#David Castaneda imagine

[theopulenthq]

+3 Wanted Connections. View the full list here.

[Prime Minister Santiago Martinez], our [Michael Trevino FC], from [France], is looking for their [Betrothed]. This is a [Negative/Political] connection that looks like [Henry Golding, Sean Teale, Lewis Tan, Anna Diop, Gemma Chan, Wawwa Nicha, UTP ]. They are [30-40] years old. Everything else you need to know is under the cut! Please [ YOU MUST] contact the writer @thenxghtwemxt. Santiago is the first prime minister of France and, as a result, is in a very precarious but powerful position at the French Court. Due to his high ranking position, Santiago (or his advisors) likely secured a lucrative betrothal to a royal/noble to help bolster his “commoner” background. Of course, given Santiago’s politics and disdain for the upper-crust, he’s immediately against the betrothal and his fiance themselves. We can chat through the details but ideally this is a French national or a French ally. I would also be open to this being a very unexpected betrothal to “mend relations” from an enemy nation such as Scotland, Thailand, or Madagascar. Open to where it goes from here or if the betrothal actually carries through, but as of right now, Santiago is just biding time before he can gracefully end it. 

[Prime Minister Santiago Martinez], our [Michael Trevino FC], from [France], is looking for their [Sibling]. This is a [Familial] connection that looks like [Diego Boneta, David Castaneda, Karla Souza, Zion Moreno, or a FC of Mexican descent]. They are [28-34] years old. Everything else you need to know is under the cut! Please [ do not have to] contact the writer @thenxghtwemxt. The Martinez’s are a highly political and libertarian family hailing from France. Given the Martinez family’s political upbringing and anti-monarchy sentiment, it’s no surprise that Santiago’s sibling followed in his footsteps to achieve what they believe in. Now that Santiago is Prime Minister of France, your muse would have a place in their government (can be Chief of Defense, Ambassador, etc). Overall, this relationship is tight knit and built on a foundation of a shared belief in the kind of country France can be. Of course, I’m also happy to sprinkle in some drama. Like say, your muse either has empathy for the French royals after all or is resolving to do more extreme actions to take down the monarchy once and for all.

[Lady Indira Dhar], our [Sobhita Dhulipala FC], from [The Mughal Empire], is looking for their [Sibling/Spouse to the Ruler of Madagascar]. This is a [Familial] connection that looks like [Freida Pinto, Dev Patel, Nikesh Patel, Raymond Ablack, Any fitting Indian FC]. They are [30-40] years old. Everything else you need to know is under the cut! Please [DO NOT] contact the writer @thenxghtwemxt.The Dhar’s are a highly influential noble family within the Mughal Empire. Both Indira and her sibling were raised in the lap of luxury and influence, eventually ending up in high ranking positions. As the older sibling, your muse inherited the Thakur (duchy) title and carried it with them when they eventually married the ruler of Madagascar. Although there is physical distance between the siblings, the two are incredibly close and loyal to one another. I imagine they are quite similar to Indira in being over-confident, brash, and thrill-seeking. Much of the political alliance between the Mughal Empire and Madagascar is fostered through their relationship. Lately, Indira has written to her sibling about her insecurity within her marriage and place at court. Now that they are reunited at the Mughal Empire, they are discussing the potential uncertainty within the alliance itself and Indira’s place at court.

[blushingbucky]

seven | diego hargreeves

pairing: diego hargreeves x f!reader

word count: 996

summary: oh, to be seven years old again, playing with you in the weeds.

warning: contains minor season two spoilers

author's note: hello everyone! it's been a while, hey. this fic was inspired by Taylor Swift's 'seven', hope you enjoy :)

Please picture me in the trees, I hit my peak at seven feet

In the swing, over the creek, I was too scared to jump in

But I was high in the sky, with Pennsylvania under me

Are there still beautiful things?

Diego didn’t have many happy childhood memories.

He had Grace, beautiful Grace, always there, always a comfort. He had Ben, always there with the science to carry out his wild ideas. Reprogramming Allison’s Teddy Ruxpin was only the beginning of their adventures. And you, best of all. He had you.

Even now, decades and miles away from home, he thinks of you. The only thing mental asylums were good for, thinking and dreaming. He closes his eyes to push past the barriers of distance and time, to wrap his mind around the memory of you. Seven-year-old you, your twin braids and big smile with missing teeth.

Sweet tea in the summer, cross your heart, won't tell no other

And though I can't recall your face, I still got love for you

Your braids like a pattern, love you to the moon and to Saturn

Passed down like folk songs, the love lasts so long

The sound of your war cry comes to him at night (or day, he can’t tell,) chasing imaginary sea monsters with one hand over your eye and the other swinging a stick like a sword. The look on your face when you slipped in the mud, pretty pink skirt blackened with damp earth, and you brushing the dirt off your knees before running off again. The feel of your little hand in his, running away from Grace when she called you back to the Academy.

Your laugh, bubbling from your mouth like water from a bubbler. Your pants, clutching your side with your hands when you’d exhausted yourself from running and climbing and laughter. Was there anything more beautiful than you? Would there ever be another partner-in-crime, co-captain, best friend he could call his? Surely never. There could never be anyone to replace you, his everything. His past, the present, the future he dreamt of.

How all the more crushing it was when you were ripped from him, screaming and begging as your parents shoved you into that car and vanished.

And I've been meaning to tell you, I think your house is haunted

Your dad is always mad and that must be why

And I think you should come live with me and we can be pirates

Then you won’t have to cry or hide in the closet

And just like a folk song, our love will be passed on

He couldn’t hold onto you, hand gripping yours like a lifeline, sweat slipping between your fingers and sliding apart. Reginald’s hand on the back of his collar, ignoring his pleas, your parents trying to coax you away with the promise of new friends in your new town.

You were no fool, not even at seven. “It’s not gonna be the same, Mama.”

Yet still you wondered, “Why can’t he come with us?”

There was only one answer, Reginald’s only excuse: “Number Two needs to focus on his training. He no longer has time for your… frivolous games. He’s missed enough lessons as it is.”

But you, stubborn you, mustered all your courage and spat at his feet through your tears. Looked him right in the eye, and screamed, “His name is Diego, not Number Two!”

And that was it. The final straw. Diego found himself being yanked back, choking against his clothes. Dragged back into the Academy, door slamming shut behind him. The click of the lock audible even to you, and your father led you back to the car, your mother buckled your seatbelt. Foot to the accelerator and you vanished, sobbing and screaming for him in the backseat.

Your tears dried, eventually. His, too. And you both moved on, but never forgot.

Please picture me in the weeds, before I learned civility

I used to scream ferociously any time I wanted

He promised to never forget you, and he kept that promise. For a while, you were a photograph in his pocket that he could look at any time he wished, a mantra to help him survive the missions and training and competition. He clung to your memory, clung as hard as he could. But despite his best efforts, your picture faded over time, colours yellowing, blurry and faded.

You promised to never forget him, and you kept that promise. You could never forget the shy little boy, who stumbled over words but held your hand tight. Who matched your imagination with his own, devising new worlds and stories. That little boy, so desperate to please his father, so desperate to be the best.

Your memory led you to the Academy that day, fingers clinging to a sticky note and eyes staring up at the haunted building. It was because of him, because of your search for him that led you there that fateful day. The day everything changed. The day Five fell too far into the future and couldn’t go back.

Sweet tea in the summer, cross my heart, won't tell no other

And though I can't recall your face, I still got love for you

Diego will never forget the day Five returned, never forget the words that left his brother’s mouth. I found someone in the rubble, Diego. I think she was looking for you.

And he held out that slip of paper with your delicate handwriting, and Diego read your goodbye. I’m so sorry for leaving that day, Diego. I should’ve fought harder for you. Forgive me.

None of his siblings could console him, and he couldn’t reach you in time, couldn’t find you in any hotel and spare room.

You’d slipped through his fingers again, and he lost you for good.

Pack your dolls and a sweater, we’ll move to India forever

Passed down like folk songs, our love lasts so long

#diego hargreeves #number 2 #diego #david castaneda #diego hargreeves x reader #diego x reader #david castaneda x reader #diego hargreeves imagine #diego imagine #david castaneda imagine #diego one shot #diego hargreeves one shot #david castaneda one shot #diego hargreeves fanfiction #diego fanfiction #david castaneda fanfiction #diego hargreeves x y/n #diego x y/n #david castaneda x y/n #fanfiction #umbrella academy #umbrella academy imagine #umbrella academy fanfiction #umbrella academy one shot #tua #tua fanfiction #hargreeves #hargreeves fanfiction #hargreeves x reader #hargreeves x y/n

[alisonwritesimagines]

Together ~Diego Hargreeves Imagine~

Requested by anonymous:

Summary: You join the Umbrella Academy after both of your parents pass away. Now you are known as number 8 due to your witch like powers. When you join, you never expect to like a certain boy who has great knife skills. 

Author’s Note: I got my Umbrella Academy jacket for my cosplay and I’m so happy. 

You didn’t consider yourself as part of the family. You weren’t raised with them since you were all born. In fact, you felt like you were a replacement after Ben passed away. It was horrible to feel like you were a replacement for their brother. 

“Children. I want you all to welcome number eight,” Reginald announced as you stood next to him in front of seven people. Five were kids your age, one was a chimpanzee, and a beautiful blonde lady. 

“She will be part of our missions. Grace, please show her to her room,” Reginald said.

“Come with me darlin,” the blonde lady said. 

Grace showed you to your room which was next to a girl named Vanya. Luckily, she was the first one to talk to you.

“Hi. I’m Vanya. Or number seven as dad like to say,” Vanya introduced herself.

“I’m Y/n. It’s nice to meet you Vanya.”

“What can you do? Power wise at least?”

“I have telekinesis, hex bolts, and flight,” you tell her. 

“Can I see?”

“Sure.”

You looked over and lifted your bed a little. Your hands glowed purple as it rose up a little. Vanya was impressed at what you could do. You put the bed down before levitating yourself. You put yourself back down before smiling at Vanya.

“Is this our new sister?” You and Vanya looked over at the side to see another girl your age, standing by the side.

“I don’t really think I’m your sister. I wasn’t raised with you,” you tell her.

“Well either way. I think you’re my sister now,” she smiled.

After the girls left your room, you heard a knock on your door. You walked over to see one of the boys standing there.

“H-Hi,” he said nervously.

“Hi.”

“I-I-I’m Diego.”

“I’m Y/n.”

“I j-j-just want-wanted to say w-welcome,” Diego stuttered.

“Thank you Diego,” you smile. 

“I sh-sh-should let you, un-unpack.”

“Oh okay. Thanks. I hope we can talk a little bit longer later.”

“We w-will.”

You smiled at him before closing your door to hide your blushing. On the other side, Diego facepalmed himself. He embarrassed himself in front of you and it was worst that he stuttered.

“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid,” Diego said.

“Diego. We do not use that kind of negativity,” Grace warned him as she passed by.

“Sorry mom.”

It took a while to warm up to everyone but you eventually did. However, once you did, there was one particular boy you started to like. And that was Diego. 

At first you weren’t sure if you should even like him. Yet again, you never met anyone out of the family unless it was for a mission. It felt wrong but you really did like Diego. 

“Y/n, can I talk to you?” Diego asked. 

“Sure. What is it?” You asked. 

“I need to tell you something and I don’t know how to tell you.”

“What is it?” 

“I really like you, Y/n. Ever since you came and joined us, I have grown to like you more than a sister,” Diego tells you.

“Diego-”

“If you don’t feel the same way, I understand. I just needed you to tell you.”

“Diego, I like you too. But if we’re going to like each other, you can’t see me or think of me as a sister. I don’t even consider myself a sister to your guys,” you tell him.

“Done.”

“But I don’t think we can be with each other. Mr. Hargreeves will be furious. He’ll call it a distraction,” you tell him.

“How about we secretly date? Then when we’re old enough, we can leave this place together?” Diego offered.

“Will that work?”

“I’m willing to try if you are.”

“I am,” you smile. 

It was thrilling to you when you and Diego started to date secretly. Whenever he could, Diego would sneak into your room to give you kisses. You sneaked into Diego’s room sometimes to cuddle whenever you could. 

When you two left the Umbrella Academy, it was like you two were on a honeymoon. Diego finally got to give you the affection that he wanted to give you when you both were at the academy. 

“Y/n, we have to get back to the academy,” Diego tells you as he came back to your shared apartment.

“What? Why?”

“Dad died.”

“Your dad died,” you corrected. 

“We have to go back,” Diego said.

“Alright.” 

“Come on.”

You weren’t sad for Reginald’s death. He wasn’t your father. Then Diego’s other brother, Five, came back from wherever he accidentally disappeared to. 

“So you’re Y/n? Diego’s girlfriend who he ran off with?” Five said to you.

“You’re Five. I’ve heard about you.”

“Same here. At least from Vanya’s book.”

“What can I help you with today?” You asked him.

“Well, in Vanya’s book, she mentioned that you have telekinesis, hex bolts, and flight.”

“Yes?”

“I know this may sound weird but I actually need your help.”

“With what?”

“I think your powers can help stop the apocalypse that’s about to happen,” Five tells you.

“What apocalypse?”

“The apocalypse that’s going to come soon. Now if you can convince Diego to not worry about you as you help me, that would be great,” Five tells you. 

“Fine.”

You walked up to Diego who was in his old room. He looked around to see all the old things that lied around that he left behind. 

“Diego?” He quickly looked over at you as you stood by his door.

“Yeah. What is it?” Diego asked you.

“I wanted to let you know that I have to help out your brother with something.”

“Which one?”

“Five.”

“Whatever he says, he’s probably bluffing.”

“I don’t think he is. Look, you trust me right?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then trust me on this. Look, if it makes you feel better, I will contact you once in a while.”

“Make it once every two hours,” Diego tells you. You nodded at him before giving him a kiss on the lips.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Be careful okay?”

“I will. And you need to be careful too. You tend to get stubborn sometimes,” you tell him.

“I do not.”

“Yes you do.”

Diego shook his head before giving you a hug and another kiss on the head. 

“I can’t lose you.”

“I know. I can’t lose you either.”

“Just come back to me. Okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

#diego hargreeves #diego hargreeves imagine #diego hargreeves x reader #David Castaneda #david castaneda imagine #david castaneda x reader #The Umbrella Academy #the umbrella academy imagine #alisonwritesimagines

[chloefranco]

2 a.m. calls

Diego Hargreeves x Reader

Summary: You call Diego in the middle of the night cause you needed him. And also to have cereal. And he proposes. Wow. That's a lot.

It was the third night this week that you've been hearing your parents fighting outside your room. You knew they were going to end up getting a divorce. You were 20 years old and thankfully you won't have to decide who to live with but it still hurts to see your parents separate. They are the first people to show you what love is. And to see them destroy what they had is starting to take a toll on you. You haven't been able to stop crying. Your eyes were starting to hurt by now. You just wanted to be with someone. You didn't want to be alone. Nobody ones to be alone in this situation. So, you called your boyfriend, Diego. He picked up after the second ring.

