— your photo is wakatoshi’s trump card, you’re also now a mother of a few kids.
ushijima wakatoshi x f!reader
ushijima is growing on me.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
ushijima wakatoshi wasn’t a man prone to exaggeration.
when he said he’d be there at seven, he was there at six fifty-five, standing exactly where he promised until the world caught up with him. when he declared practice started at three, he meant two-fifty-nine sharp. when he said he loved volleyball, you could carve it into stone and call it fact.
so when he decided he loved you, it was with the exact same weight and certainty. permanent. immovable.
to him, it was the most natural thing in the world.
to his teammates, however, it was comedy gold.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
the first thing they noticed was how he left practice.
normally, ushijima wasn’t one to dawdle, but at least he would stop to towel off, take a drink, check his shoes. after all, captains were supposed to set the example.
but then you started waiting for him after practice. sometimes reading, sometimes scrolling your phone, sometimes just swinging your legs on the bench by the door.
and ushijima? he didn’t even pretend anymore. the moment coach called, “dismissed,” he was already striding for the doors.
shirabu once tried to stop him, frowning at his clipboard. “captain, we need to go over the blocking—”
“later,” ushijima said firmly, and kept walking.
by the time they peeked outside, there you were, smiling up at him. and the way his shoulders seemed to ease the second he saw you? disgusting.
to the rest of the team, it was like watching a brick wall sprout flowers.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
tendou, naturally, struck first blood.
“wow,” he drawled one afternoon, sidling up to you while ushijima packed his bag. “you’ve got him wrapped around your little finger, huh?”
the team perked up, ready for your laughter, maybe even a little denial.
but before you could say a word, ushijima—who had, in fact, overheard perfectly—turned and said, in that flat baritone of his, “yes.”
the silence was deafening.
semi coughed water back into his bottle. shirabu groaned into his sleeve. goshiki muttered, “oh my god.” tendou’s grin collapsed into slack-jawed shock.
ushijima blinked at them all, steady. “is that not obvious?”
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
from then on, it was open season.
“captain’s whipped,” semi would mutter.
“he probably dreams about her,” tendou teased.
“he’s going to start bringing her picture to practice,” goshiki muttered darkly.
ushijima, to their collective despair, never denied a word.
once, tendou waved his phone at him. “bet you’ve got her photo on here, huh?”
ushijima’s answer was immediate. “yes.”
then, with all the calm of a man stating court stats, he reached into his bag, pulled out his phone, tapped twice, and held it up.
“look.”
the team crowded in despite themselves.
on the screen was you, caught mid-laugh, sunlight spilling over your face, every line of you alight with joy. it was candid, unposed, and so warm it left them speechless.
“she’s perfect,” ushijima said.
and for once, no one laughed.
semi blinked rapidly. shirabu actually swallowed hard. goshiki muttered, “unfair.” tendou made a strangled noise halfway between a groan and a scream.
ushijima tucked his phone away. “then you understand.”
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
but he didn’t just stop there.
soon, they discovered the “photo trump card” was not an isolated event. it was a strategy. a weapon. a habit.
whenever teasing started, whenever they so much as hinted, ushijima produced your photo like a holy relic.
“captain, you’re obsessed,” tendou groaned once.
“yes,” ushijima said simply. “is that bad?”
“YES!” tendou flailed. “no—wait—I mean—it’s not bad but you don’t just admit it like that!”
“why not?” ushijima blinked.
tendou collapsed.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
and then, one night, you learned it wasn’t just the team.
you were curled up on his couch when he said casually, “i showed my mother the photo of you.”
you nearly dropped your drink. “…what? when?”
“last week. she said you have a nice smile.”
you were still processing when he added, “i also sent it to my father.”
“YOU WHAT?”
he showed you his phone, completely calm. one candid of you, sent with: this is my girlfriend. she makes me happy.
you buried your face in your hands. “toshi…”
“what is wrong?” he asked, genuinely puzzled. “it’s true.”
and that was that.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
of course, the team found out. they always found out.
“you sent her picture to your parents?” tendou shrieked in the locker room, clutching his hair. “oh my god, you’re hopeless.”
ushijima blinked. “yes, and?”
semi groaned. shirabu muttered that he had no comeback. goshiki just sat down, defeated.
but the dynamic had shifted.
because the more they saw you, the more they realized: they weren’t competing with him. no one could. instead, they wanted to impress you.
not romantically—they weren’t idiots. but you laughed at their jokes, asked about their tests, baked muffins once when ushijima mentioned they were tired.
you were… mom. team mom.
and suddenly, every single one of them wanted your approval like their lives depended on it.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
the first game you came to was a catastrophe.
shirabu nearly tripped during warmups. semi practically threw out his shoulder trying to add flair. goshiki, was roaring louder than tendou after every spike.
“you’re embarrassing yourselves,” tendou hissed at timeout.
“you bowed at her after a spike,” shirabu snapped.
“that was showmanship!” tendou barked.
but then ushijima landed a clean kill, turned his head, and found you in the stands. he nodded once.
you lit up, clapping wildly.
he went back to position like nothing happened.
the rest of the team realized instantly: they’d never win this game.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
after the match, you came down to congratulate them. shirabu fixed his hair. semi flexed under the guise of tying his shoes. tendou tripped over himself offering to carry your bag.
you laughed, sweet and warm.
then ushijima appeared, calm as ever, took your bag himself, and said, “let’s go.”
you smiled and waved at the others as you left with him.
the silence that followed was deafening.
“…we never stood a chance,” semi muttered finally.
“no,” shirabu agreed. “but i still wanted her to say i played well.”
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
from then on, practices turned ridiculous.
shirabu dove for every ball like his life depended on it. semi set with flourish like he was performing at a concert. tendou attempted trick plays just to hear you laugh.
you clapped politely each time.
but when ushijima spiked, you cheered.
and that was the ball game.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
the muffins came later. blueberry, packed neatly in a container you passed to tendou with a smile.
the team lost their minds.
goshiki declared it was proof you were their “real mom.” shirabu muttered, “i hate how good these are,” while reaching for his second. semi begged for the recipe.
“she made those for me,” ushijima corrected calmly.
“she made them for all of us,” tendou protested.
“because i asked her to,” ushijima said. “she wanted you to have energy.”
groans echoed through the gym. but no one left a crumb behind.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
soon, they were pestering ushijima with questions constantly.
“is she coming to the next game?”
“what’s her favorite color?”
“does she like cats or dogs?”
and ushijima answered every time.
“yes.”
“my hair.”
“both.”
they groaned, but secretly filed it away like gospel.
because you weren’t just ushijima’s anymore. you were theirs—their mom, their cheerleader, their gold star.
but at the end of the day, every time, ushijima reminded them, firm and unshakable:
“you can look. but she’s mine.”
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
and here was the kicker: ushijima didn’t just show you off to his team.
he showed you off to everyone.
when a taxi driver once made polite small talk—“headed home from practice?”—ushijima nodded and said, “yes. my girlfriend is waiting for me.” then, without hesitation, he added, “look,” and held out his phone to show the poor driver your picture.
the man blinked, startled. “…she’s very pretty.”
“yes,” ushijima agreed, putting the phone away.
ദ്ദി๑>•̀๑)
when a referee asked how the team was holding up after a long match, ushijima replied evenly, “we’re fine. my girlfriend baked us muffins.” then, as if this was crucial information, he showed the referee the exact muffins in your hands.
the man nodded politely, utterly confused.
ദ്ദി๑>•̀๑)
at a restaurant, when a waiter asked if he wanted dessert, ushijima pulled out his phone mid-order. “no, thank you. but look. this is my girlfriend.”
the waiter, poor soul, leaned over. “…oh. she’s beautiful.”
ushijima gave one sharp nod. “yes.”
the team never recovered.
“CAPTAIN,” tendou begged once, clutching his head. “you don’t need to show literally everyone her picture!”
“why not?” ushijima asked, calm as ever.
“because—because—! that’s not what normal people do!”
“then normal people are wrong,” ushijima said.
and that was the end of it.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
the team was doomed, but deep down? they didn’t mind.
because no matter how much they groaned, or teased, or whined about muffins and motherly smiles, they knew one thing for certain: ushijima wasn’t exaggerating.
you really were perfect.
and when he said, every time, “you can look. but she’s mine,” they couldn’t even argue.
because he was right.
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡
a/n: crazy big guy. there’s a ton of people asking for a taglist but i dunno
Okay, so Draco has a crush on the reader and his friends decide to give her love potion to help him out but they think it didn't work since the reader is behaving totally normal. But when one of her friends (maybe Ron) eats whatever they have poisened, he starts crushing on Draco. And then they all realize that the reader doesn't act any different because she is already in love with him. Sorry if this is weird.
Thanks for your request. I don´t think it´s weird at all, I rather find it pretty funny. In the beginning, I thought this would be really hard to write but in the end, I had lots of fun doing so. Have fun reading, too!
Cookies
You were sitting in the Great Hall with your friends, laughing at a joke Ron had just made. But even more, you laughed about the fact that Hermione rolled her eyes, acting as if she was really annoyed by Ron´s childish behaviour, while she actually had to try really hard not to smile herself. Your eyes were watering and your stomach hurt, while you wondered how you deserved those friends. Little did you know someone else just thought the same. And that certain someone was currently watching you from the other side of the room, turning green with envy when he saw you placing your head on Ron´s shoulder, looking at him in admiration.
“Draco? Draco, did you even listen?”
Draco flinched as someone grabbed him by the shoulder. He untied his gaze from you and turned around.
“Sorry. What did you say Pansy?”
The girl next to him rolled his eyes before she exchanged a knowing look with Blaise Zabini who had watched the unilateral conversation of his friends with a small grin on his face.
“Honestly Draco. I don’t even know what you see in her. I mean she is cute and all, but you haven’t even talked to her.”
“I have. Many times.”
“Oh yeah, one time you apologized after bumping into her after you had been too busy staring at her to watch your own feet and one time you called her out after she had dropped her quill. If you want to call your stutter talking.” Pansy sighted dramatically.
“Don’t forget all the times he had insulted her when she was with Potter and his friends.”, Blaise added in a deadpan voice..
“I never insulted her.”, Draco defended himself, stressing the last word of his sentence.
“Oh yeah, just her friends and her house and probably everything else in her life.”, Pansy giggled.
“It´s not my fault. She would be better off with me. I mean with us. In our house and everything.”, Draco mumbled, hoping no one would notice the slight rosy shimmer on his cheeks.
“Isn´t it lovely how he cares about his fellow human beings?”, Pansy teased in a sweet voice.
“I don’t.”
“You probably don’t care about anyone, do you?”
“Exactly.”
“Anyone but her.”
“If you keep on saying such nonsense, I will definitely stop caring about you.”, Draco snapped, slowly losing his patience.
“Lovely, he cares about me. Seems like (Y/n) made his heart of ice starting to melt.”
Draco sighed in resignation. It was useless to discuss with his friends. Besides, if he was honest, they might be right. Since he had met you, he had actually changed. He still remembered how he saw you the first time, walking down the hallways of the castle with a sweet smile on your face. You were one of those people everyone just had to love. But it might had hit Draco harder than the others. Because since he saw you smiling for the first time, he looked for it ever since. In every class, in the hallways, and during dinner. And when he heard your laugh for the first time, he knew he was doomed. It was the sweetest sound he had ever heard, more beautiful than any music, more beautiful than any birdsongs, more beautiful than anything that existed in this world. And when his eyes had met yours for the first time, he was absolutely sure that there was no going back. He still remembered how he had seen you, walking in the opposite direction. He had been so busy admiring you that he hadn’t watched where he was going, had somehow stumbled over his own feet and fell practically right into your arms. He also remembered how you had asked him in a concerned voice if he was okay and how your eyes had widened when he had looked up to you, realizing that it was no other than Draco Malfoy, you had just held onto, preventing him from falling to the ground. And when he had mumbled an apology, as far as it had been possible, since his head felt completely empty as he stared into your beautiful eyes, you had just given him a sweet smile, assuring him that it was alright. He had seen your smile so many times before. But this had been the first time you had been smiling for him and him only. And he wore that smile in his heart ever since. But he also knew that it was foolish to think like this. It had been months since that incident and you had probably forgotten him by now. Still, he knew that he would remember your beautiful face and the sparkling of your eyes until the day he would die.
His friends had soon noticed that something was going on with him. Draco had always been moody, but since he had started falling for you, it had only gotten worse. He got angry with them when they distracted him from staring at or daydreaming about you. But as soon as you were close at hand, he turned into a completely another person, acting like a stupid love-drunk teenage boy, who he, in fact, was. When he had finally admitted to Pansy and Blaise, saying that he didn’t knew himself what was even going on, they were quick to say that their best friend, the cold-hearted Slytherin king Draco Malfoy, was undeniably and irreversibly in love with you, even though he always stressed that this was drastically exaggerated. But that didn’t change the fact, that he simply couldn’t take his eyes off you, not even speaking of his thoughts.
“Why don’t you just ask her out?”, Blaise asked the thousands of times.
Draco sighted again and just shrugged his shoulders.
“How do you think she would even be interested in me? I mean she is… perfect and I am… me.”
Those self-conscious words weren’t usual for Draco. Normally he was one of the most confident people around, sometimes it was even a little too much, but when it came to you all of that vanished into the air.
“You will never know if she is if you don’t ask her.”
“Maybe I will. Someday.”, Draco mumbled, before he grabbed his belongings and stood up. “Nevermind. I am going to leave. Still got some homework to do.”
“We have to do something about it.”, Pansy whispered as soon as Draco was out of earshot. “I can´t even look at him behaving like this. He´s making a complete fool out of himself.”
“Any plans?”, Blaise asked her.
Pansy just smiled evilly.
“I might.”
(Y/n)! (Y/n), wait for me!”
It was a few days after the conversation in the Great Hall of which you were still completely unaware. You stopped your way and turned around. Pansy Parkinson walked up to you, with a big smile on her face, you had barely ever seen on her. When she had reached you, it only grew wider.
“Hey (Y/n).”
“Hey Pansy.”, you answered with a small smile, unsure of what the Slytherin girl might had on her mind.
“I watched you back in charms class. You are really good in this stuff.”
“Thanks?” It was more a question than an answer.
“I was wondering if you might help me out. I still have trouble with this water-making spell and you are really good at it, so I thought you might help me practice after class?”
You raised an eyebrow in surprise. You had never been one of those students who got up in their house pride and got along with the students from the other houses, but Slytherins were of a different calibre. They had always been hard to get along with and you knew that Pansy was one of those people who took the principles of her house very seriously. Even though you were pure blood, you were still hanging out with people like Hermione, who was, in the opinion of some Slytherins, less worth than pureblood wizards, making you a blood traitor.
“You want me to help you?”, you asked in disbelief.
Pansy nodded.
“You are on top of the class and I know you helped others out before and they told me you were great at explaining so I thought it might be worth a try.”
What if this was some kind of joke? But on the other hand, why should she choose you out of all the Gryffindors? You had never had trouble with her before. Plus, what joke would it be asking for help? And you were good in school, especially charms, indeed.
You nodded.
“Okay. At five in the courtyard? I don’t think we should try this inside, plus the weather is really nice.”, you suggested.
Pansy nodded eagerly.
“Great. See you at five (Y/n)”
Then she left, but before she disappeared behind the next corner, she turned around, raising her hand to wave at you happily.
When she was out of sight, you shook your head. This was by far one of the strangest things that had happened to you in a long time.
It was five to five. You were sitting on a wall of the courtyard with your wand, an empty cup and a book about charms, in case you would have to look something up. When you heard some footsteps behind you, you saw Pansy walking up to you, her book bag over her shoulder and a happy grin on her face.
“Are you ready?”, she greeted you, when she stood in front of you.
You nodded.
“Are you?”
Pansy lifted her chin proudly.
“I was born ready.”
Her comment made you giggle, earning a confused look from Pansy.
“Shall we?”
“Well, this one looks way better.”, you said, while Pansy looked at you hopefully.
The two of you had spent over an hour practising the spell. The muddy liquid that gushed out of the tip of her wand at the beginning had become more and more clear. This time it actually looked quite drinkable. You took the cup to your mouth, taking a sip, before you spit it out again, immediately.
“Brine!”, you wheezed, coughing and disgorging in a desperate attempt to get rid of the disgusting taste on your tongue.
“By Merlin´s beard, I´m so sorry (Y/n).”, Pansy said in a genuine voice.
With a quick motion of your wand, you filled the cup with some fresh water on your own, non-salty this time, gulping it down your throat quickly.
“I guess that´s one of the risks of helping others out.”, you rattled. The smirk on your face told Pansy that you weren’t mad at her.
You took a deep breath and dried the tears that had welled up in your eyes. Pansy, on the other hand, grabbed her book bag that was laying on the bench next to her and opened it. She pulled out a small box and handed it to you.
“As a reparation.”
You opened the box curiously. Inside were lying some delicious-looking and smelling cookies. You felt your mouth watering.
“My mother sends them to me every month. I don’t have the heart to tell her I don’t even like them. But maybe you do.”
You eyed Pansy suspiciously. At first she was asking you for help and now she brought you cookies? But they looked far too good, especially since your throat was still burning.
“Thanks.”, you said, while you grabbed a cookie.
At the first taste, you sighted and closed your eyes.
“They are amazing! How can you not like them?”, you asked, while enthusiastically chewing it, before taking another bite.
“I don’t have that much of a sweet tooth. But Draco likes them a lot.”
Pansy glanced at you from the corner of her eyes, but you didn’t notice, since you were still focused on the food in front of you.
“How couldn’t he? This is one of the best things I´ve ever eaten.”
“Then I suggest you share them with him from the next delivery on.”
“If I have to, I will fight for every single one of it.”, you laughed.
Then you saw Pansy looking at you expectantly.
“What is it?”, you asked. “Do I have something on my face?”
But Pansy just shook her head and smiled.
“Nothing. It´s nothing. Just take another one.”
But you shook your head and placed the box with the remaining cookies by your side.
“At first we will continue practising. But this time you will try whatever comes out of your wand.”
Pansy laughed.
“Okay, I will do my best not to poison anyone again.”
“Great. Now try the movement a little bit more fluent.”, you said as you showed Pansy once again how to fill up the cup with drinkable water.
Pansy nodded with a frown and tried to copy your movement.
Not even fifteen minutes later, she had actually managed to produce some drinkable water three times in a row.
She smiled at you proudly as you took a sip from the cup. This time without spitting it out again.
“Great! You got it.”, you smiled, glad that your student had finally achieved her goal.
“Thanks to you.”, Pansy said, but you just shook your head.
“This was all you. I was only the support.”
“Anyway, you were very patient with me. I think I would have lost it after ten minutes.”
Pansy and you laughed.
“Well, Hermione and I are practising with Harry and Ron pretty often. And they are way worse than you. Not to mention you didn’t blow anything up like Seamus always does.”, you chuckled.
“Well, you Gryffindors aren’t that smart after all, are you?”, Pansy couldn’t resist the small tease.
You raised an eyebrow.
“So you´re telling me no Slytherins ever need help with some spells?”
Pansy shrugged her shoulders.
“Most of us don’t. Except for Crabbe and Goyle maybe. But they are just stupid.” She grinned. “Really stupid.”
“Don´t you say.”
“But Draco always helps them out. I think he is the only reason they are still in this school.”
“Wouldn’t have taken him for a merciful Samaritan.”, you said. You couldn’t hide the surprise in your voice.
“I don’t think that´s the right account but he isn’t that bad at all.”
“Well, you aren’t either. And both of you got a certain… reputation.”
“So do you.”
You looked at her in surprise That was news to you.
“I do?”
“Of course sweetheart.”, Pansy chuckled.
“And what kind of reputation?”, you asked carefully, trying to make your voice sound incidental.
“C´mon (Y/n). Don’t you know? You are literally the sunshine in person. I don’t think there is a single person in this castle who doesn’t like you.”
You felt your cheeks redden. It was true, you got along with many people, but you had never thought that this was what even the Slytherins thought about you.
“Well, I always thought you didn’t like me.”, you said, glancing at Pansy. “You and your friends.”
Pansy laughed in amusement.
“Believe me I really tried. But it seems like it is impossible. Especially after you helped me out today. And everyone else likes you too. Even Draco absolutely adores you.” She glanced at you again, but you just let out a small chuckle.
“Let´s not exaggerate.”, you mumbled, while your cheeks only grew darker and darker.
“This is probably still understated.”, Pansy answered. “You have no idea.”
You chatted for a few more minutes before you decided to get back to the castle. Still happily chatting you walked down the aisles when Pansy suddenly stopped.
“Look, it´s Draco and Blaise.”
“Oh well, I think I can leave you alone now then.”, you said, expecting that your ways would part again now, but Pansy seemed to have different plans.
She grabbed you by the wrist and pulled you with her, heading towards her friends. When the two boys heard the footsteps, they looked up to you, a smile breaking on their faces when they saw you.
“Finally learned it Pansy?”, Blaise asked, when you stood in front of them.
Pansy nodded eagerly. “Do you want me to show you?”
“Rather at another time. I really thought you were a hopeless case.”, he chuckled.
You couldn’t help but feel surprised when you heard Blaise making such a noise. To you, he had always appeared very serious. Or maybe you were just surprised he could speak that much at all since in class his answers were mostly taciturn.
“I had a great teacher.”, Pansy smiled, pulling you even closer to the group.
You threw the boys a shy smile, slightly intimidated by the three Slytherins.
“Oh yeah, feel kind of sorry for you.”, Blaise said, turning to you now.
“No need to be sorry, she did great.”
“But without you I would still producing some mud.”
“Or brine.”, you giggled.
Blaise raised an eyebrow in amusement.
“Sounds like you didn’t do so great after all.”, he mocked.
“Oh I did.”, Pansy stated, before she added quietly: “After I nearly poisoned her.”
“It wasn’t that bad. And I also got a good reparation.”
“Looks like Draco was right after all. You´re way too smart and way too kind to be in Gryffindor.”, Blaise said.
You looked at him in surprise. But before you could react, Draco did.
“Just shut it Blaise.”, he grumbled. “I don’t think I have ever said that.”
You looked at the blond boy with the slightly rosy cheeks, shooting a deadly glance at his friend. The thought that Draco Malfoy at some point might had actually complimented you, made you blush.
Little did those people know that you had a crush on the Slytherin boy for quite a while. You had always thought that Draco was quite handsome, but since he had always been such a prick, especially among Harry, you decided to not give it any more importance. But then, a few months ago, he had practically fallen in front of your feet. You still remembered how he was holding on to your arm, in a desperate attempt not to fall. When he had caught his balance again, he mumbled a quick excuse, before he disappeared again, probably embarrassed about himself. But for some reason, the warmth of his hands and the look of his grey eyes were carved into your mind. And when he, only a few weeks later, had called you out, because you had dropped your quill, all you had done was stare at him in awe. Since that day, you were wondering if Draco might not be as bad as everyone always stated. But still, you were trying to tell you that you were just slightly attracted to him because he was, objectively speaking, quite attractive. But a part of you knew, that the way your heart skipped a beat, whenever his gaze unintentionally met yours, wasn’t normal.
And now you were standing right in front of him, while his presence made you feel dizzy once more. You had the sudden urge to tell him how stupidly attracted you were to him, but you were already used to having to resist the feeling of making a fool out of yourself whenever he was around.
“Oh yeah, about what should we talk about then? The way you always stare at her? Or how you…”
“Enough Pansy!”, Draco´s voice was sharp as he interrupted his friend. Then he turned around to you. “Sorry for that. She´s just making fun.”
“Am I?” Pansy wiggled her eyebrows.
You felt your heart drop, harder than you would have expected it to at his confession. But you forced yourself to smile and shrugged your shoulders.
“Friends can be very annoying sometimes.”, you said.
Draco let out a sight of relief and nodded.
“You have no idea.”
You laughed. A laugh that made Draco think some choirs of angels were singing. And it was because of him. He made you make that sound. Now that he knew he was able to make you laugh, he could die as a happy man. Unfortunately, you had no idea that he was feeling like this. Because if you would, you might have stayed a little longer, maybe forever, but you simply just didn’t know. And that was the reason you were now ready to go before it would get any more embarrassing.
“I think I really have to go now.”, you stated.
Pansy and Blaise looked at you in disappointment.
“Already?”, Pansy asked with puppy eyes.
You nodded.
“Need to freshen up before dinner. But if you need my help again, just tell me. This was actually quite fun.”
“I will. Thanks again.”
“You´re welcome.”, you smiled, before you turned around, relieved and sad at the same time you would finally get out of this situation.
“Didn’t you give them to her?”, Blaise whispered, as soon as you were out of earshot.
“I did.”, Pansy replied.
“Did she eat them?”
“Two of them. This was more than enough.”
“Then why didn’t it work?”
“What didn’t work?”, Draco interrupted his friends as soon as he had liberated from his rigidity, staring at the spot you had just been standing and processing what had just happened. “And anyway. What is wrong with you? Did you want to make me a fool in front of her?”
But Pansy quickly shushed him, a move not many would have dared to make.
“I don’t know. Maybe it lost its effect?”, she told Blaise, ignoring Draco´s questions.
“But why?”
“I have no idea.”
“But you came up with the plan.”
“I know.”
“Well it wasn’t that brilliant after all.”
“You don’t have to tell me, Blaise.”, Pansy hissed. Then she sighed. “Not only that it didn’t work, but I also lost all the cookies to her.”
Blaise groaned. “What now?”
“I don’t know.”
The two remained silent, until Draco spoke up.
“Okay, what are you talking about? And for the love of Salazar please tell me by cookies you didn’t mean those of your mother.”
“Okay, so let me get this straight. She didn’t just ask you for help, she also gave you cookies?”
You could hear the disbelieve in Hermione´s voice. You were sitting in the common room with her, Ron and Harry. You nodded.
“I really don’t know what to think about it. There was nothing wrong with anything that had happened, still, it feels… strange.”
“Maybe they poisoned the cookies.”, Harry suggested.
You shook your head. “I´ve already eaten some of them. They are nothing but tasty. You can try them if you want to.”
Hermione and Harry declined, but Ron gladly grabbed one and shoved it into his mouth.
“Bloody hell, they are amazing!”, he stated.
You nodded in agreement and took another one as well.
“Maybe they want to gain your trust.”, Harry continued.
“Okay, but why me?”
“You´re a Gryffindor. You´re the enemy.”
“But why me and not someone else?”
“You´re way to trustful.”
“I´m simply not as paranoid as you.”, you snapped back, slightly offended.
“It´s not paranoid if it´s about Malfoy.”
“It wasn’t Draco it was Pansy who asked me and if…”
“Draco? Did you say Draco?”, you suddenly heard Ron´s voice from the armchair next to you.
Confused about the interruption, you stopped and looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Draco Malfoy?” The sound of Ron´s voice was strange. You frowned.
“Do you know another one?”
“The pretty one with the nice blond hair?”
You nearly choked on your cookie.
“If you want to put it this way…”
“What, do you think he isn’t pretty?”, Ron sounded quite angry.
“Ron, is everything okay with you?”, Hermione asked carefully.
A silly grin spread across Ron´s face as he nodded.
“Never been better. It just feels so good to be in love, you know?”
You could see Hermione blushing.
“In love? You mean…”
“Yes. In love. How couldn’t I be? He is so amazing, don’t you think?”, Ron said in a dreamy voice.
You exchanged a confused look with Hermione and Harry.
“Who are we talking about again?”
“Draco. Draco Malfoy of course. I mean, just listen to the sound of his name. There is no other way than that he is an amazing human being.”, Ron sighted.
Harry hid his laugh by simulating a cough.
“Ron, are you serious? It´s Malfoy we´re talking about. You hated him since the first grade…”
Harry couldn’t continue, as Ron sprang to his feet, slapping Harry on the arm.
“That´s not funny!”, he yelled. Then he sank back into the chair. “I think I love him.”
He stared into the fire burning in the fireplace, lost in his thoughts.
“What do you think?”, you asked Hermione in a low voice.
She just shrugged her shoulders.
“Maybe a curse or a potion. We should get him to Madame Pomfrey.”
You nodded, looking to Harry who by now seemed to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation. Then he stood up.
“C´mon Ron. We´re getting you to…”
“To Draco?” Ron looked at you hopefully.
“Exactly, to Draco.”
“How do I look?”, Ron asked.
“You look great Ron.”, Hermione said.
“Do you think he likes me too?”, Ron asked.
“Yeah, he does.”, Harry said.
“Do you know I really love him?”, Ron asked.
“Yes, you truly do.”, you said.
Those were the conversations you had while you walked through the castle, trying to shield Ron from all the curious glances of the few students who were still awake. You just prayed you wouldn’t meet Draco on your way to the hospital wing since that would probably be the most awkward encounter ever.
That´s what you thought when you turned around a corner. In the next moment, you groaned in resignation. Obviously, as soon as you thought about him, he needed to appear. In the most unfavourable moment. You tried to stop and turned Ron around, but that´s when Pansy, who was standing there with Draco and Blaise, saw you.
“(Y/n)!”, she yelled, while waving at you. “What are you doing here?”
Somehow Pansy sounded as if she would exactly know why you were still out now. Maybe Harry had been right. Maybe you were too trustful.
When Ron heard Pansy´s voice, his gaze shot up. When he spotted Malfoy, his hands started to shake and he bounced his leg up and down in anticipation.
“Bloody hell. Bloody hell! It´s him. Harry, it´s actually him. He looks beautiful, doesn’t he? I´m so nervous. What do you think? Should I just walk up to him? What am I supposed to say? Should I tell him I´m in love with him or should I just play it cool?”
Harry and Hermione looked at each other frantically. What were you supposed to do? But then you had a flash of genius.
“Okay, Ron. You should really tell him you love him. But I think you need a little bit more privacy. So I am going to talk to Pansy and Blaise, so they will leave the two of you alone. Okay?”
Ron nodded nervously.
“Okay. And what am I supposed to do?”
“You just stay here with Harry and Hermione and try to calm down. Maybe you could practice what you want to say.”
“Yes. Yes, I will do this.”
You glanced at your friends one last time before you walked up to Pansy, Blaise and Draco.
Pansy and Blaise grinned knowingly, while Draco looked just confused at what was going on. His friends still hadn’t told him what they had done.
“(Y/n), are you already missing us? Or at least one of us?”, Pansy smiled.
But you didn’t have time for her games.
“What have you done?”, you hissed at her.
Pansy´s face fell, as well as Blaise´s. Draco just stared at you in awe.
“I… I don’t know what you are talking about.”, Pansy stuttered, obviously surprised by your reaction.
“Oh, you don’t? What have you done? Did you try to hex me or smuggled something into my food?”
“Why would we do this?”
“I have no idea. You can tell me. But whatever your plan was, let me tell you it didn’t work out.”
“Obviously.”, Blaise mumbled under his breath.
You turned around to him.
“So Harry was right. You had a plan. You played with me all along.”, you tried to keep your voice low, so Ron wouldn’t hear you, but it was hard since you were as angry as you had never been before.
“No, that´s not what… We didn’t mean to harm anyone. We wanted to… Well, let´s say we wanted to help someone out.”
“Lucky for you no one is harmed yet. But that will change if I´ll get Ron.”
Pansy narrowed her eyes. Now all three of them looked as if they had no idea of what was going on.
“Ron?”
“Yes Ron, because he is very desperate to meet Draco.”, you smiled sweetly.
“Why? What does Weaselbee even want from me?” He sounded genuinely irritated.
“Declaring his love for you.”
Against your will, you had to smile. This situation was just absurd.
He looked at you intensely, making a shiver run down your spine, but this wasn’t the right time for those kinds of feelings.
“Do I look like I am?”, you asked.
“Well, you must be. For what reason should he do this?”
“I don’t know, you tell me.”
You glared at the boy in front of you who just shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
Then you heard someone clear his throat.
“He can´t.”
You spun around to Pansy and Blaise, who looked by now very guilty.
“Why´s that?”
“Because he doesn’t know.”
You looked at them with narrowed eyes. Should you actually belief them?
“But you do.” It was an assessment, not a question.
