#he was raised on that side. that's all he's ever known. and that's why lang ying can't trust him regardless of his good will. bc in the end | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wkemeup · 3 years

Text

Sunrise (3)

summary: After an explosion takes his arm and his only sense of belonging, Bucky is content to live out the rest of his days in the hollow comfort of the dark. This is, until Sam drags him down to the local VA and he meets you. (Modern AU) pairings: bucky x reader chapter word count: 5.2k warnings: none 🧡 series masterlist / series playlist

Bucky stared down at the fresh coffee stained on the sidewalk; a caramel puddle nestling into the cracks and stretching along the lines until it spilled out into the street. He could smell the bitterness and the sweetness in the cream, the steam of it still warm as it filtered up into the cold, autumn air. He cursed at himself under his breath.

You’d looked so beautiful, even with your eyes wide in shock and lips parted in a gasp as coffee spilled to your shoes. Dressed under an army green overcoat, a sliver of a burnt orange sweater peaked out from underneath. He’d seen that particular shade before, cast over a forest of evergreens and reflecting into the clouds, just above the sun as it set over the tree line.

But he’d made a fool of himself in front of you and he could still feel the burning in his ears. He felt hot under his jacket and he found himself glancing down the street, wondering if he could make a run for it. Only, you were waiting for him inside and Bucky couldn’t stand the idea of disappointing you.

Gathering what remained of his courage, Bucky parted the double doors and stepped inside. It took a minute to let his eyes adjust, but when the dim lighting came into view, he noticed you were standing by the entrance waiting for him like you’d known he’d decide to follow. You beamed as he caught sight of you and his stomach twisted straight to knots. You were still clutching the donut box to your chest, almost as if you were afraid he’d knock that out of your hands, too.

“Come on, you can help me set up.” You gestured down the hall to the room he met you in a few days prior. The library with no books on the shelves and cobwebs in the corners. “We’ve got to get you a book before the others show up.”

Bucky nodded, though he didn’t say anything as he followed you. It was pretty quiet without so many people lingering around, but everyone seemed to smile as you approached; perking up from under their clouds and called out your name until you waved back at them. It was like you carried sunshine in your pockets and comfort in your presence, breaking away stormy skies as you passed by.

Before you could reach the library door, Bucky rushed out ahead of you and grabbed a hold of the knob. You paused, eyes catching his for a moment and a pink filtered into his cheeks. He cleared his throat.

“Figured I could do one decent thing today after I ruined your shoes,” he explained, pulling open the door for you.

“You showed up, didn’t you?” you added with a wink. “I count two decent things today, James Barnes.”

He chuckled at that, nodding. “Y-Yeah, okay.”

You set the donuts on the coffee table and began to push the furniture around into a circle. You shouldered most of your weight into the couch to get it to budge and Bucky couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips just watching you. Concentrated frown on your face, determination in your eyes, staring down the couch as if it were your sworn enemy.

“You need help with that?” Bucky asked, gesturing to the couch that barely moved a few inches while you were out of breath.

You glanced up at him over the spine of the couch, nodding gratefully. “This one always gives me trouble.”

“I’m sure if you waited for the others to show up, they’d help you move these around,” Bucky said as he placed his right hand on the back of the armrest, his knee digging into the center of the back. You stood next to him, hands on the frame to help push despite the fact that Bucky was strong enough, even without his left arm, to move the couch on his own. But he liked the idea of you beside him, so he didn’t say anything.

“Oh, I’m sure they would,” you exhaled as they couch slid perfectly into place within the circle. “They all work so hard though, you know? It’s nice to have them just walk in and sit down for a change. Don’t need them thinking I’m expecting work out of them, too.”

“Ah, so that's why I’m here, then...”

He was surprised by the teasing in his own voice. When was the last time he made a joke? He couldn’t even remember. But you started to smile, that brightness shining right up into your eyes, and it didn’t matter anymore. He’d make a thousand jokes if you would keep looking at him like that.

“Careful now,” you warned, a glimmer in your eye. “I might need you to help move this couch every week...”

“Wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?”

He didn’t know where this was coming from or how it slipped off his tongue so easily, but he liked the way it seemed to catch your off guard. You stilled for a second, a nervous laugh under your breath as you quickly tucked away a few strands of fallen hair. You were flustered. Shit. He was done for.

“Haven't even seen one meeting and you’re offering to move couches for me on a weekly basis? Consider me eternally grateful, James Barnes.” You plopped down on the couch, reaching for the strap of your bag, though it was a few inches out of reach.

Bucky leaned down and picked up the bag, surprised to find it as heavy as it was, and gently set it in your lap. He took a seat on the couch on your left, though he left considerable room between you. You started digging through the bag, pulling out book after book and setting them on the table.

“We’ve got to pick your book of choice,” you explained, smiling at him and clearly eager to see what he would select. “Anything you want. I can get something else from the library for next week if you’re not interested in these. I’ve got some guys reading Harry Potter for the first time. Lang’s on the second Twilight book. Romanoff is halfway through The Odyssey. Barton’s about a few pages to the end of a murder mystery he guessed the plot twist of within the first ten pages, which is just downright infuriating...”

Your nose was all scrunched up and it was the damn near cutest thing Bucky had ever seen. He must have been staring for too long though, because you raised a brow at him.

Bucky cleared this throat, quickly looking away. He scratched nervously at the back of his neck and tried to steer the conversation strictly away from how adorable he found you.

“Isn’t the point of a book club to read the same book?”

“I suppose,” you shrugged, “but not my book club. The whole point is just to help these guys feel comfortable, give them a moment of peace, even if it’s for an hour once a week. Sometimes we’ll sit around the circle and talk about what we’re reading. Lang’s working really hard to sell the Twilight books to the rest of the group despite being about a decade late to the game. Most times though, we just read, listen to some music. It’s quite nice, actually.”

So that was what Sam meant by unconventional.

“I don’t know the last time I read anything,” Bucky admitted slowly. He could barely get himself to concentrate on a single newspaper article these days, let alone an entire book. He often caught himself staring at the TV and realizing an episode later that he didn’t have a clue what had happened.

“A lot of the guys take breaks,” you offered, seemingly reading his mind. “That’s what the donuts are for. Oh, and the coffee, of course.”

You jumped up, making your way over to the pots sitting on the table lining the wall. The pots were already filled and he wondered who took the time to do that for you before you even arrived. You were so well liked around here, Bucky found himself wondering if he wasn’t the only one who felt like you could tell him to do just about anything and he’d oblige without question.

“You want some?” you asked, holding up an empty cup, but Bucky shook his head. He was already starting to get warm and adding coffee to the mix wouldn’t help things.

You didn’t seem to mind as you shrugged off your jacket and draped it by the door. The orange sweater he’d caught a glimpse of under your jacket turned out to be a cardigan. It flowed long down by your thighs, draped over a simple, white tank top and black jeans. Gold jewelry sat over your collarbone and you had a sudden glow about you, like that hour just before sunset.

Golden hour, he realized. That’s what you reminded him of.

“It’s warm in here, isn’t it?” you asked, fanning yourself as you set the coffee on the table. “It’s not just me?”

It’s definitely you, Bucky thought. He’d never met anyone who carried such a presence as to melt the icy cold shards planted defensively around his chest. You were the epitome of warmth and kindness and the sweetest damn thing he’d ever seen... but a trail of sweat lined his hairline and he could feel the heat trapped under his jacket.

“Not you,” Bucky confirmed, brushing at his brow. “It’s hot.”

“Here,” you stood up, holding out a hand to him, “I can take your jacket for you.”

Bucky froze, jaw clenched. He became painfully aware of the empty sleeve on his left side. He wasn’t a complete fool. He knew you must have noticed by now, but taking the jacket off made it obvious that a piece of him was missing, the stub at his shoulder the only thing left in place of an arm he could still feel most days.

“I’m, uh, I’m okay,” he stuttered out, his eyes falling to the ground, hoping you didn’t notice the flush in his cheeks. He could feel your eyes on him and he was almost certain that if he dared to look up at you, you’d be fixated on his empty sleeve.

Shame started to burn hot in his chest when suddenly he felt a cool breeze on the back of his neck. When he looked in search of you, he found you setting up a fan at the edge of the room, angling it just enough so that it was sure to reach him on every rotation.

He swallowed as he watched you. You didn’t ask questions or push him to take the jacket off despite being clearly too warm to keep it on. Instead, you offered him a short smile as you sat back on the couch beside him, a little closer this time.

“Any better?”

He nodded. “Yeah, that’s, uh, that's really nice. Thanks.”

You smiled for him and he wondered if he could stay inside that moment forever.

***

Bucky selected The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman from the stack of books on the table. It surprised you as his hand ghosted over the cover before flipping it over in his palm, a curious look on his features. It was one of your favorites, one not many would choose to pick up in fear of the publishing date in the late 1800s, but it was a short story, one he could finish within the span of the meeting today.

As he stared down at the unusual yellow pattern on the cover, a frown pushed at his lips as he started to see the strange images hidden under the surface. You found yourself struggling to tear your gaze away from him. With such a reaction to the cover, you couldn’t wait for the end of the meeting just to hear what he thought of the story.

Soon, the usuals started filtering into the room and you noticed that Bucky had barely said a word as the low hum of small talk and chatter filled the empty space. He kept to himself, perched on the very edge of the couch cushion like he might run at any second as you talked with one of the oldest VA members by the door.

Upon sensing his discomfort, you quickly made your way back to the couch and you were surprised when you felt the cushion dip a little as he leaned in your direction as if he was using you as anchor; something familiar amongst an unknown. You tried to suppress a smile when he looked at you, but you really liked the idea of being something familiar to him.

“I’m glad you decided to stay,” you told him quietly, nudging his side playfully with your shoulder. It drew a soft laugh from under his breath and he nodded, gripping tight to the book.

“Yeah, me too.” He sank back into the couch and relaxed the tension in his body.

Six on the dot. You turned to the group.

Tony Stark sat in his usual throne, legs draped over the arm rest, sitting sprawled out over the single chair. Heir to Stark Industries, he’d enlisted himself in rebellion against his own father. He’d ended up in the Air Force for three tours and prided himself on the tattoo on his chest he’d gotten drunkenly off base in his early twenties.

Natasha Romanoff found her place sitting cross legged on the floor, leaning up against the seat of Tony’s chair. She was a sort of a mystery to you, never spoke a word about her position within the military and how long she served, but she was exceptionally perceptive. Part of you wondered if she was some sort of super spy. Despite becoming a close friend, there was still so little you knew about her history. She rested a pillow in her lap.

Then, there was Scott Lang. He’d found himself in some trouble after his discharge, but he was turning his life around. He had a little girl to stick around for and he was trying desperately to find a job. You suspected his fascination with the Twilight books stemmed more from an unbreakable bond with his daughter than anything else. He took his place on the bean bag chair.

Clint Barton sat on the table outside the circle. He was a sharp shooter in his time and found more comfort in the distance. He kept to himself and had an exceptionally entertaining habit of making quick remarks under his breath few were fortunate to hear. You were determined to hand him a book with a plot twist not even he could see coming. You resided to put Defending Jacob by William Landay on hold.

A few others filled out the circle; familiar faces of men and women most would look past on the streets. Dark circles under their eyes, a hardened look about them. Some with tattoos and long beards, other’s draped in leather. Some, you could see the ghost of their former selves in their eyes, but they all seemed to lighten as they sat around the circle.

A moment of peace. It’s all you could offer and they took it gladly.

“Hey everyone. We’ve got a newbie in today.” You gestured to Bucky and he slowly lifted his hand in an awkward wave. “This is Bucky. Bucky, this is the group. Play nice.”

“What’s your rank, soldier?” Tony quipped from his chair; legs kicked out over the side. He never had much of a filter, or a sense of restraint. You shot him a glare he didn’t seem to notice, or rather he didn’t care.

“Sergeant,” Bucky clarified, though you could hear the strain in his voice. He said it as though it burned him, like the very act of the title was painful just to speak.

“Where’d you serve?”

“Tony, we’re not grilling the new kid today,” you warned, but Bucky cleared his throat.

“Afghanistan mostly.” He curled his hand into a fist, pinching at the pages of The Yellow Wallpaper in his grip. A hardness had swept over most of his features, almost in a protective layer, and you wanted to whack Tony upside the head for stealing the soft undertones in his expression.

“And the rest?”

Bucky paused, releasing his fist. “Classified.”

Tony pursed his lips, staring Bucky down over the top lens of his thick rimmed glasses. A testament of wills. A challenge. Then, he nodded, satisfied.

“Great,” you groaned, rolling your eyes playfully. “Now that Tony here has finished interrogating our newest member, we can get started.”

“Hey, consider it my welcome to the group!” Tony hands thrown defensively in the air. Scott nodded from his couch, remembering his own initiation the day Tony demanded to know the extent of his robbery charges following his discharge.

You shook your head, smiling spreading back to your lips and you were thankful to find that Bucky had sat back into the couch, relaxing as the attention moved back to you.

“I think we’ll just spend today reading,” you said. “I’ll put on the playlist Tony recommended – and don’t worry, I did browse through to make sure he didn’t slip any rock anthems in again. We don’t need to give Dr. Selvig down the hall another heart attack when Back in Black starts blaring directly after Yiruma.”

The room laughed and you were purposeful in glancing over at Bucky to see if a smile caught on his lips. It was small, a little uncomfortable as his eyes flickered around the room at the other group members, but he seemed to soften as he landed on you again. You nodded at him.

“Alright kids, hush up now.” You pressed play and the gentle strokes of a piano began to fill the room. “I’ll wake you in an hour.”

You waited until everyone settled in and opened their books. One of the older gentlemen in the back with a long and burly white beard and a leather vest draped over his shoulders set the open novel on his chest and promptly closed his eyes for his weekly nap. You smiled to yourself as you watched the heavy rise and fall of his chest – the man deserved one decent hour of rest a week, anyway.

By the time you made your way back to the couch, you noticed Bucky had tensed up again. He was staring down at the book, harsh breaths pressing through his nose as he tried to keep the book propped open with on hand, losing his place as he tried to turn the page. His jaw was clenched so tight you wondered if he’d bite it clean off.

He didn’t dare ask for help or so much as look in your direction, but it was a determination you’d come to expect from the people you met in these halls. It didn’t mean you couldn’t offer it anyway.

You quietly opened a drawer at the edge of the room, pushing aside knick knacks and old ketchup packets until you came across a small wooden clip. One of the older members had used it when he was going through extensive PT for his hand and couldn’t pinch his fingers enough to grip the thin slip of the page. You pulled it from the drawer and quickly skirted your way back to the couch beside Bucky.

“Here,” you offered, extending the clip to him as the book fell closed on his lap for the fourth time. He looked up at you, confused. You wondered if he realized how cute he looked when his brows pinched together like that; made him look about ten years younger and wiped the evidence of the war clean off his face.

You smiled at him. “It holds the pages down for you. Look.”

Gently pulling the book from his lip, you opened to the first page and set the clip at the bottom of the binding. When you released it, the pages stayed open, giving him free range of motion to turn the page without losing his place.

He blinked a few times as he stared down at the book. It was clear he’d never considered a tool like this and you wondered how many times he had sat down with the intention of reading only to find he couldn’t even turn past the first page. He might have been able to figure out the skill in it if he’d had the patience, but you imagined his own frustration got in the way of that. He seemed to have little patience for himself, as soldiers returning home often did.

There was a brief moment when the tips of his fingers brushed over yours as you pulled away. His hands were warm, almost feverish in comparison to the chill in your own. A blush warmed his cheeks and his eyes quickly darted down to the pages. Your stomach was in pleasant knots.

“Thanks,” he replied quietly, a soft semblance of a smile rising sweetly at the edges of his lips.

You nodded, settling in on the couch beside him and pulling your own book up into your lap. You listened to the gentle strokes of the piano carrying softly through the room until a page turned on your left and then, you let yourself sink into the bindings of the book perched upon your lap.

***

“So! What did you think?!”

It was the first thing you said as the final group member exited the room. Barely even a footstep out the door and you were already anxiously awaiting his reaction. Bucky was busy pushing the couch back into its original position and he glanced back at you to see you biting nervously on your lip, hands wringing out in front of you. You were swaying onto your tip toes like a kid hyped up on sugar. It was the cutest damn thing he’d ever seen.

“It was... a little creepy at the end?” Bucky chuckled, glancing down at The Yellow Wallpaper as it sat on the coffee table. “The woman went completely mad.”

You nodded vigorously, the smile on your face beaming and he had to watch himself to keep from mirroring your excitement.

"It’s a critique on how women’s mental health was perceived in the nineteenth century!” you explained with that giddy look on your face, reaching down for the book and flipping the pages through your fingers, the soft brush of wrinkled paper touching over each thumbprint. “Women were believed to be weak minded and frail, unable to handle more than two hours of mental stimulation. The woman in the story was prescribed ‘rest’ by her physician to treat her depression, essentially restricting her to little more than staring at the walls.”

You rolled your eyes, groaning dramatically, and drawing a smile to Bucky’s face that ached into his cheeks. “Slowly, it drove her to seek stimulation in impossible places, like the image of a woman she saw in the wallpaper! By the end of the story, that’s who she became. Wild, right?”

You shook your head, seemingly lost in astonishment. There was a slight crinkle in your nose when you smiled that wide, Bucky realized, like even the features on your face couldn’t hope to contain the joy bursting from your smile. Radiated like the fucking sun. Bucky was helpless in his stance, frozen, as he listened to you.

“You know the author once said, ‘it’s not intended to drive people crazy, but to save people from being driven crazy,’” you continued, setting the book down with such a gentle touch, almost as if it were a living, breathing thing. You handled it with such care and Bucky began to wonder if you’d ever touch him like that – if he was worth such tenderness.

The thought startled him and he quickly swallowed it back. Jaw clenched, right hand pressed to a fist in the pocket of his jacket. Stone cold expression. And yet – you were still talking about that book, all starry eyed and adorable, and a smile managed to crack through his lips. It was his new favorite book, he decided. Whatever could make you smile like that was his favorite. He’d sit there and read the fucking phone book if you asked him to.

“She wrote it in retaliation of her own experience of a physician disregarding her depression. It's actually quite remarkable when you think about it. It's one of the earliest American Feminist works of it’s– ” You froze suddenly, hand clamping over your mouth. You winced at him, slowly pealing your palm away. “Oh God, I’m rambling. I tend to get a little excited about these things... You must be so bored right now.”

Bucky couldn’t help the smile as it rose in his cheeks. He liked seeing you so flustered, caught up in a passion he so rarely saw these days. He didn’t know the last time he cared about anything as much as you cared for books. He could have easily listened to you talk like that for hours without interruption.

“No, no, not bored at all,” he reassured you and you visibly relaxed, relief sweeping through your shoulders. You started to fold up the chairs when Bucky cleared his throat, drawing your attention back. “I, uh, I did like the story, though. Has a lot of relevance today. I see why you like it.”

If he thought you were going to burst before, he should have waited to see how you were looking at him now. Chewing on the inside of your cheek in hopes of suppressing it, though it clearly did little use. You planted your hands on your hips.

“Watch what you say, Barnes. I’ll talk your ear off.”

Bucky shrugged. “I’m already down an arm, what’s an ear, too?”

The second the words left his lips, it felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head; drenching his clothes, goosebumps on his ice, sinking into his veins and freezing him to stone. He woken up from a pleasant dream by the harsh ringing of an alarm. He'd been pushed off a cliff, stomach churning in the freefall.

You knew. Obviously, you knew.

You weren’t blind and he was certain you could tell there was a startling absence where his left arm should be, even with the poorly camouflaged sleeve hanging off his side. It wasn’t fooling strangers on the street and it certainly didn’t fool you either, even if it gave him an ounce of peace, like maybe he could pretend he was whole again.

But you’d brought him that book clip for a reason.

You knew.

At yet, this was the first time he mentioned it aloud. Actually said the words. Drew attention to the fact that he was a broken mess of who he used to be and now he was waiting for you to flinch, for the familiar shades of pity and embarrassment to cloud over your starry eyes, but he waited and waited and – it never came.

Instead, you started to laugh.

It filled the room and washed away whatever panic was surging inside of him within a matter of seconds. The most beautiful sound he’d ever heard and he wished you didn’t shield your hand over your lips in an effort to contain it because – God – he could have spent his whole life sitting in that moment. Tears in your eyes, a smile on your face, looking at him like he was the man he was before the war, like he was something worth looking at.

“You’re funny, James Barnes,” you said after you caught your breath again, a whisper of a laugh still lingering in your voice. You brushed the tears from your eyes.

Bucky’s chest felt instantly lighter. His right hand was swinging down at his side and he brought it up to his hair to brush it from his face.

“I could use a new book for next week,” he started, a little surprised at himself, and judging by the look in your eyes, it surprised you too. But you were smiling at him and it gave him the courage to continue. “Thought maybe you could help me find something?”

“Really?” you asked, practically glowing. “You’ll come back next week?”

He’d do anything if you kept looking at him like that.

“Yeah,” was all he said, but you looked as though he told you he’d just told you he won the lottery. Maybe he had.

“Well then, I’d be happy to! Just, um, hold on a second,” you scrambled around the room, looking for a pen and paper. You clicked a pen a few times before doodling in the corner to get the ink moving. When you were finished, you handed it to him. “These are my hours at the library. Come by anytime, okay? If I’m not up front, ask Mrs. Jefferson to page me. She’ll know who you are.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes, staring down at the scribbled numbers. Did you talk about him at work? Butterflies swarmed in his stomach at the thought. He wondered what kinds of things you would say about him.

“Walk me out?” you asked, grabbing your coat from the rack and gesturing to the door. Bucky looked up, not even realizing the room was already set back in its original formation, the empty box of donuts discarded.

He nodded, following you to the door.

“You know, I’m really happy you decided to come today,” you said as you passed into the hallway. Bucky kept an even pace at your side and tried not to let the butterflies in his stomach escape to where you could see.

“Almost didn’t,” he admitted with a tired chuckle.

“Figured by the staring contest you were having with the building before the coffee incident.”

Bucky winced, but you were smiling as he looked over at you and he felt the tension slip from his muscles instantly. “I am sorry about that...”

“Maybe you can just owe me a coffee,” you suggested casually, as if the prospect of spending time together, just the two of you didn’t make the butterflies crawl a little further up into his chest. “A real one. Not the shitty stuff we serve at the VA.”

Bucky swallowed, pushing the creatures back into his stomach. His throat was dry. “I can do that.”

He pictured sitting across from you at a café, watching your hands curl around the outside of a mug, the steam of it brushing on your nose. Glistening in the reflection of the sunlight peaking through the windows, draped in the glow of the sunset. He’d buy you a thousand coffees.

“Okay, well, I’ll see you soon then?”

Bucky looked around and realized suddenly that he was standing outside. The cold breeze had turned into a frigid autumn chill with the sun nearly set behind the skyline. Peaks of orange remained at the horizon, mimicking the colors in your sweater. When he looked down, he could still see the stain of coffee on the sidewalk.

“Yeah,” he confirmed, determined to push past whatever doubt etched into his way. It faded in an instant as he saw your lips curve up high into your cheeks. “I’ll see you soon.”

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x you

1K notes · View notes

bangtan-pugh-bug · 3 years

Text

Scott Lang x Reader Chapter 13

This chapter follows directly on from chapter 12 I REALLY need to make a master list I know. Ended up way longer than I expected but I hope you enjoy! :)) and let me know if you want to be added to my tag list <3

Warnings: smut, age gap, swearing as fucking always

‘Oh fuck,’ his eyelids fluttered as he rode into you. You wanted to take his shirt off and take all of him in but the pleasure was keeping you lay down. Scott felt your walls tightening as you struggled to decide where to look and what to do with your hands. He seemed to sense the indecision because in a surprisingly wholesome twist, Scott’s hand found its way in your hair before caressing your cheek. All you could hear was both of your heavier breaths matching each other’s rhythms. You’d known before (and of course said before) that you loved Scott but having him look at you with such compassion in bed made you know for certain.

You both let the pause continue but Scott’s impatience was obvious, despite him trying to hide it for your sake. ‘You’re wearing too many clothes,’ you finally said before smirking up at him. The atmosphere took an instant shift as the two of you fought with the fabric and felt it rip off of his chest. And oh fucking hell was the sight of Scott shirtless a treat. You knew he worked out, Tony had a gym everyone used for training, but you never knew he had actual ab muscles. Scott chuckled as he watched you stare at them in awe. Fuck fuck fuck. You couldn’t believe what was happening.

Scott’s finger below your chin guided your gaze back to his green eyes. There was no hesitation after that. As the two of you kissed with lust filled ferocity, you postured up and pushed down on Scott’s shoulders so you could sit in his lap. You tried to continue devouring each other’s taste but the sound that slipped from you as you sank down onto him was pornographic and distracting as hell. You rode him slowly because after such a long wait why not tease him? He could have made this happen ages ago. Selfish of him really.

‘Jesu-fuck Y/N,’ the poor man struggled to keep his head facing you and not back looking at the ceiling. ‘You feel amazing,’ you couldn’t help but beam at his praise. After spending so many nights touching yourself to the fantasy of riding him, having it happen in real life was overwhelming. His large hands gripped your waist while you continued your torment of slowly filling yourself up and down. You didn’t want this to just become another memory in the past that would never happen again. Scott’s firm hands digging into your waist brought you away from the nagging thoughts. ‘Fuck you’re so tight.’ He felt so good it was driving you insane. As he hit your g-spot dangerously slowly you let out a whine.

‘You..can go,’ he already sounded wrecked which made you smug as anything. ‘Faster than that Y/N.’ His eyes were closed but you were determined to keep yours open to look at his face. The obvious pleasure he was feeling. You decided to oblige him and speed up, never once did his cock grazing your g spot not send wonderful shivers down your spine. Your face felt hot- your whole body was on fire.

It was your turn to throw your head back. No one had made you feel as high as Scott, not even close. The man was fucking addictive.

