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lizzie-is-here · 2 years

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like the dawn

part iii- not without you

“show me a hero, and i’ll write you a tragedy” - f. scott fitzgerald

summary: you and steve go on a two-person charge into a nazi facility to save your best friend. looks like the tables have turned, and you have a profound realization.

wordcount: 3.4k

warnings: violence, cussing, mild pining, foreshadowing, me setting up for the train scene to hurt even more

a/n: crying in the club 🥲 this is mostly set up, but i’m completely ready to almost cry writing the next part. hope u all enjoy! love you all <3

taglist: @whelvedfeelingsstuff @sebsgirl71479 @rebloggingmyrecs @babyblublossom @local-mr-frog @thenyxsky @capsiclesdoll

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As you and Steve plummeted through the air, you ignored the gunfire surrounding you. Eyes trained on the ground rapidly approaching, you nodded to Steve and deployed your chute.

Jolting harshly, you crashed through the trees and landed harshly on the forest floor. You unclipped your parachute and sprinted into the cover of the trees, Steve following close behind. He held a hand out in front of you, protectively shielding you as a parade of trucks passed by.

Once you spotted the last car in the line, you and Steve jumped in, immediately coming face-to-face with two HYDRA operatives. You let him beat them up, grabbing a glowing blue gun from one of them before he tossed them out of the back of the vehicle.

The truck came to a stop a short while later, and a soldier lifted the flap. He was met with Steve’s shield to his face.

“That thing is a literal target on your back,” you grumbled, sneaking with him through the grounds. The entire camp was crawling with guards, but you managed to slip past them, hiding in the shadows and Steve knocking the living daylights out of any of them that spotted you.

He helped you clamber up a tank and onto the roof of a building, racing along the rain-soaked concrete and into the nearest building. After successfully knocking out a guard and peering into one of the central rooms, you froze.

It was huge, with advanced technology scattered everywhere. Including bombs.

As you two crept past a table, you swiped what looked to be some sort of battery that glowed the same blue as the gun you’d stolen.

“We need to find where they keep prisoners,” Steve hissed to you. You frowned, scanning the entries and exits, squinting in an attempt to read the German plastered above the doors. You pointed to one, labeled “Gefängnis”.

“I bet that’s it,” you whispered. He shoved you.

“You don’t know German, dipshit!” You slapped him in return.

“Maybe not, but a guy just walked out of there, and I saw what looked like jail cells, so,” you glared at him as he gave in, starting to sprint towards the corridor. The door let out into a hallway above circular cells, where thin rays of light filtered in from outside.

Grabbing an arrow from your quiver, you nocked it as you stalked down the hall. When you spotted a lone guard patrolling, you fired. The arrow embedded itself in the man’s chest, and he fell on top of a cell with a surprised grunt.

Steve grabbed the set of keys from the soldier as one of the prisoners eyed you both.

“Who are you supposed to be?” he asked the blond.

“I’m…” Steve paused to ensure there were no more guards. “Captain America.”

Jumping down the nearest ladder, the two of you raced to unlock every cell. You got a few odd glances, but none of the men said anything after watching you rip your arrow from the guard’s body and return it to your quiver.

“Is there anyone else?” your friend asked. You spoke up, voice still quiet to avoid drawing attention. “We’re looking for a Sergeant James Barnes.”

“There’s an isolation ward in the factory, but no one’s ever some back from it,” one soldier said. You and Steve nodded to each other. That had to be where Bucky was. He had to be alive.

Steve turned to address the crowd. “The tree line is northwest, 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast, and give ‘em hell.”

“We’ll meet you out in the clearing with anyone else we find,” you added.

“Wait,” one man said. “You know what you’re doing?”

Steve didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. I’ve knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 times.”

As you both sprinted away, you laughed under your breath. “You’re a punk, you know that?” He shrugged, not disagreeing.

Since all of the guards were handling the escaped prisoners, maneuvering through the facility was much easier, and before long, you were running down a damp hallway that you assumed to be the isolation ward. The tiles underneath your feet were caked with mud and mildew, and a permeating smell of sweat and chemicals lingered in the air.

Just as you both cleared a corner, you spotted a short, stout man carrying a briefcase. He stopped for only a moment before running away down the hall. Neither of you wasted any time before hurrying into the room he’d left.

On a table, strapped down and shaking, was Bucky.

“Sergeant… 32577…” he mumbled. You gently rested a hand on his shoulder as Steve tried to get his attention. He didn’t react to either of your voices, but the blond began to tear away the restraints nonetheless. “Is that…”

You smiled, nodding. “It’s us.”

“Steve?” he whispered, as if he thought he was dreaming. “(Y/N)?” You both lifted him from the table and you wrapped his arm across your shoulders, supporting him as he tried to walk on wobbly legs.

“I thought you were dead,” Steve whispered. “We both did.”

Bucky only looked him up and down. “I thought you were smaller.”

“C’mon, boys. We’ve gotta go,” you warned. The three of you ran back into the hallway, with the brunet detangling himself from you and trying to walk on his own. He seemed to be coming back to his senses, and he held his arm as he limped alongside you.

“What happened to you?” he asked. Steve, not feeling like explaining the whole situation, responded with “I joined the Army.”

You ran through the empty halls, slowly working your way back to the center of the massive building. Explosions began to echo. When Steve kicked the door down, you were met with a room engulfed in flames, the heat radiating off the metal.

Your little trio raced up the staircases, trying to escape the sweltering temperatures. Just as you reached a walkway across, a piercing voice cried out.

“Captain America! How exciting!” Johann Schmidt, in the flesh. He and the small man you’d seen in the hallway were directly across from you. “I am a great fan of your films!”

He and Steve began to approach each other on the walkway, while Bucky death-glared the scientist.

“So, Dr. Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but still, impressive.” With full force, Steve punched him, sending the Nazi reeling back.

“You’ve got no idea,” he growled.

When Schmidt rose back up, you noticed the skin under his eye was abnormally red. As if it wasn’t really skin at all.

“Haven't I?” he asked. Although Steve blocked his punch with the shield, you spotted a fist-sized dent embedded in the metal. Bucky jumped at the sound.

You laid a hand on his shoulder, stepping in front of him to shield him from the burning gaze of the scientist. Grabbing an arrow, you nocked it in your bow.

With another punch, Schmidt sent Steve tumbling down. In response, Steve kicked him far back as the two sections of the walkway split apart, growing out of reach and removing your exit.

“No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see, I was his greatest success!” The man grabbed at his neck and began to peel the skin back, displaying a horrific red face. You now understood where he got his name. The Red Skull.

“You don’t have one of those, do you?” Bucky mumbled. You snorted, pulling the arrow back a little further.

The Red Skull continued. “You are deluded, Captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier, but in reality, you are just afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind.”

“Unlike you, I embrace it proudly. Without fear!” With that, he and the scientist began to retreat through the doors.

You scowled. “Then how come you’re running?” Neither said a word, just closed the doors.

Another explosion shook the stairs. Steve ripped away a chain and ushered you and Bucky up the stairs.

“Come on, let’s go. Up,” he encouraged, letting you help your friend limp as quickly as possible.

Eventually, you found a way across. A metal beam, creaky and unstable. But your only way out.

“Let’s go. (Y/N), can you help Buck cross?” You nodded, leaping over the railing. The beam creaked, but you helped the brunet climb over anyway, slowly making your way across the beam.

Just as you both got halfway across, it began to shift, and it became clear that the beam was about to collapse from under you.

“Run!” you yelled, grabbing Bucky by the hand and diving for the railing. You barely made it, both clinging onto the bar for dear life before vaulting over to safety. Just as you leaped over, the beam fell into the fire below. But Steve was still on the other side.

“Gotta be a rope or something,” Bucky shouted.

Steve shook his head. “Just go! Get out of here!” You froze, the idea of trading one friend’s life for the other turning your stomach.

“No!” Bucky yelled. You joined in. “Not without you!” The blond paused, before bending back the metal railing and stepping back, preparing to jump the distance. Your breath hitched in your throat as he ran, leaping as more explosions echoed.

———————————————————————

Once the three of you had safely escaped the building and met up with the escaped prisoners outside, you hijacked the tanks and began the long trek home.

You were offered a ride atop a tank, but you refused, insisting on walking with your boys. The three of you were more than happy to be back together again, and the journey gave you and Bucky plenty of time to yell at Steve for doing the one thing you told him not to.

He told you both all about his USO tours, how he felt like a dancing monkey. He told you about Peggy, and while your first instinct was to call him out on his crush, he wholeheartedly denied it. Saying that, while she was amazing (and she really was), she wasn’t the one for him.

That conversation trailed into talks of marriage, and what you all would do once you left the war behind you.

Steve reasoned that he would have some fame from being Captain America, but nonetheless said he wanted to become an artist. A quiet life.

Bucky wanted to rest, mainly, but also showed interest in engineering and science. Maybe working as a mechanic. His main goal was to be done with this whole war.

And you? Well, you were content so long as the three of you stuck together. You figured you could get a job at the hospital, help some people.

You three easily passed the days heading back to camp, and when you finally began to hear the sounds of the soldiers, you were almost upset that your time was coming to an end. Almost. Your feet were screaming at you.

But you held your head high, striding into camp in all of your sweaty, dirty glory. Soldiers cheered as you all led the group, heading directly for Colonel Phillips.

Steve saluted him, immediately rushing to request medical attention.

“I’d like to surrender myself for disciplinary action.” You raised a brow, exchanging a glance with Bucky, who shrugged in response.

Thankfully, Phillips shook his head. “That won’t be necessary.” He gave a small grin. Steve and Peggy spoke for a second, and you noticed Bucky seemed to get more agitated by the second.

He piped up from next to you. “Hey! Let’s hear it for Captain America!” he shouted. Cheers and yelling rose up from around you, deafening clapping echoing through the camp.

Steve turned back to you and Bucky, an almost shy grin on his face.

“What?” he asked.

You shrugged. “Nothing. Just thinking about how we can’t baby you anymore.” He scoffed.

“Yeah, I’m sure you still will.” Another shrug, but he pulled you both into a hug anyway. “It’s good to all be back together.”

After a moment, Bucky sighed. “So, what now? HYDRA’s still out there.”

“So we take them out. I got a good look at a map of other factories just like that one.” The blond navigated through the crowd, searching for the main tent. He stopped, casting a concerned glance at you and the brunet, covered in dirt and more than tired. “Are you two up for it?”

Bucky agreed without hesitation, but you held up a hand. “On two conditions: They finally let me fight, and I never have to wear that nurses uniform again.”

The newfound Captain gave one of his shit-eating grins.

“I think we can make that work.”

———————————————————————

It definitely worked. After a brief demonstration of your skillset, Phillips agreed to promote you. While you weren’t given a rank, Peggy reasoned that you would be best suited as an agent, and began training you under her wing.

While your bow was your weapon of choice, she also gave you basic training with guns and knives. You also began brutal exercises for self defense and hand-to-hand combat.

During this time, Steve also began discussing putting together a team to take out HYDRA’s bases.

He had the group gathered in a bar, and after proposing the idea to them and their immediate agreement, he was feeling pretty content. Circling the room to find one of his best friends, he found him leaning against the bar, drink in hand, uncharacteristically quiet and alone.

“See?” the Sergeant laughed. “I told you. They’re all idiots.”

Steve sat next to him, still getting used to the feeling looking down to his friend. “How about you? Ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?”

“Hell no. That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb to run away from a fight.” He shoved the other man. “I’m following him.” Downing more of his drink, he leaned in.

“But you’re keeping the outfit, right?” In his drunken brain, Bucky immediately wondered if that was too obvious. Maybe? Then again, Steve seemed oblivious as he spared a glance to his show poster.

“You know what? It’s kind of growing on me.” With a light chuckle, he turned the conversation to his other best friend. “Speaking growing on someone, I don’t think (Y/N) will ever go back to dresses. Peggy brought her a bunch of dress pants and tops today.”

The brunet clicked his tongue, looking over his friend’s shoulder. “Speak of the devil.”

You maneuvered through the crowd, the dark dress pants and bright-red blouse seemingly draining your surroundings of color. Or maybe that was just your friends’ tunnel vision. Your hands were tucked leisurely into your pockets (your favorite part about pants, you found), the top few buttons of the top were undone.

