#oh god i just noticed the corner of the eye you can partially see my face

[smashwolfen]

IT TOOK 5000 YEARS (just over a week)

BUT IT IS DONE, I NOW OWN A BANEFUL FOX MASK OF MY OWN!!

And its WEARABLE~!!!

It's not perfect by any means, but I'm so glad I stuck through it and completed this side project! With all the troubles I had in the beginning with terrible air drying clay disintegrating the next morning, and it making the mask super heavy to wear, to figuring out any other methods to do it over again, to Tears of the Kingdom taking over my life (affectionately), it was a learning curve I haven't had to deal with in ages XD

But it only took about a week, and tbh that's really fast in hindsight! All I used to make this was modeling foam, a cheap blank plastic kitty mask as the base, cheap dollarstore acrylic paints, and even cheaper dollarstore yellow tinted sunglasses lenses that I popped out of the frames. I'm gonna add some fabric on the inside of the mask later to make it more comfy to wear, but that's for another day. For now this is gonna be a wall decoration in my room~

Thank you to folks in the chain of the WIP of this mask who gave me ideas to help bring this back from fhe brink of failure! It means a lot folks were hyped to see this through to the end!!

#oh god i just noticed the corner of the eye you can partially see my face #that will haunt me forever XD #pokemon #pokemon legends arceus #arceus #legends arceus #hisuian zoroark #hisuian zoroark mask #baneful fox mask #zoroark #hisuian snow #legends of arceus #pla #smashwolfen #smish pokemon #really though thank you everyone who followed this from the beginning y'all are amazing for watching this be made XD #i wish i could make a shiny version of this but i havent been abot to find good blank masks yet for a base #one day #and bless my dumb yellow chair for being a good place to take pictures of everything i make XD #sadly did not use the glow in the dark paint #it didnt look good in testing ;u;

[montrealmadison]

Congratulations on 400 followers! I’m newish to the fandom and your blog was one of the first I followed!

Pair: Nursey/Dex

Song: 28

Vibes: first date (can include smut if it fits in)

Congratulations again!!!!

thank you so much and welcome to the fandom!! this is only the second time i've written nurseydex and it's an honor to do so for you ❤️ i did not manage to squeeze the smut in but i did provide the lead-up so i hope that's acceptable. please enjoy these banana nut muffins being dorky and awkward on their two first dates

28. nurseydex + first date + I Love You More Than You Think by Rizzie Kicks for @hrtstppr95

I think that we know that we know each other really well I know I wanna know you for the rest of my life Because no matter the length of time that’s gone by When I see you, it’s fine It’s like I just saw you last night 

Dex is thinking about why fancy restaurants invest in stupid shit when Nursey says, “Poindexter, I don’t think this is working.”

Their table is a good one, tucked into a private corner and partially hidden by a big potted plant. The downside to this is that apparently nobody thought to install overhead lighting in this swanky Boston seafood bar, and the candle holder—which, for some reason, is shaped like a miniature lobster wearing a chef’s coat—is doing a terrible job at casting light on the worried expression that Nursey is wearing. Dex looks down at his clenched hands in his lap and can’t help but mirror what he can see of the frown.

read more below or on ao3 | request a fic here

God, he knew he was going to fuck this up. Dex doesn’t do a lot of standing on ceremony, but even he can admit that first dates are a big deal, that they deserve care. When Nursey had come to him with this grand plan for a fancy, candlelit dinner, his treat, he’d known it might be uncomfortable, that he might have to pretend to get it. This kind of thing isn’t him, not at all.

But it is Nursey. He looks right here, casually elegant in a blazer he doesn’t wear to games, half-empty glass in his hand with the ice clinking soft at the bottom. He’s been so excited for this, talking it up all week to anyone who’d listen. Of course it’s Dex who doesn’t fit in. Four years in this weird parallel world to the one he’s used to and he still can’t make himself take the shape of someone who belongs in both.

“No,” he agrees, eyes dropping back to his hands. There’s a long fresh scar along the base of his thumb, the brightest thing in the room. “Sorry.”

“Shit—Dex, no.”

Nursey’s hand appears in his field of view, warm and brown and stark against the tablecloth. Dex looks up, surprised, and finds Nursey’s face much better lit and clearly concerned.

“I just meant, like—you look uncomfy, dude.” He bounces the outstretched hand lightly on the table until Dex reaches up to still it with his own. “Are you having a good time?”

“Oh.” He feels wrongfooted by how much Nursey notices. “Uh, yeah, I guess… not really.” 

The thought’s only out there for half a second before he scrambles after how wrong it sounds in the air between them. “I mean, with you, yeah. But it’s, um, fancy here. Didn’t wanna… ugh, it’s stupid.”

“It’s not.” Nursey considers the watery Coke in the bottom of his glass, then drains it in one. “That’s not on you, ‘kay? I should have thought of that.”

The ensuing silent discussion, born of many years of finely honed skill at arguing silently on the ice, leads to an agreement that they need to get the hell out of here as soon as possible. Nursey flags down the server for the check; Dex lets go of Nursey’s hand on the table and spends the next ten minutes cussing out the stupid lobster, who, thankfully, does not respond.

They don’t speak again until they’re back in Nursey’s (asshole) Jeep. The parking lot is packed; the only space they’d been able to find is out in the farthest row from the restaurant, looking down the hill that faces Route 9. The air is freezing in the way that precedes a blizzard. Every leaf is crackling with frost, and even with the doors closed and the engine shuddering to life, Dex can see his breath.

He can see Nursey’s, too, when he says, “Dude, I’m really sorry.”

“S’okay.” Dex shivers. “Really. Not your fault I can’t hang.”

“Poindexter, come on.” The collar of Nursey’s sweater is folded funny over the top of his coat. Dex’s eyes stick on it. “That’s not it. I should have picked somewhere we would both have fun.”

Asshole Dex says in his head, Oh, you think? 

Civilized Human Dex, perched on his other mental shoulder, says, Hey, you agreed to this. Be an adult. 

Dex the Walking Basket Case tips his head back into the seat and wonders how long the chirps would last if he fessed up to talking to himself like this. Out loud he says, “It’s really okay, Nurse. ‘Sides, night’s young.”

Nursey turns the heat up as high as it’ll go, makes that noise that means okay, I’ll bite. He reaches over and folds Dex's fingers into the warmth of his palm, a conciliatory gesture that Dex can never admit makes him feel all soft in the middle like a homemade Bittle pie. “That’s true,” he says. “Any ideas?”

Dex leans on the cold window, lets it chill his overheated skin. Without really thinking about it, he says, “We could go skate.” 

It’s more to break the silence that’s fallen than anything else. When he turns back around, though, it’s to find Nursey looking at him with interest.

“What, at Faber?”

“Yeah.”

“Isn’t it locked?”

Against all odds, Dex finds himself smirking. “Come on, Nurse, I’m the captain. You think I don’t have keys to our own rink?”

Nursey’s grinning too, now. This is what Dex loves and hates about him, the way it comes so easily. He never wants that to change, no matter how much he used to tell himself otherwise. Despite this failure of a night, he thinks, he’s happy.

“Well,” Nursey drawls. “‘Swawesome.”

He pulls their hands apart and squeezes Dex’s thigh twice. Dex bats him away, smile stretching despite himself, and says, “Just drive.”

---

Faber is cold and quiet, no signs of life but the hum of the heating vents far above. Dex hits the ice first, sketches a long, curving line towards the box and then back toward the bench. He can’t really see Nursey, but hears him follow through the dark just the same.

The air between them is suddenly charged, heavy. They don’t speak. They don’t even really skate together, each carving their own loops at opposite ends of the ice, watching each other out of the corners of their eyes. Dex feels oddly naked. It’s a weird combination of silk tie and suit pants and his grimy skates, marked up by the years.

He stops on the blue line, bracketed by a big white square of moonlight. The windows are gorgeous, especially without the fluorescents to compete, framing the sky and the spreading branches of the linden tree that Shitty always told the story about getting stuck in. In three or four months they’ll play their last game here, a thought that settles leaden and cold in Dex’s stomach. He watches a cloud pass over the moon. If there’s someone out there to hear him, he thinks, then let them hear him wish, desperately, for five more minutes.

Someone does hear, because there’s sudden warmth at his back. Nursey’s chin settles heavy on his shoulder, and his hands curl around Dex’s bare forearms. Dex leans back and lets Nursey hold him for no reason other than that he likes to, and Dex likes it when Nursey likes the things he does.

“Feel better?”

It’s a whisper. Dex’s whole body goes cold, then hot.

“Yes,” he says.

“Good,” says Nursey, nosing into the side of Dex’s neck. “Nice save.”

Dex shrugs and feels Nursey’s head move with him. He has the weirdest sense that the two of them have become the same being, moving in tandem, breathing as one. “I wouldn’t mind doing dinner again,” he says. “Don’t want you to think it wasn’t a good date.”

Nursey frees his thumbs from where they’re tucked under his fingers and runs his hands lightly up and down Dex’s arms. “Well, I’m flattered,” he says. “Still. We’re just two college idiots, man, no need for fine dining just yet. Sorry.”

Annoyance sparks in Dex’s gut. He was starting to enjoy this, feels like he doesn't need to be reminded every five minutes of how sorry they both are about the whole thing. “Will you stop apologizing,” he groans, and goes to turn around, but Nursey’s massive hands clamp down swiftly on his arms, and he freezes in place.

“No,” Nursey says.

Dex’s heart is suddenly slamming against his ribs, just like that. Huh. Mood officially un-killed.

“As a matter of fact,” he continues, “I was thinking about how to make it up to you.”

Oh—oh. 

Dex is not the poetry guy of the two of them, but Nursey makes him feel like that last long look before a kiss. Maybe they don’t make sense together. Maybe they’re only going to belong in each other’s lives for a little while. College relationships can be like that. But here, now, Dex is in the place where he and Nursey became a team twice, and that means something. Dex knows it does.

“Yes,” he says.

Nursey finally releases him and spins him around so they’re facing each other. He quirks an eyebrow, but he’s smiling, and the moon in his eyes is huge and bright.

“You didn’t even hear my proposition, Poindexter. I had this whole—”

Dex cuts him off with a kiss. The two of them together might not be logical or satisfying, but they’re a damn good twist ending, and besides. The night is young, and he knows what he wants.

When he says yes again, Nursey just shakes his head, laughs, and pulls him towards the tunnel to the locker room.

#will poindexter #derek nurse #nurseydex #omgcp #omgcheckplease #my writing #efickegster 2024 #this was such a fun one #i would really like to write the smut this was just getting too long #would def come back to this one #anyway ENJOY

[abiiors]

matty with the paddington onesie… happy sunday to ME! if you ever want to write more of that … 👉🏼😗👈🏼

Well, Anon, happy Sunday to you once again ❤️ Here's part 1

CAN YOU TELL I KNOW LIKE ONE THING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF A BABY???

(Oh my god why am I doing this to myself. This is not helping the baby fever 😭)

Onesie Pt 2

You round the corner and come to an abrupt halt as the words to Itsy Bitsy Spider echo around the house. 

Before even peeking in, you know what you’re going to walk in on. Still, you can’t help but tip-toe softly into the nursery and watch as Matty twirls a tiny little sleepy baby in his arms. From the look on her face, you can tell that she’s just woken up. Her tiny fists are bunched around his t-shirt and she gurgles and drools all over his shoulder. 

He finishes the song, slows his movements and hoists her in front of him.

‘Should we get changed for mummy?’ he asks her and when she babbles as babies often do he gives her a smile and says ‘Excellent!’

You have to press a fist to your mouth to stifle your laughter. As much as you want to hold her and cuddle her, you also want to watch this scene play out. So you stay partially hidden behind the doorframe. 

‘Hmm, let’s see,’ he muses. ‘Should we go for white or yellow today?’

He holds up two onesies in front of her and with absolute delight, you notice that the white one is the Paddington one you fell in love with. 

You realised your error as soon as she was born, she was still too tiny for the white onesie but now at four months old, it looks like she would fit into it perfectly. You can’t help but squeal internally when she makes grabby hands toward it. 

A similar look of delight crosses over his face as he sets the yellow one back. 

‘Aww, my clever little girl,’ he coos. 

You watch as he expertly gets her out of her soiled diaper. This time he doesn’t even wrinkle his nose at the smell of it. He simply starts humming another song and laughs when she kicks her feet up in the air. 

‘Alright, okay. I need you to not pee on daddy this time okay?’ 

This one almost makes you lose it. It’s the way he says it so nervously, yet pleading at the same time. You remember the incident perfectly and you remember almost falling on your bed in hysterics when Matty walked in with a soaked t-shirt and a look of pure agony on his face. 

‘Who’s my good girl, who’s my good girl,’ he keeps repeating while he puts her back into a fresh diaper and you wonder if it’s like an offering for her in exchange for not covering him in bodily fluids. Still, the smile on his face never leaves. 

Once everything is secured in place, she babbles some more. 

‘Who’s my pretty baby?’ he asks again and this time softly tickles her exposed belly. 

You are certain you’re about to melt into a puddle and you can’t help the tears that well up when lets out a small laugh. 

A laugh!

It’s barely even audible and it’s only just the start of one but both of you freeze in place. 

‘Did you just…’ he laughs breathlessly and immediately starts calling for you. 

Of course, it doesn’t take him long to spot you and you watch as his entire face splits into a grin. 

‘Did you hear that?’ he asks giddily, almost bouncing on his heels. ‘She laughed!’

You make your way to him, laugh along with him and smile tearfully. 

‘Oh my lovely girl,’ you caress her soft cheek. ‘Can you laugh again for me?’

Almost as if she’s responding to your touch, she lets out her small, quiet laugh again. She has no teeth yet and her entire face scrunches up from the effort of it but then she looks at you with her little twinkly eyes and you can’t help the little watery chuckle that escapes you. 

Matty lets you play with her as he picks up the Paddington onesie again. When he comes back with it, you step aside and lean against the wardrobe. 

Watching the love of your life become a father is something you could bask in for the rest of your life. For now, you’re just content to look at how adorable she looks in it. 

‘Should we give mummy a twirl?’ he asks once he’s done and gently picks her up in his arms again. 

You remember her fluttering and moving around in your belly just over six months ago and you remember how you fell in love with the onesie at first sight. But none of that compares to the sight of her in it and watching Matty swaying her side to side while he hums You Are My Sunshine. 

You walk up to them and let her hold your hair in her fist. Then you wrap your arms around them both. 

‘We made such a pretty baby.’

‘The prettiest baby,’ he coos. 

#matty healy imagine #matty healy fluff #matty healy x reader #matty healy fanfiction #the 1975 #matty healy drabble #drabble #asks #fluff #matty x reader #soft matty healy #matty healy #matty healy x you #baby clothes shopping #female reader #dad matty #george daniel #adam hann #ross macdonald

[gingerjunhan]

too hot - lee jooyeon

☆彡 Here’s a summer themed Jooyeon fic! Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll 🫶🏻

synopsis: your boyfriend tries to find ways to be affectionate in the summer heat

word count: 763 | pronouns used: none | genre: established relationships, fluff | cws: eating, Jooyeon is cheesy af but we love him despite

Summer was now in full swing, and every day seemed to get hotter and hotter. You were lying on your couch rewatching one of your favorite shows. The air conditioning was on full blast, there was a fan in the corner of the room- and it was still too hot.

“Honey, I’m home!” shouted your boyfriend, Jooyeon, as he walked through the door to your shared apartment. You couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at him.

“Hi,” you greeted him as he walked into the living room. “How was work today?”

“Long!” he groaned. “But now I’m home and I get to spend time with you!” Jooyeon then promptly took his place on the couch, flopping himself on top of you and wrapping his arms around you. “What are we watching?”

You squirmed underneath him, his natural heat instantly clinging to your body. “Jooyeon, can you please get up?”

Jooyeon turned away from the TV, now looking at you. “But…” he looked at you with big, round eyes. “I missed you all day.”

“I know baby, I missed you too.” you comforted him, giving him a kiss on the forehead. “But it’s too hot to have you laying on top of me like this.”

“You can lay on me if you think it’ll be cooler that way. I don’t mind!” He wore a hopeful smile. You felt a pang in your chest as you turned him down again.

“It’s too warm to cuddle right now, baby. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he sighed, finally getting off of you. Jooyeon tended to be very cuddly, but that got hard in the summertime. He had to find other ways to be affectionate towards you. “Have you eaten yet?”

“No, I haven’t,” you answered. “What do you want for dinner?”

Jooyeon thought about it for a moment before a smile erupted onto his face. “Ice cream.”

You looked at him, confusion all over your face. “Ice cream? Jooyeon, we can’t have ice cream for dinner.”

Jooyeon turned to you, now very serious. “Says who?” All you could do was stare back. He took your silence as an answer. “Exactly. C’mon, go get your shoes. There’s a really good ice cream place about a five minute walk down the street.” With that, Jooyeon skipped away to put on his shoes.

☆

The two of you decided to bring your ice cream back to your apartment, so you could enjoy your “dinner” alone. Jooyeon has been telling you a story about work for the past five minutes. His story could’ve been over much quicker, but he was too busy laughing at himself to tell it without stopping. You didn’t mind though. Watching him smile and laugh and talk about the people and things that he loves is one of the best parts of your day.

“So then Gunil started dancing, and,” Jooyeon broke out into another fit of laughter, and you couldn’t help but laugh too. “Oh my god, (Y/N), I wish you could’ve seen it!”

“Gunil is quite the dancer,” you laughed back. You watched as Jooyeon calmed himself down from his laughing fit. Once he was calm, Jooyeon turned to you.

“Oh, (Y/N), you have some ice cream on your face.”

“Do I?” you questioned, bringing your hand to the corner of your mouth. “Where?”

“Don’t worry,” he smiled. “I’ll get it.” Jooyeon then leaned in, planting a kiss on your lips. After a few seconds, he pulled away. “Got it.”

You stared blankly back at him; partially too flustered to think of a response but also a little surprised that you didn’t see that coming. Before you could say something, a shiver ran down your back. Jooyeon looked at you with wide eyes.

“Are you… cold?” he asked, a faint look of hope in his eyes.

“A little bit. I mean, between the air conditioning and the ice cream I’ve definitely cooled down a lot.” You couldn’t help but notice that the smile that somehow never seemed to leave his face managed to get bigger.

“Well I know just the thing to warm you up!” Jooyeon grabbed your hand, pulling you to the living room before you had time to question him. He flopped himself down on the couch once again, pulling you down on top of him.

“You’ve had this planned from the start, haven’t you?” You asked him with a laugh. Jooyeon wrapped his arms tightly around you.

“Maybe.” He placed a kiss on the crown of your head.

You rolled your eyes at him. “You’re such a dork.”

“I love you too.”

#xdinary heroes imagine #xdinary heroes x reader #xdh x reader #xdh fluff #xdh imagines #jooyeon x reader #jooyeon fluff

[huffle-dork]

Swap Across the CrystalVerse Chapter 19: The Rift

Read Swapboys | Crystal’s AUs| The Rift ARG

Read SITCV | SATCV Masterpost | AO3 Link

Alt lands on a sofa in what looks like a house's living room. It's a nice sofa, its lavender upholstery soft and gentle. The whole living room is nice, actually, though in a strange way. The furniture looks mildly expensive, but it doesn't really conform to a single style. Nothing clashes, but nothing matches, either. Paintings and posters hang on the blue walls, similarly expensive but unmatching. There's a big flatscreen TV across from the sofa, with a couple video game consoles attached. To the left and right are big windows with silky-looking yellow curtains drawn over them. To the left is the house's front door. Turning around, Alt sees a spiral staircase leading up and an archway to the kitchen. To the right is a closed door. Next to that door is a small table with a single object on it. A white cat mask, with the four card suits drawn on its forehead and mirrored lenses over the eyeholes. 

Alt blinks as he lands on the couch. He looks around at the room and whistles quietly. "...this is the nicest place we've ever jumped into oh my god-" He whispers.

Unfortunately, Alt does not land alone. He sees, in the corner of the room, Magnificent land hard, almost knocking over a lamp. 

He glitches in surprise behind the couch as Mag stumbles and almost hits the lamp. The mad magician growls and nearly goes to knock it down himself. 

Alt groans, "What the fuck!! Why did I end up with you of all fuckin-!" 

And then-- EEEEP! EEEEP! EEEEP! The TRVLR makes a shrill noise.

Alt cuts himself off as his stomach drops- hearing the beeping of the TRVLR. 

Magnificent looks at him curiously. "... is that coming from the device?" 

Alt doesn't answer him as he scrambles to pull back out the TRVLR and look.

A message is displayed on the screen. 

WARNING 

Current Location: (!)UA-0829020TR is under quarantine. Jump as soon as possible or risk termination from IRIS employment. 

"Q-Quarantine?? The fuck does that mean??" Alt hisses in panic. Mag has poofed next to him to try to look at the TRVLR, tilting his head curiously. 

As Alt looked at that, the door to his right opens slowly, silently, just big enough of a gap for someone to look out.

Alt flinches and glitches back some more as he notices the door opening. He looks at it with wide eyes.

The door opens fully, and for a second, Magnificent and Alt get the glimpse of a very familiar face--though the freckles mar the resemblance a bit. And then the mask on the small table suddenly flies through the air and into the man's hand, who puts it on so fast that he practically slams it into his face. 

Magnificent's head snaps towards the door as the mask flies- then his eyes flash hungrily. Fresh magic? 

"Who the fuck are you?!" The man hisses. He is wearing some sort of costume. A black suit jacket partially buttoned up over a translucent pale purple shirt, white gloves with some rings on his fingers over it, a black cape with a purple inside, black pants to match the jacket, and boots. His waist-long brown hair is pulled back in a braid, and there's what looks like some sort of utility belt around his waist.

Alt gasps and then holds up his hands. "N-Not robbers if that's what you're thinking!" He automatically says. Then, he winces. "Okay that's dumb um-" 

"You're not good at this Alt, its almost sad to see." Mag snickers. 

"S-Shut the fuck up!" Alt snaps back. Then looks back at the man. "I-I"m Alt- you can just pretend this guy's not here-" 

"Excuse you-?!" 

"We're from... a parallel universe...?" He adds shakily, giving the costumed man a nervous smile.

The man stares at them. "Wh-what the fuck?" he says. "It's gotten to that point?!" He shakes his head. "Wh-whatever. Get out of my house. Now!"

"W-What do you mean it's gotten to that point?" Alt tries to ask. 

"Quite rude to just dismiss interdimensional travelers, Marvin." Magnificent smirks with a raised eyebrow. 

"Would you stop making things worse?!" Alt screeches at Mag.

The man freezes. "How the fuck—Uh, that's not my name. I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not him. As for how it's gotten to that point, well, um, people regularly break into my house with weird stories. Just leave. Peacefully, please."

Magnificent looks surprised at this. "...you're not?" He narrows his eyes then snorts, "I don't believe you. It takes a lot of balls to lie to someone who shares your face." 

"What face? I don't have a face," the man says. "I lost it in an accident at age six, a tragedy really. 

Alt blinks and then bursts into laughter, "w-what??" 

"...if people regularly break into your house- why don't you have like... an alarm?" Alt asks, " or like- threaten to call the police on us." He then narrows his eyes at Mag and hisses to him, "Do you just- constantly go towards scaring your other selves??" 

"Yes- it tends to make things go faster. Also, I like seeing them squirm." Mag giggles. 

“I don't have an alarm because—because I can make you leave myself if you refuse to." He straightens, suddenly flashing a smug smile. "You don't want to mess with me, you know, I'm quite powerful~" His whole attitude had shifted suddenly from the near-panic of before to smirking confidence.

Mag's eyes flash wildly as he grins wide. "Is that so?" He giggles. He then teleports to be in front of the man and gets in his personal space. "Oh I do want to see that- I want to see just what you're capable of~!" 

"M-Mag! Fucking quit it!" Alt shouts, glitches building up around him- just in case he needs to intervene.

The man jumps in surprise--and Mag immediately feels himself shoved backwards by an invisible force.

Magnificent gets thrown back and he skids slightly against the floor. Then, he bursts into mad laughter, his eyes glowing brightly. "That's how you wanna play then! Alright!! Let's play." He shoots green fire towards the man as a distraction before trying to lunge at him again.

The man ducks the fire. "Hey! Watch the art! Do you know how--" And then Mag immediately tackles him, pinning him to the wall. The man grits his teeth. "You don't scare me," he hisses.

Magnificent laughs madly, "You're braver than most... but you should be, Marvin~!" He then tries to steal some of the man's magic. 

"No! Stop!" Alt cries, trying to see if he can glitch over to stop him.

And yet, when he reaches out-- Nothing. Not a single drop of magic or power to be found. But... that's impossible. He felt the man push him, saw him grab the mask without touching it. What the fuck? 

The man flashes a smile. "Should I?" And Magnificent feels something sharp against his stomach.

Magnificent's eyes widen, "T-That's not-" He breathes and then he grunts as he's stabbed in the stomach. 

Alt hurries over and grabs Mag and glitches them both back. "I'm sorry- I'm so sorry-" Alt panics to say. "W-We'll leave- I... fuck! Why do you have to suck so much?!" He shouts at Magnificent. 

Mag just glares up at him. "...its not nice to shout at an injured man-" 

"WOULD YOU FUCK OFF??" 

Mag ignores him with an eye roll then looks at the man. "....how do you not have magic?" 

"...he doesn't?" Alt asks in surprise, looking back towards the man. "but- we saw... him grab his mask and- and he pushed you back! ...how the fuck...??"

The man lets out a breath. Something fans out around him. Blades. No--they're playing cards. Made of thin metal, the edges razor-sharp. 

"Magic?" The man laughs. "So you have heard of the Magician, then. But I'm sorry to say that my special powers are not actually magic. So sorry to disappoint, but if you actually believe that, you should probably go cash in that reality check you just received. Now... get out."

"...like... like a tarot card?" Alt asks quietly. 

Magician flashes a smile. "I didn't make the tarot card connection, actually, but it is fitting." 

Alt’s stomach then drops as he processes what he was just told and he glares at Mag before flicking his hand to put a shield around the magician to keep him in place. "Try to get out of that and it'll shock you, bitch." Alt growls. 

Mag glares at him but stays put, holding his wound. 

Alt then tries to approach the man. "Listen- I'm sorry about him. But i... I'm really lost here. I have no idea where I am or... how this world works." He pulls out the TRVLR and after a moment of hesitating he holds it out to show the warning sign. "...I wasn't lying- we're from another world and... we just want to find a way home. But- we always get separated and... now I gotta find my friends. And now... I just want... anything I can know to find them- to navigate here. Then, I'll leave." He swallows shakily. "Our device is warning us there's a... a quarantine here? Do... do you know what that means? "

Magician sighs, seeming arrogant and annoyed. "I believed you about the other universe part, Michael Vey. I just really don't want you in my house. Unfortunately, I can't give you much to go on. I don't know how to find your friends, or what a quarantine is. I won't be much of help." He hesitates. "But... i-if you see a company called Psyode--they have a logo that's a bit like an atom, and also an eye--stay away from them. They can't be trusted." Then he clears his throat and gives another smile. "Now... if you please. And take your friend with you, if you can."

"He's not my friend." Alt bites back. He glares a bit at Magician but then deflates. "Alright. Thanks... I guess. Sorry for the trouble." 

"Not a problem~" Magician says, smiling. 

Alt then glares at Mag and glitches over to grab him- getting rid of the shield. He gives one last look to Magician before he glitches him and Mag out of there.

As soon as they're gone Magician lets out a breath of relief, slumping. The razor-sharp cards pile onto one another and slide into a pouch on Magician's belt. He hurries over to the front door and peers through a window in the top half to see Alt and Magnificent glitch out onto the street. It's dark out, but well-lit. After all, this is a nice neighborhood, they don't want their citizens driving around in the dark. 

"What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck," Magician whispers, waiting for them to go.

Outside, Magnificent suddenly feels something buzz in his pocket. Oh yeah. His phone. He forgot he had that with him.

