#natasha romanoff x original female character

[katyaromanoffpetrova]

A first (very insecure) Valentine's

It's Natasha's first Valentine's Day with her girlfriend, and she struggles more with the concept of love and romance than she feared.

Natasha Romanoff x fem!OC (Katya Petrova) (the ''Forgotten Ghost'' series) Wordcount: 3.9k No warnings (except maybe Natasha being adorably helpless at love)

A/N: here to make your Valentine's Day a bit less miserable: our two favorite murder wives :)

The door of Clint's room had never looked more intimidating than on this Monday night, in the empty, dark hallways of SHIELD HQ. Everyone who lived on base had gone to find their beds, exhausted from the busy workday. But Natasha knew her best friend was still awake by the faint light coming from under his door.

Had she known that love was this embarrassing, she would have thought twice before letting Katya back into her life. Simply the thought of what she came down here to ask made her want to scratch her skin off. It was a completely new feeling that she struggled to get a grip on. This whole 'in love' thing really messed with her mind and body.

Every time she heard or read her girlfriend's name, saw her in the hallways or the cafeteria, or simply thought about her in the middle of a boring briefing, her head got fuzzy and the world faded away. All her thoughts would get consumed by Katya until she was mentally on cloud nine and felt warm all over. 

It was a very odd development for a woman who never lost focus. Last week, Maria chucked a file at her head when she'd zoned out once again in the middle of their conversation.

It was embarrassing. People teased her about it—especially Fury. If he made one more joke about her keeping her head on her neck and not in the clouds, she was going to cut his off his body. The last thing she needed was other agents taking after him and realizing she had a heart. She still struggled to accept her soft side.

"Are you gonna come in, or do I have to bring a pillow and a blanket out while you think about it?"

Once more, Natasha pulled her thoughts back to the here and now, her cheeks flushing red. She had no other choice but to push the door handle down and sheepishly step into Clint's room, closing the door behind her. What was happening to her? She used to be so confident and unbothered all the time.

Clint didn't look up from his spot on the couch, buried in manilla-colored files and papers, an empty pizza box on the floor. His apartment represented his mind. Cluttered, unorganized, yet somehow cozy. If Laura saw him like this, she'd scold him for his unhealthy lifestyle.

"What relationship question do you have for me today?" He asked casually, scribbling something in a notebook. When Natasha stayed silent, he looked up, chuckling at her expression. "Come on. If this was about work, you would have barged in like you own the place."

Natasha crossed her arms over her chest and sighed, looking at the horrible handwriting in his notebook instead of his face. It was difficult enough to get the words out of her throat. "The fourteenth, how serious do people take it?" 

Clint was too taken aback by the question to form an immediate answer, leaving her to cringe in the short silence that followed. The nail of her thumb painfully scratched at the nail bed of her pointer finger.

"You mean Valentine's Day?" Amusement flashed briefly across his eyes, but he was too considerate of her struggle with herself to tease her about the way she worded her question. He closed the folder in his lap, straightening his hunched back. "It really depends. Some people think it's just capitalism bullshit, but most people like showing their loved ones some extra love anyway."

Natasha definitely considered herself a hater of Valentine's Day, of capitalism and money-hungry companies in general. But it wasn't about her, was it? "Do you give Laura something?"

"Flowers. Every year." Clint's face lit up at the mention of his partner. "She says she doesn't want anything, but that's the least I can do. And I try to be home if I can." He tilted his head. "Do you plan on giving Katya something?"

Natasha shrugged. "I don't know if she cares about stupid holidays," she mumbled, prodding the linoleum underneath her feet with the heel of her boot. Why was a relationship so hard?

"I can feel her out for you?" Clint offered kindly, but she immediately shook her head. 

"She'll know." And Katya knowing that she asked Clint for advice was even more embarrassing.

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "Well, if she says something, I'll let you know." Natasha sent him a thankful nod, reaching for the door handle behind her, but Clint wasn't done yet. "But between you and me, I think she'll really love any gesture from you."

"Thanks."

She left his room feeling only a tad bit better. Clint's advice wasn't really useful and gave her no insight on what Katya would prefer, but it helped to know that even he participated in the holiday. And that said something, given he wasn't the most romantic person she knew.

As she walked back to her own room, Natasha once again wrecked her brain for everything she knew about Valentine's Day, but she didn't get much further than it being a red and pink color vomit with hearts everywhere. Flowers, cards, chocolates, that she also knew. But her knowledge stopped there.

Every year when the day came around, and the stores started to fill up with the nauseatingly sweet colors, she went out of her way to avoid it. Hating it was easier than digging into her soul to figure out why she hated it so much. 

Anyone talked about Valentine's Day? She pulled a grossed-out face. A love song came on the radio? She turned it off.

Now, for the first time in her life, she was forced to face it head on, and she was at an absolute loss.

What did people do on Valentine's Day? What was considered a good gift? What would Katya like to receive? 

She really loved the roses Natasha brought her for their first date, but the redhead hadn't given her anything beyond that that could indicate her preferences.

Natasha's face paled, a nauseating feeling of failure rising in her throat as she stopped in her tracks. Should she have gotten her girlfriend more gifts in the past months? Her heart started to race. Had Katya been waiting on something to follow the roses?

Oh god, Natasha knew she wasn't up for this. She was doing this all wrong. Her romantic instincts took much longer to resurface than she thought they would. And even worse, what if they were gone, forced out of her at a young age? What if she would never get that natural feel for romantic things? 

She didn't even know if it was customary to get your partner gifts often. Every week, every two weeks, every month? She thought that gifts were only for milestones, and birthdays, and the occasional holiday. Never did she stop to think that she could give Katya presents on random moments, just to be sweet. What dumb, inexperienced idiot didn't know that?

Her thoughts were spiraling. 

Twice as fast now, Natasha legged it back to her room, stopping herself from frustratingly slamming the door behind her. 

She needed to calm herself down, taking deep breaths to ease the anxiety as she paced back and forth in her room, the one next to the woman ruining her nights. Valentine's Day was supposed to be fun, exciting, an opportunity to spoil her girlfriend as she deserved.

Shaking out her arms, Natasha pondered what she could get Katya, what she should do, determined to make up for her lack of romance. Flowers were nice, but that was too simple and repetitive. Chocolates were too cliché, and Natasha would rather throw up than write something romantic in a card only to have Katya read it in front of her. Maybe someday.

As her feet wore out a path in the floor, she knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't stop. The fear of doing something wrong, of losing this fragile thing they'd built over the last few months was strong. It was the best thing in her life, and if she lost it, Natasha already knew she wouldn't be able to go on. 

So lost in thought—once again—she almost missed the sound of her phone. Absent-mindedly, her hand fumbled for the device in her pocket, expecting a SHIELD message or an email. Instead, her heart skipped a beat at the name displayed on screen.

Katya: Go to sleep.

Katya: I can hear you pacing.

Katya: Do you want to get something off your chest?

Yes. Natasha had several things to get off her chest, in fact. A million. But Katya was also the reason those things were there. 

She wanted to crawl into her girlfriend's arms and put it all out there. She wanted to be reassured until all those worries floated out of her head, leaving only silence behind, the kind of peaceful silence only Katya could give her. She wanted to just exist in her embrace for a while.

The yearning caught her so off-guard that it took her a second to answer the texts. It was only lately that she'd started to crave physical affection, and it seemed her body was trying to catch up on all the years she didn't have it.

Natasha: I'm alright. Thank you.

Natasha: Go to sleep yourself.

Katya: Can't. Some idiot is pacing next door and it's keeping me awake.

A genuine smile broke through her frown. She'd been doing that so much more often. Smiling, laughing. Natasha didn't even remember the last time she genuinely laughed at something before Katya came around.

She deserved something on Valentine's Day, Natasha decided. But what?

Grabbing her laptop, she sat down on her bed, opening her internet browser to the search bar. She contemplated the right way to go about this, chewing on her bottom lip in thought as her fingertips hovered over the keyboard. 

First, Natasha typed things like, "Valentine's Day gifts woman", and "Original Valentine's Day gifts", but she quickly realized this was not at all what she wanted. The gifts were far from original, and she was pretty sure Katya didn't want a pillow with her face printed on it. 

Aggressively deleting it, she tried other keywords, more specific ones tailored to Katya, but the internet didn't seem to understand her. All it showed her was mass-produced and cheaply made junk. The same things a thousand other New Yorkers would be getting from their loved ones. 

No, it had to be something more personal. But Natasha wasn't crafty enough to make anything the lists suggested, and getting Katya a knife for Valentine's Day didn't give off the right message. 

She got more frustrated by the minute, slamming the keys harder than the agents down at IT would like. Nothing that passed her screen felt right, and she didn't have much time left to find something. She'd already avoided dealing with this for as long as she could.

The taste of iron flooded her tongue, and Natasha realized she'd bitten through her lip in her desperation. She licked the blood off as she aggressively closed all the tabs in her browser. The internet had turned out to be entirely unhelpful once again.

With a quiet groan, she fell back on her bed, staring at the blank ceiling. What did she know about Katya? What did she like? They were still learning each other, getting to know each other again. A few months was nowhere near long enough to know everything about her, especially with all the guards they had up. They were definitely moving twice, if not three times, as slow as the average couple.

But there had to be something. Something Katya mentioned—

Natasha shot up at once, her fingers flying over the keys this time. 

On New Year's Day, the cafeteria had chocolate bonbons for the agents that stayed on base. They'd done that the years before, nothing special. But she remembered bumping into Katya in the hallway just outside, the blonde munching on one of them and having a couple more in the palm of her hand. When she had asked if they were any good, Katya had nodded but said they would never compare to her favorite Russian bonbons, filled with vodka liquor. 

Natasha had never been so happy with her good memory, thanking the gods for saving Valentine's Day for her. Typing the brand in the search bar, she managed to find a store in the city that had the chocolates. From there on out, it was simple to order a box and have it delivered.