"What's wrong, baby?" He said. His voice showing that he just woke up.

"Sorry. I woke you up." You said quietly, feeling guilty. You shouldn't be bringing him into your mess.

"No, no. It's okay. Do you want me to come get you?" He said with nothing but love in his voice. It felt nice to hear his voice through the phone. It was enough to not make you feel so alone. But you do want him with you. Just to feel complete.

"Yeah." You said, your voice cracking and the tears start coming. "Could you come stay with me?"

"I'm on the way." He said and he hung up the phone.

You waited for him on the roof outside your bedroom window with two bowls of cereal. It took Diego 5 minutes to get to you. He saw you from the front yard and he climbed up your roof effortlessly since he's done it many times before.

He sat down next to you and you linked your arm with his and leaned your head against it. You closed your eyes and breathed. And you felt him kiss the top of your head. He didn't say anything. You didn't say anything for a while. He didn't have to. He knows about your family issues. He's the only one you've told. He has his own family issues. His dad not being an actual father his whole life. His family is dysfunctional and you don't feel nice calling him up because of your own issues. But he's the sweetest. Even though he has anger issues. But he knows how to control himself around you. And that's why you love him so much. He has a hard exterior but he's really just a teddy bear.

"I didn't want to be alone." You said as a tear rolled down your cheek. He felt your tears on his shirt so he looked at you.

"Hey. I'll always be here. You don't have to go through this alone." He said as he wiped away your tear stained cheeks. He felt his heart break a little bit at the sight of your red eyes.

"I know." You said as he kissed your hand. "I'm thankful for you, Diego."

"I'm the luckiest guy, baby."

"I got you cereal." You said with a smile and Diego chuckled.

"You called me at 2a.m. cause you were alone and wanted me to eat cereal with you?"

"Pretty much." You said as you gave him the bowl. "And I just wanted a reason to be with you. I'm glad you're here."

"I'll only eat cereal at 2 in the morning for you. Now, cheer up, baby." He said as he peppered kisses all around your face.

"I love you, Diego Hargreeves. So much." You said as you kissed cheek.

"You don't know how much I love you. A lot. It's crazy. You make me crazy. In a good way. I love you, (Y/N). And I swear to God, one day I'll marry you." He said as he brought your hand to his lips and he pressed a long kiss on it.

You couldn't keep the smile that was growing on your face. Your heart beating so quick. "Are you proposing to me, Mr.Hargreeves?"

"Will you marry me, baby?" He said as he pulled out the ring that he's been carrying around with him for a month.

He didn't plan to propose to you like this, given the current situation but you already beat him to it. So he thought why not do it now. You felt a millions butterflies flying around in your stomach. He still gives you butterflies even after dating for two years.

You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed his face. "Yes! I love you. I love you, Diego." You said with tears as he chuckled and gently pried you off of him as he placed the ring on your finger.

"I can't believe you made me propose to you."

"No, I didn't. You just have so much love for me. You can't resist me." You said teasingly. "How long have you had this?" You said as you looked at the ring. It was a small diamond but it was perfect. You weren't like the other girls that would throw a fit because it wasn't big.

"A little over a month." He confessed. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. I love you." You said as you brought your face closer to his and closed your eyes. He kissed your nose. "Can you spend the night over with me, tonight?"

"Of course, baby."

You spent the next hour or so eating cereal and talking. Looking at the stars. And you looked over at Diego and felt safe. You felt at home. He was your home. Your safe haven. Life is good as you make it. And he makes life easier. Sometimes you worry you and Diego will end up like your parents. But he's changed your mindset. He's it. The one made for you forever. And you wouldn't have it any other way.

#The Umbrella Academy #the umbrella academy imagines #Diego Hargreeves #Diego Hargreeves x reader #Diego Hargreaves imagines #netflix #TUA #Number Two imagines #Number 2 #number two x reader #the umbrella academy masterlist #David Castaneda #David Castaneda x reader #David Castaneda imagine

[diegoh4rgreeves]

Innocent

Headcanon: Reverse cowgirling Diego and he spanks your cute bottom and tells you that you seemed so innocent when you first met.

#diego hargreeves #diego hargreeves x reader #diego hargreeves smut #diego hargreeves imagine #david castaneda smut #david castaneda imagine #david castaneda x reader #david castaneda #david casteñeda #tua diego #tua imagine #tua smut #tua #tua fanfic #the umbrella academy #the umbrella academy smut #the umbrella academy imagine #mine

[rae-gar-targaryen]

alight with the lights out | diego hargreeves x reader [tua]

A/N: Thank you for all of your interest after I posted the teaser! It was VERY surprising and humbling; I’ve NEVER had so many people ask for a tag before. I only ask that if you asked for a tag, you interact with this fic SOMEHOW. And go find another story you love and REBLOG IT! LET THAT WRITER KNOW YOU LOVE THEM!

I’ll be honest, I’m very nervous about this one. I’m not sure if it turned out as good on paper as it did in my head. Please let me know what you liked and what you didn’t!

Pairing: Diego Hargreeves x vigilante, powered!Reader; this one may read a bit more like an OC because I’ve given the reader backstory, powers. She’s (you’re) a vigilante who regularly runs into Diego. I keep the physical description vague, so I hope you can still imagine yourself! 

Warnings: Language; who doesn’t love getting a little sweary? Violence, fighting, references to a shitty childhood, and separately, implied sexual assault (nothing graphic, I promise); angst and angsty dialogue; SMUT-- 18+ ONLY PLEASE; lots of cocktease dialogue, fingering, pierced nipples (the reader’s not Diego’s-- sorry), biting, rough sex, choking. Romance is its own warning. Fluff.

Word Count: 12.1k of sexy, self-righteous vigilantism, half-baked metaphor and of course, at least one literary reference. 

Summary: Diego Hargreeves, aka The Kraken, is secure about few things in life; one of those things being his vigilantism. He’s a hero. Until he meets a fighter who shares the same hobby, albeit with different methodologies. Diego isn’t quite as certain about her, but her mysterious abilities make him think he and his siblings aren’t the only ones in this world with power. If only she and Diego could just stay out of each others’ hair. It’s a good, old-fashioned ENEMIES TO LOVERS, lads!

Link to my playlist of songs that inspired this fic: here

NOT MY GIF

----

You wouldn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. That was rule number one. Hell, if you could get away with it at all, you wouldn’t hurt anyone. 

But Mr. Adler hated children. And he had made it his mission to not understand you. To regard you with the utmost disdain. And unfortunately for you, Mr. Adler had married your mother when you were six years old. 

You had never known another father. Your mother refused to talk about the circumstances of your birth, or of the man who had supposedly been responsible. The lack of identity loomed like a large question mark over certain portions of your life. 

And Mr. Adler, that loud, controlling lout, was not about to fill that void. 

When you were in elementary school, you began to feel like you were different from the other children. Watching them carry about their days with their steel-pressed pop culture lunch boxes and not a care in the world. While you sensed your music teacher’s sadness when her cat had died. You could feel every anxiety that passed through your classmates on the day of a spelling test. You didn’t know why you could feel these things. You just could.

Prominently above them all, you could feel Mr. Adler’s hatred for you, like a thick, toxic wall every time you passed through your front door and into what was supposed to be your sanctuary. 

He shouted at you for inane things, like the pantry door being left open, or the fact that your mother was tired after cooking dinner, insisting you never did enough to help. As a child of eight, what did he expect you to do? You kept your room clean, cleared and set the table, helped your mom water the plants in her garden. What more could Adler want from you?

Still, Mr. Adler’s hate for you colored your every interaction with him, the world you saw him through tinged with an orange-red lens of rage. 

You had never tried expanding upon your grasp of others’ feelings until you had witnessed a boy in your class push your pigtailed classmate, Annabelle, down on the playground. Anna’s shock, fear and sadness had bitten into you from the other side of the sandbox like an unwelcome spider bite, sudden and itchy. 

It didn’t sit right with you. To you, how was this boy any different from Adler? Reigning terror over someone else just because he thought he could. You’d recognize that red-orange tinge in another person anywhere. 

You stood, marching over to the boy, gripping his wrist firmly in your stubby, grubby fingers. Quick as a flash, you were met with every emotion this boy had ever felt -- annoyance at Anna (she wouldn’t share her toys. How selfish, the boy had thought); anger (how dare you grab him!); and finally, prominently, fear. 

Fear looked different for everyone, you had noticed. For some, like this boy, it was an ugly green, so like jealousy. For others, like Adler when he’d been drinking, it was an inky black you could drown in. Fear was clearly the strongest. You knew that now.

You gripped the boy’s fear in your own mind, pushing it to the forefront until he began to cry, his eyes welling with the sudden fear he couldn’t understand. 

“You won’t do that again,” you said. Turning to Anna, you offered a hand to help her up, but she just shook her head, pigtails flying, and scampered away from you. 

Your teachers were clearly afraid of you after that. Could sense that something wasn’t right. Anna? You thought she’d be grateful ... but the chilly pale yellow of her fear, and everyone else’s, followed you wherever you went. 

Fine, you thought. If they wouldn’t be grateful for what you could do, you may as well help yourself. 

From then on, you exploited your teachers’ happiness -- pop quizzes became less frequent. Everytime they wanted to scold you for incomplete homework, they were left grasping at straws and with the daze of an emotion they couldn’t name. 

Adler hated you for it. 

“I knew there was something wrong with you,” he sneered over your mother’s weeping objections. “I don’t know what it is, but I know there’s something.” 

Once you reached 18, you left for the neighboring bustling metropolis and didn’t look back. The world was full of people like Adler, like the boy in the sandbox, like your teachers, who tried to use their own fear to feed their hate, to exploit others. To exercise false power over them. 

Well, you wouldn’t have it. If it meant a few of those assholes got hurt, well, so be it. 

You lived like that for years. Until --

---

"I hope you choke on it," you hissed, watching the smoky black tendrils slither their way around the man, constricting -- bringing him to his knees, hacking and gasping. "I see your fear, I feel it all. You deserve this, you know you do," you lectured, advancing toward the man, your hands raised. 

He was seconds away, you knew it-- and then one more scumbag would be off the streets for good ...

Things were going your way, you were in your favorite position in an altercation-- you know, the one where you had the upper hand? Everything was coming up you, until--

Your ears were met with a whizzing noise mere seconds before a sharp, shiny something nicked your cheek and lodged into the wooden beam just past you. 

Your gaze left the piteous man before you long enough to see what looked like a small, but dangerously sharp, knife embedded in the beam. You reached up and plucked it from its resting place, spinning it in your palm before catching the hilt in a clutching grip. You turned to see where it had come from, your eyes catching a dark blur flipping from the fire escape of the opposite building, before said blur landed at your feet.

Standing at his full height, the blur-- no, the Kraken himself-- towered above you.

You had to admit, the stories didn't do him justice. Standing before you in head-to-toe black and a harness replete with shimmering, twinkling edges and danger, you could've sworn he was your knight in shining leather. His cropped hair and facial scars gave him the air that he was every bit as sharp and deadly as the many blades that adorned his body. His oilslick eyes so like mirthless pits of danger, daring to suck you beneath their surface. He was, in a word, imposing.

Regarding you from behind his Venetian domino mask, he spoke, "Miss I'm gonna need you to drop the knife and let this man go."

You snorted.

"You're joking, right?" Not giving him a chance to respond, you chuckled as you swung at him with the hand still holding what you now knew to be his blade. 

You'd give credit where it was due, Diego Hargreeves, aka Number Two, aka the Kraken, was every bit as fast as they'd said. In this regard, the stories and Umbrella Academy-related media hadn't been wrong. 

Diego dodged your swing, bending his body back before twirling around to strike at your torso, like a snake, with his heavy, hammered fist.

The hit knocked the wind out of you, effectively breaking your concentration, and, devastatingly, your connection with the previously fear-choked man cowering in the alley behind you. As you recovered from Diego's hit and swung around to check your quarry, you could only watch as he shook himself from your fear-induced trance.

He scraped and scrabbled to get up off his knees as Diego shouted at him to "Go, just get out of here!"

You snarled and swung a well-aimed high kick at Diego's head, connecting with just enough of his jaw to drop him. As soon as your proverbial window opened, you turned from Diego to run after the man. But even grounded from a blow, Diego was formidable. He shot his arm out and snagged your ankle, yanking you to the ground. 

The gritty pavement scraped your palms as you attempted to catch yourself on your way down, growling as you glanced up to see that loathsome cockroach of a man slip out of the alley, huffing as his bloated legs carried himself far away from you. 

You tossed a glance over your shoulder to see Diego righting himself as he stood up, looking down at you before shrugging, offering you his hand.

"Not a chance," you scoffed, knocking his hand away. You rolled slightly back, arched up, and used your hands to help you spring as you lept to your feet in one smooth movement. You landed with a thud of your boots, your feet spread apart, and arms raised in a boxer's stance. 

Diego had the decency to look slightly surprised at your obviously-dangerous athleticism. He shook himself slightly as he regarded you. 

Besides, he thought, taking in your stature, it's not as though you were any match for him. No way.

"Why would you get in my way, Umbrella douche?" You bit out harshly, glaring daggers at the knife-wielding Kraken.

"Come on, hot stuff," Diego shrugged. "If you know who I am, you gotta know it's not like I can just let you mug that man with … well, whatever you were doing to him." What he had seen you do in the alley seemed to be catching up with him as he cocked his head and queried, "What exactly were you doing to him, by the way? I mean, other than hurting a civilian?"

"A civilian?" You spat. "You don't know what you're talking about, do-gooder. If you knew what he was, you wouldn't be defending him so staunchly." 

“And what was he?” Diego pressed. 

“That dickless fuckhead would-be-rapist isn’t worth the shit on your shoe,” you snarled. “And you let him get away. Nice job, hero,” you sing-songed the last word mockingly, taking advantage of Diego’s lowered guard to level a swinging hit to his nose. 

Your punch landed with a satisfying crack, Diego stumbling back, shaking his head. 

“What in the ever-loving FUCK is wrong with you, lady?” Diego shouted. 

“Take your hits like a big boy. Aren’t you supposed to be some kind of ‘Big Deal?’ ” you asked, advancing toward Diego, fists raised. 

“Honey, my reputation precedes me for a reason,” Diego quipped back, blocking your next swing and making one of his own toward your gut. 

The two of you sparred in the alleyway, whirling and spinning in a very violent dance between two unwilling partners -- Diego, clearly pulling his punches, while you were obviously preoccupied with your rage at your escaped quarry. 

Diego flipped and spun and swung his fists with a speed that bordered on unnatural. His jabs and kicks annoyingly landed, as you were really only able to block just about every other hit. Fuck him for being so fast. 

So it was true, you thought, the superpower hype was real. Well, two could play that game. 