All you could focus on was the full feeling you had in your stomach, Scott’s wrecked voice and his firm grip on your waist. Part of you wished they were around your neck. Maybe next time. ‘Scotttttt….’ you moaned. He fucking adored hearing you moan and hearing you say his name was going to send him over the edge. You wanted to see it. With desperate, yet shaky hands, you thought about crawling his back but it felt forced for a moment. Once again he sensed your minor uncertainty and handled it for you. ‘Come here,’ his voice was husky but breathless as he pulled you into a kiss while you rode him faster and faster.

Your walls were tightening and your toes began to curl on the bedsheets but you felt a sudden impulse to move so you pulled him on top of you. It broke the kiss but it meant on Scott’s next thrust you felt him even deeper and a prolonged moan left your open mouth as you came. Your eyes closed and your body jerked and writhed underneath Scott’s panting chest. He didn’t move for a moment, completely lost in witnessing you enjoy every second of your orgasm. It hit you in waves that felt endless for a moment before your entire body stopped its uncontrollable writhing that pushed Scott over the edge.

He came inside you and, for a moment, almost lost balance. You were so in shock from the huge mass of pleasure you’d just felt that your chest was rising and falling heavier than it did after a run. That orgasm had hit you like a brick. You struggled to sit up as you felt Scott, to your surprise, move down your body. How did he have any energy left? You were exhausted.

One more feeble attempt to sit up was not needed because Mr Scott Lang had decided to surprise you by inserting his fingers in your pussy and smugly licking your clit. Without the much needed warning. ‘Ah- too sensitive!’ You squealed, backing away from Scott on the bed to escape. He was definitely amused. ‘You okay over there?’ Wow. After the sounds he had made?! He was going to make you out to be overwhelmed? However his confident side made you wet and you were not one to complain after sex so:

‘I’m great.’ You smiled coyly and closed your legs as if you weren’t leaking his cum all over the bed and just there to talk. Scott smiled and made his way back over to you like a panther on some sort of sick hunt. ‘You’re trouble.’ He responded, almost judging but still humorous. When you didn’t respond you saw his face change to show some insecurity about his actions. ‘Are you already regrett-‘

‘I regret not getting you to slam me against a wall to be honest.’ You hugged your knees, your breath had returned to normal and you were grinning at Scott like a cat that had gotten its own way. Finally.

‘Well shit,’ he paused with his hand on his forehead and a raise of his eyebrows. ‘That can be arranged.’

Yes but not now, you thought, too tired for that. Must sleep. Must lie down.

The bed, despite being wet, was so inviting and Scott following your lead and wrapping his arms around your waist even more so. You felt safe next to him. At peace. You heard Scott’s breathing normalise but neither one of you spoke. There was no awkwardness like you’d feared and apart from the horrible intrusive thought ‘Am I better or worse than his ex wife’ you felt calm and… happy. Really happy. Tentatively, Scott’s hands found themselves stroking your hair. He ran his fingers through it gently and you smiled and closed your eyes. The smell of sex had filled the room but your arousal was somehow being overpowered by the calm. And there was one question you were curious about.

‘How long for you?’

You expected a brief silence or atleast a ‘Huh’ due to your vagueness but Scott just knew exactly what you’d meant.

‘Atleast a year,’ you quietly turned to face him so he knew he had your full attention. ‘But I really knew when you came to comfort me, on my anniversary.’ You couldn’t help but raise your eyebrows and scoff. ‘You mean when I came to annoy you on the roof?’ Scott’s smirk grew into a full grin at you. ‘And why is that so surprising?’ To be quite honest you’d felt like an intrude that night and not much help to him at all but it was nice to know he felt differently. He looked so pretty lay opposite you, your hands found their way into his hair ruffling it even more. ‘I don’t know.’ You lied.

‘What about you?’ It was his turn to play with your hair again. Oh that was easy. Too easy. ‘First day I met you,’ it was growing harder to look Scott in the eye as you admitted it. ‘I kept thinking about y- I only ever asked you dumb questions as an excuse to talk to you until- well until we were friends.’ He was listening intently which you were not used to men doing. “Were?” Scott questioned knowingly, he waited for your response and you could practically see his ego growing by the second. Of course ‘were’.

‘Well would you call this friendship?’ You laughed, gesturing to the two of you in bed slightly sweaty from moments earlier. After a second too long for your liking passed your eyes widened at the sight of Scott’s hoodie on the floor. You’d forgot he’d brought it with him and it looked comfy as anything. ‘Hold on I’ve always wanted to do this,’ you grinned excitedly like a little kid and Scott watched you in amusement. Struggling for a moment, you pulled the black hoodie over your head (because your hair wasn’t messy enough already) and gestured proudly to your new (stolen) outfit. It smelt like him which just made you giddier.

‘You’ve never slept with a guy and stolen his hoodie before?’ Scott raised his eyebrows clearly not believing you or understanding the appeal. ‘They’ve been out the fucking door too fast.’ You shrugged trying not to let that harsh fact sink in. Oh well. You were feeling good now at least. Scott frowned but once again you couldn’t help but not wait for his reply- just in case it hurt you in some way and brought your high down. ‘Kinda hungry not gonna lie.’ You hadn’t even eaten yet but that wasn’t what you were really thinking about as you stood over Scott as he sat on the bed.

Slyly, he ran his calloused hands under his hoodie and up your torso making you gasp. He couldn’t help but grin at the strong reactions you had to his mild touches. Deciding to really tease you, Scott’s hand traveled down to your pussy so he could finger you but being overstimulated you whined and grabbed his wrist. The man just thought you sounded pretty. ‘Fuck- you’re dripping sweetheart.’ You grinned once again at his words and clenched your thighs together. ‘Who’s fault is that?’

Tags: @supraveng @thottio @wandamaximoffshoe @aliceblxck @merleisapartygod @brianmayscurls

#marvel #marvel fandom #paul rudd #scott lang #fan fic writer #antman #scott lang x reader smut #scott lang slow burn #scott lang x y/n #scott lang smut #scott lang fanfiction #scott lang x reader #x reader #smut #riding #antman x reader #antman smut #marvel x y/n

179 notes · View notes

softomi · 3 years

Text

Overdue

prompt: I know I’m running late – I’m sorry. Things haven’t worked out the way I planned. But believe me when I tell you I am on my way.

- A Postcard by Lang Leav

pairing: atsumu x reader (ft. osamu)

general taglist: @graykageyama

Being the older brother, even if by mere minutes, Atsumu always felt that he had to look out for his sibling. After all, his mother instilled into him that no matter what, he should always be there for Osamu and vice versa. On many occasions Atsumu took that to mean that he could take his stuff, as long as he returns it (which he never does), because after all, they’re brothers.

On other occasions, it meant that Atsumu had to learn to be the first to set his pride aside. He reasons its because he’s the older brother, but Osamu knows that Atsumu is just too clingy to stay mad at his brother for a long time.

But there were many times, many days, many fleeting moments where taking care of his younger twin made him think “I wish I didn’t have a brother.”. Yet, the moment something happens to Osamu, he’s quick to act as the third parent.

“Why are you so stupid!” Atsumu screams at his brother’s back, “You shouldn’t have climbed that stupid tree.”

Osamu turns on his heels, gritting his teeth, “Shut up! You did the same thing last week!”

“Yeah! Well!” Atsumu is balling his fist, their mother entering the room due to the commotion, “What if something happened to you? Huh? Mom would blame me for not watching you!” The young Atsumu begins to blubber, “What if something happened?”

Osamu learned at the young age of ten, just how much being the older brother put a toll on Atsumu. So on their eleventh birthday, Osamu decided to give Atsumu a birthday present.

“I’ll be the older brother this year!” The young boy declares, “So it’s my turn!” He points at his confused brother, “To take care of you as the older brother.” For something so seemingly simple, Atsumu was star struck with the idea.

And every year following, they took turns being the big brother.

They even drew up a contract, the big brother responsibilities contract. As the older brother, you must take care of the younger, you will take responsibility for the younger brother’s actions no matter how stupid, and above all else, the older has to sacrifice things for the younger brother. Signed by both Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu.

When they were thirteen years old, Osamu took care of Atsumu when he caught the flu. When they were sixteen years old, Atsumu used the last of his money to buy pizza for his hungry brother. When the clock struck midnight, signaling their seventeenth birthday, Atsumu asked for the money back. During their twentieth year, Atsumu took a month off school and training to help Osamu set up his business.

“You don’t have to.” Osamu tried to reason with his brother.

Atsumu lifted a box from the back of the rented van, eyes staring up at the glow of the restaurant sign, “It’s what big brothers are for.”

Osamu stops Atsumu by the shoulder, “We’re not kids anymore, who cares about the big brother crap.”

“I do!” Atsumu scowls.

Osamu realized at the later age of twenty, that Atsumu clings to the title of older brother. As he watches his brother carry the box into his new restaurant, Osamu wondered if there would ever be a point where Atsumu would stop being there for him. But he also wondered, if there would ever be a moment where he could finally grant Atsumu release from the title.

At the age of twenty-three, you waltzed into Atsumu’s life.

Atsumu likes to say that it was a meet-cute. You like to say that it was the day he tried to take your head off. You interned for the Black Jackals as a sport psychologist. On your very first day, as you walked the sidelines towards the coach; you heard a mere shout. You ducked out of reflex, just barely missing the ball as it smacked against the ground behind you. Atsumu jogged with an apologetic expression and a compliment that your reflexes were killer.

Throughout your internship, you refused to go out with Atsumu. Even though the first time you bluntly rejected him, Atsumu says that you never truly said that he didn’t have a chance.

“You said.” Atsumu liked to push your buttons sometimes, “I remember.” He’s got a silly grin on him, “The first time I asked you out, you said ‘Sorry, I don’t date athletes I work for.’” Atsumu looks at the time on his phone, he takes your badge off you, “Your internship is officially over. You no longer work for the Black Jackals. One date, it’s all I ask.”

It truly wasn’t the romantic date. He was shamelessly taking you out to eat at his brother’s restaurant. You were no stranger to his twin but when you two sat in the booth, Osamu coming over to personally take your orders; Atsumu wasted little time in announcing, “Order anything you want, the most expensive item even. My big brother is paying.”

“I thought you were the older brother Atsumu?” You vaguely recall Atsumu mentioning Osamu as the younger twin.

Osamu rests a hand onto his brother’s shoulder, his grip causing Atsumu to yelp, “Yeah, we like to do this thing where every year we switch off being the older sibling. I just can’t wait! For our twenty-fourth birthday. I’ve been eyeing a new set a knives that’ll match the new dish machine I’m planning on getting next year.”

“Hey hey, we promised a limit!” Atsumu shouts.

That was the first date of many and loving Atsumu came easily. He kissed your fingers with eagerness, held you like you were the most important person in the world, and gave you all of his undivided attention. Atsumu followed you like a map leading to hidden treasure that was your lips.

You were perhaps everything he could have ever wanted, everything he ever wished for. For the first few months of the relationship, you wondered why previous girlfriends of his would ever let him go. He reasons that they all said he loved many things, but they were just simply not one of them.

Atsumu knew that when he loved something, he was always there. He attends every volleyball practice, he attends the family Sunday dinners, and he attends your college graduation.

But just like Atsumu had mentioned, he loved many things.

“Hey. Where are you?” You were shivering, hands wrapping around your arms.

“Shit.” Atsumu speaks, “I’m so sorry babe, I was helping Samu pack his things. He’s moving apartments and you know how he is, he does things last minute so I’m making sure he’s starting early.”

“Okay.” You breathe out, “But did it have to be today? This was really important to me.”

“It’s just a gathering. Samu really needed my help.” Atsumu clears his throat, “But if you want, I can head over there right now.”

“It’s fine.” You speak, “Just, next time, be here.”

“Of course!”

Osamu looks up at his brother, “Were you supposed to be somewhere else?”

Atsumu grabs some of the empty boxes, “Yeah, y/n was getting together with some of her friends. Something about introducing me to them I think.” Atsumu’s foot hits some of the book he’s stacked on the floor, “Dammit Samu, how many cookbooks do you need? You’re such a hoarder.”

“You should have gone.” Osamu watches him stack the books neatly into a box.

“Then no one would be here to help you.” Atsumu clicks his tongue, “Mom and dad are out of town, the guys are all busy, even your girlfriend isn’t over here helping; good pick there Samu.”

A book smacks Atsumu on the head, “You’re so stupid!” Osamu throws another book at him, “You ruin my life.”

Atsumu grins, sticking a tongue out to his brother, “You ruin my life too.”

If volleyball was his first priority, Osamu would be his first, first, priority and you concluded, you must fall behind both. That night was the first of many, and loving Atsumu became harder.

“Just go!” You threw your hands to your side.

Atsumu was hesitant, a jacket in his hand, “Look, I’ll make it up to you. I promise.” He takes a step to you. You turn your head away when he leans in for a kiss, instead, he presses a slow peck onto your cheek, “Samu just really needs me right now.”

“Yep.” You state bitterly.

“I’m sorry. Happy birthday.”

It’s the last thing he says before he runs out the door. Instead of eating the cake with you that night, he spends it taking a drunk Osamu home, patting his brother’s back as he vomits into the toilet bowl. Even though they were twenty-seven, Atsumu took responsibility to make sure his brother was okay.

“I think we should break up.”

Atsumu thought you were joking, “Hahaha, very funny babe. You have my full and undivided attention.”

“I’m serious.” Your expression didn’t falter.

The cheery sound of the restaurant didn’t match the way Atsumu’s world was crumbling. He was still in disbelief, “What?” He tried to put up a smile, “Stop joking.”

The brief tune of happy birthday is played in the background, the workers clapping along as they sing.

“Atsumu, I just feel like I didn’t know what I was getting into when I entered this relationship.” You were trying to keep him calm, you’ve known him for five years, you’ve loved him for five years; just as hard as he loved, it was hard to let go.

You gathered your things. Atsumu slammed a hand onto the table, “Stop!”

The restaurant quietens, a spotlight on you two as you sit back down, “Atsumu.”

His phone rings. You raise a brow, his brother’s contact showing up. Atsumu picks up the phone, “What?” Atsumu frowns, “Now?” He hangs up the phone, “I have to go.”

You rub the back of your neck, “Of course.”

You two walk out of the restaurant together but you leave alone.

“Samu?” Atsumu walks into his brother’s restaurant, “Everything good?”

“We’re getting married!” The two in front of him wave their hands in his face. It was almost taunting, “I proposed this morning.” Osamu can’t help but stare into his lover’s eyes, “I wanted you to know first before we tell mom on Sunday.” When Atsumu doesn’t answer, Osamu checks the way his brother’s fists are balled, lips in a scowl. Osamu knew the telltale signs, like they were ten years old again, Atsumu was about to break, “Tsumu.”

“Couldn’t this have waited!” Atsumu, quick to anger but quicker to tears, “Couldn’t you just have told me on the phone.”

“I thought you’d be excited to be the first one to know.”

Atsumu uses his hands to push away stray tears, “I have to go.”

At twenty-eight, Atsumu feels as though the weight of the world was on his back. The silence of the apartment was like a gunshot wound and you packing your things shot another bullet into him.

“Let’s talk.” He’s refusing to let you leave.

You set the suitcase onto the ground, “Atsumu.”

“Don’t call me that.” He wants to sound strong, because he has to be strong, “You never call me that.” But he can’t sound strong when it feels like he’s losing everything he’s ever wanted.

“Atsumu.”

The more you said his name, the more it hurt, “I can fix it, whatever is wrong, I can make it better. I can be there more, I’ll stop being late, I’ll clean the whole place for the rest of our lives.”

“Let me ask you something.” He’s hopeful at your words, “If we got married, if we had kids; would Osamu still be your priority?” Your words felt like a blow, “Because I’m okay right now, as your girlfriend, I am okay. I understand that he’s your brother and you absolutely love him to death. You run to him when he needs you and he runs to you. But when I look to our future, why do I still see you running to your brother.”

“We don’t need to worry about that.” He takes your hand into his, “We just have to worry about right now.”

“But even right now, it’s always later.” Palm rested onto his cheek, “I’m sorry Atsumu.”

He holds you by the wrist, “Give me one chance. One more time to prove to you. It’s all I ask.”

Maybe it was the way he was so sincere, just like the day you fell in love with him, “Okay.” His shoulders are lifted when you whisper, “Next month on the 20th, I leave for Tokyo. 4pm. Send me off.”

“That’s it?”

You nod, “That’s it.”

He marked it on his calendar, set reminders leading up to the day and for the days in between, he was there. He was at every lunch, always home early, wrapping you in his arms to remind you of the bliss. But the closer the day got, the more anxious you felt. The more you wondered if he would remember that the 20th was a Sunday.

“I’ll meet you out front.” He kissed your lips, “I promise I’ll be here to send you off.”

You kept your arms wrapped around his neck, “Okay. I’ll wait for you.”

Atsumu was on edge the entire day. He checked his phone constantly; it didn’t help that his phone went off every hour to remind him. Nothing, he was thinking nothing would ruin the day.

“What’s up Samu?”

“Hey, so did you want to take the same car to mom and dad’s?”

“What?”

“It’s Sunday.” Osamu spoke, checking the calendar just in case, “Yeah, it’s Sunday. So you wanna take the same car or what.”

Atsumu looked at the time, four hours until you were to leave, “I don’t think I can make it this Sunday Samu.”

“Why not?”

“There’s something important I need to do today.”

“Okay, but you know you’ll have to make it up to mom.” Osamu sighs, “Her precious boy missing will be like the end of the world to her.”

Atsumu laughs, “Yeah yeah yeah. I’ll see you guys next Sunday.”

At two hours left, Atsumu was prepared to arrive earlier. A bouquet of flowers in his passenger seat as he drove down the highway, ready to greet you, ready to keep you in his life. Then his phone rang.

“Samu, seriously, I’m not coming.”

“Atsumu.” This wasn’t the voice of his brother, it was his fiancée, “We won’t be able to make it to the dinner either, are you sure you can’t go?”

“It’s fine babe, it’s not that serious!” Osamu’s voice heard lowly in the background.

“Not that serious? You’re in a hospital bed.”

“I just bumped my head.” Osamu yells.

“You have a concussion!” She shrieks back at him. Her tone lowered when she turns back to the phone, “Atsumu, you still there? Samu said you had something important to do today and it’s totally understandable if you can’t go to the dinner; but maybe you could stop by the hospital; they want to keep him over night, I could go to the dinner and explain to your parents.”

An hour and thirty minutes until you leave.

Osamu’s fiancée ran out the door the moment he stepped in. Atsumu scowled at his brother, “What stupid thing did you do this time.”

Osamu is happily eating a jelly cup, “Climbed a tree.”

“Of course, what if something happened Samu?” Atsumu lightly pushed Osamu’s head, “You’re so stupid.”

“So,” Osamu tosses the empty cup into the trash, “What’s so important today that you are skipping dinner?”

Atsumu looks at the time, “Y/n is leaving for Tokyo, she’s got some work to do there for a few days.”

Osamu notices the way his brother looks pressed for time, “So romantic, you’re gonna send her off.”

“You’re not gonna die are you?” Atsumu’s leg is bouncing.

“No.”

“This is why I said you gotta be careful Samu.” Atsumu’s phone goes off, he stops the alarm.

“Look, if you need to leave then go.”

Atsumu crosses his arms, “I can’t always be there for you!” His voice was starting to get louder, “I can’t always be responsible for taking care of you!”

“Okay!” Osamu’s growled, “You didn’t have to come here!”

“If I didn’t then who else would be here!” Atsumu began to weep, his lips in a scowl, “I’m older. I’m the older brother, through and through, if I wasn’t there for you, who knows what would have happened.”

“You act like you’re ten years older than me!” Osamu barks, “You’re only 4 minutes older! Stop treating me like I’m a burden! You’re the older brother, so what!” Osamu falls back onto the bed.

Atsumu’s phone goes off again. An hour left.

Osamu looks at the anxiousness in his brother, “Just go.” Osamu waves a finger, “Whatever it is that’s going on between you two, it’s more important than me. Just go.”

Atsumu doesn’t waver, “But.”

“You wanna sacrifice for me, get out of here.” Osamu catches the way his brother’s lips twitch to a smile.

“I’ll bring you back food, whatever you want, just text me.”

Atsumu is running out the door. Forty-five minutes left when he enters his car. He curses when he hits a red light. Fingers finding your contact, your voicemail plays in his ear.

“I’m on my way!” He’s shouting, heart beating out of his chest, “Please, believe me, I’m on my way. I’ll be a little late.” He’s heavy breathing, “but I’m coming.”

Fifteen minutes left but he’s still twenty-five minutes away. You listened to his voicemail, waiting patiently on the sofa. You have to start getting ready to go. You wish the elevators would move slowly, maybe get jammed for a second. Even as the taxi pulls up, you linger outside of the car door.

“I’m sorry, could we just wait a few more minutes.” You say to the driver.

Five minutes passed.

“Do you still want to wait?” The driver asks.

A sigh leaves your, “No.” You were already behind schedule, “Let’s go.”

You stare at your phone screen, hoping for a message from him. The sudden jolt of the car makes your head collide with the passenger seat. Your hand rubbing the throbbing part of your head as you hear the driver yell about a lunatic.

“I’m here!” Atsumu ignores the driver, banging on your window, “See, I’m here.” He’s pulling the locked handle of your door, frustrated that it wouldn’t open.

When you unlock it, he swings it wide open. Out of breath, he’s pulling you by the back of your neck; the kiss making your head spin. Before you can even register it, the sunlight bounces off his fingers; a gold band sitting between his index finger and thumb.

“And I will always be here.”

“Oh my god.” Your jaw is dropping, “What are you doing.” He’s getting on his knee, your breath caught in your throat, “Don’t.”

“Will you marry me?”

Your palms are pressed together, your fingers pressed to your lips. There’s a long pause and you take his hands into yours, “No.” The way his smile falters makes your heart clench, “Not like this.”

“What do you mean? This is what you wanted right?” He holds the ring out to you.

You run a hand through your hair, “I only wanted you here and you did that. You’re here.” You take the ring, settling it against his palm, “That’s all I ever wanted, that’s all I asked.” You pull him by the cheeks, squishing his face with a smile on yours, “You proved to me that you can be here; I mean you’re late but we can work on that.” You peck his lips quickly, “We can talk about marriage another time, but I wasn’t asking you to propose to me. It’s a really cute but very extreme gesture.”

His eyes are brimming with tears, “I thought I’d lose you forever.” Atsumu was truly soft hearted.

Your phone goes off, the alarm breaking the air between you two, “Shoot.” Your hands fall from his cheeks, “I’m late. I don’t think I’ll make it to the train.”

“I’ll drive you.” Atsumu perks up, “Right here, right now.”

“You’re kidding.” You laugh but the thin smile on his face says otherwise, “You’re literally so busy. You have volleyball practice tomorrow, it’s Sunday you’re parents are expecting you for dinner, and what if something happens to Osamu while you’re gone.”

“Practice doesn’t start until nine in the morning, I can make it back if I don’t sleep; my parents aren’t expecting me today, and Samu is in the hospital with a concussion plus he has his future wife. He doesn’t need me anymore.” Atsumu rests a smirk on his lips, “Give me something harder.”

“Wait, Osamu is in the hospital?”

Atsumu blinks, “Yeah, that’s why I was late. Oh yeah, I borrowed this from Samu too.” The ring twirls on his finger.

“You were going to propose to me with your brother’s ring.”

“Hey!” Your gaze shoots behind your shoulder, the cab driver pressing his horn, “Am I taking you or not?”

Atsumu is apologizing to the driver, grabbing your bags from the back of the car, he still pays a hefty tip to the driver for the inconvenience. As the driver leaves, Atsumu lifts your bags with one hand, the other extending out to you.

“Shall we go on a road trip.”

You take his hand, lacing your fingers with his, “But first, we should stop by the hospital; you need to return the ring.”

“You’re right.” He nods, “It’s too ugly for you. You need something big, something grand. I’m thinking diamonds.”

You cackle while settling yourself into the passenger seat. Two hours into the drive, Atsumu peeks at your sleeping figure. His thumb rubbing against the back of your hand. He presses a kiss your fingers. He knew all too well that diamonds would never suit your taste. You were about simplicity, less was more, actions louder than words. How he was going to propose, what ever ring he was going to choose, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was you; that you were with him and that with one phone call, he’d be running to you.

#haikyuu x reader #atsumu x reader #miya atsumu #haikyuu #atsumu scenarios #haikyuu scenarios

450 notes · View notes

sgtjbbhasmyheart · 3 years

Text

Drunk Texting Is(n’t) Bad for Your Health- Chapter Five

Series Summary: Talk about your unconventional meet-cute! Bucky receives a text by mistake requesting he prove he's not Reader's sister. The easy dialogue between Reader and Bucky sparks a natural friendship, but could it lead to more? Bucky still deems himself unworthy of any form of affection or love. Reader is hellbent to prove him wrong. With the help of some (meddling) friends along the way, Bucky may get his happily-ever-after after all.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word Count: 3601

Warnings: ANGST, Bucky most definitely needs a hug halfway through this, bad language words

A/N: I’m flattered and frankly overwhelmed with the love and support everyone is showing for this little story. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 🥰

A/N 2: divider credit- @firefly-graphics

In case you missed the update, I will try to publish a new chapter every Saturday from here on out. 🤞

DO NOT copy or replicate without my permission

Whistles and sirens were blaring inside Bucky’s head as he stared at Peter’s neighbor. Everything within him was screaming at him to run away. His anxiety ticked up. Could this really be (Y/N)?

He would have recognized her voice anywhere. God only knew how many times he’d listened and relistened to her voicemail. He wasn’t obsessive; he just liked the dips-the peaks and valleys-in her voice and the self-deprecating laugh she’d made. And with his super soldier hearing- he’d learned a knack for these things.

Bucky stood unmoving and breathless while shaking (Y/N)’s hand in front of her door. All he could do was stare at her. He had never imagined in a million years meeting her face-to-face. It was like a dream. A weird but wonderful dream.

