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Hello! I hope you guys are doing amazing. I just though about telling you all that i will be updating all the masterlist and I will also be tagging the authors so you can check their amazing content
I will be also adding new fics recs to the masterlists, hope you enjoy them as much as I did reading them
Sending hugs
-Moondoll
Rhett's a critter caretaker and always has been, may or may not be an animal whisperer too
So one sweltering summer night you noticed Royal coming home with a small cardboard box and were definitely not expecting to see the little kitten inside
God she was SO CUTE
Tiny and all grey with very odd blue eyes and the cutest meow you'd ever heard
Royal had found her in the Wal Mart parking lot in downtown Wabang and absolutely refused to leave her there. He doesn't show it often but it pisses Royal off something fierce when people just drop their pets off and leave
But he and Cece know that you and Rhett take exceptionally good care of all your animals
Rhett was the one who named her. Buttons was probably the most fitting name you two could think of because she was as cute as a button
She's a bit of a needy kitty because she's still a baby. She'll crawl into bed with you and Rhett and proceed to make biscuits on his bare shoulders
When you catch Rhett snuggling with her in the morning you think it's the cutest thing in the world, especially when Buttons starts nomming on his nose
She's a FIEND for milk. Rhett will go out in the morning to help Royal milk the cows and she's constantly trying to get into the bucket. Both of them have had to scoop her out and wash her off more than a few times
But she's the absolute best mouser anyone could ask for. Both the house and the barn are completely pest free because of her as well as Cece's greenhouse
She has a little stuffed mouse that she sleeps with when she starts learning how to sleep in her kitty hammock. You and Rhett think it's the most precious thing in the world
But there's not a day that goes by when you two aren't thankful for Buttons
Because she livens up the house in a way that no one ever truly could
Pairing: Bob/Robert Reynolds/Sentry x Avengers!Fem!Reader
Summary: Youโve been sick for a few days, so while the rest of the team goes out to do a recon mission, youโre on your own watching over Bob. One morning he comes to your room with a weird request.
Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI! Minor Spoilers for Thunderbolts! Fluff, Mentions of low self-esteem/ self-deprecation, Smut
Smut Warnings: Unprotected P in V Sex (YโallโฆYou know the drillโฆProtect yourselves lol), Some hair pulling (very light hair pulling), Reader is being a little bit dominant (if you squint), Bob is being a softie (and itโs hot as shit), Fingering, Squirting, Teasing, Biting, and Some marks are left.
Author's Note: Had this boy lined up and really wanted to post it. Loved the little hint that Bob was not liking the blonde that Sentry had lol so this is definitely something that would probably have happened if he didnโt return back to normal in the movie ๐ Also, yโall are awesome and I appreciate you guys for enjoying my little blurbs!โค๏ธ Thank you.
Word Count: 14,094
You were buried under layers of sweat and crumpled tissues when the knock came against your bedroom door.
Three soft taps.
So quiet, they couldโve been the compound settling. It was hesitantโpolite almost. It was the kind of knock someone does when theyโre not sure if theyโre allowed to be asking for anything at all.
You barely stirred in your bed. The flu had you pinned to the mattress like a paper doll, aching and clammy and convinced the walls were breathing in sync with you. Hallucinations had become your new roommatesโso when you heard the knock, you assumed it was just one of them, wandering through your mind again.
But then came a fourth tap. Just one. Sharp enough to make your headache throb like it was answering.
โY/NโฆItโs BobโฆCan I come in?โ You winced at the sound of his voice, even though it was always super gentle and timid.
Bob.
Of course it was Bob.
Youโd almost forgotten in the haze of your sickness that you were technically on Bob duty. Because apparently being half-dead with the flu made you the least threatening option to keep an eye on the worldโs most powerful man while the rest of the team went on recon. Bucky had said it so casually, like the fate of the planet couldnโt possibly unravel while you were tucked under three blankets with a thermometer hanging out of your mouth.
โAll you gotta do is check in on him every hour or so,โ Heโd told you. โMake sure he eats. Make sure heโs not spiraling, and doing something to keep himself occupied. Yโknow. Normal people stuff.โ
It had been simple, at first. When the worst symptoms you were experiencing was a runny nose and a dull headache, youโd shuffle past Bob every so often with a thumbs up and a mumbled โYou good?โ While he nodded earnestly over his book, asking you the same thing back.
But once you started coughing so hard you felt like your ribs were breaking, and the chills that you were experiencing gave way to night sweats and dry heaving, keeping tabs on Bob Reynolds fell hard to the bottom of your to-do listโsomewhere below โdonโt dieโ and โget a new tissueโ.
โโฆItโs open,โ You rasped, your voice raw and thin from all the coughing you had been doing.
The doorknob turned slowly, like he was still asking permission even after you gave it. Then Bob stepped inside with that careful kind of energy that people only reserved for hospital rooms or museumsโlike one wrong step might unplug or break something important.
He hovered in between the doorway, not coming too closeโbeing mindful that you had told him a few times to keep his distance because you didnโt want him getting sick, even though it was nearly impossible for him to catch anything. His baggy navy sweater hung off him like a weighted blanket, and the sleeves were stretched over his knuckles, worn from the way he would always pick at the fabric. He looked small in itโeven though he was quiet muscular underneath all the layers. His posture was slouched, and his shoulders were drawn up like he was nervous about something. On top of all that though, he was wearing his new wardrobe stapleโa dark brown beanie that he shoved his bleach-blonde hair under, he never came out of his room without it.
You stared at his figure through half-lidded eyes, watching as he avoided looking directly at you.
โYou okay?โ You croaked, reaching up to your face to rub the sleep off your face, attempting to sit up to get a better look at him. He glanced over at you, nodding quickly.
โYeah. Of courseโฆI meanโฆIโm good, I justโฆโ He trailed off, the sentence losing momentum halfway through as his gaze drifted around the room.
He wasnโt just avoiding your eyes anymore, it was like his attention had been dragged elsewhereโbehind you, beside you, and all around you. His brows twitched slightly as he took in your space for the first time, and slowly you connected the dots that Bob had never actually been inside your room beforeโ the first time was always an experience for people who didnโt know you were a secret collector of everything.
His eyes swept over the cluttered desk in the corner that sported wires, pliers, circuit boards and half built gadgets, before going to the large overstuffed bookshelf beside it, which was packed tight with thrifted novels and comic books that were still in their original plastic sleeves. There was a milk crate of vinyls on the floor near your speaker, with the old record player you insisted on fixing instead of replacing, even though you would complain every few days about it.
There was a flicker in his expressionโsurprise, maybe. Or something quieter, like heโd just stumbled into a part of you that he didnโt expect to find. You saw it in the way his jaw went still and the way his shoulders shifted slightly, like he was dying to ask you questions about everything you had, but he was holding himself back.
โโฆBob,โ You said hoarsely, trying to draw his attention back to you. He didnโt blink, his eyes were fixated on something in the far corner where your posters were. You reached your hand up over your head, waving slightly, and snapping your fingers, โEarth to Bob. Are you sure everythingโs okay?โ He shook himself out of his trance, and glanced over at you.
โSorryโฆSorry,โ He said quickly, his voice a little higher than usual, as he cleared his throat, โDidnโt mean to, uhโฆYโknow, snoop or anything. Iโve just never seen your room before, youโve got a lot of cool stuff.โ You raised your eyebrows at him with a small smile on your face.
โYouโre lucky I feel like death. Otherwise Iโd be giving you the grand tour right nowโฆI also include a quiz at the end.โ Bob let out a nervous laugh and looked down, picking at the loose thread on his sleeve.
โIโd definitely failโฆSo Iโm kind of gladโฆWell Iโm not glad youโre sick, Iโm just glad I donโt have to do a quiz.โ Your lips twitched, amused despite the ache that was still clawing at your skull.
โVery smooth recovery Bob, very smooth.โ Bob made a quiet noiseโsomewhere between a breathy laugh and a groanโkeeping his eyes pinned to the floor as his cheeks turned a soft pink. You pushed yourself up a little more than before, elbows trembling from the effort of holding yourself up.
โSoโฆWhatโs going on? Whyโd you knock on my door atโฆโ You paused, glancing over at your alarm clock, โSeven fifty three in the morning?โ Bob sighed.
โWellโฆI need to go to the drug store,โ He admitted, his voice sheepish, โAnd I know Buckyโs not really a fan of me going out alone soโฆThought Iโd ask my babysitter.โ You squinted at him through your blurred vision, feeling the room tilt slightly, as you brought your hand up to your face, pressing gently at your temples.
โAre you getting sick or something?โ He immediately shook his head.
โNo, no itโs nothing like that. I havenโt really gotten sick since I took the Sentry serumโฆโ You quirked your brow at him.
โSoโฆWhatโs the reason for the drug store trip then?โ Bob shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the floor creaking under him loudly as he did so.
โI umโฆI need to buy something. For myself.โ He responded, dancing around the truth. You stared at him.
โIs it serious?โ
โNo,โ He said quickly, โItโs not likeโฆHealth-serious or anything, Iโm fine physically, I justโฆโ He paused, clamming up again, not knowing how to explain himself. You narrowed your eyes at him, coughing into your arm, clutching your ribs when a dull ache pulsed through the area.
โYou do realize Iโm gonna find out anyway if I go with you , right?โ Bob sighed and dragged his hand down the side of his face, like he was physically wiping the resistance off of himself, letting his hand drop down to the hem of his sweater.
โFineโฆFineโฆI need to buyโฆHair dye.โ He mumbled under his breath. You tilted your head slightly, blinking through the fevered haze that clouded your vision.
โHair dye?โ Bob winced at the way the words left your mouth, even though you didnโt mean for it to sound like you were judging him.
โMhmโฆโ You stared at him for a second longer than he could handle, as his eyes began to wander again, his hands wringing the fabric of his shirt, wrinkling it.
โYou woke me up at seven-fifty-three in the morningโฆFor hair dye?โ You asked again, trying to confirm what you were hearing once more, hoping that you werenโt experiencing an odd version of delirium at this point.
โItโs not justโโ He started, then shut his mouth again, biting the inside of his cheek, shaking his head, โI meanโฆIt isโฆBut I justโฆโ The sentence fell apart in his throat, as his cheeks began to heat up. He looked genuinely embarrassed, and you could see himself curling even more into his sweater, โI just donโt like what it looks like anymore.โ There was something raw about the way he said it, and you couldnโt help but feel empathy for him, your heart clenching at the way his words cracked in the air.
โThe bleachโฆ The whole look,โ he muttered, eyes fixed on the floor, โIt was for him. For the Sentry. Thatโs what they said, anywayโ they said that it would help. That it would make people see someone new. Something brighterโฆLike it would somehow separate usโฆBut I still have to live in this body when heโs not around.โ Bob continued, his throat swelling with a lump, โI still have to see myselfโฆAnd the longer I look like him, the harder it is to remember who I am when Iโm justโฆBob.โ You didnโt say anything at firstโnot because you didnโt want to, but because there was something about the way he was talking about himself that made your chest cave in a little. The words hung in the air like mist, as he bowed his head even lower, keeping his eyes on the floor, not daring to look at you or anything else in the room.
โItโs not stupid.โ You could see his hands stop moving at your words, watching his eyes glance up at you hesitantly. You gave him a tired but sincere look, hoping that it was enough for him to understand that what you were saying was coming from a place of care, โWanting to see yourself again isnโt stupid BobโฆItโs just you trying to cling to the one thing you have control ofโฆI get it.โ His mouth parted, like he was going to thank you, but no sound came out. He was relieved that someone was finally understanding what he meant, it was like he had been running around talking to walls when he would speak about how he was feeling, but with you in this momentโฆIt was like he felt seen.
โSo Iโll helpโฆBut I need to see what weโre working with first.โ You added, motioning to his head. Bob looked like a deer in the headlights when you said it, caught off guard by your suggestion, but also scared to even follow through with it.
โW-What?โ You sighed.
โThat hat BobโฆJust take it offโฆI havenโt seen your hair since we moved you in here and youโve been hiding it like itโs some sort of radioactive test subject.โ He felt his heart gallop in his chest a little bit, as the nerves began to build up in him.
โI-I really donโt think thatโs necessary,โ He stammered, already figuring out a way to retreat out of the conversation, eyeing the hallway that was in the far corner of his vision.
โBob, you dragged me out of a flu coma to ask me for helpโฆSo let me help youโฆLet me see it.โ The gentleness in your voice was always something that got to him. Even on your toughest days you would use that tone with him, and for some reason it was the only thing that truly had him melting like putty in your hands.
You could see the conflict playing out within him, like he was weighing out the risks, until a look of resolve appeared on his face, a small sigh escaping his lips as he gave in to your request.
Bobโs fingers trembled as he slipped them beneath the edge of his beanie, hesitating for a second before slowly tugging it off his head. The static cling made the knit fabric resist him just a little, like even the hat itself didnโt want to let go of the safety it provided him.
The moment it came off, a curtain of hair fell across his face. You blinked through your fevered haze, eyes widening slightlyโnot in shock, but in recognition. His hair was longer than you rememberedโshaggy, uneven, the ends fried from months of bleach. The top was still harshly pale, the yellow-white of it stark under the low morning light, but underneath, near the roots, his real hair was coming back inโsoft, and light brown, just like you recalled from the brief glimpses you got of him before it all got changed. But the line where bleach met natural color was harsh and jarring, cutting across his scalp like a bad decision frozen in time.
He looked like someone in between versions of himself, not quite Bob, not quite SentryโjustโฆStuck. You studied him for a moment, your body heavy with exhaustion but your chest buzzing with quiet sympathy. There was something so tender about the way he stood there, hair falling into his eyes, his beanie clutched in his hands like a comfort object. He looked younger somehow. Not in age, but in vulnerabilityโlike this was the version of himself that never got the chance to just be soft and carefree.
โItโs not that bad,โ You started, the rasp still thick in your throat, โReally. It just needs some love, patienceโฆMaybe a deep conditionโฆAnd the right shade of brown.โ Bobโs head immediately shot up to look at you, like he couldnโt believe what you were saying.
โS-So youโre actually going to help? Y-You didnโt just try to trick me into showing you my hair right?โ You shifted yourself down to the edge of your mattress, groaning at the way your bones protested and pulsed with each movement.
โNo I didnโt try to trick youโฆ Iโm going to help, but first, Iโm gonna need you to come here and make sure I donโt fall, because I think my legs are going to wiggle like theyโre made of jelly.โ For a split second Bob wasnโt sure if you were serious or not about needing actual help, but he moved anyway, shuffling towards you with his socked feet sliding across the floor. He opened his arms hesitantly, elbows bending like he wasnโt sure where they were supposed to go, offering himself up into your space.
โAlrightโฆWhenever youโre ready I g-guess.โ He said softly, his voice cracking a bit on the โguessโ like he was more nervous about touching or dropping you than you were about falling on your own.
Your hands found his forearms instantly, fingers curling into the soft, worn cotton of his sleeves, watching him brace himself. He looped one arm under yours, while steadying the other against your back as you pushed off the mattress, feeling your knees buckling beneath you like a baby deer on ice.
โWoahโwoah, okay.โ Bob muttered quickly, tightening his arms around you without a second thought. He adjusted himself accordingly, trying his best to be gentle while still being secure enough to hold you upright. You ended up closer than either of you really expected, with his chest pressed against yours, and your cheek inches away from his shoulder.
Despite everythingโthe fever baking your skin, the chills clinging to your limbs, and the flu that had knocked you down hard enough to rattle the wallsโyou still smelledโฆGood.
Bob noticed it the moment you got within his arms reach.
It wasnโt some kind of artificial, pampered scent. It wasnโt perfume or lotion or anything curated. No, it was just youโfresh soap, soft worn cotton, and that barely-there trace of eucalyptus from the body wash and shampoo combo you swore by. He heard you muttering something about it being the only thing strong enough to trick your sinuses into opening, and Bob had thought it was actually going to work because the sniff you gave him from the bottle made him have a sneezing fit, but he heard your frustrated grunt in the shower when it had not been the case.
โYou alright Bob?โ You asked, feeling the tension in his body against yours. He let out a short breath, which fanned across the crown of your head. He didnโt say anything right away, he just gave you a quick nod.
โYeah, yeah Iโm okay.โ You could feel how careful he was being, feeling his arms flexing around you, not too tight, and not too loose. He was warm, and steady, while trying so hard not to be in the way, even though you requested his help. You couldnโt help but think about how strangely nice it was to be close to him, despite the situation.
You stood like that for another moment longer, your body leaning against his, the rhythm of your fevered breathing matching the rise and fall of his chest. Even through the blocked sinuses you had you could smell his laundry detergent on his sweaterโfresh from the dryer, another thing you seemed to like about the moment.
Though you snapped yourself out of your self-induced daze once the floor felt less like a rocking ship beneath your feet. You pulled back just enough to glance up at him.
โYou can let go now,โ You whispered, startling Bob with the cue. Quickly he stepped back, like he just realized he was touching a hot stove or something, trying not to seem like he had been enjoying the odd moment of closeness. Despite the warmth of his body leaving yours, his hands still hovered around you just in case.
โIโm good,โ You reassured, wobbling slightly but managing to keep yourself upright, โJust give me a few minutes to brush my teeth and get my bearings so I donโt scare the public by looking like a corpse.โ Bob nodded immediately.
โYeah, of course, Iโll justโฆIโll wait in the hallway. Thereโs no rush or anything, uhโฆJust take your time. Seriously, I mean it.โ He said, backing away while he clutched his beanie in his hand, โJust call me if you need anything.โ He added, slipping out of your room and pulling the door shut behind him.
The moment he was gone, you sat back down on the edge of the bed with a slow, rattling breath. God. Your whole body felt like it had been microwavedโsweaty, sore, and buzzing with leftover adrenaline. You pressed the heels of your palms into your eyes for a second, trying to reboot your nervous system. Not just from the fever, but from how close Bob had been. How soft heโd been. How good it had felt to be held with such warmth and gentleness even if it was for a fleeting moment.
You let out a sigh, before getting up again, dragging yourself into the ensuite bathroom you shared with Yelena, flicking on the bright fluorescent light. You let out a hiss, catching your reflection in the mirror. Surprisingly, the damage was minimal, sure your hair was an absolute mess from spending the night tossing and turning, but you looked half-awake at least.
Quickly, you got yourself ready, brushing your teeth, splashing some water on your face, fixing up your hair, and changing into a fresh set of clothes. By the time you were done, only fifteen minutes had passedโyour new personal best. You cracked the door to your bedroom open, finding Bob sitting on the floor waiting with his back against the wall and knees drawn up. He looked up quickly when he heard the creak, and gave you a soft smile.
โLetโs get outta here.โ
โโโโโโ
Twenty minutes later, you found yourselves shoulder to shoulder in front of the painfully fluorescent wall of boxed hair dye in your local CVS.
It was still early, so thankfully not a lot of people were in the store. You actually thought that it was just you and Bob who were customers and the rest of the people there were employees and managers. On the overhead speakers there was a faint crackle of old 2000s music groaning throughout the store. The air smelled like plastic and dryer sheets, which was an odd mix for a drugstore of all places.
Bob stood stiffly beside you, his hands jammed into the front pocket of his jacket, eyes wide as he took in the absurd variety of brands and colours in front of him. His mouth was parted slightly, like he wanted to say something but couldnโt decide on what panic stricken sentence he was going to go with. So you spoke first.
โWellโฆWe know what row we need to look at.โ You said, motioning toward the more natural leaning coloursโrows of caramel, ash, chestnut, and espressoโpushing the cart gently in that direction as Bob trailed behind you like a nervous shadow. Your eyes scanned over the various boxes and brands, trying to find ones that would do minimum damage to his hair while actually doing the job.
โI didnโt think it was going to be so complicatedโฆโ He murmured from behind you, โI just thought there would be straight forward choicesโฆโ You looked up from the boxes, seeing the way his jaw was clenched.
โItโs just overwhelming because all the companies who make this stuff create different versions of the same thing. Seeโฆโ You pointed at one box โThis one is ammonia free, and is semi-permanent,โ Then pointed to the other one right beside it,โWhile this one is permanent and has argan oil infused in it so it doesnโt do a lot of damage, but theyโre the same colour.โ Bob squinted at the wall of labels, then back to the boxes you had motioned to, visibly confused, shaking his head.
โAlrightโฆBut what if I just wantโฆNormal dye?โ You looked up at him, one brow arching in mild amusement.
โBobโฆThis is normal dye.โ He turned a sharp shade of red, as the heat rose to his cheeks, taking over the paleness.
โW-Well yeah butโbut you know what I mean donโt you? It doesnโt have to be so complicated, just have one of every colour.โ You let out a small laugh.
โWelcome to the wonderful world of capitalism, Bob. You want brown? Well, first you gotta pick from thirty-seven kinds of brown. Do you want cocoa chestnut or honey almond toast? Because those are apparently different.โ Bob took his hand out of his pocket, rubbing the back of his neck.
โOkayโฆI guess youโre right.โ He replied nervously.
โWeโll find your colour, I promise.โ You said calmly, continuing to look over the boxes in front of you.
โShould I, uhโฆTake my hat off? Would that help?โ You tilted your head at him, and nodded.
โIt would definitely make this a much quicker processโฆBut if it really bothers you, Iโm pretty sure I could go off of memory.โ Bob shrugged a little, his eyes flicking around the store for a moment.
โI donโt mind, itโs basically just us in here anyway.โ You nodded, watching him remove the beanie again, tucking it into the crook of his elbow. He tried to not make a big deal out of it, but you could tell he felt exposed, so you were going to attempt to make things quick.
โAlright,โ You said, stepping a little closer to him, grabbing a few boxes from the shelf, โBend down a bit, I need to get a good look at the roots so I can compare.โ He obeyed, ducking his head so you could see the top of his hair properly. In doing so, he stepped closer than you expectedโcloser than he expected, probably. Your foreheads were nearly aligned, noses maybe a breath apart. He was tall enough that you had to tilt your chin slightly to get the right angle, and Bob found himself frozen there, inches from you, not sure where to look. So, he looked at you.
You smelled like cherry cough dropsโsickly sweet and medicinalโand it hit him instantly, like a quiet little exhale in the space between you. He remembered the moment you popped one into your mouth earlier, halfway to CVS, saying it was the only thing keeping your throat from giving out. And now the scent lingered on your breath, mingling with the warmth of your skin and the faint trace of eucalyptus from before. Bob swore his brain short-circuited for a second.
You were focused, eyes narrowing slightly, as you held one box up beside his roots, then another. Your fingers brushed through the longer strands near his crown, gently separating pieces to get a clearer view of where the bleach ended and his real colour began. You were so precise about it, so tender, and Bob didnโt know where to put his hands or how to keep breathing without accidentally inhaling you.
Then you paused, lips turning up as you caught the way his chest rose a little faster, how his fingers curled and uncurled in his sleeves
A soft rattling sound reached your ears thenโthe kind of nervous, involuntary vibration that sometimes came from him when he was overwhelmed. You smirked slightly, brushing your thumb against his temple on purpose as you pushed a few more strands aside.
โIs the Sentry getting a bit flustered?โ You teased, your voice still raspy from the flu but still playful. โOr is that just you rattling like a soda can?โ
Bob made a noiseโhalf sigh, half laughโducking his head a little more like it would hide the warmth that continued to spread over his skin, all the way down his neck. โItโs definitely just me. Heโs, uhโฆHeโs fine.โ
โGood,โ You hummed, still close, eyes flicking between the swatch and his roots. โBecause I donโt think heโd let me manhandle his hair like this.โ
โYouโre notโฆManhandling anything,โ He mumbled, trying to cover up the wavering tone. โFeelsโฆKinda nice, actually.โ You paused at that comment, your eyes glancing down to his, seeing little glints of sparkling orange through the sea blue that his irises normally sported. For a second, neither of you said anything. The store had faded by that point and all that was left was the faint scent of cherry and the feel of your fingers still resting lightly in his hair.
โโฆThis is your shade,โ You said finally, voice soft, motioning to the box in your hand. He didnโt move at first, it was as if his brain hadnโt caught up to the moment yet, or his ears were ringing so much he didnโt hear what you had said. Then you shifted your weight, easing back slightly, giving him some space as you cleared your throat, dropping the box into the cart with a clunk. He quickly slipped the beanie back on, shoving his hair up into it, sealing away the moment beneath it.
โNow we need to get you one of those conditioning treatments, and after that Iโm grabbing some snacks, cause Iโm getting hungry.โ He looked away from you, nodding.
โYeah, okayโฆConditioner and snack. Got it.โ You glanced up at him, seeing the way he was avoiding you eyes again, before turning back to the cart, pushing it down the aisle with him following close behind. You turned into the next section without fanfareโthe shampoo and conditioner areaโand skimmed over a wide array of labels until your eyes landed on the exact jar you were looking for: the rich brown packaging, the heavy text that scrawled out all the promises of repairing and restoring.
โThis one,โ You muttered, reaching up for it and dropping it into the cart with a soft thunk, โWill do miracles for the damage, youโre gonna love it, smells like sweet coconuts.โ Bob glanced at the package.
โDoes itโฆSting?โ Your eyebrows drew together.
โBobโฆIt's conditioner, not acid.โ He bit his inner lip.
โNo, I-I know, Iโm just asking cause when they bleached my hair it really really burnedโฆThen my head was super sensitive for like a whole week after, j-just donโt want to go through that again.โ You could hear the way his voice tapered off, like he didnโt really want to talk about it, but he just wanted to let you know.
โI promise this will be way less abrasive.โ You said, with a small smile tugging at your lips, nudging the cart forward again, โNow letโs get to that snack aisle before my stomach eats itself.โ Bob chuckled softly at your words, following you again as you turned into the next section, noticing the sharp fluorescent lights had dimmed just slightly. The sterile smell of the store had completely faded by that point, being replaced with sweet confectionery items; gummy snacks, granola bars, marshmallows, anything you could think of really. You stopped your cart, feeling Bobโs chest bump into your back, as your eyes began to skim over the shelves, squinting at the shimmering bags, the look of contemplation drawing up into your eyebrows.
โSoโฆWhatโre you craving?โ He asked softly, watching your eyes dart around the wide variety, โSweet? Salty?โ You hummed.
โMight buy the whole aisle to be honestโฆโ He laughed under his breath, the sound quieter than the storeโs staticky music, but warmer than anything youโd heard in days.
โSeems like your appetite has come back.โ You turned to look at him, letting your body sway slightly toward the cart to brace yourself.
โYeah, I think the fresh air has put me on the road to recoveryโฆJust donโt touch my lower backโฆItโs a little sweaty.โ There was a beat of silence, before you continued โMy stomach might also be trying to fool me into a false sense of security and Iโll end up throwing it all up after I eat it.โ
โWell that took a turnโฆโ You shrugged, plucking a bag of sweet chili chips, throwing it mindlessly into the cart.
โI like to keep you on your toes Bob.โ You replied with a smirk.
โโโโโ-
Back at the compound, you retreated into your room to change, making quick work even though you were feeling a faint headache coming back, but it was more manageable than your prior ones.
You swapped out your clothes for a pair of beat-up black compression shorts and an old t-shirt from your days at training campโfrayed at the collar and speckled with faded bleach stains from when you touched up Yelenaโs hair. The crooked letters on the shirt were faded but you could make out the words โI SURVIVED CAMP HAMMONDโ on the front of it, a great memory of how long itโs been since you were actually training.
You grabbed your dye bowl and one of the brushes from under your bathroom sink, tucking them against you as you headed down the hall. Your bare feet padded softly against the cool flooring of the compound, reaching the bathroom that Bob shared with Bucky, seeing the door was already cracked open. You gave it a slow push with your knuckles, poking your head in.
Bob stood in the middle of the tiled space like he wasnโt sure where he was going to sit, clutching the CVS bag with both hands, wringing it in his grip, the sound crinkling plastic echoing off the walls. He already had taken off the beanie, fully prepared for what was coming.
โAlright,โ You announced as you stepped inside, โYour hair hero has arrived.โ Bob looked over at you quickly, his shoulders dropping slightly when he laid eyes on you and your outfit. The tension in him bleeding out of him in small waves.
โYou brought your own bowl?โ He asked, trying to cover up the fact he was staring at your bare legs for longer than he intended.
โOf course I brought my own bowl,โ You replied, holding it up slightly before setting it down on the porcelain counter, โWhat kind of amateur do you think I am?โ You asked jokingly, earning a small smile from Bob, motioning for him to hand you the bag.
You unpacked the contents onto the sinks edgeโthe dye, the conditioner, the gloves, and a couple of CVS coupons that the cashier had stapled to the receipt.
โOkay,โ You said, flipping the box of dye around to double-check the instructions even though you were seasoned enough to know what you were doing without them, โLetโs get you situated hm?โ Bob hovered behind you awkwardly, watching your hands move with precise, and practiced ease. You pointed at the closed toilet lid.
โGo sit on the makeshift barber chair, hope you like stiff seats.โ You joked, watching him go over to where you pointed, sitting down without protest, seeing the way his long frame compressed itself into the small space. He looked over at you with a soft smile, his hands clasping together, as you slid on a pair of gloves.
โUhโฆJust wanted to say thank you for doing this, especially with being sick and everythingโฆI didnโt mean to be a bother.โ You cracked open the box of dye, flipping the flaps back and pulling out the developer bottle and aluminum tube of colour, the gloves squeaking slightly as you did so. You opened the cap with a satisfying pop and reached for the dye bowl beside you.
โYouโre not a bother Bob.,โ You said, glancing over at him as you squeezed the thick brown sludge into the bowl, โI donโt mind.โ He blushed a bit at the softness in your voice, letting out a sheepish laugh, nodding before taking his eyes off you, his fingers finding the hem of his sweater.
You turned and flipped the small ceiling fan on, letting it whirl to life with a soft click and hum, it was your little attempt to keep the room from smelling like a chemical spill before you started stirring in the developer with the dye.
It was quiet for a momentโpeaceful almost. Just the faint humming of the fan and the soft scrape of the plastic bristles rubbing against the inside of the bowl. Bobโs eyes drifted down toward your shirt absentmindedly, reading the faded words that were scrawled over the fabric that was clinging to your frame.
โWhatโsโฆCamp Hammond?โ He asked quietly, with genuine curiosity in his voice, as he looked down to his hands. You didnโt look over at him immediatelyโstill focused on making sure the mixture reached that perfect pudding-like textureโbut your mouth twitched slightly.
โDid you think I was born with the skills of a mercenary?โ You asked, glancing over at him with a teasing glint in your eye, โHate to burst your bubble, but I wasnโt that cool.โ Bob felt his cheeks heat up as it spread to his ears and down his neck.
โSo what is it? LikeโฆA boot camp or something?โ You shrugged, looking down at the bowl again.
โKind of. It was a training facility for recruits who showed promise in their assigned roles. I was a teenager when I got scouted, actually. They stuck us in bunk beds and we ran drills at five in the morning. Sometimes we were able to go home to see our families but I spent about three years there just learning the ropes and honing my skills.โ He leaned forward a bit.
โWas itโฆBad?โ You paused the stirring for a moment, biting the inside of your cheek when you heard the way he asked.
โNo. Not always. It was intense, but not all of it was horrible. I met my first team there actually, so that should tell you something about the experience.โ At the mention of your first team, the conversation had faded, because true to Bobโs nature he was observant enough to catch on that you werenโt going to answer any questions about them. He just nodded, and sat still, with worry tucked beneath his lashes. You cleared your throat, breaking the silence.
โBefore I forgetโyou should probably take that sweater off. This stuff is probably going to stain it and thereโs a really low chance youโre going to be able to get it out.โ You said, motioning with the brush, โUnless you actually want brown splatters all over it.โ You added, seeing him look down at himself.
โOhโฆUhโฆโ He said, curling his fingers into the hem of it, hesitating, โIโm notโฆWearing anything under it.โ You paused.
โYou could go find something you donโt mind ruining, I can wait.โ Bob shook his head, not looking at you, avoiding your eyes.
โI donโt really have anythingโฆI wear pretty much all of my clothes, and donate the ones I donโt.โ You put your hands on your hips, biting the inner side of your cheek.
โGuess we have a dilemma then.โ You said jokingly, looking around the bathroom for a towelโa solution of sorts.
โI meanโฆI could take it off, I justโฆJust promise me you wonโt laugh.โ You stopped your movements immediately, looking back at him, raising your eyebrows.
โOkay. I wonโt laugh.โ You said, feeling your chest tighten. Bob nodded once, his fingers finally tugging up the hem of the sweater. It caught slightly on the undersides of his armsโhe had to peel it upward with a bit of a twistโand then suddenly, it was gone, crumpled in his hands and resting in his lap.
You froze.
The breath you hadnโt realized you were holding caught somewhere in your throat, stalling completely as you took him in.
The heat that burned inside your body hit you like a second fever.
He wasโฆLean. But solid. Not showy or overly built, but undeniably strong. His chest and shoulders were broad in a way that looked natural. There were fine lines of definition that carved down his sternum and stomach, soft traces of light and shadow where his muscles rested. His skin was fair, with scattered freckles that dotted across his collarbones and shoulders like sunspots. A small scar cut just under his left ribโthin and silvery and healed long agoโand there was a faint stretch of color along his ribs, a faded birthmark maybe, or it was the aftermath from the serum he was given. Tying it all together though were the very very small stretch marks that were scattered around the expanse of skin, which made your brows raise a bit in admirationโฆ
And his armsโJesus Christ, his armsโwere gently corded with strength, biceps not flexed but still clearly shaped beneath smooth skin, dusted with barely-there hair in the hollows of his elbows. The veins on his forearms sat just under the surface, pale blue and almost glowing under the harsh light of the bathroom.
He wasnโt perfect. But you didnโt want perfect. Thisโthis was so much better.
The heat rushed up your neck and onto your cheeks so fast it was like your body had short-circuited, and you were suddenly very aware that your own shirt was threadbare and clinging to your frame. You tried to clear your throat quietly, to ground yourself, but the sound came out shakier than you liked. Bob caught it immediately, and his cheeks went a dark hue of pink. Now you were able to see the pale skin of his chest matching the same colour.
You felt nauseous looking at him, but for all the right reasons. How the hell were you supposed to get close to this man now without passing out? And how the hell was he able to hide this so well from youโ Or anybody else for that matter?
โWowโฆโ Was all you could say, and you didnโt even mean for it to come out of your mouth. Bobโs head tilted up at you, noticing the way your eyes were glued to him like he was some sort of museum exhibit. He clutched the sweater in his lap a little tighter, curling in on himself a bit as if he was trying to hide, looking down at himself.
โYeah I knowโฆโ He muttered, tone awkward and clipped, like he was attempting to defuse the silence before it got worse, โI know itโs badโฆThe serum kindaโฆI donโt know made me grow a little too quickly, and-.โ You raised your hand to stop him.
โWoah woahโฆDonโt even go there Bob. I wasnโt saying wow in a bad way.โ He looked up at you instantly, his eyes glistening in the lighting, the soft blue still shimmering with those little flecks of orange.
โโฆYou werenโt?โ He questioned, his lips parting a bit.
โBobโฆYouโre built like a fucking house.โ You said bluntly, the edge in your voice softening from the next wave of nausea that sloshed in your stomach. Bob made a noise like he was suppressing a laugh, his throat closed a bit.
โThatโsโฆA very generous interpretation, but you donโt have to lie to meโฆโ Your expression twisted slightly, not in offense, but in something rawer than that. It was as if his words scratched at a place in you that was already tender.
โBob, Iโve never lied to youโฆAnd Iโm certainly not starting now.โ Bobโs lashes fluttered like he was processing your words, like no one had ever said something so plainly true to him in a long time. You could see the way he swallowed hard, almost like he was choking back his words, โYou look amazing, and I mean it.โ That was when you heard it againโthe faint rattling sound, you assumed he was shaking something in one of the cabinets, it didnโt really matter at this point though. He drew in a shaky breath to quiet it, his fingers tightening around the bunched-up sweater.
Then you stepped towards him, taking up the space between his knees. You were close enough to feel the warmth coming off his bare chest, to see the smallest cluster of freckles that laid just beneath his collarbone, and to feel his breath against you. Bob tilted his head up, slow and steady, his eyes finding yours immediately, seeing more orange taking over his irises.
โโฆYouโre really not going to laugh at me?โ He asked, almost like he truly couldnโt believe it. You sighed, tucking a piece of bleached hair behind his ear.
โBob, the only thing Iโm going to be doing right now is wondering how Iโm supposed to function with you sitting in front of me like thisโฆDoes that make you feel any better?โ Bob let out a soft, startled breathโalmost like a laugh or like he didnโt know what to do with the surge of warmth that spread through his chest.
His hands, still knotted around the sweater in his lap, flexedโthen unclenched. The tension there began to melt, bit by bit.
โIโฆโ He started, then stopped. His voice caught, his tongue wetting his bottom lip like he was trying to steady himself. His eyes searching your face, shining under the light โI think that makes it so much worse, actually.โ
โWorse?โ Bob nodded faintly.
โYeahโฆBecause now Iโm trying really hard not to kiss you...โ His voice was barely above a whisper when he said it, and all consideration for the flu you had been battling was thrown to the curb.
The rattling came back. Louder this time. Almost a tremor that ran through his chestโnot violent, not dangerous, but charged. Like there was a wire humming under his skin that was just barely holding.
And still, somehow, he smiled.
The kind of smile that only showed up when he was trying to hide how badly he wanted something.
You swallowed. Your hand was still in his hair, fingers brushing at the soft edge of his temple. You could feel his warmth, his nerves, the small, careful gravity that existed between his body and yours. You let your gaze drop to his mouth, just for a second, and then back to his eyes.
โWell,โ You said, keeping your voice low and playful, in an attempt to mask your heart beating out of your chest โYouโre gonna have to wait until after your hairโs done. Iโm not making out with someone mid-dye jobโthis stuff stains.โ You added innocently, a smirk drawing up on your lips. You could hear Bobโs breath catching in his throat at the sheer mention of making out.
โRight, right, of course.โ He said, trying to cover up the excitement that bloomed in him.
