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#mind you I had to hold my jacket the entire time lol but it was still very nice. Thankfully everyone in the apartment who doesn't matter is

lightwing-s · 4 months

Text

𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐒

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐢 ; 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭

pairing: jason todd x fem! reader

summary: a helping hand turns an enemy into a friend for one single night of truce. one single night that ends up redefining their entire relationship, the start of where everything is about to change.

rating: 18+ (MDNI)

word count: 6,4k warnings: mentions of heavy drinking, sex, p in v, oral (female receiving), fingering, language, size kink, breast play, male dominance, jason's sex stimulated superiority complex

a/n: the fact this was supposed to be way longer scared me of how many chapters i might need to end this series lol. and i tried making it possible to read without the context of the series for those who just want to read a nice smut lol. also, thank you for all the support thus far, it has been incredible seeing so many people invested in this story and wanting to see its development. thank you thank you thank you for supporting this silly writer's dream. ♡♡♡

reblogs and interactions are always appreciated ! ♡

links: previous ; next ; series masterlist ; general masterlist

Thanks, man. Have a good night. Shutting the door closed behind him, Jason thanked the driver before he watched his Uber ride drive his car away, turning the corner and leaving the street he was left on. The night was cold and dark, the faint lighting of the streetlamp doing nothing to provide him a clear view of his ambiance, instead, all was gloom.

Standing on the sidewalk in front of his apartment building, he let out a deep, long sigh. It was late, really late, past 1am the last time he checked, and the weight of the alcohol in his system begged him to find his way to bed. But the soft, barely audible, breaths of the lady behind him reminded Jason he still had a task ahead: getting you to his apartment.

As a strong wind blew past him, he zipped his jacket up, protecting himself from the unusually chilly night, for this time of the year at least, and turned on his heels to find you resting against the stony wall of the old structure, eyes narrowly managing to remain open. You felt the weather as much as he did, hugging yourself to acquire some type of warmth despite your inappropriate attire.

Carefully, he approached your sleepy frame and guided you inside, a hand placed on your back the entire walk up the stairs. Jason’s building was old, but well maintained. Meaning, it looked decent for all the decades it’d been through, but didn’t have an elevator casting on whoever lived on the last floor (Jason) the curse to climb all the way up every single day.

Already struggling due to the alcohol and tiredness, halfway through your journey you let out a moan without realizing. Your pace grew slower, and you lacked the effort to simply lift your legs and place your foot on the next step.

“Come on, love. We’re getting closer.” Jason said, pausing right behind you. He had to hold his laugh as you turned back to face him, eyes watery and lips sticking out in a pout.

“Why didn’t we use the elevator? Do you hate me?” you cried.

“Not everyone has daddy’s money to afford an apartment with an elevator,” he joked, but your response caught him by surprise, as your face crunched into a sort of angry expression mixed with a tint of sadness.

“I’m not… I…” you tried to mumble out, but failed countless times. “My feet hurt!”

Sighing deeply once more, he pushed you up by your waist, hands placed safely around you but alway mindful of its position. As you reached the next floor, you thanked your slow mind tonight for not allowing a scream to leave your mouth when Jason grabbed your legs and lifted you up so he could carry you to his apartment.

You had to say, it should’ve surprised you that he carried you with what seemed like a total lack of effort on his part, like you weighed nothing. However, you knew him. You knew he spent countless hours training at the gym, to the point you often wondered if he didn’t live there as well. That he’d often pass you carrying up to eight different weight plates in one single trip to use in his next exercise.

It did surprise you he could carry you. It surprised you he actually did it.

On his arm, the sweet coconut smell reached your nose, and you had to hold yourself from feeling sick. The alcohol was doing its job on you, and gosh you hated it. Tiredness taking over, you rested your head on his shoulder and fought against yourself to keep your eyes open.

“How much do you lift?” you mumbled a question, poking the bicep within your reach. You felt his breath hit your skin as he let out a soft chuckle.

“A lot more than you weight.” he stated, and continued his climb silently until you two were inside his deliciously warm and scrupulously tidy apartment. “Come,” he called after you when your feet were back on the ground. You followed him through the darkened living room until he opened a door and turned the light on in his bedroom. “You can sleep here, I’ll take the sofa.”

Your polite and sober side wanted to complain, to offer to sleep on the sofa instead, but your drunk and seriously exhausted one just wanted to throw yourself on the bed. Accepting the drunk side’s victory, you sat down with a noise and laid on his bed, eyes closing soon after, but being forced to open as you felt the mattress sink right beside you.

Struggling to lift your head, you found Jason bent down to catch your feet, loosening the laces of your converse and helping you take them off. “Thank you,” you whispered, eyes closed as you sat up again and started to unhook your bra from beneath your shirt.

Jason got nervous, eyes quickly shifting from you to the floor, not knowing what to do. Pulling your bra off through one of your sleeves, he took it as his key to leave you alone before you could start stripping off your pants too. Standing up, he reached the bedroom door just as you were climbing under the duvet, head laying on the pillow with eyes already closed.

He knew that, in your state, it wouldn’t be long before you were in deep slumber. So, turning off the lights, peeking at you one last time, he closed the door behind him. Careful to not make any noise. Careful not to wake you up. Unaware of the smile gracing his lips.

It’d been well over an hour since you had fallen asleep. The darkness still loomed outside, but the dim lighting of Jason’s side table lamp illuminated his living room, casting a shadow upon his body.

Jason couldn’t fall asleep, for some reason. He had tried lying down and forcing his eyes closed, had tried listening to whale sounds, rain sounds, brown, blue, black, white, purple noises. Nothing. Nothing seemed to put him to bed, not even his half drunk state.

So, feeling exhausted, he stood up from the sofa and went to the small kitchen to make himself some tea, hoping it would help him give in to sleep. He tried to be quiet, mindful of his guest still sleeping in his bed, filled his red mug with the tea and returned to the sofa, sitting beside his also sleeping kitten, whose snores were too loud for a beast of his size.

The drink was warm, and the taste pleased him just enough. He immediately felt more relaxed, letting the warmth fill his entire body, as he laid back onto the sofa and he could really feel like he was starting to rest.

On the other hand, you woke up confused. It was dark, and the pillows were comfortable, but they didn’t smell like your soap, nor did you find your childhood plush toy just within reach on your bed. Suddenly sober, you almost jumped off the bed before the memories started flooding your mind.

Shit. You definitely weren’t home, and this home certainly wasn’t from someone you wished it was. Slowly, you remembered Jason helping you take your shoes off, remembered him helping you up the infinite stairs of his building. And gosh, you remembered his damned smirk while he flirted with you.

You were pissed. P-i-s-s-e-d. Pissed. Why did you do that, Yn? Why did you end up here? Where the fuck did Nessie go to and why didn’t you go home?

In the darkness, you felt your feet touch the cold wooden tiles and you had to bring them back up quickly, not expecting the chilly night weather, but soon remembering how cold you’d felt just before coming to his apartment.

Your bare legs were feeling it too, and you struggled to find your pair of jeans. It wasn’t anywhere, goddamn it. There was no way you’d go out in only your shirt. You had to find something, and remembering you were in a 6 foot tall monster, you knew he ought to have something around.

Blindly skirmishing through the room, you felt the soft cotton fabric of what seemed to be a hoodie and put it on. It fit largely on you, the hem falling on the middle of your thighs, and the strong smell of perfume lingering from it.

With light footsteps, you got to the door. Twisting the handle with care, you heard the cracking sound of the door as you opened it, exposing the dimly lit living room. Jason heard the same cracking sound you did, his head jolting back so fast he felt the muscles on his neck aching.

There you were, hidden behind the door, a string of light illuminating your shape. You still looked sleepy, your cheeks puffed, and the minimum makeup you wore looked smashed on your face. But then, his eyes fell on your body, how your legs were bare and you somehow wore his favorite red hoodie.

Wow. Just, wow!

“Hey” he greeted, waving awkwardly in your direction. You only offered him a shy, toothless smile, eyes scanning the room and landing everywhere but him. “Did I wake you?” he asked, voice tinged by worry.

“No,” you shook your head, meeting his eyes for a brief while. His stare gave you goosebumps, and you returned your eyes to the floor, the tiling giving you more comfort. “I just… woke up.”

An awkward silence fell before you, neither brave enough to look at the other. The air was warm, you didn’t know if it was a sudden weather change or if it was the lingering tension between you two.

“I,” you started, and he immediately looked at you. “I think I’m gonna head home.” you announce, trying to return to the safety of his bedroom.

“No way,” he denied. “It’s almost 4am, Yn. There’s no way I’m letting you out this late. I’m sorry, I just can’t.”

Sighing, you accepted defeat without even trying to counter argue, aware his decision was well intended, and you too didn’t feel like facing the gloomy and dangerous streets of Gotham at this hour of the night. So, you just nodded, looking back into the room without moving your feet.

“Can I give you something?” he then questioned. “I mean. Do you want anything? Food, water?” Like clockwork, your stomach roared, making your cheeks go red and a smirk to appear on Jason’s face. “I don’t have much in my pantry, but I can make you a sandwich.”

Standing up, he walked to the kitchen once again, mug in hand being left on the sink. He seemed to move around the small area seamlessly, his bigger size never slowing him down. He opened cabinets, taking out of it a couple of dishes and a bag with a long and crusty baguette. Slicing the bread in half and then open, he set it on the plates, spreading butter on top and fishing for the other ingredients from various parts of the kitchen.

“I’m not a chef, you know,” Jason told you while he fished for the cheese, the ham, the vegetables and something else from the fridge. In normal human arms, they’d probably have fallen due the lack of space, but they all seemed to fit in pretty well in his much larger ones. “But I do enjoy cooking sometimes.”

His whole energy levels seemed to rise, and a sparkle tingled in his eyes. He seems to really enjoy it, you thought, watching the scene unfold from the same spot under the doorframe you were not even two minutes before. He was swift, picking things up and down , left and right, with ease and started constructing a delicious looking late night meal.

With watchful steps, you walked closer, something in you wanting to watch him in action from up close. Too enticed by the way he moved, the way he meticulously cut the tomatoes, a green vegetable, that you didn’t recognize due to your total lack of cooking skills, and the garlic before shoving them on a blender. The noise that proceeded, a disturbance of the silence that reigned on the night, but when it ceased, the smell that spread across the room seemed all worth it.

Continuing his craft, he was swift, picking things up and down with ease, spreading butter on the bread, adding cheese, sliced turkey from the smell of it, and the tomatoes. He grilled it on a pan he had started to heat while he assembled your snacks, and shortly after, placed a plate with the sandwich in front of you on the kitchen island.

“I didn’t know if you liked pesto, so I left it here for you to dip in if you want.” he stated, placing a small bowl with the green sauce he’d blended together earlier.

“Wow,” was all you could manage to say, the sandwich’s look worthy of those pins you’d constantly save on Pintrest but never make it yourself. Picking it up with one hand, you wanted to try it first on its own, your stomach getting louder, apparently aware you were just about to fill it and getting anxious over the masterpiece crafted just before your eyes. “Hmmm,” you hummed loudly, closing your eyes and enjoying the taste, your mouth already watering for one more bite.

You heard Jason’s breathy laugh, and your attention was instantly brought back to him. Supported by his elbows on the marble island, he sat beside you, his side profile a beautiful view from where you stood. He had a smirk on his lips, not smug or annoying or flirtatious like he usually had, but a lighthearted and fun one. One that didn’t drive you insane.

Looking at him, though, side by side with you, after making you a sandwich at almost 4am in the morning, you felt a lump on your throat you could not explain or justify. It was something no one had ever done for you and for some reason you wanted to cry. But you wouldn’t, instead, opting to do the sanest thing anyone could do in your position.

“Thank you,” you said quietly, his eyes darting to yours and his eyebrows doing their annoying move and lifting up in question. “For everything. Tonight, especially, but at the hospital too. You were really kind and you didn’t have to do either of those things. So, thank you, really.”

A smile you could not decipher clouded his lips, and his eyes shone with a glint of mischievousness you could not mistake. “Say it again?” he joked, and you had to roll your eyes.

“Jerk.”

“Sounds more like you,” he sneered, finally taking a bite out of his sandwich. He dipped it in the sauce, taking another bite, and you took your time admiring his jaw clenching as he chewed. “But you don’t need to thank me. I hurt you that day and it was the polite thing to do. And I couldn’t just leave you drunk at the party, it didn’t seem right.”

“Why not?” you questioned. “There were many other drunk girls at the party.”

“Yeah, but none of them looked like they didn’t belong there,” he stated, soon regretting letting those words out of his lips. He knew it’d bring out more questions, and he didn’t want to spend his night explaining how you would linger in his head on a daily basis.

“Why not?” If Jason wasn’t so tired, he’d notice you’d felt insulted.

“I don’t mean today,” he said, playing with the sauce with his sandwich. “You were having fun today, but I’ve seen you before…”

“Why?” you insisted impatiently.

“Because people go to parties for either or two things: to have fun with their friends or to find a hookup,” he lifted two of his long fingers to you. “That day, you were clearly alone. You stood to the side all night, not talking to anyone, almost barking at whoever came closer. Option one impossible. And you also weren’t exposing too much skin to fit into the other.”

“I was having fun tonight!” you tried to argue.

“Yeah, but your friend had disappeared. And you were too drunk. I couldn’t leave you there, alone to the wolves,” he concluded, staring deep into your eyes. “I wouldn’t forgive myself if I did.”

He seemed honest. And nice. Actually nice, like, he looked like a decent person, not the one you villainized in your thoughts every day. He was nice, a sweetheart, and a great cook if his sandwich was any indication of what else he could do in a kitchen. It wasn’t supposed to, but it only made you madder at him. You wanted to punch his face while also giving him a kiss. Stop it, Yn, don’t go that far.

You were quiet, not knowing what else to say. Jason decided on not speaking too, buried in his own thoughts, afraid he’d let too much out. Finishing your food, you dipped the bread into the pesto when the intrusive thoughts came over, and for once, you let them win.

“No…” Jason gasped when he felt the cold sauce on his cheek. You let out a good chuckle, looking at the green stain on his face. Your masterpiece. But Jason was competitive, he wouldn’t let you win. So, he dipped his own bread in the sauce and tried to do the same as you, but you held his arms to stop him before he could stain yet another one of your shirts. His in this case.

It took all your strength to keep his arms away, your laughter, louder than it had been in a long while, making the job much more difficult. “Jason,” you screamed when he got too close for your liking, but you managed to hold his hand and, to his surprise, took one bite of his weapon.

You really couldn’t stop laughing. Tears formed in your eyes from it, and all Jason could do was shake his head and finish the last bite of his sandwich you’d left for him. He felt good seeing you smile again, laughing even, and he just confirmed it was now one of his favorite sounds. It wasn’t polished, it was loud, fun. Everything you usually weren’t, but proof you could be sometimes, if only you’d allow yourself to let loose.

He waited till you calmed down, taking deep breaths to steady it. Then, you stretched your arms to grab a towel opposite of you on the islands, cleaning your hands before looking back at him. “Here,” you called.

His heart stopped. Your hands going for his chin and pulling his face closer to yours, cleaning the pesto stain you’d left on his cheek. Jason had never seen you from this close, every detail exposed to him. The way you sucked in your cheeks in concentration, as you cleaned his face, your soft touch barely brushing his skin, aware not to give him any type of skin irritation.

From this close, he could get a better glimpse of your lips. How they were plumb from you biting on it, how reddish they were, how soft they looked. He watched them as the tip of your smile briefly lifted up. And then, watched your tongue leaving them wet.

You were aware of closeness too. But you had committed to cleaning the stain, you couldn’t show him any weakness now. Pulling away slowly, you noticed his eyes lingering on your lips, setting your stomach in a spiral. He bit his lips, lifting his eyes to look at yours through his lashes, and your heart nearly stopped. Your breath hitched, and you had to look away.

“Hmm,” you started, avoiding his gaze and himself entirely. “I think I’ll go back to bed, it’s late.”

Something inside Jason dropped, and he felt a weight in his chest. You stood up quickly, and walked back into the bedroom without looking back. Fuck, he wanted to scream, but he had to contain himself. So, he stood up, set the plates on the sink and made his way back to the sofa. The tightness in his jeans making it uncomfortable to walk.

Resting against the door as you closed it, you let out a deep breath you didn’t know you were holding. Your heart raced, wanting to break free from your chest, and you felt the warmth rising from within you. Your legs trembled a little, and your mind flew to things you did not wish to think of right now.

You couldn’t give in. You couldn’t. Jason meant trouble, and trouble meant bad things. You couldn’t let yourself fall for it again. You couldn’t invite trouble in, even if it looked as pleasing as he did. He was nice to you tonight because he was polite, but you knew his type well and knew it never ended well. He was just like the others, he’s not perfect, stop it!

A knock on the door broke you from your thoughts, and as if caught doing something bad, you were quick to react to opening it.

“Can I just get some clothes?” Jason asked, heading poking inside. “I just don’t want to sleep in the same clothes from the party.”

Giving him space, you allowed him in. He gave you a weak smile as he pass you, going in the direction of his closet. He indeed was wearing the same outfit from earlier, jeans, and a white shirt you could notice had some green stains on it. Karma.

“I’ve noticed you found my hoodie,” he pointed out while fishing for his pajamas, making your cheeks burn red. You went to apologize, but he was quicker to continue. “You can keep it, if it makes you comfortable.”

He turned back to face you, and you offered him a smile in gratitude. Suddenly mindful of your exposed legs, you tried to hide it with your hands, but you noticed how it only got his attention in that direction. He was about to leave when something made him stop.

“I need a blanket,” he said, running back to the closet. “Just a minute.”Jason was tall, but he seemingly was part of the crew who would hide their blankets on the tallest shelves, so tall that even he couldn’t reach properly. He stretched his arms up, the heels of his feet not touching the floor, and his shirt lifted up just a little. A treat for a very tired Yn to enjoy.

From your position, you caught a sight of his stomach up to his belly button. The toned muscles on the base of his abs made a perfect V shape, pointing downwards to a place you avoided imagining. A few of his tattoos peeked in and out of view as he moved, decorating his skin in drawings you could hardly identify. The thin line of hair going down the cherry on top of this tempting monstrosity.

Through his white t-shirt, you spotted the silhouette of his back muscles. Well defined, well designed, strong enough to carry two of you up the stairs, and wide enough making it the perfect canvas to be painted by your nails.

You knew your mind was traveling through a very dangerous territory. You knew where it was going. You knew the consequences, yet you wanted it. You wanted the danger, you wanted the consequence. Just this once. Just this once you wanted the bad, the naughty, the dangerous. You wanted Jason. You wanted him. You wanted him.

Fuck, you wanted to scream. Run at him, kiss him. Kiss up the hair line on his stomach, up his abs, his chest. Damn it!

You didn’t notice him moving, wishing you a good night, walking to the door. You didn’t notice any of it. Didn’t notice his intoxicating smell leaving the room, because you knew your mind could make it up pretty quickly. Filling your nose with his inexistent scent. His shadow looming around you, with you at all times.

“Yn,” he broke you from your thoughts. He was worried. You stood still before the bed, not moving since he walked past you, not even your eyes following him along, or moving somewhere else. He’d called you before, but you hadn’t noticed. “Are you alright?”

He’d walked back in, closer to you. Approaching you worriedly, your breathing heavy, eyes now lingering on him. He couldn’t decipher them. They were darker, darker than he’d ever seen them. They hid something, something he couldn’t figure out.

“Yeah,” you breathed out a reply. “I’m fine,” you confirmed, arm extending to touch his chest. Jason’s breath got caught on his throat, and when he looked back at you, he found your eyes, and finally could decipher them. “I’m really fine.”

Sliding your hands from his chest up to his neck, you brought him closer, slamming your lips against his. A shiver climbed up your spine as you felt his tongue immediately sliding inside your mouth, and yours soon fought with him for dominance.

You couldn’t explain it. It just fit. He kissed you hungrily, like he’d been wanting it for long, and you replied with the same ferociousness, wanting him closer, more and more. You fingers tugged at the little hairs at the nape of his neck, and he moaned inside your mouth, the vibration reverberating through your entire body.

His hands roamed your skin. Squeezing your ass, caressing your back from underneath his hoodie. The feeling of his hands around you waking the little hairs on your body wherever they touched, leaving behind a burning sensation, a need for more of his touch all over body.

Stumbling, you two took a few footsteps backwards, feeling the ends of the bed hit your calves. He carefully lowered you on top of it, not breaking your kiss until you were left out of breath. When you two finally broke apart, he took the opportunity to pull his shirt over his head, exposing you to the tattoos you’d had a hard time identifying earlier.

An angel falling graced his left ribs, while something was written underneath his right boob. Overwall, you couldn’t count how many were there, you just knew they made him sexier and your cunt ache harder for him. Lifting yourself up a little, you pulled him back to you by the hem of his jeans, your mouths meeting soon after, afraid that if you had too much time to think about it, your mind would force you to stop whatever the hell this was.

On top of you, lips glued to yours, Jason started grinding his crotch against your clothed core, feeling his hardness through the harsh fabric of his jeans and only eliciting your arousal. Trapping your legs around his waist, you bent your back so you could reach him further, grinding yourself against him in a clothed love making session.

You wanted more. You need more. Desperately wanting him in. It was a wild, primal feeling you hadn’t allowed yourself to feel in ages. Or ever at all. You needed him, like you needed air. You needed his tongue all over you, not just on your lips or occasionally traveling to your neck.

His hands slid underneath your shirt, and he broke the kiss to ask you for permission to take it off. His eyes looked at you with a mix of lust and something else, something softer. With a nod, he swiftly had both your shirt and his hoodie thrown off somewhere in his bedroom.

You didn’t want to waste more time, sliding your underwear off too as soon as your breasts were freed, finding yourself fully exposed to the guy that just a few hours ago you would rather find dead than in his bed.

Seeing you rush your underwear off, Jason had to stop and admire. Admire your body and all your curves. Your bare chest, your hard nipples, a sight Jason wanted pictured in his mind forever.

He wanted to remember how your excitement dripped off your thighs, its smell reaching his nose, intoxicating him. Driving him crazier for you than he already was. He really wanted to rip his pants off and fuck you right then and there. Slam his dick into you until he had you screaming out his name for the whole neighborhood to hear. But he also wanted to devour you little by little, taste every corner of your skin.

Pulling you closer from under the knee, he spread you open and fell on top of you again, resuming the action on your lips before moving his kisses down your neck and to your chest. He made sure to leave marks wherever he’d go. He made sure to bite, to suck on your skin until little red and purple stains decorated you instead of your shirt.

His hand, once holding tightly at your waist, found its way down too. Sliding to your arousal, he felt his fingers drench wet as they reached your soaked pussy. Finding you like that, so wet from just his kisses and touches, boosted his ego, giving him extra confidence he could do to you whatever he wanted.

Pushing one finger into you, he felt your body jolt up. He laughed against your skin as his mouth finally found its way to your breasts. He fucked you with one finger while sucking harshly at your nipples. You moaned loud, already feeling a tightness forming on your belly, that sweet but painful sensation you hadn’t felt in a while.

When he pushed another finger inside of you, speeding up his movements in and out while his thumb managed to somehow rub at your clit till it ached, it didn’t take long for you to see black spots in your sight. It did take long for your back to arch up, a muffled scream leaving your lung.

Nibbling at your nipple still, Jason took your moans and screams as motivation. He laughed as you came as if you were just a prey he was playing with, mocking your petite, fragile frame underneath him. Slapping your cunt, he moved his mouth to quickly play with your neglected boob before his tongue drew a line from between your breasts to the entrance to your core.

You could already feel your breath leaving your lungs, your mind half numb from your orgasm and tiredness. His breath hit your folds, as he pecked his way down to your entrance, licking from your ass to your clit, as you had to put a hand over your mouth to stop your screams.

Like a thirsty dog, Jason licked you up and down between your lower lips. His whole mouth stuffed on your vagina, enjoying your sweet taste filling his taste buds. You squirmed from the sensasion, so much he had to pin you down with his strong arms. You tried to push his head away, tug on his hair, anything to make him stop, already aching down there. But it also felt good, and you could feel another orgasm growing inside you.

However, he removed his face from your cunt as soon as he felt you were about to come. He was enjoying torturing you, making you weak to his touch. He wasn’t going to give in much easier, but he also needed to feel you. Feel you around him, sucking him dry till he himself was left just a moaning mess.

Fumbling with the button and zipper of his pants, he managed them down his legs, pulling with them his boxers, letting his hard penis hit against his stomach. You let out a gasp when you saw his erection, already knowing it was going to hurt but be so worth it. He was thick, probably the size of your hands around it, and just long enough.

Jason looked around, trying to remember where he’d last put his condoms on, before your voice void his mind of any coherent thought.

“Fuck me, Jason,” you begged, hands reach to touch his dick. “Please, fuck me.”

“Fuuuck,” he let out a loud and prolonged groan, forgetting everything and placing himself at your entrance. He pushed the tip in, getting a painful moan out of you. You were tight, but he was going to make himself fit.

Collecting your juices, he rubbed it along his shaft, pressing himself in ever so slowly. As he entered, you molded yourself perfectly around him, taking him in entirely eventually. He let you adjust, allowing you to get used to his size. Lowering down, he pulled you into another kiss. This time, deeper, slower, hotter.

He started with slow thrusts, moving out entirely before placing himself back in. You moaned and your body jumped every time he moved. His low groans on your ear making you wetter, and his speed started to pick up.

The sound of skin hitting skin getting louder, filling the room along the strong smell of your sinful act. The bed creaked and hit against the wall along with Jason’s thrusts. He started to gain more and more speed, taking one of your legs and placing it on his shoulder.

He modded as the action gave him more access to your cunt, speed going so fast your boobs bounced up and down vigorously. With the spare had the wasn’t holding your leg up, he reached for your clit and your moans only got louder, screaming Jason’s name like a fucking prayer. Begging for release.

He’d sobered up from the party a long time ago, but he was getting drunk on the sight of your glistening skin, coated in sweat, screaming his name as your eyes rolled to the back of your head. Not rolling out of anger, or annoyance. But because he was making you feel so fucking good you couldn’t control yourself anymore.

Jason felt like a king. Total control over you as you felt your mind go numb, drunk on his cock, drunk on the sensation he was giving you. He moved his hips harshly, slamming against your wet core like a MMA fighter fights his opponent. He felt the growing knot on his abdomen, speeding his thumb’s movements, wanting you to cum along with him.

A few more thrusts had you screaming so loud Jason had to put his hands over your mouth to shut you up, afraid his neighbors wouldn’t enjoy your fucked up symphony. He felt your release hitting his cock and he too released inside of you, feeling your walls clenching around him, milking his ball dry of any cum he had to offer.

The room was now filled with groans and heavy breaths. The air was thick and warm, and the smell of sex sticking to every corner. He pulled out, watching you juices mixed up and dripping off your pussy. Sticking a finger inside, he took some of you mixed orgasm and put it on his tongue. He didn’t lick it, instead just placing it there before lowering himself to give you a kiss, making sure you two got to taste your second late night snack together.

When you pulled away, begging for air, he had his forehead rested on yours. His eyes were closed, and his hair stuck to your forehead from sweat. Something you’d seen many times at the gym, now got a completely new meaning to you. One you enjoyed a lot more, seeing and making it happen.

You too closed your eyes, tiredness weighing your lashes down, as you barely missed Jason’s body falling beside you. You also missed his arms wrapping around your waist, and his face snuggling into your neck. Soon falling into slumber, a delicious ache on your core, as the dream world quickly took over you.

It wasn’t until hours later that the bright sun beams hit your eyes, or the loud noises of Gotham’s traffic found your ears. Eyes taking too long to open, as you woke up more tired than usual. Your body ached in pain, every muscle seemingly sore, but you didn’t remember going to the gym yesterday.

You only remembered you had to work and ended up getting drunk at a party. You remembered getting mad at your parents and deciding you had to release all your anger doing something they’d despise. You remembered your gym enemy taking you home. To his or mine? You wondered, eyes finally opening to the unknown bedroom.

Fuck. Looking behind you, you found Jason’s body spread on the same bed you now laid, and you quickly became aware of your own lack of an outfit. No, no, no. You went too far. You were just supposed to get drunk at a party, not fuck a stranger, Yn. Not fuck fucking Jason!

Carefully removing the duvet off of you, you slipped out of bed and fished for your clothes around his bedroom. Your shirt was tangled on his hoodie you had worn last night, and your panties were thrown on the other side of it. Your bra rested on the bedside table on Jason’s side of the bed, while your jeans were perfectly folded on top of a chair.

You tried to be quiet, to put your clothes back on without making any noise. But your own constant shits and fucks didn’t help your case, and as you buttoned your jeans you heard shuffling on the bed. Jason rubbed his eyes, trying to understand what was going on. “Yn? What are you…”

“THIS IS FUCKED UP!” you screamed, his eyes jolting open at your reaction. “We shouldn’t have done this, Jason.”

“Woah, I didn’t do it alone.” he replied, feeling annoyed at the tone you’d been treating this interaction with.

“We shouldn’t. We…” you wanted to cry, pissed off you’d let yourself sleep with him of all people. Taking your shoes, you rushed out of the room, wanting all of this to be just a silly little memory of a silly little moment when you had lost control.

Opening the door to the living room, you stepped on something that bit your leg in return, a loud hiss forcing your eyes to the black kitten clutched to your leg. Shaking the cat off of you, you proceeded with your run of shame.

“Yn!” Jason screamed after you, but your feet never ceased, and you ran down the stairs. Eyes only jumping up to find him as he stood by the door. The towel you’d cleaned his cheeks with hardly managing to hide his groin. The last sight you got of him haunting you for the days that followed. His sad eyes, frown and pressed closed lips a memory from his heartbreak.

tag list: @igotanidea ; @erochuu ; @jasontoddslover ; @killxz ; @kysrion ; @loonymoonystuff ; @munimunni ; @novs9011 ; @starcrossedtrek ; @sttrawberries ; @vanillaattack ; @veryfabday ; @vissavin ; @willieoo

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#jason todd au #jason todd x reader #jason todd imagine #jason todd #jason todd x you #jason todd fluff #jason todd x yn #jason todd x y/n #jason todd imagines #jason todd blurb #jason todd x fem!reader #jason todd x female!reader

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idealisticrealism · 22 days

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TCL 3x06 thoughts (and many feelings)

Well, as expected, this ep basically broke my heart into a million tiny pieces- but still, they really did give Arman the best send-off that they could given the circumstances, and I’m so, so grateful for it.

Breaking the recap up a bit differently this week because I have a lot to say about everyone lol

But of course, I have to start with my beloved boy Arman, and Armony. I always knew that this ep was going to break me, and man, they didn’t waste any time doing it… less than 4 mins in and the tears were already flowing from hearing him saying the Reloj line, because seriously, knowing that this was his one chance to pass on a message to the people in his life, and that he chose that??? God it was powerful seeing Nadia and the others incorrectly assuming the message simply meant that he was running out of time, vs seeing Thony's jaw clench on hearing it because she knew the truth, knew that it was meant for her alone. In some ways, it was a “I think my time is up and I'm the one leaving forever in the morning, and that's okay” kind of message, but it was also a “this is me telling you I love you, because I never got the chance before”, and a “no matter what they do to me, in my mind I'm there, dancing with you by the fire.” No wonder she reaches for a beer the moment she gets home, knowing that there’s the chance she will be able to hold him in her arms again in only a matter of hours, but not being able to do anything to make it happen except just sit and wait for news. Well, at least until the moment she sees the report and understands Dante’s involvement, and then there’s no holding back anymore, no more trusting others to save him. Her blind determination to go find him and bring him home is exactly like how she acted when Luca was dying or when Fi was deported; it’s the way she always responds when someone she loves desperately needs her, and I love that Arman is so clearly in that category. (Okay gotta break this up bc of Tumblr's character limit lol)

Anyway ugh the entire time she was at the apartments I could feel my heart in my throat, because god, she got so close. (Oh and the way she instantly recognised the jacket and then knew with a single sniff that it was his?? Help???). But anyway ugh when the kid pointed them to the apartment, and she saw him right there through the window, only for him to be stolen away again in the mere couple of minutes it took her to get back around to the apartment’s front door.... Ughhh these two have been star-crossed from the start, but it was so hard to watch the final acts of their tragedy unfolding. I'll never be over the fact that for days, he was kept in a haze of drugs and pain, and yet we (and Thony!) know from his message that he spent that time thinking of her, escaping his reality by living in the moments they’d shared. And her own drug-induced hallucination of him was equally heartbreaking… god, to see her be so honest and unreserved in the way she looked at him and held him and spoke to him ("I’m gonna take you home, I'm never gonna let you go again”)... like damn, in that moment we really got to see the unfiltered, uninhibited truth of her feelings for him, the truth she never got to tell him and that he never got to hear.

