#gravesecret

October 6, 2020: “Proximity of Skin”

One bite        swallowed.

Spirit struggle expected.

The proximity of skin

      new 

         and 

                  terrible.

gravesecret

See gravesecret’s existing works here and here.

Preferred contact methods: Tumblr - gravesecret

Preferred organizations:

Anything from the list of approved organizations

Will create works that contain:

Everything is fine, except what is stated in the do not want section.

Will not create works that contain:

underage characters, hardcore NSFW, Hydra Trash Party, Furries, polyamory

-- Art --

Auction ID: 337

Will create works for the following relationships:

Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes - MCU; Tony Stark/Stephen Strange - MCU; Thor/Loki - MCU

Work Description:

I will draw up to three sketches and the commissioner can choose one sketch (plus state any wishes for changes etc) that I will then finalize. Updates are at least once a week. :) Work examples are on my tumblr page at gravesecret.tumblr.com

Ratings: G, Teen, Mature

CLICK HERE TO BID ON THIS WORK

But Not To Me

Artist: @gravesecret (AO3: gravesecret) Author: @tisfan (A03: Tisfan) An art and fiction collaboration for @capreversebb, the Captain America Reverse Big Bang 2018.

Artwork Rating: Teen Story Rating: Teen Word Count: 12,000 Warnings: None Universe: CrossOver/Star Wars The Last Jedi Tags: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Movie: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Force, Jedi Steve Rogers, Jedi Master Tony Stark, Sith Winter Soldier Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Dummy (Iron Man movies), Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Alexander Pierce, Brock Rumlow Relationships: Tony Stark/Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers (v shaped Poly)

Summary: Steve Rogers is on a mission to bring a message to the last Jedi, Tony Stark, who has been hidden away for ten years. The Winter Soldier also has a mission; to stop Steve, and to end the Jedi order for good.Bringing Steve to the dark side would be a powerful accomplishment. But Bucky Barnes, the remnant personality under the Winter Soldier, wants Steve for other, more personal reasons. And part of Bucky still yearns for his old master, his old lover... for the man he used to be.

Art: View the artwork 

Chapter One and Two | Chapter Three and Four | Chapter Five and Six

Chapter Seven

Hydra Capital Ship, Supremacy - morning

There was no time to think, only fight.

Tony Stark’s old lightsaber came spinning to Steve’s hand. For an instant, Bucky’s face was bathed in the blue glow and he was the most beautiful thing that Steve had ever seen, and Steve loved him, loved him always. Would always love him.

Bucky raised his own saber, that deep, dripping red, that crackled and hissed and spat with the sound of its cracked crystal.

“To the end of the line,” Bucky said, and they whirled, back to back, two against the universe as they always were.

The Hydra high guard came for them, saberaxes at the ready. There were dozens, against two, and they were the elite, the best of the best. Force resistant, and with weapons that could best the Jedi.

“I could do this all day,” Steve declared, and Bucky threw him a startled look before a shy smile touched his lips.

And then they were in the thick of it, whirling and fighting for their very lives.

But their souls. Bucky’s soul.

Steve was so happy he could have shouted it from the mountaintops. Fear couldn’t touch him, not when he and Bucky were together. Death couldn’t grab so much as a handhold. They were unstoppable.

Unbeatable.

Together.

The Winter Soldier fought wildly, three or four against one, kicking them back, using the force to enhance his strength, diverting the flow of it from the high guard, which caused their blood to flow faster, stole it for his own.

They were good. They were very good.

The Winter Soldier was struggling, with the death of his master, with fear -- for himself, for Steve, for the consequences of his actions. The fear hampered him and strengthened him at the same time. Anger, fear, ambition, these things, the they flow from the dark side.

Look at how he fights.

The Winter Soldier threw a glance over his shoulder at Steve’s scream; one of the guards had broken his weapon into two blades, was attacking in a wild swinging stance. Steve’s robes were cut, he was bleeding from one shoulder and the other had a nasty burn.

Bucky could feel the pain, radiating outward, through the link they shared. He could feel Steve’s pain, and the wild elation underneath.

And underneath that?

Love.

Love so strong, faith so great, that Bucky almost staggered. The guard ripped Bucky’s lightsaber out of his hands, threw it aside.

