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lovelyjj · 2 months

Note

Hii okay wait hear me out you know Rachel and Ross when he finds out she likes him then he goes to the coffee house at end with the rain kiss reader and jj fic like that

The One with a Happy Ending

jj maybank x reader

wc: 2,078

a/n: thank you for requesting! hope this is alright

JJ was happy. He was carefree and content. He had a wonderful girlfriend, Jessica, who he loved. His relationship was thriving. Everything seemed to be going his way.

You on the other hand were miserable. Watching JJ with another girl was painful. You wanted to be with him more than anything. It was tearing you apart.

So, here you were on a date trying to get over JJ. You thought the date was a good idea but now that you were here it wasn’t going so good. All you could think about is how happy JJ was with his girlfriend.

“What does she have that I don’t?” You wondered out loud.

“I beg your pardon,” your date Nathan replied.

“I mean like I’m pretty right? I’m smart and have a good sense of humor.”

“I mean sure,” Nathan was confused.

“So, what’s wrong with me?” You asked.

“I don’t think anything is wrong with you,” Nathan was being nice.

“Well something must be wrong with me,” you sighed, “Never mind.”

“I’m sorry let’s talk about you,” you redirected the conversation.

“Ok well I just had a nasty breakup so sorry if i’m nervous I haven’t been on a date in a while,” he nervously chatted.

“Oh i’m sorry to hear that,” you replied.

“It’s fine.”

The waiter came with a glass of wine and you took it right away and started chugging it.

“Um cheers,” Nathan put forth.

“Right, clink.” You held your glass out towards his a little bit not close enough to actually clink the glasses.

Majority of the night you talked about JJ and his girlfriend. You didn’t even notice your date was annoyed. You also were drinking a lot of wine. You finished a whole bottle by yourself and you were getting drunker by the second.

“She does not deserve him,” you slurred.

“Any dessert for you two?” The waiter asked.

“No! No dessert, just the check… please,” Nathan loudly replied.

“Oh no. You’re not having fun are you?” You asked.

“No I am. Only because I’ve been playing last nights hockey game in my head over and over.”

“Oh, look at me. Look at me. Oh, I’m on a date with a really great guy and all I can think about is JJ and his Jessica,” you stated bitterly.

“I just want to get over him.”

“God, I just wanna, why can’t I do that?” you questioned.

“Look, I’ve been through a breakup. Trust me. You’re gonna be fine,” Nathan encouraged.

“You just can’t see it now because you haven’t had any closure,” Nathan continued.

“Oh. Closure. That’s what it is. That’s what I need. God you’re brilliant.”

“Why didn’t I think of that. How do I get that?”

“Well, there’s no, you know, one way, really. It’s just, you know whatever it takes so that you can finally say to him ”I’m over you.” Nathan explained.

“Over you,” you repeated.

“That’s what it is. Closure.”

“Can I borrow your cellphone?”

“Sure,” Nathan handed you his phone.

You dialed JJ’s number and got his answering machine. So you left a message.

“JJ, hi. It’s Y/N. I’m just calling to say that… um everything’s fine. And i’m really happy for you and Jessica. And I want you to know I am over you. I… am over… you. And that my friend is what they call “Closure.”

Then you hung up.

That’s the last thing you remember of your date. You don’t even know how you got home. It was safe to say you were wasted. You don’t think there is gonna be a second date.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

With a hangover you made your way to the château the next morning. You and the pogues had plans but JJ was the only one not going. He had a date with his girlfriend. You were in the kitchen taking some ibuprofen.

JJ saunters in, “Hey Y/N/N, how was the date?”

“Um it was good,” you lied.

“Well Jessica is picking me up for our date, I just came by to change,” JJ told you.

“Ok.”

“Wait did I talk to you last night?” you asked.

“Um no,” JJ responded.

“Why do I feel like I had a dream about you last night?”

“Oh I don’t know did you?”

“I don’t remember. Did you call me?”

“No I stayed at Jessica’s last night.”

“Actually I haven’t checked my messages lemme do that real quick.”

You got up to go to the living room when you herd JJ call out to you. “Hey Y/N, I got a message from you.”

You turned back around and entered the kitchen. “Oh my god.”

“Oh my god. No JJ. Hand up the phone. Gimme the phone gimme the phone.” You said as you rushed towards him.

“Gimme the phone gimme the phone,” you got on JJ’s back and threw his phone in the sink but it was too late.

“You’re over me?”

“Oh, God!” You got off JJ’s back and started walking towards the couch.

“You’re you’re over me?”

“Oh my god!”

“When… when were you… under me?”

“Y/N? Y/N, do you… I mean, were you, uh…”

“Uhh.”

“What?” JJ asked.

“Okay, Okay.”

“Well… basically, lately I’ve, uh… I’ve, uh, sort of had feelings for you.”

JJ felt his heart drop. He couldn’t believe his ears. He has liked you for so long but he was convinced you didn’t feel the same way so he moved on. And now he’s dating a really great girl and this couldn’t have been at a worse time.

“You’ve had feelings for me.” JJ repeated.

“Yeah? What? So? You had feelings for me first.”

“Whoa! Huh! You know about my.. I mean, you know I had.. you-you know?” JJ stuttered.

“John B told me.”

“John B. When did he, when did he, when did he?”

“When you first went out with Jessica.”

“Jessica, Jessica!” JJ remembered she was in the car waiting for him.

“That’s… oh, God.”

“Jessica Jessica. Right. Okay, I need to lie down.” JJ breathed.

“No, you know, I’m going to stand.”

“I’m going to stand and I’m going to walk.”

“Now you’re over me?” JJ asked.

“Are you over me?” you responded.

JJ’s phone started ringing. It was Jessica.

“Hi,” JJ answered.

“Hi honey i’m here.” You could hear her through the phone.

“I’ll be right there.” JJ replied.

“Wait So you’re going?”

“Well I have to.”

“Okay. Okay.”

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The coffee shop you worked at was fairly small. It was a cute little place and you liked working there. It was raining and you were closing up shop. What you didn’t expect when you were closing was JJ to come in.

“What are you doing here?” you asked.

“I wanted to see you,” JJ responded.

“And you had no right to tell me you ever had feelings for me.” JJ angrily spat.

“What?”

“I was doing great with Jessica before I found out about you.”

“Hey, I was doing great before I found out about you. You think it’s easy for me to see you with Jessica?”

“Well, then, you should have said something before I met her!” JJ yelled.

“I didn’t know then. And how come you never said anything to me?”

“There was never a good time.”

“Right, because you only had a year and we only hung out every night.”

“I tried but there were always something in the way. The point is I don’t need this right now. Okay? It’s too late. I’m with somebody else. I’m happy. This ship has sailed.”

“Okay, so what you’re-you’re going to just put away feelings or whatever the hell it was that you felt?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay well you go ahead and you do that JJ.”

“Fine.” JJ walked out the door. You got up and you locked it. Then you sat down and started crying. When you were done crying you wiped your tears and stood up and saw JJ was at the window of the door.

You slowly unlocked and opened the door. You looked into JJ’s eyes and he looked at you with so much adoration it made you dizzy. Then JJ surged forward and his hands were on your waist in an instant.

JJ’s mouth landed on yours in a heated kiss. Your lips were devouring each other. The kiss was hungry yet tender. You were excited that JJ was kissing you. JJ was confident and eager. JJ nibbled down on your lower lip and then swiped his tongue over it to sooth it. Then your tongues danced together in a messy make out. His hands went from your waist to cradling your face. The rain in the background added to the ambience and you felt like you were floating.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“JJ kissed me.” You excitedly shared.

“No!” Kiara put her hands over her mouth.

“Oh my god! oh my god! oh my god!” Sarah babbled.

“It was unbelievable,” you expressed.

“Oh my god! oh my god! oh my god!” Sarah exclaimed.

“Ok alright we wanna hear everything!” Kiara requested.

“Y/N, does this end well or do we need to get tissues?” Sarah asked.

“Oh, it ended very well.”

“Okay, alright. Let’s hear about the kiss. Was it like, was it like a soft brush against your lips or was it like a. you know “I got to have you now” kinda thing? Kiara spoke.

“Well first it was really intense and then we sorta just got lost in each other.”

“Oh.” Sarah and Kiara both sighed.

“Oh, so okay was he holding you or-or was his hands, like on your back, you know?” Kiara asked.

“No, actually, first they-they they started out on my waist and then, they slid up and then they were holding my face.”

“Oh.” Kiara and Sarah both responded.

When JJ was telling John B and Pope about the kiss he wasn’t that detailed.

“And then I kissed her.” JJ nodded.

“Tongue?” John B questioned.

“Yeah.”

“Cool.”

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

You were over the moon that JJ kissed you. You thought everything was fine and dandy until you saw him the next day. The six of you were at the château hanging out.

When JJ walked in Sarah said, “So how’d you make out last night?”

“That’s painfully funny. No that’s just painful.” JJ replied.

“Wait a minute. I thought last night was-was great.” Kiara pondered.

“Yeah, it was, but… I get home, okay? and I’m thinking to myself, “Oh, my God what the hell am I doing?” I mean, here I am, I’m with Jessica this incredible, great woman who I care about and-and who cares about me and I’m, like, “What, am I just gonna throw all that away?”

“Wait a minute this is Y/N we’re talking about here. You and Y/N.” Kiara countered.

“Trust me I’ve been dreaming about me and Y/N for a long time but I’m with Jessica now.”

You walked up the porch and opened the door and walked into the group of your friends in the living room.

“Y/N, Y/N.” JJ called.

“Hey, you.”

“How are you?” JJ asked.

“Good. How are you?”

“Good.”

“Hi honey,” Jessica says as she enters the room.

“Hi Jessica, Hi… Jessica. Um how are you?”

“Good.”

“Good. So everyone is here, everyone is good.” JJ confirmed.

To say it was awkward was an understatement. JJ was feeling very nervous and conflicted. He knew he had to choose and he knew that Jessica being here made you feel bad and he hated that. He knew he needed to make a decision soon.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

JJ decided to break up with Jessica. It was horrible she cried even. But she wasn’t you so JJ knew it was a no brainer. He chose you.

JJ was with the guys on the beach. Then you and Sarah and Kiara walked up to them.

“Oh hi,” you said to JJ.

“I just got back from Jessica’s.”

“Oh,” you frowned.

“No It’s not like that, I broke up with her.”

“Wait really?”

“Really.”

“It’s always been you Y/N/N,” JJ explained.

“That’s good that’s so good.” You embraced JJ in a hug and then you kissed him out of pure happiness.

“You want to take a walk in the beach just us?” JJ asked.

“I’d love to.” You grinned.

So hand and hand you and JJ walked on the beach and all was right in the world because you two could finally be together.

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dodgeballstuckonthegymceiling · 9 months

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Anonymous asked: Tiger (not anthropomorphic) reader x everyone at circus (platonic)

A cat is a cat, they get into boxes, they sleep anywhere, they catch things that fly, they purr, they groom themselves, they lick the people they love, the only difference is that this cat COULD FIGHT AGAINST KAUFMO ABSTRACTED IF HE WANTED TO!!!

I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted something! Hopefully this makes up for it? Please forgive me

Tadc cast & Tiger Reader

★ Every circus needs a lion, but I guess a tiger is close enough. Oh, just imagine all the tricks Caine can perform with you! I hope you like flaming hoops and balancing on pedestals. Because he sure does.

★ Please be gentle with Gangle. I know that those fluttery ribbons can be tempting but she needs them. If you want she can ask Caine to get you some? Wait. What's with that look in your eyes? Oh no, Gangle run!

★ Even mighty tigers need rest. Fortunately Kinger knows just the place to relax. With the condition that you don't ruin it- pardon me, "invade" it, feel free to relax inside his safe fortress.

★ Que Kinger yelling "Release the tigers!" As a defence against a certain jester who was just trying to borrow a pillow to sleep with. Due to her room not having any yet. Treason.

★ I just had a wonderfully cursed thought. If you were anthropomorphic you'd just look like an actor from the cat's movie. Released 2019, you know the one.

★ Jax makes it clear that, in no uncertain terms, you may not bite him. Nothing prompted him to say that, he just said it. Maybe it was a subconscious fear of predators and prey?

★ Ragatha loves you, but could you please stop trying to be a lap cat? Yes, the purring is relaxing but when you lay on her lap for attention she can't get up. Ransoming her ability to move for attention.

★ While on the topic of Jax, he sprayed vinegar on your fur when you weren't looking. That day, grooming yourself was suddenly very interesting to him.

★ The only person who doesn't let you take the occasional nap in their room is Zooble. Zooble's room is strictly private and if you try to go in be prepared for the consequences.

★ Because You're not a complete idiot, when Kaufmo abstracted you ran like hell. Thank whatever God cursed you with this body for your strong legs. Very useful when you need to run for your life.

★ Honestly, who would try to fight one of those things? I get dumb bravery but c'mon. Nobody would be that delusional. Even in a place that makes people go insane.

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metaphoricalcolours · 2 years

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i've always been a huge fan of new who's holy trinity - nine, ten and eleven. i tried to get into twelve as well but he just didn't feel like the doctor to me and i couldn't stand clara so i just stopped watching doctor who, which has been my favourite show for nearly a decade. i decided to borrow season 8 and 9 on dvd last month to give them a decisive shot, resuming after 4 years. against all odds and what i, myself, would've sincerely imagined, they finally grew on me. both of them. in just 3 weeks, mind you! so i'm writing this after finishing face the raven, which i knew would be the episode where clara dies, thanks to a lovely spoiler on this very app. i knew i wasn't ready to see it happen though, and oh god - i was definitely not prepared for how it happened.

losing a main companion on doctor who is always upsetting, to put it mildly, but it was heartbreaking for several reasons this time. first of all, tell me this isn't twelve & clara's very own doomsday? this is literally ten & rose standing on darlig ulv stranden, knowing they're about to say goodbye but the expected 3 little words are yet again robbed from us. he was ready to say them this time!!

nothing new here, but this show never disappoints when it comes to speeches so we have clara basically telling the doctor not to let this turn him into another ashildr while he's - pardon the word - dying to save her. he always tries to save everybody, but this loss is obviously a much bigger deal to him.

now, this is where it gets specific. remember that part in the girl who died where twelve shows more emotion than he'd done in most of season 8 and is desperate to the point where he goes "i am so sick of losing people"? he was telling clara after failing to save... yes, none other than the person who'd turn out to be responsible for clara's death. hero-turned-villain, ashildr/me. a villain he'd encounter for the first time in the woman who lived, although they did agree on some sort of truce at the end of the episode, by which point i'm sure he'd regretted saving her at least once, considering how cruel she'd become, but that feeling must've gone past the point of no return when she not only lured him, clara and rigby in that hidden street out of the blue but also took the woman he loves. no, she might not have known that clara would take on the weight that was on rigby's shoulders but she had no reason to do everything that led up to that event. there was nothing the doctor could do to save clara this time, and that wouldn't have happened if he hadn't given ashildr the chip that made her immortal and turned her into such a cruel person.

another thing: he told clara not to run because he wanted to be with her till the very last second, which is pretty significant since running is what he always tells people to do. she went outside and he followed her. all he could do was watch her die and stand there with all the anger in the universe inside of him. he would've raised hell for her but she didn't want to see him like that in their last moments spent together.

this hug obviously means even more than usual, and we know what the doctor told clara after demonstrating an aversion for hugging in season 8: a hug is just a way to hide your face.

oh, sweet heartbreaking hints peppered throughout season 9.

#doctor who #face the raven #twelfth doctor #clara oswald

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sanctum-of-ramshackle · 2 years

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I like Great 7 Yuu, seeing the great seven hanging around while possessing Yuu's body. Can we get more of that au? You don't have to if you don't wanna tho

OOC: Hello! Writer here. I’m sorry for replying this late. So about the timeline (AU) where MC/Yuu is possessed by one of the Great Seven, maybe I could continue and expand based on possible outcomes and lining up the storyline. Miyeon, could you explain more?

Miyeon: Certainly. As you know, this timeline of my variant, they given permission to let the spirits borrow their physical body for various reasons like college activities or feeling like the Seven are alive again. However, when I spoke with them, I reminded MC/Yuu to not forget their true identity.

That’s a good point, Miyeon. Since the spirits of Great Seven are using MC/Yuu as a vessel, they shouldn’t forget their whole self as a person. Choi also spoke with the Great Seven to watch their limits while using possession.

[Great Seven Timeline (AU)]

Miyeon: As all of you are aware I can see and communicate with you.

Queen of Hearts: My, how are you able to possess such abilities?

Miyeon: Your majesty, if I may tell you. I’m a fully-experienced magic user who earned a title and able to see what others can’t with the naked eyes.

Hades: Hah! Mal, you have a competition with this kid.

Miyeon: I only traveled here to warn you all not to overstep MC/Yuu’s boundaries when possessing their body.

Ursula: We never harmed MC/Yuu in any way as if they did get hurt, we wouldn’t experience today’s generation.

Beautiful Queen: It’s true. I wouldn’t be able to learn how beauty trends work these days nor learn how a dormitory was designed after me.

Scar: Or how beast-people are settled in the Afterglow Savanna.

Maleficent: Or how the Valley of Thorns co-exist with humans after “The Great War.”

Miyeon: Uh-huh. Sebek still believes Faes are more superior than humanity itself…

Maleficent: Pardon?