He was stunned by her beauty as he gazed into her smiling face. Not that he’d ever pictured her being unattractive.

No siree.

It was a shock to have her here now, but to have her looking the way she did? (Y/N) was gorgeous. Her eyes sparkled with giddiness, and pink tinged the apples of her cheeks.

He must have finally died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation he could think of right now.

Because there (Y/N) was, in front of him and in the flesh, still shaking his hand.

Still.

Bucky’s stomach swooped with the feeling of embarrassment. He could feel the skin of his face warming quickly. He was just like Lang meeting Steve at the airport in Germany. An overeager puppy.

God, he was an idiot.

He caught an uncomfortable look flash across (Y/N)’s face but continued pumping her arm. Peter cleared his throat beside him, and (Y/N) grinned wider in response.

A dazzling smile.

“Gonna need my hand back to unlock the door,” she said with a soft chuckle.

Bucky dropped it like he’d been burned. He could see Peter giving him a goofy look out of the corner of his eye. Like that kid wasn’t awkward as fuck around girls. “Sorry,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his flesh hand.

What was he thinking, shaking her hand so long?

Bucky clumsily followed (Y/N) and Peter into her apartment after the deadbolt was unlocked and nearly dumped her grocery bags on the floor. He couldn’t take his eyes away from her. Peter threw him another weird look.

“Please excuse my friend,” Peter quipped, patting Bucky on the shoulder. “Apparently, he just learned to walk yesterday.”

(Y/N) laughed politely at the joke, and Bucky blushed furiously.

From the stories Steve had told him about their past and “sweeping dames off their feet,” why was this so hard? It should be like taking candy from a baby. He had a rapport with her, not that she knew, but it should be more comfortable than it was. His shoulders slumped.

“S-sorry,” Bucky stuttered out. (Y/N) smiled sweetly at the apology, and his chest constricted.

“Don’t worry about it,” (Y/N) reasoned, “I just had the floors waxed.” She winked at him as she grabbed a bag from his arms.

Bucky’s breath caught in his throat. She winked. She fucking winked!

Was (Y/N) flirting? Did he flirt back? Did he even remember how? He would have known what to do if they were texting instead. Their whole relationship was easier when they weren’t face-to-face. When he couldn’t see how the light in the kitchen made her hair shine or how her eyes twinkled when she laughed, he was a lot smoother.

Smooth like creamy peanut butter.

It was so frustrating only remembering bits and snatches of his old memories. This situation was nothing like the girl at the coffee shop he sometimes visited or the corner market’s cashier. This was (Y/N). This was someone he’d reciprocate the advances from- given half a chance. Someone he definitely didn’t have feelings for, though.

Nope. Not at all.

From somewhere hidden deep inside, the darkness crept in. You think she’s flirting with you? You think she wants someone like you? She pities you, his inner voice said—pity for a sad, broken man.

The breath previously stuck inside him rushed out in a sob. His stomach plunged to his feet again, but not in embarrassment this time. This time, it was for actually believing he might have a chance with (Y/N). Thinking she’d settle for someone like him.

He was dangerous. He was a murderer.

(Y/N)’s face filled with concern, eyebrows pinching together, and she edged closer. She raised a hand to touch him but thought twice. “You okay?”

Bucky shook his head to dispel the bleak thoughts. “Ye-yeah, sorry.” The room kept spinning.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Would you like some water?” (Y/N) asked, rushing to the cupboard to pull down a glass to fill.

Peter stepped closer to his side. “You don’t look too good, man. Yer not havin’ one of your flashbacks, are ya?”

Bucky looked at Peter for a moment, puzzled. Flashback? His grapefruit was too scrambled to conjure up any of the horrors he experienced at night during the day. “No, kid. I’m fine,” he lied.

Peter inched back slightly, but still within reach if the worst should happen.

Bucky saw (Y/N) watching him expectantly, tilting the glass in his direction. “No, thank you, ma’am. Water won’t be necessary.”

He observed (Y/N)’s eyes slowly widen in shock.

“Ma’am?” (Y/N) asked in mock offense. “Ma’am?”

Peter started laughing as Bucky’s mouth popped open in a horrified “O.” He tried to protest, but nothing would come out.

(Y/N) turned to Peter, who was now gasping in laughter. “It’s the cardigan, huh?” she questioned jokingly. “It makes me look like a crazy cat lady, doesn’t it?”

Bucky’s face flushed instantly. “That’s not…” he argued, the end of his sentence coming out as a groan instead.

How had this night and their meeting gone downhill so quickly? He couldn’t do anything right around (Y/N), it seemed.

How could he win her heart if he was just some bumbling fool?

Oh, god! Was he actively trying to win (Y/N) over?

Bucky’s pulse hammered underneath his skin. He’d finally met the girl he was falling for, and he was mucking up the whole thing. The instinct to flee suddenly kicked into high gear.

He took one last look at Peter, hunched over in laughter and holding his stomach. Bucky narrowed his eyes at the kid. He had some nerve! He slid his eyes over to where (Y/N) stood. Her expression was rapidly morphing from good-humored to regret.

Bucky placed the final bag he held on the counter and huffed a sigh before walking past (Y/N) and Peter out of the kitchen, heading for the door. (Y/N) caught the nook of his elbow as he passed, stopping him.

He looked down at the delicate fingers wrapped around his arm, and his heart lurched. She wasn’t afraid, he thought. She knew who he was- what he was- and she wasn’t afraid. He brought his gaze back up to hers. He could easily break every finger of her hand, but there was no fear in her eyes—just remorse.

“I apologize,” (Y/N) assured. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” Her hand skimmed down his forearm to his wrist and left behind the fleeting feeling of her touch.

“It’s fine,” Bucky said gruffly. “I was leaving anyway.” He nodded at Peter, who had managed to pull himself together from his laughing fit, and gave (Y/N) a thin-lipped smile. He made his way to the door.

(Y/N)’s face dropped as he walked away. “Oh. Well, thank you for your help with my groceries,” she called.

Bucky’s step faltered as he walked through the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder at (Y/N) for a moment and shut the door.

He had had no desire to leave the radiant presence of (Y/N), but if he didn't, the fluttering he felt inside would have turned into a full-blown panic attack while thinking about every misstep he’d taken.

Reaching the sidewalk outside (Y/N) and Peter’s building, Bucky expelled a huge exhale.

“Well, that was a fucking disaster,” he grumbled to himself.

He stomped down the sidewalk to where he’d parked the car he’d borrowed from the compound. He wrenched the driver-side door open in frustration, nearly ripping the thing off. He slid inside and stared out the windshield. Was there a way back from this? Or was he destined to spend eternity in the friend zone?

Bucky wrung his hands around the steering wheel and let out a moan of exasperation. He started the ignition and gave one last glance to (Y/N)’s building. He tucked away any hope he thought he might’ve had with her in the far recesses of his mind and drove away.

Bucky was trembling by the time he returned to the compound. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he strode down one of the many halls leading to his quarters. He had worked himself into a frenzy on the drive home.

It was her, he thought, gliding his gloved hand through the hair that had come loose from the earlier knot he’d tied. It was definitely (Y/N).

There was no mistaking it was her, now. Bucky was absolutely sure. (Y/N)’s voicemail had played over and over in his mind on the ride upstate.

Bucky stalked down the hallway, cursing himself again for blowing any modicum of a chance he had with (Y/N).

What was he saying? Did he stand a real chance with her? He was The Winter fucking Solider. The Asset. Soldat.

Of course not.

He growled as he moved closer to his apartment, his sanctuary. It was the only place he could find any real solace nowadays.

Struggling with his internal conflict, focusing too much on the what-ifs, he didn’t see the solid wall of muscle until it was too late.

“Whoa, Buck! Easy there,” Steve said as he steadied his dazed best friend. “Where’s the fire?”

Bucky glimpsed into Steve’s eyes, his own shimmering with sadness. Steve thought the world of him. He could do no wrong, according to Steve. What would he think after this?

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, voice full of worry.

“I fucked up, Stevie,” Bucky lamented, eyes now downcast to the floor.

“What happened?” Steve asked, grabbing hold of Bucky’s shoulder. “What did you do?”

Bucky’s eyes flicked back up to Steve’s face, and he watched fear crawl across it.

His body practically crumpled inwardly. “It was her,” Bucky said. “She was right in front of me.”

“Her who?” Steve questioned. The look of fear slipped into one of misunderstanding once he realized no immediate threat or harm was coming to Bucky.

Bucky chuckled. “(Y/N).” His focus wasn’t on Steve anymore, but just over his right shoulder. His eyes were wistful.

“(Y/N)?”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “She was so...God, she was just so beautiful.”

Bucky proceeded when Steve continued to stare at him blankly. “She was a breath of fresh air after you’ve run at full-speed for what seems, like, forever.”

“A breath of fresh air?”

“Yes!”

“I’m still not exactly sure who we’re talkin’ about,” Steve confessed.

“God, punk! Pay attention,” Bucky groused, swiping both hands through his hair.

“Who’s (Y/N) again?”

“She’s the girl,” Bucky explained.

“The girl?” Steve asked, still not quite understanding.

“The girl,” Bucky emphasized.

A look of realization finally dawned on Steve’s face. “(Y/N)? The girl you’ve been texting?”

“YES!” Bucky exclaimed emphatically. “For a smart guy, you can be pretty dense.”

“Wait, how?”

“I was helping Parker with some schoolwork, and she’s his neighbor, apparently,” Bucky answered.

“She’s Peter’s neighbor? In Queens?”

“Did you have a stroke or somethin’?” Bucky wondered. “Yes, in Queens. Next door to Parker.”

“You didn’t tell me she was in New York,” Steve said, a hint of hurt in his voice.

“I didn’t think it mattered at the time,” Bucky admitted. “It wasn’t like I ever planned to meet her in person.”

“So, what now? Did you ask her on a date?”

“What?!” Bucky asked in disbelief. He goggled at his best friend like he’d grown a second head. “What part of ‘I fucked up’ didn’t you understand?”

“It couldn’t’ve been that bad,” Steve soothed. “What exactly happened?”

Bucky recounted the whole bungled interaction, down to every gory detail.

“And you just stood there, staring at her?” Steve asked, slightly wincing in secondhand discomfort.

“With my mouth open and everything. Like I was a goddamn fish out of water,” Bucky stated candidly. He scuffed a foot across the linoleum floor. He could feel the anxiety building inside him again.

“Maybe it’s not as bad as you think?”

Bucky pulled his phone from his pocket and thumbed to the messaging app. “Parker said, and I quote, ‘Way to make it weird with Miss (Y/L/N).’”

Steve looked nonplussed. “H-how?”

Bucky threw up his arms in defeat. His hands landed atop his head, and his fingers snaked into his hair, pulling at the roots. “I dunno what happened! I realized I was actually talking to (Y/N), and my insides turned to jelly!”

Steve stepped forward and guided Bucky’s hands from his hair. Empathy and compassion filled his crystalline eyes.

“How...how do I fix this, Stevie?” Bucky whimpered softly.

Steve sighed. “I don’t know if it can be fixed, but you need to talk to her.”

Bucky blanched at the thought. “I-I-I can’t,” he stammered.

“Why?”

“I like what we have,” Bucky explained. “I like that I’m just James from Brooklyn with her.”

His mouth thinned as he picked at his flesh hand’s thumbnail. “Plus, if I tell (Y/N) who I really am, she’ll judge everything going forward on today’s meeting.”

“You really like her, huh?” Steve queried.

“Well, yeah,” Bucky answered, blushing a bit. “She’s pretty great.”

A smirk lifted at the corners of Steve’s mouth. “No, I mean, you really like her.”

Bucky’s blush deepened. “I don’t-I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

Steve huffed a small laugh, faintly shaking his head. He held up his hands in mock surrender. He took a step closer to his best friend. “Whatever you decide to do- whether it’s to tell her the truth or just suss out the situation- just talk to her.” He placed a hand on Bucky’s right shoulder and squeezed gently. “Don’t wait too long, though, and miss your opportunity. You’ll be kickin’ yourself.”

Bucky nodded his head in agreement. “I know.”

“Everyone deserves good things to come to them. You most of all, Buck.” Steve squeezed one more time before dropping his hand to his side.

Bucky blinked rapidly at the sentiment, trying his best to keep the emotion out of his eyes. He smiled. “Thank you, Steve. For everything.”

After a long shower to help himself unwind and wash away all the stress of the day, Bucky was sprawled out on his bed in a t-shirt and loose-fitting sweats. His phone was in the palm of his hand, and his heart was doing flip flops in his chest. His anxiety was gradually spiking, undoing the purpose of the earlier shower. It had been nearly two hours since he charged out of (Y/N)’s apartment. Why hadn’t she texted him?

Before he could overthink it more than he already had, he punched in a text and initiated the conversation.

Bucky Hey, doll. How was your day?

He stared at the screen of his phone, willing (Y/N) to reply.

He watched the words go in and out of focus as he continued to observe the unchanging text thread. His right palm was beginning to sweat.

Several minutes passed before Bucky gave up and threw the phone to the bed. He tapped his fingers in a rhythm against his thighs to keep them occupied, only to find himself crossing his arms across his chest moments later. Seconds afterward, he uncrossed his arms, balling his hands into fists. He reached for the book on the nightstand, hoping for a distraction from the silence of his phone.

He was inevitably waiting for a text he knew wasn’t coming.

Bucky consciously tried to read the words on the page, but his mind kept drifting. (Y/N) was smart. She had obviously put two and two together, and she was currently composing a polite yet firm text dismissing him.

He couldn’t take it anymore. The silence was maddening!

He shoved the bookmark back in the book, tossed it on the nightstand roughly, and got up from the bed to start pacing. Periodically, his hands would find their way into his wet locks, tugging ever so slightly.

After what seemed like the twentieth circuit around the bedroom, a soft buzzing came from the mattress top. Bucky rushed toward the bed and retrieved the device. He clutched it to his heaving chest before exhaling loudly.

Moment of truth, he thought.

He raised the phone to see the screen.

(Y/N) Hey, sorry! I must’ve dozed off while taking my bath.

(Y/N) Didn’t mean to leave you hanging!

A weight lifted from Bucky’s shoulders. She hadn’t purposely meant to ignore his text. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Bucky Don’t worry about it.

(Y/N) I guess I was more tired than I thought.

Bucky Should I let you go?

(Y/N) No, no...I can chat.

Bucky So, how was your day?

(Y/N) It was good. The subway was on time this morning. Timmons wasn’t too much of a pain in the ass, even though we are in the middle of putting together a huge, new account.

(Y/N) I had dinner with Robyn at Penelope to discuss centerpieces for the wedding.

Bucky held his breath as he watched the ellipses blink on his phone. This is it. This is where (Y/N) let him down easy.

(Y/N) Then, I came home to a hot bath and a bottle of wine.

Bucky reread the last text three times before it sank in that (Y/N) hadn’t mentioned anything about running into him. Maybe it really was okay.

(Y/N) Oh, and I met my first Avenger today.

There it was. That’s what Bucky had been waiting for. Butterflies erupted in his stomach and flapped slowly up to his chest. His thumbs gracelessly typed out his message.

Bucky Oh, yeah? Who’d you meet?

Bucky tried to calm his breathing as he anticipated (Y/N)’s reply.

(Y/N) It is was something like Bunky or Borky. The one with the metal arm.

Borky?!

Bucky You mean Bucky?

(Y/N) Yup. Thats the one!

Bucky Well…???

(Y/N) He was absolutely adorkable!

Bucky Adorkable? 🤔

What the hell does that even mean? Bucky wondered, gripping his phone a little tighter.

(Y/N) You know, adorable but dorky. Adorkable!

Bucky Oh.

(Y/N) He wouldn’t stop shaking my hand when my neighbor introduced us and he was just staring. he almost dropped my groceries all over the kitchen because he wouldn’t stop staring.

Bucky Wait, your neighbor knows an Avenger?

(Y/N) Pssh! Im pretty sure hes an avenger too!

Bucky What?!?! 😳 Which one???

Bucky’s heart started galloping as he read (Y/N)’s words. Did she know about Parker?

(Y/N) hes obviously spiderman

Oh, shit! She did.

Bucky How do you figure?

(Y/N) same height/build...ive listened to interviews with spiderman...sounds just like peter...he has an “internship” at stark industries...and i saw peter climbing up the side of our building once in the spiderman costume

(Y/N) spiderman is peter parker

(Y/N) dont tell anyone i told you though...its a secret

Bucky How much wine have you had, doll?

(Y/N) 1 or 2 glasses y?

Bucky chuckled at (Y/N)’s obliviousness. She was quite “adorkable” when she was drinking.

Bucky Your grammar has gone to shit, and you think your neighbor is Spider-Man.

(Y/N) grammar schwammer and he is

Bucky threw his head back in a full laugh. He was suddenly glad he took Steve’s advice and texted (Y/N). She really wasn’t bothered he’d made a fool of himself earlier. At least, not with a little wine in her.

(Y/N) Like borky, you should have seen borky barnes! he turned red as a tomato when he almost dropped my stuff...i think someone was smitten

Bucky’s stomach rolled when he noticed the subject change. She wasn’t going to let it go.

Bucky Can you blame him? I bet you’re cute as a button.

(Y/N) well obvi...i feel bad though...i kinda gave him a hard time for calling me ma’am...i regretted it the sec it happened...he kinda stormed out...i know i hurt his feelings

(Y/N) he was just being polite cuz you know- manners

Bucky What would you do if you saw him again?

Now was his chance to see where he stood. To know if he even had a fighting chance.

(Y/N) probably apologize profusely then ask him out for a cup of coffee

Bucky You’d ask him out for a cup of coffee?

(Y/N) y not? hes easy on the eyes and when those baby blues are locked on you-its hypnotizing

And just like that, Bucky knew he was back in the game.

10:37 pm- later that night

Bucky Hey, dipshit. (Y/N) knows you’re Spider-Man.

Parker

Chapter Four | Chapter Six (Part 1)

Tag List:

@hommoturttle @courtneychicken @vicmc624 @shawnie--jo @redbarn1995 @learisa @austynparksandpizza @ddowii @comeasyoudar @notsoinnocentrebel @i-have-no-life-charlie @champagneacademiaproblems @oldschoolkiddo @jillweasley @thefridgeismybestie @versacefloors @justab-eautifulmess @the-doctors-fallen-angel @saintsha @artaxerxesthegreat @emmabarnes @captain-asguard @herondalesunsetcurve @holl2712 @rosalynshields @met4no1a @kitkatd7 @broccoli111 @beautifulsweetschaos @strawberrywoman @tlcwrites @aerolanya @socalgem1124 @cminr

Permanent Tag List:

@indigo123789

Send an ask to be added to the tag list!

#drunk texting is(n't) bad for your health #dtibfyh #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky x reader #bucky x you #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky fanfiction #bucky fanfic #shannon writes

203 notes · View notes

airesgay · 3 years

Text

Feelings 101

Chapter 17: the one with resolutions

Relationship: Jennifer jareau/emily prentiss

Summary: the friends au where they all work at NYU, and Emily and JJ find themselves reconnecting after 17 years. There are also mixtapes.

Chapter summary: As the year draws to a close both Emily and JJ think about what they really want, and if they're able to deny themselves it any longer.

Chapter word count: 8,077

Songs:

Let's Get It Started - Black Eyed Peas

Crazy In Love - Beyonce

Bootylicious - Destiny's Child

Cha Cha Slide - DJ Casper

Don't Cha - Pussycat Dolls

Tainted Love - Soft Cell

Rock Your Body - Justine Timberlake

Auld Lang Syne - Guy Lombardo

Read it on ao3

“Puppies, kittens, sunshine, kindness, a deeper sense of self, a new track pad and high definition camera.”

Emily leaned over, studying the list Penelope was dutifully making. They were having their morning coffee at Central Perk, as they had done for the past week. They, like many others, were really making the most of the snowstorm passing.

“What you got there?” She asked, “A shopping list?” She didn’t think you could buy a deeper sense of self from the local grocery store – or puppies or kittens for that matter.

Penelope’s mouth curved up in a smile. She paused her writing for a moment to swat Emily playfully. “No silly.”

“They’re her new year’s resolutions,” JJ explained.

They both whipped their heads up to see JJ approaching their table. She was still catching her breath, sweat glistening over her collarbones in all her post run glory. Emily wasn’t unfamiliar with the sight by now but it still made her stomach flip.

There was also the new sight of the butterfly necklace hanging around her neck, glinting in the light. The way that sight in particular made Emily’s heart skip a beat was still something to get used to. She’d hardly taken it off since opening it on Christmas morning, only parting with it to take a shower or occasionally when she slept.

JJ wrapped up her earphones as she plopped herself down on the other side of Penelope.

“Hmm,” JJ mused, examining the list for herself. “We just acquired a cat and a dog, are you saying you’re not satisfied?”

Penelope rolled her eyes, like JJ was completely missing the point. “No, this list is about what I want to surroundmyself with in the New Year, more like energies, not necessarily purchases.”

JJ nodded, like it was obvious now. “Oh, of course.” She paused for a moment before considering a thought. “I know somewhere you could surround yourself with puppies and kittens. A shelter, where a certain dashing - ”

“You two should make your own lists,” Penelope cut her off in a fluster.

JJ smirked, looking to Emily who hid her laugh behind her mug of coffee. Neither of them had missed the way Penelope reacted to Luke, the way her eyes would flicker down at the mere mention of him. Tara had been keeping in touch with her old college buddy after they’d been reunited at the shelter, and then again at the market. The fact that he was also a friend of Matt’s was a happy coincidence. It was almost inevitable that he’d assimilate into their group, a fact Penelope seemed in denial about.

At first Emily hadn’t been sure what it was about – she’d had her suspicions, but the psychology of Penelope Garcia was still new to her. JJ had cleared things up. Penelope loves to flirt,she’d told Emily, as they were out shopping for groceries one morning, their topic of conversation still sleeping soundly. Emily had certainly noticed Penelope’s love of that particular pastime, but she’d listened intently as JJ continued. But it’s not very often that she has to run into them again, or better yet, they become an actual part of her life. The prospect of something more happening, something real… I think it freaks her out. And Luke, well, I’ve never seen her so freaked out.

So Penelope liked Luke. A lot. And it rattled her. Emily recalled these thoughts as she watched JJ smiling down at the list, eyes sparkling. Yeah, Emily could relate to that.

“I don’t know if I’ll bother with a list this year,” JJ said, letting her tired legs stretch out in front of her and under the table.

Penelope gasped. “You have to! It sets the tone for your whole year.”

JJ scrunched up her nose. “But all it ever does is make you feel like a failure when you don’t complete everything. Isn’t that the case with everyone?”

Penelope shook her head, continuing with her own list. “That’s because you set actual goals.”

“As opposed to your… energies, ah I see where I’ve gone wrong now.”

Penelope swatted her on the arm and JJ laughed. She made fun, but it was undeniable that Penelope was the happiest person she knew, generally speaking – she had her demons just like anyone – but she was pretty good at keeping things optimistic. Maybe she had a point. And apparently, Emily agreed. She was currently clicking out her own pen, nodding towards the paper.

“Okay, I’ll bite, how does one make a New Years Resolution list, Penelope Garcia style?”

JJ’s eyebrows shot up. Emily smiled. Penelope exploded.

“Oh yay! Okay, so basically the most important thing is to think about what makes you happy – it could be anything, even little things you don’t think about like….”

She rambled on, explaining her ethos to a perplexed looking Emily. But she just nodded along, clearly doing her best to follow her friends weird and wonderful ways. JJ smiled and eventually gave in, asking Jordan if she could borrow a pen when she came to ask for her order.

“So do you have any plans for tonight?” she asked as she accepted the outstretched pen with a smile.

Jordan let out a sigh, stuffing her hands into the front of her apron. “No, I was meant to be going to a friends but they decided to stay with their family back in Dallas. Think the snowstorm scared them off.”

JJ gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry. Really messed things up for everyone that thing.”

Penelope nodded with a huff. “A real bastard.”

Jordan laughed as she made to turn back to the counter. Emily nearly spilled hot coffee all over herself when Penelope whipped around, arm stretched over the back of the couch.

“Hey, we’re going to a party tonight, why don’t you come?”

The spare pen in Jordan’s hand fell to the counter, her mouth hanging open. “I… I don’t want to impose.”

Penelope waved her hand. “Oh, it’s no bother honestly, the more the merrier!”

Jordan still looked unsure, her eyes flickering to Emily and JJ to gauge their reaction. Both just offered a warm smile.

“But I don’t even know this friend of yours.”

Penelope snorted. “Kate’s cool, and we have good street cred. Any friend of ours is a friend of hers, really.”

A blush spread over Jordan’s cheeks and she finally gave a small nod, eyes falling onto Emily just a moment longer.

“What’s that?”

They all collectively looked to each other, eyes wide, as Rossi strode in from the back.

“Oh, just - ” Penelope fumbled with her words.

But Rossi just cracked into a smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t cramp your style. I’m having a quiet get together here for the old timers.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say - ” Penelope started to say, what she wasn’t quite sure, but Rossi raised a hand to stop her yet again.

“Really, it’s okay. You kids have fun. But hey.” He pointed a finger, face stern. “Not too much.” A parting wink let them know he was joking.

Penelope laughed nervously as she turned back around. “Oh god I wasn’t ageist was I?”

JJ gave a light laugh, patting her on the back. “Just be glad you won’t have to apologise to Kate for bringing a hoard of horny 60 year old women with you tonight.”

Penelope shuddered. “Rossi fan girls are the worst.”

“I’m not even asking,” Emily said, taking another gulp of coffee.

“Hey don’t go crazy on the caffeine, you need to fill yourself up with real food before tonight.” Penelope was grinning in a way that made Emily nervous.

She looked to JJ who just shook her head.

* * *

Emily set down her fork, leaning back in her chair with an almighty groan. She didn’t think after thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, she’d ever eat so much again, certainly not so soon.

“I’m right there with you,” JJ mumbled from beside her. She was slumped so far down her chair that she was nearly under the table.