Beyond relieved, Natasha shut her laptop, grinning to herself. It was the perfect gift. Thoughtful, personal, it showed that she paid attention, and it fit the Valentine's Day theme. She couldn't have picked anything better. The only thing left was for her to run to the local florist and pick up some roses.

~~~~

On February 14, Natasha was awoken at 5:30 by the nervous churning of her stomach. It was such an unfamiliar feeling that for a moment, she thought she'd caught an illness. Restless stomach, feeling jittery, cold tremors; all signs of the flu. But then she remembered the date. 

Slowly, she got out of bed, trying to ignore her bubbling stomach as she showered and got dressed. It wasn't easy. She would have liked to drag the process out forever, hide in the safe shower, but she needed to catch Katya before she left. No way was she waiting all day to give everything. 

Only when she was satisfied with the way she looked did she open her closet again, crouching to pick up the vase she'd hidden there the day before. Last night, she brought it in, the bouquet hidden in a big cardboard box that she carried through HQ. No agent had spared her a glance.

At 6, Natasha no longer allowed herself to hesitate. She gave herself a mental kick under the butt, grabbed the chocolates and flowers, and headed for the door. With one last deep breath, she slowly opened it, sticking her head through the gap to check left and right. The hallway was empty. 

She felt like a coward, sneaking around like she was dropping off drugs instead of flowers, but her reputation here within SHIELD is what saved her when she first started out, and what kept people respecting her as someone not to mess with.

Her reputation was precious to her. One day, she'd happily sacrifice it for Katya, but before that could happen, she needed to do a lot of work on herself. Growing and evolving took time.

Swift like a cat, Natasha slipped into the hallway, silently closing her door behind her. Again, she listened for footsteps, but the only thing in her ears was her own heartbeat. Her hands were clammy around the box of chocolates.

The thing she was nervous about wasn't seeing Katya. In fact, she looked forward to seeing her again. That smile that greeted her every morning when she pulled her door open was the thing keeping her alive right now. 

No, what she was nervous about was the gesture itself. Her head was filled with only doubts. Had she chosen the right things? Was it too much? Was it too little? Did Katya think Valentine's Day was stupid? Natasha thought she'd like it, because Katya liked New Year's too, and that was also a dumb holiday in her eyes. 

Much like last week, Natasha found herself staring at a wooden door. It had a small dent in it, she realized, right at eye-height. Maybe a previous resident had accidentally knocked their forehead into it.

Her heart pounded in her chest when her fist raised to knock, but she did it. Four, quick knocks, her hand retracting like it had touched fire. She shuffled in her spot, adjusting the things in her hands as she listened to Katya's shuffling on the other side. Even if she wanted to flee, it was too late now. Footsteps were swelling on.

The door swung open, a pair of blue eyes and a kind smile replacing the brown wood. Natasha's heart skipped a beat for other reasons now. Her girlfriend looked so beautiful, her hair loose and her eyes slightly puffy from sleep.

"Good mo—" Katya's voice cut off, her gaze shooting to the things in Natasha's hands.

Natasha couldn't find her voice. How could she have forgotten to think about what to say?! Her clothes, her hair, the gifts, when to give it; it had all been given thorough consideration. But not once had she thought about what she would say. Not once!

"For you," she threw out, her voice sounding ten times more calm and collected than her brain was. The smile on her face was supposed to be gentle, but it felt insecure and nervous on her lips.

Katya's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief. "Nat…" She gasped softly, carefully taking the flowers from her hand. Her nose disappeared between the rose petals, taking a whiff of the fresh scent. Her eyes sparkled when she looked up at her girlfriend again. "That's so sweet of you. Thank you so much." Another gasp flew off her lips once she clocked the bonbons. "Oh, my god. Are those the chocolates? I can't believe you remembered."

Natasha could tell how red her cheeks were based on how warm they felt. Receiving compliments had never been her strong suit. But she felt so relieved, too, realizing all her worries were for nothing because Katya would have probably been happy with a simple kiss. She'd made this way too big in her head.

Her head, that seemed to be the main problem in her life.

"Maybe don't eat them all at once. Don't think Fury would appreciate it if you're drunk on the job," she joked, feeling her usual confidence come back to her.

Katya shrugged, carefully opening the packaging. "Don't care. I'm having one right now."

Natasha chuckled at her enthusiasm, happy her gift was received so well. "It's six in the morning."

"I know." Katya grinned. "Come in, I'll make coffee." She pulled Natasha into her apartment by her sleeve, closing the door behind her. 

They didn't have time to chat or drink coffee, but for once, Natasha didn't protest. She felt light, like she could handle whatever the world was going to throw at her today. She was proud of herself, too. Taking a romantic leap was terrifying, but it clearly paid off. Her eyes followed Katya closely as she placed the roses on the coffee table, adjusting them so they looked nice.

"I didn't know you'd get me anything. I would have gotten you something too." Katya smiled as she turned around. "I thought you hated Valentine's Day."

"I do." Natasha paused. Did she still? "Kinda."

"Yet you got me something." Katya's eyes took in her appearance. A brown leather jacket that she saved for special occasions, her hair neatly styled. "And you look really put-together too. Put in extra effort to look nice?" She teased lovingly.

Natasha scoffed, looking away to hide the blush on her face. "No." Were her efforts really that obvious? If so, that was so embarrassing.

Katya hummed skeptically, closing the distance until she stood right in front of her. It was impossible to stay stubborn and not look. The pull of her bright blue irises was too strong. Natasha tentatively glanced their way, relaxing at the gentleness in them. 

"Well, either way, thank you. I really appreciate it," Katya said honestly, smiling softly. Natasha offered her a smile back, the closeness making it feel like she had to whisper.

"You're welcome."

The redhead's breath hitched in her throat when a pair of warm, rough hands cupped her cheeks. She barely had time to process before Katya stepped even closer and pressed a kiss to her lips. More than a couple dozen times they'd kissed, but it never failed to make her body react like the first time.

Before she could move her hands to hold Katya's waist, the woman had stepped back, her cheeks a light pink as well. "Consider that my gift." She teased.

"It'll do," Natasha chuckled breathily. 

It was already a better Valentine's Day than all her previous ones combined.

"Did you really expect nothing?" She asked after a moment, watching Katya make coffee in the small kitchen. It was only then that she realized her girlfriend wasn't fully dressed yet. Her cozy, fluffy cardigan wasn't work-appropriate and hung loosely over her tank top.

"I suspected something when Clint suddenly asked me about Valentine's Day last week," Katya said, looking over her shoulder as she poured some milk in her coffee cup. "You know that look in his eyes that he gets when he's trying to be nonchalant?" She chuckled.

Anger flashed through Natasha's body. "I told him not to ask," she grumbled through clenched teeth, turning her head away. Clint was an incredibly kind, selfless guy, but he was also so annoyingly stupid sometimes. 

One thing. She asked him one thing, and he couldn't keep his trap shut.

A smug grin overtook Katya's features. "So you did go to him for advice? I was just fishing."

Natasha's head snapped back to her girlfriend. Her glare did nothing but make her smirk wider, and Natasha couldn't even be mad, because she walked right into that one herself, didn't she? "Don't ever mention it again," she threatened.

Katya laughed softly, handing her her cup of black coffee. "Do you want to go out for breakfast? If you're not busy."

Natasha was, in fact, busy. But her meeting at seven also included Maria, and she could give her the details later. It wasn't any more important than spending Valentine's Day morning with her partner. "Yeah, sure. I'd love to."

Katya's smile widened. "Give me a minute to finish getting dressed." 

Pressing her coffee cup into Natasha's empty hand, she grabbed something from her dresser and disappeared into the bathroom. As the water in the sink ran, Natasha had the urge to drink Katya's coffee just to get her back for teasing her so much, but before she could actually put the cup to her lips, the blonde was back. 

Natasha nearly choked on her drink. "What are you wearing?"

Black clothing was the way to go in SHIELD. Black, dark blue, navy, the occasional dark red or green if anyone felt adventurous, but it always stayed near the darkest side of color shades. What Katya wore right now, a cherry red turtleneck, was very outside of the clothing norms. Natasha had never seen her wear anything other than black.

"What? You don't like it?" Katya asked, looking down at herself unsurely. 

"It's… red." Natasha blinked rapidly, trying to grasp the sight in front of her. "Very red."

"Yeah. But do you like it?"

To her own surprise, the answer was yes. Katya had never looked so… soft. "It's alright." So alright, in fact, that she felt slightly disappointed when she put her go-to leather jacket over it. 

"Thought I'd go with the theme." Katya smiled, chugging her coffee before grabbing her wallet and keys. 

They filed out of her room, the hallway still empty and quiet as most agents were only now starting to wake up, snoozing their alarms for five minutes more sleep. Natasha should be heading right to prepare for her meeting, but instead she followed Katya to the left, to the elevator heading for the underground garage.

It didn't make her any less of a good employee. It made her more human. 

And as she pressed the elevator button and felt Katya's hand slip into her own, she knew she was going to allow her to hold it a little bit longer today.

#katandnat #natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x fem!oc #natasha romanoff fanfiction #natasha romanoff x female #natasha romanoff fluff #valentine's day #natasha romanoff x katya petrova #forgotten ghost series #natasha romanoff x oc #natasha romanoff x original female character

[americasass81]

Embracing The Darkness

Warnings 18+ for the following:- Non-Consensual Sex, Dubious Consensual Sex, Character Deaths, Violence, Blood Exchange, M/F Smut (Penetrative Sex, Gun Play, Blowjob, Teabagging, Knife Play), F/F Smut (Fingering, Oral, Spanking, Squirting), Restraints, Implied Squirting.  This is a dark story.  Seriously do not read if any of this upsets you, the warnings are there for a reason.  Feedback is welcomed and any mistakes are my own.

By proceeding you are acknowledging that you are over 18 and are consenting to the content below the cut.

Pairings:- Steve Rogers x Original Female Character, Tony Stark x Original Female Character, Natasha Romanoff x Original Female Character, Maria Hill x Original Female Character, Clint Barton x Original Female Character.

Author’s Note 1:- This is my submission for @jtargaryen18 Halloween Challenge 2023. Having chosen the prompt below, I just had to include a little nod to our beloved Jamie with my original female character as well as using the same costume from my previous Halloween fic in this same challenge.  Yay recycling.  Anyway hope anyone who reads this enjoys it 💖

Challenge Prompt:- (The Halloween Costume Comes to Life: Remember that episode of Buffy?  You rented a costume and when you put it on, that’s who you are as long as you are wearing it.)

Author’s Note 2:- Since this story switches between the present perspective and memories (italic text) I really hope it makes sense.

Author’s Note 3:- As always, all images have been found through google search.

Synopsis:- Accepting an invitation to Tony Stark’s annual Halloween party, what will you do when an unforeseen interference with your costumes causes far reaching consequences for you and all of humanity?

Total Word Count:- 9,565

Opening your eyes to find yourself dangling off the couch at a rather awkward angle in the entertainment room, the chill settling on your skin might have been enough to have you reaching for a blanket if there was one in sight.  Unfortunately there wasn't.  What was evident to you however as you straightened up was the utter mess lettering the room in every direction.  Bottles piled on every available surface.  Clothes discarded with no evidence of the people they once belonged to.  A shoe tossed aside carelessly with no one to claim it.  It was worse than a pigsty.

Righting yourself on the couch now as you tried to figure out exactly what was going on and how you had ended up in this condition, standing up brought a whole new element to your experience however.  One you most certainly weren't prepared for.  Rising to your feet and making it a whole two paces, a sudden queasiness found you running towards the nearest available container as the contents of your stomach spewed forth before your eyes into the waiting plastic pumpkin and filled you with a terror you had never felt before.

For what came up was red.

Continuing to vomit until all the offending substance had been expelled, you now stood staring at the liquid and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt exactly what it was ... it was blood.  But how could that be?  Having heaved up everything and definitely identifying the taste of copper in your mouth, you should at least be unconscious or near death with the amount you had expelled, but you actually felt fine.  In fact, no part of you was in pain and you had never felt better.  So what then was going on?  If as you now suspected that all was well with you and the blood you just heaved up was not actually coming from within, where then did it come from and worst of all, how did it get inside you?

Walking out of the entertainment room now and heading off to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water to remove the horrid taste from your mouth, you began to think over how you had ended up here when an odd thought suddenly struck you ... where the hell was here?  Looking around you suddenly now as you tried to figure out the answer to this question, the state of the place here too troubled you also, but at least you recognised it beneath the mess.  This was the Avengers compound.

Searching through your memory now as you finally reach your destination, a cool glass of water trickling down your throat and a wayward glance at all the decorations visible around the place at least brought the reason for you being here bursting to the surface.  Tony Stark threw a party.  But in typical Tony fashion this was no ordinary party.  This was his now usual Halloween costume party and being The Avengers P.R. consultant your presence was requested.  And you just had to dress up as a vampire princess.

But what had any of that to do with all of this and what had happened to your costume?  Oh sure parties were messy and a Stark party was notorious for being a wild experience, but he always employed people to clean things up.  This had clearly not happened here.  In fact the opposite seemed to have occurred.  Finishing up your water now and taking stock of the t-shirt and boxers shielding your modesty, you now took in the state in this room too and discovered some things you had not previously noticed.

While well lit with electricity, all the windows were covered over and the substance spattered on the walls and other areas which now caught your attention was definitely blood.  Add to that the fact that you couldn't remember most, if any, of last night and you now had to wonder if it was possible that you had survived some horrific event.  Refilling your glass now to steady your nerves as your hands shook from this new information, another glance off to your left however alerted you to the presence of someone's leg.  It seems you weren’t as alone as you thought after all.  Slowly moving towards it now to see who had partied too hard here, the glass slipped from your hand and shattered the silence all around you however as the owner of the leg came into view and a shroud of darkness lifted from you to reveal how your night here had started.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -START OF MEMORY #1- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Zipping up your costume, buckling the belt in place and slipping your feet into the knee high boots, you had to admit this party couldn't have come at a better time.  Thoroughly exhausted and seriously in need of a good time, no one knew how to throw a party quite like Tony Stark and you were more than ready to let your hair down.  After all the problems created in New York and Steve all but crippling the U.S. intelligence and security services, being P.R. consultant for the Avengers was nowhere near as glamorous as it had once seemed.  In fact it was your living nightmare.  But at least you were good at your job which kind of made this your reward.

Grabbing your jacket then and driving to the compound, you were still a tiny bit unhappy with the lateness of the event, but you figured Tony knew what he was doing.  After all, he had told you as much when he handed you the invitation personally amid your complaints that five minutes to midnight was no time to kick off one of his shindigs.  At the very least you argued that he should consider the effect such a late hour would have on people's constitution, to which he gleefully replied that sacrifices had to be made in the spirit of debauched revelry.

Sighing at the time upon realizing that Tony Stark would never let anything get in the way of a good party, you took the invitation, promised him you would indeed show up and securing your costume here you were ... stepping through the main doors of the compound ten minutes before the appointed time.  Removing your jacket now and grudgingly discarding it upon the first pile of clothes you came across, you marveled at the wondrously spooky scenes all around you until you reached the entertainment room and was blown away.

Noticing now all the superheroes decked out in costumes that most ordinary people wore every Halloween, a smile actually graced your features when at the same time some Stark and Avenger employees' costumes caught your attention.  They had come as their favorite heroes.  Stepping through these doors now and finally feeling the buzz of the festivities all around you, you might have questioned the mild dizziness and funny sensations now taking place within your body if not for the image that greeted you by the bar.  Talking discreetly to Sam and Bucky while decked out in a suit that most definitely could have come from Tony Stark's closet, you would have suspected that Steve had shown up as some businessman if not for the piece visible just through the opening in his jacket.  The man was packing some serious heat.

Staying silent now and moving quietly along the outer perimeter as mist unknowingly formed around you and concealed your activities from the party at large, you finally reached the bar only for Sam and Bucky to swiftly move between you and the man that had captured your attention.  It seemed they perceived you as some type of threat and perhaps they were right.  Smiling now however at their response while trailing his eyes up and down your exquisite form, it seemed their mob boss friend did not hold the same assessment of your skills and waving his flunkies aside, stretched his hand out to beckon you closer.

Moving forward now with a grace you had not previously known, you took the offered hand and waited to see what the man would do.  "Steve Rogers, head of the New York Mafia at your service," he introduced before leaning forwards and placing the most tender of kisses against the back of your hand.  "And you are?" he then questioned as he straightened up and his blue eyes locked with yours.

"Jemisha Targaryen, vampire princess," you replied with a smile while embracing the roleplaying game Earth's first Avenger seemed fully engaged in and the man now whispering your name like a prayer in response would have been enough to stop your heart had that not already happened.  Not that you had even noticed.  Alerting a passing waiter now for drinks and taking you to a quiet closed off corner, a considerable amount of time passed in his splendid company until a walk through the compound found both of you alone in the kitchen trying to find any excuse not to become intimately acquainted with each other.  But the excuses never materialized.

Smacking his lips against yours as if a lifetime of intimacy had passed between you, Steve reluctantly pulling back for air gave you the perfect opportunity you needed to get familiar with the man before you.  Admiring again the suit that enveloped his frame so ideally while also exuding that air of danger a man in his position should possess, it pained you to peel him out of it, but it had to be done.  Returning to your lips now as the jacket lay discarded while your nimble fingers swiftly opened his crisp white shirt, Steve now moved both of you to the couch and seating you gently upon the back, dropped to his knees on the floor before you.  Gazing down on him now with lipstick smeared from his attention, you now wondered what he had planned as his gun appeared before your face and an inquisitive look from him told you some action from you was now required.

Looking quizzically now between him and the metal object that could quite easily do you irreparable harm, it seemed his patience finally ran out as the man below you finally spoke.  “Well come on sweetheart, this baby isn’t going to lubricate itself.  Time to put that mouth to work.”

Shocked now by what he had planned as his other hand pushed aside the crotch of your bodysuit and toyed with your folds, your hand reaching out to raise the gun towards your mouth shocked you even more.  Apparently you wanted this too.  Placing your mouth now over the barrel and mimicking events that were still to come, Steve’s fingers and tongue getting acquainted with your intimate area did more than an adequate job of getting you ready before he decided enough preparation had been done.  Delighting now in the feelings he was creating as he slowly and carefully manipulated the metal object into your pussy, you would have enquired if the thing was loaded, but he never gave you the chance.  Reaching in as far as it would go and satisfied with your compliance when you finally nodded for him to continue, Steve now rose to his feet and resumed kissing you again as his hand, the gun and your hips worked your pussy into a frenzy that not only triggered your first release of the night but also catapulted you and Steve over the top of the couch and onto the kitchen floor behind the island unit.

Beyond amazed now that you had landed as you had and not caused the gun to fire, you thanked Steve for his obvious control the first chance you got.  Laughing next when New York’s Mob Boss finally stopped assaulting your mouth and gently removed his weapon from your core, the aftershocks should have kept you satiated but it seemed you wanted more.  So tossing the gun aside now and tackling Steve to the point where you were now in charge, you quickly unbuckled his pants and reaching it to remove his package, smiled in satisfaction when no extra clothing was discovered.  The man it seemed was ready to go.  Moving your bodysuit to the side again as Steve had previously done, slotting his cock into you channel now and moving atop the still fully clothed mob boss as his massive rod pounded your cervix over and over again, your second orgasm of the night ripped through you now as your fangs buried themselves deep in Steve's neck.

Placing your hand over his mouth now to silence his screams while his hand reached out uselessly towards his discarded weapon, your hips, thighs and fangs kept him in place now and a satisfied moan left your lips as the last of his life's essence flowed down your throat while his phallus released one final load against your shuddering walls.  Looking down at his almost lifeless body now as you finally detached your mouth from his battered neck, you knew the world could not handle his loss.  Slicing your wrist then and placing it against his lips, you reached out with your powers and coaxed the man beneath you to accept the final gift you offered.  Remaining like that just long enough then for his pupils to give the spark of evidence that signal the change would take, you now separated yourself from him and leaving him there, returned to the party.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -END OF MEMORY #1- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Returning to Steve's rumpled and discarded body now, your mind tried to reconcile what you had just remembered with what you were currently seeing and feeling, but things just weren't syncing up.  Reaching forward then to check on the condition of the super soldier, the memory of the blood you had just discarded stopped you dead before your hand even touched his skin.  This had to be a dream.  A very bad one at that.  Changing your mind now and rushing from the room to see if someone else could explain what had happened here, you next found your way to the indoor pool while Steve slept on, oblivious to the changes that would soon signal his transformation.

Opening the door here now not all together surprised to find this place relatively untouched given that Tony usually closed it off during parties, a sticky spot touching your foot did cause some apprehension however given what you had just experienced.  Raising your foot now to check out the offending substance, your heart now skipped a beat when your fingers touched your sole and came away red.  Something gruesome seemed to have occurred here too.  Moving farther into the room now, the image of Natasha's body laying in the center of the room decked out in the robe of the goddess Athena would have tricked anyone looking in here to believe that she was lost in peaceful slumber.  But you knew different.  As did the bloodstain lingering atop her left breast which triggered another memory flow.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -START OF MEMORY #2- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Righting your bodysuit and walking back towards the party now to find Natasha, dressed as the goddess Athena, heading in your direction, the image of Steve beginning his undead journey forced you now to ignore what you had become in favor of deflecting the redhead from discovering your secret.  Smiling at her now as you stood before her and asked her why she had chosen the goddess Athena as her costume, her eyes still traveling towards the kitchen as she confessed to being the wisest of all the Avengers told you that a greater distraction was still needed.

Locking your eyes with her now as you allowed your hypnotic skills to take you over once more, five minutes later and the pool room hid your activities perfectly from those individuals like Natasha/Athena that might discover what you were up to.  Coaxing her farther into the room now as you engaged the lock behind you, a hunger you had never felt before took hold as your eyes feasted on her ethereal form.  She was beyond beautiful.  Moving forwards now at a speed you never imagined possessing and coming to stand behind the redhead, you wrapped your arms around her waist as your lips came to nestle against her ear.

"Tell me beautiful, has anyone told you how divine you look?  Godhood totally becomes you," you uttered before your mouth then moved lower and your tongue snaked out to lick a stripe along her neck.  Delighting in the squeal that left her lips now and the thrumming you felt pulsing in her veins, you would have sunk your teeth into her right there if your body still wasn't hungry for something else.  Something far sweeter.

Moving in front of her now while simultaneously lowering her body onto the floor, the chill of the tiles beneath her might have caused her to rethink what you were proposing if not for the hold your powers still had on her.  Spreading her legs open now as your lower body moved between them, you placed your lips quickly against hers before moving down her body with the promise of giving her an experience she would never forget.  Looking up at her now with a smirk as you lifted up her robe and discovered her naked underneath, you couldn’t hold yourself back any longer as her exquisite aroma called out to you.  It was almost like her own super power.

Laying down flat between her legs now and placing them over your shoulders you would, before this activity was over, be extremely grateful that your current state did not require you to breathe.  You could stay here all night.  Latching your lips onto her intimate folds now as your tongue darted out and savored the taste of the first woman you had ever touched in this way, you would have questioned where your skills and knowledge came from, but you didn’t really care.  And it seemed Natasha/Athena didn’t care either.  Writhing and moaning beneath you now as her body tried both to pull away from you and also move closer, her nectar flowing from her and flooding your mouth was beyond distracting.  It was something you couldn’t get enough of.  Sweet and slightly salty at first, the seconds after her first orgasm subsided and the flavor changed.  Delicious now in a way you couldn’t quite describe, each release brought more and more of this delightful substance to your senses until she finally couldn’t give you any more and squirted out her last powerful release.

Satisfied now with your accomplishment as the goddess of wisdom, craft and warfare lay in a blissed out pool beneath your still wanting body, you moved yourself up hers now and tried to get her to focus what little consciousness she had left on you.  “So beautiful, are you ready to experience that final high that will forever ruin you for all mortal beings?”

Trying to focus now on your words as her body still shook from the experience you had just given her, an imperceptible nod of her head was all the confirmation you were going to receive.  Smiling in triumph now as your fingers returned to her oversensitive core and began manipulating her walls once again, your lips resting against her newly exposed breast gave little indication of what you had planned.  At least until your fangs slid home.  Suckling the life giving liquid from her left breast now as your fingers turned her screams of terror into screams of pleasure, her final spasm as the liquid leaving her body became little more than a trickle told you it was time.

Removing yourself from her breast and pussy now as her life signs began to dwindle, you now sliced open your neck and bringing her mouth towards your essence, urged her to accept this final gift.  Claiming her last ounce of strength then, she followed your gentle prodding and now you stood over your second victim of the night wondering how long it would take for this unique creature to embrace her new reality.  Not that you would be here to witness it.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -END OF MEMORY #2- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Shocked again now by what this memory showed you you had done, yet still not believing it, you now looked around the room in the hopes of finding something to cover the evidence of yet another Avenger you had managed to dispatch.  Failing in this endeavor however and deciding that the clothes you wore were nowhere near good enough, you argued with yourself silently before at last accepting you had no other option.  Gingerly reaching forward now and apologizing to Natasha both for what you had done and what you were doing now, you carefully removed her robe and straightening it out, covered her body from head to toe before leaving the scene of your latest crime.

Standing out in the hall now as tears streamed silently down your cheeks, you took a moment just to feel the loss of these two fallen heroes before wondering what to do next or more precisely what you might find.  Walking away now from the changing body of the Black Widow and moving farther into the depths of this revered building, a quick glance into Tony’s lab and a voice in the back of your mind told you to go inside.  But you didn’t want to.

Fearing now what awaited you beyond these walls, your mind was made up however.  Raising your hand now and placing it on the keypad, you hoped Tony hadn’t sealed this place off to everyone except himself.  Listening intently now for the buzz that would signal success and still somewhat surprised once you were accepted, you cautiously took one step at a time inside before the sight you now feared the most greeted you here too.  Lifelessly stretched out on the floor in front of his beloved orange Audi R8, the two familiar spots visible on his wrist only because you were looking for them  told you everything your memory would soon reveal.  You had encountered him too.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -START OF MEMORY #3- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Finding yourself back in the entertainment room again, you picked up a drink from the tray of a passing waitress before heading off to the same corner Steve had first taken you to.  Sitting down now and taking a sip of the cool beverage, you didn’t exactly dislike the taste but it seemed something else was calling out to you.  Closing your eyes then and reaching out with your powers, you honed in on the smallest noise, smell and sound and began to filter through them for some tasty morsel until the presence of two warm hands resting on your shoulders opened your eyes to the arrival of someone your body craved more than all others.  He was here.

Staying perfectly still now while trying to rein in the impulses that came with your new body and seemed to be wreaking havoc everywhere you went, your eyes lit up when Tony vaulted the back of the couch, flopped down beside you and locked his piercing gaze with yours.  But this wasn’t the Tony Stark you knew.  Sitting beside you now in the blue and black racing suit of his Formula 1 team with the word STARK emblazoned diagonally in large white letters on his chest, the confidence he displayed in most aspects of his life seemed somehow magnified now …  and it was completely directed at you.

“Well, well, well Jemisha, look at you all decked out in practically … nothing,” he greeted with a smirk as his eyes roamed over your very scantily covered body while his fingers glided up and down along your closest thigh.  “You hoping to have it off with a race car driver darling?”

Looking over him now while simultaneously trying to fight the sensations his fingers were awakening again within you, a woman coming up asking for his autograph and practically throwing herself at him awakened something more primal and darker in you.  It was something that screamed of jealousy.  Calling on your powers again this night, you suggested she walk away and bother someone like Thor before rising from the couch and pulling Tony up with you.  You needed him away from here.  Leading both of you then through the compound , you waited until Tony opened up his personal lab before using your considerable strength to push him inside as the door closed behind you.

Laughing now as Tony actually seemed surprised by your eagerness, this surprise was soon magnified almost tenfold when asking which car you wanted to take for a test drive, the billionaire found the wind knocked out of him when his back came in contact with his vibrant orange Audi R8.  Composing himself now as the air returned to his lungs and he attempted to raise himself up off the front of the vehicle, you kissing him deeply before peeling open the zipper on his racing suit stopped him cold.  This he wanted to experience.

Placing your hands on his thighs now, you winked up at him as you sank to your knees between his outstretched legs.  Removing one hand then, you withdrew him from his boxers and smiled at the gasp he released as your hand gave a firm squeeze before placing your lips gently against his tip.  Leaving them there then and doing nothing else as Tony waited above you, you now threw your head back and laughed with unbridled glee when Tony finally whined at you to do something before he combusted.  Thinking then of all the things you could do to him, you now patted his thigh with the hand still resting there before moving forwards once again.

Taking Tony in your mouth again, you now began a steady rhythm of licking and sucking his cock as your free hand wrapped itself around his shaft and started twisting back and forth along his impressive length.  Taking more and more of him into your mouth then while Tony egged you on, the longer you manipulated his rod, the less your hand was needed so you now moved it down to fondle his sac as you tried not to gag on his sheer girth.  Almost choking now as your hand squeezed and caressed him while drool and saliva dripped from your chin down his racing suit, the man above groaned once more in protest when your warm mouth left his pulsating phallus.  But you weren’t done with him yet.  Not by a long shot.

Placing both of your hands back on his thighs now and moving your head forward beneath his shaft, his firm hands reaching for your head stopped you momentarily as his wide eyes locked with yours.  “Jemisha, are you doing what I think you’re doing?”

Leaning towards him now and kissing him again while this time nipping his lower lip enough to draw blood, you then removed his hands and pushed him back against the car once more as your mouth descended back towards his balls.  Wrapping your lips around one now, you hollowed out your cheeks and vigorously began to suck as Tony gasped, moaned, cursed and generally came apart above you.  And this reaction only increased when your mouth emptied and began the same treatment of his other testicle .  And it fed your confidence.  Soon robbed of the ability to form any coherent words at all and barely capable of holding himself up, his hand reached down now to stroke his shaft in the hopes of ending his torment and hastening his release.  But you weren’t having any of it.

Slapping his hand away now and biting his sac just enough to cause him pain, your mouth and hand returning to his cock filled the room with sounds you wished you could listen to forever.  But hearing them now would do fine.  Employing your supernatural skills now, you licked, kissed, nipped, sucked and squeezed in all the ways it seemed that drove Tony wild and just as you felt his heart quicken that extra beat, you swallowed him whole and drank down everything he had to give you.  Literally.

Lodging him snugly in your throat as deep as he would go and thankful once more that you no longer had to bother with the pesky task of breathing, you waited just long enough for Tony’s whining to start again before sinking your fangs into his package.  Washing down his cum with the life-giving liquid that had just previously been supplementing the organ now feeding your being with everything that was uniquely Tony, drinking slow and deep of this savory bouquet now, Tony came out of his orgasmic haze just long enough to realize what you were doing.  And he was no longer happy.  Trying to detach you from him now while also about to scream out for help, you now released him, stood up straight and facing Tony promised him he could live forever if only he was brave enough to take that final step.

Nodding as much as he could now given his lack of strength as his heartbeat began to fail, you brought his lips to your neck and slicing across it watched in satisfaction as he latched on without a second thought.  Drinking freely from you now until you feared for your own survival, you gently pulled him from you and kissed him one last time before dropping his body back onto the car.  Walking over to Tony’s workstation now and dropping down onto his chair as his lifeless body slid to the floor, you took a few moments to recover from his feeding and work yourself towards completion before standing back up and walking towards the door.  Giving one final lingering look behind you now before exiting the lab and leaving behind the body of a man you so admired in life but cherished even more now in death, all you could do was smile at the thought that Tony Stark’s last living blowjob had actually changed his life.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -END OF MEMORY #3- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Leaving your memory of the previous night behind you now and returning to the present, you knew now reaching out to Tony would reveal the same result as Steve and Natasha.  All three were dead at your hand.  Looking around the lab now for anything that would hide the body from view, a portable workstation seemed to be your best option and so pulling it forwards a weird thought suddenly hit you … you missed your vampire strength.  Eventually placing it in front of the Audi and finally satisfied that no one would see what had transpired here, you now left the lab and actually welcomed the isolation that greeted you outside the room.  You needed somewhere quiet to think.

Walking through the compound now in a complete daze with no idea of your destination however, you soon found yourself outside the gym with the horrible feeling that your costumed alter ego had visited her brand of destruction here too.  Contemplating going inside to investigate or simply walking away and keeping the possible memory of events here locked away where they could never torment you, you instead waited a heartbeat before twisting the lock and heading inside.  And you were glad you did.

Looking every bit as pristine now as it always did when the Avengers and their employees were not dripping sweat everywhere, you actually sat down now on the nearest bench and released a grateful sigh of relief.  Nothing supernatural had happened here.  Taking a few moments now to relish in this small victory and perhaps let go of all the tension you had been holding onto in anticipation of yet another death to come to terms with, you eventually started to feel more like yourself and so rising from the bench made a beeline back towards the door.  That is, until the faint echo of laughter grabbed your attention.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -START OF MEMORY #4- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Kicking the door closed behind you as Maria Hill pulled you deeper into the gym after finding you wandering around the compound, you couldn’t believe this was really happening.  Admiring her from afar for her gorgeous looks and ball busting attitude, the idea that she would actually find you interesting was a complete surprise.  But this?  Watching her now in her maid’s outfit as she skipped across the gym floor and climbed her way into the ring, her perfectly toned ass on display as she bent over and manipulated her body through the ropes had you practically creaming yourself.  Damn, you couldn’t remember seeing anything sexier.

Delighting now in this thought, as well as the laughter emanating from the woman currently teasing you as she winked at you before straightening up, you let all caution and pretense fall away and taking to flight, landed softly in the ring just as Maria righted herself.  Much to her shock and awe.  Removing your adjustable collar now as Maria glanced around between where you had been and where you were now, a girlish giggle you never imagined her capable of creating took you by surprise as you closed the distance between you before placing your lips against hers.  Kissing her deeply then before burying your nose in her hair and inhaling her scent which hinted at her excitement, both of you burst out laughing as she tripped over herself and caused both of you to hit the canvas.

