as Rhodey had planned.

Thor and Loki returned to Asgard together, and Loki returned some time later to finalize the annulment at a notary's office.

The process didn't take long.

Two signatures and that was it.

No more marriage.

As if nothing had ever happened.

Loki and Tony exchanged a few words on the steps of the notary's office. But the complicity they had before all this was gone. They greeted each other awkwardly, promising to see each other again soon, but both knowing full well that this would not be the case.

Everything had changed.

Tony watched Loki walk away for a long time, hoping he would turn around. But the god never did. He couldn't stop his throat from tightening at the thought of what might have been, while the envelope of annulment papers in his hand was a stark reminder that it was too late.

So he turned around and went home.

Alone.

**********

Time had passed since the annulment.

Weeks turned into days, then months.

Loki no longer came unannounced.

He only stayed when he had official meetings, and then only as long as was absolutely necessary.

Most of the time, Tony shut himself away in his workshop, because the sight of Loki and what he had lost was one loss too many that he didn't want to face.                               

So life went on, because that was who Tony was, moving on no matter what. 

His circle of friends hadn't grown, and he could always count on his pillars, Rhodey, Bruce and Pepper.

The only ones who knew everything about him, even his regrets.

The only ones who supported him in everything he did and never judged him.

Just like today.

They were both there with him.

It was their eyes he first met when he heard the first note of the wedding march echo through the church. Bruce winked in encouragement and Rhodey gave him a thumbs up. Tony took a deep breath, tightened his bow tie, smoothed his jacket, and looked from his friends to the crowd.

He couldn't help but smile inwardly at the strange distribution of people in the church. On his side, with no family left and very few friends, there was no one but his two best friends and a few colleagues. On the other side was a crowd of people he didn't know. 

His eyes continued to wander and fell on the woman who had just come through the door on her father's arm.

Pepper. Beautiful in her white dress, she smiled softly and looked happy.

He watched her walk down the center aisle until she stopped in front of him. She kissed her father before he symbolically gave Tony his daughter's hand with a friendly nod.

Tony and Pepper then stood facing the priest, who addressed the crowd: "My friends, we are all gathered here today to celebrate the union of Pepper and Tony."

As the priest seated them for his sermon, Tony's mind was filled with memories he thought he'd never find again.

Loki stumbled as he rose from the booth and Tony, also staggering, got up to help him walk, "Come on, I'll walk you back to your room."

Arm in arm as best they could, they exited the hotel nightclub and headed for the elevator when Tony suddenly exclaimed, "Oh look, a chapel, it says they get married at all hours of the day and night!"

Loki laughed, "You want to get married?"

Tony, staggering, replied, "Don't laugh at me. I've been dreaming of becoming Anthony Stark Laufeyson ever since I met you."

Loki chuckled again, "Me, I want to be Loki Stark. It's much classier."

This time it was Tony who laughed, "Pfff, let's be Loki and Anthony Stark Laufeyson of Midgard."

They both burst out laughing, then Loki said in a challenging tone, "I dare you to marry me, Anthony Stark." 

Tony held his gaze, took his hand and led him into the chapel, then stopped because Loki tugged at his hand and, looking surprisingly sober, said, "Tony, promise me that tomorrow you won't have forgotten anything. 

Tony stepped forward, took Loki's face in his hands, planted a soft kiss on his lips, and said in a loud voice, "I promise you won't forget anything either."

But in the end, they had both forgotten.

And now it was much too late.

"Stand up, please."

Tony was jolted from his thoughts by the priest's voice and stood with everyone else.

"We will now proceed with the exchange of consents. Pepper, Tony, please hold hands."

Pepper's warm hand grasped his and the priest turned to her, "Pepper, do you take this man, Tony, to be your husband, to live together in marriage, will you love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, as long as you both shall live?"

Pepper took a small breath and answered in a clear, strong voice, "No."

Tony heard the crowd gasp, echoing his own gasp.

"Pepper...?" 

She looked at him, still smiling, "Tony... look around..."

"But... what... what are you..."

Pepper, whose smile never left her lips, repeated insistently, "Look around, please.

Tony could only obey and turned around. He couldn't hold in another gasp.

The church was empty.

No one was there. 

Even Rhodey and Bruce were gone.

When he turned back to Pepper and the priest, they were gone too. Only he and she remained.

Shocked, he asked Pepper: "But why? I don't understand. What's going on?"

Pepper raised her white-gloved hand and gently touched Tony's cheek, saying softly, "Tony, you don't belong here. This isn't your place. We've had our time, we've loved each other, we've been happy, but it's time for you to take your chance.  Your happiness lies elsewhere, and deep in your heart you'll remember that."