“Captain, Sergeant,” you snarked. They mimicked you, letting out an overly-serious “Agent (L/N)” in unison. Your laugh rang out in the small bar, turning just as many heads as your attire did.

“Howard has some equipment for you to try,” you said to Steve. “He wants you there tomorrow morning.” You turned, listening as the group in the room over got more rowdy by the second. “I see our top squad is prepping for duty.”

“You don’t like the music?” Bucky asked. You shook your head.

“I do, actually.” Casting a glance to both of your friends. Maybe you were toeing a line. “Maybe after we get through all of this, we can go dancing.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” he asked.

You frowned. “James Barnes, I am not dancing in pants.” With one last smile to both of them, you bid your farewells. “0800, Stevie. Buck, you can tag along if you’d like. Might be fun.”

Winking, you glided through the throngs of drunken people and bit your lip with a grin. Watching the two fumble just from one little action bosted your ego far more than you’d like to admit. You hadn’t had this much fun since you’d had a crush on a boy in school and had flirted with him relentlessly, driving him crazy until he eventually asked you out-

Wait. You froze on the sidewalk under a streetlamp. You reran your past train of thought. When did the word “crush” come into this?

Resuming your walk, this time with much more vigor, you analyzed your own head. Of all the years you’d known Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, you’d never even considered lov liking them any more than platonically.

Sure, people thought you’d end up dating one of them, but none of you had ever taken it seriously. You all swore to be there for each other no matter what, and how could you do that if two of you were closer than the other? You couldn’t. It’d be unfair.

Besides, it wasn’t like you could choose between the two. Shaking away the strange thoughts, you made the last turn into camp, heading for your tent. All this training must have scrambled your brain.

———————————————————————

Once the group, named the Howling Commandos, was approved, you set out on your mission: take down HYDRA.

The raids were long and cold, but growing closer with the group made your time enjoyable. Plus, training Steve with his new shield was a gas. Watching him progress from hitting himself in the face to knocking Nazis from trees was a gift in and of itself.

Bucky proved to be an excellent marksman, sniping soldiers down in rains of gunfire. You often joined him, perched in trees with your bow and the modified arrows Stark provided. Your aim was impeccable, and you took out man after man with vigor.

Some nights you would have to camp in the cold. Jacques and Morita often would lead songs, flickering fires illuminating your campsites. Other times, you’d have to be deadly silent, always having at least two people on guard.

The one thing that stayed the same was you and your boys. The teasing never stopped, even in the midst of battle. And when one of you got injured, the other two were there to fuss over them.

The rest of the Commandos often joked that you three acted like an old married couple, and while it sent all of you blushing, you never denied it. You couldn’t really deny it when your plans for the future seemingly revolved around those two.

“You mean to tell me, you don’t have any big plans after we get through all of this?” Jones had asked you one night. You shrugged, absentmindedly spinning an arrow.

“Probably’ll stick with these idiots,” you’d chuckled, pointing to the Captain and Sergeant, who were arguing over where to set up a tent. “That’s how it’s always been; can’t really imagine it any other way.”

He hummed. “No special someone to go home to?” You snorted, shaking your head with a definitive no. “Well, I think you three’ll do just fine.”

You couldn’t help but agree.

For a while, the raids were small. Low-profile, calculated strikes on bases. And then you got word from the camp that HYDRA’s head scientist, Arnim Zola, would be on a train heading through the Swiss Alps. Right where you could intercept it.

You pushed through the cold and snow, finally emerging at a point overlooking the railroad that twisted and curved around the mountains. The wind buffeted your cheeks, numbing your face to the point that your words came out jumbled and slurred.

Morita and Jones listened to the radio, with the letter translating the German as it crackled through. The rest of the group began making their final checks of their weapons and equipment as you, Bucky, and Steve peered over the landscape.

“Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?” Bucky asked, eyeing the drop.

“Yeah, and I threw up?” Steve asked.

“This isn’t payback, is it?”

“Now, why would I do that?”

As they joked, you tried to stamp down that feeling in your chest. The stomach-turning dread. You suspected it was due to the high altitude.

“That’s one hell of a drop,” you called as the metal cable swayed above your heads. The rail overlooked a steep drop into a ravine, with sharp ledges jutting out from the mountain. “If anything goes wrong…”

The blond on your right shook his head. “Nothing’s gonna go wrong, (Y/N). We won’t let anything happen to each other.” On the other side of you, Bucky nodded.

“‘Till the end of the line, right?”

Jones piped up from behind you. “We were right. Dr. Zola’s on that train.”

A deep breath, an exhale of icy-cold mist that chilled your lungs and did nothing to abate the horrible worry gnawing at you.

“‘Till the end of the line.”

#marvel #marvel x reader #x reader #avengers x reader #avengers #steve rogers #bucky barnes #steve rogers x reader #captain america: the first avenger #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky x female reader #steve rogers x female reader #40s stucky #stucky x reader

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wanderlust-----witch · 1 year

Text

Wander's Library

I have a lot of books. Be warned.

Physical Books:

The Complete Book of Dreams- Stephanie Gatling

Tarot for Self Care- Minerva Siegel

Queering the Tarot- Cassandra Snow

The Complete Dream Book- Gillian Holloway

The Alchemy of Your Dreams- Athena Laz

Moon Magic- Aurora Kane

Handbook Trio (Herbal, House, and Moon Magic)- Aurora Kane

Living by the Moon- Lunarly’s Kiki Ely

Your Lunar Code- Lori Reid

The Stars Within You- Juliana McCarthy

Dirtbag Astrology- Alberto Toribio

Astrology and Religion Among the Greeks and Romans- Franz Cumont

The Beginner’s Guide to Akashic Records- Whitney Jefferson Evans

Crystals- Jennie Harding

A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming- Tuccillo, Zeizel, and Peisel

Lighting the Wick- Sandra Mariah Wright and Leanne Marrama

The Ancient Healing Companion- Misha Ruth Cohen, O.M.D.

The Practical Book of Witchcraft- Pamela Ball

The Everything Astrology Book- Trish MacGregor

The Complete Book of Palmistry- Joyce Wilson

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner- Scott Cunningham

Living Wicca- Scott Cunningham

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs- Scott Cunningham

The Pagan Family- Ceisiwr Serith

Wiccapedia- Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway

The Good Witch’s Guide- Shawn Robbins and Charity Bedell

The Crystal Witch- Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway

The Witch’s Way- Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway

Wiccan Kitchen- Lisa Chamberlain

Psychic Spellcraft- Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway

A Little Bit of Intuition- Catharine Allen

A Little Bit of Wicca- Cassandra Eason

12,000 Dreams Interpreted- Gustavus Hindman Miller

I Don’t Want to be an Empath Anymore- Ora North

Spellwork for Self Care

Witchcraft Therapy- Mandi Em

Happy Witch- Mandi Em

The Witch’s Book of Self Care- Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The House Witch- Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Green Witch- Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Green Witch’s Grimoire- Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Green Witch’s Garden- Arin Murphy Hiscock

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magical Herbs- Judy Ann Nock

The Modern Witchcraft Spellbook- Skye Alexander

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft- Skye Alexander

Spellcrafting- Arin Murphy Hiscock

Divination- Alida Somars

1001 Spells- Cassandra Eason

Witchcraft Magic and Alchemy- Grillot de Givry

Other Physical Media:

Moon Magic Lunar Oracle- Marie Bruce

Moon Energy Guided Journal- Nikki Strange

Manifesting Dreams Guided Workbook

Spellcraft: A Guided Journal for Casting, Cleansing, and Blessing

Magazines:

Prevention Guide All-Natural Herbal Remedies

Centennial Entertainment: Witches

360 Media Special: The Story of Witches

National Geographic: Natures Best Remedies

Ebooks:

The Study of Witchcraft- Deborah Lipp

Braiding Sweetgrass- Robin Kimmerer

Queering Your Draft- Cassandra Snow

Herbal Magick- Gerina Dunwich

An Anarchist Free Herbal Zine

City Magick- Christopher Penczak

A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558-1718- Wallace Notestein

Italian Folk Magic- Mary-Grace Fahrun

Love Magic- Lilith Dorsey

Magic When You Need It- Judika Illes

Magical Astrology- Skye Alexander

Personal Magic- Marion Weinstein

Plant Witchery- Juliet Diaz

Positive Magic- Marion Weinstein

Reading the Runes- Kim Farnell

Viridarium Umbris- David A Schulke

Spellcrafting- Gerina Dunwich

The Big Book of Tarot- Joan Bunning

The discoverie of witchcraft- Reginald Scot

The Witch’s Eight Paths of Power- Lady Sable Aradia

The Witch’s Guide to Wands- Gypsey Elaine Teague

True Magic- Draja Mickaharic

Water Witchcraft- Annwyn Avalon

Wicca Made Easy- Phyllis Curott

Wishcraft- Sakura Fox

Witch, Please- Victoria Maxwell

Witchcraft Activism- David Salisbury

Witchery: Embrace the Wisdom Within- Juliet Diaz

Year of the Witch- Temperance Alden

Books that aren’t directly about witchcraft but I incorporate them into my witchcraft studies because they’re useful AF:

The Seven Sisters of Sleep- Mordecai Cooke

The Watkins Dictionary of Symbols-Jack Tresidder

Mythology- Edith Hamilton

The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers

The Greek View of Life- G. Lowes Dickinson

The Calm and Cozy Book of Sleep- Beth Wyatt

RD Home Handbooks: Herbs- Lesley Bremness

PDR for Herbal Medicines First Edition

The Book of Signs- Rudolf Koch

Other Occult Related Books:

The Satanic Bible- Anton Szandor LaVey

The Satanic Rituals- Anton Szandor LaVey

Quantum Freedom: Divine Embodiment- “The Spirit Collective” Channeled by Katherine D. Caulfield (I’m deadass, that’s what’s on the book cover)

Mythology Books:

The Odyssey-Homer

The Iliad- Homer

New LaRousse Encyclopedia of Mythology

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods and Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes- Rick Riordan (Not even remotely sorry lmao)

Zeus Grants Stupid Wishes- Cory O’Brien

The Argonautica- Apollonius Rhodius

The Theogony- Hesiod

#if you're gonna be trash in my inbox you'll find out ver quickly what I do with trash #wander's library #witchcraft #witchblr #resources #books #witchy books

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puffybee-dreams · 1 month

Text

April 1865

Character: Iba (Hakuoki) x Ellie (OC)

CW: Slight mentions of War; Archery

Word Count: 2170

Comments: I wrote this literally YEARS ago. But! Here it is! It's one of my favorite Ellie fics. I had to edit some of it so hopefully it sounds good! Thanks for reading!!

The morning light shone into the courtyard of the compound men who were still sleeping finally stirred from the futons all while Ellie stood among the men giving orders and directions to her morning class of future marksmen. Some of the lower-ranking men had been startled by her suddenly commanding presence. Up to this point she had been soft, polite, sweet even. Yet in this moment, transgression wasn’t at all tolerated in the presence of the mistress of the courtyard. Her assistants, Shinpachi & Sanosuke, hardly had time to correct the young men before she was on their ass.

“Non! The left!” Her voice barked. The men only quietly obeyed. None wanted to meet the same fate as the first young man this morning who dared comment on the fact that they wouldn’t take orders from a woman.

“And why would I take orders from you? A woman’s job is to serve a man.”

A loud resounding smack was heard as Shinpachi approached. Ellie gripped the man's ear and leaned in so close their noses were almost touching.

“Listen well, you incompetent fuck. What matters is not the sex of the warrior. What matters is their aim and their ability to kill. If you’ve any problems with this I suggest you have a personal chat with Commander Hijikata.”

Shinpachi watched, mouth agape. Sano came over and whistled. “I think we have a new assistant for training.”

Shinpachi just watched on before snapping back to reality and smiling.

“You tell ‘em, lil’ sis.”

Ellie only shot him a grin before turning quickly and rattling out a new order.

Hijikata joined the bustling crowd with a grin on his face. He had witnessed her disciplinary plans and could only watch with a bemused smile. Seeing the four targets set up and men beginning to drift in and out of the way, filled him with a sort of pride. He was the one who gave the okay to organize this little training camp after all. Narrow eyes scanned the courtyard until his gaze finally landed on the dot of red perched on one of the compound walls. They were waiting on one single guest at this point.

