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lialacleaf · 8 months

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To Care For A Woman

Chapter 3

Simon Riley X Reader

Summary: You join the army as a last-ditch effort to avoid destitution, but when you sustain an injury protecting Lieutenant Ghost and earn yourself a medical discharge, you're stuck all over again. Or maybe not...

Warnings: Tension, Simon wants to care for you, small reader, a little bit spicy but not NSFW, man worrying about a woman's safety, typical cannon violence, deception, I'm sorry it's unedited...

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 chapter4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

Reader’s POV

You weren’t sure why Ghost had to drive you out to your new home. He’d been insistent on seeing you there safely rather than letting quite literally anyone else do so. In fact, he’d almost seemed jumpy, stating that Simon wouldn’t like strangers near his home, and that you ought to keep that in mind.

How you were supposed to feel like this was anything but an elaborate plot to murder you and scatter your remains in the woods was unfathomable to you, but Ghost trusted Simon. While you weren’t entirely sure where you stood with the Lieutenant, he’d been the only one to stay back with you and ensure you got out alive.

“When will he be home?” You asked as Ghost focused on the road ahead. He’d given no indication how far the drive would be, and you’d left base about forty minutes ago.

“Tomorrow,” Ghost answered plainly, giving no indication as to what Simon was doing that would have him preoccupied elsewhere.

You let out a soft hum and leaned back in your seat. The humvee would occasionally jostle you, and you hissed at the pain in your knee. The pain medicine was beginning to wear off, but you were too afraid to bring it to Ghost’s attention.

Instead, you closed your eyes, and focused on your next steps. You would need to get some new clothes, having little more than the clothes you’d been sent off in. Maybe if Simon wasn’t too opposed to taking you into town, you could visit the second-hand store.

When you were young, your mother used to take you to pick out patterned tablecloths that had been donated, and would take them home and see you little sundresses.

You recalled a white one with frills that you wore down to the neighbor’s strawberry field, and hadn't lasted the morning before it was an unfortunate mess of red strawberry juice and mud after you had burrowed beneath the strawberry patch and clawed the fruit off the vine like a little, white mouse taking refuge in the cool dirt.

Your mother had called you a little troll for your bad behavior, and made you wear the stained up dress to school anyway.

The Humvee jostled you again, knocking your knee against the vehicle, and you nearly choked on the breath of air you inhaled. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. Ghost was anything but gentle, even in his driving.

Simon’s POV

He left you settled on his large, plush couch, your only bag on the floor by the door. The cabin was a single story, so he doubted you’d have much trouble maneuvering around as long as you had your crutches.

He’d given you his cell number, not that you knew it was his. You looked…lost as he walked out the door, and if he didn’t have work to finish for price before his leave, he’d have been tempted to tear the mask off his face and assure you that you wouldn’t have to spend the night alone.

It was still hard for him to comprehend that he was now a married man, even if this had been entirely his plan. It didn’t occur to him until you were seated on his sofa, looking as if you felt out of place in your own home that he didn’t know what he was doing.

He had a rough idea of how he wanted things to be. You’d get to know Simon, a second chance for him to redeem himself in your eyes as someone more patient and gentle, and with time you’d forget about the harsh treatment of Lieutenant Ghost. He didn’t try to fool himself into believing that you could ever love Ghost, but maybe he could convince you to love Simon.

The hour drive back to base didn’t feel real. It was still early, and he needed a cup of tea, something he would have preferred to indulge in alone, but alas…

“How’s married life?” Soap asked with a poorly disguised grin, and Ghost glowered at him from the sink.

“Not now, Johnny,” he warned, rolling his eyes. He hadn’t necessarily wanted Soap to know, but he’d also wanted a second opinion on his decision to offer you a bloody marriage contract.

Johnny had thought he was pulling a joke, until he’d seen it with his own two eyes. Once Simon had rather stiffly explained that he had some very confusing feelings for you that wouldn’t allow him to abandon you, the Scotsman had patted him on the shoulder and told him he was a good man. A bloody mad one too, but that was besides the point.

“Difficult drive with the Mrs.?” He asked, that grin still ever present on his face.

“Something like that.” Not at all like that. More accurately he simply didn’t want to leave you there all alone.

“Cut her some slack, L.T., one minute your her boss, the next your her husband, probably a real doozy for the lass.”

“She doesn’t know,” he said softly as Johnny popped a biscuit in his mouth.

“Doesn’t know what?” He asked over the food in his mouth.

“Doesn’t know she married me.”

The Scottsman choked on his biscuit. “Bloody hell!” He exclaimed, wiping a palm across his face. “Ghost, you’ve gotta be yanking my leg here, mate!”

Ghost shook his head.

“Who does she think she married?” Johnny asked, eyes blown wide.

The Lieutenant shrugged. “Simon Riley.”

Johnny sputtered for a moment and shook his head. “That’s so wrong, Mate. She’s gonna be bloody pissed when she finds out-“

“She’s not gonna find out, Johnny,” Ghost hissed. “She’s gotta forget about all of that. Move on with her life.”

“People don’ just forget that kinda trauma, Simon. She nearly lost her leg,” Johnny said.

Simon sighed, pushing his mask up over his nose so he could sip his tea. “Let me worry about my wife, Johnny.”

It was six in the morning when Simon was finally relieved from his post. He found himself spacing out all too often on the road home, pulled out of his thoughts only when the asphalt turned to gravel.

He liked having his home so secluded. He hoped you liked it too. He’d stopped for groceries shortly after leaving base, planning on having breakfast ready before you woke up. He probably should have paid attention before to how you liked your eggs, but it was too late for that now. He’d just have to guess and go with it.

He pulled up to the cabin, the gravel beneath the car grumbling a greeting to his return as he slowed to a stop.

Simon took a deep breath, hooked his fingers beneath his balaclava, and pulled the mask off before stuffing it in his duffel bag. He unpacked the groceries, storing most of the meat in the deep freezer in his garage before finally entering his house.

He kicked off his work boots at the door, his eyes scanning over the room as if he expected things to be out of place. He paused, however when he noted your small form curled up right where he’d left you, your bag still by the door and your crutches against the wall. You were curled in on yourself, likely trying to keep warm as he’d forgotten to turn on the heat for you.

Shit. He’d left you alone for hours in a cold, unfamiliar place. You were supposed to have slept in the bed. He’d expected you to acclimate yourself over the past twenty-four hours, and instead you had curled up on the couch and succumbed to an uncomfortable sleep.

That wouldn’t do.

He moved to your side as quietly as possible, kneeling next to you on the tan rug. His palm gently brushed the side of your head as he watched you closely. “Y/n?” he murmured, his hand moving to squeeze your shoulder.

You gave no sign that you were awake, and Simon sighed, lifting you up as carefully as he could. Once you were properly tucked into bed, he let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

His shoulders sagged, and with a soft groan he leaned back into the mattress, only just now noticing that he only had one pillow and you were using it. Not that he minded. He needed to take stock of just how unprepared he was for this endeavor.

He switched between staring at the ceiling, and staring at you. You didn’t move much in your sleep, which was a relief. You did, however, let out a soft whine, alerting him to the fact that he’d rested you on the side of your bad knee.

He frowned, internally scolding himself for not thinking of it sooner. It was easy to roll you onto your back, but the action caused you to stir, and Simon stiffened.

It must have been early when you woke, because the room was bathed in a soft glow from the sun barely rising outside the window.

It took you only a moment to realize you no longer dozing on the couch. Your eyes settled on the massive figure beside you, traveling up his waist to his chest and shoulders, before finally finding his face.

Simon, or rather you assumed it was Simon, had ruffled blonde hair, with deep set brown eyes and a strong jaw. Handsome for a soldier. You’d expected him to be plain. You were very wrong.

You sat up slowly, and he watched you like a hawk. You expected him to greet you with something, anything, even if it was just snapping at you for crawling into his bed, not that you remembered doing so. Instead he simply stared at you.

“What time is it?” you asked softly, your voice hoarse from sleep.

“Almost eight,” he murmured, and you blinked in surprise. He had an English accent, very mancunian, just like Ghost’s. The similarity was actually rather uncanny. “You can go back to sleep, or I can make breakfast.”

This felt very strange. You were in a stranger’s house, in their bed and said stranger was offering to make you breakfast as if you weren’t an intruder. You felt tears prick your eyes, suddenly feeling very out of place.

Simon’s brow dipped, a look of panic crossing his face as he tried to figure out what he’d done this time as tears spilled from your eyes.

“Y/n?” He asked, a shaking hand brushing your hair behind your ear.

“I’m sorry, this is just…really overwhelming-“

Simon was quick to pull you against his chest, pulling a soft gasp from you.

“You’re safe, I promise. M’ not gonna let anything happen to ya,” he murmured, those deep brown eyes gazing at you as if he’d loved you for a lifetime.

You blinked in surprise, taken aback by his response, your body slumping as your head dropped onto his heavily muscled shoulder.

“Why…why are you doing this for me?” You whispered.

“You made a sacrifice for one of my mates. You could have gotten killed. He felt responsible, wanted to see you taken care of, and…I wanted to help,” he said gently, stroking the back of your head.

You sniffled softly. “Is Ghost important to you?” You asked, gazing up at him curiously. Simon stiffened, unable to hold your gaze.

“Let’s leave the topic of Ghost alone for now, yeah? Give you some time to recover from what happened.”

You tilted your head at him in confusion, but nodded in agreement. It was his house after all. If he didn’t want to bring up work then so be it.

“You’re in good hands here, I promise.”

Two weeks went by, and you found that it wasn’t as difficult to adjust to Simon’s presence as you expected. He worked on base twice a week when he wasn’t on mission, and spent the rest of his time caring for you.

You couldn’t help but feel like a pet that was being spoiled more than it deserved. He’d bought you one of those nice, memory foam pillows, despite your insistence that you could just sleep on his large, plushy couch.

Truthfully you were a little frightened at the idea of sharing his bed, but he kept a respectful distance away from you, and there wasn’t even the mention of sexual expectations.

He slept on his back, or facing the door, something you assumed was an ingrained behavior.

He let you sleep in the mornings, but once you’d had breakfast he was practically dragging you out of the cabin to take a walk with your crutches, encouraging you not to stay in bed all day.

