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#take aim and reload
emily-prentits · 5 months
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wip wednesday (thursday)
tagged by @sillyfroggremlin and @crime-wives!!
disclaimer: writers block is a bitch. i haven't actually written in weeks BUT i'll give some snippets anyway <3
lately she's undressing for revenge (chapter 6):
Derek is the one she wants. She wants things to be simple again, to go back to casual lips pressed to cheeks and coffee in between surgeries and warm smiles at inside jokes, but they can’t. They’re broken and she doubts they can be that close again, like a chasm has opened up between them and is still pulling them apart. She’s still half-sure that Derek still wants Meredith, and that Meredith still wants Derek, in some way, shape, or form. Maybe the problem lies in the fact that she wants Meredith more than she wants Derek, now, that when she closes her eyes she’s seeing Meredith, missing Meredith, needing Meredith.
Take Aim and Reload:
“Addie!” Amelia practically bounces into the arms of a tall redhead, who turns with a surprised laugh and—shit. Addison brushes dark hair from Amelia’s face when she pulls back. “Oh, Amy,” she says, murmurs really as she drinks Amelia in with her eyes, “It’s really good to see you.”
unnamed meraddek pregnancy au:
“Addison.” Meredith’s hand squeezes tight and doesn’t let go until she looks down at her. Her forehead is beaded with sweat, and there is pain shining so brightly behind everything else in those beautiful blue eyes. The hard ball of anxiety in Addison’s gut curls tighter. If she fucks this up—  “Addie. Hey.” Meredith. Her hand is warm in hers. Addison blinks, refocuses. “I trust you.”
no pressure tagging: @itsdappleagain @peridotglimmer @horsetailcurlers2 @walshies @which-star @doomingthenarrative and literally anyone else who wants to! it's been so long since i've had to tag writer mutuals
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robo-dino-puppy · 6 months
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looking down on sunfall
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kenobihater · 1 year
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me and my companions getting our asses handed to us in a fight and returning with 9 smokepowder barrels between us
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annwayne · 2 years
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Sobbing that my gamer skills are so bad I got Garrus killed my first play through of ME2
Also sobbing because the reunion was so tragic.
And more sobbing because I was gone for far, far, too long.
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dirt-str1der · 1 year
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Boys were invented for me to chase around the nightmare woods with a big knife and blunderbuss
#Yakzua loveblog#oh kiryu ... really want to see how fast a guy can run in the darkness and how many scrapes he will accumulate just from being scared#lets roleplay bloodborne youll go crazy and lose your humanity and i spray your flesh everywhere with a hacksaw till you die#i was gonna be like guess who this post is about then i took a sip of diet coke and realised how good it was. like i wish i had a lemon at#my mercy so i can cut a slice and drop it into my coke ... this would taste so good with a lemon#literally want someone to run and i chase them like a serial killer it would be so good for the both of us if i let him get a little furthe#and then when he thinks hes safe he crouches behind a rock and then i blow a hole into the stone beside his head and he feels the shot#explode over his face and he reels back blind and in pain and crawls away and i grab another fistful of gravel to reload#i chase him till he doesnt want to run anymore he collapses on his stomach wheezing and then i come out into the clearing and aim my gun at#him and he grabs it by the barrel and wrenches it out of my hand and it overbalances me and i fall hard on my side and he gets on top of me#but i whip my knife out and stick it in his flank and he yowls and we roll again and when im on top i twist it as i pull it out and then#slam it down on his face and he redirects my strike with the back of his fist and my knife lands in the dirt beside his head and he#attempts to throw me off while im pinning his shoulder to the ground and i use the motion to pull my blade out the soft dirt and#drive it into his ear but he kicks me away and the knife misses and swipes under his chin instead barely an inch from his throat and hes#taking the opportunity to roll to his feet while im on the ground disoriented and he gets on top of me again and i take another swipe at#his chest but he grabs my hand and twists it and im forced to drop the knife and we're both panting like hell and hes holding my wrists#above my head and we're really close breathing on each others faces then we start making out sloppy style and on the train ride back i tell#him that a small blunderbuss is called a dragon and he says hm ... pretty cool
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pareidoliajules · 2 years
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Leverage really said "season one we focused on how evil the insurance companies are. Let's kick off season three with how evil private prisons are!"
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ghoulbrain · 4 months
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Animal Instinct
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18+ 3.5k ghoul x f!reader. graphic depictions of violence, wound tending, hurt/comfort, established relationship, feral/protective cooper, cannibalism, blood, dirty talk, vaginal fingering. gif credit. read on AO3. written as part of the Saddle Up, Sweetheart verse, but can be read as a stand-alone.
When you're both ambushed by raiders, Cooper comes to understand the lengths he'll go to keep you safe.
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This never would have happened if Cooper was still traveling alone. He would have been more aware of his surroundings, he would have seen the signs of an ambush long before he stepped into it, and he wouldn’t have been so focused on you instead.
It’s lazy to blame you, though. The fault is his. Without preamble or flourish he draws his revolver and starts emptying shots into the spill of sorry sons of bitches that decided they would ruin his evening.
Out of the corner of his eye he sees you move forward, weapon drawn. His lip twitches. Your grip is good, but your stance is horse-shit. If this is going to become a thing–you taggin’ along like this–he’ll have to show you how to properly fire a gun.
He refocuses quickly, stepping forward to keep himself angled between them and you. The ambush isn’t anything special: just a bunch of jumpy junkies with twitchy trigger fingers looking for their next score. He takes a shot to the shoulder, another to the sternum. He doesn’t feel anything but the impact and pressure of irradiated flesh being forced apart around the bullets. There’s no pain, not so long his system is flooded with chemicals.
It’s your cry of pain that sets his nerves ablaze. He fires two more shots–dropping the men who hit him–before he whirls around, a hot rush of fire rolling through him at the sight of you with a man pressed up against your back, one arm fitted around your throat while he crushes your wrist in his other hand, squeezing hard, keeping your gun pointed at the ground as he chokes you out.
That’s when he sees the knife sunk into your thigh, blood soaking a wide crimson circle into your clothing around the knife’s hilt. In this infinitely long and horrible instant that your gaze meets his. The pain and fear in your eyes trigger something in him, and the whole world becomes both brighter and slower all at once.
Cooper aims, fires, but his revolver clicks emptily. He doesn’t reach to reload. Instead, he moves on pure animal instinct, bearing his teeth and charging with a guttural snarl.
Adrenaline mixes with the chemical cocktail in his veins and he moves faster than the man reacts, ripping his hands from you and throwing your assailant to the ground with such incredible force it dazes the man, his eyes glazing over. He roars in the raider’s face, spittle and yellow flecks coating his dirty skin, before he lunges, sinking his teeth into the pulsing jugular below.
He lends no thought to how natural it feels to bite into warm, living flesh.
Rearing up, mouth bloodied and full of viscera, Cooper winds his fist back and strikes the man in the face. His first blow hits his jaw. The next strikes his temple.
Straddling him, he doesn’t stop hitting. One fist after the other. He aims for the jaw, the temple, the high of his cheek. He misses and shatters his nose with a satisfying crunch, blood spewing from his nostrils to coat his knuckles. His jaw breaks with a pop. Broken teeth and bone slice flesh, mixing with gore and falling to the dirt in wet chunks.
The violence feels raw and good, like the first deep inhale of a vial or a hot wet fuck. He swallows the blood and meat lingering in his mouth and lets out a rough breath. Gritting his teeth he hits harder, driven on by the scent of blood and dirt. The gurgle of choked breaths. The slip of split flesh against his fists. It's all gasoline on the flames your peril sparked.
Cooper thinks of him stabbing you. Choking you. He thinks of your watery eyes, bright and terrified. He thinks of everyone he’s ever let down, ever failed to save, and he keeps hitting. Even when the man beneath him seizes. Even when he drowns in his blood.
Even when he dies.
Cooper is beating on a hunk of ruined flesh when he finally stops, drenched in the blowback of it.
Wheezing breaths saw from his lungs as he places one hand on the dirt road, lifting himself off of the mess of battered meat. He stares down at his knuckles where pain throbs with every heartbeat. It's a welcome sensation. Not because he deserves it, but because the raider did, and because he delivered. Destruction with his bare hands. Suffering where it’s meant to be found. He drags his tongue along the soaked leather of his glove and greedily swallows what collects on his tongue.
Heart thundering in his ears, Cooper stands, dipping briefly to pick up his gun. The grip slides around in his bloodied hand before he holsters it, cloudy eyes scanning for movement until his gaze lands on you. Down on the ground, clutching your wound, you look like a doe with a bum leg, your eyes blown wide and afraid. You look… irresistible. Not just as a woman, not just as his woman, but as an easy meal.
He takes a step forward, lips parted. The edges of you are blurry to his addled mind. The only part of you that’s in focus is the bright red of your wound seeping into your clothes. His memories of lapping the salt from your skin cross wires in his brain and all he can imagine is holding you safe and sound as he devours you.
“Cooper?”
The sound of your voice acts like a shock to his system that drags him back from the sweet coppery tang of warm, fresh blood in his mouth. He’s standing above you, closer than he realized he got. The sweetness in his mouth sours into putrid rot and he takes a step backwards, rasping out a cuss under his breath. He turns his head and spits, aggressively wiping at his mouth with his sleeve, smearing away blood and little chunks of flesh, abruptly and horribly aware of himself.
Shame blooms in his gut, unfurling all the way up to a tightness in his chest. He looks down at the mutilated body on the ground. There’s no head left, just wet gore soaking into the hungry dry earth below.
He completely lost control of himself. He spits, wipes, spits, wipes, rubs his mouth raw against his sleeve in an attempt to scrub away the taste and feel of it before he dares look at you again. He contemplates shoving a handful of dirt into his mouth just to chase away the lingering tang. He never wants to see you–to think of you–like that again. Like you’re just another hunk of meat.
Your touch makes him jerk away. He looks at you sharply, furious that you would come so close after what he’s done. What he could have done to you.
“Cooper–”
“M’not right,” he says roughly, taking hold of your wrist. You flinch and he realizes that he’s snatched the same wrist the motherfucker he beat into a paste had been crushing. He softens his grip, throat tight like there’s a hand squeezing it. “Fuck, would y’just–m’not right,” he says again, an edge of desperation in his emphasis.
“I know,” you say, voice tender, as if somehow he’s the one in need of gentleness. “I know. So come back. Don’t shut me out.” There’s more authority in your voice than you have any right to have in your position, shaking like a leaf while you touch his face, hushing him with such tenderness it fractures something in him that he thought long dead and buried under the weight of the last two hundred years.
Wish I could, he thinks, wiping his hand on his thigh. That you would look at him like that even now, as if he’s somehow still a man, eats at the very core of him. Makes him want to shy away, prove you wrong, and disappear into you all at once. He takes in a steadying breath before he clutches both of your arms, moving you to the ground. 
“Easy,” he says, voice barely above a rasp. “Y’bleedin’.”
You’re holding onto his elbows as he lowers you, gritting your teeth against the pain. He focuses on your discomfort, on the risk you face, fragile thing that you are, to keep his mind far away from the abyss he walked the edge of while maiming the body behind him.
His first priority is to stanch the bleeding. His movements become practiced, hands that of a soldier. He uses a strap from his pack to create a makeshift tourniquet, twisting it around a scrap rod. All the while he’s hyper aware of your gaze on him and the shallow huffs of your breath, the way it catches when he pulls the binding tight.
“Hurts,” you say tightly.
“I know,” he says, drawing his knife. He lifts your blood soaked pant leg–don’t pause, don’t think, don’t breathe it in–and slices open the fabric. “S’about t’hurt a whole lot more. Gimme a count, I’ll pull it on three,” he tells you, bracing one hand on your thigh, the other gripping the hilt of the knife.
“Okay, okay,” you say, sucking in a deep breath. “One–”
Cooper yanks the blade free, startling a yelp out of you that carries into a pained groan.
“What happened to three?!” You ask sharply, fingers digging into the dirt.
He hurriedly smothers the wound with the cleanest cloth he has before he works on tightly wrapping the wound. “S’better when y’don’t know it’s comin’.”
“Asshole,” you breathe.
The faint twitch at the corner of his mouth is reluctant, as if there’s an invisible string tugging at it against his will. “Can’t be that bad if y’still mouthin’ off.”
“It’ll take more than a measly stab wound to keep my mouth shut,” you say, familiar playfulness slipping in alongside the strain in your voice.
“Don’t I know it,” he grouses, glancing up at you. There’s nothing reluctant about your smile. It’s the opposite of his, earnest in a way he’s long forgotten how to be. You’re making an attempt at comforting him, he realizes, looking back down to finish his work, removing the tourniquet once he’s satisfied with the dressing.  “It’ll do for now. Y’need stitches.”
“I’ll be fine,” you say dismissively, shifting onto your knees.
He makes a skeptical noise in the back of his throat, sheathing his knife. “Would it kill y’not to be so damn contrary?”
“It might,” you say, catching the lapel of his jacket and pulling at him, bringing his attention back to you. He looks down at your hand, stained now with the crimson wetness spattered all over his coat. His clothes are soaked heavy with misery and blood, but it doesn’t dissuade you any. You touch his jaw with your other hand and lift his eyes to meet yours.
“Hey,” you whisper. You’re close enough that he should feel the ghost of your breath on his lips, but he can’t. Most of the subtleties of life are lost on a man so close to death. The only ghosts he knows now are those of his past. “You okay?”
Holding your gaze, he doesn’t answer you. Sometimes you feel like one of them, like another specter haunting him. The only difference is that you haven’t died yet.
Yet.
“Come back to me,” you murmur. His vision refocuses, finding you closer than you had been a second ago. The warm pressure of your lips grazing his cheek makes him falter, wanting the tenderness of your touch so viscerally it feels dangerous to admit even to himself. “Stay with me.”
Your hand lightly cups the back of his neck, holding him without caging him. You move closer, settling in his lap, grounding him with the weight of your body against his. He moves at that, grasping your hips and squeezing.
“Stay with me,” you say again, the words as fervent as prayer. His own lips parted, he can taste the breath of each word, sweet and warm, the way a distant part of him remembers things like love could be.
Why? He nearly asks. You won’t.
He had thought himself immune to this sickly feeling. This sense of grief for someone who isn’t yet gone, but you rip it out of him. The truth of the matter is that the Ghoul should never have entertained your company. He should have left you where he found you and been on his way without ever casting a backwards glance. The Ghoul would have.
It’s Cooper who didn’t. It’s Cooper’s hands sliding up your sides, squeezing your ribs and pulling you closer, deeper. He kisses you hungrily, craving you the way the Ghoul can’t. The way a man craves.
I ain’t dead yet.
And neither are you.
Two hundred years of surviving for tomorrow has eroded his ability to exist in the here and now, but your touches demand it of him. Your lips against his bring him into the moment as he lives it. As you live it with him.
“I ever look at you like that again,” he says gruffly, swiping his tongue along his bottom lip, catching yours in the process. He moves you back enough to lock eyes with you. “You put a bullet between my eyes.”
Your lips curve in a bittersweet kind of anguish. “Like you’re gonna eat me? Because right now–”
He gives you a sharp little shake. “Y’know what I mean,” he says, startling the smile off your face. From day one he’s liked your wit, the cavalier way you face life, but on this matter he needs you to hear him. “You ever look at me, and I’m not there, you promise you’ll put me down.”
The set of your mouth turns to a flat line, your gaze somber, and you nod. “I promise.”
Some of the tension in his haggard lungs eases and he kisses you again, need shooting up his spine like a hot geyser. “That’s my girl,” he breathes, leaning back and bringing you with him, saddling you properly astride his lap, his long legs stretched out behind you.
You kiss him back just as hungrily, heedless of the blood and gristle between your melding bodies, and he’s forced to remind himself that this is the only world you’ve ever known. There’s no time before this, not for you. Your life has always been full of horrors, and for reasons he’ll never fully comprehend, you’ve decided he’s one that you want close.