“Ron tried the cookies, didn’t he?”, Pansy asked.
“Yes he did, but why…”
Now you realized.
“Lovepotion?”
The two of them nodded.
“You smuggled lovepotion into the cookies you gave me?”
“It was only meant for you. We thought it might be worth a try, since Draco… Nevermind.”, she said as she saw Draco staring at her with dangerousness in his face you had barely ever noticed.
“Doesn’t matter now. We need to keep Draco away from Weasly.”, Blaise stated and you nodded in agreement.
“If it has been a potion, we should go to Professor Snape.”, Draco suggested.
The thought of going to the one teacher who detested you with every fibre of his body jibed you, but since he was the potion master, it was probably your best option.
“You go first. Tell him what happened. I´ll get Ron. We´ll talk later about how absolutely disgusting it is trying to force someone to think they are in love.”
The others nodded in agreement, Pansy and Blaise shooting you some apologetic looks, and then they turned around, while you went back to Ron and the others.
Ron was already craning his neck to watch Draco, as he disappeared around the next corner.
“What happened? Doesn’t he want to see me?”, Ron asked. Tears filled his eyes at the mare thought of it.
You were quick to shake your head.
“They are preparing a surprise.”
“A surprise?”
Now Ron´s eyes were sparkling excitedly.
“Yes. A date for just the two of you. They told me where. Just follow me.”
And while Ron reeled behind you as if he was drunk -it was for a reason you said love-drunk-, talking to himself how lucky he was to be in love with such an amazing human being, you told Hermione and Harry in a low voice what had happened.
“Changes of plan we are going to Snape. It was a love potion. Some kind of sick joke. They are already waiting for us.
You knocked on the door of Snape´s office. Only a few seconds later, he opened the door. His face was blank, showing no emotion or what he thought.
“In.”, he sneered.
You threw him a thankful smile, which he didn’t react to -you hadn’t expected anything else- before you turned around to Ron.
“Let´s go. He is in there.”
Ron´s face got red in excitement, as he pushed behind you threw the door. Draco was standing in a corner, hands in his pocket and looked as if would rather be anywhere but here. You somehow understood.
Still, you would have given anything to keep the next moments on camera.
When Ron saw Draco, he froze.
“Draco.”, he whispered.
Draco looked as if he had given in to his fate and just gave him a short nod. That´s when Ron started to move again, rushing forward to the blond boy, who moved back until his back hit the wall. When Ron had reached him, he wrapped his arms around him, pulling him in a tight embrace. Draco looked as if he wanted to murder him right here and now, but somehow he managed to just stand still and not react to any actions of Ron at all.
“I need to tell you something Draco.”, Ron purred.
Draco just shrugged his shoulders, looking as if he weren’t exactly interested in what Ron had to say.
“I love you.”, Ron said, who was all smiles. “You are the love of my life.”
Since Ron couldn’t quite stand on his feet anymore, he slowly slid off, until his face was pressed against Draco´s chest. Draco kept him there with a sight, preventing him from sliding down any further. Ron looked up to him in admiration, while he fluttered his eyelashes.
Draco looked desperately to Snape, who was looking for the right antidote.
“Professor, hurry. I am begging you.”
You looked at Pansy, Blaise, Harry and Hermione, who stood next to you, trying to hide their grins at the view in front of them. You were pretty sure none of you would ever forget this day.
Finally, Snape had found what he had been looking for, and pulled out a small vial. He walked over to Ron and Draco and handed it to Ron.
“Drink.”
Ron looked at the vial in his hand, then up to Draco, then to Snape.
“You aren’t half as pretty as Draco, you know this? I mean no one is, but you are in fact very ugly.”
You held your breath. The others did too. How would Snape react? To your surprise, he didn´t at all.
“His eyes look like diamonds but yours are just black. Black as your soul. And your hair is so greasy and dark, but his is so fluffy and nearly white.”
He tried to touch Draco´s hair, but since his balance was damaged, he somehow managed to grab his hair but then sunk back down again. Draco whimpered in pain as Ron pulled him on his hair down with him.
“Drink that stuff or I´ll kill you.”, Draco hissed.
Ron looked at him with widened eyes.
“I thought you love me.”, he whispered.
Draco took a deep breath, trying to control himself.
“Please drink that. Okay? Do it for me.”
Ron smiled at the last words.
“Anything for you.”, he said.
Then he grabbed the vial and drank it at a gulp.
Now you would just have to wait. But within seconds you saw the antidote doing its magic.
Slowly, the stupid smile vanished from Ron´s face and gave way to a confused face. Ron blinked a few times. Then he looked up and saw Draco´s face. Looking back down, he realized his face was still pressed against his chest.
Quicker than anything you had seen him do ever before, he jumped up, stumbling away from Draco.
“Bloody hell, what was that?”, he cursed, while finding shelter behind Hermione´s back.
“I was thinking just the same.”, Draco muttered as he tried to fix his robe and hair again.
Ron shook his head as if he wanted to get rid of what had just happened. Then he looked at Pansy and Blaise, who still looked slightly amused.
“You? It was you, wasn’t it? I swear to Godric, I..”
“Now that Mr Weasley is healed, you may as well continue this somewhere else.”, Snape interrupted you. You nodded and mumbled a thank you to Snape, but just as you were about to leave, he held you back again.
“Mr Weasley, for your insults you will receive detention for the next month. As well as Mr Zabini and Mrs Parkinson. Also ten points from Gryffindor for eating something poisoned, since you had been so stupid. Also, Mrs. (Y/l/n), ten points from you since you were the one who gave it to him. You may leave.”
Harry wanted to protest, but Hermione pushed him out of the door, saving him from getting detention too for what he would probably have said.
Just as you crossed the doorstep, you heard Pansy speaking up.
“Professor. Are there any reasons why a love potion doesn’t affect someone?”
“If it was brewed the wrong way.”
“And if it had affected someone else?”
“It is always depending on many different factors how the potion works. The quantity of the potion for example, or in this case the attraction of the object of the desire. These are all factors that might influence the effectiveness.”
“And if someone doesn’t respond at all?”
“In the case of this potion, it is simple. It creates a rapture, it is neither strong nor long-lasting. Also, it only affects the feelings the victim thinks it has for the other person, not their behaviour. If the victim for example already feels some kind of attraction towards the object of desire, they may not behave any different.”
You felt the eyes of the other students burning on you. Your face heated up immediately. You felt Draco´s gaze lingering on you, but you didn’t dare to look up at him, so you just stared at the ground in front of you.
“Now get out of here before you all receive a detention.”, Snape sneered.
Quickly you left the room before Snape slammed the door behind you.
An awkward silence spread across you. It was Pansy who broke the silence.
“Weasley? We´re sorry about… what happened. And now I was just wondering…” She paused. You thought she wanted to ask for Ron´s forgiveness, but then you saw the sparkling in her eyes. “If you have already planned a second date.”
That´s when you broke. The entire situation was too odd to not be funny. Hermione, Harry, Blaise, Pansy and you were laughing until the tears were running down your cheeks. Ron and Draco on the other hand glanced at each other hatefully.
“Let´s just forget this ever happened, okay?”, Ron mumbled as you had finally calmed down again, whipping away the last tears.
“Agreed.”, Draco said, giving him a short not.
“We will never let them forget this, will we?”, Harry whispered and Hermione and you shook your head simultaneously. And right next to you, Blaise and Pansy planned just the same.
“Okay, let´s leave, before Snape actually gives us detention.”, you suggested and turned around to leave. The others followed you.
“(Y/n)?”
You froze. A part of you had hoped he would just forget about a certain little detail Snape had mentioned, but maybe he didn’t.
Hermione turned around to you, raising her eyebrows, silently asking if you wanted her to stay, but you just shook your head and gave her a small smile. Then you turned around to Draco, who looked just as nervous as you did.
“I´m sorry about what happened.”, he said, rubbing his neck.
You shrugged your shoulders.
“It wasn’t your fault. Pansy and Blaise did this.”
“Yes, but they wouldn’t have if…” He stopped.
“If what?”, you asked curiously. You would have expected him to tease you about the fact that you obviously had at least a small crush on him. In your thoughts, you had already planned how to disappear and take a new identity, so you wouldn’t be reminded about this for the rest of your life. But for now, this didn’t seem to be Draco´s intention.
“I think they did it because I might have mentioned one or two times that you are kind of cute?”
Your jaw dropped.
Draco Malfoy thought you were cute?
“You… You think I am cute?”, you asked in disbelieve.
Draco turned slightly pink, what made him look even more adorable.
“Way easier to admit this now that I know… now that I assume that you might feel the same about me.”, he mumbled, still he didn’t sound as if it had been easy for him to tell you this.
“Well, you are kinda cute too Malfoy.”, you chuckled.
Draco looked at you with narrowed eyes.
“I´m serious (Y/n). Don’t make fun of me. I already regret telling you.”, he muttered.
“I´m serious too.”, you smiled. “But for real Draco. I… I really like you. I mean we barely know each other but I think I could grow into… well, more than just like you.”
Draco looked at you hopefully.
“You do?”
“I do.”
And your smile only grew wider as you saw his face lightning up at your words.
“So… Would you like to go out with me sometime?”, he asked, still nervous about your reaction, even though the look on your face already told him the answer.
You nodded eagerly.
“I would love to.”
“Great.”
“Great.”
Silence.
“Do you want me to walk you back to your dorm?”, Draco asked after a few moments.
“Well, if you don’t mind.”
“I would be honoured.”, he chuckled and bowed lightly in front of you. The gesture made you giggle and the giggle made his heart beat faster.
When you reached the entrance to your common room, you were slightly disappointed. Not because of Draco. Actually, it was quite the opposite. In the few minutes he had walked you up here, you had had much fun. By now you were sure, that whatever was going on between the two of you, wouldn’t end with this day.
“Well, I am already looking forward to our date.”
Draco gave you a smile which you returned sweetly.
“If you want me to, I can also bring Ron. I´m sure we would all have lots of fun.”, you teased him.
Draco rolled his eyes.
“Please, just let me forget this ever happened.”
“If you really think for one second, I will ever forget this you may not know me as good as you think you do.”, you answered with a cheeky smile. “The way he hugged you and looked up to you and, pulled your hair…”
“Oh, just shut up.”, Draco grumbled.
You raised an eyebrow, looking at him in amusement.
“Make me.”
And before you even knew what was happening, Draco grabbed you by the waist and pressed his lips on yours. You returned his kiss immediately. His thumbs were drawing some small circles on your hipbones, while your hands traced along his chest. You sighted into the kiss at the feeling on his skin on yours.
When you finally let go of each other, panting heavily, you smiled cheekily again.
“Well, that wasn’t what I meant but still…”
Draco just chuckled bashfully.
“Sorry, I just couldn’t help it. I wanted to do this since forever.”
“I didn’t say I would mind.”, you grinned, placing a small kiss on the corner of his mouth.
Draco took that as an opportunity to pull you into a kiss once more.
It was a sweet and innocent kiss. Careful and tender.
You couldn’t help the smile that crept back on your lips when he took a step back and admired you.
“I really love your smile you know that?”, he whispered.
The smile only grew wider and you blushed madly, lowering your head, trying to hide behind a curtain of your hair.
But Draco was quick to cup your cheeks into his hands and make you look up to him again.
“Don’t hide love. You are so beautiful. You know that? The most beautiful person I have ever seen.”
“You don’t look in the mirror often, do you?”, you asked, making him chuckle.
“I do, but do you?”
When he saw the smile on your face again, he started placing short, sweet kisses all over it, making you giggle again.
“Draco, that tickles.”, you squeezed out.
But Draco didn’t care about your protest since he could hear in your voice, that you didn’t mind his actions at all, and so did your arms you wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him closer.
“All mine.”, he whispered in your ear, when he placed another kiss shortly under it, making you shiver.
“Maybe you should take me out before you claim your ownership.”
“I will. Every day. Wherever you want. As long as you are mine.”
“Yours.”, you whispered.
Draco placed one last kiss on your neck before he pulled back and looked into your eyes again. “Yes, you are. You are mine. And I am yours.”
He pulled you into a tight embrace and you nuzzled your head into the crook of his neck.
“Draco?”
“Hmm?”
“If I mean so much to you, you will leave Pansy´s cookies from now on to me, won´t you?”
Summary:
You want Bucky to be happy, even if that means it breaks your heart every time you see him with Natasha. With the aid of Steve, you two devise a series of plans in order to get them together.
What you fail to realize is that Bucky and Natasha are simultaneously devising a series of plans to get you and Steve together, even if it pains Bucky.
Word Count: 10.7k
Warnings/Tags: Reader is implied to be at least slightly shorter than Bucky (it’s like one line), Mutual pining except they’re both stupid, you and Steve wingman, miscommunication, there’s some texting, Avengers tower fic
A/N: Woah not a thunderbolts fic!?!?!!? crazy
Masterlist
You have been friends with Bucky for a while. You’ve been there with him during his low points and high points. After years of companionship, you had foolishly believed you had a chance. You really wanted to believe that maybe after all these years beside him, perhaps you could be the one to be by his side for the rest of your lives.
Like you said, foolish.
You had already considered the idea that he liked Natasha, but you wanted to live in denial until it was confirmed.
You get it, she’s pretty, incredibly skilled, and can empathize with him on a personal level. They’re essentially made for each other. You wouldn’t even be lying when you say that they’d be a good couple. They would, and that makes it hurt so much more.
You walk into the common area, immediately diverting your eyes away from Bucky and Natasha as you walk in. You beeline for the kitchen and grab a glass of water, using Steve as a shield to block your gaze from them.
Despite that, your own eyes betray you and sneak a glance at them. They seem to be invested in their conversation. You can’t hear what they’re saying, but you don’t bother trying to listen. If they don’t want you to be able to hear them speak, you won’t be able to.
“Notice them too, huh?” Steve leans on the counter next to you, a small smile on his face.
You place your glass down, “Huh? Oh, yeah.” You offer a polite smile to him.
“Honestly can’t believe they aren’t together yet,” you try to ignore how your stomach drops at his words.
You both turn to see Natasha smirking at something Bucky said. Whatever he says next seems to have her giggling.
“They really are perfect.” You admit, forlornly.
Steve nods, “Yeah, if he could do something about it.” He taps his finger on the counter before turning slowly towards you.
You turn to meet his gaze, raising an eyebrow. “What?”
“Well, he hasn’t exactly dated since 1945, I’m pretty sure.” Steve starts.
You raise your eyebrow even more, “‘Pretty sure?’” You quote
He tilts his head, “Well, I haven’t exactly asked. I’m just making an assumption, but that’s not the point.” He waves a hand, shaking his head. “I’m saying that,” he points at himself, then at you, “we help him.”
You almost let laughter escape, but you catch yourself. “You want us to wingman for him?” You smile at the absurdity of the idea. Out of all the people he could’ve asked. How did Steve manage to ask the one person who also likes Bucky?
He offers you the most hopeful grin, and you want to decline. God, how you want to decline, but then you look at them. He looks unburdened, untroubled. He’s smiling as if nothing weighs him down, and at the end of the day, that is what matters.
You turn back to Steve, a smirk on your face, “When do we start?”
-
Dinner.
Dinner is when you start.
Honestly, you should not be surprised. You agreed to Steve’s proposition with (seemingly) no hesitation. Why would he wait to try to push them closer together?
So here you all sit at dinner. You sit next to Steve and across from the source of your pain and misery (and love, but that’s not important right now). Your eyes flicker over to Natasha, who's right next to Bucky.
It’s silent, like uncomfortably silent. Usually, somebody is making noise, but nope, not this time. All you hear is the utensils clatter every couple of seconds.
You glance at Steve, tilting your head slightly across the table to Bucky and Natasha. He returns the stare before looking towards Bucky. “So—”
“You two,” Natasha addresses you and Steve, surprising both of you. “How’ve you two been recently?” She takes a sip of water, giving you both a piercing look.
Both you and Steve glance at each other before looking back at her, “Uh, we’ve been… we’ve been good.” Your confidence falters at her random question.
“‘Good,’ huh?” She traces the rim of her glass, not breaking eye contact with you.
You nod slowly, not sure what she’s implying. “Yep,” you pop the ‘p,’ “‘good.’”
She turns back towards Bucky, for a moment, before humming. “You two been spending a lot of time together?” She phrases it like a question, but knowing her, it’s anything but. It’s a declaration in disguise.
“I mean, we spend lots of time with everyone,” Steve interjects, with you nodding in agreement.
“What about you two?” You try to flip this onto them.
Bucky looks puzzled. You wouldn’t be able to tell if you didn’t know him, but you do. You notice the details, such as a small twitch of his eyebrow, giving away his confusion.
Natasha, undeterred, quips back: “‘We spend lots of time with everyone.’”
You smile, “Touché.”
“We happened to notice that you guys were… conversing in private earlier.” Steve cuts his steak.
“I wouldn’t call that ‘private.’ If you guys could see us, it wasn’t exactly private.” Bucky joins in.
“Well, what else should I call it?” Steve takes a bite of his steak. “Intimate?” He whispers low so that only you four can hear it.
Bucky and Natasha both freeze, eliciting a reaction from one of them is an achievement, but two? They must really be trying to hide their secret.
“‘Intimate.’” Bucky deadpans, eyes flickering to you in disbelief as if asking, “Do you hear this guy?”
You shrug, “We’re only describing what we saw.” You move your food around your plate, avoiding eye contact with Bucky.
“Oh? What about you two?” Bucky scoffs.
You blink, stopping your motion, “What about us?”
“You two looked cozy earlier in the kitchen,” Natasha remarks.
“I was getting water?” You frown, you aren’t sure “cozy” is a word you’d use to describe that situation.
“Really?” She looks at you in mock disbelief. “'Cause I dare say it looked almost,” she smirks, “‘intimate?’”
Just as you’re about to defend yourselves, you’re cut off.
“Okay, what the hell happened? Did something happen? It feels like something happened. Frankly, I’m disappointed in all of you for not saying anything.” All four of you freeze and turn toward Tony.
“Nothing happened,” Steve responds dryly.
“Now why do I find that hard to believe?” Sam asks.
“Maybe we should drop the topic?” You try to smile, but it comes out more like a grimace. Thankfully, Bucky and Natasha seem to agree.
Tony gestures his hand to you, “Great idea. I think that’s a brilliant idea.”
The silence that permeates the room is suffocating, but the rest of the team looks relieved. You try to sneak a glance across the table, and Bucky meets your eyes. He raises an eyebrow, and you try to suppress a smile, but you fail. You cough in order to cover your rising laughter. You notice him smirk at his plate, and you avoid looking at him for the rest of the night. Sometimes you wonder if he is aware of the effect he has on you.
As dinner finishes up, Steve gestures for you to follow him.
“Well, that went better than expected.” You comment.
Steve gives you a look. “Perhaps we were too forward with it.”
You huff, amused, “Yeah, maybe ‘intimate’ was a bit on the nose there.”
Steve looks a bit sheepish, shaking his head. “Okay, we need a new plan. Maybe if we can catch them on their own, it might be easier to stage something.”
You shake your head, “That assumes they can be separated from one another. Every time I think I see Bucky on his own, suddenly Natasha appears out of thin air.”
“Well, Natasha does have a solo mission coming up soon.” Steve walks over to the couch, and you follow close behind.
“So what? We basically ambush Bucky while she’s gone and push him into admitting something?” You place your hand on your hip.
Steve smiles, “Your words, not mine.”
“Wait,” you shake your head, “what are we even aiming for at this point? Are we just trying to get him to admit his feelings for her?” The words feel bitter on your tongue.
“If we can get him to admit his feelings for her, then that makes our job a lot easier.” Steve sits down, looking up at you.
“I guess that’s true…” You look down at your feet, contemplative. “You know when she leaves?”
“Two days.”
“Okay…” You sigh, “We can make that work.”
Steve stands up, clasping his hand on your shoulder, “Don’t look so stressed. It’ll be quick and easy. He won’t need much convincing.”
You give him a soft smile, “Yeah, he won’t.” Your voice is barely a whisper at this point. You doubt Bucky will hesitate at the chance to get with Natasha.
“Well, I’m going to head in for the night. We can plan tomorrow. Goodnight.” He clasps your shoulder before giving a small wave and leaving.
“Night, Steve.” You return the wave.
-
The next day, you got up early, not because you wanted to, but because Steve knocked on your door at four in the morning.
“Is somebody dying?” You ask, half joking.
He rolls his eyes, “Wanna join me in the gym?” He asks. “We still gotta talk about what our plan will be.”
“You seem too happy about this.” You rub your eyes.
“Come on, I’ve never gotten to set up a date for him. You know, he actually tried to set me up on some dates in the past.” He leans against your doorway.
“Really?” You chuckle at the image. “How’d those go?”
“Eh, they never worked out. I always found interest in other things.” He shrugs.
“Like what? Enlisting in the military?” You smile at him.
He returns the smile, “You know me so well, now get dressed. I want to get there before Buck does.”
You sigh, mourning the sleep you could’ve had, but get changed anyway. When you open the door, Steve is still standing there. “When does Bucky get there?” You ask, continuing the conversation from earlier.
“Usually we go together a little past five,” Steve explains, walking towards the elevator.
“Oh, so you’re trying to avoid him.” You wait for the elevator door to open before walking in.
“You make it sound worse than it actually is.” Steve comments amused.
“I’m just stating the facts.” You mumble, closing the elevator door and tapping the floor number.
Eventually, the door opens up and you two make your way into the gym. “Okay, so…” Steve slowly trails off as both of your eyes widen. You don’t even hide your shocked expression at seeing Bucky and Natasha already in there.
You four all stare at each other for a moment before you try to break the tension, “Uh, hi?”
“Hello,” Natasha responds slowly, “we didn’t expect you two to be down here.”
“Yeah?” You nod. “Well, neither did we.” Your voice gets quieter the more you speak. You turn towards Steve. “I thought you said you and Bucky—” You whisper.
“I’m aware of what I said,” Steve responds, matching your tone.
Bucky and Steve look at each other for a long moment, not saying anything.
“Were you two planning on coming here alone?” Natasha asks slowly, keeping an eye on the super soldiers.
“I guess?” You frown, Steve turns toward Natasha, shaking his head. “I mean, what about you two?”
“Just wanted to get an early start to our day.” Natasha shrugs.
“Us too.” Steve gestures between you two. You nod eagerly.
It seemed the conversation started to die off after that comment, so you make your way to your preferred piece of equipment when Natasha decides to continue.
“Is this about dinner last night?” She asks, making both you and Steve pause.
“What?” You frown.
Natasha sighs, tilting her head to the side, looking at you two expectantly.
You look at Steve to try to gauge his reaction. “What about last night? I thought we moved on.” You give her a confused smile.
“Did you guys follow us down here?” Bucky asks, his eyes on you and you alone.
Your lips part in genuine shock, “No? Why would we?”
“I don’t know, you two seemed awfully passionate last night.” Natasha raises an eyebrow.
“‘Passionate?’” You repeat incredulously.
You turn towards Bucky as if to plead for him to understand, “In what world was that conversation ‘passionate?’” You shake your head. “What about you two? If we were passionate, then so were you two.”
Bucky’s eyebrows furrow, “We weren’t.”
You cross your arms. “Really?”
“Really.” You are briefly taken aback at his strong conviction, but nod anyway.
Steve sighs, “We weren’t spying on you.” He turns to Natasha. “Why are you two still hung up over dinner last night anyway?”
“We aren’t.” Natasha glares at Steve.
“You brought up the topic yesterday, and you’re bringing it up again today.” Steve frowns.
You groan, “We aren’t getting anywhere.” You turn toward Bucky. “Please, Bucky, I don’t know what you guys are talking about, but I promise we aren’t following you two. This has nothing to do with dinner. We just came to use the gym.” You don’t look away from him once.
Bucky looks at you for a long moment before looking back at Steve and Natasha, who are still talking (or yelling at this point). “Nat, let’s just go somewhere else.” He stands up, sparing you a meaningful glance before he ushers Natasha out.
You and Steve both watch, surprised. “Why didn’t you try that before she started grilling me?” He looks at you.
Your mouth parts, “I didn’t think it’d work.”
-
The four of you silently agreed to let that day go. You don’t even hide your sigh of relief when Bucky gives you the same smile he always does when he walks past you. You were worried he’d be upset at you, but it seems he let it go.
“Okay, so maybe you can trip him—”
“‘Trip him?’” You rub your temples. “Not all of us are super soldiers, Steve. Bucky is more likely to trip me while I try to trip him.”
“Well,” he pauses, frowning, “okay, maybe you can trip Natasha?”
“I don’t think this is a good idea.” You shake your head, not looking at him.
He runs a hand through his hair. “Okay, then what do you have in mind?”
You take a long sip of your water, “I dunno.”
“Great, so what I’m hearing is, we trip Natasha. Make sure Bucky is nearby, and hypothetically, he should catch her.” Steve spins a pencil in his hand.
“How would I even go about trying to trip Nat?” You look up at him.
He shrugs, “I don’t know. I mean, you can push her if that makes it easier?”
“‘Push her?!’” You repeat. “Captain America himself wants me to push her so that she can fall in Bucky’s arms?” You look at him, slightly dumbfounded
He snaps before pointing a finger at you, “Yes.”
“Is this how you got dates in the 40s?” You rub your temple, looking away from him.
“I didn’t, remember? Buck set them all up for me.” He responds, not an ounce of sympathy in his tone for the headache he is causing you.
“I can see why he had to, my goodness.” You sigh. He gives you a disapproving look.
“What if he doesn’t catch her?” You ask, leaning against the desk you two were planning on. There is a large piece of paper littered with stick figures sprawled out on top of it. The top of the page has “The Plan” written in black sharpie.
“He will,” Steve says confidently.
“Okay, what if Natasha catches herself?” You put your hand down next to Natasha’s stick figure.
“Well,” he pauses, “make sure you push her hard.”
“Natasha will kill me.” You sit down at the desk, setting your head onto it.
Steve pats your shoulder, “She will un-kill you after she gets with Bucky. Now come on, this will be great.”
You sigh, grabbing your phone before following Steve out of the room. “You sure you wanna do this now?” You ask, speeding up to walk side by side with him.
“I don’t see why not. No time like the present.” He keeps his long stride.
“How are we even gonna position them to be near each other? Maybe we should reconsider.” You frown, following as he sharply turns around corners of the hallway without slowing down.
“Just get Romanoff down, I’ll handle the rest.”
“Okay, well if you—”
You run into somebody, and it’s somebody strong. They immediately cause you to fall back a little, but they immediately clutch your arms. “Shit- You okay?” You immediately recognize Bucky’s voice.
“Oh, uh, yeah?” Your brain freezes the moment you try to speak to him.
“Is that an answer or a question?” He smirks, still holding onto you.
“Answer. It was an answer.” You regain your confidence, smiling back at him.
“Alright,” he slowly lets go of your arm, almost reluctantly, “what are you two speeding around for?” He finally addresses Steve. Steve looks between the two of you, seemingly baffled.
“Places to be,” Steve says slowly, his eyes still on you.
“Oh,” Bucky seems to be surprised. He turns away from Bucky to face you. “Oh.” He suddenly looks uncomfortable. “Well, I’ll leave you guys at it.” He looks towards Steve again, offering a small smile and nod before leaving.
You and Steve watch as he walks away. “You were supposed to trip Nat, by the way.”
“Yeah, yeah,” you wave him off.
“And didn’t you tell me that you couldn’t trip Bucky?” He adds, walking down the hall you two were heading down.
“I technically didn’t. I ran right into him.” You respond dryly.
“Yeah, I guess.” You follow up right beside him. “It’s a shame that would’ve been perfect. It was just the wrong girl.” He looks toward you, giving you an indecipherable look.
“Yeah,” you look down at your shoes, “the wrong girl.”
-
It turns out that, despite having good plans for missions, Steve actually really sucked at coming up with good plans to get Natasha and Bucky together.
You two didn’t even get a chance to trip Natasha. You somehow failed the mission before you made it into a room. Granted, you imagine that if you successfully made it to Nat and tripped her, it would have been a whole lot worse.
So, you two were out of ideas.
“Why don’t we just wait til Nat leaves to talk to him?” You ask, tapping your pencil’s eraser onto the Bucky stick figure’s head.
“Because Buck doesn’t even have her personal number yet.” Steve takes away your pencil, getting annoyed with the constant tapping noise.
“What? How do you know? Did you ask him?” You immediately sit up, firing questions at him.
“I didn’t need to ask him. He has like four contacts on his personal phone. I figured you would ask me to make sure, so yes, I did ask him.” Steve nods.
“I’m not sure whether to take offense at that. Anyway,” You tap your hands onto the desk. “Idea! Okay, so what if we stage something for them? I have Nat’s personal number. You have Bucky’s right?” You look at Steve optimistically.
“I do.” He responds, not matching your enthusiasm.
“Perfecttt,” You grin. “So maybe we just talk to them and casually mention that ‘Oh, I have their number! Ya know, in case you want it.’ That way, they can stay in touch while Nat is gone.”
Steve looks doubtful, “That’s your idea?”
You lean back, offended, “It’s better than you telling me to trip her!” You cross your arms. “Come on, you’ll just have to talk to Nat and casually add at some point that you have Bucky’s number. Make sure it seems natural. She’ll know if the change in topic seems too abrupt. Meanwhile, I’ll go talk to Bucky, give him Nat’s phone number.” You smile at Steve.
He looks at you, frowning, but he eventually nods. “Alright.”
You hide your joy at your victory, standing up to leave the room. As you begin your search to find him, you’re hit with a wave of dread. Dread that had been previously there, but subdued.
Hanging out with Steve helped you forget that you were setting up your crush with one of your friends. Now it’s getting real. You have an actual plan, and you were so happy that you thought of an actual idea that you almost forgot what exactly you were setting up.
Despite every bone pleading in your body to stay, to not go through with this, you go. You go because you know this is what he wants. This is what will make him happy.
It has to.
-
The next day, you and Steve decided to enact your plan. You had pretty high hopes, after all, there’s not really a way it could fail. Well, they could decline the numbers, but you throw out that possibility.
It was early in the afternoon when you and Steve split up. Knowing Bucky’s schedule (which is not weird at all, he’s your friend) came to be very useful in this situation. There he was, in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. You stare at him for a minute before approaching him.
“Hey,” you grin at him.
He looks startled by your presence, immediately standing up straighter and clearing his throat. “Hey,” he returns your greeting.
“Haven’t seen you alone in a minute.” You start off casually. You don’t want to immediately throw Natasha’s number in his face. You gotta build up to it.
He smirks, “Could say the same about you.”
You chuckle, “Fair enough.” You place yourself on the counter next to him. He watches you the entire time. “So,” you tap your finger on the counter, “how’ve you been?”
He shrugs, “Could be better, could be worse. You?” He looks down.
“I’m alright.” You nod, quickly realizing you aren’t sure how you’ll continue this conversation.
A long moment of silence goes by, but it’s not uncomfortable. In fact, you almost find yourself enjoying it. You try to look at him a few times, but he continues to stare down at his feet.
“Sorry about the other night.” He breaks the silence.
You turn toward him, slightly confused. “Sorry for..?”
“Dinner,” he clarifies, gesturing a hand out, “and the next day.”
“Oh,” you respond, blinking in surprise. “It’s fine, really. We all moved on.” You place a hand on his shoulder casually. You feel him relax slightly under your touch, almost as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.
“I know, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to bring it up. I just,” he looks at you, “I didn’t mean to push the topic so hard.”
You shake your head, “Bucky, don’t worry about it. In your defense, we were also kinda pushy too.” You rub his shoulder.
“Yeah, but we started the conversation.” Bucky insists. Does he want you to be mad at him?
“How about we compromise? We are both at fault.” You suggest, he seems hesitant to accept it, but you give him a pleading look. “Please? For me?” You ask.
He scoffs before turning back to you and sighing, “For you.”
You grin at him, pulling your phone out of your pocket. “Great! Now that we have that out of the way, I have something you might be interested in.” So maybe you're a little impatient.
Bucky raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything. He watches as you scroll through your phone.
