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saiilorstars · 7 days

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ch.17: Hudson

Steve Rogers x OFC fic • squeeze your eyes for a Bucky Barnes x (2nd) OFC

taglist: @ocappreciationtag @arrthurpendragon @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel @stareyedplanet @gloryekaterina @averyhotchner @foxesandmagic @lenonizi @kmc1989

Story Masterlist • Seren’s Masterlist• Chloe’s Masterlist

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The second Hivemind chip laid on the kitchen aisle between Chloe and Bucky, still half glowing. Chloe suspected proximity would be a thing between her and that chip. She, however, was a little more preoccupied staring at the man on the other side of the isle. With an elbow propped on the isle and her cheek on one palm, she stared endlessly at the man who had yet to make a sound. For a man who was renowned as a ladies' man, and the life of a party, it was very strange seeing his grim face in person.

"You are driving the Hivemind crazy," she remarked suddenly. "And for the first time, it's not a massive migraine." Her eyes briefly flickered down to the tech piece. "Now how does that work?" Just yesterday when she held the piece on her palm, it drove her insane to the point she had to let it drop. But now here she was, hearing multiple whispers about the danger estimate the now ex-Winter Soldier posed to her. It was significantly low.

Bucky would hate to admit it but her endless, yet calm, stare made him uncomfortable. Perhaps it was because now he could be aware of it. Things seemed to be changing slowly for him but the fact remained that they were changing. He would have to adjust as each thing happened.

"I don't get it," Chloe spoke again, "Why would you come to me and not, I don't know, your best friend?"

Bucky turned his head away from her. "Too much," he said, plain and simple.

Chloe chuckled, yet again not the reaction he was expecting. "Steve Roger's too much? Yeah, I can see that, but he does want to find you. And not to hurt you or put you in prison or anything like that. He wants to help you." She gauged Bucky's reaction to the news but he was damn good at being stoic.

"I need stories," he reiterated. "It's not safe here."

"Yeah, it's not safe pretty much anywhere," Chloe corrected him. "But listen, whatever you got going on, I'm not a threat and you know it."

There weren't many things that came to Bucky's mind yet, but there was one thing that separated Chloe from him and the others. "We're playthings of HYDRA," he said and watched Chloe stiffen. ""

"They're gone," Chloe said, whispered.

"One faction," Bucky clarified. "But there are more."

She cocked her head to the side. "Do you know the exact number?"

"Plenty."

"What about locations?"

Once more, he shrugged and gave a half answer. "Everywhere."

Her face went flat. "Wow, so helpful."

With a heavy sigh that almost sounded like a groan, Bucky straightened up and swiped the tech piece from the counter. "This is all you should care about. It's the only payment you want, I'm sure."

There came a slight challenging expression to her face. "Don't presume to know me!" Just like that, she plucked the chip right out of his hand. She smirked at his surprise. "I didn't require any payment because I know the shit history you have. I would've helped anyways, albeit with some caution. You want extensive stories? I don't have them but I can offer what I do have." She placed the chip on the counter, making a gesture for him to take it back if he wanted to. She meant what she said. "You know I once looked into Steve's head. Poor thing was so fragile in the beginning that he couldn't hide everything. Things slipped out and you know what I saw in a lot of his memories? His best friend. You."

Bucky didn't know why it was so hard all of a sudden to swallow.

"You guys were inseparable back then," Chloe went on, "Steve would get himself into so many fights and you would always bail him out. That's like me and Seren. She bailed me out so many times. She's always been the adult between us. Between you two boys, I don't know who the adult was." She cracked a smile at Bucky, though she didn't expect anything like that from him. "My point is that I can give you stories but I can't give them to you with the same feelings and context that Steve would."

"I don't need feelings right now," Bucky said quietly. "I just...I need information. Pieces. I can't...handle anything else right now."

"Okay," Chloe nodded. She could understand that. He didn't want to overwhelm himself right now. "What do you want to know?"

~ 0 ~

The moment that Steve spotted the two-story house that was just a bit farther from the other houses, he knew it was Seren's. As beautiful as the house was—and it really was—he couldn't help but feel that pang of his heart knowing the whole point of the house's distance was to keep Seren safe and her powers a secret. In the long run, it just helped isolate her from the world. Still, once he got out of the car and saw Seren waiting for him on the front porch with the biggest grin on her face, he pushed away all those thoughts.

"Hey," he greeted her ever so casually as he walked up to the porch with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

Seren was smiling from ear to ear when he reached her. "Hey, soldier."

Steve swore that the sunset's orange and gold hues were hitting Seren in just the right angle, making her seem like she was glowing. The light reflected from her bright ginger hair and her green eyes twinkled with adoration. My God, she was beautiful. And she was his.

He remembered he was holding flowers and held them out to Seren. "I, uh, I wondered if it's too old-fashioned…" He said with a bashful smile, knowing that his words were true. Things were outrageously different now and while he was all about getting modernized, he couldn't help feel like some old things were still good.

"Not at all," Seren said, eagerly accepting her bouquet from him. "These are beautiful," she said as she breathed them in.

Steve specifically chose a collection of sunflowers, bright orange lilies, and pink roses. All bright and shining, just like his shining star. "They reminded me of you," he told her.

"Ah, lovey, you shouldn't have," Seren said with a noticeable blush on her face. "But I'm a tiny bit glad that you did!" She took another whiff of the flowers and sighed with content. "Yup, definitely glad you did. Thank you." She leaned over and pressed a kiss on his lips. "I'm really glad you're here," she murmured against his lips.

