#he says he and natalia broke up because she would only talk about death and it was boring… which was maybe a bit OOC for him to say? but ok | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

canonicallyobserving911 · 3 months

Text

Buck & Eddie: Buck died for three minutes and seventeen seconds!

In 6x12, Eddie told Buck, “You died, Buck!” but Maddie told him, “Buck, you died” and Bobby said the same thing in 6x15 during Buck’s performance review (related post linked here).

Was Buck dying a huge deal? YES! And apparently, it affected everyone but Buck. Eddie cried in Buck’s hospital room, Chris asked him to come back, Maddie cried, Bobby kept vigil by Buck’s bedside with his rosary beads, Athena knew the effect his death would have on her husband because he sees Buck as a son and she told him to “Wake up damn it”. Chimney cried, Hen did too and May was worried about the effect Buck’s death would have on Bobby just like Athena was worried. Chimney told Albert they had to take Margaret out because she was hysterical but the audience didn’t see her cry like we did everyone in Buck’s found family and I believe that was on purpose (post linked here).

Now, onto 7x1 where Buck told Eddie that he broke up with Natalia because all she talked about was death and he’s not sure why he thought dating her was a good idea (neither did the audience but ok, that was the decision that was made so there’s nothing that can be done about it). TM (showrunner) said in a recent interview, Buck was tired of talking about his "death" and he’s ready to find happiness. If that’s true, then great but if he’s really moved on from it, why didn’t anyone including Eddie, who knows Buck to his core (RG's words) see the growth? Reminder, Eddie's response to Buck's breakup was, "Welcome back to the land of the living, Buck. You were truly missed."

The timeline for last night’s episode was so messed up that it was hard to make heads or tails of anything. Bobby initially bought their cruise tickets in 5x18 but their trip got postponed at the end of 6x1 since Athena's father had a stroke. It begs the question did those tickets get refunded and he purchased new ones because Athena told Frank, two months before they left on their cruise, which happened a year after the bridge collapse 🤷🏽‍♀️that Bobby bought the tickets a week ago, so who knows what time period it is in this realm or wherever they’re in right now. The way things played out, dare I say it but it kind of seems like they’re all still living in Buck’s coma dream but hey, maybe it’s being done on purpose.

Back to the regularly scheduled program…

Reminder, Buck died! And according to Eddie, he was dead for three minutes and seventeen seconds. He was literally dead and even though Chimney worked on Buck for three minutes, he couldn’t restart Buck’s heart, only Eddie could and the last seventeen seconds was all him!

These things happened and they’re important but for some reason, Buck’s death along with everything else that happened to him in season 6 are being treated like they didn’t happen or as if they were of no consequence. In 6x12, Dr. Salazar told Buck that people who have near death experiences either go back to their lives like nothing’s changed or they make a drastic change and quit their jobs, divorce their spouses or they go to Italy.

Well… Buck’s done NEITHER of those things since he’s still doing the same job and he didn’t do anything drastic like move out of the loft or something, just anything other than saying and proclaiming he's happy now all of a sudden. Him breaking up with Natalia wasn’t drastic since he broke up with Taylor in season 5. It would have been different if it had been his first time choosing something for himself but it wasn't.

IMO, the way his death is being glossed over makes it seem like there’s something else that could happen with Buck after 7x6 airs. Reminder, there will be a mini hiatus just like there was between 6x12 and 6x13 and everyone should remember the drastic change that took place then. Buddie and the Buckley-Diaz family were prominent more than any other ship in that episode. Now, be clear, I’m not saying Buck will have a breakdown (even though he's overdue to have one and him crying over Eddie being shot is not the same thing) but I will say he’s headed for a storm. Also, his life is paralleling Eddie’s after the shooting and to me it seems off because Buck’s happy but no one knows why or how he got there. It appears he’s hiding how he truly feels the same way Eddie did before he started panicking followed by his breakdown. Additionally, it appears Buck’s continuing to parallel Athena’s arc for this season too and if he is then, his fear or whatever has him “terrified” will come into play later in the season (post about Bathena and Buddie parallels linked here).

I fully understand the show only has so much “real estate” per episode, as TM described it but in season 6 (which I know should be a distant memory by now for a lot of reasons), the audience only SAW Buck start things but there wasn’t any resolution to any of them. THEY WERE ALL UNFINISHED BY THE END OF 6X18.

In 6x1, he wanted to be interim captain but that storyline fell off a cliff and wasn’t revisited.

In 6x2, he wanted to be happy and apparently, according to OS and TM, this season he’ll be going after the things that make him happy but NO ONE BUT BUCK knows what those things are.

In 6x4, he thought long and hard about being Connor’s sperm donor but there were two things he said that were left unfinished and unresolved.

When he was at Hen’s house, he told her he didn’t want to turn them down but he never said why.

At the end of the episode, he told Connor and Kameron he didn’t know what he wanted (I still think that was a lie but I digress) but he was willing to give them what they wanted.

The audience doesn’t know why Buck didn’t want to turn them down and if he would have said why, there wouldn't be an issue. Also, he never explained what he wants but I suppose the audience is just supposed to forget all about those two important factors and move on the way Buck has. As a viewer, wanting answers to close main characters' storylines is a fair request since we’ve all seen Buck repeat the same mistakes and remain on the hamster wheel (OS’s words) for the last three years with no resolution.

In 6x7, he was adamant about donating even though the universe kept screaming at him not to do it and it went so far as to stop his Jeep on the street but he ran there anyway. Also, only him and Eddie touched the cursed bracelet during that episode but nothing came of that either.

In 6x9, he told the team he was the creator of new life and he had a onesie on the nightstand with an LAFD logo on it but that too went absolutely nowhere (posts linked here and here).

In 6x10, he died! But also, before he did, he talked a lot about family but no one knows if he wants his own family or if he’s happy with his biological or found or both.

In 6x11, he was in a coma for most of the episode where it was all about him (he was making things about himself again like everyone has told him he does) but when he woke up, he told Bobby there was one thing he couldn’t fix while he was in it but since he didn’t say it, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THAT IS.

In 6x12, when Eddie asked him if could ask him how he was, Buck replied, “Honestly Eddie… I don’t know”; well, since he didn't say it, neither does the audience. Also, he went to Maddie’s and told her about his coma dream but the only part the audience heard was that it was never nighttime and the first thing he does when he wakes up is text Bobby.

In 6x13, he knew how to do math and his life appeared to be going where he wanted it to but then, 6x14 happened and his math powers were gone.

In 6x15, aside from meeting the DeAtH dOuLA and telling her about his dream (which the audience didn’t hear then either), he told Eddie while they were in the cemetery, “The truth is… I am different but I feel like I have to be the same old Buck, mostly for the sake of everyone else”. Is he still being the same old Buck now? Who knows?

From 6x16 through 6x18, Buck was still acting like the same old Buck then he ended the season in another lackluster boring relationship with someone who he believed SAW him but everyone knows she didn’t see $hit.

Now here’s my main issue and please don’t misunderstand me. If Buck’s all great and happy, FINE but it’s hard to correlate his new found happiness with everything he’s been through especially since the audience didn’t get to see his journey. He’s not in therapy and he’s not reading self-help books or whatever anymore so how did he get from point A to point B? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Since the audience remains in the dark, are we supposed to just accept him saying he’s better? I’m not buying that snake oil they’re selling and my reasoning for it is based on two things. First, Buck identifies himself as a firefighter but that wasn’t addressed before season 6 ended because IMO it tied in with everything else he experienced. Also, Buck’s actions in the promos and trailers make it seem like he’s hesitant about something regarding his job. Could the narrative change? ABSOLUTELY but if it doesn’t, no one knows if he is or isn’t still struggling.

Reminder, Buck broke up with Natalia but Eddie didn’t know and why is that? Their lack of communication could be due to the wacky time jumps or the miscalculation of them but in any event, they hadn't discussed it even though they're working together again. In 7x1, they kept showing how close they are but there’s obviously some things they still haven’t discussed including Buck’s death. Please note, Buck is once again paralleling Athena since there’s something she hasn’t told Bobby too. They're both not saying the stuff they should be and if they continue to parallel then all should be revealed soon.

This post is simply to highlight the fact that Buck took another journey but once again, the audience has NO IDEA how he got there just like at the end of season 5 when he finally ended things with Taylor. Sure he broke up with her but he didn’t do it because he was unhappy, he did it because she did something he probably knew she would do anyway especially since she betrayed the 118 and Bobby in 2x6 so what exactly is the audience supposed to believe? He’s changed even though we didn’t see it? I call BS and I think TM is lying just like he did about Eddie’s PTSD. He said Eddie wouldn’t go through it but a few months later he did and it was important to his healing.

Will anything come of all the things Buck experienced in season 6? Who knows but apparently the audience is just supposed to roll with the idea that he’s 100% better even though we didn’t see any of it. Reminder, we saw everyone else’s journey and how they clawed their way back after their breakdowns, i.e., Eddie’s, Maddie’s, Athena’s, Chimney’s and even Bobby’s after he had two, one in 2x16 and one in season 1 after the plane crash but we’re supposed to accept the fact that Evan “Please don’t leave me, I make things about me and I like to fix things” “Buck” Buckley is ok? NOPE! I’m not buying it.

#buddie #eddie diaz #evan buckley #911 abc #911 on abc #911 meta #911 speculation #911 spoilers #anti bucktalia #911 season 7 #911 season 7 speculation #evan buckley character study 911 #oliver stark #ryan guzman

60 notes · View notes

mmimagine-40 · 3 years

Text

Birthday Girl

Avengers x Reader

A request from @maximeevansblog. I hope you like this!

Warnings: Cussing, talk of a lost one, and very long! (Sorry I got a little to carried away.)

Y/n groaned as the alarm on her phone started to go off. She blindly reached for it, turning the alarm off. Before turning to the other side of the bed, letting sleep take over her once again. Only to be scared awake by her door being busted open and being jumped on. “Wakey, Wakey, birthday girl!”. Sam yells. Bucky jumps on top of him. “Happy birthday, Y/N!”. Y/n groaned , being crushed from the two avengers. “Get off! You’re fat!”. “Wow, that's just rude! Are you going to take that from her , Buck.”. Sam asked, looking back at him. Bucky scoffs. “She was obviously talking about you.”. “I was talking about you both! Now get the fuck off!”. Y/n groans , trying to hit the two to get them off of her. Bucky and Sam finally get off her only to lay next to her, caging her in between them. “So what are the plans today , birthday girl?”. Bucky asked, poking at Y/n’s cheek. “For you two to get the fuck out of my room and let me sleep!”. Y/n groans , slapping at Bucky's hand. “Oh, come on! You know you want to spend your day with your favorite heroes.”. Sam says squeezing her into a hug. Y/n looked up. “Stevie and Nat are here?”. Bucky and Sam both gasp , ‘hurt’. Falling back , grabbing their chest. Acting like they were hurt. Y/n tried to use this to her advantage and get up , away from them. But the two grabbed her before she could. Pulling her back down and into a sandwich. Y/n groaned trying to hit and kick them off of her. But it was no use. “Hey birthday girl, Breakfast is ready.”. Steve says coming into her room. “Stevie! Save me!”. Y/n puts a hand out. Begging for Steve to help her. Steve sighed, shaking his head. “You guys were just supposed to wake her, not suffocate her.”. “Well this is just payment. She called us fat and that we aren't her favorite!”. Sam says. Steve shakes his head at the kindness of the two grown ass adults. He walked over grabbing Y/ns hand and trying to help her out of the death trap. “ You guys know that if the birthday girl doesn’t get her plate first , no one eats right?”. Both Sam and Bucky boo before finally letting her go before making their way out of her room. “Thank you , Stevie.”. Steve nodded heading out to. “Hurry up we are waiting on you...oh and Happy birthday.”. Y/n said a quick thanks as he leaves. Jumping up right after. Throwing on a bar and some slippers. Staying in her pjs as she makes her way down to the dinning hall. “Happy Birthday!”, everyone yelled , as soon as she walked through the door. Y/n jumped a bit. Still in a sleepy mind set. “Blow out your candles.”. Wanda said , laughing. Holding a plate out to her. With pancakes, the top one has a smiley face made out of fruits and whip cream. The nose was a lit candle. Y/n giggled softly. This was something that her and Wanda always made each other for their birthdays. Y/n closes her eyes thinking for a bit , before blowing out the candle. Everyone clapped and cheered as she did. Y/n smiled with a slight blush. Taking the plate from Wanda and making her way with everyone else to the table to sit and eat. Y/n took her normal seat in between her dad , Bruce, and Steve. And in front of Nat. “Happy birthday, Sweetheart.”, Bruce says. Pulling her into a side hug and kissing her forehead. “Thanks dad.”. Y/n says. Starting to dig in as did everyone else. This was a tradition for at least Y/n’s birthday. To spend breakfast with those who live in the building and just hang out for the day. Then having dinner with everyone. ( the only different people at dinner were Clint and Lauren, Pepper and Morgan, Peter, and some others who can come.). “SO I was thinking , for your birthday Y/n. That Nat and Wanda take you out to go and take you out to get your hair done and go shopping and whatever you want. My treat.”. Tony says. Y/n cuts her eyes at him. “That sounds great, but why are you trying to get me out of the building.”. Tony groans as his shoulders fall. “Just once I would like you not to be able to read through me and know what's happening.”. Tony says, pointing his fork at her, eyes narrow at her. “I’m the daughter of Bruce Banner.

One of the top scientists. Pulse I grew up a big part of my life in a super building with a bunch of super geniuses. What do you expect?”. y/n says shrugging. “Pulse Tony, she grew up around you. She knows all your tricks.”. Nat says , rolling her eyes at him. Tony just huffs. Making everyone laugh. The rest of breakfast went like that. Talking about the day and random things. Laughing and joking. Many jabs being thrown back and forth between Sam and Y/n. All in the name of friendly love and jokes. After everyone was done, Most everyone went to some meeting they had. Minus Wanda and Nat. Who told Y/n to go get dressed while they cleaned up. ( They were already dressed and ready. Knowing of the plan since yesterday.). Y/n ran up to her room , looking into the closet to figure out what to wear. Once she was almost ready , when a knock on the door interrupted her. “Come in.”. Y/n yelled, as she was getting her bag together. She turns to meet with her father coming into her room. “Hi dad.”. “Hey, Sweetheart. I just wanted to come give you your gift before you leave.”. Bruce says handing her a neatly wrapped small box. Y/n smiled in thanks, rolling her eyes playfully. “Dad , I told you I don’t want or even need anything.”. “I know but this is not just from me.”. Bruce says. Y/n looks at him confused as she opens it. Mouth dropping as she looked at the old looking necklace. With a single , simple diamond. “It's also from your mom. It was hers, passed down to her from her mother. Who got it from her mother. She wanted you to have it.”. Bruce says, explaining. Y/n nodded as she wiped her face from the tears that fell. Quickly wrapping her arms around her father. “Thank you, dad.”. “Your welcome sweetheart. I love you and I'm so proud of how you have come. And I know your mom is too. We both love you so much.”. Bruce says , holding her tight. Kissing her hair as he strokes her back. “I love you too, dad.”. Y/n says as they pull back. Bruce smiles at her wiping her face. “I’ve to get to a meeting. You should be going too. Have fun.”. Bruce says kissing her forehead one last time before leaving for the meeting. Not wanting her to see him cry. She really turned out to be just like her mom. Y/n wiped her face , clean of the tears. She carefully put the necklace on and grabbed her things. Heading down to meet up with Nat and Wanda. They all meet at the entrance of the building and head out in Nat's car.

The first stopped at the hair salon. Nat and Wanda also decided to get theirs done. You know since Tony’s paying. Y/n decided to get her hair dyed a dark , reddish/purple color. (Plus whatever else you’d like. Cut and so forth.) She smiled as the hair dresser finished really loving how it came out. After they were all done , they headed out to the mall. Doing so shopping but mainly goofing around. Just having some fun. At one point Nat broke off from them disappearing. Only to come back about an hour later. “Nat, where’d you go?”. Y/n asked as Nat met back with them at the Starbucks in the mall , getting drinks. Y/n’s face dropped as she noticed the smirk on Nat's face. Never a good thing when it came to her. “Natalia.”. Y/n said , starting to not trust her. Nat just smirked as she held out the thing that she was hiding. Which was a build - a - bear box. “Just a little gift for you, Y/n/n.”. Y/n narrowed her eyes at Nat as she took the box. Walking over to one of the small tables to see what she got her. “NAt”. Y/n groaned as she pulled out the Captain America bear from the box. She turns to Nat and Wanda. Who were both dying of laughter. When y/n first met the avengers and moved into the building. Tony asked her who her favorite avenger was. Thinking that she would say him , iron man, or her dad. Not expecting her to say Cap. Since then everyone teases her about it. Getting her Captain American themed things. Which even Steve found funny , mainly because it still bugged Tony that he was her favorite and not him. “Aw now you can cuddle Cap every night. Almost like cuddling Steve.”. Wanda said, The last part to Nat. “I’m sure she’ll like that.”. Nat whispers back. Y/n glared at them , still hearing what they said. She rolled her eyes at them. Nat and Wanda are convinced that Y/n liked the said Captain. “I hate you both.”. Y/n stuffed the bear back in the box as Wanda and Nat still laughed behind her. “Can we just get something to eat and head home? Please?”. Y/n asked , pouting. Crossing her arms. Nat giggled as she hooked her arm with Y/ns nodding. Leading them to the car. “Oh come on. It's funny. Pulse, I bet cap himself will think it's cute you have a stuffed bear of him.”. Wanda hummed in agreeing. “For the last time , I don't have a crush on him!”. Y/n pushes Nat off of her as she groans. Nat and Wanda look at each other , as Y/n walks off without them. Both breaking out to a fit of laughter. Y/n pouts as she stands next to the car. Waiting for Nat to unlock it. “Aw come on Y/n/n. We’re just playing with you.”. Wanda says as she walks over to her. Pinching her cheek lightly. Making Y/n break out into a smile as she pushed Wanda’s hand away, softly. They all hopped into the car. Getting something to eat and then heading back to the building.

Once they walked into the tower. They all went their separate ways. Heading to their rooms to put their things away , as well as Wanda and Nat where needed for something. So Y/n just heads to her room to put her things away. When she got the bear , Y/n smiled, shaking her head at it. Going over to lay it on her bed on her pillows. After which she sat on the bean bag , playing on her phone. Waiting till she was called down. Knowing that it was going to be the same like every year. Everyone set up a little get together down stairs like it was a surprise for Y/n. As she waited she out as facetime from Peter. “Hi, Pete!”. Y/n said , as she answered the phone. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Y/N!!”. Peter yelled as he came on screen. Y/n smiled , thanking him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there!”. Peter said pouting. He was gone on a school trip. “It’s okay , Pete. We can hang out and do something when you get back.”. Y/n said. They went on to talk about their day and random things. They talked for hours , till Friday informed Y/n she was needed in the common room. “I got to go. I’ll talk to you later, Peter.”. “Bye, Y/n!”. Peter yelled. “Bye Peter!”. Y/n yelled back, before hanging up. She sighed as she stood up putting her phone in her pocket and heading down to the common room. Again, as she walked through the elevator into the room , everyone yelled ‘happy birthday’. Y/n smiled as she saw everyone there. (Steve, Bucky, Sam, Tony , Bruce, Nat, Wanda, James, Pepper, Morgan, Vision, Pietro , Clint and Laura. Thor and Loki.) “Y/n!” Morgan yells running over to her. “Morgan!”. Y/n yelled back as she opened her arms and embraced the little girl. “I got you something.”. Morgan said, pulling away from her and grabbing her hand. “You did?”. Y/n asked. Morgan nodded as she dragged Y/n over to her Mom who handed her the note and little box. Which she gave Y/n. Which was a happy birthday letter and the box held a handmade bracelet. “Did you make these?”. Y/n asked. Morgan smiled and nodded. “Aw I love them. Thank you, Morgan.”. Y/n pulled her into another hug , before putting the bracelet on. “Look I made a matching one for me and I made one for Peter.”. Morgan explains showing Y/n her bracelet.

The rest of the night was spent just talking and joking. Eating so snacks Wanda made, some cake and also gifts. It was one of y/n favorite nights. Not because of the gifts but just getting to hang out with everyone. With her family. (Even if not everyone was able to be there.)

Gifts:

Nat: A beautiful set of Kunai's (Which Y/n always wanted since Nat showed her how to use them and showed her , hers. Bruce wasn’t too happy about it)

Authors Note: Kunai's are Asian throwing's knifes

Wanda and Vision: They both made you some of your favorite treats

Pietro: Random things that you show him and bonded over (Mostly music stuff like vinyl's and things like that).

Tony and Pepper: Pepper tried to stop tony but there was no stopping the man. He got you so many things. Shoes , bracelets , clothing. anything and everything he thought you might like.

Bucky: Put together a little box of things from the 40s like snacks and chips (You are always asking him about the 40s and what it was like)

Sam: A drone that looked like his redwing (Because you and Bucky always try to steal it and use it)

James: a bouget of your favorite things and gift cards

Thor: A beautiful golden goddess arm cuff

Loki: A book from Asgard (One of his personal favorite from when he was younger)

Peter: (He gave his to Tony to give to you) Lego set of your favorite show or movie

As it got later some people started to slowly leave, first of which were Pepper, Tony and Morgan and Clint and Laura. Then shortly after Steve left. Which was a little unusual of him. He was one who usually stayed the latest with Y/n. It was there thing to be some of the last few and as they head off to bed , he would walk her to her room and they would talk about everything and anything. Some nights the talk went over into Y/n's room. A few hours after Steve left, Y/n stood up yawning and stitching. Saying good night to everyone and thanking them for the amazing birthday , before heading to bed. She stopped by Steve's room to wish him a goodnight but found it empty. Y/n tried to shrug it off as she headed to her room. Y/n sighed as she walked into her room , putting everything everyone got her down. She had an amazing day , but she was really exhausted. Y/n turned to get ready for bed when she noticed a certain Captain sitting on the edge of her bed. Holding the bear . He was looking down at it. He turned his head to look at her , feeling her eyes on him, with an amused smile and eyebrow cocked. “Really?”. He asked, holding the bear up. Y/n laughed , rolling her eyes as she walked over to him snatching the bear from him. “One it was a gift from Nat. Secondly , don’t be rude to Captain Beary.”. Y/n said. Fixing the helmet on the bear. Steve laughed , shaking his head at her. “Captain Beary?”. Steve asked. Y/n took a seat neck to Steve , holding the bear close to her. Steve just laughed, shaking his head at her. He turned to the side where her night stand was and grabbed something. Handing it to her. “Here. I figured it was best to give you this to you when we were alone so Sam or Bucky didn’t get a hold of it. Or deal with Nat's teasing.”. Y/n smiles at him as she takes the beautifully wrapped gift. It was wrapped in a dark blue paper. “What is this that we would get teased?”. Y/n asked, smirking as she cocked an eyebrow at Steve. Steve laughed as he stood up. “Well I guess you're just going to need to open it and see.”. Steve made his way to her door. “Happy birthday , Y/n. “. Y/n smiled giving a nod to him. “Night, Steve.”. “Night, Doll.”. With that Steve walked out of her room , closing the door behind him. Y/n bit her lip as a small blush came over her at the nickname. She turned back to the gift. Carefully she opened it. It was a brown , leather notebook. The size of a book. Y/n opened it looking through the pages. All filled with drawings made by Steve. Somewhere drawing from times where they would hang out and Y/n would describe something and see if Steve can draw what she describes. Somewhere from the 40s and time of Steve growing up. Those ones Steve wrote on the back of the page explaining what it was or a small story that involved it. Something Y/n loved. She loved to hear stories like these from Steve and Bucky. Somewhere random drawings that Steve drew of her or things she told him. Y/n smiled softly looking through all the pages. But as she turned to the last page she became speechless. Mouth opening as she looked at the page. Tears started to form in her eyes as she looked at it. The last page , Steve drew a picture of her and her mom together if she was still here. Y/n hugged the book to her as tears started to run down her face. “Thank you, Steve.”. Y/n whispered knowing he’s probably within distance to hear her , with his super hearing and all. Steve smiled softly hearing her thank you.