Somewhere, in the waves of the force, Bucky could hear Pierce laughing. You think you escape so easily, my young apprentice. But you will never be free. You will always. Serve. Me.

He was gripped, turned. One arm went around his throat, strangling him. He caught the guard’s weapon hand, kept the saberstaff from cutting his head from his neck, but he was weakening. He was lost.

Steve was struggling.

Was it all for nothing? Did he split himself in half for nothing?

Steve screamed, then dropped his lightsaber. He dropped to the floor, grabbed it, reignited it, and cut the legs off of the guard in front of him, using a force push to send the body spinning away.

“Bucky!” He yelled. Threw Tony’s lightsaber at him. It whirled and sound and Bucky caught it. He thumbed the switch and drove Tony’s blade straight into the eye of the guard behind him, killing him instantly.

It was over. They’d won.

The throne room was in wreckage, half on fire, half destroyed. The smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils and Bucky had a moment to long for his mask that would filter the foul scent.

For a long moment, Steve just stared at him.

And then Steve was in his arms, where Bucky always wanted, always needed him to be, and their mouths crashed together in a desperate, longing kiss.

“Bucky, Bucky,” Steve was saying, petting his hair, touching his face. Then he gasped. “Hydra, you have to order them to stand down. We have to save the Resistance.”

Bucky didn’t answer him. He walked over to Pierce’s throne and stared at the murdered remains of his master. He’d put all his hopes in Pierce, let Pierce take the confusion and pain away from him. He’d served Pierce faithfully.

For a while.

Bucky’s world spun aimlessly, first one way, then the other. What had he done? If he joined the Resistance, would he have to face everything he’d done, as the Winter Soldier. Apologize to Tony. Accept forgiveness. And blame. And the guilt that was already seeping around the edges.

What had he done?

And if he stayed, did as the Sith always did, rise to take his Master’s place… could he live with that, instead?

He saw one glimmer. One path. One way through it that he might be able to survive with his soul intact.

“It's time to let old things die. Pierce. Stark. The Sith. The Jedi. The Rebels. Hydra. Let it all die. I want you to join me. We can start over. No Hydra. No Resistance. Just you. And me.”

Steve just stared at him. “People are gonna die, Buck. You know I can’t let that happen. Please--” he started to tear up. “--don’t make me do this.”

“No, no. You're still...holding on! Let go! Do you want to know the truth about your parents, or have you always known? You've just hidden it away. You know the truth. Say it.” Steve was crying, openly weeping. Bucky was reaching him. He was showing Steve the only way, the only way through. There was no forgiveness for the Winter Soldier, there was no light for Bucky Barnes. There was only the one path. Together to the end of the line. “Say it.”

Steve wiped his face. “They were nobody. My father was a drunk, my mother dying.”

“They were filthy junk traders; sold you for drinking money and medicine. They're dead in a pauper's grave in the Brooklyn desert. You have no place in this story; you come from nothing. You're nothing. But not to me. Join me.” Bucky reached for him. “Come with me. Please…”

“Bucky, I can’t,” Steve protested, even as he was crying, even has his heart was breaking. Even as the last bit of his hope swirled and cried out and died. “I can’t do that.”

“You’re my only hope!” Bucky screamed, furious, angry. How could Steve reject him like this? Hadn’t Bucky given up everything? Everything, the Force, the Sith, the Jedi, Tony. They’d taken everything from him, and now, even Steve was going to turn away from him.

“I won’t fight you,” Steve said, and he clipped Tony’s lightsaber to his belt. “You’re my friend. And if you won’t come with me, you need to let me go.”

“You’re my mission!”

“Then finish it.”

Bucky used the force to snatch Tony’s lightsaber. Steve fought him. Their power held the saber between them, each no stronger than the other. An unmovable object and an unstoppable force.

The saber cracked between them

And the world exploded.

In the end, it was the battle itself that stopped them. Bucky had forgotten, truly, about the Resistance, about Hydra, about the ships.

When Rumlow found him, screaming and furious and relentless and full of grief for Pierce, Bucky got the story, in scattered, tearful bursts. One of the Resistance Cruisers had committed the ultimate sin in space travel; they’d turned the ship toward Hydra’s fleet and entered light speed. Right through the fleet.