He slips his hands under your thighs and squeezes, hiking your legs around his waist until you’re seated closely enough to feel the growing ache between his legs. You don’t miss a beat, grinding down against him so fervently his breath breaks into a low groan. Not even he can deny his humanity in this. You turn his blood hot and shock the deadened thump of his heart into thunder. You make him feel alive.
He’ll return the favor. He’ll turn his spit to wine on your tongue and make your whole body fucking sing.
Breaking from your lips, he uses his teeth to tug his glove free, letting it fall to the ground. His mouth feels sandpaper dry, but your lips are plenty wet. 
“Open up for me, sweetheart,” he rumbles, parting your lips with the tips of his middle and index fingers. Your eager tongue slips molten wet between his fingers, your eyes hazy on his. He pumps his fingers slowly, cups the back of your head to keep you still while plunging all the way to his last knuckles before drawing them back. “That’s it… Get ‘em good and wet.”
It’s agonizing how easily you fall apart under his touch, and even more so how good you look doing it. Somewhat reluctantly, he withdraws his fingers from your mouth and with practiced ease maneuvers his hand down the front of your pants, curving his fingers to follow the contour of your pelvis until his fingertips slide through hot, wet arousal.
“Cooper,” you exhale, the pitch of your voice canary-sweet. If you have any care regarding the death that surrounds you or the blood between his body and yours, you don’t show it, nor pay it any heed. You’re focused entirely on him, lips parted on shallow breaths of pleasure. He strokes your clit in slow, deliberate circles, the rest of the world falling away the longer he watches your euphoria build.
Fuck, you’re goddamn beautiful. Why the hell you let a creature like him have you is beyond him, but he won’t let go. Not now. Not so long as you still look at him like this.
He swallows dryly, finally slipping his fingers into the welcoming heat of your pretty cunt. You’re soaked, his own personal oasis in the Wastes, velvet walls quivering around his toughened fingers. He angles the pad of his thumb against your clit and starts to finger fuck you in earnest, his cock throbbing beneath you. 
“Fuck,” you keen softly. Your hands braced on his shoulders, you meet every thrust of his hand, huffing divine little sounds while he fucks you with his fingers, crooking them until he feels you shudder.
“Yeah,” he breathes, enraptured. “That’s it. Got y’now, don’t I? Ah ah, don’t get shy on me,” he tsks when your eyes fall shut. “Eyes on me, darlin’. Eyes on me,” he says, voice frayed. You pry your eyes back open and hold his gaze, your own heavily lidded. “Good, s’good. Y’close now, ain’t’cha, sweetie?”
You nod fervently, moans bubbling up instead of words, your sweet features twisted in the exquisite agony that comes just before climax. You roll your palms against his shoulders, fingers digging into the thick fabric of his coat. He wishes he could feel the bite of your nails on his bare skin, wishes it were his cock sinking into you, but all that wistfulness is erased the second you cry out, your back arching, your cunt squeezing his fingers as you’re pitched forward into the throes of release.
Cooper grits his teeth, baring them like an animal as he fucks you through the tremors, grabbing hold of your jaw to keep you from collapsing, to keep your eyes on him. You slide your hands up and cup either side of his face, yanking him into a messy kiss. He falls into it easily, slowing the thrust of his fingers as the aftershocks of your orgasm settle until his hand is still against you, fingers pressed in deep, savoring the feel of you.
You kiss him leisurely with tongue, teeth and barely sated hunger. Your bliss slows you, and Cooper is content to simply feel. Even the lingering ache of his own need is a welcome sensation in a world he so often walks through feeling numb.
After a time, he slides his fingers from your pants, wiping them absently on his own before wrapping his arms around you. You sink into him in turn, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. The sun has almost disappeared completely, and the chill of night is beginning to nip the air. All of this carnage will attract predators soon, but he finds himself unable to rush the matter. His embrace tightens.
“I love you,” you murmur.
There was a time long before his heart became an open grave that he would have been eager to return the sentiment, but hearing those three little words turns his tongue to lead. They flood him with memories of an era where love came naturally–the way only violence does now–and shooting a man in the head was the most abhorrent act he could fathom for himself.
These days, a headshot is a kindness.
His stomach is tight, a bile-like burn creeping up his throat. He screws his eyes shut, swallowing it back. To his relief, you aren’t tense with anticipation. Instead, you pepper butterfly light kisses along the scarred column of his throat, paying special attention to the nicks and scars along the way to his jaw.
You kiss him. He takes your face in his hands and deepens it, pushing into you until your back arches. 
“I’ll keep you safe,” he whispers against your lips, the words both a promise and a prayer. Not to God–He gave up on God a long time ago–this prayer is for you. It’s what he knows. It’s what he is. No matter the monster that threatens you, you’ll always have one of your own to bite back. You’ll always have him.
Strained, quieter yet, he says, “I swear.”
Or so help me, I’ll swallow the bullet myself.
“I know,” you say, thumbs brushing over his cheeks. There’s a blissful kind of sorrow in your expression, but so too is there understanding. He kisses you, closing his eyes against the dry burn of them. He’s not sure he’s even capable of tears anymore. He’s been worn down to the bone by sandstorms and bloodshed. Nothing goes untouched by the misery of the Wastes. No one goes through it unscathed.
What he does know is that he will do everything in his power to see that you’re never broken by it.
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coldnutparadise · 2 years
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there’s something abt playing lucio that makes me a feral hound;  twice ive ended up on a healer vs healer engagement and i run out of ammo and i just start punching, i throw hands hyperaggressively, they cannot hit me, i keep throwing hands, but they keep healing themselves and it is a chase that begins to become comical and for all my best efforts, i am still killed
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just-aake · 1 month
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Who Would Sit at Your Grave the Longest?
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Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader
Summary: Who would ever mourn the life of a trained spy and assassin?
Warnings: angst, hurt/comfort, fluff, violence, mention of death, scenes from Marvel movies, multiple time skips
Words: 11,010
Red Room, Unknown — 2002
“If you passed away, who would sit at your grave the longest?”
It was a strange question, posed by one of the girls in the Red Room. The answers from the others are what one would expect – mom, dad, siblings, friends. 
People they remembered from their lives before. 
People who loved them.
With so many choices, it was difficult for some to decide who would fill that position.
Natasha, however, didn’t need any time to consider her answer.
She raises the gun in her hand and fires multiple shots at the practice target, each one hitting a fatal area. After the last bullet, she removes the empty magazine with practiced ease, reloads the gun, and aims at the target once again.
“Who would sit at her grave the longest?”
Her grip wavers slightly at the thought, but Natasha takes a short, steadying breath before steeling herself. 
Consecutive shots ring out in the room, hitting the target with perfect precision and demonstrating why she is one of the most feared assassins in the world.
For Natasha, the answer was clear.
“No one.” 
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Abandoned Building, Budapest - 2003
With a tired sigh, Natasha leans her head against the wall of the abandoned building. She lifts her hand from her side, grimacing at the sight of blood covering her palm.
With a slight wince, she presses it against the wound again and glances at the person sitting across from her. 
His head hangs limply against his chest, his own hand pressing against a wound on his stomach. If not for his shallow breathing, Natasha would have thought he was already dead.
Taking a deep breath, she nudges him with her boot. “Hey, Barton, you still with me?”
He stirs slightly at her words, becoming more alert, and chuckles softly. “I knew you had a heart, Romanoff.”
Natasha rolls her eyes at his comment, turning her gaze to the distance, searching for any sign of backup from his organization. 
Clint Barton had been the first to see something different in her—something better—and had offered her a way out of her previous life. 
Now, the one person who might actually care about her existence was dying right in front of her.
A coughing fit seizes Clint at that moment, and a trickle of blood escapes his lips.
“If your people don’t arrive here soon—”
Before she could finish, the sound of an engine fills the air as a quinjet lands nearby, kicking up a whirl of dust. 
Spotting the SHIELD logo, Natasha quickly stands, grunting as she pulls Clint up and slings his arm over her shoulder, dragging him toward the plane.
“Over here!” she shouts to the disembarking crew.
The agents at the front eye her warily, cautiously raising their weapons until they recognize Barton and realize his condition. They quickly rushed to help, taking her place and carrying him onto the quinjet.
Natasha shuffles forward slowly, keeping a close eye on them to ensure they’re handling him carefully.
Suddenly, a hand brushes her side, startling her. Instinctively, she grips the wrist and yanks it away, only to find herself locking eyes with you, surprise evident on your face.
Her glare is sharp, a silent warning, but you furrow your brows and pull your hand free, undeterred by her reaction. 
“You’re injured too,” you point out, trying to examine the wound on her side.
“I’m fine,” Natasha grits out, swallowing hard against the pain. “You should be taking care of Agent Barton.” 
She tries to sidestep you, but her strength falters as the adrenaline starts to fade, and she stumbles. Bracing herself for a hard landing, she’s surprised when a pair of arms catches her before she can fall.
Leaning her head on your shoulder, Natasha takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself and shake off the wave of dizziness.
“He has enough people,” you say firmly, your voice resolute. “I can focus on taking care of you.”
With that, you adjust her gently in your arms and start guiding her toward the quinjet.
“Come on, you’re not dying today.”
You say it with such certainty and determination that Natasha can’t help but believe you.
As you walk, she glances at the side of your face, her curiosity piqued.
“How strange,” Natasha muses to herself, “to have found another person who seems to care about her existence.”
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Stark Mansion, Malibu - 2010
After pretending to be impressed by Stark’s demonstration of the Iron Man armored glove and its repulsor beam, Natasha quietly slips away as Miss Potts confronts him for his reckless behavior.
At the private bar, Natasha prepares more drinks, anticipating Tony’s inevitable request for another round.
“This is quite the birthday party,” a voice comments from behind.
Natasha turns her head to find you leaning casually on the opposite side of the bar countertop, giving her a friendly smile. 
Since her initial encounter with you after joining SHIELD, Natasha hasn’t had the opportunity to work with you again, only spotting you in passing until now. 
She raises a questioning brow at you, curious about your presence and wondering how she missed you being part of the team for this mission.
“It seems you’ve gained Mr. Stark’s trust pretty well,” you remark, referring to her little performance earlier.
Returning to her task, Natasha responds as she continues to pour the drinks. 
“It’s not hard. He’s a textbook narcissist.” 
A loud clatter erupts from the other room and interrupts the conversation, prompting both of you to look at the sound in alertness.  
Tony picks himself up from where he stumbled into the DJ booth, then throws his arms up in the air with a cheer, eliciting an excited response from the crowd.
Spotting how he leans heavily on the table for support, Natasha shakes her head and continues her observations.
“His condition is worsening, though. He’ll need something to take the edge off soon.”
From the corner of her eyes, Natasha notices your expression become contemplative as you tilt your head and observe her curiously. 
“What?” she asks.
“Nothing,” you reply with a small shake of your head. “It’s just nice of you to worry about your new friend.”
Natasha rolls her eyes at that. 
Tony Stark is just a potential candidate for the Avenger Initiative that she’s been assigned to assess. From what she’s seen, he cares less about being her friend than she does.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Natasha asserts, turning around with the tray of finished drinks.
You smoothly pluck a glass from the tray before Natasha can stop you and sip it nonchalantly, unbothered by her glare. Still, Natasha can’t help but smirk slightly, amused by your bold action. 
Setting the empty glass down, you glance at Tony, who is still playing to the crowd.
“No harm in building genuine friendships,” you comment before nodding at the billionaire. 
“Anyway, lucky for him, Fury agrees. He wants to meet with Mr. Stark soon,” you reveal.
Natasha’s brows knit together in confusion.
“Fury sent you just to tell me that?” 
You turn your gaze back to her, a small grin tugging at the corner of your lips as you push yourself off the counter. 
“Me coming here was more of a personal choice.”
Her eyes narrow in suspicion, still puzzled by your answer.
“Why would you do that?” 
With a light chuckle, you meet her gaze, a slight smirk playing on your lips. 
“Maybe I just wanted to see the legendary Black Widow in action,” you admit, your tone teasing, before turning to walk away.
For a moment, Natasha is left stunned, her mind racing to make sense of your reasoning. But as you disappear from view, a sudden sensation tightens in her chest. She quickly sets the tray down and moves around the counter, her instincts urging her to follow you. 
Just as she takes a step forward, a deafening crash reverberates through the building. 
Whirling toward the source of the noise, Natasha’s eyes widen as she spots Tony, now clad in his Iron Man armor, locked in a fierce struggle with one of his other mech suits.
Natasha groans, rolling her eyes as she braces herself to clean up yet another one of Stark’s infamous messes. 
She wonders how you could think this man could ever be among those she’d considered a friend.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Stark Tower, New York City - 2012
With the portal closed and the battle over, Natasha and the other newly assembled Avengers gather on the top floor of the Stark Tower to complete the final task of apprehending Loki.
“Alright, get him on his feet,” Tony says, gesturing at the defeated god sprawled on the floor. His Iron Man suit begins to disengage from his body as he walks away. 
“Oh, and by the way, feel free to clean up,” he remarks to the others, waving at the destroyed room left in the aftermath of the battle. 
Natasha rolls her eyes at his words before focusing on the piece of metal in her hands. She taps Loki’s scepter gently against her palm and asks, “So, who gets the magic wand?”
Standing near the shelves filled with various bottles of alcohol, Clint retrieves two glass cups and answers, “Strike team’s coming to secure it.”
As he finishes speaking, the strike team steps out of the elevator, carrying a large case. 
“We can take that,” an agent offers, heading towards her.
“By all means,” Natasha replies, handing it to them and walking toward Clint. Out of the corner of her eyes, she notices one of the agents examining the staff’s point with their hand. 
“Careful with that thing,” she warns.
Clint nods in agreement as he hands her a glass, “Unless you want your mind erased, and not the fun way.”
As they both turn around toward the bar, the cups are taken from their hands.
“And I’ll take these,” you declare, placing them on the counter. 
“Medical team is also here,” you announce with a smirk, placing your hands on your hips. “Which means the agent with blood dripping from their head should have a seat.”
Natasha and Clint exchange glances to see who you’re referring to.
“Looks like you’re going first,” Clint declares happily, patting Natasha on her shoulder and stepping around you–not before sneakily taking back his cup. 
When Natasha doesn’t move, you cross your arms and tilt your head at her with a raised brow. 
“Well, are you going to sit, or do I need to wait until you fall on me again?”
Natasha huffs in amusement at the reminder before taking a seat on the barstool, giving you space to come closer. 
Stepping forward, you place yourself between her legs and gently brush back her hair as you examine her forehead. 
“Doesn’t look like you’ll need stitches, so that’s good,” you comment.
Natasha clicks her tongue in mock disappointment. 
“No scar? That’s a shame.”
Your lips twitch upward slightly at her words, and Natasha grins proudly, knowing she almost made you smile. 
As you clean her wound, your hands move delicately across her skin, treating her with the utmost care.
Noticing your closeness, Natasha takes a moment to observe you, intrigued at how comfortable you are around her. She was so absorbed in watching you that she almost missed your next words. 
“You all make a good team.”
At the mention of the others, Natasha glances over at them across the room, talking and jostling each other in a friendly fashion. 
It’s admittedly an odd bunch that Fury managed to assemble: a demi-god, a super soldier, a billionaire tech genius, a scientist with an angry alter ego, and a couple of master assassins.
“Not what I imagined, but surprisingly, it turned out okay,” Natasha admits. 
After finishing the bandages, your hand drifts from her hair to gently cup her face, lifting it to meet your eyes. 
“You came together, trusted each other, and had each other’s backs—all within just a few days,” you say, your voice steady with conviction. “That’s more than just okay.”
You give her a soft smile, tilting your head lightly. 
“It’s actually pretty incredible…and so are you.”
Natasha’s eyes widen at your words, leaving her speechless.
A familiar warmth stirs in her chest, similar to the sensation she felt the last time she met you—a subtle yet undeniable pull towards you. 
The intensity of your gaze draws her in, making her feel connected to you in a way she hadn’t anticipated.
Her fingers fidget in her lap as she considers bridging the small gap between you. She raises her hand hesitantly, about to reach out—
“Romanoff!” Tony calls, causing Natasha to withdraw her hand and turn her head, inadvertently making your hand fall from her face, much to her disappointment.