Miyeon: Nothing. Furthermore, I’m only here to warn you not to break MC/Yuu into an empty shell. That’s it. If there were a slight discomfort upon them, I’ll cast difficult spells and even open a portal to some Hellhole that even the God himself can’t describe.

Jafar: Wow. They’re really scary with such a threat.

Hades: Far-Far, they’re not bluffing.

Jafar: How would you know?

Hades: *VIETNAM FLASHBACKS OF THE MC/YUU VARIANT PARTY* …

Jafar: I don’t appreciate the silence, Hades.

Hades: Trust me. Listen to their warnings.

Miyeon: Are we all clear?

Maleficent: We understand, Master Choi.

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shenanigans-and-imagines · 2 years

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Laundry and Taxes

Doctor Strange x OC, Doctor Strange x Female!Reader, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Flirting

Warnings: None

A/N: Hey remember when I said I'd have this finished soon three weeks ago? Blame Stranger Things.

Summary: “In another life, I would have loved to just do laundry and taxes with you.”

Word Count: 1.4K

A witch and a superhero walk into a laundromat…there had to be a joke somewhere in there. Somebody smarter than her could probably think of a good one. For the time being though, Cassandra would settle for the site of Doctor Stephen Strange M.D, Ph.D, trying very, very hard to sort laundry on his own.

“Not that one,” she said.

Strange stopped his hand mid-air, before looking down to the two seemingly indiscernible piles.

“It’s a shirt,” he said, blankly. “I’m putting it with the other shirts.”

“What heathen raised you?” She leaned over, pulling the tag out so he could see. “Wash on delicate isn’t just a suggestion. It allows the clothes to last longer. If I had the time, I’d wash them by hand. How do you think people wore the same clothes day in and day out for so many centuries?”

“Superior craftsmanship?” he suggested.

“Well, there is that.” She quickly snatched a stray pair of socks from the pile while she was at it. “And don’t throw this in with jeans. Socks can turn blue just as fast as they can pink.”

“I didn’t realize there are so many rules,” he noted, dryly.

“You would if you actually did your own laundry,” she countered. “When’s the last time you did it yourself anyway?”

Strange tilted his head from side to side in thought.

“College, freshman year…undergrad.”

“Tell me you’re joking.”

He shrugged. “I had the benefit of roommates who liked to borrow my notes. Got me all the way through med school.”

She rolled her eyes as she pushed one of the now sorted piles into an empty basket. “Let me guess, after that you even sent your underwear to the cleaners?”

“Why do I feel like you’re placing a moral judgment on my character?”

“Oh hush, it’s not as bad as all that,” she said. “We’ll just add it to the long list of life experiences I have over you.”

He laughed, but didn’t say a word against it as Cassandra dumped the load into one of the free washers before opening a second and pulling a load of towels ready to be dried.

It was a simple pattern, one that she didn’t have to think about after so many years. Honestly, having Strange there as somebody to talk to while she did it made the repetitiveness enjoyable.

“So, what are you bribing me with today?” she asked.

“I brought you coffee,” he defended.

He had, along with a basket of dirty clothes and something about the washer and dryer in the Sanctum not working. He and Wong were still arguing over whose jurisdiction that fell under.

“That gets you one load, folded,” she conceded, opening one of the dryers. “You’ll need to add something else to sweeten the deal.”

“My company isn’t enough?”

“It’s enough to get your socks properly bleached.”

Strange nodded in consideration, leaning against the wall.

She could feel his eyes follow her as she finished her task and set the timer forty-five minutes. Nothing left to do but wait.

She turned to him expectantly. “Well?”

A wry smile came to his lips. “Dinner?”

“It’s a good start.”

“With dessert?” he added, leaning in closer.

“Hm-hm.”

He hand found her waist pulling her closer as his nose brushed against hers. “And a little something extra after?”

She grinned, a pleasant shiver running down her spine that vibrated with the baritone of his voice. “I think that will cover it.”

“You drive a hard bargain.”

“And you’re getting off easy.”

“Pardon me. Oh! Cassandra, I didn’t notice you there.”

She held back the urge to roll her eyes, as she reluctantly pulled away, turning her attention to the older woman behind her.

“Good morning Mrs. Williams,” she greeted.

“Hello dear,” she said, all smiles.

Cassandra knew better than to trust it. Mrs. Williams was the number one snoop of the neighborhood. If she knew something, soon enough everybody did. Only thing Cassandra could do now was spin the story.

“And who is this?” Mrs. Williams continued, blinking innocently as if just noticing Strange.

She held back a sigh. “Mrs. Williams this is my boyfriend, Stephen, Stephen this is Mrs. Williams, she and her husband own the corner shop down the street.”

“Nice to meet you,” Stephen said. Unlike her, he didn’t bother to hide his annoyance at the interruption. Mrs. Williams, however, either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

“Oh so you’re the man Kat has been seeing lurking around the neighborhood. We were wondering who had snagged you. You don’t live around here, do you?”

“No,” he admitted.

She nodded, more as an affirmation to herself than anything else.

“You know it is so funny, you look exactly like that Doctor wizard man,” she continued, thoughtfully.

Cassandra bit back a laugh. “Doctor Wizard?”

Mrs. Williams glared. “Don’t tease an old woman, you know what I mean.”

“Doctor Strange,” Strange offered.

“That’s it,” she declared. “I swear you look just like him.”

“You know, I get that a lot,” he said, casually. “I think it’s the temples. Personally, I don’t see it.”

Cassandra nodded along. “Oh definity, you’re not nearly tall enough. When I first met you, I thought you looked like Vincent Price.”

Strange shot her a look.

She only smiled, thoroughly enjoying herself.

“You know, I think you’re right,” Mrs. Williams said, sounding almost disappointed. “Well, I’d better get moving on. It was lovely to meet you Stephen. Give Ellie my love.”

“Will do,” Cassandra promised.

She carefully watched as the older woman wheeled her laundry down the line of washers towards the exit. It was only when she was out of earshot did either of them dare to speak.

“Vincent Price?” Strange questioned.

“You could star in a biopic.”

He rolled his eyes. “Thanks for that.”

“Oh don’t take that tone. Have you seen him in Dragonwyck? Very sexy.”

That got him to laugh properly.

She had to as well, pushing herself off the wall and taking a seat on one of the folding tables. “Do you think she figured it out?”

“I think she’ll get back on the scent eventually, just not today.”

He moved closer to her, casually placing his hands on either side of her as he leaned down to her eye level.

“I am a bit surprised you didn’t just spill the beans,” she continued.

He shrugged it off. “I don’t need everyone to know who I am. Besides, I kind of like this.”

“This?”

He nodded, his eyes softening.

“Just, being here, with you. I’d like to keep doing it, for a little while longer at least. Besides, according to you, I’ve got a lot of life experiences to catch up on.”

“What, like actually cooking a full meal for yourself?” she said, dryly.

“For a start.”

“And washing dishes.”

“I know how to wash dishes.”

“Without a dishwasher?”

“See, my point exactly.”

She laughed, allowing her hands to slip around his neck and play with the collar of his shirt.

“Careful Strange. You keep talking like that, I’ll even let you watch while I do my taxes.”

“It’s a date.”

She paused, taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. The way he was looking at her was making it hard to breathe. He really did want to do all that with her, didn’t he?

As if sensing her thoughts, he leaned in closer, brushing his nose against her own before kissing her slow and gentle.

Something stirred in her his touch. It wasn’t the giddy rush of infatuation. It didn’t burn. It glowed and pulsed warm within her. Her head still spun, but her feet were planted firmly on the ground.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. The look in his eyes never wavered for a moment

It came to her then, not as a bullet to the chest but as a blanket wrapped around her on a stormy night.

She was in love.

She loved Doctor Stephen Strange, because she knew, then and there, she could spend the rest of her life doing laundry and taxes with him.

She didn’t say it. Somehow admitting she loved him in the middle of a laundromat didn’t feel like the ideal place. Instead, she kissed him, hoping it would be enough.

This was a different love than what she had felt before. She wasn’t going to make the same mistakes. They had time. She just had to be patient.

#doctor strange #stephen strange #marvel #mcu #cassandra jackson #doctor strange x oc #stephen strange x oc #marvel oc #mcu oc #doctor strange x reader #2022 fic

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waitimcomingtoo · 3 years

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I’m Not Half as Bad as You’ve Been Told

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Synopsis: Loki is arrested by the TVA for what he did to you

This can be read on it’s own or as a spin off of in case you don’t live forever

Masterlist

Loki woke up in the Gobi Dessert in Mongolia after being ejected from the sky. The last thing he remembered was taking the tesseract after getting caught by the Avengers in New York. When he opened his eyes, he was met with four armed guards with their weapons pointed at them.

“Hunter B-15 with the Time Variance Authority here. Appears to be a standard sequence violation.” Hunter B-15 read off a small monitor. “Oh and look at that, you’re one of the TVA’s most wanted.”

“I beg your pardon?” Loki asked as he got off the ground.

“Hands up.” Hunter B-15 raised her weapon. “You’re coming with us.”

Before Loki could protest, he was knocked out and had a collar placed around his neck. He was brought to the TVA headquarters and handed off to Agent Mobius after being screened.

“Loki Laufeyson. I’m agent Mobius.” Mobius introduced himself as Loki tugged at his collar. “I hear the Time Keepers find you guilty of tampering with the sacred timeline.”

“The what?” Loki huffed.

“The sacred timeline. Looks like you stole the tesseract and committed crimes against the midgardian Y/n L/n.” The Mobius read off Loki’s file.

“Y/n?” Loki stumbled back at the unexpected mention of your name. “This is about her?”

“That’s part of your charges, yes. You’ll be given more details at your trial. But I’d ike to have a talk with you first. Come this way.” Mobius nodded towards the side and lead Loki to a room with a projector on a long conference table.

“What does this have to do with Y/n? Where is she? Is she all right?” Loki asked as he took a seat behind the projector. He had worried about you since the day you left him, even after you told him you never wanted to see him again.

“She’s fine.” Mobius assured him. “Even after you got a hold of her.”

“Is she here?” Loki hoped. “Could I see her?”

“No.” Mobius answered, making Loki’s face crumple. “She’s on Earth. You know, her home.”

“I know Midgard is her home.” Loki narrowed his eyes. “I also know how much she hated it there. But this all happened ages ago. Why am I being arrested for it now?”

“Well when you took the tesseract from its set path, the TVA was alerted and noticed that this wasn’t your first offense of tampering with the sacred time line. They saw that Y/n L/n never made it back to earth in 2019 after going to Asgard to retrieve the Aether. It went undetected at the time since the Aether made it back to earth like it was supposed to. She was supposed to go back as well, but she never made it. You were the one that kept her there.”

“How is that a crime?” Loki asked. “She wanted to stay with me. She was happy! She was happy on Asgard.”

“Was she?” Mobius raised his eyebrows and turned on the screen. “Because I think she was taken from her family, friends and home. Maybe I’m mistaken, though. Let’s take a look.”

Mobius pressed a button on a remote, and a projection appeared in front of them. Mobius began to fast forward through the foundational moments in Loki’s life until he got to what he was looking for. Loki watched in shock as an image of you, Thor, and Rocket creeping around a pillar in his home appeared on the screen. He wanted to shut his eyes and look away, but it had been so long since he’d seen you. He didn’t have the strength to look away from you now.

“I’m sure you remember why she was there.” Mobius said as he watched the scene unfold. “All she wanted was the infinity stone. She was trying to save the world. She missed her boyfriend and wanted to undo all the damage that Thanos had done. You couldn’t let her do that, could you?”

“The stone still made it back to earth.” Loki protested. “She said herself that she wasn’t an important part of the plan. And her “boyfriend” was nothing but dust particles. She-“

“Shh.” Mobius waved his hand. “The shows about to begin.”

Loki painfully returned his attention to the screen right as your first introduction played out. It was your job to distract Loki while Thor and Rocket collected the Aether.

Asgard 2013

“Who goes there?” Loki cringed at the sound of his own voice. He watched Rocket and Thor hide behind a pillar while you went out into the open. You walked into a room and found Loki lying on a couch, tossing something in the air and catching it. Loki sat up when he saw you, immediately on high alert.

“Who are you?” He demanded. “How did you get in here?”

“I’m so sorry, but my friends and I are here for the festival and I just had to sneak away to find you.” You gushed, trying to it best to look innocent. Loki took long strides towards you as he took in your appearance, highly skeptical of your story.

“My brother isn’t here.” Loki informed you, his voice thick with annoyance. “So you should best be on your way.”

“I’m not here for your brother.” You said coyly. You held his gaze as you signaled for Thor and Rocket to move to the next room.

“You’re here for me?” He cleared his throat to mask the disbelief in his voice. You nodded sweetly as Thor and Rocket snuck past you.

“Of course. My friends are obsessed with your brother, but I’ve always loved you. Won’t you show me a magic trick?” You batted your eyes flirtatiously, making a slight smirk appear on Loki’s face. Meanwhile, the present day Loki was watching the interaction with a pained expression. He remembered how it felt that first time you said you loved him. That was all he needed to hear before falling in love with you just the same.

“A magic trick?” The Loki on screen asked, mischief swirling behind his eyes.

“Well you are the God of Mischief, aren’t you?” You tilted your head to the side and looked at him through your eyelashes. A full, open mouthed smirk dressed his face now. His hand went to yours and it held it up, keeping your wrist tightly between his fingers. Loki brushed the fingers on his other hand over your palm and a diamond appeared. You looked at the beautiful diamond, weightless in your hand, and let out an unexpected gasp.

“Oh, Loki. That’s amazing.” You gave him an over dramatic sigh, but he completely fell for it. “But I don’t care much for diamonds. I haven’t any use for them.”

Loki felt a twinge of competition brewing in his chest, like he had to win your approval. You faked a yawn and his eyes gleamed with determination.

“You don’t like that? Well how about this?” Loki challenged and waved his fingers over your palm again. This time, a flower appeared. It didn’t look like any earthly flower. It was ten times more beautiful and smelled better than anything you had ever smelled before. The flowers colors were green and black with accents of gold, just like Loki’s outfit. You stared at the flower in amazement before looking up shyly at him. If you weren’t mistaken, the God of Mischief had a blush on his cheeks as he watched your face carefully for approval. Loki then picked up the flower and tucked it behind your ear. He began to lean in slightly, but you were interrupted by Thor and Rocket knocking over a vase. You noticed they had the stone and were ready to go. Luckily, you saw them before Loki did.

“What was-“ Loki began to turn his head towards the sound but you quickly put a hand behind his head and pulled him into a kiss. You felt his eyes flutter shut as you opened yours, catching sight of Rocket and Thor pretending to gag out of the corner of your eye. With one hand, you motioned for them to move. They quickly scattered and you pulled away from the kiss. Loki was fully blushing now but doing his best to conceal it, though his best wasn’t good enough. He seemed completely bewildered, making you wonder if he’d ever kissed anyone before. You touched your fingertips to your lips and felt a pang of guilt. This was your first time kissing someone other than Peter Parker in 5 years, and it made you feel guilty with how much you enjoyed it. Loki appeared to be just as lost in his thoughts as you were as he struggled to catch his breath. He ran a hand over the long black hair that you had slightly messed up in the back.

“Thanks for the flower. And for everything else. Bye!” You tried to make a quick escape, but Loki caught your arm.

“Wait!” He pulled you back towards him and looked at you with wide eyes. “Will I see you again?”

“No.” You smiled sadly. “I don’t think you will.”

“You’re not from here, are you?” He asked. “I know a Midgardian when I see one.”

“Good catch.” You let out a short laugh. “No, I’m not from here. I’m not even from this reality. I just needed to borrow something from your present. I’m from Earth, and I really have to get back.”

You tried to leave again, but Loki followed after to you and caught you by the waist. You stumbled back into his arms and blinked in surprise.

“Won’t you stay?” He asked hopefully. “We only just met. Do you have to leave so soon?”

“I do.” You frowned. “I’m sorry. I really need to go home.”

“All right.” Loki reluctantly let go of you. “If you must.”

You looked at him for a moment and chewed on your bottom lip, contemplating what to do. You looked behind you and saw Thor and Rocket preparing to leave. You motioned for them to leave without you before looking back at Loki.

“Do you have a pen?” You asked him.

“A what?”

“To write with.” You chuckled and motioned as of you were writing something down. Loki waved his hand and made a quill appear out of thin air, along with a piece of paper.

“That’ll work.” You shrugged and took the quill. You wrote your name and address down on the paper and handed it to him.

“If you’re ever on earth.” You smiled shyly. “Come find me.”

“I will.” He nodded eagerly.

“I really have to go now.” You said as you looked over your shoulder to where Thor was hiding. You turned back to Loki and gave him one last kiss, surprising the both of you.

“You’ll see me again.” You said softly. “Maybe not in this timeline, but the next.”

“That’s enough.” Loki interrupted, making the screen pause. “I know what happens. And since you’ve been studying me all my life as you claim, so do you. We don’t need to watch anymore.”

“I get it, you’re impatient.” Mobius held up his hands. “We can fast forward. How about we go to the part where you used magic to break her suit? Your brother was able to get back to Earth just fine, but she was stuck on Asgard. All because of you.”

Mobius pointed a remote at the screen and fast forwarding through Loki sneaking you to his bed chambers. He stopped when he got to you and Loki sitting on his silk sheeted bed.

“I don’t know why it won’t work.” You sighed as you touched all the buttons on your suit. “I must’ve run out of Pym Particles or something. I need to fix it so I can get back to Earth.”