Alt throws Mag back onto the sidewalk and then screams into his hands as he paces up and down the sidewalk. "GOD! Why did I get stuck with you of all fucking people! After what you just did to me?! Me and Jack saved your sorry ass from dying you fucking maniac! But noooo you're not humannnn you can just do whatever you want cuz you just- SUCK! FUCK!" Alt yells, glitching in rage. 

Magnificent watches his cub throw a temper tantrum with an annoyed expression. Really it was like watching a child... He then blinks in confusion and checks his pocket. ...oh yeah- his mobile. ....why is it vibrating? He curiously takes it out and looks at it. 

A text message has come in from an Unknown number. I know you're from another universe. I'd like to speak with you. I have an offer. Meet me at Ravenwing Bridge. It's the bridge to the north with green copper railings. Look for the man in a suit. A

Magnificent's eyebrows raise. Hm... what an interesting proposition... one he shouldn't refuse. But... his one sure fire way of getting magic was bust... and after all that virus nonsense...He's starving. And yet Alt- he's not full up but... he's here. And alone... and surely Mag can't go to this meeting alone, right? 

He grins. And then teleports to his feet, grabbing Alt by his wrists and laughing in his face. "Such an attitude, Alt! Did you forget who you belong to?" The mad magician snickers. "And how fortunate for me you've been left here alll alone~" 

"W...What?" Alt breathes, dread cold in his veins. He immediately tries to fight out of his grip- trying to glitch but Mag digs his nails into his skin, pumping a bit of corruption to disrupt it. 

"You're not going anywhere, kitten." Mag giggles. "In fact- you're going to stay right by my side." He immediately drains a decent chunk of the magic Alt has left, leaving the glitch weak but still able to glitch and do minor things for him. As he does this he swirls his eyes and lets magic spiral behind him. 

Alt screams as he's drained and he quickly starts to slump into Mag's grip. The spirals find him quickly, invading his rapidly weakening body and digging into his mind. He doesn't have much energy left in him to struggle, so soon after everything in the last world. Purple and green overtakes his eyes and they glaze over, fight leaving him completely. 

"...y... yes Magnificent... i... will stay right by you..." 

He breathes. 

Magnificent laughs and pushes Alt back down. "That's a good boy. Behave- and I'll even let you stay human~" He giggles. He then starts to walk. "Come now, cub. We're expected somewhere.” 

"Yes, Magnificent," Alt answers hollowly and pulls himself up, weakly following after Mag. 

Mag smirks then starts to make his way north. 

Magician watches from the window in his house, frozen solid. He's not sure what exactly happened there, but he's guessing that the man who looks like him just did something to that electric guy. The same sort of thing he tried to do to him earlier, most likely. And it left the electric one in a zombie-like state. "What the fuuuuuck?" he breathes. 

As soon as they're out of sight, he bursts out of his house, pausing for only a moment to lock the door, then bolts down the street in the opposite direction. He has no idea what's happening, but he knows that they need to know. 

----------- 

Jackie appears in a run-down intersection of hallways. The yellow wallpaper is stained with water damage and there's dust and scuffs on the wooden floor. 

Jackie looks around in bewilderment. “…imma take a wild guess this ain’t home… greattt.”

A door down the hall opens and a woman starts walking towards him-- 

"Whoa!" she jumps, backing up. "Jackie?! When did you get here?! I didn't hear you come in!" She squints at him, walking closer. The woman has darker skin and long black hair pulled back in a ponytail. She's wearing an old brown jacket and jeans rolled up to the knees... because beneath there, her legs are prosthetics, specifically those curved running-leg models. "When did you cut your hair? Are you wearing makeup or something? Why do you look, like, three years younger, man?"

Jackie jumps at the woman’s voice- and his eyes can’t help but widen once he sees her prosthetics but he tries to recover quickly and not look at them too long. Perfectly normal- 

“Those are all such weirdly specific questions-“ Jackie mutters, rubbing at his head. “Just- shush for a second while I process.” He breathes and then starts ticking stuff off while pointing at his fingers. “yes I’m Jackie but not who you’re thinking of- which is why the hair’s different. Why do my other mes all have long hair? Should I grow out my hair?? Zara likes it shorter…” he then shakes his head, “wait off topic- um- do I really look that young?? and also I’m assuming you mean the face paint if it’s the blue stuff on my face- cuz what other makeup are you talking about? And if it is the blue stuff that brings up another question of omg how is that still on my face after this long we were in the ocean what magic face paint did my kids buy???” He shakes his head out again then smiles and waves awkwardly, “but uh yeah- questions… kinda answered? Who are you?” 

The woman blinks, stalling for a moment. "...huh. That's... a lot. And it still doesn't explain how I didn't hear you come in?" 

“Sorry I talk a lot.” Jackie says matter-of-factly. 

She narrows her eyes, looking a bit suspicious as she continues walking over. As she gets closer, Jackie can see a burn mark on her neck--around her neck. "...my name is Xiomara. Call me Xio. And that's all I'm gonna explain until you tell me how you got in here." 

He blinks at her and then steps back at bit with wide eyes as he registers her burn. “O-Oh… I’m guessing it’s kinda quiet when we jump then- I thought it did… ripples or whatever.” He laughs nervously. “Um- I’m actually… from a parallel universe? That’s why I… look so different from the Jackie you know. My full name is Jackie Mann. So… nice to meet ya, Xio?” He ruffles the back of his hair with a nervous smile. “So uh- when we jump into new universes- we don’t control where we go so… t-that’s how I got here. Does that help?” 

"From... another universe?" Xio repeats. Her eyes flick him over. "So... you just appeared here. That... would make sense. A whole ass person coming through, what the fuck..." She's quiet for a moment. "I do know a Jackie. Jackie Brody. And you do sort of look like him. So... I guess that makes sense? But I'm not into all this science shit, I don't know if a person coming through is possible..." Her musings trail off.

Jackie’s eyes widen even more, “Jackie Brody…? …that’s so weird oh my god that… that’s my friends’ Chase and Alt’s last name…!” 

"Chase? Yeah, I know him, too," Xio says. "The Jackie I know is his twin. Dunno who 'Alt' is, though. 

“A twin- woahhh… can’t imagine being Chase’s twin but boy do Alt and him act like that sometimes despite being 3 years apart …” Jackie laughs. 

Then he shakes his head again and waves a hand, “wait wait- the fuck do you mean ‘a person coming through?’ Like- I know dimensions hopping is not normal- but… that… feels weird. Anddd it must be possible cuz- well I’m here. I’m pretty good proof.” He digs in his pocket for his phone. “I could show you pics of my wife and kids to prove it if you want-“

“Well for dimension hopping, yeah, it's fucking weird, isn't it? But we've got some... it's hard to explain. We've had some people's... minds... arrive here from other worlds?" She shakes her head. "All I know is their voices come from thin air. But yeah, love to see family photos."

Jackie looks excited to actually show off pictures and starts to show Xio his phone then stops- processing her words. “Wait- what?” he looks at her with wide eyes. “People’s minds?! The fu- what kinda creepy place is this?? How does that happen???”

"I don't fucking know!" Xio says. "It just happens! They just suddenly appear sometimes! Voices that say they're from another universe and stuck here without a body!" 

“What the fuck!!” Jackie shouts back. 

Suddenly, her head snaps to the side. "Oh perfect timing, they can explain it better. Come on. Speaking of Chase and Jackie, I just heard them come in. Follow me." She starts down one of the hallways.

Jackie stops as she looks over and he deflates slightly. “Ah okay- cool. Meeting other mes is always fun-“ He comments lightly as he follows.

Xio quickly leads him down the hallway until they reach a small lobby-like area. There are some old sofas and armchairs making a sitting area and a wall of mailboxes. The front doors are glass, with big windows. Through them is a cityscape at night. 

Three people are sitting in the sitting area, with one in the process of standing up. Talking to them are two men. One wears an old blue hoodie and has chin-length hair. The other one is wearing a gray jacket and snapback cap, his hair dyed a faded purple. 

The purple-haired one looks over at the sound of Xio's footsteps. "Hey Xio-ohhhh what the fuck?!"

Jackie peeks out from behind Xio and grins, waving. “Hello! I’m Jackie, Jackie Mann.” He blinks at seeing the hair color- “woah- never seen a Chase with that kinda hair before- neat!”

The man in the blue hoodie looks over. He jumps slightly. "Whoa! God it's like looking in a mirror that shows the past!" 

“Do I really look that young?” Jackie pouts, “I was always told parenthood makes ya look older!” 

"Wha--huh??" Chase looks back and forth between the two Jackies. "Excuse me? How? Is someone here a shapeshifter?" 

"Uhhhh nope," says one of the people sitting down. All of those three are staring at Jackieboy with narrowed, suspicious eyes. 

Jackie jumps a bit at all the hostility. He holds his hands up. “Not a shape anything! Just a normal guy!” 

"Guys, calm down," Xio says to the three of them. "I thiiiink he's cool? Put the lighter down, Longwei. Maeve, nope, mouth closed. Sunny? Sunny, sit down." 

"W-well, um, I'm named Jackie, too," the man in the blue hoodie says, laughing. "Who are you? The Ultimate Imposter?"

Jackie blinks at the other him and then laughs, “ayyy danganronpa! Man- I need to play v3. Been waiting on Alt to get that so we can play.” He grins. 

Jackie gasps and grabs Chase, shaking him. "Chase! He got it!" 

"Hell yeah!" Chase laughs. "We want to play it too, I can't believe another one finally came out!" 

Jackie says. "I mean, we were a bit busy in September when it came out--to put it mildly--but next time we get access to a computer or a PlayStation I swear to god!" 

Chase laughs again. 

Jackie grins and then looks confused. “…just came out? Huh… it’s been out for 3 years for me… I think. Hm…” 

“Whoa… someone from another universe that’s in the future,” Jackie says in awe. 

Jackieboythen backs up and sticks his hands in his pockets, trying to make him seem more unassuming. “Anyways though- not an imposter but I am from a parallel universe!”

The two of them suddenly sober up when Jackieboy announces that. 

"Whoa, wait, really?" Chase asks, eyes wide. "You're like... a whole person and everything? Uh, stupid question, I guess, obviously you're a whole person." 

"Yeah, not all of us are," Xio says jokingly. 

Jackie holds back a snort of laughter. "Are--are you sure about that joke?" 

"I'm allowed to make it."

Jackie giggles at their reaction. “You guys keep saying that! Yup whole person and all. At least I hope I got everything- I feel like I do?” He pats himself down as if to check. 

He then snickers at Xio’s joke. “Nice one-“

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Chase says. “I know it’s weird, but we’ve only heard voices from other worlds before.” He looks at Jackie. “Hen is gonna have a field day with this.” 

“Oh, for sure.” Jackie nods in agreement.

Jackieboy blinks in surprise and then grins, "Oh! Hen! Henrik! huh- guess my Hen would be pretty excited about this stuff too- but mostly just cuz he gets to meet new people. He's a friendly fellow." He laughs.

Chase laughs. “Our Henrik isn’t that good with people, but he’d be happy to meet you.” The smile drops. “Okay, serious talk. How did you get here? Are you stuck?”

Jackie sighs and nods, ruffling his hair. "That's... probably the best way to put it? My friends wanted to bring me on a trip to this one universe and then our machine we used to get there broke- and now we keep popping up into random universes... and we get separated every time so... we gotta try to find each other. Especially my friend Alt cuz he has magic and the thing we use- and like also a fucking mad man is here too, name's Magnificent. He makes the whole thing harder."

“Magic?” Jackie repeats. “Like Magician?” 

“25 doesn’t actually have magic, yknow,” Xio points out. “None of us do.” 

“Those are very confusing titles-“ Jackieboy comments.

“No, I know, it was just the first thing that came to mind,” Jackie says. “So… we need to find your friends and this villain, is that what I’m getting at? Do you guys have, like, any way to contact them?”

Jackieboy then hums and pulls out his phone. God… it’s close to being dead. “Uhhh I might be able to text them if the wifi is good- but that’s been hit or miss lately.”

“If you can’t, we can help,” Chase offers. “There’s a whole bunch of us here, we can cover a lot of ground, especially Jackie. We are kinda trying to avoid attention but this seems important enough.” 

Jackie pulls a phone out of his hoodie pocket. “Seems fine to me,” he says. 

And indeed, the WiFi on Jackieboy’s phone is passable. 

“Hm? Avoiding attention? …why?” Jackie asks, looking back up from his phone.

Everyone starts shifting around nervously. 

“Well… there’s this company, called Psyode,” Jackie says. “Really, it’s their Experiment Department. They’ve gone rogue and started experimenting on people. A-all of us in this building have escaped from there. And… they’ll probably be looking for us.” 

“That’s why we’re squatting in an empty apartment building,” Xio mutters. 

“Technically Jackie and I are squatting somewhere else, but yeah, same story,” Chase says. 

“Psyode is probably gonna be reeeeally interested in people showing up from other universes,” Jackie says. “We should find your friends fast.”

Jackieboy’s eyes widen. Just like the universe with the facility…! “A-All of you got experimented on??” He squeaks out in shock. He looks even more worried at other Jackie’s statement and he nods, “y-Yeah okay- lemme see who I can get ahold of!” He quickly gets out his phone and tries to call Bro.

“Yyyyeah,” Chase hisses. “I mean. I wasn’t there for long so they didn’t really… succeed? In whatever they were doing? But all these other guys were.” 

“There are benefits, tho!” Jackie says. Suddenly he’s on the other side of the room. Suddenly he’s back by the door. Suddenly he’s down the hall. He’s running so fast it’s hard to keep track of! Jackie returns to where he was before. “Anyway. Yeah. See if you can call your guys.” 

Jackie jumps then grins wide, “woahhh!! You’re like the flash! What the fuck that’s so cool!” He grumbles slightly as he calls Bro- “all my other mes are so much cooler what the hell…” 

————— 

Bro lands in a room with pale purple wallpaper and a sturdy dresser, table, and armchair. There’s a bed with white sheets and a window with curtains open to show night over a suburban neighborhood. There’s also a furry pillow on the chair. No. Wait. That’s some kind of animal with dark fur. What is that? It’s not a cat or dog.

Bro blinks and looks around the room. Huh- comfy. He jumps slightly at noticing the animal. He blinks at it then tries to wave. “Uh… hi?”

The animal is too asleep to respond, but stepping close reveals what it is. A ferret, dark except for a bit of white around its nose. 

Footsteps rush down the hall. 

“No, I’m not gonna!” A voice shouts—and then someone comes into view in the open doorway. A girl, about thirteen years old, with auburn hair, wearing a T-shirt with that Gravity Falls zodiac wheel on it. She stops short, staring at Bro. “Dad? What happened to your hair?”

Bro freezes as the footsteps come and he stares wide eyed at the girl that enters. He flubbers for words- “okay so… this is could like… get me in serious trouble but uh… not your dadddd?” He cringes. 

The girl looks him over. “Well you’re not Uncle Jackie, either,” she says. She turns and shouts down the hall. “Mooooom! Schneeeeeeep! There’s a guy in here!” 

That’s probably the worst way she could’ve phrased it. 

“What?? No don’t say it like that!!” Bro hisses at the girl. 

Footsteps come rushing down the hall and a woman bursts into view, long black hair tied back in a ponytail and wearing a pink sweater. She’s wielding a long ruler like a weapon. “My friend is calling the police!” she shouts. “They’ll be here—huh?” She blinks, confused. “Chase?”

Bro jumps a bit as the woman enters and holds his hands up with a terrified expression on his face. “Uhhh-! Yes and also no??? I’m Chase Brody yes but- n-not the one you know! And I swear I would not have landed here if I could control where I could go!!”

The woman slowly lowers the ruler but still looks wary. “…probably the weirdest thing I’ve seen but not too weird. Who are you, then?” She demands. 

Bro sweats nervously, "well uh- t-thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt! I'm... Chase Brody but from another universe- a parallel one.” 

More footsteps. A man pokes his head into view, a wild head of brown hair with big round glasses. 

“Henrik!” The woman hisses. 

“What? I got curious,” he says, leaning more into frame. He’s wearing a dark turquoise sweater and a brown jacket. “…the window is still locked. How did he get in? And it screeches when opened, yes? But Hawking is still fast asleep and that would have woken her even if Veronica shouting did not. So it seems like he walked through walls.” 

“Woooow,” the girl—Veronica—whispers in awe. “You’re so smart, Schneep.”

Bro blinks at Schneep's deduction and raises an eyebrow, impressed. "Woah yeah- that's... impressive!" He sighs and messes with his hair, "But anyways- when we jump we end up in random places- usually drawn to people we know in our universe,,, or their parallels at least. Which is why I'm here... I can't control where I go I just-" He opens up his hand and makes a popping noise, "-pop right in. People usually say it's from nowhere."

Henrik's eyes light up. He immediately rushes into the room, despite the noises of protest the woman makes. "You've come here from another world?! Really?! A-and you are here? You are, like, a physical thing?" He pokes Bro in the shoulder. "You are!" He giggles excitedly. "Oh this is so amazing! This must be like--like a one in a trillion chance--or not, since you are implying this 'jumping' is frequent, but still, this is incredible! The amount of energy it must take to break between universal barriers must be incredible, we looked at it in theories but decided that it would be impossible with current technology--but I suppose other worlds must have other technology, but even still, this is--this is incredible, it is a miracle, oh, how how how did you get here? Please, you must let me know!" 

Bro blinks in surprise and holds up his hands again. He laughs, "W-Woah hey! You're gonna freak even more when you hear I'm not the only one who jumped from my world- I have two friends- well, a friend and my little brother- and then... a bad guy I gotta track down. But they're here too! But uhhh my brother knows sooo much more about all this- and he has the device we use. Cuz he- like has magic that makes it work."

"You have a device?!" Henrik shouts excitedly. "You have magic?!" 

"Henrik, please, the kids," Stacy says, glancing down the hallway. "Op, nevermind, here they come." 

"Sorry, Stacy." 

Another, identical-looking girl peeks into the doorway, wearing a pair of fake glasses to distinguish her. She's followed by a short, younger boy with curly blonde hair and a sixteen-year-old girl with gray eyes and fair hair pulled into two ponytails. 

"Dad?" asks the boy. 

"No, it's not Dad, Evan," Veronica says. "It's a guy from another universe who looks like him." 

"Huh?" the identical girl blinks in surprise. "A whole guy? Ronnie, are you joking?" 

"No, I'm not, Anna." Veronica shakes her head stubbornly. 

The teenager waves. "Hey, Mr. Brody. Uh... can I call you that?"

Bro blinks in surprise at all the kids, "Oh my god so many children-" He whispers. He waves awkwardly, "uhhh you don't need to be so formal...! You can call me Bro- that's easier."

"Ha." The teenager smiles. "Bro. That's kinda funny. It's like. Bro. Dude. My main man." 

"Oh its actually cuz in my universe I'm a superhero! And my hero name is Bro Fantastic." Bro grins wide.

"I like your jacket," Evan says. 

"Okay, that's enough," Stacy announces. "It's bedtime. Or at least go-in-your-bedroom time." 

Anna and Veronica let out identical groans. 

"Phoebe gets to stay up!" Anna says. 

"Phoebe is much older, and she is a guest, I can't tell her what to do the same way I can tell you," Stacy says, ushering Anna, Veronica, and Evan down the hall. "Henrik, take our guest to the living room, would you?" 

Henrik nods, grinning. "Of course! Please, Bro, you must tell me about your device and your magic."

"I can certainly try," He responds to Schneep, "I'm not... nearly as good at understanding it as Alt is."

“You’re a  superhero? For real?” Phoebe’s eyes go wide. “Like the Scarlet Blur.” 

"Oh- that's a much better name than mine!" Bro laughs. 

“Anything you can tell me will be fascinating,” Henrik says. “Come come come, tell me all about your universe and your jumping through them.” He starts down the hallway, leading Bro to the living room. Phoebe trails behind them. 

Once they reach the living room, the sound of Stacy and the other kids’ voices drift down from an attached staircase.

Bro follows afther Schneep and thinks of what to say. "Welll hm... in my world- I know a Henrik- but he's a deaf actor. And he dyes his hair teal. He's a big ol beam of sunshine. And our doctor is Dr. J- Jameson Jackson. Anddd I have a little brother, Alt or I call him Anti. Anddd we have a Jackie too- he's a dad of 3 kids. Big ol' superhero nerd- Him and Alt are here somewhere!" He grins. "Anndd god... we've jumped through so many worlds now- or me and Alt have. It's... insane- to see how different things can be. But also how the same things are too. Like- You're always german." He laughs. "Jay is always uses sign language- oh and has his mustache. Jackie always wears red. My other mes usually wear hats like mine, but that might just be our good taste!"

“Fascinating, fascinating,” Henrik nods along. His fingers twitch and he starts fidgeting with his sleeves. “Some things are consistent but many are not, of course they are. And you are always finding different you’s and them’s of your friends? You must be sticking to areas that are somewhat close by each other, I am sure the farther you get from home the more strange things will become.”

Phoebe flips down on the sofa. “We know all those people. I mean—Jameson Jackson is Mr. Mustache, right?” 

“That is what our research has told us, yes,” Henrik says. 

Phoebe laughs. “It’s not a school project.” 

Henrik chuckles too. “That is true. Perhaps we can simply call it searching, if research sounds too serious to you.” 

“D’you think, like, those two words come from the same root?” 

“Hmm, possibly!”

Bro tilts his head in confusion, "Research...? Are you guys not... friends?" He asks.

"Oh, ah... no." Henrik shakes his head. "If anything, it is the opposite." 

"It's not Mr. Mustache's fault," Phoebe says. "He just got... stuck with someone." 

"Jameson Jackson is a complicated story," Henrik says. "He is a man from the past, somehow brought here. We are pretty sure he was friends with this man who calls himself the Magician, but Magician does not like to talk about himself, so we cannot be sure. And then, eventually, he ran afoul of... something. Or someone. A being who calls himself Anti."

Bro's stomach drops and he then sighs heavily, "Offf course... I swear if I keep meeting motherfuckers who keep giving my Anti a bad name I swear-!" He frowns, "huh... weird though.. usually in these worlds... You guys are all friends. A JJ, a Marvin, A Jackie, A Henrik, A Chase-" He points to himself and then laces his fingers together. "...we're different though cuz we... we're friends with our Anti- even though he seems to be like... a bad guy in all these places. And its weird cuz... we thought we didn't have a Marvin but- that's our bad guy. He calls himself Magnificent. He's bascially our like... bad Anti."

"Marvin? Perhaps that is Magician, he has not told us his name. Hmm. Well, I have been friends with Chase and Jackie for some time," Henrik says cheerfully. "They are great, my good, good friends. Magician and Jameson Jackson have come in later, it seems. Perhaps we will all become friends in time. 

Bro smiles warmly, "Heh... yeah. I hope so- from what I've seen in other worlds, they're great lads." 

“Right now, Magician is very determined to get Jameson away from Anti, and Jackie is the type who cannot let people be hurt, so he will help Magician and pull the rest of us along." 

"He's a hero," Phoebe says, smiling. "He rescued us. I mean, Magician did too, but the news doesn't really call him a hero because of all the things he's stolen--" 

Bro smiles at Phoebe and laughs, "Really, huh? I always to like to meet other heroes- ...wait stealing?!" 

And then Bro's phone starts to ring.

He gets cut off by the ringtone and he blinks, pulling it out. He sees its Jackieboy and he smiles and answers. "Yo Jackie!"

Henrik gasps. "Let me hear let me hear let me hear!" He rushes forward, practically grabbing Bro's phone before suddenly yanking his hand back. "Ah, if that is okay."

Bro jumps but then laughs, holding out his phone, "It's okay- I'll put it on speaker!" 

"Oh! That's a good idea, I should do that too!" Jackieboy says on the other line as Bro puts him on speaker. "Hey guys! I got to my Chase! Chase say hi!" 

"Hiii! What's up?" Bro laughs. "I'm here with Henrik- who you heard all excited." 

"ohhh! Well- hi Henrik!"

"Hen, are you losing your mind?" The Chase on the other side of the phone asks. 

Henrik laughs. "I lost it a while ago, you know that! But yes, I-I am so--it is--do you fucking realize the ramifications of this?!" 

"Oh my god, the rammies," this world's Jackie says. 

Bro giggles. "The rammies- that's a fun word." 

"Wh--hey, don't push!" Chase laughs, having just playfully shoved him. "Wow, so you're me, then? You do sound like it." 

"Yeah dude! I found other me and other you!! Dude- we're brothers in this world! Twins actually! Isn't that insane??" Jackieboy says. 

Bro's eyes widen, "Oh- that explains something Veronica said then-" 

"Jackie, what is it like to see yourself in another world?" Henrik asks. "Is it strange? Did you even recognize yourself when you first saw it?" 

"It was pretty bizarre," Jackie says. "Uh, it was this weird half-second of uncanniness where I didn't get it, but then I realized and it was like, what the fuck, why are you me?" 

Jackie laughs at other him and shakes his head, "It doesn't stop being weird by the way- and I've been to like- a dozen of these now," 

"It hasn't been that many! ... for you at least." Bro shakes his head and chuckles, 

"Where are you two, anyway?" Henrik asks. "At your hideout?" 

"We're with the rest of the escapees," Jackie reports. 

"I thinkkk we're at other Chase's house? His kids are here. They thought I was their dad. Super not weird." Bro says.  

"Sounds like you're at Stacy's house, if Henrik's there," Chase says. "Uh... I don't actually live there? It's a long story. Basically, has to do with the company. Psyode. I need to stay out of their reach, and I'm sure they're looking at Stacy and the kids to see if I show up there." 

"Hey- have you heard anything from Alt?" Jackieboy asks. 

"Not yet-" 

"Well... the guys here think we should probably be fast about finding him. There's a bad company here like... like Sclera or the- facility guys. They think they'll be interested in us- and well... you heard what Sam said about the... the ripples, right?" 

Bro pales slightly, "O-Oh shit... yeah- that... that's bad."

Henrik perks up. "The ripples? Yes, I suppose you arriving would create very string dimensional ripples. Psyode would definitely be able to detect such things, we had these devices called RDDs that were made for just that. There has been a larger number of ripples in this city as of late, but I'm sure the arrival of four people from other universes would--well it could very well be in the thousands of palmers--" 

"Schneep, these guys are from another world, I don't think they understand all the science terms," Chase says. 

"Yeah, I barely understand them!" Jackie adds. 

Jackie and Bro blink in confusion. "Those were so many words and I understood none of them-" Bro comments. 

"The point is, Psyode will know, and I'm sure the Experiment Department will immediately investigate something so strong," Henrik says. "Can you contact your, ah, Alt friend?"

As Henrik explains more- and mentions the Experiment department, Bro pales. He quickly tries to add Alt to the call, "I'm gonna call him right now-!"

"Wait, you can call people while still being on a call?" Chase says, his voice a bit distant. 

"My god, man," says a female voice. "I know you're past thirty, but didn't you use tech for your job?" 

"Hey, shut up!" Chase says defensively. 

"Oh, that's Xio, by the way," Jackie adds. "She's a friend of ours." 

"Phoebe is here, too," Henrik says. "Ah, other Jackie, she is... also a friend? It is difficult to explain." 

"Hi!" Phoebe waves at the phone. "I'm sure Stacy is gonna be back down soon." 

"Oh well- Hi Phoebe!" Jackieboy laughs. 

While they all talk, Bro's phone just keeps ringing and ringing, trying to call Alt. But it doesn't work. 

Bro tries to listen to the chatter- but he's focused on watching the call go through to Alt. But... it doesn't. Alt is usually one who answers his phone like right away. He hardly make them wait. Bro feels dread spreading into his chest. "...Alt's not answering." 

"...what?? he's- that's not like him at all." Jackie replies. "You don't think he's...?" 

"I-I dunno... so we should start looking." Bro stands up and holds his phone in his hand as he looks back at Henrik. "... I'm guessing seeing someone fly isn't a thing around here right?" 

"...i dunno- maybe- other me can run like a freaking superhero," Jackie comments. 

"..wasn't asking you bro but- he is apparently? Phoebe called him a hero earlier." 

"WHAT THE FUCK ANOTHER HERO JACKIE??!" Jackie screeches, "THIS IS BULLSHIT??"

