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youreobsessedwithtoomanyfandoms · 3 years

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Happy Birthday (Romanogers!Daughter)

Word Count:1421

Warnings: kinda bad writing, sorry

Requested by @maximeevansblog : “ This is my the reader ( me) is the daughter of Steve Rogers , and its her birtday and natasha { mom) takes the reader to hair salon and they come back and steve has a suprise party for her setteld and the hole avengers is there and have a cake and sings happy birtday to her , and lots of presents and a lott of fluff thanks “

I hope you like it!

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Y/N snapped her eyes open as she heard the annoying alarm of her phone. She rolled over and had to press her phone like, 50 times just for it to shut off. She slowly sat up and yawned. Not yet registering what the day happened to be. She slipped out of her bed and lazily dragged her feet to the kitchen. She lazily waved to her parents. That was when she stopped and looked at them. Both of them were sitting at the island, eating. Rarely were they both home in the morning. Actually, usually they both were gone. Then she began to think on what today was. “Oh shit!”

She heard both of them laugh and her mom, Natasha, speak, “Finally realized what today was?”

She turned to look at her parents, “Yes. How could I forget my own birthday?”

Steve shrugged, “We’ve collectively agreed not to ask questions when it comes to you.”

Y/N tilted her head in agreement, “I mean, yeah, makes sense.”

“Well, as it is your birthday. You get to choose what to do. Sadly he has to go to the Tower today, but you have me.”

Y/N smiled at her mother, “Well, I do need a haircut. And maybe I could dye it.”

Her mother just shrugged, “I leave the planning to you birthday girl.”

“Oh gods I hate planning.”

“Then just the basis of what you want to do.”

“I can do that!”

--------

Y/N walked down the street with her mom. The two wearing similar outfits (On accident of course) the main difference was her moms green army like jacket and her blue leather jacket. They stopped and walked into the small apartment building and buzzed into the floor they needed. They walked into the, now unlocked, gate. It was only the second floor so they walked up the stairs.

Natasha knocked on the door and soon a women, who was probably a little older than her, with bright pink hair opened the door. “Natasha! We were so happy to receive your call! Come in! Come in!” The two girls walked in and the pink haired girl closed the door behind them. “Y/N, you’re with Izzy and Natasha, you’re with me!”

Y/N walked over to the younger girl who looked like a mixture of Kat Von D and Dita Von Teese. “Hey Izzy.”

“Hey Y/N. So, what’re we doing today?” Y/N sat in the chair and shrugged as Izzy placed the cape over her front. “You don’t know?”

“Well, I was wanting the dead ends done and maybe it dyed.”

“Do you know what color?”

“Not really. Was wanting you to choose.”

“Ooh! I love that!”

Liz, the pink haired girl, turned to Y/N, “Your mom tells me it’s your birthday.” Y/N nodded, “Well then, you get to pick the music for today. Go find a few CD’s and start playing one.” Y/N looked up at Izzy and the ladder nodded for her to go. She slipped out of the chair and grabbed a few CD’s she recognized that her mother had played.

--------

As the two girls got their hair done, Steve was at the Tower with the Avengers, Everyone attempting to get everything ready for the teens birthday. Wanda and Sam were in the kitchen making the cake. Tony and Rhodey were putting her gifts up. And everyone else--Steve, Thor, Clint, Bucky, Peter, and Bruce were putting up the decorations.

“Weird to think we’ve been doing this for 16 years.”

Steve laughed at Tony, “It’s weird for you? It’s weird for me since she’s my kid.”

“Yeah, but we watched her grow up too.”

“That you did.”

--------

Y/N smiled a she looked at her hair. It was black with blonde tips. It was quite similar to her mothers red with blonde tips. She laid her head on her moms shoulder and looked at her, “Were we trying for people to only be able to tell the difference between us if they look at our hair?”

Natasha laughed, “I guess we were.” She quickly paid and they walked out. She grabbed Y/N’s hand and they ran across the street. “Let’s go to the house real quick and let me grab a few things before we head over to the tower.”

“Okay.” She had no idea they were going to the Tower. She assumed they were doing what they’ve done since she was a kid. Spend her birthday doing whatever--usually going out to eat at night, and then spending the next day at the Tower. But then again, it was her 16th birthday, she knew her own family too well to think they weren’t going to do something big. They always talked about how they wanted to throw her a huge party for her 16th.

--------

Y/N moved her legs off of her seat and unbuckled. However, her movements were halted at her mothers voice, “No, don’t get out, wait here.”

Y/N scrunched her face in confusion but stayed in the car. She stayed unbuckled but brought her legs up and sat her head on top. She never understood her family. But she never questioned them. She also let out a scream when the door opened. And out of instinct she kicked her dad in the chest.

“Well that hurt.”

“You opened the door and scared me! What did you expect? Both you and mom taught me to kick someone who scares me.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.”

“Why did mom have me stay?”

“Because, we need you to close your eyes and we’ll go upstairs.”

She rolled her eyes and got out of the car before she closed them. Screaming again when she felt someone else besides her dad lightly grab her. She calmed when she heard her mom laugh. They silently walked inside and to the elevator, she nearly fell when the elevator moved to go up. She nearly fell again when the elevator stopped.

She heard a door open and her parents move from her side, “Okay, on the count of three open your eyes.” She let out a sigh of relief when her mother spoke, she was tired of keeping her eyes screwed shut.

“3...2...1--”

She opened her eyes as everyone screamed, “Happy Birthday!”

She smiled largely and raised a hand to her mouth in happiness. She knew it was going to be the Avengers and her parents, but she thought it would be like years before. Years before there was really no party, just a small get together. But this? This was different. This was more like an Avenger like party. Lights put up all around. Her friends and family smiling at her.

“Oh dear, have we paralyzed her with shocked?”

“N-no, it’s just...I’ve never had a birthday party like this before.”

“It’s your 16th, we had to do something.”

“Well you surely have!” She laughed lightly, “Well, let’s get this party started.”

--------

Y/N sat in front of the cake. Her parents behind her and everyone else gathered around the table. Her dad sat the lighter to the side and the lights dimmed down as everyone began singing. “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Y/N, Happy Birthday to you.” She leaned in and blew the candles out. She smiled and leaned back lightly. Happy to be celebrating with her friends and family.

--------

“--Alright, alright, who’s this from?” She picked up a small bag, no name was to be found on it.

“It’s from your dad and I.”

“What do you mean? You already got me something.” She motioned over to where their previous gift was now sitting.

“Well yes, but open the bag and look inside.”

She did as she was instructed and looked in. All that was there was a small paper. She took it out and read it, recognizing it as her mothers handwriting.

Моя дорогая дочь (My dear daughter), your dad and I love you a great deal and decided that you deserved this. Head down to the garage of the Tower to see it.

Y/N looked at her parents. The look of surprise unable to be kept hidden. “Well?”

She leapt from her chair and ran to the garage. She skipped the elevator and ran down the stairs. It was as if she only went down 4 flights when it was more like 50. Everyone else took the elevator and so they all got there at the same time. And when she saw it she immediately turned back and jumped into her parents arms.

No birthday could pass how this one has gone.

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ao3feed-danganronpa · 3 years

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pls unban me on deviantart adultswimlver and also on here and on twitter. people stop blocking me pls and also twitter.com/adultswimlver pls follow it so i can be unbanned from deviantart and tiktok.com/@adultswimlver reddit user adultswimlver pls unban

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/37HgPZM

by aswlvrUNBAN

guys please

Words: 31, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Undertale (Video Game), Steven Universe (Cartoon), Agatha Girl of Mystery - Sir Steve Stevenson, Attack Attack! (Band), Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Life Is Strange (Video Game), Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game), Life is Strange: True Colors (Video Game), Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, Five Nights at Freddy's, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, The Walten Files (Web Series), Regular Show (Cartoon), Echte Kerle | Regular Guys (1996), The Regulators - Richard Bachman, My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, My Chemical Romance, Arctic Monkeys, Orange is the New Black, ENA - Joel G (Web Series), 100 días para enamorarse | 100 Days to Fall in Love (TV), The Owl House (Cartoon), Owl City (Band), Gravity Falls, Addams Family - All Media Types, Modern Family (TV), Family Guy (Cartoon), American Idol RPF, American Horror Story, American Dad!, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia, ひとりじめマイヒーロー | Hitorijime My Hero (Anime), Pretty Little Liars, Little Witch Academia, Little Mix (Band), The Little Mermaid (1989), Super Mario & Related Fandoms, Super Mario Bros. (Video Games), Super Mario Galaxy, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Riviera: The Promised Land, 約束のネバーランド | Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland (Manga), 約束のネバーランド | Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland (Anime), Sex Education (TV), The Good Place (TV), The Good Wife (TV), The Good Doctor (TV 2017), The Good Fight (TV), WWE Immortals (Video Game), WWE 2K (Video Games), Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, Grand Theft Auto Series (Video Games), Camp Camp (Web Series), Summer Camp Island (Cartoon), Camp Lazlo!, Total Drama (Cartoon), Annie (1982), Little Orphan Annie, Orphan Black (TV), Mad Max Series (Movies), Mad Men, Men in Black (Movies), Breaking Bad, Men in Black: The Series, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics), Captain America - All Media Types, The Cleveland Show, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Mean Girls (2004), Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar (2009), Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Minecraft (Video Game), Slamacow Minecraft Animations (Web Series), Roblox (Video Game), Paper Roblox (Video Games), iCarly, iCarly RPF, Victorious (TV), SpongeBob SquarePants (Cartoon), The SpongeBob Musical - Various/Anthony & Coulton/Jarrow, Ratatouille (2007), Of Mice & Men (Band), Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck, To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee, The Queen's Gambit (TV), Queen (Band), The White Queen (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn, Anne with an E (TV), Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables (TV 1985) & Related Fandoms, A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket, Christian Bible, Original Work, Star Trek, Star Wars - All Media Types, The Simpsons, The 100 (TV), Deltarune (Video Game), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS, Death Note (Anime & Manga), Hetalia: Axis Powers, Fairy Tail, The Amazing World of Gumball, Atypical (TV 2017), Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other

Characters: Peter Griffin, Lois Griffin, Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Knight, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Wanda Bell, Wanda Maximoff, Yelena (Shingeki no Kyojin), Pieck Finger, Pieck Finger's Mother, Pieck Finger's Father, Eda Clawthorne, Lilith Clawthorne, Amity Blight, Amity Blight's Parents, Luz Noceda, Piper Chapman, Alex Vause, Levi Ackerman, Hange Zoë, Squad Hange, Pinkie Pie (My Little Pony), Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Applejack (My Little Pony), Rainbow Dash (My Little Pony), Freddy Fazbear, Foxy (Five Nights at Freddy's), Bonnie (Five Nights at Freddy's), Chica (Five Nights at Freddy's), Phone Guy (Five Nights at Freddy's), Springtrap (Five Nights at Freddy's), The Mangle (Five Nights at Freddy's), Golden Freddy (Five Nights at Freddy's), Toy Chica (Five Nights at Freddy's), Chloe Price (Life Is Strange), Chloe Stapleton, Maxine "Max" Caulfield, Eliqua Maxwell, Maxsim Reznikov, Max (Disney: The Little Mermaid), Enoshima Junko, Pearl (Steven Universe), Steven Universe, Amethyst (Steven Universe), Peridot (Steven Universe), Garnet (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe), Jasper (Steven Universe), Rose Quartz (Steven Universe), Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe), Blue Diamond (Steven Universe), Sapphire (Steven Universe), Ruby (Steven Universe), White Diamond (Steven Universe), Pink Diamond (Steven Universe), Bismuth (Steven Universe), Blue Diamond's Pearl (Steven Universe), Spinel (Steven Universe), Yellow Diamond's Pearl (Steven Universe), Stevonnie (Steven Universe), Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, Sasha Blouse, Connie Maheswaran, Connie Springer, Regina Zellerbach, Regina George, Nicole Watterson, Gumball Watterson, Flask Robonoid(s) (Steven Universe), Rob (The Amazing World of Gumball), Anais Watterson, Richard Watterson, Darwin Watterson, Happy (Fairy Tail), Bickslow (Fairy Tail), Loke (Fairy Tail), Evergreen (Fairy Tail), Fairy Tail Guild, Adeku | Alder, Jesus "Soos" Alzamirano Ramirez, Jesus Christ, Stan Pines, Gideon Gleeful, Gideon Pines | Reverse Gideon Gleeful, Sans (Undertale), Papyrus (Undertale), Toriel (Undertale), Ymir (Shingeki no Kyojin), Ymir Fritz, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Erwin Smith, Bertolt Hoover, Reiner Braun

Relationships: Piper Chapman/Alex Vause, Piper Chapman/Nicky Nichols, Larry Bloom/Piper Chapman, Larry Bloom/Polly Harper, Alex Vause/Reader, Nicky Nichols/Alex Vause, Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe), Papyrus/Sans (Undertale), Mettaton/Papyrus (Undertale), Artesian McCullough/Alex Vause, Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Moblit Berner/Hange Zoë, Hange Zoë/Reader, Pearl/Rose Quartz (Steven Universe), Pearl/Rose Quartz | Pink Diamond, Blue Diamond's Pearl/Yellow Diamond's Pearl (Steven Universe), Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price, Rachel Amber/Chloe Price, Don Draper/Beth Harmon, Vasily Borgov/Beth Harmon, Beth Harmon/Benny Watts, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Bucky Barnes/James Bond/Steve Rogers/Q, Tony Stark/Thor/Gerard Way, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer, Mikasa Ackerman/Sasha Blouse, Markiplier TV Ego Ensemble/Mike Schmidt (Five Nights at Freddy's), Freddy Fazbear/Papyrus (Undertale), Freddy Fazbear/Foxy, Lois Griffin/Peter Griffin, Enoshima Junko/Peter Griffin, Enoshima Junko/Iida Tenya, Igarashi Sayaka/Momobami Kirari, Ikishima Midari/Momobami Kirari, Levi Ackerman/Reader, Sandy Cheeks/SpongeBob SquarePants/Patrick Star, Janet & Michael (The Good Place), Janet (The Good Place)/Eleanor Shellstrop, Izzy/Owen (Total Drama), Heather/Leshawna (Total Drama), Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Taylor Christensen, Chef Hatchet/Chris McLean, Pearl (Steven Universe)/Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Bismuth/Pearl (Steven Universe), Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Regina George/Janis Ian, Regina George/Cady Heron, Regina George/Janis Sarkisian, Luke Skywalker/Yuuri | Gloria, Sans (Undertale)/Reader, Sans/Sans (Undertale), Sans/Toriel (Undertale), Asgore Dreemurr/Toriel, Jeon Jungkook/Reader, Pieck Finger/Porco Galliard, Pieck Finger/Reader, Pieck Finger/Yelena

Additional Tags: Vore, Cock Vore, Vore Predator Morality | Patton Sanders, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Sex, Vaginal Sex, Sex Toys, Semi-Public Sex, Public Sex, Gay Sex, Phone Sex, Shower Sex, Car Sex, Drunk Sex, Rough Oral Sex, No Sex, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Parenthood, Parent Tony Stark, Bad Parenting, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Fanfic Italia P0rn Fest #13 -Thirteen P0rnreasons Why - Partigiani Uniti Contro il Puritanesimo, Fanfic Italia P0rn Fest, Cuddling & Snuggling, Sleepy Cuddles, Platonic Cuddling, Couch Cuddles, Morning Cuddles, Naked Cuddling, Post-Coital Cuddling, Accidental Cuddling, Pack Cuddles, Tony Stark Cuddles, Cuddlefucking, Christmas, Christianity, Christmas Party, First Kiss, Forehead Kisses, New Year's Kiss, True Love's Kiss, Castiel/Dean Winchester First Kiss, Cock Rings, Edgeplay, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Multiple Orgasms, Orgasm Denial, Forced Orgasm, Orgasm Control, Surgery, Brain Surgery, Surfing, Surgeons, Alternate Universe - Alternian Invasion, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/37HgPZM

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #dangan ronpa #danganronpa #dr

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s-trawberryv-eins · 4 years

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Lonely Hearts Club

NOT MY GIF

Summary: In retrospect, she should’ve figured it would end badly. It was fun at first, the flirting. Fruitless and innocent. Never taken too seriously, a line carefully toed. A sort of 'take each day as it comes’ arrangement. But eventually, as anyone could've predicted, she crossed the line and fell. Hard.