At Diego’s next hit, you caught his fist, allowing the contact to create the connection you needed, feeling for Diego and any underlying emotion that would be his undoing, before latching onto your favorite-- past the overstuffed confidence, you tasted simmering rage. Beyond that? A tiny prickle of … was that??…Ah, yes, the stinging, burns-so-good zip of lust... File that one away for later … and beneath it all lay Diego’s stammering, stuttering, suffocating fear. 

You dug your proverbial claws into it once you found it, bringing it to the surface, manifesting it into your signature smoky tendrils. 

Drag them down with their own fear. 

Diego’s eyes widened as he looked down to see his legs wrapped in what looked like snakes. Suddenly, his worst memories of fearful days under his father’s tyrannical reign were the only things in his brain. The shouting proclamation his own inadequacies in his father’s too-posh voice pounded within his skull. It was all he could think about -- Your presence before him seemed to dwindle, he couldn’t focus on you, try as he might-- when he was overcome with the feelings of every bad memory he had ever suffered through bearing down on him like the crushing weight of the ocean, pulling him under with the riptide of his own panic and inadequacies.

What the fuck was this shit? 

He pushed through his sudden indifference toward you to regard you, the woman stood before him. Diego’s fist clenched as he took in your own grip clutching around his wrist. Your eyes were closed as your face was screwed up in concentration. 

Repulsive. You were repulsive, he suddenly thought. How could he have cared so much about hurting you when his own terror and agitation sat heavy on his tongue, like ugly curdled cream?

But he hadn’t always felt this way-- not his usual modus operandi, was it? So what was this? Was this-- you?? Was this what you had done to that man?

Diego began to dredge himself through his own agitation, past his father’s lilting abuse… through the mire of never-quite-being-enough against Luther... dragging his proverbial feet through a bog of his own self-hatred. Just long enough to wrench his wrist from your grip, grabbing you by the shoulders and spinning around, slamming you probably a little too hard into the wall behind him. Your eyes snapped open as your head made a minor thwack off the  alleyway-- you had just enough time to tilt your head to the left as Diego brought one of his knives down, driving it into the wall a sliver from the space your face had previously occupied. 

Diego bore his weight on his toes, leaning his imposing height into and over you, panting and snorting heavily through his nose. You looked at his eyes behind his mask-- hardened flints of pissed-off-superhero glared back at you.

“W-wh-What the F-f-UCK was that?” Diego spit, lip curling over his teeth in a gruesome snarl. 

A fleeting flicker of shame passed through you. He hadn’t really done anything to deserve that, had he? Before you shook yourself out of it-- No! He let that rat-faced motherfucker get away! 

You fixed your face into an impassive mask of your own before you chirped, annoyingly, “What was what?” 

Diego chuckled mirthlessly, shaking his head.  “Nuh-uh. How did you do that?” Diego pressed, leaning even closer to you, if that were possible.

“Do what?” you chimed innocently, tilting your chin up, eyes meeting Diego’s from beneath your lashes. Maintaining your feigned ignorance.

“Don’t do that,” Diego snarled. “Don’t play dumb. I think we both know at this point-- you’re alot of things, and dumb isn’t one of them.” 

“You’d know all about playing dumb, wouldn’t you, pretty boy? Or for you, is it not really playing?” You reached up and ran a finger along his sharp jaw before tweaking his chin and dropping your hand back to your side. You sighed at Diego’s stone face. Honestly, it was so boring when they didn’t bite back.

“I don’t know what to tell you, cutie pie. I can’t help it. People are just drawn to me,” you quirked an eyebrow. “Or repulsed by me. I really haven’t decided.” You fluttered your eyelashes at him, ever the pretty picture. 

Diego leaned further into you, pressing your back further and further into the wall. All the while, his leather-gloved grip creaked around the handle of the knife he’d plunged into the wall next to your head as he gripped it tighter. 

“Huh,” he mused, scoffing at you lightly. “Ya know something, doll? I just don’t fuckin’ buy it.” 

“Babe, if you wanted to play bad cop, all you had to do was ask,” you smirked as the stone face slid from his features and gave way to "surprised face."

“Honestly, honey,” you slinked up Diego’s body, propping yourself onto your toes and brushing his lips ever-so-lightly with your own as you spoke into his mouth, “Did you really think you and your reject siblings were the only ones in this whole wide world with a little … taste … of power?” you purred. 

Ah, you thought, and there it was. 

The warming, zinging hum that your ability recognized as Diego’s lust crept through your fingertips that were currently resting on his chin. You were sure if you took the time to analyze exactly who was feeling what, that this feeling of craving wouldn’t be as one-sided as you’d otherwise have hoped. Diego was, you had to admit, very pretty -- for a man. 

The swirling galaxies in his midnight eyes regarded you with confusionangerwant.  Had you really just -- kinda kissed him?

You took advantage of Diego’s surprised state to knock his grip from your shoulder and shove -- hard. Diego toppled back, and you took off as fast as your enhanced body would carry you, cutting down the alley and away from your fascinatingly frustrating new rival. 

Diego took in your retreating form from his final resting place in the disgusting alley’s concrete. Slamming his fist into the rough-gravel ground, groaning out his frustration and anger.

You were gone. 

What were you? 

Were you really like him? Like the others?

---

Diego shuffled into Hargreeves Manor, determined to see who else was around. Surely they, or Pogo, would know if there were others like them out there. Had he been the only one to run into one? Was it all a hoax?

As he wandered into the cavernous, but simultaneously stuffy, living room, sure enough-- there was Klaus, sprawled across the couch, arm slung over his face in a restless nap. 

“Klaus!” Diego barked, startling the spindly man from his perch on the couch and onto the floor. 

Klaus looked balefully up at his brother from his spot on the carpet. “Jeeeesus, Diego, really? What do you want that made that necessary,” Klaus grumbled.

“Have you seen Pogo?” 

“I haven’t seen anything but the back of my eyelids for the last several hours, thank you very much,” Klaus replied, “Although, I did have a very good dream about running into an old friend of mine in the grocery store. He was always so convinced he was straight. But I think the rest of my dream calls bullshit.” Klaus chuckled to himself. 

“Yeah, whatever, man. I need to talk to Pogo,” Diego stressed, turning to leave the living room.

“Well, wait, wait, wait. What is so important?” Klaus queried, clambering up and lumbering across the room to catch Diego’s arm.

Diego sighed, facing his brother. 

“Do you think … Do you think we’re the only ones like us?” He asked.

“Well, there’s no one like you, brother,” Klaus chuckled, taking on a rumbling, Diego-esque mocking tone, “I’m Number Two!” He cackled to himself for a moment before coming back to himself with a sigh. “And honestly, we all know I’m an original. So I’m not sure I take your meaning.” 

“I mean… it couldn’t just be the seven of us, right? There’s a lot of other people in the world… it just makes sense others could do things like what we can?” Diego pressed.

Klaus started. He had never seen this look in his brother’s eye before. The unhinged mania of a fight? Sure. Crushing doubt? Obviously. But not this … fierce certainty buried beneath a question. This was new for Diego. He must be serious. 

Klaus blinked, regarding his brother, before slowly nodding. “I mean… sure… theoretically, there could be others. But I don’t know any. Why? Did you find someone?” 

Diego drew in a breath, unsure of how much he wanted to reveal to Klaus. After all, you were his nemesis. His pain in the ass. His whatever you were. 

Diego crossed the room again, back to the couch Klaus had previously occupied, before sitting down in a creak of leather and clink of blades still strapped to his harness. Propping his elbows on his thighs, he placed his head in his hands. 

“I don’t know. I think so? I found her while I was out patrolling, and I … I don’t really know how to describe what I saw.” 

Klaus placed himself next to his erstwhile sibling, tucking his feet beneath himself as he sat, reaching up to pat Diego on the shoulder.

“There, there, big guy. Just… tell me what happened,” Klaus crooned.

Diego launched into the story of finding you in the alley, choking the man with your smoke without even laying a hand on him. He described to Klaus how the two of you had fought, and how you had called the man a “would-be-rapist” before knocking Diego to the ground and making your getaway. 

“Well, she sounds hot.” 

“Helpful, Klaus,” Diego deadpanned. 

“Oh, isn’t it obvious, sweet Dee?” Klaus chimed at the end of Diego’s story. At his brother’s nonplussed look, Klaus continued. “She’s just like you! She likes to put on her Batman underoos and fight crime,” he chuckled. “Even if she is like… us… she clearly can do something different. But I think the most telling thing is how obviously into her you are.” 

Diego sputtered, “Wh-what?? I am not into that … psycho. Whatever she can do, that’s all I want to figure out.” 

“The lady doth protest too much,” Klaus sing-songed. “Whatever you say, brother. But I think the only way you’ll really figure it out is if you run into her again. I mean, we know dad had his secrets. If he knew about other powered children, don’t you think the Umbrella Academy would’ve been a lot bigger? The world is a big place. I’m sure there’s more out there, but, um… we just didn’t know about it until now?” 

Diego sighed deeply. “Oh, joy,” he muttered. Ignoring the tinge of excitement that passed through him at Klaus’s suggestion he seek you out. 

Klaus clapped his hands joyously, cuffing Diego’s shoulder, shaking him. 

“A nemesis, Diego! How sexy! How exciting!” 

---

Your encounter with one of the Umbrella Academy had left you slightly shaken, to say the least. You were so careful when you went out. No one missed those assholes you took care of. Honestly, you were doing the city a favor. 

Patrolling on any given night would yield one or two men who were plotting something less than savory. And all it took was a brush of skin to determine their true intentions. 

You sighed angrily, ripping off your bodysuit and stomping across your apartment to your shower, yanking back the curtain and twisting the knob forcefully. 

Hot water began to pour from the showerhead, steam filling your bathroom. You regarded your reflection in your bathroom mirror, a distinctly palmlike-bruise adorned your shoulder from where Diego had clutched it, not to mention the scrapes that lined your body from your repeated meetings with the concrete during your sparring. 

You met your own eyes in your reflection, regarding yourself as balefulness gave way to venom. 

Honestly, that toadlike little nobody had deserved what you were about to do to him. You had watched him from the back of the bar as he had annoyingly pressed his presence onto a poor girl who was just trying to enjoy her drink. Her drink that the toad had slipped something in when he thought she wasn’t looking. He even went so far as to grab her wrist with his stubby little hands. That was the final straw. 

You steeled yourself, letting the lustful, rowdy feeling of the other bar patrons that permeated the air like thick smoke take you over. Putting on your best, beguiling smile, you crossed the room and brushed your hand over the man’s bare arm, letting him feel the tingling want that you had absorbed. Simultaneously, you felt everything of his disgusting intent-- the hateful, possessive desire for the girl, the hurt he intended to inflict to trample his own inadequacies and sadness. 

Oh, yeah, you were right about this asshole. 

He looked up at you, disgusting gaze lingering on you, before forgetting all about his intended prey, pushing back from his barstool and venturing behind you out into the alley. 

The rest, as they say, is history. And an annoying vigilante type who had an ass that just wouldn’t quit once encased in black leather just had to rain on your proverbial pain parade. 

Diego Hargreeves… Of course you knew who he was. Everyone knew about the Umbrella kids. And you knew the man once-dubbed The Kraken was still doing his best Caped Crusader (sans cape) and kicking ass by night. Annoyingly self-righteous, really, you thought. Choosing ever-so-delicately to ignore the hypocrisy laden in your thought. Is that not, in effect, what you were doing? Albeit with a little more emotional manipulation and bloodshed. 

As you thought of Diego, your fingers traced the slim, sharp cut his knife had made in your cheek as it surged past you. 

You let the remnants of Diego’s rage that you had felt overtake you, amplified by your own, as you slammed your fist into the small mirror over your sink, letting the shards clatter to the ground around your feet.

Payback was a bitch, and so were you. You didn’t know if Diego Hargreeves was a praying man, but he had better hope to whatever deity would listen that he didn’t run into you again.

You wouldn’t be so kind twice, you told yourself, climbing into your shower and letting the blood and grit from your body swirl down the drain. 

---

As luck wouldn’t have it, your gods were decidedly not on your side. And clearly whatever deity you had mentally implored Diego to pray to was on vacation. 

Because you ran into that maddeningly beautiful dipshit, several times over the following weeks. He would do his best to bust up your party, stopping you from exacting your special brand of vengeance. You’d exchange a few quips and blows before running off before he could ask you the question you knew was burning in his mind. 

You managed to evade prolonged encounters with Diego until about another two weeks later. Too soon, honestly. 

Or not soon enough? God, your inner voice was desperate and annoying. 

You encountered Diego again while you were propped against the wall of a seedy dive on the other edge of town, assessing each person as they passed. While your power worked best if you could touch, some feelings were perfectly easy to pick up from a distance. 

So far, nothing. Just a few gross, horny bikers and depressive barflies. It was a maddeningly slow night. And you doubted you were needed here. 

Just as you were about to call it and head to another hotspot, a familiar prickle passed through you. You glanced up, across the street. 

Sure enough, on the neighboring rooftop, perched Diego Hargreeves in the flesh, surveying you like some kind of Great Value Nightwing. 

You sighed, pushing off the wall and crossing the street. Diego watched as you clambered up the fire escape to meet him on the rooftop. 

“Of course you would be here,” you chastised. “Are you fucking following me? I’ve been a good girl. Haven’t killed anyone in a week. I promise!” You held up your hands in mock surrender, coming to stand in front of Diego’s gloriously firm, leather-clad figure. 

“If you say so, Princess. Maybe I’m just here for a drink?” Diego cocked his head toward the shitty bar whose entrance you were haunting mere moments ago. 

“Doubtful, Underoos. I think…” you trailed off, circling Diego, tapping your finger to your chin in a pondering gesture. “I think you’re babysitting me. Making sure I don’t do your job for you and clean up the streets too well.” 

You ceased your vulture-like circling, coming to stand before Diego. His eyes bore into your own, once again partially obscured behind that stupid mask. As if you didn’t know what he looked like without it. Your eyes weren’t deceiving you when you saw Diego’s eyes flash a quick up-down of your body before resuming his stern visage. 

Oh good, you thought. You recognized the latent feelings buried beneath Diego’s anger. A new one brushed over you-- confusion… He still hadn’t figured you, or, more than likely, your power, out…

You weren’t left in suspense too long. 

“Tell me about what you can do,” Diego pressed, advancing toward you. You took a step back to maintain some distance… best if you can perpetuate some veil of advantage. 

“Ah, ah, ah, baby. It doesn’t work like that,” you chided. “You think I’m just going to spill all of my secrets because why? You’re cute? Try again. Ask nicely,” you smirked, pushing your lips into a tantalizing pout.

Diego rolled his eyes. You weren’t going to play fair? Fine, neither was he. Honestly, his fuse was too-fuckin-short for your shit. He wanted answers, even if he had to beat them out of you. Quick as a flash, he strode toward you, jumping into a flip and kicking you down to the ground upon his landing. 