"Me too," Steve agreed. He wrapped his arms around her for a tight hug. Everything around them was quiet save for the soft rustling of leaves. As much as he wanted to conduct the search for Bucky and help Chloe get better, he couldn't wait to spend some nice, peaceful days with Seren. It was why Sam practically shoved him into his own car and told him to get the hell out of New York for a while.

"I'm sorry for being a bit late but I'm here and I'm all yours," he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

She pulled away enough to tilt her head up at him. "I have some plans," she announced.

He held her chin with a few fingers. "Ready when you are, ma'am." Her giggle was muffled with his kiss.

"We can go out tomorrow, it's kind of late. Plus…" she reached for hand, "You cannot get away from my parents." She giggled again when Steve let his head drop.

"Do I have to?" he mumbled. The nerves were piling on his shoulders thinking about the inevitable.

"Yes! Isn't this stuff you guys used to do in the past anyways?"

"I have never done it. I never got that far!"

"You don't have to worry about it, lovey." She leaned forwards to kiss his cheek. "You have them in your pockets already. You'll be just fine!" With a few more kisses, she was able to convince him to come into the house with her.

Her parents weren't in the living room so Steve could breathe for another minute and hopefully prepare himself. He noted the decently big living room that had a bit of a classic style to it. The more he studied it, the more it reminded him of the cabin he went away to after first waking up. It was very homey. There were olive green couches and one matching couch chair set around each other with a glass table between them. The fireplace at the end was decorated with so many portraits it looked like just one gust of wind would knock them down like a row of dominoes. Gold drapes were pulled to the sides in each of the three windows to allow the sun in.

"This is home…" Seren said awkwardly beside him as she rocked back and forth on her feet.

Steve looked down at her. "It's really nice. This is where you grew up?" She nodded. "It's very big…"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I honestly think my parents were originally planning on having more kids but, um…" She raised her free hand, turning her palm over to create a small glowing sphere of star matter. "I think once they got a really good taste of my childhood, they decided one was enough."

Steve took her hand, making the energy fade away. He brought her hand up to his lips for a kiss. "You don't know that," he said, but Seren knew he was just trying to make her feel better.

Luckily, or maybe unfortunately, she heard her mother calling from the kitchen. "Are you both in?"

"She sounds like you," Steve commented as Liana kept calling. "Or I guess you sound like her." Seren shook her head at him.

Liana came in shortly after since she was getting any response. "Well hello," she greeted the pair with a big smile. "We've been waiting…"

"Mom," Seren warned.

"What? I meant a general 'we've been waiting'," shrugged Liana, sighing at her daughter's dramatics. She turned her complete attention to the man beside her and smiled. Steve noticed that she didn't have Seren's trademark dimples. That must be a trait from her father.

"Ma'am," Steve held a hand out to Liana. She shook his hand for a short moment but it was all Steve needed to feel the same type of strength that Seren had. These were the things he hadn't had a chance to notice the last time they saw each other. They were all focused — he was focused on Seren and her wellbeing in the hospital.

"Liana Soul," the woman introduced herself. "And you really don't need an introduction—history's taken care of that."

"Yeah, I suppose it has." What more could Steve say? Everything about him was in the history books, and even museums now.

"Doesn't go to your head, does it?" Liana teased with a small chuckle to follow.

"No, ma'am," he said quickly, alarmed at the idea that they could think that.

Seren gripped his hand as if she'd read his mind. "He could never," she said with all the certainty in the world.

"Steve, you didn't bring any bags?" Liana asked when she noticed his hands were practically free of any such luggage.

"Oh, I left it in the car!" Steve jerked a thumb over his shoulder. He'd completely forgotten about it when he saw Seren on the porch.

"That's alright, we can get it later," Liana waved it off. "Would you like something to drink?"

"That would be nice, thank you," Steve nodded.

Liana turned to lead the way. "And maybe put those nice flowers in a vase…"

Seren gushed at her bouquet all over again. "Aren't they pretty?"

"They are. You know your father made the mistake of getting me poppies?" Liana shuddered.

"You don't like poppies?" Steve asked curiously, making a mental note of it should he ever need to use the information.

Liana led them into the kitchen, going straight to the cabinets. "I'm allergic to them."

Steve's eyes widened. "Oh…"

"It wasn't pretty," Liana shuddered again. "I get raging hives with those things. Lovely human characteristic I got there. But don't worry, all you have to worry about is keeping Seren away from shrimp."

Steve looked down at Seren, his eyes still widened. "You're allergic to shrimp?" He had no idea about this. Why was he only now learning about this!?

"Don't worry, it's just shrimp," Seren assured him. "And I don't even like seafood that much anyways."

Liana groaned when she struggled to reach the vase she was looking for in the cabinet. "Dammit! Why does your father insist on putting things up on the higher shelves?"

"Because he says, and I quote, 'it's funny'," Seren said, suddenly shooting Steve a glare. "Don't you ever try to do that to me."

Steve smiled at her. "No worries." He was also sure it wouldn't matter because she could fly. Seeing Liana still struggling to reach the cabinet, he wondered if she too could fly. Whatever the answer was, he didn't care. He let go of Seren's hand to help Liana.

"Thank you," she sighed and pointed up to the vase in question. "That one, please."

He stretched a hand up to the shelf and easily pulled the vase down to the counter.