“So, Steve tells me you do not have a certain someone’s number in your contact list.” You smirk at him, hiding your screen.
Bucky frowns, “I have all of your guys’ numbers.”
You shake your head, “No, I meant on your personal phone.”
“Oh,” he says dumbly. “Uh, yeah, I guess not.” He mutters.
“Well, I guess you can thank me later.” You scroll down to show Natasha’s number, turning your screen towards him. Her name isn’t visible on the screen, but he knows who this is for.
He blinks slowly at the screen for a moment before turning toward you, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah! I mean it’s always good to expand your contacts with new friends.” You shrug.
He shakes his head, amused, “I guess so.” You watch as he enters the number into his contact before he starts typing her nam-
That’s not her name.
“What… What are you doing?” You ask, watching as he types your name onto the contact that is definitely Natasha’s number.
He frowns at you, confused, “Adding your contact?”
You gape at him as he continues to stare at you, confusion clear in his eyes. “Oh, that’s uh,” you clear your throat, “that’s Nat’s number.” You clarify.
He looks down at the screen, which has your name plastered clearly onto it. “Oh.” He slowly erases it before putting “Natasha” on his phone. Well, at least they don’t have cute nicknames for each other. You might’ve jumped off the tower if that were the case.
“Sorry about the confusion,” you look back down at your phone, slightly embarrassed.
“No, no, it’s okay.” He chuckles as he puts a hand on your shoulder, helping diffuse the tension. He nudges your foot, making you look up at him. “How about I get yours too? After all, I’d like to ‘expand my contacts.’” He holds out his phone, his number reflected on the screen.
You look up at him, instantly feeling your face heat up once you see the smirk on his face. Remembering why you are here, you compose yourself before adding a new contact labeled “Bucky.” You text him a simple “hi” to make sure he gets your number as well.
“Thanks, sweetheart.” You literally feel your heart rate skyrocket.
You nudge his foot, and he laughs, “Bold move there, Barnes.” You look away so that he can’t see the pure fondness in your eyes.
“Worked, didn’t it?” He opens your message, holding it up like it’s a damn trophy.
You exhale, not able to withhold your smile, “Yeah, yeah, it did.”
-
Later that night, you meet up with Steve.
You walk into your meeting room with a smile on your face, “I take it somebody was successful?” Steve asks, leaning back in his chair.
“Yeah, mission successful.” You take a seat next to him. “How’d yours go?”
Steve gives a long exhale, “She got it.”
You nudge him, “Come on, it couldn’t have been that bad.”
“It wasn’t bad,” he shakes his head. “She was just very hesitant,” he taps the arm rest mindlessly, “and confused.” He adds on. “You run into any issues?”
“Not really, he did ask for my number as well. Figured he wants to get past those four contacts you mentioned. Perhaps he’ll reach ten by the end of the month.” You joke.
“He asked or you offered?” Steve tilts his head at you.
“Does it matter? He asked and then said, and I quote, he wanted to ‘expand his contacts.’” You do air quotes as you speak.
Steve looks down at the ground in front of you, contemplative. “You good?” You ask, and his eyes snap back to you.
“Fine. How would we know if Nat texts Steve or vice versa?” He leans against the desk.
You shrug, “We won’t.”
“So there’s a chance that all of that was for nothing?” Steve walks over to the desk.
“It’s not for nothing, don’t be dramatic.” You sigh, at least for you it wasn’t. Steve watches you through his peripherals. “At least my plan has the potential to work. Your plan failed before we even got them in the same room together.” You frown at him, offended.
“That’s because you bumped into Bucky!” Steve points a finger at you.
“That’s because I was trying to keep up with you! You were walking beyond what anybody would consider a ‘normal speed.’” You do air quotes.
He rubs his temples, and you lean into your chair. “What are we doing?” He asks. You aren’t sure if he’s asking you or himself.
“I assumed you were the one with the answer.” You stare at the ceiling. You feel Steve give you that same “Really?” look he loves to give.
“Alright, let’s just wait til tomorrow.” Steve leans against the desk. “We’ll wait til Nat is gone, and then we can talk to him.
“Alright,” you nod, “sounds good to me.” You sit up straight.
“Meet here at eight tomorrow.” Steve looks at you.
You give him a mock salute, “Yes, Cap.” He kicks your foot.
“Get out of here.” He rolls his eyes, but there is a smile on his face.
You bid him goodbye before making your way out of your meeting room. On the way out, you decide to grab a quick snack. You grab some chips from the cabinet before closing it and turning around.
“Oh my— Geez, Nat.” You jump as you see Natasha appear behind you. “Scared me.” You lean your elbows against the counter.
“Sorry,” you note that she doesn’t sound very apologetic, “just wanted to ask you something.”
You stand up straighter. Is this something serious? “What’s up?”
“We were planning on going for a walk later. Perhaps we can get something after, do you want to join us?” Natasha smirks.
Not serious. All that for a not-so-serious question. “Sur-”
“Oh, Steve is coming.” You blink at her interjection. “Just thought you should know.”
“Oh, okay?” You laugh. Did Steve just decide not to mention this? That’s odd, you were just with him. “Yeah, sure.”
“Great,” Natasha smiles before starting to walk away, “meet us in the lobby at seven.” She says over her shoulder before disappearing from sight.
You stand there alone in the kitchen, chips forgotten, “Okay?”
You decided to go back to your room after the strange encounter, not thinking much about it. You tidy up your room a bit and scroll on your phone for a bit. Before you know it, it is time to go. You grab your stuff before heading to the elevator and descending to the lobby.
“Hey guys,” You smile at Natasha and Steve. “We ready to go?”
“Waiting on Buck,” Steve responds, looking towards the elevator as it opens to reveal a person who is decidedly not Bucky.
“Oh,” You weren’t aware he was coming. Actually, you feel substantially worse now that you know he’s coming. Did Natasha invite you and Steve to third wheel?
“Don’t worry, we’ll give you two plenty of space,” Natasha smirks, giving you a small wink.
You blink, “Okay?” You whisper to yourself. Bucky finally appears once the elevator opens again, and he walks over to you three.
“Sorry about that, ready?” He smiles at you and Steve before you all agree to leave.
You let Bucky and Natasha lead for a bit before turning to Steve, “You didn’t mention that you planned this.” You whisper to him.
He turns towards you, frowning. “I thought you planned this. Buck told me you were coming, so I thought you had some plan.”
You both turn toward Bucky and Natasha, then back to each other. “They got us.” You sigh.
“No, we can work with this.” Steve tries optimistically.
“We can try.” You mumble tiredly.
The four of you walk around the city, eventually getting to the park. Natasha seems to attempt to make eye contact with you on multiple occasions. You offer her a small thumbs-up. At least things seem to be going well for her and Bucky. You and Steve haven’t needed to do anything.
“I have an idea.” You nudge Steve. “You see them on the bridge over there?” You gesture over to where Bucky and Natasha are talking on the bridge. “Let’s offer to take photos for them.” You smile at him.
“That’s an… idea.” Steve watches as you pull out your phone.
“Come on, let’s go.” You elbow him before heading over to the bridge.
“Hey! You two want a photo together?” You walk up to them, phone in hand.
Bucky freezes before turning around to face you. Even Natasha looks startled. You smile at him innocently, holding up your phone with the camera app.
“Do we get a choice—”
You cut Bucky off, “Annnnd smile!” You take various photos of them.
“Put your hand on her shoulder, Buck,” Steve calls out from beside you.
“Are we photographing a family portrait?” Bucky retorts, amusement in his tone.
“A future one, maybe.” You whisper to yourself, slightly bitter.
“Okay, done.” You give them a thumbs up. “Those were so cute, you two. I’ll send them to you both.” You smile at them. The sooner you send them, the sooner they are out of your gallery. Those are not photos you need to keep in your phone, for your sanity’s sake.
The four of you continue to trek your way through the park. At some point, Natasha and Steve get caught up talking about the mission she’s leaving on.
“There are ducks over there.” Bucky finds his way next to you.
You turn to where he’s pointing, seeing five, maybe six ducks on the shore of the lake. “Oh my goodness,” you frantically pull out your phone. You were honestly surprised that Bucky remembered that you liked taking photos of animals.
“Want me to take a picture of you with them?” Bucky asks.
You slowly pull your phone down, “Oh, sure.” You hand him your phone.
He steps back, and you let him take a few pictures of you with the ducks. “Thanks, Bucky.” You smile.
“It’s no issue at all.” He smiles.
You don’t know where the sudden burst of confidence came from, but you grab his shoulder and pull him next to you.
“What are you—”
“Smile!” You snap probably a dozen selfies of you and him in front of the ducks. He initially looks stunned by your action, but then he eventually gives the camera a small smile.
“Aw, these are cute.” You say scrolling through the photos. “Look at how shocked you look in this one!” You turn around to show him your phone, only to find he’s already been staring at the photos from over your shoulder.
“Send those to me.” He whispers, his voice right next to your ear.
“Of course.” You smile at him.
“Hey!” Natasha’s voice catches both of your attention. “Where’ve you two been?” She asks, frowning.
You point your thumb to the ducks behind you two, “Oh,” she looks towards Bucky. “Well, come on, we were going to go get ice cream.” She walks away before either of you responds.
Despite your actual objective having no progression, with Steve talking with Natasha and you talking with Bucky, you’d say that the whole adventure was pretty fun. By this point, it was pretty dark, so the group decided to wrap things up.
You guys walk to a small ice cream shop a couple of streets away from the tower. Steve and Nat go in first to order. You tell the worker what you’d like before Bucky comes along.
“I’ll have chocolate chip cookie dough.” He tells the employee. You all decided to get cups this time around. Once Bucky gets his ice cream, you all pay before walking out.
You happily enjoy your ice cream, and you feel almost at peace right now. You could almost forget the fact that you and Steve are probably intruding on what could’ve been a date. Bucky and Natasha do such a good job of hiding their relationship that you almost think they aren’t dating. Bucky has actually spent more time next to you this trip than anyone else.
“Your ice cream good?” You walk up to Bucky. He nods, “Wanna try?” He asks, tilting his cup towards you.
This means nothing. This means nothing. This means nothing. “Sure!” You take your spoon and get a small bit of his ice cream before eating it. “Oooh, that is good!”
He chuckles, “You want more?”
You shake your head, “Nah, it’s okay.” You tilt your cup towards him. “Do you wanna try mine?” You try not to think too much about what you offer.
He seems hesitant to accept, but you offer him a warm smile as if you want him to try it. “Sure.” He gets a small bit of your ice cream. “That’s good.” You smile, happy he enjoyed your choice.
You eventually cave under Bucky’s persistent offers to share the ice cream. By the time you both finish, you realize you basically just split ice cream. You failed to notice how Steve gave you both odd looks as you shared ice cream. Before you know it, the four of you arrive at the tower and are crowding into the elevator.
“Well, I’m done for the night,” Steve says as you guys walk out into the common area.
“Yeah, that was fun though.” You add, and everybody murmurs in agreement.
You all bid each other goodnight, and you start to get ready for bed. Right as you plop into bed, ready to knock out for the night, you check your phone. Who is texting you at—
Hey, so I noticed you haven’t sent me those photos we took by the ducks. Do you mind sending them?
Instantly awake, you grip your phone, staring at the message. Do you open it now? What if he thinks it’s weird that you read his message so fast? Does he even care if you read his message immediately? Does he know general texting etiquette like that?
Oh shoot my bad
You attach the photos and send the best ones you could find.
I only sent you the best ones :)
You stare at your phone, watching as the bubble appears, showing he is typing.
Just the best ones? I’m sure all of them are perfect. Send them all.
You instantly feel your face heat up, and you kick your feet against the bed. Damn, you are glad he can’t see you acting like this.
Please.
You snort as he adds on that last text. It’s okay, though. Nobody is in your room. Nobody can judge if you act a little crazy.
Alright, but don’t blame me if they’re bad lol
You attach all the photos you guys took in front of the ducks.
Sorry I may have spammed the camera without thinking. There’s a lot.
You watch as he types his next response out.
That’s okay. Thanks.
You decide to heart the message, and then put your phone down, thinking that’s the end of the conversation. You look up at the ceiling with a massive grin on your face. You turn off all the lights and get under the covers when you hear it: a vibration.
Instantly, your hand shoots out from under the blankets into the cold air, grabbing hold of your phone.
Don’t you find it funny how Nat made us all go out to get away from work, and then proceeded to talk to Steve about work for the whole walk?
You stare at the message, an actual conversation?
Omg fr I was like bro come on why did you two ditch us like that??
You eagerly await the next message. You watch the texting bubble.
I haven’t heard “fr” yet. What does that mean?
You beam at the screen.
-
You walk into the meeting spot right on time, rubbing your eyes.
“Okay, so— What happened to you?” Steve starts out before frowning at your disheveled state.
“I was up late.” You respond shortly.
“I knocked out last night. How long were you up til?” He asks.
“Like two? Maybe three?” You shrug, sitting down in one of the chairs.
“Doing what?” He asks, you didn’t realize he was so nosy.
“On my phone. Anyway,” You wave a hand for him to continue his original rant.
“What could you be doing on your phone that late?” He asks, frowning.
“Watching videos, doomscrolling.” You say, trying to ignore the voice in your head saying, “I was texting Bucky for hours, my bad.”
He looks at you, “Alright, well, maybe avoid doing that.”
“Yes, sir, Captain.” You spin in your chair twice before stopping. “Alright, now what is this plan you wanted to tell me about?”
He sighs, “As I was saying, Natasha is already gone by this point. Her mission shouldn’t take more than a day, as it’s pretty close to New York. I will talk to Bucky and try to open him up to the idea of a relationship.” You nod along to his plan.
“Then, later that day, you will just casually bring it up to him. Maybe even mention Nat by name. We won’t do it immediately, though. We don’t want him to think our efforts are coordinated. Let it roll around in his head for a bit. This is where you come in. You bring up dating again. Make him think ‘Wow, two people are telling me I should date somebody? Maybe I should.’ By this point, it’ll be night, and he’ll fall asleep thinking of Nat. Then I come around the next morning, and he agrees to let us help him get with Nat.” Steve gives a proud smile at the end of his plan.
You blink at him slowly, your brain still sluggish. “Yeah, sure.”
Steve smiles, “Oh, come on, give me more than that. It’s a good plan.”
“It’s a plan.” You say dryly. “Let’s just hope it works.” You stand up.
“It will, trust me. Okay, as for specific timing, I will go talk to Bucky now. You will wait at least six hours before talking to him.” Steve checks the time.
“Alright,” You give a small smile, “if this works though, Bucky owes us bigtime.”
“Oh hell yeah, he does.”
-
You went about your day normally. You didn’t really want to think about how you were going to approach Bucky. Hours and hours passed until you eventually got the text from Steve. “It’s time.” It read, perhaps a bit ominous for your liking.
You walk around the tower in search of Bucky, and surprisingly, it doesn’t take long to find him. You walk into the common area, having zero expectations, and find yourself staring at Bucky on the couch.
He looks up straight at you, and you’re both frozen in place. For some reason, you get this feeling that he expected you.
“Hey,” You greet him, walking over slowly.
“Hey,” He returns, and it’s so quiet.
“Mourning the absence of the other half?” You joke, leaning onto the couch opposite him.
He raises an eyebrow, “Steve? Didn’t realize he left the tower.”
Thrown off guard, you frown, “What? I meant Nat.”
He nods slowly, glancing at the elevator before nodding, “Right,” he draws out.
“How’ve you two been anyway?” You ask, taking a seat on the couch, facing him.
“Nat and I? Fine?” He seems a bit puzzled by the question, but answers it regardless.
You cross your legs, leaning onto the armrest, “Just ‘fine?’”
He frowns, shrugging, but nodding nonetheless.
You open your mouth to speak, but hesitate. He’s looking at you, and it feels like he can read your mind. Does he know how much you hate this? He couldn’t. This whole time, you haven’t struggled with aiding Steve in this operation. You’ve been doing well. Pull yourself together.
You shake your head inconspicuously before continuing, “You’d be cute together, you know.” Your voice doesn’t stutter, and it sounds confident.
Bucky’s mouth parts, as if surprised by the assessment. “You think?”
You nod, fidgeting with the fabric of the couch in order to avoid eye contact. “Yeah, I mean, you two spend a lot of time together. She’s badass, you’re badass. Power couple, ya know?”
You feel Bucky smirk at your comment, “You think I’m badass?” He chuckles.
You turn to look at him reproachfully, “That’s what you took from that?”
“I heard the rest, don’t worry.” His smirk widens.
You debate throwing a pillow at him, “Yeah huh.”
“I’m serious. What, you don’t believe me?” He shakes his head, as if offended. You know he isn’t.
“No, not really.” You can’t help the smile that appears on your lips.
He chuckles lowly, “That’s painful, sweetheart.” He gives a quick glance at the elevator.
You have to stay focused. Do not look at Bucky. Do not look at Bucky. That’s just how he is. You can’t help but think back to how Steve said Bucky was always the one who set up dates for him. If this was how Bucky talked to girls back then, you would’ve also caved.
“You’ll live, sweetheart.” You mock him, if only to detract attention from your embarrassment. You await his laughter, perhaps a scoff, or even an overly exaggerated sigh.
Instead, he remains silent. You turn to look at him, but he just seems frozen, staring at you. The moment your eyes meet, he laughs, but it sounds strained. You raise an eyebrow at his odd behavior.
Suddenly, the elevator rings out. You don’t think much of it, but Bucky gives it an oddly conflicted look. Relieved? Pained? You can’t tell. Then you turn around.
Natasha walks in, and you feel your brain short-circuit. You watch, trying to hide your obvious shock, as Natasha walks over to where Bucky is. They greet each other casually, as if you aren’t there. Ouch.
You guess that Steve was wrong.
It’s fine. Really, it’s okay. It’s okay. Steve didn’t exactly give you a backup plan on what to do. This is going great.
Eventually, Natasha turns to greet you, and you smile at her. “I didn’t realize your mission would be so quick.”
She gives a knowing smirk, “I left last night so I could finish it early.”
“Oh,” you respond eloquently. “Welcome back.” You aren’t feeling very “welcome” yourself, but that’s not important right now.
“Thanks,” she takes a seat on the couch next to Bucky.
You look between the two of them. Sorry Steve.
“Well, I’ll leave you two—”
“You and Steve? How’ve you been?” Natasha smiles, crossing her legs.
“Uh,” you glance between her and Bucky, “Good. Good? I guess? I can’t speak for him.”
“You can’t?” Natasha raises an eyebrow, clearly doubting your statement.
“No? Should I?” You frown.
Natasha sighs, “Look, we wanted to catch you on your own since we concluded that you’re less clueless than Steve.”
You blink, “Thanks?” You don’t like where this is headed. You need to get out.
“As your friends,” Natasha gestures between her and Bucky, “we feel obligated to help you.”
“Did you two plan this?” You ask them. Both of them ignore your question, but Bucky decidedly avoids your eyes.
“Look, we saw you two talking.” Bucky leans forward from his spot on the couch. “And it’s,” he looks away, “agonizing seeing you two dance around each other.”
You gape at Bucky, “You are severely misinterpreting what you saw.”
“You guys have been meeting in one of the old storage rooms.” Natasha deadpans.
“You are…” You point to Nat, “also misinterpreting that.”
“Really?” Bucky responds detachedly.
“Yes. Whatever you guys are seeing is not what you think.” You sit up straighter.
Bucky scoffs, and Natasha gives a long sigh. “Fine, live in denial.” He looks directly into your eyes. You take a deep breath as he shakes his head, “I- We will be here when you want to tell us the truth.” Bucky stands up, ready to walk away.
You furrow your eyebrows, “You aren’t going to believe anything I say, are you?”
“I’ve seen you two.” He seethes.
You shake your head, looking away from him. “Fine, believe whatever you want.” You toss your hands up in the air. “If you want to believe I’m sneaking around with Steve, you can believe that. I told you the truth. It’s your choice whether you want to believe that.” Bucky seems to falter at your words.
You don’t wait to hear what they have to say next before you walk off. Of course, you had to be the one they confronted. Couldn’t be Steve, no.
You make it back to your room, closing the door behind you. You pull out your phone.
They think we’re sneaking around together
You don’t even have to wait a minute before Steve responds.
What?
You flop onto your bed.
Bucky and Nat think we’re trying to hide some secret relationship or something
This time, you wait a bit longer for a response.
How? How could they possibly come to that conclusion? Did Bucky tell you?
Bucky and Nat told me. They’re both here.
She’s back already?
Yupppp, I think they planned to confront me about this. She left for her mission early. She not tell you?
Not a word.
He sends another text immediately after:
I’ll talk to her.
You groan, throwing your phone onto the mattress before grabbing a pillow and slamming it onto your face.
-
You lean against the wall, waiting for Steve’s door to open. You had gone to sleep that night, not wanting to deal with the aftermath of whatever that was. Steve hadn’t said anything after his last text.
You have your phone in your hand, and you tap the side of it anxiously. The door opens up, and you immediately move to greet Steve.
“What happened?” You ask, making him stumble.
“Jesus, how long have you been there?” He asks.
“Like twenty minutes,” you follow him as he makes his way to the kitchen. “Now what happened?”
He starts to make himself a smoothie, and you lean on the counter watching. “I talked to Nat.”
You raise your eyebrows, gesturing for him to continue. “Okay? Details?”
He sighs, “I told her that we aren’t in a relationship.”
“Did she believe you?” You grab an apple from the counter.
“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “Seemed like it?”
“‘Seemed like it?’” You take a bite of the apple.
“Yeah, I dunno.” He grabs the ice tray from the freezer.
“How are you so calm about this?” You watch him in disbelief.
Steve pauses his movement, looking up at you, conflicted.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” He puts all items down on the counter, giving you his full attention.
“What?” You blink.
“About Bucky.” He almost looks sympathetic.
“What are you talking about?” Is he implying what you think he’s implying?
“Don’t,” he shakes his head, “Don’t play stupid.”
You remain silent.
“When you bumped into him in the hallway, I thought it was odd. He was acting bizarre.” Smoothie forgotten, he moves closer to you to keep your conversation quiet.
“I thought maybe it was a fluke, but then you told me that he gave you his number.” He gives a small chuckle. “He is picky with who he adds to his contacts.”
Suddenly, your mouth feels dry. You can’t form words; you can only listen as Steve lists out the different pieces of evidence.
“Then he shared his ice cream with you.” Steve shakes his head at you.
You look down, away from his unwavering stare. “We’re just good friends?” You respond, but even you’re questioning it.
“I’m his best friend, you don’t see me scooping ice cream out of his cup.” Steve deadpans. You cover your face with your hands.
“Were you ever going to say anything?” Steve asks softly, a frown on his face.
“I dunno, you sounded so convinced that he’d be happy with Nat, I tried to ignore it.” You mumble into your hands.
“I wouldn’t have done any of this if I knew you actively liked him.” Steve sighs.
You shake your head, “I didn’t think it mattered. You’re his best friend. If you thought he liked Nat, then that was probably the most likely scenario.”
Steve leans against the counter, “This is a mess now.” He says softly.
You laugh humorlessly. “Yep.”
He turns to you, “Are you going to do anything about it?”
You give a dead stare to the fridge in front of you, “Nope.”
Steve looks like he was slapped, and it’d be funny in literally any other situation. “So you’re just going to leave him with Nat?”
“Yeah,” You look down at the ground.
He remains silent for a moment before standing up straight. “I gotta go.”
You blink, “What—”
“I’ll talk to you later!” He calls out, pulling out his phone.
You look at the cluttered counter, “Your smoothie?” You look at the forgotten ingredients.
“Guess I’m making one now.” You sigh, picking up where he left off.
-
After your talk with Steve, you pretty much locked yourself in your room for the rest of the day. Was it sad? Absolutely. However, you didn’t have the energy to face any of the people involved in whatever that was. The chances of seeing those people are pretty high, seeing as they live here, so yeah, you stayed in your room.
You didn’t get any texts from anybody (not that you were checking). So, you put on some of your comfort movies and watched those for most of the day.
Steve didn’t come to say anything, which you do find a bit surprising. You expected at least a text of “You okay?” He seemed concerned about your feelings earlier. Perhaps he realized that you and Bucky were a hopeless case. Which, yeah, true, but it still hurts.
You couldn’t help but rethink the past few days. When Steve laid it out like he did, it really seemed like Bucky could’ve liked you. You had ignored the signs because, well, Natasha was right there. Despite everything that’s happened, you still have that infinitesimally small spark of hope that he returned your affection.
You pull out your phone, the movie droning on in the background. You open photos and see the selfies you took with Bucky. You tap on the first one, smiling at how unprepared he looked. You scrolled through some of them until you stopped at one.
It wasn’t one of the ones you had originally considered the best. After all, he wasn’t looking at the camera. What made you pause is where he is looking.
You.
He was looking at you.
You had a smile on your face, staring at the camera, oblivious to his gaze. The look he gave you wasn’t something you recognized. It wasn’t a look he gave Natasha, nor a look he gave Steve.
You dare to say it looks lovesick. The same emotions that had you giggling and kicking your feet late at night. The same emotions that had you avert your gaze when the word “sweetheart” was uttered by him. The same emotions that had you texting until early mornings, awaiting a response instead of sleeping.
You favorite the photo, immediately hiding your screen as if somebody would see you.
A loud knock startles you, and you stand up, frantically throwing your phone (which lands safely on your mattress). You approach the door to see Steve there.
“Hi?” You ask, looking at his hand still raised to knock.
“Hello,” he puts his hand down, “so I may have done something.” He whispers to you.
“Okay?” You raise an eyebrow.
“So, remember how we were talking about Bucky earlier?” He asks.
How could you not? “Eh, maybe a little.” You respond sarcastically.
“I made a plan.” He looks at you proudly. “For you two, not Nat.”
You look at him in horror, “All of your plans for helping him with Nat were awful. How is this going to be any better?”
“Uncalled for, but this is good, I promise.” He gives you a small smile.
“Okay,” you look at him doubtfully.
“I told him I’d meet him in the common area to hang out in fifteen minutes. However, I want you to be there before then. He will be expecting me, and then see you. Then you two can hash out.” He leans against your door.
You look at him, blinking. “You serious?”
“Yes. I figured it’s the least I owe you for making you suffer through all of that.” He waves his hand as he talks about the past. You stand there speechless. “You might wanna go now, no rush.” He gives you a smirk before leaving you standing at the door.
You turn around and zip around the room, you try to make yourself slightly presentable with the less than fifteen minutes Steve gave you. You are about to walk out of your room before you decide at the last second to grab your phone.
You walk to the common area, taking deep breaths. You eventually pick a couch to sit on, pulling out your phone so that at least if somebody (Bucky) walks by, you aren’t staring at nothing. You stare at your reflection on the screen, feeling your heart race.
The couple of minutes you sit there feel like an eternity. While waiting, you open every app on your phone before closing it seconds later. Maybe this was a terrible idea. Perhaps Steve is making a mistake, and wouldn’t that be soul-crushing?
Minutes go by before you hear them: footsteps. You fight the urge to look up as they approach.
He says your name.
You look up casually, as if you haven’t been waiting for his arrival. “Oh, hey, Bucky.” You smile at him, giving him a slight wave with your phone. You both remain silent.
You try not to watch as he slowly makes his way over to the couch opposite you. He sits down, and your gaze flickers to him a few times. You should put your phone down. You should definitely put your phone down. The issue with that is it’s the only thing protecting you from just blatantly staring at him.
“I believe you.” He breaks the silence after what felt like minutes.
You look up to him, confused.
He meets your gaze, “The other night. When I thought you were with Steve.” He clarifies.
“Oh,” you pause, “don’t worry. I’m sure the situation did look weird from an outsider's perspective.”
“That shouldn’t have mattered.” He shakes his head. “I should’ve believed you, I was just…” He looks away. “Steve is my best friend. He looked happy with you. You two would sneak away and meet up secretly. I wanted him to be happy. He hasn’t found somebody who made him act like that since Peggy. I thought that maybe you’d be the one.” He looks up at you. “And I know, I know, that isn’t what you two had. I just made an assumption, a bad one.”
“You were upset that I was taking away that potential happiness from him?” You begin to understand.
“No.” He instantly says, “I mean, yes, but that wasn’t the main reason.”
You take a deep breath, digesting the information. “Because of me.” You whisper.
He gives you a tired smile, “I thought that maybe if I made Steve happy, that would triumph over the ache I felt for you. When you rejected the idea of getting with Steve,” he shakes his head. “I didn’t know what to do. I assumed you didn’t like me because you never attempted to do the things you did with him with me. You never snuck away to talk to me, never conspired with me like you did with him or anything. I figured it was a lost cause and damage control by that point.”
“You liked me?” The words are a question, but your tone makes it sound like a statement. He nods slowly.
You stare at him before leaning back and covering your eyes with your hand. “I know, please don’t feel obligated to—”
“I liked you too, but I thought you liked Nat.” You say, abashed.
That makes him stop talking instantly. “What?”
“You were talking with her that one night, Steve and I happened to see it at the same time. He started telling me how he couldn’t believe you two weren’t dating.” You chuckle, looking up at Bucky’s astonished expression.
“So we came up with a lot of plans,” you continue, “to try and get you two together. It failed, obviously.” You gesture between you both.
Bucky rubs his temples before leaning forward from his spot on the couch. “You aren’t joking?”
You smile, but it comes out more like a grimace, ”I wish.”
“That night,” he starts slowly, “we saw you two plotting. Nat instantly spotted it. She told me she had been wanting to set him up with somebody.” You feel your stomach drop. There’s no way this story goes where you think it’s going.
“She told me how cute it’d be if you two got together, and well,” he gestures to the room around him.
“That night she came over and asked if I wanted to join you guys on a walk…” You shake your head.
“Her idea.” He responds dryly. “I assume the phone number thing was one of your guys’ plans?”
“Yeah,” you respond, laughing in disbelief.
He stands up, watching you. You copy his movement, moving closer to him. Neither of you looks away, staring at one another as if the other will vanish once eye contact breaks. “I can’t believe…” He chuckles. “This whole time?” He slowly reaches his vibranium hand up to cup your face. The moment the metal touches you, he flinches back, as if forgetting it wasn’t his flesh one. You grab it before he can pull away, slowly bringing it back to your face.
He gently cups your face before freezing, “Wait, do you still like me?” He looks genuinely concerned.
You smile, stepping closer, “I never stopped.”
He leans in, and before you know it, the gap between you two is nonexistent. You feel your heart beating faster than ever. This time, however, it’s not out of stress or fear. You think that maybe this is it, you are going to melt under his touch, but he holds you firm and in place as if to tell you he will be there to support you. You find yourself relaxing in his hold. Love, the word places invades your thoughts as if it always belonged. It cements itself in the trenches of your mind. All those times you doubted who felt what now feel insignificant. The moment feels like it lasts less than a second, but oh— how you wish it was your eternity.
He pulls back, a smile on his face.
-
“I swear you guys can’t pull this every damn dinner.” Tony points his fork around the table. “You did this last time, where you start off quiet, and then end with unsubtle glares across the table. Please, we are better than this.” He sets his fork down.
You glance at Bucky, who is sitting across from you. As if sensing your gaze, he turns toward you, matching your expression.
“Oh, and now that is happening. Love it.” Tony remarks sarcastically.
“I take it things worked out.” Steve comments.
“You can say that.” You sneak a glance at Bucky before turning to Steve.
“Oh, kinda hate it actually,” Tony adds helpfully. “You know, when I said I was disappointed in you all for not telling me whatever you’re up to, I lied. I don’t think I want to know anymore.” He shakes his head as if trying to tune out the situation.
You roll your eyes, turning toward Bucky, who shakes his head at Tony. He meets your eyes and throws you a small wink.
“No, you really don’t.” You smirk at Tony.
The only reason that the last plan of Steve's worked is cause it wasn't his lmao. He 100% asked Nat for help. Bucky thought that you were "planning on meeting Nat" in the common area, and Nat told him to go meet you there.