The other Jackie laughs. "Sorry! I can't help it. Trust me. I-I couldn't." 

"Don't worry, other J, I get it," Chase adds. "But, uh, you wouldn't want to get powers the way these guys did. Anyway, if it's really a problem, you could probably fly a liiiiittle? People would flip, but urgency is, uh, more urgent." 

Henrik nods. "Finding your brother is more important than keeping appearances." 

"I can cover ground fast, too," Jackie adds. "It takes me like... half an hour to run from one end of the city to the other."

"Good. You can keep up with me, then." Bro says, determination flaring up in his eyes. "Maybe I'll see you guys out there- I'm gonna go find my brother. Jackie- you can text me updates." 

"C-Chase don't just rush int-!" Jackie tries to say. 

But, Bro ends the call and starts looking for the front door- or a window to fly out of.

Henrik's eyes widen as Bro hangs up. "Ah, other Chase, are you sure--" 

There! The front door, right in front of him.

Bro doesn't even listen- he speeds to the door and hurries out into the hall- rushing to get back out into the night.

"Motherfucker!" Henrik curses, then glances at Phoebe. "You didn't hear shit from me just now." 

Phoebe nods seriously. "Of course." 

"I-I'm going to go tell Stacy to call Jackie so we can continue that conversation," Henrik says, hurrying upstairs. "I hope we do not need to go searching for both those two." 

----------- 

They must have appeared in an already north part of the city, because it doesn't take long before Magnificent sees the bridge with green railings that the message mentioned. It seems that a river partially encircles this city. Ravenwing Bridge goes across a wide, slow-moving part of it, holding a couple pedestrian lanes and a pair of car lanes. There are lamps along the sides, lighting it up. 

Magnificent can make out a single figure on this bridge, leaning back against the railing. A man in a suit.

Magnificent eyes the rivers and surroundings with intrigue. Until he spots the man. He grins and whispers back to Alt. "Stay out of the way and be quiet, got it, kitten?" 

"Yes, Magnificent." Alt nods, staying back. 

Mag smiles then strides over to the suited man. "You're the one who messaged me, then?" He calls as he approaches.

The man looks at him, tensing slightly. Dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, with a dark mustache. He's holding a phone, clutching it in both hands. Carefully keeping his expression neutral, he shakes his head and holds the phone speaker-out. 

"That was me," says a voice from the speaker. "Don't mind him, I need someone to do things for me sometimes. He did text you, but the message was my words." 

Magnificent blinks as he takes in the sight of the man- the mustache giving away his identity. He hums and comes closer to the phone. "I see- so you're A then?"

"Yes. I'm A--short for Anti. Hold on a moment." The air next to the man with the mustache fizzles a bit, and suddenly there's a person there. Or... more like an image of a person. It looks slightly flat, like an artist forgot to do the shading on a drawing. The image is that of a man wearing an oversized green hoodie, wild brown hair sticking up all over the place, a burn scar going around his neck. His eyes show nothing but static, and he smiles at Magnificent. "It's better for you if you have something to look at, right?" he says, voice still coming from the speaker. He leans back against the railing--though he doesn't actually touch it.

Magnificent's eyes widen a bit but then he can't help but laugh, "Ah- I should have guessed. Well- nice to meet and see you then, Anti. I'm called Magnificent." He tilts his head at the image. "You said you had an offer for me? I'm quite intrigued."

"It's quite simple, actually," Anti says. "For as long as you are in this universe, I will help you with whatever you want. I only ask that, when you are done here, you find a way to take me with you to the next world."

Mag's looks surprised. "... I.. have never tried to do that before... I don't exactly control where we go or who to take with us..." Then he grins sharply. "But... I do have who does." He snaps and gestures forward. "Oh Alt~? I think there's someone you should meet." 

Alt dazedly walks forward- and at seeing the image of Anti he freezes, the purple in his eyes flickering. "y..you-" 

Magnificent grabs his wrist and throws him forward though, pushing more of his influence in. 

Alt's brief moment of clarity quickly ends and his eyes glaze over again. 

"Apologizes. This is Alt. He powers our universal device." Mag explains. "Though... I am curious... what is in this world? I'm usually after magic but... a source I thought i could grab from ended up being empty." He frowns at Anti and crosses his arms, "I'm wondering what this deal could give me in turn."

Anti doesn't so much glance at Alt. He hums. "Judging from where your ripples happened, you appeared in the Magician--Marvin Kane's house." 

The man in the suit flinches slightly, distress crossing his face. 

"That's who you tried to take magic from? Well, the experiment specimens don't have 'magic.' Their abilities are a result of their altered physiologies, from an exposure to particles called weltons--“

Mag knits his eyebrows together, "altered... physiologies- huh... interesting."

“—but that's complicated and doesn't really matter. The point is, just because there's nothing to gain from the specimens doesn't mean there's no power to take. There's a source of great power outside the city--in a hidden compound. And they wouldn't be prepared for someone like you. They're good at containing specimens--well 'good.'" Anti makes air quotes. "But they won't be able to deal with magic. Or me. Or us, if we work together."

Magnificent's eyes shine with that mad hunger. He grins wide. "Oh... well- considered my interest piqued again. That sounds like a delightful plan~! I'm more than interested to see what such a compound could hold..."

Anti grins. "Unfortunately we'll need to cross through the city to get there--it's the shortest route. But I could easily guide you there. And I could act as a sort of scout, telling you what's around and where the best things are held." 

"Oh well- that shouldn't be an issue, me and my cub are quick well versed in quick travel." Magnificent chuckles. 

Anti finally tilts his head towards Alt. "And he could help, too, though if he's low on energy--" And he suddenly stops. And frowns. "You said he had the device that allows you to travel to other universes? But... I can only sense one electrical device on him."

Mag blinks and looks at Alt, "Oh huh- you can sense that? ... perhaps the TRVLR is powered off. Alt, show Anti the machine." 

"Y-Yes Magnificent-" Alt responds and starts to dig into his pocket to pull it out but then- he starts to stop himself. He fights the motion- light flickering in his eyes. "n-no...!" He breathes. Alarm bells are ringing loudly in his clouded thoughts. But- his fingers eventually reach into his pocket, despite his fighting and- 

Nothing. There’s… just his phone.

Alt's stomach drops so fast it hurts. The purple almost completely dims completely as he starts to glitch wildly in panic. "I-It's gone-" 

"What?!" Mag questions. 

"It's gone!" Alt answers back, rapidly checking all his pockets but finding nothing. His head is killing him- fighting against Mag's control and the panic that wants to consume him. "W-Where did it- I-I- I've never-! No nonono-!"

Anti's eyes widen. He growls. "Marvin Kane--he's a thief." 

The man in the suit glances at him. A good one-- he signs. 

"His skill level doesn't matter, Jameson," Anti snaps. "You know he's the type to swipe something that unusual--that valuable."

Alt looks at Jameson and seems to register who he is for a second before he glitches over and grabs his shoulder. There's desperation plain on his face and in his flickering eyes. "D-Do you know where I can find him?! I... I need that device! It's our only way to get home!"

Jameson stumbles back, shocked, into the railing. He hesitates for a moment, then acts on impulse. His address is 44 Sonder Street-- 

Anti leans close to Jameson, making his and Alt's hair stand on end as static electricity fuzzes against their skin. "You know he's probably left that place by now," he says. "Where is he going? Where would he go?" 

Jameson freezes, looking more reluctant now that Anti is asking. He doesn't like to leave other than for business, he signs slowly. 

"Agh, fuck it!" Anti leans back. "He's probably going to talk to one of those others, shaken by seeing his own face. That's what most people would do." 

"Where are these others then?" Magnificent growls. He grabs Alt by the shoulder and holds him back at the glitch stiffens, purple starting to flare brighter in his eyes.

Anti grits his teeth. "I'm not sure. Only one of them has a cell phone whose electricity I can track. Just give me a few minutes to look for that." He closes his eyes, the image of him losing some details and fading to half-transparency.

While Anti does that Mag turns Alt back towards him and growls at him. "And you- I'm not letting you slip away this easy and warning your friends about this. You are staying with me." 

Alt gasps and tries to struggle, "M-Mag-" He chokes out. 

Magnificent ignores him and goes to dig his nails into Alt's trigger point on his temple. Alt stiffens like he's been shocked- purple fulling flaring back in his eyes. "You lost your privileges, kitten. Shift." 

Alt dazedly nods and then in a flicker of static and glitches- a black calico cat now sits on the sidewalk. One with glowing purple and green eyes.

Jameson gasps, staring at the small cat in horror. Anti doesn't seem to notice, though some white noise squawks from the phone speaker. 

Jameson glances at Magnificent, a bit wary, then slowly crouches down and scoops up the cat, petting it gently. 

Alt stiffens as he's picked up and tries to hiss at Jameson but... oh... he's being nice. He slowly starts to purr, curling up in his arms. 

After a moment, Anti's appearance fills back in again. "Got it," he says. "They're near the center of the city." He looks down at the cat. "Nice trick. See, that's the exact sort of thing these people won't be expecting."

Magnificent giggles. "They're easier to keep under control this way. Less messy human thoughts~ And well, Alt has made that so much easier for me~!" He grins, "Well- we have a thief to track down then? Shall we~?"

"We shall." Anti grins. "Jameson, carry the cat. We can't waste time with those little cat legs." 

Jameson hesitates, wanting to ask why he had to come, but nods. He knows that Anti will just drag him along no matter what. 

"Now." Anti disappears, reappearing farther down the bridge. "This way."

Magnificent grins and teleports after him. 

Alt looks up at Jameson, glitches running along his body. He can at least help him keep up…

#SATCV #SATCV the rift #alt anti #swap magnificent #bro fantastic #jackie mann #poor alt but like- mag would i gotta play the character XD

[helyiios]

How about a mi2-like situation? The bad guys capturing Benji and putting a mask of one of the villains on him, thus getting Ethan to shoot him? It's only after the shots are fired that Ethan notices and removes the mask, to see that it's Benji...

Karl Norris was something of a twisted man, playing with his preys before offing them in gruesome, distasteful ways that made even Ethan shiver when thinking about it. He knows what he’s done, and now that he’s facing him, there’s nothing but disgust in his heart.

He doesn’t believe in people needing to pay for what they’ve done, he’d outgrown that thought, but he is partial to a good fear tactic.

That’s where he stands, the man facing him, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He’d been running away from him for the past half hour, and Ethan could at least note that his endurance was something to be reckoned with.

He’s better than him, though. He’s better and he’s got him cornered, and the man’s eyes are wide, and terrified.

How ironic, seeing how horrible he could be to his own victims. It was sort of interesting to note that he could still feel fear.

“Tell me where Benji is,” Ethan growls, weapon raised, aiming at Norris’ shoulder.

Don’t kill, incapacitate, his first instructor’s words echo in his mind. Render the target immobile, but do not kill it.

Karl Norris just stares, eyes like saucers. He shakes his head vigorously, joining his hands in a prayer sign, almost telling him, please, please don’t do it.

“Where is Benji ?!” Ethan starts again, feeling his wrath grow like a wildfire in his chest, voice booming against the walls of the corridor, “ANSWER ME !”

The other man’s eyebrows are raised in a desperate plea, and he keeps praying to him, signing, don’t do it, please, don’t kill me.

“You think I care about you ?! I need—if you—if you’ve hurt him—“

A headshake. Something brutal, so decisive that Ethan briefly wonders why the man looked like he could snap his neck from saying ‘no’ so much.

Voices behind them.

[Ethan, backup is on their way.]

“I still haven’t found Benji !”

[We can’t locate him either.]

“I’m not leaving without him.”

He turns back.

“We’ve got your little friends,” he tells him, seething. “You have no way out.”

From the corner of his eye he can see Norris relax, shoulder slacking, and suddenly he’s going to open his jacket, almost like he was about to grab something inside.

The spy’s reflexes act before he can think, and before he even has the time to exhale, there’s a bullet lodged in the other man’s shoulder.

“FUCK !” the man yells, the distinctive Spanish accent almost cutting out, the voice crackling oddly. “Fuck, oh, fuck, mate, that fucking hurts !”

Ethan frowns.

“Fuck,” Norris starts again, and that when he sees it.

Around his chest, a contraption alike one Lane had tied Benji to so many years ago.

“A bomb,” Ethan whispers, walking up to the man, staring at him while he was struggling to get it off him, “why would they—“

“Idiot !” Karl Norris yells, “you are your stupid fucking reflexes !” he keeps on saying, face red with anger, “if you’d just waited until I—fuck, ow, until I showed you why I couldn’t speak !”

He tugs somewhere near his neck, throwing a small object on the floor.

There’s a distinct line around his skin.

“God, fucking, dammit,” Ethan hears Benji spit, face still showing the dark and straight hair, eyes still brown, “I hadn’t got shot in almost three months !”

The room spins.

“Benji ?” the older man chokes out, falling to his knees and palming at the wound, “Benji ?!”

“Yeah BENJI !” his lover groans, “help me get this fucking mask off ! I can’t move my left arm thanks to you !”

“Oh my God,” Ethan babbles, tearing the mask away, eyes finally locking with a furious blue and gold gaze, “is that why—the bomb, why you couldn’t speak, I—“

“Yeah, smartass !” the other grits out, “you almost fucking killed me !”

“I’m so sorry,” he panics, taking Benji’s face in his hands, “oh God, I’m so sorry, baby, I—“

“It’s fine,” Benji pouts, even if his chest really hurts, and God, he wouldn’t be able to play COD properly with a bandaged shoulder, “they put Norris’ face on me when they captured me. Couldn’t speak or I’d blow up.”

“People have got to stop putting bombs on you,” Ethan agrees, stroking his cheeks and kissing him better, “baby, I’m so sorry, I didn’t—I didn’t know, I’m sorry—“

“You’re on dishes duties for the next three months,” his lover mumbles, allowing him to help him up.

“Even for the next year, I’d be willing.”

“Okay, no need to push it.”

They exist the corridor without more harm, Benji limping slightly by Ethan’s side.

“It’s fine, by the way,” he says then, after a few minutes of silence. “You did what you thought was best. You didn’t know, I’m not mad at you. Anymore,” he adds. “Got pretty pissed for like three minutes and a half back there.”

“I’ll cook you your favourite foods to make you forgive me,” the other offers, eyes all doe-like, their green a lovely shade of emerald against the blue lighting. “I’m sorry again.”

“I know you are, love,” Benji mutters, kissing him softly. “C’mon. Let’s get out of there.”

“Yeah. Let’s.”

[mybrainrotforreal]

Cat Cafe AU Part 3

I can't stop shipping this two. Anyway, please enjoy!

Hector wakes up with his heart beating fast in his chest. It’s wrong, he shouldn’t think about him like that. It’s creepy. No, bad Idea. Charlie is sure a virus, making him can’t think properly, like a glitch in his computer. Or he is more likely an addiction, just like how he is addicted to caffeine and he can't function properly without him, can't stop craving for more. If Charlie could just stay with him, that would be ideal. How could someone as ordinary as Charlie, a mere barista from a small cat café invade his mind like this? What makes him so special to Hector? Is it because of his looks? Sure, he looks cute, with his sweet smile, bright eyes, thin lips and blushed cheeks but Hector has met other attractive people and they don't entice him like Charlie does. Is it because of how he takes care of the cats? How he always treats them gently, very attentively and talks to them even though he knows they won't talk back to him, just like Hector does? 

Is Hector so lonely he fell in love with a person who doesn't find his silence rude and keep talking to him? Is he so deprived from social contact he lets other people get into his heart? Hector spends his morning analyzing his feelings, letting his breakfast get cold for being neglected as he thinks. His own mother didn't even like him, despised him even. Is it possible that other people could love him? He gets on with his morning routine with the thought of Charlie popping in his mind out of nowhere. He truly is a computer virus and it only makes his obsession of him grow. Hector looks at the time and prepares to go to the cat cafe. Ah, the blue towel, he needs to iron it for a bit. When he is done, he takes the towel and sniffs it, a little bit disappointed it doesn't smell like Charlie anymore. Hector sighs and puts it inside a paper bag, an idea of spraying his perfume on it crosses his mind but he shrugs it off. Charlie wouldn't care if it smells like him or not anyway. 

As he opens the cafe's door, Charlie greets him with high enthusiasm, as if he looks happy to see him. He is a barista, of course he is happy to see his customer, Hector pouts in his mind. He wants to be special, not just like a customer to him, but who is he to hope for something like that?

"Good morning, Hector!" How could someone shine brighter than the sun? How could his presence and his interaction make Hector's life become so colorful and when he leaves this cafe, it becomes dull again? "Double espresso as usual, yes?" 

Hector nods, his usual seat on the corner doesn't look much appealing to him after he finds how comfortable it is to be closer to Charlie yesterday. Hector sits at the table near the bar, slowly so as to not wake up the cat that sleeps beside him, remembering how he made the chair damp when he sat there yesterday because of the rain. Thinking about the rain, Hector fishes the towel and gives it to Charlie after the barista comes up to him and places the coffee on the table. 

"Oh, thank you! I hope you don't get sick yesterday because of the rain."

Even if I get sick, I will still come here. Hector smiles thinly and shakes his head.

"Thank god, looks like the lemon-honey candy works, eh? If only I could give it to my cats.” Charlie chuckles, “sometimes they can get the flu even though I have kept this cafe at a stable temperature. They are all vaccinated of course, but the kittens are still at risk and it can progress to cause serious damage to the eye. Just like Snowy there, my boss found him near her apartment with his eyes partially closed, meowing his heart out, looking for his mom. Fortunately, we took him to the Vet in time and here he is, looking as healthy as ever."

One thing that Hector notices when Charlie monologues is he also speaks with his hands, as if the sounds from his mouth are not enough to express what he wants to say.  His expression is easy to read, like an open book. But it is not an open book that Hector could just pick anytime he likes, it was like a book in a museum, where it was put inside of transparent glass. Hector could read it, see it in every angle but he couldn't touch it, couldn't own it. 

"I'm rambling again, sorry about that." Charlie smiles apologetically to him but Hector just shakes his head and gives an OK sign, he doesn't mind. He never does, he could listen to his stories all day long. Hector goes to the cafe so much to the point he needs to buy a portable monitor to code comfortably in the cafe. Charlie, upon seeing the new device, intuitively gives him a terminal contact for its power supply, even without Hector’s asking. After he gets it on, Charlie comments, “Are you a hacker? You know, with those jumbles of words and numbers?”

Hector snorts but he doesn’t shake his head, only shrugs. Just let him figure out that hacker is not the only job that works with code. Charlie chats some more and only gets back to the bar when he realizes he babbles again, fearing he is interrupting his work.While Hector doesn’t mind, he still needs to get his job done.  Hector tries to concentrate on his work, something that he easily does before he has this feeling in his chest that urges him to glance at the barista. But even then, he still gets his work done just before the cafe is closed. He can just go home right now, but a little more time he spends here won't hurt. Besides, how can he go when a chonky cat is purring on his lap? It would be an unforgivable sin. 

Suddenly the bells on the door jingles, indicating another customer has come in. He orders some drinks and food and sits on one of the couches. Hector doesn't mind him and continues to pet the cat on his lap, although he finds it weird that people come up to a cat cafe at this hour. 

Suddenly, the customer harshly grips the scruff of Mr. Holmes' neck who steps on his expensive bag and the cat, surprised by the sudden movement reacts by biting him until drawing blood. 

"Son of a bitch!" The man exclaims and hits the cat's face until he lets go of his hand. The black cat hides under the table and hisses. "Who the fuck let an aggressive cat here? He got rabies, didn’t he?!"

Charlie hurriedly comes up to him, looking at him worriedly. "No, sir, we always vaccinate our cats and I can assure you, they are all healthy. Please, let me take a look at your hand."

The man only slaps Charlie's hand and Hector glares at him. 

"Fucking bullshit!" He kicks one of the chairs until it falls, making the cats all hide in the corner and even get into their hiding place. "I'll fucking sue you! That cat ruined my bag and now bite me.you think you can get away from this?"

"Sir, I'm sorry it happens to you, we will take full responsibility for your wounds but please don't damage our facilities."

"You think you can persuade me, huh? Not only I'll sue you, I'll write bad reviews of this place so no one won't come over here ever again."

"Sir, you are disrupting our customers and cats, and I wish we can discuss this in a calm manner or… or I need you to leave, sir."

The man glares at him and pulls Charlie's collar, and Charlie can smell he is drunk, "Or what, you son of a bitch? You'll drag me out, huh?"

That's it. Hector can't let him touch him any further. He grabs the alcoholic's shoulder and drags him outside to the alley, punching his face until he is unconscious. He can feel the skin on his knuckles torn and bleed but it doesn't bother him. Right now, his only objective is to make Charlie and his cats safe. The body sags as he presses it to the wall, a primal instinct inside him wish he is dead but he stops himself and  chooses to hail a cab. He throws the man on the backside seat, gives a couple of bucks to the driver and instructs him to take the drunkard to hospital, saying he found the man on the outside of the bar, probably lost in the bar fight. 

After he watches the cab go into the night, he gets inside and sees Charlie looks so shocked. The black cat rubbed its body to his leg back and forth, looking just as anxious. The cat hisses when Hector approaches them but he ignores him to sits beside the barista and types some words on his phone, then he shows it to Charlie. 

The cat hops on his lap and Charlie unconsciously pets it, feeling comfort both from the black cat and the black-haired man in front of him who hesitantly touches his shoulder and rubs it gently. The usual talkative boy is now being quiet, still feeling shock and Hector lets him be. After a while, Hector takes a mineral bottle from the bar and gives it to Charlie after he opens the bottle caps first. At least he looks relaxed now as he mutters a soft thank you to him. He looks like a scared kitten and all Hector wants to do is to wrap him with a thick blanket, pet his head  and take him home. Of course he can’t do that, but he wants to do something for him, help him a little bit. He looks around and chooses to tidy up the chair on the floor instead. At least the café won’t look like a mess and the action bring some satisfying feeling in his chest. Everything in its place, so the only mess he had is just in his head. It is not until he feels a touch on his arm and flinches by the sudden touch. 

"He won't come back, you are safe now.

I might not talk back to you since I'm mute, but you can tell me everything."

“Oh, Hector, you are a customer. You don’t have to do this! I’m just shocked, really… It’s nothing.” The barista bites his lips, “You know how Chicago is, yeah?”

Hector’s snort, Well, It doesn’t look like nothing. 

“Thank you for helping me back there, though. I couldn’t imagine if he hurt my cats and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

Hector tightens his jaw. Should’ve killed him when I had the chance. But he just heavily sighs and types his phone: 

“How do you feel?” 

“Shocked, just like what I said and kinda relieved that he is not here anymore.” Charlie picks up the black cat and hugs him to his chest, stroking his head lightly... Hector can read “Mr. Holmes” on his nametag. “I’m worried about Mr. Holmes, he got an abusive owner before I got him and he has been really anxious. I need to separate him from other cats before he starts to attack them.” 

Hector tilts his head, the story sounds familiar or maybe he is just imagining things. Projecting himself as the cat who is being comforted. He sighs again then points to himself, points to the floor, then points to Charlie with the cat and the room upstairs. 

“Okay, okay. I’ll be back,” then he looks down at Hector’s hand, dirtied by blood. He swallows, “I need to take care of your hand too,”

As Charlie goes upstairs, he assesses the damage the drunkard has caused. Nothing serious and nothing breaks at least, although the fallen chairs scratched the wooden floor. The cats had left their hiding place and roamed freely inside the café. Some groom themselves as if they already forget what happened. A couple of moments later, Charlie brings a medical kit and a bowl filled with water. As they sit, Charlie opens his palm up, now covered in latex gloves and waits for Hector to give his hand. Hector looks at him and hesitantly puts his hand on Charlie's. He wipes the blood from his hand with the wet towel, rubbing it softly against his skin. Hector freezes, as if he is afraid he is going to make the wrong movement. Ever since he was a child, he always tended to his wounds and bruises alone, usually with cold water since it was the only thing his mother had. And now, a man touches him so softly, cleaning his wounds and putting so much attention to him. It's strange, it feels alien and yet, not unwelcome. He wants to feel his skin, pity, his hands are covered with latex. As Charlie treats him, he doesn’t feel hurt on his hand, he doesn’t even realize it was bleeding, a result of having so much worse than that. It won’t be a big issue if he doesn’t take care of it but Charlie treats him as if he broke his hand. Charlie is so close… If he leans further, his nose may touch his hair. 

“Okay, It’s done!” Charlie straightens up again and Hector praises the Lord he doesn’t let his intrusive thoughts win or their heads would collide. “You need your hand for work, right? The cut is not deep so I think It won’t be an issue. Might sting a bit if you flex your hand, though.” 

Hector sighs quietly at the loss of contact as Charlie withdraws his hand from his and nods. He takes a look at the clock and realizes it’s past closing time. After he decides it’s already safe now to leave Charlie, he walks to the bar, fishing his card to pay. 

“Oh no-no-no! You don’t have to pay, you protected and helped me a lot today. Take it as my gratitude. My treat, really.”

Hector shakes his head and frowns. Any logical man would do it so it’s nothing special. He pushes his card to him and when the barista refuses again, Hector huffs and hastily types on his phone.

“Take it or I won’t leave.”

“Well, you can just stay with me upstairs with Mr. Holmes,” Charlie blurts. 

Hector frowns get deeper and he stares down at him. What does it mean? Does Charlie really want him to spend the night with him? Is he serious?

Charlie looks at him in fright, "I'm sorry! That's really inappropriate, I'm just kidding, it's-it's... I'm sorry."

Of course he is not serious. What do you expect, Munday? 

Hector only nods and gives an OK sign with his fingers. Charlie takes his card and lets him pay, with a guilty puppy look on his face. Hector only sees the glimpse of it and forces himself to look away. He leaves with a gloomy face and walks briskly to his apartment, feeling stupid. He shouldn't feel this disappointed, it's not like he dares to hope he can be with him after the cafe is closed. Of course it's just a joke, someone like Charlie can be too friendly, doesn't really mean what he says. Besides, Charlie deserves someone better than him, someone who can communicate with him like a normal person. Hector clenches his fist in frustration and sleep doesn’t come easily to him that night.

#tdim #charlie lonnit #hector munday #granthem du'met #du'lie #heclie #du'met x charlie #the devil in me #dark pictures the devil in me #charlie x hector #cat cafe au

[glitchyk]

Random AU I’ve made (not art for it yet bc I literally just made it) but there’s a description/example

Also for all of you that don’t know, search up March of the gladiators, it’s a song… despite the serious sounding name, it’s literally the circus music people always hear. Just saying this beforehand so that no one will be confused when they read it. Also my advice if you can’t read something, like you have no clue what it sounds like, just put it in google translate because for now I am way too lazy to show y’all how to read names.

And yes, it’s horror themed

‘bizarre frenzy illusion’ (joke name, don’t take this seriously)

‘Digital Hallucinations’ (Not official au name)

The new player opened their eyes, hearing distant low tone pushing playing, he looked down at himself, “Well… this is.. strangely realistic.” he murmured, looking around.

He was standing in front of a tent, the bright colors seemed somewhat faded, the colors being darker than what he’d assume was the usual bright yellow and red of the average circus tent.

Somewhat distorted text popped up in front of him

Exit THE GROUNDS, and ENTER…

Forward, The Tent

Left, The Digital Lake

Right, The Digital Carnival

“I… what?” is all he asked aloud, looking around, “I… guess the tent-“

The option lit up and the player quickly covered his ears as a sort of screeching and static sound started, it looked like a fucked up loading screen, switching from music to the screeching sort of noise, than music again, as he felt a drop, the noises stopping as he quickly looked around.

“What the— oh god…” he murmured, taking his hands off his ears and than getting the small, but sudden realization. “…It doesn’t feel like the headset is on.” He could play without the controllers, he knew that, so he had been playing a lot of stuff recently with just his hands, since he knew his headset could sense the movement and use it, so he hadn’t noticed until just now that he didn’t feel the weight of the headset on him, and he didn’t feel it when he had his hands their either.