He and the others are gathered by the elevator, looking in her direction. Tony waves his hand in a hurried gesture.
“Hurry it up with the doctor-patient roleplay! The shawarma’s going to get cold.”
Natasha glares at him for the interruption before returning her attention to you. 
“Shawarma?” you ask with a questioning tilt of your head.
She shakes her head exasperatedly. 
“I don’t know. Tony wants to try it.”
You hum in understanding and take a step back. 
“Well, that bandage should be fine for now, but you’ll need a more thorough check-up when you return.”
Natasha leans forward slightly, a small smirk playing on her lips as she teases, “By you?”
You meet her smirk with an amused smile. “We’ll see.”
Accepting that she won’t get a definitive answer, Natasha nods and stands. As she’s about to pass by you, a thought crosses her mind, and she pauses beside you.
“What about you?” she asks.
You look up from where you’re packing your things. “What about me?”
Natasha huffs lightly at your evasiveness, ready to respond, but she hesitates. Her usual confidence falters, and uncertainty flickers in her eyes for a brief moment as they meet yours. 
After everything she’s been through, Natasha is still unsure whether she deserves to feel this way about someone—to want to not feel alone.
Noticing her hesitation, your expression softens, and you offer an understanding smile. With a gentle push on her back, you urge her forward.
“Go, you deserve to celebrate this win with your team,” you say, your voice calm and encouraging.
Before Natasha can reply, Tony calls out again. 
“The elevator’s going to leave without you, Romanoff,” he warns. 
You give her an encouraging nod, and with a light sigh, she makes her way to the elevator, where the others are already waiting inside.
Tony leans casually against the elevator doors, arms crossed and a teasing grin on his face. 
Before he can make a comment, Natasha gives him a shove, pushing him inside, and quickly presses the button. As the doors close, she catches one last glimpse of your little wave at her before you disappear from view.
Reflecting on your words, Natasha glances around at the people beside her. Surrounded by her new teammates, she begins to realize that maybe, she’s not so alone anymore, after all.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
National Mall, Washington, D.C. – 2014
Natasha lets go of the back of Steve’s neck, breaking the kiss, and turns around casually on the escalator. With their fake display of affection, Rumlow and the other SHIELD agents do not spare them a glance as they search the mall.
She steps off the escalator smoothly and glances slightly over her shoulder at the super soldier. 
“You still uncomfortable?”
Steve clears his throat lightly, trying to regain his composure. 
“It’s not exactly the word I would use.”
The two walk calmly until they reach the path leading to the underground parking garage. As they pass through the doors, Natasha notices Steve’s awkward silence and decides to tease him a little.
“Don’t tell me you’re still flustered from that kiss, Rogers?”
Steve sighs at her teasing, “No, I just wasn’t expecting–”
As they round a corner, Natasha and Steve abruptly come to a stop, finding themselves face-to-face with a SHIELD agent.
He eyes them suspiciously, his hand moving toward his walkie-talkie. 
Reacting swiftly, Steve tackles him before he can alert the others, and the two engage in a fierce fistfight.
Natasha steps forward to assist, but before she can reach them, someone grabs her from behind and throws her against a concrete column. She groans in surprise as pain radiates from the impact. 
Before she can recover, a body pins her against the wall, an arm pressing against her collarbone.
Natasha’s hands instinctively push against the pressure as she focuses on her attacker. Her eyes widen in surprise at who she sees.
“Since when are you a part of the strike team?” she grunts out.
You frown slightly and nod toward Steve. 
“Since Captain America took down most of their men, and they had to pull others from different teams,” you explain before giving her a questioning look. “You do know he’s wanted by SHIELD, right?”
“Yes,” Natasha grits out, raising her knee sharply, catching you off guard. 
The sudden pain in your side forces you to loosen your grip just enough for her to slip out. With a swift motion, Natasha twists her body, reversing your positions, and slams you against the wall, pinning you there.
“Do you know why SHIELD wants you to hunt him?” Natasha challenges.
Despite being pinned, your expression remains calm as you raise a brow at her.
“What happened to the Black Widow who followed every order—no questions asked?”
Natasha pauses, thinking about the anger and sense of loss she felt after Fury’s sudden death—one of the few who had become an important figure in her life. He was betrayed, and she was determined to find out who was behind it, even if it meant going against orders.
“I’m trying something new,” Natasha answers. 
To her surprise, a smile spreads across your face, and you remark proudly, “Good.”
It’s then Natasha notices you aren’t even trying to break free from your pinned position. Your hands hang limply at your sides, offering no resistance. 
Slowly, Natasha lowers her arm from your chest and takes a small step back, allowing you to lean against the wall on your own.
You make no move to attack her.
Before Natasha can question your intentions, the walkie-talkie at your side crackles to life with incoming communication.
“Anything in the lower levels?” Rumlow’s voice asks.
Your eyes drift down to the device at the request for an answer. As your hand reaches for the walkie-talkie, Steve, having just dealt with the other agent, rushes toward you. 
But Natasha quickly stops him, holding out her to block his path. She watches you calmly as you raise the walkie to your mouth, maintaining eye contact with her the entire time.
“Negative in the parking garage,” you respond.
Rumlow’s frustrated growl sounds through the speaker. “Expand the search area and sweep the floors again.”
“Understood.”
With that, you casually toss the walkie aside and raise your hands in surrender. When Natasha and Steve remain still, you give them a pointed look.
“Shouldn’t the two of you be looking for a way to escape?” you suggest, your tone laced with a hint of urgency.
Understanding your intentions, Steve gives you an appreciative nod and gently touches Natasha’s arm. 
“I’ll go find us a ride,” he says.
“Okay,” Natasha replies with a nod, watching as Steve heads off in search of a vehicle.
When she turns back to you, she notices a slight frown on your face as your arms cross over your chest.
“You two seem closer,” you observe.
Natasha chuckles softly, catching the hint of displeasure in your tone. 
“Aren’t you the one who told me to make friends?”
You huff in response, giving her a tiny glare before walking past her.
As you examine the unconscious agent on the ground, a thoughtful hum escapes you, clearly contemplating your next move.
Sensing your dilemma, Natasha steps beside you and offers, “You could always come with us.”
You shake your head and turn to her with a slight smirk. 
“Three’s a crowd,” you reply before taking a step closer, tilting your head curiously. “Did you really kiss him?”
Realizing you must have overheard her earlier comment, Natasha starts to explain.
“It was just a cover.”
She watches you carefully as you take another step closer, leaving only a small gap between your bodies. Feeling slightly distracted, Natasha swallows lightly and continues, unsure why she feels the need to explain herself further.
“Public displays of affection make people very…”
Natasha’s words trail off as you place your hands on her waist and lean in slightly with a tilt of your head.
“…uncomfortable,” she finishes softly, her eyes falling to your lips, which curve up slightly at her attention.
Her pulse quickens, and for a moment, the world around the two of you fades, leaving only the charged tension in the air between you. 
That familiar, tempting feeling stirs within her again.
She lifts her eyes to meet yours, noticing the amusement dancing in your gaze.
“Are you uncomfortable?” you whisper, the words softly caressing her lips.
Natasha finds herself leaning forward as she responds with a breathless sigh, “No.” 
Just as the space between you is about to disappear, you abruptly pull back, removing your hands from her hips and stepping away. 
“Good to know,” you say with a playful grin. You raise your hand to reveal a tiny taser disk between your fingers. “Do you mind if I borrow this?”
Still stunned by your sudden move, Natasha remains frozen, too shocked to react to the revelation of the item you swiped from her.
You chuckle at her silence, tilting your head playfully. 
“Catch me?” you request before activating the device and delivering an electric shock to yourself.
Recovering quickly, Natasha catches you as you slump forward, wrapping her arms around you and gently lowering you to the ground.
With a small huff of disbelief, Natasha cups your unconscious face, caressing your cheek with a fond touch.
You always know how to leave her speechless.
A truck pulls up beside her, and Steve leans out from the driver’s seat. “Ready to go?”
Natasha takes a moment to make sure you’re positioned comfortably before nodding and hopping into the passenger seat.
As they drive toward New Jersey, the silence eventually gives way to their earlier conversation.
“Really? Nobody special, though?” Natasha asks, glancing over at Steve.
Steve sighs, a touch of exasperation in his voice. 
“Believe it or not, it’s kind of hard to find someone with shared life experiences,” he replies, then gestures toward her. “And what about you? You keep urging me to go on dates, but it doesn’t seem like you’re taking any steps in your love life either.”
He nudges her arm encouragingly, adding, “That agent earlier seemed interested.”
Natasha smirks at his observation, her gaze drifting to the window as the trees blur past. After a pause, she answers, her voice thoughtful.
“I don’t know. People usually want something real,” she says, her eyes distant, as if she’s seeing something far beyond the road. She turns to Steve with a small, sad smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Nothing about me is.”
Steve remains silent for a moment, processing her words.
“You know, you’ll never find out if someone can accept you until you let them see the real you,” he says gently, his tone firm yet understanding.
“Yeah…” Natasha whispers, almost to herself. 
Her thoughts wander to her secretive past, the parts of herself hidden from the world. If you knew who she really was, would you still trust her? Or would you leave her, like so many others had? 
Her entire life, people wanted her to be something for them—a killer, a spy, a tool. Everyone had their own agenda.
She turns back to Steve, a curious glint in her eyes. “Who do you want me to be?”
Steve meets her gaze, sincerity in his expression. “How about a friend?” he suggests, his words simple yet filled with meaning.
Natasha laughs, starting with disbelief but gradually softening into something more genuine.
Shaking her head, she imagines what her past self would think of her now—a person trying to be more open to others.
“Maybe I could manage that,” she decides, her tone lighter than ever before.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Avengers Tower, New York City – 2015
Laughter fills the common room of the Avengers Tower as everyone takes turns trying to lift Thor’s hammer. With one last grunt, Steve lets go and shakes his head in defeat, returning to his seat with a chuckle.
“Alright, be honest, it’s rigged,” Tony remarks to Thor. “The handle is imprinted. The one who is worthy is the one with Thor’s fingerprints, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Clint agrees with a laugh, clinking his bottle with Natasha’s. He sits on the floor, leaning against her seat, and takes another sip.
Natasha chuckles lightly and brings her bottle up for a drink, only to pull it away and see it’s empty. She looks at it in confusion, wondering when she had finished it.
A hand takes the empty bottle from her, and Natasha turns to see you sitting on the arm of her chair, giving her an amused smile.
“You finished it two attempts ago,” you reveal.
“Were you watching me the entire time?” Natasha asks with a playful smirk.
You return her expression with a slight smirk of your own and lean in closer, your hand sliding against the back of her chair.
“Well, it’s hard to pay attention to anyone else when you’re around,” you reply.
Before Natasha can respond, Tony claps his hands together, exclaiming, “Alright, who’s next? Romanoff? Hill?”
Maria shakes her head as she stands and heads to the bar. “I’m going to have to pass.”
Chuckling lightly, you stand also and give Natasha an encouraging touch on her shoulder.
“You have fun. I’m going to get us another round.” 
Natasha’s eyes follow you the entire time as you walk away. When she finally turns back around, she notices Steve giving her a pointed look. 
“What?” she questions, arching a brow.
“Come on, you and her. It’s obvious there’s something between you two,” Steve insists.
“Don’t bother, Cap. She’s not going to be convinced. I’ve tried,” Clint chimes in, earning a tiny kick from Natasha in reprimand.
“Ow, see what I mean.”
Natasha rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
“We flirt,” she defends with a shrug. “It’s what we’ve always done. Just some innocent fun.” 
Tony, overhearing the exchange, joins the conversation with a nod toward something behind her.
“Yeah, well, it’s not looking so innocent over there,” he remarks.
Natasha furrows her brows and turns to look at the bar. Her frown deepens at what she sees.
You and Maria are talking and laughing together, with the latter leaning a bit too close for Natasha’s comfort.
“Hey, take it from someone who knows. You don’t want to wait before it’s too late,” Steve advises.
Natasha considers his words as she watches the two of you, contemplating what she should do. 
You and she have grown and maintained this comfortable dynamic for years. Of course, there’s an undeniable attraction, but Natasha isn’t sure if taking things further would be worth the risk of losing what she already has with you.
However, when Maria leans forward to whisper something in your ear, Natasha suddenly finds herself rising from her chair and heading toward the bar.
Just as you duck down to grab something from the bottom shelves, Maria takes the opportunity to slip away, passing by Natasha with a pat on the shoulder and a whispered, “Good luck.”
Frowning in confusion, Natasha glances back to see Maria and Clint exchanging a high-five. Realizing she’s been set up, Natasha turns to retreat to her seat before you notice her.
But it’s too late.
“Oh, hey, I’m almost finished with the drinks,” you call out, straightening with a grin as you spot her.
With her escape route cut off, Natasha decides to sit at the counter, her earlier irritation melting away when she meets your gaze.
“You sure you’re not getting distracted over here?” Natasha teases, her tone playful.
You laugh lightly as you secure the top of the shaker, shaking it with practiced ease, your eyes never leaving hers.
“Only if you’re the distraction,” you tease back.
Natasha relaxes at the warmth of the familiar banter, putting her at ease as she watches you finish preparing the drinks and pour them into two glasses.
You slide one across the counter to her and nod curiously toward the gathered group.
“You didn’t want to try to lift the hammer?” you ask with a curious tilt of your head.
“Oh, no,” Natasha replies, shaking her head slightly as she raises her glass to her lips. “No, that’s not a question that I need answered.”
“Really?” you respond, leaning forward on the counter, bringing yourself closer to her. Your hand inches toward hers, brushing her fingers lightly and letting the touch linger. 
With a slight smirk, you raise a brow. “Then what is?”
That familiar feeling stirs in Natasha’s chest again as she holds your gaze—the temptation to close the distance between you two growing stronger.
Recalling Steve’s advice, Natasha swallows nervously and answers in a soft whisper, “Something probably only you can help me with.”
Intrigued, you gesture for her to continue, your attention entirely on her.
“There’s this thing—this feeling,” Natasha begins cautiously. “It appears during certain situations, like a pressure in my chest.” 
You furrow your brows in concern. “Does it hurt?”
Natasha chuckles lightly, her gaze dropping to the drink you made for her, swirling it gently. The small ripples are nothing compared to the pounding of her heart at that moment.
“Sometimes,” she admits, her eyes drifting to your hand beside hers. She’s tempted to intertwine them but ultimately decides against it.
“It feels like I’m standing on the edge,” Natasha explains, meeting your eyes again. “I know what’s waiting for me if I turn and walk away, but if I choose to fall…”
She releases a shaky breath. 
“…I don’t know what that future looks like, and that terrifies me.”
Your expression softens with understanding. You reach out, this time more deliberately, and your fingers find hers with gentle assurance.
Natasha clears her throat lightly, a playful smile tugging at her lips as she tries to mask the vulnerability of her confession.
“So what should I do?” she asks, her tone teasing, an attempt to deflect the seriousness of the moment.
You chuckle softly, recognizing her attempt to lighten the mood.
“I think—”
The sound of scratching metal against the floor interrupts the conversation as Natasha and everyone in the room turn to look at the dilapidated robot that has just dragged itself in front of them.
The moments after that are chaotic as she and the Avengers have to deal with Ultron’s threat to the world.
New Avengers Facility, Upstate New York
With Ultron defeated and most of the original members either retired or off on their own adventures, Natasha watches bittersweetly as Steve welcomes the new recruits to the Avengers. 
Footsteps approach and stop beside her, and Natasha doesn’t need to look to know who it is.
“The new team looks good,” you comment, your eyes scanning the mix of familiar and new faces before glancing at Natasha’s expression.
“Do you miss them?” you ask softly, understanding the emotions behind her eyes.
Natasha sighs, her gaze still fixed on the newcomers.
“Nothing lasts forever,” she replies, a touch of sadness in her voice but not surprised. She’s accustomed to things not staying a part of her life.
You hum thoughtfully, considering her words before declaring with quiet conviction, “Well, you won’t have to worry about that with me.”
Natasha turns to look at you with a curious tilt of her head.
You offer her a small, reassuring smile. 
