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lepusrufus · 3 years

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To bargain for immortality pt.2

Finally, she felt well enough to leave the infirmary room for good. Her internal organs were at peace for the most part and she could keep some food down without the risk of seeing it for a second time. Her sinuses still seemed to refuse to recover though. Occasional nosebleeds would have her head spinning and the scent of blood so often present within the castle was somehow too offensive to her senses. Nicole couldn't help but wonder how exactly she got it this screwed up, but then again the first few days of the infection were a painful blur that she'd rather not remember.

For now she was content to sit in front of the fireplace with the rest of her family. They decided to have a movie night to break her out of the mopey state she had been in and, for the most part, it was quite the success. She wasn't paying much attention to the projector screen, some sappy scene from a movie chosen by Daniela playing at the moment. Instead, she was simply enjoying the close proximity to Cassandra that she so dearly missed in the last few weeks. Nicole was in the brunette's lap, with hands loosely around her waist and leaning against her shoulder. She was vaguely aware of Laura complaining about the poor life choices of one of the characters only to be unceremoniously shushed by the youngest sister. It made her chuckle.

Bela was passing the popcorn to her mothers when a knock on the main entrance reached their ears faintly. Lady Dimitrescu narrowed her eyes in the general direction of the sound, and listened. Soon enough the rapid steps of Alexandria, their Steward, reached them.

"My Ladies, Mother Miranda's assistant is here."

The whole family got up hesitantly and tried to look as presentable as possible, given their "lazy day outfits". For some like Bela that was a baggy shirt and shorts, while for the Lady it was one of her trademark white dresses. They made their way to the main entrance of the castle, where the assistant, a woman in her late thirties and the air of an annoyed teacher, was waiting. It was Alcina the one to ask why she was there.

"Mother Miranda wants to see um… Nicole was it? Yes, to take a look at the regenerative abilities."

"Why not do it here like last time?"

"Mother Miranda's laboratory is far better equipped for whatever she may want to test. Unless you have something to say against her wishes." She finished that with a raised eyebrow that would've gained her a talon through the skull were she not there as per Miranda's wishes.

Who's talons exactly was debatable.

"I'll come too," Cassandra spoke up from just behind Nicole.

That only got her a dismissive wave. "No, I was told specifically to only bring her. Come now, we don't want to make Mother Miranda wait."

With that, the woman turned around and started walking towards a carriage that would take them away. Nicole looked briefly at her family. They all had either confusion or mild concern in their eyes. All but Alcina who looked as if she'd like to protest and snap at the woman but was holding her tongue.

She reassured Cassandra that she'd be fine and started jogging after the assistant.

---

Needless to say, that was Nicole's first time stepping foot inside the underground network of tunnels. Not that she complained. Few people went there willingly and probably fewer left the same way they came in.

The ancient looking hallways were in such stark contrast with the occasional medical equipment and the pristine looking labs with doors left slightly ajar that Nicole had to wonder if the woman had no taste for a consistent aesthetic. At least Lady Dimitrescu kept all wiring and modern devices carefully hidden or blended in with the castle's decor. Here, the harsh neon lights illuminated worn out stone so dark it was almost black. Not to mention the smell of… old that seemed to ooze off the very walls she was walking by.

She was led inside a spacious lab, the bluish lights above being too bothersome for someone who got used to the warm or natural light in the castle. The room was rather long, numerous hospital beds lined up against a wall, some separated by white curtains and some left visible. An almost imperceptible whiff of an all too familiar foul odor reached her nose, but it was mild enough to be easily ignored. Nicole had a suspicion that the unmoving person laying in one of the cots further away could be the source, but she sighed and hoped not to join them by the end of the day.

Mother Miranda was sat at a desk, microscope in front of her together with a small stack of documents and a laptop. She was typing in what could probably be notes on whatever she was looking at, when icy grey eyes finally shifted to Nicole.

"Get changed and lay down," she ordered, not even moving from her spot.

The assistant that had brought her here, pushed a hospital gown that had been pulled out from a cupboard in her arms. At least she was allowed the decency of changing into a bathroom as opposed to stripping then and there in the middle of the room. The gown was surprisingly comfortable, fabric folding around her body and being held closed by a loose ribbon that she tried at the side.

Once she was back in the lab, she was ushered to one of the beds where she laid down, nervously waiting for whatever Miranda had in mind.

It was quite odd to see her without her usual attire, especially without the gold talons that Nicole was now far more familiar with than she'd ever hoped. The white lab coat looked far too normal on her and, were it not for the unmistakable cold eyes and regal posture, the woman would’ve been unrecognizable.