"Hey!" Brooks strode into the kitchen, stopping when he saw the vase on the counter and the flat face of his wife. His eyes went wide with realization. "Ooh...did I put that…?"

Liana's face was more than enough to scare anybody out of their wits. "Yeah."

"My bad," Brooks said, though his brief smile indicated something else. His eyes flickered to the bouquet in Seren's arms. "Those are nice! You know, the first time I bought her flowers—" he nodded at Liana, "—it turns out she was allergic to poppies."

"Yeah, Steve won't be making that mistake with me," Seren said proudly.

"Shrimp," Brooks still mentioned it to the man, seriously too.

"Already noted," Steve promised him. He gave Seren another look for keeping her allergy a secret, though she just took it with a giggle. Apparently, he wasn't as serious as he wanted to come off as.

"Good man," Brooks smiled then extended a hand forwards. "Brooks Soul."

"Steve Rogers," the blonde shook hands with Brooks. He took as much as he could from Brooks in the short span of the handshake. If he was correct, because he had only seen one picture for no more than a minute and he truly didn't notice a thing in the hospital, Seren had Brooks' natural curls when she had her long brunette hair. And the dimples. That was definitely Brooks too. The eyes were curious since Liana had hazel and Brooks a bright green. Seren had a mixture but her eyes had a stronger shade of green.

"Gotta say, it's an honor to meet you," Brooks chuckled, completely missing Seren's warning look.

Steve couldn't help but flush at the comment. He got those all the time but coming from Seren's father added a whole new layer of embarrassment.

"Dad, you promised."

"I was only saying," Brooks said, shrugging casually. "Sorry."

"It's alright," Steve assured. "I guess it's weird on both sides. I'm...supposed to be dead after all."

"Thank God you're not," Brooks pointed at him, then winked at his daughter who couldn't be any more mortified.

Liana reached for Seren's arm and tugged her towards the counter. "It's fine, Seren," she whispered while they transferred the flowers into the vase. "We're just happy, you see," she spoke in a normal volume so the others would hear. "Seren rarely comes home, much less for a couple days. I think this is actually the first time she's staying for more than two days. We want to soak up every chance we have with her and that includes the traditional embarrassing-your-daughter bit."

Seren turned away from the counter with a heavy sigh. "You're doing a phenomenal job." She met Steve's gaze. "Tell me things were different back then."

"They were," he said automatically, barely giving her a moment to bask in her point when he added, "They were worse."

"Ha," Brooks laughed. "I like him!"

"Shocker!" Seren huffed. She crossed her arms, refusing to undo them even when Steve came by her side to hug her.

"Careful, she's small but she has quite a temperament," Liana warned, ignoring whatever Seren muttered under her breath.

"Yeah, I wonder where she gets that from," Brooks cleared his throat as he sent Steve a sharp look. It wasn't too hard for Steve to make the connections.

Liana flashed a sarcastic smile at her husband. "Hush," she ordered and went into the fridge to retrieve those drinks she offered earlier.

"By the way," started Brooks, and for a second Seren dreaded what he would come up with next, "I finally sold the house on Gramercy street."

Liana gasped just as she pulled out a pitcher of something pink. "Really?"

"They're both realtors," Seren reminded Steve as the other two went on about the sale. "And yes, many dinner conversations were about new houses going on the market. And off the market."

"Better than some of the stories my mother sometimes had for me," Steve remarked. "She was a nurse, remember?"

"Oh, a brave job back then, and now of course…"

"Yeah…" As much as he didn't want to let it happen, the topic of his mother always got to him in the end. Even when it was a century later, the same thing happened.

Of course there was one big difference between now and back then and Steve was reminded when he felt Seren's arm wrapping around his. She looked up at him and a second later she had given him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Come sit down, you two," Liana ushered them to the table. "Seren, you know who your father sold the house to?"

"I'm eager to know," Seren playfully rolled her eyes as she grabbed one of the already poured drinks on the table for Steve.

"Kenna Vidal's parents," Liana said. It was curious for Steve to see Seren pause midway, his glass so close to him yet tightly gripped between Seren's fingers. The name must be important.

Seren blinked several times before she came back to the present. She cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks blush now that she was aware of her reaction. She set Steve's glass down in front of him.

"You okay?" He asked her.

"Mhm," she said much too quickly to be believed.

He decided to use their location as an advantage for the moment. He wasn't going to let her get away with shutting things away. "Who, uh, who is that?"

Luckily, her parents were on the same page.

"Kenna Vidal was the only friend that Seren ever brought home when she was younger," Brooks started to explain as he grabbed a chair for himself. "They were paired for several projects back in high school."

"She was the new kid," Seren said quietly, hands gripping the edge of the table. "And I never had a partner. Teachers saw the obvious arrangement."

"Oh, she was adorable," Liana gushed. She came by the table with a platter of fruit for them. "Incredibly smart too. Left for college on a scholarship."

"She was your friend, then?" Steve asked Seren. She seemed to find the table very interesting but the look on her face indicated there were many things running through her head.

"I don't know. I used to do my best to avoid her but she was always persistent. I liked her...I just didn't want to expose myself."

"You used to have fun with her," Liana said. "I used to listen to your conversations when you had her over. You were definitely friends."

"Thank you, Mom!" Seren exclaimed, shaking her head. "Happy to know that you were eavesdropping on my conversations!"

Liana shrugged her shoulders, humming as she went back to the cabinets.

