Marvel women: More to be listed but these are the general
Natasha Romanoff
Wanda Maximoff
Carol Danvers
Yelena Belova
Kate bishop
Rules: I explicitly do not write anything relating to pedophilia, rape or incest. I do not write male reader or male characters. I do not write smut. If any request seem to make me uncomfortable I will clarify that I will not write(sorry). Hope you enjoy your time in my blog
Natasha x Reader
Series:
Littlest Widow: [Masterlist]
One-shot:
Cat and Ears
My koala bear
Keep me warm
Sweet Child of Mine [platonic]; [Part 1.5]; [A day out with Mama Nat]
Pairing: Sugar Mommies Cait & Vi x Sugar Baby Reader
Words: 5502
Synopsis: You have a terrifying visit to the doctor, and you decide what to do next...
Warnings: Emotional distress, talk of: past physical abuse; cancer; relationship trouble; cheating; unprotected sex
“Did I call you ‘mom’ earlier?”
You sat forward on the chair in the doctor’s office, your head in your hands. Your eyes were closed as your mind raced with the events of the day. It was hard to believe it was barely 2pm.
Ambessa didn’t look up from her tablet, one arm stretched across the back of your chair as you sat next to her. “Yes, you did.”
“I’m sorry,” you said quietly.
Her hand lifted, resting on your back. “There is nothing to apologise for, little one.”
The clinic was quiet. Too quiet.
You had discovered that medical buildings possessed a very specific kind of silence. Not true silence – there were always distant footsteps, phones ringing somewhere far away, muted conversations behind closed doors – but a silence heavy with waiting.
Waiting for answers, waiting for results, waiting for news that might change everything.
You hated it.
Across from you and Ambessa, Mel was typing away on her phone, one leg crossed elegantly over the other. She’d cancelled that evening’s date with one of her regulars, so was working to keep him sweet by sending him photos of her shoes in-between saucy texts.
Beside you sat Ambessa, looking entirely out of place in the small consultation room. The older woman occupied the space the way a warship occupied a harbour: calmly, confidently, and with the implicit understanding that she belonged wherever she chose to be.
You sat beside your mother-figure, trying very hard not to think.
Unfortunately, thinking was proving difficult to avoid.
The tests themselves hadn’t bothered you – you were, unfortunately, rather accustomed to peeing in cups and having your blood drawn, though you did hate the throat, vaginal, and rectal swabs you’d had to do.
It was the reason for the tests that still tormented you immensely.
Maddie.
Every time you thought back to the conversation in Ambessa’s office, your jaw tightened and your heart pounded.
The confessions, the lies, the sheer selfishness of it all.
Maddie had been sleeping with Cait and Vi whilst dating you.
That alone had been devastating.
Learning she’d also been seeing other clients for the entire duration of your relationship and keeping everything hidden from you elevated the entire situation from heartbreaking to infuriating.
“You look angry.”
You glanced up and across at Mel, whom was still typing away. You sighed. “I was thinking about Maddie again.”
Ambessa continued to read the emails on her tablet. “If it helps, little one: she is a fool who never deserved you.”
You shook your head. “I thought we’d get married, you know? Be together forever. Y/N Nolen, or maybe L/N-Nolen, Nolen-L/N. Before my diagnosis, I genuinely thought I’d found The One. Marriage, a home, kids one day…”
Mel snapped a picture of her foot, then resumed typing. “Well, now you can have that with two rich, gorgeous women who actually know your worth.”
Before you could respond, a knock sounded at the door. The room immediately stilled.
The elderly doctor entered, carrying a folder. “Thank you for waiting, ladies.”
“We appreciate you getting the results so quickly,” Ambessa said smoothly, closing and putting down her tablet.
You clasped your hands together, sitting up in the leather seat. Mel put her phone away and crossed the room to stand by your side, her warm hand resting on your back.
The doctor opened the folder. “I’ve reviewed all of your results – the urine and blood samples, and all the swabs.”
You felt yourself stop breathing.
“Your STI panel is completely clear.”
The tension vanished so abruptly you almost laughed, so you groaned instead. “Ohhh.” Relief flooded through you, slumping back in the chair, your hands over your face.
Beside you, Mel visibly relaxed. “That’s great news, angel,” she smiled, rubbing your shoulder.
Ambessa nodded. “Very good news, indeed.”
The doctor nodded. “Everything came back negative. HIV, chlamydia, syphilis… Everything. You have no sexually transmitted infections whatsoever, and no sign of ever having had one in the past.”
For a few seconds, the room felt lighter. The entire reason you were all sat in that office was suddenly resolved.
You were already imagining leaving, and hopefully never thinking about Maddie again.
Then the doctor hesitated. “There is one thing I need to mention.”
And suddenly the room felt cold again.
Every muscle in your body tightened. Mel and Ambessa straightened.
The doctor glanced down at the paperwork. “One of the markers in your blood work came back elevated.”
You frowned. “What… W-What does that mean?”
The doctor’s expression remained carefully neutral. He was clearly picking his words carefully. “It may mean nothing.”
The statement immediately terrified you… You knew enough about medicine to know that doctors only said it may mean nothing when it might mean something.
Dr Reveck continued. “We occasionally see elevated results for a variety of benign reasons: infection; inflammation; certain medications; even a laboratory variation or human error.”
You nodded, your legs starting to shake.
Then the doctor took a breath. “There is another possibility you should investigate.”
The room seemed to shrink.
You knew what he was about to say. Before the words were spoken, you knew.
The doctor looked directly at you. “Given your medical history, we can’t ignore the possibility that this could indicate recurrence.”
The world stopped.
For a moment, you genuinely heard nothing.
Not the air conditioning in the office, or the traffic outside… Not even your own breathing.
Just a dull ringing somewhere deep inside your skull.
Recurrence.
Cancer.
Cancer again.
No.
No.
No.
You had beaten it. You had done the treatment. You had taken the pills, suffered the chemo, had the surgery.
You had survived. You had fought for every miserable, painful step of recovery.
And you had survived.
The doctor’s voice seemed very far away, as if he were at the bottom of a well. “I’m not saying that’s what this is.”
You stared at him, unable to move, unable to think.
“At this stage, all you have is a single elevated result. You will need to see your regular oncologist for further scans and testing. We can’t conclude anything at this time.”
Your ears started ringing, your vision falling into a tunnel.
A large hand closed around yours.
Ambessa.
Neither woman spoke; they were simply there.
You swallowed, your throat feeling painfully tight. “How likely is it?”
The question barely sounded like your own voice.
The doctor didn’t answer immediately. “I really can’t say; I’m not an oncologist.”
Just a simple, yet brutally honest response.
The room fell silent again.
Beside you, Mel moved her hand from your back to your other hand, squeezing tightly.
Ambessa sprang into action, lifting her head to speak to Dr Reveck. “Who is the best oncologist in the city?”
You spoke softly. “My oncologist was-”
“We can afford better than that now, Y/N,” she said firmly. “Reveck, any recommendations?”
He nodded back at her, handing her a slip of paper with a name on it. “Heimerdinger is the best of the best. He’s very busy, though. So, call sooner rather than later.”
Ambessa was already standing, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “Thank you, Dr Reveck.” She touched your upper arm with surprising gentleness. “Come on, little one. It is time to go.”
You stood numbly, following Ambessa and Mel out of the room, only vaguely hearing Ambessa speaking on the phone.
“…For Professor Heimerdinger, yes. … No, it must be today. … I understand the Professor is very busy, but were he to make time in his schedule for my client, I can assure you he will be compensated thoroughly, as well as yourself for assisting in getting this appointment booked – you can charge everything to the Medarda account. … Yes, I said Medarda.”
Despite the fear threatening to overwhelm you, despite the ringing in your ears and the awful knot forming in your stomach, you knew one thing.
Whatever came next – scans, tests, waiting for answers – you would not be facing it alone.
“How much did you offer him?” you asked Ambessa meekly, trying not to wince at your sore throat.
You’d been rushed in to Professor Heimerdinger’s clinic and taken straight back for an upper endoscopy – an exam you were regrettably familiar with. Mel had been allowed to hold your hand as you were given a mild sedative for the tube that was going to go down your throat, whilst Ambessa sorted out the sizeable payment and charitable donation to the Professor’s research project.
Heimerdinger himself did the procedure – a short, bubbly man with white hair and a large moustache – but the medication meant you didn’t remember a single second of it. A small mercy for the day.
It only took 15 minutes, and then you were wheeled out into a recovery room where Mel and Ambessa waited for you. Mel wiped away your drool without complaint when you were too groggy to do so; Ambessa held a small cup of water to your lips when the nurse said you were able to swallow.
Ambessa shrugged off your question. “A seven-figure donation to his research.”
“Seven?” you balked, Mel and the nurse helping you sit up in the bed.
“A drop in the ocean,” she waved her hand.
The nurse eased you back against the fluffed-up pillows. “The doctor is reviewing the camera footage now; he’ll be with you as soon as he’s done.”
“Thaaaank yoooou,” you mumbled, still a little loopy from the sedative.
“Thank you,” Ambessa said firmly, closing the door behind the nurse.
As you sit up in the bed, slowly coming back to your senses, sipping on water, memories you had spent years trying to bury came rushing back with uncomfortable clarity. There had once been a period of your life when hospitals had consumed everything. Your schedule had revolved around appointments. Your future had revolved around test results. Entire weeks had been planned around scans, treatments, and blood work.
You had fought so hard to leave that part of your life behind.
“Hey.”
You didn’t answer, your gaze remained fixed on a spot on the wall across from you.
“Hey. Angel.”
The gentle tone finally broke through.
You swallowed hard. “What?”
The single word sounded fragile.
Mel’s expression softened immediately. The confidence and humour she usually carried had vanished, replaced by genuine concern. “What are you thinking about?” she asked, resting her elbow on the bed next to her, leaning her head on her hand.
You laughed softly, but the sound held no amusement whatsoever. “What am I thinking about?” you repeated. “I’m thinking about the fact that I might have cancer again.”
Eventually Ambessa leaned forward slightly in the chair next to the bed. “You do not know that yet, little one.”
You looked at her sharply. “What if it is back? What if the marker wasn’t a mistake? What if they find something on the scan? What if I have to go through treatment again?”
Your voice grew increasingly strained with each question. The fear you’d been fighting all afternoon was finally beginning to spill out.
“What if it spread somewhere? What if it’s worse this time? I only had a 50-50 chance last time; what will I have now?”
“Angel,” Mel interrupted gently. “We don’t even know the cancer’s back yet,” she attempted to soothe, but you didn’t listen.
“Of course it’s back!” you cried, tears starting to stream down your face. “Because the universe hates me that much! My abusive family come back and harass me; I lose my fucking job; my ex who abandoned me when I had cancer turns up and was actually cheating on me our entire relationship with the two women I now love—Why wouldn’tthe cancer come back? Just to tie everything up in a neat little bow! And then they’ll leave me!”
Ambessa spoke up firmly. "If the cancer has returned – which is not yet confirmed – then we will deal with it. And Caitlyn and Violet will not abandon you as Madeleine did.”
“Of course they will! Why wouldn’t they? They don’t want to deal with what the cancer will bring. The appointments, the medication, the chemo, the fucking round-the-clock vomiting… What if my hair falls out this time? I got lucky last time!”
Mel nodded. “Funky eyelashes and two years of free Brazilians,” she joked.
You frowned at her, your face twisted with fear.
“They can handle whatever comes,” Mel assured more seriously. “And Kiramman money can buy you the best wigs in the world.”
Your eyes slipped out of focus, staring off into space. “There’s bound to be a cancer fetish community out there; I’ll have to make money-”
“Enough!” Ambessa snapped. “Caitlyn and Violet will not abandon you. Do not put them in the same category as that girl.”
Mel nodded. “Mother’s right. You can’t compare two golden apples to a rotten orange. One of those people cheated on you whilst fucking an unknown number of strangers, putting you at an incredible risk for disease; the other two rearrange their entire work schedules if you mention having a headache.”
Despite everything, a small laugh escaped your throat.
Mel pointed triumphantly. “See?”
Across from you both, Ambessa nodded once. “If the cancer has returned,” she said carefully, “Then Caitlyn and Violet will remain exactly where they are.”
You looked down at your hands, sniffling.
Ambessa continued. “They will attend appointments. They will sit beside you during treatments. They will drive doctors mad by asking countless questions. Violet will almost certainly threaten somebody at least once, ensuring I am kept busy.”
That earned a reluctant smile.
“It wouldn’t be a good threat, either,” Mel added. "Very emotional. Poorly worded.”
“Quite possibly, Mel.” Ambessa’s expression softened slightly. “They love you. Beyond words. They will not leave if you become ill. Not now, not ever.”
For a moment, nobody spoke.
You felt tears threatening again, though these ones came from somewhere different: not fear, but the simple certainty that still struggled to believe you deserved that kind of devotion.
Eventually Mel squeezed your hand. “You’ve skipped about twenty steps ahead, like you always do.”
You looked over. “What?”
“You’ve gone from one slightly abnormal blood result to being abandoned and dying.”
The bluntness startled an unwilling laugh out of you.
Mel smiled. “So, chill the fuck out. Okay?”
You giggled nervously, forcing yourself to exhale slowly. “Okay.”
There was finally a knock on the recovery room door.
Ambessa called for whoever it was to come in.
Professor Heimerdinger came in, carrying a file. He was humming a happy, bouncy tune, which actually did nothing to comfort you – he seemed like the kind of doctor that could deliver a terminal diagnosis whilst whistling a jaunty song.
“Good afternoon, ladies. Well, it’s evening by now. I’m sorry I kept you waiting; I was just conferring with a colleague to ensure we had the best understanding of your case.”
You searched his face desperately for clues. A smile – was it concern? Sympathy? Pity?
But Professor was impossible to read. He crossed the room to the computer, lifting himself up into the stool at the standing desk.
He tapped away on the keyboard, clearing his throat. “I have to say, Ms Medarda, it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen someone move through the referral system quite so efficiently.”
Ambessa’s expression remained completely neutral. “I can imagine. I only hope my donation will benefit your research.”
The Professor smiled. “It will, thank you. And I have heard impressive things about your own work over the years.”
Ambessa nodded politely.
You stared at both of them in disbelief.
What were they doing?
Your heart felt as though it was attempting to punch its way out of your chest.
The Professor continued. “Your foundation’s continued support of—”
“Professor,” Ambessa’s voice wasn’t rude, nor particularly sharp, but it carried enough authority to halt the conversation instantly. “My compliments can wait.” She nodded her head in your direction. “My client is anxiously awaiting her results.”
You could have kissed her.
The Professor immediately abandoned the small talk. “Of course.” He looked back at the screen, typing away much faster than you had thought possible for his short fingers.
“You’re clear.”
You felt yourself stop breathing.
The Professor looked back at you. And smiled.
A real smile.
Your brain didn’t process it immediately; you were too frightened, too prepared for disaster.
“W… What?”
The Professor looked directly at you. “Your scan is completely clear, my dear.”
For a moment, nobody moved.
The words entered the room, hung there, and simply refused to make sense.
You stared at him, unspeaking.
Obviously used to dealing with stunned patients, he smiled wider and continued. “The endoscopy was clear.”
Still nothing: your mind couldn’t seem to catch up.
The Professor flicked through the images in the computer, shaking his head. “There is no evidence of recurrent disease; no signs of tumours or growths. Your cancer has not returned.”
You continued staring, barely feeling Mel and Ambessa squeeze your hands.
He realised you weren’t processing the information, and his smile softened. “You do not have cancer, Y/N. You are completely healthy. You do not have cancer.”
Something inside you cracked, like a rope pulled too tight finally snapped. A weight suddenly vanished from your very soul.
The first sound that escaped you wasn’t a laugh, or a cheer.
It was a sob. A single broken sound.
Then another.
Your hands flew to your face. “Oh gods.”
The words dissolved into tears.
Beside you, Mel stood up out of her chair, wrapping her arms around you tightly, pulling you into a tight hug. “Fucking hell, angel.”
You collapsed against her, sobbing.
The tension you’d been carrying all afternoon – and perhaps even for the past several years – seemed to leave your body all at once.
Next to you, Ambessa’s composure finally cracked. She gripped your thigh, squeezing and rubbing reassuringly. Her shoulders slightly lowered, and she exhaled the smallest breath.
For her, that was practically an emotional outburst.
The Professor waited patiently while you cried into Mel’s shoulder.
After a minute, you managed to look up. “Really? Seriously? I’m… I’m okay?”
The Professor nodded immediately. “Really.” He turned the computer’s monitor around so you could all see, and pointed to the scan images. “There is no sign of recurrence; no suspicious masses; no evidence of metastatic disease. Everything looks excellent.”
You stared at the images, but didn’t understand any of them. But you understood the smile on the Professor’s face, you understood the certainty in his voice.
And suddenly you were crying again.
Mel laughed through tears of her own. “Oh, thank God.”
The relief was simply too enormous for anyone to speak for a minute.
Eventually the Professor closed your file. “You’re welcome to come back for periodic check-ups, but as things stand today, there is no evidence that your cancer has returned.”
The words felt like a beam of sunlight on your very soul.
The Professor left shortly afterwards, wishing you the very best of luck for the future, playfully saying he never wanted to see you again.
The moment the door closed behind him, you buried your face in your hands again.
This time you were half-sobbing, half-laughing. Just completely overwhelmed.
Mel wrapped both arms around you, pulling you against her side as she perched on the bed. “See?”
You laughed wetly. “Shut up.”
“How many times have I told you not to skip to the worst-case scenario every time?”
“Shut up,” you repeated.
Mel grinned. “We were right, though.” She picked up your hand, bringing it to her lips, and kissing the back of it. “So… We’re not dying. What do you want to do now?”
And that sobered you up.
The relief of hearing that you were cancer-free should have felt like a finish line, a positive end to a terrible day.
Instead, it felt more like the moment after a storm had passed: the danger was gone, the fear had subsided, the crisis was over.
But now you were left standing amongst the wreckage of every emotion you’d been too busy to process while you’d been trying to survive the day.
By the time you all left Professor Heimerdinger’s clinic, the adrenaline that had been carrying you for hours began to ebb away, leaving behind a profound exhaustion that seemed to seep into every part of your body. As Ambessa’s driver navigated the evening traffic, you sat quietly in the back seat beside Mel, watching the city lights smear across the rain-streaked windows, your thoughts slowly catching up with everything that had happened.
The Maddie revelation, the cheating, the lies. The humiliating STI tests, the terror of believing your cancer had returned. The crushing fear that you might lose the life you’d been planning to build with Cait and Vi. The overwhelming relief to learn you were healthy.
It had all happened within a single day.
The realisation felt almost absurd.
Nobody could be expected to absorb all of that without consequences.
For several minutes, the car remained quiet. Ambessa was occupied with responding to emails on her phone, occasionally muttering something disapproving about one client or another, while Mel watched you with the sort of subtle concern that suggested she’d been doing so for quite some time.
Eventually, your best friend reached across the seat and nudged you gently with an elbow. “So,” she said softly, “What do you want to do now?”
You blinked and looked at her.
The question seemed surprisingly difficult to answer.
Until that moment, you’d been so focused on surviving the next hour, the next test, the next result, that you hadn’t considered what came afterwards.
What did you want?
The obvious answer should have been to go home.
Cait and Vi would undoubtedly be waiting for you. They would have been worrying all day. They would want to hold you, fuss over you, make you dinner, wrap you in blankets, and generally smother you with affection until they were satisfied you were okay.
The thought should have comforted you.
Instead, it made your chest tighten.
Not because you didn’t want to see them.
Quite the opposite.
You loved them, desperately.
The problem was that you suddenly felt overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of everything.
The penthouse wasn’t just Cait’s and Vi’s home anymore; it was where the three of you were planning to build a life together.
It was where you felt safest, it was where you wanted to be.
And somehow that made the idea of returning there feel impossible.
Because the moment you walked through those doors, everything would become real.
The cheating betrayal, the cancer scare, the fear, the relief…
The possibility of losing all of it.
You didn’t know how to carry all those emotions at once.
You weren’t sure you could try in that moment.
“I don’t want to go home,” you confessed quietly. Almost apologetically.
Mel didn’t look surprised. She simply nodded. “Okay.”
You frowned. “That’s it?”
“What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know. A lecture on not running away, like I always do?”
Mel laughed softly. “You’ve had the worst day imaginable, I’ll cut you a little slack.”
You considered that, then shook your head. “Not the worst; the cancer could’ve come back.”
She nodded. “True. Then let’s call it one of the worst days.”
That seemed fair.
You looked back out the window. “I think if I go home right now, I’ll fall apart.”
The admission felt embarrassingly vulnerable.
“They’ll want to talk about everything.” Your voice grew quieter. “And I know they’ll be worried. And I know I’ll end up crying.”
Mel’s expression softened. She reached out and squeezed your hand. “Come home with me.”
You looked back again. “What?”
“You need somewhere quiet, to rest. Vi’s family is still in town, and they’re all staying at the penthouse. They’d definitely offer to leave, to make you feel better. But my guest room is empty.” A small smile tugged at her lips. “You can hide there and recover from your emotional breakdown.”
“I wasn’t having a breakdown.”
“You absolutely were.”
You shook your head. “I was being perfectly reasonable given everything that’s happened today.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You thought your loving girlfriends who are completely obsessed with you were going to abandon you.”
You immediately looked away.
“Exactly,” Mel said.
The teasing wasn’t cruel. If anything, it felt comforting.
For the first time all day, something felt normal.
“What about your work?”
“Angel, I never bring clients to my home. And if I need to film something, I’ll let you know so you can leave for a few hours or put headphones on.”
You laughed softly. “Okay,” you said quietly. “I’d like that.”
Mel’s apartment felt entirely different from the penthouse. The atmosphere was always calmer, almost meditative. You’d always loved that about Mel’s home; it was always a soft place to be.
After showering and changing into a borrowed nightie – none of Mel’s pyjama sets fit you because of your different body types – you found yourself curled beneath the blankets in your friend’s guest bedroom, staring up at the ceiling while your damp hair spread across the pillow.
The room was dark except for the bedside lamp, the soft light spreading through the room. The sounds of the city drifted faintly through the open window, and you simply laid there in the quiet.
You’d kept your phone turned off for most of the day, but you knew what you had to do.
Sitting up in bed, relaxing back against the pillows, you picked up your device and turned it on. You waited anxiously whilst the system booted up, then watched your notifications pour in.
Message after message, missed call after missed call.
By the end, your phone had 30 texts from various people, and nine missed calls from Cait and Vi.
You went into the texts, reading through them slowly. All the ones from Cait and Vi were asking if you were okay, asking where you were, what was going on; they told you they loved you, so many times.
You even had texts from unknown numbers that turned out to be Powder and Vander, both asking if you were alright, and offering to talk if you wanted to.
Just after ten, you pressed a button on your phone, starting a video call.
The call was answered almost immediately.
“Y/N!” Cait cried, her beautiful but panicked face filling the screen.
“Hi, Cait,” you said softly, already having to force tears down.
Vi’s face pushed into frame. “Sweetheart, are you alright? Where are you?”
“I’m at Mel’s. I’m okay,” you assured.
Cait put the phone down, struggling for a few seconds to prop it up. You could see her hands shaking, her jaw trembling with frustration as she tried to stabilise her phone. Vi had to help in the end, taking over and propping the phone up.
They were both sat on the bed in their pyjamas – even though Vi was initially topless and quickly pulled on a vest.
“Are you alright, darling?” Cait asked gently. “Really?”
You gave a little nod.
The relief that washed across their faces was so immediate and so profound that it you’re your chest ache.
Neither woman even attempted to hide it. Vi looked as though she’d been pacing for hours; Cait looked marginally more composed, but only slightly.
Vi’s voice was warm with relief. “We’ve been so worried, baby.”
You smiled faintly. “I’m okay.”
“We didn’t know, Y/N,” Cait said firmly, shaking her head. “About you and Maddie. We didn’t know she had a partner.”
Vi nodded. “If we had, we would never have started seeing her.”
“I know,” you replied quietly. “I believe that.”
“Ambessa told us you were getting tested…” Cait started cautiously.
You bobbed your head. “I’m all clear.”
They were visibly relieved.
“You should be good too, but you should still get tested. Just to be safe.”
They both agreed quietly, their hands gripping each other’s tightly.
Vi leaned in. “Baby, your voice sounds rough.”
You cleared your throat gently. “The, um… The test did come back with an elevated result. The doctor was worried it could be…” You had to shake your head. “He was worried the cancer could have come back.”
They both looked terrified.
Cait’s hand shot up to her mouth. “Darling… Y/N, whatever it is-”
“I’m all clear.”
They paused.
“Sorry! I’m sorry! Sorry! I… I should have said that better,” you chastised yourself.
Vi shifted. “Y/N, just tell us everything.”
You recounted the whole afternoon to them. The STI tests, the unclear elevated test, the endoscopy exam… And the clear results.
They listened attentively the whole time, their attention never wavering from you. You explained everything dutifully while trying not to focus on the guilt beginning to gather in your stomach.
Because you knew what you needed to say.
And you knew it was going to hurt them.
Eventually, you took a breath. “I need to tell you something.”
Concern flashed across both their faces.
You looked down at the sheets over your lap. For several moments you struggled to find the words. When you finally spoke, your voice was quiet. “I think we need a little time apart.”
The silence that followed wasn’t angry.
It wasn’t offended, or even surprised.
It was simply sad.
You could see the disappointment immediately.
Not disappointment in you, but in the whole situation.
The fact that you felt you needed to leave at all.
“Baby…” Vi’s voice was incredibly gentle.
You forced yourself to continue. “Everything just happened all at once.” Your throat tightened. “Maddie. The STI testing. The cancer scare.” Your eyes stung unexpectedly. “I feel like my brain hasn’t even caught up yet.”
Neither woman interrupted or argued. They just listened.
“I love you both, so fucking much,” you promised. “But every time I think about coming home right now, I feel overwhelmed.”
Cait’s expression softened, but she hesitated to speak. “That’s understandable. You’ve spent the entire day moving from one emotional crisis to another; most people would struggle to process even one of those things.”
You swallowed hard.
Next to Cait, Vi rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t think hiding forever is a good plan.”
“Violet,” Cait whispered softly.
But her Wife shook her head. “I don’t. I don’t.”
“It won’t be forever,” you assured. “I don’t want it to be forever.”
Vi audibly cracked her knuckles as she squeezed her hands together. “How long?” she asked, her tone a little terse.
Cait sighed softly. “I also don’t think isolating yourself is necessarily the healthiest thing you could do right now, darling.”
Your shoulders slumped slightly. “I know…”
“But…” Cait forced a weak smile. “You are a grown woman. And you know yourself better than we do.”
Vi nodded. “We don’t have to like it.”
“No…”
“But we’ll respect it.”
The simple acceptance nearly made you cry. Because you knew they didn’t want this. You knew they wanted you home. You knew they wanted to wrap you in blankets and keep you between them for the next week.
Yet neither of them was trying to guilt you into returning. Neither of them was making you choose between their comfort and your own needs.
They were simply trusting you. Even when they disagreed. Even when it hurt.
“We’ll really miss you, baby.”
The quiet confession came from Vi.
Cait nodded, rubbing her Wife’s back. “Shall we discuss the details of this period?”
That made you give a small smile. “Yeah. Yeah, we should discuss that.”
Cait and Vi would stop sending your weekly allowance – only after you assured them that you had more than enough currently in your account, and also promised to tell them if you needed anything. You could have a video call once a week that could be as long or short as you all wanted it to be, but you wouldn’t have any other communication. You’d told them you were planning on starting therapy, which they both fully supported.
You all agreed and were very clear that this was not a break-up, it was simply a pause in your relationship so you could all have a break and assess. You might have been the one initiating the pause, but you all agreed that if Cait and/or Vi decided that they didn’t want to get back together with you, then they could make that decision.
By the time you all finally said goodnight, nobody was entirely happy about the arrangement, but everyone understood it and agreed to the rules. After the call ended, you set your phone aside and settled deeper beneath the blankets. For a long time, you laid awake staring into the darkness.
And although you still felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally wrung out, you also felt something else.
Safe.
Not because everything was fixed.
But because even after asking for space, the women who loved you had stayed exactly where they were.
Waiting patiently…
Trusting you to find your way back when you were ready.
Summary: You beautifully scared Toph. Each time she walked into rooms hoping to find you, each time she pressed her feet more firmly against the ground only to find the steady pulse of your heartbeat, she was faced with the fact that her own heart had begun beating to the rhythm of your name.
A/N: Possessive Toph does things to me. That's all I'm gonna say. ♡
Word count: 3,6k
*̥˚ Masterlist ☾ ⋆*
The halls of the Fire Lord's palace glowed beneath warm firelight, their amber glow reflecting off polished stone and lacquered wood. Fire Nation nobility mingled through the grand reception hall while musicians played softly from a raised platform, the melody weaving through conversations and laughter.
Everyone had attended, and the Gaang looked strangely elegant.
Aang wore Air Nomad robes specially tailored for the occasion, formal enough for royal company while still unmistakably his own. Katara stood beside him in a breathtaking Water Tribe gown of deep sapphire silk trimmed with white fur around the shoulders. Sokka had reluctantly accepted wearing Fire Nation formalwear, though he'd already loosened the collar twice. Zuko donned the elegant attire of the Fire Lord, in deep crimson and rich gold, inspiring power and authority.
Toph stood out in her own way. Instead of flowing robes, she'd chosen something practical. Her dark emerald jacket was cut much like a fitted suit, embroidered subtly with gold threading that resembled veins of ore through stone; matching trousers replaced the skirts expected at court. It somehow suited her perfectly—sharp, confident, unapologetically unconventional.
And then there was you. You wore an elegant Water Tribe dress that hugged your body like moonlit water; layers of pale blue and white fabric embroidered with delicate silver patterns shimmered whenever you moved. Your dark hair had been pinned back with carved ornaments, leaving a few soft strands framing your face.
Toph didn't need her sight to know every person in the room had noticed you.
She could feel it. Tiny shifts in weight, hesitations in footsteps, conversations faltering for half a heartbeat whenever you passed nearby.
This much attention directed at you irritated her far more than she wanted to admit.
The evening itself was pleasant. You shared gossip with Katara while admiring the palace gardens visible through the enormous windows. You listened patiently as Aang excitedly explained a restoration project he wanted to begin near one of the old Air Temples. You even sparred verbally with Mai for several minutes before somehow earning the older girl's faintest hint of a smile.
Toph hovered nearby through most of it. Not too close to become obvious; she'd never admit she was following you around the reception hall. Yet keeping close to you had become something of a habit over the past several months. A dangerous one.
Because somewhere between quiet conversations during travels, shared campfires beneath unfamiliar stars, and lingering touches that lasted a second too long, the lines between you and her had started to blur together in something so messy neither of you knew what it was anymore.
It had always happened in secret. Always somewhere no one could catch or interrupt; hidden balconies, empty hallways, quiet corners after everyone else had fallen asleep.
The first kiss had been impulsive. It had happened because of an argument, something about Toph throwing herself face-first into danger with no regard for consequences.
She had teased you then, asking with a smirk on her lips if you'd cry if she were to die a glorious death in battle. But there had been no hint of joy in your words when you'd all but whimpered that yes, you very much would.
To this day, you didn't know if it was the raw emotion of your words, or if maybe Toph sensed something in your body that even you hadn't known was there. But on that same heartbeat, you'd felt both of Toph's steady hands press against your jaw and pull you into her. The kiss was a little messy and a little too rushed, but it had successfully shut both of you up.
The second had been confusing. You had just saved a small village from local bandits, light work, and yet the residents felt the need to show their gratitude in numbers. A banquet had been organized, with enough wine to quench a small town.
The night had stretched into hours deep enough that neither of you could know if you were closer to morning or midnight. And you and Toph had been the only ones remaining under the stars, sitting close together beside a small dying fire.
Toph had a bottle in her hand, even if her words were already slurred enough, and your laughter followed hers with the same kind of ease. And it had happened without either of you quite allowing it to.
Toph had leaned over you, her body pressing firmly into yours until your back was flush with the cold dirt of the ground. Her strong arms had settled around your head, and her mouth found yours under the haze of wine and the smell of fire smoke. But she had tasted sweet and addictive, enough for your hands to find her waist and bury under her shirt and keep her there with you for another hour or two.
Everything after that had simply become impossible to stop.
And on many occasions, you had tried to bring it up, to talk with her about what exactly the two of you had become. You had tried to understand what all those shared moments behind closed doors meant for you both now. And each time, Toph would dodge the conversation. She'd joke, or she'd change the subject.
Or she'd just lean in and steal another kiss until neither of you remembered what you had been discussing in the first place.
The truth of it, however, ran deeper. You beautifully scared Toph. Each time she walked into rooms hoping to find you, each time she pressed her feet more firmly against the ground only to find the steady pulse of your heartbeat, she was faced with the fact that her own heart had begun beating to the rhythm of your name.
And if she ever allowed you to become truly hers, she would be allowing herself to love you, to admit that she wanted to.
Because by loving her, you held a dagger to her heart. And in loving you back, she would be telling you exactly where to cut.
And that felt much more frightening than pretending nothing had changed.
──∘◎∘──
The feeling started as a vibration. Not on the floor, but in her chest.
Toph tilted her head, hair falling over her pale eyes as she focused her senses. There was something out of place, something that didn't belong next to you.
Across the ballroom, you were speaking with Zuko. Nothing unusual, you had become good friends over the years. But then you laughed, and Zuko laughed too. He leaned closer to hear you over the music, and you lightly touched his arm while making another joke.
To everyone else, it looked perfectly innocent.
To Toph, every tiny movement echoed through the polished stone beneath her feet. She sensed exactly how you gripped Zuko's arm, leaning closer to him until your forehead nearly touched his shoulder. Toph felt your footsteps angle toward him. Felt Zuko mirror your stance and step a little closer. Felt you standing close enough to him that your heartbeats nearly aligned in Toph's perception.
Her own heart twisted painfully. Something hot and ugly settled heavily in her stomach, and she nearly shattered the wine glass she held between her fingers.
Toph didn't like this. Not one bit.
Before she realized what she was doing, she was already walking. Her footsteps quick and purposeful, pushing her way past the crowd without a care when people grumbled about her lack of politeness.
She reached your side, caught you gently but firmly by the wrist, and without a word, pulled you away.
A small gasp of surprise escaped you when you were suddenly snatched away from the conversation. Nearly tripping over your own feet, you struggled to keep up with Toph's fast pace. "Toph?" You called as she guided you between guests. "What happened? Is something wrong?"
There was no answer. All you could do was watch Toph's raven-dark hair bounce over her shoulders as she walked; loose for once, maybe because you had once told her how much you loved it when she allowed those long dark strands to frame her face.
Toph guided you through one of the quieter corridors, branching away from the party. She tucked you both away in a shadowed corner, just shy of the prying eyes of the other guests.
Toph pushed against your chest with a calculated shove. You stumbled backwards and had to suppress what would have been an embarrassing yelp when your back suddenly hit the wall with a muffled thud, instead settling for grasping onto Toph's waist tightly, the fabric of her suit jacket twisting in your hands.
Her muscular arms caged you there in an instant, her hands settled against the wall on either side of you, instinctively creating a small world that belonged only to the two of you.
"Toph?" You asked in a breathless hush, watching the outline of her features under the dim light spilling from the party just a few steps around the corner.
The hallway was empty. The music became distant. The moment you were alone, Toph pressed her whole body against yours, solid and warm, one leg between both of yours as her arms kept your face in place.
Your lips met in a kiss that carried every ounce of emotion she'd been trying to bury for months. It wasn't careful. It wasn't hesitant. It was the kiss of someone desperate to reassure herself that the person in front of her was still there.
Toph's hands moved to settle against your jaw, her thumbs pressing into your cheeks and pulling you painfully close. She caught your lower lip between both of hers, lightly tugging on it with her teeth before she slowly soothed it with her tongue.
And your head was spinning as breathing wasn't your brain's priority. Your fingers sneaked under the hem of Toph's shirt, finding the defined curve of her waist and running your nails over the skin there; it gave beneath your touch, pliant under your hands as if she'd been made for your touch alone.
The feeling of Toph pressed so closely against you was near dizzying. Her presence was all-consuming; it felt like white noise and being submerged underwater all the same time—it was the feeling of her soft, insistent lips on yours, and the way you could feel her pulling in a deep breath before a raspy groan came from the back of her throat and she was leaning forward again. Whatever it was that kept you tied to her, you embraced it.
Toph kissed you sweet, warm and tasting like expensive wine; inebriating in the way she pulled you impossibly close to her as if feeling the beat of your heart flush against her own was the only thing keeping her afloat.
When she finally pulled back for a moment, as her lungs ached for air, a fresh wave of heat rushed through you at the sight of Toph; the woman's cheeks unmistakably flushed, her lips swollen with a faint smear of your dark lipstick decorating them prettily. Small cracks in the usually so confident and unbreakable earthbending master.
Your chest heaved as it caught up with the lack of air, and you blinked several times to focus back on reality. "W-What…" Your voice stumbled, hands still buried deep under Toph's shirt. "Toph, what the hell was that about?"
She hesitated, gasping for air just as much as you. She angled her head away from you, running her tongue over her bottom lip and still tasting you there. "You and Sparky." Was all she grumbled.
A scoff escaped you before you could bite it back. "Zuko?!"