“Right, right. Earth.” Loki said with disinterest. “What did you need to borrow anyway?”

“The aether.” You told him as the decor in his room caught your attention. You began to look at all his golden trinkets and stolen objects with awe.

“An infinity stone?” He was taken aback. “But why?”

“In the future, Thanos wipes out half the universe.” You began. “I’m on a recovery mission with the rest of the Avengers to collect the Infinity Stones to undo what he did. We’re trying to bring all the people back.”

“Half the people in the universe gone?” He gasped. “That sounds awful.”

“It is.” You stilled for a moment. “Honestly, I’m miserable. Absolutely miserable. All my family vanished. My boyfriend is gone. Half the Avengers are gone. The sky isn’t even blue anymore. It’s horrible.”

“So you aren’t happy there?” Loki asked as he walked over to you, a little jealousy bubbling when you mentioned a boyfriend.

“I hate it.” You admitted. “Everywhere I turn, I’m reminded of what I lost. That’s why it’s so important that we bring everyone back.”

“But what if your plan fails?” Loki wondered. “What if you don’t bring back all the stones? Or what if you do, but it doesn’t bring anyway back?”

“Then I don’t know what I’d do.” You shrugged sadly. “This plan is all I have. If it fails…”

“You don’t even want to think about that, do you?” He finished your sentence when you trailed off. You looked at him and nodded softly, grateful that he understood.

“Yeah.” You said quietly. “It’s too hard to imagine.”

“See?” Loki interrupted again. “She was miserable on Earth. She said it herself. I was trying to save her from a lifetime of misery.”

“I think you’re forgetting something.” Mobius reminded him.

“Forgetting what?” Loki scoffed.

“The plan worked.” Mobius said. “Thor brought the Aether back to her original timeline, and the Avengers were able to bring everyone back. She was supposed to go too, but she was left on Asgard. That was your first offense with the TVA.”

“Oh, screw the TVA.” Loki slammed his hand on the table. “She didn’t want to go back to Earth. She was unhappy there.”

“Is that why you told her Earth was destroyed?” Mobius asked. Loki stilled and sank in his seat as he was reminded of his lies. Mobius fast forwarded again, but didn’t play another scene. Instead, he paused on a clip of you looked utterly devestated. Loki had to look away, not wanting to see you in that much pain.

“Now, I’m not gonna play this part.” Mobius shook his head. “Because even I find it hard to watch. But you need to know what you did, so I’ll remind you.”

“You don’t need to do this.” Loki seethed. “I know what I did. I know what I told her.”

“Fine, then.” Mobius shrugged. “Why don’t you tell me what happened?”

Loki sucked in a sharp breath before looking back at the screen. The image of your desolate expression had never left his memory, so he really didn’t need to see it again to be reminded of what he had done.

“She tried to leave again.” Loki began as he stared at the screen. “I knocked her out with my magic. When she woke up, I told her Thanos had destroyed Earth and everyone on it. I said there was nothing left for her to return to.”

“She was devestated.” Mobius said quietly.

“I know she was.” Loki snapped. “She cried for a month straight.”

“So why’d you do it?” Mobius put his hands on his hips. “Why did you lie to her?”

“I didn’t want her to go.” Loki admitted, growing disgusted with himself. “I wanted her to stay with me on Asgard. She wouldn’t want to go back to Earth if she thought there was no Earth to go back to.”

“Why keep her?” Mobius wondered. “You barely knew her. Why hold her hostage like that?”

“She wasn’t held hostage.” Loki growled. “She was safe and loved and happy. No one on Asgard was taken better care of than she was. And I may not have known here when she first arrived, but we became inseparable after a while. We were almost married, for Odin’s sake. I’ll show you.”

Loki grabbed the remote from Mobius and pressed a button, fast forwarding until he found what he was looking for.

“Look.” Loki proudly pointed to the screen. “Watch this.”

He pressed play and watched as a memory of you and him played out on the screen.

“Where are we going?” You asked as Loki lead you somewhere with his hands over your eyes.

“Almost there. So impatient.” He clicked his tongue.

“You’ve taken me around the whole palace.” You chuckled. “I have a right to be impatient.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Loki stopped walking but didn’t remove his hands. “All right. We’re here.”

You pulled his hands off of your face and found yourself in front of two large green doors.

“Wow.” You said sarcastically. “Doors.

“Open the doors.” He rolled his eyes. You gave him a playful look over your shoulder before pushing the doors open.

“Oh my God.” You gasped when the doors opened. The room was decorated from ceiling to floor with all kinds of Asgardian wildlife. I’m the center of the room, your name was spelled out in the flower Loki had presented you with on the day you met. There was a running waterfall that cascading from the ceiling to the ground, leaving a soothing babbling sound throughout the room.

“It’s yours.” Loki said as he watched your reaction. “You mentioned once that you always wanted a garden. Now you do.”

“Oh, Loki.” You turned around and rushed into his arms. He stumbled back in surprise before hugging you back tightly.

“This is the nicest thing anyones ever done for me.” You mumbled against his chest.

“Well, you’ve been so upset lately. I wanted to cheer you up.” He said as he stroked your hair. It had been a month since he lied to you and told you that Earth was destroyed, and you were finally starting to act like yourself again.

“Thank you.” You pulled away to look at him. “I love it. It’s beautiful.”

“I truly hope you like it, darling.” He said softly as he brushed your cheek with his thumb. “It’s all yours.”

You looked into his eyes for a moment before your gaze fell to his lips. Since your last kiss, Loki had brought you food and kept you company every day. You had a built up a friendship with him since arriving to Asgard, but now you felt differently. There was a connection from the very first day, but it had gotten lost in your lament over your planets alleged destruction. Now, there was nothing stopping you from feeling that connection again. You hesitated before leaning it to kiss him. Just like last time, you felt his eyes flutter shut before he kissed you back. His hands cupped your face as you reached your arms around his neck. Loki watched your first kiss on the screen with a proud but mournful smile.

“Isn’t that something?” Mobius said as he paused the screen. Loki blinked back to reality and wiped his face, not realizing until that moment he had been crying.

“That scene speaks for itself.” Loki cleared his throat and tried to act like he hadn’t been crying. “You can see how happy she was. She loved that garden. And she loved me.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Mobius nodded. “But it’s hard to see past the fact that your entire relationship was built on a lie. She was only with you because she thought her home was destroyed.”

“She was with me for three years.” Loki said sharply. “The lie may have kept her there in the beginning, but she stayed willingly after that. She wanted to be on Asgard. She wanted to be with me.”

“Maybe. But she wasn’t supposed to be.” Mobius reminded him. “That wasn’t her timeline. She was supposed to be on Earth. She was supposed to be with Peter.”

“Peter?” Loki sputtered in disdain. “Peter Parker? Her little boyfriend from when she was a teenager?”

“In most time lines, they end up together.” Mobius said, knocking the wind out of Loki’s chest. “She went on that mission because she wanted to bring him back. Do you think she would have stayed, even for a second, if she knew her boyfriend Peter was alive back on Earth?”

“She told me they were 17 when the Thanos wiped out half the universe. That means Peter would’ve been 17 when he returned. She was 22 when she came to Asgard. She hadn’t been his girlfriend for 5 years. She had grown up. Her life went on. They would’ve had nothing in common anymore.”

“But she was supposed-“

“Who cares what she was supposed to do?” Loki snapped. “Why does the TVA get to decided what she was supposed to do or where she was supposed to be?”

“They’re the Time Keepers. They make the rules. And the rules say you can’t take someone from a different timeline and marry them. Oh, that reminds me.”

“Reminds you of what?”

“Your punishment. Mobius pressed a different button and a cloudy box appeared. “Go in there while I get the rest of your files.”

“What? I’m not going in there.” Loki scoffed.

“Don’t make me get the guards.” Mobius sighed. Loki clenched his jaw and looked at the ceiling, not wanting to be overpowered by the guards again. He reluctantly stood up, gave Mobius a sarcastic smile, and went through the cloudy portal.

As soon as Loki stepped through the portal, he stepped into his bedroom back on Asgard. He took another step forward, just as something stirred in his sheets. You sat up all the sudden, hair messy and wearing Loki’s horned crown. It was too big for your head and hung in your eyes, but the sight still took Loki’s breath away.

“Y/n?” Loki gasped and stepped forward.

“Hi.” You said before yawning. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Go ahead.” Loki nodded eagerly. He failed to see how this was a punishment. It had been so long since he last saw you that this felt more like a reward.

“I want our wedding to be earth themed.” You told him as you took his hands in yours.

“Our…our wedding?” Loki asked. He looked around the room and realized that he was not actually with you, but reliving a memory from years ago.

“Yeah.” You smiled shyly. “I just miss it so much. I want it to be a part of our special day.”

Loki found himself at a loss for words. He knew that when this memory originally happened, he had continued to lie to you and lead you to believe Earth had been destroyed. This time, he knew better and kept his mouth shut.

“We could have sunflowers.” You continued. “That was my favorite flower back on earth. And we could serve earth food and play earth music and-“

“Of course darling.” He cut you off and squeezed your hand. “Whatever you want. We will have it all.”

“Thank you. And if it’s not too much to ask, I want a minute of silence where everyone lights a candle.” You said quietly. “For Peter.”

Loki gulped and forced a smile, that line causing him just as much pain now as it did then.

“Of course.”

“Thank you.” You stood up from the bed and hugged him tightly. Loki hugged you back with a troubling frown on his face. He had forgotten how guilty he felt every time he had to lie to you. He pulled away and brought you into a long kiss, wordlessly trying to convey that he loved you and was sorry.

“I can’t wait. I can’t tell you how much I miss earth.” You sighed against his lips.

“Mm hm.” He gulped.

“I just wish I could’ve seen it one last time.” You frowned, eyes growing tearful. “I feel so guilty all the time. I would’ve died too if I had gone back with Thor when I was supposed to.”

“Then it’s a good thing you didn’t go.” Loki said weakly, knowing Thor was very much alive in your timeline back on Earth.

“I know.” You sighed. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to shake the survivors guilt. It makes me sick sometimes.”

Loki stayed silent as he fingers drummed against your waist. Before he could respond, his body jerked back and he suddenly reentered the room.

“Hi.” You said before yawning. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Loki looked behind him before looking back at you. The memory played all over again, forcing him to lie to you once again. When you told him how guilty you felt, he was sent back and had to relive the moment over again. Each time he had to lie to you, he felt more disgusted with himself. After the thirteenth time, he had enough.

“I lied to you.” He admitted. “Earth was never destroyed. Thor and all the Avengers and your family, they’re all fine.”

“What?” You blinked in confusion.

“I’m not your savior. I didn’t save you from anything. I stole you from your time line because I fell in love with you the moment we met. You were the first person to show a a genuine interest in me, and I took advantage of that. And for that, I am deeply, deeply sorry.”

“Oh, Loki.” You sighed and stroked his face. “It’s too late for that.”

“What?” He frowned as he wrapped his hand around your wrist to keep your palm against his face.

“I’m not even here.” You whispered.

“All right Loki.” Mobius walked through the portal before Loki could answer you. “I got the rest of your files. Let’s go.”

“But…I can’t just leave her.” Loki held on to you tightly.

“She’s not even real.” Mobius shrugged as he held up his remote. It pulled Loki back through the portal and he stumbled back into his seat.

“Here’s the last one.” Mobius said, but Loki wasn’t listening. He was still thinking about how it felt to touch you one last time. He blinked back a tear before looking up at the screen. You were there once again, talking to one of the new maids.

“Oh, I wasn’t born here.” He heard you telling the maid. “I’m from Earth.”

“A midgardian?” The maid smiled. “Wow. You’re quite far from home.”

“I know.” You smiled sadly. “I miss it every day. But I’m happy here. I’m really happy with Loki.”

“If you miss it, why don’t you go back?” The maid asked, making Loki suck in a breath. He knew exactly what was coming.

“Go back?” You furrowed your eyebrows. “What do you mean? Earth was destroyed three years ago.”

“No it wasn’t.” The nurse laughed. “Earth is fine.”

The audio faded out as you turned to look at Loki. He felt like you were looking right through him, down to his rotten soul. Your face was frozen in horror and betrayal as you finally learned the truth. Three years after arriving on Asgard, you found out your home hadn’t been destroyed after all. It was all a lie. A lie told to you by the man you thought you loved.

“Stop.” Loki choked out. “Stop it. Turn it off.”

Mobius paused the screen and looked at Loki in silence. To his surprise, Loki was wiping his tears off on the sleeves of his jumpsuit. His eyes were red and full of remorse as he looked up at the screen.

“I don’t need it see it again.” He whispered. “I know she trusted me. I know I betrayed her. I did that.”

“So you understand why the TVA is arresting you?” Mobius asked softly. “You didn’t just steal the tesseract. You stole that girl from her reality. Even if she loved you, she was never supposed to be with you.”

Loki nodded before hanging his head in shame. He knew what he had done was wrong. He knew it the entire time he was doing it. Even though he betrayed you out of his love for you, he still betrayed you.

“You’re right.” Loki said sincerely. “She was never mine to keep. Never mine to lose either.”

“No, she wasn’t.” Mobius agreed as he watched Loki curiously. The look of utter remorse on Loki’s face was out of character after everything Mobius had studied about him.

“Could you just tell me if she’s all right?” Loki sniffled. “That’s all I ask. Is she okay?”

“She’s fine.” Mobius answered. “She’s fighting for the Avengers again and reunited with her family.”

“Is she still miserable?”

“No.” Mobius smiled a little. “Not anymore.”

“And…and Peter?” His voice was barely audible now.

“Don’t worry about that.” Mobius told him. “It won’t do you any good. And for what it’s worth, there are timelines that exists where she stays. There’s even a timeline where you two are alligators and rule a kingdom in a lake.”

Loki smiled too, grateful that you were able to move on after his betrayal. Mobius furrowed his eyebrows at the sight of Loki genuinely caring about another human being, something he was not used to seeing.

“I could show you one more thing.” Mobius offered sympathetically. Loki reluctantly looked back at the screen as the man his play. To his surprise, all the good moments of his relationship with you flashed before him. All the kisses and laughter, fond smiles and endearing moments played on the screen, bringing tears to his eyes. He leaned toward on the table to get as close to you as possible, reaching out towards you with his shackled hands. The screen went blank suddenly, and his smile fell.

“They’re ready for you.” Mobius said as he checked his phone. “I can take you to the court now.”

Loki stayed silent as he was lead to the courtroom and sat in front of the judge. All he could think about was the moments of happiness he had been able to relive.

“Loki Laufeyson.” The judge brought his attention back. “How do you plead?

Loki blinked a few times, your smile flashing before him each time he closed his eyes. He thought about he had caused that smile to fade with every lie he told, and that’s when he knew he had his answer. He looked the judge right in the eye and entered his plea.

“Guilty.”

#loki x reader #loki imagine #loki x you #loki x y/n #loki fanfic #loki fanfiction #loki fluff #loki angst #loki series #loki spoilers #peter parker x reader

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buckybarnesdiaries · 3 years

Text

white wolf: “the show must go on”

first part — second part

third part — fourth part (soon)

bucky barnes x reader. ⎢ masterlist.

Sam helps Bucky to ask you out for a date and it’s a disaster, but he gets it.

word count: 1'9k.

warnings/tags: none. bucky being so innocent gives me life. + he being so damn cute as always.

author notes: none of my stories contain reader’s body descriptions to be inclusive.

Join the tag list here.

“Have plans with your girl tonight?”

Bucky clicked his tongue, putting down the weight to the holder, not turning to Sam still doing squats and an awkward noise out of breath. His partner couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and giggle while shaking his head, fast enough to steal the soldier's clean towel before he reached it.

“She's not my girl”.

“Not yet, you mean, uh?” He joked then, using the clothing like a whip to hit the metal arm. “But, you have plans or not?”

“Yeah, we have plans”. Bucky admitted eventually, glancing at Sam also stealing his bottle of water. “She invited me to watch a movie”.

It was the innocent and unworried tone of voice from him that made Sam choke, cough, and laugh at once.

“What?”

“Oh, man… Can't believe you're sinful enough to do what we do but too innocent to not see what that means”.

“It means we're gonna watch a movie”.

Bucky was confused at the laughter, trying to understand what he was referring to as he rested his back against the wall and crossed both arms over his chest. Expecting anything else from his wise friend.

“This is the twenty-first century, you ancient. We don't watch movies”.

“What d— What do you mean? You have Netflix, HBO, Prime Video… What's the point?”

Sam was deadpanned, staring in silence at the soldier, not believing what his ears were hearing. “We, guys, don't watch movies with girls, even less when they are the ones inviting us”.

Bucky squinted at him, tilting his head like a lost poppy would do, not being able to read between lines. His partner gasped exasperated, running a hand up and down his face.

“You know, man? Sometimes I feel alone, not having anyone to laugh with about that forties' manners of yours. Should I call Sarah, maybe?”

“Cut the show”. He hissed standing up and passing him away.

“Oh, no, no, no… the show has just started, man, and I have my popcorn ready”.

Bucky had been beating around the bush the whole day, trying to let it out of his mind. Of course, it was something that would happen sooner or later, and —more than of course— he wanted it to happen. The mere fact of thinking about you and him, flesh against flesh, hearing you moaning his name and making you feel good caused him goosebumps and an awkward sensation beneath his black jeans. Suddenly, swallowing saliva turned impossible, biting his lower lip while ringing the intercom of your apartment. Your response didn't last more than a couple of seconds, opening the door downstairs and waiting for him at the entrance of your apartment.

