Okay everyone, I've been having issues with this account. So, I've made a new one @empfics where I've reblogged everything and will be continuing to post. I won't delete this account, but all of my new content will be over on @empfics :)
For a moment, you wonder if the events of the previous evening were just part of a bad dream, some strange thing your subconscious cooked up on its own. However, as you stretch your arms above your head, a warmth both in your cheek and temple bring the unfortunate reality that it had all actually happened.
With a sigh, you get up and get dressed, avoiding looking in any mirrors as you tie your hair up to make your way downstairs. The cut didn’t feel too bad, but not looking at it somehow made you feel better about the whole situation. After all, there were more important things to worry about.
As soon as you open the door, you hear the commotion buzzing about the entire warehouse again. The team must have only just made it back. Everyone still seems to be unpacking as you reach the bottom of the stairs and move toward one of the Humvees to help unload.
Something catches your eye…
Before you can turn, you feel your dad’s familiar arms wrapped around you. He presses a gentle kiss to your sore temple before holding you by your shoulders at arm’s length, his brows knitted. “I-“
You hold up a hand to cut him off. “If you’re gonna say you’re sorry just don’t bother. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”
With a curt nod, he drops his hands, suddenly seeming uncomfortable with the public display of affection as if he felt guilty. You hate to admit it, but you had missed him… and decide to give in.
He stiffens slightly as you wrap your arms around him, but relaxes into the hug before you both pull away, a soft smile gracing both of your features.
Clearing his throat, he runs a hand back through his hair and motions to one of the Humvees still pointed toward the open doorway. “We’re gonna be escorting Mr. Handsy to the drop zone where there’s a chopper waiting to pick him up. They’re taking him back to HQ for reprimand, but you already worked him over pretty good.”
Curious, you begin moving toward the Humvee, Matt staying close at your side and obviously wary of whatever you may be doing. Alejandro is leaned in over a cowering figure in the back seat, but cranes his head over the roof to see who was approaching. As soon as he sees you, his expression goes blank, and he steps away from the Humvee as if he knew you wanted to see Rich one last time.
Rounding the vehicle, you take a deep breath, and stare at the almost unrecognizable bloody pulp that used to be some man’s face. You quirk a brow at Alejandro, but he drops his gaze and turns to walk away.
Matt shuts the door and makes a circle in the air with one of his hands, his signal that it was time to move out. “I’m gonna lead the escort, it’s just a small team and we should be back soon. Alejandro is here if you need anything, and…” He hesitates, but presses a small, quick kiss to the side of your head. “I’m glad you’re alright.” With that, he hops in the vehicle, and they’re off.
Once the last of them rolls out, you turn to follow in the direction you last saw Alejandro.
It doesn’t take long to find him, sitting at the same table where you first met him, seeming lost in his thoughts as he stares at the wall. He notices you come in and glances briefly out the corner of his eye before returning his attention back to the apparently irresistible spot on the wall.
Narrowing your eyes, you move to stand directly in his line of vision and cross your arms. “Why?”
He studies your eyes for a moment before standing and taking a deep breath. Shaking his head casually, he meets your gaze again. “I promised your father I would watch over you.”
He turns as if to walk off, but you quickly move to block his path. “I can take care of myself.”
A ghost of a smile twitches at the edge of his lips so subtly that you almost miss it, but he gives a curt nod and takes a step to move past you. “I know you can.”
You block his path again, “If you know, then why did you beat that guy’s face to a pulp?”
With a sigh, he tilts his head, his eyes searching yours for what seems like forever. You wait patiently for a response, but he simply gives a brief smile before moving past you.
Deciding it’s best to let the issue go – for now – you leave Alejandro to himself for the evening. What you didn’t expect, was for him to leave every time you entered a room that he happened to be in.
Later that night, you hear a rather heated discussion coming from one of the rooms. You attempt to ignore it and continue on your way to your dad’s room, hoping to have a long overdue conversation. But, unfortunately, the closer you get, the louder the voices become.
It doesn’t take long to make out your dad’s voice, but you can only catch bits and pieces of what he’s actually saying.
“…was scared to say what happened…”
“…stories don’t quite match up…”
“…injuries consistent with someone a lot bigger…”
The other voice finally speaks up again, and you recognize it as Alejandro.
“…would’ve done the same…”
“…look on her face…”
“…lost it…”
You decide to leave rather than risk getting caught, maybe you could ask your dad about what really happened later.
But, just as you round the corner, you hear the door opening, and glance back to see Alejandro staring at you. Before he can do or say anything, you turn and continue walking until you find yourself outside.
The stars had always been a source of happiness and comfort for you, something about the night sky was just…mesmerizing. Perched atop the roof of a Humvee may not exactly be comfortable, but out here in the middle of nowhere, the sky is more beautiful than ever. The lack of lights allowing more stars to shine through, and the moon to seem twice its usual brightness.
You have no idea how long you stay like that, but it must have been quite some time, because by the time footsteps sound nearby, you realize it had been quiet for a while now. Most everyone must have gone to bed already.
It doesn’t take long to make out the figure approaching, but you keep quiet as they come to stand beside the Humvee.
He glances up at the sky before turning his attention back to you, and then clears his throat. “Listen…”
“Don’t worry about it, Alejandro.” You pat the roof next to you as you scoot over to make room.
You’re not really sure why you did it, but to your surprise, he actually climbs up to sit next to you. “What made you come out here?”
Shrugging, you lean back on your hands. “It’s been a strange few days. I guess I needed a minute to slow down and take it all in.”
He nods softly. “I can’t remember the last time I just looked at the sky.”
You turn your head to look at him, finding his gaze already locked onto you. “You know… I think maybe you’ve just forgotten that you can do what you do, and still enjoy the little things.”
He tilts his head, seeming to always be studying you with those intense eyes. They seemed softer somehow. Every time they looked at you, you could almost feel them grow warmer. It was a strange sensation, but everything about him seemed to change in the time when you’re alone with one another. Although, it could just be your imagination, or paranoia, or a combination or the two.
Turning your attention back to the sky, you try to ignore his eyes as you continue, “I think too many people in this line of work lose themselves. They think they aren’t allowed to have wants or passions, like they can’t have a personality outside of our missions anymore. It’s like it would ruin their credibility somehow.” You shake your head. “I think it’s good to still know who you are once you take off the vest.”
He chuckles softly.
You turn to face him again, brow quirked. “What?”
He shakes his head, another genuine smile growing. “You’re different. And I still haven’t figured out why you do this.”
Rolling your eyes, you let out a sarcastic groan. “You sound just like my dad.”
“He knows this world. He just wants what’s best for you.” He pauses and takes a breath, running his hand back through his hair. “You’re just so… full of life. I would hate to see you turn out like…” He takes a breath, meeting your eyes again, his brows knitted together slightly.
“If you’re going to say something about turning out like you,” He turns drops his gaze, confirming your question, but you nudge his shoulder playfully and continue. “I think you’re a pretty decent guy.”
He slowly drags his eyes up again to meet yours. “I don’t think you would say that if you really knew me.”
Chuckling, you shift so that your legs dangle over the edge. “You realize what I do for a living right?” Taking one last look up at the stars, you smile to yourself. “I should probably be getting to bed.”
Before you can move to slide off, he’s already over the edge, standing beside the Humvee with a hand offered to help you down. You take it, but when you hop down, your foot lands on a rock which causes the slightest stumble in your step.
You laugh it off and look up apologetically into Alejandro’s eyes, his arms had immediately wrapped around you to keep you from falling. But before you can thank him, the realization sets in that your faces are inches apart.
His hands shift at your waist, holding you flush against him.
Your hands, resting on his chest, can feel the pounding of his heart, or maybe it’s your own.
His eyes dart from yours to your lips, waiting for a reaction as he slowly tilts his head just enough to brush his lips lightly against yours. When you don’t pull away, he presses into the kiss.
Both of your lips part, slowly moving together until they find sync.
You run a hand up through the back of his hair, gently dragging your nails along his scalp before tangling your fingers at the base of his neck.
He exhales deeply, his grip on your waist tightening as you arch into him and deepen the kiss.
Gently, he guides you a few steps until you feel the cold metal of the Humvee pressed against your back.
Your lips part briefly, both of your eyes meeting, but before you can pull him back into the kiss, he steps away.
Running a hand down his face, he shakes his head. “Sorry, I uh… I don’t…” He takes a deep, steadying breath. “It’s getting pretty late.”
Tilting your head, you watch him as he stares at the ground between you. You move to take a step closer, but when he glances up at you from beneath his creased brow, you simply give a curt nod and turn to go back inside.
The walk up to your room seemed longer than usual, your mind still reeling from what just happened. Although, you weren’t quite sure what it was. Nor were you really sure why he reacted that way.
But, to be perfectly honest, you had a job to do here, and that was what you should be focused on.
“Alright everyone,” You hear Matt calling from downstairs and peek outside your door to see his hand circling in the air above his head, signaling everyone to gather up. “Let’s roll out people!”
Quickly, you shoulder your equipment pack and jog down the stairs to make your way across the floor. The Humvees are filling up fast with the rest of the crew, but you secretly hope to be separate from your dad. He had a bad habit of being over protective, and the last thing anyone needed was him getting in the way of you doing your job.
Just as you approach one of the still empty vehicles, you feel a sharp tug at your pack, yanking you back away from the lineup. “Hey! What the-“
“You’re staying behind.” Matt states simply, his hand staying on your shoulder, placing himself between you and the Humvee.
You throw your hands up in exasperation. “You can’t be fucking serious?” His expression doesn’t change, and his hands move to his hips as if to show his resolve. “I’m here to do a job, now let me do it.”
“You’re staying,” He states again. “We won’t need you on this one.”
Before you can even open your mouth again, he snaps his fingers over your shoulder, motioning at someone behind you. Refusing to break eye-contact, you instead cross your arms and wait.
Their steps grow nearer and Matt motions to you, “I’m gonna need you to keep an eye on her until we get back, make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.”
“Are you fucking-“ Your sentence is cut off as Alejandro moves to stand beside you, his brows furrowed similar to your own. Motioning between the two of them, you plead with Alejandro, “Tell him how ridiculous this is.”
They lock eyes for a moment, and Alejandro sighs before motioning for you to follow him.
“You too huh?” You ask, brow quirked as you wait for a response.
Instead, he grabs your pack, shoulders it, and turns to walk off. You move to follow him, but not without throwing up a middle finger for Matt as you walk away, earning a soft chuckle from him.
Alejandro is waiting at the top of the stairs, holding your pack out to you. Still annoyed, you grab it and brush past him, making sure to bump his shoulder as you move to your room, slamming the door behind you.
Was it childish? Yes…
But to be fair, you knew for a fact that Matt was only doing this because you’re his daughter. He was punishing you for not letting him know you were coming, for blindsiding him by showing up on the same assignment. Most of all, he had left his buddy in charge as a babysitter.
Ripping off your vest, you strip down to change into more comfortable clothes since you wouldn’t being going out on mission after all. You throw your gear into one of the chairs, knowing you were overreacting but feeling the agitation get to you nonetheless.
It isn’t long before the last of the trucks roll out, leaving you behind.
Pacing your room and staring at the ceiling proves to even less interesting than it sounds, and you realize you may have been a bit brash towards Alejandro. It wasn’t his fault, he was just doing a favor for someone he respected. If anything, he’s just as annoyed with the situation as you are.
With a sigh, you pick up your equipment pack and lay everything out on the desk. Cleaning everything would keep you busy, and your favorite blade could use with a sharpen anyway. Although… you really hated sitting in absolute silence.
Luckily, you had a wireless speaker in your personal bag, and a lengthy playlist full of old favorites.
Since you basically have the place to yourself, you turn the volume almost all the way up, letting it drown out your thoughts as you get to work disassembling the handgun closest to you.