She finally got up, a few documents in hand, and approached her. The papers were handed over to the assistant, along with a few other objects and finally, Nicole had her full attention.

Mother Miranda bent down, scalpel in hand, and grabbed one of Nicole's wrists. Just like she did back during the first examination, the blade was dragged across the length of her forearm. Despite fully expecting it, Nicole couldn't help flinching at the pain, but she kept her eyes fixated on her arm, at the blood slowly starting to flow from the wound.

Soon the same tingling as before took over the pain and before their eyes, the skin started to stitch itself back together.

"Time," Miranda asked while wiping the blood to allow for a closer inspection of the now good as new skin.

"Five seconds."

"Alcina's?"

"Three seconds."

Miranda hummed, seemingly pleased with the results. Or at least as pleased as the woman was physically capable of being.

"Hook her up to the cardiac monitor," she further instructed while moving to retrieve something from another cabinet.

The assistant, Emma, if the tag pinned to her lab coat was to be believed, stuck a series of electrodes to her chest and abdomen. Nicole bit her lip to stifle a yelp when one came uncomfortably close to the still sensitive skin of the scar.

In no time, the machine came to life, familiar beeping sounding through the otherwise silent room.

"I hope you're not afraid of needles," Miranda said while grabbing the same arm she had before, lips pulled into a faint smirk.

Nicole only shook her head as she saw the needle of a syringe attached to a transparent slim tube slide into her arm. How ironic would that be. The sting was close to imperceptible, taken over by the now familiar faint tingle. Unlike with the cut, it didn't fade away, most likely due to not being able to fully heal the small wound with the needle embedded in the skin and vein.

She looked away, in the direction of the other occupied bed in the room. It was far away enough that she couldn't make out any detail, only messy brown hair sprawled on a pillow. The face was turned towards the wall and body covered up to the neck. She grimaced and decided instead to focus on the beeping machine, mildly annoyed by Miranda's lack of properly separating her dead lab rats from the living ones. At least she hoped she'd stay living.

The numbers on the machine started out normal. With the slight uncomfortable feeling of blood being drained however, her heart rate started to slowly increase.

Alright. Normal enough. Especially when someone is clearly in a fucking blood draining mood.

Nicole decided not to look at exactly how much blood Miranda was drawing, keeping her eyes glued to the various color coded numbers. The heart rate kept increasing until Nicole could swear she could feel her heartbeat ringing in her ears. She gulped. Still relatively within the norm.

Two things were at odds however. First, the blood pressure remained constant, almost as if her body simply refused to acknowledge the fact that it was currently being drained. Secondly, the temperature rose from the normal 36 degrees to a staggering 41 in less time than it should have.

"What the fuck…" She couldn't keep her tongue at the weirdness of her situation, her brain thankfully choosing confusion and curiosity over the dread that it probably should've felt instead.

Mother Miranda didn't seem to care though as she turned to type something on the laptop that she brought over from the desk. She tapped her finger on the device for a few seconds and finally spoke up.

"The accelerated healing means the blood is being regenerated constantly, thus not decreasing in volume. Which explains the constant pressure." She narrowed her eyes at the monitor once again. "It doesn't, however, explain the heart rate and temperature. Any bright guesses?"

It took Nicole a second to realize the question was actually addressed to her. Miranda seemed in an oddly good mood. Not any less hell bent on causing her pain, mind you, but she also seemed genuinely curious. Being a biology nerd will do that to you, she couldn't help but think.

Nicole hummed and thought for a second. She tried to recall any information about the topic at hand that she had studied prior to running away.

"Heart rate could just be the normal body response that stayed even with the mutation. Like… like a reflex. It remains even though it's not needed." Then she tapped a finger on her chin trying to find a less random explanation. "Or maybe it's the body's way of making sure that even while healing all body parts remain at least decently functional. No idea about the temperature though," she shrugged.

Miranda once again typed something up and then, without warning, pulled the needle out of Nicole's arm. She flinched, barely holding in an angry protest as she turned towards the woman. Which was a mistake. She couldn't help the gag that raised in the back of her throat at the sight of the metal container full of blood.

No, no, blood did not bother her. That would've cut her career as a medical examiner short before she even stepped foot in med school. It was the knowledge that that was her blood that made her stomach churn. The container could easily fit three liters of liquid in it, and it was full to the brim. Not to mention the smell that assaulted her still messed up sinuses mixing oh so perfectly with mr. corpse over in the corner.