I hope you enjoyed this! And if anyone else wants to request something don't be shy to ask! The next part of Pup will be up shortly. I'm just finishing up some editing on it. But on a different note how do you guys feel about maybe a Mob boss! Steve rogers or Chris Evans story? -MM

71 notes · View notes

angelhotchner · 3 years

Text

Chapter Six - 0.6: lilith.rtf

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Female Reader [OC] Style: Multi Chapter Fic - Mystery - Slow Burn Contents: Smut, Mystery, Crime Details, Adult Language, Fluff, Angst

no title, no description, no background information. you have nothing to prepare you for what you will land yourself into. welcome to your life, 404.

Fic Masterlist

Masterlist

Chapter Six - 0.6: lilith.rtf I was the match, I was the match That lit you on fire

“You said that the family would be out of the house!”

“Whoops,”

“Innocent people, 404! They were innocent people,”

“…well, I wasn’t the one who killed them,”

“This is all too obvious. Your father’s old estate? Really? Why did I set fire to it? Why the fuck did I do it?”

“If Aaron Hotchner is going to die, he needs to know why,”

“…you couldn’t have just told him before you killed him?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“…Nat–”

“Shut up. Aaron is a grown man who needs to figure it out on his own,”

“I’m going to prison, aren’t I?”

“…probably,”

“You’ve played me. You’ve fucking played me, haven’t you? My god, I’m so stupid,”

“I’ve told you that you’re fucking stupid so many times,”

“After everything I’ve done for you?”

“I’ve thanked you for that. But you were a good chess piece, Fort”

“Fuck you, Natalia. I’m not going down alone,”

“Oh, but you are. I don’t exist. If you tell them that I exist, I’ll kill your daughter,”

—– ⚠️ —-

“Do you remember your father being away around 1992? You would have been… what?” Prentiss broke the silence that had ensued after the revelation.

“Seven,” Reid finished. Hotch stayed silent.

“What’s the next steps?”

Before anyone could answer JJ’s question, the phone in the room began to ring and it snapped Hotch back into action as he accepted the call, automatically selecting the speaker button.

“Hotchner,”

“Sir, I have done some digging on the Silvers and, boy oh boy, they could make a TV show out of the history of this family,”

“What did you find, Garcia?” Prentiss asked. She could almost hear Garcia’s smile through the phone.

“So, check this. David Silvers, our guy that died, was having an affair before he died. The prosecution wanted to use this in court, but poor Marie had no idea about it. I’m still trying to find out who he had an affair with, but I found out some other juicy stuff. The daughter who committed suicide? Her name was Lilith Silvers, and her body was never actually recovered officially,”

“You said that Jamie Forth found her body?”

“He did. But there was never an autopsy or anything, even though there should have been because it was a suicide. The Silvers family had this belief that a body had to be buried within twenty-four hours of death. The coroner was lucky to give David an autopsy. Anyway, the only people that actually saw her body were Jamie and the family’s priest, Donald Wilderman. They buried her on the estate and Wilderman died in 2014,”

“Let me know if you find anything else,” Hotch said, turning back towards the investigation board as Reid pieced together the unearthed story with photos and string. Before Hotch could end the call, Rossi grabbed the phone and left the room.

“I need you to look into Jonathon Hotchner,”

“Isn’t that Hotch’s dad?”

“Yeah, he was the lead prosecutor in the Silvers case and Aaron can’t figure out why,”

“This feels icky. Okay…Jonathon Hotchner. Born in 1947 to Ida and Jonathon Hotchner Snr in…Pot Peaks,”

“His father was born here?”

“That’s what it says,”

Morgan and Prentiss stood outside of the Forth residence, their gazes flickering to each other as a minute went by with no answer to their knocking. Just as they were about to scope out the house, the door suddenly opened, revealing an agitated Jamie.

“Can I help you, Agents?”

“We just wanna talk to you,”

“Can you come back later? I’m a little busy right now,” Jamie tried to close the door, but Morgan was quicker. His foot blocked the close and his hand rested on the door.

“Why didn’t you tell us about the Silvers?”

Jamie seemed taken aback. “I didn’t think it was relevant,”

“Can we please just talk to you?” Prentiss urged, exasperated. Reluctantly, Jamie opened the door a little wider, allowing the agents to pass through. Straight away, Morgan noticed the fire suit lying proudly on the floor of the living room. He could still smell the smoke on it, and he narrowed his eyes at Jamie.

“What? I’m a firefighter,” Jamie shrugged, defensive, as he sat down.

“Do you mind if I use your bathroom?” Prentiss asked, and Jamie almost waved his hand.

“Yeah, yeah, sure. Down the hall, first left,”

“Thanks,”

Morgan sat down in the living room, opposite to Jamie.

“Do you know who Marie Silvers was having an affair with?”

“What? How would I know that?”

“But you knew she was having an affair,”

Jamie sighed, and nodded.

“The whole town pretty much knew,”

“Why didn’t you tell us that the funeral home used to be the Silvers estate?”

“I just didn’t think it was relevant,”

Morgan’s suspicions grew the longer he spoke to Forth. Something just wasn’t right about this guy. He was agitated, defensive and avoided eye contact with Derek as much as he possibly could. As if he was afraid he’d give something away.

“Jamie, what happened when you found Lilith?”

Jamie grew pale at the mention of Lilith. Morgan noted the tremor in his hands, the small sweat beads that had formed on his forehead. The man was a nervous wreck at the mention of her name.

“Jamie?”

“I..erm,” He began, his voice cutting off before he could say anything else. “She called me,”

“Why did she call you?”

“…we were dating. She called and I rushed over but she was gone,”

“What did she say when she called you?”

“It was just nonsense. She made no sense,”

“But what did she say?”

“I don’t know. She said it was time, I don’t know, man. I think you should leave now,” Jamie’s eyes had become glassy with tears, and the tremor in his hands escalated. He was beginning to panic.

“Hey, hey, calm down. Something happened that day, didn’t it?”

“No, no, no. I can’t do this. My daughter’s gonna die,”

“What?”

“Please, just leave,”

“We can’t do that,” Prentiss’ voice interrupted them. Both men turned to face her. She held two cans of spray paint, the lids resembling the colours of the 404 logo found at the fire scenes. “Why do you have spray paint?”

Jamie looked defeated. Wrecked. Almost as if his entire world had just crumbled beneath him. The house was silent for a few minutes.

“Just arrest me,”

#aaron hotchner smut #aaron hotchner x fem! reader #aaron hotchner x female reader #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner #angelofthebau #angelhotchner #the bau #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds #untitled 404

13 notes · View notes

higherfurther-romanova · 4 years

Text

Then Finish It. (Pt. 3)

Warnings: Heavy angst, language, possible smut, death, injuries, arguments, possible dark themes.

Word Count: 1,483

A/N: I’m so sorry. (This is not the end btw more pain to come. I’m your official pain dealer.) I’m not sure how well this turned out buuuut have fun. :)

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5 | Pt. 6 | Finale |

~~~~~~~~~~~⧗~~~~~~~~~~~

“What…?” She asks, her voice getting caught in her throat.

You don’t say anything and stare straight forward until she realizes what she said.

"Shit, no… (y/n), that's not what I meant. At all." She shook her head, wishing she could take back her words.

"Don't lie to me, Natalia." You scoff.

"I'm not lying to you. Of course, I love you, you're my best friend."

"And that's all you feel towards me?" You stand up and look at her. "You're a terrible liar." You open the door you were just leaning against and walk out.

"Give her time. Her mind is scrambled right now." Wanda smiles politely at Nat.

"That isn't her… those are not her words. I knew they broke her down, but I didn't know it was that bad." She stands up and looks down.

Carol sighs and walks out the way she saw you leave. The days where Natasha couldn't be in your room due to missions Carol and Wanda would spend talking to you. You'd gotten close to both of them and you're thankful for it. You were closer with Carol between the both of them because Carol was the one who spared your life after you escaped the red room. The second Carol heard about the events in the helicarrier, she rushed back to Earth. There's always been this unmentioned bond between you two, I mean, she saved your life.

~~~~~~~~~~~⧗~~~~~~~~~~~

You walk into your office at SHIELD and lock the door, it's the only place you could truly be alone. You close your laptop when you hear a light knock on your door. Yeah, nevermind on you being able to have alone time.

"Whaaat?" You groan.

"It's Carol. Unlock the door?" She asks.

"I'm a bit busy, Cap." You lie.

"Doing what? It's dark outside."

"I'm just looking some things up. What do you need?" You sigh.

She blasts the door down. "I need you to quit lying to yourself."

"...Fury is going to be pissed." You stare at what's left of the door.

"Did you hear me?"

"Lying to myself?" You scoff.

"So you did hear me." She sits down and crosses her arms.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" You shake your head.

"I've heard things." She smirks.

"Look… I need you to pull yourself together and push them away." She's referring to the red room… of course, she is.

"A bit late for that, isn't it, Danvers?" You grumble, walking over to stare out of your window.

"(Y/N)... please. Please let us help you. We love you. The whole team does. They're worried." She softens, standing up and walking towards you.

"Love is for children." You whisper loud enough for her to hear.

"That isn't you. Those are their words." She puts a hand on your shoulder.

You flinch at the gesture.

"(Y/N/N)..."

"You don't know me." You mumble.

She turns your body towards her. "But I do."

You tear your eyes away from the skyline and look at her. She sees the tears welling up in your eyes and pulls you closer and you rest your head on her shoulder.

"It's okay." She whispers.

You shake your head no. She doesn't say anything, she just wraps her arms around you tighter and lets you cry on her shoulder. Sometime within the time, she moved you to the couch for more comfort. She gently brushes her fingers through your hair as you slowly break. You're afraid that if you break any further, you'll shatter into nothingness. Even after all of your years of training, you can't manage to control these emotions.

"You know she loves you. And you love her…" Carol snaps you out of your thoughts.

"Please don't. Please..." Your voice cracks in the middle of it.

“Okay.” She says simply and pulls you in closer.

You stay there for a good two hours. Until you can put on your emotionless act again. You head back to the compound and fall asleep quickly. You’re awoken by a small knock on the door connecting your and Natasha’s rooms. You groan and turn onto your side, hoping to go back to sleep. Just as you’re about to fall asleep again, you hear the door open.

“Hey- oh shit, were you sleeping?” She asks.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter, what is it?” You yawn.

“I was just coming to check on you.” She smiles softly.

She’s not going to fucking give up on you, is she?

You nod, half asleep. “Thank you.”

