#voidwalkerweek

"I wanted to ask you something,” Bob said innocently, but John knew that look and saw the way he walked so casually until stopping a little too close into John's personal bubble.

“There's a hoedown this evening. Thought maybe you'd like to come around for a bit.” Bob said so simply, like it made all the sense in the world.

John paused and looked at him. John attempted a stern expression, but his mouth was threatening to curl into a smile. John cursed himself for nearly giving himself away.

"Why would you think I'd like that?”

“Cause I'll be there,” There was that giant smile again, and damnit did it stir something in John's chest. It was absolutely blinding. John had a hard time resisting Bob's charm, most people did, but he swore to never let his poor judgment get the better of him again.

“Tempting,” John scoffed and walked off towards the stables, stubbornly trying to keep Bob out of his periphery, but it wasn't very effective when he had a careful ear to his every step and how close Bob tried to follow.

"Come on, Walker, everyone's gonna be there, and if you aren't, it'll just confirm everything people say about you,”

John sighed as he gently patted his horse’s nose, checking on him.

Earlier a fox had run through his yard and John was afraid it might have lingered too long and spooked the horses.

"And what do they say about me?” John asked as he checked his other horses. Everyone seemed fine, relaxed. John smiled privately to himself, hiding his face away from Bob.

"You're a stubborn old fool who wouldn't know fun if it kicked him in the ass,” John had to hold back a surprised laugh, but some of it escaped before he could contain it.

He couldn't look at Bob until he got his face under control, but when he looked back, Bob was smirking all proud like he won a contest.

“Old?”

"I’m not the one saying it,” Bob put his hands up in defense, but quickly dropped them in favor of putting them on his hips.

John watched the movement with sharp eyes, but darted his eyes back up before he got caught staring.

“But you believe it?” John raised a brow.

“No, I just said that you'd confirm their suspicions,” Bob maintained his proud expression, even as John started to grow irritated.

“And I have to come to the hoedown to prove them wrong?” John crossed his arms with a heavy sigh, bone deep and running out of patience, or running out of how much more his heart could take before his face burst into flames from such a prolonged interaction with Bob.

“Yup!” He was so chipper it made John wonder where he stored it all. “It'll be fun! And lucky for you, I'll be there,”

“I got that part,” John huffed again.

John nearly missed the shift on Bob's face as he took off his hat, pressed it against his chest and said, “Please?” With the most earnest voice he'd ever heard.

It was almost enough to break John apart, but he kept his head and tried to remain stoic.

His body betrayed him as he chewed on his lips, poignantly avoiding Bob's intense gaze.

“Fine,” John quickly said and walked past him out of the barn, their shoulders just barely brushing, but that was enough for John to feel like fire.

Bob stood quietly for a moment before a new smile spread across his face and he placed his hat back on his head. He chased after John as he made his way towards the steps of the house.

“Just fine?” He said as John started up the steps, not bothering to look back. Bob stayed at the first step with one foot up, ready to dart up at any moment.

“You're persistently stubborn,” Bob laughed. That sound so sweet it made John want to hurl something.

John turned just enough to look down at him from the top step. Bob looked up at him with such adoration and near careful devotion.

“You're annoyingly persistent." John retorted and walked up the last step and was ready to open his door when he heard Bob take the steps two at a time.

Before John could enter the house, Bob was right there, standing like he was expecting something. Maybe he was, maybe John was too.

“See you there, then,” Bob said and gave him the sweetest smile one could muster and John's heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He could feel the heat in his cheeks, and there was no hiding it this time.

John swiftly nodded before closing the door behind him, leaving Bob to stand there in front of the door smiling like he won the lottery.

@voidwalkerlibrary

Bones cracked to fit in place, teeth grew too big for his mouth to contain, and his hands dug into the floor, clawing and tearing at the boards.

Fur sprouted everywhere, making the room ten times hotter as he grasped at his shirt and tore it off in one quick motion, leaving it in shreds beside him.

The worst part was the stimulation of the world hitting him all at once, drowning him in sound and smells. The dim light amplified enough to look as if it were day, and the shifting of his fur prickled his skin, and all he could think about was how much he wanted to open himself up and tear it all apart.

Involuntary, he let out a growl as his transformation came to its completion, the fur resting on him like a second skin, and his teeth desperate for something to tear.

John quickly pressed himself next to his bed, curling his oversized body inward, trying to be as small as possible. He couldn't go underneath it, he's tried, but he's only toppled the bed over on many occasions.