Miranda just chuckled at her sour expression. "Do you think your darling wife would like to have this?"

With a sneer, masked by Nicole turning once again towards the monitor, she couldn't help slipping an edge of snark in her reply. "No need, she likes it fresh."

The numbers were back to normal, all but for the temperature that was taking slightly longer to go down.

---

By this point her vocal cords were raw from screaming and each shuddering sob felt like clumps of spines in her throat. Nicole was curled in on herself, small frame trembling pathetically on top of the uncomfortable bed. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, the tingling sensation feeling like needles constantly pricking at her skin around and under the wired leather cuffs wrapped around her wrists. The frantic beeping of the machine was grating to her ears.

An electric shock test.

Of course.

Mother Miranda decided to test out how the increased heart rate worked. Results? Her body vehemently refused to allow her to pass out. Even when the shocks traveled through every part of her body, causing the nervous system to short circuit. Even when damage to internal organs and muscles ripped painful sobs from her throat, that turned into gags as soon as the tingling turned to nausea. Even when she could feel her heart hammering against her ribcage so fast that she was sure the small organ would burst any second. But it didn’t.

Every muscle in her body flared up in a sensation of painful pins and needles when Miranda pushed the button to release another shock. The cardiac monitor started screaming again and Nicole brought shaky hands over her ears in an attempt to block out the sound. Her whole body was on fire while all the damaged tissue repaired itself, making her stomach turn painfully. She felt like throwing up. Not that she had eaten anything today, but bile and thick blood still coated her esophagus. It was all swallowed back with a disgusting gulp.

The nausea was oh so kindly accompanied by searing pain from her still damaged sinuses, who’s condition only worsened exponentially with the electricity. The blood that seemed to coat all the way up to the inside of her mouth felt horrible mixed with the putrid smell of death.

She swallowed again, but that proved itself a bad decision as now that same smell permeated the very inside of her nose and mouth and throat and the feeling of blood sloshing on her tongue behind clenched teeth made her head spin.

She lurched forward, a small river of dark blood flowing from her mouth and nose, into her palms that she instinctively brought to her mouth. Wet coughs made it splatter into crimson splotches on the white sheets, herself and anything else within proximity. It took surprisingly long to realize that, after the initial wave that rose up her esophagus, the rest of the blood was from her sinuses. It was cruelly invading her nose and sliding back into her throat only to come out of her mouth. Fuck fuck fuck-

“What’s wrong?” Miranda’s tone lacked any trace of sympathy.

Nicole simply coughed out the remaining fluid from her mouth and unceremoniously grabbed a piece of cloth from Emma’s hands. She pressed it to her nose, only to feel it soaked against her skin far too soon.

“Damaged sinuses, as you said,” she croaked, her voice sounding so unlike her own.

That made Miranda frown. She kept that same expression while noting down the previous results. “It should be healed by now.”

“Well they aren't,” Nicole spat. The blood and the horrid smell were clouding her mind and, as many knew, pain and holding her tongue did not mix well in her. “And did we really have to do this in the same room as a dead fucking body?!”

Nicole’s angry outburst gave the woman pause. Annoyance mixed with a hint of confusion on her face. She looked at her assistant, an eyebrow raised in a silent question.

“No. Just- just anestesia.” Emma answered promptly.

“What the fuck do you mean anesthesia? Anesthesia doesn’t make you smell like a goddamn decomposing corpse, do you have cotton stuck up your noses?!” Thankfully the bleeding was starting to subside, which meant there was nothing to stifle her steadily raising angry tone.

Miranda, now sporting a scowl, got up and grabbed Nicole’s chin between two fingers. It made her flinch back, but there was no escaping the iron grip.

“I can assure you that the man is not dead, simply under anesthesia and recovering from a bad infection.” She moved Nicole’s head from left to right, eyes scrutinizing as ever.

Afterwards, she turned back and wrote something down on a piece of paper and simply instructed Emma to wrap up and lead Nicole out. The sudden shift not only in demeanor, but also in her position from the bed to standing upright was mildly dizzying. She swapped the gown for her normal clothes as quickly as she physically could, not wanting to spend another unnecessary second in this underground grave.

While she was ushered out the door, Mother Miranda’s sickly sweet voice rang after her.

“I’ll see you in a couple days.”

Her stomach turned.

---

The trek home was short and silent, Nicole simply wanting to get home as soon as possible and get a damn hot shower and sleep.