You supposed it was a good thing, as you’d likely become depressed if left to your own devices. He took you to town only once to find some new clothes, and gave you a very displeased look when you tried to insist on the thrift shop rather than the department store he pulled the truck up to.

“No wife of mine is walking around in a stranger’s hand-me-downs”

With that, he’d helped you inside and gotten you an array of loose pants and comfortable tops to spend your recovery in.

He was certainly committed to his promise of taking care of you.

He didn’t talk much, and you still found that a little unsettling, but his lack of words was matched by his aptitude for actions, making sure you didn’t so much as lift a finger unless you adamantly wanted to.

You hadn’t told your parents about the arrangement, and had been worrying just how you were going to go about keeping the situation on the down low. They’d call eventually, and you had to think of something to keep them from going into a panic.

You watched Simon from the corner of your eye as he started the truck, having helped you into your seat and gotten you buckled moments ago.

You weren’t sure if he was anxious about your check up, or if he was simply displeased at the thought of having you back on base. He seemed to dislike the idea very much if his hesitancy to bring you back to Dr. Radcliffe was anything to go by, but the doctor had insisted on it as he was the one to handle your knee surgery to begin with.

“Simon?” You called as the gravel road disappeared and gave way to paved asphalt. “Do you think Ghost will be available today? I never got to thank him for everything,” you said softly.

Simon tensed, and you couldn’t help but frown a little. “I’ll ask him,” he assured you, taking your hand in his and giving it a light squeeze.

A smile lit up your face, the first one he’d seen since the ordeal at the warehouse, and his heart aches for it. “Thank you, Simon.”

He nodded in response, but his stomach was in knots. He didn’t deserve your thanks. Not as Ghost, and not as Simon. Maybe someday, when you had forgotten all about what had happened to you, and lived a carefree life. Maybe then he could deserve it.

“I’ll be honest, I’m not entirely pleased with the results so far,” Dr. Radcliffe said as he looked over your x-rays.

“What does that mean?” Simon asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Is it bad?” You asked as you sat on the paper covered table.

“It means unless we get you set up with a physical therapist you’ll be on those crutches for the rest of your life.” The doctor explained.

Your eyes widened, and you were about to exclaim that you couldn’t possibly afford that when Simon cut in.

“What are her chances with the physical therapy?” He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Slim, but better. Might have a limp, but definitely more mobility.” Radcliffe assured him.

“I can’t afford Physical Therapy,” you cut in, and the two men glanced down at you.

“Yes, we can,” Simon said gently, brushing your hair behind your ear. You simply gaped at him in astonishment. PT was expensive, especially for such an involved injury. You couldn’t expect him to pay for that, but the warning glance he sent your way said that the two of you would not be discussing it now.

“I’ll send out a recommendation for the practitioner closest to you.” Radcliffe said. “However I’d still like to see you back here a month from now.” You nodded, and Simon ‘tisked’ in response.

Thanks, doc,” you said, offering him a small smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes.

Simon left you to your lunch in the mess hall with the excuse that he had some paperwork to do, and you didn’t question him once he set a burger in front of you. He was quickly finding that a good meal was all he needed to keep you in a good mood.

He felt ridiculous, slipping into his office and shucking off his civilian clothes in exchange for his uniform and mask, before turning around and thundering back to the mess hall.

He didn’t plan on this double-life mess, but he was going to put an end to it. His eyes landed on your little form happily munching away on your lunch, and he let out a deep sigh, clearing his throat as he approached you.

“Ghost?” You looked up in surprise, wiping the condiments off the corner of your mouth on a napkin. He always saw you use your shirt sleeve, and he felt a swell of pride that you liked the little green sweater he’d gotten you enough to preserve its newness.

“Simon said you wanted to see me?” He asked gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest.

You nodded vigorously. “I wanted to thank you for your help. I don’t know what I would have done otherwise-“

“This is what you called me down here for?” He asked, and your face fell. He felt the absence of your smile as an ache in his chest.

“I…I just thought…you’d want to know that I’m safe,” you said.

Simon felt his heart swell at the words. It was a relief to hear you say it, and it made what he was about to do even harder.

“One less thing to worry about then,” he stated grumpily, turning on his heel with a roll of his eyes and leaving you to gape at his back.

He felt like a kid in a play, switching costumes depending on his role in the moment. Price raised a brow when Simon passed his door four separate times in two different outfits.

He could have sworn he heard Johnny mutter “you don’t want to know.” To his captain. They were going to give him hell for this.

He was nearing the mess hall when his phone chimed the very specific sound he’d set for you, and was quick to open his messages.

I want to go home.

He wasn’t sure if he should be glad you viewed the cabin as home, or worried about the damage control he was going to have to do.

He entered the mess hall, preparing himself for whatever state of disarray you’d be in, only you weren’t there. His head whipped around the room, looking for any sight of you, but you had seemingly vanished.

Shit.

Where are you?

He rushed out of the mess hall, looking for any sign of your presence. He didn’t see your crutches, so he could only assume you’d left on your own.

I’m in the truck.

He let out a breath of relief, pulling the keys from his pocket. He probably would have put the whole base on lockdown if you hadn’t replied.

He made quick strides to the parking lot, opening the door to the driver's seat and hauling himself in as quickly as possible.

“Everything alright?” He knew it wasn’t, but it felt polite to ask anyway.

“M’ fine,” you mumbled, leaning your head against the door.

Simon bit his lip as he watched you wilt. You looked as if the life had been sapped out of you. Maybe he’d been too harsh.

“Y/n?” He called, placing a hand on your shoulder. You didn’t acknowledge it and he sighed. “Let’s go home,” he mumbled.

You were silent the entire drive back, and Simon was genuinely starting to question if he’d broken you. You had just gotten some rather bleak news.

“We could stop at that bakery in town,” he offered, glancing at you to gauge your reaction.

“I’m not really in the mood.”

Simon pursed his lips, his brow ticking slightly. He was trying to make things better, why were you fighting against him? Ghost was supposed to be the villain here, not him.

Your mood only seemed to worsen as the day went on, and Simon couldn’t wrap his head around it. At least until you snapped.

“Can I please just do one thing for myself!”

He’d just wanted to take up your dinner, shooing you out of the kitchen so he could do so when you decided you’d had enough.

“You do everything for me. I’m not a child, I’m a grown woman! For fuck’s sake it’s like I’m a prisoner or something!”

Your tirade was followed by a pathetic hobble down the hallway and slam of the bathroom door. He was fairly certain he heard muffled sobs before the tub faucet was turned on to drown them out.

Simon crossed his arms and leaned against the kitchen counter with a frown. You weren’t just upset about Ghost, he realized. You were upset about your leg, about the feeling of losing your autonomy, and his dismissal of you in the mess hall had been the proverbial cherry on top.

You had said you felt safe, but what you really felt was stifled.

He let out a deep sigh, running his hands through his hair. It seemed while keeping you in bubble wrap suited him just fine, it was slowly eating away at you.

This wasn’t what he had wanted for you. He’d wanted you to be able to do things that made you happy, not be stuck doing nothing at all.

You may have been small, and fragile compared to Ghost, but you had still been a soldier, and it was something you took pride in. He hadn’t meant for you to lose purpose, but if you were really going to be happy here, he needed to help you find a new one.

You felt terrible. You shouldn’t have snapped at Simon. You should have just calmly explained that you needed him to give you some space, but after Ghost had reminded you just how useless, how much of a burden he saw you as, it had triggered the rage that had been building in you for a while now.

None of this was fair. You had done your job well, despite being at a higher risk, you’d put the well being of your teammates above yourself to the very end, and your mind was still just as sharp.

Despite all this, it seemed both Ghost and Simon thought you were useless. The difference was Simon didn’t seem to tack worthless onto the list of things you were as well.

You didn’t feel right sleeping in his bed that night, or taking advantage of any of the kindnesses he’d given you for that matter. You were tempted to go sleep outside but it was freezing. Instead you curled up under a blanket with one of Simon’s chess books and read until you fell asleep.

At some point you heard him get up and put on a kettle for tea, before venturing out through the back door. You pretended to still be asleep if only to avoid the impending confrontation.

You eventually heard the telltale sound of a saw in his work shed, and supposed the coast was clear to make a cup of tea.

You went back to reading your book, not sure what else to do, until Simon’s footsteps sounded on the back porch, followed by the door opening. You tried not to stiffen when he stopped right in front of you. Maybe he’d been out there making the coffin he was going to bury you in for being an ungrateful little-

“Could use a hand if you’re not busy.”

Your eyes flicked up to meet his. “With what?” You asked skeptically.

He held out a hand to you, a gentle smile spreading on his face. “You’ll see.”

He walked slowly, acting as a crutch so you wouldn’t need to get them out of the kitchen. He led you to a portion of the yard that had been sectioned off with wooden planks. There was a chair seated beside it, along with a small shovel and a rake.

“What’s this?” You asked as he helped lower you into your seat.

“Garden box. Gonna start growing stuff,” he explained. “Fresh tea is good for you, especially in the colder months.”

He pulled a pair of gloves on and handed you a slightly smaller pair, along with the handheld shovel. “You can start pullin’ dirt out of those bags and droppin’ it in here,” ge explained.

“Wouldn’t this go faster if you just dumped these in yourself?” You asked as he picked up the rake.

Simon shook his head. “You could use some fresh air, and you might as well accomplish somethin’ instead of sittin’ like a bump on a log.”

You could tell he was excited about his little task by the way his accent got thicker, and you had to admit it was a little cute.

“Fair enough,” you murmured, shoveling dirt into the box for him to spread out with the rake. It was a little mindless, but the sound of the birds was nice, and the sun slowly rising in the sky casted a warm glow on your face.

Once you’d emptied two bags of dirt Simon went inside to grab you both a bottle of water before planting the seeds. He handed you the bottle, and a little packet of electrolyte mix, but he didn’t mix it for you, and instead went about opening the little seed packets after having downed his own water.

You had to admit that Simon was quite the sight in that tight gray shirt with a shovel in his hands. You bet he looked even better with a rifle.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” you murmured as he passed you a small packet of seeds. Simon paused, looking up at you in surprise, before nodding at you.