Steve chuckled as he gave Seren a rub on her back. "I think that's universal. My mother used to do that with me and Bucky all the time. His mother too."

"How else are we supposed to know what you guys do?" Liana called from her spot. "You're all devils."

"I don't think Seren could ever be capable of that," Steve remarked but Brooks' scoff was enough to make him suddenly doubt.

Brooks had a piece of apple between his fingers. He pointed at his daughter with narrowed eyes. "You be careful with her, Captain. She's like her mother in that aspect. They know that their small stature is why people underestimate them."

"I pity the fool who ever underestimates Seren," Steve automatically said, eyes wide and all. She rolled her eyes at him and, like her mother, reintroduced the drinks.

~ 0 ~

Bucky wanted to know many things from his past life. As cloudy as his mind was, it didn't mean that the questions were minimal. There were so many things and it was hard deciding which ones to start with first. It was hard deciding which ones were the more important ones. It was hard prioritizing details of his life. But most of all, it was hard listening to them.

Chloe was gentle when she answered his questions, and apologized each time she came short with any the answers. Bucky appreciated it; none of this was her fault and yet she was trying her best to appease his curiosity.

"You were born in March," Chloe started talking when he'd fallen silent in one of his moments of thinking about more questions. She was kind enough to give him information she hadn't been asked about. He wanted baby steps; she could give baby steps. "I believe March 10. Definitely 1917, though. I remember because you're a year older than Steve. Did you remember that?" Bucky gave a slow, shake of his head. "I, uh, you were a Brooklyn boy. All your life too. Well, before the war."

"Yeah," he whispered. He could remember bits and parts of a life set in New York. He just had problems remembering what city.

Chloe watched him with curious eyes. She was actually being very patient because the truth is she was hardly ever patient with anything. "Do you...do you remember some things? I remember, um, back at the vault, they said you've been out of the cryo for too long. That means...you've had to remember at some point who you were."

"At some point," Bucky repeated. He was certain of the fact, he just didn't remember when. Everything was a coalition now that his mind would be free to reassess and process.

"Mm," was all Chloe said. She drummed her fingers over the isle, eyes squinting at Bucky.

He couldn't figure out what the hell she was staring at. Then, out of nowhere, she walked around him to the fridge. Bucky watched her take out an apple and plant it on the isle between them. Bucky looked at the apple with some confusion, and even more so when he looked up at Chloe who seemed to be waiting for her.

"What? It's a snack," she said. "I know Steve mentioned you guys used to waste outrageous money on hotdogs." She smiled. "I don't have those but I'm sure I can get them. That is, if you plan on sticking around long enough."

"I can't," Bucky began to argue, shooting her a glare when she snorted.

"Please, you're still in the aftermath of the battle. Your best option is to stay hidden within the walls of the last place they would ever think about." Chloe clicked her tongue as she pointed at herself. "At least for a while. I mean, who would ever suspect that we're together, right?"

Bucky shook his head. "I need to get far away from here."

"But where is that going to get you?" Chloe asked. "It doesn't matter how far you get away from here. You are—were—Hydra's best weapon. If they have a bunch of bases left, people left, one of them is going to come after you." She pushed the apple to his side. "You can stay here, no payment required of course."

Before Bucky could utter a word, Chloe's phone rang again. Bucky looked around, eyes immediately scouring for the phone.

"I have to answer," she said, eyes wide with emphasis. He seemed to be triggered by just about everything that made a noise. "If it's Tony, he's checking up on me and I think we both know what would happen if the first check-in doesn't go well?"

The logic was clear as day, or night in this case. "Don't say a word about me," Bucky warned, tone thick with a danger that Chloe wasn't about to tempt.

"Yeah, I know," she said before hurrying over to pick up her phone. Sure enough, Tony was calling. "Hello?"

'Kid, why does it take so long for you to pick up?'

"I was showering," Chloe said, turning for the kitchen, "Contrary to your olden age, you are not my father."

"No, I just pay for everything as if I were your father," Tony quipped. Chloe could just picture him smirking. "Who, by the way, doesn't do too shabby in the world of business."

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed. "What? Tony, did you look up my Dad?" She would be more offended, honestly, if she didn't already know Tony.

"Dad...mom...entire family, really," Tony said, ever so casually, "You're the baby aren't you? Two older brothers?"

"Tony!" Chloe snapped. "Don't go digging through my family! I'm not...I'm not ready for that!"

"You do realize that with Hydra gone you can see them again, right?"

Chloe swallowed hard and glanced at Bucky.

"They're gone."

"One faction. But there are more."

"No, I can't," Chloe said quietly. There was no way in hell she was ever going to lead HYDRA anywhere near her family. If they had stayed off HYDRA's radar this whole time, she wasn't going to tempt them.

"Baby steps, kid, I got it," Tony said. "But you are coming to the Tower tomorrow, right? Just like we agreed?"

"Yeah, of course," Chloe said, listening to him go on about some nonsense of tardiness. Before he was going to hang up, Chloe interjected, "Hey, um, any word on Steve?" She met Bucky's gaze, the latter having turned immediately. She pressed the speaker option just as Tony answered her.

"Last time I heard, he was with Twinkle Star in Hudson."

"Ah…" Chloe nodded slowly, sending a significant look at Bucky to understand. "And Sam?"

"Still in D.C. Why are you so interested? You finally want to talk to them?"

"No," Chloe said all too quickly, "I was just curious. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye kid, take care."