She bid the young man that was accompanying her goodbye the moment the Castle’s entrance was within jogging distance, and hurried steps took her to the imposing doors. It was Alexandria to answer her knock, Nicole having left her own keys in her bedroom.

“Welcome back my la-” the polite smile was all but wiped off the woman’s face, replaced by wide eyes. “Are you injured?”

Nicole looked at her confused, then down at herself. A muttered curse escaped past her lips when she remembered the bloody mess on her skin. “I’m okay. Just-... just don’t tell anyone I’m here yet. I'll change first.”

Her plan went out the window when a set of hasty steps came booming toward them.

“Nico-”

Cassandra’s voice died in her throat when her golden eyes landed on Nicole’s small frame, dried dark blood on her face and arms and her clothes stained. An angry growl slipped from between bared teeth.

“What the fuck did she do to you?”

Nicole was quick to answer, too tired to deal with anything other than a few hours of sleep. “I’m okay. I’m just-...” she shook her head, then turned to the Steward. “Alexandria kindly ask a maid to draw me a bath.”

“At once.” And with that the woman turned and scurried away, most likely also not wanting to be in the vicinity of an angry Cassandra.

---

The hot water felt like pure bliss on her skin. It seemed to make every muscle relax and get rid of the awful tension. She leaned back, eyes closed and hands idly moving through the water.

It was just mildly difficult to fully relax with Cassandra muttering and pacing back and forth in the same room though.

"I'm-... I'm not letting you do this again."

Nicole simply sighed and started to scrub away at dried blood. The miniature red waterfall from earlier had gotten blood all over her arms and chest, some splatters even getting on her legs. Her face was also a mess, trails of blood going from her nose and mouth to the chin with smudges and splatters.

"What did she even do to you?"

Before she had a chance to reply, a knock came from the door and a maid entered with a few clean towels and a change of clothes from Nicole's own bedroom. The girl didn't linger, simply giving them both a courteous bow and exiting the room.

Looking for something to change the subject, Nicole focused on the pleasant honey smell. Honey with a slight citrus-y undertone, maybe lemon or orange.

"Did you get a new soap?"

Cassandra stopped pacing, brows furrowed. "No? It's the same one."

Confused, Nicole brought a hand that had just been scrubbed with that very soap right under her nose and took a deep inhale. It was indeed the same one. Chamomile and mint. She sighed in annoyance and leaned back against the cool porcelain while Cassandra came and bent down on one knee to be somewhat on eye level.

"Nose still not working properly or…?" She said while gingerly tilting Nicole's chin up with two fingers. She grimaced at one yet to be washed trail of dried blood that made its way to her wife's thin upper lip.

Nicole simply shook her head and grabbed Cassandra's hand. "Can you… go get ready. I'm beyond tired and just want to lay down with you."

Cassandra pursed her lips but nodded none the less. With a kiss on top of red hair, she turned and left the spacious bathroom, door shutting with a heavy thud.

Left alone, she scrubbed every inch of skin again and took a few extra minutes to enjoy the warmth of the water. It felt so incredibly odd to not feel any actual pain after the day's events. Any trace of what her body went through had been erased by her newfound ability, not leaving behind even the faintest mark of a scar, nor blackened skin caused by electric shocks.

She pushed herself out of the tub, grimacing at the slight pink tone the water had taken. Body and hair quickly dried with the towels, she put on the clothes, a comfortable pair of shorts and a tank top, and finally stepped out of the bathroom too.

Cassandra was waiting for her in bed, velvety dark robes hanging loosely on her shoulders and eyes fixated on the window while her fingers were tapping furiously on the cover of a book forgotten in her lap. Book that was quickly placed on the nightstand when Nicole climbed in beside her and pushed her way into the brunette's arms. She was tired and absolutely not above demanding cuddles.

Her wife wasted no time in wrapping an arm around her and pulling the soft blanket up to cover them both. Nicole interlocked their fingers, absentmentally turning the ring on Cassandra's finger. The same ring she had, albeit in a smaller size. A golden band with intricate floral patterns engraved on it. It had no protruding gem, something they both opted for so that the rings wouldn't need to be taken off while working and wearing gloves. Instead, eight small ocre gems were lined among the minuscule curled leaves.

It took Cassandra about two minutes to take a deep inhale and open her mouth. New record.

"Are you… are you hurt?"

Nicole didn't look up at her, the concern dripping from her words alone were enough to squeeze her heart painfully.