March of the gladiators started playing again in the background, but in a very… slow and deep manner, making the song sound more eerie. The tent was darker on the inside, he didn’t like it, he walked around a bit, trying not to freak out, he peaked around corners, this place felt… so fucking terrifying. Suddenly he heard all the sound stop, now that was very unnerving, he tried to talk, he could feel his mouth moving, but he couldn’t hear the sound, “This game is so weird…” he thought to himself

The giant tent felt even more ominous when there was no sound, he wanted to at least be comforted by the sound of feeling something slightly real, the silence was so loud, even if he knew it really wasn’t. He could only imagine his footsteps echoing in the empty halls, he looked at the doors, the hallway was a mess, some parts of the wall looked very damaged, he saw some faces on doors, crossed out, others were scratched off entirely. The lights also seeming to fade in and out from being a normal brightness and low didn’t help the feeling of something terrible looming over him.

He looked at one of the rooms, the face in it was scratched off, though he could see the bits of what remained of a red x, the tips of it anyways.

Exit ]*%]<!|+ HALLWAY, enter ##'??@&’S ROOM?

He couldn’t even read half the text, the word before hallway was highly glitched, and so was the name before the room. He slowly opened it, he breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped in and the ‘loading screen’, or at least that’s what he assumed it was, didn’t happen again.

The small relief, didn’t last long, though. He looked in the room… it looked so fucked up. Pictures on the walls, all marked in red, torn partially or scratched with what can only be assumed with claws of some sort, or a very big sharp object. The bright noticeable red of a marker of some sort having been used, and than some darker brownish red… he looked around, something sounded like… crying? He could suddenly hear again, he wasn’t sure if he preferred the silence, or the eerie music at this point.

The walls were covered in writing ‘EXIT EXIT EXIT’ everywhere and drawings of some teeth and eyes that he didn’t quite understand. Seemingly random things on we’re sprawled across the floor, one being a ball that sort of looked like the one he recognized from those Pixar intros, he gave it a gentle kick, it disappeared when he made contact.

He frowned and looked at the corner where, from what he could tell, a man wearing mostly yellow seemed to be crying. He slowly got closer to him, it’s just a game… nothing will happen, right?

“Hey, are you alright?” He tried asking, only for the clown to look back at him, the clown’s face being distorted. The player took a sudden step back, surprised by this, okay… maybe he would’ve preferred the silence.

It sounded horrible as the man’s form turned black as eyes appeared in the distorted glitched body, the only thing going through the player’s mind was the thought that he had to run, NOW.

He quickly pressed where he knew the text for leaving was, “YES— YES OF COURSE I WANT TO LEAVE!” he shouted to no one in particular as it thankfully loaded quickly and he dashed out of the room. Static was all that filled his ears and the pounding of his own heart as he could practically feel the floor shake as the distorted being, the abstraction chased him. He glanced back for just a second, to feel a seering pain, the abstraction holding him to the floor.

He could see the red of his own blood splatter on the floor, he couldn’t believe it. This. THIS? All he did was play a game! How was this even happening- what is this nightmare?!

It felt like it tore right through him and his body was screaming practically in pain, in his head everything went blank.

Suddenly, he felt the weight disappear, he quickly sat up and looked down at his body at where the giant hole in his stomach should’ve been, he was more alarmed at the fact that the pain was gone. The floor was clean, no blood, not even a mark… what the hell was that?

He stood up and looked around, “H-Hello?” No one… he couldn’t have imagined that… it’s just a dream. Right? No other explanation. He continued walking, cautiously, eventually making his way through the place, maybe if this was a game, he had lives…? Maybe that’s why it’s fine…? No, it must be a dream..

He heard the music cut, it must be changing again.. it changed to the main theme, not that he knew it, but it sounded distant.

He entered a room that had a stage at the far side of it, he slowly decided that he may as well, if it is a dream… he should just get everything over with. See what’s there.

Something slightly glitchy appeared on the stage, he was going to get ready to fun again, he recognized it as… looking similar to the one drawing of a weird set of teeth with eyes in the other room. It seemed that the thing was trying to speak. All he could make out from the distorted text and audio was the word ‘Caine’.

“…Caine?” He repeated, looking at the being, who lagged for a moment, and than pointed to itself… nodding??

“Well… ‘Caine’. Where am I?”

Caine glitched for a moment, the player covered his ears at the loud static. The player couldn’t make out much, just a few words in between the glitching. Something about a circus… something about ‘bizarre’, something else that seemed like.. ‘frenzy’? And… ‘delusion’?? Okay, this only made him more confused, even though Caine seemed to be almost on a rant about something right now.

The player jumped a sudden.. slot machine thing seemed to crash into the ground, all he could understand from ‘Caine’ was the word ‘name.’

“My name is….” He paused, his name… what the hell was his name?

Caine pulled the lever, the text “Qnuyvn” appeared, the player just gave Caine a confused look. “What’s happening?”

Some jumbled words and text could be seen, all he could make out correctly was ‘new’. He looked at Caine, “…’new’?”

“—Of course! Your—-“ static interrupted Caine, it seemed like the… dinosaur game was playing in his eyes… huh. “New name! No one———— @$####s their name in—“

“Uh… okay..” The player really didn’t like all the static and screeching and— god it was hurting his ears.

Ok the machine, than the name, “Sekret” appeared, the player was so… so confused. What the hell was this circus of horrors, better question, what the HELL is going on here?!

…THATS MY BIT OF WRITING FOR NOW TO INTRODUCE MY AU I RANDOMLY CAME UP WITH.

Y’all get no context whatsoever

#tadc oc #tadc abstraction #tadc #tadc caine #the amazing digital circus oc #tadc au #the amazing digital circus au #horror themed #the amazing digital circus #Digital Hallucinations AU #tadc Digital Hallucinations AU

[the-diabolist]

37 Hours

-part 2-

c.w: more suggestive/explicit language, very dialogue-heavy, alcohol. ~1k

As you walk into the kitchen, two kids run out, giggling. Maeve turns on her heel to follow them with nary a word of parting for you - which is fine, as far as you're concerned, because the conversation you're planning to have isn't going to be kid-friendly.

Your best friend is at the island counter, making a tray of snacks and sipping a glass of what appears to be a coke (but is probably mostly rum). You hop up onto a stool across from her and she glances up from her ants-on-a-log.

"Gwendolyn, I wanna climb your brother-in-law like a tree," you say in lieu of greeting.

"Oh honey no," she winces, "dear god. He's a mess."

"Good, I like 'em messy," you grin, waggling your eyebrows suggestively. She laughs. "Tell me what you knowww."

"Ugh, fine. As usual, your taste is terrible," she says, before taking a hearty swig of her drink. "He's 45... no, 46, I think? Whatever, mid-forties. He's a cop."

Your face scrunches up as if you'd just caught a whiff of something putrid.

"I know," Gwen continues, "but if it makes you feel any better, he's apparently quite a slacker. He's not, like, fueled by an all-consuming passion for justice or anything... not that I'm trying to sell you on this terrible idea," she reasserts.

"Hmm," you rest your chin on steepled fingers, considering. "Not necessarily a deal-breaker then. Go on."

Gwen rolls her eyes.

"Never been married, no girlfriend right now - as far as I know, anyway. Dylan says he's always been a player, never really gets serious, tends to have several girls on the hook at any given time."

"Casual works for me. And if I have to beat out a little competition to be his favorite, so be it. I like challenges. Proceed."

"He's moody, often cranky, not as emotionally mature as his age would suggest. His shit is not together in the slightest - his lifestyle basically hasn't changed since high school. And this is all coming from Dylan, I haven't spent much time around him myself."

None of the information she's spilled so far is grounds to terminate your plans for a fling, so you press on.

"And he just moved back here recently, right? I think you mentioned that a while ago."

You steal a sip from her glass while she arranges the platter of snacks in front of her. (You were right: rum.)

"Yeah. It's been a few months. He comes over every so often."

"He seems fairly decent with Maeve." You comment. Gwen shrugs.

"He's not bad. Apparently he doesn't usually like kids, but he's partial to her, I guess. Wish he'd stop smoking around her though."

You start laughing with a snort, nearly spitting out the handful of m&ms you'd just popped in your mouth.

"I uh. May have taken care of that for you," you snicker.

"No shit?" She raises her eyebrows, grinning. "Good girl. He needs someone to knock him down a couple pegs."

"I can definitely help him out with his pegging situation."

Gwen, who had just taken a swig of her drink, immediately does a spit take into the sink and starts laugh-coughing.

"Oh god, I love you," she cackles. "Listen, if you can manage that -- I'll give you fifty bucks."

"I'll do my best, trust me," you smirk. "But first I'm gonna sit on his face."

Your conversation is cut short as the glass door slides open and Maeve bounces back in, holding a folded piece of paper in one hand, which she extends to you.

"Uncle Jack said to bring you this," she says seriously, then begins to wreak havoc on some cookies. You silently meet her mother's eyes conspiratorially, then unfold the paper.

It's his portrait. You furrow your brow in confusion, wondering why he would send it back to you. You notice the corner, where you'd put your number, is torn off - then you flip it over and see he's written something on the back.

Keep this for your spank bank. - the big bad wolf

---

He watches you walk back to the house, admiring your form with even less restraint than his ravenous gaze had possessed while you were sketching. He thinks about how good you probably taste and nearly licks his lips. Finally, he looks over the drawing you'd left with him. It's a good likeness - you're clearly talented - but he does think you've exaggerated his attractiveness a bit. You must be just as smitten as you'd seemed.

They aren't jackal ears, but that would be an absurdly specific request for a child to make - and anyway, they look much the same, and it's uncanny enough as it is. His eyes travel down to the corner, where you've signed your name... and number. He smirks.

You'd left your supplies behind; he grabs a pencil, rips off the corner with your number, and scribbles something down before folding the picture into quarters and handing it off to a nearby Maeve.

As she runs off again, he lights another cigarette and leans back in his chair, visions of you flickering through his mind. The pretty arch your spine would make if he bent you over the back of the couch; the maddening way you'd moan for him, breathless and begging for more; the prefect view of your bouncing tits he'd have if you rode him.

If he walked inside right now and dragged you into the bathroom, would you let him stuff you full of his fingers? He saw how your thighs had pressed together in response to his lascivious comments - he was dying to know how wet he'd made you.

He bets you'd put up a good fight if he chased you. He bets fear looks really good on you. He bets he could get you to scream.

He's going to have a lot of fun with you.

#Rune writes fanfic #the price of flesh #tpof jack #37 Hours series

[only-shadows-dwell-where-we-are]

I posted 371 times in 2022

28 posts created (8%)

343 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@only-shadows-dwell-where-we-are

@ziptiesnfries

@hufflepuffwritingstuff2

@whump-a-la-mode

@collapse-and-comfort

I tagged 17 of my posts in 2022

#whump community - 16 posts

#whumpblr - 14 posts

#lab whump - 11 posts

#medical whump - 9 posts

#whump drabble - 9 posts

#noncon drugging - 8 posts

#needles tw - 7 posts

#whump fics - 7 posts

#operation valkyrie - 6 posts

#iv bag - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 27 characters

#human experimentation whump

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Capture - Operation Valkyrie (Part 1)

MASTERLIST

I'm back! I finally feel ready to post this, so here you go. Enjoy, and I hope I've put enough work into it so that I can really be proud of myself. Let me know what you think, feedback is greatly appreciated!

And I know that there's no lab whump in this, but this series will be full of it, I promise - I just gotta set the scene first 👀

CWs: female whumpee, kidnapping, violence, knives, guns, mild descriptions of torture, IV drip and needles, medical environment, noncon drugging/sedation

~~~

Valkyrie Lewis laughed as she strode down the sidewalk, her long, blond, partially braided hair flying out behind her. She clutched her phone closer to her ear, letting her friend’s joke echo in her mind. 

“My Gods, Cass, you’re hilarious!” she sputtered. 

“Says you!” chuckled Cass through the phone. “Val, I can hardly listen to you talk for two minutes before bursting into laughter, honestly. I can talk to you for hours. Actually, I have, tonight!”

“Oh shoot, speaking of, I better go. It’s getting late and I’ve still got a bit to go before I reach my place. Sorry.” Valkyrie told her friend.

“No worries! I’ll talk to you later. Say hi to Lacey and Jasmine for me. Buh-bye. Love you!” Cass exclaimed.

“I will. Bye, love you too!” Valkyrie smiled as she hung up the phone.

:readmore

Her friend Cass was one of the sweetest people she knew, and she and the other young woman had a tendency to get too carried away with a conversation, to the point where they whiled away hours while talking. Valkyrie thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Cass, however, it was now dark and late on the streets of the small American town that the British woman lived in. 

Valkyrie had been so absorbed in the phone conversation with her friend that she hadn’t heard the sound of a second pair of footsteps that had joined her own. As she noticed the sounds, she was suddenly hit with the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. She swallowed hard, but continued on her way, showing no change in her behaviour. She abruptly stopped on the path. The footsteps stopped a split-second later. She started walking again, only to find that the sounds of the footsteps had started up again. Her blood curdled. Valkyrie turned a corner without warning. The other person was still behind her. Now, her fears were confirmed. She was being followed.

Valkyrie picked up the pace, speeding ahead. She had to shake this person, and she had no idea how. Eventually, she came across an alleyway. She darted down the dark street, hoping that her pursuer would lose her in the darkness. She raced down the alley, only to stop short as she was faced with a brick wall. It was a dead end. She spun around, panic rising in her throat, only to come face to face with a stranger clad in a black hoodie. She couldn’t see the person's face. 

“Uh- e-e-e-xcuse me, I-” she stammered.

Her pursuer interrupted her with a deep growl. They pulled a large bat from behind them and brought it swinging down on Valkyrie’s head. The last thing she saw was the ferocious, hungry glint in the stranger’s eyes before the world went black. 

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

When Valkyrie blinked back into consciousness, she was sitting on an uncomfortable wooden chair, her arms tied behind her back with rope. Fear filled her veins as she tried to remember how she had ended up in this situation. Just as her memories began flooding back to her, a figure stepped into her vision. It was the same figure that had faced her in the alleyway.

“Who are you? Let me go!” She cried out.

“Shut up!” The kidnapper growled. “You’re not going anywhere.” The figure slowly circled the chair Valkyrie was tied to, reminding her of a predator inspecting its prey. “You, my friend, are going to stay right here and entertain me.”’

Valkyrie gasped. “No, you can’t! I- I can’t stay, please, you have to let me g-”

A heavy force slammed into Val’s face, interrupting her. As the figure pulled their hand back, she realised she had been punched. The impact left her stunned, and her left cheek stinging. Before she could react, she was punched again, this time in the stomach. She gasped, and doubled over as best as she could, being tied to a chair. 

Valkyrie groaned. “Let.. me.. Go!!”

The attacks continued, blows raining down all over her body as she sat, useless, unable to defend herself. Just when she thought she could deal with this no longer, as her vision began to blur, her tormenter drew a dagger from their pocket. The figure loomed in her face with the blade. As they twirled it closer and closer, the light glinted off the dagger in a threatening fashion. Valkyrie whimpered, despite herself. Her heart was beating out of her chest. Then, the attacker struck. The knife carved a long, deep slash down her chin, followed by a series of smaller cuts and slashes across her face. Just as they brought the knife close to her right eye, a voice could be heard.

"Stop right there!” 

Before her kidnapper could spin around, a loud bang reverberated through the room. Valkyrie closed her eyes instinctively. When she tentatively opened them a moment later, the person who had been torturing her just a minute ago was lying on the floor in a bloody heap. She glanced up to see a team of people clad in heavy black tactical gear. She was saved. They swarmed around her like flies, surrounding her. They quickly freed her from her bonds, then she was lifted onto a gurney. Medics enveloped her, strapping her down and wheeling her out the door of the dingy room. They emerged in a loading dock where a large, unmarked black van was waiting. The tactical officers swung open the back doors and slid Valkyrie, gurney and all, up into the van. The medics followed her into the van, where a plethora of medical equipment was waiting. One medic, a kind-looking woman with a long black plait and a warm smile, was busying herself setting up an IV kit. Just then, the doors slammed shut behind them.

“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?” Valkyrie murmured, dazed. 

“Don’t you worry about that, love. Now, you’re just going to feel a little pinch.” The medic assured in a sing-song voice. 

See the full post

47 notes - Posted April 14, 2022

#4

Operation Valkyrie Masterlist

We at Human Pet Providers (HPP) provide our customers with the highest quality pets for entertainment, romantic or platonic companionship, and domestic services. In order to continue to provide the highest quality, best-trained and easily punishable pets for your enjoyment, we have established the National Pet Research Organisation (NPRO). The NPRO labratory investigates the best training methods and devices for both the use of our trainers at HPP, and use in your home for the more rebellious pets.

Valkyrie Lewis' life is turned upside-down when she is kidnapped and brought to a laboratory to be experimented on.

Note: this is a BBU-adjacent style whump fic featuring lab whump as part of the main storyline.

~~~

Part 1 - Capture

Part 2 - Welcome to the Lab

Part 3 - Losing Control

Part 4 - Touch Starved

Part 5 - Vivisection

~~~

Taglist (just asked to be added/removed):

@whumppsychology @inky-whump @whumpnoire

50 notes - Posted May 7, 2022

#3

Aflame - Subject 17 (Part 6)

Masterlist here

At long last, it's here! I'm so happy to be back to posting in the new year and I'm looking forward to putting more work into my confidence in my writing skills. Enjoy!

CWs: Lab whump, human experimentation, noncon drugging, restraints, needles, medical setting, hospital equipment

~~~

After several days of recovering from the experiment alongside Bree, Flynn found himself hearing footsteps headed towards his cell door once more. Flynn tensed, his eyes darting to the hallway. Hugo walked into Flynn’s field of view, dressed in his usual white orderly-type scrubs. The young man cleared his throat before stepping up to the door, which he unlocked using the key from his pocket. Hugo then entered the cell, and gestured for Flynn to follow him. Now is my chance. I could run.. Flynn thought. But within a split second he had reminded himself how useless that would be. While Hugo was probably not nearly as strong as his superior, nor was he likely to tell Doctor Barrick of Flynn’s disobedience for Flynn to be punished, it was likely that the Doctor would find out anyway. Not to mention, maybe Hugo did not look incredibly strong, but Flynn had been imprisoned and experimented on for what had to have been at least severely weeks, if not months already, with no exercise and little food or water. There was no way he would be able to fight off anyone who tried to stop him, nor run far enough and fast enough to escape. It would be completely and utterly futile. Flynn sighed internally, and followed Hugo out of the cell. 

The walk was a silent one, and Flynn's mind was left to spiral out of control as he speculated about what Doctor Barrick had in store for him this time. By the time they reached the laboratory door, panic was quickly setting into Flynn's bones. He couldn't keep doing this any longer, he was getting too weak, and he was being pushed to a breaking point. It was only a matter of time before he came out of those very same doors in a body bag. 

He swallowed down his fear as Hugo led him inside. Inside, the lab was organised and clearly ready to be used. Hugo steered Flynn over to the metal table in the centre. Flynn swallowed thickly and lay down on the table, wincing as the bare skin on his arms and legs touched the cold surface. A moment later, the door of the lab swung open once again, and in walked Doctor Barrick, wearing his white lab coat. 

“Hello Subject 17.” He turned to Hugo. “Strap him down.”

Flynn felt his blood run cold as Hugo snapped on a pair of nitrile gloves, then grabbed the padded restraints from beside the table. He swiftly wound them around Flynn’s body, strapping him down at his calves, thighs, chest, across his shoulders and his forehead. The insides of his elbows faced the ceiling. 

“Excellent.” Doctor Barrick thanked his assistant. 

While Doctor Barrick prepared the camera and the live-streaming equipment, Hugo prepared the medical equipment, pulling out a rubber tourniquet, prep pads, a syringe and a vial filled with liquid. Flynn was certain that the colour was draining from his face upon seeing these items. He was distracted momentarily as Doctor Barrick took a step back, and announced his presence to his audience.

“Welcome back. Today I will be testing a new serum I have concocted. I’m not sure what the effect will be, as I discovered it rather by accident... But we shall find out, together.” 

The menacing smile that crept across Doctor Barrick’s face, reflected to Flynn via the computer screen, was enough to make a chill creep through Flynn’s bones. Doctor Barrick returned to the side of metal table, snapping on his own pair of gloves, and proceeded to tie the rubber tourniquet around Flynn’s upper arm, just above the inner elbow. He prodded the skin, making sure he had easy access to the vein, then took out a prep pad and wiped the cold alcohol swab over the area. Then, he unpackaged the syringe, and inserted the needle straight into the vial of liquid, drawing the plunger until he had the right amount, before he placed the vial back down. 

“I’m going to inject the serum into Subject 17’s vein now, and we will be able to observe the results.” Doctor Barrick announced. 

The scientist lined the syringe up with Flynn’s vein, then slowly and carefully pushed the needle in. Flynn held back a small whimper upon feeling the sharp pinch as it pierced his skin. He watched in growing apprehension as Doctor Barrick continued pushing the needle in further, until it reached the vein, and then his gloved fingers pushed down the plunger, releasing the serum into Flynn’s vein. Once the entire contents of the syringe had been emptied into Flynn, Doctor Barrick drew the syringe back out, removed the tourniquet, and covered the area with a small band-aid. Flynn could already feel the cold seeping into his veins and spreading through his limbs. 

Doctor Barrick turned his attention back to the camera.  “Now, we wait, and observe.”

Flynn felt that previous cold feeling slowly change, warmth now sweeping across his body. At first, it was pleasant, and a small smile of relief crept across his face. That was until he was too warm, so warm that he began to feel fire creeping through his veins. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and he could feel droplets forming under his arms. Doctor Barrick leaned into his face, examining Flynn closely from behind his glasses. Suddenly, Flynn was seeing two of Doctor Barrick.

“Hngh..” Flynn murmured, trying to reach for the double Barricks to swat at them, before realising that he was still strapped securely to the metal exam table. 

Suddenly, a blinding white light pierced his vision. He groaned, blinking to shield his eyes, but a gloved hand pried them back open one at a time, the light growing brighter each time. He could hear voices muttering around him, but he wasn’t sure what they were saying. God, couldn’t they be quiet for one second? His head was pounding, and the heat was still growing. It was now unbearable. It was burning hot, and he thought he might need to throw up, but his vision was too blurry and murky for him to see his restraints to try to undo them. Despite the heat, he shivered, twitching involuntarily against the straps which held him down. Let me go, let me go! He tried to scream, but he couldn’t hear to know if he had even spoken the words aloud. Too loud, too loud, let me go, it’s too loud let me- Another sharp prick in his arm interrupted his thoughts. Distantly, he thought it was incredibly rude of the pain to just interrupt his thought like that. But then he drowned in the darkness, and all was silent.

~~

Taglist:

@ziptiewhump @lazy8whump @blackrosesandwhump @paleassprincess @bumpthumpwhump @jancameforthewhump @jaxonjekkels @inky-whump @verydeaninside @whatiswhump @aseasonwithclara @crystalquartzwhump @onthishamsterwheel @myst-in-the-mirror @simplygrimly @wolfeyedwitch

51 notes - Posted February 2, 2022

#2

Needle Whump prompts

The quickening of Whumpee's breaths through their nose as Whumper brings out a syringe

Whumpee frantically stretches their arm towards the phone, but before they can call for help, Whumper steps down HARD on their arm. Bonus points if Whumper breaks or fractures Whumpee's hand in the process.

Oxygen masks. IVs. Tubes. Whumpee waking up to being in them and ripping out the tubes and IV, and yanking off the oxygen mask. Bonus points if the heart monitor beeps louder and faster - until Whumpee rips the electrodes off their chest, and the machine goes silent

Hero is kidnapped by Villain. Hero expects to be viciously tortured, but instead, Villain becomes Caretaker, gently treating Hero's wounds from all of their missions that had been left un-cared for.

Caretaker screaming and reaching for Whumpee. who is also screaming, too frightened to be seperated from Caretaker, but doctors are swarming Caretaker and forcing them away. Bonus points if Caretaker is so agitated by the thought of leaving Whumpee even for a minute, that they have to be sedated.

67 notes - Posted December 5, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Sedation Whump Drabble

CWs: sedation, 'for your own good' trope, medical whump, needle tw

“Whumpee, stop. I’m here to help you.” Medic held Whumpee to their chest, holding them in place.

“I’me fine, okay? Just let me go!” Whumpee yelled, yanking their fists free to thump them against Medic in a desperate attempt to free themself. “You have.. to.. please.. I have to protect them!” The last sentence came in a frightened whimper.

Whumpee was too upset to notice Medic’s frantic silent communication with Team Mate over Whumpee’s shoulder. ‘The bedside. Top drawer. Hurry.’ Medic mouthed.

Team Mate rushed to the bedside table and pulled the syringe from the top drawer. They stood behind Whumpee, waiting for Medic’s signal. Medic nodded, and Team Mate removed the cap and thrust the needle into Whumpee’s shoulder muscle. 

“NOOO!” Whumpee screamed, digging their nails into Medic’s arms as their back arched in pain.

Team mate dropped the syringe and helped Medic lower Whumpee to the ground, whose muscles twitched as they struggled to stay conscious. 

“Sh, sh, Whumpee. It’s okay. Just rest now, okay?” Medic murmured, smoothing down Whumpee’s hair. “You’re alright.”

“Please.. I-” Whumpee’s movements were too sluggish, too uncoordinated, but they tried to pull themself off the ground. “Mmph…” Their hand fell to their side, and their eyes rolled back in their head as they slipped into unconsciousness.

Team mate stared at Whumpee. “Now what?”

“Help me, let’s put them to bed.” 

Medic grunted as the two lifted Whumpee’s limp, weak body and placed it on the bed in the middle of the room. They looked so small and frail in the large plush bed, swamped in pillows. Team Mate lingered there, staring at their friend.

“Go on. You have to go do your job. They’ll be here when you get back. I’ll take care of them for you, I promise.” Medic ushered Team Mate to the door.

“Yeah, you’re.. You’re right.” Team Mate took once last glance over their shoulder at Whumpee, and then turned on their heel, leaving their injured friend behind.

Tags:

@aseasonwithclara @bumpthumpwhump @inky-whump @ziptiesnfries @jancameforthewhump @blackrosesandwhump @whumpwillow @whatiswhump @whump-a-la-mode @hurting-fictional-people @equestrianwritingsstuff @clockworkwhump @wolfeyedwitch

246 notes - Posted July 5, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

[sarcasticdolphin]

Todolf Modern Mafia au “Found”

Roger takes a vacation to Vienna. It ends .... poorly. Cut .... well most of the really bad stuff is off-screen, so to speak. But not all of it.

This is the finale of the modern mafia au.

The drawing is beautiful - a bird, blue and black. Roger can’t say he’s familiar with the blue bird-of-paradise, but the artist’s work is exquisite. Every moment he notices a new detail in the feathers.

“Sir?” 

Roger turns to see the guide. He was alone for this tour - a virtue of the hour, for one.

“I need to take this call. Our resident artist is just up the stairs, so feel free to head up without me. He doesn’t bite.”

Roger nodded, thanking the guide before starting up the stairs. All of the birds were the work of ‘R.T.’ and he for one was quite eager to meet the skilled artist.

The door was partially open, revealing a studio with a single resident. He was trying to keep his footsteps light so as not to disturb the artist at his work.

Roger wasn’t sure what it was that gave it away. Rudolf’s hair was longer, and it had a soft wave to it, but there was something about him - the way he carried his shoulders, perhaps, that made him unmistakable. 

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

The surprised and tense shifting of the man’s feet reached Rudolf a moment before the word did.

“Rudolf.”

He would be lying if he said he had ever imagined this moment, imagined anything from his old life following him here. Carefully, he put his pen down, securing it away from the sketch before turning.

“Roger.” The man before him was older, but unmistakable.

“Rudolf, you’re-” Roger didn’t finish his sentence, instead taking a step forward and reaching his hand out before thinking better and pulling it back. “I thought you were-” A little smile comes to Roger’s face and there are the beginnings of tears pricking at his eyes.

A thousand thoughts flew through Rudolf’s head. A movement at the edge of his vision is surely Michael, but however competent the man is, he is only a man. 