You looked up at him, standing over your body as it lay on the gravelled rooftop, bringing your hand up to touch your jaw, where his boot had collided with your face not moments ago. 

You grinned widely, savagely, around bloodied teeth and split lips. "So that’s how we’re going to play? Do your worst, Big Deal. I like when it hurts."

With that, you swung your leg at Diego’s, causing him to topple beside you, where you promptly rolled over, coming to straddle his hips, bringing your hands to his wrists, the direct contact allowing you to bring his fear to the forefront. 

Just as you were about to choke him with the smoke of his own fear, Diego surged upright, his arms breaking free from the grip of your wrists, his own hands coming to close around your throat. He squeezed insistently, enough to break your concentration-- the smoke dissipating as soon as it had come. With that, he had managed to roll the two of you over, you flat on your back as one of his thighs came to rest between yours. 

You gasped, looking up at Diego with fiery shock looming in your eyes. 

“Wow,” you rasped, “I told you before-- if you wanted to play bad cop, all you had to do was ask.” 

Diego removed one hand from your throat, bringing it to his own head and ripping off his flimsy excuse for a mask. He regarded you with nacreous, tarpit eyes that glowed and glittered with the streetlights, his breath coming in ragged, uneven puffs through his sinfully full lips. His cropped hair was glistening with sweat borne equally from the heat of the night and your encounter. 

“Baby, I think you owe me an explanation first,” He pressed, squeezing your throat lightly, free hand pulling a knife from his harness that he spun in his fingers while gazing down at you. 

You whined, rolling your hips against where his thigh rested between your legs. 

“This would be so much more fun if you’d just do things my way,” you pouted at Diego. 

“Maybe I would, if you would bother to tell me what your way is,” Diego retorted.

“I could tell you, or I could show you,” you purred, rolling your hips again. “I’m all about more fun.” 

Diego sighed. The familiar buzz of lust radiating from your skin-- or was it his own-- that always seemed to hang over your encounters was pressingly prevalent and it was all he could do to not just give in. He gritted his teeth, and shook his head. 

“No. Come on. I know what you’re doing… whatever it is. Just … tell me what it is you can do. Tell me why you’re hurting those people,” he implored.

You scoffed, rolling your eyes, using your free hands to knock his grip from your throat and coming to a sitting position, as Diego remained crouched over you. 

“All you hero-types. You’re no fun. You want to know what I can do? That pleasant little hum you feel? That’s you. Well, it’s me. But it’s you. I don’t make anyone feel what they don’t already… but I can use it against them. That first night at the bar? That,” you shuddered, “That rat was going to force himself on some poor girl. I could feel his every feeling as he was preying on her. I had to stop it. It’s simple, honeybunch. I do what you do, but better. I’ll make them choke in it, their own fear, their self-hatred, their inadequacy, their lust, I’ll drown them in it, and they’ll thank me for it. Because I’m nothing if not merciful,” you gritted out. 

Diego’s mind reeled, jaw slack from your confession. He knew it! You were an empath, an enhanced emotional manipulator. Except you seemed to be able to manifest emotions into something tangible, something harmful. 

Suddenly, the weight of your confession seemed to crush Diego, you had exploited every feeling of his during your encounters to gain an upper hand. And he hadn’t truly known about it until now. 

You felt the surge of his rage, his disgust, his fear with you before he could say it-- 

“You c-can’t-- you can’t do that,” Diego said. “Kililng people who haven’t even done anything yet? It’s w-wrong. Y-you’re w-wro-wrong,” He stuttered out, clearly distressed, but advancing even further into your space.

“As opposed to you?” You bit out. “You wait until someone’s already hurting or hurt someone else to do something. How are you any better? Who are you to judge me,” you spit through gritted teeth. 

“You’re a killer,” Diego pressed, pushing back from you and coming to stand.

“Sticks and stones. So are you. But I don’t hate you for it,” you snarled, jumping into a standing position, squaring your shoulders before Diego’s imposing form. 

“You could always work with me,” Diego offered, “ We could take what you can do and just… re-tool it a bit.” 

You ground out a harsh laugh. 

“Unlikely, you absolutely patronizing dick. You don’t want anything to do with me other than to change me, control me. You’re just like them.” 

With that, you unleashed a slew and flurry of attacks on Diego, swinging your hips around to level a kick at his gut, knocking him to his knees, where your arm was ready to strike a heavy blow against his cheek, your rage fueling the unnatural strength behind the hit. 

Diego sprawled against the concrete of the rooftop, half conscious after blows you’d dealt him. 

You stood over Diego now, looking down at his prone form. 

“I would never want anyone who only means to stifle me. To take me apart until there’s nothing left. Never.” You spit a glob of bloodied saliva at Diego’s feet, leaving him in his semi-conscious, battered state-- the guilt only slightly prickling you. 

His fear-- choking on half-gasped words from behind the tremulous task of tripping over his own tongue-- followed you like a stuttering stormcloud. It stung. Knowing that he was afraid of you.

---

Okay. The guilt was more than slight. 

All he had wanted to do was help, right? 

Years alone with your power, the sting of Adler’s rejection as a child, it all weighed down on you like the crushing magnitude of Atlas. You didn’t really want to hurt him. 

You sighed, resolute. You just needed to make sure.

With that, you headed out in the storm. Headed toward Diego. 

---

The rain pounded on the walls of the Fighting Lion, plunking heavily like half-hewn nails tossed onto the small window in Diego’s back bedroom. He could hear as it landed on the brick, the wet stone and stormy atmosphere making the air thick with the scent of sagebrush and rain. 

A kind of whoosh passed through the room, prompting him to turn from where he was folding his laundry on the bed to see you propped against the door, legs crossed at the ankles, looking every bit as if you belonged. 

“Wow, Big Deal. Nice digs,” you said as you sauntered in the room, staring at the case at the foot of the bed that was full of Diego’s knives. “Not what I’d expect coming from a dude who hails from the city’s biggest mansion. But still -- homey.” 

Diego ignored the jab about his upbringing in favor of the real question.

“How did you get in here?” He asked, seemingly --and to you, maddeningly-- disinterested in your presence as he continued stacking his paired socks into their rightful place in his bureau. 

“Uh, have you seen this place? It’s not exactly rigged with ‘Entrapment’ levels of security,” you snarked, folding your arms across your chest.

“Does that make you a cat burglar? Are you Catherine Zeta-Jones in this scenario?” Diego glanced at you from his socks, cocking a strong eyebrow. 

“If you want me to be, sweetie,” you shrugged. “But, uh -- and don’t take this the wrong way, Diego, but you don’t exactly have anything I’d want to steal.” 

“Then I’ll amend the question. What are you doing here?” Diego asked, finally turning to fully face you, taking in your form as you stood by his bed. The sight causing a pleasantly-unpleasant little something to prickle across his skin. 

No, no, it’s not like that, he chided himself. Besides. You were an absolutely monumental pain in his ass. And his head. And basically every other body part of his you came in contact with. Nope, nope... Don’t think about her body parts “coming into contact” with anything of yours, he scolded. 

“Aw, well now, Big Deal. Maybe I just missed you?” You mused. 

“Doubtful. Did you come back to kick my ass with your freaky little homicidal chokehold some more?” Diego snapped.

Ouch. Maybe you had gone too far in your last little encounter. After all, wasn't that why you were there? To check on your favorite knife-wielding antagonist? To make sure you hadn't actually hurt him?

But what came out instead was--

"Is there any other kind of chokehold?" You hummed, arching your brow. 

Before he could stop himself, Diego retorted, “Based on our last meeting, I think you know there is." 

Momentarily stunned into silence, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks at the memory of his hands on your throat, you dropped your arms from where they were crossed at your chest down to your sides, hands flexing nervously. You chuckled.

"Heh. As tempting as that offer is, pretty boy, I only came to make sure I didn't ring your bell too bad."

Diego leaned against his dresser, tilting his head back and looking down his perfect, strong nose at you. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I must be going fuckin' deaf. Did you just say you slunk in here with your little kitten tail between your legs to say you were sorry?" Diego snorted, obviously pleased with himself as he saw the obvious fluster cross your face.

Okay, now he was pissing you off. You came here with good will and he sasses you? Two can play at that, as you two so often do...

"You must be fuckin' deaf, dipshit. I didn't say I was here to say I was sorry. I did say I wanted to make sure I didn't kick your sorry ass into oblivion. Which, you're obviously fine, so I'll just be going." You crossed Diego's room, breezing for the door.

Honestly, why did you think this was a good idea? Stupid, stupid, stupid…

Diego caught your arm as you passed him in your hurried attempt at an exit. You gave a half-hearted tug to pull your arm from Diego's grip, surprised to find how firm it was. You turned your head to meet Diego's gaze, throat closing around your sudden nerves. Diego's eyes were molten, boring into you with quizzical questions and low-burning heat. His grip on your arm afforded you an insight into the unique blend that was his confusion and simmering passion.

"What are you doing?" You asked.

"Come on," Diego drawled. "You clearly know what I'm feeling. But I have no idea what you're feeling. You have me at a disadvantage. I don't like it."

"Every time we meet, I have you at a disadvantage," you snarked. At the brief hurt that flashed across Diego's face, you sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I meant what I said when I told you I was coming to check on you … I just--" 

You looked down at your feet, the laces in your boots suddenly incredibly interesting to you. Diego's other hand gently gripped your chin, his thumb pressing into its apex, fingers curled beneath your jaw.

"D-don't do that-- keep going. Tell me what you're feeling for once," Diego implored, eyes meeting yours once more, lips ever-so-close to yours. “Please,” he added, softly.

Had your heart been thudding like this the whole time?? Was your jacket always this hot? All you could hear was the pounding sheet of rain, pressing itself into your brain, growing fuzzier. Diego's proximity to your person was decidedly distracting. Wholeheartedly overwhelming. 

Could he really not tell what you were thinking? You were certain at this point it must be written all over your face. Were you not being obvious?? Your burning ardor for him creeping through every inch of your person, drowning your intentions and better sensibilities in anything and everything Diego Hargreeves. You swallowed the lump in your throat before speaking.

"I'm feeling-- was feeling … guilty. The last time I saw you.. I h-hit you...  pretty hard. So, you win. I guess I am here to tell you I'm sorry." You brushed your fingers softly over the bruise that adorned his prominent, proud cheekbone. "I… I just wanted you to be okay. Because I think you were just trying to help. And that's stupid. It's stupid. I'm sorry," you hurriedly stammered. 

Diego relinquished his grip on your arm, allowing his hand to travel down your side until it met your waist. He cocked his head and studied your eyes with his own mercurial ones-- searching for any hint of mistruth in your confession, but seemingly finding none. 

After all, he too knew the honesty behind words that struggled to come out.

"You were… worried about me? You?"

"Let's not make a big thing of this, big boy. You're obviously fine. I shouldn't have come… An honest mistake. Won’t happen again," you started to turn your head, breaking his gaze. 

But Diego's grip on your chin firmed, forcing you to look at him again before surging forward and crushing his lips to yours. 

And, oh, this was bliss-- you were just sure of it. Your yearning manifested itself in the hand you had placed on Diego's cheek, cupping your hands to the sides of his face before dragging them back to thread through the closely-cropped hair at the nape of his neck, then passing your hands up through his longer hair toward the top of his head and tugging. You took advantage of the gasp Diego elicited at that sensation, sweeping your tongue into his mouth. 

Your shared lust bled through your connected skin, hands on faces and elsewhere…  washing over you both like warm static, a pleasant buzz akin to drinking just a little too much champagne. 

Diego’s hands tugged at the hem of your rain-dampened hoodie, tugging it over your head. Your newly-exposed skin prickled with goosebumps at the sudden chill. You had run over here in the rain, after all. Diego’s darkened, honeyed gaze reverently took in your form. 

Never one to waste an opportunity, you took the break in action as your chance to respond in kind-- peeling his skin-tight black crewneck shirt from his own gloriously-sculpted body. 

The two of you stood, staring at each other’s exposed torsos, ragged breaths dragging through the air of passion so-stifling the room like incense you’ve left burning for too long. 

Diego stared at your chest, breasts heaving from behind the scrap of lace that constituted your bralette-- were those piercings that made your nipples poke so prominently through the lace? WIth this realization, Diego felt himself harden. He lunged for you with a growl, scooping you by the waist and dropping you with a bounce onto his bed. 

His mouth latched onto your throat, sucking insistently while his powerful hands rested at the edges of the delicate lace trim of your bra, passing almost reverently across your ribcage. 

You gasped as he brushed a thumb over your nipple, feeling yourself growing wet beneath your leggings. You hmm’d a whine as Diego’s mouth found that spot on your throat, his thumb still rolling circles over your nipple. 

“D-Diego,” you gasped, sucking in air like you’d never properly breathed before.

“Yeah, baby?” 

“Take it off,” you glanced down at the scrap of lace that adorned your chest. “Please,” you intoned, sweetly. 

“Since you asked so nicely,” Diego said,” creeping his fingers beneath the lace to lift it off your skin. Suddenly, with that preternatural speed he’d come to recognize as a gift of those who were enhanced, like himself, you seized his wrist and squeezed. 

“It wasn’t meant to be nice,” you ground out. “Take. It. Off. Now.” 

With that, you released his wrist, and Diego gripped the lace where it rested beneath your breasts with this two hands and tugged, ripping your bralette cleanly in two, exposing your tits to his roving gaze. 

“There you go, Big Deal,” you preened in satisfaction, taking your own hands from where they had previously been resting along his strong abdomen, trailing them down to the top of his jeans. You popped the button on his fly and began tugging his zipper down, before Diego caught your hand as quickly as you had just done to him. 

“I’ve got this, baby,” Diego assured. 

With that, he brought his mouth down to your left breast, swirling his tongue around your nipple, taking the hand still clutching your wrist and planting it above your head. He released your wrist, trailing his hand, down your side until it met the waistband of your leggings. He pressed his fingers beneath the waistband, raking his fingers under your panties, to where you wanted him most. 

As he dragged a finger through your wetness, you gasped out a keening sigh. Diego’s long fingers working magic against your center, rubbing up and down your slit before pressing one, long finger inside. He lifted his mouth from your breast, pressing it to yours to swallow your moan with a searing kiss.

After a few more moments, Diego slid his finger from your center, retracting his hand from your pants, his other hand coming to meet it, peeling your leggings and panties from you in one fluid motion. You lifted and wiggled your hips to assist him. As soon as the leggings were free from your legs, you wasted no time in wrapping your bare legs around Diego’s waist, locking your ankles behind him and pulling him to you, dragging your hands up his neck and into his hair, hissing in pained pleasure as you rolled your hips against Diego’s still denim-clad hardness. 

Diego groaned as he felt your hardened nipples press against his chest, the microscopic bite of cold from your piercings as they touched his warm skin made him sigh.