โNow, be a give boy and stay still, so I can work my magic.โ You whispered tilting his chin up even more with your gloved hand.
โY-Yes, maโam.โ He responded breathlessly, without even thinkingโso soft, and so automatic that it made your pulse spike. You cleared your throat a bit before dipping the brush into the bowl, letting the creamy dye coat the bristles, then gently you began to cover the stark blonde lengths of his hair in the dark brown colouring. The scent of itโchemical but faintly sweetโmingled with the warm air drifting down from the little ceiling fan, and you tried to keep your breathing steady as you worked. Bobโs hair was softer than you expected, silken even after all the damage. And the way he tilted his head just slightly to give you better access made your chest ache.
He closed his eyes at the first touch, his jaw going slack as you parted the strands with careful fingers, keeping your brush strokes slow and methodical. You could see his throat move as he swallowed, the faintest tremble still present in his frameโbut now it was quiet, more soothed than shaken.
You worked in silence for a little while. It wasnโt awkwardโjust thick with the kind of tension that lingers when two people are trying not to break a moment thatโs humming with too much energy. You kept your movements fluid, coating each section with care, your free hand occasionally grazing the side of his neck or the curve of his temple to steady him.
Bob let out a slow, shaky breath.
โโฆCan I touch you?โ
The question barely made it past his lips. His eyes were still shut, but his lashes fluttered like he wasnโt sure if he should open them yet. You paused, brush hovering midair.
โTouch me?โ You asked, like you were confirming what he just said. He nodded, just once.
โNot in a weird way I justโI need toโฆTo do something with my hands.โYour lips parted, the heat returning in full force, knowing that he was probably making an excuse to put his hands on you, to feel you, to take you in, but deep down inside, you didnโt mind one bit.
โYeah,โ You said quietly. โYou can touch me.โ
The second you said it, you felt his hands move. Slow, careful. The sweater slipped from his lap and landed with a soft thump on the tile floor. Then his palms came to rest on the sides of your thighs, just above the hem of your compression shorts.
They were warm. Gentle. And a bit shaky.
Bob exhaled like the contact untied something in him, his fingers curling lightly around your skin as if he couldnโt quite believe he was allowed to hold you like that. His thumbs swept slow arcs along the fabric, and then you saw itโhis bottom lip caught between his teeth, eyes still closed like he was savoring every inch of sensation, like he was trying to memorize the feel of you beneath his palms.
You could barely focus on the hair in front of you. Your hands just kept moving, but your entire body was tuned to himโhow he sighed when your knee brushed his, how he flexed his hands slightly when your knuckles grazed his cheek. How he chased what little touch he was getting from you.
โYou okay down there?โ You asked, voice low, and tinged with amusement. His eyes finally openedโheavy-lidded, and flushed with emotion, as his fingers stayed firm on your legs.
โYeah,โ He breathed. โJustโฆI think this is the most relaxed Iโve felt in weeks.โ You couldnโt help but smile at the softness of his voice.
โWell, Iโm glad I could contribute to thatโฆEven though now youโre going to have to wait thirty minutes for this to set in.โ He wet his bottom lip with his tongue, nibbling on the inside of it, as you placed the empty bowl and stained brush onto the counter, taking off your gloves and letting them drop in the garbage all while staying in the space between his knees. You set a timer for yourself on the speaker radio that was near the conditioner.
โโฆWhat could we possibly do to make the time go by faster?โ He asked shyly, almost like he already knew the answer, but he just wanted you to initiate it, because he was too nervous to do it himself.
You werenโt going to give in that easily though.
โOh Iโm sure we could think of something.โ Allowing your voice to be a bit more breathier than before. He blinked up at you, hopeful and unsure all at once, but he still didnโt say anything, he Just kept holding you like he was afraid that any sudden shift he did would scare you off.
You didnโt move much at firstโjust enough to lean a fraction closer. Just enough to let your shirt brush his bare chest as you planted your palms on the edge of the shelf behind him, caging him in without pressure, while also being mindful of his dye coated hair. Bob inhaled, and you felt the tremble of it, the way his breath shuddered as your faces moved closer.
You dipped inโslow, and teasingโuntil your lips were just above his. A hairโs breadth away from connecting.
But then you stopped.
Bob was dazed. His lips parted, breath warm in anticipation, waiting for you to do itโฆBut you just stayed there, close enough for him to swallow the air you breathed out into him, and to smell the faint hint of cherry that was still clinging to your lips from the cough drop.
โโฆY/N.โ He whispered, his voice almost breaking off into a whimper. You tilted your head with a knowing smirk.
โWhat?โ You asked quietly.
โY-You know whatโฆYouโre driving me crazyโฆโ He tried to lean up but you moved back just enough for him to lose the air you were giving him.
โThatโs the point.โ You replied, brushing the tip of his nose with yours. His fingers tightened a little on your thighs, but he didnโt move you closer, even though he couldโve. He stayed obedient. Soft. The way he was in his everyday life and you smiled down at him, leaning in again to brush your lips across his bottom one, feeling him shiver against you.
Bob let out a shaky breath, his eyes fluttering half-shut from the close proximity of your mouth. His palms on your thighs shifted upward, sliding under your baggy top so they could rest against the waistband of your compression shorts, his fingers brushing the skin of your hips.
โโฆYou donโt know what youโre doing to meโฆGodโฆYou have no idea.โ He said, his voice aching and on the verge of spilling over into begging.
โI think I have a pretty good idea,โ You murmured back, trailing your lips across his again, feeling the wetness of his saliva this time before going to the shell of his ear โYouโre the one shaking, Bob.โ You whispered, your breath hitting against his skin.
โIโm t-trying my best to be good for youโฆBut youโre making this so hard.โ The heat between you curled together, tightening in your belly. You drew back just enough so you could look him in the eyes again. โโฆYou can do whatever you want to meโฆโ He whispered, โJust pleaseโฆPlease donโt stop touching me.โ Your breath caught at his word, not just because of the desperation that laced them, but because of the truth that hung below them.
It was the kind of truth people usually only say in the dark, or when they were half-asleep or drunk, but Bob was fully sober, wide-eyed, and trembling beneath your hands as if he couldnโt hold himself back any longer. It was like you were pulling a loose thread from a shirt and it was completely unraveling the whole thing. You stared at him for a long moment.
โโฆThe timer is going to go off in about twenty minutes,โ You said softly, โAnd I think weโre both a little overheated, arenโt we?โ Bobโs eyebrows knitted together, almost like he was preparing himself for you to stop this from going any further.
โWโWhat do youโโ
โI think we should take a shower together when the timer goes off,โ You interrupted, tilting your head to the side, โThat okay with you?โ There was a beat of stunned silence. Then a choked little nod, as Bobโs fingers gently pressed into your hips on reflex.
โIโll rinse out your hair, get the dye outโฆThen maybeโโ Your voice dropped into a whisper, โโIโll let you kiss meโฆThink you can manage to wait?โ Bob let out a small broken soundโbetween a laugh and a groan.
โI-I can try,โ He whispered, not even sounding convinced by his own voice.
The next fifteen minutes passed in a kind of suspended quiet. You didnโt step away from him entirelyโjust retreated enough to clean the brush, rinse out the bowl, organize the conditioner and the towel youโd need for later. But the whole time you felt his eyes on you. And every time you glanced over at him out of the corner of your eye, he was still perched on the makeshift barber chair, elbows on his knees, trying not to look like he was counting the seconds.
With five minutes left on the clock, you went over to the shower and reached in, twisting the handle on the built-in panel. The pipes groaned quietly as the water surged out, spraying onto the shower floor. Within seconds steam was curling out from behind the frosted glass enclosure. The room warmed fast, the mirror fogging slightly at the edges, the air heavy with moisture and the faint scent of developer and dye.
The heat from the shower stuck to your skin as you turned your head back to look at himโstill seated, trying to play it cool like he wasnโt about to explode from the anticipation. Bob leaned back against the tank, making room for you without hesitation, his knees parting instinctively like muscle memory, like his body already knew what was coming. You crossed the tiled floor with quiet, deliberate steps, the steam from the shower weaving between you both, making the bathroom feel smaller, more intimateโlike the air itself was folding in to watch.
You stepped between his knees again, standing tall in front of him, the light of the ceiling fan casting a warm haze on your skin.
Your hands found his shoulders again, fingertips skating lightly along the curve of them.
โWant to undress me?โ You asked, your voice like a secret you were offering just to him. No teasing this timeโjust heat, thick and warm and sweet in your chest. He exhaled like you punched the breath out of him.
โY-Yeah, o-of course I do.โ He said, barely above a whisper. You took his wrists into your hands, and guided him to the hem of your shirt, giving him the signal to do it.
He took his time with itโnot from hesitation but from wanting to tease you back just a little. His knuckles brushed against your stomach as he gathered the worn fabric up, pausing briefly just beneath your ribs, looking up at you just to make sure you were still okay with this. You gave him a nod.
He peeled it up off you, slow and careful, taking in the way the shirt slowly revealed everything he wanted to see in short increments. Your ribs, the soft swell of your breasts, your collarbones, your shoulders, all the way up until he was able to take the shirt off entirely. He let it drop to the floor behind you.
Bobโs gaze dropped before he could stop it, letting his eyes roam over you like he was witnessing something holyโlike he wouldnโt blink in case you suddenly vanished. His mouth parted for a moment as he audibly gulped. He was silent, his expression flickering between awe and hunger, tangling up in the open and stunned way he drank you in.
He was memorizing every inch of your skin. The gentle rise and fall of your chest, the soft curves and defined edges. Every freckle, birthmark, scar, or stretch of the skin, it was all there in his head, committed like it was a sacred text. You were completely unhidden, and you trustingly offered yourself to him with nothing but openness, and it was breathtaking to him.
โJesusโฆโ He said quietly, like your body was rewriting something inside him. He reached up and touched the soft skin of your stomach, the tips of his fingers tracing along your navel, before his eyes met yours again, revealing the beautiful haze of blue blurring together with the specks of orange that lived there. You brought your hand up to his face, caressing his cheek carefully, running your thumb just below his eye.
โYouโre so beautifulโฆโ You whispered, feeling Bobโs fingers curling beneath the waistband of your shorts.
โAnd youโre immaculateโฆโ He responded, slowly tugging your shorts down, his eyes never leaving yours as he did it. He just wanted to look at you, to take you in, to hold you close until you didnโt want to be held by him anymore. He wanted you so bad he felt like he was going to explode, and the heat in the washroom wasnโt helping him control that. The shorts dropped around your ankles with a soft flutter, and you stepped out of them slowly, brushing your hand down to his jaw.
โIโll meet you in the shower,โ Your voice was low and soft like a promise. Then you turned, and walked behind the frosted glass, sliding the door shut in one swift movement. Steam swirled around you like a second skin as you stepped fully beneath the stream of water. It hit your scalp first, then your shoulders, pouring down your body in comforting waves. The warmth soaked into your tense muscles and melted along your spine, rinsing away the leftover ache of your fever and the lingering hum of restraint youโd been nursing for the last hour.
From beyond the frosted glass, you saw movement. Bob had gotten up and walked over to the alarm, clicking it off with a single beepโbecause what was a minute going to do for him. Then you heard the shuffle of bare feet on tile, followed by the soft rustling of clothes dropping. You could see his shadow moving, leaning down then straightening up again, seeing him step out of his sweatpants and his underwear before reaching for the handle.
He slid the door open and stepped into the steam. You could see him squinting at the change in scenery, until his eyes caught yours. Under the dimmed lighting that the shower had you looked ethereal, like a siren calling to him to come closer. You tilted your head at him.
โRemember, we gotta wash your hair out first.โ Bob nodded silently, too stunned to speak or protest, and stepped closer to you until he was right against you, letting the water cascade down his body. You reached up without hesitation, brushing your fingers along the slope of his neck as you cupped his jaw gently, feeling the very faint stubble against your fingertips.
โClose your eyes,โ You murmured, and he obeyed immediately, trusting you with all of him. You reached for the bottle of shampoo, flipping the cap open with a soft click. The scent was clean, crispโsomething like cedar and citrusโand you poured a generous amount into your palm before lathering it between your fingers. He hunched forward slightly to help you because of the height difference, the muscles in his back bunching as he bent, his hands braced loosely on his thighs.
Your fingers found his scalp and began to move, slow and deliberate, massaging through the dye-stiffened strands with practiced ease. His breath hitched at the first touchโsoft and barely audible over the rush of waterโbut he relaxed into you, the tension easing from his shoulders as you worked through his hair, your nails dragging along his scalp gently, sending shivers down his spine despite the warmth of the shower that was smothering him.
He tried to peek down at you through his lashes, but flinched the moment some suds landed on his brow. You caught the twitch of frustration in his mouth and grinned faintly to yourself.
โNo peeking,โ You teased, your voice low and sultry, โYouโll get soap in your eyes, and thatโll just prolong the process.โ You added, with a smirk.
โI-Iโm not peeking,โ He muttered back, clearly lying.
But while he couldnโt see you, you saw everything.
Your eyes dropped as your fingers moved through his hair, and your gaze caught on the rest of himโcompletely, gloriously bare under the waterโs fall. And it hit you like a weight to the chest.
He was hard. Completely, achingly hard.
It curved upward from between his thighs, thick and flushed and dripping from the spray. Your breath caught in your throat involuntarily. He wasโฆBig. The kind of big that made your pulse thrum deep in your core, the kind that made something flutter behind your ribcage. The kind of big that made you a bit nervous. His thighs were braced, strong and trembling slightly as the water poured down over both of you, and yet he stayed stillโeyes closed, waiting, unaware of just how deeply you were watching him.
You swallowed, trying not to stare too longโbut your fingers slowed in his hair for just a beat before you lathered more shampoo and brought it back to the roots, working it all through. You focused on your task, rinsing gently, letting the water carry away the suds and the last traces of harsh dye. As the dark rivulets streamed down and swirled at your feet, the natural color beneath began to reveal itself.
The soft brown, the colour that belonged to him, and only him. Not the Sentry.
You smoothed your hands through the damp strands with a smile on your face, and you could feel him relax further at the calmness of your touch.
โThere you are,โ You whispered, more to yourself than to him, โBack to youโฆโ You could see his brows lift slightly at your words, still not opening his eyes.
โโฆW-What does it look like?โ He asked softly.
โLike itโs all youโฆItโs perfect Bobโฆโ You responded, seeing his eyes slowly flutter open, the soft blue still burning with those beautiful flecks of orange from the Sentry. When they locked on yours, something in him snapped completely, and he blinked a few times, steadying himself against you.
โโฆCan I kiss you now?โ He whispered, breath catching in his throat.
You nodded.
And the second you did, he surged forward, his hands finding your face like heโd been aching to hold you there for days. His palms were warm and a little shaky, fingers threading gently into the damp strands of your hair as he tilted your head just right. He kissed you like it was the only thing that would quiet the trembling in his chestโdeep, and full of the kind of hunger that had nowhere else to go.
His lips parted against yours with a soft sigh, molding to your mouth like he already knew every shape of it. You responded in kind, letting your hands press flat to his chest before sliding up, feeling the slick heat of his skin, the steady thump of his heart beneath your palms. One hand drifted upward to cradle the back of his neck, the other anchoring at his side.
Bob shifted, pulling you flush against him, his hands sliding down to your waist, gripping gently as he tilted his head and deepened the kiss. There was nothing hesitant about it anymoreโonly quiet desperation, the need to be close, the need to feel you pressed against every inch of him. His thumbs rubbed slow, anchoring circles against your ribs as he kissed you over and over, his breath catching between each one like he couldnโt quite get enough.
You felt your knees wobble when he sucked your bottom lip into his mouth, and he steadied you instantly, one hand sliding down to the back of your thigh, coaxing your leg to lift so he could hold you open against him.
You gasped softly into his mouth when he did itโbecause now you could feel all of him. His length, hot and heavy, brushing between your thighs. But he didnโt push it. He just held you there, breathing hard through his nose as his mouth broke from yours for a second, bumping his forehead with yours.
โI-I have to touch youโฆCan I p-please touch you?โ His words vibrated against your chest, shaky from the kiss he had just pulled away from. Immediately you nodded, drunk off of the way he held you, the way he kissed you so desperately. You were his, and you wanted him just as badly as he wanted you.
He dropped his hand from your thigh, keeping his eyes locked on yours as he guided you back, each step careful, like he was afraid to rush a single second of this. The warm tile met your spine gently, as the steam curled around your shouldersโlike it was dying to be part of the moment too. Your chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, the anticipation tugging at you like a puppet.
Bobโs hand, still curled gently around your hip, gave it one reassuring squeeze before sliding away. The loss of his hand made you let out a desperate sigh, wanting to feel him again. He looked down at you as he brought his fingers up to his lips, his tongue darting out of his mouth to coat the tips of them slowly, not for show, but for purpose. For you. His gaze never dropped from yours as he did it, and when his hand fell again between the both of you, he didnโt hesitate.
His knee eased your thighs apart gently, and then his fingers found your clit. The first contact made your knees buckle slightly, and he caught it, pressing in with his knee to steady you, his free hand braced against the wall beside your head. His touch was gentle at firstโsoft circles, slow and attentive. You gasped, head tipping back, exposing your throat without thinking.
That was all the invitation Bob needed.
He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to the base of your neck, just where your collarbone met your shoulder. The kiss was wet and open-mouthed, like he needed to taste you and the saltiness of your skin. He breathed in like he could anchor himself in your scent. Another kiss, and another, working up the side of your neck as his fingers circled your clit with more confidence now, slick from the water and his spit, moving with practiced pressure.
โSoโฆSo soft,โ He whispered into your skin, voice shaking, โSo goddamn softโฆโ Your breath caught as his pace shifted. You could feel your body respondingโarching into him, a wet heat building between your legs. You whimpered, and that sound nearly undid him. His teeth grazed your neck but didnโt bite, his lips returning to kiss it better as if he could soothe the tremble in your body.
Then his fingers dipped lower, and he felt it immediately.
You were soakedโslick, warm, and pulsing beneath his touch. His breath hitched at the sensation, at the way your body welcomed him without hesitation. And when he eased two fingers inside of you ever so slowly you gasped, arching into his hand like your body had been waiting for that very moment.
โF-fuck,โ You breathed, the word slipping out as your nails found purchase in his shoulders. You clawed at him instinctively, dragging across the muscle there, needing something to anchor you while he pushed them in deeper. He didnโt flinch at the scratchโhe moaned. A soft, broken sound that came from the back of his throat like he liked the way it felt, like it made him feel wanted in the most primal sense.
His forehead dropped against your shoulder, his mouth kissing along your collarbone with a tenderness that contrasted the stretch of his fingers inside you. He mouthed at the skin thereโkissed it, licked it, sucked until it was sensitive and bruised. He pulled back looking at the little love bites, each one tinged with hunger. Bob wasnโt the possessive type but there was this ache in his chest to mark you as his, and even if the water washed it away, he wanted to be sure he left something on your skin.
โY-You feel so warmโฆโ He said, his voice fraying at the edges. His fingers curled gently inside you, causing your knees to buckle again. Your body shuddered as the pads of his fingers dragged against that spot inside of you that made your entire frame light up. Bobโs hand moved to your hip, keeping you steady as his other hand worked in smooth, slow thrusts, each one more confident than the last. He found a rhythm, watching you, studying every moan and gasp like it was gospel.
And when you whimpered his name, when your body clenched around him so tight he had to grit his teeth, he gave a quiet, shaky laughโutterly wrecked by how responsive you were.
โYouโre gonna come for me, arenโt you?โ he asked, lips brushing your ear, breath heavy and hot. โI can feel itโฆGod, I can feel you squeezing meโฆโ
You nodded, unable to form a word, your nails biting into his shoulders again as your hips rocked against his hand.
Bob adjusted his angle, changing the pressure, and thatโs when you saw stars.
Your head dropped forward, forehead against his collarbone, the air thick with steam and the sharp scent of himโclean, masculine, tinged with desperation. His fingers moved faster, wetter, the slick sounds between your legs obscene and perfect, echoing between the tiles. He was muttering praise nowโsoft, reverent things that fell from his lips like prayers.
โJust like that, babyโso good for meโฆ Youโre doing so goodโfeels like heavenโfuck, I want to see you fall apartโฆโ
You felt it hit like a wave rolling up your spine.
A tight, burning coil of pleasure twisted inside you and then snapped. You gaspedโloud, broken, as the climax ripped through you. You trembled, back arching hard into him as your thighs clenched and a rush of wetness gushed out around his fingers.
Bob stilled for a second in awe.
โโฆOh my God,โ He breathed, stunned, his eyes wide as he held you through it. You collapsed into him, breath heaving, skin flushed and shining under the steam. He kept his fingers buried inside you, not moving, just holding you close, letting you ride it out as you trembled against his chest.
He looked down between you both, seeing the slick mess on his hand, the way your body had responded so violently to himโand his mouth dropped open slightly. Not because of shock, but because of wonder and awe.
โYouโฆYou did so good.โ He praised, his voice barely holding together under the weight of what he just experienced with you. His lips brushed your temple first, then your cheek, before finally reaching your mouth.
The kiss wasnโt hungry nor urgent, it was adoration in its purest form. His lips moved like they were tasting something heโd only ever imaginedโcareful and soft, like he was trying not to overwhelm you. He trembled against you, being crushed from everything unspoken between you. His hand was still between your thighs, cradling you like something precious, and you could feel how hard he was, pressed just barely against you, restrained only by the shivering line of self-control that hadnโt yet broken.
When he finally, carefully, slipped his fingers out of you, you let out the tiniest gasp from the absenceโbut before he could fully draw away, you grabbed his wrist.
He was still in his movements.
Your eyes met his, holding steady as you lifted his handโand then you took his soaked fingers into your mouth.
Bob made a sound that almost didnโt make it out of himโa soft, wrecked sigh that died at the back of his throat. His lips parted slightly, eyes darkening as he watched you suck him clean, your mouth warm and wet, tongue dragging along the pads of his fingers slowly, like you were claiming every last drop of yourself from his skin.
He could barely breathe.
You kept eye contact the whole time. It wasnโt a power playโit was intimacy. Connection. And it unraveled him.
Once you were done, you let his fingers slip from your mouth with a soft pop, and he dragged themโslow and reverentโdown your chin. Then your throat. The hollow of your chest. His fingertips were wet with saliva, and he trailed it down like he was painting youโsmearing it across your sternum, over your ribs, and finally down to your hips.
โY/NโฆYouโre soโฆSo perfect,โ He whispered, in disbelief, shaking his head as his hands ran down your waist, going straight to your thighs, before lifting you effortlessly. You let out a soft breath as your legs bracketed around his hips instinctively, your arms wrapping around his shoulders for balance.
He pressed a gentle kiss to the middle of your chest, and his voice came out barely above the noise of the shower
โDo you want toโฆStill have sex with me?โ You looked down at him, caressing the side of his neck.
โOf course I do,โ You responded instantly.
Your lips found his right afterโsoft and sure. You kissed him with everything you had, as if answering his question with your entire body. His breath caught, his hands clutching at your thighs with a startled need, grounding himself in the reality that you werenโt going to vanish, that you really did want thisโwant him.
As the kiss deepened, you felt one of his hands slowly slide down your thigh, tickling the skin, but this time there was a purpose in his touch. He shifted beneath you slightly, and then you felt itโthe soft brush of his tip against you. Hot. Heavy. And trembling in his grasp.
You broke the kiss for just a breath, resting your forehead against his, your eyes fluttering shut as he lined himself up. His hand shook slightly, like he couldnโt believe this was happening. Like he was terrified of getting it wrong. But he didnโt rush. And neither did you.
โI want you,โ You said, your breath warm against his mouth. โAll of you.โ Bob let out a wrecked whimper from his mouth, before kissing you once more.
Then slowly he began to push in, moving his hips gently.
Your mouth parted in a silent gasp, your eyes flying open as your body stretched to take him. It was so muchโthick and deep and slow. He paused when he was just a couple inches in, his forehead still pressed to yours, panting.
โIs that okay?โ He asked, voice cracking. โIโI can stop if itโs too muchโฆโ
You shook your head immediately, curling your fingers into his shoulders, drawing him closer.
โNo. Please donโt stop.โ
Bob exhaled a breath that shook all the way down to his spine, then kissed you againโslow, sweetโbefore sinking deeper inside.
You both moaned at the same time, and your tongues met in between the space your mouths made.
It was like he was imprinting himself into every inch of you. His hands gripped your hips with the kind of gentleness that made your chest ache, guiding your body until he was fully seated inside you, hips pressed flush against yours.
โOhโฆGod.โ He whispered, eyes squeezed shut, trembling as he held still. โYouโre soโฆSo perfectโฆ I canโtโGodโโ
You kissed his jaw, whispering against the sensitive skin just beneath his ear. โYouโre okay, Bob. Youโre doing so goodโฆโ
He began to moveโshallow at first, rocking his hips into you in slow, reverent strokes. Each one pulled a quiet gasp from your lips. The water cascaded around you both, steam curling at your shoulders as you clung to him, your body humming in time with his.
He found a slow and steady rhythm, thrusting as deep as possible with each movement of his hips.
He kissed you everywhere he could reachโyour cheek, your mouth, your jaw, the slope of your shoulder and his praise was neverending. Whispered fragments between kisses and gasps.
โYouโre so beautifulโฆโ
โYou feel so good around meโฆโ
โI want to make you feel everythingโฆโ
Your hands were tangled in his hair, your body arching to meet every thrust, until your forehead was pressed to his again and your breaths mingled in the tight space between you. Each slow movement of his hips sent sparks crawling up your spine and you rocked against him, chasing every moment, trying to keep it from ending too soon.
Bob looked completely undone in front of you though. His mouth open, cheeks flushed, hands gripping your waist like you were his lifeline.
Then his thrusts started to falter.
You felt it in the way he gaspedโsharp and helplessโthe way his hold on you tightened and his voice pitched higher.
โIโY/N, Iโoh God, Iโmโโ
You kissed him, hard, your voice hot against his mouth. โItโs okay. Let go. Iโve got you.โ
He came with a broken gasp.
The lights flickered.
Just onceโflicker, flicker, blackโand then back on again. The overhead bulb buzzed faintly, a hum that matched the pulse of his release as his hips jerked forward, holding deep inside you while his whole body tensed. You could feel the warmth filling you in thick ropes, his body instinctively pushing up into you as if he was trying to keep it from spilling out.
And then he went still.
Completely, and utterly still.
He stayed buried in you, face tucked into the crook of your neck, breath hot and ragged as the water pounded softly over your bodies. You felt the way he trembled, felt the heat of his skin and the wild thud of his heart against yours.
He didnโt move for a long time, he just stayed there, clutching you like you were the one thing that was bringing him down slowly.
And then you felt itโthe slow exhale against your neck, the soft tremor that followed. His voice came out low, cracked with embarrassment.
โI-Iโm sorry,โ he whispered, still breathless. โThat was so fast. I didnโt mean to-God, I just couldnโt hold itโฆโ
You pulled back, just enough to see his face, his brows drawn together with worry, his mouth still parted from the weight of what just passed between you. And yet, even flushed and wrecked, he looked beautiful. Lit up from the inside out, like he still couldnโt believe any of this was real.
You shook your head gently and brought your hand up to brush a damp lock of hair off his forehead, tucking it behind his ear with the same tenderness he gave you. โYou didnโt finish too fast, Bob.โ
He blinked, lips parting like he didnโt believe you.
You leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, then whispered against his skin, โYou were perfect. I loved every second of itโฆBecause it was with you.โ His features softened at your word, that shy smile blooming across his lips, one you felt in your ribs. You saw the glow of it before you felt his body move. He kissed you again, this time gentler, slowerโlike he wanted to say thank you with his whole mouth.
Then, carefully, he pulled out of you. You both shivered a bit at the sensitivity, and you caught the way his brows knit together, like he didnโt want to stop touching you. But your body welcomed the shift, and your legs dropped from his hips as the moment passed, leaving behind only warmth and steam.
He reached for you instinctively, his hands skimming your waist like he was still trying to keep you close, like he couldnโt quite accept that you were separate again. You smiled at him, brushing your fingers along his jaw, watching the way he leaned into the contact, like it was his oxygen.
โYou really like touching me, huh?โ You teased lightly, watching his cheeks turn a deeper red, the corners of his mouth curling up shyly.
โโฆYeahโฆI really do.โ He admitted. You let out a soft laugh, then looked toward the water still streaming from the showerhead behind him.
โAs much as Iโd love to stay in here and get all wrinkly,โ You said, thumb brushing the hollow of his cheek, โIf we donโt rinse off soon, the compoundโs water bill is gonna bankrupt Valentina.โ Bob let out a breathy laugh, head dropping against your shoulder for a second.
โI guess youโre right, but once we get cleaned upโฆI want to just lay on the couch with you and hold you for a little whileโฆIf thatโs okay?โ You nodded.
โOf course itโs okay.โ You replied, guiding him under the steady stream of water. You each took turns, helping the other wash up. He was gentle when he touched your body as if you hadnโt just taken him completely inside you minutes ago, and he ran his hands over the marks he had made on you, smiling proudly at his work. You matched his care, running soapy fingers down his spine, over his shoulders, through the strands of his newly darkened hair, rinsing the last of the evidence down the drain.
And when the water finally cooled, you stepped out first, digging around the towel closet for a spare. Bob followed right after, grabbing the one that he usually used, with steam rolling off his shoulders, making the air thick and warm as he wrapped the towel around his waist, pausing by the foggy mirror, wiping it off with his hand.
You watched from the side, pulling your towel around you gently, as he lifted his gaze slowlyโlike he wasnโt sure what would be staring back at him. When he caught his own reflection, something shifted in his expression.
A smile. One of relief. Like a weight had been lifted off his chest.
You stepped behind him, and gently kissed his shoulder, looking at the small little scratch marks you had left on him.
He turned toward you slightly, reached out, and pressed a soft, grateful kiss to your lipsโbarely more than a breath, but brimming with emotion.
โThank you,โ he murmured.
You smiled into him, nose brushing his. โDonโt thank me yet,โ You whispered. โI hope you donโt get the flu from all of this.โ
He laughed, his eyes shining as he bumped his forehead against yours.
โIf I do,โ He said, โItโll be worth every damn minute.โ
It's the middle of the night when you feel it, the unmistakable feeling of being watched. It's that exact feeling that wakes you up from your peaceful sleep.
The first thing you noticed was the pitch-black darkness that covered your entire room, which was weird since you always slept with a nightlightโฆwhat? It chased the nightmares away.
It's only when your eyes finally adjust to the darkness that you notice the pair of silver eyes peering at you from the corner of your room.
โI like the stuffed animals. They're cute.โ The distorted voice of Bob broke the silence. The familiar silhouette of your friend stepped forward, kicking away one of your beloved stuffed animals from his path towards you.
You rubbed your hand down your face and sighed. You'd been having a really good dream tooโฆ
โPlease tell me you haven't sent the others into the rooms of shame.โ
โNo need to worry about your friends. I haven't done anything to them.โ
โYou know I'm not scared of you, right?โ You whispered softly. You lifted your head up and stared at him as if you could see past the darkness, past the cold, never-ending void.
โI know. That's why I'm here.โ
He towered over your bed. He leaned down towards you, and a distant voice in your mind urged you to back away. Void was dangerous, unstable, nothing like the Bob you knew. And yet, you couldn't find it within yourself to do so.
There was something buried deep within your soul, an invisible force that pulled you towards the darknessโto him.
Did he feel it too?
You watched as he raised his shadowy hand, and you felt the fleeting touch of his hand cupping your face. The action felt intimate, like the touch of a lover. You didn't know how to feel about that.
โYou have consumed me, mind, body, and soul,โ he said it like a worshiper praying to their god, or, er, goddess. The pure devotion in his words had your heart stuttering in your chest. โTell me, what have you done to me?โ
You blinked, stunned. โDon't look at me like that. I'm just here to emotionally support Bob in all of his endeavors."
He chuckled, and even though you couldn't see his face, you could tell he was smirking.
His hand fell back to his side, and you almost whined at the loss of his touch. Oh, ew, what was he doing to you? You were stronger than this.
โYou know he loves you, right? Every second he goes without you is torture to him. Truly, it's pathetic how down bad he is for you.โ
โHow do you even know that phrase?โ
โDid you forget that me and Bob share the same consciousness?"
You groaned, and flopped back against your pillows. โGo awayyyy.โ You grabbed one of your other pillows and threw it at Void. It phased through him and fell to the floor.
Void didn't respond. Instead, he crossed the room to the other side of your bed, and before you knew it, he was lying down beside you. He didn't even ask for permission, which was rude, by the way.
You turned onto your side to face him. โYou know, for the thing that consumed the entirety of New York and almost killed all of my friends, you aren't very threatening.โ
Copying your actions, Void turned onto his side. Now face-to-face with him, you could finally see the shadowy features of his face.
โYes, well, you are different. You make me different.โ
โI can tell.โ
Hey, you weren't going to complain though. You'd much rather have a midnight rendezvous with Void if it meant he didn't send you to those godawful rooms. You would rather not relive the worst moments of your life, thank you very much.
You stifled a yawn. It seemed like exhaustion was slowly creeping up on you.
โugh, fine, you can stay, but fair warningโI snore when I sleep.โ
โI know.โ
โHow do you know that?โ
He didn't respond.
You were just going to pretend that didn't happen.
You turned onto your back and stared up at the ceiling. It was getting harder to stay awake.
Yeah, it was time to go back to sleep. You needed your beauty sleep, after all. God knows you needed atleast eight hours of sleep to be able to deal with the chaos that was your found family.
โGoodnight, Void.โ You yawned, and pulled your blanket over yourself. You shuffled around for a few moments until you were finally comfortable enough to close your eyes and finally let sleep consume you.
He watched as sleep slowly claimed your consciousness, and when he finally knew you were fully asleep, he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead.
โGoodnight, my sunbeam.โ
Once again, this is not edited.
Also, are Void/Sentry/Bob the same person? Yes. Are they also separate somehow? Yes. I see Sentry and Void as representations of Bob's mood swings, basically his highs and his lows. But I also see them being separate and different to each other. IT'S COMPLICATED OKAY. I'm still figuring out the dynamics of it all.
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Summary: Bob tries a new way of folding Sentry and the Void into his psyche, and it involves recreating the vibes of your smutty books.
Bob is a cinnamon roll, but Sentry likes it spicy. If you only like Bob soft and sweet THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.
Rating: 18+ MDNI
WC: 11.1k (complete)
Suggested listening: Off the Ground (Feat. MRYN)
CW: Porn with plot, no use of y/n, mutual pining, verbal consent, Bob is down bad, Sentry is a dom, reader is femme coded but not described, reader is also a thunderbolt/superhero (of vague power and origin, you decide!), banter, discussion of sexual harassment, Yelena is the greatest wingperson of all time, mild themes of violence, Bob is jealous, power dynamics, power play, dom/sub dynamics, p in v sex, fingering (f receiving), dirty talk, creative sexual use of super powers, unprotected sex (wrap it up folks), cream pie, fluff.
Sick af dividers by @lobster-graphics
โShe likes you, you know. Everyone thinks she likes you.โ
It shouldโve made him feel better. It shouldโve made him happy. Bob closed the book he had been pretending to read. Clearly, he wasnโt fooling anybody, and especially not Yelena. He was trying not to pretend so much lately, but old habitsโฆ
โI donโt know,โ Bob muttered, shrugging. Across the common room from them, you sat on the bar top swinging your legs, hands flying as you relayed the details of yet another terrible date while Ava nodded along, absorbing, chiming in with the occasional disgusted grunt, laughing where appropriate. Bob shoved a piece of hair behind his ear and went back to pretendingโpretending that he didnโt notice things about you, pretending that he didnโt care. Yelena, perched on the right arm of his overstuffed reading chair, shifted as if she might relent and leave him alone. He shouldโve let her. Instead, he blurted out, โShe goes on dates.โ
Yelena snorted softly. Like him, she had opted for sweats and sneaks on a rare day off. Well, all of Bobโs days were off, technically; he was on the bench until he learned how to integrate. That was the word everyone kept using. Integrate. His personality was fragmented. He wasnโt much use to anyone, least of all a superhero team, until he learned to integrate. It would be easier to try if everyone stopped treating him like a puppy with a busted paw.
โDates shmates,โ Yelena said, tossing a glance over her shoulder at the two women gossiping by the bar. โSheโs just waiting for you to work up the courage.โ
Bob gave her a worried smile. โItโs um, I think maybe itโs better for her if I donโt.โ
โI thought we were trying optimism.โ
โLike I want to hear about crypto, of all fucking thingsโฆโ you were saying, to a belabored groan from Ava. โโฆruined my chicken parm.โ
โSave her, Bob. Save her from the finance bros.โ Yelena patted his shoulder, hopping down from the arm of his chair. โThey are a menace and a scourge.โ She tilted her head to the side, smirking as she flicked her head toward you and Ava. โDoesnโt it sound like she needsโฆa hero? A super hero?โ
Yelena kept trying to walk away, but Bob kept saying too much. He flinched as his jealous mind tattled on him again. โYeah? Maybe Walker can ask her out.โ
โJohn?โ Her brows tugged down along with the rest of her. She knelt beside the chair, folding her arms across the spot she had just been sitting on. Bob opened his book, a reflex, studiously avoiding her more pointed look. โWhy do you sound bitter? What do you know about her that I donโt?โ
Bob set his jaw, which in his mind projected a supremely tough and firm expression. It did nothing to rebuff Yelena. She went on staring, skipping a hand up the sleeve of his hoodie before poking his shoulder. He winced away from the prod. โPlease donโt do that, youโre very strong.โ
โYouโre the Sentry.โ
Bob shook his head. โJustโฆwe should drop this.โ His eyes, unbidden, tracked from the page he wasnโt reading, over Yelenaโs head, to you. What did he know that Yelena didnโt? Where to start?
When you joined the team, you had gone to shake everyoneโs hand without a second thought. Bob had been too distracted by your eyes, your warm smile, your laugh, to stop you before it was too late. Your hand folded into his, a perfect fit, and then you were somewhere else, a room he didnโt recognize, a memory dredged from the darkest shadow of your mind. He had witnessed your deepest shame, a thing he had no right to, a thing he wished desperately to forget.