Ellie watched the perimeter and checked the wind pull from her perch atop the stone wall. The wind was coming from the east, but rather gently, she decided. Sanosuke joined her shortly after, his broad shoulder reaching the height of her dangling feet. He and Shinpachi had only been allowed to be her aids after they had passed her far too rigorous beginner training in the previous weeks.

“You’re waiting until he gets here to start?”

She smiled down at her fellow redhead. “Of course. I have to keep him on his toes.”

The woman kicked her feet a bit as she waited for an all too familiar Okuzume to show himself. Blue eyes keenly watched the entrance to the courtyard as a familiar shadow appeared behind a particular shoji. Quietly, she nocked an arrow and took her aim. The post she locked her aim on was just next to where he would stand.

Sano looked up at her, suddenly horrified. “Oi, what are you…”

He trailed off as she let the arrow fly, the sound turning heads. The shock caused even more heads to turn as the arrow from her bow landed no further than 12 centimeters from his left ear.

Shaking his head with a bemused smile and sigh, Iba looked at his dear friend. “Hello to you too, Ellie.”

Kotaro immediately was set on edge and started scolding the young woman. “Ellie! You could have seriously hurt someone!”

Hijikata only shook his head, sighing. The woman, on the other hand, spoke to the crowd of men. “Control will be the most crucial thing in your training. Had I no control, our dear guest here would have been dispatched and I would have been too. You will not shoot at others during your training. Do I make myself clear?”

An awestruck hush blanketed the courtyard. Ellie frowned and lifted her chin before bellowing.

“DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”

A loud affirmative shout filled the courtyard as she jumped down and gestured to her male companions.

“Pass out the Yumi. I’m gonna go welcome our guest.”

Knowing their close relationship, Shinpachi could only bellow with laughter before he barked orders at the men to line up. Ellie slipped the body of her bow across her chest and trotted over before giving Hachiro a tight hug.

“Sorry, I didn’t warn you sooner. I only had the idea this morning.”

He shook his head. “It’s fine. I expect these kinds of shenanigans from you. And besides, I trust no single archer in all of Japan more than I trust you.”

Feeling her face flush from the compliment she elbowed him softly. “I’m supposed to be in charge here. Don’t start flattering me now. I may go easy on you when I teach you.”

His face dropped. “But...I was just invited to watch. Your letter said-”

She smirked at him. “A small white lie. Payback of course.”

She then turned on her heels, his eyes watching her as she walked away, noting the hakama on her legs swaying in the wind despite being bandaged in place. He couldn’t help but marvel at the way her voice, usually so kind and gentle, bounced off of the walls as if it were Hijikata speaking instead of the female.