“I…I’m sorry that I wasn’t paying attention before,” he began, taking a step towards you and cupping your cheek with his large hand. “I see you now,” he murmured softly, bending down to place a kiss on your forehead.

You let out a sigh of relief, leaning against him as your arms wrapped around his middle. “Thank you, Simon,” you whispered as he returned your embrace.

AN: wow this ended up being long~ Lots of drama to come!!!

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whereireid · 1 year

Text

𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐍 | masterlist

pairing: senator!steve rogers x fem!reader

⍟ — nsfw content ahead. soft!dom steve. married life. housewife kink. oral [f receiving]. degradation of reader.

Summary: Your husband, Senator Steve Rogers, has been acting strange recently. He makes it up to you after he catches you snooping.

You don’t want to snoop on your husband.

Honest, you don’t.

Sometimes, though, duty calls. It feels like a crime to be in Steve’s office, perched at his desk, attempting to hack into his computer.

You’ve tried three different passwords, now. The first, the name of your daughter, and her date of birth — BeauRogers2012. The second, your anniversary — 19October2007. And, finally, the name of the family dog — CooperRogers.

Nothing. There’s nothing. All to no avail, the screen lighting a shade of red with each incorrect guess, your lips tugging down into a frown as you try to pinpoint exactly what his password could be.

If it’s not Beau, and it’s not you, and it’s not the family dog… then what is it?

Your eyes scan his office, desperate for a moment of realisation. You want something to click, your eyes dragging from a photograph of him and Bucky, to the miniature American flag which sits on his desk.

That’s it.

107thInfantryRegiment.

The computer lets you in. Steve’s desktop background is a photograph of you, him and Beau — baby Beau, curled in her daddy’s arms, asleep, in a pumpkin patch.

You pause. You feel bad, snooping, hesitating as you stare at the pixelated desktop background.

You feel awful, but you have to know what he’s getting up to.

Your lips press together as you swallow away the tightness in your throat, dragging the mouse towards his emails. Before you press down, you hesitate — Steve has never given you a reason not to trust him.

Yet, you’re in, now. You might as well look whilst you’re there, and you’re glad that you do, because a particular name piques your interest as you snoop through his emails.

Sharon Carter.

Steve’s ex-assistant, although you’d always assumed she was more than that. She helped your husband climb to the position of Senator — she was his number one fan, more obsessed with him than you.

Your brows knit together. Steve had told you that him and Sharon no longer speak, as a result of her switching to the Republican to spite him. This — these emails, which go back for months — is unfathomable evidence that he’s been lying to you. Your throat feels cotton dry as you frantically scroll, unable to comprehend that they’ve been communicating for months without you knowing.

“What are you doing?”

Fear cracks through your body like a whip. You feel like a thin sheet of ice, cold flooding through your body as your eyes dart up from the computer screen, focused on your husband, who appears unamused by what he’s found.

“So, what are you doing?” Steve repeats when you don’t answer, his lips pursed as he stares at you. The suit he’s wearing is somewhat tight on his arms, and you can see his muscles flex beneath his clothes. “Be a big girl and use your words, honey.”

“You’re — you’re messaging Sharon Carter.”

His eyebrows quirk upwards in amusement. “You went through my emails,” he comments, “without my permission.”

“You’re messaging Sharon Carter,” you repeat, your voice coming out a whisper.

The look that he gives you is degrading. It’s a look of pity — his jaw ticks slightly as he cocks his head, his tongue darting over his plump, pink lips, leaving a glistening sheen in its wake. “And you’re going through my emails,” he reiterates, pushing himself off of the doorframe. “Without my permission.”

“Are you cheating on me?”

An amused expression flitters over Steve’s face as he approaches you. You feel timid in his chair, his large frame overbearing as he looms over you, the blue irises of his eyes impossibly sheathed by his black and blown pupils.

“Cheating?” He asks, beginning to lower himself to your height. You brows furrow in confusion as he kneels in front of you, his hands placing themselves on your knees. “No. Why? Did you think that I was?”

“Yes.”

“Liar,” Steve whispers from beneath you, your skin prickling with goosebumps as his fingers run over the pleated fabric of your skirt. “You just wanted to know what I’ve been doing.”

You push at Steve’s head, forcing him to look up at you. You frown, a twisted warmth pooling inside of your stomach as his hand caresses the plump flesh of your thighs. “Yeah. You’ve been doing her.”

He snorts. “If I wanted Barbie, I would’ve had Barbie.” His hand beckons your thighs apart, and you flush as his hums in content. “No underwear. Whore.”

Your face flushes with warmth. "That’s what you like, isn’t it?”

Steve grins, his fingers parting your folds softly, his knuckle pressing against your swollen clit. You try to kill the moan which climbs up your throat before it can slip past your lips, but it refuses to die. “Like music to my ears,” he comments, his stubble grazing your skin as he peppers deliberate kisses to your thighs, his tongue a cool stimulant to your hot skin, “you’re a naughty girl, you know? Going through my things and then getting all worked up over what you find.”

You can’t bare to look down at his smug face. His blue eyes twinkle as he gazes up at you, and you force your eyes shut, the delicious, dirty feeling of desire brooding inside of you. It pulls at your heart and burns wildly inside of you, only to be smothered by the feeling of his fingers gliding through your folds.

“Aren’t you going to tell me what you found?”

You shake your head, your eyes scrunching shut as his tongue finally makes contact with your heat. “Oh, God,” you whimper as he glides the muscle through your folds, his fingers pushing inside of your cunt.

“Not God. Just Steve.”

His lips twitch, tugging upwards with a smile. Pleasure rides through you in a gentle wave as his tongue makes contact with your clit, his motions gentle as he suckles on the sensitive bundle of nerves.

It feels so deliciously wrong. You’re in his office, sat in his chair, with him between your legs. He wasn’t even meant to find you here — you were supposed to be in the kitchen when he got home, but you’d lost track of time.

“Since you won’t tell me, I’ll make an assumption, and I want you to tell me if I’m right.” His voice is gravely, rumbling against your cunt, and you shiver as his fingers curl inside of you. “You went through my emails. You saw Sharon Carter’s name and you had to click, and you read them in detail and you found information.”

“Yes,” you say shakily, groaning as his nose nuzzles into your pelvic bone, his tongue rolling small circles into your sensitive bud. “Yes, I read them. She’s — she’s a bitch and I don’t want you talking to her.”

His brows quirk upwards, his fingers carefully scissoring your tight cunt open. You clench down around him, the pointed look he’s shouting you making you tense. “She’s my spy. Why else would she have switched to Republican last minute?”

“Because you married me and she wishes it was her.”

A wave of pleasure ripples through you as he suckles on your clit, his fingers heavenly as they roll inside of you. “Is she the one getting her cunt eaten in my office, honey?” When you don’t answer, he hums, his voice muffled as he continues to roll his tongue up and down your sticky, wet folds, “no, she’s not, so stop being a brat and let me finish speaking.”

As if to make a point, his fingers still inside of you, and your chest burns with disappointment. “Okay. I’ll stop being a brat,” you submit to him, your voice shaking slightly as you buck your pelvis towards his hand.

“Good girl." His praise makes you shiver, a delicious pleasure crackling through you as his fingers contain their steady motions, his lips peppering soft kisses against your heat intermittently

“The information that you found is very important people, only meant to be seen by people in government.” A delicious pleasure cracks through you like a whip as his fingers glide through your glistening folds, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he rolls his thumb over your sensitive clit. “And, honey, you're not in government. You've got too much of a dumb baby brain for that."

You whine, your legs trembling involuntary as Steve licks up a deliberate stripe up your cunt, his tongue flattening against your clit. "I'm not dumb," you protest weakly, your thighs tensing as his fingers curl inside of you, the lewd squelching of your cunt echoing around his office walls.

Your body becomes electric with sparks, exploding with ecstasy as his tongue licks stripes up and down your slick. It's so intimate, so gentle — his movements are precise, your legs jolting at every movement, every lick.

"Really? You're not?" Steve pulls away, tutting from below you. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that only dumb wives went through their husband's stuff without permission."

"I'm sorry," you say.

"You're not," he replies, his tongue flat as he swirls his muscle around your swollen bud, "but that's okay, honey. I don't expect my wife and her dumb, baby brain to feel sorry for me. I'm the man of this house. I don't need feeling sorry for."

His kisses grow sloppy, his nose pressing heavily into your pelvis. You let out a shaky breath, your stomach flipping as Steve's fingers glide in and out of your cunt. A moan catches in your throat, and you're unsure of whether or not it actually escapes your lips or dies before it gets to do so.

Steve's movements are skilled, deliberate. You melt into the office chair, the leather fabric growing slick beneath you as you softly behind to grind against his face. He's slow and teasing, his tongue swirling around you bud, nipping at it softly. The pinching pain makes you gasp, your breath hitching in your throat as he groans against your cunt.

"Come on, honey. I know you want to let go," he purrs against your cunt, the sensation sending shivers up your spine. "I know you're not holding that much of a grudge against me that you're denying yourself of an orgasm."

You pout. He's right — of course he's right, he's your husband and he knows what's best for you. You finally allow yourself to relax, fully, a soft whimper slipping past your lips as Steve's movements makes your stomach tighten.

And then, it happens. You grow tired of holding back, needy and desperate, and Steve's fingers curl inside of you again, and you let go. Your slick paints his face, your legs trembling as he laps at your heat, his groans sending sparks to your core.

By the time he pulls away, you feel weak. The sight of him only makes you grow weaker, his chin glistening with your slick, his eyes black and blown, a sultry grin tugging at the corner of his lips. His hand runs over his lips and he hums, satisfied with the orgasm that he drew from you.

"I'm sorry, honey. You should have never seen those emails, or the documents attached to them. They're not for you to be concerned about." His hand runs over your thighs, his motions gentle and soft as he caresses your skin. Steve's lips purse, his voice dropping dangerously low as he speaks. "But if you ever go through my emails again, you'll be in serious trouble. You got that, honey?"

Your body grows stiff as he reaches past you to turn the computer off, his lips nestling against your head in the process. The kiss he plants to your forehead is soft and gentle, and you smile up at him.

“Yes, Steve.”

You nod your head like an obedient little wife, and he smiles down at you as he does so.