Or maybe not. He didnโt know. He didnโt like the idea of forgetting any aspect of you, even the difficult pieces. When the vision faded, you stared at him with your lips parted, a muscle twitching in your jaw. Tears filmed your eyes.
โIโm sorry,โ he had muttered, looking down at his shoes. โThatโฆsometimes I canโt control that.โ
And he wouldโve forgiven you if you never warmed to him after that, but you did.
Yelena and Ava were so overjoyed to have another woman on the team that they took you in as a third sister; he was sure they must have filled you in on his whole sordid backstory. The drugs. The wandering. The lab in Malaysia. The vault. The Void. Even more ticks in the What The Fuck column, but you didnโt shun him. Sometimes, when he did the dishes, you just came and stood beside him and waited to help, taking the wet glasses from him and drying them. You didnโt always talk in those times, but the silence was fine, companionable. You calmed him down. He knew your darkness, and it hadnโt frightened him away or turned him into a judgy prick, and he got the sense that was a relief.
You left books out for him, ones you thought he would like, a hobby crumb trail to gauge his taste. You offered to take the pickles off his burger when he didnโt want them. When Walker condescendingly called him โHouse Husbandโ after catching him doing chores, you laid into John for it. โDoes that mean youโre going to start pulling your weight around here? Pick up your shit?โ you had shouted, and Walkerโs face turned a hilariously patriotic shade of red. โNo? Didnโt think soโฆโ
On and on.
โBob? Earth to Bob?โ Yelena snapped in front of his face, then searched it.
โWe shouldnโtโฆโ Bob scrambled for an excuse she would accept so everyone could move on with their lives. Or Bob would try to move on, at least. Someone should move on because thatโs what healthy people were meant to do. โShouldnโt fraternize with teammates."
"Fraternize? Who said anything about fraternize?โ Yelena scoffed, then laughed, then scoffed again, rolling her eyes. She wiped a nonexistent booger off her nose and lowered her voice to a naughty whisper. โIโm talking about smooching and cuddling and fuโโ
โThatโs fraternizing.โ Bob shrank down into the chair, trying to disappear. She was never going to relent, ordinarily a fantastic quality for a superhero to possess but in this specific case highly irritating. โLook, if I tell you the real reason will you let it go?โ
Yelena hummed. โMm, that depends on the reason. Is it a dumb reason?โ
โIโm not her type.โ Bob shut his eyes and said it fast, definitively, so he didnโt have to hold the words in his mouth for too long. If he did, he knew they would burn. Across the room, you laughed, and it was like an arrow lodging in his heart. He peeled one eye open at the sound, expression softening.
โOooh you are down bad bad, I see.โ Yelena clucked her tongue, shifted her legs to shake the ants out of them as she continued kneeling beside the chair. โAnd bullshit, Bob. Bullshit. She tries not to stare at you as much as you try not to stare at her.โ
โHow can you even tell something like that?โ
โIt takes a yearner to know one.โ Yelena heaved a long-suffering, dreamy sigh, then leaned forward slightly and slapped Bob on the knee. โWhy wouldnโt you be her type? You have the beautiful, wounded eyes of a basset hound and the floppy hair of a 90s heartthrob. That is a lethal combination for many.โ
Bob quirked his lips to one side, temporarily less interested in vanishing off the face of the planet. โYou think my eyes are beautiful?โ
โThey are beautiful, Bob. I know it, you know it.โ She frowned, narrowing her eyes. โI thought self-image work was part of you integration therapy.โ
โIt is,โ he said. โThis has nothing to do with that.โ
You and Ava had finished your complete evisceration of Crypto Guy and, after a job well done, had wandered off together toward the elevator discussing dinner options. Now that you were gone, Bob felt a little easier about having this discussion right out in the open. God forbid Walker waltz in and overhear something with this super soldier hearing.
Yelena popped up, standing over him, hip cocked, arms folding across her half-zipped hoodie. โSheโs gone. Out with it.โ Her eyes somehow narrowed further. โYou know something.โ
โListen, Iโm not proud of itโฆโ Bob cleared his throat, ran one hand through his hair, then both, with greater agitation. โI justโฆshe likes to read, right? She left her Kindle out on the coffee table last week and I thought, hey, her birthday is soon, I can figure out what book to get her and like a total dumb ass I snooped.โ
โYou snooped.โ Yelena repeated it, dry. โDoes this story get more interesting? Becauseโโ
โShe has all these books aboutโฆโ He took a deep, centering breath. โSex.โ
โSex books!? Bob.โ Fluttering her hand over her heart, she pretended to faint and swoon. โOh my God. A grown woman has sex books? Like about sex? Penis vagina sex? How will your pure baby heart ever recover from the shock? Are you okay? Iโm glad youโre already sitting down, because--โ
โStop. Forget it.โ Bob shook his head, hugged his book to his chest, and stood, bypassing his interrogator as he stormed toward the kitchen and bar. Of course, she followed. Of course, the heckling didnโt stop. She always meant well, but sometimes it was just too much. Nimble and a thousand times more athletic than Just Bob, she beat him to the refrigerator, placing herself between it and him.
โItโs not a problem, okay? It isnโt that itโs sex. Sex is fine. Sex is great.โ Bob couldnโt believe the words coming out of his mouth, he sounded like a guidance counselor. But the lines about these things had always been blurry at best. The team gave each other shit like siblings and also like siblings, protected each other fiercely from the criticisms and cruelties of the outside world where normies, like, just didnโt get their whole thing, man, and if there were explicit rules against inter-Avenger romances, he hadnโt seen it in the paperwork, but if something went wrong, if something got messyโฆ
โSex is fine. Sex is great?โ Yelena rolled her shoulders, pursing her lips as she snorted at him. โSex is cool, maybe? Is it wow neato?โ
Bob rocked up onto his toes, trying to remember the box breathing exercises his integration therapist had taught him before she accused him of being a virgin. What do you think is holding you back? the therapist had asked, bouncing the butt of a pen against his chin while he appraised Bob over a pair of thick turtle shell glasses. He didnโt know that such a therapist even existed, but Valentina had insisted it was totally a real thing, and whatever his reservations might be, the meetings were not optional. This is not a humane society, were her words, and you are not a stray kitten.
There were worksheets, homework. Constant, constant questionsโฆ
Are you afraid of what will happen if Sentry or the Void become dominant?
Bob flexed his white-knuckled fingers around the book he was clutching like a life preserver. He closed his eyes because he wasnโt sure he could explain it if he had to see her reaction. โThe guys in her books are intense. They're tough and they yell constantly. Theyโฆthey boss the women around. Theyโre fucking jerks, honestly, and I donโt want to be a jerk.โ
The cackle he expected from her never landed. Yelena lowered her arms, then crossed the distance between them and gently touched his elbows. โBob. Robert. Itโs just a fantasy. She doesnโt actually want a jerk, she wants you.โ
He shook his head. โNo, no, they were all like that.โ
โYou read them all?โ
โNo. No. I skimmed. Enough to recognize a pattern. Look, I donโt know how to be like that,โ he said quietly, deflating. โEven if it is just a fantasy, I couldnโt give that to her, Iโmโฆโ He sorted through all the unkind descriptions that had been hurled at him in his life, the ones he had internalized, the ones that stung, and the ones he could shrug off. โAfraid.โ
โMy sweet Bob. My darling Bob. My tiny baby sweet boy Bobโฆโ Yelena patted his elbows, sticking out her lower lip.
Bob twisted away from her. โDonโt. Donโt do that.โ
He was so fucking tired of everyone patronizing him. Yes, he had problems. Yes, it was taking quite some time for him to figure out his fragmented identities, and yes, he was kind of a dead weight in the meantime. Couldnโt they see that he was fucked up about it? Couldnโt they see him trying?
Are you afraid of what will happen if Sentry or the Void become dominant?
He tossed his book on the bar top and reached over Yelenaโs shoulder for the refrigerator door, promising himself a crisp Dr. Pepper could fix this, pulling the panel open with enough force to rip it halfway off its hinges. Yelena leapt back, silent. Bob stared at where his hand was wrapped around the cylindrical handle. A jar of Dijon mustard fell off the lowest shelf and rolled across the shiny floor until Yelena stopped it with a tap of her foot.
โThatโs new,โ she said, eyes widening.
โI, umโฆโ Bob tried to put the door back, but it hung loose and to the side, visibly busted. โIโm sure we can fix that.โ
โWas that Sentry?โ she asked lightly.
โI donโt know.โ Bob hunched, keeping his eyes turned away from her. โMaybe.โ
Suddenly, he didnโt have a choice about looking at her. Yelena soccer scooped the mustard jar onto the top of her foot and flicked it up into her hand, tossing it in the air and catching it as she came toward him, chewing her cheek in thought. She took him by the arm, swinging until they were face to face. โThis is a good thing, Bob.โ
โItโฆis? Because I think Valentina is going to be pretty pissed, andโโ
She felt along his bicep as if to make sure he hadnโt secretly gotten jacked while they werenโt looking, but she didnโt seem to detect any major changes. โI met Sentryโโ
Bob groaned, trying to veer away. โGod, donโt remind me, Iโโ
โAnd he was kind of a fucking asshole.โ She smiled, though, squeezing his arm playfully. โBut he could be our kind of asshole. Her kind of asshole.โ
Bob froze in her grasp, catching up to her meaning. His mouth fell open as his eyes shifted side to side. โI donโt know about this, Lena. I donโt know if I can control him if he comes out, and if I did something, hurt her, God, if I hurt her, I would never forgive myself.โ
โWhich is why you wonโt.โ She said it so simply. Honestly? It was kind of refreshing, and certainly more direct than the constant loops he went in with the integration therapist. โYou are Bob and Bob is Sentry and Sentry is Void and Void is Bob, and so on, yes? If you want to keep her safe, they will keep her safe.โ She poked him hard in the chest, and Bob jerked backward. โThe heart of one man, but the, uh, diverse skillset of three. So maybe Sentry wouldโฆbe a bit more flexible when it comes to playing the jerk. Just for her.โ Yelena waggled her eyebrows and winked. โJust in the bedroom.โ
โI thought you hated this stuff.โ
You watched Yelena tear through your bookshelf with the zeal of a sheltered Mormon teen, fingers like claws as she dumped romance novel after romance novel into the growing pile at her feet. She was certainly organizing her night around a theme. You glanced at the titles with a knot tightening in your stomach. The Storm and the Stallion. The Sellswordโs Bride. Mounted by the Warlord.
โIโm broadening my horizons,โ Yelena said flatly. She picked up Mounted by the Warlord and gestured toward you with it, eyes dark and dubious as she considered you and then the book. โHowโs this one? Intellectually stimulating?โ
โIs this a cry for help?โ You joined her by the bookshelf. Previously, you had been observing her 180-degree personality shift from the safe harbor of your bedside table and the multicolor reading lamp there. Walker said those were for insomniatic autistic kids, but you had shot him such a poisonously withering look that he had stumbled on to say there was nothing wrong with that and maybe he should get one and oh look the Yankees game was onโฆ
You studied Yelena, growing more suspicious by the second.
โDonโt worry about me, worry about you.โ She put the novel back down on top of the stack, and pivoted, puffing the hair out of her eyes.
โMe? What did I do?โ you asked, mirroring her defensive posture. โDid Bucky say something about bugs in the Britta filter because if so, I had nothing to do with thatโฆโ
โWhat bugs?โ
โItโs not important.โ You wiped impatiently at your eyes. Valentina had volunteered you for a charity fundraiser the following evening, and you had hoped to take all of the hours between now and then to prepare, decompress, practice your calming mantras before wading into a sea of politicians and paparazzi. You did not expect the Oprahโs Book Club treatment from someone who thought Pedro Pรกramo was a taco joint. โCan we skip to the part where you lovingly berate me?โ
โSure. Fine by me.โ Yelena dusted off her hands as if touching all of your smutty books had left a physical residue. She squared up to you, placing her palms on your shoulders, giving her best frustrated big sister sigh. โWhy are you wasting your precious time with finance bros when our dear beloved Bob is right there? I know you are not stupid, so whatโs the problem?โ
You opened and closed your mouth a few times, wondering if a stiff headbutt would be enough to knock her out. Anything to escape this conversation.
โThere is no reason to torture yourself with Wallstreet coke heads, my love, Bob is single and ready to awkwardly mingle, and we would all cheer you on. Even Walker, which is saying something.โ
โPlease stop talking.โ You covered your face with both hands, forcing out a groan through the crack between your palms.
Bob. Oh God, Bob. You had just survived twelve rounds of merciless interviews, a background check that would make even Steve Rogers sweat, and a compulsory media training camp that made you self-conscious about everything from your teeth (showing too much, too little) to your ankles (showing too much, too little) andโexhausted, terrifiedโBobโs guileless smile had felt too good, too kind, to be true. It was, of course, because thirty seconds later he touched you and you were blasted back to the most traumatizing day of your life, but somehow you had known he didnโt mean to do it. He fell all over himself apologizing. He found you, hours later, and offered to order you a pizza or shawarma, or whatever, and that shame room thing didnโt always happen, and he mostly had it under controlโฆ
When you came home from your first mission, high as balls on adrenaline and public adoration but sporting several new battle scars, you found that he had cleaned off a corner of the main bookshelf in the common room. A place for your stuff. There was a crooked cardboard placard there, handmade, with your name scribbled on it.
In the storm of egos and anti-social behaviors that were the team, he was an oasis.
Yelena did not stop talking.
โโif itโs about the pot head sweaters, I know, I hate them, too, but we could just take him shopping, it will take like ten minutes and then you two can finally--โ
โItโs not about the fucking sweaters.โ The walls shook from the unnatural clang of your voice. Yelena froze, gently plucking her hands from your shoulders and holding them up in mock surrender. You heaved for air, getting control of yourself, of your power. โHeโs sweet. Heโs gentle. Iโm not that.โ
Yelena nodded along, but you could tell she was coming to unrelated conclusions in her head.
The admission toppled out of you before you could stop it. โIโd ruin him.โ
โYou canโt ruin Bob,โ she stated. โYou werenโt there; you didnโt see it--he almost destroyed Manhattan through the sheer, terrible power of self-loathing. Bob is as ruined as heโs going to get, and we all suffered for it, but heโs trying to be something else now.โ
โThatโs the problem,โ you said, curling your hands into fists. โYouโve met those other parts of him. I havenโt.โ
โIโm working on it. But trust me, you really donโt want to meet the V-Man--โ
You squinted, shifting closer to her. The hair on the back of your neck stood on end. โWhat does that mean?โ
โHeโs working on it, I mean, of course,โ she hurried to correct. โWith his state-sponsored therapist.โ
โUh-huh.โ
โJustโฆdonโt write him off, okay?โ Yelena asked, doing that puppy dog, pouty pleading thing that was annoyingly effective. She bent down and scooped up her stack of books. You had assumed she would forget them, that it was just a pretense to get you alone for this conversation. You tracked the novels in her arms as she shuffled toward the door. โPromise me you wonโt write him off.โ
Never. Never.
โNo promises,โ you said, and went to bed.
Sometimes Bob liked to take his book to Carloโs and sit at the bar, eat a slice or two, and just watch the world go by. HQ was nice, of course, and they were gradually making it feel more lived in, but sometimes there was still a soulless, corporate quality to it that was a real god damn bummer. Carloโs was real. The bathrooms smelled like the stuff they used to clean high schools, the coasters were mismatched, the pepperoni cups on the pies were always wrinkly and spicy, and they still had the red, bumpy plastic cups that somehow made the water taste good but also thrifted. The Rat Pack and only the Rat Pack crooned in mellow swells from the juke box, because Carloโs grandson and the current owner would kick out anyone who tried to switch up the vibe.
The elderly Italian lady who bartended made sure there was a spot at the bar for Bob. She called him โsweetieโ and refilled his sodas before he was even halfway done. It was a hidden gem, something he kept just for himself, which was why he was more than a bit surprised to see Yelena there on a Friday evening. This was usually the time when she and Ava took over the common room for their horror movie nights, but here she was, frolicking toward him with a book bag slung over one shoulder and enough mischief in her eyes to sound the early warning system in his head.
โThis place is cute,โ she said, settling in beside him.
Bob wedged a bookmark between two pages to hold his spot, watching as Yelena took the pizza crusts left on his plate and wolfed them down without asking. He didnโt want them, but still.
โHow did you--โ
โWe have trackers, Bob. We all wear them?โ
โOh. Right.โ
โI have something for you,โ she said, heaving the bag onto her lap with a grunt. Just from the way it dented her thighs, Bob could tell it was heavy. โStart with this one.โ Yelena reached into the bag and pulled out a worn, tattered paperback, shoving it toward him.
Bob looked around to make sure the elderly bartender didnโt see him holding a tattered copy of Mounted by the Warlord.
โItโs hers,โ Yelena said before he could ask, then, pointing a finger at him, added teasingly, โdo not sniff it.โ
โJesus, I wasnโt going toโฆโ
โPhase One of the plan is goโread these and do some visualization exercises. Probably donโt tell your therapist about Phase One.โ
Bob flipped the book over on his lap, afraid just touching it would put a scarlet letter on his forehead for the rest of time. โOkay, I wonโt tell him because I never agreed to a plan or any phases--โ
โBob, please just try.โ Yelena swiveled to face him on her stool, chin working side to side as she sized him up. โYou never said you didnโt like her, by the way. You just gave me a bunch of excuses for why you hadnโt done anything about it.โ
He fell quiet, spinning his cup in place and watching the pool from the condensation spread. โI wouldnโt be good for her. Iโm not even one whole guy, Iโm justโฆpieces.โ Simply for something to do, something to keep his mind occupied, he flipped to a random page in the book. He squinted down at it.
The warlord loomed over her, and she was helpless before his power. โYou are mine to take. I have no patience for your modesty, girl. Remove your tunic and spread yourself, show me all that is mine by rights to claim.โ
Bob flopped the book toward her, pointing. โI canโt be this guy.โ
Yelena quickly read the passage in question, clearing her throat. She didnโt even blush. โNo, but Sentry?โ
โI donโt think Sentry, Earthโs mightiest protector, should be this guy.โ
Bob slammed the novel shut and tried to push it into her hands, but she dodged, grabbing him by the wrists until he had no choice but to relent and keep it.
โYou keep sidestepping the pretend part,โ Yelena pointed out, lifting a brow. โItโs okay to try different things, play dress up, put on different hats--unless youโre Walker, in which case hats are to be avoided at all costs.โ
At that, Bob allowed a grim smile.
โKeep the book for now,โ she said, leaving the bag behind on the stool that she slid down off of. He would, and further, he knew he would cave and read it. Probably that night. Probably in one sitting. God damnit. โI worked really hard to get that. I thought she was going to stomp me into paste when I asked to borrow them all.โ
Bob fidgeted, fixed his hair. His temperature flamed just at the thought of you. He ran his fingers through the condensation pool to try and cool down. โDid sheโฆโ He glanced to the side. โDid she say anythingโฆโ
โJust that sheโd like to meet all of you, Bob.โ Yelena leaned in and tapped his knee before turning to go. โAll of you. Me personally? I think you should let her. I think you wonโt get anywhere unless you push yourself a little.โ
Bob paid his tab, hooked the book bag over his shoulder, and drifted through the night to the subway. Maybe it was okay to try a different kind of homework, one that wasnโt worksheets and self-affirmations that filled him with thoughts and questions but not much else.
Bob stared out the window as the train ca-shookt ca-shookt over the tracks; two girls in their clubbing clothes whispered behind their hands across the aisle from him. The car shook, jostling the overfull bag on his lap. A novel fell out from the commotion, hitting his foot. Bob leaned down, making sure his hand covered the title as he jammed Mounted by the Warlord back in with its mates. Jesus. He shook his head, feeling ridiculous, his gaze unfocusing as he watched the dim lights in the tunnel flash by. It had a lulling effect, turning off the constant stream of checks and admonishments that dominated his mental landscape. And for a moment, his mind was empty, a smooth blank, before an image flashed before his eyesโan image of you on his bed, half-cloaked in shifting silver as rain pelted the window, his shadow falling across you, your eyes filled with excitement that verged on fear; all the power of the world was in his hands, and you knew it, and you liked it, and as he stepped closer, a voice came out of him that was cold and confident and demandingโฆ
You are mine to take.
โFuck.โ Bob blinked, squeezing his temples, shaking himself out of that place. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the subway window, and not even the streaks and grime could conceal the faint glint of gold in his dark, dark eyes.
Saturday night. You had survived the charity event by the skin of your teeth, somehow with your patience and dignity intact, and you had every intention of rewarding yourself with a casual night that could go anywhere. No high heels. No high slits. No high expectations.
It was kind of a shame though, you thought, elbowing your way into your favorite bar, that no one else on the team had been there to see you all glammed up. Even Valentina had found a compliment for you, and a vast majority of your responsibilities for the evening became keeping important politicians from saying something deeply uncomfortable in front of their spouses. Nobody had prepared you for how weirdly touchy-feely people got with superheroes, like they were suddenly all drunk dads at Disney trying to feel up Princess Jasmine.
Weโre not real to them. Does a symbol know itโs being sexually harassed?
A question for the next interminable banquet. It wouldโve been nice to show everyone your dress, your makeup, your bag, but it wouldโve been better if someone had come with to help fend off the creeps. Or at least make fun of them with you. You had ideas, of course, for ideal candidates. Candidate. Maybe next time you would beg Valentina to let Bob come along. How bad could it get? He needed the media practice, and he would look nice in a tux. James Bond if James Bond mostly rescued kittens. Seemed like the gentlest possible way of easing him into the job. Eat a few canapes, rub a few elbows, try not to combust when the mayor eye fucks you in front of his wifeโฆ
Speaking of sexual harassment, that would basically just be you taking a circuitous route to landing a date with Bob. A date he couldnโt refuse. Holy shit. Maybe not, maybe youโd just wait for him to make a move, which, at this rate, meant sometime during your retirement years.
You went to the bar and got in line. It was a black and white tiled floor, mostly pool, mostly beer and wings type of place. Unpretentious. Easy to blend in with a t-shirt, jeans, and ball cap if you were feeling extra solitary. You werenโt noticeable or beloved enough yet to draw a crowd even if someone did recognize you. Your accolades werenโt filling up the front page, and nobody was going to buy you a round for surviving the Perv Purge at the charity ball.
You breathed easier here. Your shoulders went down. The staff knew you, liked you, and always made friendly conversation when it was your turn to grab a beverage. Long, emerald lights glowed above the cash register. A few pool tables in the back provided pleasant click-clack percussion under the bluesy music. No juke box, thank God. You found your way to a circular table, high top, and perched there with your drink. The bar started to fill up, and you idly took out your phone, uploading a few choice pictures from the night beforeโthe ones that made your legs look great, the one where the photographer had caught you in profile and the chandeliers made your silhouette glow. Almost as soon as they were live, you noticed a profile liking all of them back-to-back.
justyouraveragebob and two others liked your photo.
His instagram handle always made your heart squish. There was nothing average about him.
A shadow spread across your hands and your phone. You really, really didnโt want to be bothered, especially when Bob was somewhere shamelessly liking all of your hot pics, which was about as direct as he got with his flirting, but whoever it was, they didnโt budge. You sighed, not glancing up from your phone.
โTable for one, Iโm afraid.โ
โCome on, weโre not strangers.โ
Your eyes raked up the screen to the man standing across from you. Just as quickly as your heart had somersaulted for Bob, it sank like a stone at the sight of Gilbert. Yes, Gilbert. No, you hadnโt known that was his name when someone from your last crew set you up on a blind date. It seemed crazy that he would turn up here. Gilbert wore seven-hundred-and-twenty-dollar Dior cufflinks. Gilbert had shoes made out of crocodiles. Gilbert had shot an honest to god lion on safari once. Gilbert had lunch at Eleven Madison Park on a bi-weekly basis, which he would absolutely make sure you knew within moments of making his acquaintance. The corpse of your last date wasnโt even cold, and here he was, that annoying fucking TikTok song come to lifeโtrust fund, 6โ5โ, blue eyes. Although you were fairly certain he was maybe 6โ3โ on a good day; his crocodile shoes had lifts.
โWhat are you doing here?โ you asked, placing your phone face down on the table, as if Bob could see what you were doing and you wanted to shield his eyes. โI donโt think thereโs fennel pollen within six blocks of this place.โ
Gilbert smirked, a default facial expression for him. Maybe you were being unkind. He had paid for the meal, held the door, said nice things about your outfit, and asked three standard questions about your life. You didnโt know if he would be a generous lover but maybe a tolerable one.
โMy firm had a trivia night thing,โ he said, answering your initial question. He had blonde, feathered hair that ruffled itself attractively when he moved. And he had tried to dress like a normal person, a light gray tee under a bomber jacket and jeans. โJust a few doors down,โ he went on, pointing to the wall with his beer in hand. โThought I would scope out the local attractions.โ
At that, his eyes lingered on you.
โNo fennel pollen required,โ he added, with a wink and a laugh at himself. Another man bumped into him from behind, almost but not quite spilling his beer. Gilbert sneered, shoving the man back with a muttered, โAsshole.โ
โWell, great,โ you said, in a tone that you hoped communicated your total lack of interest. โIt was nice bumping into you.โ
He leaned in to shout above the music, which wasnโt even really that loud. โWe could go somewhere else,โ he said, keeping his face close to yours. โI can get us into Clemente no problem.
You smiled, tight. Iโm one of the fucking Avengers; even with a z, I think I could get a table. โIโm good, thanks.โ
Gilbert either hadnโt heard you or had decided not to care, barging on. โTheir beverage program is second to none, the Real Talk will knock your socks off, weโโ
โI said Iโm good.โ
He put down his beer, which was never a good sign, and moved around the table in a half-circle toward you. There was a slack, weird quality to his expression, like he was suddenly wearing a mask of his own face. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw his left hand start to move toward your hip under the table. Contact never came; Gilbert froze as a third person arrived, leaning onto the table like he belonged there.
Because he does.
โHey, baby.โ The first thing you noticed was that Bob had done his hair. Not a lot, just enough. He had ditched the Grateful Dead sweater for a simple, clean button down tucked into jeans that fit. Your eyes met under the red glow of the hanging BUDLIGHT-themed stained-glass lamp, and the insistent pressure of his eyes said: Trust me. Go with it.
โHey,โ you breathed, all of you bending toward him with relief. โYou made it.โ
Bob grinned, eyes only for you. โSorry Iโm late. Impromptu dance thing on the subway. I think maybe they were a cult? Not super clear. They should really work on their messaging.โ
You snorted down into your drink. โSounds like it.โ
He moved in the opposite direction as Gilbert, melding against your left side like he was made to fit there. Your skin started buzzing from the ease of it, and from the flabbergasted expression on Gilbertโs stupid face.
โWhoโs this?โ Gilbert asked, allowing you a few inches of space as he sidled back toward his beer.
โThis is Boโโ
โRobert,โ he said, still with that cool, calculated smile, million-yard stare, but only when turned against Gilbert. He raked his gaze up and down the other man as if he had been forced at gunpoint to give him an ounce of attention. โAnd you are?โ
โGilbert.โ
And because you knew Bob and Yelena were horrible eavesdroppers, you added softly, almost to Bobโs shoulder, โHeโs in finance. Crypto.โ
โItโs the future,โ said Gilbert, certain.
โOh.โ Bobโs eyebrows went up with a flicker of a laugh. โHa. Right. Makes sense.โ He tapped the side of his nose as if to say, the cocaine guy?
โExcuse me?โ Gilbert had started getting heated the moment Bob arrived, but now he looked like he might shoot through the ceiling like a rocket. โDid you justโโ
โWhat are you drinking tonight?โ Bob asked, simultaneously cutting Gilbert off from the rest of his sentence and the conversation at large. The world shrank down around you. You were in Bobโs warm embrace, his hand like a quietly pulsing star against your spine. He kept himself angled toward you, protectively, a preemptive shield. โCan I get you a refill?โ
โIโm fine for now,โ you said, showing him that you still had half of your drink left. Bob took that in stride, rubbing your back with a soft hum. โGilbert was just telling me about the beverage program at Clemente Bar.โ
Bob nodded once, as if any of those words made sense to him. โBeverage program,โ he repeated, enjoying himself.
Gilbert chugged a few fortifying gulps of his beer, rightly sensing that the night was not going his way. โThe chef there isโโ
โNot relevant,โ Bob said flatly. โBecause sheโs not going with you.โ His tone brightened, almost cheerful, and for a moment, he was sweet, boyish Bob again. โBut you have fun, Dilbert.โ
โItโs Gilbert, freak.โ
Bob waited for a beat, maybe giving Gilbert time to walk that back.
โFreak, is it?โ Frost settled across Bobโs features. The lights above the pool table flickered. Just once. He didnโt move, or blink, and the small smile that tugged at his lips did not indicate pleasure, but rather the beginnings of an impatience that could expand into worse. Bob inclined his head slightly toward the other man; the music fizzled, going to static. You saw the glimmer of gold circling his irises as the air between you deadened. The beer bottle in Gilbertโs grasp shivered, popped, exploded so quickly into hot vapor that the glass didnโt have time to break. The sudden rush of heat sent Gilbert reeling back a step as he shook out his singed hands.
A cloud of steam rose between them and lingered, sizzling.
โHad enough?โ Bob asked, lowering his voice to a glacial whisper.
โPsycho shit,โ you heard the other man mumble before he dodged swiftly toward the exit, running.
When Gilbert was gone, you snort-laughed, leaning into Bob, expecting to glance up and see him smirking back at you. But Bob wasnโt present. The gold diminished in his eyes, but the specter of it never completely went away. A shiver caught you off guard. He noticed, and folded you more firmly against his side, the heat rolling off of his body and through his shirt was incredible. Your whole life had been about strangeness, power, but what you felt now radiating off of BobโRobertโwas hard to comprehend.
The power of a million exploding suns, that was how Yelena had put it. The pitch. The tagline. It sounded like an insane exaggeration at the time, but nowโฆ
His voice, rough, baritone, settled over you like a tight hug. โDid I frighten you?โ
You stared up into his face. So. This wasnโt quite Bob and it wasnโt quite Sentry. Integration.
โNo,โ you said truthfully. Relief softened the cold blankness in his eyes. He didnโt seem interested in letting you go and you were not interested in moving back.
โIโmโฆtrying something,โ he said.
Earnest. Nervous. Your heart ached.
โHow does it feel?โ you asked, slowly pushing your half-finished drink toward him. He took a single, grateful gulp, but that was enough to empty the glass.
โOkay, I think, Iโm still figuring things out.โ Like he was test-driving a car. Like he was encased in a robotic suit. But you could hear Bob in there, nestled in alongside this other guy. โIโm gonna be honest, when the beverage program thing came up, I thought about making his head explode.โ
โYou and me both.โ You hid your face in his shoulder, both of you shaking with laughter.
His hand tented on your back, less encompassing, less there.
You tensed, as if afraid to lose that point of contact.
โIs this alright with you?โ he asked, flattening his palm again, touching more of you.
โYes,โ you said. You couldnโt help it. โI know this has to be scary for you, letting different parts of you take up more space. If you need to just be Bobโโ
โNo,โ he said, squeezing his eyes shut for just a second. โNo, I canโtโฆI have to live with my anger, I have to make friends with it. He can be an asshole but heโs not always wrong. Iโm Bob, Iโm him, Iโm all of this.โ He shook his head, eyes narrowed. โIโm not pretending. When I saw him bothering you, I wanted it to stop. Thatโs all I had to do, focus on the truth of the thing, and suddenly I could just do it. Be him. Beโฆme.โ
You didnโt want to ruin the vibe with tears. You pressed your lips together, catching yourself. โIโm really fucking proud of you. Even just for trying.โ He looked down at you, and you gazed up at him, not knowing exactly what had changed between you, only that something had. You could stay swimming in his eyes forever, you thought, float in the darkness, bask in the gold. โAnd maybe it was a tiny bit fun?โ
โSo fun, oh my God,โ he agreed, snorting in a quintessentially Bob way. He rubbed your back again, leaning in, brushing a kiss across your forehead that made your skin ignite. Oh no. Yelena was never going to put away her shit-eating grin when she found out. โAnd is that alright with you?โ he asked, doing it again when you nodded.
You pressed into his side, one hand fisting in the fabric of his shirt over his chest. โCan we get out of here?โ
โAnywhere but Clemente Bar,โ he teased, his nose in your hair.
You slid your hand into hisโeasy, comfortableโand he tugged you toward the door. โWho are we kidding?โ you laughed. โWeโre Avengerz with a Z, weโd never get a table.โ
Bob couldnโt hear the decision itself, but he detected everything that surrounded itโthe rasp of desperate breath; the jangle of a zipper; the sound of flop sweat hitting the pavement; the cock of the hammer; the implosion within the barrel; the singing of the bullet as it kissed the night air.
And his decision and his movement happened instantaneously, even before the projectile zipped toward you. Way before death was a sure thing. In a blink, he was at your side, then behind you, hand outstretched, not catching the bullet but stopping it in mid-air before it could slam into your shoulder. It flared into a burning red eye, melting.
โShit, shit, shitโฆโ Gilbert, fucking Gilbert, crouched in the alley outside the bar, fumbling with his revolver before deciding to cut his losses and run. All of these finance guys were getting into meth, he thought, so he shouldnโt have been surprised. And maybe he wasnโt; no, not surprised, just transmuting. Integrating. The gun turned to molten slag in the jerk-offโs hand, cold and metal again by the time it thunked to the pavement. Vaguely, Bob heard you calling his name, but he was already rounding on Gilbert, following him into the darkness.
โI donโt know what the fuck is going on, what the fuck you areโโ Gilbert broke into a frantic run, screaming over his shoulder. It was no effort to follow. It was a childโs game.
โGood observation,โ Bob said, appearing in Gilbertโs path. โIโm still learning what I am, too. Maybe we should find out together.โ
His hand closed around Gilbertโs neck, threatening, the flesh and the pulse and the blood of meager interest to a god. The facts of Gilbert were so sad, sad enough to make him wonder if the man ought to exist at all. That was the Void talking, because where Sentry went, Void followed. But then he saw you jogging down the alley toward them with a question in your eyes that Bob must answer.
Are you afraid of what will happen if Sentry or the Void become dominant?
You looked so alive, so beautiful, and Gilbert monstrously defaced by his own choices; the contrast fascinated him. Like a universe blinking out, heat death, he felt the impulse to destroy Gilbert vanish. A human man screamed inside him to rememberโremember his own pain and how he had tried to numb it. And sympathy declared itself like a fourth voice; gradually, his grip eased on Gilbertโs neck.
โGo back inside,โ he told you calmly. โIโll be right back.โ
โBobโโ
His eyes were bright hot in the darkness. โTrust me.โ
There was no need for the subway; Bob flew you home.
You almost wished someone had been there to see it. Walker, preferably, so he could finally quit whining about fueling up the jet as if the gas came from his pocket personally. Or Alexei, who seemed fixated on the idea of one day riding Bob into the sky. Instead, the tower was quiet. You clung to Bobโs neck, forearms looped around him, legs kicked up into his grasp. It was, you thought, the most superhero thing that had ever happened to you. And as he set you down gently, allowing but not forcing you to glide fully down his front until your feet touched solid ground, you wondered if it would be too embarrassing to swoon.
Along the way, Bob had promised you that no real harm had come to Gilbert, that he had handed him over to the nearest precinct and waited until Gilbert confessed to his attempted murder. On an Avenger, no less.
โThat was big of you,โ you said, meaning it. Bob was still figuring out how to control this side of himโit was a miracle he had wrangled his impulses before doing something extreme. You watched his ears turn pink from the compliment as you walked back inside, where it was warm and smelled faintly of burned popcorn. โYour first night as the new you and no extrajudicial killings. Thatโs major.โ
Bob shook his head, sticking his hands into his pockets. Now it came down to itโyou stood chest to chest in the common room, both of your rooms in walking distance. But Bob kept his eyes on you. โYouโre making fun.โ
โIโm not,โ you said, crossing your heart to show him. โI would tell you what happened the first time I felt my powers manifestโฆโ Your voice dropped, no longer teasing, no longer giddy. โBut you already know.โ
The moonlight through the tall windows turned slivers of his hair silver. He touched your cheek, cupping your face. You held your breath, worried, briefly, that you would slide back into those ugly memories just from skin-to-skin contact. But you stayed where you wereโin your new home, with your newโฆ.
โYou were just a kid,โ he told you, gentle. His eyes shined with all of the kindness and all of the grace that he rarely showed himself.
โI tell myself that all the time. Somehow, it never sticks.โ
Bob tilted his head to the side and down, studying you. โWhat if I told you.โ
You kept waiting for it to sound like a question. His eyes burrowed into you, deadly serious. โYou just did, Bob.โ
He shook his head, inching closer, not crowding, showing you how solid and real and overpowering his presence could become. Through his fingers, carefully channeled, you felt a growing, odd heat. โWhat if I told you over and over again,โ he said, gold liminal in his gaze. It came and went, but you could sense Sentry just on the other side of his brittle restraint. โYou donโt have to prove anything to me. Iโve already seen your darkness.โ He brought his lips down carefully, his eyes locked to yours, monitoring, checking. His breath ghosted across your mouth, and you let him in.
โWhat about yours?โ you asked, kissing his chin.
His composure cracked, just for a millisecond. His eyes changed rapidly, colors shifting, moods flying by, like someone clicking through slides, dark blue to black to gold to a gradient of all three. He shivered, closed his eyes, and kissed you. Both of his hands bracketed your face, thumbs just outside your lips. A rush of air. A feeling like falling. His lips slid against yours, hungry, seeking more. By the time you pulled back slightly for air, you realized you were no longer in the common room together but his quarters, both of you levitating inches off the ground.
โHow did you do that?โ you asked, grabbing his neck before you could fall. But he had you, and his smile was mild, amused, as he lightly set you both down.
โDoes it matter?โ
His eyes flared gold; the door shut behind him.