"No. I'm all healed up, just tired." She could almost feel Cassandra's question of clarification, but not wanting to go over what had happened down in the laboratory so soon, she opted for something the brunette would hopefully be just as interested in. "We did get some odd results though."

At the lack of any interruption she went on. "Accelerated heart rate whenever I get hurt. Can't pass out." Which was both a blessing and a curse, depending on the point of view and situation. "Also for some reason my temperature gets really high."

"You get one hell of a fever?"

"Yeah."

Cassandra tapped a finger on Nicole's hand, mentally going over possibilities. "Aren't fevers used against infections? Maybe that has something to do with it."

A small hum passed her lips. Could that have something to do with it? It was possible that her healing abilities caused a fever in order to fight off any possible infection before it even became one. Maybe it was her body's way of lessening damage as much as possible since, as the day's events showed, the old replaced tissue had a tendency to get purged. She grimaced at the memory of slowly choking on blood and went for something at least slightly more pleasant.

"Oh and… I can't bleed out. Blood volume stays constant."

She looked up at Cassandra with what could only be described as a shit eating grin. Her wife blinked, realization seeming to dawn on her together with the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks. She coughed.

"Yeah well. I'll keep that in mind. For when you don't need to sleep."

"And deny me some fun now?" Nicole's pout was purely for dramatic effect and it gained her an eye roll.

Two slender fingers gripped her chin to keep it in place while narrowed golden eyes bored into her green ones. The pout slowly morphed into a smirk. Cassandra was not the kind of person who did not indulge in her own pleasures and that, although to a more careful extent, included drinking her lover's blood. A fact that Nicole was not only not complaining about, but also learned to use in order to push all the right buttons.

When Nicole turned her head in the uncharacteristically gentle grip to plant a small kiss on the soft palm, Cassandra finally gave in. Concern was momentarily put on hold in the name of the normalcy they both have been denied in the last few weeks. She bent down, their lips meeting into a kiss that soon turned needy with tongue slipping past sharp teeth and a hand scratching lightly at her nape. Soon Cassandra broke their kiss, but only to slowly trail her way across her jawline with kisses and small nips. She bit at the soft skin right under the jaw bone, eliciting a quiet groan right by her sensitive ear. Black painted lips took her down the neck and across collarbones, planting a kiss right in between them, at the base of Nicole's throat.

When she slowly made her way to an exposed shoulder, Nicole's hand at the back of her head guided her further up, right above where her pulse was. After an inquisitive hum against her skin, she spoke quietly.

"Since blood loss isn't exactly a problem… no need to avoid the neck really."

Cassandra hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to trust her wife. She placed a gentle kiss on the spot right above where blood was flowing in rhythm with her heartbeat. The same gentle kiss that was placed on the skin countless times before and that only Nicole had the privilege of experiencing.

Sharp fangs sunk into tender flesh, the warm blood invading Cassandra's mouth making her moan low in her throat. Being used to the feeling of the bite by now, Nicole simply closed her eyes with a sigh and let her body melt into Cassandra's arms. The familiar blissful ache was welcomed, even though, she noticed, it did not bring with it the lightheadedness she had grown accustomed to.

Although she wasn't aware of it, Cassandra was, in a way, a creature of habit. Every time she would drink her blood, her hand would come up to cup Nicole's cheek, thumb slowly tracing the jawline, right before she would pull her mouth away. Every time, without fail.

This time however, when that happened, Nicole kept her in place with the hand tangled in brunette hair, her voice coming out breathy when she spoke. "Go on."

Cassandra would never admit it, but her self control would always waver while feeding. Therefore, she didn't need much convincing, continuing to take mouthfuls of blood in between a satisfied groan. When she finally had her fill, she pulled back with a bashful look in her eyes. Concern quickly flashed on her face at the sight of the crimson mess on her wife's neck.

Nicole however, not wanting their moment to get ruined, took one of Cassandra's hands in her own and slowly placed a soft kiss on each knuckle. After that was done, and the downright ticklish sensation of skin patching itself subsided, she guided the fingers over the bloody skin.

"See? Healed," she whispered.

Cassandra gingerly traced her fingers over the spot, looking for no longer existing puncture marks. She smiled upon not finding them and turned to pull out a handkerchief from a small drawer of her nightstand. A ritual of sorts, one practiced more times than they cared to count over the years. Cassandra passed the white cloth over the skin, wiping away the crimson stains while her wife relaxed into the touch.

"Feeling good?" It was a remark meant to poke fun at how much Nicole seemed to enjoy herself, but the double meaning did not go unnoticed.