The main battleship was torn in half. Most of the fleet was destroyed in the resulting explosion. Those that were left were stunned and leaderless.

Steve was gone. Stole Pierce’s shuttle and escaped. No matter. Bucky knew where he was going.

Bucky was drawn to the planet. He knew, knew in his heart, in his soul, where Steve had gone. And another spot of light, brilliant and glittering and golden, was singing to him.

You can come home.

Bucky was exhausted. All he wanted was to crawl to someone, anyone, and lay his head in a warm lap. Have someone brush their fingers through his hair. That was all. Really. Was it so much to ask?

“We should go to the planet,” Bucky said, not even knowing what he was saying. “Finish this.” Finish me. Let him lay down and die with the people he loved. Let all old things die.

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Rumlow screamed. “There’s an order to things, an order in Hydra. And we have no leader, we have no orders, you’re--”

Bucky didn’t have time for this. He didn’t even have to gesture. Rumlow was choking, air cut off, his bones cracking and breaking as he fell to the floor.

“The Supreme Leader is dead,” Bucky said.

“Hail Hydra,” Rumlow managed to choke out. “Long live the Supreme Leader.”

Bucky dropped him. He would go to the planet on his own if he had to. He would go where he was called.

Chapter Eight 

Crait - sunset

Bucky was in the cockpit of the lead walker. Rumlow behind him, casting dark looks at him. He would have to watch that one carefully. Rumlow meant to murder him. Hatred seethed off him with every breath. He was weak, stupid, greedy. But that didn’t mean Rumlow wasn’t dangerous.

They pushed the line, all the way to the blast doors.

And then a swoop of gold and red, beautiful against the ice-white of the planet’s salt flats, landed, the superhero landing, smashing the salt away from him, making a rim of red.

The Iron Man.

Tony Stark.

“All fire, all fire, all fire,” Bucky chanted, suddenly terrified. He could read Tony’s resolve, taste it in the air.

I’ve come to face you. And I can’t save you.

Grief, bitterness, despair colored Tony’s emotions.

All the walkers, all the foot soldiers, all of them, they opened fire on Tony, creating a cloud of smoke and lasers and melting, steaming salt. Bucky couldn’t see, couldn’t do anything, couldn’t move.

Tony! Tony, no!

You’re still my servant, apprentice. You’re still under my orders. You think you’ve won anything? You will destroy him. You will snuff out all hope in the galaxy and you will rule, but you will do so at my bidding, at my will. You are nothing but a puppet. An Asset and I will use you as you were meant to be used.

“Oh, stop it,” Rumlow snapped. “I think we got him.”

The smoke cleared, slow and implacable.

And the Iron Man armor walked out, eyeslits glowing. The armor wasn’t even damaged. Tony looked up, directly where Bucky was, met his gaze across a hundred meters and a dozen years and a thousand lifetimes. And brushed off his shoulder, absently, flicking a bit of dirt away.

There was a desperate, dangerous part of Bucky that wanted to cheer.

“Send me down to him,” Bucky said.

“Supreme Leader,” Rumlow said, grabbing Bucky’s shoulder. “Don’t get distracted, this is--”

Bucky threw him across the small cockpit without even a thought.

“Right away, sir,” the pilot said.

Tony didn’t move, he just waited. When Bucky was within a few meters, he popped the face plate up.

“Did you come back to say you forgive me? To save my soul?” Bucky sneered. Tony was so beautiful. And so sad. Pain and heartache and regret surrounded him like a cloud.

“I did not,” Tony said. Resolve crystallized. “I can’t save you. And I can’t forgive you.”

“The Resistance survivors. They’re right under us,” Steve burst out. He’d summoned the Falcon as soon as he’d left the wreckage of the Hydra cruiser, dropped to the planet, hoping to help, but he couldn’t find them. He flew over the crystal mountains. He could feel his friends, he could feel…

Bucky.

Bucky was here.

And then…

Tony. Tony was here.

Tony?

The rockslide blocked his way. He could feel them, Sam and Clint and the others, just beyond a wall of rock and dust and ash.

Everything you just said was wrong.

Lifting rock. Hah. Steve felt a fond smile touch his lips.

They were fighting, Bucky and Tony. A new saber, brilliant white, that sang in the morning air.