Chloe hung up and gestured towards Bucky. "There you go. Confirmation where Steve is. And if you try to leave the country, Wilson's going to know." She straightened up a minute later, swallowing hard. "The choice is ultimately up to you but I think I just kind of showed you your best option."

"You're not afraid?" Bucky sounded incredulous and disbelieving. It was hard to tell which one he leaned more on.

"Hell yeah, but I'm more afraid of what Hydra could do if they decide to continue what Pierce started," Chloe shrugged, this time however it was not as casual as before. "They're coming for you and if you're here...then at least we'll have backup close by. I don't have Steve or Seren this time but I have Tony Stark and he has all the powerful toys."

"Winters, you're not thinking straight…" Bucky started when she snorted.

"Tell me about it," she walked back into the kitchen. "My mind hasn't shut up ever since you pulled the damn chip out of my hand. Hydra didn't have a guidebook on that, did they?"

Bucky was less than amused with her. He walked, or rather strode, up to her and instead of inching away with his heavy steps, Chloe tilted her head up to meet him just in time. "Is this all a game to you?" he asked, "Because if it is, I'm out."

"I'm not stupid—you forget I've been on the run for years," she said earnestly. "You may be an ex-assassin, and you're definitely more skilled in weaponry and combat but I'm the one who's been running and hiding. Maybe I just don't want you to do that because I know that it doesn't lead you—"

"I don't care what you know!" snapped Bucky, eyes flashing with a heavy annoyance at her audacity.

"You should because I have a plan!" she exclaimed.

"I didn't ask you for one!"

"Well you should have because I have one! And I make really good plans!"

"You're not going to tell me what I want to know, are you?"

Chloe laughed humorlessly and stepped back from him. "Of course I am, whatever I know anyways. Scuse me for trying to help you out. Thought you could use it after 70 years of being on your own."

Bucky's eyebrows furrowed together. For all his training, he couldn't figure out her angle. "You don't have a plan," he stated.

She scoffed. Of course he would think that he was calling her bluff. "I do," she said, hands on her hips. "It may be in the drafts but I have one. And after I visit Tony, I'll have more. Tempting?"

It was Bucky's turn to scoff. "From you? Hard to believe."

She smiled. "Then you'll just have to stick around." She made a gesture towards the kitchen. "I'm going to get some exams done with Tony. Can't tell you more stories if my head isn't on right."

Now she was dangling the stories in his face. New annoyance filled his face. Bucky watched her walk away like nothing. She was...serious. And he...he was frustrated.

~ 0 ~

It wouldn't take long to lose Steve to her father, Seren just didn't expect it to be that early in the morning. Seren shouldn't be surprised at all, really. She should just be dead afraid that her father would say or do something that would have Steve running for the hills.

"God help me," she said to her mother when she returned to the kitchen.

Liana was giving their breakfast the last check-in before setting the table. She laughed at her daughter's concerned face. "Where are they?"

"In the den. Dad's showing him the old records," Seren shook her head.

"You loved those when you were little," Liana reminded her.

"Yeah, I did and still do, I'm just concerned that somehow it'll turn into an embarrassing story of me." Seren sank into an empty chair at the table and buried her face in her hands. "Or just something embarrassing in general."

Liana chuckled. "Well, you didn't bring a boy home when you were 16 so we've been holding it in for a long time now."

Seren groaned. "Of course," her words were muffled in her hands.

Liana chuckled again and came around Seren, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"No offense but everything is so not fine and that's sort of why we're here," Seren said, dropping her hands on the table.

"But in the end, you are bonding," Liana said, "With Steve, and with us. And I am very thankful for this opportunity."

Seren looked at her mother softly. "...so am I," she admitted. Despite everything, it did feel nice being at home without the arguing.

From the den, Steve heard a faint echo of a laugh in the kitchen. Even at a distance Liana still sounded like Seren. Other way around, he reminded himself.

He shook off the thought to focus on what Brooks was saying. He couldn't afford to miss something important and then ruin what was turning out to be a good moment with Brooks. The small den was cozy and, surprisingly, full of old time records. Steve couldn't remember ever seeing a store with as many records as the ones that Brooks Soul owned.

"It's a collection I started when I was young," Brooks explained when he'd seen Steve's gawking face. "I didn't think I would actually get to have this many but…" He shrugged his shoulders, proudly smiling at his shelves. "I guess I did."

"This is amazing." Steve couldn't find another word for it. The shelves almost seemed cramped from the amount of records it sustained.

"Liana always threatens to throw some of them out," Brooks remarked, throwing a glance at the doorway as if the woman herself would soon come in to say those very words. "When Seren was little, she used to pull up her little step stool to the shelves and then stand on it with her arms stretched out as much as she could." Brooks laughed before he could finish. "She said she would protect my records from anything. I thank God she couldn't fly yet."

Steve smiled, his head bobbing to the side. "That sounds like Seren."

"She's helped me expand the collection, actually. Made herself a little expert on it." Brooks walked up to one of the shelves, hand stretching out to take one record out.

"She did?" It was finally clicking in Steve's head why Seren knew the exact records to recommend for him and when he saw the record player in the corner of the den, he knew it was also why she'd gifted such a good model to him too. It was her childhood seeping through.

"Oh yeah," Brooks had finally chosen a record. He gingerly carried it to the record player. "I taught her everything she knew and then when technology started advancing on us, she learned new things and then taught me. Funny how that works."

In a short minute, he'd started up the record player. A soft tune played in the air with a woman's voice.