A smile tugged at Nicole's lips and she nodded.

In turn, Cassandra hummed. "You taste different." And, at her lover's furrowed brows and the slightest hint of alarm flashing in her eyes, she clarified. "Not bad. Just different. Slightly sweeter actually."

"Is that so," Nicole purred, the smile returning to her lips.

Cassandra discarded the cloth on the floor to be retrieved later and shifted both of them back down on the myriad of pillows.

"Yes. Now how about you get some sleep."

Nicole wasted no time in snaking an arm around her waist and nuzzling into her side. It would never cease to amaze her how Cassandra's presence could make her feel so at ease, as if nothing beyond the castle's walls existed. At that moment, she couldn't help but be grateful for her newfound ability, useful in far more ways than one.

She stretched slightly upwards, auburn hair like a small waterfall behind her.

"I love you," she whispered against cool ashy lips.

"I love you too," Cassandra replied, closing the almost nonexistent space between their mouths in a soft kiss.

It left behind a slight coppery taste on Nicole's lips, but she couldn't bring herself to care, instead readjusting her legs to tangle comfortably around her wife's thigh.

#unhinged maiden™ my beloved #cassandra dimitrescu x maiden #fanfic #lady dimitrescu #mother miranda #tw torture #to bargain for immortality

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slut4supersoldiers · 5 years

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One Minute Quadruple

Pairing: Fem Reader x Sebastian Stan

Summary: your first (not so) large scale project changes your life in more than one ways

A/N: I saw the new trailer on the @oneminutemen and came up with this on a whim. Sorry if it’s trashy.

ALSO: first ever Seb Stan one shot (show some love)

Words: 2k+

Warning: Bad writing, one swear word, grammar error

“Why do you want to make films? You can be a doctor or a lawyer. Why do you want a career which doesn’t offer security nor stability.” Your mom’s words ran through your mind for three years like a mantra. As much as you tried to ignore it, the words reared their ugly head and constantly reminded you of your terrible and possibly impulsive decision. But as you stood next to Will Malnati and Joe Mazzello you could feel yourself stomping over those words of discouragement.

“This is (y/n). She worked on a short film with my cousin. Pretty impressive.” Will said while he introduced you to Joe Mazzello.

“Well anything is more impressive than a movie produced on IMovie.” Joe chuckled as he shook hands with you. His hands were soft much like the smile that graced his face. To say that you were star struck would undoubtedly be an understatement.

Will shrugged after Joe patted his shoulder, “Anyway no one helps me around here. A guy can’t act and edit and film alone, so could use a helping hand.

You had spent three years in a film academy working on countless projects and assignments. Naturally you were aware of the great names of the film industry and aspired to work with them. However, even after assisting on smaller projects for nearly a year and a half after graduation you were only doing student projects, short films, birthdays and weddings. You loved the opportunities that came your way and they helped pay the bills. But you wanted more. You wanted an opportunity that would help you make a name for yourself and showcase your work to a larger audience. You never knew that opportunity would come in the form of a one minute movie involving three hunky men.

Suddenly your attention was drawn to the two men standing in front you. One, two....

Where was the third? You hadn’t watched the one minute movies before. The only reason you got on board was because Will was your roommate’s cousin. The obviously large amount he was willing to pay you was definitely the bigger factor that dictated your decision.

Regarding the questioning glances you threw to both men as if questioning the absence of the third Joe questioned, “where’s Sebastian?”

“You know him, he probably got fascinated by one of the sesame street characters or probably lost his way.” Will teased, an appreciative glint in his eyes.

Joe only shook his head as he turned his attention to his phone. You stood awkwardly rocking on the heels of your feet. The crowds of tourists and daily commuters surrounding you passed by in a rush. Some even threw hesitant glances and excitedly pointed at the men in front of you. You swore you heard a horde of girls whispering “that’s Joe, shit that’s Joe for real.”, as they passed by you. So you were not surprised when the same group of girls ventured back to the three of you and asked to take a picture with Joe. Will awkwardly shuffled behind you as the girls handed you their phones.

“Please take a picture.” One of the girls exclaimed.

Smiling at her excited form you held her phone up. The girls were all leaning into Joe, while holding onto him like he would disappear into thin air if they loosened their grip. The soft giggling of the girls and their flushed faces were soon replaced by shrieks and animated hand gestures. Following their line of vision you turned around to see the man in question. Sebastian Stan.