Relishing in this opportunity now as she seized the initiative for her lips and tongue to devour any of your flesh they could latch onto, you quickly remembered what you were and the powers you possessed.  Which meant this treatment could not stand.  Tossing her gently off you then and using your incredible speed to move both of you to the nearest accessible corner, you next removed one of the drapes from your costume’s belt and made short work of tying Maria’s hands to the ring post.  Smiling now at your handy work as she tried unsuccessfully to free herself, your body resting against hers stopped her suddenly … as did your words.  “Such a naughty girl I have here thinking she can take the lead with me.  What should your Queen do with her maid who’s forgotten her place?” you whispered against her ear as your hands began to roam underneath her maid’s outfit before pulling her panties and allowing them to snap back into place.

Yelping slightly now at the sting left behind by this action, you might have taken pity on her if she had only chosen the words she uttered now more carefully.  “Oh come on Jemisha, you know you like it when I take charge.  Waiting for you one could die of boredom.”

“Jemisha?  Did you just call me Jemisha?” you asked incredulously as you tore her skirt from her now before continuing.  “When did I ever give a lowly maid such as you permission to call me by my name?  Seems someone’s looking to be punished,” and with that you reached around her front and snatching the duster from her apron, brought it down on Maria’s ass numerous times as the brunette cried, shook and pleaded until suddenly the sound you longed for most left her lips.  And oh how delightful her moans were.

Untying her now before lowering her back onto the canvas again, you now kissed her tenderly before moving your hand down her trembling body to completely remove her panties that gave away the effect your actions had on her..  Naked from the waist down now and dripping slick between her thighs, you allowed her to retain the top part of her costume as you then tore open the crotch of your bodysuit to give her easy access.  Laying on your back now and sitting Maria on your face, you waited now until her mouth descended to your pussy before letting your powers take control.  Floating towards the ceiling now and trapping Maria between it and your own body, she might have been panicked by the scene unfolding if she wasn’t currently occupied elsewhere.  Devouring her now as she too began to eat you out, orgasm after orgasm rocked through both of you and threatened to consume all that you were, but you had other plans.

Removing your mouth from her pussy now as she continued to dine on everything you had to offer, you gently began to kiss along her thigh until you felt her pulse thrumming beneath the surface.  This was what you craved.  Nibbling a while longer now as your fingers entered her again and worked her closer to one last, powerful orgasm, right when Maria bit down on your clit did your fangs pierce her thigh and puncture her femoral artery.  Drawing out her blood now that was so much sweeter as your fingers continued to eke out her release, the warmth flowing through you was still an interesting contrast to the cooling body above you.  Maria Hill was not much longer for this world.

Grudgingly removing yourself from her now and carefully turning around to face her, you kissed her swiftly with lips moistened by her blood before bringing your nail across your neck and allowing all that you were to transform her into a creature like you that would now call the night her own.  Lowering both of you back down to ring floor then as your wound closed and your blood stopped flowing, you picked up Maria’s legs and dragging her body towards the apron, lifted her down onto the ground before raising the side canvas and placing her safely underneath.  Dropping the canvas back down then to shield her body from prying eyes, you left the gym now in search of your next adventure before morning’s light ended the party and whatever fun this was.  Which is what happened now it seemed.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -END OF MEMORY #4- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Deciding this time however to forego confirming that your memory of what transpired here was real in favor of what your eyes now focused on, the drape off your costume dangling where you’d tied Maria’s hands was confirmation enough.  So you accepted where she was, along with the horror of what had happened here, without looking any further.  Reaching out now instead and running your fingers along the fabric as you pictured Maria once more squirming in pain and pleasure as her duster colored her ass a glorious shade of red, you standing behind her suddenly crystalized in your mind as a wayward thought suddenly struck you.  You had woken up dressed in the clothes you now wore.  Which didn’t belong to you.

So where then was your vampire princess costume?

Thinking now on where you had been so far and where you, in your normal frame of mind, might be most likely to strip off your clothes, the guest quarters Tony had set up for you here at the compound seemed the most obvious destination.  Leaving the gym now and taking the elevator up to the living floor while trying to figure out how you were now decidedly human, the elevator doors opening and alerting you to your arrival would furnish you with this answer and a whole bucketload of extra information however as you now walked down the hall towards your room only to stop suddenly when you noticed Hawkeye’s door slightly open.

Which was extra proof that something wasn’t right.  Even here among their colleagues, no Avenger would ever leave their room door open.  Unlocked?  Maybe.  But definitely not open.  Unsure now of whether or not you should trespass and also mindful of what you might find given all the surprises the compound had already dropped in your lap, a voice in your head told you to put on your big girl pants and see if death had left its mark here too.  And as you pushed open the door that’s exactly what you did.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -START OF MEMORY #5- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Watching Clint walk ahead of you, swaying slightly with his axe resting on his shoulder, you couldn’t help but smile a little.  He really seemed to be enjoying the night.  Decked out in a lumberjack outfit that showed off muscles you never really noticed him having before, the closer you got to him the more you had to admit that there was something about this rugged side of him that just turned you on.  Then again maybe it was just the night that was in it and whatever this costume was doing to you.

Looking at your costume now and reminding yourself why you were still prowling around these corridors, the images now of the rugged woodsman tickled your fancy once again and altered your plans for now.  Seizing your opportunity now with Clint's inebriated state and no one else around, you waited just long enough for him to open his door before slipping beneath his stumbling form and helping to hold him upright as any good friend would do.  Mumbling an incoherent thanks that you could just about make out until his head turned towards you and acknowledged who you were, a triumphant smirk graced your features as he perked up a bit and managed to speak clearly.  “Come on in honey, let me taste a little darkness.”

Pausing momentarily now to look into his bloodshot eyes, Clint staggering closer into your personal space however unleashed two more powerful weapons against the part of you that told you it was wrong to take advantage of him in his current condition.  His scent and his blood pulsing beneath the surface.  Delighting now in your hesitancy and swirling his fingers along your shoulder, he now moved his lips against your ear and tried once more in slurred speech.  “Please honey, I know I can make you come like no other.”

Smiling to yourself now as you thought about what he said in conjunction with all the fun you had participated in so far this night, you wanted to inform him what a bold statement this was.  But something stopped you.  Giving him the once over again while he raised an eyebrow in response as if to say well what’s it to be, that little voice that made its presence known throughout the night intervened yet again.  It was time for another romp it seemed.  Looking along the corridor now in both directions before reminding yourself of your earlier appraisal of the man beside you, you figured if he was willing to offer himself up, drunk and all as he was, who were you to refuse.

Taking the initiative then and walking him into the apartment, the door closing and locking in your wake didn’t even reach the level of a warning as Clint’s lips latched onto yours before your back hit the nearest wall.  A bit taken aback now by his forcefulness as he always struck you as the more timid of the Avengers, or at the very least lacking any real passion in the romance department, the surprises kept on piling up when he reached down into his boot and produced one hell of an impressive hunting knife.  Seems he wasn’t as intoxicated as he had led you to believe.

Trailing it along your neck now as the sensation and sense of danger released a flood of arousal down your thigh, the blade moving lower and lower towards your flower brought a look of disapproval you never knew him capable of creating as Clint now dropped to his knees and discovered your secret.  The crotch of your bodysuit told him you had already been breached.  Tutting loudly now as he rose back up to meet your gaze, the blade grazing across your chest with a bit more pressure now than its previous trip along your neck made you wonder what he had in mind.  But you wouldn’t have long to wait to find out.

“Guess someone’s been a naughty vampire princess tonight.  You want to tell me who’s been all up in this precious cunt Jemisha?” he asked and before you could even form any kind of witty response, the blade sliced your bodysuit just enough for Clint to gain access to your tits since your pussy was already open to him.  Latching firmly onto one of your nipples now as you tried to get the upper hand in this situation, you ended up losing the battle however when Clint dropped his hand towards your lower body again and this time found his way to plunging the handle of the knife into your unprepared pussy.

Screaming out now from the shock of this unexpected penetration since you were nowhere near wet enough despite the slick already waiting, you might have wondered how he achieved this task without slicing his palm open, but to be honest you really couldn’t focus much on this question at the present time.  Continuing to work the knife handle in and out of your core while his warm mouth suckled on your breasts as if he could somehow draw nourishment from them, your eyes actually rolled back in your head as a powerful orgasm rocked your body and made you acknowledge that maybe he was right.  He could be your best yet.

Coming down from your high now as Clint continued to assault your breasts while teasingly withdrawing the knife’s handle, his other hand coming up to caress your cheek revealed a strong leather glove you had totally missed before.  How the hell had that happened?  Unsettled now by this total lack of awareness on your part but also putting it down to the fact that he totally caught you unawares with his drunk woodsman performance, you wondered what he had planned now as he took your hand and led you to the bedroom where your tender body hitting the soft sheets covering the bed actually felt nice for a change.  After all, this was the most softness you had had this night.

Gazing at your ethereal form now while giving the impression he could read your mind, you actually laughed a little when Clint informed you that while anywhere would do to get things started, a bed was the only place a vampire princess deserved to be ravished.  Honing in on this last word now as Clint removed his boots and crawled onto the bed next to you, you swiftly remembered what you were when he reached out, removed two of the remaining drapes hanging from your costume and made to tie your hands to the frame of the bed behind you.  But that could not be allowed.

Misting away from him now as a powerful wind materialized out of nowhere and slammed him into the very position you had just vacated, coalescing back to yourself before a wide eyed Clint left you in no doubt.  He had not expected this.  Smiling seductively at him now as the wind you commanded held him in place, you contemplated using these powers to keep him there, but where was the payback in that?  Here he was a mere mortal, with no extraordinary powers either in his normal life or the existence gifted to him this night, and he had dared to tie you down.

You.  The monarch of the night.  The queen of darkness.

Hell even the great and arrogant Tony Stark hadn’t pulled a stunt like that.

Becoming more furious now the longer you thought about what Clint had attempted, picking up the same costume drapes that he had attempted to use on you, you now moved forwards and tying each of his hands in place, gazed into his equally furious eyes before speaking.  “Seriously Clint, did you really think you stood a chance against me?  Shame on you,” you added with a disappointed tutting sound before grasping his chin and kissing him harshly.  Checking out his position and costume once more now before getting to the real fun, you did however decide that his arrogance warranted playing with him a bit first.

“Look at you all strung up for me now.  Bet you’re sorry you didn’t use the sharper end of your knife on me now baby.  Or better yet your axe,” you laughed now before placing your legs on either side of his right thigh and sinking down on it.  Moving back and forth along it now as you watched him pull against the restraints, you smiled triumphantly when reaching out and squeezing him through his pants caused him to curse you out before his head shot forwards and attempted to connect with yours.

Too bad for him that you were faster.

Displaying the fury of your race now that he would behave like this when you were so close to completion and had planned to get him off too at some point, you now decided some form of punishment deserved to be leveled against him.  Reluctantly removing yourself from his thigh then, you also alighted the bed and picking up the knife discarded by his boots you returned to your previous position and watched Clint’s look of anticipation morph into one of fear.  This was dangerous territory now.

Forcing him to look into your eyes now before compelling him not to make a sound, you next cut open his top and began placing shallow cuts all over his chest and shoulders.  Licking the blood from each one then before moving onto the next as he thrashed beneath you, you meticulously worked your way down his body and upon reaching his hips, smiled up at him through blood stained lips just as the knife slipped under his belt and cut it open.  Impressed now with the edge on the weapon, you might actually have admired the strength of his gloves to have protected him from slicing his palm earlier if time was on your side.  However that was not the case.

Noticing now that Clint’s pallor and demeanor was beginning to change as a possible result of his many, many wounds and accompanying blood loss, you swiftly removed his cock from its confines and actually had to marvel at what was revealed.  The man turned out to be very well endowed.  Tossing the knife to the side now and placing your hand around his substantial length, you quickly got to work getting him to full mast before moving your pussy over his rod and sinking down.

Gasping a little now from the feeling of fullness you hadn’t naturally experienced that night, you took a moment to appreciate what he now brought to the equation before your desire for release got the better of you.  You needed to come on this cock.  Bouncing on his package now, your head thrown back in pure ecstasy, you wished you had let Clint scream in passion along with you, but it couldn’t be helped.  The last thing you wanted now as you skimmed your fingers over his blood stained chest and chased your own orgasmic bliss was some man with an inflated sense of his own importance telling you all the ways he would make you suffer for what you were doing to him.

As if he had that kind of power.  As if any of them had when it came to you.

No, focusing back now on the feelings building within you as Clint’s breathing began to falter, you worked yourself over that last hurdle and released your arousal around his cock as your walls began to milk him of everything his mortal body had to offer.  And then you took more.  Releasing him from your compulsion now, you asked him quickly if he wanted to live and when his reply was a haggard, coughed out yes, you leaned forwards towards his wrist and sinking your fangs deep into the veins, drained him almost completely before reaching for his knife again.  Dragging it across the top of your chest now and urging him to drink, you held him in place just long enough for a slight flush to return to his cheeks.

Removing yourself from his rod and bed then, your next task was to take stock of the environment around you.  With Clint still secured to the bed and well on his way to an undead existence, your sole focus now could shift to you.  Gazing from the drapes still wrapped around his arms to the costume from whence they came, it was easy to see how the night’s activities had taken their toll here too.  Now lamenting the fact that your deposit was well and truly forfeit thanks to you and Clint, you searched through the immediate area and coming across an extra t-shirt and pair of boxers belonging to your latest victim, took one last look at the man in question before returning to the living room and closing the door behind you.

Peeling off the remains of your costume then and redressing in your borrowed attire, you sat down swiftly on the couch now as a wave of dizziness hit you again for the second time this night.  Recovering in practically the blink of an eye and ignoring it now as you had earlier, you then headed out of the apartment but not before picking up Clint’s axe, placing it atop your shoulder as he had done and returning once more to the party downstairs.

🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛 -END OF MEMORY #5- 🧛🧛🧛🧛🧛

Which was exactly where you had woken up.

Standing in the living room now and walking towards the room your memory had just confirmed would contain one more dead Avenger, the same memory you had just revisited still could not prepare you for the shock of finding Clint laying on the bed where you had left him.  Covered in blood with his costume cut open and his cock still hanging out after you had finished with him, the clothes you now wore missing from this room sent a chilling shiver down your spine.  But that was the least of your problems given that Clint had begun to stir.

Walking towards the bed now under the impression that your eyes were playing tricks on you, the drapes snapping as Clint’s body broke free and reached out to grab a hold of the person responsible for his current condition might have been enough to give you a heart attack if the bedroom door hadn’t at that very moment filled with four more bodies that now brought a whole new wave of terror crashing down upon you.  Your victims had awakened.

Flanked by his three colleagues now as you fought and raged against the man at your back, something in their demeanor however indicated you were in more danger than at any previous time in your young life.  Tony, Natasha, Steve and Maria standing before you.  Clint at your back, his arms locked around you.  All five heroes you had fucked, fed from and summarily dispatched and now with blinding clarity you knew where all that blood had come from.  It was theirs.  Conflicted now between figuring out how their transformations had stuck while yours had not, a far greater realization made its presence known however as Maria turned and locked the door before all four former heroes blocked your only exit.

This was retribution.

No longer possessed of the powers bestowed upon you by whatever occurrence had caused your costumes to come to life, the vampires now circling the bed as Clint held you tighter would have been a frightening experience under any circumstances but these were your creations and that thought frightened you even more given that you had no control over them,  Or so you thought.  It seemed to your relief that your natural curiosity proved somewhat powerful enough to halt their plans however as you blurted out the memory that now crystalized within your mind.  “Oh my god, the blood on the walls?  That was you.  But how?”

Tossing you back on the bed now as Tony nodded in your direction, Clint joined the others and five pairs of red eyes made you wonder if your outburst had angered them, but as the red faded and Tony spoke you breathed a welcome sigh of relief.  However temporary.  You may have bought yourself some time.  “Of course it was us darling, you left us to starve after all.  Not very nice of you I might add.”

“But how?” you asked again, remembering finding each of them exactly how and where you had left them.  Which you now reminded them of.

Exchanging knowing looks, this time it was Maria who was only too happy to inform you that they rejoined the living while you were passed out on the couch in the entertainment room.  Feeding their hunger then on those that Tony had hired to clean up the place, it seemed only right to return to their final resting places and wait for you to discover the devastation you had unknowingly created.

Shocked now at this revelation and what it had meant for the eighteen people who had suffered as a result of your choice in costume, you wanted to ask what had happened to the axe that had been part of Clint’s costume but looking at the five creatures undressing before you now, the answer was as clear as a cloudless sky.  They had removed it from your presence during their killing spree.  Knowing now that they had watched and waited until all the memories of what you had done to them had been recovered, you could only hope they would show mercy and dispatch you quickly once they satisfied their lust as they now joined you on the bed and proceeded to show you all the ways they intended to repay you for condemning them to eternity’s dark embrace.

#jtargaryen18 #jamieshalloween2023 #Halloween Writing Challenge #Steve Rogers x Original Female Character #Natasha Romanoff x Original Female Character #Tony Stark x Original Female Character #Maria Hill x Original Female Character #Clint Barton x Original Female Character #Steve Rogers #Natasha Romanoff #Tony Stark #Maria Hill #Clint Barton #Vampires #dark! Original Female Character

[ms-existentialcrisis]

Dancing With The Devil || #2

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Chapter 2 - More To You Than Meets The Eye

Notes: I'm back!!! I finally found my balls to finish this fkcing chap and I'm happy for that. There's not much going on in this chap, just a little bit of POV from Steve and Bucky, nothing too big or brass. It's just BG information and more plot to the fic! I was a bit challenged on his I wrote the characters to fit into who they're supposed to be in this story but it turned out pretty alright. This is unedited and unbeta'd but I still hope you guys enjoy!!

SUMMARY: Steve and Bucky come in with guns blazing, Sam, Natasha and the Maximoff twins at their backs for support. Finding their targets dead and one of them cooked isn't what they expect, you in the middle of the wreckage as the main perpetrator is the last thing they had on the list to find.

Main Masterlist > { Prev _ Next }

Tags/WARNINGS > talks of cannibalism, violence and weaponry, insert is a warning herself; this chapter is pretty tame honestly

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Rome was gorgeous, the city a twinkling light from where they were perched up. The wind was cold but it was near unnoticeable with the anticipation that brewed in them.

"There's been a change of plan," Wanda's soft voice came over from the radio, making Steve pause from his ministration. He shared a glance with Bucky who sat by the ledge of the rooftop they were occupying, the black and sharply shaped shield he'd been inspecting on his forearm retracting with a quiet click.

"Targets have moved. They're not headed for their mansion," Natasha's voice followed next.

"What?"

"Baron sent his men away. He and his wife are taking a different route," Wanda chimes in again. Steve frowned.

"Where are they headed?"

"The Dragon has moved as well. He's taking the same route as the Strucker's," Sam crackles through the radio.

"Tail them," Steve orders as he and Bucky vacates their hiding spot. They scale the building down easily, landing light and quiet on their feet. They headed for the pair of motorcycles parked on the side of a different building.

"Send us the locations once they've stopped moving," Steve says as his ride roared to life. Bucky swiftly followed him as he drove away.

They'd gotten the hit order a few days ago. From Fury, to be exact.

They'd thought that the Dragon's would finally be taken out of the equation after the son of their former leader took the seat, leading the empire down the drain with his inability to lead.

It'd been a funny joke come to life; the only thing that could kill a Dragon was itself and kill itself was what your brother did to your family's crime empire.

Considering that your father's empire ran the biggest fighting rings as well high class drug deals, it was safe to say it was a good thing that the empire is on its way of destroying itself.

That is, until a week ago, Steve and his team were called in to be notified that your brother took a deal with the Strucker Familia, another crime syndicate suspected of running illegal experiments and human trafficking rings.

Everybody new what that deal for. Turns out, your brother did have a brain he could use. A union between your two families would be more than enough to save his ass. A massive trafficking ring who deals with illegal drugs and concoctions unionizing with a syndicate now revealed to be really doing illegal experiments is bound to be a bigger problem.

Which is why Fury sent out the hit. Your brother and the Strucker family had to be gone. Your name had been mentioned but considering that the reputation your brother spread was about you being quiet and obedient, you were barely paid any attention, just a poor little victim dragged into this mess because of your brother.

Your files details about a 25 year old woman who's still grieving the loss of her parents, leaving immediately the very moment they died to get away from your brother and his criminal status. Your involvement with your father and brothers crime dealings were minimal; instead, you spent your time with your mother in your mansion or going out shopping.

You were smart and talented with an eye for fashion. You took music lessons as a child, piano and guitar to be exact. You did gymnastics for physical sports, followed by martial arts for self defense. There was nothing exceptional or eye catching detail from you for them to note.

You were just the daughter after all.

Just another pawn in this game, married off by your brother to secure the union.

After getting their debrief, Steve had set out almost immediately, spreading his team to cover all targets. That included the Strucker family as well as your brother.

Natasha tagged the Strucker couple while Sam surveyed your brother with Steve and Bucky on stand by.

Wanda and Pietro came recently, the two of them nearly fucking up the plan the team had in motion when they busted Sam and Bucky as they scoped out the wedding venue.

Steve was prepared to fight their way out of there, surrounded by hostiles and high class criminals but Natasha managed to talk the twins down.

The older male one was reluctant but Wanda had agreed almost immediately, spilling everything about the wedding event and what will come after. It was when their suspicions were confirmed; the Strucker family did ran illegal experiments and they were tightly tied with HYDRA.

Steve, Bucky and Natasha were all well acquainted with the Russian/German mob. Considering that Bucky had unwillingly worked for them and Steve had unknowingly served for them, they've got bone to pick with the mob. Natasha's still vague, refusing to talk about the Red Room and how it was connected to HYDRA.

The twins made things significantly easier, with the information they spilled and what not. Except Steve was getting suspicious. Everything was getting too easy.

'There it is,' he thinks as he drove off, briefly sharing a glance with Bucky. 'there's the other shoe to drop.'

If this was an ambush and the twins had been working against them all along, Steve would unfortunately do what he has to do. Wanda and Pietro were young but the entire business had been too suspicious, the coincidence that the pair needed an out and Steve's team was exactly what they needed too good.

Despite Natasha and Sam's growing fondness of the two, Steve would still prioritise his team if it came down to it.

"They're headed for the bride and grooms penthouse, I repeat, all targets are headed for the bride and grooms penthouse," Pietro reports, voice a crackle on the comms.

"Copy," Steve grunted, everyone echoing it.

As he and Bucky made a turn, he hoped that this wasn't an ambush. Wanda and Pietro seemed to be good kids, he'd hate to put them down.

--

A sight for sore eyes is what you were, Bucky thinks as they raided the place several minutes after the gunshots with you standing in the middle of the wreckage, blood splattered and heaving.

All of them had been on stand by, waiting for signal as Sam surveyed the area. He had reported that the tinted windows made it difficult and Bucky had found it suspicious how the hallways leading to your penthouse were free and open, no guards in sight.

All of them had heard the screaming but none of them moved yet, chalking it up to you throwing a tantrum and possibly begging your brother to let you go. It was expected, you were a unwilling participant after all.

Wanda had gotten a memo alongside the rest of Strucker's men to stay put, that the couple will be having a dinner with you, your brother and their son. The team hadn't bothered to bug your place, none of them keen to hear you struggle against your new husband.

They doubted that they'd get any valueble information considering they knew exactly what was going to happen in your honeymoon. The hit will happen during the flight back to Sokovia anyways and god Bucky regretted thinking of that.

He wished that they just let Natasha break into the penthouse and bug it so that they knew exactly what the fuck happened before the gun shots.

"Hot damn," Sam curses, staring at Kane L/N's beaten corpse. The bullet hole is barely noticeable in his forehead, face a pulp of flesh and blood.

You glared at them from the side, sitting on one of the plush dining chairs. You were very reluctant in putting your gun down, looking like a cornered animal when the team broke in.

Bucky could understand, eyeing your tense form. Your grip in your gun hasn't loosened and you were eyeballing them back with barely hidden hostility and wariness.

The hysteria is still written in your face, your hair nearly undone from its tie, blood drying and caking up on your skin. Bucky's gaze drifted down to your dress, red and snug around you, stopping mid thigh's with slits on both sides that didn't leave much to imagination.

Lower and he found your feet clad in stiletto heels. Bucky's eyebrows raised when he realised you probably fought your brother in them.

"What happened?" Natasha asked, tone softened by the care she always carried for her fellow women. Wanda stood next to her, the two them standing in front of you.

Bucky stared unabashedly from where he's leaning on the dinner table despite the fact that he should be helping Steve, Sam and Pietro in investigating the mess you made.

"I had a divorce," You shrugged indifferently, reclining on your seat and crossing your legs.

"We can see that," Natasha sighed. "But why? This union would have saved you, your brother and your family's empire. Why kill your husband and his family? Why kill your brother?"

"Are you dumb?" You scoffed, eyes blazing. The uncleaned blood on you made you more menacing but Bucky could practically see the unamused look on Natasha's face.

"I got married against my consent and I don't give a shit about my brother and his business," You spat. "This was all a conspiracy against me; that fucker always had a boner for putting me in my place and he thought that this was it. Me getting married to further his ass up into the fucking hierarchy."

"I'm assuming that he never disclosed any important information to you regarding the unionization of your family's?" Natasha asked drily.

At that, your eyes narrowed as if you were contemplating something. Bucky shifted from where he was, sending Steve a sharp look. The man let out a soft shake of his head, taking a seat by the dinner table having been done checking the Strucker couples corpse. Sam and Pietro continued to poke at Jonas' head.

"Well, he always gloated about the fact that the union would make the drug business bigger," You spill casually after a few minutes of silence.

"The Strucker family's main source is human trafficking and while we also dealt with big concoctions, it's not our main forth," Wanda murmured.

"Yes, everybody knows that, but while it's not your best, you have the fund and supplies for it," You drawled out. "Our family makes the best drugs but considering our state right now, we have no resources. That's where the Strucker family comes in. What they make has got nothing against what we continue to sell."

You paused, eyes briefly flickering to your brother's corpse. A beat and you scoff, leaning forward like you were sharing a secret.

"Also, I've heard that they're planning to make a new drug. One that'd be a massive hit if they finally start distributing it," You share coyly, the hand holding your gun resting on your crossed knee while you supported your weight with your other.

You looked almost lazy with the way you were lounging on the chair, as if you weren't surrounded by one of the most dangerous crew in the world. Bucky didn't know if you were stupid or brave.

"What drugs?" Steve asked, standing up and walking towards you. Wanda and Natasha shifted to give him space.

You looked up to him with an eyebrow raised, a bland look on your face. Then deliberately, you shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Bullshit," Bucky scoffed. Your eyes are still blank when it met his and something like annoyance flickers inside Bucky.

"I'm telling you, I don't know. What I told you, that's the farthest of information I've got," You lie obviously as you lent back at the chair.

"Ms Y/N, please don't make this difficult. We just need the information and nothing more from you," Wanda simpered at you. A sneer is all she receives.

"You think I'm lying? All I heard is that they'll be developing a new drug for the market, nothing more nothing less," You insisted at them, an agitated look on your face. "Why would I know more about their business? I'm just the sister and wife, people like me aren't meant to be involved with that type of shit."

"Well you've clearly proved that you're more than just the sister and wife," Sam gestured around the room.

You glared at him, the frustrated look on your face surprisingly genuine.

"This was just a revenge plot. I cooked my husband and revealed that to his parents and my brother once they've all taken a bite then I used the shock and horror to shoot them dead," You explained, scowling. "All I wanted was for them to be dead. I don't fucking know their business and motivations!"

Bucky couldn't hide the grimace that took over his face. Cooking your own husband? He's seen and done some stuff but that, quoting Sam, is just some nasty shit. He didn't know what the kind of fucked up revenge fantasy you've had running in your head but the treatment from your brother and husband must've been really bad if you cooked Jonas on the 2nd night of the honeymoon then killed your brother next.

Or, you could've gotten all the psychotic genes from your father since the man was known for cutting people into pieces and stringing them around for the police to discover.

Either way, you were fucked in the head.

And probably telling the truth.

Bucky glanced at Steve when the man huffs, hands coming to hold his waist and when he turned around to give his team a look. He rolled his eyes at the blonde for giving you his back so open even if Natasha and Wanda bracketed him.

When Steve moves, Bucky catches your gaze and he thinks, begrudgingly, that you were a great liar. There's no hint on your face that suggested that you know more than you let on, that what you'd said early was all you had. Except Bucky wasn't one of the best to be fooled by your frustrated-bordering-to-pathetic pleading.

You knew something and they'll get it out of you. Eventually.

"Did you really have to cook him?" Pietro asks.

Carefully, you let your gaze fall to the solved head. You looked like a porcelain doll with you make up, face wiped of any emotion. Bucky didn't think that he'd find anyone else with such dead eye stare.

Then a manic grin crept to your face and a shiver run down everyone's spine, goosebumps breaking across their skin as they get reminded that while you were seated and surrounded, you were holding a loaded gun and they've got no ID on you or your skills.

"Well," You start to giggle. "My brother did tell me to serve my husband. I just followed his orders."

At your indifferent shrug, everyone's grimaced.

"That's fucked up, seriously. Very fucked up," Sam mouthed to Steve, making Bucky snort. "Did you eat him too? I mean, you sat with them at the dinning table so, did you eat him too?"

"Mhm," You hummed, sensually licking your lips as you gave him a wink. Sam, including Wanda and Pietro, went a bit green on the gills.

Steve and Bucky couldn't really look at you for long too.

"HA! Your faces!" You laughed out loud before sobbering up, gaze turning sharp and dangerous. "Come on. People might like to say that revenge is served best when cold but I beg to differ. Revenge is definitely served best when hot."

Your words slowed to a drawl as you stared at them from under your lashes, head tilted as you lent again back at the chair. You looked more relaxed than ever, despite the obvious discomfort of the bruises and drying blood.

Everyone is stunned silent, not really knowing how to react to what you just said. Bucky had to give it to you; you knew what you wanted and how to carry it out regardless of how batshit it was.

Steve opens his mouth to say something but that's when the world chooses to light itself up in a rain of bullets.

"Y/N!" A male voice shouted and for a moment, Bucky thought you had called reinforcement to get you out of there but immediately removed that from his head when he found you on the ground, shoulder bleeding and grazed by bullet.

Your grip on your gun didn't waver however as you held it up against the man who barged into the penthouse. Your eyes shone with rage, grin bloodier and wider than before.

"Dylan! So glad you could join us! Unfortunately for you, Kane is dead and the party is long over. However, if you want to dance with these other party crashers, be my fucking guest," You chirped, pulling the trigger of your gun and nailing the man in the chest.

He's not alone, Bucky notes as more men poured inside the penthouse at Dylan's gargling shout. Everyone took cover, exchanging bullets and shouts. Bucky's pretty familiar with the man considering that he was Kane's right hand. He's not bad as an executive and that is very much working against Bucky and the team currently.

You sent Steve a wink when he yells for Pietro to grab you, the silver head immediately flipped on his back when he managed to grab you by the arm. You at least had the decency to drag him away from the hail of bullets but immediately threw a fucking chair at them for no fucking reason other than to add to the mess.

In the midst of the chaos, no one could catch you as you slipped away, leaving Bucky and their team to clean up after your mess.

{Prev _ Next}

Fin~

#bucky barnes #stucky #marvel #steve rogers #natasha romanoff #sam wilson #pietro maximoff #wanda maximoff #original character #female reader #reader insert #stucky x reader

[hollybee8917]

In the Court of the Shield and Star

Chapter 1- The Angel and the King

Plot: King Steve Rogers meets Eliza Frye who is a total mystery to him. They start to fall in love, but things are never that simple.

Characters: Steve Rogers, Eliza Frye (OFC), Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, Peggy Carter, Bucky Barnes, Owen Tyre (OC), Sam Wilson, Pietro Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff, Stephen Strange

Warnings in this chapter: Assault, harassment, physical violence, animal attack

Howling. Endless howling. Eliza looked up from the parchment on which she was drawing and she moved to the window. A dim light was low over the field. As she looked out, she saw a figure. He was waving a sword but his movements were jerky. Around him, a pack of wolves circled, growling, lunging, snapping at him.

Fear filled her. The man was going to die if she didn’t help. Quickly, she grabbed her bow and her loaded quiver before running out the door. She reached a slight ridge behind the trapped man. From where she was positioned, she could see the man was injured.

Eliza raised her bow and nocked an arrow. Pulling the string back, she steadied her draw then released. The arrow whistled through the air and struck a wolf. It went down with a whimper. Instantly, Eliza repeated her motions. Nock, draw, release. Nock, draw, release. The arrows shrilled through the air hitting their marks. Soon, only three wolves were left but now they were focused on her.

The young woman slid down the ridge as the howling wolves rushed toward her. At the bottom of the ridge, she picked up her sword and prepared herself with a flame. The scarred alpha made his way over the ridge and down toward her before stopping at the sight of the woman holding shimmering steel and a large torch. It paced back and forth before letting out a long howl and dashing back the way it had come with the other two right behind.

Eliza let loose a sigh and lowered her sword and sheathed it. Then she remembered. The injured man! She took off in the direction she had last seen him. Waving the torch, she spotted him. I have to get him to safety.

~~

King Steve Rogers groaned as he rolled onto his back. He opened his eyes to find himself in a strange bed. A window sat on his left and to his right was a wooden door. He threw back the blankets and swung his feet to the floor. The man looked down at his unclad torso wrapped in a white bandage. Who did this? Where am I?

Before he could muse any farther, the door opened to reveal a beautiful young woman. She smiled gently at him, “Oh, wonderful, you’ve woken. I was fearful that you would not. You gave me quite the fright last night. How do you feel?”

The blonde man was stunned to silence at her simple beauty so she tilted her head, “Have you a tongue, good sir?”

This simple remark somewhat amused Steve and he let out a low yet hearty laugh, “Indeed I have a tongue, kind maiden. I am most confused, however, as to my whereabouts and the situation that has led to this remarkable hospitality.”

She poured a small pitcher of water into the wash basin on the table by the door, “You were attacked by a pack of wolves. You needed aid so I hurried to your side with bow and quiver in hand.”

Steve looked down at his semi-clothed form, “You saved me.”

“I did.”

He let his eyes drift up to hers, “And you have brought me here alone?”

The girl wrung out the rag she had soaked in the bowl of water and approached Steve with it, “I did. You were in dire need and I was always taught to help those in need. Lift your chin. There was some dirt I could not remove last night.”

Steve did as he was told then he glanced around the room, “Where are my tunic and shirt? Also, I had a satchel slung over me. Where has it gone? Have you looked inside it?”

She smiled gently, “I washed them as best I could and hung them to dry. Once they had dried, I folded them and put them here on the chair. The satchel I have placed on the chair as well. I did not search your belongings. I will leave you to dress. Should you need any help, please call for me.”