His clawed hands pressed into his head, covering his ears and his eyes, while his tail was flat under him, curled up and tight.

“John?” Bob called from outside his door. John shut his mouth tight, his teeth creaking with how hard he clenched. He stilled his shaking, afraid even that would make noise.

“John? You there?” Bob said again, and slowly pushed open the door. John brought his legs closer, tight enough to ache.

Bob's footsteps sounded loud in the deadly quiet of his room. John couldn't look, didn't want to listen, didn't want Bob to see.

“Oh, Johnny,”

John let out a whimper and attempted to let his claws dig into his own face before Bob carefully set his hands on his paws.

“No!” The words sounded more like a growl than language. John tried to shuffle away from him, but Bob sat down next to him, hands in his lap and waited.

John fully covered his eyes as he began to cry. Tears escaped from under his hands, making Bob's heart squeeze.

"Let me help you,”

He was a monster. Pathetic, unlovable, disgusting. How could Bob stand being in the same room?

Bob shifted closer and John had nowhere to go. He was trapped between Bob and the bed. He would dart under it if he could.

John growled as Bob reached out a hand, not touching, just close.

“Shh, it's okay. You won't hurt me,”

But he will, he has. John replayed his most shameful moments of scratching Bob out of fear, and promised himself to keep his distance from now on. Bob was making that difficult.

“I trust you,”

John couldn't stop the tears, the growls, the animal taking over. But he peaked from under his fingers and saw Bob's face. Eyes so kind, shoulders far more relaxed than they should be, and his hand outstretched, waiting for John to respond.

For a long while he looked at it, having uncovered his face, and wondered if Bob would get tired and leave him. Part of him wished he would, part of him was terrified by the prospect.

He sniffed, once, twice, then pressed his nose into Bob's hand. Bob softly smoothed down the fur on his snout, careful to avoid his mouth or eyes, not wanting to intrude where John was uncomfortable.

John was selfish. He wanted Bob's touch so, like a dog unsure of his place in the world, he crawled close to him and laid his head in his lap, his hands hesitantly resting on his legs.

Bob gently shushed him as he threaded his fingers through his thick fur. Brushing it down, smoothing it out, carefully playing with it, until John's whimpers slowed.

John curled around him fully and protectively, incasing him with his whole self, holding on, and keeping them safe.

“I love you, John. All of you,” Bob said as he scratched behind John's ear, earning him a soft, but hesitant, content sigh.

“Love you…” John quietly replied, voice gravely. He curled tighter, not enough to hurt, but to feel, as Bob smiled down at him, watching his breath steady into a relaxed rhythm.

@voidwalkerlibrary

Until he moved into the tower with the Thunderbolts, New Avengers, whichever title made more sense, and John, of all people, coordinated every holiday they celebrated.

He made plans, lists, cooked the food and enlisted the help of everyone to help out however they could.

It was nice, but they haven't yet encountered a holiday that needed big elaborate planning like Halloween.

Fourth of July was simple, BBQ, watching classic American movies, insisted by John, and a small breakdown from Bucky and John when they thought back to how shitty America treated them, and why were they even celebrating?

This was their first Halloween together, and this time the whole tower was decorated for a few weeks even before the day of.

Bob knew the concept, understood it and liked it in theory, but finding a rubber spider in your cereal bowl as you took it out of the cabinet was not the best way to start his mornings.

The cob webbs everywhere were the worst. Impractical and they kept getting in his hair.

Bob tolerated it because John seemed so happy to share the whole experience with the team.

Bob gets it, really. No one on the team had the time to celebrate any of the major holidays.

John was the only one of them that had a somewhat normal life for at least the past few years, so he became the designated holiday planner.

What Bob was actually excited for was the costumes, unfortunately, that was John's least favorite part, even though that was like half the point of it all, right?

He doesn't remember ever having a costume for Halloween. If he did, it would've been something cheap and simple, like a sheet ghost.

Now with Valentina's money and all the creativity of an adult brain, he could be anything, and Bob was overloaded with ideas for him and the team.

The classics: vampire, zombie, werewolf. But that was too simple. Maybe something fun?

The Mystery inc gang, Ghostbusters, or Men in Black. Wizard of Oz was something he lingered on a bit too long, only because the idea of John dressed as a lion wouldn't leave his head.

The worst and best idea he had was couple costumes. John would hate it, so of course that's the train of thought Bob was going to pursue.

They've been a couple for a few months, and John was still a little skittish about his sexual awakening.

He perceived himself straight for 38 years, Bob could understand it was a difficult adjustment.