Tony was good. So, so much better than Bucky had ever seen, quick and lithe and poetry.

“I can’t forgive you,” Tony said. “Because the failure was mine. I’m sorry.”

“I bet you are. Sorry you’re losing, sorry the war is over, sorry the Jedi order is done.”

“Amazing,” Tony said. “Everything you just said was wrong. I’m not losing. The war is just beginning. And I… am not the last Jedi. I can’t save your soul, Bucky.”

Bucky keened in anguish at the sound of his name. “I loved you,” he burst out, not caring who heard or who saw.

Steve barely even had to try; the rocks flew to do his bidding, and the last of the Resistance poured out of the hole.

Sam hugged him, hard, and Clint was there, laughing.

“Get aboard,” Steve said, gesturing to the Falcon.

The Force shivered in the air and the rocks floated to the ground like feathers. And Steve clutched at his chest, suddenly aching with pain.

“Where’s Tony?”

“Holding off the Winter Soldier so we could escape.”

“I need to help him,” Steve said.

“You’ll die. Tony is going to die,” Sam exclaimed. “He’s too strong.”

“Then we’ll do it together,” Steve said.

“I can’t save you,” Tony said, he was pleading with Bucky. “You have to do it yourself.”

“I can kill you,” Bucky spat. He struggled, Pierce was still with him, the weight of his guilt pressing him down, the burden of everything that he was, of everything he’d done. “You can kill me.” Maybe that would even be preferable. Just close his eyes and never open them.

“Even if you kill me,” Tony said. “I’ll always be with you. Always. It doesn’t have to end in a fight.”

Bucky lowered his lightsaber. Behind him, he could feel Rumlow’s hatred. Could hear the orders being given. He would give everything to Tony, and Rumlow would kill him for it.

And that was good. That was right.

He took a breath, and it was like he could fill his lungs for the first time.

Bands, snapping around his heart, that set him free.

“It always ends in a fight.” He dropped his lightsaber and reached for his lover. “Tony. Tony, I’m sorry.”

“We’re going to talk about this,” Tony promised. “But for right now, I suggest you… RUN.”

And then they were running, Hydra firing at them. Tony took a few steps, leapt into the air, repulsors firing up, and then he grabbed Bucky’s hand. “Hang on! I got you--”

“Where--”

Tony caught him, pulled him in, and even through the metal suit of armor, Bucky could swear he heart Tony’s heart beating. He tucked his ear against the chest plate. He could die now, happy, and safe, and at peace.

“We’re not dying today,” Tony told him.

And there was the Falcon, resting neatly on the mountain, and Steve at the ramp, waiting.

“How do we start over?” Bucky asked. “Build a rebellion from this? Stop the First Order?”

Steve pulled him up the ramp and into the light, Tony was behind him, his hand on the small of Bucky’s back.

And there was love.

And forgiveness.

And compassion and understanding.

And hope.

“We have all that we need, right here,” Tony said. And he kissed Bucky’s mouth, light and firm and perfect.

Grave Secret (Harper Connelly #4) by Charlaine Harris Rating: ★★★★☆  

Lightning-struck sleuth Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver take a break from looking for the dead to visit the two little girls they both think of as sisters. But, as always happens when they travel to Texas, memories of their horrible childhood resurface. To make matters worse, Tolliver learns from his older brother that their father is out of jail and trying to reestablish contact with other family members. Tolliver wants no part of the man- but he may not have a choice in the matter. Soon, family secrets ensnare them both, as Harper finally discovers what happened to her missing sister, Cameron, so many years before. And what she finds out will change her world forever.

This book is truly a suspense thriller genre of novel, intensified by the twists inserted by Charlaine Harris. When I am almost near reading the climax, I can't help myself from reacting and concluding who was/were the culprit.

Although I haven't read the prior series of this book, I still managed to still be on track of the flow of the story, since every book has a complete story plot, tho. Anyway, if you could manage to read the price above with your bare eyes, I just bought this for only 50 pesos. Thrift book shopping, eh? Yea, It happened to be on sale in Fully book SM North branch just this January or February? I forgot, anyway, I just want to mention that the original price of this book is 699 pesos. Thanks to Fully Booked for putting this on sale. :)