The butterflies fluttered within your bellies when Bucky stepped out of the lift, showing you that charming smile that could make you kill anyone who dared to erase it from his face.

“Trying to get me drunk?” You joked as he raised the bottle of red wine in his left hand.

“Maybe?”

“Missed you today”. You whispered at the soft kiss on your lips and his arm getting wrapped around your lower waist.

“So did I”. He sighed, sounding a little tired, caressing your nose with his.

Yesterday he talked to you about a routine medical check-up the government used to do every six months until he earned his pardon. Four hours of intense exercise to make sure the supersoldier serum was still doing its effect, as he started to feel somewhat tired since he stayed in Wakanda. For Bucky, it was really easy to open up himself with you and talk about his past and some of the things he did. And he didn't complain when you helped him to take off his leather jacket, watching him rubbing his left shoulder.

“I, uh… also was this morning with Sam. Training”. He told you, following you to your kitchen to find a couple of glasses. Turning at him, you couldn't help but raise an incredulous eyebrow. “Don't look at me like that… I know to perfection what you're thinking”.

“You're a telepath now?”

“God, no. I have enough with the voices inside my head, to hear someone's else”. He chuckled resting against the fridge. “But you're very expressive and I was trained to read body language”.

“So, what am' thinking?” You asked driven by curiosity, entertained on opening the bottle of wine.

“Look at this guy… He looks hotter than a barbecue”.

You broke into a loud laugh, shaking your head as you grabbed the drink and the glasses. “Not even close, Sergeant”.

“Liar”. He blurted into your face, passing him away to the living room where the Thai takeaway was waiting for the two of you.

“I'm not lying! You're a lousy body reader”.

“So… you can do it better, uh?”

“Didn't say so, but… yeah”. You replied, placing the wine and the glasses on the coffee table next to the big green sofa.

“Okay, go ahead. What am 'thinking, genius?”

Standing in front of him, some inches away, you squinted at his eyes in advance of touring his posture from top to bottom with your orbs.

“Look at that girl… she's hotter than a volcano”.

“Not even closer, soldier”. Bucky repeated your words, kissing his teeth and causing you to laugh again.

“Liar”.

The night went on, enjoying your dinner and watching the first part of Scary Movie. Since Bucky told you that he loved the horror genre, you thought that it'd be a good start. As you finished the Thai dishes, you two cuddled on your sofa, and it felt nice to be embraced by his muscly arms and had your head rested on his shoulder. He had never been that happier before, imagining for a moment —staring at you by the corner of his eyes— that he wasn't a retired lethal assassin controlled by a bunch of psychos, just a guy watching a movie with his girl.

For some reason that increased his pulse, having to clear his throat as the thought dried it. You couldn't let it go, wrinkling your nose with curiosity, raising your face slightly at Bucky trying to focus on the movie, and pretending everything was going okay.

“What?” He murmured about to laugh nervously, putting his head back a couple of inches to look better at you.

“Seems like you're gonna have a heart attack, what's the matter?”

The soldier breathed heavily through his nostril, expelling all the air in a sight through his parted lips. A lower giggle escaped them as your eyes widened a little more interested in his response to your question.

“Sam… Sam said something this morning”.

There it was. Your grimace turned skeptical, sitting up to borrow the control remote and pause the movie. Turning to face him and placing an arm on the headrest, you puckered your lips in a funny gesture watching him click his tongue.

“Things are different nowadays and… y'know, we used to watch movies”.

“And that's what we're doing”.

“Yeah, but… it's like… now there are some kinds of non-speak social rules”.

You knew exactly what he was referring to and seeing him somewhat troubled and tense just made your heart melt. It wasn't that he was scared, but it almost felt like.

“Is it your first time since the forties?” You dared to ask, clearly with no intentions of making fun of him.

“I've never really… y'know, I was in my twenties when I left Brooklyn. I me— mean, 'm not stupid, okay? I've done things but not… sex like… to the whole point”. Bucky didn't have his eyes on you when he made that confession, rubbing the bridge of his nose by inertia as his nervousness increased. “And now everything… is pretty different”.

“It doesn't have to”. You just replied, stretching a hand to his right one to intertwine your fingers. “Listen, Buck… We don't have to, okay? We don't have to do anything if you're not ready. We can watch the movie and then… you can go, or you can stay to sleep with me”.

“I'd like that”.

“Leave?”

“Yeah, totally, if you excuse me, ma'am… I gotta leave” He clearly joked, about to stand up until you pushed him down to the sofa bursting in laughter. “Nah, I, uh… I mean, I'd like to sleep with you tonight”.

“I'd like too, and to wake up tomorrow morning with you”.

“Yeah, would be very awkward if you go to sleep with me and wake up with another guy in your bed”.

Bucky smirked at you, biting his upper lip before leaning to press both on yours. He couldn't believe you were being so comprehensive with him, not making any other uncomfortable questions, nor kicking his ass out of your house. At that moment, he realized he was madly in love with you, bringing you closer to himself so he could embrace you tenderly between his arms. And you let him, not wanting anything else than to be with him.

At the moment the movie finished, you both stretched your hands to the ceiling with a yawn opening your mouths. You palmed his thigh to beckoning at him, urging the soldier to follow you as you rubbed your eyes using your knuckles, a little sleepy. Turning off the lights on your way to your room, you changed your clothes for a baggy Iron Maiden's t-shirt, as he stripped himself leaving his clothes on the chair in front of your bed, only wearing a pair of black boxers at the end.

You were about to ask him which side he preferred when the words died on your tongue, glancing at him with his flesh hand over his dark grey shoulder. It was the first time you saw the vibranium arm in all its glory and Bucky gave you the impression of being embarrassed. He'd never stop surprising you with plenty of emotions for things that for you didn't have any importance actually —like the fact of not having two real arms.

“Come here”. You murmured, kneeling on the mattress and palming the other lateral, observing every one of his actions till lying next to him, in the middle of the gloom of your room.

Covering both of you with the sheets and turning on your sides to face each other, Bucky took the initiative of wrapping you close to his chest, as he placed his head on your pillow. He couldn't help but take a soft breath from your heavenly smell impregnated in, provoking a smile to grow on your lips. Surrounding his neck with your arms, you sunk your fingers in his short hair, gently caressing his scalp while you started to spread tender short kisses all around his face.

“This feels good”. He purred with such a pleased tone of voice, closing his eyes as he adventured his warm hand under your shirt to draw invisible patterns on your back.

“So good”. You affirmed, peppering his cheek with a bunch of noisy smooches.

Bucky squeezed you between his grip, hiding his face into the gap of your shoulder and neck, causing you goosebumps because of his exhalation against your skin. He was comfortable being that close, with no distance separating your chests and your legs intertwined in a bundle. You saw how relaxed he was when he pulled his head back to the pillow, noses touching and his eyelids closed.

“Good night, Buck”. You whispered, still feeling his caresses on your back, leaning to kiss him one last time.

“Good night, doll”.

a / n: i hope you have enjoyed the fluffiness of these three chapters because the fourth is gonna be... chaotic.

feedback is appreciated, please, leave a comment to let me know if you liked it.

and support writers with a REBLOG!!! 🤍

tag list: @whatrambles @phoenixhalliwell @homesicam @marvel-diaries @amelia-song-pond @heartbeats-wildly @met4no1a @weenersoldierr @petlaufeyson @sillygamingartghost @wildflowergubler @isnt-it-loverly @zealouspursecowboydeputy @rvgrsbrns @artisancowbells @plagooey @tinylumpiaa @hemsbucky @bxmaaa @quxxnxfhxll @soldierstucky @knowyourworth-sellyoursoul @hateinthemorning @asemistablehundredyearoldman @purpleelfwizard @twinerd14 @nikkixostan @stolenxkissess @wintersfilm @whoreforsamwilson @thatcrackheadsadbitchtm @baconmuffins1216 @28cnn @hxlyhoax @lieswithoutfairytales @angrybirdxx @clownerlyluv @kait-is-always-late @marvel-ousnesss @natashadeservedbetter @ebxny27 @fanofalltheficsx @spider-man-lover @masterlists101 @lewd-alien @warm-sensations @stealapizzamyheart @talk-on-the-street @theresnoplatypus

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes imagine #sebastian stan imagine #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan fluff

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lilyofthesword-writes · 3 years

Text

Continue - Part 3.1

Request by @tenshinaki

Pairing: Legolas x Modern!Reader

Word Count: 895

Warnings/Disclaimers: Reader gets drunk. Other than that, fluff/in-between moment.

A/N: Originally, this was going to be its own thing, but I thought this request would work better as part of this mini-series. I hope that’s okay! And btw, this is basically me when I drink. It’s a weird combo to be hyper-focused on something so small while also being a sleepy drunk.

And the request kind of evolved a bit a little later done the road. Here's the in to that: https://lilyofthesword-writes.tumblr.com/post/659905718772695040/hi-first-i-want-to-say-i-love-your-work-second-if

Legolas’ digits were laced with yours as he guided you to the table back to the friends you all held so dear. Merry and Pippin cheered at your arrival, drunkenly sloshing their ale as they raised their pints to the heavens. Even Gimli seemed to perk up more, though that was probably due to his drinking rival returning so they could resume the game.

The ale was strong, stronger than expected. It didn’t take you long for you to reach your limit. Your mind felt fuzzy and numb yet somehow hyper focused. With hazy peripherals, you snickered watching Merry and Pippin hop to their feet to dance on the benches across from you.

“I feel something,” Legolas’ eternally calm voice drew your attention back to him. “A slight tingle in my fingers. I think it’s affecting me.”

There was an extra twinkle in his eyes, a hint of a smile accentuating them even more. His platinum locks were glowing in the dim light to nearly blend in with his shirt. His shirt…

“Legolas?” You kept your voice low, knowing he would still hear you.

“Meleth nin?” He hummed as he turned to face you. There must have been a strange look on your face. He tilted his head, sending his golden tresses cascading off his shoulder. “Are you well?”

“Y-yeah, yeah.” That shirt was irksomely immaculate. “Where did this come from?” Your fingertips grazed the fabric of his sleeve.

One of his hands caught yours before you could pull away. “Pardon? Where is this coming from?”

You shook your head. That wasn’t the best idea. The world shifted before you causing you to lean on his arm a touch. He was definitely your rock no matter the situation. Louder than you meant to be, you continued, “I mean… Why pack such a nice shirt for a journey like this?”

Merry and Pippin suddenly plopped cross-legged in front of you. On top of the table, mind you.

“I didn’t think about that!” Pippin nearly shouted.

Merry bumped his almost twin in an attempt to quiet him down. “Did you think we would have celebrations like this? Is that why you brought it?”

The elf’s mouth hung agape, a touch exasperated that this is what you all were focusing on. “What makes you believe I carried this in my pack?”

“Well,” you squeezed the hand still cradling yours, “You were wearing it in Lorien. And in Rivendell.”

“Doubtful you’ve borrowed it for this long,” Merry added.

“No… I’ve worn this the entire journey.”

Merry and Pippin fell silent, completely slack jawed. Without bothering to move your head from his shoulder, you inspected the fabric. There wasn’t a drop of dirt or mud, not even a thread out of place. How-

Gimli’s snore snapped yourself out of your head. When did he end up on the floor?

As if sensing the onslaught of questions coming his way, Legolas followed up, “I have worn it under my tunic.”

“And it stays clean that way?” you asked, lifting your head away to look at him.

The elf chuckled and nudged you gently. “For the most part, yes.”

Pippin chugged another swig of ale. “Really???”

“Even at Helm’s Deep?” you added.

All of that rain and mud… Not to mention the arduous battle. Leather and metal armor can only do so much. The fabric had not even lost its near-silky sheen.

“Even there. Elven threads are more resilient than most believe.” Legolas’ laughter floated through your ear like wind chimes on the wind. “I also believe you have had enough excitement for one evening.”

“And what gave you that idea?” You grinned up at him.

“Well, for one, you seem unable to hold your own head up right now.”

When had you wound up leaning on his shoulder again? “Fair enough.”

Legolas rose and helped you to your feet, dutifully making sure you didn’t trip over the bench when you swung yourself around. An arm around your waist kept you plenty balanced as you meandered towards the door. The occupants in the room seemed to have dwindled down to just under half as there were at the start with a decent fraction of the remaining asleep and hunched over the tables. It must have been later than you thought. Merry and Pippin waved goodnight before returning to their drinks, their movement much slower that they had been. They would be following shortly.

The shared quarters your party was given for your stay luckily were not too far from the main hall. Legolas had you through the doors and laying in your bedding in no time. He took the spot closest to you and gingerly linked a hand with yours.

“Comfortable, meleth?” He kept his voice low.

All you could manage was a sluggish nod and hum. Your eyes were already closed for the night, your breathing close to evening out.

With a little effort, you clutched his hand a little tighter. “Legolas?” you breathed.

“Yes?” He propped himself up on his side expectantly.

“We’re not done…” you mumbled.

“Not done with what?”

“Talking about… your shirt…”

Legolas huffed out a chuckle. “I suppose we are not.”

All he received was a hum of agreement before you drifted off. The continued conversation could wait until morning. Well… That is if you could even remember it when you woke up.

Tag List: @thisbreakableheaven @beakami

#legolas x reader #Legolas x you #legolas #Legolas imagine #Lord of the rings #lord of the rings imagine #Lotr #lotr imagine #Merry #pippin #gimli

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starshiningsirius · 4 years

Text

Happily ever after (Yandere Overblot Vil x reader)

I just want to post my poetry about them at this point.

SPOILERS BELOW FOR NEW CHAPTER

Thank you to @flowerofthemoonworld for the gif

The graceful little prefect as you were titled in his head. Looks were above average in his honest opinion. Your hair would gleam in the sunlight one day as you sat by the base of the tree, and your eyes have a docile look in them that'd make your innocence more apparent. Rook was with you during that time which was when he first saw you up close, before any of this mess with the VDC arose.

When he finally caught the attention of both students, Rook was the first one to speak up.

"Ah, Roi du Poison were you in need of my services?"

"Pardon me to interrupt but I need to borrow my vice dorm head for some important matters."

"Ah, it's fine Vil-senpai. See you later then." With that the two were off to Pomeifore and Vil couldn't help but wonder.

"Rook what were you and the Ramshackle prefect conversing about just now?" He only asked because he knew Rook would occasionally behave in a way that would bring trouble and with that prefect with him more than likely it would.

"Curious? Mademoiselle Trickster and I were discussing the art of poetry of which she partakes in! Isn't it wonderful to write your feelings down with such passion it truly is magnifique!" After that Vil stopped listening and confided himself to his own thoughts.

'Poetry?'

That contradicted all of his thoughts on the prefect. He had caught word around the school about the prefect who hanged with two troublesome first years and always would be caught up in trouble. To hear him say poetry of all things definitely changed his mind a fraction about her overall personality. Not to mention her visage while she sat there in depth with whatever she was writing was one that someone would think brought out of a painting.

When the VDC training camp started he noticed more of her small quirks. She was neat and tidy, even if the whole dorm wasn't clean the used areas were. She was polite asking to help set the table or clean dishes with him. They didn't talk much but he noticed all of them. He definitely misjudged the prefect. She was a nice person. He understood why Epel got along with them. She wasn't a particularly bad influence on him.

There was something that annoyed him though.

The sparkles that would appear in your eyes. Just yesterday you complimented Jamil on his voice not only that but everyone else too. Except him.

He heard you talking once about Epel and what he did was wrong and wasn't right in your eyes. Yet you know nothing about what he's been through!

Just once he would have loved to see his effort noticed by her!

Is that too much to ask?!

He's always made out to be the villain in the stories!

He's never heard you compliment him before not only that but those poems. Rook told him that you write them for people your fond of and say them to that person.

Why hasn't he gotten one yet? Is he not good enough?!

All those sorts of thoughts kept piling up in his head. That is until his prayers were finally answered.

She heard him asking his phone the same question yet again.

"Mira, mira who is the fairest one of them all?"

With the same response he was about a second from crushing the phone in his hands. His anger growing from the lack of acknowledgement of his own hard work for the world to see. That's when she spoke up.

"Villains and heroes are fantasy.

This is reality.

And from what I see, the fairest one of all is beautiful blonde in front of me." It was a short poem, but one that spoke a thousand words despite its simplicity.

He turned to see her determination in her eyes. The spark in them did ignite something in his heart.

"It's not finished yet but I thought you might need to hear it now." She said it with such sincerity it caught him off guard a bit.

Why would she do that for him?

He couldn't answer the question himself but it did strengthen his resolve to over come the challenge and become the fairest. Because he had realized on that very day that he fell in love with you. Maybe he hadn't realized those words were to stop him from going on with the silly goal he yearned for.

The VDC was supposed to be his chance. If he could best him then he could prove himself worthy then he could confess and all would be well when you said yes. That comment on Neige's commercial didn't slip passed his ears. He had to prove he was better and winning would do just that.

But when his plans fell apart and you stood against him with a look of what was slight disappointment, and betrayal mixed into one, he couldn't help but to let his mind fall apart from losing one of the things he had tried so hard to gain.

Neige surpassed him again. He was tired of it, sick of it. And the outcome of it was showing her his most ugliest side, well that just won't do will it?

He'll just have to make you see how lovely he can be for you, how beautiful he is and that will be all of what you see.