“You’re alive.” Roger does finally manage to finish his statement, his tone one of amazement, of joy.

“So it would seem.” Rudolf keeps his own voice even. 

“Rudolf, why-” Roger still seems to barely believe his own eyes. “Why didn’t you come back? Come home?”

Rudolf doesn't answer that one. His home is with Tod, wherever that might be, and has been for well over a decade.

“Rudolf-” Roger took a step forward. “Oh God, he took you, didn’t he? Kidnapped you. Faked your death so we wouldn’t look.”

Rudolf gives a long blink and tilts his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. Obviously.

“Rudolf, I’ll take you home, get you out of here. You don’t have to be his prisoner.”

Rudolf held up his hands, making a show of the lack of manacles. “This is my home. And who said I was his prisoner?”

“Rudolf-” Roger’s tone shifted. He was starting to understand, then. “What did he do to you?” The man before him wiped what had to have been a tear away.

But Rudolf doesn’t have time to answer before Roger is speaking again, rapidly. Apologies are falling from his lips, and Rudolf lets them. 

It continues for a few minutes, but Rudolf doesn’t begin to relax until he catches the movement in the corner of his eye once more. Michael had acquired backup. They drug and subdue Roger with relative ease, taking the man by complete surprise. Rudolf can see betrayal in his eyes for a moment before he passes out.

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

Roger’s head hurts terribly when he comes around, his vision swimming for a few moments before it comes back fully into focus. He’s in an office, though calling it that is almost an insult to the term - the room is huge, with a vast window on one side. It was evening now - the sun was dinner, and he could see a great forest beyond the window. There’s a gag in his mouth and his hands are bound.

Rudolf was looking out of the window, or at least in that direction. He was looking slightly down, not at Tod, who was standing there, facing Rudolf side-on. Tod looked no different than Roger remembered, still almost ethereal. One of his hands was on Rudolf’s shoulder blade, and while he was facing Rudolf, Roger didn’t miss the flicker of Tod’s eyes in his direction or the way the man began to shift, moving around Rudolf until he stood before the young man. Tod’s arms went more completely around Rudolf, looking so gentle but holding him close.

It was so tender that Roger wanted to look away, but he couldn’t. The last he’d seen of them had been that horrific security clip, the one where Tod’s fingers had been digging into Rudolf’s neck, his murderous intentions all too clear. But now - this was anything but that. 

Rudolf raised himself up on his toes, pressing a kiss to the corner of Tod’s lips, and Tod’s hand shifted to the middle of Rudolf’s back even as he began to lead Rudolf away, out of the office.

Tod returned alone, some minutes later. He leaned against the edge of the desk and made a gesture with his fingers. The two men who had been holding Roger the entire time hauled him much closer.

“Roger, Roger Roger. Why did it have to be you?” Tod’s voice was musical. “Rudolf is well, in case you were curious. He’s blossomed without all the stress.”

Tod pauses, regarding Roger coldly before nodding to the two men holding him. One of them pulled on something, and the gag fell from Roger’s mouth.

“He’s not yours.” The words were hoarse.

Tod laughed at that. “Oh? Do you think he’s yours, then?”

Another gesture and Roger is gagged again, the two guards at each of his sides, holding him firmly. Tod picked his way around until he was standing behind Roger, and murmured into his ear.

“He’s been mine since the day I laid eyes on him fifteen years ago.”

Roger could do the math. He’d only known Rudolf after he had started at the prosecutor’s office. And that hadn’t been fifteen years ago. Fifteen years ago, Rudolf wouldn’t have even been in law school. He’d still have been in university, and barely twenty. 

Tod had circled around once more, and he seemed to take great delight as it because clear that Roger understood. So then Rudolf- Rudolf had been the mole. Rudolf had been Tod’s all these years. Always. Tod’s smile is entirely unnerving as he pronounces Roger’s sentence - to be disposed of. The two guards are hauling him away soon enough.

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

Rudolf is already half-sleeping when the shift in the air tells him that the door to their bedroom has opened. It’s followed by the faint sound of the door shutting and then by the rustling of clothes.

The bed it dipping soon enough, Tod’s hand going to Rudolf’s hip as he slides into bed, pressing kisses to the little raven on Rudolf’s shoulder blade and then to the back of his neck before he spoons Rudolf completely, nuzzling closer.

Sleep comes for Rudolf, then. He’s safe, and home. For Tod’s arms are his home, and there is nowhere safer than in their protective grasp.

#todolf #modern mafia au #my fic #this is the last of the modern mafia au #RIP roger #the bird from the beginning is the blue bird of paradise #which is named after rudolf #the scientific name #that is

[pvremichigan]

Oh, God… Autumn stopped his car in the middle of the traffic after noticing a small clumsy dog was about to cross the street, turning his little paws back and forth. Probably, the little creature was overwhelmed by all the honking and lights, which intensified when Autumn made such an abrupt movement.

But, at least he had done something. Even the cop agreed with him and let them both go, shaking the puppy’s paw as a goodbye.

“Alright, my little friend, you gave me a good scare over there, but your owner must be petrified by now. Let’s see who you belong to.”

Autumn drove to the address on the dog’s collar plate, but he first stopped at an apple store for the sake of the tiny little creature biting on the seat belt socket like there was no tomorrow, trying to jump on it, and then hitting his head with the handbrake.

With the puppy in his arms, Autumn knocked at the door. But the answer came from behind. It was rude at first, expected, but then there was relief all over the woman’s face. Riley wagged his tail like he was about to fly from his arms like a helicopter.

“You’re a terrible owner.” Autumn began but stopped. He knew that regardless of the nature of their relationship, Mich must have been scared to death about losing her puppy. Besides judging the dog’s behavior, it might not have been her fault. In the end, she can be mean and impulsive, but she doesn’t seem the type to put her beloved in danger for fun.

“But accidents do happen. Please, don’t take it on yourself. All it matters, Riley is fine.” Autumn offered a smile and let them have their little reunion. 

“Oh, here.” He threw the apple box at her in a casual swing. “He seems a bit of a rebel. This is an airtag, so you can track him if it ever happens again.”

Hearing a knock at the door, she set down the dish she was rinsing off - after a moment of hesitation to avoid socialization - and made her way towards the door. Beaux seemed to sniff at the door with a wagging tail and nervous composure. Almost anticipating something.

Opening the door, she looked tired as ever. However, that fatigue quickly formed into confusion as she saw the boy holding up a now very excited and wiggling Riley. She looked back in the house to assure herself that he was, in fact, not there. Her confusion now stemmed from the forming question of how the fuck he managed to get out.

No joke, she saw him about 10 minutes ago.

“How the fuck did you manage that, dumbass?”

She directed the question to her pup, leaning in to look him in the eyes with a squint. It was like there was no thoughts behind his own eyes. Which she was... Entirely correct on.

“This ain’t the first time. Usually his brother watches him but I guess he managed to sneak out somehow. Thanks for returning him. Surprised you didn’t try to sell him or somethin’.”

Glancing up at Autumn with accusing eyes, it was more a ‘playful’ jab than an actual belief.

Mich reached out to take the pup from his arms. She managed to hold him for about half a second before he flailed about, causing her to drop him from his obsessive wiggling. Once he hit the floor, he ran circles around the living room with a burst of energy. The pup spun rapidly, unfortunately knocking his skull on the corner of the wall to the kitchen. Mich just looked at him with tired, disappointed eyes and sighed out. The movement of Autumn’s toss caught her attention, raising her hand up to catch what was thrown before she even got a chance to turn and look. Upon inspection, she noticed it was some tech shit.

Oh great, don’t let IJ touch this...

“I’ll see what I can do about activating this thing. He usually finds his way home. Today must’ve been a particularly stupid day for him.”

She turned to shut the door, shutting it halfway before opening it partially again for a moment.

“Thanks, though.”

“I mean it.”

“You’re not terrible.”

And thus... She shuts the door.

What ensues beyond the door is some crashing, barking, and Mich yelling. Oh Riley...

What a dumb, dumb dog.

#[[Pull the Trigger]];; ic #[[gun powder]];; Mich #MY HEART #RILEY IS SAFE #AGAIN #FOR PROBABLY TH 8TH TIME THIS WEEK

[therealityhelix]

By Talos, This Can’t be Happening pt 14

It’s Tamriel Tuesday! Time to go out on the town.

Rated PG13 for: Blood, violence, sexual situations, bad puns, and other poor life choices.

@cardwrecks @captainbaddecisions

                                                    ?~?~?~?~?

To the west, and green. To the west and green. Starlight, dyed red, a luminescence hovering in his hands. A caged lizard in a ruined cave. A field watered with blood. Layers of paint obscuring the face of a loved one.

“Challenge.” a feminine voice, everywhere at once, inside. “You bring it on yourself.”

A shadow under the great oak outside the mages guild. Lightning striking a mountaintop. The path rolled out in rays like-

“Starlight...” he mumbled.

“Hm?” Helix mumbled back, not really awake, but merely responding to his voice.

“Nothin' babe. Go back to sleep.”

“Mm.”

Sometime later, he dragged himself out of bed, realizing she'd gotten up earlier than him. There was a basin of warm water and their soap in one corner of the room, waiting for him, a plate of fruit and what looked like a medieval muffin. There was also a full change of clothes. Swag held up the new garments-black with a very decorative silvery trim. Looked like they'd fit, though the trousers might be a bit short. It wouldn't matter if he tucked the hems into his boots. But would that look good? And where had these come from? He couldn't imagine they'd just been left lying around; they looked to be very high quality, like that incredible linen that had been wiped out of history by industrialization.

It did fit well, a little padded at the shoulders, but nothing blocky, and surprisingly breathable and flexible. And yes, the hems were a bit short, but not as noticeably as he'd predicted. He ate, got his hair at least partially tamed, and went in search of Helix.

She was just outside the bedroom, heating one of her alchemical mixtures in what he could only describe as a 'contraption', an elaborate alembic setup dripping hydrosol into a potpourri of salts and ash.

She had also come by a new set of clothing, a confection of green velvet and silk patterned like the leaves of the oak outside. In fact, it was quite similar to the getup Earana had been sporting, but Helix, in his opinion, wore it so much better.

God, that color looked so good on her.

He caught her staring back, and he knew that look. He held his hands up in front of him.

“Hey, I just got these on.” he joked, and she grinned.

“I've got to keep an eye on this anyway.” she said. “Maybe later.”

“Whattaya mean 'maybe'? I see you lookin'. Where'd these come from, anyway?”

“Oh, Anthragar thought we looked a bit ragged, I reckon. He pressed these on me as soon as I went upstairs. Might be custom, or might be he worried we'd make the guild look un-posh or some such. Our other clothes are off for a proper cleaning.”

“Better not damage them. That's my favorite vest.”

“You've got seven more just like it back home.”

“What can I say? I like to be on brand. And it's the only one I have here!”

“It'll be fine. Got any plans for the day?”

Figured I'd go visit the smith. Guy in Bruma recommended her for making a set of gauntlets. Prolly oughta sell off what we got that wasn't already coins.”

Oh right. Here.” She began to remove her ring.

“Uh...you know what? Keep hold of that. Might come in handy later. And I'll see if there isn't anything going on around town, any odd jobs or whatever. I'll keep myself occupied, don't worry. And I won't end up in jail again, so don't worry about that either.”

Because he knew she would.

He left the guild and had to dodge around the back to avoid being spotted by Earana, who was stalking around the great oak like a hunting animal.

The slums of Chorrol were...actually pretty nice from his perspective, basically the opposite of what they'd be in Gotham. Small, single story timber buildings, with space between them, and not a one condemned or falling down. Bright green grass everywhere, and fresh air.

Swag didn't know how much longer he could survive without microdosing on minerals with every breath. And the water not tasting of metal, surely that wasn't how nature had meant it. Where would he get his daily cadmium?

The street, still scrupulously clean, even here, curled around another large cathedral, which he walked straight past, and back into the main thoroughfare. A large statue dominated this end of town, a woman holding a fallen soldier in her arms. Close by, a cute little Rennfaire styled sign declared 'Northern Goods and Trade', a place he definitely wanted to check out.

Inside was another lizard in a dress. An actual dress this time, not a mage robe. Perhaps it could be assumed this one was female, the dress, the smaller size, and the somewhat higher pitched-though still rough-voice might lead to that conclusion. But otherwise, it wasn't that easy to tell. He couldn't help but wonder about the evolutionary story there, unless what Helix had told him was correct, and there was no evolution here.

She introduced herself as Seed-Neeus, because that was just how Argonian names were, apparently. She was also a shrewd businesslizard, and Swags haggling over the mediocre potions didn't go at all as well as he'd planned. He did get a good price for the pearl, the bronze ring, and the green gems-tourmalines, she informed him-though he kept one back for himself. The silver just went by weight, but it was worth quite a bit, and he chatted with her about local affairs, and the rest of Cyrodiil. He was from so very far away after all.

He got the feeling she was not impressed with his attempted compliments on her weird head fin things, but he was trying. He had no way to tell how old she was; maybe she'd just heard it all before. Or maybe he just wasn't her type, which, like, yeah.

But she did mention that a fellow named Guilbert Jemane had gotten some disturbing news, and was acting more erratic and drunken than usual, that there was some kind of trouble brewing on a farmstead just outside of town, and that there had been a large flush of newcomers to the city recently, including a small group from the nearby Weynon Priory; humble monks that were usually so self sufficient that they rarely ever visited.

He headed across the street towards the Fire and Steel, passing by a man arguing loudly with a gate guard that he'd never even been to Cheydinhal, but he was thinking of going just so he could lay a beatdown on some guy who was pretending to be him.

Inside the smiths shop, his eyes were first caught by a huge, olive green woman with short, spiky hair. She had large tusks and small eyes, but she barely looked at him. That must be an orc. Huh, not too bad. She was engaged in conversation with a jovial, dark skinned woman and an elf who was sporting the most gorgeous set of crystalline green armor.

Swag was instantly smitten. Where could he get a set of that? He would look like a god.

Imagine rocking up to the mages guild in that.

“Welcome!” the smith called to him after the orc and elf, an adventuring pair, had left. “Welcome to the Fire and Steel! You're new in town too, aren't you? Well met! I'm Rasheda. Is there anything I can interest you in? At all?”

Her eyes swept up his form in approval. Swag grinned.

“Maybe, maybe. First of all, that green armor the elf fellow was wearing; was that yours?”

“The glass armor? No, I didn't make that. No one can make that. He found it in a ruin somewhere.”

“Glass?”

Rasheda laughed.

“Sounds bad, doesn't it? It's not actually made of glass, its some magical alloy the Ayleids came up with thousands of years ago. It just looks like glass. Tough as steel though, and less than half the weight! Imagine if we could someday figure it out! But for now, the only way to get any is to find it in one of the Ayleids ruins, or to get it off of someone else who did. If you do, bring it back here, I can make sure it fits you right. Remarkable stuff, it can be formed like steel too, reshaped for a better fit.”

“Only in the ruins, huh? Pretty rare then.”

“Yeah, but I see more of it than you might think. We get adventurers in pretty regularly, due to all the ruins in the Great Forest outside of town. The Ayleids were populous here, and there are quite a few mines and caves, and remnants from the Alessian Empire too. There's a lot out there to be reclaimed.”

“Any to the North of here?” Earana had said that the book she wanted was located in an Ayleid ruin.

“Yes, a few. And there's Sancre Tor as well. Huge place, three ruined towers. Most of the wall has fallen down, but I here its not uncommon for people to just disappear around there.”

“Uh...I might have seen it, yeah. Creepy place.”

“Well, that's the best I can give you when it comes to glass. Is there anything else?”

She was looking again, unabashed interest in dark eyes.

“Yeah, actually. Two things. What would you recommend for someone who's never worn armor before? And also, the smith in Bruma recommended you for a pair of custom gauntlets. Was he on the level?”

“Bruma? Wait, you mean Fjotreid? He remembers me?”

“Had nothing but praise for your work. Said you could make a pair of gauntlets so fine, they might as well be my own skin. Sure like to see that.”

“He said that?” her huge smile flashed white, even as her cheeks darkened with flattered pleasure. “What a sweetheart! And he's not wrong, either. I can do that. Let me see your hands.”

He held them out, and she flipped them over, spread the fingers out, commenting cheekily about their length and shape.

“You seem like the sort who likes to be light on your feet.” she said, lapsing away from flirtatiousness and into the more serious part of her job. “Reinforced leather jerkin, something in the Khajiti style maybe. Quiet. Flexible. Blued steel for the gauntlets; you'd want a solid strike for those. Not the mitten type, I'm assuming, more like the elven glove type, right?”

“Sounds right.”

“I have some leather already mostly put together, I could get some measurements and alter something for you right now. The gauntlets have to be bespoke though. Everybody's hands are different, and most pugilists' aren't as graceful as yours.”

She quoted him two prices, the armor quite reasonable, but the gauntlets quite a bit outside his current price range. It made sense; all the little pieces, specially treated, carefully fitted.

He agreed to have measurements taken for the armor, and the frisky attitude returned, her hands lingering longer than strictly necessary, a little bit of shared innuendo.

“You know, I have a lot of free time today. Anything I can do around the place to maybe shave a few coins off those gauntlets?” he suggested.

Rasheda grinned wide.

“Well...” she drawled.

Then she locked the door.

Swag laughed.

                                                                 ?~?~?~?~?

#sartorial sorcery #Swag!Riddler #Riddler Family #elder scrolls

[noctumbra]

intentional

summary ─ “fuck him,” you muttered. “fuck him sideways.”

pairing ─ avenger!alpha!bucky barnes x omega!reader

warnings ─ smut, +18, a/b/o dynamics, mutual pining, flirting, kissing, light choking (:d), rough sex, getting together, heat/rut sex, scenting, idiots in love

a/n ─ blame seb for that ig story picture. it made me do it. but seriously, can he choke me. anyway sfjdsjf hope you like it! leave a comment if you do! thankl youuuu <333 (italic is bucky, bold is reader) enjoy this 5.6k monstrosity. 

You and Bucky had been flirting for some time, but it was more of a friendly flirting rather than something more. He would call you cute pet names and let you play with his hair on movie nights, and you would let him cuddle or hug you whenever he needed touch. You liked spending time and having a lot of fun with him.

Sometimes you scented each other, too.

His scent was reminding you all kinds of things that you considered safety and homey, so you never said ‘no’ when he wanted to scent you. He let you scent him back most of the time and you used it on his behalf; scenting him when he felt anxious, letting him bury his nose into your neck so that he’d calm down after a brutal mission or nightmare. It worked well for both of you.

Sometimes, though, you wished something more from him. There were times where you wanted him to kiss you, to pull you flush against his muscle-clad, big and warm body and to touch you like that. You wanted to know how his arousal smelled like up-close, but you were valuing your friendship a bit too much to make a move; you were afraid that you’d lose him, and you couldn’t take the risk.

So, you kept it to yourself.

Times went by while both of you went on with your cute flirting and occasional hair-playing and cuddle/hug and scenting game. You knew you should have stopped scenting him back, you didn’t want to get in between him and his potential mate, since he’d been seeing other women sometimes. You overheard him and Sam talking about Tinder and getting dates from there. You also saw him carrying a gorgeous blonde to his room while kissing the daylight out of her.

You wanted so badly to be her, but it was just not possible. You knew it.

Sighing to yourself, you wiggled under your thick duvet, burying your body into the bed even more. It was way too late for you to be awake, but you couldn’t sleep. Your bed was comfy, warm and you put your duvet into a position that got you looking like a burrito. You were supposed to be passed out with these beautiful conditions, but your body was too hot, you felt too itchy to go to sleep. Your heat was close. You could sense it; you were in the pre-heat phase and you had about two days until it hit you.  

You growled to yourself angrily a little as you wiggled a bit more. Your head was partially under your pillow when you heard your phone ping-ing. Frowning, you stuck your hand out to grab it, seeing that you had one unread message. You opened it.

“Oh, fuck,” you moaned out accidentally when you saw what it was.

It was Bucky. He was shirtless and had his dog tags on. He was holding a cup in his big hands. All the muscles and veins were visible and bulging. He had a flirtatious look on his face. He seemed to wearing thin basketball shorts under, but they did very little to hide whatever he was… hiding there.

“Shit,” you whimpered. Your face was heating up rapidly. You felt your body was ready to burst, explode, whatever. Your heart was beating in your mouth. You could feel your pussy getting wet and even throb a little. You swallowed the spit that collected in your mouth when you heard another ping.

ah, shit, sorry, doll. i meant to send that to someone else.

Well, you thought and sighed.

“It’s not fair,” you whined and inched down on your bed, your legs spreading themselves instinctively. You bit your lip. You could finally make a move and say something suggestive, or you could just… chicken out. “Fuck him,” you muttered. “Fuck him sideways.” Your phone ping-ed again.

how is it look, though? i’m not sure about sending it rn

i think i’m chickening out

You rolled your eyes as his texts. Of course he didn’t like the picture where he looked so fucking sexy.

no, you look good, you texted him back. you look damn good, actually. idk why you’re chickening out. You saw the three dots that were inclining that he was writing and waited.

i dunno, he sent. she’s real nice, ya know. i don’t wanna fuck up

“Fuck whoever she is,” you whispered. “Fuck her if she thinks you’re fucking up when you send her a picture like this.”

why would sending a shirtless pic make you fuck up anyways?

she might think i’m a bit forward? idk honey i really care about her and i don’t want her to think i’m only talking to her bc i wanna fuck her ‘til she passes out.

“What the fuck,” you whispered again, your eyes narrowing and scent turning into its sickly sweet self by the half-dirty talk. Bucky never said anything to you like this before. You shared almost everything, but when the subject was sex Bucky was always a bit shy. Now, though, he didn’t sound shy. “I shouldn’t find this sexy.”

well, i don’t think she’ll have a problem with that, pal. esp with that pic

hell no

The three dots appeared again.

so you’re saying that she’ll know that my only purpose isn’t fucking her through her mattress?

i mean i know this isn’t a dick pic but still

You shake your head fondly. Even when he was trying to sext with a woman, he was being a gentleman. You liked that about him. He was always thinking how the other person would feel if his actions were to get misunderstood. It was cute.

you’re cute, you sent. she’ll understand.

Dots appeared but disappeared a second later. It repeated itself for a couple time before it totally vanished. You frowned but didn’t think too much about it. There really wasn’t much he could say to your last text, you thought. Maybe he finally sent the picture to the person who should have received it in the first place.

You took a deep breath as you looked at the picture again.

God, he was so handsome. He recently had a haircut, and it looked very good on him. He had faint stubble. When you first looked at the picture, you thought he had a flirtatious look, but actually he was just adorable. He was caught in mid-wink, you thought. His flesh hand was dwarfing the big navy colored mug he had in his hand. You knew that mug, you bought him that as a birthday gift, and it was a very big one. You never noticed how big his hands were before, but now that you knew, it was going to be hard to take your eyes away from them.

“Ugh,” you grunted, feeling the itchy sensation increasing. “Fuck me.” Locking your phone, you dropped it on your night stand. You were wet and horny, but you didn’t have any energy to touch yourself. So, you just hugged your pillow and closed your eyes.

──

The morning found you pouring yourself a cereal with still sleepy eyes. The sun was shining brightly, the kitchen was quiet and it seemed like you were the only living creature in the tower. You yawned as you put the cereal box down and poured some milk into your bowl. You perched yourself onto the chair by the kitchen island and dug into your cereal.

You had… vivid dreams last night. It included a pair of hands touching your naked skin, blur of colors and some moaning. You vaguely remembered that there were hushed whispers of a little dirty talk, but the details blurred as soon as you woke up.

That meant you were even achier than last night. You grunted into your cereal.

“Hey,” you heard someone murmur and jumped, it was Bucky. He looked like he just came back from a run. “Shit, sorry,” Bucky muttered. “Didn’t mean to scare you.” You shrugged as you slurped the last of your cereal. With the corner of your eyes, you saw his nostrils flare and realized he was scenting the air. “Y’alright, doll?”

“Mmhm, just achy,” you murmured and carried your bowl to the sink. Bucky stayed silent and watched you washing your bowl and rolling your shoulders a couple times. He could smell your scent; it was content but somehow… off. He also knew your heat was close. Your scent was too sweet albeit being a little off, it was like he just stepped into a bakery and got hit with freshly baked goods. It was mouthwatering. Eyes narrowing, Bucky murmured a silent ‘fuck it’ to himself, he stepped behind you.

“You seem awfully tense, honey,” Bucky muttered into your ear as he pressed his body to yours. “Couldn’t sleep well?” You tensed. You could feel the heat coming off of his body, could smell his clean sweat, cologne and his own musk; it was woody and fresh: like a bonfire in the middle of a forest. More importantly, you could feel all the muscles and ridges on his body against yours.

“Somethin’ like that,” you whispered. Bucky cooed at you softly. His arms wound themselves around your waist, pulling you in and making you rest your body against his. His scent surrounded you in a second, and you felt like you were being cocooned in your bed by your soft blankets.

“Breathe with me, love,” he murmured. “It will help you loosen up.” You swallowed and nodded. Feeling his chest moving behind you, you followed his movements. “That’s it,” he said, “You’re doing great.” You breathed in, in, and in and then let it ouuuut. You felt your shoulder relax a bit. “That’s it,” he whispered and─

His lips were right over your pulse. His stubble was rubbing the sensitive flesh of your neck. You shuddered uncontrollably. Bucky hushed you as his lips brushed against your skin. His hot breath was licking your neck, making the hair on your body rise. He nosed your glands there; taking lungful of your scent, Bucky grumbled to himself about how good you smell.

With a small grunt of his, he took a step forward and cornered you against the counter. You gasped.

“Hmm,” Bucky hummed, “You are tense, honey.” His lips found your jaw, his nose poked your temple and you shuddered again.

It felt like you were underwater but weren’t drowning; everything was peaceful quiet, and you were floating.

“Bucky,” you whispered. He hummed. “Bucky…” He kissed your neck, bit down on the flesh and sucked it a little. You felt your legs tremble when you felt your heat creeping in even closer and grabbed his arms around your waist for support. You tipped your head back, exposing your throat to him, and closed your eyes.

Placing kisses all over your neck, nibbling on your jaw, one of his hands grabbed your face to turn it towards him. “Tell me you don’t want it, and I’ll stop. I promise I’ll stop.” You didn’t say anything but leaned into his touch. “Tell me.”

“I want it,” you whispered, surpassing a shiver. Your heat was taking over your body, and Bucky needed the verbal confirmation before it consumed you.

“Honey,” he said softly. “Your heat is starting, do you want me to help you?” You gasped silently, realizing that you were feeling woozy a little and your vision was fuzzy around the edges, now.

“Yes,” you answered him. “Please, alpha?”  

Bucky’s chest rumbled lightly with approval and captured your lips with his. You moaned into his mouth. It was as soft as it looked and was caressing yours so nicely. You whimpered as you sneaked your hand into his slightly damp hair. You craned your neck to deepen the kiss, letting your tongue join the game, too. Bucky groaned.

“Fuck, love,” he whimpered. “Your skin feels so soft under my hands, your body is so warm… Mmm, I wanna eat you right up.” You wiggled in his arms.

“Please,” you whispered. Bucky bit down on your bottom lip. His other hand sneaked into your pajama bottoms, sliding right into your panties and nudging your clit gently. You gasped loudly as Bucky cursed.

“Holy shit, honey,” Bucky groaned. “You’re wetting your pajama bottoms with your slick.” You whimpered when you felt one long digit swiping the slick that gathered between the lips of your pussy. “Is it for me?” He asked, a low growl could be heard in his voice. You nodded. Bucky tugged on your hair. “Words. Use’em.”

“Yes!” You cried out. “Yes, only for you, Bucky, yes!”

“That’s more like it,” Bucky murmured and slid two of his fingers inside you. Biting your lip to stop yourself moan loudly, your hand tightened in Bucky’s hair and you bared your throat to Bucky by the throwing your head back even more, submitting him.