Time seems to fly by, before you know it, you’re already halfway through with the entire table. You stand and stretch, feeling your back pop as you raise your hands high above your head. Shaking your shoulders, you return back to your work, and smile to yourself as your favorite song starts to play.
Your hips start to move with the beat as you mumble along to the words. Whether the music drowned out the sound, or you just weren’t paying attention, you aren’t quite sure. But, a sudden prickle at the back of your neck causes you to look up.
A warm flush spread across your cheeks as you see Alejandro leaned up against the door frame. (((See GIF)))
He smiles softly, “Sorry. You just… reminded me of someone.”
He takes a few steps into the room, coming to stand beside you at the table and grabs the firearm you just cleaned. With a quirked brow, he tilts his head to cast a curious glance.
You shrug. “It passes the time.”
With a curt nod, he sets it back down on the table and picks up a different one you had yet to get to.
Both of you work in silence for a while, your shoulders arms occasionally brushing against each other from time to time. It doesn’t take long for you to catch yourself moving along to the music again.
Glancing over at him, you offer an apologetic blush, the heat once again rising in your cheeks.
But… you notice a genuine smile. Not his usual apathetic attempt at a fake grin, but one that actually meets his eyes. Before you can say anything, his hand wraps around your waist, guiding you to the center of the room.
That he knows how to dance doesn’t surprise you, but that he is showing you this side of himself is something you never expected. Granted, you barely knew the man, but this didn’t seem like something he would regularly do.
The song picks up, and he grabs your hand to twirl you, both of your laughter sounding over the music, before pulling you back to him. You thump against his chest a little harder than expected, almost taking your breath away, causing you to laugh harder.
He furrows his brows for a brief moment in apology, his smile broader than before. That is, until you both seem to realize how close you are.
One of his hands comes to brush along the side of your jaw, resting in a gentle caress along your neck as his eyes search yours.
Whether it’s your heart pounding that you feel, or his, you aren’t quite sure, but when his lips stop less than an inch from you own…
Something changes.
He brushes a stray hair behind your ear as the song ends, and with that… he’s gone.
Left standing there wondering what the hell just happened… You decide to pack up your equipment and call it a night. The team should be back by morning, but there was no point staying up to wait around for them.
Just as you finish up and set the pack down, you hear the door open behind you.
A strange man stands silhouetted in the doorway. “You must be the newbie, everyone’s been saying we added a girl to the team.”
Brows furrowed, you take a step closer, trying to make out his features. “I thought everyone had left?”
“Most of the Tech team stayed behind, just in case they needed air support. We’re set up on the other side of the warehouse.” He moves further into the room, his hand outstretched in greeting. “I’m Rich.”
You shake his hand, but he keeps his grip on your hand.
Before you can open your mouth, he jerks you forward, spinning you and holding a knife to your throat. “One sound and you know what I’ll do.”
Your heart pounds, but you keep your mouth shut.
He starts to cut at the neck of your shirt, but as soon he points the knife away, you ram your head back into his face.
You move for the door, but he catches you, shoving you up against the door frame and pinning your arms. His entire weight presses against your back, forcing the side of your face painfully into the wall.
“That wasn’t very nice.” He mutters, moving his free hand along your body.
Wait… It takes a moment, but you realize he isn’t holding the knife.
In one swift move, you stomp on his foot, causing him to release your hands, which allows you to jab your elbow back against his face. There’s a loud crunch this time and he stumbles back, his hands clutching at his face as the blood flows down.
You grab the knife and point toward the door, to which he happily obliges in leaving from.
Taking a deep breath, you move to sit on your bed, your head in your hands as your shoulders rest on your knees.
Another sound at your door startles you.
Alejandro, looking perplexed, glances around the room until his eyes come to rest on you. He steps closer, slowly lowering to crouch before you. Gently placing a knuckle under your chin, he tilts your head up to inspect your cheek.
The adrenaline was starting to wear off, and you could feel a small cut with fresh, warm blood lightly trickling down.
He purses his lips and stands, moving to the bathroom before returning with a small, damp rag. Cautiously, he tilts your head up again, this time taking a seat on the bed next to you before dabbing the rag along your skin.
With a deep sigh, he seems to reluctantly pull himself away from you.
“It’s getting late.” He situates himself in a chair at the far side of the room. “You should get some sleep.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” You ask, but your voice doesn’t quite have any bite behind it. After all, he was obviously just watching out for you.
“Get some sleep.” He repeats, pulling out his handgun from his hip holster and placing it on the desk beside him, keeping an eye on the door.
Reluctantly, you curl up with a large blanket, and before you know it sleep has taken you.
Government Sanctioned Terrorist Threat Coordinator. That was your title, and it sounded really impressive. But, when you got right down to it, it was just a fancy way of saying that you were a highly paid, highly skilled mix between a soldier and an assassin, with a high security clearance, and easy access to some high-tech equipment.
You had started making a name for yourself in the industry, which was really saying something considering it was a mostly male-dominant field of work. Although, you hated to admit that your father may have had something to do with it…
You had changed your name a long time ago so no one would recognize you as being connected to him, not necessarily out of disdain for who he is – you were rather proud of him when it comes down to it – but you wanted to earn your own reputation. He absolutely hated that you had gone into a similar line of work as him, but everyone who knew both of you would tell you how proud he really was, even if he wouldn’t ever say it.
The way he raised you help you to be the woman you are today, and helped you develop the skills you needed to be a success. But… you had a bit of a falling out several years ago when you got your first solo mission. To be fair, you had been hospitalized for 2 weeks, but you refused to quit and find a ‘normal’ job, so you parted ways. Admittedly, you had always meant to reconnect, he’s your dad after all, but part of you was angry that he hadn’t been the one to reach out by now.
At this point it felt more like a game of ‘chicken’, and whoever called first would lose.
You’re currently sitting in bed, sipping hot tea with your laptop propped up on your lap, several tabs open running backgrounds on your upcoming assignment. It was something that you had been planning for weeks, and would be catching a flight first thing in the morning to get started.
The ring of your work phone startles you, it isn’t unusual that someone would be calling this late, but something in your gut told you this was different. “Cynthia?” You question, having been immediately curious at the caller I.D. She had assigned you to operations before, but you already had a liaison with your current mission.
“Hey, I didn’t wake you did I?” She casually asks, raising further suspicion; small talk isn’t exactly how these phone calls go…
“Cynthia…” You quirk a brow, tilting your head as though she were actually able to see the look on your face. “This would go a lot quicker if you just told me what you need.”
“Right…” She sighs into the phone, taking a moment of silence before continuing. “I’ve requested that you be reassigned to me for a while. We really need you on this.”
“I would love to help but I’m leaving first thing in the morning, I can’t just-“ Furrowing your brows, you chew at your bottom lip. “Did you say ‘we’?”
“I already cleared it with your C.O., and your liaison has been informed, we have a replacement being sent on your behalf. You-“
“Cynthia.” You interrupt, your suspicions more than confirmed already. “You can’t honestly expect me to work with HIM.”
“If I know you at all, and I do…” She pauses as if allowing you time to protest, but continues when you remain silent. “If I know you, you already have your bags packed. Right?”
Sighing, you pinch the bridge of your nose. “Of course I do, but why-“
A knock at your door cuts your sentence short. You close your computer and grab the handgun from your nightstand before swinging your legs over the side of the bed.
Another knock sounds as you pad slowly toward your front door. “Cynthia, did you already have someone sent to my house?”
You peek around through the window to see 3 men dressed in suits, government logo pins in their lapels.
“Your bags are already packed, so why waste time? We will see you in a few hours.” She hangs up before you can respond.
Annoyed, you swing the door open. “Come on in, I’ll just be a second to change…”
---
The flight was quick, and you could tell you were somewhere in south Texas, but none of the men would tell you anything about where you were going. A Humvee was waiting when you landed. The 3 men who had been your escorts don tactical vests, and suggest you to do the same. Luckily, you had already packed your own.
The flight may have been short, but this drive is taking forever. It couldn’t have been less than 2 hours in the bumpy, rough terrain, which was only made worse by the vehicle. They were designed for protection, not comfort.
When you finally stop, you immediately step out, more than glad to be able to stretch your legs and pop your back. One of the men grabs your bags, but you move forward and take them for yourself, shouldering one and holding the duffel by the short handles at your side.
“No offense.” You shrug. “I prefer to keep an eye on my stuff.”
He nods and motions for you to follow him inside as the other 2 men stay by the Humvee.
Most everyone here is wearing tactical gear, which helps you to blend in, but being the only female… THAT is earning you some attention. You hope that’s the only reason they’re staring at you, not that it would really matter soon… They would all know who you were before too long anyway.
The man steps into a room with 3 people sitting around a table. You immediately recognize one as Cynthia. One of the men turns and lights up, standing to shake your escort’s hand.
“You must be our newest addition!” You recognize the voice immediately, and take a deep breath before stepping around from behind.
“Actually…” Cynthia moves forward, placing a hand on your shoulder before turning to face him. “She is.”
Your escort turns to walk out, leaving you to watch this man’s face fall as he recognizes you.
In attempts to avoid the awkward, drawn out silence, you offer a hand forward to the other man in the room. A rather handsome, older man. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
He stands and shakes your hand, looking down to give you a skeptical once-over. “I’m Alejandro.”
Your eyes go wide as a smile broadens across your features. “THE Alejandro? I’ve heard a lot about you, between Matt’s jabbering and general chatter.”
His brows furrow slightly as he studies you before opening his mouth to speak again. “Who are you supposed to be exactly?”
Cynthia speaks up again, obviously hoping to avoid the drama of this situation as much as you are. “She’s our new-“
The other man cuts her off, “She’s my fucking daughter.”
With a sigh, you finally turn to face him. “Hello to you too Matt. Glad to have this little family reunion. What’s it been? 6? 7 years?”
“And who’s fucking fault is that?” He steps closer, clenching his jaw, his hands on his hips in his favorite pose to try and make you feel small.
You raise your head confidently, refusing to back down, and meet his gaze unwavering as he studies you for any reaction.
His resolve breaks and you swear you can see a little water gathering at the brim of his eyes, but he runs a hand over his face and turns, shaking his head in agitation.
Cynthia moves forward, taking him by the shoulder to guide him out of the room to talk somewhere more private.
With another deep breath, you turn to face Alejandro again, realizing you had been left alone together. “So…” You resituate your grip on your bag. “Where am I bunking?”
He grabs the pack from your hands without giving you a chance to protest, and motions for you to follow him. He leads you upstairs and shows you to a small room with a bed, a desk, and 2 chairs, along with a second door in the far corner. After setting your pack on the bed, he motions toward the other door, “It’s the only room with its own shower.”
And with that, he’s gone. You don’t even have time to thank him before you find yourself alone in the room. Left to unpack and contemplate whether this was going to be a catastrophe.
You had been staying with your dad for some time now, although it took you a while to get back into the swing of the hunter lifestyle. He wasn’t thrilled about you rejoining this world, but he definitely loved having you back at home. And as always… he was extremely overprotective.
Even though you constantly begged him to let you help out more with hunts, he kept putting you off with promises of ‘next time’. Not that it surprised you, but you were more than certain he was coming up with excuses both to keep you safe, and to keep you away from the Winchesters. As much as he loved those boys, he obviously didn’t trust them around you.
However, being the daughter of someone so stubborn… that trait tends to rub off.
One day, you couldn’t help but to overhear a phone call he was having with Dean. He was giving him some advice on a new case they had caught, one that you remembered doing some research for. In fact… you could swear it was somewhere nearby.
Furrowing your brows, you hold your breath and strain to hear what Dean may be saying on the other end of the line. While you barely catch a few words here and there, it’s enough to confirm your suspicion, especially when your dad starts cussing up a storm about Dean needing to wait for Sam before charging in without a plan like an ‘idgit’.
That’s all you needed to hear.