But still, I’d like to think that he knew it anyway, especially when he saw her there in that car– saw that she had come for him, that she was trying so hard to save him, even at risk to herself. (Naturally I wish that we could have had his real face for that heart-wrenching moment of goodbye, but it was close enough, and when it comes down to it, that moment was still truly Arman and Thony no matter what). And while I’m sure Arman would have wished that he could live, that he could have stayed and built a life with her, we also saw multiple indications in the past 2 seasons that Arman knew and accepted that an early death was likely for him, if not practically inevitable, just like it had been for Mateo and Carlos and Bosco. And so for him to get to go out on his own terms, and in the act of saving Thony? It was exactly the death that he would have wanted. (On first watch I was sobbing too hard to notice that he didn't just knock the gun away and cause chaos in the car, he actually also grabbed the wheel and deliberately drove them off the cliff, meaning he truly chose for himself how he met his death). Honestly, it was literally the exact kind of ending I'd been predicting for him ever since s1– both the culmination of his hero arc, and also the ultimate fulfillment of his vow to protect her. I'm so, so thankful that he got to have that, got to go out fast and painlessly and like the hero he was, rather than dying in the hangar or alone in that grungy apartment, and I’m even more thankful that he got to see her one last time, got to have that final goodbye with her. He died knowing she loved him and never gave up on him, and knowing that his death would ensure she got to live on; and for him, that would have been everything. And as devastating as it was to see Thony on her knees on the cliff, staring up into the sky as everything faded into white and El Reloj began to play... it was also heartbreakingly beautiful- seeing them dancing together again truly felt like getting a glimpse into his heaven, like it was telling us 'This is where he is now. This is where he'll always be"- and though it'll still always hurt to have lost him, I can be at peace with that.

(Though ngl, this ep was full of 'if onlys' that are going to haunt both us and Thony forever... If only Chris hadn't blocked the toilet today of all days. If only Thony had called a different plumber. If only JD's friend hadn't gotten him the arrest report. If only Ramona hadn't put a tail on Thony that caused her and Fi to have to rely on Jeremy for a ride rather than going on their own. If only Thony had been able to trust that Jorge wasn't involved and had called him instead. If only Nadia hadn't sent her the address for the meet location. If only if only if only. The show has always centred around this theme (all the way back to 1x01 and ‘if only Thony hadn’t encouraged the underground fighter to make her own choices, then the fighter may have done what Theo ordered her to and deliberately lost the fight, and then Tarik wouldn’t have killed Theo and Thony wouldn't have witnessed it, and none of this would have happened’), and it's a vital aspect of both the storytelling (because if none of that had happened, then there's no story at all) and also of Thony's character development. But obviously in this instance we all know that the writers had no other choice, and that there was no way this ep could have gone differently anyway, not after the loss of Adan. We know that, but Thony doesn't, and so it's going to be devastating to see Thony blame herself for yet another death, especially the death of someone she loved so deeply.)

But alright let’s talk about who is actually responsible for Arman’s death, because while Thony inadvertently contributed to it, she absolutely wasn’t the one who directly led to them being in that situation! Let’s start with Dante: firstly, I knew it was very suss that he ‘accidentally’ killed that guy in the last ep! And then when I saw the BTS pics for 3x06 last week and saw that Thony and Fi were going to go to the same apartment buildings that Dante got arrested at, it was clear that he was definitely involved in Arman’s abduction somehow. So either it’s option 1, and that giant bastard knew just how deeply Ramona wanted Arman back in their lives and figured he could not only give her what she wanted, but could also use the opportunity to score a fuck-ton of money without Ramona ever knowing of his involvement; or it’s option 2, and he abducted Arman on Ramona’s orders so that she could a) get her hands on a bunch of Nadia's money, and b) receive Arman's gratitude for saving him, which would then lead to his return into the family. Personally I think that option 1/Dante working alone is much more likely, and I'd also prefer it to option 2, because if Ramona was involved it would completely ruin the enjoyment I’ve been getting out of her character and her sibling relationship with Jorge. So I'm really hoping that it was all just Dante’s plan, and that Ramona and Jorge believe Thony when she tells them about Dante’s role in Arman's kidnapping (and therefore his death) and then they fucking murder him for it.

Speaking of murdering, that brings me to Jeremy Fucking Dolan. (Yes, I literally looked up his last name on IMDB purely bc I felt the need to put a curse word in it). It’s funny, but from the very first moment his character was announced and it was mentioned in his bio that he would befriend Thony while hiding a dark secret, I had an almost irrational level of hatred for him, even more than I had for Jorge’s character, which was definitely odd and inexplicable given that Jorge’s bio made him sound like he was purely meant to be an unwanted ‘Arman 2.0’/potential love interest, which I obviously did not want in the slightest. But if I’d been given the option to get rid of one of them before S3 even started, it would have been Jeremy with no hesitation. The moment he made his appearance, I called it that he was actually an undercover FBI agent who was using Thony to get to Arman, which was maddening enough because she just didn’t deserve to be manipulated in that way, or to be betrayed by someone whom she had been isolated and vulnerable enough to risk trusting. And then that undercover bastard not only uses her, but ends up being the very reason that the FBI shows up right at the worst moment– not only preventing the exchange, but also causing the chase that kills Arman??? I don't care if he was only doing his job and trying to catch criminals, goddammit, I still hate him so much, and it's going to destroy Thony (even more than she already has been destroyed after losing Arman) when she eventually puts it together and realises that her trusting Jeremy directly contributed to Arman’s death. Which is why I’m over here violently daydreaming of a moment sometime late in the season where Jorge and Ramona finally manage to capture Jeremy, and then they bring Thony in and let her pull the fucking trigger and end him. (I mean, is it at all likely that she would go that dark, even to avenge Arman? Well, no. But thinking about it certainly gives me great satisfaction so I’m sticking with it lol)

Anyway, moving onto something more positive– if you wanna find the MVP of this ep, you only have to look at Fi!!! I loved her for the kind and understanding way she addressed Thony's connection to Arman, and the way she almost got Thony to acknowledge her feelings for him. Though I guess in that moment she could see that Thony still wasn’t ready to talk about it, and so she tried to ease Thony's mental discomfort by shifting focus to jokes about Jeremy (gross). Still, throughout the ep she was just so completely ride or die for Thony, like she has always been, and honestly Thony needs that, needs her. And not just for her badass lock-picking skills haha (taught to her by Paolo maybe??). Basically, Thony is like the Frodo of this series, carrying a huge burden and going through unimaginable things, but Fi is like her Sam, and it’s only with Fi’s support that Thony is able to keep pushing forward through everything. Obviously the loss of Arman, the other vital person in her life (does that make him Gandalf??) is going to be absolutely crushing for her, and I think Fi is going to be even more incredible in the coming episodes as she supports Thony through her grief and devastation. Ngl, I already had a fic idea about Fi going and getting Arman's jacket back for Thony, and it makes me cry just thinking about it ugh

In addition to Fi and Thony, I did love the whole De La Rosa fam vibe early in the episode, with Chris and Jaz bickering, and Thony and Fi making a fuss of Luca, and then Chris gently telling them to ease off when Luca got overwhelmed– it felt so nice to have them all reunited again and just getting to be a ‘normal’ family getting ready for school in the morning, and for Fi and Thony to be dealing with problems like blocked toilets and wet clothes rather than threats of deportation or dangerous cartels or the FBI. Chris worrying over missing Camila’s call was super cute too; I’m glad we got to have another mention of her and I hope we get to see her again soon. As for Luca, I’m really happy he’s started school, mostly bc it frees up Thony’s schedule haha, but also because it’s an important step for both him and Thony in moving forward with their lives. Thony has lived in an endless loop of ~My Child Is Dying~ for 6 years, and finally (thanks to her and Fi and Arman, like she said in the ep) that cycle has finally been broken. Luca will always need careful monitoring of his health, of course, but Thony isn’t trapped by his illness anymore, and I’m excited to see what potential paths that will open up for her. I will always wish that one of those paths could have been a relationship with Arman, and I'm sure she does too, but as long as she finds happiness and purpose, I'll be satisfied.

Okay, so Jorge showing up at the school was pretty great honestly; like he says, it kind of is their thing to just show up uninvited into each other's spaces, and plus I think he actually truly did want to help make the moment a little easier on her by being there and distracting her/reassuring her as a fellow parent. I also loved the sweatshirt mention lol, it was a good throwback and I enjoy that he’s comfortable enough with her to tease her. Just shows how much their relationship has changed in the week or so since he first tossed that sweatshirt at her in a different school parking lot!! And he definitely won points with me here by going out of his way to get the info for her about the legal/CPS stuff without being asked, and though he explained it away as basically just him buying her influence over Arman in regards to the Sin Cara business, again I think he just genuinely wanted to help. Like Arman, he doesn’t get the opportunity to do many things that are purely good and noble, and so the feeling of getting to help her and Luca clearly has somewhat of an intoxicating effect on both men haha. Even with the loss of Arman (and so the loss of his supposed reason for helping Thony with the CPS stuff) I don’t doubt that Jorge will still help her with it once he’s satisfied that she had nothing to do with Arman’s death. But ugh speaking of Arman, the way Jorge questioned her about her connection to Arman… he already knows that Thony’s husband only died a few months ago, and as far as he knows from Nadia's behaviour, her and Arman’s marriage was solid, so it’s understandable that the intensity of Thony’s loyalty to/concern about Arman is a bit confusing to him. And because he doesn’t understand it, he’s always going to view her with at least a trace of suspicion until he learns the truth. Which may even be as soon as next ep– it looks like Jorge and Ramona are going to be demanding answers from Thony about how Arman died/ whether she betrayed him to the Feds/ how she was even there in the first place etc etc, and honestly I'm desperately hoping we'll get some kind of "I would never betray Arman! I LOVED him!" outburst from her that makes both Jorge and Ramona stop in their tracks because of how clearly heartfelt and honest it is. And ngl, while we’ve seen Thony indirectly state or demonstrate her love for Arman multiple times now, it would really mean a lot to me to hear her just say it openly without holding back. Not to mention that I think it would also really help pave the way for her to be accepted into the Sin Cara/Sanchez family, which would make for interesting viewing for the rest of the season.

Speaking of the Sanchez family, I enjoyed the flashback and getting the backstory about the caddy, and seeing more of the Eduardo/Ramona/Jorge dynamic. (I’m trying so hard not to be nitpicky about the fact that young Arman's hair was straight and young Jorge's was curly, when it should have been the opposite, lol). But I’ve been thinking a lot about what Eduardo says to young Arman in that moment about how the only way to be a good man is to work hard and make an honest living, and I think that before we meet him in S1 Arman had really internalised that, and didn’t see himself as being a good man even though he wanted to be, which is why it hurt him so much to have Thony reinforce that belief during their argument at the wedding in 1x03. But then through helping her and forming a connection with her, he sees that even though she’s witnessed him at his worst, she genuinely does believe he is a good man, and it allows him to start believing it of himself for the first time. The flashback also definitely gave us more of a sense of Arman’s relationship with Ramona and Jorge, and really added another layer to him not selling off his caddy despite the direness of his debt to RK. What Nadia said to Ramona about the caddy being Arman’s dream car seemed to prove to Ramona that Arman still loved her and Jorge, and never truly turned his back on them… and so hopefully her sense of family and honour will mean that she will now consider Nadia and Thony– Arman’s family– to be her family as well. I also really enjoyed the scene of Jorge and Ramona sitting together in the caddy, discussing their business choices/differences in their life plans, and also talking about Arman and his good heart… they’ve definitely both grown on me, partly because they’re well written, but mostly because they've helped Thony and they genuinely care about my boy Arman. I’m sad we'll never get to see an Arman and Jorge brotherly reunion, because that could have been truly great. But tbh what I’m really wondering is what will happen to my beloved caddy now that Arman's gone... will Nadia want to get rid of it because seeing it is too painful?? Will Jorge offer to take it? Will I get my dream of Thony being the one to keep it lol? Doubtful, but one can always hope.... (and I guess there’s always that fic I’ve been planning to write about it for like 3 weeks lol)

Sigh, poor Nadia gave me a lot of feels in this ep. She is working so hard to get Arman back, and handling herself amazingly well under incredibly stressful circumstances. She dealt calmly with the kidnappers (which Ramona was clearly very impressed by... a potential protege there, perhaps?). Nadia also politely yet firmly declined Ramona’s plan for Arman to be basically kept in their home, despite knowing how powerful Ramona is and how risky it would be to piss her off. She also insisted on being at the exchange to get him back despite the risk to herself (and possibly partly because she still doesn’t trust Ramona’s intentions). She trusted Thony with the meet location, despite their complex history, despite knowing that it meant that she would have to share her reunion with her husband with the other woman he loves. Even if she only gave Thony the address because it meant getting to have a highly-trained doctor there who could be trusted completely with Arman’s life, it still means she put Arman’s wellbeing above her own wants. Honestly I respect the hell out of Nadia, and literally the only consolation I have about losing Arman is that at least I'll never have to watch her go through the heartbreak of Arman still choosing Thony over her despite all their history and everything she’d done for him. Of course, we still have to watch her going through an absolutely horrific heartbreak of a different kind, but at least instead of being alone in it, she has Thony to share that pain with. (Or at least, she will, when she gets past her initial anger and blame towards Thony). It's almost a certainty that Thony and Nadia's connection will continue and even strengthen throughout the rest of the season, and I strongly believe that Thony is going to do everything she can to support and protect Nadia now, not only because she genuinely does care about her, but also because it’s the only thing she can do now to honour Arman and give thanks for all he did for her.

Okay, last couple of things: I loved that even despite her desperate search for Arman and the ticking clock that was hanging over their heads, Thony still stopped and helped the kid’s grandfather. It was very true to who she is, and how she can’t not help the people in front of her that need her. And tbh in terms of TV medicine, this instance actually wasn’t too bad haha, even if her Epley manoeuvre was a bit off. The fact that the man turning to look at the clock helped her diagnose the vertigo was also a cool reference to the ep’s title/theme as well. But anyway the reference that I can’t quite figure out yet is the word Thony saw written in the dust on that mirrored platter thing; I’m assuming Arman wrote it as a clue in case someone found the apartment? It seems to say something like ‘Marin’ which means nothing to me rn, but they very intentionally included a shot of Thony seeing it, so I guess its meaning will become clear in the next ep or two?

Anyway, this has been many many words and feelings, so I’m just gonna end it with this, the prayer that Thony spoke as Arman walked out of prison in 2x02, because it feels even more tragically fitting now:

Now he is freed Through your blood on the cross Through the blows to your face And through the crown of your thorns that pierced your head Deliver him from all evil From the rigor of injustice From the torment of conscience And from all darkness Welcome him into Paradise Where there will be no more sorrow No more weeping or pain Give him the blessings of the life to come As he enters into the kingdom of peace and light.

#The Cleaning Lady #TCL recaps #Armony #Arman Morales #Adan Canto #God this ep is definitely in my Top 3 Most Traumatic Episodes of any show ever #I don't think I've cried that hard over a character's death since I was 18 and just lost the Blorbo I'd been obsessed with for like 4 years #but at least in that instance we didn't lose the actor too #ugh #anyway #if you manage to read this whole thing I salute you #and you're welcome to come talk to me about it!#let's suffer together lol #TCL spoilers #The Cleaning Lady Spoilers

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freesia-writes · 8 months

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Chapter 31: Conspiracy

During the Clone Wars, the Bad Batch is tasked with a variety of missions across the galaxy. An unexpected addition to their team throws a wrench in the mix, particularly for Tech, who finds a particular connection with this disillusioned Padawan-turned-mechanic named Vel throughout the events in this action-adventure romance. COVER ART BY @zaana!!

Master List of Chapters

LISTEN. I am chopping and rearranging the canon timeline like nobody’s business, but I swear it all works out. ;) If you’d like more of an explanation than what I tried to convey in the story, check the notes at the end of the chapter. It’ll be well worth it, trust me. ;) Also… I know there are tons of “wait, but what about–” kinds of points to be made with where the story goes, and I was going crazy trying to account for them all, but… just… ssshhh. Just enjoy. LOL!

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Tech and Vel wove their way through 79s, getting jostled in every direction. As soon as they found an upstairs corner with a smidge of space around a single stool, she whipped off her shoes as quickly as possible. Tech's mouth opened immediately, but she was one step ahead of him. "Don't worry, I'll put them back on for the contest." They shared a smile, and he offered her the stool, but she preferred to stand beside him, gazing over the railing at the boisterous crowd below.

Vel shifted awkwardly on her feet, pulling her skirt up, her shirt down, and her neckline closer together. She tried to fold her arms across her chest, but it looked odd with them up so high. Opting to lean both elbows on the railing, she tucked both fists under her chin, allowing her forearms to cover her up somewhat. But that felt weird too. She should have told Tech to find out when the contest judging would begin, instead of potentially having to be here all night.

"Are you uncomfortable?" Tech asked, leaning close to her ear and speaking loudly to be able to be heard over the music and crowd.

"This isn't really my style," came the honest answer. "I mean... look at these..." Vel stood up again, gesturing to her ample bosom that flowed across the top of the shirt like that of a German beer maiden. Tech's eyes dropped briefly, returning to her face with supersonic speed, and a flush crept across his cheeks, barely discernible in the dark and neon lighting of the club. His mouth felt dry, and he cleared his throat before swallowing a few times. "Sorry, I don't mean to shove em in your face," she laughed, now blushing along with him. "It's like they have a mind of their own in this outfit."

Tech smirked, returning his eyes to the crowd below as he shuffled his arms out of his jacket sleeves, sliding it off his shoulders and holding it up to her with a hand on each side. "Would you like to wear this?"

Vel's heart warmed at his chivalry, and she sheepishly took the jacket, slipping it over her own shoulders and clutching it together in front with one hand.

"Thank you," she said, eyes large with emotion. She was finding it increasingly hard to think about anything other than him when they were apart, and when they were together, it took all her resolve to keep her hands (and mouth) off of him. He, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed. Like an on and off switch, he would be completely normal and functional in everyday life, then become someone entirely different during a moment of passion. It was intoxicatingly addictive, and as the warmth and scent of him wrapped around her, she felt almost dizzy. "Maybe this outfit was a mistake," she admitted. "But you look amazing."

"I apologize for neglecting to mention it earlier..." Tech began, turning to face her and sliding a finger along his collar as if it were too tight. "But... I did not anticipate that your attire would be so... form-fitting..." He swallowed again, eyes dropping to the floor.

"Is it bad?" Vel asked, feeling uncharacteristically vulnerable. When had his opinion come to matter so much to her? Bah, that was a silly question. She cared what he thought from the beginning, it was just easier to pretend that she didn't. Her mind began to race with a million possibilities of why he wouldn't look at her too long, none of which were positive.

"Terrible," he answered, sending her eyebrows shooting straight up. He bit his lip for a moment, formulating his words, then lifted his gaze back to her face, which surprised him with how angry it looked.

"This whole thing was your idea!" she yelled, disproportionately hurt by his disapproval. "I wouldn't be caught dead in this if not for you..." Her words drifted off as he stepped in close, one hand on her waist outside his jacket, the other gently tugging her toward him by the lapel.

"You misunderstand," he said, dipping his head to bring his husky voice nearer to her ear. "I do not comprehend how anyone in your immediate vicinity is expected to function with such an exquisite sight in their field of vision." He pulled back a little to meet her gaze, his face tantalizingly close. "I also cannot fathom how a single person is able to be so irresistibly attractive in such a variety of ensembles. You..." he swallowed again, eyes wandering across her features, "You are as captivating in a tunic as you are in an evening gown. As beautiful in your mechanic attire as you are now. Your allure comes not from what you wear, but from who you are. It is you that I find completely irresistible. Every time I see you with a different appearance, that realization grows."

If his proximity hadn't taken her words from her, his speech certainly did. A flush of tingly heat swept across her, reminding her of the waterfall, where he'd made it seem so easy to declare that she was sufficient, that she was worthy, that she was... desirable. His admiration was a soothing salve to a heart that had been battered with rejection and disappointment in a variety of ways throughout life, and she felt as though she were simultaneously melting and blooming.

"Can I kiss you?" she asked breathlessly, completely at a loss for anything else.

"I do not believe it is a requirement for you to ask–" Tech began, cut off by the immediate press of her lips to his. She cupped his face, a single tear weaving its way down her cheek as she nuzzled closer, breaking the kiss for a slight shift of the face before bringing her mouth back to his. They stayed there for a long moment, hearts weaving together in a new way, and when she pulled away, looking to the ceiling and carefully wiping her face without touching the makeup, he didn't release his grasp on her waist and jacket.

"I don't know how you see me the way you do," she said, speaking softly enough that he had to lean close to hear her over the noise.

"And I fail to comprehend your inability to perceive yourself," he returned, and her cheeks curved against his.

"You can't just say what I say with fancier words to make it sound like an original thought," she challenged, a playful gleam in her eyes. He pulled back to look at her, the corner of his mouth lifted in a small smile.

Alriiiiiight! Clones and creatures of all shapes and sizes! It's time for the costume contest!! A loud voice boomed over the music and chatter, both of which quieted down a bit in response. Participants, please come to the bar to receive your instructions!

Vel tried to hold back her grimace as she regretfully slid Tech's jacket off her shoulders, admiring his dapper appearance and slightly askew angle of his hat from her face bumping into it. He pulled the jacket back on, straightening everything from top to bottom, and looked at her with an uncharacteristic shrug. Perhaps now he was feeling sheepish for this grand idea of his. But Vel was grateful for the excuse to see him this way – the suit was somehow a perfect match for him, as if he'd been made for another time and another world. It made her yearn for a simple life somewhere... Together. But now was not the time for such thoughts.

Sign-ups were surprisingly brief, as were the instructions. Each participant or group was to write the name of their costume on a card for the announcer, who would call them forward to walk back and forth across the middle of the bar. Vel hadn't thought about that, and the concept of being under the scrutiny of so many eyes made her stomach churn. Her anxiety must have been palpable, because Tech took note, giving her a concerned look to which she shook her head in response. Instead taking her hand in his, he stood tall beside her, unwilling to reveal the magnitude of his own unease and regret.

Names were called and costumes of all varieties were paraded back and forth, much to the delight of the audience who clapped, cheered, and provided colorful commentary on each ensemble. Soon, the two of them were next in line, and the announcer gave them a nod as he picked up their card. Wrapping her arm around his, Tech took a few shaky steps, then a few more confident ones as they followed the designated loop. The announcer's voice rang out loud and clear.

Next up, put your hands together forrrrrr... Historical Artifact and.. Busty Lady? A sharp exhale was quickly muffled as he covered the microphone, turning to a fellow employee at his side and conversing rapidly. Vel's mouth dropped, her eyes flying to Tech's in surprise. His brows were low, mouth twisted in confusion. That was definitely not what he had written. He felt the indignation rising and opened his mouth to explain, but promptly snapped it shut as he realized that the hand Vel had clapped over her mouth was covering laughter, not mortification. The crowd hooted and hollered, banging mugs on tables and calling out all kinds of ridiculousness. They finished their promenade with a rushed scramble back to the start, and Vel continued on into the hallway for the refreshers, stopping only when she'd found a quiet corner.

"Vel, I most certainly did not provide those names to them..." Tech began, but she waved a hand dismissively as she tried to contain her giggling.

"I know," she managed to get out between chuckles, "I just... What the kriff are we doing?" She shook her head, still laughing, and looked herself up and down. "We could have offered some ship repair or maintenance if we needed money. This is ridiculous."

His own face softened in the fullness of her mirth, and Tech shrugged, brows furrowing again as he considered her words literally. "You are correct; I realized earlier that my assertion that this would be an effortless way to procure additional credits was, in fact, not entirely true." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I apologize. However, I believe this is one of those memories that people often recall with fondness."

"Down the road," Vel added, cupping his face with a sudden wave of affection. "Now I'm going to hit the refresher and then take that jacket back while we hide in a corner until they announce the winners, deal?"

Tech nodded his agreement, taking the opportunity to use the refresher himself. It was shockingly empty, and he had a sudden idea. Taking the furthest stall at the end, he locked the door and pulled out his datapad, wondering if the obnoxious bulge in his pocket had been too noticeable. Shrugging the thought off, he began searching...

The door opened again, admitting a single person from the sound of the footsteps, and as the music slowly faded with the door whooshing shut, the echoing sound of urination soon followed. The person flushed, spent an inordinately long time washing his hands, and then slowly dried them off. Tech expected to hear the boots head for the door again, but they didn't. Distracted by the sudden silence, he tilted his head to peer through the space between the door. It was a clone trooper, wearing the standard white armor with some faded blue accents on it. His low voice reached Tech's ears as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Come on, show me that winning smile. Theeeere it is. You've still got it..."

The datapad nearly slipped from Tech's fingers as he stared, brow furrowed and nose wrinkled, at the oddity playing out before him. He thought it might be wise to take his leave and let the trooper have his... affirmation time... But the door slid open again. After what felt like too long of a pause, another clone's voice filled the room.

"So. I guess the 501st is back on Coruscant."

"Oh yeah," the clone at the sink said, turning to cast a glance at the newcomer. Tech caught a glimpse of the bright red medic symbol on his shoulder. "We just got back from Ringo Vinda. The strangest thing happened out there."

"Yeah, I know..." Footsteps echoed as the other trooper approached, stopping just out of sight from Tech's snooping crack. Mirror clone gasped all of a sudden, and Tech nearly banged his head into the wall to try to see why.

"Fives?!" he exclaimed, stepping back in shock. "Whoa! What's goin on? They said you tried to assassinate the Chancellor! A-and that you're infected with that virus that killed Tup!"

The conversation grew stranger and stranger, warning of grave danger for everyone, including the Jedi, with a conspiracy plot that involved people "all the way to the top". Tech's interest was thoroughly piqued, and he began furiously tapping on his datapad. When the paranoid clone identified mirror clone as "Kix", it caught his attention again – their recent mission on Anaxes had been with a clone named Kix, also in the 501st, but his hair had been longer, in the standard military cut. This one had some sort of fancy pattern shaved into his nearly-bald head. Shrugging it off as another strange concept of "fashion", Tech continued to listen closely. When the doors whooshed open and shut, he could still hear the medic, leaning on the sink and letting out a long breath. When the stall door opened behind him, Kix let fly a string of expletives that would have made Jesse proud as he whirled around to face the movement.

"What the kriff? What are you– oh karking hell... You're that clone from Anaxes aren't you?"

"Tech, yes," he responded matter-of-factly. "And I apologize for startling you. I was searching for something when I overheard your conversation." He waved the datapad as though it would make his story less weird. It didn't. "However, I also keep a constant scan on the local comm channels used by the authorities, and I must inform you that the Coruscant Guard is being dispatched to find your friend. They may already be here."

"Great," Kix answered, mind reeling. "I've got to get his message to Rex, then."

"Yes, that is urgent. If you give me the coordinates of where he is planning to meet them, I can provide an additional lookout– oh. One moment." Tech disappeared into his datapad again, mouth turning into a frown. "It would appear that a probe droid has identified Clone Trooper Fives and is following in stealth mode. I do not believe he will be able to communicate his information without an undesired audience intent on arresting him."

"Kriff, kriff, kriff..." Kix muttered under his breath, rubbing his forehead with a hand. He'd thought he was finally having an easygoing night blowing off some steam with a friend and chatting up an attractive Twi'lek. So much for shore leave.

"Give me the coordinates of their meeting place, and I shall depart immediately to warn him. Once we find a secure location, I shall transfer the new coordinates to you to pass on to Captain Rex. I would do it myself but he may not recognize nor trust a coded transmission from an unidentified source, which is paramount to avoid discovery."

"Alright, fine." Kix answered, still shaking his head. "What has that idiot got himself mixed up in this time..."

* * *

Whaaaat!! ;) Okay, so here's how I pictured it... The Batch goes to Anaxes and infiltrates the communication center with Rex/Kix/Jesse. They rescue Echo. Then they come back to Kamino. Echo recovers. Tech and Vel happen to be at 97s when Fives is there to tell Kix to set up a meeting with him and Rex/Anakin (because in this timeline, it didn't happen yet, but occurred just now for the sake of the story). ;)

reblog artwork by @vimse!

Tag List: @merkitty49 @vimse @arctrooper69 @dystopicjumpsuit @starrylothcat @ghostperson69 @dreamie411 @savebytheodoresnonjosestuff @523rdrebel @clonemedickix @sinfulsalutations @ughhhhfoff @coraex @amorfista @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @followthepurrgil @littlefeatherr @sunshinesdaydream @thew0nderer2342 @dangraccoon @iceskategirl18 @chickentenderx @skellymom @girl_scout_reject @mooncommlink

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#tech fanfiction #tech fanfic #tbb fanfic #tbb fanfiction #tbb fic #bad batch fanfic #star wars fanfic #tech romance

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yanyanderes · 2 years

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YAN!ROTTMNT BROTHERS X READER X YAN!ROTTMNT APRIL

(part 2 to this. also have some art because i like you)

sorry i kinda died for a while, life got pretty busy lol, i’ll answer the asks in my inbox in a sec

as the questions ring in (y/n)’s mind, they don’t notice a figure slowly creeping up to them until a hand is placed on their shoulder.

before they can scream, another hand is already over their mouth, muffling their words.

“hey! it’s just me!”

the familiar voice sends a wave of relief coursing through them. they fling themselves into the girl’s hold, clinging to her jacket.

“april!”

they’ve never been so happy to see her. knowing there was at least one person they could reach out to and trust immediately puts them at ease.

“april, i know it’s hard to believe, but the guys are insane! they’ve been stalking me, pushing my family and friends away from me, they’re trying to kidnap me!”

a look of shock immediately overtakes april’s face, before immediately being replaced with a scowl.

“those guys…”

her voice is just above a whisper, yet her frustration is so clear. she quickly slips her jacket off, immediately wrapping it around (y/n)’s drenched form.

“i’m sorry you had to go through that, (y/n).”

“no, no, it’s not your fault… i’m just grateful you’re here right now.”

a smile makes its way to april’s face as she wraps her arms around (y/n), letting them bury their face in the crook of her neck.

“anytime.”

looking up, april can see the figures of the four brothers; raph, donnie, leo, and mikey, all looking down at her. she sends them a glare before watching them retreat.

things weren’t supposed to end up this way…

“c’mon. i’ll take you to my place. you don’t wanna spend the night out here, do ya?”

despite the hellish night (y/n) had experienced, april is still able to earn a laugh from them.

“yeah… i guess i don’t.”

with a quick pat on the back, april helps them onto their feet before leading them to her apartment, arm wrapped protectively around them.

“you get some rest, alright?”

april pats the sheets of her bed, letting (y/n) use it that night. although hesitant, especially after she had so generously lent them a set of dry, warm clothes, they gratefully accept.

“april… what’re we gonna do? i mean, we can’t exactly tell the police that a bunch of mutant turtle ninjas are stalking me…”

“hey. don’t worry about that.”

april rests a hand over (y/n)’s, slowly rubbing circles against the back of it.

“we’ll deal with that in the morning, after we both get some rest, m’kay?”

“okay… and, again, thank you.”

the girl sits at the bedside the entire time, keeping a firm yet gentle grip on their hand and admiring how their body relaxes under the sheets. (y/n) drifts to sleep, and april lets go of their hand, creeping toward her bedroom door and slowly closing it behind her.

making her way to her window, she opens it, revealing four turtle figures perched on her fire escape. she raises a brow and crosses her arms, clearly waiting for an explanation.

“well?”

“it’s mikey’s fault.”

leo is quick to point to the mentioned brother, who snaps his head over to his direction.

“what?! you said we’d share the blame!”

“nope! it’s all mikey! he’s the one who got caught blocking everyone and spilled all our secrets!”

“i wouldn’t have had to block everyone if (y/n) wasn’t avoiding us, and that never would have happened if you didn’t let it slip that you were behind their friend going missing!”

“you- well- they wouldn’t have been so affected by what i said if they weren’t so paranoid after donnie hinted that he stole their phone!”

“excuse you?! clearly raph is the one at fault, as he’s the one who scared them away from missions, further pushing them away from us and giving us less room for slip ups!”

“you’re blaming me for being mad when they got hurt? what, are you saying you didn’t get mad?!”

“enough!”

april’s yell silences the argument, drawing all the attention back to her. she squeezes her eyes shut and rubs her temples.

“you guys, you know how hard we’ve been working for this! how long we’ve been planning, how much we’ve done for them! and now almost all that work’s down the drain! we’re lucky they still trust me!”

she looks back at the group, and although her voice is harsh, it’s clear that she’s genuinely upset.

“we know, we know, we messed up big time and there’s no taking it back. but we’ve got a plan. we’ve been thinking-”

“a first time for raph-”

raph elbows leo in the side for his quip.

“we’ve been thinking… we might need to take them by force-”

“you wanna kidnap them?!”

april slams her hands against the cill of the window, not believing what she was hearing. realizing how loud she was being, she looks back at her bedroom door. when there are no signs of (y/n) coming out, she leans out the window, her voice quieter yet equally as bewildered.

“you. want. to KIDNAP them??”

“trust me! i know, it sounds wild, but it’s the best thing we can do!”

“even if they no longer wish to associate with us, they still have a target on their back with all the missions we’ve gone on together.”

“and think about it- if they suddenly start walking around without us keeping an eye on them, they’ll be totally vulnerable! whether they like it or not, they need us!”

“please! we can’t let them leave us forever! we need you to help us!”

her gaze flickers from brother to brother as she weighs her options.

if she agrees to help them, she’ll lose all the trust (y/n) had in her. they might even hate her!

but on the other hand, the five of them working together would no doubt ensure their safety. no one else would be able to interact with them in the lair, and once (y/n) gets used to their situation, they won’t have to share them with anyone else!

not to mention, even if she turns down the offer, there’s no guarantee the guys won’t take (y/n) away anyways…

“fine. let’s do it.”

#yandere tmnt #yandere rottmnt #yandere teenage mutant ninja turtles #yandere rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #yandere tmnt 2018 #yandere leo #yandere donnie #yandere raph #yandere mikey #yandere april #yandere #don’t really like this as much as part 1 but whatevs #hope you liked it anyways #not sure if i’ll make a part 3 #idk what i’d write if i did #but if something comes to mind or if i like a suggestion i might #oh yeah and this part is ✨also not proofread✨

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valsnonsense · 2 months

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Prince Oran(ge) of Pop

"Hey do you mind helping me real quick? I got this giant claw sticking out of my shoulder and its bleeding all over the place and- oh... they fainted. Damnit."