Increasing the cloud of smoke within the coliseum more of his former team and managers coughed, trying their best not to inhail the smoke that would bring them their untimely demise. It didn't matter to him those who saw his ugly side needed to die and not tell anyone else.

That's when he swept her away, off her feet into where the backstage room was located. Just like a hero was supposed to. With a wave of his hand the purple smoke disappeared within the area and went back outside to the stage. Her coughs died down and Vil smirked down at the beautiful sight before him of someone he longed for.

"What's wrong my darling doll?" He had a smirk on his face seeing his efforts not be wasted for once felt overwhelmingly good to him.

"I'm sorry you have to suffer like this," he floated toward, her coughing fit was slowly going away and she gazed at him backing away from him in fear.

He noticed this of course what didn't he notice about her.

"Glancing at this ugly side you see before you, it's okay I understand. But don't worry, such a beautiful flower will never have its petals plucked again, for I will make sure of it. You won't have to remember seeing such an ugly side of again." Gently grasping her chin and touched the crown placed on his head aa he started to speak.

"To the first who looks into the wearer's eyes will fall in love until they die." Within the seconds he finished his chant her gaze was no longer of fear.

Nothing but admiration and adoration was visible in her eyes. It was perfect to Vil. Placing a gentle kiss on her lips which she returned eagerly. He had a gentle smile on his face a complete contrast to his current form reeking an aura of darkness and pure evil.

"You won't even remember seeing me, cause now all you'll see is my beauty and mine alone, my darling doll." Seems being a villain was far more worth it than he had actually made it out to be. The results of it were better than trying to play nice. He finally got his happily ever after.

Masterlist

#twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #yandere vil schoenheit #yandere twisted wonderland #yandere vil #twst vil #vil schoenheit

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downtonabbeyrevisited · 3 years

Text

Season Two Episode Two

Following a typically chaotic opener, Episode Two of Season Two strikes a far more sombre tone. The arrival of Henry Lang as Robert’s valet brings the first of this episode’s three plot points that address the impact of WW1 on the mental health of its soldiers. There is nothing funny to say about either shell-shock or suicidal ideation both of which are vast, complex issues that, for my money, Downton Abbey isn’t the vehicle explore in (because they require more time and depth than the pace of the plot in Season Two affords) and it certainly isn’t my place to make light of them in this rather irreverent corner of the internet. So I’m going to have a go at treading a fine line here. Forgive me if I stumble.

Lang is clearly in the grips of something awful and yet in an attempt to avoid the indignity of having maids in the dining room, he is bumped up to footman duty. He struggles throughout, culminating in him depositing his cargo on Edith’s dress. Mrs O’Brein has firmly taken Lang under her wing, recognising that he is struggling and offers him assurance and comfort that she has never gifted to Thomas.

Across the Village, Lieutenant Edward Courtenay is in the hospital having been blinded by gas. The use of gas (both chlorine and mustard) had a devastating impact on soldiers in WW1 but was also the root of the development of Zyklon B. Frtiz Haber, a German Jewish chemist, enabled chlorine gas to be used a weapon in WW1 and his research was later developed into the Zyklon process which was used by the Nazis to murder millions, including his own family. This is only one of a dizzying number of appalling ironies to be found in the World Wars but as I said last episode, I’m not a military historian so I’m going to leave it there. Edward had plans to return to the country after his graduation from Oxford to pursue the simple life (although one gets the feeling that his idea of the pursuit of a simple life will still be one that is very well upholstered). Thomas has taken it upon himself to read Edward’s letters to him and together with Sybil is helping him to adjust to living life with a different set of parameters. But growing pressure on the hospital’s limited capacity means that he is to be transferred elsewhere. All three voice their dissent at varying volumes to Major Clarkson who falls back on the very real backlog of wounded men. After Edward has died, Major Clarkson, Isobel and Sybil talk about a renewed need for the Abbey to become a convalescent home, an idea that has been bubbling under the surface for a while now. Meanwhile, Thomas has been left on his own to process both Edward’s death and the implications of witnessing a lack of support given by his own physician to those with depression.

The usually reliably jovial Mrs Patmore also has a more somber episode with her pursuit for the truth about the death of her nephew Archie. Robert finds that he has been shot for cowardice. Not only does this mean that her family is in mourning but they will now have to navigate the stigma and undue shame that came with having a relative die in this way. So entrenched in British life was the derision levelled at those who were shot for cowardice or desertion that it was only in 2006 that pardons were offered by Britain for 309 of those that were executed by firing squad during WW1. I know I said I’d leave it there with the military history, but that felt like an important bit of context.

We are now in 1917 and Matthew is still in the same trench that he was in 1916 (a detail I hadn’t actually noticed until I got the screen cap for this) so it looks like his strategy of downing tools mid-fight and continuously popping back to Blighty for important plot developments isn’t really paying dividends. Perhaps the addition of William to the ranks will help him? William certainly seems to think so and if the speed at which he moves through the various stages of his ‘relationship’ with Daisy is any indication of his tactical prowess, the British Front will not only be well within Germany’s borders but will be breathing down Russia’s neck in a fortnight. In any other episode, this would certainly get the award for oddest relationship dynamic but Sir Richard Carlisle exists.

Sir Richard makes his debut at Downton, having been introduced in name only in the previous episode. He and Mary met at Cliveden which is a regular haunt of mine, giving me hope that one day I too will from a strategic alliance with a newspaper magnate. He may know how to talk his way around a boardroom but he is lacking in the sartorial department. Whilst Sir Richard manages to avoid catching fire in his tweed, Lavinia is not free from the heat as he threatens her with his connection to her uncle. He may not know much about navigating the niceties of Downton, but at least he has cottoned on to the fact that any major disagreement should occur under a specific tree. Whilst Mary’s signature move is weeping into her gloves, Sir Richard’s is grabbing women by the forearm. A female friend of mine told me that one of her favourite things about the pandemic and the compulsion to keep 2m away from anyone (and not just emotionally) is that she has not been ’steered’ by a male hand on her lower back since 2019. It turns out that she can enter and exit rooms just fine on her own and I get the impression that Lavinia could get the gist of Sir Richard’s rage without the vice like grip of a man probably about twice her age.

Twinned with the ’tree of emotional conflict’, the ‘platform of romantic uncertainty’ provides the backdrop for Sir Richard’s proposal of marriage to Mary which is a declaration that really feels like it should come with a series of well-formatted charts. Mary’s heart, however, is still very much with Cousin Matthew. After being counselled by Carson in a type of conversation I cannot imagine her ever having with her father, she is on the verge of coming clean with Matthew. But in the second round of Lavinia vs. Mary, Lavinia declares that she ‘could not go on living’ without Matthew and Mary winds her neck in.

Also having a romantic entanglement this episode is Edith. Drake, previously of dropsy fame, has lost his farm hands and Edith turns up to offer her help in a wildly unsuitable trouser and heeled boot combo. But she soon gets down to it by pulling up a tree stump and flirting in a barn whilst a rather lovely border collie looks on (I’m currently trying to talk myself out of getting a border collie and this incident has done nothing to help things). After showing Drake that she can drink from a bottle like literally every single other human on the planet, the two share a kiss and some highly awkward dialogue that only slightly resembles ‘Carry on Downton’.

Whilst Edith is more than happy to crack on in a barn, Mr Molesley is much more backwards about coming forwards. Apparently having predicted the creation of ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’, he figures that a book is the perfect kindling for romance when you exist in a glossy depiction of the past. Sadly neither Elizabeth nor her German garden can lure Anna from Bates who is fast shaping up to be schrodinger’s boyfriend. Anna proceeds to make some odd analogy where she compares Mr Bates to her moon-based child, revealing a rather unhealthy amount of codependency in that particular relationship.

Romantic declaration of the moment

Again, it feels like anyone but Sybil and Branson should get this but I am an agent of chaos and here we are. Branson defends Sybil’s will to work and has ample opportunity to see her shine in her chosen field. The admission that she will not be returning to her old life is a little chink of light that Branson basks in.

Expressive eyebrow of the week

I nominate Carson’s entire face when he realises that he has taken on too much and goes an impressive shade of red. As Carson frets about spoons, sauce, and something I can’t quite fathom, he starts to resemble a man who is re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Carson’s battle to get a cork out of a bottle and knocking into chairs is a warm up to his rather dramatic collapse which is accompanied by a pretty disturbing groan. Sybil springs to action and he is soon efficiently ensconced in his own quarters.

Wait, what?

“I got a lot done on the train” Clearly Richard was on a train that was unencumbered with the wifi issues that plague the Pendolino.

“It takes a good deal more than that to shock me.” Mary’s shock-o-meter is a pretty odd instrument. It is unresponsive to corpses of diplomats but goes into absolute meltdown at the notion that she might have to live in a cottage.

“Let's hope my reputation will survive it.” I’ve not checked (and I categorically never will) but I would put money on the fact that someone has created a rarepair out of this.

“How can Matthew have chosen that little blonde piece?” Is Lavinia blonde? Women’s hair is not really my forte but I would have thought she was more akin to Tim Minchin than 1998 Justin Timberlake.

“I believe in this war. I believe in what we are fighting for.” William seems to have a better grip on what all of this is about than I ever did in high school history. The ‘A’ that eluded me is heading his way.

“I thought he might've died for love of you.” How I love snipey Thomas. It’s good to have him back. To borrow a quote from Bottas (another man who is currently living a life in which his destiny is his own demise) ‘traditions’.

“Fold it in, don’t slap it” The more season two goes on, the more I think that Moira is just an amalgamation of some choice elements of Julian’s kingdom.

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fallin-4-ya · 4 years

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The Follies and Vices of You

cedric diggory x reader- part ii of series

based off the novel and film ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen

summary: Being the beloved sister of the incredibly wealthy Mr. Potter, you felt no need to rush into marriage. But one day, when you come to meet a new acquaintance, the proud Mr. Diggory, your views of love and follies change.

warnings: none! (gif is not mine, credit to owner!)

part i, part ii, part iii, part iv, part v

‘Maybe it’s that I find it hard to forgive the follies and vices of others, or their offenses against me. My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever.’ -Jane Austen

With the arrival of fall, so came the arrival of new companions. Mr. Draco Malfoy, a cousin of your Godfather, came to stay with you and your family at the estate; due to the management of Malfoy Manor, after the passing of his father. These manners having to be settled with Mr. Sirius Black, you had grown quite acquainted to each other over the autumn months.

While with each passing day, came new agreements and new events that had to be attended to; there was just one that you impatiently waited for, the Winter Ball. It was a marvelous party held by the Weasley Family, and was an invitation only event ensuring that only anybody who was anyone could attend. It was rather a charming way of making new friends.

One day, dining with your family and Mr. Malfoy, you received the invitation to the Winter Ball. Unable to hold back excitement, you eagerly stated, ‘Oh, look! Our invitation has finally arrived! Miss Ginerva and I have been at an utmost excitement for this event. Mr. Malfoy, you will come won’t you? There is music and dancing with such a marvelous atmosphere. It really is such a great way to make new friends!’

‘Miss Y/N, nothing would exhilarate me more than attending a wonderful party with wonderful people.’ Mr. Malfoy replied.

‘Splendid! As though I do wish the dreaded Mr. Diggory would not come and spoil the evening-‘

‘Mr. Diggory did you say, Miss Y/N? I haven’t known him to be in this part of the country.’

‘Why yes! He has been a resident at the Weasley Estate since the summer, doing business with Mr. Fred and George. Its unknown when he will be finished. Mr. Malfoy, pardon my asking, do you know of Mr. Diggory?’

‘Yes, my father and his were very closely acquainted. They did much business together when we were children. Mr. Diggory and I were very close friends growing up. He borrowed some money from us, quite some time ago before he inherited his fortune. However, he was unable to pay us back in a timely fashion. We had a falling out quite some time after that.’

You sunk into your seat a bit. Mr. Diggory, a man fed by pride, not abide by the rules of business, you questioned to yourself. Strange, the carelessness of men.

The next day you were expected to attend afternoon tea with Miss Ginny. Taking the pleasure of welcoming yourself into their home you went to the parlor, where tea was normally served. But rather than seeing Miss Ginny, you walked in on a reading Mr. Diggory. He caught your eye and immediately stood awkwardly, ‘Miss Y/N, what a surprise. How are you this day?’ he managed to stammer out.

‘Mr. Diggory, very well. Thank you, may I ask you the same?’

‘Fine, thank you.’ He replied. You both stood not exactly knowing what to say to each other, tensions were rising and words did not come easy.’

‘Er- Mr. Diggory, where may I find Miss Ginerva?’

‘Oh yes. She’s in the dining room. Fine seeing you, Miss Y/N.’

You nodded quietly and left the room, heading for the kitchens. I don’t think I will ever understand the brains of men, you told yourself.

The afternoon went by rather quickly, as you chatted with such a gracious friend; and you could not but help to tell Miss Ginny about the information you found out the previous night.

‘Did you know, Ginny, that Mr. Diggory had relations with my Godfather’s cousin, Mr. Draco Malfoy. A very handsome young fellow. Apparently, Diggory borrowed money from him some time ago and never paid the poor family back. Very questionable if you ask me.’

‘Very questionable indeed.’ Pondered Miss Ginny, ‘Perhaps, you also ought to know as well that Mr. Diggory had a late sister. She was very young when she passed, just shy of fourteen. I heard it was an illness that struck her.’

‘Really!’ you said shocked, ‘A Miss Diggory! How very unfortunate. How sad as well.’

You thanked Miss Ginny for the tea and began to head home. Mr. Diggory was perhaps the strangest character you were to meet.

The ball at Weasley Estate came much faster than anticipated. After dressing in a beautiful silky, white gown and having your hair twisted and plaited into an updo, it was time to go. The general splendor of the ball was much greater than it seemed to be in years prior. The entire ballroom was adorned in gold decorations, and a beautiful orchestra played in the ballroom while numerous couples were dancing in the center. You quickly found your friend Ginny. Between chatting away with her and dancing with the company of Mr. Malfoy and your Godfather, you were having the most wonderful time. While walking through the corridors, arm in arm with Miss Ginny, you were met by the tall, handsome figure of Mr. Diggory.

‘Miss Y/N.’

‘Mr. Diggory.’ You bowed.

‘May I have the next dance?’ he said staright faced.

‘You may.’ You both bowed and you and Ginny scurried to the nearest empty hallway.

‘Did Mr. Diggory just ask me to dance?’ Ginny nodded, ‘And did I say yes?’ Ginny nodded even more excitedly, ‘Well, isn’t that convenient, considering I vowed to detest him for the whole of my life.’ You both broke out into a fit of giggles.

You soon found yourself face to face with Mr. Diggory in the ballroom. The orchestra began playing and the dancing started. ‘Beautiful evening. I must urge you that I’ve never seen a ball be more mesmerizing.’ You observed to start conversation.

‘Indeed. Though I have seen more impressive in my days.’

‘You are quite difficult to please, Mr. Diggory, even more so to make out.’

‘May I ask, Miss Y/N, what you are to mean by that. Or should I expect you to keep your motives most secretive.’ He steadily responded.

‘Nothing of the sort. Just that I find it excruciatingly difficult to make out your character. As while your stature is nothing short of grand, I cannot help but to hear such terrible things about your demeanor.’ You said as you both graciously danced your way across the marble.

‘Perhaps, Miss Y/N, you are to consider that I find it rather difficult to forgive the follies and vices of others.’

‘I fear that I am in no position to mock you for that, Mr. Diggory. But I do ponder over the question as to why so many people think you as proud.’

’’It may do you well to ask yourself why others can be the most quick judge of character without fully knowing what lies beneath their outward appearance. I shall pose another question for you ponder over, said being, why when one has pride, it gives the permission for others to be prejudice towards them?’ After a mere moment of silence between the pair, the dance music came to an end.

‘Oh, and Miss Y/N. Perhaps you are right in saying dancing is a most valuable way to make new friends.’

You turned your cheek and could not help but to feel your lips tug to a smile. Mr. Diggory was a most interesting character indeed.

(end of part twoooo! hope you guys like it. part 3 will be posted shortly! chat with you all soon!)

tag list: @freddieweasleyswife @truly-insatiable

#Harry Potter #cedric diggory #cedric diggory x reader #cedric diggory x you #Draco Malfoy #sirus black #ginny weasley #fred weasley #george weasley #Fred and George #pride and predujice #jane austen #harry potter fanfiction

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hansensgirl · 4 years

Text

salvatore | iv

series summary — Bucky Barnes doesn’t believe in love anymore. Especially after the tragic, unknown death of his wife, Natasha. He thinks it’s stupid and a waste of time and- oh my. Hello there, you. There you were, with your notebooks and your novels, writing your heart away. He’s hellbent on saving you from this nasty world, his elusive neighbor that has him under the stupid spell of love. You soon find yourself trapped in a tragic love story with Bluebeard, not Prince Charming.

chapter warnings — dark!bucky, dark themes, stalking, voyeurism, cameras, stealing, slight angst, smut, female masturbation, perving, male masturbation, violence, mentions of cheating, fluff, feelings, noncon/dubcon, 18+

pairings — Dark!Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader, Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader, Bucky Barnes x Natasha Romanoff, Natasha Romanoff x Steve Rogers

word count — 2,961

a/n — finally! finally, i posted! please leave some feedback if you’d like! happy reading, and if you do not like any of the things in the warnings, do not read this!! also thank you to @mariessecretfantasies for beta-ing, ily! check her wonderful stories out please, you won’t regret it!