“I’m not going anywhere,” you say, your words laced with promise.
A soft smile spreads across Natasha’s face at your assurance, feeling the familiar warmth blossoming in her chest.
“You never answered my question,” she reminds you, referring to the conversation that was interrupted earlier.
Natasha waits, her nerves on edge as you consider your response. Finally, you meet her gaze with a soft expression, placing a gentle hand on her arm.
“You should do whatever feels right for you,” you say sincerely, giving her arm a comforting squeeze before turning to leave.
Natasha looks down, a slight shake of her head and a light huff of amusement escaping her as she recognizes your deflection.
“But if you want my opinion…” you add, pausing at the doorway, prompting Natasha to look back up at you.
Lingering at the threshold, you offer her a playful smirk. “… I’d say, based on my track record, I’ve caught you when you’ve fallen before.” You shrug lightly. “And it seems like everything has turned out fine since then.”
Your smile widens as you notice Natasha rendered speechless once again before you turn to leave the room.
Recovering quickly, Natasha strides after you with determination. She catches up to you this time, gently taking your hand and turning you around to face her.
Cupping your cheek, she leans in and kisses you, pouring all her emotions into the gesture.
Before she can even worry that she might have made a mistake, you wrap your arms around her, pulling her closer as you deepen the kiss, your lips moving fervently against hers.
The world around Natasha fades away, leaving only the two of you in that moment, and she knows she made the right decision.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Leipzig-Halle Airport, Leipzig – 2016
Natasha looks across the airport at the people she had come to call friends and then back at those standing beside her. As the two sides rush at each other and engage in battle, she can’t help but wonder how it came to this—how they all decided that fighting each other was the only option left. 
She’s not even sure if signing the accords was the right choice, but the one thing she does know is that staying together is supposed to be the most important thing. 
Just because they’re fighting now doesn’t mean Natasha cares any less about them. The thought lingers as the chaos of battle surrounds her. 
Clint flips her to the ground, and she reacts instinctively, bringing up her batons to block his bow from pinning her down. The two lock eyes, a familiar intensity passing between them.
“We’re still friends, right?” Natasha asks, her voice steady despite the conflict around them.
Clint smirks, the kind of smile that reassures her, even in the midst of battle. 
“Depends on how hard you hit me.”
Natasha grins back, then uses her legs to flip him off of her. She springs to her feet, ready to deliver a follow-up kick, when a sudden wave of red energy wraps around her leg, freezing her in place. 
Startled, she glances to the side, catching only a brief glimpse of Wanda before she’s hurled through the air. 
Natasha braces herself for the inevitable impact, but instead of hitting the metal wall of an airport car, she collides with a body in mid-air. 
A pair of arms wrap around her, cushioning the fall as they both tumble to the ground. They roll to a stop, with Natasha ending up on top. 
Dazed but unharmed, she pushes herself up, her breath coming in short gasps as she looks down to see who caught her.
“Hey,” Natasha greets softly, a small smile forming on her lips as she cups your face with her hands. “What are you doing here?”
You don’t return her smile, instead frowning at her with concern. 
“The Avengers are fighting each other, and you didn’t think to call me?” 
Natasha’s smile falters, and she shifts her gaze away, her voice soft with guilt. 
“I didn’t want you to have to choose a side.”
You release a knowing sigh. 
“You mean, you were afraid I wouldn’t agree with your choice,” you correct gently.
Natasha twists her lips at the truth in your words. 
Yes, she’s afraid. Her makeshift family is breaking apart before her eyes, and she’s desperate to protect the one other part of her life that matters. 
Why wouldn’t she try to shield you from this chaos?
Your hand covers hers, still resting on your cheek, drawing her attention back to you.
“I’ve told you, Nat. Do whatever it is you feel is right for you. I’ll support you no matter what.”
Natasha’s eyes soften, a wave of relief washing over her. She starts to lean in, but you stop her with a gentle press of your finger against her lips.
“However,” you add, your voice firm and disapproving, “not calling me and having me find out from Stark? That’s a different kind of trouble you’re in.” 
Natasha chuckles, taking your hand from her face and pressing a gentle kiss against your palm, a hint of playfulness entering her voice.
“Well, you still love me though, right?”
You raise an eyebrow, trying to maintain your stern expression, though it softens slightly.
“I don’t know. Ask me again after this,” you tease back at her. 
Before Natasha can respond, Tony’s voice crackles through the comms, interrupting the moment. 
“Uh, less flirting, you two. In case you forgot, there are multiple fights happening around you.” 
Natasha rolls her eyes, but the smile remains on her face as she helps you up, ready to rejoin the fray.
Leipzig Hospital Balcony
“You let them go, Nat,” Tony accuses, his voice sharp with disbelief.
Natasha doesn’t deny it. In the end, she chose to help Steve and Bucky because it was the right thing to do. If the fighting didn’t stop, it would only cause more pain for everyone involved.
“We played this wrong,” Natasha admits, her voice tinged with regret.
“We?” Tony scoffs, shaking his head in frustration. “You know, it must be hard to shake the whole double agent thing, huh? It sticks in the DNA.”
The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Natasha flinches inwardly, the hurt flickering across her face before she quickly masks it. 
His comment cuts deeper than she expected, reminding her of the ghosts of her past, the shadows she’s fought so hard to leave behind after all these years. 
But here, at this moment, those shadows seem to close in on her, dark and suffocating, reminding her of the person she used to be.
Her voice hardens, a cold edge creeping into her tone. “Are you incapable of letting go of your ego for one goddamn second?” 
Tony’s expression remains stony, but there’s a brief flicker of something in his eyes—regret, maybe, or disappointment. He doesn’t back down, though. 
“T’Challa told Ross what you did, so…they’re coming for you.” 
Natasha meets his gaze, her eyes steely, refusing to show any sign of fear. 
“I’m not the one that needs to watch their back,” she replies before turning to leave.
As she walks away, the weight of the confrontation settles in her chest, heavy and suffocating. 
She finds an empty hallway and leans against the wall, pressing her hands to her eyes, trying to push back the frustration and the sting of Tony’s words. Her breath comes in uneven gasps as she struggles to regain her composure.
A gentle hand touches her wrist, a gesture of comfort, but in her raw state, she instinctively swats it away. 
When she looks up, your expression is sad as your hands retreat to your sides. You clear your throat awkwardly, searching for the right words. 
“I can talk with Ross. Maybe change his mind or something.”
Natasha breaks away from your soft gaze, looking down and biting her lip to stop herself from saying the cutting remark on the tip of her tongue—that it would not make a difference, not with her past. 
She’s all too aware of the person she was, and no words could erase that history.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” you try to reassure her. 
Despite the same certainty and determination in your tone, Natasha can’t seem to find it in her to believe that to be true this time.
Glancing up, Natasha’s eyes fall on the bruises and scratches on your face, injuries you sustained because of her—because you chose to stand by her side. 
The sight only deepens the ache in her chest.
“Don’t,” Natasha mutters, her voice trembling. “Just leave.”
“Nat…” you begin, your voice soft, filled with concern.
But she closes her eyes tightly, shaking her head as if to block out the sound. “I said go! Leave me alone!” 
The harshness in her tone is laced with pain, and it cuts through the air like a knife. 
For a moment, there’s silence, thick and heavy, before you turn and walk away, leaving Natasha alone with her thoughts. 
The hallway echoes with the sound of your retreating footsteps.
Natasha sinks down to the floor, wrapping her arms around her knees, feeling the weight of her actions pressing down on her like never before.
She thought she could finally have a different life, that she could change, but nothing has changed. She still hurts the people around her.
So, Natasha does what she does best. She disappears.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Seventh Circle Prison, Russia – 2016
The whirl of the helicopter blades fills the air as Natasha flies away from the prison, the tension inside the cabin palpable among its three occupants.
“It means so much to me that you girls came back for me,” Alexei begins, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
Natasha, however, isn’t in the mood for such sentimentality. Her voice is sharp as she cuts him off, “No. No, you’re gonna tell us how to get to the Red Room.”
Alexei huffs, slightly taken aback by her tone.
“Whoa, look at you, huh? All business.”
“Trust me, this isn’t pleasure,” Natasha retorts, her eyes narrowing in irritation. She was not prepared to deal with her old family after just losing her new one. But the quicker she destroys the Red Room and saves the remaining Widows, the faster she can leave this part of her past behind.
Behind her, Alexei chuckles, though there’s a trace of bitterness in his laughter.
“Little Natasha, all indoctrinated into the Western agenda.”
Natasha’s gaze hardens as she turns to glare at him. 
“I chose to go west to become an Avenger. At least they treated me like family.”
“Really? Family?” Alexei’s tone drips with sarcasm. “Well, where are they now?”
From the corner of her eye, Natasha catches Yelena looking at her. A mix of emotions crosses Yelena’s face—curiosity, concern, and a brief flash of sadness—before she turns away, staring forward.
“Where is that family now?” Alexei repeats, his voice louder, more insistent.
Unable to face the question any longer, Natasha turns away, focusing on the landscape outside instead.
The ache of loss resurfaces within her, a painful reminder of the bonds she once believed were unbreakable, now torn apart so easily.
As the helicopter continues to slice through the air, the silence between them grows heavier, especially after Natasha discovers that Melina is still working for Dreykov, remotely operating somewhere outside of Saint Petersburg.
With Yelena now at the controls of the helicopter, Natasha takes a moment for herself. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small flip phone—the only possession she hadn’t discarded when she went on the run.
Opening it, she stares at the screen, at the message she’s been fixated on for weeks.
“I love you” 
It was the last thing you sent her after she had disappeared. 
Natasha swallows nervously before attempting once more to type a response. Her fingers move over the keys, spelling out the same words that appeared on the screen countless times before.
I’m sorry|
But once again, nothing else follows. Frustration wells up inside her as her fingers hesitate, struggling to find the right words.
Instead of clarity, a heavy weight presses down on her—guilt from your last moment together, regret over her actions, and fear of what the future holds for the two of you.
Before she can dwell on it further, the helicopter suddenly lurches, jostling everyone inside.
“Yelena?!” Natasha calls out, her voice filled with alarm.
The blonde-haired Widow nods calmly, her tone casual despite the situation. 
“Uh, yeah, the plane’s going down.” She flips a few switches, nodding in confirmation. “Told you we didn’t have enough fuel to get there.”
Groaning in frustration, Natasha quickly tucks the phone away, securing herself as she declares, “Everyone, brace yourselves.”
After a rough landing and leaving the wrecked helicopter behind, they finally arrive at Melina’s home.
The four of them sit awkwardly around the table, a scene eerily reminiscent of how it was many years ago.
Breaking the silence, Alexei exclaims joyfully, “Family! Back together again!”
Natasha rolls her eyes, dismissing his enthusiasm as she tries to stay focused on the mission.
“So, here’s what’s going to happen—”
“Natasha, don’t slouch,” Melina interrupts, her voice carrying a motherly tone.
Blinking in surprise, Natasha straightens slightly, though she couldn’t help but argue, “I’m not slouching.”
“Yes, yes you are,” Melina insists, her tone firm.
“I don’t slouch,” Natasha retorts, irritation creeping into her voice. 
“You’re going to get a back hunch,” Melina continues, unfazed by Natasha’s resistance.
Alexei nods in agreement, tapping her arm. “Listen to your mother.” 
“All right, enough! All of you,” Natasha snaps, trying to regain control of the situation and her emotions. Her voice is tinged with disbelief at their sudden concern—as if they hadn’t abandoned her and Yelena to the Red Room once their mission was over.
“I didn’t say anything. That’s not fair,” Yelena quips, her tone laced with dry humor.
Rolling her eyes, Natasha tries again, “Here’s what’s going to happen—”
“I don’t want any food,” Yelena complains as Melina places a spoonful onto her plate.
“Eat a little something, Yelena, for God’s sake,” Melina urges, her voice slipping back into the role of a concerned mother.
The constant interruptions and forced familial interactions finally push Natasha over the edge, and her frustration boils over.
“Enough! Stop, just stop pretending to care. Our family was never real,” Natasha snaps, her voice rising. “Nothing about us is real!”
Yelena’s breath catches in her throat at Natasha’s declaration.
“Don’t say that.” Yelena’s frown deepens as she continues, “Please don’t say that. It was real. It was real to me.” 
Natasha falters at Yelena’s response, regret immediately washing over her. She hadn’t meant to hurt her sister, but with everything that’s happened in the past weeks, she could no longer control her anger and frustration.
Swallowing hard, Natasha stays silent, her hands clenching in her lap to keep from reaching out to comfort Yelena.
Yelena shakes her head in disbelief, hastily wiping away a stray tear. “The best part of my life was fake,” she exhales deeply, her voice trembling with emotion, “and none of you told me.”
She turns to Natasha, her voice filled with hurt and heavy with accusation. “And you…you got out. Dreykov made sure no one could escape after that. Aren’t you going to say anything?”
Natasha holds Yelena’s gaze for a long, tense moment, the silence between them charged with unspoken pain. Finally, Natasha flinches away, guilt preventing her from finding the right words.
Melina reaches out, placing a comforting hand on Yelena’s shoulder. But Yelena quickly brushes it off, standing abruptly and turning to leave.
“Yelena…” Natasha calls after her, her voice heavy with regret.
Yelena ignores her, slamming the door behind her as she storms out.
“Uh…I’ll go talk to her,” Alexei offers, standing up to follow.
Natasha’s gaze falls, her eyes glaring at the table as the weight of guilt presses down on her chest, almost suffocating her. She suddenly stands, pushing her chair back with a harsh scrape, and quickly leaves the table, heading for the bathroom.
Once inside, she splashes cold water on her face, hoping to wash away the turmoil churning inside her.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror, frustration is etched into every line of her face.
Why does it seem like the only thing she’s capable of is hurting those around her?
Natasha can’t even remember what made her believe that someone like her could have a different life—that she could change and be more than what she was trained to be.
Sighing deeply, Natasha leaves the bathroom and returns to the table, only to find that Melina has gone as well.
Unsurprised, Natasha finds herself alone once again. She closes her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself. As she does, she recalls how she used to cope with the pain of loneliness, slowly beginning to rebuild the walls around her heart.
But then, a small commotion outside catches her attention.
Moving cautiously, Natasha heads toward the front of the house to investigate. As she reaches the door, she freezes, hearing a familiar voice that stops her in her tracks.
“I’m not here to cause any trouble. I’m just looking for someone.”
Natasha’s brow furrows in recognition, but she quickly shakes her head, dismissing the thought. It can’t be possible.
“The next town is five miles that way,” Melina’s voice responds, cold and unwelcoming.
Curiosity gets the better of her, and Natasha peeks out the door, stepping outside cautiously. Her eyes widen in surprise when they meet yours.
“Nat…” you say softly, taking a hesitant step closer. But before you can move further, Melina raises the gun in her hand, her eyes filled with a clear warning.
“Wait,” Natasha calls out, rushing forward. She places her hand on Melina’s, gently but firmly lowering the weapon. “She’s not a threat.” 
“Well, that’s a little offensive,” you remark with a slight glare, crossing your arms. 
Natasha gives you a look, silently conveying that she didn’t mean it that way, then turns back to Melina.
“Could you give us a moment?” Natasha asks. 
Melina hesitates briefly, her protective gaze lingering on Natasha, but eventually nods. With a wary glance in your direction, she retreats back into the house.
Once alone, Natasha turns to you, her expression conflicted with a mix of curiosity and concern.
“How did you find me?” 
“I got worried after the message you sent me,” you explain, pulling out your phone and showing her the screen.
On it is a jumbled message: “I’m sorrywjhsgf”
Natasha grimaces, realizing her fingers must have accidentally pressed some buttons during the helicopter’s turbulent descent. She mentally kicks herself for the unintended message.
“I didn’t mean to send that.”
At her words, your face falls as understanding dawns on you, the light in your eyes dimming. 
“Oh,” you mutter quietly, glancing down as you fidget with your phone before tucking it away. You shuffle in place unsurely before turning away with a shake of your head. 
“I should just go,” you say, disappointment clear in your voice. 