“OKAY MEN! LISTEN UP!”

~~~

The sun was hot on everyone’s shoulders and necks. By this point, many of the men wondered where this small French woman got her commanding voice. Coupled with the fact that she was supported by Shinpachi and Sanosuke only filled them with more unease. Yet this was the selfsame woman who in the most cocksure manner possible left to and from Edo on diplomacy trips and information exchanges.

Hachiro, on the other hand, watched in complete awe. He was swiftly reminded why he often questioned his desire to protect her. She was clearly well-trained and taught to take care of herself. These trains of thought often stirred warm thoughts of her missing father. They both searched for the missing man nearly constantly. He hadn’t dared to tell her the truth. How was he supposed to tell her that the shogunate was quickly losing interest in their search; that soon they would be the last two to care? He couldn’t let her down but he couldn’t deny that she had likely already noticed his visits and subsequently their trips were becoming less and less frequent.

He just didn’t have it in him to break her heart like that.

The men were dismissed for lunch and subsequently freed from their lessons. Ellie, now glistening with a healthy sheen of sweat, trotted over to Iba smiling widely. “What did you think?”

He smiled at her, passing her a towel. “Your skills are quite impressive. One would think you’ve been doing this your whole life.”

He teased her jovially as she scrunched up her nose.

“I have. My father wouldn’t have had it any other way.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

Shortly after the lighthearted exchange, Inoue brought the pair a small platter of onigiri. After their polite and formal “thank you’s” were shared the pair were left alone in the otherwise vacant courtyard. Picking the nori off of her rice ball, Ellie made a face as she laid it on the plate.

Her male companion shook his head, tousling his brown locks. “You still have no taste for it?”

She stuck her tongue out. “Not at all. If anything it tastes worse every time I try it.”

A chuckle bubbled past his lips as they ate their lunch in peace. It was such a stark contrast to the events of the morning where Ellie - the woman, as Iba knew her, was replaced by Ellie - the Colonel’s daughter, as she was known by all the men here. If he hadn’t known her any better he would have been shocked beyond all measure.

Once Ellie had finished eating she wasted no time standing up and grabbing her personal Yumi, a gift from her companion himself.

“Now. It’s your turn.”

She held the bow out to him. His eyes widened as he saw her smile, kinder still than the one that warped her face in a look of complete satisfaction as men finally understood the bare-bones basics of shooting an arrow.

He lifted both of his hands in front of him, waving them back and forth slightly.

“I'm sure I'll only disappoint you. After all, your shooting is second to none. And I have my katana. I haven't any need for a bow or archery skills."

Ellie pulled her lips back in an unconvinced smile. "Are you scared to shoot a bow?"

Hachiro looked at her, indignant. "I have two blades at my hip. Weapons don't scare me."

She then lifted her chin proudly. "Ohhhh so you're afraid of looking foolish in front of a pretty girl, is that it?"

His cheeks began to flush a rosy shade. That was his fear exactly.

Gathering his dignity he stood, sighing. She certainly knew how to push his buttons. She grabbed the sleeve of his kimono, pulling him towards the middle of the courtyard among the scattered arrows she would have to clean up after the fact. The young man allowed himself to be pulled and placed into position. He never doubted her shooting. He remembered seeing her father train with her.

Anton had been relentless. He would throw cheap pottery scraps for her to shoot and hound her with orders and commands. In those moments she was no different than a soldier in training. Being removed from his memory, the young diplomat sighed as Ellie placed the bow in his hands. She stood in front of him and looked him over with a smile.

"You look so... uncomfortable. I'll go easy on you. I promise. This is more for fun than anything. It's useful to know of course. But… I don’t know. Perhaps I wanted to spend time with my friend."

Her smirk melted into something much softer as she eyed him and helped him nock an arrow.

"Okay. I'm standing behind you. Just pull back and let it go."

Iba pulled the weapon up into the air as he'd seen her do so many times before. Pulling back was difficult. He hadn't expected the string to be so unforgiving. Ellie held back a soft giggle as he tried his best to force the string into position. Once he finally got it pulled back to any extent he let go of the fletching gripped in his fingers.

The pair watched as the arrow, flying in an all too anticlimactic arc, clattered to the ground, staring back as if it were mocking the prestigious swordsman. Sighing, he straightened his shoulders and tried again only to achieve the same result. Pressing a fist to her lips, Ellie nodded as he reached for another arrow she softly stepped towards him.

Feeling her arms securely around him caused Hachiro to freeze a bit, nearly fumbling to grab the arrow. "Here, I'll help you."

Before she did anything she snorted. "Well, first of all, your stance is terrible. Here." Her hands grabbed his hips and adjusted them.

"Your shooting is very loose. You're trying to sword fight with a bow. Tighten up here." She adjusted his right leg.

"But loosen up here." her hand went to his sides.

Her training with the foot soldiers hadn't been nearly this intimate. He was stiff now because she was so close, and maybe it helped his form. He had no idea with his mind as foggy as it was. Shaking his head to collect himself he felt her return to her original position, holding him from behind and supporting the places his hands rested.

"Now pull back."

Pulling the cord was much easier from this angle. She smiled and stepped back.

"Now fire!"

He let go and hit the outermost edge of the target. But it was a hit nonetheless.

"Excellent! Now do it again!" Ellie cheered him on.

Unknowingly his chest puffed out as his ego inflated a bit. Hachiro swiftly and gracefully nocked an arrow and pulled back. It was a bit more difficult but he had barely budged from his position. He couldn't mess up now. He released his fingers and the arrow flew straight and true...right towards the ground.

Ellie giggled as Hachiro let out an exasperated sigh.

"You tilted down unknowingly. It happens. But! I think that's enough fun for today. I'm sure Hijikata wants to hear what we thought of the lesson this morning."

Shaking his head and smiling at her, he happily handed the bow back to her. "That sounds far more pleasant than ruining the landscaping."

Ellie giggled as she slipped the bow around her. "C'mon then. I'll make some tea too. Shimada picked up a really nice new black tea blend."

#writing! ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭ ੈ♡‧₊˚#ellie fic! ₊˚⊹♡#hakuoki #hakuouki #iba hachirou #i doubt many people look at the hakuoki tag anymore but my friends and i were IN IT a few years back djasasas #I do still think about them from time to time sighs

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sakiblack · 10 months

Text

Chapter 1 :Hacketts quarry forever

Nick x reader

Your pov.

Emma:Bye!

y/n:Have fun kids!

Me and Emma yelled as the bus full of children was leaving.I must say i will miss them.This summer was really fun.

Kaitlyn:See ya later kids!

Jacob:Yeah Hacketts Quarry forever!

I could hear Jake and Kaitlyn yell far behind me and Emma.

y/n:I will miss them.

I said looking at Emma.

Emma:Yeah me too.

She replied with a smile.

y/n:But anyways how are you and Ja-

Emma:Shut it y/n! You already know what hapened.

y/n:Yeah yeah but i still dont get it.He likes you and you like him why not stay together?

Emma:It was just a summer s-

y/n:Oh dont give me that.

Emma:Its true plus it would not even work out so why even keep it going?

y/n:You really are stupid.

Emma:Maybe but im hot.

Said Emma as i roled my eyes.

y/n:Come on i wanna eat something.

I said as i started to walk to the camp.

Kaitlyn:Hey Emma ,y/n.

Said Kaitlyn as she and Jacob walked past us.

Emma:Hey.

Said Emma as i just give a happy look to Kaitlyn and Jake.

y/n:Well im ganna go in to get some food you comming?

Emma:Neh i need to get something.

y/n:What ever you say Em.

I said as i walked away.Em was a nick name i gived to Emma.Well i gived one to everyone.Jacob is J or Jake , Kaitlyn was Lyn , Abigail was Abi , Dylan was smart pants , Ryan was Ry and Nick was well Nick was Nick or sometimes Nicknick.

I must say i do like Nick and by some secret telling (from Dylan) Nick likes me too.But not me nor him ever said something about it.

I got up the stairs and tried to open the door but it was locked.

y/n:Hello anyone in there?

I asked nocking on the door.The door opened fast after i said it.It was Dylan and behind him Nick.Dylan was my bestfriend.The first day of getting hire we became like a brother and sister.

Dylan: Whatcha need y/n.

y/n:Im hungry i wanna get something to eat.

Nick:Uhhh i dont think you can…..only if you know the secret word.

Said Nick looking at me with a smirk.

y/n:Hm?No idea what your talking about.

I said as Dylan smiled at us.

Nick:Well then your not getting in.Close the door Dylan.

Said Nick as Dylan started to close the door.

y/n:Sh-t wait!

I said as the door was almost closed.

y/n:I y/n am an idiot and Nick is the hottest and smartest guy out there.

I said as the door opened again.

Nick:There you go princess.

His nickname for me.No idea how he came up with it but i like it.

y/n:Well thank you sir.

I said getting inside.

y/n:Is there any food hire?

I asked looking at the two stupid idiots.

Nick:I have a sandwich.

Said Nick as he handed me a small sandwich.

y/n:Did you eat half of it?

Nick:Hey i was hungry.

y/n:Yeah yeah give it to me.

I said as i took the sandwich and started to eat it.Just then there was another nock on the door.We all loked at eachother and opened the door.

Jacob:Hey are you guys gonna help with the bags or what.

Said Jacob as i wanted to go out and help him but was stoped by Nicks hand.

Dylan:Uh um .. you know i was actually just working on fixing .. the door.It … its broken.

Jacob: Dylan come on please.

Dylan:I i cant it its…

Jacob:I need to get the last bags in there come on.

Dylan:What is wrong with this thing its just closing! Its closed!

y/n:Sorry J.

I said as the door closed.

Dylan started to laugh and so did Nick.

y/n:That was not nice.

I said as Nick looked at me in shame and then looked at the ground. Dylan however continued to laugh.

y/n:God you two are idiots.

I said as i started to walk away with the sandwich in my hand.

Nick:Y/n wait.

Said Nick as he started to walk behind me.

Nick:Im sorry.

y/n:Dont say sorry to me , but to Jacob.

I said as i set down on the stairs and looked up at Nick.His face was sad and not at all happy as before.

y/n: Dont give me that look im not mad at you.

Nick:Your not?

He said as his sad face turned into a happy one.

y/n:No.But you need to say sorry to Jacob.

As soon as i said Jacobs name his face expression changed.

Nick:Fine.

He said annoyed as he took a seat next to me.

We stayed like this for some minutes not saying anything.

Nick:I will miss you you know when you will leave.

I looked up at him and saw a sad expression on his face.

y/n:Oh Nicknick.

I said as i hugged him with one arm and putting my face in his neck.

y/n:I will miss you too.But we can still call Of course if you still have my phone number.

I said as i looked at him still hugging him with one hand.

Nick:Im never losing that.

He replied smiling as he as well gived me a hug but with both arms.

Nick:But im still ganna miss you.Soo soo much.

He said as his face was now in my neck.I peted his hair as i could hear someone comming to us.We ended the hug and looked at who was comming to us.

Jacob:Okay really love birds? Locking the door on me?

Said Jacob as Nick again looked annoyed.

Nick:Okay in our defense(A it was Dylans idea and (2 it was really funny.

Jacob:Oh yeah right, is that- is that right?

Nick:I dont write the rules man.

Jacob:Okay what ever man are you ganna help me with the begs or not.

Jacob asked Looking at Nick.Im guessing he does not blame me fort he two idiots stupid idea.

Nick:Nah i gatta stay hire and wait for Mr H to return my phone back sorry.

Said Nick but i knew he was not sorry.

I gently hit him on the head and got up from my seat.

y/n:What this idiot wanted to say was that we are sorry for closing the door on you.

I said looking at Nick with an angry face as i turned back to Jacob.

y/n:And dont worry J i will help you with the bags.

Jacob smiled at me as i said that and started to walk to the bags.I gived one last look to Nick and i could see that annoyed expression on his face yet again.

Jacob:Hire you can take this one and i will take the rest.

I grabed the bag as Jacob did the same.

y/n:God its heavy.

I said.

Jacob:Pff oh shush little baby lest get them out of hire.

Said Jacob as we both made out way out of the cabin and to the van Kaitlyn was standing next to.

Jacob:Alright got the bags.

Kaitlyn:Great at least the cutie helped you.

I smiled as Kaitlyn said that.

Jacob:Jup.

Kaitlyn:Welp your ganna have to get used to noone by your side.

Jacob:Oh my god. You are so mean.

Kaitlyn:At least im honest.

Jacob:Oh hire we go.

Kaitlyn:Look your not telling me the whole truth about Emma are you?

Jacob:Oh so im the one not telling the whole story.

Kaitlyn:Well this is the baid i just gotta take Jake.

Said Kaitlyn as i started to laugh.

Kaitlyn:Oh sorry i just got so distracted by that rhyme what we were.

Jacob:Oh nonononono you were telling us how you totally have a thing for Ryan.

y/n:Mhm.

I said still smiling.

Kaitlyn:Wait are we talking about Ryan the sailing instructor with a sexy brooding loner thing that totally doesnt do anything for me at all?

Said Kaitlyn as we all were now smiling.

Jacob:Uhhh sexy huh?

Kaitlyn :Second hottest at camp by far.

Jacob:Okay sure.

Kaitlyn:Look it was all settled by the girls in bunk seven like second day of camp.It goes:y/n ,Ryan,me of course, then Dylan, Emma,Abi,Nick and then Mr H and….

Jacob:Okay you almost finished please?

Kaitlyn:Yep that is everyone.

Said Kaitlyn as i was suprised.

y/n:So im really first on the list huh.

Kaitlyn:Oh please everyone was like little kids obsessed with their favorite toy. Espacily Nick.He is like a love sick puppy.

That made me blush a little but i did not reply.

Kaitlyn:So she really just dumped your ass huh?

Asked Kaitlyn now looking at Jacob.

Jacob:I dont.Okay her whole thing is like, how are we ganna make this work different schools bla bla bla.My whole thing is like you know maybe long distance bla bla bla bla bla, and she was just like »Jacob«.

y/n:She gived you that look huh?

Jacob:Yeah do not pass go.

Kaitlyn:Man shes got you raped all around that dainty little finger of hers.How does she do it?

Jacob:Well okay maybe your right.Maybe she does have this superpower over me.But you know what.Maybe i like it.