Warnings: Angst, alcohol, implications of smut

Please read here before reading

Stark! OC x Bucky Barnes

Word count: 1573

AVENGERS COMPOUND

UPSTATE NEW YORK

In retrospect, she should’ve figured it would end badly. It was fun at first, the flirting. Fruitless and innocent. Never taken too seriously, a line carefully toed. A sort of 'take each day as it comes’ arrangement. But eventually, as anyone could've predicted, she crossed the line and fell. Hard. For Bucky Barnes, of all people.

Thor arrived home with tales of outer space, his travels with the Guardians of the Galaxy coming to a brief stop to visit his Midgardian friends. “Revels!” His booming voice all but shook the compound as he announced his need for a party. "We shall engage in revels this coming Friday!” Turning to face her with a happy grin on his face, Caroline took that as her cue to begin the planning.

“I see no reason to deny Thor of a party, so I'll be in my lab spending my inheritance if anybody needs me."

And engage in revels they did. It was obvious to anybody who entered the room that this party was that of a Stark. Lavish, few expenses spared. Caroline found it to be a welcome distraction from her current predicament; should she tell Barnes how she felt, or not? She was fairly certain that her feelings were reciprocated, but it wasn't impossible that she had misread him.

Dressed to the nines in a nude top and midi skirt, she raked her fingers through her newly straightened hair and greeted her guests. Thor, Steve, and Bucky stood on the balcony, watching the large crowd forming in the vast open space. Decorated with black and gold balloons, music pumping through the air, and a seemingly never-ending supply of alcohol.

“Hello, gentlemen. Impressed?” Red lips curling up into a smile, she graciously accepted a glass of champagne from one of the waiters making rounds of the event. Coming to stand between Thor and Mr America himself, she offered her glass up to cheers. The four glasses met with a ‘clink’, and Caroline’s smile grew. Any effort to keep herself from making direct eye contact with the super soldier went out of the window when he spoke up.

“You've out done yourself. It looks wonderful. As do you, Caroline." The light pink dusting that appeared on her cheeks pulled a smirk from Barnes, but it disappeared as Thor placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, also commenting on her work.

“Your father would be proud. And you do look ravishing, Miss Stark.” Pursing her lips slightly to hold back a giggle, she thanked the three avengers and made her way down the stairs.

“You need to make your move, pal. A girl like that's gotta have ‘em all after her.” Steve jabbed his friend with his elbow, as the three pairs of eyes followed the Stark girl down the stairs.

"It’s all a mess in my head. Can’t do it, Steve.” Bucky sighed, pushing himself away from the balcony and heading down to the bar. Neither Barnes nor Stark tried to mask their feelings for one another, and their flirtatious nature was obvious to everybody they lived with. It was hard for them to watch. Steve had noticed days ago the way Caroline’s face dropped when Barnes left her hanging, the way her gazed lingered. The evidence that this ran deeper than flirty banter right in front of him.

As the party drew to a close, Caroline took in the sight before her. Balloons and streamers littered the floor, glasses and bottles on every available surface. Having abandoned her heels long ago, the drunk doctor ran off in search of the object of her affection. But he was nowhere to be found.

“He’s left already, Care.” Steve’s voice was soft, sympathy drowning his blue eyes. Disappointment graced her features for a second before deciding she'd go to his room. “Care, don’t. He’s not alone.”

She was a strong girl, being an avenger required physical strength, but no training could have prepared her for the sudden weight that was her heart. It plummeted to her feet, cracking as it hit the concrete beneath her toes.

“Oh,” she tried and failed catastrophically to cover up how she felt. "Can you please tell Natasha and Wanda that I've gone to bed? And inform the staff that they're to expect a tip first thing tomorrow. Goodnight, Steve.” Turning on her heel, she tried towards the door but stumbled as a hand closed around her wrist.

“He’s a fool, Caroline. I’m sorry.“ With teary eyes and half a smile, she excused herself.

Tinkering away at her latest creation, Caroline was in a world of her own. Not noticing the presence of a visitor, she kept at it.

“What’s that?" The question startled her, and she jumped away from her project as if caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

“It’s, uh,” composing herself, she gestured to the tech in front of her “it’s from Shuri. She’s been working on a new model for your arm and wanted suggestions.” The blush in her cheeks was evident, and he couldn’t help but stare. The spell was broken, however, when she cleared her throat slightly.

“Do you need something, Sergeant?” Taken aback by the sudden formalities, his brow drew together in confusion.

“I just came for a chat. You know, like usual?" His voice was soft, and his movements became shy and timid.

“I’m tired of usual, Bucky. I know you have feelings for me. I know that I’m not crazy. I can feel it, Buck." The scientist felt brave in the moment, but his reaction hit her right in the gut. He merely rolled his eyes and chuckled drily.

“Come off it, Caroline. You know we’re just messin’ about. I thought you knew that, anyway. Don’t, uh" tearing her eyes away from him, she felt the tears form as he spoke. "Don't read into it.”

“Is that a joke? Am I a joke to you? Why are you pretending that you don't know what I'm talking about, Bucky?"

“Listen, Care, I’m kinda seeing someone. I don't know if I gave you the wrong impression or what, but there's nothing between us. There never will be.”

He didn’t stick around for a response.

Having spent all night working from her laptop on a new comms system for the team, Caroline had nodded off on the sofa in the common room, laptop still placed firmly by her feet. Hearing quiet whispers and the shutting of a door, she was pulled from her dreamless sleep, and was listening nosily, trying to figure out who disturbed her.

“Sam, cut it. I’m not doing this again."

“Oh, shut up, dude. It’s obvious you have serious feelings for the girl. What is the issue?” Recognising the voices as Bucky and Sam, she froze. Not daring to move from the couch, she closed her eyes and prayed they didn't come any closer. This conversation was not meant for her, despite how much she wanted to hear the rest. The doctor had been hoping to avoid Barnes since their horrible confrontation in the lab.

“Shut up, you’ll wake her up.” Bucky’s voice was tired and irritated, obviously not in the mood for his friends’ antics. “So what if she has feelings for me? I don’t care.” Biting down hard on her bottom lip, Caroline wished to be anywhere else. "And I don’t actually feel anything for the girl. It's never gonna happen." Heavy footsteps indicated his departure, but Sam managed to have the last word.

“Bull. Shit. You’re scared, and you feel guilty because she’s Tony’s kid. Get outta here, man. Deserves better than your lousy ass anyway.” Earning a grunt and a half-slammed door in response, Sam only sighed. Confident that Bucky had left, Caroline made her presence known to Sam. Shock painted his features for a brief second, before sympathy settled on his face.

“I guess that’s that then.”

A month had passed since the Stark girl overheard the two boys in the kitchen. Contact had been brief between the scientist and the sergeant, a series off stiff hellos and tight-lipped smiles. Truthfully, she wasn’t entirely sure what’d happened. If Sam mentioned to Bucky that she was awake through their conversation, she didn’t know. Despite making her feelings towards him blatantly obvious, it seemed he’d never care whilst he held onto the guilt of his relationship with her father.

As if hearing his name in her thoughts, the super soldier waltzed into the common room, a smile on his face. "Everyone, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Caroline assumed it was a lie. She thought he was trying to save face, trying to knock her down when he said he’d been seeing somebody. But as the pretty blonde stepped out from behind him, she felt her heart fall once more.

“This is Izzie. My girlfriend.” Proud beaming smiles on both of their faces, whilst Caroline felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room entirely. The Avengers all jumped up, polite introductions and pleasantries were exchanged. Snapping back into the moment, Caroline forced herself up and out of her seat.

Her voice was sweet. Light and feminine. A brilliant actress, really. The crack in her voice almost impossible to detect. Unless you’re Natasha Romanoff, of course, who was waiting by the door for her friends impending departure.

“I’m Caroline. It’s really wonderful to meet you.”

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wheredafandomat · 2 years

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Fear & Desire - Legacies ❤️‍🔥P37❤️‍🔥 Shot!

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You spent the rest of the day planning the stag and the hen nights for Bruce and Natasha. The next day consisted of everyone setting things up. Whilst the whole commotion with Scar was happening, they both had made a few plans but overall they thankfully wanted to keep the wedding small. Thanks to Tony for being a billionaire, they were able to book a small venue overlooking the ocean for next week meaning that now was the perfect time for a hangover. Tonight you’d be able to drink and party, tomorrow you’d be able to relax and then you had the following few days to sort all the final things for the wedding.

Tony and Pepper offered to babysit Seven so you thought it’d be a good idea to invite Sophia and Noah with the promise that their daughter would also be looked after. Natasha insisted on inviting Wanda especially considering that she had been in Scotland for a while so was dearly missed. You managed to convince Loki to not only collect Noah, Sophia and Izzy, but to also bring Wanda. After gallivanting over what felt like the whole world, when Loki got back, you also asked him to pick up Yelena as a gift to Natasha.

The boys were set to go to a club in town whilst you and the girls all planned to stay in. Girlfriends, alcohol and pyjamas. Perfect night in. You had also hired a limousine for later on but decided to not tell the girls yet.

“Oh my gosh, you’re the lady that was in that shop. I knew I recognised you.” Wanda said as she hugged you.

“Hey! Yes that was me” you admitted “I was away for a while but I kept tabs on the team especially someone as powerful and as gorgeous as you.”

“Says you!” Wanda replied.

“Will you two stop fawning over one another please” Loki scoffed as he waited to say bye to you after dropping Wanda and Sophia. “Bye love” he said leaning in and kissing your cheek “you’re the beautifulest person I’ve ever had the pleasure of casting my gaze on” he whispered.

“Who’s the one fawning now?” You laughed “bye Loki and have funnn!” You insisted before he left. “Now, girls, I want to introduce you all to Sophia.”

“I think I’ve just died and gone to heaven” Sophia gasped as she shook Natasha and Wanda’s hands. They introduced themselves to one another as you walked towards the cosiest lounge room in the compound. Seven was alright with Pepper and Tony who decided they’d stay in, you were with friends, tonight was going to be a good night.

Meanwhile, Loki was introducing Noah to the group of men who were on their way to a club that was in town. Steve, Bucky, Bruce, Loki, Noah, Thor and even Stephen were part of the stag do crew. Tonight was surely going to be eventful.

“What is this?” Noah nervously coughed as he stepped out of the boys limousine.

“I can’t do this” Bruce whined.

“I’m excited” Bucky smiled.

“This could be alright.” Steve said as he looked down and scratched his head nervously.

“I wish I hadn’t come” Stephen sighed.

“I haven’t had enough to drink.” Loki complained.

“The finest of misgardian ladies” Thor smiled as they all stepped inside the strip club.

“Yo yo yo” they heard from behind them. Spinning on their feet, they were all met by—

“Who are you?” Noah asked “I mean, I know them but I’ve never seen you before.”

“I’m ant man” Scott smiled.

“Ant man?” Noah questioned furrowing his brows. “Oh, you turn into a big ant?”

“I don’t turn into a bit a— does no one know me? I’m kinda a big deal.”

“Where?” Stephen interrupted.

“Arounddd” Scott answered, making hand gestures.

Concurrently, in the compound, you were all taking tequila shots.

“Shot shot shot shot!” Sophia rallied as you downed 5 consecutive shots.

“I—my throat” you wheezed slamming down the last glass after you drank it.

“Whooooo!!” The other girls cheered.

“Boring” Yelena taunted “I could easily do 10.”

“Do it then” you encouraged.

“Give me that bottle.” She said as she laid out 10 shot glasses. She was doing great until she got to the 7th one.

“What’s the matter Yelena? Can’t handle it?” You goaded. “The night has only just begun.”

A/N: Who’s ready to partayyy!!!

Tags:

@frostay

@eyesbluelikethetitanic

@geeky-politics-46

@newtomofgods

@lokiswildheartcantbebroken

@andrizzybvbyyyy

@virtualstrawberrydinosaur

@sititran

@purplekitten30

@mischiefsarawr

#tom hiddelston loki #loki x reader #loki x female reader #loki fanfic #loki (marvel)#oc fiction #loki fanfiction #alcohol

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themonkeycabal · 5 years

Note

Slightly random but Hodgepodge request: the end of chapter 4 of Its Alright We'll Be Up All Night from the lady who was being followed's perspective. Just a wee snippet of how that wee interaction went down perhaps? Please.

Well, since you said please:

***

Izzy Taveres just wanted to get home. She was having one of those days — her shift at the restaurant ran over with a huge family party that ended in a brawl and a police raid. The train was late, she missed her bus, and now she had to walk because she couldn't justify paying for a cab for five blocks. All of which meant she was going to be even later, and the babysitter was going to charge her extra. And it just … ugh. Her feet hurt, her head hurt, her uniform smelled like sour wine and marinara sauce, and now she was going to have to take down the laundry before she could go to sleep and she really hoped she could find a few quarters in the couch cushions or the junk drawer. God, what a day.

Sighing softly, she trudged down the sidewalk. It was late enough that the streets were relatively quiet. A handful of cars, not many pedestrians. Which is why her heart jumped when she heard the footsteps start up behind her. Closing her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath, and then shook her head. She was being silly. The street was well lit, there may not have been much traffic, but there was *some*, and the neighborhood was a long way from desolate. Still, she pulled her bag a little closer to her body, and slipped a hand into the outer pocket where she had that can of gel pepper spray her sister gave her.

Her steps picked up, and so did her heart rate, as she crossed the eerie black void of a mid-block alley. The footsteps behind picked up with hers and her mouth went dry.

Izzy most definitely did not need this. She really, really did not need this. She could not afford this, absolutely not. She had just enough to get her and Mia through to the end of the next week, and then she'd get paid. If she lost tonight's tips, it would be so much harder. She'd probably have to ask her sister for another loan.

The footsteps got closer. Oh God, she hoped her tips was all they wanted. She had an eight-year old daughter, and while being a single mom was hard, going home to her kid made everything worth it. That's all she wanted, to go home to her daughter. Oh Lord, help her. Please help her.

She thought she felt fingers brush her back and a sharp tang of adrenaline and terror filled her mouth. Pulling out her pepper spray, she hunched her shoulders, and tried to be brave as she turned around to face her attacker. Except, she couldn't help but squeeze her eyes shut, which probably wouldn't help. However, before she got all the way around, she heard a weird yelp and a thud, and that presence behind her wasn't there anymore.

Prying open one eye, still hesitant, still afraid, she peeked towards the alley as a man in a black leather jacket stepped out dusting off his hands on his jeans. Another, much larger, man turned towards her and held out his hands, trying to show he was harmless. Except he really was huge and she almost straight up hit him with the pepper spray on instinct.

"Our pardon, miss; we didn't mean to alarm you," he said in a deep, accented voice.