"You were all…" Toph gestured vaguely before settling her hands against the wall again, as if she wasn't willing to let you go just yet. "…cozy together."
Your mouth fell agape as confusion slowly painted your features. You removed one hand from under Toph's shirt in order to push strands of hair away from her pale eyes. Your fingers traced the edge of her eyebrow as you did so, until you reached behind her ear and softly tangled your touch between the silky strands of her dark hair. Toph timidly leaned into your hand.
"I was just talking with him," you reasoned eventually.
There was a huff, and suddenly she was pulling away as if your hand had burned her. "You touched him." Toph spat the words, "More than once."
You stared at her for long seconds before understanding finally settled across your features. "Toph…"
"I didn't like it." She snapped, sharper than she'd meant it to be.
Silence stretched between you. Your brows scrunched with indignation, and you took hold of both her wrists, decidedly pushing her arms down and holding her there.
And Toph let you, partly frustrated with how easily you disarmed her.
"You don't get to be jealous." Your voice was even; a quiet, bittersweet finality wrapped around it sent a rush of cold dread to Toph's stomach.
A humorless chuckle fell past Toph's lips. "What?"
"You heard me." Though your voice didn't hold half the conviction it needed for what you were trying to establish, you still pressed on. "You… don't get to act like I'm yours whenever someone else gets close."
The words hurt you as much as they did her; they rolled off your tongue like sharp razors because you wished you didn't have to say them at all.
Toph opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She shook one hand free of your grasp, trying to reach for your cheek. Unable to find the right words, she leaned forward, hoping another kiss might somehow communicate everything she couldn't say aloud.
You pushed her hand away.
"I've wanted us to be together for months," you continued quietly, shaking your head and looking away from her lest your words tangle in themselves. "I've waited because I know this vulnerability scares you."
Toph's shoulders stiffened, and she took a step back as if to brace herself for a blow. "Stop it." Her heart was too loud in her ears, and her hands grew clammy; it felt as if sand had swallowed her feet because Toph's senses were all jumbled up.
"But every time I try to talk about us…" You whispered, and then paused as your thumb, which was still pressed against Toph's wrist, caught on the rapid beating of her pulse. You inhaled sharply, trying to push away the what-ifs. "…you avoid it."
Another silence stretched, hovering like a dark cloud.
"You only kiss me when nobody can see." Despite your voice almost being carried away by the distant music coming from the party, each quiet word landed heavier than the last. "It started making me wonder if you were embarrassed or… or ashamed of me."
Toph's face did something complicated, and she slipped back behind her defenses, crossing her arms over her chest like a barrier between you. "That's nonsense." She shrugged halfheartedly, blowing away a long strand of her hair that had fallen over her nose. It didn't go very far, the end of it catching on the corner of her mouth. "It couldn't be further from the truth."
You pursed your lips, still sensitive from the kiss of mere minutes ago. She was stubborn like that, you knew well, even when you could see her fingers tapping her arm rhythmically, as if she needed the motion to keep her busy and from doing something a little reckless.
"Then prove it." You tugged your messy hair free from its updo, allowing it to fall over your bare shoulders and hopefully hide the pink flush of your cheeks. "Just… tell me this means something for you, at least."
Toph seemed to sense the motion, her head angled back toward you. And her lips parted momentarily, as if she were ready to curse her lack of sight for keeping her from seeing you properly. Her fingers tightened their grip on her own arm, breath running shallow.
She said nothing.
A beat passed, then two. You closed your eyes, feeling something cold settle on your chest.
You nodded slowly, "I'm going back to the party."
And then you were gone. And Toph felt the absence like her heart had just been carved out of her chest.
──∘◎∘──
The palace gardens were quiet; moonlight spilled across smooth stone paths and sleeping flowers.
Toph sat alone on the edge of a fountain, her bare feet dipping into the water and causing ripples that reflected the moon's hazy glow. She gripped the stone of the border; it crackled under her frustration.
For the first time in what felt like forever, everything was too quiet. She remembered your lips, the warmth she'd always leaned toward without thinking. The softness of your laugh. The steady rhythm of your heartbeat whenever you stood close together—a rhythm Toph knew better than anyone else.
She had memorized it without realizing. She could probably pick out your heartbeat from hundreds of people. And she did. Each time you fought side by side, half of her senses were tuned to your pulse all the time. When you lie down to sleep under the stars, Toph counted your heartbeats until sleep took her over. Even when she had her mouth on yours, leaving you breathless and causing that same beat to quicken under her hands, she followed it; she let it guide her, she allowed your heart to tell her where to touch, where to press her mouth a little firmer to get the reaction she wanted.
The realization struck Toph all at once and almost had her slipping deeper into the fountain. She didn't simply enjoy being around you. She had built pieces of herself around you.
Around your voice, your kindness, your terrible jokes, your stubborn optimism, your heartbeat that guided her own.
And the thought of losing that… it hollowed something inside her so completely that she nearly felt nauseous.
No, she wasn't afraid of loving you. She was afraid of admitting just how completely she already did. And that fear had nearly cost her everything.
Toph stood, leaving damp footprints behind her as she rushed back inside the palace.
For once in her life, she knew exactly what she wanted.
──∘◎∘──
Conversation filled the ballroom once more as Toph returned. Picking up a thousand different shapes and voices and vibrations with her senses so suddenly almost made her dizzy.
With a quiet groan past her lips, Toph forced herself to focus. She eased her breathing, frowning slightly as she travelled the entire room in a single moment. And she immediately sensed that her friends all stood together near the center of the hall.
You were there, too, laughing at something Sokka had said while Katara halfheartedly pushed at her brother's shoulder, balancing a drink in her other hand.
Without hesitation, Toph walked straight toward them with newfound confidence, once again pushing her way through the crowd. She didn't bother with words; they were never her strong suit anyway. Toph simply found your hand, interlacing your fingers together, and gently pulled you closer to her.
The room seemed to hold its breath alongside you. Aang stopped mid-sentence, Sokka's eyebrows shot upward, Katara nearly dropped her drink, and even Zuko seemed pleasantly surprised.
Your breath hitched with a poorly hidden gasp when Toph's free hand settled decidedly on your waist, pulling your body more completely against hers. "T-Toph," her name stumbled past your lips as you felt heat creeping up your neck when the stares of everyone around you turned in your direction, "I just said-"
Toph didn't care; she shut you up the moment her mouth collided with yours. The hand resting on your waist shifted up, tracing a path over the fabric of your dress and holding you more firmly against her.
The kiss was not hidden behind closed doors. Not stolen in secret. Not something to be denied tomorrow morning. It was a real thing, out in the open and under the eyes of hundreds of people. One that said everything she'd been too frightened to speak, now displayed louder than a scream.
Toph's hair tickled your cheek when she leaned into you, letting go of your hand so she could bring her palm to your jaw as if she were trying to see the shape of you in every conceivable way.
When you finally parted, Toph remained close enough that her nose still brushed yours. And her thumb reached to trace the outline of your lower lip, as if to make sure you weren't just a daydream. When Toph spoke, you felt the shape of her words against your lips; "You're mine," she whispered, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "And I want everyone to know that."
Air left your lungs all over again. Your hands clutched at the lapel of Toph's suit jacket, holding onto her because you weren't sure your knees could keep you standing right now. "I… I think you made it pretty clear to everyone here." A chuckle escaped you, feeling faint with the way she loved on you.
Toph bit at the edge of her lips as if it took every ounce of her strength to hold herself back from claiming your mouth with hers again and again. Instead, she settled for leaning in and giving a peck to the corner of your lips, before pushing further until her voice was close to your ear, "Good."
A few steps beside you, Sokka had a large grin on his face as he elbowed Zuko and extended his palm, wiggling his fingers. "I told you it would work. Hand it over."
With a huff, Zuko dropped a few gold pieces into Sokka's hand and gave his friend an unamused side-eye. "You'll be the one emptying your pockets when I get the day of their wedding right."
Toph ignored every reaction in the room. The only heartbeat she cared about was the one standing right in front of her.
And now, she had no intention of ever pretending otherwise.
⋆* ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆･
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Pairing: Sugar Mommies Cait & Vi x Sugar Baby Reader
Words: 4459
Synopsis: The three of you have a heart-to-heart; and an old face makes a reappearance
Warnings: Emotional distress, talk of: past physical abuse; cancer; relationship trouble; cheating; unprotected sex
“Y/N?” Vi whispered in your ear, tightening her arm around your waist.
The bedroom was dark and quiet, your combined breathing the only sounds. It was late, the middle of the night, a time when you should all have been asleep. You had thoroughly worn out both your girlfriends, the blue-haired of which was sleeping in front of you, recovering from the hours of scissoring, munching, fingering, and strapons.
You sleepily hummed at Vi, not wanting to move your head as it was tucked under Cait’s chin.
“When you were on the phone with your mom that time…” she started, a little hesitantly, “You said she broke your knuckle…?”
You hummed again.
“Which one, baby?”
You moved your left hand from under your head, moving it up from between yours and Cait’s bodies, and back towards Vi. “Middle finger knuckle.”
Vi gently touched your hand, stroking her thumb over the soft skin where your middle finger met your hand. “Here?”
You hummed again, twitching when Vi stroked again.
“I’m sorry, baby, did it hurt?” she asked, her voice etched with concern.
You hummed a ‘no’. “Little ticklish.”
She gently placed a kiss to the skin before taking hold of your hand, resting her arm over you. “Did you like breakfast today?” she enquired quietly.
You gave a gentle bob of your head. “It was really nice. Vander’s nice.”
“I’m glad you like him.”
“He said something this morning.”
“Yeah?”
You hummed.
Vi chuckled softly. “What was it, baby?”
Cait stirred. “Please, both of you…” she grumbled. “It’s late. We’ve had a busy day. And we’ll have another one tomorrow. I love you both, but please, go to sleep.”
You opened your eyes for the first time, looking directly into her frowning face, her eyes still closed. “So, you don’t want to hear about Vander offering to walk me down the aisle?”
“What!” they both cried, instantly awake.
You giggled sleepily. “Yeah. He said if I ever join your marriage, he’d be honoured to walk with me.”
“Is that…” Vi hesitated. “Is that something you’d like?”
“I mean, he’ll have to fight Ambessa over it-”
Cait squeezed you, looking deep into your eyes. “Not the walking, darling.”
You smiled teasingly. “I know.”
A moment passed.
“Well?” Vi asked, a little louder.
You hummed. “That’s not much of a proposal, Vi.”
“Ohhh…” she groaned playfully. “Oh, just you wait, Y/N.”
“We’ll give you the best proposal ever to be made, darling,” Cait vowed.
Vi asked you, “Do you know your ring size?”
Cait put in, “I already have it, Vi.”
“What? How?” you giggled.
“I have my ways, my love.”
Vi nodded behind you. “Good, good. Now, baby – traditional yellow gold? White gold? Silver-?”
“I’m allergic to silver.”
They both nodded.
“Noted,” Cait said quickly. “Platinum? Rose gold?”
“Rose gold? Ew. No – traditional yellow gold, please. And nothing too big! I hate big rings.”
Cait nodded. “The stone?”
“Diamond, obviously. But can you get it ethically sourced? Or even lab grown?”
Vi kissed the back of your head. “Of course we will, baby. Now – the proposal.”
“Nothing in public. Just us. Something small.”
Cait agreed quietly. “Absolutely. What about a wedding?”
“No, no, no,” you tutted playfully. “We’re not engaged yet. No wedding talk until I get that ring.”
Vi chuckled, her bare chest vibrating against your back. “That’s fair.”
“Oh, can I ask something serious?”
“Of course, darling. Shall I turn a lamp on?”
You shook your head. “No, the dark’s nice. And the light will wake us up too much.”
She kissed your forehead. “Alright, sweetheart. What’s your question?”
“Babies.”
You paused, letting the word settle. Neither woman jumped out of bed, pulled away from you, or made a horrified noise, which you took to mean permission to continue.
“How would you both feel about having children? Because I really want to be a mother one day – it doesn’t have to be now! – but we really should discuss this before getting engaged.”
Vi took a deep breath, that sounded pained.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…
She tightened her arm around you. “I love you, Y/N.”
Oh..?
Cait scooted somehow even closer to you. “I love you too, Y/N.” She sounded tearful. “So, so much, darling.”
“Should I not have asked? I’m sorry!” you started crying.
But they both shushed you.
“No, no, sweetheart,” Cait cooed, kissing your soft lips. “It’s alright, it’s okay.”
“We do want kids,” Vi nodded against you.
Cait chuckled softly. “We could just never agree on who would carry. And neither of us are comfortable with commercial surrogacy.”
“Plus, the only person we know who we could really ask to carry for us would be Powder-”
“Which, at her age, is a firm ‘no’ for both of us,” Cait added. “She’s far too young. It wouldn’t be fair of us to ask her to do that for some time, if we ever did.”
You nodded slowly, taking everything in. It was hard to believe you were all asleep only ten minutes ago. “So, if I carried…?”
“Would you want to, darling?” Cait asked seriously. “Or do you feel you’d have to?”
You shook your head. “I want to. I want to be pregnant, I want to carry a baby. If I can, obviously.”
Vi held your hand tighter. “Did your oncologist say you wouldn’t be able to?”
You shook your head. “No. The type of treatments I did shouldn’t have affected my fertility.”
Cait bobbed her head. “Good. Good. We can still get everything checked, though, just to be safe.”
Vi squeezed you. “Definitely. We need to know you’ll be okay. We’re not putting your health at risk. One of us will have to just suck it up and pop out a baby for us all!”
“Thank you for volunteering, Violet.”
“Hey!”
You all chuckled together, before settling down.
“So…” you said softly. “Are we…?”
Cait kissed your lips tenderly. “Planning a future together? Yes. We are.”
Vi nuzzled into the back of your head, burying her face in your hair. “You’re not getting rid of us now, Y/N.”
Vi helped you put your coat on as you all started preparing to leave the restaurant after a lunch with your now-extended family. Cait, Ambessa, and Vander were all busy arguing about who would pay the bill – they were all fighting to pay it, and they had all shot down Powder’s suggestion that they just split the bill either equally or into their respective families’ orders.
Vi rolled her eyes and went over to the squabbling trio in an attempt to ease the argument so you could all leave; Ekko and Powder slipped off to the side to take some photos in front of the elegant living wall at the side of the restaurant; leaving you and Mel to head outside.
“Our families are crazy, aren’t they?” you giggled to Mel, as you headed out the front door of one of the fanciest restaurants in the city.
“Well, obviously,” Mel chuckled back, “But…”
She trailed off and stopped dead, her hand almost stuck to the heavy door.
You paused as you looked back at her. “Mel? You okay?”
“Y/N?”
Your heart froze.
Your stomach twisted, nausea rising swiftly within you.
Your eyes started flickering as you looked at Mel, who was looking over your head, her beautiful face torn apart by a vicious glare, true hatred burning in her eyes.
“Y/N, is that you?”
Your body turned without you wanting to, sending you face-to-face with the redhead you’d never thought you’d see again.
“Maddie.”
Your voice sounded dead, numb.
Your ex-girlfriend smiled at you nervously. Her short ginger bob framed her sweet-looking, freckled face; her body in a figure-hugging wrap-dress. Her shoes and shoulder bag more expensive than anything you’d ever seen her with, but distinctly not her preferred style.
You couldn’t control the words that followed. “I’m not dying of cancer, you mean?”
She flinched. “Y-Yes. I take it you’re well again?”
Your head jerked in a nod. “Remission. Almost two years ago. Not that you’d know that.”
Another flinch. “Yes… Um…” Mel stepping forward to stand protectively at your shoulder drew her attention. “Mel. How… How are you?”
“You don’t get to speak to me after what you did,” she snapped coldly.
Maddie swallowed. “Look, I… Y/N, I know we didn’t end well-”
“End well?” you barked. “You abandoned me when I had cancer!”
The restaurant door opened behind you.
“Sweetheart, are you alright?”
Cait and Vi approached you, standing on your other side to Mel, both their hands touching your arm gently.
Then they froze.
“Cait?” your ex asked. “Vi?”
“Maddie?” they both said in complete surprise.
Your head spun between the three of them. “What? Wait… You all know each other?”
Cait opened her mouth a few times. Vi shifted awkwardly. Maddie wouldn’t look at anyone.
Your stomach twisted again. A pitiful whimper escaped your throat. “No…”
Cait tried to soothe you. “Y/N-”
“When?” you demanded.
None of them answered you.
“When?!” you shouted, uncaring of the attention you were bringing.
They all did a double-take at you; none of them had ever heard you raise your voice like that, except the phone call with your mother weeks ago.
“It ended well-over a year ago,” Vi explained. “Long before we met you.”
“And how long were you… How long, when did it start?”
Cait’s eyes widened; the penny dropped behind her eyes. “Maddie’s your ex, the one who left you.”
You swallowed thickly, forcing down tears. “And she was your last Baby… Wasn’t she?”
Maddie gasped. “Wait, Y/N, are you-?”
“Not anymore,” Vi snapped defensively.
She took a step closer to you…
And you took a step away from everyone.
This couldn’t be happening… This couldn’t be real… The women you loved – the one you were going to marry, and have babies with, and be together forever with – had been with your ex… Probably at the same time as you were with Maddie.
You were trying to breathe, but your lips trembled. You were trying to blink away tears. Your hands shook in front of you, raised in an almost defensive position. “This… This isn’t happening. This isn’t real…” you whimpered.
The restaurant door opened again.
Because of course it would.
Ambessa, Vander, Powder, and Ekko emerged from within, having to step around the scene happening only a few feet in front of the door.
“What has happened?” Ambessa asked, moving around the stand beside Mel. She saw the short redhead. “Oh. I see.”
Maddie visibly curled in on herself.
“Vi?” Vander asked softly, resting his huge hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”
Maddie just cleared her throat delicately, speaking softly, “Y/N, can we talk? I-In private?”
A pained, hysterical laugh burst from your throat, shocking everyone. Your hands trembled in front of your mouth, your eyes leaking tears.
“T-Talk? Talk? You want t-to talk? After what you d-did?! Oh, fuuuck…” you shook.
“Darling-” Cait tried to calm you, but you erupted.
“No! No, no, no!”
Ambessa’s car suddenly pulled up at the kerb, the driver hopping out, ready to open the door.
The lawyer glanced at the car, then took action. She put her warm hand on your back, nudging you towards the car. “Go with Mel.” She waved at Maddie. “You too, girl. Back seat, do not say a word.” When the redhead obediently hurried towards the black SUV after you and Mel, Ambessa looked at Cait and Vi. “I will handle this. She will be safe with me.”
Before they could try to argue or interject, Ambessa turned and strode towards her car, climbing into the front passenger seat.
The car pulled away, and all the Kiramman-Lanes family could do was watch you drive away.
Cait’s and Vi’s stomach twisted.
Hopefully they would see you soon, so they could explain everything. And everything would be okay…
The car drive was agonisingly awkward and silent. Mel helped you calm your breaths until you eased away from the panic attack you’d been bordering on, letting you squeeze her hand as tightly as you could, instead.
The car slowed to a stop.
“We have arrived,” Ambessa announced, reaching for the handle. Her voice was calm, almost eerily so.
The four of you climbed out of the vehicle, Mel keeping her arm wrapped tightly around your shoulder as she led you forward.
A frown creased Maddie’s brow as she looked up at the skyscraper in front of you all. “Where are we?” she asked timidly, uncertainty creeping in.
“Neutral ground,” was all Ambessa replied.
Maddie hesitated. “It doesn’t look very neutral,” she muttered.
Ambessa’s lips curved faintly. “No,” she said. “It does not. Now, walk.”
The elevator ride up was even more painful than the car ride. The space too small, too quiet; the music playing inside, excessively aggravating.
The numbers ticked up one by one, each number making your pulse jump a little higher.
Maddie shifted in her spot in the corner. “I feel like I’m being kidnapped…”
Ambessa scoffed as she tapped away on her phone with one hand, the other casually tucked into her pocket. “Have any of us unlawfully taken, held, or carried you away, against your will, by force, fraud, or coercion?”
She blinked. “Um… No?”
“Then be quiet.”
“I-I just wanted to talk to Y/N-”
“You will have the opportunity to speak. It seems you have rather a lot of explaining to do, Madeleine.”
“I-It’s just Maddie-”
“Your birth certificate is listed as Madeleine.”
The redhead recoiled. “How… How have you seen my birth certificate?”
But an amused Ambessa just shook her head, a small smirk on her painted lips.
Maddie went quiet, ducking her head.
The lift doors opened.
The reception desk sat in front of the Medarda golden logo for the company; a woman behind the expensive wood already looking up as you all approached.
“Welcome back, Ms Medarda—” she greeted, standing.
“Clear my afternoon,” was the only thing the tall woman said, leading the three of you around a corner and down the corridor towards her office.
“Yes, ma’am!” She immediately set to work, tapping away on her keyboard, lifting her phone’s handset to her ear.
When you were all in Ambessa’s office, the lawyer closed the heavy wooden door behind her. Your heart was pounding in your chest; Mel still had her arm tightly around your shoulders; and Maddie looked almost nauseated.
“I shouldn’t be here,” she said quietly. “I-I was meeting someone for lunch.”
“One of your clients, I imagine.” Ambessa nodded, slipping off her tailored jacket, and hanging it across the back of her leather office chair. “I am sure you can make your excuses.”
Maddie blushed.
You looked back at her. “You’re a Sugar Baby?” There was no judgement in your voice; you only wanted answers.
Suddenly her out-of-character outfit made more sense – she was dressed for her client’s preferences, not her own style.
“Yes,” she nodded. “Yes, I am.”
“How long have you done this?” you asked, crossing your arms protectively around yourself, but stepping out from under Mel’s arm.
You needed to do this yourself.
Maddie hesitated. “A-A few years.”
Your brow twitched into a frown. “You hesitated.”
“No, I-”
“Yes, you did. How long have you been a Baby?”
She paused for a breath, obviously trying to come up with an answer.
You snapped at her, “You said you wanted to talk, Maddie. So, talk. Were you a Baby when we were dating?”
“Yes,” she answered quickly, ducking her head. “Yes, I was.”
You’d already suspected such a thing since the restaurant. It still hurt, though. You let out a breath. “When did it start? When we were dating; before we were dating…?”
“Before,” Maddie replied.
You nodded through the pain. “Was it… Was it full service? Just online? Just dates?”
She swallowed. “Full service.”
You swallowed the stone in your throat. “When we were together?”
“Yes.”
You bobbed anxiously, pointing a finger at her accusingly. “You never told me that. You never told me you were sleeping with other people whilst we were together. I thought we were monogamous! And you were out there having sex with random people?! How many?!”
Ambessa not-so-discreetly picked up her desk phone’s handset, tapping a few numbers as she held it to her ear. “Ambessa Medarda here. I need an urgent appointment with Doctor Reveck, for today; it is not optional.”
You shuddered uncontrollably, groaning in disgust.
“I’m clean!” Maddie cried defensively. “I’ve never had anything!”
Ambessa tilted the received away from her mouth, cutting across sharply, “You have proven yourself untrustworthy, Madeleine. Y/N will be receiving every test available, and if a single result comes back positive, you will need to seek out legal representation.”
“Cait and Vi…” you said softly.
“I will advise them to get tested too,” Ambessa nodded. She returned to her call. “Yes. … Yes, we will be there in an hour.” She put the phone down.
You groaned. “Fuck!”
Mel blinked. “Wait, angel… You didn’t get tested before your first time with them?”
You scrubbed your eyes. “I didn’t think I had to; she was the last person I was with!” you gestured accusatorily at Maddie.
Your friend gawked. “Y/N! You always need to get tested!”
“Well, it’s not relevant now, is it?!”
“Girls,” Ambessa said firmly. “Calm yourselves down. Agitation will not help the situation.”
You looked back at Maddie. “So, full service. Just women?”
She winced. “Men too.”
That honestly surprised you, knowing her sexuality. But a thought pushed aside your sympathy. “What if you’d gotten pregnant?”
Maddie shifted. “I would have taken care of it.”
You were briefly flummoxed. “How would you have explained that to me, though? You would’ve been bleeding and in pain for weeks – how would you have explained that?”
Ambessa spoke up from her spot of leaning against her desk. “I think we are focusing on the wrong subject, Y/N. If you would like, I can-”
You burst out, “Mom, this isn’t a courtroom; she’s not your witness to cross-examine!”
“I do feel like I’m being interrogated,” Maddie mumbled.
Your head snapped back to her. “So, you were fucking men and women whilst we were together – what were you doing with the money? Because you made out like you were a struggling college student, just like me. We budgeted together; we ate buttered noodles together; neither of us had treats or luxuries.”
Maddie’s fingers started wringing together. “Well, I paid my half of everything, but I put the rest in savings.”
Mel asked, “What about gifts from your clients? Clothes you would need for dates? Not many Sugars would tolerate $20 dresses and cheap shoes if they’re paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for your company.”
“I had a storage locker. I’d keep everything that I wouldn’t be able to explain, in there.”
“Were you even at school?” you asked, struggling to make sense of things. “How did you have the time to go to classes, study and do homework, be with me, and also go on dates? I never noticed anything off with you.”
“No, no, I was doing classes,” she clarified. “I graduated this summer, too.”
“Bully for you,” Mel snarked sarcastically.
“I just wasn’t doing any of the extracurricular things I said I was,” she admitted. “I-I wasn’t in art class, or archery, or study club. Those were the times I was on dates or doing photoshoots in the locker.”
“Shoots in your storage locker?” Mel asked incredulously. Her professional side was offended on the girl’s clients’ behalf, imagining the shoddy photos and crappy videos they must have paid for.
Maddie explained defensively, “I got a big one! And I made one end of it look like a bedroom! I had ring lights and everything!”
She rolled her eyes. “Wow, a true professional,” she snarked.
“Girls, once again, we are straying off topic,” Ambessa guided.
You nodded, bracing yourself to ask the question you weren’t sure you wanted an answer to. “What about Cait and Vi? How did it start with them?”
Maddie nodded back at you, equally preparing herself. “We met on an app. They messaged me, looking for a Baby to share.”
“When?”
“A few months after your diagnosis. They were just regular clients, to begin with. But they asked for exclusivity a couple of months after we met.”
Mel held in a comment.
You scoffed a little, your eyes starting to tear up. “So, whilst I was literally fighting for my life, you were just swanning off on dates with Cait and Vi? Getting pampered and spoiled, whilst I was curled up on the bathroom floor, puking my guts up all day from treatment, shivering from pain, my veins burning from chemo? I thought you were going to classes, to get your degree so we could have a life together!”
“I was still going to classes! I just… I was also going on dates.”
You dabbed away your tears, desperately not wanting her to see you cry.
“It wasn’t emotional, Y/N; it was a job. It wasn’t like I was in love with them.”
You snapped, “No, you just liked Cait more and tried to drive a wedge between her and Vi.”
All three of them looked at you with wide eyes, shocked by your accusation.
Maddie flinched back from you. “What? How-?”
“They told me, Maddie. Their last Baby – you – started to like Cait more, and stopped wanting to spend time with Vi. Is that why it ended?”
She shifted uncomfortably. “Um, yeah,” she relented. “Yes, that was how it ended. They said I wasn’t the right fit for them.”
“Well, you’re a Top too, so…”
You trailed off, then gasped.
“Oh, gods, what now?” Mel asked rhetorically.
“You’re the reason Cait doesn’t like to be strapped!”
Mel groaned aloud; even Ambessa shifted minutely.
Maddie blinked. “You’ve tried strapping? I thought you were a bottom?”
“I am! But I was drunk once and asked if I could try, and Cait was really cagey about it. It’s because of you, isn’t it?”
She shrugged awkwardly. “I wanted to Top from time to time.”
Ambessa called, “Ladies, once again, off topic.”
You shook your head. “Do you have any idea how much you hurt them both? Especially Vi. The first time I asked her on a solo date, it was like she couldn’t believe I would want to spend one-on-one time with her!”
The redhead didn’t say anything for a few seconds. She blinked at you, her brow furrowing. “You’re in love with them,” she accused.
“We’re together,” you snapped back defensively.
“They’re probably planning a wedding and babies by now,” Mel joked humourlessly. Then she saw your face “Fuck. You are, aren’t you?”
“So what if we are?” you barked.
Mel raised her brows at your tone. “Calm down, Y/N. Just let me know the theme and colours – I’m still going to be your Maid of Honour. But wait a bit before getting pregnant; I’m not ready for Auntie duties yet.”
Ambessa rolled her eyes. “Girls…”
You turned back to Maddie. “Did you break up with me for them? Or was it just the fact that I was dying of cancer?”
She flinched, shifting between her feet. “They were easy.”
You blinked. “Easy?”
She nodded. “It was simple with them. There were no… Complications.”
There was a tense moment. The air hung heavy between you all.
You winced. “And there were complications with me. I was complicated.”
“I didn’t want to look after you anymore!” Maddie admitted in a cry.
The whole room turned cold and angry; even Ambessa had to grip the edge of her desk harder.
“I was 21, Y/N! I wanted to live my life! I had parties to go to, and dates to be on, fun to have! And you were so sick, all the time.”
“I was dying!” you screamed. “I had a 50-50 chance, the whole time! For two years – two fucking years, I fought for my life! And it could come back any moment! For the rest of my life, I will forever have this hanging over me, like-like a Sword of Damocles! I’ll spend the rest of my life knowing it could come back and kill me, but sure, please go on about how my cancer was hard for you!”
“You were constantly throwing up,” she cringed. “And you had that… That thing in your chest-”
You balked. “My chemo port?”
“It was sticking out of you the whole time! It was gross, and weird, and I hated looking at it. You were constantly going to appointments, and needing help with stuff!”
You glared at her. “What, when I asked you to help me shower a handful of times, because I was too weak to stand from the fucking chemo I was on?”
“I-I couldn’t take it, Y/N! I couldn’t take it anymore!”
“So why didn’t you just tell me? Why didn’t you at least warn me you wanted to break up? You abandoned me the day I got home from major surgery! You acted like nothing was wrong, the whole time; then you packed your bags whilst I was in the hospital. You let me believe I was coming home to you, and you were going to look after me and help me get better! I had to move in with Mel for months afterwards because I was too weak to be on my own! And I had to move out of that apartment, too. You know the one: the one you illegally took your name off and left me shafted with, knowing I wouldn’t be able to pay the rent because I couldn’t fucking work and my disability allowance was absolutely dog-shit?”
You pointed to Ambessa. “She wanted to take you to court, you know?”
Maddie paled.
“The only reason you did not get sued into oblivion-”
“Or face up to six months in prison,” Ambessa added.
“-Was because I told her not to. Was because I couldn’t face a legal battle on top of everything else I was already fucking going through.”
Your eyes started to leak tears; you didn’t bother wiping them away this time.
“You…” You had to inhale slowly as your heart started to pound. “Do you have any idea how badly I struggled after you left? Do you care?”
“I-I always cared about you, Y/N-”
“Just not enough to not abandon me whilst I was dying,” you snapped.
In the end, you shook your head. “Is there anything else you want to say?”
Maddie floundered for a moment. “I…” She swallowed thickly. “I really am sorry, Y/N.”
Ambessa straightened up. “Then you can leave. The three of us have an appointment to get to.”
can I order uhhh clingy natasha with some fluff on the side? thank you
. . . 𝚂𝙰𝙵𝙴 𝙷𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙽 — n. romanoff
Before you, Natasha Romanoff’s mornings were usually going on by routine. The Russian was already up before dawn, swallowing down a glass of water then going for a ten miles run. At her return, she'd shred a heavy bag in the compound gym, shower, and drink her black coffee in silence. She was a creature of early dawn and quiet efficiency.
Then, she fell in love with you.
And suddenly, the fearsome Black Widow discovered a brand-new, highly formidable weakness: the warmth of your arms.
. . . . . .
The digital clock on the nightstand glowed a soft seven forty-two am. The sun was already filtering through the gaps in the blinds — casting lazy, golden stripes across the duvet.
You shifted, gently trying to untangle your legs from the heavy warmth of the sheets, intending to slip out of bed and put the kettle on. But the moment your hips moved more than two inches away, the iron-clad grip around your waist tightened.
A protesting, sleep-heavy groan rumbled against the bare skin of your shoulder blade.
“Where are you going?” Natasha’s voice was a low, raspy purr thick with sleep and heavily laced with her slight Russian accent that only came out in moments like these—a side of her she only let guard down for you.
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” you whispered, turning your head to smile at her. “I was going to make coffee. And maybe get a head start on the day.”
Instead of letting you go, she buried her face deeper into the crook of your neck, inhaling deeply. The redhead's nose was cold against your skin, making you shiver, but her body was like a furnace pressed against your back. She threw a shapely leg over yours, completely pinning you to the mattress.
“No,” she mumbled, her lips brushing your collarbone as she spoke. “Five more minutes.”
You let out a soft laugh, reaching up to run your fingers through her tangled red hair. “Nat, It’s almost eight.”
“Then I need ten more minutes.”
“That's not how bargaining works, Romanoff.”
“I am a master negotiator, I dictate the terms,” she murmured, tightening her arms around you until there was absolutely no space left between you. She was incredibly clingy in the mornings, a sweet, needy contrast to her sharp daytime persona.
She liked to be wrapped around you like ivy, anchoring herself to your warmth.
“What happened to the woman who used to be up and about by dawn?” you teased gently, tracing the line of her jaw. “The one who told me sleeping past six was a waste of valuable training hours?”
Natasha opened one eye, looking up at you through a fan of thick eyelashes. A lazy, incredibly fond smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
“She realized that training doesn't hug back,” she replied softly.
“And your morning run?”
“I rescheduled,” she shrugged, kissing the sensitive spot just beneath your ear, making you gasp softly. “I do night runs now. The pavement is cooler, the compound is empty, and...” She paused, trailing her fingers lightly down your arm, interlocking her fingers with yours. “..it means I don't have to miss a single second of this.”
Your heart melted a little.
It was still hard to grasp sometimes—how a woman who had spent her entire life running, fighting, and surviving now fought so hard just to stay still with you. The fact that she had completely restructured her rigid, lifelong routine just to hold you in the quiet hours of the morning was a testament to how deeply she loved you.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes,” she whispered, leaning in to press a soft, slow, lingering kiss to your lips. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against yours, her breath warm on your skin. “I am a hostage to this bed. You'll have to stay and keep me company.”
“Well, if it's a hostage situation, I suppose I have no choice,” you smiled, wrapping your arms around her neck and pulling her close.
The Russian let out a contented sigh, burying her face back into your chest, her hand gently tracing soothing circles on your lower back. Within seconds, her breathing evened out into a calm, steady rhythm.
The coffee could wait. The world could wait.
For now, you happily surrendered to five more minutes, just for her.
Mom!ScarletWidow & Fem!Reader
Link to Part One [x]
[A/N] I still have requests to get through but y'all really wanted a part two for 'Lesser' so I wrote it! I apologise for the lack of fics lately, life has been very busy and I'm a bit hyper-fixated on the book series I'm reading at the minute 😅 Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this one 😘
Tag List: @fallengoldenangel @spicyanxiouskitten @shootingstars-stuff @kenslm @jordan22459 @coxlong @meliodas7577 @nataursha @yourneedyfemme @imawandasimp @maxxione @poppyshuman @sweetmissnothing @somedumbbitches @chickenlittlsblog @tangayriineee @fxckmiup @the-empty-chxld @just-focus-onthepositive @priyanshi2007 @setsuna1415 @natswife-marvelicious @leenlynn
Your phone buzzes again with an incoming call and you glance at the screen, quickly returning your gaze to your laptop when you see the name ‘Brandon’ flash up on your screen. Like every time he’s called over the past few months you begin to worry that he’s trying to call to give you bad news – something happened to one of your Moms’, a mission gone wrong, one of them has gone missing, one is in the hospital… You figure though that if it’s important enough he’ll leave a message or at the very least, you’ll hear something on the news. Maybe Tony would get in touch with you, something he’d gotten into the habit of ever since you’d left for college.
After a couple of minutes your phone stops buzzing. Like every other time he’d attempted to contact you, Brandon hadn’t left a voicemail. At Thanksgiving your Moms’ had called a couple of times but hadn’t pressed the matter when you didn’t pick up the phone. Only at Christmas did Wanda send you a message. ‘Hey Honey, assume you couldn’t make the airfare home. Hope you have someone to spend the holidays with. Love you.’
You could’ve flown home if you’d truly wanted to. Tony had offered you the money for the plane ticket. “Actually kid,” He’d said to you over the phone. “I’ll do you one better. Get Happy to fly over with the private jet. You can ride home in style.”
“That’s kind Tony and I appreciate it,” You’d said. “But I have plans for the holidays already. I’m going to stay in California.”
Kate had read the message from Wanda over your shoulder, her nose wrinkling, “She really waited until Christmas Eve to check if you weren’t coming home? She could’ve at least tried to care.”
Kate Bishop, the only girl in your college that you’d confided in about your shit parents. Kate hadn’t wanted to go home for Christmas either so the two of you spent a couple of nights in a fancy hotel, with plans to spend the day after Christmas at Universal Studios, somewhere you hadn’t been yet, before heading back to your respective dorms to catch up on studying.
You’d shrugged your shoulders, “It’s not like it matters.”