Sebastian Stan? Wait the Sebastian Stan? That was the Sebastian Will and Joe were talking about? Sebastian Stan? How many Sebastian’s do you know (y/n)?

You snapped out of your train of thoughts as Will clapped loudly.

“Finally!” He exclaimed as he ignored the commotion in front of him and hugged the man who had just walked towards the small (slowly growing) group.

You looked over at Joe who was still posing for a few pictures while politely talking to two girls who kept asking him questions.

“How does he do that?” You mumbled.

“Well its a part of the job.” A soft yet gruff voice fell on your ears. You turned around to see a pair of sterling blue eyes staring into yours.

You knew who Sebastian Stan was. Of course you knew. Your younger brother was a massive Marvel fan and his obsession had rubbed off on you. Although you had always considered Chris Evans to be the dreamiest man you suddenly wanted to reconsider that opinion as you stared at the man who played winter soldier in one of your favourite movies.

Dear lord he is so much more handsome up close. (Y/n) stop staring at him. God he has freckles, it’s so adorable. Stop looking at his lips. But they’re so gorgeous. Answer him. ANSWER HIM!

“Uh. Hi.” If you could dig yourself a hole and jump in it you’d do that now.

“Hi.” Sebastian looked at you, an amused smiled graced his lips.

Before you could interact any further the group of excited girls pulled at Sebastian’s hand.

“Can we please get a picture?” One of them who you recognised was bombarding Joe with questions, asked Sebastian.

“Of course.” Much like Joe, Sebastian stood next to the girls while they clicked the pictures.

This kind of commotion only increased as the days passed and so did the tiny crush you harboured on one of the leading men: Sebastian Stan.

Every moment that you spent around him made your heart race. Every morning you’d put in a little more effort in your appearance. A little swipe of lipstick here, a little more dab of your expensive perfume (that you had saved for special occasions) there, you felt like a high school girl pining over the popular boy who wouldn't even notice you. The thought made you slightly upset. So you decided to focus on your work instead of how perfectly structured Sebastian’s jaw line was or how his eyes reminded you of the deep ocean when the sun reflected its rays into them or how his hearty, boyish laugh sent shivers down your spine or how the slightest brush of his body against yours made you weak in your knees. You decided to ignore it all because you knew he was not interested. If only you knew how wrong you were!

If only you knew how Sebastian was equally smitten by you. If only you knew how much he wanted to run his fingers through your (y/h/c) locks. If only you knew how frantically his heart beat every time you smiled at a corny comment he’d make. If only you knew how enamoured he was by your knowledge and passion for your work. But he kept it hidden because he knew you wouldn't be interested.

It had taken the four of you two weeks to film the scenes in New York. And finally two weeks of running around, buying cartons of milk and cereal, filling a bath tub with it, fighting with costumed characters at Times Square and scarring tourists at other famous spots the one minute quadruple (as Joe coined it) reached the last destination; Central Park.

The chilly New York air enveloped you. Had it not been for Sebastian in a crisp suit and a trench coat standing in front of you, you would’ve rather opted to stay home, curled in a blanket away from the cold.

“So I will do the shots with Joe and Joe can film me. (Y/n) take over with Sebastian. We are short on time and the sooner we wrap up the better.” Will instructed and retreated to the horse carriage with Joe saying something along the lines of “don’t wanna lose the sunlight.”

“Heard the boss, let’s get to work.” You heard Sebastian say.

You turned around to see a smile had made its way on Sebastian’s gorgeous face. Squinting your eyes as the sun rays obstructed your vision you took in Sebastian’s get up. The newly trimmed hair the long trench coat, the slight stubble that accentuated his jaw made him look sinfully handsome. Subconsciously you licked your lips. For a second you swore you saw Sebastian’s gaze lingering on your lips. But you shrugged it off.

“So we are just going to do a few running shots and close up shots. That fine?” You looked down at the camera, making a few adjustments for the shots.

“Perfect.” Sebastian said as he looked at you.

Initially, Sebastian was not keen on introducing another member on the team but after spending weeks working with you he found himself being upset (as Will would say devastated) the day before the last day of filming. Because it meant that he’d never get to meet you again (or as Will would say “you’re being dramatic.”) He had all but begged Will to let him work with you alone for the last day. Upon the request Will had eyed him with suspicion,

“Man do you have a crush on her or something?” He then broke out into an uncontrollable laughter.

“Shut up!” Sebastian lightly punched his friend’s shoulder.

“Okay, jokes apart. What’s the deal, man?” Will put his laptop down and stared at his friend .