Two more men followed behind the first pair, and Izzy backed away and clung, with a shaky hand, more tightly to her pepper spray. Despite the big guy's attempt to appear not threatening, it was late, dark, and she was out-numbered and terrified.

"Hi, I'm Steve," greeted one of the approaching men. The guy next to Steve turned off and murmured something to the man in the jacket and they both stepped into the alley.

"And I'm Thor," greeted the large man.

Wait …

"Thor?" Izzy repeated, feeling dazed from the still swirling churn of fear.

"Yes," the man grinned a broad smile that flashed in the dim light.

"And … Steve? You're not Steve Rogers, are you?" That could not be right. Not even a little bit. But the big guy was both really big and he had long hair and she'd seen plenty of pictures of Thor. And maybe Steve Rogers looked like, you know, Steve Rogers, but it was still kind of dark by the alley and hard to see clearly. Also her eyes were still kind of squinted. The city could really put a freaking light near the alley. Who designed this lighting? That was terrible and dangerous. She was sending somebody a scathing email when she got home; which, thank God, it looked like she actually would.

"I am," he said gently. Then he waved a hand at the other two who had reappeared form the alley. "And this is—"

"Clint," said the guy in the jacket. Then he thumped the back of his hand on the last man's shoulder and said, "Vasily."

"Stop calling me that," the last guy growled. He looked over at Izzy and hesitated a moment before he muttered, "James."

"Okay," Izzy said. She had no idea who Clint and James were supposed to be, but Captain America and Thor were enough to assure her that she was probably safe.

The fear and adrenaline started to drain, leaving her feeling shaky and a giving her a strange, hollow queasiness in the pit of her stomach.

She would NOT throw up in front of Captain America. She wouldn't do it. Mia would never, ever let her live that down. Actually, she wouldn't be telling Mia about 90% of this story, but her daughter would love to hear that Izzy met the Avengers. Or, two of them at least. Or maybe four? One of them could be the guy with the arrows, maybe the blond in the black jacket? Nobody ever got a good look at Hawkeye without his bow, so who could say? And the other guy, long, dark hair to below his chin, didn't look like Tony Stark for sure, and it's not like Tony Stark would introduce himself as James. So … Hulk? What did Hulk look like when he wasn't green? Did anybody know? Except Hulk didn't have long hair. Except, Hulk was also ginormous and green. And if he could turn big and green, maybe his hair changed length, too?

"Ma'am?"

Oh, Steve Rogers was talking to her while she was stuck in her weird post-terror Avengers spiral. "What? Sorry, I was … just trying to get my head together."

"We were wondering if you'd mind if we walked you home?"

"Uh," she hesitated. Yes, she would like four Avengers to walk her home. Duh. But, also, she was a confident woman with a can of pepper spray who wasn't afraid of the streets (except when she was, because somebody had to put a light on that alley and she would make sure it was done if she had to personally shout at every member of the neighborhood council). "It's not far. You don't have to. I appreciate you … uh, doing whatever it was you did? Was there a mugger? Because I thought— well, I thought I heard somebody but then it was just you? But …"

James and Clint cast quick looks into the alley and shrugged. Steve didn't turn around but his smile looked a little tight. Thor just grinned some more. There was totally a mugger. Though, the mugger was probably currently unconscious or tied up or something. Maybe both. Served him right.

"It's no bother," Thor said. "We were on our way home, as well. We can walk together, as friends."

"It's really fine. I'm fine. Thank you. Besides, don't you live in Manhattan?" Yes, yes, please good-looking Avengers, walk her home. Also, stop trying to tell them not to, mouth. God.

"Our friend," Thor gestured to James, "is opening a tavern in the area. We were walking back from … dinner?" He glanced at Steve, who nodded back. "Yes, dinner. We had hotdogs. And ice cream."

"But not together," Clint offered.

Thor nodded. "Because that would be disgusting."

"Right," Clint agreed, then he frowned. "Although…"

"There was the jalapeño ice cream," Thor murmured back at him.

"Mother of God," James muttered and rubbed at his face with a gloved hand.

Why did he have a glove on? It was like 80 degrees out. And only one glove at that. What was he? Michael Jackson? Oh, maybe that wasn't nice. Maybe he had a problem with his hand. And he was embarrassed by scars or something? Or if he was Hulk, maybe one arm was always green? Wow, Izzy, how insensitive.

Wait … he was opening a tavern in the area? Maybe there'd be jobs. It would be amazing to get a decent job closer to home. Actually, she'd love to move out of the area, because it was getting more and more expensive every day, but her apartment was rent controlled and they'd have to cart out her rotting corpse before she gave that up — aside from their daughter, it was the only good thing her ex-husband The Bum ever gave her before he ditched them to go 'find himself' in Jersey. Plus, Mia's school was close and it was a good one. But, anyway …

"Well, thank you again, but I need to get home," Izzy said, and gave them a wave as she turned to head back up the street.

Steve and Thor fell in beside her. She couldn't bring herself to try to shoo them off again. Besides, AVENGERS! The other two walked behind them.

"You know, I think your bar needs a theme," Clint said.

"What do you mean?"

"Something to get people in the door," Clint explained. "Hey! You know what's due to come back? Tiki bars!"

"What's a tiki bar?" James asked sounding like he didn't want to ask but couldn't stop himself from asking.

"They're awesome. I'll show you."

Izzy had some big doubts about the long-term appeal of a tiki bar. The novelty would turn to tacky really quick. And were they ever really 'in'? She glanced over her shoulder and saw them both on their phones.

James snorted a laugh and tilted his phone's screen towards Clint so he could read it. "Darcy says, 'tell Clint to shut up.' Shut up, Clint."

Clint glowered and shoved his phone back in his pocket; there would be no tiki bar. "Darcy's no fun. She used to be fun, but then she started hanging out with you and her fun level cratered."

"You could have Thursday specials," Thor suggested brightly. "I'll bring you a few casks of Asgardian ales. There are several I think you'll like, though you'll have to mix them with something else. They're far too strong for you mortals. But there are no finer brews in any realm." Thor looked at Izzy and winked. "Thursday is named after me, you know. Thor's day."

That was so weird. She knew he was Thor, but somehow it didn't hit her that he was THE Thor. Or, she knew that, but it wasn't real until he said that, and that mean that he was like hundreds of years old. Or thousands? So weird. "I … remember that from school, I think."

Thor chuckled, mostly to himself. "Ah, Midgard. I love this place."

"Uh, where is the bar going to be?" Izzy asked, changing the subject to one her brain could actually wrap itself around.

Clint waved a hand towards the other side of the street. "You know that big hole in the ground on Havermayer?"

"By the bridge, yeah. Oh, there?" That was disappointing, it was a hole in the ground, and holes in the ground weren't anywhere near being a bar. Plus, Izzy didn't work construction. Well, not yet. If the pay was good, she just might. Also, if they'd hire her without her having any experience. But, she was a hard worker and she'd learn. She could sling concrete. Maybe. She was a hair under 5'1", but that couldn't be disqualifying, could it?

James looked reluctant to talk in general, but he nodded and shrugged at the same time like he was talking and trying to be uninterested at the same time. He wasn't rude or anything, just not very present. "The building on the corner."

"Where the Rosebud Family Restaurant used to be," Izzy said, feeling relieved. Not the hole in the ground! Then she scrunched up her nose and made a 'blah' face. "That place was terrible. I don't know how it lasted so long, it was open thirty years. I think I found cigarette ashes in my hashbrowns once."

"Gross," Cling said with a laugh.

Even James chuckled a little. "We won't serve hashbrowns."

This caught Clint's attention again and he asked, "What will you serve? You know what I miss?"

"I don't care what you miss," James said in a flat voice as he glanced away, his eyes scanning the street restlessly. Looking for trouble? Or looking to escape?

"Bratwurst," Clint said, ignoring him. "The hotdogs tonight reminded me. They were okay, but nobody does good brats here. You'd think maybe somebody would, but no. It's a Goddamned crime."

James pursed his lips and looked up at the sky and Izzy couldn't tell if he was thinking about it, or thinking about strangling Clint. "Maybe."

"I know a place in Iowa," Clint pressed, as if he sensed weakness and was going to take advantage. "They sell all sorts of sausage. German family, they've been making them for like a hundred something years. I worked in their warehouse over one winter when I was a kid. I got paid in liverwurst. Awesome job."

"Remember Mr. Sawicki with the hotdog cart, Buck?" Steve asked with a wistful sort of laugh. "He had the best franks in the city, I haven't found any that taste as good."

"I remember," James said quietly. He glanced at Clint, who gave him a triumphant little smirk.

"My guy does awesome frankfurters," Clint confirmed.

With a sigh, giving in, James nodded. "Give Darcy the number."

"My daughter would eat hotdogs for every meal if I let her," Izzy said, chatting with her new Avengers friends, as one does. Friends who were opening a bar and maybe she'd get a job. No! She wasn't going to try to leverage getting nearly mugged into a job. But, they did bring it up.

Steve's face brightened. "You've got a daughter? How old?"

"Eight," Izzy said smiling back. "And if you stick those hotdogs in a disgusting cornbread mess and fry it, you'll have her loyalty forever."

"I love corndogs," Clint said. Izzy didn't know any of them really, but somehow the idea that Clint — or Hawkeye, if that's who we was — loved corndogs didn't surprise her one bit. "We had some good ones back in the circus. Well, if Cookie remembered to change the oil. Sometimes he didn't for a few days." Clint grimaced and looked away.

The circus?

"It'll be a while," James said, looking thoughtfully across the street. "We just got the place last week. Now we've got to gut it. But Darcy wants to strip the brick off the whole building."

Steve nodded. "It's not that bad, but it doesn't fit."

"Not bad?" Clint echoed, his face twisted in disbelief. "It's horrible. The worst of the 70s. You guys are lucky you missed the 70s. I mostly missed them, but I saw the reruns. That was enough."

Izzy knew the building, it was dingy yellow brick and it looked like a horrible, soulless, government box. It was big and yellow and definitely didn't fit with some of the older brick in the neighborhood. "How do you strip brick?" She asked. "Sand blast it?"

James shook his head. "I guess they have to take this off all the way down to the framing."

"That's a lot," Izzy murmured. It would be a looooong time before that bar opened.

"We'll start in a couple days," James told her. "But, yeah, there's a lot to do. Probably won't open until the first of next year."

Izzy tried not to pout, and then started thinking about transitioning into construction work again. Being able to walk to work would be a dream come true.

Steve hummed quietly and gave the other man a sympathetic glance. "Kind of rotten timing — starting up just when Darcy's going out of town."

James ran his hand over his face and sighed. "Fur— uh, Nick will be onsite supervising, at least at the start."

"Nick?" Thor asked. "As in …" he covered one eye with his hand and gave James a leading look. "I thought he was dead."

James dropped his head and looked uncomfortable and ashamed, and like he wanted to go back and hide in the alley with the mugger.

Izzy frowned. Except, maybe she didn't want to know. There was drama and then there was probably Godly and Avengers-level drama that she was maybe better off not knowing about. She was curious, it would make for damned fine gossip, but also, might get her black-bagged and tossed in a secret prison somewhere. She had a daughter who needed her. Curiosity wasn't worth the risk.

Clint jumped in and gave them all a sharp look, before quickly sliding his eyes to Izzy and then back to Thor. "You're thinking of our other friend Nick."

"Oh," Thor said and then he seemed to clue into what they were talking about. Good for him; Izzy was lost. "Our other friend Nick. Unlike this Nick, who is not dead. Nick … Hair … son. Yes, Nick Hairson. Harrison. Such a … magnificent head of hair. Not as magnificent as my own, of course, but very nice."

They were crossing under a streetlight, but it was still not exactly day time bright, so Izzy couldn't be sure, but it looked like a little bit of Thor himself died inside when he said all that. The Avengers were horrible liars. Which, she supposed, is what you'd hope for from heroes and role models. And, as a regular person, it was nice to know that even the Avengers could be really bad at something. It balanced the universe.

Izzy saw the lights over her building's front entrance and let out a slow, quiet breath. She made it. With help, but she made it. This long, horrible day that almost went so much worse, but somehow ended up just kind of strange, was almost over. She still had to do laundry, which sucked, and pay the babysitter, which also kind of sucked. But, she made it home safely.

"This is me," she said, waving towards the front doors. "Thank you for walking with me. I appreciate it."

"Of course," Steve said, sticking his hand out for her to shake. "I'm sorry, I don't think we ever asked for your name."

"Izzy Taveres."

"It was nice meeting you, Ms. Taveres."

Steve gave her hand a friendly shake, and then Thor was next, wrapping his giant paw around her little hand. She felt like a toddler next to him. Good lord, he was huge.

"A pleasure, miss."

"Oh, hey," Steve said, as she was now shaking Clint's hand. "What's your daughter's name? I've got something for her." And he pulled a trading card out of his wallet. She saw the Avengers 'A' and his picture in uniform.

James made a sound like a stifled laugh. "You carry around Captain America cards?"

Steve firmed up his jaw and gave the other man a flat look. "Sometimes there's kids."

"Her name's Mia," Izzy said and, okay, today mostly sucked, but the look on Mia's face when she gave her the card would be worth it all. The kid was going to light up like a Christmas tree. It was very thoughtful of him to carry them around, James. Don't be a jerk. Which she, of course, didn't say out loud; she was still hoping for that job.

Steve nodded and took a pen out of his jacket and carefully wrote 'To My Friend Mia' and then his name across the card.

"Now me," said Thor, taking the card and signing his own name. Next he handed it to Clint, who signed it 'Hawkeye' with an arrow as the crossbar on the "H".

James waved his hand, "I'm not one of you jokers." Ah, okay, he wasn't the Hulk. James also didn't shake Izzy's hand, and he hung back away from them a bit, part of the group but also still a little uncomfortable about it. He didn't ignore her, though, and he dipped his head at her in a little bow and offered a little smile. "Ma'am."

Izzy carefully took the card from Clint and waved it in the air to dry the ink so it wouldn't smear. "Well, thanks again guys. Mia will love this."

"Sure thing," Steve said. "Have a nice evening."

There were a trio of additional goodbyes and then the four men started back down the street. Thor's laughter echoed against the buildings and at one point James shoved Clint into the street and Steve yanked him back onto the sidewalk.

Taking out her keys, Izzy unlocked the security door, and trudged up the stairs, her exhaustion on hold as she planned out the carefully edited, but still exciting story she'd tell about how Mom Met the Avengers.

Izzy looked down at the card in her hand and laughed. The Avengers. What a crazy night.

#my fic #fic bit #the hodgepodge #a boy's night extra #i'll polish and put it in the hodgepodge later #Anonymous

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iamartemisday · 5 years

Text

Lokane Week- Sonder

A week later, she finally asked him.

“So what brought you all the way out here?” They were at the bar on one of her rare thirty-minute breaks between self-imposed twelve-hour shifts and she asked during a lull in the conversation.

Loki prided himself in always thinking ahead, and he had not forgotten this detail when crafting his human identity.

“I’m an analyst,” he said. The foreign word slid off his tongue like second nature. “I’m to spend the next few weeks assessing the education, crime rates, and general quality of living in this quaint little village.”

Jane’s cheeks bulged with half-chewed pretzel bites stuck in her frozen jaw. “You mean Puente Antiguo?”

“I don’t know where else,” he replied.

Soggy crumbs gathered at her lips before she finally thought to swallow. “Sorry, just… well, it’s not that I don’t like it here, but this place is kind of far out of the way. I didn’t think the state government would care enough to send a representative.”

“You must get used to surprises.”

“And you must tell the bartender what you’re doing here.” She popped another pretzel into her mouth. “We might get a free refill out of it.”