The room felt like it was bordering on a hundred degrees, the previously champagne-drunk feeling of your shared lust now replaced with a frantic urge to taste and mark every inch of the other as their own. 

As you continued to grind your hips into Diego, he kissed you deeply, tongue sliding into your mouth, running along your own tongue and teeth, tasting every bit of your want for him as he succumbed to the heated buzz of the room. 

Your power had its benefits, he reasoned, if it meant this would feel so… resplendent. 

The mutuality of your shared passion was enough to do you in. You couldn’t be imagining that Diego wanted you as much as you wanted him. If that wasn’t the case, you both wouldn’t be burning like this, writhing atop his bed with pent-up passion and aggression. 

Diego broke his hands from where they had previously been digging bruises into your hips, coming up onto his knees to start shucking his own jeans and underwear off. 

And oh, he thought, you were a vision. As he looked at you while he stripped himself, he was overcome. Your half-lidded gaze swimming with hazy, unfulfilled promises, swirling lazily like the drizzle of sinfully sweet syrup over something forbidden. Your lips were flushed, swollen and lightly bruised from the punishing pace of your shared kisses. Your wickedly luscious curves and the glimmering slick between your thighs on display for only him. In this moment, he felt he could die under whatever your power would dish out, if it meant he died feeling like this. 

Now bared to you in his entirety, Diego positioned himself once more between your legs, his impressive length sliding to where he had guided it along your opening. 

You tossed your head back, eyes closed at the glorious feeling of his skin finally meeting yours where you wanted it most… but, still, it wasn’t enough. 

“Di- eh - go,” you panted, your glimmering gaze meeting his lustrously darkened one. “P-please, I need it. I need you,” you cried piteously, clutching his shoulders and grinding your hips once more against him.

Diego chuckled, only to happy to oblige. With a guiding hand and a smooth flex-and-thrust of his hips, Diego entered you with a powerful, needed thrust. You cried out, sound going straight to his cock, twitching from its rightful place inside of you. 

“There, now, baby,” Diego crooned, bringing his mouth back to yours and humming into your open lips. “Doesn’t that feel ... So. Much. Better?” He punctuated each of his last few words with hard, firm thrusts of his hips. 

You nodded, eagerly fusing your mouths together, rolling your hips in kind to meet Diego’s sweet, but punishing thrusts. 

“After all that shit you pulled with me,” DIego ground out, “It’s nice to know-- this is what you really wanted. Fuck--” he broke off as you clenched around him just right. “This is what you needed.” 

You whined your assent, keening and high-pitched. 

“Mmmm, I want y-you, as much as you want me,” you gasped out, Diego’s brutal thrusting brushing your clit with his pubic bone, bringing you ever closer, closer, closer to that teetering edge. You lifted yourself up to balance on one hand and meet Diego’s face where he was hovering above you, your sweat-slicked bodies pressing into one another with a delicious, filthy heat. You looked into his eyes, your jaw slack with the stupidly good feeling of everything he was doing to you. 

You turned your head to face his sculpted shoulder, and grazed your teeth there, biting into the apex of his arm. Diego hissed, obviously pleased with the feeling, bringing his hand to your neck, fingers wrapping around your throat and tearing your teeth away from his shoulder, guiding your mouth back to his with the pads of his fingers lightly pressing into your airway.

You gasped, the combined feeling of his kiss, his pressing, insistent touch, and his cock inside you brushing repeatedly against that spot of your inner walls causing you to clench, crying out your sudden, gushing release. 

Diego guided your head back to his pillow, clenching his fist, the same battered-knuckled boxer’s fist that had previously clutched your throat, now clutched around his bedframe as he hammered his final thrusts, pounding into you until he met his release, groaning as he came down from his sudden, bursting high. 

He sighed into your neck, the lovingly sticky heat of your sweaty bodies pressed together as he eased himself from you, pulling you into his side.

You sighed in contentment. 

Was everything Diego Hargreeves did punctuated with such beautiful, forthright power?

---

You both lie in the after, bodies pressed firmly together. It would have been romantically intimate had the primary motivator not been the lack of space on Diego's too-small mattress squeezed along the wall in his room. 

Nevertheless, you lie there in complete contentment, basking in the afterglow and Diego's delightfully even, rhythmic breathing.

Said lothario had his head turned into your cheek, nose brushing against your hair. His arm around you, curling you to him and trailing his fingers up and down your side at a slow, steady pace.

Why couldn't it always be like this? 

After all, fire doused with water still burns brightly at one time, but loses its penchant for destruction, tampered in cool, calming depths and leaving behind cooling steam. So, too, had you and Diego drawn a peaceable, but joyfully sweaty truce. 

In that moment, you could see yourself loving him. You know he'd let you, if you gave him enough time and enough of yourself. The man had not had enough love given to him in his life-- he fought for it, tooth and nail. And had come up woefully empty, like clutching at soft sand that slips through your fingers. He'd had the love of his siblings, sure. But this was -- understandably-- different. You recognized a chasm in him that you often thought you'd never mend within yourself. 

But he was so deserving of love. Whereas you? Well, the jury was still out. 

When you think of Diego, you couldn't help but think of strength. Assuredness. Agility. His aura burned red in your deeper sentiments. Power. You do associate his memory with annoyance, sure, but also a biting wit that he so-oft concealed. And an endearing sentimentality. And an iron will suffused with stubbornness.  

You had gleaned some of this from your foray into exploring his emotions, sure. But you don't use your power at every turn. The rest of it was every impression Diego had devastatingly left you with. You had learned so much of him, you yearned to share a piece of yourself, similarly eager for acceptance. Which then prompted you to share--

“You know,” you piped up in the dark, “You remind me a bit of the main character of my favorite books series-- Ever hear of ‘The Dark Tower?’ You know, the legendary Gunslinger?” 

Diego scoffed at that.

“Guns are for pussies, real men throw knives,” he stated primly, but still unable to conceal the smile in his voice.

“That sounds a little rehearsed, Big Deal. But I’ll let it slide. Besides, you don’t know what you’re missing,” you acquiesced, turning your head to face him, your noses brushing.

“Yeah, sorry, I’m not into all that bookworm stuff. Cuz, ya know, I’m not a fuckin’ virgin,” he chuckled. Obviously pleased with his middle school-grade burn. 

You met his eyes, yours widening in mock surprise. “Oh no?” you gasped. “Well, then why do you dress like one?”

Honestly, it had to be some kind of world record, how fast Diego’s face fell.

"I'm kidding, big boy. You know I dig the black leather," you crooned. Ever eager to smooth the waters of this moment, of his now furrowed brow, back to the placid lake it had been.

"You're goddamn right, you do," Diego chuffed, his grin now prominent in his voice.

You looked at him, your eyes travelling between his shining, ochre eyes and his full lips.

"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I aim with my eye. 

“I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I shoot with my mind.

"I do not kill with my gun; he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father. I kill with my heart," you recited.

Diego regarded you for a moment before brushing his lips across yours, kissing you warmly.

"What was that?" He asked.

"'The Dark Tower,'" you replied. "What? I like to read. You really do remind me of him. Surly, but just. Lost, but ever-searching. Pinpoint accuracy. Deadly. But hasn't lost hope." 

Diego kissed you again, running his hand down your body beneath the covers to grip your bum and roll your body over his, urging you to tarry with him on another burning exploration of one another's bodies.

Yes, you think, sighing as Diego's teeth graze that spot on your neck, his warm palm on your breast. You could easily fall in love with him… if you let yourself. You were probably more than halfway in love with him already.

Oh, no.

---

You awoke to the early-morning sun peeking weakly behind the remnants of fat, overstuffed rainclouds from the night before, purpling the sky as sunlight met grey. 

You took in Diego’s, sweet sleeping form-- his long lashes fringing his sweetly-closed eyes, his cropped hair mussed from a night of tugging, rolling, writhing. He breathed deeply, evenly, peaceably, as evidenced by the repetitive motion of his muscled torso, his long-fingered hands resting along his stomach. 

You couldn’t do this. Couldn’t taint someone so noble and beautiful with your special brand of poisonous manipulation. 

You couldn’t stop yourself as you spoke softly to the sleeping man beside you, coming to sit on the edge of his bed and brushing one hand through his soft hair. 

“You wanted to know about my power? It’s a curse. You think I want this? This? It’s isolation, Diego-- it’s eternal damnation. I shouldn’t be able to do what I can do …  No one should. It’s not a gift, it’s a curse. And it dooms me to a life alone,” your voice cracks as your breath catches in your throat, hitching over tears that were now, suddenly pooling in your eyes. “There’s no trust. It’s what I … It’s what I deserve.” 

With that, you left Diego’s room. Leaving him to wake alone to a cold one-half of his bed, fingers clutching over air and the warm memories of the night before. He blinked in confusion, the sting of your rejection settling beneath his skin. 

---

When you saw Diego again, it was nearly a month after your last… encounter. The sharp knife of anxiety and longing you so regularly felt in yourself since that day, you recognized immediately as emanating from Diego as you watched him limp away from what you assumed was a particularly nasty fight. 

“Big Deal!” You shouted across the street and through the darkness. 

Diego’s head whipped up, head turning to the direction of your voice, before meeting your gaze. He shook his head, looked away, and kept walking. Away from you. 

Ouch. 

Honestly, you could understand why he would. You had done the same to him a month ago. Walked away. But the pinging sting of his rejection dug at you, like glass into the thin skin between your knuckles. 

All you had ever wanted was for other people to understand. But mostly, now, you realized… You really only cared that Diego understood. 

You took off after him, enhanced speed helping you catch up to his limping form outside of a boarded-up, long-closed bar. 

“Diego!” You called, stopping in front of him, causing him to halt.

“What could you possibly want with me, after all this time?” Diego spit.

“I.. I deserve that, Big Deal. I do,” you glanced at your boots, scuffing the toe into the pavement. “Please, just… hear me out?” 

You looked up at Diego. Really looked at him. His beautiful, tawny skin damp with sweat from a fight, his usually bright and mischievous eyes sunken under the weight of tired bags that sat beneath them. He looked drawn, more exhausted than you remember. You caught sight of a particularly nasty, jagged cut on the side of his neck that had clearly only recently stopped bleeding, the splotching clot like a raised, splintering cut from a large cat’s claws. A particularly nasty bruise was already forming around his left eye and onto his beautifully-sculpted, prominent cheek. 

You rushed to meet him, your fingers coming to brush along his cheeks, mindful of the bruise. He closed his eyes at your touch, lashes fanning downward in defeat. 

“Who hurt you? What did they do, Big Deal? Who the fuck did this? If anyone hurt you, I would make them hurt. I’ll make them pay”

Diego dropped the knife you now noticed was previously-clutched in his right hand, bringing his hand to meet your wrist. 

“Don’t do that,” he whispered.

“Don’t do what? Kill the fucker who hurt you? Fine, I’ll just break their knees--” you started, before Diego shushed you.

“No,” he said, “Shut the fuck up. D- Don’t act like you give a shit. Someone who gives a shit wouldn’t bounce for a fuckin’ month. Not after a night like that.” 

Your hand left Diego’s face. 

“I… I deserve that,” you said. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” And with that, you plopped yourself onto the pavement, sitting on the sidewalk at Diego’s feet. Annoying? Sure. Dramatic? Sure. But if something is stupid and it works, then it isn’t stupid. 

Diego sighed at you, rolling his eyes before coming to sit beside you, gasping out in pain and clutching an obviously bruised rib or two on his way down. 

“Fine. Tell me what the fuck happened. Why’d you go?”

“Diego--” you started… “I-- I can’t be with someone when I’m like this. It never works,” you confessed. 

“Like what?” He pressed, bringing his hand to your knee. 

“I’m-- I’m a monster,” you cried. “Adler knew it. Everyone I meet knows it. It’s only a matter of time before you know it too. I just… I don’t know how to stop.” The tears you thought you could hold at bay were now creeping up and causing your throat to close around your words of contrition. 

“You’re not--” Diego began, but you silenced him with a harsh wave of your hand. 

“You don't understand. You wanted to know how it works? I’ll tell you. The power works based on the other's emotion, sure. I amplify what they feel. Cripple them with it, even. But that's not all… it only works, really works, if it's something I can draw on. They feel what I want them to feel-- because I feel it too …" you admitted. “Everything I ever do to someone else I can only do because I know how it feels. If I want someone to hurt, they’ll hurt… I -- I don’t want to do that to you, too.” 

“You won’t. Not with me,” Diego pressed. 

“And how can you be sure? Even now, I feel how pissed you are at me for leaving. It’s humming beneath your skin. I can feel it.” 

Diego nodded, picking up the knife he had previously dropped and beginning to spin it around in his hand. 

“I know it because I felt it. When we were together,” he sighed. “We both, we both can do these things. Anyone else would piss themselves if it was turned against them. But you look the danger of what I am in the face, and you laugh. When we’re together, we’re matched. The way that room felt? I know what that was.” 

You sat, stunned at Diego’s read of the situation. 

“I take back what I said the first night we met,” you said. At the question in his eyes, you continued, “You’re not dumb. That was… that was… something. But I know how to flex my power. I know what fells all men. Fear is a powerful emotion." 

Diego smiled at you. 

“I hate to break it to you, princess, but I’m not scared of you. I know you think I am, but I’m not. And you know what's even stronger than fear? Love."

You looked at Diego, blinked. He blinked back. You then turned your head with a mocking, retching, gag.

"Jesus, Big Deal. They teach you ‘Hokey Catchphrases 101’ at Dysfunctional Superhero Camp?"

“Hey,” he jostled your shoulder with his. “You know I’m right.” 

You stood, offering Diego your hand.

“Come on, big boy. Walk me home?” 

Diego acquiesced, coming to stand with a stifled grunt. 

“You’re lucky I heal quickly.” 

With that, the two of you walked down the street. You matched Diego’s stride, mindful of his injuries. As you walked side-by-side, your fingers brushed. Before you could stop yourself or think better of it, you took Diego’s hand. 

When you reached your door, you turned to Diego, fiddling with your keys. 

“Everyone’s distinct, you know? Everyone feels differently. Wears their hearts on their sleeve, so to speak. But with everyone, it’s a different emotion. Some flaunt pride. Some are more passive. Do you want to know what I feel when I see you?” 

Diego glanced down to where your hands were still joined. He brought them up to his mouth, pressing a kiss to your knuckles. 

“I want whatever you’ll tell me. You’re such an open book,” he admitted sarcastically. You rolled your eyes.

“Come on, I’m being serious here. You feel... you feel...” 

At Diego’s urging look, you continued. 

"You feel like warmth. Like I could wrap myself in you and never feel the biting cold of my heart again. And when you're not around? The absence of you is worse than any feeling I could ever exploit. I hate it when you aren't here."

Diego stared at you in silence for a moment, before he spoke, “I really think you should open the door now and let me take you inside.” 

You smiled, pleased that your honest confession had gone over well, the smile morphing into a smirk. 

“As you wish, Big Deal.”