โNo,โ you whispered, mouth suddenly dry. โNo, I guess not.โ
Bob let go of you, hands at his sides, eyes falling to his feet. โI ruined it, Iโโ
โYou didnโt ruin anything.โ You hugged him, arms around his waist, and just as readily his hands found their way back to you, settling on your hips. โThis is new for both of us.โ
โCan I kiss you again?โ he asked.
You leaned up and pressed your lips to his in answer. His heart hammered against your chest. A quiet, greedy sound rasped out of the back of his throat. The room was cold and dark, and his heat called to you. Your fingers crawled from his back to his shoulders to his hair, threading into the thick golden-brown waves that he had tamed that night just for you. Breaking the kiss, you thumbed a few loose strands of hair behind his ears, stroking his temples. โYou can stop asking, Bob.โ
He took you by the wrists, jaw tightening. โAre you sure?โ
โYes. You told me to trust youโI did.โ
His eyes went up and down your body once, then burned into yours again. โHow attached are you to these clothes?โ
You smirked, curious. โNot very, Iโโ
A feeling like you had just stepped in front of a bonfire roared across your skin. Light shimmered up from your arms and torso, and then your t-shirt and jeans were dust scattering to the floor, disintegrated. Not a single hair on you had been so much as toasted. Bob touched your cheek again, his eyes difficult to read.
โBetter,โ he said.
It was juvenile, maybe, but that show of power thrilled you. There was steel behind his touch, hunger gathering in his gaze. He looked you up and down again, taking his time, absorbing the shudder that ripped through you as he drank in your body, his thumb jerking on your cheek when his gaze reached your breasts. They were caged in sheer fabric, the chill in the room and his heat drawing out your nipples, hardening them, every part of you desperate for more, for his touch.
You undid the top button on his shirt clumsily; you tried to move quickly but your fingers had stopped working, and it only got worse when he laughed softly at your distress. Bob took over, nodding toward the bed just behind you.
โGet on the bed,โ he said. There was the slightest tremor in his voice, but by the time he spoke again, it was gone. โShow me whatโs mine.โ
Your eyes widened. Not in a hundred years had you considered those words would leave Bobโs mouth. You moved before he could register your hesitation. Not hesitation, justโฆwow. You remembered the feeling of your own clothes burning off of your body, something he had accomplished with a single thought. As you turned and crawled onto his bed, knees and palms sinking into the soft, dark blue flannel, you noticed a stack of books near the bedside table. You wouldโve recognized them anywhere, even in the darkโthey were yours.
A tide of conflicting emotions rose in your chest. It was incredibly sweet that he had made a close study of your desires. On the other hand, if this wasnโt himโฆ You flipped onto your back, head at his pillows, to say as much, but the concerns died in your throat. You didnโt know who was standing thereโBob, Robert, Sentry, the Voidโbut the sight of him took your breath away. He stood at the foot of the bed, stripped down to his black boxer briefs, every perfect muscle visible in the gray slats of gloom allowed in by the half-tipped blinds. Maybe it was the perma pajama pants, but you had never noticed how unbelievably thick his legs were. Thighs. The word pulsed like a neon sign behind your eyes.
โWhat did I say?โ he asked, in a voice of quiet command. Not angry, perhaps somewhat disappointed.
โS-Sorry.โ The apology spilled out of you. Holy shit. It was one thing to read about a towering figure in the bedroom ready to control, ready to take, but experiencing it with a guy who could explode a gun with his mind was altogether different. It felt like you could levitate again, this time all on your own.
โDonโt apologize,โ he said, his eyes rotating through that odd catalog of colors again as he tilted his head to the side. โJust do as I ask.โ
Sir, yes, sir.
You tried to relax, but there was no hiding the shaking in your legs as you laid back against the pillows and rested your hands across your midsection, subtly opening your thighs as you stretched out. His eyes burned like stoked coals in the darkness, sharp lights in an anti-halo of shadow. A heartbeat later, he was on the bed, over you, his weight sinking the mattress at your sides.
ย โJesus,โ you whispered, jolting your head up to meet his eyes.
โGood?โ he asked. Bob, you thought, he was in there.
You nodded, licking your lips.
Just as quickly as he had come, Bob receded again. His lips descended to your throat, searing across the delicate architecture there, down to your collarbone, across, learning, memorizing. โMaybe I need an outlet,โ he said. โWhat am I? A god? A man? A monster?โ His hips lowered until you were forced to twitch your thighs further apart to accommodate him. โOut there,โ he went on, still dropping kisses across your neck, โI have to be so careful. But in here?โ
His voice trailed away. You slid your hands across his back, molding your fingers around the hard juts of his shoulder blades. He made a pained sound against your throat, dragging his nose from your neck to your shoulder. His teeth closed around the ridge there, biting until you gasped and arched against him. โYou,โ he said, releasing the hold of his teeth, but blinking up at the ceiling, you knew there would be a mark there in the morning. โYou. My outlet. For the god,โ he whispered fiercely. โAnd the monster.โ
Bob craned back, looking down at you. Checking. You wondered if the blend of them was becoming more seamless. He was waiting for you to fend him off, disagree, but instead you touched your forehead to his chin. Permission. He allowed himself one weak, ragged breath.
โShow me,โ he said. โShow me that youโre mine.โ
You took his right hand, sliding it from the mattress by your shoulder to your side, over your left breast and your heart, then down, guiding his palm over your stomach, beneath the waistband of your panties, and toward the soaking wet heat he had generated between your legs. His middle finger curled automatically into you. The power in the building surged, a transformer down the block splitting the silence with a thunderous boom. The sound startled you, your hips driving you against him, forcing him further inside. All of the lights went on in the room, twinkling in a sequence before turning themselves off again.
Both of you were holding your breath.
โWhat happens when you cum?โ you whispered.
Bob supported himself on his left elbow, shook his head. โThatโs never happened before.โ He tossed his head again, eyes stuttering shut as if in disbelief. A second finger joined the first, shocking your hips up again. โIs this for me?โ he asked.
โYes.โ You tightened your grip on his wrist as he twisted his fingers, pumping, searching, stretching.
โYouโre so fucking wet.โ Golden eyes found you in the dark, brightening, your bra and panties sizzling off of your skin until you were completely bare beneath him. He claimed your mouth with a brutal kiss, forcing your chin upward, then down, his tongue driving into you at the same rate as his fingers, setting a steady rhythm. โLet go of my wrist,โ he said, breaking the kiss. His chest rose and fell, expanding like bellows. โPut your hands above your head. Donโt move them unless I tell you to.โ
You did as he instructed, bracing your fingertips against the headboard.
โGood,โ he said. He pulled his fingers out of you with a sound that made your ears burn. Wet wasnโt the word for it. The word hadnโt been invented yet. You whimpered at his absence. โDonโt worry,โ he told you, reaching down to free his cock from his shorts. His voice seemed to fill the room, infiltrate you from every direction. โBeg for it. Beg for it from your god.โ
He drove home the command with a glimmer building in his eyes. He wasnโt even touching you anymore, but you felt a whisper of pressure around your clit, circling, teasing. You shivered and clamped down on nothing, whispering his name. He waited, patient, never increasing the speed of that sensation, making it spread, flickers of energy circling your breasts, skipping up and across your nipples until it felt like they were being lightly, teasingly electrified. You felt it in your teeth. Helpless, you flexed the hands wedged above your head, desperate for relief. Your back bent toward him, but Bob remained still, letting you torture yourself until the words clawed their way out of your throat.
โPlease, Robert,โ you whispered, fighting the waves of pleasure contorting your spine. โPlease, I need you. Please, Jesus, itโs too much.โ
The touching without touching had been bad, but when he made it stop, that was worse. You slithered back down to the mattress, breathing hard, gasping as he crawled over you, urging your thighs wider before pressing his lips to your ear. His hot, swollen dick pulsed against your thigh, brushing at such tantalizing range you heard yourself whine like a frantic animal. โIโm going to fuck you now, and if it destroys the power grid then so be it.โ
He scooped you against him, one arm braced under your lower back, his other hand guiding his cock to your entrance. There was so little resistance it made you both exhale; no more waiting. Stretch but not resistance, your body was ready for him, soaked and pliant. Bob rewarded you with a biting tug on your earlobe, his breath shuddering against your neck as he fit himself inside you to the hilt and groaned. You smiled at the thought of making a fucking god moan like that.
โYouโre mine,โ he whispered, ragged. โYouโre beautiful. You look so beautiful when I fuck you.โ
He worked his hips back and forth, giving you a preview of just how much delicious friction that could produce. A string of lights stapled around the border of his ceiling sparkled on, warming the space above his head. Your thighs wrapped around his waist, heels digging into his sides, technically not against the established rules, and seemingly to his taste. He hummed with approval, slapping both of his palms against your upper thighs as he knelt, shifting his weight, pushing into you on a long, devastating stroke.
โFuck.โ Your head fell back, air blasting out of your lungs.
โYou seemed to like this before,โ he said, laughing against your throat. โLetโs try it again.โ Those cruel, teasing flickers of hot energy coiled around you again, tracing maddening circles around your clit, your peaked nipples, the ends of your toes. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Even if those lights hadnโt turned on you would be seeing stars. โIs this what you wanted?โ he asked, wry. โTo give up control? Give yourself to me? Because now that I have you, I could do anything. Anything.โ
The energy was everywhere now, coursing through you, pinging through every cell, mapping every corner of your body. You felt him in your throat, behind your knees, along the inner coils of your ears, zapping your tongue. You arched and cried out for him and then fell silent, dumb, just letting the insane, raw beauty of his power tingle in your blood. Bob fucked into you harder, sweating, his hair damp as it clung to your shoulder. Down the street, another transformer erupted, a dog barked. The air around you sizzled. He angled your hips slightly, finding a new depth, holding his own orgasm at bay long enough to leave you panting, dazed, fucked into a place where your mind had gone blank. There was just him. Just his eerie energy moving through you. He could do anything. Anything.
โPlease,โ you murmured, wishing you could hold him, touch him, rake your nails down his back in pent up gratitude. โPlease Iโm so close.โ
โThatโs good,โ he said, shoving his forehead against your jaw. Finally, he sounded as wrecked as you did. He was coming undone, close, close, driving, swellingโฆ โLet go. Show me.โ
The little gusts of heat he had been controlling coalesced around your sex, concentrated on your clit, spiraling inward, faster, faster, until the glittering, live wire mesh that had been tightening around your body snapped shut, heat rocketing through your core, burning a clean line from your abdomen to your eyeballs. You couldnโt keep your hands away from him any longer. You clung to his shoulders, sobbing out the shocks that had nowhere to go but out.
It sent him over the edge.
Bob ground you into the mattress, holding himself deep, whispering something you couldn't make out as he jerked and bucked and filled you until it felt like you might burst. Jesus, every part of him was powerfulโyou had never felt someone cum like that, distinct enough to push another little climax through you.
His chest worked against yours, his breathing evening out after a prolonged, sweaty moment of total entangled bliss. He let you go gently, setting your legs down as if they might break, but he didnโt climb off of you. Lowering himself with utmost care, he nestled against your body, face in your neck and arms around your middle. The string lights were still glowing faintly, like you were just two horny losers in a college dorm. As you came back to yourself and opened your eyes, every single object in his room except the bed was floating.
โNow we know what happens,โ you said softly, carding your fingers through his hair. Just from the weight of him, from the sweet way he kissed your throat and held you like his life depended on it, you could tell Bob was back in control. He turned his head, looking around at the desk, the lamp, the laundry basket, the sneakers, all suspended as if you were in outer space. Coughing, perhaps with embarrassment, Bob gradually let the objects float back down. His hands tightened on you in concentration.
โDoโฆdo you think everyone heard us?โ he asked, hiding his face against your skin again.
โProbably.โ You laughed, relaxing against the pillows as he finally rolled to the side, freeing himself from you with a groan as he crumpled to your right. โI donโt mind,โ you said, reaching for him. โItโs okay if they know Iโm yours.โ
Bob blinked at you, a shy, boyish smile pulling his lips to one side. โIโm yours, too. You know that, right? Iโฆsaid a lot of stuff at you just now. I hope it was okay.โ
โIt was more than okay,โ you assured him. โLike you said. An outlet.โ
โThis is gonna blow the tits off my integration therapist,โ he muttered, covering his face with both hands. โIโll maybe gloss over some parts. Like where stuff exploded. And the burning your clothes off with my mind thing.โ He shrugged and flopped onto his side, gazing at you adoringly from his pillow. โIโll, um, I'll buy you new jeans.โ
You snuggled closer, fitting your face against his chest. He pulled you in, sighing. It seemed right, the way you fit together.
You leaned up for one more kiss. โFine, but only if you promise to burn them off again.โ
A little zap of energy coasted up and down your back. โDeal.โ
synopsis: three times you and bob are almost walked in on and the one time you are
content: nsfw, 18+ minors dni, leg humping, oral (m receiving), handjob, early morning sex, unprotected piv, (some) plot
notes: uhhhhhhh really needed to write bob smut! this was supposed to be short lmaooo thank you for the support of my other works! xoxo
word count: 6.6k
this blog contains 18+ content, minors dni!
on the couch (winter)
itโs movie night and everyone is late.ย
yelena had texted, telling you the group would be stuck in traffic and to not start until they got back. that was almost an hour ago. bucky had walked into the living room, found you and bob waiting a little too inconspicuously on the couches and turned on his heel, going back the way he came.ย
youโd looked to bob then, grinning conspiratorially as you crawled down the length of the curved couch, right into his side.ย
itโs innocent enough, at first. muffled by his shirt in your face when you tell him that itโs only because youโre cold, and he warms you up better than anything else could.ย
he gives you a lookโlike he knows what youโre up to but canโt find a good enough reason to refuse himself the feel of you. makes something warm in his chest when he thinks about how youโre always looking for any reason to touch him, that you donโt shy away.
he likes it, because while your relationship isnโt exactly new, he still worriesโdoesnโt know if he could bring himself to initiate it even if he wanted to (he really, really does).ย
but when you come to him, he welcomes it. revels in it, actually.
his arms lift, wrapping around your frame. immediately, youโre enveloped by the smell of his laundry detergent and the 2-in-1 shampoo heโs been trying to use up before opening the real shampoo and conditioner youโd bought him.ย
his chin rests atop your head, breathing steady while your fingers aimlessly trace lines down his sleeve.ย
โyโknowโฆโ you say, trailing off in the way he knows means youโve got something to say that likely will get him in trouble. he holds his breath.ย
โweโre the only ones here,โ you continue, pulling your head back to look into his eyes, hoping those pretty blue eyes will take the hint.ย
bob laughs softly, eyes flickering across the utterly empty room. the christmas decorations the team had spent an afternoon assembling, ending up a little lopsided and mismatched hanging above the mantel and from the ceiling. the string lights twinkle in your eyes.ย
ย โyeah,โ he breathes, โi- i can see that.โ
the look you give him is expectant, and he blinks owlishly in return.ย
he watches your nose scrunch when you try to decipher whether heโs being clueless on purpose or if he genuinely canโt fathom what youโd want to do with him in an empty room on a couch much too big for two.ย
the noise you let out is a cross between an exasperated groan and a teasing giggle. your cheeks burn a little when you tell him plainly, โi want to kiss you, bob. make out a little.โ
his lips fall into a perfect little โoโ when he exhales the syllable. you grin up at him when his ears turn red.ย
โi- i mean,โ he stammers, darting between you, your lips and the elevator doors. you can almost tell when he makes up his mind, gaze catching on your lips and struggling to drag them back up to your eyes. licks his lips before he says, โokay.โย
he only catches a glimpse of the giddy look on your face before youโre pulling him down to you with a gentle hand on his cheek.ย
he kisses a little unsure, a little messyโbut god, does it send pleasant shivers down your spine when heโs the one to part your lips and glide his tongue against yours.ย
you sigh contentedly into his waiting mouth when his grip on you tightens, and his hands start to roamโlike the more he kisses you the less restrained he remembers to be.ย
โw- weโฆ we should-โ he sighs against the side of your face when your head tilts to press your lips to his cheek, chest rising and falling hard.ย
โwe should probably move,โ he manages to get out on the third try, voice raspy and deep. his blue eyes have gone dark, half-lidded as he rests his forehead on yours, catching his breath.
heโs probably right. the chances of you getting walked in on are rising by the minuteโyou can only imagine the shit youโll get if the team finds you and bob, equally flustered and dazed.ย
but bob makes no move to get up, to peel you off from where you cling to him, just to make that long, cold walk to somewhere more private. you hold your breath, mentally debating if itโs worth it.ย
bob licks his kiss-swollen lips, and the choice is made for you.ย
your arms tighten around his neck, pressing impossibly closer as you capture his lips between yours. a knee goes between his, and presses dangerously close to where heโs starting to stiffen in his plaid christmas bottoms.ย
bobโs head jerks back, curls jostling as he gasps. hisย hands flying to your hips to pin you down before you can do any further damage to his already-crumbling restraint.ย
you know you shouldnโt tease. youโve only seen bob at his most vulnerable a handful of times, all in the comfort and safety of your rooms, locked away from the world.ย
but heโs just so pretty, and when he makes sounds like that just from your leg, you canโt stop yourself from doing it again, and again, until heโs whimpering and reaching a hand down to hold back your leg. a little pointless, considering how his hips buck in search of more.ย
โthey- theyโre going to come back,โ bob chokes, lashes fluttering as he fights to keep his eyes open. white-knuckled fingers twitch against your thigh, โsomeone could see.โ
and youโre about to argue otherwise, that theyโre not about to just walk in the next second, but itโs like heโs summoned them with magic, or spoken it into existence.ย
the elevator dings twice, announcing their imminent arrival. you have seconds before the team files into the room and finds bob borderline humping your thigh.ย
bob yelps in alarm, his hold on you tightening in reflex as the โfreezeโ part of his fight or flight instinct takes over. slapping at his hands, you climb out of his grip, launching yourself to the opposite end of the couch.ย
when the team walks in, youโre on your phone scrolling haphazardly, glancing up in faux-annoyance when they mill about. you chew them out for being late, and bob is grateful for the distractionโnobody asks why his cheeks are so red, or why heโs more jittery than usual.ย
by the time the lights are turned off and everyone is placated with snacks and a christmas movie, bob thinks heโs off the hook. but then youโre squeezing into the only seat left with an innocent smileโbetween him and bucky.
the super soldier side-eyes you when the movie ends and bob still has that damned pillow clutched over his lap.ย
in the shower (spring)ย
the water beating down against slick tiles does a halfway job of muffling the sounds coming from your bathroom.ย
it hadnโt been your intention, when youโd agreed to help yelena train bob, to end up caged under him in the shower.ย
youโd lingered in your doorway while yelena disappeared into hers, already wriggling out of her sweaty top. bob had come to a slow stop behind you, waiting for the telltale swoosh of the blondeโs door closing.ย
thereโs something about that post-exercise high, the rush of endorphins in bobโs system that makes him walk with his shoulders a little less curled and his gait steadier. his limbs are loose, and the slow blink he gives you while he leans against the doorframe makes you pause.ย
it reminds you of when the sentry peeks through. makes you swallow, peering curiously at his eyes but noโonly crystalline blue already staring back.ย ย
his hair stuck to his forehead and a light sheen of sweat around along his throatโevidence of how much heโd pushed himself. thanks to the serum, it takes a lot for bob to work up a sweat these days.ย
โโm gonna shower,โ you say simply, and that was that.ย
heโd followed you all the way into your room, set his things down next to yours and waited patiently until the water warmed to get his hands on you.ย
he descends on you, big hands engulfing your cheeks, kissing you hard. itโs hungry, and your teeth bump a little, but when one hand trails down your slick skin to crook a thigh around his hip, you canโt help the breathless sigh into his mouth at the way heโs already hard and feverish against your inner thigh.ย
โbob,โ you cry out when he sucks at the spot behind your earโthe same time his hand on your thigh moves to cup your ass. his tongue swipes at your pulse point and your breath hitches on your words, โwhatโs got you all hot and bothered?โ
โi- i donโt know,โ he breathes against your skin, wet lips searing more than the hot water raining down on you. he manoeuvres your bodies out of the spray when he feels how hot your skin is getting. โjust- just need toโฆโย
he trails off, mouth falling open on a low groan when your hips twitch, and the ruddy head of his cock brushes the junction of your thigh and pelvis.ย
bobโs forehead presses to the cool tile beside you when you do it again, smearing precum against your thigh.ย
โshit- need to feel you,โ he pleads, hands finding purpose in kneading your tits.ย
โhow dโyou want me?โ you murmur, turning your head so the words fall on his parted lips. he watches in a daze as your hand slips between your heated bodies, fingers curling around the length of him.ย
bob chokes on a breath, back caving in. heโs on the brink alreadyโon edge from hours of sparring and watching you dance around him in your tight workout gear and a determined glint in your eyes. he sees the same one now, and he knows he wonโt last long enough to be inside you.ย
you squeeze, flicking a thumb over his slit to get his attention, and bob realises heโs been staring into space.ย
bob may as well babbleโincoherent as he tries to beg you to do literally anything to make the ache go awayโanything you want. โ- just want you.โ
he seems to swell in your grasp when you coo at him, twisting your fist as you stroke him steadily. โoh, baby,โ you give him a kiss he struggles to reciprocate, โwanโ me to take care of you?โ
all the bravado from earlier washes down the drain. heโs whimpering low in his throat, nodding feverishly. โy- yes, please, oh- fuck.โ
โokay, pretty boy, iโll take care of you.โ
he lets you push him, back to the wall. youโre slinking down his front, straight onto your knees. his cock rests under his belly, flushed all over and leaking like a faucet.ย
โyou did so well today,โ you whisper and itโs almost drowned out by the water, โworked so hard.โ
your lips press closed kisses up the side of him. when you take his tip into your warm mouth, bob has a flicker of genuine worry that heโll pass out. he whimpers as you work more of him into your mouth, withdrawing only to pucker up and dribble down a glob of spit over his tip.ย
โoh god,โ he whines, head thrown back against the tile. wet hair clinging to his cheeks and neck, lashes clumped with water (or tears)โhe looks so good and you make up your mind to make him cum in record time.ย
he deserves it, you think. hadnโt protested once while you and yelena had demonstrated the 101 ways to throw a grown man down. (zero complaints when your thighs had clamped around his head and swung him down, legs locked at his throat.)
you can barely fit half of him in your mouth, so your hands come up to stroke in time with your hungry tongue.ย
bob thinks he actually sees stars. there might be hearts floating above his head, because if he hadnโt known he was in love with you before, he definitely knows now, when youโre smiling up at him through your lashes.ย
the warning heat in his belly ramps up to a boil when he feels your tongue swirling around his head.ย
โhoney, iโm- i think iโm gonna-โ he manages to pant, chest heaving as his stomach tenses. a jolt of satisfaction courses through you, and youโre readying yourself for his end when thereโs the worldโs loudest knocking at your bathroom door.ย
a drawn out call of your name.ย
bob fights the desperate, pleading whine when your mouth pulls off of him at the last second. he stares down at youโdeer in the headlights, when the urgent knocking continues. his hand flies to your hair, not pressing, but urging.ย
his wide, panicked eyes find yoursโthe surprise is wearing off and now youโre just mildly annoyed.ย
yelenaโs on the other side, short blonde strands dripping onto the towel she clutches around her.ย
โcan i borrow some conditioner? i ran out!โ she shouts to be heard over the water.ย
your hand never leaves bobโs dick, wrapped loosely as you bite your lip in contemplation. โwhy canโt you use avaโs?โย
โyours smells better!โ she reasons, fingernails tapping against the metal.ย
your face scrunches, figuring itโll be easier to just give her the damned thing than try to talk her out of coming in.ย
so you look up at bob from between his legs, press your fingers to your lips even as his head shakes, mouthing a pitiful โpleaseโ. presses himself further into the wall like itโll absorb him out of this utterly painful situation.ย
โfine, but iโm in the shower,โ you call out, hands fumbling for the offending bottle. you both hear it when the doorknob turns and her footsteps enter the steamy room.ย
โdonโt worry, i wonโt look,โ yelena mutters jokingly, approaching the shower curtain. to her credit, she does turn away before your hand pulls the curtain aside a little to pass her the conditioner. itโs good she didโ wouldโve caught a glimpse of dark hair and a muscled shoulder, otherwise.ย
the whole time, bob is shaking with tension and throbbing in your palm. you want to put him out of his misery, but you also want to drag it out a little. so you give him a slow, firm stroke and he slaps a hand over his mouth.ย
she thanks you for the conditioner, and you think thatโs that, but her steps stop right before the door.ย
โhey, bobโs been getting better, donโt you think?โ yelena hums thoughtfully, โheโs a fast learner.โ
you agree, muffling a giggle because she doesnโt know just how right she is. bobโs eyes narrow at your smirk, even worse when it spreads into a devilish grin.ย
your fingers curl tighter around his cock, speeding up. his head shakes vehemently, squirming under you as quietly as he can.ย
โheโs got good teachers,โ you say, winking up at him when he gives up on trying to not thrust into your fist. he looks absolutely debauched like this, back arching off the wall as he chases your strokes.ย
yelena cackles, โno kidding. shouldโve seen his face when you did that widow move on him. i think he has a crush on you.โ
you do laugh then, and you feel a little bad because bobโs breathing is getting faster and his hips more erratic. but you canโt help it when you ask, โreally? what makes you say that?โ
yelena hums like she knows something you donโt, ironically, and you can almost see her outline through the curtain as she waves a hand, โah, weโll open that can of worms another time. thanks again!โย
when the door clicks shut again, bob counts five seconds before he releases the neediest moan heโs ever heard himself make. it makes his cheeks go red because heโs a little embarrassed.ย
but heโs peeking down at you and finds your eyes alight with arousal as you frantically tug at his swollen cock. โyou did so good, baby. stayed so quiet,โ you sigh, thumb gliding over his slit with every pass.
bob cries out, biting his lip at the coil in his tummy returning, sneaking up while heโd been so caught up in being quietโbeing good, for you.ย
โcum for me, sweet boy,โ you tell him, lips brushing his tip as your head lowers, โwanโ it in my mouth.โ
thatโs it for him. his whimper pitches high, cracking in his throat. your mouth closes around him just as he twitches in your hand and then heโs spurting into your mouth in thick ropes that you swallow down with a soft moan. he canโt help the way his hips jerk, nudging his cock further into your mouth. you welcome it, even as your jaw aches.ย ย
it takes over him, dragged out by your tongue and hollowed cheeks. he cums so muchโa few drops leak down your chin from the corner of your lips.
bob watches in awe as you scoop up what you missed with your fingers, suck them clean with your mouth. it feels like a gut punch to watch.ย
his hand flails, shutting the water off blindly. bob carries you out with ease, uncaring in the moment that heโs tracking water over your floor.ย
heโll apologise profusely later, but for now bob drops you onto the bed, and him onto his knees. your legs are thrown over his broad shoulders, and he proceeds to give you three more reasons for a real shower.ย
when the ac breaks (summer)
itโs ridiculous, really. the notion that a place like the new avengers tower, worth billions, could suffer from the mundane struggle of a busted air conditioning system.ย
smack in the middle of summer.ย
the entire building had been given the day off, save for the poor souls residing on the residential floors. the seven of you, condemned to braving this heatwave in a bulletproof glass box.ย
the one saving grace should have been the olympic sized pool on the training floors, but as luck would have it, itโs closedโscheduled to be cleaned sometime in the day.ย
so you resolve to lying splayed out on bobโs floor, against the cool floor with the only mini hand-held fan oscillating between yours and bobโs sweaty bodies.ย
youโd stripped down to your underwear, bob in his boxers. laying shoulder to shoulder, skin prickling from the heat.ย
โhow sure are we that weโre not in hell?โย
your head turns to the man next to you, reaching out to brush damp hair off his forehead. he laughs, and hopes you donโt notice when he makes sure the fan stays pointed at you longer.ย
your eyes narrow when you do, nudging at his hand to turn it back to him, scolding him lightly because you donโt want him getting heat stroke.ย
the heat makes everything feel hazy and your movements sluggish.ย
you groan into the thick air, shifting on the ground in search of a cool spot. eyeing him suspiciously as he stays completely stillโhow other than the light sheen on his body and the flush in his cheeks, there arenโt any outward signs of suffering. โhow are you so calm right now?โ
bob shrugs, a lax hand arcs through the air. โi run warm. โm pretty used to it.โ
you give him a pout that his eyes catch on. he wonders if heโd taste the salt on your skin if he kissed you now.
โno fair,โ you mumble, head thrown back. the move exposes the line of your throat, the way it glistens with sweat. he licks his lips, tries so hard to stop himself from following the bead of sweat that tracks down your cleavage.ย
bob distantly wonders how heโs still so affected, even after he had you writhing under him last night, just twelve hours ago. remembers how youโd dragged your nails down his back, raising welts between his shoulder blades as he had you pinned between him and the mattress.ย
to answer your question, he thinks there is a chance heโs in hell. only because youโre inches away, in nothing but a bra and panties, skin shimmering in the afternoon light and he canโt do anything about it because itโs just so hot.
when you shift again, bob takes the risk and kisses you. makes sure to keep his torso hovering away from yours, only connected by your lips.ย
you reciprocate, craning your neck up into him. his mouth is warm, but itโs a nice contrast to the stifling heat surrounding you.ย
itโs muscle memory, reaching up to pull him closer. but your fingers slip against tacky skin, chests sticking together uncomfortably. bob retreats when he hears your low whine, squirming beneath him.ย
โno no no- i want to keep going,โ you say breathlessly, voice catching when the heat stings at the nape of your neck, โbut โs too hot.โ
bob can see when it gets overstimulating, your eyes watering with it. he scoots away, not too far but just enough to let the air flow easier around you. sets the mini fan next to you on the strongest setting and gathers your hair away from your neck.ย
โhey, youโre okay,โ he murmurs soothingly, โi know, itโs hot. dโyou want me to get your water bottle?โ
you shake your head, still pouting. you know youโre being a little melodramatic, but you can barely think straight, youโre bloated from drinking enough water to drown a dolphin and all you want is to cuddle with your boyfriend but you canโt.ย
โwhat can i do, honey?โ he hums, scooting closer to link your pinkies. heโs surprisingly level-headed about the whole thing, and it makes you wonder if this is really how he feels most of the time. then you feel bad for ever complaining about how cold he keeps his room. youโd much rather be huddling for warmth.
your voice is small, a little petulantโitโs embarrassing to be felled by a broken ac system. โcan youโฆ can you kiss me again?โ
his heart skips at your shy question. so used to the tables being flipped that he feels a little zip down his spine at the opportunity to take care of you this time.
bobโs mind becomes one-tracked, the need to make all your troubles disappear and have you happy and sated taking over his thoughts. he tells himself heโll make it all better (maybe even says it out loud.)
โlay back,โ he tells you softly, nodding when you go down without a word. he dutifully adjusts the fan again, and then heโs appearing in your vision, blocking out the ceiling.ย
bob hovers over you, in a push-up position so none of his body heat reaches you. he looks so big like this, his newfound strength apparent with how he holds himself in place without struggle.ย
his hair curtains his face from this angle, and you reach up to tuck it behind his ear again. he has stars in his eyes when he peers down at you, still so pretty.ย
โโs this better?โ he asks, voice low and gentle.
when you nod, youโre smiling and looking like yourself again. who couldโve known all you needed was bob on top of you.ย
he leans down, chest only just brushing yours this time as he kisses you deep. makes it a good one (he always does), but especially since youโd asked so sweetly.ย
you forget why you were upset in the first place when his tongue slips over yours. it gets a little heated, ironically, but even then bob holds himself above you, never letting his hot skin touch you.ย
you start to whimper for it, especially when you feel bob sporting a semi through his thin boxers, even from where he hovers. heโs about to bring himself to do something about itโears burning a little when he thinks about maybe asking if youโd want him to take you from behind this time, reasoning that youโll overheat less like that.
but then through the thick door, bobโs enhanced hearing picks up on heavy, thudding footsteps approaching. you donโt need crazy senses to hear walker calling bobโs name from down the hall.ย
the pair of you freeze, your glassy eyes stuck on him. the breath catches in your chests when his voice grows louder. โbob! poolโs openโletโs go!โ
he rolls off of you, barely sparing a second to adjust himself in his boxers before ushering you to the en-suite bathroom.ย
โstay here,โ he says, even when both of you know thereโs nowhere else to go. โiโll be right back.โย
bob steals one more kiss before he ducks out of the bathroom, shutting the door right behind him just as walker barrels into the bedroom.ย
โwha- maybe knock next time?โ bob runs a hand through his hair, standing on the opposite side of the room from the blonde super soldier whoโs already got his trunks on.ย
โwhatโs the point? not like youโre doing anything in here, anyway.โ john reasons, shrugging with a hand on his hip.ย
โrightโฆ poolโs open, you said?โ bob tries changing the subject.ย
โa few of us are heading down now. get changed, buddy, you look like youโre about to pass out.โย
bob purses his lips, and wonders briefly if youโre listening through the door. he hopes walker doesnโt ask why heโs standing so weird.ย
โs-sure thing,โ bob agrees, already turning around to look for the new pair of trunks heโd picked out with you the last time youโd gone out.
a high whistle rings out behind him, and the way it pierces the air makes bob freeze in his tracks.ย
โdamn, bob. you get in a fight?โย
bobโs confused, grasping for any idea of what john could mean when it hits him, and he whirls around before john gets more fuel for the teasing that awaits him now.ย
his face is burning up, trunks clutched in his hands. he blinks rapidly, floundering as john watches with a smug grin.ย
โgood for you, man,โ john says simply, and bob just knows heโs holding back for later, when he has everyoneโs attention.ย
โo- on second thought, i donโt- i donโt feel too good,โ bob struggles, eyes frantically searching for a shirt, but the last time he had one on was hours ago. he canโt remember where heโd tossed it, because his brain turned to mush the second yours came off.