Domesticated bliss keeps him sane.

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paladinbaby · 4 months

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a patch of white anemones

the iliad, tr. emily wilson / electra: a tragedy, tr. anne carson / the lathe of heaven, ursula k. le guin / @insomniac-arrest / the first bad man, miranda july / what resembles the grave but isn’t, anne boyer / rabbit heart (raise it up), florence + the machine / burrows end, @dimension20official / the burglar of babylon, elizabeth bishop

[Image Description: Ten images of text. The first image is a photograph of a book page but the rest are black text on a pure white background.

1: “You already know this story. You will die. Everyone you love will also die. You will lose them forever. You will be sad and angry. You will weep. You will bargain. You will make demands. You will beg. You will pray. It will make no difference. Nothing you can do will bring them back. You know this. Your knowing changes nothing. This poem will make you understand the unfathomable truth again and again, as if for the very first time.”

2: “Electra / And I know there is something all wrong about me - believe me. Sometimes I shock myself”

3: “The end justifies the means. But what if there never is an end? All we have is means.”

4: “The first rule of tragedy is to be yourself. The second rule of tragedy is to be literally anyone else. The third rule is that however much you try there is no escaping being yourself forever.”

5: “Then I realised that we all think we might be terrible people. But we only reveal this before asking someone to love us. It is a kind of undressing.”

6: “Always falling into a hole, then saying “okay, this is not your grave, get out of this hole,””

7: “I must become a lion hearted girl / Ready for a fight / Before I make the final sacrifice / We raise it up, this offering”

8: “i think for myself, when I go back to that time, the number one emotion associated with it is tremendous shame and embarrassment which is the emotion it would take to never mention that to anybody”

9: “You were good to me, and I love you, / But I’m doomed” End ID.]

#litstack #web weaving #anne carson #ursula k. le guin #burrows end #dimension 20 #personal #c: lost township #onion #before everyone yells at me again luka wanted this

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mawofthemagnetar · 3 months

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Father's Day

“So, hold on a minute,” Iskall held his hands up, “back up, because I must have missed that. You’re a FATHER?”

“Well, yeah?” Jevin shrugged, scrolling through his comm, “What’s so hard about that to believe?”

Iskall, by way of a reply, simply gestured at Jevin’s person from his head to his slimy feet.

“So? Okay, yeah, I guess it- is a little hard to fathom. I do, uh, have a certain- aura of coolness around me. But yeah, no, I’m a dad. And a damn good one, too. I mean, a slime-dad, which is a little different than a regular dad. But for a slime-dad, I’m top-shelf. Of course.”

“Uh-huh. And how does a slime-dad differ from a regular dad?” Iskall folded his arms.

“I don’t gotta, uh, chase after my kids as much as you guys do. They’re pretty much ready to go once they hit full-size. I do my bit by checking up on them periodically. Anyway, point is, I gotta go. My kids are throwing a father’s day bash, and I can’t be late.”

Iskall rubbed his temples.

“Okay, couple questions. One, father’s day was three months ago. Two, is there a Missus Jevin you’ve got stashed away somewhere? Or a Mister Jevin? Or-“

“…Why would another person be involved?” Jevin asked, tilting his head with a squish of slime, “Like, literally, why? Who needs help to become a parent?”

“…Uh…you know what? No. You want to learn about the parrots and the bats, go talk to Keralis.”

“Sure, whatever. Anyway, to answer your second question, it’s ‘cause if you try to do father’s day on the actual, like, day, renting a big enough hall is stupid expensive and it’s all just kind of dumb. And a hassle. So we host it whenever.”

Jevin glanced up from his comm.

“Wanna come? Meet my kids, I mean.”

Iskall rubbed his forehead.

“Sure, why not. Hit me with it.”

They tapped their comms together, and Jevin clacked his jaw together- the slime equivalent of a smile.

“Okay, so uh…All my kids know you guys as their aunts and uncles. So if they start calling you “auntie Iskall-“

“-Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m used to it.” Iskall nodded, “Should I wear something special?”

Jevin waved a hand.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. You’re fine as you are. Anyway, let’s go. Not good to keep my kids waiting!”

And Jevin tapped a few options on his comm and vanished.

Iskall shrugged, tapped over to his server list, and selected the option for the Hub, with the teleport coordinates visible in the centre.

He tapped it, and vanished.

When Iskall opened his eyes again, he was standing outside a colossal building, looking like some kind of conference centre. It was made of smooth quartz, with a fake parking lot full of fake vehicles that had clearly taken some builder a long time to put together.

Jevin was standing there, tapping his sneaker impatiently, the blue slime slosh-slosh-sloshing against the ground.

“Alright, c’mon, let’s get moving.” Jevin huffed, “We’re already a couple minutes late, and my kids worked really hard to put this on.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming…” Iskall muttered, brushing off his pants and following Jevin towards the doors.

Iskall was assuming that Jevin’s family would have set up a few tables in a corner. He was a slime; and the way Jevin was talking, Iskall had assumed a big family. Maybe ten kids? That would be a pretty big family.

Then Jevin and Iskall stepped into the conference hall.

“HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, DAD!”

Several thousand slimes bellowed all at once, a wall of sound so deafening that Iskall could feel his bionic eye nearly shake out of its housing.

He blinked his one eye, darting it around the room in shock. There were hundreds of small tables around which sat an unfathomable number of slimes in all colours of the rainbow. The room was a riot of wild fashion choices, and a deafening rumble of clattering bones and squelching bodies.

“I- I-” Iskall stammered, as he reached up and tightened the nut holding his robotic eye onto his skull’s mounting post.

“HEY EVERYONE!” Jevin shouted back, “THANK YOU!”

“Is that Uncle Iskall?” a deep voice said eagerly, “It’s so nice to meet you!”

“You have…THOUSANDS…of children. Not ten. Not twenty. Not even a hundred. THOUSANDS.” Iskall stammered.

“Yeah. I’m, uh, the father of all slime hybrids. It’s not a big deal, to be honest. Some other slime would’ve absorbed a skeleton and decided to think about itself if I hadn’t.” Jevin shrugged.

“All. Of them. ALL OF THEM.” Iskall clutched his head in his hands.

“Yeah? It’s not that difficult. You just, like, shed some slime on a large enough pile of biomass, it’ll grow into a kid. How is this so confusing for you? That’s probably where humans come from.” Jevin shrugged.

He rubbed his slimy hands together with a hideous squelch, and started traveling through the room, eagerly greeting each and every one of his kids.

Iskall staggered over to the snack table, piled high with compost, cinderblocks, and beer. He popped a bottle, and started chugging it.

#magnetar writes #Jevin Fic #Iskall fic #I've had this thing in my documents for about half a year and I finally polished it up #I hope you enjoy

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fishing-lesbian-catgirl · 4 days

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And for our next stop on this spacefolding tour of the galaxy, we have a fascinating terrestrial planet to show you. If you look through your viewing ports you will see the blue and green planet third from their star known as “soil” or “dirt”. Its surface is primarily made up on vast oceans and several large continents. Its distance from its star create the perfect environment for complicated climate systems that allow countless biomes of highly adapted species to survive.

Its primary intelligent inhabitants are a primitive social species of omnivores that use their large numbers to create structures and societies that are enormous compared to their body size. They have adapted ways to live and thrive on almost all of the landmasses through their many different harsh biomes. They even domesticate other animals to provide sources of food and other goods. Their social structures vary from colony to colony, but frequently involve rulers who alone bear the future of their society’s future.

Unfortunately, our studies on these creatures predict that they will likely never reach the intergalactic stage of development, as they have spent their entire species existence fighting endless wars with each other. Unending violence on an unfathomable scale has been ongoing for as long as anyone can tell, often over petty things like resources and the whims of their monarchs and rulers. Violence is so core to their species that they have adapted and honed countless weapons and tactics over generations upon generations of them who have been raised only to fight and die in battle after battle like their mothers before them.

This fascinating species is known as “ants”

#Delia original #🐜

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gretagerwigsmuse · 5 months

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can't hardly wait

Summary: in which a guy named bradley likes you back on hinge...

OR a prequel fic with the first hinge messages

Pairing: Rooster x Fem!Reader

Warnings: listen i know i have a picture selected for her, i just wanted to have the ice cream comparison and went with this one. also i have all the pics on bradley's profile if you're curious 💁🏼‍♀️ he's just so goddamn cute! written for @roosterforme 's 'rocktober' event and inspired by the replacements song. don't forget to read part 1 to see how the date goes 😉 [image template (x)]

Your phone lit up with a notification, buzzing in its spot on your glass desk. You glanced down at it for a moment before going back to your slide deck - until it buzzed again. It was a Hinge notification. You hadn't been particularly active on the app the last couple days, not wanting to get your hopes up yet again. But you'd made one last ditch attempt on Hinge, liking some guys who were way out of your league - before telling Max he had the go-ahead to set you up with his buddy. Leaning back in your desk chair, you swiped up on the notification.

Oh. It was this one - the pretty one. Bradley.

You scrolled back through his profile one more time, reacquainting yourself with the 6'1" brunet. He had a picture cuddling a chunky French Bulldog, one at a Rolling Stones concert, one with an older guy who was probably his dad, and one where his eyes looked like pools of chocolate, in addition to his main photo. Unbidden, a smile crept across your face. He looked kind, sweet. Even if he didn't say where he worked.

Bradley, you tested the name out.

Without further delay, you pulled up his message:

Did you only like me because I also have a picture eating ice cream on my profile? I guess that means you're not lactose intolerant?

You let out a little giggle and twirled around in your desk chair. Oh, he was sweet (and a little nerdy). No, it's because you're unfathomably pretty and I didn't think you'd actually like me back. Trying not to overthink it, you typed out a response:

bold of you to assume it also wasn't the 'stache...and that i'm not just mainlining lactaid

It was cute, a little cheeky. He typed and deleted his response a couple times, leaving you on the edge of your seat.

How far do you have UVA going in MM this year?

You pursed your lips. Hmph. And went back to scrolling his profile. Ah, there it was - he'd also gone to UVA, though a couple years before you. He also drank, didn't smoke, and was vaccinated and bi. You swiped back to the chat.