Parents: Queen Poppy and King Branch

Siblings: Choco (Elder Sister), Vanilla (Elder Sister), Strawberry (Elder Sister), Apple (Brother), Lemon (Brother), Lime (Brother), Blueberry (Brother), Grape (Sibling), Iris (Younger Sister)

Age: 18

Pronouns: He/Him

Sexuality: Bisexual

Genre: Pop/Rock

Voice Claim: Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy)

The second eldest of the Rainbow Brothers. Also known as, John Dory 2.0. Wild, loud, and possessing no filter whatsoever, Oran is without a doubt the wildest of his siblings.

Oran was born with a love of the outdoors. He loves camping, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, and basically any sport that keeps him outside. He hates it when hes forced to stay inside for any reason, whether it's bad weather or he's sick with something. Man will complain the ENTIRE time.

Oran works as a sort of "monster slayer/village protector". Ever since he got his scar, Oran has had a drive to protect the people he loves from forces bigger than them. He patrols the outskirts of Trollstopia to keep large predators away from the general population.

When Oran was eight years old, he received a massive scar on the side of his face from a monster that made it's nest near Trollstopia. His uncle JD had fallen into it's nest, and Rhonda had appeared in the city in a panic without him. Against his parents orders to stay home, Oran went out searching for his favorite uncle. He found him and cut him loose from the nest, but was hurt in the process.

Oran loves Pop music and hints of rock. He doesn't sing much, but when he does, you'll find no one louder than he is on the mic.

He currently resides in Trollstopia alongside his family

Fun Facts!

- A year after he got his scar, when he was 9, JD gifted his old goggles and a pilots jacket to him, as a thank you for coming to find him.

- Oran HATES hairbrushes. Doesn't like how they feel, how they pull at his hair, none of it. Poppy has to chase him around the house and basically hold him down to brush his hair (as a child AND now as an adult)

- When JD's son Finley was born, Oran was super jealous of him for stealing away all of his favorite uncles attention. He got over it after a few years, to the relief of his parents.

- Oran is in an weird situationship with Loki, son of Kismet. He doesn't know if they're dating or not. Like they kiss wildly when they see each other, but don't discuss anything else. He has no idea, but he's okay with that.

And that's Oran!!! Boy took one look at his uncle JD and said "I wanna be like THAT" (to Branch's horror lol). He has no shame in bragging about how JD is his favorite uncle and how his old goggles got passed down to him.

His design is very based off of your "generic shonen anime protagonist", along with his personality.

Voice Example: My Song Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up) - Fall Out Boy

#dreamworks trolls #trolls #trolls oc #trolls broppy #broppy #trolls oran #trolls the depths au #generic anime protagonist disease #send help hes gonna get himself killed #he likes Loki he just doesnt know how to talk about feelings #but neither does Loki #so its okay hdbdhdbhd #Spotify

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dbnightingale24 · 2 years

Text

Paws of Attraction

Steve Rogers One Shot

This is probably the fluffiest thing I’ve ever written lol. This is for one of the absolute people I know, @fuckingbye. I hope this sappy little love story put a smile on your face and holds you over until the next time I can give you a hug that’s entirely too tight ❤️.

I made this moodboard and that’s why it sucks so much lol.

Word Count: 36,934

Warnings: FLUFF, anxiety, swearing, drinking, flirting, small arguments, smut, longing, MINORS DNI...I actually think that’s it?

Song(s) That Inspired This Playlist: Oh look, I made another playlist.

Summary: You’re just trying to get through the last bit of your day, which will be easy because your last customer is your favorite customer. However, when his actual owner drops you off, it throws you for a loop that you would’ve never expected.

I do not consent to have any of my works/ stories posted elsewhere.

Steve sits in his apartment at the compound and looks out the window. It’s been almost a week since he was forced to take a break from work, and he was really starting to lose his mind with all the free time. He knew the break was well earned and needed, but that doesn’t mean he wants it.

“Hey Cap, when’s the last time you took some time off?” Tony Stark called out to him after the team meeting came to an end.

“Not sure, Stark. Wherever there’s action, that’s where you’ll find me.”

“What about that Golden Retriever of yours? Clyde?”

“What about him?”

“You’ve had him for like, over a year. I never see him. Do you even spend time with him?”

“I spend a lot of time with him, Stark,” Steve snapped.

“Listen, we’ve all noticed how irritable you are and you barely rest. You can’t keep living from mission to mission, Cap. You’re off for the next three weeks.”

“I don’t want a break, Tony-”

“Not optional, Steve. You need rest,” Tony stated firmly.

“Tony-”

“Three weeks, Cap,” Tony called over his shoulder as he walked away. “Keep it up and I’ll make it a whole month. Maybe take your dog for a walk? Better yet, why not try going on a date? Can’t remember the last time I saw you with a special someone,” he shrugged, not even bothering looking back.

Since that that talk, Steve has been holed up in his apartment with Clyde. He takes him for walks, and they play during the early mornings in the park. They mainly lounge around in the compound, mostly because Steve doesn’t know what the hell to do. Since he and Sharon broke up a few years ago, Steve’s been using all of his free time to train and prep for battle. When he isn’t doing that, he plays with Clyde for a few hours before making them both dinner and watching classic movies with him on the sofa.

He always arranges for someone to take Clyde to get groomed, in fear of being hounded by fans and paparazzi. He dreads seeing some stupid headline that would read something along the lines of ‘America’s Dog’ or something painfully moronic of that nature. He likes the parts of his life that aren’t in the Avengers to remain private.

It’s part of what caused his breakup with Sharon.

“Sharon, I told you!” Steve snapped, throwing his suit jacket down onto their bed. “I don’t want our relationship to be some big spectacle! It’s the two of us! Not you, me, and everyone else who wants to know what kind of furniture we like!”

“It’s good for your image! People can see you as someone besides Captain America!”

“I don’t care how people see me! I care how you see me and that’s it!”

“Steve-”

“No Sharon. Stop setting up these pictures or I’m done.”

“Are you giving me an ultimatum?”

“You tell me.”

He ended up breaking up with her a week later.

Steve scowls at the memory before looking over at Clyde, who’s looking directly at him from the comfort of his dog bed.

‘He probably thinks I got fired’ Steve thinks.

There’s a soft knock on his door and he rolls his eyes, already knowing who it is. “What Nat?” he mutters unenthusiastically.

“When are you going to stop being mad at all of us?” she sighs, leaning against the door frame.

“When this stupid house arrest is over.”

“Stop being so fucking dramatic, Steve! It’s not house arrest! You’re free to go wherever you want-”

“Except to work.”

“You can’t keep throwing yourself into work, Steve. Whatever you’re not dealing with-”

“I’m not hiding from anything, Nat,” he quips, getting irritated that everyone keeps thinking he’s running from the demons of his past or some other bullshit. “Work is all I know how to do. It’s why they made me Captain America, Nat. To fight for this country. Now, I fight for it with all I have, and I’m being put in time out for it? It’s never enough. So yeah, I’m still a little pissed off.”

“Steve, you can’t keep going on like this. You’re not yourself, you’re irritable. You’re barely sleeping, and you’re moody. You need a break. No one is mad at you for constantly risking your life for this country. But it’s starting to really take a toll, and that’s completely understandable,” she sighs. “You’re good for more than just fighting and you’re good at more than just fighting. I know that after everything with Sharon, you just threw yourself all in and it was hard. Which is why we were all so happy when you got that cute puppy,” She smiles to herself, gently knocking against the door now. “Lately, you’ve just started repeating the routine you were doing before and you need to pump the breaks. Serum or not, you’re still a human being, and you need a break.” The door finally swings open as Steve walks away and sits back onto the couch.

“Thanks for the talk,” he mumbles, returning his gaze to the window.

“Buck and I are going out to lunch, do you wanna come with?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

“Did you know your door is a good listener?” She says with a small smile, trying to break up the melancholy to no avail. “It’s only another two weeks, Steve,” Natasha reminds him, sadness in her tone. “At least try and find something to do? Get a hobby? Maybe, instead of one of the interns taking Clyde to get groomed today, you should,” she suggests with a shrug before walking out.

Steve lets out an exasperated groan as he checks the time.

4:30.

“Hey buddy, you ready to get groomed?” Steve asks as Clyde jumps up and starts barking. “I thought so. Lets go,” he laughs, getting up and grabbing a leash before picking up a baseball cap and sunglasses.

Trying something new was worth it, he told himself, especially if it meant they’d all finally leave him alone. Besides, what life changing event could happen at a grooming salon?

Y/N’s P.O.V

“Is it me or does every dog have an attitude problem today?” you mutter as you wrap your wrist in gauze.

“Jesus, that Yorkie did that?!” Jazz, one of your coworkers asks. “How does it feel?”

“Well, it doesn’t fucking tickle, that’s for sure,” you grumble, finishing off the last of the masking tape. The bracelet you never asked for is complete.

“Well, your last appointment is coming in soon and I’m sure he’ll make you feel better,” Isabella, your boss and best friend quips.

“Clyde!” you beam, always ready and excited to see the playful pup.

“Don’t you always end up annoyed with him because he likes to sit during his grooms?” Jazz laughs.

“Yeah, but we always work through it and become besties again,” you huff matter-of-factly before sticking your tongue out at her.

“Who do you think will be dropping him off today? It’s never the same person,” Isabella questions, trying to get the Shih Tzu she’s grooming to be still while she trims up its face.

“I don’t know and I don’t care. I just wanna see him. He’s my favorite pupper to groom and today’s been shit. I need his kisses and hugs!”

“Well, whoever his parent is must clearly love the work you do, because you’re always generously tipped.”

“Yeah, that always stresses me out a little bit because I really don’t wanna fuck his groom up. He could tip me $40 and that would be fine.”

“How much does he tip you?” Jazz inquires with a smile.

“Way more than $40,” you scoff incredulously as the bell by the front door rings. “He’s here!” you squeal, before making your way out front and pushing the door open. “Clyde!” you beam, not even paying attention to the man who brought him in as you wrap the equally excited pup in a hug. “Are you ready for a bath and trim up?” you question excitedly and Clyde just barks in response before licking your face. “Good boy,” you laugh before standing up. “Hey, I’m...” you trail off as you finally make eye contact with the man who brought in your favorite pup. “Oh, Captain Ro...Captain America? Mr. Steve. No, that’s not right. Um-”

“You can call me Steve,” he chuckles softly, his face slightly red as he looks over you. His gaze on you is more intense than you expected.

“Are you Clyde’s dad?”

“That I am, and by his response, I’m gonna guess that you’re his groomer,” he smiles down at the energetic canine, who’s just sitting and looking up at the both of you, tail wagging hard.

“I am, and thank you so much for the generous tips, honestly. It’s so much more-”

“Please, thank you. He always looks amazing and he’s so happy when he comes back. Thank you so much.”

“It’s my pleasure, Captain...Steve,” you finish awkwardly, mentally kicking yourself for not being able to play it cool. “Also, um, thanks for saving New York...like, all the time.”

“You’re very welcome,” he laughs heartily. You silently swear that you can listen to it all day.

“Um, do you want the same style as usual, or-”

“The same style as always, just make him not so straggly,” he smiles, looking down at his best boy.

“Okay perfect, um, he’s my last one for the day, so he should be done in about 2 and a half hours? Maybe 3, sometimes he gets a little fussy for the dryer, and he likes to sit...a lot,” you laugh softly. “What number should I call?”

“I won’t be far, I’ll probably just walk around the city for a bit.”

“Ah, gonna be on paw patrol, I see,” you say before instantly covering your mouth. Your ability to make awful jokes when extremely nervous really shows itself at the wrong time. “That was such a terrible joke and I’m sorry,” you apologize, your hand still covering your mouth, as Steve let out another hearty laugh. “I’m the queen of awful jokes and I just...Clyde will be ready for you in a bit,” you smile awkwardly holding out your hand for him to pass you the leash.

“Take your time, I’ll happily wait out here for the last hour,” he smiles, still laughing a little as he hands you the leash.

You give him one last awkward nod and smile before you and Clyde quickly make your way into the back.

“That sounded like it was cringe from what I could hear,” Isabella laughs, putting a bow on her Shih Tzu’s ear.

“His dad is Captain America. Steve Rogers is Clyde’s dad,” you mutter as you continued to walk back to the bathing area.

“Come again?!”

“I made a paw patrol joke to Captain America! Someone please throw me in the trash where I belong.”

“You did what?!” Jazz laughs in disbelief.

“And you!” you quip, looking at Clyde. “You could’ve told me!”

“He’s a dog, babe. He can only do so much,” Isabella laughed.

“Well, he didn’t even try,” you snap back, causing both Jazz and Isabella to burst out laughing.

From that moment on, your nerves are on fire. Your anxiety spiked, wanting to take extra care because now that you know Captain fucking America is his dad, you want to make sure you don’t fuck anything up. Of course, Clyde senses your anxiety and gives you little kisses every now and again to try and calm you.

‘He must have great practice at reading emotional stress since Captain America is his dad,’ you think to yourself as you give him a soft pat on the head.

“Y/N, stop over thinking it. You’ve groomed him over 20 times now. You know what you’re doing.”

“Iz, I just-”

“You’ve been grooming dogs for 8 years now. It’s part of the reason I was so happy to bring you into this salon. You know what you’re doing and you’re damn good at it. Just take a deep breath,” she smiles reassuringly.

Her words calm you a little, but not enough to get you to stop second guessing yourself all together.

“Jazz, what are you still doing here? Your shift ended an hour ago,” Isabella asks, finally noticing her sweeping up the salon.

“I wanna see Captain America,” she states as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, and you can’t stop yourself from laughing.

“Girl, take your ass home. You have to open tomorrow and I don’t need you being late, again,” Isabella teases as Jazz playfully scowls.

“I never get to do anything fun,” she pouts as she places the broom and dust pan against the wall. “At least tell him I said hi,” she pleads as she makes her way out

“Will do,” Isabella laughs, as you shake your head. “Babe, you trim up much more of his belly, it’s not gonna look good,” she warns you.

“Does he look good? Does he look okay?”

“He looks amazing,” she laughs, getting up and giving you a big hug. “He looks amazing just he always does.”

“Yeah? He’s done?”

“He’s done,” she confirms happily. “It has been a while since you two have taken a picture though.”

“He’s too big for me to hold up now,” you groan as Clyde barks. “Well, you are!” you bark back to the excited puppy.

“I think you can hold him up for 15 seconds,” Isabella laughs.

“Fine,” you huff, “but if you haven’t gotten a good picture in 15 seconds, that’s not on me,” you warn as she shakes her head. “Alright bud, you ready? Just like we used to do, but faster this time,” you tell him, and Clyde just licks your hand in response.

“Alright, 3,2,1 LIFT!” Isabelle smiles as you lift him off the table.

Clyde instantly rests his paws on either side of you and licks your face, causing you to laugh just as Isabella takes the photo with her Polaroid camera.

“You two are so cute,” she beams as she places the photo face down.

“Yeah, yeah,” you smirk as you set Clyde down. “I think your Daddy’s here, wanna check and see?” you ask him.

Clyde runs around in little circles in response.

“I thought so,” you laugh.

No sooner than you put his leash on, you hear the bell of the front door, causing Clyde to start barking like crazy.

“I hear ya bud,” Steve calls with a gentle laugh.

Clyde is practically pulling you out the door and you’re doing all you can to keep your balance.

“Relax buddy, relax,” Steve laughs as Clyde jumps up on him. “You look amazing! Were you a good boy?”

“He was the same as always,” you laugh, handing him back the leash before ringing him up. “Um, I know you’re busy keeping us all safe from God knows what, but he did have a few knots. Nothing too terrible, but definitely something you wanna keep an eye on. Maybe ask someone to brush him for you? I don’t know, it can just become really uncomfortable and painful for him. Especially if it gets bad.”

“No, it’s my fault. I’ve been in a funk these last few weeks and haven’t been keeping up with it like I should be. I know he had a problem with that a few months back. I do listen to the feedback that’s brought to me, I promise,” he chuckles with a warm smile.

“And you’ve been doing good! I’m just giving you a little heads up,” you smile reassuringly.

“What’s the damage?”

“It’s on the house,” Isabella chimes in, coming out of the back with a stack of photos.

“You didn’t,” you mutter.

“Oh, but I did,” she smiles.

“No, please don’t...I’m more than happy to pay whatever it is-” Steve starts, giving you both a quizzical look because of the exchange that was just made.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you next time,” she teases, “but this is my way of saying thank you. I know you probably hear stuff like this all the time, but you personally saved my niece from the Chitauri a few years back. She’s graduating from college next month and that wouldn’t be possible without doing what you did. This is just my small way of saying thanks,” she smiles kindly.

“I’m happy that I was able to help. What’s she majoring in?”

“Criminal science of all things,” she scowls and you force yourself to stifle a laugh. “Anyway, I brought these out because I thought you’d like to see Clyde’s transformation over time!”

“Please don’t do this,” you groan as Steve laughs.

“You’ll also see a bit of Y/N’s transformation, too,” she says playfully.

“I’m going to stab you,” you warn.

“You just threatened harm against me in front of Captain America. If I go missing, he’ll know who to question,” she says matter-of-factly and you just stick your tongue out at her in response.

“I would love to see the pictures,” he laughs, keeping his eyes on you and you can’t help but turn away as you feel heat rushing to your cheeks. “He was so small!” Steve gushes as he looks at the first picture.

“Small and scared,” you smile as you look at the picture with him.

“I’d just adopted him not too long before he came here. I felt terrible not coming with him for the first time, but if one of those lunatics with a camera would’ve figured out that it was me, they would’ve been all over him. I couldn’t do that to him,” he huffs and you can hear the frustration in his voice. “He looks comfortable with you though,” he says assuredly with a smile.

“Oh, we took our time that day,” you smile back, remembering the day. “I waited until he was comfortable and trusted me. He and I have been on a journey,” you laugh.

“I’m happy you’re his groomer. I can tell he really loves and trusts you, and that’s a big deal to me.” He flashes you a quick smile before returning his attention to the pictures. “Is this from today?”

“About 10 minutes ago,” Isabella laughs.

“I’m surprised you were able to pick him up,” Steve scoffs in shock. “You’re so small and he’s so-”

“I held him for all of 15 seconds, please don’t be impressed,” you laugh. “Besides, I lift heavy dogs all day. It comes with the job.”

“Be that as it may....”

“It’s almost like I’m good at my job. Almost,” you tease and Steve smiles at you.

“Well, I’m sure you’re both ready to go home. Do either of you need a ride or-”

“We live in the same complex, so we’re alright,” Isabella smiles, getting the pictures together.

“Oh...oh okay then-”

“No...no,” you feel the need to clarify. “She lives with her boyfriend and I’m the floor above.”

“Oh,” Steve smiles softly.

“Do you need a ride home?” you ask absent minded.

“No, we’re okay. We’re only a few blocks away, but thank you,” he smiles before handing you a tip.

“Cap...Steve, you really don’t-”

“I got a free groom today, I can afford it,” he laughs. “I’m glad I met you, Y/N. I’ll be sure to see you again,” he smiles with a small nod before making his way out. “It was nice meeting you too!” he calls to Isabella.

“Same to you...sir!” she calls back and you can’t stop yourself from laughing at her.

“My oh my!” she smirks at you as soon as the door closes.

“Do not start,” you warn, a smile tugging at your lips.

“Cap seemed to be very-”

“He seemed to be very happy with how Clyde’s groom came out.”

“Oh yeah, totally. That’s why he seemed so relieved when you pointed out that you and I aren’t dating. Which, by the way, I’m a little insulted by how quickly you cleared that up,” she teases as you two make final touches around the shop, making sure everything is where it should be, before locking up the salon for the night.

“Yeah, I don’t know what the hell that was about either?” you laugh in total disbelief. “I don’t know why I even thought he needed to know that.”

“Because you think he’s dreamy,” Isabella teases in a sing-song tone, as you playfully push her. “Just think you of it: you as Captain America’s girlfriend,” she winks before coking an eyebrow.

“Stop it!” you laugh as you two start your short trek home. “Also, I know I don’t have to tell you this, but still-”

“I know, don’t tell anyone. Why do you think I sent Jazz home early? She means well, but she would’ve been all over him in an instant. Asking for pictures and everything,” she scoffs.

“Thank you for that, by the way,” you sigh as you look up at your complex building. “It’s been a long day and the weather is nice. You wanna sit on the roof and have a few beers?”

“Hell yeah! It’s been a while,” she laughs before practically dragging you inside with her.

The elevator ride to the 12th floor is quick, and just as quickly as she was running in to tell her boyfriend (Isaiah) hi and that she’d be on the roof with some beers. She returns just as quick as the elevator, beers in hand.

“Don’t fall off please,” he calls right as she’s about to close the door.

“We make no promises!” she answers with a small laugh as the door closes.

You make a quick stop on your floor to drop off your things in your apartment, before you and Isabella get back on the elevator, taking it up as far as it’ll go. You two get out and take the steps the rest of the way, finally getting to the rooftop.

“What do you think it’s like in there?” she asks as you both sit in your chairs and open a beer, both looking over at the Avengers tower.

“I can’t even begin to imagine, honestly,” you chuckle. “They deal with aliens, fight crime, deal with political leaders. I’ve read about the parties and I don’t even wanna think about how much money Stark spends on them.”

“And yet, somehow, Steve Rogers seems to be taken with you,” she nudges.

“You’re really funny today.”

“Oh come on, Y/N! The little smile and nod before he left? The way he couldn’t stop smiling at you?!”

“Iz, it’s not a big deal,” you shrug, returning your gaze to the Avengers tower. “Guys like him don’t date women like me. We’re from two different worlds. He dates political women...and models,” you laugh.

“You could be a model!”

“Half a beer is your new limit, clearly.”

“Y/N! At least acknowledge that you had his attention for at least a minute,” she begs, giving you big, sympathetic eyes.

“Fine,” you groan, a small smirk playing on your lips. “I had his attention for just a moment.”

“Thank you!” she nods, before returning her gaze to the Avengers tower and finishing off her beer before grabbing another.

You shake your head at the thought but can’t stop smiling to yourself. Even if it was just for a fleeting moment, it was nice to have the attention of a quiet and kind man.

4 Days Later...

Steve can’t get the thought of you out of his head. Your big, hopeful eyes, and genuine smile; the way you were mortified at the horrible joke you made, how genuinely excited you were to see Clyde before you even realized whom his dad was, and your genuine kindness. He closes his eyes and still visualize your hair pulled up into a high ponytail, and a little scarf wrapped around your edges, plain faced and high spirited.

Steve needs to see you again.

The only issue is that he can’t figure out how. He can’t just walk in and ask you out on a date. He’s far too shy and reserved for that; he always has been. That was the nice part about asking Sharon out. They already worked together, so asking her out happened naturally. They spent so much time together that one time they went to lunch together and Steve decided that it was a date. Steve asked her if that was okay and she had no objections.

You’re different.

Steve doesn’t know you from a can of paint. How the hell is he supposed to get your attention? There was no issue with Clyde’s groom, so it’s not like he can go back and ask you to grind his nails shorter or something. No other Avenger has a dog, so it’s not like he can bring another one by and ask you to groom it. He doesn’t know where you live, so he can’t send you flowers. Of course, he can send them to the salon, but he already knows everyone will bombard you with questions and he’ll feel terrible if he embarrasses you.

But what can he do?

“Rogers!” Fury roars, coming into the compound full of vigor. “I have told you more than once to keep your dog-”

“Clyde,” Steve instantly corrects, not liking the disdain in Fury’s voice towards his pet.

“Clyde, off the training field!” he snaps as he turns his attention to a very muddy and happy Clyde. “Don’t let this happen again, Cap,” Fury warns before storming out.

“Bud, I told you about that! No digging in the training fields!” he scolds Clyde halfheartedly.

He can’t help but feel bad because the compound really is no place for a pet, but Steve couldn’t stop himself. As soon as he saw Clyde in the adoption shelter he was ready to bring him home before he could register what he was doing.

All Clyde did was bark and lick his face.

“C’mon bud, lets get you cleaned up,” Steve smiles sheepishly before an idea pops into his head.

“Happy Tails grooming, how may we service you and your pet today?” Isabella answers lazily.

“Hey, it’s uh, it’s Steve. I was there the other day-”

“Oh, I remember,” she smiles as she looks over in your direction. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, a little busy today,” he says hurriedly.

“I’m sure you are,” she laughs softly. “How can I help you today?”

“Well, it seems that Clyde went digging in the training fields again, and I’d bring him to the salon myself, but the powers at be are already pretty angry. Him tracking mud through the compound would only make it worse,” he chuckles awkwardly. “Would you mind sending someone? I can send a car so they don’t have to pay for the commute.”

“Sure, I can have Y/N ready for you in about 20 minutes, she’s finishing up a dog right now,” Isabella laughs as she watches you sing, ‘This Must Be The Place’ to your current four legged client as it plays softly over the salon playlist.

“Thanks, I promise I’ll try not to keep her too long.”

“Take all the time you need,” Isabella hums with a small smile on her face before hanging up. “Hey babe, got a job for you. A house call,” she says to you with a mischievous grin.

Y/N’s P.O.V

You can’t help but feel small as the Lexus pulls up to the Avengers compound. To go to the tower would’ve been one thing, but the compound? You can barely wrap your head around the concept.

“We’re here, Miss,” the driver smiles back at you.

All you can think to do is smile before opening the door and awkwardly stumbling out of the car.

“Shit! I left most of my cash at the salon!” you remember almost instantly, digging around in your smock pockets. “Umm, here’s a $5? I’m so sorry-”

“It’s fine, ma’am,” the man laughs softly. “There’s no need to tip.”

“Please? I feel so bad and-”

“You think I don’t pay my employees well enough?” a familiar voice you’ve only ever heard on TV asks you.

“M-Mr. Stark, no it’s just that...he did me a service, a-and it’s only right for me to-”

“I’m just foolin’ with ya,” he laughs, extending his hand to shake yours. “Happy isn’t gonna take your money, so just put it back in your pocket.”

“O-okay,” you smile nervously, quickly pushing the $5 bill as far down as it would go into it. You give Happy one last smile and wave before turning and walking with Tony Stark. You feel dizzy, like you’re in another world.

“So, a dog groomer, huh? How does one find themselves doing that?” he questions gently as you two make your way inside.

“I just really love dogs and taking care of them, plus they’re better than people, so...”

“That’s very true,” he laughs, stopping at the elevator. “Steve is on the 4th floor.”

“Thank you,” you smile nervously before stepping into the elevator with all of your equipment.

Tony laughs, shaking his head before waving as the doors close.

What on earth could be so funny at a time like this?

“4th floor,” the elevator announces as it comes to a stop and the doors open.

You timidly start your way off, slowly making way down the hall, unsure of where you’re supposed to be going exactly. You were tempted to knock on one of the doors in front of you and ask for help until you heard your favorite bark.

“Clyde!” you squeal, as the muddy pup runs towards you, jumping on you instantly. “What did you do?!” you question with a laugh.

“He decided to piss off Nick Fury,” Steve laughs, walking up behind his overly excited child.

“Oh, I wouldn’t wanna be the one responsible for that,” you laugh, still looking over Clyde and seeing just how muddy he is.

“Yeah, it’s never fun to be on the other side of that. I’m sorry I asked you to come all the way out here, but I didn’t want him tracking mud all over the compound, and I don’t have pet shampoo here-”

“Hey, it’s no big deal. I’m always happy to help, especially when it comes to my favorite boy,” you say as your smile passes from Clyde to Steve, who’s looking at you with something in his eyes that you can’t quite place.

“Well, let me lead the way,” he smiles, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

There’s no way he’s nervous, right? Nervous because of you?

Doubtful.

“So, this is where I shower, but if you need a bigger area-”

“No, this is perfect,” you almost whisper as you marvel at the size of it. ‘This makes my entire bathroom look like the corner of a closet’ you think to yourself as you start unpacking your things. “Is the shower head-”

“Removable? Yeah, just click this button here and it pops right out,” Steve smiles as he shows you how to use it.

You quickly shake your head at all the thoughts you shouldn’t have about Steve doing anything in the shower, and just smile and nod along with what he’s saying, half paying attention.

You’re definitely gonna need a refresher course.

“Well, I guess I’ll leave you two to it,” he smiles sheepishly.

“Um, maybe you staying will help?” you respond a little too quickly, not ready for Mr. Blonde Ambition to leave your presence just yet. “He isn’t used to being groomed at home, so it might help to have you here and keep him calm,” you lie, impressing yourself.

You’re well aware, that if anything, Clyde is going to be even more excited, but you’re ready to deal with whatever comes your way.

Just as long as you can talk a little while longer with the beautiful man.

“Are you sure? I don’t wanna get him riled up.”

“No, it’ll be fine,” you promise with an affirming nod.

From that moment on, you and Steve are almost lost in conversation about everything and nothing. Clyde, on the other hand, was over this unscheduled groom.

“Sweet boy, you know the drill,” you sigh, trying to keep him still as you set up the dryer.

Clyde’s having none of it; not caring at all that he’s dripping wet and could potentially injure himself on bathroom tile. Clyde doesn’t care and keeps pulling away from you.

“Clyde, you’re not being a very good boy right now,” Steve chides, crossing his arms as he gives the frustrated puppy a stern look.

‘Keep talking like that and I’ll do anything I can to find out what you sound like when you’re calling me your good girl’ you mentally whine like a cat in heat.

“Steve, would you mind grabbing me a towel and we’ll just take a little break,” you sigh, trying to push those thoughts out of your mind.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, he’s just fussy because he’s not used to having a bath here. He just needs to calm down. I’ll towel him off and let him take a breather for 5 minutes,” you smile sympathetically at Clyde, who is finally starting to settle down because you’ve taken a seat beside him.

Steve quickly jogs out before quickly returning with two towels in hand. “Sorry he’s giving you such a hard time today.”

“Compared to the other pets I’ve dealt with today, he’s being a saint,” you scoff as you start to hand dry Clyde.

“I’m afraid to ask,” Steve laughs, taking a seat beside you in the shower.

“Well, by 9:30am, I’d been kicked in the mouth, bitten twice, and scratched up,” you smirk, showing him your wrist.

“Geez!”

“Yeah, it’s all sunshine and rainbows.”

“But you still wanna do it?”

“I love it,” you smile. “No, it’s not always a good day, but I get to help and take care of dogs. Some dogs are terrible, some just need a little time and patience, and others are just happy to have someone paying attention to them. I mean, aliens and bad guys try to kill you for a living,” you giggle softly as Steve scoffs, “but you still love what you do. It’s not ideal, but then again, most things in life aren’t,” you finish, looking into his eyes.

For just a moment, you two are lost in the silence of each other’s gaze. His eyes are so soft and show so much happiness. He looks so at peace. You just wanna lean in and-

You both jump when Clyde starts barking. “You ready to try again, bud?” you laugh, quickly turning your head away as you feel your body start heating up.

What is the matter with you? He’s Steve Rogers. Captain America. Get your shit together.

“Alright babe, I know you hate this part, but we’re more than halfway done. Just gonna dry you off and then brush you out, okay?” you tell Clyde as you turn on the dryer.

As usual, he starts barking and trying to run away from it, which you’re prepared for, instantly gripping the lead a little tighter. What you aren’t prepared for is Steve settling himself by Clyde and taking a hold of him.

“Come on, Clyde. You love Y/N. Don’t give her a hard time because you can’t seem to follow the rules,” he smirks down at the irritated pup. Clyde licks his face and slowly starts to calm down. “There’s my good boy. Let her finish.”

“Oh Steve, you don’t have to-”

“I feel really bad about this,” he laughs, still somewhat cradling Clyde, “is he always like this?”

“For the most part,” you chuckle. “Like I said, he’s just a bit more frustrated because he doesn’t associate bath time with home.”

“I’ll start bathing him so he gets more comfortable,” Steve promises softly as Clyde rolls over in his arms, showing his belly.

“Well, if you do that, I won’t be able to see him as often.”

“Maybe I’ll start asking for you to do more house calls.”

“Maybe you should,” you smirk before returning your attention back to Clyde, who was almost dry.

What is this man doing to you? You need to get out of there fast. Steve Rogers was not the first client to hit on you, but he’s first one who actually is succeeding.

“I feel like I should be tipping you more,” Steve laughs as you turn off the dryer. “I never thought it was an easy job, all of this and you got kicked in the mouth today?” he scoffs.

“Just a regular Thursday,” you laugh as you brush Clyde out. “You don’t need to tip me any more than you already do, honestly.”

“I feel like I should do more.”

“You truly don’t need to.”

“Well...can I take you out to lunch today? It’s 2pm,” he questions hopefully.

“I just spent my lunch break and then some coming out here,” you laugh softly.

“Now I feel awful,” he chuckles nervously. “Have you at least eaten today?”

“No, but it’s okay, because I usually don’t eat on my lunch break,” you quickly explain, not wanting to make him feel any worse. “So no, I can’t do lunch today but...I’m off on the weekends, so we can do something after I get off work tomorrow, if you want,” you automatically offer without even thinking.

“Dinner is my favorite meal of the day anyway,” he laughs sheepishly.

“Where do you like to go?”

“Well, I’ve been honored at some restaurants downtown that are pretty-”

“No, where do you like to go where you’re comfortable? I wanna have dinner with Steve, not Captain America,” you correct softly as you pack up your things.