I roled my eyes as he said that.

Kaitlyn:Ohh likes it.Check.Tottaly not in denial.Check.

Jacob:Okay the um the fumes of-of jealousy are just stifling over hire.

Kaitlyn:Excuse me?

Jacob:Im just saying.I guess some girls dont have what it takes to hang out with the big dog.Like this cutie hire.

Said Jake as he puled an arm around me.I knew he was talking about being around »the big dog« as in a friend way.That is why he pulled an arm aound me but i knew for Emma he ment it in another way.

Kaitlyn:Your a reall charmer you know that.

Jacob:Look im just saying i dont know why you did not make a move on Ryan.You shoulda seized the moment.

Kaitlyn:Well cant seize the moment that never happened.

y/n:Hey he is a shy one.You gatta make the moment happen yourself.

Kaitlyn:Oh right chase the moment around all summer like a dog with 2 dic-s untill it dumps you on the last day of camp.

She said looking at Jake.

Jacob:Okay not ganna miss you Kaitlyn…….So are we sure this old rust buckets road worthy?

Kaitlyn:Well take a look.It better be.One night in the great outdoors might kill me.

Jacob:Hey »What does not kill you makes you stronger«.

y/n:You still remember that?

I said with a smile.

Jacob:Hell yeah i do.

Kaitlyn:Well i have not killed you.Yet.And your still pretty pathetic.

y/n:Dont be mean Lyn.

I said as i got in the car with the door open.

Jake:Oh okay so total hypothetical.But if i was a huge asshole and wanted to brake down the van so we would have to spend one more night here.Uh what exactly would i have to do?

Asked Jake as me and Kaitlyn looked at one another with annoyed looks.

Kaitlyn:Well youd probably brake the fuel line..or i dont know rip out the rotor arm.

y/n:And yes that would make you a big asshole.

Jacob:Hey it would help you and stupid head to finnaly get together.

I roled my eyes.Like that would ever happen

Jacob:…..And what does the rotor arm look like?

Kaitlyn:Its like the arm that is all rotary you know under the little black dome…..Jake you do know that even if we did somehow get stuck out hire.One more night with Emma would not change anything right?Trust me.Chicks made up her mind.

Jacob:Yeah.Sure.

y/n:Jake.She is right.

Jacob:Yeah yeah.

I got out of the car and walked back to Kaitlyn.

Dylan:Up hire dudes.

I looked back and saw Dylan and Nick on top of the stairs.

Kaitlyn:Why do they look like they are up to something?

Kaitlyn asked as we all walked closer to them.

y/n:Cus they probably are.

Nick:Hey Jacob.

Nick said with Jakes phone in his hands.

Jacob:Hey dude dont.

Nick:Go long!

Said Nick as he threw Jakes phone at him.

y/n:Nick!

I yelled anger in my voice.What is up with him.

Jacob:Boom.Oh that is it.

Said Jake as he caught his phone.I was happy for him and smiled at him as he did a stupid happy dance.But was still mad with Nick.

Kaitlyn:Freak.

Dylan:Uhh i wish i had some singles.

Said Dylan as he and Nick both came to us.Jake was still doing his stupid dance.

I walked to Nick and again gently hit him on the head.

y/n:What the hell is up with you?

I asked not laud.He looked at me and again he looked sad and just turned away.

Dylan:Hire you go ladys.

He said as he handed me and Kaitlyn our phones.

Kaitlyn:Oh thank god.I mean i get the no technology thing but take me back world.

Dylan:You know you should really just save it for emergencies only.Unlessof course being dumped is an emergency.

Nick:Ha ho burn.

I looked back at him again and he again looked at the ground.

Jacob:Ha well at least i had a relationship this summer.

y/n:Uh hu deamn!Now you two are burned!

I said smirking.

Dylan:Well maybe not everyone is looking for a hookup okay-

y/n:Okay that is enough.

Nick:Where is everyone else?

Jacob:How am i soposed to know that?

Nick: I dont know sometimes you know things i dont.

Jacob:Well.I I dont even know how to respond to that.

Nick:You say »Nick your way smarter then me and your a super hot stud who gets any chick he wants«.

I looked at Nick fora second.So he thinks im a chick he could get?

Jacob:Okay not getting your dream girl so just keep dreaming Junior.

Said Jake looking at me.

Nick:Wha-

I looked at Nick and i could see a bluch on his face as he looked at me.I smiled at him and he stayed like that.Looking at me with a blush.I was the first to look away.

y/n:Hey Dylan got any charge i wanna listen to some good music on the way back.

Jake:And what is good music for you?

Kaitlyn:That french guy?

y/n:No.

Nick:Its that one group that have a song called queencard.

y/n:Mhm that is the one.

Jacob:And the reword of the guy that knows everything about the girl he likes goes to N..N..Nick!

Jacob said as he had a smirk on his face looking at Nick.

y/n:Well you know nothing about me and you say your my »bestfriend«.

Jacob:Its true.

He said proudly.

y/n:My favorite color?

Jacob:Ahhh…….You dont have one?

Dylan:Its red.

Now Dylan sounded proud.

y/n:And the reword to the fake bestfriend goes to J..J..Jacob!

I said the same way he did before.Jacob just looked at me and roled his eyes.

Dylan:About the charge dont worry y/n i got you.I got full tank of gas so…Oh fu-k me.

Jacob:Pff hahaha.Oh idiot.Hahaha.Eh there is no signal out hire anyways dude.This place is like patchy as balls.

Dylan:Your balls are patchy?

Jacob:What no!

Dylan:Its okay im just ganna get some juice from Mr H before we go.

Kaitlyn:Oh ew.

Just then Abi and Emma came back with some bags.

Emma:Hey y/n.

Said Emma as she placed the bags on the ground and pated me on the head.

y/n:Hey Em , Abi.Where were you guys?

Emma:Wouldnt you like to know?

Abi:Ignore her please.

y/n:You on some thing Em?

I asked as she just said no.

Kaitly:Lets goooo!

Emma:Just gatta get these bags up into the-

Jacob:Oh..Ah hire let .. let me take them for you.

Emma:I can take care of my ovn bag thank you.

Jacob:Wha- Are you sure cus i ca-

Abi:She can take care of her ovn bag thank you.

Emma:We can both take care of our ovn bag thank you.

Now i was annoyed.She knows he likes her why does she play with him so much.

Abi:Oh and this one is yours y/n.

y/n:Thank you.

I said as i grabed my bag.

Nick:Amm y/n do you need help with that?

y/n:Wha what?

I asked as i looked away from Emma and back to Nick.

Nick:Want me to help you with that?

y/n:Oh sure thank you.

I said as i smiled at him.He did the same as he took my bag and started to walk to the van.

Kaitlyn:Hey has anyone seen Ryan?

Dylan:Oh yeah he is probably of being mysterious and alluring somewhere.

Ryan:Im hire.

I heard someone say behind me and as i turned back i saw Ryan.

Kaitlyn:What were you doing under there?

Ryan:Listening to a podcast.

Kaitlyn:What is it about?

Dylan:Yeah what is it about.Is it about me?

y/n:You think he was listening to a podcast about you?

Dylan:Maybe.

Kaitlyn:Hey if anyone hire had a podcast about them it would be me.

Dylan:Yeah if there was a podcast called how to look and smell like a butt.

Kaitlyn:Oh my god your like a child.

y/n:Its cus he is a child.A stupid one.

I said as Dylan pushed me a little.

Nick:Hey man!

We all looked at Nick.He sounded mad and not at all nice.

Ryan:….No …its a paranormal podcast about this place actualy.The Hag of Hacketts Quarry.

Kaitlyn:The who of the whatsit where now?What is The Hag of Hacketts Quarry?

Dylan:You dont know about The Hag of Hacketts Quarry?

Kaitlyn:If i did would ibe asking dumbass?

Dylan:Tell her about The Hag of Hacketts Quarry.

Ryan:I dont think she wants to know about The Hag of Hacketts Quarry.

Kaitlyn:Can we just please stop saying The Hag of Hacketts Quarry?

Ryan:Its just a camp scary story for kids.Its umm..Theres supposedly an old woman who died in a fire a few years back.She haunts the woods looking for her lost baby boy.There are like reports of wispers,or whatever.And this floating figure that floats around.You know textbook ghost stuff.Some people say that if she catches you alone she willtry to turn you into her lost baby boy.Or kill you or something i donno.Anyways. Hag of Hacketts Quarry.

Kaitlyn:You made that up.

Ryan:Its right hire in the podcast man.

Jacob:Cool story bro.

y/n:Cool?More scary then cool.

Dylan:But no for real you all should have seen the first time he told the story tothe kids.They were scarred.For life.

y/n:You told them that?

Ryan:Well i mean not for life.

Dylan:You gatta be careful with this stuff man.That sh-t is true.

Jacob:Come on dude bullshit.

Mr.H:What is the hold up Hacketteers?

Jacob:Heya.Nearly done Mr.H!

Mr.H:Hop to it!Get thoes butts in gear!

Kaitlyn:Maybe if someone didnt spend so much time trying to impress the ladies with all his ghost stories…

Ryan:You asked.

Mr.H:Ghost stories?

Dylan:The Hag of Hacketts Quarry..

Kaitlyn:Hey you still have the van key Mr.H?

Mr.H:Well yes i do!....Well.. you know i would lose my head if it was notstuck on me.Back to the office i go..Give me a hand would you Ryan.

Ryan:Uh yeah sure.

Dylan:Yo Mr.H.

Mr.H:Whats up DJ Dylan?

Dylan:Any chance i could get a little charge?

Mr.H:Ah no can do.

Dylan:Cool yeah okay.

Said Dylan as Ryan went after Mr H.We were all silent not saying a word.In some rime Jake walked to me but did not say anything.

y/n:Yo J i like the shirt.

Jacob:Oh thanks.

He said and smiled.We started to talk a bit and i could feel eyes on us.I looked around and saw Nick glaring at Jacob.

After some time Mr H and Ryan came back.

Dylan:Wait how did you get your phone back beffore any of us?

Dylan asked looking at Ryan.

Ryan:Cus i never turned it in.

Mr.H :You shoul have turned it off before handing it to me Dylan.Thats the rules noob.

I smiled a bit as we all started to walk to the van.

Mr.H:Move it.Lets go.

Jake was the one that started the car but it did nothing.

Mr.H:Whats the problem?

Jacob:Oh dude idont know it just wont.I think something is wrong.

Oh im sure you know what is wrong Jake.I said in my mind.

Mr H:Yeah i can see that.

They started to talk but i did not really hear anything.

Mr H:Okay okay.

Said Mr H as he Jake and Ryan got back to us.

Jacob:Look its not a big deal we will just spend one more night hire.

Mr H :No no!.Just just let me think……Okay yeah your right okay.Hey Ryan come hire for a second.

He said as Ryan walked after him.

Jacob:Guess we will have to stay one more night.

Said Jacob as he walked up to me.I looked at him and roled my eyes.

y/n:You sure this is a good idea?

Jacob:Hell yeah.

Just then Mr H got in a car and drove away.

Dylan:So what was that about?

Ryan:Yo he said to stay inside and not leave till the morning.

Emma:Are you kidding me?

Jacob:Em

Jacob said with a happy voice.

Emma:Are you kidding me!What are we supposed to do?

Ryan:Well we could stay inside like he said.

Dylan:We could go inside.Orrr we could do something else.

Ryan:What are you talking about?

Dylan:No Mr H.No screaming kids.Just us all ready to cut loose and get down with their animal side.

Jacob:Oh hell yeah.

Dylan:P.A.R.T. Why the hell not?

Kaitlyn:Okay okay.

Dylan:One last epic bonfire blowout for all time.

y/n:I dont th-

Jacob:Oh dude!Yeah! Im in ,Nick your in.

Nick:Yeah im in.

Replied Nick as he looked at me almost like he wanted to see if im in as well.

Jacob:Dylan my man is in. Kaitlyn?

Kaitlyn:I go where my people need me.

Jacob:Yeahh.Okay Em what do you say?

Emma:Hmmm yeah im in.

Abi:Mr H seemed pretty insistet to stay inside.

Jacob:He was just trying to scare us.

y/n:Why would he want that?

Ryan:I dont think he was trying to freak us out i think he was freaked out.Cris seemed real serious about this guys.

Dylan:Just say your in man.Its the last night.

Jacob:Noono dude it okay.We get it you know.You dont wanna disappoint your »daddy«.

Ryan:Yeah well someone has to give a shit.You know what i dont even care what you guys do.

Dylan:Ryan come on man wait.

Dylan said as Ryan started to walk away.

Jacob:y/n?

I looked at Jacob and then at the rest.

y/n:I dont know guys maybe it-

Jacob:Come on.

Nick:Its gonna be fun.

y/n:Fine im in.

Jacob:Alright alright.Party planning.Lets do this.Okay first things first y/n and Nick you go get some wood.Uh Emma and i will go to the store. Kaitlyn and Abi go get the camp ready.And Dylan you just i dont know.Alright lets do this!

#the quarry x reader #the quarry #the quarry abigail #the quarry emma #the quarry nick #the quarry jacob #the quarry ryan #the quarry dylan #the quarry kaitlyn #nick x reader

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lorata · 2 years

Note

How does Emory and Callista interact as we never see them -mostly- together since they are both on the other side of the line?

i was absolutely POSSESSED by this ask, congratulations

Seven in the morning, a crisp bite in the air, leaves crunching under Emory’s boots, blue sky peeking through the yellow aspen overhead, and the sharp tang of fresh blood in the air. She’s already slapped a hand against her side, empty, before her mind can process the scene in front of her: Callista, balanced on a boulder, with a knife the size of her forearm and the corpse of a squirrel splayed out on the rock.

Say something, one part of her brain shrieks. Run! screams another. The rest is too busy flooding her body with alarm chemicals and useless reflexes to grab for a sword that isn’t there to do anything coherent or useful.

“I’m so sorry ma’am,” Emory’s mouth says in the vacancy, “but you ain’t doing that right.”

Well. She had a good run, making it out through an Arena she was meant to die in. Makes sense she’d bite it on the trails three months out because she can’t keep her mouth shut.

Callista unfurls, long limbs and narrow eyes, but the knife disappears. Emory didn’t even see her do it, but the glint of metal in the morning light is gone. “What’s that, infant?”

Her heart hammers in her throat and the stink of blood fills her nostrils but it’s not Arena memories that swim to the surface, it’s a rifle nocked against her shoulder and large hands over hers guiding the point of her knife. “I mean, Reap me if I’m wrong, but you lose half the hide that way. Those cuts, I mean. Fishing lures, I guess, but that’s about all.” Callista’s still studying her, eyes piercing, and damn it all, she jumped, didn’t she, no backing down now. “And if you’re killing for sport then that’s a real waste, begging your pardon.”

One perfectly manicured eyebrow creeps up, then another. “And what do you do with dead squirrels, little one?”

Emory’s taller than Callista and her arms are half again as thick, but sure, okay. She is the baby of the Village, so fair enough. “Eat them,” she says, and doesn’t curl her hands into fists even though she knows what’s coming and she should have known better, how many years of quarry-mocking did she go through in Residential, how many noses did she have to grind into the mats, and Brutus told her she could lose the Capitol-standard behind these gates but that just meant she’d let her guard down. “They’re good protein in a pinch. And you can use the hides for any old thing, we’ll be here to next Reaping Day if I stand here and list ‘em all. You could make a sheath for that knife, for starters.”

Callista’s head tips to the side with incredible precision. “Fascinating. Your mentor never shared this with me. I presume this is quarry wisdom.”