“Oh, bunny.” She cooed, tracing the scars that were scattered about Bucky’s body. Bucky whimpered and opened his eyes. The redhead smiled down at him, wearing a simple sundress and heart sunglasses. She twirled her tongue around the cherry flavoured lollipop as if she was sucking his cock. The old Bucky would’ve had a boner in just a few seconds, but the sight of Natasha had startled him deeply. “We should go to the Valley this weekend, Bunny.” She pulled the sunglasses down to the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, so you can visit Steve huh?” He spoke, but they weren’t the words that left his mouth. “Of course, Nattie.” His fingers ran through her red locks on their own accord. He tried to pull them away, but instead he pulled her closer. She set the lollipop on the dashboard of the Buick. She crawled into his lap and began to unbuckle his belt, desperately craving his cock. She suddenly left his belt and grabbed the knife that was in his thigh holster, bringing it up to his throat. “You know Nattie, I used to think the world of you.” He growled through gritted teeth. She pressed the knife closer to his throat, her hands shaking slightly. “Yet now, you barely even cross my mind.”

Bucky shot up suddenly, Natasha’s name leaving his name in just a whisper. One that when he himself couldn’t hear. He was drenched in sweat, his naked form all sticky. “Fuck.” He cursed, pulling off the thin grey sheet that barely covered him. The gruesome dreams replayed in his dark mind, sending chills down his spine. It was the first dream he had about Natasha in a while, and he didn’t know what triggered it. He pulled on his boxers and sat on the bed idly, wondering what he should do. There was no way he would go back to sleep, he didn’t want to face Natasha again. His eyes fell onto the laptop on his bedside table and his lips worried a smirk. It was devilish, almost as if Satan cursed himself upon Bucky. He peered out of the window and managed to see through the pitch black darkness that filled your room. You had a pillow between your legs and your sheets were a mess.

You clearly were knocked out, probably still hazy from that hangover. He sat near the window and opened the laptop to enter his password. He carefully typed your name and added his favourite number at the end before pressing the arrow button. It loaded quickly, given that he had harassed the guy down at IT for speedy wifi and advanced technology. He tapped into the cameras that he installed in your house one afternoon whilst you went for a quick run. He rewinded the tape to when you were in the shower, washing your hair. The water had to be cold as he inspected your body language and facial expressions. Seeing the water spill over your body had his cock throbbing between his thick thighs. He watched you slip a hand between your thighs, rubbing the pearl of nerves that had your knees buckling and your eyes rolling back into your skull. No wonder you were knocked out. Your mouth fell open to let out a silent scream and your ministrations on your clit sped up. Bucky’s large cock became fully erected, leaking with pre-cum. He grasped the base and swiped the tip with his thumb, before beginning to stroke himself.

“Fuck.” You both gasped, throwing your heads back.

He swore under his breath and watched you edge yourself. He wondered how many times he could edge you before you couldn’t take it anymore, before you would let those tears fall just for him. He would love to see you break under him, though he knew you were already slightly cracked beneath the lines. You palmed your breasts eagerly before spying the shower head with a smirk. “Such a naughty, dirty girl.” He degraded, letting a moan slip past his plump lips. It was almost as if you heard him, only saying one word. “Yes, yes, yes, yes!” You came undone on your frail, delicate fingers that could barely reach your g-spot. Your creamy cum coated your hand, and you pulled your fingers away from your honey pot. You had the urge to suck your arousal off of your fingers, and Bucky could tell. You hesitatingly stuck them in your mouth and you sucked them clean, which pushed Bucky off the edge of the cliff. His streaks of cum painted themselves on his abdomen, wishing you were there to catch it all in your mouth. He sighed as his cock became flaccid, and you washed your sins away with steaming hot water.

He switched cameras and fast-forwarded to when you dried yourself off with the fluffy towel. You bent down to wipe your legs, giving him a view of your pussy. He paused the camera and admired you for a bit, his breathing becoming more laboured. Your freshly-shaven lips glistened with water droplets, but he wished it was his cum instead. He shut his eyes and muttered incoherent words under his breath. This isn’t wrong! I’m just making sure you’re safe, that’s all. He mindlessly watched your moisturize and get ready for bed, all while jamming out to your favourite song. He could watch you swing your hips for hours, watch you flip your hair until you felt dizzy. And he could, but it’s not as good as he wanted. He wanted to be there with you.

Bucky decided to try and get a few hours of shut-eye, knowing that he’d deeply regret it if he didn’t. He hadn’t noticed that your breathing never slowed. You laid in bed, with your eyes shut. You were teetering on the verge of falling asleep, but your thoughts kept you up.

You wondered how you had managed to fall in love with your neighbour. The neighbour that you had only known for so long. It couldn’t be love, because love is dumb, right? It’s just a crush that makes you feel all sick and happy, a crush that lasts forever. You tossed and turned in your bed, trying to get some rest for once. But sleep never came. Instead, your heavy eyes watched the sun rise until it nearly blinded you. You sighed and rolled out of bed. Your body was almost on auto-pilot. You went downstairs and made yourself a cup of coffee, along with a bagel. You somehow found yourself pulling on a sundress that was a little too revealing for your taste. You admired yourself in the mirror for a bit, wondering what Bucky would think of your outfit. Would he be disgusted? God no, he’s too much of a gentleman. You pushed the negative thoughts out of your mind as you were determined to have a good day. You stared at the book that sat on top of your night stand. Ever since Bucky had gifted it to you, you never opened it up.

You could either read the classic that he gifted, or spend the day looking for a nearby job that would pay well. You chose the former. You gathered all your notebooks and pens, hoping that maybe inspiration will strike you. You went to open your back door, just to find it unlocked. You furrowed your brows with confusion, trying to recall whether or not you locked it. “Probably didn’t.” You muttered under your breath. You shook your head with disappointment — something that your mom constantly would do to you. You shut the door behind you and sat on the sun chair. The sun was bright — maybe a little too bright for you. But it didn’t seem strong enough to harm your soft skin. You flipped to the first page and began to read, but you lost track a few times. You imagined yourself as Catherine, and Bucky as Heathcliff. The story was already wrong in so many ways, but to picture yourself as one of the characters was almost too much. You couldn’t help it though, you really couldn’t. You stopped at the second page and decided to retire the book for the day.

You played with your pen and chewed at your bottom lip, trying to think of a way to start your new story. “Hey, neighbour!” A deep voice called out. You turned your head just to see Bucky peering over the tall white fence. You silently waved at him and gave him a friendly smile. “Got any sugar for me to borrow?” He joked, making you giggle. You shook your head as you played along with him. He put on a frown that made you a little lovesick. It was chilling almost, as if he had practiced those puppy eyes. Your smile faltered slightly, but you kept it on anyways. A flash of darkness struck Bucky when he saw the slight dullness to your lips. “So, writing the next best novel?” He questioned, even though he already knew that you were just writing something for your Tumblr. “Not really, I just have the muse to write.” You meekly explained. He let out an understanding sound, nodding his head as your words sank in. Well, this is awkward… “Why do you write?” he asked, the question making you shoot your head up in a flash. “Pardon?” You scoffed incredulously. “I know you heard me, if you don’t want to talk about it then that’s fine, just curious. Sorry.” He looked down with guilt, making your heart break slightly. God dammit!

Bucky’s manipulative resolve nearly broke when he nearly smirked as he saw your face fall. He began to move away from the fence before you called out his name. “Bucky! Wait, I’m sorry!” You apologized, getting up from your seat. Bucky smiled and turned around to face you. He once again wore those puppy eyes that manage to manipulate you. You apologized profusely, your notebook and pen scattered on the freshly grown grass. “I’ll only accept your apology if you let me hang out with you, doll.” Doll, the nickname had you smiling sweetly. His stoic gaze burned into you as he admired your smile. So fucking gorgeous. “I’ll open the front door for you-” You started, turning away from Bucky. “Actually, I think I can hop over this fence.” He admitted, making your eyes bulge out. Before you could say another word, Bucky swung himself over the tall white fence. “Oh my god.” You whispered in shock, realizing he avoided stepping on your flowers. He smiled at you and began to look around your garden. He acted as if he hadn’t seen it already, as if he hadn’t broken into your home already.

Well, he didn’t break in. You just didn’t let him in nicely.

You noticed the gardening gloves that he donned. “You garden?” You asked with pure curiosity. “Huh? Oh, yeah.” He answered. “Do you always garden? Or have you just started?” You wondered out loud as the heat of the sun grew. He took in your form as he wondered what lie he should choose. “Just started, any tips?” He peeled the gloves off as he spoke. The way he maintained eye contact was intimidating, almost scary. “Eh, not really… Mrs. Carter helped out actually!” You exclaimed, making the awkward tension even worse. Bucky nodded and stalked closer towards you, making you gulp thickly. Why were you so nervous? It’s not like he would hurt you, right? “Relax, I can hear your heart beatin’ fast.” He smiled down at you softly. You hadn’t realized how much bigger he was than you. He towered over you and even blocked the sun from blinding you. “Are you nervous, baby?” He nearly let out a coo when you nodded shyly. The way the tension between you too changed into something else was practically elusive. “I could go for some nice lemonade to be honest.” He smirked.

“L-lemonade?” You questioned. Your brows knitted together with confusion. What did he want from you? “That is what I said, isn’t it?” He looked up at the bright sky as if he was pondering to himself. “O-of course.” You walked away from him and nearly tripped over your feet. He had turned you into a nervous-wreck — you couldn’t even bear to look him in the eyes without shying away. With every few steps you took, you glanced back at Bucky, who was staring right at you. You felt his cold eyes burn into your back until you were out of his sight. Bucky quickly grabbed your notebook and flipped through the pages, before pulling his phone out. He snapped photos of every single thing you’ve written. From novel ideas to entries about your life. “Maybe if you let me in then I wouldn’t have to do all this, doll.” He grumbled. As he flipped through your notebook, something fell out. It landed on his foot but he barely felt the impact of it. He reached down and picked it up, realizing it was a polaroid.

Before he could turn it over, the sound of your feet pattering on the wooden floor screamed at him to set everything back to normal. He hurriedly closed the notebook and picked up your belongings, setting them on the small glass table. He shoved the polaroid in his pocket and smiled at you. “That was fast- where’s the lemonade?” He questioned, making you smile meekly. “It’s inside.” Your voice was small, quiet. He clearly enjoyed the fact that you were intimidated by him, that you were scared of him. You led him into your home and he acted as if he hadn’t been in it already, marvelling at every aspect of your living space. “Can you um, take your shoes off?” You requested, but your tone of voice made it seem like a demand. He raised a challenging eyebrow at you and took his shoes off at a painful pace. C’mon doll, being so rude to a world hero? If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t even be alive at this point. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rude!” You apologize quickly, pouring him a glass of lemonade.

Bucky flashed you a smile that was both sweet and sultry. Oh, the things he did to you. You handed him the cup and watched him drink it all down. Your lemonade-making skills were a bit rusty, but it seemed to you that he enjoyed the refreshment very much. Maybe a little too much. “Y’know, I might have to steal this recipe from ya. It tastes just like the way my ma used to make it.” He stared out into space blankly, his features softening completely as he spoke of his mother. You felt giddy with his praise, and he let out a coo as you looked at the bland kitchen tiles. It’s weird that you hadn’t noticed the faint footstep print. You frowned and tried to think back as to when you stepped into the kitchen with muddy shoes, and you couldn’t recall anything. “What’s wrong doll, hm?” Bucky asked, leaning over the counter. “It’s nothing.” You spoke too soon, which told him that in fact it was something. “So, have you planted any flowers?” You questioned, changing the conversation. Bucky’s jaw clenched as soon as you did, he hated that. “Yeah, some roses, some marigolds and some cosmos and I have yet to plant some asters.” He divulged into the topic of his garden and he slowly began to light up in a way that had you smiling. “The flowers are pretty, just not like you.” He spoke loudly. Your shy smile turned into a grin, and you thanked him.

“Just the truth, doll.” Doll, how many times had that nickname slipped from his lips? No, wrong question. How many times did that nickname make your poor little heart flutter? Bucky smiled as he heard your the pace of your heart beats pick up for the nth time. He walked around the counter slowly, all whilst staring at you like you were his prey. You took a step backwards but his hand on your waist stopped you. “Why? I- I don’t know what you want. Y- You’re confusing me, Buck.” You stammered, but your tone held so much frustration that he understood where you were coming from. “I want you doll, but not like this. No, one day.” His words baffled you and so did his actions. His grip left your waist but it still lingered, and he grabbed his gardening gloves. “Tomorrow, tomorrow we’ll figure this all out, doll.” He spoke softly, smiling at you. He slipped his shoes back and he left you all alone in the kitchen. Your mind replayed everything that had happened, and you were bewildered. “James Buchanan Barnes, could you be any more confusing?” You wondered aloud.

Bucky shut the door behind him and took off his shoes, leaving the gloves on the small table that was beside the door. He walked into the kitchen and plucked the Stark Industries tablet off of its charging pad. With a few gentle taps, he watched you clean up the house impassively. He chuckled, knowing that he had twisted the wires in your mind so much you couldn’t be left some with your thoughts. His long, lithe fingers paused the live video and he admired the way your tongue peaked out of your supple lips in concentration. He spotted the notebook once again and recalled the polaroid he had purloined from you. He pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it over, his eyes going wide at the image that you had kept.

Oh doll, how could you betray me like this?

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blankdblank · 3 years

Text

Brother Dearest Pt 61

“What the hell happened to him? He been faking that damn limp this whole time?” One of the Agents at SSR muttered to Chief Thompson who had just come from the lab Sousa’s team had shoved the irritated returned Chief from the shared lab between their floors. Already his own team was off sleuthing in Harlem for backup on the tip that Venom and Eddie had given them. With a huff through the passing group of Agents Sousa moved towards the elevator doors. And didn’t even make it halfway before Thompson stated with a smirk, “Few days near your sweetheart and you’re all upright, perfect example of bed rest to make a man out of a cripple again.”

Sousa simply pressed the button to call the elevator and tapped his cane against his fake shin that gave off an eye dropping metallic echo the men around him looked to. “New leg. Said in some time might be able to run on it. Just breaking it in.” The doors opened and before he could lower the cane the men watched with mouths opening to his unassisted step inside the lit up room. And when he turned he said, “Need it too, back up lab since you’ve been hogging ours has stairs.”

One of the guys asked, “Where the hell did you get a metal leg?”

While another asked, “How could you afford it?” As two more wondered on where the back up lab was that he’d never heard of before.

Sousa replied, “It was a gift.”

Thompson asked, “Let me guess, Peggy’s crime buddy ex squeeze Stark?”

“Baroness Bunny Pear Howlett.”

Thompson asked to their open mouthed stare, “Guess she’s trying to buy her way to the pearly gates before she kicks it. How’d you meet her?”

“I have a drive to get to the lab or I’d stick around chasing fiction and sit on my hands with you and your team.” He pressed the button and the doors closed cutting off the scoffs from the men who circled to talk more about the source of the new leg.

“Still say it’s a plot for points towards heaven. Heard she gained another ten pounds last week.”

Smirks spread and another in the group said to the stunned stare of one of the women on the floor passing notes to one of the Agent that came from another in a different department and floor. “I was her husband I’d have dumped her somewhere out of sight and mind instead of parading a whale around for clout in the papers.”

Down in the lobby Sousa strolled along all the way out to the lot where he climbed into his car and muttered, “Alright, let’s go follow a lead from an alien and his pregnant sister.” He shifted gears to the hum of the engine and pulled out of the lot to start the drive to the Hamptons where Stark’s mansion was located. Stretches of city were swapped for long patches of green with sprawling mansions that he sighed wondering how many years it would take him to save to afford one of these houses if he cared. And how many of these people actually owned these houses outright or had unimaginable mortgages on these marble accented wonders.

He couldn’t imagine a life in the city after his having grown up in a small town, but his sister did need him around. Sure it was just for weekly check ins and a monthly babysitting stop to let her and her husband have the night off. Always where he would be asked about his own future upon their return, now more than ever that his engagement had ended and he was back in town where he was just a floor away from the woman he hadn’t named to his sister that had caught on to his helpless pining. He had missed his sister and now that he had come back the townhouse he had been renting from his friend who had with the first offer stated one day he would be up to selling the place if he had gotten attached. It wasn’t much compared to the farmhouse he had grown up in but by chance if he could build up the nerve to take his chance and ask Peggy out just maybe she might like it for a family home of their own.

Stark’s drive however came into view and he sighed taking the turn and muttered, “Fingers crossed he’s in a helpful mood today.”

Off to the side of the front door he parked and spotted a curtain from above shift in notice of the company and out he climbed to make the walk to the door where he paused to fidget his hand on his cane before giving the front door a knock. Not two minutes later Jarvis was at the door that opened between them with a flinch of a smile, “Chief Sousa, how might I help you?”

“Mr Jarvis, I was wondering if I could talk to Howard actually.”

“Um,” he said to the faint sound of a one sided argument from a female and things being thrown and he stated, “Mr Stark is currently entertaining, however you are welcome to wait in the parlor.” Sousa nodded and stepped through the door that was shut behind them for the stroll through the echo filled mansion to the lushly decorated parlor where Jarvis asked, “Tea?”

“Sure,” Sousa answered and took a seat on the small couch closest to him.