“Are our stomachs suitably lined?” Penelope asked. She still had a spring in her step as she returned from paying for the bill.

Emily gestured what she hoped was a nod.

They’d ended up at a very nice café only a few blocks down that seemed to only serve brunch, in vast amounts – otherwise known on New Year’s Eve as pre-drinking food. And it seemed everyone there had the same idea. All around them were people sat in front of bowls of oats, berries and bananas, Greek yoghurt, melon, something she’d been informed by Penelope was Chia pudding, and eggs – lots and lots of eggs. Emily herself had consumed a mountain.

She also didn’t miss how much younger the people around them were. There had to be at least a decade between her and the boy who was snapping pictures of his avocado on toast. It made her groan even louder.

“Aw come on, you’ll thank me later.” Penelope grinned and hauled them both up to their feet.

JJ laughed as she held the door open for them both. “Pen, I told you, you’re not getting me drunk.”

Penelope huffed as they made their way down the bustling street. Emily had remembered how busy Christmas had been in New York – New Year was even worse. In these hours before the real celebrations started, it was like the entire city was buzzing: people scurrying around and filling shopping carts with alcohol like Armageddon was upon them. With the way the sun was starting to set behind buildings, it did have that apocalyptic glow about it.

“But it’s like sacrilege to waste all that preparation!” Penelope protested. “Well Emily, I know you won’t let me down.”

Emily laughed uneasily as Penelope turned her attention onto her. “You’ve never even seen me drunk.”

Penelope just grinned. “And that’s all the more reason! I need to know what Emily Prentiss is like under the influence.”

She winked and Emily shook her head, continuing forward down the street. They were close to Central Park now. Emily looked to her watch. She really could do with walking off some of their feast.

“Hey, do we have time for a walk?” She asked. They were close enough to the park now that she only had to nod forward and they understood her meaning.

Penelope looked down to her watch like Emily just had. “We still have another hour or so before we need to get ready. I’d say that’s a splendid idea!”

The three of them were getting the subway out to Kate’s apartment in Brooklyn, while Derek and Spencer dropped Clooney and Sergio off at a sitter. Emily could tell when she left that morning that Sergio knew exactly what was in store for him. But the sitter they’d called had ensured them they’d be kept apart. She’d felt guilty, but it was better than the alternative: leaving them alone in their apartments on New Years Eve with all the noise – there was sure to be fireworks, and none of them felt comfortable leaving them alone.

Matt himself had given them the recommendation of the sitter – he was dropping Bonnie and Clyde off there this afternoon too. A sweet old lady who loved animals and didn’t have any desire to leave her house just outside the city, she was the perfect fit. Matt had actually said Bonnie and Clyde loved running around her back yard so much, he’d worried they wouldn’t want to come home. But as soon as he’d come to pick them up the next week they’d nearly knocked him over in their excitement. Emily wasn’t sure Sergio had that much of an attachment to her; she’d see how he reacted tomorrow.

Penelope smiled at Emily’s suggestion of a walk and looped her arm with hers. Emily tried to hide her surprise when JJ chose to walk on Emily’s side rather than Penelope’s, looping her arm in a similar fashion. She just smiled at her, like it was a completely natural act for them now. Emily supposed it was. They were friends after all.

Still, she found herself wishing Penelope wasn’t on the other side of her, that it was just the two of them, walking over a snowy street on Christmas day…

She nearly shook her head as she once again tried to banish the thought. But it was getting harder and harder.

As they entered Central Park she let her attention fall onto the many friends and families, enjoying the snow now that the storm had passed. She couldn’t help but be particularly captivated by the ice-skaters, two people whizzing around the ice like they were born doing it. She had to admit, it was impressive, the grace they managed to maintain when going at such a speed. She thought back to Penelope explaining how to write their resolutions list – one point being to include at least one new skill you wanted to learn. Emily mulled this over as she watched a woman fly into the air and execute a perfect twirl before landing softly.

* * *

JJ cursed as a man stumbled in front of her, nearly spilling his open can of cider all over her coat. It wasn’t yet 6pm but the festivities were in full swing on the subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn. They hadn’t been above ground to see the sunset but JJ sensed the shift from day to night, just as their present company seemed to.

“Haaaappy New Year!!!” A woman sang who was getting dangerously close to them with what looked like a raised lighter.

JJ automatically shifted away, which left her squeezed into Emily’s side. She just gave her an uneasy smile. While JJ wasn’t a big fan of the subway when it got this busy, she was still familiar enough with the experience. By the bewildered look on Emily’s face she could tell this was a first for her.

“You doing okay there?” JJ asked. It was so loud in the carriage – they’d all started singing now – that Emily was only able to hear her given their close proximity.

Emily grimaced. “Uh, yeah, I don’t tend to get the subway this late.”

JJ nodded in understanding. “Taxi?”

Emily laughed. “If I’m even out after nightfall.”

JJ smiled and gestured to the carriage that was all but shaking as the crowd began to jump to the music. “Well New Year isn’t the best introduction to nighttime subway rides.”

Plus, there was the fact it was a half-hour long journey. She sensed Emily had opted for a taxi every time she’d met them out at the youth centre too. Since she’d been staying with them she’d gotten the subway into work in the morning with the rest of them – bar Derek if he’d gotten the notion to run all the way in that day. But JJ had to admit; even Emily on the subway at 8am was an odd sight. The way she would sit with her whole body contracted, eyes shifting uneasily to the people around her, well, JJ got the feeling Emily favored a taxi ride over the subway even in daylight hours.

Still, she couldn’t deny the contentment she felt at having an excuse to be this close to Emily. Maybe that was selfish, but she found herself caring less and less every day. But she didn’t want Emily to feel uncomfortable. She discretely shifted a hand to her knee, hoping the gesture would help. Emily smiled back.

“2006!!!!” They both snapped their heads up at the voice breaking out over the crowd’s singing.

Penelope had gotten to her feet at some point without them noticing, and was currently swinging herself round one of the poles - a picture of absolute glee.

JJ laughed. “6 more hours yet Pen,” she called over the noise, but she didn’t hear her.

JJ then felt Emily’s hand cover her own that was rested on her knee. It could be the atmosphere, or the fact that Penelope clearly wasn’t paying them any attention, but JJ smiled back without any reservation. One thing was certain; it was getting harder to deny herself this feeling.

* * *

20 minutes or so later they were stepping off the carriage and onto the waiting platform. Emily fumbled, nearly dropping the hefty bag of snacks they were travelling with. Kate had assured them they didn’t need to bring any drinks, she had that covered – and it wasn’t exactly the best thing to be hauling around New York City at night. Emily had visions of smashed wine bottles all over the subway floor and counted herself lucky.

Meanwhile, JJ was dragging Penelope off the carriage who’d struck up a dance with a group of equally lively girls. Emily had never been so glad to feel the cold air hit her as they ascended the stairs leading to the surface. Out of all the new experiences living in New York brought her, the subway wasn’t at the top of her list. Although being so close to JJ was a convincing incentive.

Emily let JJ and Penelope lead her down the street towards Kate’s apartment. It wasn’t far from the youth centre at all – just on the other side of Brooklyn Bridge. When they stopped outside the building Emily noted how it appeared to be an old structure, but recently revamped: still oozing history with its signature red brick, but with a fancy intercom system installed. Penelope buzzed it.

“Yello!” Kate’s chipper voice rang out a second later – clearly she’d started the festivities already.

“It’s your dealer,” Penelope replied with a cheeky smile.

“Oh good, we’re getting antsy. Please come up.”

With another buzz the door opened and Penelope pushed through, holding it for Emily and JJ.

After hearing that Kate’s apartment was on the top floor, Emily’s shoulders sagged in relief at seeing the very inviting elevator in the lobby. Her initial suspicions of the wealth of the building were confirmed when Kate threw open her apartment door.

“Come to me!” Kate grabbed the bag of snacks from Emily as she let the others step inside.

Emily followed after them, taking in the space. Exposed red brick, the same as the kind on its exterior, decorated the back wall, where a bar was already well stocked. There were fairy lights hanging overhead while the main lights were dimmed, giving the impression they really were out at a pub on New Years Eve. The countertop was sleek, and the barstools clearly made from fine leather, but the lights and the brick still gave it a rustic feel. Fluffy white beanbags adorned the outskirts of the lounge to the right. A dining table had been pushed to the side to make room for a makeshift dance floor over dark wood. It was extravagant but cozy at the same time – Emily couldn’t help thinking it was like a perfect blend of JJ and Penelope’s apartment and her own.

“Nice place,” Emily said, still soaking the space up.

“Thank you.” A man popped his head up from behind the bar: dark hair and a clean-shaven baby face, he gave her a beaming smile.

“You must be Chris.” Emily recalled the conversations at the youth centre where Kate had mentioned her boyfriend. Partner? They weren’t married or engaged as far as she knew.

“That I am.” He set some glasses on the counter and rounded it to greet them.

He smiled at Penelope and JJ, already previously acquainted, and offered Emily his hand.

“And you must be Emily.” A firm handshake.

“That I am.”

The smile didn’t drop from his face as their hands fell. “Well it’s great to have another person helping out at the centre, I know those kids really appreciate everything you do.”

“He loves to live vicariously through my good deeds while he’s holed up typing numbers into a computer all day.”

Kate gave a wry smile as she started unpacking the bag of snacks, JJ helping her with the bowls.

“Hey!” Penelope protested, but both laughed.

Emily wracked her brain, trying to remember what Kate’s partner did for a living.

“Computer software,” Chris providing, seeing the confusion on her face, “I won’t bore you with the details.”

Emily nodded, vaguely recalling snippets of conversation.

“Yeah well, I can’t complain.” Kate gestured at the luxurious apartment. Clearly the job paid well.

There was a knowing look between both Kate and Chris then, the hint of a smile on their lips.

“Yeah,” Chris said, “Anyone would think she was marrying me for my money.”

Silence.

“Excuse me?” JJ asked, head zipping back and forth. Penelope was frozen to the spot beside Kate.

With a grin she displayed her left hand out in front of her, a very noticeable diamond ring dazzling before them. Penelope broke out of her frozen state with a gasp, grabbing Kate’s hand with vigor.

“Kate Callahan I cannot believe you!” she was spluttering, not being able to decide whether she was happy or angry at being blind sighted.

Kate shrugged. “We wanted to surprise you.”

“What about the others?” Penelope stopped again, panic setting in. “Wait, we’re not the last to know are we?”

Kate laughed. “Of course not, do you think I’m crazy? No, we thought this way we get to do it more than once.”

JJ laughed, shaking her head. “Well I think champagne is in order?”

Kate grinned and made to get the glasses, but JJ lifted a hand. “Let us mere singletons get that for you. This is your engagement party after all, right? That’s what this is.”

Kate stepped back with her hands up, glad to step down, while JJ rounded the counter. Chris collected their coats, taking them to hang up in their wardrobe when the intercom rang. Kate pushed the button and they were greeted with the jolly voice of Derek Morgan.

“Hey I heard there was a party here? Free booze?”

Kate rolled her eyes before letting them up.

“The kids get off okay?” Penelope asked when they strode in.

Kate quirked an eyebrow.

“Sergio and Clooney,” JJ explained as she handed her a freshly poured glass of champagne.

Kate smirked.

“Our kids,”Penelope reiterated.

“Well ourkid was absolutely fine,” Derek said as she shucked off his coat. “Couldn’t run off to play with the other kids fast enough. Emily’slittle rascal however...”

Emily rolled her eyes, taking a seat at the bar. “Did he bite anyone?”

“No, but - ”

“Did he scratch anyone?”

Derek gave a smug sort of smile as he rolled up the sleeves of his open collared shirt. A pattern of fresh scratches adorned his left arm. Emily considered it for a moment.

“Only one casualty?”

Spencer nodded for him.

Emily shrugged. “I don’t see the problem then.”

Derek pulled his sleeve back down, shaking his head with a laugh. “Yeah well, you want to take Sergio to that place again, you take him yourself.”

Chris came to collect their coats and both of them joined the others around the bar.

“What about actual kids,” Kate said, leaning over the counter, “Has Kayla got plans tonight?”

Derek nodded. “She’s going to a party on campus but I don’t know if I want anymore details than that.”

Kate nodded back. “Wise, I go by the same rules with Meg. I know she’s at a friends tonight and I trust her, so that’s good enough for me.”

Meg - Kate’s niece that she’d adopted, Emily recalled. She wasn’t aware of all the details, but she remembered JJ telling her that her sister had died. Knowing what she knew now, she thought about how much JJ could relate, no matter the circumstances.

Spencer frowned, only then noticing what Kate was drinking. Usually they waited until midnight to crack open the champagne. Of course, it didn’t take long for his eyes to fall onto the ring glistening off of Kate’s left hand. He opened his mouth to speak before Kate beat him to it.

* * *

Over the next hour or so more guests streamed into the apartment, Kate and Chris both reveling in the chance to share their news again and again - although, as more people arrived, it got harder to hide the secret. Both were glad Penelope had been among those they’d told first.

The party was in full swing now, despite there still being 3 hours until midnight. More people seemed to just keep flooding in and the space was becoming more and more cramped.

Penelope and Derek had long since claimed centre stage of the dance floor, moving their bodies together to songs Emily didn’t know, in ways she wasn’t sure would be appropriate in public. Tara and Luke stood watching them from the side, nodding along – Penelope avoiding Luke’s obvious gaze. Matt and Kristy were cuddled up in two of the fluffy beanbags, looking like the cheesy already married couple. Hotch and Haley were right there next to them, a weird kind of happy glaze over the criminal law professor’s eyes. Spencer was helping make drinks in the kitchen, which Emily couldn’t help laugh at: she would never have pegged Dr. Reid as a bartender.

Everyone seemed to be having a good time in their own way. But Emily couldn’t help looking for JJ – not that she was keeping tabs on her or anything, she knew she knew more people here than she did. But she hadn’t seen her in an hour at least among the sea of people. One of your friends going missing at a party where most people were strangers was something you noticed.

A consequence of the thumping bass of the music her friends were dancing to, and the constant chatter of voices competing to be heard, was that the buzz of the intercom was completely overshadowed. Emily only heard it because she’d been standing right next to the door.

“Uh, guys,” she gestured awkwardly to the door, seeking out Kate or Chris, but both were busy discussing wedding plans with a couple Emily didn’t know. They were a lot of people here Emily didn’t know. Kate had a lot of friends.

Not getting an answer from anyone, Emily hesitantly pressed the button on the intercom, allowing her to speak.

“Hello?”

The voice on the other end sounded both muffled and harassed. “Hi, I’m Penelope’s friend?” She said it as if she wasn’t sure.

Emily’s brow furrowed for a moment before she remembered. “Oh Jordan, hi!”

“Emily?”

“Yeah, come on up.” She buzzed her in and opened the door out to the stairway.

She was honestly glad to have someone who was just as out of place as her at this party, maybe even more so. A minute later Jordan was rounding the corner up the stairs, looking as harassed as she’d sounded on the intercom.

Emily gave a light laugh. “You find the place okay?”

Jordan heaved a sigh as she reached the top. “I may have gotten off at the wrong subway stop.”

Emily hissed in a breath.

“Yeah,” Jordan laughed, “I’m just glad to make it before midnight.”

Emily smiled. “Here, I’ll take your coat for you.”

Jordan looked up and froze, seeing Emily properly for the first time. She was dressed in tight black jeans and a shimmery (Penelope had told her sparkles were mandatory on New Year’s Eve) red top that scooped rather low at the neck. It was paired with a belt that sat slightly off centre, but somehow brought the whole look together. Her hair was gently curled, courtesy of Penelope’s own curlers.

“You, uh,” Jordan fumbled with her words, her throat suddenly feeling very dry.

Emily raised a brow, concerned. “You okay? You must be freezing, come on inside.”

She guided Jordan into the jumping apartment. The younger woman sighed in relief at her tongue-tied state clearly being misinterpreted.

* * *

JJ peeked her head around the door, scoping out the packed living room across the hall. She’d been hiding out in Chris’ study for the past half hour or so. Thankfully it was a pretty nice space, but she couldn’t sit there forever: one, someone would notice, and two, she really needed to use the bathroom. She shouldn’t have downed that glass of champagne Kate had insisted she have. One final look at the living room confirmed it was safe for her to make the dash across the hall. She was just stepping out when someone collided into her.

“Whoa there!”

JJ stepped back, blinking rapidly. She looked up. “Pen?”

Penelope stood up tall, giving her a coy look. “Hello JJ, what might you be doing in here?”

JJ shifted on her feet, body tightening. “I’m hiding,” she said in a hushed voice.

Penelope rolled her eyes. “Well yes I knowthat. I was being sarcastic.”

JJ gave her a shove, grumbling. “Look I need to go to the bathroom, can you cover me?”

Penelope laughed. “JJ, honey, come on this is ridiculous. He lives in the city; you could run into him at any point. I’m surprised you haven’t already honestly. It’s better to get it out the way. Like a Band-Aid.”

JJ scoffed. “Yeah, uh, no thanks.”

Penelope shook her head, arms folded. “For someone who counsels teenagers on handling their emotions, you’re being very immature.”

A second later there was a voice calling down the corridor. “Penelope?” Luke.

Penelope’s eyes shot wide open and she pushed JJ back into the room, tumbling in after her. Once the door shut behind them, she put her ear up against it, listening for footsteps.

JJ smirked, folding her arms in a similar fashion to the way Penelope just had. “I’m being immature huh?”

Penelope waved her off. “Completely different situation.”

A minute passed before Penelope was happy that he was gone. She let out a breath and turned around. “He’s gone.”

“Great, can I go pee now?”

Penelope stepped aside to let JJ through. “I’ll just chill here for a bit, need a break from all the moves busting.”

JJ laughed as she opened the door – only to run into yet another obstacle.

“Kate – hi.”

She wracked her brain for a not crazy reason for why she’d been hiding out in her boyfriends – fiancée’sstudy, for the better part of an hour.

She was met with a half amused, half concerned look, Kate’s eyes darting across her face, trying to determine which was more appropriate.

“Hey, you guys know there’s a party going on out there right? Unless..” She looked past JJ shoulder to see Penelope spinning around on the very luxurious desk chair. “There’s a better party going on in here?”

JJ sighed and motioned for Kate to step through. She looked at her expectantly, waiting for an explanation. JJ bit her lip, hoping the words didn’t sound as pathetic as they did in her head.

“My ex is out there.”

Kate blanked for a moment before the realization dawned on her. “Oh crap. I totally forgot.”

Penelope let out a cackle, JJ a breathy laugh.

“Well, I wish I could say the same.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I know it’s stupid, but we didn’t end on the best of terms and I haven’t seen him since, I just - ”

“I get it,” Kate said. JJ smiled. “God I can’t believe I forgot. I shouldn’t have invited him.”

JJ shook her head. “Don’t be silly, he’s Chris’s friend.”

Kate tilted her head. “More like friend of a friend.”

“Anyway,” JJ continued, “I’m being silly. Pen is right, I just need to get this over with.”

Penelope gave a triumphant cheer, still spinning around. JJ really hoped she hadn’t had as much to drink as she thought. In any case, they should both get out of Chris’ very nice, clean study.

“Hey, I can make an anonymous tip from the other side of Manhattan if you want? They’re always on duty you know.”

JJ laughed but shook her head. “Thanks but it’s fine, I’ve got this.”

Kate smiled back, giving her a reassuring squeeze on her arm. Her eyes drifted down to JJ’s neck. “Hey, that’s a new necklace.”

JJ looked down to the butterfly necklace displayed proudly across her chest. She smiled. She’d gotten so many compliments on it and every time it made her tingle. Like she had, well, butterflies in her stomach.

“Yeah, it was a gift.”

Kate gave her a suspicious look, her smile growing. “Well whoever got it must like you a lot.”

JJ tried to calm the butterflies that were now very much stirring up a frenzy. “Well, I better get going. Need to pee and all.”

Kate laughed as she all but ran past her out the door.

“This is so much fun, I need to get one!” Penelope was spinning around in the chair at what was now an alarming speed.

Kate shook her head. “Okay, Garcia, I’m cutting you off. No more spinny chair for you.”

She was met with a blurry pout, still in motion.

* * *

“Whiskey on the rocks please Spencer,” Emily requested, leaning her elbows across the bar. “And for you?” She looked to Jordan who still didn’t seem quite right, but she couldn’t tell why.

She was sat stiffly in the barstool next to her, seeming overwhelmed by even the simple question. “Um, I’ll have a… cider, do you have that?”

Spencer grinned. “Oh they have everything here.”

He turned around to make them their drinks. Emily watched him work with an admiring smile. “This suits you, did you ever consider giving up teaching, opening a bar?”

Spencer smiled back as he easily located the two bottles. “Teaching is my first passion in life, following by magic tricks.”

“So this is…?”

He shrugged, reaching up for two clean glasses. “Where I’m most comfortable in this situation. I’m not much of a dancer, as I’m sure you noticed, but I like to be around my friends and I like to talk to people. Besides, someone needs to keep track of how much everyone’s drinking.”

Jordan laughed at that, and Emily smiled. She could understand Spencer’s point. He slid over their drinks when they were ready and Emily didn’t delay in testing it out.

“Oh that hits the spot,” she breathed out. “Seriously Spencer, you should consider a career change.”

Spencer smiled, throwing a dishtowel over his shoulder. “It’s all just chemistry.”

Emily stiffened then, sensing a man walking up behind them.

“Hey bartender, you got any beers going?” Well, that was what Emily thought he said; she couldn’t be sure given the ridiculously heavy southern drawl dripping off the words.

Spencer’s smile faltered for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but he recovered quickly. “Sure thing, Will.”

Will.Emily noted the name, for reasons she wasn’t quite sure of yet. The man – Will, decided he was joining them, and took the empty seat beside Emily. It was a free country she supposed. They were both invited here. Spencer seemed to know him, which, given his small circle, said something.

“Good evening ladies.” He tipped his head towards them in what some probably thought was a chivalrous manner. The only thing he was missing was a cowboy hat.

Emily gave him a tight smile back, instinctively shifting away from him and closer to Jordan. She didn’t see the beaming smile that left the younger woman with. Spencer made his drink with the same professionalism as he had the others, sliding it over to Will less than a minute later.

Will took a sip from it, savoring the taste. Emily thought he didn’t need any more. She hadn’t previously smelled alcohol on his breath exactly, but there was an unmistakable glaze to his eyes that made her uneasy.

He paused before his next words. “Hey Spencer, have you seen JJ?”

Oh, yeah. Emily felt very uneasy. “Excuse me,” she said, sliding off the stool and muttering something about needing the bathroom.

* * *

There was a knock at the door as JJ was washing her hands.

“Just a minute!” she called back.

She shook the excess water off her hands before reaching for the towel by the sink, silently psyching herself up for joining the rest of the party. But as she opened the door and was met with the sight of Emily giving her a surprised smile, all her nerves evaporated.

“Hey,” she greeted, smile widening, “I was starting to think you’d ditched us.”

JJ laughed, trying to hide her embarrassment. “Oh no, I’ve been around.”

Emily didn’t break her gaze, which made JJ feel nerves again, but this time of a very different kind.

“I must have just missed you then.”

JJ didn’t know how she was meant to take those words; did Emily mean they just hadn’t run into each other or had she actually missed her? Either way, the butterflies were back. The alcohol in her system also didn’t help matters.

“Oh sorry,” she said, breaking out of her daze, “I’ll let you,” She took a step aside, gesturing to the bathroom.

But Emily was still watching her. JJ could see a thought cross her face. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting but it wasn’t the words that came out of her mouth a second later.

“Ice-skating.”

JJ blinked. “What?”

Emily squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, like she was berating herself. But then she opened them again and her smile was back. That beautiful smile that made JJ feel like everything was going to be okay.

“My new years resolution. A new skill,” Emily clarified, “I’d like to learn how to ice-skate. Properly I mean, not just avoiding falling over.”

She was suddenly speaking with a confidence that quite frankly caught JJ off guard. But she liked it. She smiled back.

“You have a teacher in mind?” Her voice had taken on a teasing tone, matching Emily’s newfound conviction.

JJ swore she saw Emily smirk. “I think so.”

JJ’s stomach was doing summersaults and she could still taste the gin she’d just drank on her lips and Emily was smiling at her and her eyes fell to her deep red lips, and she thought, I’m going to do it – I’m really going to kiss Emily outside this bathroom with all these people to see.

But just as she was about to reach for her dream it was snatched away – literally. Penelope came out of nowhere and grabbed Emily’s arm, swiftly leading her to the dance floor.

“Penelope, what.” But there was no arguing with Penelope Garcia, especially one fuelled with alcohol.

“You owe me a dance my sweet!”

Emily just had time to turn her head back to roll her eyes at JJ, an exasperated sort of smile on her lips. JJ couldn’t help but laugh, feeling like she’d just come back down to earth. God, what had she been thinking? She shook her head and followed her friends into the crowd.

* * *

Emily collapsed into one of the fluffy beanbags, trying to catch her breath. What Penelope had called one dance had turned into five, and something called the Cha Cha Slide that was quite frankly sadistic. It would have been difficult enough to land all the moves in an empty room, never mind with a sea of bodies bumping into her. She’d just about managed the clapping bit. Everything had become a blur, and she’d lost JJ to the crowd. She raised her head, scanning the undulating cluster, but it was impossible.

The only people she could make out clearly were Derek and Penelope who were back in the middle, performing their own rendition of a song that Emily didn’t know, but instantly made her cheeks flush. Penelope had clearly lost some of her inhibitions with the more she drank, now making very deliberate eye contact with Luke, who after seeking her out all night, now stood looking at a loss for words while he was all but serenaded to.

There was another exasperated sigh beside her and Emily turned to see Jordan falling into the other beanbag. She’d also lost her inhibitions, no longer looking cagey.

“You guys know how to party,” she breathed, wiping sweaty hair out of her face.

Emily laughed. “Theyknow how to party,” she said with a nod to Penelope and Derek advancing on Luke.