Jane had a strict two drink limit and she did not break the rules that night. After paying her tab, they walked into the dying sun down the street past an ice cream shop and the dying remains of what had once been a shoe store. ‘Shoes’ is the only word left on the broken down sign. The rest have long since eroded away, perhaps before Jane was even born.

Loki made a show of studying each store and the shoppers inside. If this was how proper analysts went about their job, he didn’t know, but neither did Jane.

“Do you need to ask me any questions?”

“Hmm…” His eyes were caught on hair salon with a mysterious brown stain dripping down the far wall. “What about?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. About the town and what it’s like living here. We talk all the time about my work, this is my first time hearing about yours.”

Her face was so earnest, her eyes the deepest brown. They shone with curiosity usually reserved for her work. It sent a pang through Loki’s heart that he couldn’t identify. Whatever it was, he didn’t like it.

“I suppose,” he said, pursing his lips. “Then you like it here?”

“Eh, can’t complain,” she said, clasping her hands behind her back. “It’s boiling in the day, freezing at night, but at least we have a 7-11 and, of course, OK Furniture.”

She pointed out the store two doors down. It was gray, box shaped, and carried a faint odor of sawdust. The windows were caked in grime. The man at the register appeared to have mastered the art of sleeping standing up

Jane shook her head. “Sorry, I just love that they named it that.”

“It does seem fitting.”

They stopped at 7-11 for snacks. Jane’s supply of kettle chips was low and Darcy would whine if she didn’t get her daily chocolate fix. Loki followed her into a sea of gaudy colors. Red and orange candy wrappers; yellow and green chip bags; enough soda and water bottles to sate the thirst of an army. Multiple bags of ‘Funyuns’ were arranged on display, selling at two for three dollars. The dried out golden rings on the label did not scream ‘fun’ to Loki, so he decided against making a purchase.

He waited at the counter for Jane to finish. The cashier, a young woman with brown skin and long black hair, eyed him over her phone when she thought he wasn’t looking. Loki met her gaze once, smiling to himself as she immediately turned to reorganize the cigarette display.

“They actually had sour cream and onion Ruffles today,” Jane said, carrying two armfuls of processed treats to the register.

The cashier smiled. “Will Darcy be happy?”

“Absolutely ecstatic,” Jane grinned. “Anyway, how are you doing, Rosa? Looking forward to August?”

The girl, Rosa, blew out a puff of air. “Oh man, Jane, it’s been crazy. I’ve been so stressed these last few months with moving and scholarship applications. My Abuelita’s convinced I’m going to move to New York and never come back.”

“I thought you were going to Yale.”

“I am! I keep telling her it’s in Connecticut, but she doesn’t believe me. Now my dad’s been lecturing me about underage drinking and my brother keeps saying he’s going to take my room when I’m gone-”

Jane nodded along and made sounds of sympathy as the girl bemoaned her misfortunes and Loki found a much more interesting flyer for one free candy bar with the purchase of three Coke products. Two more customers had arrived in this time, a man and a woman. The man wore one of those hats, a cowboy hat as he now knew them to be called. He glanced at the beef jerky display, then fixed Loki with a suspicious stare.

“Never seen you ‘round these parts, stranger,” he said, which was slightly redundant in Loki’s opinion.

“I am here to evaluate the standards and practices of this town and provide a detailed report of the living conditions therein.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “You tearing this place down and building a shopping mall?”

“...no, I don’t think so.”

“Oh.” The man wandered down the chip aisle. “Shame…”

Jane paid for her food and left after reassuring Rosa that she’d do great in college and not to worry about her family. The whole process took an extra ten minutes and Loki considered ‘taking his leave’ without her several times. Back home in Asgard, the servants would be dying to know what their remaining prince did holed up in his room all day.

“Sorry that took so long,” Jane said as she rushed to meet him with plastic bags in hand. “One nice thing about Puente Antiguo. Lots of people to talk to.”

“So I’ve seen.” Loki held the door for her. “And they have quite a lot to say.”

“I’m surprised you’re not used to it, working for the government and all.”

Loki thought back to the last party he attended with Thor and their friends. His ears still rang with the roar of their drunken laughter. “I have… met such people.”

She giggled, a much more pleasant sound by far. “Remind me to introduce you to Izzy at the diner. She’s been here longer than anyone.”

“That would be nice,” he said, though if he were honest, there was only one mortal voice he cared to hear.

#Lokane #Lokane Week #Lokane Week 19 #Jane Foster #Loki #I'm not behind you're behind

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natrogersfics · 3 years

Text

After All - Chapter 1/5

Cover art by @faith2nyc Read on AO3

In the history of work-life balances, The Daily’s has to be the most bizarre of any company, and Natasha knows that it has nothing to do with the reasonable work hours Pepper is a stickler for implementing. One would truly be hard-pressed to find another work environment where the people get along so seamlessly. Sure, they have their disagreements, and their instincts are always to engage in debate rather than shy away from it, but for the most part, the second the clock strikes five p.m., all spats are forgotten in lieu of brainstorming which watering hole to head to (Dalton’s, always Dalton’s).

To say that her coworkers are like family seems like a banality on the surface, the type of line an HR Department would print in the welcome packet for a new employee before their first day on the job. But as she stands by the doorway of Tony and Pepper’s living room, watching the very people she works with on a daily basis joyously mingle with members of her actual family, she does not know how else she could possibly define them. These people are the best of the best in the respective subjects, their combined accomplishments the envy of anyone with even a scintilla of ambition to succeed in the media. And yet here they are, holding plates filled with rainbow cake and sporting unicorn party hats, all because these happen to be her daughter’s latest obsession and they’re all powerless to deny her – especially on her first birthday.

In some ways, she knew they would be fond of Isabel, but she never expected them to adore her quite like this – for Thor to bring her a strawberry cupcake every eleventh to celebrate each new month of her life, or for Stephen and Christine to insist that they come over so the latter can personally perform routine checkups, or for Tony to customize a double stroller for when he takes both Isabel and Maria to his workshop. What’s more, they’ve all rallied around her as well, none of them ever more than a text message away when she’s in need of anything, which proved invaluable as she navigated motherhood for the first time.

This outpour of love from a group of people who are not by any stretch obligated to go so above and beyond is an anomaly, she knows. It’s going to take some kind of miracle for her to find another group of genuinely kind people who would go up to bat for her and Isabel. And it’s that very thought that wrests the sadness she’s been trying to keep at bay all day as she ponders how this may be the last time in a long while that they will gather like this.

“Are you sure you have to go?”

The question breaks her out of her reverie, and she turns to see Darcy next to her, holding up two forks in one hand and a plate of cake in the other. She chuckles, reaching for the other fork as they both take a bite and moan at the perfection that is Sarah Roger’s baking. “I already paid the security deposit on the flat we’re staying in,” she says. “So that’s going to be a yes.”

“Flat, huh? Look at you, getting in on the lingo,” Darcy teases before groaning. “But until your butt is officially across the pond, it is an apartment. And it is take-out, not take-away. Which, coincidentally, we happen to have the best of here. Where are you going to get your Nom Wah fix in London, Nat, huh? Where?”

“They have a Chinatown there too, last I checked,” she counters, laughing when Darcy rolls her eyes. “Besides, I have to go anyway on the account of me being out of a job. I do have a child to support, you know.”

“First of all, the only reason you’re out of a job is because you got a big promotion,” Darcy says matter-of-factly. “Stupid corporate ladder.”

“Big words coming from the newly minted editor of The Daily’s International section,” she says, suddenly brimming with pride.

“Only because I learned everything from you,” Darcy says quietly before sighing in concession. “Ugh! You better not forget us when you’re out there being a hotshot editor-in-chief. And you better make sure Boss Baby doesn’t forget who her favorite is!”

“Darcy, Darcy, Darcy,” she says, wrapping an arm around the shoulders of the first person to truly become her constant at work. “You are many things, but forgettable is not one of them.”

“Yeah, true,” Darcy concedes easily, causing them both to laugh.

“Speaking of the Boss Baby though,” she says, checking her watch. “It’s almost her bedtime, so I better go make sure none of her grandparents have let her eat all the icing.”

“I think what you really have to be concerned about is an aunt and uncle helpless over her charms,” Darcy says, smiling knowingly. “Last I saw her she was in the kitchen with Bucky and Wanda.”

She’s about to thank her, but before she can, Darcy’s already running towards the center of the living room at Thor’s roaring announcement that a game of Pictionary is about to commence. For a second, she allows herself a moment to watch the pandemonium unfold as her friends – her fully grown adult friends, no less – vie for the positions of team captains. “Hooligans,” she says, shaking her head fondly before making a beeline for the kitchen. She pokes her head in, finding Bucky and Wanda poring over the cheese and cold cuts selection laid out on the island before knocking on the wall to get their attention. “Any of you know where Izzie is?”

“Nat!” Bucky exclaims, “you have to try this cheese. It smells like something died in it, but it’s so damn delicious!”

She tilts her head to the side, the corner of her mouth tugging up in amusement. “Maybe later, Buck.”

“Ignore him. He’s inhaled too much cheese,” Wanda says over the rim of her wine glass before pointing upwards. “Steve took her upstairs for a diaper change.”

“Thank you,” she says, turning to leave. She makes it to the stairs, climbing it two steps at a time until she reaches the top and stops in front of the framed collage of Maria on the wall. As her eyes scan the plethora of pictures, she can’t help but smile. She’s seen this frame countless times before, can practically name where each photo was taken and how old her goddaughter is in every one of them, but for some reason, she finds herself lingering before it, as if she needs to recommit everything to her memory lest she forget. She gives herself another minute, and with a sigh, forces herself to look away and walk down the familiar path to the nursery.

“Do you know how much Daddy loves you?”

Steve’s words stop her dead in her tracks, and through the door left cracked open, she catches a glimpse of him sitting on the rocking chair with Isabel across his lap, their daughter staring up at him as he feeds her a bottle. The sight of them gazing affectionately at each other punches the breath out of her lungs, and it’s only by instinct that she moves out of view, pressing her back against the nearest wall.

“I don’t even know if I have the right words to describe how much,” she hears Steve confess with a little chuckle, to which Isabel coos, and in her heart of hearts, she knows that she should not be eavesdropping on this moment – it isn’t hers, and yet, she finds herself unable to move. “I guess it’s a good thing that you don’t understand me all that well yet, so I have some time to figure them out...” He sighs, long and winded. “Though, if I’m being honest, I don’t know if I ever will. There couldn’t possibly be words in existence that will encapsulate how much I love every little inch of you.” Steve’s voice cracks by the end, followed closely by a sniffle. “I’m going to miss you like crazy, fig. And I’ll call you all the time, so please don’t forget Daddy while you’re over there, okay? You’re my whole world, baby girl…”

The hallway and the stairs and the foyer are all a blur as she bolts, the air around her suddenly too thick. She makes it out the front door, but by the time she gets to the bottom step of the brownstone, her legs feel too heavy to keep herself upright and she slumps down, placing her head in her hands as the Summer night’s air blows by and the sound of the traffic on the Upper East Side rings ambiently around her. She sighs. Steve’s words weren’t even meant for her to hear. It shouldn’t affect her this way – shouldn’t hurt her this way – especially when they’re full of adulation for their daughter. And yet, it’s as if she’s taken another dagger to her already crippled heart.

“Natasha.”

She looks up in time to see her mother take a seat next to her, and in the warmth of Melinda’s embrace, she finally lets the tears fall. “Would you believe me if I said I was just tired?”

“Oh, Nat,” Melinda says, reaching over to thumb her tears away. “You don’t have to do this. You know that, right?”

“Only I do,” she says, the words tumbling out of her mouth almost immediately. “He’s had a year. Heck, he’s had more than that to say something, give me a sign.” Melinda’s expression softens at her words, and she knows that it’s because despite offering her a way out only moments ago, Melinda’s one of the few people who knows she’s right. It’s been too long since that fateful night she asked Steve if she had a reason to stay, only to be met by silence. It was damning then, and it’s even more so in the time that’s passed since they’d agreed to postpone both her move to London and the implementation of their custody agreement until Isabel turned one. If he wanted her, if he felt even a fraction for her of what she felt for him, he had countless opportunities and ample time to say so. But now here they are, their daughter past her first year of life, and a day away from each of them getting her six months out of the year. She shakes her head. “He loves her so much. That’s more than I could have ever asked for, and in some ways, that’s always been the deal.” She turns to Melinda, smiling sadly. “I can’t keep hoping anymore. I have to move on.”

With a sad smile, Melinda drops a kiss to her temple. “Okay.”

In the months leading up to this day, there were countless times Natasha had caught herself imaging how it would play out. She expected a tear or two to be shed – Sarah and Melinda being the most obvious culprits – but at the very least, she thought the massive crowds at JFK would prove a compelling enough reason for them to not only keep it together, but also to keep their goodbyes short and sweet. But here, on the tarmac in Teterboro, with the Stark Industries jet before her and her entire family close by, she realizes that this is quickly morphing into her worst-case scenario – drawn out goodbyes, too many sad eyes, and her heart feeling all too heavy in her chest.

“You tell T’Challa that I will never forgive him for this.”

Pepper’s words elicit a laugh from her. “Oh please,” she says, scoffing even as she wraps her arms tighter around Pepper and pretends not to feel the warmth of the tear that drips down to her shoulder. “If you were at all capable of holding a grudge, the three of us would’ve stopped being friends long ago.”

“That was before he plotted to steal my best friend from me,” Pepper mumbles, making them both laugh. “Do you realize that this is the first time since college that we’re not going to live within a subway’s ride from each other?”

“We’ll drop by for Christmas,” she offers quietly, unable to trust that her voice won’t falter if she dares answer the question directly. Over Pepper’s shoulder, her eyes quickly glance at the group by the stairs of the jet – Sarah, Nick and Melinda, and Bucky and Wanda all gathered around Steve and Isabel – and she finds herself relieved that she had already said her lengthy goodbyes to most of them last night. She takes a step back from Pepper as she says, “These next six months will fly by.”

“Alright, alright,” Tony interjects as he comes up next to them with Maria on his hip. “Let’s not act like there’s not going to be a Stark Industries emergency in the London office in two weeks that only the CEO can solve.” He eyes Pepper and then her knowingly before nodding towards the jet. “Best not to misuse company property more than we already are.”

She rolls her eyes, breaking away from Pepper’s embrace completely. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you the one who insisted on this whole spectacle?”

“You were gonna fly commercial,” Tony says, his expression twisting in disgust. “We’re not savages, Red.”

Her lips quirk up at that. To anyone else, Tony’s quip drips with arrogance and reeks of privilege from a life defined by exuberant wealth. But she’s known the man for over a decade now, and though most of the time his tact leaves much to be desired, she understands him enough to know how to read between the lines. Their friendship has never been defined by heartfelt tête-à-têtes, and part of her is glad that he doesn’t seem keen on starting that now. Nevertheless, she knows that making sure she and Isabel are nothing short of exceedingly comfortable on an already difficult trip, is Tony’s ultimate way of showing just how much he cares.

“Come here,” she says, stepping forward to engulf both him and Maria in a hug.

“Oh, we’re doing this?” Tony says. “Okay, we’re really doing this.” She ignores him, but it only takes a beat before she feels his free arm wrap around her as well, squeezing back. When they pull away, he has his signature smirk on his face. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

She chuckles just as she drops a kiss to Maria’s forehead. “Bye sweetheart,” she tells her goddaughter before turning back to Tony, raising an eyebrow at him. “Does that list even exist?”

Tony winks at her, prompting Pepper to shake her head at the both of them.