The Program teaches basic field-dressing, but the kind that gets you animals ready to eat over a fire without catching diseases from their insides, not how to get the hide off in one piece. Brutus doesn’t talk about his family much but she’s pretty sure they were miners, not Peacekeepers, and didn’t have a gun at home. Emory knows that isn’t the reason though. “Reckon he didn’t think it was his place, ma’am.”

The twitch at the corner of Callista’s mouth feels like a victory, though Emory couldn’t begin to explain why. “I think we both know better. Come, little one, I want you to show me.”

“Uh.” Emory squints at the mess of squirrel on the rock. “Think that one’s pretty near finished. Ma’am.”

“Call me ma’am one more time, fetus, and I will return you to your mentor in a mason jar,” Callista says smoothly. Emory huffs out a startled laugh, but takes the point. Ma didn’t take kindly to ma’am-ing from strangers either. “And that is not what I meant.”

She holds out a knife — not the one she used for skinning, symmetrical and perfectly balanced for throwing. In the tree above her, a squirrel’s irritated chatter suddenly sounds louder than the Arena’s cannon boom. Emory goes still. Callista gives her that intent look again. “Or not?”

It’s a squirrel. It’s not a person. And she can make its death mean something, instead of pointless waste. Emory squares her shoulders and plucks the knife from Callista’s fingers. “I’m fine,” she says, and squints up at the branches, tracking her shot.

A clean hit, right to the eye. She doesn’t even have to chase it down.

***

Callista knocks on her door the next morning, an enormous bag dripping red onto the welcome mat. “I hear you make jam?”

Emory stares at the bag in low, creeping horror. “Uh —“

Callista clicks her tongue. “Honestly, never seen a raspberry, what even are the quarries? Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Do we need to send out for the jars?”

“No, I — got stuff,” Emory says, her brain catching up in a scramble. “Jam?”

“When I tried it I got soup,” Callista says. She drops the berry-bleeding bag onto Emory’s counter and Emory’s brain dies a little bit. “Odin says you’re the one to ask.”

“Cornstarch,” Emory says without thinking. “Yeah, I can … teach you?”

“Wonderful.” She drops down onto the counter stool and waves a hand, magnanimous. “Teach away.”

Brutus never told her anything about this. “Sure,” Emory says. First squirrels, now jam. Why the hell not.

#lorata answers #anonymous #we must be killers: tales from district 2 #oc: emory #oc: callista #my writing

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triscribeaucollection · 1 year

Text

Protector

“Nobody fuss at me for the Star Wars reference, but I have a bad feeling about this.”

Steve heard Sam huff behind him, and couldn’t resist speaking up. “That’s the one with the Vulcans and Klingons, right?”

“...I honestly can’t tell if you’re serious or not,” Lang replied over their comm line in a horrified tone. “Sci-fi geeks the world over just shuddered with rage and don’t know why.”

“There’s an art to figuring out if Cap’s asking a genuine question or just messing with you,” Clint offered, somewhere up in the ventilation system. Steve smirked as he kept moving silently down the hallway. “I have yet to master it. Might ask Nat for some pointers.”

“If he gets shit-eating grin on his face right after the question, you know he’s teasing.” Natasha cast a quick glance over her shoulder. Steve let his smirk widen, and she winked back. “But this time, I think he might actually mean it.”

“Ohh no, I might not be fully fluent in Steve-speak but I AM an expert with all things Romanov, and she definitely just teased you. Which probably means there is, in fact, a shit-eating grin on Captain America’s face right now.”

Sam snorted, and spoke into his comlink before Lang could finish sputtering. “Trust me, Scott, don’t go down that rabbit hole, they’ll only drag you deeper. Now, getting back to the mission, does anybody have eyes on the secret entrance we’re supposed to be looking for?”

“Oh, yeah, I found it a minute ago. It’s why I mentioned the bad feeling - there’s some blood on the threshold. Like, only a few drops, but still. Somebody injured got pulled through here, and pretty recently.”

“Well, we are looking into the possibility of a new Winter Soldier program,” Natasha muttered, picking up her pace a little bit. “Would make sense to abduct a couple of disposable test subjects if they’re lacking volunteers.”

Steve started moving faster too. “All the more reason to shut this place down as soon as possible. Joining us, Hawkeye, or have you found another way in?”

Just ahead of them, the archer himself suddenly appeared, dropping down from the ceiling with a vent cover in hand. He set it aside and fell into step with Natasha. “Joining. Whatever kind of set-up they’ve got downstairs, it must be on a separate airflow system - I couldn’t find even a single vertical shaft.”

Soon enough their group of four reached Lang’s position, and the man reverted to normal size before gesturing at an unremarkable stretch of wall. “Trust me, the seams are pretty small, but they’re there. Also, I haven’t spotted any security cameras, but...”

“But any facility worth their salt will probably have eyes on us as soon as we go in,” Steve finished grimly. Six months ago, they would’ve had Tony’s help hacking and disabling security networks, but that option wasn’t available anymore. “So we hit ‘em hard and fast instead of stealthy.”

“Ready when you are, Cap,” Sam stated.

Nodding, Steve backed up a little bit - then launched himself forward, and knocked down the door.

They expected alarm klaxons to go off as soon as their presence was detected. What they did not expect was for alarms to already be going off, deeper within the facility. Steve could hear them pretty well, and even his teammates without enhanced senses managed to pick up the high-pitched echoes. “Ooh-kay,” Lang said slowly, “Sounds like they’ve already got some problems going on.”

Clint shrugged at him, a flash-grenade arrow nocked to his bowstring. “If it makes our job easier, I’m not complaining.”

“Depends on what the trouble is,” Sam murmured, keeping to Steve’s left as they started moving down the stairs. “If there’s zombies, I’m bugging out.”

“...is that very likely?”

“Focus, Scott.”

Their group made it down two stories without zombies or anything else jumping out of the shadows, which could’ve been considered a good thing. But they also didn’t come across any security personnel, despite passing an empty guard station, which gave Steve a bad feeling too. Natasha took point heading down the first corridor they came to, and the sirens got louder. Underneath, Steve managed to hear distant yelling, though too distorted for him to pick out any words.

A pair of guards finally showed up, backing into the intersection ahead of them, cursing quietly as they kept their guns pointed towards- the ceiling?

Clint let his arrow fly. Natasha took down the guards before they could do anything but yelp: one knocked out by a flying kick to the head, the other pinned and restrained with his weapon tossed out of reach. “Hi there,” Steve greeted him, crouching down with a flat smile. “Don’t suppose you’d like to tell us what’s going on?”

The man’s eyes widened as he took in the sight of them, armed and uniformed and unamused. He swore, loudly, before stammering something in a language Steve didn’t know. Natasha did, thankfully, and she replied with similar rolling words. The guard shook his head, adding something else in a fearful tone.

“Apparently, they’ve had a prisoner escape,” Natasha translated. “Small, fast, attacks from above. They have orders not to kill.”

Steve grit his teeth, and heard Sam hiss with dismay. “Someone they’ve already invested time and money into, then.”

“Most likely. Any other questions for this guy?” When Steve shook his head, Natasha quickly applied a chokehold. By the time she stood back up, the rest of them had moved to positions around the intersection. “Splitting up or sticking together, Cap?”

“Together. We don’t know what this prisoner’s capable of, or what kinds of measures these people will use to get them back.” That said, he gestured for quiet, and listened as intently as he could. The shouting definitely sounded louder from one direction, and Steve’s natural inclination was to head that way- but a short, sharp slam caught his attention, from the hallways branching off to the left. “Come on.”

Lang shrank down to hitch a ride on Clint’s shoulder. He, Sam, Steve and Natasha formed a diamond shape as they moved, swiftly covering ground, using hand gestures to signal when to pause and when to go. A few more security personnel crossed their path, clearly more focused on finding the escapee than remaining alert for any other threats, and all went down fast and quiet. Then, around a corner up ahead, Steve heard someone shout- a squeal of something metallic being yanked against concrete- a sudden burst of gunfire.

He sped up, and reached the turn just in time to see a slip of a teenager toss a grown man headfirst into the wall.

A kid. These bastards decided to experiment with a kid.

In the few seconds it took Steve to throttle back his instinctive rage, the rest of his team gathered around him, all of them freezing with the same shock. And then the kid turned, and spotted them.

He flinched. He flinched away, stumbling back, until he tripped on the guard’s dropped gun and landed flat on his butt. Shaky breath sped up, only to stall completely when Steve tried taking a step forward.

“It’s okay,” he said, stopping in place. “It’s okay, son, we aren’t going to hurt you.”

“C-captain,” the kid stammered. His hands shook. His eyes were wide, pupils too large, but unerringly focused on Steve’s face. “You’re- no, I- I can’t- I-”

Natasha slid around to put herself in the kid’s line of sight. “Hey, little fella. You look past ready to get out of here, huh?”

“You’re- Widow. Black Widow.” The boy looked relieved, for whatever strange reason, but it only lasted a second before the panic came roaring back into his expression. “I can’t- they gave, gave me- a needle- I can’t, think I can’t think-”

“That’s alright,” Natasha soothed, easing a little closer. The kid didn’t flinch from her. “We’ll get you out of here and wait for it to wear off, okay?”

“‘Kay,” the kid whispered. But just as Natasha reached him, he shuddered, all over, and started to tip over. She managed to catch him before his head could hit the floor, and then Lang burst up to full size beside them.

“I’ll carry him,” the man insisted. “You guys are the better fighters, anyway.”

“Could you shrink him down?” Steve asked, still not getting close.

Lang shook his head, but then stopped and shrugged. “I mean, I could, but I’m not the expert with Pym-particles, and we don’t know what else he’s been injected with, so I’d really rather not risk any bad reactions.”

“Fair enough. Is he injured anywhere else?”

“A lot of bruises, already healing. And here-” Natasha gestured to the kid’s feet, bare and stained with fresh blood. “Looks like he walked across something sharp. Broken glass, maybe, but I can’t see any shards in the cuts.” Lang carefully reached down to grasp where she indicated, and pulled the limp kid up and over his shoulder.

“Alright,” Steve said. “New priority. We head back to the entrance, quick and quiet. Ant-Man and Falcon, get him out of here, back to the safehouse. The three of us will come back in to finish the mission once you’re clear.” The others all nodded, and they hastily retraced their steps, back to the front corridor and staircases.

Unfortunately, they didn’t make it that far.

A much larger group of guards suddenly spilled into the first intersection just before Steve reached it - at least a dozen of them, maybe fifteen, and all armed with similar weapons that fired bursts of electricity rather than bullets. His shield could still catch them, but it sizzled with each impact, and Steve’s hands started to go numb even through the thick material of his gloves. “Get back!”

Clint and Natasha continued to shoot around him. Sam found an unlocked door to yank open and led Lang through it. An explosive arrow hit the ground in front of the guards, and with the brief cessation of shooting, Steve dove through the doorway after his teammates.

They found themselves in a long room, some kind of workshop, with multiple tables full of lab equipment and bulky machinery along the walls. Another door sat at the far end; Lang darted off with the kid, Clint and Sam on either side, as Natasha helped Steve block off the door they’d come through. “Well, this isn’t going according to plan.”

He just grunted, shoving a heavy cabinet over. At least one heavy body slammed into the door, but their slapdash barrier held. For the moment.

They ran to join the others, just as Sam managed to break the other door’s lock with a swift kick. New route opened, their group slipped through - only to stop just as quickly, gathered on a walkway across a truly massive chasm. Natural stone bordered both sides, and the dim overhead lighting barely managed to penetrate the darkness below.

“Bad feeling’s worse,” Lang commented, briefly leaning a little closer. The kid groaned, twitching on his shoulder, which served to make the man backpedal for safety’s sake.

“We taking our chances on there being a way out on the other side, or making a stand?” Natasha asked, eyeing the door they’d just come through. The pursuing guards continued to shout, and Steve could hear the undercurrent sound of something cutting through the barricade.

“We take a chance,” he answered grimly. “Widow first, then Falcon. Hawkeye, you and I bring up the rear; Ant-man, keep in the middle and let us cover you.”

Each of them made a quick acknowledgement, and then they were moving - careful, but quick. No handrails bordered the edges of the walkway; no convenient signage indicating how far down the drop went.

About halfway across to the far wall, the first gunshots rang out.

Steve did what he could to alternate with Clint, blocking the bullets coming straight towards them even as arrows flew back in return. More guards spilled out onto the balcony platform around the door, though, giving them wider angles to fire at the rest of his teammates. Sam and Natasha gave a little back with their own weapons, at least, but Lang didn’t have much choice besides hunker down and keep moving.

Then the kid woke back up.

Steve’s only warning came in the form of a horrified shout from Lang, a few seconds before he felt the reverberations of something traveling under the walkway. Traveling fast.

“The hell-?” Clint barely got two words out before the kid flipped into sight, swinging himself inhumanly fast up onto the balcony. The guards weren’t any more prepared for him to come into their midst; several of them could only let loose shouts of alarm before a palm or an elbow or a foot slammed into their bodies.

Not a single one fell over the edge. Instead, the kid kept grabbing opponents he’d just knocked out, turning them into blunt force weapons against the others, tossing around people twice his size and kitted out in heavy body armor.

All too soon, no one remained standing besides the kid. He panted, short in-and-out gasps, arms still raised for combat as his eyes spun wildly, looking for the next enemy.