Maybe a silly costume can open him up a little. Then around Christmas they could exchange cheesy gifts and eventually it'll lead to Valentines and by then they could be an insufferable couple that gushes every two seconds.

It's not something Bob's had in his life. Never had the time and never found the right person.

Now, with a slower life and a safe environment, John slotted so perfectly into his life. Bob hoped John felt the same.

He went through so many classic couples in his head until he finally landed on Jack and Sally. He had to take a few moments to imagine John in the suit and full face paint. Bob knew he needed that to be a reality.

-

“No way,”

“You said you'd let me choose anything I wanted, this is what I want,” Bob said as he held out his phone to show John a picture of a couple dressed as Jack and Sally.

John's arms were tight over his chest and a deep scowl cut across his face, but somehow he was still way too cute for it to register as a threat.

“I'd look ridiculous,”

“You'd look hot,” Bob said, put away his phone and sat down next to John on the couch, scooting close until their thighs were pressed together.

He hooked his chin over John's shoulder and grinned, so simple and sweet, but he knew John would fold if he batted his eyelashes and said, “Please?” A few times.

John, face fully red, grumbled under his breath as he kept his gaze on the floor, avoiding Bob's excited eyes. He knew he'd lose if he looked. Bob leaned closer to get in his line of sight.

“Bobbyy,” John lightly pushed Bob's cheek away from him as he got inches from his face.

“It's just one costume, one night, please? It's the best idea I've had,” Bob insisted, folded his hands together in pleading.

“How about something where I don't have to dip my face in white paint?” John rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, making a point to avoid Bob's waiting face.

“I swear you'll look hot,”

John took a pause. He thought it through. The outfit, the make up. But what John couldn't stop thinking about was the potential of Bob's outfit.

“Are you gonna wear a dress?” He asked tentatively, almost shy, almost regretting it as he spoke.

“Probably,” Bob shrugged, but a smile creeped up on his face as John got redder. Bob could almost see John's gears turning and his mind filling with images.

“Fine,” John grumbled, making Bob nearly jump out of his seat with excitement until he adjusted himself back to pressing against John's side.

“Now who's the pervert,”

“I didn't say you were a pervert!” John blurted in surprise. Bob laughed so hard he had to hold onto John's arm so he didn't fall off the couch.

“Silly man,” Bob said between his laughter and pressed a firm kiss to his cheek, making John smile even as he continued his grumbling.

-

The night of Halloween Bob, Yelena, and Ava did each other's makeup, and John's.

Yelena was a vampire. Fake blood dripped down her chin and she wore a dark red velvet suit. Her hair was slicked back and her nails were sharp like her fake teeth. She had a knife in her jacket pocket that Bob tried to tell her was unnecessary, but she just looked at him like he spoke a different language, so he left it alone.

A few days prior John made a joke about Ava going as a ghost which earned him a good punch in the gut.

Ava was a pirate Captain. The whole thing was complex, with sashes, jewelry, even a sword at her hip, and everything was historically accurate. The hat was the best part. It was large and decorated like a crown full of gems. The outfit suited her so well, you could see something shift in her once it was complete.

Bob, of course, was Sally. Full dress, full make up, but no wig. He didn't like how wigs felt, and his hair was a bit grown out anyway, even though it wasn't nearly the same length or color, but Bob didn't care.

John wouldn't stop when the three of them covered his face in white and drew skeleton features. Bob did most of the details, self indulgently wanting it to look as hot as possible.

When he was done, he stepped back and wanted to eat him alive. He took way too many pictures, making John even more impatient because he just wanted to see what he looked like already.

Finally, Bob let him look in the mirror, and John stared for a while, turning his face and leaning in, looking at everything and all the details.

“Wow,” John was in absolute awe. Bob doesn't think he's seen him with an expression like that. “What do you think?”

“It's…actually pretty cool,” John said like he was upset at the truth. Or more of disbelief at his own words.

“You're fucking gorgeous,” Bob looped their arms and he pressed himself against him and hooked his chin on his shoulder.

“Hey, hey, we don't want to ruin either of our costumes,” John tried to create distance but Bob insisted, making John laugh.

“When we come back, I want you to keep the face paint on, just for a bit,” Bob said casually, like there was no implication or hidden meaning.

“Why?”

“No reason…” Bob said as nonchalant as he could manage, but John was narrowing his gaze.

“Bobby…”

Bob pressed a quick kiss to his lips, smearing both their makeup just slightly. John groaned, turned back to the mirror to see the damage, then admire himself. Bob realized that maybe this is the start of something for John.