“Indeed, it does not,” Pepper says, linking arms with her. “Come on.”

The pit in her stomach that she’s been trying to ignore since she got up this morning rears its ugly head once more. It’s for the best, she reminds herself. These four words have become her mantra ever since she uttered them that night in Steve’s office when she had first given him the custody agreement, and though her heart had never felt as eviscerated as it had in that moment, the fact that she’s only minutes away from jetting off to a different continent is testament to the fact that there’s truth in it. That, despite all that she’d hoped would change, this is how their lives must play out if they are to make their arrangement work. She sucks in a breath at the thought, at the finality of it all, and as she huffs out, the reassuring squeeze from Pepper grounds her enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Sarah is the first to notice them as they near, and she’s quick to offer her a warm smile before turning to Steve, whispering in his ear and giving Isabel one last kiss.

“Be safe, darling,” Sarah says when she makes her way over to her, cupping her face in her hands. “And please, don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t,” she says, smiling earnestly. “Thank you, Sarah.” Sarah’s barely stepped away from her when she feels two pairs of arms wrap around her simultaneously, and she can’t help but laugh when she finds herself sandwiched between Nick and Melinda. “Sucking up all my oxygen here, guys.”

“Call us the second you land,” Melinda orders. “And not a second later, you hear? We have your flight plan.”

“Or by God, I will order an F-35 to come find you,” Nick adds.

She scoffs. “You’ve been saying that since I was sixteen.”

“It was true then and it’s even truer now that you’re taking my grandbaby with you,” Nick says, eyeing her pointedly. “Don’t try me.”

“Fine,” she says, chuckling softly. “We’ll FaceTime you the second we land. How’s that?”

“Excellent,” Melinda says, hugging her tightly once more. “Our girl, we love you so.”

“Love you too,” she says to each of them. Wanda and Bucky are last in line, and as she accepts a hug from the former and a kiss on the cheek from the latter, she begins to make her way towards the landing of the stairs where Steve stands cradling a sleeping Isabel. She stops a foot short of them, tucking her hands into her pockets and mustering the best smile she can. “We should get going.”

Steve nods, turning to nuzzle the top of Isabel’s head. “Be a good girl for momma, okay?” he says, and she has to avert her gaze elsewhere at the way his voice breaks at the end. “Daddy loves you so much, fig.”

Just as she had the night before, she finds herself once again an intruder in a moment she has no business being a part of as she listens to Steve whisper sweet nothings to their daughter. But despite the feeling of being so unwelcome, so unwanted, she swallows it all down along with the lump that’s formed in her throat in an attempt to keep it together. It’s only when she hears Steve mutter a soft okay that she dares look back, watching as he steps forward to place Isabel into her arms.

“Shh,” she says gently when Isabel stirs at the movement, carefully shifting her so she can rest her head on her shoulder before turning to Steve. “I’ll text you when we land and again when we get to our flat, so you know she’s safe.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he says, letting a beat pass before shaking his head. “Natasha…”

For a moment, she can only stand there, letting his utterance of her name hang in the air between them. Where she finds the courage to look in his eyes, she isn’t certain, but she does. The pain in them is clear as the sky above them, but for whom it’s for, she can only surmise. Surely, for being separated for the next six months from their daughter, who’s oblivious to the loaded silence between them as she slumbers peacefully against her. And though she knows she shouldn’t, she lets herself wonder – wish, really – if only for a fraction of a second, and perhaps for the last time, that maybe that pain is for her, too. And that maybe, just maybe, now he would say the words she’s been longing to hear.

Steve sighs, and she holds her breath as he leans down to kiss her cheek. “Knock ‘em dead, Natasha Romanoff.”

Her eyes fall shut at that, and though he’s close enough that she can smell the familiar scent of his cologne and feel the warmth of his skin, they might as well be continents apart already. “Thanks,” she whispers, giving him a final nod before she turns to ascend the stairs.

There’s only the whirr of the jet taxiing towards the runway as she settles further back against the softness of the leather seat. Across her chest, Isabel sleeps peacefully, her curls glowing russet in the sunlight streaming through the window and her weight a welcome distraction from the hollowness burrowing deep inside of her, settling in. By now, she realizes, the sensation is just an old friend. She sighs, running her hand up and down Isabel’s back, holding her closer. “It’s just you and me, fig.”

I’m not freaking out, you are!

Steve’s brow arches as he reads the words in the blue bubble, and he does not waste time pressing down on the file attachment, eagerly waiting for the video to take up the entirety of the screen. Once it does, Isabel comes into view, sporting a gray Dodgers jersey with her hair pulled up in two symmetric pigtails as she clings onto the edge of a coffee table. The sight pulls his lips up into a beaming smile, all but threatening to split his face.

“Come to momma, fig,” he hears Natasha encourage in the background. “You can do it!”

Despite Natasha’s message alluding to the fact that this had been a fruitful exercise, he finds himself holding his breath as he watches Isabel blink, her eyebrows furrowing in suspicion as if she’s contemplating her mother’s words. On the lower part of the screen, her foot inches forward ever so slightly, though whether it is to test the waters or tease her mother, he can only guess. But then her dubious expression fades as quickly as it had come, making way for a toothy grin, and then his eyes widen as he witnesses her take one wobbly step and then trot the rest of the way.

“Yay!” Natasha cheers, eliciting an elated giggle from Isabel, and he can’t help but laugh along as the camera flips to show Natasha with Isabel now on her lap. “We’re walking!”

He types back a quick Yes! followed by But also, uh oh! 😬 before pressing play on the video once more, this time watching Isabel walk on her own without the nervousness that had plagued him only moments ago. It seems ridiculous – though he’s willing to bet that most parents feel the same way – but he feels pride surge right through him. Isabel was just beginning to get the hang of walking while her hands were being held up during her first birthday, and now, less than six months later, she’s already cruising along by herself. Time, he muses, truly does zip on by.

Placing his phone down on the counter, he stops to ponder his last thought. If there’s one thing he’s come to realize about time, it is that it can be a real conundrum – moving faster than you wish it would when you least want it to and slowing down to an agonizing crawl when you’re all but begging for it to fly. Only, these two facets seemed to be happening simultaneously in the last six months since his custody agreement with Natasha had taken effect. On one hand, Isabel is growing and changing faster than he can keep up with, becoming her own person with every day that passes. But at the same time, it feels as if his turn to have her, to witness these milestones unfold in real time, is an eternity away.

“I don’t like that face. Not one bit.”

He turns towards the sound of the voice, chuckling when he sees his mother walking into his kitchen, a box from her bakery in hand. “So much for a face only a mother can love.”

“Of course I love that face,” Sarah says, setting the box and her purse down on the island before hopping on the stool next to his. “I made it.” Sarah snickers as he rolls his eyes. “What I don’t love is when it’s all broody and scrunched up” – she points to his head – “means something’s going on up there.”

With a sigh, he unlocks his phone, opening the video back up before pushing it towards Sarah. His mother squeals upon seeing her granddaughter, picking up the device to get a closer look.

“She’s gotten so big!” she says, her eyes on the screen. “Goodness, she’s walking. Really walking!”

“She finally fit into the jersey Thor gave her before she was born, too,” he adds, shaking his head in disbelief. “Now it’s just right.” It’s probably the tone of his voice – crestfallen, though he hadn’t meant for it to come out that way – that causes Sarah to look at him, her eyes rueful. He waves off her concern. “I’m fine, ma. Some days are just harder than most. Technology’s great and all, but I still feel like I’m missing so much. And now...”

Sarah reaches over to place her hand over his. “I’m sorry they’re not going to make it for Christmas, darling.”

“It’s fine,” he repeats. While he isn’t due to have Isabel until after New Years’, with some cajolery from Melinda, Nick, and Pepper, Natasha had agreed that she and Isabel would come visit for Christmas. That’d been the plan even before they left for London almost six months ago, and if he’s being completely honest, it’s been the day he’s been counting down to since. But then an emergency at Natasha’s work came up, preventing her and Isabel from traveling until after the holiday and successfully upending everything he had been looking forward to. He sighs. “It’s still technically Natasha’s time with her and she was being really magnanimous about sharing Izzie for Christmas anyway.” He swipes his hand out, as if to dismiss his melancholy, but even that is half-hearted. “I was just really looking forward to it, you know? Bucky already bought her a beanie with Reindeer antlers that light up and I thought maybe she could still see the Rockefeller tree.”

“Still might,” Sarah says, to which he gives a non-committal nod. “They don’t take it down right away anyway. But have you maybe considered asking Natasha if you can fly there for Christmas?”

“What?” he nearly spits out the word in surprise, tilting his head to the side as he looks at his mother like she’s grown three heads. “What’re- I mean, what in the world makes you think she’d agree to that?”

This time, it’s Sarah’s turn to look at him incredulously. “You two have been getting along great these past few months, haven’t you?”

“We text about Izzie,” he says, “and yes, Natasha’s there when we FaceTime too, but that’s because she has to hold up the phone on the account of Izzie wanting to put everything in her mouth. That is not the same as getting along great.” He sits up straighter, shaking his head. “Besides, spending Christmas together? In London? That’s not even remotely in our-”

“Oh please,” Sarah interrupts. “I don’t care what you two have written down in your contract-”

“Custody agreement,” he corrects.

“Semantics,” Sarah counters. “Like it or not, you and Natasha are forever bonded by the beautiful baby girl you two brought into this world. That makes you family, and families spend Christmas together.” Sarah shrugs, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip and seemingly deliberating her next words. “Unless…”

He looks at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue. “Unless?”

“Steven, hon, you know I don’t like to pry,” Sarah says carefully. “But ever since… well, okay. I suppose I thought that maybe things between you and Natasha… especially after Izzie was born… I thought maybe you two would give it a chance. But then nothing happened, and I said I’d leave you two to it. It’s your lives. But now she’s over there, making a life for herself and you know what? Good on her. But then I see you, and I… It just seems to me like you’re stuck. And I feel like I’ve seen this before, so I have to ask… Do you maybe still have feelings for Natasha?”

His eyebrows shoot into his hairline. “That is not what-”

“And that is not an answer.”

“I…” he begins, only to pause to collect his thoughts. “I have had the tremendous opportunity of curating for a successful gallery and overseeing its expansions. And that is on top of my day job at the paper and making sure I am pulling my weight as a co-parent. I’m barely in the same place for five minutes, so quite frankly, ma, by definition I think that’s the opposite of being stuck.” When Sarah’s pointed glance does not let up, he sighs. “Look… if the lack of two more seats at our Christmas table this year is any indication, I’d say my feelings weren’t any good on a one-way street. If I were stuck, I’d still be standing on it, but like I just said...”

Sarah puts her hands up. “Well, if all the hatchets are buried…” she says as she moves off the stool and slings her purse over her shoulder. “No harm in asking then, is there?” She reaches over to the counter, pushing his phone back to him and nodding towards the screen. “You don’t get any of these moments back, Steve. So if there’s any chance you can be a part of them instead of watching from afar, try.” With a smile, she leans in to kiss his cheek. “I’ll see you Sunday at brunch.”

Sleep eludes him later that night as he watches the shadows dance across the ceiling, his mind replaying the conversation he had with Sarah. As he ruminates on its substance, he’s suddenly transported back to that night almost two years ago when Natasha had received her award from the Journalists’ Guild. At that point, their relationship had plunged into this strange and confusing pitfall. They had gone from living together as Natasha recovered from her awful fall, falling into domestic bliss as they did, to her serving him a custody agreement in his office seemingly in a blink of an eye. When he approached her that night for a dance, all he truly wanted was to erase the distance and the silence that had grown between them. But sometime in the middle of them swaying along to a soft string tune, she had informed him that she was going to take the job in London, and as he remembers how her words had made him feel then, hurt washes over him anew. She had pulled the rug from underneath him, sending him into free fall that, by the time she was accusing him of having never wanted their child in the first place, and asking him if she had a reason to stay, he was frozen. Speechless. Powerless to stop her from walking away and disappearing into the crowd.

Navigating their relationship after that night was incredibly difficult. They were both hurt, and understandably so, but giving each other space became nearly impossible when Natasha’s pregnancy spurned more health complications. They weren’t grave, thankfully, but it was enough to bring them to the sober realization that regardless of what had transpired between them, they couldn’t let their feelings get in the way of prioritizing the one thing that meant the world to the both of them. And by the time Isabel was born, the effort they’d both put in to make their circumstances work was so much that he told himself that it did not matter that his feelings for Natasha were not only lingering, but also brewing deep – rocking the boat was the last thing the three of them needed.

Further, what he had told his mother hadn’t been a lie. Feelings are no good on a one-way street. Perhaps there was a point where Natasha had felt the same way about him as he felt about her, but that was all moot now. In the end, she had gotten on the plane to London, and though he wanted nothing more than to tell her how he truly felt as they said their goodbyes at the airport, he still did not know with a certainty if that would have been enough. That, his love was a compelling enough reason for her to forego an opportunity that she’d been working towards her whole life. So instead, he told her the one thing he knew she’d do anyway – go and succeed. And if the reviews of the paper she’s helming and their cordial co-parenting relationship are anything to go by, it’s clear that staying mum was the right call.

It’s then that the merit of Sarah’s earlier argument becomes clear. While spending Christmas together isn’t something they’ve ever discussed, with the both of them moving forward, perhaps there really was no harm in asking. Perhaps what’s in the past can stay in the past. Perhaps Christmas didn’t have to be so somber this year.Before he can change his mind, he reaches for his phone.

Natasha holds her breath as she creeps out into the hallway, relief crashing down on her like a ton of bricks when she successfully clicks the door shut without hearing a cry. With a sigh, she brings a hand up to the bridge of her nose, pinching down and letting her eyes fall shut in exhaustion. Isabel’s been restless the last couple of days, waking up intermittently and distraught for reasons that she cannot seem to figure out. To top it all off, despite the holidays fast approaching, her workload only seems to grow exponentially, and with the recent lack of sleep, the fatigue is getting harder to stave off.With a heavy exhale, she straightens up, willing herself back to her living room and to where she left her laptop on the couch.

The words on the open document on her screen are ones she’s read enough times that she can recite them verbatim from memory, and yet, as she tries to come up with the next sentence, her mind draws a blank. With a groan, she pushes her screen down shut. Writing has always been her outlet of choice, allowing her to clear her head by losing herself in the topic of her current piece, and for it to fail her now when she’s most in need of a catharsis, she can’t help but feel even more untethered.The ding of her phone cuts through the silence, and she looks towards where it’s resting on the cushion to see an email notification pop up.

Picking it up, she glides a finger over the bubble on the screen and sighs when she sees the subject line read:

URGENT – Meeting w/ PR tomorrow

Without reading the contents, she closes her email app, deciding that at two in the morning, she just does not have the mental bandwidth to deal with any more work woes. But as she does, her photo stream appears, and a video begins to play. The camera zooms in, showing Steve carefully lifting a six-month-old Isabel up to blow bubbles on her belly, and she stops to watch Isabel giggle. In her desperation to soothe Isabel tonight, she had decided to play the video as she rocked her to sleep, and much to her relief, it had worked. Within minutes, and with Steve’s voice on loop in the background, Isabel had finally gone to bed.It’s when the frame switches to Steve and Isabel playing peek-a-boo that she finds her throat tightening. When she had moved six months ago, she had believed that not only was it the right decision, but also that the challenge of a new job and readjusting to a different country would aid her in moving on. But as Isabel’s soft coos and Steve’s laughter from the video fills the room, the sounds only seem to further underscore how big and empty her flat feels.