A bright blush colours her cheeks as she nods and walks back into her room.

~~~~~~~~~~~⧗~~~~~~~~~~~

You fell asleep for an hour and woke up drenched in sweat. You saw him. James. You saw him jumping from building to building killing people below. You saw them torturing him. His screams of agony. You try to shake the image out of your head but can’t, so you quickly throw your mission suit on and grab your weapons.

“Jarvis, please tell everyone that I’ve gone to see a friend if they ask..” You whisper quietly to the AI.

“Yes, Ms. (Y/L/N).” The AI responds.

You sneak out quietly before the sun rises and take off on your motorcycle. You park in an alleyway and pull your laptop out of your saddlebag, pulling up the files you have on HYDRA. Bucky couldn’t and wouldn’t have gone far by now, people expect him to run across the world so he would do the exact opposite. You read more carefully and realize there are hints in the text which give you an idea of where he may be. You put your laptop back and drive off to the location.

You pull up to this abandoned factory. Before you can even turn your engine off, he’s standing infront of you. You quickly swing your bike at him, knocking him down. Using him being down to your advantage, you throw a grappling hook up to the roof, taking the high ground. He’s not far behind you, but you’re prepared for him. He comes at you, swinging at an unsteady pace. He pulls out a knife and is about to stab you in the neck when you put your arm up infront of his. “James.. Please.” You grunt.

He growls and pushes harder. You push the knife point away from your neck, but he manages to run the blade down diagonally across your eye. You hiss at the pain, putting him in a choke hold that he escapes immediately. He pulls you so your back is against his chest and the knife is pointed to your neck.

“Come home, soldier…” You choke back a sob.

You feel his grip soften, he steps away. You see something in his eyes soften. His grip on the knife loosens and he drops it. He looks at you with a terrified look.

“(Y/N)?”

You nod, a tear rolling down your cheek.

“What did I do…” He asks.

You shake your head and hug him tightly.

“I’m scared…” He whispers.

“It’s okay. I’m here. I’m taking you back to Steve. He misses you.” You chuckle.

He smiles softly but it soon fades when he hears HYDRA agents down below.

“Fuck.” You curse under your breath.

One of them sees Bucky and points him out to the rest of them. They start climbing up to you guys, you shoot a few down, but one quickly runs straight at you, knocking your gun out of hand. You easily knock him down, but you’re swarmed by a group of five. You slowly but surely take them down, knocking the gun out of the agent’s hand before he could shoot Bucky. They all turn to you. All seven of what’s left up there. They charge at you, guns pointed at your head, knives ready to pierce through your skin. Bucky picks up one of the dead agent’s guns and shoots a few of them in the back of the head. You’re standing on the edge of the building with the soldiers slowly stalking up onto you. All it takes is for the agent infront of you to kick you. Before you know it, you’re falling, but he’s shot down and a metal arm reaches out and grabs your wrist. You hear footsteps running at Bucky above you, panic washes over his face.

“It’s okay, James. Let me go.” You look down at the ground, the drop is huge.

“No. I can do this… Just hold on.” He grunts.

“They’ll kill you. You can’t work without both hands, James.” You reason with him.

He shakes his head. You nod. “Find Steven and Natalia.”

“No.” He growls.

“It’s okay.” You whisper. The cold metal releases you when an agent comes up behind him and tries to stab him. Everything goes black. The last thing you see is Nat’s smile in the back of your imagination.

#natasha romanoff #Natalia Romanova #natasharomanoff #natashaxreader #natasha romaonff x reader #Bucky Barnes #james barnes #natasha romanoff angst #wanda maximoff x reader #carol danvers x reader #marvel angst

135 notes · View notes

smalltowndetective · 4 years

Note

1, 17 and 22 for any detective of your choice for the detailed oc ask (no rush to answer, take your time, especially if you're busy 💕)

Hello! Thank you so much for asking, you’re the best! Sorry this is late!

So, since I am a massive name nerd, I’m going to answer 1 for each of my detectives, and then I’ll answer one detective for the other two!

1. What’s their full name? Why was that chosen? Does it mean anything?

Thea Annaliese Holland (romances Felix): Now, something that is probably good to mention that I spend way too long on my detectives before even playing the game haha. I spent forever on trying to figure out names for them that fit their character, and Thea is no exception. I spent a while with her first name actually being Theadora and Thea being her nickname (I might bring this back for a reincarnation AU later) But Thea by it self fit her better? It has that lighter feel to it, less regal-sounding, and it suits her much better. Thea is the Anglicized version of Theia, the Greek goddess of light, so I really liked that as well. Middle name took me forever to figure out, since Thea is not an easy name to figure a middle name for, but I came across Annaliese, and it really fit her. Meaning “grace” and the softness of it is just really pretty to me. And for poor Thea, I did so much planning for her character before playing her route for the first time, wrote so many notes on her about everything under the sun, to just forget that I needed to give her a surname haha! So, with no idea what exactly to do, I used a random name generator, and wouldn’t you know it, the first one that I got back was Holland, which I really liked how Thea Holland sounded, so I went with it.

And while I suppose that’s why I choose it, but I suppose I can tell a little bit about why Rebecca and Rook choose it as well. Kind of along the same vein as me, I have Rebecca wanting to use the full form of the name, while Rook wanting to shorten it, thinking the full name sounded slightly too regal for his tastes. Obviously, Thea won out in the end, and that is now her full name. :)

Natasha Kate Trexler (romances Adam): Now, for Natasha I just really just really liked Natasha as a first name, something about it just sounding right (Natasha means “born on Christmas Day” actually, but she was born in late spring haha!) It’s slightly harsher then Natalia, my first thought for what to name her, and it fit her much better with her as a name. And, back when I played the game originally, I had her nickname be Nat, but I do know how confusing that Adam and Nat looks to everyone else, so I’ve decided to avoid using it in the future haha! (Natasha isn’t the type to really use nicknames anyway, but I do personally think that once we actually get to deep relationship Adam, he would be the only person who calls her so) For her middle name, I forgot there was technically a Kate already in the story, (Garret Hayes’s mother) but since it was a middle name that won’t be mentioned ever, I decided to stick with it. Kate means “pure” and I really liked it instead of using a longer form like Katherine. And for her surname, Trexler is a surname from German origin, and it means “turner” believed to be referring to a wheelwright (Rook in Natasha’s route is from German descent)

And for how Rook and Rebecca choose the name, with Rebecca in this route being from Russian descent, that is how Natasha was originally decided on in the first place, with Kate a compromise between the two of them for something slightly softer. :)

Pearl Evelyn Reid (romances Nate): Since Pearl was my first detective (that’s a bit of a surprise I’m sure haha) I didn’t actually think of her name much before the game, since well, I had never played any interactive fiction at all before and it wasn’t something that I realized that I would want to do. But I do really like the name anyway. Pearl is obviously just a gem name for the well, actual Pearl, and it is kind of an old-timey name, which kind of suits her really well. Pearl is very tech focused skill wise, but she also has a vintage decorated apartment, so the different in those two has always been something that I have liked about her. Her middle name, Evelyn (which I choose for) means “desired, wished for” and also “water” which they both kind of fit. Pearl loves the ocean (I’ve always put Wayhaven as a seaside town) and it’s something that she has always been very special to her. (Nate’s hesitance to it makes her pause, but she hasn’t asked him much about it yet) (And I like the desired, wished for meaning as well, because I do think that the three of them were a very happy family before Rook’s death) And with her surname, Reid apparently means Red (I wasn’t looking at meanings at the time, so not making her a red head was a bit of a oversight on my part haha!) I also really like how “Rebecca Reid” sounds as well!

And for Rook and Rebecca, Pearl always remind me of the novel Scarlet Letter, which the main character names her daughter Pearl, her mother’s “only treasure”, and this kind of relates into everything after Rook’s death. It’s slightly old-timely, but it was something that both of them liked a lot ( I do think of all the names, they probably were able to agree on this one the quickest haha!) :)

Mariana “Mari” Rebecca Gonzales (romances Mason): It took me forever to play Mason’s route for the first time, since I was really having a hard time finding a detective that I really liked that would work very well. In the end, I went with a very different detective then the others, and after a while, I really do like her. There are several meanings for Mariana, from “bitter” to “beloved” which again, kind of both fit her. Mariana never wanted to be a detective, and is very bitter about it and her mother’s absences, but even with that, she is beloved by the people in her life anyway. Mari is what she goes by when she can, the nickname more comfortable for her, hating the almost stiff formality of her full name. And of course, for angst reasons only, I used my detective with the absolute worse relationship with Rebecca her name as a middle. (Was going to do so for all my detectives, but I really like it just being her haha) Mari does avoid talking about her middle name for this reason, and is less then thrilled about it for that reason. Now, for the surname, Rook in Mari’s route is Spanish, so well it made sense to give her one with that heritage. It is a different spelling of Gonzalez, meaning “war” or “battle” and for my combat focused detective who wanted to join the military, it really fit.

And for Rook and Rebecca, it was important to them that Mariana had a name that tied her to her heritage, and Rebecca was the initial one who brought up Mariana as a name. Rook’s idea right back, (in only Mari’s route) was to give her Rebecca’s name as a middle name, another connection to her mother. It took her a bit, but she did agree, and that is now her name (regardless of Mari feels about it haha!)

(Going to put the rest of the answers under the cut!)

17. Do they like to take photos? What do they like to take photos of? Selfies? What do they do with their photos?

Detective: Thea Holland (Felix)

I saw this question, and I couldn’t help not answer it for Thea, as much as I have talked about this recently haha! One of Thea’s hobbies is photography, and it something that she has done a lot of in the past few years leading up to Book 1. She loves to take pictures of just about anything in front of her, capturing that moment forever, but in Wayhaven, there are not many weddings, but she was been hired to do wedding photography a few times, which she always loves doing. Being able to give them memories of what (hopefully is!) one of the happiest days of their life is really special to her. (And Thea is also a huge hopeless romantic, so there is that to!) She has also done portrait pictures for the people of Wayhaven as well, and Thea is the closest you can get to a real photographer without having to go to the big city. She is not the biggest fan of selfies by herself, but with Felix? She’ll gladly do so. :) A lot of pictures that she takes do end up with the clients, but in her office, she does have framed pictures of the flowers around Wayhaven on the wall. And now as her and Felix are officially dating, perhaps there will be pictures of the two of them together in her office as well. :)

22. What are their favorite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they prefer to bitch behind someone’s back?

Detective: Natasha Trexler (Adam)

Natasha is probably not the best detective I have to answer this for, but I was reminded of something, and I don’t think I can avoid not mentioning this haha. She is incredibly stoic, and most insults she keeps in her head, a slight glare the only sign of what she is really is feeling. If you do annoy her enough, you might get a very flat insult, the harshness not hold back at all, no humor, just pure insult. And while there have been plenty of times where Adam has absolutely frustrated her, but she normally won’t say anything. But that time that he broke her plant, and then tried to say her office was cluttered? Natasha hates clutter with a passion, it not allowing her to focus, and her office is always immaculate, the only reason the plant in there was in the first place was because it was a gift from Tina. She would have not have put it in there otherwise. So, to hear Adam say that? If Nate wasn’t there, there would have been some few choice words that she thrown back into his face. And to the last question, Natasha hates gossip, so she does not talk behind anyone's back at all. If she doesn’t like you, you’ll know.

#specific oc questions #detective thea holland #detective pearl reid #detective mariana gonzales #detective natasha trexler #thank you again #you're amazing!

5 notes · View notes

flowerymoonlight · 4 years

Text

my third heart

pairing: Bucky x Reader

genre: angst and pain, I didn’t even try to make it happy

word count: 2,054

summary: You saw the Soldat a total of four times in your life.

warnings: talking about hydra and the red room but no real details, character deaths, shootings

author’s note: this is for @the-omni-princess ‘s 1k challenge OH MY GOD IM SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG IM TERRIBLE I KNOW I had War Of Hearts by Ruelle

The first time you saw Soldat you were nine years old and practicing for your first ballet recital. He had come in with six other men all in combat gear and all surrounding another man in a suit. You didn’t know enough then not to look him in the eyes – even if they were void of any color.

The second time you saw Soldat you were fifteen and instructed to wait in the training room with Natalia, Alina, and Dominika. You knew you four were the best in your class, you just weren’t sure whether they would kill you or give you an assignment. Then the Soldat walked in without his mask and barking orders that your body had since a long time ago learn to follow.

From that day on you saw the Soldat every day for the next four years. He trained you and the others on different fighting styles, how to make yourselves invisible and how to get in and out of a room without anyone inside it realize you were ever there.

He had you working in two teams, you with Natalia and Alina with Dominika. You were operating a mission in Moska when Alina and Dominika were compromised by the local police. You sat and watched as the Soldat pulled out his rifle and aimed. Two head-shots. Fifteen minutes later you were on a military aircraft back to the compound.

You never forgot the speed in which he was ready to take them out.

When it was time for yours and Natalia’s graduation ceremony the Soldat tried to do a pep talk. It was the first time you had seen him fumbling with his words and it was oddly endearing. It took a couple of giggles from you and Natalia for him to grumble something about the youth and leave the room.

Three years later Natalia went rogue and you never heard from her again.

The next time you saw the Soldat it was a year after Natalia had disappeared and you had learned she was with your enemies. At first, you were angry that her loyalty was so easily swayed and went on a killing spree trying to find Agent Barton, Hawkeye, the man that took her with him. After being unsuccessful you decided to wait patiently and plan his slow death.

That time the Soldat came with the mask over his face and stayed for another year.

That year he was assigned to you – or rather you were assigned to him. Someone from above had suspicions that what happened to Natalia would happen to you. So, the Soldat was supposed to take care of you and make sure you killed for the right team.

He wasn’t supposed to get attached. You weren’t supposed to get attached. You were a highly skilled agent, trained to conceal and be in control of your emotions at all times. What happened with the Soldat was unexpected and certainly unwanted. It compromised your position and reliability as an asset to the cause.

And yet you couldn’t stop. Everything in your training told you that getting involved with an agent, from your team or otherwise, was to be avoided at all costs. You must not have any attachments so you can focus on the cause.

The Soldat had assured you after a night of holding you close that you were both extremely committed to what was right and this thing between you was simply bodies exchanging heat.

You tried to believe him – until you didn’t. Until he almost got his head blown up during an extraction, and so much worry clouded your mind that you almost got made by the enemy. And it was only almost because you made sure no one of them would live to tell the tale.

You tried to believe that the cause was more important even as you rushed to make sure he was okay and kissed him when all you could find on his body were a few scratches and bruises, maybe a cracked rib that would heal in a couple of hours. You even tried to believe it when he kissed you back with the same vigor while you dragged each other back to the safe house.

You began to wonder when you would see him after an especially hard mission that would get him to the infirmary for two days. Or when he would leave for a mission all alone, arming himself to the bone. You began to worry about him. And you began to wonder if the cause really was more important than him.

That’s when you knew you were in too deep and the only solution was to extract yourself from the situation focus on your assignments. But knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things.

Then your pace started to change. He was coming to see you after each mission before he could even get checked for injuries. He would stay until you made him leave and take a shower and check himself and then he would come back at night when all the lights were out and none the wiser.

He would curl around you and bring you both to orgasm but he would never let go of you not even for a moment. After he would stay until his breathing evened out, until your breathing evened out, and you would fall asleep in his arms every night. Even if you woke up without him the next day, you knew he wanted to stay.

It was becoming more and more dangerous to see him and get even more attached and infatuated with him. And yet there was a war happening inside of you, between your heart and your mind. Both convinced that they knew the right thing to do and yet pitching two different things.

Realizing and acknowledging your situation didn’t make it any easier when they took him from you. A year after being partners the STRIKE team came barging in while you were cleaning your weapons and they tasered him till he couldn’t move and was helpless as they hoisted him up and took him away from you.

The only reaction you gave – the only reaction you were supposed to give – was a twitch of your jaw before they left and you focused again on cleaning your gun. Aware of the cameras in the room and how they were now intently focused on you and aware of where they were taking him and what they’d do to him.

It hurt more when you pretended like nothing had happened. Like they didn’t take your partner away from you. It hurt more when you were letting out your rage on the enemy and not being able to shoot down the very STRIKE members that ripped him from you.

It hurt more when you didn’t know which was the right side anymore.

So, you did the only thing you could. You went dark – rogue, just like Natalia. Only you didn’t change sides. You didn’t choose any sides. You were on your own with a new name, a new identity, and a new country.

Your solitary didn’t last for long as three years later you were coming back from a run when you caught a black van trailing you. You didn’t give them the satisfaction of acknowledging them, continuing on your way to your apartment.

In all honesty, you were expecting someone to already be there and waiting for you to get back – you just weren’t expecting him. You weren’t expecting to see the Soldat in full combat gear looking around your living room, confused as if it was his first time seeing a couch.

You couldn’t blame him, it was a lot for you too when you discovered throw pillows.

But the surprise of seeing him there after all these years had you being slow and with a gun pointed at your chest while the Soldat stared you down. When your eyes trailed over his exposed face, trying to memorize it again, you couldn’t stop them even if you wanted to.

But the thing that made something inside of you break and shatter were his eyes, and how vacant they were compared to the last time you saw him. A part of you broke even more because you knew exactly what they had done to him – exactly what he went through. And you were not there to stop it.

You expected the bullet to hit you straight in the chest. You prepared for the sharp pain that would only last seconds before you took your last gasped breaths in this world. But it never came. The Soldat never fired.

Instead, he kept staring at you with a frow between his brows. You itched to move as more seconds passed by but you made yourself stand still and wait for his next move. You didn’t expect that either. He flipped the gun in his hand so you could take it from him.

You gaped at him – willingly giving you his gun – and for the seconds it took you to place the thought in your head the Soldat was moving and taking your hand to shove the gun on it till your instincts kicked in and you gripped it tightly.

The next moment he was stepping back, with his hands at his sides, and looking at you expectantly. You lifted the gun to point at his chest and he didn’t even blink. But as much as you knew that you should pull the trigger and flee as fast as possible. As much as you knew your only chance was with him laying on your living room floor, bleeding out, you couldn’t do it.

You lowered the gun to your side and let out a shaky exhale – the first sign of emotion since you saw him. You thought that he would strike you then. That he only gave you a fighting chance before taking you down. But you should’ve learned by then that you should never expect anything from him.

The Soldat took two steps before he was in front of you and grabbing your hand still holding the gun and placing it against his chest. You stared at him as you realized that he wanted you to shoot him. He wanted you to take him down. Does that mean...

“You remember...” You whisper, and it’s lost between you as he shuts his eyes but never lets the grip he has on your hand falter. You realize quickly that you’re hoping for too much. You were asking too much of him. But that just gave you even more questions about his reasons behind this.

“It’s the only way,” he whispered back and his voice held all the things you couldn’t say and all the things you couldn’t feel. You felt it landing heavily at the pit of your stomach and all you wanted to do was disregard all your training for just one moment – one moment where you could hold him before he was taken away again.

But you couldn’t – because he wouldn’t either.

So, you ripped your hand from his hold and before you could blink and change your mind you aimed for his leg, firing a shot just above his right knee that had him grunting and his other knee falling to the ground. You didn’t hesitate before going for his left shoulder.

You did, though, take a moment to look into his eyes as you aimed at the center of his chest again – different position and different eyes staring back at you. This time the Soldat didn’t dare hide anything as you held his life in your hands. You saw everything in those blue orbs and you felt like you were shooting yourself when you pulled that trigger.

You didn’t stay to look after you heard his gasp and the sound of his body hitting the floor. You didn’t stay to look at the blood trickling out of his body and soaking your carpet. You took the fire escape out of the building just in time to hear the STRIKE team bust down your door to find the Soldat.

You didn’t stay to hear if they found a pulse – you just fled.

#the-omni-princess1kwritingchallenge #bucky x reader #the winter soldier #bucky barnes fanfiction

35 notes · View notes

sunmoonandeddie · 5 years

Text

feelings are fatal (7/24)

pairing: bucky barnes x reader, past steve rogers x reader

word count: 4,491

summary: After the events of Endgame, you struggle to come to terms with what you’ve lost, though you’re learning that you still have something to gain.

chapter warnings: swearing

masterlist

a/n: I’m so sorry this took so long, guys. Let me know what you think!

“Peter!” You groaned as you tried to get the webs out of your hair. The sticky substance was difficult, and for a moment you were worried that you were going to have to treat it like gum.

To be fair, the boy who caused it was looking mighty ashamed, his cheeks red and shoulders tense. “S-Sorry, Y/N,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.

The two of you had been playing around with his suit for about two hours, since he’d never really gotten to before Tony died. He’d also turned off the training wheels protocol that was supposed to teach him about each function slowly, which is why he had no idea what would happen when he turned on ‘Rapid Fire.’

But then again, what the hell did he expect from a name like that?

“Agent L/N, you have a guest waiting for you in the communal area,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. said, startling the both of you.

“Were you expecting anyone?” The fifteen-year-old asked curiously.

Your brows furrowed as you continued to pick at the webs in your hair, heading for the door. “No.” The rest of the team wouldn’t be announced as a guest, and they’d just find you. They wouldn’t wait in the communal area. But then again, it’s not like you really knew anyone that wasn’t a part of the team. “Peter, stay here.”

“Absolutely not,” he retorted, running after you. “What if it’s a bad guy? I can’t leave you alone!” He must’ve caught the look in your eyes, because he added, “N-Not that you can’t take care of yourself! I just… I wanna make sure you’re safe.”

Sighing, you motioned for him to follow you, knowing there was no way he would leave you alone now. In the two weeks since the Fourth of July barbecue from Hell, he’d been over almost every day. He’d said that it was prep for his trip to Europe in August, but you knew better. If it was any other teenager, you’d have found it annoying, but because it was Peter and he was so sweet and sincere, it was rather endearing.

It made you wonder if it’s how Natasha felt about you, even though she’d never gotten to see you at fifteen. She’d gotten out of the clutches of HYDRA at that point, joining S.H.I.E.L.D. in the process.

But maybe that’s how Bucky had seen you. After all, he’d first started training you at that age.

“Y/N, this is the Winter Soldier,” Madame B said as she stood behind you, her hands resting on your shoulders. At just fifteen years old, you’d proven yourself to be the most promising of all the girls in the Red Room. You were deadly with any weapon—a gun, a bow, your body—but you were exceptionally good with your knives. Perfect, even.

Just that morning you’d sunk your knife into one of the older girl’s necks with just a flick of your wrist.

You would’ve felt bad, except she knew what she was getting into when she challenged you. She’d been so close to graduating and had figured that choosing a girl three years younger would make her seem much better than she was. But the fight was over the second it started. You’d simply pulled out your knife—the only weapon allowed in hand-to-hand—and threw it at her. Everyone in the room had watched as she fell to the ground, clutching at her throat while you stood there, looking pristine as ever.

The sound of her blood gurgling in her throat still rang in your ears.

The man in front of you was stunning. It was really the only word you could think of that was appropriate. His long chestnut hair fell in waves around his face like some kind of rogue from the fairytales the older girls whispered to the fresh arrivals when they cried into the night. Even though his lips were chapped from the harsh Russian cold and his eyes had dark circles underneath, he was beautiful. Ethereal. Like a God of the Dead, coming for his spoils.

“Soldat, this is Y/N,” Madame B said, shoving your forward. “Your trainee.”