Steve took that moment to ease forward around Clint. Something in his head managed to click, watching the unknown teen bulldoze his way through the hostiles, and even though the mere idea of it turned his insides cold he still needed to ask- “Queens?”

The kid’s head snapped around towards him.

---

Chapter 4 of my Slush Pile fic, for all the half-written and unfinished MCU ideas I’ve had over the last, oh, decade or so. With any luck this one will eventually turn into its own standalone story, but there’s no telling how long that’ll take...

#marvel #wip #peter parker #steve rogers #post civil war fixit #rogue avengers #natasha romanov #clint barton #sam wilson #scott lang #fan fiction #eventual irondad #at least that's the idea #might take a while before the Muse feels willing to keep working on this one

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spenzitz · 7 months

Note

Hai hai Em <3 i saw an earlier post that your october hasn't started out great so here's some chibi chuuya's to lift your mood

sending all the hugs and support you need ♡ How are you doing today if you don't mind me asking?

thank you jay!! (っ*´∀｀*)っhru doing?? october being nice to you?

omg chibis so cute :(((( look at the last one, not a thought in that pretty little head… he’s wrapin me up real tight through these past few days!! keeping me warm n everything hehe

i’m taking it easy… my cat nocked over a cup of water on my xbox and it literally fried 💀 like ofc wow… i’ve been wanting to upgrade for a while now but it still hurts my feelings like urrrrgg i hate spending a lot of money all at once >:(((( but it’s fine, gonna go shopping with friends tm and get a new one plus my best friend is coming home from college this weekend!! this storm will pass!!

#hugs v much appreciated <3333 #squeezing you right back #❀ my loves

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g0dspeeed · 1 year

Text

Sparring Lesson

Wrote this gem with @gaeadene a while back. Warning: Sex ahead

A little sparring lesson in the woods has Eli Palmer hot and bothered. Cappie De la Costa walks away victorious in more ways than one.

The view was just plain gorgeous. Between the mighty waterfall rushing white water down the steep cliff, the surrounding sea of tall, rich pine, and the ominous mountains playing a stoic witness, Eli Palmer was enamored by the natural beauty of the world around him. His chest swelled with the fresh, mountain air and love for the outdoors as he laid out the last gym mat on the ground. Hawks cried across the clear sky, the morning brisk despite the warm season, perfect for what Eli had in store.

Tammy told him, begged Eli, to take a day off. She commanded him to give himself a break from the demanding labors of running a militia, between readying the bunker, gathering supplies, training recruits, investigating reports, running drills, checking cameras, and so, so much more. And he had listened. Somewhat.

Anytime he had a day off, it was spent with Cappie De la Costa. It was spent teaching her the rules of survival, on how to use a compass–She couldn't–how to start a fire, how to build a shelter, how to treat water, how to identify plants, etcetera. Eli made it a personal goal for Cappie to develop some kind of positive relationship with Mother Nature, or at the very least, coexist in the woods without vicious threats of burning it all down.

Despite their time centering on what Eli did for the Whitetail Militia, doing so with Cappie was different. It was fun. He laughed. He was excited about it, planned their outings and trips in-between work, thought about them even when he was carrying out Whitetail business.

I should take Cappie here. She said caves were cool.

Cappie might like this place. We should stargaze sometime.

I wonder what Cappie would think of this view.

Eli hadn’t been this turned around by a pretty face since he’d met ex-wife over a decade ago. Hadn’t found anyone who had made him feel like this since their divorce three years ago. Made his heart flutter like he was a teenager. Made him feel like she enjoyed spending time with him. Maybe it was foolish of him to keep dedicating these hours to her, but–Fuck, Cappie De la Costa made him feel.

His eyes fell on the woman in question sat by the trees a few feet from the mat, staring at the archery butt he’d set up behind him. She’d given him a look when he pulled up with it tied to the bed of his truck, but then she’d given him that trademark grin of hers and said she liked his butt.

“So, what do you wanna start with?” Eli called. “Some target practice? Or hand to hand?”

Cappie watched him set up, a thrill aching in her chest, the anticipation making her heart beat even more than the quality time with her latest–something.

"Um, you trust me with a bow and arrow?" she ventured. "Or are you gonna give me one of those kid arrows with the marshmallows on the end?"

“I can give you marshmallows if you want ‘em,” he chuckled, making his way over to the back seat of his truck to retrieve two quivers of arrows and two compound bows. “We can run down to the store afterwards and get you some.”

She glared. "I'm badass enough," quipped Cappie as she stood up, muscles stretching. "Just don't get mad at me if we end up at the emergency clinic."

Cappie wandered over to him, hazel eyes studying the bows. The last time she touched one, the event ended the way she warned with Staci getting stitches and both promising the other not to tell their dad.

"So, um, what do I do? Just rock it? It's rock, right? Like you 'rock it' on the, the thing?"

“Nock,” Eli corrected. “You, uh, want a little guidance, or?”

She levelled him a flat look.

He reached a hand out and grabbed his own bow, nocking an arrow as he aimed for the target.

“Have a look at what I’m doing.” Eli repeated the motions a few times, letting her watch him, trying not to blush at those green eyes.

Cappie frowned. He made it look so easy. That was half the trouble. Eli was just so good at being outside and was just so damn patient and nice. She huffed.

"Okay, but how do I keep it from sliding off? And how do you know I'm even strong enough to pull it?"

He put the bow down, a hand finding hers. “Can I?”

Her cheeks stung, but Cappie allowed it.

"Do your worst," she sighed.

Careful hands worked the bow firmly into her grip, guiding her fingers to the arrow shaft to help her pull it carefully back. He showed her how to aim it with a slow sweep of their arms. Her body was so soft against his, and Eli wanted to bury his face in her hair even as he brought the arrow-hand close to her face, making sure the string itself didn’t touch her cheek.

“That feel ok?”

His voice came out lower than he’d intended.

Cappie wasn't breathing. The whole time he set her up, it was as if every nerve in her back and shoulders was on fire as he moved her, his hands striking matches along her skin. Her body had to fight the instinct to lean back into him, to meet his body heat.

"Feels great," she muttered.

“Ok,” he told her, voice still low, “Now try firing.”

The voice, it had to be the voice. Without aiming at all, too distracted by the timber in her ear, Cappie loosed the arrow, her eyes widening in horror as it sailed several feet above the intended target.

"Welp."

Eli tried not to wince as she adjusted her aim at the last second and the arrow speared into a tree a few feet after the butt.

“It’s ok,” he promised, “How many times have you even shot anything anyway?”

"Like bows? Or guns?" she clarified, shaking the jitters from her fingers. "Because I've shot guns a lot, but only at like, beer cans or old propane tanks."

He released her, a hand hovering by her shoulder.

Eli cleared his throat.

“They’re actually completely different skills,” he said. “Some things are the same; you gotta adjust for windspeed, elevation, weight of the projectile. Guns need a certain amount of holdover or holdunder to keep them from moving too much thanks to recoil. Arrows have a little more human error involved. Shaky hands will screw up any shot, sure, but there’s a few more possible errors like broken strings and arrows that ain’t perfect.”

Cappie was listening. Sort of.

Not really. Her brain was still hanging on his voice and how it felt when Eli was behind her. She could have laughed at herself, at how she was acting like a high school kid or some character in a G-rated rom-com.

"Okay," she replied. "You, uh, normally this hands-on with people when you're teachin'? Like, the recruits and stuff?"

“Uh,” Eli’s ears burned, “Nah, not usually. But, I mean, this is a big hunting community, so most of ‘em have a little bit of experience. Just wanted to make sure you were in a good position, didn’t hurt yourself or anything.”

A smirk teased her lips.

"Well, gotta love the extra attention, sir. Now what? Can we try again?"

“Sure.” He handed her another arrow. “Now, you don’t wanna pull too hard on the shaft when you’re getting the bow ready, or you’ll strain your muscles.”

Cappie nocked the arrow with a grin.

"Gentle with the shaft, got it," she mused.

Her arms assumed the position from before.

"How's my position now, Eli?"

Gentle touches adjusted the height of her elbow, tugged the arrow-hand just a little further from her face, ran down her back to correct her posture. Fingertips slid down her bow-hand, just relaxing it a little. Eli wanted to touch her, he wanted to run his fingers through her hair and up her shirt, but Cappie had actually come out here to learn.

“That’s more like it.” He nodded to her. “Ok. Keep your eye on the target. Feel where the wind’s coming from. If it’s comin’ too hard in one direction, shift your aim to make up for it.”

Shafts. Coming. Jesus Christ, Cappie had the mind of some horny adolescent.

"How the fuck can I tell where the wind is coming from? That's some real boy scout shit," she grumbled, her breathing made shallow by his hands and just how damn close he was behind her.

“Which way’s your hair blowin’?” Eli chuckled.

"Um," she muttered, thinking for a moment. "Left? So how does that help me?"

Her body began to sag against him, her arms aching. Eli caught her, hands on her hips.

“Wind’s comin’ from the right,” he said. “So it’ll blow your arrows the same way, which means you need to adjust where the arrow points to your right a little. The stronger the wind, the more adjustment you need to make. I’d say adjust it so that the arrow’s just a little to the right of the bullseye.”

Cappie listened that time. Her body straightened back into position, her focus sharp. After lining up her sight, her hand released the arrow, the string sounding a thrum by her ear. It sailed over the target again, this time lower, closer than it had been before.

Eli scratched his jaw. Hmm. “Try again,” he said. “Aim lower.”

"This is fucking stupid," she complained. "I suck. I might as well run up with an arrow in my hand, maybe stab the target to death."

Her arms lowered and she turned to face him, mirth in her eyes.

“Hey, relax.” He pushed a lock of hair out of her face. “You’ve been doin’ this five minutes. It takes a while to get used to. You’ll get there, I promise. You wanna try again?”

Cappie flinched at how he touched her and shook her head.

"No, maybe later. I hate sucking at things."

Rather than stare into his warm eyes, Cappie glanced at the mats.

"What are those for?" she questioned.

Eli withdrew his hand immediately at the flinch. Shit. That was too far. He glanced over at the mats.

“Uh… Well, I was—Gonna see if you wanted to try learning some hand-to-hand combat, but… well, we don’t have to. I don’t know how much you know, so if you wanted to get coffee and come back to this later, or stop completely…”

A laugh bubbled up from deep inside her. One could call it devilish. Or evil.

"Oh yeah? You wanna rumble?" Cappie chided. "Hell yeah, I've had a shitty week. Let's blow off some good ol' steam, boy scout."

She made a point to approach the mats and stretch her legs.

"And don't go easy on me," she added with a smile tossed over the shoulder. "I ain't a flower."

Eli felt his pants get tighter, and he immediately pulled off his jacket and sweater, setting them down to leave himself in his pants and t-shirt.

“U-Uh, sure.” He was thinking about blowing off steam, eyes drawn to Cappie’s legs, remembering having them wrapped around his waist.

God, you’re in deep, Palmer, he thought to himself, following her over to the mats.

“Ok,” he finally said. “Gimme your best shot.”

"Wait, wait, wait," she challenged. "What are the rules here? I gotta know so I don't hurt ya."

“Try not to hit anything vital,” he said, “And that includes my crotch. Please.”

Cappie mulled it over.

"Okay, what about playin' dirty? Because, you know, I got no shame."

“...Crotch shots are again a no-no, make sure not to break anything." There was a look in her eyes that promised trouble, and Eli wanted it bad. “Heck, I’m just doin’ this to make sure you’re sharp with your self-defense.”

Oh.

Oh that's how it was.

Cappie stalked to the center of the mat, her eyes lethal and brooding as they glowered into his.

"Okay," she purred, her stance lowering. "Teach me how to defend myself."

Eli sensed he’d made a mistake. “Ok. Someone comes at you from above with a punch, how would you defend yourself?”

Cappie grinned.

"Actually, let's not have a pop quiz and just feel me out, yeah?" she countered.

God, he had the mind of a teenager.

Eli swung at her, right hand coming down in a hard hook towards her. This felt so wrong, he should not be doing this—

Cappie feinted and whipped the back of her hand across his cheek.

Eli snapped back, the shock of pain on his face surprising him, but mostly just—

“Did you just slap me?”

"I'm being gentle," Cappie cooed. "I've never fought in my life."

He’d screwed up. He’d fucked up. And God, he was already so turned on.

“Cap,” his voice came out a little breathless, “Can you give me your best shot?”

Cappie blinked at that, thrown off by his request.

"You sure? I don't give a shit that you're a man, or important, or hot. I fight dirty. Filthy."

Eli let out a slightly weak laugh. “Call it payback for just assumin’ anything about you like the dumbass I am.”

Cappie dipped her shoulder, hands loose and fingers twitching.

"Well, come get your dues, handsome."

Eli went in for another strike, aiming for her left, and he knew he was distracted by waiting for her response, by the look in her eyes, God, if he got his shit kicked in right now it would be so worth it.

Cappie dodged before taking a step back out of range. Her heart hammered in her chest, made her feel alive, electric with the prospect of letting loose and letting go.

She then pivoted to her right, and jabbed towards his face, a wild grin spread across her lips. Eli snapped his head back, taking a shot towards her stomach.

Cappie flexed her abdomen, taking the blow with a pained "Ow!"

Eli felt like shit and he pulled back immediately. “Fuck, Cap, you ok?”

Her face shifted into a mischievous smile, the facade dropped at the opening of an opportunity.

Cappie lowered herself and launched forward to knock Eli back. He lost his footing for a second, stumbling back before she caught him as he dodged, going to her non-dominant side to grab at her and try to pin her to his chest.