Realizing the misunderstanding she’s caused, Natasha quickly reaches out, catching your arm and turning you back to face her, her words spilling out in a rush.
“Wait, that’s not what I meant,” Natasha blurts out, her voice urgent as she steps closer. “I wanted to say more than just sorry,” she clarifies, hoping you’ll understand.
You pause, your gaze lingering where her hand rests on your arm. Slowly, you pull away, and her hand drops back to her side.
At your distancing action, Natasha’s heart pounds painfully in her chest as she realizes how much she’s risked by not reaching out sooner and letting her fears and insecurities get in the way of what truly matters.
She braces herself for the inevitable. 
But instead of leaving, you surprise her by simply crossing your arms and waiting, a silent gesture that tells her you’re willing to listen.
Natasha exhales, only now realizing she’d been holding her breath. The familiar way you look at her, unchanged from before, causes the walls she’d been building to crumble.
Taking a deep breath, she begins to speak.
“You have every right to be angry with me,” she says, her voice tinged with guilt. Natasha hesitates, searching for the right words to express the turmoil inside her, still struggling to find herself amidst all the chaos.
“There’s so much more I need to say,” she continues, her voice softening, almost pleading. “But the problem is that I haven’t figured it all out yet. What I do know, though—” she pauses, her eyes locking onto yours, searching for any hint of hope, “—is that I don’t want you to leave.”
When she finishes, your expression remains unreadable.
Natasha bites her lip, anxiety twisting in her stomach as she watches you contemplate her words. Being this vulnerable is unfamiliar territory for her, and it terrifies her more than she’s willing to admit. 
“Please don’t go,” she whispers, a final, desperate plea, hoping it’s enough to convey the depth of her true feelings.
You look up at the sky, exhaling softly as if weighing your options.
When your gaze finally meets hers again, a small, playful smile tugs at the corners of your lips. You gesture toward the house, the tension easing as a lighter tone returns to your voice.
“New friends?” you ask, the warmth in your tone bringing a small smile to Natasha’s face.
Natasha chuckles lightly, the pressure in her chest easing at your familiar banter.
“More like an old, broken family.”
You hum thoughtfully, your teasing grin softening into a more sympathetic expression.
“So, not much different,” you remark, referencing the fractured state of the Avengers.
Natasha sighs sadly, her smile fading at the reminder of her situation.
“What should I do?” she asks, her voice tinged with the uncertainty she’s been trying so hard to conceal. 
It feels as though no matter what she does, nothing ever changes. She pretends to have all the answers, but deep down, she knows the truth is far from that.
“Whatever you feel is right,” you respond without hesitation, your confidence in her unwavering.
Natasha scoffs softly, a flicker of disbelief crossing her features as she hesitates. Her eyes meet yours, searching for reassurance.
“And what makes you so sure I’ll make the right choice?” she asks, her voice revealing the doubt that lingers deep within her.
You take a moment to consider your response before stepping closer, gently cupping her face in your hands.
“Because after everything you’ve been through, you’ve still kept your heart,” you say with quiet conviction, your thumb gently brushing her cheek as you lean your forehead against hers.
“That’s how I know you’ll figure this out, too,” you add, your voice filled with certainty.
Your words settle over Natasha, bringing a sense of calm to her chaotic thoughts. For the first time in a long while, she feels a glimmer of hope—hope that maybe, just maybe, she can find her way through this mess and everything else, too.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Avenger Compound, Upstate New York – 2018
Natasha sits on the edge of the bed in her old room at the Avengers Compound, watching you as you methodically strap on your gear and check your weapons.
The room is dimly lit, shadows playing along the walls, and the tension from the past few hours hangs heavily in the air.
Her leg bounces with nervous energy, worry gnawing at her. She presses her palms together, fidgeting with her fingers, before dropping her gaze to the floor and releasing a soft, scared sigh.
But the fear isn’t for herself. 
“You can still go, you know,” Natasha mutters softly, her voice barely breaking the silence. 
You hum in acknowledgment, not pausing in your preparation, the sound of buckles and straps filling the room. 
“Do you want me to?” you ask over your shoulder, your tone casual, almost too casual for the weight of the question.
Natasha huffs, recognizing your familiar deflection, and shakes her head. 
With Bruce’s dire warning about the impending battle with Thanos and his army still echoing in her mind, she can’t help the fear that tightens her chest as she looks at the person who has chosen to stand by her side, time and time again. 
“I want you safe,” Natasha admits, her voice trembling with the honesty of her words. 
“Good, I feel the same about you,” you reply, turning to face her, your expression softening as you take in the sight of her.
“I’m serious. This isn’t like anything we’ve faced before,” Natasha warns, her eyes pleading with yours to understand. 
“Which means you’ll need all the help you can get,” you say, stepping closer until you’re standing right in front of her.
Natasha twists her lips, frustrated by the truth in your words. She looks away, trying to hide the turmoil in her eyes. 
But you won’t let her retreat. 
You gently catch her chin with your finger, guiding her face back to yours as you lean down to press a soft, lingering kiss against her lips.
Natasha’s eyes flutter shut as she returns the kiss, her hand instinctively finding the back of your neck, pulling you closer as if she can anchor herself in the warmth of your touch.
When you finally pull away, Natasha bites her lip lightly, trying to hold onto the warmth for just a moment longer.
You rest your forehead against hers, and she finally opens her eyes, meeting yours with a rare vulnerability she shows only to you.
“Are you scared?” you ask softly, your voice laced with the same fear gnawing at her. 
Natasha’s eyes roam across your face, memorizing every detail as if it might be the last time she sees you.
“Terrified,” she admits, her voice raw with emotion.
“Me too,” you say, a small, reassuring smile tugging at your lips as your thumb gently caresses her cheek. 
“Are you going to leave?” you ask, even though Natasha’s sure you already know the answer. 
The Avengers are her family. Imperfect and flawed, but they always strive to make the world a safer place—to do what’s right. She would never abandon them when they need her most.
“No,” she responds, her voice filled with determined resolve. 
You smile knowingly at her response, your gaze drifting around the room as a look of nostalgia washes over you. 
The soft, wistful look in your eyes tells Natasha that you’re recalling the memories of all the times the two of you spent together in this space. 
When you meet Natasha’s gaze again, a playful smile tugs at your lips.
“Do you still love me?” you ask teasingly.
Natasha huffs in mock offense, the corner of her lips twitching into a half-smile. You can’t help but chuckle at her reaction, raising a brow in amusement.
“Well?” you whisper, your voice low as you lean in closer, your breath warm against her skin, your hands resting gently on her shoulders.
Instead of answering, Natasha wraps her arms around your waist, pulling you in until you’re straddling her, your knees pressing into the bed on either side of her. 
The bed dips slightly under your combined weight, and Natasha holds you close, her hands firm yet gentle on your waist.
“I love you,” Natasha breathes out, her voice barely above a whisper. “And I don’t want to lose you.” 
You cup her face in your hands, your eyes filled with love and adoration as you give her a reassuring smile. 
“I’m not going anywhere,” you reaffirm, your voice steady and full of the certainty she needs to hear. 
You lower yourself onto her, gently guiding her down to lie back against the bed, your lips meeting hers in a tender kiss. 
You had said it with such conviction that Natasha can’t help but believe you, just as she always has. 
But how could she have known that after this battle, for the first time ever, it wouldn’t be true?
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Vomir – 2023
They say that when someone is about to die, their life flashes before their eyes—a rapid montage of memories, achievements, failures, regrets, and the relationships that mattered most.
For Natasha, the idea of her life flashing before her eyes seems almost laughable. Her early years are a blur of pain, manipulation, and control—years she would rather forget than relive.
The truth is, her real life didn’t begin until much later.
If Natasha had to pinpoint the exact moment, it would be when she found herself face-to-face with the sharp point of an arrow—the moment she met the first person to see something in her worth saving when she had seen nothing in herself.
That was the moment she was given the chance to truly live.
Her mind floods with memories of the life she built after that fateful encounter—a life she had never imagined for herself, filled with friends, laughter, and moments of unexpected warmth.
She remembers the first time she allowed herself to trust again, to let people in despite the walls she had built around her heart. 
With all their quirks and flaws, the Avengers became the family she never knew she needed. They challenged her, frustrated her, and made her feel alive in ways she had never thought possible.
But it wasn’t always easy. Natasha recalls the arguments, the disagreements, and the moments when it seemed like they were tearing apart at the seams. 
However, no matter how far they drifted, they always found their way back to each other.
She learned to fight for them, to fight for herself, and to fight for something greater than her past.
And then there were those who reached out from her previous life, some seeking assistance, some seeking redemption. Even then, Natasha chose to rebuild those broken bonds of the past.
Yet, among all these memories, one person stands out more than any other. 
That person was there at every pivotal moment in her life—whether she was on the verge of giving up or standing tall in the face of adversity. Through the highs and lows, they were her constant, the one who saw her for who she truly was and loved her all the more for it.
In her final moments, Natasha’s mind doesn’t dwell on her victories or her failures.
Instead, she sees your face, the one constant in her life that brought her peace and happiness. 
Natasha remembers the way you looked at her, with eyes that held no judgment, only love. She recalls the way your touch calmed her, the way your presence made her feel safe in a world that had always been hostile.
As she falls, Natasha realizes that this connection is what matters most. It’s not the battles or the missions that define her, but the love she found in the most unexpected place. 
And as the darkness closes in, the last thing she sees is you, a symbol of everything she has fought for and everything she has come to cherish.
Her final breath is taken not in fear but in peace, knowing that she lived a life worth remembering—a life filled with love, friendship, and purpose.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
Cemetery, Ohio — 2023
���If you passed away, who would sit at your grave the longest?”
Natasha had asked you that question once. 
At the time, you couldn’t come up with a definite answer, so you had turned the question back to her. 
You remember the way her lips curved into a small, wistful smile as she considered it, her eyes reflecting a depth of sadness you had only glimpsed before. 
“I don’t know,” she had replied, her voice soft but honest, as if she had long accepted that was her inevitable fate.
Natasha could not come up with an answer then, but you did.
“Who would sit at her grave the longest?”
You didn’t need any time to think about the answer. Many people could rightfully fill that role. 
To Melina and Alexei, she was their beloved daughter, the one who had been torn from them too soon, only to return with a strength and resolve that made them proud. 
To Yelena, she was her cherished sister—a mentor, a protector, the person who had sacrificed so much to ensure Yelena had a chance at a real life, free from the chains of the Red Room. 
To the Avengers, she was a valued teammate and friend, the glue that held them together through the darkest times. She was their moral compass, the one who always found a way to do what was right, even when the cost was high. 
To the world, she was a hero, a symbol of resilience and redemption. The Black Widow, who had fought for a better future, leaving a legacy that would inspire generations to come.
To you…she was everything.
Your fingers trace the delicate grooves of her engraved name, feeling the weight of every memory, every moment you had shared. 
You stood by her side through nearly all of it—the battles, the victories, the losses. You had seen her at her best and at her worst, through moments of triumph and times of doubt. 
You loved her fiercely, from strangers to friends to something so much more.
She was the woman who had shown you the strength of vulnerability, the power of redemption, and the courage to love despite the risks.
In the end, you were right about all those who would come to see her, to pay their respects to the woman who had become an important part of their lives. 
But they would all eventually leave, returning to their own lives, their own battles. They would remember her, yes, but they would move on.
But not you.
“So, who would sit at Natasha’s grave the longest?”
That answer was clear.
“You would. Now and forever.” 
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
a/n: this one was really long so if you made it to the end in one go, kudos for you and thank you for taking the time to read it!
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rafeandonlyrafe · 2 months
Text
range
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words: 700
warnings: mentions of violence, takes place in s3, gun range, shooting (just targets), protective!rafe, soft!rafe, established relationship
“rafe, i really don't know about this…” you sigh, hands twisting around together, trying to combat them shaking and appearing weak in front of your boyfriend.
“i just think this would be a good idea.” rafe says, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear and pressing a kiss to your forehead. “i don't expect you to become a fan or do this fun, but it would make me feel better.”
“is this because of whatever you're doing with barry?” you question, placing your hands on your hips. “or why you were in carribbean for “business” and all of a sudden stop answering my calls?”
“what do you know about barry?” rafe questions, his face turning pale, voice dropping as his tone turns serious.
“i heard you talking to him on the phone. you thought i was asleep.” you admit sheepishly, not proud of what you did, but you knew rafe was hiding something from you.
“okay.” rafe says, hands dropping to your shoulders, giving them a squeeze. “yes. it's because of bad men that i want you to at least learn how to shoot a basic handgun. i will be here to protect you but if anything happens to me…”
“rafe, you're really scaring me.” you gulp, eyes suddenly darting around, wondering how safe you are in tanneyhill.
“im gonna get shit sorted out. soon. until then, i need to know you can protect yourself.”
“okay.” you pout, knowing rafe will suck his head and kiss you. you wrap your arms around his shoulders and find comfort in his hold, slight relief knowing that what he was hiding from you wasn't another girl, but knowing hes in danger sends a chill to your very core.
“as far as i can tell, no one knows about you. as much as i want to show you off to the world, i need you to just be sheltered for a little bit. until things blow over.”
“rafe,” you coo out, placing your hands on the smooth planes of his cheeks. “im not mad. i trust you. just tell me this stuff so im not sat here questioning.”
“i love you.” rafe says earnestly. he used to see it as a flaw, how deep his love runs for those he cares about, especially when it turned sour against his family, but when you came into his life everything turned around and began looking up, his growing love becoming a strength instead of a weakness.
“i love you too.” you press another kiss to his lips. “so, when are we going?”
--
rafe has the guns laid out in the case, all pointing down range. two pistols and one revolver, all handed down to him by ward, who of course only bought the highest of quality.
“okay.” you nod, listening intently to rafes safety lesson, purposely looking at the guns and not his face as to not get distracted and remind yourself of the importance of what you're doing.
“ill fire the full magazine first that way you can hear it and see it.” rafe explains. “and then ill reload and you can fire. this one doesn't have a lot of kickback.”
you nod and take a couple steps back, jumping when the first shot is fired, but your flinching slowly settles as rafe fires down the range until the gun clicks.
“ready?” rafe turns, placing his hands on your shoulders. “remember, when you pick up a gun, you're doing it to save yourself. you're shooting to kill.”
“i know.” you nod somberly, moving to the edge of the shooting area and picking up the gun, making sure to aim it towards the target the whole time as you adjust your grip before flipping the safety.
your finger hesitates briefly over the trigger before you fire, gasping at the power held in your hands.
you finish off the magazine and set the gun down with a staggering step back, right into rafes hold.
“i got you. you did good.” rafe hugs you to him, sliding your ear protection off to place kisses all over your face.
he continues comforting you after every round is fired, reminding you of the importance and reassuring you you're doing well.