Your allegiance to UVA in any sporting event wasn't exactly top of mind, so you had to check your March Madness bracket that everyone in the office had been forced to fill out for team building. Just has you were about to say Elite Eight! Bradley messaged back:

Sorry, that was really lame. I’m not used to this.

You smiled. that has to be a line...

His reply was instantaneous. It's not, I promise! Alright give me one more try. How's this?

In the background, your computer pinged with multiple Teams message notifications, but your eyes remained glued to your phone.

Did you know the moon's actually lemon shaped? And that the Milky Way apparently smells like raspberries and rum?

It was such a ridiculous and silly fun fact that it made you smile. Time to put all that barstool trivia knowledge to good use.

no, bradley, i did not know that. do you only specialize in space fun facts or can i get something else out of you...

----------

Turns out all it took was a smattering of the world's silliest fun facts to get you hooked, and after days of texting you were at the Hard Deck. The beachfront dive bar wasn't exactly your ideal first date location, but it seemed like there was a good crowd inside judging by the excessive number of the cars in the parking lot. As it was, your Uber let you out next to a pale blue Bronco. You smoothed your hands over your dress and checked your hair one final time before heading inside.

You didn’t really date. Not in the same sense that your friends Caroline and Darcy or even Alexa and Max did. The last person you’d gone out with for more than three dates had been your ex-boyfriend Jack and even that relationship fizzled after six months.

But there was just something about him - about Bradley - that made you think this could be something? Something about Bradley made you giggle at your phone while you read his texts and buy a new dress and get a wax for your date.

God, please like me. I hope he likes me.

The bell above the door jingled as you entered, suddenly taken aback not only by the amount of people in the bar, but also the Navy paraphernalia doting seemingly every usable surface. Jesus. Did Uncle Sam pay everyone's tab, too?

Scooting out of the way of another group entering behind you, you bit your lip and stretched your neck, looking around the bar for Bradley. What if he wasn't there? What if he saw you get out of your Uber in the parking lot and bailed? No - he wouldn't do that. The Bradley you had gotten to know over the last couple days sent you fun facts and his Wordle score. He asked about your projects at work and what you were having for dinner. He texted with full capitalization and punctuation. At the very worst, you'd hope you'd get an it's not you, it's me text from him.

But your worry was all for naught because when you got closer to the bar, you saw him. And by some sort of miracle he hadn't seen you yet, which gave you ample opportunity to ogle because you seriously needed a minute. God, he was so pretty. His hair looked lighter in person, not as brown, his arms looked so strong even in his unbuttoned light blue oxford, and that mustache? It worked. It really worked.

And he looked nervous? His knee was bouncing and he kept glancing down at the phone propped up on his knee. 7:33pm - you were late. You squared your shoulders and cleared your throat before closing the final few steps.

"Bradley?"

He spun around on his barstool at your voice. The abrupt motion caused him to almost drop his phone, but it made you smile. Once his eyes settled on you it was like everything stopped. The bar got quiet, you didn't notice the girl next to you complaining about her drink, and the hockey game on TV faded into the background - you just noticed Bradley.

A smile crept across his face as he said your name in turn and you nodded. Your stomach was going crazy with butterflies and your heart was pounding so hard, you were convinced Bradley could see the outline through your pink dress. His voice was warm and raspy and had your insides turning into honey.

"It's nice to see you - " He gave you a full hug that was over far too soon. God he smelled so good, too. "- Here, have a seat. Do you want a drink?"

"You too." You took his hand and got on the barstool, placing your clutch on the table and glancing around the bar. "Ummm, what're you having?"

"An old fashioned - sorry," he shook himself and glanced back down at his drink sheepishly, "you just look really pretty."

You cheeks warmed under his stare and you bit your lip. If your knee nudged his underneath the bar-top then that was just an accident. "Thanks, I'll uh - I'll have a margarita?"

Bradley was either really smart or really lucky when he ordered your margarita with your preferred tequila - you only had to pipe up to request salt on the rim.

And then it was just easy. Everything just fell into place. You talked about your time at UVA - he even got you to admit that you were a Tri-Delta after he admitted to being Sigma Chi philanthropy chair -your favorite restaurants and neighborhoods in San Diego, and your job, which Bradley endearingly thought was fascinating - something you wouldn't exactly agree with, but it was flattering all the same.

And it was only because of the easy conversation and banter between the two of you that you finally felt comfortable bringing up your most burning question all evening:

“So, what’s with the bar?” you asked, looking around with a teasing smile on your face. Bradley cocked his head. “I mean, is it just me or is like every naval officer within a forty mile radius here?”

And then the night took a turn...

don't forget to read part 1 to see how the date goes 😉

a/n: so this was just something small to tide me over before i post my next fic about thanksgiving! hope you all liked it!

#bradley bradsaw x reader #bradley bradshaw imagine #bradley bradshaw x you #bradley and smart aleck #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #rooster imagine #top gun imagine #rooster x reader #bradley bradshaw x female reader

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hitlikehammers · 2 months

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feel the bigger thing

rating: t ♥️ cw: criminal-levels of softness, rockstar!Eddie, domestic husbands are domestic ♥️ tags: established relationship, rockstar!eddie, rockstar husbands, love is lying on top of each other on the sofa discussing buying a new house with a pool, soul-deep love, slice of life, softness

for @steddielovemonth day twelve: Love is having hope for the future together (@acasualcrossfade)

you know how the rockstar husbands talked about lights for their pool in the original fic, je ne regrette rien? well GUESS WHAT FEATURES HERE

“These numbers,” Eddie’s reading over the printouts from their manager, sales projections and preliminary tour dates and all the rest: “baby, we can get the new house, hell, we can keep this one and have a second house if we want it,” Eddie kisses the top of Steve’s head where he’s got him bundled up on his chest, tucked under his chin where they’re currently both sprawled on the couch; Eddie says he likes to think like that—likes to know Steve’s there by design, no question, the weight of him evident every time he breathes, he says; held close to my heart, baby, in fact, is what he also says.

Hopeless goddamn romantic, his husband. But he wouldn’t have him any other way.

“We don’t need a second house,” Steve points out, smooshed against Eddie’s sternum.

“We can get the pool,” Eddie added with the audible equivalent of his brow-wiggle and okay, fine, that’s a good point, because Steve may not have really used the one at his parents’ after, well, everything, but he…does kinda miss having one. Now that the memories are distant enough in both time and miles that he doesn’t see standing water deeper than four feet and start fucking hyperventilating anymore.

So…yeah. Compelling argument regarding a pool.

“This record,” Eddie blows out a long breath, slow and even as Steve rides it where he’s braced atop his chest, lifted with his lungs: “this record’s gonna change everything.”

Steve turns his opposite cheek against Eddie’s heartbeat, huffs a little as he gets comfortable again before he asks:

“You think so?”

Eddie doesn’t move, but the fact that he stills so completely is kinda like a motion in itself.

“You don’t?”

He doesn’t sound angry or anything, or even upset. Not disappointed. Maybe just…surprised.

And Steve gets that. The numbers attached to this album are…if they’re right?

This is going to be huge.

But.

“I mean,” Steve shrugs, which is kinda useless given his position, so he sorts of ends up nosing at Eddie’s shirt instead as a byproduct of the hushing of his shoulders: he’s not mad at that, as the outcome:

“I guess, not really,” Steve finally settles on because it’s really not any more complicated than that.

Then Eddie’s got his fingertips at Steve’s nape and he’s spreading them through Steve’s hair and oh.

Oh, that’s so fucking nice.

Which is probably why he pairs the sensation with the question he follows with:

“It’s not good?”

And Steve almost doesn’t hear it, and he wouldn’t even fucking feel bad for not hearing it or not processing it when Eddie’s hands are in his hairlike that because fucking hell, Eddie knows what that goddamn does to him; but Steve does hear it. And again: it’s not angry, or upset. It’s maybe a little surprised. It’s not even quite…hurt, or disappointed, but it’s far closer to either or both than Steve’s comfortable with, than Steve ever wants to hear in that voice, so:

“God no,” he answers with real feeling, shaking his head to back it up and also to—mournfully—dislodge Eddie’s distracting fucking hands; “it’s spectacular,” Steve tells him, plain and honest because it’s the fucking truth: “definitely your best yet.” Also true.

Eddie goes still again, and Steve tips his head up and back at the most uncomfortable possible angle to catch Eddie expression, to read its clues: he’s watching Steve so intently, like he’s something unfathomable and dear enough to spend eternity decoding—but that’s strange in itself. They kind of know each other inside-and-out by now.

So Steve rolls back the words exchanged, looks for the catch, the dropped stitch, the record-scratch.

Gonna change everything—

Ah. Steve’s breath hitches a little, but: he thinks he’s found it. Right.

He makes himself breath in deep but slow, gentle and calm as he can, and Eddie’ll pick up the tension he can’t wholly wash out just yet, and Eddie’ll feel the uptick of his pulse where his one hand holds Steve still around the ribs. But it’s fine. Because they’re fine.

Okay.

“I just,” Steve exhales long; “you said everything,” and Steve tries to make his tone hold the word itself to account, to fill it up with all of the things that came to Steve’s mind and made him denounce the possibility on sight—change everything? But there’s so very little about Steve’s life, about this life together, about their life that they’ve clawed and fought for and now get to relish and bask in: Steve doesn’t want that changed.

And to think a fucking album release could change what they have, that was just, insanity.

…right?

“You said that, and I—“ and that’s as far as Steve gets before Eddie’s dragging him up, firm but so tender, and so full of love in just the touch that any misgivings—and they weren’t even that, that were just…just little off feelings that Steve knew weren’t of real consequence, because he knowswhat they are and what they have and his first instinct was right damnit, and he knew that like he knows the sky is blue and Eddie curls frizz no matter what you fucking do to them: they won’t change in the ways that matter, because they’re…unshakable.

So Steve knew that already, and he knows it now in just Eddie’s touch drawing up upward and closer, but if somehow he’d managed to miss both of those points?

The way he kisses Steve is…fuck, it’s like sucking his soul to consume.

“Oh, oh baby,” Eddie speaks so that they’re lips aren’t ever anything but locked tight, but touching close and with feeling; “not everything, no,” he promises, seals it, vows it straight into Steve’s open mouth so it’ll slip safe down to his heart and soul:

“Not everything,” he whispers, still close enough they can’t breathe without the other there, too, and: that’s heady. That’s real.