Later that night, long after Bobby had already fallen into a peaceful sleep – something that seemed more frequent now that you were back home – you slip your already packed bag onto your shoulder. Luckily, you had recently helped him restore an old motorcycle, making for an easier get away. You could just roll it out to the road before starting it up, and he wouldn’t even hear you riding off.
Part of you felt guilty gliding down the dark backroads, the directions seared into your brain from starring at the map so long. Maybe it was because you were nervous, or maybe because you were so excited, but the trip took no time at all, and you find yourself killing the engine to roll up along the edge of the old factory.
Having done the majority of the research for the case, you already know exactly what to expect, but that doesn’t quiet the hammering of your heart violently pounding against your ribcage.
The initial plan was to wait for Dean to show up, and join him on the hunt. You simply wouldn’t give him a choice, he would have to let you tag along since you were already here. Not to mention, you had brought extra supplies. The plan was flawless!
But… time seems to drag on, and Dean is nowhere to be seen.
You check your watch, and purse your lips as you crane your neck to scan the area one last time to no avail. With a sigh, you move to roll your bike back out to the road, but before you can call it quits, several gunshots ring out from inside.
Ears perked, you wait… The sound of glass shattering splits the silence, and you grab two guns from your bag, one to keep ready and one to holster in your belt for backup.
The abandoned factory seems eerily still, and you start to wonder if you had wanted this so bad that perhaps… you had possibly imagined the sounds?
But a loud clang sounds further down the hall, followed by a groan sounding disturbingly like Dean.
You rush forward, trying to keep quiet but knowing you need to hurry. Before you can round the corner, you feel a sharp pain at the back of your head followed by little black spots dancing along your field of vision.
You aren’t quite sure when it happened, but as you blink away the water forming in the corners of your eyes, you realize you’re on your hands and knees. Shaking your head was a big mistake; everything spins and a loud ringing drowns out other sounds.
Slowly, someone’s voice breaks through. You hear your name being yelled, as though someone was trying to speak underwater.
With a strange ‘pop’, everything clears, and you turn to see the unconscious body of Dean strewn limply across a table. Before things can possibly go fuzzy again, you ring off 3 quick shots in succession, seeming to surprise the vampires on the receiving end.
Slipping your knife from your boot, you stand and make your way to the closest vamp, his eyes still watching you as he lays motionless on the floor. “Bullets are infused with dead man’s blood, asshole.”
Before any of them can begin you heal, you make quick work removing their heads and tossing them into a nearby trashcan.
Finding the Impala wasn’t easy, but dragging a very heavy, very unconscious Dean Winchester all the way out to it and managing to get him in the passenger seat was absolutely ridiculous.
You hated to leave your bike, but Dean was the priority right now, even if it meant driving him straight back home…
Whether Bobby was more angry or surprised, you can’t say for sure. Seeing you frantically standing at the front door in the middle of the night, when he thought you were safe and sound in your bed seemed to lean more on the surprised side. But… when he looks over your shoulder and sees the Impala, things start to veer along the lines of anger. When you grab his arm and drag him to the car, showing him Dean’s still unconscious form, he just seems focused.
The night passes slow, neither you nor your dad able to go to bed while Dean was still like this.
You almost expected a scolding, but he seemed somewhat placated with the small white lie you provide: Dean had called asking for help, and didn’t want Bobby to play the ‘I told you so’ card.
As wrong as it felt lying to your dad, you thought it would be easier this way rather than having him realize you ran off to join the hunt on your own accord without telling ANYONE.
Besides, if you hadn’t been there, who knows what would’ve happened to Dean?
Lost in your thoughts, you almost don’t notice the light stirring on the couch until Dean moves to sit up.
You jump up, quickly placing a hand on his chest to ease him back down on the couch. “Woah there, you’ve been out a while you should take it easy.”
He looks up at you with those big green eyes, his brows furrowing slightly, “What the hell?” He glances around the room, then seems to notice the dried blood gathered along the edge of your hair.
His face falls as he reaches a hand up, but you stand before he can reach you. “I’ll get you some water.”
You pass the kitchen entirely, moving instead to the bathroom to clean the blood away. With the rag damp, you turn the faucet off, leaving you in the quiet to gently dab away the dried clots. But it also allows you to hear the conversation from the other room…
Your dad is obviously agitated about Dean having called you, especially since you got hurt. “-a dumb thing to do. She could have been killed!”
A painful lump rises in your throat and your heart pounds as you wait, straining to hear Dean’s response. There’s no doubt in your mind he will set things straight. He didn’t call you, and you were foolish to think you could ever get away with telling your dad such a ridiculous lie in the first place.
But… Dean apologizes. “It won’t happen again, Bobby. But she did save my bacon back there…”
With a weight suddenly lifted from your shoulders, you turn your attention back to rinsing your hair. You almost get all of it cleaned out by the time Dean rounds the corner to stand at the door. He watches you for a moment, neither of you saying a word as you try to think of a way to thank him for going along with your ruse.
Furrowing his brow, he opens his mouth to speak, then shuts it again and steps closer. Turning to face him, you feel a light heat rising in your cheeks. A combination of shame and gratitude bubbling in your chest, leaving you unable to meet his gaze.
With a sigh, he grabs the damp towel from the sink counter, and gently places his knuckle under your chin to tilt your head just enough where he can lightly dab at the last specs of blood. You can’t help but to watch him, your curiosity getting the better of you as you allow yourself to study his expression, still wildly uncertain as to why he covered for you.
He sets the rag back in the sink, but keeps his eyes locked on the side of your head, as if he was worried it would start to spontaneously pour blood again if he didn’t keep watch. With another deep sigh, he moves closer and tilts his head to meet your gaze, his eyes boring into yours with a questioning knit to his brow. (((See GIF)))
“Why?” He asks, but before you can even think about turning away, he tilts your head further up and gently caresses your neck with his other hand, forcing you to stare back at him. “Why would you risk yourself for me?”
You shrug your shoulders softly, “Why would you cover for my lying ass?”
A whisper of a smile ghosts along is lips briefly before returning to their previous straight line. “You got away lucky, you could’ve gotten seriously hurt.”
You quirk your brow, “If I recall correctly, I ‘saved your bacon’ by being there.”
He chuckles softly, “That doesn’t quite let you off the hook.”
“I can take care of myself Winchester.” You smile playfully, hoping the banter would ease the tension.
His brow knits together again as he moves even closer, his thumb lightly trailing along your bottom lip. “I don’t like seeing you get hurt, especially not while trying to help me.” You open your mouth to protest, but he continues, “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you…”
Before you can even think about responding, his lips brush hesitantly against yours. Both of his hands now caressing your face as his eyes search for a reaction.
Your lips part, seeming to give him the answer he needed as he presses into the kiss.
Sicario AU set sometime during Day of the Saldado. You are Matt’s daughter and get called in to help on the mission, but end up meeting the infamous Alejandro.
*Genuinely not sure if I love or hate this, part of me wants to expand on it and part of me wants to forget I ever wrote it. Lemme know what you think!*
Cynthia had called you, which wasn’t exactly uncommon, but you could by the lengthy silence and awkward attempt at small talk that this wasn’t the usual job. They needed you, and as much as you wanted to turn it down, you knew you had to go…
The team they had was some of the best, but things were starting to heat up more than initially planned. Starting a war between the Mexican cartels meant that no one could find out the government had sanctioned any of this, BUT, it also meant that everyone could ignore the red tape and rules. This was a free for all, and almost anything was allowed so long as it got the job done. While you were good at keeping within guidelines, you had inherited a habit of getting your hands dirty to get results.
You drag your pack out of the Humvee, shouldering it as you make your wait reluctantly toward the building. Several men cast glances as you walk by, and you can’t help but to hope they’re staring out of curiosity rather than recognizing your features. Not that it would matter in the long run, they would all find out soon enough, and there was no avoiding any of it as you round the ascend the steps toward the very person who had caused all this anxiety.
Cynthia smiles as she notices your presence, clearly relieved to have you officially joining the mission. Her reaction draws HIS attention… He turns, his curious expression quickly changing to surprise as he rises from his chair.
Attempting to bypass the unpleasant questions, you drop your pack on the table next to Cynthia, and shake her hand promptly before motioning around. “Care to read me in a bit more now that I’m here?”
The other man at the table interjects, “And who are you?”
Again, making the attempt to keep things moving, you step around to shake his hand as well. “I’m the newest addition to your team, Cynthia brought me on to-“
“She’s my fucking daughter, and she shouldn’t be anywhere near here.” HE finally speaks. His gaze hadn’t left you the entire time, but you had allowed yourself a small bit of hope that he wouldn’t make a big deal out of this.
With a roll of your eyes, you turn your attention back to the other man. “And you are?”
“Alejandro.” He states plainly, his eyes darting to your dad before returning to inspect you further.
“Wow, THE Alejandro?” You tilt your head, giving him a quick once over before placing your hands on your hips, a small grin tugging at your lips. “Matt’s talked about you a lot, I wasn’t sure what to expect if I ever met you.”
“Do you have to call me Matt?” Your dad grumbles, clearly more annoyed with your comment than about you calling him by his name.
“It’s your name isn’t it?” Sarcasm, yet another thing you inherited from him.
“Why is she here?” He turns to Cynthia, talking about you as if you aren’t even there, something he was well aware annoyed you.
“She can speak for herself thank you.” You interject, but Cynthia gives you a pleading look before you can continue.
She sighs and moves closer to Matt. “We need her, and you know it…” Glancing back at you, she takes him by the arm and leads him out of the room to talk more privately, leaving you and Alejandro alone.
Running a hand back through your hair, you take a deep breath to compose yourself. Then, grabbing your pack again, you turn your attention back to him. “So, where am I bunking?”
He leads you further upstairs to a small office-like room with a small bed in the corner.
You set your pack down on the bed and look out the large window down on the busy floor below you. Everyone was gearing up, but you couldn’t see your dad or Cynthia anywhere.
“I didn’t know Matt had a daughter your age.” Alejandro speaks up, almost startling you.
You hadn’t expected him to hang around after showing you to your space, much less to see him casually leaning against the door frame (((See GIF))).
Shrugging, you glance out the window again. “I guess he just liked it better when I was little, back before I got old enough to understand things.”
“It can be hard being a parent.” The tone of his voice changes slightly, drawing your attention. His eyes are fixed on you, your gaze meeting for a brief moment before he clears his throat and turns to leave.
He doesn’t get far. Your dad comes up the stairs just as Alejandro was about to walk down. “I think you two should sit this one out, we need someone here tonight. And before you start complaining,” He holds his hand up before you can even open your mouth. “We’re just doing light recon, so you won’t miss out on much.” He points to Alejandro, who was now standing with his arms crossed. “No matter how much you may want to, please don’t kill each other. Got it?”
You both nod, and your eyes habitually roll in annoyance as Matt leaves.
Watching the Humvees file out of the warehouse irked you more than you thought it would. It just rubbed you the wrong way to be left behind, especially with a babysitter – which is exactly what you knew your dad was doing by leaving Alejandro behind with you. He was someone your dad trusted, both to make sure you actually stayed behind, and as someone who wouldn’t try anything funny with his daughter.
You hated being treated like a helpless child, but you knew complaining about it would just make Alejandro more miserable than he already was. He clearly wasn’t thrilled about being left behind either, nor did he seem the conversational type.
After the last of the crew had gone, you decided to be proactive and beat the silence before it had a chance to drive you insane.
After changing out of the uncomfortable combat gear you had worn in expectations of being sent on a mission immediately, and into some extremely comfortable shorts and a tanktop, you find yourself feeling better already. Your portable speaker blares your favorite song, the tune echoing throughout the empty warehouse as you lay out an array of guns to be cleaned.
Keeping busy would keep you sane, and this was something you loved doing anyway.
You almost didn’t even realize you had started singing along, your hips moving on their own accord. That is, until you notice a small movement at the door and glance up to see Alejandro leaned against the frame again, his head tilted slightly.