โoh, come on, thereโs nothing to be ashamed of!โ john waves, cracking a little as a laugh bubbles in his chest. โwear it with pride! means you did a good job.โ
bob wishes the ground would open up and swallow him whole. heโs sure heโs in hell, when his door slides open and both yelena and ava step in, clad in swimsuits and towels slung over their shoulders.ย
โguys, what is the holdup?โ yelena demands, gesturing exasperatedly with her hands.ย
โitโs like you want to get heat stroke.โ ava snips, glaring at john, whose face is crimson from how hard heโs holding himself back.ย
โbobโs been busy.โ
the girls look at him questioningly, irate at being made to wait even longer as john waits for them to figure it out.ย
bob squeaks, shaking his head when john declares to the room, โbob fucks!โ
he is in hell, because the room falls silent as ava and yelena stare between the two men. bob scoots a little too far to the left and they catch a glimpse of his scratched up back in the full-body mirror behind him.ย
their gasps fill the room, and yelena, at least, tries to cover it with a hand over her mouth.ย
โgo on, bob!โ ava nods approvingly, breaking into a cackle as yelena nods her agreement, speechless.ย
it makes bob cringe, mind darting through all the ideas of how to squirm out of this situation, because theyโre all probably picturing him in their minds right now and it makes him want to curl up in a hall.ย
โoh my god, who do you think it is?โ ava gasps, slapping excitedly at john. he swats her hands away, but heโs wearing a shit-eating grin when he says your name, drawling, โobviously.โ
avaโs jaw drops just as yelena elbows him hard enough to make walker wince.ย
bob swallows back the protest in his throat, because he doesnโt trust his ability to lie right now. decides it might be easier to just let them think what they want.ย
โwhoever it is-โ yelena cuts off ava and johnโs gabbing, โ-is a very lucky person. clearly!โ
they leave bob to change in peace, snickering the whole way to the elevator. when the bathroom door opens, you find his face in his hands, sighing in resignation.ย
when his hands fall, there you are, trying to muffle a laugh, half-guilty but very amused.ย
โiโm sorry, baby,โ you coo, running your hands up his arms to his shoulders, โshouldโa told you to put on a shirt first.โ
you enjoy yourself plenty, watching him stammer through the groupโs interrogation by the pool while you act none-the-wiser. even sprinkling in a question or two.ย
itโs not as funny later that night, when the ac is fixed and bob has you on your back before it can even kick in properly.ย
itโs decidedly unfunny when you have to watch tutorials the next morning on how to cover up the purple-red splotches mapped down your throat, save for the one at your collarโbob asks you to leave that one bare.ย
in the middle of it (autumn)
the team is onto you.ย
itโs hard to miss the pointed looks exchanged over dinner when you and bob chat intently, in your own world, totally unbothered by their squabbling.ย
or when the two of you coincidentally walk into the kitchen for breakfast together. sure, you bumped into him on your way down.ย
itโs been almost a year with bob, and youโre still buried under the weight of pure love when he comes to you first about whatโs bothering him, or when he wants you to cut his hair, or when he doesnโt even have to ask for your order when he gets takeout for just the two of you.ย
sneaking around was fun at first, a harmless secret that protected the peace that only existed when you were together. every stolen kiss and lingering brush under the table sent shocks through your system.ย
the longer it goes, the harder it is to leave him in the morning, slipping into your own room quietly on the off chance that someone might catch you tiptoeing out of his.ย
when bob shuffles into the kitchen, eyes bleary and hair mussed from sleep, and you have to hold yourself back from peppering kisses all over his sleepy faceโit makes you wonder why exactly youโre keeping it a secret. itโs not like the team would really give a shit, hell, they probably know.ย
so you stop being careful. the mask starts to slip, and bob finds that he quite likes getting to hold your hand outside the confines of your rooms.ย
the day it finally happens is one of those days, where you wake up in his arms, clutched to his chest like his personal teddy bear. his lips part on a soft snore, face smushed into the pillow.
youโre a little sweaty, trapped under the covers with the heat radiating off of your dead-asleep boyfriend, but you canโt bring yourself to peel away from him.ย
itโs still early. the tower is silentโon the cusp of consciousness.ย
as you try to recall what exactly woke you up, bob shifts behind you andโoh. bob moves again, still asleep, and this time thereโs no mistaking what nudges at the back of your thigh.ย
a hitch of a breath. you wait a beat, in time with your pulse, until you decide to push back experimentally. heโs still asleep, and youโre debating whether itโs worth waking him early.ย
heโs thick in his pyjamas, insistent as he grinds into you again, notching between your ass cheeks. this time he lets out a low moan, the arm banded around your middle clamping down.
youโre entirely locked against him now, unable to move as bobโs hips continue their lazy rocking. you want so bad to let him sleep, but itโs getting uncomfortably hot and sticky between your legs.ย
you think you could slip a hand down and take care of yourself quietly, but then your entire body jolts up the bed on one hard thrust. the mewl youโve been biting back finally slips out.ย
thatโs what wakes him, in the end. when your hand flies to his forearm against your stomach, baby blue eyes flutter open and blink slowly in confusion.ย
it hits him all at onceโcock throbbing in his pants and your overheating body squirming in front of him and the little sounds escaping your mouth. his name.ย
bob makes a puzzled sound, halfway to a moan when the fog clears. his arms loosen enough for you to turn around, facing him as his cock now pokes at your belly.ย
โiโm sorry i woke youโ you whisper through the clench in your core. bob shakes his head, still sleepy, dragging you into a slow kiss, the first of the day.ย
โare you-โ his hand slips between your bodies, resting at your navel until you nod. โfuck, youโre so wet already.โ
he runs his long fingers through your folds, spreading the arousal he finds waiting for him there. brushes against your clit, and then youโre whining, tugging at his shoulders.ย
โbob bob bob, please, i need you inside,โ is all it takes for him to nod against your lips, wriggling out of his pants and lifting your thigh over his.ย
he guides himself to your entrance, sliding in slow, like always. lets you adjust as he groans low at the feeling of your walls fluttering around him.ย
when you tell him to move, he wastes no time in drawing his hips back, pushing in steadily. each time he does, a breathless moan is punched out of you, gripping him like a vice and sucking him back in.ย
โs- shit, honey, youโre squeezing me so tight,โ he stutters, a soft laugh turning breathless when you seem to clench down on purpose. โsโthat feel good, honey? t- talk to me.โ
he needs it. with this angle, he reaches so much deeper, his coarse hairs rubbing at your clit with each push forwards. it sets your insides alight, but thereโs nowhere to run in this position. his fingers clamp down on your hip, dragging you along his cock.ย
โf- fuck, you feel so good,โ you cry, burying your face in his firm chest, โso- so deep like this. can feel all of you.โ
your praise goes straight to his cock, twitching inside you on a whimper. he moves with purpose, aims for that spot he knows is thereโthe one that makes you cry his name.ย
he knows when heโs found it, because youโre keening, high and sharp into the room. the stillness of the morning is shattered, taken over by the steady slapping of skin on skin, the squelching where bob pushes his thick cock into your leaking hole.ย
โyouโre so- so fucking wet, sweetheart. โs all for me?โ he pants, voice raspy and thick with sleep. it scratches at your brain just right, makes you arch into his touch.ย
his tip batters at that spongey spot just right, and he thinks he might need to cover your mouth or something. while heโs sure the team wouldnโt be opposed to your relationship, heโs not too sure about how theyโd feel waking up to your repeated chants of his name.ย ย
he shushes you with this mouth on yours, swallowing down all your wanton moans. โyouโre gonna wake everyone,โ he says against your lips, a little teasing. just this side of cocky, now that he has you falling apart on his dick first thing in the morning.ย
your head shakes vehemently as you cling to him. โdonโt care,โ you say, breath catching when he rolls your clit in slow circles. โwant โem to know-โ your hips buck with a yelp when his touch grows firm, โ-want them to hear how good you fuck me.โย
bobโs eyes roll back into his head, a shiver running down his spine. โcum for me then, baby, cโmon.โ
his thrusts grow harsh, and you know heโs almost there when he bites down on your shoulder to stop the pathetic moan at how your wet walls choke him.ย
he keeps working at your clit, pumping in and out of you in a way thatโs fucking devastating. the heat simmering in your belly bubbles over, and youโre creaming all over his cock with a wrecked whine, bucking your hips to meet his.ย
โloveyouloveyouloveyou,โ he hears you mumble as you wade through your high, and it does him in to hear that word. itโs not the first time, but it always feels like it.ย
his fingers squeeze your hips so hard theyโll bruise for sure, marring your skin shades of blue and purple that heโll kiss better later.
when he cums, itโs with a drawn out moan, barely muffled by your skin as he presses his face to your neck. you can feel him pulsing as he paints your insides, squeezing just to draw out his pleasure. you donโt want the feeling of him filling you up to stop.ย
โi love you, oh, god- love you, baby.โ
too bad the moment is fucking stomped on all over, becoming bobโs most ruined orgasm when his bedroom door flies open, revealing a blond super soldier, suited up at 7 in the morning.ย
โhey, have you seen-โย
it takes a second to register but when it does, bob is tugging the covers up and shielding your body with his.ย
โholy shit.โ john freezes in his tracks like heโs been slapped, piecing together the flash of your mortified face and the curve of bobโs bare ass.ย
โget the fuck out!โ you shout from under bob, whose mind has gone completely blank. not only because heโs been walked in on, butt naked by the most annoying of all super soldiers, but also because he can feel where his cum is leaking out of you onto the sheets. he pulls the covers tighter around your bodies, blushing bright red.ย
โi knew it. i fucking knew it!โย
โgold star to you, walker! now can you leave, please? the briefing doesnโt start for another hour, you psycho.โ
โgod forbid we get breakfast before a day-long mission! itโs only the most important meal of the day!โ
your eyes roll hard, staring up at bob, both of you doused in annoyance at how john is still in the room when bob is still in you.ย
โbob, iโd offer you to join but i assume youโve already eaten-โ heโs cut off by your indignant yell, easily dodging the metal water bottle hurled at him.ย
โalright, alright,โ john huffs, turning heel with a shudder.ย
when the door slides shut, bob meets your eyes with a sigh. you look up at him, helpless to stop the unhinged giggle when you process what just happened.ย
โcatโs out of the bag?โ you offer, whimpering a little when bob pulls out slowly. he shakes his head, huffing a laugh with his head in the crook of your neck.ย
bob cleans you up diligently, and so, so softly. within the hour, heโs zipping up your tactical suit and waiting at the door so he can walk you out to the elevator.ย
โare you gonna be okay fending for yourself while iโm gone? theyโre going to have questions,โ you tease, raising on your tiptoes loop your arms around bobโs neck.ย
he smile is small but itโs real and stays even after you kiss him goodbye.ย
โiโll manage. as long as you promise to push walker into the line of fire a little.โ
pairing: jake โhangmanโ seresin x fem!reader
summary: your enemies-with-benefits deal with jake is simple: fight, fuck, pretend it never happened. until one bad day in the air makes you call it quits, and hangman starts acting different. now youโre stuck figuring out who he actually is, and realising you never hated hangman at all. you just didnโt know him yet.
tags: enemies to lovers, enemies with benefits (?) to lovers
warning(s): reader drinks alcohol, reader only hooks up with hangman while tipsy, swearing
word count: 10.1k
note: i feel like this was inevitable ever since i posted my rooster fic in october. this wip has been bothering me for a month and i finally locked in after finally watching glen powellโs snl episode. i hope you enjoy!! ๐ฏ๐
masterlist
You woke up perfectly warm.
That was the first sign that something was wrong. For a few long seconds, you stayed still, eyes closed, brain suspiciously quiet.
Comfort wasnโt part of your morning routine. This was different; no jet engines, no early calls, just the steady rhythm of someone breathing behind you.
You turned your head a fraction, glancing over your shoulder.
Jake Seresinโs arm was slung over your waist, heavy and warm. His chest rose and fell against your back, legs tangled with yours.ย
Fuck. You really needed to stop drinking tequila.
Your mind caught up in stages. Last night at the Hard Deck, you had told Phoenix you were definitely not going home with anyone. Then, you had told yourself you were definitely not doing this again. And lastly, you had told Hangman, well, whatever it was that led him between your sheets.ย
Again.
He never stayed the night. That was one of the two rules you had, the other being that you never ever acknowledged what you were doing. It kept your confusing cycle of getting drunk, fighting, and hate-fucking private from the inevitable judgment of your squadron.ย
Yet here he was, evidently not gone.ย
You lay there, very still, while irritation travelled up your spine. Of course, Hangman had to stay the one morning you needed him gone. His breathing was obnoxiously relaxed.
You shifted, and his grip tightened around you.
โMorning, honey,โ Hangman mumbled against your shoulder, voice rough with sleep. His Texan accent was thicker in the morning, heavy like molasses.
Your eyes shut on instinct. Hangmanโs morning voice was unfairly sexy, even as he used the condescending nickname heโd given you when you met.ย
โGet out,โ you snapped, no patience for civility. โWe donโt do sleepovers. You were supposed to be gone by now.โ
โFunny,โ he hummed, kissing the bare skin of your shoulder far too casually. โYou didnโt sound this mad when you were begging for me last night.โ
Classic Hangman. You should have known heโd be petty first thing in the morning.
You pushed his arm off and sat up, ignoring the warmth creeping up your neck. โYou need to go. Phoenix will be here any minute.โ
โPhoenix already knows I sleep naked,โ he said easily. โSheโll survive.โ
โHangman,โ you warned. โIโm serious.โ
โSo am I.โ He said it with that lazy drawl that meant he wasnโt taking you seriously at all.
You climbed out of bed, grabbed the clothes on the floor, and tossed his service khakis at his chest. โUp! Clothes, now.โ
Hangman caught them one-handed without sitting up. โSweetheart, if you didnโt want me here, you wouldnโt have picked a fight with me last night.โ
โYouโre easy,โ you scoffed. โThatโs not my problem. And I was drunk.โ
โYou werenโt that drunk. You knew exactly who you were dragging home.โ
โI made a bad decision after three drinks. You were sober. You knew not to overstay your welcome.โ
Hangman laughed under his breath. โDonโt act like Iโve lost my mind. You canโt keep your hands off me.โ
You bristled. โDonโt worry, this is the last time you need to worry about my hands being on you.โ
โIโm not worried,โ he murmured, eyes dragging down your body leisurely. โI know I wonโt have to wait much longer.โ
โI mean it, Hangman.โ
He looked at you like youโd just said you were moving to Mars. โSure you do. Youโll mean it next time, too.โ
Annoyance flickered hot under your ribs. The worst part was that Hangman wasnโt entirely wrong, and that always made him intolerable. You werenโt going to give him the satisfaction of giving in.
โScrew you,โ you shot back. โItโs never happening again.โ
Hangman pushed up on his elbows, watching you with sharp, alert eyes. The shift of muscle in his biceps hit your stomach before you could ignore it.ย
โCourse it is,โ Hangman said. โYou always say the same thing. Itโs cute; you pretending you donโt give me fuck-me eyes as soon as everyoneโs gone.โ
He moved slowly, like he was humouring you, and stepped out of the sheets. He was, regrettably, a glorious sight: all lean planes and long lines, muscles pulling tight under golden skin as he stretched. Every flex was a reminder of exactly how heโd used that strength to his advantage last night.
His mouth curved, his grin dangerous and knowing. โYou always get real serious when youโre lyinโ to yourself,โ Hangman added, smug as all hell.ย
โOh, please,โ you snapped. โIf Iโm lying, youโre delusional. You strut around base like youโre Godโs gift to naval aviation when most of the time you run on sheer dumb luck.โ
Hangmanโs jaw tightened. โRight. And youโre, what? The poster girl for righteous indignation? You start a fight with me every time you see me.โ
โYou think everythingโs about you,โ you said. โTypical.โ
He closed the space between you in three steps, one hand cupping the back of your head.
โYou really think this is the last time, honey?โ Hangman murmured.
You shouldโve pushed him away. You meant to push him away. Instead, you pulled him closer the second he pressed his lips to yours.
Hangman kissed you as if he were making a counterargument.
It was deliciously familiar: his lips expertly weakening your knees, his thumb sliding over your jaw. You hated the way your body answered before your mind did. Your hands were already on his shoulders, your mouth already opening against his.
He angled his head, chased your mouth, swallowed the tiny sound you made.
You broke away, breath unsteady. โYou need to go,โ you said, glancing at your alarm clock. โPhoenix is almost here.โ
That earned you a slow, smug curl of his mouth. โSure, Bee,โ Hangman drawled. It was almost impressive how he made every nickname of yours sound patronisingโeven your callsign. โWhatever you say.โ
He started dressing piece by piece, pulling on a tank top and then his trousers. He wasnโt touching you, but your body reacted like he was kissing his way down your neck.ย
It didnโt matter how good the sex was. Or how Hangman looked right now. He was a bad habit, and you sure as hell werenโt going to let this happen again. Eventually, one of you was going to crash and burn, and it wouldnโt be you.
โSee you at briefing,โ you managed once he was dressed.
Hangman smirked, taking one last chance to sweep his gaze across your kiss-bitten lips. โWouldnโt miss it.โ
When he was gone, you exhaled hard.
New rules: no more tequila, no more Hangman, no more mistakes.
You walked into morning briefing with Phoenix thirty minutes later, pretending you hadnโt just made out with your sworn rival.
Hangman was already in his seat, leaning back like he owned the place. He caught your eye and smirked knowingly. You rolled your eyes and sat beside Rooster, because getting caught punching Hangman by your superior officer was frowned upon.
โAlright, today weโre running three-versus-one drills,โ Maverick declared once everyone arrived. โLetโs see how many of you can work together to take me down.โ
Cue the disgruntled groans. Fanboy mimed slamming his head against the table.
โYouโll be running mixed teams,โ Maverick continued, ignoring your dramatics. โTeam leaders have been selected for the day. First up,โ he checked the clipboard, โIs Bee.โ
The room looked at you in unison, nodding in collective respect. You were the only person in the room who could cut through everyoneโs nonsense and get them pointed in the same direction without sounding like a drill sergeant or a babysitter.ย
With you in charge, they flew cleaner, faster, and better.
That moment of silent affirmation was immediately shattered by a much louder complaint from Hangman.
โYouโve gotta be kidding me,โ he said, chortling. โHoney Bee?โ
You rolled your eyes. โYou should really work on your jealousy. Itโs not very professional.โ
โIโm not jealous,โ Hangman fired back immediately. โI just think the team leaders shouldnโt be slow, overcautious, and afraid of a little risk.โ
Phoenix kicked the back of his chair without glancing up from her pre-flight notes. โThen itโs a good thing youโre not in charge, Bagman.โ
Maverick ignored all of you. โBee, your team is Hangman, Phoenix, and Bob.โ
The groans that rose from your side of the room were perfectly synchronised.
You slumped a fraction in your seat. Across from you, the light visibly faded from Bobโs eyes. Phoenix didnโt bother masking her irritation; she just kicked Hangmanโs chair again, harder this time.
Beside you, Rooster whispered, โIโll pray for you.โ
โPrayers arenโt enough,โ Bob said, shaking his head in resignation.ย
Hangman smirked and tapped his pen on his desk. โCanโt wait.โ
You resisted the urge to throw your binder at his head.
In the air, Phoenix tightened the formation around you without question, sliding neatly into place. Her and Bobโs trust in you was bone-deep.ย
Hangman, on the other hand, never enjoyed taking orders from you.
โTeam Leader, requesting permission to actually use my aircraft instead of admiring the scenery,โ he drawled.
You smiled. โPermission denied. Stay on my wing.โ
โYou really get off on saying that, donโt you?โ
โOnly because it annoys you.โ
Hangman huffed. โOne day youโre gonna admit you like flying with me.โ
โOne day youโll stop talking,โ you replied sweetly. โAnd then I will actually like flying with you.โ
Maverickโs voice sounded through the comms. โTeam One, I hope youโre paying attention,โ he said.ย
Your breath sank low in your chest. It was easy to slide into the clean, dependable part of your brain that always focused when you were in the air.
โAll right,โ you said calmly. โPhoenix, left side containment. Bob, keep your eyes on the radar. Tell me the second you see Maverick. Hangmanโโ
โLet me guess,โ he interrupted. โIโm the watchdog?โ
You scoffed. โIf I wanted a watchdog, Iโd get one that barked on command, not whenever he feels like it. Youโre right-flank aggression. Donโt you dare take that as permission toโโ
Hangman launched himself forward like a missile. โRight flank engaged,โ he announced.
โHangman!โ Phoenix barked. โYou asshole!โ
You gritted your teeth so hard your jaw clicked. โHangman, return to formation. Now.โ
He made a low, playful hum. โOh, Honey Bee. Your whole thing is patience. Let me be the excitement.โ
โYour thing is getting everyone else killed,โ you shot back. โReturn to formation. Thatโs an order, Hangman.โ
Maverick dove at you out of the sun. You rolled left, Phoenix sliding under you, the two of you syncing with the kind of ease that only months of practice could build.
โSloppy,โ Maverick observed. โBee, youโve got Phoenix covered, but youโre flying without a wingman.โ
โOnly because someoneโs allergic to teamwork,โ Phoenix quipped.
You steadied your breathing. โHangman, tighten up. Youโre leaving too big of a gap.โ
Bob chimed in, gentle as always, โHeโs coming around againโtwo oโclock, descending.โ
You saw it cleanly: Maverickโs angle, his speed, that little off-kilter move he did to tempt you into lunging. But youโd practised this scenario before, and you were ready to face him.
โPhoenix, pinch him left,โ you ordered.
โOn it.โ
โBob, letโs get a lock on him.โ
โCopy.โ
You dipped lowโjust enough to look exposed and make Maverick think youโd gotten overeager. It worked. You tracked the tiny twitch in his angle, the micro-shift he always made when he thought he saw an opening.
Hangman chimed, โCareful, Bee. Youโre pushing too close.โ
Of course, heโd say that. King Reckless himself warning you about boundaries? You didnโt dignify it with a reply.
You just pressed the advantage, rolling smoothly back toward Maverickโs tail.ย
โCome on, Bob,โ you said, eyes locked on Maverickโs plane. โGive me tone.โ
Phoenix shifted into position, and you knew Bob would be able to get you a tone with that clear line to Maverick. You nudged the nose of your jet another degree. Almost there. Almostโ
You exhaled, ready for that sweet hit, when everything went to hell.
Hangman shot through Bobโs line without any consideration for all the work youโd put in, engines screaming loud enough to rattle your teeth.
โI got him!โ he shouted.
You watched in a moment of awful, slow-motion clarity as Hangman blocked Bobโs perfect shot. Without a wingman to help you and without Bob getting a lock on Maverick, you were doomed.
โHangman, donโtโโ
The high-pitched squeal of Maverick getting a lock on you rang throughout your planeโa final, devastating blow. Maverick had slipped beneath Hangman with a single elegant roll, like heโd been waiting for this exact moment of idiocy.ย
You were a sitting duck after playing bait.
โThatโs a fail,โ Maverick said happily, like he hadnโt crushed your soul. โTeam One, youโre dead. Sorry, Bee. It wouldโve worked if your entire team had followed your lead. Team Two, suit up.โ
You sat in stunned silence for a beat, breathing hard as fury made your pulse spike.ย
You had him. You had sacrificed yourself to give Phoenix and Bob the perfect shot, and you lost just because of Hangmanโs typical self-interest.
This was why you couldnโt stand Hangman.
The flight back to the hangar was suffocating in its silence. Your jaw locked so tightly your molars ached. You werenโt sure which made you angrier: what Hangman just did in the air, or the knowledge that youโd let him put his mouth on yours that morning.
By the time you landed, your heart was pounding, your breath clipped and shallow. You tore your helmet off so fast that the chin strap scraped your jaw. You didnโt even wait for the ladder to settle before swinging a leg out, boots hitting the metal rungs with sharp, angry clanks.
You saw Hangman descending his own ladder with that maddeningly casual confidence. He didnโt seem to think heโd just blown your chance to finally best Maverick, but that wasnโt anything new.
Bob offered you a sympathetic wince before putting distance between himself and whatever volcanic event you were about to become. You just moved, boots hitting the ground with determined strides as you marched toward Hangman.
The second he spotted you, that infuriating smirk began to form. You didnโt give him the chance to finish it.
โYou assholeโโ you screeched, shoving Hangman so hard he toppled backwards.
โWoah, woah, woah!โ
โBee, chill!โ
Rooster and Payback each caught an arm as they passed, steering you away. They were already headed out for their turn in the exercise, and the last thing they wanted was you getting written upโeven if Hangman had it coming.
Bob reluctantly helped Hangman up.
โI canโt believe youโโ you began, chest still heaving from anger.
โI almost had him,โ Hangman interrupted, maddeningly calm.
โYou sabotaged us! You flew directly into Bobโs shot!โ You jabbed a finger at him, heat prickling across your face. โYou just had to make it about you.โ
He smirked. โItโs always about me.โ
โNot when Iโm in charge,โ you corrected. โAnd not during a team exercise.โ
โI was helping.โ
โYeah, helping Maverick kill me!โ you snapped, your voice cracking upward into a pitch that made Rooster flinch beside you. โYou undermined the chain of command,โ you said. โYou ignored formation. You showboated. You risked everythingโโ
โLook, you had a nice little plan going,โ Hangman allowed. His gaze flicked to Roosterโs hand still around your arm before he dragged his attention back to you. โBut if you hadnโt been crawling like you were driving your grandma to Sunday brunch earlierโโ
โDo you seriously think you can blame me for this?โ You stepped forward, and Roosterโs fingers tightened instinctively to keep you from closing the distance. โI played the bait, I had Maverick hooked!โ
โAnd I had a better shot.โ
You barked out a laugh so sharp it made Hangmanโs shoulders tense. โApparently, youโre delusional as well as a selfish bastard.โ
โYouโre welcome for trying to get us a win.โ
โUs? Us?!โ You yanked your arm free from Rooster, giving Hangmanโs shoulders another shove.ย
It made your skin crawl that youโd had him this close only hours ago.ย
You laughed incredulously. โYou threw the entire drill because you canโt stand someone else getting a hit first! It doesnโt matter who gets a lock on Maverick, but it does matter that you fucked it up for everyone else!โ
Phoenix saved you. โOkay, letโs go hit the showers,โ she said, ushering you off the tarmac.ย
You let her guide you a few steps, your pulse still hammering in your throat. You turned to see Hangman raise his chin, already bracing for another round.
โYou know what your problem is?โ you said. โYouโre terrified that if youโre not the one who gets the win, no one will bother noticing you at all. All that bravado,โ you flicked a hand dismissively at Hangman, โis just you trying to outrun the idea that youโre only as good as your last solo victory. And God forbid anyone else shine for half a second.โ
Hangmanโs posture twitched just enough for you to notice.
โSo do us all a favour,โ you finished. โIf you donโt want to be part of this team, put in for a transfer. At least then we wonโt have to worry about you getting us killed on a real mission.โ
Phoenixโs hand landed between your shoulder blades. โBee,โ she warned quietly.
Hangman exhaled something that mightโve been a laugh if it werenโt so sharp. โFunny,โ he said, his voice matching your cutting tone. โFor someone whoโs so damn sure she knows how to lead, you crumble the second anyone challenges you. Thatโs the real reason youโll never be team leader outside of a simulation.โ
His words punched harder than you expected. Not because they were true, but because heโd designed them to hurt you.
Phoenix tugged you away firmly this time, steering you off the tarmac before you could keep the argument going.
โYouโre a saint for not killing him,โ she muttered under her breath.
You hummed noncommittally, trying to ignore the sick twist in your stomach.ย
Last night youโd had your hands in his hair, tugging him closer. Today, youโd used them to push him hard enough to lose balance. You hated being stuck in this cycle.
By the time the squad hit the Hard Deck that night, the teasing had already started.
โHere we go,โ Harvard said, elbowing Yale. โBee and Hangman. Roundโฆ whatever this is. Are we counting by years or fights?โ
Coyote grinned. โIโm losing track. We should make it a drinking game. Every time they say something hurtful, take a shot. No, waitโevery time thereโs a physical altercation, take two shots.โ
You exhaled and leaned against the rail. Everyone assumed you and Hangman would fall into the usual routine: fight, make some sarcastic quip, get aggressive, and argue until everyone went home.ย
Little did they know what you used to do after all that noise.
The squadron kept teasing you, even though youโd already decided you were done with anything that involved Jake Seresin.
โSober Bee,โ Bob said, passing you the Coke youโd ordered. โI approve.โ
โThanks,โ you said, accepting the glass. โIโm done getting tipsy and letting Hangman bait me into an argument.โ
Bob grinned and raised his own Coke. โI admire your commitment.โ
Fanboy overheard and groaned loud enough for half the bar to look over. โSober Bee? Guess weโre starved for entertainment tonight.โ
โTruly the end times,โ Fritz said dramatically.ย
Phoenix didnโt look up as she lined up a shot on the pool table. โCalm down, boys. Itโs not like she gets drunk every week,โ she defended you.ย
Rooster smirked. โSheโs only sober because she almost bagged Maverick today and wants to remember the glory in crystal clarity,โ he said, pulling you into a side-hug so tight you almost spilt your drink.
โYour team almost had a kill shot,โ Halo said, pointing at you like you were a celebrity. โIf Maverick had been one second slowerโโ
You held up a hand. โAlright, children, letโs not rewrite the story. We didnโt bag Maverick. He Houdiniโd out of our trap like he always does.โ
โYeah, but you rattled him,โ Payback said, grinning proudly. โHe seemed proud.โ
The table erupted in agreement.
Halo gave you a look. โFace it, Bee. Youโve been flying better than all of us ever since the squadron became permanent. Youโre the only one who can stay calm up against Maverick.โ
โUnsettlingly calm,โ Bob confirmed, nodding sagely.ย
You chuckled. โCalm is good, Bob. Calm means no one ends the night with a black eye.โ
โHangman ends every night with a black eye,โ Phoenix said. โEmotionally speaking.โ
That earned her a round of delighted laughter.
Rooster tilted his head, conspiratorial. โSpeaking of Hangman, heโs watching you.โ
Coyote grinned. โHeโs malfunctioning. Doesnโt know what to do when Bee isnโt screaming at him.โ
You rolled your eyes at their dramatics. โIโm choosing peace from now on,โ you declared. โIf that means I donโt have to talk to his arrogant ass tonight, then I call that a win.โ
Your squadronโs laughter, their drunken banter, and Hangmanโs sidelong glances were background noise for the rest of the night.ย
That is, until Bob ducked away toward the bathroom. Because who else would slide into the vacant space but the devil himself?
Hangman leaned one elbow on the rail, posture loose in that unbothered manner heโd perfected.ย
โYouโre behaving tonight,โ he said, voice low and amused. โShould I be worried? Itโs getting late. If youโre planning to start something, nowโs your window.โ
You held up your glass. โSorry to disappoint. No hostile takeover scheduled.โ
Hangman blinked at your Coke. โYouโre sober?โ
โTragically.โ
โReally?โ He looked you over, slow and assessing. It infuriated you that it still made your spine tingle. โI mean, itโs not like youโre drunk all the time. But I thought after todayโฆโ You raised an eyebrow. โI just mean you arenโt usually glued to Bob all night long.โ
โItโs called having a conversation,โ you said. โYou should try it sometime.โ
His mouth curved. โI donโt do โconversation.โ Iโm more of a hands-on communicator.โ
And there it wasโsubtext thick enough to choke on. Heat shot low in your abdomen, annoying and immediate. You straightened your spine like that would shove the feeling back down where it belonged.ย
You were frustrated at the effect Hangmanโs words had on your body, and infuriated that he had noticed it.ย
โWell,โ you said sharply, โgood thing Iโm off duty. No โhands-onโ anything. No moreโฆ whatever this was.โ
Hangmanโs brows lifted in amusement. โSure,โ he said lightly. โWeโre doing the whole โpretend to fight because people are aroundโ routine.โ
โHangman, Iโm not pretending.โ You heard the sharpness in your own voice. โWe argue because we never agree on how to do our jobs. Not because other people are around.โ
Hangmanโs smirk faltered. โCome on, honey,โ he murmured. โYouโre still mad about this morning? You wanted to win your way, and I wanted to win the right way.โ
โโThe right wayโ?โ You gave a short, bitter laugh. โYou tanked a team drill because you needed to be the hero.โย
โThatโs not what happened.โ
โThatโs exactly what happened.โ
Hangman leaned in, just enough for his breath to ghost your cheek. โYou think youโre the only tactician in that cockpit?โ
โNo,โ you said, โbut I was the team leader, and ignoring me made you a liability. When youโre a bad teammate, youโre a bad pilot.โ
You knew that would hit its mark.ย
Hangmanโs shoulders tensed; his jaw flexed hard. His eyes darted to your Coke again, like he wished you were tipsy so he could recognise this behaviour as foreplay. But you werenโt drinking, and you werenโt starting a fight just to tear his clothes off later.
โSo thatโs it?โ he asked, brows pulled together in mild confusion. โYouโre done?โ
โI told you this morning it was the last time,โ you reminded him. โI meant it.โ
โThought it was just post-sleepover dramatics,โ Hangman admitted.
Something flickered behind his green eyes; the memory of your warm hands on his shoulders and in his hair last night. You refused to acknowledge any of it.
He huffed out a laugh, but it came out thin. โSo this is it?โ
โYes.โ
โAnd this isnโt a cooling-off period?โ
โNope.โ
Hangman stood there, letting the silence stretch. His eyes kept drifting to your mouth in quick, guilty flicks he clearly didnโt mean to give away. You accidentally mirrored the movement before catching yourself.ย
Nope. Not happening.
Hangmanโs voice dropped low enough that you felt it in your ribs. โSo we burn the whole thing down and walk away?โ
โWhatโs there to burn?โ you asked. โWe donโt even like each other.โ
His laugh was sharp and humourless. โNever said we did.โ
โExactly. Iโm tired of waking up feeling like an idiot.โ
Hangman nodded once, too sharply. โRight.โ
Then he pivoted on his heel, swagger switched back on, and headed toward the bar to flirt with the nearest warm body.ย
Bob returned a moment later, cheerful and oblivious. โHey, I think Iโm done for the night. Did you want a ride home?โ
You nodded, chugging the rest of your Coke. โYeah, Iโm definitely done.โ
The change didnโt happen overnight. It was more of a slow radio static you kept trying to tune out until it got too loud to ignore.
A couple of days later, during morning drills, Hangman missed an opening so obvious it was practically outlined in neon.ย
He was flying at Roosterโs five, perfectly positioned to take the clean shot Maverick had left open as bait, but he surprised everyone. Instead of swan-diving into the shot with that infuriating confidence, Hangman waited.
He just stayed there, keeping an eye on Maverick long enough for Payback to slip in and tag the target.
โUhโthanks?โ Payback said, confused.
Hangman just nodded. No bragging, no gloating, not even a sarcastic salute in your direction acknowledging his teamwork. Nothing.ย
You felt a prickle on the back of your neck, but it was too early to understand what was wrong.
It wasnโt just the lack of gloating. Hangman was almost silent over the comms. And, fine, maybe you looked at him a half-second longer than necessary, purely because you were waiting for the punchline. He didnโt deliver one, and that alone was unsettling.
By the time you landed, you thought youโd imagined it.
But the next few days didnโt snap him back to normal. If anything, the errors got stranger. Hangman was a beat too slow here, hesitated awkwardly there. Twice, he overshot an angle he couldโve flown in his sleep. Another time, he clipped a pass so wide that Phoenix muttered about checking him for head injuries.
You noticed the other things no one else wouldโve clocked, like the way his fidgeting changed. Most of the time, Hangman was all effortless swagger, fingers tapping on the table. Now his tells were silent: tight little flexes of his gloved hand, averted eyes.
Day five made it impossible to brush off.
You were halfway through a dogfighting sequence when Hangman chose the defensive angle over a ballsy opportunity heโd never ignore. His flying style was starting to resemble yours, one he often made fun of you for adopting.
You felt the disruption before you really understood it. Your instincts were reacting as they always did when Hangman was about to barrel through a gap, and youโd already adjusted your angle to make room for him.ย
But Hangman didnโt take the risk, so you lost the positional advantage youโd built. Maverick slipped out of your trap and tagged Phoenix before she could blink.
On the tarmac, Phoenix stared at the sky in shock. โWhat the hell was that?โ
Hangman pulled off his own helmet. โDidnโt want to compromise the teamโs spacing.โ
You and Phoenix exchanged a look that said Who is this man, and what has he done with Hangman?
But Hangman wasnโt being entirely unlike himself. He still muttered at Phoenix under his breath. He still rolled his eyes when Rooster was being overdramatic. He even smirked at you once, but it came out wrong, like his mouth had forgotten the shape of it.
You knew what Hangmanโs real smirk looked like. Youโd seen it on nights you pushed him far enough to end up in your bed, and youโd felt the shape of it against your neck.ย
This one wasnโt it.
The next time the squadron hit the Hard Deck, you didnโt talk to him. You hadnโt interacted much since you decided to stop hooking up. There wasnโt a need for it; you werenโt friends, and youโd never tried to get to know each other.
By week two, the whole squad was convinced he had a virus of some kind.
You were running a tight-knit combat simulation when Hangman raised his hand during planning. โMaybe we keep Rooster on high cover,โ he suggested. โSafer for the team that way.โ
The entire room turned to look at him.
Fanboy began muttering, โHeโs sick. He has to be.โ
Rooster just stared at Hangman like he was possessed.
You were waiting for Hangman to throw a jab at you, bait you into arguing, or make some snide crack about your flight speed. But he never looked at you long enough for you to register anything on his face, so you had no idea what he was thinking.
After the simulation, the team regrouped on the tarmac.ย
โDoes anyone else think Hangmanโs been replaced by an alien?โ Fritz asked quietly.
Harvard sighed. โI miss when he was insufferable.โ
You just sipped water and watched Hangman, who stood out of earshot, double-checking a checklist you know heโd memorised back in flight school.ย
The picture of responsibility; the antithesis of Hangman.
He wasnโt doing anything, but that was the problem. Hangmanโs worst qualities made him a pain in your ass, but his best qualities kept the team sharp. He was the idiot who risked someone else getting hit so he could make a clean shot.
Youโd never realised how much of your own flying relied on reacting to Hangmanโdodging his chaos, anticipating his arrogance.ย
Without Hangman flying the way he always did, the team was failing. The little mistakes and miscommunications were starting to add up.
In week three, after a messy practice that wouldโve gotten you all grounded if Cyclone had been watching, Rooster finally snapped.
โOkay,โ he exclaimed, sweeping an arm toward Hangman, โwhat is going on with you?โ
Hangman barely shrugged. โNothing.โ
โBullshit,โ Phoenix muttered.
Bob elbowed her, reminding her to keep things light. โWeโre just a little confused,โ he said. โYouโre not flying like yourself.โ
You stood there, helmet under your arm, watching Hangman stare at the ground. His shoulders were strong as ever, but the set of them was too careful.
Your chest tightened. It wasnโt your problem, and you didnโt owe Hangman anything, but it was throwing everyone off. Even as you tried to shut it out, you couldnโt avoid the fact that the once well-oiled machine of your squadron was misfiring.
When Hangman finally looked up, his eyes flicked to you once before skittering away.
Phoenix pulled you aside and said what everyone had been tiptoeing around. โYou need to talk to him.โ
You frowned. โWhy me?โ
โBecause youโre good at this,โ she insisted. โYouโre the one who fixes people when theyโre screwing up. You did it for me at Top Gun, and you did it for Rooster last year before the Uranium mission.โ
โHangman and I donโtโโ
โIt doesnโt matter if you two fight every time you breathe in the same direction,โ Phoenix cut in. โSomeone has to get him back on track, and youโre the only person on the team he actually respects as a pilot.โ
You knew she was right. Hangman was a crucial member of the team, and the team was falling apart. Unfortunately, you happened to be their glue.
Perfect. A heart-to-heart with the man youโd been avoiding for the last three weeks. What could go wrong?
You barely lasted ten minutes before approaching him. As you walked beside him after debrief, matching his pace, Hangman kept his eyes on the ground.ย
Every step toward him was a battle with your frustration. Despite everything, you couldnโt let Hangman spiral. You had to be the Bee the team relied on, not the one who remembered all your reckless spats.
โHangman,โ you finally said, because someone had to say something.
Nothing. Hangman just blinked and kept walking.
You knew that slow and deliberate expression, the one he used when he was thinking too fast and trying not to show it. Only you had the dictionary of Hangmanโs moves, the little provocations and glances nobody else ever endured.
Fine. You could be rude, too.
โYouโre flying weird,โ you declared bluntly.
Hangman exhaled. Not annoyed, more like heโd been waiting for you to bring it up so he didnโt have to. โIโm flying safe,โ he corrected you.
โThatโs the problem.โ
His mouth twitched, the ghost of a smirk that never fully formed. โThought youโd appreciate it.โ
โI donโt appreciate you switching up the entire rhythm of the team without warning,โ you said. โNobody knows how to fly around you right now. Do you think thatโs helping?โ
Hangman didnโt answer. He just kept walking, boots scuffing against concrete, hands tight at his sides instead of swinging with that usual swagger.ย
After ten paces of silence, Hangman spoke. โI donโt like the idea that my role on the team is to get people killed.โ
You stopped walking.ย
Hangman got a few steps ahead before he realised you werenโt beside him anymore. When he turned, his face was pinched.
You hated how much it mattered to you; how unwilling you were to let him falter, even if heโd never done the same for you.
โThatโs not your job,โ you said quietly.
Hangman tilted his head. โYouโd know, right? Since youโve always had such strong opinions about how I fly.โ
โYou make it very easy to have opinions,โ you snapped.
He stepped closer, a little too casually. โAre you watching me that closely?โ
โDonโt flatter yourself.โ
โDidnโt say you liked what you saw.โ
You glared. โFor once in your life, can you not make this about your ego?โ
โIs that what you think this is?โ Hangman asked. His voice was calm and practised.
Your chest tightened.
โTell me,โ you said carefully, โWhatโs going on?โ
He huffed a breath that wasnโt quite a laugh. โIโm the one who takes the shots no one else can; the one who pulls the moves thatโd get most people into trouble; the one whoโโ Hangman cut himself off, jaw clenching. โI donโt like that the only reason Iโm useful to the Navy is that Iโm willing to risk your lives.โ
Something twisted behind your ribs. Youโd said versions of that to Hangmanโs face several times since you first met. Youโd judged him for it, rolled your eyes at it, built half your rivalry on the assumption that he was a self-centred showboat with no concern for others.