“I don’t know, man! I mean, she is cute and smart and really funny-

“And she laughs at your crappy jokes.” Will intervened.

Sebastian gave him a deadpanned look, Will could only respond with a shrug.

“What I wanted to say before you rudely interrupted me was, I’d like to take her out. I mean to talk, about anything other than how I should stand or how I should look into the camera.” Sebastian threw his hands in the air as if to express his frustration.

As he stared at you while you gave him instructions pertaining to the scene Sebastian couldn't help but be thankful to Will.

“Uh, Sebastian?” Your voice startled him,“You okay? You look a little lost and very red” you raised your brows inquisitively.

“Uh, yeah. It’s the weather.” He awkwardly scratched his neck. Seeing the ever so suave and confident Sebastian Stan being flustered made you feel all warm and giddy inside.

“Okay. Let’s do the running shot first before the ‘weather’ gets worse.” You stepped back as Sebastian gave you a tight lipped smile. You really did not understand the concept that Will wanted to follow for the movie but you decided to go with it. Hence, the lack of hesitancy when Sebastian picked up the glass jar that was supposed to be a prop for the scene.

Once you had moved away considerably, you instructed, “Okay, Sebastian you come running towards the camera. Once that’s done I’ll take a few stationery shots with you looking into the camera. Got it?” You yelled. After receiving a nod in affirmation you began filming. The moment you gave him the sign he ran towards you.

Before you could yell cut and ask Sebastian to stop you felt yourself lose your balance. The small rock that you stepped on accidentally sent you tumbling onto the ground. Panicking at your sudden movement Sebastian instinctively reached out to grab a hold of your elbow, completely ignoring one of your legs that was raised off the ground. The kick that he received to his shin made him lose his balance as well, causing him to topple over your body which was already a few meters away from the ground. The camera hit the ground with a thud but before your head could witness the same fate you felt a soft, almost cushiony barrier between your head and the ground.

When you opened your eyes, you were met with a slightly contorted face of Sebastian Stan.

“Are you okay?” His voice never sounded so soft. Or maybe it did but you never heard from such a short distance. You could practically feel his breath hitting your face while his gaze constantly lingered on your lips.

“Are you okay?”you whispered back, your voice squeakier than you had anticipated.

“You were the one who fell on the ground, very gracefully might I add. You should be concerned about your wellbeing over mine.” A low laugh rumbled in his chest.

“Well that was the part of the scene. Totally nailed it.” You bit your lip trying to hide away your embarrassment.

Sebastian licked his lips and pulled his hands from under your head. The loss of contact suddenly made you want to whine and ask him to touch you. In that moment the thoughts racing through your mind were bordering filthy so you decided to just get lost in Sebastian’s eyes instead of your thoughts.

“As much as I love this and as good as you smell, I think we should get up my legs is kind of giving out.” Cautiously, as if testing the waters Sebastian raised his hand. Softly, he caressed your cheek with the back of his hand.

The tenderness in his action and the adoration in his eyes made your heart skip a beat.

“What if I don’t wanna get up?” You replied coyly.

Before Sebastian could come up with an equally coy response you heard someone clearing their throat. Suddenly both your heads snap to the source of the sound.

Will stood with a hand on his waist while Joe stood behind him stifling his laughter.

“Was this a part of the movie?” Will raised his brows as he looked at the two of you. A small almost knowing smile played on his lips.

“I, uh, we were, I fell.” You frantically mumbled.

Sebastian got up and held his hand out for you. Graciously you accepted his hand and he pulled you up. While Wills gaze lingered on the two of you Sebastian placed a hand on the small of your back.

“Right! I think we are done here. Joe and I will be heading for a snack, I am assuming you two wouldn't want us to interrupt you?” Will questioned, mischievously. This time joe couldn't control himself and he broke out into a loud laugh.

The two men before you didn't even give you a chance to respond as they walked away from you and Sebastian, leaving you two in a comfortable silence.

“So?” Sebastian called for your attention, a hand lazily tucked into his pocket.

“So?” You repeated as you turned to face him.

“Since I made you fall and you made me fall, let’s make up for it and go for a coffee?” Sebastian looked up at you expectantly.

“I don’t know if that’s a cheesy pick up line or not but I really wouldn't mind a cup of coffee right now.” You chuckled.

Safe to say that wasn't the last day of shoot and definitely not the last day you saw each other

#sebastian stan #mutual pining #marvel #bucky barnes #joe mazzello #one minute men #sebastian stan X reader #fem reader #fluff

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