Okay real side note, thank you SO much for all the support on my fics so far. I have no words. I read every single comment you guys leave (reblogged or not), and they bring me tremendous joy. Thank you so much for reading my work. I appreciate every like, comment, and reblog :D
Summary: Ron Weasley's twin sister gets torchored by death eaters and her boyfriend Draco struggles to get her to talk while also helping her family take care of her.
Potter MasterList
Everything hurt....
You were covered in bruises and burns. Though it felt like half of your brain was no longer working as you felt yourself becoming more and more numb, you reckoned you were gonna survive, at least with a dozen or so scars. You winced feeling every bone in your body ache and burn.
Your throat burned and felt like sandpaper. Unknowingly your blood stained hands rubbed your throat. The dry and scratchy feeling isn't what hurt though. You sighed feeling the emptiness of your neck. The death eaters had taken the ring you wore on a Chang on your neck. That should be the least of your problems right? But it was the ring Draco gave you. It was a reminder of what or who you were protecting.
His broken voice filed through your fried brain... At least you think it's his. Your heart clinched at the sound of his voice but your brain seemed to not process it.
“this is my mess... I can't let you do this”
“the spell is already done, Draco. I’m your secret keeper. Besides, I don’t need you to let me do anything.”
“You could die! You realize that? You could get tortured! You know what happened to the Longbottoms!”
He felt small and useless that day. He knew he couldn't stop you... What killed him was he knew he couldn't protect you. For a moment Draco thought that there was no one in the world who would dare challenge you on this or that no Death Eater would ever go near you with the intent to torture. He knew no one would be able to convince you other wise.
Not even your brothers...
“please don't do this...” he said feeling weak.
Your feet crunched on the wet grass, and the cold only served to soothe your suffering for a few more moments as you walked to the door of the burrow you called home. In the distance you could hear Ron and Draco arguing. That was nothing new, the two had never and probably never will get along.
It took a while but your Family did welcome Draco into the family with open arms. He felt safer in the burrow than he did in his own home. The twins and excepted it first and tried their best to be friends to Draco and soon the three became closer than you expected. And of course your mother Molly treated him like one of her own which overwhelmed Draco at first but he grew to appreciate and love it.
Vaguely, you heard George defuse the squabbling boys, asking if anyone heard that. Through your dark clouded mind you knew that if didn't speak something bad would happen. If you did speak the same outcome might happen. I tried to call out to the voices but nothing came out. If you didn’t say you were there and that it was all still safe they might finish what the Death Eaters started.
The idea of that seemed to be too much, and before you knew it you felt your leg give out underneath you as you stepped forward, and the ground rushed up to meet you as your vision went black.
The arguing stopped, you knew that much. You could hear a familiar voice call out your name on the distance. A door open and slammed shut. The force made you jolt in fear but your body didn't move. Your fried brain had been wired to tell your body it's time for more pain.
You wanted to flinch and protect your body but you felt too weak to move.
“Y/n!”
the harshness of an unforgiving curse wasn't shot through your vains. Nor was the harshness of a fist. What was felt was gentle hands cradling you to his chest. It felt like Ron... You think. Your brain didn't seem to have it on file but something was telling you it was your over protective twin brother.
He looked down and spoke softly. “hey, what happened? Who did this?” Ron looked up and saw the the rest of the residents of the burrow file out. Fred stopped in shock seeing his little sister all beaten up. George left his twin and raced over to the youngest pair of twins.
Ron looked up to the group with tears flooding is eyes. “who did This! What's wrong with her!” he shouted. The other stood there speechless.
After cooling off and his brain was thinking rationally he walked outside to see what the commotion was about. Draco's chest tightened at the sight that was before him. His Love all bloddy and hurt in her brother's sobbing arms.
“no!” he shouted and ran to her. He fell to his knees in front of Ron who was still holding her. Draco wasn't one to cry in front of people who wasn't you but he didn't care at this point. He sob and tried to take you but Ron wasn't having it. Not thinking straight enough to agrue with your brother he stared at the wet grass and punched it with anger. The fist being used only made him angrier. It was the fist that was attached to the arm that once held his death eater mark. It was gone after a painful process that you were against. The scar that remained only reminded him you were in this situation because you were protecting him.
Your father tired to take you inside but Ron flintched away. It was the first time ever anyone saw Ron shout at your father. “don't touch her”
Draco didn't even try. He knew Ron blamed him and he wouldn't be surprised if the the whole family did. Your mother tried to reason with Ron but he just protectevly picked you up and kept everyone away as he took you inside. Everyone quickly followed...
Except the numb Slytherin who was on his knees Sobbing. Your mother who so desperately wanted to a follow and care for her daughter stayed behind. She knew Ron would probably hex the next person who came near you. She also knew her son well enough to know he was waiting for it to be Draco.
“I'm so sorry” Draco sobbed out to the red-head mother. “I never wanted her to do this for me... I'm sorry” Mrs. Weasley knelt down next to him and hugged him trying to calm him down.
“its not your fault” she spoke softly.
It's not your fault
But in his mind he knew it was...
You could not think. You could not feel. It was not until a few moments later when you felt your body gently senk into a familiar couch. The old creaky couch never felt so good. someone with vaguely familiar feeling hands was kneeling next to you, pulling you up to sit and pressing a glass of water to your lips that you finally began to feel everything rushing back.
It hurt...
Everything hurt so much...
Draco watched silently next to the door frame in the kitchen. He kept his distance as he watched your brothers take care of you. He felt relieved Ginny was out With Harry not wanting the young girl to see her sister in pain. Feeling he over stepped his leave and the tension was an unwelcoming feeling that told him he should leave but the sight of you made him plant his root right where he was.
If no one would let him near you he'd watch you like a hawk from a far making sure no one hurt you.
It was all too much. you could see the familiar red-head boys in front of you, your poor brother George with just one ear. Ron sat next to you with tears in his eyes saying things that you could hardly make yourself hear. You saw everyone except one... You didn't move but your E/c eyes scanned around the room for the Blond Slytherin you swor to protect.
Your mother followed your eyes and she just knew what you wanted. Your crying brothers isn't what you need. She walked over to Draco who had his head down and was hiding behind the blond hairs that fell over his eyes. She placed her hand over his shoulder to get his attention. He looked at her with red puffy eyes.
“she needs you right now”
Draco gulped and knelt down front of the couch you were laying on. Ron gave him a death glare and opened his mouth to say something but your father put his hand on Ron's shoulder stopping him.
Draco gently took your hand and kissed it softly as he whispered. You knew he was asking what happened, hoping you would say it was nothing while Ron seemed much less optimistic. He was fuled with rage.
You wanted to say something but you couldn't.
It was all too much... And you were scared.
Your shaking hand could hardly hold on to Draco's pale one. His other one moved to hold that weight of your cut up and bruised hand.
You took in one long breath, and released it. There was a part of you saying to keep fighting. That you’d come this far. That talking couldn’t be that hard! You’d gotten tortured for information and fought off a pair of Death Eaters for Christ's sake! Talking to your boyfriend and your brothers would be easy.
Saying all of that was right.... Right?
It would be kinder to your brothers...
It would be better for Draco..
But it hurts.. So, so much.
The pain wouldn't leave. Feeling every ache, every burn, and cut made you feel vulnerable and useless... You didn't want to talk or even think.. Everything felt muffled and faded.
You layed there wondering if you should force yourself to snap out of it before you decided that it simply was going to hurt too much right now to do that. To talk. To relive it all. You looked up at Draco and the sounds you were hearing didn’t seem to match up with how his lips were moving. He seemed frantic. He looked so scared that it was just one more jab to your stomach.
You closed your bruised eyes not wanting to see Draco so distraught. No, you didn't want to feel anything anymore.
Draco nor your brothers knew what to do. Ron found you passed out in the yard after a heated argument between Ron and Draco. There was large gashes in your shirt that showed a wounds on your chest and sides that while obviously not lethal, seemed to be pouring out a lot of blood.
There was bruises and burns all round your neck and arms.
There was a long cut on down your left eye that made Bill's stomach turn.
“Y/n? I need you to talk to me. What happened? Are you alright?” Draco tried his best to seem calm, and to speak in a soothing manner but even he could hear the fear in his own voice. “please,Darling.”
He was vaguely aware of Fred and George on the other side of you, making quick work of your wounds. One of the benefits of being a children of Molly Weasley meant that they both had quite a bit of experience with healing spells. Not as much as their mum’s, but more than enough to pull you through.
“y/n..” a small voice suddenly appeared. They all looked up aside from you and saw Ginny covered her mouth and tears fell fast. Harry stood there speechless as he tried to comfort Ginny. Your mother quickly moved away and tried to move Ginny and Harry upstairs. Ginny tried to fight to see you but she gave up breaking in Harry's arms.
“Love?” Draco's throat felt tight, as he watched your eyes glaze over-you were still looking in his direction, seemingly at his face, but Draco got the sense that you were no longer really seeing.
Ron moved to her line of sight with a defeated look “Tell me what happened.” you didn't answer and your eyes trailed back to Draco.
he smoothed out your hair, pressing a kiss to the matted, bloody mess. Eyes squeezed tight he waited with baited breath for you to speak until he felt your father squeeze his shoulder.
“What happened?” Draco knew of course. It was quite obvious what had happened to you, but that didn’t keep him from wanting to deny what was obvious. He looked up at your father with tears.
George looked at your boyfriend sadly. “She was tortured, and now we’re going to patch her up.” he could already hear Draco about to wonder aloud if you’d turn out like the Longbottom’s, and quickly nipped that in the bud. “Let’s get her cleaned up and into bed. She’ll feel better then, and maybe she’ll start talking.”
That seemed to give both Draco and Ron a spark of hope. Wrapping one arm around your shoulders, and slipping another under your knees, Draco lifted you up and carried you towards the bathroom. Ron tried to follow but your father stopped him and your mother went.
--------( ....... )--------
You hadn’t talked since you've been home. It had been ten and a half days, and you showed no more sign of speaking than you did on that first night.
Your wounds had been mended or were healing, all going well. Draco dutifully changed your bandages twice a day, and helped clean you off at night. He made sure you ate thrice a day, drank plenty of water, and stayed close to you the entire time.
Draco constantly spoke to you.
It's the most you've ever heard him talk in the burrow. He was always afraid he'd over step and he was always afraid he'd say the wrong thing. if you were in a different situation you'd be proud of him.
Draco would talk About anything that came to his mind. The boy was quickly becoming used to saying whatever his first thought was that came to him. Fred and George noted rather sadly that their sister's boyfriend's thoughts seemed to be running in sad circles as the days added up.
Draco didn't give up on you though.
It reminded George a lot of when you were a child and you would talk to the stuffed Dragon Charlie got you. In his mind he could almost hear what the response would have been.
“how are you feeling, Love?”
Silence
You were gazing at something on the far shelf in your room- Draco followed your line of sight and it landed on a medium sized Green dragon plushy. He pointed at it but you didn't saying, just kept staring at it thinking about.
Draco got up from his spot next to you and retrieved the stuffed dragon. “is this what you want?” you didn't respond but squeezed it tightly as soon as he placed it in your hands. You held it to your chest and hid your face in like a small child would when they were scard.
It felt comforting to hold it again. You haven't slept with since 3rd year but it was always special to you because Charlie gave it to you.
Charlie... He probably doesn't even know what's happening at home.
Draco looked down at the dragon and slightly smiled as he fiddled with the soft wign. “remember the voice I made up for him in 2nd year? I'd always annoy you with it but deep down I knew you thought it was funny”
You didn't respond only held the dragon tighter. Draco sighed and pulled you into his lap, and could almost feel you wrapping your arms around him and hiding your face in the neck like always... But you felt like a raggdoll. You kept your arms around the stuffed dragon but you mechanically rested the side of your head to his chest.
“please talk to me” Draco whispered. He even thought about making the dumb stuffed dragon talk like he did when you were younger. But he didn't want to treat you like a child.
“please...” His voice cracked, as he began to shake. It was starting to get hard to remember how your voice sounded, something that shook him to his core.
“Say something... I-I’ll give you anything you want just say something.” he said more desperately.
More since filled the room. Dead quiet.
“just talk... Please...let me hear your voice”
He sounded horribly pathetic, he knew that, and he didn’t care. If it meant you’d start talking again he’d fall on his knees in front of anyone. If it meant you came back he would do whatever was requested of him.
Fred and George came up from the basement and stared sadly at their little sister and her boyfriend. “Draco, when was the last time you got any sleep?” George asked.
Draco didn't awnser and kept his eyes on you and only you. “Malfoy, why don't you get some sleep” Fred added.
The twins' suggestion was met with a immediate shake of Draco’s head. “I’m not leaving her.”
“You’re not leaving. You’ll be going to bed. I can get Y/N’s dinner ready and Mum will help her get changed. You need to sleep, Mate.” George noted, that your eyes slowly seemed to be coming into focus instead of gazing far away you finally looked as if you were noticing things in the room.
He wondered, for a moment, and he didn't make any indication he was gonna move. Fred let out a long breath.
“Go to bed.” George said as him and fred walked over to Draco and very gently, removed you from his lap. “we'll take care of her.”
George held your hand as You teetered between the realms of seeing and unseeing. Understanding and not knowing. Everything seemed to be muffled. You weren’t entirely sure who you were anymore.
“y/n, Darling?” Draco said softly. You looked at the ground not saying anything. Like I said you weren't entirely sure who you were anymore but you knew one thing...
Your name...
Draco was about to leave but you mindlessly followed. He stopped and you looked up at him. one of the first responses you’d been able to give in a long time. He felt a bit of hope in his chest. All you knew was it was his bed time.
You didn't speak but handed him the stuffed Dragon and shuffled back to the twins. He looked down at it button eyes as his chest tightened. George took your hand and tried to led you into the kitchen but you didn't move to far. Fred stayed behind with draco.
Fred patted his friend's shoulder. “See? She heard you. Go to bed. She’s getting better day by day.” Draco silently nodded and walked upstairs with the dragon still in his hands.
You followed Draco with your eyes, brow crinkling as things began to fit more together. There was a gentle tug on your hand and you looked to see George smiling at you a bit knowingly. “Let’s get you some tea, alright? I’ll fix dinner.”
“come on sis” Fred added following his siblings into the kitchen.
--------( ....... )--------
Draco silently walked up the stairs in to the room he always slept in when he stayed over.
“how she doing?” Ron's voice said making him look up. The Slytherin shrugged fiddling with the Dragon. Ron looked down at it as well felling his chest tighten. With Ron and you being twins that dragon was just as much part of his childhood as it was yours.
“haven't seen him in a while” Ron said referring the the toy. Draco shrugged. “she was staring at it this morning... I thought she'd want it... Then she gave to me when George told me to go to bed”
Ron sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets while leaning on the wall. “I'm sorry for being so awful to you”
Draco looked up at the red-head. He let out a depressing chuckel. “I would be nice to me either... And I deserve it” Draco tried to finish his trip to his(your) bed but Ron stopped him again.
“you've changed” That made Draco stop and turn back to Ron. “she saw the good in you... And I just held a grudge... I was so bloody pissed when you started dating her and I couldn't let myself see you weren't that bad”
Draco nodded and gave him a genuine smile. “no harm done Mate” he held out his hand to Ron. Your twin slightly smiled and shook your boyfriends hand. Ron awkwardly nodded. “I'll just let you get back to it” Ron walked passed Draco and down the stairs.
Ron walked into the kitchen to see his twin and the older set of twins. For the first time ever Ron felt sick to his stomach and had no appetite. He just silently sat down next to you as George set a cup of tea in front of the both of you.
The tea burned your tongue when you sipped on it and almost as quickly as you pulled a face George set a glass of ice water in front of you for you to sip on. Ron set the hot mug away from you a bit and whispered.
“let it cool down a bit”
You stared at the steam floating above the hot mug as your tongue burned. It felt like there was going to be a blister there.
Even though it was more pain.... At least You were starting to feel, again.
You looked at Ron with doe eyes but he wouldn't look back. He sadly looked at his mug and kept quiet. He was your Twin, why wasn't he looking at you...
After quite some time of not knowing or understanding much you were able to start fitting things together.
You were Y/n Weasley...
You'd been torched and Draco and your brothers were talking care of you.
You looked up and stared at George and Fred's backs as they stood at the counter. You thought about how Draco had, For a number of days, been asking you to talk to him and was becoming increasingly more hopeless and weary.
“is Draco gonna be okay?”
Y
our voice was shot. Your vocal chords were still terrible from so much screaming but you’d spoken, and The boys had heard you clear as day.
Ron had spit out his tea in surprise and the George dropped a plate on the floor.
George turned to you. the boy you knew as quite goofy and rather cocky, with tears in his eyes. There was a rather grateful smile on his face. Fred closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Ron on the other hand hugged you tightly and let out a sob of relief.
“He’ll be just fine.” George smiled.
It was only after feeding you, and extracting a few more words from you that Ron took you upstairs. Asking you to talk only seemed to make you more quiet, and the boys were quick to note that. Ron led you to your room, and gave you a grin, “Why don’t you get ready for bed, and I’ll send in Draco to help you with your bandages. Is that okay?”
He took a nod gladly. it was a large improvement from this morning, and closed your door so that you might have some privacy.
“Draco” Ron swung the door open and Draco looked at Ron with a bit of confusion. He set up from the bed and tossed the stuffed dragon he'd been staring at instead of sleeping to the side.
“what wrong? Everything okay?”
“she talking” Ron said softly.
He was up like a lightning bolt. “What?”
“She’s talking. Not a lot.. but a bit. Asked me if you were alright. Asked the twins how the joke shop was doing. Said thank you for dinner.”
“why didn't you say anything?” Draco said brushing past the red-head and towards your room. He stared at the closed door for a few long moments before finally knocking.
“come in” he heard softly. He let out a sigh of relief. Thanking Goddrick he could hear your angelic voice again.
He quickly grabbed the door knob to support his weight for just a bit as his knees tried to buckle underneath him from relief.
Tears were all ready falling...
Draco was a fearsome sight indeed, when he entered your room. His eyes had heavy purple bags underneath him. He looked thinner than you remembered. His blond hair was longer and not fixed to perfection like always.
His hands were shaking along with his shoulders and all together he looked so fragile right then... lot like a porcelain doll. Something that could be easily smashed to bits.
You were sitting on your bed, fingertips running over the textured of the sleeve of the sweater your mother made you. “Are you alright Dray?”
Slowly, he approached you... like he was scared you would dissapear. When he finally got to the edge of the bed where your legs dangled off, he got on his knees and wrapped his arms around your waist. His ear was pressed against your ribcage and one of your hands rested on his arm while the other played with his platinum Blond hair.
“Darling...” he cried.
He held you tighter as you hid your face in his hair. “are you okay Dray?”
Draco nodded and held you closer and allowed himself to break into sobs as relief flooded him. “I'm okay Love... We're okay”
summary: Draco Malfoy would literally die for you—unfortunately, asking you to the Yule Ball might just kill him first. When he finally gathers the courage to do it, you politely decline… thanks to a spectacular misunderstanding. Now, with his pride bruised and his heart set, Draco is determined to win you over—properly, this time.
wc: 2.6k+
cw: DOWN BAD DRACO! awkward Draco who gets shy around reader, feat. Pansy, Blaise, & Theo as Draco's backup.
A/N: I love shy Draco. I AM SO SORRY THAT I HAVE BEEN INACTIVE LATELY. Aghhh I haven't posted anything in sooo long, I've been busy hihi.
⊱ ─── ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ ─── ⊰
Draco Malfoy was many things: a Slytherin, a menace on the Quidditch pitch, and the heir to one of the oldest wizarding families in Britain—but he had never felt this pathetic before. Not even the time he fell off his broom second year and cried because his wrist bent funny.
No, this was worse. Because he hadn’t just fallen—he’d plummeted, in front of you, with a flower in one hand and all his dignity left wilting somewhere between the Charms and Transfiguration section at the library.
You hadn’t looked back.
Not once.
Not even when he’d called after you, your name barely leaving his mouth before it got stuck in his throat with the taste of regret and disbelief.
He knew what it must’ve looked like. You thought it was a joke. That he was the joke. And for once, he couldn’t even blame you.
This catastrophe had all began the night before.
The Slytherin common room was filled only with the sound of crackling fire and the soft chatter of students with the scratch of quills against their parchment—until their heads turn to a yell that broke the silence.
"DRACO! We've been on this for over an hour now," Pansy sighed as she sat down on the couch between Theo and Blaise. "And for the millionth time, you are not going to DIE asking a girl to the Yule Ball!"
Pansy's "How to Woo a Girl 101" was clearly very hard for Draco to comprehend. Because based on the look on Theo's and Blaise's faces, it was not going well. At all.
Draco dramatically gasped as if he was being accused of murder, he then put a hand over his heart and then started rambling. "She isn't just any girl. She's the most perfect witch to ever exist! Gosh, do you guys even see how beautiful and smart and—" but, before he could continue, he was cut off by Blaise.
"We get it mate! You're bewitched by her." Blaise groaned loudly, throwing his head back and resting it on the backrest of the couch.
Theo sighed, "Mate, look," he said sternly, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You just have to ask her a simple eleven word question, 'Would. you. like. to. go. to. the. Yule. Ball. with. me.?' see? Easier than brewing Felix Felicis!"
Draco was suddenly hot and started to fidget with his fingers all because of that eleven word question. "Easy for you to say, Theo. You don't have a big fat crush o—" he was cut off yet again. This time, by Pansy.
"Alright, Malfoy. We're done," she announced, crossing her arms. "Either you tell her—or we will!" Pansy smirked, now putting her hands on her hips, trying to hide her laugh as she stood up. The two boys beside her started snickering as they followed Pansy towards the dormitories, leaving Draco in a very difficult position.
Theo suddenly stopped in front of Draco, "You better ask her soon or you know what's coming." He teased, then continued to follow Blaise and Pansy.
"Wait! I'll do it!" He stammered, his hand reaching out, a hopeless attempt to let them stay. "But—uh—is 'You looked like a powdered donut and still managed to be gorgeous.' a good compliment? Because the potion she was brewing blew up last week."
All he got in reply was loud groans and sighs as three of his friends continued walking away from him.
"Guys?!"
Silence.
Draco sighed as he looked down at his feet. "Hey! You looked like a powdered donut and still managed to be gorgeous." He quietly muttered to himself.
⸻
The next day, Draco's heart felt like it was going to come out of his chest and his feet felt like rubber as he saw you strolling through the library. This was it. This was the day he's going to ask you the eleven word question.
Naturally, he brought backup—just in case of a stutter, a horrible nosebleed, or, Merlin forbid, passing out. He had to full-on beg them to come with him, since, in Pansy's own words:
“How are you even going to dance with her if you need us just to ask her to the ball? What—are we going to do a group dance in case you pass out?”
She may be right...
But he badly needed emotional support or he'll die of a heart attack before he could even talk to you.
"Alright. I'm going to go up to her, compliment her pretty face, ask her the question, and hope for the best." He whispered, his grip tightening on the stem of your favorite flower.
The four of them were currently formed in a circle at the corner of the library, three pairs of eyes staring at the blonde boy as he told them his plan.
Theo gave him a flat look, unimpressed. “That’s the plan? That’s it?”
“Well, do you have a better one?” Draco snapped, slightly louder than he intended, which earned them all a sharp shhh! from Madam Pince across the room. They all winced and lowered their heads like scolded toddlers.
Blaise leaned in, voice a murmur. “Yes. Literally anything other than blurting out powdered donut compliments in the library.” He rubbed his temples. “Just… try not to be weird, mate.”
“I’m not weird,” Draco muttered, offended.
“Yeah?” Pansy raised a brow. “You practiced your line in the mirror seven times this morning and then gave the flower a pep talk.”
Draco blushed furiously. “It’s her favorite flower. It needs to be… emotionally prepared.”
Theo shook his head, muttering, “We’re emotionally exhausted.”
Still, despite their teasing, the trio gave him nods of encouragement as he squared his shoulders, tucked the flower carefully behind his back, and began the slow, risky walk toward where you sat—cross-legged on the carpet between two shelves, surrounded by a sea of books and parchment, humming softly to yourself as you scribbled into your notes.
He froze halfway.
You were chewing on the end of your quill, a bit of ink on your chin, your eyes narrowed in concentration. You wore a flower crown made of daises again today—different colors if he may add—the yellows, oranges, and whites complimenting your face. Draco thought he might pass out on the spot.
'Gosh how can she be so beautiful while doing nothing.'
"GO!" Pansy whisper yelled as she pushed Draco toward you.
"Wait n—" he stumbled toward you. He was begging his feet to go back to his safe cocoon where he wouldn't get humiliated or possibly pass out, but they were stuck on the ground—unable to move.
"Hey!" he gulped, his cheeks rapidly turning red for being flustered but mostly from embarrassment.
You glanced up at the sudden noise and there he was. He looked... hot.
HOT! as in sweating hot—not the kind of hot where his hair was pushed back after a shower in the quidditch lockers and definitely not the time when—
Stop it!
“Oh! Hello, Draco." You said, offering him a warm smile as you stood, brushing the creases from your skirt to face him properly.
He smiled back—but it wasn’t the kind of smile most people gave. It was lopsided, almost shaky, like it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to be confident or terrified. His hands fidgeted behind his back, and then—
"ELEVENWORDQUESTION!" he blurted.
You blinked. “I’m sorry—what?”
Draco swallowed hard, his cheeks rapidly turning pink. “What I meant to say is… you look like a powdered donut.”
What.
The.
Hell?
Your smile faltered. You looked down at your shoes, heart sinking a little. Was that… was that supposed to be an insult?
“Oh,” you murmured, suddenly self-conscious. A quiet, uncertain panic started to rise in your chest.
“No, no, no, wait—!” Draco rushed forward, eyes wide. He reached out and placed his hands gently on your shoulders, his voice frantic now. “That came out wrong. I mean—you looked like a powdered donut last week—when the potion exploded—and you still looked… you still looked gorgeous.”
You looked up at him, stunned.
He took a breath, then, with trembling fingers, pulled a flower from behind his back. Your flower. The one he’d somehow remembered you loved.
“Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?” he asked, quieter now—earnest, vulnerable, the chaos gone from his voice.
And that was when everything seemed to stand still. You stare at him, your mouth agape. You could feel blood rushing through your cheeks.
And then… from behind the nearest shelf came the unmistakable sound of stifled laughter.
You glanced past Draco and saw them—Pansy, Blaise, Theo—all doubled over, failing miserably at hiding. Pansy wiped a tear from her eye. Blaise was wheezing. And Theo was clutching his stomach, trying to breathe.
Oh.
Of course.
It was a dare. A prank. A joke at your expense.
The flower in Draco’s hand suddenly felt like a knife.
Your chest clenched. You took a step back.
“I’m sorry, Draco,” you said, forcing your voice to stay steady even as your throat tightened. “I… I have to say no.”
His face crumpled in confusion as you turned away, blinking back tears you refused to let fall—not here, not in front of them.
Not when your heart had almost believed him.
⸻
“Mate,” Blaise had said later, tentatively, from the foot of Draco’s bed, where Draco had buried himself under his emerald blanket like a disgraced ghost. “She didn’t even see the part where you were being sincere.”
“She saw enough,” Draco mumbled.
Pansy kicked his mattress. “She saw us laughing, you dolt. She thinks we were laughing at her. Do you know what that does to a girl?” she added sharply, voice rising with frustration and—Draco noticed—genuine guilt. “You’ve got less than a week till the Yule Ball, and if you want any chance of fixing this, you better stop acting like a sad house-elf and do something.”
Draco’s next plan of action was, to put it bluntly, disastrous.
If he couldn’t speak to you like a normal person, then maybe he could… gesture grandly instead. Show, not tell, right?
Wrong. So very wrong.
It began with him walking—strutting—past your table in the courtyard three times in one lunch period, each time pretending he just happened to be passing by. The first time, he loudly commented to Blaise about how some people had “really excellent taste in flower crowns.” The second time, he tripped on a root and faceplanted into a bush. The third time, he tried to recover by dramatically pulling out a textbook and reading upside down while sneakily peeking at you over the pages.
You didn’t look up once.
“Subtle,” Blaise had deadpanned as he helped pick leaves out of Draco’s hair.
Then came the grand gestures. One morning, you opened your Transfiguration book and found—inside it—a single, freshly pressed forget-me-not. The ink on the page was slightly smudged as if someone had fumbled it with nervous fingers. Tucked next to the flower was a piece of parchment with a single line in jagged, uptight handwriting:
I never forgot. - D
The next day? A little paper crane fluttered down onto your lap during Charms. No one else noticed—except you. It unfolded itself midair to reveal another message:
I’d say something. But every time I try, I ruin it.
He was trying. You could feel it, in all his awkward, dramatic glory.
Then, during Care of Magical Creatures, he nearly sacrificed himself trying to separate you from a cranky Murtlap. You didn’t even ask for help, but there he was, sprinting across the paddock like a knight in shining robes, yelling, “DON’T WORRY, I’VE GOT IT!” before the Murtlap turned and promptly bit his wrist.
You rushed forward instinctively, wand already out, muttering a healing charm with a furrow in your brow. And Draco… Draco smiled like he’d just been kissed.
“You didn’t have to do that,” you said, half-annoyed, half-worried, as he flexed his hand and hissed.
“Worth it,” he said, eyes locked on you.
That night, you found another note tucked into the folds of your Herbology textbook:
Still an idiot. Still hoping. Still not giving up.
You rolled your eyes.
But you smiled.
⸻
It wasn’t until three days before the ball that he finally had a chance to explain.
You were walking back from dinner, your hands tucked into your robes, eyes on the frost glittering across the windows, when you heard it:
“Wait—please.”
Draco’s voice. Real. Sincere. Clear.
You turned, surprised to see him without backup, no Pansy whispering strategies in his ear, no Blaise with the emergency escape plan, no Theo who can tease him to no end.
Just Draco.
Alone.
Face flushed from the cold—or nerves. Maybe both.
You folded your arms. “Going to call me a pastry again?”
He winced. “Gods, no. Never again.” A beat passed. Then: “Well, unless you start working at Honeydukes. Then maybe once. Or twice.”
You didn’t laugh. But the corner of your mouth twitched.
He took that as a good sign.
“I know what you thought,” Draco said, stepping forward. “When they laughed. You thought it was a joke. That I was making fun of you.” His eyes were painfully honest, gray and glinting like wet stone. “But they weren’t laughing at you. They were laughing at me.”
You blinked. “Why?”
“Because I’d been practicing that line since breakfast. Because I’d stammered like an idiot and spilled ink on my cuff and given a flower a motivational speech. Because I was absolutely pathetic. For you.” He let out a nervous huff.
“You make me stupid.”
Your heart did a little leap.
Draco stepped closer. “And you know what? I don’t care if I look stupid. I’d rather look stupid in front of the entire school than let you go to the Yule Ball without knowing the truth.”
There was a long, breathless pause.
“I like you. I’ve liked you since the first time you made that little dandelion braid and stuck it in your scroll instead of using a bookmark. I like how you hum to yourself when you’re thinking. I like that you stay up after curfew just to stargaze and name constellations like they’re your personal pets. I like that you make everything around you feel… lighter.”
He stepped closer again, now inches from you.
“And if you’ll let me… I want to make you feel that way too.”
Your lips parted, but no sound came out. For once, you were the one struck speechless.
Draco reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a a bouquet of your favorite flower. Blooming. Vibrant. Alive.
“I grew this,” he said quietly. “Chose the seed, studied the soil, made sure it got the exact right light. It took weeks. But it’s yours.”
He gently held it out.
You stared at the flower. Then up at him.
Finally, your voice found its way back.
“…You didn’t stutter,” you whispered.
Draco smirked. It was slow, confident—flirty.
“No. Not when it really matters.”
And then, with a wicked gleam in his eyes, he added, “So. Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?”
You smiled.
Not just because the flower was perfect.
Not just because his voice was steady.
But because, for the first time, it felt real. No nerves. No games. Just Draco. Asking you.
Properly.
“Yes,” you said, cheeks glowing.
His grin was immediate.
“And I expect a dance,” you added, pretending to be stern. “A real one. No passing out. No backup dancers.”
Draco leaned in just enough for you to feel the warmth of his breath.