It hadnโt occurred to you that heโd actually thought about the cost.
Suddenly, it felt like youโd been picking a fight with someone whoโd already been bleeding.
Hangman scrubbed a hand over his jaw. โSo Iโm trying something different.โ
โAnd itโs making the team fly worse,โ you added, softer than you intended.
โCanโt win, can I?โ
โThatโs not what I meant.โ
You closed the distance. Hangmanโs shoulders were tense, his posture tight.
โHangman,โ you said, and you hated the way your voice gentled automatically. โBeing reckless isnโt the same thing as being careless.โ
He blinked at you. It was the same look he used to give you at the Hard Deck, like he couldnโt decide if he wanted to argue with you or pin you against the wall.ย
โYou fly instinctively,โ you continued. โAggressively. Sharply. Sometimes stupidly, yes, but you take the crazy shot so the rest of us donโt have to. That doesnโt make you a liability. It makes you important.โ
His throat bobbed when he swallowed.
The air between you tightened in that annoying, hot way that made you acutely aware of the two weeks of silence and the history that came before it.
โLook,โ you said, shoving the feeling aside, โyou donโt have to calculate risks and think of whatโs best for the team. Thatโs my job.โ
Hangmanโs head tilted. โThen whatโs mine?โ
You hesitated. โYouโre the wildcard. You take the stupid shot, so the rest of us get the safer one. Youโre still a pain in my ass,โ you added, because you were well past lying to him. โNone of this should give you a big head.โ
Hangman chuckled. โToo late.โย
It tugged at something annoyingly low in your stomach, the same part that was overly aware that Hangman knew exactly how far he could push without hurting you.ย
You exhaled. โWhatever this is,โ you gestured vaguely at Hangman, โyou need to knock it off. The team needs you to be you. No matter how much that seems to clash with me being me.โ
Hangman didnโt answer at first. He just watched you, expression unreadable. But for the first time in weeks, he didnโt look away.
Finally, he nodded. โAlright,โ he said.
You turned before he could see the way your conversation had rearranged every label you had on him.
Great, now you respected Hangman. The thought made you shiver in discomfort.
You walked toward the locker rooms, muttering โIdiot,โ under your breath.
Behind you, you heard him reply, โControl freak.โ
At least some things never changed.
You were pleasantly surprised that your conversation with Hangman actually made a difference. A few days later, he was flying like himself again: sharp, ballsy, and irritatingly confidentโbut less prone to throwing others under the bus to get his perfect shot.ย
The teamโs rhythm snapped back into place with the same neat click as a helmet visor locking.
There was one difference, though: you and Hangman werenโt fighting.
Sure, you still made comments under your breath, berating and cursing him. He still smirked when you screwed up the simulation timing by half a second. You still gave each other looks that said I could push your buttons if I wanted to, and you know I could.
But you never did.
Every time one of those almost-fights hovered between you, there was a strange little beat you didnโt know how to fill. Usually, you wouldโve thrown a jab, or Hangman wouldโve rolled his eyes. Now you both just looked away.
You pretended you werenโt thinking about it.
Maverick wanted you early to help set up for a multi-ship coordination drill, which meant deciphering his handwriting and loading flight paths before the others arrived.
When you rounded the corner of the hangar, you paused. Hangman was in the hangar beside his jet, too busy working to even notice you.
The side panel of his jet was open, one of his hands braced against the metal frame as the other tightened something inside the wiring. His sleeves were pushed to his elbows, a smear of grease on his forearm, mouth set in concentration.ย
Watching him like that made you feel like youโd stumbled onto something private.ย
Hangman just glanced back, gave you an unimpressed once-over, and returned to the wiring. โMorning to you, too, Honey Bee.โย
You stepped closer before you realised it, drawn in by his quiet focus. โWhat are you doing?โย
He ignored your question, โHand me the wrench.โ
You blinked. โYouโre trusting me with tools?โ
โTrusting you to pass them to me,โ he corrected. โNot use them.โ
You found the wrench on the cart and gave it to him. Your fingers brushed, but neither of you acknowledged it. Hangman tightened something with clean, practised movements.
โJust some quick adjustments and tightening,โ he said. โSaves the mechanics a few minutes.โ
You stared. โDo you do this often?โ
โWhenever I can spare a minute.โ Hangman shrugged. โIf something feels off in the air, I want to know I didnโt ignore it on the ground.โ
You hadnโt expected that from him.
โThatโฆโ You hesitated. โโฆsounds like something Iโd say.โ
Hangman paused for half a second. Then he cleared his throat and kept tightening the bolt. You didnโt see the faint grin he tried to smother as he angled his face toward the jet.
He snapped the panel shut, wiped his hands on a rag, and turned to you. โYouโre here early. Maverick rope you into cone duty?โ
โHe needs someone who can read the runes he calls handwriting,โ you said. โApparently itโs me.โ
Hangman snorted. โGood luck with that.โ
You nodded, then added, โIโm convinced itโs going to get the Navy in legal trouble one day.โ
He cracked a genuine smile at that. You felt something in your chest unclench in relief. Hangman wasnโt quite back to normal with you, but at least he looked more like himself.
โSo, youโre an unofficial mechanic now?โ you asked.
โOnly for the boring stuff.โ He shook out his hand, though it looked suspiciously like he was shaking off nerves. โAnd before you say it, Iโm not doing it to impress anyone.โ
You raised an eyebrow. โI know. If you were trying to impress someone, youโd be doing it shirtless.โ
Hangman made a face. โItโs six in the morning.โ
โNever stopped you before.โ
You both chuckled. Yours fading a little quicker, Hangmanโs dragged half a beat longer. The lack of unity made that extra moment stretch awkwardly.
You were both acutely aware of how new laughing without menace was for you both. You couldnโt remember if youโd ever had a conversation with Hangman that didnโt end with someone storming off or tossing insults like grenades.ย
โSo,โ he said, tilting his head, studying you with that too-familiar focus. โWhyโd Maverick need you early?โ
โHe likes to make me suffer,โ you said. โItโs character building.โ
Hangman scoffed. โYou donโt need more character. Youโre already annoying enough.โ
His words didnโt land with their usual edge. Instead, he looked strangely friendly, like he wasnโt sure if he was allowed to tease you gently yet.
โSays the man who colour-codes his clothes,โ you shot back.
โI do notโโ
You raised one eyebrow.
โโฆfine,โ he muttered. โOnce.โ
โYou mean you only got caught once.โ
โBy you,โ he said.
You laughed, surprised because it wasnโt the youโre-an-idiot you usually aimed at him. You couldnโt remember the last time someone made you laugh like that, and you definitely hadnโt expected it to be Hangman.
He looked away, but not quickly enough to hide the fact that he was laughing too, like he couldnโt help himself.
You started heading towards Maverickโs office together.ย
โHonestly, Iโm happy to be early,โ you admitted. โGets me out of 5am pickleball practice.โ
Hangman groaned. โDonโt say pickleball to me. Coyoteโs trying to recruit me like itโs a cult.โ
โIt is a cult,โ you agreed vehemently. โIf one more person asks me to โjust try a game,โ Iโm joining the Air Force.โ
He smirked. โSo weโre hiding out in the hangar until the cult loses interest?โ
โThatโs the plan.โ
Hangman watched you with mild amusement, hands in his pockets like he wasnโt sure what else to do with them. โWeird,โ he said.
โWhat is?โ
โTalking to you without you threatening to throw me off the carrier.โ
You fought a smile. โI still might.โ
โGood,โ he said. โI was worried you mightโve gone soft.โ
โYou just admitted that you worry about me,โ you pointed out, smug. โAt this rate, I should be exhausted from how often Iโm running through your mind.โย
Hangman huffed a laugh at your comeback, shaking his head.ย
โSeriously, Hangman,โ you went on. โRent-free. Have some shame.โ
โThat sounds exactly like something my little sister wouldโve said to piss me off growing up.โ
You blinked. โWeird. Didnโt think Iโd have anything in common with anyone in the Seresin gene pool.โ
โYouโd be surprised,โ he said. โMy sisters donโt let me get away with anything, and they definitely donโt take my shit.โ
โYou have sisters?โ
โBoth younger and a lot smarter than me.โ
โThat tracks.โ
Hangman nudged your shoulder with his. โWhat about you?โ
You smiled faintly. โIโm close with my family. I just donโt see them much.โ
โMine complain about the beach constantly when they visit,โ he said. โGuess thatโs what happens when you grow up far from it.โ
โRight,โ you said, smirking. โTexas farm boy. I get it, though. I used to get seasick just looking at boatsโbeing on them was hell.โ
Hangman chuckled, agreeing. โFirst deployment, I used to skip meals so I wouldnโt throw up.โ
โSeriously?โ you asked, a laugh already bubbling.
โSeriously,โ he said. โI learned the hard way when my stomach growled loud enough to interrupt an Admiral.โ
You burst into unrestrained laughter, and Hangman joined in naturally. For once, neither of you rushed to fill the silence that followed. It wasnโt even awkward, just surprisingly pleasant.ย
โI should go find Maverick,โ you finally said, glancing at your watch.
โRight,โ Hangman said. โWouldnโt want to be late.โ
You walked side by side to the other end of the hangar.ย
Youโd known Hangman for years, just not this version. You knew the pilot, the competitor, the guy who made a hobby out of getting under your skin. You knew the version you saw in the air and the one you fell into at night when you both shouldโve known better.
Youโd spent so long assuming Hangman was all sharp corners and ego. But you enjoyed it when you werenโt fighting. For years, youโd both been too busy competing to ever actually talk. Now that you had, every assumption felt a little off.
You didnโt make it three steps into the Hard Deck before your squadron shouted your name. It was loud enough that Penny shot all of you a warning look over the bar, which Fanboy ignored by whistling loudly.
โBeeeeee!โ Coyote sang. โOur favourite early bird.โ
Hangman, sitting beside him, smirked. โMaverick had her running errands before sunrise. You know him, never met a chore he wouldnโt outsource.โ
The table dissolved in giggles. You dropped into the empty chair across from Hangman, who looked pleased that heโd made you laugh.ย
โYou think Maverick forces me out of bed just to annoy me?โ you said lightly. โThat was only half the reason tonight.โ
Phoenix leaned forward. โIf he had you in early for anything other than his horrible handwriting, it mustโve been important.โ
You shrugged. โWellโฆ he wanted to tell me before he told anyone else.โ You tried to make it sound casual, even though your stomach had been doing Olympic-level gymnastics ever since.
โTell you what?โ Rooster asked, brow raised.
โCyclone made me team leader for the upcoming mission,โ you said, and the second the words left your mouth, the table went still.
And then all of them absolutely erupted.
Phoenix slapped both palms on the table so hard the salt and pepper shakers toppled over. Coyote launched halfway out of his seat. Rooster choked on nothing. Even Bob pushed his chair back in pure shock.
โBee, holy shit!โ
โFinally!โ
You laughed as Phoenix grabbed your shoulders and shook you like a maraca. Bob beamed at you with shiny eyes, and you caught Hangmanโs expression softening into genuine satisfaction.
โMav said Cyclone was watching our last drill and thought it was time someone other than Mav took the lead,โ you said. โAnd, more importantly, he already told Penny that drinks are on him tonight.โ
Phoenix raised her beer. โTo Bee! Our fearless leader!โ
You felt your face warm despite trying to play it cool. You all toasted, clinking bottles and glasses happily. Somewhere in the noise, Hangmanโs โto Beeโ came in just half a second late.
Your eyes flicked to him on instinct, catching the faint smile he smoothed away before anyone noticed it. Something low in your stomach tightened.
Everyone was in a fantastic mood for the rest of the night.
You meant to enjoy the party, but you kept noticing things youโd never really paused to see before; things that had been happening right under your nose while you were too busy hating Hangman.
Coyote dragged you into a darts game, and you immediately sent your first throw wide enough to make him wince. He laughed, nudging your shoulder, and you were lining up your second shot when Phoenixโs voice cut across the bar.
โNo way, Hangman, thatโs a scratch,โ she said, sharp, competitive, and fond.
โThatโs called natural talent,โ Hangman argued, grinning widely.
โYou clipped the eight-ball.โ
โI nudged the eight-ball.โ
Phoenix rolled her eyes and reset the shot while Hangman leaned against the table, amused and unbothered.ย
Your eyes tracked the loose curve of his posture before you caught yourself and looked away.
Hangman ceded the table with a little salute after Phoenix sank her next two shots in a row. She smirked, victorious. He smirked back, gracious enough to let her have it.
A little later, Rooster roped you into picking a song for the jukebox. As you scrolled through the options, he hovered like he wasnโt trying to influence you. You elbowed him, he shoved your shoulder, and you landed on a song you both liked.
When you turned around, you saw Hangman and Bob at the end of the bar. They were joking back and forth, Hangman pretending to be offended while Bob said something bone-dry enough that Hangman let out a loud cackle.
Your eyes tracked the shape of his grin like you were memorising it.
It was easy and comfortable in a way you hadnโt realised theyโd become over the last ten months since the squadron became permanent.
โIโll get the next round,โ Hangman said like it was non-negotiable, patting Bobโs shoulder and grabbing nearby empty bottles with one hand.
Hangman was still arrogant, still insufferable, still absolutely capable of grinding your nerves into dust. But the more you looked, the more you noticed all the things youโd never given him credit for.ย
As you let your eyes linger on his hands picking up the next round, you missed the way Hangmanโs gaze kept flicking back to you. It was as if he was checking if you were still there, because he didnโt want to miss anything you did.
You forced yourself to look away before you started thinking about those hands in ways you absolutely shouldnโt.
When Fanboyโs attempt at doing a cartwheel forced you to rescue an airborne beer bottle an hour later, you went to the bar to get another round.
Penny smiled. โCongratulations, Bee.โ
โThank you,โ you said, grinning.
Before you could ask for the drinks, someone slid into the empty space beside you. A tall, objectively attractive man you didnโt recognise, with an easygoing smile.
โSorry,โ he said. โI donโt mean to interrupt. But your groupโs been celebrating you for the last twenty minutes, so I had to come over and say congrats.โ
โOh.โ You blinked. โThank you.โ
He laughed. โYou Navy pilots? Or just very enthusiastic bar patrons?โ
You talked for a few minutes, just light, friendly small talk. The guy flirted softly, and you didnโt shut him down. You recommended your favourite coffee shop, and you politely laughed when he asked if youโd be there this week.
Across the bar, Phoenix slapped Roosterโs arm.
Yale murmured, โUh oh.โ
They turned to Hangman, waiting for the inevitable snark. The classic, sheโs not worth your time, man, or sheโs a walking red flag.ย
Hangman surprised them all by saying nothing. His jaw was locked to hide the fact that seeing you flirt with some guy was affecting him.
If youโd been looking his way, you wouldโve seen how carefully he inhaled and exhaled, like he was reminding his body to behave.
The guy at the bar leaned in a littleโnot close enough to overstep, but close enough to show he was interestedโand that was enough for Hangman.
He didnโt storm over or square his shoulders. Hangman walked like a man doing something he had decided on long before his brain caught up.
โHey, honey,โ he said smoothly, sliding into your space.
The nickname, one youโd only heard him use condescendingly, was sugared and affectionate. It was claiming you in a way that made your blood warm.
Your heartbeat tripped at the sudden proximity. Partly because you knew what Hangman was doing and werenโt sure how you felt about it, but also because this was familiar territory.
Only this time, he wasnโt getting close to you to pick a fight.
Hangman gave the stranger a polite nod. โSorry to interrupt. Just wanted to make sure you had help carrying all the drinks back.โ
The guy blinked. โOh. Sorry. I didnโt knowโโ
โOh, weโre notโโ you started.
โYeah, we are,โ Hangman insisted.
Your heartbeat jumped hard enough that you felt it in your throat. Hangman wasnโt wearing the smug, heat-soaked look he usually used when he wanted to get under your skin. His eyes held yours like he was quietly pleading with you to hear him out.
The man picked up his drink and backed off with an easy smile. โNice meeting you.โ
You didnโt answer. Your focus was on Hangman.ย
โWhat was that?โ you asked.
Hangman took a slow breath, gaze never leaving yours. โLetโs step outside.โ
โIโm notโโ
โPlease, Bee.โ His tone wasnโt commanding but startlingly sincere.ย
You followed him out to the back deck, where the ocean air cut through the heat of the bar. You crossed your arms, more for balance than defence, and took half a step back.
โYou donโt get to swoop in like that,โ you said, pulse still unsettled. โI wasnโt interested, but you donโtโโ
โI know.โ Hangman rubbed a hand over his jaw, shoulders tight. โI know you werenโt.โ
โThen whyโ?โ
โBecause I didnโt like watching it.โ
There it was. A truth Hangman would typically have buried under three layers of arrogance.
You swallowed, throat suddenly dry. โYou donโt get to be jealous.โ
โI know.โ His voice dropped into something quiet and aching. โBut I was.โ
Hangman stepped closer, not boxing you in, but closing the distance slowly. Close enough that you felt the warmth of his body through the cold wind.
โYou and Iโฆโ He shook his head. โWe spent so long fighting that it felt like the only way we knew how to talk. And it worked for a while. Until it didnโt.โ
You didnโt moveโyour body refused.
โAnd once we actually talked, it changed things for me.โ His voice softened. โI know I can be arrogant, and stubborn, and a pain in your ass. I know you have every reason to think Iโm not worth the trouble.โ
Hangmanโs throat bobbed as he swallowed.
โBut I also know that the more I get to know you, the more Iโm sure I want you. And not the way I used to have you, when weโd argued so much that sex was the only way to relieve the tension.โ He steadied himself. โI want you for real.โ
You inhaled so sharply it was almost a gasp.
โI know Iโve messed up, and I know youโre not looking for a guy to fix. Iโm not asking you for anything right now. I justโฆโ Hangman hesitated, then confessed, โI think I could deserve you, if you gave me the chance to prove it.โ
The wind rustled the string lights overhead. Inside, the jukebox changed songs again, its sound muffled through the glass.
You stepped toward him.
Hangmanโs breath caught when you did. He didnโt reach out to you, even though you were more than close enough now. He just stood, waiting, eyes tracking every inch you moved.
โJake,โ you said quietly.ย
His name on your lips did something to him. His chest rose sharply, his lips parted just barely, and his whole posture went attentive in a way that was entirely open to you.
โI donโt know what this is,โ you told him honestly. โI donโt know how to do this with you.โ
โMe neither.โ
โBut I want to try,โ you said.
The breath he let out was shaky and reverent, like youโd knocked the wind out of him.
You didnโt rush it. You stepped close enough that your chest brushed Jakeโs, and he dipped his head just slightly, waiting for permission. Lifting your hands, you curled them into the front of his shirt, and that was all he needed.
Jake kissed you like heโd been holding himself together for weeks.
At first, it was restrained, almost careful, like he was afraid youโd vanish if he went too fast. His mouth was warm, steady, patient in a way heโd never kissed you before. He wasnโt trying to win, or provoke, or dominate.
And then you kissed him back.
Jakeโs restraint broke like a wave. His hand slid to the side of your neck, thumb brushing your pulse, not pulling you closer but holding you like you were something precious.
This kiss wasnโt like the drunken, angry ones in the dark corners of parking lots or your hallway or his truck. Those had been frantic, messy, born of adrenaline and frustration and the fastest route to forgetting why you hated each other.
You kissed him back with equal parts want and disbelief.
You slid a hand up the solid line of his chest and into his hair, and Jake groaned quietly against your mouth, pulling you flush to him. He angled his head, deepening the kiss with a low sound in his throat that almost made your knees buckle.ย
Heat shot down your spine so fast you felt dizzy, the world narrowing to nothing but the press of Jakeโs mouth and the way his fingers flexed at your waist.
He knew you too wellโhow you liked pressure, where you liked tension, the exact moment to ease off just enough to make you chase him.
When his tongue brushed yours in a slow, deliberate sweep, your stomach tightened hard enough that you had to brace your hand on his shoulder to keep steady. Jake responded instantly, tilting you back a fraction, kissing you deeper, slower, hotter.ย
When you finally broke apart, both of you breathing hard but steady, you kept your forehead pressed to his because pulling back felt wrong.
Jake whispered, voice rough, โHoney?โ
You whispered back, breath still uneven, โYeah?โ
โThat wasโฆโ He exhaled, chest rising against yours. โWow.โ
You huffed a breath of a laugh against his lips. โShut up.โ
Your pulse still wouldnโt settle. You werenโt sure it ever would around him again.
Inside the Hard Deck, the squadron had gone dead silent at the sight of you two through the back window.ย
Payback slowly lowered his beer, eyes huge. โWhat the hellโโ
Phoenix slapped a hand flat on the table so hard the darts jumped. โAbsolutely not! No, just no!โ
Rooster pointed at the window like a man who had just witnessed a crime. โAm I have a stroke?! Someone check my pulse. I think I smell burnt toastโโ
Fanboy gasped, clutching the bartop. โI feel light-headedโฆโ
Bob, who had been quietly sipping his Coke through a paper straw, shrugged. โI meanโฆ theyโve been hooking up for, like, six months, right?โ
Every single head snapped toward him in eerie, synchronised horror.
โWhat?!โ the table exploded.
Bob blinked at all of them, unbothered. โI thought it was obvious. Why do you think they always fight until weโve all left the Hard Deck?โ
Outside, Jake huffed a quiet laugh, his forehead still against yours. You slid your hands down, looping them loosely behind his shoulders.
โJake?โ you murmured, a smile tugging at your mouth despite your best efforts. โYou gonna drag me home and finish what we started?โ
You meant it half as a joke, half as a challenge.ย
โNo,โ he said, voice steady in a way that made something low in your stomach tighten. โIโm gonna take you out.โ
That pulled you up short. โLike a date?โ
โYeah,โ he said, thumb brushing your cheekbone in a barely-there pass. โA real one. Dinner. Walking you to your door. The whole thing.โ His smile deepened. โWe already know weโre good together in bed. Now I get to show you Iโm worth more than that.โ
You blinked. โYouโฆ want to take me on a date.โ
โI want to take you on a hundred,โ Jake murmured. โBut I figured I should start with one.โ
Your chest tightened. โYouโre being serious,โ you said quietly.
โIโm being very serious,โ Jake said, meeting your eyes without flinching. โYou gave me a chance. Iโm not gonna waste it.โ
Something warm and helpless pulled in your chest. You pressed your forehead to Jakeโs again, smiling widely.
โI guess I could get used to that,โ you whispered.
Summary: When you and The Void go camping, you suggest a fun activity to do to get your adrenaline flowing.
Kink of the Day: Primal Play!
Warnings: Unprotected P in V Sex (wrap it up), Public Sex (theyโre in a field), Playful Fighting, Use of Tendrils, Reader gets chased by The Void, Rough/Passionate Sex, Hair Pulling, Biting, Leaving Marks, Mentions of Blood (reader gets little cuts on their legs), Void Licks The Wounds, Aftercare
Authorโs Note: I absolutely loved exploring this sort of scenario with The Void, it was so fun to imagine and to write! Itโs got the perfect mix of spookiness for Halloween and fluff to chase (haโฆfunny pun) it down! Hope you guys enjoy this one <3, itโs definitely a fave of mine.
You laid nestled against The Voidโs arm, your head cradled in the cool, ethereal curve of his elbow as you both gazed up at the vast, star-scattered sky. It was the height of summer, and the gentle July breeze whispered through the surrounding trees, carrying the faint scent of pine and wildflowersโa welcome respite from the relentless heat that had clung to you both like a second skin over the past few days. The air was crisp enough to raise faint goosebumps on your exposed arms, but the warmth of the dying campfire nearby kept the chill at bay, its embers glowing softly like distant suns against the dark earth.
The two of you had escaped the chaos of the team for this much-needed retreat, a rare pocket of peace amid months of grueling missions that had blurred into an endless cycle of deployments and debriefs. You couldnโt recall the last time you had savoured a full nightโs sleep, let alone a day free from the weight of orders and objectives. When you had floated the idea to Val of taking a week offโjust for you and The Void to be away from it allโsheโd grumbled about timelines and resources, but ultimately relented.
Camping had seemed like the simplest choice: no elaborate plans, just a tent pitched in a secluded clearing deep in the woods, surrounded by towering evergreens that rustled like guardians in the wind. It was relaxing, yesโhiking trails by day, quiet conversations by nightโbut after a few days, the routine had started to feel a touch monotonous. Tonight, though, as you traced invisible constellations overhead, a spark of mischief ignited in your mind, an idea that promised to shatter the calm and inject a thrilling edge into your escape.
You rolled onto your side to face him, pressing closer to his camouflaged form, which blended seamlessly into the shadows of the night. If not for the occasional firefly alighting on his velvety, inky surfaceโdrawn perhaps to the subtle cosmic glow within himโyou might have lost sight of him entirely in the dim light. His star-flecked skin was subdued, the tiny white specks across his cheeks and shoulders dimmed to a soft, barely-there luminescence, like stars viewed through a foggy night.
He responded instinctively, shifting to draw you nearer, his arm curling around your shoulders in a protective embrace that enveloped you in his cool, otherworldly essence. You tilted your head up, meeting his gaze, where his piercing white pupils pulsed faintly, syncing with the steady rhythm of your heartbeatโa phenomenon you had come to adore, a silent testament to how attuned he was to you in these intimate moments.
โWhatโre you looking at?โ He murmured, his voice a low, resonant hum that vibrated through his form and into yours. His eyes flicked down, scanning your face with an intense, unblinking focus, his white irises glowing softly against the endless black of his silhouette. In the moonlight filtering through the canopy above, you caught a subtle glint of his teethโa boyish hint of a smile, reminiscent of Bobโs easy grin but muted, shrouded in mystery. It drew your attention to the details you cherished: the scattered white freckles dusting his cheeks like a private galaxy, the faint cracks in his smooth, silk like skin that mapped out old scars like veins of starlight, each one a story you had traced with your fingers on lazy afternoons.
โIโm looking at youโฆAnd your pretty face,โ You replied, your voice soft and teasing, laced with affection. It earned a quiet laugh from him, the sound like a distant rumble of thunder, and you watched as those freckles brightened just a fraction, his equivalent of a flushโsomething you had noticed early on, back when your interactions were tentative explorations, building from curiosity to this deep, unspoken bond.
โYou only lay your compliments on thick when youโre about to ask something of me,โ He said, his tone heavy with playful suspicion. He turned fully onto his side to mirror you, his cool arm gliding across your torso, pulling you flush against him until the chill of his being seeped through your clothes. The contact was electric, a contrast that always sent a shiver racing down your spine, but one youโd grown to crave.
โI wasnโt going to ask you to do anything, I donโt know what youโre talking about,โ You protested, feigning wide-eyed innocence as you rested your hand against his silky-smooth torso. Your fingertips dancing lightly over the subtle dips and ridges thereโimperfections in his flawless darkness that felt like Braille under your touch, each one familiar from nights spent mapping him out while the both of you were wrapped within one another. He hummed sceptically, shaking his head, the motion sending a faint ripple through his form.
โSpill it. Whatโre you not saying to me? What do you want that youโre too embarrassed to admit?โ He leaned in closer, until your noses nearly brushed, his cold breath ghosting over your lips like a winter mist, making them tingle with anticipation, โYou know Iโll just read your mind if you donโt tell me, so you might as well say itโฆโ You let out an exaggerated gasp, pulling back just enough to create a sliver of space, though his hold kept you locked into him.
โRead my mind? Thatโs cheating! Donโt you like the mystery of wondering?โ His arm tightened in response, drawing you back into him until your bodies pressed together seamlessly, your warmth clashing with his coolness, sending fresh shivers through you despite the thick cotton of your shirt that shouldโve been shielding you from his temperature.
โItโs not cheating if youโre withholding your desires from me,โ He countered smoothly, his hand trailing up your body with deliberate slowness, his thumb grazing the side of your breast in a featherlight tease that made your breath hitch, โAnd you know my mind races when I wonderโฆโ He lingered there for a moment, his touch circling the hardening peak of your nipple through the fabric, pinching it gently and drawing a breathy giggle from your lips.
โSo are you going to tell me or not?โ He pressed, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. You sighed, realizing he wouldnโt relent, and shifted slightly awayโnot breaking contact entirely, but enough to prop yourself up on your elbow, your cheek resting against your hand as you studied him.
โAlrightโฆFine.โ You paused, letting the words form carefully, your free hand still tracing idle patterns on his chest, โWhat if I told youโฆThat I wanted you to chase me through the woods?โ His reaction was immediateโhis white pupils widening, dilating until they nearly swallowed the surrounding glow, leaving only thin crescents of light. He propped himself up to match your position, his form fluid and graceful in the movement.
โIโd be a little concerned, but I wouldnโt be closed off to the idea,โ He admitted, his hand sliding down to toy with the hem of your shirt, settling his fingers possessively on the bare skin of your thigh, just below the edge of your tight shorts, โWhy would you want me to do that, though?โ
โWell, I thought it would be fun to try it outโฆWeโre surrounded by all this forestry, so it would be neat to see how long it would take for you to find me.โ Your voice carried a thrill of excitement, and he huffed a soft laugh, his touch kneading your thigh with gentle pressure.
โYou think it would be fun for me toโฆHunt you?โ He questioned, and you shook your head, correcting him with a grin.
โI didnโt say hunt; I said chase.โ He rolled his eyes, the gesture somehow visible in the subtle shift of his glowing pupils.
โSame difference. Itโs going to trigger my predatory response,which means Iโm going to be hunting youโฆโ His fingers squeezed a bit firmer, massaging the muscle beneath your skin, sending a warm flutter through your core.
โOkayโฆFine. Youโll be hunting me. But my statement still stands that I think it would be fun.โ You trailed your fingertips up to his chest, following the constellations of his freckles, each one pulsing faintly under your touch like stars awakening. He sighed, his voice tightening with a mix of concern and intrigue.
โYou do know I could potentially hurt you, right? Once the adrenaline kicks in, itโll fog my brain, and all Iโll want is to catch you. I wonโt be able to stop until that happens.โ His words were laced with worry, but you could sense the undercurrent of curiosity, and the way his form seemed to hum with restrained energy.
โI want that, though. Thatโs kind of the whole point in being chased.โ You stated, reaching up to cup his cheek, your thumb tracing just below his eye, feeling the cool, velvety texture yield slightly under your warmth, โI also know you wonโt hurt meโฆAnd even if you do, it wonโt be anything you canโt heal.โ You shrugged lightly, your trust in him absolute, a foundation built from shared battles and stolen moments within the confines of your bedrooms. He always marveled at thatโyour casual acceptance of his darkness, your unwavering faith in him, even when it came to something as fragile as your own safety.
For a long moment, he was silent, his pupils searching your face, delving into the spark of anticipation in your eyes. He could hear itโthe quickened rush of your blood, the eager thrum of your heart echoing in his senses. He didnโt want to let you down by saying no, especially since you shared with him the idea in the first place and trusted him enough to do so knowing that there was a possibility of judgement being cast on youโthough he wasnโt going to outright show it. The potential of possibly hurting you ran through his mind, and he weighed the risks significantly. As much as he knew he was in control of himself, he knew there was a chance of slipping up and turning into the monster everyone perceived him to be, the one that came out during missions when the team least expected itโฆThe one that decimated enemies like it was routine. But, he remembered how easy it was for you to bring him down from that frantic state. After months of going out on missions together you had adapted to situations where he needed you to diffuse him, and he knew that even if you wouldnโt be able to subdue him immediately your assassin training would probably kick into high gear and you would just take him down some other way.
You could see him mulling everything over, his eyes twitching slightly every couple of seconds until finally, he let out a long exhale, his cool breath hitting your warmed cheeks like a gust of arctic air.
โAlrightโฆFine.โ A radiant smile broke across your lips instantly, and just as you began to sit up fully, he added, โBut we need a safe word.โ You paused, turning back to him with raised brows, noting the seriousness in his tone.
โSafe word?โ You echoed, watching as he sat up too, his arms draping casually over his knees, his form a striking silhouette against the starry backdrop behind him.
โYes, a safe word. Just in case things get too intense.โ He stated, holding your gaze steadily, displaying his unwillingness to budge on the subject. You bit the inside of your cheek, considering the word, then nodded.
โCranberry.โ
โCranberry it is.โ A beat of silence followed, charged with a building tension that you couldnโt seem to ignore, as you stretched your legs out in front of you, feeling the satisfying pull in your thighs, the grass cool and slightly damp beneath your sweaty palms.
โSo how do you want to start this?โ You asked, glancing over at him. He rolled his shoulders a few times, loosening up, his neck cracking as he shifted his head from side to side, the motion sending faint ripples across his starry freckles.
โIโll give you a three-minute head startโฆThen Iโll come find you.โ He replied, earning a small scoff from you, a playful challenge coming up in your eyes.
โThree minutes is pretty generous if youโd ask me.โ You shot back. He chuckled, low and knowing, shaking his head at you. His teeth shining in the dimmed lighting.
โTrust me, youโll be wishing you asked for more once we get started,โ He teased, his voice dropping to a gravelly timbre that sent a delicious shiver down your spine. You pushed yourself up off the ground, the cool earth yielding slightly beneath your palms as you swiped your hands along the back of your t-shirt and shorts, brushing away the stray blades of grass that clung stubbornly to the fabric like tiny green hitchhikers. The night air nipped at your skin, carrying the faint, smoky aroma of the dying campfire mingled with the earthy richness of damp soil and pine resin. Your bare feet sank into the soft, loamy ground, the sensation grounding youโcool and slightly gritty, with the occasional poke of a twig or pebble that reminded you of your vulnerability in this wild expanse. You walked toward the edge of the campsite, where the flickering firelight gave way to the impenetrable shadow of the forest, the trees standing like ancient sentinels under the moonโs pale glow.
The Void watched you intently, his starry form reclining slightly. As you stretched your arms high above your head, arching your back to loosen the knots from days of hiking, your shirt rode up just enough to reveal a sliver of midriff, the tight training shorts hugging the curves of your hips and thighs showing your body off to him in an unintentional tease. He could hear the subtle clicks of your joints popping into place, the faint rustle of fabric against your body, and beneath it all, the steady crescendo of your heartbeatโa rhythmic drumbeat that echoed in his own ethereal core. His gaze lingered, tracing the way the moonlight highlighted the sheen of sweat already building on your skin.
โArenโt you going to put on your shoes?โ He asked, his voice a low vibration that cut through the quiet night. His eyes dipped to your feet, already smudged with dirt and flecked with grass clippings, the earth claiming you as part of its domain. You shook your head, a determined glint in your eyes as you flexed your toes into the soil, feeling the cool moisture seep between them.
โNope. Need to be as quiet as possible. Shoes would crunch leaves and snap twigsโฆIt would give away my every step.โ You shook out your legs one at a time, hopping lightly in place to get your blood flowing, the motion sending a jolt of energy through your muscles. Your breaths came quicker now, shallow and excited, and he couldnโt help but notice the way your breasts bounced subtly beneath the cotton of your shirt, the fabric clinging to the faint outline of your hardening nipples in the chill air. His own form hummed with restraint, the tether between you pulling tautโhe could sense your arousal building, a sweet undercurrent to the adrenaline, but he forced himself to ignore it for the sake of fairness. Still, it was impossible to sever completely; you were woven into him, your vital signs a constant whisper in his mind.
โAlright, if you think thatโll helpโฆI wonโt stop you,โ He said, a low chuckle rumbling from his depths, the sound like distant thunder rolling through the trees. You turned to face him fully, your stance poised and ready, like a coiled spring.
โGive me a three-second countdown?โ You asked, watching as he nodded and rose fluidly from the ground, his shadowy silhouette unfolding with an otherworldly grace that made the surrounding darkness seem to bend toward him.
โThreeโฆTwoโฆOneโฆโ
The word had barely left his lips when you exploded into motion, sprinting into the thick forestry like a shadow slipping through cracks. The world swallowed you whole in an instantโtotal darkness enveloping you as the canopy overhead blotted out the stars, leaving only faint slivers of moonlight piercing through the leaves like silver daggers. The soft grass underfoot gave way to a carpet of fallen pine needles and moss, cool and springy, muffling your steps as you wove between the towering trunks. The air was thick with the scent of resinous pine, damp earth, and the faint, floral undertone of wild blooms hidden in the underbrushโlavender and honeysuckle, perhaps, carried on the breeze. Your eyes adjusted swiftly, your assassin-honed instincts kicking in; you could make out the gnarled roots snaking across the forest floor, the low-hanging branches that reached out like grasping fingers, the occasional glint of dew on leaves that caught the sparse light.
Adrenaline surged through your veins like liquid fire, your heart pounding a fierce beat against your ribs as a thin sheen of sweat bloomed across your forehead and the small of your back. You steadied your breathingโdeep, controlled inhales through your nose, silent exhales through parted lipsโyears of training ensuring not a single gasp betrayed you. A few stray branches whipped against your bare legs as you dodged through the undergrowth, their sharp edges drawing fine lines of blood that stung in the cool air, warm trickles seeping down your calves. You ignored the pain, pushing deeper into the darkness, your hands grazing the rough, textured bark of ancient oaks and pines for guidance, the wood cool and ridged under your fingertips telling tales of centuries past.
Time blurred in the rushโseconds? Minutes? All you knew was the forest thickening around you, the air growing heavier with the musty scent of decaying leaves and fertile soil. You paused behind a massive trunk, pressing your back against its solid form, the bark scratching lightly against your shirt as you caught your breath. Your pulse thundered in your ears, but through it, you strained to listenโthe night alive with the chirp of crickets, the distant hoot of an owl, the whisper of wind through branches.
Then, it began. The telltale signs of The Void starting his hunt: a faint rustle of bushes in the distance, the sharp crack of a twig underfoot, deliberate and echoing. Your heart stuttered, then raced anewโhe was moving, methodically at first, his presence a growing pressure in the air. But then the sounds shifted, multiplying. A snap to your left, leaves crunching to your right, a low branch swaying behind you. It wasnโt possible; he couldnโt be everywhere at once. Or could he? The realization hit you like a cold waveโhe was projecting, using his ethereal abilities to scatter illusions of noise, throwing echoes through the trees to disorient you. Toying with you, just as youโd hoped.