“In that case...I don’t really know. I don’t like going out much, because I can’t do much in peace,” he sighs.

“That’s a good point...how about you come to my place, or I can come back here, and I can make us dinner?”

“You’ve groomed my dog twice in one week and now you’re offering to cook for me? I can’t-”

“I love to cook, it’s no big deal,” you laugh. “Besides, it’ll be my way of complimenting you for that generous tip you gave me a few days ago.”

“You have to let me do something for you.”

“How about you buy the ingredients needed?”

“What do you need me to get?”

“Uh, if you give me your number, I can text it to you,” you offer nervously as you pass him your phone.

He happily and quickly takes it, puts his number in, and hands it back to you. “See you here tomorrow at...?”

“Is 6 okay?”

“6 is perfect.”

“I’ll text you everything that I’ll need for dinner when I get home tonight,” you smile at him as you close up grooming travel kit. “As for you, lets try to not get Daddy into anymore trouble, huh?” you smile at Clyde as you give him a hug. “Be a good boy,” you laugh as he licks you and barks. “Steve,” you smile, standing up, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” You have a hard time believing the words that are coming out of your mouth.

“Looking forward to it,” he smiles at you. You know that you need to get out of there, like now.

You give one last awkward nod before quickly making your way out of his apartment and back to the elevator.

You don’t feel like you can breathe again until you’re back in the backseat of the Lexus that brought you into this universe.

“Everything go well, Miss?” Happy asks as he drives away from the compound.

“Perfect,” you laugh in disbelief.

The minute you’re back at the salon, everyone is hounding you with questions:

‘What’s the compound look like?!’

‘Who did you meet?!’

‘Did you hear anything about that attack downtown?!’

‘Was Thor there?!’

‘Did you get to see Thor leave back to his home?!’

‘How’s Clyde?’

‘Was Steve happy to see you?!’

‘Are you and Captain America dating?!’

‘Did you meet Black Widow?!’

“Let the woman breathe, holy shit,” Isabella sighs, ushering you back to your station. “I’m sure being at the Avenger compound was daunting enough. She doesn’t need you all bombarding her with questions!”

“It’s fine,” you laugh, trying to shrug it off. “Just none of you, please don’t let anyone know that Captain America gets his dog groomed here,” you beg, cringing at the sound of you calling him that.

It just doesn’t feel right.

“As for every other question; I didn’t see anyone besides Steve, the compound looks like an expensive loft with a giant training area and a few closed off work spaces from what I could see, Clyde is fine, just rowdy, and I’m not dating Steve Rogers” you laugh, content with most of what you said.

No one needs to know that you met Tony Stark.

“Then why-” Jazz starts

“Clyde dug in the training field and made a mess all over the compound. No more and no less,” you shrug as you unpack your things.

The sighs of annoyance do nothing but make you chuckle.

“You’re gonna tell me everything later though, right?” Isabella whispers to you as helps you set your table.

“You bet your ass,” you mutter.

The rest of the day goes off without a hitch. You do your best to fight off the smile that keeps trying to find its way on to your face.

“Okay, you’ve gotta tell me, cause I haven’t seen you smile like this since Bryan Chase asked you out for the 9th grade dance. What happened up at the compound today? You don’t know how much I need all the details,” she laughs as she locks up the salon.

“I think...I think I have a pizza date with Steve Rogers tomorrow,” you laugh, still trying to come to terms with the situation yourself.

“WHAT?!”

“Hush!” you quiet her with a laugh as you try to contain yourself. “I guess I’m gonna make him a pizza tomorrow and hangout?”

“Oh, he likes you so much! You have to tell me how the pizza date-”

“Stop,” you laugh, “I still can’t believe it’s happening. I probably shouldn’t even call it a date. It’s just a hangout.”

“Babe, it’s a date. It is very much a date,” she scoffs.

“If it’s a date, shouldn’t he be cooking?”

“You’re the idiot who offered!”

“He doesn’t like going out and I don’t blame him. He likes his privacy and I like that. I like that he doesn’t want to be seen as Captain America 24/7. That would make all of this even more nerve wracking. To be quite honest, I probably wouldn’t like him all that much if he was like that,” you sigh as you two reach your building.

“Just take a deep breath. He’s very much into you and you’re into him. Take it slow and don’t put pressure on yourself. You said so yourself, he just wants to be Steve, not Captain America. When you feel yourself getting too worked up, just keep that in mind. You and him both like simplicity, and that’s a good place to start.”

“What would I do without you?”

“Probably freak out a lot,” she laughs as you two get on the elevator. “Also, you’re both getting to know each other. Just because he saves people and has super powers doesn’t mean he’s hot shit.”

“God, but he is hot. When scolded Clyde today, I almost had an orgasm right there,” you groan as Isabella bursts out laughing.

“Walk before you run,” she breathes out as you two reach her floor. “Or run, but be a little marathoner if you do though. Just have fun. It’s gonna be great, I’m sure of it,” she smiles as she steps off the elevator. “And even if it all goes to shit, at least you can say you went on a date with the Captain,” she shrugs as the elevator doors close.

Her words roll around in your head as you wait to get to your floor. You truly don’t want to over think it, but he’s Steve Rogers. The man out of time. A war hero, turned war criminal, turned war hero again. He’s everything, all at once.

And he’s interested in you.

You shake your head and chuckle as you enter your apartment, trying to wrap your mind around everything that happened today. You pull out your phone, ready to text Steve, but feeling completely confused when you can’t find his number. You’re about to give up when you find the one name out of place in your contacts and start laughing.

Y/N: You’re a hard man to find.

Clyde’s Dad: How long did it take you? Lol

Y/N: Somewhere around 6 minutes haha

Clyde’s Dad: I’m impressed.

Y/N: Oh hush lol. Do you like pizza?

Clyde’s Dad: I was born and raised in Brooklyn. Of course I like pizza.

Y/N: Well I don’t know! You had a lot of restrictions as a kid, so maybe you don’t! lol

Clyde’s Dad: The one advantage you have over me is you learned about me in history class.

Y/N: LOL! Only a little bit! Besides, I heard a lot about Captain America. Didn’t learn much about Steve. So, we’re both in the dark about one another.

Clyde’s Dad: Good point :)

Y/N: So, pizza it is. Buffalo chicken pizza okay?

Clyde’s Dad: It’s fine. What brand do you like?

Y/N: Brand? Steve..no. We’re making pizza...from scratch. We’re cooking.

Clyde’s Dad: I didn’t think we were actually making food! I’m not the best cook.

Y/N: I’ll show you :)

Clyde’s Dad: So, you groom dogs, you cook, you do house calls...is there anything you can’t do?

Y/N: Remember to pay my credit card on time according to this notification I just received on my phone lol.

Clyde’s Dad: Is it too early for me to tell you that I like you?

Y/N: No...cause I like you too

Clyde’s Dad: Okay, I’m supposed to go grocery shopping tomorrow. If you don’t tell me what I’m supposed to get now, I don’t think we’ll ever get to it lol.

You can’t stop smiling as you send him the ingredients for what’s needed to make the pizza. You feel like a middle schooler with a giant crush all over again. You don’t mind that.

Clyde’s Dad: Are you still gonna like me if I burn dinner?

Y/N: I won’t let you burn dinner, but I’ll still like you either way.

Clyde’s Dad: I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.

Y/N: Me too :)

Clyde’s Dad: Can I call you?

Y/N: I’d like that a lot.

Almost instantly your phone starts ringing.

“You work quick,” you laugh as you toss your smock onto your bed.

“I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“It can’t be all that great.”

“It’s better than you think,” he scoffs softly. “This isn’t usually how I approach these things...asking someone out. It’s been so damn long-”

“If it makes you feel any better, I’ve got sea legs too,” you laugh softly. “I don��t know what came over me today but...I’m happy it did. I know we just met a few days ago but...”

“Yeah, I feel the same. You really are something else.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know,” he laughs “I really don’t. Everything is just so simple with you. So easy. You don’t fawn over me, you’re kind and gentle, you’re funny, beautiful...God, you’re so damn beautiful, and you’re interested in me. Not Captain America, not in being photographed for some press event, not-”

“You’re giving me too much credit,” you interrupt, feeling overwhelmed at his words.

“I don’t see how I am.”

“I just don’t want you making up this idea of me before you get to know me. I’m not always the most agreeable person.”

“Neither am I,” he laughs.

“Then cooking together may go really good. Or really bad,” you laugh to yourself.

“Tell me to not come and see you tonight.”

“Don’t come and see me tonight,” you smile as you plop down on your bed, in complete and utter disbelief at what’s taking place.

“Why not?”

“So you’ll have something to look forward to tomorrow.”

“Well, when you put it that way...”

“Goodnight Steve.”

“Goodnight Y/N,” he finishes, and you can hear his smile, before he ends the call.

You let out a scream in excitement as you kick your feet up, feeling elated that just maybe you found a good one. When you take your shower, you quickly clean yourself, trying to rush the next day to get there as soon as possible. Your dinner is light and your head is full, as you try to calm your nerves over what’s about to take place.

You dream of all the possible outcomes of your first real date in years.

‘Your first real date in almost 3 years and it’s with a fucking Avenger,’ you repeatedly tell yourself as you groom your first dog the next day.

You’re barely making conversation with anyone as you zoom through your grooms. You can’t even remember the last time you got through a work day so fast.

“You have no one else coming in today,” Isabella laughs as your last dog leaves for the day. “I guess you’re good to go.”

“You don’t need me to clean up anything?”

“Go and enjoy your weekend,” she encourages as you hang your smock up on the hook by your station.

“Then...I guess I’m off,” you smile at her as you try and hide the hesitation that you’re sure is shining through your body language. “Everyone, have a great weekend!” you call as you pull your hoodie on.

“Everything is gonna be fine,” Isabella coos as she wraps you in a hug. “Deep breaths.”

“Deep breaths have been the only thing that’s getting me through the day,” you laugh before making your way out.

“Tell me how it goes when you get home tonight!”

“Will do,” you silently giggle before heading out.

The minute you step foot in your apartment, you rush to get into the shower, while also trying to come up with an outfit mentally. You don’t want to make it seem like you’re trying too hard, but you also don’t want to look like you don’t care at all.

You’ve literally only spoken to the man a handful of times, and you only met him a few short days ago. Why are you making such a fuss about it?

You finally decide on a ‘The Clash’ t-shirt, your worn blue jeans, a pair of black low top converse, and decide to leave your hair down, brushing it out. You take a deep breath and look yourself over in the mirror, as you smooth your hands over your shirt.

You’re just going to hangout and eat some food with a guy. No big deal.

At least, that’s what you keep telling yourself as you follow your GPS directions to the compound. You try to let the music distract you, but the closer you get, the more butterflies are in your stomach. When you reach the compound, you realize you have no idea where to park. You turn off your GPS, anxiously dialing his number.

“Hey, you here?” he answers almost instantly and you can’t help but notice the tone in his voice, like he’s so excited to see you.

“Yeah and I have no idea where to park,” you chuckle nervously as you see him walking outside to meet you.

“Honestly, you can leave it there if you want. That’s where Tony always leaves his car.”

“He owns the building, Steve. He can leave it on the roof if he wants.”

“Just leave it there,” he laughs as he approaches your car and hangs up his phone. “If anyone gives you a hard time, I’ll move it myself.”

“Steve...are you sure?”

“I promise,” he smiles reassuringly.

With a smile like that, you didn’t care if you could leave your car there or not. Your butterflies have flown away and now all you want to do is unravel the mystery that is Steve Rogers.

“I didn’t know that’s where we leave our cars now,” Tony quips as he and Pepper make their way to his car, which happens to be right in front of yours.

“Leave her alone Tony,” Steve snaps rolling his eyes, probably able to sense just how awkward you feel.

“I can move it, I just don’t know-”

“Pay no mind to Tony,” Pepper urges with a small smile to you, “he just likes to hear himself talk.”

“Ya know, this is my compound.”

“It’s the Avengers compound.”

“Yeah, that I funded and designed.”

“C’mon, you can cry to me about it at dinner,” she scoffs as Tony rolls his eyes in a mocking way. “You two have fun!” she calls over her shoulder.

“That was surprisingly...normal?” you laugh as you and Steve make your way inside the compound.

“I think we’d all go insane if Tony didn’t have Pepper,” he smirks. “Do you want me to show you around or...?”

“While I do, I’m pretty hungry,” you laugh sheepishly, “maybe after?”

“I’d really like that,” he smiles at you as he leads you both to the elevator, his gaze not leaving you.

“Now,” you clear your throat as you look away, not being able to handle the intensity of his eyes. “You say that you’re not a good cook-”

“Anything besides bacon and eggs is lost on me,” he chuckles.

“Oh, this is gonna be a lot of fun,” you tease as you both step inside the elevator.

“I’ll do my best to keep up.”

“What else can’t you do?”

“Why are you so excited to learn about what I can’t do?”

“You’re joking right? The playing field is not even right now,” you tell him matter-of-factly as he bursts out laughing. “I’ve gotta get what I can.”

“What about you, then?” he questions with a cocked eyebrow as the elevator lands on his floor.

“What about me?”

“What aren’t you good at?”

“Honestly, take your pick.”

“Oh no, I refuse to believe that. I’ve seen you be good at too many things.”

“You’ve seen me do one thing!”

“You’re about to cook!”

“You don’t even know if you’re gonna like it! I could set the compound on fire!”

“As if I’d let it get that far. I am Captain America.”

“Oh shut up!” you laugh as he opens the door to his apartment. “Where’s my best boy?” you ask when you’re met with silence.

“Buck and Nat like to take him on walks at night, he’ll be back in an hour or so. He’ll be extremely excited to see you.”

“You think so?”

“I’m pretty sure he loves you more than he loves me.”

“The lies!”

“I’m just saying! He was super excited when he saw you yesterday!”

“That’s because he only sees me once a month,” you remind him.

“Well, be that as it may-”

“Trust and believe me when I say that there’s no one Clyde loves more than you,” you smile up at him as you lean against the kitchen island.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to put that theory to the test if you keep coming around more often.”

“Play your cards right and we’ll see, Rogers,” you tease with a smirk before standing upright. “Now, where are our groceries? And I’m gonna need to sync my phone to your speakers.”

“All the groceries are put away and why do you need to sync your phone to my speakers?”

“For music, duh. You can’t cook without music! It’s illegal.”

“Uh huh, not sure about that one, Doll.”

“Well, it should be,” you shrug as you start digging out the seasonings, dough, tomatoes, and everything else you asked him to buy.

Soon enough, music is playing, you’re starting on the sauce, and Steve pours you a glass of wine before getting himself a beer. The whole thing feels so normal and comfortable. Almost like it’s something the both of you do every day. The conversation is effortless as you dance around the kitchen, putting together a meal you’ve made a million times.

“You still haven’t told me,” Steve says as he finishes his second beer, grabbing a third.

“Hmm?” you question as you spread the sauce on the dough.

“What are you bad at?”

“Oh, that,” you laugh as you start searching for the cheese. “I’m awful at Math. Truly. Isabella let me cheat off her tests in High School and I’m fairly sure that’s the only reason I passed,” you giggle at the thought.

“That doesn’t give me a leg up at all,” he scoffs as ‘This Must Be The Place’ starts playing.

“Finally!” you squeal, moving your hips to the beat.

“Finally?”

“This is one of my favorite songs! I mean, ‘Landslide’ by Fleetwood Mac ranks higher for me, but that song makes me cry and I can’t dance to it,” you shrug as you continue to dance to the upbeat tune.

“So, you’re good at dancing, too?” he laughs as he watches you make your way around the kitchen.

“Oh, you’re not gonna tell me you’re a bad dancer, Rogers.”

“I don’t have much time for it,” he shrugs, a smile tugging on his lips as he continues watching you move.

“Well lucky for you, you have time now and you’re spending time with someone who loves to dance. Get over here.”

“Please don’t make me do this,” he groans as you shake your head.

“Cooking and dancing, we’re tackling it all tonight. Let’s go Rogers,” you muse playfully.

Steve scowls but nonetheless makes his way over to you, placing his beer on the counter top before holding his hands out.

“Dancing isn’t a death sentence ya know,” you tell him as you move his hips to the beat.

“It is when can’t do it and you’re trying to impress someone.”

“You’re trying something new, who says I’m not impressed?”

“I think you’re just trying to massage my bruised ego.”

“Anyone will to try anything new is someone who has my attention,” you smile as you start to dance along with him.

“Special delivery for...oh,” Bucky stops short when he spots you and Steve dancing in the kitchen as Clyde comes bouncing towards you.

“Clyde!” you squeal as you squat down and hug him while he continues barking in pure excitement.

“What’s going on here?” Natasha asks as both her and Bucky make their way inside, Bucky moving a little faster as he’s trying to get a glimpse of the food that’s being made.

“Um, I’m teaching Steve how to cook...well, trying to,” you laugh nervously as you extend your hand towards Natasha. “I’m Y/N,”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she smiles, shaking your hand as she looks you over. God, you hope you pass whatever silent test she’s putting you through.

“You’re making pizza? Steve, you’re making pizza and you didn’t tell me? Not only am I missing out on a chance to give you shit, but you’re also eating one of my favorite meals without me!” Bucky scoffs, feigning hurt, and you can’t help but stifle a laugh.

“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you,” Steve mutters before grabbing his beer, while using his free hand to pet Clyde, who is extremely happy to see his two favorite people together.

“Buffalo chicken pizza, huh?” Natasha asks as she looks over at the marinated cooked chicken in a glass bowl.

“Yeah, Steve told me to decide on dinner, so I figured I’d play it safe and make the one thing I know I won’t screw up,” you laugh awkwardly, washing your hands before drying them, and bringing the chicken over to the pie you made Steve knead for you. He really didn’t do a bad job.

“It also looked like you were trying to teach him how to dance,” Natasha smirks as Steve turns his attention to the oven.

“He’s a quick learner,” you encourage, trying to save the sweet man’s ego.

“Steve? Dance? I gotta see this,” Bucky laughs as you take the shredded mozzarella cheese out of the fridge.

“Don’t you two have a movie to watch or something,” Steve snaps as you turn away to keep from laughing at the two best buds. They slightly remind you of you and Isabella.

“I can make time for this,” Bucky smiles coyly, grabbing Steve’s beer from him and taking a sip.

“We do have a movie to watch,” Natasha laughs as she grabs Steve’s beer from Bucky and hands it back to him. “Save us a slice though, please?” she asks you, raising an eyebrow.

“I promise,” you nod towards her.

“We’ll let you two kids get back to it,” Bucky calls over his shoulder as Natasha practically drags him away. “Clyde was perfect!”

“When isn’t he?” Steve questions as you laugh, knowing that Steve knows better.

“Fair point! Goodnight kids! Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do...or would do for that matter!”

“Buck!” Natasha chastises before the door closes.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Steve sighs as you double over in laughter.

“Why are you sorry? That was nice! He’s your best friend and it was nice to see you two go back and forth. I like getting to know you...seeing this side of you.”

“I have to admit that this is going so much better than I thought it would.”

“Why did you think it would be bad?” you scoff as you start adding the shredded bits of the buffalo chicken to the pizza.

“Women never want me, they want Captain America. They want the suit. I don’t want to have to pretend when I come home, or after hours. I just wanna be myself and that’s surprisingly easy with you. Not sure just how or why yet,” he laughs in disbelief “but it’s been really nice,” he smiles.

“Same goes for you,” you smile at him before dousing the pizza with cheese.

“Why do I feel like this night is about to be extremely unhealthy?”

“Because not all of us have to save the world on a daily basis,” you tease before adding the rest of the garnishes on, then opening the door to the oven and putting the pie in. “And now,” you smile, “we find something to occupy our time.”

Filling your time with simple pleasures is one of your favorite things to do, so Steve has no issue with letting you take over. It starts with more dancing, Steve laughing at how much you don’t care, and you dancing around with a glass full of wine. However, it soon turns into debate about which era has better music, which Steve only wins because he dances with you to ‘Our Love Is Different’ by Billie Holiday.

“You don’t win,” you mutter as he holds you close and you two dance, “but I do like this song.”

“I’ll take what I can get, Doll.”

“Ya know, I don’t even think you really mind my music all that much. I think you just wanted to hold me.”

“There might be some truth to that,” he agrees and you can hear the smile in his voice right before the timer goes off. “Is it wrong that I’m annoyed dinner’s ready?”

“Not at all,” you chuckle softly as you break away.

You both make your plates in a comfortable silence, Clyde following you both around the kitchen, quietly begging for scraps. When you get to the sofa, before he can even say anything, you pass him the remote.

“I wanna watch something that makes you smile.”

All he did was turn his head to hide his smile as he switched over to a streaming service. You can’t stop yourself from giggling when you see a bunch of classic Disney cartoon options pop up.

“They’re comforting,” he explains with a small laugh of his own before deciding on Dumbo.

“Dumbo?!”

“It was one of the last movies I saw before joining the army,” he smiles softly before taking a bite of pizza. “This is really good!”

“Why are you so surprised?” you laugh, grabbing your glass of wine as the movie starts playing.

“I’m not surprised that you’re a good cook, I’m just surprised by how good it tastes.”

“How is that any different?” you tease, cocking an eyebrow.

“You know what I mean,” he scoffs, rolling his eyes before taking another bite.

“You said this movie’s a comfort for you before. Why’s that?”

“Well,” Steve sighs, leaning back into the sofa, “I felt like I was Dumbo then. I still feel like I’m Dumbo now,” he laughs humorlessly. “Back then, I had all of these issues, I only had my mother, one friend, and I was bullied all the time. Yeah, I stood up for myself, but I still felt out of place and that’s because I truly didn’t belong anywhere. Then, I guess you could say, the army ‘taught me how to fly’ and I got to get away from all of it. Fast forward a bit, I ended up in the ice, I get taken out and have no clue about anything, and once again was out of place. Going back didn’t feel right any more, but sometimes staying doesn’t feel like it was the right option, either.”

“Well, if it helps at all, I’m happy you’re still here in the current time...even though I didn’t know you had the option to leave?” you question as he chuckles.

“There were these Infinity stones...it’s a whole thing, we can talk about it another time,” he smiles as he turns his attention to you.

“Well, I’m still happy you stayed. You’re meant to be here, even if it doesn’t always feel like it,” you offer with a sad smile before taking a sip of your wine. “I obviously haven’t gone through all of the same things that you have, but I know what it’s like to feel out of place. Like you don’t belong anywhere.”

“Yeah?”

“School, family, people who were supposed to be friends, ex-lovers, past jobs...it’s been a roller coaster to say the least,” you smile with a soft chuckle “but it’s slowly starting to get better.”

“Does this count as something that’s helping it take a step in that direction?”

“So far so good,” you smile at him.

Once again, the conversation flows effortlessly and you both forget about almost everything outside of it. You don’t notice when Clyde falls asleep in-between the both of you on the couch, you don’t notice when the movie comes to an end, and you don’t notice how late it’s getting. You’re both so wrapped up in conversation and each other. It’s so easy and natural.

It’s nice.

“So wait,” Steve laughs, grabbing another beer as you finish off a second bottle of wine. “What’s your Disney comfort movie?”

“No!” you groan as he starts to laugh. “You have to promise not to judge me!”

“If I didn’t judge you for that story you told me about when you were in High School, I’m not gonna judge you for anything,” he says with a small laugh as you stick your tongue out.

“Alright, my comfort movie is ‘Tangled’.”

“Never seen it.”

“What?!” you exclaim, accidentally waking Clyde as Steve bursts out laughing. “It’s such a good movie!”

“Tell me about it! Tell me why it makes you happy,” he encourages, loving seeing you riled up about it.

“My parents are still married, but my dad is kind of non-existent. It’s me, my mother, my brother, my sister, and my dad shows up when it works for him. That being said, my mother was extremely protective over me. She was controlling. Didn’t want me to cook or clean on my own, scared me into not driving too far, didn’t like me going places without her knowing, even if it was to the fucking store,” you scowl before taking a deep breath. “Anyway, it’s not like she kidnapped me or anything, but she made it so I had a sheltered life, but still expected me to take care of every thing. When I finally started to become my own person and make something of myself, she didn’t get it and there were arguments. Sure, when my dad was around, he’d sometimes take my side, but he wasn’t around enough to really do much. Watching ‘Tangled’...here’s a woman who’s in my position, and ultimately finds her way out. She’s happy and she finds someone who’s good for her. Loves her for who she is and not for what she can offer, which I believe we all really want at the end of the day,” you say more to yourself than him. “To find someone who sees us for who we are, as we are, and accepted anyway. Good and bad. When the world shuns you, or just doesn’t understand, you still want that one person who does. Flynn Ryder loves Rapunzel as she is, baggage and all, and she does the same for him. It’s a true fairy tale romance,” you smile.

“Wanna watch it after Dumbo goes off?”

“You’re not sick of me yet?”

“Not even close,” he smirks as he turns his attention towards the screen. “Oh, its already gone off,” he laughs softly.

That’s when you notice how dark it is outside.

“Shit,” you mutter as you fish your phone out of your pocket.

11:30

“Shit! Isabella’s gonna kill me!” you groan as you see the handful of missed text messages and phone calls from her.

You quickly dial the number and her phone barely rings before she answers it.

“Are you insane?!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! We just started talking and lost track of time! I just realized the time,” you quickly explain, doing your best to calm her down.

“I called you and text you-”

“My phone is on silent cause I didn’t want to get a million texts from my mother. I’m sorry!”

“I should start making you work Saturdays again for this,” she mutters.

“That’s not even remotely funny.”

“It’s what you deserve, honestly. Anyway, I take it you’re still with Mr. Red, White, and Blue?”

“Yes, I’m still at Steve’s,” you chuckle as Steve shakes his head as he sips his beer.

“Planning on sitting on his face tonight or is that second date kind of thing?” she teases as Steve chokes on his beer.

“Iz!” you exclaim, mortification written all of your face as Clyde barks.

“What? It’s not like he can hear me!” she laughs.

“Yes he can!” you snap as Steve starts cracking up too.

“Oh yeah, the enhanced hearing thing. I totally paid a ton of attention in History class,” she giggles before taking a sip of what you’re assuming to be whiskey. “Well, now that you have the class’ attention-”

“I’m going now,” you quickly respond as you cover your face with your free hand.

“Remember to be safe!” she sings with a laugh.

You quickly hangup before peeking over at Steve who has a shit eating grin on his face. “Please ignore her, I tend to most of the time.”

“It’s perfectly fine,” he laughed, shaking his head.

“I am sorry though, I didn’t mean to keep you up so late, and I woke up poor Clyde,” you chuckle, petting the sweet boy, who in return just rests his head on your lap.

“I’m not. I’m having a really great time with you.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm, seeing as you’ve gone through two bottles of wine by yourself, I’m trusting that you’re not driving home.”

“I’m gonna order a car service,” you laugh softly.

“Or you could just stay here. You can take the bed and I’ll-”

“I couldn’t do that to you.”

“There’s a spare bedroom. I’ll take that one and-”

“I should be the one to take the spare, I’m the guest.”

“My bed is comfier.”

“That’s just another reason for me to take the guest room.”

“I’ll feel better if you take my room. Giving you the better room is the least I can do after you made an amazing dinner, and groomed my dog twice in a week,” he nods, cocking his eyebrow as you laugh.

“If you insist,” you shrug with a small smile.

“I do.”

“Well, since I’m clearly not going anywhere tonight, are you up for another movie?”

“Let me make us some popcorn first.”

“I’ll clean up,” you smile, eager to get everything over and done with so you can spend more time with the man that’s somehow found a way to steal your heart.

As you two happily clean and make snacks in silence, Clyde decides he is done for the night, hopping off the sofa and slowly making his way to Steve’s room.

“I’ll make it up to him tomorrow,” he laughs as the microwave lets him know the popcorn is ready.

“I’ll cuddle him before I leave. I feel bad keeping his Dad away from him all night.”

“He’ll be okay, this is the first time its ever happened and he loves you, so I’m pretty sure it’ll all be okay,” he promises as he helps you put away the last of the dishes.

“I think it’s safe to say that this qualifies as a successful first date,” you quip, handing him the last pot.

“I think you’re right,” he agrees, putting the pot away before slowly making his way over to you, caging you in against the kitchen isle. “Thank you.”

“Mhm,” you murmur, unable to think properly with him so close to you. He smells so good, and his lips look kissable. You’re sure he can hear and feel your pulse racing through you a mile a minute.

“A first kiss is the best way to show that it’s been good first date, right?”

“Please,” you all but whisper as you wrap your arms around him.

Steve is gentle but the kiss is urgent. His lips are so soft and his beard lightly brushing against your skin in the most pleasurable way. You take the lead and slide your tongue across his bottom lip, asking for permission for more, which he grants almost instantly as his arms wrap around your waist, pulling you close to him.

You can’t remember the last time a kiss felt so all-consuming and soul stealing. In fact, you’re sure it’s never happened.

You run your hands through his hair, trying to explore as much of him as you can without going too far. You want to bottle up this moment and stay lost in it forever. Stay lost in Steve. As his hands start to roam up your back, you softly nip at his lip, and your brain lets you know that you’re going to need to stop soon if you want the night to stay PG.

It’s almost as if Steve can read your mind, because a few moments later, he’s reluctantly pulling away.

“Your lips taste like caramel,” he breathes softly, leaning his forehead against yours.

“It’s my chapstick,” you laugh breathlessly, also trying to come down from your high.

“I think we should get to that movie.”

“I think you’re right,” you smile up at him.

He kisses your forehead before letting go of you, grabbing a beer and the bowl of popcorn, and leads you back over to the sofa. The moment you two sit down, you cuddle up next to him; only slightly embarrassed to show him how much you enjoy his embrace. Steve chuckles softly, but he is happy to hold you nonetheless, pulling you close as he presses play on ‘Tangled’.

You never make it to his bedroom, because somewhere between Rapunzel finally getting to see the lanterns, and Flynn riding Maximus to Rapunzel’s tower, you fall asleep. You don’t mean to, but being in Steve’s arms is the comfiest and happiest you’ve ever been. His arms hold you like they’ve been waiting for you, and your body embraces him like he’s home.

You’ve always believed that love at first sight is total bullshit, made up for yuppies. You can’t help but feel differently now that you’ve found Steve.

You’re awoken the next morning by the soft commentary of baseball stats, and you can’t stop the smile that comes to your face.

“Please don’t tell me you stayed out here all night,” you yawn, readjusting yourself, but never breaking free of Steve’s hold.

“I was afraid to wake you up and you look so peaceful and happy when you sleep,” he explains, kissing the side of your temple.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that,” you laugh, “where’s Clyde?”

“He’s laying down in the kitchen.”

“Has he been fed or taken for a walk?”

“It’s only 7am, babe. Everything’s fine,” he reassures with another kiss to your temple.

“Can I come with you to take him for a walk?”

“I was already planning on asking you if you wanna come with me,” he says as he pulls you a little closer. “We’ll go in 10 minutes, okay?”

“Mhm,” you nod, letting your gaze fall on the black and white baseball game being played on ESPN Classic.

You really did mean to go home after you and Steve walked Clyde, but then he talked you into staying for breakfast. Once again, you two were so caught up in talking during breakfast that neither of you noticed that it was Clyde’s playtime until he comes up to you with a ball in his mouth. So, you tell yourself that you’ll leave after playtime, but as you three head back to Steve’s apartment after an hour of playing, Bucky and Natasha invite you and Steve over to hangout since training is over. You’re hesitant at first, but slowly warm up to the idea, because both Bucky and Natasha are huge parts of Steve’s life. Well, that and you’re happy to do anything that keeps you around Steve longer.

The whole thing goes better than you expect.

“I still can’t believe you taught Steve how to make pizza,” Bucky laughs as he tosses Steve a water.

“She attempted to teach me how to make pizza,” Steve corrects as he catches the water and opens it. “I wasn’t paying much attention,” he winks at you.

You feel your whole body heat up at the comment and you turn away from him to hide your smile.

“So, how did you two meet?” Natasha asks, taking a seat next to you and handing you a glass of wine.

“I groom Clyde at Happy Tails,” you respond awkwardly, suddenly feeling very small.

A dog groomer among Superheros? You can’t help but feel a little out of place.

“I used to walk by that place all the time after The Snap!” Nat exclaims. “It was one of the few things that put a smile on my face. How long have you been a groomer?”

“In total? 8 years. At Happy Tails? 4 years, my best friend owns it. She took me on a few weeks after The Snap. She’d lost her boyfriend and just wanted to do anything to get back to normal. I was one of the very few people she’s close to that was still around, so she took me on and I worked every day. Then, when you lovely people,” you nod towards Natasha, Bucky, and Steve “reversed The Snap, she changed my schedule so that I’m off during the weekends...she also gave me a month vacation,” you laugh sheepishly before taking a sip of wine.

“I bet you didn’t give your best friend a hard time,” Natasha mutters, scowling at Steve.

“Eh, I was a little difficult at first, mainly because I was worried about her. I came around to it after a week or so. Took myself on a small vacation and slept for days.”

“See Steve? At some point, you should relax,” Bucky teases.

“I feel like I have!” he defends quickly.

“And that’s all thanks to you,” Natasha nods towards you.

As the day goes on, more of the Avengers start to filter in, and you can’t help but think that’s due to Natasha and Bucky letting everyone who walks by know that Steve and “his friend” are hanging out with them. When it starts to feel overwhelming, Steve makes his way over to you, with Clyde following behind. Subtle enough to make it seem like Steve just wants to be near you, but the look he gives you when he sits besides you is a reassuring one. You can’t help snuggle into him a little.