Confusion crossed the man’s face, “Thank you for your aid and the respect you have shown by not searching my things while I was incapacitated. But how should I call for you if I do not know your name, fair one.”

Once more she smiled at him as she turned away, “Eliza Frye.”

Then she was gone and Steve was left alone.

~~

Eliza was seated at her table when the stranger exited the bedroom. Steve noticed that she did not take note of him and cleared his throat causing her to shift her gaze to him, “Oh, my apologies. Would you like some food to eat, good sir?”

He nodded, “Yes, what have you to offer?”

She rose from her chair and made her way into her larder, “I have bread, cheese and eggs. I also have salted pork and cured fish. What takes your fancy?”

The king responded, “I will have the bread and cheese for now. I do not wish to eat all you have.”

Eliza tucked hair behind her ear as she stepped out of the larder with the food he requested, “You do no such thing, kind sir. Please, tell me should you desire more.”

A loud rapping came from her door and Eliza hurried away to answer it. She gulped as the rapping rattled the door. Cautiously sliding it open, she felt herself forced from the home and she hit her knees as two men shoved her down. Eliza knew why the men were there.

The two men were soldiers from a nearby fort. They plagued the little village but targeted Eliza specifically due to her living alone. The taller of the two was a soldier named Rhys Argent. He was cruel and enjoyed the torment of others. Beside him, the other solder, who was named Wendell Colby, sneered at her, “Where’s the payment you promised us?”

Eliza shivered, “I-I-I don’t have any money.”

“I-I-I. Come now. You can do better than that,” Rhys Argent mocked her. Then his tone turned serious, “Do you not recall what we said would happen if you did not pay us?”

She was too frightened to speak and could only keep her eyes forward. Rhys raised his hand then brought it down against the side of her head her cheek causing Eliza to fall over. Wendell Colby let out a low laugh, “Why don’t we start with your precious horse, huh? You want us to take it?”

Eliza said nothing which angered Wendell and Rhys more. As Rhys brought his foot up and connected it to Eliza’s side, Wendell’s eyes grew wide and he fell into a kneel. Rhys didn’t notice and continued his attack on Eliza.

“Kneel,” Wendell hissed.

Rhys did not hear and instead continued his assault on Eliza.

“KNEEL!” A voice boomed.

In one fluid motion, Rhys looked up, his eyes widened in fear and he fell to one knee. Eliza slowly rose up onto her knees then turned. Shock filled her soul. In the doorway stood Steve but not as she had seen him before. A carefully crafted elaborate crown with sapphires and black diamonds was placed upon his head. His tunic and shirt were carefully tucked in but the sleeves flowed freely without restraint. A cloak was clasped around his neck. He looked kingly.

Rhys spoke, “Your majesty! Forgive us!”

Steve hushed him with a glare. He then reached down and helped Eliza to her feet, “Are you badly injured?”

She kept her head down and shook it. Tenderly, Steve used a finger to lift her chin, “Do not be afraid. Let me show you the same kindness you have shown me. Return to your chair and rest. I shall be in once I have dealt with these two.”

Eliza did not cast a glance to the soldiers but quietly smiled at Steve, “Thank you, your majesty.”

With this she reentered her cottage.

Steve turned to the two men and spoke with authority, “Why did you attack an innocent villager? Is your command not to serve and protect my people? Are you not part of your King’s army, sworn to protect the crown and those living under it? What are your names, soldiers?”

The two men stuttered but have no coherent response. “ANSWER YOUR KING!,” Steve roared.

Wendell was the first respond though he kept his head low, “I am Wendell Colby, your majesty. My companion is Rhys Argent. We are soldiers stationed at Whitich Keep.”

Steve hummed, “Whitich Keep. I know it well. Return there and inform your commander that I shall be arriving shortly. I will deal with you at the fort.”

“Yes, majesty.” Wendell replied but neither man moved.

“Now!,” barked King Steve, “And make haste.”

The men fled back to their horses and were swiftly gone fearing any further wrath from the king.

~~

Eliza was seated in her chair, holding a compress to her side when he returned. She was instantly on her knees without a sound. Once more, he lifted her up, “Please do not do that. Not on my account. Please sit.”

She did as he commanded and he picked up his satchel, “I have business to attend at Whitich Keep but I shall return. Before I go, have you a horse I may borrow? I am afraid mine fled in encounter yesterday eve.”

Eliza replied, “I have a mare who is broken and a stallion I have been breaking to ride. I think he is ready and would be more suited for your majesty.”

The king brushed a stray hair from the girl’s face, “You intrigue me, Eliza Frye, and I would like to call on you once more.”

Eliza lost her nerve to speak and Steve smirked, “Have you a tongue, fair one?”

She looked at him with a smile and a laugh, “Aye, I have a tongue, good sir and I use it well.”

They both laughed and King Steve Rogers motioned to the door, “Perhaps you might show me the steed I am to ride so I may hurry away and then back to you?”

She led him out to the paddock and called over the brown Stallion with a low whistle. It trotted over and she watched as Steve, the king, tacked it up. The king turned with a slight bow then swung himself upon the stallion, “Until we meet again.”

Eliza curtseyed to him then watched as he rode away.

~~

Steve entered the village of Gramsby and observed the state of it. The town’s cobbled streets were well-kept and the homes were in perfect condition but something was missing. Slowly, Steve pulled the horse to the side of the street and dismounted the horse he had borrowed from Eliza Frye. Tying the horse to the hitching post, the king made his way to the pub. He was careful to not raise an alarm.

However, when the king reached for the door, he found it shored up from the inside. He heard hushed whispers from the inside the pub and the realization hit him hard. Where are all the people?

The king knocked on the door, “Good gentleman, I have travelled long and wish only for a drink from your establishment. Perhaps I may enter?”

A voice called from inside, “We have very little money or grog.”

~~

The sky seemed to mirror King Steve’s mood as he rode through the gate of Whitich Keep. Above his head, storm clouds had gathered and lightening threatened to crack the sky. A tall man dressed with many medals approached as the blonde king dismounted his horse. With a great swoop, he fell to one knee, “Majesty, we are greatly honored by your presence. How may I be of service to you?”

“Save your pleasantries, General. I did not come here to bandy words. Bring to me the soldiers who are stationed here.”

“I take you would like to deal with Rhys Argent and Wendell Colby. I have placed them in the stockade. What other punishment-“

“SILENCE!” Steve bellowed as the thunder echoed in the sky, “Bring to me ALL of the soldiers stationed here.”

Fearful of furthering the king’s wrath, General Edryd Cadigan motioned for the gathering of his men. The rain began to fall as a mustering horn was sounded. Quickly, the soldiers lined up and one by one fell to one knee. The General spoke to the King, “Majesty, may I-“

Steve cut him off, “Silence, General Cadigan. Tis my turn to speak. Now, who would like to inform me of the incidents in the town of Gramsby?”

Not a single soldier spoke. Instead, they looked among themselves. The king turned toward the captain, “Bring me Rhys Argent and Wendell Colby.”

The captain nodded and walked to the stockade. Again, the king addressed the line of men, “I will only ask you once more. Why have you been tormenting the people of Grimsby?”

A young man stepped forward, “Majesty, if I may speak?”

Steve sized the lad up, “What is your name, son?”

“Aelric Hylderley,” the young man responded, “your majesty.”

Steve approached him, “What do you have to say for these men, Aelric?”

The young soldier gulped, “I am afraid that the people of Grimsby have been targeted by many of the men. The general has done little to curtail the actions of the men in this fort. In fact, he has encouraged it. Those who protested the actions of their fellow soldiers were disciplined.”

Steve bristled, “Where was the captain?”

“Spending most of his time in the stockade for protesting, your majesty.”

The king turned and looked to the captain, “Dismiss your men. I will deal with them one by one. Young Hylderley, what rank are you in this company?”

Aelric shook slightly, “I am a mere soldier, Majesty.”

Steve turned and faced his general, “You will be henceforth stripped of your rank and demoted to Lieutenant in my army. Is that understood?”

Cadigan began to cower, “Yes, Majesty. It’s understood.”

He stepped back, “Captain, take the General into arms and hold him until a new leader arrives at the fort. I have already sent back to the capital for one.”

Another soldier stepped forward, “Yes, your majesty.”

“Now, where are the traitors?”

The captain motioned to the men in chains, “Here, Majesty.”

“Hang them and any other soldiers guilty of harming my people.”

Then Steve turned and walked back to his horse, ignoring the cries of the two men behind him pleading for mercy.

~~

Eliza was sitting alone in the cottage, reading a book, when there came a knock at the door. She rose and made her way over. Timidly, she opened the door to find the King standing before her. Bowing low, she murmured, “Majesty.”

Steve placed his hands at her elbows and matched her tone, “Please, look at me and not my boots.”

Eliza raised her chin and met his gaze, “What may I aid you with, Majesty?”

The king tilted his head, “You are a fascinating creature, Eliza Frye, and I would like to call on you again.”

She shook her head, “It would be ill-advised to do so, your Majesty. I am a commoner and as such would not be worthy of your time. You would be more suited to seek the company of a lady of the court.”

“I believe that as king, that should be my determination, not anyone else’s. I have set my eyes on you and you alone. Would you not prefer my company?”

“I would, Majesty, but I don’t know how the people would take it. I am not like the women of your court least of all, Duchess Margaret whom I hear is a great beauty.”

Steve shook his head, “Nay, you are far more lovely, compassionate and courageous. Please allow me to call on you once more.”

“Very well, my king.”

He bowed to her and turned, “I will have your horse returned to you in haste upon my arrival back at the capital.”

“Keep him. I have no need for another.” Steve smiled the mounted the horse, waved goodbye and spurred the horse toward home.

#steve rogers #original character #original female character #tony stark #wanda maximoff #bucky barnes #peggy carter #original male character #clint barton #natasha romanoff #captain america #sam wilson #pietro maximoff #king!Steve Rogers #King!Tony Stark #Knight!Bucky #steve rogers x oc

[cthulhu-calling]

Girl Crush

Natasha Romanoff x female!Reader

Summary : Tony and Pepper's engagement party was supposed to be an opportunity for Natasha to finally see you after a year and talk to you, make amends for what she did. That's until you walk in with someone else.

Warnings : angst, cheating, moving on

Author's Note : Reader has no specified race or body type. I considered making reader get with Wanda but it didn't make a lot of sense to me, honestly. This fic was inspired by the song "Girl Crush" by Little Big Town and I know that song isn't gay but I made it gay anyway. Hope you enjoy :))

Word Count : 1135

At first glance, Natasha would never have guessed that she came with you. She never would’ve pegged the leggy blonde to be your type. Tall, almost as tall as Steve, long blonde hair and perfectly tanned skin, she was everything Natasha was not. Natasha prided herself on being extremely confident in her looks but looking at the woman, currently laughing and joking with Sam, one hand clutching a champagne flute, the other holding onto yours, she had to admit, she feels insecure. She can see the way you look at her, the adoration and love for the willowy woman evident in your eyes and Natasha feels the familiar sting of envy, the fire that rages in her heart threatening to burn this place down. 

Natasha is aware that she has no right to feel this way. She broke up with you. She was the one who called it quits when things got too serious, walking away and leaving you with a broken heart. She hadn’t seen you for months after that. You moved out of the compound, somewhere in the city, close enough that you could get there at a moment's notice but still far enough that you wouldn’t be reminded of Natasha. Now, after almost a year (11 months and 24 days to be precise) later, here you were, waltzing into the party with the statuesque woman on your arm. She knew you would be there, it was Tony’s engagement party and owing to how close you and Tony were, you wouldn’t have missed it for the world. 

At first, Natasha had been glad. Out of sight out of mind, right? Wrong. Ever since you left, there was a weight of sorts that seemed to have taken permanent residence on her heart. When she broke up with you, she didn’t expect that she wouldn't see you again for almost a year. The first two months were misery, waking up every morning and not seeing you in bed or around the compound. The next three months was realising her mistake, calling your number again and again only to be sent straight to voicemail. You’d blocked her. She left you messages and voicemail anyway. She tried asking Tony and Sam where you’d gone, considering they were the closest to you but their lips too were sealed. They wouldn’t tell her anything, not after what she did to you. So, the last six months were spent wallowing in self pity, a bottle of vodka her only companion. 

But now, here you were. Standing with your new girlfriend and your best friend on the other side of the room, completely oblivious to Natasha’s anguish. All she could do now was to find you alone, even if for a moment. She needed to talk to you, to hear your voice. As if on cue, you excused yourself from the conversation you were having with Sam, making your way to the restrooms. This was her moment, it was now or never. 

*

You excused yourself from the conversation, untangling your fingers from Mina’s as you made your way towards your old room. The corridors reminded you of nothing but her betrayal. When you caught her in bed with some random woman, one night after a tiring mission. The way she shrugged off her mistake, not even bothering to follow as you ran out the door. You hated the fact that all the happy memories you had of living here had been overshadowed by Natasha’s betrayal. It was for the best that you moved out when you did. It helped you put things into perspective. It helped you meet Mina, someone you never had to walk around eggshells with, someone who never made you doubt her love for you. Lost in the tidal wave of bittersweet memories, you don’t hear Natasha follow you. You’re jerked out of your thoughts by a hand latching onto your wrist, a touch you know by heart. You turn around to find a pair of mesmerising green eyes that once awoke a myriad of emotions in you but now, all you felt was anger. You pull your hand away as if her touch might burn you, your features morphing into a look of disgust. “What do you want,” you almost hiss. She swallows “Can we talk?” 

You roll your eyes, ready to walk away when she grabs into your arm again, letting it go as if realising her mistake. 

“I’m sorry but please, just five minutes, that’s all I want,” she pleads and you give in, stiffly nodding your head for her to lead the way. She walks into her room, sitting on her bed as you lean on the wall, facing her. You made sure to leave the door open, not wanting to be in a closed room alone with her. 

A few minutes pass in silence and you sigh audibly. “Are you going to say something or can I leave?”

“No, please stay. I just need to figure out how to say this,” she breathes out harshly before continuing. 

“I want to start by saying how sorry I am. How I handled things was wrong,” she pauses for effect but you’re swift to interrupt her.

“How you handled things? You cheated on me and asked me not to come back unless it was to get my shit over text. Wrong is the understatement of the century,” you’re raging, palms curled into fists at your side. 

“No, please, just listen to me,” she begs as she gets on her knees and moves towards you.

“No, this was a mistake. We should get back to the party. This is Tony and Pepper’s day and I’d much rather be there for them then whatever this is,” you scoff, turning to walk away when Natasha wraps her arms around your hips and pulls you close, still on her knees. She rests her head against your stomach, openly sobbing.

“Please, just take me back. I’ll do anything,” she pleads, looking up at you with tear filled eyes, her lips parted in bated breath as she waits for you to say something.

You push her away a final time as her arms fall away from around you.

“No. I can’t trust you again. I won't,” you say and a sense of finality rings in Natasha’s ears. You leave her there, going back to your girlfriend, the girlfriend who’s name she didn’t even care to learn. 

When she finally makes it back to the party an hour later, she sees you in the corner with her, whispering and giggling with each other. The woman  is leaning against the wall, holding you close with an arm around your waist as you play with her shirt buttons. She watches you in your own private little bubble and god does she wish she was her. 

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff #female reader #sam wilson #steve rogers #tony stark #pepper potts #original female character #cheating #angst

[buckybraneslover111]

Love - B.B.

summary: you and Bucky had a relationship before he was captured by HYDRA and disappeared for years. You thought he was dead, until one day when the Winter Soldier comes to kill the Avengers, what happens when he is revealed...? (reader has the same tactical training as Natasha Romanoff) 

a/n: do not repost, translate or copy my work, also gif is not mine! credit to the creator. 

warnings: fighting (reader&Bucky/Bucky&Steve/Bucky&Natasha), gun violence, mention of blood, a little fluff, betrayal(I think), I'm not sure if I'm missing anything.

“Buckyyy!” you giggled as he picked you up and carried you to his bed, laying you back down on it. You wrapped your arms around his neck pulling down on for a kiss and ran your hands down his arms rubbing his biecps. He pulled away from your lips and looked into your eyes as you looked up into his blue eyes. He put his flesh hand on your cheek, rubbing it with his thumb, “I love-...”

A loud crash came from the side of you both, glass shattering as the room fills with gas. Bucky quickly gets off of you pulling you up with him, you looked behind Bucky as the door was broken down and Hydra troops came in, “Bucky!!” 

You shot up out of bed breathing heavily, sweating from the nightmare that plays in your head over and over again. It’s been 45 years since Hydra captured Bucky and then pronounced him dead a few weeks after he was caught. You and Bucky were a couple but never told anyone about it. Best 4 years of your life. You sighed and laid back down in bed to sleep, and hopefully get some sleep. 

...

You, Steve, Natasha, and Sam were in the car on the way to the compound. “We are going to have to find a way to stop them from launch.” Steve said.

“You know the launch happens in about 16 hours right? And we still don't have a plan for this.” Natasha said leaning over the middle from the back seat. 

“We will think-...” Steve was cut off by a loud thud on the top of the car.

“What’s that?” you frowned a little until someone smacked the front window, causing Sam to swerve on the highway. Steve put the car in park causing the person on the roof of the car to fly off on the highway. The Soldier stood up and stared at you four in the car as you all stared back at him. His long hair blowing in the wind, mask covering his nose and mouth with goggles covering his eyes.

“What..” Steve said softly under his breath. All of a sudden, the car got rear ended by a truck caused you guys to get pushed forward on the highway towards the Soldier. He jumped over the car and grabbed onto the roof punching the front window grabbing the steering wheel and pulling it through the window, throwing it on the highway.

“What do we do?!” you yelled. The car got rear ended again causing the car to lose control. 

“Everyone jump!” Sam said as you all opened up the doors and jumped out of the car rolling on the concrete highway. You all got up as Steve grabbed his shield and you pulled your gun out of your boot. The Soldier pulled out a grenadine launcher and aimed it towards you and Natasha as you both hid behind a car as Steve pushes you both away as he shot the grenadine towards Steve, having it blocked with his shield which caused him to get shot off the bridge and crash into a bus of people. Back to you and Natasha, you were hiding behind a car as they were shooting at the both of you. You stood up and shot back at them then ducked back down for cover.

“Who is that?!” you looked at her.

“I don't know and I don't want to stick around to find out. Grab your zipline we are jumping.” She pulled out her tactical zip line and shot it over the edge and jumped off landed on the street and almost getting hit as you followed suit. You both started running down the street and the Solider stood on the overpass waiting for you both to run under the bridge. As you approached the end of the bridge you saw his shadow and you both stopped pulling out your guns. You motioned of her to run as you came out and shot up at the Solider. He backed up and ducked down as he pulled off his goggles that were now cracked. You both started to run down the street with her. He stood up and watched you both run down the street.

“У меня они есть. Найти его.” he jumped off the bridge and landed on a car as he ran after you guys. You and Natasha run and yell at people to get out of the way, until Natasha gets shot in the shoulder and you both duck and cover behind a car. She groaned and held her shoulder as you both listened out of him. The solider jumped onto a car and stood over the two of you aiming his gun at you as you both gasped and looked up at him in fear. Steve ran over and started fighting him one on one. It started to get intense as you put pressure on Natasha’s wound.

“We have to help Steve.” she said as she whined holding her arm.

“We have to help you first.” you said, but with her stubborness, she got up and looked for a weapon. You sighed and stood up and watched Steve and the Solider fight. Steve grabbed him and flipped him over and slammed him on the concrete causing his mask to come off as he flipped over, facing away from everyone. You ran over to Steve standing behind him as he shielded you. The Solider turned as the wind blew his hair out of his face and you both looked at him as you stood there shocked, along with Steve, “B-Bucky?” you said.

“Who is Bucky?” Bucky said as he was confused before Sam flew in and kicked him back, causing Bucky to fall back but he got right back up. Natasha got up and shot the grenade launcher at him as you screamed, “NO!” as a big explosion happened causing Steve to shield you and himself. Cop sirens were heard as you pushed Steve away and looked in the dark grey smoke from the explosion not seeing Bucky anymore. The four of you ended up being arrested and put in the back of police truck. You sat next to Steve with your head hanging low as all the sweet memories of Bucky came back. The only other person that knew about your relationship was Steve and he knew you both wanted to keep it a secret so he didnt tell anyone.

“How do you know that guy?” Sam asked you as Steve gave him a look.

“Don’t...” Steve said softly.

“Well, I would like to know how y/n knows that guy who, oh I don't know, tried to kill us.” Sam frowned.

“Bucky was my boyfriend...45 years ago, until Hydra captured him...said that he died during a car accident...” you said as you tried not to cry.

“He was my best friend when we were kids. When they froze me and y/n 45 years ago, we didn’t know they also froze him. Before we were frozen, Bucky and y/n were dating, they never said anything to anyone because of her family not accepting Bucky.” Steve said.

“And now he is the Winter Solider.” Sam said sighing.

“Well, your boyfriend shot me in my shoulder...” Natasha said as she groaned.

“Can we get her to a hospital she is going to bleed out?” Sam said.

...

After escaping the van and going into hiding, you sat down and did research on Hydra and what they did to Bucky, your Bucky. Steve walked into your room as you sat on the bed with your knees to your chest. He sighed and walked over to you sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s like he doesn’t know who I am. They wiped his memory, they made him forget so he could kill with no remorse.” you said softly, looking at Steve with teary eyes.

“He still loves you, somewhere deep down. He is still our Bucky.” Steve said.

“We need to save him Steve, before its too late.” you sighed.

...

Steve made a plan to stop Hydra from killing innocent people with the new inventive planes. Everything was going to plan until it was the last plane to put the chip into. You got to the top of the ship and walked towards the shaft and then stopped when you saw Bucky standing in front of it, blocking you from it, “People are going to die, Buck. I can’t let that happen.” You both were staring at each other, you saw the redness in his blue, glossy eyes. You knew he knew who you were, but he had to complete his mission just like you had too. “Please, don't make me do this.” you put your hand on your gun in your hostler. 

“I-I know you.” Bucky said in his deep horse voice as a tear fell down his cheek.

Your heart stopped as you looked at him, your heartbreaking seeing him cry, “What?” you said softly.

“I know you. Y-Your name is y/n. I remember you.” He said.

“Y/N don't listen to him, he is trying to get into your head!” Steve said in your ear piece. “Get around him and put the chip in! I’m on my way up!” 

Bucky started to walk towards you, “We used to spend the summer in my cabin in the woods...” 

“Y/n ignore him! Stick to the plan!” Steve said. “Sam get me up there to her!!” 

“We made love for the first time there...” Bucky was getting closer to you as more tears ran down his face, your face matching his.

Steve and Sam fly up to the last ship, “Get me in there with her!” 

“I need to find an opening!” Sam said.

“I’ll make one!” Steve said. 

Bucky got to you and he put his flesh hand on your cheek, rubbing it, “I love you y/n.” he put his metal hand on your waist as he pulled you in close to him, closing the gap between you two, until he stopped and groaned. You had stabbed him in the stomach with your knife you had snuck into your hand while he was talking to you. 

“We never made love in the cabin...” you said softly as you kicked him in his stomach where the wound was as he fell to his knees holding his stomach. You jumped over him and ran to the shaft opening it up. Bucky groaned as he got up and took his gun out shooting at you as you ducked and got behind the shaft. “Steve! Help!” 

...

Bucky was on top of Steve as the ship was going down after the explosion. “You are my mission!” Bucky yelled as he landed one more punch on Steve. 

“Then finish it.” Steve said groaning. 

“Bucky!” you groaned as you were pretty beaten up after the explosion and Bucky fighting you. You held onto your stomach as you stumbled over to the two men. “Bucky, this isn't you! You aren't a killer, you wouldn't kill your best friend! You wouldn't kill your wife.” Bucky looked up at you as all of the memories of you and him together were rushing back to him as he looked down at Steve. 

“That’s not me anymore.” he pulled his fist back, but before he could punch him, a piece crashed onto where you all were causing Steve and yourself to fall into the ocean as Bucky stood, hanging onto a pole on the ship as he saw you both crash into the water.

...

After everything that happened, everyone decided to go into hiding, except for you and Steve. Bucky had ran from Hydra after the fall of it and went into hiding but you and Steve were determined to find Bucky, bring him back. His best friend and your husband.

a/n: should I do a part 2? maybe, they find Bucky and they all reunite? 

taglist: @cjand10 @eclecticpatrolroadlawyer 

to be added to the taglist click this link 

#Bucky Barnes #bucky #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fluff #bucky fluff #bucky x female reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x original female character #Bucky Barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x #bucky barnes x little!reader #steve rogers #steve rogers x bucky barnes #natasha romanoff #Sebastian Stan #sebastian x reader #sebastian stan x fluff #sebastian x y/n

[fromforeigntofamiliarity]

Cosmic Cameo

Requested: Nah

Summary: Cara doesn't remember much of anything before that fall, but what she does remember might come in handy for what will happen next

OR

In which Cara Cassidy falls smack dab in the middle of the MCU and can't help but to get involved.

Warning: None

Blue, that's all there was. Blue of the sky, no blue of the water, the sound of it rushing into her ears, the cold all over her body.

'Why can't I move? Help, I need help. Someone help me! Please!' She screamed even with knowing no one would hear her.

She can't breath the pressure was too much she has to breath, there was no way the she would be able to swim to the surface and holding her breath was only delaying the inevitable.

'1....2....3.' Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath prepared for the liquid to fill lungs but, instead she is met with air. Her eyes snap open.

Blue, that's all there was not blue of the water the sky, the sound of the wind rushing past her head  pushing her hair forward, she was falling.

Stretching her arms forward in a useless attempt to grab something, anything, nothing. Once again knowing your going to die and not being able to do anything about it.

Its coming it had to be. The ground coming closer and closer. What would it feel like? Would it be instant? Better than drowning she figured.

screams of people watching helplessly from the ground grew closer and closer.

'1....2.....3.' Closing her eyes, preparing for the impact, the end.... Nothing.

Blue, That's what she saw, trying to get over the fact that she was seeing  anything at all. Blue eyes of a person standing above her, the sound of footsteps and monitors beeping around the room.

"Hello, ma'am?" The deep voice called. "Can you hear me?" It asked.

All she could do was blink, what else are you supposed to do when you're meant to be dead. Cara thought she should be floating face down in a river somewhere or laid out across the cement.

"Hello?" The voice called again. "Do you need anything? Are you hurt?" It asked.

"What do you mean is she hurt?" Another voice sounded from elsewhere in the room. "You should be asking that crater in the ground."

"Can you tell me your name." The voice called ignoring the previous statement.

"Where am I?" Was the first thing to come from Cara's mouth. Finally able to focus she looks to the man standing in above her.

"You're safe." He replied. " Can you tell me what happened?" He asked.

"When?" She asked confused.

"Before, during or after your fall from the sky." the other voice called.

"Tony." The first man chastised. "Do you feel hurt at all?" He continued.

"No, I'm fine." She replied taking a deep breath.

"My name is Steve Rogers. Can you tell me yours?" He asked.

Steve Rogers? Was this a joke or something? Did she land in the middle of Comic Con or a Cosplay contest or something?

"Funny." She scoffed.

"Ma'am?" He asked confused.

"I said your real fun-." Chris Evans, it was Chris Evans. "Where am I?" Cara asked again.

"Where do you think you are?" The other voice asked. That can't be... Looking over to the source of the noise, Oh My God! It's Robert Downey Jr. "Or Where did you come from? You can answer either." He said walking around behind her back.

"I came from..." Trailing off as her mind went blank. "I'm.... Where am I?" She reverts back to her initial question.

"You're in the the Avenger's Tower." Chris replied. "We found you and brought you here to make sure you were okay."

"That's a nice way of saying making sure she's not a threat." Tony interjected once again.

"Am I on the set?" Cara asked.

"What set?" Chris asked.

"Avengers." She answered.

"Yes, ma'am we are the Avengers," Chris confirmed. "Now we wanted to know if you could tell us how you fell." He asked staring intensely  into her eyes.

What was he talking about, did he think that she thought that the Avengers were real so he was trying to humor her, maybe he though she was crazy, but he brought up Steve Rogers first.

"What did you say your name was again." She asked thinking maybe she had heard wrong.

"Steve Rogers ma'am." He restated.

"And we're in New York aren't we?" She asked. "In the Avengers Tower." She continued.

"Yes." He confirmed.

"You're Steve Rogers," She states before turning her head around finding Robert leaning in a table watching her from afar. "And you're Tony Stark." She pointed out.

"You know me, I'm flattered." Robert says putting his hand over his heart.

"She awake." A new voice emerged into the lab, Mark Ruffalo. "Has she said anything?" He asked.

"Let me guess." Cara replied before any of the other character could. "Dr. Bruce Banner."

"Have we met?" He asked confused as to how this unknown woman knew his name.

"No but its not hard to to figure out." She replied. "So what's going on here, are you guys like methods?" She asked. It was pretty clear either one of two things was happening right now.

1.) She had hit her head walking down the street and some how ended up being found by Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. in the middle of a rehearsal for the next Avengers movie.

But considering both Steve Roger and Tony Stark are very much unalive.

2.) She had been magically teleported into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and now she was stuck until she figured out her purpose in order to return home.

But considering that was crazy.

"You know I have a question." Robert says coming closer. "How are you not dead?" He asked causing the woman to give him a confused look.

"Tony." Chris glared.

"No, she fell from the sky and left a her sized hole in the earth." He continued. "And yet here she is talking and breathing."

"Wow if I didn't know any better I'd think you wanted me dead." Cara sassed to the older man.

"Don't take it personally." He replied.

"Kinda hard not to." She rebutted.

"It's just it would be nice to know who or what you are before we unstrap you and sent you off into the world." He informed. Unstrapped? Looking down at her hands for the first time Cara realized she was indeed restrained.

"what the hell?" She muttered pulling in the metal cuffs that appeared to be attached to the chair she was sitting on. "I don't suppose you'd take these off if I asked nicely would you?" She asked smiling up at the smug looking man with the goatee.  

"No." He answered,

"I guess were going with option 2." Cara mumbled.

Oh My God! I could save them, I could save Natasha and Loki and Tony if she had time, she could stop the Avengers from breaking up, she could save Killmonger from dying, everyone from getting dusted. But she knew she couldn't do that from here.

"I think there are something we need to discuss before those can come off." Steve states being as calm and collected as he was portrayed in the movies.

"Things like what?" Cara demand growing frustrated with the lack of mobility. "Why you kidnapped me? Why your holding me against my will?" She asked rhetorically.

"Well no," Bruce chimed in fiddling with a pen nervously. "Our line of questioning was going in a different direction."

"North, East, South...?" Cara sassed.

"What are you?" Bruce asked ending the remainder of her sarcastic remark.

"What do you mean?" She asked taken aback by the sudden question.

"What are you?" Tony repeated. "Alien? Asgardian? Angel?"

"I'm human." She stated plainly as it seemed to be the most obvious answer.

"Right," Tony replied crouching down slightly to eye level with the young female. "And regular human appear out of a portal and fall hundreds of feet at a thousand miles per hour and walk away with out a scratch?"

Leaning in closer staring straight into the eyes of the smug looking billionaire.

"You did." She smirked refusing to be the first to look away. From what she had observed from her many rewatching of the MCU was that you never back down first, and while Tony Stark was nothing to scoff at due to his sarcastic nature and witty references he definitely wasn't the most intimidating person she could be in this position with.

"Good point." He sighed out quickly standing back to full height. "Tell you what Icarus, how about once the list of human who have done that extends past you and I, we'll talk about getting those restraints removed." He shrugged turning his back before beginning to tap on some sort of screen.

"Stark now is not the time for your childish games." The Asgardian prince slightly scolded before approaching the restrained young woman. "I am Thor, son of Odin, prince of Asgard and Midgard is under my protection state you business in this realm?"

"..."

"Please?" The god questioned taking of his mask of intimacy with a slightly hint of a smile.

Cara couldn't help but smile back, it was moments like these that she couldn't help but see Thor as a puppy or a child. A 6 foot 6 puppy.

"Thor, son of Odin, prince of Asgard and protector of Midgard. 'Wow that's a mouth full' I have as much business in this realm as the man taking his morning jog through the park or the bird that is probably flying over the city. I'm just trying to live." She pleaded hoping she was pulling off the innocent look she was going for.

"Welp I for one believe lady..." He trailed off into confusion upon realizing he didn't know the name of the young woman currently being held in the room.

"Cara." She assisted.

"Thank you." Thor stated before turning back to his fellow avengers. "Lady Cara."

"Cara huh." Tony questioned. "I would have guessed something more biblical like Castiel or Lucifer."

"I'm not an angel." Cara groaned out shutting her eyes and throwing her head back in frustration. "And even if I was, what's it to you?"

"I'm sorry?" Steve asked.

"What I mean is I haven't done anything wrong, I haven't broken any laws or hurt anyone. You have no right to keep me here." She clarified.

"Look you may not know this but the last time a portal opened up and something came through it spelt bad news for everyone." Natasha spoke for the first time from her place near the exit.

"I think everyone knows about that, what I don't know is what it has to do with me." Cara said through gritted teeth. "I mean no offense but don't you people have better thing to do than to keep me captive? I know I do."

"Things like what?" Clint interjected. "Enslaving the human race?"

"Oh my god!" Cara groaned.

How was she ever going to save everyone strapped to this chair being held captive by the people who she was trying to save.

She had much bigger thing to deal with like Bucky, Thanos, Wanda, Ultron... Oh god how was I gonna stop Ultron, there was no way I could convince Tony Stark that he was wrong about anything yet alone his master plan to save the world. Maybe keeping the scepter away from him altogether.

But no Ultron means no Vision ,and what would no Vision mean for Wanda? I can't even imagine.

"Is there someone else I can talk to?" Cara huffs. "Maybe someone with a better pair of listening ears and a basic value for human right and freedoms. Nick fury perhaps?"

"How do you know who Nick Fury is?" Natasha asked coming to stand closer in an attempt to intimidate.

"I know a lot of things." She shrugged.

"I doubt that. Cause if you knew anything you would know Fury is de-."

"Hiding out after faking his death, yeah I know that too. Natalia." Cara informed holding eye contact with the former Russian spy.

"Who are you." She asked making sure not to waver her gaze.

"I'm Cara." She stated firmly. "And as much as you people want to see me as a enemy I'm an trying to prove myself an ally."

Breaking her eye contact with the red head to meet the eyes of the remaining Avengers in the room, before returning to Natasha.

"And I can prove it if you would just let me out of these restrains." Nodding toward her restricted wrists.

"I'm sorry." Steve replied causing the 24 year old you grow her head back in frustration. "But we can't take that risk."

Cara didn't remember the Avengers being so annoying before, what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty. She needed them to trust her but had no idea how to make that happen , pretty sure the truth would land her in some max security mental hospital.

There has to be a way to blur the truth and she knew just how to do it. No matter what how she got here or what may be different because of it she knew more than anything that these people loved to be right she would just let them think they are.

Taking a deep breath Cara prepared for the worst before saying it.

"Not even for Loki's scepter?" She asked and was not surprised when everyone in the room shifted their full attention to her even Tony who seemed content with ignoring her pleas for release.

"What did you just say?" Clint asked wanting to find the scepter more than anyone after living through the effects of it. 

"I know where it is." She tells him before looking around the room. "Look your right. I'm not human or at least I don't know if I am." She sighed in fake sadness.

"What do you mean." Steve asked.

"I mean ever since I can remember I've had these visions. A man falling from a train, a rainbow bridge, a ballet studio, an old man in a cave in the desert." Cara listed significant events in the lives of the heroes standing before her. "I never knew if they were real or if I was just crazy. I swear I have no idea how I came through any portal and I sure a hell don't know how I'm still alive, but what I do know is that I would never try to hurt anyone." Cara finished allowing her eyes to slightly tear up.

There was a collective silence among the group as they all attempted to figure out how this stranger knew so much about them. 

"I got it." Tony said breaking the silence. "There is a whole museum dedicated to cap and his old war buddies." Tony explained away your first 'Vision'.

"Anyone can study Norse mythology, Widow over there released all of shields files and my kidnapping is public record at this point but nice try." Tony finished with an unimpressed look on his face. She could feel the other members also start to accept Tony's debunking of her story.

'Damn it, think of something no one else would know something, anything!' She screamed at herself. 

"I think that is enough games." Thor said seeming to have changed his previous vote for your innocence. "Your attempt to fool us have gone on long enou-." Stopping once Cara started speaking. 

"I've looked forward to this day for as long as you have, your my brother and my friend. Sometimes I am envious, but never doubt that I love you."

"What is that supposed to be?" Tony asked.

"Loki." Thor replied not taking his eyes of the young mortal girl. "Before my coronation on Asgard. My brother said those exact words to me."

"You can't read that in a book." Cara smiled gently, but you can watch it in a deleted scenes video. Honestly Cara was just glad that it actually happened in this world otherwise she would look even more crazy. "So what about letting me go?" She tried again.

"Sorry your gonna have to do better than that." Steve approached arms crossed.

"Loki's Scepter." Cara states. "I can help you find it." She offered.

"How?" Thor asked.

"I've already told you how." She replied. "But you have to promise after I do no more restrains and I'm free to go." She attempted negotiate.

"How about no more retrains and we'll see." Natasha offered.

"How about no more restrains and I'm free to go."