"You'll want to take this one," Brooks said suddenly, startling Steve out of the song he was trying to place.

"What? Oh, no, I couldn't—"

"This is Seren's favorite," Brooks explained but paused for a second. He raised a finger then headed for the doors to close them. When he turned around, he was no longer smiling.

For a second, Steve wondered if he'd somehow angered the man.

"I know my daughter's not happy and she's not going to be happy staying here," Brooks said, unknowingly easing Steve's nerves. "Unlike my wife, I have always known that Seren is never going to stay in Hudson. I've tried convincing Seren mainly for Liana's sake but I know my daughter," he sighed, "And she's got too many stars in her sight to ever settle here. And that's fine. I just want her to be happy. And I want her to take something with her, wherever she goes, that she used to love at home. Carole King is one of those things."

"Why don't you just give it to her yourself?" Steve wondered out loud, soon his eyes widened in alarm. That sounded more snappy than he'd intended. "I mean—"

Luckily, Brooks just laughed. "Despite not seeing Seren much, I do know her. She'd never take a record from me. Has to come from you because then she can't get mad at either of us. Teamwork, Captain. It's how we survive these women."

Steve's lips twitched into a smile. That sounded a lot like a full welcome. Seren had told him a thousand times at least that her parents would of course accept him, but it was really nice hearing it come directly from one of them.

"Teamwork," he agreed.

Brooks seemed to want to say something more. His eyes once more flickered to the closed doors. "We have exactly 10 minutes before Seren, or Liana for that matter, comes in with the excuse that breakfast's ready."

Steve wouldn't put it behind Seren to get her mother to help her out. As nervous as he was being around her parents, sometimes it felt like she was having it worse.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" Brooks was cautious when he asked the question. "Regarding Seren?"

"Of course," Steve nodded, making himself ready to take on whatever Brooks wanted him to do.

"Like I said, I know Seren won't stay here. As much as Liana hates to admit it, Seren not staying here has nothing to do with S.H.I.E.L.D." Brooks exhaled a heavy sigh, though the tug of his lips into a smile seemed more resigned than anything. "Could you persuade Seren to come home more often?" He asked with a soft fatherly tone. "Call, maybe?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, yeah," nodded Steve again. "I can definitely do that."

"Don't feel obligated to," Brooks warned him, "And definitely don't do it if it causes problems between you two. The last thing I want is to further ruin my daughter's life."

"You didn't ruin it," Steve said firmly, "Things have, unfortunately, come across but Seren doesn't see it being yours, nor Liana's, fault."

"I can't change the past but I know where my faults are," Brooks said, shrugging with a sigh. "I would just like to see my daughter more often. She's my only child, after all."

"Of course," nodded Steve. "I think it would be very good for Seren too. She associates Hudson with secrecy and silence and I think now that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files are out for everybody to see, she might start to let the whole secrets go and breathe."

"Breathe," Brooks repeated with a small chortle. "Yeah. You can help her."

"Yeah, but she'll end up doing it on her own. She's strong like that," Steve smiled proudly. "But if she finds out that we're talking about her, we're both going to be in trouble."

"You're right!" Brooks hurried to open the doors before they were discovered. "I think you and I are going to get along very well," he said when he turned around.

Steve grinned.

~ 0 ~

Nobody would say it, certainly not Tony, but everyone was aware of how white Chloe's knuckles were as she gripped the arm-rests of her chair. She hadn't moved, allowing each of her exams to run smoothly in the lab, despite the obvious disdain she held for each one. It was a novelty to see her so...fragile. Tony wouldn't say the word out loud so as to not incite pointless arguments.

"You did good, Chloe," Helen Cho said as soon as the last exam was done.

Chloe couldn't wait to hop off her seat so once she heard Helen, she was up and running. "Is there anything new?" she asked the pair with anxious eyes. She'd been wondering if her encounter with the chip had been enough to change things up in her brain.

"Just the same as the last time," Helen answered, motioning Chloe to the computer screen. "Your temporal lobe is showing the same level of sensitivity to hearing."

"Didn't we agree you'd try yoga?" asked Tony, barely holding his smirk in when both Chloe and Helen sent him identical mock-glares.

"Anyways," Helen said, eyes flickering back to Chloe, "I was discussing with Tony about a new exam…"

Chloe already groaned. "Not that I don't appreciate everything you do for me but...another exam?"

Helen smiled lightly. She was more than used to Chloe's way of being by now. Two years helped solidify a friendship. "This one would be to start measuring how well the Hivemind is interacting with you."

"The idea is—" Tony started just as Chloe was no doubt about to retort something against the plan, "—that we see just how much more the Hivemind is interacting with you and then compare it to the results we have before you were introduced to the second tech."

"How would that help me now?" Chloe frowned.

"By comparing, we can see the different levels that spike whenever the Hivemind enters, or you enter it," Helen explained. "Tony did speak of an inhibitor option should your clairvoyance further develop."

"How are those, anyways?" asked Tony, crossing his arms. "You haven't mentioned them anymore."

"I haven't had them as much," admitted Chloe. If she had, maybe she would've seen Bucky sneaking into her apartment.

"That could be a sign of the Hivemind beginning to truly stabilize within you," Helen pointed, already fascinated with the new theory in her mind.

"And how would those work, exactly…?"

"We introduce you to different factors, some small and others…" Tony trailed off and tilted his head, letting Chloe imagine the rest.