“So, how long have you two known each other?” Tony asks after finishing what you believe to be his third glass of bourbon.

“Uh...we met on Monday,” Steve laughs sheepishly. You can’t help but shake your head, because all of it seems crazy.

“Honestly? You two seem like you’ve known each other for years.’

“Yes,” Thor echos, bringing Steve another drink of whatever he wasn’t letting anyone besides Steve and Bucky drink. “You two seem as if your love has transcended through the eons,” he smiles at you both. “I have never seen him so happy. I am happy to meet you, Y/N,” he smiles at you as he clinks glasses with you. “This reminds me, I must call Jane. Excuse me,” he nods towards you before walking off.

You find yourself relaxing against Steve as he kisses your forehead, and for a moment you almost forget you’re in a room full of superheros. Everyone is so happy and laid back, the world isn’t on fire, and they all seem content. It doesn’t help much that Steve is on a vacation, so you don’t know how to react in those situations. Hell, you don’t know how to react to any situations involving the Avengers.

You don’t know how you’ll react.

However, you don’t think on it for too long because you can’t. Not when Steve has his arm around you, without a care, and you’re both so damn happy.

‘Tomorrow can worry about itself’ you say silently to yourself as you continue your conversation with both Wanda and Natasha about superior ice cream flavors.

“That went well,” Steve smiles as you both stumble out of Bucky and Natasha’s apartment, Clyde lazily keeping up with the both of you.

“Why, Captain Rogers, are you drunk?” you tease as you make your way inside of his apartment.

“Just a little bit,” he smirks.

“I thought you couldn’t...?”

“Nothing on earth can, but the mead from Asgard...that’s different,” he laughs. “Looks like you’re gonna be staying over again.”

“Nope, nu uh. I have to go home tonight,” you laugh, avoiding his heated gaze.

“The cost of a service back to the city is too much and it’s late. Waking up Happy seems very unfair,” Steve sighs, fake sympathy in his tone.

“Ya know, I’m starting to think you’re getting me drunk just so I’ll stay here.”

“I hadn’t thought of that, but seeing as how much you love wine and how quickly you go through it....” he smirks, wrapping his arms around you as he leans you both against the living room wall. “Stay with me tonight. I like this place a lot more with you in it.”

“Steve-”

“I know you have a life to get back to. In a week’s time, I will too,” he sighs. “I just wanna live in this a little bit more with you.”

“What happens, Steve? What happens when everything goes back to normal?”

“I’ll still want you...still want us. This isn’t something I’m doing because I’m bored, Y/N. I really like you. Much more than I anticipated, especially this fast, but I don’t want it to end. I know I don’t have the most ideal job, and asking you to stay home and not worry isn’t fair, but it’s the best I can do for now.”

“I really like you too, Steve. It honestly scares me, because I wasn’t expecting it, but I honestly...I don’t want this to be over as soon as it started.”

“Stay tonight. We don’t have to do anything, I just love being close to you. In the morning, we’ll talk about it before you leave. Is that fair?”

“Yeah,” you nod softly.

Steve lips are on yours instantly, and once again, you’re wrapped up in him. He hoists you up and you instinctively wrap your legs around him as he grips your ass. Your brain is telling you to slow down but your body eggs you on to keep going.

“Steve,” you moan breathlessly as he trails kisses down your neck, your hands running through his hair.

You’re not sure if you’re saying his name as a warning or a plea to keep going.

“I’m sorry,” he breathes out, resting his head against your chest. “You just...I can’t get enough of you,” he laughs breathlessly.

“Trust me, I understand completely.”

“Should we call it a night?”

“Can we watch a movie in bed?”

“We can do anything you want,” he smiles up at you.

He kisses you again before slowly setting you down, but both of you hold on to each other for a second longer, wanting to live in the embrace of one another.

It’s not like you’re against sex on the first or second date, but Steve isn’t just some guy. He’s taken up so much space in your heart and mind in so little time, and you’re scared. You’re not ready to give yourself to him in such a personal way when there’s so much at stake. It’s not that you doubt his feelings for you, but at the end of the day, he’s Captain America.

You swore off dating men in dangerous lines of work for a reason.

However, when you’re with him, you can’t focus on that. Your mind won’t let you. You just want him. All that he is and all that includes. You tell yourself that you’ll figure it out as you two go along, but that ends up scaring you even more. You’re so willing to go along with everything if it means being with him.

When did you become that person?

You borrow some of Steve’s clothes so you can wash your own, before getting into the shower and washing off the last two days. It’s not like they haven’t been the best two days you’ve ever had, but the reality of Steve’s words hit you hard and you just need a moment to decide if being with an Avenger really is something you can handle.

You get dressed in his boxers and S.H.I.E.L.D t-shirt before looking yourself over in the mirror.

“You can keep a level head about this, Y/N. Steve is not be all, end all of everything in your life,” you tell yourself as you take a deep breath.

You repeat that mantra as you make your way back into his bedroom, but seeing him shirtless under the covers quickly has you thinking differently.

“I can take the spare-”

“We’ve both been drinking and I wouldn’t do anything while you’re in your current condition...unless you really want me to.”

“Who says I don’t want you to tonight?”

“Y/N,” he warns; his eyes trailing over your body.

“I’ll be a good girl,” you promise with a sly smile as you get in next to him, feeling complete again.

“What do you wanna watch?”

“How do you feel about serial killer documentaries?”

“No.”

“It was worth a shot,” you laugh as he shakes his head. “Uhh, you wanna watch a black and white movie?”

“You like classic movies?”

“I’m obsessed with them, babe. We can watch ‘The Maltese Falcon’ or ‘Mr. Smith Goes To Washington’. Ooh! You know what we can watch? A ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’!” you smile as you kick your feet in excitement.

“You’re full of surprises,” he laughs as he grabs the remote and starts searching for ‘A Gentleman’s Agreement’.

“I uh...didn’t get a chance to see it when it came out,” he muses before kissing your forehead.

“Yeah, you were taking a snow nap,” you yawn as he lets out a loud chuckle.

“Shut up.”

“I saw my shot and I took it,” you smirk as you get comfortable in his hold.

You make it 30 minutes into the movie before you’re sound asleep. It’s not so much that you’re sleepy, as much as it is that you’re comfortable and feel safe. Nothing has ever felt so good.

When you wake up, the sun is shinning and Clyde is looking at you, wagging his tail.

“I think someone is ready for a walk,” you mumble lazily, a smile coming to your face as you pet the happy pup.

“Yeah, I think I’m a little late this morning,” Steve responds groggily. “In my defense, it’s been a while since I’ve had that much to drink.”

“Light weight,” you tease as you tap the bed, signaling for Clyde to jump on, which he happily does. “I think he’s happy to wait just a bit longer.”

“Good,” is all Steve says before kissing the top of your head. “Cause I need at least 10 more minutes.”

All three of you lay in bed in silence, but all of you happy and content. You don’t want the moment to end, let alone the day because you know what’s coming, but you refuse to let yourself live in a world of willful and blissful ignorance. If you’re gonna be with Steve, you’ve gotta talk to him and be upfront with him.

So, when you all get out bed 10 minutes later, you put on one of his gray army hoodies as he put on a pair of sweats and a worn army t-shirt. He grabbed Clyde’s leash and you all make your way outside.

“So, do you want me to start or do you want to?” Steve asks after the three of you have been walking in silence for 5 minutes.

“I guess...this is all happening fast. Extremely fast. I don’t want to stop seeing you, and being with the real you is probably the best thing I’ve ever done, but at the end of the day...”

“I’m an Avenger,” he sighs, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t expect any of this either. I just thought I’d drop Clyde off and that would be that, but then I saw you...”

“I still don’t understand why you like me so much,” you laugh, turning away and looking around the training field.

“How could I not like you?” he scoffs. “You’re just...you’re everything I’ve been looking for and so much more. You’re so much more than I ever expected,” he finishes softly. “I know asking you to stay and figure this out with me is a lot, but I don’t want this to be over as soon as it started either,” he says, coming to a standstill.

You take a deep breath before looking at him. “I’m willing to try, Steve. I can’t promise that I won’t freak out or be irrational, because there’s always a chance that you won’t come back to me. I’m not worried about you cheating or anything like that. For some reason, completely unknown to me, I trust you. There’s just something...I just want you to come back to me, Steve. Accepting your job and all that comes with it...I’m gonna do my best,” you promise him sincerely.

“That’s all I’m asking,” he smiles at you.

The rest of the day goes by in almost a blur. Steve hands are on you whenever he has the opportunity, and you’re more than happy to allow it. You two make it a point to do very little. You just want to be with alone with each other for as much as possible. When Tony and Pepper invite you both out for lunch with them, Steve politely declines telling them that you’re almost done making lunch for them, which isn’t a lie.

When Nat and Bucky invite you both over to watch TV and play games, Steve again politely declines, letting them know that you’re in the middle of watching ‘A Gentleman’s Agreement’, since you fell asleep watching it last night.

Yes, you two are content with spending the last day of your little weekend getaway alone together. Talking, laughing, cuddling, and making out.

“Steve, I have to go,” you moan breathlessly with a small laugh as he trails kisses from your neck to clothed chest; you straddling him as you grip his shoulders tight.

“5 more minutes,” he pleads as his hands travel up your sides.

“We both know that’s not a good idea,” you moan, grinding your hips against his before you can stop yourself.

“Fuck, are we sure?”

“Steve,” you laugh, forcing yourself to stop and look down at him.

“I know, I’m sorry. Are you sure you can’t call out?”

“I can, I just shouldn’t. Bills need to get paid and clients will be pissed. Trust me, I’m not excited about setting my alarm for 5:40am,” you grumble, leaning your forehead against his. “I’m mainly not excited about being away from you. I really don’t want to remember what it’s like to sleep alone.”

“I can come over tonight.”

“I don’t want you getting sick of me so quickly.”

“Does it look like that’ll be happening any time soon?”

“Come and see me on Tuesday and we’ll do dinner,” you smile at him.

“I’m cooking this time.”

“What? Popcorn?”

“Ha ha, you’re so funny,” he fake laughs “I’ll think of something.”

“I’m excited to find out,” you smile before giving him a quick kiss on the lips and getting up.

“Text me when you get home.”

“I promise. Where are my clothes? I should change-”

“Your clothes are in my bedroom, and I’ll happily get them for you, but I want you to keep on what you have.”

“Steve, they’re-”

“I like seeing you in my clothes,” he smirks with a wink before getting up and following you to his bedroom.

“You’re nothing but trouble,” you giggle as you grab your clothes off of his bed.

“I’m the best kind of trouble,” he taunts, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind. “Are you sure you can’t stay just a little bit longer?”

“I gotta go, baby,” you tell him mournfully.

You really don’t wanna leave his side.

“Tuesday better hurry the hell up and get here,” he grunts as you giggle.

“Walk me to my car?”

“I was already planning on it.”

You give Clyde a big hug and a few pats on his head before heading out, Steve holding your hand tight. He presses soft kisses to your forehead as you both ride the elevator down, and you’re so tempted to pull out your phone and tell Isabella that you won’t be coming in. But you know better.

You can’t wrap your whole life around Steve Rogers. No matter how much you like him.

“You promise to let me know when you’re home safe?” he asks as you two stop at your car.

“Mhm, the moment I walk through the door.”

“You promise I can come and see you on Tuesday?”

“I’ll be offended if you don’t.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Steve smiles before leaning in for a kiss.

You wrap your arms around him, letting yourself get lost in Steve Rogers once again, before you hear the cheers and applause.

“That’s it! Kiss her like you mean it, Cap!” Tony calls from the doorway, and you can’t help but laugh as you two breakaway from one another.

“Fuck yeah!” Clint follows up.

“Language!” Steve calls back, causing you to laugh even harder. “I’m so sorry about this,” he sighs, his embarrassment very apparent.

“I’d be insulted if I didn’t get the royal send off,” you laugh softly in his ear. “I really don’t wanna leave you,” you whisper.

“You’re really good at making ‘goodbyes’ hard,” he scoffs.

“Just wait until you leave me for a mission.”

“Y/N,” he whines and you can’t help but laugh. “You need to get out of here before I get you to stay.”

“A very large part of me wants you to make me.”

“Nothing but trouble,” he smirks down at you.

“Tuesday,” you giggle. “I wanna see you and I’m looking forward to a great dinner.”

“I...” Steve bites his tongue and you can tell that he’s not saying what he really wants to say. “I can’t wait to see you again.”

You cock an eyebrow but don’t press the matter. “Counting down, baby,” you smile before giving him a quick kiss and getting into your car.

Fuck, you love him.

You love him so much and it terrifies you, but you’ll be dammed if you admit it before he does.

Your drive home is quick and fast, as you do your best to silence your mind. You don’t want to focus on Steve, but you can’t stop yourself. You don’t want to stop yourself.

“It took you long enough,” Steve chuckles as he answers your call.

“It’s not my fault that the closer you get to the city, the less people know how to drive...and walk” you retort as you kick your shoes off. “I wanted to call you on the way home.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“I wanted to give you space.”

“Out of all of the things that you can ever give me, space isn’t something you need to worry about.”

“You say that now-”

“Y/N, I like you. I like you a lot. I’m not going to tell you things because I think you want to hear them. I tell you because I want you to know just how serious I am and I want us to be on the same page. I’m not gonna get tired of you.”

You’re thoughtful before you speak. “I like you a lot too, Steve,” you smile, sitting on your sofa.

“What are you thinking about right now?”

“How badly I want you to come over,” you laugh and he laughs with you. “I know we need our space and to have our own lives, but you’re not always going to be on vacation. You’re gonna go on missions, go to Washington, do appearances...I literally just spent my weekend with you though,” you groan, slouching down into the cushions.

“All you have to do is ask,” he practically hums.

“No,” you sigh, “this is fine. I have to get used to not being able to see you whenever I want.”

“You’re so cute when you’re at war with yourself,” he laughs.

“I guess I’ll be cute forever, cause baby, when I tell you it never ends...” you sigh as he lets out a full bodied laugh.

You two talk until you force yourself into bed. You’re both reluctant to hangup and you swear you’re in High School all over again, in love for the very first time.

“I just met you on Monday,” you yawn, wrapping the covers around you tight. “What the hell is happening to me?” you yawn again, fighting off sleep the best you can.

“Believe me, I feel the same,” Steve laughs softly. “Get some sleep, baby. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

“I keep thinking this is a dream,” you respond lazily.

“I promise it isn’t.”

“Goodnight babe.”

“Goodnight Doll.”

The next day you can’t stop smiling. Even after getting stuck with the world’s worst Pomeranian.

“Okay, you’ve got to tell me what happened this weekend!” Isabella laughs as you two leave for lunch.

“I just...I’m fairly positive I’m in love,” you shrug, shaking your head in disbelief.

“You?!”

“I know! I don’t know what happened! We just clicked and we talked for hours...he’s so funny! He’s funny, thoughtful, considerate, caring, insanely sweet, he loves Clyde so damn much, and I swear his kisses send me to heaven each time,” you groan as you two reach your favorite Chinese takeout spot.

“How’s the...”

“We haven’t had sex yet,” you laugh, before placing your order.

Isabella places her order before turning to you wide eyed. “I’m sorry, you spent all weekend with that fine ass man and didn’t-”

“This is different,” you sigh as you two step to the side and wait for your orders. “I’ve never fallen this fast and this hard. I can’t just jump into this mindlessly because my vagina gets extremely excited every time he’s around,” you scoff. “Besides, lets not all forget that he’s an Avenger. The Avenger.”

“I know, but babe, I’ve known you forever. I’ve never seen you this happy or excited. I can tell that you’ve been thinking about him all day, cause that smile hasn’t let your face all day,” she laughs as you turn your head away, trying to hide smile. “I know it isn’t ideal, but love isn’t always ideal. Trust me, I would know,” she chuckles and you know she’s referring to her and Isaiah’s whimsical romance. “Have you told him?”

“What? That I love him? Fuck no!” you laugh as your orders are called out. “I’m not saying it before he does. That’s one thing I’m not budging on.”

“That’s the only thing?”

“Well...yeah. We made it official before I left, so...I guess I have a boyfriend?” you laugh.

“Ahhh!!! I’m so happy for you!” she exclaims as you two walk out and take a seat at the table outside.

“We’ll see,” you smile, opening your container of steamed dumplings. “Hey, do you and Isaiah wanna come over tomorrow? Steve’s coming over and making dinner.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I mean, I spent Saturday meeting everyone who matters to him, so I think he should meet one of the most important people in my life,” you smile at her as your phone rings. “Hold on to whatever you have,” you smile before answering. “Hello?”

“How much longer will you be at work?” Steve all but whines as you laugh.

“I work from open to close, babe.”

“Every day?”

“What can I say? I’m dedicated,” you laugh.

“Are you sure you’ll be up for dinner tomorrow?”

“Yeah! It’ll just be late. I’ll leave the key on top of the door frame for you. I’m usually home by 7-7:30 any way, as long as my last dog isn’t a big dog.”

“Clyde is always your last dog,” Steve groans and you can tell he feels bad.

“That’s because I love Clyde, so I don’t mind.”

“I miss you.”

“I miss you too, baby,” you sigh as Isabella just grins at you from the other side of the table. “Hey, speaking of tomorrow, are you okay with Isabella and her boyfriend having dinner with us?”

“I’d love it, I wanna get to know the people in your life,” he says as your heart soars, elated by his response.

“You’re amazing,” you smile. “I have to start getting back though. I’ll call you when I get home, okay baby?”

“I’ll be waiting. I lo...I’ll talk to you later,” he quickly corrects.

“I’ll talk to you late,” you hum before hanging up. “He almost said it!” you practically scream as Isabella bursts out laughing.

“Oh, I can’t wait for tomorrow,” she grins.

“Just tell Isaiah not to fangirl,” you mumble and Isabella giggles.

“I’ll tell him to be on his best behavior.”

The rest of the day drags on and you know it’s only because you’re anxious to see Steve tomorrow. You feel your phone buzz every once in a while and you know it’s him. Missing you just as much as you miss him. By the time it’s time to close shop, you’re rushing around to clean and get everything in place.

“Jesus, you really are all in with this man, aren’t you?” Isabella laughs as she closes up the shop.

“It’s that obvious, huh?” you scoff as you wait for her to lock the door.

“I’m not gonna lie, I was waiting for you to call out.”

“I almost did, but I don’t wanna be all about Steve. I don’t care how much I love him. I still want us to have our own lives...our own interests.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this cautious or in love. I can’t put into words how happy I am for you,” she beams as you two start on the short trek home.

“It’s terrifying. Loving him is so terrifying and I can’t stop it...I also don’t want to.”

“Just take it one day at a time. You’re both figuring it out and that’s all you can really do.”

“I guess...God, I can’t wait to see him tomorrow,” you whine as Isabella laughs.

“Who knew your soulmate would, technically, be over 100 years old? We just needed to be patient,” she smiles as you burst out laughing.

“I hate you.”

“You hate me so much that you can’t wait to see me tomorrow,” she knowingly smirks as you two make your way inside and get on the elevator. “What time should we be over tomorrow? Should we bring anything?”

“Nah, I’m fine in all departments, just bring yourselves. I guess just come over when you’re comfy? Shower and all that stuff, get changed, and head up. I don’t want anyone making a fuss; we’ve had dinner at my place a million times.”

“Yeah, but now you have a boyfriend,” she sings as the elevator arrives at her floor.

“I do, don’t I?”

“You lucky bitch,” she laughs, stepping out as the doors close.

The minute you’re in your apartment, you call Steve.

“You’ve worked all day. Truly, from start to finish,” he huffs as soon as he answers the phone.

“You fight intergalactic monsters, I don’t wanna hear it,” you laugh softly as you throw your keys down and take your hair tie out. “Did you have a good day? From the looks of the texts you sent me, Clyde had the best day.”

“I think someone is still riding the high of this past weekend,” he chuckles and you know he’s looking at Clyde. “My day was good though. They let me work a little bit today, because we have a mission coming up.”

“Oh,” is all you said as you plopped down on the sofa.

“Baby...we still have time. I’m still on vacation.”

“That’s gonna come to an end soon.”

“Y/N-”

“I don’t wanna think about it, Steve. I just...I didn’t you’d be thrown right back into it so soon and I don’t know why. I thought I’d have at least...it doesn’t matter. I’m with you...I’m your girlfriend.”

“You don’t have to sound so depressed about it.”

“I’m the one who has to deal with you possibly not coming back home.”

“I will always come back to you, Y/N.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t make promises that you aren’t sure you can keep.”

“You are my endgame. You are my home. I will always come back to you. I haven’t had someone to fight for in a long time, but now that I have you...I’m not going anywhere,” he promises softly.

“Steve,” you sigh, running a frustrated hand through your hair “can’t you just do desk work?”

“I belong on the field, babe.”

“Fine. Whatever. I don’t wanna talk about it anymore,” you snipe.

“The conversation doesn’t end because you don’t wanna talk about it anymore, Doll.”

“I warned you that I’m not the most agreeable person.”

“And I told you the same. We’re not done talking about this-”

“Steve-”

“No, tell what you’re thinking.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s fucking obvious what I’m thinking!” you snap. “You’re not a cop or a fucking firefighter, Steve! You’re an Avenger! You’ll have missions that will require you to leave this planet! I don’t want that! I want you here, next to me every day and night! I want to be able to talk to you whenever I want, not having to wait weeks or months to tell you about the most mundane things or hear about your day!”

“You said-”

“I know what I said, Steve,” you scowl, getting more fed up with yourself than him.

“Do you want to just stop this-”

“No, because I’m too wrapped up in you now. Too wrapped up in us. I just need time. It’s a lot that you’re asking me to take on.”

“I don’t want to hurt you or stress you.”

“At this point, I think being without you would do more harm than good.”

“Y/N, I lo-”

“Don’t say it now, please,” you beg softly.

“Then when?”

“When you’re back from this mission.”

“I don’t leave for another two weeks, well, I’m not supposed to leave for another two weeks.”

“Steve,” you groan.

“I want to be up front with you. You told me that’s what you want and I’m trying-”

“I know,” you sigh. “I know.”

Steve is thoughtful before he speaks again. “How was work?”

“It’s Monday, so by default, it sucked,” you laugh softly as you change into his shirt.

“On a scale of 1 to 10?”

“A demon Pomeranian bit me 3 times before 10am.”

“Can’t you turn away bad dogs?”

“I can, but I never do. If I don’t groom it, someone else will and I feel bad for them.”

“You’re insane.”

“You don’t seem to mind,” you chuckle as you settle into bed and turn on the TV. “What are you having for dinner?”

“The pasta Bucky and I practiced making,” he laughs and you can tell he’s less than impressed with it.

“I’m sure whatever you make tomorrow is gonna be great.”

“Just know that I’m keeping it simple.”

“You know how much I love simplicity, baby.”

“And that’s why I lo...like you. What are you doing for dinner?”

“Nothing. I made the mistake of eating lunch and I’m good.”

“Babe, you need to eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“I know, but you can’t live off one meal a day. Well,” he starts before you have a chance to interrupt “you shouldn’t.”

“Anything I make I won’t finish.”

“I know you have some microwavable dinner in your freezer,” he scowls.

“I don’t want to-”

“I know you don’t, but can you just do it for me?”

“Fine,” you mutter, getting out of bed and begrudgingly making your way to the kitchen.

“Is our first argument really going to be out me going on a mission then begging you to eat dinner?” he questions in disbelief.

“Yup.”

“Baby, stop it. I’m just looking out for you.”

“I know you are and I know I’m being a bitch. I just really don’t want you to go on this mission.”

“You know I have to.”

“Steve...”

“What can I do to make this better? In this moment, what will make you happy?”

“You being here,” you mutter before you can stop yourself. “No, you can’t come here-”

“What’s your address?”

“No, I need to-”

“Why wait until tomorrow? I can be there in no time at all.”

“Because, when you’re on a mission, I won’t be able to see you whenever I want.”

“But you can now, so we should see each other as much as we can.”

“No, I’ll wait until tomorrow,” you sigh as you take out a small container of Stouffer’s lasagna. “I can’t just make my whole life about my boyfriend.”

“Us wanting to be together is normal. We are a couple and couples want to spend time together.”

“We’re not a regular couple.”

“That’s what makes this so much fun,” he teases as your microwave alerts you; letting you know that you’re food is ready. “Just take a few bites of it, please?”

“4 bites are all you’re gonna get out of me. Rogers.”

“4 bites are better than nothing. I know you’re leaving the key out for me, but is there any specific time you want me there?”

“Whenever you think is best.”

“I can leave right now if you give me your address.”

“Steve,” you laugh. “I don’t know, whatever works for you.”

“What are you so afraid of?”

“You know what I’m afraid of. You might not come home to me one day.”

“You know what I mean. This past weekend you were fine with us spending every second together and now-”

“Because this past weekend was a bubble. I didn’t expect reality to hit so fast and so hard. I have to get used to it. I have to get used to you being in another country sometimes. Hell, another fucking planet,” you mutter, taking your food out of the microwave.

“Okay, but it’s because of that, that we should see each other as much as possible. There are gonna be times when I’m away for weeks at a time and can’t get in touch with you. When I’m home, I want to be with you as much as possible.”

“Steve, I’m trying. I just thought we’d have a little more time to live in our own little world.”

“We still do.”

“I feel like this is easier for you because you don’t have to worry about me -”

“That’s what you don’t get,” he chuckles humorlessly. “I’m always going to be worried about you. I’m always going to want to save you, always going to want to make sure there’s no imminent threat to or against you...Y/N, I’m always going to worry and I don’t you fully understand that. I don’t think you fully understand what being with me means. Before it was just the world, now, you are my world. Whenever I’m out there fighting, I’ll be fighting for you. To keep you safe. This isn’t easy for me at all,” he sighs heavily.

In this moment, it hits you.

Steve is always ready to fight crime and save the world. He’s always ready to go on a mission that he may not come back from. Now that you’re in his life, the game has changed completely, and he’s truly at your mercy. He’ll do any and every thing to keep you safe from everything that could hurt you.

Without giving it a second thought, you give him your address. “I’ll see you when you get here, 13th floor, apartment 1346.”

“I can’t wait to hold you,” is all he says before hanging up.

If you didn’t feel terrible about being a bitch earlier, you sure as shit do now. How could you not think of that? How could you be so blind to the fact that Steve now has added pressure?

You sigh in frustration as you poke at your dinner. You contemplate eating the whole thing just to make him happy, but settle on eating half of it.

You’re in the middle of playing ‘Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy’ when you hear a soft knock on your door. You almost forget to pause you’re in such a rush to answer it.

“I’m sorry,” is all you say when you open the door, before wrapping your arms around him.

“No, I’m sorry. I know this isn’t easy and I know what I’m asking isn’t fair,” he responds softly into your hair before kissing it.

“Can you stay tonight?”

“I can do whatever you want me to, Doll.”

You stay in his embrace a little bit longer before quickly ushering him inside, not wanting him to be seen or bothered by any of your neighbors.

“So, this is your place huh?” he smiles, looking around. “It suites you.”

“I don’t know if that’s good or bad,” you laugh, closing the door and going into your kitchen, wrapping up what was left of your lasagna.

“You ate half?”

“I felt bad,” you sigh, putting it in the fridge.

“I don’t want to go, but I want to keep you safe.”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Steve.”

“I know you don’t but we need to.”

“Why?”

“Because if we’re going to be together, I need you to accept that this comes with it. Me being an Avenger.”

“Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean I’m not accepting it,” you bite.

Steve sighs and places his hands on his hips. “How long are you going to be upset about this?”

“I’m going to be upset every time you leave and I think that’s pretty fair.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” he shrugs, accepting the fact he’s not gonna get the outcome he wants as he sits on your sofa. “Are you too mad at me to let me hold you?”

“No,” you mumble as you sit on his lap and curl up against him. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, baby,” he coos as he rubs your back. “What are you playing?”

“Crash Bandicoot.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know that one,” he laughs.

“It’s currently pissing me off. I keep dying at the same part and I can’t seem to unlock the part of my brain that remembers how I beat this as a child.”

“Can I watch you play?”

“You mean, can you watch me lose my shit? Sure,” you scoffs as he chuckles.

Steve can’t help but laugh every time you get frustrated after getting killed by a barrel full of waste, but he genuinely feels bad when you’re so close to finally winning, but fall into a pool of acid.

“I hate this stupid game,” you mutter as you toss the controller onto your coffee table.

“Then why do you keep playing it?”

“Because I love it,” you groan, leaning into him as he lets out a hearty laugh.

“Oh hush, where’s my best boy?”

“He’s with Buck and Nat, I actually wanted to ask you about that by the way.”

“Hmm?” you question, straddling him.

“When I leave, would you mind looking after him? I’ll feel a lot better if I know he’s with you. You can even stay at my place if you want.”

“I’ll be more than happy to watch him. In all honesty, it’ll probably help me just as much as it’ll help you,” you smirk, wrapping your arms around him.

“You are so beautiful,” he says so softly it’s practically a whisper.

“You think so?”

“Mhm, and I really love that you’re gonna sleep in my shirt,” he husks as he grips your thighs.

“Steve,” you moan softly.

“I love the way my name sounds coming from your lips.”

“I love the way you make me feel.”

“Yeah? Then show me,” he husks.

Without any hesitation, you kiss him deeply, pulling him as close to you as possible. Your tongues dance together as Steve’s hands slowly travel under your shirt.

“Steve...wait,” you breathe out, breaking away from him.

“I’m sorry, I-”

“No...I want to. God, you have no idea how badly I want to, I just...”

“Are you a virgin?”

“Ha, not in the slightest,” you laugh awkwardly. “This is...you’re different. The way I feel about you, the way we feel about each other...it’s so much so fast, and I’m just a little nervous to be that intimate with you so soon.”

“We can take this at whatever pace you want, Sweetheart. I’m just happy to be with you.”

“I feel bad because I keep giving you boners and then stopping,” you huff as Steve bursts out laughing.

“I’m a patient man, don’t worry baby,” he smiles before pulling you close kissing you deeply.

“Isaiah’s working overnight and I’m...oh,” Isabella stops short as she freezes in your doorway. “I’m so sorry, I can-”

“No, you’re fine,” you chuckle as Steve laughs softly.

Isabella looks over you two and raises an eyebrow. “You sure?”

“Yes,” you laugh, getting off of Steve who quickly readjusts his pants. “You wanna hangout?”

“Well...yeah. I brought booze and chips,” she sighs, holding up a bottle of whiskey and a bag of your favorite chips. “I can go away though-”

“Please, it’s really okay,” Steve promises sincerely as you go into the kitchen and grab glasses.

“You were playing Crash?!” she exclaims, making her way inside after she closes the door behind her.

“Horribly,” you mutter, making your way back into your living area and setting the glasses down.

“Can I try?”

“Please do, cause I’m ready to throw the damn thing out the window.”

“I think that has more to do with you being burned out than playing the game,” she corrects as she hits the ‘X’ button on the controller and starts the game.

“Don’t start,” you huff, sitting on the other side of her, arms crossed.

“You have a man now, go on vacation.”

“My man is going on a mission, so I’ll just be lonely.”

“Booo!”

“Please don’t encourage her,” he groans, “she needs no help with being mad at me.”

“Can’t you do desk work or something?”

“See?!” you exclaim as Steve shakes his head.

“I’m in for a long night,” he sighs.

As the night goes on, you’re surprised by just how relaxed Steve and Isabella are around each other, and it makes you smile. You don’t care much for anyone’s approval, but Isabella knows you better than anyone else. If she didn’t like him, you’d probably have to give things a second thought.

“Alright lovebirds, I gotta go, I decided to have hops and dreams, and as a result; I know have a store to run tomorrow,” Isabella whines as she puts down the controller. “Besides, I’ve been here for 2 hours. I’m sure you two would love to get back to not having sex.”

“You’re so funny,” you smile sarcastically, flipping her off as Steve laughs softly and shakes his head. “Besides, I’m opening the store with you, so I should go-”

“Take the day. Hell, take the week.”

“Iz, I can’t just-”

“I’m the owner of the store and I’m telling you to take time off. Spend as much time as you can together before he leaves,” she smiles softly.

“That’s so funny, cause I said the same thing,” Steve says matter-of-factly, a shit eating grin tugging at his lips.

“Hush you,” you tease, sticking your tongue out at him. “Iz, my dogs-”

“Can go to Jazz, Lisa, myself, and whoever else wants to make extra money. If the owners get pissy, they can just reschedule,” she shrugs.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s fine, babygirl. Take the much deserved break and when Mr. Stars and Stripes go on his mission, I’ll let you bury yourself in work, okay?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, crazy,” she laughs before dipping down and kissing the top of your head. “Rogers, I’m expecting a gourmet meal tomorrow.”

“Just what I needed, pressure,” he scoffs.

“Aren’t I a dream?” she smiles coyly. “Bye kids,” she sings as she makes her way out of your apartment.

“Well, what do you feel like doing?” Steve asks, a smile plastered to his face, as he pulls you back in his lap.

“Wanna watch a movie with me in bed?”

“One of my favorite things to do.”

Steve helps you clean up around the apartment, before you lead him to your bedroom and you both hop into bed. You get 20 minutes into the ‘The Maltese Falcon’ before you’re fast asleep, happy to be back in Steve’s arms and so close to him.

When you wake up, you hear Steve on the phone in the hallway and he sounds irritated.