He was laughing uneasily, not sure how to respond. Poor guy. Emily considered snapping some pictures to show Penelope in the morning. She wasn’t sure how much of this she’d remembered, and she really wanted to ensure no moment of this was lost on her.

The music then transitioned into a new song, and Emily couldn’t help but react.

“Oh, a song I know!” Tainted Love.

Jordan giggled and flipped her hair again. “You want to dance?”

Emily let out a breath. “I mean, I can’t really pass up on the one song I know can I?”

Still weary, she forced herself up and let Jordan lead her back in between the dancing bodies. She was too lost in the familiar music to see the sparkle in Jordan’s eyes. When the younger woman’s hand shyly drifted to her hip she didn’t even blink.

* * *

JJ stood on her tiptoes, searching for Emily in the crowd. They were playing one of her favourite songs, but there were too many people and it was so dark. She had no chance.

“You look like you could use some water.”

Damn. Well, here we go. JJ steeled herself with a smile and turned around.

“Will, hi.”

Lazy smile and stubble across his chin, he hadn’t changed at all. He was also wearing the same shirt she’d bought him for his birthday last year. She felt sick suddenly. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe hiding in Chris’s study really was the right course of action in this situation.

“You’re a hard woman to find,” he said; drawl still as strong as ever.

JJ used to joke about how she was the only one who could understand him. There was some alcohol on his breath, but who wasn’t that the case for tonight. He was probably one of the more sober people here. People had a tendency to judge Will by first impressions, but he was a good guy – which unfortunately for her, made it all the worse.

“Well it’s not like I’ve been hiding,” she laughed, taking the glass of water from him.

She was actually glad for the chance to hydrate. Penelope knew how to give them a workout alright. She sipped from the glass, also glad to have the short reprieve from talking. When she was getting close to finishing the whole thing in one go, she wracked her brain for something to say.

“What time is it?”

Will’s brow furrowed, but he rolled up the sleeve of the checkered shirt she’d bought 8 months ago, checking his watch. “11.35,” he told her.

“Oh, time really flies, huh?”

She felt so fake, but she couldn’t help it. How was she supposed to react faced with the man that she’d very seriously considered spending the rest of her life with before having a last second epiphany and breaking his heart. He hadn’t deserved it. But deep down she knew it wasn’t right. He wasn’t the one.

She looked up from her glass to see Will rubbing the back of his neck, the way he always did when he was about to say something he was nervous about. Oh god. She looked over his shoulder, searching for help from anyone.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t glad to run into you.”

But his voice was becoming a ringing in her ear as she felt panic set in. Suddenly she was back in New Orleans, and he had that unmistakable smile on his face and she was surrounded by his whole family who had the same expectant look.

Expectant. Because that’s what it was, expected. Nobody had expected her leaping out of her chair and making a break for it. Nobody had expected her to break sweet Will’s heart before he was about to propose. To ruin everything that was expected. She hadn’t even told Penelope about that, she’d been too ashamed, feeling like she’d let down a whole family instead of just one man.

She thought she was about to pass out when none other that JT came to her rescue. Rock Your Body rung out over the ringing in her ears and she snapped back to herself.

“Oh I love this song!” she exclaimed, taking to the dance floor.

She didn’t hear him chuckle, “I know,” before he followed her.

* * *

Emily felt like she was flying. The bass of whatever music was currently playing had her body vibrating, and paired with the two more drinks Spencer had given her, she was definitely buzzing.

“You know what, you’re not that bad a dancer,” she was slurring her words now, Derek catching her before she lost her footing.

“Wow okay, now we definitely know you’ve had too much to drink.”

Penelope was leaning against the wall beside them, giggling into her own drink. “Now we know. Emily is an affectionate drunk!” She wiped a fake tear away from her cheek. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Emily had a dopey smile, glassy eyes falling onto Penelope. “You’re really pretty.”

“Okay, scratch that, nowI couldn’t be happier.”

Emily just descended into a stream of muffled giggles, clawing at Derek’s shirt to stay upright.

“Okay, I think it’s hydration time,” he said, straightening himself up with her.

Emily pouted.

“I’d hold that thought,” Penelope said.

Derek frowned, but a moment later Kate was flicking the lights on. Everyone screamed like a hoard of vampires. Emily herself was near hissing.

“Sorry guys but had to get your attention!”

Kate was stood in the centre of the room with Chris by her side, both holding their drinks up high.

“Countdown time!”

There was a chorus of drunken cheers. Everyone’s attention turned to the flat screen on the wall, eyes rapt on the glittering ball in Times Square as it descended.

“10, 9, 8!”

The whole room counted down as one, anticipation clinging to the air. But Emily wasn’t counting with them. The lights and the impending New Year had snapped her out of her drunken haze, and she whipped her head around the room, only one thought occupying her mind. She didn’t even hear Jordan trying to get her attention.

“7, 6, 5!”

She’d thought about her resolutions and what she wanted the next year to hold, what she wanted to surround herself with. And there was only one word at the top of that list. A name. JJ.

She wanted to completely encompass herself in everything that was JJ: the way her eyes would sparkle when something intrigued her, and the warm smile she gave people to reassure them, her full belly laugh when Penelope did something outrageous, the way she petted Sergio so gently he’d start purring in an instant, the way she made eggs, her exhale after a run. She wanted JJ this year and every year after.

“4, 3!”

With her body still buzzing and liquid courage running through her veins, she pushed past the people in front of her, eyes searching. All she could think about was the way JJ had looked at her outside the bathroom. Maybe it was the alcohol talking but she could have sworn she’d wanted to kiss her too.

“JJ?” She called out.

“2,1!”

The room erupted into applause as the ball dropped and a New Year was rung out, Auld Lang Syne starting to play. Out of the corner of her eye Emily saw her friends celebrating: Kate kissing Chris with a huge smile on her face, Matt and Kristy a similar sight beside them, and Hotch and Haley, Spencer and Tara exchanging kisses on the cheek, and Derek and Luke simultaneously leaning in to kiss Penelope on each cheek.

Emily exhaled a breath as she finally spotted long blonde hair. With the lights up she could see her so clearly, including the golden skin on her back where her glittery gold top dipped down. Golden. Everything about JJ was golden.

“JJ!” she called out with a beaming smile.

But with the lights up she saw everything clearly – including the man JJ was kissing.

#Criminal Minds #jemily #Jennifer Jareau #emily prentiss #feelings 101 #fanfiction #mine

23 notes · View notes

jphbk1982 · 3 years

Text

Chapter 4 of my Index story “Starting Over” is done finally

“Therapy”

Indi absentmindedly flipped the page on the magazine in her hands. She was barely paying it any attention. Mostly she was just trying to keep her mind off being stuck in the waiting room to see the therapist. Yeah, Candice had persisted that she make the appointment and had insisted on her and Johnny bringing her.

Indi glanced sideways at the two sitting next to her laughing about something Johnny had found in a magazine. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at them. She cared deeply for them, but the situation was getting fairly ridiculous. Despite her persistence, that this was a waste of time they would have none of it.

Indi tossed the magazine back on the table in front of her and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She saw a new text message from Dexter and smiled. She had explained to him where she was going and he had responded simply with "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, you know how they are."

Indi placed the phone in her lap and glanced out the glass door. Within seconds the phone vibrated in her lap and she raised to see he had responded already.

"It is because of me."

Indi furrowed her brow. It was not very common for him to respond quickly to text messages. That was a quirk she had learned from him over the last few weeks. She often let her mind wander as to why and what he kept busy doing all day, she intended to ask him someday.

"No, it's just them, it won't be long, I will be in and out and then maybe... I can come to see you?"

Indi watched as the message was shown as read and right away typing began. She smiled, and suddenly felt like she might be blushing or something. She sat up a little straighter in the chair which garnered the attention of Candice next to her.

"What is it?" Candice asked? Indi placed her phone close to her chest and turned to her shaking her head.

"Oh.. nothing, just checking my Instagram," Indi fibbed.

"Is he replying to your posts again?" Candice asked.

"No... no... nothing," Indi answered. She saw Candice's expression soften as she turned to face her more.

"Indi..." Candice began. "You know I am just trying to look out for you right, we both are."

"Right," Indi shrugged.

"It's not that... I mean we want you to be happy, but I don't think this guy is anything but trouble," Candice stated with a somewhat pained expression on her face as it genuinely seemed to bother her to state that.

"No... I know... I don't agree with you, but I get it," Indi replied. She glanced down at the ground but could feel Candice's eyes still on her.

"This visit will do you good," Candice stated. "Just tell her everything okay, but be honest, don't sugarcoat it to make him look good okay?"

"I will tell her the truth," Indi shrugged again.

Candice reached over and patted Indi on the arm before turning her attention back to Johnny who was laughing at something else in his magazine. Indi watched them for a moment before looking at her phone again. She saw he had responded a couple of minutes ago.

"I want to see you."

Indi was grinning widely now so she made a point to turn to face out the door. He said so little, but if it didn't always somehow mean so much to her. She was about to reply when the door opened and the therapist stuck her head out of it and spoke her name.

Indi stood up and saw Johnny and Candice do the same, but Indi stuck her hand out.

"Please... I wanna do this alone okay?" Indi looked back and forth between them. After a few seconds, Johnny shrugged.

"Alright," Johnny said, he glanced at Candice who seemed to want to protest. He gave her a gentle nudge with his arm.

"Okay... okay... just remember what I said okay?" Candice relented as she sat back down with Johnny.

"Got it," Indi responded barely able to conceal the sigh of relief from them sitting back down. She turned to the therapist, she was different than the one Austin had come to. Younger and seemingly more friendly. The two exchanged smiles as Indi walked into the room.

"Take a seat on the couch if you don't mind," The therapist stated as she closed the door behind them. "My name is Dr. Lang."

Indi took her outstretched hand to shake it before sitting down and trying to get comfortable on the couch. It was slightly smaller than the last one, although a lot softer. After a few shifts and a cross of the legs later she got settled in.

"So, Ms. Hartwell," Dr. Lang began.

"You can call me Indi," Indi reacted with a shrug.

"Okay... Indi, how are we feeling today?" the doctor asked a she took a seat off the right side but still slightly in front of the view of the couch in a large chair.

"Feel great," Indi replied, her mind drifting to her text messages, and a smile formed.

"As I understand it... you have been having some relationship troubles?" Dr. Lang got straight to the point.

Indi looked up at her as she looked back at her with her eyes peering over the top of her glasses.

"Well... it's... I mean... that is... it's complicated," Indi replied throwing her hands up before resting them on her lap.

"I see..." Dr. Lang responded she leaned forward slightly in her chair. "Tell me about it, tell me about him, it is him correct?"

"Yeah," Indi was smiling again, just the thought of him. She glanced up to see the doctor raised one eyebrow at her.

"Go on," The doctor implored.

"I don't really know where to begin," Indi replied.

"From the beginning?" Dr. Lang suggested.

"Okay... well... I have known him a couple of years now," Indi began. "Well... that is not entirely true, I knew of him."

"Mhmm," The doctor crossed her arms and nodded her head for her to continue.

"We work together, and so I had seen him there many times, but never really that up close and personal... you see... he kind of keeps to himself," Indi explained.

"Introvert?" Dr. Lang suggested.

"Umm... that... you could maybe use that word to describe him," Indi settled in and got a little comfier. "He just kind of keeps to himself and doesn't really bother anyone, at least unless they bother him you know?"

"I think," The doctor responded. "Tell me more about him."

"Gosh, he is... first of all, he is very handsome," Indi smiled as she spoke. "He is very um... nicely built... and his face is very..."

Indi cleared her throat a little as her thoughts were getting away from her. She reigned herself in and continued.

"It is his eyes though... gosh... his eyes..." Indi stated. "You'd understand completely if you saw them."

"Blue?" The doctor inquired.

"How did you know?" Indi asked cocking her head slightly.

"It just seems to usually be the case," Dr. Lang shrugged slightly and gestured for Indi to continue. "How did this relationship start, you said you never interacted.

"Well... Johnny had a match with him," Indi pointed her thumb in the direction of the waiting room. "So of course we were all out there and at one point in the match... heh."

"What happened?" The doctor asked when Indi paused seemingly lost in her memory.

"I approached him to help Johnny and he turned to me," Indi suddenly wanted to glance around to see what the thermostat was set on. She shook her head slightly. "That was the moment, I was close to him, the closest I had ever been and he looked at me... and the way he looked at me?"

"How?" Dr. Lang asked sitting slightly forward in her chair.

"I don't know how to explain that," Indi widened her eyes slightly as she considered how she might go about it. "He looked at me like no one ever had... like... he was daring me to get closer, but not like... in a threatening way."

"In what way?" Dr. Lang pried.

"In a dangerous way..." Indi grinned despite her wording. "Again, not in a threatening way, but in a way that suggested if I came closer to him..."

Indi suddenly felt embarrassed and cleared her throat slightly as she shifted on the couch.

"Dangerous... you use that word to describe him?" Dr. Lang questioned.

"Yes... but he won't hurt me... it's like..." Indi paused. "Did you ever have a thing for the bad boy?"

"I... I... suppose I can relate," Dr. Lang replied, slightly caught off-guard by the question.

"Like that, but not in a superficial and silly way... something more," Indi continued.

"I see," Dr. Lang stated. "So what happened then?"

"I couldn't take my eyes of him that whole match from that moment on, the way he moved, the way he breathed, everything just seemed so captivating to me," Indi confessed finding talking about Dexter to be a fairly comfortable experience. "Johnny lost, and normally I hate that, but... I didn't care."

The last words Indi practically whispered.

"I see... so what happened after that?" Dr. Lang asked.

"He was distant again, I couldn't get close," Indi replied. "I wanted to... god... I WANTED to... but I was scared."

"Of him?" The doctor interjected.

"No... never," Indi quickly responded. "I was scared that maybe I misread everything."

"How did you know you hadn't?" Dr. Lang asked.

"We had a match... he was across the ring from me on another team," Indi explained. "I tried so hard the match to get in the ring with him."

"What were you going to do?" The doctor questioned, both eyebrows raised this time.

"Um... I'm not sure," Indi answered honestly. "I just wanted that moment of us close... I wanted to force it... I had to see."

"Did you?" Dr. Lang asked.

"I never could get in there with him until the end of the match and I saw my chance," Indi explained, now beaming with pride at the memory. "I um... faked that I had been knocked out behind him."

The doctor smirked.

"I was lying there, and I didn't know what he would do you know?" Indi continued.

The doctor nodded.

"Would he care?" Indi said. "Would I just look like a fool for nothing?"

"Did he care?" Dr. Lang asked.

"Uh-huh," Indi answered with a nod and smile. "He actually ended up carrying me to the back and to get "medical" attention."

"Oh," The doctor reacted.

"I didn't need it of course, but he stayed in the doorway until the doc checked me over," Indi played with her fingers as she remembered the moment fondly. "Once the doctor gave me the all-clear he disappeared."

"So what did you do?" The doctor asked.

"Nothing then," Indi answered. "I waited until the next week and I came out for his match... and I uh... I actually caused him to lose by being a distraction."

Indi cringed a little.

"BUT... after the match... gosh," Indi continued. "We came SO close to kissing... he was inches away and I could tell... oh my god could I tell..."

Indi's eyes widened for dramatic effect for the doctor.

"He wanted to as much as you huh?" The doctor suggested.

"Yes... and that was when I really knew..." Indi took a big breath. "Unfortunately after that things got complicated with misunderstandings and mistakes and ugh..."

"Oh... went bad huh, is that why you are here today?" The doctor asked. Indi was about to answer when there was a quiet knock on a back door to the room. The doctor stood up and walked over to it. "Excuse me a moment."

Indi watched the doctor walk over to the door and open it. She couldn't see who was on the other side and soon lost interest. She turned away and decided to use the moment to actually lie down on the couch as she had always seen in the movies. She laughed slightly at herself when she was sure she had reached the position she had always seen.

Indi used the time to retrieve her phone. She frowned slightly when she saw she had no more messages from him. She realized he was the last so send one and worked to quickly rectify that.

"I wish I were with you right now."

Indi heard the door close again and the doctor walking back to her chair. She started to sit up but decided she wanted to just keep the position. She heard the doc sit back down.

"You asked if it went bad," Indi continued where it left off. "I mean... it did but not really... things were never as bad as I thought."

Indi shifted slightly and crossed her hands over her stomach.

"In reality, he was right there the whole time but you see... my "family" kept trying to keep us apart... they are actually why I am here today," Indi clarified.

Indi focused on a spot on the ceiling as she thought. She waited for the doctor to urge her to continue but decided to do so on her own.

"They think he is bad for me, they are determined to keep me away from him, but they just don't understand..." Indi stated wistfully. "He isn't bad... not to me... far from it... GOSH... I have never had anyone make me feel so loved."

Indi heard some shuffling from the doctor and cocked her head slightly but could not see her from her current position. It hurt her neck to try to go farther so she returned to looking at the ceiling.

"They just don't understand him... they keep saying he is bad... he is evil... he is scary," Indi let out a small laugh at the words. "He isn't any of those things, they only see what they want to see in him... if they really saw him, they'd see his heart is pure."

Indi's face felt flush as she poured her heart out to a stranger about how she felt about Dexter Lumis. Not that she minded anyone knowing but this was different.

"I just... really like him you know... like... I mean..." Indi paused as she heard the doctor move in her seat again, the fabric of her clothes sliding against the leather. "I think it is way more than that, truly."

Indi took a deep breath.

"I just want him to know that I want the world to know that, but everyone keeps trying to get in the way," Indi stated.

Silence hung in the room as Indi considered her plight and the doctor remained unusually silent. Indi was about to sit up to face the doctor when she felt someone kneel next to the couch. She turned to lose herself in the familiar blue eyes she loved. She gasped a little.

"Dex?" Indi stated, unbelieving her vision. She reached out and touched his face, turning her body to face him. He nodded and leaned into the hand on his cheek. "What are you doing here?"

Dexter held up his phone and turned it to her to see her last message to him. She glanced past the phone to lock eyes with him. He made a face as if to ask if what he did was okay. She nodded.

"Is she okay?" Indi asked suddenly very curious what had happened to Doctor Lang.

Dexter nodded. Indi rubbed his face again.

"You are crazy you know that?" Indi laughed taking in his features.

He shrugged and raised his eyebrows.

She couldn't resist and moved in for the kiss. It was deepening and hands were just starting to roam when there was a sound on the other side of the back door. Dexter pulled up from Indi, leaving her breathing a little hard and frazzled.

Indi sat up as she watched Dex walk to the door. He glanced back at her one last time before he opened it and closed it behind. An impossibly short time later it opened again and Doctor Lang stepped back inside.

"I am so sorry about that, my son got sick at soccer practice and I need to go pick him up early, you understand?" The doctor stated apologetically.

"Of course," Indi stood up and straightened herself up. Thankfully the doctor seemed to barely notice the state of her.

"We can finish this session anytime you like, free of charge," Doctor Lang stated.

"No... that's okay, I think I got what I needed out of it," Indi replied with a smile.

"Good... good..." The doctor reacted. "Well if you will excuse me I must be going now."

"Of course," Indi replied as the doctor walked over and opened the door, and exited, as Indi made her way to the other door leading out to the lobby.

Indi gripped the doorknob and then gently placed her forehead on the door. She smiled as she thought of him. She was still smiling when she finally exited the room.

"There she is!" Johnny's voice was loud enough to nearly echo in the waiting room as he walked over to greet Indi. "Well judging by the smile I'd say it went well?"

"Oh..." Indi was suddenly jarred back to reality as Candice walked over to stand next to Johnny. "Yeah... yeah... it went better than I could have ever expected."

"See... what did I tell you?" Candice happily stated as walked over and embraced Indi with an arm around her.

"Yeah... you listen to us and you will be okay," Johnny grinned as he led the group to the door.

The evening sun was bright in the sky but Indi could clearly see the black car sitting in the back of the parking lot as they walked out to their own vehicle. She grinned and wished she could run over to it but knew that would start the process of being interrupted again way too soon for her liking. She instead glanced longingly at it and cursed the dark tint on the window before finally climbing up and into the backseat of the Gargano SUV and then quickly pulling out her phone.

"You are crazy and I love you for it."

Indi grinned reading her own words. She placed the phone next to her a moment to allow herself to buckle in. She barely snapped it into place when she heard the phone vibrate on the seat next to her. She quickly snatched it up.

"Just crazy for you."

Indi had to stifle the noise she almost involuntarily made as she stole one more glance over at his car before her own vehicle pulled away.

#indi hartwell #dexter lumis #InDex #wwe nxt #johnny gargano #candice lerae

7 notes · View notes

xmalereader · 4 years

Text

Mob! Mandalorian X Male Reader

|| Masterlist ||

Summary: Male Reader is the husband of the most powerful Mob leader located in the outer rim. ( Slight moderation )

Warnings: Fluff, husbands, semi-violence, protective Mando, baby yoda.

Art work belongs to artist

He was traveling to Sorgan, meeting up with some old friends and staying in a small village where one of his friends was staying. He earned this vacation, he��s been working his ass off everyday at the repair shop and he deserves to relax for awhile so he decided to close up his place for a couple of days and spend them in Sorgan.

A very lovely country side located far away from Nevarro where he could rest away his troubles. But of course his bad luck always caught up to him, he was helping some of the villagers with repairing their own homes when all of a sudden a group of three men were walking around. Searching for him, of course.

The smaller male could easily recorgnize the hint of blue and red helmets, as the small group made there way through the crowded village. The other could only groan under his breath as he climbs down the ladder and wipes his hands on his pants, turning around to approach the strangers.

“Paz.” He muttered out, glaring at the larger man.

“Y/n.” Paz says back with a small nod.

The mandalorians are considered to be one the most dangerous mobs. It was easy to tell who these people were since they were always wearing helmets to keep their faces hidden and wearing very expensive suits that could only make them look attractive.

“The boss wants to see you.”

His brows rose at the mention of their boss. “I’m sorry—I didn’t hear you, what?” He blinks a few times and crossed his arms.

Paz was one of the most important mandalorians to their boss, he was larger and stronger which was a good thing for them since they needed that strength for when it came to fights between different groups and he was considered as the second in command in case anything were to happen to their leader.

“He doesn’t have time for your games, he wants you to return.” Said Paz, his voice going stern as the other two mandalorians that stood by his sides stiffen.

Y/n could only glare at them, he knows not to mess with Paz but he’s known him long enough. Not feeling afraid around him anymore, “Well you and your little minions can go back to your ‘boss’—“ he air quotes. “And tell him that he can come pick me up himself, once my vacation ends!” He exclaims.

Under the helmet, Paz was giving him one of his most deadliest glares but of course y/n couldn’t tell but he could sense it. The tension between the two was deadly so Paz simply sighs and relaxes his shoulders. “Very well then.” He says and turns around, gesturing for the other two Mandalorians to follow him back to the car.

Y/n watches the group disappear into their car and ride off, allowing him to sigh in relief. “I am not letting him ruin my vacation.” He hissed out ans grabs a rag, heading back up the ladder and onto the roof top of one of the homes.

“Ah—,y/n?”

He looks Over the roof to see his friend standing at the bottom with a nervous look on her face.

“Yes, Lang?”

He crawls over to sit on the edge of the roof, looking down at her as she bites her lip.

“Y/n, those mandalorians—they—they knew who you were...” she twiddles with her thumbs. “You aren’t in trouble are you?” She finally asks getting his attention as y/n chuckles. “Don’t worry, I’m not in trouble or anything. Everything is fine just, trust me okay?” He reassures her with a wave of his hand.

“Okay, I’m trusting you with this but if you are in trouble—“

“I’m not.” He says again, ending the conversation as she nods silently and goes back inside the house to finish what she was doing.

Y/n huffs as he leans back and looks around the village, he just hopes that his ‘boss’ doesn’t come back by and ruin his vacation, along with scaring these poor villagers who he deeply carried about, they were like his second family and he wasn’t going to allow some Mob hurt them.

He had spent the rest of the day fixing up his friends roof, he was sweating and dirty. He was in desperate need of a shower and rest.

“You should sleep, the sun is already setting so stay in bed and I’ll pass by and leave you something to eat.” Said Lang as she dusts off his shirt and giggles. Y/n could only groan and rub his sore neck, “You sure you don’t my hell with anything else?”

“Y/n you came here to take a break, not to work.” Said Lang as she hands him some clean clothes. “Go wash up and sleep, you deserve it and then tomorrow we can head into town and buy some of your favorite sweets.” This gets his attention and hums. “Sounds good, we’ll then I’ll see you tomorrow.” He says his goodbyes and heads towards his own lodge.

He’s had his own little space for years since he’s traveled back and forth to Sorgan many times that the village had actually made him his own place to stay in so that he wouldn’t have to share with Lang anymore.

He didn’t mind sharing really, but the villagers thought it would be appropriate for Lang to have her own space since she was a lady but he wasn’t interested in her in that way. They’ve been childhood friends since he can remember, she was like a sister to him. He grew up without knowing his parents and was an orphan for awhile until the mandalorians took him in.

They took notice of him when one of their Mandalorian entered his repair shop, asking him if he knew anything about repairing weapons which he responded back with a small ‘yes’, only to get hismelf involved with a gang located further out into the outer rim.

Since he was taken in by them he didn’t really take their oath. Keeping their faces hidden in public and only being allowed to show themselves to their families and spouses, the mandalorians are the most intimidating people to ever come across, their helmets always giving off a harsh tension since no one could ever tell what they were thinking or what expression they were making.

The mandalorians had their own blacksmith, she was always standing tall next to their leader, giving off a scary vibe since everyone found her intimidating. She was the brains of the mob, always making them new specials weapons and gifting them with signets—unless they earned it.

But y/n wasn’t afraid of them, all of his life he grew up around fear that he’s gotten used to it. So when he went up against those three mandalorians he wasn’t afraid. Already being used to their threats and postures, he was used to it all.