For a few minutes he shook his head and bit back his ache to laugh at the insults fired at Stark until the faint sound of the kettle brought Jarvis back with a tea cart. Upon it with skillful ease he brought together a trio of cups while the tea steeped and asked, “If I may, are you here on official business, Chief Sousa?”

“Unofficially, yes,” that had Jarvis glance up at him, “Guys downstairs are hogging the lab and I was wondering if Stark might loan me use of his.”

That had Jarvis grin, “Oh, how exciting, new gadget?” A door slammed and he set down the napkin in his hand with a grin at him and said, “Pardon me a moment.”

Sousa nodded and watched him stroll out of the room adjusting his vest and tie to gather the belongings left by the door where around the still shouting woman he grinned in draping her wrap around her shoulders and offered her the handbag that had been left with it and stated, “Have a lovely day, Miss DeCoco.” Her thanks was soon followed by another shout to Stark who was now at the base of the stairs to watch her storm to the sports car she sped off in. Once the door was shut again Jarvis was heard to state, “Mr Stark,”

“Ya, I know, I’ll never learn my lesson. Time to go punish myself with a bubble bath.”

“Mr Stark,” Stark turned his head with brows raised and Jarvis continued, “Chief Sousa is here.”

“Oh, perhaps I should get dressed if I’m going to be arrested.”

“He stated he is here to borrow your lab actually.”

“Oh,” he said in a stunned tone and down the steps trotted in his untucked shirt and badly wrinkled pajama pants that lay over the top of his slippers. “Interesting.” To the door he went and strolled in with a grin and said, “Don’t get up, Daniel, how are you?” offering his hand to the man he approached who’d paused in his reach for his cane and shook the hand offered to him.

“Better than you it sounds like. Lovers quarrel?”

Stark shook his head with a grin at the release of hands stating, “Difference of opinions. I’ll send some scarves and a new purse and she’ll be more than happy to apologize.”

Sousa smirked, “So that’s what that was, denial, a lot quieter in my house growing up.”

Stark asked, “So what goodies did you bring to my doorstep? Jarvis says you asked to borrow my lab.”

After a reach into his jacket inner pocket he unfolded the sheet kept there while Jarvis poured the tea, “Part of my case I came back from LA to follow has some vanishing tech from a guy that came from Barbados. Well, I got a tip where to find him and the invisible ship he’s apparently been using to get around.”

“Vanishing tech, lot of people would love to get their hands on that.”

Sousa nodded, “Especially why we have to take him in and find out who else knows how to make it. However I got a tip on a compound to use to interfere with the tech. Pretty common ingredients, just couldn’t get it from her since she’s pregnant and all. Unsafe for the baby.”

Stark’s eyes flinched wider a moment and swept over the Chief asking, “Pregnant? Who gave you the compound?��

Sousa, “Oh, right, forgot to mention, Baroness Bunny Howlett.”

Stark’s face split into an amused grin, “How’d you get her roped into this case of yours?”

“Oh, her brother’s investigation mixed with mine and he caught some tips for me. Peggy knows them fairly well apparently, said they can be trusted and I mean it can’t hurt to try with what I’m up against.”

Stark accepted the sheet and chuckled saying, “Oh I gotta read this. Knew she was holding back on me.”

“Peggy?” Sousa asked accepting his cup of tea.

Stark nodded in response to his and replied, “Bunny. Babies, by the way.”

Sousa, “Must be twins by the size, no offense to her, and they all keep saying girls, as if they know for certain.”

Stark chuckled stating, “Triplets, actually,” parting the Chief’s lips. “She’s got a pretty good instinct on that from what I heard from the Brocks, can always tell a pregnancy before a blood test can by what they say.” Over the page his eyes shifted to the complex equations and diagrams of chemicals needed and reactions followed by one on how to fold the mixture into balloons. “This is way more complex than I would guess a second year student capable. Seems she’s been studying up on her own time. You must have shared a great deal on the tech with her for her to think up a way to counter it.”

“Venom did, apparently.”

Stark chuckled, “Come on Daniel, his name is Eddie. You can’t tell me you think Venom is real, some human eating monster brought on by a bite from a radioactive lizard. Bet it’d be amusing for them to hear you call him that.”

Sousa forced out a chuckle in curiosity if Stark had been let in on the secret, as obviously Peggy knew and only made him wonder why she hadn’t let him in on the fact that those comics were based on more fact than fiction. “Well apparently she’s been helping him to find a way to counter the tech from some diagrams in his own case which could be pretty deadly if they actually make it.” He took a sip and watched Stark read it again.

Jarvis asked after his own sip when he’d sat down, “How is she faring, Mrs Bunny? The papers, have not been particularly kind.”

Sousa caught his gaze answering, “She mentioned she was tired, she’s acting as Judge for some mock trials in school. Seemed to be a bit amused by some of the stories. Said they have a story planned when winter ends and she can’t hide the belly anymore.”

Jarvis said, “Perhaps we might drop in to make certain she is faring well.”

Stark said in a look up from the pages to say, “I’ve tried talking to the Times. Even been trying to stir up some bigger stories, but they are bent on chronicling Bunny’s health with every trash tip they claim to get. Today’s paper has a whole rehash of that frog dissection report and how that would equal a human’s autopsy if they had those results. Just trash, if anything that amount of metal in the body would leech moisture not allow a person to grow twice their usual size.” He lifted his cup and said to Jarvis’ glance his way, “She’s adorable pregnant, you know what I meant, she had to be what, 80 pounds wet, bound to be a reckoning when she puts that story out.”

A few sips later to the share of more plans Stark paused mid sentence at notice of the dark metal limb opposite the socked leg in view and said, “You um, that’s a new leg isn’t it?”

Sousa looked at him and said, “Oh, yes, the Baroness made it for me.”

Jarvis, “It was my impression she preferred not to be named by that title by friends.”

Stark, “She made you a leg? Out of what?”

“Metal, don’t know why gave it to me the second time I’d seen her. Fits shockingly comfortable. Said my old leg had lead in the securing brace that was leeching into my body and this one would be safer for me and help me to run again eventually when I’m used to it.”

Stark asked in a stunned tone, “Really?” Then glanced at his leg again and said, “Well, if you don’t mind I can watch you strut your stuff on the new leg down to our lab.”

“Nowhere near to strutting yet.” He said then joined the others on their feet to make the walk to the lab which gave Stark plenty of chance to steal glances at his eased stride after such little time with it. “So you have everything on the list, right?” His eyes having shifted away from Jarvis in his entrance of the code needed to unlock the lab.

Stark said, “Oh yes,” following Jarvis inside the room that lit up to the flick of a few switches that Sousa looked around while Stark gathered up a few things along the way to a bare station. Including a small device used to test metal contents, “fairly common ingredients by the look of it. Wouldn’t imagine they could do much of anything, but if Bunny says it should work then best to give it a try. No telling what she can pull out of her bag of tricks.”

He settled that helping of ingredients down Jarvis once he’d removed his jacket and folded up his sleeves got to arranging and finding the proper containers listed in your notes to prep and mix all of it in. Then paused at the final note, “Balloons?”

Sousa said, “She said that you have to keep it in latex, anything else it would eat through.”

Stark muttered to himself, “None of these are corrosive when mixed…” then looped around with more ingredients while Jarvis turned in a puzzled circle.

Jarvis, “We have latex gloves, no balloons.”

Stark said, “We have balloons,” pulling a package of grey balloons from a drawer in a desk along the way he added to the spread across the station and made a loop around Sousa to use the metal contents device on his leg. A single sweep of it and his confusion grew to the puzzling readings that there were no known metals in the known universe in it. “What metal did Bunny say she used?”

Sousa turned to see the device in his hand and answered, “She didn’t.”

Stark showed him the device, “Must have made a new one then, because this says there aren’t any metals in it.” After a pause they turned back to the task at hand and the Chief watched the duo work through the intricate directions that seemed to alter the known reactions of the ingredients. All entirely to puzzle the pair all the more on how you of all people had found them out and how this could react to the tech the Chief was up against.

Partway through the lift of a heated beaker underneath the fume hood as per instructions to be mixed into a cooled mixture in a silver bowl Sousa said, “I know you’re dying to ask more about the leg. Go on.”

Stark asked, “She just gave you a leg?”

Sousa said, “Said it’d help me keep up with Peggy. Seems like she just wants to help. Mentioned her relatives escaped a death camp,” that had Jarvis’ eyes on him, “And they’d seen a couple they were ordered to clear I guess and she was a Medic.” Jarvis looked away, “I mean she’s got that Medic rank maybe she wants to be a Doctor or work with the wounded.”

Jarvis asked, “You said Death Camps, her relatives escaped one?”

“Ya, Auschwitz, her aunt and cousin. Met them in France after they stormed Normandy Beach on D-Day. Haven’t met them yet, but if they’re anything like her and her brother should be a trip.”

Jarvis, “I believe Mrs Bunny has the best intentions for her education. And by your leg alone could change the lives of countless former soldiers at the very least.”

The final mixture came with a balloon to be folded over the fingers to pinch two knuckles worth of the creamy mixture that would upon the pinch of the balloon turned right side up to ease a tea spoon of the other mixture that almost had the men gag for the rancid grapefruit odor it gave off before each balloon was tied off and added to a bag for the Chief. “I’ll be damned,” Stark muttered to the sizzle of his having used the same spoon to scrape off the final creamy mixture than within moments ate the spoon he dropped into the mixture entirely. “She wasn’t kidding.”

Sousa peering over his shoulder muttered, “I don’t think she does that.”

Stark smirked, “Oh she has jokes, probably just missed some. She’s a master of subtlety is my guess with her humor.”

“One thing I cannot imagine her to be anything less than subtle. Title demands it no doubt.”

Stark smirked replying, “She married the title, grew up to barely a dime to her name. Could care less about that title so long as she got James out of the deal.”

Jarvis, “It is so pleasing to know she is so deep in love for all the hassle the press has given her since her retirement from the war.”

Sousa asked, “Where’d they even meet anyways, him being a Baron and all?” His eyes scanned between the duo and he asked to their shared disbelieving glance at each other, “What? What am I missing?”

Jarvis, “They met in the war.”

Stark, “Everyone knows this, it was in all the papers. Eddie had custody of her and he got drafted to the Canadian Forces. The hospital on the base Eddie got drafted to Bunny was a Nurse there then it got attacked.” This parted Sousa’s lips, “Eddie hacked off her hair and gave her a uniform, pack and gun and kept her with him while they were sent on their missions. Military counted her as a POW till a couple years later she ran into Victor and James’ platoon they mingled with. Not long after she got shot in the shoulder and was given a field promotion to Medic, E-4? I think. Then the world knew she was alive and safe out of Nazi hands. Somewhere in there they got sent on separate missions then met up at Normandy. That last year they stuck it out then got shipped straight to King George to be medaled and then out to Canada for her to get her GED and they met Truman somewhere in there and then she went on her University tour and settled on Barnard.”

“She got shot in the shoulder?”

Jarvis, “And the neck,” Only widening the Chief’s eyes more, “And there was mention of a facial grazing.”

Sousa, “She got shot three times above the ribs?!”

Stark, “Hard to imagine how badly she could have been hurt without that magnetic powered weapon she made that kept her men safe and was able to take out panzers and planes. Heard they got put on some harrowing details for their reputations.”

Sousa said, “I’m sorry, I can’t get past the she got shot in the face and neck part. I saw her, from several angles.”

Jarvis, “She was remarkably fortunate in her healing scar free from her injuries.”

Stark patted Sousa on the shoulder, “It’s alright Daniel, give it a few more visits and read up on her a bit, head down to The Blue Bonnet in lower Manhattan they’re playing a rerun of their wedding reel and the news clips they have on her in some sort of romantic retaliation for those headlines these days. Even some comics of theirs, helps to build up some socialization with the living mystery she is, well, the whole lot of them are.”

Sousa nodded and took hold of the bag, “Well, um, thank you for this. I have to get back and try to see if I can reach Eddie to plan a drop in tonight on my perp. Be a real thrill to catch my guy before Thompson catches his Weasel Bomber.”

Jarvis, “How have they not caught him yet?”

Sousa shrugged, “He’s got the whole floor except for Peggy on the case and all he’s won is a whole library of books and evidence that actually is from the case Eddie is searching on so they’ve been chasing an imaginary tail. Just ridiculous.”

Jarvis, “Could you not simply inform this Thompson that he is working on irrelevant evidence from an unrelated matter?”

Sousa smirked and said, “No, if the moron can’t figure his foot for a clue he shouldn’t have been given that promotion. But he’s too good at kissing ass than I could ever be to have been chosen against.”

Stark smirked back, “You got that promotion too old man.” Beginning to lead him off back to the front door.

Sousa rolled his eyes and replied, “They were desperate and I was the only one with enough time under my belt.”

Jarvis, “Sometimes necessity can be quite a virtue to have on your side. You have done more than earn the rank and now you have your own team here.”

“Who hate being stuck on my team. Rather be with the fun boys on Thompson’s floor.”

Jarvis, “Well then perhaps one might be traded for Peggy one day and you might have a worthy asset to your team.”

Sousa chuckled and answered, “Baroness has her way it would be best I wasn’t her superior.”

Stark smiled openly at him and clapped a hand on his back, “Well done, I’m hoping you mean in a matter of work positions, bout time we had another member on the team to know how happy you would make each other. And it’s nice to see Peggy gaining some strong women to back her outside of work. Hard to find someone on equal footing for her I would imagine. Plus Bunny has quite the mischievous streak in her. Hell of a pair.”

Sousa asked, “Have you guys seen that Lizard guy they’re putting up a billboard of over on the East Side?”

Jarvis, “Can’t say I have.”

Stark said, “I heard some big wigs have a big order from DC to post some new ‘official PR’ for one of their new show ponies.”

Sousa, “Why do they need a new show pony?”

Stark, “WW2 is over, Cold War is brewing though. Need someone’s face to slap on those posters now that Cap’s been bought out of their use.”

Sousa’s lips parted and Jarvis explained, “Mrs Bunny owns her brother’s image in and out of the uniform. Which the shield we hear is no longer in the Government vaults.”

Sousa, “Someone stole it?!”

Stark smirked and said, “Or someone took it home where it’d be looked after.”

Sousa muttered, “Home, you mean to his sister? What would she have need for that relic? Sledding with the kids?”

Stark chuckled and Jarvis stated in an amused tone, “That would be an amusing and handy use of the old hubcap.”

Stark more for himself than Sousa stated, “Well she certainly didn’t melt it down for that leg of yours. Vibranium would have been picked up by my scanner. No doubt if she’s got it nobody will see where she’s tucked it away. Just by chance he dropped it anyways, one of the last things he touched.”

They paused at the front door and Sousa said, “Victor said she has his pictures up in the library to honor their mother. To not pretend like he never existed. I can’t imagine, said he abandoned her for the war when she was a kid. Why would she have his picture up?”

Stark replied in a hinted solemn but steady tone, “Because she’s ‘not in the business of destroying little girl’s heroes’. What she told me. Why she shares about Bucky to his sisters and mom, he was all she had and he called her a monster. If you ask me, I think she saw him over there. Mentioned once how pitiful his shows were for the troops. If anyone could keep his memory from being trapped in that forever she would. Steve hated that damn show the minute he did it for the boys over there and not people back home who cheered and clapped.”

Sousa, “People who were out there dying, you mean.”

Stark answered, “Then he ran off on his own to news Bucky got taken prisoner. Had his boots on the ground after that till he took a nose dive in that plane.”

Jarvis, “I don’t imagine it would make much difference to put his photos away. He would still be there, all those years together, would still be there. Everything he said, and did, or lack thereof. Sometimes the silence and unanswered questions can be devastating enough.”

Sousa, “I just can’t seem to get a good read on her. I normally have a good radar for people. But her and her family, I don’t know about them.” The bag in his hand was lifted a little bit and he stated, “Thanks again. Let you know how it goes with the balloons.”

Stark said to his back, “Above all, have fun with it. My good balloons are involved.” The Chief chuckled on his way to his car to make the drive back.

Up against the wall you rested your hand in a moment’s pause once you’d hung up the phone after the call from the Blair House, where President Truman and his family were currently living to let the White House receive much needed repairs. He hadn’t asked again on progress of your pregnancy, yet shared he could have another word with the papers to ease up if they continued on like this when he was set for his next event. This call however came with news that out of respect for you they had found another mascot for their propaganda campaign for this new war on the hope front. Steve was at one time all you had and in that prior purchase of the comics Truman had enforced that ownership of everything Cap to sever that government owned tag from Steve’s ear to spare you pain of his face plastered everywhere once again. The big reveal would be at an event smack in the summer break when you would be in Canada and he said that once it did come out something might be done if you wished to show support publicly. But that would not be required.

Princess Elizabeth had responded to your latest letter in the trade off correspondence and even in her gleeful description of her enjoyment of the book you had gifted the couple for their vows the trunk hidden back in Canada kept popping back into your mind. It had been well over a year now since Truman had it sent to you personally that you had moved with you back there and buried like James and Vic had buried their own treasure hoards you had helped them to unearth and go through.

You had asked Peggy about a secret love child but somehow now thoughts of how his children would have grown up next to yours kept showing their faces like tiny prairie dogs you couldn’t shake while your date grew closer. But that tether had come to an end when the two hadn’t been physical, though not entirely fruitless as you learned by means of another Beserker on earth’s skilled studies that a sperm sample had been collected once from Steve and had been kept on ice in a facility. That upon the discovery to a more advanced facility had fallen prey to a freak accident and was leveled and the sample hidden away for when you might want use of it. Along with notes of the several failed tries of fertilization into volunteers by a group of scientists. By their inspection the sample was still viable and now under their care could last much longer and when the others would arrive there would be ample up to acting as surrogate for you.