“Of course it matters,” Kate had snapped. “That’s your Mom! And that’s the only message she sent you for Christmas? No promise to call, no asking if you’re okay, no actually checking if you have plans, just assuming that you do. In fact she probably assumes you don’t have plans, she just doesn’t want to know. The less she knows the less guilty she has to feel.”
You’d heard all this before but there was something different about Kate getting angry on your behalf. Your best friend from home, Cassie, had ranted and raved about your Moms’ and your twin multiple times but you were used to her ranting and raving about anything. Cassie was lovely but also righteous, always angry about something, always worrying about someone suffering in some far corner of the earth, and when she ranted about your parents it felt as far removed as her other indignations. Kate though – good, funny, kind Kate who never had a bad word to say about anyone? It felt personal. It felt real.
You’d realised why Kate got so upset on your behalf the day after Christmas when she’d kissed you on the Secret Life of Pets ride, something you’d both ridden because it had a short queue. You’d both been laughing and then suddenly her mouth was on yours and it had taken the ride operator three times to ask you to get off because the ride was over. When you went back to the dorm Kate had moved in with you for the remainder of Christmas break, the two of you scrunching up onto your single bed, her arm around your waist, your head tucked beneath her chin. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but it was comforting.
On New Year’s Eve the first call from your brother had come through. You’d been getting ready to go out – parties had never really been your thing but Kate had told you it would be casual, and that besides, she wanted to kiss you when it was midnight, and she wanted everyone to see. So you’d agreed to go, aiming for a look that wasn’t too casual but also wasn’t too dressed up. You’d been debating what to do with your hair when your phone screen had lit up and you’d blinked at it in surprise when you saw Brandon’s name.
You hadn’t answered. He hadn’t left a message or tried to call again. Maybe he’d hit the wrong number, you figured. New York were three hours ahead of California, maybe he’d already had a few drinks and maybe tomorrow he’d be embarrassed when he realised he’d tried to call you. You’d assumed that was the case until a week later he tried to call you again.
It’s now May and you’re close to finishing your first year – he’s tried to call at least once every two weeks since then, along with sporadic phone calls from your Mother’s which you also ignore. Tony doesn’t give anything away when he calls, usually about once every three weeks – to check in, to see how your studies are going, whether you need any more money. He keeps the conversation on you, wanting to know about you and your creative writing class and whether you’ve made any friends and he’d certainly wanted to hear all about Kate. You’d found that you rather liked having someone ask after you, having an opportunity to talk about yourself uninterrupted, so you’d stopped asking him questions about the Avengers and let yourself tell him all the details of your college life.
As soon as your phone stops ringing you turn your attention back to the story you’d been working on. You need to submit a 10,000 word short story, and you’re struggling to know what to write about. You stare at the blank document in front of you when suddenly your phone buzzes again and you look down to see Brandon trying to call a second time. Your stomach twists with worry – maybe something really has happened to one of your Moms’. No matter how they treated you as you were growing up, they’re still your Moms’. You don’t wish them ill.
Whilst you’re still wondering whether to answer the phone it stops ringing and you let yourself breath. A moment later the symbol appears in the corner of the screen to show that you have a voicemail. Your eye-brows furrow before you flex your fingers over the keyboard, determined to ignore it, not interested in what your brother had to say.
After Christmas Kate had told you she thought you should go to therapy. If anyone else had said that to you you’d have been embarrassed, angry even, but there was something about the caring, gentle way that Kate said it that made you think maybe she was on to something. Tony was giving you a generous allowance each month so you didn’t have to go through the college’s free counsellor, you could choose whoever you wanted. You found someone’s profile online that you liked and they had immediate availability.
It had been awkward at first. Walking into a room and introducing yourself to a total stranger then being expected to immediately jump into the reason why you’re there, the thoughts, fears and worries you’ve been holding onto your entire life. Your therapist, Emma, had given you a kind smile and had asked why you’d decided to start therapy. You’d just about managed to say, “Well… I’ve always felt like my parents don’t love me as much as-” before you’d burst into tears.
Strange really. You’d had no problem saying those words to Kate, to Cassie. Hadn’t had any problem telling your new college friends that you weren’t going home for the holidays, that you weren’t that close to your family without elaborating further. But something about opening up to this woman sitting across from you, a pen and notebook in her lap, made you burst into tears. To her credit, she’d been very kind – letting you take a moment to pull yourself together, reassuring you it wasn’t unusual to cry in these sessions, that was why she kept a stock of tissues.
As months had gone by you hadn’t cried again but every time you left you would feel a heavy weight on your chest as memories of your childhood had flooded out of you, things you hadn’t thought about for years.
When you were ten years old you were desperate to see if you had powers like Wanda – she’d carried you; it made sense that you might also be enhanced. You’d been in your room, trying to concentrate, to produce the red, glowing magic that your Mom could conjure without thinking. You’d thrown your arms out, trying to move gracefully the way that your Mom did in the battlefield when you’d suddenly heard laughter. Brandon. Who’d filmed you on his phone and then showed your Moms’ who also laughed at you. Wanda had ruffled your hair but neither of them comforted you when your cheeks burned, your palms had gone sweaty and you hadn’t been able to look any of them in the eye for the rest of the night. Brandon had mocked your movements for weeks, snickering whenever it managed to successfully wind you up.
When you were sixteen Brandon had introduced his girlfriend to your Moms’ for the first time. They’d fallen in love with her instantly and you’d overheard Natasha describe her as “the daughter they never had.” When she’d met your eye she’d quickly told you she didn’t mean it like that – you’re still not sure how else she could’ve possibly meant it.
You’d told your therapist about the disastrous eighth birthday that had kick-started your realisation of how Brandon was treated compared to you. “I don’t want you to think it was about the gifts,” You’d said, shifting awkwardly on the suede couch in your therapist’s office. “I didn’t need a PlayStation or an XBOX or… Any of that. It’s just…”
When you leave the silence hanging between you for too long Emma prompts, “You needed your Moms’. Needed them to notice you and love you as much as they loved Brandon. There were two of them. One of them could’ve gone into your room, even if you’d all eventually made your way into Brandon’s room. One of them could’ve sat with you. They could’ve let you take turns opening the gifts rather than making you wait until Brandon was done. It was your birthday too and yet you were made to feel like an afterthought.”
You’d fiddled with your hands in front of you, “Sometimes I feel like I’m being overdramatic. I mean… It’s not like they abused me. They never laid a hand on me, never even really raised their voice to me, they were always calm. I felt safe with them.”
Emma had nodded before asking in her calm voice, “But did you feel wanted?”
You’d kept your tears in until you’d got back to your dorm. Because no – you’d never felt wanted. Not by your Moms’, your brother, any of the Avengers, not even by Cassie though it wasn’t her fault. There was only one person who had ever made you truly feel wanted.
Kate looks up from where she’s lounging on your bed as she sees the expression on your face. She’d gotten into the habit of hanging out in your room whilst you attempted to write, always bringing snacks and words of encouragement. Instead of saying anything she just holds out her arms and you abandon your laptop, picking up your phone and climb onto your single bed, letting her pull you into her warm embrace.
“Look,” You say, showing her the voicemail from your brother.
Kate kisses your forehead before leaning her head on your shoulder, “What do you think he wants?”
“I don’t know. He’s been trying to get in touch since New Years and I’ve always ignored his calls. It’s the first time he’s left a voicemail.”
“You don’t have to listen to it if you don’t want to. You don’t owe him anything.”
“He’s still my brother-”
“And where was that energy from him when-” Kate forces herself to take a deep breath, pressing a kiss to your cheek this time. “You don’t have to decide right now.”
“It’s sitting there, taunting me. I don’t want to look at that notification every day whilst I decide.” You sigh, “I’m going to play it.”
Kate doesn’t argue with you, secretly intrigued to hear what your brother could possibly want to finally leave a voicemail. You hit play, turning your phone on speaker so Kate can hear as well.
“Hey Y/N…” It almost feels a physical blow to hear your twin brother’s voice for the first time in months. It knocks the wind completely out of your sails so it takes you a minute to realise he’s slurring his words. “Do you remember when we were really little and we made that den in the- It was- You were so funny, always wanting to be the princess. It was kind of… Anyway, I just… You haven’t been home in forever. I thought maybe you knew, through the twin connection, we- Remember we used to pretend we could read each other’s minds? Anyway, things got kinda fucked around here but it’s not- I’ll be okay, I always am. It’d be good to see you, hear how college is treating you. Yeah… Call me back. If you want, I’m not that fussed. Yeah. Okay. Bye.”
Kate rolls her eyes, her arm tightening around your waist the moment your phone goes silent, “Why’d he have to laugh like that when he asked how college was going?”
You’d noticed that too, as if you’d already crashed and burned and he was just waiting for you to tell them. Although you were struggling with your final assignment you’d been surprised at how easily college came to you – how quickly you’d managed to make friends, how you breezed through your assignments. Tony’s allowance meant you didn’t need to get a part-time job but you volunteered a couple of mornings a week at the on-campus library. College was easy – it was like you’d been waiting to get here. Now your life had officially begun and it was better than anything you could’ve imagined.
You didn’t have time to dwell on your brother’s voicemail. Not when Kate began kissing your neck, her hand wandering up and down your body. There were far more important things to focus on than Brandon right now.
You finish your 10,000 word short story, submitting it with the rest of your final assignments. It had taken a lot of late nights, and a lot of resistance from you to stop Kate from inadvertently distracting you but you’d managed it. Now you’ve packed up everything from your dorm room ready to go back to New York. You’d hoped you and Kate could wait out summer break in California but it turned out that Kate was going back to New York too; to spend the summer with her Mother who was apparently worried that Kate had gotten into all sorts of stupid shenanigans whilst she was at college.
Happy picks you up again, starting the long journey home whilst Kate returns with her Mom, the two of them apparently planning a road trip so they can catch up on everything. Kate had asked her if you could join them but apparently her Mom had been a bit weird about it, something which didn’t fill you with joy to meet her one day.
Once you’re home you’re surprised at the warm reception your Moms’ give you. You’ve just stepped through the door with one of your boxes when Natasha quickly pulls it out of your arms, before gathering you in her own, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “There’s our sweet girl,” Natasha says, hugging you tighter. “We’ve missed you so much.”
Wanda is waiting eagerly behind her, and gives you a big hug the second Natasha lets go, “We wanted to come pick you up but… Well, we’re glad you’re home. We should’ve sent you the money to come home for Christmas; it wasn’t the same without you.”
“We want to hear everything,” Natasha says, running a hand over your head as Wanda continues to hug you tight.
They both help you bring all your boxes inside then before you know what’s happened; you’re sat at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in front of you as your Moms’ look at you expectantly, wanting to hear ‘everything’. It’s been nearly a year since they saw you or even spoke to you and there’s a lot to tell them but you find that you don’t even know where to begin. You don’t think you’ve ever had their attention solely on you, and you find it a little awkward.
“Tony says that you met someone,” Natasha prompts.
So Tony had been talking to them about you. Neither of them had asked or tried other than the occasional sporadic phone call. No one had left you a message, not even Brandon after the one you’d ignored those few weeks ago. Eventually you nod and say quietly, “Yeah… Yeah, her name’s Kate.”
Your Moms’ look at you, clearly wanting more information, but your throat closes up as you realise you don’t want to tell them about Kate. Not because you’re embarrassed but because Kate… Kate is yours. The thought of you telling your Moms’ everything you love about Kate, and them telling Brandon, only for him to twist it around, to mock you, to mock her… Eventually you land on, “Yeah, I really like her.”
“You said she lives in New York?” Wanda asks. “Maybe we’ll all have to meet up for dinner.”
You nod, having absolutely no intention of introducing your parents’ to Kate. “Tell us about your course,” Natasha prompts. “Did you-”
“Hey.”
Your brother’s voice interrupts from the doorway, and you’re surprised at the instant reaction from your Moms’. Or the lack of. Rather than jumping up to fuss over him, to check if he needs anything, they both remain where they are. In fact, they both seem to visibly tense at the sound of his voice. Neither of them even turns to look at him.
Brandon looks like shit, you realise. Granted it’s been a long time since you’ve seen him but he looks nothing like the boy you’d said goodbye to nearly a year ago when you and your Moms’ had dropped him off at NYU. There are dark circles beneath his eyes, his face looks hollow and there’s just… A darkness to him that you hadn’t noticed before. He’d always been the golden boy, basking in the light and love of your Moms’, but now he seems like a shadow. “Hey,” You reply quietly. “You’re home too?”
Brandon lets out a snort that’s half a laugh, half exasperation, “I guess you didn’t tell her yet.” Your gaze swivels to your Moms’, neither of whom says anything. Brandon rolls his eyes, “College didn’t work out. I’ve been living at home since Christmas.”
Was that why he’d tried to call you on New Year’s Eve? To lament the fact that college ‘hadn’t worked out’ for him. Maybe that was why he’d laughed when he asked about college, assuming you were struggling with it – if Brandon hadn’t managed it, how could you be doing okay? You glance at your Moms’, but neither of them gives anything away. You rack your brains to remember what Brandon was even studying, feeling a little guilty when you realise you have no idea.
“It’s a good opportunity anyway,” Brandon says. “I’m going to start my own business.”
You wait for your Moms’ to back him up, to confirm it’s a good idea even if you think it’s an awful one, but they both remain silent, both of them staring awkwardly at the table. You take another sip of your tea before standing up, “Sounds… Great. I should probably freshen up.”
“We thought we’d go out for dinner,” Wanda says quickly. “Anywhere that you want.”
You raise your eye-brows in surprise, your gaze immediately darting to Brandon, taking in the way his jaw tightens and his mouth sets in a thin line. It only took over eighteen years but it’s finally your turn to pick where you all go for dinner. “I’ll have a think about it,” You eventually manage to say before slipping past your brother to head upstairs.
As you walk through the house you begin to notice things you hadn’t before. Glass missing from the frame of the family photo at the bottom of the stairs. A patched up hole in the wall just outside of Brandon’s room. When you peak into Brandon’s room you’re surprised to find it’s a complete mess, with empty plates and glasses on every surface, trash littering the floor… You can smell the stale air from the hallway and you wince, heading into your own room across the hall.
You take a seat on the edge of your childhood bed, remembering the countless nights you’d spent in here wishing they would just treat you like part of the family. Now you’d had your Moms’ full attention, they’d been so happy to see you, they’d even said you could pick where you all went out for dinner… But it still felt like too little, too late.
As for Brandon... You had no idea why he was acting so strange. What had actually happened for him to leave college? You pull out your phone, instantly relaxing when you find a message from Kate. Your calm in the storm.
Summer break begins to go by at snail’s pace. One month passes and you learn that Brandon was kicked out of college rather than leaving of his own freewill. His girlfriend had broken up with him and he’d spiralled, turning to alcohol, neglecting his studies, picking fights with anyone he deemed had ‘looked at him wrong’. Your Moms’ had tried to appeal on Brandon’s behalf but the college had kicked him out anyway, not wanting the hassle of him. Brandon had come home, cursing the dean, cursing everything, insisting he was going to start his own business, that he didn’t need a degree to be a success. When it turned out to be harder than he’d anticipated, he’d fallen into a routine of skulking around the house, grunting or sneering at anyone who tried to talk to him, then spending every evening drinking alone in his room. If your Moms’ tentatively suggested he should meet up with his friends he rolled his eyes and mumbled something about not wanting to see those losers.
You’d realised quickly Brandon had a temper that he’d never really shown before, only made worse when he was drinking. Your Moms’ didn’t look at him like their golden boy anymore but they still didn’t stand up to him, not even when he got right in Wanda’s face, screaming abuse at her before grabbing the nearest thing to him and slamming it against the floor. That turned out to be Natasha’s favourite mug which had smashed into a million pieces. You’d simply watched, horrified. Brandon had tried to talk to you a couple of times, tried to get back to your usual rapport, trying to undermine your college, your course, the few friends that you’d told them about. It didn’t work this time though. Rather than humiliation and anger, you simply felt sad for him. He’d spent his whole life being told he was God’s gift to humanity and he was now discovering he wasn’t. That if he wanted to make something of his life, he’d have to work for it. And it didn’t look like he was willing to put in the effort.
You meet up with Kate at least once a week and she delights in your brother’s downfall. “What?” Kate asks when you give her a look. “It’s a little bit funny.”
“I’m worried for my Moms’. He’s… He’s so wound up Kate, I really thought he was gonna hit Mom the other day-”
“They’re Avengers; they could kick his ass if they wanted to. And they probably should, it would teach him a valuable lesson. But they don’t. And until someone does something, this is all he’s ever gonna be. A loser, stuck at home with his Mommy’s. Even his girlfriend sniffed out his shit and good for her honestly.” Kate grins at you, kissing your cheek, “Sorry, sorry, I know he’s your brother. But come on, it's not like he ever cared about you.”
“I know,” You reply quietly, remembering the many conversations you’d had with Emma. Now you were home you were still talking to her weekly, just virtually. “It’s just… Hard to blame him entirely. If I was the one my Moms’ chose to shower with their love and light like that, would I have spared a thought for him?”
“Yes,” Kate replies without hesitation. “Yes, you would have. I’ve heard you talk about him Y/N, and I know that all you ever wanted was a brother, not a rival. You would’ve insisted on things being fair.”
You glance at her, “Is this because of when I argued about the rules of UNO? Because-”
“UNO, Monopoly, pretty much any board game we play and you insist on looking up the rules,” Kate teases, kissing your cheek again. “Because you like things to be fair. Brandon didn’t care about whether things were fair, he only cared about himself. And now the dynamic is shifting and he hates that.”
You lean your head on her shoulder, “It must be embarrassing for him though. No matter what went down when we were kids, he’s still my brother. I didn’t want him to crash and burn.”
“You’re a better person than me because I would be gloating about this every chance I got.”
You grin, nudging her chin with your head, “Yeah, we all know.”
“Seriously though, it’s not your job to manage your brother’s failure. He could apply to go to college next year or get an internship or something. His life isn’t over, I’m sure your Moms’ have strings to pull if he would just get off his ass and ask.” Kate leans her head against yours, “I was thinking we could go away for a bit.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“My family has a vacation home in Vermont. We normally go in December so it’ll be empty right now. Just for a couple of weeks, we could go on walks and you… You could have a break. Every time I see you, you look more and more stressed out. You deserve a rest from all of this.”
The atmosphere in your house had been so weird and Kate had noticed it was taking a toll on you. You and your Moms’ had been tiptoeing around your brother because the slightest thing could set him off into a fit of anger. Natasha had patched up a couple more holes in the house, and Wanda was spending more time staring into space, simply responding “I’m fine darling” whenever you asked if she was okay. The thought of escaping that oppressive house for two weeks was a relief, and you immediately felt like you could breathe again.
That feeling of relief is short-lived and by the time you get home your chest is tight with anxiety again. Brandon is upstairs in his room, screaming and shouting about something, his ravings punctuated by the sounds of loud bangs, and your Moms’ are in the kitchen, Natasha’s arms around Wanda whilst she sobs into her chest. You hesitate in the doorway, before grabbing a dustpan and brush to sweep up the broken debris on the floor. It looks like a plate – or what used to be a plate anyway.
“Thanks Sweetheart,” Natasha says quietly. One of her hands runs up and down Wanda’s back. “I’m sorry about all of this, it’s just… He’s going through a rough patch. He needs time-”
“It’s August. He got kicked out of college eight months ago.” The words are out of your mouth before you can stop them, hard and bitter as you scrape the broken plate into the bin. “You’ve all been living like this for eight months?”
“He- He’s our son; he needs our support right now-”
“How are you supporting him?” You ask, turning to face them both, feeling momentarily guilty when you catch sight of Wanda’s tear streaked face. But you know you’re right and now that you’ve started you find that you can’t stop, “You’re not supporting him, you’re enabling him. What has he actually done since being kicked out? He doesn’t even have a job.”
“He’s been looking-”
“Bullshit he’s been looking! He sits in his room wallowing in self-pity and you both just let him. Why bother actually looking for a job when you two will be there to catch him when he falls? I know you’ve been giving him money and it’s being wasted on enabling his drinking habits-”
“He’s not like you,” Wanda says defensively. “His whole world fell apart when Vanessa broke up with him and now he’s struggling. You’ve always been so independent-”
“I didn’t have a choice!” You snap, the words that you’d wanted to say the day you told them you were moving to California tumbling out of your mouth. “If I were the one who’d flunked out of college there’s no way you would’ve let me behave like this! You think my first year was easy? Sometimes it was really fucking difficult but I didn’t have the security of a safety net, of anyone to catch me when I fall. I don’t have the luxury of being able to fall apart, I never have.”
“Y/N-”
“He needs an intervention. He needs you both to stop tiptoeing around him. He needs a fucking reality check. He needs-”
“What else do I need, Y/N?”
Your blood runs cold as you hear your brother’s icy voice from behind you, and you slowly turn to face him. It still hits you even now just unrecognisable Brandon has become. You’ve always been jealous of how bright he is, how other people are always drawn to him. The difference between you now is stark, as if you’d stolen the light from him. As you glance at your Moms’, you realise that neither of them is going to say anything to Brandon. Kate had been right, if he did try to physically hurt them, they could easily stop him. That wasn’t what they were afraid of though. They were afraid of him turning his back on them. Even now, even when he was making their lives so difficult and stressing them out to the point where Wanda had been crying when you got home, they still wouldn’t dare stand up to their precious boy.
Nothing was ever going to change.
“You need,” You say in the calmest voice you can manage, “To get a fucking grip Brandon. Vanessa broke up with you. Big fucking deal. People break up all the time. You should’ve gone out for a couple of drinks with your friends and then gotten a grip.”
“You have no idea how hard it was for me-”
“It wasn’t hard for you! It was never hard for you. You’ve had everything handed to you on a silver fucking spoon your entire life and the moment you were faced with a real problem you made it everyone else’s problem.” Your voice is still quiet but cold and firm. “Our Moms’ would do anything for you, anything at all. And this is how you repay them? Smashing up their house, making them miserable in their own home-”
“What the fuck would you know about it, Y/N? You think you’re so much better than me for sticking it out at college but you’re doing creative writing. You’re never going to do anything with that-”
“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but at least I’m doing something Brandon. You’re a loser bumming off the Moms’ and what have you got to show for it? No girlfriend, no friends, no job, nothing.”
“I’m a loser? I’m a loser? I had way more friends than you in school, you were the one that the other kids made fun of, that-”
“We’re not kids anymore, you fucking baby!” You snap. “You need to grow the fuck up and-”
What happens next happens so quickly that you barely have time to register it. Brandon, holding his fist up, moving towards you, and you flinching away. A flash of bright red light, a scream and when you open your eyes again, Brandon is crumpled on the floor, both of your Moms’ staring at him, Natasha shocked but Wanda’s face set in cold, hard anger.
“Don’t you dare lay a hand on your sister,” Wanda practically hisses. “She’s right. We’ve tiptoed around you for too long and it’s not doing you any favours. Me and your Mama have been waiting patiently for your anger to subside, but you’ve gone too far now. We don’t hurt each other in this house. Me and your Mom have been letting you hurt us for too long but I won't let you hurt your sister.”
Brandon glares at her, “Mom-”
“You can’t stay here anymore,” Wanda says. “I won’t have the worry of you potentially hurting your sister hanging over my head while she’s here.”
“Are you- You’re really going to pick her over me?” Neither of your Moms’ says anything and Brandon’s nostrils flare with irritation, “Where the Hell am I supposed to go?”
“We’ve been giving you money for months,” Natasha says, her own voice cold and hard. “If you’ve wasted it, that sounds like your problem.”
“You’re a smart boy, Brandon,” Wanda says. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
There’s a long, tense moment of silence before Brandon climbs to his feet, his eyes blazing as he storms out, slamming the door so loudly behind him that the entire house shakes. Wanda turns to you, reaching out to place a hand on your arm, “Baby… Are you okay?”
You nod, dumbfounded, “You… You didn’t have to do that. I’m going away with Kate tomorrow. She has a holiday home, I’ll be gone for a couple of weeks-”
“We did have to do that,” Natasha says quietly. She looks at Wanda then runs a hand through her red hair, “We did. Fuck.”
“I didn’t realise that you thought…” Wanda lets her voice trail off, her hand moving to your face to cup your cheek. “Y/N, I didn’t… We never meant to…”
“Have you been okay?” Natasha asks, moving to stand on your other side. “At college? How have you been paying for everything?”
You swallow hard and then mumble, “Tony sends me an allowance every month.”
Wanda’s eyes water, “Tony. Of course.”
“And you’ve been alright?” Natasha persists. “You haven’t… Have you struggled with anything? Assignments or boy problems or friends-”
“You both know I have a girlfriend so no, no boy problems…”
“I didn’t even know that you liked-” Wanda has to look away.
Natasha just nods, “You said you’re going away for a couple of weeks? Do you want me to help you pack?”
You hesitate but figure that the distraction of packing your suitcase will be better for all of you than sitting there brooding on Brandon, everything he’s done and where he might be right now. So you nod, leading your Moms’ upstairs, Natasha walking stiffly with her fists clenched, Wanda with tears starting to silently trickle down her cheeks again.
Wanda sits down on your bed whilst Natasha pulls out your suitcase, opening it on the bed and then looking around, “Where’s she taking you?”
“Vermont,” You answer.
Wanda looks at you, “Kate… She… You like her? She treats you well?”
You nod, giving her a small, sad smile, “Yeah. She’s… I really like her.”
“Do you have a picture of her?” Natasha asks.
You hesitate. You hadn’t shown them a picture of Kate or gone into any details about her but you feel like you can’t deny them this after everything that happens, especially since you’re going away with her for two weeks. So you take out your phone and show your Moms’ your lock screen, a selfie of you and Kate where Kate’s sticking her tongue out and squishing your cheeks between her fingers. Wanda smiles, “She’s pretty. What is she studying?”
“Business Studies, her Mom wants her to take over her business someday.”
Both of them continue asking questions about her and you answer easily as you and Natasha work on packing your suitcase. Wanda eventually smiles through her tears when you recount another story of Kate doing something ridiculous just because she’d been dared to, and Natasha actually laughs. Eventually you stand back, looking at your fully packed suitcase and say quietly, “I do think he needs help.”
Natasha and Wanda glance at each other before Natasha nods, “I know. I know he does.”
“Do you think he’ll be okay tonight?”
“He’ll manage one night. No doubt he’ll be back here tomorrow and then…” Natasha hesitates. “We’ll look up AA meetings. Or get counselling or… Something. He’s underage so I know he shouldn’t be but…”
“It’s time he got a job,” Wanda says. “You’re right; we let him wallow around in self-pity for eight months. Enough’s enough.”
You purse your lips together, looking between them both, “I love you both but…”
“I know,” Natasha says quietly. “We know.”
“Can we call while you’re away?” Wanda asks. “We tried while you were at college but you never answered and you never called back. We thought… We thought maybe you didn’t want to talk to us.”
“I did want to talk to you,” You admit. “I just… I wanted you to try. To try harder. To prove that you loved me.”
Natasha’s face falls and she pulls you into her arms, “Oh Y/N… Of course we love you.”
“Not as much as Brandon though,” You mumble into her shoulder.
Natasha shakes her head and closes her eyes, “No. That’s not true. We’ve always loved you the same. I know it didn’t always feel like that. We messed up so many things Y/N but please don’t ever think we loved you less. I swear we didn’t. You’re our special girl.”
You don’t say anything and Wanda stands up to join in the hug too. Both your Moms’ tuck you between them, both holding you tightly. You can’t remember them ever doing this for you when you were a kid. Natasha presses a kiss to the top of your head and you close your eyes, allowing yourself a moment to finally accept comfort from both of your Moms’.
You don’t forgive them for everything that happened when you were little. When you go back to college, you’re not sure if you will answer their calls. You’ll probably answer while you’re in Vermont, just to make sure Brandon hasn’t done anything too crazy while you’ve been away. But what matters the most is that you’re not that upset little girl anymore.
You’d stood up to Brandon when your Moms’ had been too afraid. You weren’t alone anymore – you had plans to meet up with Tony once you were back from Vermont. You had friends who’d been messaging you throughout summer break, wanting to know what you were up to, some sending you links to accommodation for when you all returned for the new academic year. And then there was Kate – the first person who’d ever truly seen you. You don’t forgive your Moms’ yet. Maybe you never will. But you’ve started to forge a new life where you don’t need them. Which is more than Brandon can say.
Kate Bishop x Fem!Reader
You're tasked with finding out what happened to Kate whilst she was missing
TW's: Minor descriptions/mentions of violence & torture, nothing graphic 😘
[A/N] AHH so some of you may have noticed I haven't posted for over a week, I explained in response to an ask yesterday but last week my writing motivation was in the gutter, then I had the most incredible weekend of my life so I decided to just have a week off. Then today I was struck with inspo and I wrote a cheeky little Kate fic which I hope you all enjoy! ❤️
You linger awkwardly in the doorway to the medbay as the medics work hard at patching up Kate. She looks rough – Clint had found her just in time after Kate had been missing for eight weeks. Any length of time missing in action is bad, but this was the longest that any Avenger had been untraceable for. Now she was malnourished, badly dehydrated and littered in cuts and bruises. When Clint had lifted her up into his arms, she’d barely registered him or that she was being moved.
Tony puts a hand on your shoulder, “I know you feel uncomfortable about this. But it’s the easiest way.”
You nudge him off your shoulder, the guilt rising in your stomach as you remember why you’re here. Not to support Kate, not to be her friend, but to use your power to shift through her memories, to see what happened to her while she was away. Tony might say it was the easiest way but for who exactly? Kate? You doubted it – this was her trauma and you were going to delve into it without her permission or knowledge. Easier for Tony no doubt to hear the information second-hand from you. There was a reason he hadn’t told Steve about this, knowing the Captain would chew him out if he knew.
You’d protested when Tony had asked but had agreed, probably far quicker than you ought to have. Because a dark, twisted part of you needed to know what happened while Kate was away. You wanted to memorise the faces of the people that had done this to her and hunt them down one by one. If anyone was going to find out what happened, you wanted it to be you. You wanted to be the first, the one who knew every gruesome detail. You wanted to take on the burden of Kate’s pain. Tony might be in this for himself but it would be easier for Kate not to have to relive the traumatic events that had occurred. That was what you’d told yourself anyway.
By the time you’re allowed inside Kate is asleep, hooked up to machines and looking peaceful despite the dark bruises on her face. Tony takes a step into the room but one hard glare from you has him holding his hands up and backing out quickly, leaving you to your work. You turn your attention back down to Kate, running your fingers gently over her forehead to brush a strand of dark hair out of her face. Your gaze turns to her lips, remembering the fairytales you’d read as a child. Maybe one kiss would be enough to fix all of this mess-
You quickly look away, your cheeks burning. Kate wasn’t your girlfriend. Not that it stopped you from thinking about her every hour of the day, glancing at her constantly during training, volunteering first whenever she was looking for a sparring buddy, making sure you sat next to her at the dinner table, or laughing the loudest at all of her jokes, including the particularly cheesy ones. Your infatuation for Kate hadn’t gone unnoticed by anyone except for Kate herself apparently. Unless she just didn’t like you like that but hadn’t wanted to hurt your feelings.
Sometimes though, you’d catch her looking at you, see the way her eyes would quickly swivel away when you caught her gaze, and how she’d wipe her hands on her pants, and you’d wonder if maybe… There was something there after all. Not that it mattered, neither of you was brave enough to make the first move.
Kate was always getting herself into trouble and this wasn’t any exception. As you press your fingers to the side of her head, you’re instantly flooded with her memories – how she’d approached a gang of criminals without any back-up, nobody any the wiser that Kate had intended to do that, how they’d outnumbered her easily, carried her back to their lair. Then the torture began.
It was difficult, but you forced yourself to watch as Kate valiantly refused to give away any information despite what they did to her. It had been horrendous and Kate had screamed and cried, but whenever they began to question her again she’d just purse her lips together and breathe through her nose, fighting the pain, refusing to give anything away. For four weeks she hadn’t cracked until one day, they’d tried a different tactic. One of the men walked into the room and Kate braced herself for the usual blows, for the pain to begin, but they merely held something up for her to see. Kate’s eyes had blinked, slowly coming into focus until they’d landed on a necklace in his hand. Your necklace.
You’d had to come out of her memory for a moment, gently touching the necklace around your neck, the one that you wore every single day without fail, even on the battlefield. It hadn’t been yours – the one the man had been holding. You’d have known if it had gone missing. A good replica maybe, but it definitely hadn’t been your necklace. You look down at Kate’s sleeping face, watching the way her chest slowly rises and falls, before slowly placing your fingers on the side of her head again, letting the memories filter into your own brain.
You’d been young when you’d realised you’d possessed this ability. Your fingers had touched your younger brother’s head while he slept, and your own head had been invaded by his memories, seeing the world through his eyes. It had been difficult to sift through them at first, but you’d taught yourself, secretly practicing on your family every night. One day you’d tried when your Mom was awake, just to see if you could, and she’d pushed you off her, clutching her head in her hands. The look on her face when she realised what you could do would be burned into your brain forever. They didn’t trust you after that. You were locked in your room each night, your power a dirty secret. It had taken you years to admit your abilities to the Avengers.
Your mind focuses on the necklace in the masked assailants’ hand, his voice coming through clearly into your own head, “We have Y/N. If you do not answer our questions… Let’s just say it will end badly for her.”
Kate had taken a deep breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly before rasping out, “I don’t believe you.”
“That is up to you. It’s your choice to make.”
Kate had folded, almost instantly. All their questions had been answered but they still hadn’t set her free. It seemed they almost delighted in tormenting her. Maybe they had a personal vendetta against her, maybe against the Avengers, or maybe they were just evil. One afternoon her captors had taunted her, “It’s your choice Kate Bishop. We can either hurt you, or we can hurt Y/N. What do you want to-”
“Me,” Kate had hissed through her teeth without hesitation. “Hurt me. Just… Leave her alone. Let her go, I told you everything you wanted to know. Please leave her alone. Please.”
Kate had endured torture for weeks, believing she’d been protecting you, unaware that you’d been safe and sound at the Avengers compound the entire time.
When they discovered Kate had managed to cut through one of her bonds, they’d threatened to go to ‘your cell’, to terminate you for her insolence. Kate had cried and begged for your life, so hard that she’d nearly vomited up the little food she had in her system. They’d retightened her restraints and had warned her not to try again or you would suffer. Kate didn’t make any more attempts to escape.
Eventually Kate’s captors had grown tired of their torment and had disappeared, leaving her alone with no food or water for two full days. Kate had been strapped down, unable to move, too weak to even call out for help. If Clint hadn’t found her when he had, she would surely be dead.
Your eyes burn as you remove your hand from her head, your vision returning to the present, focusing on the steady rise and fall of Kate’s chest. Part of you knows deep-down that Kate would’ve been hurt regardless but to know that she bore the pain in an attempt to protect you makes your heart twist painfully. Your hand drops down to her arm, running your fingers down it as softly as possible before taking her hand in yours.
Why had they used you? The obvious choice for blackmailing Kate would’ve been to pretend they had Clint. Maybe they didn’t have anything easily identifiable as his, but Yelena would’ve been an easy choice too - everyone knows how close Kate is to Natasha’s sister. Or even her beloved dog, Lucky. They could’ve picked any of the Avengers, but they’d chosen you. And Kate had crumbled instantly.
“Thank you,” You whisper, knowing that Kate can’t hear you but wanting to tell her anyway. “You shouldn’t have done that but… I would’ve done the same for you. In a heartbeat.”
“Well that’s a relief,” Tony says, running a hand through his hair. “One less thing to worry about. We’re obviously still in the process of trying to find them, but at least we know Kate didn’t give anything away.”
You’re sat opposite Tony in his office, having just given him an edited account of what happened to Kate during her captivity. Although you hadn’t downplayed any of the suffering that Kate went through, you’d omitted the parts where they’d lied to her, had convinced her you were being held captive too. Hadn’t told him that Kate had answered all of their questions, and they’d continued to torment her anyway. In your version, Kate refused until eventually the gang gave up and left her for dead.
You’d find them long before the Avengers did. Although they were masked in Kate’s memories, you’d managed to sift through and find enough identifiable details to track most of them down, which would surely lead you to the rest. And when you found them, their deaths would be slow and painful. Kate’s torture would be a drop in the ocean compared to what you had planned for them.
“I’m not doing that again,” You tell Tony. “If this happens to anyone else, you ask them what happened, or we ask for their permission if it’s too painful for them to discuss. It was a violation and you’re never to ask Kate about it.”
Tony simply nods, watching thoughtfully as you stand and leave his office.
Nobody asks Kate about what happened, and she doesn’t offer any information. At first, you’d worried that Kate would panic, would insist on telling everyone the secrets that she’d told the masked assailants, to let them know finding them should be a priority. But she hadn’t. You’d kept an eye on all internet forums, particularly on the dark web, but everything remained quiet. Whatever they planned to do with the information they’d obtained from Kate, they hadn’t leaked it yet. Not that it mattered – they’d soon be dead anyway, the secrets dying with them.
One evening you keep Kate company while the others are busy, playing a board game with her. Your counter is only a few places away from the end when Kate says quietly, “I know you know.”
You avoid her gaze, slowly picking up the dice. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I thought you were- But- You were here the whole time, weren’t you?” You hesitate, keeping your gaze on the board game in front of you before you nod, just once. Kate’s own gaze drops to the blanket covering her legs as she fidgets, “I… I hoped that was the case.”
You swallow hard, “But you still didn’t risk it.”