“Only if you promise not to look like a powdered donut this time.”
You laughed—finally, laughed—and shoved his shoulder.
How the Karasuno boys would react to meeting Shoyo's foreign cousin.
— starring. karasuno boys x foreign exchange student!reader (separately), student teacher!reader in ukai's
— tags. fluff, first meetings, pining
— warnings. use of 'pretty' and 'cute' to describe reader, but no pronouns are used, you slap ryuu in his LOL, mild suggestive comment in ryuu's if you squint
— requested? yes! thank you so much for your request this was fun to write :)
— notes. some of these are longer than others sorry ADHKWH my biases are showing a lil // this ended up being a first meeting + how they act when they start crushing on you, but it they're so cute so i didnt wanna change it lolol
daichi is whipped for you from the start
he doesn't show it (or he doesn't think he does) but he's attracted to you the second he lays eyes on you
he's extra sure to be polite to you, too embarrassed too show his brasher nature in case it scares you off
he loses his backbone whenever you're around
he needs to scold some of the first years for goofing off, but you're standing there? he's all sunshine and rainbows
when he finds out that you're a foreign exchange student, he's over the moon
he subtly finds out your classes from shoyo, who of course doesn't realize his intentions as he blurts out your schedule happily
he checks up on you often, making sure you're adjusting well to japan because "what kind of captain would he be if he let his underclassman's cousin have a hard time?"
the team is none the wiser, except for maybe koshi who sees through his shit immediately
he has a habit of patting your head as a greeting, even if he's just passing you in the hallways even if you complain about him messing up your hair
overall, he's super soft with you :)
sawamura daichi! was annoyed when he met you. shoyo hadn't shown up to practice and wasn't answering his phone, which left the captain ready to send the orange-haired freshman to an early grave. after kei made a smart remark that he saw shoyo lingering near the school entrance, he was on a mission to give the boy hell.
kei was right, of course. when daichi made his way to the entrance, he saw shoyo right away. he stomps over, lips parting to lecture the younger male about responsibilities when his eyes ghost over you. he stops short, shoyo's name barely dropping from his mouth as he pauses.
when you both turn to him, daichi feels his breath catch in his throat. it was clear that you weren't from around here. your odd sense of dress stuck out like a sore thumb—not to mention he had never seen you before. but if anything, he thought you were pretty.
"you're late for practice," daichi states lamely, barely managing to tear his gaze away from you to glower at shoyo. "i ought to put you on cleaning duty tonight."
the threat fell on deaf ears, shoyo's large grin unfaltering as he wraps an arm around your midsection in a tight hug. "captain! sorry, sorry," he apologizes, though the wide grin on his face told daichi he wasn't serious. "my cousin texted me that they were here, so i had to say hi!"
at his words, you finally snap out of your stupor, offering daichi a small smile. "i didn't realize he had practice. i wouldn't have called him out if i knew."
daichi presses his lips together, feeling his ears warm at your kind tone. "it's okay," he says softly. "i'll let him off for now. it's nice to meet you—i'm sawamura daichi."
when you introduce yourself, he finds himself repeating your name in his head.
"oi," he clears his throat, turning to shoyo with a deadpan expression. "c'mon. we're late enough already." daichi turns to bow his head at you politely, quickly turning around before you can see the warmth in his cheeks.
your sweet voice calls out a goodbye, and daichi decides then and there that he wants to get to know you better.
"hey, hey—why are you so red?"
"you're gonna shut up now if you want to go home early tonight."
koshi didn't realize you were shoyo's cousin until after he got to know you a little
he couldn't help it—when he saw you he just thought you were super cute lmao
he fumbles a bit in front of you
he really really tries to be a cool, calm, and collected person but sometimes he embarrasses himself by saying odd things or staring at you a little too long
when he does figure out you're related to his underclassman, he takes the opportunity to get to know you better
and when he finds out you're in his homeroom? even better
the type to arrange study session together with you every weekend just to spend time with you
he actually invites you to watch their practices and games before shoyo does LOL
the whole team knows about his feelings and he doesn't even care, constantly throwing an arm over you shoulder and hanging around you during downtimes
wants to impress you, so he gives it his all (and then some) whenever you're there
his sets get more accurate and he even blocks more hits than he would've before
he really wants you to think he's cool
but if you compliment him, he's exploding on the spot
suguwara koshi! had no idea you were shoyo's cousin when he met you. you looked nothing alike and your personalities were completely different. despite you being a complete stranger, the lost look on your face amused him.
you met koshi when shoyo accidentally stranded you at the train station. you were supposed to take the same train to his house, but he didn't notice you weren't right behind him when he stepped into the train car. the last you saw of the tangerine-haired boy was the back of his head as the doors closed on you.
you were standing there in a panic, though no one stopped to check if you were okay. shoyo had you hold his schoolbag while he dragged your suitcase along, and when you tried calling his cellphone you heard it buzz in the bag that hung on your shoulder. for the life of you, you couldn't remember which stop to get off or which streets to take to get to his house.
"are you lost?" a gentle voice asks you, pulling you from your anxious thoughts.
your eyes meet and koshi can't help but think you're cute as hell. you look doe-eyed in your panic, rounded eyes and parted lips. when you don't answer right away, koshi's cool demeanor switches and he stumbles into an embarrassed frenzy. "wait, can you even understand japanese?"
thankfully, you do, having learned it from shoyo at a younger age. you blink away the remnants of your panic with a few hasty nods. "yes, sorry. my cousin accidentally left me here, and i don't really know how to get to his house..."
koshi calms down at your insistence, chuckling to himself. "do you know the address?"
you wince, "no."
"alright," he says in a way that he hopes is soothing for you. "i can keep you company while you wait for him to return, then. it'd probably be nicer than just standing here by yourself."
when you agree, he hides his smile. he asks you several icebreakers, such as your name and your favourite colour. with every passing second, he only thinks you're even cuter than when he first saw you.
eventually, shoyo does come back, panting and heaving as he runs up the stairs to the station platform. his bright eyes widen when he sees you together with koshi. "oh, sugawara? you've met my cousin?"
koshi meets your eyes with a grin. "i guess we'll be seeing each other more often."
honestly asahi doesn't even acknowledge you when you first meet
he doesn't find out you're shoyo's cousin for weeks, so you're really just another classmate to him
you don't even talk to each other until like a month or so after you transferred
and even then, your conversations are short
he's polite to you when you work together, but he doesn't really try to become friends with you
don't get him wrong! he thinks you're nice and pretty, but he is too damn shy to initiate anything with you
you kinda think he hates you at first, but after you realize that he's just not an outgoing person you relax around him
when he does find out you're related to shoyo, you end up seeing each other more often out of class
you show up to more practices, even if you're just sitting on the benches doing homework
shoyo even drags you along whenever the team meets up outside of school to hang out
as a result, you and asahi eventually grow closer and he opens up more bit by bit
he doesn't actually start crushing on you until graduation nears
he realizes it when he hears you cheering his name at one of their bigger games
he thinks his name sounds prettier coming from you
he doesn't initiate any skinship with you, but he's always asking about your day and checking on you in his own ways
will absolutely combust if you even so much as brush pinkies as you're walking together
azumane asahi! first met you in class. like koshi, he doesn't know you're related to shoyo initially. when the teacher introduces you, making you write your name on the board, you don't have the same last name as shoyo. he doesn't really pay much attention to you, minding his own business as he takes out his notebook and pens.
several weeks pass and your homeroom teacher announces that you'll be partnering up for a group presentation. your first real conversation with him goes as expected—you exchange contact information and go your separate ways when the bell rings.
he thinks you're attractive, but he's too shy to actually act on those thoughts and he just pushes through the project, interacting with you as little as possible.
it's only when shoyo forgets his volleyball uniform at your house that asahi figures out you're related.
he sees you first, standing in the gym entrance while you wait to be invited in. you look hesitant as your eyes cast over the several members of the volleyball club, your gaze landing on asahi. when recognition flickers behind your eyes, he thinks you're there for him.
he opens his mouth to greet you, but before he can even utter a word, an orange blur runs past him. you're almost knocked on your ass as shoyo tackles you, excitedly calling out your name. "what're you doing here?" he asks you, tilting his head as he releases you from his death grip. "you never come to practice."
"you left your uniform at mine," you explain quietly, pulling the clothing out of your bag.
there's a moment of silence, before all hell breaks loose. the others scream and yell at shoyo, yuu and ryuunosuke shaking him by the shoulders as they demand why they weren't informed about his girlfriend.
even asahi's jaw drops at the thought of you, his classmate and group partner, dating shoyo, of all people.
"we aren't dating!" you exclaim, shaking your hands in front of you adamantly as disgust paints over your facial features. "we're cousins."
as the club eventually quiets down, you meet asahi's gaze over the commotion. when you offer him a bashful smile, he can't help but return it.
as expected, yuu is also whipped for you the second you meet
he swears on his life that he has never met someone as perfect as you—not even kiyoko (which says a lot)
at first, his attraction to you is entirely physical and he doesn't hide it
he compliments you every time he sees you he even compliments your outfits even if you're just wearing the karasuno uniform
he practically begs shoyo to bring you to practice just so he has an excuse to ogle at you and profess his 'undying love'
you'd probably make good friends with kiyoko, bonding over the second years' unabashed feelings and loud professions of love lol
though he's completely smitten with your looks, yuu doesn't learn a thing about you until like two months after your transfer
he realizes it when koshi asks if he knows anything about you and no, the fact that you're pretty doesn't count as something
during a late night run to the nearest convenience store, he runs into you
you're dressed casually, and he realizes it's actually the first time he's seen you outside of uniform
he thinks you're very cute in your bunny pajamas
he approaches you with koshi's words in mind, and asks if you want to hang out for a bit
your hang outs become a common thing, and eventually it's your weekend tradition to meet at the convenient store after sundown
after really getting to know you, he realizes that he likes more than just your appearance
shockingly, once he figures out his feelings for you, he tones down a lot
he would stop confessing his love for you every moment he could, but he gets casually affectionate with you
he'd always stand close enough for your shoulders to touch and would absentmindedly guide you places by taking your hand
he's never had a real crush on anyone before, so he's feeling it out with you
nishinoya yuu! has hearts in his eyes the moment he meets you. shoyo brought you to practice one day, excited to introduce his favourite cousin to his teammates. he had all but dragged you to the gym by the wrist, ignoring your insistent utterings that you can walk on your own.
"this is my cousin!" shoyo announces the second he bursts through the doors in true hinata shoyo fashion. you were the last ones to show up, so the entire team was there to witness you getting dragged in by shoyo. "they transferred here from overseas."
yuu feels the world stop once he glances over at you after receiving a particularly harsh spike from tobio, freezing into his squatted position. his world becomes a romcom movie—he swears someone must be blowing a fan in your direction with the way your hair sways as you walk into the gym. he might even be seeing the air sparkle in your presence.
he's absolutely starstruck with you, and he makes no effort to hide it as he bounds over to you. he takes your hands in his, looking at you with wide eyes as he takes you in. he can hear someone groaning, maybe daichi, as they mutter something along the lines of "he's at it again."
"i'm nishinoya yuu," he introduces himself. "you're really cute!"
your mouth opens, but no words come out as you simply stare at yuu in surprise. shoyo had given you a brief rundown of his group members, and you realize that this might be why he warned you about the libero in particular.
even when daichi smacks the back of his head, apologizing to you quietly, yuu remains in his lovestruck gaze.
you stay to watch their practice, at both shoyo and yuu's insistence, and yuu makes a point to be even more extravagant than usual. you can't help but laugh at his boisterous rolling receives and the way he calls out ridiculous move names.
oh ryuu. typical ryuu.
the first words he ever speaks to you end up with him getting slapped
like yuu, he thinks you've been blessed by the gods with your looks and he makes it clear to you when you meet
he asks you to go out with him, only to blatantly check you out right after, which earned him a smack to the face
eventually, he does apologize for his behaviour, though you don't accept it right away
when you tell him that you hate guys who treat others like eye candy, he's sure to tone it down for you
of course, a man can't change overnight
he still flirts with you, and with other women—he can't help it ;( him n yuu are menaces
however, when he's not being an absolute pest, he gets to know you
he learns about your interests and hobbies, and finds himself indulging you in them (who would've thought he'd end up enjoying the art of bracelet making?)
when you become close friends, you become his person
he goes to you whenever he wants to talk about something, and he lends an ear whenever you need to vent
he asks you about your home country often, wanting to know more about your life before you came to japan
he'd even go out of his way to do things for you that remind you of home whenever you start feeling homesick :)
it's not until well after graduation when he realizes that he might actually like you
tanaka ryuunosuke! was mid confession when you met. shoyo had brought you to one of their games, and just as ryuunosuke was getting on his knees to ask kiyoko to marry him, his eyes fall on you.
it's almost astounding how quickly the second year moved from the glasses-wearing beauty to you, appearing in front of you in an instant. before shoyo can even introduce you, he stares you down with a steeled expression, his eyes narrowing.
"you're the prettiest person i've ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on," he claims in his most serious tone. he takes your hands in his as he presses his lips to your knuckles. "please go out with me."
there's a collective sigh as the team turns away at his antics. you, on the other hand, feel your head pound in irritation. "excuse me?"
ryuunosuke doesn't hear the vexation in your tone, or chooses to ignore it, as his eyes trail over your features. even when you're staring at him in an angry disbelief, he thinks you're incredibly pretty. however, as his eyes drop lower and lower, his mind enters a less-than-appropriate headspace.
the feeling of your hand connecting with his cheek rips him out of his lewd daydreams. you didn't slap him hard, but the sound echoed over the loud chatter of the audience members anyway. "you pervert," you utter, gritting your teeth as you turn on your heel. you barely tell shoyo good luck as you all but stomp off to the bleachers.
ryuunosuke stares at your back, holding his reddening cheek in mild awe. yuu nudges his side. "don't tell me you're into that, man."
he at least has the grace to blush.
to be honest, you and tobio do not get along until much later
it's not because you're related to shoyo it is
he just genuinely has no idea how to talk to you lmao
you meet him on the first day of school with shoyo
the realization that he may be teammates with the very guy he had practically berated in middle school took priority over greeting you tbh
it's only after their initial fight when he realizes that you, a complete stranger, saw him yell at shoyo as harshly as he did (even if shoyo didn't have many nice things to say either)
he's kinda embarrassed abt it tbh
like?? you had to see him like that?? he's mortified
so when he joins the volleyball club and you're a manager, he avoids you like the plague
when he talks to you, he accidentally comes across as if he hates your guts (he doesn't, he just cannot properly converse with people to save his life)
your relationship is extremely terse for months, since you get pissed off at his behaviour and he doesn't know how to act normally around you
he doesn't warm up to you until one of their games later in the season, where the morale is low and the team is hanging their heads
you give them an uplifting speech, telling the team that they're stronger than they think
it's the first time tobio looks at you in a pleasant light, and he merely puts a hand on your shoulder to say thanks as he makes his way back to the court
slowburn as fuck tbh he might not even realize he likes you until you're about to graduate (cut him some slack he's only a lil slow)
kageyama tobio! barely acknowledges your existence when you meet. you had moved to japan before their first year at karasuno began, so you showed up with shoyo to the first day.
of course, tobio recognized shoyo immediately from their encounter in middle school. shoyo had dragged you to the gym to go with him to sign up for the volleyball club, insistent that you try to apply to be a manager or something. tobio was there, about to spike a volleyball.
the second shoyo and tobio lock eyes on each other, they're at it like cats and dogs, and you're left standing there in confusion. seeing shoyo as angry as he was is shocking to you and you wonder what the hell this other guy must've done to rile up your sunshine cousin so much.
tobio doesn't even look at you as he argues with shoyo, not meeting your eyes until after the fight has 'calmed' down. he stares at you quietly for a moment before averting his gaze, grumbling something under his breath as he leaves to retrieve the volleyball shoyo made him drop.
he doesn't say anything to you as you talk quietly with daichi about becoming a manager. he vaguely overhears shoyo introducing you as his cousin, but he's too annoyed to listen.
later on, when him and shoyo are finally accepted into the club, and you're brought on as a manager-in-training, tobio still ignores you.
you don't have your first conversation until a week later, when you corner him after practice. "what is your problem?" you demand, your hands propped on your hips. "i know you don't like sho, but you haven't said a single word to me since you joined the club."
tobio flushes in embarrassment as he stares at you. he doesn't mean to, but his eyes narrow into what could be perceived as a harsh glare. "i don't have anything to say," he says truthfully, his voice coming out colder than necessary.
when he rushes off to hide his growing fluster, you're left standing there confused.
you and kei barely interacted at first tbh
he had never seen you before and it was the weekend when you met so he had no reason to assume you'd ever talk again really
even after finding out you were related to shoyo, he didn't bat an eye
after all, he's not exactly going over to the orange-haired boy's house for sleepovers lolol
but to his surprise, you're in his classroom the next monday morning as a foreign exchange student
your classmates rush to you, overwhelming you with numerous questions about your hometown, and it's clear to kei that you're flustered
you meet his gaze over the crowd of people, and for a moment you're shocked to see him
however, before either of you can do anything, you get bombarded with even more questions
to your surprise and his, kei scoffs as he approaches your crowded desk
"can't you see you're bothering them?"
the gaggle of students dissipates with embarrassed apologies, leaving you and kei alone
your relationship with him from then on is odd
there's an unspoken agreement that you both don't like being bothered by other people, and you lowkey bond over it
he would never admit you're friends, but he comes to your rescue often
if you can't understand a phrase or if you don't know the answer to a question in class, he'll quietly help you out (but don't bother asking about it, 'cus he'll deny it vehemently)
when you start hanging out during practices, he ruffles your hair and rests his arm on your head regardless of your height
making fun of you is his love language (not that he'd ever admit he has feelings)
tsukishima kei! meets you when you're babysitting natsu. the team had been out getting ice cream (as per koshi's insistence—for team building), leaving kei in a sour mood because he would rather be anywhere than here.
"shoyo! sho!"
the whole team looks over, seeing a little girl who is the spitting image of their short middle blocker running toward them. kei's expression drops even more, because there's two of them?
shoyo almost drops his ice cream cone with the way the little girl jumps on him. "what are you doing here?" shoyo asks, scrambling to catch his sweet treat. "where's—"
before he can finish his sentence, another figure comes running at them, out of breath. "natsu!" you scold airily as you make your way up to the team, hunching over and resting your hands on your knees as you try to catch your breath. "jesus, don't just run off like that!"
you look up at shoyo from your hunched position, letting kei get a good look at your face. you're flushed, sweat beading on your brow bone and lips are parted as you breathe harshly through them. it's clear to the blond that you've been running around for some time now, something that makes him snort into his strawberry ice cream cup.
"sorry, sho," you wince, practically dragging the little girl, natsu, to your side. "she ran off while i was paying for her snacks. she probably saw you through the window." you vaguely gesture to a nearby convenience store, holding up a bag of candy.
you talk with shoyo for another moment, before turning to the rest of the team. your eyes briefly meet kei's and he arches a brow at you. you apologize for interrupting them, but daichi insists that you're fine and that you and natsu can hang around since you're there anyway.
as a result, you and kei end up standing near each other as the group converses. kei had been hanging a little bit away from the others, minus tadashi of course. you end up near him by coincidence—you don't know the others, and the three of you end up quietly sitting in acknowledgement that you didn't want to talk.
my darling baby tadashi is a mess when you meet <3
he was practicing his volleyball skills when he accidentally whams you in the face
he'd feel guilty about it for a while (even if you insist you're fine) and would use it as an excuse to buy you drinks from the vending machines lol
"this is the fourth drink you've bought me this week??"
"i have to make up for hitting you somehow :((("
becoming friends with tadashi is surprisingly easy, given how shy he can be
it becomes a habit to meet you by the vending machines before practice
the time in the halls between classes and volleyball are spent getting to know you
he asks a lot of questions about what it's like in your hometown and the differences in your culture
i don't think he'd start liking you until after you also get close with kei though lol good luck
the first time he sees you joking around with the tall blond, he thinks his heart is about to beat out of his chest
you must be an angel, he decides as he watches you get along with kei
the three of you form a trio and you end up spending more time with them than shoyo LOL
kei absolutely knows about tadashi's feelings and takes every opportunity to tease him about it whilst you're blissfully unaware
he's so so smitten around you after he realizes he likes you
the type to look at you like you hung the stars in the sky yourself and to becoming maddeningly red whenever you so much as make eye contact with him
yamaguchi tadashi! hits you in the head the first time he meets you. he was in the gym alone, practicing his float serve. you pushed through the heavy metal doors just in time to get slammed in the face with a ball gone awry.
he feels his heart drop to his toes as he quickly rushes over to you, asking if you're alright and if you need to see the nurse. his panic only worsens when he realizes you're bleeding from your nose.
although the hit shocked you, you're left watching in amusement as tadashi scrambles to find something to stop your nosebleed with. when he eventually returns to you, having ran from the boys washroom to grab a wad of papertowel, he apologizes again softly.
"are you okay now...?" he asks when your nosebleed finally stops. he looks almost like a kicked puppy, his hair falling limply into his eyes.
even after you reassure him that you're fine, tadashi still wears his guilt like a crown. he offers to buy you something from the vending machines, and does so despite your insistence that he doesn't need to.
"you can accept it for my sake," he says sheepishly as he offers you the cold can. the two of you converse quietly, with you introducing yourself as a new foreign exchange student.
"oh!" he suddenly lets out, looking over at you. "did you need something in the gym?"
"i was looking for my cousin," you sigh. "he said he was in the volleyball club and i haven't been able to find him at all today."
he's shocked when he finds out that you're shoyo's cousin—the boy had talked about you earlier in the week when he found out you were transferring to karasuno. as you talk, tadashi thinks to himself that shoyo never mentioned how cute you were.
your first meeting with keishin is awkward
ltrly knocks you off your feet when he runs into you
he's kind of brash when he meets you, not caring if you think of him badly because of it
you don't have much of a relationship at first—your work pulls you to the classrooms after all, so he doesn't really see you around often
the next time he sees you, you're stomping into the gymnasium mid practice with an irked expression
he's about to tell you off for interrupting practice, but he quiets when he sees you make your way to your younger cousin
he only watches in amusement when you tell him off for his horrid grades
when shoyo turns to keishin for help, he only shrugs with a lazy grin on his face
"sorry, little man, you heard 'em. no volleyball games until you raise your grades"
to shoyo's chagrin, you and keishin make a terrifying pair for him (and the other three idiots lolol)
you only really start hanging out with him when you end up making a late night run at his convenience store
it's the first time he sees you in casual clothing and the case of beer in your hands makes him laugh
"you wanna share that?"
he becomes your drinking buddy every other weekend, and he grows to cherish the time you spend chugging back cans of beer with him
keeps his feelings on the downlow, but as time goes on even the boys realize that their coach has a soft spot for you
ukai keishin! bodies you the first time you meet. the man doesn't realize his own strength until he literally knocks you flat on his ass after he turns a corner and bumps into you. his eyes go wide when the books and papers in your hands go flying, falling around you in a frenzy.
"shit," he curses under his breath, bending down to pick up your things. "sorry 'bout that." his voice is gruff as he speaks, collecting your papers without much care. when he returns them to you, some of them are scuffed and crumpled.
as he's handing you your things, he finally gets a good look at you. you're dressed more formally than he is by a mile. he holds a hand out to help you to your feet, his brown eyes falling to the lanyard around your neck.
"you new here?" he asks, jutting his chin out to gesture to your nametag. student teacher is typed above your name and picture.
you nod deftly, brushing off any dirt from your dress pants. "i started today. and you are?" your eyes meet his, and he knows you're silently scrutinizing him. he's much too old to be a student, you deduce easily, but he's dressed far more casually than any other other teachers.
when your eyes drift up to his bleached hair, he snorts. "i'm the coach for the volleyball club," he grumbles. "i don't need to be wearing fancy shit like you."
he sees your eyes light up in recognition as he analyzes your face with crossed arms. "the volleyball club? you must know my cousin then. hinata shoyo?"
keishin deadpans at you. "you're the runt's cousin?"
summary: you & shinazugawa have a score to settle, but you never did agree on the stakes, did you?
pairing: sanemi shinazugawa / f!reader ; retired hashira
word count: 4.7k
tags: rated t+, mutual pining, drinking games, romanticization of everything in sight, sun and moon tropes, reader is a hashira, reader is missing her arm, cool prosthetics are my shit, sanemi can be nice when he wants, sanemi has no idea how to be touched, ranging hashira appearances for comedic impact
a/n: i love this eyebrow-less fuck. let him be kissed. and pegged, probably.
"Another round."
Someone is going to die tonight.
Someone is definitely going to die tonight, and no one even seems remotely concerned aside from Tanjiro Kamado, the designated sake pourer.
H-He shouldn't even be here!
Wrong place, wrong time, but Mr. Shinazugawa might kill him if he said no to the barked order of fetching sake for the drinking game.
I mean — sure, sure. You're both Hashiras. Or, well, you were a Hashira. The Light Hashira. The Light Hashira who was forcefully retired as of last year due to losing your right arm facing down an Upper Moon.
The entire room is packed with fellow rank-and-file members, and with each downed glass of sake, there's a raucous roar of cheers.
Sanemi Shinazugawa thought this was going to be an easy win.
After all, you're little Miss Perfect. Delicate and polite and demure, and always so well-mannered, and oh so soft-spoken.
You may be retired, but you still serve the Demon Slayer Corp, working to rehab injuries just like your own. Your estate is the secondary stop after the Butterfly Mansion for many members who have lost limbs — your prosthetics are state-of-the-art. The custom, mobility aids have changed the lives of men and women who thought they'd never bounce back.
It's beautiful, really.
Just like you, Sanemi laments.
Your silver kimono is faultlessly pressed; the wisteria blossoms embroidered into your obi glimmer in the lantern light of the dining hall. That wisteria hairpin keeping your hair up and out of your face makes his stomach churn. He wants to yank it out of your hair and throw it across the room. He wants to see you... undone. Any less perfect than usual.
It's driving him insane.
You're on your fifth cup of sake. You hold the bottom, tilt it back, and finish it with a slow, thankful nod directed toward Tanjiro. The ceramic prosthetic of your right arm tinkers gently against the cup. Delicate. Poised. Perfect.
Sanemi's lip snarls.
"Oh come on—"
"Another round, if you would, Mr. Kamado."
You slip Sanemi a leveled look through heavy lashes.
The Wind Hashira is drunk. There's no denying it. You can see the hot flush creeping up his chest, peeking out from the top of his undone uniform. There are his scars, and then there is a flush. It's cute.
He's always been cute.
More than cute, recently. Handsome. Insufferable in every single way possible, but handsome.
Rumor has it he's quite the gentleman, too, if you believe the girls over at the Butterfly Mansion. The youngest three seem partial to him — hailing him with an unbridled sense of respect (and infatuation).
"You've gotta be kidding me," he grits out as he runs a calloused palm down his face; he's sweating. He's hot. It's hot in here. Maybe it's the sake. Whatever. Sanemi lets out an exhausted sigh, "There's no way."
There's a little crack — a tiny, sliver of a crack in your usual placid composure. Sanemi swears he sees a smirk. It's gone before his hazy vision can memorize it.
"Shinazugawa," you breathe as Tanjiro worriedly pours another cup of sake for you both; your voice is punctuated with repose that dares to lightly mock, "Are you saying you can't continue?"
There's an edge to your voice — a slight slur. The only indication that you have been keeping up, drink-to-drink with him.
The room coos a goading little cheer. They egg him on.
Sanemi's eyes narrow dangerously. His eyelashes are quite pretty, you muse. The whole of him is. Scarred and rugged and always so tough...
"Oh, please. You think I'm going to tap out?" he shirks, slamming back the freshly poured sake with reckless abandon. Best to go fast. If he slows down, it's all going to catch up to him. That's five. You're both tied, "I'm not losing to you."
Your cup pauses, right about to meet painted lips. There's the smirk again. Then:
"Break it up! Curfew started ten minutes ago!"
You recognize it as Obanai's voice.
Sanemi's eyes flick to your face, then to the door beyond the gaggle of swordsmen and Kakushi. You're pouting. The interruption has brought a wave of groans and chattered disappointment.
Sanemi grits his jaw. You mirror his expression.
He wasn't done.
You weren't done.
You both concede with scowls on your face.
No one died.
Which is great!
Except that was before, and this is now. Tanjiro winces sharply at the escalating volume of Mr. Shinazugawa's voice across the courtyard.
"Rematch!" he's shouting at you as you cross the courtyard; a picture of elegance and grace. You've got a large wooden box in your arms. No doubt the delivery of a new prosthetic.
You glide across the gravel, head held high.
Perfect. Even in this fuckin' heat.
Sanemi's jacket is in the grass — every recruit around him is winded. Seems they've begun another training regime. The summer heat beats down your neck as you rake your eyes across his figure. You watch a bead of sweat run down his temple.
"Name the place, Shinazugawa," you throw his way flippantly; Tanjiro can see you're not afraid of Sanemi and it's confusing, "You'll have your rematch."
"Tonight. Same place. M' not loosin' this time, Lady Hashira."
He hates your laugh. He hates how fucking pretty it is — how soft and light it is, like a bell, like a breeze against his skin.
Fuck.
You're so pretty. So kind — so... fuckfuckfuck.
Tanjiro is definitely going to die. Mr. Shinazugawa has never gone this hard on them before, like, ever. This is bad. This is so bad. A wooden sword strike rattles the bones in his hands, pain echoing up his wrists, as he blocks a whirlwind of frustrated attacks.
He's going to die.
Obanai figures this is exactly how this would go.
It is Sanemi after all. The Wind Hashira is worse than himself. At least he can talk to Mitsuri without acting like it was the world's biggest inconvenience...
Sanemi is not exactly subtle. The pent-up frustration is—
Oh.
Oh, you're into it.
Sanemi misses it, but Obanai is watching the rematch from the far table — he was trying his best to mind his business as he eats. The Serpent Hashira can see the way your eyes linger on the Wind Hashira whenever he might not be looking.
Sanemi tips his head back, as he downs his cup of sake. Obanai notices your gaze.
There's something heavy about the way you take Shinazugawa in. Something... adoring.
Well, shit.
Tanjiro Kamado's voice wavers as he throws a leg over the bench and settles to sit beside Obanai.
"Are you sure... this is allowed?" the auburn-haired swordsman laughs nervously as he clutches the designated sake refill bottle, "I mean curfew is soon—"
"Did I say you could sit here?"
Great.
He's going to die.
And this time it's Obanai's stare that's going to do it.
Giyu is the one to enforce the curfew that night. It ends the same. Five drinks even. Sanemi almost kills the Water Hashira, and you smirk as you gather yourself up and retire for the evening.
Giyu doesn't get it.
"Why entertain this?" he asks the next morning, juggling the large order of birch wood in his arms; you'd asked for his help, and truth be told he was always partial to you. You were kind and easy to talk to. Giyu's voice is level, "He's a brute."
You have a large box in your arms — your second piece of the week. This time, a knee-jointed leg prosthetic made from boxwood. It's for that young swordsman, Hime.
"I don't mind him," you offer lightly.
Giyu doesn't get it.
"He's loud," he challenges.
"He has a nice voice," you muse back, falling in step with the Water Hashira.
"He's rude."
"He cares not what others think of him."
"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" Giyu shirks, his lip curling a bit in distaste.
"I think so," you softly reply, slipping Giyu a sly look, "I find it charming."
"Is that what this is about, then?" he asks suddenly, almost tripping over his own feet. The gravel beneath his feet crunches, "Finding him... charming?"
"...And what if it is?"
Giyu really doesn't fucking get it.
The Water Hashira is quiet for a long time after that, but the silence is comfortable. You don't mind it. It's just the sounds of summer along the path and the soft footfalls of their steps.
He's trying to meditate. He's trying to think about anything other than you — anything other than your smile, your laugh, the way you wear your hair, or the way you say his name.
Irritation cracks his placid expression.
His lavender eyes are still shut.
His lips curl into a snarl. "Do you mind?"