Cappie growled, her body writhing in his hold. Her breathing was labored, and despite how the tide turned, she was having a blast.

"What, what now, Elijah?" she rasped, her body melting against his taut frame. "How do we know who wins?"

His mouth was dry, lips by her ear. Fuck. “I keep you here for another three seconds, and I win.”

"Ah."

Cappie smiled before twisting in his grip. Her foot was planted before his and with all her strength, Cappie slung his arm over a shoulder and tossed him over on the mat. Eli went down like a sack of shit, landing on his back with the air knocked out of him, staring up at the blue sky. He didn’t even have a single protest in mind. Breathless, he panted, sweat gathering along his hairline. Cappie’s clothes weren’t even off, and he was more turned on than he’d been in his life.

Cappie, high on her victory, let out a breathy laugh.

"Just give in to me," she prompted as she stood over him, feet standing on either side of his waist, blocking out the sun.

Eli reached up and grabbed the backs of her thighs, yanking her down so that she fell into his lap. “Trust me,” he groaned, “I sure as hell want to.”

Her cheeks burned at the grip of his hands and the not so subtle innuendo he teased.

"We're, we're not really sparrin' anymore, are we?" she whispered with a smile.

“You wanna do it in the truck or right here on the mat?” Eli found himself asking. “Just, yeah, I’ve kinda been hard since the second you told you ain’t a flower.”

Cappie rolled her hips against him, against the hardness she felt at the apex of her thighs.

"You're so sexy when you're under me," she teased.

“No complaints here,” he groaned, “Except maybe I’ve been thinkin’ about your thighs for the past couple hours, so, can I have ‘em around my face?”

Cappie leaned forward to deliver a kiss, groaning at how he was so brazen about what he wanted.

"I would love it," she told him before rising from the mat.

Cappie kicked off her sneakers, but stopped as her hands were on the waistband of her joggers. Her eyes looked about the trees.

"You sure we're cool to be messin' around out here?"

“Pass me the bow and I’ll shoot anyone who comes over,” Eli groaned.

Cappie barked a laugh, dropping her pants.

"Shit, how did you make that hot, too?"

Her hazel eyes met his as she slid her thumbs under the thin strings of her panties. Cappie slid them down and tossed them to the pile of clothes that gathered at the mat's edge. Eli felt his dick twitch in his pants, and he reached for her hips, dragging her over his mouth. His tongue swept out, curling against her clit before dragging over her folds to get a taste of her.

He felt like an addict.

His fingers rolled up her stomach to push up beneath her shirt, teasing at her nipples as he gave her another long lick, a soft groan escaping him. God, when had she gotten this deep into his head? Eli closed his lips around her clit, sucking softly, wanting to work her up. He wanted to hear her moan for him, cry out with that gorgeous voice of hers.

Her body jerked at the first lick of his tongue, the anticipation satiated and causing her hips to rock.

"Eli, shit," she moaned.

Cappie grinned down at him, and while wetting her lips, her hand ventured to the bulge in his pants, stroking the outline of his cock in heavy drags of the palm, thumb circling where she knew his tip throbbed.

“Cap,” he pulled his mouth away to pant against her thigh, a hand dropping from her tits to thumb circles around her clit. "You put your pretty hands on me and I’m not gonna last.”

Her head nodded, though her fingers betrayed him, sneaking under his waistband, feeling along the soft skin and coarse hair.

"I hear ya," she panted, her other hand pressing on top of his. "Just tell me to stop them."

Eli growled, lips closing around her clit to suck on it with a relentless fervour as he shifted his hand away to work it beneath her, fingers spearing up into her to hook and find her sweet spot. His left hand went to her lower stomach, spreading his fingers over it, pressing his palm down just enough to give a little more tension there. It caught her between his fingers, his mouth and the firm pressure on her belly.

The cry she made, it had to have echoed, had to let anyone within their radius know what was going on in their neck of the woods.

Her hand at his cock faltered at the intensity of his mouth, at how Eli knew how to work her so well, at how much wetter she became from his tongue and fingers. She rolled her hips to his mouth, a string of curses following.

"Eli," she moaned. "Fuck!"

He glanced up at her from where his concentration had been fully on working her up. Their eyes met, and Eli drank in the sight of her flushed face, the sparkle in her gorgeous eyes, the way the sunlight glowed off the sweat damp of her skin.

Shit, he rolled her clit between his lips and tongue, Oh god, I think I’m fallin’ for her.

That look, the pure worship she found there in the darkness of his stare, it was unmooring.

Without saying anything, Cappie maneuvered off of his face, ignoring the whining of her own body at the absence of his touch.

Cappie, with impatient fingers, began unclasping his ridiculously complicated belt, cursing under her breath. Eli wiped his mouth clean, hands dropping to help her own and get his pants open.

“Shit, you really couldn’t wait, huh?” he teased breathlessly, licking his lips. The taste of her was still heavy on his skin as he undid his belt and shoved his pants down. His cock sprang free, aching, twitching in the breeze. “All yours, Cap.”

"You know it," she shot back.

Cappie sat astride his lap, lining herself with his cock with a smile. It broke as she felt the tip nudge between her folds, a warning of the pleasure to come.

"I love this," she breathed, her body sliding his cock slowly into her, the stretch breaking her smile into a cry and eyes fluttering shut tight.

She loved this.

Eli grabbed her hip with one hand, the other dropping to thumb rapid circles into her clit because he was aching, he wasn’t going to last long and she needed to fall apart for him before the tight wet heat clenching around his cock drove him fuckin’ insane.

“Y-Yeah, got that from the way ya,” he panted, hips canting up into hers, “Jumped off my mouth.”

Cappie ground down, lifted until he was almost unsheathed from her, and took him to the hilt. The pace she set was rough, her hand pressing down on his chest, while her other pinched her own nipple. She was high off the sight of him, off how the sunlight glowed against his skin, how full his lips were.

"You're so fucking handsome," she answered. "So, so good. I c-can't help it–Jesus, Eli, you're gonna make me come…”

“S’all I want right now,” he groaned, meeting her pace with his own frantic rutting. “Wanna see you come apart, Cap. Watch that beautiful face, feel you get all tight, h-hear the way your,” he swallowed down the moan that wanted to force its way out of him, “V-Voice cracks, but fuck, you’re so goddamn loud, Cap, you get too loud and I might–I might have to gag ya!”

At that, she grabbed for his hand and put it to her lips.

"Yes, sir," she mumbled before riding him hard.

Cappie was all jitters and heavy pants, teeth biting down on her bottom lip. Shefound her sweet release in-between curses and crying out his name, taunting Eli to follow through on his little threat, his cock reaching that spot that drove her wild. Eli followed through, pressing his hand to her mouth even though the way his name sounded on her voice was the sweetest fucking thing he’d ever heard.

He didn’t last much longer than she did.

With a fractured groan, he pulled out of her, hand leaving her clit to jerk himself off, ropes covering her stomach. His head fell back and his eyes shut, and he could feel the rest of it dripping down his closed fist, but Eli had just died and gone to heaven, and he was gonna need a moment.

A laugh bubbled up from her like champagne. Cappie looked down at him, beaming.

"You're making a mess of me, Eli Palmer," she joked. "But, but this was nice. Needed to relieve some fuckin' stress."

He felt his heart stop. What had he said to her? It doesn’t need to be a complicated thing. He was eating his own words right now; he wanted it to be complicated, wanted Cappie tangled up in his life like her fingers in his hair when he ate her out.

“I’ll lick it clean in a second,” he managed to say. “Glad I could–lend a hand.”

She shook her head at the offer, her legs finding the strength to stand, though shaky and tingling from how great he made her feel. "I can just rinse off in the water over there," she offered. "Don't worry 'bout it."

Cappie made her way to her clothes. Eli pulled a cloth from his pants and wiped his hand clean, then his cock, tucking himself back into his boxers and shifting his pants up his hips, fastening his belt.

“I also have this,” he said, holding the cloth out to her.

She accepted it, dodging his eyes as the afterglow faded. The cloth was ran over her belly and tossed down.

Cappie hated this part. The awkward conversation, the small talk that was forced so silence couldn't creep in. The drive back. The pretending. She was getting tired of casual, but not enough to do a damn thing about it. Eli was the first person who made her feel–Cared for? No, that wasn't fair. John had, in his own twisted way. Maybe that was it. There wasn't a contingency when it came to Eli. He felt sincere. Whole.

Cappie sighed and dressed herself with a bit of urgency.

“Cap?” Eli couldn’t help it. “You still up to try a little more archery? We’ve got time.”

She answered in a way that went against what she truly wanted, to hide away, to flee.

"Um, yeah. If you want."

Thank fuck. Eli smiled.

“Yeah,” he found himself saying. “I-I want to. Didn’t bring you out here just to trick you into ridin’ me into the ground.”

Cappie squinted at the waterfall, his words rolling in her head.

"I mean," she replied, careful and slow. "Ain't that what we're doing?"

Well, it was now or never.

“Look, Cap,” Eli began as he shoved his hands into his pockets for the moment, “I know–we talked, and we said, you know, it ain’t gotta be complicated.” His chest felt tight with anxiety. “And, shit, I get it if you’ve been burned and you don’t wanna go deeper than this. But, Cappie,” he took a deep breath, “Spendin’ time with you, it’s- it’s honestly been great. I like bein’ with you, not just fuckin’ ya. That part’s fun, but, so is the rest of it. And I…I wanna do it more.”

Cappie sighed.

"Yeah, I know I'm pretty fun," she drawled, the smile not reaching her eyes. "You said that bit about not wanting casual, but so far we've fucked in the woods, so I'm kinda tired of that ol' song and dance. I'm learnin' I'm not a good dance partner."

Eli immediately jerked his hands out of his pockets, and stepped towards her, reaching for her hands. “I’m serious,” he said, his voice soft. “I wanna spend more time with you. I-I think about bein’ with you and I turn into this teenager like I never had a crush before. I wanna take you on a proper date.”

Her brows lifted at that, her hands detached from her body despite the warmth of his palms.

"I bet," Cappie joked, "You tell that to all your, uh, sparrin' partners. I'm just, just the lucky one today."

She squeezed his hands and cocked her head.

"This is really sweet, but you don't gotta say this all if you're just trying to be nice," whispered Cappie.

Eli’s thumb stroked across her pulse, his eyes fixed on hers. “I wanna take you on a date,” he repeated. “Go somewhere, then take you for dinner. I–Shit, can’t think of anywhere to go yet, but, I will, and I wanna take you there, wherever it is. Would,” he swallowed, “You like to? Go on a date. With me. Because I really like you, Cap. A whole lot.”

Cappie swallowed and looked back to the waterfall.

Fuck.

"I," she muttered. "Would like that. A whole lot. I think. No, I know. You're really nice. And hot. So. Yes."

Eli leaned in and kissed her softly, one hand cupping her face. His heart was thudding in his chest, his breathing heavy. “How ‘bout,” his voice came out ragged, “I’ll call ya when I think up something we might both like? Let you know when I could take you out, and you let me know when you’re free.”

"Why are you freaking out?" she blurted, noticing his breathing and just how tender he was. "When was the last time you went on a date?"

Eli leaned back, just a little, and exhaled heavily. “Uh…Well…I got… married eight years ago, divorced three years ago, which means I went on a date for the first time…A decade ago?”

"Oh." Cappie didn't quite know what to say to that. "I…didn't know that about you." She frowned. "Do you believe in aliens?" she then ventured.

Eli laughed, incredulous. “Uh, no? Why?”

She nodded. "Okay, what about chem trails? Or, or like, Russian spies? Or the water being contaminated with hormones?"

She was speaking fast, desperate to get to the bottom of a question that had been eating at her since she learned about him.

“No, I mean, every nation’s got spies, and no,” Eli replied. “I—Are you makin’ sure I’m not crazy?”

"Well, yeah! Why do you live in a bunker? Why is your hair so long? Why do you have like, an army in the woods?"

Eli’s lips parted. “...How ‘bout we answer this after some more archery?” he asked. “Or, maybe, during?”

Cappie squirmed.

"So, uh, I was like, raised in a cult and, and I don't like not knowing stuff about people I'm dating? Cause like, obviously, I haven't done a great job at that, so if you're kinda…Um, different that's fine, um, but I don't know if I want to have any more surprises? Because I like you even if you choose to live in a hole, I guess, but I…Okay. Cool."

Eli smiled, a hand touching her shoulder.

“Ok,” he said softly. “I live in a bunker ‘cause I used to work for the Project, and I made all their bunkers before I cut ties with ‘em. Realised that I did a dumb thing and I could probably use a safe place for me and some others if they turned out to be crazy too. My hair’s long ‘cause I’m divorced and wasn’t expecting to date anytime soon. And I have an army in the woods in case of the previously mentioned Project. It’s just a militia. Just in case.”

She snorted a laugh. "Just a militia," she mocked, walking to the bows that rested on the ground. "Aight. I can roll with that. For now. Would love to see your chin some day."

Cappie picked up the bow, looked back at him with a smirk.

"So what do I win if I hit the target? Come on, make it interesting, handsome."

Eli paused, and scratched his jaw, humming. “Tell you what. You hit the target–the bullseye–and you can see my driver’s license from before I started growin’ this."

Cappie grinned and assumed position.

Without looking away from the target, Cappie called out, "Hey, Eli?"

“What?”

She looked down the sight.

"Know what extracurricular activity I chose every year at sleep away summer camp? The one foster kids got for two months? That I took for nine summers straight?"

Eli blew out a heavy breath. “Are you about to make me look like an idiot, Cap?”

She released the arrow, not needing to see the outcome as she turned to wink.

"Lemme see that license."

#oc: cappie de la costa #otp: cappieli #cappie de la costa x eli palmer #eli palmer

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