"How about you spend the rest of your life in a super max prison?" The red head countered.

"you know Drakov is still alive right?" Cara asked shock spreading across Natasha and Clint's face before they quickly mask it with a glare. "How about no more restrains and I'm free to go."

"Fine." Steve spoke before the petty argument could continue. "No more restrains and your free to go after we have the scepter?"

"Perfect." Cara smiled nodding towards her arms and legs.

"Tony." Steve states, nothing happened as the billionaire pretends to not have heard the request. "Tony come on."

"What if she's lying?" Tony asked. "We're just gonna let her roam around my lab touching things."

"There are six of us and one of her." Steve pointed out.

after a few moments tony let out a groan before pressing a button causing the straps to retract, stretching her arms and rubbing her wrist Cara takes this time to look around the high tech laboratory.

"So." Tony begins. "Where is it?" He asked raising an eyebrow at the girl.

"Where's what?" Cara asked before Tony took a step towards her. "Okay, Okay fine." She chuckles slightly.

"Hey, I gave you a shot don't make me regret this." Steve reprimands.

"Okay, You would thing at this point in time you people could take a joke." Cara muttered looking towards the ceiling as if searching for something. "Jarvis?" She asked.

"Yes Ma'am?" The A.I. replied.

"Hey Hey you don't talk to Jarvis." Tony scolds. "How do you even know about Jarvis?" He asked.

"I'm not answering this question again." Cara deadpanned. "Jarvis can you bring me up a satellite image of Sovkia?" Cara asked.

"Right away ma'am." He answered projecting a holographic image of the small city inches from the her face causing her to back up a few paces.

"Good thanks now I need you to search the other perimeter of the city for heat signatures." She informs. "Anything moving in formation consistently." She added.

"Here you are ma'am," Javis responds. "This area has shown a consistent path of small heat signatures recorded footage from the satellite shows for about the last three months or so."

"And are there any significant power sources coming from the area near the or inside of the signatures path?" Cara continued.

"Yes, there is an abandoned factory building just inside of the heat signatures path though it is emitting a significant amount of power." Jarvis confirms.

Turning to face the group of super individuals Cara opened her arms up wide.

"Heat signatures are patrols, that building is where you'll find your scepter and a one Baron Strucker as well." Cara informed. "Any questions from the class?" She asked rhetorically, though that didn't stop Bruce from raising his hand.

"Yes, Dr. Banner." Cara called.

"These abilities you say you've had them all your life?" He asked. "And you had no idea about the increased durability of you body? Have you ever given blood? Has there ever been any unexplained anomalies in your D.N.A.? If its possible I'd like to run some tests on your blood and determine the limitations of you body." Bruce rambled on not really giving the girl a chance to answer any of his questions.

"Um....Yes, No, No, and maybe if you buy me dinner first." Cara replied. "But I kinda meant scepter related questions." She clarified. 

"So you saying that this building is where the scepter had been the whole time?" Natasha asked.

"Well not the whole time but it is there now." Cara replied. "So am I free to go?"

"After we get the scepter." Steve reminded. "But for now I think this is a pretty solid lead , so we'll hold off on the restrains for now but you can't leave this building. Am I clear?" Steve asked.

"Yes dad." Cara replied sarcastically receiving  a stern look in return. "Fine I will not leave this building."

"Thank you." He replied.

"We need to move on this now before H.Y.D.R.A. gets wind of this and moves locations." Clint says studying the hologram of the building. "Jarvis can you play back the perimeter movements for the last three months and let me know if anything has changed between now and then?" Clint asked.

"The movement seems consistent Agent Barton." He replied.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Natasha asked Clint looking away from the electronic display.

"Yep." He answered. "We land in far wood of the south side looks great." He continued.

"perfect, we shall leave immediately." Thor states walking towards the exit.

"Thor." Steve called stopping the god in his track. "Be need and plan of attack we can't just go in there guns blazing." Steve says.

"How would that be different from all the other times?" Tony asked.

"We can not wait any longer and risk loosing it again." Thor counted. "Lady Cara is an unlikely advantage that may not be around to assist again."

"He's right just because you miss the scepter doesn't mean I was wrong and doesn't mean you can keep me here." Cara agreed. "We have a deal." Cara was all for helping the Avenger but she was not going to be some sort of prisoner she had thing to do people to save just like them.

"I said once the scepter is in our hands." Steve clarified.

"It is in your hands and your letting it slip through your fingers." She rebutted.

"Hate to agree, like really hate to agree with E.T over here." Tony started. "But we have to move on this as soon as possible."

"Still not an alien." Cara added.

"Predator?" He asked.

"Fine," Steve caved. "Two day. And then we move, Is everyone okay with that?" He asked receiving nods all around.

"Great, better rest up Icarus." Tony called to Cara as he heads to the exit.

"For what exactly" Cara asked following him out of the lab and down the hall stopping and waiting at the elevator as who she assumed to be the other Avengers come to a stop behind her.

"For the mission," Tony said stepping into the elevator. "You coming?" He asked noticing no one was following. "This H.Y.D.R.A. base may be legit but you could still be leading us into a trap and if you are I'd like you to be as close to getting shot as possible." He smirked pushing on of the floor buttons.

"And if I'm not, cause I'm telling the truth." Cara insisted. "I'll be an unprepared civilian in an active war zone." Cara pointed out.

"Then you can wait in the jet." He shrugged as the lift came to a stop and the doors opened revealing the living quarters. "Besides I'm sure Widow wouldn't mind slipping in a quick lesson."

"Of course not." Natasha said walking past the curly headed girl patting her on the shoulder.

"yeah, I'd defiantly take you up on that if I was ready to die." Cara replied.

"That might actually be a good idea," Bruce stepped in. "it would be a great way to test your reflexes and pain tolerance."

"Or you could shoot me." Cara suggested. "Yeah I like that idea bet-.." She joked but was cut short as a flash of light flew across the room and hit her in the chest sending her hurdling into a wall.

heads snapped from the girl to the source of the attack only to spot Tony at the bar with the iron glove on one and and a drink in the other. Standing up from the floor Cara looks over her body, nothing seemed broken and nothing hurt.

"What the Hell?" She glared. "You could have killed me." She whispered mostly to herself checking running her hand over the back of her head before checking her palm for any sign of blood.

"Look at that not even a limp? Scratch?" Tony asked putting his glass down. "Is your shirt even slightly singed? Now that's what I call durability."

"I think we got the durability part Stark." Clint said walking over to the girl helping her to the sofa as she assured him she was fine. "She fell three thousand feet." He reminded.

"Just checking," He defended. "Never hurts to check, well it didn't hurt me or her." He pointed out.

"Your lucky I wanna keep you from dying." Cara muttered to herself.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Nothing." Cara sighed. "Nothing at all."

"Anyways," Tony said squinting his eyes. "Let's get you set up with a room and ready for that training." Tony said taking off down the hallway Cara rushing to follow.

"I'm still not doing that." Cara said slowing down as she falls into step with the older man.

Two days that was all, this was good right? It gives her a chance to get her plan together like how was she going to find  Bucky or maybe stop Scott from going into the quantum tunnel and missing five years of his daughter's life. However that was caused by the snap which won't happen if she could figure out how to stop Thanos.

"Here you go," Tony said stopping in front a door typing in a few numbers.

The door slides open revealing a quite luxurious bedroom with  various shades of grey covering the walls and floors.

"I hope this is up to you standards." Tony says following her in. "I mean it's not Asgard, but."

"I'm not from Asgard, Tony." Cara said rolling her eyes.

"Well, goodnight." Tony brushed off turning to leave.

"Goodnight?" Cara asked.

"Oh it's a term we use here on earth, before you go to sleep," Tony informed sarcastically. "and sleep is when us human close our eyes and our bodies recharge for the upcoming day." He finished.

"I know what sleep is." She counted.

"But we're still confused on the term goodnight." Tony pointed out.

"I just didn't realize it was night, I actually have no idea what time it is." Cara suddenly realized.

"The time is currently 11:46pm ma'am." Jarvis' voice flows through the room.

"thanks Jarvis." Tony answered before continuing on his way out. "Make sure to rest up cause there's no way that training with widow isn't happening." He called over his shoulder allowing the door to close behind him.

Looking around, Cara made her way over to the bed allowing her body to fall backwards and letting out a sigh.

'I'M SO SCREWED!" She shouts into the empty room. "when I chose M.C.U. New York over D.C. Gotham I didn't know this was going to happen."

All the things she had needed to do, the death she wanted to prevent. She couldn't even begin to think of a way to get into Wakanda to warn them of Killmonger, or maybe get to Killmonger and talk him out of trying to kill T'challa, Maybe stop King T'chaka from dying and the Avengers from falling apart.

There was no way she could remember all this and what if the changes she made weren't for the best... Would the T.V.A try to stop her?

Writing it down would be a disaster waiting to happen, if anyone found it Avenger or otherwise who knows what could happen.

"I need a shower." She muttered sitting up on the bed, running her hands over her face in frustration.

"I can get the shower prepared for you ma'am." Jarvis replied as running water sound from one of the closed doors in the room. "Do you have a preferred temperature?"

"Warm?" Cara asked.

"Warm water is typically between 110 - 90 degrees Fahrenheit." Jarvis informed.

"Ummm 100." Cara answered with a shrug, all these were problem she could solve tomorrow, for now the only thing on her mind was showering and getting to finally rest her mind.

#mcu imagine #steve rogers #tony stark #marvel cinematic universe #mcu x oc #original female character #bruce banner #natasha romanoff #avengers age of ultron #wanda maximoff #pietro maximoff #clint barton

[saidrolav]

Laundry virgin

Steve rogers x gn!reader

Summary: You and Steve go on a little cute date after you met at the laundromat.

Warnings: none!! Pure fluff!

A/N: it's been a while but i'm back with the sequel of that fic you guys liked so muuuuch!!

part one!

not my gif!

Since you met at the laundromat, Steve and you talked very little by messages and even less by calls. The poor old man was indeed bad with smartphones and you only talked when you were calling or sending the first message, and Steve was always ending his messages by his name like he wasn't registered in your contacts. Plus, you were adults and both busy, both on each side with your works, family and other stuff.

When you came home the day you met, you were sure you had already seen or heard the name "Steve Rogers". You googled it and with horror found out that he was the one and only, Captain America, and you were even more mortified realizing that you flirted with him which made your messages a little bit colder than they were because... he's an adult super hero right ? You were a bit lost, about your feelings, about how you talked to him and about his feelings, what if you had imagined everything ? Steve, on his side, had never been happier, the person that he thought was the most beautiful on earth was talking to him, daily, every message you sent was bringing a smile to his face. He indeed noticed that your mood changed but he just thought that it was because you guys only saw each other once and that you were hesitant to open up to him because, he was still an stranger to you.

When he realized that he frowned, bit his lip then managed to write a message that sounded like: "Hi, it's been a while since we've seen each other. Would you like if we met at Grand Branks at 7 p.m tomorrow ? If you're available, Steve." He was always really formal in his message, his inner old soul did this, he was writing a message like he was writing a letter he was just that way.

You received that message when you were going out of the shower, you putted on a towel and went to check your phone, you had heard the familiar ring from the bathroom. You take it in your hands, open it and your breath get caught in your throat as you see the name that appears on the screen, and you nearly choke as you read the message. A million of "oh-my-god" go though your head before your brain decide to work and search if you had anything planned tomorrow, you figured out that you didn't and with trembling fingers answered. "No i'm not busy so I guess I'll see you tomorrow here, can't wait, Y/N." You were formal only because he was and you thought it was weird if you weren't formal as he was. Steve received your message with the same smile you had when you sent it.

The time of the date arrived quickly, and you both were stressed as hell, you both also putted on your favourite outfits, and you both were really excited to see each other! Steve was at the restaurant thirty minutes early and was cracking his fingers one by one of nervousness. What if you didn't come? What if he was wrong about your intentions? What if you just wanted to be friends? I mean friends can invite each other at the restaurant right-Oh. His thoughts were stopped completely when he saw you walking in the restaurant, you haven't saw him so he watched you carefully as you were looking for him, his eyes were so glued to you that he didn't think about indicating to you were he was, he was just admiring from afar. His heart was racing in his chest but skipped a beat when your eyes met and he swears his jaw was on the floor, you were perfect. If he could he would've married you right here, right now.

You became red when you saw how handsome he was, he was perfectly dressed, between the casual and the classy, but you became redder when you saw how he was looking at you, he was basically undressing you with his eyes and it was giving you butterflies. You quickly made you way over him and he stood up as fastly. He gave you a flash of his beautiful smile and hugged you while whispering a shaky "Hi". You answered the same way while hugging him, he took your chair so you could sit on it then sit at his. A little bit a gentlemen-y wasn't so bad after all.

"Did i made you wait ?" You chuckled a bit and he returned your laugh.

"Don't worry, you're right on time, i'm the one early, bad habit." He took his glass while smiling and drank a bit of whatever was in it.

"Bad habit ? I don't think everyone would agree with you." You took the menu in your hands and chuckled. "Did you made your choice yet ? There's do many dishes i feel like i'm losing my mind.."

He laughed at your remark and putted down the menu before putting one of his hands in his hair quickly. "Don't worry you're not the only one losing your mind here, that's why I'm here early so I can choose which dish I will pick, and I still haven't made my choice." It was your turn to laugh and Steve thought that he wanted to make your beautiful laugh his ringtone, creepy, but that's how much he loved your voice and everything about you.

The night spent, perfectly, you both were a bit tipsy from the bottle of wine you had drank but not enough to be super drunk. Just enough to give you both a boost of confidence. He walked you home to your appartment because it was getting dark and you were cold, so he gave you his jacket which you appreciated a lot because, it smelt like the super soldier. Though the night you spent with him, he was so sincere and kind with you that you completely forgot about the fact that he was the Captain America, he was just a beautiful human being, and that was enough. You soon arrived in front of your appartment and you both let go each other hand that you were holding because of the cold, yeah right, the cold. Steve looked at you with stars in his ocean eyes and you swore at that moment that was the prettiest thing that you ever seen in your entire life. You saw his beautiful eyes looking softly at your lips but quickly returning back to your eyes. You thought he was going to kiss you right here right now but then.

He kissed your right cheek while caressing your other one. "Have a good night Y/N.." is what he purred in your ear with a charming smile and you felt your knees go weak, your cheeks were crimson and you just stood there, watching him slowly go away in the corridor.

Steve had the door in his hand when he heard fast running coming towards the stairs, he arched an eyebrow then turned around only to feel two arms and a body crashing into him just as the lips that were on his. This scent, he knew it, it was you. He slowly closed his eyes as his body was slamming on the door semi-opened, he returned the fever kiss as it was burning on his lips and changed your positions so you could be on the door, you were kissing each other like two animals but then you heard a door noise and your both bodies went straight and turned around like two kids who had been caught doing something bad. Plus, both of your faces were red tomato and you were trying to catch your breaths.

You saw that old man of Mr.Nakajima, opening the door with his brows furrowed, oh he was angry. "Are you trying to wake me up ? Because you did! Just get a room! These kids..." He slammed his door shut and you and Steve remained calm until that and you burst out in laughters. Steve watched you and picked you up as you let out a small scream: "What do you think you're doing Steve ?"

He laughed and replied quickly: "Getting a room!"

#marvel #avengers #steve rogers x oc #steve rogers x you #steve rogers imagine #steve x reader #steve rogers x reader #captain america x reader #captain america #captain america x ofc #captain america x you #captain america smut #steve rogers smut #steve rogers #steve rogers fluff #steve rogers x stark!reader #steve rogers x male reader #steve rogers x original female character #steve rogers x plus size reader #steve rogers x natasha romanoff #steve rogers x smut #steve rogers x bucky barnes #steve rogers x gn!reader #captain america x female reader #captain america x black reader #chris evans x gn!reader #chris evans x female reader #chris evans x plus size reader #chris evans x wife!reader #chris evans x reader

[farfromstrange]

Foreigner's God | m.m

Matt Murdock x avenger!OFC

Chapter thirty-one: Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

Previous part XXX ° series masterlist ° main masterlist

Summary: Hydra falls, but the victory is short-lived.

Warnings: Canon typical violence, ANGST, blood and gore, more mutants, hints at child abuse and sexual assault, trauma, child molesters get what they deserve, MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH

a/n: Publishing earlier and not as scheduled because Christmas is just right around the corner (and we celebrate on the 24th here in Germany) I wanted to give you this before that. Finally, the show-down is here, the climax, the thing we’ve all been waiting for. This ends on a huge cliffhanger because it connects directly to the next chapter. You’ve been warned. I wish those of you who are celebrating a merry Christmas! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. The next update will come Sunday night.

The hallway was empty. Except for the blaring alarm and the red lights, the long, sterile walls were void of all souls and sounds. 

By the time Natasha reached the marked dormitories, Matt’s news about Eliza’s pulled stunt had already traveled. She deemed the emptiness of the hallway as suspicious. Her mission was to free whoever else Hydra kept trapped in the facility, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the position her friend had put herself in. Part of her wanted to let her ruin Viktor Volkov, she deserved to get revenge and he was more than deserving of a slow and gruesome death, but the rational part of her told her that Eliza was going to regret her choice if she ended up killing the man instead of bringing him to justice, and she wouldn’t be able to survive the guilt that came with it. So Natasha couldn’t let her do it, no matter how much she wanted to. 

“Remember the mission, guys,” Steve reminded them.

“How? If Eliza is going to do what Matt thinks she’s going to do,” Clint prompted. 

“We can’t focus on the mission,” Natasha finished for him. 

“The mission was to find her, correct?” said the Captain. “So we’ll do that. Doesn’t matter if Matt lost her, we’re just going to search for her all over again, and then we’ll stop her before she can make the mistake of killing Volkov.”

“Matt?” she asked.

Only a grunt was audible on the other end. “Little busy,” he managed to choke out.

“Well, Cap is closest to her final destination, so I suggest he makes sure she doesn’t even come this far.”

“Copy that,” Steve replied.

Though when he turned around from his spot on the roof, the door flew open. Several guards flooded the limited space. He stared at the soldiers who stared back at him, half of them in shock and the other half expectant. They knew him, and most of Hydra feared him, but the people in front of him didn’t even move a facial muscle at the sight of him. Without his shield, he was just a man in Stars and Stripes. 

“I’m Captain America,” he told himself. “With or without the shield.” 

He often doubted that lately, not sure what to think or believe anymore after his whole life collapsed right in front of him and everything he had grown to know and love disappeared from him. At that moment though, he needed to believe that he was Captain America. He needed to believe he was a symbol, a fighter, and Hydra’s worst nightmare. He had to be strong for Eliza, he had to be strong for Bucky and everyone else who suffered at their hands. He wouldn’t roll over and die. He wouldn’t give up, that wasn’t his nature, no matter how defeated or how detached from the real Steve Rogers he felt. 

Natasha only heard static on the other end of her earpiece, so she figured everyone was back to doing their jobs. Back to the mission. Focusing became a little harder, her worries being the only thing driving her down the hallway. She had to get to the fourth quadrant. She wanted to stop Eliza herself, Mission be damned. She needed someone who knew her better than anyone, someone who used to be her. 

Though as she thought about it she realized, the second she turned on Tony and helped Steve escape, she distanced herself from Eliza and left her behind. The time when she had known her better than anyone was over. She had someone else who understood her in a way only a handful of people ever could, and he had never been like them before. Still, she trusted him with her life. She ran to protect him, she was willing to sacrifice her life for him, and that told Natasha all she needed to know.

She had to follow the mission. She had to do what she was told to do or all of this would have been for nothing. 

Her fist tightened around the gun as she burst into yet another unoccupied room. The sheets were crumbled and clothes were strewn around; someone lived there, as did in the other dormitories, but no one was there. The place was cleaned out completely.

She pressed a finger to the earpiece. “The rooms are all clear,” she said. “So is the hallway, surprisingly. I think they pulled resources to find her.”

Clint was the only one who got her message. “Copy,” he said.

“Rogers?” 

“Haven’t heard from him yet.”

“Alright, well, if he decides to make a sound, tell me. I’m heading down the hallway now, moving on to the training grounds.”

A pause. “Security seems higher there,” Clint stated. 

“They’re all just passing through,” Sam corrected. “They’re looking for the breach while also trying to get rid of all the evidence. They know Eliza is loose.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Are you using the spy bird again?”

“His name’s Redwing.”

“I will not call that thing by its name.”

“Come on, he’s helpful. You can say his name. Redwing.”

“No.”

Natasha stopped. A single pair of footsteps came from the corner to her left. 

The man stared right at her, seemingly as surprised as she was to see him. His clothes were pedestrian; he didn’t look like a soldier or a mad scientist. He was just a man, plain and simple. 

“What are you doing here?" he asked.

She stammered, “I got lost.” 

"This is a secure facility.”

“Really lost,” she said. 

He gawked at her, she gawked back. They kept staring at each other until it got too awkward to continue. 

“You’re not one of them, are you?” Her hold on the gun eased. If he wanted to kill her, he would have done so already. 

He seemed misplaced and so did she. They had that in common.

He straightened his dirty jacket. There was a cut on his left cheekbone, his hair disheveled and his knees and knuckles scraped, but other than that he seemed healthy.

The man pointed a finger at her. “You’re not either,” he said. 

“No, I’m…” 

She remembered his face from somewhere. 

“Wait, you seem familiar.”

“I feel like everybody says that these days.”

She cursed herself for realizing it too late. “You’re Anton Petrova.”

“Oh, you actually know my name,” he said.

“I saw your picture in the file you gave to Tony Stark. The file on your daughter,” Natasha said. 

“Tony… oh!” 

He twisted and turned, searching for something. She followed his movements with curious eyes. He held a small device in his hand, barely big enough to fit into a power outlet. 

“I’m Natasha Romanoff,” she introduced herself swiftly. 

“I should have figured you guys were coming too.”

“So you’re not Hydra, you’re here because Eliza sold you out.” 

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“The lengths this girl is willing to go…” Natasha huffed. “Well, if you want to survive, I guess we should stick together. Things could get really ugly really fast, and this place isn’t made for civilians to make it out alive.”

“I’m not planning to stick around,” he told her. 

His eyes finally caught onto what he was looking for. He attached the device to the keypad set into the wall. Sparks blew from the fuses. He typed in a series of numbers, then flicked a switch on the added extension. Natasha didn’t recognize the sequence, nor did she remember ever seeing such a device. 

“I have the same goal as my daughter, only that I don’t plan to get out. She made the right choice to sell me out. I deserved it. I’m going to burn this place to the ground so Alina can finally leave this hell behind her. I should have never given her away. It was my fault she ended up here and now it’s time for me to face the music after I’ve run like a coward all these years.” 

She pursed her lips. “What are you doing?” 

“Like I said, blowing this place up,” he stated. Anton pointed to the mystery device. “I’m attaching this to every sensor in this building, overriding their security systems. There are bombs placed in certain areas around this complex. Those weren’t my doing, but back when they had taken me to get to my… to Alina, I heard them talk about additional safety measures in case anything went wrong.” 

He stepped away from the keypad, admiring his work. Another one of the devices slipped between his fingers. They resembled slightly thicker keycards. Upon further inspection, Natasha realized that he had used pieces of metal from a broken computer to string together something new, something that could override even the most complicated code.

She frowned at his quick fingers. The question bothered her. “Did you bring that here?” she asked.

“Would you believe me if I said I made them from scratch in the past hour under the immense pressure of super soldiers trying to kill me?” 

“No.”

“Then yeah, I took them with me.” 

“Jesus…” Doing something like this required certain training that she doubted he possessed. “What are you?” 

Anton shrugged. “Scientist and occasional spy.”

“Hm.”

“After you guys caused the alarm to go off, I managed to get out of my little cell and find my way to the control room. I figured out where they keep their fail-safe. I didn’t know what it was. I found the button attached to a series of explosives and put one and two together. This device overrides all their systems and reprograms the trigger to a certain time that I have set.”

“And when is that?”

He checked his cracked watch. “Twenty minutes,” he told her.

“Twenty minutes?” Natasha glared at him. “Your daughter’s still here somewhere. Twenty minutes aren’t going to be enough to get her out of here in time!”

“The trigger points are at each entrance that leads to the outside,” he explained. “The bombs are meant to stop anyone from leaving.”

“Then why would you want to trigger them?”

“They won’t see it coming, that’s why. It will give Alina, you, and your little friends enough time to act while I try to figure out how to burn this place to the ground. In my humble opinion,” Anton said and moved onto the next keypad at the end of the hallway, “I think they’ve got an even bigger charge hiding in their basement, but it’s not connected to the building’s system, so it has to be manually triggered. I intend to find that thing and blow this place five ways to Sunday once you guys are out of here.”

“You’ll die,” she argued.

He sighed, “Yeah, but Alina already believes me dead so it doesn’t matter. My job is done here.”

It was a noble display of his affection for his daughter. 

Natasha rubbed her tired eyes. The stone was already rolling, she didn’t have much of a choice but to roll with it. 

“Alright, well, I have a mission to finish so I can’t stick around. And if you say you want to stay, that’s you’re choice. Although the chances that you’ll survive are instantly zero if you do what you say you’re gonna do, so don’t say I didn’t offer an escape to you.”

“I know,” he smiled. “As long as you tell my daughter that her father loved her.”

“I will,” she told him.

“Thank you.”

She took an even bigger leap. “Do you know what happened to the people they kept here?” 

Anton looked around. “They took them out back. If you have men outside, you should be safe.”

“Thank you!” 

Natasha pressed down on her earpiece.

“The hostages are yours,” she said. “They’re coming out the back.”  

“Copy,” Sam answered.

Anton smiled again, attaching his magical device to the keypad and flipping the switch once again. Sparks flew. “Save my daughter, Agent Romanoff,” he said. 

She holstered her gun. “That’s what I intend to do.”

“Do your best.”

“If you knew me, you’d be aware of the fact that I never accomplish anything short of the best.”

He disappeared down the hallway with a knowing grin, granting her more time by not even caring if someone caught him. She set out to sprint the rest of the way. 

“Guys, we have a surprise coming our way. We need to find Eliza now before it’s too late…”

“Well,” Clint piped up, “I would ask Rogers how far he is, but his comm seems to be malfunctioning.” 

Natasha cursed under her breath. “They probably got to him too.”

“What about Matt?” asked Sam.

“Here!” he sounded from the other end. Something resembling pain laced in his voice. “I managed to knock them all out, now I just have to find a way out of here somehow.”

Natasha stood in front of the same problem. The glass doors were locked with thick metal covering them. “Seems we have the same problem, Matthew,” she murmured, kicking against it. 

“Yeah, the doors won’t budge. I tried that.”

Of course, he heard her attempts to break through the steel. Rolling her eyes, she chose to try it with her shoulder next. 

Matt sighed wearily. “Tried that too,” he said.

“What haven’t you tried?” she bit back. 

“Anything a person with sight can do with a computer. I have no idea how that works, but the security system has to run somehow, right? Maybe you can override the lock Eliza put on these doors. I heard her push a button to initiate the lockdown. Not even the emergency exits are working anymore. I tried everything I could. We’re trapped.”

“How does she move around with the doors closed?” Sam asked the important question.

Natasha and Matt were more in sync than ever. “She’s blowing through them,” they said at the same time.

“Yeah, she’s probably bulldozing through them like a madwoman,” Natasha added. “Wouldn’t be the first time. Vandalism is her second name.”

Clint grunted, the swoosh of an arrow passing by his earpiece. “Try the override,” he said. “Batman seems to be onto something here.” 

“Control room!” she blurted. “Yes! I have an idea. Matt, hold on! I think I just found the solution to our problem.”

“Hurry,” he told her, “Or I might start smashing my head into the door. I can’t lose her again,” the admission ran quietly. “I refuse to let her get away with this. And I won’t let her die just because she thinks it’s the right thing to do. So please, for the love of God, hurry up!” 

Natasha found the room Anton mentioned with ease. She busted the door open with a satisfying squeal.

“Almost there,” she said. “I just need to find…” she pushed the only two blinking buttons. 

The red lights stopped blinking, the alarm stopped blaring in the distance, and with a roar, the metal unlocked from the glass doors. 

She caught a glimpse of the structure outside. The space around the building was littered with Hydra soldiers fighting against flying arrows and a man with metal wings, which sounded weirder than it looked. 

“Barton, you still need the headlights?” 

“Nope,” he replied. “Shut them off.”

She pulled the lever down. The ground turned dark. Only the spotlight was left. 

“Thanks!”

She stepped out of the control room. “Matt,” she called out for him. 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m going to get Steve before I can get Eliza. He’s probably in trouble if he’s not answering. Can you search for her?” she asked. “The exits are all going to blow in twenty minutes and we need to have found her by then or she will have more of a reason to kill Volkov.”

He pushed himself off the wall. “Copy that,” he said. 

“I trust you.” Coming from her, that was a compliment of the highest order.

The reservations she had had at the beginning vanished the second Eliza chose to go her own way. They were two people who loved her very much, and they needed to use that to their advantage. She couldn’t hate him even if she tried. If there was one thing he was more than capable of, it was finding Eliza and bringing her back safe. He wouldn’t stop before she was safe and sound in his arms. She needed to hold onto that. 

Matt was so in love, he would blur all the lines to get to her. Honorable would be the word she would have used to describe him. 

He expected the override of the lockdown to bring on more of the super soldiers that attacked him back at the west wing. His ribs were broken, probably, but he pushed through the sharp pain that tore through his lungs with every breath. He fought the men who were twice as strong as him, but if ‘watching’ Eliza fight had taught him one thing it was that super soldiers were just human too, after all. They had the same weak spots, only a higher tolerance. The serum didn’t turn them into something else, only enhanced what was already there. He used that knowledge to his advantage. As much as this new world blew his mind, it wasn’t much different from fighting the men Fisk sent for him. 

Eliza made her way through the armies of men that tried to stop her without batting an eye. The wound on her shoulder pulsates numbly, though all she truly felt was rage. It fueled her determination. 

The many guns and knives didn’t stand a chance against her. She stopped thinking and for once decided to follow the primal instinct that she had denied for a very long time. She let the unknown thing inside of her loose without another thought about it.

What she had been so scared of, became a part of her. No, it became her. She turned into the thing she was born to be. Not quite human and not quite alien. She was the most wanted in more ways than just one. Her blood held the power of an infinity stone, the most powerful elemental crystal that started at the dawn of the universe, and it molded with her DNA to the point where both could no longer be separated. She became one with it when she was born, her mind had just been twisted enough to hide the truth for so long, always controlled and caged in by someone who thought they knew better, selfish people who were afraid of what she could do.

She didn’t waste another thought about them, therefore allowing her body to restore almost as easily as her mind. As she put down all of her restrictions, a new life bloomed inside of her chest. She had never felt so full, never so complete. 

Eliza made her way through the masses, sending her opponents flying away. Extending her hand toward the machine gun that was pointed her way, she thought about the butterfly symbolism she took from her childhood.

Ironically, saving a life made her father give her away. Butterflies are used as a metaphor for rebirth and evolution. She was the butterfly from her memories, broken down and alone, waiting for someone to save it and set it free. She had broken out of her cocoon and discovered her true beauty, her true abilities. Eliza was a butterfly, the very thing that ended her up in the grasp of Hydra. 

The man cried out as his gun disappeared and turned into a swarm of bats. They flew straight at him, pecking his skin apart. 

She kicked another soldier in the chest, into his partner. The two hit the wall behind them. She used the moment of surprise to bring half of the ceiling down on them. In her wake, several bodies littered the floor. The bats she had released disappeared back into the smoke dancing around her fingers. 

The closed door didn’t pose as much of a threat. She placed her palm flat against the metal. Her veins released another surge of power. The lock cracked. She pushed harder against it. The pathway to the other building blew open at sheer force, electricity flickering. She was so close to her target now. 

Then, the lights turned back on. She expected something like this to happen; her friends weren’t going to give up, not without a fight. Even though they knew Eliza did this with the thought in mind that a sacrifice might be out of the question, they still wanted to prevent her untimely death to tear them apart. She understood that, but the reality would only hurt them more if they kept holding onto her like that. She was long gone, broken beyond repair, someone they couldn’t help or cure. She had made up her mind. This was her choice, she would not let this end any differently. It was foolish of them to believe there was still redemption in the cards for her. 

With the lights on full display, the Hydra soldiers believed they had an advantage. They could see her clearly, and possibly even anticipate her behavior. Cute, she thought. It was an honorable belief.

She stood in front of an army she could not count. The anger manifested, becoming a part of her. Ever since she could remember, anger, pain and despair sustained her. She learned how to live with this constant ache and emptiness in her chest, a hunger that could never be satisfied, keeping her on edge always. Now that she got the answers she wanted, now that she knew who she was born to be and why Hydra was really after her, that emptiness had shrunk to the size of an atom. Her soul no longer felt pointless. With the knowledge came contentment.

She struggled to accept the changes at first, but after allowing them to take over completely, she had never felt more at peace with the inner stranger. At the same time, she had also never felt more at peace with dying than she did at the thought of finally tearing down the walls that caused her so much pain in the first place, of destroying the man who destroyed her life all those years ago. 

The feeling that remained though was anger. The anger burned hotter and brighter through her veins than it ever had. The truth did not only bring peace but it brought dissatisfaction with how the world turned out to be. She knew there were variables to eradicate before the peace could make a nest, but she also knew that when those variables were gone, she might also be, and then the peace didn’t matter anymore, so she could fall for the anger and not feel any regret because her life was supposed to turn out this way. Content with her real identity, but enraged at the people of her past, ready to remove them from the narrative for good. She would help others more than herself, and that made the small part of her that still wanted to be a hero swell with pride. 

This was her destiny. The universe dictated it to end this way, the same way it dictated for her to become who she was. The stone could have killed her, instead, it chose her. Her DNA absorbed it and she survived while her mother didn’t, which couldn’t have been an accident but something the stone wanted. She felt it, she couldn’t describe it, but the truth lay in the palm of her hand. She understood more now than before, possibly even everything. Suddenly, everything made sense. The world lay at her feet, the knowledge was entirely hers. 

She had the power to destroy and create worlds, and that alone was dangerous. She chose not to be dangerous anymore. One last time to set the record straight, to make the world right and the hourglass to stop losing sand, and then everything would be fine. She would make it fine for the people she cared about. There was a lot of making-up she had left to do, and this was part of the bargain she struck with the voice in her head. She would do this and then she would be done. She didn’t have to like it, the truth often hurt more than it felt good.

As Eliza stood across her enemies, she found herself wondering what Viktor did to them to have them so incredibly at his mercy. But those were just super soldiers, they weren’t enhanced like her. He knew they stood no chance against the person she had become. There had to be a bigger plan at play here, especially since the way to the fourth quadrant had been way too easy. 

The knife soared through the air. Before it could hit her already mangled collarbone, she lifted her hand. It stopped mid-air, frozen in place. She waited for them to act. They didn’t. 

“For people who are supposed to protect their boss,” she cooed, “You are doing a terrible job at trying to stop me.”

She snapped her fingers and the knife disintegrated. 

“Anyone else? No?”

Finally, one of them hit after her with his baton. She ducked under it, punched him in the ribs, and stole the weapon to hit him over the head. She copied Matt’s technique to throw the baton across the room, hitting at least three men in the process. That seemed to wake them from their trance. 

Soon enough, she found herself surrounded by five men, throwing fists and knees until they were bloody on the floor. Someone grabbed her from behind. She yelped. Strong arms pulled her back, hitting the wall. She regained her composure by the time they met the hard stone. She brought her elbow back, breaking his nose. Next, she pulled his head down so she could push herself up, swinging over his body with her feet crawling across the wall. The position made it possible for her to jump onto her next opponent’s shoulders, smashing his skull in from above. She went down with him, bracing her fall on her knees. 

Her chest heaved. This was a lot more complicated than she thought. 

The men mistook her posture as submission. She chuckled. The smoke rose in front of her, building a wall. She pushed it toward them. The force knocked them off their feet, sending them across the hallway. The overwhelming sense of agony kept them awake but paralyzed. She rose back to her feet with her palms faced upward. 