Stunned, Tony tried to intervene: "But, Pepper... I..."

Pepper shook her head and added, "You'll remember... Go away, Tony, and be happy without regret. Don't be afraid... it's all right, I'm happy and now it's your turn."

She leaned forward and said softly, "Close your eyes now."  Throat tight, he obeyed and Pepper whispered in his ear, "Go to him," then he felt a brush against his cheek and a final whisper, "Open your eyes now."

He heard Bruce's and Rhodey's voices echo, telling him the same words in turn.

"Open your eyes now."

Suddenly, Tony opened his eyes and he was no longer in the church.

It was night and he was in bed. 

He looked around and reality began to unfold before him.

He murmured, stunned, "Was it... was it a dream?"

The hotel, the wedding, Loki, Rhodey, Bruce and even Pepper.

All of it! A dream?

Tony sat on the edge of the bed and thought, remembering his dream. 

So he realized the biggest inconsistency.

The fact that he had been drunk.

He'd been sober for several years.

Everything became clear.

He muttered to himself, "No wedding, no annulment, Loki and I are still friends. "

Even though it was only a dream, the feeling of loneliness he'd experienced when he didn't see Loki anymore was still alive in him. But luckily, it had only been a dream.

He muttered again, "But why did I have this dream?"

As soon as he asked himself that question, he knew exactly why. 

The dinner with Loki the night before.

**********

Tony left his workshop and took the elevator straight to his suite. 

Loki was staying at the Tower tonight and they had planned to spend the evening together. 

Tony wanted to look presentable for dinner with his friend, with no ulterior motives of course.

He took a quick shower, changed into something casual but still stylish, and then headed downstairs to the living-dining room.

Once there, he couldn't stop himself from gasping.

The table was set for two, there were candles, the air was filled with a delicious scent, and the room was enveloped in soft music.

Seeing Loki leaning against the kitchen counter, Tony walked over to him and said, "Loki? What is it, why..."

Loki handed him a glass and took one for himself and said, "It's non-alcoholic. And to answer your question, I'm in the mood for a change."

"Change?"

Loki winked at him and replied, "Change is good sometimes, isn't it?"

He raised his glass and, approaching Tony's, said enigmatically, "To change."

Tony, a little confused, clinked his glass against Loki's anyway and repeated, "To change."

The evening passed pleasantly, with them chatting, debating and having fun as usual. The only change was that Loki touched him more often.

He grazed his hand when he served him, or his shoulder, or the small of his back when they finished the evening on the sofa, or when he walked toward him to the elevator. He also stood closer to Tony when they went upstairs to their bedrooms.

Again, when the elevator doors opened, Loki put his hand on Tony's lower back and walked him to his bedroom door.

Tony, a little unsettled, said in an amused tone, "Are you walking me home?"

Loki stood in front of him and said gently, "That's what people do, isn't it? After a date."

Tony swallowed before asking almost in a whisper, "A date? Was it a date?"

Loki leaned over and, resting his hand on Tony's cheek, said softly, "It is if you want it to be."

He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Tony's in a soft kiss.

Tony didn't really have time to react because Loki had already stepped back. He still had his hand on Tony's cheek, and caressing his cheek with his thumb, he said softly, "The change I was talking about is moving our relationship towards something more intimate. I know what I want, but I want you to take some time to think about it. I'll be waiting for your answer when you're ready." 

He ran his hand down Tony's cheek before saying in a low voice, "Good night, Anthony."

**********

Tony had stood on his doorstep for a long time, watching Loki walk away until he entered his room. Instinctively, he touched his lips before entering his suite. 

You didn't have to be Freud to know that his dream had been provoked by Loki's words and Tony's agitated brain. Before falling asleep, Tony had done nothing but think about Loki's words. He'd turned them over and over, thinking about the consequences, good and bad. Especially the bad ones.

As a result, his subconscious had produced this incredible dream. 

Fueled by his fear of committing again. 

Fueled by his fear of losing someone he loved.

Fueled by every flaw he knew he had.

Because he knew that this time, at least he felt it, he'd have a lot more to lose.

But wasn't it worth it?

Did he want to avoid, as in his dream, becoming permanently attached to Loki for fear of losing him?

Although he hadn't heard it that way in the dream, Tony imagined the exchange of consent if the marriage with Loki had taken place.

"Tony, do you take this man, Loki, to be your husband, to live together in marriage, will you love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, as long as you both shall live?"

Tony had his answer.

Of course he wanted it all. 