As y/n enters his lodging he tosses the spare clothes on his bed and turns on a lamp by the nightstand, yawning tiredly as he moves around the small place. He makes his way towards the shower room and began to strip out of his clothes, leaving a trail of dirty and work out trousers behind as he stumbles inside the shower and turns on the cold water.

Letting out a deep sigh as he lets the cold water cool down his burning hot skin. He was standing out in the sun for too long, he must’ve gotten a tan from standing out there. He makes sure to clean hismelf properly, getting rid of all the dirt and sweat that had gathered around his body.

It’s takes him awhile to finish his shower. He had dried hismelf and changed in the shower room so when he came out his hair was still damp and the towel was wrapped around his neck as he uses the towel to dry up his hair.

His window was opened, allowing the cool air to breeze inside. He felt much more relaxed and comfortable now that he was cleaned and dressed into comfortable clothes, it took him awhile to notice the tray of food left on his desk, smiling in gradatiude at the small gesture that Lang has done.

He takes the tray and sits on his bed, taking out a book he flipping it open as he reads the book and ears at the same time. He allows the tiredness to take over him as he sets the empty tray aside and sets his book down on the nightstand before turning off the lights and falling asleep on his bed. He was comfortable and finally relaxed.

The next day he decides to sleep in a little longer since he has no work and would rather have a late start than an early one. He was gripping his bedsheets close to his body when he feels a slight dip in his mattress, causing him to open one eye and raise a brow in questioning as a current pair of big ears catch his attention.

It takes him a few seconds to process the situation.

The child was standing in front of him with a goofy smile on his face, his ears moving up in surprise as he reached out and pats one of his cheeks.

“Kid?” He moans out tiredly as the child responds back with a coo.

“What are you doing here?” He finally sits up, taking the child in his arms and setting him down on his lap. “How did you get here exactly? People are probably searching for you and are probably dead worried!” He says as the child ignores his words and snuggles his face into his stomach, cooing happily as his little hands grip his shirt.

Y/n sighs softly. He can’t be mad at the kid, he was innocent and had done nothing wrong he was still a kid and had attachment issues.

“I missed you too.” He finally whispers out and lies back down, allowing the child to lie down on top of his chest as he snuggles further into him.

Y/n was so distracted into the child’s actions that he didn’t hear a pair of shoes stepping inside his lodging.

“He really missed you.”

He gasps in surprise and is startled by the sudden voice. He sits up and faces to entrance where a currency Mandalorian stood, he was wearing his beskar helmet and a nice three piece thay actually showed off muscle.

“What are you doing here?”

“I should be the one asking that.” Mando approaches the two and stands in front of his bed with crossed arms, his body Langauge giving off a scary vibe but of course y/n wasn’t afraid. Instead of back down he sits up and groans, “Why didn’t you tell me that you were here? I had to search the whole grid to make sure that you weren’t dead—“

“For your information I left a note on your desk, saying that I was going to be gone all week, now did you get my note?” Y/n shot back as he stands up from his bed and holds the child close to his chest, hearing him coo in delight as he’s facing the two people he likes most.

The Mandalorian was silent for a few seconds, staring into y/n’s eyes before letting out a defeated sigh. “No.”

Y/n smacks him behind the beskar helmet, glaring. “So next time, don’t come yelling at me!” He hears the child giggle at the two and clings onto Y/n’s shirt.

“You just disappeared!”

“I left a note!” He hisses out.

“AHH!!” The child screams out , joining in the argument as he bursts out into fits of laughter. The couple stopped their complaining and looked down at the child to see him smiling at the two. Y/n sighs in defeat as he stares into the child’s big dark eyes. “Okay,” He whispers out. “No more fighting—next time ill tell you were I end up going, personally.” He tells the mandalorian.

Mando smiles under the helmet and nods. “Good.” He says.

Y/n smiles too and sets the kid down who was wiggling and desperate to be set down, he watches as the child heads outside. Spotting the playing children as he waddles away after them.

The two stand outside the lodge, y/n still in his sleeping clothes and with bed hair. “You should leave him here with me, ill by back tomorrow morning since you can’t seem to be away from me for too long.” He teases the mob leader as he watches the child play with the other children that lived around the village.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure, we’ve been taking care of him together for a couple of years now.” Said Y/n

Mando lets out a small chuckle and walks over to y/n, pressing his forehead against the other, the cool material of the helmet makes him sigh in relief. Taking in the kiss that his own people have created. “You better be home by tomorrow.” He hears the mandalorian say.

Y/n rolls his eyes and pulls away. “I already said that I would.” He shoves him in a teasing manner as the mandalorian shakes his head as his shoulders shook from the small laugh. “Also I better not see any of your guys roaming around the place or else I’ll kill them.” Y/n warns him.

“I’ll make sure not too.”

With that the mandalorian bids his farewell and heads towards his own ride, getting inside as he drives away from teh village. Y/n watches the car disappear into the distance, smiling softly and turns back to see the child standing next to him. Whining a little as he tugs on his pants. “Don’t worry little guy, will be seeing daddy tomorrow morning. So, for now you are spending the night with me.” He bends down to pick him up.

The child squeals happily at the news and nuzzles his cheeks.

His best friend slowly approaches him after a few minutes. “Wasn’t that their leader? Y/n, what did you do this time?” Asked Lang as she crossed her arms in disapproval. Y/n turns to face his friend and laughs. “I did nothing wrong, besides they wouldn’t hurt their leaders husband.”

“Oh.” It takes her five seconds to realize what he just said. “What—Husband?!”

#the mandalorain #din djarin x male reader #pedro pascal x male reader #pedro pascal #the mandalorian x male reader #din djarin #star wars tros #star wars x male reader

406 notes · View notes

365days365movies · 3 years

Text

May 9, 2021: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) (Recap: Part One)

Welcome to the future.

At this point, we’ve mostly looked at the past, present, or the near-future (as in, the next ten years, if that). Additionally, we’ve looked either at nonexistent technology in a contemporary setting, or an extension of existing technology taken to a logical next step. But no more. No more realism, no more real-world rules, and nothing that we’re even close to in this reality.

Well...mostly.

That’s genuinely impressive, not gonna lie. Anyway, yeah, from here forwards (for a bit), we’ll be looking at the future and futuristic technology. Now, there are a couple of ways in which these films tend to go. The first big way that we tend to represent the future in film is the same way we always have: flying cars, futuristic technology, smart houses, and robots.

Now, there are countless examples of this future, and it always changes a bit depending on the present. Which, yeah, makes sense. After all, what I’m doing right now, at this moment, would’ve been seen by many people as a massive technological achievement, even around the time that I was born. Which, yes, I’m old, deal with it (because I can’t). Anyway, the way that this begins is with the first major filmed view of a seemingly idyllic future: Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis.

The overly mechanized (and politically dystopic) society seen in this film, as well as the visuals and technology, would inform our ideas of the future throughout the next century. Multiple themes and common objects reoccur throughout futuristic fiction. You know the stuff I’m talking about. Flying cars, automatic food machines, robotic assistants, video watches, holograms, jetpacks, so on and so forth.

But here’s the thing about the future. It’s always ahead of us, and eventually...well, we’ve gotten to most of those things to some degree. Either they already exist...

youtube

...or is currently being developed.

Well, one of them we’re still working on. And the development of more advanced AI is something we have yet to perfect, or even fully develop. However, the development of A.I. (and the consequences of that technology) are ALL OVER science fiction. Sometimes, they’re merely used for flavor to help establish the futuristic setting.

Sometimes, they’re characters with their own agency and conflicts, which may or may not define the plot. In these cases, they’re often simply there to back up the main human characters, and help with their development, and sometimes their own. You know, manic pixie dream robots.

And then, possibly most often, they’re the abject villains of the piece. they can be mysterious alien technology, like in The Day the Earth Stood Still, or a man-made danger that turns on the race that created and/or abused it.

But then, on occasion, an A.I. is given the chance to develop as a character, without being used to define the development of a human character. Sometimes, the question of what life truly means is raised through these characters, and we become attached to them outside of any other character. This isn’t nearly as common as the others, but it’s definitely not unheard of.

And for the record...things don’t often go well for those AIs. But still, some of those characters have quite a lasting impact. So, there’s quite a lot of potential for this type of character, from a dramatic standpoint. And that potential leads us to the guy who made this.

I WILL MAKE A JURASSIC PARK REFERENCE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

Steven Spielberg gives us today’s entry, and this director of a classic science fiction story about science gone awry teamed up with the director of a science fiction film where an artificial intelligence went awry. You know, this thing.

I didn’t forget about HAL. And I won’t forget about him later, either.

Director Stanley Kubrick is pretty well-know for his mind-bending films, especially The Shining and 2001: A Space Odyssey. But he also worked with Spielberg on this film before his death in 1999, as this was one of his dream projects for many years, and the two directors were well-known friends.

And so, eventually, Spielberg was given the reins from Kubrick, and results were...mixed. It’s funny, because I’ve never actually seen this movie, but I remember it through its surprisingly widespread ad campaign. I used to go to NYC as a kid a lot, and there was a massive building-side plastered with the iconic logo of this movie. So, I’ve been hovering around this movie for a long time. Enough navel-gazing!

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap (Part One)

It is, unsurprisingly, the future. A marrator informs us that climate change has caused the ice caps to melt, and global flooding drowns several countries. You could say that it’s a...Waterworld.

I genuinely considered watching that movie at some point, and then I decided I liked myself to much to watch 2 hours of Kevin Costner’s emotionless acting. Granted, it’s not much better now, listening to the emotionless acting of...

Professor Allen Hobby (William Hurt) is a straight-up sociopath. OK, technically, he’s a robotics engineer, but dude’s making a speech, right? He talks about how far robots have come, dissing my boi Deep Blue in the process, and notes that pain-memory response can also be demonstrated by robots. He proves this by stabbing a woman in his audience, like RIGHT through the hand. Jesus, man! Why the hell would you do that?

Oh. Holy shit, I got fooled. Advanced technology indeed. But OK, so Sheila’s a robot, and a very advanced one...to us. But Hobby wants more, and proposes to his workers to make a robot that can really TRULY love. And through love may come a true subconscious, which means making a robot that can dream. And what better robot to make than a robot child? After all, all child conception requires a license in this futuristic world, so many childless couples are yearning for a child.

Which is why, twenty months later, the first robot child is offered to Henry and Monica Swinton (Sam Robards and Frances O’Connor), a couple...with a child. Um. Guys. You JUST SAID that there are legit childless couples who need a child, and those people would be best suited to love that robot child back (a VERY GOOD question raised by one of Hobby’s subordinates). So why give it to a couple whose son is still alive? Yeah, he’s got a rare disease that they don’t have a cure for yet, and is currently in cryostasis, BUT THEY HAVE A KID! Surely, that’s going to be a potential emotional conflict! And what if the kid wakes up or some shit? This is a TERRIBLE goddamn idea. Think this shit through, guys.

And yet...

This is David (Haley Joel Osment), Cybertronics’ first child robot, brought home by Henry to essentially replace their son. Which is AMAZINGLY FUCKING TONE-DEAF AND INSANE, GODDAMN. That’s extraordinarily messed up. And, for the record, I totally get what Spielberg’s going for, but Jesus Christ, man. This was a terrible way to go about this. And it gets fucking WORSE.

See, Henry (who actually works for Cybertronics) tells Monica that, once they sign the papers and complete the updates, David will imprint on them and see him as their true parents, loving them unconditionally. Which...yeah, fuck, that’s an entire DUMP TRUCK of ethics issues right there. And, while we’re at it, David is...creepy as shit. I mean it, dude, Haley Joel Osment is a VERY good child actor, but he’s laying on the creepy robot child thing THICK. And yeah, this is BEFORE he imprints on them. Jesus fuck, man, there’s a scene where the still uncomfortable Monica is outside of a glass door, and he looks back at her THROUGH THE DOOR like a goddamn SERIAL KILLER.

And I gotta tell ya, dude does not lay off that creepy-ass dial one iota. And for that matter, the music by John Williams ISN’T FUCKING HELPING. LISTEN to this shit, and imagine a robot child that you don’t know wandering around your house. It’s amazingly fucking creepy.

AND IT JUST. KEEPS. GETTING. WORSE. There’s a scene where they’re all at dinner, right, and David’s just staring at them as they eat, mimicking their actions. After all, he’s a robot, he can’t actually eat or drink anything because of his internal working. And then, out of FUCKING NOWHERE, he starts laughing like the FUCKING JOKER, and it scares the EVER-LOVING SHIT OUT OF ME. And somehow, they laugh alongside him, in the never-ending Stockholm syndrome that is this movie! And as soon as its over, he just STOPS laughing, spontaneously. Fuck me, man, I’m tempted to stop watching here and now, and I’m only TWENTY MINUTES IN! I need a fucking break.

And after that...OF COURSE she decides to activate his imprinting protocols to make him, let me remind you, LOVE HIM FOREVER! She reads out a series of words, and after “FREIGHT CAR”, he knows his mission is to kill the Prime Minister of Sokovia. But first, he’ll settle down and love Monica unconditionally (again, FOREVER), calling her Mommy and making me shit my pants in fear. IT WASN’T ME, IT WAS FUCKING DAVID

Oh, and by the way, isn’t it kinda shitty to do that without Henry being involved AT ALL? Like, cool, he has unconditional maternal love, but Henry wasn’t a part of that conditioning at all! And he still refers to him as “Henry” instead of Dad! However, Henry definitely doesn’t care about that, because he still sees David as only a robot. Hey, guys, maybe using these two as your first experiment with a robot child WAS A TERRIBLE FUCKING IDEA, YOU IDIOTS! No wonder William Hurt was cast as Thunderbolt Ross in the MCU. Already shown he can play a character with shitty ideas before.

Anyway, after this terrible series of events, David prevents the parents from leaving one night due to his childlike antics. When Monica goes to comfort him, he asks how long she’ll live, and tells her that he hope she never dies, a COMPLETELY NORMAL THING TO SAY. Look, I get that he’s a robot, but only a goddamn emotionless sociopath would program emotional responses like this into a robot. Which, given what we’ve seen of Hobby, makes sense.

In response, she gives him Teddy (Jack Angel), a technologically advanced teddy bear with sentience, a personality, and the voice of Astrotrain from The Transformers TV series. Because, yes, I am THAT MUCH of a goddamn nerd.

Soon after, the house gets a phone call, which David receives...literally. He takes the phone and allows it to speak through him. It turns out that, shock beyond shocks, THEIR SON IS CURED! Yeah, fuck. Maybe giving David to a family with a STILL LIVING SON is a fucking ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE IDEA, for about a thousand reasons.

And, fucking understandably, Martin Swinton (Jake Thomas) is a little upset to find out that he’s essentially been replaced by a robot kid. Although, to be fair, he’s also kind of a dick to David, holding his humanity over him and treating him as a toy that he attempts to manipulate and bully. My Lord, this is a massively stupid idea. And Martin immediately shows his dickishness by asking his mother to read Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio to them. Which is meant to be a punishment for Pinocchio. However, of course, David loves it.

Still, however, there’s trouble in paradise for David, as he tries to compete with Martin for being a real boy, and eats spinach at dinner one evening. Despite Teddy’s mildly ominous warning to him (”YOU WILL BREAK”), he keeps eating until he basically has a stroke and breaks, forcing him to be repaired by some of Cybertronics’ technicians. Monica has a bit of a break down as a result, which Martin notices. This causes Martin to go pure supervillain, manipulating David to do creepy things in order to insert doubt into Monica about David. Jesus, Martin’s a creepy kid, too. No wonder Monica grew to be cool with David, her actual son is a FUCKING SOCIOPATHIC MONSTER! Are there ANY truly normal people in this world? IS THIS WHAT THE FUTURE IS?

Martin convinces David to cut a lock of Monica’s hair while she’s sleeping. And lemme tell ya, a little boy holding scissors over someone while they sleep is not exactly comforting. Henry agrees, and after stopping him, believes that they need to return him. Monica disagrees, knowing that they’ll destroy him if brought back. But David, ever the semi-sociopath himself, ignores any signs of humanity in David and dismisses Monica's feelings for him entirely. He also says this thing about “IF HE CAN BE PROGRAMMED TO LOVE, CAN NOT HE BE PROGRAMM-ED TO HATE?”, which...no. No, he cannot. He didn’t learn to love, he was programmed to. And, again, that’s ethically FUCKED, but taking that into account...no. HE WASN’T PROGRAMMED TO HATE, HENRY. Goddamn, buddy, use your head here.

It’s Martin’s birthday, and his friends at the pool party expose David to the fun world of anti-robot (or Mecha) racism, and test to see if he has Damage Avoidance Systems by threatening him with a knife. And he does. Buuut, when those systems kick in, he goes to the nearest point of safety to keep himself safe. That point is, unfortunately, Martin, whom he gets behind...and accidentally drags into the pool.

Thing is, because of Martin’s recent illness, he can’t exactly swim, meaning that David almost drowns him. When Henry and other partygoers go to save him, they abandon David in the pool completely. And now, David’s fucked. Because although this situation isn’t even a little bit his fault, he also just nearly killed Martin. And so, after seeing notes that he’s been writing to her, Monica offers to take for a “ride in the country”. Which definitely means something good. In reality, she’s planning on taking him back to Cybertronics. But once in the car, there’s a change in plans. And hear me out...it’s arguably far more horrifying.

She decides to abandon him in the woods completely, despite how hard it is for her to leave him. She’s sparing him from death, sure, but also throwing him into a world he doesn’t understand, and for reasons that he doesn’t understand. It’s genuinely terrible. And then...yeah, she leaves him forever, to an uncertain future.

End Act One.

I think this is a good place to stop. It’s early, and I need more coffee to handle this shit. See you in Part Two. Of Three. Yup. It’s a long one.

#a.i. artificial intelligence #ai artificial intelligence #steven spielberg #stanley kubrick #haley joel osment #jude law #frances o'connor #brendan gleeson #william hurt #science fiction may #sci-fi may #user365 #365 movie challenge #365 movies 365 days #365 Days 365 Movies #365 movies a year #movieedit #filmedit

8 notes · View notes

rainiedeforest · 4 years

Note

If you're still doing wangxian requests, I had this idea the other day. What if Jiang Yanli wasn't betrothed to Jin Zixuan, but to Lan Wangji? Wei Wuxian would do AnyThing for his sister, but what does he do when he discovers he's falling in love with her fiance?

Hi! Yes, I’m taking requests and my inbox is open :3 You know? I have been suffering a lot with this ask because it’s so sad, because we all know that he will do, as you said, anything for his sister, her happiness is more important than his. So I cannot think in anything but pain. Because even if he has the chance to be happy with his beloved, he will decline it. So, I really hope you like it and that it was what you have had in mind, and if not, feel free to tell me :3

“What do you think?” Jiang Cheng asked him when his eyes fell on the two figures who were taking a walk through the garden at that moment.

“About?”

Jiang Cheng looked at Wei Wuxian with a frown, as if he really believed it was a joke.

“About them. Do you think it will be a harmonious marriage?”

Wei Wuxian took his time to reply. His eyes were fixed on the couple, who seemed to be conversing amiably on some very interesting topic. Jiang Yanli laughed at something before placing her hand on the man's forearm and Wei Wuxian felt his heart twist in pain at the scene. Not for his sister; He loved her, he wanted her to be happy, there was nothing he wanted more, but the man with whom she would have to be happy... He was the same man for whom he felt something completely forbidden.

Lan Wangji.

Why him of all the possible candidates? Why not Jin Zixuan, who had shown a certain attraction to her even though he cried out loud that he was not? Why not Nie Mingjue, who was always kind and even chivalrous every time they exchanged a word?

But not. Every night, unfortunately, he was able to reminisce about that night he had met him. It hadn’t been the best of encounters, he knew it himself: they were almost killed by each other in the sword duel that had arisen unplanned, and it had become clear to Wei Wuxian that Lan Wangji didn’t find his presence acceptable. It didn't take a genius to see it, even if he took it as a joke.

Because everything was always much easier if he masked it between smiles and good humor. Thus the others didn’t influence much and didn’t get to the bottom of everything.

But, after that, they had formed a kind of special relationship, or so Wei Wuxian believed. It was something like friendship but doesn’t feel like friendship. Does that even have any sense? He can say that Lan Wangji tolerated him more than something else. He kept giving him those serious, cold looks that seemed to ask if he was being serious, but there was no longer that killer instinct every time he said his birth name.

It was a miracle.

Although, now he was beginning to understand why it was like that.

He knew that his Shijie was betrothed to one of the sons of the Lan clan leader and he, in his innocence, always believed that she would be with the eldest. Lan Xichen was the epithet for a gentleman; He was kind, intelligent, attractive, skilled in the sword, in drawing, with a love for music, with a high level of cultivation and had a charm that allowed him to dazzle anyone.

That's why when he heard her talk about Lan Wangji at dinner, Wei Wuxian looked at her excitedly, thinking everything else but that.

“Have you met him? Lan Zhan is amazing, isn’t he?” He asked because, despite everything, he admired him more than he wanted to admit. Lan Wangji was his equal, the only one who could stop him, that could let him be.

Jiang Cheng looked at him in surprise, as his Shijie did, and her words were far kinder than those of the future heir to the Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

“Yes, A-Xian. My fiancé is a bit quiet, but he's nice and kind in his own way,” she replied softly before looking down at the bowl of soup they were having for dinner.

“Your... your fiancé?” he asked as if someone had grabbed him by the neck and they were squeezing hard.

“Of course his fiancé! Who else?” Jiang Cheng rudely replied, rolling his eyes.

Whenever they had spoken of Jiang Yanli's fiancé, it had been in terms that could easily fit with Lan Xichen. In fact, they were known as the Jade Twins. That mistake on his part was allowed, right?

“A-Cheng,” his sister soothed, smiling at Wei Wuxian sweetly, as she always did. “Lan Wangji is the man I'm going to marry A-Xian. You didn’t know it?”

Of course not.

He was just the son of a servant. He wasn’t a real member of the family although his shijie and Jiang Cheng tried hard to make him believe.

“Uh... Yes... Of course I do. I just thought…” His shijie’s worried look was enough to make him shake his head and smile. “Never mind, Shijie. Has he been nice to you?” Jiang Yanli nodded smiling and Wei Wuxian felt a pang in his heart that he perfectly masked with another smile. “That's the only thing that matters. And if he doesn’t make you happy, I myself will kill him with my own hands.”

After that, it wasn’t uncommon for him to cry night after night, trying to stifle his sobs against his pillow because, without him considering it, he had fallen in love with him.

He had fallen in love with Lan Wangji, with Lan Zhan. He had fallen in love with someone already engaged. He had fallen in love with the fiancé of his beloved Shijie. He had fallen in love with someone forbidden.

He was living in a nightmare and so it was going to continue.

Because he would hide his feelings as best he could and would be watching them from afar, cheering on his Shijie because, for the first time in many years, she seemed genuinely happy.

That's why, with that question from Jiang Cheng, he turned and smiled at him.

“Of course. They will be the most harmonious couple that has ever existed on the face of the earth,” he answered before laughing. “Too bad I can't say the same for you and your fiancée.”

“What fiancee?”

“Exactly.”

“WEI WUXIAN!” He yelled before chasing after him, not realizing the furtive look Lan Wangji had given him.

A few nights later, just the day before Lan Wangji left Lotus Pier to go home to prepare for the long-awaited wedding, Wei Wuxian went to town with the clear intention of getting drunk. Too drunk.

He bought all the pots of alcohol he could and put them in his room, hiding them under the bed like someone hiding a treasure.

And when the night arised and thought that everybody was sleeping, he was enjoying them in her own way when she heard the noise of knuckles against her bedroom door. He got up, staggering like a newborn deer, and opened the door.

”Lan Zhan!” he said, leaning against the door with a goofy grin on his face that didn't reach his eyes at all.

“Wei Ying...”

Lang Wangji's eyes took in Wei Wuxian's appearance and concern seized him. His hair was disheveled and only a few strands remained in the high ponytail that he seemed to find so flattering, his clothes were rumpled and misplaced and his eyes were red from the tears that were wetting his cheeks.

Wei Wuxian lifted the pot with some alcohol remaining and looked at him smilingly.

“Are you alrigh-?”

“What are you doing here, Lan Zhan?” he asked, cutting him off because he didn't want to hear his voice too much. Not because he didn't want to, because he adored it, but because he couldn't. Because just hearing his voice was like a dagger in his heart. Because he won’t have him ever. “You should be sleeping. It's already past nine.”

Lan Wangji closed his mouth and stepped inside with that security and grace that describes him perfectly, closing the door behind him. He grabbed Wei Wuxian by the arm and led him to the bed, where he sat him down.

“Wei Ying, we need to talk.”

Wei Wuxian laughed sardonically.

“About what? That you are the fiancé of my beloved shijie and you didn't tell me anything?” The question came out as if it were a poisoned dart before he raised the jar to his lips. But as soon as it touched his lips, he pushed it away with a pout. “Why is the wine always gone?”

“Wei Ying, stop drinking.”

“No. Drinking is the only thing that keeps me from going crazy,” he replied, bending down to pick up another pot, but he got dizzy before his knees touched his chest. “I think I'm going to throw out.”

It was like he didn't need to be told twice. Lan Wangji hurriedly held out one of the empty jars so that he could throw out if he needed it, but instead met the watery, crystallized gaze of Wei Wuxian.

"Wei Ying, are you okay?"

"Why are you so good to me? I am just the adopted son of the Jiang family, a nobody, the son of a servant. And still... You have always cared about me even if you look at me with hatred-”

“I don’t hate you.”

"Yes, you do. Because I annoy you. But it's normal you know? Who would want to be by my side when you can have someone as amazing as my shijie? Because she's amazing, you know? She is the best woman on the world.”

“I know,” Lan Wangji muttered. “But I want you by my side.”

Wei Wuxian laughed so bitterly that tears spilled out of his eyes again.

“Don’t lie, Lan Zhan. Today you are very transgressive with your own rules, right?” He said trying to find something funny to hold onto to laugh, but all he did was make a sigh escape his lips. “It doesn't matter what we want. It doesn’t matter...”