And in the morning? Well, In the morning, you and Diego were still wrapped up in one another. 

You looked into Diego’s swimming, honey-and-tar eyes, tracing your palms down the sides of his jaw and cupping his cheeks as you told him, “You have my whole heart. It’s yours -- crush it, hold it, bury it in whatever you feel ... Do whatever you want with it, I don’t care. Just say you want it-- that you want me.” 

“I want you.” With that, he kissed you deeply.

---

You were a master of emotional manipulation. To do that, you had to have a decent handle on your own emotions. For years, you’d rested on your own laurels of your mastery of self, indulging only in the most passing of forays into others’ feelings for the sake of your own.

So why on Earth were you so fucking nervous? Why couldn’t you get it under control?

Yet, here you were, hand in Diego’s, fingers laced, on your way to Hargreeves Manor to meet his siblings, months after your mutual confessions of want. The two of you had been inseparable. 

Diego clearly sensed your unease, because he turned to you, squeezing your fingers in his own, planting a sweet kiss to your forehead. 

“They’ll like you,” he promised. 

“How can you be so sure?” You worried, trying to keep all of them straight in your mind based on Diego’s stories, anecdotes and descriptions. 

“Because I like you, and they love to annoy me. So they’ll definitely want to buddy up,” he chuckled with a shrug. “Baby, you’ll be fine.”

With that, you found yourself standing in the ornate living room with five nonplussed persons who introduced themselves to you one by one.

As the largest of the group approached you, you beat him to the punch.

“You must be Luther,” you said, pumping your arm in a handshake where his hand comically dwarfed yours. 

Luther blinked. “How did you know?” 

"Easy,” you said, “You look like a 'Number One.’ " 

Luther straightened, obviously pleased. "Important?" he asked.

"Self-important."

This caused the lithe one with the smudged eyeliner who had introduced himself with a wink as, “Klaus, darling,” to howl with laughter. 

“She’s fuckin’ got your number, Luther,” he gasped out between his chuckles. He turned to the seemingly-empty air beside himself and said, “I know! She is fun!” 

The group found itself sitting around the living room on the various, overstuffed furnishings, in a fun little Q-and-A circle, which was only getting easier all the time, as you found the Hargreeves siblings’ obvious bond to be so endearing. The glamorous one you knew to be Allison had queried about your power, curious as to how you and Diego had met. 

Diego had recounted your first meeting to the group, and proffered an explanation of your powers with, "She takes the idea of 'wrapped up in your emotions' and makes it literal."

“And how did this come about?” Klaus queried, gesturing his long fingers between you and Diego. “It’s not like that first meeting was full of warm-and fuzzies.”

“I don’t know … We’ve …  run into each other a few times,” you offer with a shrug and a shy grin. 

Klaus clapped his hands, a large grin adorning his face.

“Oh-ho! I like this. Diego’s girlfriend beats the shit out of him on the regular!” Klaus happily sang to the massive living room. “Or is that how you two, you know, keep it exciting?” he intoned to Diego in what must have been the world’s loudest and worst attempt at a whisper.

“She does not beat the shit out of me,” Diego protested, rolling his eyes at his brother’s swaggering antics.

“Right, right, you beat the shit out of each other. Honestly, I get it. Kinda hot. No judgment from me, you crazy kids,” Klaus smiled and held up his hands in surrender, flashing you the “Hello” and “Goodbye” on his palms. “Diego told me about you the day after you first met. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it myself when I’m ever-so-alone at night,” he added with a wink. 

All you could do was chuckle. Who couldn’t love Klaus Hargreeves? 

After that, the questioning from the gathered siblings dissipated into a casual little party, with people pairing off to speak in groups of just them, and with drinks from the open bar being passed around amongst the siblings. Even Five. If you were honest, it was strange to see a thirteen-year-old boy drink frozen margaritas. But you’d had to remind yourself that he was actually older than all of you. Honestly, you’d tried not to think about it too hard. 

In between drinks, you found yourself engaged in silly banter with Klaus and Vanya, laughing at Klaus’s stories of eating bagels from dumpsters and his bantering memories with their brother Ben. You responded in kind with stories of your own-- making your elementary school teachers believe they’d had crushes on one another by exploiting their repressed desires, making your classmates piss themselves every Halloween with some prank or another ...

While Vanya was a bit more reserved with her amusement, you’d caught a smile playing at her lips. Klaus outright howled. 

“Oh, you truly belong here, don’t you? Reggie would’ve haaaated you,” he gestured at the stern portrait of their father. “Which means you’re absolutely perfect for our dear Diego,” Klaus proclaimed, lacing his fingers through your own. 

With that, Klaus turned to you with a conspiratorial giggle and hmm'd into your ear, "You know what they say, peaches. 'A scrub is a guy who thinks he's fly.' And if we're being honest, Diego deeeeeeefinitely thinks he's fly." 

You laughed, choking on your sip of margarita. You’d never felt a kind of discordant unity like this one. 

With Diego’s family… with Diego, you felt like you truly did belong.

As you and Diego lay together in bed after the day with his family, he’d asked if you felt comfortable.

“Of course, love.” You pressed a small kiss to the tip of Diego’s nose, nuzzling your own against his. “They were wonderful. You’re wonderful. Thank you for sharing all of this with me.”

Diego gazed lovingly at you, eyes, a deep, endless pit of an eclipse, brimming with golden honey streaks of mischief. 

“I can’t wait to share everything with you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss into your shoulder and settling beside you comfortably. 

Ah. So that’s what that warm, soft, cotton-y, cloud-like feeling you had begun to experience since you’d began your relationship with Diego was ... Comfort. Funny how it blended so seamlessly into the burning, cinnamon-tinged, blooming one you’d come to recognize as his love.

---

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#diego hargreeves #diego hargreeves fic #diego hargreeves x reader #diego hargreeves x you #diego hargreeves imagine #diego hargreeves smut #the umbrella academy #the umbrella academy fic #the umbrella academy imagines #tua fic #tua #tua imagines #david castañeda #david castaneda smut #my writing #rachel writes #umbrella academy #diego fic #diego x you #diego x reader #diego x oc #diego hargreeves x oc

[singtotheskiies]

“is that how you usually take out a criminal?” // diego hargreeves x reader headcanons

masterlist

summary: diego’s not your everyday hero—and thank goodness for that.

a/n: i love him i love him i love him oh god,,,,,, i am in my diego feels tonight so here’s a few quick thoughts i busted out in like 20 minutes💕✨

✖️✖️✖️

-the way you two first meet??

-honestly,,, not your typical meet-cute by a long shot

-diego’s bored one night—the police radio he’s kept out of habit is quiet, and he’s left to prowl the streets idly until it crackles to life

-honestly, he’s about to call it a night

-but then,,,,,,

-his eyes spark with interest as he sees a figure (you) being followed a bit too closely for comfort

-hero mode™ is instantly activated

-he waits in excited silence until the two people walk past his hiding spot and jumps out, whaling on the man following you

-you turn around at the sound of grunting and fighting

-diego’s already got the man pinned to the ground with a knife

-“oh my god” is all you can think of saying

-“no need to worry,” he says, smirking. “i’ve got him now.”

-uhhhhh,,,,

-slight awkward silence

-like do you say thank you?? you didn’t even know anything was out of the ordinary—you were just walking and next thing you know a dude in black leather has someone pinned down???

-the man on the ground begins yelling against mystery man’s gloved hand before you can say anything

-“have something to say, asshole??” diego uncovers his mouth

-“i don’t know them, i swear,” the man pants. “i’m just trying to get home to my wife and kids!!”

-“that’s what a criminal would say,” mystery man sneers

-“i swear!!” the man struggles for a moment. “check my left pocket!!”

-mystery man chooses the wrong left at first

-you may have snorted under your breath

-he looks at the man’s wallet, his face falling as he rifles through it

-“i’m, uh—i am so sorry. you have a lovely evening,” he says, and lets him go

-the man runs off as fast as he can, leaving the two of you standing there awkwardly

-“well that was, uh—interesting,” you laugh, not knowing what else to say

-“yeah, my bad,” mystery man laughs. his eyes are kind and crinkling beneath his domino mask. “i’m diego, by the way.”

-you introduce yourself before asking “so what’s your story? you trying to be batman or something?”

-“nah, i’m way better,” he quips, making you laugh

-“riiiight, as you so clearly demonstrated,” you giggle

-diego’s eyes linger on your smiling face for a split second

-you’re so beautiful??!! send help?? his brain is kinda short-circuiting

-without fully knowing what he’s doing, he takes off his mask

-“can i walk you home? y’know, just in case some actual potential creeps are around?”

-you smile up at him, and goddamn it—his heart clenches in his chest unbidden

-“i’d normally decline, but i think you’ve shown me your heart’s in the right place,” you shrug

-“lead the way.”

-you guys talk about nothing in particular, but you can’t help stealing a glance or two (or ten) at the strange man beside you

-his tight leather getup contrasts with his soft mouth and voice

-he’s got a whole tough-but-sweet look going, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t find it attractive

-he seems somewhat familiar?? maybe you’ve seen him in a movie or something??

-“nah, nothing like that,” he says when you ask him. “just a group of crime-fighting kids run by the biggest dick on the planet”

-and you’re like “wow okay i drink two glasses of wine instead of one when i wanna spice things up”

-he gives you the sweetest smile when you arrive at your place

-“y’know i would, uh—love to see you again,” he says, almost shyly

-and you’re so caught up in him that you agree almost without thinking

-one thing leads to another, and both of you find yourself falling for the other

-he can tell you anything, and he makes you laugh like no one else

-one night, the two of you are sitting on a swingset on a playground in the middle of the city

-he’s wearing a hawaiian shirt you convinced him to buy the other week

-and you’re smiling as you eat the ice cream he paid for, your hair blowing in the setting sun

-the moment isn’t as graceful as it could be—a few hairs get trapped in your eye, and you work at releasing them while simultaneously trying not to get ice cream in your hair

-but somehow??? it’s perfect

-you’re perfect

-diego’s heart literally stops

-he’s blushing!!!!!! he’s so nervous all of a sudden!!!! but he has to ask you

-“w-w-would you wanna be m-my—“

-fuck.

-fuck.

-of course his stutter makes an appearance at the exact time it shouldn’t

-but you understand (because of course you do) and nod as you take his hand with a beaming smile

-“i’d love to.”

-it’s almost too dark to see anymore, but the two of you don’t care

-you sit on the swings, your head on his (really nice-smelling) shoulder

-“thank you,” he says, breaking the happy silence after a few minutes

-“you’re cute,” is your simple response

-and almost before he knows it, you’re kissing him

-!!!!!!!!

-it’s soft and just slightly off-center due to the settling dusk, and you taste so sweet and smell so you

-he just kinda,,,, forgets everything else

-his eyes are full of awe as you pull away slightly with a giggle and kiss his cheek

-congrats!! mr. vigilante is putty in your hands!!

-he can’t stop smiling as he walks you home

-his head spins as you hug him good night and he’s left outside your door

-all the trauma and bitterness and constant competition of his past??

-it’s well worth it if it’s brought you to him

#FINALLY I CAN WRITE AGAIN!!!! #diego hargreeves x reader #diego hargreeves imagine #diego hargreeves headcanons #diego hargreeves #number two #number two x reader #tua #tua x reader #tua imagine #tua headcanons #the umbrella academy #umbrella academy #umbrella academy x reader #umbrella academy imagine #umbrella academy headcanons #diego hargreeves fluff #david castaneda #fluff #imagine #x reader

[phoenixes-and-wizards]

i just realized that the siblings never really discussed the fact that klaus honest-to-goodness died, so hear me out: 

imagine that one night, after every single apocalypse the world could possibly throw at them has been averted and they’re all getting ready for an ‘adult sleepover’ (which is basically just a bullshit excuse they pull to build the most awesome blankets-and-pillows fort ever), diego blurts out “hey, luther, remember the time you got high for the first time at that rave?” and klaus chuckles and adds “yeah, the one where i died?”

and all movement in the kitchen just--freezes.

vanya and allison stare at him, open-mouthed, the bottles of nail varnish on the table temporarily forgotten; luther’s hands curl into fists, even as he tries to breath in all slow and deep; five’s left eye is doing this funny little twitchy thing; and diego actually manages to squeeze the popcorn bowl in half.

"oh, but hey, hey! don't worry, you silly chickens. look at me, i'm alive right now, so there's no damage done really. to be honest, being dead felt like that one time in california when this lovely lad and i found a gigantic stash of chocolate pudding, and i--hngg!!"

and of course klaus doesn’t notice because he’s soooo used to flying underneath his siblings’ radar, so when they all attack him at once in a massive group hug, he screams, his body going into fight-or-flight mode, before he realizes that they’re scolding him out of pure worry. 

”you ramble about a billion different things, and yet the one time something this important happens to you, you just conveniently 'forget’ to tell us?” five scoffs, with his face smushed into somebody’s collarbone.

klaus can’t tell who, can’t really make out where his body ends and another sibling’s begins and suddenly, klaus feels nothing but love and gratitude for them, because hey whaddya know, his family actually cares about his fucked-up ass.

“y’know, i really wish ben were here,” vanya mutters after a bit in a shaky voice.

and diego pats her hair softly because it’s yet another thing they share aside from the shittiest luck when it comes to love: to have their brother back after seventeen years of mourning him, and lose him within the next hour without a proper goodbye.

“don’t worry, vanny,” klaus says, squeezing her tight. “i’m sure he’s up there puking his guts out at how lovey-dovey we’re being right now.”

and just like that the spell is broken. his siblings suddenly find better things to do, like cleaning up the spilled popcorn and giving vanya’s fingers another coat of shiny varnish, but klaus just gives them all the widest shit-eating grin he can muster, because ben--curse the bastard--is right again:

it’s all gravy.

#the umbrella academy #tua #ua #umbrella academy #tua headcanons #tua imagines #luther hargreeves #diego hargreeves #allison hargreeves #klaus hargreeves #five hargreeves #ben hargreeves #vanya hargreeves #tom hopper #david castaneda #emmy raver-lampman #robert sheehan #aidan gallagher #justin h. min #ellen page #babies #spaceboy #the kraken #the rumor #the seance #the boy #the horror #the white violin

[cravetive]

many won’t| Diego Hargreeves

Author: @cravetive

word count: 1,297

Notes: starting this page after not writing for a very long time, feels so good to come back, hope you guys enjoy.