“Good,” Steve exhales but with a weight to it, a finality: a seal and vow of his own as he nips Eddie’s swollen lips once, twice, and then tucks himself under Eddie’s chin again, where Eddie’s arms are waiting to envelop him even closer, now; tighter still somehow.

“You’re the center of my world, you know that?” Eddie finally murmurs into Steve’s hair once their breaths have calmed a little, and he can say it steady and sure like he means to, and Steve really just smiles, and burrows that half-an-inch closer, where he compresses Eddie’s flesh to the bone so he can feel the nearest a person can be.

“I do know that,” and it’s not even a fib, or a half-truth: and Eddie already knows the understood ‘you’ of the sentiment clear and well-established—Steve knows Eddie’s love in all sorts of ways, big and small and in between but the first way he probably believed it best was coming to grips with the fact, the unwavering law-of-the-universe fact, that Eddie Munson’s heart beats for Steve the very same Steve’s beats for him. No difference. No more or less. Perfect concert, exact same time signature: precisely shock-start to pump in the first place, like the same spark keeps time in both their chests.

Steve knows he’s loved in ways that don’t have words. Because he loves the very same, and so he knows them intimately, no labels required.

“I already told the promo team we work around your schedule or I’m gonna have to by inconveniently down with the flu for appearances,” Eddie adds as Steve settles back on his chest, soft again and languid: he wasn’t fearful, or even truly hesitant, but—it’s nice. To lean back in and cuddle close.

“You know you don’t have to—“ Steve starts but Eddie tuts him quiet in a flash.

“I do have to. Save my heart the aching, baby,” he presses lips to Steve’s temple and speaks there, drags his mouth wet to the skinL “more important, save yours the same.”

And Steve maybe can’t help but press his own lips first through the cotton of Eddie’s shirt straight to the center of his chest, and then leaning up a little, to the stretched-out collar sneaking the lowest peek of flesh beneath his clavicle: kisses there too, a little sloppy and a lot overfull of feeling as he breathes:

“I love you something wild, Eddie Munson,” and his pulse skips happily, a little dance under Steve’s mouth as he smiles before propping his chin on Eddie’s chest and looking up, meeting the eyes he knows are waiting for him, waiting to lock with his.

And when they do—even after all these years, and Steve has no expectation of it ever change with more to come—but when their eyes meet it’s Steve’s heart that goes giddy, a little off-kilter for joy, and it fucking is that, isn’t it.

It’s wild.

“I love metal, baby,” Eddie answers, and Steve tips his head a little; an odd direction, but he’s intrigued: “music and D&D and meeting the fans,” and Eddie’s playing with his hair again, and he knows what that does, but—

“I feel something so much bigger, for you,” and Jesus, Steve’s in love with maybe the only person in the world who can match him for romance; sometimes outstrips him, even. His heart goes back to dancing chaotic and he couldn’t fucking stifle the grin if he tried, and fuck if he’s ever planning to try.

“Fucking sap,” Steve mouths tight against Eddie’s chest, damp through his shirt for the chuckle he breathes there, weightless and marveling because he gets to have this; they get to have this: they’ve had this for so long and they get to keep it.

“You love it though,” Eddie runs his cheek back and forth across the top of Steve head, and Steve just hums:

“I don’t love it,” he insists with intent in it: “the bigger thing,” he corrects, makes clear: “I feel the bigger thing.”

And Eddie just ducks a smile against Steve’s hair, warm where as it spreads, and Steve can feel it; can’t help him mirror it full as he sighs:

“So tell me more about this pool.”

tag list (comment to be added): @pearynice @hbyrde36 @slashify @finntheehumaneater @wxrmland @dreamwatch @perseus-notjackson

♥️

divider credit here

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #fluff #established relationship #established steddie #rockstar eddie munson #domestic fluff #or rather more: domestic LOVE #idiots in love #slice of life #rockstar husbands #they might have enough money for the POOL #criminal levels of softness #steddielovemonth #love is having hope for the future together #these two boys have probably been together around a decade at this point and it FUCKING SHOWS #old married couple!steddie #stranger things

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rookthorne · 1 year

Text

⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬

Blood was thicker than water, but no bond was stronger than the one you shared with two of the fiercest and most savage protectors that stalked the earth, and when someone dared threaten what was theirs? Even the devil himself couldn’t save them.

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 ➣ Bodyguard!CW!Bucky Barnes x Model!F!Reader x Bodyguard!Winter Soldier

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 ➣ 5k

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 ➣ Fluff, angst, whump, swearing, panic attacks, gun violence, hostage situations (insults are used towards reader), tending to wounds, polyamorous and secret / forbidden relationship ➣ Protective!Bucky and Protective!Winter Soldier is an understatement, they also speak a lot of Russian

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 ➣ I had the thought of why not have two Bucky's... and yeah, I ran with it. ➣ A very special thank you goes to @sgt-seabass for her help in looking for ways I could oomph this up, and thanks to her, a certain scene made an appearance!

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒔 ➣ Deadwood by Really Slow Motion ➣ Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix) by The White Stripes, The Glitch Mob ➣ Sweet Dreams (Slowed / Reverbed by siasme) by Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 ➣ @the-slumberparty's Week 3 Creator's Challenge — Masterlist ➣ @allcapsbingo ჻჻჻ 𝗕𝟱 — Model AU ჻჻჻ 𝗜𝟰 — "Not without you!" ჻჻჻ 𝗡𝟯 — Free Space — Bodyguard AU ჻჻჻ 𝗚𝟮 — Times Square ჻჻჻ 𝗢𝟭 — Vulnerability — Masterlist

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐨𝐯 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

The big show had finally arrived–after weeks and months of preparation, you were about to take your place centre stage on the catwalk for something you could have only dreamed of doing.

Having been raised in a family not sore for funds, you knew what it was like living in the lap of luxury; people waiting on hand and foot to serve you, extravagant and lavish shopping trips that would make any ordinary person’s eyes water at the total. It wasn’t necessarily a hindrance to your outlook on life — but you woke up to just how lucky you were.

You were walking down the streets of New York with your bodyguards at your father’s insistence, and you came across a family dressed in ragged clothing and begging on the sidewalk. It was like the veil had been lifted and you could see clearly for the first time, not through the rose glasses you had worn since you were a child.

It was at that very spot you had ordered one of your bodyguards to stand with the family while you ran to the closest store to buy the family some dignity, much to the faux annoyance of the bodyguard that followed close behind you.

“I think that’ll be enough,” he said, smiling when you carried an arm full of food products and toiletries to the counter. “They will appreciate it but I can’t have you buying the whole damn store, they won’t know what to do with it all.” You pouted at him and he chuckled, taking the bags of goods and offering his arm for you to take.

You could have sworn that since that moment, your two brooding followers looked at you with an unfathomable softness - a feat that you were sure was impossible from the smaller of the two, but nonetheless, it was there. Just like it was there now, the two of them stood in your dressing room with you while you got ready with an infinite number of stylists bustling around. Their reflections gave away that they were watching like wolves in wait, their teeth only baring when someone burst through the door unexpectedly.

“You two have to calm down,” you started, swivelling in your chair to face them, ignoring the way that the wardrobe crew grumbled. “You’ll have a heart attack otherwise.”

Bucky laughed, his broad shoulders shaking in apparent mirth before they abruptly stopped, his face falling deadpan. “Not a chance.”

The guard next to him, James, stared at you, his face in shadow so you only just made out the slight eyebrow raise. He might have said something, though it was lost behind the black mask he wore.

“C’mon, guys,” you whined. Nerves were making you fidget and you continued to ignore the scowling of the nail tech. “Humour me, I’m already nervous enough.”

If the room were not crowded with staff, you would have been wrapped in Bucky’s arms with soothing words, while James stood to the side and offered you a soft smile that brightened his eyes, his hand taking hold of yours.

But you weren’t alone, you were amongst people that would have no qualms about throwing you to the wolves — the head of the pack being your father, who would downright turn into a monster if he found out the arrangement you had with his two best men.

The secret had to be kept at all cost.

“You will do fine.”

You looked at James and smiled. Out of the two, James struggled the most with displaying any kind of care or outward softness — entirely opposite to his partner. Though he had his moments when he managed to soothe you in his own way. “Thank you, Jamie,” you whispered, and he nodded once, his curtain of dark hair shifting with the sudden movement.

“They won’t know what hit ‘em,” Bucky said, smiling widely and dare you say it, proudly.

“Ten minutes!” A voice called from behind the closed door, and you sighed heavily.

The makeup team did their final touches and cleared away swiftly under the piercing gaze of James, while Bucky watched the stylists move in and adjust your clothes. It was all so much - even after all the rehearsals it still felt like you were walking out there like a fawn, too weak and stumbly on heels that were too big with predators nipping at your heels. The wolves that protected you felt too far away.

“Hey, hey,” a muffled voice said, a blurred face hovered in your sight and you blinked. It was Bucky, and his voice was so low only you would hear him. “You with me, doll? ‘M here, c’mon. Deep breath for me.”

You startled and gasped sharply, the sudden expansion of your lungs making you cough.

“Are you done?” Bucky asked the room at large, his gaze focused on the styling team who nodded quickly. “Get out.”

Shoes scrambled over the linoleum floor and James’ heavy boot falls followed before a slam of the door echoed. “They’re gone,” James said simply, walking back over to stand next to Bucky. “You will do so well, kisa,” he whispered, kneeling down so he could look up at you. His hands were cold when he grabbed yours, but you squeezed them back while taking a deep breath. “And we’re so proud of you, our girl, hmm?”

Bucky’s hand rested on your shoulder as James spoke and he squeezed.

“Yeah,” you breathed, trying your hardest to stem the tide of tears so your makeup wouldn’t be ruined. “Yeah I-I will, I want you to be proud-”

“We always are, sweetheart,” Bucky interrupted. He kissed your forehead softly while James placed a hand on your thigh. “Always proud of our girl, aren’t we, James?”

“Navsegda i vechnost',” James replied.

Bucky snorted and ruffled James’ hair, who let out an indignant huff. “Such a sap.”