You stumbled but somehow managed to catch yourself, finding yourself almost chest-to-chest with the man. Heart pounding, your eyes slowly traced up the black Kevlar covering his chest to lock with his. As good as you were at hand-to-hand, you knew that this man could snap you in half without so much as blinking. Girls had heard the stories of him from when he’d trained Natalia.

And now he was here for you.

“Hello, Soldat,” you said, voice wavering as you tried to find your courage.

“Come,” he rasped, his tone leaving no room for argument as he turned on his heel and led you through the door.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y., you didn’t let a potential threat in, did you?”

If an A.I. could be indignant, she certainly was. “Of course not, Agent L/N.”

A small smile tugged at your lips, though you knew it wasn’t really the time as you power-walked down the hallway. “Sorry, Fri.”

“What are you doing here?”

You frowned as you heard Peter’s tone, rushing forward. In your day dreaming, the boy had gotten ahead of you and had found your mysterious visitor first. “Peter, that’s—” You broke off as you saw her sitting there on the couch.

Peggy Carter-Rogers.

The elderly woman immediately stood, clearing her throat. She daintily wiped her hands on her pants and it disgusted you. “Hello, Y/N.”

“What are you doing here?” You asked, though you made a point to not be so aggressive as your favorite Spider-Boy.

It was a little adorable how he still insisted on standing in front of you, puffed up like a chihuahua. “Y-Yeah, what she said!”

“I just want to talk,” the Brit said, her lilting voice soothing you, even if you didn’t want it to. There was something so relaxing about her presence and it drove you insane. “Without my idiot of a husband mucking it all up.”

You couldn’t help but snort as you crossed your arms over your chest, but you didn’t immediately dismiss her. “He does that a lot.”

Her lips—perfectly painted red, as usual—stretched as she tried not to grin. “Especially when it comes to talking to women.”

Well, you had two choices. You could turn her away and go back to sitting in Tony’s lap with Peter and consistently wonder what she was going to say, or you could listen and maybe get some closure. As fucked as it was, you really didn’t want to go with the latter. It’d be so much easier to just go back to the lab and pretend like she’d never come.

But you knew that it wasn’t the right decision.

“Peter, you can go back to the lab. I’ll be there soon,” you said, your eyes never leaving Peggy.

He seemed ready to protest but thought better, taking a deep breath in. “Call if you need me,” he said, before disappearing back down the hall.

“Sorry about him,” you said as you stood in place, watching her cautiously. “He’s—”

“Protective?” She laughed, sounding like bells that rang a death march. “It’s alright. I assumed as much when he glared at Steve for the rest of the Fourth of July party after you left.” Peggy motioned to the couch as she sat, and it struck you how odd it was that she was the one inviting you to sit in your own home.

Either way, you sat gingerly on the edge of the couch, your hands delicately placed in your lap. You weren’t sure what to do with them, what to say. “He’s a good kid.”

She cleared her throat as the awkwardness hung in the air, the both of you trying to find where to start. “I am sorry,” she said suddenly, her brown eyes flashing over to you. “And not just about Steve. I was the one who told him it’d be okay to not call ahead. I wasn’t thinking about how it might make you feel. I just knew how badly he wanted to see everyone.”

“It’s alright, rea—”

“No,” she interrupted, reaching over to take your hands in hers. You fought back the urge to yank them away, knowing that you were going to have to give a little. “It was inconsiderate.” Her eyes searched your face for a long moment. “You remind me of myself, you know.”

Startled, you shook your head. “What? No, I—”

“You’ve been fighting war after war for years,” she said, her voice shaking. “You have the same look in your eyes that I’d see in every soldier back in the forties. Steve has it. Bucky has it.” She let out a weak laugh, looking down at your hands, young and supple against her own. “Sometimes I forget how young we all were. Hell, sometimes I forget how young you are when Steve tells his stories.”

Heart leaping in your chest, you tried to keep your cool even though you felt like you were going to vomit. “He talks about me?”

“Of course, he does,” she said, sadness seeping from her pores. It clearly distressed her that you thought he wouldn’t. “You mean the world to him.”

“You have to forgive me for not really believing that,” you said as you took your hands from hers.

Peggy nodded, drawing her bottom lip in between her teeth. “Like I said, Steve doesn’t understand women at all. Or how to communicate with them. But he really does care about you.” She smoothed down her pants slowly. “When he… When he first came back to me and he told me about you… I admit, I was jealous. You were this brilliant agent, good enough to join the Avengers at just eighteen. You had him for over eight years.”

“But he still chose you,” you reminded her, tears pricking your eyes. Desperately blinking them away, you hoped she didn’t notice.

And she couldn’t argue against that. “I suppose the point I’m trying to get at is that even though it might not feel like it, he loves you. He always has.” She swallowed thickly, her hands moving more and more as she spoke. “He’d tell me about all the different missions you went on and how you can hold your own against him and Bucky, even though you’re not a super soldier. How you rebelled against the United Nations and became an international criminal.”

And it hit you that she felt just like you did. Even if she’d had years to get over it, she knew exactly how you felt.

But in her case, you were the untouchable one.

“He carries this picture of you with him,” she said, taking you by surprise once again. “He put it in the compass that has the picture of me in it, knocked out the glass bit. Said it’s so he has both of us close to him at all times. It’s…” Peggy cleared her throat and it somehow still sounded ladylike. “It’s this photo of you in his shirt.” The air felt thick around the two of you as she chuckled. “When I first saw it, I wanted to rip it up. Burn it. Eventually, though, I understood. At least a little bit.”

“How?” You asked, knowing how weak you must’ve sounded. “Because I’m trying to understand, and I just… can’t. Anytime I try, I just feel abandoned.”

“To be quite frank, sometimes I still don’t.” The older woman’s fingers were fiddling together, and your eyes focused in on the slightly chipped red nail polish. The one thing on Margaret Carter Roger’s exterior that wasn’t perfect. That reflected her anxiety as she picked at the polish. That she wasn’t as perfect as you had thought her to be. “He says your name in his sleep sometimes. Cries and thrashes around.” She blew out a huff of air, not meeting your gaze. “Sometimes it’s nightmares of you dying. Sometimes it’s just you telling him you don’t love him, and it’s enough to cause him to panic.”

You blinked slowly, trying to take it all in. “I… I didn’t realize.”

She sniffled, a sad smile on her lips. “It’s better for him to explain exactly what he was thinking, but… I didn’t think you’d listen unless I talked to you first.” She shook her head, turning back towards you. “Not that you have to listen to him. Lord knows that he doesn’t deserve it. But I think it might help, if you knew why he did what he did.”

“Do you…” You cleared your throat, trying to figure out how exactly to ask your next question. “Do you want to stay for lunch?” You knew that this was big, this was an olive branch you were extending to her. “We’ve both heard so many stories about each other, I think it’s only fair that we get to know each other without all the sugar coating. We both know Steve tends to… exaggerate his stories a little.”

Peggy seemed to light up at the suggestion, standing up and following you towards the kitchen. “That would be wonderful.”

“Y/N?” Bucky called as he walked into the lab, frowning when he only saw Peter and Bruce poring over a hologram. Neither of them looked up when he walked in and he cleared his throat.

Nothing.

He coughed, raising his eyebrows.

Nope.

The super soldier sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Y/N’s been kidnapped.”

Both of them immediately looked up, panic written all over their faces. Peter looked ready to take down all of New York City as he pushed his stool back with a creek and Bruce was starting to look a little green around his neck.

“What the—”

“What happened to—”

“So all I have to do to get the two of you to pay attention is to say something’s happened to Y/N,” Bucky said, tapping his temple as though to demonstrate that he was making a note of it. “Great.”

Bruce glared at him, huffing. “So Y/N wasn’t actually kidnapped?”

“No.”

Peter looked utterly betrayed. “Mr. Winter Soldier, you can’t do that.”

Bucky sighed, raising his hands in surrender. “Fine. I’m sorry. That was a low blow of me. But have any of you seen Y/N?” He looked around the lab, as though he might find her playing a game of hide-and-seek that he didn’t know he was a part of. “She told me she was gonna be in the lab.”

“Oh, M-Mr. Rogers’s wife—uh—Mrs. Peggy is here,” the teenager said, shrugging at his confused expression.

The hundred-year-old man felt his age as he stormed out of the lab. While he didn’t think Peggy would purposefully hurt you, he also knew that her impromptu visit might not be what’s best for you. His hands were clenched into fists at his side as he entered the communal area. There were signs of lunch being made in the kitchen, but no Peggy and no you.

He stood there for a long moment, perking up as he heard giggles from down the hallway. He tiptoed towards the sound, surprised to find it coming from your old room, the one you had shared with Steve.

You and Peggy were sitting on the bed, giggling as you flipped through all the photos you had of the former Captain America. You were sitting cross-legged and had on one of Bucky’s hoodies that he’d been trying to find for days.

And you were talking about Steve and not crying.

He hid behind the door so that neither of you could see him, listening in with a faint smile on his lips.

“—from the night he asked me on a date,” you said as you held out a picture of the two of you. “We got lost while on a mission when our comms went out, and pictures ended up in the New York Times because someone recognized him.”

“Steve, I just really think we’re lost,” you said, wincing as you tried to keep up with the super soldier. You’d twisted your ankle four blocks before and it sent a pang through your entire calf with every step you took.

It didn’t help that your captain hadn’t even thought to slow down for you, too convinced that he knew the way to stop and reevaluate.

He just grumbled, shaking his head. Turning a corner, he stopped as he realized that going that direction would lead the two of you to a main road, and you were trying to stay out of sight. He quickly turned on his heel to keep down the path you were originally on. “No, we’re—”

You yelped as your foot caught on a loose brick of the cobblestone street, sending you straight to the ground. “Fuck! Shit! God FUCKING damn it!” You cursed, holding your ankle as tears sprung to your eyes. It would be your luck to twist the same ankle twice in twenty minutes and you were pretty sure there was no way it wasn’t strained.

The blond was immediately on you, all furrowed brows and panicky hands. “What the hell happened?”

“If you weren’t so busy insisting you were right, you would’ve noticed that I twisted my ankle ten minutes ago, and now it’s fucked up again, asshole,” you snapped. You knew that it wasn’t fair of you but you were tired, you were hurt, and all you wanted was a bottle of vodka. The kind that the Asset snuck for you, once upon a time.

God, that was the good shit. Smooth. Expensive. An already half-drank bottle stolen from Madame B’s office.

Steve’s teeth grinded together as he tentatively tried to move your ankle, causing you to hiss and jerk back away from him. “I’m sorry!”

“I told you it fucking hurts!” You retorted, cheeks red.

“I was trying to make sure it wasn’t broken!”

“I could’ve told you if it was!”

“You don’t know—”

“Don’t you dare tell me what I do and don’t know. I think I know my own body.”

He stood up, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. “You’re being difficult.”

“Yeah,” you said with an eye roll, grimacing as you scooted over to rest against the wall of the alley. You could see a few people passing by the entrance he’d been trying to avoid, despite the late hour. “Because I’m the one who was so sure of themselves that they weren’t paying attention to their partner.”

Steve scoffed as his hands went to his hips, reminding you just how much attitude America’s Golden Boy had. “Maybe because I know what—”

“No! You don’t!” You said, eyes squeezing shut as you started to stand up, clinging to the wall and jumping around a bit on your good ankle. “Stop being such an ass!”

“And to think I thought about asking you on a god damn date,” he muttered under his breath as he pulled the comm out of his ear. Squinting in the darkness, he started fiddling with it, twisting the different parts this way and that. You knew he’d probably end up breaking it, but you weren’t going to be the one to tell him and piss him off even more.

“I am not doing this right now,” you said, closing your eyes as you prayed to whatever greater being happened to be listening that the others would find you two soon.

Steve threw his comm to the ground, and you were about to yell at him for it, but he went into another rant. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Taking a step towards him, you ignored the way your ankle shouted in protest. “It’s not like you were actually going to ask me on a date.” You needed to make your point and that included trying to take an intimidating step towards him while poking a finger into his chest that happened to be as wide as a fucking football field.

“Yes, I—”

“No, you wouldn’t,” you laughed, your heart twisting with pain. “For the past year, you’ve done nothing but flirt with me and get close to me, only to push me away. And you know, at first, I thought it was because I’m only nineteen. And I would’ve understood that. But then I heard you telling Tony that age doesn’t matter that much to you, so it can’t be that.” You ran your fingers through your hair, wishing that you’d brought a ponytail for the umpteenth time. “I’m not playing this stupid game of, of tug-of-war with you!” You took another step and immediately started to crumble.

But Steve caught you before you could hit the ground, strong arms wrapping around your waist. “I’ve got ya, doll,” he said, his breath hot against your face as he helped you straight up, holding you flush against his chest. “Let’s get you out of here.”

You nodded, already accepting the fact that he was going to ignore your little outburst, your moment of vulnerability. He turned and bent down, coaxing you up so you were riding piggyback. He smelled like the alleyway, like sewage and trash, but you could pick out the faint scent of his aftershave underneath all of that as you wrapped your arms around him. As you closed your eyes, you were faintly aware of him heading towards the main road on the other end of the alley, but chose not to bring it up as you closed your eyes.

No use even chancing a fight.

The gentle sway of his strides was lulling you to sleep, and you didn’t even register the fact that several people had recognized the infamous Captain America and were starting to take photos.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

There was a long pause, the lights of the main street slowly fading as he carried you further and further away. Turns out, it was much easier to find out where you were if you had street signs. “Would you go on a date with me?”

“As long as you stop being an asshole,” you murmured, falling asleep to the deep rumble of his laughter.

“He didn’t even ask me on a date,” Peggy said with a groan, shaking her head fondly at the memory as she looked at the newspaper clipping. Someone had managed to get a shot of you two while he was carrying you, your face half hidden in the crook of his neck. “Even when he came back, I had to be the one to ask him out.”

You erupted into giggles, falling back on the bed, and Bucky couldn’t help but smile. Hearing you laugh and joke about your ex was a major step up. Especially considering the disaster that was the Fourth of July party.

The older woman hummed as she flipped through more of the photos, smiling as she held up one of you and Bucky that Steve had taken. It warmed your heart, reminding you of a time that seemed so much simpler even though it most definitely wasn’t.

“I just don’t understand it,” Steve said for what must’ve been the eighteenth time. He finally put his cards down, choosing instead to sit back and watch. “I’ll just watch you young whippersnappers play.”

“I’m older than you, dumb ass,” Bucky said with a smirk as he set down one of his white cards onto the pile.

Sam picked up all the white cards, shuffling them as he grumbled. It had become a new rule that each person had to shuffle the cards before reading them, since Sam wouldn’t ever pick a card that the Winter Soldier laid down. They were still in that weird ‘we’re friends but only because Steve is our friend’ stage.

Though, being on the run with only each other to talk to was quickly cementing their friendship.

“Alright, who the hell put down ‘the Rapture?’”

“That would be me,” Natasha said with a triumphant grin, reaching over and grabbing the card. She then snatched a black card, reading, “I got ninety-nine problems but blank ain’t one.” Standing, she shoved her hands into the front pocket of her hoodie. “You guys want anything to eat?” She asked as she headed for the hotel room’s tiny kitchenette.

“I’m gonna run to the bathroom,” Sam said as he also stood.

Steve couldn’t help but smile as he watched you and Bucky stare into each other’s eyes, mischievous smirks on your faces. It was nice, seeing how well the two of you got along. He held up his camera—the one you’d gotten him for his birthday the year before—and snapped a picture, neither of you hearing the soft click.

“Hmmm…,” Bucky hummed as he picked through his cards. “Should I go with ‘Seventy-Two Virgins’ or ‘Erectile Dysfunction?’”

“Oh, ‘Erectile Dysfunction,’” you said as you leaned back against the couch. You were bundled up in a giant sweatshirt—whether it was Steve or Bucky’s, none of them knew at that point—and fuzzy socks. You looked so cozy, so warm. Like you weren’t stuck in a cheap hotel in Norway, thousands of miles from home.

And once again, he was reminded just how lucky he was to have you.

“Steve mentioned that you two have a history,” Peggy said slowly, carefully gauging your reaction. “From before you even met Steve.”

Bucky bit his lip, as he tried to not make any noise.

“Yeah. He, uh…” You trailed off, blushing a rosy pink as you looked at the photo. You’d gotten it developed after the Snap, wanting as keep every memory of your friends that you could. “He helped train me in the Red Room.”

The Brit smirked as she nudged you, raising her eyebrows. “You’re blushing.”

“I…” You picked at a loose thread in your comforter. “I had a crush on him back then. It was dumb. I was seventeen, it wasn’t appropriate.”

Bucky’s heart caught in his throat as all his feelings welled up. You were right, it wasn’t appropriate. You’d been seventeen, about to turn eighteen, when he’d realized he had feelings for you.

And he’d immediately told his handler. In a subtle way of course, not wanting it to be obvious. He’d quietly asked him when the next time he would see you was, making sure to emphasize the ‘see you.’ Normally, he didn’t ask anything, but if he did, it was always ‘When am I training again?’

His handler had picked it up immediately, and he’d been wiped. He’d protected you from himself, not wanting to be the creepy old man preying on a young girl.

Bucky took in a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut before walking down the hall. He didn’t need to listen to the rest of your conversation. His heart couldn’t take it at the moment no matter which way it went.

#bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes imagine

910 notes · View notes

katherinewilliams221b · 4 years

Text

A very Walsh Christmas

Summary: Charlie and Kate spend the day before Christmas at Kate’s grandfather’s house. Set in 1995 but I apologise if there’s some inaccuracies (Don’t think so but…)

Pairing: Charlie Weasley x ofc

A/N: Long ass fic. I’m sick and in bed and in the mood to write. I wanted to do a holidays special. OH and ALSO brace yourselves for a Charlie Weasley POV.

I wish you all happy holidays. Raise a glass to all your loved ones.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Why are you asking that just in front of your grandfather’s house, we can’t go back now!”

For weeks I had been trying to convince Kate that spending the holidays with her family was a good idea. We had, in fact, spent one Christmas alone in Romania and although it was a nice rest from the chaotic atmosphere of the Burrow, it ended with both of us secretly miserable.

Now standing in front of Kate’s grandfather’s house, in the village of Stanton, staring at the Christmas decorations on the door, I found myself more nervous than when I first went to Romania.

I couldn’t help but shift in my place and I looked down at the bottle I was carrying; a fine firewhiskey if I dare say myself, and it better be, because I spent an entire week choosing one.

“Alright, I’m positively freezing, I’m going to ring.” I heard her say. Before she did, a deep voice near us startled me.

“If you are not going in, leave the presents at the door and leave.” A man with red cheeks and a smirk on his face was leaning on the nearest window to the door, from inside the house.

“Grandpa!” Kate’s eyes lit under the streetlights and that was the only thing that made all my insecurities go away.

“The door’s open, what are you waiting for? Snow? Can make it snow in a second, look.” Kate squealed when a snowball appeared out of nowhere and hit her full on the head. She rapidly opened the door and shook her hair out of the snow. I followed her closing the door behind me.

“Grandpa! You have to improve your snowflakes…”

“Ah, a stór, fashionably late, I see. You happen to have snow on your hair.” Kate shook her head and smiled, a sight so rare these days I couldn’t help but stare.

They hugged, tight and long, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to watch or look away. Giving them space, I focused on the entrance of the house. I could hear the crackling of fire at my right and also a set of voices accompanying it. A clock on the wall marked 7:32 in the evening, we were fashionably late indeed, and to the left I imagined there was the table set with dinner.

“And you must be the famous Charles Weasley.” He comically bowed and I shook the hand he offered. I was strangely relieved by the look in his eyes and managed to relax slightly. I looked up at Kate, questioning about my popularity status but she avoided my gaze, a lovely shade of pink appearing on her cheeks.

“Yes, Sir. You can call me Charlie.”

“And you can call me Bernard!” He added so cheerfully that I had to smile. Suddenly I remembered my gift.

“Here, this is for you.” I handed him the whiskey and he inspected it with such a scrutiny that I felt the need to apparate to Romania just in one jump.

“Ah, but this is just perfect, we will have it with dessert. Excuse me for a moment.” Bernard left the entrance hall, leaving me alone with Kate. She had changed her shoes into a pair of fluffy slippers.

“I got you a pair, too, you’ll be more comfortable.” She grabbed the bags I was carrying and my coat and scarf and left for a moment as well. I had changed into the slippers when she came back.

“This is going to be madness.” She said putting her hands around my neck. I had a brief second to appreciate her dark green dress and black stockings, she does look good in green.

“You’ve been in my house, you know what that’s like.” I replied hugging her waist.

“Yes, but my family…”

“Is family.” End of discussion. Let’s do this, dear Godric I think I’m going to pass out. “Shall we?”

She guided me to the living room where a tree was set with multiple presents under it. Kate’s family stopped talking as soon as we entered.

“Katie!” A woman with chestnut hair stood up abruptly and hugged Kate tight to her chest. I recognized her to be her mother.

“Nat, you are going to suffocate our daughter.” Joseph Williams set his glass of bubbling liquid on the table and went to hug her as well.

“I don’t think, we’ve actually met, I’m Natalia, Katie’s mom, she offered a hand and I shook it. “Charlie, Charlie Weasley.” I couldn’t help comparing her to Mom, and how she would have crushed in a hug whoever I introduced her to. Very much the way she did with Kate when they first met.

“Of course, Kate told us a lot about you in her letters, I received the last one while I was in Bangkok, ah, I remember that time well.”

Kate’s father offered me a hand as well, a very firm and strong hand, and nodded once. “Mr. Williams.” I tried to smile but the man was certainly intimidating.

A blonde woman got up from the couch, she looked a lot like Kate’s mom.

“Ugh, come on, Nat, you can’t help but slip into minimal conversation one of your trips. Cornelia Walsh, enchantée.” I awkwardly grabbed her hand, but I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to kiss it or shake it. Luckily for me, I felt a familiar hand pressed against my lower back and it was like Kate was absorbing all of the tension.

“Charlie, this is my aunt, Cornelia, and her husband, Secondo.”

“I am actually the third of all my siblings, so I don’t really understand the joke there.” The man shook my hand and I saw from the corner of my eye how Kate’s aunt rolled her eyes.

“Are you going to say that every time we meet someone?”

To my disappointment, Joseph dragged Kate away from me and put an arm around her shoulders guiding her to the dining room and everybody followed. “So, tell me, what does Dumbledore have to say about the conference with the Albanian government?”

Dinner went by with minimal problems, Kate’s grandfather had put some background music in a machine that Dad would certainly adore. He also made sure I was comfortable and was the only one to conversate with me.

It wasn’t once that Katie put a hand on my knee and caressed there absentmindedly, and it was a test to my auto control not to play with her hair or caress her neck in return.

I was excitedly sharing with Bernard some of the details about my dissertation about the Ukrainian Ironbelly when I heard Katie’s brother’s name in the conversation near me. It was clear that it was heading into an argument and my suspicions were rapidly confirmed.

“Oh, don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same!” Kate put the fork down with too much force and the cutlery on the table shook.

“It doesn’t matter what I would have done or not, you put your life in danger and others around you!” shouted her father.

“Oh, well at least I was doing something about it!”

“How dare you!” Kate’s mother rose abruptly and threw her napkin on the table, leaving the room.

“How can you say that, Katherine, it was my son you are talking about, don’t you think for one second that I didn’t try to get him back.” He didn’t shout, and that was more telling than anything he could have done. The hurt in his voice was clear to anyone with ears, and my heart broke for all the parents who’ve lost a child. He rose too and left the room presumably to comfort his wife. I watched how Katie’s jaw tensed and then how she closed her eyes briefly before going after him.

A tense silence surrounded us, and Cornelia’s voice seemed ten times louder when she talked.

“It’s never easy for them, you know, especially on holidays.” I nodded, not knowing how to reply. I had been there for her at Hogwarts and I will always be, I had cried Jacob’s death like it was my own brother.

Bernard sighed and proceeded to clean the table. I stood up and helped take the empty plates to the kitchen.

The second course was served, and Bernard insisted it was no use waiting for the rest to join us. Cornelia was in the middle of a very amusing story about a certain apparition test she had to examine.

“You know, as an apparition examiner, I’ve seen a lot of things, horrible things as well splinchings are serious business, but when that kid appeared tangled in the chandelier, I just couldn’t help but burst out laughing in the middle of the court.” I chuckled despite myself and made my best efforts to not give away my apparition abilities.

“Charlie had to take the test twice.” Kate’s voice invaded the small place when she appeared from the hall. Bloody hell, woman, you never give me a rest. She clearly had been crying but when I looked at her, she just smiled at me and I almost forgave her for humiliating me more. “Appeared on top of a poor muggle lady doing her shopping.”