“Yeah well, it’s gonna have to wait until I get back....Nick, you all forced me on this vacation and now you’re forcing me out of it...what’s changed?! You said...the end of this week? That’s too soon! Yeah well, I’m not gonna be back until tomorrow, so I guess we’ll figure it out then,” he husks angrily before hanging up and making his way back into your bedroom. He lets out a heavy sigh when he sees you sitting up. “How much of that did you hear?

“Enough,” you respond so softly you’re not entirely sure he hears you.

“I’m sorry-”

“Please don’t,” you sniffle out, fighting back tears. ‘Stop it, there’s no need for tears,’ you tell yourself mentally.

“Please don’t cry.”

“You have to go and train, don’t you?”

“I’m not going back until tomorrow.”

You pull your legs up to your chest and rest your head on your knees. “We can go back tonight after dinner.”

“Y/N no-”

“Don’t make this any harder than it already is, Steve. It’s not like either of us stomping our feet will make it any better. Let’s just...we’ll face it head on.”

“I’m so sorry,” he says sympathetically, his showing genuine sorrow as gets in next to you. He pulls you close and kisses the top of your head. “I’ll make this up to you.”

“How?” you scoff in sheer annoyance. “How can you make this up to me? You’re an Avenger and I have to share you with the world. I just have to accept that,” you sigh, breaking out of his hold and getting up. “I have to take a shower,” is all you say as you leave the room.

It’s not like you don’t hear how much of a bitch you’re being, and you know he feels terrible, but everything is just happening so fast. You went from thinking you’d have a week of having him to yourself and two weeks of being able to see him while he trains, to thinking that you’ll have him to yourself for a week, to now having to having to make the most out of what little time you can spend together before he leaves for God knows how long at the end of the week.

You can’t help but be a little hurt and upset.

You turn your shower on as hot as you can stand it and let yourself get lost in the heat. You don’t want to be angry with Steve, you don’t want to be a bitch, and don’t want to spend the week arguing. You just wanna be with the man who stole your heart and soul.

“Do you want me to go?” Steve asks from the doorway.

“No,” you sigh, running your hand through your hair. “I want you to come in.”

You hear the door open and close and he leans against it. “Y/N, I’m yours. Yeah, I’m an Avenger, but I’m also Steve. Your Steve. I told you, while I’m out there doing whatever I have to do, I have you in mind and you only. I’m coming home to you.”

“Do you know how long you’ll be gone for?” you ask as you pour soap into your towel before starting to wash yourself.

“Tony thinks it’ll be about a month. Depending on how bad things are, it may be longer, but that’s why they want me back now. The sooner we leave the better.”

“Of course it’s a fucking month,” you mutter, scrubbing your skin a little rough than you mean to. “I’m sorry, Steve. For being a bitch...just walking out like that. It’s not healthy and it’s been a while since I’ve done this. I’m going to do my best to make the best out of the time we have before I have to just...wait for you,” you shrug, your heart feeling heavy at the weight of your words, as you wash the soap off your body.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m going to miserable the entire time.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better, baby,” you scoff, scrubbing your feet, trying to keep your balance. “I just want you to focus and come home to me.”

“It’s gonna be okay, just trust me,” Steve promises as you turn off the water.

“Can you pass me my towel?” you ask, holding out your hand from behind the shower curtain.

“Do you believe me?” he asks as hands you a towel.

“I want to,” you confess as you wrap the towel around you “but you can’t guarantee me that you’ll be safe. That you’ll be okay,” you finish as you pull back your shower curtain. “But I’m in this. I’m all in with you and I’ll figure out a way to deal with this without being such an asshole all the time.”

“In your defense, it is a lot to ask of you in such a short time, and I know you’re trying your best,” he smiles softly as he makes his way over to you, wrapping his arms around you. “We don’t have to go back tonight.”

“I don’t want Nick Fury hating me on top of every thing else,” you chuckle softly. “We’ll do dinner and I’ll pack some clothes after, then...”

“Then comes the beginning of the hard part.”

You stay in his embrace for a little longer before deciding it’s time to start the day. You quickly make your way into your bedroom as Steve sits in the living room and waits for you. You throw on some underwear and a pair of shorts and your ‘Hello Kitty’ vans shirt, before putting your hair up in a ponytail.

“What are you making for dinner, babe?” you call from your bedroom, searching for your corgi socks.

“Chicken parm and spaghetti. Bucky and I made it at least 10 times last night,” he laughs.

“Look at you, trying to be Gordon Ramsey! I’m so touched,” you tease, finally finding your socks and putting them on before walking out. “You’re gonna need to go grocery shopping though, because I don’t have any breading...or chicken.”

“I guess that would be a key part in the whole chicken part of the chicken parm,” he nods. “Do you wanna go with me?”

“Out in public?”

“That’s where grocery stores tend to be, Doll,” Steve chuckles. “I understand if you don’t want to I just thought I’d ask. It’s a lot and things will change for you...a lot.”

“You like me enough to be seen with me in public?”

“Do you like me enough to be seen with me in public?” he questions with a nervous laugh.

“Lets do this,” you smile softly.

You both put on caps and sunglasses before you toed your shoes on and made your way out. Between the extreme anxiety you feel and commentary going on inside your head, you’re not sure if people actually recognize him as you two take the short walk to the grocery store.

Then you get inside.

“Is that Captain America?”

“Can’t be, he doesn’t have a girlfriend...does he?”

“Do you think he’d date someone like her?”

“You mean someone no one knows or someone with tattoos?”

“No way...can’t be him, not with her.”

“I hear them too, babe. Just take a deep breath,” he encourages as you squeeze his hand tight.

“Apparently I’m not worthy of being seen with you,” you gripe as two look over the chicken selection.

“Stop it, that’s bullshit and you know it.”

“I feel sick.”

“The first time is the hardest part, babe. We’re practically done. Just relax, honey,” he tries to calm you, but you can tell that he’s even losing his resolve as more people start to murmur.

“You can’t lose your cool, babe.”

“I don’t like how they’re talking about you.”

“Me neither, but you’re Captain America.”

“I’m your boyfriend before I’m anything else.”

“Aw, you think I’m that special?” you tease, looking up at him with a huge smile on your face.

“Stop asking questions you already know the answer to,” he smirks down at you.

Without thinking, you get on your tip toes and give him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Well, if there was any confusion it’s cleared up now,” he chuckles as you giggle to yourself.

“Lets finish up and go home, okay?”

“Sounds good to me.”

The both of you stop being so picky and pick up the few items you need and make your way over to self checkout. You hear people taking pictures and groan as you bury your face into Steve’s muscle and he laughs.

“At least you never have to doubt just how serious I am about us.”

“It’s not that. My mother is gonna see these and kill me,” you huff and Steve lets out a full body laugh.

The walk home is quick and Steve makes sure to shield you from prying eyes. In some ways, you think that maybe it is too early to go public, but you’re happy to have it out of the way before he leaves. When he comes back from his mission, you just want to be with him completely. Having to deal with all of the emotions you know you’ll feel when he comes back and going out in public together for the first time would have been overwhelming. Getting everything that’s messy and complicated out of the way now, will make everything that happens after he comes home much easier.

However, you’re still not ready for him to tell you that he loves you, even though you’re desperate to hear it.

“I don’t think that was too terrible,” Steve shrugs as you both make your way inside you’re apartment.

“Except for the part where you were ready to yell at the whole store,” you scoff, kicking off your shoes before taking off your hat and sunglasses.

“You’re my girl and I don’t want anyone talking bad about you,” he says as if it’s the most simple thing in the world.

“C’mon babe, even you have to admit that you didn’t see yourself falling for someone like me,” you laugh, leaning against your sofa.

“Whether I did or didn’t, you are who I’ve fallen for, and I want everyone treating you with kindness and respect,” he smirks, making his way over to you and wrapping his arms around you. “And can I just say how happy I am that I’ve fallen for you?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re the one I’ve been waiting for forever,” he confesses softly before kissing you deeply.

You swear you can live in his kisses forever.

“Now, Mr. Rogers, you have a dinner you need to get started on,” you breathe with a small laugh as you two breakaway from one another.

“It can wait a little bit longer,” he husks before crashing his lips into yours again.

You don’t make any attempt to stop him this time, tired of fighting something you both want. Instead, you wrap your arms around his neck and pull him closer to you, your right leg wrapping around his waist as both of his arms wrap around you. You start running your hands through his hair, pulling him impossibly close as he squeezes your hips tight. You let out a silent moan as he trails kisses from your lip to your neck.

“Steve...please,” you beg softly, once again, not entirely sure what you’re begging him for. His only response is to nibble on your neck as his fingers start fumble with the button on your shorts. “Need...I need it. Just need you,” you whimper pathetically.

You both groan in frustration when his phone starts going off, knowing it’s a call he can’t ignore.

“Fuck,” you mutter as you slowly let go of him.

“I don’t have to take it,” he breathes against your neck.

“Baby, we both know you do.”

“Okay, let me amend that, I don’t want to answer it.”

“You have a job to do, baby,” you laugh softly, unwrapping your leg from around his waist. “Besides, knowing all the things I have planned for you, it’s probably best that we don’t start that now.”

“You can’t say things like that and expect me to want to take work calls,” he whines as you laugh.

“Get to saving the planet,” you nudge softly.

“Fine,” he sighs reluctantly before breaking away and pulling his phone out of his pocket, as he makes his way into the kitchen. “What?” he huffs angrily; answering the call he never wanted.

You chuckle softly as you get up and turn on your TV, before turning on your PS4, readying yourself for another frustrating round of Crash Bandicoot.

When you hear Steve get into another heated disagreement with whoever is on the other end of his phone, you decide that it’s best for you to keep your distance. You know why he’s pissed because you’re pissed about the same thing, but your resolution to the situation won’t help anything.

“I don’t give a damn, Buck. I was given until the end of the week and now they’re trying to force me back now...no, they can wait for me to come back. We’re coming back...yes, we’re coming back tonight...she’s my girl and she has a say in this...well, you have a Nat, of course you don’t understand...I don’t care if any of you do or don’t understand it...I love her, Buck. The least I can do is not rip myself away from her right as I’m asking her to trust me...yeah, we went to the grocery store together....it’s the goddamn grocery store, people would’ve taken pictures with or without me being there with her...well, you all can deal with it without me being there. I’ll be there soon enough and everyone can bitch me out then,” Steve huffs angrily before hanging up.

Your heart swells as you try to ignore the fact that he just told his best friend that he loves you.

He loves you.

“Okay, I think I can make this without your help, but...just in case I do,” Steve starts as he makes his way into the living room. “wait until you smell something burning before you come running in. It’ll help soften the blow to my ego,” he smiles softly.

“Steve, am I getting you into trouble?”

“You heard that?”

“Only bits and pieces...it sounds like I got you into trouble.”

“You didn’t get me in trouble, babe,” he sighs, sitting down next to you, wrapping his arm around you and pulling you close.

“Are we moving too fast?”

“Doesn’t feel like it to me. I wish I could stay, God, you don’t know just how badly I want to stay. I finally feel like I belong somewhere and that didn’t happen until I met you.”

“You’re sure? You’re you want this? Want me?”

“Hey, come here,” he states softly, reaching over and grabbing your thigh so he can pull you onto his lap so that you’re straddling him. “Of course I’m sure. Yeah, it’s been a week, but why does that matter? I’m pretty sure we feel the same way about each other, so everyone else can deal with it. Yeah, it’s gonna take some getting used to and some adjusting, but I’m happy. I’m so damn happy with you. I want this. I want us. I want you,” he promises before taking your hand in his and kissing your palm.

“I’m really happy you adopted Clyde,” is all you can think to say, feeling overwhelmed by his words, as he starts laughing.

“Me too.”

“A month without you?”

“I promise, the minute I’m back home, you and Clyde will have all of my attention.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that,” you chuckle softly.

“So...what else did you hear?” Steve questions, placing another soft kiss into your palm.

“Not much,” you lie, turning away slightly as you try and stop a smile from spreading across your face.

“Mhm, sure didn’t,” he laughs before pulling you close and kissing you deeply.

You two make-out for a while before you feel his hands travel back down to your shorts, and you force the both of you to stop. You’re more than sure that dinner won’t happen if you get him on your bed. So, he reluctantly forces himself away from you and force your attention on Crash Bandicoot.

You’re sure you’ve never played the game so well.

When Isabella and Isaiah show up, you do your best to mask every negative emotion you’re feeling, knowing Isabella will go toe to toe with Nick Fury herself if it means you’ll be happy. While Steve finishes up dinner and Isaiah sets up the table, you practically force Isabella to help you beat another level on Crash.

“So, uh, you see the news lately?” she asks as she tries to avoid rocks being thrown at her by a muscled up fox.

“Yup,” you laugh softly, knowing exactly where the conversation is heading.

“Seems that Captain America has a new girlfriend.”

“I heard about that.”

“So, you two are officially official?”

“Yes we are,” you smile softly, mainly to yourself.

“Have you told him-”

“He can hear us,” you quickly interrupt.

“In my defense, I do my best to mind my own business!” Steve calls from the kitchen and both and Isabella start cracking up.

“Text me later?” she asks, finally beating the level.

“You better your ass,” you promise.

“Not fair!” Steve calls from the kitchen and you just shake your head.

Dinner is ready in almost no time at all and you’re happily surprised at how well it turns out. Isaiah is a little quiet at first, not wanting to say the wrong thing, but after a few beers, he becomes the most relaxed person in the room. You try your best to not drag anything out, but everyone is having such a good time and you’re just so damn happy. Yes, you have your own complicated ass family, but Isabella has always been the main one to look out for you. Isaiah, well, he loves you just because Isabella loves you. Seeing the three of them get along so well really means the world to you, because it helps you feel even more at ease. It’s another sign that things are going in the right direction.

Things are as they’re meant to be.

“Well, I hate to cut the party so short, but I have work in the morning and the fact that my sweet love has downed 6 beers, after working an overnight, lets me know that he’s beat,” Isabella laughs.

“I’m fine for another few hours,” Isaiah defends with a slight slur and all of you chuckle.

“No, it’s time to call it a night,” Isabella chuckles as she starts to get up “but I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Uh no,” you respond awkwardly, fumbling with your fingers a little. “I’m gonna spend the week at the compound...then I’ll kinda just be staying there to watch Clyde...for a month.”

“What?”

“His mission got moved, so he’s gonna be leaving sooner than we thought, so we’re gonna spend the rest of the week together...well, the most best that we can, then I’ll be staying at the compound and watching Clyde until he comes back. I’ll still be coming to work and everything...I just won’t be here.”

“Do you want the month off?”

“Hell no,” you scoff “I need something to keep me busy.”

“Y/N-”

“I’m gonna be fine,” you promise. “It’s just an adjustment,” you tell her while you smile at Steve.

“Well...okay then. If you need me-”

“I know, babe. Please believe you’ll be hearing from me a lot,” you humorlessly chuckle as you get up and hug her. “I love you.”

“I love you too, babe” she responds mournfully.

After Isabella and Isaiah head out, you start to pack a few things while Steve puts away leftovers. The silence in uncomfortable, but it is heavy, both of you aware of what’s coming in the next few days, not sure what to really expect. You’ve never been this in love and the reality of losing Steve just as quickly as you got him becomes more and more clear by the minute.

“Will I be able to talk to you?” you ask as you and Steve make your way to the compound.

“No, but depending on how serious it is, I might be able to get messages to you.”

“Might?”

“It’s for your safety, babe.”

“I know, I know,” you sigh, looking out the window.

“Talk to me. What’s going on in that gorgeous head of yours.”

“You already know.”

“Y/N, you can’t just shut down because you’re uncomfortable or unhappy.”

“I just don’t see the point of having the same conversation. You know how I feel-”

“But I’m not a mind reader, babe.”

“You’re gonna be gone for a month. Maybe less, maybe more. I’m just supposed to trust and believe that you’re gonna be okay. Yes, we’ve talked about this a million times, but we keep having less and less time together, and I just...it’s a lot, okay? It’s a lot and I don’t like it,” you huff.

“I don’t like it either, babe. I truly don’t, but I’m coming back home to you-”

“You don’t know that,” you almost sob as he pulls up to the compound, pulling into the parking deck.

“If you keep believing the worst, how are we ever gonna get past this?”

“I’m new to this, Steve. I’ve never...I swore off dating guys that have dangerous professions, then you came along and...I’m trying because I want to be with you. You’re all I think about all the time, but it’s a lot at once. We were supposed to have more time and we don’t.

“Doll, I promise we’ll have more time when I get back, and I will come back.”

“You don’t-”

“I’m not letting anything on this planet, or any other planet, take me away from you. You’re the woman I’ve been waiting for and I’m not about to lose you as soon as I found you. I don’t care what I have to face,” he promises sincerely, wiping away your lone tear.

How are you supposed to argue with him after that?

So, you put on a brave face as you two head inside, doing your best ignore all of the anxiety and fear you feel.

As you and Steve make your way to his apartment, you’re greeted by some of the Avengers, but you can sense the dread and irritation they feel towards Steve.

It makes your blood boil.

“I gotta go and deal with some things,” Steve sighs as he puts away the last of your clothes in one of his drawers “but we’ll watch a movie or something when I get back, okay?” he offers weakly.

You just nod softly as you settle onto his bed. Steve lets out a heavy sigh before kissing your forehead and making his way out.

You’re alone in your misery for all of 5 minutes before there’s a soft knock on Steve’s apartment door. You slowly make your way over and open it, only to be met with Clyde almost knocking you over.

“Hey bud,” you laugh, getting on your knees and hugging the overly excited pup.

“I figured he might do you some good...plus, I’m fairly sure he missed you and Steve a lot,” Natasha laughs softly.

“Yeah, I think we could both use the company right now,” you laugh softly.

“Hey...I just want you to know, no one’s mad at you. I think we’re all just shocked and the timing is horrible. Steve plays everything close to the chest, but since he met you...none of us have ever seen him this enamored with anyone. We all pushed for him to take a break and now we’re all forcing him to come back...it’s not his fault, Y/N,” she sighs.

“I know it isn’t and I’m slowly understanding what I’m signing up for...I’m not going anywhere though. I know we’ll work it out and I know there will be more times like this...it’s just happening all at once. We both thought we had more time and now...it’ll be okay. I know it’s gonna be okay, I just have to adjust. With time and patience I will,” you smile up at her.

“Do you love him?” she asks before she has time to stop herself.

“I-”

“I’m pretty positive I know the answer, but it’s none of my business either way. I’m sorry,” she chuckles softly. “I’ve gotta get to this meeting. I promise we’ll try not to keep him too long.”

“I appreciate that,” you smile towards her before she nods and turns to walk away.

You close the door as Clyde runs to the sofa and settles himself on it, trying to think of things to keep you occupied. You start with a shower, needing the water to wash away the stress and frustration of your day. After that, there’s not much to do. You pull on one of Steve’s t-shirts and settle into the center of the bed, trying to find something to watch, but nothing holds your attention. Soon, Clyde joins you on the bed and curls up by your feet, and you can’t help but smile at the small action.

You groan in frustration when you hear your phone go off for what feels like the millionth time. You ignore the texts from your family and go right to Isabella’s text.

My Last Brain Cell: okay, so do you love him?

Y/N: So much and it’s terrifying me.

My Last Brain Cell: Does he love you?

Y/N: That’s what he told Bucky.

My Last Brain Cell: Look at you! On a first name basis with the Avengers!

Y/N: Stop it lol

My Last Brain Cell: Listen, I saw the way he looked at you tonight, babe. He’s all in.

Y/N: I know and that’s not the problem.

My Last Brain Cell: I know.

Y/N: What if he doesn’t come home, Iz? What if he gets hurt really bad?

My Last Brain Cell: You should tell him how you feel.

Y/N: No, I want him to have something to look forward coming home to.

My Last Brain Cell: He already does, babe. You.

You let her words roll around in your head as you settle into the center of Steve’s bed, trying to force yourself to calm down. You finally settle on the silent version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde before you slowly succumb to sleep.

“I wanted to be back before you were asleep,” Steve sighs as he gets in next to you.

“I’m awake,” you mumble, eyes still closed as you roll over and cuddle up next time to him.

“Sleep,” he laughs softly, stroking your hair as he kisses the top of your head.

“No, our days are limited. Tell me everything,” you yawn, forcing your eyes open.

“So stubborn. I love that,” he scoffs, but you can hear the smile in his tone. “What do you wanna hear about first?”

“The mission, I guess.”

“There’s been some...well, a lot of trouble on a planet called Xandar that’s now seemed to make its way to Sakaar. We’ve been asked to try and calm down the situation peacefully.”

“Which I’m assuming you all believe it won’t be peaceful because they’re sending all of you.”

“Yup,” he sighs as he shifts his weight a little.

“What aren’t you telling me, Steve?”

“I don’t want you to get up and leave.”

“Steve.”

“Nick...he told us how long he thinks it’s gonna be.”

“Fuck, just tell me.”

“A month and half to two months.”

You feel your eyes watering but you refuse to cry. You refuse to storm out. You just lay there and take a deep breath as you clench your eyes shut.

“Please say something,” he begs desperately.

“Why so long?”

“If there’s clean up, and there will be, we have to stay behind and help. Which, truly is the right thing to do. All we do is make a mess anyway.”

“Well, if they could fight for themselves, they wouldn’t need you all,” you scowl.

“Y/N.”

“It’s not like I’m wrong, Steve. I understand that places get destroyed and people get hurt, but I’ve also lived long enough to remember the world without the Avenges vs the world with it. We’d be fucked without you all, because it’s not like the defenses without you guys is enough. But sure. Lets all bitch because a few buildings need to be rebuilt.”

“Baby-”

“I’m just being bitter,” you sigh, fighting the urge to leave his arms.

“If you want out-”

“I’m clearly not going anywhere, so don’t even. If I were going to leave, it would’ve been before now.”

“Have I told you how much I like you?”

“A time or two,” you giggle softly. “What time do you have to be up?”

“5:30.”

“Of course you do.”

“I promise I’ll make this up to you, baby. I’m sorry,” he promises sincerely, pressing a soft kiss into your hair.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Truly. These are the lives we lead and we just...we’ll make it work. You need to get some rest.”

“And what if I don’t wanna rest just yet?”

“Steve,” you giggle, feeling the exact same way “you need to be at your best and that means resting.”

“Why do I feel like this means it’s gonna be a torturous week for the both of us?”

“I mean, if you get them to send you back to me earlier, you may just get a going away gift,” you smirk before yawning.

“See, you say you want me to rest up, but then you say things like that.”

“Goodnight, babe,”

“Goodnight, darlin’.”

In the days that follow, you do your best to be supportive and pleasant. You don’t make a stink when Natasha and Bucky come over to talk about strategies, you bite your tongue when Nick and Tony pull him away from you in the middle of the night, and you don’t start an argument when his days start at 5:30am and end at 11pm.

However, by day 4, you finally snap.

“Why are you sleeping on the sofa?” Steve asks as he makes his way out of the bathroom, towel around his waist.

“You can’t wake me up by getting out of bed if I’m not in bed,” you shrug, flipping through channels, keeping your attention on the screen in front of you.

“Y/N-”

“Actually, maybe I should sleep in the guest room. That way, when Bucky and Nat come over and keep you up till 2am, I don’t disturb you all with my snoring.”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what, Steve? You asked me a question and I simply gave you an answer. Stop what?”

“Being a brat,” he warns, crossing his arms over his chest as you let out a humorless laugh.

“Oh? I’m being a brat? Okay. Good to know.”

“You know-”

“Cause you know what’s fucking funny? I’m not the one leaving in two days for a fucking month, maybe two. I’m not the one who is constantly running back and forth between training, meetings, and strategy plans. In fact, between the two of us, I think it’s you who’s being the brat.”

“I’m being the brat?!”

“Everything you’ve asked me to deal with, I’ve dealt with! I’ve tried to handle this entire situation with grace and patience! Is it too much for me to ask that we’re at least able to have dinner together?! I feel like I should be allowed to ask for dinners with my boyfriend without them being interrupted for something that should’ve been discussed when the Avengers kept you all fucking day!”

“Baby, I’m trying to-”

“I’m trying too, Steve! I have a right to be mad!” you yell, getting up and storming into the bedroom.

“You think this makes me happy?! Not spending time with you? Not ending my days with you in my arms?! I just want to come home to you!”

“That’s what I want too! If there’s anyone that wants that, it’s me!” you yell, finally feeling everything that you’ve been trying to bury. “I’ve suppressed everything that I’ve-”

“When I’ve asked you not to! When I’ve begged-”

“Why should I keep having the same fucking argument with you?! Why should I-”

“Because it’s how you feel!” he husks, pinning you against one of the walls in his bedroom. “Because I’ve been begging you to tell me everything you’ve been feeling!”

“Haven’t I?”

“Doll, there’s nothing that I want more than you to argue with me and tell me that you want me to stay,” he husks as he slowly starts to unbutton and unzip your shorts.

“Don’t,” you whimper effortlessly, trying to hold on to your resolve.

“Don’t what, baby?”

“Don’t put me together just to pull me apart.”

“Oh, Darlin’, I’ve been dying to pull you apart,” he groans moans as he pushes your shorts down. “I think that’ll be just what you need to make you fall in line,” he moans as dig your nails into his shoulders. “Just what you need.”

“Show me then, show me just how much you want me to be your good little girl,” you beg, starting to run your hands through his hair.

“Baby-”

“Steve, we gotta get to this meeting!” Bucky calls as he pounds on Steve’s front door.

“If you tell me not to go, I won’t,” Steve sighs against your lips.

“I want you to be as prepared as you can be,” you mumble, leaning your forehead against is shoulder. “At some point, we’ll have time for each other.”

“I want that time to be now.”

“But it isn’t,” you sigh.

“What if it was? What if I just walked away from all of this and focused on you?”

“Steve, I-”

“Bud, we gotta go!” Bucky calls again from the doorway.

“I’ll be waiting,” you sigh. “I’ll be waiting and I’ll be happy to be with you in whatever way I can be,” you smile the best you can.

“You know that I want to be with you, right?”

“I do,” you promise sincerely.

“Just..don’t change your mind before I get back,” he begs sincerely.

“I’m in this for the long haul, baby,” you smile at him before kissing his lips. “You just have to make sure you make it back to me.”

“I will. Y/N, on everything I hold dear, I swear I’ll be the man you need and want me to be.”

For the next two days, Steve does his best to be an Avenger and a boyfriend. He makes sure to make time for you and the things that make you smile, while doing his best to make time for work out regiments and battle preparations. You’ve given up on giving yourself to him completely, because something always comes along to ruin it, but you’re secretly happy about that.

You want him to come back to you before you’ve given everything away. It’s not like you don’t believe him, but you still want something to hold on to until he returns to you.

Even if it is the most old fashioned thing in the world.

“We need to stop,” you breathe as Steve kisses down to your clothed chest, trying to collect yourself.

“But we don’t want to stop.”

“You’re supposed to be up in 3 hours. You need your rest.”

“I don’t want to leave here without you knowing-”

“Trust me, baby, I know,” you smile at him.

“Please don’t change your mind while I’m gone.”

“You don’t change your mind while you’re gone.”

“I could never.”

“When you get back...”

“When I get back,” Steve laughs softly “be prepared for some changes.”

“Such as...?”

“I’ve cleared out a space in my closet for you, as well as a few drawers.”

“Steve-”

“I want you here as much as possible. I want you to move in.”

“You’re only saying that because you don’t know any better,” you laugh, as he lays down.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he chuckles as you rest your head on his chest.

“You haven’t really spent any time with me. You’ve been busy. What if we spend time together when you get back and you think I’m the worst roommate?”

“I won’t think you’re the worst roommate. Besides, even if you were, I’d be able to deal with it. It would be your one flaw.”

“Ha! My one flaw.”

“Well, you are stubborn as all hell and a bit of a cover hog.”

“That’s because, whenever you roll over, you take the cover with you!”

“I do not.”

“You do too! And since we’re on the topic, you’re a bit of a pillow hog too.”

“Am not!”

“Whenever I come back from the bathroom in the middle of the night, you’ve sprawled yourself out and you’re partially on my pillow.”

“Technically, it’s my pillow.”

“Clyde is a much better sleeping buddy.”

“We’ll see how you feel about that after a week,” he laughs softly.

“Steve?”

“Yeah babe?”

“Promise me you’ll come back.”

“Y/N, I promise I’ll come back to you and we can do this right.”

“Steve, I lo-”

“Tell me when I get back,” he tells you softly before pressing a soft kiss into your hair.

You try to stay awake, wanting to get in as much time as you can with Steve before he leaves, but he’s just so damn warm and inviting.

“It’s time for me to go,” he says softly, gently shaking you awake.

“Not yet,” you reply lazily, gripping his wrist as your eyes open slowly. He’s dressed in his Captain America suit and you can feel your heart starting to break. “Just a few more minutes.”

“I’ve delayed it as much as I can,” he tells you regretfully.

“Please,” you start to sob.

“Baby, please don’t cry.”

“I’m not not,” you sniffle, quickly drying your eyes. “It’s gonna go by quick, right? I’ll blink and you’ll be right back here with me. Like no time has passed at all.”

“Exactly,” Steve smiles mournfully, and you can see that he’s doing his best to hold back his own tears.

You pull him close and kiss him deeply, wanting to sear the moment into your heart and mind until you have him close again. “Because you promise you’re coming back, right?” you ask breathlessly once you two break apart.

“I swear it, Doll,” he promises.

You hear whimpering at the end of the bed and you know you’re not the only one with a broken heart.

“I know bud, but it’s only for a little. I’ll be back before you know it,” he sighs at Clyde, petting him and giving a small kiss on the head. “Take care of Y/N while I’m gone, okay?”

Clyde just whimpers in response before licking his palm.

“I’ve gotta go, but I promise...I swear, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

Steve gives you one more kiss before rushing out, and just like that, you’re alone.

The first few days, you lie and tell yourself that it’s fine. You can handle Steve being gone, because it’s not a big deal. He’s just your boyfriend. You’ve got Clyde to keep you company and you’re staying at his place. That’s more than enough for you.

However, once you hit week two, you start to fall apart.

“Y/N, maybe you should take a break,” Isabella sighs as you try to keep yourself together.

“No, I’m fine. I’m just tired and, as you can see, little miss Frisky is being fussy,” you huff as you try to trim up her face.

“This isn’t you, Y/N. You haven’t heard anything from him?”

“Nope, and that’s fine. I’m fine.”

“No you aren’t and I get it. If you want to take a few days-”

“That’ll make it worse. Work is the only thing that keeps my mind busy.”

“What about Clyde?”

“We’re both depressed. We cry together and- WILL YOU STOP MOVING?!” you snap at Frisky.

“Okay, Jazz take over for Y/N. We’re going on break, now.”

“I can finish the dog, Iz.”

“This isn’t up for discussion,” she snaps.

You scowl but step out of the way as Jazz walks over and take Frisky, placing her at her own station as you grab your purse.

“What’s going on with you?” she questions the moment you two are outside.

“Nothing, I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me. What’s the matter?”

“You know what’s wrong.”

“Babe, you can’t stress yourself-”

“He’s on another fucking planet, Iz! You don’t think I want to just take a deep breath and calm down? I miss him so much and I just want to hear his voice. I’d honestly just settle for a text, but he can’t and I get that.”

“Why are you so sure things aren’t okay?”

“Because he’d be back by now,” you sigh, trying to fight off the tears that so desperately want to be shed.

“Babygirl, maybe it would be best-”

“I promise that it wouldn’t be best. Me alone with my thoughts right now...not a good idea.”

“Then you’ve gotta relax, Y/N.”

“I will, I promise...today is just a bad day,” you promise, wiping your eyes.

So, you try even hard to mask just how much you’re hurting. How much you’re upset and hurting. All it does is cause you to cry more on the weekends. You’re hopeful that all of the suffering is over at the end of the month, but to your dismay, he still isn’t home.

Which means, there was a battle and now it’s time for clean up.

Most nights you cry, holding Clyde close until fall asleep. Other nights, you stay up and watch movies the both of you love.

Dumbo has become a movie you know line for line.

You’re about to watch it, for what feels like the millionth time in a row, when you hear a soft knock on Steve’s door. “Hey,” Pepper smiles at you through the small crack you’ve made “I was wondering if you’d like to eat dinner with me.”

“Oh, thank you, but I’m not even dressed-”

“That’s okay! I don’t have any set dinner plans, I just thought I’d ask. I know that I’m a nervous about Tony, so I figured you might need the company as much as I do,” she laughs softly.

“Give me a few minutes to change in to something presentable and I’ll meet you up there,” you smile awkwardly.

You dig through the drawers you’ve made yours, feeling like wearing sweats isn’t appropriate for dinner with Pepper Potts-Stark, even though she just told you differently. You settle on shorts and your gray Mickey and Minnie t-shirt, before feeding Clyde the rice and chicken meal you’ve started making for him, and heading out.

When you reach the top floor, you take a deep breath, feeling more anxious than you were prepared to. The only time you’ve spent time with anyone outside of Steve is when Bucky and Nat had people over, and even that was overwhelming.

Just you and Pepper eating dinner together? That’s something you never thought would happen.

But then again, the same can be said you dating Steve.

“Welcome,”she smiles, handing you a glass of wine, stepping aside as you make our way inside. “Sorry, the place is a bit of a mess-”

“It looks amazing,” you gawk in wonder, looking at the high chandelier and the cleanest windows you’ve ever seen.

“You’re far too kind,” she laughs as she moves a few papers out of the way. “Whenever Tony is on a mission, I double down on work and forget to clean up after myself.”

“Yeah, I’ve taken on twice as many dogs since Steve’s been gone,” you chuckle.