“No, Wei Ying-”

“It doesn't matter, Lan Zhan” He shook his head and looked down. “You are going to marry Shijie and you are going to be very happy. I know... I've seen how she looks at you.”

Lan Wangji said nothing but remained silent. Wei Wuxian took the silence as an affirmation that his feelings were going in the same direction.

“And I… I'll be at the side, cheering and supporting you whenever you need it.” A sad and bitter smile spread across his face. “Always in the shadows.”

“Wei Ying, I…” He cleared his throat and looked at him, lifting him by the chin to meet his eyes. “What do you feel for me?”

Wei Ying cupped his cheeks and shrugged.

“It doesn't matter how or what I feel, Lan Zhan. It is my shijie's feelings that are at stake and I will never, ever, put my own happiness above hers,” he replied seriously as if the entire state of alcohol intoxication had been a facade. He got up from the bed and pulled Lan Wangji toward the door. “You'd better go. I don't want the disciples on duty to catch you leaving my bedroom,” he opened the door and pushed him out, feeling a treacherous tear run down his face before closing. “Be happy, A-Zhan.”

I have the song Satisfied of Hamilton in my head all time when I wrote this and, maybe, I will continue this so they have a happy ending... But, it’s all at your choice :3

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #the untamed #wangxian #wei wuxian #wei ying #lan wangji #lan zhan #jiang cheng #jiang yanli #my writing #ask #drunkenkurage #to be continue?#I'm dying #really this was really hard to write #Satisfied vibes?

49 notes · View notes

littlemaatta · 4 years

Text

Thief - Scott Lang x Reader

@ijustfellupthefrickinstairs requested “a smol reader x Scott Lang, and she always steals the avengers clothes but they all know she has a crush on Scott so when she does it to him they’re all”oooo” and Scott gets flustered so she keeps doing it and fluff? Maybe prompt 44?”

warnings: none

reader is described as: short, not mentioned much except at the end. I don’t think I used any skin or hair describers. please let me know if I did so I can fix it :)

a/n: if you follow me you know that it has been a hot second since I’ve written anything for Marvel (or anything at all for that matter), so sorry if it’s not my best work, but I think I’m pretty happy with how it turned out, just some sweet avengers fam & scott fluff :)

44. “Is that my shirt?”

Around the Avengers compound you are well known for being a thief. There is at least one piece of clothing from every Avenger in your closet.

The occasional groan and calling of your name could be heard whenever someone noticed an important piece of clothing was missing from their wardrobe. You would return the item reluctantly, and your friends always knew that something else would most likely go missing the next day.

You’re up before everyone else one particular morning, heading out to the kitchen to get yourself a cup of coffee wearing an oversized shirt with a pair of leggings and some socks.

You curl up on one of the couches, scrolling through your phone as you sip your coffee. Natasha is the first one to join you, she enters the room with her own mug and sends you a smile as she sits on the other couch.

Steve follows shortly after, though he enters from the direction of the gym instead of from the living quarters. “Good morning.” he says as he walks behind the couch on his way to the kitchen.

“Morning,” you and Natasha respond, looking up from what you are doing to smile at him.

More of your teammates that are currently staying at the compound continue to file in, making themselves coffee and breakfast and greeting you as they walk past.

Scott is one of the last ones to wake up, as he enters the kitchen you are washing off your coffee cup and about to head to your room to get changed for training with Nat.

Scott greets you as he enters the kitchen and when you turn to smile at him he gets a smile of his own. But the smile fades as he narrows his eyes at your outfit. The shirt hanging loosely on your frame looks familiar to him and he tilts his head to the side as he opens his mouth to ask, “Is that my shirt?”

You glance down at the navy blue t-shirt and smile, “Yes.”

Sam, who had been standing nearby overhears this part of your conversation and lets out a teasing “Oooooo,” - knowing, as most of the team do, that you have a crush on Scott.

The others in the living room hear Sam’s call and turn with raised brows, silently asking to be filled in on the situation, to which Sam happily obliges.

“Y/N is wearing Scott’s shirt.” Sam says with a smirk.

Some of your friends chuckle while others, like Natasha, join Sam in his quest to embarrass both of you.

You just shake your head and laugh, trying to hide your embarrassment, but when you glance at Scott, his face is red and he’s looking down.

“Scott?” you question after your friends turn back to what they were doing.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Hi.” he stumbles over his words and you laugh.

“You okay? Do you need the shirt back?”

“Huh? Uh, no, no. It’s.. fine. I.. uh. Yeah.” he stutters out a sentence again while you fight a smile.

“Okay then, see ya.” you smile as you turn around and leave the room.

“Uh huh.” he mumbles as he watches you leave the room.

The next day, after a tough training session with Steve, you head to your room and take a shower, throwing on a big maroon hoodie afterwards.

A knock sounds on your door and you walk over to answer it, still drying your hair with a towel as you do.

You swing the door open to find Scott standing in the hall.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Hey, I’m just returning this book that Cassie borrowed from you. She says thank you.”

“Oh great! Did she like it?” you say as you take the book from him.

“Yeah she did,” he answers with a soft smile on his face as he watches you take the book over to your shelf and slide it back into place.

“You’ll have to bring her by again so she can pick out another one, I love talking books with her.”

“She loves it too.” he responds with a laugh, “She’s always asking when she can come see you.”

You laugh, “Tell her she’s welcome any time.”

Scott nods in response, still smiling.

“Oh, hey I actually have something for you too.” you suddenly say, moving to your dresser to pull something out.

Scott furrows his brows as he steps further into your room, watching you rifle through the drawer.

“Here!” you say as you pull something out and turn to face him.

You approach him with a folded up shirt in your hands and the realization appears on his face as he recognizes the shirt you had been wearing the day before.

“Ah, my shirt.” he says with a smile as he takes it from your outstretched hands.

“Yeah, I washed it yesterday, figured I should get it back to you.” you say with a shrug.

“Thank you.” he chuckles.

“I’m sorry about Sam and the others, they only did that cause..” you stop yourself mid-sentence, cursing yourself silently for starting a sentence you don’t want to finish.

Scott looks at you questioningly, obviously curious and wanting you to finish what you were saying.

After another few curses at yourself in your head, you sigh. “You know I steal everyone’s clothes, right?”

Scott nods and you continue, “Well, I haven’t ever taken yours before because... well because I like you and I didn’t want to.. make things awkward? I guess. But when we started getting closer I thought it would be okay cause we’re friends now, so I just took the shirt and then you got weird when I was wearing it so.. I’m sorry, if you don’t want me taking any more of your stuff I totally understand.”

Scott blinks a few times, eyes wide as he stares at you. “You like me?” he finally stutters out.

“Yeah..” you mumble softly, looking down at your feet.

“I.. Do you know why I got so weird yesterday? Because I loved that you were wearing my shirt. And then you were laughing and everyone else was laughing, I just figured it was like.. a joke? Like I was a joke because I like you and I thought you wouldn’t feel the same..”

You look up at him immediately as he confesses how he feels, “Scott, you’re not a joke. And neither is this, I really do like you, a lot.”

A wide smile appears on his face as he looks at you, you smile back and wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. He reciprocates the hug, resting his chin on top of your head.

His hands move over your back and he furrows his brows as he feels the sweatshirt you’re wearing.

He pulls back to look at you, “Is that my sweatshirt?”

You let out a small laugh and nod.

Scott laughs too before pulling you close once more.

#scott lang #scott lang x reader #ant man #avengers imagine #marvel imagine #scott lang imagine

115 notes · View notes

spacesuitsforemergency · 4 years

Text

The Rise Of Iron Maiden

Chapter 5: The Return of Iron Maiden

Word Count: 2.9k

Originally Requested by: @amateurwriterbigdreamer

Previous Chapter: Failure to Launch

Next Chapter: Whatever it Takes

A/N: hope y’all don’t mind it from Tye’s POV, it just adds to the story and develops his character. Y/N gets her character arc going too towards the end.

5 YEARS LATER

•

Tye sighed in boredom as he wandered around the halls of the Avengers Compound, his home for 8 years now. He was 21 now, legally an adult. He could’ve gotten his own place 3 years ago, but he felt he would truly be alone if he did that. You lived with your parents and younger sister in the countryside, your dad wanting to isolate you from the hero life. This meant Tye hadn’t seen you for almost two years now, his only friend left was taken from him. He knew Tony didn’t mean any harm, he just wanted his daughter safe, but it still confused him.

Tye was always confused these days. He lived with Natasha Romanoff at the Compound, the only one left that was willing to stay with him. Clint had disappeared off the face of the planet, despite not being taken in the Snap. Tye was lost without his own best friend, Jaime Reyes. Jaime and him stuck together no matter what, and Tye never knew what to do without him. He was confused, on why the world seemed to take everything away from him. His mother, his father, his grandpa, his best friends, his team, his mentors...

“...Will you find out where he's going next?” Natasha asks holographic Rhodey. Tye realized he walked into the meeting room, where Natasha was having her weekly check in with the other teams.

“Nat...” Rhodey trailed off.

“Please.” She took a shaky breath.

“...okay...” Rhodey nodded, saw Tye, then cut off his side of the connection.

Nat started to cry miserably, and Tye didn’t know whether to make his presence known or just leave. He decided on the latter, turning to walk out silently.

“Tye?”

Tye winced, feeling like he was intruding. He turned slowly, a pang of sadness stinging through him when he saw the sorrow in Natasha’s eyes.

“Nat, Uh...Sorry, I didn’t mean to just barge in-“

“It’s okay.” She chuckled, wiping her eyes. “You want some dinner?”

“Uh...no, I’m good.” Tye shook his head, seeing the half eaten PB&J on her desk. “See you’re eating healthy.”

“Oh, what’s the point of keeping up a proper diet anyways?” She laughed, despite the few tears rolling down her face.

“Good point.” He cracked a grin, which she rarely saw the young man do. “So...anything bad happening anywhere?”

“No. Everything seems under control.” Nat shook her head. “Why? You worried about something?”

“It’s nothing, mom.” Tye shook his head. When he didn’t get any response, he looked up from staring at the floor, seeing Natasha staring in surprise at him. “What?”

“You called me mom.” She said, the shock evident in her voice.

“I did? Oh...uh...sorry, I didn’t mean to it just kinda-“ he started to awkwardly walk away.

“No no no!” She stood up, clearing her throat and a smile spreading across her face. “It Uh...you think of me as a mom?”

“I mean...yeah.” Tye mumbled, embarrassed. He wasn’t used to letting his emotions or thoughts be exposed like this. “You practically raised me ever since I got...stuck here. I’ve always looked up to you.”

“That...really?” She smiled wider, tears running down her face again.

“Oh don’t cry! This is sappy enough as it is!” Tye grumbled as Natasha laughed at his reaction. She rounded the desk and pulled him into a hug, Tye stiffening at first. He eventually grew comfortable enough to hug her back, feeling safe in her arms. It reminded him of his mother’s hugs, but somehow Natasha’s were more...genuine. Loving. It was nice. Something Tye wasn’t used to.

“I’ll tell you a secret, kid.” She ruffled his hair as she pulled back. “I’ve always wanted a son, and I am so happy you’re the one.”

“Okay, that’s enough love and affection for one night, Nat.” Tye shuddered, making her laugh again.

“Don’t you mean mom?” She teased.

The mother and son (sort of) whipped around when a hologram popped up, seeing footage of what looked to be a security camera.

“Oh! Hi. Hi! Is anyone home? This is Scott Lang. We met a few years ago, at the airport? In Germany? I got really big, and I had my mask on. You wouldn't recognize me.” Scott Lang, AKA Ant Man waved at the camera.

“Is this an old message?” Tye asked.

“It’s the front gate.” Nat stared in disbelief.

“Ant Man? Ant Man, I know you know that. I need to talk to you guys.” Scott shouted.

Nat typed a few things into a control panel, and the door opened. Scott looked between the camera and the door for a moment before finally letting himself in. Scott found his way to where they were standing, in complete shock. Scott Lang was supposed to be dust right now, along with half the universe.

“Scott? Are you okay?” Tye asked the man, now nervously pacing.

“Yeah. Fine. So you do know me? Or are you just going with the name I gave you?” Scott asked.

“No uh, my friends broke into your house a few years ago. Before the Snap, remember a guy in a spider suit and another in a beetle suit?”

“Right! The Bug Squad!” Scott smiled excitedly. “That was so cool.”

“Scott, focus.”

“Right. Have you guys studied Quantum Physics?”

“Only to make conversation.” Nat said, though neither guy could tell if she was joking.

“Sorry, no.” Tye pursed his lips.

“Alright. So... five years ago, right before Thanos, I was in a place called the Quantum Realm. The Quantum Realm is like its own microscopic universe. To get in there, you have to be incredibly small. Hope, she's my...She was my...She was supposed to pull me out. And then Thanos happened, and I got stuck in there.” Scott explained.

“I’m sorry, that must’ve been a long five years.” Nat said.

“Yeah, but that's just it. It wasn't. For me, it was five hours.” Scott shook his head rapidly. Tye looked at his mom, bewildered.

“See, the rules of the Quantum Realm aren't like they are up here. Everything is unpredictable. Is that anybody's sandwich? I'm starving.” Scott asked, already shoving half of it into his mouth.

“Scott, what are you talking about?” Tye asked, crossing his arms.

“What I'm saying is, time works differently in the Quantum Realm. The only problem is right now, we don't have a way to navigate it. But what if we did? I can't stop thinking about it. What if, we could somehow control the chaos, and we could navigate it? What if there was a way to enter the Quantum Realm at a certain point in time but then exit at another point in time? Like... Like before Thanos.” Scott slowly explained, motioning wildly with his hands.

“Wait, are you talking about a time machine? Like from Back to the Future?” Tye raised his eyebrows.

“No. No, of course not. No, not a time machine. It's more like a... Yeah, a time machine. I know it's crazy. But I can't stop thinking about it. There's gotta be some way...There's gotta be...some w... it's crazy.” Scott rambled.

“Scott, I get e-mails from a raccoon, so nothing sounds crazy anymore.” Natasha scoffed.

“So who do we need to talk to about this?” Scott asked them. Nat and Tye exchanged glances again, both knowing the answer.

•

You tapped your fingers impatiently on your windowsill, looking out the window of your bedroom.

You had received a text from Tye Longshadow for the first time in months, and they were coming to your house. You were sworn to secrecy, so that your dad couldn’t prepare for the attack. You were anxious, wanting to see them so bad.

Your dad had isolated you from anything that had to do with being Iron Maiden. That included a lot of people in your life. You were mad at your dad, for taking you away from what little you had left. You missed Tye, you missed Natasha and Steve, and Rhodey and Dr. Banner. Thor and Clint, even though they weren’t really around anymore. Even Nebula and the rude raccoon. You were forbidden from putting on the Iron Maiden suit, and you didn’t know why you listened to him. You were an adult, you could make your own decisions. Plus, you’d never listened to him before. Maybe you listened this time because the guilt of not listening before the Snap dragged you down. But it also dragged you down as a person. You weren’t as happy or sarcastic anymore, you’d lost the classic Stark Charm™️.

You looked at the photos on your window sill, smiling sadly as you reminisced about what felt like your past life. One photo was you and your team after your first official Avengers permitted mission, all beat up and tired, sitting at a pizza booth. The other was of you and Peter in middle school, holding the first prize ribbon of the science fair. The last was of you and Eduardo, the love of your life. Peter had snuck a picture of you two sitting across from each other at a diner, smiling and looking into each other’s eyes. Your fingers were intertwined in the picture, and all you wanted to do was feel his hand in yours again. To hear his voice in person, not just from old videos. To smell the scent of his fancy cologne. To look into his beautiful, big brown eyes. To feel his lips on yours...

You look up when you see a black Audi pull into your driveway, and you bolt downstairs. Your mother was thankfully working in her office, so you didn’t get scolded for running in the house. You ran down the gravel pathway, passed your dad and little sister, running to your last friend standing. He let you hug him, and to your surprise he hugged you back.

“Good to see you.” You say as you pull away from Tye.

“Yeah, you too.” He nodded.

“You still wear a headband, I see.” You grin teasingly.

“You still haven’t gotten taller, I see.” He retorted.

•

“Now, we know what it sounds like...” Scott trailed off after the heroes explained their (currently) hypothetical plan to you and Tony.

“Tony, Y/N, after everything you've seen, is anything really impossible?” Steve asked. He knew you had taken up your time studying everything, following your father’s footsteps.

“Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck Scale, which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition.” You mumble, lost in thought.

“Can we agree on that?” Tony asked his fellow Avengers. They all look at each other, clueless. “In Layman's terms, it means you're not coming home.”

“I did.” Scott shrugged as Tony handed them drinks.

“No, you accidentally survived. It's a billion to one cosmic fluke. And now you wanna pull off a...What do you call it?”

“A time heist?” Scott suggested, a goofy grin on his face.

“Yeah, a time heist. Of course, why didn't we think of this before? Oh, because it's laughable? Because it's a pipedream?” Your dad scoffed.

“The Stones are in the past. We can go back and get them.” Tye explained.

“We can snap our own fingers. We can bring everyone back.” Natasha added.

“Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?” Tony raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t believe we would.” Steve said confidentially.

“Gotta say, sometimes I miss that giddy optimism. However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist. I believe the most likely outcome would be our collective demise.” Tony ranted.

“Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel. That means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events-“ Tye listed.

“I'm gonna stop you right there, Tye. Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe is based on Back To The Future?” Tony asked his ex-mentee. “God, I’m gone for a couple years and you start saying stupid shit like this?”

“...no.” Him and Scott mumbled in unison.

“Good. You had me worried there. 'Cause that'd be horse shit. That's not how quantum physics works.”

“Tony...We have to take a stand.” Natasha tried to persuade him.

“We did stand. And yet, here we are.”

“I know you got a lot on the line. You got a wife, daughters. But I lost someone very important to me. A lot of people did.” Scott said desperately. “And now, now we have a chance to bring her back. To bring everyone back. And you're telling me that won't even...”

“That's right, Scott, I won't even. I have kids.”

As if on cue, Morgan runs out onto the porch, your dad picking her up.

“Mommy told me to come and save you.” She said shyly, weary of the new faces.

“Good job. I'm saved.” Tony kisses her on the head as he picked her up, before turning back to the heroes. “I wish you'd come here to ask me something else. Anything else. Honestly, I...I missed you guys, it was...Oh, and table's set for seven.”

“Tony, I get it. And I'm happy for you, I really am. But this is a second chance.” Steve tried to reason with him.

“I got my second chance right here, Cap. I can't roll the dice again. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch.” Tony said, and it stung when he didn’t point to you too. You watch him leave, ignoring his orders to come inside.

“I’m in.” You tell them.

“Won’t your dad...?” Natasha trailed off.

“He’s not in control of me.” You shook your head. “If there’s even the slightest chance this will work, I’m in.”

“It’ll definitely work if we have a Stark with us.” Scott grinned.

“Glad to have you back, Iron Maiden.” Steve pat your shoulder.

You smile, not hearing yourself be referred to by that name in such a long time. It made your heart fill with pride, and fueled your determination.

“Y/N Stark.” Tony said from the doorway.

“Don’t leave without me.” You tell them, glaring at your father as you push past him.

“Y/N, where are you going?” Your dad demanded.

“With them.” You spat as he follows you upstairs. “I’m going to try. Unlike you, I have hope.”

“It’s not that I don’t have hope. I just can’t risk any of this.” Tony insisted.

“Any of what? What kind of life is this, dad? Sure it’s great for you, but did you ever stop to look at it from my perspective?” You ask as you grab a bag from under your bed, tossing your photos from the windowsill into it.

“All I’ve ever done is protect you.” Your dad says through his teeth. “Why are you doing this? To get back at me?”

“No dad! I’m doing this because I want everyone back! This is my chance to save everyone! It’s my fault Thanos did this in the first place! If I was stronger, Eduardo would still be here! Peter! Jaime! Bucky! Wanda! The Guardians! Doctor Strange! Sam! Don’t you care about any of them?”

“Of course I care about them! But I care about my family more!”

“They’re my family!” You yell at him, the frustration that you’ve been bottling up for years finally pouring out.

“So that’s it?” Your dad scoffs and shakes his head in disappointment. “What if you screw this up? Huh? What if you make things worse. You’re willing to risk your mother’s life? Your little sisters, for your boyfriend?”

“You know what? Yes.” You snap, zipping your bag up and tossing it over your shoulder. “Not just for him. For everyone. For my life. I want my life back, and apparently that’s something you can’t give me.”

You storm out of your room and down the stairs, seeing Morgan sitting at the table, eating lunch. She grins when she sees you, looking at your bag.

“Where are you going?” She asked as you walked over and kneeled next to her seat.

“I’m gonna go see some old friends for a little bit. Think you can hold down the fort around here?” You ask her.

“Yeah.” She smiled.

“Are you sure? It’s gonna be tough without me.” You tease her. “You’re gonna have to make sure daddy does the laundry right, you know how he always mixes up the soaps. And you have to make sure to save daddy from mommy’s scolding. Think you can take it, soldier?”

“I can take it.” She nodded happily.

“Alright.” You hug her. “Love you, kiddo. See ya later.”

“Bye.” She waved at you until you shut the door, and walked down to the car with the others.

“Iron Maiden and Apache Chief, back again.” Tye fist bumped you.

“Iron Maidens back in the game!” You cheer happily.

“He’s scared.” Natasha said to Steve and Scott.

“He’s not wrong.” Steve shrugged.

“Yeah, but I mean, what are we gonna do? We need him. I mean, we managed one Stark, but we need both. No offense, Ms. Tony Starks Daughter. What, are we gonna stop?” Scott rambled nervously.

“No, I wanna do it right. We're gonna need a really big brain.” Steve shook his head.

“Bigger than his?”

#the rise of iron maiden #eduardo dorado jr x stark! reader #tye longshadow #natasha romanoff #scott lang #steve rogers #tony stark #morgan stark #pepper potts #avengers endgame #marvel #request #young justice #peter parker #spiderman #jaime reyes #blue beetle

21 notes · View notes

docmanda · 4 years

Note

14 for some xie lian angst? Pretty please? Bonus points for him being trans

@zlodziej-wlasnej-tozsamosci there we go, I wrote a thing :-) it´s long and tumblr´s layout sucks so have a cut and I will post the link for the fic on AO3 too