With Loki.

What he had to lose if he didn't want to commit to Loki was greater than what he could lose if it didn't work out. After all they'd been through, separately and together. After all the tragedies they'd both been through.

After all the risks he knew.

It was like flying for the first time.

He'd already done it.

He'd already fallen.

He'd gotten up again.

"Yes, I want it all. I don't want to wait."

He got up, put on only his sweatpants, stormed out of his room and rushed to Loki's room.

He banged on the door.

"Loki, Loki, open up!"

He heard a rustling behind the door, which quickly opened to reveal a Loki who was obviously getting out of the shower.

"Anthony?"

The god then asked in a worried tone, "Are you all right?"

Tony swallowed, moved closer to him and grabbed his hands, words rushing to his lips: "I need to say something, but I might stutter, I might not make myself clear, and I..."

Loki interrupted, saying in a soothing voice, "Anthony... hey, easy... calm down. Breathe."

"Yeah, I'm breathing. Okay, I can do that."

Tony took a long breath and said, his voice thick with emotion, "I want you to be the most important person to me. I want to be the most important person to you. I want to be able to call you without pretext, without reason. I want to work hours in my workshop and have you looking at me or working with me or gently scolding me because I'm working too much. I want to do all the things I don't know yet that people do when they're together because I never took time to do it and I want it with you. I... I..." 

His throat tight with emotion, Tony had to stop. 

Suddenly, he found himself pressed against Loki's chest and the God of Mischief whispered into his hair, "I get it, Anthony. I get it."

Tony had his hands up and whispered against Loki's chest, "I want..."

"Yes?"

"I want to hold you back, can I?"

Loki murmured, "Go ahead. "

Tony put his hands on Loki's back and squeezed and squeezed and squeezed. Loki in turn squeezed him and whispered, "Yes, elskan min... yes..... "

Tony squeezed harder.

Loki whispered into his hair, "It's endless, isn't it? "

Tony nodded against Loki's chest. 

The god whispered into his hair, "Does that mean you're ready?" 

Tony, unable to speak, nodded again, and they remained entwined outside Loki's bedroom door for long minutes.

Then Loki gently pushed Tony aside and raised his hands to cradle his face before leaning in to press his lips to his. This time, the kiss lingered. The God of Mischief's fingers slid through Tony's hair, pulling him against him as he kissed him hungrily. They parted several times, only to reunite their mouths again and again, as if they hadn't had enough.

Which was probably the case.

When they finally parted long enough to catch their breath, forehead to forehead, panting, Loki murmured, his voice tight with emotion, "I know that you, like me, have weighed the pros and cons, and I also know that, like me, you have probably seen the cons first, because you and I are both gifted at considering the worst. But..."

"But the now is worth more than a future that isn't here yet."

Loki nodded, and now that he'd opened his heart, Tony was no longer afraid, so he eagerly wrapped his arms around Loki's waist, pulling him in turn to meet their lips again in another heated kiss that made the God of Mischief moan into his mouth.

They didn't even know how long it had been since they started kissing. Only when they felt they couldn't breathe did Loki slowly pull away, just enough for them to catch their breath once more.

They were panting, mouth to mouth, their breath warm and their hearts pounding, not just from the kiss they'd just shared, but from all the emotions that were running through them.

Then, as he dragged Tony into his room, Loki captured Tony's lips again, but this time the kiss, though filled with the same passion, was soft and slow, with none of the frenzy of the previous one. It was a kiss that celebrated the new nature of their relationship, rooted in their budding feelings for each other.

When they broke apart, Loki sat on the bed and pulled Tony between his legs. He wrapped his arms around his lover's waist and pressed his face against his belly as Tony leaned down to kiss his hair and locked his arms behind Loki's back.

Tony asked innocently, "Tell me, you had nothing to do with what I may have dreamed last night?"

Loki looked up, a look of genuine confusion on his face before he replied, "No, not at all. I don't even know what you were dreaming about. Why?"

Tony shook his head, "Nothing..."

Then, becoming serious again, he asked, "Loki, what do we do now?"

Loki let go of him and lay down on the bed, holding out his hands to Tony, who immediately came and snuggled into his embrace.

The god tightened his arms around Tony and murmured into his hair, "We live, Anthony. We live. We'll figure out the rest as we go."

Tony hummed against Loki's chest.

It suited him.

Who knew, maybe a part of his dream would come true and one day a ring would adorn both their fingers.

But the important thing was the now.

He and Loki.

The fragile beginning of something beautiful.

Because they had taken a chance on themselves. 

Because they had taken a chance on each other.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