“i know you didn't enjoy that.” rafe says as you get back into the car, having picked up all your shell casings and fully cleared the guns. “but im glad you did it, baby. i pray nothing ever happens but if it does, you'll be ready.”
sfw tags: @winterrrnight @ladyinbl00d @ethanthequeefqueen @bejeweledreverie @drewsephrry
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enviedear · 10 months
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Okay but Billy with an innocent reader>>>>>>>> LIKE HES SO PROTECTIVE OML
billy + innocent!reader
stop i love this. this should be an au hell i may just write more for it
tw— for use of a gun, toothrotting fluff
request
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"go ahead, honey. pull the trigger." billy's voice is sweet against your ear.
your face morphs into a coy apprehension, "and you're sure this won't send me flying on my rear?"
he chuckles, straightening your arms a bit, "m'right here, i won't let that happen."
your eyes focus in on the three rusty cans in the distance, set atop a dry rotting log. you know there's no way you're going to hit them all. you'd be lucky to hit one.
but billy is adamant in both that you need to learn how to shoot, and that you’ll be a ‘natural’. his driving objective, however, being that since he can't be with you from sun up to sun down, he'll have to settle with teaching you how to fend for yourself.
it's not unlike him to behave this way. in the months you've known the gunslinger, you've come to find that his urge to protect you is enormous.
his protection isn't reserved just against the infamous wild men of the west, but rather, anything and anyone. if it could possibly do you harm, physically or mentally, he's there to guard and defend.
like a knight out of the princess tales your mother used to tell you.
you let out a harsh breath before your finger begins to press into the trigger. too soft at first, the metal remains in its' spot, you muster up all your courage and pull the trigger. your eyes are screwed shut as the bullet whistles away, and you quickly turn into billy.
his arms ensnare you, wrapping you tight, "what're you hidin' for? you hit it dead center, sweetheart!"
you lift your head, staring unabashedly into his blue eyes, "did i really?"
he hums, using his dominant hand to steer your gaze away from him and toward the target. sure enough, the can on the left side has a small hole right in its middle.
billy chuckles, his chest rumbling against your back, "told you, my girl's a natural."
you can't help but grin, the tension releasing from your shoulders, "or i've got a good teacher." you tease.
he gives you a squeeze before letting go, gesturing toward the cans, "c'mon, let's see if you can do it again."
emboldened by your first success, you square your shoulders and take aim. this time, you focus a bit more, remembering the sensation of the recoil and trying to replicate it. the shot rings out, and you open your eyes to find another can hit.
billy lightly claps you on the back, "see? just like that, sweetheart."
as you reload, you can't help but appreciate the way the afternoon sun plays on his weathered hat, casting thin rays upon his lips, "m’not as hopeless as i thought."
he grins, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "do i e’ver lie to you?”
you ignore his sly remark, focusing back in on your targets. with newfound confidence, you continue to practice, the rhythmic sound of gunshots filling the air. as the sun begins its descent, casting a warm glow over the landscape.
the sounds of gunfire continue, each shot feeling more controlled and confident than the last. with every successful hit, billy's pride in your progress shines through his loving stare. he stands by your side, offering guidance and encouragement, a quiet guardian in the backdrop of your learning.
as the sun dips even lower, casting a dim hue over the landscape, you catch a glimpse of billy watching you with a softness in his eyes. he often got this way, completely lost in you. especially when you're doing things his way— not in the way you'd normally feel inclined. you're rather tame and harmless in comparison to billy, the entire west, really.
growing up away from the fast-growing townships and travelers, when you met billy he completely flipped your world upside down. you gave him all your firsts, shooting his pistol only adds to the expansive list of firsts you've given him.
you go to take aim again, eyes closing as you shoot, still too frightened to keep them open— your bullet flies past your targets, missing entirely. you've grown used to the sound of a hit and when you open your eyes to find the miss, you groan.
billy's safeguarding nature becomes even more apparent as you meet his winsome eyes, his gaze lingers on you, subtle worry etched on his features.
he knows you're inexperienced, a stark contrast to the harsh realities of the world he's accustomed to. he knows it isn't, but if this were a shootout, that big of a miss would have cost you your life.
the mere thought of you in that situation is something he's not willing to entertain.
"you're doing mighty fine, sweetheart," he reassures, a tenderness in his voice that speaks volumes, "but remember, there's more to this than cans and targets. gotta keep those pretty eyes of yours open, alright?"
you nod, appreciating his concern and the earnest care he extends. it dawns on you that learning to shoot isn't just a practical skill— it's a testament to the depth of billy's affection. he's arming you with more than just a handgun— he's giving you a piece of his own resilience and determination.
as the sun sets, casting long shadows across the landscape, you take a moment to stand side by side with billy, appreciating the warmth of his presence. the sky paints hues of orange and pink, a picturesque backdrop to the bond that's been forged between you.
"thanks, billy," you say, sincerity lacing your words. "for teaching me, for being patient."
he smiles, a softness in his expression that contrasts with the rugged exterior, "my pleasure, sweetheart. always want you to be able to take care of yourself."
with the last rays of sunlight fading, you holster the gun, feeling a newfound sense of empowerment. billy wraps an arm around your shoulders, guiding you back towards the homestead. as you walk together, the echoes of gunshots in the ears serve as a reminder that you're not just learning to shoot— you're learning to navigate billy's world, and with his protection, you're sure you'll do just fine.
—reblog and like if you enjoyed, let ur local writer know you like her work !
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obbystars · 1 month
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When Mother Was Here
Synopsis: Kill him. Or let him bleed.
Notes: Sebastian Solace x GN!Reader / NO ROMANCE IN THIS ONE / Based off of Zeal’s recent post of a scrapped idea / Angst, hurt no comfort, no happy ending / Sebastian backstory spoilers / Violence / Repeated deaths / I suck at writing people fighting, sorry :( / Spot the Gabriel Ultrakill reference / Short (sigh…)
Credits: dividers by @cafekitsune
(OUGHHHHH ZEAL I WISH YOU KEPT THIS IN THE WORKS I don’t think you guys know how fast I RUSHED to make this after I saw the post)
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Your orders were simple. Kill Z-13, The Saboteur. Otherwise known to you as Sebastian Solace. For once, they equipped you with a weapon but it wasn’t one that’d prove that effective. At least, not one that’d give you such an advantage against the mutant so that you wouldn’t use it against the guardsmen and other staff. You were still an EXR-P, after all. An expendable. They don’t expect you to accomplish this, but it was the EXR-P that was able to find him because he lets them find him.
You figured you’d have an advantage as he may not be expecting you, an EXR-P, to be armed. Maybe even surprise him. However, that turned out to not be the case. Of course, you weren’t the only one tasked with this. Urbanshade needs him to die.
He had killed you just as quickly as the others, but you surprised him the moment he turned his back to you. He heard faint shuffling and the sound of bones cracking behind him and turned back around. Suddenly, you were standing again as if he didn’t just crush your skull into the ground. The blood was there. The cracks on the floor were there. The blood dripping down your head and onto your prisoner uniform was there.
He stares at you in complete shock for a moment, then he lets out a growl.
“I don’t care how many time you come back,” he stands up straight, “I will break you again and again, paint the walls red with buckets of your own blood! I will rip you limb from limb until even the other expendables start to cry for mercy!! I will ENJOY tearing you apart no matter how many times I have to!!”
Sebastian continues to kill you and you continue to get back up on your feet not a moment too soon. You were practically drenched in your own blood, so were the floors and walls with how gruesome some of your deaths had gotten.
You know he’s getting slower and desperate as you kept coming back and continued to manage a hit. He was running out of ammo for his shotgun and his own blood was starting to spill onto the floor. You soon spot a dead guardsman that still had his gun. It was likely it was still loaded. You weren’t sure if you were allowed to, but do or die over and over and over again. It wasn’t like they told you that you couldn’t do it, but as long as it meant the target is killed, then they shouldn’t stop you.
The gun was loaded. If you die now, he’ll take it off of your cold hands. Maybe even break it so you can’t use it. While you could finish the job without it, it’s always better to have something more sufficient for the job.
At one instance, he had managed to grab you but managed to hit him in the head with the weapon Urbanshade had provided to you. You narrowly missed your kill-shot, however, and only hit his shoulder. Still, it was a hit.
The fight’s gotten to the point Sebastian was trying to find a way to get away from you. It didn’t matter how, he just needed to escape and get somewhere safe. His recent failed attempt had you managing to aim your shot to hit his arm. You persisted and aimed your gun as he was making a break for it again.
Click.
Your eyes widened. Of course…
Seeing as you had run out of ammo, Sebastian took this chance to run. You returned to the guardsman still lying right where you found him and reloaded the gun. You looked to where Sebastian had fled to and break into a run. The trail of blood was enough to help you track him down.
You feel exhausted as you continue down the dark hallways. You were practically limping, almost literally dragging yourself to try and catch up to Sebastian. You eventually stumble upon a dimly lit room. You recognized this room. The trail leads into the vent. Yes, you know this room.
As you emerged through the other side, you hear someone sobbing. You spot him in the corner, and the sight made you freeze. You don’t know why you froze, or why you lowered the gun.
“M..mom…?” You watch as he reaches out with a trembling hand. To you? It seems like it, but it’s not you he’s seeing, “Are… Are you there..?”
The grip on your gun begins to falter. Your hands begin to shake as you listen to his cries for a mother who wasn’t here. Begging for her to come back. Maybe you’ve forgotten who exactly you were standing in front of. You’ve read his document. Judging by the years listed of when everything happened, you don’t think you’d be surprised if he was still with his family. His mother.
Someone who was accused and sentenced to death for murder, a murder he was not guilty of. It was only because of the official statement made of his execution that this information was not relayed to him or to his family. His family does not know he’s alive, nor do they know he’s not guilty. All they know is that their son was a murderer.
Why can’t you do it? Put him out of his misery. It should be easy. It’s mercy. End his suffering. They’ll kill you if you don’t do it. He’ll kill you again if you don’t do it. If not you, someone else.
You can’t move.
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thatnewweeb · 2 months
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HIS SISTER?! | Denki Kaminari
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Summary | Denki met a cute girl in the support course with red eyes and blonde hair. What will happen when they go back to his dorm and he founds out who her brother is?
CW | None really, protective brother Bakugo maybe
Word Count | 1.2k+
A/N | This is an idea I thought could be funny. I wrote this like probably more than 2 years ago on a different site originally. I might rewrite it at some point
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"Here it is!" You say excitedly, holding out the device to the blond boy. "This goes on your arm, like you requested." You help him put the device on, showing him how he should put it on. "If we go outside, I can show you how to use it?"
"Wow, thank you!" Denki looks down at the new equipment strapped to his arm before looking back at you.
You laugh a little. "You're welcome! It's only a prototype, so let me know if there's any changes you want, other than appearance, that isn't done yet. Feel free to tell me any extra requests you have regarding that, by the way."
The two of you walk through the corridors, out to the grounds of the school. You continue to walk for a while to get away from the main campus, not wanting anyone to get caught up in the tests.
"Okay, so all you need to do is point to where you want the discs and shoot." I tell him, gently tapping on the trigger device. "Go ahead and try it. Aim at that tree."
He watches as you step back, waiting for you to nod to let him know you're far enough out of the way. He presses down on the trigger, jumping back a little at the kickback from the device, not expecting it, pointer missing the tree.
"Ahh, I missed!"
"It's okay! That was your first try, you'll get better with practice! The aim can be a little bit tricky at the start, don't worry about it!" You try to offer a little comfort as you jog over and retrieve the disc. "There will be more discs in the final, I have only made one for practice so far."
You take his arm and show him how to reload the discs into the pointer, him looking between the device and your face, trying to focus on what you are showing him, but getting distracted, lost in your bright red eyes.
"If you don't remember, that's fine! Like I said, it's only a prototype, it may work a little differently in the final design." When you look back at him, there's a soft blush on his face, which he quickly manages to shake off, thanking you.
He tries again, this time hitting the tree, the disc sticking into it.
You make a small, excited noise, happy that he managed to aim it properly and that the disc actually embedded itself. "The glasses will show you where they are, and there will be a dial in the final design that'll allow you to choose which disc your electricity will be targeted towards." You explain. "For now, just check that the disc does attract the electricity."
You step back, putting several meters of space between you and Denki for your own safety.
When he releases his Quirk, it gets targeted to the disc as it was supposed to.
You and Kaminari immediately look at each other, excitement evident on both your faces. Your arms wrap around him, his wrapping around you as you both jump a few times, celebrating.
A moment later, you realise what you're doing and let go, both looking away, a little embarrassed.
"Um, I was wondering, if you would like to go on a date with me sometime?" Kaminari asks, sounding a little shyer than you would have expected from him.
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He had been so excited for your date, telling his friends about his plans and how much he likes you. Well, telling the friends that would listen, at least. Bakugo Katsuki had no interest or patience with his stupid friend's adventures in love.
You had spent hours together, significantly longer than you had planned. It was an amazing time, and when curfew was coming around, you didn't want to leave each alone, so he invited you to the Class 1-A dorm for a while, which you agreed to.
You knew it probably wasn't the best idea, but you figured you would need to tell him at some point anyway, and it may as well be early.
Unexpectedly, many of Kaminari's friends were waiting for him, wanting to ask how it went. Even more shockingly, Katsuki was there, apparently either not realising that Kaminari was even gone, or maybe even actually being interested in how his friend's date went.
Seeing the spiky-haired boy sitting on the couch made you stop in your tracks. Even though you thought you might see him, you didn't actually expect it to happen.
Kaminari looks at you, confused, placing his hand gently on the back of your head, playing with your straight blonde hair.
"Are you okay, Y/N?"
As soon as he says that, Katsuki's head snaps up, his signature 'hah?' leaving his lips.
"You? It's you? You went on a date with that idiot?" He asks, standing up and walking towards you.
Everyone else looks confused. "You know each other?" Denki asks you.
You sigh. "Unfortunately, yes."
"What do you mean 'unfortunately?' You should be honoured!" Katsuki almost shouts at you.
You roll your eyes. "Oh, shut up, dumbass!" You shout back.
Kaminari, and everyone else, stares at the two of you as you argue back and forth, confused.
"Are they... related?" Kirishima asks quietly, making Kaminari's eyes go wide as he has a big realisation.
Your similar facial features, your blonde hair, your red eyes... it would make sense.
Deku happens to walk into the communal area on his way to the kitchen as this is happening.
"Midoriya!" Kaminari calls out to him, running over. "Are they related?" He asks, knowing that, having grown up with Bakugo, he'll be the person in the class that'll have an insight into Bakugo's family life.
"Yeah, they're twins." He responds. He smiles a little, looking over at you. "You can really see the similarities when they're with each other can't you?"
"I'll kill you, damn nerd!" Both you and Bakugo shout at him at the same time, making Kaminari chuckle nervously. Deku has no reaction, used to this behaviour.
"Yeah, definitely." Denki says quietly, unsure how to react.
"Katsuki, I'm done here. I'm spending time with Denki right now, I'm not here to argue with you." You say before running over to Denki, grabbing his hand, flashing Izuku a smile, and dragging the blond boy towards the elevator.
Once you're away from everyone, you turn to him and sigh. "I'm sorry I didn't mention that. I don't like people knowing about that straight away. People have opinions of my brother that sometimes get transferred to me when they find out."
He smiles and takes both my hands, squeezing them softly. "Hey, it's okay. I understand."
You look a little surprised by his understanding reaction. "So, you don't mind? You're still interested in me?"
He nods, pulling you against his chest and wrapping his arms around you, your hands getting stuck between you and his abdomen. His hand comes up your back, stopping against the back of your head and bringing it softly to rest against his shoulder.
After a moment, he pulls back a little to look at you. "You're really beautiful, you know that?" He whispers softly, leaning in and pressing his lips against yours softly.
Your hands grip onto his shirt, standing on your tiptoes and leaning against him a little, his arms moving to wrap around your waist.
"Get off of my sister, idiot!"
You and Denki startle and quickly break apart when you hear that, looking over at Bakugo, who is still with small explosions going off in his hand.
"You have five seconds to run." He glares at Denki, who yelps and runs. You run over to Bakugo and grab onto his shirt to slow him down, laughing the entire time.
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sergeantbarnessdoll · 2 months
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obsessed with bodyguard x mob 😫
what about something where reader actually fights for bucky's life, maybe some attempt to k*** him, lot of fights, gunshots, just action with angst but happy ending😖
xoxo ly! tysm for your writing! 💗
Fighting For You » Bucky Barnes (AU)
Pairings: Mob!Bucky Barnes x Bodyguard!Female Reader
Summary: You fight to keep Bucky safe and to protect him.
Warnings: Angst, Fluff, language, guns, violence, blood, kissing, pet names
A/N: Thank you to my 🕷️ anon for requesting this🩵
Written on my phone. My apologies for any mistakes.
Header made by @buckys-wintersoldier
GIF IS NOT MINE! Credit goes to the creators. I found it on Pinterest.
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“Boss?” You poked your head in his office. “Are you ready to go home?” You asked.
“I’ll be done in 5 minutes.” Bucky tells you. “Wait for me in the lobby.” He says.
You nodded and closed the door to his office behind you before making your way to the lobby. You sat in one of the chairs in the waiting area and scrolled through your phone while waiting for him.
That’s when you got a weird feeling. You glanced up from your phone to see a small group of people. You assumed they were just walking by so you didn’t think much of it and tried not to let it bother you. You were pulled from your thoughts when you got a text from Bucky.