“I didn’t mean to stare,” He apologizes, offering a meek smile as he moves further into the room the stand at the table opposite you. “You just… reminded me of someone.”
Not wanting to press the matter, but also wanting the company, you hand him a rag and motion to the row of guns laid out on the table next to you. Without a word, or even so much as a nod, he obliges.
You stay like that for a while; quietly working. Just the sound of metal clicking and sliding as you go through cleaning each firearm, your elbows occasionally brushing against each other.
One of your favorite songs comes on, and you again realize only too late that you had been mumbling and moving along to the familiar words. Glancing up, you blush apologetically, but find that he is actually smiling. Not just his usual apathetic excuse for a grin, but genuinely smiling at you.
You both laugh, but before you can pick up the next gun in the line, you feel his arm at your waist.
With a quirked brow, you allow yourself to fall into step with him. He either doesn’t notice your bewilderment, or decides to ignore it as he pulls you closer and moves to the rhythm of the song.
That he knows how to dance doesn’t come as a surprise, but that he is showing this side of himself to you seems very out of the ordinary.
You find yourself giggling as he spins you and pulls you back against him, your back flush to his chest and his hands on your hips. The song picks up again and he spins you to face him, pulling you again into his arms – albeit a bit rougher this time, almost taking your breath away.
He opens his mouth as if to apologize, but something about being pressed against each other like this… your hearts both pounding against each other, his hands at the small of your back, holding your body firmly against his own, your lips seeming much closer with every breath.
One of his hands slides up your side slowly, guiding your arm up to hitch around his neck before returning to pull at your lower back, causing you to arch into him slightly.
Your breath hitches as his lips brush against yours, his pupils seeming almost completely black as he watches for your reaction.
Gripping at his shirt with your other hand, you pull him into the kiss. It starts light and breathy, almost slow as you both hesitate between every parting of your lips.
You run both of your hands up through the back of his hair, which seems to be the last sign he needed. He deepens the kiss, his hands sliding down to grip your ass and lift you up for your legs to go around his waist. Before you can even take another breath, your back is being pressed into the wall, causing a low moan to escape your lips.
You can’t help but to tug lightly at the back of his hair, your kissing becoming sloppier as both of your breathing grows heavier.
Before you know it, the wall is gone, and you feel the bed beneath you as Alejandro resituates himself on top of you. Your legs hitch higher, wrapping tighter around his waist to pull him close. He seems to take the hint, and grinds his hips into yours, causing you to arch your back and moan.
He runs his free hand along your thigh, “I hope you know…” His voice seems even deeper, a sexy, husky tone to it as he whispers into your ear, sending chills down your spine. “You’ve been driving everyone crazy with these long legs since you got here.”
“Oh yeah?” You mean it as a question, but it comes out more as a breathy moan than anything else.
A low growl sounds in your ear as his response, his hips grinding against yours again, this time coaxing a longer, louder moan to spill from your lips. Your inhibitions and self-control completely go out the window as you find yourself ripping his shirt, sending a button or two flying in the process, which neither of you seems to mind as you help each other undress the rest of the way.
He tosses the last of your clothing to the other side of the room, raking his eyes over you as he guides your legs to wrap back around his waist.
One of your hands roam up his chest, lightly trailing your nails along his skin the entire way before reaching up to tangle in his hair, and the other finds its way to his hip, tugging impatiently.
With a soft chuckle, he presses a soft, sensual kiss to your lips before brushing the hair from your face. “Are you sure?”
You nod and nip playfully, taking his bottom lip gently between your teeth before continuing the kiss.
He groans and grips your leg before pulling away again. “Are you really sure?”
“Yes sir.”
It was habit more than anything, the ‘sir’ portion just flowed off your tongue as the natural thing to follow any ‘yes’ response. But his brows furrow and that sexy low growl sounds in your ear again as he nuzzles into your neck, his lips almost immediately finding the sensitive skin there.
You moan his name and tug at his hips with growing impatience, and he finally obliges.
It had taken a long time for you to get Hydra out of your head, and to be completely honest... you weren't sure they were entirely gone yet.
For some odd reason, you and Bucky had always been close. The other soldiers would just follow orders, acting like robots that only existed to carry out their master’s wishes. But you and Bucky were different somehow.
Even through the rigorous Winter Soldier Program training, you and Bucky always managed to sneak small glances, and the occasional smile. Something the other 5 seemed almost incapable of. For some reason, they turned out worse; colder; more calculating; like their emotions and empathy were completely turned off.
You had done things, horrible things, but you were almost grateful to remember them. It reminded you of everything you had overcome, and the fate you managed to escape.
Although, you didn’t have a clear memory of HOW you made it out. You only remembered waking up one day in a small room, Bucky sitting at the edge of the bed, watching every move you made with knitted brows and obvious strain behind hid guarded eyes.
He was waiting for you to react, still unsure if you remembered him, maybe even wondering if Hydra had wiped you after the fall out with SHIELD and his disappearance. But before he could speak, you flung yourself at him, wrapping your arms desperately around his shoulders, happy to finally feel his embrace in return; something you had both been denied all your years training together.
The image still brings a smile to your face, but it wasn’t long before Captain America showed up, and all hell broke loose. Bucky had been blamed for murdering some King, but it was impossible, he had been rescuing you at the time, even though he still refused to explain HOW he got you back.
You expected Cap to be suspicious, but all he did was insist on you calling him Steve instead.
Fast forward and you were now watching the aftermath of the Avengers crumbling in on themselves before you had even really had time to fully understand who they all were. You had picked Bucky, meaning you were fighting with Steve and the rest of his team, which had earned you their friendship without any hint of doubt or question; if Bucky and Cap vouched for you, that was good enough. But your presence seemed only to fuel the fire of whatever rage was burning within the Iron Man that they fought, a man named Tony.
Tony turned out to be a bitter sweet name to you over the course of the next few months. You had to watch as he almost killed your best friend, and then, when things finally seemed to calm down, Bucky had decided to go back into cryosleep in Wakanda. But... something emerged from the darkness, a sort of light, a blossoming of emotion within you.
In your shared grief, and shared friendship of the man you both had to leave in Wakanda, you and Steve grew closer with every day. He had insisted on you staying with him, and this of course would lead to late nights talking. Sometimes you would even wake up to him carrying you, apparently having overheard you having a nightmare, to bring you to his bed for comfort.
It started innocently enough, it really did. You sought comfort and friendship in each other, but as the months pass...
Present Day:
Warm, strong arms envelop you, stirring you from your sleep. You couldn’t recall any bad dreams tonight, nor were you covered in the usual cold sweat that accompanied your nightmares.
Blinking in attempts to wake up, you watch quietly as Steve gently places you in his bed, then walks around to lay down next to you, his arms immediately finding their way around you again.
He seems to sense your questioning glance, obviously not able to see your quirked brow in the darkness. “I’ve gotten used to having you in here...”
“Steve,” You chuckle softly, “You can’t just wake me up every night to bring me in here.”
Tightening his arms around you, he nuzzles softly into your neck, creating a strange shiver down your spine that you had been fighting to ignore lately. “Maybe you should just start sleeping in here then.”
Pulling back slightly, your eyes finally adjust to the darkness enough to somewhat make out his face. His eyes bore into yours, seeming to search for your reaction, or any reaction for that matter. His brows knit together as he moves to turn away, but you stop him, placing a hand on his jaw to bring his gaze back to yours.
He whispers your name softly, and before you can fully process what’s happening, his lips are pressed to yours. Your body reacts for you, your leg hitching up on his hip as his arm snakes around your waist, pulling you flush against him as he deepens the kiss.
Even knowing you had the same serum administered as he and Bucky, he still insists that you tell him if he ends up hurting you. Not sure what he meant, you agree cautiously.
Almost immediately, he grips your knees and pulls you further down the bed so that he can situate his weight on top of you. Your legs immediately wrap around his waist, inviting him to press flush against you again. He seems hesitant, obviously still scared of hurting you.
So, you plant your heels at either side and grip his shoulders for leverage, running one of your hands up through the back of his hair as you grind your hips upwards against his.
Finally, his resolve seems to break. His head lulls forward as he shifts his weight to one arm, allowing the other to roam your body as you continue rolling your hips.
His breathing grows heavy, coming in shallow, almost moan-like pants. And then he’s on you, pinning you to the bed with his body, grinding against you as he runs a hand along your thigh, hitching it up on his hip for you to wrap both of your legs around his waist.
When his lips find your neck, you can’t help the arch that forms along your back, or the moans that spill from between your lips. This only seems to spur him on as he sits up only long enough to tug off your shirt before he’s back on you, his lips finding yours this time as your hands roam along his muscular shoulders and find their way to his back, where your nails drag down his skin, earning you the sexiest low growl you’ve ever heard make its way from his lips.
You can’t take it anymore, you run both hands up through the back of his hair, tugging slightly so he looks you in the eyes, his pupils blown wide and lips swollen. He either reads your mind, or is at the same point of need as you.
“Are you sure?” His voice is husky, which only makes you need him more.
Unable to even form coherent words, you just nod and pull him back in for another deep kiss. His hand trails down your body, removing the last bit of clothing from between you before you finally feel him inside you.
You let out a deep breath that you didn’t even realize you had been holding, and as he starts moving, your head falls back on the pillow. Various moans, and begging falling from your lips as you plead with him to move faster, beg him not to stop, urge him to keep going even though your legs are already shaking. It doesn’t take long to find out that his name is what really gets him the most.
“Steve,” You moan.
His entire body seems to stiffen briefly before he attacks your neck, finding your sensitive spot as he picks up the pace. The combined pleasure causing you to moan his name again, louder this time.
Another growl escapes him, the sound so close to your ear sending goosebumps down your entire body.
Digging your nails into his back, you feel yourself getting close, his name now spilling from your lips repeatedly, causing him to forget any sense of caution and instead slam into you as his breathing becomes more ragged.
His hand covers your mouth as he leans in closer again, his teeth on your neck before whispering in your ear. “I can’t keep going if you keep saying my name like that...”
You nod, agreeing to attempt holding your tongue. But it was already too late, moments later, you both come undone, and lay there panting, still tangled together.
“Yep.” He breathes, pressing softer, sleepier kisses to your lips. “You’re definitely sleeping in here from now on.”
Jerry opens his closet to reveal several items of clothing in your exact size and style. With a curious raise of your brow, you glance over your shoulder at him. “Do I wanna know who these belong to?”
Chuckling, he pulls a fresh henley shirt over his head, then casually tugs the sleeves up at his elbows. “I got them for you. Call it wishful thinking, but I wanted to make sure you’d be comfortable here if you said yes.”
You quickly dress in a pair of jeans and a fitted tshirt, opting for you converse yet again before turning to face Jerry. “Well.... I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s head out.”
“Wait.” He catches your arm before you can step toward the door, fishing around in his pocket for an item he then conceals clutched in his fist. “Just one more thing.” With a somewhat nervous smile, he gently slides a beautiful ring onto your finger.
Suddenly left without words, you slowly bring your hand closer, inspecting the gorgeously intricate new adornment that has made its comfortably snug home on your finger. “Jerry I.... I don’t know what to say.”
“Well...” He pulls you close, the edge of his lips twitching up before pressing them gently to yours. “It may be a bit easier to start off with an engagement announcement than to tell your father our lives are linked.”
In a deflated sigh, your shoulders slump and eyes drop back to the ring where your hand rests on Jerry’s chest. “He’ll freak out as soon as he sees you.”
Lips pursed, he tucks a few stray hairs behind your ear and looks into your eyes. “He can’t kill me, he’s tried that already.”
Your brows knit together. “It’s not funny Jerry...”
He presses another reassuring kiss to your cheek before leading you out to the truck, and continues pressing several to your knuckles on the short ride to your cabin.