"A little something," comes your soft voice; you're standing before him, your hands clasped in front of you. Oh so proper, "for our next rematch."
Sanemi's eyes fly open.
The sun is like a halo around your silhouette. Framed by blue sky, it's like staring at an angel. You're so fucking beautiful, it feels like someone's rammed his very own nichirin right through his heart.
He swallows roughly.
"...What is this?" he grovels hoarsely.
Skepticism softens into a fading sense of annoyance. Sanemi's eyes flick downward, eyeing the meticulously wrapped parcel on his lap. The handkerchief around the bento is... yours. It's clearly a scrap from your old Haori. He'd know the pattern anywhere. In the dark, even. In his dreams, always.
"Red bean mochi," you say slowly, tilting your head; your voice is coaxing, "Is that not your favorite...?"
You swear his eyes widen a mile.
What a pretty sight.
Sanemi's lip twitches. He's hesitant to reach out and even touch the box. "...Who told you?"
You shrug. Your expression is light and playful. "Would it matter?"
"I need to know who I should kill," he grits out.
"If you don't want it—"
Sanemi snatches the box up. You'll have to pry it from his cold, dead hands. Handmade, fresh red bean paste mochis? From you? He'd rather die than give this up.
You wet your lips, the gesture an attempt to hide your growing grin. You drop your gaze and idly fiddle with a sleeve.
There's a tense moment of silence. Then, his voice rumbles out like a summer thunderstorm:
"Tonight. Rematch."
"Same time?" you ask brightly, already beginning to walk backward down the path.
Sanemi watches, his eyes glued to your face. "I'm going to win."
"You can try, Sanemi Shinazugawa."
You might lose.
You — ha!
You might just lose.
You decidedly blame Mitsuri and Shinobu. They're laughing — and pouring a lot more than poor Tanjiro did. You aren't even that angry about it, because Sanemi looks so damn proud of himself and it's adorable.
Your tongue is loose. Your posture is slipping.
Sanemi's never seen something hotter.
He's going to suffer for this tomorrow — he knows that. He's on his seventh cup, his smirk mingling by the edge of the sake as you drop your head and giggle at something Mitsuri says.
Your eyes find his. You look so... beautiful.
The other Hashira have stolen their sips from the jug. Not that either of you mind. You're both locked in your own little game. The others have drifted out to the engawa, sitting in the warm summer evening air.
Stolen glances between you both bleed into decidedly light banter.
"You're slipping," he chirps; his expression betrays his words. He's gone soft, "Keep up."
You lean forward onto the table, chin propped up in your hand. You lazily finish the sake in your cup while raking your eyes across his chest and neck and shoulders and face. All of him.
Openly.
"Haven't you heard the story of the tortoise and the hare, Shinazugawa?"
"Sanemi," he corrects as gently as a man like Sanemi can, ignoring the way his heart skips a beat when your smile cracks just a little bit wider, a little bit looser.
The ceramic cup tinkers against the wooden table as you place it down.
"Sanemi," you sigh back — testing the sound of it — and he wonders if this is some sort of dream. You let your head lull to the other side as you take another sip, "Right."
He lifts his drink to his lips. He hesitates for a second; you trace the line of his jaw with your eyes.
"Thank you," he says suddenly — and your expression clouds with momentary confusion. That's how he knows you're drunk. You're usually so sharp, so fast. Your wit is like the crack of a whip. Sanemi clarifies before downing his seventh cup, "For the mochi."
Fucking hell.
That smile.
He's never seen someone so fuckin' beautiful before. Light Hashira be damned. You're an angel. You're the sort of woman men throw themselves on their swords for. He gets it. He'd rage a thousand wars if it meant a kiss. He'd even take a slap. Maybe a punch. Anything.
Fuck.
Make him bleed.
You sway a bit as he places his empty cup down sharply.
"Were they good?"
"Best I've ever had," he admits; he's being honest.
You feel like you're in battle again. There's an adrenaline rush beneath your skin. Seeing him so... soft. Maybe the girls had a point. Maybe he is a gentleman when he wants to be. Sanemi is being sweet. Must be the sake.
You let that lovely realization sit in your chest for a moment longer before dragging your eyes away from the Wind Hashira.
Shinobu is nowhere to be found.
Mitsuri has relieved herself from her role as designated inebriatior.
She's on the engawa, enjoying the breeze, fingers inching close to Obanai's. The other Hashira — Giyu and Rengoku and Tengen included — seem more interested in the stars hanging in the warm evening air than the competition beyond the open sliding doors.
He clears his throat. You draw your attention back to him.
He's been watching you.
"Do you concede?"
"No, not yet," you admit. Your chin is perched on your hand again, "I suppose I still have another drink in me."
You watch as he moves, then. He stands and moves across the room to fetch the jug of sake perched by the door. You follow him with your eyes, tracing the line of his figure. He moves with less grace and with more carelessness. The jug swings from his fingers by the twine handle as he returns to your side.
He settles on his knees to your left.
Sanemi's grin is devilish. Sharp. Handsome. His ashen hair falls in his eyes as he pours himself his next round. "Now, now, Lady Hashira, only one?"
He's so close, you can feel his breath on your neck. His voice makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
Shinazugawa leans, scarred knuckles hesitating to pour your eighth cup. His scarred brow quirks in a quiet challenge. He stills himself and waits for your reply, only to smirk when you lazily wave a porcelain hand his way. Go on.
"Perhaps two with the way you pour," you bite, eyeing the conservative amount of sake that spills into your ceramic cup, "Trying to spare me a loss?"
"Mind your mouth," he warns, rattling the near-empty jug. He tosses his cup back easily before settling back on his haunches. He snaps the cup down on the table and exhales.
Sanemi feels exposed. Moving closer was a bold move.
It's the way you're looking at him.
He watches as a piece of hair falls from your meticulous up-do — undone by the heat and drink — and he feels his entire chest lurch with need.
You're smiling in that honeyed way as you take a slow sip of this round's cup. Your words are slow like molasses on your tongue. "...We never settled on the stakes of this bet, Shinazugawa."
Sanemi is staring at that piece of hair kissing your cheekbone. His expression is less intense than usual, but there's still a burn there. However, it is not rage nor ire. It's something else — something that you're too blind and sake-adled to name.
"Your hairpin."
He answers it easily without pause or hesitation.
Your painted lips quirk as your eyes flash to his. He sees a question flash behind your eyes but you allow it to slip by, unasked. You watch him cross his wide arms over his chest as if to shield himself from any ill reaction.
Without a word, Sanemi watches you tug the long, silver hairpin from your hair.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
He's never seen you like this before — never, not even in battle. Your hair tumbles free in mussed strands wanting to bend and bow in the humid summer air.
Sanemi's mouth runs dry as you slip the metal pin between your fingers and offer it. Your eyes are heavy-lidded and you sway a bit as you hand it over.
"Does this mean I've won?" he croaks. His calloused fingers brush yours as he takes the pin into his hands. It's heavier than he anticipated. The intricate amythest wisteria ornaments tinker in his palm as he turns it over.
You tip the last sip of sake back down your throat.
Then, you shake your head no.
"Had you asked," you slip out, dotingly pouring him yet another cup; you mirror the action and fill your own, "I would have simply given it to you."
Sanemi swallows.
You watch him as you eye your ninth cup.
You're drunk. Very drunk. Drunk enough that you fail to see the slack-jawed awe sucker-punched across Sanemi's face.
"What will you ask of me, then?" he dares to utter, realizing that this game ended a long time ago — that this is no longer about winning. Maybe it was never about winning at all, Sanemi realizes rather suddenly, but he doesn't dare linger on the thought you may just enjoy his company.
No one enjoys his company.
He is a bastard. He is a brute. He is horrible and crude and scathingly stubborn. He is not kind, well-spoken, or patient. He's none of the things he sees in you. He is ever bit your opposite — you are the light that breaks through the clouds, and he is the wind that bites.
The idea of drinking another cup of sake makes his head swim.
"...Truthfully? I had not thought that far."
Your voice is small. Sanemi watches the way your porcelain hand stills against the cup. The confession stirs those white-hot feelings in his chest again. He barks out a rough laugh that sounds more like a wheeze than anything.
Then, he pushes his cup across the table. Your eyes widen, and Sanemi is shocked to realize his pride allows him this.
He concedes.
He has his prize, after all. He tucks your hairpin into his jacket, in a pocket beside his heart, before rapping his knuckles upon the wood of the table.
The Wind Hashira lacks his usual amount of grace as he stumbles to his feet.
He bends like a birch in the wind, then pushes that strand of hair from your cheek.
"Think on it, then, Lady Hashira," he rasps, "You win."
Tanjiro isn't the only one who notices that Mr. Shinazugawa has been in a better mood lately.
Training hasn't been nearly as disastrous. The Wind Hashira has even begun offering pointers rather than beaten-in instruction. The ashen-haired man has some sort of reason for being... gentler. It's almost as if his mind is elsewhere.
Obanai notices, which means Mitsuri pries it out of him, which means Shinobu is told over tea, which means Tengen hears about it from Rengoku who hears it from the three youngest Butterfly Mansion servants and proceeds to tell Tokito one evening in the onsen.
The steam hangs heavy in the air, and Giyu's head is tipped back against the cool stone.
Tokito, dipped low and deep to nearly his nose in the baths, listens with interest to Tengen babble on. The Sound Hashira is stumped.
"I mean, c'mon, I love him, but the guy is never in a good mood," Uzui mutters as he flicks at a drifting maple leaf atop the water, "And suddenly it's sunshine and rainbows?"
"Hardly," Tokito murmurs.
Rengoku wrinkles his nose and agrees with the Mist Hashira. "I do not believe sunshine and rainbows are within Shinazugawa's purview."
"I'm being hyperbolic," Tengen stresses.
Giyu sighs loudly.
The heads of those present turn towards him owlishly.
He doesn't even open his eyes as he speaks.
"It's her," he states plainly, "Our Lady Light Hashira."
And it is, isn't it?
It becomes painfully apparent.
Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki, whose eyes may not see as they once did, notices — he can feel the weight of something sweet in the air when he calls the Hashira together for a meeting in the early afternoon.
...It makes him smile.
A bird chirps and the sound of a breeze slips through the leaves in the courtyard. The sun is hot on the curve of your knee, beneath your kimono.
You are in the back of the room, hands folded neatly in your lap.
Your hair hangs across your shoulders.
Your eyes have not once left Sanemi's back.
He sits rigid and perfect, his nichirin laid before him.
And then, as the meeting breaks, he dares turn his cheek. Lavender eyes connect with yours only for a second. Then, the room moves, but you stay there on that floor, watching him move gracefully as he sheathes his sword. His jacket parts and you spy the ornament of wisteria flash beneath his breast pocket.
Your breath catches.
The others pretend not to see as he steps down from the engawa, turning his attention to you once more as he squints in the sun.
"Have you decided?" he asks.
"No," you reply softly, poised as usual.
Sanemi snorts through his nose like a bull; his words may be grating but his tone betrays it. "Fine then. Be indecisive."
The others pretend not to see his smile, nor the bashful way you duck your head as he retreats towards the grass where the recruits have gathered.
But, Kagaya Ubuyashiki needs not to pretend.
He smiles.
He finds you in the garden, after dinner.
You've made a habit of walking the quiet paths in the evenings while the Ubuyashiki Mansion is quiet and calm. Here, while the sun slips away and the moon chases her kiss, you can linger among the wisteria and their weeping blooms.
Your getas still upon the gravel.
"I've decided, I think."
Your voice is softer than the petals that drift through the air.
Sanemi, from behind the largest tree, steps into view.
His arms are crossed. He is without his nichirin.
He ambles closer, his attention drifting to the sky seeped in reds and pinks and purples. The moon is full, and it spills out gilded light that makes your silver kimono glow. You look as if you belong here — among the beauty and calm and peace.
"Yea?" he rasps in reply, realizing you've turned on your heel to face him fully, "Go on then, Lady Hashira. I'm not a patient man. I've waited long enough."
His words lack any sort of real bite.
(He would wait a thousand years more if it meant hearing you ask of him anything. He'd do it, too. Over and over, as many times as you ask. Anything. For you.)
You venture closer. His eyes are still turned to the sky and the wisteria petals that swirl like clouds.
You spy your hairpin.
Wordlessly, you reach for it.
His hand snatches your wrist and halts it — at first, the movement is rough. It's as if Sanemi forgets what a touch from another can be, what it's like. You exhale, and his calloused fingers loosen their hold. He sets his jaw, and his thumb ghosts along your wrist in silent apology.
Then, you smile.
And you slip your hand down and into his own.
And, fucking shit, Sanemi doesn't know what the fuck to do with himself with you take one step closer. There's a small voice in the back of his mind telling him to fucking run, telling him to escape this fate — because he's already in too deep, isn't he? He's drowning, and now you're holding his hand. You're going to be the fucking death of him.
"Is this," he swallows tightly, "What you decided on?"
Hand holding?
"Am I allowed to ask for more, Shinazugawa?"
"Sanemi," he corrects under his breath, his pupils bouncing from your eyes to your mouth. It isn't an answer.
You take another step forward, and your smile is slow.
"Sanemi," you nod and rectify yourself as you look up at the Hashira, "Am I?"
He looks terrified — and then your porcelain palm touches his cheek.
"I told you," you swear his voice shakes as he turns his cheek and pulls away, "I am not a patient man—"
"A kiss."
Lavender eyes widen, and Sanemi swears he fuckin' dreamt it.
There's a beat of apprehension — like you're both staring down the precipice. Like you're both one step from hurdling head-first into the crashing waves below. There's only one moment of it though, and it's long enough for both of your breaths to be stolen by the leap.
He knocks the wind out of you.
You suppose there's something poetic about that, him being the Wind Hashira and all.
At first, the kiss is rough. It's as if Sanemi forgets what a kiss from another can be, what it's like.
It's desperate, you realize, as Sanemi's calloused hands thread themselves to cradle your face. His teeth knock yours and his nose butts your own and you all but gasp as you stagger on your getas. It doesn't matter, because you're in his hold — and he won't let you fall.
Not now, not ever.
One step backward, and then another. And another.
Your back meets the bark of the wisteria.
The moon finally kisses the sun.
His chest heaves as his hand lands above your head, bracing himself over you. His other hand doesn't dare leave your cheek. It threatens to creep into your hair, to wind your further, to see you undone.
When he pulls his eyes open, he realizes he has achieved it.
Finally. Fucking finally.
Your kimono has slipped further down your shoulder, your obi loosened by the act of being pinned to the tree. Your hair is mussed, your lips parted and near bruised.
To Sanemi, you're more perfect than you've ever looked like this.
He kisses you again.
And this time, it's nearly chaste.
You sigh into the kiss, and your fingers shake as they come to settle over the patch of bare, scarred skin on his chest.
His lips are nimble and the pad of his thumb traces the curve of your cheek. It's a gentleness you never thought possible of Sanemi Shinazugawa. You never expected it.
He is like the wind, then.
Biting and harsh, or soft and beautiful.
You kiss him for a long time, there, beneath the wisterias in the growing dark — like teenagers, like these were moments you were never afforded. There are hardly any words shared, only breathless little laughs between bitten lips and wandering hands.
It's when the lanterns are lit that Sanemi finally pulls himself away.
You're smiling — and you're a mess.
Soft and disheveled and twining your fingers with his.
That's when someone's voice cuts across the courtyard, calling for curfew.
Hi! I was wondering if I could request an angsty Deku x female reader? The reader is friends with the Dekusquad but then notices how Deku and Uraraka are suspiciously close, so she starts to suspect something’s going on between them? And then, low and behold, she’s right. She then switches over to the BakuSquad and her and Bakugo start dating? Sorry if this is too long/specific!
A/N: Well, I always like the more specific requests because they help me write better. Actually, take that back, I love all requests I receive, and I probably don’t say that enough, but it’s true. Anyway, I also love me some angst. I think this is great. Hope this is what you want! (°◡°♡) 🖤🖤🖤
Moving On
You smiled happily as you sat down on the couch in the common room.
“Hey!”You exclaimed cheerfully. Midoriya grinned at you and Iida pushed his glasses up.
“Good evening,”Iida spoke. Todoroki held his hand up in a slight wave. You paused.
“Hm? Is Uraraka not coming?”You asked. You glanced to see Midoriya pausing to check his phone. You paused. He’s texting her? You wondered. You saw him grin slightly at the screen.
“She’ll be here in a minute,”Midoriya replied. He moved, typing back to send her something. You frowned slightly. I wonder if they’re texting texting or just talking about her meeting up for our study session. You cleared your throat, setting your notebook open on your lap. “Great! You brought your notes!”
“Yeah, I made sure to grab the ones you wanted,”You told him. You held them up. “History, right?”
“Ah, yeah, Uraraka was having trouble so I thought she might like to look at them too, since you take such accurate notes,”Midoriya told you. You felt a small sting in your chest. It had been like this for the past few days…Midoriya constantly mentioning Uraraka. It wasn’t like you hated the girl or anything, she was nice and you liked her for a friend. The issue was something else.
WARNING: smut, maybe angst, 18+, p link added (log in to X if you wanna see it!!)
you honestly never thought you’d end up tangled in his sheets.
navy blue sheets belonging to none other than the class president. what was a study session with your best friend, turned into a make out session.
one thing led to another and now youre here riding tenya gently. your bare chest pressed up against his as you kiss him, slowly lifting your hips gently and then coming back down.
his strong hands are wrapped around your waist, holding you still. he caresses the skin as he kisses you desperately.
groans and moans fill tenya’s room. he bucks his hips up to meet yours and you moan softly, wrapping your arms around his neck. “ten-mhm” you try saying but youre cut off when his fingers find your clit.
“what was that?” he asks looking at your face, studying it. you looked at him as your movements stilled. he moves his free hand to guide you up and down, getting you to move again.
your legs shake as you hold eye contact with him. his glasses, off. blue hair, messy. his body on display for you. iida is just so hot.
your hands fly up to his hair as he hits a certain spot that has you seeing stars. “tenya- mhm gonna-oh” you said and iida immediately picked up on what you were trying to say.
he presses your bodies closer together, bare chests connected as your hands played with his hair. his mouth found your neck as you arched into him as he sucked on your sweet spot.
“dont stop” you muttered out and he hums against your skin acknowledging your words. your moans and his groans grow significantly louder the more youre sat on top of him.
you cum, hard as tenya follows soon after his cum spilling into the condom. he thrusts lightly to help the both of you ride your orgasms and he removes his fingers from your clit.
he moves a strand of hair behind your ear as he looks up at you. he kisses you softly as you return the kiss with the same passion he was pouring into the kiss.
“how was it?” he asks you softly against your lips when he pulled away. your breathless and you giggle. “for our first time we got it right” you joked and he only looks at you waiting for the true answer.
“it was great tenya” you smile holding his face as you pressed your lips against his once more. he gently lifts you up and off his lap, pulling out of you.
he lays you down gently next to him as he ties the condom off and throws it away in his trashcan. he lowers himself under the covers next to you as he pulls you against his chest.
what the fuck did you just do?
around 3 am you slip out from his hold and get up, quickly grabbing your belongings. you changed into your clothes as you hurried around his dorm room, packing your books into your bag.
you slept over in iida’s room many times (not sexually until tonight) to know how much of a heavy sleeper he is. you look at him as he sleeps peacefully, bare chest rising and falling softly.
you sigh softly and move towards him, pressing a gentle kiss to his head. you put his phone to charge and with that walked out of his room and quickly walked up to the 5th floor.
🚀🚀🚀🚀
the next day you wake up, get ready for the day and happily walk out of your dorm to meet with ochako and momo.
“good morning y/n!” momo greets as you step into the kitchen. she hands you a cup of tea and you thank you, grateful for a pick me up.
“where were you last night?” she asks and you freeze. “around what time?” you asked trying to keep it cool. “9 i came by for that sweater i left in your room, it belongs to todoroki and well you weren’t there” she says sipping her tea.
“figured you were with tenya though so its alright!” she waves it off casually. “yeah late night study sessions not much to say” you laughed nervously as izuku, shoto, and tenya walked into the kitchen.
“good morning y/n!” izuku greets, super enthusiastic. youre scared and yiu freeze as you look at izuku place a loving kiss on ochako’s cheek and move around fhe kitchen freely.
he definitely knows something is up.
either A. he heard through the wall or B. iida told him
“morning zuku” you said still eyeing his movements. he sends a smirk your way and you squint your eyes at him.
“good morning y/n. how was your night last night?” todoroki asks you now and you have to stop yourself from turning red.
“pretty good, did nothing interesting as per usual” you nodded your head looking down at your cup of tea. tenya furrows his eyebrows but doesnt say anything.
he figures you want to keep whatever happened between the two of you and that is as fine with him too!
bakugo, denki, kirishima, and sero walk in, greeting you all. you take this as a chance to escape. “sero come on” you said grabbing him by the elbow rather harshly.
“hey!” he says but doesnt say much as he lets you drag him out. you lead him outside where you let him go and run your hands through your hair.
“i fucked the class prez” you said, hands on your hips as you sigh out. sero’s eyes widened.
“say what now?!” he says in shock. “youre joking right” he laughs.
you pull your hoodie down to reveal the three marks tenya decided to leave. “oooh girl aizawa is gonna hang you” he says sassily.
“it’s awkward i dont know what the fuck to say to him!” you exclaim throwing your hands in the air. “well why’d you guys fuck?” he asks you genuinely.
theres always a motive to sex. it wasnt in the spur of the moment. “there has to be feelings somewhere in there cmon” sero shrugs his shoulders as if its the most obvious thing in the world.
“he looks at me differently” you muttered to him, sighing. “he looks at me like im pretty” you elaborated, taking a seat on the bench.
“its why i wanted it to happen. i felt pretty and i guess i wanted to show him that i am” you rambled on. “but its so awkward now” you grimace as you look at the floor.
“i’ve been in love with this dude since our first year, i cant just ruin our friendship like this” your eyes fill with tears.
“so keep it awkward” sero says leaning back on the bench, manspreading his arms resting behind you on the bench.
“why would i do that?” you ask sero tilting your head to look at him. he shrugs, “it’s what i’d do”
“how good was class prez?” sero asks smirking after a minute of silence. you look at him and smile.
“class prez is not only packing, but he knows what he’s doing” you lean back with a huge smile on your face.
“congratulations to the both of you for not being virgin losers anymore” he applauds quietly and you snort. “gotta get bakugo on that train now” you joke and he bursts out laughing.
“maybe you can do it” he adds on and you laugh. “as if dynamight would touch me” you scoff and shake your head . “he can stay a virgin loser for all i care” you add after.
“who can stay a virgin loser?” kirishima asks as they all walk out to find you and sero talking. “denki” you said quickly to cover up who you were talking about. he’d definitely blow your ass up right now.
“y/n come on!” denki groaned as jiro laughed and fist bumped you. tenya looks at you and you avert your eyes to not make eye contact with him.
“woah you are glowing” mina gasps as she sees you for the first time today. you nod knowing damn well why. “its the new skincare my mom sent me” you said brushing off the compliment nicely.
tenya pulls a confused face, but he doesnt say anything. what was your sudden change in attitude?
“she pulled me by the elbow it hurts” sero whined rubbing his elbow. “shit felt weird too” you said and bakugo starts laughing.
“see someone understands!” bakugo pointed at you and you look confused. “when the fuck did you hold sero’s elbow” you playfully asked him.
“training you freak” he says pushing your head. “oh she’s a freak alright” sero teases and you stop to look at him.
“shut the fuck up” you said seriously. izuku smirks and looks at shoto. “where were you last night?” izuku asks you and you look up at him.
“i already told yaomomo, i was in tenya’s room” you said and shifted in your seat. “studying” you shrugged and finally looked at iida.
“mhm studying” shoto elbows izuku and you squint your eyes at the both of them. “well we hope it was great study session” izuku says emphasis on the great.
“zuku” you start. “hm?” he hums in acknowledgment. “dont be passive aggressive with me” you shake your head and look down.
“just drop it yeah? it was just studying” iida says nodding and excusing himself.
“what’d you do to class prez?” bakugo asks you and you groan slouching on the bench.
🚀🚀🚀🚀
3 days have passed and you still havent talked to iida. maybe he saw it as only a good fuck? maybe he saw it as you guys starting a strictly only sexual relationship? what if he wanted more?
your head hurts as you walk into homeroom and plop yourself down in the seat in front of sero. “you look drained” sero says and you lift your head up to silence him.
“shh please no talking” your hand covering his face as you told him to shut the fuck up for a minute. bakugo snorts as kirishima snickers.
“i said no noise” you said loud enough for the boys to hear. “just talk to him” kirishima shrugs. “yeah dont listen to what this idiot said” bakugo said referring to sero.
“yeah im not gonna take advice from someone who A. sleeps around B. hasnt had his dick sucked yet and C-“ you stop as you point at eijiro.
you thought of a way to get back at him, “C who took him 2 years to get pussy” you leaned back in your seat.
“it took you 2 years to get dick i dont know why youre talking” eijiro claps back and denki ‘oooo’s in the corner.
you lunge at eijiro for his comment and bakugo has to hold you back from hitting kirishima. “calm down!” he told you and you fixed your uniform as sero stands.
“look can we all calm down please” sero stands with his hands on his hips. you thank whoever that its just you guys in the classroom right now.
“just talk to him” sero finally says and you think over their words. “you cant avoid him forever” kirishima says and you nod your head.
“i know” you mumbled quietly. “he’s not just anybody though. this is tenya iida” you said groaning as you sit in your seat.
“and you love him” denki teases and you slap his arm. “its either let him know or fuck again” bakugo smirks and thats what ends the conversation.
mineta walks in and you all turn to look at him. “when are you and iida gonna fuck again” he says lisp and all. “you fucker you heard through the wall!” you yelled moving to lunge at him but sero saves him.
“she’s nuts” mineta says and sero tapes him up. “i’ll let him go when class starts” sero says waving it off.
🚀🚀🚀🚀
its been hours since you last had the conversation with sero, bakugo, denki, and kirishima. its 8 pm as everyone has gone off to bed.
you walk down to the first floor ready to knock on iida’s door. fuck it. you opened it to see him shirtless and you immediately closed the door.
“oh hey y-“ he starts saying but you cut him off as you immediately stand on your tip toes and press your lips against his.
his hands fly to your waist as yours go around his neck. he moves one of his hands to cup your face and you move the both of you towards his bed.
he sits down as you straddle him and sit right on top of his growing bulge. “its” kiss “past” kiss “curfew” he manages to say and you shrug.
“i dont care” you said removing your top. “wait-“ he says and you pull back, looking at him. “what is this?” he asks you and you sit there thinking.
“can we talk about that after?” you asked him as you cradled his face with your hands. “im too dazed to think about that right now” you admitted as you looked into his blue eyes.
“i dont have a contraceptive on me” he panics as you giggle. “dont worry class prez just pull out” you suggested. “if not we dont have to do any-“ he cuts you off by placing his lips back on yours.
“stop talking” he says when he pulls away and looks down at your chest. he leaves kisses working his way up to your neck as you move your hips, grinding on him.
he bites down hard on the skin of your neck and you let out a moan as you arch into him. “tenya” you breathe out as he hums in acknowledgment. “fuck me already please” you plead desperately as he looks up at you.
he lays you down on his bed, removing both of yours last bits of clothes. “the doors locked right?” he asks you and you nod your head. “locked it on my way in” you said wrapping your arms around his neck as he came to hover over you.
his fingers move down to prep you for him. his long finger teasing your clit as you moan into his mouth, desperate for more. “dont tease-oh” you said as he slipped in two fingers, scissoring you.
you grab his big shoulders, gasping in delight. “feels good?” he whispers to you as he unhooks your bra with one hand.
you help him shrug it off your shoulders and he immediately attaches his mouth to your right breast. you arch into him as he picks up the speed of his fingers.
youre close to cumming and tenya can tell. he pulls his fingers out as you whine. “why-“ he cuts you off as he grabs your legs, spreader them wider.
he lines himself up and locks eyes with you. he slowly pushes in, the tip of his dick in you. you grab his arms to steady yourself and slowly he moves in.
you moan at this new feeling. the last time you did this, he wrapped it. this feeling is new, bare, raw.
he breathes out heavily as he bottoms out and holds onto your right leg gently. he wraps it around his waist as he begins to thrust gently.
your hands go over his neck and lightly scratch his back. moans, groans, the slapping of skin on skin fills iida’s dorm room as you make him look at you, foreheads pressed together.
you both hold eye contact and jeez is iida so hot like this. glasses thrown somewhere in his room, blue messy hair, pupils dilated. “tenya-“ you start and then get cut off as you moan due to the area he hit.
“i” he thrusts gently into you. “whats that” he groans as he sets a steady pace, one that has you seeing stars. “i love you” you blurt out as you arch into him.
his movements stop all together. you furrow your eyebrows as his head hangs. he catches his breath as he finally looks up and leans back, pulling out.
he clears his throat and you sit up, wrapping his navy blue sheets over your body. “im sorry-“ he looks up at you as you try apologizing.
“i think it’d be quite best if you leave please” he says running a hand through his messy hair and squints to find his underwear at least.
“huh?” you question dumbfounded. “no tenya lets talk about this-“ you scoffed but then he shakes his head.
“i don’t have those feelings for you. sure you are pretty, beautiful even” he starts and tears well up in your eyes.
“i just thought this was strictly sexual” he finishes and finds his glasses putting them back on his face. “im sorry” he mutters softly and you nod your head.
you get up silently dressing yourself as quickly as possible. you’re embarrassed. you shouldn’t have done that. now these are the consequences.
“see you ‘round” you muttered quietly tears slipping from your eyes as you dont wait for him to say anything and walk out. you march up to the fifth floor and unlock your door, slamming it shut.
you gather your things to take a shower, a hot long shower. as you cleanse yourself to rid of iida’s touch, you sob violently.
🚀🚀🚀🚀
the next morning, you get dressed for school and pack your bag. you walk out, locking your dorm room and making your way down to the lobby.
“morning yaomomo” you call out as you slip into the kitchen grabbing a bowl. you steal some granola from bakugo’s basket of his own goodies in the pantry.
you move to the fridge and grab kirishima’s yogurt plopping a couple of scoops in and mixed it with the granola.
“hey my yogurt!” kirishima said as he looked into your bowl, pouting. “oh shut it you big baby” you said scooping some up and putting it in your mouth.
“that better not be my granola” bakugo grumbled as he looked into the pantry and in his designated basket of things. you quickly grab the bowl and gave knowing eyes to kirishima and quickly made your way out of the kitchen.
“morning ‘chako” you smiled at her and she smiled at you, izuku attached to her hip. “morning zuku” you nodded and he nodded back.
you spot shoto coming down, “hey sho, morning” you said waving at him. “good morning y/n. how did you sleep last night?” he asks you coming to lean on the couch as he watched you eat.
“fine” you shrugged trying to brush off the fact youre absolutely hurt. “well you look nice” he mentions and you smiled up at him. “thank you sho” you smiled widely, high fiving him.
sero comes down and stands with todoroki. “hey wanna walk to class with us?” sero asks you and you nod finishing the last scoop in your bowl and handing your bag to sero.
“let me wash this real quick” you mumbled quickly moving to the kitchen again. “it was my granola bitch” bakugo mutters out as soon as you enter the kitchen.
its just him and kirishima in there and they take this as the opportunity to question you. “hey so what ever happened with…” bakugo whispers leaning forward as he and kirishima look intrigued.
you sat down and explained. “okay so i went in and basically i wanted to have sex with him” you struggled finding the right words. “and we uh we did kinda” you breathed out trying not to break into tears.
“im stupid. i said i love you to him” you muttered the last part as tears well up in your eyes. “he said he didnt reciprocate the same feelings which is alright” you sniffled wiping a tear that fell down.
“it was mid fuck too so none of us finished” you shake your head. “im okay” you nodded breathing in deeply as you looked up at them.
kirishima got up and pulled you into a hug. “guys are stupid” you wrap your arms around his waist. “thank you kiri” you mumbled against his chest.
“and who knows maybe class prez is too pussy” bakugo shrugged, getting up and wrapping his arm around your shoulders pulling you close to him.