“Really? Well, darling, don’t worry about that, I’ve seen worse.” Kate’s aunt wanted to make me feel better, I knew that, but I also knew that my face was probably matching my hair.

“Well at least I don’t have to sit down for fifteen minutes every time I make a jump…” I replied to Kate. She was left with her mouth open but smiling while the rest chuckled and her grandfather laughed before taking a sip from his wine.

“Alright, mister…” she chuckled and playfully tugged at the short ponytail low in my neck. When Mr and Mrs Williams came back, the mood was light again and I got the chance to relax and talk with everyone at the table.

Dessert came around and I was surprised with the outburst from Kate’s aunt.

“I can’t believe you tried to buy a crushing cabinet!” Cornelia stormed out of the room and her husband followed suit. “My love, it was on sale and I…” I consider myself a perceptive man, but I honestly didn’t see that the conversation was going to take that turn.

“This carrot cake is really good, grandpa, is it grandma’s recipe?” Bernard cleaned the corner of his mouth with his napkin. “It is, indeed, a stór. Your grandmother had the best cooking skills I have ever seen. When we were starting dating, as you would say, back in Ireland, I remember one summer when my Julie came home, a bunch we were, yes, all squeezed around a table that was as well the kitchen. And she came home with a radiant smile and some onions and can you believe she cooked for everyone! Everyone in the house gained at least five pounds that day, even young Sean who was all flesh and bones. Here let me…”

He rounded the table and opened a cabinet. “…grab the pictures…” This was obviously a frequent activity because Kate and her parents started to complain.

“Come on, Dad, we’ve seen those pictures a thousand times already!” said Natalia. Her father ignored her completely and shoved a leather album into my hands. “Look, lad, that’s what a full house looks like.” I opened the album to reveal several pictures scattered through the pages and I smiled. “Oh, I know how it feels, I have five brothers and a sister.”

“Five brothers and a sister! Ha!” He chuckled low and deep “That’s half a family, son. Look, look at it.” He tapped the pictures with his finger before clearing away the plates on the table again.

Kate felt the need to come to my rescue because she moved her chair and pressed herself against my shoulder. “I’m sorry.” She whispered in my ear, but I could hear the amusement in her voice. I shook my head and turned a page, there was something odd in the images.

“Wait. They’re not moving?” Bernard returned from the kitchen wearing pink rubber gloves. “Of course not! Who would have paid for that?” He wiggled his fingers and returned to the kitchen. “My Julie always said, Berny, I don’t care you can do magic! Don’t be a lazy bastard and wash the dishes! Been doing it the muggle way for years now.” He said from the kitchen. “Nat, dear, help me with this would ye.”

“Yes, Da.” Kate’s mother stood up and disappeared to the kitchen as well.

“Well, why don’t we go to the living room, we will be more comfortable.” Offered Joseph.

“I agree!” Kate rushed to secure all the albums into the cabinet again and took my arm guiding me through the entrance hall again and into the living room. “What do you not want me to see?” I whispered. She hesitated but answered me anyway. “Baby pictures.” My eyes widened and I turned to the room we’ve just left but she gripped my arm more securely and held me in place. “Oh, I want to see those!”

“Absolutely not.” She laughed and sat down on the couch in front of the fire.

“I believe you brought some firewhiskey, Charles?” I interpreted his tone as a good signal, maybe we had broken the ice. “Yes, yes, I don’t know where Mr Walsh put it…”

“I have it right here.” He pushed a trolley with some drinks and glasses and served a small cup for everyone. He handed us the drinks and sat down next to Kate, leaving me the armchair next to the couch for me alone. I know perfectly well that Katie drinks out of obligation, so I watched closely as her face contorted in displeasure when she took a sip.

I smiled into my glass before taking a sip myself just before Cornelia and Secondo entered the room.

“So, what were you talking about?” Cornelia demanded. “Oh! Look, honey, it’s your favourite!” She grabbed the glasses of firewhiskey and sat on a loveseat near the window.

“Grandpa took out the photographs.” Said Kate

“Ugh, every time, every time.” Cornelia tsked and then chuckled “That man. Now tell me: how long you’ve been together?” The question took me by surprise and I almost choked on my drink. I met Kate’s gaze and we both shrugged trying to do the math.

“I think…four, five years?” She offered and I nodded “More or less, yes.”

“Oh, that’s a long time! I can’t imagine being with someone for that long. How did you meet?” I resisted the urge to laugh at her husband’s expression and sipped from my glass again. I looked at Kate and we silently agreed that she would answer the interrogation.

“At Hogwarts, in fourth year, I believe. How did you two meet?” Ah, my Katie, queen of never giving too much details about her life. I’ve never been a man of many words and I admit I become slightly nervous when asked about other than my job. And although I prefer to keep our private lives private, I sometimes find the urge to explain every detail of Kate’s life with me and, why not, brag about it as much as I can.

“A toast!” I heard the deep voice of Kate’s grandfather announce. Immersed in my own thoughts I didn’t notice we were reunited all again. “To family, blood or not. To the ones we love and love us back, to the ones we lost but will always be in our hearts. And to the holidays, that give us the opportunity to be together once again.”

“Cheers!” After a round of clinking our glasses, I let myself shrunk in my seat and I stared at the fire. It was peaceful for a moment, the soft music, the lights, the fire.

I looked at Kate, and to my surprise she was looking back at me. She gave me a beautiful smile and I tried to take a mental picture of it. If I were more comfortable, I would have grabbed her hand and dragged her to sit with me and maybe try to steal a kiss or two. At the Burrow I would have done that without thinking.

“Hey!” Cornelia’s voice startled me “It’s Christmas already!” On cue, the clock in the hallway gave twelve o'clock and I stood up to greet everyone. Katie approached me and put a hand on my shoulder before pressing her lips against mine in a short but sweet kiss.

“Merry Christmas” she murmured. I put a strand of hair that had loosened from her clip behind her ear, the only gesture I was allowing myself to indulge. “Merry Christmas, Katie.”

“Let’s open some presents!” Said Bernard joyfully.

“Wait! I got ours in the closet!” Kate rushed to the hallway where she had put our belongings.

I watched how everyone talked and opened their presents, I am very proud of our selection of the watch we got to Kate’s father, he seemed quite taken with it. I had no clue that new omnioculars could make someone so happy, but Natalia was happily explaining some story about them in Egypt.

I wanted to participate in that conversation, having been in Egypt myself with my family, but someone put a hand on my shoulder distracting me. Bernard appeared from behind and gave me a meticulously wrapped present. Oh, I wasn’t expecting that.

“Here, lad. As soon as my Katie told me you were coming, I got this for ye.” In a million years I would have expected any member of her family would give me a gift and I was so touched by the gesture I ended up staring at the present instead of opening it. “Come on, son, I’m going to get old waiting.”

I did as he said, and I was even more impressed when I found what was inside: a copy of From Egg to Inferno: a Dragon’s keeper’s guide. I smiled and caressed the cover. I have read this book over thirteen times, but the fact that he bothered to look for something I might enjoy filled me with warmth.

“Thank you so much, sir. I’m touched.” He smiled and I saw the exact same expression that Kate has, just for a moment.

“You are welcome, son.” He hugged me and clapped my back twice.

“I have something for you, too.” Said a sweet voice behind me. Kate stood with her arms on her back and a smirk on her face. She handed me an envelope with my name on it. It was a letter. I turned it but there was no remittent, so I looked up at her.

“I had to erase it so it wouldn’t ruin anything.” She chuckled nervously, “Come on, open it.”

I did as she said and started reading.

Dear Charles Weasley,

I was told very insistently that I wrote a letter back to you instead of the original remittent.

Due to the multiple letters that arrived to me I decided to address the first one, which had attached parts of a manuscript draft that I believe you are the author of.

I read it thoroughly and I was very pleased with the contents of it, I certainly require a copy of the book when finished, I intend to buy it legitimately, of course.

I am particularly interested in your campaign to set free the Ukrainian Ironbelly that it’s been held captive inside the bank of Gringotts, and I support the cause wholeheartedly. Whenever you feel it’s appropriate, I am at your disposal to discuss the details.

Best regards,

Newt Scamander

P.S I kept the draft to read it one more time, but I will not mind sending it back to its legitimate owner, if you happen to want it back, please indicate so in a letter.

I don’t remember how many times I read the letter, probably too many, because my lack of response was making Kate shift in her place in front of me.

“Are you angry that I sent him your draft without your permission?” She said softly. I looked up at her and I could see she was afraid of my answer. How could I be? I hadn’t even considered sending it to Newt Scamander, THE Newt Scamander, believing he wouldn’t bother reading it. And she, on her line of making possible the impossible, made my dreams come true.

“I just…you gave it to me to read it, and I thought it was brilliant, I did have to use a couple of books to understand some parts of it but…” she chuckled nervously again and that threw me out of my trance.

I grabbed the letter and the book in one hand and hugged her as tight as I could. She lost her balance and laughed, but I wouldn’t let her fall. She hugged me back and I forgot where we were or that probably we were being watched by her family. That didn’t matter at the moment.

Sounds of an argument caught our attention and we separated.

“When were ye gonna tell me ye were not goin’ to be ‘ere for Christmas?” Bernard’s anger accentuated his accent. “Ye said ye were goin’ to stay!”

“Da, please, you know how it is, I must be in South Africa tomorrow morning.”

“And what in the bloody hell you lost in South Africa that’s more important than your family, Natalia!”

Kate sighed beside me and said, “Would you help me pick up all the wrapping paper?” I nodded knowing what she meant and grabbed the few papers scattered on the floor. She quietly exited the room and I followed, leaving the argument behind us.

I watched move her wrist and the wrapping paper elevated in the air floating towards the kitchen. She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a room behind the stairs. “Wait! Wait! I got you a present as well!” I rushed towards the hall and picked up the box I brought “It’s not going to be as special as your gift, but…here.”

The room was clearly a studio, with big bookshelves covering the walls, a wooden desk with multiple drawers on it and some artefacts I couldn’t identify.

She had that particular look in her eyes when she knows something that I don’t, bloody hell it’s impossible to surprise her. I watched how she curiously opened the box and I was pleased when she seemed genuinely surprised. She gasped and a wave of pride washed over me.

She is not a girl that waits for you to give her a present, if she wants something, she gets it. Auto Gifts she calls them, but I wanted to do something nice for her and I anticipated. We were indulging in some ‘us time’ in Bucharest, away from the chaos of the magic world, the problems, the thought of a war, just a couple taking a walk under the city lights. It was a moment, just a split of second, in mid-conversation she had stolen a look to a hat shop’s showcase. I didn’t give it much thought until I found an opened Witch Weekly Magazine in her workplace back at home. She hadn’t told me about it, so I figured that she hadn’t decided yet.

“Oh, Charlie, this is…too much.” She took out the witch hat I got her: black with dark blue velvet inside and golden threads on the top. “Love, this is too expensive, I… I’m not working at the moment and…”

“You like it?” I knew she did because she hadn’t taken her eyes away from it.

“This is not practical, I…”

“It’s not supposed to be practical, it’s a gift, but do you like it?”

“I… I do! Oh, Merlin, this is perfect, how…?”

“Because I know you.” She put it on and posed for me.

“How do I look?”

“Positively beautiful.” She smiled and ran to a mirror on the wall where she looked at her reflection and squealed.

“It came with these…uh, things,” I took out a small bag with some star and moon pendants inside of it. “You can hang them on it, if you want, that is.”

“Thanks.” She walked up to me and grabbed my cheeks, probably burning by now, and leaned to kiss me. The hat had other thoughts, and my forehead collided with its wing. We both started laughing and I threw my head back.

“Hey, look, it matches with the ceiling.” I hadn’t noticed before, but the entirety of the ceiling was painted as a dark sky, a deep dark blue with stars all over it. She looked up as well and we stood there, what a sight to see! Both hugging and looking up at nowhere.

“Your grandmother painted it.” Said a voice from the door. Kate’s grandfather stood leaning on the doorframe. “I apologise for the scene” he said “My, my, there’s a witch in my house!” He joked and we both laughed, but I noticed the sadness of his eyes.

“I assume you won’t be here tomorrow either.”

Kate sighed and drew away from me, guilt all over her face.

“We thought we could spend today here and tomorrow with his family; his father’s been badly injured, and we were planning on visiting him at the hospital.” This was not right. Mom always said that no one should spend the holidays alone, that it misses the point completely.

“Mr Walsh,” I began

“Bernard, please,” he corrected

“Bernard, I invite you to spend Christmas day with my family.” Kate looked at me and I saw from the corner of my eye that she smiled.

“Oh, no, no, no, son…”

“I insist, “I interrupted “Mom cooks for a whole army anyway and they won’t mind another guest. I know it’s going to look like just half a family for you but, they always make everyone feel at home.”

“Perhaps, it would be nice…”

“It will.” Said Kate putting and arm around my waist.

“That’s settled, then.” I said. Kate turned around to grab the box and gasped. “Look! It’s snowing!” She rushed to the window behind the desk and the other members of the family came to investigate what was the commotion about.

We ended up all gathered together, pressed against the window watching the snow cover the street.

“My Julie said there was something magical in watching snow fall.” Bernard commented, and he was right, even though in Romania we have our fair share of snow every year, Kate and I always find ourselves staring out of the window for a few peaceful moments.

She rested her head on my shoulder, trying not to poke my face with the hat, and I hugged her waist.

“But that’s just because you always conjured snow just to fall in front of her!” Accused Cornelia with an amused tone.

“Certainly not!” He tried to cover the lie but ended up laughing anyway spreading it to the rest of us. I squeezed Kate’s hip and she turned to look at me.

“Ready for round two tomorrow?” Her eyes widened at the thought of a Weasley Christmas and we ended up chuckling together.

Despite all the mess that our lives were at the moment it was a nice rest, and it was certainly a holiday that I wouldn’t forget.

(Part 2/3)

#charlie weasley #charlie weasley fanfiction #charlie x jacob's sibling #charlie weasley x ofc #charlie weasley x mc #mc #hogwarts mystery #potterverse #christmas #weasleys #weasley

53 notes · View notes

not-close-to-straight · 5 years

Text

Shadowed Heart/Winter Souls (Chapter Twenty-Three)

MASTERLIST

*********************

“Signore Carbonell Stark.” The butler waved the footman away and opened the carriage door himself, bowing at the waist to offer a polite, “Welcome home to Italia, how was your journey?”

“Tiresome, thank you.” Tony smiled at the man, grateful he had been willing to travel from the Stark estate in Brescia to meet the carriage here at the home in the hills behind Chioggia. “It’s good to see you, Jarvis.”

“E ‘bello vederti, Antonio.” Jarvis broke into a smile and clapped Tony’s shoulder lightly, all the worry lines accumulated in the last year of hearing nothing from the young master washing away in mere seconds. “It is good to see you as well.”

Tony turned back to the carriage and held out his hand for Natalia. “This is my wife, the Lady Natalia Romanova-Stark. And our ward--” he tugged Natalia to the side and held out his hand for Wanda as she departed the carriage as well. “Signorina Wanda Maximoff, and her brother, Pietro Maximoff.”

“Welcome.” Jarvis bent low over Natalia’s hand to kiss her knuckles, and offered the same treatment to Wanda. “Benvenuta. I am most pleased to meet you all.”

Pietro came down the stairs stiffly, painfully, and Jarvis neatly side stepped the women to wrap his arm around Pietro’s waist and help him to the ground, not so much as blinking at the sight of bandages that covered most of Pietro’s head, or the gauze on his fingers and up along most of his arm.

“Be very careful, Signore Pietro Maximoff.” Jarvis said lightly. “I would be very disappointed if you spilt blood on my beautiful stone path, I finished scrubbing them this morning.”

Pietro blinked his one uncovered eye at Jarvis, and when the elderly butler only grinned, Pietro’s lips tugged up in a reluctant smile as well.

“What Jarvis means is that he found a local boy who wanted a few coins and was willing to scrub stones all day.” Tony informed them. “Since I am no longer home to cause mischief and earn my way into ridiculous chores as punishment, he has had to resort to hiring help for the more unpleasant cleaning.”

“Your butler made you do chores, Antonio?” Wanda wondered, hoisting her own small traveling bag and collecting Natalia’s as well. “And you obliged him?”

“Jarvis is much more than my butler.” Tony hooked Natalia's hand through his arm, leaning into kiss her temple when she didn’t say anything. “He was my body guard, he kept me from trouble, drove me places when I was young, covered for my--” a quiet cough. “--indiscretions.”

“Taught the boy to hide love bites with a touch of powder and blush.” Jarvis continued, ignoring Tony’s embarrassed squawk and focusing instead of helping Pietro over the stones to the house. “Fixed clothing when Antonio ran off and got into a mess instead of sitting quietly in the parlor, ensured he could at least act the part of a nobleman even if he was truly a hellion. Taught him to handle a rifle, to assemble a pistol before famiglia Beretta took him into their work space.”

Jarvis sent Tony a smile over Pietro’s head. “Taught him to throw a punch, though he hasn’t used the knowledge near as often as I’d like.”

“You wished for him to fight?” Wanda’s eyes went very wide. “Our Antonio? When?”

“Only in moments where I would be put to death for accosting a member of the nobility.” Jarvis replied smoothly, and then changed the subject as they arrived at the door. “Here we are. Antonio, the door so I can help Pietro. My Lady Natalia, per favore allow me the inconvenience of entering ahead of you only this once.”

“Are you alright?” Tony held back as first Jarvis and Pietro entered the foyer, followed closely by Wanda. “Natalia, you haven’t said a word in hours. How are you feeling?”

“Your man Jarvis would have killed your lover if you hadn’t fled the country with me.” Natalia dodged Tony’s question to ask another. “How did your parents feel about the hired help having so much influence in your life?”

“My Papa would not have noticed either way.” Tony let go of Natalia’s hand only long enough to usher her through the door and out of the wind. “And my Mama was glad someone was there to keep me from building wildly explosive things in my bedroom.”

“You never mentioned him.” Natalia’s green eyes flickered in curiosity over the simple yet elegant arches in the foyer, the wide windows and soothing colors. “Not once in all the times we shared our hearts did you mention Jarvis who seems to be responsible for much of the man you are today.”

“There are many things I didn’t mention all the times we shared our hearts.” Tony tried for light heartedness but it fell flat. “Jarvis spent less time in my life the last several years. Once I was old enough to not need a nanny or close watching, he took on other duties. He and Ana moved away from the main house in Brescia after my twenty first birthday so I didn’t even see him the night I left. It didn’t occur to mention him to you.”

“And yet he came all this way to welcome you home.” Natalia pointed out, clearly not believing Tony's story. “And you messaged him from Kiev, not your parents nor one of your friends. Why haven’t you mentioned him, Antonio? Why would you hide a relationship with a man who so clearly loves you?”

“Jarvis knows me better than anyone.” Tony pushed open the door of the recently aired out visitors parlor and led Natalia to an overstuffed chair. “And I knew if I stayed, he would counsel me through my anger and force me to confront what I was feeling. I am not too proud to admit I was not strong enough for that, I wanted to wallow in my fury. Jarvis would have counseled me through my anger or--”

“Or?” Natalia prompted and Tony’s smile was more of a grimace.

“Or he would have gone to the masquerade himself, taken Ty out into the gardens and put a bullet through his forehead for daring to break my heart.”

“...you didn’t tell him what happened between you and your lover.” Natalia realized. “He only found out after you had gone to Sokovia with me.”

“I’m sure it is only the height of professional protocol keeping Jarvis from giving me a verbal and no doubt physical thrashing.” Tony confirmed. “But when Ana comes to visit, I’m sure she won’t hold back at all. Have you ever seen a nobleman slapped, Natalia? It will not be a pretty sight.”

“I’ve done more than my fair share of slapping noblemen, I’m well used to the sight.” Natalia narrowed her eyes. “The butler’s wife would slap you?”

“Only because I am too big for her to catch over her knee and give a spanking to.” Tony poured Natalia a glass of water, the pitcher obviously set up just a few moments before they arrived. “I never talked about Jarvis and Ana for the same reason I did not talk about my parents or any friends I have left here, and why I only spoke of the bad in my relationship.”

Natalia waited with raised eyebrows and Tony blew out a breath before finishing, “Running away with you was at best an attempt to escape my broken heart and at worst, a childish reaction to a temporary problem. I abandoned my entire life because my married lover was staying with his wife. Foolish. Jarvis would have yanked me off the train and marched me back to Brescia and told me to grow up, to act the man he’d helped raise me to be. Ana would have slapped me and then cried because she was worried, then slapped me again/”

“You didn’t talk about them because they were the only ones who could make you return home.”

“Jarvis and Ana expect me to be a better man.” Tony sipped at his own water and sighed. “And I did not want to be a better man, not for a long time. That’s why I never mentioned them.”

“And now?” Natalia inclined her head towards the foyer where they could hear Wanda asking Jarvis where the kitchen was so she could make lunch for the family, and Jarvis’s returning exclamation that Italia was not the wilds of Russia and that there were servants for that sort of thing. “You’ve come home again, how do you feel? What do you think?”

“I think you are hiding something from me.” Tony said bluntly. “I don’t know what was in that message you sent out after we lost our soldiers, and I don’t know why you went back to the manor one more time. You are more closed off to me now than you've ever been. You’re sick and exhausted constantly, and I’m worried. I’m worried about you, Talia. That’s what I think.”

Natalia smiled a little but it was nearly painful. “That’s not what I asked, Antonio.”

“Alright then.” Tony set his water down and folded his arms. “I think at some point over the last year I learned to stop being selfish, learned to stop wallowing in self pity and somehow became the man Jarvis and Ana would have insisted I be after Ty. So I brought our family home where we can be safe and I can be around the other people I love. I’m ready to deal with everything I left behind, and whatever else comes our way in the future.”

“I think you were always a good man.” Natalia countered, settling back into the plush chair and closing her eyes. “Perhaps it just took you a long time to realize it.”

“Perhaps.” Tony bent down and kissed Natalia’s forehead. “I’m sure Jarvis arranged a room for you, Talia. Why don’t you lie down upstairs?”

“I’m fine here, Antonio. But thank you.”

She smiled tiredly and Tony brushed a wisp of hair away to whisper, “Everything will be alright, you’ll see.”

He left the petite redhead resting in the parlor, and closed the door on the way out, pausing to smile at Wanda as she hovered in the kitchen waiting for a sandwich. “How are you, lovely?”

“Antonio!” Wanda laughed out loud when the serving girl turned to hand her a plate. “I tried to prepare my own food and was nearly shouted at! Do you honestly have servants to do everything for you here?”

“It’s an adjustment but I’m sure you will manage.” Tony laughed back at her and went to find Pietro, jogging up the stairs to get to the second level and running his hand along the beautifully carved banister.

Some of his favorite memories from childhood had taken place in this house-- summers spent swimming at the beach, late nights studying the stars from his bedroom window. Supper as the sun went down over the sea and early breakfasts before running out the door to explore. Tony wanted to bring Ty here one day, had dreamt of long sun soaked weekends with Ty’s arm wrapped tight around him and whispered promises of love as the floral scented air came through the bedroom--

“You are day dreaming Antonio, I would recognize that smile anywhere.” Jarvis came out into the hall, closing Pietro’s bedroom door behind him quietly. “The young man is resting now and I will have two maids assist him in bathing tonight so we can change his bandages. He must be in extraordinary pain, but he hasn’t said a word in complaint. Much different than the way you howl over splinters.”

“I don’t howl—“ Tony started to defend himself but the familiar twinkle in Jarvis’s eyes stopped him. “Well either way, I think for now Wanda and I will continue changing Pietro’s bandages. Any other time he’d be thrilled to have two women helping him bathe but he’s in a lot of pain and can’t make it through without tears. No sense making him more self conscious.”

“Of course.” Jarvis nodded in understanding. “It is difficult for young men to lose their looks, to have women there to see the damage is all the worse. I’ll assemble a kit for you to use this evening.”

“Thank you.” Tony chewed at his bottom lip for a moment. “Jarvis listen, about how I left—“

“No.” Jarvis held up his hand to hush Tony. “First we will get the rest of your new family settled for the evening, then you and I will have a drink and you can tell me everything that has happened in the past year.”

Tony nodded, a hand over his heart as it started aching when Jarvis gave him a wonderfully comforting smile. “I’m looking forward to it.”

***************

The sun was nearly down by the time Wanda settled onto the couch in Pietro’s room, insisting over Jarvis’s protests that she had slept in the same room as Pietro since he was hurt.

“I am perfectly fine sleeping here on the couch.” She assured the butler. “I will retrieve the blankets from my chambers—“

Jarvis snapped his fingers and a maid scrambled over, dropping into a quick curtsy. “You will have the stable boys help you bring the Lady’s mattress from her room along with extra blankets. Now, per favore.”

“Sir.” The maid curtsied again and ran to obey.

“We have stable boys?” Wanda laughed in delight. “So many servants! We are used to doing everything ourselves!”

“I can assure you, my dear Lady Wanda, those days are over.” Jarvis bowed low over Wanda’s band and turned on his heel to leave, adding at the door, “You will ring that cord in the corner if you need anything at all, My Lady. Anything at all."

“Imagine that, brother.” Wanda leaned over the bed and brushed gently over what little she could see if Pietro's cheek. “You and I living in a house with maids and a cook and stable boys? Jarvis snapped his fingers and they are going to deliver my bed here to the room so I can still be close to you.”

Pietro pressed just lightly at her hand, barely more than a flex of his fingers.