Warnings: Slight Smut, casual swearing.

working for Elliot had always been unusual, you had watched your boss go from a successful television seller to a maniac men with wild conspiracies about people falling from the sky, the residents from town just speculated he had gone mad from not being able to fit in his father shoe’s but you saw beyond that, you knew Elliot was kind and special, maybe sometimes crazy but he always had good intentions.

 you had made sure to visit after the store had closed down, always dropping by with meals your mother had made or with gossip about the town. he rarely ever listened as his focus was always at the alley way but you would come anyways just to check on him. you would listen to his conspiracies and study his bulletin board and sometimes in rare occasions they would make sense to you too.

your mother had begged for you to stay away, she would argue that a young lady shouldn’t be around crazy men but Elliot was a friend and all he needed was the correct guidance.

one day as you stepped into the dusty building you found Elliot arguing with a boy, he was in a private school uniform but he held his composure like a men of age, you had set the warm meal down and had gone to investigate, afraid Elliot had gone too far now, involving a child in his conspiracies. 

you soon learned that the boy was five a time traveler who was actually 58 years old, that had taken a toll on you mentally, soon enough the rest of his siblings had rolled in and you had marked a permanent stay in Elliot’s store, making warm meals for the gang as they fought off the apocalypse and Elliot’s gelatin obsession. 

the scuffled man had caught your attention since the first day you met him, he made you feel things a lady from this part of town shouldn’t feel, on some nights you would stay extra late just to watch him obsess over the presidents assassination, you found his devotion to being a hero heart warming and his passion sexy. once you would get home you would touch yourself to his image, his name escaping your lips as you worked yourself to climax, something you had never done before.

“Y/N?” you snapped back to the room as your mind wondered about him, you cleared your throat “yes” you began fixing your skirt “dinner is ready” you giggled sweetly, the whole gang was there, the date was getting closer and five was frantic to find a solution. Diego looked more disgruntled then usual, his long locks hanging in front of his features, a knife hanging between his fingers. 

“Y/n seems distracted” five mocked, your cheeks grew red quickly “come on leave her alone” Allison began, she hurried by your side and patted your shoulder “let’s thank her for another amazing meal” she smiled. “oh well thank you madam” Klaus slurred from the love seat in the middle of the room. 

“a coffee is fine for me” five huffed, quickly walking towards the bulletin board “you will have to eat something mr. five” you remarked making him scoff “well i don’t know about you guys but im ready to eat” Luther almost ran to the table scooping food onto his plate, everyone else joined him except for Diego, he shrugged and walked into Elliot’s bedroom.

you knew you weren’t his type, you were shy and reserved and maybe he liked something else you assured yourself. “you should go after him” klaus whispered into your ear making you jump lightly “oh” you looked back “no” you scoffed a nervous laugh falling from your lips “that wouldn’t be prudent” you explained “Y/N fuck being prudent, i see how you undress him with your eyes” Klaus shoved you slightly towards the door, you sighed and took off your apron and looked around to see if anyone was looking but they were all too focused on their meal.

you almost skipped into the room, your heart beating out of your chest. you entered, closing the door quietly behind you “Diego” you spoke, your voice shaky. “sorry Y/N im sure the food is great but i dont have much of an appetite” you nodded walking closer to his slumped position against the bed frame “i guess most heroes cant take time in the middle of saving the day to eat a meal” you joked.

he chuckled slightly making a smile appear on your lips, he sat up slightly “whats on your mind?” you began “i heard i’m a great listener” he nodded agreeing with the statement “i’m meeting with my father soon, i want to show him how good of a hero i am” he confessed, you sat besides him placing your shaky hands on top of his “i know he will be so proud of you” you assured.

“why are you so shaky?” he questioned, concern written all over him, he sat closer, making you even more nervous. “oh, nothing” you whimpered, your voice raising “is something wrong?” he looked into your eyes, his hand traveling to your arm, his palm rubbing against your skin trying to soothe you, you closed your eyes for a moment, your gut growing heavy “oh the things you do mr. diego” you looked into his eyes as he furrowed his eyebrows, you leaned in slowly as if leaving room for rejection.

your lips met with his, you slipped your hands onto his cheeks as you climbed over his lap, his hands soon traveled onto the bottom of your skirt raising it a tad bit exposing your stockings, you moved your hips against his, soon feeling his groin through the clothes separating you from him. you both moaned in unison

“i’ve watched you” you commented in between kisses “wanted you” you continued, he kissed down your neck, whimpers falling from your lips “i did too” he confessed, you both stopped, looking at one another. “why did you never say anything?” you asked kind of mad that you could have been doing this sooner, now time was ticking until he went back to 2019.

“i didn’t think y-you l-liked me” he stuttered nervously, you giggled and kissed him once again “i thought the same” you muttered, he pushed you onto the bed, leaving trails of kisses on your skin, he riped your blouse open causing you to gasp, he left wet kisses on your chest, his fingers going under your bra and playing with your hard nipples, his mouth traveled all the way down to the material of your skirt, he undid the button from the back with a skill that only a man who had watched you the entire day would know how to undo. 

your panties were soaking and you just wanted him already, everywhere and yet only in between your legs all at once. before you could moan out his name, Luther stormed into the room, leaving you exposed to the people standing outside “Great food-” he began before halting into silence. “dear Jesus Christ” Elliot exclaimed “i had something like that with a mannequin once” five commented before returning his eyes back to the bulletin board, you sat up quickly pushing Diego away from you, your skirt loosely hanging on your hips. “oh hell yes” Klaus cheered, raising a bottle of rum in the air. 

Diego stood up and pushed Luther out the room before slamming the door shut, you both looked at each other before bursting into laughter, you both collapsed onto the bed, staring at each other in a haze “do you think this is crazy?” you asked, a sigh leaving your lips “us?” you continued. “most won’t” he smiled before taking your lips into his.

#diego hargreeves #the umbrella academy #diego hargreeves smut #diego hargreeves au #diego hargreeves imagine #david castañeda #david castaneda icons

[thorin-is-a-cuddler]

Hero

A/N: (Y/N) is Number eight of the Umbrella Academy siblings. Her power is that she can make people feel things when she looks at them. From pain over warmth to relief. It has been of help to her siblings many times aready. But sometimes it is more fun to mess with them. And that is easily done...

- Diego is having a broody moment in Elliot’s house after the dinner with your father and you are trying to cheer him up now. -

word count: 2780

characters: Diego, (Y/N) 

You found Diego lying on Elliott’s bed, a knife between his fingers, his eyes focused on the way he was twirling it around.

He didn’t seem very happy all in all. He had taken a real beating to his self-confidence from his father and you could tell that he was trying not to let it hit too hard to home. Yet it did. And he wasn’t that good at working through those feelings all by himself, had never been. Isolating himself from the others who were cooking in the kitchen was just one way to avoid having anyone else notice his gloom. While some of the others might think it better to leave Diego alone and let him sort it all out, you didn’t share that point of view. 

Quietly you closed the door behind you after you had entered the room. You wrapped your arms around yourself, cleared your throat and looked at your brother carefully. He was already looking at you, his lips curled into a very small smile as his eyebrows were raised expectantly. You could see and feel the sadness he was trying so hard to swallow.

“(Y/N),” He addressed you softly while looking at the knife in his hands again, “I know what you will try to do. You don’t have to. Go on, get back to the others. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Sadly you sighed, your shoulders moving up and down very harshly. In your head, you tried to find the right words to say to him, just anything to get him some relief. You knew he didn’t like it when you used your power on him without consent and you could totally understand that. It just made you crazy that you could so easily help him and he didn’t want it. 

“Diego, I-”

“Really, (Y/N), I don’t want you to burden yourself with my- ... feelings. You always try to make everything okay for all of us. And you don’t have to. Some things we just have to figure out by ourselves. I’m just starting to understand that-” 

“Would you... shut up for a second?” You said loudly, frustrated by his endless babbling that only made it more and more obvious to you just how small Diego was feeling at the very moment. 

He stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth with a gentle huff. His brown eyes were full of love for you, as they always had been. Still, you were getting the feeling that Diego really was changing. He wasn’t quite as defensive as he usually had been before the 60s. He was trying to work through his defenses to be able to openly show you all more of his love, compassion and trust. That was good. Still, he didn’t have to do it all by himself. Protecting everyone he loved didn’t mean he couldn’t be protected in return. 

With another sigh, you walked over to the bed and settled down on the side of it, your face turned towards your brother over your shoulder. He was making more space for you, a slightly tenser expression in his eyes now that he realized you weren’t gonna drop the issue so easily. 

“Listen,” you started, turning your face forward again to look at the nervous fingers in your lap, “what Dad said to you was ... it was ... “ 

Fighting with the words in your head, you looked at him again, despair in your eyes, while you saw the sadness color is own gaze more clearly now. 

“Diego, it was complete idiocy!” You exclaimed, anger blooming between your eye brows like a dark flower. “It was the stupidest thing I ever heard an old man say and you know that Five can say some pretty stupid things. You are a hero. You have been always been my hero. I mean, not just mine, but mine in a way you weren’t to others. You were so cool, you never said no when I asked you to pin my stupid Umbrella themed socks to a wall with your knives.”

He chuckled softly at the memory, a bit of his sadness making room for better emotions. 

“You always try to do the right thing.” You continued, daring to look at his face again. “You protect people. Not just your family, but other families as well. I mean if that’s not something to be proud of, what is, right?”

Diego’s lip was wavering slightly and you weren’t sure if that was a good thing, but it seemed to you like he was less burdened by self-depricating thoughts than before. You nodded to yourself and tried to decide whether it would be good to take his hand when he made the decision for you. It moved you when Diego’s fingers gently closed around your own, stopping your nervous fumbling and making you look at him. 

“And you think you need your power to make people feel better?” His eyes were glowing with fondness, something that happened more often lately than it had before. It was a good change. It was precious. 

“Oh,” you made, dropping your face in your other hand with a relieved smile, your cheeks slightly darker than before, “man, I wasn’t sure what the hell to say to make you feel better, but it was all the truth and I’m glad if that reminded you of how great you actually are.” 

Diego raised his eye-brows meaningfully and grinned at you. “Yeah, I know, I’m amazing, right?” 

“Ooookay, apparently that was a bit too much. Next time I’ll just use my power on you again.” You tried to get up off the bed with a laugh, when Diego pulled you back by your hand, exclaiming his disagreement loudly while also tousling your hair in a playful manner. You were pulling at you arm to get away, when you had an idea all of a sudden. With a smirk you focused on your brother and sent a nice little feeling his way.

He squeaked in a very uncharacteristic manner and pulled his arm back, letting go of your wrist in the process. You snickered to yourself as he gaped at you with an open mouth. This had always been your favorite part of your power when it came to your siblings. You could make them feel better, yes, that didn’t take much effort. But you could also make them feel other things. Maybe take a little detour and cheer them up in a process that took a little longer...

Diego knew just what you had in mind. And he was not in favor of it. That wasn’t very surprising, considering how ticklish he was...

“Don’t you do it.” You saw the glint in Diego’s eyes as he warningly pointed a finger at you. “I swear my revenge will be devastating.”

You barely were able to hold back a grin at his words, rememebering all the tickle fights you had already lost against your beloved brother. Once he hit the right spots, you were out of the game, unable to focus on your power anymore and closing your eyes too much to really use it anyway. He knew just where he had to tickle to make you squeeze your eyes shut and laugh your head off. That was one of the best and worst things about having a brother. 

“I can see you smile in that veeeery unsettling way and I tell you no. You will not have fun with it, (Y/N), I swear this time you will regret every single ticklish feeling you send my way because I will tickle you so hard in return you will- GAHH!!” 

“You are in a really babbly mood today, aren’t you?” You asked with an innocent smile as Diego started twitching away from invisible hands. 

“Plehease don’t!” He giggled when your power started stroking all over his ticklish spots. “Please no tickles! I’m a grown ass mahahan, (Y/N)!!” 

“Just a little bit of it right over here.” You grinned when Diego threw himself onto his back on the bed as your tickle mojo circled around his middle. He wrapped his arms around his torso in an attempt to stop the ticklish feeling, but it was useless. He couldn’t stop it and he knew that very well. He had always been your favorite when it came to using that special side effect of your powers. Probably because it had always worked so well on him when it came to a good cheer up. 

Laughing so hard his cheeks started to glow in a cute rose color Diego now curled into a tiny ball and hit the sheets with his feet.

“SthaAAHAHAHAP, (Y/N)!! I’M OKAY I SWEEHHEEAR I AM!! NO MOHOHORE BAD MOODS I PROHOHOHMISE!!!” He shrieked with laughter when your tickles reached his upper ribs, poking, prodding and scratching all simultaneously as you just sat there and smirked at your brother’s strong reaction to the tickling. 

“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad. This is bad!” You chuckled as your brother started kicking much harder when you jumped on top of him and added your own hands to his sides while your mojo focused completely on his armpits, keeping his useless elbows pinned to his ribs in an attempt to protect himself. He was laughing so hard his eyes stayed squeezed shut and his hair started to get real tousled from him rubbing his head all over the pillow. 

You were just pinching his ribs, when Allison opened the door and crossed her arms in front of her chest, clearing her throat audibly. You whipped your head around and lost your focus on your brother for a second. Enough time for Diego to grab you and pin you to his chest with your back against his pecs. 

“ALLISON!!” You yelled and immediately tried to worm out of Diego’s embrace so that you could get a good look at him again and continue where you had been so rudely interrupted.

“Oh, how the tables have turned!” Diego murmurred in your ear with a rough laugh and you immediately knew your were doomed. 

“Sorry, sis, but saving Diego is the least of an apology I can offer him right now after the way I acted during the... dinner.” She said, unusually soft, making your brother breathe differently for a second. He was just as surprised as you were. Positively so. 

“Totally accepted.” He said to Allison, unusually soft as well, making you start kicking harder again. This was ridiculous. Diego was the one who needed some cheering up. You hadn’t signed up for immediate revenge.

“YOU CAN START THINKING OF AN APOLOGY FOR ME RIGHT NOW, ALLISON, YOU HEAR ME!!” You were trashing around way too much, you knew that, it was futile anyway and Diego was only waiting for you to be too weak to fight back properly anymore. 

Allison chuckled and leaned down a little to direct her next words at you. “My apology? I won’t rumor you to be more ticklish than you already are, how about that?” 

Your eyes widened and your struggles died down for a second. You bit your bottom lip and said. “Yeah please don’t do that...” 

Diego laughed at that and growled into your ear, making it impossible for you not to giggle at the slight tickle his beard was producing on your neck. 

Allison chuckled as well and started turning around to leave the room again. “No, you’d definitely be a goner if I did that. Have fun, guys.” 

“No. ALLISON! DON’T LEAVE ME! NA- GAHAHAHAD NOOOO!! DIEGOOOO!!” 

You knew Allison had left the door open on purpose. It probably felt a bit like the good parts of home to your siblings to hear you and Diego have a tickle fight. The sound of the laughter of you two must have been quite nice and reassuring to them. Wonderful. Couldn’t they have had the same response to Diego’s wheezing before? 

“Oh, I told you, little sis. This is gonna tickle.” Diego buried his face in your neck and blew a long raspberry, accompanied by the general ticklishness of his beard on your skin while his hands were worming their way under your arms to heighten the ticklish effect even more. 