Her thoughts are interrupted by the audio cutting off, and she glares at the screen in anticipation of another work-related email, but her eyes only widen in surprise when she sees a text from Steve.

Hey, do you have time to talk tomorrow morning (late afternoon your time)? Just had a question…

As she reads the text, her eyebrows furrow. While they communicate several times a week, it’s only so he can video chat with Isabel or so she can send him Isabel’s latest photo. It’s not like him to shoot her a text out of the blue, and it’s even more so unusual for him to be vague about the subject. She bites her lip as she contemplates a reply, typing something out only to delete it. By her fourth attempt, her mind begins to race with a deluge of questions. With a huff, she puts her phone down, and finds herself almost grateful when she catches the porch light next door flicker on through her window. Hurriedly, she gets up, running through her foyer and hastily throwing her door open just as her neighbor is about to place their key into the lock. “Any chance you’re up for a nightcap?” she asks, biting her lip.

Her neighbor turns, looking every bit as tired as any reasonable person returning home at this hour should. Nevertheless, he smirks. “When you’re offering?” he asks. “Always.”

“Long week, huh?” she asks later on as they sit on her couch, each clutching a glass of wine.

“Endless,” he says as he angles to face her. “Two back-to-back shifts with a twelve-hour surgery somewhere in between that nearly went critical, to be exact.”

“Nothing the great Dr. Laufeyson couldn’t handle, I’m sure,” she says, eyeing him knowingly.

“The patient survived, if that’s what you’re alluding to,” Loki says, prompting them both to laugh.

Her gaze falls to her wine, watching the dark liquid swirl as she rotates the glass in her hand. “Must be nice, though,” she says, “knowing what you do saves lives.” She looks over at him as she adds, “That of children, especially.”

“It is,” he agrees. “They’re wonderful and pure, as I’m sure you know. Not yet privy to the trickery and harshness of the world at large like we adults are... But that’s a conversation for a different time.” He takes a sip of his wine before arching a brow at her. “So, tell me, Miss Romanoff. What is it that has you keeping me from my bed?”

She scoffs. “Didn’t realize I had the power to make you do things you didn’t want to do.”

“I’d do anything for you and that little angel of yours,” he says before shrugging. “You know that.”

Loki’s words bring a smile to her face. For all her struggles in the last six months, meeting and getting to know him has been one of the bright spots that’s kept her going. That, and the fact that he lives next door and is up at ungodly hours like she is, is convenient – especially on nights like this when she could really use someone to talk to. It’s with that reminder that she sighs and goes about catching him up on everything that’s been plaguing her mind since the last time she saw him. When she finally gets to Steve’s text, she hands him her phone. “I’m probably just over analyzing it,” she says. “For all I know, he probably just wants to FaceTime with Izzie more.”

“Then why not just get to it then?” Loki challenges. “Natasha, let’s be honest about what this is really about.”

She shakes her head. “I just said that he-”

“I don’t mean about him,” Loki says, sighing when she stares confusedly at him. “You’ve basically just admitted to missing the man-”

“I said no such thing!”

Loki shoots her a withering look. “Do you’ve any idea how many parents deny how much sugar they’ve fed their kids as I hold the results of their child’s blood work in my hands?” He scoffs. “It’s easy to say things, Natasha, but you cannot deny what is so. I assume you sulking in the dark and watching videos of him and Izzie aren’t just because you’re feeling nostalgic.”

“What do you want me to say, Loki?” she asks. “That I’m freaking out about this because I’m... lonely? Tired? Tipsy?” She chuckles, but it’s humorless, hollow. Her voice is barely above a whisper as she adds, “or that moving thousands of miles away was for nothing seeing as I’m still so pathetically in love with someone who clearly doesn’t love me back and who can seemingly pull me apart with a single text?”

“Only if that’s the truth,” Loki says, making her shoulders sag in defeat. “Natasha, I didn’t mean to upset you.” He takes her hand in his, causing her to look at him. “I simply wanted you to be honest about what’s at play here.” He sighs. “I don’t claim to know what or how he feels. And for that matter, what you truly do, and I will not pry. But what I do know is that you are smart, strong, gorgeous, and any man would be lucky to have you. The ones that don’t see that? They’re idiots and they don’t deserve you.” Her lips quirk at that, and he smiles. “Remember that the next time you think one text from someone can pull you apart, hm?”

Loki punctuates his words with a gentle squeeze to her hand, and as she lets the gravity of his sentiment sink in, she nods. “Thanks,” she says, laughing when he only winks and brings her hand up to kiss her knuckles.

By the time Loki bids her goodnight and she makes it to bed, her mind feels a little clearer. Maybe she’s right and that whatever it is Steve wants to ask her is something as small as wanting more time to talk to Isabel, but the reality is that she’ll never know if she doesn’t find out. And if it turns out to be something that takes a wrecking ball to her heart all over again, if what Loki said is anything to go by, then maybe she isn’t giving herself enough credit. She has made it this far – scars and all.

With that in mind, she reaches for her phone and searches for Steve’s message to type out her reply.

Sure! Talk to you then.

Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

#Romanogers #After All #A Little Favor #natrogers #natrogersfics #new fic alert #Steve Rogers #Natasha Romanoff #au #fanfic #what if

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canyousevmyheavydirtysoul · 5 years

Text

Bodyguard II: Familial Ties (Part II - Chapter 6) (Brendon Urie x Reader)

Cars, pick-up trucks and SUVs were parked all along the perimeter of the massive crater, the sounds of a boisterous party emanating from the pit. Inside, locals sat on lounge chairs, drinking beers from coolers as they laughed and talked, all the while watching the centre of the crater, where large men had formed a line to take a turn with the mysterious object embedded in the ground.

One by one the men attempted to lift it, struggling before eventually giving up and stepping aside to let the next one have a go at it, as other townies stood on the sidelines and snapped pictures with their phones.

They heard an approaching rumble, then cleared a path as a large pick-up truck backed its way down the crater’s edge. An eager townie hopped out the passenger side and pulled a thick chain down from the back of the truck. He fastened one end around the foreign object, then securely affixed the chain to the bumper and rear of the undercarriage.

“This’ll do it!” he yelled to the driver. “Okay, let ‘er rip!”

The townsfolk looked on as the pick-up’s engine roared, then strained, its wheels spinning futilely, until finally the rear of the truck along with the back wheels and axels broke off and went flying.

People dove out of the way, ducking down for safety as the pick-up driver stuck his head out of the window. The elderly man – with greyed hair styled back and aviator glasses on his face – looked back, shocked. A silent moment, then the townsfolk laughed as the party recommenced.

They didn’t notice as on the crater’s edge above them an imposing government vehicle pulled up to a stop. A man in a suit climbed out and peered down at the boisterous gathering below, his eyes fixed on the object at the centre of the crater.

Agent Coulson stared down at the object, which glowed with an otherworldly blue energy – Mjolnir. He pulled out his phone.

“Sir, we’ve found it.”

✧ ✧ ✧

S.H.I.E.L.D HQ. Washington, D.C.

“Good. We’ll move in immediately,” The Director spoke into his cellphone, pacing the length of his office toward the window overlooking the city; you stood behind the sofa, clutching the backrest with a tight grip as you kept your gaze steeled on your godfather, trying to listen as closely as you could, “I want a camp set up by sundown.”

Fury lowered the phone from his ear and disconnected the call, turning around to look at you. He raised one brow as he pocketed the device. “Looks like your cousin brought a little piece of home with him,” he chided, causing you to exhale loudly, “Any idea what it could be?”

“Are you forgetting that I didn’t know shit about Asgard until last year? I have no idea how things work over there,” you sassed, pursing your lips and lifting your hands from the backrest. “My guess is as good as anybody’s. It could literally be anything.”

Choosing to ignore the subtle jabs at himself and S.H.I.E.L.D hidden in your words, Fury folded his hands behind his back and raised his head a small amount.

“If I’m not mistaken – which I never am – Doctor Ross mentioned something about a… hammer?… that Thor never goes without. You think it could be that?”

Recalling the conversation that Fury was referring to, you nodded in agreement. “Mjolnir? Yeah, could be. I mean, he definitely wasn’t lugging around a hammer when we saw him, so it’s a possibility.”

“Guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

“Yeah,” you breathed out, stressfully combing your fingers through your tangled hair; you’d been so out of sorts lately that you’d even forgotten to brush the nest on your head that morning.

Picking up on your standoffish attitude, your godfather posed a question.

“What’s bugging you, sweetie?”

You’d expected that question to arise sooner or later, but your awareness didn’t dampen the arrival of it at all. Raising your brows, you slowly darted your eyes all around the room, shaking your head as you did so.

“I just…” you shrugged, “This is all too much. I can’t-“

With a small pant for air, you shut your eyes and held your head in your hands, which resulted in The Director hurrying forward to talk you down from any potential panic attacks that threatened to arise.

Letting him coax you out of your overwhelmed state, you took a seat on the sofa and rested your palms on your knees, leaning forward slightly.

“It’s been one major thing after another,” you remarked once he’d finished speaking, “My parents, Hydra, Brendon…” you trailed off, solemnly staring out of the window for a moment as your thoughts betrayed you by drifting off to your bodyguard; fortunately it only lasted a couple seconds, before you turned to face Fury, “And now this? Can’t I ever catch a break?”

“Welcome to my world,” he wheezed, placing a hand around your shoulders as he slinked into place next to you on the sofa. “But you’re strong, sweetie. One helluva survivor. You’ll make it through this – and any other pains in the ass that might come your way. But it’s no use hiding; this is something you gotta face, and you’re the only one who can do it – not for me, not for any of us, but for you.”

Your response didn’t come immediately; you allowed time for your godfather’s words to properly sink in and weave their way into your fragile mind. He was absolutely right about everything he had said, and you knew it, too. Which meant that you also knew that the first step in eradicating the problem you were faced with, was to contain it.

“We can’t let this go public, Uncle Nick,” you said carefully after a few minutes, giving him only the feeblest of glances.

“You’re telling me?” he scoffed, cocking the eyebrow above his one good eye, “Sweetie, why the hell do you think we’ve kept you a secret from everyone? Can you imagine the chaos it would cause? If the public found out that actual Norse gods were among us?”

Gently chewing on your bottom lip, you voiced your concern. “I’m afraid that there’re some people who are very close to finding out just that.”

✧ ✧ ✧

Isabela’s Diner.

Thor, Selvig, Darcy, Aaron and Jane sat at a table in the local diner; the two doctors and the intern watched as Thor ate ravenously from a huge mound of steak and eggs. A couple other full plates – pancakes and biscuits and gravy – were piled high before the god. Jane sat eagerly, her notebook at the ready.

“Now tell us exactly what happened to you last night,” she interrogated.

Thor looked up and into her eyes, staring in intrigue. Jane became flustered and looked away.

“Maybe start with how you got inside that cloud,” she tried again, this time keeping her gaze slightly lowered.

“And how you could eat an entire box of Pop-Tarts and still be this hungry,” Darcy added, marvelling at the appetite of the man. Jane shot her a withering look, whole Thor downed an entire cup of coffee in one go.

“This drink,” Thor looked at the empty mug, “I like it.”

“Yeah, it’s great, isn’t it?” Darcy grinned. “Isabela makes the best coffee in town.”

Thor hurled the mug at the ground, shattering it into a hundred tiny porcelain pieces. “Another!” he demanded.

The ruckus captured the attention of Isabela, the diner’s proprietor, and she glared at Thor from behind the counter.

Jane turned to toss her an apologetic look. “Sorry, Izzy. Little accident.”

Isabela muttered something in Spanish as a response before turning to a waitress and venting quickly, also in Spanish. (“Did you see that? The first time she brings a man in here, and he’s a lunatic!”)

“What was that?” Jane demanded, gazing expectantly at Thor.

He didn’t understand.

“It was delicious,” he stated simply. “I want another.”

“Then you should just say so!”

“I just did!”

“I mean ask for it. Nicely.”

“I meant no disrespect.”

“All right, then no more smashing, deal?”

“You have my word.”

Satisfied, Jane leaned back and nodded once. “Good.”

A few townies, looking bedraggled, entered the diner and took a seat at the counter; they were amongst the men who had tried (and failed) to lift Mjolnir out of the crater. Isabela greeted them by name, and they ordered two coffees.

“You missed all the excitement out at the crater,” the one Izzy had called Jake spoke.

“What crater?” she frowned.

Aaron, Selvig and Jane overheard Jake’s words and after exchanging a look, all turned to the townies with interest.

“They’re saying some kind of satellite crashed in the desert,” the one named Pete explained.

“We were having a good time with it till the Feds showed up, chased us out,” Jake grumbled, slurping some coffee.

“Excuse me,” Jane interjected, “Did you say there was a satellite crash?”

“Yep,” Jake nodded, “They said it was radioactive. And I had my hands all over it.” Realisation dawned on him, then, and he looked down at his hands uneasily. “I’m probably sterile now…”

Thor, unconcerned, prepared to dig into the giant pile of pancakes. Darcy was amazed by the sight and whipped out her cellphone.

“Oh my god, this is going on Facebook. Smile!”

Thor looked puzzled as she snapped a photo of him and his massive stack of food.

“What did the satellite look like?” Aaron asked the townies; Jake answered.

“I don’t know nothing about satellites. But it was heavy. Real heavy. Nobody could lift it.”

This got Thor’s attention and he immediately sprung to his feet, headed over to drunk townie Jake and jerked him around to face him.

“Where?” the god demanded.

“About twelve miles east of here,” a slightly shaky Jake replied.

Thor grinned widely, his spirits soaring, as he quickly strode out of the diner. Once outside, he studied the position of the sun, gauging his bearings. The rest of the group caught up to him moments later.

“Where are you going?” Jane asked.

“Twelve miles east of here.” Thor started to stride down the street purposefully; Jane and Aaron walked after him.

“Why?” Aaron queried, picking up his pace a little bit.

“To get what belongs to me,” Thor said determinedly.

“So now you own a satellite?” Jane scoffed, tossing him a disbelieving look.

“It’s not what they say it is.”

“Whatever it is, the government seems to think it’s theirs. You intend to just walk in there and take it?”

“Yes.” Thor stopped walking. “If you take me there now, I’ll tell you everything you wish to know.”

Aaron perked up, the doctor in him coming out, and Jane did the same.

“Everything?”

“All the answers you seek will be yours, once I reclaim Mjolnir.”

Aaron sucked in a harsh breath at the mention of Mjolnir – fully aware of what Thor was talking about – as Darcy looked to the others, scrunching up her face. “’Myeu-muh?’ What’s ‘Myeu-muh’?”

Ignoring her, Jane studied Thor. He looked sincere and she was almost swayed to give into him, but then Selvig pulled her aside. Thor watched as the doctor spoke to Jane, and he could tell that Selvig didn’t care for him much.

With Darcy standing to the side and struggling with the new, Asgardian word and Jane and Selvig engaged in a heated discussion, Aaron took the opportunity to step up to the god.

“Mjolnir?” he spoke in a hushed tone, “As in your mythical hammer? It’s here?”

Thor nodded in confirmation. “It appears so.” The god narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as he observed the smaller man. “You seem to know quite a lot about Asgard, Aaron Jacobson.”

Aaron pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and waved a hand. “I specialise in Asgardian mythology.”

“So you are able to help me retrieve Mjolnir!” Thor’s face lit up.

The doctor’s face dropped, and his eyes widened in panic. “What? No, no, no, I didn’t say that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you heard what the townie said,” Aaron gestured back at the diner, “The government has already claimed it.”

“Ah, so you are a coward.”