Kate shakes her head and replies in a soft voice, “No.”
You both sit there in silence for a long moment, neither of you making a move to continue your game before you eventually ask, “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why didn’t you ask them for more proof?”
“I’d already lost track of how long I was there and… I was pretty out of it, I was so hungry and tired, and my throat was aching with thirst, everything hurt and… Because it didn’t matter. If there was even a chance that you could’ve gotten hurt, I wasn’t going to risk it.”
“Kate-”
“You would’ve done the same and you know it.”
“I don’t-”
“How long are we going to skirt around this, Y/N?”
Your gaze flicks up to meet hers and there it is – the looks you’ve been giving her reflected in Kate’s own eyes. The longing, the yearning. You swallow hard, your throat suddenly dry, “I don’t know if now is the right time-”
“I nearly died Y/N. If this isn’t the right time then I don’t know when is.” Kate reaches out and takes your hand in hers, “Please. You know how I feel about you. You saw it.”
“You- You would’ve done that for anyone.”
“Offered to be hurt to spare someone else? Probably, yeah. But I wouldn’t have sold our secrets out like that. Yelena would kick my ass if she knew how quickly I caved.”
“You didn’t cave quickly though. That’s why they knew they needed to change their tactic.” You squeeze her hand, careful not to apply too much pressure in case you accidentally hurt her. “I just don’t understand why they picked me.”
“Because you’re my biggest weakness Y/N, and they knew it. Knew it even before I did. If it had been Clint or Yelena or any other Avenger in that room, I would’ve held onto those secrets, and not because I think you can’t handle your own, but because I just couldn’t risk it. If it had been anyone else, I would’ve called their bluff but you… God, you…”
Before you even realise what you’re doing, you lean forward and kiss her, relief flooding through your veins when she immediately kisses you back. One of your hands cups her cheek, your other arm moving around her waist, making sure to be careful, so careful because Kate’s still hurt and because you’ve waited so long for this, you want it to be gentle, to be loving. It’s everything you could’ve hoped for, and although it’s slow and soft, it’s also full of longing. The longing you’ve both been feeling for so long, finally coming to the surface.
When you pull away, you lean your forehead against hers, “You still shouldn’t have done that.”
“You can tell me off when I’m feeling better.”
“I wish I had healing powers instead of these stupid ones. Seeing you hurt fucking kills me.” You press a kiss to the back of her hand. “I wish I’d been the one to find you.”
“You’re here now. And you know everything and… You didn’t rat me out.” Kate’s eyes are teary and she blinks quickly. “Everyone’s going to be so mad when they find out. I told them so much-”
“It’s fine,” You tell her quietly. “I already told Tony. He said to keep it between us for now, that he’ll figure it out with Fury, but… You were under a lot of pressure Kate. Please don’t feel bad. He’s not mad at you and nobody else needs to know except for us, okay?”
The lie was worth it just to see the relieved expression on Kate’s face.
“Will you come back tomorrow?” Kate asks.
You hesitate, “I uh… I’ve actually been assigned a mission that begins tomorrow.”
Another lie. You’d requested a week of last minute personal leave which Tony had granted without question; probably still feeling bad for making you sift through Kate’s memories. You were going to begin your hunt, find those motherfuckers one by one until they were all dead. They’d chosen to use you to get to Kate – you weren’t about to let them get away with that.
Kate looks disappointed and you lean over to press another kiss to her lips, “I’ll be back before you know it. I’ll pick us up some ‘Bad Pizza’ and then we can watch a movie together. Maybe you’ll feel well enough by then to leave the medbay and we could… Maybe we could spend the night in my room.”
Kate feels her cheeks heat up at the thought and she can only nod mutely. It makes you smile and you can’t resist kissing her again. “Are you mad?”
“About what?” Kate asks breathlessly against your lips.
“That I looked through your memories.”
“I can’t say I’m thrilled,” Kate admits. “But I’m glad it was you.”
“I only looked at the last few weeks,” You mumble in between giving her more quick kisses. “I promise.”
Exhaustion catches up with Kate and you help her lie down, fussing over her pillow, the blanket, making sure she’s as comfortable as possible before kissing her again. Kate gives you a small, drowsy smile as she allows her eyes to close. You sit by her bed, stroking her hair to help her drift off to sleep, your eyes burning as you remember your plan for tomorrow and the next few days.
Finding the first man would be easy. Incapacitating him, sifting through his memories, finding his shitty friends would also be easy. But the easiest part would be listening to their screams as you tore them apart, bit by bit, slowly but surely. No one messes with your girl – no one.
Summary: Kara loves her girlfriend. Krypto loves her too. But what if the super dog seems to adore her just as much as she does?
wc: 2.423
Tags: fem!reader, fluff, slightly suggestive, kisses, Krypto being Krypto
Kara Zor-El was absolutely certain of two things.
The first was that she loved her girlfriend. The second was that her dog, Krypto, seemed to too.
She wasn't sure when it had occurred to her that her super dog had such a deep and loving bond with her own girlfriend. Don't get it wrong, she didn't think it was a bad thing, in fact, it was pretty great, but she still raised an eyebrow at the thought, after all, for a dog as wild and lively as Krypto, it was surprising that he enjoyed someone's company enough to be willing to lie down completely, or even (which Kara thought was the strangest thing ever), sit on command.
Kara had never had a hard time raising Krypto. At least, if you could call it raising what she meant by the word at the time. It wasn't hard raising him, but it was definitely tiring. Although if you asked Clark, her cousin, he would probably look with desperate eyes, because he was maybe the person who was the most victimized by the dog's behavior.
So the surprise that her own dog would sit down without a word at her girlfriend's request, and even willing to stay still of his own free will, was almost like a slap in the face.
Krypto certainly didn't behave like this. For a moment, she even wondered if this was the same Krypto who would chew a pillow at all hours of the day and shake it constantly so that the feathers inside would fly everywhere in the apartment or on her ship.
But regardless of how strange it was, she was happy. After all, it just meant that Krypto loved her girlfriend as much as she did. And that shouldn't be a problem. At least, she thought so.
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The evening lights of Metropolis, although dim, filled your apartment with enough light.
You loved evenings like this. It was one of those times when no evil threatened the peace of the city that would require the intervention of heroes. Furthermore, it was peaceful, so you could quietly enjoy every moment of the pleasant evening.
Especially now that Kara was there.
The smell of dinner was in the air, even though you had both finished eating half an hour ago.
You were just wiping the last plate over the sink, which was just waiting to be put in the dishwasher with the other already cleaned plates after a thorough wiping.
Kara was sitting not far from you, more precisely at the table. Her eyes followed your figure, watching every small movement of your hands.
A strange feeling always filled her at such moments.
The whole atmosphere was so intimate, almost domestic. It was almost funny to think that a few years ago she would never have imagined herself in such a moment, but now she was the one sitting there, watching your every move with an almost adoring gaze.
A smile tugged at her lips at the thought. It wasn’t too big, maybe not even noticeable if you didn’t lean closer, but it didn’t matter. Because it was exactly the kind of smile that comes to your lips in the midst of the most tender and loving thoughts.
Although she loved looking at you, her thoughts still wandered for a moment.
She stood up from her seat, then in an instant she was behind you, her arms tightly but still gently wrapped around your waist.
You were surprised for a moment, then a smile appeared on your lips, and you turned your head a little to the side so you could see her face better.
“You’re done, right?” Kara's voice came out, sounding really soft after the few moments of silence. The grip of her arms tightened a little as she tried to pull you closer to her.
You could hear the need in her voice. She hid it well, but it was clear to you now. It was a solid, small way of letting you know she wanted your attention. Although Kara wasn't the kind of person who didn't say what she thought, in such intimate moments she sometimes tended to show a much softer side of herself, hiding her feelings or thoughts behind much gentler words and requests. And you loved that you could see this side of her too.
"This was the last plate. I'll run the sink and I'm yours." you finally answered and your gaze turned back to the plate from which you had wiped the last food stain.
Kara just hummed in response, but she didn't let go of your grip.
Her hair, which was still slightly uncombed, fell lightly over your shoulders, which gave off a slight ticklish feeling.
Her eyes watched your hands for a moment, then she pressed a small kiss to your neck. It was softer than her usual kisses on your neck, but there was still that kind of desire in them that just wanted you to be as close as possible to each other.
"I was thinking we could watch a movie before we go to bed." You said, placing the last plate next to the ones you had cleaned earlier.
"Mhm." Kara hummed, and you couldn't tell if she heard what you said at all, which wasn't likely, after all, she had super hearing, or if she just didn't care too much because she seemed more interested in hugging you and pressing small kisses here and there on your neck.
"Kara..." you breathed out softly, and she just hummed again. "Did you listen to what I said?"
"Something about movies." she said lightly, as if it was the most obvious thing to say, but she seemed more interested in showering more kisses on your neck.
You sighed softly, though it was more of a loving sigh.
You turned in her embrace, wrapping your arms around her neck. You felt her hands tighten slightly around your waist in response.
You saw that slightly smug grin that you knew so well begin to appear on her face. It was the kind of grin that said you were where she wanted you to be and had achieved what she wanted.
"Stop being so smug about yourself." you said playfully, and the grin on her face only grew bigger.
"I don't know what you're talking about." she teased as her hands slid under your clothes and lightly stroked the smooth surface of your skin.
You were about to speak again when you heard a really loud and determined bark.
You both looked to where the bark was coming from, only to see Krypto wagging his tail really enthusiastically and his gaze following your form.
"Come on, buddy." Kara growled softly at the for dog interrupting the moment.
Unlike her, you didn't seem that annoyed as you removed your arms from around her neck, much to Kara's chagrin, and moved closer to Krypto, who seemed even more excited.
"What is it, Krypto?" you asked the dog, who just barked again, seemingly unable to decide whether to start running around the house again or simply fly away.
For a moment, you saw his gaze fall to the leftover dinner on the counter.
Now you understood.
Kara sighed. "No, Krypto. You can't eat it. I already told you."
Krypto just barked in displeasure in response, but he didn't look like he really cared. Instead, he kept his gaze on you, looking at you almost questioningly.
"Let him eat it, Kara. It really isn't much." you said, then you took the plate from the counter and placed it on the floor for the dog, who immediately started eating.
Kara just looked at the dog boredly, then grabbed your hand and led you to the bedroom.
Well, at least while Krypto ate, you could be alone.
A sigh left your mouth, and after a moment, you lay down on the bed. Your thoughts wandered over various movie ideas, but it was interrupted when you felt a weight weigh on you and a pair of beautiful blue eyes look into yours.
That smug smile appeared on Kara’s face again as she scanned every inch of your face. It seemed her thoughts weren’t filled with the flood of movie choices.
“I guess you’re not thinking about movies.” you noted with a small grin, and Kara chuckled, then leaned closer.
“I thought of something much better than a movie.” she said, almost whispering in your ear, then leaning back against your neck.
Your breath hitched again when you felt her lips begin to press kisses to your neck again. These, however, were much firmer and less soft than the previous ones, but still just enough sensuality to emphasize the not-so-hidden meaning behind her words.
Kara's lips began to search for the more sensitive spots on your neck and when she successfully found them, she pressed a firmer kiss that took your breath away again.
"Kara..." you breathed out and you felt that smug grin on your neck.
She loved it when you made sounds like that. She knew you enjoyed it and it made her want to continue.
Her lips moved slightly up and aimed for the area under your chin. At first they were just soft kisses, but as she moved further, they became firmer.
Your hands rose to her face and you pulled her up a little and kissed her. Kara's grin was still palpable, but as the kiss continued, she tried to get even closer.
Just as you pulled away and Kara was about to lean in for another kiss, the mattress next to you sank and a loud bark filled the space.
Krypto moved excitedly on the bed, and in a moment he was near your face, licking it happily.
The transition was quick, but laughter left your lips as Krypto’s fur lightly tickled your cheek and his tongue licked the side of your face.
“Krypto, stop!” you half-shouted, but the laughter interrupted your voice, only encouraging the dog to continue to pile you in his love.
Kara groaned in frustration.
Krypto managed to interrupt you a second time. At this point, she seriously wondered if it was intentional or just great timing.
“Come on, buddy, not again.” she growled and tried to push him off of you, but it was clearly proving harder than it looked.
Hearing the frustration in Kara’s voice, you tried to pull yourself together and tried to push the affectionate dog away, which ultimately proved successful, as Krypto backed away, though only enough for you to sit up normally, and his tail was still wagging, indicating that he still had plenty of energy left.
“Krypto, get off the bed.” Kara spoke again, which she intended as a command, although it came across more as a whine and a plea.
Krypto looked at her for a moment, his tail stopping wagging, but continuing almost immediately, then a whimper left his throat and he lowered his head into your lap.
Your hand automatically went to his head and you slowly stroked it, which only made him lean more towards you.
Kara’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Rude, she thought to herself as she watched you so effortlessly shower him with love.
"He can stay for a while." you suggested, though it sounded more like a question, and your gaze met Kara's.
Kara knew you wouldn’t send Krypto away now, and she knew she wouldn’t say no to you, no matter how much she wanted to continue what you both were doing before being so rudely interrupted.
She let out a resigned sigh and lay down on the other side of the bed, trying to get as close to you as possible, which was difficult, after all, Krypto’s body formed a slight barrier between the two of you.
Kara’s eyes glanced at the dog again, as if telling him to move away, but he was adamant. He seemed to be enjoying himself too much in your lap and had no intention of moving.
Kara let out another sigh, then grabbed the remote control that was on the bedside table.
"Okay, let's watch a movie then." she said a little frustrated, but she couldn't really get too angry when it looked so beautiful, the way Krypto was almost in your lap and basking in your love.
By the time the movie was over, you and Krypto were both asleep. The only thing that had changed was that you were lying on your side and Krypto was snuggling up to your chest, breathing softly.
Kara could only watch the situation idly. Normally, you should be snuggling up to her side or chest right now.
She sighed many times by then, but finally she settled herself on the bed too. Her gaze scanned your sleeping face, which seemed so peaceful. She glanced at Krypto for a moment, who was so strange to see so calm. As if he was a completely different dog.
Despite this, she still closed her eyes and finally fell asleep.
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The next morning, when Kara woke up, she was a little surprised to see that Krypto was still snuggled up to you, but he was already awake. Despite that, it didn’t look like he was going to pull away from you anytime soon.
Kara narrowed her eyes.
“Krypto, let me there finally.” she whispered to him, and the dog only moved, but made no attempt to pull away.
Kara was competitive, and so was Krypto.
Although Kara really wanted to pull Krypto away now, she didn’t want to wake you up, and she suspected the dog didn’t want to either.
“Come on, buddy, please.” she begged him this time, which seemed slightly more effective than her earlier attempt to appear firm.
Krypto whined in response, but not loud enough to wake you up.
Kara thought. Krypto didn’t want to pull away, but she wanted to cuddle with you. If she wanted to make any progress, she had to compromise with the dog.
"Okay, if you let me there, you can have the leftover from the dinner for a week. Sound good?"
Krypto's ears pricked up, and Kara knew she had finally won. And although it took a few moments for him to actually pull away, he finally did.
Krypto didn't get off the bed, only moved to the end of the bed and instead curled up at your feet. His gaze fell on Kara this time, waiting for her to move closer to you.
Kara didn't hesitate.
In an instant, she was next to you, her arms wrapped around your waist and holding you tightly. The movement didn't wake you up, but you snuggled closer and pressed your face into the crook of her neck.
A smile appeared on Kara's face, then she pressed a small kiss to the top of your head.
Her gaze fell back to Krypto for a moment, who was still looking at the two of you from your feet.
It might have been tiring to convince him to move, but at least she knew that Krypto loved you just as much as Kara herself.
You spent your whole childhood with Wanda and Natasha at your side, certain the three of you would never drift apart. Then you left for the city, and now coming home means facing everything your absence turned their yearning into.
details: country/west farmer!au, slow burn/story/it's like a movie!! fic, a lot of words... please prepare time to read this story, eventual smut, porn/smut w/ plot, childhood friends to complex to together, farmer girls x city girl trope, hurt/comfort, slight angst with comfort, very happy ending!, top!natasha, switch!wanda, switch!reader, dom!wandanat/sub!reader, naughty smut, slight injury (r sustaining), f/afab!reader, cigarette usage (natasha)
Many hate on trios, saying there’s always a duo in a trio. That one person left standing just slightly outside the circle.
It was never the case with the three of you.
One shy greeting shared between you all when your families were introduced after Wanda and Natasha moved into town, and somehow the three of you became stuck together as thick as honey. Impossible to separate after that.
You spent countless sunrises to sunsets together. Inside jokes so overused they stopped making sense years ago, yet still sent you rolling onto your backs in laughter with pine needles tangled in your hair. From ages five to eighteen, you watched one another grow up in all the quiet ways that mattered most.
You explored every inch of land surrounding town, knew every trail, every hidden riverbank, every broken fence and abandoned road. Played the same games one too many times.
Spent nights at one another’s houses whispering embarrassing stories into the dark until tears gathered in your eyes from laughing too hard. And sometimes those nights turned softer, quieter. Comforting hands resting on knees when secrets slipped out, insecurities revealed only in the safety of each other.
You grew up with one another. Blew out birthday candles side by side, exchanged stupid Christmas presents every year, learned to drive in the same rusted trucks, and crammed yourselves into diner booths after reckless late-night drives through mountain roads. The whole town knew the three of you together, like your names belonged side by side as naturally as the mountains belonged to the horizon.
Inseparable, never meant to part from one another. Photos of the three of you hung around each other’s rooms, tucked into mirrors and pinned to walls, always leaving space for another year, another memory. Until one evening.
It was supposed to be another sleepover, only older now. The three of you somewhere between eighteen and nineteen, curled up in familiar places with the television humming quietly in the background and empty soda cans cluttering the table. Comfortable in the way only years together could make people.
Then your mother stepped into the kitchen and asked softly if you had told them yet. Their eyes flickered toward you immediately, and your body ran cold.
You couldn’t say it. Could barely even look at them. So your mother did it for you. She told them you were moving away to the city.
And the room lost its warmth.
You had been in New York for almost five years now. You’d finished college, settled into your first full-time job, and quietly reached the point where your life stopped feeling like something temporary and started feeling like something built.
Somewhere along the way, you’d grown into a woman almost unrecognizable from the girl who once ran barefoot through riverbanks and mountain trails. Back home, you grew up in a place where cell service barely existed, where fashion meant whatever clothes survived the week and your father’s boots were just part of the outfit you threw on over pajamas.
Your friends in the city found your childhood charming in that distant, curious way people do when they’ve never lived it. Wine glasses balanced between their fingers as they asked you questions about horses and wide open land and how you could stand living somewhere so small everyone knew everyone. What it was like. Why you left. If you missed it. If you could ever go back.
You always answered lightly, laughing it off, turning your past into something almost like a story instead of something you had lived. But the questions stayed with you longer than they should have, especially the ones about why you left, because you never really had a clean answer for that anymore.
Your parents had long since stopped arguing with you about New York. Now your calls home were softer, stretched out with pauses, your mother asking when you were visiting again and your father pretending not to notice how often you said you were busy. It hadn’t felt urgent before, life always pulling you forward too fast to look back.
But now, for the first time in years, the thought landed differently.
You could go home. There was nothing stopping you anymore.
You had PTO sitting unused, no deadlines pressing against you, no real reason not to leave the city for a while. You could just… go.
The realization settled in your chest in a way that made everything feel suddenly too quiet. That night you called your parents while sitting cross-legged on your couch, laptop open on your knees as flight searches loaded in the background, your finger hovering between dates as your mother’s voice filled your apartment from the speaker.
Your dad picked you up at the airport, giving you a hug so tight your lungs burned. You didn’t mind it. You just shoved your face into his shoulder and held on a second longer than you meant to, breathing in the familiar rough cigarette scent and something older underneath it was motor oil.
It hit you all at once how much you’d been holding back, how much you’d been pretending wasn’t there. How much you’d missed him. How much you still loved him in that deep, uncomplicated way that never really changes no matter how far you go.
When he finally pulled back, his hands stayed on your shoulders like he needed to make sure you were real. “God, look at you,” he said, voice thick in a way he tried to hide by laughing. “Look at my girl… you’re so grown up.”
You smiled at him, soft and a little watery around the edges, eyes matching his in that too-emotional way neither of you commented on. You squeezed his hands like you were grounding yourself through him instead of the other way around. “I miss you…”
“Me too, and so does your mother,” he said, giving your hands a gentle squeeze back as he nodded toward the exit. “Let’s go home… she’s waiting for you there.”
She gave you a just as tight hug, one you fully just broke into, tears slipping before you could even think to stop them. You held onto her like your hands had been waiting years to do that again, arms wrapped around her so tightly it almost felt like you were afraid she might disappear if you let go.
She didn’t rush you. Just held you back just as firmly, one hand steady between your shoulder blades, the other cradling the back of your head like you hadn’t outgrown needing it.
You buried your face into her shoulder, breathing in her shampoo and lotion, the familiar softness of her sweater, the quiet warmth of her that somehow still felt like home even after everything. The air in the house felt different in a way you couldn’t quite place at first.
Cleaner, lighter, like it had been waiting for you to notice it again. And suddenly it hit you how long it had been since you’d taken a full breath without something sitting heavy in your chest.
You exhaled shakily, pulling back just enough to look at her, eyes still glassy. “I’m home…”
“That you are,” she said softly, brushing a thumb beneath your eye like she was still allowed to do that without asking. “We’ve been counting down the minutes.”
Her smile was small, careful, like she was afraid too much emotion might break something.
“We’ve got dinner… please come in.” Then, after a beat, her gaze flicked over your shoulder toward the rest of the house, softer still.
“The house has changed a bit… as you might assume you notice.”
After dinner, when you finally parted for the night, you climbed the creaky stairs slowly, each step familiar in a way your body remembered before your mind fully caught up. They had said the house had changed, and you believed them, until you reached your bedroom door.
The moment you opened it, everything stopped. Your suitcase rolled softly behind you and came to rest in the corner, but you barely noticed. Your feet moved on their own, slow and careful, like you were walking through a memory instead of a room.
Nothing had been moved. Nothing had been replaced. It was all still there, held in time like someone had refused to let it become anything else.
The old quilt on your bed. The faint marks on the wall where posters used to hang. The dresser you’d carved into when you were younger and thought it was funny. The bookshelf still slightly crooked no matter how many times your father tried to fix it. Even the soft smell of dust and old wood and something unmistakably you.
You walked like you were in a movie you weren’t sure you belonged in anymore, fingers brushing over surfaces as things you had forgotten suddenly returned in fragments. Late-night conversations, getting ready for school, lying on your back staring at the ceiling thinking the world would never change.
And yet it had. Just not this room.
You flop onto the bed afe hearing the springs bounce under you. The ceiling stares back at you the same way it always did, familiar in a way that almost feels unreal after so long away. Your eyes drift to your vanity, spotting the photos there, and something in your chest tightens.
You sit up slowly, gaze lingering on them. Smiling faces caught in time. Too many memories packed into small frames, edges slightly worn from years of being looked at and never really put away. You, Wanda, Natasha. Always the three of you.
You wonder what they’re up to, where they are right now. If they’re together. If they’re laughing. If anything about them feels different, or if it’s just you who changed. If they moved on after you left.
Your throat tightens before you can stop it.
You reach over and turn your lamp off for the night before you can let yourself wonder about anything further.
You had some time to warm up to everything again before your parents mentioned that you should attend the city’s small gathering once more, just to greet everyone again, catch up, be seen. It had sounded like a good idea at the time. You missed people from the town you grew up in, missed the familiarity of faces that didn’t feel like strangers even after years apart.
Your parents were going too, a kind of quiet reassurance at your side in case you felt awkward or in case the town had decided you’d become the “city girl” who left and never quite belonged again.
A few hours later, and it had been a fine gathering for the most part. Shaking hands yet again, hugging occasionally, repeating the same softened version of your life until your smile started to feel practiced instead of real. The fire burned bright in the center of everything, casting warm light over familiar faces as the sun fully disappeared and the night settled in.
You excused yourself quietly, slipping away toward the bathrooms just to breathe for a moment, let your shoulders drop where no one could see.
That’s when a truck pulled up. Headlights cut through the dark for a second before shutting off, leaving the engine to tick in the silence. It caught your eye without meaning to.
The door swung open, and your heart stuttered in your chest.
The one with the short, messy hair stepped out first. Except it wasn’t short anymore. Long auburn strands spilled over her shoulders, catching the firelight every time she moved. A cigarette rested between her lips, smoke curling into the night air.
The habit struck you immediately. Unfamiliar against the version of her you’d carried in your head for years.
The second door swung open a beat later. You shouldn’t have been surprised to see her, not really, but the sight of her still knocked the breath from your lungs. She looked older now.
Taller somehow, steadier. Softer in a way that only time could carve into someone. Even her voice, faint beneath the noise of the party, had deepened into something calmer, more mature.
You could hear the two of them talking quietly amongst themselves.
Their names stirred in the back of your mind, dangerously familiar. You shoved the thought down before it could settle, forcing your steps to remain even as you continued toward the bathrooms, pretending your pulse hadn’t suddenly fallen out of rhythm.
Part of you hoped you’d imagined it. That maybe you’d looked too fast, caught the wrong angle in the flicker of firelight and smoke and familiar noise. Maybe she hadn’t seen you at all.
But fate had other plans.
For one fleeting moment, her gaze drifted lazily across the crowd. Casual, distracted. Then it found you right as you reached the edge of the building and stepped inside.
You pushed through the bathroom door quickly, the cold fluorescent light washing over you as you gripped the edge of the sink for a second longer than necessary. Your pulse still hadn’t settled. You turned on the faucet anyway, letting the icy water run over your hands just to give yourself something else to focus on, but you can't.
Five fucking years. You dried your hands slowly against your jeans as you stepped back into the mosquito-filled air, already planning to keep your head down and walk straight past them.
“Hi,” she said softly.
Guilt and awkwardness climbed up your throat so fast it almost made it hard to answer.
“Hi.”
The word came out quieter than you intended.
Silence settled between you almost immediately, thick and uncomfortable. You weren’t sure what you were supposed to say to her anymore—or if you were supposed to say anything at all. The two of you hadn’t spoken since the day you left for the city. No calls. No texts. Nothing except years of distance stretching wider and wider until it became easier to pretend it didn’t matter.
Maybe this was how things were supposed to go.
People faded. Friendships lost their grip. Not everyone you met was meant to become part of your foundation. Some people were only passing branches, temporary things meant to break away eventually.
You told yourself that was all this was. Five years was a long time to hold onto someone. You shifted slightly, already preparing to step around her and leave the conversation exactly where it stood. Brief, polite before Wanda spoke again.
"You changed your hair,” she commented, her eyes drawing carefully over you.
“Yeah, I did…” you breathed out, wiping at your bicep when you felt what was probably a mosquito land there.
“It looks nice. Seems like you’ve really been taking care of yourself.”
The compliment sat awkwardly between you. You shifted your weight, one foot already turning away like you were preparing to leave the conversation before it had the chance to become anything more. Still, you could feel Wanda’s gaze lingering on you. And another from farther away, heavier somehow, burning into your skin.
Curiosity got the better of you. You glanced toward the truck near the fire and found Natasha already watching you. The flame from her lighter illuminated her face for a brief second as she lit another cigarette, smoke curling past her lips as she leaned back against the truck.
“Not too sure,” you admitted. “However long I can stretch my PTO. I’m getting time with my parents.”
Something flickered across Wanda’s face at that. Small enough that you almost missed it. The mention of family. The quiet implication beneath your words. That you came back for them, not for this, not for her.
No mention of catching up. No offer to see each other again. Still, she smiled softly, the kind that felt more polite than personal now. “Well… it was nice seeing you.”
“You too.”
The words felt strange leaving your mouth.
Wanda gave a small wave before turning and heading back toward the fire, her figure slowly blending into the warm glow and drifting smoke. You started in the opposite direction, hands shoved into your pockets, but after a few steps you glanced back over your shoulder anyway.
It wouldn’t be a small town without its monthly farmer’s market.
Your parents had driven the three of you into town early that morning, and for once, you didn’t mind staying close to them. It gave you something familiar to hold onto. The market buzzed around you with soft music, overlapping conversations, and the scent of kettle corn drifting through the warm air. You pointed out different stands to your mom, teased your dad over overpriced honey, and exchanged polite smiles with a few familiar faces from years ago.
It almost felt normal.
By the time you stopped at the smoothie stand near the edge of the market, the heat had already settled into your skin. You held your mango smoothie in one hand while waiting for the larger one your parents planned to split, half-listening to the blender roaring behind the counter.
Then a voice slipped into the space beside you.
“Mango? Always been your favorite.”
Your stomach tightened before you even looked up.
Wanda stepped beside you casually, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket despite the warmth outside. Her hair was pulled back loosely today, auburn strands catching in the breeze.
“You ordering one?” you asked, trying to sound more relaxed than you felt. Almost pushing her away again.
She hummed softly, glancing up at the menu board. “Maybe. I’m deciding.” A small smile tugged at her mouth. “This stand’s new. Only been here about two years.”
She glanced away from the menu for a moment, eyes settling on you. “How’s the city been?”
The question made your stomach sink unexpectedly, like there was too much wrapped inside those four words. Your fingers tightened slightly around the smoothie cup as you silently wished your parents’ order would be ready already.
“Uh, yeah…” you muttered, shifting your weight. “It’s good. A lot.”
Wanda smiled anyway, like she understood the awkwardness behind it. “Still overwhelming?”
“Pretty much all the time.”
“I can imagine,” she said softly. “Forty people in one gathering is about enough for me. I can’t imagine being surrounded by that many people all the time. Always somewhere to go.”
You hummed, feeling yourself loosen slightly at the subject. Talking about the city was easier than talking about yourself. Easier than talking about the five years sitting between the two of you.
“It’s not as bad as people think,” you admitted, glancing down at your drink. “Everyone kind of stays in their own lane. It feels like you actually get your own space there.”
You paused briefly before adding quieter, “Doesn’t feel as suffocating. Or like everyone’s watching you all the time.”
Your name was called from the stand. Relief flickered through you immediately. “That’s mine,” you said, half a step backward as you pointed toward the counter. You grabbed your parents’ smoothie when it was handed over, the cold cup grounding you in something simple again.
Wanda was still there. Feeling awkard to say goodbye, but even more not to say anything at all. You turned back to her, something small and almost unintentional softening your expression. Not quite a smile, not quite nothing either.
“Uh… it was good seeing you,” you said quietly.
Wanda nodded once, gentle. “Yeah. You too.”
You held her gaze for a second longer than you meant to, then shifted your weight away, your parents already drifting toward the next stall.
“Take care,” you added, voice lighter now.
"You too."
You lay in bed, covers pulled up to your chest, staring at the ceiling while the quiet of your room presses in around you. Your eyes drift again and again to the photos still pinned along your vanity mirror. Snapshots of a life that feels both distant and uncomfortably close.
You shift restlessly beneath the blankets, your thoughts swinging between extremes, almost hot and cold the way Wanda and Natasha feel in your chest.
Part of you circles the idea of mending it.
Of letting the distance soften, of allowing something polite and careful to form again. Something that doesn’t demand too much, just enough to acknowledge what you once were without pretending it never existed.
It's similar to Wanda, who's already reaching, in her way. Small steps. Easy conversations. A version of reconnection that doesn’t feel like it would swallow you whole if you tried.
The second part, one that looks at Natasha and feels that familiar finality settle in your bones. The part that questions why you would even try to rebuild something that already burned itself down so completely.
What would it even mean to go back there? What would you be rebuilding, exactly. Friendship, history, or just the echo of something you’ve already outgrown?
It pulls you in two directions at once, neither one fully letting go.
And somewhere in the middle of it all, you realize it isn’t really about choosing between them. It’s about choosing which version of the past you’re willing to carry forward with you.
You pulled your jacket tighter around yourself, watching the clouds shift into something ugly overhead. Thick, swollen, and dark enough to swallow the horizon. They rolled together into one continuous mass as far as you could see, the air turning heavy with the metallic scent of rain before it even started falling.
You tapped your foot against the floor near the counter, impatience building as you waited for the last of the payment to go through for your parents’ horse feed. One more errand. One less thing for them to worry about. That was the idea, anyway.
The cashier finally nodded toward the card reader. “You’re good to swipe or tap.”
“Thanks,” you muttered, relief already loosening your shoulders.
The bell above the door jingled as you stepped outside.
You had wished for no rain. And the sky answered anyway.
It hit fast. Cold wind first, then the first scattered drops, and then all at once the world opening up above you. You hurried toward the car, already regretting the jacket you chose, the timing, the entire day.
You had wished to get home safe. And the car responded by slowing like it was thinking about giving up entirely.
A sputter. A shake. Then silence.
“No. No, no, no—come on,” you groaned, gripping the wheel as if that alone could convince it otherwise. You slumped forward, pressing your forehead against it for a second before letting out a long, defeated breath. “Damn it… of course. God fucking damn it.”
Of course it was the old car. Of course it was your parents’ old everything. Old house, old roads, old feed store that took forever to get anything done.
You shoved the door open and stepped out into the rain immediately soaking through your jacket. Cold water ran down your arms as you moved behind the car, placing your hands against the trunk.
“Please,” you muttered under your breath, as if the car might suddenly develop empathy.You pushed.
At first it barely moved, tires digging into wet ground that was already turning fast into mud. You leaned harder into it, boots slipping slightly with each effort. Rain blurred your vision, plastering your hair to your face, soaking through everything faster than you could adjust.
More time passed. And your arms started to burn. Your breath came sharper. The car barely shifted an inch.
“Come on,” you hissed through clenched teeth, pushing again, harder this time.
The ground gave out beneath one step, your foot slid out from under you instantly. You hit the mud first—hard—then felt the sharp sting as your face followed, your lip splitting on impact. A copper taste filled your mouth almost immediately, mixing with rainwater as it ran down your chin.
You froze for a second, breath shaking, rain hammering down around you like it was trying to erase you entirely. Your fingers lifted instinctively, brushing over your lip. No, your nose. Or wherever it is the blood had started to show after slamming into the back of the car.
“God,” you muttered again, voice rough as you pushed yourself upright, wiping at your face with the back of your hand. It didn’t help much. Everything was already soaked anyway. Rain, mud, and now a thin streak of blood that refused to blend in.
You turned back toward the car, still half-focused on trying to salvage the situation, when headlights cut through the storm in the distance.
At first, it was just relief. Sharp and immediate. Someone. Anyone.
You held a hand over your eyes, squinting through the rain as she stepped out of the truck. Her boot sank slightly into the mud, dark water splashing around it, but she didn’t seem to care.
You opened your mouth to explain. Something halfway between it just died and I’ve got it handled... but she cut you off before you could get a word out.
“The hell are you doing?” Natasha’s voice cut through the storm, sharp enough to feel like it landed harder than the rain.
Something in your chest snapped hot immediately.
Not fear. Not embarrassment.
Frustration. Honestly, it might’ve even started the second you saw her truck.
“What does it look like I’m doing, you ass?” you shot back, wiping rain from your face again only for it to be replaced instantly. “The car stopped. It’s not starting again and I’m just trying to go home!”
She made it across the road, crouching slightly to peer into your stalled car as rain battered both of you. You stood there beside it, completely soaked now.
Tears dripping into your eyes, clothes heavy and clinging to your skin, mud tracking up your legs. Everything felt cold, uncomfortable, wrong. The only thing you could think about was a hot shower waiting somewhere on the other side of this mess.
Natasha straightened again, voice carrying over the storm.
“I can’t help you out here,” she called. “I’ll drive you back and tow your parents’ car.”
There wasn’t much room for argument in the way she said it.
The passenger seat of her truck felt like another world entirely. Your soaked clothes squeaked faintly as you sat down. You stared straight ahead for a moment, hands awkward in your lap, trying to settle your breathing. Time only moved forward, you reminded yourself. Second by second, and you're moving forward to this moment ending.
Natasha was already outside again, hooking your car up, rain running off her shoulders as she worked. Then she climbed back into the driver’s seat like the storm didn’t touch her the same way it touched everyone else.
The truck rumbled slightly as she started it. Silence settled in immediately after, just the low hum of the AC. The steady drum of rain against the windshield. The faint creak of metal as the tow line tightened behind you.
You stared out at the blurred world beyond the glass, rain streaking sideways in the headlights as the truck rolled steadily forward.
“Thank yo—” you started, the words catching in your throat before they could fully form.
Natasha hit the brakes. Hard.
The sudden stop snapped you forward against the seatbelt, breath punching out of your lungs as the world jerked into stillness. The tow line behind you creaked under tension. Rain hammered the windshield like it was trying to break through.
“I just can’t fucking believe that you’re back. Why in the world did you come back? You’re so incredibly selfish, you understand this?”
For a second, you just stared at her, rain and adrenaline still ringing in your ears.
“Excuse me?” you say, sharper now.
Natasha lets out a short laugh, but there’s no humor in it. She looks back out at the road like she already regrets turning toward you in the first place.
“Yeah,” she mutters, “excuse you.”
The wipers drag back and forth, useless against how hard it’s coming down.
You open your mouth again, but she cuts in before you get anything out.
“No, don’t… don’t even start explaining like there’s a good version to any of this,” she says, voice tighter now. “Not ‘I wanted to chase my dreams.’ You only told the two of us when your mom brought it up. Like something you were never even going to tell us until you just left. And I don't even want to know how you told your sweet parents."