โCome out, come out, wherever you areโฆโ His voice drifted through the darkness, a taunting whisper that seemed to come from all directions at once, low and gravelly, laced with that predatory hunger that sent a thrill straight to your core. Your thighs clenched involuntarily, a flush of heat building between them despite the chill night air. God, he was taking this seriouslyโand it was turning you on more than youโd anticipated, the danger mingling with desire in a heady cocktail that made your skin tingle.
You took a few deep, steadying breaths, forcing calm into your limbs. Stealth was your domain; as an assassin, youโd evaded far deadlier pursuers in shadows like these. You moved silently, ghosting from tree to tree, your bare feet padding noiselessly over the forest floor, avoiding dry leaves and brittle sticks with practiced ease. The sounds pursued youโbranches snapping in tandem with your subtle shifts, rustles that mirrored your path but never quite caught up. He wasnโt on your tail yet, but he had a bead on your general direction, his projections closing in like a net. Your breaths came quicker, the adrenaline fueling a euphoric high, every sense heightened: the cool breeze kissing the sweat on your neck, the metallic tang of blood from your scraped legs, the erotic edge of fear twisting into arousal as his voice echoed again.
โYou canโt hide forever, Y/NโฆI can smell you from here.โ The words slithered through the trees, closer now, and you bit your lip to stifle a gasp, the heat pooling low in your belly making your steps falter for just a fraction of a second. Damn himโhe knew exactly what he was doing. You darted left, then doubled back right, weaving an erratic path to shake the illusions, your muscles burning with the effort but alive with the thrill. Minutes stretched like hours, the chase a dance of evasion and pursuit, your body thrumming with a mix of terror and exhilaration that left you breathless and aching.
Finally, the trees began to thin, the dense forestry giving way to the outskirts of the woods. Before you lay a vast meadow, bathed in the ethereal glow of the full moon hanging low in the indigo sky like a luminous pearl. The tall grass swayed gently in the breeze, reaching waist-high in places, a sea of wildflowersโdaisies mostly, their white petals tinged blue in the nocturnal light, interspersed with flecks of yellow centers that caught the moonlight like scattered stars. The field stretched out endlessly, bordered by a distant line of silhouetted trees, their branches reaching skyward as if in quiet vigil. Mist clung low to the ground, swirling in ghostly tendrils, and the air here was sweeter, laced with the delicate perfume of night-blooming jasmine and the fresh, dewy scent of the grass itself. It was a dreamlike expanse, serene yet haunting under the starry vault above.
You didnโt hear him immediately behind youโno rustles, no snaps. Seizing the moment, you bolted forward, stepping into the meadow. The plush, cushiony grass enveloped your feet like a living carpet, soft and yielding, the tall blades brushing against your legs in a whispering caress that sent fresh stings through your cuts but felt almost sensual in the heightened state of your arousal.
Youโd barely made it a dozen strides when it happenedโa cool, silken tendril snaked around your ankle, then another around your calf, yanking with unyielding force. A scream of surprise tore from your throat, equal parts shock and delight, as the world spun. He twisted you mid-air with effortless precision, your body flipping so you fell backward into the thick grass. It billowed out around you like a natural cushion, the flowers and blades cradling your impact with a soft whoosh, their petals releasing a burst of floral scent that mingled with the earthy musk of the soil.
You landed with a breathless laugh, giggles bubbling up nervously as you locked eyes with him. The Void knelt down into the grass, his starry form cutting a striking figure against the moonlit meadow, shadows rippling across his inky surface like waves in a midnight sea. He crawled toward you with predatory grace, his porcelain white irises glowing with a feral intensity that made your pulse skyrocket.
โHey! Thatโs not fair! You used your powers!โ You exclaimed, your voice breathless and teasing, though your body betrayed youโlegs parting instinctively as he settled between your thighs, his cool, ethereal presence a stark contrast to the heat radiating from your core.
โYou never specified I couldnโt use my tendrils to catch you,โ he murmured, his voice a husky growl that vibrated through you, laced with triumph and desire. He scanned your form, noting the fine cuts and scrapes marring your legs from the whipping branches, thin rivulets of blood glistening in the moonlight. โSo I did what I needed toโฆDidnโt want you thinking you were truly going to win this.โ His cold breath fanned over your skin, freezing the perspiration that coated your flesh, raising goosebumps in its wake and tightening your nipples further beneath your shirt.
Your pulse raced from the exertion and the intoxicating rush of being caught, your arousal evident in the way your breaths came in shallow pants. He leaned in, peppering slow, deliberate kisses along your sticky cheeks, his cool lips a soothing balm against your heated skin. His tongueโvelvety and chilledโswiped over the sweat beading there, drawing a low grunt from him at the salty, tangy taste of you, mingled with the faint metallic hint of adrenaline.
โSoโฆ Whatโs my prize for catching you?โ He asked, his voice a teasing rumble that vibrated against your ear, his sharp teeth nipping playfully at your earlobe. The sensation sent a spark of electricity through you, your body arching toward him instinctively, craving more of that cool, ethereal touch against your overheated skin.
You grinned wickedly, wrapping one leg around his thigh in a swift, calculated moveโyour assassin training kicking in even in this moment of play. With a surge of strength fueled by your lingering adrenaline, you twisted your hips and flipped your positions in one fluid motion, pinning him beneath you on the soft bed of grass and wildflowers. The meadowโs tall blades swayed around you like a living curtain, their dewy tips brushing your arms as you straddled him, your hands pressing down on his starry shoulders. His form yielded slightly under your weight, cool and velvety, like silk woven from midnight itself.
โJust because you caught me doesnโt mean you won,โ you declared, your voice breathless with laughter, eyes sparkling with mischief under the moonโs silvery gaze. The air between you crackled with electric tension, the floral scent of crushed daisies rising up as you shifted, grinding lightly against him just to tease. He let out a deep, resonant chuckle that echoed through his chest and into yours, his white pupils dilating further with a mix of surprise and delight.
โOh, is that how weโre playing?โ He murmured, his hands coming up to grip your waist, fingers digging in with just enough pressure to send a thrill racing down your spine. But you werenโt giving in that easilyโyou batted his hands away playfully, leaning down to nip at his collarbone, your teeth grazing the faint, starry cracks in his skin that pulsed like distant nebulae.
The playfight erupted in a whirlwind of giggles and breathless laughter, your bodies tangling in the moonlit grass like lovers in a fever dream. You grabbed for his wrists, trying to pin them above his head, your fingers sliding over his smooth, inky surface as he twisted beneath you, his form rippling with restrained power. He bucked his hips lightly, not enough to dislodge you but enough to make you gasp and laugh harder, your breasts brushing against his chest through your shirt.
โYouโre feisty tonight,โ He growled playfully, his voice laced with affection, as he hooked a leg around yours and rolled you sideways, the two of you tumbling through the wildflowers in a flurry of petals and dew. Grass stuck to your sweat-dampened skin, the cool earth grounding you as you wrestled back, shoving at his shoulders with a mock glare, your laughter bubbling up uncontrollably. His starry freckles brightened with each peal of your joy, mirroring the flush of excitement in his ethereal being. You managed to straddle him again briefly, pinning one of his arms with your knee while your hands roamed his torso, tracing the subtle ridges and dips that felt like cosmic valleys under your fingertips. He pretended to struggle, his free hand sliding up your thigh in a teasing caress that made you shiver, but then he surged forward with a grin, capturing your lips in a quick, sloppy kiss that dissolved into more laughter as you pushed him back down.
Every touch was electric, every playful shove laced with underlying desire, the adrenaline from the chase transforming into this joyful, heated tussle. But he was stronger, his otherworldly nature giving him an edge, and with a sudden twist, cool tendrils emerged from his form like silken shadows, wrapping around your waist and wrists with gentle but unyielding firmness. You yelped in surprise, giggling as he flipped you effortlessly onto your back, the grass cushioning you once more as petals fluttered down like confetti.
Now he loomed over you, his starry silhouette framed by the indigo sky, pinning your hands to the sides of your head with his own, his fingers interlacing with yours in a tender contrast to the dominance. Both of you were breathless, chests heaving, laughter fading into heated stares as the play shifted seamlessly into something more primal.
โI think Iโve officially won now that Iโve got you pinned,โ He joked smugly, his voice a low, gravelly purr that sent heat pooling between your thighs. He leaned down, capturing your lips in another hungry kiss that devoured any remaining playfulnessโhis mouth cool and insistent against your warm one, tongues tangling in a frantic dance as you both breathed heavily through your noses. The taste of him was otherworldly, like cool starlight and faint ozone, mingling with the salty tang of your sweat from earlier. He pressed his body fully against yours, his ethereal form molding to every curve, and you felt the hard ridge of his erection straining against the fabric between you, throbbing with need. It ground against your damp shorts, sending jolts of pleasure through your core, and you moaned into his mouth, your hips bucking up instinctively.
He let out a deep grunt against your lips, the sound vibrating through you like thunder, before pulling away just enough to speak, his breath fanning cool over your burning hot skin.
โGod, youโre so fucking wetโฆYou really loved me chasing you that much, huh? Liked the danger of it? The thrill of being hunted like prey?โ He teased, his voice dripping with feral hunger as he trailed kisses down your neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin, nipping lightly and soothing with his chilled tongue. Goosebumps erupted across your flesh, your body arching into him as the contrast of his coolness against your heat made everything feel more intense.
โLoved itโฆYou were so sneaky tooโฆDidnโt know when you were going to catch me,โ you replied, your voice husky and breathless, tilting your head to the side to grant him better access. His teeth sank into the juncture of your neck and shoulder, biting down with just enough pressure to mark you, a possessive claim that drew a sharp gasp from your lips. The pain bloomed into pleasure, and you wrapped your freed arms around himโsince heโd released your hands in the heat of the momentโfingers coiling into his silky, shadowy hair, tugging to pull him closer. Your hips jutted forward again, grinding teasingly against his erection, the friction through the thin layers of fabric making him hiss.
His hands tightened at the waistband of your shorts, gripping with desperate urgency, the adrenaline from the chase fueling a frantic need that mirrored your own. With a low growl, he pulled back and yanked them down your legs in one swift, rough motion, tossing them aside into the swaying grass without a second thought. You werenโt wearing panties underneathโexposed to the cool night air and his starving gaze, your arousal glistening on your inner thighs, dripping from your core in slick, needy trails that caught the moonlight like liquid silver.
โFuck, you smell so good, Y/N,โ He moaned, his voice raw and animalistic, pupils blown wide as he inhaled deeply, the scent of your desire driving him wild. He surged back on top of you, hiking one of your legs high against his torso, the position spreading you open for him completely. His hand dipped between your bodies, fingers wrapping around his thick, throbbing cockโcool and velvety like the rest of him, but pulsing with an inner heat that betrayed his arousal. He dragged the tip through your slick folds, teasing you mercilessly, the thick crown rubbing against your swollen clit, smearing his precum over it in slick circles that made you gasp and arch up into him, chasing more friction.
โVoidโฆ Please just fuck me, donโt hold back,โ You rasped, tugging harder on his hair, earning a deep, guttural groan from him that reverberated through his form.
โIโm going to make you forget everythingโฆ You wonโt even remember how to talk,โ he whispered darkly, his voice a feral promise as he guided his cock to your entrance. With one powerful thrust of his hips, he buried himself inside you, stretching you wide and filling you completely. A sharp moan tore from your throat, your head tilting back into the grass, petals tangling in your hair as waves of pleasure crashed over you. He sucked greedily on your neck, leaving blooming marks as he shallowly thrusted into you, adjusting his angle before bracing himselfโone hand planted beside your head for leverage, the other gripping your thigh with bruising force, nails digging into your skin as he held you open.
His hips snapped forward in a frantic, relentless pace, the tip of his cock slamming against your cervix with each deep, punishing stroke, the sound of skin meeting skin echoing through the meadow like a primal rhythm.
โThatโs it, take it all, you fucking love being chased and claimed, donโt you? My little prey, so wet and tight for me,โ He growled against your ear, his breath cool and ragged, teeth nipping at your lobe. The roughness was intoxicatingโferal and passionate, both of you expelling the built-up adrenaline in this raw, animalistic union, bodies slick with sweat and arousal.
โYesโfuck, harder, Void, pleaseโฆTake your prize.โ You urged him on, your voice breaking into moans, nails raking down his back, leaving faint trails over his starry skin that made him shudder and thrust even deeper. The pleasure built like a storm, overwhelming your senses; you were getting dick drunk on him, mind hazy with bliss, every nerve alight as he pounded into you, hitting that perfect spot over and over. Your free hand left his hair, reaching for his, and he grabbed it immediately, intertwining your fingers and pinning it near your head, his grip tight and grounding.
He leaned back slightly, his feral gaze locked on yours as he kissed messily over your faceโforehead, cheeks, lipsโin sloppy, desperate presses, both of you lost to the moment. His nails dug deeper into your thigh, your own dragging harder down his back, moans and grunts filling the air in a symphony of raw need. Then, one of his tendrils slithered out like a shadow come alive, slipping between your bodies to rub firm, insistent circles against your clit, the cool, silken texture sending shocks of ecstasy through you.
You gasped, arching violently into him, the added stimulation pushing you over the edge. Your orgasm hit like a tidal wave, walls clenching around his cock in rhythmic pulses, pleasure exploding through every inch of youโyour vision blurring with stars that matched his freckles, body trembling as waves of heat and release washed over you, soaking him further.
He thrust a few more times, erratic and deep, before burying himself to the hilt with a shaky grunt, his cock pulsing as he filled you completely. You felt the cool flood of his cum spilling into you, overflowing around him and dripping out in thick rivulets that trickled down your thighs, warm against the night air.
He collapsed on top of you, both of you utterly spent, breaths coming in ragged pants. You squeezed his hand gently, and he squeezed back, a silent affirmation in the afterglow.
โFuckโฆThat was so good,โ You rasped when you finally caught your breath, your voice hoarse from moaning. He let out a huff of air, leaning back to look down at you, his pupils softening slightly.
โAbsolutely worth the chaseโฆYouโre dangerous when youโre drunk on adrenaline,โ He whispered, leaning down to give you a tender kiss, before nipping at your bottom lip with a playful growl. Slowly, he pulled out of you, both of you letting out soft gasps at the lossโthe slick slide of him leaving you empty, cum trickling out in his wake. He pulled back fully, his gaze dropping to your scraped-up legs, the cuts now mingled with grass stains and faint bruises from your tussle.
โIโm gonna patch these up quickly if you donโt mind,โ He murmured, concern threading through his tone despite the satisfaction in his eyes.
You shook your head, smiling lazily. โPleaseโฆGo ahead.โ
His smile caught the moonlight, sharp and affectionate, as he leaned down, his cool tongue lapping gently along the scrapes and cuts. He licked up the dried blood with deliberate care, the sensation oddly soothingโtingling as his saliva worked its ethereal magic, healing the wounds in seconds, leaving your skin smooth and glistening, saturated in his essence like a protective sheen.
โMuch betterโฆNow letโs get you back in your shortsโฆWe have to find our way back to the tent,โ He stated, retrieving your discarded shorts from the grass and helping you slide them on with gentle hands. You let out a groan, your limbs heavy with post-orgasmic bliss.
โI donโt think Iโll be able to walkโฆNot after you fucked me like that.โ He let out a little laugh, scooping you up effortlessly into his arms, your head resting against his cool chest.
โI wasnโt expecting you to walk back anywayโฆI was planning on carrying you.โ He leaned forward, kissing along your face in soft, adoring pecks. โYouโve done enough running and walking for the night.โ
Summary: You and Sentry have a deal, he pays for your manicures, and you use your freshly treated nails to mark up his back as much as you want while he returns the favour with his teeth.
Kink of the Day: Scratching and Biting
Warnings: Manicure Fetish? (Sentry likes the readers nails when theyโre all done up, kinda falls under that category I think), Scratching, Biting, Leaving Marks, Brief Use of Powers (he gets a little power surge cause he gets excited, gives off golden retriever energy if you ask me lol), Suggestive Ending (didnโt want to burn myself out from writing three smut fics in one day, so I had to make the sacrifice for this one lol. Donโt throw rocks at me please lol, thereโs going to be a lot of Sentry smut coming soon anyways to make it up to yโall)
Authorโs Note: A nice little blurb, we are going to get caught up today! I can feel it! I am so excited! Hope yโall enjoy! See you in the next update :))
โPut a little more pressureโฆโ Sentry murmured, his voice a deep, muffled vibration against the soft curve of your shoulder, sending tiny ripples of warmth through your skin, โAnd go a little lower,โ He added softly, the words laced with a gentle plea, his breath hot and uneven as it fanned across your collarbone.
You let out a quiet sigh, the sound mingling with the faint rustle of the sheets beneath you, and complied, dragging your nails in languid, deliberate circles down the broad expanse of his back. You pressed deeper this time, feeling the taut, unyielding muscles beneath his skinโcorded and powerful from months of wielding godlike strengthโshift and flex in response, as if awakening under your touch. Each slow rotation left behind faint, blooming trails of red, like delicate crimson threads woven into the pale canvas of his flesh, marking him as yours in this intimate ritual you both cherished.
Youโd been lost in this for over an hour now, the time slipping away in a haze of sensation and closeness, and the building heat had prompted you to strip down to just your undergarmentsโa delicate lace bra and matching panties that now clung slightly to your sweat-dampened skin. Sentryโs body draped over yours like a living blanket, his superhuman warmth radiating through you, turning the bedroom into a cocoon of shared heat and quiet intensity. The air was thick with the scent of himโclean sweat mingled with the faint, metallic tang of burnt steel, like ozone after lightningโand your own rainstorm-fresh aroma, a soothing blend of petrichor, crisp ozone, and subtle herbal notes that grounded the moment in something almost elemental.
He had been building toward this all day, his thoughts tangled in anticipation amid whatever heroic chaos the Thunderbolts demanded of him. But the instant he crossed the threshold of your shared apartment, that golden hum in his veins had sharpened into focus. He shrugged off his shirt with impatient haste, the fabric whispering to the floor in a forgotten pile, exposing the lean sculpted lines of his torso: broad shoulder tapering to a narrow waist, dusted with a scattering of faint freckles that trailed like cinnamon across his chest and down his arms. His light brown hair, slightly disheveled from the wind of flight, framed his faceโhigh cheekbones, a strong jaw shadowed with the barest hint of stubble, and those piercing eyes that could shift from boyish warmth to molten intensity in a heartbeat.
You had been in the kitchen, with your sleeves rolled up and your hands buried in the sink, encased in those comically bright yellow rubber gloves that shielded your fresh manicure from the hot soapy water. You were scrubbing at the breakfast dishes youโd left in your morning rush, the steam rising in lazy curls, carrying the faint citrus scent of dish soap into the air.
Then he was there, his presence filling the space like a sudden eclipse. His arms wrapped around your waist from behind, strong and encompassing, pulling your flush against the hard plane of his chest. His chin rested atop your head, his soft locks brushing your temple as he leaned in, drawing a deep, deliberate breath. That rainstorm scent of yoursโfresh and invigorating, evoking wet earth after a downpour, the sharp crackle of electricity in the air, and a whisper of wild mint and fernโwashed over him like a cleansing wave. He couldnโt resist exhaling sharply, only to inhale again, deeper, letting it seep into his lungs and calm the electric jitter in his nerves, grounding his excitement in the simple reality of you.
His hands splayed across your stomach, fingers tracing idle patterns over the fabric of your shirt, before one reached out to twist off the faucet with a firm click, silencing the waterโs steady trickle. The kitchen fell quiet, save for the distant hum of city traffic filtering through the windows.
โIโll finish these later,โ He whispered, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers racing down your spine. He returned his hands to your waist, his palms pressing flat to hold you close, then lifted his chin from your head to nuzzle downward, pressing a soft kiss to the side of your neck. His lips lingered there, tasting the salt of your skin, positioning himself for a better view of the reveal he had been craving.
โTake off the gloves,โ He instructed, the words vibrating through your shoulder, carrying a hint of intensity. You let out a small, breathy laugh, shaking your head in playful resistance.
โAlways so demanding,โ You quipped, your tone light and teasing as you lifted your hands from the sink, flicking off the stray droplets that clung to the yellow rubber like morning dew on petals. You drew out the motion deliberately, savoring the way his body tensed against yours, his impatience thrumming like a live wire.
โIโm not being demanding,โ He countered, his arms tightening around you, molding your curves to his frame until there was no space left between. You could feel his heart beating steadily through your back, a powerful rhythmic thump that echoed into your own chest, syncing your pulses, โIโve just been looking forward to this all day. Youโve been so secretive about your appointmentโฆDidnโt even give me any hints.โ
โWell, I thought youโd enjoy the anticipation,โ You murmured, finally gripping the cuff of one glove and tugging it downward with agonizing slowness. The rubber peeled away with a soft, snapping sound, revealing your hand inch by inch until the navy blue polish gleamed free. The kitchen light hit them perfectly, accentuating the shimmering flecks embedded in the colour, like stars scattered across a twilight sky. Your nails were sculpted to razor-sharp perfectionโlong, pointed stilettos that evoked the lethal grace of talons, a shape you had learned was his absolute favourite after the first time heโd fixated on them, his golden eyes lighting up with unspoken desire.
You flexed your fingers, letting the light play over the surface, and heard his breath catch sharply in his throat. A low, appreciative hum rumbled from him as he reached for the other glove himself, yanking it off with far less ceremony and flinging it onto the counter with a wet thud. He captured one of your hands in his, lifting it gently, turning it to examine every detail up close.
โSo, whatโs the verdict?โ You asked, turning your head to meet his gaze. His eyesโthose mesmerizing golden irises, swirling with orange embers like lava flowing through themโglowed with raw admiration, his pupils dilated in the warm kitchen glow. A small, boyish smile tugged at his lips, softening the sharp angles of his face; eager, affectionate, and utterly devoted.
โTheyโre perfect,โ He stated simply, his voice husky with emotion as he loosened his hold on your hand, โAs usual,โ Then he spun you in his arms, his movements fluid and effortless, and leaned down to claim your lips in a gentle kiss that swiftly deepened, his tongue teasing yours with growing hunger. His hands slid to the backs of your thighs, gripping firmly as he hoisted you up with ease, setting your ass on the edge of the counter and slotting himself between your legs, his hips pressing insistently against yours.
You reached up, cupping the sides of his neck, your nails grazing the sensitive skin at the nape and drawing a soft, throaty moan from him. The sound vibrated through the kiss, raw and unguarded. You pulled back first, breathless, a coy smile curving your lips as you gazed up at him through half-lidded eyes.
โIโm glad itโs a hit,โ You commented, threading your fingers into his thick slightly wavy hair, intentionally scraping your nails along his scalp. His eyes fluttered shut, a visible shiver cascading up his spine like a wave, and you smirked as his telekinesis slipped its leashโthe plates in the dish rack rattling faintly, clinking together in a brief, uncontrolled tremor. Undaunted, you dragged your nails downward, over the back of his neck, across his broad shoulders, then to his bare chest, tracing the freckles there with precise, teasing strokes. Goosebumps erupted in blooming clusters beneath your touch, his skin prickling with evident delight.
โMmmโฆTheyโre extra sharp this time. I like it,โ He breathed, his voice roughened by desire as he wrapped his arms around your waist once more, lifting you from the counter with effortless strength. He turned on his heel, holding you secure against him. โCanโt wait to feel them running down my back.โ With that, he carried you down the dimly lit hallway, his strides long and purposeful, nudging the bedroom door open with his foot. The room welcomed you with soft lamplight and the faint scent of fresh linens. He knelt onto the mattress, lowering you gently onto the plush sheets, his body following immediately to settle over yours in your familiar positionโyou beneath him, arms wrapped around his powerful frame, while he nuzzled into your chest like a child seeking solace, his wavy hair tickling your skin, his breath warm against your heartbeat.
Now, an hour later, you could feel your arm growing weary from the ceaseless, hypnotic rhythm of circling your nails over his skin, over and over, the once-razor-sharp stiletto points dulling ever so slightly against the unyielding resilience of his fleshโhis superhuman durability acting like an impromptu nail file, grinding down the tips with each insistent drag. The marks youโd etched across his back had evolved into an intricate web of raised welts, vivid crimson ridges that throbbed with a subtle heat, mapping out the contours of his muscles like battle scars from a war of passion, each one a testament to the hour youโd spent indulging his quiet obsession.
He shifted against you then, his massive frame bearing down with a deliberate press, sinking you deeper into the plush mattress until the sheets molded to your body like a second skin, the springs groaning softly under the strain. It was as if he sensed your fatigue and sought to anchor you further, worried you might slip away into the etherโbut escape was an illusion, utterly futile against the godlike strength coiled in his limbs, his arms encircling your waist with a possessive gentleness that belied his power. If not for those intermittent shifts every few minutesโthe subtle roll of his hips, the nuzzle of his face against the soft swell of your chestโyou might have sworn heโd succumbed to sleep, his breathing deep and measured, a soothing cadence that resonated through your core. Words were scarce in these moments; he preferred the language of touch, nuzzling deeper into the valley between your breasts, his hair tickling your sensitized skin like silk threads, or guiding your hands with a subtle nudge of his shoulder, directing them to the spots that made his breath hitch and his golden eyes flutter half-closed in bliss.
A trail of tender kisses followed, his lips mapping the curve of your shoulder with a scorching heat, each press sending sparks of electricity skittering across your nerves. His tongue emerged, hot and deliberate, laving a slow path over the faint bite mark from your last encounterโa crescent-shaped bruise that had softened to a hazy shadow, edged with the memory of his unrestrained fervor. It was a mark born of excess, one where heโd bitten too hard, the sharp sting making you gasp in that heated instant, convinced that there was blood blooming from the wound. But it had been just the edge of ecstasy, healing swiftly under his apologetic caresses, now a lingering thrill that pulsed faintly under his attention.
Slowly, he began lapping at it with increased intent, his tongue swirling in lazy circles before his teeth grazed the tender flesh in a teasing nip, sending a jolt straight to your core. Then, with a low, rumbling growl that vibrated through your bones, he shifted just an inch to the side, his mouth hovering for a breathless second before sinking his teeth into the unmarred skin thereโfirm, deliberate, the pressure building until it teetered on the brink of pain and pleasure, igniting a fire that made your back arch involuntarily, your nails scraping deeper into his back in reflexive response, carving fresh, jagged lines that elicited a muffled groan from him.
โEasy, Sentryโฆโ You whispered, your voice a breathy plea laced with heat, your thighs clenching instinctively around his torso, the lace of your panties shifting against his hips as you sought friction. The bite lingered for a heartbeat longer, his jaw flexing with restrained power, before he pulled off with a wet pop, his tongue immediately soothing the indentationsโdeep, tooth-marked impressions blooming against your skin, already swelling with the promise of a new bruise.
โSorryโฆSorry, I know I have to control myself,โ He replied, his voice rough and ragged, thick with desire as he pressed his forehead against the throbbing spot, his breath coming in hot puffs that fanned the sensitized area. His body trembled faintly atop yours, his eagerness bubbling beneath the surface as a subtle surge of his powers escaped, the air humming with static, the bedside lamp flickering like a candle in the wind.
โYou can biteโฆJust donโt take a chunk out of my skinโฆโ You joked, your tone light but edged with a sultry tease, dragging one hand up the expanse of his back in a slow, deliberate trail, feeling the welts rise under your nails before tangling your fingers into his thick hair. You squeezed at the roots, tugging gently but firmly, eliciting a low, throaty hum from him as your other hand carved lazy, intricate shapes into his lower backโswirls and lines that grazed just above the waistband of his pants, dipping teasingly close to the dimples at the base of his spine, feeling the heat radiating from his skin like a furnace.
โI think I can manage that,โ He stated, his words a husky promise laced with a boyish grin you could feel against your collarbone, before bringing his mouth back down, hovering for a tantalizing moment. Then, with cautious precision, he sank his teeth into the tender flesh thereโslowly at first, the pressure building in exquisite increments, his canines pressing deep enough to send waves of heat pooling between your legs. A growl escaped him, primal and unrestrained, as his hips rutted instinctively against yours, the hard length of his erection grinding through the fabric of his pants and your thin panties, thick and insistent, throbbing with need as it nudged against your core.
The friction was electric, sending sparks shooting up your spine, your breath hitching as you felt every ridge, every pulse of him rutting againโslow, deliberate rolls that mimicked the rhythm of his bite, his body seeking more even as he held back, the air crackling with another faint power surge that made your skin tingle and the sheets shift beneath you. You moaned softly, your nails digging deeper in response, urging him on as the heat between you built to a fever pitch, the line between pain and pleasure blurring into something utterly intoxicating.
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Can I request a Bob Floyd fanfic with the prompt: โeveryone else might be buying it, but iโm not. whatโs wrong?"
Reader is having a bad day but she tries to act like everything is fine around the others but Bob notice and wants to be there for reader.
Thank you in advance
โeveryone else might be buying it, but iโm not. whatโs wrong?โ
a/n: heyy!! thanks so much for sending this in! i looooove this with him. heโs so comforting <3
word count: 1.8k
warnings: reader having a bad day, descriptions of feeling bad
500 followers celebration
lewis masterlist
your hands strain against the cold tile often he bathroom sink. deep breath in through your nose and a long exhale from your mouth, a breathing exercise you were taught but you doubt it helps at all. not with the way you're feeling right now, anyway.
none the less, you breathe deep again. you turn the faucet on and place a hand under the cold water, letting it run over your hot hand hoping for a bit of relief. you grab a paper towel and wet it and lay it on the back of your neck. your body temperature decreases and you don't feel so pent up.
"okay," you whisper to yourself, "everything's okay, you're okay,"
you throw the paper towel away and stay your hands on a new one, tossing that one too. you open the door and step out into the big atrium. people litter the space, making small talk and shaking hands.
nothing special happening just a regular morning, but it didn't make the deep weight on your chest lift any.
"mornin sunshine," hangman greets you as he walks through the front doors, late as always, โhow are you doin this rainy morning?โ
"hangman. fine," you push a smile across your face, "you ever gonna be on time?"
he shrugs and lifts his coffee cup, "better to have this in me and late than early and irradiated,"
"guess we'll take it," you force a small laugh and follow him through the hallways silently.
the conference room was full of the daggers, everyone surrounding the table with either sleepy eyes or wide awake ones. mav stands at the front, swiping through some papers getting ready for the debrief.
phoenix pulls out the chair next to her and you slide onto it and sit back with crossed arms. there was small chatter happening all around and your eyes scan the table. packets set out and your eyes move up to everyone. bob makes you stop your scanning, settling on him for a moment.
he gives you a smile, but his brows are furrowed. his eyes squint at you like he's studying you, trying to look into you. you pull away turning to phoenix.
"you ready for today?" she asks with her head back against the chair, her own arms crossed at her chest and lazy smile.
"guess so, don't really have choice do we?" you give her the same force laughter you gave to hangman and it works. she takes it.
โyou alright? still good for everyone coming over tonight?โ she asks with furrowed brows and questioning expression.
you didnโt want to lie, especially not to her but you didnโt want to have a whole talk right now. so you give a tight lipped smile and nod and gave her much reassurance.
mav clears his throat and begins the meeting. his voice drones on in your ears, your mind retaining barley anything. it was hard to focus when you felt like this. an emptiness that could never really be filled, just waiting for the feeling to slip away.
when lunch finally came around the feeling was still sitting deep in your bones, you could feel the weight of it pulling you down.
โhello sunshine!โ roosters voice finally drew you out of your blank stare at the table, your food untouched, โyou doin okay over there,โ
you push a smile and sit up, โyeah, yeah. just tired is all, weather isnโt helping either,โ
โit is nasty out there, doubt weโll go up,โ his voice trailed off in your ears, turning into mumbling. you eyes lock back on your food, hands pulling at a thread on the side of your pants.
something taps your foot, you look down and see the WSOs shoe next to yours. you look up at the man across from you. his eyes are soft, they always are, and his eyebrows are in the same position they were this morning. a questioning expression on his face, asking the question youโve been avoiding from him.
you push back from the table and stand, grabbing your lunch and throwing it away as you go back to the bathroom. it was a rough day, and it didnโt seem like it was going to give any time soon.
when you were finally able to get back home to your shared apartment with phoenix, you fell onto the couch with a quiet groan.
โeveryone will be here in ten, so look alive,โ
โwe spent all day with them, like we always do.โ you whine. the headache behind your eye was pushing harder against your skull and you didnโt know if you could handle another how ever many hours of the squad.
there was a knock at the door and you slipped away to your room for just a little bit more alone time before putting on another fake smile.
you almost felt guilty. youโd prayed for days and nights like these, working with friends and then having fun nights with them. and now here you were wanting to do nothing but lay in bed with noise canceling headphones.
tears began to fill your eyes as the overwhelming feeling in chest rose. your mind spinning as you tried to push the feeling away but it was no use. you couldnโt stop the immense feeling of needing to screaming.
a knock sounded at your door now. you swallowed your tears and fears, wiping your eyes and taking a deep breath.
โgive me a second!โ you shout but the person knocks again, โi said give-โ you open the door, expect phoenix to be the one on the other side about to beg you to come out but she isnโt there.
bob stands in a white t shirt and grey sweatpants, tube socks covering his feet from the cold floor. one hand in his pocket and the other leaning on your door frame.
you hide your face from him, โbob, iโll uh ill be out in a second justโฆโ your voice trailed off.
he pushes through your door gently, guiding you back and closing the door.
โare you okay?โ he asks in such a gentle voice it almost breaks you.
you look up at him, another forced smile, โiโm fine, we can go,โ
you start to walk around him but he grabs your wrist and pulls you back kindly. you turn back to him, your smile beginning to waver.
โeveryone else might be buying it, but iโm not. whatโs wrong?โ his voice is firm, heโs not one to back down. he wasnโt leaving until he knew what was wrong and how he could fix it.
โnothing,โ you close your eyes and scratch your forehead, โbob, iโm fine. i justโฆ itโs been a long day,โ
his hand squeezes yours, your name coming from his name so softly when you hear it your hard exterior breaks. the weight of the day and your mind and the emptiness falls out. it pours from your eyes and a loud sighs breaks from your vocal cords.
โiโve just had a really bad day,โ you breathe out through tears.
bob pulls your hand again, bringing you to his chest. his arms around your shoulders, caging you into his space and letting you release everything that been pent up throughout the day.
your arms hug his torso, holding onto him so tightly like someone was about to rip you off of him. your hands fisted his t shirt as a small sob escaped your lips.
one of his hand coming up to cup the back of your head, โwhat can i do?โ
โthis,โ you tell him in the most genuine tone. being held by him, the feeling a safety he gave you on the moment was almost curing the feeling.
โi feel awful. i donโt even know why,โ you try to explain, โthe whole day has just been me staring and not being able to focus. i couldnโt do anything but stare today. nothing was happening in head, nothing. i wanted to talk, i wanted to talk at lunch with everyone about what new show they were all watching, i wanted to talk about what weโre doing tonight. i want to go out there and be with everyone but i justโฆโ you sigh, โi cant.โ
โitโs okay,โ he coos.
โi feel so utterly bad. i have no desire to interact with anyone. this is all ive ever wanted and yet here i am, crying about an overwhelming feeling that i canโt get rid off,โ
โno oneโs asking you to put on a smile,โ he tells you, a soft kiss to your head, โyou donโt want to go out there? donโt. theyโll understand. youโre allowed to not want to do something. youโre allowed to want to be alone. none of thisโฆโ he pulls back and lifts your head to look at him, โnone of us are going to disappear. weโll be tomorrow and the next day.โ
โand the day after that?โ
he smiles with a light laugh, โand the day after that,โ he assures you.
you lay your forehead against his shoulder, โyou always know what to say,โ
โyouโre not the only eh feels like this. youโre not alone,โ his voice finally being the one to penetrate through the feeling and not be mumbles.
โthank you,โ
he nudges his shoulder, you take the hint and lift your head. his hand cusp your jaw, his thumb brushing the skin of your cheek, his eyes looking deep into yours, โiโm always here. iโll never leave you, hear me?โ
you hand grasps his wrist, yours staying on his, waiting for his next move. his head leans down, yours rises-
a knock sounds on your door again, โeverything okay?โ phoenixโs sounds through the door. you hang your head and for the first time today a genuine, real smile spreads on your face.
โyeah! iโll be out in a second,โ bob shouts and you can hear her footsteps retreat.
he looks down at you, โget shower and rest,โ
โno, i can go-โ
your name comes out as a plead, โrest, i can entrain em i promise,โ
โthank you,โ you hug him again, and when you pull back you rise and kiss his cheek.
he walks to the door, heat rises up his neck and his ears hot. his cheeks growing into a shade of pink. he opens the door and steps out.
โsheโs getting some sleep, let her be,โ he looks back to you, sending you a wink before closing the door.
you do as he told you. a hot shower, loose pajamas, and your bed. you sink into your mattress and fall asleep with a small smile.
a/n: hey! thanks for reading <3. wanted to remind you itโs okay to rest. you deserve to rest. yes you do. treat yourself, take care of yourself. you. deserve. it.
A/n- silly little bt of fluff for my husband bob<3 also Iโm really sorry i got the prompt a little mixed up and i made it established relationship instead of pre relationship and i just now realised it but i hope u donโt mind it
requested by- @iristheplanet16
Bob's room looked like a storm had blown through it.
His wardrobe, which was usually organized, was entirely emptied out with clothes covering every surface of the floor.
The drawers were half emptied, and most of his things were piled up on his bed and the floor.
While Bob himself was lying flat on his back with his phone's flashlight shining in his hand as he attempted to peek under his wardrobe.
He'd woken up and had felt slightly cold, so he'd decided on wearing his favourite hoodie.
But much to his surprise, it was nowhere to be found.
At first, he'd thought he must've left in the laundry or to dry but it was at neither of those places.