The Jeep is parked outside, just as you expected, but it doesn’t make getting out any easier. If your dad heard the truck pulling up, or the doors shutting as you both slowly approach the porch, he doesn’t make any move to even check out any of the windows. Although an overcast day like this provides safety from the sun, it usually means your dad is camped out in front of the tv watching old horror movies and jumping at every creak and moan in the house.
Jerry moves to knock at the door, but you catch his hand, earning his questioning glance. “Maybe I should go in first... try to explain things a little.”
He seems hesitant, which is understandable considering what you’re about to have to tell your dad. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Just wait out here for a few minutes, okay?” You press a gentle kiss to his cheek, then his lips. “He’s my dad, he won’t hurt me. But you... you he hates.”
With a half-hearted chuckle, he reluctantly nods and stays put as you walk into the cabin alone.
“Dad?” You call out, slowly making your way into the living room where you could hear an old thriller playing. “Dad?” Rounding the corner, you spot him sitting in his favorite chair with a rather large bowl of popcorn. Stepping a little closer, you attempt to gain his attention without startling him.
But... popcorn goes flying as he jumps up out of said chair and ends up falling onto the floor at your feet. Looking up, he manages a meager, slightly embarrassed smile as he props his head casually up on his hands. “Well hello darling, I was just um... just testing the floor.” He pats it gently and then jumps to his feet. “Ah, yes, very good. Floors are still sturdy.”
Quirking your brow, you can’t help the broad smile forming across your features. You wanted to remember this moment; your dad looking at you in such a loving, sweet way, his eyes so full of affection and light. They always seemed brighter when they landed on you, something that never failed to cheer you up. But, how would it change with what you were about to tell him? Would he still look at you as his daughter, or as a monster? Would the light leave his eyes completely?
As if the worry was written plainly in front of you, your dad steps closer, placing his hands on your shoulders as he tries to bring you back from your thoughts into reality. “What’s wrong, love?”
With a sigh, you bring up your left hand. The ring glints brilliantly in the darkness of the room, light from the television screen playing up every edge cut into the diamonds placed along its band.
Eyes wide, he moves closer, taking your hand in his own to run his thumb along your new jewelry. Almost as if he had half expected it to be a trick of the eye, he releases a heavy breath he had been holding in. “Is-Is this... Is this what I think it is?”
“Dad.” You start attempting to explain, not entirely sure where to even begin. “Jerry and I-”
“Jerry?!” He steps back slightly, seeming stung by your words. “The guy you JUST met?”
“Dad, I know but-”
He cuts you off. “There’s something going on here. This isn’t right.” Something catches his attention from the front window. “Is that him out there?!”
Your dad takes a purposeful step toward the front door, grabbing a large cross from one of the nearby tables.
“DAD!” You try to block his path, hoping you can explain. “Dad you have to listen to me, you don’t understand he-”
A painful scream rips from your throat as you fall to the floor, your entire body raking with spasms as you clutch your scorched hand. The rest of the world is blocked out as you look through blurry, tear brimmed vision as your hand slowly heals. Within what felt to be several minutes, but was in reality only a few short seconds, your hand is healed and the pain subsided.
Glancing up, you notice your dad frozen in place, shock written plainly across his features as the cross dangles limp in his hand. “What has he done to you?...”
Before you can respond, you realize Jerry must have heard your scream. All you can do is watch as your dad’s entire world shatters, his expression changing to that of pure hatred as he recognizes him.
"You?!" Your dad raises the cross, clutching it furiously in an outstretched hand.
The feeling is immediately uncomfortable, causing you to flinch away. Something that doesn’t go unnoticed by either man.
Jerry shifts to move closer to you, but your dad shoves the cross closer. Unfortunately, this only causes you more discomfort. The ringing in your head growing louder as your skin seems to crawl.
With a low growl, and one large step, Jerry grips the front of your dad’s shirt, pushing him further away from you. Your dad tries shoving the cross in his face, but Jerry grabs it with his bare hand. The cross immediately catches fire, and Jerry flashes his fangs before blowing it out and throwing it across the room. (((See GIF)))
Jerry gives your dad one last little growl, then releases him to move closer to you. “You were hurting her.” He crouches next to you, helping you back to your feet and keeping a warry arm around your waist.
Your dad watches the two of you interact, obviously perplexed as Jerry inspects your previously burnt hand and places a very gentle kiss to your completely healed palm. “What have you done to my daughter?”
A low growl rumbles in Jerry’s chest, but you easily silence him with a look. Defeated, Jerry takes a step back, allowing you and your dad to take a seat on the couch while he stands, leaned against the doorframe barely an armlength away. Your dad keeps glancing at him, but you know Jerry needs to be a part of this conversation too.
“Dad.” You grip his hand, ripping his attention away from Jerry. “I know this is a lot to take in-”
“Are you okay?” He interrupts, his eyes drifting downward toward your hand before meeting your gaze again. “I never meant to hurt you.” Tears threaten to spill over the brim of his eyes, his bottom lip quivering slightly as he takes a deep breath and glances again between you and Jerry.
“I’m fine.” Holding both of your unmarked palms up, then flipping your hands over to show the smooth skin on either side. “See?”
“And you always thought I was paranoid...” He holds both of your hands in his own, his thumb seeming to linger on the ring.
You share nervous laughter, but it dies off quickly as your dad sniffles.
With a sigh, you squeeze his hands gently. “I love him...”
Rolling his eyes, his sarcastic tone drips with venom that laces every word. “And I suppose he’s said he loves you too?”
“She’s the only reason you’re alive.” Jerry mutters, earning another eye roll from your father. “Hey.” Jerry barks, shifting from the doorframe and obviously resisting the urge to move even closer. “I gave her a fucking choice, I offered to leave if she didn’t want this. Believe it or not, she’s my soulmate, and for some reason she thought I was worth loving back.”
Slowly, your dad lifts his eyes to meet yours, searching for something. “So you- you’re?...” Taking a deep breath, he squeezes your hands again, seeming to reassure himself more than anything. ”You’re like him now?”
Pursing your lips, you reply in a soft, but curt nod.
Letting out a long breath, he glares over at Jerry. “I’ll kill you for this.”
“Dad-”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I almost did it before, but I swear I’ll find a way to make it permanent this time.”
Jerry crosses his arms, the veining in his neck turning a bright shade of blue as he strains to hold himself back. “And here I thought you loved your daughter.”
Turning his attention back to you, your dad furrows his brows. “It turned the others back. It turned your Aunt back, I promise I’ll save you darling.” He clutches at your hands, his desperation clear.
But he can see in your eyes... that this won’t be the case. “Dad...” You want to explain, but realize you don’t even fully understand yourself, and glance to Jerry, pleading.
He clenches his jaw several times, but reluctantly sighs and nods. “Peter...” Your dad seems to ignore him, so he tries again. “Peter.”
“What?!” Your dad spits back, his chest heaving.
Jerry glances to you again before continuing. “She’s my soulmate. It’s different.”
Shaking his head, your dad moves to turn his attention back to you, but Jerry is done playing nice.
“Hey.” Jerry takes a step closer, placing his hand on your shoulder and causing your dad to somewhat lean away. “Soulmates are a little more serious for vampires, it links you. In other words... If you kill one of us, the other dies.”
The color drains from your dad’s face, his skin suddenly looking very gray and clammy as his wide eyes bore into yours. Your lack of response apparently confirms his fear, and you watch as he crumples. His entire soul seems to deflate, his shoulders falling and eyes suddenly seeming so devoid of all the bright life they held only a few brief moments ago. You had tried memorizing how they used to look at you, you had hoped for the best, but nothing could prepare you for the way those same eyes looked at you now.
Why are there no fics for this character or actor omg!
-Set after Civil War, before Infinity War. AU where Aldrich Killian somehow survived from Iron Man 3 and is back in New York.
The media had never really been a huge part of your life, which you supposed to be the one upside of being sent away as a child. When your parents died, you were only 2 years old, having been what everyone referred to as a 'happy accident' after a particularly romantic anniversary night. You don't remember much about them, other than what your adoptive family could tell you.
In all honesty, you were almost jealous of the world. Everyone else seemed to know so much about your family, and yet you had been kept apart for most of your life. Although it was known the Stark's also had a young daughter, you seemed to have disappeared into the shadows, especially with your older brother, Tony, being the playboy party type. He seemed to take all the limelight for himself, but you can't really complain, you enjoyed being able to walk the streets without worry of being chased by paparazzi.
Now in your mid-twenties, you felt a growing closeness with your brother. After the Avengers split up over the accord argument, he had sought you out in an attempt to mend what he believed to be an old wound. In his eyes, he had abandoned you to live with a family your parents had been quite close with, rather than raising you himself. And...admittedly...you felt the same for the majority of your early childhood.
However, even though the Starks would always be your family, you also had to admit that you grew up with extremely loving parents, who were always there for you. They couldn't have children of their own, and cherished every moment with you, catering to your needs and nurturing your passions so that you could grow into the strong adult you are today.
Tony couldn't believe it when you explained all this to him; you swear he was actually tearing up, but he claims it was the new contacts he was trying.
Some time later, and with a lot of begging from Tony, he convinces you to move in with him in his new house. After making your first trip with a car full of boxes, you had realized Tony would never allow you to do any of the 'heavy lifting' yourself, which meant he had hired a bunch of people to decorate your room for you... It was a sweet gesture, but you were somewhat relieved when he was called away to deal with some business elsewhere.
He promised to be back in a few days, a week at the latest, and assured you that he would only be a phone call away.
With all the unpacking already done for you, and the house now completely empty until Tony was able to return, you decide to take a little walk to get to know the area.
Unfortunately, with all of the commotion your moving in had caused... it wasn't long into your walk before you realized you were being followed, one of the men actually tried cornering you for an interview. Not sure what to do with all the attention, you decide the only option is to run (obviously the mature, rational thing to do right?) Seeming to have lost them in the confusing series of turns you had made, you turn to find yourself standing in front of a rather charming little café.
Intrigued, you decide to duck in, quickly taking a seat in one of the furthest booths in the very back until you can decide what to do next. You really didn't want to have to call Tony, and calling Happy for a ride would be even worse.
With a sigh, you lean forward with your elbows on the table, running your hands down your face.
"Excuse me?"
You jump slightly at the man's voice beside you.
"Sorry," He chuckles softly. "Didn't mean to startle you. I just know your face from somewhere, do we know each other?"
Any hope of remaining unrecognized is dashed as you see his eyebrows raising in realization. Horror bubbles up through your chest, your heart racing as you shake your head, a pleading finger raising toward your lips to ask for his silence.
"Aren't you-?"
Before he can get the words out, you drag him into the booth with you, both cutting him off and causing him to somewhat lean over you.
"If you could just raise your voice a little more, I don't think the people out in the street heard you." The sarcasm is dripping off every word, and your agitation clear even through your hushed whispering.
Seeming more amused than surprised, his lips turn up in an admittedly charming grin. Which is around the time you realize how close he is; your face inches apart, one of his arms along the back of the booth, the other on the table. He must have been trying to avoid falling on top of you when you yanked him into the booth, but you feel the heat rise in your cheeks anyway. After all, it's not every day an extremely handsome older man is looking at you like this.
You quirk a brow in return, deciding to challenge his unfaltering gaze as you clear your throat. He simply chuckles in response, but concedes to finally shift over just enough for you to let out the breath you were apparently holding in.
"I must say," He glances you over once more, that grin still plastered across his features. "It's surprising to meet a celebrity that doesn't want attention."
Rolling your eyes, you realize he must have seen you on the news or been one of your brother's old business partners.
Studying your eyes, his smile falters, although only briefly before he shrugs off whatever had affected him. "Why are you hiding?"
Sighing, you glance around the café again before turning your attention back to the strange man, your fascination growing with every second he remains seated next to you. "Look... I'm sorry I kinda freaked out." Your brows knit together as you take a deep breath, still taking the occasional glance toward the front door. "I'm just trying to lay low, and I only came in here to hide from paparazzi."