“Natasha—!”
“Two friends, people who’ve known you since birth,” she continues, faster. “You don’t think we deserve an official goodbye? Any explanation? Before you get up and leave for five years? And oh yeah, 'I got your little things done, so let me just come back because I missed it?' You expect everything to just be fucking peachy dandy? Two people you’ve known for your whole life, who’ve been nothing but everything to you. You can’t even afford the decency to say goodbye? What a fucking joke you are.”
You throw your hands up, opening the car door. “I can’t do this.”
She’s out almost immediately, slamming her door behind her.
“Run away,” Natasha snaps after you, voice cutting through the storm. “Very you. Don’t confront anything head-on."
You whip around to face her.
“So what is it with you? Do you want to drive me home, or should I drive? Because this is—”
“This is what?” she interrupts, stepping closer. “You tell me. What is it with you? Why did you want to leave everyone here who’s cared about you? Truly?”
Her voice rises slightly now, not quite yelling, but close.
“How’re the fake friends in New York?” she throws in, sharp and quick. “You like the money? The title of being in New York instead of this nothing town?”
A beat.
“It’s all wonderful, right? Until you need to think about something that actually means something to you. That’s why you came back. You’re not truly satisfied there and you know it. Why the hell did you even lea—”
“Because Natasha, I’ve had nothing done nothing! My siblings have done outstanding things, and all I have ever done is mess around. I tossed pencils into a cup with you and Wanda instead of studying. My sister was in honors at my age, while I was covered in mud. My parents expect more. I can’t be the loose end in my family.... I.."
She huffs. “You know how much your parents missed you when you were gone? I made up excuses to come by just to try and cheer them up. They worried they messed up with you. Wondered why you left so far away when you seemed so happy here.”
You wave your hands. “Can we just… don’t…”
“Sure,” she says, tone flat, unimpressed, already done. Climbing back into her car.
The drive is even more silent than before, Natasha reaching to try to light a cigarette on the rest of the drive.
You glance at her. “Terrible habit, but I’m not surprised.”
She huffs, setting the pack back in the cup holder. “Wanda’s been entirely too sweet to you. I’ve been telling her."
She pulls up at your parents’ house, unattaching the car. She waves to your parents, who look worried on the front porch, before her car hums off into the distance, not a wave your way. But your heart feels warmer, soften even... despite the harsh words thrown at each other. You slept that night, feeling a little less like bricks were laying on you.
The argument in the storm had been the dam that broke everything. After that, something in the air between you all shifted. Not healed, but loosened just enough to breathe through. The past hurt feeling like a river cried, and the bridge beginning to form again.
Despite it all, you started smiling a little when you ran into them. In a small town, it was impossible not to. There were only so many places to go, only so many corners of town you could avoid before they stopped feeling avoidable at all.
At the diner, it was a brief wave.
At the little store downtown, it was Wanda holding the door open while Natasha lingered near the counter, pretending not to notice you.
At the gas station, it was a quiet exchange of “hey” that lasted a few seconds longer than it used to.
It wasn’t smooth. But it wasn’t as sharp anymore either.
Each time, you found yourself staying a little longer. Saying a little more. Laughing, sometimes, before you had time to stop yourself. The awkward edges didn’t disappear, but they softened enough that you stopped bracing for impact every time you saw them.
And slowly, without any real announcement, things started to settle into something that resembled a pattern.
Wanda always spoke first. Careful, warm, like she was still trying to build a bridge between where you were and where you used to be.
Natasha stayed quieter, but she didn’t leave. She lingered in the background of conversations more often than not, watching, listening, occasionally throwing in something blunt that cut through the softness without fully breaking it.
It confused you, how something so fractured could still hold together in motion. And eventually, even your parents noticed.
“You’ve been running into them a lot lately again,” your mom said one evening over dinner, her tone light, but threaded with something warmer. “It makes me really happy… I was happy your friendship could rekindle. I had hope.”
“It’s trying…” you said, a little uncertain.
Your mom hummed softly, poking at her food. “It was a hard time when you left. Hit them hard, as it did us. Sweet women, they are. They’d come and help us with some chores. The ones you used to cover. They’d ask how you were doing…”
She glanced up at you then, softer now.
“Well... anyways, I’m just happy you’re all talking again. They’re gold. Don’t let go of them, alright darling? True gold, not false. Rare."
It had begun to bloom.
Not in any sudden, obvious way. Nothing you could point to and name, but in the slow return of ease. In the way your shoulders stopped tensing when you saw them. In the way conversations started lasting longer without feeling like you were walking on glass.
You found yourself revisiting places you hadn’t thought about in years.
The riverbank you used to sit at as a kid looked smaller now, quieter in a different way. The water still moved the same, but everything around it had changed just enough to remind you how much time had passed. You pointed things out absently when they were with you, half-laughing at old memories you weren’t sure you should still remember so clearly.
Your bed felt warm, like home each time you laid your head.
While you felt free, the two women felt caged still.
A weight still sat on their shoulders. Something unspoken, something that hadn’t dissolved just because time had passed and you were back in the same rooms again.
It lingered in the things they didn’t say.
In the way Natasha’s gaze flicked to you when she thought you wouldn’t notice.
In the way Wanda’s anger never quite found a place to land. It rose, once, briefly. Then dissolved the moment she saw you again, as if relief outweighed everything else. As if having you in front of her made it impossible to hold onto anything sharp for long.
It lived in hesitation, too. In the smallest pauses before speaking your name. In fingers that twitched, almost reaching, then curling back into themselves like restraint was a habit they couldn’t break.
In how their hearts betrayed them in quiet ways. Faster when you laughed, heavier when you looked away, uneven in your presence as if something inside them had never learned how to settle properly without you.
It lived in the nasty habit Natasha took upon herself. Smoke easing into her lungs instead of you. Into the nights the two of them spent together, the silence after as they occasionally grieved your presence.
Living to see a photo of you on social media, but too scared to follow.
It felt finate, your friendship. But the love that resonates in their hearts is infinite. And your distance, only strengthened it.
Your PTO is to come to an end. And this time, you inform others of your possible upcoming departure. It was brought up when they asked, settled into your bedroom. With a sunken heart, you come to realize the impending return date. Less than a week away. It felt as if a timer had offcially started. A stop watch starting, cointing down the seconds. Raising a feeling underneath everything. A question, a conflict to be resolved… hoping to be.
A sunken feeling settled in your chest as the return date became real in a way it hadn’t been before. Less than a week. A line drawn too clearly now to ignore.
It felt like something had started counting down. Haunting.
Tomorrow is your flight.
You sit with the two of them, checking into your flight. The room had been lively, until now. The clock louder than ever before.
"Sad I have only a couple hours really left... But we have each other's numbers... We can always text, or call..?"
"Right, yeah..." they had responded, dejected.
You hugged them, smiling—one that didn’t quite reach your eyes—before you got into the Uber. You waved goodbye to everyone: your parents, Wanda, Natasha. The dust kicked up behind the car as it pulled away, carrying you toward the airport, toward the flight.
You bit your nail, watching the world blur past the window, something tight settling into your chest. Your heartbeat felt too loud in your ears, uneven in a way you couldn’t quite settle. You kept swallowing it down, shifting your focus, pinching at your skin just to stay grounded in something physical.
It felt off. Wrong, even.
You walk toward security, lugging your suitcase behind you. Each step feels heavier than the last, like the airport itself is pulling you forward whether you want it to or not. The noise around you fades in and out. Announcements, rolling bags, footsteps, until it all starts to feel distant, muffled, like you’re already halfway gone.
Your mind keeps catching on moments you didn’t realize you were holding onto. Wanda’s laugh in your room. Natasha’s voice cutting through rain. The way silence between you all had started to feel less like absence and more like something full. Something you hadn’t known how to name until it was already slipping out of reach again. Like you don't what you have, how you feel until it's gone.
You swallow hard, forcing your grip tighter on your suitcase handle, like that could keep you steady. Like that could keep anything steady. Each step feels slower. The clock in your head ticking down the last few seconds you didn’t want to hear.
Your body is tense, too aware. Too tightly held.... until your name is shouted behind you.
For a second, you almost don’t believe it.
Then again.
Louder.
You turn, as something in your chest breaks loose before you can think about it. You drop your suitcase immediately and start moving before you even realize you’ve started running.
The space between you disappears too fast. And then you’re there, hugging the two women.
Hugging them tight, like if you let go too soon it would confirm every fear you’ve been trying not to name. They pull you in just as close, like neither of them had any intention of letting you be the one to hold on alone.
The pressure builds in your chest all at once. Too much feeling, too much time compressed into a single moment, and it spills over before you can stop it. Tears blur your vision, warm and sudden, and you don’t bother hiding them.
You don’t want to go home.
Because home isn’t the airport, or the city, or the life waiting for you past security.
Home is right here in your arms.
Wanda's or Natasha's home. You’re unaware and uncaring of whose it is as you're shoved inside with passion.
Your arms are wrapped around Natasha's neck, lips pressed to one another. The kiss is deep and unmoving. Her body pins you to the wall, and she grabs your thigh to wrap it around her waist. She holds you close, tightening her grip as she pulls you in. She tastes like the smoke she’s always inhaling and some unnamed, basic brand of chapstick.
You gasp, tugging at her hair as you melt into the kiss. Your body feels so warm and tingly that you believe you're floating. Wanda shuts and locks the door, coming up behind you to slide her hands down your chest while her lips lock onto your neck, listening to the little sounds you make.
Your shirt is tossed aside by Wanda, bra is shoved down so she can feel along your chest. To feel your nipples harden from her fingers tracing them. Your legs buckle under their touch, and they catch you to lead you toward the bed.
You fall back onto the bed, looking up at the two of them with lidded eyes, dressed only in your bra and bottoms. Wanda removes her shirt and lays over you, mumbling quiet comments about your body.
She whispers how gorgeous you are and how you’re stunning, "like a dream."
She tells you how good you look under her as she climbs on top, slotting her lips against yours. You reach a hand up to tug at her hair, squirming under the weight of her body. Pushed into the mattress by her hips slotting between yours. Hips grinding against one another.
Wanda kisses down your body, her lips latching onto your nipple for a moment.
"Mm—!"
You jolt, a whine escaping you at the contact as your thighs rub together. You're seeking more already, which brings a cocky, knowing look to her expression.
She continues to kiss down your body and across your abdomen. She skips over the area you want, instead kissing up your inner thighs while her thumbs hook into your underwear.
"This alright?"
You nod. "Mm... 's alright..."
She slides them down while keeping eye contact, creating a deeper sense of heat. You reach out to cup her cheek, pulling her up to kiss you for another moment before she heads back down again to hover over where you want her most.
She blows against your clit, watching you as you shiver, your hands clutching at the sheets. It takes no longer than a minute to have you clutching at the headboard, moans slipping from your lips as she slides her tongue between your folds.
She presses her tongue against your clit, rubbing it there and making it feel almost as if it's vibrating. You keen and whine, rolling your hips against her face. You smear your arousal around her face as if it isn't already dripping down your thighs and onto the sheets.
Your chest rises and falls, your back arching. You give her a view she wishes could be captured in a Renaissance painting.
As you come down from your high and the pressure is released from between your hips, she gives you zero time before sliding a finger into you.
"O-oh—!"
"So tight," she teases. "Squeezing my finger..."
She licks at your inner thigh, biting down and littering the skin with hickeys, bruising it. She slides in a second finger, moving it alongside the one already inside you. You shove your face into the side, moaning into the pillow to muffle the sound.
"God...!" you squeak, mewling. "There...! There, please... oh...!"
She hums, kissing your collarbone. She places sweet kisses there before adding a third finger, one that stretches you delightfully well. Wanda seems gentle, as she is, but her fingers are large and she is something else in bed.
Watching you come down from your high a second time, Wanda slides her fingers out, licking the excess off. She looks back, noting Natasha's presence and the strap settled on her hips.
She moves to you, seeing the breathless, dazed expression on your face. Natasha manhandles you onto your back, raising your hips.
"Mm..! 'tasha...!"
"Keep 'em there," she commands, her hand resting on your hips to indicate exactly where she wants you to hold yourself. She rubs the length between your folds and against your ass, watching it catch your arousal almost like lube before she presses it fully at your entrance. She pushes all the way through, until she hits the hilt.
Noting how you rub your hips back as if you were in heat, grinding against her, she grips your ass and pulls back before pushing in again. She brings you to a keen, your mind completely lost.
Your face is smudged into the sheets, gripping them and making a mess as you take her the best you can. Wanda comes to the other end of the bed, leaning in to kiss you deeply.
You kiss back as best as you can. "I... I love you... I love you..."
Her expression softens, and both of theirs do. Wanda brushes her thumb against your cheek. "And we love you, so much."
"I... mm! Mm.. n-not leaving... e-ever—oh!"
Wanda hums, leaning back. She slides herself forward, her pussy on full view in front of you. You can feel the heat as her legs spread wide, opening herself up for you.
Before you can take anything into your own hands, Natasha’s hand shoves your face down into Wanda's cunt. You moan, rolling your hips back and liking the gesture. Your lips and nose are shoved into Wanda's cunt, while Natasha stretches you out around her length.
Wanda’s head is tilted back. "Ohhh baby, there... mm... dreamt about this."
You use your tongue and lips to worship her, driven by the rhythmic, heavy thrusts of Natasha behind you. The friction of the strap-on and the heat of Wanda’s skin create an overwhelming sensory overload. Your breath is hitching, muffled against Wanda’s thighs, as you work to keep pace with the frantic movement of your own hips.
Natasha leans over you, her chest pressing into your arched back as she whispers darkly into your ear. "If you don't make Wanda come, you get nothing else tonight. Focus on her."
The threat, or promise, sends a fresh jolt of adrenaline through you. You double your efforts, your tongue flicking and swirling with desperate precision until Wanda’s hands lock into your hair, her hips jerking upward in a sudden, violent spasm. She cries out your name, her walls clenching around your face as she reaches her peak.
Seeing Wanda shatter is the final straw for your own control. As she collapses back against the pillows, Natasha delivers several hard, deep lunges that hit exactly where you need. You let out a broken, high-pitched moan, your internal muscles seizing as your own climax crashes over you.
The room falls silent, save for the heavy, synchronized sound of three people catching their breath. Natasha pulls away, sliding out of you and collapsing onto the bed beside you both, pulling your shaking body into the middle of their warm, protective tangle
You spent so long trying to leave this town behind, but looking at them now, you know you’re never going to find a reason to say goodbye again.
note: Omg you made it? you read this whole thing? about 8k? thank you and congrats too. Hope you enjoyed! this took me two days to write... im legit struggling to keep my eyes open. I MEAN IT. i have to get up in 5 hours for work oops.
Pairing: Sugar Mommies Cait & Vi x Sugar Baby Reader
Words: 4236
Synopsis: You come to a much-needed realisation about your life now; and another new face comes to town
Warnings: Talk of weight gain, reference to past child abuse
When you and Cait finally emerged from the bedroom corridor, you were blissfully following along behind Cait as she held your hand. You couldn’t control your dopey smile as Cait led you back into the living room, popped you onto the couch, and took your tea to warm back up.
The difference in your mood was definitely noticeable.
Your shoulders were no longer quite so tense; the uncertainty that had clouded your expression earlier had faded considerably, replaced by something softer and more familiar; a genuine smile spread across your cheeks, brightening your face.
The living room itself had descended into a sort of controlled chaos. Powder was sitting upside-down on the sofa across from the large one you were seated on, Ekko next to her, his arm resting over her stomach.
“You’re back,” Powder announced.
Cait picked up her own mug of tea, taking both of yours to the kitchen area and placing them in the microwave to heat up. “We weren’t gone long; we were making up your room.”
Vi smiled at you, then paused. She was clearly taking in your more relaxed expression, your at-ease posture. She glanced over to Cait, then back to you, then back to Cait.
From the kitchen, the blue-haired woman gave her Wife a small, secret wink.
Vi immediately understood, her grin widening, which she quickly hid behind her hand.
You, thankfully, missed the entire exchange. Because you were being cornered by Powder.
“Okay,” she declared, shifting into a more upright position against her boyfriend. “Now that you’ve recovered from meeting me-”
“I wasn’t recovering,” you denied.
“You absolutely were.”
Vi put in, “Powder…”
“I’m very overwhelming.”
“That’s so true,” Ekko said.
Powder gasped dramatically. “Traitor.”
A soft laugh escaped you. The nervousness from earlier hadn’t vanished entirely, but it no longer felt overwhelming.
The penthouse suddenly felt familiar again.
The introduction had happened, the scary part was over.
And now, with the initial shock behind you, you could actually focus on getting to know Vi’s little sister and her boyfriend.
Powder, meanwhile, had apparently decided she already liked you. “So, Y/N, Vi’s told us nothing useful about you.”
Vi rolled her eyes.
“Come on, spill. Tell us everything. Dogs or cats? Favourite type of cheese? Favourite ancient philosopher?”
Cait returned with your teas. Sitting down next to you on the sofa, she draped her arm around your waist, sipping her drink that was now the perfect temperature.
You took your tea from her, and inhaled slowly. “Okay… Here goes…”
“So, that went okay…” Vi smirked, climbing into bed beside you.
You stopped scrolling on your phone, your head resting against Cait’s shoulder. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess it did?”
She leant over and kissed you. “I’m proud of you, baby.”
“I went blank.”
“Only because you were surprised,” she refuted, wrapping her arm around your hips under the covers. “When you came back, you were perfect.”
“After Cait made me feel better,” you blushed.
Vi chuckled. “Tell me what she did.”
Your cheeks flushed harder. “Well… You can guess.”
“Oh, I know she made our sweet girl come, but I want to know what she did.”
You swallowed thickly. “She used her fingers.”
“Oooh, did she?” Vi started running her fingertips up your thigh, nudging your sleep shorts higher. “And that made you come?”
“She didn’t squirt, though,” Cait pouted, slipping your phone out of your hands, and putting both your and her phones on the bedside table.
Vi tutted playfully. “Naughty girl. You know you’re supposed to soak our hands.”
“Should we make her do it now, Violet?” Cait asked, shifting next to you and starting to place kisses along your shoulder and neck.
The butch hummed. “I think our girl needs some more practice with the strap. If she’s good and makes me cum, she can have her turn. Otherwise…”
Cait chuckled. “Otherwise she doesn’t get to cum tonight? Oh, I like that.”
You whimpered. “Wait, that’s not fair. I’m still learning!”
Vi slipped out of the bed and headed over to the toy box. Cait slipped her hand around your throat, tugging on your ear lobe with her teeth.
“Well, this will be a good motivation for you, won’t it? Now, come on, darling; time to practice.”
The shopping trip had been your idea, as you were finding that you desperately needed new clothes.
You had planned the afternoon with Mel a week ago, before you knew of Powder’s and Ekko’s visit – or even existence. You’d asked Cait and Vi that morning what you should do about it, as you weren’t sure what the plan was now that you had visitors.
But they had told you to go. Cait was going to work from home for the morning, just to tidy things up so she could have a few days off at such short notice, and Vi was going to take your guests out for the day until Cait was free to join them. You were welcome to tag along after your shopping spree, but the three of you knew you would most likely wait for them all to come home. You would have dinner ready for them when they did, which Cait and Vi were fine with.
Which was how you found yourself standing in the middle of a private dressing room in an expensive lingerie shop while the fitter measured you from various angles.
You glared at yourself in the mirror and sighed dramatically. “I can’t believe I’ve actually put on so much weight that I need new bras,” you grumbled. “Bras are supposed to survive anything!”
Mel looked up from her phone. “What are you talking about, ‘so much weight’?” She looked over your body intensely. “Angel, you don’t look any different.”
You shook your head and cried, “Tell that to everything I own! Tops, jeans, dresses... And now my bras!” You looked down at the peach-coloured garment currently preserving your modesty. “This was my favourite bra, I’ve had it years.”
The assistant smiled at you cheekily. “I can tell.” She tucked her measuring tape into her pocket. “You’ve gone up one band and two cup sizes. I’ll go get some options for you.”
You gawked at the lady as she stepped out of the dressing room, discreetly closing the door behind her.
“A band and two cups?” you gaped, staring down at your chest.
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” your friend joked.
You glared at her. “The straps aren’t real, Mel.”
“Unfortunately for you.” She smirked back at you. “What do Cait and Vi say about your...” her eyes trailed down to your chest, “New offerings?”
You frowned. “Nothing, not one word! The traitors! Two cup sizes is definitely noticeable!”
But she just chuckled. “I wouldn’t expect them to complain about their girlfriend’s growing breasts and bum. You seriously expected them to criticise your body for minute changes when they’re both helplessly in love with you? They might as well complain about their steaks being too juicy. Your ass looks fantastic, by the way.”
“Nothing fits me anymore. I liked my old clothes.”
“You can still wear most of your old clothes, you never really wore anything skin-tight.”
“Not comfortably.”
Mel placed her hand on your arm. “Angel, I’ve never seen you happier or healthier, and we’ve known each other since pre-school.”
You looked back at her face, your eyes feeling a little damp.
“You’re healthy; you’re eating better; you’re not constantly stuck in fight-or-flight; you’re getting better rest… You’re actually able to enjoy your life now. Changes to your body are perfectly normal in those circumstances. Cait and Vi know all this, and I can guarantee that they do not care. At all.”
For a moment, neither of you spoke.
Then Mel smiled. “And for what it’s worth, it genuinely isn’t noticeable. I had no idea until you told me.”
You blinked away some tears. “Really?”
“Really.”
The frustration you’d been carrying all afternoon eased. Not completely, as you still needed a lot of new clothes. But perhaps the situation wasn’t quite as catastrophic as you’d been making out.
By the time you returned to the penthouse that evening, you were carrying enough shopping bags to suggest you had personally attempted to stimulate Piltover’s economy.
The afternoon with Mel had been expensive. Not outrageously expensive – at least not by Cait's and Vi's standards – but certainly more expensive than you were accustomed to spending on yourself in one afternoon. There were several new bras and dozens of pairs of underwear in various styles; jeans; tops; dresses and skirts; and various other items Mel had steadily piled into your arms.
The lift finally deposited you at the penthouse floor, and you made your way through the living space, shopping bags bumping gently against your legs. Your home was empty as you crossed through to the bedroom corridor, dropping off all your bags in the main bedroom.
You freshened up in the bathroom, then headed back out to start preparing a lasagne for dinner for everyone.
Soft classical music filled the kitchen when the elevator dinged from the entryway, announcing everyone’s return. Although Vi’s and Powder’s loud and excitable voices did that first.
“Y/N? We’re home!” Vi called.
“In here!” you returned, turning off the heat under the pan of meat sauce that had been slowly simmering away.
Bodies turned the corner from the entryway corridor, and the penthouse suddenly burst with life.
Something you were still getting used to.
“Hi, darling,” Cait cooed softly, coming over to you and kissing the side of your head. She wrapped her arms around you from behind. “Did you have fun with Mel?”
You nodded, scooping out the first meat layer into the dish. “Uh-huh.”
She kissed your neck. “I’m going to change into something more comfortable. I’ll be right back. Okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
Cait noticed your short answers, but didn’t address it immediately. She kissed your shoulder again, stepping away, and heading down the corridor after Powder and Ekko who were announcing that they were going to shower before dinner.
Vi hummed happily, taking her turn to approach you. “Hmm, that buys us a little time. How are you, baby?”
“Good, good,” you said, a little distracted as you placed the dry pasta sheets onto the first layer of meat.
“Smells fantastic,” Vi complimented, wrapping her arms around you from behind. “I don’t mean the food, sweetheart,” she chuckled in your ear.
You smiled softly, your mood lifting little by little. “What did you all get up to?”
Vi started regaling you with the tails of their day and everything they did together. At one point you gave her a small mouthful of grated cheese as you sprinkled some on the layer of cheese sauce, earning a happy moan and a soft squeeze of your waist.
“Cheese tax,” she joked.
Cait came back down the corridor, changed into a soft pyjama set, her makeup removed. “Did you buy the entire shopping centre, darling?” she teased.
You grumbled as you started on the next meat layer. “No. Just a lot of it.”
They both chuckled light-heartedly as Cait started making a pitcher of fruity cocktails for everyone.
“You’re both traitors, you know.”
Your comment made them both freeze.
Cait stepped closer, the empty pitcher still in her hand. “Darling, what do you mean?”
“I’ve gained so much weight, and neither of you said a single word to me about it,” you pouted. “The bra-fitter said I’ve gone up two cups! You just let me walk around like… Like some pregnant elephant, and didn’t point out once how chubby I am now!”
To your horror, Vi started laughing. Not mockingly, or cruelly; just genuinely amused. Beside you both, Cait’s composure didn’t fare much better as she resumed making the drinks.
You looked between them. “Why are you both finding this funny? I’ve gone up a whole dress size! And my bras don’t fit now!”
Cait recovered first. “Because there wasn’t anything to say, my love.”
You stared back, hand frozen in the bag of grated cheese.
Vi’s voice was soft in your ear. “Because bodies change.”
Her answer was so simple.
Cait nodded, pouring some alcohol into the pitcher. “You’ve been eating regularly, and sleeping properly. You’re in a healthy routine; you’re not under as much stress as you were a year ago…” She shrugged lightly. “A small amount of weight gain isn’t particularly remarkable.”
Vi nodded in agreement. “Honestly, I barely noticed.”
The statement earned a look of betrayal.
“You ‘barely’ noticed?” you demanded.
Vi immediately realised her mistake. “No, no-”
“Meaning you did notice.”
She squeezed you a little. “I mean, I noticed your tits bounce a little more when we fuck you, and your ass has a little more jiggle when we spank it-”
“Vi!”
“I noticed you looked happy.”
You paused.
Vi shrugged, resting her chin on your shoulder. “I noticed you have more energy. And I noticed you smile a lot more now.”
Your eyes became wet for the second time that day. You sniffled a little, lifting your chin. “Okay, you’re both forgiven.”
That only made them laugh harder, but you let them.
Your body had changed a little, but that was okay. It was just another part of moving forward.
The next few days passed far more easily than you had expected.
Once the shock of Powder and Ekko’s arrival had worn off and you were more accustomed to their chaotic energy, life in the penthouse settled into a new rhythm. A louder rhythm, certainly, but not an unpleasant one.
Powder seemed physically incapable of existing quietly. She drifted through the penthouse like a small hurricane, somehow managing to be everywhere at once. One morning you came into the kitchen to find Powder perched on the counter, stealing fruit from a bowl while Vi complained that normal people used chairs. Another afternoon you discovered the two sisters engaged in an increasingly ridiculous competition to determine who could balance the most objects on their head.
The current record holder was, apparently, Ekko.
Nobody seemed happy about this.
Evenings were spent together. Sometimes you all watched films. Sometimes you played board games that inevitably devolved into accusations of cheating; Cait informed you that Monopoly had long-since been banded in the Lanes household as games tended to end abruptly in physical fights between players. Once, Powder and Vi spent nearly an hour arguing over a childhood story, each insisting the other had remembered it incorrectly, whilst Ekko supplied increasingly unhelpful commentary from the sidelines.
Through it all, Cait watched with the familiar amusement of someone who had long ago accepted that the sisters were fundamentally incapable of behaving normally around one another.
You found yourself watching, too. Not with the uncomfortable ache you had felt on that first night.
Not anymore.
Instead, you found yourself slowly becoming part of things. Slowly getting more involved, slowly getting a little closer.
Powder made that process surprisingly easy.
She had all the subtlety of a charging rhino and approximately the same respect for personal space, but she was also relentlessly welcoming. Within two days she was treating you as if she’d known you for years, dragging you into conversations, asking questions about your hobbies, and occasionally appearing beside you without warning simply to share whatever thought had most recently entered her head.
Somehow, despite the chaos, it was difficult not to like her.
The biggest surprise, however, was seeing Vi as a sister.
You had only known Vi as a Sugar Mommy, as Cait’s Wife, and only more recently as a girlfriend. This confident, occasionally reckless woman who threw herself into life with both fists swinging.
But around Powder, there were glimpses of something younger. Softer.
She still teased relentlessly, of course. That would never change.
Yet there was also a fierce tenderness there. A protectiveness that seemed instinctive. The sort of love that had been built over years of scraped knees, shared bedrooms, inside jokes, and surviving difficult things together.
It was beautiful to watch. And a little bittersweet, as it only reinforced how fucked up your own upbringing had been. Cait was the sole only-child between the three of you, but you might as well have been too.
Still, you found yourself smiling more often than not.
The penthouse felt fuller.
And you were learning that that was… Good.
It was on the fifth day that Vi’s phone rang shortly after dinner.
She shot up off the sofa, a grin spreading across her face. “Yes! He’s here!”
Powder immediately sat upright. “Hell yeah!”
The two of them practically launched themselves toward the entryway corridor.
You blinked, but didn’t panic. You knew who this was, you knew what was about to happen.
“Vander!” both sisters cried simultaneously.
The voice that answered was deep enough to seem to vibrate through the walls. “Easy there, you little gremlins, I’m here.”
You followed Cait’s lead and stood up off the couch, nervously squeezing her hand as you, her, and Ekko headed a little closer to the entryway.
And you immediately froze.
The man standing in the doorway was enormous. Not merely tall… Enormous.
Standing about 6’3” tall, the man’s broad shoulders filled the space in the corridor. His arms looked like he could break concrete with ease. He had a thick beard threaded with grey and the sort of weathered face that suggested a lifetime of hard work.
Then the giant laughed, and the entire impression changed.
The sound was warm and gentle. Comforting.
Powder was already wrapped under one of his arms, Vi on his other side.
“You took forever,” the elder sister grumbled.
“I just drove three hours, drop the attitude,” he teased, ruffling Powder’s hair, earning immediate protests.
You watched the exchange carefully. The ease between the guardian and his daughters was unmistakable. There was no obligation, no sense of duty. They were a family, plain and simple. The kind of family that genuinely enjoyed being around each other, and loved each other deeply.
Something you were still getting used to.
Eventually Vander's attention shifted toward the three of you standing a little further away. He managed to shrug off the two sisters, playfully ignoring their teasing protests. Vi took his bags and started heading back towards the bedrooms, and Powder ran to the kitchen to get her dad a drink.
“Cait,” he greeted warmly, pulling her into a hug.
“Hello, Vander,” she replied with just as much affection for her father-in-law.
Vander released Cait, then turned to Ekko. They embraced tightly, patting each other’s backs as men often did.
Then his attention turned to you.
Immediately, every nervous instinct in your body activated.
“Well,” he said kindly, “You must be Y/N.”
You swallowed, and spoke politely, “Good evening, sir.”
Beside you, Cait was visibly trying not to smile.
Vander offered his hand; you shook it. Rather, your hand disappeared into his.
“Nice to finally meet you.” His smile widened slightly. “I’ve heard good things.”
By bedtime that evening, it was impossible not to notice how deeply these people loved one another. The way Vander automatically checked that everyone had eaten enough dinner before accepting a plate from Powder. The way Vi and Powder still bickered constantly but gravitated toward him. The way Ekko slipped effortlessly into the family dynamic despite not sharing their surname. The way Cait smiled whenever she watched them.
It wasn’t perfect; no family was.
They interrupted each other, argued, teased mercilessly, created noise wherever they went.
Yet beneath all of it sat something solid, and unshakeable.
Love.
It didn’t need to be earned. It wasn’t withheld as punishment. It wasn’t used a tool to manipulate each other.
It was the kind that existed even when people were annoying, or when they disagreed.
As you sat on the sofa, curled against Cait in what had become your preferred spot since your guests’ arrival, watching another ridiculous argument unfold, you found yourself studying Vander. Watching the way he laughed, the way he listened, the way his eyes softened whenever he looked at his children.
Children. Not biological, not by blood. Yet unquestionably his.
The thought lodged itself somewhere deep in your chest.
Because for the first time, you were seeing a father who didn’t rule through fear, or pain.
He was a parent whose presence made his family feel safer, not smaller. A man who had somehow raised two fiercely loving adults despite everything life had thrown at them. And as Vander reached over to steal a cookie from Vi’s plate – promptly earning a cry of betrayal from his eldest daughter – you found yourself smiling.
Family was… Good.
The penthouse was quiet that morning.
The city beyond the wall-to-ceiling windows was only just beginning to wake, the pale grey light of early morning stretching across the skyline. You padded down the corridor from the bedrooms towards the living area, still rubbing your eyes tiredly.
It was a little earlier than the three of you would normally rise, but you knew that trying to sneak those last 30 minutes would do more harm than good.
You rounded the corner, and jumped in surprise.
Vander sat at the kitchen counter, reading a newspaper as he sipped his black coffee. He looked up when he heard your soft squeak. “Morning, Y/N. Didn’t expect anyone else up this early. Vi said you normally wake up together?”
You recovered, trying to get your heart to slow down. “Good morning, sir-”
He smiled softly, shaking his hand a little. “You don’t need to call me ‘sir’, sweetheart.”
You ducked your head, slightly embarrassed. “Sorry. It’s just…”
“Force of habit?” he asked, his tone a little sad.
You headed into the kitchen area, looking at him from across the counter. “Yes. And yes, we’re normally up together. But I was already awake, and trying to sneak a little longer would make me more tired. So I thought I’d just start breakfast.”
“I was going to take everyone out this morning. My treat? Saves someone cooking, and we can all have what we want?”
You smiled. “Thank you, si—Vander. Thank you, Vander.”
You made a cup of tea, and sat on the stool next to him at the counter.
For a minute, neither of you spoke. But the silence wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. Just peaceful, both of you enjoying the quiet of the morning.
Eventually, Vander wrapped both hands around his coffee mug and looked at you. “Mind if I ask you something?”
You turned your head. “Sure?”
His expression grew a little more serious. “Vi’s told me about the lawsuit.”
You immediately knew where this conversation was heading.
You nodded slowly. “Oh.”
A brief silence followed.
Then Vander sighed. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” His fingers traced the side of his mug. “But I wanted to tell you something.”
You waited, your heart starting to pound.
Vander shook his head slightly. “I’m a parent. But every time I hear another piece of that story, I just don’t understand how anyone could treat their child that way.”
You looked down at your tea.
The familiar discomfort surfaced immediately: the instinct to minimise, to explain everything away, to make it all sound less awful than it was.
Vander must have recognised the expression because he spoke again before you could. “No. Don’t do that. I’m serious, Y/N.”
You blinked.
His voice remained calm. “When Vi and Powder were little, there were days they drove me absolutely insane.”
That earned the faintest smile. “I can believe that.”
“Well, you should.” His eyes twinkled briefly. “They were menaces. But there was never a day – a second – when I stopped loving them.”
The words landed harder than you expected.
Because they were so simple.
And yet they described something you had never truly experienced. Your parents’ love had always been conditional, if they had ever even loved you at all. After all, you had no positive memories of them.
Vander looked down into his coffee, consciously giving you a break of eye contact. “I don’t care who my kids love. I don’t care if they make mistakes. Lord knows I’ve made enough of those. But they’re my kids. And if somebody hurt them...” his jaw tightened slightly, “I’d do whatever it took to protect them.”
You stared down at your tea, unable to meet his eyes.
Because the kindness in his voice hurt. Not in a bad way, though.
Then Vander’s voice softened even further. “What happened to you wasn’t normal, kid.”
Your eyes suddenly filled with tears. You swallowed harshly, your throat burning. “I know.”
“Good.”
Another pause.
“You deserved better.”
You inhaled sharply. You nodded. “Everyone keeps telling me that.”
“Probably because it’s true.”
A tear escaped before you could stop it, landing in your tea.
You hastily wiped more away; Vander didn’t pretend not to notice.
Eventually you managed a shaky smile. “Thank you.”
He smiled back. “Anytime.”
A comfortable silence settled once more.
You thought that might be the end of it.
Then Vander gently nudged your elbow with his, a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
One that looked remarkably familiar.
Oh no, you thought, that’s where Vi gets it from.
“You know…” he said casually.
You immediately became suspicious. “What?”
“If you ever decide to join Cait’s and Vi’s marriage, I’d be honoured to walk you down the aisle.”
Summary: Side Story* of Boundless Devotion Series. MedievalAU. What if your past was different? What if certain events didn't occur like they did? What if you didn’t grow up in the Romanov Kingdom?
*contains spoilers for series (pls read main story first)*
Warnings: fluff
Words: 4287
Your hand pauses mid-flip, the smooth texture of the parchment brushing your fingertips as a scarlet petal drifts down from above and lands perfectly in the center of the page. For a moment, you stare at it, struck by the vivid color, bright, bold, and too early in the season to be here at all.
Its name eludes you, but you’re familiar with its kind. Rare, stubborn flowers that usually wait for the harsh winter to bloom. But this one must’ve grown impatient. You smile faintly at the thought—impatience and stubbornness, you can relate to.
Before you can wonder how it ended up shedding petals all the way into your secluded pavilion, a soft clearing of the throat echoes off one of the marble pillars.
“Jarvis,” you sigh, trying and failing to sound surprised, “what can I do for you?”
Jarvis bows with the perfection of someone who had served your family long before you were born. His silver-threaded hair doesn’t shift out of place, nor does his expression, though his eyes carry that familiar glimmer of I-know-exactly-why-you’re-hiding.
“Your brother is requesting your presence in the parlour, Your Highness.”
You narrow your eyes. The parlour. Not the dining hall, not his study. The parlour meant guests. The parlour meant trouble.