A loud knock at the door made the two men turn around quickly, and it opened wide enough for Tracey, your favourite assistant, to peek her head through. Bucky and James relaxed at the sight of her, and you met her eye. “You’re up next, love,” she said before looking between your wolves. “Hey James, Bucky.”

“Thanks, Tracey, I’ll be out there in a second.” Tracey nodded and shut the door softly. You stood and brushed down your outfit, sighing softly.

“You look stunning, doll,” Bucky whispered, cupping your cheek.

James nodded and his eyes brightened above the mask. “Krasivaya, moy kisa.”

You smiled widely at their attention and you started walking forward. In an instant, the soft and comforting aura was dropped, replaced by one that billowed like smoke of fierce protectiveness while they flanked you. Staff gave you a wide berth and you were relieved; you needed the space.

Bodies were flocking to and fro from the stage and amongst them, you spied Tracey standing by the stairs, clipboard in hand and a calm smile on her face amongst the chaos. “Hey,” you greeted, coming to a stop just before her. “All ready to go now, when am I on?”

Tracey glanced down at the clipboard and hummed. “Erica and Sophie need to do their thing, and then it’s you.” She glanced back up and pointedly stared at Bucky and James, who, naturally, didn’t flinch. “You boys can wait just here,” she said, pointing towards the steps. “Mind you don’t get in the way of everyone else.”

You heard James scoff and Bucky rolled his eyes. “Yes, ma’am,” Bucky said, saluting.

“Thank you.”

James and Bucky didn’t leave your side, however. They stuck like glue to you until it was your turn to make your way onto the catwalk, and always the gentlemen, they held your hands on the way up. “Can’t have you falling down. Now, go get ‘em,” Bucky said, beaming.

The stage was bright, the cameras blinding with their constant flashes. A calm settled over you and the catwalk became an extension of your being — it was time to work. People and camera men clamoured at the base of the raised platform as you strutted to the end, and you ignored them, your eyes focused on a point at the far wall.

You imagined Bucky and James waiting for you at the end at the stairs to keep your breathing even, your expression blank and calm. It worked a charm, until a loud shout rang out over the chaos.

There was a man beside you suddenly, waving a Glock and a manic glint in his eye. “There ain’t enough fuckin’ money to save you, bitch!” Cold dread flooded your stomach and then his hand grabbed your bicep hard, the grip bruising.

“Let me-”

“Let the girl go!” Bucky. He was standing on the catwalk, gun drawn, and face carved from stone. “You let her go, and I won’t shoot to kill.”

People were screaming behind you, and you winced, your vision blurring from the tears that burned your waterline. You didn’t want to die. The sudden cold bite of metal hit your temple and you whimpered — the gunman had you in his grip and he wasn’t going to let go, he wasn’t going to release you back to your wolves.

The predatory glint in Bucky’s eyes told you all you needed to know; this was it. He wasn’t looking at you and the silent tears that fell unbidden down your cheeks, he was watching the gunman with such lethal vitriol it was a wonder he didn’t drop dead on the spot.

“I said, let her go, and I won’t shoot to kill.” Bucky’s voice was low, a deep growl from the belly of the wolf. “You don’t want a third eye, do you?”

“Not until her bastard father-” You began to squirm, desperate to get away and back to Bucky and James, even though you couldn’t see the latter. “Stand still, bitch!”

You froze, and so did the world around you. The muzzle of his Glock pushed into your temple again with such force it made you grit your teeth. People were still screaming around you and there was shouting, pleas for safety and to lower weapons.

Where the fuck was James? You sobbed and looked around frantically, there was no sign of him, but Bucky had changed his stance; shoulders straight and legs spread, it was as though he was preparing to pounce.

“Get her father on the phone and maybe I won’t fuck her face up too badly,” the gunman yelled, pulling you close against his chest and wrapping the hand he had around your arm around your throat instead. “She can have an open casket, isn’t that what you want?”

He squeezed and you choked, staring wide-eyed at Bucky. Scrabbling against the man’s arms was doing nothing, but you kept trying — I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die — you begged, a continuous chant.

Bucky’s lip curled in a snarl, and he glanced at you, eyes not softening, before staring back at the gunman. A chill flew down your spine at the absolute fury in his eyes. “I warned you.”

A quiet whoosh sounded far away, the grip on your throat lessened, and a wet splatter echoed right next to your ear, followed by the loud thump of a body hitting the floor.

“DOWN!” A pair of hands grabbed both of your arms and pulled you forward into a hard, broad chest. Screams from the people echoed around you and more gunshots cracked the air.

“Oh my-” You gasped, staring down at the body that once held you like a bargaining chip. It was surreal. The person holding you ran, and you watched in shock as a pair of legs clad in tactical gear appeared beside you — James.

“Dvigat'sya!”

“What-”

“Fucking move, you bastard!” A voice ordered above you over the screaming of the gathered spectators and you realised it was Bucky — Bucky was holding you to his chest in a kind of side hold while he pushed through the crowd, gun in hand.

Someone managed amongst the fray to rush Bucky from the side and you screamed — he had a knife- “No, you fucking don’t!” Bucky roared, the hand with the gun somehow whipped up in time to roundhouse the man in the head, the crack of his skull loud enough to be heard over the chaos around you.

“Hold on, doll, you’re safe,” Bucky continued, his voice sharper than a knife in your ear. Fear spread like wildfire through your entire body and you seized up, the instinct to freeze setting in before you could comprehend his assurance. “Fuck, James, prikroy menya!”

“Idti!”

Arms swept under your knees and behind your shoulders, and you were resting against Bucky’s chest — eyes still wide with fear and confusion. People were running and scattering in their haste to get away, and gunshots still filled the air. You could see James behind Bucky with his Skorpion drawn, the muzzle flashing with each shot he took.

There was no way to make sense of what had happened — you were just on the catwalk, doing your job, your passion, and now you were in Bucky’s arms while James slaughtered the remaining gunmen with no care for taking them alive. A switch had been flicked between the two of them, and you were helplessly struck dumb with the absurdity of it all.

The night air was cold against your already goosebump stricken skin and you gasped, flinching instinctively and curling closer into Bucky’s chest. “I got you, sweetheart, hang on,” Bucky rushed. He was looking around with narrowed eyes, looking for something, when they widened. “James! There, go!” He jerked his head towards what he was searching for but James stood stock still, gun trained on the entrance of the venue.

“Go, take her and get out of here!”

Bucky growled, a snarl on his lips and you whimpered. “I will not leave you the fuck behind, get your ass in the car and drive!”

“Ty, blyad', idiot, ya skazal tebe poyti, i vot ty prosto-”

Hearing them fight was worse than a knife to the guts, and you whined, reaching a hand out to James. “Please, I-”

“You heard her,” Bucky yelled over his shoulder while he stalked to what you saw was a car, the black SUV they had driven you here in. “Popast' v chertovu mashinu.”

The cold night air vanished when Bucky placed you on the back seat. “Bucky, what happened, I-I don’t-” You tried, but you were silenced when he sat next to you and pulled you close so your head could rest on his shoulder.

“You were targeted,” Bucky explained hastily. The sound of the driver’s door slamming shut made you flinch, and the car rumbled to life. “I fucking knew something wasn’t right-”

Tires squealed against the pavement and the car jerked forward, pushing you harder against Bucky’s shoulder. “I’m sorry- Hang on,” James said loudly, and the car swerved around a corner. “Bezopasnyy dom, Bucky?”

“Da, tikhiy,” Bucky replied. “Vy videli, kto yeshche eto bylo?”

James and Bucky were still talking, but their voices were becoming muffled, and you started to breathe heavily — the tides of panic were starting to pull you under. You were attacked? Targeted? The concept would be laughable if you were in a fit state of mind, who would want to attack you, it was fucking absurd.

“Sweetheart, stay with me,” Bucky whispered and you sobbed. His hand grabbed yours and placed it over his chest against the tactical shirt. “Breathe with me, in and out.” The steady beat of Bucky’s heart grounded you and you tried pulling in a lungful of air, but it caught on a sob. “I know, I know, sweetheart, you’re alright,” he soothed, pulling you impossibly closer.

“Bol'she vragov yeye ottsa, bez somneniya,” James said, his voice still loud and you opened your eyes, not realising you had closed them. Bucky growled low in his throat at James’ statement.

“Prosto voz'mi nas tuda i bystro,” Bucky then said, his voice low and his grip tightening. “Doll, look where we are.”

You looked up from his shoulder and gasped softly. The bright lights of Times Square shone in the night and into the back seat of the car. Bucky loosened his grip slightly so you could turn and watch the lights fly by; it was no secret that you loved the the area, both James and Bucky had accompanied you on every impromptu trip, and seeing it at such a desperately fearful moment instilled a calm unlike any other — it flowed and ebbed through the panic and loosened the vice around your chest, and the warmth of Bucky’s presence only made it easier to breathe.

“Are you okay, kisa?” James asked from the front, glancing at you in the rear mirror when you met his gaze.

Nodding slowly, you glanced back out the window. Bucky pulled you close again and you followed, not willing to be far from him for long at all. “We need to do another impromptu shopping trip,” Bucky offered, his voice quiet. The sigh from behind James’ mask was almost inaudible. “What, you love seeing her light up just as much as I do, punk.”

“You are not wrong,” James replied, and the car was cloaked in darkness again, the lights of Times Square long gone.

The inside of the car was silent for a little while, filled with the occasional slight sniffle from you, and the hum of the car engine. It was broken when James turned the wheel and hissed quietly. “James?” Bucky asked, sitting ramrod straight.

“It’s nothing-” James tried, but Bucky was having none of it. The concern rolled from him in waves and you began to grow worried, too.

“Like hell it’s nothing, you idiot,” Bucky said, his voice sharp with worry. “Can you drive?” James nodded, though Bucky didn’t relax. “When we get there, I’ll sweep the place and you stay with her.”

A stormy look pinched James’ brow and his eyes darkened, and if he wasn’t wearing his mask, you knew you would have seen him scowling and gritting his teeth in frustration — he didn’t take well to being ordered around. “James,” you said softly, and he looked at you briefly in the mirror before focusing on the road again. “Please let Bucky look at the wound when we get- Where are we going?”

“Safe house,” Bucky answered.