The way Bucky was fingering you was relentless; two of his long and thick fingers were stroking your wet walls, crooking them to graze over your sensitive spot sometimes while the heel of his hand was pressing down on your clit. You were being stimulated from almost all your open ended nerves so perfectly, you wanted to cry.

“I wish you see how you look right now, baby,” Bucky whispered. “You’re so deep into your pleasure...” You hummed and let out a gasp when he crooked his fingers again. “You take my fingers so nicely. My hand is drenched, baby, goddamn.” He nosed your bared throat, taking deep breaths, Bucky filled his lungs with your sweet heat scent. “Gotta get you to your room, love. The whole kitchen is gonna smell like your heat if we don’t.” You whined, but you weren’t lost in your head yet, so you knew he was right. You nodded. Bucky kissed your neck and suddenly, your world was upside down.

You were thrown over his shoulder like he was a caveman and you were his prey. “Bucky!” He chuckled, his metal hand slapping your ass, he stepped into the elevator and told Jarvis to go up to your floor. He carried you like that throughout the whole trip. You got to feel his back muscles all the way to your room, though, so you thought it wasn’t so bad.

Bucky dropped you on the floor gently. You were standing right in front of your room. “I can wait here,” Bucky murmured and continued when he saw your confused look. “While you are getting nest sorted out, I can wait here.”

Your heart swelled in your chest because ain’t he the most thoughtful.

“Aww, James,” you whispered. He just smiled and tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear. “Really?” He nodded. You knew he took these kinds of things serious because he was a bit old-school, but you liked that about him very much.

“Yeah,” he said. “Actually, why don’t you go ahead and sort your nest out while I get us some water and snacks?” You placed your hand on your heart.

“A man after my stomach,” you said dreamily, making him snort. “Okay.” He kissed your neck one more time and walked back to the elevator.

You had a spring on your step as you walked inside of your room and stripping the bed from unnecessary things. You pulled out your softest linens, blankets and pillows; arranging them on the bed the way you liked, you added some extra tiny pillows. It looked inviting, personal and smelled like you strongly. You smiled, pleased with your efforts. Just as you sat down on the bed in your underwear, you had kept your oversize t-shirt though, you heard a knock.

“Come in!” You called out and saw Bucky’s smiling, handsome face. He had arms full of snacks and water bottles, he also had other things which you couldn’t figure out what. You watched him as he put the things he carried into your room on your small desk.

“I, uh,” he started, suddenly looking bashful. “I thought you might want, uh,” Bucky stammered over his words and just handed you something.

It was his blanket from his bed and the sweatshirt you saw him wearing yesterday.

“I can always put them aside or bring more, whatever you want,” Bucky hurriedly added. You shook your head as you reached and took them from him. You folded the sweatshirt and put it right next to your bed where you would be reaching something to wear after you were through, and spread the blanket on your bed, rearranging your pillows. You took your t-shirt off before you turned and faced with Bucky.

You walked up to him slowly until you were standing right in front of him. You could see his nostrils flaring, pupils dilating and him scenting the air. “Kiss me, alpha?” Bucky let out a broken sound before he pulled you against his body, his flesh hand cradling your face gently, and leaned down to give you the kiss that you asked for so nicely.

It was, hands down, the most loving and gentle kiss you’ve ever had. It was nothing like the kiss you’ve shared in the kitchen. This one was chaste. Bucky’s lips were soft, and he was kissing you like a longtime lover. Moaning lightly, you tilted your head to your side and deepened the kiss a bit; pushing up on your tiptoes and winding your arms around his neck, you felt his arms wrapping themselves around your waist one more time.

You felt amazingly consumed and caged and overwhelmed, and you were fucking loving it.

Bucky pulled back slightly. “Bed,” he commanded. His voice was rough and low. His woodsy, fresh smell had taken a sharp turn and now it was more like burning wood and citrus. You loved how forest-y his scent was. You quickly climbed on the bed, and a second later Bucky joined you.

His big body caged yours under him. The body heat this man had was driving you crazy because he was so fucking warm, it made you want to wrap yourself around him like a koala and never let go.

“Bucky…” You breathed when you felt his teeth grazing over the sensitive skin of your neck, gasped when he placed a soft bite there. His light stubble was rubbing your skin raw, but you were loving it just like everything else. You felt him press his body against yours fully as he drew in a deep breath.

“God, your scent is drivin’ me fuckin’ crazy,” he murmured and kissed his way downwards. He stopped when he came across to your bra, looking up in your eyes, he silently asked for permission to take it off. You nodded. As soon as your breasts were free from their containment, Bucky latched on to one of your nipples, making you throw your head back and moan loudly.

“Fuck!” You yelped when he bit down and sucked and did… things with his tongue. He was licking and sucking, his saliva had covered your nipple and you could hear the slurping sound. It was so sexy, the pleasure was so intense; you felt like you were about to come. Whimpering, you slid your hands in his short hair, pulling and scratching his scalp. Bucky hummed. The vibrations and the graze of his teeth made you hiss, your body was trashing beneath his strong one.

Bucky pulled back with a ‘pop’, licking his lips, his fingers toyed with your other nipple. “How are you feelin’, love?” He asked. You panted lightly as you gave him thumbs up but yelped again when he pinched your nipple. “Words,” he growled. “I told you to use them.”

“’m good,” you whimpered, nipple throbbing deliciously. “’m good, I swear, ‘m fine, alpha.” Bucky hummed at the name. He always liked being called ‘alpha’ during sex before, he was never shy to tell his partners to call him that when he wanted to end his dancing night with someone, but hearing you call him that was turning him on in a whole different level.

Growling approvingly to himself, Bucky’s fingers found the hem of your panties. Before he could ask for permission, you lifted your hips to help him remove them easily. Bucky took a hold of the flimsy fabric, quickly dragging it down your beautiful legs, he threw them somewhere in the room. You were now under him with all your naked fucking glory, and Bucky’s mouth was watering at the sight of you. His gums were hurting with the desire to claim and mark you.

“You are gorgeous, baby,” Bucky murmured, fingers trailing over your soft skin and making you shiver happily. He leaned in. His light stubble rasped against your nipple as he nosed your collarbone, licking and sucking small marks there. You sighed. Your hands were buried deep in his short hair, the fluffiness of it turning into a messy state. “You feel so good against me,” he murmured again, lips brushing over the sensitive skin of your breasts. You whimpered. The ache between your legs was getting intolerable with each passing second, and you wanted him to take you already.

“Bucky…” You breathed. “Please, Bucky, alpha, I-I can’t, it h-hurts,” you babbled, hands now clawing his strong and wide shoulders. Quickly, Bucky shushed you with kisses, murmured filthy nonsense into your ear as he trailed one hand down your front. You gasped when his fingers brushed against your clit. It was already so sensitive and throbbing and aching─

“So wet,” Bucky whispered. “I’m gonna taste it later.” He brushed his fingers up and down for a couple times and pulled his hand back. “Now, we make your hurting stop, love.” You nodded. Your eyes were half-closed, you looked debauched without Bucky doing anything properly yet, and more importantly you looked drunk with only a couple kisses and touching from him.

If that ain’t the best kind of ego boost, I don’t know what is, Bucky thought to himself as he bit his lip and removed his clothes. Your sweet heat scent was filling his lungs and the room, and making him feel lightheaded. His skin was prickling with the intensity of your scent. He knew very well no matter how many times he’d shower that he would be smelling like you even days after your heat ended. Honestly, that would be a dream come true for Bucky.

His crush on you was getting stronger rather than dying down. He had tried dating with other people, hooking up or just spend his rut with at least a partner, but he just couldn’t because his body was yearning yours. His lungs were desperate for your sweet, calming scent filling them, his fingers were itching to feel your skin, and his lips were tingling to meet with yours… His whole body had been wanting you, no one else had made him feel this way before.

“God, Y/N,” Bucky breathed. His eyes were now fully black, face darkened with lust and his body heat had increased. He was about to enter his rut, he knew it. Bucky leaned forward and licked a fat line from your collarbone to all the way up to your ear, making your bonding glands throb. You gasped at the feeling.

“Fuck, Bucky!” You sighed, eyes screwed shut. Bucky hummed. His fingers moved south, were quick to find your dripping and aching core, he slipped two of his fingers in you. You moaned. His fingers were moving in and out of you rapidly, thumb pressing lightly on your clit. He could feel the poor thing throb beneath his fingertip, Bucky chuckled against your throat and nipped the skin there. You moaned one more time, but louder, your nails dug them deep into Bucky’s meaty shoulders. Bucky hissed at the slight pain, but all the pain during sex was welcomed in his book.

Bucky pulled his fingers out and pushed off of you, ignoring your little whines. “Present,” he ordered, his voice was still soft even though his commanding tone. Whimpering, you flipped onto your tummy, pressed your chest against the soft linens beneath you and lifted your ass high up on the air. Bucky groaned. “Damn, kitten,” he whispered. You shivered. He placed his hands on your ass, and then moved them up, up, up and slid one of them into your hair. “Do I need a condom?” You nodded.

“Birth control is no good for me,” you panted lightly. Bucky nodded, pressing a kiss on your cheek, he leaned sideways to grab a condom from his bedside drawer. You rubbed your face, wiggled your hips and fisted the bedding as Bucky put on the condom. As soon as he was done, he walked closer to you on his knees and immediately draped his body onto yours. You sighed at the skin-to-skin contact.

“Tell me if you want to or need me to stop because you don’t like what we’re doing, alright?” Bucky murmured. You nodded.

“I will,” you slurred slightly and earned another kiss on your cheek. You hummed happily. You felt the blunt tip of his cock against your wet folds and held your breath. With a smooth, slow thrust of his hips, Bucky slid into you. “Fuuuck,” you sighed, eyes closed and mouth open, drooling just a little bit. The ache in your core was disappeared as soon as Bucky filled you up.

“Goddamn,” Bucky gritted. Your pussy was hugging his hard as hell cock so nicely, Bucky felt like he was being wrapped with the softest blankets to ever exist. Falling onto his elbows, Bucky placed kisses on your bare shoulders. He moved his arms carefully and wrapped them around your torso. One of his hands was wrapped lightly around your neck, and you felt another flame taking over your body with the feeling.

“Move,” you whispered. “Alpha, please, move.” Bucky shushed you gently. Never stopping peppering kisses on your shoulder, neck and cheek, Bucky moved his hips slowly at first. You gasped, head thrown back on Bucky’s shoulder, you closed your eyes.

Your mind was fogged, body wrung tight with sexual frustration and the coil in your belly was burning hotter each passing second. You could feel your heat taking over your body. Bucky’s strong scent was covered with the traces of faint rut, and his scent was clogging up all your senses.

It felt magnificent.

“Alpha,” you moaned when his cock touched a spot in you, your body suddenly waking up. Bucky grunted. His rut was making him a little non-verbal, but he was okay with it. “Faster,” you whimpered. “Faster, harder, alpha, fuck!” The breath knocked out of your lungs with Bucky’s hard thrust.

Grunting and rumbling deep in his chest, Bucky started slamming into you. Your slick was now covering his inner thighs and groin, making these obscene sounds to echo in your room and your skin to stuck each other whenever Bucky’s pelvis kissed yours. You whimpered. Your body was both loosening up and tightening even more as Bucky’s thrusts became harder and deeper. Your body was melting under his, muscles were getting lax because of the rut scent and soft rumbles Bucky was occasionally letting out.

“Mmm,” Bucky hummed, nose poking your bonding glands. “You smell so good, omega,” he murmured, and you shuddered under him. Bucky chuckled darkly. His hot breath licked over your pulse. His short fangs grazed over the sensitive skin, tongue poking out to lick and suck as his pace turned into even something more feral. The sound of skin slapping skin was so loud, you were deafened by it.

You whimpered when you felt his teeth again. You had no fear of Bucky mating you, you knew him enough to know that he wouldn’t do that, but feeling him dragging his fangs up and down like that on your bonding glands was incredibly turning you on. You grabbed onto his arms when he slightly straightened up so that he could drive in you deeper.

“Shit,” you gasped. Bucky growled. His arms around your neck tightened its hold a bit, enough to make you feel every drag of oxygen. “Fuck, Bucky─” His cock was driving in and out of you at a mad pace, balls slapping against your clit and obscene sounds of your wet pussy was driving you even crazier.

With a snarl, Bucky pulled you up against him, flipping you on your back in a matter of seconds. When he slid into your once again, you felt the bulge of his knot at the base of his cock. You gasped, looking down, your mouth hung open on its own. Bucky chuckled.

“That mouth of yours is hungry, ain’t it?” He asked, a filthy smirk on his face. You tried to swallow the spit, but he didn’t let you. He stuffed three of his metal fingers into your mouth. “Suck on’em, honey,” he ordered lovingly. You moaned as you did what you were being told and felt his pace falter for a second. “Fuck.” You hummed around his fingers. His rut scent getting stronger, covering your body, your bed and leaving its mark deep into your bones, you felt like a cat under the sun.

Bucky placed his flesh hand on your pussy. His hips were moving with a rapid pace, your fluids were mixing with his. His thumb found your clit and started to play with it. You cried out. your back arching, you moaned around his fingers, your pussy tightening on his cock. Bucky gasped and grunted. His balls were hurting because of how full they were.

“Come for me,” he whispered. “Fuckin’ come for me, omega,” his harsh whispering voice commanded. You felt your eyes roll back as the pleasure and blinding orgasm took over your body. Bucky cursed as he felt your mouth watering even more around his fingers, pussy walls clamping on his cock and knot. Gasping, Bucky leaned in and pulled his fingers out your mouth so that he could kiss you. Bucky was so close, so fucking close─

“Mmm,” you hummed into his kiss. “C’me f’r me, alpha,” you murmured, placing sloppy kisses on his mouth. “C’mon, breed me, fill me up, make a mess─”

Groaning loudly, Bucky slammed forward one last time before he felt his knot popped. His balls seized so hard, Bucky let out a wounded sound. You shushed him. Placing your hands on his face, you kissed him. He sighed into the kiss as he thrusted in and out of you slowly, fucking his come deeper into you.

“Fuck, honey,” Bucky breathed out when the intense part of his orgasm washed away. You smiled, kissing him again. Bucky kissed you back soundly. “Damn, I’ve never come that hard before,” he said, chuckling.

“Good,” you said. Your scent flaring up with smugness, Bucky laughed.

“Yeah, alright, you’re possessive,” he said with a smile on his face. You felt your cheeks heat up and ducked your head. Bucky continued to smile but couldn’t stop himself from leaning down for another kiss.

After a couple minutes of lazy make-out, Bucky carefully re-arranged your positions so that he could cuddle you without crushing you. You lay like that in silence, feeling content. Your heat and his rut had diminished for the time being, giving you some time to recover. You were playing with his metal hand when the thought struck you.

“Hey,” you murmured, and Bucky hummed as an answer. “What did she say?” You asked him. He made a confused sound.

“Who? About what?”

“You sent me a picture last night and said you were chickening out because she was real nice and you don’t wanna fuck it up,” you explained, a little bit jealousy slipping into your scent. “Did you send her the picture? What did she say?” You felt him freeze momentarily, but then he let out a small chuckle.

“I sent it, yes,” he said. “She said that I look damn good and that I can’t fuck this thing up, not with that picture, and that I’m cute and she’ll understand why I sent it.”

You froze.

“It was intentional,” you murmured. Bucky hummed in approval, kissing your shoulder and tightening his arms around you. “You asshole,” you shrieked, hitting his arm. “You could have just come to me!” Bucky laughed as you hit him again.

“I’m sorry!” He said. “I actually didn’t mean to send you that picture, I swear. I hit send accidentally, but I also said ‘might as well’ afterwards, so,” he murmured, shrugging.

“God, I can’t believe this,” you grumbled. Bucky nuzzled your neck. “I couldn’t sleep last night because of that picture,” you admitted.

Bucky frowned. “Why?”

“I was horny, Bucky,” you said. Bucky let out a loud laugh.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he murmured, but you knew he wasn’t sorry at all.

“No, you’re not,” you rolled your eyes, pouting at the same time.

“No, I’m not,” he agreed, slowly moving on top of you. “I can make it up, though…” Kissing your cheek, he poked your nose with his playfully. “You said you were horny, right? How about I do something about that?” You smirked.

“I’m in heat, Barnes,” you said. “You better make it up to me.” Bucky smirked right back at you.

“Your wish is my command, m’Queen,” he said, sweeping you into a passionate kiss. 

──

tell me what you think please!!

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes imagines #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes x you #avenger!bucky barnes x reader #alpha!bucky barnes x omega!reader #alpha bucky barnes #a/b/o dynamics #intentional

[hansols-yoda-boxers]

Camp North Star - August 15th

AFAB!Reader x Hirai Momo x Minatozaki Sana x Park Jihyo

Word Count: 7166

Contents: foursome, truth or dare, fingering, dom!Momo, dom!Jihyo, sub!reader, implied switch!Sana, teasing, hair pulling, use of titles (Mommy, Mistress), use of pet names (baby), breast play, clit stimulation, tribbing, choking, slight scratching, oral (reader receiving), praise, over-stimulation, crying

You dried off your body as you sat up on the deck of the pool in the dark. Momo, Sana, and Jihyo were all climbing out from the evening swim you’d taken. You looked at your watch, knowing that Momo and Sana couldn’t stay out too late, not when Nayeon had so graciously agreed to watch their campers, but only for a bit.

Jihyo threw you each a boogie board to sit on instead of the hard concrete and you relaxed back in the warm August night. A breeze was blowing through but it only carried more hot air, though it felt perfect for drying off.

“That was fun,” Sana chimed. “We should do that more often.”

“We can only get Nayeon to babysit so many times,” Momo chuckled.

“I can only do this sparingly,” Jihyo said. “I mean I don’t think Hongseok would be that mad, but if Seungcheol caught us…”

“I don’t know,” you hummed, laying your towel over the boogie board and sitting on it. “Hongseok is getting to be a bit more of a stick in the mud in his old age.”

“You say that like you didn’t fuck him in his office,” Jihyo laughed.

“Shut up,” you giggled, throwing a stray boogie board at her which she managed to catch anyway.

“Didn’t you say something about the showers after?” Jihyo questioned.

“We didn’t do anything in the showers,” you said, sticking your tongue out at her.

“Yeah,” said Sana. “I’m the only one who gets to fuck them in the showers.” Everyone laughed at her comment.

“That explains why you came back with wet hair the other day.” Momo said.

“At least tonight we have towels,” you chuckled.

“I might have forgotten the towels,” Sana confessed with a sheepish grin, blushing while Jihyo and Momo burst into laughter.

“It’s a good thing you’re cute, Sana,” Momo giggled.

“It’s a good thing Minji was willing to bring us towels,” you chuckled.

“Well luckily everyone can dry off comfortably now,” Jihyo said. “How much later do you guys wanna stay?”

“We still have time,” Momo said. “Nayeon said she would stay until just before lights out, she’s checking the cabins tonight anyway so as long as we’re back by 10 we’re fine.”

“We could play a game,” You offered.

“Ohhhh we could play truth or dare,” Sana said excitedly.

“That ought to be interesting,” Momo chuckled.

“Why not?” you laughed. You could already tell Sana was plotting ideas. She was bound to make it sexual right out of the gate but you didn’t mind all that much. It would at least be fun. You were feeling slightly better now. Things were still far from normal between you and Wonwoo but at the very least you could hold a casual conversation again without it feeling massively awkward or like pulling teeth to get an answer. So that was something.

“So long as it doesn’t get too out of hand,” Jihyo said, chewing on her lip.

“See now you sound like Seungcheol,” Momo teased.

“I do not,” she whined. “I’m fun!”

“Fine, then truth or dare?” Momo asked.

“Truth.”

“Figures.”

Jihyo grabbed a nearby pool noodle to whack Momo. “Just ask me a question.”

“Is it true you guys have orgies in Cabin Hydrus?”

Even in the moonlight you could see Jihyo blush deeply. “I-I wouldn’t call them orgies.”

You and Sana squealed while Momo laughed.

“If you’re all having sex than it’s an orgy,” Momo said.

“Hold on, why was I not invited?” You asked.

“You’re not in the cabin,” Jihyo said.

“Yeah but we’re in the same department,” you whined.

“Okay but you’re in a boat usually,” Sana said. “They like to get wet.”

“Okay okay,” Jihyo said, trying to hush you all a bit. “Momo, truth or dare?”

“Dare because I’m not afraid.”

“Whisper a secret to me.”

“Oh my god, you are getting boring,” Momo said, crawling over to her. You couldn’t hear what she said but you saw the look of surprise that crossed Jihyo’s face as she heard the secret.

“Wait really?” Jihyo asked. Momo nodded with a slight grin.

“What was it?” Sana pouted.

“Sorry, can’t tell you,” Momo giggled. “She should have told me to tell the whole group.” Momo looked at you. “Truth or dare?”

“I’ll go with dare.”

“Take your top off.”

You felt heat rush to your skin as the others giggled. “Hold on, you just had to whisper a secret and I have to take my tits out?”

“You really should be prepared for anything,” She shrugged. “You can switch the truth, but only once.”

“Fine, I’ll do it,” you muttered, pulling down the straps on your bathing suit top. You didn’t look any of them in the eye as you took your arms out of the straps and pushed it down just enough to rest under your breasts, thankful for the warm night so the air didn’t chill you.

You would have thought by this point in the summer this wouldn’t feel so embarrassing and yet…

“Okay, Sana,” you said, very aware of how she was now staring at your chest. “Truth or dare?”

“Hmmmmm truth,” She said. 

“Ummm,” you wracked your brain for a good question. “How many times have you faked an orgasm?”

“I never fake an orgasm!” she said. “I want them to know if they do a bad job.”

Momo nudged her hard and gave her a pointed look.

“Okay, well I don’t anymore.”

You and Jihyo snorted.

“Some people just cannot figure out how to get me off, not like it’s that hard,” she muttered. “Anyway, Jihyo, truth or dare?”

“I don’t trust you at all,” Jihyo said.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Sana grinned. “And you said truth last time.”

“Fine, dare.”

“Perfect,” she smiled brightly. “I dare you to do a pole dance with an imaginary pole.”

Jihyo flushed red, visible even in the darkness, as she stood up. You tried for a moment to forget about how bare you were as you watched her in all of her embarrassment, trying to be sexy while Sana hummed music and Momo giggled. She was quick to sit back down, letting her hair partially fall in her face.

Jihyo said your name. “Truth or dare?”

“I’m going for truth this time,” you said.

“What’s your body count for this summer?”

“Oh geez,” you said, looking up at the sky. “Give me a second.” The girls all giggled as you counted out on your fingers, trying to remember everyone. “Wait is it just sex or anyone I’ve fooled around with?”

“Include anyone you fooled around with,” Said Sana.

“Then, god I think it’s 18?” You said, hoping you weren’t forgetting anyone. “That kinda blows Soonyoung out of the water.”

“Congrats,” snickered Momo. “You’re the resident whore.”

“Shut up,” you laughed, grabbing a wayward pool noodle and whacking her with it as she giggled.

“Your turn, truth or dare?”

“Hmmm dare,” she said.

You grinned. “I dare you to play with your nipples for the rest of the game.”

Sana giggled while Jihyo looked between you two, a little panicked. “See when I said not to get out of hand-”

“You say that like it’s hard,” Momo chuckled, pinching her nipples through her swimsuit top and rolling them slowly, clearly more than happy to be giving herself pleasure. “Sana, truth or dare?”

“Dare,” she said easily.

“Show us a fake orgasm.”

“You guys!” Jihyo hissed.

Sana blushed, biting down on her finger coyly. “You really wanna see it?”

“Oh shut up and do it,” you laughed, nudging her knee with your foot. Jihyo was looking over her shoulder towards the camp building, clearly worried someone would notice your increasingly risque game.

Sana, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care. She rested back on her elbows before letting out a moan, legs rubbing together and squirming as if she was actually experiencing pleasure. You watched as her mouth fell open, brows knitting together and eyes falling closed as her back arched and she let out very convincing moans that climbed higher and higher in her voice.

You couldn’t help the way it sent thrills of arousal through your body. You shifted a little, pressing your thighs together as you watched and listened to her. Out of the corner of your eye you could see Momo pinching her own nipples a little harder and Jihyo biting down on her bottom lip.

Sana drew her knees up close to her, head falling back in a beautiful, high cry as she “finished,” even managing to have her legs shaking a little and letting out heavy breaths as she opened her eyes. Whether she still did it or not in bed, she was very good at it.

“O-Okay,” Said Jihyo. “Maybe not so loud,” she glanced over her shoulder again, trying to shift her thighs inconspicuously. “B-But let’s keep playing.”

“Okay,” purred Sana. “Truth or dare?” Her voice was much more sultry and it was doing you no favours. By the looks of it you weren’t alone in that.

“Uh, dare?” Jihyo said.

Sana grinned, “I dare you to give me a hickey.” Jihyo seemed surprised at the relatively tame request but Momo was eyeing Sana.

“You are such a whore,” she snickered.

“I’ve done nothing,” Sana said innocently, batting her eyelashes as Jihyo crawled towards her. She rested back as Jihyo kissed low on her chest, pushing down the top of her swimsuit before sucking the skin between her lips.

Sana let her head fall back, letting out a moan, you hugged your knees to your chest, shifting again as more heat started to pool between your legs. She was putting on a show now, and you were sure the whole goal was to rile all of you up. It was working too. Somewhere in the back of your mind you questioned how you had become friends with so many people that liked to initiate orgies.

Jihyo pulled back, a fresh, dark bruise blossoming on Sana’s chest. Sana smiled at her cutely.

“Thank you, Mommy.”

You bit down on your lip as you watched Jihyo taking a deep breath, looking like she could just about devour Sana but restraining herself instead and sitting back on her heels.

“Momo,” Jihyo sniffed, regaining her composure. “Truth or dare?”

“I haven’t picked truth yet,” her voice still sounded even but the way she subtly  squirmed her body told you she was very much turned on.

Jihyo sighed, thinking for a moment. “Tell us about one of your favourite porn tropes.”

“See that’s a good question,” she smirked. “I really love the ones where a group of girls all gang up on one girl. Sometimes they’re cheerleaders, maybe lifeguards. The all hold down the one girl and make her cum until she can’t think of anything else and it’s the best fuck she’s ever had.”

Whether she was trying to toy with Sana or Jihyo you didn’t know but you did know that it was getting to you. Without warning your brain started swimming in images of the three of them surrounding you, all pleasuring you at once. Your fingers curled into the hem of your swimsuit as more asorual rushed through your body at the sudden but not unwelcome mental images.

What you absolutely could have done without though, was the whimper that escaped your lips.

You quickly looked around at all three of them, feeling heat licking at your skin and suddenly wishing for a cool breeze. None of them said a word about your outburst, but the looks on their faces made it clear they had all heard you.

“Sana,” Momo said. “Truth or dare?”

“Hmm, truth,” she said.

Momo nodded towards you with a smug look on her face. “If you could do anything to them right now, what would you do?”

“H-Hey!” You cried, curling in on yourself. Momo was definitely just trying to mess with you now. Jihyo, however, just bit her lip, invested in whatever Sana was going to say.

“I just want to eat them out,” she smirked, though her voice was sweet. “I only got such a little taste last time. I just want to push them back and hold their legs open and taste them. I want them dripping on my tongue. I want to know just how wet they’ve been getting watching everything.”

You knew that Sana knew she was making it worse. You did your best to hold still but something about having others around emboldened her. She was far less sweet and far more teasing. You could feel the others with their eyes on you even though your gaze was locked with Sana’s.

Heat licked at your skin as it curled down your spin. You knew you were wet at this point, though your body had long dried from the pool. But the more they talked the more your need grew, even if you were determined to hide just how much everything was affecting you.

“Does that sound good to you?” Sana asked sweetly.

“It sounds fine.” Your voice was so breathy and obviously turned on it wasn’t even funny. Sana looked so very proud of herself as Momo and Jihyo regarded you with the gazes of lionesses just waiting to pounce on their prey.

“Truth or dare?” Sana asked sweetly.

There was no good option at this point.

“Dare?”

A smirk curled Sana’s lips. “I dare you to finger yourself.”