“That’s right, you’re a dog groomer! I don’t know how that slipped my mind,” she laughs, stashing away a few blueprints.

“You have a lot going on.”

“It’s honestly been the same amount of work since I started working for Tony, I’m just a mess until he’s home and safe. Usually, Morgan is running around and being a great distraction, but she’s at a sleepover, so,” Pepper shrugs sheepishly.

“Yeah, I can completely understand that. Clyde and I just mope around all day. We both miss Steve just as much. Maybe him a little more than me, but that’s only because Clyde’s known him longer.”

“No, I’ve seen the way you and Steve look at each other. I’m sure you and Clyde miss him the same amount,” she smiles at you reassuringly. “What do you feel like having for dinner?”

“I have no idea,” you laugh “what do you have?”

“Not much.”

“You can do a lot with not much,” you encourage before making your to the kitchen.

The conversation starts to flow freely as you search around for things to cook. You decide on cheeseburgers and fries, feeling a little more at ease over not having to stress about some big to-do meal. Pepper tells you about how she never thought her life would be what it is now, and you can’t help but chuckle in agreement.

You never saw yourself being with someone like Steve. Let alone, Steve himself.

“I think this is the best cheeseburger I’ve ever had,” Pepper giggles drunkenly as you both sit on the floor, eating and sharing a bottle of wine.

“I went from not knowing how to cook a single thing to making sure I’d be able to make whatever I want. A very handy skill.”

“I’m sure Steve loves it.”

“The one time I made dinner for him and we were able to eat it together, he told me how much he loves it,” you chuckle softly.

“It’s not easy. The sitting and the waiting. The sacrificing of time so that they can have their meetings and save the world. We’re in love with superheros,” she scoffs.

“Yeah, I tried to stop it,” you sigh, taking a sip from the bottle. “At least slow it down.”

“How can you? They know what it’s like to love and lose everything, so they become all consuming. They know how precious every moment is, so they make sure to make every moment count.”

“Steve definitely does.”

“He’s going to be okay. They all are. If they can survive Thanos, twice, they can survive anything.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t, I just have to believe it, or else I’ll...”

“Or else you’ll what?”

“I’ll fall apart,” she smiles weakly. “I’ve had my fair share of scares with Tony, but I keep believing that he’ll be okay in the end, and in the end, he always is.”

“I’m still working on that part,” you chuckle humorlessly, wiping away a few tears.

“You’ll get there,” Pepper smiles reassuringly.

From that night, you do your best to not let yourself get lost in the “what if’s” and focus more on the “he’s fine”. Even when it gets to be a month and half and he still isn’t back, you tell yourself that everything is gonna be fine.

My Last Brain Cell: Take the next two weeks off.

Y/N: What? No, I’m fine.

My Last Brain Cell: You’ve been working like a mad woman for almost 2 months. Take the two weeks. You need the break.

Y/N: Iz, I’m fine.

My Last Brain Cell: This isn’t a suggestion, babe. You’re taking the two weeks.

Y/N: Fine.

You scowl as you throw your phone down, returning your attention back to the screen in front of you as you cuddle up next to Clyde in bed. At some point, you find yourself falling asleep to the sound of announcers declaring Joe Louis the winner of some boxing match. You close your eyes and miss him more than you’re comfortable with: you’re hoping that you’re one day closer to being with Steve.

You’re not sure how long you’ve been asleep when Clyde starts barking. He’s quick to get out of bed when you hear the door unlock.

“Hey buddy, I’m home!” Steve happily tells him in a hushed tone.

You can’t stop your feet as they hit the ground running. You’re on him in an instant, jumping up and wrapping your legs around him.

“I know, baby. I know,” he coos as he holds you tight, stroking your hair as you sob into his shoulder. “I’m home baby.”

“I was so scared!”

“I’m so sorry, but I’m home now. I’m home and I will be for a while. I promise.”

“I love you, Steve. I love you so much.”

“I can’t tell you how much I’ve been dying to hear you say that,” he chuckles softly, “I love you too.”

“Wait, let me look at you. Are you okay?” you sniffle, slowly unwrapping your legs from around him and stepping back a little.

“I’m fine-”

“Oh my God! Steve!”

“It looks worse than it is, trust me. I looked worse a few days ago.”

“Steve,” you gasp, your hands going over the cuts and bruises on his arm. You don’t even wanna think about what his chest must look like.

“Baby, I’m okay. I promise. Please don’t cry,” he smiles softly.

All you can think to do is wrap him in a hug. “I love you.”

“I love you. So much, you have no idea,” he sighs, finally dropping his bag and kissing your hair.

“What can I do? What do you need? Are you hungry?”

“You don’t need to do anything,” he chuckles. “I am going to take a shower. I’ve missed showering in my own home so much.”

“Do you want me to make you something to drink or-”

“Baby, you don’t need to do anything, truly. You can join me if you want,” he calls over his shoulder as he makes his way to the bathroom.

You’re about to follow him when there’s a soft knock on the door.

“Oh, hey Bucky,” you smile as you try to ease your anxiety. “What’s up?”

“Hey, I promise I won’t keep you long, it’s just that the first night home after a mission is always the hardest for me and-”

“Seriously Buck?” a now shirtless Steve questions as he steps out of the bathroom.

“You have company now!”

“You’re practically married to Nat at this point.”

“Be that as it may, Nat is not Clyde. She’s not gonna watch scary movies with me till sunrise. Clyde will.”

“Have you ever considered getting your own pet?”

“It’s being discussed. However, until we come to a decision...?”

“One night, Buck. I mean it. I want him back in the morning.”

“How about the afternoon?”

“Buck.”

“Fine. You’ll have your precious child back by 11:30,” Bucky smiles before calling for Clyde.

“Buck-”

“You two kids have fun!” Bucky calls before running off with Clyde.

“Asshole,” Steve mutters with a slight laugh as you close the door.

“Are you sure-”

“Come here,” Steve calls softly. You can do nothing but obey.

“Steve, do you need to be looked at?” you question, softly running your fingers over the cuts and bruises that litter his body.

“I’m okay, I promise. I just wanna be with you,” he softly promises, “I just want you. I just need you.”

“You can have whatever you want from me,” you promise as you look up to meet his gaze.

Steve’s kiss is deep and intense, his hold on you tightening as he leads you both into the bathroom.

“You’ve been sleeping in my clothes the entire time I’ve been gone?” he smirks as you two break apart, starting to undo his pants.

“Maybe,” you giggle, pulling his shirt over your head. “It’s the only way I could keep you close.”

“You are so beautiful,” he marvels softly as his hands trace over your bare chest.

In that moment, you realize just how bare you are. You realize that Steve has never seen you naked and you instantly turn away. “I didn’t know when you’d be home, so I-”

“Stop it. You are gorgeous and I...how did I get so lucky? How are you mine?”

“Steve-”

“I’ve told you that I love you, but now I wanna show you just how much,” he states before crashing his lips into yours.

Steve’s arms snake around your waist as he leads you into the shower. He turns on the water and you both gasp as he turns on the shower-head. Its assaulting cold water pelts you both as you work to get his pants undone, forcing them down the best you can as the water quickly heats up.

“I thought about having you like this so much,” he groans, stepping out of his pants before kissing down your body.

“Steve...Steve please,” you beg mindlessly as you start clawing at the wall.

“You’re so fucking perfect,” he mutters before licking your clit softly as he hooks your left leg over his shoulder. “So perfect and all mine,” he moans before thrusting two fingers inside you.

“Fuck!” you gasp as your back arches.

“I missed you so much, baby,” he coos as he looks up at the wordless mess you’ve become for him. “I want you to know just how much I’ve missed you.”

“Steve!” you cry out as he licks and sucks on your clit, “If you keep using your tongue like...fuck! I’m so close!” you whimper, your toes curling.

Steve pays you the kindness of adding a third finger as you cry out in pleasure. You try to pace yourself but it’s no use since Steve only seems to pick up the pace. The sound of water falling around the both of you does nothing to mask the lewd sounds he’s making between your legs, or the pornographic moans escaping your lips that only encourage him.

“Fu...fuck! Right there! That’s it!” you practically scream as you come apart for him, grinding your pussy against his face, his beard a welcome comfort as you try to live in the moment for as long as possible.

You do your best to calm down as you try to regulate your breathing, but Steve doesn’t stop his bombardment. You feel as if you’re being made whole while your body falls apart.

“Baby...oh fuck me, please!” you moan as he continues to clean up the mess between your legs.

“I swear I’m gonna eat this fucking pussy all week,” he grunts, finally looking up at the pathetic mess you’ve become for him. “You taste this good and made me wait?”

“I’m sorry,” you pant, gripping his shoulders as you try and steady yourself.

“Oh, you will be,” he smirks before kissing his way up your body.

“Got off to the thought of you having me like this so many times,” you whimper, loving the way his tongue envelops your right nipple as his hand massages the left. “Never knew being loved could feel so fucking good!”

“I’m gonna show you just how good it feels time and time again,” he husks before kissing the rest of the way up your body. “Because you’re mine, right?” he questions as he pins you against the shower wall, gripping both your thighs and forcing your legs around his waist. You can’t help but get more excited as he becomes dominant.

“Yes,” you moan, grinding your clit against his pelvis as you desperately try to relieve some of the friction between your legs. “I’m all yours!”

“So good for me,” he husks as he thrusts himself inside of you. “So fucking good and beautiful!”

“Fuck!” you cry out in pleasure, your nails digging to his back. “Fu...fuck Steve!”

“I missed you so fucking much,” he whispers hotly against your chest. “I hate being away from you!”

“I...I missed you too, baby! Fuck, that’s it!” you mewl as he starts hitting the spot deep within you that has the knot in your core tightening.

“You look so beautiful all fucked out on my cock,” he taunts as your toes curl. “So much better than I ever imagined.”

“Jesus, Steve!”

“I’m gonna make love to you in every inch of this apartment, until you’re spent!” he promises as his thrusts start coming harder and faster.

“You feel so fucking good! Please don’t stop!” you pathetically beg, your release coming on.

“Cum for me, baby! I wanna see you fall apart for me!”

“Shit!” you cry out, cumming hard as you grip him tight.

“Such a good girl for me,” he praises, turning off the water.

You give yourself a moment to recover from your high before you dip down and kiss him deeply, slowly starting to grind your hips against him. Steve moans in satisfaction, his hold on you tightening as he starts to walk towards the bedroom.

“I love you so much,” you moan against his lips as you two break apart. “So happy to have you back and all mine.” ”I love you, baby. I have since the moment I laid eyes on you. I’m never gonna stop,” he promises softly as he sits on the edge of the bed, looking up at you with love and adoration in his. “You’re fucking perfect.”

“Just wanna make you feel good, baby,” you moan, gently pushing him back. “Will you let me do that?”

“I let you do anything you want, babygirl,” he groans as you start to ride him.

You place your hands on either side of his chest, picking up your pace a little as his hands explore your body. You let out a silent sob as Steve’s hands grip your ass tightly before slapping it, lulling your head back as you get lost in the euphoric pleasure he’s only ever made you feel.

“You look so fucking good when you ride me,” he husks, and you can tell by the strain in his voice that he’s fighting off his own release.

“Give it to me, baby. Cum deep in this pussy,” you beg, looking down at him as your hair falls in front of your face. “I need you to fill me up.”

“Fuck,” he hisses, cupping your face. “Don’t wanna disappoint you-”

“You could never, baby. The way you stretch and fill me? You could never...baby, I’m so close,” you whimper as you grip the sheets tight.

“Are you gonna cum for Daddy?”

“Fuck, yes! I’ll do whatever you want me to, Daddy! Please, please!” you beg as you clench around him. “Please fill me up!”

“Fuck!” he shouts, shooting his load into you, his grip on your right hip pleasurably painful.

“Shit!” you yell, trying to ride out both of your orgasms as you brace yourself against him. “Fuck!”

You both take a moment to come down from your highs, trying to regulate your breathing as you lean your forehead against his. Your right hand cups the side of his face before kissing him deeply.

“You’re so fucking good to me,” he chuckles softly as you pull away. “How did I get so lucky?”

“How did I get so lucky,” you giggle softly before groaning in dissatisfaction as you slowly climb off of him. “How are you all mine?” you smile, laying next to him and pulling him close.

“I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you too, Steve.”

“Should’ve started dropping Clyde off at his groomer’s sooner.”

“You better keep up on dropping him off,” you giggle. “His paws of attraction-”

“Paws of attraction?”

“Ya know, he only loves me because his owner loves me. By default, paws of attraction; he has no choice but to love me.”

“You’re kinda crazy, you know that?” he questions as you laugh.

“And I’ll never change.”

“I don’t want you to,” he smiles as he pulls you close and kisses your forehead. “I want you to stay just as you are, forever. I love you.”

“I love you, forever and ever,” you promise as you snuggle up close to him. “I’m so happy we found each other.”

“Me too, now, just don’t ever leave.”

“I promise, I’ll stay right here,” you giggle, kissing his chest.

Feeling more comfortable in his arms and safer than you’ve ever felt anywhere else, you settle in and let yourself drift off. As you start to fade out of consciousness, you know that Steve is your beginning and end. The love you’ve been searching for, for forever, is finally yours to stay. You fall asleep knowing that you’ll never need or want for anything again. As long as you have Steve, you have everything you’ll ever need. That’s everything.

Steve is more than enough forever.

taglist: @fuckingbye, @maroonsunrise83, @whxre4cevans, @sweetflowerdreams

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minteacutiewrites · 2 years

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No sneezing in this part unfortunately because I couldn’t figure out where to fit it in...honestly I wasn’t expecting this fic to get this long, lol. Anyway there will be another part to this!!! Hopefully someone enjoys reading it because it was fun to write!!! Steve knew that he should have called out of work this morning.

He’d spent a good ten minutes staring at the phone trying to gauge whether he was sick enough to call out, when he was startled out of his daze when it began to ring. Picking up the receiver, Steve wasn’t all too shocked to find Robin on the other end, he was already at least ten minutes late picking her up for work. He was shocked to hear that she sounded like crap. By the end of the conversation, Steve had made up his mind that Robin sounded much worse than he felt and that he would be covering her shift. It meant doing a double shift but nothing he couldn’t handle by himself. That was almost two hours ago.

His whole head felt entirely too hot, and he wished some of that heat would transfer to the rest of his body as a sharp chill ran down his spine tugging his flimsy cotton jacket around him.

It wasn’t nearly warm enough for the weather outside, but Steve couldn’t remember which kid he’d lent his good jacket to last. He figured it would last him until he made it to Family Video. What Keith had failed to mention this morning when he’d called and told him he’d be covering Robin's shift was that the heating was out. So when he walked in this morning he was greeted by a piece of paper shoved into his hands with instructions to figure it out. Now here Steve was leaned over the counter at family movie with his face pressed into his hands as if it would ease the pressure of the congestion he could feel building in his sinuses. He’d been on the phone with the heating company for nearly a half an hour, going round and round with them about whether or not they could send someone to fix the heating. After the second time being put on hold, Steve is ready to just give up. He wanted to sit down where he was standing and just cry, when he heard someone enter the store. Straightening up he tried his best to look like he wasn’t ready to have a complete mental breakdown in the middle of his crappy job. His posture relaxed a little when he saw it was just Eddie.

Waving at the other man, he watched Eddie open his mouth to say something before thinking better of it when he realized Steve was on the phone. Instead he hoisted himself up sitting on the counter, for once waiting patiently for Steve to get off the phone. “I’m on hold.” Steve croaked gesturing to the receiver, clearing his throat with a wince. Eddie takes this as an invitation to start up a conversation. “I hope it’s with someone interesting.” He says with a cheeky little grin that makes Steve's heart do a backflip. “With the heating company,” Steve rolled his eyes at the implication that he'd be using the work phone for that, “but if that’s what you consider interesting, then who am I to judge?” “I was wondering why it felt like an icebox in here,” Eddie complained shivering as he pulled his jacket tighter around his shoulders, “I think it’s colder in here than out there, bet you I can see my breath.”

Steve watched as Eddie blew a breath of air out of his mouth coming out in a puff of steam from his lips. For a minute he found himself mesmerized watching him. A voice on the other line drew his attention away though, so he pressed a finger to his lips silencing the other man. He talked with them for a minute using his best customer service voice, but the longer they talked the more quickly he deflated. Realizing that the heating wouldn’t be getting fixed any time soon. “Alright…I understand…thank you…” Steve said, before handing up resisting the urge to slam down the phone. He ground the heel of his palm into his eye socket groaning. “I take it the phone call didn’t go over all that well,” Eddie winced, watching a slight tremor run through Steve's lean frame,“Jesus Harrington, don’t you have a warmer jacket.” “Leant it to one of the kids, can’t remember which one…probably Dustin…” Steve explained, looking up at Eddie who was already shrugging off his jacket, “hey nooo, don’t do that.” “Just shut up for a second, okay, “ Eddie said, sliding off the counter so he was on the same side as Steve, “let someone else take care of you for once.” He slid his leather jacket over Steve’s shoulders, watching as the other man carefully slid his arms into his jacket. “Aren’t you going to get cold now?” He asked. “I appreciate the concern but I think I’ll live with just a sweatshirt,” Eddie poked fun at his concern, “and unlike you I own more than one winter coat.” Steve huffed rolling his eyes, but he practically sunk into the jacket grateful for the extra warmth, the leather still warm from Eddie's own body heat. “Now point me in the direction of your heater, I’ll take a look at it for you,” Eddie told him earning a raised eyebrow from the other boy, “come on I can’t make it worst can I, can’t risk letting my friends at Family video turn into popsicles…where is Robin by the way?” “Out sick…”Steve told him, pulling out an old tool kit that looked like it’s seen better days before leading him in the direction of their heating unit, “I’m covering her shifts today.” “I hate to break it to you Harrington,” Eddie started, looking Steve over with his eyes, “but you're not sounding too hot yourself, big boy.” Steve felt his face heat up, as his brain felt like it was short circuiting. “S’just a cold, I’ll live…”He finally manages to choke out, watching Eddie open up the unit. “If you say so…”Eddie mumbles, most of his attention focused on the heating unit.

#steddie #sick!steve #caring!Eddie #st-snz #snzfic #snz

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honeybyte · 7 months

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HELLO what are some of your fashion/clothing inspirations for your characters, if you have any in particular or even jsut want to talk abt your ocs in relation to clothes/fashion

[buckles seatbelt] okay so 👏

this is all definitely a mash up of some of my favorite styles, and even some new ones i found while working on A+C designs, BUT. overall this story is in late 1700s, early 1800s, so most all my fashion choices are pulled from around that time period. i really like designing for what's practical to each chara so its like. Odelia can be very extravagant bc thats what makes sense for her position, vs Goliath who dresses simply w movement and warmth in mind.

this turned into a mini essay/board. please dont look at me

》 Odelia specifically is based on rococo fashion– her prints are light florals, her silhouettes are dramatic yet elegant, her entire design palette is based in rococo pastels. Euan dips into this as well, but his prints are darker and more dramatic, and his silhouette is closer to 1800s traditional russian fashion. they really only use these outfits for ceremonies tbh, but the point to it will always be that Odelia's dress is more extravagant and lighter in color and fabric than Euan's, similar to how she prefers the limelight over his backstage.

》 Goliath was originally supposed to be in a highlands great kilt– he's a hunter in scotland so it would have been A Thing at the time. but he morphed over time to wearing smth closer to english hunt dress, partially bc of his brace needing to you know. not chafe horribly. also since he's in the woods, it probably would make more sense for him to be essentially the scottish equivalent of a longhunter

》 Elle being a butcher and Angus being a blacksmith, of COURSE i had to look into 1800s dress for both occupations. both seem to dress p simply (button up shirts w slacks and an apron), but butchers add in a tie and occasionally a dress jacket. Angus and Elle follow these same guidelines; Angus dresses in a loose white shirt and slacks, and Elle keeps buttoned up w a bolo tie. that being said, the way they dress is also a personality thing, as Angus is fairly open abt his simplicity and flaws, while Elle keeps themself hidden behind a mask of perfection and organization.

》 Finally we have Agnes. she dresses very simply for who she is, but she's also technically a student studying for her doctorate in theology, and dropped a pretty penny to get to Kencree. her overall outfit is p simple (slacks, a high neck shirt, boots), but her coat, if i actually detailed it, is based in the coats for Peter I of russia. this is definitely bc i just Love the silhouette and detailing lol, but i also think its fitting for her to hold on to at least one piece of the finery she gave up for her trip. i think by the end of the story she loses it tho. probably when she's packing to go home. for reasons :)

#ask #ocs #rhodes butchery #SORRY................. IM EXCITED ABT THEM

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rhettabbotts · 2 years

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Oh man Shelbs, I'm having a major thought right now, not a smutty one per say, but somewhere between angsty feels and proud dad Rhett Abbott.

So I watched Only The Brave a while back and all I could think about was Rhett x Reader's oldest son and his spitting image, being a bit of a troublemaker growing up to the point where Rhett gives him an ultimatum......you either go into the fire service, the military or you're out of the house. Son opts for fire service since it'll keep him somewhat close to home and chooses the wildland fire crew since he loved being out in the woods as a kid.

Rhett's son absolutely loves the field of work and bonds really easily with his crewmates. Rhett and wifey! reader are prouder than ever of their son because finally.....FINALLY, he has his shit together.

It's the height of fire season in Wyoming and the crew gets a call that a rager started a bit further north of Wabang and holy hell is it a RAGER! The crew goes in to take care of business but pretty soon it gets to the point where the crew captain orders shelters, the fire is raging out of control. All around it's absolutely terrifying.

They wait out the blow over.

The landscape is a scorched and blackened mess.

Families and friends of the crew are waiting in the gym of the Wabang High School with no knowledge of where anyone is.

The entire Abbott clan is waiting there, Rhett, Wifey, Cecelia, Royal, Perry, Amy and the other kids in the clan, waiting to hear of where the oldest Abbott son is. Everybody is an anxious mess, trying to keep each other calm and assuring each other that he's ok.

The gym doors open and the helicopter rescue walks in with a young man still in his gear, his red hard hat, yellow jacket, black field pack, face and neck coated and smeared in black ash.

Patrick Royal Abbott is the only one to fully walk through those gym doors that night......the rest are all in the hospital with severe injuries.

Patrick walks towards his family, almost stumbling and that's when they see him cry for the first time, his father catching him before he can have a chance to fall. Rhett has never seen any of his family this vulnerable, let alone his own son. He holds Patrick and lets him bury his face in his chest and sob until his eyes are burning. Rhett doesn't care that people are staring or giving them dirty looks in the case of the local gossips. He's only glad that Patrick, his and wifey!reader's son, their baby boy, is alive and in front of them.

"I'm sorry dad," he sobs. "I'm so sorry......I'm so sorry."

"I'm proud of you Patrick," Rhett murmurs. "I don't give a single flying fuck what anybody else here thinks......I'm proud of you."

Patrick cries even harder that night, because for the first time in a long time, he hears that from his dad.

Shelbs I apologize if this is a little too angsty but I've had it on my mind for a while and wanted to know what you thought. I might send this to a few other Rhett Abbott girls if you're ok with it (lol).

OH MY HEARTTT I LOVE THIS 🥹

because you know rhett was letting out a sigh of relief when his son walks through the door and even though he’s beating himself up, rhett is so proud of him.

#asks #auroralightsthesky #rhett abbott

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hopeurokays · 7 months

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WENT AND SAW THE ERAS TOUR MOVIE LIKE AN HOUR AGO AND AHHHHHHHHHH. IT WAS SO GOOD (spoilers under the cut)

so my movie theater didn't have popcorn buckets bc their shipment is currently lost

but i got a cup and a poster

i planned on making like 50 bracelets but ended up only making like 20

which is good though cause pretty much nobody had bracelets to trade

i traded 1 and gave out all but 2

i don't know how people don't cry the entire concert

bc i almost cried several times during the movie so the actual concert i think would have me dead

so now im gonna go by era and discuss it

lover:

the opening made me cry

i whisper sung the beginning bc it was still kinda awkward and nobody else was singing loud

until the cruel summer bridge

then we all sung it loud

i LOVE the man and loved getting to see the things i hadn't noticed from tiktok (like the specific dance moves, etc)

the man and lover also made me cry a bit

im so upset she cut the archer

its not even my favorite song or anything but still

fearless:

iconic guitar spins 🫶🏻

everyone did the heart hands, it was so sweet

it was so cute seeing her band sing with her, they're adorable

fearless spins made me cry

love story almost made me bawl, but i held it together

i can remember being in kindergarten and saying my favorite song was love story so thinking about that made me want to sob

evermore:

THEY CUT NO BODY NO CRIME

i was so excited when i realized it was filmed

and then SHE CUT IT

anyways

marjorie made me cry

tolerate it was a materpiece (as expected)

so was champagne problems

reputation:

honestly no words

look what you made me do honestly almost made me cry

when all the other taylors were in the boxes

but still it was all soooooo good

speak now:

enchanted made me tear up

im so glad she wore the purple dress for filming

SHE CUT LONG LIVE 😭😭😭

ik it's the perfect end credit song but still

we wouldn't mind to hear it again

will forever be upset

red:

ngl 22 got me

it was the only one that made me cry

and like i cried like a baby when she gave the 22 hat

i expected it to be kobe bryant's daughter, but it still got it

i was bawling in my seat

but then the rest was really nice

i loved screaming atw

folklore:

ive never seen video of her performing the 1 all the way through and loved it

also betty made me cry

but betty was the first song off folklore id ever heard and was made me listen to her new music so it holds a special place in my heart

also there was a little girl who got up during betty and started dancing, like throwing arms above her head and everything

and she did that for most of folklore

she was a mood tbh

I CANT BELIEVE SHE CUT CARDIGAN

WHYYYYYY

1989:

none of these made me cry, i was too busy dancing lol

they were all really fun

i loved the clubs smashing the car

also i love that she wore the pink one

i just like that outfit best

surprise songs:

i can't say im surprised it was our song and yoyok

and i absolutely loved them

but i was really hoping she would find a way to put all of the songs she sung in la on there

especially you are in love

i wouldve cried and died and just stayed there forever

but yoyok made me cry during the bridge

midnights:

i LOVE the purple jacket/dress combo

kinda freaked out when i realized id have to sit beside my mom during vigilante shit...

but she didn't say anything

i loved the vibes of this era too

other/end credits:

the bracelet part was so cute and clever

and i love the fan moments/bloopers

i do kinda wish the credits would've been styled more like rep tour's was

i also loved the transitions to each era and the text for the album name

it was all really cute

and i loved how taylor was still being goofy

i was worried it wouldn't be as silly as the shows usually are

but im glad it was, it made it feel more authentic

also the quality of everything was SO good

overall i loved it and if you're debating on going just do it (im thinking about going with my friends to watch it a 2nd time...). I'd give it like 1000/10 tbh

#eras #eras tour #taylor swift #the eras tour #eras tour film #eras movie #eras movie spoilers

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smoosnoom · 1 year

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moon moon moon hello i am opening ao3 for the first time in WEEKS and its because ive come to know you have written an anderperry fic. jaw dropped when i found out because WHAT!!!!!!!! one of my favorite writers n one of my favorite pairings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dps was literally my entire personality at one point and im STILL insane about this film

anyways im here to give u my thoughts as i read because i will be insane about this for the rest of my life. moon anderperry fic moon anderperry fic moon anderperry fic i will never be okay ever again

WYM TODD CAN JUST /FEEL/ SOMETHING IS WRONG. FUCK THIS FUCK FUCK FUCK THE FEAR THE AGONY THE FEELINGS I AM FEELING RIGHT NOW

Neil shakes his head. “Don’t you get it, Todd?” He sounds too calm, too resigned, and Todd hates it, he decides, he never wants to see Neil so complicit with something so terrible ever again. “There’s no fighting it. There’s no good way out of this.” He shrugs again. “I’m trapped.”

fuckkk its like his dad killed his spirit sucked the life out of him broke him or something i cannot fucking do this anymore. AND TODD IS PROTESTING!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED TO NEIL WHAT HAPPENED TO SEIZE THE DAY AND ITS SO HARD TO SEE NEIL MAKE PEACE WITH HIS PASSION TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM. im :( might just pull a neil perry at the end of dead poets society (1989) if u get what im saying

He takes a leap of bravery. He reaches out and rests a hand on Neil’s elbow. He takes a step forward, brings up another hand, and Neil collapses into him, all six feet of him falling onto Todd, who doesn’t stumble when he holds him up. Sorry, he wants to say, even if it’s not his fault, even if he had tried to warn Neil, so many weeks ago, sorry, sorry, sorry. He presses a hand a little more firmly into Neil’s back when his shoulders shake, and his body is cold, and some reckless part of Todd wants to strip off his jacket and throw it over Neil, usher him inside and make him tea like Todd’s mother would do, when he was still a child and not quite Todd.

HOW DO YOU WRITE THE WAY YOU WRITE IM GOING FUCKING INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! watch me sob over when he was still a child and not quite todd what the fuckkkk

AND FOR A SECOND IT FEELS LIKE IT COULD BE. im never recovering im never ever getting over this fic ever this was so :( sorry for the long ask i lost my mind the second i found out u wrote an anderperry fic (and perhaps inspired me to get back to writing dps again)

ivy ronanticized hello !!!! omg im Honored my little dps fic was enough for u to open up ao3 again 😭 i really just wrote it on a whim since tragedies have never settled Peacefully in me

one of ur favorite writers 😭 thank u so much omg i Did write . another anderperry fic which . i hope u like BUTDONT FEEL LIKE U HAVE TO DO ANOTHER ONE OF THESE i just wanted to let u know since . u seemed to enjoy this one LOL

stop im fully falling apart rn ivy i need u to Calm Down before i explode from flattery fr !!!!!

todd can feel something is wrong ... it's the soulmateism 😕

FUCK MR PERRY !!!!!! ALL MY HOMIES HATEEEE MR PERRY FR u know what . i Completely get neil and im glad i could get his defeatedness across 🫡 and todd protesting bc he cannot bear to see him like that . You Get It

might pull a neil perry 😭 ivy NO

HEELPHP 😭 THANK U FOR LIKING IT it means Everything to me .

and for a second it feels like it could be !!!!!!!

never apolgoize Ever again for long asks ok they are very much treasured !!!! im so so so happy u enjoyed it and very very honored that it mightvw inspired u to write more dps !!! id love to read some of it :]

#/ask #THSNKYOU AGAIN I KEPT COMING BACK TO READ THIS ASK

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berlinbisque · 1 year

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For Indian Folks.

I just remembered that I’m old so I’m feeling suicdl again, anyway I wanted to make people jealous cuz all those girls who were mean to me… they were very materialistic, that’s why I have no friends. As kids they would boast about everything cuz they had relatives in abroad and they were rich but their mentality was very poor and they would get jealous of my inexpensive stuff which I WOULD NEVER show they would open my wardrobes and all to compete out of envy. THIS WILL COME QUITE AS A SHOCKER parents need to read this: There was a girl in my school (best friend her name was Juhi) our group was at the mall window shopping and we both liked a velour tracksuit in ivory white (I was quite well versed with fashion terminology cuz I always wanted to work for a mag too I had many dreams lol one of them was that and screenwriting) we both fell in love with it but I saw that the jacket itself was for 3500 and the entire set would’ve been for more than 7k probably so I got over it but she didn’t and then she started bullying me online and she removed so much hate, she told me several nasty things, she went home and told her mom about it too and then wrote to me “Your mother was there with us at the mall she was carrying a big bag full of money and she couldn’t buy me that tracksuit?” I was taken aback 😲 only her grandmother was good to me, they hated their own grandparents and the house they would boast about (they would compare mine cuz our previous house was small and she would claim she was from Juhu it was just vile parle) that house which was 2+2 bhk was taken by her grandparents back in their times so it was affordable and that too they’d secluded them in the same house itself, her granny would sit with me and hold my hand and say “I love how you dress up, show me your bracelets I always admire your style, Juhi just doesn’t like all this… I ask her to wear such things” Juhi was jealous of that, she lied to me she said her grandma was conservative, I had gone there in ankle boots (taken from teen section so they weren’t tacky and hardly any heels) and skinny jeans, had she been conservative she wouldn’t have said that, I had in fact gone multiple times, her grandmother had spoken to me after they bullied and said we will meet you in college and BEAT YOU UP with our boyfriends that too for nothing, they were just jealous of the style and the fact that my mother didn’t buy them anything from the mall that day so they kept a grudge, but we paid for the snacks and food. That is what people do at the most. I have never seen anything like this before. My mother told them I don’t buy everytime I go out so we do window shopping… but they were just hell bent on whatever they had in their mind and they just couldn’t take a no (all this happened later after we got home in the following days) My mother was never good with me at home, she once challenged me to wait at Juhi’s house cuz she knew how Juhi was, she hadn’t left the keys so I couldn’t go home, I would return from school also parched and hungry and wait for two hours with the heavy bag on the staircase outside and then instead of food I would get beaten up maybe they’d guessed that, that’s why they were bullying, this time we were out and my mother was somewhere with my bro (who doesn’t take my side either) she asked me to wait at Juhi’s house on returning even though she knew how she was and she was sarcastically telling me that cuz her behaviour was like “You are such a failure can’t you make proper friends?” I was only 12-13 (twelve/thirteen) They were all one year older (some were bigger) cuz I had an early admission, Juhi made me stand at the building’s gate, she even said later “How dare you sit on my couch like it’s your own bloody house during my birthday party? Cuz she was very proud of that 2-3 bhk, she humiliated another girl also who was from below same building but a smaller house, so she started crying and she locked herself in one of the rooms so this girl “joked” and asked “Are you stealing something?” Which made her cry more

Her questions would always shock me, anyway I was standing there alone (outside at the gate) and all these cheap men would passing by could make out I was a kid so they were trying to take advantage, I was pretending like I was on phone and all so that it would make them feel like I was talking to someone… and I had someone on the other line. I have escaped a lot of such incidents before (I was so close to getting gang raped too by a group on empty streets cuz I was thrown out after an altercation, then I had another episode where I was getting chased by a truck and they were squeezing/crushing me on the side road with their huge truck to corner me there I kept getting lucky though and I returned unscathed) Those girls are now married, one of them is just engaged and she’s moved in with that fiancé to his house in Toronto in fact she just did that engagement to go there and boast about Canada, rest of them whom I’ve mentioned in the Modern Sociopath article, two of them are married to chappis/roadside awaara creeps and one of them looks like someone straight from Crime Patrol I noticed in one of the videos he’s too rough I kept asking myself (sometimes I do that) why am I not like them to get subjugated? To just compromise? Then I saw a video where the girl (she had bullied me a lot and mocked my loneliness with my childhood friend who actually asked everyone to boycott me and made me lonely) she was laughing so cheaply as if she was on heat such girls are constantly horn* in simple words so they are okay with anyone any male… any tom, dick, harry. They are born like that, I’m not. I have not been “programmed” that way lol. That girl had a job, her brother was working in Gulf she had money and yet she did that, if I would’ve been in her place I would’ve been more confident and I would have NEVER even thought about this… she had financial security, for me im bed ridden, I wanted to design homes like I said but even if I could start as a clerk or receptionist I would’ve taken that job. I can’t write I’m falling lifeless I have no stamina I was already very cold. I’ve cold like I said. I’ll continue later you can get back at this post later on.