“Things are going to be alright, brother.” She whispered, blinking back tears when his face etched in pain from even the smallest movement. “I know it seems like we’ve lost everything, but we still have each other and we have Natalia and Antonio will make sure we have a safe place to call home. Things are going to be alright. I promise."

The bed arrived a few minutes later along with extra blankets and hot chocolate carried in by Natalia, and after good night kisses were given all around, Natalia asked, “Do you want me to sleep in here as well?”

“We are fine, Talia.” Wanda assured her. “And you need your rest. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Very well.” Natalia lingered a moment more, but Tony came to escort her to bed, calling a good night to the twins and walking Natalia to her chambers, holding onto Talia’s hand when she shrugged off his arm at her waist. “I don’t like them sleeping alone.”

“Love, they are not alone.” Tony tsked. “Wanda is there with Pietro, same room just like they’ve been since he was hurt. You are only steps down the hall and I am a few steps further. No one, not one of us, is alone.”

“It certainly feels like it. We are missing so many people, and we are in a new place--” Natalia stopped at the door to her room, staring in at the massive four poster bed. “I don’t want to sleep in a bed by myself, Antonio, I don’t know if I’ll survive the night.”

“Talia—“

“Will you stay with me?” She whispered, tears catching bright on her lashes before spilling onto her cheeks, the first time she’d cried since their soldiers had walked away, the first sign of weakness she’d shown at all, the thought of being alone after everything simply too much to bare. “Please? Antonio don’t make me sleep alone, I can’t do it, I can’t do it.”

“Alright alright, come here.” Tony hushed her gently, turning the tiny woman in his arms and gathering her close. “We'll sleep in my room tonight. It’s fine, Natalia. It’s fine, come on.”

It took another half an hour to get Natalia set up in Tony's chambers, a maid bringing a warm cup of tea, another bringing Natalia’s robe and nightgown.

“I’m going downstairs with Jarvis for a while, but I’ll be here again soon.” Tony promised. “Drink your tea and close your eyes. I’ll be back in a little while.”

Tony left when Natalia began to undress, closing the door behind him and jogging down the stairs to get to the parlor, desperate for a chair and a drink—

“Well ahead of you, Antonio.” Jarvis met him near the kitchen, a bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other. “The balcony, perhaps?”

“After you.” Tony motioned for the man to precede him out the ornately carved double doors that led outside to the west facing balcony and it’s view of the sea below.

Tony dropped himself into one of the chairs and stretched his legs out, covering his face with one hand and groaning, feeling blindly around for the cup.

“Here.” Jarvis pressed a glass to Tony's hand and watched with a distinctly fond smile as Tony nearly gulped at the wine. “A year with whichever poison the Russians call wine is far too long, hm?”

“I actually started drinking vodka in my coffee.” Tony chuckled, and then laughed louder when Jarvis’s eyes went wide with horror. “It’s not as bad as you’d think. Especially not when it is so cold the doors freeze solid.”

“Dio mio.” Jarvis muttered. “How did you ever survive an entire year in such a place? When I heard of your Russian bride, I thought you’d be home by the time the rivers froze. Why did you stay?”

Tony poured himself another drink and swirled the claret liquid against the glass. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“I have seen and heard many unbelievable things in the course of our years together, Master Stark. The day you blew your dresser to pieces trying to invent a better gunpowder for one.” Jarvis pointed out. “The day you rigged your father’s rifle to fire eighty bullets within a few moments and nearly took your hand off for another.”

Tony grinned and the butler added, “I would imagine the reason you stayed away as more to do with love than anything, is that right? Though you can imagine my surprise when you wrote to say you were returning with a wife.”

“Yes.” Tony took a long drink. “Yes, my wife. Natalia and I were married the night of the masquerade before we left for Russia. She told me I looked like a man in need of escape, and she was a woman who could offer me one.”

“Fleeing the country because of a broken heart.” Jarvis shook his head. “Antonio—“

“I know.” Tony interrupted. “I know you are disappointed in me, I know that Ana will no doubt shout at me before she hugs me. I should have been mature about it all and realized that Ty and I were never going to be what I wanted us to be. He is married and I am foolish and I should have remembered all the times you told me to do better, I should have—“

“Antonio, it makes me very sad you think we would judge you for what you did that night.” Jarvis said quietly. “A broken heart makes strangers of us all, drives a man to drink, to insanity, to vengeance. After all the foolishness you got into as a child, knowing you simply ran away with a beautiful woman was almost a relief. I was afraid of far worse.”

“I’m sorry for not sending word.”

“And I am sorry you felt as if you couldn’t send word.” Jarvis countered. “I tried to teach you to take responsibility for your actions, to make smart decisions but I never meant to teach you that reaching out to me in times of trouble would end in censure and not acceptance.”

“Ana’s angry, isn't she?” Tony slumped further into the chair. “My Mama and Papa?”

“Ana burst into tears when we received your message.” Jarvis confirmed. “And then screeched that she would kick you back to Russia herself for making her worry so. A delicate Italian flower, mia moglie. So soft spoken. So fragile.”

Tony laughed quietly and Jarvis added, “I did not send word to i tuoi genitori. I assumed you would contact them when you wanted and if you wanted. Your Mama will be relieved to know you are safe, your Papa will simply be happy you returned with a wife, and will hope il bambino will be a boy.”

“Il bambino.” Tony repeated, pausing with his glass halfway to his mouth. “The child? What child? I considered giving Pietro and Wanda my last name so they would be entitled to some of my wealth, thinking it would ease their way into Italian society. But there is no other child.”

“You haven’t noticed the changes?” Jarvis’s eyebrows shot skyward. “New husbands are allowed some ignorance but surely you would notice when your wife ceased her cycles? Sickness and avoidance of certain foods? At least you’ve noticed your arm does not go as far round her waist as it used to.”

“Ceased her cycles.” Tony went very still, very pale. “Sickness… Dio mio, Natalia e incinta. She’s expecting.”

“You speak your Italian with a Russian accent now.” Jarvis said mildly. “But I suppose that isn’t what you are thinking of right now. Tell me, Antonio. How have you been married to the Lady Natalia for a year now and not aware that your wife was expecting?”

Tony was wide eyed silent and Jarvis’s expression cleared in understanding. “Ah. You are husband and wife solo nel nome, in name only. You have not been sharing a bed chamber or any other intimacies.”

More silence, and Jarvis asked, “Do you have any idea who the father would be Antonio?”

“I um--” Tony cleared his throat. “--I have it narrowed down to two men specifically. My god, I cannot believe I didn’t notice.”

“Women are well equipped to hide anything they don’t wish us to see.” Jarvis waved off Tony’s disbelief. “And if you not been sharing rooms, there is no reason why you would have seen the changes.”

He paused, and added tactfully, “You spent a year in Russia with a woman who was your wife only in name, who is now pregnant with another man’s child and brought along a set of twins that are neither hers biologically or within any familial link. I admire your dedication to your vows, Antonio. But I have to ask why. What has happened in the last year to lead to all this?”

“Oh.” Tony filled his glass again. “Oh, we will need more wine for that story.”

“You cannot shock me, Antonio.” Jarvis shook his head. “Please. Please tell me so I can understand.”

“You don’t think I can shock you?” Tony challenged. “My wife Natalia is one of the most infamous spies in all of Russia. She goes by the name Black Widow because of her reputation for seducing, then killing her lover and because she murdered her first husband. Her Da was hanged as a traitor, her brother is the bastard son of an American ambassador and went to the States to fight in their civil war, then came home with two friends and single handedly restarted the Sokovian revolution.”

Jarvis’s jaw fell open and Tony shook his head yet. “I’m not done yet. The twins? The twins were rescued when their village burned to the ground and took their parents with it. Ronin is a half deaf, scarred archer with an unknown past and his lover Samuel is an escaped former slave and they are both in love with my wife, Talia and one is definitely the father of her child. James goes by the Winter Soldier and is one of the best snipers I’ve ever seen and by best I mean he is not on any of the lists of snipers that have come through the Beretta plant in Brescia, and by best I mean I saw him take a shot at a target over eight hundred yards and destroy it.”

Tony drained his glass and set it aside. “Should I keep going? Because that is only an introduction to my family, and nothing close to an explanation or any sort of details.”

“Hm.” Jarvis tried and failed to disguise his surprise. “A Black Widow and a Winter Soldier, homes burning to the ground and two Americans running from their pasts, snipers and spies?”

“That’s not even half of it.”

“Hm.” Jarvis said again. “I think we will need more wine.”

Tony just smiled and held out his glass for a refill.

*****************

“Antonio.” Jarvis stopped Tony at the base of the stairs after the second wine bottle had been finished and they were both on their way to bed. “You talked for an hour and I know you haven’t told me everything, but could I ask you…?”

“What is it?” Tony worked at his tie and undid the top buttons of his shirt. “There’s so much to tell Jarvis, is this a question that could wait until tomorrow?”

“You are in love with the Winter Soldier, with James?” Jarvis asked quietly. “You didn’t say it outright, but I can see it in your eyes.”

“See what?” Tony swallowed hard. “Love? A broken heart?”

“Shadows.” Jarvis said simply. “They are spilling from your heart and into your eyes and it hurts me to see you hurt, Antonio. You miss him very much, don’t you?”

Tony grit his teeth and nodded, and Jarvis tsked, “I’m very sorry, mio figlio.”

“Sunshine has a way of chasing shadows away.” Tony swept his arm around to encompass the house. “And here I will have plenty of it. Time will heal us all, Pietro’s wounds and Wanda’s fear, my heartbreak and Natalia’s sorrow. And when il bambino comes along, there will be even more sunshine in our lives. There is no room for shadows when a baby is laughing.”

“Your time away has made you wise.” Jarvis conceded. “I am only sorry you had to hurt so badly to learn these truths.”

“I am sorry too.” Tony smiled at the man that had been his first friend, his closest confidant for so many years. “But I am glad to be home after all. Good night, Jarvis.”

“Buona notte, Antonio.” Jarvis went to lock the doors of the house for the night, and Tony climbed the stairs to his bedroom, stopping to peek in at the twins before continuing on.

Natalia was still awake when Tony opened the door and she smiled at him tiredly, standing up and letting her robe billow around her feet. “Antonio, how was your evening with--Antonio?”

She startled when he crossed to her and pushed the robe aside. “Antonio-!”

“Oh.” All the air punched out of Tony when he saw the way Natalia’s gently rounded stomach pushed at the seams of her night gown, the way she had blossomed into an even fuller figure than before. “Oh Natalia, love--”

Natalia closed her eyes and put her palm over her stomach. “Jarvis noticed, didn’t he?”

“I cannot believe I didn’t.”

“To be fair my love, you’ve never known a woman’s body, much less mine. Of course you wouldn’t notice, not if I was trying to hide it.” Talia bit at her lip nervously. “You’re angry?”

“Why would I be angry?” Tony reached out like he wanted to touch, then let his hand fall away at the last second. “How long? Um how far along--” he shook his head. “I don't know which question to ask. When did you know?”

“I’ve known since just after the holidays.” Natalia whispered, “Though I’m sure it was conceived sometime before then. I have not had a regular cycle since I was a young woman, when I missed a few I simply assumed it was the stress.”

“And the father--”

“I have no way to know for certain either way.” Natalia sighed and gathered her robe back around herself, tightening it up high on her waist. “But neither do I care. I spent many years thinking I could no longer have children even if I wanted to--” Tony grimaced and Natalia’s lips pulled up in a short smile. “--my first husband was a cruel man for many reasons, darling.”

Tony was quiet and Natalia’s eyes filled with tears. “Mne zhal’, Antonio. I am sorry. I am sorry for keeping it from you. I didn’t know until after the men had gone, and by the time I was certain, they had been kidnapped and we were running away. I was sure I’d lose the child in the chaos and yet somehow--” she smoothed her hands over the swell of her belly. “--somehow we are alright. This child is a miracle in more ways than one.”

“She will have my last name.” Tony said firmly and Natalia’s mouth fell open in surprise. “I am sure you want her to have Ronin or Samuel’s name, but she will be a Carbonell Stark. Both sides of my family have wealth and power and prestige, and I want her to be safe, well equipped for the world.”

“Antonio.” Natalia murmured. “You do not have to--”

“I’d like Pietro and Wanda to take my name as well, so they will be afforded an easy entry into society.”

“Antonio--!”

“We can talk about it in the morning.” Tony decided and ushered Natalia towards the bed. “You need rest tonight and tomorrow we can talk. Sleep, now.”

“You are calmer about this than I thought you would be.” Natalia dropped her robe and slid under the covers in her nightgown, rolling to her side to watch Tony clean up for bed.

“After two bottles of wine I am calm about very many things.” Tony pulled his shirt off to lay over the chair. “But il bambino to fill our hearts would never be a terrible thing. There is room here at the house for her to grow--”

“-- you are so sure the child is a girl?”

“--nearly certain.” Tony smiled then. “This is life now, Natalia. Here in Chioggia by the sea, with Wanda and Pietro and the little one on the way. This is life and many things are uncertain but our family is not. I am calm because we are together and we are safe and everything else is simply…” he shrugged. “...details.”

“If I would have known wine made you so pliant I would have made you drink that instead of vodka.” Natalia hesitated when Tony climbed into bed, but when he opened his arms she pressed close into his chest, shoulders shaking through a body racking sigh. “Antonio are you sure?”

“Hush.” Tony kissed Talia’s forehead and tugged the blankets up around her shoulders. “What is it you told me on the train? I won’t compromise your virtue, but there is no shame in seeking warmth from someone when our dreams turn terrible. We’ll talk in the morning. Right now everything is fine. We will be alright.”

Natalia drifted off to sleep with in a few minutes, but Tony lay awake in the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a long time. He missed James with a soul deep ache he never could have imagined, hurt for Natalia losing her loves clear to his bones. He would give anything to hear Pietro teasing Wanda again and listen to the twins burst into laughter, and in some twisted way he missed the Sokovian cold that drew them all to the kitchen, the chores that meant hours spent talking together.

Everything felt hollow and shadowed and it was warm in the room but Tony was sure he was cold. Their lives were shattered, torn apart and scattered and he thought he could choke on the overwhelming uncertainty of it all.

But Natalia was here, the child she carried safe, and even though Pietro had been so badly hurt he was healing a little more every day and Wanda smiled more every time her brother squeezed her hand or tried to talk.

They would make it. They had to make it. Tony had spent months leaning on the strength of their unorthodox little family and now it was his turn to be the strong one.

They would make it.

Natalia stirred and turned over in her sleep, and Tony made sure she was settled before budging up against her back and laying a careful careful arm over her side, his hand resting just lightly on the barely there bump.

He was confused and he was scared but they would figure it out, their family would be alright.

“We’re alright.” Tony whispered past the tears clogging his throat and the heartbreak clouding his eyes. “We’re going to be alright. You’ll see. Everything’s going to be alright.”

**************

SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHAPTER!

**************

@bethy-sue @shipeveryonetogether @shadowrayven @hausoffro @thereaderandwriterwithin @zerokrox-blog @zuretha-metal @tstilcr @larissaloki @blackhearted @itsallyd @megahuffledor @tabziecat @ceealaina @cwar1864 @pidgist @yukina64 @multishippinglife @susana0 @paranormalmoonlight5 @girlnic @vgurl18 @sw3etpotat0 @jade-taillia @glitternotgold73 @atomicfandombomb

#ncts fics #winteriron

81 notes · View notes

lawandorderforevercsi · 4 years

Text

Love Desires Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: Miami, Anthony Zuker, and CBS do and Bruno Mars owns the song Marry You.

Beta'd by: calleighstorres

-Summer 2013-

Since becoming a couple, they have been happier than they ever remember being. Horatio and Natalia tried to keep their personal life and professional life separate. However, sometimes that was impossible. Of course, all of their co-workers caught on instantly, and they were happy for them, especially Eric and Calleigh.

Without Stetler there anymore, they dared to engage in subtle flirting and PDA, like holding hands and bringing up her hand and kissing it. It was a new side to their lieutenant they never get to see much of. Plus, now everyone at the lab knew that Natalia was spoken for, and no one would dare cross their lieutenant.

When they had their days off together, they did everything together, from learning to dance, to ziplining to yoga and horseback riding. Then there were days they stayed in had had movie nights. It was only six months later before Natalia took Horatio back to California to meet her family. At the lunch gathering and Horatio was glad to see that Anya was doing well after her scary ordeal. At the same time, they were grateful that he had found Anya, but Natalia's father, Jeffrey, wanted to make sure.

While Natalia, Anya, and Christine were in the kitchen with their mom Joan, Jeffrey sat down with Horatio. Jeffrey began, "First off, Lt. Caine, we are so grateful that you were able to find Anya."

Horatio nodded. He said, "The moment I saw how much Natalia was in pain, I knew I had to do everything I could."

Jeffrey cut to the chase, "You know about Nick Townsend, I presume."

At that name, Horatio felt his heart rate and blood pressure rise ever so slightly when he heard the name. Jeffrey asked, "How can I be sure that you won't end up like him? I can't bear to see my little girl get hurt."

Horatio took a long deep breath and answered, "Mr. Boa Vista, not many people know about my childhood save for Natalia and my co-workers. I lived with an abusive father during my formative years. At times it was either my mom was his target or I was. I tried to get him to do to me more to protect my mom and prevent my brother Raymond from becoming a full-time target. After he killed my mother, he came after me, so I killed him in self-defense. From there on out after I became a cop and then a detective, I made it my mission to protect the innocent while ensuring that justice was served. Because of what I experienced, I will never lay a hand on Natalia."

Though Horatio didn't talk about Marisol's death very much, now was one of those times.

Horatio asked, "I know that you, Natalia may have mentioned my late wife, Marisol."

Jeffrey nodded, "Yes, she has albeit very little."

Horatio said, "Well, not long after we were married, she was murdered by a sniper's bullet on the orders of a crime boss. I wasn't able to deliver on my promise to protect her. I can and will promise you this I would rather die myself before I even let Natalia get hurt. You have my word, Mr. Boa Vista."

Jeffrey nodded. He had no idea that his eldest daughter's boyfriend had a horrible childhood. A childhood that helped shape him to protect the victims and do the right thing. Not to lose his new wife so soon after they got married. Smiling, Jeffrey held out his hand, "Welcome to the family Horatio."

Horatio shook his hand. Natalia then reappeared with drinks and, after putting it down, wrapped her arms around Horatio and kissed him on the cheek. She asked, "Dad, you didn't try to scare Horatio away, did you?"

Jeffrey answered, "Of course not honey, he gets my stamp of approval."

Later that afternoon, before they left, Horatio pulls aside Jeff and Joan.

Horatio began, "Mr. and Mrs. Boa Vista…"

Joan interrupted, "Uh-uh Horatio, it is Joan and Jeff now."

Horatio added, "Jeff, Joan, before I leave tonight as you can pretty much tell how much.

Natalia and I love each other. I want to ask you for your permission and blessing to ask Natalia to marry me."

Both Jeff and Joan were impressed. Not one of the guys that Natalia had brought home had made this extra effort. Not even Nick. Jeff and Joan looked at each other and nodded in agreement. This time Joan said, "You have our permission and blessing. We are so glad that our daughter has finally found someone worthy of her love."

Horatio smiled as he got the blessing he was seeking.

Following a tough commute from her parents' place in Long Beach to Santa Monica (where they were staying), instead of heading back to the hotel, Natalia took him sightseeing. One of these places was the Santa Monica Pier. As they walked on the beach with their shoes in hand, Horatio held her close.

Giving a big, loving kiss, she leaned her forehead against his and said, "See, I knew my

the family would love you."

Horatio smiled, "I had no doubts."

Natalia grinned, "Ever so humble."

Unbeknownst to Natalia Horatio had hired a dance troupe to do a flash mob with a popular song. Right when he knew the dancers were close by, and he leaned and whispered, "My love does you want anything to drink?"

Natalia replied with a kiss, "Yeah, an iced coffee would be nice. Thank you, handsome."

Horatio went to the 'orders.' But instead of the coffee, he went to get the ring and the flowers. After a while, Natalia began to worry. I hope he didn't get lost or anything.

A few people started dancing, and I didn't take Natalia long to recognize it; it was one song she liked. As the dance number continued, she noticed that they something in their hands, single red roses. The group of people dancing began to attract a more extensive viewing crowd; it wasn't long before it was a flash mob. Everyone around her stopped to watch.

It's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you Is it the look in your eyes, or is it this dancing juice Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you

Well I know this little chapel on the boulevard We can go No one will know Oh c'mon girl

Who cares if we're trashed Got a pocket full of cash we can blow Shots of Patron And it's on girl

Don't say no no no no no Just say yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah And we'll go go go go go If you're ready, like I'm ready

'Cause it's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you Is it the look in your eyes or is it this dancing juice Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you

Oh I'll go get a ring Let the choir bell sing like ooh So what you wanna do Lets just run girl If we wake up and you want to break up That's cool No I won't blame you It was fun girl

Don't say no no no no no Just say yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah And we'll go go go go go If you're ready, like I'm ready

'Cause it's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you Is it the look in your eyes, or is it this dancing juice Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you

Just say I do Tell me right now baby Tell me right now baby, baby Just say I do Tell me right now baby Tell me right now baby, baby

Oh It's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you Is it the look in your eyes, or is it this dancing juice Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you

Towards the end, all the dancers came forward with the flowers in their hands and gave it to her. By the end, she had two dozen single-stemmed roses in the crook of her arm. Then she heard him clear his voice and gasped when she saw Horatio down on one knee. The jewelry box opened, showing off the emerald cut ring with two stones set on the side set in a yellow setting.

Now she knew why Horatio chose this song. Looking to Horatio's eyes as he began his proposal, "Natalia from the time I saw you at the FBI lab when I was with Agent Reed, something stirred in me. But I was there on business and couldn't do much. I thought that was the only chance I would see you, but our paths did cross again, while it did hurt as to why you were placed at the lab at first when we found out why it helped to ease the sting. As time went on, our work lives intersected, but our personal lives prevented that. After I lost Marisol, you were there for me to help me. It was that day how deep in love I was with you. So, Ms. Natalia Boa Vista, would you do the honor of becoming my wife, will you marry me?"

One of the many things that she loved about Horatio was his subtle, spontaneous nature. With the bouquet of one stem roses, Natalia leaned in and gave him her answer in the form of a long and sweet kiss. As for the crowd, she stood up and, without break eye contact with her, shouted, "Yes! Horatio, I will most definitely marry you!"

The answer she gave earned cheers and claps all around. Horatio got the ring on her finger, gave her a quick kiss before he pulled in her into an enormous hug. For Natalia, this is one of many days that will go down as the best days of her life. She knew that there many more to follow.

Parting lips, Natalia knew what she wanted to do. Once the crowds had dispersed, Natalia whispered in a low alluring voice, "Why don't we go back to our hotel, order in, how does that sound, hm?"

Taking her by the hand, he led her back to their hotel. As soon as they were in their room, Natalia set aside the roses, toed off her shoes, and pulled him in and kissed him long and deep. Horatio loved kissing her luscious lips. Without breaking the kiss, Horatio bent over slightly and swept Natalia up and carried her to the bed. Placing her on the couch, they continued passionately making out, letting their hands roaming each other. The more they kissed more, they craved each other's kiss and touch. Horatio broke the kiss, and Natalia whimpered at the loss of his lips. She would have kissed his lips forever if she could. Gazing deeply into each other's eyes, they saw love radiating from the other's eyes. Quickly taking off his outerwear and pants, he only left his muscle shirt before getting back on the bed. When she saw him in the, she licked her lips at the prospect of being completely shirtless.

Not able to take it any longer, Horatio leaned forward and captured her deliciously sweet lips once more, this time with more zeal than last time. As the smooching continued, Natalia undid the strings on her wrap dress and opened it. Stopping to catch their breaths, Horatio tried to make eye contact; he knew he was losing the battle and lowered his gaze to her bra covered chest. Horatio felt his boxers grow tighter; she looked so enchanting. At first, all Horatio could do was stare at her, followed by, "Wow."

Natalia shook her bra clad chest and asked in a suggestive tone, "Like what you see handsome?"

Horatio replied huskily, "You have no idea, my sexy lady."

Without giving him another chance, Natalia placed her hands on the back of his head and ravenously took his lips with hers, and soon, they dueled for tongue dominance. As the kissing continued, they let their hands freely roam each other's bodies. When Horatio felt the light touches of her fingers on his body, it felt like feather gracing his epidermis.

Before long, their clothes have been shed and scattered all around, and Horatio whispered, "You are all mine, Natalia."

With that, they plunged into a night of sizzling passion.

A/N 2: Thanks for reading the second chapter of "Love Desires" As always, reviews are appreciated!

#csi miami #natalia boa vista #Eva LaRue #horatio caine #david caruso

4 notes · View notes

sterling-starlight · 4 years

Text

No Texting During Drama Club

Me: Alright! Week two of Vesuvian pride is all about the modern day AUs, I can do this!

*Eight pages later*