It was a mark of how much the mood had shifted that nobody giggled. Jihyo looked mildly surprised, though more interested in if you would actually do it. Momo was unphased, only expectant.

You felt your skin burning as you looked down.

“C-Come on,” you mumbled. “You already made me half strip.”

“Well if you’re going to forfeit,” Sana said.

“That’d be no fun,” Momo added. “Sana even showed us a fake orgasm.”

“You made Momo play with her nipples,” Sana said.

“Okay,” you said. You spread your legs just the smallest bit, hyper aware of the way they were watching you. You bit down on your lip as you pushed your hand into your swimsuit bottoms. One hand came up to hold your breast, if for no other reason than to cover you a little bit. You slipped your hand down until your fingers found your clit, biting back the moan that threatened to leave your lips at the touch. Of course you were already wet and sensitive, of course it was going to be harder to keep yourself quiet now.

“Wh-Who wants to be-”

“Hold on,” Jihyo stopped you from moving the game along. Apparently she wanted in on the fun now too. “Are you fingering yourself or just touching yourself?”

“I-I”

“Oh naughty,” Sana chided. “The dare was to finger yourself.”

“I know that,” you mumbled. They were all shifting a little closer now, watching you intently. You couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes, feeling a mix of embarrassment and excitement from all the attention. Some part of you wanting even more and your mind refusing to stop playing images of them taking you all at once. Your own finger slid lower. You were still covering yourself shyly as much as you could as you pressed the finger into your heat.

No amount of lip biting or self control could stop the moan that left your lips. Each of them pressed even closer to you as you stopped moving your finger, face burning and butterflies in your stomach. Jihyo reached out to touch you, rubbing your thigh soothingly.

“Sh-Should we move on?” You asked quietly, already knowing the game was long gone from everyone’s minds.

“You’ve barely shown us anything,” Momo said. “You need to properly finger yourself.”

“You need to let us see,” Sana smirked, settling right next to you, her hand landing on your knee. Your body tensed a little but Jihyo hushed you and as you relaxed the two of them pulled your legs apart to see you properly as you slowly curled your finger inside yourself, only doing so halfheartedly and trying to make sense of your overwhelming feelings. You were embarrassed beyond belief but you also couldn’t deny that the ways they were looking at you, the light touches of Sana’s and Jihyo’s fingers, the attention, was turning you on even more. It had you clenching around your finger.

It was no secret to yourself that you wanted this to continue.

“Looks like one part of your suit didn’t quite dry,” Momo murmured. Her fingers reached out to trace the edge of your swimsuit at the apex of your thigh. You took in a sharp breath at the feeling, some part of your brain wondering if you should outright ask them for more.

“I-I It’s still wet,” you mumbled.

“Are you sure it’s still wet?” Jihyo purred, leaning in a little closer to your ear. “Are you sure it’s not freshly wet?”

“It’s- I mean-”

“It’s not very nice to lie to us,” Momo added, sounding more stern than Jihyo had.

“I think we’ll need to see for ourselves.” Sana added.

It wasn’t as if you didn’t know what she was getting at, or where this seemed to be headed. Still, you looked at Sana with wide eyes at her suggestion as Momo hooked her fingers into the waist of your swimsuit bottoms. Sana simply gave you a smirk and Momo looked up at you expectantly. You looked over at Jihyo and she brought her hand up to caress your cheek.

“Can you show us?” She asked softly, really looking to see if you wanted to continue. You nodded slowly for her and she grinned.

Momo pulled off the bottoms of your swimsuit and you let your hand fall away, pulling your finger away from your core. Jihyo shifted partially behind you, pulling off the top of your swimsuit and leaving you bare as they spread your legs again. Each of them let out a moan or whine at the sight of your body and your glistening core. You only took a quick peek at your own pussy before looking away, unable to shake the shyness nor the embarrassment and very aware that they only made you hornier.

“You look so pretty,” Sana moaned, fingers dragging through your folds and sparking pleasure inside you. Jihyo sat behind you, leaning you back against her as Momo ran her fingers over your thighs.

“Fuck, and you got me all turned on, too,” you said, breathiness finally showing in her voice.

“You two could put on a nice little show for them,” Jihyo murmured. “I think I need to help them with their fingering technique.”

Momo was almost rough as she grabbed Sana’s hair, earning a moan from Sana as she pulled her closer. You watched Momo strip off her swimsuit in the moonlight, throwing it aside. Your eyes couldn’t help but rove over her form, the way her hair cascaded down her back, the swell of her breasts, down to her waist and the curve of her hips as she seated herself, spreading her legs and pulling Sana closer.

Sana kissed her feverishly, wasting no time in sinking two fingers into Momo’s awaiting core. Momo let out a moan, knee falling to the side so you could see just what Sana was doing as she started to finger her.

“They look good, don’t they,'' Jihyo hummed, her hand wrapped around you and her fingers found your clit, teasing you lazily.

“Th-They do,” you whimpered, squirming in her grasp. You were already very turned on and the pressure she put on your small bundle of nerves was easily making you wetter and needier. Your whole body felt hot as you melted back into her, desiring nothing more than more of her touch.

Jihyo brought a hand up to your chest.

“You and Sana are turning out to be a lot of fun,” she purred. “Momo is certainly enjoying her.”

Momo let out a moan, her fingers tangled firmly in Sana’s hair as her head fell back. She pushed Sana’s head down roughly and Sana took one of Momo’s nipples into her mouth, sucking on it. Her fingers curled into Momo quickly and you could imagine, could remember how good it felt.

“And you're just too cute,” Jihyo teased. You let out a whimper as she tugged on your nipple, fingers pressing a little harder against your clit and circling just a little faster. Not fully giving you what you craved.

“You are so adorable when you get shy,” She said, making you look away from her. “Even now when I’ve got your legs open. You’re all spread out to the world and you’re still being shy for me. It’s just precious.”

Her words were only turning you on more as you squirmed, trying to rock you hips against her hand for more. The sight in front of you was incredibly arousing, and the way Jihyo moved her fingers had tension building in your body already. Even still, your core was very aware of what it was missing and you found your hands curling into the towel under you as you wondered if Jihyo would try and tell you off for fingering yourself.

“You’ve got such cute tits,” she hummed, tugging on your nipple again. “Does it feel good when I get a little rough with you?”

“Mhm,” you hummed.

“Come on,” she said, squeezing your breast roughly. “You know I have a title.”

“Y-Yes Mommy,” the words dripped from your lips just the way arousal dripped from your cunt. The word managed to turn you on even more, something about the feeling of it leaving your lips was making your head spin. You were starting to feel desperate, squirming more in her grasp as the tension in your body built slowly, but not as fast as you wanted it.

“Very good,” Jihyo hummed. “You should look at your cute little pussy, baby.” 

You whined at the pet name, somehow even in this state your brain still had the capacity for shame, though you were sure it wouldn’t take too long before that was gone too. Still, you looked down at your pussy just as she said. Even the moonlight you could see how much her touch was affecting you, already a little swollen from her teasing.

It just made you want to cum even more. Momo’s moans and curses weren’t letting up and Sana was letting out moans of her own, particularly each time Momo pulled her hair. Her ass and thighs kept shifting and rolling as they searched for some kind of friction while she fucked Momo with her fingers. 

Their sounds were filling your mind and making you clench around the utter nothing in your cunt. Even though you could get to your high eventually, it was clear Momo was getting closer to hers and you were still frustratingly far from your own, wanting Jihyo to go a little harder, a little faster, instead of taking her time.

You reached a hand between her legs. There was no way she wouldn’t notice, but maybe-

Jihyo grabbed your wrist sharply, pulling your hand away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She asked.

“I w-want to cum,” you mumbled pitifully.

“So I’m not doing a good job?” She questioned.

“N-No you-”

“You have to do it yourself? I’m not treating you well?”

“N-No th-that’s not- I-I just wanted-” You were shrinking into her, complete putty in her hands now. She was making you feel good, just not fast enough. “I-I want to cum now.”

“I see,” she said. For a moment you were afraid she would pull away and you thought it might just make you cry if she didn’t give you any more attention. But her hand came back to your clit, rubbing much more roughly as her other hand moved to play with your other nipple roughly.

“I’m so nice to you, baby,” she said. “I’ll make you cum. I’ll make sure we keep you cumming until I think you’ve had enough. Does that sound good?”

“Y-Yes Mommy,” you moaned, back arching as tension started through your body, winding you tight. Jihyo’s fingers teased your nipple roughly and her hand didn’t let up on your clit.

“You’re going to cum for me just like this,” she said. “I’m not putting anything inside of you. Your greedy little pussy will just have to wait.”

“Mhm,” your whine was high in your voice as your hips ground and rolled up against her fingers. Your eyes squeezed shut but you could hear Momo moaning out as she came on Sana’s fingers. 

“And you’ll be grateful for every orgasm we give you, tonight,” Jihyo said, warning in her tone.

“Yes Mommy,” you breathed, feeling your whole body pulling tight, every muscle tensed as she brought you right to your edge.

“Then cum for me, baby.”

You cried out as you came, legs trembling but you managed to hold them open. You hips ground in circles as she kept teasing your clit and tugging roughly on your nipples while pleasure washed over you, enveloping your senses.

“Th-Thank you, Mommy,” you already knew you had made a mistake tonight and you didn’t want to make more. Her fingers kept teasing you, though much slower. It was still enough to have you jolting and squirming and whimpering in her grasp as she looked up at Momo and Sana.

“Momo,” she called.

You opened your eyes, seeing Momo smirking at you. “Yes?”

“I’d love some time to play with Sana,” Jihyo said. “But they’re just so desperate to keep cumming.” She squeezed your thighs. “They nearly started touching themselves. Do you think you can come over here and help them?”

“Of course,” Momo grinned, releasing Sana’s hair. Jihyo moved away and you managed to sit up as Momo came over and took her place. She was gentle as she rested her legs on either side of you but you knew it wouldn’t last long with how she was with Sana. You bit down on your lip, holding in your whimpers as she dragged her nails over your skin while you watched Jihyo pull off her swimsuit, instructing Sana to do the same. Sana scrambled to follow her lead as you felt Momo’s fingers trail towards your core.

Jihyo gently sat Sana back and spread her legs. You bit down on your lip as you watched Jihyo lower herself onto Sana, starting to grind her pussy against Sana’s and holding onto her leg for support. Sana let out a cute, whiny moan, while Jihyo let out a low groan, leaning forwards to stick a finger in Sana’s mouth and murmuring something to her that you couldn’t hear.

You gasped as you felt Momo spreading your lower lips with one hand and finding you clit with the other. She looked down over your shoulder as she tapped her fingers against your clit quickly. Even though it wasn’t too rough you were already sensitive and the sensation made you squirm and whimper and grip her thighs for support.

“Oh, so sensitive,” Momo teased, rubbing your clit before tapping it again. “It was naughty of you to try and play with yourself.”

“I-I know,” you whimpered.

“Now you better be good for us, can you do that? Can you be good for Mommy and Mistress?”

“Y-Yes Mistress,” you gasped taking her cue. Your legs threatened to close but Momo wasn’t having it.

“Keep them open,” she growled. “I want to see how swollen your pretty little cunt gets when I make you cum.”

“Y-Yes M-Mistress,” You managed, your voice only getting whinier.

“Maybe I should make you cum just like this? What would you say?” She was toying with you, you knew it. But you also knew better than to be a brat at the moment.

“Th-Th- I would- I’d say thank y-you, M-Mistress,” you whimpered, your hips trying to pull away from the quick taps against your sensitive clit. Each one sending an intense jolt of pleasure through your body. But you could only back up into Momo. You had to take it, even though it was already intense and you were only just starting to build to your second orgasm.

“Good job, baby,” she hummed. “Is that what you want?”

You squirmed and whined. Was it a trick or could you actually tell her that your pussy was so frustratingly empty. That you needed something in it.

“You can tell me the truth,” she murmured.

“I-I want s-something inside me,” you moaned, letting out a squeal as her taps got a little bit rougher.

“I can do that for you, baby,” she purred. Finally her fingers relented, one hand slipping down to your core and easily pressing two fingers into you. You moaned out embarrassingly loudly as she curled his fingers into you. After so much waiting the feeling of being full of something was so welcome. Momo’s other hand came up your body and you gasped as she wrapped it around your throat.

“Why don’t you watch the show while I fuck you,” Momo said, squeezing your throat lightly as you brought your eyes up to look at Sana and Jihyo.

Sana’s head had fallen back and her chest was heaving as she gripped Jihyo’s hips. She looked as if she was just on her edge. Though her fake moans had been good, they were nothing compared to the whines and cries falling off her lips now.

Jihyo was grinding down on her hard, moans cascading off her own lips between cooing at Sana and the look of pleasure on her face. She had Sana’s leg up in the air, holding onto it for support while the other rested on Sana’s waist as she chased her high.

You moaned, clenching around Momo’s fingers as they started to fuck into you fast. There was no gentleness to it, moving quickly and nipping at your ear playfully when you let out a broken moan.

“Is this what you wanted?” She teased.

“F-Fuck,” your eyelids were heavy as your body started to tense again. Your legs were already shaking and you were clenching around her fingers as she brought you towards your second orgasm. Momo’s hand squeezed around your throat and your eyes flew open.

“What was that?” She growled.

“Y-Yes Mistress. Thank you M-Mistress,” you whined quickly, trying to save face.

“You just can’t quite behave today, can you?” Momo said. Her hand dropped from your neck as Sana started to cum, crying out and shaking underneath Jihyo who was still grinding on her hard.

Momo’s fingers were relentless, fucking into your fast and rough and making your own legs shake. She brought her other hand down to your clit and you cried out as she started to rub it roughly, only able to press back into her as the intense feeling coursed through your body and you squeezed your eyes shut.

“Poor baby, are you too sensitive for this? Did I make your poor little cunt too sensitive?” She cooed.

You nodded, unable to give her proper words in response. But you just heard Momo chuckle as you squirmed and wriggled in her grasp.

“That’s too bad, I’m not done with you yet.”

Curses and moans fell off your lips at the nearly overwhelming feeling as she played with your clit just as roughly as her fingers fucked you. Your body tensed as you got close to your edge again. You could hear Jihyo’s moans as she came, which only made you clench around Momo’s fingers more. She nipped at your neck.

“Come on, baby.” She murmured. “Cum again, cum for me.”

You cried out, unable to keep your legs open as your body released. Pleasure coursed through you and you shook from the force of your orgasm, grasping at the towel beneath you and squeezing your eyes shut as Momo brought you through your orgasm.

You were tired and twitching when she finally let up. She was gentle as she pushed your legs open again, only to start tapping her fingers against your clit again.

You couldn’t tell if it was harder than before but it didn’t matter. You were so sensitive that the feeling was verging on painful, but not quite. Even if it was a lot, it still felt good.

“Th-Th- Thank you M-M-Mistress,” you managed as Sana and Jihyo came closer.

“I hope you know I’m not done with you yet,” Momo murmured as she let you lay back on the towel. Sana and Jihyo came to sit on either side of you and you gently reached out to touch them both, finding a spot on each of their thighs as you looked up at Jihyo.

“Can you handle some more, baby?” Jihyo asked.

You nodded, your brain struggling to form words. The nod seemed good enough for her though as she threw some sort of glance at Momo. You felt her push your legs back, opening them wide as you laid on your back and you whimpered, already knowing what was coming.

“Shhh,” Jihyo hushed you as she took your hand, rubbing soothing circles into the back of it. “You’re doing so well.”

“And you look so pretty,” Sana added, lying down with you to kiss at your neck. “I still wanna taste you,” she hummed against your skin.

Your mind spun at the idea. You weren’t sure you could handle that much more, but for as overwhelming as it felt, it was also so good. You hadn’t felt this good in a while and you knew when they were done with you you would feel so utterly satisfied.

Sana kissed down to take one of your nipples into her mouth as Momo pressed three fingers into you and drew her tongue over your over-sensitive clit.

Your body jolted and tried to buck up against her as you cried out from the intensity. Momo held you down as she started fingering you quickly again, her tongue lapping over your clit and sending shockwaves through your body each time she did.

Jihyo leaned down over you. “You poor thing, I bet you’re so sensitive now.”

“Y-Yes M-Mommy,” you gasped, gazing up at her. You moaned, back arching off the ground as she took your unattended nipple between her fingers and started rolling it.

“I know, baby,” she cooed. “But you are just so much fun to play with. You sound so cute.”

“You’re so soft,” Sana murmured against you before sucking on your nipple again.

Jihyo threaded her free hand into your hair gently, tilting your head to look at her.

“If it’s too much, just tell me,” her voice was a little more serious. You knew she was checking again, making sure they weren’t pushing you too far. Despite how overwhelming the touch was starting to feel each oragsm that they brought you was better. And your sensitive body was so much faster now, already you could feel the tightening in your core, your body getting tense as your third orgasm approached.

“I-I like it, M-Mommy,” you moaned.

Jihyo smirked down at you, tugging your nipple a little more roughly. “Perfect, baby.”

You panted and moaned and took in the sounds they made. Sana’s were quiet, small sighs and whimpers against your skin, punctuated by words.

“You’re so pretty,” she hummed. “I want to taste you so bad. Everything about you is so divine.”

Her praise only had you clenching around Momo’s fingers more as they fucked into you. Momo let out moans against your core, if only to send the vibrations careening through your nearly fucked out body. She seemed to like it when you squirmed or bucked your hips, holding you still with more force.

The lewd, wet sounds of her fingers fucking you and her tongue lapping at your clit was only adding to everything you were feeling. Your fingers curled around the towel, your other hand grabbing at Sana and holding her close as your body trembled and you managed to look up at Jihyo.

“Are you going to cum for us again, baby?” She grinned.

You could only manage to nod at her, no words forming in your head. Jihyo still played with your hair sweetly.

“Good, cum for us baby.”

You let out a broken cry as you came on Momo’s fingers again. Your cunt squeezed around them tightly as she sucked at your clit. Your eyes rolled back and your back tried to arch up, stopped only by Sana pressing you down as she kept sucking at your nipple. Jihyo played with your other nipple teasing it as you rode through your orgasm until you were twitching and gasping, eyes unable to open.

Momo pulled away from you gently and you laid there, panting as Sana moved away too. Very gently, Jihyo lifted you up a little, laying you back on her but not fully sitting you up, lounging back. You felt Sana pushing your legs up and you whimpered, head lolling to one side. You knew she wanted to taste you but you didn’t know if you could take another orgasm.

Jihyo pressed a kiss under your ear as she and Momo pulled your thighs back until they were nearly flush with your chest. 

“All you have to say is stop,” she whispered to you. You felt Sana pressing kisses near your core and Momo trailing her fingers over your legs and hips, but they all gave you a moment to think. You managed to open your eyes, gazing down at Sana’s sweet, hopeful expression and feeling arousal course through you.

How were you still needy? You didn’t know. But you did love the attention they were showering you in. It was so nice, felt so good. You bit your lip, taking in the sight of how swollen your pussy was from so much stimulation.

“Just a little more,” you mumbled.

Momo pressed close to you, lips brushing against yours and pressing your thigh more firmly against you as Sana pressed her face closer, her tongue dipping into your dripping core.

“I thought so,” She murmured. “You’re still needy, aren’t you?”

Jihyo chuckled. “Poor baby can’t get enough of us.”

You whimpered and moaned at the feeling of Sana’s tongue starting to fuck into you. The fact that she was moaning as she did so only made it that much worse. The vibration rushed through your body and you trembled from them as Jihyo and Momo continued to tease you.

“You knew it was a bad idea to try and touch yourself,” Jihyo said.

“That was naughty of you,” Momo added, lips just out of reach for a kiss. “And all we did was give you pleasure.”

You cried out, fully meeting her eye as the fingers of her free hand found one of your nipples. She tugged on it roughly before rolling and pinching it between her fingers quickly. You felt yourself clenching around Sana’s tongue as she fucked it into you.

“You are so lucky,” Momo smirked.

“Y-Yes Mistress,” you gasped.

“We’ll keep being nice to you,” Jihyo murmured. “One more orgasm.”

She waited for a moment and though you whimpered at the thought you didn’t protest. The two of them chuckled as Jihyo’s hand slid down your body.

“I knew they were needy,” Momo grinned.

“Such a needy baby,” Jihyo added as her fingers reached your clit and started rubbing, fast and rough.

The sound that made it past your lips was somewhere between a moan and a scream. The feeling was so intense. Sana’s tongue curling into you, Momo’s fingers playing with your sensitive nipples, and Jihyo toying with your poor clit again. Waves of pleasure were washing through you in an overwhelming way as your body jerked and squirmed in their grasp.

Momo dropped her lips to kiss at your neck and chest while Jihyo nipped at your ear.

“This is just what you wanted, right?” She teased. “The center of attention, everyone making you cum until you can’t think straight?”

“Y-Y-Y-” Words refused to form on your tongue but Jihyo seemed to understand you.

“Exactly what you wanted,” her fingers moved even faster and you felt your eyes rolling back then squeezing shut as tears started to prick them. “To be fucked senseless.”

Your body shook as every part of you tensed. The force of your impending release was almost frightening but also so welcoming as stars started bursting behind your eyes.

“Cum for us again baby, just like you wanted. Cum for us and show us just how well we’ve ruined you.”

You nearly screamed out as you came. Momo and Jihyo held your legs open, Jihyo’s fingers and Sana’s tongue not letting up, nor did Momo as your release crashed over you, nearly knocking you out. You felt your world tilting and you head felt fuzzy as your body shook and jerked and squirmed while pleasure completely sucked you under.

A few tears slipped from your eyes and Jihyo pulled her hands away. Momo and Sana followed suit. You couldn’t open your eyes as you tried to steady your breathing, babbling out a series of “thank yous” as Jihyo turned you onto your side to cuddle into her chest.

“Good job,” she hummed, rubbing your back. “That was such a good job.”

You felt Sana and Momo’s hands on you two, touching you soothingly as your body shook.

“That was so perfect,” Sana murmured, leaving a series of kisses along your skin.

“You took everything so well for us,” Momo added.

You snuggled into Jihyo's chest more, trying to keep calm while the intensity of it pushed you towards tears. Jihyo pressed a kiss to your head, seeming to read you well.

“You can cry if you need to,” she said softly. You shook your head and she chuckled while an alarm went off. Sana looked around, finding her phone in her bag.

“Oh crap, it’s 10.”

You managed to look up as Momo looked at you worriedly. “We have to go.”

“It’s okay,” your voice was a bit rough as you managed to speak.

Momo gave your thigh a squeeze and Sana kissed your nose as they scrambled to get their things back on before they headed to their cabin. You sat up and Jihyo followed you, not letting you sit up yet.

“Hold on,” she said. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you said, trying to push the swell of emotions down.

Jihyo held your jaw gently, looking at you a little more intently. You felt everything rushing back up to the surface and your face scrunched up as you started to cry.

“I-I’m sorry,” you blubbered as she pulled you against her chest.

“It’s alright,” she soothed, rubbing your back. “That was intense. Just let it all out. You can come stay the night with me if you want.”

“Yes, please,” you sniffled, clinging to her and nuzzling your head into her neck.

#camp north star au #cns au #omg #the unhealthy things i do to finish shit for yall #i should eat #literally a meal #just like one actual meal jfc askjdhaskhjd #twice imagines #twice smut #momo imagines #hirai momo imagines #momo smut #hirai momo smut #sana imagines #sana smut #minatozaki sana imagines #minatozaki sana smut #jihyo imagines #jihyo smut #park jihyo imagines #park jihyo smut

[whirlybirbs]

               (   another gif by @unearthlydust​ from this beautiful set !   )

✪   —   VACANT MIRRORS  ;  B.B.  |  3/?

summary: you find out about bucky’s past, he finds out about yours. 

pairing: bucky barnes / f!reader

tags: set before & during tfatws, friends to lovers, therapy positive, trauma healing techniques, ptsd mentions, the normalization of anxiety disorders, and a good ol’ slow burn

word count: 6.4k, va va voom

a/n: oh look out here comes the plot, charactization, and growth between to pals who are maybe starting to feel a little something begin to take shape. but ignore that, there’s danger afoot. no spoilers for tfatws here!

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“You know I have to ask these questions. It’s part of the check-in.”

“Yeah,” you fire back, flat enough to warrant Dr. Hart’s scowl to grow. You can’t see it over the phone, but you know the way her words whip around you means she’s upset, “I know.”

“If you’re not following the action plan set out by the judge,” she begins, leaning forward as her tone drops into a scalding hot sort of seriousness on the other end, “You will go to prison. You know this. So, do you want to spend ten years of your life behind bars? Are you trying to get yourself locked up? Come on.”

You can’t look up from your computer’s screen. Or maybe you can, but right now, there’s a dangerous mixture of anger and guilt and frustration boiling under your skin.

“I’m trying.”

“Trying isn’t good enough for the GRC,” Dr. Hart snaps, “You know this. They’re giving you a chance — they know you’re talented. You have the ability here to go straight, to earn a living, to finally make up for those years of blackhat work.”

“Everything I did,” you fire back, ripping your eyes up to meet Dr. Hart’s, “Was for others. I didn’t get a fucking penny.”

“You’re not Robin Hood,” she shakes her head as her tone softens, “We all make mistakes. But, everything has a consequence. You know this. And this conversation isn’t even considering the other charges.”

“You know the extortion case would never hold up in court.”

Dr. Hart sighs raggedly. “And I don’t intend on ever seeing it play out in court, because you’re going to follow the conditions of your pardon.”

“The GRC is a bunch of fascists—”

“Enough,” she snaps, “If you want to go and appeal your case with the judge, be my guest, but I can almost guarantee you’ll be perp-walked out of that Federal courtroom in cuffs.”

She’s right.

Dr. Hart is right.

Your knee is bouncing, up and down and up and down. You’re wound up around yourself, arms crossed tight, brows knotted. With a shaky exhale, you just nod. You breathe, and you remind yourself that she’s right. She’s right, she’s right, she’s right. It’s not worth it. Dipping yourself back into that world, the layer of the web beneath the surface, isn’t worth it.

The GRC is your way out.

Just be a good little girl and do as you're told.

“So, I’m going to ask you again,” Dr. Hart begins, pen clicking alive on the other end of the phone call, “...Have you engaged in any illegal activities online in the last seven days?”

                                                       ◦   ◦   ◦   ◦   

Inessa Sidrova’s photo stares up at him from its place on the speckled marble counter, stacked neatly next to his notebook where her name is scrawled in chicken scratch — between two other names: Zemo and Henrikson.

His laptop, technically on loan from the FBI, sits beside both.

(When Barnes had agreed in that closed doors meeting to the conditions of his pardon, a certain FBI agent by the name of Jimmy Woo had been rather insistent that Barnes needed a personal computer in order to carry out his portion of the conditions insofar as tracking down the remaining HYDRA pawns in the States. Woo had also insisted, to the agreement of Dr. Raynor, that a personal computer would help better acclimate Barnes to the new world he’d been dropped into.

Woo was even nice enough to take an hour of his own time to show Bucky enough to get started — but was whisked away for some investigation out in New Jersey.)

Bucky rubs the cold vibranium of his left palm into his eye, then exhales long and slow.

He’s done all he can. And still, no leads on the woman.

Rounding the kitchen island, he digs his cell from his pocket. He goes back to staring at that text — the one he’d laughed out loud at the moment it lit up his phone — and he can feel that ol’ bite of anxiousness creep into his arms. His fingertips tingle.

On the television, a laugh track plays over a clip of The Three Stooges. Blue eyes flick upward, and he partially wishes a ladder would put him out of his own self-induced misery.

Outside, the antics of a Saturday night in Brooklyn roll on.

In the last few days he’s parsed through his thoughts enough to realize it’s not telling you that scares him — no, it’s telling you the truth. The whole truth. All of it. After all, the good comes with a lot of bad; the sort of bad you chain in a chest and sink in the ocean. And Bucky finds that, even still, the good is questionable at best. The good is… small. Microscopic. Completely and totally tainted by the fuckin’ decades of brainwashed, war dog bullshit.

He groans and drops his head back against the wall.