“What?! No! I just-“

“I’m sorry,” Jane cut him off, re-joining the conversation and focusing on Thor, “I can’t take you.”

Thor bowed his head slightly. “I understand. Then this is where we say goodbye.”

He took her hand and kissed it, making her entire body flush.

“That’s…” she started, “Thank you.”

The god looked to each of the members of the group and gave each a small bow. “Jane Foster… Erik Selvig… Aaron Jacobson… Darcy. Farewell.”

He turned and headed off down the street. Selvig breathed out, relieved. “Now…” the doctor said, “lets get back to the lab. We have work to do.”

He and Darcy started for the car and after stealing once last look at the strange man, Jane turned and join them, leaving Aaron to stare at the god as he walked down the street with a worrisome face, his gut feeling telling him that things were undoubtedly about to take a turn for the worst.

_______________________________

Thank you for reading x

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dfwemelie · 5 years

Text

May 2019

May 1st, nothing really that special happened today. We made icecream in Culinary and Carlos got really excited cause their were sugar cones. Izzy ate the most icecream out of all of us and hes lactose intolerant so he was hurting afterwards.

May 2nd, I was really stressed out this motning cause I havent finished my dress for the Fashion show tomorrow and it was raining and thundering. I had to stay after school for Fashion till 4 and I stayed with Scott after that until 5:30. I like staying after with him. We just makeout and talk and get paranoid about cars passing by. I think today we made out for 25 minutes straight which is a new record lol. He tops himself every fucking time and it’s so hot. Like holy shit because makeout sessions ever.

May 3rd, today was the fashion show and I was really stressed out at first but I ended up finishing my dress. The problem was that it was extremely short so I kept having to pull it down so you wouldnt be able to see my shorts under it. Seth and Aj were their watching their girlfriends and both of them took videos of me and sent it to Scotty. He said I looked beautiful. I met Kelly’s mom and sister and they seem really nice. I havent ate since Chickfila this morning and I’m starting to get really hungry/hangry. I might make me food but idk yet.

May 4th, Lots of pain occurred today. I woke up at 7:35 to get ready for the Nami Walk. Once my grandparents picked me up we got to Chickfila and headed to the Sam Houston State Park in Houston. The walk started around 9:30 and we finished at 11 only because my meme and Mrs.Pat walk so slow. It was fun overall but my feet were killing me and the back of my left leg was hurting alot and idk why. After the walk we headed to Galveston to meet up with my family. We stayed at the beach for an hour then went home. I ate a little bit and took a shower and now I’m here. I’m currently watching Thor Ragnarok cause it’s the only Marvel Avengers movie I havent seen.

May 5th, Cincooooo De Mayooooo. I didnt really do anything today besides sleep. I woke up at 3am for no reason then fell asleep. then woke up at 7 then fell back asleep at 1 till 5. I dont think I will br falling asleep early tonight cause I’ve slept so much. Scotty got to drink a margarita and I’m jealous. Also Ghala and Kaylie are so fucking cute and I stan them sooo much.

May 10th, damn. I told myself I would do this more often, bitch I havent done it in 5 days. Let’s talk about yesterday, May 9th. Scotty and I stayed afterschool (nothing new) and he was sitting down and I was ontop of him and we were making out. This BITCH flips me over to the ground, puts his hand down my pants, and…yeah…not actually touching me, just through my underwear. I was very ShOoK by this but I didnt stop him cause it felt really really fucking good. Like I’m not complaining.(I hate the word moaning so I use cake) Lots of cake was happening and he end up getting a boner. He has actually been getting them since we first started staying afterschool and I didnt know lol. I almost ended up having an orgasm but cars kept driving by and I told him if I see a car then he has to stop. I’ve never ever gotten this close with a guy. Not complaining. While cars were going by we kept telling weird sex related stories to eachother. He told me how when he was little his parents used the word dessert instead of condoms when he was around. Then his older brother told him what it meant and he was shook. On his 13th birthday his dad said he had a surprise birthday present in his drawer that didnt get opened at his party. He asked what it was and his dad said dessert. There were condoms in the bottom drawer of his dresser lol. Scotty also told me that he has personally bought different ones to use for future purposes. Now listen, I know its gonna be with me. I want our first times to be with eachother. That sounds strange but I love him and I want to lol but not now. Scotty wants me to go over to his house on his birthday to meet his parents. He also wants his birthday present from me to be us doing it. I said that’s not happening for a long ass time cause it’s too early and I’m not ready yet, even though I want him to be my first.

Different topic lol. Yesterday we got hit with some really bad weather and it fucked up my sleep schedule. I fell asleep at like 9pm then woke up at 11 then woke up at 2 then stayed awake till 4:30 then woke up at 5 then work up at 11. Like wtf??

May 12th, wow get ur shit together lol, do this more. Its official, I will be going over to Scott’s house if I get my gas laws homework packet done. My mom thinks I’m going over to Kaylies house, I hope she buys it. Im extremely nervous about meeting his parents, I’m hoping I’ll make a good first impression. Ive never met a boyfriends parents before so idk what to expect. I sent Kaylie a bunch videos about me deciding on what I’m gonna wear. I’ve decided on curled hair, light natural makeup, my blue ripped Jean’s, and either a red or blue shirt. I dont know how to act ugghhh.

Today I went over to my grandparents house and it was okay ig. My cousin Coleson came over and I was excited about that. He is my favorite cousin by far. I played basketball and ate food. I also drove from their house and back twice and I did pretty good. I wish I could talk to Scott but I dont want to interrupt his time with his mom cause it is Mothers day after all.

May 13th, I feel sick sksksks. like a vomit kind of sick and I feel like my limbs are weak and they are kinda shaking. It’s making me scared asf. I hope it will go away soon. I dont like feeling like this cause it gives me really bad anxiety and makes me have anxiety attacks. I’ve been getting alot of anxiety and panic attacks since sophmore year started

May 16th, Wow I really need to start doing this more often. Yesterday was Scott and I’s one month and he made a really cute video and I love it so much. I am still super nervous about Sunday, for alot of reasons. First I gotta meet his parents and idk how im gonna do that. I don’t know how to act or anything. Also Scott said its a shoes off house and I don’t want them seeing the cuts on my ankles. I’ll try to wear socks that cover them, I mean im gonna have to since i also wanna cover my 2 ankle tattoos. Also Scott says he wants to have sex. I don’t know if im ready for that yet. I’ve been thinking about it alot, mostly what would go wrong. Of course we would use condoms but they are only effective 98% of the time. I’m mainly worried about if I am gonna get pregnant or not. I can’t get pregnant. My life would be over. I’m saying this now, which is very contriversal, I would have an abortion. Yes its a human person who probably deserves to live but I just cant do that. I cant be pregnant. I don’t want to focus on all the bad stuff about sex, but the good stuff too. It supposedly has alot of health benefits. I don’t know how to do it though. Like I know how, but at the same time I don’t. Ya know? I also think we should wait to do it but in Scotts words, “I don’t plan on breaking up with you ever so we arent gonna get the opportunity to do it for a long time. So why not do it now when its gonna happen eventually.” I think im gonna do it. Talking about it makes me feel less nervous and weve been talking about it more and more since his birthday is in like 3 days. I want to talk to Kaylie about it but im scared she might say its too early. I know shes gonna support me in whatever I do, but I still want her opinion on it. I also nervous about Scott’s parents or siblings knocking on the door while we are in the middle of having sex. Scott always has his door locked which is good for the both of us. I know his older brother wouldnt bother us cause he’s like a cool brother and knows whats going on lol. I hope it doesnt happen but it might, just might be his mom checking up on us. I think im ready. Im nervous, but I want to do it with him. Im not being pressured into doing it by the way. He knows that if i dont want to do it, he won’t try, we would do what we normally do afterschool, but in his bed.

I should probably talk about what has happened today instead of talking about sex lol. Nothing special really happened. Scott wanted me to go eat lunch with him and I said no. 1. I dont like school lunches, and 2. I don’t want to sit even remotely near Derek, and 3. I don’t eat lol. I kept telling him he should go eat and he said ok. I just layed down on a couch on my phone alone. Felt like old times, when I had no one to sit with so i just listened to emo bitch music. Good times, good times.

May 17th, I had to take out my nose stud for pictures in Journalism and my piercing closed. At around 10pm I repeirced it with a thumbtack in the wall. I put a part of an earring in so it doesnt close overnight and now I have to sleep like that till I can go to the mall tmrw and get some more.

May 18th, I went to the mall and got some new piercings. I got a black star, blue ball, black hoop, purple gem, silver star, and a skull. I'm wearing the black hoop right now since it's my favorite. The skull makes me look emo lol. I'm really nervous about going to Scott's tmrw. Wish me luck

May 19th, Ok so I just got back from Scott's house. When my parents dropped me off they wanted one of them to walk to the door with me. I legit begged them not to. They wanted to make sure at least one parent was home so Scott's mom went out and waved. She also said she was Scott's mom but I dont think my parents thought anything of it since they didnt say anything to me yet about it. I met alot of people like his stepmom, stepdad, mom, all his siblings, some of his cousins, aunt and uncle, grandmas, and dog. His step dad was really funny and made alot of jokes. His step mom and I were talking a bunch about how cute JJ Watt and Tom Holland is and Harry Potter. We had pie and a bunch of us went up to his room and just messed around. His older brothers Damian and Ralph were messing with us and it was funny. My mom decided to be an asshole and picked me up 30 minutes early. I wish I could've stayed longer but Aunt Mandy and her boyfriend James are coming over to watch some wrestling thing. I'm glad I got to see Scott on his birthday. He seemed happy.

May 21st, I texted my mom yesterday about Scott, how we are dating, and how I lied and said I was at his house meeting his parents instead of going to Kaylies house. I thought I would be in really big trouble since I lied but apparently I wasnt. When I went downstairs to talk to them they were just happy i finally opened up and told them something about my personal life lol. They didn't ask that many questions about him which is a good thing cause i dont like questions, they make me feel uncomfortable. They know hes getting his license soon so my dad said we are gonna have to talk about people driving me around, other than Michael and his mom. I think it's just gonna be about not leaving the state and just staying close by to our house. At least I hope that's what it's only gonna be about. Knowing them, they are gonna put a bunch of restrictions. I'm pretty sure they would also want to meet Scotty before he drives me anywhere. They are 100% gonna make fun of him for driving a mini cooper lol, I already do. I'm actually really nervous about him meeting my parents, both sets. Ik I was nervous about meeting his but I think I'm more nervous about him meeting mine. I dont know how anyone is gonna react. Gavin is gonna be all weird and would want to talk alot lol. Gavin likes Scott, I really dont know why. Makes me nervous just thinking about it.

I took Scottys keys in Journalism today lol. It was cool just carrying them around. Made me feel like I actually had my own car even though there is a keychain with Scott's name on it. When he was walking me to class he took them back and I got offended. That's all that's happened so far lol.

May 23rd, I cried myself to sleep last night. Lol what a great way to start an entry. Basically I felt like I ruin everything I touch and somehow I was gonna ruin my relationship with Scott. He tried making me feel better but it didnt really work. Anyways, today has been kinda an off day. I dont know what it is about today, just not a good day. Haven’t been in the best mood since last night, but it’s fine..im fine. Everyone has their off days and I guess today is mine,

May 24th, Yesterday Scotty was acting kinda weird so I typed him out a little paragraph to at least try to make him happy and all he sent back was "Love you too". I'll admit, it was a little bit frustrating spending all that time on that and getting a short response but its fine.

May 25th, I'm spending the night at Kelly's, well actually I already did. We went night swimming and it was fun. I woke up at 5am cause I was in so much pain and now I'm in even more. I just love bleeding internally and having cramps that make me feel like I'm gonna vomit. I tried looking for some aspirin or advil but I couldnt find any which is just so fucking great for me. Yeah anyways, I'm in alot of pain, feel like I'm go throw up, kill me to end my suffering

May 28th, wow yeah love procrastinating this lol. I had my Journalism and Child Development finals today so basically I did nothing at school. I accidentally stole Scotts key for the entire day and I was lowkey panicking cause I didn't know if I was gonna have the opportunity to give them back. I mainly played on my phone in Journalism. We judged the class Photo Safari and my group got 1st place in two of the categories and got 2nd overall. I was really surprised the portrait of me won cause I don’t think I look that great but apparently the yearbook staff thinks so. Thanks Avery :’) Our child development final was easy. We basically just had to write down about something interesting we learned and 3 jobs associated with child care. After that I got out a piece of paper wrote down everything I was thinking cause I cant actually say it or else I think people would hate me. But I basically wrote how I think Scott doesn't understand how I am feeling and my bipolar and depression and about an Instagram comment about something I really shouldn't be worrying about. Also I was writing on their how I am a stupid piece of shit who doesn’t deserve anything in her life cause she is just gonna fuck it up anyways just like she always does. I got done with that and the bell rang. I went to meet up with Scott and give him his keys then he walked with me for a little bit before he had to go talk to his teacher. Seeing him makes me happy, one of the few things that make me happy in this cruel world anymore. My dad called me and told me I had to get all of my work done tonight or else I would get my phone taken away all summer. I just don’t have the motivation to do this or anything for that matter. I’m gonna fucking fail anyways, might as well just deal with it.

I don’t feel anything anymore. No pain. No happiness. I am simply just...here. Maybe that's why I do it. To feel something...anything. I don’t care if it gives me pain I just want to feel human again.

Anyways. goodbye. Ig ill see ya in the next entry if im not already dead yet.

May 29th, today overall has been pretty good. I helped Cameron, Drew, Kaleb, Cassie, and others on the Geometry final. Which basically means I gave them all the answers. Cameron was 2 rows away from me so I texted them to him. I also took my Chemistry final today and I already know I failed that bitch. My parents are making me go to summer school for it which is no bueno. After the last bell rang I got to walk with Scott to the back doors. I don't want school to him. I'm gonna miss seeing him everyday. Tomorrow is the last day of school which means it's Izzys last day. I already know damn well I'm gonna fucking cry. I don't want him to leave but hes moving so their is nothing I can do about it. Tomorrow I'm gonna tell him how much of an amazing friend he has been and that everything will get better in the end. I dont want it to be tomorrow.

May 30th, Last day of school and just as I expected, I cried...alot. I didnt have a chance to say goodbye to Izzy like I wanted which made me very upset. I actually liked going to school, just not the learning. Seeing all my friends was the only thing I looked forward to. Now I have nothing. Once Scott gets his license we will be able to hang out but I want that to happen now, not in like a month. I said goodbye to Avery, Kaylie, Carlos, and all my teachers. I'm gonna miss it. But hey, I'm finally a junior. 2 more years then we can move to California. Maybe I'll start looking forward to that. I have to go to summer school and I'm really not excited about that, I know alot of people that are going which kinda makes me feel better ig.

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lenaisanerd · 6 years

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It's really hot. The gang goes to the park. It rains. (Alternatively: Izzy stares at Clary for 3400 words.)

This was supposed to be shorter, but it turned into something that is not that short while I wrote it. This is my first published fanfic on Tumblr (exciting). Please reblog or like if you enjoy it!

A huge thank you to my friends and editors @disaster-lesbiab , @raisehades , and @beesarekind , who made this fic possible (and who have been very patiently listening to me ramble on about Shadowhunters for months. Thanks.).

One week since the Institute’s AC system had given out. Turns out not even angelic power can withstand a New York heatwave, and with temperatures outside steadily climbing over 30 degrees, the heat had started seeping through every crack and crevice into the normally cool building. The humidity exacerbated the effects of the hot weather, and in Isabelle’s opinion it was a miracle no one had collapsed from a heat stroke yet.