"Ah." He raises his brows and nods as his smile broadens, a soft chuckle of understanding passing through his lips. (((See GIF at beginning of chapter))) "They can be hard to get used to."
"Definitely..." You shake your head in frustration, earning a quizzical look from him. "Don't get me wrong, I knew I'd have to deal with this some day, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it."
"Well," He offers his hand, which you take with full intention of a hand-shake, but find instead his lips pressing gently to your knuckles. "My name's Killian, and it's lovely to meet you Ms-"
Your eyes go wide as you glance worriedly around the café, earning another chuckle from Killian as he cuts his sentence off purposefully. He motions around to the lack of people in the café, and their obvious obliviousness to anything else around them.
"See?" He shrugs, "No one in here pays much attention."
Feeling reassured, the tension in your shoulders eases, and you find yourself loosing track of time as you and Killian jump from topic to topic. The conversation flows so easily between the two of you, going from more series philosophical topics to stories that have you clutching your sides in laughter. Before you know it, several hours had passed and it was already getting dark out.
With a glance at his watch, and a low sigh, he moves to stand at the edge of the booth. "I'm afraid I'd better get going." You move to exit the booth as well, and look up to see his hand offered to you. Taking it, he leads you toward the door, opening it for you and placing his hand gently at the small of your back as you both walk out onto the street. "I must admit, I haven't lost track of time like that in...." Stopping briefly, he chuckles and tilts his head to glance down at you. "Well I don't know that I ever have actually."
Heat rises in your cheeks again, as you use a glance at your watch as an excuse to break away from his eyes. "I enjoyed it too, but I'd better get going myself."
You move to walk away, but find his hand at your waist holding you in place, even pulling you a little closer as he motions toward a luxurious car parked on the other side of the street. "Why don't you let me give you a lift?" Before you can protest, he's already walking with you and opening the passenger door. "Really I insist, it's late and I can't let a beautiful lady walk home alone."
Feeling both intrigued by this mysterious, handsome man and his charming demeanor, and relieved that you wouldn't have to walk home alone this late in the evening, you take his hand and lower yourself into the car. He shuts the door behind you, and is quickly in the driver's seat beside you.
The next 10 minutes pass way too quickly for your liking, and when Killian seems to draw out what should have been a very short walk from his car to the front door, you hope he was feeling the same.
"You know," He shoves his hands in his pockets, glancing you over as he seems to be fighting back a smile. The corner of his lips twitching up slightly anyway, and he shakes his head, bringing one of his hands up to run back through his hair. "I gotta admit... I did want you to get home safely, but I really just wanted to spend more time with you."
"Oh really?" You giggle softly, finding him increasingly irresistible as he glances back toward his car with a chuckle in what seems to be an attempt to play off the light shade of pink across his cheeks.
"I'm normally not like this, I swear." He meets your eyes again, the blush in his cheeks deepening and causing both of you to laugh. "Maybe I can see you again sometime?"
"I'd like that." Your own smile seems contagious as his broadens. "Let me give you my number?"
He hands you his phone, shifting closer to watch you put your info in his contacts. But when you hand it back, his fingers brush against yours, lingering briefly before he tucks his phone back in his pocket; his eyes not leaving yours as he leans in closer. You feel his hand caress your neck, and then his lips slowly moving against yours.
His other hand moves around your waist, pulling you flush against him and deepening the kiss. You grip the collar of his shirt, causing him to smile into the kiss, but the alarmingly loud ring of your phone startles both of you, somewhat ruining the moment.
"Sorry, that's my brother's ringtone I have to take it." You give him an appologetic look as you detangle yourself from each other, stepping back enough to take the call. "Hey Tony."
Somehow, you manage to get off the phone rather quickly, but when you face Killian again he seems lost in thought. When he glances up, his face immediately breaks out into a soft smile, although it doesn't quite reach his eyes.
He moves closer and presses a gentle kiss to your cheek, "I'll call you tomorrow?"
You nod in response, unsure why or how to explain it, but he felt a little off...
Aldrich Killian POV:
I knew I recognized her from somewhere, her face had been plastered across every tv all day. Something about a celebrity moving into town... But I hadn't paid much attention to the name.
I knew Tony had a sister, how could I have not put the pieces together?
How could I have been so stupid?!
Of course the first woman I feel a real connection with would be her. Of COURSE she just HAD to be Tony Stark's little sister.
Why did I have to go into that café today?
Why did I have to feel such a strong pull toward her?
I slam the car door behind me, trying to avoid looking back toward the house, not wanting to risk seeing her still standing there. Clenching my jaws, I take a deep breath and shift into gear, making my way back out toward the street. Out of pure habit I glance up toward the rear view mirror, and my heart leaps into my throat, as I watch her walking into the house.
I can't rip my eyes away until after she's already closed the door, but the damage was already done.
I try to swallow, but the fluttering of butterflies in my stomach refuses to settle.
Flashes of color ghost along your eyelids, making things seem blurry even when you try to blink it away. Whether you're dreaming or not, you can't be completely sure.
Everything feels …. different.
Not bad. Just … new.
You try to concentrate on clearing your vision, but something shifts around you. A hand reaches around your waist, causing you to jump slightly and bringing your senses back to reality.
"Hey, it's okay." Jerry runs a soothing hand through your hair, then gently feels your forehead and purses his lips.
In one swift movement he's standing at your edge of the bed, scooping you up into his arms to carry you to the bathroom. Setting you gently on the large counter between the 2 sinks, he places a thumb under your chin to tilt your head back, seeming to inspect your neck. Then he feels along your jaw curiously, his brows knitting together when you flinch slightly as he hits a strangely tender spot.
He spins to turn on the shower, his hand feeling the water to get it at the right temperature.
Your hair drifts up to your jaw, immediately finding that same tender spot. A mix of curiosity and concern bubbling in your stomach as you realize the likely reason for your teeth hurting. Before you can open your mouth to ask Jerry anything, a wave of nausea rakes through you, causing you to double over.
Jerry turns back to check on you, apparently having gotten the water to the perfect temp, and sees you clutching at your stomach, your jaw clamped shut both in pain and an attempt to keep the contents of your stomach from coming up. He brushes the hair out of your face, rubbing soothing circles on your back and along the base of your skull, somehow relieving some of the strain and allowing you to sit upright.
You open your mouth again, trying once more to ask the question, but he seems to already know what's on your mind.
"I've never been through this." His eyes are wide with worry and you can sense the sincerity in his voice, which somewhat confirms your fear. This wasn't the normal way someone turned, and there was no telling whether it would stop any time soon. "I'm so sorry..." He caresses your cheek, pressing small, gentle kissing along your temple.
Pulling back slightly, he feels your forehead again and inspects your eyes. Something about him seems crisper, almost like you're truly seeing him for the first time. Even his smell is different, but you aren't quite sure how to explain it, even to yourself. You reach out to grip his arm, both for support and in an attempt to ground yourself in reality.
What you weren't expecting is how he would even feel so much different. It takes every ounce of control not to flinch away as you feel a jolt of electricity run through you. You can feel the throbbing of his pulse, and... are you hearing it too?? What's going on?...
He seems to notice you trying to work through the feeling of being in a new world, everything around you feels so different. It's like all of your senses have been kicked into overdrive. You can even smell a distinct metallic scent in the air, which causes you to furrow your brows.
Jerry places a hand at either side of your face along your jaw, bringing your gaze up to meet his. "You'll get used to it, I promise. I'm here for your, I'm right here."
Nodding softly, you finally notice the strange feeling along your neck and chest. The sudden realization the you're somewhat covered in blood hit you like a truck, but the sinking feeling washes away almost immediately when you see the way Jerry is looking at you. He had been looking so concerned this entire time, so worried and helpless to the situation, that you had completely overlooked the fact that he too was covered in blood.
With a deep breath to steady yourself, you realize the metallic smell was from the drying mix of blood on both of your skin. Tilting your head, you take another deep inhale and close your eyes. You remember exchanging blood to start the change and initiate the bond between the two of you, but you also remember how close it made you feel. It was like you could feel how much Jerry loved you, and that he would do anything to protect you; almost as if you were flooded with the warmth of all his affection for you.
You had never felt so close to someone in your entire life.
Something about the way he's holding you, tells you that he felt exactly the same way. There was a pull toward him before, but now, it's like you need to be near him.
Is this what he meant? Is this what he tried to explain before? Could this be the pull between soulmates that only vampires can truly feel?
It has to be...
There's no other explanation. This man standing before you, clutching to you as though you're the key to his life, as if you're more critical than the air around him for his survival... this is your soulmate.
A warm feeling, like a sense of relief, slowly trails throughout your body, taking away all the pain and uncertainty. Everything seems clear and bright, and you wonder how you ever lived your life without this level of clarity. Colors seem more vivid, smells all bring images to your mind, and you swear if you tilt your head just right you can hear a fly buzzing in a spider web in the downstairs front window.
With a soft laugh, you smile up at Jerry, who returns with a wide grin of relief. "Well, looks like the worst of it's over?" He kisses your forehead again, obviously hopeful that your pain had passed.
Before he can wrap his arms around you again, you move to slide off the counter and motion at the blood covering the both of you. "I think we need to shower."
Chuckling, he nods in agreement, checking the water again before you help each other out of the somewhat sticky and definitely ruined clothes.
He steps into the shower first, then offers you his hand, clearly insisting on babying you for a while longer until he was sure you weren't going to double over again anytime soon.
Once the water begins to run clear again, a good sign that the blood had been washed away, you find yourself simply wrapped in each other's arms. The hot water feels so good on your skin, and his embrace makes you wonder how you were ever able to live without him.
With a soft sigh, you lean back enough to look him in the eye.
His features twitch up in that sweet, sly grin of his as he presses a slow, loving kiss to your lips. Then, he seems to notice the slight knit in your brows, "What's wrong, love?"
Pursing your lips, you press a quick kiss in return to his lips, then nuzzle into his neck and squeeze him closer. "How are we going to tell my dad?..."
You watch as Sebastian makes his way through the crowd. All you can think is how handsome he looks in his suit, especially with the top button of his shirt casually left open. He seems to be looking for someone, and you feel a brief moment of panic when his eyes lock with yours, but the calm smile that spreads across his features brings a sense of relief.
Could he have been looking for you?...
Just as he moves as though to make his way towards you, he gets stopped by a someone wanting an interview. You could almost swear you see his shoulders slump slightly, and he smiles apologetically to you before moving aside. Knowing the interview may take a while, and now being too far away to hear anything, you try to distract yourself.
Luckily, your best friend places a gentle hand on your back as they come to stand beside you. "You should go talk to him when he's finished."
You quirk a brow as you glance down at Scarlet. "I should what now?"
Smiling, she locks her arm with yours to pose for a few photos. "He keeps glancing over here, and I've seen the two of you making goo-goo eyes the last few months."
"We haven't been-"
"Oh, don't even try to play innocent." She giggles knowingly, glancing over her shoulder back towards where you last saw Seb. "They're taking him inside to do a sit-down interview, so I say we go do a little spy work."
Your heart sinks. "No way... I'm not sneaking around and eavesdropping like that!"
Laughing at your lame attempt to whisper yell at her, Scarlet begins dragging you toward the door Seb had just disappeared into. "What if he says something about you?"
Suddenly, your feet aren't dragging so desperately. Curiosity seems to move you more willingly inside, following Scarlet to stand just around the corner. You both watch a screen with a live feed of the interview, they were going over a few standard questions to do with Infinity War filming and fight training.
"So..." The interviewer leans forward in his chair, a sly grin twitching at the edge of his lips. "Your fans are dying to know if there's a lady in your life?"
Seb falters for a moment, bringing his hand down over his beard stubble as he shifts in his seat. "Um.... well I um- I was actually hoping to bring a date tonight, but I never quite got the chance to ask her."