But that would all be brushed away from your mind for now once again at the kick of your own girls who would send you back to the sketches you had been working up for the Manor finishing touches when you got back. Papers already had been bought before your trip back to Brooklyn and left there to install upon your return. Colored pencils helped to choose paint shades alongside paint swatches the guys had gathered and the duo helped to design some more furniture to go with what would be divided up to fill each of your wings by means of some books they flipped through. Every one of them secured answer that you were calming upon plans of the move. None more so than a mural of sketches on easels now set aside would be painted and hung when the basic paint smells didn’t make your stomach want to turn after the birth. The plans had been solidified nearly and on the page alone the Brocks who had come over the night prior had fallen in love with the changes to your new family home.

State vs Raslo, Tillinghast, Luckstrim

District Attorney Willie Abraham stood in front of the female student playing the 23 year old Christina Flanagan while she recounted her memory of the Defendant Jesse Rasslo on his way about the building in the process of stealing the information of ownership on each of the liquidated assets. “And you are certain it was Mr Rasslo? And not any chance it could have been anyone else?”

“I could point that hideous burnt orange and fuchsia leaf patterned fiasco of a vest he always wears out of a crowd. And if you mean his face I got a good look when he got into the elevator. It’s directly across from the store room I found a hole punch in to replace mine someone had run off with the week prior. Hard to get that ugly mug out of your mind after you see it with all of his tries at playing Casanova anytime he catches wind of a skirt nearby.”

The male student smirked and asked, “And when was the next time you saw Mr Rasslo?”

“Later on at the party. Came in far more gussied up than usual and made it a point to be social. Like he had to talk to everyone in the room. But then that’s when Miss Tillinghast began to try and put on a sort of one woman musical show and I excused myself to the other end of the room where I saw Mr Rasslo talking to Mr Virgil, who then left the room.”

“Did he seem angry?”

“No, determined, like he’d won something. Every time he won something he would get this one look on his face.” From the crowd now Jarvis, Stark and Peggy were added to the mix. All seemingly impressed of these cases they had caught up on with wonder on what two were next. “The same one Mr Gordon got a few minutes later when Mr Rasslo side stepped his way through the crowd to talk to him too. The brothers left and then it was like a switch flipped and Mr Rasslo joined Miss Tillinghast in her one woman show to keep all eyes on them. Only I couldn’t go hide in the toilet anymore as the lines for those grew and then by the time I’d found another for the catering staff in their office we heard the alarm sound and we all started to file out to wait for the cops to arrive to see what was wrong.”

Impressively a large board with the blueprints of a building to stand as example for the company was used by her and the DA in her show of where everyone was by use of markers and taped up sketches of ‘photographs’ taken from that evening by the team that was usually hired. This was what the Defense teams tried to attack and when they had failed in their tries to do so she flashed you a relieved smile in her being excused from the bench to exit the courtroom again now that her part was done.

And next came the pretend 37 year old, who a student with a blanket shoved into his shirt complete with an all crème suit and hat he carried once removed to play up his part of the back story on the gun expert down to a butchered Southern accent. More large pictures were used to discredit the possible bit of testimony that could exonerate the Defendants on trial if anyone believed the malformation of guns as he stated they were formed. The proper analysis of the evidence of trajectory came next along with copies of sketches of the crime scene supplied to yourself, the General, the Jury and the Prosecution to show that things were thrown both on top of one of the casings while a book found underneath Virgil had another bullet lodged inside of it showing that the so called robbery ploy was used to hide the evidence of the true scuffle. Sketches of blood stains on the carpet came next in larger size to show their hypothesis of who died first and how like footprints and arrows that led to the next clues. All of these things were noted by the impressed author of the case who saw that without the chunk of his case he so badly wanted to have gone other ways than this.

“The State rests, Your Honor.” Mr Abraham stated in the conclusion of the testimony of their fourth witness and your eyes shifted to the Defense for wonder on how their witnesses would go the next time you were together and the case with the sound of the gavel was paused to resume at the next date given for a couple days off and you excused yourself for a mini break. The buzz of the crowd waxed and waned in the switch of the teams and comments shared by the Judges, Professors and student Press here for the trial. Of course only to dim again upon your return to show things were headed back on track.

Firske & Hahn vs Glubb Insurance

Four witnesses filled up the remainder of the time. Louis Levard was first. Age 41 who was the GP Doctor Injured parties were sent to by Ins company. With a smile Mr Bressler questioned him after hearing what the injuries were and then promptly frowned beside his partner in Defense Mr Winters to watch Mr Urton stand with human anatomy chart in hand he taped up with help of Officer Browen on the supplied easel to dig into each of the flaws of the statement he had given. The author for this case shifted uncomfortably in his seat to each mistake named and made note of them to be marked later in his report and stole glances your way as others did for the cool expression on your face and occasional tick of your brow to each note you made yourself. Fully by the end of Mr Winters retaliatory questions the crowds could see just why his license was being challenged.

Wallace Walstead of the seasoned age of 51 was next. The Eye Doctor who felt the same fire from the oven he had been seated upon since the moment of being sworn in also with a challenged license. The student’s clear study into the anatomy of the eye led to a shaky but useful dissection of another anatomy chart that proved Miss Hahn’s injuries to her eye were far greater than put on by the Insurance Doctor.

Samuel Strenberg Age 39 came next for the most amusing one yet. Paid for several cases for their testimonies as it was revealed by use of copies of the bank notices added to the case to go with fake court dates and snippets from each trial where they played the satisfied patient. The audience watched with amused smiles while you shifted back in your seat with ample notes being taken to keep from smiling openly to the nearly awed expression on the author’s face to how this one throwaway witness he had written was being used by Mr Urton for the injured parties.

And lastly, smug as hell Bob Kleeman all of 47, Ins Rep on policy for coverage nearly had to be drug off the stand y the end of his testimony within which he defends his stance that since they didn’t go to approved Doctors first to be referred to ER’s afterwards they are responsible for all charges. Even against all the evidence, diagrams and otherwise, he held firm and heated up the room to a degree that had everyone pleased to call it a day by the time the gavel fell.

Into the halls people pooled with excited chatter on how the end of this phase of the case had gone with hopes that the witnesses for the Defense on the murder case would go the next day the court would be called. Stark however found your side and smiled stating, “Very well done on choosing these cases.”

“Oh I didn’t choose them. Just led them a bit out of the gutter.” Your eyes shifted to some of the awed Science students and you said, “I think you might be paraded around a bit today.”

His head shook, “Easy return for the show you gave us. Enjoy your classes. Gladly play show pony in return for today.”

Peggy with a smirk wished you a comfy next class, a sentiment that Jarvis shared in his own amused send off and shift to follow Stark as if to keep him from being eaten by the crowds that pooled around him to grant you a clearer walk with your family to the next class you had.

Pt 62

All –

@sherala007, @mariannetora, @jesgisborne, @knitastically, @catthefearless, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000, @alishlieb,

Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore

X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @changlingkhat

Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam, @swoopswishsward

#Daniel Sousa #Jarvis #Howard Stark #Borrowing Stark's Lab #Hashing up the past #Questions #Mysteries #New Mascot to Come #Failed Baby Cap Experiments #Mock Trials #Peggy Carter

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heartsofbeskar · 3 years

Text

from the ashes

chapter four | read on AO3

din djarin x oc

WARNINGS: potential mild self harm, swearing

WORDS: 2.1K

EXCERPT: Her anger seethed beneath her skin like an ocean, and he could feel the waves crashing just below the surface when he stood next to her. He couldn’t blame her. He was waiting for her to crash her emotions down on him at any moment, because Din knew he was the one who’d convinced her to take this job, and therefore an easy target for them. But, to her credit, she at least kept them contained to her own body.

He knew too well what it was to lose people that he’d put in danger in the first place.

MASTERLIST | SERIES MASTERLIST

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Her mind was numb as she picked up Jula’s stiff body, ignoring the Mandalorian’s offers for help, and carried her towards the garden she knew Jula kept around the back.

Sweet, innocent, Jula, who tended to her ships and her vegetables, and hesitated to even spray her homemade pesticide with the knowledge of the insects it would kill. The galaxy was a cruel bitch to take someone like her, especially like this.

Ten found a flowerbed between some groupings of her herbs, and gently laid the small girl down on top of them. With her eyes closed and a woolen blanket covering her chest, she really did appear to be asleep. At peace. She wished she could bury the girl, but they didn’t have the tools or the time to spare.

She swore, turning around to the nearby tree and slamming her fists into it. She felt the rough bark split open her skin, and rubbed her hands in harder, deepening.

“She was your friend?” A deep voice came from the building entryway. She didn’t know how long he’d stood there silently.

“She deserved to live way more than you or I do.” Ten removed her hands from the tree, flexing them in front of her. Some beads of blood had smeared on her fingers. Looking at the Mandalorian, he nodded mutely.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

She scoffed, moving past him and heading back towards the ship. “You think it was a coincidence someone shot her in the chest after we took this job? After I called her for repairs? This was fucking Imps. An execution.”

He followed her back into the hangar. “She’s been dead for hours. This was planned; there was nothing you could have done.”

“I could’ve let her live here in peace and not be involved with me,” she said, beginning to rifle through the organized crates of parts. The ship was still going to need repairs, after all. “You know what this means, right?”

As she began to separate out parts she knew she needed, he stayed silent. Ten rolled her eyes.

“Do you trust Karga?” she asked, stopping and turning to face him.

“I do.”

“Then there’s a rat in his circle. Someone knows about this job and about me and about my damn mechanic, and I’d be willing to bet it’s one of the job financiers. This is a warning.”

“Could someone have bugged the ship?”

She shook her head. “Possible, but not likely, I have proximity alarms.”

“If it’s a warning…” his modulated voice trailed off. “We need to move quickly.”

“No,” she said, still shaking her head. “No, they have all the information we do, if we go after the informants, they’ll get to them first.”

“Do you have a better idea, then?” he pressed, shifting his feet slightly. She moved her eyes to stare into his visor.

“What else do you do with a rat? We flush it out.”

—

They spent the better half of the afternoon combing the ship for bugs and then, when they found none as Ten had expected, loading the parts she said they needed into the main hold.

Part of Din — likely the part that was remembering Kuiil and Grogu and the people he’d tried to protect — felt guilty for pillaging this poor dead girl’s shop. But a more logical part of him knew they needed it, and the girl wasn’t around to use the parts anymore anyways.

He could see Ten was trying to act unbothered by the whole thing, but she was failing miserably. Her anger seethed beneath her skin like an ocean, and he could feel the waves crashing just below the surface when he stood next to her. He couldn’t blame her. He was waiting for her to crash her emotions down on him at any moment, because Din knew he was the one who’d convinced her to take this job, and therefore an easy target for them. But, to her credit, she at least kept them contained to her own body.

He knew too well what it was to lose people that he’d put in danger in the first place.

They both knew they were on borrowed time on this planet. Imperials had been here, not long ago, and knew they were coming. Even if they had just intended to scare them off by murdering the mechanic, staying there would be stupid.

“We need somewhere close by where I can attempt the repairs,” she said, once they’d loaded the ship and sat in the cockpit. “Unpopulated would be best.”

Her mismatched eyes scanned the chart displayed between them. Din made himself refocus.

“Looks like there’s a small belt of asteroids a couple hours from here,” he said, pointing. “Can we make it there? The caverns would shield us from surface scans.”

“As good a shithole as any other,” was all she said before locking it in and sending them into hyperspace. She didn’t look back once at the planet where they’d laid her friend to rest in the small back garden. Din found he couldn’t help but ask.

“She was your friend, wasn’t she?”

Ten sighed, and he could see her jaw clench. He regretted asking, and was glad when he thought she wasn’t going to answer.

“Her father built this ship. She took over his shop when he got sick.” She leaned back in the pilot seat, crossing her arms. “I should never have gone back after he died.”

She said nothing more, and Din didn’t ask further. For the first time since boarding the Ursa, he pulled out the small metal sphere from his belt, his fingers slowly rolling it back and forth.

He wasn’t sure how long they sat there in silence before he looked at Ten again. He was surprised to see her eyes were closed now, hands resting on her thighs. Her breathing was even, but her back was straight, and Din couldn’t tell if she was asleep. His gaze returned to her hands. They were thin, nimble, he was sure they had to be to handle the knives she seemed to covet so much. Scars littered them, zagging in all directions, creating a web over her hands. He looked back to her face.

“Can I help you?” she asked suddenly. Her eyes were still closed, her head facing forward.

“Pardon?”

“You’re staring at me.”

How the fuck did she know that? “I thought you were asleep.”

She still kept her eyes closed. “I’m meditating. Ever heard of it?”

“I wouldn’t have taken you to be the type.”

“Because you know me so well.”

“You seem to think you know me.”

Her eyes finally opened at this, sliding over to him. For a moment, Din thought he felt his chest tighten and his breathing shallow, as if someone was stepping on him. But she looked away and it stopped, and he couldn’t be sure he hadn’t imagined it.

She studied him for a moment. “Prove me wrong, then, Mandalorian.”

He rolled his eyes, standing to leave the cockpit. “You can call me Mando.”

—

“Shit!” she exclaimed, banging her fist against the metal looming above her. The sound reverberated through the floor of the ship. They’d been on the asteroid a little over a day, she estimated, and Ten had spent most of that time underneath the Ursa, trying to fix its botched landing systems.

She didn’t have much to show for it, however.

A sense of frustration was beginning to settle in the bones of her body. Her exposed skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat and oil and Maker knew what else. And Ten knew the wall of exhaustion was creeping up on her as well. If they didn’t get off this damn asteroid soon, she was going to have a serious problem.

“Not going well?” a modulated voice came from the direction of her feet where they stuck out from underneath the ship.

“What do you think?” she replied, gritting her teeth. “I never said I was a damn mechanic.”

“What do you think the problem is?”

“Well if I knew that, I could probably have it fixed by now,” she snapped, that frustration wrapping even tighter in her insides. It was somewhat unlucky for the Mandalorian that he just happened to be the only one here to take out her emotions on.

As she reached for a new tool, she suddenly felt pressure on her ankle. Before she could react, it pulled, yanking her in one fluid motion out from under the Ursa. She glared up into the visor which was now in front of her.

“You’re damn lucky it’s just the two of us on this rock, or I would stab you in the neck,” she seethed. His gloved hand remained tight on her ankle.

“When was the last time you slept?” he asked, voice even. Damn that modulator.

“You’re concerned about my beauty sleep now?”

He sighed, tightening his grip. “When was it?” Ten thought maybe she heard a hint of anger creeping into the baritone. Maybe.

“I don’t know, Mando, maybe … I think a couple of hours after we left Nevarro.” She tried to act nonchalant, but she knew her body was not pleased. But she had done worse stretches than this in the past.

“You should sleep,” he said, finally releasing her ankle. He straightened to stand at full height. “I can try some repairs while you do.”

“No, Mando, it’s fine, I just need a minute,” she insisted, also standing.

“You’re not fine,” he said. “And you’re going to be less fine as time goes on. Sleep.” Obviously considering the matter closed, he began to walk away, towards some of the tools and parts she’d strewn on the rocky ground.

“I…” she struggled for words, not wanting to say it out loud, but floundering for another excuse. “I can’t sleep if I’m not in hyperspace. It doesn’t feel safe enough … So there’s no point anyway.”

He stilled but didn’t turn around, surveying the ground. She almost wondered if he hadn’t heard. She hoped he hadn’t. Finally—

“I can keep watch, if you’d like.”

She was taken aback, processing his words for longer than necessary. “What?”

“While you sleep. I can sit in the hull, keep watch, wake you if anything happens. Would that work?”

“I—” she fumbled for what to say for a moment. No one had ever offered something so … kind to her. At least, not in many years. “Maybe. I should shower first.”

He said nothing else, nodding.

In the refresher, she stripped herself of clothes, grimacing at the stickiness of her skin. The warm water wrapped around her body as it massaged her muscles. Bracing her arms against the walls of the shower, she took a moment to close her eyes. Jula’s serene face appeared on her eyelids.

Mando was in the hull when she finished, cleaning one of his blasters. He didn’t acknowledge her presence as she passed by him and got into her hammock, for which she was grateful.

She pinched the bridge of her nose as she lay there, starting up at the ship’s metal ceiling. Time stretched on in the silence between them, as it often seemed to. She felt silly, and had half a mind to tell Mando to go try repairs. She settled on distraction, instead.

“Mando?” Ten heard a responding hum from across the room. “On Nevarro … you said you never used to care. Wouldn’t have taken a job like this. What changed?”

She heard some shuffling, then a sigh. “You … were right about what you said. About bounties. I took a job for an Imp. He was offering beskar.” He paused, as if waiting for her to become enraged. But she just shut her eyes. He continued. “But the bounty they wanted … he was just a child. An infant, really. I don’t even know what they wanted him for. I couldn’t hand him over. I didn’t. That’s when it changed.”

A child. It seemed strange that was apparently the key to melt the Mandalorian beskar heart. Ten pondered it, but didn’t ask anything more. Their silence resumed, as it had before.

Darkness pulled her under all at once, and then she was asleep, with the Mandalorian’s steady presence standing guard.

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