"You want me to get into danger?" She shouldn't even be surprised by this point. Chloe held a hand at him, motioning him to be quiet as she addressed Helen. "How 'dangerous' are we talking?"

"Nothing outrageous," Helen assured. "Minor threats such as tripping, paper cuts, simple things like that."

That certainly helped ease Chloe's nerves. "I always liked you better, Dr. Cho," she smiled. Helen flushed while Tony scoffed. "If it'll be like that then...sure, why not? Can't be worse than what I've already faced, right?"

"You need a ride home, kid?" Tony asked, still wearing some of his sourness for being declared not a favorite.

"No, I'm good," Chloe said quickly. "Remember our deal? I don't want anybody showing up at the apartment." Now with even more reason she needed to make sure that Tony didn't get any ideas. "That goes for Seren and Steve too."

Tony scoffed. "Please, Twinkle Star and Cap are probably in paradise right now. They won't be bothering anybody for a while."

Chloe playfully rolled her eyes at him. He was right, though. She could relax about them for a while. "Okay then, I'll...be seeing you two."

"Are you sure you don't want company?" asked Tony again. "I mean...a walk? I'm willing to take a walk with you!"

Chloe chuckled. "And I appreciate it, I do, but I just need to be...by myself." She pulled out her earphones from her pockets. "I need to focus on one sound when I'm out there."

"We'll work on a solution for that too!" Helen promised.

"Thanks," Chloe said to the pair. "Gotta go!" She turned around quickly and left before Tony could offer his company again.

She left in a hurry just as she'd left her apartment earlier. The ultimatum was up so Bucky had his decision made. She walked fast on the sidewalk, almost into a sprint and not just for the noise. She reached her apartment in all of ten minutes, a new record if she'd been paying attention.

She unlocked her door and stepped inside, promptly shutting the door with lock behind her. The lights were off, just like last time. "...hey?" she called lamely. She'd never asked Bucky what he went by now and she didn't want to make the mistake of saying the wrong name.

She turned the lights on and immediately scoured the living room for him. He wasn't there. She went into the kitchen and found nobody there. The apple she gave Bucky on the aisle was still right where she left it.

"Don't tell me you left," she said, now hurrying for the hallway. Maybe he'd gotten curious about her—which was fair—and was vetting her?

He wasn't in her room either. Not in the restroom. Not even in the stupid closets. Why he would be in the closet, Chloe didn't know but she'd still held onto hope that he'd be at least there.

But he wasn't.

He wasn't in the apartment at all.

Chloe exhaled a heavy breath. "I ran him off," she realized. Seren always did say that she had a strong personality. Her old friends used to say the same thing. It was how she was able to get ahead in high school, make herself known by everybody. Well, this wasn't high school and she definitely wasn't a stupid teenager. She was, unfortunately, still doing things wrong. She drove away Seren under the guise that she "needed time" when in reality she was flatout embarrassed and ashamed of what she did to Seren and everyone else. She had the ability to help a man who'd been a victim for decades and what does she do? Run him off too.

A/N:

It seems like fanfic . net is being useless again because I'm not getting notifications about anything again no matter what I do. It says that my email doesn't recognize the site's email address which is total bull because I have it listed as as contact. So just an fyi for anyone who's on that platform, check your account settings because they may have messed with your account too >.>

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elixrr · 3 months

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STARS ALIGN!

♡ XIAO × READER (× KAZUHA?) ♡

SYNOPSIS: You don't know how, and you certainly don't know why, but somehow your once-beloved boyfriend, Kuni, broke up with you about a week after high school graduation. After leaving and ghosting you out of nowhere, you decide that you need to move on, and you let your friend, Kazuha, move in with you. While he's definitely a dating candidate, you start college and, by fate, a boy named Xiao sits next to you in the lecture hall...

WARNINGS: Heavy swearing, some fighting, sexy men

CHAPTER: Prologue

NEXT CHAPTER: Ch.1

“What?”

You dropped the glass cup from your hands.

“You heard me.” Kuni scoffed, arms crossed and eyes rolling. “I've had it with you. I'm done. We're done.”

“But— But why? What did I do? Is there something—”

“No.” He cut you off like he meant it. And judging by his demeanor? He really fucking meant it.

“There's nothing to discuss. There's nothing to negotiate.” Kuni leans in close, “We're well fucking over, got it? I don't give two shits if you cry to your friends about me because in my happy little world— without you— we never happened. And never will. Ever again.”

Kuni pushed you away, grabbing his things and his suitcases. He stopped at the door and turned around to look at your tearful face.

“Bye, crumby little shit.”

And the door slammed shut. Even when sobbing, you could hear a car skid to the front of the house, as well as Kuni's suitcases rolling against the pavement. A few car doors open and close, and the car skids away.

And that was the end of it.

What did you even do wrong?

“Wh— Who are you calling a fucking crumby little shit?” You sob, slamming your palms on the kitchen counter.

“What the fuck did... What did I do wrong?” Dirty dishes are suddenly shattered and pieces of ceramic scramble across the floor. A vase with yours and Kuni's one-year anniversary bouquet suddenly crashes and shatters on the floor. You rip the flowers apart and throw them across the room.

What the fuck—

—did you do wrong?

— – -

It's been a good two months since the breakup, and you've been doing better. You've been hanging out with your friend groups more often, and they've been there to cheer you up. Actually, you even let Kazuha move in with you, and after getting that plan straight, you trashed everything that reminded you of Kuni.