The interviewer perks up. "Oh really? Is this lovely lady in attendance tonight?"
Running a hand back through his hair, a habit he can't seem to quit even since it was cut so short, Seb chuckles nervously. "Uhhhm... yeah- Yeah she is actually."
Scarlet grips your arm excitedly, and you're certain she can hear your heart beating through your chest as you both listen intently.
The interviewer claps his hands together, a broad smile spread giddily across his face. "Is it one of your co-stars?"
"No." Seb shakes his head, scratching at the stubble of his beard again as he furrows his brows, seeming to debate whether or not to disclose any more information. "She actually just hangs around set a lot because she's best friends with one my co-stars."
Scarlet takes it upon herself to dart forward, gracefully taking the open seat next to Seb for the interview. Seb is understandably startled, jumping up in his chair and darting a slightly panicked questioning glance toward the interviewer, who shrugs in equal confusion.
"Sorry." Scarlet smiles. "I couldn't help but overhear that our little Seabass has a crush."
Seb shifts uncomfortably in his seat and clears his throat as if to speak, but the interviewer takes advantage of Scarlet's interruption. " So, Scarlet, does that mean you know who the mystery woman is?"
You can't help but to hold your breath, and even Seb seems to be waiting in suspense for the answer, his brow quirked in curiosity.
With a smug grin, she squeezes Seb's arm. "I think I might give Seb one last chance to fess up for himself."
He opens his mouth to speak, but glances in your direction. You noticed a brief moment of panic flash in his eyes, but it's quickly replaced with a sweet smile. "Actually..." He gets up from his seat and hesitantly walks toward you, the camera following him. "I'm not sure how much you heard but I'm willing to bet you have an idea by now..." He trails off, noticing your growing smile.
Before you can react, his lips are on yours. It's a soft, sweet kiss. You allow yourself to lean into him, trailing your hand up to grip the collar of his shirt.
You both pulls away slowly, both smiling like idiots even while Scarlet can be heard in the background squealing: "Finally!"
You spend the rest of the evening at his side, his arm snaked around your waist, his eyes beaming and a seemingly permanent cheesy smile on his face. What the cameras don't see, is how he grips your ass at every chance, and continuously leans in to whisper dirty sweet nothings into your ear.
Soulmate AU - Tally mark request. ( When you fall in love a tally mark appears on your wrist (red if unrequited, black if the love is mutual), if your loved one dies the tally mark becomes a scar. I chose to go with the specific prompt in this AU of: "Imagine someone with a single scarred mark that refuses to love again getting a new tally mark that's black.")
One shot
The Avenger's tower was rather quiet today. The rest of the team had gone out on a mission, and you elected to stay behind to watch over Loki, who mostly kept to himself anyway.
Turning off the tv, you sprawl out on the couch with a heavy sigh, boredom already setting in. The team wouldn't be back for another 2 days 3 hours and 11 minutes; not that you were keeping track or anything...
Heaving another sigh, you stand up, deciding to be somewhat productive and cook your own lunch. "Friday?"
"Yes?" Tony's most recent A.I. responds.
"Can you shuffle my playlist labeled favorites?"
"Of course." She complies, and My Love by Justin Timberlake blares through the speakers.
Smiling to yourself, you begin to mouth along. Rummaging through the fridge, you find a few appetizing ingredients that make you think of making your favorite childhood dish. Using your hip to close the fridge, you find yourself somewhat dancing, your voice growing more confident with the lyrics you know so well.
Pretty soon, you're dancing along, using various kitchen utensils as your microphone.
After your own private concert of Justin Timberlake songs, ending with Rock Your Body, you hear applause. Startled, you spin to see Loki, heat rising in your cheeks as his smile broadens.
"What a lovely performance." He quips, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe, the smug satisfaction of having caught you in an embarrassing state written clear across his face.
Clearing your throat, you straighten your shirt and run a hand back through your somewhat messy hair. "How much of that did you see?"
He chuckles. "Only the last few moments, but I do wish to have seen more."
The oven timer sounds, startling you again, but providing a well needed distraction as you clear your throat again. "Are you hungry?"
Smiling, he steps into the kitchen, finally tearing his eyes from you to inspect what you pull out of the oven. "Absolutely famished."
--------
Later that evening:
After popping a rather large bowl of popcorn, you sit down to a horror movie marathon, courtesy of Tony's large collection of DVDs and Friday's unlimited access to everything online.
A few minutes into the first movie, with suspenseful music playing and the main character moving slowly toward an ominous door, Loki approaches unnoticed.
"May I join?"
His question is polite, but his presence was unexpected and startles you once again causing some of the popcorn to spill. "HOLy shIT Loki, you can't just keep sneaking up on people like that."
Smirking to himself, he takes a seat on the couch beside you. He reaches over, grabbing a handful of popcorn from your bowl. "Have I missed much of the story?" He asks through a mouthful.
Giggling, you place the popcorn between you. "It just started, I don't think you missed anything important."
Midway through the movie, a rather gruesome scene plays out, only making you more nauseous as the gore continues. Loki notices you turning your head, and scoots closer to put his arm around you. "I'll tell you when you can look." He mutters, gently pulling you closer.
--------
The next morning:
You wake to a wonderfully delicious smell, but there's no way the team was back yet, and Pepper was away on business. Could Loki even cook?
Rolling out of bed, you very briefly check the mirror before heading toward the kitchen, merely ensuring that you at least have a tank top and some sweat pants on. Upon rounding the corner, you see Loki placing your favorite flowers in the middle of what can only be described as a breakfast feast.
Rubbing your eyes sleepily, you step closer. "Loki?"
Spinning around, he smiles sheepishly. "I was just about to come wake you." He notices you eyeing the table of food curiously. "I just wanted to thank you for lunch yesterday, and for allowing me to join you for movies."
"Loki, you didn't hav-"
"No," He holds up a hand, moving closer to gently guide you back toward a seat at the table. "You've been generous to me and my brother tells me I need to learn how to show gratitude." He motions to the banquet before you.
"Well," You shake your head, allowing him to help you with your chair before taking his seat across from you. "Thank you Loki."
A genuine smile graces his features. "My pleasure."
After you've both had your fill, you help him clean up, putting the remaining food in tupperware and handing him the plates to rinse off.
He hesitates momentarily, and you follow his gaze to your still outstretched hand, realizing you had forgotten to cover your wrist today.
"I'm sorry." He mutters, taking the plate and turning away to finish rinsing.
You smile softly, holding your wrist with your other hand, gently tracing over the solitary scarred tally mark with your thumb. "It was a long time ago."
--------
Later that evening:
Loki had seemed to be avoiding you since the incident at breakfast. While most of the team knew what happened, it was all before Loki had arrived at the tower.
Normally you kept your wrist covered with long sleeves, a wrist band, or even a thick watch, but you had slipped up this morning. Immediately after cleaning up, you had gone back to your room to change, using a large watch to cover up your scar again. While you aren't ashamed by any means, it could be painful to look at sometimes.
You find yourself thinking of Loki, wishing he would come find you, even if it was to ask about the scar; you missed his company.
After making one last round throughout this floor of the tower, and being unsuccessful in finding Loki anywhere, you assume he must be held up in his room. With a sigh, you decide to give him his space, returning to your room to change into training gear for an evening workout. Maybe it would distract you from this odd feeling.
Grabbing your bag on your way out, you quickly unlatch your watch and go to slip on a wrist band. Your entire body stiffens, every hair on your body bristling as a sense of dread causes your heart to race. Next to your scar, lies a brand new, crisp, single black tally mark.
Quickly, you pull up your wrist band.
--------
Early the next morning:
Loki had stayed locked in his room the previous evening, so when you wake to a loud bang coming from the kitchen, you rush out bed in attempts to catch him.
Instead of just Loki, you find the entire team surrounding him, Thor holding him in what looks to be a rather uncomfortable embrace. "I'm so happy for you brother!"
Tony finally notices you, "Well good morning sleeping beauty."
The rest of the team turns, greeting you as well. Thor, seeming the most excited, keeps one arm around Loki's shoulders as he beams, "Have you heard the wonderful news?"
Blinking sleepily, you shake your head in response.
"My brother is in love!" He grips Loki's wrist before he can protest, and thrusts it forward, revealing a single black tally mark.
"Oh, well that's-"
"Guys." Clint nudges Nat, and nods toward you.
Feeling self-conscious with everyone's eyes suddenly on you, you can't help but to glance down at yourself, hoping you remembered to put on clothes.
Thor's smile broadens as he darts forward, bringing Loki with him. He grips your wrist, bringing it next to Loki's so that your tally marks are almost touching.
Loki's brows furrow, and your heart stops as his eyes meet yours.
"You're kidding right?" Logan scoffs, getting up from his chair ready to storm out. "Thanks for wasting our time, kid."
Charles watches you intently, hesitant to trust his own mind. "She's telling the truth, Logan."
A smile twitches at the edge of your lips as Logan stops in his tracks, turning slowly to face you again. "How do you know, huh?" Charles opens his mouth to speak but Logan moves behind him to grab the chair handles. "I think it's time for us to go."
The chair doesn’t move, and irritation plays clearly across Logan's features as he unsuccessfully attempts to pick it up.
You twist your hand slightly and the chair moves to the table. "I think you should stay for dinner. Charles seems hungry."
Charles flashes you a knowing smile and pats your hand. "I told you Logan. She has much of Eric in her."
--------
2 years later:
"She can't do this alone Logan."
He ignores you, brushing past in a huff.
"Charles..." You plead, feeling exasperated.
"We can't just leave her Logan, she's just a child." Charles protests as Logan rolls him out the door towards the car.
You pour a bowl of cereal for the girl. "Stay here Laura, I'll be back I promise."
She simply nods, taking a large bite of cereal as you storm out the door with every intent to knock some sense into Logan. You round the corner, but stop dead in your tracks as you see a group of armed men surrounding Logan. One of the men moves to punch Logan in the face with his metal hand, lucky for you, not so lucky for him as you use your power to pin the man's hand to the ground.
All attention is on you, and a smirk plays across your face as the bewildered man with a metal arm screams furiously for his men to do something.
They all raise their guns.
You can hear Logan yelling for you to run, but you have too much of your father in you for that.
All of the men fire. Raising your hand, your smirk turns into a full menacing grin, and all of the bullets stop mid-air.
"What the fuck..." The man with a metal arm mutters.
"If you like that, wait until you see this." You laugh, pushing forward with your power to send the bullets flying into the men's necks, bi-passing their useless tactical vests entirely.
Ducking behind the side fence, you use it as cover to run along and attempt getting around to help Logan and Charles. Unfortunately, a few of the men had been missed, and were running past into the building.
Shouting, followed by gunfire sounds off from inside the building, causing you to spin around. You had forgotten Laura, and the men had found her. Before you could rush back, she steps out, bringing the severed head of one of the larger men with her to throw at the Mr. Metal Arm's feet.
He seems disappointed, but you couldn't be more proud of the little girl. He shakes a finger at her in warning. "Laura, no. No. No! Laura...."
She moves forward anyway, and he motions for the remaining men to take her.
You yank a few of them back by the metal of their gun straps, but one of them shoots a harpoon into Laura causing you to scream in frustration.
Mr. Metal Arm looks back at you, a mix of amusement and worry playing across his features as you move toward him. He moves for his gun but you use the metal of his hand to pin him against the fence before twisting your hand, wrapping the wire around to hold him in place for the time being.
Turning to Laura, you see her rip out the harpoon and cut the rope with her claws. Logan takes out the last two men, and Laura runs to you, jumping up to hug you tightly before noticing the man you wrapped up in the fence.
She growls, but you sit her down with a warning look.
Logan, however, limps over to the man and unsheathes his claws.
"Logan." You call in warning, making your way over to him.
"We should kill him now." He scowls, the gruffness of his voice making his agitation even more obvious.