“Well, that was embarrassingly easy,” she said. 

The man next to her stumbled back up. Before he could make his advance, she punched him hard. 

“Stay down!”

He passed right back out. 

Rounding the next corner, she was met with an empty hallway. The feeling that something else might be coming for her worsened. The clock in her head sped up. 

A rumbling started in the distance. The floor vibrated. It lasted for three seconds, then stopped. She tilted her head. The vibrations picked up again. Another three seconds, then it was over. She shook her head. Probably another army heading for her, perhaps with the orders to kill upon seeing the destruction she left in her wake on the security cameras.

Viktor was so close, yet so far away. Who knew if he was even still in the building? With this little security, she doubted it, and her anger only got worse. She needed him dead. She needed to kill him, not watch him get away. Not this time. 

Just as she was about to set off into a sprint, the ground shook again. It wasn’t soft this time, the entire building jumped with the force of an explosion. She fell forward, the blow hitting her from behind. Smoke swallowed the hallway she came from whole, removing any sign of an exit. Fire crackles. She could hear shouting and screaming, her nose noticing a whiff of the fresh air from outside. What time was it? Her ears rang. 

Someone blew up all possible exit points to keep whoever was inside trapped by the debris. With enough force, she could knock it back and get out, if she could figure out where the explosion happened. It wasn’t directly at the door she had torn down, that was for sure. Still, the pathway that had led her there was completely gone, leaving her trapped in the empty hallway with only one way to go. One way that would lead to her definite death, no doubt. 

She lifted herself to her knees, groaning at the growing stiffness of her muscles. Footsteps approached. She looked up. The electricity before her crackled. The powerline hit the linoleum floor. 

Eliza stood up slowly, rising to her full height, which seemed to be only half of her opponent. The man from her apartment stood before her with all his might, his body radiating dangerous charges of electricity, voltages that could easily kill any human being in a heartbeat.

He had upgraded. It was just him, no one else. Viktor’s only successful experiment since she left, and even then he didn’t manage to create someone strong enough to win against her. He could stall time though.

She sighed. “Didn’t you get enough the first time?”

He stared at her with dead eyes. 

“Right, I forgot, you don’t speak.”

His fist clenched and unclenched, the white lightning bolts spurting from his fingertips. 

She tilted her head, he tilted his. Neither of them moved. 

“Where is he?” she asked.

Once again, he didn’t speak. He balled his fist, bringing it down on the ground. The volts traveled from his spot toward hers at inhuman speed. Not sure what would happen if it hit her, she copied his motion, slapping her hand down. The smoke caused the floor to bulge between them, a dune of sand shooting up and filtering the electricity. 

He huffed the first sound she heard out of him. The red sand dissolved, returning to the white floor it had been before. 

Her fast reaction changed something in him. He realized he couldn’t fight her, even if he wanted to. He couldn’t even catch her off guard. 

The man reached for the batons in his suit. She waited for them to extend as he flicked them at his sides. Instead of hard plastic or metal though, the sticks turned into bendable whips running on high voltage. They snapped against the floor. The electricity crackled, louder this time and the white lightning blinded her. She could feel the energy in the air, tickling the tiny hairs on her arms. Her powers responded to the change in the atmosphere, itching under her skin, her protective shield. 

The first attempt to hit her, she dodged. The whip went straight past her, extending and then shrunk back to its wielder’s size. 

She flipped over the next. He was far more agile than before. Viktor must have put him through the works to prepare him for this. She was almost impressed at his dedication to pushing her limits. He ruined this stranger’s life as he did hers to fit his agenda, all because his most precious experiment broke his heart and crushed his pride. 

The smoke coming from the hallway seemed like the perfect opportunity. She willed it toward her with just her mind, using her glowing hands only when it reached her feet. She let the still gray smoke rise around her, disappearing behind it. The power lines reached for her. She opened her arms. 

In her hands, the smoke turned into a dangerous weapon. She shaped the smoke into her version of a whip. It wrapped around him, immune to the voltages seeping out of the man’s body. If anything, it only recharged, fueling her powers. She grinned. The smoke tied around his throat, forcing him up. He levitated over the ground, reaching for his neck in surprise.

Eliza dissolved the smoke, realizing his lips turned blue. He dropped to the ground, catching himself on one knee.

She pulled his weapons toward herself before he could reach for them again. Midway, he caught one of the whips and pulled against her powers. She was left with only one while he held the other, staring straight into her eyes with his new white ones. He was completely dead. He was breathing and his heart still beat, but other than that there was no life left in his soul. Perhaps that was why she couldn’t reach for him. He didn’t feel anything. She couldn’t manipulate what wasn’t there. 

“What did they do to you?” she repeated the same question she asked him that previous night. 

When he went after her with the whip next, she did the same. The charges met in the middle, causing an epic blowout that sent both of them hurdling back. 

Eliza hit the wall with the back of her head. The slight sting was followed by a hot, wet feeling getting stuck in her hair. She groaned. 

Motherfucker.

As if getting hit over the head somehow restored his speech center, he finally opened his mouth for the first time. What came out though made her boiling blood run cold.

“On the edge, you mustn’t lie,” he sang.

She flinched, the jolts running through her body entirely too much. Her mind was fragile after everything they put her through in just the past hour. 

Without Viktor, that song would have never come to be. 

“Or the little red demon will come.”

She didn’t want to believe it at the butcher shop. Back then, the song only told her that Hydra was back. The memories she connected with it were dark and twisted, not even Mueller could match up to it. She had felt so many feelings at once, she didn’t look further. Deep down, she knew from the beginning that Viktor was behind this.

Because of this song, this stupid song. 

“And will nip you and will nip you on the tum, Tug you off into the wood, underneath the willow root.”

Her mouth parted. She lost the little self-control she had left. With an agonizing scream, she jumped at him, electricity be damned. She hit him, grabbed his face with her hand, and forced her anger down into his soul. His veins glowed as she boiled him alive. He might have been emotionally dead, but his body could still feel everything.

She thought about every cell and atom in his body tearing itself apart, putting itself back together, then scrambling again. His attempt to electrocute her only gave her a boost.

If he couldn’t do it with his powers, he would do it with his fists. He fought against the pain, bringing his head forward to hit her chin; she was eye-level with him now. She lost hold of his face. He used that to punch her in the ribs, then her nose, and lastly, her throat. 

She jammed a knife into his thigh from behind. He cried out. 

Everything that happened after, Eliza watched from afar as her body reacted to the commands of a mind that wasn’t hers. The song kept playing on repeat in her mind. All of her morals bled out of her, lost somewhere on the floor along the way. She no longer cared, she should have stopped doing so a long time ago. Life mattered nothing, it no longer served a purpose to her. Not just hers, and life. She was done asking for forgiveness or permission. She was done pretending to be the golden child when she was anything but. 

They wanted her to be the villain so badly, so she would give them what they wanted.

On the edge, you mustn’t lie.

She forced him to his knees in front of her, startled by the brutality and unable to focus on anything other than her hold on him, physically and mentally, and the red eyes staring into his from where she had his head tilted back.

Or the little red demon will come.

She pulled the knife out of his thigh. Oh, that stupid song. She set the blade to where his earlobe stopped at the side of his neck. 

And will nip you and will nip you on the tum, Tug you off into the wood, underneath the willow root.

The crimson disappeared, and left behind was only the eye color she was born with. She wanted him to see her like a person, not a mutant. This wasn’t the stone acting, it was her. It was the person the song had been rewritten about. 

She would give him what he wanted. She would prove him right while also turning into the one thing he feared most. The ruthless, out-of-control soldier escaped him. The one thing that wouldn’t dance to his music anymore, and that was his greatest enemy.

Eliza buried the blade deep in his jugular and cut. She slid the knife through his flesh, listening to it squish around the sharp edge, and sliced his aorta in two. 

The blood squirted from the vessel. He choked on it. The red painted the white walls dark, some of it staining her face, flooding the palms of her hands. His blood was sticky and glued her fingers together. She tasted copper on her tongue, some of the dirt that was left on his skin mixing with the thick liquid. His pulse vanished underneath her fingers as even the last drops of blood were squeezed from his motionless heart. 

He fell out of her grasp, dead weight on the now slippery floor. 

She breathed heavily. She should have been scared of herself, she should have covered herself against the wall and just let them take her. Anything was better than turning into the person she loathed. Though as she caught sight of her face in the reflective tiles, she felt nothing. 

Her body remained numb even when even more Hydra soldiers came around the corner, having realized that even Viktor no longer had a way out with the exploded exits, and now it was on them to restrain her. They probably watched what she had done, they had watched all emotions drain from her eyes as she drained the poor man of his blood.

All she did was wipe her face and stare at them, her eyes set with determination. She threw the blood-covered knife in their direction, hitting one of them in the throat. She didn’t care. 

The voice in her head screamed for her to stop. She stumbled over unconscious bodies and spilled blood. By the time she had reached the last man standing, using her powers to paralyze him, the voice had given up. She was only a faint buzzing in the back of her mind. 

The last door in the quadrant flew off its hinges. With the walls made out of steel, the room almost looked like a bunker straight out of a war movie. 

Eliza tossed the remaining soldier’s unconscious body at his feet. “I believe this belongs to you,” she said. 

She stood across from Viktor, her clothes drenched in someone else’s blood and sweat, and her usually bright eyes had turned almost black in the artificial light. 

He stared at her with something that could only be described as a mixture of adoration, impression, and pure, unbridled fear. He didn’t get scared often, if not never. This was a big accomplishment she had to note in her books of unlikely scenarios that have become true. 

His hand clenched around the walking cane. He was only superior in height, nothing more. His stance was supposed to look intimidating, make what he had worked for him, but she only felt sad for him when she saw how desperately he tried to intimidate her. 

“What did you do?” he asked eerily calmly, motioning to her clothing. 

She shrugged. “There is more where that one came from.”

There was a whole control panel behind him, security cameras and microphones covering the entire facility. They were all working. He knew what she had done. He watched her. He probably applauded her for turning into a monster again, too. Though as soon as it was him in the line of fire, he suddenly felt so inferior.

“I told you, I’d get out,” she said to him. “The way you’re looking at me right now tells me you didn’t have faith in that, but here I am! I outsmarted you again. I outmatched you again. Doesn’t it get tiring to lose against me over and over again, and still think you can win?”

He chuckled. “You’re here, aren’t you? I’d take that as a pretty big win.”

“I’m here to kill you.”

“Are you sure about that?” he clicked his tongue. “I don’t think so. I think you’ve felt the thrill of killing again and now you’re not so sure what to do with me anymore because you have realized that you miss this life, after all.”

Eliza swallowed the bitter taste of the words left in her mouth. “You disgust me.”

“God, if you could see yourself. It’s truly victorious. For a moment there I doubted my abilities. I thought that maybe I was wrong to put my faith in you back then. I wasn’t,” he said. “You will always be my perfect little girl.”

“You don’t own me, fuck you!” 

“Oh, malyshka, I will always own you. You’re mine. Running away doesn’t make you any less a part of me.”

“You made me think that this is what love is supposed to be like,” she said. “You made me think that being used and abused is all that I deserve, that I was only worth it when put into a cage. You made me believe that men can do whatever they want with me and speaking up against it is a bad thing. And you made me believe that everyone that wasn’t you could never love me. I was never yours, you just wanted me to be your property and when I fought back, you punished me until I was entirely at your mercy. But that’s over now! I have my mind back. I know now that I didn’t deserve what you did to me. There are people who actually love me, and because of you, I can never experience what it’s like to feel such devotion because you broke me. You made me believe I was unlovable so I became a loveless monster.”

Viktor only laughed.

“Are you proud of yourself?” Eliza inched closer. “Are you proud that you have ruined so many children’s lives?”

“I mean…” he trailed off. “It worked out in the end, didn’t it? You’re the most powerful thing to ever come out of Hydra. You should be proud of yourself. You’re a monster. You’re a legacy. Think about what we could do,” he said, “together.”

She scoffed, “You think saying those things will make me fall for you again? Well, it won’t happen. I’m done with you, Viktor. Your words mean nothing to me now.”

“Are you trying to convince yourself or me?”

“That depends,” she asked, “are you?” 

“I know where I stand. You say you do, but I doubt that. If you really wanted to kill me, you would have foregone your little speech. That’s not what I taught you.”

“You took away my childhood,” her fingers began to glow, “and you ruined all that I am. What’s enough is enough. I want my girlhood back, and I want to give everyone whose lives you ruined here in the years while I was gone to get the same opportunity.”

“Oh please, you were too mature to even be considered a girl.” 

“I was a child!” She cried out. “I was a child and you took that away from me! You took my pride and my innocence and my… my body, and that is something I will never forgive you for. While you’re alive, I will never know peace. And you’ve never even deserved the air you breathe in the first place. You’re the monster, I’m not. So this place can crash down on me, I don’t care, as long as it buries you with me. I’m going to die sooner or later anyway. But I will not stand by and watch you do this to anyone ever again.”

“We both know that no matter what happens, I will always get back up again.” 

“Not when I can help it,” she said. 

Viktor tapped the cane down in time with his laugh. “Here’s the thing,” he said, “I still don’t believe you have the guts to kill me.”

“I’ve already killed one man today.”

“You can’t kill me because deep down, you still feel love for me. I raised you, after all. I am your father. I’m the only man who understands what you need.”

Eliza cut him off, “I have a father! He might have been a shitty one and he was never there for me, but he had my best interest in mind, always. And you’re not him. You don’t have the heart to be a father, let alone love someone the way you claim to. This is not love, this is manipulation. I know who I am now and I won’t let you take that away from me again. I will no longer grant you that power.” 

“You say you have so much fire inside of you.” He opened his arms, shrugging. “Where is it, if you’re not scared?”

She clenched her fists. “I promised that I will end you once and for all, and I meant it.”

“You promised a lot of things. Right now, I think you’re just stalling. You can’t act without a clear order, so when I tell you not to kill you, I know for certain that you won’t.”

“Why?” she challenged.

“Because you like to please,” he stated. “Most importantly, you like to please me. You don’t want to disappoint me.”

She gnawed on her bottom lip. “You have a pair on you!” she said. “You think I’m still like that? That I’m still your prisoner, even after all these years?”

“Am I wrong? I hear you talking, but I don’t see you acting on any of your promises.”

He grew cockier by the second. The less she did, the more confidence he gained. She was only feeding into his ego.

Eliza wasn’t sure why she hadn’t jumped at him yet, why she returned to talking rather than following through with her plan. She had been so certain. Staring into his face though, she found herself back in a different world. She saw a different person. She saw the man who ruined her life while at the same time, she saw the man she owed her life to. It was twisted. She hated her mind for falling back into old patterns.

“You say you’ve become who you’re supposed to be. I say you’re wrong,” he said. “I think you’re scared of unfolding your true potential, still, so you blame me for everything that’s wrong with your life when in reality, it’s you who’s wrong.”

She rolled her eyes, staring up at the ceiling in an attempt to hide her tears. They were a sign of weakness, proof that he was right and it would make his attitude only worse. 

“Look around you!” his voice bounced off the walls, hitting her right where it hurt. “Ever since you ran away in a pathetic attempt to redeem yourself, all that followed has been death and destruction. Every person who decides to get close to you gets hurt. And somehow that’s my fault?”

Her nails dug into her palms.

“You blame me because you can’t look the truth into its very honest eyes. You’re the problem! You always have been. It’s not me who has made you a monster or unlovable, you were just born that way. You always get just what you deserve, yet you’re never satisfied with the outcome, so instead, you blame those who only want to help you. While you’re so sad about the lives you’ve ruined, you forget that there is someone who would never judge you for who you are; me,” he said. 

“I’m the only one who can ever truly love you because I understand the kind of person you are. Whether you like it or not, we are the same. Your father brought you here because I’m the only one who can control the storm inside of you and give you the power your body craves. No one else can show you the kind of tough love that you need, the absolute devotion that you deserve. Respect and guide you all at the same time. I care about you enough to tell you the truth about who you are and not tell you silly little lies about the goodness of your heart. I think you know better than anyone that there is no such thing when it comes to you, and that hope is fragile and only hurts you when it turns out to be untrue. Emotions are a distraction, easily manipulated, and distractions will only keep you from rising to your true potential. Do you know who taught you that? That was me. I made you into something that’s supposed to understand the fragility of emotions better than anyone, so I thought you knew better than to let vengeance control you, blind you, and turn you into a shell of the woman you were before. Physically you might outmatch me, but your mind is holding you back. Your conscience is making you weak, little one, and it’s making me disappointed in you.”

His eyes spoke the same language as his words. The color darkened, glazed over with the sheen of disappointment. He looked her up and down as if she were worth far less than him. Her heart screamed. She hated that look. She needed him to stop looking at her like that. He made her weak in the knees, playing with the switch that would have her bowing at his feet in no time if he asked her to. 

Why did she think this was such a good idea? She couldn’t control herself around him. She turned into a robot waiting for its master to push the right buttons. When he visited her before, she thought she could do it. She thought she could face him and make him suffer for what he did to her. He deserved to burn for the hell he put her through. She knew all of that and yet, as she stood across from him, all she wanted was to fall to her knees and cry to him about how sorry she was. She wanted his respect, she wanted him to take care of her and give her the same kind of attention that used to sustain her. She wanted to feel important again, not empty and useless and with the world out of her control. 

The power she felt when killing the soldier who attacked her was all too familiar; scary but familiar, and the familiarity seemed more important than anything else at that moment. No one else truly understood her, he did. He didn’t run, he didn’t shy away, and he never tried to change her. He was only there to guide her the way. 

Perhaps he hadn’t been that bad, after all.

Eliza squeezed her eyes shut. No, this was exactly what he wanted. He wanted her to fold, he wanted her to run back into his arms so he could escape and fix whatever she broke to keep his empire strong and healthy. He wanted the world, knowing she could help him get what he wanted in a heartbeat, and once she came to him voluntarily, the upper hand would be his forever. Because if she joined him out of her own free will, she proved him right, and he could twist her mind to the point where all she would be was his slave. She would be his pet, his everything, and he would use her weaknesses to his advantage, the same way he would use her powers to destroy the world and make it seem like he did it all alone.

He would get his pleasure from her, would use her to get ahead of everyone and everything, and then he would only continue kicking her further into submission until Eliza was no longer there. She would only be the number eight, not a real person, merely a number on a list of hundreds.

He took everything. He took her childhood, her pride, and her girlhood. He took her innocence, he hurt her and he broke her down into tiny little pieces that weren’t glued together quite yet, but she wanted to try. She wanted to be whole again. If she fell for him, all of the fightings would have been for nothing.

Eliza gnawed on her tongue. She couldn’t listen to him. She couldn’t let him destroy everything Natasha helped her work toward. She wouldn’t let him take away her dignity, not anymore, not if it killed her.

As much as she craved to be his again, she realized that it was a twisted need he imprinted into her brain. She wanted to be submissive, to serve, simply because she grew up under his control. She learned how to fight back, she had to stick with that, not return to the helpless girl she used to be. She was better than that.

He was a dangerous man – many were like him, trying to take whatever they wanted however they wanted, with manipulation being their best skill. He wasn’t right with what he said. He was the monster, not her. 

She had to remember that. She had to stop doubting everything and remember the plan. Always remember the plan. She was strong enough to fight this. Just because her mind was fragile didn’t mean she had to endure his words as weapons. She could fight him. If killing him hadn’t been a clear option before, it sure as hell was now. 

Viktor began to walk around his half of the room, cane hitting the floor at a condescending pace. The grin sat firmly on his lips, sour and ready to poison her. He’d almost had her right there. 

“I just found a way to restrain you so you become more than the wreck your father left you to be,” he told her. He made it sound so easy, so real, so truthful. “I saved you, I made you something. Everything that’s happened in the past seven years was because of you, not me, but you alone. The things you ruined, you ruined with your own decisions. You just like putting on a mask and pretending nothing is your fault. Though who else would be at fault for your actions if not you? The past doesn’t exactly dictate your behavior. Not anymore, at least. Trauma doesn’t make you a terrible person. I didn’t have a hand in any of it, nor did Hydra. This is all on you.”

Eliza waited for her heartbeat to slow down. She couldn’t let him see her bleed.

“You are blessed with a curse that started the day you were born when your mother died because she chose your life over hers. Even her, you killed. I guess you were just born for the cause, that’s why we got along so well.”

Her teeth bared. “No,” she growled, “you don’t get to talk about her. You don’t get to talk about my mother and blame me for what happened.” 

She unclenched her fists to reveal the crimson smoke dancing in her palms.

“You have no right to act as if you know me because you don’t. What you’re doing is gaslighting, and you’re right, my heart is far from good, but I’m only half the monster that you are, and that already makes me so much better than you because I actually care about people,” she said. “I refuse to let you manipulate me anymore. I’m done.” 

Her veins filled with newfound energy. 

“You don’t get to destroy who I am!”

Viktor sighed. “What are you doing?”

She raised her arms. “Making true to my promise.”

He launched at her, but the ball of red hit him in the chest before he could even reach her. He flew back. The walls around them crumbled. She took them apart inch by inch, leaving behind a crimson wasteland made out of sand and fire. 

He knelt before her, holding his aching stomach. His eyes were blown wide. She walked up to him dangerously slowly. 

“People always ask me what’s going on in my head,” she said. “I suppose this is not what you expected to see…”

“Please, you don’t want to do this,” he begged. He actually begged her.

“This?” Eliza looked around herself. “No, you’re right, I don’t want to do this. I could make you feel pain until your heart stops. I could throw you off a cliff that I made up or I could drown you in the sand. I could burn you alive. I could make you look your deepest, darkest fears into the eyes,” she grabbed him by the throat, pulling him up, and the world around them changed into the ruins of a burned-down building, “And then I’d sit back and watch while you die.”

He hit the ground with a huff. The sand burned under his fingers, back in the wasteland she created. He was sure, this had to be what hell was like. With every inch of fire, yet freezing at the same time. Time didn’t exist and there was no sunlight. 

“I could do this,” she said, and something strange wrapped its hands around his heart, squeezing the organ and draining it of all the blood it had to give. “Or I could do this.” Roots broke from the ground, tying around his limbs and his neck, hoisting him up to his knees. “But…” as fast as the world had changed, they returned to the bunker-like room. “I won’t.”

Viktor toppled over, too exhausted to hold himself upright any longer. 

“I won’t kill you,” she paused to catch the momentary hope in his eyes, only to crush it under her boot, “like this. I want to kill you with my bare hands. I want you to feel as humiliated as I did with your hands all over my body, and I want you to feel every last bit of my pain while I watch you die the slowest, most agonizing death I can think of. And then, when you’re dead, I will make sure everyone in the world knows about the horrible things you did to children in your precious little white room so no one will care about your existence ever again.”

Before he could ask what she meant by that, her fist collided with his jaw. He grunted. She didn’t hold back with her force. Over and over again, she planted her knuckles on his face, breaking the skin. She broke every last bone in his face and while he struggled, he gave up fighting after the third hit. His body was on fire. He was in so much pain, he wasn’t sure where his own started and hers ended. 

Blood coated her already bloody hands. Her boot collided with his ribs, breaking every single one of them. His leg cracked under the force of her stepping on it. He was only a mess of broken, mangled bones on the floor, blood pooling around him, and his kidneys actively bleeding into his stomach. She avoided his windpipe for now, not ready to watch him die just yet. Watching him cry, wheeze and writhe in pain was so much more satisfying. Feeling the fear radiating off of him, she swallowed it. She was so alive.

Every last thing he did to her, the things she could remember at least, and perhaps those she knew about subconsciously, she poured into her punches, and letting out all of her anger had never felt more satisfying, never better. She wasn’t supposed to feel this way, even though she accounted herself the right to whatever it took to destroy him when all of this started. He deserved to die and she deserved the honor of doing it herself.

Right and wrong blurred together. None of it mattered as long as Hydra would be out of the picture when she was done.

I hate you. You ruined my life. I loathe you. 

She only realized she was screaming when she ran out of breath, her throat aching and her cheeks wet with tears. Her knuckles were bruised, the different blood types mixing. She could already feel a rash coming on. 

He inhaled sharply, his lungs close to collapsing. 

“What,” he choked out, “changed your mind?”

She growled, baring her teeth. Her fists rained down on his face once more. She cried out when her bones started to ache from the torture. The pain was oh-so-sweet. She deserved it the same way he did. She needed it, she needed the pain to be reminded that this was real, that this was truly happening. 

Watching the life slowly drain from his eyes had victory blooming in her chest.

The last hit, she directed toward his throat. Her elbow was in the air, fist pointing in his direction. She was ready. 

Someone grabbed her from behind. Too focused on the blood-thirsty haze that had her vision and mind clouded, she didn’t realize until the force pulled her back and into the air easily. She gasped, fighting against the hold. Part of her hoped it was Matt. She wanted him to stop her before she could drive herself deeper into the snow. 

The hand around her throat reminded her that it wasn’t Matt. She would have recognized his arms instantly and this wasn’t him. Eliza brought her head back, breaking the man’s nose. 

“You are a pain in my ass!” he said. 

She turned to look at him. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” she retorted.

Ivan stood across from her, alive and well, not even a scar other than the one she left on his face, on his body. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”

He shrugged. “Death is a social construct.”

“Ivan, get the hell out of-“

“Not when you’re trying to kill the man who gave you life,” he snapped.

“I won’t stop,” she said.

“I thought you were going to say that.” He sighed, slipping a knife from his sleeve. “That’s why I came prepared.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “You seriously want to fight for him? The man treated you like a piece of meat!” 

“At least he loved me!” His voice echoed. “And he loved you too, but you have absolutely no respect for the people who raised you.” 

“Hydra didn’t raise me, you turned me into a murderer. Why would you protect him, Ivan? Are you really that deranged?”

“I’m not protecting or fighting for him,” he told her. “That man could not matter less to me. No, I’m doing this for Hydra. Now, you might have a perfect family to go back to, but I don’t, and I refuse to let your greedy ass take the one good thing in my life away from me. We’re stronger than you think.” He jabbed the knife at her. She dodged his attempt. “Just because you kill one of us doesn’t mean we will fall. Cut off one head, more shall grow in its place. That hasn’t changed.” 

She grabbed his wrist, twisting it until the knife fell out. He grunted. She expected him to punch her. The adrenaline was high, so she barely felt it. 

“If it weren’t for Hydra,” she panted, “you could have become a good person.”

Ivan chuckled darkly. “Then I’m glad Hydra took me. Hero’s are so boring.” 

“Oh, honestly, you know what?” She hit him, pushing him back until his back hit the wall, and then she punched him again, this time in the stomach. “Fuck you!”

He wheezed, “We used to be such a great team, what happened?” 

“We were never a team,” she bit back.

His push sent her flying across the room. He towered over her then, pointing his gun at her head. 

This wasn’t how she planned to die. 

“You and your father have been a pain in my ass for the last time, Alina.” 

She frowned. “My father?”

“Oh, and your superhero friends? Yeah, they’re all trapped outside now with over a dozen very dangerous, very mutated super soldiers waiting to get their first kill in.” 

“What-“

“I’d suggest helping them, but I don’t think you will be getting out of here alive anytime soon.”

The thought of her friends fighting for their lives was more important to her than the fact that her father was somehow brought into the mix. Ivan didn’t know what he was talking about. She didn’t care, it wasn’t part of the plan.

Eliza kicked at his wrist. The gun tumbled out of his grasp and onto the floor. She used the moment of surprise to jump back to her feet. He reached for her, but she ducked and just as he was about to retrieve another weapon, the full charge of her powers hit him. 

She grabbed his hair from where he lay, looking deep into his eyes. Breathing into his ear, she spoke again, “Don’t try to stop me again,” she said, “or I won’t hesitate to kill you and bury you side by side with daddy in your own backyard.” His skull collided with the steel, painting the world black and drowning him in unconsciousness. 

Time was short. She took his gun, ignoring the burning in her chest, the need to strangle him and watch as he struggled to breathe until death. Viktor peeked up at her through swollen eyes. He wheezed something inaudible.

The safety was off and her finger rested on the trigger. She only had to pull it. One more second and she would be free. He would die instantly. 

Then why was it that she couldn’t bring herself to follow through with it?

The gun shook in her hand. 

“If you do this, you’re no better than who they want you to be,” Matt said in the back of her head. “He doesn’t get to destroy who you are. This? This isn’t you. This would be destroying everything you worked so hard for. We both know you won’t be able to live with yourself if you do this.” 

Even as a hallucination he was right, and she hated that. 

“I already killed someone today,” she argued. “What would one more change?”

“You want to have more blood on your hands? He doesn’t deserve to die, Eliza, because death would be merciful. He should rot in jail, that’s what he deserves. You defended yourself against the first one. If you killed him, it would be out of spite and revenge, and you’d carry that guilt with you until the day you do. There’s more satisfaction in watching him suffer for what he did for years to come than killing him and offering him the chance to be laid to rest. He would not be held accountable for his actions, he would just be dead. That’s not what you want.”

She wiped the knowing laugh off of Viktor’s face by smashing the barrel into his head, probably leaving him with extensive brain damage. 

“Death would be too kind as a punishment for what you did,” she told him. “This isn’t self-defense, this is revenge, and revenge makes people sick.”

“And he doesn’t get to make you sick anymore.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t.” 

Killing him had been a foolish idea. She had to get out. 

Eliza turned back toward the security footage. Ivan was right, the perimeter was crowded with super soldiers. They looked just as dead as the one who attacked her.

An idea came to mind. Her eyes stayed glued on Matt’s figure in the blurry footage.

“I’m going to get you out of there,” she decided.

Screw the plan, she managed to dethrone Viktor and as soon as law enforcement had him, Hydra would still be gone. If she didn’t do something about her friends’ situation soon though, they would be history before they could even celebrate victory.  

Twenty minutes, as it turned out, weren’t a lot of time. Natasha realized that when she jumped the roof to get Steve out of his predicament. The second she stepped up on that pedestal, the first explosion hit. The second one caused the helipad to collapse, sending her and a very distraught Steve several feet to the ground. He shielded her fall, which at least kept her skull intact. Her pride, however, took a brutal hit. 

She was about to ask Matt how far he was when the next entrance exploded. He didn’t get very far either. “Are you guys okay?” he asked through the earpiece. His voice came labored. 

“I think I broke another rib,” Natasha groaned. 

“But other than that, we’re fine,” Steve said.��

“Matt, where are you?”

He grunted. “Trapped.” He sniffed the air. “Outside.”

They found him buried under debris and several super soldiers.

“You were supposed to stay away from the doors!” she lectured him once they helped him up. 

“Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly get the chance to explain it to these guys before they attacked me,” he said, patting the dust off his suit. “They’re dead, aren’t they?”

Natasha checked for a pulse. She nodded. “Yeah, they are.”

“Fuck!” Matt kicked some of the debris aside. The entire wall had collapsed in itself, making it impossible to properly see inside. “We’re out. There is no way back inside. She’s… fuck! She can do whatever she wants now. We might as well have put the gun in her hand. All because I was pushed into the door. I didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter. It was almost as if… as if they knew what was gonna happen.”

“Maybe they did,” she said.

“Don’t make me think about it.”

On the other side of the complex, Clint pressed his finger into the earpiece. He long came down from his hideout on one of the viewing points. “What the hell just happened?” he asked. 

“We’re fine,” the three answered in unison. 

“Eliza?”

“Still inside,” Natasha told him. 

“Damn it! Well, we might have a bigger problem on our hands,” he said and looked at the crowd of what he could only call zombies heading toward him and Sam, who did him a favor and returned to a landing next to him. He counted the arrows he had left - five was nowhere near enough for the number of soldiers standing their ground. They were surrounded, the facility completely cut off. He had never seen so many different eye colors and skill palettes at once. 

Steve frowned. “Barton, what do you mean?” he checked in. 

“You should come see for yourself.”

“Yeah,” said Sam, “We could use some support here.”

The bushes behind the trio shuffled. Matt, slowly regaining his hearing, turned toward the sound that went unnoticed by his partners. “Heartbeats,” he said.

“Where?” Natasha looked around.

He pointed in the direction he first heard the shuffling, the faint footsteps followed by the faintest heartbeats. He could make out six pairs so far. Further away, there seemed to be even more on their way. The uneven beating of their hearts caused goosebumps to spread over his skin. He could feel the air shift, something changed in the atmosphere. 

Natasha and Steve couldn’t see anything in the darkness, nor could they hear the same signs Matt did, which put them at a disadvantage. The bushes shuffled again, stronger this time, not to be mistaken with the wind. They were far away from the cage that kept the perimeter safe from the outside world and the woods around them. The spotlights outshone the stars, rendering the sky completely black to the naked eye. 

She moved her finger to the earpiece first. “Clint,” she kept her voice low, “We might be facing a problem of our own.”

“Ah, great!” the Hawkeye huffed. “Just when I thought we finally had the upper hand.”

“Where are they coming from?” Sam said. “That’s not normal! Were they hiding in there all this time? And what the hell can they do, they’re just staring at us.”

“They’re waiting for instructions,” Matt murmured. 

“What?”

“Instructions,” louder this time. “They’re waiting on orders from somewhere, orders to kill us.”

“They’re the experiments,” said Natasha. “Listen,” she directed her words at the entire team this time, “We don’t know what we’re dealing with and we probably won’t figure it out in time to anticipate behavior.”

“So we react,” Steve told them. “We wait for them to do something and then we react in the hopes that none of us die. When we get a free window, one of us is going to find a way back in to find Eliza. Until then, we just have to get through this.”

Matt offered him one of his batons. He took it gladly, running a hand through his beard. He was positively exhausted, and the black eye he received during the fight on the roof pulsated heavily, the pain traveling up to his temple. 

Natasha rolled her shoulders back. “You heard the Captain.”

The bushes parted. “Now,” Matt said just before the creatures stepped out of the dark. 

She aimed the gun at the first girl - she couldn’t possibly call her a woman, she was sixteen, at best - targeting the top of her shoulder through the thick scope. Her finger ghosted over the trigger. Just as she was about to raise her metal arm, she pulled her finger back. The projectile traveled the distance, hitting her acquired target where she wanted to. The girl slouched forward at the force. 

She reloaded, repositioning. She hit the next target in the same spot. The zombie-like children on the field below her dropped like flies, the sharp projectiles sticking out of their bare shoulders. They wore the same white pants and tank-top combo that she had on, minus the stolen flannel. 

Eliza caught sight of Clint’s face through the scope, the red target floating over his nose. He froze, lowering the arrow in his bow. Another five went down around him shortly after one another. Sam halted his movements too, Redwing coming down to rest at his sides. She couldn’t hear them, but surprise was written all over their faces. The silencer made the shots inaudible to the human ear  - in their state of mind control, the dropping of bodies went unnoticed until only a handful of soldiers were left standing. The Avengers corned them in this time. 

She held her breath. Matt stepped into the line of fire, knocking his baton over the girl’s head that was in front of him. She pulled the trigger at the one next to her, then the next, and the two that were left, Natasha electrocuted with her bracelet. 

The five stood in the middle of the empty perimeter now, looking around themselves but finding none. Matt listened. He could hear her heartbeat, but he wasn’t sure where. It came from somewhere above. The more he listened, the closer she came. His own heart picked up at the prospect, drumming against his ribcage, and it threw his senses off for a second. It couldn’t be… her smell hit his nose next, slightly overshadowed by the tangy scent of blood, sweat, gun residue, and smoke. Still, her signature scent lingered on her salty skin. All of the stress from the past hours constricted his airflow. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh, cry or yell at her. 