“And did he happen to mention why?” you ask pointedly.
Jarvis presses a hand behind his back, posture immaculate.
“His exact phrasing was that ‘a surprise is waiting for you.’”
A groan escapes before you can stop it. Another surprise. In other words, another forced introduction to some noble Tony found ‘respectable,’ which apparently meant ‘boring,’ ‘self-absorbed,’ or ‘someone who talks at you for hours about something excruciatingly uninteresting.’
You eye the lone red petal for a moment before shutting your book with a soft thump.
“Jarvis,” you begin, leaning forward with all the seriousness you rarely used on him, “you’ve been taking care of us since our parents died. But we both know you adore me more.” Jarvis exhales as if you’ve stabbed him with the truth. “So be honest: what surprise does my dear brother have waiting for me?”
The man’s perfect composure slips just enough for a tiny twitch of an amused smile.
“Well, if rumors are to be believed, I may have seen the coachman of one of His Majesty’s more…shameless companions arrive early this morning.”
Your shoulders slump.
“Another setup,” you mutter. “Gods, does he think if he sends enough suitors, one will magically become appealing?”
Jarvis says nothing, and that in itself is the answer.
You clasp your hands dramatically and give him your best pleading expression.
“Please…please pretend you never found me. I will owe you for the rest of my life.”
Jarvis hesitates just long enough to pretend he’s considering your request really hard. Then he gives a polite bow.
“My apologies. It seems I was mistaken. The princess left the castle earlier and will be spending her day in town.”
A victorious smile breaks across your face.
“I appreciate you, Jarvis.”
He inclines his head, which in Jarvis-language is basically shouting you’re welcome, and walks off as if he never saw you.
You sink back onto the cushioned bench of your hidden pavilion, surrounded by roses and carved stone archways, blessedly alone again. Opening your book, you turn to your place and gently lift the scarlet petal that was pressed inside.
But another gust of wind swirls through the garden, tugging the petal from your grasp. It spirals upward, dancing through a shaft of sunlight before disappearing somewhere above the pavilion roof.
You sigh, return to your reading, only to freeze when a soft grunt drifts down from the tree branches overhead. Then another.
Petals suddenly rain down in front of your face, an entire flurry of them.
You look up sharply.
Instead of a bird or a squirrel, you see a human form wedged awkwardly between the leaves, balancing on a thick branch. Cloaked, hooded, and absolutely not supposed to be here.
“Hey!” you shout before you can think.
The figure jerks violently at the sound of your voice, one foot slipping off the edge. Their hand shoots out to grab a nearby branch, but it’s thin and snaps instantly. The entire body comes crashing down, bouncing off the pavilion roof with a thud before rolling ungracefully onto the ground.
“Oh my gods—are you alright?!” You drop to your knees beside the fallen stranger.
A low groan answers you as the cloaked figure clutches their side. You hover your hands over them, instinctively wanting to help, until reality strikes you.
You’re in the royal garden. Behind multiple layers of guards. Behind secured walls.
Which means whoever this is, they’re still an intruder.
You jerk back, scrambling toward the garden path.
“Jarv—!”
A hand slaps over your mouth. Your back hits the grass as another hand pins your wrist. You turn your head and meet—
Eyes. Green. Startlingly soft despite the situation. They widen at your panic, framed by wisps of red hair that have escaped the dark hood. Her breathing is quick from the fall, her lips parted slightly in focus, and—
You forget how to breathe for a second.
“Wait!” she hisses, voice hushed and desperate. “Let me explain!”
Why is even her whisper that pretty?
She leans in slightly, ensuring only you can hear.
“My name is Natasha Romanov. I’m the queen of the Romanov kingdom.”
You blink.
…She’s also insane.
You blindly reach behind you, fingers brushing the spine of your discarded book. In one swift motion, you grab it and smack her arm.
“Hey!” she yelps, voice raised in indignation.
Her grip on your wrist stays strong, though she shifts her other hand from your mouth to block your book strikes with surprisingly quick reflexes.
“Stop hitting me!”
“You let me go first!”
To your surprise, she does. She instantly releases your wrist, raises both hands in surrender, and sits back on her knees to give you space.
“There. Free. Happy?” she says, breathing a little heavier from the fall and the brief scuffle.
You glare, sputtering, offended that she’s implying you’re the unreasonable one.
Before you can respond, rapid footsteps echo through the garden. Jarvis rounds the corner with three guards, eyes honing in on you first, then the cloaked woman surrounded by petals like some chaotic painting.
“Your Highness!” he says, rushing to help you up and immediately positioning himself between you and the intruder.
The guards draw weapons, surrounding her in a tight formation. She doesn’t flinch. If anything, she seems…tired. And annoyingly composed.
“Are you hurt?” Jarvis asks you.
You shake your head, pointing at the tree.
“She fell out of the branches.”
The woman snorts.
“I wouldn’t have fallen if you hadn’t startled me.”
Jarvis’s arm shoots out across your front just as you attempt to step forward in indignation.
“Well, forgive me for being surprised someone was lurking in the trees!” you snap.
The woman lifts her chin, a subtle smirk tugging at her lips, as if she’s far too amused by you.
“Desperate times,” she says lightly. “And I told you… I’m Queen Natasha Romanov.” Slowly, she lowers her hood, revealing all of her fire-red hair, sharp cheekbones, and calm certainty. “I’m here to request a meeting with your king, who’s been avoiding me.”
The garden seems to be still around her. Even the guards hesitate.
Natasha raises a brow at you, awaiting your response, and your heart, traitorous thing that it is, skips. Twice.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
You keep your eyes locked to the stone path ahead, refusing to so much as glance at the woman walking beside you. Somehow, after Jarvis confirmed her identity and the guards stepped down, the responsibility of escorting Queen Natasha Romanov to your brother fell on your shoulders.
Of course it did. Tony always had impeccable timing when it came to making your life difficult.
You inhale slowly. Then exhale sharply.
A queen. A whole actual queen. In your tree. And falling out of it.
What sort of queen climbs trees anyway?
You’re so deep in this very dignified mental rant that you don’t notice Natasha leaning forward sideways towards your face until the very last moment when your peripheral vision catches a blur of red hair. You jerk back so abruptly you nearly trip over your own feet.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” you squeak, raising a hand to cover your mouth. Only belatedly do you realize that you are shielding the very lips that almost collided with her face.
Her eyes sparkle mischievously as she takes in your flustered state. The corner of her mouth lifts in an unhurried, knowing smile.
“I was trying to see what had you so focused,” she says lightly, gaze sliding downward. “And I knew that looked familiar. You’re holding my mother’s book.”
You freeze, clutching the leather-bound volume tighter to your chest as if you might shield it from her sight.
“So?” you snap, lifting your chin in challenge.
Natasha’s gaze doesn’t waver. If anything, her smirk deepens as she studies you like something intriguing, like something she hadn’t expected to find in this kingdom but is thoroughly delighted to observe.
“I always wondered,” she muses, “why your brother insisted on acquiring copies of her works every time he visited Romanov lands. Now I understand who he was really bringing them home for.”
Heat floods your face. You glare because glaring is much safer than acknowledging the truth she’s just effortlessly exposed.
“Are you making fun of me?”
She blinks in honest surprise before laughing softly, the sound warm and low.
“No. Actually, I think it’s…sweet. Very different from the impression I had of the Stark king.”
Your surprise and curiosity get the better of you.
A laugh bursts out of you before you can stop it because she’s right. The sound escapes you in a small, unguarded bubble of amusement, and you immediately press your fingers over your lips to hide your smile.
But not before Natasha sees it.
Her expression softens subtly as though she’s pleased to have earned that reaction from you. For a heartbeat, her face is gentle in a way that feels vulnerable. Then she replaces it with another smirk, the mischievous teasing back in full force.
“Of course,” she adds airily, “with a little sister who blushes so easily from a simple gesture, it’s no wonder he spoils you.”
You gape at her, scandalized, eyes wide and cheeks burning hotter than fire as she turns to continue on the path. You grip your book, fully prepared to commit assault-by-literature and launch it at her knowing face.
But it’s plucked cleanly from your hands.
“My lady,” Jarvis says, voice impeccably stern as he holds the book high out of your reach until your hands drop back to your sides. He returns it only once you stop vibrating with indignation. “She is still the Queen of another kingdom here for diplomatic reasons. Please refrain from rash actions.”
You snatch the book back with a huff, primarily because Jarvis is right and secondarily because Natasha is watching you with the most insufferably pleased expression you’ve ever seen in your life.
She glances over her shoulder at you, eyebrow raised in silent provocation.
Are you going to keep up?
Your pride prickles. You close the distance immediately, matching her stride with determined purpose. But the moment she subtly leans forward again to catch your expression, you whip your head in the opposite direction with a sharp, indignant huff.
Her laugh is short, warm, and impossible to ignore. The sound follows the two of you down the corridor.
The carved double doors of the parlour finally come into view, gleaming beneath the afternoon light. You halt abruptly and jab a finger toward them, refusing to look directly at the woman beside you.
“He’s in there,” you announce crisply. You pivot on your heel and stride toward the adjoining corridor before Natasha can say anything else that might fluster you.
“Hey! Wait,” she calls, footsteps quick behind you. “Where are you going?”
You stop and turn just enough to raise an eyebrow.
“Anywhere but here.”
For the first time since she fell out of your tree, an uncertain expression flickers across her face. She glances between you and the parlour door as though debating which direction is the correct choice.
You, however, don’t hesitate. If you stay anywhere near Tony and his “surprise,” you’ll be trapped in another painfully curated date before you can blink. You’re halfway down the hallway when—
“Hold on—”
“There you are!”
You close your eyes and sigh. Tony’s voice bounces down the corridor like the world’s most obnoxious herald.
You turn slowly, already bracing yourself, and spot him marching toward you with a look of theatrical disappointment etched across his face. But what catches your attention first is that Natasha is not by the parlour doors anymore.
Instead, she’s only a few steps behind you, as if she chose to follow you.
Tony points a finger at you, shaking his head.
“Unbelievable. And here I was preparing a surprise for you.”
“You can keep it for yourself,” you deadpan, arms crossing.
He opens his mouth to retort, but then notices Natasha. He gestures toward her without even looking.
“And who is this?”
The shift in Natasha is immediate and striking. The teasing glimmer fades, replaced by sharp composure, the kind only someone trained to wear a crown could muster. She steps forward, shoulders straight, chin high.
“Queen Natasha of the Romanov Kingdom,” she says. “I have been requesting an audience with you for weeks to finalize the trade negotiations between our kingdoms.”
Tony squints, tapping his chin as if trying to recall what a ‘trade negotiation’ even is. Then, predictably, he turns to Jarvis.
“Jarvis, I believe I’m fully booked for the rest of the day, aren’t I?”
Jarvis exhales through his nose, the refined equivalent of a frustrated sigh from one who knows what sort of response that he’s expecting.
“It would seem so, Your Majesty.”
Tony claps once, satisfied.
“There we have it. So, perhaps another time, Your Grace.”
He waves her off like a bothersome merchant. Meanwhile, Jarvis immediately steps forward, bowing apologetically yet ushering her away with a diplomat’s trained subtlety.
Natasha stiffens, her hands curling into fists at her sides. The tension radiates off her filled with anger, humiliation, and the weary frustration of a queen who crossed borders only to be dismissed like an errand girl.
Your chest tightens with sympathy, figuring she’s only trying to accomplish her duties. Before you can dwell on it, he rounds on you.
“And you,” he huffs. “Judging by your attitude, I take it Jarvis spoiled the surprise. Fine. No build-up. But you’ll like this one, I swear.”
You drag a hand down your face. He has said that exact line every single time. And every single time, the suitor has been worse. This will probably never end unless—
A thought sparks in your mind.
“I can’t,” you blurt, brushing past him before you can talk yourself out of it. You stride straight to Natasha, slip your arm through hers, and tug her close. “Because I already have someone.”
Natasha freezes for half a second, then looks at you with raised brows, puzzled but not displeased at the thought of being yours. She doesn’t pull away. If anything, she shifts closer, body angled toward yours.
Tony’s jaw drops. “But she’s—”
“A queen,” you interrupt, letting smugness drip from every syllable. “I highly doubt whichever lord you dug up could possibly compete with that.”
Tony narrows his eyes in suspicion.
“You’re lying. When would you two even meet?”
You don’t blink.
“In town. While you were ignoring her requests for meetings.”
You lean your head against Natasha’s shoulder, hand resting lightly atop her arm.
Natasha glances down at you, and something warm flashes in her eyes. To your surprise, she slides her arm from yours only to wrap it around your waist, pulling you flush against her side.
Your heart slams itself against your ribs in betrayal.
She faces Tony with regal composure.
“She was reading my mother’s book when we met,” she says. “And after our first encounter, I wanted to know her better.”
It’s stunning how smoothly she lies while also speaking the truth.
Tony opens his mouth, then stops. You can see the moment he realizes he may have inadvertently orchestrated this entire situation by constantly ignoring the Romanov’s request to meet.
He shakes his head violently.
“No. No, absolutely not. I don’t buy it. You’re bluffing.”
Your patience snaps, frustrated at how long he wants to prolong this discussion, just to catch you in your lie.
“If we were faking it,” you say sharply, “would I do this?”
Before anyone can think, you turn, cup the back of Natasha’s neck, and pull her toward you.
Your lips meet hers.
It’s meant to be quick—a simple demonstration. But the moment you touch, Natasha exhales, soft and startled, and her hand tightens at your waist. Suddenly, she leans in, returning the kiss with an intensity that steals the air from your lungs. You feel heat bloom across your skin as her lips press more firmly to yours, warm and sure and—
You pull back in a rush, breath unsteady, face inches from hers. The world feels strangely quiet. Too quiet.
Natasha’s eyes flutter open, pupils wide, her expression dazed…and something else. Something that makes your pulse stutter.
“Jarvis! Do something!” Tony’s voice cracks like a whip through the charged air.
You step back, clearing your throat violently, forcing your composure to materialize from thin air. You turn to Tony with an arched brow.
“Well. Since you don’t have time for her,” you say coolly, “I suppose I’ll just have her to myself.”
And before he can regain his voice, you seize Natasha’s hand and march down the corridor.
She follows without resistance. Without a word. But when you risk a quick glance over your shoulder, you catch it.
A soft flush dusts her cheeks. Her eyes dart away the second you meet them.
A slow, triumphant smile curves your lips.
Serves her right, you think, savoring it. It seems the Romanov queen can be flustered too.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
You close your bedroom door with a gentle thud, the sound muffled by the heavy velvet drapes lining your walls. You remain facing it for a moment, hand still on the handle, breath caught in your throat.
You can’t believe you brought her here. The Romanov queen. The woman you just kissed. Into your private space.
Gods, what were you thinking?
You close your eyes, inhale deeply, and school your expression before turning around to face the consequences of your impulsiveness.
Only to find Natasha already wandering your room.
She stands before your bookshelf, fingertips gliding across the spines of your neatly arranged collection, her curiosity unrestrained and entirely regal at once. The soft rustle of her cloak as she shifts to pull a volume from the shelf snaps you out of your daze.
You lunge forward, placing your hand over hers before she can tug the book out.
“What do you think you’re doing?” you demand, far too quickly, far too defensively.
Natasha blinks, then lifts an eyebrow. She says nothing. Instead, she glances meaningfully down at where your hand covers hers.
Heat floods your face. You snatch your hand away as if burned and hastily slide the book back into place.
Natasha lets out a single soft breath, a half laugh, as she gestures around your shelves.
“You and my mother would get along well,” she muses, “judging by all these books you have.” Her gaze flicks to you, lips curling mischievously. “Probably not as close as how you treat me, though.”
Your cheeks flare instantly. Of course, she brings that up.
You bite down a retort, inhale deeply, and force yourself to meet her eyes.
“I apologize,” you say stiffly. “For kissing you so suddenly.”
Natasha tilts her head, considering you as though the apology is unexpected or not where she planned this conversation to go at all.
Not wanting her to have a chance to fluster you again, you take a step into her space, boldly or foolishly, you aren’t sure, and her eyes widen ever so slightly.
“However,” you challenge, “why did you kiss me back?”
Her lips quirk upward.
“You mean: why did I play along with your lie, so you wouldn’t have to endure another suitor?”
You nod, feeling absurdly anxious for her answer.
Natasha shrugs, utterly unapologetic.
“Your brother’s been wasting my time for weeks. Bothering him a little felt…deserved.”
The reason makes you laugh softly in surprise despite yourself, and Natasha smiles in return. The atmosphere in the room eases instantly, and for a moment, neither of you looks away.
Until you accidentally glance down at her lips. Just a flicker. Barely a second. But enough that your pulse stutters at the memory of her touch.
You immediately clear your throat and turn to the shelves, pretending to tidy a book that was perfectly aligned already.
“Well,” you say tightly, “I wouldn’t worry too much. Tony will probably rush to meet with you before the day ends just to remove you from my vicinity.”
Natasha hums thoughtfully, leaning her shoulder against the bookcase. Her eyes track you lazily, amusement softening her features.
“Was that your plan all along?” she asks.
“Yes,” you answer. “A mutually beneficial solution.”
“I’m impressed,” she admits. Then she tilts her head to catch your gaze before you can dart away again. “But am I really that bad of an option to be with?”
Your heart nearly stops. The immediate, instinctive answer—No, you’re not—rises too quickly. You swallow it down, refusing to let it escape.
“I didn’t say that,” you mutter instead.
Her eyes brighten. A small smile tugs at her lips, one softer than any she’s shown so far.
Silence settles between you. And yet the room doesn’t feel empty. Her presence fills the space in a way you can’t exactly define. Warm, magnetic, and quietly disarming all at once.
A knock breaks the peace.
“My lady,” Jarvis calls, voice muffled through the door. “The king requests the Romanov queen’s presence to complete the trade negotiations.”
You give Natasha a pointed look. Told you.
Opening the door, you catch Jarvis’s eye and ask, “The truth, Jarvis.”
A faint smile tugs at the corners of his mouth before he relents.
“His Majesty does not wish the two of you to spend too much time alone in your bedchamber.” He bows politely to Natasha. “No offense, Your Majesty.”
“None taken,” Natasha replies easily. “I should go and finish this. I was meant to head back home days ago.”
You frown at the reminder of how long Tony’s negligence delayed her work.
“I’m sorry again for my brother,” you say.
She shakes her head and waves off your apology.
“I should thank you. Without your help, I doubt I’d have secured a meeting at all.”
You scoff lightly. The woman overcame the castle’s security measures and climbed a tree just for the chance to complete her duties.
“Somehow, I doubt you’re incapable of achieving anything you want,” you tell her sincerely.
Natasha blinks, momentarily surprised at the trust in your words, before a grin spreads across her face, warm and genuine. You find yourself smiling back.
Jarvis politely clears his throat, and the spell breaks.
“Shall we go, Your Majesty?”
“Right.” Natasha takes a step forward but stops at your doorframe. Turning, she reaches into her cloak.
You freeze as her hand lifts toward your face. Gently, carefully, she tucks something into your hair.
“A little farewell gift,” she murmurs.
When she steps back, you brush your fingers through your hair and feel a soft petal. You turn to the vanity. The flower from the tree, scarlet, bright, and unmistakable, rests just above your ear.
A laugh slips from you.
“Now I wonder if you fell because of me…or because you were reaching for these flowers.”
Natasha’s expression softens into something tender. Something dangerously close to affection.
“Whichever reason,” she says quietly, “it was worth it.”
Your heart lurches. You open your mouth—maybe to ask her to stay for dinner, maybe to say something you’ll regret not telling her—but remember she must leave soon. So instead, you nod toward Jarvis.
“Take care of her. And try to keep Tony from tormenting her too much.”
Jarvis inclines his head. “Of course, my lady.”
Natasha steps out into the hall after Jarvis, but pauses with one hand resting lightly on your doorframe. She glances back at you, eyes warm.
“I noticed you don’t have any of my mother’s newer works,” she says. “When I return home, I’ll have fresh copies made and bring them with me the next time I visit.”
Your breath catches. Next time. She’s promising to meet with you next time. Not for diplomacy. Not out of royal obligations. But just to spend some time with you.
The realization sparks a quiet flutter in your chest, one you can’t quite hide. You manage a steady nod.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Her smile blooms instantly, unguarded and radiant. She lingers there for a heartbeat longer, as if reluctant to leave, before finally turning to go.
You lean against the doorway, watching her retreat down the corridor until she disappears from sight. Only then do you pluck the flower from your hair and turn it slowly between your fingers.
It had all begun with a single drifting petal, a simple brush of red against your palm. And somehow, you can’t help feeling that moment is what led Natasha Romanov into your world.
~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~
a/n: thank you for reading!
This was finished long ago, and I decided to just post it now for some happiness in the midst of all the angst right now in the main story.
An alternate universe to my alternate universe, so that no matter which world, these two will somehow always find each other ♥️
Summary: You take Kara Zor-El to a university party to just retrieve your notes for an upcoming harrowing Report due to the university treasury. What you don’t expect, is for you to leave drugged and with a few boys bleeding and bruised 18+ MDI smut written but not too graphic
Kara Zor el x fem Reader
Notes: protective Kara Zor-El, Kara beating up frat guys, mentions of drugs and roofies, Kara being the good her mother wanted her to be, girlfriend Kara at a all time high, fingering, smut, soft sex, Kara being gentle, just Kara zor el for the ladies. Clark being cousin of the year and interrogating a young 21 year old girl for Kara. Just something for myself.
Kara Zor-El and university parties did not go in tandem together. Different world’s entirely. Yes, Kara had been notorious for bar hopping on so many yellow suns, red included, she drank and drank until she could hardly remember her own name. Till krypto would lead her back to her ship by the seed of his teeth on her sleeve. But she had made a promise to herself-that she would not go back to being a girl with a drunken stupor as a shadow. That no matter the pain, the sorrow, she would continue to rely on her own heart.
To be the good that she could be. Even if it was as tiny as a Mustard seed. If that. So when she had met you one night as she had came out of Clark’s apartment, and had nearly run head first into you, did she realize what she was missing. You were small and kind and shy, with eyes the color of innocence. In some odd yet familiar way you reminded her of Ruthye Knoll. The same small figure, despite being Kara’s age, the same determined smile, only this one made her heart double pump in her chest like some magical firework had lit in her heart. Small smiles in the lobby had turned into small talk as Kara would offer to help with the groceries, krypto getting a treat every time without fail. Clark was the first to clock it, stating to Lois like Kara couldn’t hear them. “They’d be a beautiful couple. Just so dandy”.
Kara had simply scoffed, giving him the finger, “dandy? Who the hell says that?” she commented, but her cheeks had gone full red. Kara had started off by waiting for you in the lobby, using krypto as bait, making him mark any tree he could, hands in her pocket. It was comical at best, watching Kara Zor-El signal to her dog to pee to use as an alibi just to spend a few minutes with you. Kara learned your schedule, or by learned, she simply begged Clark to ask what you did.
“Just ask her what she does” she spoke, brushing shoulders with Clark as he and Lois sat on the couch, a popcorn bucket in hand. Clark’s eyebrows rose, his smile wide and endearing, “I don’t understand why you can’t just ask Kara” he spoke, giving her that familiar smile.
“Just do it” Kara had said. And so Clark had . You had been in the lift, bag pack in hand, tired from a long day, when Clark Kent from two doors across had snuck in with his glasses and calm disarming smile. You had smiled, “hi Clark. Busy day?” You had commented, and Clark nodded, “oh very. So much to do. What about you? What do you do?” Your eyebrows had raised, because when had Clark Kent ever been interested in you? A 21 year old girl in university? Clark’s lips moved in uncertainty as you eyed him with eyes that seemed to know too much, and soon he held his hands up, glasses off in his hand as the red letters on the lift lifted up to through the floors.
“Alright. You caught me. I’m asking because my cousin is interested in you. She wanted to ask herself but she’s very shy in regards to you-and I told her I’d ask.” Your eyes had widened, backpack no longer held between your fingers, “Kara? You’re talking about Kara right? She-she likes me?”
Clark nodded, “she digs you”
And so now, here you were, with your girlfriend in tow, holding fast to Kara’s hand as you plowed through the noisy crowd. Kara had been insistent that she did not want to attend your university charity party for the sorority. Number one, Kara didn’t know the first thing about sororities other than they painted nails and wore short skirts. Kara was supergirl for goodness sake, she was off world half of the time and fighting off aliens and protecting thirteen year old girl’s so what if she didn’t quite understand how university parties worked.
But you had to go, on account of you being the organizer of events, and working on a special report so, as soon as Kara heard you say the words, “I have to” she was dead set on going with you. When you had asked why the change of heart, she had simply looked at you and stated, “why not? I go where you go”.
Ever since the brigands and krem, freeing those helpless girls, Kara had been attune to the ways of the world. And especially its treatment of woman. So she stuck to your side like glue. And it was the same now, her hand laying lazily yet steady on your waist as you entered the loud party. It was wild and free and Kara kept closer as you wove through the crowd. You could sense Kara’s unease, in the way her blue eyes would wove through the crowd. X-ray vision at its finest. Training eyes to faces. Analyzing every inch of the room.
You found a stool beside the kitchen, and sat her down, “I’m just going to talk to the sorority girl’s real quick, get some things I need for the report I have due, and then we can head back home to krypto” you whispered into her ear, Kara’s eyes bore into your own, and suddenly her arms were woven around your waist, pulling you in closer, till the blonde of her lashes glinted in the neon lights. Till her forehead lay atop yours.
“I’ll be right here keeping an eye on you” she spoke, a lazy smile on her features, “don’t take too long” she spoke, and with a soft kiss on your nose she let you go. You blushed as you began walking to the girl’s across from the bar stool. Swaying just a little because Kara was watching.
Kara sat with eager eyes as you walked into the small group of girls. She watched as they all seemed happy to see you, some with wide grins and others least buzzed enough to hug you and say dramatically, “OMG I ADORE YOU”. It brought an amused smile to see you chatting with other girls. You were respectful and kind and like always trying to appease everyone with your report that was due. You had worked effortlessly on it, sitting on Kara’s bed, krypto at your heels as you typed on your laptop. It was a report about how much money had been accumulated in the year from members of the sororities. You always did like to work with numbers, something Kara found fascinating.
Kara waited patiently, hands on her drink, the plastic cup grinning back at her through the neon lights. she made a point to look sort of hunched over and unapproachable. She sat nursing her coke in her cup, eying you across the room. Matching your heartbeat in her ears.
The evening had gone well enough, and Kara suspected you’d be out in a couple more minutes. That left you with time to have dinner and get to bed. Comfy pajamas, and Kara falling asleep on your breasts because she could.
“Which girl did you give the drink to?” Kara’s ears couldn’t help but overhear. over the loud buzzing of the music, over the chattering of the teens and young adults, over the giggles and endless enthusiasm. Her eyes moved as she listened. There had been two boys sitting across from her, eying the group of girls you were chatting too, and Kara could immediately feel her gut twist. Like the compass in her gut was pointed to them.
“I gave the drink to Melanie, to give to any girl she thought was sweet enough to take for a ride”.
A ride. That’s what they called it. Like they weren’t just ruining a girl’s evening. Like they weren’t about to cause pain and misery and a trip to the health department. Some girl would stand in front of the health office with tears over her eyes and feeling sick to her stomach and ashamed to have to ask for a-
“It’s Rohypnol you idiot-“
Kara was up and out of her seat so fast, eyes moving back to the group you were in, just in time to see you take the cup gratefully, and take a large sip.
It was like having tunnel vision, everything from her environment shifted, lost color, lost motion, loss gradient. Kara’s ears burned, her fists curled inward in the way they’re get when she was pissed. And of course the girl who had given it to you, was Melanie Fields. The president of the infamous MET U sorority girls.
Bile rose fast in Kara’s throat as she watched Melanie signal to the boys, like it wasn’t obvious, and Kara wasn’t sure what was worse, the fact that Melanie was working with the frat boys, to lure girls in, eventually to send them off to the boys who would lead them into a dark room while they stumbled and loss consciousness. Or the fact that you adored her. Always talking about sweet Melanie and how amazing she was. Turns out, not amazing, a predator.
Like hell that would happen here.
Kara moved fast, so fast she scared the living daylight out of those boys, as soon as they saw her coming, they immediately stood straight, and Kara didn’t waste any time. Her anger was wild and free, and she had to remind herself she was back on earth, that she had to be disciplined in the way she did things.
“Why did you switch the cups?” It was said in such a confident way, Kara’s head tilting, her arms folded, grey eyes taking in the boys, who eyed each other.
“W-what? We didn’t switch the cups” one boy spoke, he was taller and lengthy, arms folded as well, side swept hair, and Kara could feel her smile widen, her fist aching for some action. She hadn’t been able to go off world for a while, not since she promised Clark she’d stay.
“You boys need to learn to talk with inside voices” she spoke, so condescending her tone could have made anyone ashamed. It drilled acid, it dripped disdain.
But before she could even take more step, Melanie was stepping in, all shy nerves and voice too put on, “Kara-kara-it’s just punch in the cups” she spoke, fast, blush on her cheeks like lying through her teeth was causing physical pain.
Kara’s eyes flitted over to her, and Melanie froze, eyes locking with hers, and in an instant, like Melanie knew, knew Kara knew, she held her head down, “I’m sorry-it was a stupid thing to do-I don’t know why I even said yes-I only wanted-“
Kara rolled her eyes, but her voice held no empathy, just cold firm truth, “when someone is in a position of trust Melanie, you don’t go drugging your own pledges or friends for that matter. And it makes me sick you’d stomach that” Kara was in her face now, “and the fact that you’d do that to my girlfriend” Kara had to step back, her fist shaking.
“I’d be worried about what type of person I am becoming to be able to say yes to that choice”. It sounded disappointed and Melanie couldn’t meet her eyes. It took everything in Kara not to pounce on Melanie. To rip her hair out or worse.
Turning to the boys, Kara took a step forward, “I’d stop if I were you. Because I’d have no problem turning a table over and stopping this party right here, right now” it came out like a growl, and the boys held their hands up, “no-no-“ one of them moved to take the baggy out of their shirt and throw it at Kara, “there. There.”
Kara eyed the bag in her hand, then the boys, she made a show of turning, but immediately her hand curled and made contact with both boys faces, it was a light punch, done with exact precision of her strength, but still sent the boys flying across the floor.
“Oh shit, you’ve got some blood on your faces-“ Kara spoke between a laugh, “I’d get you a napkin but-I don’t see any around” she spoke, she moved fast to grab one guy by the scuff of their collar, lips so close even as he tried to wipe the blood off his nose, “you do that again, and I hear about it, all it would take is one call to the board university and you’d be expelled so fast your head will spin. And who knows? I might pay you a little suprise and wait for you outside your dorm. And it won’t be the good kind”the release on his collar was a personal attack, because the boys head released and smacked down into the tile.
Everyone moved as Kara passed, most of the girl’s had wide eyed smiles and a few even shot her grateful looks, but Kara paid attention to no one, because you were no where in sight.
Kara was used to stressful situations, her whole life had been stressful situations. She was born on a portion of krypton that was poisoned, she watched her mother wither away, held her hand as she struggled for breath, but this-this made her terrified. Truly and utterly terrified.
Kara stood still, took a breath, and closed her eyes. She focused on finding your heartbeat. She scanned through the room, and when she found it, her eyes opened-but they weren’t blue.
They were red. Red like the Merlot you allowed herself on Friday nights cuddled into her. Crimson.
And immediately she flew into action, stopping some guy who was pushing you to a room, while you struggled, “no-get off me-I don’t-I want my girlfriend ” the words were soft and fading, like they took effort to say them.
Kara didn’t even give the guy a warning, she just grabbed him by his coat and kicked him so hard in his balls that he howled in pain then threw him to the floor like a discarded candy bottle. He collided with picture frames and painting on the walls.
Immediately she was by your side, taking your cheeks into her hands, her eyes back to the diluted blue you knew.
“Hey-you’re ok-“ she spoke, moving to wipe some tears from your face. She rubbed gentle circles on your chin, underneath your jaw, “it’s ok. I’m here. I’m here-nothing bad is going to happen to my girl” she spoke, you seemed relieved, but that quickly faded, and soon you were falling into her arms, fighting hard to keep your eyes open.
It was a blur, Kara’s strong arms wrapped around you as she carried you out of the party, and the last thing you remember was Kara’s lips on your forehead, “it’ll be ok babygirl” she cooed. Then darkness.
You woke up to a tail wagging on your face. A small feather like sensation that made your eyes squint, because your vision was blurred, and your mouth was dry.
“Krypto get off the bed” Kara spoke, snapping her fingers, you could feel krypto jump off the bed and onto the floor of Kara’s ship. The sun rose low, and immediately Kara was replacing krypto’s weight, moving to grab your cheeks into her cold hands, which made you hum and follow her hands, chasing after her.
Kara’s lips moved to softly glide over your cheek, then meet the apples of your cheeks before pressing a soft light kiss to your lips, “good morning sweet girl” she spoke, and when you tried to get up she only pushed you down, her whole palm over your bare stomach, the act made your stomach lurch, because it was so attractive. Kara’s hand which was placed firmly on your stomach, fingers cascading over the skin, adoring the ridges of your muscles.
“Lay down” she husked, moving a stray strand of hair, “you need to rest.” Her eyes seemed to look over you with so much love, but also something you couldn’t name.
“I’ll get you some water” she spoke, and then her fingers were gone from your stomach, and you watched as she grabbed a glass and filled it with water, moving to sit back down on the bed, laying her pillow behind your back, smoothing back your hair.
“Thank you-“ you spoke, taking the water gingerly and nearly drinking the whole thing, droplets falling down your cheeks.
As soon as Kara tracked the droplets, she was casually licking her finger and dragging it down the alpine of your cheek. Your cheeks turned stark red, and she noticed, eyes wide, and soon her finger was gone, “I’m sorry if I’m so clingy” she started, getting up from the bed, “I just-I saw you last night drugged and all I wanted to do was break those boys kneecaps-“
Images of a blurry commotion, a few boys laying on the ground with blood on their noses, and Kara’s steady hands as she held your waist wasn’t vivid in your mind, but enough you remembered enough.
“Melanie did it…didn’t she?” Your voice was disappointed. You remember her, handing you a cup, and insisting you should taste as you went over the notes for the report. You remember blurry letters and words, and Melanie insisting, “everything is fine”.
“I’m sorry my love” Kara spoke, “she knew it was wrong. She couldn’t look me in the eye”.
A pit opened in your stomach, a void of disapproval, sadness, and grief. But also-gratitude?
“You punched those boys for me?” It was said like a question, but felt more like a statement. Like you just couldn’t believe Kara would do that for you. A girl who didn’t matter as much, for just one life. A life that didn’t matter. But her-a girl who lost everything. You might as well have been the sun of her universe.
Kara held the gaze, and then she nodded, a firm nod, taking your hand in her own, fingers grazing your palm, “I’d burn the world for you, if I had too”. The words were cheesy, but made you giggle, a tear escaping. Because she had said it with a straight face, a face so somber you felt it in your bones.
“You are a freak” you muttered lovingly.
“I may be. But I couldn’t think straight. It was like-like I just needed to make sure you were okay. And you are now” she spoke, moving to lay on the bed. Her fingers moved to hold yours, her fingers warm, holding tightly. Like she was terrified of letting go.
You let her, moving back a little, enough that her skin burned against yours. You both stared at the ceiling of her ship,listening to krypto’s breathing as he got comfy and settled in for the night. You allowed your eyes to close, to soak in this moment. The smell of Kara, unique in her bed sheets and all around you. Of Kara’s ship, the air that flowed over you both, making goosebumps rise. Of Kara herself-laying next to you, of feeling secure and safe and most of all-treasured.
And in the next moment you basically attacked her. You straddled her hips, hands moving to her neck before your lips pressed over hers, once, twice, then again. Kara’s eyes widened, but then quickly she brought her hands to the skin of your waist, fingers greedy as they cascaded over the skin of your stomach, then up over your ribs, before settling underneath the dip of your breast. Your lips unconnected, a string of spit dividing between you two, and you swore Kara’s eyes got darker.
“I want you Kara-please” it came out more of a growl, and Kara’s eyes softened, “slow, you’re still dazed baby-maybe we should wait-“ but you didn’t give her a chance because soon your lips were back on hers, tongue wild and free and hands waving through her hair, pulling at the curls, which caused Kara to whine, and immediately like she didn’t care about proprietary, she placed you on the bed, swapping positions as she licked a long stripe of your neck, before leaving love bites up and along your jaw.
You closed your eyes, breathing heavy, letting her consume you. Lips met pale skin, the ridge of your chin, your collarbone, and when Kara wrapped her tongue around your nipple and sucked-you lost it. And when her fingers slipped past your underwear, meeting wet heat-Kara groaned, “you’re so wet babygirl” she spoke, amazed.
But if was when Kara was on her knees, lips meeting thighs, teeth soft yet cruel, fingers cupping your ass, “such a beautiful girl” she spoke, licking into your wet folds, eyes ablaze with so much, “I love you-“ she spoke, emotions flowing as she built you up, one suck, one motion at a time. “Fuck-I love you more than I have ever loved anything”
And suddenly it was too much, Kara’s mouth on you, in you, all around you, your hips moving wild and free against her tongue, skin sweaty and wild, and you never felt so free and loved at the same time.