Plain Brown Rice

Xie Lian should have known that a hydrangea bush would not be enough to conceal him from Hua Cheng for too long, his husband having developed a sixth sense for finding him by now if he even let him out of his sight at all. It was a testament of his bad luck making a reappearence that he had gotten separated from both of his husbands at the same time but this wedding was a big one after all, hundreds of fox spirits milling around the royal gardens of their Queen in a flurry of silks and fluffy tails, celebrating her Highness´beloved granddaughter´s wedding. And of course Hua Cheng would know immediately that he had been crying too, his happy smile at finding him after they had been seperated by the crowd instantly turning into a frown of worry. "Xie Lian..." Hua Cheng´s cold fingers are soft against his face, wiping away the moisture underneath his eye with the utmost care before kissing his cheek, "my love what happened? Why are you crying?" "Ah it´s nothing...", Hua Cheng´s gaze instantly turns hard and hurt, something that made Xie Lian cry never ´nothing´in his book after all and Xie Lian ducks his head slightly, feeling silly all over. "It really is nothing San Lang...I just, came here to be out of the crowd for a moment and overheard some people talking about us and I..." Xie Lian sighs heavily, closing his eyes as he tries to recount what happened for Hua Cheng. They had gotten seperated in the crowd and he had come here to the edge of the gardens in the hope of catching sight of one of his husbands from the outskirts of the wedding party, standing half hidden behind a luscious hydrangea bush, enjoying the scent of the blooming flowers when someone had started speaking on the other side of it. They clearly hadn´t seen him and Xie Lian was about to come out of his accidential hiding place when he heard his name being mentioned and froze. "That so called Dianxia, what´s his name? Xie something? Xie Lian? How boring...you really have to wonder how someone that useless and plain can manage to catch not one, but two supreme Ghost Kings at once. I mean that Kingdom of his has been gone for centuries now right, leaving nothing but rubble. If he wasn´t the one that chanced upon my sweet little niece and freed her from that trap years ago someone like him would never have been invited to her royal wedding like this, having such terrible ancestry. And they call him the scrap collecting God, whatever that is supposed to be...no proper title to his name, no estate, no power to speak of and on top of that he is as plain as rice, boring and bland." There is a giggle, high pitched and cruel. "No, like day old brown rice, boring and bland and ordinary, just good enough for peasants to eat. And surely nothing even close to good enough for the likes of Black Water and Crimson Rain. I mean that Chengzhu always had weird tastes, have you ever been to that town of his? Shameless I tell you. But you would expect more refinement out of someone like Lord Blackwater, he is a scholar after all with a proper education..and I sure as hell wouldn´t mind -him- waiting in my chambers at night I can tell you that." There´s more voices then hers, giggling slightly and suggesting even more unflattering monikers for Xie Lian, making the first one laugh again. The group had moved a little during their tirade and Xie Lian catches a glimpse of a magnificently made up, beautiful five tailed fox woman, covered in layers and layers of exquisite, translucent silks of all colors, sparkling with pearls and jewels and gold from the tip of her perfectly made up hair to her dainty little silk-clad feet and he suddenly wished he had allowed his husbands to make him up like this too, as much as he hated the confinement all that finery would have brought with it. They had put him into robes just as magnificent as this at first, clearly loving to dress him up in jewels and all kind of trinkets...but when it had been time to actually get ready for the wedding what had been waiting for Xie Lian had been two smiling husbands and a set of expertly made, but thankfully plain white robes instead of the finery. There were small, slightly off-white flowers woven into the hem and his sleeves, the same flower a small boy had gifted him so long ago and He Xuan had put his hair up in a simple bun, the crown they gave him plain silver with three small inlays in mother of pearl: The same small flower in the center, flanked by a fish jumping out of a wave and an intricately carved butterfly. His husband´s robes did match his too, He Xuan´s being his customary black with golden waves flowing along the hem and sleeves and Hua Cheng´s bright red, him forgoing his usual silver jewelry for woven, delicate silver butterflies. ´You looked so uncomfortable in all that fancy stuff we thought you might like this better´ and ´You are so beatiful already A-Lian, all this stuff would just make it harder to get it off later..ouch, what was that for Crimson Rain, you know I´m right stop pinching me..´ And Xie Lian had loved every single part of the outfit they gave him, simple but meaningful to the three of them...but some part of him still wishes he would have gone with the more elaborate robes they had prepared for him. At least he wouldn´t feel just as plain as he apparently was, small and unassuming and the part in him that could never stop to wonder -how- he had actually gotten so lucky to have not one, but two people fall in love with him as thoroughly as his husbands had. It was an old wound, but a deep one that feeling of being unworthy of kindness and affection that still plagued him from time to time and that neither Hua Cheng nor He Xuan had yet managed to erase completely, no matter how much they showed their love for him. Xie Lian´s voice is small, knowing how -silly- the whole notion is, Hua Cheng and He Xuan -love- him, they show him with everything they do and say, a small crystal clear ring and a single, perfect black pearl around his neck the physical evidence of their adoration...and yet, he simply can´t get rid of that feeling of inadequancy. "They said I was plain...like day old brown rice, ordinary and boring. That I´m not good enough for you." "Who said that?" Crimson Rain Sought Flower´s voice is as sharp as his sabre´s blade, promising quick retribution and a painful death to anybody who dares belittle his one God...and even worse, make him cry. His eye scans the crowd as if he can find the perpetrator by pure will alone, killing intent bubbling up around him, making He Xuan look up in sudden alarm, rudely pushing aside a lady who had been trying to talk to him and immediately walking over, his own aura growing dark around him in answering worry. Xie Lian hastily wipes his eyes, grabbing for his San Lang´s sleeve. "Ah, please San Lang it doesn´t matter, it´s not of importance, I´m just being sensitive today, it´s probably just the wine haha.." Crimson Rain Sought Flower and Black Water Sinking Ships just raise their eyebrows at him, in unison, and it would be funny if both of them weren´t close to murdering a wedding party just because Xie Lian overheard an unhappy thing and couldn´t keep his mouth shut, He Xuan not even knowing what was going on, the sight of Xie Lian in distress enough incentive to follow Crimson Rain´s lead for him. Xie Lian can see the first heads start to turn and look at them. He had been hidden well enough behind his hydrangea bush that nobody saw him cry, but the surging power of the Devastations at his side is hard to cover up in a room full of magic beings...and it doesn´t need a proficient magic user for their displeasure and aggression being obvious. "Please my loves...I know you only want to protect me but it is their -wedding- , don´t ruin it because a single person in a hundred said an unkind thing.." It takes another second of suspense before Hua Cheng sighs and pulls him close with one arm, pressing a kiss into the soft hair on Xie Lian´s temple before resting his chin on Xie Lian´s head, not caring that anybody can see their display of affection. Neither does He Xuan when he leans in close for a kiss of his own, cold fingers slipping between Xie Lian´s warm ones. "Alright gege, but just because it is you asking...but we will be having a very serious talk about that whole "I am not good enough for you"-thing later." He Xuan twitches and his scandalized ´Who said that?´ exactly mirroring what Hua Cheng had exclaimed earlier would be funny too if it didn´t bring another spike of killing intent with it. This time it is Hua Cheng though who grabs for his sleeve keeping the other Devastation from doing something rash, like summoning his dragons in the middle of a wedding for example. "Calm down Black Water sheesh...Gege overheard someone talk shit about him and had another one of his ´I don´t deserve you´-moments hiding behind a bush." The sarcastic uncertone in his voice ruffles He Xuan´s feathers just enough for his focus to shift from ´100 easy ways to kill effectively and leave the Gods to sort out the innocent´ onto Hua Cheng...and only a long suffering, pleading look from amber colored eyes keeps him from tearing right back into the other Devastation. He is pretty sure that Xie Lian´s ´please don´t ruin the wedding´ includes fighting between him and Crimson Rain too. "..please, behave?" Xie Lian´s voice is tired with an undertone of love, like an overworked mother trying to keep her kids in check and both Devastations smile a little sheepishly, bending down at the same time to kiss him on the cheek, one side for each Devastation, finally getting a small giggle at their ridiculousness out of Xie Lian. When one of their hosts finally walks over, a young girl, barely into her second tail, clearly sent as a deliberately non-threatening envoy, carefully eyeing the Devastations at Xie Lian´s side his usual smile is back in his place. "Taizi Dianxia is anything the matter? The noble Lords seem...distressed? Is there anything not to your liking?" Even at a wedding party full of fox spirits the two Supremes are still the most powerful beings in the room, aside maybe from the bride´s nine tailed, royal grandmother, so it stands to reason that everybody wants to keep them happy...including Xie Lian, who smiles apologetically at the young girl and bows slightly to her. "Ah I apologize. Your fantastic wine is a little too rich for me I fear and I was feeling a little unwell just now, making them worry. Please, don´t pay us any mind, it´s nothing a little fresh air won´t cure and my husband´s favorite hobby is fussing about me so I will be perfectly fine." The fox girl giggles a little at that, clearly relieved that nothing serious had happened and it was just a case of the Prince´s husbands getting worried over nothing. They exchange a few more polite words before she scampers away again, off to report to whoever sent her that nothing terrible was amiss after all. "Look at you Gege, lying without getting red in the face, I am proud of you." Xie Lian swipes at Hua Cheng for that, a soft blush covering his face at the gentle teasing as he grabs for his husband´s hand, dragging him along with He Xuan following them like a very black, protective shadow. "You are terrible, San Lang. And i am hungry, I did have a lot of wine which was probably a bad idea. Lets go find something to eat before all the good things are gone yes?" As usual, Hua Cheng is in favor of anything that makes Xie Lian happy having no objections to that...and He Xuan is always in favor of anything having to do with food anyway. Which is exactly what Xie Lian was planning on, trying to distract them from the anger he can still feel simmering in them. Hua Cheng does finally tell He Xuan what had actually happened, the other Devastation clearly as unhappy about it all as Hua Cheng but a soft pleading look from Xie Lian is enough for the moment for him to let go of it. And that´s where they´re staying for most of the night, close to the lavish spread of food arranged on a series of small tables, chatting to a never ending stream of relatives to the royal bride that Xie Lian saved, all wanting to have a look and a chat, at Xie Lian as well as his famous husbands. Mostly the conversations are pleasant, ranging from simply polite to heated discussions of some form of obscure poetry between the bride´s granduncle on her father´s side and He Xuan, who nearly stabs the poor old fox in the face with a half eaten bit of pastry forgotten in his hand when he tries to emphasize a point. It is testament to how passionate they are about that topic when He Xuan doens´t even so much glance at a laughing Hua Cheng and it needs the help of two more aunts to drag the granduncle away again before things can completely deteriorate. They finally managed to catch a moment of the bride´s time, silently chatting with her and her newly wedded husband when Xie Lian suddenly grows tense against Hua Cheng´s arm. And it doens´t take a genius to guess that the reason for this must be the new group of three who just joined their little conversation circle, a lavishly dressed and decorated five tailed lady -probably an older female relative of some kind to their bride- shadowed by what are probably her younger sisters. Hua Cheng´s brows draw together in a frown, his arm tightening around Xie Lian´s waist...until a sharp small tug at the back of his tunic brings him back to his senses. Xie Lian is slightly pale around his nose, softly shaking his head ´no´and thus confirming what Hua Cheng had suspected from the start: that these were the ones who had made Xie Lian uncomfortable enough to hide himself and cry. He Xuan seems to have noticed nothing wrong, still casually eating while pretending to be disinterested in whatever kind of topic the three of them were currently discussing with a slightly uncomfortably smiling bride...but Hua Cheng can see his golden eyes grow sharp as daggers, never letting the fox woman out of his sight. "..I just think this particular cut is so much more suited to bring out a lady´s advantages properly don´t you think? You are such a pretty thing you really should not be wearing such old fashioned rags...but don´t take my word for it then, let´s ask someone else.." She turns to He Xuan with a flourish, eyeing him in a way that makes it very clear that, while he was in fact very well dressed, she would vastly prefer him to be wearing nothing at all. "My Lord Black Water. You clearly are someone who has impeccable taste in fashion...what do you think about this new style of robe I am wearing?" Black Water finally looks up from his bowl, having been directly adressed after all, while the fox woman does a little twirl for him, very unsubtly showing off the way the fabric is draped around her full soft bossom, emphasizing her tiny waist and delicate throat to the fullest. Xie Lian can feel something in his throat constrict painfully at the display-plain, like day old brown rice indeed- gently pulling on Hua Cheng´s hand to please get him out of there when... "Vulgar." And then He Xuan turns back to his bowl, clearly done with the conversation and the flabbergasted woman in front of him paying her no mind at all anymore. Xie Lian is so surprised he has to quickly hide a smile behind a fake cough, while Hua Cheng can´t be bothered to conceal his laughter, not in the very least concerned about the cruelty of it. After all that bitch in front of them deserved that and a lot of things more, she should be happy that He Xuan was still on his best behaviour and didn´t tear into her more then he already had. She gapes at them for a few more minutes before turning around on her heel in a huff, her two sisters following her hastily as she takes her leave. Only when she has left does He Xuan look up from his bowl again, a sharp, satisfied grin showing his white teeth. "Unfortunately for her..," he scoops something up from his bowl with his chopsticks, slipping it into Xie Lian´s mouth and following up with a soft kiss as his husband starts chewing reflexively, "...plain brown rice is our favorite." Hua Cheng laughs at that, placing a kiss into his husbands soft hair before doing the same to He Xuan...and Xie Lian is sure there has never been a single bite of rice sweeter then the one currently in his mouth.

#tgcf #tian guan ci fu #HeHuaLian #He xuan #hua cheng #xie lian #me writing things #zlodziej-wlasnej-tozsamosci

13 notes · View notes

ejzah · 4 years

Note

This is a story idea way back when the series first began and when Deeks was first introduced. Could you PLEASE write a story about everyone’s reactions when they learn that Jason Wyler is actually undercover Detective Marty Deeks. It’s always annoyed me we never saw everyone’s reactions and I would also love it if we got a formal introduction too please.

A/N: So...a lot of this ended up being from Kensi’s perspective, but I did get most the team’s reactions in to some degree. I hope this is ok.

***

“This guy’s a detective?” Sam repeated, addressing the tiny woman who had introduced herself as Henrietta Lange, instead of Deeks. His tone was definitely insulting. Now mostly over his initial shock of finding out that he wasn’t the only one undercover, Deeks resisted the urge to say something particularly unpleasant and instead smirked at the other man. Agent Sam Hanna from some fancy pants Federal Agency.

“It’s ok, don’t feel bad. I’ve fooled a lot of people before,” he responded, having a feeling it would tick Hanna off even more. He was right; Hanna made a derogatory noise, his expression disgusted, and jerked his thumb in Deeks’ direction.

“I thought LAPD had a dress code. They must really be going down hill if they’re accepting hippies off the street.” Deeks huffed out an unamused laugh. Like he hadn’t heard something similar a hundred times before. He expected a Fed to be cleverer than that honestly.

“I used to be a lawyer too,” he told Hanna who looked appropriately aghast. “And before you ask, my hair was even longer.” Deeks let his gaze flick up to Hanna’s shaved head. He could easily see the man being ex-military. He had that holier-than-thou attitude that came from years of ordering other people around and assuming you were always right.

“Alright, enough chit-chat gentleman,” Ms. Lange decided, stepping between them, her hands folded together. “We have work to do. And Detective Deeks should probably meet the rest of the team as well.”

Deeks followed after them, figuring that he wasn’t going to get anywhere by being too resistant. Besides, he was oddly intrigued by Henrietta Lange. And also a little intimidated and terrified. But he wouldn’t mention that part.

“So tell me, who all is on this team?” he asked as Sam and Ms. Lange lead him to a shiny SUV. “And where exactly are you taking me?”

“The boat shed,” Sam answered shortly, ignoring the first question.

“Ooh, sounds fancy.”

“How about we keep the small talk to a minimum?” Deeks pursed his lips at the suggestion, thinking that Hanna was about to find out just how chatty he could be. He smirked again, biting back a chuckle. If this NCIS place could mess up his op, then he could certainly ruin their day.

***

“Wait, how did LAPD get in on this?” Callen asked and Kensi perked up, wondering what Hetty was telling him. He sounded vaguely annoyed. “Ok, yeah, we’ll be at the boat shed.” Hetty had called Callen about five minutes ago with an update and there’d mostly been silence on his end. She waited impatiently for him to hang up.

“What was that about? Did Hetty get Sam out?” Callen chuckled at her questions, shaking his head as he slipped his phone into his back pocket.

“Yep, Sam’s out. And apparently Wyler got released too.”

“What? But, he attacked Sam,” Kensi said, wondering just what kind of criminal Jason Wyler was that he had strong enough connections to get out of jail after assaulting a federal agent.

“Turns out Wyler is actually some kind of undercover cop. Martin Deeks, Hetty said,” he explained with a frown.

“You’re kidding.” Kensi had known there was something off about Wyler, but a cop?

“Unfortunately I’m not. I’m gonna text Eric and see what he can dig up on this guy now that we have a real name.”

Kensi waited a few minutes and then peered over Callen’s shoulder, trying to read his texts.

“What did he say?”

“‘That makes a lot of sense. I’ve got a whole file on a Detective Marty Deeks. Looks like he’s a good cop, but whoever sets up his backstopping needs to be fired.’,”Callen read off and Kensi rolled her eyes.

“And?”

“He said to send Deeks over when we’re done so he can give him a “real” alias. He’s worried about the guy getting marked.”

“Eric hasn’t even met him yet,” Kensi protested, annoyed.

“You know Eric. He can’t resist the chance to geek.”

About 30 minutes later, Hetty, Sam and Detective Deeks walked in. Hetty led the small group and had the barest hint of a smirk tugging at her lips as Sam walked behind her, his expression stony and impassive.

Deeks stopped in the doorway, glancing around with a vaguely impressed look. He spotted Kensi, one eyebrow rising briefly, and she crossed her arms defensively. If he was surprised to see her there, he didn’t show it. He winked at her, then practically swaggered the rest of the way into the room like he owned the place.

Hetty cleared her throat and gestured to him.

“Everyone, this is LAPD Detective Marty Deeks. Detective, these are Agents Callen and Kensi Blye.” She smiled in a satisfied way and added, “Play nice.” Without another word, she left.

“Deeks,” Callen acknowledged him. “Why don’t you take a seat?” Deeks raised an eyebrow at the clear attempt to control the situation but sauntered over to the table, hooked his foot around a chair and sat down in an insolent manner.

Sam followed the movement, his face remaining impassive, but Kensi thought she saw a hint of animosity. That was unexpected. From what she’d experienced, he usually didn’t let his emotions show unless it was a particularly personal case. Apparently Deeks rubbed everyone the wrong way.

With a little prompting, Deeks explained his plan to get Sam arrested and keep him out of the gym, and effectively out of LAPD’s way.

She was vaguely impressed by his skills and ingenuity, but brushed that thought away. He was pretty good, but not as good as them. Plus, she’d known something was off about him immediately, she’d just been wrong about the root cause. Kensi also silenced the voice that reminded her that he’d been suspicious of her as well.

Deeks helped himself to some coffee, again making himself at home as he smiled cockily and joked, easily guessing their set up at the mission. Kensi resisted the urge to laugh as he teased Sam and Callen. It wasn’t good-natured teasing either, anymore than their comments to him were well-meant.

Clearly he disdained them. Good, she didn’t like him either. He was full of himself, too self-assured, scruffy, unkempt. Blue-eyed and blonde, the voice in her head supplied helpfully.

Shut up, she told it firmly. Callen and Sam were wrong. She did not have a thing for him. He was a mediocre cop who’d obviously gotten in over his head. He glanced her way, that sarcastic, half-flirty smirk in place and she stared back at him, hoping to unnerve him. All she got in return was a smoldering look, his blue eyes daring her to look away first.

Despite herself, she couldn’t help but feel a little bad that they were hijacking Deeks’ case. He’d spent months on it and now they were taking over without any remorse.

“You know, you never answered my question,” Deeks said a while later as she escorted him from the building. “Are there really r-rated photos of Special Agent Kensi Blye floating around somewhere?” Kensi glared at him and said the first thing that popped into her head.

“In your dreams.” It wasn’t particularly brilliant, but Deeks grinned nonetheless and said,

“Gladly.”

“I could take you down right now,” she threatened mildly, but he just kept smiling, clearly not intimidated by her in the slightest. It pissed her off. And intrigued her. Damn him. She would not be attracted to this scruffy, surfer dude.

“I bet you could,” he murmured as they stopped in front of his car. “See you around Agent Blye.” He winked at her again before he slid into his car and drove off.

“I don’t like him,” Sam said coming up behind her with Callen by his side.

“At least he’s on our side,” Callen pointed out. “It would be a lot more annoying if he was actually a criminal. Let’s just hope he stays out of our way for the rest of the case.”

“And once we close the case won’t have to see him ever again.” Kensi said, not sure why she felt a hint of regret at the thought. She was definitely not smitten.

“Thank god,” Sam said. “Cause I think I’d end up shooting him if I had to listen to his rambling for more than a few days.”

***

A/N: Hopefully this is ok. I really played on that fact that none of them got along super well at first.

#ncis la fanfiction #hand-to-hand #marty deeks #kensi blye #sam hanna #g callen #hetty lange #anonymous prompt #ejzah fanfiction

32 notes · View notes

just-dreaming-marvel · 4 years

Text

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN - CHATS AT DAWN

LEGACY: A Tony Stark Daughter Story

MASTERLIST

< previous

Word Count: 1,890ish

Summary: Steve calls Bailey to ask something of her. Tony and Bailey chat about what ifs.

Over the next two years, Nat and Steve still kept in secret contact with me. I would met up with them, separately, each time I came into the city. I even started to use the Stark Industry resources to help Nat the best I could without Tony finding out. Pepper found out about me helping Nat and has always known about Steve. But she understands that I’ll open up when I’m ready, and when I feel Tony is ready. It did hurt me a bit that the two didn’t fight very hard to see Tony or contact him themselves. It hurt that they didn’t want to keep in touch with their friend.

With the help of the nano bots, the past two years have been vision and nightmare free. It’s been nice. Morgan’s growing up so fast. She’s so smart and definitely a daddy’s girl, something we have in common. We still do pranks together at night. Sometimes we even sneak outside so that we can look at the stars. Whenever possible, Morgan and I are stuck at the hip. I love to feel everyone’s emotions when we’re together. Especially those nights when Tony, Morgan, and I play around in the forts we build. Everyone is so happy, at peace. It’s a happiness that I’ve only felt a few times, and I’m really glad that we finally get to experience it more. Especially Tony. He deserves it more than anyone.

Early one morning, I had been up all night working on some Stark Industries paperwork in Tony’s office. I needed to finish it or I’d have to go into the city for a week and I really didn’t want to. I was stopped from my rush to finish by a phone call. It was Steve. I did think that he was a little crazy for calling at the crack of dawn, but it was whatever and I was excited to hear his voice. I could feel his nervousness as soon as I answered the phone call.

“I can feel your nervousness from over the phone, Steve,” I got straight to the point. “What do you want?”

“Damn it,” he muttered. “I really was trying to hide it. I really don’t want to have to ask you to—“

“Steve. Get on with it.”

“Do you remember Scott Lang?”

“Yes, Ant-Man. He’s on the list of those who disappeared. What about him?”

“Well, he didn’t exactly disappear.”

I sat up straighter. “What are you talking about Steve?”

“He showed up at the compound earlier this morning. Apparently, he was trapped in the quantum realm.”

“The quantum realm?”

“Yeah. Have you heard of it?”

“It’s basically a microscopic universe. You have to be extremely small to get there. How did he get stuck?”

“He went in right before the snap. He had people who were suppose to get him out, but—“

“They turned into ash before they could.” I put my head in my hand and began to rub my forehead. “Let me guess… he somehow left the quantum realm to find out that it’s been five years but to him it was a few hours?”

“Correct.”

“Why exactly did you call at the break of dawn to tell me this? Yay! You found someone who didn’t turn to ash when we thought they did. That doesn’t help those who did.”

“We have an idea.”

“I don’t know if I want to hear it.”

“We think that we can use the quantum realm to go back in time and take the stones. Then reverse what’s been done.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I knew exactly where this was headed. I didn’t need to read anyone’s mind to figure it out. “And you need my Dad and I to help build this… ‘time machine’.” I sighed. “I was really hoping that you were calling just to check up on me…”

“I’m sorry, darling, I really am. But you two are the only ones who could pull something like this off.”

“We left that life behind, Steve. I’m already doing the best I can without him finding out. And, honestly, I really don’t want to do anymore than what I’m already doing. The hero thing is in our past.”

“Bailey. We could bring them back. Peter, Bucky, Sam, Wanda. Everyone.”

“But at what cost, Steve? We don’t know what the repercussions could be!” I began to get louder. I quickly went outside to the dock before I could wake anyone up. “No one has ever done this before.”

“You two are the only ones with the brains and technology to test it and figure out if it’s possible.”

I let out a heavy sigh. “I really wish that you were calling me and asking for something else. Anything else, Steve.” I looked back at the house.

“I know, B. But this could be a second chance.”

“You want me to try to convince Tony, don’t you?”

Steve hesitated for a few seconds, basically giving me the answer. “I’m getting ready to come up to the house right now with Natasha and Scott. I know that he’ll probably not say yes at first, but I need you there for after we leave.”

“If you’re coming up, he still can’t know about us. Especially after what you’re going to ask of him.”

“I know.”

“He’s not going to be happy… He promised Pep, me… Morgan. He promised he was done and he’s actually following through… He also won’t be happy that the only reason you’re coming is to ask this of him.”

“I’m sorry B. I really am. But we could get our frien— our family back. The universe back… What’s the point of being the Avengers if we don’t try?”

“We did try, Steve. All of us and we lost… What if… Steve… What if we go back in time and it changes what’s happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like…” I took a deep breath. “Like I was never rescued from HYDRA, any one of those times. Or that Morgan was never born.” A few tears began running down my face. “What if my family never became a family?”

“I won’t let that happen. I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Cap.”

“I’m still going to promise you this.”

“I can’t lose them.”

“I won’t let that happen. You’re not going to lose anyone. Even me. I promise.”

I quickly took another deep breath and wiped the tears from my face. “Text me when you’re close.” And I hung up.

I threw my phone down on the dock and buried my head in my hands. Unfortunately, I was just put in the middle of something that I really didn’t want to be in. Something that could possibly screw up my relationship with Tony and our family life. I sighed as I sat down on the edge of the dock, putting my feet in the water. The sun had risen, and it was beautiful. One of my favorite parts of living lakeside, the sun rises. I just wish I got to appreciate them more. I heard the house door open and close, then not long after footsteps coming up the dock. I moved over a little to allow Tony to sit next to me. He sat down and we both stared across the lake for a few minutes before either one of us talking.

“What are you doing up so early?” Tony asked, finally breaking the silence.

“I was working on paperwork,” I answered. “Then I decided I need some fresh air and I wanted to watch the sun rise.”

Tony nodded in response before speaking up again. “Were you up all night?”

“Yeah,” I yawned. “I really needed to get some stuff done so that I can have a week off from going to the city.”

“Makes sense.”

“What are you doing up?”

“I woke up and couldn’t fall back asleep.” He shrugged. “I looked out the window and saw you out here. So I thought I’d join.”

I simply nodded in response. We sat in silent for a few minutes before it was my turn to break it. “Do you— Uhhh… Never mind.” I quickly shook my head.

“No, tell me what’s on your mind, kiddo. You know that I’m always here for you.”

I nodded at looked at the water before hesitantly asking my question. “Do you ever wish that you could go back and change… something?” Tony looked at me with a confused yet concerned look. “Like, if you could, would you go back and change the way you left it with your parents? Or creating Ultron?”

“What’s got you thinking about this?”

“It’s nothing. Never mind. Just forget I said anything. I should—“ I went to stand up but Tony quickly grabbed my arm and kept me seated on the dock.

“At one point, yes. Yes I would have— I did, want to go back and change how I left it with my parents. And Ultron? I don’t think I could have changed anything besides just not creating him. But I don’t think like that anymore. I can’t afford to.”

“Yeah.” I nodded along. “I guess you’re right.”

“There’s only two things that I would go back and change.” I looked over and curiously lifted an eyebrow. “One being, if I could go back and change something, trying harder to stop Thanos… The second, it would probably be finding you sooner. Or at least adopting you sooner.”

“What?” I quietly said.

“I know that you see the way Pepper and I, especially me, act around Morgan. I know you wonder about how life would have been if your parents had never given you up or if I had always been there, and I know that you get a little jealous. And that’s okay, she has the childhood you were never allowed to have… So if I could go back, the only thing that I would change was saving you and bringing you into my life sooner.” Tony looked over at me and I could see a few tears gathering in his eyes. It was causing me to tear up as well.

“Because I wonder too,” Tony continued, “about how raising you all the way would have been. And I get mad sometimes, that I wasn’t given that opportunity and that your birth parents wasted their opportunity. But then I look at you, and the amazing woman you have become, and I realize that I had a part in that. It makes me so proud to be your father. No matter how much time we missed together. It really doesn’t matter because it got us here.” Tony reached over and took my hand in his. He never really gets like this. But this was much needed, much wanted. “So, actually, now that I’ve really thought about it and said it out loud, no. No, I wouldn’t change a thing. Our past has made us stronger, brought us closer together. I would never change how we got here.” He let go of my hand, wrapped his arm around me, and then pulled me into his side. “I love you so much, B.” He kissed the side of my head. I wrapped both of my arms around him. “I am so proud of you.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

next >

53 notes · View notes