Her feet hit the ground softly. That was why her heartbeat had sounded so far up - she had hidden out on the roof, the vents being the only exit they didn’t consider. Landing gracefully, she looked up at her friends, still a good few feet away from her, but they could see her more clearly now, and the relief in their faces made tears sting in her eyes. 

Natasha breathed out. “Did we just win?” she whispered. 

Eliza pressed a hand against her side. Her ribs hurt, but nothing could overshadow the sudden feeling of hope that spread through her, making the pain a little more bearable. 

“I think so,” she said, approaching them. She kept her steps slow, careful not to cross any unnecessary boundaries. She wasn’t sure how they felt after everything if they even still wanted her back. 

“Those were some good fucking shots, kid,” Clint spoke up eventually, and he sounded not at all upset. It gave her the necessary push to come even closer, stepping into the limelight. 

Matt looked as if he was about to pass out. “You’re alive,” his voice pushed everyone else into the background. 

She nodded, her lip twitching into a smile. “I’m alive,” she breathed. 

He removed his mask by the horns. His brown eyes pointed aimlessly in her direction, and she just imagined them staring lovingly into hers as he finally wrapped her up in his arms. Everything would be okay, she realized. With him in front of her, she could believe again. He was so close, she could almost feel his warmth and his soft voice in her ear, whispering sweet nothings until she relaxed into him fully.

Neither of them dared to move closer. “I was so worried I was never going to see you again,” he said. 

“I know and I am so sorry.”

“Are you okay?” The mask fell to the grass. 

“I’m okay,” she said. 

“He didn’t hurt you or…”

“No, it’s, uh,” she shivered slightly at the present feeling of the dried blood on her skin, “It’s not mine.”

His face finally broke into a bright smile. “I thought I lost you.” His steps grew more determined to close even the last space between them. 

“Well, you haven’t.” She readied herself. 

Eliza believed it was Natasha who taught her to always cover all of her bases, make sure that her back would always be covered, and that she never left any weapons behind. It was Natasha who taught her how to be smart, not to underestimate her opponent, and not to cheer before the war was officially over. 

She made all the mistakes she was taught not to. She had hope - she had hoped for one second, but a second was all it took for her small moment of happiness to break like a glass. 

“May the legendary Red Angel please stand up!” he roared from behind. 

She twirled around, staring at the bloodied man stepping out of the ruins. 

“Oh, my…” she growled in the back of her throat, “Haven’t you had enough, Ivan?”

“So heroic,” he spat. “Always thinks she’s better than everyone. A round of applause for the traitor!”

“Come on! You’re too late. You lost. It’s over.”

“Maybe I have,” Ivan raised his gun, “But I won’t be going down alone.”

“Wait-”

“Hail Hydra!”

Dying doesn’t feel like flying. Everyone experiences death differently. For some who have come close to it, seeing the light is an overused metaphor. All they saw was a deep, dark void. Some say they saw a white light urging them to come closer, others might have seen a loved one who passed away, and there are even those who claim they’ve seen their life pass right before their eyes.

Not everyone can remember how it happened, what they saw, or what it felt like. Mostly, it’s a blur. Death comes in different shapes and sizes, and the process is an individual process that can not be reduced to one universal saying like ‘when you die, you will step into the light’. Also, heaven and hell are bullshit until you’re actually dead. No one knows what happens beyond that, but the afterlife doesn’t speak to you, at least not actively. 

She had stared into the face of death many times before. The number of near-death experiences she had had was sheer endless. She couldn’t remember just one during which she saw something other than darkness. She passed out, stared into the void, and then woke up eventually to the sound of hospital machines beeping. So naturally, she had never actively been on her deathbed either because every time she was fatally injured, she instantly went into a floating state.

She and Death were old friends. It would come knocking at her door every once in a while, she let it in only for it to leave soon enough again. Every time she almost died, she survived. It had become quite the routine. 

This time felt different though. This time, when the bullets entered her body, she remained numb. The first one stung, and the next she barely felt. She wasn’t sure if there was a third one. She could hear a faint shot in the distance, and then the world went quiet. 

Eliza lost control of her legs. She waited for the darkness to take over, but her eyes remained open. She didn’t pass out this time, she stayed awake, and as soon as her knees buckled, the fog that clouded her senses disappeared and she was hit with the full noise around her. Fire crackling, screaming, wheezing, and then two strong arms caught her as she fell, the pain still non-existent, and for a moment she believed the bullet hit so deep, she was fully paralyzed. More likely though, her body was protecting itself from the pain, mixing with the adrenaline to give her a softer send-off.

She would not make it out of this one, or else she would have already passed out. Her body was giving her time to adjust to the truth, to say goodbye, and then it was over. She was bleeding out, and not just externally. Every doctor would have told her the same thing – she was completely fucked, and she didn’t need to assess all of her possible injuries to know. With every second, breathing got just a little harder, and her heart did cartwheels against her chest cavity. 

Eliza instinctively clawed at the fabric of his suit. Her eyes searched for him, taking embarrassingly slow to do so. The sight broke her already bleeding heart. 

“No, no, no, no,” he chanted. 

His hand pushed down on the holes in her chest. Where had his gloves gone? The pressure made her hyper-aware of the state she was in, causing her to suck in an even deeper breath. She smelled the copper, the smoke, and the faintest hint of salt in the air. 

Matt felt her blood between his fingers, hot and sticky, and the flow just wouldn’t stop. He’d been so close to touching her again. If he had done so sooner, maybe he could have seen Ivan coming, maybe he could have jumped in front of her instead, but he let his emotions distract him. He shot her three times and even then he only stopped because Natasha put a bullet between his eyes. He couldn’t do anything but catch her, his mind went blank. 

The sounds her body made were anything but healthy. He could tell her lung was collapsing, she bled into her chest cavity and at least one kidney was completely screwed up. And the blood… God, the blood. There was so much of it, too much, and it just wouldn’t stop. His hands were coated after only a few seconds, her pulse thudding underneath his fingers. It got faster, way too fast, only for it to fade again.

He felt her looking up at him. He smiled, he tried to, but the tears betrayed him. 

“Hey,” he said, “You’re okay.” His other hand went to hold her cheek, leaving a trail of blood in the wake of his fingers. 

She shuddered. “Matt-“

“Shh, I’m here. You’re okay.”

“We both know that’s not true,” her voice was shaky and thin, something it never was, not even when she was anxious.

He put more pressure on his hand. “You’re gonna be fine, okay? We can fix this. We always do. You and me against the world, remember?”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“No, don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault.”

“It is though. I’m so sorry for leaving you, for leaving a letter like a coward instead of telling you the truth, without saying goodbye, I… I was scared and part of me was angry at you for the nice things you said ‘cause I can’t deal with nice. I had this plan,” she stopped to wheeze, “I had this plan, I wanted to stop Hydra and kill Volkov, and then you’d be safe. I didn’t care what happened to me. I just wanted you to be… to be safe.” The words came more labored now. The oxygen burned in her lungs. “I never wanted you to get hurt by my words, let alone my actions, so I ran. That’s all I know how to do. I can’t… I don’t know what else to do.”

Matt nodded. He allowed the tears to flow freely now. All he could do was hold her, apply pressure to the wound and pray to god that she was going to be okay. Hope was fleeting with every second, but he had to be listening. He had to save her. It wasn’t time yet. She was too young, she had so much left to do. They needed time to figure this out. And she deserved to be happy, to move on. She wasn’t supposed to die so soon. 

“I’m so sorry, Matt. I fucked up. This is all my fault. I did this. I… I should have talked to you. I should have been honest with you. I promised not to push you away and I did, and I… I planned for this to go differently, you have to believe me. Things went wrong because I didn’t calculate what Hydra was truly capable of, I was just so blinded by rage and vengeance I didn’t think, and I’m so sorry.”

He stroked her cheek. “It’s okay,” he said. He told her what she wanted to hear, needed to hear, in case this might be the last time. “I forgive you, sweetheart. None of it matters now, all that matters is that you’re gonna be okay. Just focus on your breathing, focus on me.” 

Shivers tore through her body. She choked at her tears. She couldn’t do this. She didn’t want to do this. 

“I can’t,” she choked out.

“Hey, no! No, you stay with me, alright? This isn’t over.”

“Matt…”

“Stop! You’re not saying goodbye. I’m sorry for pushing you the way I did, and I’m sorry for lashing out. I think part of me pushed you away, too, and I realize now that it was all just a little too much for you. I didn’t mean it. You are the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me. I should have shown you that I was there for you, that I wouldn’t judge you for what you were planning to do. If anything, it’s my fault. You needed me and I… I was too caught up in my own feelings to realize you were starting to feel alone. You’re not alone, you never were. God, I’m so sorry…” 

She shook her head. “Please, Matt, don’t make this any harder on yourself.” Her hand found his face and he nuzzled into her touch almost instantly. The low temperature of her skin caused a tiny sob to escape his lips. “It’s okay,” she breathed. 

“No, none of this is okay,” he said. “I should have heard him coming. I was supposed to protect you.“

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault.”

“Look at you, comforting me.” He chuckled. 

Her eyelids fluttered. 

“No! Sweetie, stay with me. Don’t close your eyes.” 

She was so tired, still, she forced her eyes to open again.

He smiled down at her. “There you go. Hey,” once again, he rubbed her cheek. “You gotta hold on just a little bit longer. Remember how you promised me you wouldn’t die on me? Yeah, you have to keep that promise.”

“Matthew,” she said his name, and he knew what she was about to say had to be serious. She only said his name when she really wanted him to listen, not that he ever did anything else. She needed to brand her words into his brain. “We both know I’m not going to make it out of this,” she said. 

Matt shook his head. “No.”

“I won’t make it.”

“That’s not true. I’ll get you out here, get you fixed up and you’ll be okay. You have to be, sweetheart, that’s the deal.”

Stage one, denial, and she wasn’t even dead yet.

“Matt, please. I need you to promise me something.”

“No, this is not goodbye,” he insisted. “I refuse to let you say goodbye.”

“Promise me you won’t blame yourself,” she said. “Promise me you will move on. Promise me you will try, okay? Promise me you will find someone to grow old with. I need to know you’re going to be okay.” She nodded her head, using all her strength to run her hand through his ruffled locks. “Promise me, Matthew!”

He sobbed, “I promise.” 

He could never be happy with anyone else the way he was with her. 

“But you’re not going to die.” There it was again, the endless hope, the devoted catholic. 

She smiled. “That’s what makes you so remarkable. You always see the good in everything, even when you can hear and feel all that is wrong with the world. Can you feel my heartbeat right now?” she asked.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“Memorize it.”

“I already have. I did from the start. It’s a sound that never grows old.”

“Good. I don’t want you to forget that I did care about you. I cherish you. You are so good, Matthew, and you deserve to be happy. You deserve to live a full life without pain.”

“Eliza, please, stop.” And he only used her name when he was truly upset. 

She sucked in another sharp breath. Bad idea. Her chest heaved as she coughed, the taste of her blood spreading around her mouth. It was everywhere, closing her esophagus. She lurched forward, spitting the blood onto the grass. He held her hair back. 

This was it. Her eyes grew heavy once again. Her mind was lulled into a comfortable fog where nothing seemed to exist. She could no longer hear the noise, only his heartbeat, and feel the hand on her cheek.

His eyebrows furrowed, lips tilted downward. 

“I’m not in pain,” she told him. “It’s okay. To be loved by you,” her breathing shuddered, slowing by the second, “was the greatest gift this life could have given me.”

Matt leaned his forehead against hers. “Please,” he begged. 

She coughed again. “You can let me go.”

“I don’t want to let you go.”

“You have to.”

“I can’t.” 

“Matt, I’m dying.”

“No, not on my watch. I won’t let that happen.”

Her voice dropped, eyes demanding. “Let me go,” she whispered. “It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

“I can’t lose you,” he cried quietly into her hair. 

On the next breath, she choked. 

“Please, don’t leave me. I can’t do this alone. Sweetheart, please.” 

Her eyes closed, but didn’t reopen to blink. He shook her, but she didn’t respond. Her heart was still beating, faintly but it was there. He held onto that as he kissed her icy forehead. 

“I love you,” he told her, hoping she heard. “That’s why you need to hold on, you hear me? I love you so much…”

The following events passed by in slow-motion. He could hear the whirring of chopper blades in the distance. Boots hit the ground. Orders were yelled. 

Natasha knelt next to him, touching his shoulder while cradling her lifeless head in her hands at the same time. She had unshed tears in her eyes, but not all hope was lost. She told him that.

Matt looked up in a panic at the footsteps. 

“They’re the good guys,” she assured him. “They’re SHIELD. It’s okay. We only have a short time window. We need to get her out of here before it’s too late.”

“We’re too far from the nearest hospital,” he whispered. She wasn’t going to make it this far. 

“I know a place. I’m not losing her. She’s supposed to outlive me, not the other way around, so you just have to trust me.”

He hesitated, though when he listened to her fading heartbeat, he decided that he had to try everything he could to save her. She had to come back to him. So, he gave in. 

Natasha nodded to Clint. He snapped his finger, uttering an order to Sam. He took off.

“We need to get her into the car,” he said to Matt.

As Steve was about to take her from him, he slapped his hand away. He hooked his arm underneath her legs, the other supporting her back. He hoisted her up. 

“Show me where,” he said.

“This way!” Natasha waved, knowing he could very well sense the motion. 

He had never run this fast before in his life. 

In the backseat of the Rangerover, he held her in his lap once again. She shivered and there was nothing he could do about it but to listen to her suffer quietly. It was torture of the highest order.

“Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us.

He wasn’t sure what else to do but to pray. He took her hand, intertwining their fingers together, and he bowed over their joined fingers, closing his eyes. 

“And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.”

She stirred. “I’m so cold,” she didn’t say it consciously. 

Matt held onto her tighter, trying to supply more warmth. She was bleeding out, there wasn’t much he could do. Not even a blanket would have helped, only delayed the inevitable. He wanted her to be comfortable but at the same time, allowing her comfort would have been succumbing to the reality that maybe, she was dying. Maybe he would lose her and their last proper conversation would have been a fight. He apologized, but there was so much more making-up left to do. He wanted more time with her, he wanted to show her how much she meant to him. He needed more time. 

His lips pressed against her forehead, now hot and coated in sweat. “I know, sweetie,” he said, “but you gotta hold on, okay? We’re almost there.”

“So cold,” she breathed again. Her lip quivered as another wave of shakes riddled her body. “Hold me?”

He was startled at the question.

“Please,” her voice cracked.

He pulled her into his chest. Her chest heaved, if it was from her ragged breathing or a choked-up sob, he couldn’t tell. He was too focused on her fading heartbeat. 

“I’m here, I’ve got you.”

Thud, thud thud, thud. Thud. Thud…

Matt gasped, “No.”

He touched her wrist, but nothing. He placed two fingers against her throat, but nothing again. He didn’t trust his hearing this time, perhaps her heartbeat was just too weak for him to hear, but that was possible. Her breath no longer fanned his face and she turned even colder, going limp in his arms. He shook his head, this couldn’t be happening.

“No!” he said, louder this time.

Natasha turned around from her place in the passenger seat. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Her heart…” he felt nothing. His body sunk to the bottom of the ocean with stones attached to his ankles, the water filling his lungs. He couldn’t even breathe. “She’s not breathing. She’s not…”

“Oh, my God!” 

Steve hit the gas. 

“C’mon,” Matt did the most conscious thing and brought his fist down on her chest. 

Nothing happened. She had lost so much blood, his suit was soaked, and her heart simply couldn’t pump anymore. 

“Stay with me, sweetie, you gotta stay with me.”

The car drifted as it came to a halt. He kept chanting the Lord’s Prayer over her limp body, crying out for his help, crying for him to bring her back. He wasn’t supposed to take her just yet. It was far too soon for her to leave. God didn’t deserve her, she still had a whole life ahead of her. Matt, he’d been through enough. It should have been him, he thought. He deserved it more than she did. She hadn’t even lived for herself enough to die so soon. 

Her body was soundless and cold. He wasn’t used to her being like this. The familiar tune of her heart was gone, he couldn’t even count the number of breaths she took in a minute or concentrate on the way her body felt next to his as she was cold but never too cold for him. He could no longer feel a pulse, even with his hand around her throat, trying to find any sign of life. 

As her heart stopped, so did his. 

“No,” he growled. “You don’t get to do this. Not today. God can’t have you yet.” He tilted his head back, eyes directed toward the sky. “You hear that, you greedy son of a bitch? You’re not taking her. This is not your decision to make. You can’t just rip the life from her. I refuse to let you do that. You’re supposed to be good a-and merciful, so don’t you fucking dare, you hear me? Not today.”

The car doors opened. Steve tugged at him from behind, but he refused to let her go. In the distance, he heard the squeaky sound of small wheels scraping against the asphalt. Natasha screamed something at him, but there was cotton in his ears. He couldn’t hear them, he couldn’t hear anything but the air whooshing by them. 

He prayed as he lifted her out of the Rangerover, carrying her as if he could see where he was going. There was still hope. There had to be. 

He placed her down on what he believed to be a gurney because he was told to. All the while his hand stayed in hers, holding onto her. 

They wheeled her into a building and he followed, not once easing his hold. Though when they reached a set of automatic doors, he was torn away. He fought back with all his might, but the person behind him was much stronger.

“Let me go!” he grunted. 

“You can’t help her,” it was Steve, “They can. They’re going to do everything they can to bring her back, I promise. You just have to let them do their jobs.” 

“She doesn’t want to be alone!”

“She’s not alone.”

“I’m not letting her die… I have to be with her.”

“You can’t do anything, Matt. You’d only make things worse.”

“But… I… Oh, God. I can’t breathe, I can’t…”

Matt went limp in his arms, falling to the floor. The gates to hell opened. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, the excruciating pain in his soul that reached his heart. With every beat, his chest constricted and he felt like suffocating. He clawed at his suit.

Steve went down with him, his arms around the writhing man’s shoulders until he stiffened, and he let out a scream that echoed through the walls of what he suspected to be a hospital. The scream subsided into sobs, tears streaming down her face, and he could no longer keep composure.

She was gone, carted away somewhere he couldn’t hear or feel her, and he was left alone pondering whether she was going to make it out alive or not. God didn’t listen, he never did. He prayed and prayed and prayed and in the end, it would never be enough. It was as if Matt didn’t deserve the lord’s guidance, as if his word meant nothing to him. 

Steve held him as he cried. The man clawed at his arms, desperate for comfort while at the same time, in pain from how close he was. He wasn’t going anywhere. He persisted, knowing the pain he was in all too well. Perhaps that was why his defenses crumbled and silent tears started to stream down his face. 

Natasha slid down the wall opposite them. Her wide eyes were fixated on an empty spot on the ground. She couldn’t breathe. The world didn’t seem real. Everything went by in a blur. She wasn’t sure what was real and what was a bad dream anymore. Surely she would wake up in a cold sweat soon, somewhere in a safe house in Belgium, and Eliza would be fine right in New York. Hydra wouldn’t exist and the world would still be intact.

She opened parts of her zipper before she burst out crying. It was an ugly cry, one that tore her chest apart from the inside and caused her head to explode. She pulled her knees up to her chest, shielding her from the curious and pitiful eyes of the people around her. She had tried to stay strong, for her sake and Matt’s. She tried to stay strong because that’s what sisters do for each other. She tried to remain her hope intact – Eliza was the strongest person she knew, she couldn’t just die. But she did exactly that. In front of her eyes, all life left her body. A corpse. Dead. Her hope died the second her heart stopped. 

The doctors could try to revive her, operate to the point where all of her organs were gone, and she still wouldn’t make it. She knew she wouldn’t. This was final, and admitting that to herself hurt even more. 

Clint came sprinting around the corner, Sam in tow. As soon as he saw the sight in front of him, he threw his hands up, tangling them in his hair. 

“No,” he whispered. “No, this can’t be happening. We got here on time. We… no! Nat, please tell me she isn’t… Please! Steve, Matt, anyone. Tell me this is not happening right now. Tell me I’m hallucinating.”

Natasha reached out for him, sobbing so hard the words wouldn’t even come out. He fell to his knees before her, taking the shaking woman into his arms. 

“She isn’t dead. She can’t be dead. She’s not supposed to die, not before us. She’s fucking twenty-three years old… this is too soon. Please, tell me I’m wrong. Talk to me!” He shook her by the shoulders, but she only sobbed harder in his arms.

Clint caved, cradling her head and holding his best friend against him. He couldn’t cry, he was numb. He still couldn’t believe it, and he refused to until someone actually said the words into his face.

I’m so sorry for your loss.

Denial is a strong emotion, that’s why it is included in the five stages of grief and often the strongest. The world doesn’t seem real when you lose someone and it’s easy to pretend they never died in the first place. It protects your heart and your soul from the crushing weight of loss.

And denial was exactly what they found themselves in, their only hope hanging on my a thread thinner than a piece of paper.

“I should get you guys some tea or somethin’,” Sam murmured. He wasn’t sure how to react. To serve was the only way he knew how to deal with the oncoming feeling of despair. 

One of them had to be strong. One of them had to catch the others. He couldn’t lie down and cry when everyone around him was already falling apart. They had the right to, and he had to make sure they were okay. 

Eliza would have wanted him to do so, and he wanted to honor her wishes. If she died, he had to make sure she lived on. Someone had to do it.

Someone had to face the truth, the inevitable, and though Sam hated the position it put him in, but falling apart had never been an option for him, not once in his life.

“Sam,” Steve called after him.

He stopped.

“Don’t leave, not yet.”

Sam swallowed, but nodded nonetheless. He walked over to one of the plastic chairs, lowering himself down on it. He felt suffocated by all the pain in the air. He had lost friends before, but the sight before him was truly the most heartbreaking by far. It crushed his soul even though he and Eliza barely knew each other.

A hand found his knee. Steve held onto him while he held Matt, barely holding on himself. It was the same for him – breaking wasn’t an option.

If Eliza had been there, she would have been more than crushed to see what her death would cause. And she would never forgive herself for that.

#matt murdock #daredevil #foreigner's god #matt murdock x female!oc #matt murdock imagines #matt murdock x oc #human disaster matt murdock #matt murdock angst #marvel #matt murdock x original character #original female character #daredevil fic #matt murdock fic #angst #avengers #fanfiction #foggy nelson #natasha romanoff #clint barton #steve rogers #sam wilson #matt murdock fluff #charlie cox

[hogwartsalumni08-slytherin]

Safe House Surprise

Clint Barton's POV:

I'm walking up the stairs of my little sister's house's front porch in the country. This is the one place that I could think of where the Avengers will be safe from the killer robots. Thor asks, "What is this place?" Tony says, "Safe house." I say as I'm helping Nat up the stairs because she is injured,  "Let's hope." We all go inside Holly's house.

I ask, "Holly?" Holly says, "Oh? Ummm...hi." I say, "This is my little sister, Holly." Holly says, "Pleasure to meet you all." Tony just awkwardly waves.

I hear a voice say, "Holly, darling, why do I hear people?" Tony asks, "Someone else lives here?" I shrug because honestly didn't know of my little sister had a boyfriend or not. 

Holly tucks her dark brown hair behind her ears and says, "No I uhm..." I see Loki come around the corner; and, he says, "Are you alright? I thought I heard people in the house?" Steve asks, "Loki?" Holly says, "Surprise?!" 

Tony says, "Please tell me this is a joke." Holly says, "It's no joke. Loki ended up on earth and met me." I look back and forth between Loki and Holly; they both seem to love each other like with that heart eye emoji look. Holly continues, "And well..." Then she looks at Loki with her chocolate brown eyes, Loki says, "We fell in love." Thor immediately says, "I'm honestly happy for you, brother." I give Holly a nod to agree with Thor's sentiment. Loki says, "Thank you, brother." Holly gives me a wink. Bruce looks like he is in shock. 

Tony says, "I'm about to puke. This is the same person who tried to take over earth." Holly asks, "Do you want to stay at our house or not?" Natasha gives me a strange look and I smirk because I know how stubborn my little sister is. Steve quickly says, "Thank you, Holly and Loki." 

#marvel #avengers #clint barton #original character #Clint Barton’s little sister #tony stark #loki #thor #steve rogers #natasha romanoff #bruce banner #loki x original character #loki x original female character #loki x oc

[leiamorgainedelalune]

Wheel of Destiny

You never know what fate has planned

Steve Rogers/Original Female OC

*Description*

Being Agent Phil Coulson's adopted daughter was just one aspect of life for scientific prodigy, Dr. Anna Coulson now that she was working for SHIELD like him. She discovers while working with Dr. Erik Selving on the Tesseract project that she seems to have a sort of strange connection with it, allowing her to crack internal code with it that no one else can. All is going well until it is stolen and Nick Fury tries to order to stay home. He laments and allows her to come on the mission because they need her to work with Dr. Banner, as no one truly knew the cube like Anna. Plus she worked directly with Selvig, she could truly be the key to locating him and the Tesseract. It was on this mission that she would come to loathe Tony Stark and come face to face with a man she'd only dreamed about meeting, Captain Steve Rogers. She found the Captain and his blue eyes even more dreamy in person. It seemed that Steve felt a spark himself when meeting the scientist who was equally as beautiful as she was brilliant, being even more impressed with how quickly she put Tony Stark in his place. Then all hell would break loose and Anna's world would come crashing down around her. In the midst of trying to save the world, she would lose the man she knew as her father. That would only be the beginning of everything changing for her. How would she cope with this great loss? Was there anything truly ahead for her and Steve Rogers, and if there was, what did fate have in store for them? Would she ever find out more about who she was and why she had been kidnapped as a child?

Steve Rogers Fic Master List

Main Master List

#steve rogers x oc #steve rogers #captain america #original character #original female character #steve rogers smut #captain america smut #chris evans smut #Chris Evans #mcu fanfiction #the avengers #romance #natasha romanoff #clint barton #tony stark #secret identity #love story #thriller #intrigue #mature theme #smutty fanfiction #sweet romance #love #steve rogers x original female character #captain america x ofc #true love #action and adventure #secrets and lies #secrecy #trauma

[jackiequick]

Storytime with The Avengers

*she turns on the camera she secretly stole from Steve and smiles, “What’s up party people-oh and Rogers please don’t be mad at me for stealing your camera which I brought you! Also hi lovely viewer, I’m Estella Strange your friendly neighborhood doctor and magic user-oh daily reminder drink some water and eat something for god’s sakes! I know you’ll didn’t drink enough water today.”

“Anyways, so! This week at the household has been a little wack-ish. Take a look!”

The camera cuts to Avengers Tower showing everyone in the living room when suddenly Cole burst in though the door yelling, “Which one of y’all fuckers been in my room?! Don’t lie cause I will find out!” Everyone looks around as suddenly Michelle dashes out the door and Cole yells, “I KNEW IT! Rochelle’s your girlfriend is so dead!”

Rochelle responses, “She’s not my girlfriend!” Liane looks at her gasping “HUH?! You two broke up?!”

The redhead rolls her eyes, “You didn’t let me finish! She’s my future wife, just waiting for that proposal-” Liane chuckles rolling her eyes as Cole replied, “Whatever! Your girlfriend or future wife is so dead!”

*cuts back to Stella saying, “Told ya. For some reason everyone has been going into each other’s rooms lately or barging in at unexpected times. Take a look.”

We cut to Thiego cutting open a portal stepping into Cassandra’s room trying to steal some magic books then Cassie catching him as a argument shortly breaks out, then we cut to Jasper barging into the kitchen 3rd wheeling Luna and Rick’s Beauty & The Beast style dinner as the lovebirds blushing embarrassedly.

Liane and Ethan along with Mia and Nikolai accidentally barging Vice versa  while hanging out with their boyfriends as it turns into a fun awkward double date night. We also cut to Castiel going into everyone’s room scaring the shit out everyone! And the list goes on with footage of everyone-😬

*cut back to her saying, “Yeahhh it wasn’t pretty but at least everyone had fun..I think. Oh! I went skydiving with Sam, I couldn’t film that footage since I was scared shitless! But it was super fun. Before I leave off, some couple of things happened take a look!”

We cut to Rochelle’s starting to show even more and having a sweet baby shower with a few surprising guests, old faces returning and a couple of new face! Then we cut to Rei and Tyler having another stupid conversation while Mia and Nikolai, Michelle and Rochelle, Ethan and Liane stand off to the side eating popcorn watching as if it’s a movie waiting for the climactic moment. We then cut to Melissa and Victor becoming tech besties while everyone also meeting Clay.

We also cut to footage of Thiego dancing in the mirror and singing in the shower as his sister caught it all on video muttering under her breath and jokes, “Someone got some vocals.”

Last but not least we cut to everyone at the small—more like medium sized music festival as Tyler headlines his new songs, “Memorized”, “Breakeven”, “Paralyze” and much more. He even brings Michelle Danvers herself on stage to sing her own new song. Everyone cheering happily.

*Cut back finally to Stella saying, “And that was story of this week or at least what I can capture on this camera” Suddenly you hear Steve’s voice in the hallway yelling, “Has anyone seen my video camera? I can’t find it.” as Nat response, “I think Strange or one of girls has it.”

She hears this and gulp eyes widen turning back to the camera, “Okay I gotta go! Bye guys gotta study for my exams this Friday.” Then the camera turns off until next time and hidden back in the gym room where it originally was.

I hope you like and add onto to the post with everyone stealing the video camera from Steve to film!

Keep the chain going/Tags: @parisparker269 @mcbident @msrochelleromanofffelton @nyxphie @bucky-barnes-1112 @gaminggirlsstuff @gcthvile @rickb-chaos and the list goes on!

#stella #marvelous #mcu rp blog #oc rper #oc rp #story time #the avengers #Mia Parker #steve rogers x original female character #steve rogers x oc #nat #natasha romanoff #oc tag game #oc tag #avengers rp #marvel rp

[oliviabelova]

Love Is A Dagger - Chapter 5

Warnings: Language, mentions of death, fighting, indication of past trauma, canon-typical violence

Rating: n/a

a/n: i can post this now that my shadowban is over so have fun

p.s. @shesawildflowergirl wrote so much more than me for this chapter so thank you my dear <3

It had been over a week since the incident in the basement and Sigrid’s mind was still plagued by it. She had been keeping herself busy, actually Thor had been keeping her busy. It appears that when he decided it would be a good idea for them to stay in Midgard for longer, meaning they would be spending time with the Avengers. Sigrid would have preferred to hibernate in her room until they could finally leave this gods-forsaken realm but that plan was thrashed to pieces the second her peace had been invaded. The days had rounded into a simplistic cycle. After centuries of military training Sigrid was made unable to sleep late so every morning she would rouse Liv, who rarely slept at all, and would drag her to some form of breakfast. That was the only moment of privacy the women got and Sigrid was eternally grateful for it. Liv had issues, that much was obvious, but regardless of them she and Sigrid got along wonderfully. They had always shared a bond that neither really understood. After a breakfast that consisted of black coffee and whatever baked good Liv had grabbed from a cafe down the road, training started. The captain was adamant about it. He was constantly spewing speeches about teamwork and positivity and putting in the effort. None of it was very motivating but somehow worked. Everyone eventually made their way to the training rooms. Though the actual working together part was a mess. There was a constant power struggle between Rogers and Stark. Not to mention arguing. It seemed no one was used to working in a big team. Everyone was remarkably talented alone, or even in groups of two, but not as a squad of eight. Sigrid was patient. She played along with the group’s games, she let the men boss her around, even if she had centuries of signority over all of them. Stark and Rogers shouted over each other, which was endlessly exhausting. It was a real fight for power and a hilarious one at that. The mortals should’ve handed over the reins to some experienced leaders. She understood that Rogers had fought in some great war but that was nothing compared to Thor’s hundreds of years of battle experience. But her prince seemed content enough to work with them. But by the end of the week a training rythme had been settled. Stark would lead the air strike from above along with Thor, meanwhile Dr. Banner would be the secret weapon. Clint Barton and Romanoff would scout ahead and prepare while Captain Rogers would head the ground assault. For some reason he chose both Liv and Sigrid to back him up. Why would he trust his life with two near complete strangers, Sigrid had no idea. Thank the Allfather all of it was just training exercises. In a real life scenario, she knew it would likely all fall apart. Mortals didn't work well together. Mighty Allfather, it took Thor’s team at least 20 years together to learn to rely on one another. Sigrid didn’t put as much effort in as Rogers had hoped. And Rogers had been hoping, Sigrid had heard him. It was terribly annoying. His inner monologue was a drastic display of patriotism and nostalgia. A constant circle of the same boring thoughts. The only interesting thing was when he kept mentioning some man named Bucky. Sigrid could almost feel the despair leaking through the Captain whenever the image of a dark-haired man in uniform popped up. Naturally, she became terribly curious about whoever could cause such hurt, but she had to stop herself from prying. Frigga had to constantly remind Sigrid to pull back when she was younger.

That was how everyday went. Breakfast, training, break and a mandatory group dinner. Sigrid powered through all of it, it was no secret she didn’t want to be there. Half the Avengers didn’t want to be there. At least Sigrid had an excuse. It was the same excuse she used whenever she was forced into dealing with the ever-mundane mortals. Why bother? They’ll all be dead by the time any actual solution was found, it would be much easier to wait out the short inevitable. But this little team gave Sigrid time to spend with Liv and Thor, her favourite people. And time to think over her Loki situation. Oh, Allfather. Tonight she would have to see him again. She wasn’t sure she was ready. She couldn’t let what happened last time repeat itself, even if a small part of her wanted it to. Because in that moment, she felt all the realms at her fingertips. She wanted that again, even if it was heresy. 

Sigrid had been in the middle of ignoring a rampage between Stark, who had shown up late to a team meeting, and Rogers, who had shown up fifteen minutes early and was angry at Stark for being so late, when Natasha Romanoff strode into the conference room. Things between Sigrid and the Black Widow were fine, they tolerated one another. In fact they worked quite well together, you can still be good teammates without being friends as the two “leaders” had yet to understand. 

“We’ve got a visitor.” Natasha announced, she was wearing a simple outfit, jeans and a hoodie. 

“Who is it?” Banner asked, his glasses perched over his nose, from the corner he had been reading in.

“Fury,” Romanoff sighed. 

“Not that fucking guy.” Stark swore, rubbing his sleepless eyes. Something he had in common with his goddaughter. 

“Language,” the Captain’s head shot at Tony Stark. 

“The boss was gonna come eventually.” Barton added as he played with one of his arrow heads, his comments unhelpful as ever. 

“Who is Fury?” Sigrid wondered, she was very familiar with the emotion, not so much the man. 

“Honestly, nobody knows.” Clint chided. Sigrid rather liked Hawkeye, he only ever contributed snide remarks to the conversation. He was delightful by mortal standards. 

She was about to respond when the doors opened up once again with a loud thud. In walked in was a bald, black man wearing a dramatic black trenchcoat and missing an eye. 

Ah, she realised, this must be Fury. 

“What motherfucker let aliens stay on this planet?” 

Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D, was not known for his good company. But he was damn good at his job. The fact that Earth was still standing was proof enough. And it wouldn’t help him do his job if he had three powerful gods running around free on his planet. The Security Council was already giving him enough shit about the heroes he did sign up for his Initiative, and the damage they caused. He shouldn’t have to deal with a couple more morons, yet here he was. Standing in front of exactly seven morons, one more than planned. 

“I am going to speak calmly because I don’t have enough fucking patience to scream at you all.” He began as the Avengers and friends stared at him. “Who invited them,” he pointed aggressively at Sigrid and Thor, “to stay here because I sure as hell didn’t.” 

The Avengers were dead silent. Fury kept talking. 

“Because I thought that Prince Thor over here was going to help us capture his evil brother then fly away to his own planet. Instead he’s still here, Loki is in an unguarded prison and they brought another friend! So who do I have to blame for this?” 

It was at that moment that Liv walked in, wearing a sleek leather jacket and carrying a bag of day old donuts. 

“Did I miss something?” She asked, her accent slipping in furiously. 

Fury looked at her, then back at the group, repeating the motion at least twice. 

Stark started to get up to speak but Nick Fury shot him a look that anyone could understand. 

“I don’t even want to hear it,” he warned. “Just send the aliens and leather jacket over here to my office.” 

It turned out that Nick Fury did not have an office in Stark Tower, instead he stole Tony’s. The room was made of glass while a mahogany desk and slick leather chair were propped up in the centre of the chamber. Fury leaned against the overstuffed chair, starring Sigrid and Thor down. Sigrid wasn’t quite sure what to do in this situation. Part of her wanted to delve into Fury’s mind, figure out what was going on with him. But he was also a very intimidating figure who didn’t seem like he would appreciate someone poking around in the most private places. So instead she just sat there awkwardly, feeling like she was stuck with Frigga after she had committed another minor felony with Thor and Loki.

“Thor.” Nick Fury began. “I thought we had a deal, you would help us fight then would take Loki back with you to Asgard. Yet here you are, on my planet with unsolicited visitors.” 

“Fear not, Director, we will not remain on this planet long.” Sigrid promised, sitting up as if ready to flee the room. Which she was ready, if Thor gave the word she would gladly be sprinting up the Bifrost right now.

“Who is this,” Fury fumed, still not looking at Sigrid. 

This very much annoyed the Asgardian. She had never appreciated when people would speak of her to Thor, even though she was in the room. Asgard, though a paradice, was not always the most progressive place. The realm had been ruled for aeons by men, there had never been a true queen on the throne. And until not so long ago these powerful men would surround themselves with other gods like them. There were brutes and fierce intellects, but not a goddess in sight. It was Odin who started to slowly change that, or really it was Frigga. The queen raised by witches, back before witchcraft died at the stake, with a strategist’s mind and a sorcerer’s gifts. She had stood by Odin proudly, offering the safest council, being his most trusted advisor. They had ushered a new age to Asgard together, one where tradition did not bode so viciously. It was because of the queen’s journey that Sigrid could even become a general in the Allfather’s army. So no, after all her tireless work and sacrifice, she did not appreciate Fury talking like she wasn’t in the room. 