You were an instant mess, your laughter completely out of control as he wrecked you like back in the old days. You couldn’t say that you hated it. You didn’t, despite the struggle you put into your fight against him. You just felt too loved and cherished as his sparkling eyes focused on getting just the right spots and his playful growls showed how much he enjoyed making you laugh like that. Well, maybe you had been in need of a good tickle. Still, it was an outrage that Diego still called you his “little” sister despite you having told him time and time again that you were all the same age.

In an attempt to make him laugh again you tried to fight back by skittering your nails down his ribs when you saw an opening, but he had the upper hand now and easily pushed your hand away before it had the chance to weaken him enough. 

“PLEHEHHEASE!! THIS IS MEHEHHEEAN!!” 

“Oh, you calling this mean, sweetheart?” Diego chuckled and managed to pin one of your arms down to the mattress, proceeding to tickle you even harder than before with his free hand, five fingers digging right into the spots that made you squeal. “You know what’s mean, is when you’re helpless like this, that’s mean.” 

“STAHAHHAP!! DIEGOO PLEHEHEHEASE!!!”

“Just a little bit right over here!” He mimicked your words from earlier and turned you on your back to get at your stomach. You tried to get a good look at him to summon your powers again, but it was no use. You just couldn’t keep your eyes open.

Defeat had to be called when he managed to lift your shirt just the littlest bit and blew a raspberry right on your side. You were screeching with laughter, pushing at his head and trying harder than before to weasel out of his embrace, but it didn’t work. He just kept dipping his head down to brush your belly with his beard and blow tiny raspberries all over the sensitive skin, until all you yould muster in coherent words was “OVER GAME OVER SOLDIER DOWN”. 

He actually had mercy then, a sweet smile on his face, as he put his chin up on his hands and crossed them over your belly. You rubbed at your face and groaned. But despite trying to, you could’t keep from laughing a little more, making your brother chuckle as well and playfully bury his face in your stomach. That feeling was enough to make you squeak again which made him lift his head up quickly, a big smile on his features. 

“We’re a little sensitive now, huh?” 

You mustered your strength and moved closer to ruffle through his hair very wildly with both your hands, making him sigh dramatically and say “Okay, you’re asking for this!” before he buried his face in your stomach again and went back to squeezing your sides with his hands. This time you didn’t last ten seconds before you could barely breathe anymore and tried to pull his hands off of your skin, your laughter adorably tired by now. He moved his head away soon and took his hands off of your ticklish spots with a clear offering of peace on his pleased face. “You had about enough, you little toad?”

You nodded with a giggly wheeze and rubbed at your eyes as he climbed off of you, huffing gently to himself. He scrambled up on the mattress to drop on his back next to you and sent you an affectionate glance. It all felt way too embarrassing to you now that it was over and you hid your face behind your hands with a groan. 

“Don’t look at me!” 

“Oh, come on,” He laughed and nudged you carefully, “I get to win too once in a while, or don’t I?” 

You looked at him out of the corner of your eye and couldn’t keep from grinning now as well. 

“Attagirl.” He gently nudged your chin with his fist and your smile grew. 

You took your hands away from your face and quickly buried it in his chest, as you threw your arms over his body and snuggled up to him. He let out a loud breath when your knee hit him in the stomach, but merely patted it with a gentle laugh once you were settled and nestled. 

“Diego?”

“Hmm?” 

“You still are my hero.”

He made a pleased noise and entangled one of his leg with yours. “Even though I am a ticklish hero?”

You smirked into his shirt. “Definitely.”

#diego hargreeves #tua #ticklish!diego #tickling #fluff #tua fluff #imagine #(y/n) #hargreeves siblings #david castaneda #tua fanfic #tickle fanfic

[trickkombowerskru]

Diego Getting Pegged

Request: Anonymous: Could you please write Diego Hargreeves getting pegged! I love your writing!

A/N:Thank you for being so damn patient with me my dude. I am so sorry this took this long… especially since this request happened in the midst of the last shipping event 💕

Warnings:  NSFW, Smut

Okay here's the deal

Diego while he can be a switch

Would be very apprehensive about the whole thing

So it would definitely have to be quite a few months into your relationship

It's not that he wasn't subby

Because he definitely did have some subbier qualities that came out when

you topped

But he was just nervous about the entire thing and how it would go down

Like I'm talking slowly prepping him for MONTHS

Starting with a finger one time

And slowly working your way up to more

Before it's finally time to happen

He's been nice and stretched before

So he is now used to the feeling

And DAMN

Honestly when you start

You can't see them

But there are stars in his eye

This is a type of pleasure he never knew he needed until now

And needless to say since you both find it hot

Diego actually taking joy in being full on subby

And giving you that control

And you in taking said control

And the fucking noises that come out of that man's mouth are like Godsent

So yeah it's a good time

And it becomes an occasional staple in the bedroom after that

#the umbrella academy #diego hargreeves #diego hargreeves imagine #diego hargreeves x reader #diego hargreeves smut #david castaneda

[multi-fandom-imagines8]

diego stutter hcs?:D

A/N: I actually made two drabbles in which he stutters. You can read them here, if you want to. This is with a bit of angst X. And this one is just fluff X.

After Diego met you, his stuttering decreased

At first, he was afraid and ashamed to tell you thinking that you might leave him

After consulting his mother and Alison, he gathered the courage to tell you

-“I’m glad you told me. I would never leave a man for such a reason. What kind of shallow woman would I be?”.

-“Really? You’re okay with this?” He was unsure.

-“Yes of course. Why would I not be? Besides, the reason for me to ever leave you would be more serious than that. Like stealing my food from the fridge” you joked.

-“I love you. You’re the best. And I’ll try not to steal your food” he chuckled.

From time to time, he’d stutter amd you’re the only one that can make it go away other than his mother

You'd either encourage him, say nice things to him, make him laugh or calm him down by making him close his eyes and listen to your voice.

When you argue and he raises his voice, he’d stutter immediately after that

When he’s nervous, afraid, sad or has hurt you in anyway, he’d stutter

- for example when he went down on one knee and asked you to marry him.

Tags: @blathena @shymagicsworld @steeeeverogers

#diego hargreeves #diego hargreeves hc #diego hargreeves headcanons #diego hargreeves fluff #diego hargreeves x reader #number two #number two x reader #diego hargreeves drabble #diego hargreeves imagine #the umbrella academy headcanon #the umbrella academy headcanons #tua #the umbrella academy hc #gif imagine #imagine #gif #drabble #headcanon #david castaneda #david castañeda #the umbrella academy #diego hargreeves x you #fluff

[blushingbucky]

just for tonight | diego hargreeves

pairing: diego hargreeves x reader

word count: 481

prompt: “how long has it been since you've slept?”

summary: diego desperately needs to sleep.

author’s note: I’ve been itching to write for The Umbrella Academy, and this Diego request came at the perfect time :)

Diego’s careful to keep his footsteps light as he slips into the bedroom, kicking off his leather suit in the corner and half-heartedly tossing his mask onto the bedside table.

It’s been a long night. A long week of nights, if he wants to be exact. Far too many long nights in a row and he’s craving your touch, the tips of fingers sliding around his waist, sliding through his hair. He should probably get it cut. He’d consider it, if he didn’t love the tugging and scraping of your nails in the strands so much.

But despite his best efforts, you awaken with a sigh, and he groans as he slips beneath the covers and between the sheets. “Sorry, love, didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“S’all good,” you whisper as his lips meet your forehead. “Was trying to stay awake for you anyway.”

“Baby, I’ve told you—”

“Diego, I’m always going to worry and stay awake for you. When you leave me for the night to hunt whatever criminal’s haunting the streets, I worry. When you return and lie awake for hours, I worry. I… I can’t keep doing this. Something’s gotta give.”

A pressed kiss to your palm and whispered apology aren’t enough this time.

“Diego… How long has it been since you’ve slept?” Your groggy voice whispers the question into existence, and you know you can’t snatch those words back.

Diego’s answering silence and averted eyes twist dread in your stomach. You don’t need to see the dark circles under his eyes, the marks on his body left behind by the leather suit, the crumpled mask on the bedside table to know it’s been a while. His sigh confirms the truth—it’s been a couple days. More than a couple days, if your own counting of sleepless nights with cold sheets and no one to hold is correct.

You trail your fingers up his jaw, over his cheek, and the skin is coarse with his five o’clock shadow. Index catching on his lips, tracing their shape as you cup Diego’s cheek, reaching for a kiss. He’s slow to respond, sliding his hand down your arm to intertwine your fingers with his.

You draw back with a kiss to his nose, giggling at his soft smile. “I love you.”

“Love you too.” His voice is gruff and heavy with exhaustion, tone matching his half-lidded eyes. With a final kiss to your forehead and muffled sigh into his pillow, Diego finally, finally falls asleep.

You watch him until his breathing evens out, until his arms lay open for you to crawl into. And his embrace is something you’ve missed, with the brush of his hair against your cheek and the soft exhales of air on your neck. He doesn’t have somewhere to be, with no more police communications to follow or villain to defeat. He’s all yours, just for tonight.

#fanfiction #umbrella academy #umbrella academy imagine #umbrella academy fanfiction #umbrella academy one shot #tua #tua fanfiction #diego #diego hargreeves #number 2 #david castaneda #diego hargreeves x reader #diego x reader #david castaneda x reader #diego hargreeves imagine #diego imagine #david castaneda imagine #diego one shot #diego hargreeves one shot #david castaneda one shot #diego hargreeves fanfiction #diego fanfiction #david castaneda fanfiction #diego hargreeves x y/n #diego x y/n #david castaneda x y/n #hargreeves #hargreeves fanfiction #hargreeves x reader #hargreeves x y/n

[alisonwritesimagines]

Strange Man ~Diego Hargreeves Imagine~

Requested by anonymous:

Summary: As you walk home back to your apartment, you find a strange man appear from an alleyway out of mid air. 

Author’s Note: I really need a season three already. That cliffhanger killed me. 

You did not like walking at night. It wasn’t safe. And if your mother had found out that you were walking to your apartment alone at night, you were gonna get an earful. As you walked past an alleyway, you heard what sounded like wind. From the side of your eye, you noticed a blue light. You walked back to see some man fall onto the ground out of no where.

“Oh my gosh! Are you okay?” You questioned as you quickly walked over to the man. You helped him up as he also looked confused.

“Uh yeah. Thanks.”

“You really scared me. How did you come out from mid air?” You asked him.

“What do you mean?”

“I just saw you appear out of midair. Are you some kind of alien or supernatural creature?”

“No.” 

You heard some lady screaming causing the guy to run over to check it out. You followed behind as you saw some mugger stealing some lady’s purse. You watched as the guy throw his knife at the man which pinned him (without any harm) to the wooden post. 

Diego gave the lady back her purse but noticed his surroundings. There he saw a video of John F. Kennedy making a public announcement on the television screen. Diego stared at the T.V. until he saw you walk up to him. 

“How did you do that?” You questioned.

“What year is it?” Diego asked you. 

“It’s 1963,” you answered. 

“No. No. No. That can’t be,” Diego tells you in shock.

“Hey, look. Um why don’t you come home with me. I can explain anything if you need it,” you offered. 

“I’ll be fine.”

“Please. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I just let you wonder off. I can let you crash at my place for a bit,” you tell him.

“I wouldn’t be a great guest,” Diego warned.

“Please I’ve had worst,” you shrug. Diego looked at you in confusion.

“My ex-boyfriend wasn’t the sweetest.”

“Alright fine.”

“I’m gonna need your knives first,” you tell him.

“My knives?”

“I don’t want you to murder me in my sleep.”

“Touche.” Diego handed you his knives making you smile. 

“I’m Y/n, by the way. Y/n L/n.”

“Diego.”

“Nice to meet you Diego. Now, are you hungry?” You asked him.

“Yeah.”

“I hope you like pot roast,” you said.

“I don’t mind it.”

“Good. Come on.”

Once you both came back to your house, you put your purse away along with the knife. You walked back to see Diego looking around at your apartment.

“Nice place you have,” Diego tells you.

“Thank you. Do you want to shower? I have some of my ex’s clothes that I can lend you. You look like you’re the same size,” you tell him.

“Yeah. Sure.”

“I’ll let you shower and I can get the dinner ready,” you tell him. You got his clothes and a towel ready before handing them to him.

“The bathroom is the first door to the right. You just need to turn left for the hot water,” you tell Diego.

“Thank you.”

As you cooked dinner, you thought about the negatives about bringing some stranger to your apartment. Diego took a quick shower and got changed quickly. He walked out to see you almost done with setting up the table.

“Thank you for letting me into your apartment,” Diego tells you.

“You’re welcome. So what happened in the alleyway anyway?” You asked him.

“That’s a bit of a long story,” Diego explained.

“Is there any way to convince you to tell me?” You asked.

“Maybe. I think it’s best to just calm down from what happened,” Diego tells you.

“Alright. Fine. Pot roast is ready,” you tell him before bringing the food from the oven.

“Thank you by the way.” You looked up at Diego who stood by the table.

“You’re welcome,” you smile at him.

“No I mean thank you for taking me in. I wouldn’t expect anyone to take me in,” Diego said.

“Well I couldn’t just leave you out there all by yourself,” you smile.

“I promise I will explain everything to you but I’m afraid of overwhelming you.”

“Whatever it is, I’m sure I can take it.”

“How about I start off slowly?”

“That would be the best for me, huh?” 

“Yeah. Trust me, it’ll be for the best.”

“We should eat before the food gets cold,” you tell him. 

#diego hargreeves #diego hargreeves imagine #diego hargreeves x reader #David Castaneda #david castaneda imagine #david castaneda x reader #The Umbrella Academy #the umbrella academy imagine #alisonwritesimagines

[gwhiz-138]

#The Umbrella Academy #gerard way #gabriel ba #steve blackman #Robert Sheehan #ellen page #tom hooper #David Castaneda #aidan gallagher #what if i became an active news account again lmao #imagine #emmy raver-lampman #justin min

[diegoh4rgreeves]

A Word You Hate

Imagine: Your boyfriend Diego Hargreeves and you are past the honeymoon phase of your relationship so everything is getting comfortable. You come over to the Academy often and have quiet time with him when he's investigating a case. He tries to make conversation one moment and asks you what's a word you hate. You tell him your least favourite word. He smiles and asks, "Really?" You say yes and go on a passionate rant about it. He keeps his smile and says that he's going to say that word from now on. He tries to fit it in every conversation you have that day. He even says it to his siblings and looks over at you to see if you heard it. Alison looks at him all confused and looks around the room if there's something prompting him to say this word. You tell her to ignore him as Diego and you share a laugh over this. Before you head out and he walks you home, you cuddle on the couch and he says, "Please don't leave me." You say that you won't. He kisses your temple.

#diego hargreeves #diego hargreeves x reader #diego hargreeves imagine #david castaneda #david castaneda x reader #david castaneda imagine #the umbrella academy #the umbrella academy imagine #the umbrella academy fluff #diego hargreeves fluff