Boss: On my way to the lobby
You smiled at the text and continued to wait patiently for him. You heard the elevator ding and Bucky got off of it. As you stood up from the chair, you seen one of the people outside pull out a gun and aim it at Bucky, making your eyes go wide.
“Get down!” You shouted.
You used all of your strength to pull Bucky down behind the chairs to avoid the bullets and glass flying towards you guys. Your hands scrambled to get your gun out of your bag. It was already loaded so you poked your head out from the side of the chair and aimed your gun at them and shot at them, taking one of them down.
“Stay here.” You whispered to Bucky.
He nodded and watched you quickly move behind a different chair on the other side of the room. The people thought it would be the perfect opportunity to come inside and fight Bucky or try to shoot him. Bucky did a good job trying to dodge them. What the people didn’t know is that you were on the opposite side of the lobby.
You shot at the person throwing punches at Bucky, purposely missing just to get him away from him. That’s when he started coming towards you. You shot him in the leg to slow him down causing him to fall to the floor.
What you didn’t know was that there was someone behind you. He put his arm around your throat, putting you in a headlock causing you to drop your gun on the floor. You used all of your strength to elbow him in his side hard enough to get him to let go of you. You turned around and punched him hard enough to knock him out.
You quickly picked up your gun from the floor and shot at the another person. That’s when you ran out of bullets. You seen your bag by Bucky and couldn’t get to it.
“Bucky, bullets!” You say, pointing at your bag.
Bucky nodded and rummaged through your bag, finding extra bullets with ease and tossed them to you. You reloaded your gun and aimed it at someone trying to get to Bucky, but someone came up next to you and smacked it out of your hand. You turned your head without thinking and got a punch in the face.
You quickly regained your surroundings and fought back. The person kept making you walk backwards as the two of you fought till your back hit the wall behind you. You didn’t have much leverage without your gun so you threw punches and kicks to defend yourself.
Bucky seen your gun on the floor a couple feet away from him. He made sure the coast was clear before grabbing it.
“Y/N!” Bucky quickly caught your attention. “Catch!” He says.
Bucky tossed your gun to you and you caught it with one hand with ease. You held the barrel of the gun against the person and shot him. The guy screamed in pain and grabbed his shoulder before falling to the floor.
“I’m gonna give you guys 3 seconds to get the hell out of here before I blow each one of your brains out!” You shouted, pointing your gun at them.
The remaining people could tell you weren’t lying when they heard the sound of your gun making a cocking noise. They quickly picked up their unconscious and injured friends and left. Bucky stood there, watching them run away in amusement. He was more than impressed that you scared them away.
When they were out of your sight, you let out a breath you didn’t even know you were holding and unloaded the bullets from your gun into your hand. You put your gun and bullets in your bag and looked at Bucky. Bucky immediately got concerned when he noticed a cut on your lip and your bloody nose.
“Your nose and lip are bleeding.” Bucky says with concern in his voice.
“I’m fine.” You gave him a reassuring smile. “Let go home and get cleaned up.” You say.
When you and Bucky got home, you two got out of your bloody clothes and took showers. You grabbed the first aid kit from underneath your bathroom sink and went to Bucky’s bedroom.
“Your cuts need to be cleaned out.” You say, taking a seat on his bed.
“I’m fine, sweetheart.” Bucky says.
“It wasn’t a question, Mr. Barnes.” You said in all seriousness. “Sit.” You demanded, pointing at the spot of the bed next to you.
Bucky obeyed your demand and sat down next to you. You checked out his injuries before getting anything out of the first aid kit. He just had some bruises and a small cut on the bridge of his nose and a small cut on his jaw. You used a tissue to wipe away the excess and dry blood before putting alcohol on his cuts so they didn’t get infected. Bucky made a small hissing noise and slightly winced when the alcohol got in his cuts.
“You big baby.” You giggled. “You’re a mob boss and alcohol getting in your cuts is making you flinch.” You teasingly say.
“No…” Bucky lied. “I’m taking it like a man.” He says.
“Yea, sure you are, boss man.” You say with a small giggle.
You went back to focusing on patching his cuts up which didn’t take long. You were about to get up to put the first aid kit away and throw away the bloody tissues, but Bucky grabbed your arm and sat you back down on his bed.
“You need to be patched up too.” He says.
“I’m fine, Bucky.” You insisted.
“You have a cut on your lip and bloody nose.” He points out.
“My nose stopped bleeding before I got in the shower.” You said.
“At least let me take care of the cut on your lip.” He pleads.
“Fine.” You mumbled.
Bucky used to tissue to clean the dry blood from your nose and the excess blood from the small cut on your lip. He was being very gentle with you. He has a soft spot for you. He then applied alcohol to the cut on your lip. You made a hissing noise when you felt the sting of the alcohol getting into the cut.
“All done.” He says.
“Thank you, Bucky.” You say with a smile.
“You’re welcome, darling.” He says softly.
You grabbed the first aid kit and put it away and threw away the bloody tissues. You then went back to Bucky’s bedroom to see if he needed anything else before going to bed.
“Do you need anything else, boss?” You asked.
“Actually, I do need one more thing.” Bucky says.
“What is it?” You asked.
Bucky didn’t say anything. He walked up to you and kissed you passionately, catching you off guard. You immediately kissed him back. He pulled away after a few seconds, looking deep in your eyes.
“Thank you for fighting for me and protecting me earlier.” He says.
“You’re welcome.” You smile. “I’d do it again.” You say.
Bucky kissed you once more, but this kiss was more like a goodnight kiss.
“Goodnight, sweetheart.” Bucky says softly.
“Goodnight, Bucky.” You say, looking in his blue eyes.
You walked out of his bedroom and went to your own room down the hall. You laid down on your bed, smiling contently. You’re happy to know that Bucky can count on you to fight for him and to protect him. That’s how you went to bed. So did Bucky.
🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
-Bucky’s Doll
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thatonebirdwrites · 9 months
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When the news came, Lena was in a meeting with Sam and the L-Corp's board. She'd long ago set all alerts for Supergirl to come through to her phone, but ones where Supergirl was injured had been set to ignore all other settings.
The ring caused Sam to jump, but Lena kept her cool. She glanced down at her phone, and felt her veins turn to ice. A brief message that Supergirl had fallen from the sky.
Shit.
Lena grabbed her phone and bag. "I regret that I must take this call. An emergency has come up."
Sam looked at her, her brow furrowed in worry. "I can handle this, Lena. Go."
With a tight smile to her friend and CFO, Lena hurried from the room. She swapped out her shoes, and took off in a sprint. The alert had given her an intersection, but she needed to know if Alex knew about this yet.
Lena: Alex, I'm incoming.
Alex: wait, what?
Lena: Kara, she's fallen.
Alex: The hell? She's supposed to be eating lunch! Was in a meeting. Where?
Lena forwarded the alert's text, baffled that Alex had no idea.
Alex: How close are you? It's gonna take me fifteen minutes. J'onn unavailable.
Lena: Be there in five.
The doors of the elevator opened. Why drive when she could take the helicopter? When her pilot reached the intersection, Lena stared in horror. Someone had what looked like a missile launcher over their shoulder, and Kara laid in a cracked hole in the street in front of Noonan's. So Alex had been correct, Kara had been getting lunch, as drinks and food was spilled across the curb. People clustered in the doorways of the cafe and storefronts, and Kara's supersuit had a burn mark across its front.
Fuck.
"Hold us steady," Lena ordered the pilot. She grabbed a bag from behind her seat. In case of an attack -- considering she had quarterly assassination attempts all the time -- she had some specific weapons in here. One of them was a shotgun with some unusual shells. She flicked through her supplies and decided on a particularly useful set. She popped in the shells, cocked the gun, and threw open the door. The person started to look up, but Lena wasn't giving them a chance to react. She fired. The shots slammed into the person's back and immediately ice formed. She fired again. This time the person fell to the ground as a block of ice. Cryo shells had their use. She reloaded and gestured to her pilot.
He brought the helicopter closer to the ground. "Watch my back," she said, mostly out of habit, though she doubted the pilot could do anything. "And stay in the air. We'll need a quick exit." "Right, Ms. Luthor." He kept his gaze on the controls, his voice coming through her headset.
She jumped to the ground, her shotgun cocked. As she scanned the area, she realized, to her dismay, that another person stood in the shadows of the storefront across from Noonan's, armed with some sort of long rifle. Why the person hadn't fired yet confused her.
Lena aimed but didn't fire yet. She didn't have confidence that her shot would hit before the other took her out. "Step away from Supergirl."
The person wasn't that much taller than herself. Curly blonde hair leaked out of the black beanie, and blue eyes regarded her from under a black mask, their clothes definitely assassin-like. "Stay out of this, Luthor." A high-pitched voice. Possibly a woman?
"This is my business." Lena stalked closer. "Don't think I won't take you out like your friend there." She nodded at the other person dressed in black with a black mask over their face, their eyes closed. Ice was still encased around their lower body.
Lena wished she'd seen the person earlier. Otherwise she'd have fired on them too. Now they were in a stand-off exactly when Kara needed her the most.
"I don't want to do this," the woman in black said. "You're not on our list."
"Then step away now. Don't think I won't fire."
The woman stared at her for a long moment as if sizing her up. Her voice timbre changed to a hint of coy and frustrated. "Why do you care, Lena Luthor? Doesn't your family hate Kryptonians?"
Lena rolled her eyes. "I'm not them." She needed to distract her somehow. At least until Alex got here or Lena could fire the shot without getting hit in turn. "Now, how about you put down your weapon, I'll put down mine, and we'll talk like civilized people?"
The woman hesitated, her rifle moved just an inch down.
That was when the shot came from above. The bullet hit the woman's shoulder, she staggered backward, and Lena took the shot. Two blasts later, the woman was encased in ice like her friend.
Lena slung the shotgun over her shoulder and raced to Kara's side. "Supergirl!" She dropped next to her and felt for Kara's pulse. It was faint, far too faint. "Dammit." She didn't have time to check for injuries. Kara needed extracted immediately. "Riordan, drop the stretcher," she said into her headset.
The helicopter hovered closer, and a side door slid open. The stretcher shot out, swung, and slowed to a stop above her head. She reached up, snagged its side, and pulled on its rope until she had it next to Kara. It took two tries to lift the Kryptonian -- damn, Kara was heavy -- until she had Kara on and belted in securely. Flicking the switch on the bottom of the stretcher, a set of footrests dropped into place.
After she clamped her shoes onto the footrests, she noticed several people had started to come out of the stores with their phones in their hands, likely recording her rescue.
Whatever. All Lena cared about was Kara. "Go," she ordered her pilot, and held on tightly as the helicopter lifted toward the sky.
TO BE CONTiNUED...
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fireya-x · 23 days
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AO3 Link (full tag list) || masterlist
Your husband, Captain John Price, insists on teaching you how to shoot at the range. But you soon realize that his instructions involve a lot more than just handling a gun.
[4k+ words]
cw: piv sex, spanking, light dom/sub
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“Remember what I just told you,” John said, and your grip around the cool material of the gun you held grew tighter. It was a foreign object in your hands, and even though you’d just received detailed instructions on how to hold and handle it, it didn’t feel right. You’d hesitantly taken it from his hands, and felt something unexpected, as if accepting a dangerous secret from him. It felt intimate, like a shared moment of vulnerability. He entrusted you with this part of himself, this dangerous expertise, never doubting for a second that you would accept it.
Then there you were, in the middle of a shooting range, and John was moving through the facility as comfortable as he was moving through your own living room. You’d been to the base a few times, of course, meeting teammates and other partners, but never with the intention to hold a weapon.
You’d told him, more than once, that you wanted no part in this side of his life. That ignorance was your safe haven, your way of pretending that the man you loved could leave the battlefield behind. But deep down, you knew it was a lie. John Price, for all his tenderness, for all the quiet moments of domesticity you’d built a life around, was a soldier to his very core. He breathed and lived it as long as his heart pumped blood through his veins.
It was in the way he moved, precise and controlled, and it was in the way he touched you – possessive, protective, as if you were the most precious weapon in his arsenal.
He insisted it was for your own safety. “You need to be able to protect yourself, love,” he’d said. But you saw right through it. This wasn't about you. It was about him. About the nightmares that lingered in his eyes, the enemies he'd made in a life you couldn't begin to comprehend. This was his way of ensuring that no matter what happened, no matter how far apart duty tore you, he could rest easy knowing you had a fighting chance. It bordered on paranoid, the lengths he’d go to protect you – the home security systems, the calls to his former teammates, the subtle checks whenever you were out alone. But beneath all that, you saw the love, and you wouldn’t deny him this. You’d never shied away from his darkness, the stories he’d told that both terrified and fascinated you.
It was all part of the complex man that was John Price: both a trained, lethal weapon and a caring, loving husband.
Gentle but ruthless. Controlled, but capable of destruction. Dangerous in ways you probably never could even begin to understand, but you felt safer with him than you ever had alone.
He was a walking oxymoron.
“I’ve never even held a gun before, John.” You admitted, your words echoing through the vastness of the range, uncertain how to explain the weird mix of emotions you were feeling.
“I know,” he said, his lips curving into that half-smile. “And I can see you hesitating, and that’s the correct first step, love. Respect is most important.”
He’d guided you to a secluded booth, the table stocked with more ammunition than you’d ever expected to see outside a warzone. He’d shown you how to hold the pistol, how to check the chamber, reload the magazine and how to disable security. He’d shown you the stance, the subtle shift of weight so that the recoil wouldn’t punch you in the gut, and told you that it’s best to use both hands to aim, to steady yourself.
“Finger off the trigger, sweetheart,” he suddenly instructed, his tone serious. You hadn’t even realized you’d moved it, your finger was hovering over the trigger with reckless curiosity, and you couldn't quite explain why. "Only put it on there if you really mean to take a shot.”
He put his hands above yours on the grip of the pistol, then chuckled lightly. “Loosen up a little. Don’t make that a habit.” He then grabbed your elbow and lifted it up a little, so gentle, it was a weird contradiction to how controlled he moved around the shooting range like he was never meant to be anywhere else.
He stepped back, giving you just enough space to breathe, to remember you weren’t his soldier to command. But he could tell you still weren’t sure about your stance.
“Want me to show you?” He gestured to the target at the end of the range – a silhouette that seemed eerily human-shaped in the dim light.
You nodded, surrendering the weapon and retreating to a safe distance as John stepped forward, his movements fluid, almost graceful, belying the lethality he embodied.
He pushed the safety lever off with a sharp click. You could almost feel the energy in the air shift. You saw his hand gripping the weapon as it became more serious and alive, like not just a tool, but an extension of him.
John raised the gun. You were captivated, your gaze tracing the line of his arm, the flex of his bicep beneath the fabric of his shirt. It shouldn’t have been so mesmerizing, watching him handle a weapon clearly meant to kill, and yet, you couldn't tear your eyes away.
His stance was relaxed, almost casual. He didn't even flinch as he pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed in the silence, sharp and startling. You flinched involuntarily at the sound. It wasn’t that you weren’t expecting it – but there was something different, something almost intimate, about watching him handle a weapon with such lethal grace, such unflinching control.
There was no time to feel anything but awe as John lowered the weapon, his eyes fixed on you. The air was thick, and you couldn’t tear your eyes away from him.
“Now you,” he said as he clicked the safety back on and stepped aside. He didn’t need to say anything more. You were ready, he had made sure of that, and he was waiting to see if you would rise to the challenge.
“Downrange, safety off,” you muttered to yourself, remembering his words. Your finger found the safety, disengaging it with a soft click that felt overly loud in the quiet space. You tried to replicate the stance. Feet shoulder-width apart, a slight bend in your knees that made your thighs ache. Taking a deep breath, you raised the pistol, lined the sights up on the target at the far end of the range, ignoring the tremor in your arms, and squeezed the trigger.
The shot caught you completely off guard. The recoil was sharper, more violent than you'd expected. It jolted your entire body, throwing you off balance. You stumbled back, a startled yelp escaping your throat before you could help yourself, the heavy weight of the gun almost slipping from your grasp.
You missed the target entirely.