Still. Your ex-two-year anniversary will happen a week from now, and you're really not excited. You're curious, though. Why did he even break up with you in the first place? You weren't an asshole, nor were you violent. You and Kuni were a good pair, so why did he leave you like that?

“Y/N?” Kazuha tucks a lock of hair behind your ear. “You're spacing out again. Are you okay?”

Snapping out of it, you look at Kazuha with a forced smile. “I'm pretty okay. Actually, thinking about it now, getting rid of Kuni's belongings really helped. I just need to use a different air freshener.”

“Ah, that actually reminds me, I did buy us an air freshener. I picked out something that reminded me of you, so it's on the sweeter side, if you don't mind.”

Kazuha smiles back at you with the air freshener in hand, and you're pretty much speechless.

“Aw, Kazuha! You think I'm sweet?”

“Of course. Now, let's continue moving and building the essentials. I'd rather not sleep on a futon again.”

“Right, let's get on with this.”

You come in and out of the house, unloading the final pieces of furniture from the car. You watch Kazuha swiftly piece the new furniture together one-by-one, and his whole room has all of his belongings organized, even without the furniture being finished.

You stare in awe as Kazuha completes his rocking chair like it was just some small, easy puzzle that just about any baby could solve.

“You're literally such boyfriend material.”

Kazuha stops in his tracks.

“What?”

“Huh? What happened?”

“You... Ah, nothing. I thought you said something. A– Anyways, I'm nearly done. I'll just need the closet.”

“Oh, I have the box and the pieces in it. Let me get it for you!”

You leave Kazuha in the room in shock. He thought you were still into Kuni... Did you actually mean those words? Is he really a potential rebound option for you?

Do you really like him back?

Whatever the case may be, he doesn't want to risk rejection. Not yet, especially when he's just moved in.

“I've got it! Here you go.” You hand Kazuha the parts for the closet. “I hope this is better than your old one. IDEA has some really good furniture.”

“It is, I'm really happy to have a functional room.” Kazuha opens the box up and begins his work on the closet. You lean on the doorframe quietly, watching him work his magic.

It's amazing how times changed. With Kuni around, you rarely ever got to go out alone. He always needed you near, and so you eventually were fired from your job at moonbucks. You had to distance yourself from friends that he didn't get along well with or didn't know of. Kuni was very clingy and just as toxic.

A thought pops into your mind. You smile.

Maybe I'm better off without him.

Why did you even stay with him in the first place?

“So, Y/N. I've been thinking,” Kazuha interrupts your thoughts, “should I start paying the rent? You're jobless, thanks to... Anyways, my family fortunes and my jobs can give us enough for rent, food, and other things.”

“Shit, I should get a job now that Kuni can't control me.”

“Issue is, college starts for both of us, no? Three days from now.”

“Shit! Shit shit shit, you're right. There is a café nearby that I could try going to. Pays above minimum wage, and it's pretty popular, given the only other café nearby is absolute dogwater.”

Kazuha gives you a look.

“...Sorry. I know your friend worked there. But! Ever since he moved away, the place has gotten shittier and shittier. Most of the employees quit, anyway! Ah, whatever, it's okay. I'll look into getting a job at Starry Night.”

— – -

“See you at lunch?” You smile at Kazuha.

“Of course. See you at lunch.” Kazuha smiles back and walks into the building. You watch the doors shut, and you start going towards your destination. You've got about fifteen minutes to get across the campus, and luckily, your class is about five minutes away.

You look around. The day is bright, the sun shines down on the campus, and there are people everywhere. You glance over at everyone nearby, and while you're nervous, you're absolutely ready for this year without a toxic boyfriend.

“Woww Y/N, you got a glow-up!” Hu Tao chimes in, hopping in to give you a hug. “I haven't seen you all summer! How've you been? Why didn't you text me?”

“How's Kuni?” She adds.

“Oh, he's the reason why I haven't texted all summer. His ass broke up with me, and honestly? His loss, my gain. I mean, no more boyfriend air, right?”

“Wow, he really is a dick! Well, just remember that my grandfather runs a funeral home, and if you need to call in for a cremation, I'll give you a discount! Anyway, my class isn't this one, so I'll set you free. Later, friend!”

And within a heartbeat, she runs off to the next friend she spots. You sigh with a smile, entering the building to attend your classes. The actual room was bigger than your average high school classroom, but it was smaller than a gymnasium. A good amount of the seats were full, but there were a few rows left almost completely empty. You sat down in a randomly chosen row, and nobody really sat near you. Besides, you might as well introduce yourself later.

“Can I sit here?” Someone beside you mumbles. You look to see who it is, and it's...

It's a cutie.

“Yes. Absolutely, yes.” You blurt out, coughing in embarrassment. To make matters worse, the boy gives you a confused side-eye but sits down regardless. In this row, there's only you and this mystery boy. A silence settles between you two, even with the slight bustle of the lecture hall, and you just can't help your near deathly curiosity. Who would pass up an opportunity like this, anyway?

You turn to the boy with a small, welcoming smile, and an offer to shake hands.

“By the way, I'm Y/N. What's your name?”

He turns to look at you, removing the airpod that faced towards you. He denies the handshake and responds,

“Xiao.”

CHAPTER 1 ESTIMATE: Sunday, January 21st｜ET

#stars align!#character x reader #genshin x reader #xiao x reader #xiao x you #kazuha x reader #fic series #fanfic series #kazuha x you #genshin fic #genshin modern au #modern au #fluff #drama #light angst

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