What happened? (Pen pals/online friends meeting in person for the first time. Not quite as adherent to the prompt, but I think it works well enough)

Unknown Sender

3:30 PM.

“-heard u have a&p with prof valdemar. If you let me copy ur notes, I will owe u pizza for the rest of our lives.

-this is Julian, btw. from the theater club.

-in case u thought this was some, u know, random creep.”

You

3:35 PM

“-Fine. But only because no one deserves to be failed by Valdemar.

-I’ll drop them off at the dressing room tomorrow. I like pineapple and olive pizza.”

Unknown Sender

3:37 PM

“-pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza, u monster!

-sigh. but I'll let it slide since you’re saving my ass.”

You

3:41 PM

“-Did you really just type out ‘sigh’?”

Unknown Sender

3:43 PM

“-….

-Yes.”

----------------

You

6:30 PM

“-So, hey. Congrats on getting to play Hamlet.”

Julian

6:34 PM

“-not the most original production we’ve done, but a role’s a role. seeing Lucio’s face when he realized he wasn’t the star was worth it.”

You

6:40 PM

“-Remind me who that is.

I’m seriously drawing a blank here.”

Julian

6:43 PM

“-blonde. rich. Insufferable. loud.

-he has that fancy prosthetic arm that somehow makes him better than everyone.”

You

6:50 PM

“-Oooooooooh. Him.

-He doesn’t really come to bother us production people unless he wants to bitch about costuming or the sets. Which is a lot.”

Julian

6:55 PM

“-i think I've heard you chew him out a few times. Ur the girl with the venterran accent, right?”

You

7:01 PM

“-Aye.

-Surprised you could even understand me. Not a lot of people can when I get PO’d.”

Julian

7:10 PM

“-i understood enough to know you called him a prick.

-my mom and dad took me to venterre once. it was almost as pretty as you.”

You

7:20

“-Wow.

-That was horrible and you should feel horrible.”

Julian

7:12

“-I have no shame, and never will, my dear.”

-------------------------------------

Julian

3:00 AM

“-natalia

“-hey, natalia.”

“-tali”

Julian 3:05 AM

“-how did people in the middle ages first think to start using leeches?

“-like, did they stick leeches on themselves and realize that pain and blood loss and disease was the medicine?”

You

3:06 AM

“Jules, it is 3 in the goddamn morning. Go to bed.”

Julian

3:07 AM

“I work the graveyard shift at supermarket. it’s my lunchtime.”

You

3:08 AM

“-Then fuckin eat your lunch and let normal people sleep before I cram it up your ass.”

Julian

3:10 AM

“- I can think of much more fun things we can do.”

You

3:15 AM

“-Fuck you, I’m going back to sleep.”

-----------------------

Jules

2:30 PM

“-So you really had a pet ram as a kid?”

You

2:31 PM

“-Technically, I still do. I just couldn’t bring him with me.

“-my flat allows large dogs, but won’t allow rams? It’s bullshit.”

Jules

2:32 PM

“-rams aren’t really normal pets tho.”

You

2:33 PM

“-Says the guy who has a pet crow.”

Jules

2:34 PM

“-malak is a raven, number 1.

-number 2, he is an absolute delight. how dare you say otherwise?

You

2:40

“-Rufus is better.

“-Behold the glory”

Jules

2:50 PM

“-oh, so it’s a pet off then? Fine! May the cutest animal win!”

You

3:00 PM

“-Fine!”

Jules

3:05 PM

“-Have at you!”

-------------------------------------

When Natalia’s phone rang, she was actually shocked to see Julian’s caller id flash on the screen. They had never actually... talked on the phone before.

The worst-case scenarios instantly popped into her head. Was he hurt? Did something happen? What if this was the hospital calling her to say he was in critical condition. Why would he put her as an emergency medical contact without telling her?!

Her phone buzzed again, more insistently, and she pressed the answer button with a trembling finger.

“Hello?”

“Oh, hi~” The feminine voice from the other line was definitely not Julian, not even at his most dramatic falsetto. And she sounded too chipper to be the bearer of doom and death. Natalia let out a breath she hadn’t been aware she’d been holding. “This is... Tali? Right?”

“It’s Natalia, actually. Who is this?”

“My name is Portia! I’m Ilya’s- oh, sorry. One sec,” Portia put a hand over the speaker, muffling the commotion on her side of the line. There was thumping, shuffling, and her shouting “You have her listed as ‘My Dearest Tali’, Ilya! Come on!”

A voice that sounded somewhat like Julian’s shouted back something, but Natalia couldn’t hear it clearly. There was a sound like static or rushing wind, before a door slammed and Portia let out a triumphant laugh. Portia’s voice fully came back on the line. “Sorry. But, yeah. I’m Ilya’s little sister. I would have liked to meet you in person, but my brother is completely hopeless.” Someone thumped against the door, and Portia lowered the phone again. “You know I’m right!” She yelled at the door.

Back to normal. “Aaaanyway. He’s been lamenting, and sighing, and wallowing over whether or not he should ask you out. So! You wanna go on a date with him?”

Natalia opened and closed her mouth a few times, wordless sounds escaping. She was sure her face was burning pink. She could feel the heat spreading from her cheeks to her neck. “Take your time. I can be in here all day.” Portia said casually. Natalia could almost picture her reclining back casually on whatever it was she was sitting on.

“Ah- Ah,” Natalia finally managed to choke out. She took in a deep breath, and let it out in a slow whistle. “...if he really wants tae.” She finally said.

“Oh, he does. Trust me, I know him better than anyone.” Natalia could hear Portia’s smile through the phone. Distantly, a lock clicked and a door swung open. “She said yes, Ilyushka. You can thank me later.”

“That wasn’t- you’re missing the-!” Julian stammered. He took a breath and lifted the phone to his ear. “Listen, whatever Pasha said, you can just forget it. Really. It’s nothing.”

For a moment, Natalia found herself stunned by the sound of his voice. It wasn’t anything new to her. She had heard it from behind thick velvet curtains and up on catwalks. She had heard him bellow for lost love mournfully, monologue passionately, and condemn his enemies. But those were all characters. Hamlet, and Romeo, and Othello. None of them had been Julian Devorak. Not really.

“Natalia?” His voice broke her out of her stupor, and sent a shiver down her spine. The way his tongue curled around the syllables of her name, like he had never spoken anything more sacred, sent her heart aflame in the best possible way.

“Julian.” She spoke his name barely above whisper. Natalia leaned against her desk for support, head spinning. When had- how did- why didn’t he- she- they-? She took in a breath through her nose, just as Julian heaved a resigned sigh.

“Good night, Tali.”

“No, wait, Julian! Don’t-!” The dial tone droning in her ear was all she got. And when she tried calling him, all she got was his voice mail.

Try again. Voice mail.

You

8:00 PM

“-Julian, you asshole! Pick up your phone!”

*Last Read by Jules at 8:05 PM.

--------------

Natalia Valeth was not a quitter.

She hadn’t given up when she left her home country to become a pharmacist. She hadn’t lost hope when she didn’t make the cut to be on the acting team. She didn’t back down even as Professor Valdemar verbally tore the first draft of her thesis to shreds. So, when she drove to the community theater the very next weekend, she was a woman on a mission.

She was hours early for once, but not so early that the doors to the theater weren’t already unlocked. The only person who would wake up at the ass crack of dawn for theater was Julian, and that was exactly what Natalia was betting on. She threw open the auditorium doors with a resounding bang that echoed resoundingly all throughout the room. Sitting on the edge of the stage was Julian, who looked up at her when she made her entrance. The script he had been looking over listlessly fell from his grip, scattering like leaves in the wind. In such a quiet room, Natalia could hear him curse as if she were right at his side. She steeled herself and marched down the steps of the auditorium, stopping less than an arm’s length away from were Julian sat on his haunches collecting the papers.

“We need tae talk. Face tae face this time.”

“Do we?” Julian finally collected the script and rose to his full height. Despite having a good foot on Natalia, he had never looked smaller gunmetal gray eyes looking everywhere but at her. He turned his back on her to tap the pages crisply against the stage.

“You bet yer ass we dae! Whit th’ hell urr ye thinking’s? Whit, did ye think ignoring this wid mak’ it go away?”

“...Maybe a little.”

“Och! Yer impossible!” Natalia threw her hands up with the exclamation. “Did ye think Ah juist said ‘aye’ tae fuck wi’ ye? A’m waantin’ tae gang oan a date wi’ ye! Mibbie even twa! If we feel really crazy, we’ll mak’ it three.”

It might not have been the three magical worlds that would have been most dramatic. If this were a stage production, this would be the part where the lights would dim, and the spotlight would narrow over the two lovers, giving the illusion that they were the only two people in the world. With the theater as empty as it was, they might as well have been.

“Do you... Do you mean that?”

Such vulnerability didn't seem like Julian. Julian could throw out innuendos as easily as breathing. Julian was overly dramatic in everything he did, even when he wasn’t in front of an adoring audience. But it was the Julian who wanted to be a doctor. It was the Julian who looked at all the pandemics of the past, and wondered why so many people had to die. The Julian who was wound up so tightly like he was bracing himself for ejection like it would come as a physical blow.

Sarcasm felt like it would just add fuel to the fire, so Natalia opted for compassion instead. When she brushed her hand against Julian’s cheek, he leaned into it like he needed her touch the same way needed air.

“I’m willin tae huv a go at this.” She said gently, like everything would shatter around them if she was too abrasive. “Ye in?”

“Absolutely.” Julian placed a hand over hers and tilted his head enough to plant a shy, fleeting kiss to her palm.

Maybe this would end in a romance for the ages. Maybe this would end in tragedy. Whatever happened, it was better than not pursing it at all.

#Vesuvian Pride 2020 #vp2020 #julian devorak #natalia valeth #julian x mc #the used alchemy to combine college aus with drama club aus #in which Portia tries to play wingman but Julian is too busy being insecure to appreciate it #the arcana #the arcana game

6 notes · View notes

maladaptive-ninja-returns · 5 years

Text

The Siren & The Healer (4)

Natasha Romanoff arc

Chapter 4: The Asset

Platonic Natasha x fem!Reader, Loki x fem!Reader (soulmates?)

Theme: With cracks between the most powerful superheroes of the earth, Natasha Romanoff does not find rest when she is assigned on a mission to find the missing pieces of a puzzling power that once nearly got into the hands- rather, tentacles- of Hydra. In order to unearth the pieces, she must dig through her own past and make a decision that might decide the fate of the earth in the coming wars.

Series: Will contain violence, death, destruction, softness, fluff, smut, friendship, and whatnot

Chapter warnings: No Loki. Just the purest form of Goddess in red.

A/N: This was written a few years ago with an OC in mind so reader has a name but it is a reader insert.

Word Count: I might just be the worst patient. Who the heck does not take their medication on time and then wonder what is making life so miserable? There are time I had like a...um...service angel. You know, like service dogs? Someone to just tap my shoulder and say ‘Hey, time for your meds.’ And then if I forgot it and didn’t do it on time, the angel would come sit with me and tell me, sweetly to take my meds. Am I allowed to be angry at myself because oh God I wanna water on my face, with chunks of ice in it. In a lake. In the December.

MASTERLIST in bio, love

Time: 0815 hrs

Location: Vienna

Lykke Li’s ‘I Follow Rivers’ played on the radio, echoing through the speakers overhead in the small square space of a reception. The walls were brightly beige; looking freshly painted yet never smelled like the typical chemicals that they were. The receptionist was a petite looking blonde dressed in pastel colours. She had scanned you from head to toe in one go when the latter entered the office on the fourth floor.

“He’s busy with a phone call right now. He’ll see you in a moment,” she’d affirmed with a smile without feeling the need to pick up the phone or go inside the door behind her to ask her ‘boss’ about the appointment. You could smell the fishiness from miles away but you wanted to meet the man from last night and ask him to consider contacting the college healers group. You knew they could use the money and marketing right now to keep the Healers United committee afloat.

Oh who are you kidding, Keosha, you thought to herself, you’re doing this for your selfish reasons.

“Everything okay, sweetie? You look tired.” The receptionist’s smooth high pitched voice broke you away from your thoughts. The blonde’s chin rested on her palm, eyeing her visitor interestingly, never breaking away from her smile as she waited for a response.

“Yeah, I’m good. Didn’t get a good amount of sleep last night. College, you know,” you answered with a weak smile before looking away.

The walnut sofa you sat on was just as mundane as the walls. The only thing you thought brought colour to the surroundings was a bunch of succulents kept by the window.

Sigh. This sucks.

A soft breeze entered through the door you’d come in from. You looked at the entrance as if waiting for someone to enter.

Did I turn off the gas after cooking breakfast? Your mind wandered away, never stealing your eyes away from the door. I think I did.

The elevator dinged in the hallway outside.

What about the lights? Did I turn them off? Yes. Yes, I did. Harry won’t get up until nine-thirty. He doesn’t have a morning class on Thursdays. You know he looks adorable when he sleeps.

You heard a pair of boots leave the elevator and enter the hallway, going quiet for a moment.

Did I wash the dishes? An uncertain feeling entered your gut. No, I left them in the sink.

The boots moved again in the hallway and their thump started growing closer. You could make out that they were careful steps, not in a calculated way one walks when one doesn’t want to be noticed, but more like they were used to the steady rhythm that caught minimal attention.

Did I wish Harry goodbye? Your last thought was one nauseating moment before a figure entered the door.

No, I never got to say goodbye to him, your thoughts came to a standstill as you perked up your head, meeting the figure’s eyes, catching your breath. Eyes went wide at what they saw, rather who they saw, alarms going off inside your mind.

“No,” was all that came out of you.

Your body started working on its own, grabbing your bag and standing up, moving quickly towards the exit near you, never looking away until the exit door closed between you and the, dashing downstairs like your life depended on it.

_______________

“That’s the building,” Keiko said over the comms as she marked the five-storey tall red-bricked structure she saw in front of her on her tablet, pinging the other team the location.

Aneka and Brunn parked outside as a lookout on the entrance while Natasha and Keiko took the back. Brunn mapped the building with the SUV’s biothermal scanner, informing the others of the civilians present in the building.

“Keep an eye out for any unusual movements,” Natasha’s voice called out over the comms.

“Roger,” Brunn replied before switching off the comms and turning back to Aneka.

“What are you planning Miss Aneka?” His brown kornerupine eyes stared right into her mind.

“Excuse me!” She spat as her eyes brought judgment upon the man beside her.

“You were clearly instructed by General Okoye to give the Kimoyo beads to Miss Romanoff. So, why haven’t you?”

His eyes did not leave hers as the screens beeped periodically around them in the SUV. The silence was unnerving for a spectator as neither of them backed down.

“I have my reasons,” Aneka finally declared.

“For going against your general’s instructions?”

“For not entirely trusting the Black Widow.”

A click sound called out from the screen. Brunn turned away from her to read Keiko’s message along with the location of the package’s cellphone pinging off from the building near them.

“The package is here.”

Both of them were already ready with their weapons by their side, patiently waiting for any movement to occur by the entrance.

Brunn had one hand resting on the wheel as he checked his watch and then the street outside. The only other visitor in the building was a couple who were crossing the street with their fingers entwined, smiling at each other before disappearing inside.

“What will happen when she finds out?” he called out of nowhere.

Aneka did not flinch by even a centimetre. Her breathing was controlled, as usual, her eyes outside, looking at a young dark-skinned man carrying groceries, having just finished a call. He passed the building’s entrance and turned around the corner.

“She doesn’t have to.”

Brunn did not pursue the conversation further. His eyes followed the same young man down the street as he walked to the building’s end and turned again, disappearing from their site.

A crackle through the speakers killed silence in the vehicle.

“Brunn! Aneka!”, Natasha’s voice ripped through, “It’s a trap! We’ve been had. Cover the back! Get the g-gghh”

Within no second the SUV was swerving to turn down the street.

“Brunn! Look!” Aneka shouted as she pointed at the scene unfolding in front of her.

“What the hell?” was all they could come up with.

_______________

“The traffic cams don’t show him leaving the building, ma'am.” Keiko jumped down gracefully from the bike while still marking all the cameras near the exit points of the building. “I’ll check the building’s security footage,” she added before skipping through building’s parking lot and disappearing behind the service door.

Natasha felt her phone vibrate. She moved it out of her pocket to be greeted by an unknown number.

“Audrey,” she greeted with her alias.

A chuckle came from the earphone.

“Still keeping the old alias, Alianovna?”

There was a moment of silence.

“Chekov.” Natasha never averted herself from the tablet in front of her that still showed no signs of him outside. “I was wondering when I’d get a call from you.”

She turned towards the service door and saw Keiko skipping towards her when she stopped midway, her face turning expressionless at Natasha’s gaze. Before she came over to stand by her boss’ side, she was already down to the three towers in their vicinity that were pinging the call.

“Aye Aye moya Rusalka.”

Natasha straightened her shoulders.

“Always knows what to say when you talk. So tell me, have you missed me lately?” the scruff voice on the other side of the phone sounded like an overconfident high school boy talking to his crush. Natasha couldn’t help but smile. She nodded her head at Keiko in question as she responded to the flirt.

“To tell you the truth, yes, I have,” she disclosed, following Keiko’s signal. Both of them started moving towards the back entrance of the building. “But not for the reasons you think.”

“And I you, Natalia,” the voice on the other end murmured with veiled enthusiasm, “but definitely not for the reasons you think.”

Natasha and Keiko were inside, cautiously but casually moving towards the stairs near the elevator doors.

“And what makes you assume that?”

“Take the elevator. It’s a long walk to the fourth floor,” Chekov’s voice said matter-of-factly.

Natasha’s pace slowed down, carefully taking in her surroundings. Her eyes finally landed on the security camera perched up in the corner opposite to where she stood.

She smiled directly into it.

“So eager to meet me?” she moaned into the phone. A chuckle vibrated through the ear as she moved into the elevator, Keiko following her.

“The last time I was eager to meet you I was gifted with a scar down my chest,” he responded. “It still hurts, Natalia,” came a grumble of a voice.

A smirk crept over the assassin’s rose-tinted lips. “Good.”

The elevator hummed through the three floors, a monotonous melody playing over the speakers.

“I am eager for you to meet someone else today.”

The elevator dinged open and the ladies stepped out. “Your gift is in the office to your left.”

“What are you planning Chekov?” Natasha sang into her phone as she looked at the open door to her left. No soul was visible in her line of sight; just a window and tiny pots of succulents perched at the sill.

“I know about the weapon, Alianovna,” Chekov’s voice announced over the speaker.

So he already knew Fury had the information, Natasha thought to herself. So that could mean-

“And I know someone who could help me get it.”

Natasha moved towards the office, her steps inherently measured, her body on alert.

“But here’s the thing, Rusalka,” he pointed out, “I have already shared the person’s whereabouts with the highest bidder.”

“Meldrake.”

Chekov couldn’t suppress his chuckle.

“So I thought instead of meeting you I’d leave you a gift this time.”

Natasha was almost at the door.

“I’m leaving you the person who knows about the weapon. But here’s the catch.”

Natasha entered the room, her eyes falling to the receptionist who waved at her while tilting her head in suave flirtation.

“One, Meldrake already has the address.”

She saw the receptionist nod at her, smoothly tucking her blonde hair back to reveal her earpiece.

“Two, the informant is a y/a old girl with no idea what is coming for her.”

She turned away from the blonde to look at the only person sitting inside the room. A young face with heavy Y/L/N eyes sat with her head thrown back into the sofa. The same head turned to look at Natasha- who could see the colour in those eyes change a shade as they went wide on seeing the assassin.

Natasha saw the girl gasp at her sight, a reflex ‘no’ forming in her mouth as she grabbed a bag next to her and ran out of the back exit.

It took a moment for everyone, even Chekov, to absorb what just happened. Keiko looked at her red-headed commanding officer for further instructions.

“Do you know each other?” his voice filled with questions and surprise.

“No.” So was Natasha’s.

An inconsistent beep on the receptionist’s desk brought everyone back.

“They’re here.” The receptionist’s soft voice declared. As if on cue, a couple walked out of the elevator, their hands caressing the weapons inside their long coats.

“Until we meet again, Rusalka.” The line went dead.

38 notes · View notes

kingslcigh · 4 years

Text

i took a trip into town and ran into THEODORE KINGSLEIGH at the general store. isn’t that the benevolent you told me about last week? the one who is TWENTY FIVE, as well as UNCONVENTIONAL and COMPASSIONATE? well, we didn’t chat for long, so i can’t say for sure, but i think you might be onto something…they even mentioned they want to FINISH GETTING THEIR M.D. like you said.

whaddup, angels ?? this tiny bean goes by the name rue ( she/her pronouns ) and i’ll be playing Soft Boy™, theodore kingsleigh. if you would like to hmu for plots / scream at me about connections all day long, please give this a BIG ‘OLE like and i’ll come wiggling into your dms shortly after. under the cut, you’ll find a brief summary about theo’s life. also all my connections and stats are listed over here and here if you want to check them out as well !! can’t wait to start interacting with your muses !!

+ disclaimer: below are a couple triggers such as alcoholism and death. please read at your own discretion, thank you.

THEODORE ALEXANDER KINGSLEIGH was born in the early hours of Spring in Birmingham, England to Duchess Adriana and Duke James of Devonshire, as well as a BROTHER for the young Christopher and Natalia. His arrival was MUCH-ANTICIPATED and there were celebrations for days prior to her introduction to the world. With his childhood consisting nothing more than LOVE and DEVOTION from his parents, Theodore had nothing to complain about. His parents loved their children dearly, especially Theodore, whose pure heart and open-mindedness they helped to cultivate: they encouraged Theodore’s belief in EXTRAORDINARY things and hoped he had carried it throughout his life growing up. His parents had always made him promise to have courage and be kind to others, for—as they explained to him—KINDNESS HAS POWER, and that they would see him through all the trials that life could offer, in life and death. His relationship with his brother, however, is a bit ESTRANGED. As much as he loves his elder brother and wishes they could see eye-to-eye, sometimes they have a tendency to butt heads often. Whether that might mean your typical SIBLING ARGUMENTS or FULL-ON BLOWN OUT FIGHTS, they just can’t seem to see get along.

When he was only two week old, Theodore and his family moved back to their home in DEVON, ENGLAND where his father, who held a high position in nobility there, was a DUKE: which, by all means gave him the title of Lord. Growing up, he never really MINDED being referred to as Lord Theodore, but sometimes because of his title, a lot of the children in his hometown would make fun of him for being a boring ‘wannabe royal’. And as time went on, he started to REGRET his father’s position and so, as he aged swore to himself that he would never introduced himself as anything other than THEODORE and that was that.

Most people would describe Theodore as The Benevolent. Despite being in a world where there’s HATRED and SUFFERING, Theodore declares himself independent and strong-willed by remaining KIND-HEARTED and SELF-LOVING, not allowing the bitterness surrounding his life to overtake him and morph him into someone as cruel as the world seems to be every day. He makes the most of his life by remaining OPTIMISTIC of the possibilities of a brighter future. But besides that, he’s also witty and sarcastic. He is unafraid to STAND UP for himself when he feels he’s in the right–or at least, attempt to do so. And although he STRIVES to contain his optimism aura, he can fall into fits of frustration and ANNOYANCE quite often.

At the tender age of twelve, Theodore was destined to be married through an ARRANGED MARRIAGE to the only daughter of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, GABRIELA VALISARI, and the two were meant to wed at the age of eighteen. Gabriela and Theodore were BOTH from nobility in their respective towns and had grown up together. Throughout the years as they’ve aged, both had grown to care less and less about the TITLES that they might one day have to abide by. Instead, they had taken advantage of their semi-freedom and LAUGHED about the big shots they hung out with and sometimes, they would have McDonalds “friend dates”. Other times, without permission, would go thrift shopping and then considerably DONATE to charities because they just didn’t care about money as long as they had each other.

Theodore had grown to LOVE Gabriela, and Gabriela had grown to love Theodore – which was all the better considering it was an arranged marriage and the two had FALLEN IN LOVE NATURALLY. But it didn’t matter whether it was an arranged marriage or not, because they were both LOST IN BLISSFUL IGNORANCE and they made each other so happy. Everyone from a mile away could see it in their EYES how much they loved each other – and the happiness they shared was bestowed upon them by the OTHER HALF. Things between the two were absolute bliss and they were somehow always caught FLIRTING during fancy dinner parties, and then occasionally sneak away while everyone bores themselves with BUSINESS TALK and PETTY GOSSIP to wander around on the beach wearing a tux and an evening gown.

To the two teens, their ever-growing, BUDDING ROMANCE was almost like a fairytale come to life, but with REALITY, not everyone can have a happily ever after. Two years before they were meant to be married, TRAGEDY struck the hearts of the Valisari household when their daughter had been in the crossfire of a terrible car accident on his way back to her home. The crash was so INTENSE, Gabriela unfortunately died instantly. When news of what had happened came to light, everyone was in UTTER MOURNING. The death of Gabriela was hard on the citizens who had adored her in every aspect of her life, but moreover, her MOTHER took it the hardest. Since the death of her daughter, she had begun drinking excessively to the point where she died from ALCOHOL POISONING three months after. On the other hand, her father tried his hardest to be the leader he was for the sake of the people, but even he BROKE DOWN several times.

As for Theodore, he was heartbroken and devastated. Upon hearing the news of what seemed to be a NIGHTMARE, the young boy at the time, never looked at love the same way again. For a moment, he seemed to have lost HOPE of truly being happy, but as time went on, he had realized that not living his best life wasn’t something Gabriela or his parents would have wanted for him. He remembered time again that Gabriela WANTED him to be happy and successful in his years to come. She told him that even if life throws a curve-ball, he has to be prepared to swing for a HOME RUN. So, of course, he took what he was told to heart and continued living life to the FULLEST.