He tries, for the next twenty minutes, to formulate some sort of reply to your text message. But, half the battle is figuring out what to say, and the other half is actually typing it out. This whole flip phone purchase was really starting to sting like regret — and as much as Bucky loved technology back before the war, and all the magical possibilities it held, he can’t help but feel like an ornery old man now.

It’s the change. Steve was right. Too much change.

He can’t find the space button and he can’t figure out how to delete the random 3 he’d accidentally punched in — so, with a grumpy huff of disapproval, Bucky simply dials your number.

You pick up on the third ring.

“Don’t you know it’s Saturday?” your voice is a welcomed sound, “The History Channel is running a bunch of old war documentaries you might enjoy, grandpa.”

Bucky snorts, fiddling with the hem of his hoodie. “What makes you think I’d wanna watch that shit?”

“Everyone knows that old men like two things,” your voice is light, half-distracted from the sounds of it, “World War Two, or grilling. And honestly, you don’t strike me as the grilling type.”

“I like a good burger.”

“Yeah?” you snort, and Bucky can hear you shift your phone from one ear to the other, “Is that why you called? To hint at being hungry?”

“No,” he exhales, looking out the window, “No, I was trying to reply to your text but I can’t find the fuckin’ space button. Calling is easier.”

“Oh my god—”

“Shut up,” he barks with a laugh, sitting up, “Don’t even start — are you hungry?”

“Almost always, why?”

“Got any plans tonight?”

“... You do know who you’re asking, right?”

Bucky grins, a little boyish and a little tired. “Good point. Loser.”

“Oh, shut up. You’re the one calling me to hangout,” you snort, leaning to prop your feet up on your desk and lean back. Your chair wheels backwards, far enough for you to get a good look down the street. It’s a nice night, cool enough, and it seems like the whole borough is awake, “But, I’m only hanging out if you tell me what the fuck is up with court mandated therapy. I can’t wait another three days.”

Your anxiety has been pricked the last few days over it.

“... Do I get to pick the place?”

You roll your eyes. “Fine.”

“Great,” he exhales tightly, “I hope you’re in the mood for sushi.”

                                                       ◦   ◦   ◦   ◦   

Izzy’s is busy, but there’s privacy in the bustle.

Bucky had buzzed your apartment’s ringer and you’d flown down the stairs, looking… alive. The sort of alive that was new — like a fresh bud beginning to bloom in spring. It had made him grin, and he’d watched you push a tress of hair behind your ear as you decided it was warm enough for no jacket tonight. The light of the crosswalk sign lit you up like a star.

He was sweating.

Dr. Raynor was right — that was it, of course it was — that it was getting too warm for his usual outfit. So, he’d settled on the next best thing: a sweatshirt that was big enough and black enough that he could bury himself in it. His hands are tucked neatly into the pockets.

No gloves tonight.

He feels naked.

He shoulders the door and holds it open with the toe of his boot as you duck towards the back of the restaurant. There’s a booth in the back by a large bamboo plant — you weave through the place with a new found confidence. There’s anxiousness in your shoulders but it melts when you look back at Bucky. Like a watchful guard dog, he nods.

You settle into the booth, toss your jacket in the corner, and smirk.

“I get out sometimes,” Bucky remarks before you can even say anything. He shifts in the booth and reaches up to scratch his cheek with his right hand, “Not often, but I do.”

“I didn’t say anything...”

“You were going to,” he nearly smirks back, his brows raised as he adjusts the chopsticks on the table, “I know that look.”

You snort, nudging his boot under the table. That works a huffed little laugh out the man across from you. Almost immediately you can sense anxiousness rolling off him — it’s the tightness in his mouth that gives him away, the way he’s fussing with the soy sauce dish and trying to get it to line up perfectly with the marbling on the table. Worry flashes in your eyes.

“Bucky.”

He raises his head.

“You alright?” you ask quietly.

“You have to promise not to flip out.”

Your brows knot tightly — but before you can even question what the fuck he means, he’s casually dropping his other hand onto the table.

And you almost don’t notice at first. Your brain fills the gaps in, figuring it’s his glove. But, then you blink and his hand catches the light and you realize it’s not leather. It’s glittering obsidian, garnished with gold, and it’s moving. Flexing. Seams bending and warping and there’s a gentle hum coming from the appendages and you squint because he’s tapping his fingers on the table and there’s a metallic tik-tik-tik that meets your ears.

Then, your eyes jump to his face.

He looks pained.

You’re confused.

And then you’re not.

“You’re —”

You slap a hand over your own mouth. You have to promise not to flip out. Your eyes are eighty miles wide and your jaw is falling open and you’re leaning forward, whispering in a rushed tone because what the fuck.

“You’re that Bucky?!”

Oh, you feel stupid.

The hostess appears, suddenly. You snap backwards in the booth, Bucky tucks his hand away, and you both muster forced smiles to the waitress. She’s young. Pretty. Her name-tag says Sarah.

She asks about drinks.

Bucky gets a beer.

Slowly, you knock your knuckles against the table and drop your head into your hand. The look on your face is exhausted. “Do you guys have Mai Tais?”

The answer is yes. And you’re glad. Because you’re going to fucking need it.

The two of you are quiet until the drinks come — avoiding one anothers gazes for completely different reasons. Bucky is sheepish, a bit mortified, like he always is when people recognize him. It’s why he shaved his fuckin’ head. It worked well enough but… the arm was usually a dead giveaway.

Meanwhile, you’re wondering if you could shave your own head and disappear. Because there’s no easy way to explain the weird elation swirling in your chest right now.

Bucky’s first to speak. His beer is in his good hand. He inhales quickly, eyes darting to you as he leans forward and whispers incredulously. He speaks quickly and his words are pointed with an edge of curiosity.

“...What do you mean ‘that Bucky’?”

“Y’know, I knew there was a reason you acted like you needed a senior citizen discount. And you know exactly what I mean,” you rush out all while waving your Mai Tai and jabbing the side with the umbrella towards him, “Listen, this is a lot to take in, Mr. Avenger.”

“I am not an Avenger—”

“You helped reverse the Snap. You’re the Winter Soldier. That makes you an Avenger—”

Bucky’s shaking his head, eye screwed shut tightly because the sudden equation to his past self being considered a hero is like being socked in the mouth. He stutters over his words and shakes his head more vigorously, like he’s trying not to hear what you’re saying.

“I am not the Winter Soldier. Not anymore. And it’s not like I’m not on the fuckin’ roster, doll—”

You hold a finger up, stopping him there, and take a long sip of your sunset colored drink. You swallow. You exhale. Bucky swigs his beer.

“One, don’t call me doll,” you say curtly, then raise a second finger. You lean in and squint, “Two… Christ, the haircut really makes a big difference, doesn’t it?”

“That’s what everyone keeps saying,” he sighs raggedly, dismissing your scrutiny.

You puff your cheeks out and exhale. Leaning back in the booth, you try not to feel so fucking insane.

“...I can never have you over now.”

Bucky’s brows narrow quickly and his eyes snap to yours. “What?”

“I can’t have you over,” you explain slower with your eyes rooted to the soy sauce in the corner, “Because I don’t think I could ever handle you seeing my signed and framed Captain America poster from his USO tour in 1943.”

Bucky’s face is deadpan. “You’re kidding.”

“I really wish I was,” you gripe, “It’s an original.”

“...You’re a Cap girl,” he says suddenly, leaning back with this look in his eye. It’s less of a question. You can’t pin it down. It looks like he's damn near traumatized.

Bucky thinks — honestly — that this is the cherry on top. Every girl back then was a Cap girl, too. It figures, now, in this new century where he’s making new friends that… as per usual, Steve gets the cake. That fuckin’ pint sized bastard.

He’ll have to tell him about this.

You yank your eyes up to Bucky’s face. His mortification is shifting to surprise to amusement. You’re fast to sit up, mouth opening to fire a retort — but Bucky’s suddenly really enjoying the look of pure horror on your face at the insinuation. He’s smirking. Plain as day. He swigs his beer.

“No, no—” you raise a finger, “No, stop it. Don’t make it fuckin’ weird, Bucky, it’s not like I have his name tattoo’d on my ass. And I knew a girl in college who did.”

His brows rise sharply and you’re finding you’re regretting everything that’s coming out of your mouth.

“Stop looking at me like that,” you guffaw, gesturing for him to show you his hand again, “I wanna see.”

Bucky sighs and plucks his hand from his hoodie pocket.

With a sort of tenderness Bucky wasn’t prepared to handle, you take his metallic hand into your own. There’s an immediate twinge — one that’s procured by flashes of violence from years of being a walking weapon. He breathes, and he reminds himself that this arm is not the same that tethered him to HYDRA all those years ago.

This arm is his, it is not him.

The sensation is different. He isn’t used to anyone touching him like this; he’s used to the feeling of flesh on the other end of a punch, or a throat caught in his palm. Not the gentle pass of your fingers, delicate and purposeful, over his knuckles.

You turn over his hand, eyes alight with curiosity — and Bucky, desperate to stamp out the hotness growing in his gut, moves quickly to flick your nose.

“Ow—”

“Don’t stare,” he says coyly, “It’s rude.”

The waitress is back. His hand is tucked away, and you wrestle the stupid expression off your face long enough to order a plate of assorted maki rolls and some fried tofu. Bucky orders what seems like his usual — shrimp tempura and spicy tuna rolls.

The waitress, Sarah, disappears with a smile.

You’re grinning.

“So… Does this make me the sidekick?” you whisper playfully.

“Shut up,” Bucky laughs, his lips almost darting into a smile.

You cock your head, pushing your chopsticks across the table with a horribly coy look on your face. It’s comical. “...I think this makes me the sidekick.”

“It — stop it — it does not make you the sidekick,” Bucky says slowly as he sips his beer and pins you in the booth across from him, “I’m not a hero. You’d have better luck asking Cap on that one.”

You grow silent. There’s a question hanging on your tongue. You’re wrestling with yourself — Bucky can see that much. He frowns.

“Spit it out, Goose.”

You blink. “Was that a Top Gun reference?”

“You wanted to be the sidekick.”

You wave it off, blinking into your Mai Tai. Your voice is quiet. Even as you speak, there’s a hesitancy akin to walking on eggshells. “What happened to Cap? Is he… alive? He’s gone off the grid. It’s, like, this massive conspiracy theory online.”

“He’s upstate.”

You blink.

“That’s ominous.”

Bucky shrugs. “Someday I’ll take you. It’s… nice.”

You go quiet. You freeze, drink halfway to your mouth. Bucky can’t help but smirk at that. His laugh is more of a scoff than anything.

“Relax, Miss America.”

“Shut up — do you mean that?”

“What, that I think you’re in love with Captain America?”

“No, you bastard, that you’ll take me. To meet him.”

Bucky’s words are easy. They roll off his tongue without a second thought. He feels… okay. Like this part is okay. Not as bad as he thought it could be. His anxiousness isn’t as heavy now. He feels like he isn’t losing you. But then again, he hasn’t gotten to the bad part yet.

“He’s my best friend,” Bucky explains plainly, “And so are you.”

The admission is warm. As easy as breathing. Two months in the making.

“Your only friend,” you say quietly, offering the joke as a cover for the softening tone that dances over your words. It’s affection, you realize, as you mimic his shrug, “But, go on.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” Bucky chirps, “But, yea, I mean it. He’d like you.”

You raise your chin, wiggling a bit in the booth. It’s pride — and as much as Bucky likes the look of it, he can’t handle the ridiculousness that comes along with it. But, it’s sort of comforting. He knows this playfulness, this easiness, it’s all because he’s him. You trust him. In.a way, it strikes Bucky with guilt. There are wall of his still built up high. Maybe they’re slowly coming down, but… he’s like a stray dog, slow to trust.

“Safe to say,” you breathe, “I have a few questions.”

“I figured as much.”

You sip your drink and swallow. You raise a hand. “But — I wanna know the boundaries. I don’t want to… I don’t want to pry about shit I have no business knowing, alright? It’s your life and even if we are friends, I don’t need to know everything.”

The relief is almost immediate. He thumbs the label of his beer.

“Ask anything. But I can’t promise I’ll be able to give you the answers.”

“And I’ll leave it at that,” you say sternly, propping your elbow up on the table and offering your pinky finger, “Until you want to talk about it. Promise.”

He crooks his pinky in yours, squeezing gently. You smile.

Sarah comes back with the food, and then Bucky offers his usual half-exhausted, half-amused smirk.

“You get three questions now. Then, we shut up and eat.”

You fold your hands neatly over themselves, eyeing your food as you try your best to sort out what questions come up with the most urgency. There’s… a lot. I mean, everyone knew about the Avengers — and everyone had their opinions. The Sokovia Accords, Lagos, the Blip… and SHIELD. Years of bullshit culminating around those who were considered the heroes. The kickback usually ended up on everyday citizens like you. After the initial amazement, the reality of it all set in.

But, to Bucky’s point, he wasn’t really an Avenger.

Nowadays, there really wasn’t a team at all. No up-state compound, no leader, no Stark and no Rogers.

You’re sure the GRC will try — that the military will try. Morale and hope and blah, blah, blah.

You narrow your eyes. “How old are you?”

It’s quick. “One hundred and six.”

“How’d they keep you alive that long?”

There’s a wince that flashes across his face like he’s been stabbed with a white hot poker in the ribs. You see a twitch of irritation bubble across his lips. Not with you. No, it’s that this question is still hard for him to answer. Bucky exhales sharply.

“Next question.”

You feel a pang of guilt flare in your chest. You move along.

“Who kept you alive that long?”

“The Russians. HYDRA, if you wanna get specific.”

You exhale and settle on the fact you now have more questions than answers. But, you nod and snatch up your chopsticks. Enough of the twenty questions game.

In all honesty, it’s not like Bucky’s existence was common knowledge. The Winter Soldier was known mostly, sure, to those who had floated in the same circles as him when he was nothing but a rabid cur on a choke chain. He can’t help but be a bit thankful for the minor erasure of his new self — sure, in the eyes of the U.S. government he was a high-level threat to be reintegrated as soon as possible and surveyed at all times. But, to the average New Yorker, he was just another person. Everyone was so used to seeing the heroes in their costumes with their bigger than life personas and…

Bucky was just Bucky.

Even he didn’t really know who that was. He was starting to.

His pardon had come with some flak from some of the more political news outlets but… somehow, the details of the Winter Soldier’s exact crimes were being kept silent. Probably to avoid panic. And, even then, the connection between the newly alive James Buchanan Barnes and The Winter Soldier hadn’t been made yet in the public eye. He was glad.

The haircut definitely helped.

It’s like he was a walking classified redaction.

Bucky has a sushi roll in his mouth when he finally speaks. “For such a Captain American fan, I’m surprised you didn’t recognize me.”

“Oh, you’re really not gonna let that go, huh?” you say as you chew, covering your mouth. You swallow and waggle your chopsticks at him, “Listen, it’s been a while since I’ve… y’know, had my Avengers phase. That was years ago. It was at its peak when I worked for SHIELD. And besides, you’re kinda new to the whole superhero scene.”

Bucky frowns. “You worked for SHIELD...?”

“For a year,” you say tightly, “Back before the collapse.”

“Only a year?”

“It was for my graduate program,” you wave it off, “I won out on the most competitive internship NYU had to offer. I was working within their cybersecurity division. I will say I spent more time trying to sort of email phishing scams than anything else, though. I’m sure they saw my record and wanted to keep me away from the juicy stuff.”

Bucky squints.

You offer a sheepish shrug.

“I got into trouble when I was younger,” you sip your drink and sigh, “I always liked computers. I used to spend all my time on forum sites just… reading and talking to people and figuring out how these sites actually worked, so learning how to write my own code was just the next step. When I was fifteen, I learned how to tap phones. At sixteen, I was hijacking my neighbor’s internet conenctions and remotely controlling his laptop.”

“Sounds like a good time.”

“Yea, well, he was a sitting Senator who was having an affair with the nanny,” you mutter, “And I was stupid enough to try and blackmail him for cash. I wish I could say I learned my lesson.”

Bucky exhales long and hard at that, like he knows where that snap of misguided judgement goes. It’s not like he’s passing judgement onto you, but… like he knows the feeling. And you manage to not feel so small, then — telling him this is easy. It’s not your favorite part of your life by any means, but Bucky is listening. Really listening.

He fiddles with the paper wrapper of the chopsticks.

“So, less a Goose and more a Kevin Poulsen type, huh?”

You snort. “For an old man, I’m surprised you know who that is. But, I wasn’t hacking into the Pentagon at seventeen. I was too busy doing community service.”

“HYDRA had their eyes on him in the 90s,” Bucky mumbles through a bite of spicy tuna, the memory popping into his mind and flying out before he can stop it, “I remember… I thought his username was stupid.”

“Oh, you didn’t like Dark Dante?”

“Like I said,” Bucky chortles, “Stupid.”

“You wouldn’t have liked mine, then,” you smirk lightly, “It’s worse.”

Bucky raises his brows, somehow doubting that entirely. “Really?”

“...I was hackrabb1t for a long time. Y’know, with a ‘one’ for the ‘i’,” you cringe, “People kept thinking I was a furry.”

There’s a pause. Bucky’s face is set in an unreadable emotion. It’s confusion mixed with amusement mixed with… something else. When he speaks, he clears his throat and tilts his head.

“It’s clever. But,” a pause, “What is a furry? I’ve been seeing that word all over PlentyOfFish.”

Your jaw flies open. You raise your hands as your head reels around. Bucky has a look on his face like he knows, he knows he shouldn’t have asked and he definitely shouldn’t have given you enough context to know where he’s seen that phrase before, because now you’re looking at him like he has seventeen heads and they’re all on fire.

“Y’know what, nevermind—”

“—Oh, no, no, there’s way too much to unpack here,” you lean forward, “You’re on PlentyOfFish?”

“ChristianMingle wasn’t really my speed — stop laughing.”

“Shut up — stop it, stop — this is too much,” you say with a high voice, “If you get catfished, I’m not helping you track the person down…”

“—What the hell is a catfish?” he nearly cries, raising both hands in a desperate shrug, “I don’t even know what any of these words mean.”

“Oh, you sweet, naive, innocent, man—”

“No, no, no, no,” he chirps, raising a finger with a deadly look of seriousness on his face, “No, I am not naive or sweet or any of the above. I’ll take ‘cute’, sure, but none a’ those.”

“Is that what the furries call you on PlentyOfFish? Cute?”

He drops his head back against the booth and stares at the ceiling.

“Our friendship was a mistake, rabbit.”

You choke out a laugh. “Shut up, you walking claw machine.”

You’re both laughing now — quieter but sustained and everytime you think you’ve calmed down enough to sip your Mai Tai, you just have to look at the distraught, scruffy man across from you to break into another fit of muffled laughter. Finally, after what feels like forever, you both manage to calm down enough to finish the plates in front of you.

There’s a warmth that’s settled in Bucky’s chest — it’s eaten away at the usual jitter in his legs, the anxious twitch of his fingers. It’s a different emotion. Acceptance, maybe. Comfort. Affection.  

Then, while you’re piling the last bit of sushi rice into your mouth when your phone, set on the side of the table, begins to go off. It hums erratically, dancing in a circle, and all you do is stare at the name flashing across the screen. You’re smiling, hugging her. It’s from Jaimie’s wedding — out in some big, wide open orchard with the sun setting behind you. The picture there is old; you were both different people then.

Before… everything.

MOM Morristown, NJ

You scowl and stare.

Bucky blinks.

“You gonna get that?”

Quickly, you snap out of it. You reach and silence the buzzing with two quick taps. Quietly, you offer up a somber sigh.

“I never do.”

Bucky frowns again, this time with a worried look that digs deep into his eyebrows. You ignore it on purpose, pushing your plate away and leaning back in the booth. He knows what you’re doing — you’re avoiding his gaze, and therefore his own questions.

“Rabbit.”

“Oh, is that my new nickname, then?”

“It fits,” he chirps before crossing his arms, strategically hiding his metallic hand, “What’s up?”

You grow quiet — then it spills out.

“I can’t talk to her.”

“Why?”

You chew your lip. You bite your tongue and you hold back on the finer points of your anger — ones dredged up by the still present sting of your check-in with Dr. Hart this afternoon.

Here it comes.

“As a part of my pardon, I was ordered no-contact with my family,” you exhale, controlling the level of your voice, reciting the court papers you’d read over and over and over, “It was deemed that further contact would impact my progress towards reformed behavior and judgment.”

Bucky’s eyes are wide. His jaw is tight.

“What the fuck do you mean ‘pardon’?”

It’s your turn to cross your arms now, to ignore the sting of his look. It’s the kind that screams disappointment more than anything. You hate that you’re getting it from Bucky of all people.

“Like I said, I didn’t learn my lesson when I was a kid,” you shirk, “Last year I was arrested on a number of counts — I’d been evading the FBI, CIA, all of them, for years. I was doing it all for people like me. The ones who got left behind.”

Bucky’s tone is flat. It’s serious. His next sentence is less of a question, more of an order. The cadence is rhythmic and it reminds you of your brother the night he found out about the first time you’d been arrested; you decide, then, that Jaimie and Bucky would have gotten along.

“What did you do?”

“Whatever I could,” you wave your hands, “Identity theft, falsified documents, insurance fraud. Anything. There were people, like me, that in a blink, lost everything. Accidents, deaths, evictions and no one did anything for us. The insurance agencies wouldn’t cover damages related to The Snap. Life insurance policies, social security… It all got snatched up by people at the top while the system collapsed around us. I had to pay for my brother’s funeral out of pocket. And there were hundreds of thousands of people just like me, just trying to get by. And everything failed us.”

Bucky is stuck in silence. It’s like mud, dragging him to the bottom of a pond — the sort that’s dredged with misery. In an instant, his veins are on fire with an anger he hadn’t felt in a while. It manifests itself in the tightening of his jaw. He rubs his face and props his elbows up on the table.

“Why won’t they let you see your family?”

You fiddle with your napkin.

“My brother… His wife was on maternity leave when she disappeared in the Blip,” you mutter, “She came back to no job, a dead husband, and no home. Their apartment complex had been abandoned. She’s trying her best to make ends meet. She lives with my Mom in our old home. Neither of them can find work. They… The court thought that I’d be influenced to do something if I was around them.”

“What, like help?”

“They see me as a criminal,” you manage, “But I’m useful, so they’re keeping me around.”

Silence falls between the two of you once more — and the sad look on your face makes Bucky’s chest tight. He can see anxiety beginning to spill over; you’re wringing the napkin, fiddling with the edges. Suddenly, Bucky realizes you’re feeling exactly how he was an hour or so ago.

Your voice is soft. “I’m sorry. I was going to tell you.”

“Looks like we’re two birds of a feather,” he says, knocking the toe of your sneaker with his boot, “Listen, we all do stupid shit. I’ve got a lot worse weighing me down. I get it.”

You look up, sadness glistening in your expression like sun off a lake. It’s harsh. He wants to look away.

He doesn’t.

“... So, that means you’re good with computers?”

                                                      ◦   ◦   ◦   ◦  

That’s how you find yourself in Bucky’s Brooklyn apartment at almost midnight, wandering behind him in the long halls and watching curiously as he digs his key from his pocket and shoulders the door open.

It’s a small apartment. One bed, one bath, a kitchenette and that’s really it.

For its size, it’s hardly lived in.

You suppose it makes sense — Bucky didn’t have a lot of personal belongings, and with the hints he’d dropped about his life before The Blip, you were beginning to understand that he may have never really had that much to begin with.

There’s a blanket on the floor by the television and a single couch pillow. It’s tucked in the corner, behind a small sofa. There’s a chair in the living room, one from an old dining set. At the kitchen counter, there’s a stack of papers and a single laptop. Even though all the kitchen’s wares are older models, the bones of the apartment are good. Bare, but good.

You stop in the doorway to the bedroom and stare at the untouched bed. The sheets are tucked tightly in the corners — there’s something militaristic about it. Across the hall is the bathroom. It’s small. You can see a few amenities scattered across the sink’s top.

Being in here feels something like an open wound.

It was lonely. Quiet. Cold.

“We need to make a trip to HomeGoods,” you mumble as Bucky flicks on the lights, “I get the whole minimalist thing, but sheesh.”

“I don’t have a lot,” he says, kicking off his boots by the door and shrugging off his jacket, “And I don’t need a lot either.”

You watch as his shoulders sag a bit, like he can finally let down his guard just a little in his own space. It’s endearing. You perch yourself up on the kitchen counter as your eyes follow him; he moves to fling open a cabinet and grabs a mug. Then, he hesitates.

“You want tea?” he asks over his shoulder.

“Tea?”

“Dr. Raynor said,” Bucky reaches for a container of tea bags from the top shelf. His henley lifts enough to flash a bit of skin along his lower back and you swear you see a scar, “It would help with my anxiety.”

You swing your legs a little. “Then sure.”

“You can use my Captain America mug,” he chirps, laughing a little to himself, “Seeing as you’re such a big fan…”

“God, I regret even saying anything to you,” you spit as you hop down and lean around him to get a look at the mug, “Did you seriously buy that?”

“It was a gift.”

“Bullshit.”

Bucky snorts as you shake your head and wander backwards, eyeing the rest of his apartment with a bit of astonishment. It’s really nothing impressive — but, you suppose it makes sense. Whatever meager disbursement that the government was willing to give Bucky for his efforts in fixing the Snap was better than nothing.

Your gaze hangs on the blanket in the corner.

He watches you; and he notes the sore sadness that dissolves your posture at the sight of the nest in the corner. A bit of shame colors his cheeks as he heats up the water. When Bucky speaks, it’s slow.

“The bed was too soft. I couldn’t sleep on it,” he shifts from foot to foot and focuses on taking the tea bags out and methodically wrapping the strings around the handles, “Dr. Raynor said that’s a typical thing for soldiers to experience when they come home from war.”

You’re quiet for a while after that, only speaking when he rounds the counter with your tea. He offers it up with a tilt of the head.

“You never got to come home, though, right?”

“No,” comes the short reply as you both watch the lights outside the window, “No, I didn’t. Not until now.”

You nudge his arm with yours. You lean a bit. Bucky leans back.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he manages after a sigh and sip of the tea, “I can’t just feel sorry for myself anymore. I’m trying to fix the wrongs I did — and that’s why I need your help.”

You quirk a brow. He reaches around you and grabs the stack of papers on the counter. With a steady grip, Bucky presents the photo of a woman who looks strikingly familiar. You can’t place her face, but there’s something about her that feels like a slap across the cheek. She’s young here, in a faded photo with tattered edges. Beside her is a man who is laughing. The photo is candid, and they’re both beautiful. They’re both  wearing a uniform — but you can’t place the era or location.

You turn to Bucky for answers.

“Back in the 70s, at the height of the Cold War, HYDRA was working in tandem with the Russians to spy on American forces,” he offers easily, staring out the window, “The American HYDRA cell hadn’t yet been planted. This man, Andrei Kuznetzov, was a spy. He was feeding the Americans information on the Russian nuclear program. His wife, the one in the photo, was ordered to kill him. She refused.”

Bucky’s fingers twitch.

His words are soaked through with pain.

“I,” he continues, “killed him.”

You hold your breath. Then you spare him a mournful look.

“Inessa Sidrova went on to help form the same HYDRA cell that ended up taking over SHIELD here in America,” Bucky mumbles, “She’s dangerous. There’s others like her, ones who I helped create, all over the world. But, she’s my top priority. I just haven’t had much luck tracking her down.”

“That’s why you need my help.”

“I’m 106 years old,” Bucky deadpans, “The microfiches at the library were getting a little tedious.”

“But,” you chirp with a sly smirk, “You figured out how to set up a PlentyOfFish account?”

He shoulders you again as you sip your tea and laugh.

“Shoulda never said anything,” Bucky grumbles, “Dr. Raynor thought it was a good idea. Y’know, to get back out in the world.”

“I can promise you,” you say with a stern shake of the head, “The metal arm will get you plenty of chicks and dudes in due time.”

“Good to know,” Bucky replies as his words lilt with a playful sort of questioning that you purposefully ignore. You’re not feeding his ego today. Maybe tomorrow, after you take a crack at figuring out where this woman is.

It’s going to be a long night.

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