You nodded. “Let Bucky look at you when we get there, please, for me.” It seemed to take all the effort in him, but you watched James’ shoulders sag as he nodded once.

Half an hour later, the car pulled into a home nestled deep amongst trees, the long driveway passing in a heartbeat. Bucky shifted on the seat and kissed you on the forehead. “You wait with James,” he said, then he looked towards the front. “Give me the Skorpion.”

James’ hand reached back with his favourite weapon and Bucky took it, pulling out the clip and replacing it with a fully loaded magazine. The car came to a stop, and Bucky jumped out immediately, focus entirely honed on the unassuming house.

“Come, kisa,” James said, opening the door. You followed and gasped at the cold air of the night. James’ door shut quietly and he beckoned you over. “C’mere.”

Warmth enveloped you when James pulled you close, and you shuffled closer so you were plastered to his front, soaking in the offered act of comfort like it was your last. “I was so scared,” you mumbled, tearing up again.

“I know, kisa,” James rasped. His voice was muffled by the mask and you pulled away slightly, reaching up and around to the back of his head. It came away with a click and James sighed. “Thank you.”

“I know you like wearing it, but I want to see my James now,” you whispered. James smiled and one of his hands held the back of your neck, and pulled you closer.

Footsteps sounded from the front of the house. “It’s clear. Get inside, come on.” With Bucky’s command, you grabbed James’ arm and walked forward, wincing in sympathy whenever he grimaced. “Where did you get hit?”

“My side, I think it just grazed-”

Bucky scowled. “Doll, take him straight to the bathroom, it’s the first door on the left in the hallway.” You nodded and started walking when Bucky stalked towards what looked to be the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, “You better do as you’re fucking told, punk.”

You would have rolled your eyes as James’ heavy sigh had you been in a joking mood. Exhaustion settled heavy in your mind, weighing down your body with the realisation of what had just happened.

“Stay with us, kisa,” James breathed, watching you as he entered the surprisingly large bathroom. “Don’t get stuck in that pretty head of yours.”

“Sorry-” You tried, but you were cut off by James’ lips on yours. It was a soft kiss, sweet and giving, and it had you almost weak in the knees.

James pulled away first and shook his head slightly. “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry,” he ordered gently, holding your face between his hands. “I will not have it.”

“Stop pulling moves on our girl and sit your ass down,” Bucky said suddenly, appearing in the doorway, a smirk teasing the corner of his lips. “Go on.”

With a huff, James sat on the bench in the shower, moving to take off the tactical gear when you rushed forward. “No, no, let me,” you said, fingers already moving to undo the buckles. James looked up at you with wide eyes, your urgency rendering him speechless.

Metal clinked behind you and you figured Bucky was preparing the med kit, but you didn’t rush, every move seemed to irritate James’ wound and like hell you would cause him more pain.

A few moments later, James sat on the bench shirtless with the wound in his side on full display. It was a bullet wound, though thankfully it was only a graze; like all three of you had hoped. “Alright,” Bucky said, sitting next to James and facing him with a grimace. “This will sting.”

“Hang on,” you said. The two of them watched you curiously as you darted out the room, coming back with a small stool from the kitchen you had passed by just a few moments ago. You placed it in front of James and sat down. “Come here, baby,” you whispered, and James immediately obeyed, his eyes clouded with unshed tears. Bucky watched sadly while James got comfortable, your hand on the back of his neck and your fingers in his hair so you could scratch his scalp, while the other rested against his shoulder. One of his hands rested on your knee, the other on your thigh, and he squeezed whenever a sharp breath of pain left him.

You had learnt through trial and error — mostly error — that James wouldn’t let his guard down around anyone bar the two of you, and while he was hurting… it was even harder for him to maintain that facade.

“Okay, go ahead,” you whispered, looking at Bucky who nodded once, and got to work patching the wound.

“You did well today, doll,” Bucky began, the needle in his fingers moving with precision. “Even though it all went to shit.” A subtle shift against your neck told you James was nodding his agreement.

“What happened?” You asked, still maintaining the soothing motion of scratching James’ scalp. “I was out there and all of a sudden it just… blew up. I didn’t know what the hell was happening.”

There was a pause and you watched Bucky’s expression remain carefully neutral. “I honestly don’t know who the fuck it was that attacked you tonight,” Bucky said. “You know your father isn’t exactly a saint-”

You knew that for a fact. He was a dirty CEO, probably worse, and it was why you decided to split from his ‘ideal daughter’ and pave your own way. No way did you want to be involved in dirty money.

“-And we,” Bucky gestured to James and then himself, “believe someone wanted revenge for something that he’s done, one way or another. It’s the only thing that makes sense right now, anyway.”

Silence fell while you considered his words. And then, you sighed heavily at the sudden weight of the world on your shoulders. “Well, fuck.”

Bucky snorted and continued to bandage James’ side. “My thoughts exactly.”

“Wait- How did- Who killed the man that had me-”

“James did,” Bucky answered, not meeting your eyes.

You gaped at Bucky and your hand tightened in James’ hair. “How? That was not a typical gunshot wound.”

“There has always been a case in your dressing room with one of James’ snipers,” Bucky went on to explain, eyes still trained on the wound. James was stiff in your hold, bracing himself. “The case and gun only unlock slash operate when it is his fingerprints. When you went up the stairs he doubled back and assembled it, and then hid in the rafters to watch you and the crowd. I knew he was going to take the shot,” he gestured to his ear. “Thanks to that device.”

“You what?” You asked, astonished. “There has been a sniper rifle in my fucking dressing room this entire time? How did I never see it?”

“I am good at hiding,” James whispered against your neck. “You never saw it because I was the one that hid it, the staff didn’t know.”

“What the fuck.” A quiet laugh left both James and Bucky at your surprise.

“You know we’re nothing if not thorough, doll.”

A few moments had passed when Bucky finally shifted in his seat and placed the unused supplies back in the med kit before running a hand up and down James’ back. “It’s done, you did good.”

“Thank you,” James said quietly, his voice slightly muffled by your neck. He placed a soft kiss there and then sat up, wincing from the pain.

You smiled sadly and stood from the stool.

“Wait, wait,” Bucky called, hand raised. “How’s your arm?”

“It’s fine, I think it’ll only bruise a little bit,” you assured, looking between the both of them who were staring up at you. “James stopped him just in time.”

They both looked displeased but you walked out of the bathroom. It felt like you were just going through the motions, operating on autopilot as you took the stool back into the kitchen. It was all too much. Your father, the attack, the realisation that no matter how hard you tried, the trail of sin would follow you and endanger you; maybe even for the rest of your life.

“Sweetheart?” The voice was soft and you turned to see Bucky hovering behind you, a slight frown that was the final nail in the coffin. “Oh, babydoll,” Bucky breathed, rushing forward and throwing the med kit onto the counter when you shuddered, a heart wrenching sob wracking your chest. “C’mere, I’m here.”

The sudden embrace broke the floodgates and you wailed - overwhelmed and so, so afraid. Bucky held you against his chest in a crushing grip, willing it to ground and soothe you, when James poked his head out from the bathroom. They must have shared a silent look because you felt James against your back, his bulk just as warm and comforting as Bucky’s.

“We’ve got you, kisa,” James whispered while Bucky began to rock you gently side to side. “You’re safe.”

A moment later, Bucky shifted you slightly in his arms, and James let go. You whined at the loss of contact but Bucky hushed you. “Let’s get into bed, you need your rest, and so does this punk.”

James huffed and led the way towards a closed door.

“Please lay with me, I don’t want to be alone,” you whispered, clutching Bucky’s shirt. “Please.”

“Of course we’re gonna stay, sweetheart,” Bucky offered, walking you to the bed and placing you on the edge. “We wanna hold you.”

James made a hum of agreement and moved onto the bed, kneeling behind you. “Arms up.” You did so and James pulled your shirt off, his touch lingering on your skin. Bucky made short work of your shoes, socks, and pants with minimal help from you. The weight behind you shifted and the sound of more buckles unfastening made your skin warm.

“No, not tonight,” Bucky said, reading your mind. “Just wanna hold you.”

You nodded and then James’ hand pulled you back so your back was flush with his chest. Thinking of his wound, you opened your mouth to protest when his hand rested against your stomach and he tucked his chin into the crook of your neck. “It’s fine, don’t you worry. Just relax for us.”

The bed bounced when Bucky sidled up to your front. You looked up at him, feeling safe and content while between them. “Well, hey there, sugar,” Bucky purred, smirking cheekily. “You come here often?”

You giggled and James made a quiet noise of protest. “No funny business.”

“Bite me,” Bucky retorted, looking affronted.

“I am tempted-”

“Boys,” you interrupted. Bucky stared at you and you could just feel James’ annoyance. They were so petty. “Cuddle me.” Instantly, James’ arms tightened around your middle and Bucky slung his leg over your thigh, moving so close you could rest your forehead against the juncture of his throat and you rested a hand against his chest, right over his heart.

“Didn’t have to tell us twice, sweetheart,” Bucky said, the rumble of his voice against your palm soothing.

The three of you laid in silence until a wave of exhaustion suddenly hit you, a wide yawn leaving you before you could stifle it. “Go to sleep, kisa,” James whispered, and Bucky kissed your forehead. “We’ve got you, you’re safe.”

Sleep pulled you under before you could reply, and you missed the way James and Bucky looked at you; so tenderly and with a fierce protectiveness, unmeasured and untamed. They would protect you, no matter the cost.

navsegda i vechnost' = forever and eternity krasivaya, moy kisa = beautiful, my kitten dvigat'sya! = move! prikroy menya! = cover me! idti! = go! ty, blyad', idiot, ya skazal tebe poyti, i vot ty prosto- = you fucking idiot, I told you to go and there you are- popast' v chertovu mashinu = get in the damn car bezopasnyy dom = safe house da, tikhiy = yes, the quiet one. vy videli, kto yeshche eto bylo? = did you see who else it was? bol'she vragov yeye ottsa, bez somneniya = more of her father's enemies, no doubt prosto voz'mi nas tuda i bystro. = just get us there, and fast.

⠈⠂⠄ 𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐱 | 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 | 𝐚𝐨𝟑 ⠄⠂⠁

⠈⠂⠄𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 | 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ⠄⠂⠁

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