Then, he thought he might've tucked it in some corner of his wardrobe. Although that was highly unlikely since that hoodie always clung to him like a second skin.
He blew out an exasperated breath as he failed to recall where he might've left it.
At last, he ventured out of his room into the living room to find you, in hopes that you might have some idea about his beloved hoodie's whereabouts.
"Darling have you seen my -" the words died on his tongue as his gaze fell on you.
He looked at you, eyes wide open, mouth agape .
You were curled up on the couch, coffee in one hand and your phone in the other.
But it wasn't what you were doing that had caused him to be taken off guard.
ย You were wearing his hoodie, the very hoodie he'd turned the entire watchtower upside down trying to find.
And he was in love with how it looked on you.
ย It was, of course, far too big for you. The sleeves were pushed way up and bunched up around your elbows, and the hoodie practically reached up to your legs.
But seeing you in his hoodie, made him feel a sudden warmth in his chest. And suddenly, he didn't even need the hoodie anymore.
โHmm?โ you asked, l00king up from your phone.
You quickly set it down as you saw the look on his, "is something wrong, love? " you asked, concern washing over your features. "are you okay?"
"Y-yeah" Bob gulped. "Yeah I'm great!" he nodded.
โOkay thatโs goodโ your features relaxed. โWhat were you gonna ask me?" you pouted.
"Oh it's just-" Bob took in the sight of you. "You're wearing my hoodie," he pointed out.
You blinked, "Oh" .
You looked down at the hoodie, "Yeah I got up this morning and it was kind of cold so I saw it and I just put it on," you explained.
"but really, I had been looking for an excuse to wear this for a while now," you chuckled.
A smile tugged at the corners of Bob's lips.
"it's so warm and fluffy, it's like i could sink it" you shifted in your seat to make space for Bob, who was heading your direction.
"it is, yeah" he smiled as he sat down next to you and wrapped his arm around you.
"oh and I can just pull the-" you set down your cup and pulled the cap of the hoodie over your head. "the cap's so big for me, it covers half my face, so I look like the main character from assassin's creed" you grinned as you explained.
Bob chuckled before slowly moving the cap away from your face and planting a kiss to your lips.
"You know," he began. "I was actually going crazy looking for this" he brushed his hand across the sleeve of the hoodie.
"my room is a complete mess, " he let out a slow, breathy laugh.
Your lips curled into a frown, "Oh no I didn't want to make you worry I'll help you clean up your room".
"Oh no don't apologise" Bob held your hand in his. "I love seeing you in this..." he slowly lifted a shoulder. "in my clothes".
You smiled.
"Okay good cuz I've been eyeing one of your flannels.." you began.
Bob laughed again, louder this time. "You can take whatever you like darling," he mumbled against your lips before kissing you once again.
Summary: You're the new doctor hired by Valentina for the Thunderbolts. After seeing how injured they were after the missions, Val decided she couldn't lose her biggest fish. Everyone is delighted with your service, but you've only stolen one's heart.
Warnings: fluff, general mentions of health, medic stuff (maybe a bit inaccurate, sorry) and injuries/wounds (nothing graphic), mutual pinning, idiots in love, y/n use (just once), barely mention of past drug adiction, English isn't my first language so there may be grammatical mistakes, no proofread
"Well, you're healthy, Mr. Barnes," you said happily.
"You know you can use the familiar form with me, right?" he replied with a smile.
You turned to look at him. "I know, but I prefer to tease you." You laughed amusedly and he imitated you.
Bucky got off the stretcher with your help and put on his jacket. He said goodbye with a smile and left, closing the door to your office. Valentina had ordered a medical room built just for you. The memory of the moment she made the decision after seeing Walker almost lose a leg is still vivid in everyone's mind.
Outside the room, the entire team except for Bob was sitting side by side waiting to be seen, a simple routine checkup. Still, it was a great relief to their slightly tense and nervous bodies to see Bcuky come out with a big smile. He looked at them. "What? Oh, come on, it's not that bad, she doesn't bite," he said, almost comically.
"We know, we're not chickens," John replied arrogantly, but he moved his leg anxiously.
Meanwhile, you were inside your living room, cleaning the place and your utensils while looking at the list Valentina had given you. There weren't many, but you wanted to be sure; Yelena was next. You opened the door and called her.
"Miss Belova, you're next"
The blonde sighed and stood up with a grunt. "Alright, wish me luck."
You greeted her with a warm smile and politely instructed her to remove her heavier clothing and sit on the stretcher. She obeyed, and you began to listen to her heartbeat.
"Take a deep breath please" she did and you continued passing the stethoscope over her chest "Okay, now with your mouth open"
You continued your work, and suddenly she laughed lightly at the cold, round part of the utensil against her skin. Her smile was wide and youthful, and she looked cute. "Sorry, it tickles."
You laughed too, understanding. "I understand, it's okay. Your heart is fine anyway."
You continued examining her, asking her to stand on the scale, then measuring her, checking her eyes and ears, etc. While you were doing all this, Yelena's body relaxed, even making jokes, feeling comfortable with your presence. You quickly wrote everything down in a notebook and smiled at her.
"Well, everything's fine for now. You'd better stay that way when you go on missions and when you come back."
She laughed amused "It will be difficult but I will try, I don't promise anything tho, doctor"
When Yelena left, everyone noticed that, like Bucky, she looked smiling and more relaxed. Before leaving, she commented, "He was right. I don't know why we were so scared."
Walker grimaced. "I wasn't scared."
"whatever you say.."
At that moment you peeked through the door again. "Please let Mr. Walker come in."
Upon hearing his name, John sat up straighter in his seat as if a spring had been activated, and his body tensed, alert. Then he looked at the others and cleared his throat, standing up. "You'll see how it's done, so you won't be afraid later."
Ava laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, good luck with that, Captain."
And so, for hours on end, the patients passed by. Walker entered with a bit of arrogance, trying to hide his obvious nerves, but you were kind to him, and he had to admit it was no big deal. Alexei entered the room, and since he was too tall, he almost collided with the door frame and clumsily tripped over a table. He was also very talkative, even when you needed him to be quiet. He couldn't help but tell you anecdotes about his native Russia. Even so, you listened to him patiently and amused. Alexei left, more cheerful and cheerful than when he came in. When Ava's turn came, everything was quick and silent. She didn't talk much, but she was obedient and helpful. You liked her; her stillness was a pleasant contrast to the previous super soldier.
Sitting in your chair, you sighed a little tiredly. Luckily, there was only one patient left: Bob. You opened the door and called out to him, but no one answered. The other team members had been waiting; they didn't want to miss his reaction upon seeing you, but he hadn't arrived yet.
"Mr. Reynolds, you're next!" You raised your voice so it could be heard throughout the hallway.
Nothing.
Silence.
With your hands on your hips, your brow furrowed in concern. The others also didn't understand what was happening, since they hadn't seen their friend for most of the day. Yelena was about to open her mouth, gesturing to go look for him, when they all heard hurried footsteps and panting.
"Sorry!! I'm here now" said Bob catching his breath
But when he saw you, he gasped again. You were standing there with a big smile as if you were genuinely happy to see him, like someone who hasn't seen their best friend in years. You didn't seem angry; on the contrary, your gaze was warm and relieved. Ava snapped her fingers to get his attention.
"where the hell were you, huh?"
"I uh was... uhm" his mind went blank and he didn't know what to say
Yelena grabbed his arms "It doesn't matter, now go in there at once" she pointed to where you were
Bob nodded and approached you. You invited him in with a loving smile and closed the door. When he entered, a strong smell of disinfectant invaded his nose. The room was very bright and spacious, but he felt a little intimidated. The doctors always scared him, and he didn't know what to do. He just waited for your orders. He stood stiffly in his place with his arms crossed in front of him until you spoke.
"Okay, please take off your clothes and then sit on the stretcher. You can change in that dressing room."
Bob quickly walked to where you pointed and took off his shoes and shirt, leaving only his bare torso. Before leaving, he folded his clothes and heard you exclaim.
"You had us worried, I thought something bad had happened to you"
Curious. You said "I thought" instead of "we thought." Were you implying that you genuinely cared about him? Bob shook off those thoughts and swallowed. "I'm sorry. I just went to get something and was late."
You hummed happily in response. But the truth was different: Bob was afraid of doctors. They reminded him of his drug addiction, and even though that phase was long behind him, that fear still lingered. What would happen if you found something wrong with him? Was it possible to detect an anomaly, even if you were a super soldier? Bob took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and left the locker room. You turned to look at him with a smile and immediately pursed your lipsโnot in a bad way, of course, but you hadn't expected his body to be so toned. Bob blushed a little, and you diligently looked away.
"Alright Mr. Reynolds, please get on the stretcher. I'll start by listening to your heartbeat"
He smiled as soon as he heard his last name. No one called him that, but he thought it was polite and sweet. He sat down and said, "You can call me Bob. Everyone calls me that." His tone was soft and low.
The smile that formed on your face was sweet and made your cheeks swell like red apples. "Okay, Bob. Thanks for your vote of confidence."
He puffed out his chest a little and a shy chuckle escaped him. You really were fascinating and kind, even though he had barely met you. You put on the stethoscope and before resting it on his skin you commented, "The stethoscope might tickle because it's cold. That happened to Yelena." You laughed.
Your contagious laugh made him laugh too, and Bob thought everything would be fine. But as soon as you placed the utensil on his chest, he got nervous; he couldn't help it. Your closeness and your gaze on his bare chest made his breathing shallower and his hands sweaty. You were just doing your job, but you were so pretty and so polite to him that Bob couldn't help but blush. He closed his eyes, concentrating on staying calm.
After finishing you took off your stethoscope "Well I don't find anything wrong but you're a little agitated, have you been running?"
When you looked at him his face was as red as a strawberry "Uh yeah! yeah uhm it's that I had to run or else I would have been late..." he said not very convinced
You smiled at him, understanding that he might be nervous about the doctor's appointment. Getting regular checkups could be stressful, and that was normal; there was nothing wrong with that. But they were necessary.
"Okay, I'll take your blood pressure anyway just in case. Would you mind extending your arm please?"
He obeyed without complaint. How could he if you were so kind as to ask for things? You placed the elastic fabric band over his muscular bicep, and he trembled a little at the touch of your fingers. You giggled. "Don't worry, it won't hurt. It'll just feel a little tight, okay? Tell me if it's too much or if it bothers you."
He nodded again and took a deep breath. The band began to tighten on his arm, and he winced as his bicep felt like it was going to explode from all the pressure, until the discomfort eased and he breathed a sigh of relief. You raised an eyebrow and tilted your head; he looked at you, frightened.
"What? Is everything all right?"
You nodded. "Well, your blood pressure is a little high, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. Besides, if you were running, it's logical that your blood pumps more."
He let out an airy chuckle and nodded. He was actually embarrassed to admit that you were the one making him nervous and pumping more blood. As time passed, you continued to examine him, always with a smile and kind words. You were more talkative than he was, but that didn't bother Bob. On the contrary, it made him feel more secure since you never spoke quickly; it was always at a slow and gentle pace, sometimes whispering or laughing gently. And that had Bob's head spinning, in a good way.
"Okay Bob, everything is in perfect order as it should be. You can go," you smiled warmly.
He blinked uncertainly, "So... I'm healthy?"
You laughed. "Yeah, of course! Why wouldn't you be?" He shrugged shyly, and you said understandingly. "Listen, Bob, your body is healthy, yeah? But if you notice any signs that your body isn't right, just tell me. Remember, the body talks... and so does the mind."
He looked at you and listened attentively, nodding slowly. So you were also a wise counselor now? Valentina couldn't have chosen a better option, and Bob would be eternally grateful to her for that. You spoke again.
"Healthy mind. Healthy body, Mr. Reynolds." You laughed, then covered your mouth in embarrassment, raising your eyebrows. "Oh, sorry. I mean Bob."
He shook his head laughing happily "Don't worry, it sounds nice coming from you" It was adorable how you tried hard to respect his words
For the first time, your confidence wavered, and you tilted your head, blushing and smiling. You turned around, searching a drawer for something and handing it to him. It was a red lollipop. "Here, for you. For being such a good patient."
He looked at the candy in confusion and grabbed it. "I thought they only gave that to children." He smiled.
You shrugged. "Wrong. Lollipops are for those who behave well, whether they're children or adults." Then you added in a low tone, "Or for those I like..." You winked.
He chuckled, "Well, thank you, doctor. I've never received a lollipop..."
"You can tell me Y/n" you said sweetly
As he left, Bob savored the cherry popsicle with gusto and smiled at the same time. The others saw him and asked him how it went.
He said almost in one breath, "Oh, she's wonderful. She's warm, polite, and kind. She said I was healthy, which surprised me, but if she says so, then I trust her. And she always has such a beautiful smile on her face. It reminds me of the sun reflecting off the sea, and... Oh! She also gave me this lollipop for being good!"
Bob looked like a happy puppy, which doesn't happen often, but when it did, it was like seeing a rainbow. It doesn't happen every day, but when it is, it's beautiful. The team looked at him skeptically and suspiciously. Alexei was the first to speak.
"Oh ho ho, so you like the doctor!"
He got nervous "I didn't say that"
"Well, it's true that she was very kind to us, but she didn't give us a lollipop!"
"Maybe you guys didn't behave so well..." he said in a low voice
Yelena rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. The important thing here is that everyone is healthy. Now, who's hungry?"
Everyone raised their hands and went to the nearest fast food place to order takeout.
John was the last to leave and he grunted softly.
"I wanted a lollipop..."
รรรรร
Ellipsis~
The days passed, and you were no longer new to the tower; you'd grown accustomed to your job, and they had grown accustomed to you. Sometimes they arrived badly injured, and you understood why Valentina had hired you. More than once, you had to stop a hemorrhage or reposition a bone (luckily, none of Bob's). And speaking of the devil, Bob was your favorite patient; you connected with him better than with the others, and it became a habit for you to use the familiar form of address and end the session by giving him a lollipop, whether cherry, orange, or grape.
Sometimes his heart rate was still high and he kept saying it was from running, but over time you learned to realize that his heart, although healthy, already had another place.
Summary: actions speak louder than words, or all the ways john shows you he loves you in his own john walker kind of way. or the rest of the thunderbolts are getting creeped out by his "sudden" fondness for you.
Pairings: john walker x fem!reader/thunderbolts!reader
Warnings: john going through some self doubts after his divorce, early beginning stages of a relationship, he can be harsh, but he means well, fluff, language, fem!reader with vague descriptions, little to no use of y/n, and proofreadhish.
WC: 2K
Author's Note: first time writing for john walker (: hope you guys like it and feedback is always appreciated. ๐ซถ
bob's version II yelena's version II marvel masterlist
fixing/adjusting your tactical suit
John Walker is a man of action, always has been, always will be. He's not good with words...well, not anymore. He used to be soft, gentle, caring, knowing the right things to say, but that was when he still had Olivia.
People probably wouldn't recognize the kind of man he was during Olivia's pregnancy, but that was before his fall from grace. And now he's all brute force, punching first and asking questions later; he hides behind sarcasm and bluntness that borders on rudeness.
He knows he's an asshole. The Thunderbolts know it, and sometimes, on the rare occasion, you do too, but you know there's more to him. He just has a hard time saying what he means.
What he wants.
It's quiet, how it usually is before a mission. A sense of anticipation and adrenaline fills the space. Bucky is flying the plane, Bob is co-pilot, Yelena, you, and John are in the back of the aircraft.
Yelena has her eyes closed, mentally running through the plan for the mission. She feels you getting up from next to her, and you wander over to the storage area. She hears a heavy set of footsteps follow you.
She cracks an eye open and sees it's Walker who followed you, and she sits up, ready if she needs to intervene if he pushes your buttons. You have a tendency to get short-tempered before missions. A combination of your anxiety and pre-mission jitters.
The past few months, she has noticed a change in Walker's behavior around you, but she can't put her finger on it. He's like a silent shadow where you are; he's not far behind. Ava jokes about how he acts like a guard dog.
A well-trained guard dog who waits for their owner's permission to jump into action, because everyone on the team knows you can hold your own.
Yelena watches as your hand twitches next to your side, the other running along the edge of one of your knives hidden in your tactical vest. She can barely hear what Walker is saying to you over the hum of the aircraft.
You're slouched against the wall, eyes on the ground, as he continues to talk to you. Probably repeating the plan to you, not like he hasn't already done so twice.
Yelena is about to get up and rescue you from him when she sees him shift. It's not subtle, probably because he doesn't think anyone is watching the two of you. Walker is surrounding you. His stance is too intimate to be considered camaraderie.
Your body language changes, opens up, allows him to come closer, a silent sign that says you need him to be close to you.
"You need to get out of your head," John says, his tone is blunt, but his eyes tell a different story.
"Right," you mutter, eyes still locked on his boots.
John heavily sighs, and suddenly, his hand is under your chin, tilting your head up so you're looking at him.
"Your overthinking can't be a liability on this mission."
Your eyes narrow. "I said. I got it." You try pushing his hand away, his grip on you tightens slightly, not in a painful way, but as a silent warning.
"Hey, we're about to land soon," Yelena calls out, as your eyes remain locked on his.
He finally drops his hand, but doesn't step away from you. You're about to brush past him when his hand reaches out to stop you.
Yelena watches as he mutters something and then, in a very brisk way, starts adjusting your tactical vest. She sees a slight smile on your face as he does so.
defending your honor
A month later, you, Ava, and John have hit a slight hitch in your mission that has led you all the way to Montreal.
The three of you have been tracking a group of mercenaries and have been ordered by Captain America himself to bring them back to D.C.
The three of you are currently negotiating with the Montreal police regarding the extradition process. Even though you have the proper paperwork.
Ava is leaning against the wall, watching as you and John deal with the police. She observes you two. The pair of you are like magnets. You move, he moves. She finds it sickening how you and Walker are unconsciously moving as one.
She can tell that Walker is about to blow a fuse with the way his hands are clenched. It's fleeting, but she sees you reach out and touch his thigh.
A few moments later, it's a full-blown shouting match between Walker and the captain of the station, standing toe to toe. The captain throws an uncalled-for derogatory term at you, and Walker loses it.
Walker lunges for the man, but you're suddenly there, on a hand on Walker's tense shoulder, and you're saying something to him. Your face is livid, and John reluctantly backs off, but not before glancing at your face.
Ava hovers behind, not sure if she should step in or if it would make matters worse. You manage to shove Walker back a few feet before turning your attention back to the captain.
Later, the three of you are waiting to be picked up, and Ava overhears a bit of conversation between you and Walker.
"...don't know what you were thinking," you hiss at him.
"I know, I know. But c'mon, the way he was talking to you was completely-"
"And I could've handled it."
"I know you could have, but you don't have to."
She hears you sigh. "You stress me out, sometimes."
Ava walks in just as you're pulling away from Walker, and she has her suspicions. She can't believe you have a soft spot for John Walker, who she thinks is the walking epitome of masculine stupidity.
patching you up
Bob didn't mean to walk in on you and John. He didn't even know he was walking into anything until he saw how gentle John was being with you.
"Ow, ow, ow! I'm saying ow!" Bob hears your loud voice coming from your open bedroom.
"Shut up and sit still." That's definitely John's voice, and why is he in your room?
Bob wanders down the wall to your room and finds an empty room, but the voices are coming from the conjoined bathroom. Bob follows the voices and sees you perched up on the bathroom counter.
John is standing between your legs and is in the middle of stitching up a large gash on your upper arm that makes Bob's stomach churn. In his opinion, you should see an actual doctor.
Bob is about to say something when he realizes that you and John haven't even realized he's standing right there. John is focused on your arm, and you're staring at his concentrated face with amusement and adoration.
Bob doesn't think he's seen John so focused unless it's mission-related. Or the gentle way he's holding your arm as he inspects his stitch work.
"Do you think it'll leave a badass scar?" You ask, glancing down at your arm.
John quietly chuckles. "That's your concern? Not that fact I found you bleeding out 10 minutes ago."
"I wasn't bleeding out. I had it under control."
"Sweetheart, you were trying to patch yourself up with Band-Aids."
"Well, thank goodness you showed up in time," you reply and hand him a roll of gauze. He carefully wraps your arm and absentmindedly tosses the gauze aside.
Bob isn't expecting you to wrap your arms around John's neck, and he suddenly has the urge to flee. He does so, but not before bumping into the door frame.
"Bob," you happily call out, shoving John out of the way as you hop down. Bob sees how John reaches out to you, his hand finding your hip.
showing interest in something you like
Bucky had stopped by the tower on a Sunday afternoon. He needed to drop off some important documents. What he didn't expect to find was John Walker sitting in the living room watching some reality TV show.
Bucky finds it odd. He just stands behind the couch and stares at what John is watching. He forgot the name of the show, but he does know it's something you like to watch in your spare time.
He vaguely remembers you trying to get anybody on the team to watch it with you. He definitely recalls Walker making fun of you for enjoying something so, in his words, stupid.
"Walker," Bucky says, but John doesn't even flinch.
"Yeah?"
"What are you doing?" Bucky can't hide his amused tone. John turns around and blankly looks at him.
"Just channel surfing."
Bucky smirks at him. "Uh-huh." Bucky hears rushed footsteps and a shout of excitement as you come running into the living room.
You completely ignore Bucky and leap onto the couch right next to John.
"Oh my god! You're watching it without me." You reach out and hit him.
John tries to play it off. "I was just channel surfing and this was the only thing on."
Bucky rolls his eyes.
"So, have Nev and Kamie started their investigation yet?"
John snorts. "Cute, you call it an investigation."
"Uh, yeah, that's what they do."
John turns to you. "These people do realize Google is a thing, right? I can't believe this woman thinks she's been in an online relationship with Brad Pitt for two years. I mean, come on."
Bucky has no idea what John is ranting on about, but from the expression on your face, Bucky can tell it means something to you.
You're smiling at John. "So you are invested in the show?"
John huffs. "I suppose it's rewarding when the catfish turns out to be the actual person."
"I knew you would like it." You lean into his side, and he lifts his arm, wrapping it around you.
Your eyes return to the TV, but John's remain fixed on your face, admiring you.
"Catfish like the actual fish?" Bucky asks.
letting you have the first/last bite of their food
Alexei is a foodie, and John Walker is secretly as foodie as well. The one thing Alexei knows and the rest of the team knows is that John never shares his food.
So he is absolutely floored when he keeps seeing John share his food with you like it's second nature. The first time it happens, he thinks he's seeing things.
The whole team is out on the town, a very rare occasion. They're all at a bar. Ava and Yelena are playing darts. Alexei, Bob, and Bucky are sitting at the table. You and John are getting drinks at the bar.
Once everyone is back at the table, you're sitting next to John, murmuring something into his ear. The food arrives, and it's slightly chaotic. Everyone is reaching out for their food.
Alexei does notice how you're not reaching out for yours. He's about to say something when he sees John holding out his untouched burger to you.
At first, Alexei thinks John is silently asking if you think it looks okay, but the next thing he knows, you're taking a bite out of it. John silently urges you to eat more, but you shake your head and finally reach out to grab your own food.
Alexei is flabbergasted. He remembers the one and only time he tried to "playfully" steal some fries from John's face, and it ended up in a literal wrestling match.
The second time, Alexei is waiting for it. He's ready to call John out, maybe tease him about it.
Yelena and Bob have baked their infamous cookies, and it's all-out war when it comes to who gets them. Alexei gets there too late and runs into John, who's leaving the kitchen.
"Don't tell me, they're all gone," Alexei groans.
"Afraid so," John replies and claps him on the back. Alexei spots John pulling something from his hoodie pocket, and he follows him all the way to your bedroom.
John doesn't even knock. He walks in, and Alexei can hear your excited shout of "Oh my god, are those the cookies?"
And Alexei definitely knows something is going on between you and John when he sees you two constantly sharing the same spoon or fork.
Summary: all the ways bob reynolds has been showing you his quiet acts of love or the rest of the team starts to notice his peculiar behavior around you. or the thunderbolts finally realize you and bob are dating.
Pairings: bob reynolds x fem!reader/thunderbolts!reader
Warnings: quiet acts of services, established relationship, bob being bob, fluff, language, fem!reader with vague descriptions, fem!reader has hair long enough to be put in a ponytail, little to no use of y/n, and proofreadish.
WC: 1.7K
Author's Note: me trying to get back on my bob reynolds grind so i can finish his other stories :') feedback is always appreciated (:
bob reynolds masterlist II other masterlists II john walker's version II yelena's version
zipping up your coat
Yelena is the first one to notice Bob's odd behavior. She first saw how he would always find a place beside you, whether it was during a briefing or a random "team bonding" dinner that Alexei had made a weekly thing and everyone else begrudgingly said yes to.
She would watch the way Bob's eyes scanned the room and how his body would relax the moment he saw that you were there. The way he would gravitate to your side, pulling out the chair, and sliding a little too close to your side.
It wasn't too obvious, but Yelena sees everything. She didn't mention it, just brushing it off as Bob being Bob. He's finally grown comfortable with the rest of the team, and he has a tendency to cling to certain people. Certain people, such as you, her, and sometimes Bucky, depending on Bucky's mood.
The first time Yelena had her suspicions about you and Bob's relationship was when you were heading out to meet up with Kate.
Yelena and Bob are in the living room when you wander in, coat on, but unzipped. Yelena notices how Bob's body language changes. He sits up as you draw nearer.
"Okay, I'm off. Do you want me to pick you up anything while I'm out?" You ask them.
Bob shakes his head as Yelena says. "Yeah, those fancy cookies from that one place I like."
"Okay, that narrows it down," you sarcastically say and head for the elevators. Yelena lifts a brow when Bob jumps up and rushes over to you before the elevator opens.
She can't quite hear what he says, but whatever it is makes you smile at him and touch his arm. Your touch lingers, then slides down to his hand.
It looks like you're about to lean into him when the elevator dings. You say something to Bob and wave at Yelena. Bob's hand grips yours, stopping you, and then Yelena watches as he casually zips up your coat.
Your eyes share a silent conversation with his, and then Bob's stepping back, watching as you enter the elevator.
"did you eat today?" softly dusting crumbs off their cheeks while eating
John Walker may be a divorced man, but he still remembers what it's like to take care of a partner, whether it be romantic or platonic. He just didn't expect Bob to be the one looking out for you.
He walks in on you and Bob in the kitchen. He's a little surprised to see you both up since you and Bob are both night owls. He hangs back before he makes his presence known.
He watches the way Bob moves around the kitchen, comfortably and almost confidently. You're sitting at the counter, chatting with Bob, who's making breakfast. John rarely sees Bob so open and relaxed; it's only when he's with you or Yelena that his walls start to come down.
"...anyways, I'm finally glad I'm back," you say as Bob's eyes remain on you as he starts cracking some eggs in a bowl.
"And you somehow managed to survive a week-long mission with Alexei," Bob jokes.
"Barely. I don't know what was worse, his cooking or him retelling his glory war days."
"Well, at least you're back and you can have some of my infamous breakfast."
"That does sound promising, but I'm so beat. I think I'll grab something later."
Bob frowns. "When was the last time you ate? Did you eat today?" He knows you haven't, and that worries him.
"Bob-"
"C'mon. Please, for me? I make the best pancakes."
John watches as you and Bob stare at each other before you finally give in.
"Fine, but I'm helping." You jump off the stool and join Bob at the counter. Bob looks pleased and starts instructing you on how to start the pancake batter.
Bob stands close as you start mixing the pancake mix.
"No, like this," Bob says, and moves to stand behind you. His arms wrap around yours, his hands cover yours as he helps you get the clumps out.
You smirk. "You could've just told me."
Bob smirks. "Didn't you say you're a visual learner?" You jab his stomach, he laughs, but doesn't move away. John finally walks into view, but you two remain glued to each other.
"Oh, morning, John," you say with your usual friendly smile. "We're making pancakes, do you want some?"
John is still trying to wrap his head around the scene before him. "Uh...sure." He occupies your vacant seat and continues to observe you and Bob with a slight frown on his face.
Once breakfast is done, you hand a plate over to John. Then you and Bob are back in your own bubble. Just the two of you, laughing and joking. John kinda feels like he's third wheeling.
He almost chokes on his orange juice when Bob reaches out and brushes off some toast crumbs from your face. You're unfazed and continue to stuff your face as Bob watches you with a fond expression.
absentmindedly playing with their hair
Ava doesn't know why she agrees to these movie nights, which always end up in some huge debate or rage-baiting Walker. She prefers the latter, anything to rile up Mr. Military man himself.
A small part of her does like movie nights...deep down. Tonight, Bucky chose the movie, and she was a little surprised at his choice, Some Like it Hot.
It was entertaining enough, despite Walker's unwanted commentary on how he couldn't believe that Joe and Jerry could pass off as women.
She rolls her eyes at him as he says, again. "I mean, it's so obvious."
Yelena throws a pillow at the back of his head, and he finally shuts up. Ava's eyes drift away from Walker and to the other side of the room, where you and Bob are squished in the double recliner.
Ava is about to look away when she watches as you shift your position and drape your legs over Bob's lap. His one hand rests on your bare legs, and his other is wrapped around your neck. Ava looks over to see if Yelena is noticing this, but she's too engrossed in the movie to care.
Ava tries not to stare, but her eyes keep drifting back to you and Bob. His hand is playing with the end of the ponytail. You and Bob are constantly murmuring back and forth, probably making comments about the movie.
At this point, Ava is more invested in you and Bob than in the movie. Bob reaches up and slides the scrunchy out of your hair, and it falls freely around your shoulders. You take the scrunchy from him and then put it on his wrist. Ava can see his grin as he looks at the poka-dotted scrunchy adorned on his wrist.
Something inside of her can't help but internally awe at that little interaction between you and Bob. She finally looks away, and it's only when the movie is done that she notices you've fallen asleep on Bob with your head tucked into his neck.
the sidewalk rule
You, Bob, and Alexei are out for a grocery run. Aka, you and Bob are making sure Alexei doesn't get distracted and end up getting all snack items.
"I think two is enough, don't you think?" You say as you watch Alexei freeze as he's about to clear the shelf of Wheaties.
"But, they're healthy, no?"
"Healthy, or you want them because we're on them?"
"Ah, Bob, you know me so well," Alexei says jovially.
The grocery trip takes twice as long, and you finally get Alexei to leave the store when you threaten to call Yelena. The three of you leave the store when you see a man cut in front of a woman to get into the store first. He doesn't bother holding the door open.
Alexei shakes his head disapprovingly. "What happened to chivalry?"
The walk back to the Watchtower doesn't take too long, but it's a weekend, so the sidewalks are chaotic. Alexei is walking behind you and Bob, carrying the majority of the grocery bags.
Bob has the rest, and you have none, even though you're trying to fight Bob and grab a bag from him. He easily wins and moves all the grocery bags to one hand as he places a hand on your lower back.
Alexei doesn't miss this, but doesn't think it's strange, since the sidewalk is crammed with people going in both directions. You're animatedly talking to Bob, and you're hands are moving about.
When a person is rushing in the opposite direction and almost runs you down, Bob is glaring at them, but he can't do much since the person is already jaywalking across the street.
Bob immediately moves you to the inside of the sidewalk, even though you say it's fine.
Alexei is about to call out to Bob, and compliment him on that gentlemanly action, when he sees Bob's hand slip into your back pocket.
casually pressing a kiss to their shoulder
Bucky is tired, but can't sleep. What's new? He wanders into the kitchen, where he finds you sitting on the counter, legs swinging back and forth.
Your hand is literally in the cookie jar, and he can't help but slightly smile. Your mouth is full of chocolately goodness, but you wave at him.
"You look like the Cookie Monster," he comments as you hold out the cookie jar to him, and he takes one.
"You know who Cookie Monster is?"
"Haha, very funny."
You smirk, and you both fall into a comfortable silence, which is broken when Bucky hears faint footsteps walking towards the kitchen.
Bob rounds the corner, half asleep, and partly unaware that Bucky is there. Bob's eyes fall on you sitting at the counter, and his shoulders relax.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," you say to Bob, and Bucky furrows his brow.
"Really, cookies, again?"
You pout. "I can't help it."
Bob fondly rolls his eyes at you. "Do you want the usual to go with the cookies?"
"Yes, please."
Bucky has the urge to slip away. He can sense there's something between you and Bob.
It's then that Bucky notices you're wearing an oversized familiar blue sweater, Bob's sweater. It's slipping off your shoulder
Bucky pretends not to see Bob pass you, but not before pressing a kiss to your shoulder.
"Oh, Bucky, hi, I didn't see you there."
Bucky wants to say something sarcastic, but refrains from doing so. He instead watches Bob make hot chocolate for you.
A/N: i might do a version with bucky, yelena, john and ava... maybe
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angstober prompt two: "I-I thought I lost you" with Bob Reynolds
warnings: dark thoughts, mentions of an argument
note: i know this is late pls don't hate meee
You didn't think anyone could actually love you, did you?
Everyone leaves you, Bobby.
You did it again.
Chin wobbling and hands shaking, Bob sits on the floor leaning against the bed frame. It could have been seconds, minutes, maybe hours since you walked out the door, slamming it shut behind you. All Bob knows is that voice in his head, the void yawning before him, the ache in his chest.
He doesn't even remember the argument โ what started it or what was said โ just that he regrets it. He regrets yelling, he regrets making you cry, he regrets not pulling you close and kissing the tears from your cheeks. He regrets all of it.
And now Bob stares, eyes unfocused and vision blurred with tears, at the door to your shared bedroom. He should get up, go after you, but he'll only make things worse.
You always make things worse.
The void is creeping in again, kept at bay only because Bob knows he has to protect you from it โ if you come back at all. And it's a losing battle. Bob's sweater is suddenly too tight โ itchy and confining, the shadows around him seem to be creeping closer, and his ears ring with the sound of your sobs.
You will always be alone.
"Go away," Bob grumbles with a tremulous sigh, swiping a hand over his eyes in a lame attempt to fight back against the darkness slowly consuming him.
His heart leaps in his chest at a soft knock on the door, so quiet that he probably wouldn't have heard it if not for his enhancements. He scrambles to his feet, tripping over the rug, before tearing the door open. And he regrets that too, because it's you and you're standing there looking so small and hurt and startled by his sudden actions.
"Robert," you begin, voice raspy from crying.
But Bob doesn't let you finish โ he pulls you into his chest, muscled arms tight around your shoulders, and he buries his face in your hair.
"I โ," he chokes out, "I thought I lost you."
He presses soft kisses to your scalp, feeling slightly guilty as his tears come harder, soaking strands of your hair. And you hesitate for only a moment, overwhelmed by his scent, by this welcome after you had left in such a rage, but then you're hugging him back, face nuzzling deeper into his sweater.
"I'm so sorry," you sob, and it's a wonder that Bob even hears your muffled cry against his chest.
"No," he says, shaking his head and somehow pulling you even closer. "I'm sorry. I โ I'll do better. I'll be better โ I'll do anything, I swear."
The words are a promise whispered against your skin, and you can't bring yourself to answer right now, simply settling for holding him and being held. And with you back in his arms, even if it's only temporary, it's easier to step away from that void.
synopsis: A jealous Joaquรญn makes for one unforgettable night
tw: fem!reader, unprotected p in v, creampie, breeding kink,ย barely edited.
fic, ficlet, drabble, kinktober
Guys, I kinda miss posting for Joaquรญn now. I've been so focused on working on some drafts that I've had for a while that I've only been posting my flufftober/kinktober things and now I miss just write Joaquรญn nonstop.
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You and Joaquรญn had been together for years and you learned a lot about him. Like how when he was jealous, you were definitely being filled full of his cum until he had to keep his cock in you to make sure it didn't leak out.
It's how you found yourself here, Joaquรญn had you on your hands and knees as he snapped his hips into yours. "Quรญno," you whined, your orgasm on the edge but needing just a little more to get you there.
Joaquรญn gently pulled you up to lean against his chest, a stark contrast to how roughly he fucking you. "I've got you, mi amor, it's ok," Joaquรญn pressed a lingering kiss to the corner of your mouth while one of his hands went to toy with your clit. The same one he spent a good half hour sucking on while fingering you, the same one that is puffy and sensitive.
"Joaquรญn," you shouted his name as you came, hard. Your legs shaking and almost giving out if it wasn't for how he was holding you. Your head fell back against his shoulder as he kept going.ย
Joaquรญn looked over your shoulder down to where you two were connected. There was a white ring around the base of his cock, a mix of your and his cum. He had one more in him, he knew that, but he wanted to see you come apart one last time. You whined as Joaquรญn pulled out, the feeling of being empty an unwelcome one. "I know, hold on," Joaquรญn shushed you with a kiss before maneuvering you to lay on your back.ย
"Joaquรญn," you whined, reaching for him again.ย
"I know, I know," Joaquรญn muttered, lining back up before pushing in. Joaquรญn's pace was slower, gentler, like whatever jealousy he had was gone. "You're going to let me fill you again, right?" Joaquรญn teased a bit, he couldn't help it. He liked to hear you say you were his.
"Mhm," you hummed, your eyes wide and hazed over. Joaquรญn always thought you looked cute cockdrunk and blissed out.
"Are you going to let me fill you, make you all nice and round with our baby?" Joaquรญn asked, his hips snapping just a little harder to emphasize his point. You nodded, your mind hazy. "I want words," Joaquรญn told you, leaning over you to hit a different angle.
"Yes!" You shouted, as Joaquรญn's tip hit that spongy spot in you again.
"Yeah? You're going to look so pretty all round and full," Joaquรญn smoothed a hand over your stomach, his other planted next to your head to keep himself upright. "You want that don't you?"
"I do," you nodded, desperate.
"I know you do, my good girl," Joaquรญn cooed as your last orgasm washed over you, the clenching of your walls being the tipping point for Joaquรญn, his last orgasm washing over him and coating your walls again. You relaxed under Joaquรญn as you both calmed down, Joaquรญn collapsing onto you. His weight was a welcome one, one you needed to help ground you. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah," you breathed out, your eyes slipping shut.
"Good," Joaquรญn maneuvered the two of you until your face was pressed to his chest and both of you were on your sides. His cock still snuggly pressed in you.
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