According to the weather report a massive thunderstorm was due any day now, but what did mundanes know. It certainly hadn’t rained any of the previous four days when they had promised the exact same thing. Izzy’s hope and patience were wearing thin.

There were precisely three things that gave her the strength to drag herself out of bed every morning: One, by now being in her room with its huge portion of stained glass window was even more unbearable than hiding from the sun in the armory. Izzy had even tried sitting in the dungeons to do her paperwork, because being underground should be at least marginally cooler. But apparently sitting on the floor leaning against a wall while looking at a tablet in your lap for 10 hours at a time can really fuck up your back.

Two, the Institute was caught up in approximately one fuckton of work. NYC had picked the worst three weeks of the past year for a demon infestation in the Hudson. Getting rid of the little bastards, clean-up of the river, and convincing mundane victims and the police it was just a really violent species of manatee had kept every available Shadowhunter (and quite a few warlocks) busy. And when your brother is Head of the Institute, and also not afraid to barge into your room to kick you out of bed, sleeping late is not an option, even if Izzy was tempted a few times to quit sentient existence and melt into her mattress.

Three, even though the heatwave left everyone sweaty, tired, and often sunburnt, Clary was a literal angel all the same. Isabelle had started mentally drawing constellations between the hundreds of freckles that had popped up on Clary’s face and shoulders because of her time spent in the sun on missions.

She had given up on all black clothing about two days into the heatwave and was now wearing a different, slightly ratty and paint-splattered t-shirt every day, which, Izzy had to admit, suited Clary even better than black leather or skin-tight party dresses. And although a sunburn was starting to colour her cheekbones and the bridge of her nose, Izzy could still see Clary’s adorable blush whenever she complimented Isabelle. Seeing the redhead’s brilliant smile every morning as soon as she spotted Izzy in the op center or training room was truly the only thing that made the heat bearable.

“...and Luke said he’s going to take care of the press stuff, he knows a guy at the Times. We’re still going with the murderous manatee story, right? Izzy? Did you hear me?”

Clary’s question ripped Izzy out of her dazed daydream, where she had been busy appreciating a single frizzy strand of hair that had found its way out of the ponytail Clary had pulled her red curls into.

Izzy quickly took a sip of her water bottle on the table in front of her to stall while searching for an answer in the depths of her mind. She should really pick better moments to drool over Clary than in the middle of being briefed by Clary. Then again, she was. really. tired. 10 hours of work, fixing weapons, debriefing teams back from missions, chasing after reports from junior Hunters. It was high time for a break.

“Yes, of course, the manatee thing. Let’s do that.”

Clary shook her head. “I still can’t believe the shit Shadowhunters get Mundanes to believe. You would think after a while someone would pick up on the weirdness.”

“You didn’t.”

“Touché, Lightwood.”

Isabelle grinned, Clary smiled back. Maybe a little longer than was justified, given Izzy’s weak attempt at banter. Not that Izzy minded.

A distant, sustained honk cut through the silence between them. At the same moment both their phones buzzed. Clary was the first to get hers out. She checked the message and frowned.

“A text from Simon: ‘Come outside’?”

Izzy raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Hey Iz. You get a text too?”

Alec was coming down the stairs and striding quickly towards her on long legs. He looked worn out, dark circles under his hazel eyes. Izzy was fairly certain that he had not left the Institute in at least two days.

She nodded and held up her phone.

“Any idea what it means?” she asked.

“Nope. Better go obey his command though, or someone else will go and strangle him to get him to stop honking.”

Now the connection between the sound and the message clicked into place in Izzy’s mind. The honking had started up again, a long honk followed by several short, irregular bursts. It must have been coming from just outside the doors of the Institute. Walking towards the exit it grew louder. Clary pushed open the door.

Across the way from the steps a painted van was parked under a tall plane tree, its owner stood in the open driver side door to play out a rhythm on the horn. Simon waved when he saw them.

Maia was sitting on the roof, leaning back while her legs dangled over the side. Leaning against the hood of the car, Magnus had taken off his vest to sling it over his shoulder, looking for all the world like a supermodel with his sunglasses, rolled up trouser cuffs and a shirt that was unbuttoned almost down to his bellybutton.

Izzy heard her brother draw in a sharp breath, before he rushed down the steps to greet his boyfriend with a kiss. Clary and Izzy followed more slowly.

“What are you guys doing here?” Clary said as she hugged Simon in greeting. “I thought you wanted to get out of the city, go to the beach?”

Izzy tugged playfully at Maia’s ankle and squinted up at her. The sunlight streaming through the foliage made her coiled hair shine like a ring of gold.

Maia grinned and sighed. “We had planned that, yes. But Thor over here is convinced he can predict the weather--”

“Hey, all I’m saying is that my hair is standing on end today, which normally happens when a storm is incoming, and a thunderstorm is not the ideal condition for swimming--”

“The weather report has been talking about rain for like a week now, it still hasn’t happened. You’re just afraid of the ocean!”

Simon gasped in outrage, though Izzy could see his eyes twinkle slightly.

“I am not! And how dare you suggest I cannot predict the weather. I’ll have you know that my predictions saved Clary and me from getting drenched during the Great Sports Day Downpour of 2014.”

“Simon, I’m pretty sure you just didn’t want to do the three-legged race with me.” Clary was chuckling. “And I remember that we got wet anyways when you tripped and we fell into that huge puddle.”

“No, I remember that you tripped and I only fell in because our legs were still tied together!”

They all burst into a fit of giggles at the mental image. Even Magnus and Alec looked over grinning from where they were still leaning against the hood of the van, a casual embrace tangling their arms and legs with as much body contact as the heat would allow.

Izzy tried to remember the last time the two of them had seen each other. Had it been a week? Two? Magnus must have been kept busy as well. Now it seemed like they had been standing like this for hours, their bodies slotting together with comfortable familiarity. Isabelle let her eyes wander over to Clary next to her. Was it stupid to hope their limbs would fit together in the same way?

“But even if we could go to the beach, which we absolutely can’t, because of the storm, what would we do without our favourite demon-hunting buddies?” Simon added, and then, stage whispering while leaning close to Izzy, “we were starting to think you guys had fused with your desks, or that you had moved to Canada without telling us.”

“Seriously, you had us worried. When did you last have a day off, or at least take a break?” Maia asked.

Izzy’s shoulders slumped. “Don’t ask, I don’t think I could tell you.”

“Well then, it’s good that we’re here to enforce some mandatory downtime,” Simon said while rummaging around in the back of the van. He finally emerged holding two plastic bags and a canvas tote.

“Maia and I picked up the essentials of relaxation on the drive here. Books,” he turned the canvas bag around so they could see the New York Public Library logo on the front ,“and candy. It’s all Fourth of July themed though. There was a sale,” he added apologetically, as if he wasn’t holding the most beautiful things Izzy had seen in days.

“We appreciate the gesture, but there’s still so much to do, all the paperwork for the cleanup,” Alec chimed in, but Izzy knew him well enough to recognize his opposition as rather half-hearted.

She met Clary’s eyes and they both put on their best pleading face. Simon and Maia had witnessed these battles of will a few times before, so they reserved themselves to keeping quiet and glancing between Alec and his opponents.

Alec tried to seek support with Magnus and looked at him instead. Like Magnus was gonna tell his overworked boyfriend to go back inside for second helpings, Izzy thought, especially when he was right here ready to distract Alec. Her brother must have been kidding himself.

After about five seconds, she could see his resolve crumble like a dry sand wall.

“Okay, you know what, you’re right. Fuck this, let’s get out of here. Hey Underhill,” he called to the Shadowhunter standing just inside the entryway of the Institute, who made his way slightly reluctantly out of the shade and over to the van, “you’re in charge until I get back. Tell everyone to finish what absolutely needs doing today, and then to take the rest of the day off.”

Underhill gave a short nod and smiled. His eyes lingered on Magnus and Alec for a split second, still standing with their arms around each other, before he turned to leave.

They left the van parked in front of the Institute and set off on foot. After a half hour of strolling at a leisurely pace they reached Rockefeller Park and settled under a tree in view of the river. The afternoon sun shone brightly and with an intense glare, and only a few people were sitting on the grass, some under umbrellas to provide shade.

Most inhabitants of the city seemed to have traded the sultry climate outside for air-conditioned offices, apartments, or movie theaters. Even in the middle of Manhattan the world moved slowly and quietly. The traffic and buzz of downtown were miles away, a vague hum in the distance. Time was sticky and thick like honey.

Izzy looked up from her copy of Lavinia. She was feeling sleepy and content, her stomach full of sweets, her sneakers lying next to her with her feet naked on the grass. She took in the scene in front of her:

Magnus was sitting against the tree trunk to her left, her brother’s head in his lap. The warlock had one hand in Alec’s hair, the other held Eros the Bittersweet from which he was reading in a soft voice. Occasionally Alec would open his mouth to make an observation or a joke, and Magnus would look down at him and laugh.

A few meters away Maia had abandoned her reading to try and catch the Skittles Clary was throwing into Maia’s mouth. Simon had also put his copy of Kavalier and Clay aside to watch and to distract both of them by plucking out single blades of grass and pitching them at them with pinpoint accuracy like tiny spears.

Finally Maia had enough and sprang like a fox on the hunt to tackle her boyfriend. After rolling over on the ground once or twice, Maia ended up on top, straddling Simon’s chest and pinning him down. She proceeded to rip out a handful of grass and sprinkle it on Simon, while he laughed and sputtered, trying to blow the grass away from his face.

Clary watched from her Skittle throwing spot, The Wicked + The Divine open on one of her crossed legs. Leaf-filtered sunlight dappled her skin, a smile crinkled the corners of her eyes.

Izzy took a deep breath and exhaled slowly through her nose. The air carried the smells of sunscreen, dry grass, and the river. She had the sudden thought how strange and lucky it was that she was here, lying under a tree with her favourite people in the whole world, how somehow they had all made here. Sometimes it seemed like the world was about to end every other week, and they couldn’t go two months without at least one of them almost dying. But it wasn’t, and they hadn’t.

“Izzy, everything okay?” Clary had sat down next to her. There were faint grass-stains on her grey jeans.

“You know, before I met you, Alec, Jace and I didn’t do this sort of thing.”

Izzy gestured to their surroundings.

“Sitting in some park, during the day, just doing nothing. Sure, we had free time sometimes. Mostly after missions, late at night, when we were so keyed up we just couldn’t go home to bed. We’d get some food, or go to a party, or walk through the city for hours just exploring until the sun went up.“

“And we had fun. But it was always just a distraction, something to kill time, until the next mission or training session, until we had to go back to the Institute or our parents would get mad. The stuff we do with you or Simon or Maia is…” she smiled, “nice. Different. But nice. Is this what being mundane is like? Nothing to do, nowhere to be but here?”

Clary had been watching Izzy’s face attentively, but now she was looking out at the park, the people walking by or lying on the grass.

“Simon and I used to do this stuff all the time. Sometimes I used to think we were just wasting time, but we really had some of our best weekends when we were just off doing nothing. I just didn’t know it at the time.”

“Do you miss, you know. Your old life? Being mundane?”

Clary was quiet for a moment.

“I do, yeah. Even now. I’ll be walking down some street in my old neighbourhood, and it just hits me, the memories. I miss it so much sometimes it physically hurts. And I think about the girl I was a year ago, and she seems like a stranger. A totally different person.”

“But,” she said and her eyes met Izzy’s, “I also think about all the things I’ve seen, everything I’ve learnt. The people I’ve met.” She smiled. “If I was still living my old life, I never would have met you.”

“That, Clary Fairchild, would have been a tragedy.” Izzy grinned.

“Exactly.”

A loud rumbling sounded in the mid-distance. Izzy just managed to tear herself away from Clary’s gaze to look at the horizon. Dark clouds were gathering and moving quickly towards the city, blown by high-altitude winds, although the air on the ground remained hot and still. The air was heavy with static and the humidity clung to her skin. The surface of the Hudson rippled with a few tiny raindrops.

“Ha! What did I tell you?” Simon’s grin was triumphant and infectious. He turned to Maia. “And you doubted me.”

Maia obviously wasn’t ready to give in. “This is nothing. I’m sure it’ll pass and we’ll be fine under the tr--”

The rain came down hard. They had just enough time to pack up their things and put on their shoes before the leafy canopy above them gave in to unload large drops on their heads. It became clear in minutes that staying under the tree wasn’t going to provide much cover.

Simon was the first to dash out into the pouring rain, speeding faster than Izzy’s eyes could follow. When he stopped to wait for the others however the rain caught up with him. He yelped and tried to use his jacket as a makeshift umbrella, which was pointless as any and all clothing was soaked through in seconds.

Maia followed, and immediately after her Magnus and Alec, who were jogging leisurely across the lawn under a small shield Magnus maintained with one hand held over their heads. The faint blue glow was almost invisible, but the rivers of rainwater running off it were not, and Izzy hoped quietly that the few mundanes who remained in the park were too busy getting drenched to notice.

“Our turn.”

Izzy’s attention snapped back to Clary. She had stepped out from under the meager protection of the tree canopy into the rain and was tilting her head back to let the raindrops hit her face. Then she turned back to look at Izzy, smiling, red hair darkened by the rain, a few wet strands clinging to her face.

Clary reached out and took Izzy’s hand. There was a sensation, like a spark of static, but somehow more than physical. Izzy was almost ready to chalk it up to the thunderstorm, all the electricity in the air, or her imagination, when she looked up at Clary.

Her green eyes were wide and tiny rain droplets caught on her lashes. She had felt it too. For a moment they both stood motionless, breaths held, hands clasped.

Then the moment passed, and Clary whipped around to drag Izzy into the rain and towards their friends. Hand in hand they ran across the flooded lawn, water splashing up around their ankles with every step. A flash of lightning followed closely by booming thunder accompanied them.

The others stood under Magnus’ shield, which was now several meters in diameter. Alec was grinning at Izzy when she skidded to a stop next to him. His eyes wandered down to her hand in Clary’s.

“Took you two slowpokes long enough to get here.”

Izzy raised one perfect eyebrow and smiled mockingly.

“Sounds like a challenge. Race you to the Institute?”

Alec’s eyes narrowed, obviously incentivized. He shot Magnus a quick glance. The warlock smiled.

“Oh, go on Alexander, I couldn’t deprive you. Besides,” his eyes flashed golden for a split second, “I’m sure I can keep up.”

In the blink of an eye, Alec had given Magnus a kiss on the cheek and had dashed off. Izzy rolled her eyes and followed. As if he could shake her with tricks like that.

Among shrieks, shouts and laughter the group ran through the pouring rain. By the time they reached the Institute they were all out of breath and soaked to the bone.

By some sort of miracle (and through the magic of plastic bags) the books had managed to stay dry, and Simon stashed them safely in the van before he and Maia made their goodbyes and disappeared in the vehicle as well in search of towels.

Magnus, having had quite enough of being wet, opened a portal to his apartment. He practically had to drag Alec, who was still arguing with his little sister about who had really won the race, through. Izzy and Clary were left alone on the steps of the Institute.

The storm had cooled off the air noticeably, and the weird pressure had lifted. Everything felt suddenly lighter, the constant noise of the rain and the thunder drowning out the hum of the city until Izzy barely noticed it.

Standing in the warm rain, drops hitting her shoulders and face until rivulets formed on her skin, the world faded out until only Clary remained, her eyes, her laughter, her hand holding tight. Izzy tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. She smiled.

#shadowhunters #clizzy #shadowhunters fic #sh fic #isabelle lightwood #my writing #sh writing #clary x izzy #fanfuckery

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