That other friend got married to compete with her after harassing me during Cov she was now her friend turned enemy, they pretend like they don’t even know each other, after I got rid of her she started competing with that girl… she keeps posting travel pics to compete with her insta and her honeymoon has been going on since more than a year, she and her husband look like typical Go-Ibibo couples, with hats both of them wear hats & resortwear even when indoors even in buildings... When I called Harsh the love of my life she made her husband put that for her in his bio, then he deleted it, when I called him that for the second time, she again made him write that as LOML All I have to say is LMAO I’m return. I should have put that in my bio. I will be posting another article for them… All these girls who’ve ruined my social life and childhood all those who have bullied me, they are very materialistic right? Now it’s time to show off, show what all stuff I have, well it’s better than your husbands! They say “Some reach faster but they get nowhere” that’s true, even if they are married and I’m some “virgin spinster” it’s the quality of the life partner that matters, otherwise it’s just pure recklessness. And I’ve shared why they are okay with that. The next post will be better than your husbands for sure, I promise. They anyway stalk me religiously so SEE and covet those things Aankhein Faad Faad ke… one of their husbands is from Dubai, she always shunned Indians so she wanted to go there and I’m happy for her but it’s just some average creepo (I have seen the pics from behind which are questionable luckily she wasn’t dating him back then) Now she will get that “Habibi Hubby” to stalk that’s how I refer him, he’ll be like “This is not gonna get you anywhere blah blah” she stalks me religiously but never asks if I’m okay that’s pure gloating, time for you to covet my life now, you’ve enjoyed enough, you are sadistic too you’ve gained enough pleasure in my misery all those plaintive posts I’ve been feeding you with. - Zara Sauleh

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atlaese · 2 years

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prompt ─ "you know how i feel about you… you’ve always known."

requested by ─ anonymous. thank you for sending this is, lovie! i hope you enjoy <3 (this is longer than expected lol)

tw ─ mentions of alcohol, reader is drunk, love confessions, angst but happy & fluffy ending.

words ─ 858.

You were... a little drunk, but, that wasn't so abnormal after you had probably had the worst week in your entire life, right?

First, someone drove over your little electric scooter you had to zoom around the city. You weren't even on it. When you returned from getting some fresh vegetables, the scooter lay with a crooked steering wheel in the middle of the street, no perpetrator in sight. Matt always said it wouldn't end well. He was right, of course, you were just lucky you weren't on it.

The second thing happened a few days after. A high-end client suddenly dropped off the face of the earth, leaving you with a huge unpaid invoice. You crossed your fingers Matt would know a solution to your problem.

The third thing stung the most though. And it had entirely to do with Matt.

This man might have been blind, but you couldn't believe he didn't notice the signs that you were very much in love with him. It had been approximately nine months since you realized that the feelings swarming in your head weren't just related to friendship.

There was this tight grip around your heart. Like someone kept slowly tightening a straight jacket around your upper body, constricting your breathing. You felt stuck, glued in place as the world kept turning.

"Celebrating?"

The signature clicks of the cane folding and the chair that was being pulled back made the straight jacket sound like paradise.

You didn't respond, just gazed at him with glassy eyes as he ordered a beer and took a sip, innocently, as if the closeness didn't rip out the already loose stitches that kept your heart in one piece.

"Or... not?" his voice went up slightly at the end, indicating how unsure he was about his earlier statement.

"You know what, Matt," you started blabbering without even wanting to. Your mouth had enough of being kept silent, of having to swallow the words every time you came close to confessing your love. "For a blind man, you're even more blind than I thought was possible."

Matt choked on the sip of beer he was just taking, his eyes widening behind the glasses as he felt around the bar for a napkin to clean up the mess he had made. "I'm- excuse me?"

"You know what I'm talking about," you continued, watching him still his movements at your accusatory tone. "So-so, so you mean to tell me that, every time I slept over at your apartment, in your bed, after a night out, you didn't realize?"

"Or-or when you hold my hand when we're walking around town together? I don't see you holding Karen's or Foggy's hands? You hold their arms, as would be expected!"

"Not that I ever minded holding your hand," you backtracked, thinking about the first time his warm hand encompassed yours. Was this what feeling safe felt like?

"You know how I feel about you... you've always known," you finally said, your head clearer after confessing everything that had been on your mind for the past however many months. "You must've known, right?"

Matt's head was tilted down, his gaze trained on the bar as you saw a flush creep up his neck to his cheeks. If you were a mindreader, you'd be able to see how Matt thought back about every single interaction that had sparked this little outburst. You'd see how he finally put two and two together, how it finally clicked.

"Are you just going to sit there?" your voice broke the silence between you two, even though the bar was pretty rowdy.

"I'm- I'm, god I'm sorry," Matt said as he finally turned towards you, his brows pushed together as his hands seemed to instantly find yours that were in your lap. "I'm so sorry, I've been so stupid and I've been ignoring every little sign."

"But you're right. I've known. I've know ever since you bought that stupid scooter with the horrible brakes that screech and the wheels that really aren't made for the heavy rainfall we have and- and-," Matt breathed out, seemingly out of breath like he had just ran three miles.

"It's okay," you smiled, brushing your thumbs over his hands in your lap.

"I don't want to waste anymore time ignoring this," he said standing up as you simultaneously rose to your feet, finally feeling in sync with the man in front of you. Finally feeling like the straight jacket had been loosened and pulled off of you.

"Me neither," you breathed out, every ounce of sadness that you had felt throughout this week gone. Melted like snow on a hot winter day.

Matt pulled you closer and one of his hands landed on your cheek, his thumb softly caressing the skin. "I'm sorry I've been so ignorant."

"You can make it up to me," you smiled, leaning in as your lips pressed against his. A sweet kiss that helped balance the bitterness of every single horrible event that had happened to you.

"Oh, the scooter is broken by the way," you whispered against his lips after a minute. "Thought you'd want to know."

#ari's blurbs #matt murdock #matt murdock x reader #matt murdock x y/n #matt murdock x you #matt murdock imagine #matt murdock fic #daredevi #daredevil fic #daredevil imagine #daredevil blurb #matt murdock blurb

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rubysunnday · 3 years

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bloody hands | k.b

A/N: this is my first time writing for ye old kazzle dazzle and i'm terrified, lol (i'm also shit at summaries)

Summary: Kaz never feels the need to explain his entire plan. He knows that, whatever happens, it will inevitably go according to plan. But when his plan goes wrong and Y/N is injured, Kaz is suddenly forced to comprehend with the skeletally hand of death once again.

"So, was the gunfire part of the original plan?"

Kaz shoot Y/N a withering look - one that would have anyone in their right mind turning around and running. Y/N just beamed at him.

"No, it wasn't," Kaz replied, glowering at her. "Jesper shouldn't have started so early."

"He's on time," Y/N reminded him.

"For Jesper that's early."

"True."

Y/N and Kaz ducked back behind the wall as bullets whizzed past them smashing into the houses behind them.

"So, we are being fired at because you couldn't be bothered to explain the full plan," Y/N said, trying not to glare at Kaz.

"No, we're being fired at because Jesper's timing is horrendous," Kaz snapped.

Jesper, as if summoned, suddenly appeared at Y/N's side, sliding to a stop on the slippery cobbles. "Right, that's that, then."

Y/N narrowed her eyes. "What -"

She was cut off being a tremendous explosion from inside the warehouse they'd all just being chased out off. Smoke billowed into the air and flames rolled up into the sky. The men who had been firing at them all exclaimed and ran off to the warehouse, leaving the alley empty.

"Well, you could have done that sooner, Jes," Y/N muttered stepping out from behind the wall.

"Well, of course, but then what's the point, love?" Jesper asked, winking at her,

Y/N began to laugh but was cut off as a more gunshots echoed through the street. She ducked and Jesper pulled her behind a barrel as he fired back at the lone gunman, hitting him in the shoulder as he ran off.

"You alright?" Jesper asked, panting. He glanced at Y/N who was nodding, albeit shakily.

"I'm fine," she said, peeking her head over the top of the barrel and slowly standing up. "Nearly died, but I'm fine."

"You didn't nearly die," Kaz drawled, walking over to them.

"We all nearly died, Kaz, all because you can't explain any plan in full detail!" Y/N yelled. "Inej almost got stabbed!"

"But she didn't," Kaz replied, glancing up at the roofs where Inej was inevitably haunting.

Y/N glanced over at Kaz and let out an exasperated sigh. "Would it kill you to actually explain a plan in whole? It would make our lives so - ah."

She cut herself off with a gasp of pain. Y/N lost her footing as she stumbled forward. and Jesper grabbed her, wrapping one hand around her waist, the other snaking around to rest on her back.

"Hey, you ok?" Jesper asked, his dark eyes full of concern as he supported almost the full weight of Y/N.

Y/N glanced down at her side and noticed a dark patch spreading from just under her right breast, staining her waistcoat. She raised a shaking hand to the blood stain and let out a surprised gasp as her hand came away wet with blood.

"Oh."

The sight of the blood on her hand seemed to push her over the edge and Jesper exclaimed as her legs buckled. His grip tightened as he caught her and gently lowered her to the cobbled street, kneeling down with Y/N and putting her head in his lap.

"Inej!" Jesper yelled, unable to see where the Suli girl had vanished too.

Kaz stared as blood dripped onto the cobble stones. His mind was still watching Y/N yell at him for being him. It wasn't meant to happen like this. His grip on the crow's head of his cane was almost crushing and he could feel the tiny, delicate beak cutting into his hand through his gloves.

Y/N was dying because of him.

If he'd told them what his actual plan was or if he'd just told her.

Y/N's hand was pressing against her right side, Jesper's hand covering hers as he helped put pressure on her side. The blood was seeping over both of their hands, staining them red.

Inej suddenly appeared out of the shadows, hurrying over to Y/N's side in silence. She unwrapped her scarf from around her head and began wapping it around Y/N's side as Jesper moved Y/N's shaking hand away from the wound. Jesper carefully lifted Y/N up as Inej meticulously wrapped it around, trying to slow the bleeding.

"We need Nina," Inej said aloud as she tied her scarf in a knot, securing it around Y/N's side. She looked expectantly over at Kaz.

Kaz was clenching his jaw tightly. He forced himself to swallow the fear and the mental image of Y/N lying next to Jordie on the Reaper's barge. "She's at the White Rose. Bring her to the Slat."

Inej nodded. She cast Y/N a worried glance before she climbed up a drainpipe and vanished into the clouds, leaving no sign she'd ever been there except the now bloody scarf around Y/N's side.

"Jesper, your face looks weird without a smile on it," Y/N said softly, her left hand finding his, their fingers entwining.

Jesper forced himself to smile down at her. He smoothed back her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Sorry, love."

Y/N's eyes fluttered shut and Jesper moved his bloody hands to either side of her pale face, shaking her as gently as he could.

"Hey, hey, stay with me, love," Jesper said, not so gently, as he tried to keep her conscious.

Y/N blinked her eyes open and looked up at Jesper, the world spinning around her, the buildings around them looking even drunker than usual. "Hey."

"Hey, beautiful," Jesper replied, stroking her cheek with his thumb, both of them choosing to ignore the fact that Y/N's blood was all over Jesper's hands and was now on her face.

Kaz felt a pang of jealously rush through him. Jesper could comfort her and carry her to safety. Inej could hold her hand and hug her. Nina could heal her and touch her without feeling like she was about to pass out.

Kaz wanted to run to Y/N. He wanted to kneel down next to her and hold her hand. But he couldn't. He physically could not force himself to.

As he stared at her, at the woman he'd taken for granted for so long, he just saw her dead, lying on the street like Jordie had. The nightmare spiralled from there as he remembered the Reaper's Barge, the cold, bloated body of his brother. The hands. Drowning in a sea of rotten bodies.

No.

Y/N wasn't dead. She was still alive. She was still awake and wasn't dead.

A small voice inside him added the word yet to the end of his sentence but he refused to listen to it.

"Jesper," Kaz said, his voice rougher and croakier then usual. "We need to move her to the Slat."

Jesper recognised the pain and unfiltered emotion on Kaz's face. It wasn't normal to see his boss so openly show emotion but when Y/N was involved, Kaz was an unknown entity.

The man would never admit to himself that he had feelings for her. Kaz was in denial. He refused to acknowledge the emotions inside him. But he'd taken Y/N for granted. He just assumed she would always be on his left side, walking just behind him.

"Ready?"

Jesper's voice snapped Kaz back to the street and he looked at Y/N, her skin pale and sweaty, her hands shaking. Kaz nodded, gripping his cane tightly.

"Right, love, your knight in shining armour has arrived," Jesper said, a teasing tone to his words that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Y/N chuckled softly as Jesper moved to her side, his arms going under her legs and then around her back. Y/N let out a groan of pain and squeezed her eyes tightly shut as he lifted her up. She dropped her head onto his chest, feeling the warmth radiating from him, the soft material of his coat rubbing against her face.

Kaz's cane clicking against the cobbles was the sound Y/N focused on as Jesper carried her towards the Slat. She wanted to fall asleep, to just close her eyes and burrow into Jesper's jacket for warmth. But Kaz's cane kept clicking and Y/N focused on it, the sound alone reassuring her of his presence.

"Hey, don't doze off on me," Jesper said, glancing down at Y/N as her eyes shut.

"I"m not," Y/N said softly, her eyes opening sluggishly and looking up at Jesper as she re-wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm not."

Jesper squeezed her leg as he noticed her eyes droop slightly, her head dropping back against his shoulder. "No sleeping on the job, Y/N, Kaz will have your head."

Y/N's laugh was weaker and Kaz felt a pang of pain in his chest as he looked over at her. She was dying. She couldn't be dying. But she was dying.

Kaz forced himself to reply, playing along in an attempt to keep Y/N awake. "You fell asleep on a job once, Jesper, and yet you're still here. Unfortunately."

Jesper let out a bark of laughter and Kaz caught Y/N smiling, albeit small. Good.

"We're nearly there, love," Jesper said quietly, spotting the towering, drunkenly slumped shack that was the Slat.

Y/N hummed a response but the blood loss was beginning to hit her. Her sight was speckled by black dots and her ears were filled with a high pitched ringing.

Jesper glanced down at her, noticing her silence ."Y/N, hey, stay with me, darling, we're almost there."

Y/N wanted to reply. She wanted to reassure Jesper, because she could hear the thinly disguised panic in his voice, that she was still with him but she was so tired and her eyes weren't letting her stay awake.

The urge to sleep won over her need to reassure Jesper and her eyes rolled backwards. Jesper felt Y/N's arms slip from around his neck, limply hanging to the sides, as she lost consciousness and felt panic grip his entire being.

Kaz slammed open the door to the Slat and the Dregs loitering around looked up, hands flying to weapons.

"Nina!" Kaz yelled, his voice doing a fairly good job at hiding his fear, his worry, the panic that Y/N was dying.

Nina rushed out the side room and met them halfway across the room, eyes running over Y/N, the blood seeping through Inej's scarf, the blood on Jesper's hands, on Y/N's hands.

"Quickly," she said, ushering Jesper into the room.

There was a table set in the middle of the room and dozens of candles had been lit to provide enough light in the dark room. A large, heavy oak chest of drawers was shoved up against the window and Inej was hovering against the far wall, her eyes locking onto Y/N's body as soon as Jesper carried her into the room.

"On the table, Jesper," Nina ordered, opening a drawer, numerous bottles clinking as she rummaged around.

Jesper gently set Y/N down on the table, carefully laying her down and moving her arms to rest on the wood. He took his jacket off and bundled it up, lifting Y/N's head up and setting the material underneath her head.

Kaz stood in the doorway, hands tightly wrapped around his cane, the metal beginning to cut through his gloves and into his hands. In any of building, in any other city in the world, he would've looked like an omen of death.

He forced himself to stare at Y/N as Jesper helped Nina unwrap Inej's scarf from around Y/N's side.

Kaz shuddered as his mind shoved Jordie to the front, the feeling of his brother's cold, bloated skin against his, drowning him. He was drowning in Jordie; in Y/N dying on the table in front of him.

Nina was muttering to herself as she worked, one hand around Y/N's wrist, the other holding a pile of gauze to her side. Kaz watched her intently and could see her counting Y/N's heartbeat as she tried to stop the bleeding.

Which is why, because Kaz was watching Nina with such intensity, that when Nina paused her muttering and looked down at Y/N, her eyes slowly widening, did Kaz feel his own heart shudder and almost stop.

Nina let go of Y/N's wrist, dropping her hand onto the table. She brought her hands together, her first two fingers overlapping each other, and then brought them down onto Y/N's chest.

It was as if Kaz could hear Y/N's heart slowing down and not speeding up. He watched as Nina repeated her movements, determination and panic and fear written on her face as her eyes welled up.

Kaz swallowed and felt the ocean overwhelming him again. He saw Y/N staring back at him, lifeless and dead just like Jordie. Her beautiful eyes staring emptily back at him, void of life. He'd failed her like he'd failed Jordie. The most important thing in his life was dead.

Inej was frantically praying, clutching her knife, Sankt Alina, tightly. Jesper was still for the first time since he'd carried Y/N in, his eyes red with tears as he stared at Y/N's limp, bloody body.

Kaz took one look at Nina and saw the dwindling hope in her eyes, the tears streaming down her face and turned around, walking out the room, his cane clacking loudly against the floor.

Nina sobbed and repeated her movements one more time, desperately trying to get Y/N's heart to start beating again. She'd saved Matthias in the middle of the ocean, during a hurricane, she could save Y/N.

Nina brought her hands down on to Y/N's chest once more with, perhaps, more force than needed. She kept them there and willed the organ inside her friend to not give up.

To keep going.

Second by second, Nina felt it slowly begin to beat again. Nina kept her hands on Y/N's chest, scared that if she moved even an inch it might stop beating again. Second by second, the colour began to slowly come back into Y/N's skin and Nina sighed, dropping her head in relief.

Inej let out a happy sob and closed her eyes, praying to her Saints once again and thanking them.

"Jesper, come here and wrap her wound, stop making that face, it's a bullet wound, you'll be fine," Nina snapped, glaring at Jesper when he balked at the thought, all thoughts of death and misery gone, their usual banter slowly returning.

Jesper walked around to stand next to Nina and took a clean wad of gauze and drenched it in alcohol. He pulled Y/N's bloody shirt up and gently pressed it to her side. His other hand reached up to Y/N's face and with a clean, damp cloth, he began wiping the dried blood off her skin.

"Oh, Saints, Kaz!" Inej exclaimed suddenly, making Jesper and Nina jump. She flew out the room like a breeze and dashed up the stairs to Kaz's office where he'd inevitably retreated.

Kaz was stood hunched in front of his mirror, his gloves off, his head hung. Inej walked in slowly, making sure to announce her presence by stepping on the creaky floorboard by the door.

"Don't," Kaz said, his voice croaking and Inej realised that he was crying. "Don't say it."

"Kaz," Inej said softly, slowly approaching him.

"No, Inej!" Kaz snapped, whirling around to stare at her. His eyes were red and his hair was a mess and his hands were shaking. "I took her for granted. I never," Kaz took a deep, shaky breath in, "I never told her or even showed her just how much..."

Even now, even when she was dead, he couldn't bring life to the words. They sat dead on his tongue, poisoning him. He hated his brother for making him this way. Hated Ketterdam for being the way it was. He even hated Y/N for being so fucking perfect that he had to fall in love with her. He was a fool so desperately in love that it scared him endlessly.

"Kaz," Inej repeated, slowly, gently, laying a hand on his arm.

The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up but Inej made sure to place her hand on the part that was still covered. Kaz flinched but didn't tell her to remove her hand or move back.

"Kaz," Inej said again. "Y/N isn't dead. She's alive. Nina brought her back."

Kaz turned his head and locked eyes with Inej. He didn't say anything but Inej understood. She nodded, reassuring him that she was being honest.

Perhaps, if Y/N hadn't been around, they would have fallen in love. Maybe it would be Inej he was crying over. Maybe it would have been Inej lying there, injured. Maybe Kaz would have torn the city apart to find the man who had injured her.

But he had Y/N. She was alive, three flights of stairs below, with Nina and Jesper at her side.

"I'll find him," Inej promised, dropping her hand from Kaz's arm and pulling her hood up.

"Leave some for me," Kaz said lowly, his eyes following Inej to the window. "I feel like ripping an eyeball or two out."

Kaz slowly limped down the stairs to Y/N's bedroom. He could hear numerous voices from inside and hesitated outside the door. Kaz Brekker, Bastard of the Barrel, heistated.

"Kaz, just come in already!" Nina yelled from within.

Kaz rolled his eyes and opened the door. "Stop spying on me, Zenik."

"It's difficult not to when your heartbeat is so loud," Nina replied, raising her eyebrows knowingly.

Y/N snorted and Kaz looked at her. She was sat on her bed with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Jesper sat next to her, his arm around her shoulders. Y/N was half leaning on Jesper and half on the wall and looked so alive.

Inej had found the man who'd shot her and, together, they'd ripped the man's eyes out, slit his throat and thrown his body onto the Reaper's Barge. It had helped quell the ghosts threatening to haunt him once again but they hadn't truly abated until Kaz had gotten to look at Y/N and see her talk.

Y/N gave him a smile and Kaz nodded back at her, trying to hide his relief at how alive she looked.

She was alive. She wasn't dead. She wasn't Jordie. She wasn't going anywhere. She was still here, with him, in Ketterdam. And he wasn't going to let her go.

"There's blood on your shoes, Kaz," Y/N said, gesturing to his black shoes with her head, her voice almost startling him.

Kaz looked down and eyed the single drop with distaste. So there was. A single drop. All that was left of the man who'd shot her.

Y/N laughed at the look on Kaz's face. "He looks like he just sucked a lemon," she said to Jesper, albeit loud enough for Kaz to hear too.

"No, that's his normal face," Jesper replied, smirking as he winked at Kaz.

Y/N laughed, throwing her head back. Her hair fell over her shoulder and her eyes sparkled in the dim, orange light of her room. Her laugh was like music to him.

And Kaz Brekker realised with a sudden, painful thud that he was completely and utterly besotted with her.

#shadow and bone #shadow and bone imagine #shadow and bone x reader #kaz brekker #kaz brekker x reader #kaz brekker angst #angst #six of crows imagine #six of crows #six of crows x reader

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highdramas · 3 years

Text

the world’s a little blurry | b.b.

pairing: bucky barnes x reader

warnings: none

word count: 2107

summary: bucky is home, and he is yours

note: this is a one shot for now, but i definitely have more ideas for these two <3 this’ll be heavily inspired by tfatws so this is a spoiler warning for anything mentioned! also this is my first time writing bucky so pleaseeeeee give me some mercy lol

enjoy! <3

it’s nearly three in the morning, and you’re lucky if you stay up past midnight, so bucky makes a point to be quiet as he tiptoes into the apartment. after a mission gone awry in the apartment building where you had been neighbors, you’ve been staying with the superhero. something about not losing you and you’re safest here. bucky’s not stupid— caring about someone is a gamble, and it had become clear to his enemies who exactly it was that he cared about.

living with you came lots of things that bucky was not expecting. first off, you’re very cluttered. you call it controlled chaos, he calls it a mess. he’s fascinated by the state of your night stand, mostly. a dying plant and one loose airpod, two half empty water bottles, an empty starbucks cup.

second off, you have a cat. her name is katherine, but you call her kitty, occasionally kiki. and while bucky had been determined not to get attached, after awhile, it was difficult not to. she rubbed up on his legs, cuddled in his lap on the couch, slept on his chest in the middle of the night. she’s fucking adorable, and not even the winter soldier can deny that.

third off… you. you as a whole. he’s sure that it would’ve been a shock living with anyone, but the care that you give him… he’s not used to having someone making sure he’s eating. he’s not used to someone checking up on him throughout the day. he’s not used to having someone to come home to.

it’s nice.

it feels safe.

and he’ll kill anyone who tries to take this peace away from him.

bucky groans as he shucks his jacket off, feeling exactly where his muscles ache. he tries to keep his volume minimal. finally, he opens the door to the bedroom. the bedroom that you share.

this was the biggest adjustment of all.

he’d barely slept in a bed at all before you came along. too soft, too comfortable. he told you as much that first night, and what you had said shocked him.

“well, i’ll just sleep on the floor with you.”

no, oh, just get in bed. no, c’mon, it’s nice. none of those things. just understanding.

but it was more than understanding. it was meeting him exactly where he was.

that was three months ago, and you had kept your word. if you weren’t sleeping on the floor with him, you were on the couch with your hand tangling down, brushing along his hair, his shoulder. every time he felt you bucky swore that he could cry.

it was two months ago that he suggested you both sleep in the bed. and while it wasn’t every night, and some nights he padded out to the living room with a blanket and pillow… it was progress.

and he would wake up to find that you had joined him on the floor.

the nightmares weren’t gone. he’s not sure if they ever would be. but they were growing few and farer between, and the ones he did have were growing more manageable.

things were getting better.

of course, they were not perfect. and he knew that you didn’t expect them to be. he has therapy once a week, sometimes twice during the particularly hard weeks. he’s grown close with sam and his family. and… you.

his girl.

as the door creaks open, he almost chuckles at the sight of you. you’re laying horizontally across the bed, taking up both your side and bucky’s. katherine is curled in at your chest, her nose nearly touching yours. your mouth is open and he can see that there’s a bit of drool in the corner of your mouth, and that does make him laugh. it stirs you and he freezes.

bucky watches as you slowly wake, rubbing the sleep from your eyes, and then rubbing the drool from your mouth. “ew,” you mumble, still half asleep, and bucky leans in the doorway wearing a smirk.

“go back to sleep, doll.”

you hum and stretch, and so does katherine, giving a wide yawn. “you’re home.”

home.

had he ever had a home before?

he did once, as a child. a time that feels so distant, so separate from the life that he leads now. sometimes, it’s hard to even picture the faces of his family members.

he had this apartment, but it never felt like home. not until you waltzed into it with your clutter and your laughter and your vibrancy. not until you cooked dinner hip to hip, not until you listened to music that he had never heard of, not until you watched some movie that was your favorite.

you’re home.

bucky smiles and he nods, sitting on the edge of the bed, pushing your hair back. “i’m home,” he says quietly. “i’m sorry i’m so late.”

you shake your head, your hand taking his. he still wears the gloves. you raise your eyebrows at him. “can i?”

he nods. you make quick work of removing each of his gloves, tossing them across the room, which makes bucky smile. he knows he’ll be picking those up in the morning. you press a kiss to his palm, the one that is flesh and bone. and then you take the other and do the same. “missed you, buck.”

something in his heart constricts as he watches you-- washed in moonlight that comes in through the window, sleepy smile on your face, eyes fixed on him. he knows that look, and he knows what it means. he doesn’t know if he deserves it, but he tries. he’ll always try for you.

“i wasn’t even gone twenty four hours,” the smirk is evident in his tone even if you can’t see it, but you scoff and roll your eyes. “i think you’re needy.”

“needy!” you repeat and laugh, falling back onto the pillow. kitty stirs and looks up at bucky, letting out a loud meow. “she’s the needy one. look at her.”

“both of you.” he scratches kitty’s head and then kisses the top of yours before he stands again. “i’m gonna shower.”

sleep is escaping you and you push yourself up onto your palms. “can i join you?”

he chews on the inside of his cheek and shrugs his shoulders innocently. “better pick up the pace then, soldier.”

with a laugh, you kick the sheets off of you. “yes sir.”

he rolls his eyes and you both shuffle into the bathroom. now, in the light, you’re able to get a good look at him. and your jaw drops slightly at what you see. “bucky,” you say and he already knows what’s coming. you touch the side of his face where a bruise is blossoming. “how the hell does this even happen?”

“part of the gig.”

you groan and he smiles and he does so because he loves you. he loves your mess and he loves your doting, he loves your cat and he loves coming home to see that you’ve taken up the entire bed. “you’re an old man. one of these days you’re gonna have to retire.”

“got unfinished business first.”

you know of his past. of course you do. although, you’re a firm believer that it’s not his past, rather than a past that was decided for him against his will. you’ve made a point of making your stance in that clear. you have heard stories of what bucky has done, but you have tutted and shaken your head. “what hydra did.”

these are the things that bucky tells himself, but it is different to hear it from someone else. someone who is not steve, or sam, or another avenger who has also committed morally grey acts. because, yes, they are all good and trustworthy and worth listening to-- but you. you are his girl. you are his girl who laughs at his jokes and teases him and never once babies him for what happened to him, but you’re also the girl who has woken him from nightmares, who has tended to his wounds, who has been held back from a fight just to defend his honor. you have seen him in his entirety, and you have never balked.

“alright, well--” it’s not lost on you how his eyes trail down your body as you undress, turning on the water and checking the temperature. “as soon of this business of yours is finished…”

“i know.”

the two of you share a look and he gives a crooked grin. “you look nice.”

“there’s dried drool on my face.”

“yeah, i know.”

it’s been nearly a year since you met james buchanan barnes and yet he still gets you to blush. he practically lights up at the sight of the color on your cheeks. “are you--”

“shut up and get in the shower,” you retort, pulling back the curtain and stepping into the steaming water.

“yes, ma’am.” you hear the shuffling of his clothes falling to the floor and then he is behind you, hands going up and down your arms. you let out a sigh and tilt your head back, peering up at him. water trails down his nose, dripping off and onto your forehead.

you don’t tell bucky, but you do worry. you worry every second that he’s gone on a mission. you know that you don’t have to say it, that he knows. and you trust that he will come home to you. bucky turns you and he holds your face in his hands and he presses his lips to yours and you know that he feels the same way.

i’ll always come back is spelled out in the way that he kissed you, the way that he holds the back of your head. we have forever is heaved from your lungs as he sucks the air from you.

when you part, you smile at his lips-- slightly swollen, pinker than normal. you rub your thumb along the bottom one and he catches your hand. he presses it on his chest, right where his heart hides beneath skin and bone. “you don’t have to do all of this to make up for what they did to you,” you say over the sound of water. “you’re allowed to have a normal life, if you want it.”

“i know.” he pushes a piece of wet hair from your face. “i just don’t--” he shakes his head and you know this all too well-- he doesn’t quite know what to say, he starts closing up and off and away, the high walls that guard his heart and mind beginning to take shape. “i feel like if i don’t… what was it all for?”

delicate hands move across his torso. you lather up a loofah and begin washing away blood and grime. “bucky,” you say and he looks at you, steely blue eyes staring right into yours. “you make people happy. you have people who love you, who care for you. you don’t owe the world reparations.”

he winces as you go over a particular bruise and you slow your movements, make them featherlight. “all i know is,” you begin. “whatever it is you want, whatever it is that fulfills your life… make sure it’s for you.”

a smile curls on his face and he stills your hands. “thank you.” he takes the loofah from you. “let me get you.”

“but i’m not done--”

“please. let me.”

you surrender and he begins to wash you, and your forehead falls to his shoulder, calm washing over your body. you could’ve been standing there for minutes or hours, you’re unsure. he pushes your hair back and at some point you realize that he is washing your hair, and you press gently open mouthed kisses against his chest and you hear his breath catch and you fall in love with him all over again.

“let me get yours--” you mumble around a yawn and you watch as he smirks down at you. “really, let me.”

bucky shakes his head and he turns the water off. “tomorrow,” he says.

you towel off and when you clamber into bed, you feel the weight of him beside you, your cat nestled between the both of you. you feel him pull you into him, his breath against your neck and his lips against your pulse point, and your eyes flutter shut. before sleep captures you, you murmur, “i love you, james bucky barnes.”

the feeling of his smile against your skin is imprinted on your heart, and his words coax you into sleep-- “i love you too, doll.”

bucky barnes sleeps through the night and doesn’t wake once.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky x you #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes fanfic #my writing #the world's a little blurry #eeeee i'm so excited to post thissssss

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