“thank you kats” you mumbled and he hesistantly stroked your hair. “kats is pushing it sweets” he mumbles, his playful tone evident in his voice.
iida walks in bidding a good morning to you all. he opens the fridge grabbing his orange juice as kirishima finishes washing your dish for you.
bakugo guides you to stand, bidding a goodbye to iida and wrapping an arm around your waist and out the kitchen.
Summary : Everyone is horrified that Bucky is flirting with a married woman, but then they realise there's a reason why.
Pairing : Thunderbolts!Bucky Barnes x florist!reader (she/her)
Warnings/tags : Secret wife trope. Cursing, Injury. Featuring the Thunderbolts*. Bucky kinda gaslights the entire team. Fluff!!!!
Word count : 3k
Note : The next chapter of spoils of war is almost here, but I just need to go over a couple of paragraphs! In the meantime, enjoy!
The Thunderbolts knew a few undeniable truths about Bucky Barnes.
One: He was grumpy.
Two: He was a private person.
Three: He never, ever let anyone see where he lived.
That last one bothered them the most. They’d pieced together the general area; a quiet neighborhood with old brick buildings, modern cafés, and just enough charm to make it feel… vintage. But no one had ever set foot inside his home, no one had even seen him unlock the door to his sanctuary, since he dodged every casual suggestion to hang out at his place with a variation of “I got plans” or another. And, curiously, every time they stopped for coffee in this part of town, Bucky would mysteriously slip into the tiny flower shop beneath a brick apartment building.
That was odd. No one would’ve guessed that Bucky Barnes even liked flowers.
What was even odder was that this infinitely grumpy, emotionally constipated, “I hate people” supersoldier — would be capable of flirting.
With the florist.
With you.
“Are we seeing this right?” Yelena whispered, elbowing Alexei as they peered through the shop window after Bucky made them wait outside.
They watched as Bucky stood by the counter, leaning in ever so slightly, a charming grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as he watched you wrap a bouquet.
“He’s smiling,” Alexei muttered, horrified.
Inside, Bucky reached for the bouquet you were tying up, his gloved fingers brushing against yours. You playfully smacked his hand away, laughing. He laughed, too, and that was enough to send Yelena spiraling into an existential crisis.
Yelena squinted. “He’s flirting.”
Alexei frowned. “Bucky does not flirt.”
“I know. That’s why I’m freaking out.”
They watched as you handed him the bouquet, and in return, Bucky gave you a wink. And then he turned, walking out like he hadn’t just transformed into a different person.
That was when Yelena, utterly horrified Yelena, caught a flash of gold on your ring finger. She squinted her eyes. It was unmistakable. “Wait a second—”
As soon as he got back to them, Alexei folded his arms. “You were flirting.”
Bucky scoffed. “I was not.”
“She’s married!” Yelena accused, pointing dramatically. “She had a ring! You flirted with a married woman!”
Bucky didn’t even blink. He simply shrugged, tucking the bouquet carefully under his arm. “I didn’t see a ring.”
“She was literally wearing it—”
“I didn’t see a ring,” Bucky insisted, tugging absentmindedly at the chain around his neck— the one that held his dog tags, hidden under his shirt.
Yelena and Alexei exchanged a deeply disturbed look.
Bucky Barnes was flirting with a married florist.
What was the world coming to?
—
Bucky knew he’d fucked up the second he stepped back into Thunderbolts HQ.
Alexie had just looked confused, while Yelena had been simmering the entire walk back, her arms crossed so tightly over her chest it was a miracle she hadn’t snapped a rib.
She lasted exactly two seconds before she exploded. “You are jackass, Barnes!”
Bucky barely had time to sigh before she stomped closer.
“What’s so wrong with what I did?” he muttered, placing the bouquet of flowers in an empty vase
Yelena let out an incredulous laugh, pacing in front of him like a caged tiger ready to strike. “What’s wrong?” she echoed, her accent thickening with rage. “You flirted with a married woman! I should punch you in the face on principle!”
From the lounge, John Walker looked up from whatever government-issued nonsense he was pretending to read. His brows immediately furrowed, his eyes twisting into the signature disapproving dad look he’d perfected. “Wait, what?”
Ava, who had been drinking tea in the corner, raised an eyebrow. “This is scandalous,” she murmured, eyes brightening with intrigue.
Alexei, who was now plopped on the couch like some washed-up, Soviet-era king, said, “If a man had flirted with my wife like that, I would have hunt him down and mount his head on wall.” He crossed his arms, nodding to himself in approval. “As is tradition.”
Bucky scowled. “I wasn’t flirting.”
“Oh?” Yelena snorted, “So you were just undressing her with your eyes for fun, then?”
Bucky rolled his eyes. “That’s just how I look at people.”
Alexie shook his head. “So you look at us like that?”
Bucky opened his mouth. Then immediately shut it.
Yelena’s hands curled into fists. “Yeah. Thought so.”
John’s arms crossed over his chest in that holier-than-thou stance that he was so famous for. “Look, man, I’m married. And if someone flirted with my wife, we’d have a problem.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Bucky groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “You guys are making a big deal out of nothing.”
“Nothing?” Yelena threw up her hands. “She’s married, Bucky!”
“Okay, even if I was flirting,” Bucky turned to her, exasperated— “I didn’t see a ring.”
Yelena’s hands flew to her head, fingers digging into her scalp like she was resisting the urge to rip out her own hair. “You probably chose to look away!”
John sighed like a disappointed youth pastor. “This is unbelievable.”
“No,” Bucky still insisted, “I didn’t see a ring.”
Yelena’s jaw dropped. “It was a thick gold band, Barnes. How could you not see it?”
Ava, who was clearly enjoying the drama more than anyone, sighed. “That is inappropriate behaviour, Barnes.”
Alexei shook his head again, “You should apologise.”
“I’m not apologising,” Bucky scoffed, “Because I did nothing wrong.”
His fingers toyed absentmindedly with the chain that led to his dog tags, and Yelena immediately locked onto the movement. Every person has a tell, a habit they did when they were nervous. And being a super spy, Yelena knew this was his.
She narrowed her eyes. “You are gaslighting us,” she muttered, pacing again like she was mentally weighing the pros and cons of strangling a super soldier.
“I didn’t see a ring,” Bucky repeated, his voice steady.
“You’re lying,” she snapped.
He shrugged, maddeningly casual in all of this chaos. “Guess we’ll never know.”
Ava laughed cynically. “I can’t tell if you’re a complete scumbag or if this is just really fun for you.”
Bucky just popped a beer from the fridge, flicking the cap off with his metal hand. “Why not both?”
He took a long sip of his beer, completely unbothered.
And maybe, he looked a little bit too smug.
—
Three weeks later, Bucky led Yelena and John on a mission to take down a high-scale arms dealer.
And, as always, the mission had gone sideways.
It was too late for any shops to be open, too late for anyone with a shred of common sense to be out on the streets.
Yelena was bleeding, pressing a torn scrap of fabric against a deep gash on her arm. John had a busted lip and a slight limp. Bucky was sporting a few cuts and bruises himself, but nothing he hadn’t shaken off a thousand times before.
“Guys,” Yelena managed a grunt, shifting her grip on her makeshift bandage, “we need to get ourselves patched up before one of us drops dead.”
“We ran out of antiseptics back at HQ,” John reminded them.
Yelena groaned, throwing her head back in despair. “So what are we supposed to do?” She gritted out, “Just bleed out in the street like sad little orphans?”
John scowled. “That’s a little dramatic.”
Yelena turned and glared at him. “Your face is dramatic.”
Bucky let out a deep breath through his nose, running a hand along his damp hair. He glanced around the street, making sure they weren’t being followed before whispering to himself, “Guess we’re doing this now.”
Yelena tilted her head. “Doing what?”
Instead of answering, Bucky turned on his heel and started walking.
John and Yelena gave each other a wary look.
“I don’t like when he does that,” John said.
“No one does,” Yelena agreed, but they both followed anyway.
It didn’t take long for them to recognise the route— It was the neighbourhood where the team usually got coffee.
But Bucky wasn’t heading to the café.
They rounded the corner, and suddenly John stopped dead in his tracks.
It was a closed florist—the very one where Bucky had, allegedly, been trying to charm his way into a married woman’s bed.
To John’s absolute horror, Bucky walked right up to the door and knocked.
“Bucky.” He said, voice strangled. “What the hell is this?”
Yelena blinked. “I don’t think we need to seduce a married florist to get medical supplies.”
Bucky sighed, rubbing his temples like he was already regretting this decision. He turned to them, leveling them both with a look. “Alright, listen up,” he said through gritted teeth. "The secret’s out now, so you two gotta keep your mouths shut.”
John’s brows furrowed. “What secret?”
Before Bucky could answer, the door to the flower shop clicked open.
And there you were, standing in the doorway, wrapped in one of Bucky’s hoodies, looking exactly how he’d expected: exasperated but unsurprised. He knew you’d still be up, cataloguing the latest floral shipment for tomorrow’s arrangements.
The second your eyes landed on a bruised and bloodied Bucky, and flanked by two wounded Thunderbolts, no less—you let out a sigh.
“James,” you said knowingly, your voice laced with fond irritation. “What did you do?”
Yelena and John froze in their tracks.
James?
James?
No one called Bucky by his first name. No one. Not unless they had a death wish.
Bucky, unfazed, just stepped inside. “We ran out of antiseptics, honey.”
Yelena and John exchanged a wide-eyed look.
Honey?
You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Again?”
Bucky shrugged like this was a perfectly normal Thursday night occurrence.
You muttered under your breath, “I should’ve known this would happen when I married an ex-assassin.”
Oh.
Yelena’s mouth opened, closed, then opened again. “Married.” she repeated
John blinked rapidly. “This is why we can never go to your place?”
Bucky could only shrug. Of course it was— they would have seen the evidence of how much love in his home was carved out for just you.
John let out a wheeze.
Yelena pointed between you and Bucky, motioning erratically. “Wait. WAIT. So—so she’s your wife? She married you?”
Bucky nodded. “Yup.”
“Like—actually married?”
“Mhm.”
Yelena gasped, clutching her chest like she’d been personally betrayed. In a way, she had. “And no one knows?”
Bucky thought for a second. “Sam does.”
“And Joaquin,” you added, trying to be helpful.
Bucky nodded. “Right. Joaquin.”
“Oh, and Isaiah and Elijah Bradley.”
“Yeah, they were at the wedding.”
“A teenager knew about this,” John’s eye twitched, “—and we didn’t?”
Bucky could only nod again.
Yelena rubbed a hand down her face, “You gaslit us,” she accused, jabbing a finger at Bucky. “You let us believe you were a homewrecker for weeks—when you were married the whole time?!”
You snorted, glancing at Bucky, who had the audacity to look smug. “Yeah, that sounds like my husband.”
Yelena let out a string of very creative Russian curses.
John looked like he was about to have a stroke.
“All secrets aside,” you said, welcoming the two disoriented Thunderbolts in and locking the door behind you, “It’s good to finally meet you both.”
John still looked like he was buffering. Yelena, on the other hand, was vibrating with adrenaline, looking like she was trying to solve a conspiracy theory in real time.
“This is—this is insane,” she muttered, pointing aggressively at Bucky, then at you, then back at Bucky. “You’re—you’re so normal.”
You laughed, shaking your head. “I’d like to think so.”
Bucky just hummed. “She’s perfect.”
Yelena actually sputtered like an old car engine.
John made a noise that was somewhere between a groan and a strangled laugh. This was all too much.
But there wasn’t time to let them spiral further. Bucky, gently nudged you toward the others. “Take care of them first, darling. They’ve got worse injuries.”
You frowned, wanting to protest—because, really, Bucky should always be your first priority—but your husband was nothing if not stubborn. You knew better than to argue when he had that look in his eyes— you knew that fighting him on this would only drag things out longer, and right now, time was precious.
You turned your attention to Yelena and John, motioning for them to follow you deeper into the shop. The scent of lavender, roses, and freshly cut stems—clung to the air as you led them toward the back, where your little work table stood tucked in the corner.
Years of practice had made you quick. You moved with quiet efficiency, gathering supplies from neat shelves: you cut and split an aloe vera plant for burns, grabbed bandages, and a mix of balms you’d perfected over your time tending to Bucky. It wasn’t the kind of sterile, military-grade first aid they were used to, but it would have to do for now.
You started tending to Yelena’s arm, gently dabbing the wound with fresh aloe. She hissed through her teeth before narrowing her eyes at you.
“So how long has this been a thing?” she demanded. Bucky, now leaning lazily against the counter with his arms crossed, barely spared her a glance. “A while.”
John scoffed, “A while?”
You bit back a grin as you smoothed a bandage over Yelena’s arm, “Three years.”
Yelena’s jaw dropped.
“Three—” She turned to Bucky so fast it was a miracle she didn’t give herself whiplash. “You’ve been married for three years?!”
John let out a long, defeated groan,This was simply too much to process. “Fuck’s sake.”
Yelena shook her head. “I thought you were a loner who hated people."
Bucky only shrugged, unbothered.
You chuckled as you pressed the last piece of medical tape into place on Yelena’s arm. “Alright, you’re done.” Then, glancing at John, you motioned for him to sit. “Your turn.”
John sighed but still plopped down. You took his hand gently, turning it over to examine his bruised knuckles before moving to his busted lip.
Meanwhile, they kept peppering you with questions, barely giving you room to breathe.
“How did you meet?”
“How do you put up with Bucky’s brooding?”
“Does he ever actually smile?”
At that last one, you paused, dabbing at John’s lip carefully. “He smiles all the time.”
John let out a scoff. “No, he doesn’t.”
You glanced over at Bucky, knowing he showed that part of him to you and no one else. “Oh, he does.”
And then, finally, it was Bucky’s turn.
You turned to him, your brows knitting together as you studied the little cuts on his cheek, the dried blood near his brows. He looked a little tired, a little worn around the edges.
Your fingers found his chin, tilting his face toward you as you inspected the damage. Your touch was so featherlight, so incredibly careful. There was no missing the way your thumb brushed over his cheekbone— how incredibly gentle it was.
“You should’ve let me do you first,” you murmured, half-scolding, half-concerned.
Bucky’s lips curved into a small smile, a flicker of mischief lighting his tired blue eyes. “That’s exactly what you said last night, sweetheart.”
John choked.
Yelena groaned, grabbing the nearest pillow from the nearest chair and hurling it at Bucky’s head. “You two are disgusting.”
Bucky caught the pillow effortlessly, giving her a smug grin before setting it aside. When his eyes found yours again, his shit-eating grin turned… lovely. The tension in his brows eased as you dabbed gently at his cut.
For all the blood, for all the bruises, you handled him like he was glass.
And then, without thinking, you leaned in.
It was meant to be a brief kiss— a quick reassurance, a way of saying I’ve got you. But the moment your lips brushed his, you couldn’t help but linger.
Your fingers curled instinctively against his chin. His hand found your waist without hesitation, as if he needed you closer. As if the world shrank down to just the two of you.
John and Yelena exchanged a look, the previous horror of their teammate hiding a secret wife momentarily forgotten because this was… weirdly cute.
You giggled as you pulled away, seeing Bucky looking at you like you hung the moon for him.
“Anywhere else?” you asked, brushing your thumb over his lips.
Bucky hesitated just for a second. Then, a little sheepishly, he said, “Got a cut on my ribs.”
You exhaled, shaking your head. Of course he did. Before he could argue, you reached for the hem of his shirt and tugged.
“Off,” you said simply.
Bucky huffed but didn’t fight you. He lifted his arms, letting you strip the fabric from his skin, and goddamn.
Bucky, half-naked, was unfairly, ridiculously beautiful. Even now, even after all this time, seeing him like this still knocked the breath from your lungs. His body was a roadmap of battles fought and survived, scars carved into the expanse of his chest and ribs that told stories only he could say.
John made a strangled sound, somewhere between “Jesus Christ” and “I need to leave the room,” but you ignored him completely. Yelena let out a dramatic sigh and whispered “they are one second away from sucking each other’s face off,” to herself.
You tuned them both out, fingers dragging carefully over Bucky’s ribs, searching for the wound. When you found a thin jagged cut just below his ribs— you sighed softer this time and reached for the aloe.
“You need to stop getting hurt, my love,” you said, smoothing the cool gel over his skin.
Bucky’s voice came quieter. “Lucky I have someone to take care of me, then.”
And that’s when Yelena finally noticed it.
The thin chain around Bucky’s neck—one she’d always assumed was just for his dog tags—held something else, too.
A ring.
A simple wedding band that matched yours, worn from years of resting against his skin.
She blinked, realisation hitting her like a freight train. Oh.
That’s why he always played with it.
Every time Bucky was nervous, every time he was uncertain, his fingers would move to that chain—not just to fiddle with his tags, but to remind himself of you.
Maybe he wasn’t a complete jackass after all.
-end.
Note: Hope this doesn't bite me in the ass when the movie comes out.
Baby, I just wanna kiss you
Stay until the day is done
You don't even know just how much I need you
Baby, I just wanna keep you
summary: y/n is in love with her best friend's brother but he's in love with her sister.
pairing: neteyam sully x f!omatikaya reader
word count: 10k
playlist: love me low - ai bendr, yes to heaven - lana del rey, umaasa- calein, xo - beyonce, cloud 9 - beach bunny, i wanna be yours - arctic monkeys, about you - the 1975, here with me - d4vd, can i - alina baraz & galimatias, moment - lildeath
warnings: aged up (neteyam and kiri are 18 whilst lo'ak and y/n are 17), misunderstanding trope!, jealously, protectiveness, talks of marriage, unhealthy family dynamic, assault, y/n is super hard on herself and cares about others more, blood, war, profanity, suggestive
She knew this was a bad idea from the get go. Despite the Olo'eyktan warnings to not wander out after dark for the sake of safety, his own son had come to her as the orange hue of the horizon seeped through the cave's openings to speak of a new area he found in the forest.
Trying to reject the younger Sully never really worked for Lo'ak was always persistent to take his best friend on whatever not so bright idea he had planned in his head.
Additionally, she would do anything to get out of her home. The constant berating from her mother and calling her every second to do something because her sister's precious hands couldn't bear to get rough from using them.
At first, nothing was wrong. Like always, she would follow the male and the human (a term she learned from Kiri because calling him an alien was far too mean), Spider, as he ran and swung through the trees before they stopped at a place she has never seen before. Vines that hung from the tree branches above. A question formed on her tongue but Lo'ak was already climbing up the trunk, his eyes set on a thick branch that stuck out high off the ground.
It was already too late to back out so she followed, having no idea what the male Na'vi was planning to do but she always knew that no matter what, he was going to shove off his skills as if he were performing for a circus. She didn't know what a circus was but she would always hear Olo'eyktan mumbling under his breath of how much of a complete circus it was whenever something didn't go to plan specifically because of his middle child.
At first, it was all fun and games. Despite the suspense, the fun he spent all night talking was about swinging on the extravagant amount of vines. Screams and laughs filled the air as the three took turns going back and forth on the long vine, the momentum allowing them to go from tree to tree.
They were having a lot of fun.
So she couldn't blame Lo'ak for how she ended up with her head being seconds away from becoming a meal for baby palulukans. While the other two tied the vines around their waist, she decided to be different and tie the rope to her ankle instead. Cheers filled the air once again as she spread her arms out to the refreshing wind. She swung back and forth at least three times. In the corner of her eye, she saw the herd coming from afar that prompted her to stiffen her posture. That would lead to her failure as gravity would take it's course, causing her to be hanging upside down.
Trying to untie the vine from her ankle took a lot of upper body strength that she was struggling to pull out at the moment. The two males atop of the tree too were struggling to pull up her up because of the many factors: how the long rope, gravity, and mind her language… fucking weak they are.
A scream, now out of fear, came out when she felt the snap of thanator jump through the air but missed by a couple of feet as she was still a bit off the ground.
Although there was only a handful of these little creatures here at the moment, she knew she was seconds away from the number of them multiplying by the seconds.
"Hey, hey! Help me up!” Y/N kept doing sit ups midair to avoid losing body parts from her heads. She could hear the bickering of the two from above and the vine budging at every attempt they had to try to pull her up. “You two have 10 fingers each. Use them, skxawngs!"
"I'd be nicer to the ones saving your life!" She didn’t know who did said that but that was the least of her worries since the vine did not shorten, it got longer. The snaps of the animals getting closer to her head. The probability of them taking off her head at 90% possibility now.
She heard their shouts of fear but a hum rang through her ears, cloudiness blurring her eyes as the blood rushed to her head.
In the moment of losing her consciousness, the herd had ran off in the other direction for who knows what reason before another blurred figure jumped into her view. They stepped down and stood in front of her, their face merely centimeters away from hers. Features familiar to the one of the fools that was still struggling to pull her back up.
It was when he sighed when she realized who it was. Neteyam.
From both trying to readjust how she looked while also trying to get her foot out of the stupid vine, she looked even more ridiculous when she fell into the field of grass below her from the vine cutting cut from above. Her legs and arms flared out in awkward positions.
Neteyam ran to her side, pushing back the hair that fell in front of her face and kept his hand on her cheek, “Are you okay?” His other hand quick to adjust her loincloth that went out of place.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Her cheeks feeling hot as she melted into his touch before her head flew to the side from him shoving her head.
“Now, what were you thinking?” Always too good to be true. She didn’t fight back when he helped her up from the ground.
Lo’ak and Spider came down from the tree, running over, “Brother, what a surprise to see you out here!” His shoulders folding back to mock Neteyam’s straight posture, “I see we all had the same idea of taking a late night walk.”
“Are you three insane? Are you asking for a death wish?”
All joking subsided, “We had it all handled. We’re just trying to have fun.”
“Have fun? Have fun?” Neteyam scoffed," This is what you call having fun? Somebody almost died." Lo'ak waved him off which only prompted the older male to continue," You both need to grow up. You're almost 18 and you're going to have to start acting like adults."
Lo'ak rolled his eyes," Then ask yourself why you followed us out here. Surely, you didn't think that Y/N was going to have a near death experience so why are you here, bro? What is that saying that the sawtute always say? FOMO? Fun out when more out?"
"It's fear of missing out." Y/N and Spider whispered to not interrupt the brothers' daily quarrel, eyeing one another in amusement.
Neteyam looked away in defeat that made Lo'ak proud," And we did have it handled. You came right when we had it." And although he said it with such confidence, his eyes diverted away because he knew he was wrong and he walked away before anyone could say anything.
"Handled, he says", Spider elbowed Y/N's side," The only thing that would be handled is there would be no horrendous singing on the way back."
She threw herself forward to jump on Spider but a hand grabbed her back, Spider sticking his tongue out at her before he caught up to Lo'ak. Her heart quickened again. Her eyes wandering from her arm to his hand, up his arm, and to his face.
"He's not wrong. How do you think I managed to find you? I followed where it seemed Eywa was covering her ears." Quick to act as if she wasn't staring at him when he looked down at her, Y/N shoved at his chest that moved up and down from laughter with her free hand with a roll of her eyes. Though he didn't budge, instead moving his hand away to wrap his arm around her shoulder.
She knew the way he touched her meant it no other way than platonic. Talks about the girls who also had eyes for him about how he is not affectionate towards others unless they are apart of his direct family. Y/N has been in this family for longer than she hasn't. Growing up with all of them had put her farther than what could be considered the friend zone but into the family zone.
She also knew that what she felt for him was different. There wasn't a time that she could pinpoint where she started to see him in a different light but it felt like she has forever. That she has loved him since forever.
As he talked to Lo'ak and Spider, her eyes had a mind of her own as she looked back up at him. Watching as the night sky illuminated his freckles.
_
The ride back was short but felt long. Despite Lo’ak not caring about Neteyam’s lectures, all of them dreaded Jake’s scoldings.
Y/N had to admit that he was intimidating but she knew his rough attitude was for ensuring the safety of all of them even if he tends to go a little too hard on Lo'ak. She was used to it all too. Constant lectures of how she should act and getting in trouble for the most smallest of things. At least him yelling at them was from the good of his heart.
At the moment, all she could do was simply enjoy how her arms were wrapped tightly around Neteyam's torso. Just as she was about to lay her head on his back, he angled his body so she could hear him over the wind that blew through them,"So where's my thank you for saving your life?"
Y/N squinted," Has Lo'ak misspoke? Did you have a need to fill your urge to be such a knight in shining amour?"
All the air escaped her lungs when he leaned back, "Only for you.". Arching his head back, the skin of their cheek skimming each other," I like the look on your face when I do."
"Whatever." She pushed his body back into a straight up position to hide her flusteredness. But the warm feeling had faded when she saw the rest of the family awaiting their arrivals at the entrance of High Camp.
Without a word, the four diverted their eyes away to the ground as they stepped off the ikrans. After Neteyam had helped her down, Lo'ak and him stepped in front of her to block her from the death stare their father help onto them. Of course, Spider had made his way to the front and tried to convince Olo'eyktan that it was his idea but he was quickly hushed by Kiri who was quick to pull him away with Tuk from the high tension area.
Using the boy's heights to her advantage, Y/N tiptoed to the side to try to make an escape and delay the consequences of her actions but a deep clear of Jake’s throat made her stop immediately in the steps.
"I expected better from you", Although he didn't state a name, it was clear who it was directed to. "All this time that you have to be training and finding a mate, you're instead messing around and not taking anything seriously."
"Sir." Y/N finally looked up from her feet but felt instant regret when both Olo'eyktan and Tsakarem had put their attention on her. “It was my doing. I wanted Lo’ak to show me what he’s been raving about and Neteyam only followed to make sure we were safe.”
Lo’ak shook his head, “ I actually really wanted to show Y/N and Spider this place I found so it was my idea to go out into the forest.”
Olo’eyktan sighed, “ I don’t care whose fault it is.” He pointed between the two, “ You both need to grow up. Somehow when there’s something on, it’s always you two and I’m tired of having to say the same thing over and over again especially to you.” He pointed at Lo’ak. He opened his mouth as if he had more to say but Neytiri cleared her throat and it only came out as a huff, “Don’t make me find out you’re out there after dark again. I don’t even want to look at you two right anymore, dismissed.”
It wasn't until they heard their footsteps of the couple stray far away did they look up at one another. Despite the nerves that racked their body when getting yelled at, they could help but snicker at each other's inconvenience.
"Come on, guys!" Spider waved from hut they were huddled in. It wasn't until they raced to the group did Y/N feel the sharp pain on her ankle, kneeling over next to Kiri and clasping onto the raw skin. The vine must've dug into her skin when she was struggling but she didn’t want to make too big of a deal out of it. It’d heal over time.
“What did Father go on a rant about this time? And does it even matter? He says the same thing yet Lo’ak is still going to do it.”, Kiri earned a high five from Spider on the side.
"It's so unfair. All they do is yell at me and when they look at you, they go "Y/N, Y/N, you mustn't spend such time with a delinquent.", Lo'ak mocked his father's brooding tone.
"You are a bad influence." Y/N avoided his swing through the air, making a face at him but also because the movement made her lean down against the wound.
A smirk replaced her pained look as Kiri listed out the multiple occasions in which Lo’ak did not listen to their father and how many times he was always caught.
“Y/N, are you okay?”, Tuk asked from behind, leaning up against Y/N’s back. Oh, ever the so observant. Y/N couldn’t help but affectionally rub her head but the little girl paid no attention to the cooing as she hovered over to the hand covering her ankle, lifting up Y/N’s hand, “ Oh my gosh, you’re hurt!” The girl's eyes widened, Y/N holding a finger up to her lips to shush her. Luckily, Lo’ak moved the topic from complaining about the consequences of his own actions to tease Neteyam who was quietly sitting on the window sill behind all the girls.
“Dad's all like " Neteyam, you've got to find your mate."". He teased, hoping over everyone to poke him on the arm, " Little does he know that all the girls in the village have been lining up for him and yet he doesn't care one bit."
Spider stood on the other side of Neteyam, holding his chest," Maybe he isn't into that crowd."
"Either way, we'll help you out, bro. It must be hard to juggle picking a mate while also being the best son."
"Oh shut up the both of you. And Lo'ak, you said it, not me.", He swatted at them with the cloth he had in his hand. " Besides I've already chosen."
"You've already chosen?" Kiri and Tuk gasped.
"When did you choose? How did you choose so quick?" Y/N propped hers on her knees, Tuk's body falling onto her lap.
"I guess I always knew." He shrugged," Just finding the right moment and way to tell her first. I don't want to tell my parents yet in case they make her promised to me against her will."
"Oh ~ so romantic." Lo'ak wiggled his fingers, Neteyam swatting the cloth at him again.
Y/N noticed that even though his annoying little brother was mocking him with a deep voice and making their other siblings laugh, he was staring out into the air and not even defending himself like his mind was elsewhere. She couldn't help the ache that came with the realization. He must really like this girl if he is hoping not to mess up with her.
I wish you would look at me.
As if he could hear her thoughts, he looked in her direction and she locked eyes with his. Her breath hitching as he smiled down at her instead of looking away,"What?" He mouthed.
She tilted her head and mouthed back," Who is it?"
He playfully shrugged, earning a scowl in return. Right as he was about to get up and walk over to her, Lo'ak stood in front of him with Spider. Their hands were clasped together and they looked out into the distance with starry eyes, "Oh how I love you, Neyetam." Spider spoke in a high pitched tone while Lo'ak deepened his already deep voice," Come with me as we venture into each other's bodies-"
"Lo'ak, Tuk is here." Kiri growled under her breath and rolled her eyes when she heard Tuk asking Y/N what does venturing into another person's body means. "Besides, I wouldn't make fun of him so much. He's managed to find his in a short time while who knows how long you'll take when the time comes." Kiri pointed out which Lo'ak matter of factly responded, " I don't have to worry about that. I've got Y/N. Mates for life."
"As if!" Y/N threw a pillow that Tuk handed to her to hit the male square in the face that erupted the whole hut into laugher again.
The laughter faded when a figure appeared at the opening that caused everyone to stop what they were doing.
Y/N followed their eyes and she felt as a needle had poked her balloon that was her mood, deflating it.
"Jeez, you guys are acting as if I'm a monster." Her older sister, Eyota, stood up. Her braids falling behind her back like waves when she brushed it back. Y/N knew the quietness wasn't because that they didn't like Eyota. It was farther than that. Everyone adored Eyota like how they adored Y/N. Though it was different. While they wanted to be her friend, they wanted to be Eyota's other. She knew Lo'ak's sayings were a joke because the boy has talked about how pretty her older sister is to her face and not that she cared for Lo'ak's opinion, he has never called her pretty and instead resorted to comparing her to a fish he caught the other day.
“Hi Yam." Eyota’s words slurred, making Kiri and Y/N side eye one another.
"Did she really nickname him after a vegetable?" Kiri whispered.
"Hello, Eyota." Neteyam leaned back into his previous position, cropping his leg up onto the frame.
"Hey, Eyota." Lo'ak leaned up against a pillar, attempting to cross his leg over the other but it only resulted it in him losing balance.
"What do you need?" Y/N asked, Eyota looking away from the older Sully brother and pointed with her head towards their own hut," Mother's calling for you."
_
"You're an embarrassment."
Y/N watched as her mother placed scoops of Teylu on Eyota's leaf, chewing on the outside of the salty seed.
"The Olo'eyktan." Her mother seethed," The Toruk Makto."
Reaching over to grab a handful of teylu from the middle of the table, her mother slapped it away.
"In front of the whole village, he addressed you." She grabbed away the leaf in Y/N's hand before she could retract it away," And you still sit here with no shame as you eat away all of your father's earnings."
"My love, it's okay-"
"It's not okay. She thinks she can run around with that demon and drag along the Sully boys into her troubles. Then doesn't even bother to come home after the Olo'eyktan scolds her." Her face scrunched up into one of frustration, disgust dripping from her tongue," It's because you spoil her that she's turned out like this."
The table remained silent, the sound of the crunching and chewing echoing in the air before her mother asked Eyota how she was doing on finding a mate.
She hated how gushy they sounded and how Eyota is praised for the bare minimum. Call it jealously. Call it envy. Y/N didn't care, she simply wanted to be treated with respect for once.