And when you came, whining into Kara’s sheets, Kara simply scooped you up, arms strong as she pulled you into her bed, your body spent and trembling, her lips brushing your forehead. Everything was perfect.
“I know I don’t say it enough-but it’s not because I don’t love you-“ she spoke, her voice cracking at the edges, blonde hair wild, eyes red, “it’s because I do. You’re the one person except for Clark who knows the real me. When I met first met you-in that damn apartment building it’s like my world stopped. Everything I thought I knew about earth-every bias-every cruel thought I’d ever had-seemed to be void. And when I saw you at the party, drugged and confused and scared-“ she sniffed, moving to cuddle into you, her lips against your neck, nose brushing your skin, warms woven protectively around your waist, “it made me realize something. I love you so much I feel like I can’t breathe”.
You knew how hard it was for Kara to say this, to let her emotions control her, to put all her cards in the table, and yet, she had. For you.
Because love was a powerful force. And it seemed to crawl inside Kara and make a home.
A Williamson In Trouble (Alessia Russo x Williamson!Reader)
“Who is the naughtiest player on the team?” The little kid interviewing Leah asked.
“The naughtiest?” Leah chuckled as the little girl nodded.
“Hmm maybe Katie McCabe because she is always getting yellow cards” Leah smirked. “Or maybe my sister, she is very bold too, but not me, I’m a good girl” Leah giggled.
It was true, you were known as a bit of a trouble maker. Leah, the golden child, could do no wrong in your parents, particularly your dad’s, eyes. So, you decided from an early age to do enough wrongs for the both of you.
Leah was 30 seconds late to training? You were 30 minutes.
Leah got a yellow card? You got a straight red.
Leah got into heated arguments with people? You got into heated fist fights.
Growing up, you’d always been a bit of a daredevil. Leah was always such a well mannered child, teenager and now adult, but you were not and never going to be that. You weren’t disrespectful, per se, but you were definitely trouble. Where you seemed to be, trouble followed.
You were protective of those you cared about, even though there was very few people that you could admit you cared for. That’s what she loved and hated about you the most. She, being your Arsenal and England team mate, Alessia Russo. You boiled her blood, but haunted her mind on a daily basis. She hated how dismissive and idiotic you were, but she also loved how arrogant and senseless you were. It was confusing, you were confusing.
-
You were in the boxing ring with Katie, sparring, as she kept her hands directly in front of her face.
“I’m not gonna punch you in the face” you smirked.
“Ye said that the last time too” she protested as you laughed.
“Come on, it’s no fun when you cover your face for the whole thing” you frowned.
“It’s also no fun when someone who’s as big as a fuckin’ tree is tryin’ to punch me in the face” Katie moaned.
“You’re useless. I’ll just go use an actual punching bag” you groaned as she took a breath of relief.
The last time you’d done this together, she was left with a black eye which had you crying laughing at her for an entire week. You two were best friends though, and what’s a black eye between friends?
“Russo, want a go?” Katie jabbed the striker lightly as she came into the gym.
“I’m fine Macca” Alessia laughed. “Have you seen Leah?” She asked.
“Nope, just Williamson Jr” Katie pointed over at where you were sat, on the bench press.
You’d just finished teasing a scared looking Kyra who was trying to stretch before her session. You had gotten bored quickly of that, when she wasn’t reacting, and went off to lift some weights instead.
“She actually might be helpful for this” Alessia admitted, as she left a clueless Katie standing alone, watching on. “Y/n” Alessia waved in your face, trying to get your attention as you had your headphones on, music thumping.
You knew the blonde wasn’t a big fan of yours, which you didn’t really care about. At least you told yourself that you didn’t care. You took your headphones off, but didn’t warrant the girl with a reply. You were stubborn like that when you knew someone didn’t like you.
“Can you help me with something?” She asked.
“With what?” You frowned.
“There’s a light flashing in my car, and I know you or Leah would know what it is” she replied.
You and Leah liked cars. During Covid you impulsively bought an old one and decided you would both fix it up. You’d done about 99% of the work, although Leah had taken 100% of the credit.
“I’m busy” you shrugged, throwing your headphones back on, leaving Alessia to groan and head off to find your sister.
“You’re so annoying” she mumbled as she left you be.
Unfortunately, you hadn’t turned back on your music yet, so you heard her stupid little comment. She frustrated the life out of you. She walked off out to her car, finding your sister en route who had a look at the car, but Leah couldn’t fix it, shock. The two of them both came back into the gym shortly afterwards to find everyone pretty spread out, but a lot of eyes were on you. Your headphones had now been replaced with earphones and you were punching the life out of a boxing bag. Katie gave Leah a knowing look as your sister waddled over towards you.
“Relax there Mike Tyson” Leah said calmly and put her hands on your shoulders.
“I’m busy” you huffed, before feeling yourself being tugged towards her.
“Never too busy for me” she smirked as she led you far, far away from the bag that looked rightly battered.
Alessia didn’t understand you and Leah’s relationship because you were both so different. You were always so angry and uptight and Leah was so approachable and pleasant, but your sister loved you so much regardless. That chemistry was also seen on the pitch, as you played in midfield and/or defence, just like her.
“Ye’s need to just fuck it out” Katie laughed at Alessia.
“What?” Alessia frowned as her head snapped around to look at the Irish girl.
“Cut it out. She said cut it out” Caitlin quickly said, squeezing Katie’s leg.
“Cut what out?” Alessia asked with her hands on her hips.
“She’s not that bad. Just give her a bit more of a chance” Beth shrugged as Alessia rolled her eyes. You were insufferable to her.
“What’s got you so angry?” Leah asked.
“I’m not angry” you pouted and shook your head.
“So, you just like to permanently damage gym equipment then?” Leah laughed.
“You know I do” you smirked.
“Come on, mum wants us over for dinner, so go get changed” she informed you as you groaned. “It’s not up for debate” she added. You loved your mum more than anyone else in the world, you were just in no mood of a family dinner tonight.
“Fine” you groaned, heading into the empty changing rooms and grabbing a quick shower.
As you were walking out with your bag slung over your shoulder, you don’t know how Katie and Kyra’s bags caught your eye. They just looked so tempting. You hid Kyra’s bag on a high up shelf that stuck out just below the ceiling, meanwhile Katie’s bag was thrown into the showers and you pressed the sensor on. You walked out of the changing rooms with a smirk plastered across your face.
“What did you do?” Leah frowned.
“Nothing, why?” You asked continuing to smirk. She had a glance in and everything looked in order before she nodded to herself and you both walked to the car park.
Your mum knew you were a trouble maker, you’d consistently got in trouble in school growing up and you were always getting into fights. You’d been thrown out of enough football clubs for your mum to know you should have been a boxer. But she loved that little trouble maker side to you, because she knew there was more to you deep down. You’d completely change around your mum, because you felt at ease with her.
“Mum we’re here” Leah smiled as you came through the door.
“Hello, my love” she said, bringing Leah into a hug. “There’s my little trouble maker” she chuckled and squeezed your cheeks.
“Hi mum” you smiled before hugging her.
“See, why can’t you be this nice all the time?” Leah laughed.
“Cause everyone isn’t mum” you shrugged, starting to help her with the dinner she was cooking while Leah started making tea.
You loved your mum, you didn’t have a bad word to say about her. Even with all the trouble you’d been in over the years, never once did she shout at you, or ground you, or take your phone. Your dad would tell you to be more like Leah, but not your mum. You idolised the ground she walked on, and would never let anything happen to her.
“How was work?” She asked.
“Fine” you mumbled.
“Training was tough, I had physio then and Y/n went to the gym” Leah said, sitting down with her dinner and mug of tea. You gestured your mum to sit down before bringing over her mug and plate, and then going back for your own.
“How is Alessia settling in?” She asked, cutting into the steak she’d made, all three of them made differently to match how you each liked yours made. Leah laughed at how even her name made you shrivel up.
The truth however, wasn’t that you hated Alessia at all. You might like to think you did, but you actually really liked her, and you despised her for that.
“She’s getting used to the place now, I’d say” Leah nodded. “I had to give her a garage recommendation earlier though, she had this problem with her car and I couldn’t figure it out” Leah tutted.
“Why didn’t you have a look?” Your mum asked you.
“Uh, she didn’t ask me” you lied with a shrug.
“Maybe you should stop into her when we’re done and have a look” your mum smiled.
“Yeah, Y/n, why don’t you?” Leah smirked at your scowling expression. You knew full well that Alessia had moaned to her that you said no when she asked you.
“Alessia’s house is actually on my drive home, I can drop you there” Leah’s smirk only grew as you shot her a fake smile.
“That would be great, I’ll give her a text now” you waved your phone in the air before pretending to tap on it and slipped it back into your pocket.
-
It wasn’t long before you were sat in Leah’s car and to your shock, she actually pulled up outside Alessia’s house.
“You can’t be serious? Come on, drive me home” you protested, regretting not driving yourself to work today.
“Okay I will on one condition” Leah sighed as you nodded. “Who moved Katie and Kyra’s bags?” She asked as you smirked.
“Well-”
“Out of the car” Leah huffed.
“How am I meant to get home?” You asked, although, you didn’t live too far from here.
“Maybe fix her car and she’ll be nice and drive you” Leah shrugged, leaning over to open the passenger door.
You got out with a loud groan and she sped off before you could change your mind. You shuffled over towards the front door and hesitantly knocked. She opened the door and was wearing just a pair of shorts and a hoodie, and you took a harsh gulp when your eyes met hers.
“What are you doing here?” She asked. You hadn’t actually texted her so she had no context as to why you were here.
“Uh, Leah said she couldn’t fix the car, so I can take a look before you actually need to bring it to a garage” you awkwardly rubbed the back of your neck as you spoke.
“It’s fine, you’ll probably just snip something or break something to be funny and it’ll cost me more money” she scowled as your eyes dropped to the ground.
“Alright then” you shrugged as you turned around and began to walk away. She was a bit taken aback that you were being serious with her right now, so, she sighed at the sight of you walking away and gave in.
“Fine” she moaned and took the keys off the hook as you turned around. She threw them to you before turning back to put shoes on.
You opened the door of the car and stuck the keys in. You immediately knew what the issue was, and also knew that Leah would have no idea and smirked to yourself.
“Yeah, I can fix it” you mumbled. “I’ll be back in about half an hour, I just need to go home and get something” you said as you began to walk away again.
“It will still drive, right? Like I drove it home” Alessia asked as you nodded. “I can drive you” she said, getting in the car without a second thought.
You hesitantly got into the passenger seat and both of you remained silent on the drive. When you got out, you went into the house and grabbed what you needed before heading back to the car, where the girl was sat scrolling on her phone.
“I can just fix it here, saves us driving back” you suggested as she nodded in agreement.
“You can just go sit inside I’ll let you know when it’s done” you said as she took the house keys from you and headed inside.
It wasn’t like you were going to speak to her anyway, so there was no point in her staying out here with you. She was also just in a pair of shorts and it was a cold evening, you didn’t want her to get a cold.
You worked on the car for about 25 minutes, before sticking the keys in it. The light had now gone and you patted yourself on the shoulder. You headed back into the house and frowned at the loud sound of laughter coming from the living room. You were about to open the door, before Alessia spoke again to whoever she was on the phone to.
“I don’t know. She’s fixing the car now but I’m terrified she’s just ripping it part from part” Alessia laughed.
“In fairness, she could do that with her bare hands” Ella shouted. Of course she was talking to Ella.
“I don’t get how she’s related to Leah” Alessia giggled.
“I do, they’re both really stern” Ella smirked.
“I know, but Leah is nice. Y/n is horrible” Alessia, the girl whose car you just spent the last 25 minutes fixing, whispered. You were about to go through the door and give her a piece of your mind, until Ella spoke again.
“Oh come on, you so want to” Ella rolled her eyes. You raised your eyebrows at that comment, gripping the door handle and not moving it an inch.
“The two months in Australia were long, I was desperate” Alessia snapped with a giggle.
You felt your blood boiling when she said that, so you slammed the front door again, to let Alessia know you were in the house, after clearly not hearing you the first time.
“I have to go” Alessia said, hanging up on her best friend quickly. You walked into the kitchen, taking your grease stained tshirt off and throwing it into the wash, now stood in just your sports bra and joggers.
“That’s done” you said when she came into view and nodded to where you’d left her keys on the kitchen table.
“Thanks” she stared at your arms, the big, tattooed arms. “Do I owe you-” she began.
“See you tomorrow” you cut across, pulling your England hoodie over your head. Alessia looked at you for a minute, trying to get over the realisation you’d just told her to leave.
“See you then” she mumbled as she left.
Insufferable.
-
Days had passed at training and each day you’d turned up at least an hour late.
“What are you doing?” Leah asked Kyra, who was hunkered over at the door tying a string across the door frame at ankle height.
“Revenge” Kyra snickered as Leah chuckled.
“As long as you’re okay dying young” Leah held her hands up as Kyra nodded.
Everyone had already arrived, on time, and were in the gym, so you would be next through the door. And about 45 minutes later, you were. You were taking your headphones off and shouldering the door open, when you tripped over the string Kyra had stuck up.
Your headphones fell out of your hand and smashed onto the ground, into pieces. You also fell, your shoulder being the first thing to hit the ground. Your ankle also twisted as you fell, as it had got caught in the string. You limped over to your cubby and got changed, wincing in pain every now and again. And of course, of course, she had to walk in right now.
“Nice of you to join us” Alessia rolled her eyes. It was only after she said it did she see your headphones, which were usually around your neck, smashed all over the ground and you looked in a severe amount of discomfort.
“What happened?” She asked, rushing over towards you.
“Something was at the bottom of the door and I tripped over it. I’m fine” you stood up quickly and the pain shot to your ankle. You exhaled loudly as the smaller woman looked up at you.
“Come on, I’ll take you to the Physio” she put her hand around your waist and you placed yours over her shoulder.
Bearing all your weight on her was not going to be an easy process, as she was trying to get you to the opposite side of the training centre. Which is why she was so happy when Lotte walked by.
“Lotte, can you help?” Alessia shouted.
“What happened?” Lotte asked, quickly making her way to your other side and taking on most of your weight.
“Alessia kicked me in the ankle” you smirked with a wince.
“Alessia” Lotte shouted.
“I did not” Alessia protested.
“I tripped over something at the door” you grunted as you put your foot to the ground to make sure it was really sore. It was.
“Ah, my favourite patient” the physio chuckled as they brought you through the door. Alessia really struggled when people got on with you, or joked with you. How did people think you were a nice person?
“Lee” Alessia said, cutting across her conversation with Lia.
“Yeah?” They both answered.
“Leah” Alessia pointed to your sister as Lia laughed. “Y/n is in the Physio, she tripped over-” Alessia began to explain.
“Kyra” Leah groaned. “I suggest going into hiding”.
“Aw man” Kyra gulped. Leah jogged off down to the physio room to check on you.
The physio ruled you out for the Paris FC game and when you got the news, Leah decided it would be best if you never, ever found out that Kyra was the cause. You gave the young girl a hard enough time as it was with the relentless teasing.
“Can I still fly to Paris?” You asked as Jonas nodded at you with a sympathetic smile.
-
You were sat on the bench, ready to kill someone as you watched the team go 2-0 down. You knew that if you were on the pitch it would be different. You offered to hobble, but Jonas refused.
“Sit down” he mumbled.
“Well do something. Why even bother buying Alessia if you’re not going to fucking play her?” You shouted at him.
Jonas was so used to you now, he found it better not to argue with you. Alessia shot her head up at what you’d shouted, were you trying to say she was good?
It wasn’t too much longer until Alessia was subbed on, and even shorter that she’d drew the team level, scoring a brace. Jonas came over and shook your hand as you smirked.
“You’ll make a great coach one day if you can just try to stay calm” he laughed as he walked back to shout on instructions.
Paris FC went 3-2 up before Jen headed home and made it all square again, heading for penalties. All Alessia had to do was score, and the dream of winning the champions league would be on again for this season. You’d came so close last season.
The keeper guessed the right away and prodded Alessia’s shot away from the goal. Her head flung back as the Paris team ran by her, towards their keeper, celebrating in her face. You could see from the bench she was crying, so you started to hobble over, ignoring the protests of your teammates, Physio’s and Jonas.
“You alright?” You somehow were the first one to get to her, maybe it was more of a sprint you took off in. She collapsed into your arms, and you knew she probably thought you were someone else.
“It’s my fault, Y/n” she sobbed. She knew it was you.
“It’s not your fault, without you we wouldn’t have even got to penalties” you reassured her, pulling her closer into you and letting her cry.
“What the fuck is happening?” Katie titled her head, looking at the pair of you.
“I’m so confused” Beth said.
“Just leave them” Leah huffed, walking off in frustration of the result.
-
You eventually returned from injury, and the season had started just a few weeks prior. Arsenal had gotten off to a ropey start, but you were back in the starting XI now. And thank god, because today the team were playing Chelsea in a packed out Emirates. Your family were here, sitting with some other parents and friends.
8 minutes in, Beth opened the scoring after an unbelievable ball from Leah, but only 5 minutes later, Chelsea had equalised. However, in quick succession, Amanda had fired you back ahead. Straight from kick off, you won the ball back from your England teammate, Lauren. You looked up and saw Alessia was free and lobbed the ball over the top, a classic Williamson move. She took a touch and smashed it top corner, putting you two goals to the good.
“That was unreal” you shouted as you ran towards her. “Great finish” you smiled, putting your hand up for her to give you a high five.
“Great ball” she smiled, giving you a hug instead.
Half time came and went, and you were in a very comfortable position to see out the game. With about 15 minutes to go, Alessia broke free in the box, and was dragged down by Millie. The England co-captain, who you usually got on with quite well, was about to get an earful from you, and knew so when she saw you storming towards her.
“What the fuck was that?” You snapped, pushing her away from where Alessia was still laying on the ground.
“Y/n, mate, come on. It was an accident” Millie protested with a frown.
“Don’t touch her again or it’ll be the last thing you ever do, Millie” you pushed the blonde again before your sister came over to pull you away. The referee brandished a yellow card in your face as you watched Alessia be pulled back to her feet by Beth.
“You okay?” You asked her, hand briefly falling to her waist and she noticed you seemed genuine. Despite you lashing out at Millie, your tone was different with her, it was almost caring?
“I’m okay. Don’t you dare get yourself sent off” she frowned as you smirked.
“It’s your penalty” you said, handing her the ball.
Of course, she tucked it away to make it 4-1. She watched you at the end of the game, laughing and joking with Millie, the person you had told you were going to kill about 20 minutes ago. How could someone be so horrible, yet everyone liked you? Maybe Beth was right, maybe you weren’t that bad.
You got changed and showered quickly, but not as quick as Alessia and Leah had.
“I’m heading up to mum, they’re in box B” Leah smiled as you nodded and started to pack away your things.
“That’s where my parents are too” Alessia giggled as her and Leah got outside the changing room. The Russos and the Williamsons got on well, and had been packed into the box together for the game. Everyone was already hugging and laughing when you got there.
“Hi mum” you smiled as she beamed with excitement.
“There’s my little trouble maker” she squealed as she squeezed your cheeks.
“Yeah, yeah” you laughed, pulling her in for a hug.
“Want to explain your little fight with Millie?” She laughed as you shook your head. Alessia watched on, perplexed at how nice you came across with your mum.
“Well come and say hello to Alessia’s parents, love” she pulled you by the arm over to where Alessia was stood with her parents, looking at you getting closer and closer.
“Ah, Y/n!” Mario shouted as he gave you a quick hug before Carol took over.
“You played brilliantly” Carol gushed.
“Thanks a million, but nothing compared to Lessi” you smiled.
“She was fantastic, wasn’t she?” Mario smiled as Alessia rolled her eyes.
“Dad” she whined.
“You were” you whispered, smugly.
“I’ll go get us a coffee” Carol smiled, dragging your mum with her and Mario following behind them.
“I’ll see you in a bit” you nodded as you turned to walk away, but the blonde put her hand out to grab your arm.
“Wait” she said, as you looked down at her hand holding your arm. “Why did you react like that with Millie?” She asked.
“I didn’t want you to be hurt” you shrugged as she nodded and this time it was her turn to walk away.
“I would have wanted to too” you sighed. Thankfully, everyone was now inside and you were the only two left outside, overlooking the empty stadium.
“Wanted to what?” She frowned.
“When we were in Australia, I dunno. I heard you and Tooney on the phone when you were at mine” you stuttered. You watched Alessia’s face turn from a frown to complete embarrassment. “I get it was desperation for you, but, I don’t think it would have been for me” you whispered.
“You like me?” Alessia asked.
“Yeah, I guess” you replied. This was a whole different side to you than Alessia had ever seen. Usually you were up to something or just ignoring her as best you could.
“Darling, come inside. It’s freezing” your mum called from the door. You reluctantly walked towards the door, following your mum in as she walked further into the room.
“It wasn’t desperation” Alessia grabbed your hand to stop you walking any further, again. “It’s annoying how much I like you because you frustrate the life out of me. You’re always causing some type of trouble or issue” she sighed.
“That’s just me” you shrugged, freeing yourself from her hold.
“If you wanted to make this work, I need someone I can rely on and trust, and right now, that’s not you” she added, before brushing by you to walk back inside.
-
You barely spoke to Alessia after that, but her words played on your mind day after day. It took a few weeks before you finally understood what she was meant. You needed to grow up if you wanted to be with her, or anybody. So you stared making significant changes. It was the 4th day in a row you’d shown up early at the training grounds, when Leah finally decided to say it.
“Are you up to something?” Leah frowned when she walked into the canteen to find you alone, eating breakfast.
“No, why would you think that?” You asked.
“I’ve got my eye on you” she warned as she walked off to get her own food, before plonking herself opposite you and chatting the ear off you.
In the gym, you made more of an effort to stop picking on Kyra and not trying to purposely hurt Katie. You noticed that Kyra was bench pressing weights that were bit too heavy, when you sprinted over quickly to stop her from the dropping the bar on her chest.
“You’ll seriously hurt yourself doing that” you shook your head, pulling the bar up easily to its holder.
“I just want to get stronger, I’m sick of being picked on” she huffed. You squatted down and put your hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry Kyra, genuinely. I’ve been too harsh with you, let me help you yeah?” She nodded at you as you stood back up taking some weights off.
You guided her through more reps at less weight, helping her to make sure her form was correct. An amused Alessia watched the little PT session from the opposite side of the room.
“Y/n” Katie called, she had an evil looking grin on her face. “Amanda left her car keys on the shelf, should we hide them or take it for a spin?” She smirked.
“Neither” you shrugged, taking the keys from her hand and bringing them over to Amanda. “Hey, you left these on the shelf” you said, handing Amanda the keys as Katie brushed up beside Alessia.
“You life saver, I’ve been looking for these all day” she smiled and hugged you.
“She’s no fun anymore” Katie protested.
“Would you rather she tried to kill you at every training session?” Alessia laughed.
-
It was a few more days after, now that Kyra literally clung to you everyday like you were a tree, that Alessia approached you after your match.
“You played well” she smiled, standing over you at your cubby.
“Uh, thanks Less, you too” you stuttered. It was the first thing either of you had said to each other since the Chelsea game.
“Come over later? Maybe 7pm?” She asked as you nodded.
You’ve never left a changing room quicker in your life. You drove home relatively quickly and threw on comfortable clothes before heading over to her house. You arrived just before 7pm, with a bottle of wine in hand, knocking so carefully on the door you would swear it was made from glass.
“Hey, you’re early” Alessia giggled.
“Yeah, sorry. In a bit of a habit of that lately” you chuckled as your eyes fell to the bottle in your hand. “Uh, for you” you stuck it out for her to take, which she did, thanking you quickly before inviting you in.
“I made dinner, are you hungry?” She asked.
“Yeah, that would be great. Thanks Less” you smiled.
“Go make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right in” she pointed towards the living room.
She had a show paused on the TV, so you decided to look around the room to occupy yourself. She had decorated her house like you’d imagined she would have. It was warm and comforting, just like she was.
“You can switch that off, if you want” she said, coming through the door with two bowls in hand.
“No, no, finish it” you smiled, taking the bowl from her. “Thank you” you added. She got comfy on the couch and pressed play and you both began tucking into your food.
“Holy shit Less, this is unbelievable” you groaned in satisfaction.
“Family recipe” she giggled.
“Wait, who’s that?” You asked, pointing at the TV.
She found it cute you tried to show an interest in the show she was watching. You were asking a lot of questions for someone claiming they weren’t interested, and she’d let out a little laugh before answering your question. You stood up, taking both bowls into your hands when you’d both finished.
“What are you doing?” She asked, sticking her hand out and placing her fingers on your arm.
“I can clean up. You finish your show” you nodded as she sunk back into the couch and continued watching. “Do you want a glass of wine?” You shouted.
“Yes please” she shouted back. Your phone started buzzing, so you pressed it against the microwave and clicked answer. “Hello” you said into the camera, before moving off to try find glasses.
“Hey, where are you?” Leah frowned, not recognising the kitchen you were stood in, at first.
“Alessia’s house” you replied nonchalantly. “Do you know where she keeps her glasses?” You asked, opening another press to no avail.
“Top left” Leah replied and you moved to the top left press, pulling out two glasses. “You two speak now?” She asked.
“Yeah, well, after the Chelsea game, I told her I really liked her and-” you began, while you were pouring the wine.
“You like Less?” Leah shouted through the phone, as you met her with only a nod. “And this is how you’re telling me? Does she like you? Are you together? Did you tell mum?” Leah started to rattle off any question possible.
“Leah, shut up man” you groaned, lowering the volume of your phone.
“Listen, if you do really like her, I’m happy for you. But do not hurt her” Leah frowned.
“Isn’t it meant to be Alessia getting this talk from you?” You laughed.
“Alessia wouldn’t hurt a fly, but you are a menace” Leah smirked.
“It’s different with her. I-I really like her” you sighed and Leah knew, for probably the first time in your life, you were being genuine.
“Everything okay?” Alessia shouted.
“I need to go back inside, can I call you later?” You asked, as Leah nodded and hung up. You went back to the living room with two glasses of wine and handed one to a thankful Alessia.
“Sorry, I couldn’t find glasses” you apologised as she laughed.
You got into a chat about the game today and after a couple of glasses of wine, you were both a bit merry to say the least. She had no problem, even when she was sober, being touchy, so that just got worse when she was drunk.
“Tonight’s been really nice, Less” you mumbled as she smiled and squeezed your hand.
“It’s nice getting to see this side of you” she added.
You leaned in to kiss the girl, the timing was just right. She could see you’d made an effort to be the person she needed, and you really liked her. You’d go even further to say that you loved her. Only, you felt a hand on your chest, rather than her lips against yours.
“I can’t” Alessia whispered. “I told you, I needed someone I could rely on” she diverted her eyes away from you, as you looked dumbfounded.
“I thought you could see I’d made an effort for you? I thought that was the whole reason you invited me over-” you pouted, a bit confused at the rejection.
“It was” she sighed. “I just don’t know. It’s great you made an effort and I appreciate that, so much, but what if this is just temporary and you go back to acting like a dickhead?” She asked.
“Well, it’s nice to see what you actually think of me” you grunted, slamming the now empty wine glass on the table.
“No, Y/n, I didn’t mean it like that” she shook her head, trying to grab your hands.
“Get the fuck off me” you moaned, pushing her off and standing up. “You asked me to change, and I did” you stated firmly.
“It’s just not enough” she hummed. “I’m just so scared I’ll give you everything and you’ll just back track and push me away”
“Well this is never going to work then” you added, before leaving the room to get your shoes and your jacket.
“Can you just stay and talk to me? Please don’t go” Alessia pouted.
“Just- just leave me alone” you huffed, brushing out by her and leaving.
You took a chance driving home with two or three glasses of wine in your system. You made it back safely, although it was just a short drive. You got straight into bed and went asleep, trying to forget tonight ever happened.
-
You shut out the team, shifting to being just plain angry. No pulling tricks or pranks, or joking around, just not speaking to anybody, and grunting or walking away if someone tried. Days had passed of you slipping back into old habits like turning up late and getting angry. You’d been sent off in the last game for giving the ref backlash after a bad decision. Clearly, some of the team had brought it to Leah and Kim that they were concerned about you and Kim was more than happy for Leah to try to fix it.
“Hey” Leah shouted after you, walking towards the gym. “Man, slow down I have half an ACL here” Leah added with a laugh. You slowed your walk, allowing her to catch up but didn’t say a singular word. She’d rattled off about as many questions as she could think before landing on this one.
“Did something happen with Less?” She eventually said.
“What’s it to you?” You snapped, and that’s when Leah knew she hit the nerve she’d been after since starting to question you.
“Hey, it was just a question” Leah uttered defensively. “I’m worried about you” Leah said sympathetically, placing her hand on your shoulder.
“Get off me” you practically threw her hand off your shoulder. “It was a stupid question” you grunted, walking into the gym ahead of her and heading straight for the back corner where the boxing equipment was. You put your gloves on, heading straight to the bag, and punching the life out of it.
“Maybe ye should have just been a boxer” Katie laughed, squeezing your shoulders.
“Fuck off” you shouted as she frowned at you, but turned to walk away. You hit the bag harder and harder, looking like you were going to not just break it, but seriously hurt yourself.
“I think maybe the bag has taken enough of a beating” Alessia hummed as you stopped.
You took the gloves off and threw them on the ground before storming off. You’d been acting like this for days. Usually Jonas left you be, because you were professional in the workplace, but you’d become anything but that the last few days. Since that night in Alessia’s you were the angriest you’d ever been in your life.
“Williamson Jr, come here” Jonas snapped from his office door. “Sit down” he said as you walked through and he closed the door behind you.
“Why?” You shrugged, while he sat down at his desk and you slid into the chair opposite him with a defeated sighed.
“Your behaviour the last while has been totally unacceptable. You’ve been snappy with your teammates, argumentative with staff-” he began.
“And?” You snapped.
“If it continues, I’d be of the opinion we let you go on loan or leave in January” he threatened. He had a habit of this, making a false threat so you’d make improvements.
“I’d prefer a transfer” you bit back. Did you want to leave? Not really, but you were sick of seeing Alessia everyday and sick to death of people thinking they could speak to you.
“Is that the reason for this? You want to leave?” He asked, a bit taken aback.
“Yeah, I’ll go anywhere” you shrugged.
“We’ll submit your request to the board, you and your agent can look for a suitable club then” he sternly said, gesturing you out of his office.
You hadn’t really thought about playing elsewhere, but you were stubborn. So, when he made the blank threat of moving you off, you made that a reality. You knew you might be miserable somewhere else, but at least you got the upper hand on him.
“What was that about?” Leah frowned as you stormed by her and into the changing room, grabbing your stuff and leaving without another word.
-
Things moved fast from there as your agent had secured you a move to Bayern. You’d practically given up with Arsenal, knowing you were leaving soon. You stopped showing up for training, just accepting the fines as they came in. You didn’t see a point, all matches were off for the winter break anyway.
You broke the news to your mum that you were leaving to go to Germany. While she was upset, she was also happy for you that you were being recognised internationally as a great footballer. She also knew Leah’s friend, Georgia, was there and that you’d be looked after.
You made her promise not to tell Leah, which she of course kept. You could trust that woman with anything. She made you promise in return to show up for Christmas Day and make some type of an effort with the rest of your family. While you kept your promise to show up, you were silent at Christmas dinner with your family. You waited until most people were drunk, before slipping out and heading home.
Y/n
Sorry, couldn’t take much more
Mum ❤️
It’s fine 😊 thank you for coming
Happy Christmas love x
Y/n
Happy Christmas mum x
“Is Y/n gone?” Leah asked your mum, who nodded. “Fuck sake” she groaned.
“What’s the matter?” Your mum asked.
“She hasn’t spoken to me in a good while, I was going to try and talk to her tonight” Leah shrugged.
“Yeah, I think you two need to talk” your mum agreed, although she didn’t give Leah much more than that.
-
The night before you were set to leave for Germany, still nobody except your mum knew you were moving to Bayern, not even Leah. So, when she’d decided to drag you to the Arsenal New Years Eve party, she didn’t know tomorrow you’d be on a plane to Germany.
“I don’t want to go Leah” you groaned.
“Come on, please? I miss you” she pouted as you caved fairly quickly.
As angry as you had become the last few weeks about Alessia, you’d always cave for your sister. You felt guilty you still hadn’t told her, and maybe if you got drunk enough tonight, you could tell her more easily than if you were both sober.
Most of your teammates were beyond drunk by the time you’d arrived. Katie was straight beside you, handing you a drink and hugging you.
“I’m so happy to see you, I’ve missed you so much” Katie slurred. You decided to just try to be nice tonight. You’d never have to see them again after this anyway. So, you got drunk, because you knew it was the quickest way to make you happy.
You were dancing with Katie, Caitlin and Leah when you made eyes with a certain blonde, who was with Lia, Lotte and Vic. She made a gesture, to indicate she wanted you to come over. You happily obliged, barely even excusing yourself before tripping over your own two feet trying to get to her as quickly as possible.
“You came” she smiled.
“Yeah” you nodded.
“I was hoping you would” she whispered. “Dance with me?” She held her hand out for you to take, which you did.
Alessia had been flirting and dancing with you all night and you were more than happy to flirt back. All you had been angry about before was now long forgotten as she was pressed against you.
“I was stupid before” she whispered into your ear.
“It’s fine” you shook your head at her. You didn’t want to get into this conversation with her right now, you were leaving tomorrow. It was too late to be anything more than just, whatever this was, with her.
“I want to be more than this with you. I know I can trust you now” she slurred, pulling you in to her lips by your neck. You kissed her back because you weren’t really thinking straight when you felt her lips against yours.
“I’m so in love with you” Alessia whispered as she pulled away briefly and then pulled you straight back in, kissing you harder this time.
“Leah” Katie shouted as she laughed and pointed towards you and Alessia. Leah pumped her fist in the air as, from the outside looking in, you had what you wanted now, which was Alessia.
“I’ll be back in a minute” you breathed out as you removed yourself from the girl. It was like all the senses you had came rushing to you at once. You were leaving to go to Germany in just a few hours. You couldn’t do this.
“No” Alessia snapped, pulling you back. “You’re not leaving again”
“Less, just let me go” you pleaded as you tried to free yourself from her grip.
“You can’t walk out of here without knowing that I was an idiot. I can’t let you go again” she shouted.
“I’m moving to Germany” you blurted out.
“Wh-what?” She stuttered.
“Bayern put in a transfer request and I accepted it” you shrugged, with your eyes meeting the floor.
“You can’t just be moving to Germany” Alessia shook her head in disbelief. “You can’t just leave” she squeezed you harder.
“I’m sorry” you sighed.
“I can’t do something long distance right now, Y/n” Alessia admitted.
“I wouldn’t expect you too” you shook your head and pulled her into a long, hard hug, like it was a goodbye. “Happy New Year” you said softly, pulling away.
“Yeah, you too” she sighed as you turned and left, pulling Leah and Katie with you.
“I just wanted to tell you both, I’m leaving” you mumbled.
“Come on, it’s almost midnight ye can’t leave-” Katie huffed.
“No, I mean” you groaned before you said your next sentence. “I’m leaving Arsenal, I’m moving to Bayern”
“No” Katie shook her head. “No, no” she added.
“I need to be there tomorrow, so I need to go home” you sighed. Katie looked at you, before turning to Leah, who was staring at you so hard she could have burned holes in your head.
“Leah, say somethin’” Katie protested.
“Safe flight” Leah said, hugging you briefly and turning to walk off, trying to hide the fact she was now crying.
“Lee” Katie shouted as she ran off after her and you used that as your chance to escape.
“What did you do?” Leah asked the blonde striker who was already a sobbing mess, being consoled by Lotte.
“Not the best time, man” Lotte tried to intervene but Leah shook her head.
“You clearly had something to do with it” Leah snapped.
“Piss off Leah” Alessia huffed as she walked away from her England team mate, who was now being dragged off in the opposite direction by Katie. The countdown started, and it was quite possibly the worst start to a New Year’s anyone could have asked for.
-
Days had gone by, and you were just about to start training with the Bayern team later today. You were in your new apartment, in the kitchen making breakfast when you noticed Alessia’s caller ID appear on your phone. You hadn’t spoken to her since New Year’s Eve and you didn’t really know why she was calling, but you answered it.
“Hey” your heart was thumping.
“Hi” she smiled. “How are you?”
“Uh, yeah” you nodded. “You?”
“I’m fine” Alessia said. “How’s Bayern?” She asked.
“I start today” you hummed. “Is everything alright?” You frowned, still unsure why she was calling.
“At Arsenal? Yeah” Alessia nodded.
“No, like, in general. You never call me” you corrected her.
“I, um-” she hesitated. “I just wanted you to know that I was sorry for the way we left things”
“It’s fine, Less” you shook your head.
“It’s not fine. You literally moved country to get away from me” she frowned.
“That’s really dramatic, Lessi” you laughed making her smile.
“Why did you move? I thought you were happy here” she pouted.
“It doesn’t matter” you shrugged.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll continue to think it was my fault” she huffed and you sighed in defeat.
“Jonas said he was unimpressed with my attitude” you said bluntly. “You know him, he gave me the whole we’re going to have to look to loan you out or sell you talk, so I just said alright, do it” you shrugged.
“Jesus Christ, you’re so stubborn” she rolled her eyes.