“I am General Sigrid Tyrdottir, a commander of the Allfather’s legions, right hand to the crown prince Thor Odinson, and pupil of queen Frigga. Speak to me with the respect my station entitles, mortal”

On any other day Sigrid would’ve clamped her mouth shut and continued to prove herself until everyone, even this scarred man she had just met, realised how worthy she was. But somehow things were different now. She felt different. Slightly the same but with an edge, a temper, like she had finally let go of whatever was forcing her to the ground. Loki would have been proud of such an arrogant outburst. It wasn’t safe to do things Loki would be proud of, even if it felt good at the time. Sigrid would have to control herself better. 

At least she had gotten Fury’s attention. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D turned his head away from the blond prince to get a proper look at the woman— not woman, the alien to his left. The woman was pretty in the unnatural way both it seemed all Asgardians were, in other words a bit too perfect to be human. High cheekbones and scowling lips were set in warm ivory skin. Her hair was a braided mess of different hues of brown, from deep chocolate to gold. She was tall, maybe 5’11 or 6’0, her leanly muscular body covered head to toe in slick blue leather and silver armour. In conclusion, Fury didn’t trust any of her, not even a hair on her immortal head. What he trusted the least were those eyes. Perfectly round and edged with thin lashes, the colour was the opposite of mortal. Dark and boundless. Irises bluer than the deepest oceans, bluer than the sharpest ink. They weren’t quite electric, like the god of thunder’s, or cold like the prince in the basement cell, no, these held a depth that raged and smoked. They held a power Earth should not have to discover. Fury would make sure it didn’t.

“Fine,” he said. “How long do you intend to stay in New York?” 

“I’m not sure,” Thor mused, noticing the tension dissipate ever so slightly. “Sigrid and I would enjoy visiting Midgard for a while before returning to our duties on Asgard.” 

“Earth is not a vacation destination for bored godly princes. And it definitely won’t be a halfway house for your motherfucking, lunatic of a brother. If you’re going to stay here you have to give something back to us.” 

“We aren’t giving you Loki, he will face the Allfather’s justice.” Sigrid suddenly felt very protective.

“As much as the World Security Council would love to throw that freaky-ass god in the Raft, I don’t want him here forever.” 

“So what do you want from us?” Thor asked. 

Nick Fury reached into his black leather coat, pulling out several sheets of tightly bound paper. Neat black script covering all of it save for some dotted lines towards the end. “Something easy, sign this contract and you can stay on Earth as long as you want.” 

Sigrid had never seen a paper contract before, Asgard had functioned solely on honourable oaths. 

“What happens if we sign?” She wondered, weighing her options. She still thought it was a better idea for them to just leave Midgard now and never look back. Ah, what a dream that would be. 

“It means you’re put under the jurisdiction of S.H.I.E.L.D, you work for us and go on missions where your talents are needed. You officially become an Avenger.” 

“And if we don’t sign your agreement?” She asked, both sides of this coin become more clear. 

“Then both I, the entirety of the U.S government and World Security Council, and the Avengers will hunt you to the ends of the Earth until all three of your majesties are behind bars in a prison that can hold you.” 

Sigrid mused at the idea of this hunt. She had no doubt that Fury was a man of his word, but she also knew that he wouldn’t even begin to know how to hunt down three powerful Asgardians such as herself and the princes. Even if they were caught, and that was a strong if, they could always just escape via Heimdall. 

She was tempted to say no, even if it were just to see Fury’s expression but Thor was already reaching for the pen. 

“Are we not going to discuss this?” She lifted a single brow in questioning. 

“You already agreed we could play Avengers for some time, why not have proof in writing. Besides, what kind of threats could Midgard possibly have?” 

“We just had an alien invasion led by your brother.” Fury deadpanned. 

“Exactly,” Thor grinned at Sigrid. “What kind of threats could Midgard possibly have? Come on, it’ll be fun.” 

“Fine,” she rolled her eyes. It would be nice to stay longer with Liv, make sure she finished this chapter of her life in a stable manner. And this way she could get to the bottom of this Loki problem without being on Asgardian soil, where everything would suddenly become bigger, more complicated and worse. She missed home desperately but there were certain problems that were best to be the sole focus and if she were to return home, her duties would take over once more. A small vacation wouldn’t hurt, even if it were in one of the worst realms, even if Loki were somehow involved in it. 

Sigrid took the black ballpoint pen and signed her name once in Asgardian runes, then again in the Midgardian English letters, making sure to include her full title so that Fury knew exactly who he was dealing with. 

Sigrid had chosen to spend the rest of the day alone. After becoming an “Avenger” and sending Liv and Stark for their meeting with Fury, who Sigrid had decided was an imbecile with anger management issues, Thor had gone off to celebrate the day. Sigrid was not in the mood for celebrating, she rarely was. She had become such a killjoy over the years. When she wasn’t fighting, she was resting or reading over spellbooks, trying to master the craft she had been forced to stop learning. She missed the easy nights she had known when she was young. Evenings filled with chilled breezes and sweet drinks, she had spent those nights happy. Thor doing tricks with Mjolnir, she and Loki performing little shows with their illusions. She had lived for those nights, they had once meant the world to her. Sometimes she wished she could go back, but now all she wanted was the answers. Answers to what had happened, what had changed. Because she had most certainly changed, and she feared it was not for the better. There was one man with those answers. It had been a week already, tonight she would finally get them. 

Dressed in a pair of too-short grey flannel pyjama pants she had borrowed from Liv and a hoodie with “TONY STARK; THE BILLIONAIRE WITH SNARK” written in bright blue letters under a giant picture of Stark’s grinning face that she had stolen from the Stark Tower gift shop, which was a real, unneeded thing. She felt mortified wearing such a ghastly garment but she was cold and she had yet to go shopping for proper mortal clothes. She wasn’t like Loki who could just will them into creation, she was never as talented with illusions to her own annoyance. She felt even worse when she entered the basement and found Loki on the edge of tears when he saw Sigrid’s clothing. 

“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen you wear, and I once saw you dressed in a dwarf's wedding gown.” Loki thought, forcing the memory onto Sigrid. That vacation to Nidavallir was not something she purposely wanted to reminisce about.  

“Stop with the nostalgia, Loki.” She warned, being sure to speak the words aloud. The power he held over her was already too much. “Tell me what happened.” 

Loki tilted his head ever so slightly, each action chosen for a reason. “Why would I tell you so easily, there’s no fun in that. Not when I could watch you search frantically for clues.” 

“You will tell because if you don’t I’ll be more than happy to kill you here and now.” 

“Now I know you’re lying,” He thought, every soundless syllable painted in poison. “Odin’s precious guard-dog would never disobey her master.” 

Sigrid took a step forward, then another. Anger ravaged through her in ways only Loki could provoke. She knew this was all a game to him, that she was playing into whatever master plan he had in the works. Emotions were not a soldier’s tool, they were meant to be set aside, saved until the war was done. Her father had taught her that, and his father before him. All Sigrid ever knew was strategy and steel yet now she ignored her own knowledge, unwillingly playing her part in Loki’s game. Worst of all, a part of her liked it. A part of her had always longed to act differently, to join the unexpected. It was what had initially bonded her and Loki when they were children, and it was what separated them now as adults. Loki had grasped the horizon, even if it made him the villain. While Sigrid was still stuck with a collar around her neck. 

“Stop this.” She said, grinding her teeth. These were not her true thoughts, not what she really felt. She was happy. This was the life she was destined for, she was meant for Asgard. 

“I’m not doing anything sølvdronningen min, I can’t create thoughts nor emotions. This is all you.” Loki whispered, for no reason at all his voice resonated softly in her mind. Like he was trying to be comforting, the liar. 

Sigri’s eyes lifted until she was staring into the depths of her enemy’s blueish-green irises. 

“Tell the truth Loki, tell me what you saw, what happened to me.” 

“Take this muzzle off and I’ll tell you.” 

Normally, Sigrid wouldn’t negotiate with the enemy but as time wore on she grew more and more desperate. She was tired of feeling this way, like she didn’t recognize herself anymore. She moved towards the hatch attached to one of the cell’s thick glass walls. She didn’t know the code on the built in lock but that didn’t really matter. One burst of above average Asgardian strength of the lock was tumbling to the ground. Stark’s incarceration themed technology could use some work. With a final tug and one last step Sigrid was inside the cell. She expected to feel overwhelmed. For the first time in centuries she was alone in a room with Loki. And though she ignored parts of their shared history, for her own sake, she couldn’t help but remember the last time they were this close. 

That night on the balcony. 

“The night you left me.” 

Sigrid's head whipped towards Loki, having heard his thoughts. She was prepared to see some smirk hidden behind cold eyes, some form of hate or manipulation. But Loki was looking away, still staring ahead of him, where Sigrid had been standing before. Sigrid didn’t have to delve deeper into his mind to know that he hadn’t been talking to her. She’d simply overheard a private thought, one he hadn’t meant to share. The fact he was recalling the same memory and feeling the same hurt. It was somehow worse than any other evil he had spewed. 

“Is this what you wanted Loki? For us to be in the same room?” Sigrid sighed. 

Loki turned around slowly, filling the small cell with tendrils of green couloured tension. “I’d like you to take this damned muzzle off, unlike you I am no one’s dog.” 

“I hate you,” Sigrid says as she breaks the muzzle in half. Her words simmered off her breath as she inhaled quickly, realising how close she was to Loki now. Their faces were a mere inch away from each other. Unknowable instinct took over as Sigrid’s breath stilled and her eyes wandered. Without wanting to, she memorised every part of this new, terrible Loki. From the snow white pores of his skin, cold as any true Jotun, to the gentle curves of his thin lips. His dishevelled jet-black hair, the thin cut running through an arched brow, the sharpness of his jaw. Most of all his eyes, distant but filled with hunger. A hunger for what? Sigrid asked herself. Power? His throne? The nine realms? Or something else… 

“I know you do,” Loki said quietly. His voice was hoarse in the way it got when he didn’t use it very often, which rarely happened. It was a cold, quiet thing, calculated and hurtful at times. But Sigrid remembered the way he used to sound, the way he still did in her dreams at night. When he had a voice that could be light, that grew higher whenever he got excited, when he had a laugh warmer than a summer’s day. 

This is madness, Sigrid thought to herself. This isn’t anything real, it never was. 

She stepped back, regaining some common sense. Loki looked dazed for a moment but soon remembered where he was. He scowled. 

“Tell me what happened, Loki.” Sigrid said. “And do so in a direct way.”

“When did you stop being fun?” Loki flashed a sad smile but soon got down to business. “I barely understand what happened myself, Sigrid. One moment we were chatting and the next you were floating in the air, silvery-blue smoke seeping out of you as your eyes glowed the same colour.” 

“But what does that mean?” 

“Why should I know?” Loki frowned. Fake. 

Sigrid tried to remember that night, to remember Loki’s face. “But you smiled when it happened.” 

“I smile at a lot of things,” Loki insisted. 

“We both know you don’t.” Sigrid reminded him. “Loki, please. Tell me why I feel different now.” 

His jet black brows shot up. “Different, how?” 

“I’m not sure, more powerful. Like there are no more walls blocking me from seeing the world anymore.” 

“Fascinating,” Loki whispered to himself. 

Sigrid was getting tired of these short answers that were no help at all. Tired of all these feelings that his awful realm has brought forth. Most of all, she was tired of Loki and his nonsense. 

She took a breath, and prepared to rip the god in front of her to shreds. 

“I don’t know why I came down here, why I thought you had any explanation for what happened to me! All you ever do is think of yourself, you and your power and obsession with gaining the throne. Odin was right about you and I look forward to the day you meet the executioner's blade.” 

With those final words Sigrid stormed away, feeling more angry and confused than ever before. She swore to herself that she’d never return to see Loki in his blasted cell. What Sigrid didn’t see was Loki’s face once she left. It was one of triumph and morbid curiosity, his lips formed into a smile as he spoke these words to no one at all. 

“She’ll be back.” 

The pain in her shoulder was unbearable, hot blood running down her arm as she lay crouched on the ground. Continuous bursts of piercing bright light and searing flames burst from her body in a steady rhythm, shielding her from her attacker when she no longer had the strength to do so.

“Get up!” Andrei called, his gruff voice like racks scratching against a chalkboard.

Vasilisa had managed to block a magazine's worth of shots before a single bullet slipped through her fiery shield and ripped through her shoulder. It wasn’t the first time she’d been shot, she had a scar on her thigh and stomach to show it.

A tiny, broken whimper breaks past her lips as he takes a handful of her blonde hair and pulls her up to sitting. His cold, unfeeling eyes are empty of empathy as he stares daggers at her. She knows he can see the weakness, the fear, in her eyes, and she hates it. Hates how weak she is, hates how her body scars, hates the pain and the blood.

Andrei loosened his grip on her hair enough for her to slump forward as he slapped her sharp across the face. She tried to scream, to cry, but all she managed was a shattered sob. 

She hated this.

She hated listening to men, men who barely even knew her name, argue over what to do with her.

She could easily run, disappear, never come back, but after their quiet mornings and peaceful nights, Liv didn’t want to leave Sigrid. It was obvious, to her at least, that the war goddess was struggling with her long lost lover being locked up in the basement. As much as she wanted to deny it, Sigrid was in some way enamoured with the god of mischief. Liv didn’t quite understand the notion of romantic love, with its grand gestures and warm feelings. Her expertise lay in the more dreadful side of life, in the dark alleys and empty midnights, where creatures of the shadows made deals with the devil and turned their backs on eachother like there was no other way to live. The assassin was rather good at this kind of work, tricking the devil into signing her contract then letting her knife taste his blood when they were finished. 

Watching Fury and Stark bicker over what exactly to do with her, she seriously considered homicide as a means of escape. She’d let her godfather go mostly unharmed, slit the throat of the director, a clean kill, and take out the rest of the agents she knew would be waiting outside. Easy.

There was an older man with greying hair and cold eyes sitting across from her at the head of the table. He seemed like a government-type, well pressed suit and a folder of papers in front of him. Liv hated government-types. They thought they controlled everything and everyone. They barely even controlled themselves.

“I don’t give a damn who she’s related to, Stark! She’s killed more than 60 people in the past 20 years.” Fury roared, slamming his fist down on the table.

“68, actually.” Liv chimed from her seat. “Well, 68 and a half. That last one sort of made it.” 

Both Fury and Tony shot her a look that said “Really? Now?” before returning to their argument.

“That wasn’t her, Fury, it was someone else. Some freaky scientist who managed to put a computer chip in her head.” Tony retorted, trying not to make eye contact with his niece. It was clear that her kill count had made him uncomfortable, but that was relatively common. She was comfortable with the concept of death, unlike most civilians, who were cowardly at the mere thought of ceasing to exist. 

“And what proof do you have? Her words are just as meaningless as any other hired gun! She could be lying to our faces and you wouldn’t even know!” 

Liv sighed. This was getting tiring and she still hadn’t had her coffee yet. It was probably still in the meeting room getting cold and stale. What a waste of good caffeine. She had been hoping to go back and see the gorgeous barista who had served her this morning, maybe chat for a bit and get her number, but, alas, it looked like her day would be completely booked up. 

“Honestly, I don’t see ‘vat all this fuss is about.” She rose silently from her chair, kicking it back with a sharp twist of her heel. “Really, I can just leave if you ‘vant me to.”

“NO!” Both men shouted, tossing her a quick glance before looking back into each other's eyes. 

Liv looked taken aback, putting her hands up as if to surrender. “Wow, okay.” She groaned. “Actually just an offer. But I have a feeling this is more about your over inflated egos competing to see who’s going to be top dog, so if you don’t mind, I’m going to go get some coffee.”

She picked up her jacket and slung it over her shoulder, pushing herself out of the hard chair they’d sat her in, and before turning towards the thick steel doors. She pressed a lithe hand to the keypad to her right, a flashing message on the screen demanding a code to open the doors. The computer screen glitched, hot glass beginning to swirl. Bright orange sparks burst from its sides as it died, the doors beginning to open with a rush of cold air.

Liv pulled her hand back, flicking off the hot glass that came away. Nobody tried to stop her, whether it was due to orders or fear, she couldn’t tell. The doors moved slowly, as if reluctant to let her out after she mangled the controls. She tapped a heeled foot on the floor, fidgeting. Something about this made her nervous. Someone could quickly pull a gun on her, press the cold barrel to her back. She could handle it, at least that’s what she told herself. It seemed the longer she stayed around these people, the more nervous and twitchy she felt. 

I’m letting my guard down. 

The doors finally opened, and Liv didn’t wait to rush out. She kept eyes trained on the toes of her boots, examining what seemed to be something maroon that had dried on the tip. Could be mud, but as far as she remembered, she hadn’t been running through anywhere muddy recently. Blood was always an answer she could reach for, but the aliens she’d fought yesterday had bled black oil onto her black. It had stunk like a bitch-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she ran head-on into what felt like a fucking brick wall. She stumbled backwards, dazed and confused as she tried to find the source of her predicament.

“Пиздец!” Liv groaned, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead and throwing her head back in annoyance. Damn this stupid hysteria she was in!

Liv wasn’t in the mood to explain to the agents she could feel watching her back why she’d run into the wall that had appeared in front of her by some wild magic, but when she looked up, her mood only worsened. 

It wasn’t a wall. It was a Rogers.

Mentally, Liv kicked herself for being so distracted. If she hadn’t been thinking about the spot on her shoe, maybe she would have avoided this.

“Ms. Caroll.” The Captain mumbled, avoiding her glowering eyes as best he could. Steve didn’t feel like saying much else. He’d been working together with the assassin and her goddess for a few weeks now, forcing the pair to head ground assaults alongside him. He could tell the pair were tight-knit. Sigrid would rarely speak to anyone but Liv and Thor, and when she did talk to others, it was purely professional. The goddess was tactful and brilliant and a great addition to the struggling team. Liv, on the other hand, seemed miserable and constantly vexed. While Sigrid was at least somewhat civil, the Russian was quite the opposite. She opposed every single one of Steve’s ideas, ignored any orders she was given in favour of her own, and generally seemed to only stick around for Romanoff, or the Asguardians. Even her relationship with her godfather was a strained one, as they had yet to address what had happened to her. Vasilisa Karollova was a true wildcard and Steve supposed it came from some sort of need for self control. As much as she yelled, and swore and argued with him, the Captain had to admit, Liv was good. Really damn good. He’d seen her fight, kill, protect, her skill rivalling that of the Black Widow herself. It pained him a little to say this, but whenever she went against orders, called her own shots, she generally came up with a faster and more efficient plan. Of course, most of her plans involved twice as many deaths as he would’ve liked, but they were clean and never seemed to bother her. It was clear that Liv was troubled, and deeply so, but she didn’t kill like a serial killer or a psychopath. No, she killed like a professional. And it frightened him. 

“Captain.” She said through gritted teeth, radiating both anger and physical heat. “You want to move? I’m trying to leave.” 

“Be my guest.” He growled, taking a step closer as if to challenge her. 

She met his gaze, lifting a dark eyebrow. “What’re you playing at, Rogers?”

“What do you think?”

Liv curled her fist, feeling a surging heat pushing against her skin, fighting to make it to the surface, to taste the tension in the air. And she almost let it. Almost.

“HELLO FRIENDS!”

The sound of Thor’s boisterous voice broke the tension like a hot knife through butter. He bounded into the room, rushing Liv like he was trying to run her over. 

“Hello, Lady Liv, Captain Rogers.”

“Thor.” Steve sounded mildly relieved at the sudden appearance of the Asgardian Prince. 

Ha! Liv thought Scared little rat.

“Hi, Thor.” She sighed, turning towards the giant of a god. “How are you feeling today? I ‘vas hearing last night's revels were very… exciting.” 

Thor nodded vigorously, obviously excited to recount whatever tale he had to tell. 

“I am feeling quite well, my lady, especially after I bested one of Fury’s men in a game he called ‘Arm Wrestling’.” 

Liv began to lead him away, using his arrival as an easy excuse to be done with Rogers. 

“Да, да, I have heard much about this game. Will you explain the rules to me?”

And Steve could do nothing but watch and wonder What was he playing at? He turned toward the meeting room, and approached the doors, just in time to watch the control panel on the door explode.

Hope you enjoyed!!

Tagging: @nymeria-of-winterfell @rexwastaken @widowdeckersrep @jurassicobsessor @evostokoff @rooskaya-yelena @stephanieromanoff @littlekidsteve @ohsweetvenom @thewildseuphoria @sanguine-saber @adoraweisz @faramir-stan @xx-alex-damaged-xx @zalie @romanticgumchewer-reactivated @entishramblings @toomanynotifications @im-constantly-fangirling @mrs-brekker15 @a-reader-and-a-writer @senuritaawsome226 @shesawildflowergirl

#marvel angst #marvel fluff #marvel oc #marvel fanfic #mcu #mcu fanfiction #liv and cuz write #liv caroll #sigrid tyrsdottir #steve rogers x original female character #steve rogers x oc #black widow #iron man #hulk #hawkeye #loki laufeyson x original female character #loki laufeyson x oc #marvel #marvel mcu #natasha romanoff #chris evans #steve rogers #marvel comics #marvel fic #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x avenger!reader #loki laufeyson x reader #loki laufeyson x avenger!reader #chris evans x reader #tom hiddleston x reader

[arjokonya]

"most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists, but the ones that do, call him the winter soldier. he's a murderer, medea."

"yes, but he saved my life, and it's i am just returning the favour."

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x original female character #fanfic #marvel #mcu #steve rogers #natasha romanoff #the winter soldier

[cthulhu-calling]

kill the lights and kiss my eyes : new beginnings

Natasha Romanoff x female!Reader

Summary : You never knew what love was, not until Natasha. But now that the King has his eye on you, will your perfect little world come crumbling down?

Warnings : medieval AU, smut, fluff, MISCARRIAGE, second marriages

Author's Note : Okaayy, the end is here! I wrote and rewrote it this so many times but honestly, I'm still not satisfied with how this turned out. I might revisit this on a later day and reedit the whole thing. This is not proofread so all mistakes are my own. I might do an epilogue if anyone is interested but for the time being, this series is over and if y'all are expecting some BuckyxReader smut than I'm sorry lol but this story ain't about him. Thank you to each and every one of you who stuck around and left comments and kudos, it made my day every time. I hope you enjoy this and thank you so much for reading this :))

Word Count : 3224

series masterlist

The next month goes by in a whirlwind of preparations and meetings, accords signed and dress fittings made. You felt like you hardly had a second to slow down, catch your breath. You never did have any rosy dreams about marriage, not after how you witnessed men treat their wives growing up. Your father, your brother, your brother-in-law, none of them could ever be able to spare an ounce of respect for their wives, forget about love. 

But you keep on looking forward. You don’t let the ire and the snide comments of the other ladies get to you, beyond trying to prove your innocence in their so-called plot of ensnaring the King. All that matters is that Natasha knew the truth. You’d been seeing less and less of her as of lately. Your father had railed on you that night, asking how could you have given in so easy? He could have milked the King for so much more. You stayed silent, knowing nothing you say or do will quell his anger at you in the moment. As for the King, he was ever the same. Lecherous looks across the room, wandering hands and a nasty mouth. He showered you in gifts, little compensation for the disgust you felt every time he touched you. It made you wonder, was that all that you were truly worth, your body? He swore up and down that he loved you, but you were sure he once did the same to many before you, even Natasha, and look where you’ve all ended up? 

The day of the wedding looms closer and it feels like a noose tightening around your neck. Your meetings with Natasha grow infrequent though not by your choice. She keeps her distance and you can no longer pretend that it doesn’t shatter your heart every time your eyes meet, only for her to swiftly avert hers. You take all that hurt and lock it in a box, deep in your heart. You can’t help but wonder though, if just like her husband, will her eye shift to someone new? 

Your apathy towards Lord Rogers remains much the same and though you do catch his smouldering looks from time to time, he was the least of your concerns. You embellish your plain wedding vows to the King’s satisfaction. Everything is to the King’s tastes though you don’t mind, having no desire to make choices. Keep the ceremony as impersonal as possible. Most days you roamed the castle halls in a daze, following where the wedding planners would direct you, trying on dresses and updos. You were little more than a doll, dressing up and looking pretty was all you had to do. Your days had taken on a sort of monotone, the routine bringing you a much needed reprieve from the constant noise inside your mind. You find no reason to rejoice in your predicament knowing just how precarious your position is, existing on the periphery of one man’s ever shifting desires. 

When you retire to your chambers for the night, separate from the other ladies now that you were to wed the King, you’re shocked to find Natasha awaiting your arrival. She looks as ravishing as ever though the bags under her eyes betray her true predicament. 

“My Queen,” you eke out almost breathlessly, nervous all of a sudden. She was the last person you expected to see sitting there. She smiles gently as she walks to you, holding her hands out in front of her, quickly pulling you close. 

“I missed you, my love,” she sighs into your hair, breathing in the familiar smell of you in. 

You pull away from her but she doesn’t let your hands go, your eyes betraying the hurt you feel although your tone does not. 

“Then why have you been avoiding me?” You try to laugh it off, the way one would who’s trying to brush off the hurt they feel. 

She sighs loudly, cupping your cheek in her palm, forcing you to look at her. “I couldn’t be as I’ve always been, it would be far too suspicious. The ladies are already speaking conspiratorially,” she says. 

“But you could’ve told me before. Do you know how much it hurt? To have you always looking in the other direction, never once acknowledging my presence? Even behind closed doors?” You question tearfully.

“I know, my love. But I beg you, please, try to understand my reasons for it. I derive no pleasure in denying myself your company. But it had to be done,” she pleads with you. 

You understand her reasoning now, of course you do, but it does little to do away the agony you carried in your chest for the past few weeks. You sniffle softly, nodding your head. “What are the ladies saying about me?” You wonder out loud and Natasha laughs softly before answering.

“They really seem to believe the only reason you were close to me was because you had your sights set on the King. They really do take their Queen for a fool, don’t they?” She laughs, pulling you besides her on the bed.

“I wouldn’t know, none of them will speak to me unless it’s to let me know how I’ve betrayed you, of how I’m the interloper,” you shrug. 

Natasha clutches your hand tighter, making you look at her. 

“Don’t believe their vitriolic words. As if they wouldn’t trade everything to be in your shoes.” 

You suppose she is right. Who wouldn’t want to be Queen? 

“We can talk about them all day but I have something more important to discuss,” she says, pulling you closer besides her, your hands in hers. You feel her slip something into your palm. You open it to find a beautiful silver anklet, bejewelled with tiny rubies. It’s vibrant red colour is exactly the colour that she so loves seeing on you. 

“It’s beautiful,” you say, holding the delicate piece in your hands. 

“I want you to wear it everyday. Something to remind you of me,” she says and you nod, holding out your foot as she clasps it around your ankle. It catches the light, glistening with an insurmountable beauty. 

She admires it, her hand slowly moving up your leg, rubbing slow circles on your knee, your long skirt pushed up. Before she can move any further, you push her hands away, standing up to undo the laced front of your gown, pulling it off and leaving you in just your shift. As if just shaken out of a daze, she does the same before she’s pulling you close, her lips hungry against yours. They slowly move down your neck as she avoids leaving marks on your neck, lavishing her attention on your nipples, licking one as her hand massages the other. She continues down your body, leaving little kisses down your stomach, her tongue poking into your navel before she moves on, sucking tiny dark marks on your hip bones. You can’t do much but close your eyes in bliss, your fingers cradling through her hair. 

Her fingers slowly run up and down your folds, spreading the wetness. “You’re so wet for me, my love,” she says, a husky quality to her tone that has you clenching on nothing. “Please, I need you,” you whine and she chuckles, clicking her tongue. 

“Patience, my love,” she says as she licks a stripe up your folds, circling your clit. You throw your head back, a needy whine erupting from your throat. When she feels satisfied that she’s made you needy enough, she slowly enters two of her fingers, the ring and the middle, into your tight, dripping hole, moving them in and out at an almost agonising pace, only increasing her pace when you whine. She’s never done something like this before. Her fingers stay inside of you as they’re moving up and down in an odd fashion, her mouth sucking your clit with a renewed vigour as you’re positively shaking. Your legs are quivering from her constant onslaught of pleasure and when her fingers hit a certain spot that has you seeing stars, you let out a loud shriek, as if prompting her to go faster and harder. She doubles down and you don’t even realise what’s happening when you cum all over her fingers, your whole body shaking in the afterglow. She pulls her fingers out of you slowly, lightly slapping your cunt with her other hand as she sucks her fingers into her mouth. You try to push her hand away, the feeling growing to be too much but she simply swats your hand away, continuing her ministrations. She quickly switches to rubbing your clit again and you cry out, trying to stop her by trapping her fingers in between your thighs but it doesn’t faze her. She simply bites your thigh, causing them to part as her mouth quickly replaces her hand. You’re drowning in pleasure, simultaneously pulling her closer to your cunt and pushing her away although you both know she's the one who’s truly in charge. You don’t let go of each other, not until she’s pulled another couple of orgasms from your prone body. The night ends with her riding your face, stopping only when her legs can no longer support her. She falls on her back besides you, both of you breathing heavy, the cool jewels around your anklet a contrast to your heated skin. 

Natasha won’t say it out loud but to her, the bejewelled anklet is something that binds you to her, almost like shackles around your ankle. But she won’t admit it, ever. 

*

It’s only a week to the wedding and the bride and groom are prohibited from seeing each other though you welcome this reprieve from his wandering hands and acid touch. You’re seeing less and less of Natasha too, much to your chagrin. You wore the ruby studded anklet still. 

June, to your surprise, couldn’t be happier at the prospect of you getting married to her father. Wouldn’t that make you her mother of sorts? She made her feelings on the matter clear, that you were her choice over Lady Morwenna, or any other ladies at court for that matter. You were with her in the garden, weaving flower crowns. She wants you to wear one for the wedding and you oblige, obviously. 

The comfortable quiet that cloaks you and June is disturbed by the clearing of a throat and you look up to find intent azure orbs gazing at you. You hold back a grimace, the pit in your stomach deepening at the sight of him. 

“Your Majesty,” you rise to your feet. “It’s only a week until the wedding. We aren’t supposed to see each other,” you admonish and he waves you off with a scoff. He dismisses June with a wave of his hand and much to your chagrin, she obliges and runs off. 

“The Queen and I kept every little tradition and look at where that got us. It’s not these things that make a happy marriage, it’s much more,” he whispers huskily as he pulls you close by the waist. You fight the urge to push him away, accepting his embrace with a straight face. The King might not believe in these little traditions but a little part of you always had. You weren’t naive enough to believe that these little things guaranteed a happy and long lasting marriage but the fact that they were still upheld for generations before you had to count for something, right? 

“I suppose you are right,” you shrug as his hands shamelessly glide over your curves. 

“I cannot wait for our wedding night. The day looms closer and you do tempt me so my love,” he whispers in your ear and a shiver of disgust rolls down your spine. 

“I understand Your Majesty but we must wait. Now that’s one tradition I refuse to forgo of,” you admonish, hoping and praying to the Lord that he might accept it and let you go. You couldn’t stand to be alone with him any longer. Now that you were to be wed to this man, no one would bat an eye at the lack of a chaperone. 

“I can respect that. It is only six days before you are completely mine,” he says with a final squeeze of your hip as he lets you go. 

I’d nothing else, it brings you comfort to know that you will not be completely his. You can never be.

*

You sit motionless as the women flutter around you, fixing your makeup and making last minute arrangements to your veil. You decided on leaving your natural and open, a dainty flower crown of lavenders adorning your forehead. You wouldn’t remove the anklet Natasha gave you, much to the displeasure of your mother. But even you had to admit, you looked ethereal. 

The ride in the carriage to the church was short, almost too short. It was odd. After weeks where you weren’t left alone for more than a few minutes, the sudden solitude of the coach was suffocating. It’s funny, you suppose, the women at your side as you readied to march to your doom but you’re undeniably alone when push comes to shove. 

Natasha won’t be at the ceremony and you’re glad for it. You’re not sure you’d be able to stand there with her watching. Your mind would no doubt be overrun with the thought of how happy you would be if only Nat was in His Majesty’s place. 

You walk down the aisle in a daze, not noticing the myriad of faces surrounding you. Your father’s proud gaze, your mother and sister already tearing up, the ladies that cannot disguise their contempt, Lord Rogers’ face a mix of misery and anger. You simply focus on walking towards the man who holds your life in his palms. You’re nothing but a mere puppet to his whims and fancies. 

You go through your vows without noticing. You know you won’t mess up when they’ve been rehearsed and re-rehearsed to perfection. You kiss him when the minister allows you to but you don’t feel it. You don’t feel the hunger on his lips, the victory. You don’t even feel the butter sting of your defeat. Maybe you’ve just gone numb or maybe it’s the wine. By the smirk on his lips, you think he can tell. 

You ride back to the palace together and you’re thankful that the ride is short enough that he can’t do more than just paw at your breasts like an animal. Your lack of enthusiasm doesn’t deter him. 

Natasha’s handmaiden leads you to your former chambers for you to ready, much to your surprise. The jealousy and hatred of the ladies pretty much seals the fate on their arrival but you are thankful for their absence. 

The handmaiden, Mina, ushers you in and shuts the door behind her, leaving you alone and confused. You sit at the vanity, wondering what to do when you hear the ruffling of skirts and soft footsteps behind  you. 

“Why do you look so confused, my love?” Natasha’s voice pierces through the silence and your breath hitches at the sight of her. She is dressed in a delicate pink gown, the one you suspect she wore at her wedding, her hair adorned with a beautiful mix of lavenders and daisies. 

“What are you doing here?” You asked, confused but not averse to the idea of her being here.

“Why, I’m here to celebrate my wedding night with my lovely wife,” she says as she gently cups your cheek and you lean into her touch. 

“I don’t understand,” you admit and she smiles, a genuine one, filled with love and adoration. 

“James is bound in holy matrimony to the both of us so doesn’t that bind us in a way too? Am I wrong then, to call you my wife? To want to share this night with you, on our marital bed?” She asks and you can hear the vulnerability in her tone that brings tears to your eyes. 

“I am yours, forever. I am bound to you just as I am to him. Maybe even more deeply,” you say as she sighs in relief and pulls you in for a kiss, leading you towards the bed. She starts kissing down your throat, pulling off your dress when you stop her, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “What about His Majesty?” You frown. 

She chuckles before continuing to make her way down your torso, stopping to gently bite your nipple. “I’ve made sure that he’ll be too drunk to do much. He always had a habit of imbibing far too much,” she says between kisses. You chuckle and pull her close for another kiss, flipping her on her back swiftly. 

She gasps softly and you smirk. “And that’s why I love you,” you tell her. 

“That’s the only reason?” She asks and you smile to yourself before kissing down her neck. “Yeah, and because of these beautiful breasts… Your soft stomach…. Your strong legs…and, this tight pussy,” you say as you kiss down her body before finally reaching her centre. She’s wearing nothing underneath the dress, granting you all the permission you need. You suck her clit into your mouth as she drapes her thighs over your shoulders and pulls you closer to her wet cunt. Two of your fingers slowly delve into her hole, softly looking for the spot and when she moans airily, you know you’ve found it. You rub her g-spot softly as you suck her clit in your mouth. She’s a mess above you, tugging on your hair with one hand as the other pinches at her own nipples. She’s cum thrice before you finally stop, sitting back to catch your breath as she lays there, panting. You can’t help but smile at the thought that she is your wife. 

Nat gently tugs on your hand as you turn to look at her. 

“Sit on my face,” she commands and you’re about to complain when she pinches your side. 

“Just do what I say, this night is about the both of us,” she says as she pulls you closer, manoeuvring your knees onto either side of her face as her hands frame your lower back, pulling you lower onto her face. She laps at your folds slowly before sucking your clit into her mouth as your fingers find purchase in her scarlet locks. You ride her face until your legs are shaking and you can no longer support yourself, falling down besides her. You’re exhausted but still a woozy smile adorns your face just like it does her. 

Natasha couldn’t leave marks on you no matter how much she wanted to but you made up for it by leaving more than enough marks on her, her pale skin littered with deep red and maroon bruises and crescent moons adoring her thighs where you’d gripped them a little too hard. 

You couldn’t imagine sex with His Majesty would come even close to this but you knew it had to happen. So once Natasha is asleep, you slip away with a note left for her on the pillow : 

I may walk alone in the night’s chill, 

But the taste of you lingers on my lips still. 

#soft natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x reader #angst #fluff #bucky barnes #cheating #female reader #medieval au #tw miscarriage #steve rogers #sam wilson #smut #original female characters #second marriage

[buckybraneslover111]

might post part 2 today….🥴🥴🥴

#sebastian stan #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes x reader #bucky fluff #bucky x female reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky fanfic #sebastian x reader #sebastian x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x original female character #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x you #save for later #sebastian stan x fluff #bucky #bucky x reader #natasha romanoff #bucky barnes smut