When Theodore turned eighteen, he decided he wanted to continue his studies and go to UNIVERSITY in America. His life and responsibilities in England weren’t over, but knew he wanted to have CHANGE OF SCENERY and start a fresh beginning. He LOVED to travel and in his days of traveling alongside his father for years, he wanted to expand his experiences more. His parents, of course, were HESITANT about allowing him to leave country but as time went on, they couldn’t help but allow him to travel to America for his continued studies only with ONE condition: he must travel with a bodyguard. This condition was something Theodore would have to abide by, but it also made his life DIFFICULT every time someone suspiciously asked who the creepy-looking guy following him around everywhere was. So, with that being said, he packed his bags and ended up going to the other side of the globe to NEW YORK to study Illustration, Photography, and Human Physiology. He’s been there ever since and hasn’t looked BACK. Now that he has graduated in undergrad, finished his 1st Masters in Photography - he’s currently working remotely on his M.D. while being in STARDEW VALLEY.

#dewintro #/ i apologize for the longest introduction in history but i hope you enjoy regardless bc i'm ready for those pLOTS

8 notes · View notes

cmlopezofficial · 4 years

Text

congratulations || self-para

WHERE: Kingsboro, New York; Cleo’s Penthouse

WHEN: After the Allie baby announcement.

TIME: The afternoon.

WARNINGS: Angst, a lot of fucking angst you guys. And it’s really long. Maybe add /mobile at the end of the site address to read it better, because OOF this got long. Drinking, depressing thoughts, abuse mention, escorting/prostitution mention, racism mention, and suicidal thoughts.

CHARACTER FEATURES: Cleo Lopez

CHARACTER MENTIONS: A lot of character mentions tbh

PROMPT: Cleo’s reaction to learning her ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend are pregnant and a bunch of other thoughts over the past ten years coming back to her.

At first, today had seemed to be a pretty good day. Cleo was working from home today on a couple of paperwork involving the sanctuary and so far, she was almost done. She’d noticed her phone going off due to the group chat. The blonde rolled her eyes at first, not interested in the education debate happening again. Education should be a right for everyone; not a privilege for a few select few. That was her two cents on that. However, she was starting to grow annoyed with the blinking screen- and curious. Groaning, she finally grabbed it and began to read through that chat.

This most certainly was not a continuation about education and college.

Cleo froze, eyes widening and heart stopping at the chorus of ‘congratulations’ appeared on the screen. Congratulations to Ellie... to Allister... aunt... first trimester... “O-Oh my gods,” she breathed out, the woman’s body shaking. A baby. An actual, little baby. Allister was going to become a father... again. Only this time, he knew ahead of time. Only this time, he got to be excited. Only this time, he’s going to get to be there. Only this time, he wasn’t denied the privilege of being a father.

The woman slowly scrolled and squawked out quietly at Avery’s question. Moving in together?! No... well, yes... but gods, their relationship was still new, right? Surely they’ll wait until a few more months... maybe once the baby’s closer to being born... She was a damn fucking fool. A couple of weeks. They’ve been living together for a couple of weeks. They’re having a baby together... They’re living together... What next? Are they going to get fucking married soon?! Are they secretly already married?! That thought caused her hand to raise up and clasp over her mouth, eyes growing blurry with tears.

Quickly getting up from her desk, she moved the sliding door connected to her bedroom, quickly locking any and all doors. She could hardly breathe and her body was shaking while her thoughts ran wild. That was her dream. That had been her fucking dream when they were young and “in love”: a life together. They would live together... They would get married... They would have children... They’d run the furniture business... For three years, that had been her dream. Cleo had spent her entire life dreaming of becoming a marine biologist, of returning to Hawai’i and live a happy life there. Then she met Allister Jackson... she fell in love with Allister Jackson... And she changed her entire life’s dream for a new one for Allister Jackson. Did he ask her to? No, she did so voluntarily. But for the longest time there, it had seemed like that was their plan together. That that was what they both wanted. For so long, it seemed that way.

Rummaging through her liquor cabinet, she grabbed a new bottle of rum. She uncapped and drank straight from the bottle. Nose scrunching and throat burning, she drank and drank and her thoughts went wild.

He broke up with her. He was going through a hard time with his depression, something she didn’t know but would’ve been supportive and helped him anyways with it, and broke up with her. Cleo never really took the time to grieve properly. Never took the time to lie in bed, wallowing and shedding tears over the man she believed to be the love of her life. No, she thought he didn’t want her in Nashville anymore and she couldn’t handle the idea of going around that fucking city and being reminded of him and the heartbreak. So she quickly worked on getting transferred to the West Coast at UCLA, got two jobs, and found a trailer home with two other roommates.

And then, she moved. Was going to spend the next month getting ready and situated in Los Angeles before finally allowing herself to finally deal with her heartbreak. But instead, she found out about Cordelia. And once again, there was no time to cry. There was no time to shed her tears over the love of her life breaking her heart. No, she needed to figure out how to go through with this pregnancy- and how the fuck to tell the father. The very man who broke her heat, or more like shattered it. She was twenty. She was twenty and confused and fucking, gods damned scared. She tried to tell him. Fucking hell, she spent the first almost five years trying to tell him. Then she met Nicola and believed that maybe this was for the best. Maybe he was never meant to find out, and that fucking hurt. She wanted him to be in his daughter’s life so much. But her thoughts were wild and she wasn’t sure how things would be if she saw him again. If she re-experience that heartbreak again.

That, and she was busy. She was so fucking busy. She needed to raise Dela while she was deaf and trying to learn sign language. She had school, needing to graduate. She was living with two roommates, who both had their own shit. She was working two- no, three- fuck, now four-... eight weeks after giving birth to Cordelia, she got her fifth job. At first, prostitution. Then, she was able to make her way to escorting for some of the very rich and powerful scumbags of Hollywood. They did and say whatever they want with her and she gets paid mighty fine good money- along with keeping her mouth fucking shut. All she had to do was take their abuse and racism and the acts they believed to be “sex” while never telling another single soul about this... And she’d be able to provide for her daughter and for herself, finally pay off that mighty fine college bill.

She wrote letters. Twice a month for almost five years, she wrote letters to Allister. Talking about Cordelia, about what was going on in her life and the escorting, about her restaurant that’s going nowhere, and just... begging for him to come to LA. To come and take her and their daughter away, to please forgive her and please, please, please know and realize that she loves him... and she’s so sorry... and she meant to send the last letter and this time, this time, she was going to send them all to him. And she never did. She never sent those letters... Amphitrite’s Cove took off and become a successful chain... she quit all of her other jobs and bought an actual house for her and Dela... once she was becoming well-know and rich, she made an agreement with those assholes that if they say nothing, she’ll say nothing, and all is well... She eventually met Nicola and then spent the past four years in almost a relationship until Marissa showed up and finally, finally, a relationship between the three started... Dela adores Nic and Riss and refers to them as her mothers... She’s rich, famous, loved by so many people... She is a philanthropist and has done so much work concerning the environment, homelessness, poverty, advocating for sex workers, advocating for single parents, advocating for disability rights, and so much more... She has a sanctuary opening in Kingsboro in December... She has everything she could ever want and needed.

But she isn’t enough.

Gods... She wasn’t enough for Allister, right? She wasn’t enough for her first love, eventually going off and finding some girl who would’ve been learning cursive when they were suppose be getting ready to spend the rest of their lives together. She wasn’t enough for him and now, he was going to be living her once new dream with said girl.

She’s not enough for Nicola and Marissa. They are truly the most incredible, loving, intelligent, beautiful women she’s ever met, and so much more. They’re both so strong and wonderful. Both were broken by the deaths of the women they loved and yet, they’ve both powered through. Gods, she does not posses a single amount of strength in her entire body the way they did. They held more strength in their pinkies than Cleo did within her entire being. They deserved each other... To only be with each other. But what if they wanted Natalia and Zane to be within that? What they’re enough for them and not her? What if she loses them and the new dream she’s been creating for them like she did for Allister?

She’s not enough for Cordelia. Gods, Dela... Her little minnow. Her brave girl, who is so talented and wonderful and too smart for her own good. Who was a star on the soccer field, knew two different sign languages, knew the names of all the current known marine creatures, knew woodwork, and charmed those she trusted. Cleo is so, so blessed and lucky and honored and proud to be her mother. There was truly no one else like Dela. And now... She’s suppose to be an older sister. Fuck, how does she tell her? She is adamant that she wanted nothing to do with her biological father; How does she tell her that the man she refuses to see, is going to have a child with his girlfriend? Is going to be giving her a little sibling? How does she tell her?

Gods fucking dammit, she wasn’t enough for her friends. She wasn’t enough for her business. Has all of this been for show? The charity work, the sanctuary, the image of being a powerful single mother when truly, she is nothing? Allister said that the shit she went through, she did that to herself. She truly deserve all that crap... She didn’t deserve any of the good. Cordelia, Nicola, Marissa, everyone else... they all deserve so much better. Not her. She deserved nothing. She can go fuck herself. Bottle empty and phone still in hand, she typed a single message: Congratulations.

And with a guttural scream that has been waiting an entire decade to make an appearance, there was the sharp sudden sound of broken glass. Had that been when she threw the bottle and phone at the wall? Could that have been due to her scream? She didn’t know. All she knew was that she grabbed a few more bottles and threw them at the wall while screaming and tears streamed down her face. Another crash and the door was broken through, one of the bodyguards quickly running to the woman and tightly wrapping his arms around her to stop her. She thrashed and screamed, tried to kick and punch him while another bodyguard quickly called Marissa to tell her what was going on. The woman eventually stopped fighting and instead just cried, tears that have been waiting ever since the breakup to make an appearance. The man spoke lowly and carefully, trying to calm her down until she eventually fell asleep and dreamed of the deep dark nothing that beckoned her. Wanting her to stay at, forever.

Should she? Go into that darkness? It was like the bottom of the ocean... Should she?

should she?

should she..?

should she...?

... could that be for the best?

#(🌊 writings.)#tw: long post #tw: drinking #tw: depressive thoughts #tw: abuse mention #tw: escorting mention #tw: prostitution mention #tw: racism #tw: racism mention #tw: suicidal thoughts

1 note · View note

allyvampirelass29 · 4 years

Text

The King of Nothing: Scene 1

A Vampire Diaries Prequel By: Allyssa J. Watkins

<3 <3 <3 SPAIN 1864 <3 <3 <3

Klaus sat perched upon the wooden fencing of the round pen, his fingers steepled, just under his stubbled chin, looking every bit like a haughty king on his throne, a winged predator, watching the mice dance.

"AGAIN!!!!" He yelled out, his brow severe and slanted forward with his disgust, as the lovely Natalia, landed hard once more in a spray of reddish brown dirt.

She leapt to her feet, growling in frustration, plucking up her sword, and the broad shouldered Elijah bowed to the raven-haired beauty, before raising his own sword.

"ENOUGH of the ceremony, Elijah, you're fighting my charge to the death, not dancing the bloody quadrille!!!"

Elijah's eyes seemed to heat up behind the placard of ever somber nobility, as he stared back hard at his preening brother. "I'll have you know, there are several skills gleaned from dancing the quadrille that might be applied to the art of swordplay."

Klaus rolled his eyes, gesturing his brother forward. "No one cares about your prancing, Brother, keep your musings to yourself, and FOCUS!!!! I said, AGAIN!!!!"

Natalia charged at Elijah, with pure force, and a yell, slashing her sword, and there was a clang as steel met steel, Elijah parrying effortlessly. Natalia struck again, with a turn, and Elijah turned around her, meeting her blade with considerably less force.

"Oh how ADORABLE!!!!!" Klaus sneered. "Look at the two of you with your precious little faux fight!!! What the HELL was that, Elijah!? I might as well be watching the two of you circle 'round each other at some insipid ball!!! PUT SOME BITE INTO IT!!!!"

Natalia glared over her shoulder at Klaus, even while she spoke to Elijah, the hot summer's breeze making her curls dance. "How badly do you want to knock him off that fence right now?"

Elijah sighed, hoping his face did not betray the shocking violence of his thoughts. "Immensely so. If only there were a considerably large trough of water that he might fall into to make the experience that much more satisfying."

Natalia giggled, brushing a curl from her forehead. "Sadly, I don't even think that would cool him off...…"

Elijah nodded in agreement. "I'm afraid we must perform quite the show if we are ever going to placate his raging thirst for a violent spar."

"I'm game if you are," Natalia smiled with a wink.

"I'm SORRY!!!!" Klaus yelled from the fence, curling his fingers on either side of his lips to sound louder. "Did I say CHATTER or BATTLE!? EN-BLOODY-GARDE ALREADY!!!!"

Natalia huffed, biting her tongue to keep the scathing remark from hurling itself back at him. She raised her sword, and swiftly sliced it at Elijah's side. He blocked much harder than before, and thrust the pointed tip of his blade toward her torso which she swiveled to avoid just in time, slashing upwards, and cutting his cheek.

"Draw some blood, Sweetheart, that's it!!! Elijah, are you even TRYING!? She's a NEWBORN, and she'll never learn if you insist on letting her win!!!! FIGHT like you HATE the very sight of each other!!!!"

"I'll just pretend you're him," She teased to Elijah, and he smiled widely, the cut on his cheek already healing.

Elijah felt his speed increasing, deciding if he gave Klaus a swashbuckling spectacle, he would quiet his heckling chide, and let them end the day early. He felt the reverberations through his hands, as his sword met with Natalia's again and again, his movements less fluid and more savage, thrusting and parrying, forcing his blade down toward her determined face, and her own flew up to block it, a murmur of effort escaping her lips, as the two blades scraped against each other, back and forth, still crossed, and Elijah's strength won out, his blade biting down on Tal's, flinging her across the arena, and she stumbled backward with the force.

"AGAIN!!!!"

Natalia rose up in a fury, flying at Elijah, who looked a little guilty, and she slashed at his chest, as he nimbly jumped back, and blurred behind her, pressing the cool steel of his sword, to the warmth of her pulsing neck.

"That's cheating," She hissed, starting to get pissed off. "I didn't know we could cheat."

"Hush now, he'll love it," Elijah whispered back, holding his sword steady, careful not to let the sharp edge cut her throat.

"Well, well, FINALLY somebody's playing dirty!!!" Klaus crowed. "Natalia, PLAY DIRTIER."

Natalia blurred out of Elijah's grasp, her hands closing over the hilt of the dagger tucked in Elijah's black boots, and as he moved to strike, Natalia met his thrust, distracting him with her sword, before stabbing the smaller blade into his other side, as he yowled in surprise.

"AGAIN!!!!" Klaus screamed, no words of encouragement, of course. So quick to reprimand what I've done wrong, and GOD forbid you tell me when I KNOW I've done right.

Elijah fumed, grasping her wrist, pulling her closer. "That was just mean," He growled back, his breath labored, as he pulled the blade from his side.

"You said it yourself, Elijah...…. He'll love it." She whispered back teasingly.

Elijah released her, feeling affronted, casting the dagger aside furiously, and this time when he swung his sword toward the side of her head, she could almost feel the heat coming off of it.

She brought her sword up, forcing his back, lunging for his arm, and he whirled around, kicking her in the side hard, sending her tumbling.

"AGAIN!!!!"

Natalia, having been flung into the dirt, one too many times, gritted her teeth and blurred like a speeding bullet towards Elijah, swooping down to slash into his leg, feeling his knee buckle, and then driving him backward as hard as she could, swiping the blade at his own neck. But the eldest Original's pride was still wounded, and the girl's tricks were wearing thin. He grasped her blade with both hands, and she hesitated, horrified, as his palms bled, staining the forged steel red, and he ripped it from her grasp, letting it cut deep into his flesh, drawing the tip across her shoulder, before flipping it in the air, popping her in the cheek with its iron hilt, and she went down hard.

"AGAIN!!!!" Klaus yelled, just as the petite blonde threw herself against the fence exasperated.

"OH MY GOD, NOT AGAIN!!!! Can't we do absolutely ANYTHING else, besides watch Natalia get her ass kicked? Nick!!!! I'm bored!!! Play Sire Games another time, won't you?"

Rebekah pouted her pink lips, crossing her arms over the rounded wood, shaking the dust from the hem of her light pink muslin dress.

"Rebekah behave. I haven't time for your squirming squall right now, Natalia must be tested."

"Natalia, Natalia, Natalia!!!" Rebekah exclaimed dramatically, crossing her arms, sulking. "Your kingdom for bloody Natalia. My GOD, I go away to Paris for two weeks, and you bring home that dreadful thing!!! I HATE her, Nick, that ungrateful little troll lives in my house, steals my clothes, and hasn't a kind word for anyone. Boohoo someone killed her whole family, why do I have to suffer for it?"

Klaus narrowed his eyes annoyed, as Elijah leant down sheepishly to help Natalia to her feet, and she slapped his hand away.

"You're being ugly, Rebekah, and my patience wears ever thin. Natalia is mine to do with as I wish, and if I seek to strengthen this acquired weapon with rigorous training from now until Judgement Day, so be it. Your boredom means less than nothing to me. Stay, watch, keep your mouth shut, or go back to terrorizing Paris.

"How very droll," Rebekah drawled, hastily brushing the dirt from her layered sleeve. "Is it just me Nick, or have you been nastier, angrier, and more all around beastly since your tenacious tart arrived? My, my, how fitting you train her in the round pen. What's next, are you going to tie your little filly up with the rest of the livestock?"

Klaus snarled, grasping Rebekah’s white lace glove, pricking his nail hard into her palm. "Don't you EVER talk that way about her again, do you understand!? You spoiled, self-aggrandizing, little prima donna, that girl has survived atrocities that would drain even your worst nightmares pale, and she will have your respect, I DEMAND it!!!"

Rebekah yanked her hand away, with an indignant scoff, showing Klaus her palm. "You see that!? Just look what you've done!!! Blood, on my best gloves, from Milan no less!!! Oh tosh, demand my respect, do you? What for? It's not like you show her ANY. You treat her worse than anyone, too proud to return your pet to her nothing human life, because of some stupid blood bond, and now I'm bloody stuck with her, playing nursemaid to some disdainful wretch!!!"

Klaus took pause, his stormy blue eyes intense in their focus, leaning forward. "I will speak to her as I see fit, mine is the voice that she will heed as gospel. I am her Sire, her damned master. You will NOT provoke her. Not if you intend to keep your pretty things, including that glove, and yes, that hand."

"I am sorry, Natalia, that was a bit much......" Elijah pleaded, his eyes repentant he stood over her. "How is your jaw?"

Natalia glared up at him from her place in the dirt, her fiery eyes full of spite, rubbing her right cheek, feeling the ache, tasting her own blood. "You broke my tooth!"

Elijah winced, looking ashamed. "Forgive me, Miss Callidora. In striving to sate Klaus' thirst for cutthroat sport, I, myself, may have drank from the same cup."

Rebekah's piercing wail met the pair of them, and Natalia smiled sarcastically. "Great. Look who's home. Apparently Paris has enough petulant, pastel, fluff and feathers snobby bitches, and even worn torn France couldn't endure her."

"You certainly don't make things easy on yourself, do you?" Elijah tsked, extending his hand out graciously to the smouldering raven maiden.

Natalia slapped his hand away, and rose from the dirt on her own, still tasting blood as the bruise formed on her cheek. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Rebekah's a little blonde brat who deserves every word spat against her. I was raised a proper young woman, Elijah, and my own privilege didn't turn me into a sanctimonious she-devil!!!"

"Yes, although, I see such an upbringing did not deter that sharp tongue from particularly vulgar language."

Natalia laughed, tossing back her curls, her eyes snapping. "I'm not that sweet Spanish Lady anymore, Elijah, I'm a creature of the night now, remember, a monster just like you with nothing to lose. I don't care anymore, to hell with propriety, it was all fuss for nothing anyway."

"I wish you wouldn't talk like that, it does pain me so....... You are not a monster like me, Miss Callidora, nor will you ever become such, not as long as I breathe. The very comparison sickens me, even in your snark and playful jest. You are a lady, make no mistake, even with your defiant predilection sorely amplified....... Rebekah is a great many things, but you would do well to remember she is also Klaus' most favoured sibling."

"Oh COME ON!!!!" Natalia spat back, rolling her eyes, looking at Elijah incredulous. "WHAT!? You've got to be kidding, Please..... tell me you're kidding!!!"

"What?" Elijah half smiled, twirling his sword through the air, with a few practice swings. "Did you think it was me, Niklaus was closest to? Now, it is you, Miss Callidora, who must be kidding. As far as brother against brother goes, even the North and South in this Uncivil War, have not perfected the betrayal quite like the Mikaelson Clan. No, Klaus, would rend my head from my shoulders if it meant sparing the life of his faithful, though at times grating little sister. Thus it has always been, even as young children. Klaus and Rebekah, Always and Forever.

"And yet he scolds her frivolousness, orders her around, and controls her too!!! What the HELL kind of family is this?" Natalia glowered, wrinkling her nose with disgust.

"A complicated question that I cannot answer in truth, Natalia, if Klaus is bent this hellishly so on keeping you amongst us......" He looked away, a hardness in his eyes that Natalia had never seen before. "If you knew even a shade of what we, all of us, had done, what we're capable of........ You'd redefine the word monster, with much more fearful reverence, flee from this house in frenzy, and never once look back. If he felt anything at all for you....... He should release you at once."

Natalia felt the chill ease itself warily through her body, despite the beating heat of the day, and for once she didn't have a scathing counter ready on her tongue.

"Klaus may reprimand Rebekah, boss her about, kill any man that seeks to spirit her away, but he loves her deeply, in that strange, twisted, overprotective means he's come to don. And it would be prudent for you to remember a kind word for her, is one less cross one from him.

Natalia laughed amused, twirling her sword in her own hand. "His precious Rebekah can go to HELL," She simpered, her voice overly sweet. "All of Klaus' most CUTTING scathes, cannot traumatize me quite like the arduous experience of having to be nice to that screeching blonde banshee!!!"

"Girls, GIRLS, am I interrupting your little hen party!? How about a little less idle chit chat, and more vampire VIOLENCE, if you would be so kind!?" Klaus taunted from the fence, hands clasped together, but his eyes were callous, despite the teasing lilt of his voice.

"Niklaus, as we have been toiling tirelessly since dawn broke, might I suggest a brief respite? You know full well, a young vampire needs twice as much blood to sustain their strength, and Miss Callidora hasn't had near enough for this level of physical engagement."

"Miss Callidora, MISS Callidora, will FEED once she's done something to merit my keeping her ALIVE!!! That goes for you too, Brother, I want to see LESS flirting and MORE BLOODY FIGHTING!!!!!" Klaus roared, his unhinged voice echoing through the arena, and Rebekah hopped up next to him on the fence, her painted face, smug.

"Come now, Dear Brother, Elijah for all his dastardly swordplay prowess is never going to hurt a lady, and yes," She looked down her nose at Natalia, still covered in dirt, with vehement distaste. "I do use the term...... loosely."

Natalia laughed without mirth, her dark eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh Rebekah, you would know all about being a loose lady, now wouldn't you? Why DID you rush home so fast? Did you bed all the men in Paris already, and still none will marry you?"

Rebekah moved to leap over the fence with a furious yell, when Klaus caught her fast, gripping her forearm, and Natalia swore she saw the faintest smirk tease the curve of his bottom lip. Favourite sibling, huh? You sure about that, Elijah?

"NICK!!! Are you really going to allow that HORRID strumpet to appall and humiliate your sister so? Elijah has obviously failed as a challenging sparring partner for her, so why not let ME settle this, just between us girls?" Rebekah smiled evilly with a feminine shrug of her shoulder. "No one fights a woman better than another woman, you know I'm right...... I've just been dying to spend more time with your little sired bitch."

"NO!!!!!" Klaus seethed, with a dark scowl, knocking her off the fence, and she landed behind it in a blur of blonde hair, and a rustle of overturned pink muslin, aghast. "You are NEVER to touch her, Rebekah, not once!!! I FORBID IT!!!! Do NOT try me!!!! As much as it would alleviate all of our suffering to let the two of you have at it, I want her trained, not dead."

Klaus arched both red blonde eyebrows, just daring her to move against him, and finally with a sigh, Rebekah hung back, away from the fence. "Fair point, Nick, I'll behave, since you asked SO nicely. But, my, whomever are you going to get to dance with your little scrapper, since clearly Elijah's too frilly cuffs and coddled manners to get the job done proper?"

Elijah had just raised his sword to Natalia's once more, and before he'd even swung it, Klaus could taste the disappointment like a rancor in his mouth, rubbing his finger hard against the scratchy stubble on his chin, his blue eyes, biting as they chastised such impending failure.

Everyone froze as Klaus rose to his full height atop the fence, his balance perfect, as he straightened his leather vest, plumed with gold scrollwork at the breast, and he leapt into the arena, like a great lion, with lithe, lethal grace, his leather boots not making a sound as he landed with menacing flourish.

"Rather than watch the both of you continue to henpeck at each other to exasperating boredom, why not let the fox have his play?"

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

#niklaus mikaelson #klaus x oc #tal #elijah mikaelson #rebekah mikaelson #spain #vampire diaries #king of nothing

1 note · View note