“Easy, love, easy,” John's voice, calm and steady, was right beside your ear. You hadn’t even registered his approach, your senses still reeling from the gunshot, the adrenaline that spiked through you sharp and bitter on your tongue.
You hadn't realized you'd stopped breathing until his hand settled on your waist, his touch firm yet reassuring through the fabric of your shirt, steadying you. Your body leaned into his warmth, seeking comfort, and found it in the solid presence that had always been your haven in the storm.
“Don't fight it,” he murmured. “It’s not about forcing the shot. You need to work with it. Let it flow.”
“Easy for you to say,” you muttered, but you didn’t try to pull away. His closeness was more reassuring than you wanted to admit, the solid weight of him a stark contrast to the unexpected power of the gun. You’d felt this way before, countless times: small beside his strength, intimidated but inexplicably drawn to the same danger that made you feel so vulnerable.
“Again,” he commanded softly, ignoring your remark, as his hand tightened momentarily on your hip. You couldn’t disobey, even if you’d wanted to. His other hand covered yours on the gun.
You tried to recall the stance he’d demonstrated, to feel more confident, but it felt awkward. Your body was tense, and you cursed the way your heart hammered against your ribs.
“You have to relax, darling,” John murmured, his voice a low rumble against your ear, his breath sending a shiver down your spine.
He leaned closer, his chest a wall of heat at your back as his hand moved from your hip to settle on the small of your back. “Don't let that little gun take all the control,” he whispered, his fingers splaying against your spine as he adjusted your posture, holding you steady. “It's not about brute strength. Lean into it, find the balance.”
His heat seeped into you, chasing away the chill of the shooting range and replacing it with a heat that centred between your legs, a yearning you hadn't anticipated. His touch was doing things to your senses, sending a jolt of something hot and reckless straight through you.
You could feel his fingers, calloused and rough, brushing against yours as he made you hold the gun right.
“See, like that – now, the grip –” You could hear the amusement in his voice, the way he seemed to savour your discomfort. He wasn’t going to make this easy for you, and something in you – something wild and hungry – revelled in the challenge. His fingers traced a searing path down your arm, his touch lingering for a heartbeat on your wrist as he guided your hand.
“Use your wrist – just like that –” You shivered as his breath ghosted across your ear. “That’s it. That’s how you hold it. It's all about control.” He pressed closer, your bodies moulding together.
His hand covered yours on the gun again, overlapping it as you held the weapon together. This different kind of intimacy touch sent a spark down your spine, scorching away every last thought, as you tried to focus on the instructions. “Now pull the trigger.”
You did. And this time, you hit the target. The bullet tore through the paper silhouette, a testament to his guidance, his control.
It was impossible to ignore how close he was. His fingers grazed your back, sending a shiver through you, and then – oh, God – you felt it, the insistent pressure of his knee between your thighs, adjusting your stance, bracing you.
“Feet apart, love,” he murmured, his voice husky as his knee nudged you wider, his hand a steady pressure on the small of your back. You felt like a toy in his hands.
You fired again. This time, it was a little closer to the target, but still far away from the bullseye.
“That’s better,” he murmured, but there was an edge to his amusement now, something heated. You tried to ignore the pressure of him against you.
“Look at that target, focus on the sights, love.” He shifted, his lips finding the delicate skin beneath your ear, and you sucked in a breath. He was doing this deliberately now, pushing your buttons, testing your limits, and the worst part was that he knew you were powerless to resist. 
You fired again. Same corner.
“That’s not good enough.” His lips hovered over your pulse. “Hit the target and you’ll be rewarded. Hmm? How’s that sound?”
A familiar heat built in your belly. The knee that was still holding your stance steady felt way too prominent. This position did nothing to hide his arousal, either.
You focused on the sights, tried lining it up with the middle of the target. The shockwave was not completely absorbed by John’s strength as he held you, and you were shoved back against his chest. You hit the target's neck.
“Good girl,” he said. “You’re a fast learner.”
Every time he’d utter that phrase, every time he brushed his fingers against your hand as he guided you, it was like a surge of heat coursing through your veins. You were flustered, struggling to keeop your focus.
“Stop it,” you pleaded. “You’re distracting me.”
You aimed again, after he’d adjusted your stance, his breath ghosting over your neck as he leaned close to make a correction. “Yes, just like that.”
That was your undoing, each word he said was laced with a playful, knowing intent. His hands guided you, but it wasn’t about the gun, or the lessons, it was all about the feel of him close to you.
You fumbled, almost dropping the gun.
“What’s wrong?” He laughed.
Your cheeks burned. “I –I can’t concentrate.”
You were so lost in showing him that you could do this, you didn’t realize what he started to do. Lips on your neck, and his hand suddenly slowly snaked below the waistband of your gym shorts.
You froze. “John! Isn’t this place covered in cameras?”
“Made sure they’re out of order tonight.” He leans in a little closer as if to whisper it in your ear, his breath warmer than the summer air. “It would take so much paperwork to have you here otherwise. Besides, my wife deserves a private lesson from her husband.”
You shuddered at the words, at the implied claim in them. You aimed again, but missed.
A sharp sting on your backside made you gasp, a sound that morphed into a startled moan as you registered what had just happened. He'd spanked you. It shouldn't have been arousing, not here, not now, yet a thrill shot through you as much at the audacity of it as the sensation itself.
“Do I have to punish you for missing shots?” He sounded so deceptively soft, sending a shiver down to the place where his knee still pressed insistent between your thighs. He was fully aroused, you realized, a thrill shooting through you at the knowledge, the feeling of it a branding iron against your overheated skin. 
“Wasting ammo like that?” He punctuated the question with another swat, harder this time, his hand lingering on your ass, his fingers flexing as though torn between wanting to punish you further and pulling you impossibly closer.
It was impossible to think straight, let alone concentrate on lining up the damn shot.
“J-John,” you stammered, hating the way your voice sounded – breathless, needy – even as you pressed back against him, seeking out the heat that radiated off him in waves, making your head spin. You were caught in a delicious, dangerous game, and the only way to win was to surrender completely.
But you weren’t quite there yet. You needed to hit this damn shot. Pride warred with something hotter, wilder, as you struggled to ignore the insistent pressure of his erection against your backside.
Just as you thought you could regain some semblance of focus, his other hand, the one that had rested so innocently below the waistband of your shorts, began to descend further. It was a slow, deliberate movement, and then you felt it – a finger, rough-tipped and insistent, slipping between your folds.
Pleasure shot through you like a bullet, so unexpected and potent that your entire body went rigid. You bit back a moan, the sound dying in your throat as you clenched around his intruding digit, the ache that bloomed low in your belly a thousand times more distracting than any recoil. 
��Again,” he commanded, his voice low and hot against your ear, as if nothing out of the ordinary were happening, as if his fingers weren’t actively attacking your most sensitive flesh, driving you to the edge of madness. He held all the cards in this game he'd initiated. And you were a willing participant, your body already betraying you, arching unconsciously against his touch, seeking out the friction he so expertly offered even as you tried to focus on the task at hand.
You lined up the sights again, his scent filling your senses, so distracting and so dangerously addictive that it had you clinging to him, desperate for something you couldn't quite name. The barrel wavered as a tremor ran through you, and you swore you heard his breath hitch as your hips moved against him.
“Close,” John breathed, and you felt as his fingers snaked further along your folds. You gasped as a finger slowly pushed into you. “Good girl.” His other hand had a tight grip on your hip, his fingers digging into the flesh as though he’d hold you there forever, trapped between pleasure and denial. “But not there yet, love. Again.”
The shot, when it came, was pathetic. The recoil almost knocked the gun from your grasp. The bullet ricocheted off somewhere, you weren't even sure where it landed. It hardly mattered. 
Another sharp swat of John’s hand against your ass. It should’ve stung, but all you felt was the heat of him, the pressure of his body against yours. His other hand, the one driving you wild with each deliberate stroke, didn't stop even as you whimpered, your hips rocking back instinctively against his touch, seeking relief, release.
“Concentrate, love,” he growled.
But how could you? How could you possibly focus on anything but the insistent ache that throbbed between your legs? 
“John, please,” you breathed, arching against his touch, shamelessly seeking more. “Just – just let me –” The words dissolved into a whimper as his fingers found that sensitive bud of flesh and squeezed, not cruelly, not yet, but with enough force to make you gasp, your inner thighs clenching involuntarily.
“Then hit the bloody mark, love,” he commanded, his voice rough with an emotion you couldn’t quite place, a tremor running through his words as though he were fighting for control just as hard as you were.
You squeezed your eyes shut against the wave of frustration – no, need – that pulsed low in your belly. The pressure of his erection against your backside was a constant torment, a promise of a release he seemed determined to deny you.
“Again,” John barked, his control finally snapping as his hips twitched against you. His touch, the way he moved against you, fuelled a fire in your veins hotter than anything you'd ever experienced. It was intoxicating, terrifying, and utterly addictive. 
You were a moth drawn to his flame, even knowing you were destined to be burned.
You squeezed your eyes shut as his touch sent another jolt through you. “Please, just –”
“Hit. The. Mark.” He growled, teeth clenched, while moving his hips against you, seeking friction for his own arousal. 
You wanted to scream, to sob, to demand he touch you properly, to take what you were aching for. But some primal instinct – some deep-seated need to please him – had you straightening, lifting the pistol with shaking hands.
You tried to concentrate, blocking out the burning heat of his hands, the feel of his erection hard and demanding against your backside, the way his every ragged breath whispered against your ear, fuelling the fire he'd ignited within you. Your mind was a fog of need, your senses overloaded, but the promise of release, that sweet reward only he held the power to give - it was a drug more potent than anything you'd ever imagined.
Lining up the pistol again, you forced your vision to clear, found the target through the haze of arousal, and squeezed the trigger. 
The sound of the gunshot, the feel of the recoil, your own ragged gasp of surprise - it all blended into one overwhelming sensation as time slowed, distorted. And then strong hands were on you, urging you forward with a force that stole your breath, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care, not when the need to be touched, to feel him everywhere, was an inferno consuming every other thought.
You hadn’t even registered what had happened until you caught a glimpse of the target -
Headshot.
You'd hit the mark.
You barely had time to process your victory before the gun was taken from your hands and safely put away - then you were tumbling forward, the world tilting, the cool surface of the table a shock against your heated skin as John's weight pressed you down, his chest a solid wall at your back.
The clatter of the spare ammo as it scattered across the floor was the only warning you got before he moved. You gasped, the sound muffled against the cold metal, your senses reeling as he yanked your shorts and panties down in one swift, brutal motion, baring you to the cool air, to his gaze, which you could feel burning into you.
He didn't waste his breath on anything but a low growl as he shifted, the sudden sound of a belt buckle ringing in your ears. His weight was pressing you deeper into the table, his erection, hard and insistent, nudging at your entrance. And then, in one swift, possessive thrust, he filled you, the force of it stealing what was left of your sanity, chasing away everything but the all-consuming need to feel him move, to feel him claim you as his.
The world shrunk to the feel of him: him anchoring you to the table, the possessive grip of his hand on your hip, holding you still as he moved within you. His thrusts were deep, powerful, each one a delicious torment that had you arching into him, crying out his name against the cold metal of the table.
“That's it, love,” he growled, his voice thick and primal, something that went far beyond the controlled man you thought you knew. 
You suddenly felt his entire weight hovering above your back, slowing pressing your full body into the table. The angle changed, and his movements became more intense. You felt his teeth graze your earlobe, and then he murmured against your skin. “You’re mine. All mine. Say it .”
“Yours,” you gasped, the word a broken plea. The hand on your hip felt like a hot brand against your skin, as if it was marking you, claiming you in a way that went far beyond reason. “Please, John –”
“Please what, darling?” He chuckled, a low, rough sound against your ear, but his hips never stuttered, never slowed their relentless rhythm. “Tell me. What do you need?”
“You ,” you sobbed, the need, raw and desperate, clawing its way out of you with every thrust.
As if he sensed you nearing the precipice, the edge of control he’d deliberately pushed you towards, John shifted. The pressure of his chest eased, but before you could mourn the loss of his warmth, his free hand shot out, fingers closing around the back of your neck, not cruelly, but with an unquestionable force that demanded obedience.
He lifted you from the table, and then his mouth was on yours. It wasn’t a gentle kiss, not with your bodies angled as they were, but it was possessive, desperate. The scrape of his beard against your cheek was a delicious torment, and you couldn't help but press closer, seeking more, needing to be closer still.
“I’m yours, my love,” he rasped, his breath hot and uneven against your cheek. “You have me.”
You met his gaze, those ice-blue eyes were smoldering with a need that mirrored your own, and something reckless, almost feral, took hold of you. 
“Then fuck me like you own me,” you breathed.
The effect was instantaneous. He didn't just snap, he shattered. The control that was as much a part of him as his own skin, gone. Vaporized. The growl that ripped from his throat had no semblance of human restraint left in it, the sound raw, feral, echoing dangerously in the silence of the range. You might have been his wife, but at that moment, you were something far more elemental: his to claim, his to conquer, his to brand so deeply with pleasure and pain that you'd never forget who you belonged to.
And he moved like it too: a rough shove pressed you back against the table, his hands grabbed yours, pulling them back, restraining you.
Your whole body trembled as his cock thrust so deep, so utterly possessing, that you cried out.
“John!” – a plea, a prayer, you weren’t sure.
“Fuck, you feel so good.” The words were a gasped groan, torn from him as his hips moved against yours, stroking a spot deep inside you that throbbed with desperate need. You whimpered, and your hands clenched into fists against your back as pleasure shot through you.
You instinctively began to meet his thrusts, your hips rocking back against him, seeking out the friction that sent sparks of need through your overloaded senses. It earned you a growl of approval.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he chanted, the words a litany against your ear. He sounded like a man possessed.
“Please, John,” you whimpered, grinding your hips against him, desperate for that friction, that release. But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. You needed more, needed his hands, needed him. “Touch me, I –”
You didn’t need to finish the plea. He heard it. He felt it, the tremor in your voice, the way your slick heat tightened around him, urging him closer to the edge.
His fingers were tracing the curve of your waist, reaching around below your belly and slowly started to pry apart your folds. His fingers were on your clit again, and a sound that was both a cry and a sigh left your lips. You were drowning in sensation, and it was glorious.
“Mmm, that’s it, love,” he rasped, the words a broken groan as his fingers stroked, circled, teased. “Come on my cock. For me.”
You felt it then, with the help of his touch – that sweet, white-hot bliss that washed over you, causing your legs to tremble and your cunt to contract around his cock. He groaned, so deep and primal it shook you to your core. Your orgasm shattered every last bit of control in him, the feeling of you losing yourself pushed him over the edge, too. You felt that familiar throb in your pussy, the way he painted your walls with his come, hot and thick. His fingers dug so deep into your skin you were sure they'd leave marks.
And you wouldn’t mind. You were his, after all.
He finally released you, his hands leaving yours. “Nice shot, love. You just needed the right motivation.” He chuckled, and you felt as he pulled up your panties and put your pants back into their place. His hand ghost over your pussy through the fabric. “Keep me in there,” he whispered. “Consider it your reward.”
You slowly straightened your back as you stood, your gaze meeting his, and you shook your head in disbelief, a smirk playing on your lips. “Is that an order from a captain? Or a request from my husband?”
“Both.” He grunted, as he finished buckling his belt.
You tilted your head slightly, stepping closer to him. “Well, then. If this is shooting training, we need to do that more often.”
He froze, his eyes shooting to meet yours. “Don't make me have to explain why so much footage from the security feed is missing.” His expression sobered, that playful glint fading as he added, voice low and serious, “But seriously, love, you did good. We'll keep practising, alright?”
You nodded, and then he closed the distance between you. His hand cupped your cheek, his thumb gently brushing away some smudged lipstick at the corner of your mouth. “I'm proud of you, you know,” he whispered, and before you could reply, he leaned down, his lips capturing yours in a kiss that was surprisingly tender. There was no demanding heat this time, no desperate urgency - just the taste of him, and the lingering warmth where his come pooled between your thighs, a silent, undeniable reminder of exactly who you belonged to.
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