"I've had a lot of suitors but there's one that I'm planning to take a step further with."
"Whose the lucky boy?", Father butted in.
"Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk’itan."
"Ah the Sully boy?" Mother clapped. Father's eyes widening as he spoke with his mouth full," The future Olo'eyktan?
For the first time the whole night, Mother turned to Y/N and spoke in a civil and sweet tone," Would you help your sister? Your friendship with the children will benefit her greatly."
Hate was a strong word, Y/N loved her older sister unconditionally. Y/N would never feel that way for Eyota but it was hard not to resent the older girl when she was never defending her from their mother and was now planning to court someone that Y/N has always loved.
Unable to breathe, Y/N abruptly stood from the table and sat in the corner with her back towards her family.
"Not even excusing herself from dinner and not answering a simple question. What an ignorant child." Each word poking more and more into the facade she was trying to keep up that she didn't care anymore. Opening a book that was found during one of the raids, the crummy pages of words and pictures serving as an escape for her as her mother continued to ask Eyota about what her plans were.
_
She didn't know when she fell asleep but the book was laid out flat on her lap and the hut was now quiet as everyone else had tucked themselves away for the night.
The ache in the back of her neck reminding her of the position she slept in. Noticing that everything from tonight's dinner was still left out, she mentally noted to herself to clean up after stretching. Careful to not step on anything or anyone, she pushed past the drapes. Once the night air hit against her skin, her body convulsed into stretches, raising her arms above her head.
A rustle made her crotch her arms down into defense mode and turn to where the noise came from.
There Neteyam stood with a bowl of an unknown substance and the same cloth he was holding a few hours ago.
"Teyam, you scared me." She set her arms down and crossed them over each other to warm herself from the cold. "What are you doing out here so late?"
He held up the materials in his hand and looked down at her ankle that she had completely forgotten about. But now that it was mentioned again, she started to feel the pain searing up her leg. "Oh this thing? It'll heal."
"When? After it gets infected? Go ahead and sit down." He jumped down so he was on a lower level, Y/N sitting down on the wooden ledge. Her body betraying her again as her heart began to race from his touch. However, it was replaced when the cold ointment met with the gash. Hand reaching out to squeeze his shoulder as she hissed in pain.
"Drama queen." He nudged," You know it's kind of crazy you came out right as I was coming."
"I have a sense of when idiocy comes around."
"It must go so crazy when you look at yourself."
He caught her ankle when she moved it out to try to kick him. She kicked again in efforts to get out of his grip but gave up after a while, allowing him to finish cleaning and put Mo'at’s medicine on.
A comfortable silence blanketing over them with the exception of some hisses from pain. An unknown amount of time had passed before the cloth was wrapped around her ankle, Neteyam’s thumb running along the closing to ensure that it was secure before he began to massage the area.
“Did you like the book?”
“It was good. A bit hard to get through because there’s a lot more words than there are pictures but I like it a lot more than the other ones you brought back.”
“Wasn’t my favorite ending.”
"Really? I liked it."
"Is that right?" He took the spot besides her, sitting close enough that their thighs touched, her heart beating once again beating harder than it should be, "Care to explain?"
"I mean sure, I wished the couple should've stayed with each other till the end. But it was extremely realistic that they didn't. Sometimes happy endings are meant to be."
"I beg to disagree."
"Oh, is that right?" She mocked his previous tone," Would you care to explain?"
Neteyam scooted closer than they were before, leaning his arm behind her," I believe that even if the world is against two lovers being together, there's always one path that brings them to a happy ending."
Is there a way for them to be together? Even if her parents were going to be against it because her sister had verbally stated her want for him first. Even if she was considered to be family by his and isn't mostly likely not seen as anything more by him? Will she have the happy ending he speaks of if she were to voice her feelings to him?
"Teyam, who are you planning to court?" She held her hand up in defense," If you don't mind me asking."
"I'd like to keep it as a surprise." He nudged her side," In fact I think you'd like her. You'd probably know her the best out of everyone."
"Interesting. Is she cute?"
"So cute."
"Even cuter than me?"
He cupped her cheeks with both of his hands and squished them together, making her lips pucker out," Now who could ever be as cute as you?"
Scrunching her nose in an attempt to shake off the jittery feeling. It didn't help that when she looked at him all she was was flowers and a bright light that illuminated around him. She didn't know it was her pure imagination or Eywa was working to create a show for him.
He then lowered his tone and slid his hands down onto her shoulders, "Now that we're on this subject somewhat. What does your sister think of me?"
And it was as if someone reached in and squeezed her heart. The tightness in her chest overwhelming every sense in her body. Why did it have to be her? Why does it always have to be her?
The signs were so clear in front of her. The special nickname she had for him and how quick she was to choose him. The fact that she knew her sister the best out of everyone and how he would get quiet like Lo'ak would in case he would say something embarrassing that would ruin her perception of him. Neteyam too cared about Eyota's opinion.
When she hoped he was talking about her, he was talking about her.
_
It’s been a week since that night. Her father had stepped out and interrupted the conversation so she didn't have to go on a spiel of how Eyota liked him as well because that would have honestly taken away all of her digniity. Managing to escape the question, she bid Neteyam a good night without looking back and had a sleepless night.
Neteyam's bullshit interpretation of the book was not about her and him clearly. The two main characters are Eyota and him. For she was only a side character to their love story.
If the question wasn't obvious enough to fix her narrative, when returning back with the buckets of water that her mother had requested, Neteyam stood with Eyota in front of their hut with flowers in his hand. Talks that she's heard when she spends time with other girls in the clan about how flowers tend to be the first part of the courting phase.
Now she wasn’t going a downhill spiral where she was going to let herself fall claws of depression. No, she couldn't sit around and mope about it. If the two wanted each other, she couldn't stop because in the end like Neteyam said, if two lovers are meant to be together, they are mean't to be.
But that didn’t mean it didn’t pain her to have to talk to him, knowing that he does not return the same feelings to her and having to watch him court her sister.
At first, it was as simple as trying to be as touchy as before. Refusing to ride on his ikran together or walking with Kiri and Tuk when she ventured out into the forest. But all failed the day they went out for a swim and Neteyam had beat Lo'ak to offering her hand back onto the solid grand, his arm wrapped around her to spare some of his warmth on the way back home.
For the past two weeks, she’s been walking out of any area he walks in before he approaches her after a specific amount to not make it obvious. Thought it’s been enough times so for it to be. She’s been declining Lo’ak offers to go out into the forest because she knew in the end that Neteyam would be there. She only went when she knew Neteyam would be going with his father on another raid.
It was dumb but she had to do it to protect her heart.
There had been a time when she came close to ending whatever she was doing but when she walked towards the Sully’s hut, Eyota’s hand was running up and down Neyetam’s arm and he wasn’t budging to move it, leaning against the hut as they engaged in conversation. That pinch in her chest reminding her of why she needed to take this time to heal.
She did occasionally make her rounds around the Sully's hut but not as often as she used to, finding things to occupy her time.
She was able to avoid interacting with Neteyam easily that didn't garner much questions from anybody except for maybe Lo'ak who was used to the girl dropping everything to be able to spend time with them.
Neytiri had offered to her to come over to learn how to make this dish that Y/N had previously stated a loving for. As the two sat crouched over several cut up ingredients, Neteyam had walked in to grab a cover for Tuk which was an excuse to come in and invite Y/N to chat outside. Unintentionally, Y/N made eye contact with him. His hand coming up to wave at her but Y/N turned away and asked Neytiri what kind of plant she held. A frown formed on the boy, bundling up the cover in his hands. He stood for a good second to see if Y/N would look back up but he walked out in defeat when she didn't.
Unknowingly to them both, Neytiri had saw it all and looked over at Jake, widening her eyes as if she was questioning the interaction but he could only shrug.
The morning after, Y/N decided it was time for her to learn how to make baskets as the ones her family has were starting to wear out from use. Though it sucked when her fingers were quite cooperating, "No, 'evenge, you must go under and then over." Mo'at grabbed the straw basket out of her hands and fixed the uneven pattern that Y/N had created.
"Sorry, Mo'at." She beamed at the older woman who only humphed. Propping herself onto her knees to watch her do correctly, she hadn't noticed the two other beings surrounding them.
It wasn't until the air in Spider's mask exposed the two did Y/N looked over in annoyance," Can I help you?"
"Want to go hunting?"
"I'm busy."
"Please." Lo'ak clasped his hands together.
"No." Mo'at handed the basket back to her with the correct pattern and tightened one.
"Pretty please."
“Kiri is going." Spider included but it didn't help much since Y/N shook her head again.
"Well that's one too many for you to bother now."
She successfully folded in a one and proudly held it up for Mo’at to look at who only shook her head and fixed it again.
“Why don’t you want to go?”
“I’m too lazy.”
Lo’ak groaned and began to go on a whole rant about how even if he says that he’s tired, he still has to go. He shut up after Mo’at sent him a stare. It didn’t stop his pleas for her to go, Spider joining in. Though they sounded like whiney babies, it was all white noise to her as she tried again to weave the same pattern but instead failed.
Mo’at grumbled and snatched the basket away from her, “ Go. You are not helping and these two are hurting my ears.” She shooed them away with a wave of her hands and didn’t stop until they were out of sight.
“Cmon, Y/N.” Both of their arms wrapped around her shoulder with Spider falting off her a bit because of his shorter height, Lo’ak joked,“You’d never be a lady if you tried.”.
Just as he said that, she saw Neteyam and Eyota together besides an ikran, the comment striking harder than she usually let it. Huffing out a deep breath, she crossed her arms together with a frown as they made their way to their own ikrans.
_
The large group gathered around their instructor. Much to some people’s annoyance, specifically the ones with the same last name as the teacher, their instructor today is Jake.
The group gets divided into two with one in the ground and the other in the sky to cover as much area as they can. It's done with a team leader picking out who they want in their groups but with Jake, he tended to put his family with him and several others in his group and then the remaining in the other. He knew he could trust the others to do their job but with all of his family sans Tuk participating, he'd rather keep a close eye.
"As last time, we'll be-"
Y/N rose her hand, bowing to apologize for suddenly interrupting," May I be excused from the sky team today and stay on the ground today? I'm not feeling all that well.". The reality was that she rode with Neteyam last time and she was feeling sick at the thought of being in such close proximity to him. She couldn't be feeling those butterflies when he was going to be betrothed to her sister.
Kiri was surprised, nudging her on the side. "There's no way you're leaving me with those losers."
"That's fine, Y/N. Make sure to stay close to the group in case something goes wrong."
With a close lipped smile, she stepped back and Jake continued to state his plan, most of the group's attention and ears on him except Lo'ak and Spider that were groaning and whining to Y/N on switching teams which ended with Kiri telling them to shut up and leave her alone even though she mumbled under her breath that it'd be no fun with only boys. Y/N giggled out a "sorry" that didn't at all sound sincere, missing Neteyam's hard stare on her.
_
“Has Y/N been acting strange at all to you?”, Spider asked.
“Yeah, kind of.” Lo’ak twirled a stick in his hand, “Like she stills spends time with us but she also doesn’t. I don’t know… she’s been kind of distant.”
Kiri scoffed out a laugh, “Maybe she found out she can do better than hang out with you all day.”
“You know the "you" includes you as well, right?”
“Did you forget that Y/N and I are girls which means we have a different connection which means … we talk amongst ourselves… especially about you all."
While the two boys pestered Kiri about what kind of gossip the girls do, Neteyam took front and moved large branches and leaves out of the way for an easier walkway. Though on the outside, it seemed that he could care less about the topic at hand and was simply alert on his surroundings. His mind was else where like it's been for the the past month, no, for the past two years.
His thought were interrupted when he heard a familiar giggle come from below. Rushing to the source, he leaned over the ledge and saw Y/N. Not alone though but with another boy, Zakum, that he always found a bother because of immature he is and now he was 10 times annoying when Neyetam saw how his hands were placed on her waist and the other on her arm as to position her to aim the arrow towards the stream.
The others had joined him and watched as the arrow was wasted into the water, missing the fish. Y/N pouted back at Zakum, Zakum patting her head affectionally before they both returned back into the prior position to try again.
“Isn’t Y/N a perfect shot?” Spider frowned.
Neteyam nodded. He knew because he was the one who taught her. He was the one who had his arms around her to get a perfect stance and the one who taught her the secrets of having perfect aim.
“See what I mean? There's something wrong because if she can easily get her target, why did she miss?” As if lightbulb had switched on above his head, “Oooh.”
They then all collectively placed it together with Lo’ak and Kiri ooo’d teasingly in spite of their friend knowing how to flirt but stopped when they looked towards Neteyam, his face stoic and his jaw clenched.
The voice of their father caught their attentions through the throat microphone that they were getting off track, the regrouping for the flyers occurring a while ago.
“Let’s go.” Neteyam threw himself up from the ground and refused to look at anyone, roughly pushing away anything in his way.
_
After a successful hunt, all the members of the clan gathered around to celebrate the winnings of the day. The meat of the strumbeest and fish grilling over the fire, families happily with one another as they fed each other. Some engaging in some indecent behaviors that involved kava and its disastrous effects.
Y/N held onto Tuk's hands as the little girl guided her around the dance line. Now instead of following the traditional dance, Tuk was making her own moves and moving her feet in a different way that made Y/N trip over her own feet when she attempted to follow her.
Tuk groaned out of frustration," Y/N, you've got to get yourself together before you fall on me."
"Come on, Tuk Tuk, slow down then! You're a much better dancer than I am."
She stuck her tongue out," I know that." She proudly grinned. She dragged Y/N around the fire to follow the others in the dance line. Even though Tuk did take the dancing quite seriously, the child would never miss out on the chance to be lifted up in the air. Y/N twirling her around in the air before the both of them got dizzy.
Stumbling to an empty spot, they both fell back onto the soft cushion of the ground. Tuk rolled over to lay on her side, her head laying on Y/N's arm.
"Y/N, I'm glad that Neteyam chose-"
A small shadow that stood over them, Tuk quickly sitting up and regaining her composure. Y/N lifted her head to find a little boy holding his hand out for Tuk to take. The blue of Tuk's ears fading into a light blue. Tuk's hand reached out for the boys but quickly retracted it when she realized that Y/N was besides her. Her eyes looking over for permission.
"Go ahead. I'm all worn out."
Tuk didn't think twice before running off with the boy.
Damn, even Tuk was having a better love life than her. She scoffed to herself. Maybe she can wallow in her self pity now. As she was in the process of laying back down, something caught her off guard that made her sit right back into position.
Eyota's legs over another person, her lips close to his ears to whisper unspeakable things. And that other person was someone that surely was not Neteyam.
Fury burned within her. She didn't think twice about her actions and if anyone was going to stare at her, the trail to her older sister almost leaving behind smoke if she had faster than she did. "What the hell are you doing?"
Eyota widened her eyes and immediately stood up, the male besides her obviously intoxicated by the way he missed her arm when he reached out to pull her back down.
"What is that language? Is that what you learn when you-"
"Shut up." Eyota and Y/N both equally stunned but Y/N continued on," Why are you being touchy with another boy? Aren't you close to having a secure mate? Like Neteyam."
"Ughh." Eyota's scowl returned, "I never confirmed that I wanted him. The whole point of finding a mate is to explore and why would I stay put with one?"
"You told Mother that Neteyam was the one you wanted to take a step further with. Isn't it working out, why are you-"
"Y/N, can I not interested in another people too? Sure, he's cute and a good warrior but I'm young, let me have fun. And when have you ever been so interested in my life? Is it because yours is so disappointing?"
Y/N brushed away the last comments, "Neteyam is my friend, you shouldn't treat him like he's some kind of toy." Y/N felt her body shaking from such anger.
"Ach! Then you can have your friend! All he does is talk about you anyways. It's insufferable."
He talked about her? Y/N's face softening at the thought, unaware that Eyota was staring at her little sister weirdly, stepping back to sit back to sit with the drunk Na'Vi.
A hum ringing through her ears as if time stopped, eyes trailing around the crowds before her eyes landed on him. His gear still on from today but paint decorated his face. He talked amongst his friends, his hands motioning a ikran flying through the air. As if he could feel her stare on him, he momently looked up and then back up, interlocking his eyes with hers. The sound of her heartbeat thumped in her ears when he didn't break it.
"Y/N!" Zakum appeared from thin air, his arms wrapping around her. A tug to pull her in the direction of everyone else. "Dance."
"No, I'm okay." Looking back in the direction Neyetam previously stood, he was no longer there.
"Cmon! It's tradition. It is the way. Dance!"
"Zakum, I am quite busy." Trying to squeeze her body out of his grip but he only kept a tighter hold.
"For a quick second, I promise and then you can go on as you please."
"Go with the boy, Y/N!" Eyota claimed, tossing her head back to take another large gulp of kava.
Seeing as there was no way out of this, she stopped struggling and let him lead her to the large crowd, his hands on her hips so tightly that she could move in the other direction if she wanted to. As everyone stood in a line, Zakum faced her and mirrored the others in line.
Typically Y/N is able to keep up but her mind wandered else where, unable to concentrate. The sound of everyone's voices and the hot air of the fire being all too much for her at the moment. All she wanted to do at the moment was talk to Neteyam about what Eyota said last.
Zakum's hot breath radiated down her neck, his skin clammy against hers. His hands running from where their hands were linked to his hips. Lower and lower he went until-
"Don't touch me like that." She pushed him away, a face full of disgust clear on her face. A stunned look on Zakum's face as he tumbled back. Taking this as an opportunity to walk and finding a breath of fresh air in an empty space away from everyone, she felt herself being pulled back around to him by her arm. Both of his hands now holding a tight grip on her.
"Where's the Y/N from earlier today? The one who was practically begging me to touch her."
The Y/N earlier only acted in that way to prove Lo'ak and Spider wrong that indeed she could be seen as a woman even though it was down in a way that didn't make her feel comfortable whatsoever. When she heard the group that hide behind the bushes rushing away, she moved out of Zakum's touch immediately. Apparently Zakum didn't get a hint that she wasn't interested when she was extremely annoyed by his flirtatious ways before and after the act.
"Get off of me."
"Come on, you wanted me earlier. Change of heart?"
A pain felt in her wrists when his grip on her grew tighter and tighter each time she budged. He used his tall height as a advantage to push her back until she felt the stabs of scratchy bark of the tree.
"You think you have better options? I'm the best you have. I can prove it to you right here. Nobody's around."
Disgust ran through her veins and clung to her skin, bile rising up her throat. Frustration causing tears to brim at the corners of her eyes. Though, she didn't stop her fight against him. Spreading her firsts to push with her palms at his chest. "Leave me alone, you perv."
"Stop fighting." He gritted through his teeth, pushing both of her arms against her chest. The pressure making it hard for her to move and breathe.
Y/N shut her eyes tight. Wishing constantly in her head that he'd magically go away and hoping that a good idea would appear into her head.
Silence.
His sweaty palms being replaced by a familiar warm embrace, the beaded bracelet pressing against her skin confirming exactly who it was. Her vision blurry at first when her eyes fluttered open, leaning into Kiri's arm.
She saw silhouettes of the two men in front of her, one pushing back the other.
"Neteyam, leave him. Let's get Y/N home."
Though he didn’t listen. Everything happened so quick but in the moment, it felt as if it was in slo-mo.
The way Neteyam threw his arm back to land a punch square in the middle of Zakum's face, the blood trickling down from his nose. Zakum threw himself toward’s Neteyam’s torso to push him on the floor but Neteyam held his place, placing another hit to his face. Zakum returned the hit with one to Neteyam's side that fell weak against Neyetam's move to knee Zakum's stomach. The blow making him fall to the ground, Neteyam hovering over him. How he kept going back in, his knuckles landing each time on the other boy's face.
The two were split up suddenly by a taller male. "Stand down.", Jake's strong voice ringing through the air, his body sandwiched between the two to hold his son back from the other. Neither of them had even seen him approach the commotion, Lo'ak clearly out of breath from trying to get his father in time before the fight escalated any further.
Neteyam didn't care though. A spine chilling look in his eyes. An emotion none of them had seen before. Sure, she's seen him annoyed and upset but this was rage. A look clear and evident that he wasn't done with Zakum.
"Can't even fight his own fights without Daddy stepping in." Zakum spat, Neteyam stepped forward with his fist up but Jake blocked him.
"You best shut your mouth before you find yourself in more trouble than you already are." Jake glared at Zakum before turning back to the others in the area. "Kiri, take your brother..." His eyes softening at the sight of the blue skin of Y/N's wrist turning a light purple. As if he was starting to get a clear understanding of what had occurred not more than five or so minutes ago," and Y/N to get their injuries checked."
Not wasting a second to avoid Jake's scolding of another member of the clan, they were quick to walk away from the scene. The last thing Y/N had saw when she looked back was Zakum's parents standing, their forehead creased from their frowns and the sound of yelling being loud for them to hear from where they were.
_
No words were exchanged. She knew purely from the way her mother was refusing to look at her that she had messed up tonight.
Her father helping her apply the medicine Mo'at had given to her before she was pulled away by her family to their own hut. She did want to stay with them to assure that everything was okay especially since she was the one that was at fault and caused this commotion to happen.
"Did he..." Her father's eyes watering, his body completely shutting down and refusing to even finish the sentence. Y/N placed her hands over his and shook her head. Cries racked through his body as he with his forehead pressed down to her hands.
Towards the side of the room, her sister was sound asleep underneath a blanket, the smell of the liquor she drank radiating off of her. Their mother hovered over her, a hand reaching out to smooth out the older daughter's hair.
Oddly, Y/N didn't feel the green envy that she typically felt when she saw her mother caring more for her sister. Despite what had happened to her, her mother still repelled any sense of worry to her and only cared for the simply drunk sibling. So it wasn't worth feeling.
Maybe it didn't matter what she did. It didn't matter how much she cared for her family. It didn't matter that she sacrificed her heart for her sister in hopes that her mother would be proud of accomplishing such a task. Nothing worked.
Maybe if she realized this long before, she wouldn't have gone through this effort to distance herself from Neteyam and potentially ruined the friendship they had.
_
The chance to talk to him seemed to pass her every time. After having breakfast with her family and taking care of the aftermath of what the kava had done to her sister who woke up with a shooting headache and had projected vomited everywhere, she was stopped by Zakum who was accompanied by his father to apologize for how he acted last night.
Quick to forgive with her mind only focusing on what Eyota had told her last night about how all Neteyam had done was talk about her. She had made to their hut but she was a few minutes off as both Lo'ak and Neteyam had gone with the war party. She used that time to apologize for the events that occurred last night but Neytiri was quick to tell the girl that it wasn't her fault while Kiri reproached her for even considering that she was.
It wasn't until later that that day when night had fallen did the opening of her family's hut swished open, the youngest Sully standing in the opening. All four pairs of eyes startled and all watched as Tuk ran over to Y/N to pull at her arm, her chest heaving up and down from what seem like she had ran here.
"Tuk Tuk, what's wrong?"
"You have to come." Urgency dripping off from her tongue," It's important." She didn't look at anyone else in the room except for Y/N, her small hands barely wrapped around the circumference of her arm. Tears streaming down her face, using all of her weight to try to pull Y/N up.
"Tuk, wait. What's wrong? You have to calm down and explain to me what is going on."
"The sky people attacked." Her words jumbled as snot and tears ran down into her mouth. "I don't know what's wrong with Neteyam. Norm took him and I didn't even see him. He was bleeding so much, Y/N."
Not only Y/N but everyone in that hut stood and ran with the child to where people were returning back. It wasn't an exaggeration to say this was the worst they have seen so far. Usually people would return with as much as a scratch but the skin of several people that were being lifted past her were almost close to falling off. Bubbles littered several other people's skin, Mo'at handing off medicine to others to be able to care for as much of the injured as she can. Several people huddled together as cries were heard among the chaos hinting that there were losses this time or they had gone missing.
Her eyes surfed the crowd to find Lo'ak and his father stood towards the opening. From their posture and the veins that popped out from Jake's throat, he was yelling at Lo'ak. That she would question later but she could get a sense that Lo'ak may have been partly to blame for what had happened today.
A breath of relief to see them both standing, she was quick on her feet and followed Tuk to them. Colliding her body to Lo'ak's, not caring if he wasn't finished getting berated. Lo'ak's returning the embrace as he wrapped his arms around her torso quickly. Hearing him whispering reassurances that he was okay, she remembered that one person was missing and circumstances Tuk had told her.
"Lo'ak, how's Neteyam?" An obvious strain in her voice as she thought of the worst.
Lo'ak's heavy sigh and the look in Jake's eyes making her heart drop to her stomach, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as tears immediately came streaming out.
"Y/N!", Kiri called for her just as her knees were about to give out from underneath her. Neytiri trailing behind as they ran over to Y/N. "He's refusing help." Neytiri spoke through dry heaves. "Norm was able to take the bullet out but he's not letting anyone touch him to clean his wounds or look at any other. There's still a lot of blood."
"He's asking for Y/N." Kiri pointed. "He keeps saying he wants her and chanting her name like she's going to appear."
So he is alive. Resisting the urge to hit Lo'ak in the stomach for scaring her but she figured he knew as much as she did about what was going on.
She quickly wiped her ears as Neytiri walked over to her and placed a hand onto her shoulder. Plead in her eyes,"Y/N, sweetie. I don't know what's going on between the two of you but I beg you to forgive him or forgive yourself."
Y/N immediately agreed, finding no strength to say no to Neytiri who bowed her head as a thank you. The two guided her the box that was full of pods for avatars, all the metals in the room shining in her eyes. Kiri handed her a mask to help her get better control of her breathing from the toxins from the air inside. Her feet feeling cold against the floors and her body full of nerves as she inched towards the closed door at the end of the hall.
Silently she entered the room with medicine that Kiri claimed would sting less compared to what Mo'at was giving everyone else, the boy hunched over with his body facing the wall. She could tell he knew he was in the room by the way his ears perked up at the sound of the door opening. A white bandage was wrapped around his upper torso but the rest of his body still full of open wounds.
She walked around and stood in front of him, eyeing the large blood spot where the bullet had entered. Cautiously she brought her hand up and placed it carefully on the gauze. Feeling his stare on the side of her face, she refused to look up in fear of how her calm facade would drop and instead moved her hand down to the much gnarly scratches that littered the open skin.
With still no words spoken between them, she set aside the bowl and instead grabbed a discarded towel that she believed was being used to clean his cuts before he became troublesome and everyone had given up.
Right as she was placed the towel onto a bloody wound, Neteyam hissed in pain. She tried to go slower and dab it instead of rubbing but he continued to groan. verbally letting out grunts of "ows.".
Deciding there was no way to ease the pain, she continued to clean off the blood less carefully and pressed down on one that was still leaking out.
His hand shot up to grab at her arm, making her finally look up at him to see that he was crying.
"Wow, I didn't know you were such a baby."
He obviously didn't find that funny as he blinked away the water that gathered at the linings of his eyes, his eyes rolling when he wiped them away with the back of his hand.
"You try getting blown up and shot at and not cry."
"I'd rather not."
Usually they'd laugh but the tension that filled the room stunted their chance to, only resorting back to the static silence. Y/N looked back down at the seeping wound and began to dab at it again.
"You know you're all I could think about."
She stopped. Only for a moment before she continued to clean the cut as if she didn't hear him. Not because she wanted to avoid confrontation but she refused to believe what he said was real.
"When I felt the bullet go through me, all I could think about was you. Wondering what the hell I did to make you to so upset that you couldn't even have talked to me. And I got so scared because I thought I was going to die out there without finding out what I did wrong and how you refuse to even look at me in the eye" He grabbed at her arm again but this time by her wrist and pulled it away from she was doing, her attention as well. Goosebumps running up her arm when he inched her closer to him, peering down at her even though he was seated," Especially when you have always told me to be honest about my feelings so why is that when I am, you're upset with me? Remember thinking, is what I did so bad? If I had known you would've acted this, I wouldn't have done so."
"That’s not the point, Teyam. You say that now but you would’ve resented and I couldn’t bear have you be upset with me.” Y/N pushed his arms away from her, cautious to not be too rough. "Teyam, I just needed time to get over it."
"All you had to do with me was be honest with me. Because I wouldn't have cared. I could never risk not having you in my life."
He wouldn't have cared. It felt as if everything had shifted two steps back when they were moving one step forward.
"Then what’s the point?” She threw the towel to the side. The fury ran strong through her veins, not expecting him to be this cold about how she felt for her. “ You’re such a fucking asshole.”
"Excuse me?"
"You wouldn't have cared? Well guess what, Neteyam, people have feelings and while you couldn't care, I'd still have to sit there with my feelings for you and watch you be all lovey dovey with my own sister. And I know my worth and I'm not going to sit there and act like I’m happy for you two and watch you try to make her yours."
His eyebrows knitted together in confusion," Wait what? Your sister? What does Eyota have to do with this?"
"Gosh if I had known how bad you are with girls, I would've have gone for Lo'ak. But of course I'm one of the many fools that has to be in love with you" She scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "First of all, skxawng, if you like Eyota, why would you talk about me so much? That's why she's moved on from you so fast. "
A offended look on his face appeared on his face,"I'm bad with girls? I'm far from being bad with girls. If anything, I've tried every- Wait... you're in love with me?" A smirk replacing the grimace on his face.
"Yeah. Not that'd you care or anything." She huffed," I swear, Neteyam, get that look off your face before I smack you because you're really hurting my feelings."
"Oh I'm hurting your feelings? Y/N, I've been waiting for a response from you for what seems like forever. I was wondering when you would flat out reject me."
Now it was her turn to be confused," But I saw you giving her flowers. And you asked that night before what she thought of you."
"I was giving her flowers for you. Fucks sake, they even were your favorite ones. Your mother was there as well. And I asked her what she thought of me because I was going to be courting her sister so I had to make that she saw me in a good light. And before you get confused, you. I wanted her approval so that I could pursue you."
Though the picture was perfectly drawn for her and the tie of the knot becoming unraveling and untangled, she couldn't believe it. Not when her whole life, Eyota was always first choice. She couldn't accept this reality because it simply couldn't be true, " No." She shook her head. "No, there's no way you could be choosing me. Because everyone likes Eyota more. I'm the friend and you're confused but we all know that-"
"I do not want Eyota."
"You say that because she decided she didn't want you. Because you messed up your chance with her.”
A soft pair of lips cut off her rambling, Neteyam's arm wrapping around her to place his hand on the small of her back to push her closer. His other hands brushing against her cheek. Their bodies pressed against one another like two puzzles pieces fitted together.
It took needing a breath out of their masks to break them apart, her lips parted in shock.
“What does that tell you?”
“Nobody ever sees me-"
They buzzed when he leaned back in and pressed a swift peck on her lips, using his thumb to press down on the middle of her bottom lip.
“Do you get it now?”
“Maybe just one more.”
Neteyam exhaled out a laugh, standing up and picking up Y/N by the waist with no struggle. Except a grunt of pain when she hit his shoulder and warned him of his injury. He sat her down onto the edge on the bed and leaned down again to connect their lips together for a quick second, "Oel ngati kameie, Y/N. Always and only you."
She could feel her cheeks getting hot, getting embarrassed when she knew that her face had to be all purple. Everything was so overwhelming, her mind forcing her to look at other parts of the room. What deemed as impossible of happening was happening.
He brought her back when a thumb softly pushed her chin back down, forcing her to make direct eye contact with him. His eyes so full of love and a plea that hoped that she returned his feeling and it was in that moment that she knew he was being sincere. That what he was saying was true to his heart.
a/n: omg thank you so much for reading this. i kind of struggled to finish bc idk i dont like how i've been writing cuz repetivity and also writers block. but my love for neteyam pulled thru hehehe. hope you liked it and plzzz give me criticism bc i shall learn from it!
Summary: Reader finds a curious looking folder at an antique fair on the Peaky Blinders. After digging for more information she visits the abandoned offices of the gangs leader Thomas Shelby, only to be met with someone or something, quickly getting caught up in their world.
Warnings: Language, supernatural themes, time travel, violence, smut, angst, fluff