Shaking your head, you step in front of the man, placing a hand on Logan's chest to prevent him moving further. "I think I can get information from him. He could be useful."
Sighing, Logan glances at the man, and then back to you, his lips pursed in clear disapproval. He nods reluctantly. "Looks like you get to live another day Pierce."
"Lucky me." The man, apparently named Pierce, chuckles from behind you.
This earns a genuine chuckle from Logan. "Don't be so sure, bub. You can probably guess who she is."
Logan makes his way to the car with Laura, and Charles waves goodbye from the backseat as they all 3 drive away. Glancing back over your shoulder, you notice the man looking you over.
"If I let you down are you gonna try and shoot me? Or can you walk to the building without me kicking your ass again?" You cross your arms, waiting for his answer.
"Well, sweetheart." He smirks, flashing a gold tooth. "I'd say I'm good to walk, so long as I can watch your ass the whole way."
Finally! A break in your career. Your agent had just called to congratulate you on landing a significant role in the new Venom film, where you would be working alongside none other than Tom Hardy.
Even though your character wasn’t quite a love interest for Tom's portrayal of Venom, you still had several scenes together and managed to form a rather playful friendship. The rest of the cast and crew joked constantly about the two of you dating, which both of you played off with laughter, but you would never admit to having developed more romantic feelings.
--------
Several months into filming:
You step into your trailer, immediately flopping on your couch in exhaustion. Taking a deep breath, you grab a rather fluffy pillow and pull it close, feeling yourself begin to drift off almost instantly.
A loud ringing startles you awake. A groan escapes your lips as you reluctantly slide off the couch just enough to reach your phone from your bag. You answer with a somewhat annoyed "Hello?" As you manage to successfully roll back onto the couch.
"Hey love, I- oh no I've woken you haven't I?" Tom's voice sounds from the other side of the phone.
Smiling to yourself, you clutch the pillow closer to get comfy again. "It's alright Tom."
He chuckles softly, sending a shiver up your spine. "Well I just wanted to see if you'd like to join me for lunch, I ordered your favorite, but if you're tired I'll let you be."
Noticing a shadow outside your trailer, you sit up enough to peek out your window. "Tom?" You ask softly, smiling to yourself.
"Yes?"
Moving to stand, you ready yourself to open the trailer door. "Are you standing outside my trailer?"
There's silence from the other end as he pauses briefly. "Am I- Am I at your trailer?"
You open the door, startling him as he spins to face you, two rather large take-out bags in his hand. Giggling, you hang-up the phone and step aside, allowing him in.
He sets out everything on your small table, clearly trying to hide the redness of his face.
Wrapping your arms around him from behind seems to surprise him. He stiffens slightly, but then turns to hug you back properly. "Thanks Tom. You're the best friend anyone could ask for."
He kisses the side of your head gently. "Of course, love. Anything for you."
You don't notice his smile falter at the word friend, and he doesn't quite notice the strain in your voice as you say it.
--------
Two weeks later:
You were getting ready for a date when Tom knocked at your door. Putting in your earrings, you take one last glance in the mirror before moving to answer him.
"Hey, love- wow!" He takes a moment to look you over before stepping into the trailer, bringing you in for a hug, and then stepping back to look at you again. "Just wow. You look stunning."
Chuckling, you jokingly curtsey. "Why thank you, sir."
Heat rises in your cheeks as you notice his eyes still locked on you. You always wondered if he was just being polite, and honestly you couldn't imagine that he might ever actually have a romantic interest in you.
Shaking yourself, you turn slightly, showing him your slightly unzipped dress. "Could you help me with this?"
He stammers momentarily. "Can I? With- with the um- with the dress then? The zipper? Right. The – yes. Right... Um. Ok."
Feeling his warm fingers brush against your skin, trailing upwards as he zips your dress, sends a small shiver through you.
"M'sorry. Cold hands I guess. I um- yeah. Sorry." Clearing his throat, he steps away, leaving you to feel a slight emptiness at the loss of his touch.
Before you can turn to face him, your phone dings with a message. You sigh and purse your lips. "Well never mind, he had to cancel."
Tom seems confused, the look on his face only to be described as flabergasted. "He...He had to WHAT?"
Shrugging your shoulders you move to take out your earrings. "He had to-"
"No I heard you." He takes your arm gently, stopping you. "I just don't understand how any man would mess up a shot with you." You open your mouth to reply but he holds up his hand and shakes his head. "Nope, I'm putting on a jacket and taking you out myself."
--------
Mid-way through filming:
The event seemed harmless enough, and you had decided to attend without a date since it was supposed to be a relatively small venue with minimal press, but that wasn't the case. The venue had changed, and the event was nearly double what you had mentally prepared for. Coming without a date may have been a terrible idea, you never felt so alone, or more bombarded with questions. Half of the press were easy enough to handle, you could simply brush them off by telling them how confidential the movie still was, but the other half were asking about Tom.
Apparently, some rather sneaky paparazzi had managed to snap a few photos of the night Tom had taken you out, and the relationship rumors were already spreading.
"You make a great couple!" One shouted, trying to be heard over the various others saying things like, "How long have you been seeing each other?" "Are the rumors even true?" "Where is Tom right now?"
That was actually a great question, you smile politely, glancing around in attempts to spot Tom. When you finally catch a glance, relief floods throughout your body with a wave of warmth. Smiling again to the press, "Tom is very wonderful and I've actually just spotted him, so if you don't mind." Waving briefly, you begin to make your way to him, seeming to be stopped every few steps by more questions and more photographers.
Finally, you make it close enough to somewhat hear Tom's voice. He's doing a live interview and hasn't noticed you yet, allowing you to eavesdrop a bit while posing for a few photos.
The interviewer seems to be asking him a lot of questions about the leaked photos with you, "So you aren't dating?"
Tom shakes his head and laughs. "She's my best friend, mate. A very beautiful woman that any man would be lucky to have."
The interviewer smiles knowingly. "You have a crush on her, right?"
Tom licks his lips nervously and nods his head. "No. No, she's my best friend."
Your heart drops briefly, but when the interviewer motions for Tom to look over, he finally takes notice of you. His eyes widen as he takes in your backless dress. Deciding to be playful, you give him a quick wink to show you caught him checking you out, to which he blushes furiously and glances back to the interviewer.
"Shit, she's looking."
The interviewer laughs as you saunter over and place a kiss on Tom's cheek. "What nonsense has he been saying about me now?" You ask jokingly.
Tom places his hand at the small of your back, rubbing gentle circles with his thumb. "Only the best things, love."
The interviewer smirks. "Now I know you two are just being shy, there's no way you aren't dating."
Tom laughs and nervously strokes his beard with his free hand. "Nah, mate, she's too good for a guy like me."
The interviewer quirks a brow at you, and nods his head toward Tom. Throwing caution to the wind, you decide to go for it.
When Tom turns to give you a questioning look, you answer by pressing your lips to his.
He doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around you, returning your affection whole heartedly.
Everyone around you screams in excitement, cameras flash wildly, and you swear you can hear one of your fellow cast members shouting "Finally!" somewhere in the distance.
-I may expand this into its own story if that is something anyone would be interested in-
You unlock the door and casually stroll into the apartment, making yourself at home immediately by kicking off your heels and shedding your blazer. Hearing a rustle in the main bedroom, you simply assume your sister made it home early and continue toward the fridge.
The contents are lacking desperately. You lean in with pursed lips to rearrange a few items, hoping to find something edible hidden further back. Footsteps shuffle from the bedroom, and you stand slowly, ears prickling as the sound grows closer; it's definitely not your sister.
You shut the fridge and move cautiously toward the door as a large man rounds the corner. Locking eyes, you take advantage of his momentary bewilderment by charging at him, using the full force of your body to bring him to the ground. He lets out a surprised gasp and rolls to his side, holding up one hand defensively as if to ask for you to wait. Wasting no time, you slide over and lock your arms around his neck, then tuck your legs around his waist.
He struggles to break free, but you refuse to release your grip. Shifting slightly, you bring your lips closer to his ear, "Why are you in this apartment?"
With a strained chuckle, he flips in one swift movement, bringing you with him as he stands and slams back against the wall. Your grip loosens. He slams again, this time cratering the wall and finally breaking your hold.
Slumping to the ground, you glance up at him through narrowed eyes. He leans over you, curiosity written plainly across his features as his eyes dart to the large hole left by your body. "I should ask you the same thing."
You lunge at him, tackling him back to the floor, taking advantage of his shock once again by landing a solid punch to his jaw before he can react. He grips your wrists and looks up at you with furrowed brows, his jaw already turning pink from the contact. Before you can struggle free from his grip, he flips and pins you to the floor beneath him.
"Let me go." You grit through your teeth in warning.
He seems genuinely curious as he looks into your eyes. "Who are you?"
"I'll say it one last time: Let. Me. Go."
He shifts slightly, allowing more space between you, which is all you need to bring your legs up and kick him off. Unfortunately, your agitation got the better of you and your kick sent the man flying across the room to leave another crater in your sister's wall.
Before either of you could fully stand, your sister walks in. "What in the hell is going on?"
Rushing to your feet, you pull her behind you, assuming a protective stance as the man, now on his feet, brushes bits of wall off his shirt.
"Louis?" He asks hesitantly, glancing between the two of you.
She moves to step out from behind you, but you hold her in place and quirk a brow at the man. "How do you know my sister?"
He glances between the two of you again as she peeks out from behind you, her finger lightly tapping your shoulder. "It's just Clark." Hesitantly, you let Louis move out from behind you. She glances between the two of you, and then surveys the apartment. "Why are these holes in my walls?"
"I didn't know you had company." You shrug, your eyes still locked with Clark's.
The corner of his lips twitch up slightly. "She attacked me. Which, by the way, I feel like I need to ask both of you how that happened?" He motions toward the aforementioned holes in the walls.
"Well you see," You start, irritation showing clearly in your sarcasm, "You threw me into a wall so I thought I needed to return the favor."
"Wait," Louis steps between the two of you, bringing to your attention that you had subconsciously moved closer together. "You threw him into a wall?" She questions, her voice barely above a whisper.
Scoffing, you glance down at her. "You're more worried about him than me?"
"I don't think you understand..." She puts her hands on your arms, facing you fully and keeping your attention away from Clark. "You shouldn't have been able to throw him at all."
Shrugging away from her, you peer over to where Clark has taken a seat on the couch, his elbows rested on his knees in contemplation. "Why? He's not so tough."
Louis sighs and shakes her head. "You don't understand, he's literally Superman. Humans aren't supposed to be able-"
"She's not human." Clark's voice sounds directly next to you, startling both you and Louis as you notice his eyes changed ever so slightly.
You move to back away but he grips your arm, his eyes locked intently with yours as he tightens his hand slowly as if waiting for you to flinch or yell uncle. Furrowing his brows, he releases you and turns to Louis.
He leans down to whisper in her ear, "Are you sure this is your sister?"
Rolling your eyes, you let out an exasperated sigh, "Okay 1. I can hear you, and 2. I was adopted before she was born so we were raised as sisters."
Louis' eyes dart to you. "What are you saying?"
Both she and Clark wait expectantly for an answer.
"Maybe we should sit down?" You motion to the couch, but neither move. Instead, Clark crosses his arms and quirks a brow in impatience. "Okay..." Taking a deep breath, you try to look anywhere but directly into either of their eyes. "Let's just say that your parents weren't the only ones to send a ship to Earth."
Clark breathes out a sigh, his eyes tearing up slightly as you gently lift and hover just above the floor, proving your point.
A sense of relief washes over both of you, knowing neither of you are alone anymore.
However, neither of you notice Louis' whole world shattering. She watches as the man she thought would be the love of her life, and her sister, find in each other a bond that no one else could share, and she knew exactly what that meant. Clark had told her countless times about Kryptonian culture, and ironically, hearing about the strength of their soulmate bonds used to be her favorite part to hear.