“Says the one” you smirked.
“I’m not stubborn. I’m calling you even though you ruined my New Years” she giggled.
“Yeah, sorry about that” you sighed, rubbing the back of your neck. It was silent for a couple of seconds before Alessia spoke again, getting on to the real reason why she called.
“I meant what I said on New Years. I’m in love with you” the girl whispered.
“You already know I feel the same, that hasn’t changed” you said. “But you said you didn’t want to do long distance” you frowned.
“Anything is better than not speaking at all” she added. “Maybe when you get home, for camp or whatever, we could talk properly?” She asked.
“Yeah, I’d like that” you smiled and nodded. You both talked for another while, before you eventually had to leave for training for the first time, to meet your new team mates.
The plan for today was a light gym session and then onto the grass. You had tomorrow off, before training continued the following day. You headed into the gym, Georgia instantly clinging to you, now that she finally had someone else to speak English to.
“Can I use that?” You asked her, pointing to the boxing bag.
“Not if you treat it like the one in George’s Park” Georgia laughed. You playfully rolled your eyes and headed over to it, grabbing a pair of gloves on the way. You weren’t too angry today, after speaking to Alessia, but you were a good boxer, and could throw a heavy punch.
“If you break that, they won’t replace it” a voice said from behind you. You turned to see one of your new team mates standing watching.
“Oh, uh, I wouldn’t expect them too” you shook your head, struggling to get words out.
“I’m Sydney” she replied, sticking her hand out. You quickly unstrapped your glove and slid your hand into hers.
“Y/n”
“You’re friends with Georgia, right?” She asked.
“Uh, she’s more so friends with my sister” you shrugged.
“Oh yes, Captain Williamson” she chuckled as you shot her a confused look. “I always thought that captains armband would look better on you” she smirked, as your eyebrows raised.
You’d never been great at picking up on signals of people flirting with you before, but she seemed to be so straight forward in what she wanted, it was hard not to see it.
“Would you maybe want to get a drink after training, with me?” She asked.
“Uh, yeah, sure” you nodded.
“Great, see you later then” she smirked as she walked off.
Hi!!! Can I make a request? WandaNat x daughter f!readeer. Like Wanda and Nat have been trying to have kids (biological) it took them a long time until their baby arrived. Like finally their dream came true. Wanda is the loving mom and Nat is the one who can’t say no to their baby girl. Then write reader’s first day at daycare (Wanda doesn’t really want it to happen but Nat says they have to) but they’re both crying and anxious waiting the whole time. Even the reader doesn’t want to. (She’s really their moms baby so clingy like a Velcro kid) then when WandaNat thought they baby is ok coz she followed the teacher reader looks back but her moms are gone. And when the school is over reader is crying saying they left her and she’s cutely upset to her mom. So her moms treat her to ice cream (basically spoiling their baby girl to make her happy) and letting her sleep between them. Reader is their pride and joy. Thank youuu!!
Daycare
Mom!ScarletWidow & Fem!Child!Reader
[A/N] This request is actually so cute, I can't 😭❤️ Hope you enjoy this one my lovely 😘 Apologies in advance if anything is inaccurate, I'm only familiar with the UK version of daycare and to be honest even my knowledge of that is patchy, I know more about Early Years funding than the actual running of a daycare/nursery 😂
Wanda’s eyes are already watery as she helps you get dressed into something comfortable that you can move in freely. It’s your first time going to daycare and Wanda had already cried last night and now she’s close to crying again this morning. Not that she’d ever allow herself to do that in front of you. “Look at you,” Wanda says fondly, swallowing back her tears. “My special grown-up girl.”
“Yeah, I’m big now, a big girl and I’m going to daycare like a big kid!”
You jump around the room and Wanda grins at your enthusiasm, supposing she should be grateful that you’re taking this so well. Wanda had taken extended maternity leave for the past three years, spending every day looking after you, and this was your first time being away from her or Natasha for an extended period of time. You’re her special girl, her miracle, and she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous about leaving you in someone else’s care for the day.
Wanda and Natasha had been together for ten years before they realised they both wanted a child. Wanda had known for a while but didn’t want to push Natasha too much, knowing she found the concept of motherhood a difficult one. She’d been thrilled when Natasha had finally told her she was ready, that she wanted a child too. Initially Natasha had wanted to adopt, saying there were so many children looking for a loving home and Wanda had readily agreed, remembering her own difficult childhood of being orphaned young. They’d put forward an application only to be rejected – their careers were too dangerous and they were too high profile. Any child they adopted would be at risk. They’d tried to argue but had been shot down.
Still desperate to be Mothers’, they’d turned to a fertility clinic and Wanda had done everything they’d advised her to do. She’d even looked online for the best foods to eat and what to avoid if you want to fall pregnant. Despite how serious she’d taken it, years had gone by with failure after failure. It had taken a huge toll on their mental health, and Natasha had watched Wanda fall into despair. Natasha wanted to be a mother but she didn’t yearn for it the way that Wanda did. Natasha would be disappointed but would be able to live with that. If Wanda couldn’t have a child, she didn’t know what she would do.
“I can’t give up,” Wanda had sobbed one late night when they’d looked at yet another negative pregnancy test. “I want a child so bad.”
“I know love,” Natasha had said, running her fingers through Wanda’s hair, her head rested in her lap as she sobbed. “I hate seeing you like this though. We can’t go on forever, it’s breaking your heart.”
“One more try,” Wanda had begged. “Just one more, please. And then we can take a break.”
That one more try had resulted in you, their precious baby. As soon as Wanda found out she was pregnant she’d stepped back from her Avengers work, not taking any risks. You were precious cargo as far as she was concerned and she wasn’t going to let anything happen to the baby she’d been hoping and praying for. The moment you’d been born and had been placed in her arms, Wanda had wept tears of joy and relief. Natasha had cried too, pressing a kiss to your head and letting you hold her finger in your tiny hand. You were here, and you were everything that both of them had ever wanted. They could finally stop the fertility treatment and just focus on being your Moms’.
Natasha had returned to work when you were a year old whilst Wanda had decided not to go back to Avengers work until you’d started kindergarten, and even then she would be strict about what she was willing to do. Being away from you overnight was non-negotiable, it wasn’t going to happen. Wanda knew they needed her in the field but that paled in comparison to you. She was your Mom, and you needed her first and foremost. Wanda knew Natasha felt differently and she respected that. Plenty of parents worked whilst raising their children - it just wasn’t how Wanda wanted to do things.
“I think it’d be a good idea if Y/N started doing mornings or something at daycare,” Natasha had suggested one night when she and Wanda were getting ready for bed.
Wanda had whipped around in her seat, her eyes wide, “What? Why?”
Natasha had laughed at the expression on Wanda’s face, pressing a kiss to her wife’s cheek, “I think it’d be better if she got used to spending some time without us now before starting school. And she’s reached an age where she should start spending more time with other children.”
Wanda had looked away, knowing deep down that Natasha was right. You were a sociable child, always stopping to say hello to people in the street, always finding someone to play with when Wanda took you to the park. It would be nice for you to make real friends, friends that you got to spend regular time with, that you could have play dates with. So although it made Wanda anxious, she agreed they could put your name on some waiting lists for local daycares.
A small part of Wanda had hoped it would be a long time until a place become available but one daycare had immediate availability. They’d taken you for a look around and even Wanda couldn’t find anything wrong with it. There was a good staff to child ratio, the room was bright with plenty of toys, and you’d been happy to join in with the story time. They’d met the woman who would be your key worker and she’d been lovely, starting an instant rapport with you. Wanda knew it was the perfect daycare and they were lucky a place was available.
This morning she didn’t feel lucky though as you bounced around the room excitedly. Wanda suddenly scoops you up into her arms and presses kiss after kiss to your face, beaming when you giggle. “Mommy loves you so much.”
“Love you too Mommy!” You reply loudly, kissing her cheek in return.
“Let’s go find Mama and have some breakfast,” Wanda says positively, bouncing you in her arms. “And then we’ll go to daycare for your first day!”
It takes a while for the three of you to leave. You’re too excited to eat breakfast so Natasha has to keep coaxing you back to the table. After Wanda’s put your shoes on she decides she wants a photo and thus begins the photo shoot that always ensues. Photos of just you, photos of you with Natasha, photos of you with Wanda, photos of you with both of them, some with the phone propped on the bookshelf, some selfies. As their only child, both Natasha and Wanda love documenting absolutely every achievement or stage in your life.
You sing excitedly in the backseat the whole way to the daycare. Natasha smiles at you in the rear-view mirror whilst Wanda stares out the window, trying to hide her growing anxiety. It takes everything within Wanda not to burst into tears when they pull up outside the daycare, and she gets out the car quickly so that she can be the one to hold you as they carry you into the welcoming building.
Your key worker is waiting inside and had already told Natasha and Wanda to keep their goodbyes quick and brief so that you wouldn’t get too upset. Wanda sets you down on your feet and gives you a small smile, trying to ignore her tear-filled eyes, “Okay baby girl. Me and Mama are going to say goodbye now then we’ll both be back this afternoon to pick you up.”
Natasha had taken the day off work, partly to be here for you, but mostly to support Wanda who she knew would struggle with a morning all to herself for the first time in three years. Natasha kneels down next to Wanda and kisses your cheek, “Be a good girl, okay? We love you so much.”
“Wait…” You say quietly, your own eyes starting to water. “You’re… You’re not staying here with me?”
Wanda and Natasha exchange a glance, and Natasha gives you a reassuring smile, “No baby, daycare is just for kids. But you’re going to make friends and sing songs and listen to stories. It’s going to be really fun and me and Mommy will be back here at-”
Natasha is cut off by the sound of you bursting into noisy tears, and Wanda immediately pulls you into her arms, rubbing a reassuring hand up and down your back. Wanda feels awful for not explaining properly – had she not mentioned you’d be alone? Maybe she should’ve talked with you about it a bit more. She glances tearfully at Natasha and mumbles, “We can’t leave her here.”
Natasha’s own eyes are watering at how upset you are but she shakes her head, “It’s for her own good Wands. Of course she’s going to be upset but we can’t… We shouldn’t…”
Her voice is uncertain as she watches the way you cling to Wanda like a little Octopus. You’ve always been a little clingy, something Wanda secretly loved. Always wanting cuddles, reassurance, to be held, to be in either Natasha or Wanda’s lap. They’d both been naïve to think this separation would be easy.
Your key worker, Moira, comes over and kneels down, realising it’s going to be difficult for Natasha and Wanda to separate from you when you’re so distraught. “The first day is always the hardest,” She says kindly. “There are usually a lot of tears for the first couple of weeks until they get used to the routine.”
Natasha nods whilst Wanda keeps her arms around you protectively, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “What should we do?” Natasha eventually asks.
Moira gives her a reassuring smile then addresses you, “Hey Y/N. Do you want to come and pick out the book for morning story time? Since it’s your first day you get to pick.”
Your interest is slowly piqued and you look up from Wanda’s chest though your little hands still cling to her jacket. Wanda exchanges a tearful glance with Moira, seeing the angle she’s going for. “Yeah, you like a story, don’t you?” Wanda says in the most positive voice she can manage, her voice cracking slightly.
You look uncertainly at Moira then at Natasha who gives you an encouraging smile, “Go on Sweetheart. You can choose a book, it’s okay.”
Moira holds out her hand and you hesitantly let go of Wanda, taking Moira’s hand in your own. The key worker gives them both a reassuring smile and begins leading you into the daycare towards the bookshelf. Natasha stands up, her voice shaking, “We should go now while she’s distracted. If we stay longer it’s only going to upset her.”
Wanda hesitates, swallowing down the lump in her throat as she watches you walking away from her. It takes everything in her not to cross the room and lift you back up into your arms, and take you home where she can keep you safe. But she knows that everything Natasha has said about you going to daycare is right. You need to do this, need the independence and the socialising aspect. So although it breaks Wanda’s heart she stands up and lets Natasha lead her out of the daycare.
Just as they’ve left, you look back over your shoulder, your face crumpling when you realise Natasha and Wanda are gone. You’d thought they would stay for story time like they had at the taster session and you open your mouth and begin to scream as you realise they’re not there. Moira lifts you into her own arms to try and comfort you, and you cry loudly, calling desperately for your Moms’ and sobbing even more when they don’t come back for you.
Wanda spends all morning checking the daycare app for updates. About an hour after they dropped you off there’s an update to say that you enjoyed story time, along with a photo of you sitting with the other kids. You look a little overwhelmed but generally settled so Wanda relaxes. You have a snack, then a nap, and then do some painting. Natasha looks over Wanda’s shoulder to check the updates too and smiles, kissing her cheek, “See? She’s absolutely fine.”
Natasha would never admit it but she’d been worrying too, and had had a little cry of her own in the bathroom when they got home. She had to be strong for Wanda but it was hitting her harder than she’d initially thought too.
Wanda is relieved when it’s finally time to pick you up and she rushes into the daycare centre, holding her arms out when she spots you, “Y/N!”
You look over, immediately bursting into tears when you spot your Moms’. You run over into Wanda’s arms, throwing your arms around her neck. “Mommy, you left me all by myself!” You wail accusingly.
Wanda peppers your teary cheek in little kisses and then whispers, “I know baby, I’m sorry. You had a good day though, didn’t you?”
“I missed you!” You whine in the way only a little kid can manage.
Moira gives Natasha and Wanda a knowing smile, telling them quietly, “She was tearful for the first half-an-hour and then calmed down. We had a good morning and she had a nice time. It looks like she even made some friends. It’ll get easier as time goes on, I promise.”
Wanda nods, lifting you up into her arms. Although she’s glad that you had a good morning and you weren’t upset the entire time you were apart, she’s even gladder that you’re back in her arms where you belong. You pout as they carry you back out to the car, “You left me Mommy!”
“I did but I’ll always come back for you,” Wanda reassures you, kissing your cheek again as she straps you into your car seat. “You’re my special girl and I love you so much.”
“And so do I!” Natasha calls from the driver’s seat, starting the engine. “You were such a brave girl today, how’s about we go and get some ice cream to celebrate?”
You immediately perk up at the thought of ice cream, your betrayal immediately forgotten. Wanda also brightens as she sees the happy look on your face. Natasha drives to an ice-cream parlour that the three of you frequent regularly, and then she lifts you up so you can see all the flavours on display. You spend a long time choosing but neither of them rushes you, letting you have this as a special treat.
The rest of the day passes without incident but at bedtime, when Wanda closes the story she’d been reading you, you mumble worriedly, “Mommy? Do I have to go back to daycare tomorrow?”
“No,” Wanda says, running a hand over your head. “You’ll spend tomorrow with me. But the day after that you’ll go back to daycare for the morning.” Wanda feels her chest tighten at the worried look on your face, realising that this schedule might be confusing to you given how young you are. “You had fun, didn’t you?”
“Yes but I would rather stay at home with you.”
Wanda smiles, watching your little brow furrow as you try to process all the big emotions you felt today. “Tell you what,” Wanda says. “Why don’t you come and sleep in the big bed with me and Mama tonight?”
Your eyes light up and you nod without hesitation, unable to believe your luck at having two treats in one day. Wanda lifts you out of your bed and carries you through to the bedroom she shares with Natasha, shooting her wife a look when she laughs at her. “Y/N’s sleeping in here tonight,” Wanda says defensively, tucking you into their bed.
Natasha climbs in on your other side, pressing a kiss to your cheek, “I didn’t say a word. I love cuddles with my little girl.”
Wanda strokes her fingers over your forehead, a relaxing gesture that she’s done for years, “There we go. Nice and warm in Mommy and Mama’s bed.”
Wanda feels herself relax as your eyes begin to closed, always feeling better when she has you nearby like this. This was the kind of night she used to only be able to dream about but now it’s reality, she has a beautiful little girl she can cuddle up with. Wanda’s so proud of the girl you’re becoming, and she wants you to be confident and carefree. She’ll do everything she can to help you with your transition into daycare – even if it’ll still kill her to leave you behind. Like she said, she’ll always come and collect you. Nothing would ever keep her from her precious girl.
Forever Was A Sentence (Alexia Putellas x McCabe!Reader)
Part 5 Part 4 here
Your plane landed in Dublin and you took a deep breath. It hadn’t been an overly stressful flight, you did the usual of reading your book and going to sleep. It was just the destination of where the flight was leaving you had you stressed beyond belief.
You were sitting against the window and allowing everyone to get off the plane before you moved. You grabbed your bag off the floor and felt around for your AirPod case, to put your AirPods back in, and that was when you felt something odd in the front pocket of your bag.
Your thumb and index finger held the cold, long metal chain between them as you pulled it out of your bag.
“What the hell?” You mumbled, taking out the necklace you had handed Alexia back the night you arrived in Germany. The necklace she told you she needed when she flew.
You examined the necklace and couldn’t understand how it had ended up in your bag. You’d spoken briefly with Alexia this morning and hugged her goodbye when you headed your separate ways at the airport. Now that you knew she needed that necklace to keep her calm on planes, you were really panicked for her. You took your phone out of your pocket and your signal came back as soon as you turned off airplane mode. That’s when her messages kicked in.
Alexia
Vuelo seguro ✈️
I packed you my necklace to make sure everything would be okay
Y/n 🍀
Will you be okay without it?
I promise to take good care of it until I see you again
Alexia
Sí, estoy bien. I have landed safely already
I know you will
You smiled and put the necklace around your neck, tucking it under your t-shirt. You stood up from the seat, grabbing your suitcase from the overhead and throwing your bag pack strap around your shoulder. You went through the airport and found the driver holding your name at the arrivals section.
The driver took your bags for you and ushered you towards the car. You were flying in from Germany so nobody else was in your car from the squad thankfully. You knew this was going to be the last silent moment you got before seeing everyone.
You arrived at the hotel and mumbled a quiet thanks to the driver when he handed you your suitcase. It was intense from the very first second, the media girl stood waiting with a camera pointed towards you, wanting to get a clip of you arriving. Another staff member handed you a door key when you got inside and you rushed to your room, trying to get out of sight from everyone here. You saw a few players loitering in the lobby, catching up over coffee, and you knew you’d never be able to do something so simple with anybody here again.
“I dunno how ye swung this” Katie huffed from the door opposite yours.
You ignored your twin sister and continued to fumble with the key to your room to try and get the hotel room door open. You never caught any type of luck. The door wouldn’t open, and of all 25 other people here, not even including the staff, you’d ended up in the room opposite to Katie.
“Barcelona’s resident bench warmer and ye still worm your way in where ye are not wanted” Katie continued.
You knew Katie didn’t want you here. She’d told you to leave Arsenal and was probably happy with your lack of minutes at Barcelona, because she presumed you’d never be called into the Ireland squad with how little you were playing.
“You’re the captain” you began, still facing your door. “If ye don’t want me here, say it to Carla. I can’t do anythin’” you finally got the door open and pushed your way inside, shutting it fairly quickly.
“Oh, I will” you heard her shout back and heading off down the corridor to go talk to whoever she wanted. They all liked her.
You put your back against the door, taking deep breaths and trying to relax. When you came around, you realised you were clutching to Alexia’s necklace that was still around your neck. You weren’t ever one to wear jewellery, especially not something like this, but you found it comforting. It was like she was here and you needed someone like Alexia here right now.
You slouched down on the bed and pulled your phone out again. You don’t know why you did it, but you pressed call.
“Hola” Alexia smiled as her face appeared on your phone.
“Hola” you nodded back. You quickly remembered you called her and needed to say something. Anything.
“I got to the hotel okay” you said.
“Good” Alexia replied. “I am at my hotel too” she said, proceeding to turn the camera around to show you her room and the view.
“Looks nice” you mumbled, before proceeding to do the same.
“Have you seen your sister yet?” Alexia innocently asked when you returned to sit on the bed.
“Uh, yeah” you nodded. “She’s in the room opposite mine” you sighed.
“It’s just a few days” Alexia reminded you. “And you have my necklace” she smiled.
“I do” you said and patted your chest, to let the girl know you were wearing it. Alexia’s mind tried to stay in one place then.
“And you have me” Alexia said and you were waiting for her to bust your door down. “You can call me on the phone anytime” she clarified as you understood what she meant now.
“Ye can call me as well” you said before you watched the girl smile and hang up.
You would have been happy to sit in your room all day, but you didn’t pack snacks and you were hungry, so you eventually had to go downstairs to get food. You felt a bit more confident after speaking to Alexia that you could get though this.
When you got downstairs, you could feel the tension before Katie even came into your eye line. She was sat with a group of girls from the team, and the second they saw you, they all relaxed back into their seats and went quiet.
“Ah, Y/n. I didn’t see you come in” Carla said, putting her arm around you and walking both of you towards the food area.
“I got in a little bit ago” you mumbled quietly when your manager finally released you.
The two of you were stood over the table with fruit and snacks on it and you picked up a few things, as did she. Carla knew you were quiet in comparison to Katie and a lot of your other teammates. Even before the move to Barcelona you would stray from the group for the majority of time while you were on Ireland camp.
“Much longer of a flight for you now coming home, isn’t it?” She asked.
“A bit. I was comin’ from Germany this time” you explained to a woman who you knew already knew that.
“I saw the match” she nodded. “You had a great game” she said.
“Thanks” you replied.
“I’ve been meaning to ask” she began, picking her own things up from the table. “What happened with Arsenal?”
“Uh” you stuttered, looking around and seeing the group Katie was sat with all now staring at you. “Ye know how it is, I just go where I’m told” you shrugged. Now wasn’t the time. You don’t think there would ever be a time.
“Barcelona’s not a bad place to be” she joked.
You nodded back politely, before you let silence fill the air for a minute.
“Something on your mind?” Carla asked.
“Why am I here?” You asked. “I know ye said ye saw the game, but I was called in before that”
“You don’t want to be here?” She frowned.
“I don’t deserve to be right now” you groaned. “I’m not playing in Barcelona” you continued.
“But when you do, you’re ten times the player than the next person in the pool of players we have” Carla explained.
“Ye just don’t need to call me in”
“If you don’t want to be here, you say the word and you can be gone. But for now and for this camp, you are here and being paid as my player. Is that understood?” She said, sternly.
“Yeah” you nodded. “Sorry” you said.
Carla shook her head and walked away from you, back towards her staff and you were left stood like an idiot. You grabbed whatever you had to and decided to take it back to your room.
“What ye in her ear about?” Katie frowned, still sat with a group of the team who were all trying to contain their laughter.
“Nothin’” you shook your head, tone a bit aggressive as you were frustrated.
“Calm down, don’t want ye thinkin’ ye can hit me too” Katie challenged as she stood up. “Ye gonna hit me?” She asked.
“No” you said.
“Think because ye got away with it and got your fancy move to Barcelona that anybody here likes ye?” She continued.
“No” you repeated.
“So ye got away with it, did ye?” Katie asked. “Runnin’ to Barcelona doesn’t change what ye did ye know?”
You didn’t reply. You should have replied. You wanted to reply. But what was the point? They were looking at you like you were guilty and nothing you could say was going to change that. So, you turned away from them and walked back towards the staircase to get back to your room.
“Yeah, run away. What’s new?” Katie shouted after you.
“Katie, that’s enough now. You said your piece, drop it” Carla snapped, having had enough of the McCabe twins in the first hour of camp life already.
Carla hadn’t heard the first part of you and Katie’s one way conversation. She’d overheard Katie’s raised voice and had made her way over to the group.
To the coaching staff, they didn’t know what the players knew, or thought they knew. To them it looked like you took an unexpected move to Barcelona and your ex teammates weren’t happy. They knew Katie was more popular with her Irish teammates than you, so when it appeared you two were arguing, naturally they took Katie’s side. The coaching staff believed it would blow over. Boy, were they wrong.
After that encounter with Carla and with Katie, you vowed you would not leave your room unless it was time to go to training. You did leave the hotel however around 11pm that night, after curfew, to go to a shop to get enough snacks to last you through camp so that you didn’t even have to go back downstairs again. You were tossing and turning for quite a while before you gave up and turned the TV on. It was only about 5 minutes later your phone buzzed.
Alexia
Are you sleeping?
Y/n 🍀
No
Within two seconds the girl had pressed call and you were clearing your throat and sitting up straight before you answered.
“Hola” you said.
“Hola” she smiled, sitting in a similar position to you on your bed.
The second you saw her, a thought flashed in and out of your mind as quick as lightening. You wished she was here. You wanted to turn your head to the side and see her sitting beside you rather than through the phone. You had to say something quickly to get the thought out of your mind.
“Couldn’t sleep?” You mumbled.
“No, you also?” She asked.
“No” you shook your head.
“You are still wearing my necklace” Alexia said and you saw she smiled.
“Can’t lose it this way” you chuckled back.
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“Just was about to watch a film” you explained.
“Which one?” She hummed and picked up her own TV remote. “We can watch together” she added.
“Ye can pick one then”
“Okay” Alexia said straight away.
Whenever you watched something together you had to make sure there was Spanish audio or subtitles available. Usually you’d watch things in Spanish with English subtitles. Once you’d settled on a movie, you both simultaneously clicked in and paused it.
“I’ll text ye” you mumbled to the girl.
“¿Qué? No, stay” Alexia pouted. “It will be like you are here” she said.
Sometimes you thought Alexia was flirting with you, even if it was low level flirting. But then again, she also mainly spoke to you in a language that was not her natural one, so maybe it was just a language barrier.
“Okay” you nodded and both of you pressed start.
You’d started nodding off at this boring movie Alexia had picked, but she was glued to it. She’d picked out some romance film you can remember dozing off to when Laine had picked it out one evening in your London home. Back when things were normal. Maybe it was because Alexia was so invested in the movie, it took her way too long to realise what you’d done.
“Wait, pause” Alexia shouted and paused the movie, waiting for you to wake yourself up to press pause.
“Yeah?” You grumbled, waking back up.
“Why are you watching it in Spanish?” She asked.
“Hmm?” You mumbled.
“I can hear your TV. You are watching in Spanish and not English. Why?” She continued.
“Well it wouldn’t be like ye were really here if I was watchin’ it in English, would it?” You said softly.
“No” she smiled and shook her head. “You feel tired?” She asked.
“Yeah” you nodded.
“You sleep, but stay?” She said and you nodded back. “Good night” she whispered.
“Buenas noches” you mumbled back.
-
Due to your late night call, your phone was dead when you eventually woke up. You woke to a banging on your door and you jumped out of bed to answer it. You knew you were in deep shit when you swung the door open and Carla was standing on the other side.
“I don’t know what you’re playing at, Y/n” she huffed. “Get up and get dressed and be downstairs in 2 minutes”. She snapped.
You had never stepped a foot wrong in your career. You were well respected in the football world, maybe not to players, but definitely to staff members. It appeared to Carla that you were rebelling on this camp from your conversation yesterday and now being late to the bus.
“I’m sorry, my phone died and-”
“2 minutes” she shouted, walking off down the hall.
You practically jumped into your training gear and sprinted downstairs with your boots in your boot bag smacking your back with every step you took. You knew you were the last one on this bus because the minute both of your feet were inside, the bus driver closed the doors and started driving. You sat up the front, leaving a three row gap between you and the next person.
The drive didn’t take too long and you had just been smacking your dead phone off the palm of your hand for the entire drive. As usual, you let everyone get off first before you attempted to move. You were content to just stare out the window.
“Nice of ye to actually show up” Katie huffed. “Ye are such a twat”
“My phone died” you explained.
“It’s bad enough ye are here and I even have to look at ye” Katie shouted. “So do me a favour and just do what we have to do and then fuck back off to Barcelona until I have to see ye again”
“Okay” you nodded.
The worst training session of your life commenced shortly after that brief conversation. They were playing everyone against Y/n by the seems of it. Every time you missed a challenge, a shot, a pass, Katie would make a loud jeering noise. Every time you got the ball, someone would tackle you way too harshly. You couldn’t concentrate. You felt like every pair of eyes were on you.
“Get up” someone sneered at you as you dropped to the ground following a studs up challenge to the ankle.
“Barcelona’s finest” another laughed as they shouldered you in the box, sending you tumbling to the ground.
But worst of all, came Katie. Your sister was rough and had a catalogue of yellow cards to back that up. She always found a way to be near you, and always found a way to be pushing you, kicking you, knocking into you. But there was one thing this entire training session that was pissing her off every time you dropped to the ground.
You got back up. If any of them thought what they were doing to you was worse than what Laine had done, they were fooling themselves. Anytime Laine had done anything to you, you’d managed to pick yourself up. Katie and your teammates didn’t have a patch on her.
The coaching staff seemed to be turning a blind eye to the unnecessary roughness directed towards one person. You’d pissed them off this morning. You were making it seem like your move to Barcelona had boosted your ego so much you felt like you were too good to be here. This wasn’t fair. You weren’t the person they thought you were, any of them. This is how you were being treated for trying to protect yourself when Laine was getting the princess treatment after years of treating you badly.
“Okay, that’s time” someone eventually called and the game stopped.
You lay on the ground with your eyes closed for a few seconds. You were covered in cuts, marks and bruises again. Not even your Barcelona teammates did this to you, even if they didn’t really like you.
“And that was only day one” Katie smirked, standing over you intimidatingly.
You didn’t respond. You just got up and walked away, grabbing your water bottle and heading to the changing rooms. You got straight back on the bus, practically limping there and sliding into the first seat you could get to. Your body was aching and after a couple months of being free from this, your body was really taking its toll.
“Not nice when it’s someone your own size, is it?” Katie asked as she stopped at your seat, her mates gone to the back of the bus.
“Look, ye made it clear alright?” You bit back. “I’ll reject anymore call ups. Do whatever ye want to me and rule me out of this camp and I’ll leave tonight”
“Wouldn’t give ye the satisfaction” Katie shook her head and walked off to the back of the bus.
You managed to get yourself up the stairs and into the shower before crawling back into bed. You were a professional at suppressing your feelings, so you never cried. You’d only broke that one time and that was enough. You just lay on the bed, clutching the parts of your body that hurt the most and tried to close your eyes to pretend like it wasn’t real.
Camp continued like that as the days ticked on. Every morning, you dragged yourself out of bed to be absolutely battered by your teammates and then limp back to your room. But you hadn’t cracked. Katie wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of letting you leave camp, so you wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of showing her how badly this was hurting you. Not that any of them would care anyway.
Your messages with Alexia started to become a bit short. You were making up meetings and physio sessions to avoid her calls. Ignoring the messages to ask if you were awake, much rather pretending you were asleep. You liked Alexia, she was a good person and it appeared she cared for you. But you couldn’t face it right now. What Laine had intended was for you to be isolated, and maybe the last thing you could do would be to give her a feeling of accomplishment.
-
You played the full 90 minutes of football by the time you checked out of camp in Ireland and had to fly to the away camp in The Netherlands. You must have kicked the ball five times in the game. Nobody would pass to you, it was like you were the opposition stood in the wrong jersey. You couldn’t make any type of impact and you ended up losing the game. It somehow was your fault. You didn’t get on the ball enough. You didn’t create enough chances. You you you you you.
You’d had it at this stage. You had began to lose your mind. You couldn’t cope with this stress or pressure anymore and you felt like putting your fist through a wall anytime you had a second to think. You didn’t want to be here anymore, in every sense of that phrase. Laine had ruined your life. Nobody could help now.
But then unanswered message 15 turned to unanswered message 16.
Alexia
Hola? I know you can understand hola so you better hola me back 🙄
Y/n 🍀
Hola
I’m sorry.
Alexia
Why?
Alexia didn’t let you answer that though, because she’d requested to FaceTime straight away.
“Hola”
“Why?” She repeated, now face to face, as much as you possibly could be right now.
“It’s been real hard” you mumbled.
“Camp?” She asked.
“Yeah” you nodded. “I don’t like it” you sighed.
“It’s making you sad?” She continued.
“Yeah” you replied.
“I don’t like it when you’re sad” Alexia pouted and the call fell silent for a few seconds. “So, you will stay with me the night you come home, sí?”
“Huh?”
“You will stay with me and we can watch a movie you will not fall asleep to” she smiled.
“Right, okay” you said.
“And we will talk until you are not sad anymore” Alexia stated.
“That might take forever” you chuckled anxiously.
“I could talk to you forever” Alexia swiftly put as you gulped and stared at her.
“I think” you stuttered. “I think it’s makin’ it harder bein’ here cause I miss ye”
“I miss you too” Alexia said quickly to leave no room for you to regret what you said. “Don’t ignore my calls or messages again, okay?”
“Okay” you nodded. “Good night”
“Good night” Alexia cooed in the phone before she hung up.
That night you didn’t really toss and turn much when you were awake. But when you drifted off to sleep, you started having a very bad dream. It wasn’t a dream so much as a flashback, but it was vivid and it terrified you, even your sleeping self. You woke up feeling yourself sweating, throat sore as you’d obviously been shouting or screaming. But worst, you woke to see Katie stood there in your room.
“Ye alright?” Katie asked from the bottom of the bed. “Heard ye screamin’”
“Yeah” you mumbled back, sitting up slightly and rubbing your eyes.
“Then will we shut the fuck up? I’m tryin’ to sleep” Katie huffed and walked towards the door.
“Yeah, sorry” you sighed and let your head drop back on the pillow.
“Ye haven’t done that since we were kids” Katie mumbled. “The screamin’ in your sleep thing” she continued.
“I’m grand” you said.
“Alright” your sister nodded and left the room.
Katie had small glimpses of care every now and again, and that’s how you couldn’t fault her or her reactions to any of this. You knew if you told Katie everything and if she believed you, that she’d spend a lifetime apologising to you and looking out for you. And maybe that’s why when you wrote that letter, you wrote it to her. But maybe you were an absolute idiot who was just kidding yourself.
-
You played the away game and really thought about telling Carla you were retiring from international football there and then. But your club captain would have asked too many questions when that happened, and due to the fact you were seeing her the second you landed, you decided against it.
You’d had a lot of time to kill while you were in The Netherlands. You had more space to roam free, so you spent less time in your hotel room and more time rambling about the streets. You were sending Alexia photos of the city, but she was in Barcelona for the Spain game so she didn’t need to send you photos.
You’d picked up a small gift for her to say thank you for being so nice while you were on camp. In fact, it was just for being so nice since you joined Barcelona. And you were excited to give it to her. Alexia made you nervous, but nervous in a good way.
You didn’t so much as say a goodbye to anyone at camp, you headed straight to the airport in The Netherlands and went straight back to Barcelona. You hopped into an Uber, stopping off at your place to have a shower, get changed and leave your stuff before you went to Alexia’s apartment.
You felt like you could breathe again when Alexia’s arms wrapped around you in her doorway. She kept hold of you while she turned the two of you around so she could close the door behind the both of you.
“I missed you” she said, slowly dragging her arms away from you and letting her finger tips feel every inch of your shoulders as she did.
“I missed ye, but knowin’ I’d see ye straight away definitely helped” you nodded and the girl smiled.
“Sit, sit” Alexia said, pointing into her living room. “I made dinner and you will eat”
Alexia was the type of person who told you what to do, but she did it for the benefit of you rather than her own benefit. She cared about you and wanted to look after you. So, you did as you were told and sat down and ate the dinner she had made you.
“Thanks, that was lovely” you hummed as she whipped your empty bowl from you and took them to the kitchen.
“Pick a movie” she shouted, gathering a few snacks together for both of you.
You picked a similar movie to the one she had picked the night you watched one together over FaceTime. You felt it was a safe bet because she liked those types of movies. Romcoms. You set the subtitles to English and left the audio in Spanish. The girl smiled at you as she came back into the room with a handful of snacks.
“Oh, I love this one” she said when she peered over to the TV, throwing the snacks on the table in front of you.
“I love these” you chuckled, picking up the bag of jellies she’d dropped.
“I know” she stated and sat beside you.
She cuddled into you and you pressed play, beginning to munch on the jellies she’d brought in and somewhat watching the movie. Alexia was watching the movie but was slightly distracted due to something on you being uncomfortable to lean against. Her head had been buried in the crook of your neck, so she lifted it slightly to see what it was causing the issue.
“My necklace” she said, pulling at it lightly which grabbed your attention.
“Oh shite, yeah” you mumbled with a jelly in your mouth.
You threw the bag of jellies on the table and your two hands began to reach around your neck to take it off. You’d kept it safe for her and were very thankful she’d trusted you with it.
“No” she whispered and caught your hand. “I want you to keep wearing it”
“What?” You frowned.
“It’s safe here” she replied, patting your chest. “I see you, I see it. I like that you have it” she added.
Alexia’s hand was still on your chest, covering the small charm on the necklace. Your heart started beating quickly because it had been a long time since you’d ever felt so close to someone without being afraid. You knew if you stayed in this position any longer that Alexia would feel your heart beat.
“One second ’” you exclaimed.
You stood up from the couch and walked out of the room. You completely freaked Alexia out when you did it because she thought you were running away.
“Y/n?” Alexia called, hearing you fumble at your jacket.
You came back into the room holding a small box in your hand that you’d retrieved from your jacket pocket.
“Here” you tried not to stutter as you held out the box in front of her. “I got it for ye”
“What? Why?” She asked.
“I didn’t know ye would tell me to keep this” you gripped to the necklace you were wearing. “But I thought I’d lose it or it would lose effect for ye, so I got you that” you finished with a nod of your head towards the box.
Alexia opened the box to reveal a beautiful, subtle necklace. It was similar to the one she’d just gifted you, because you knew that was her style.
“Y/n” she whispered aloud.
“I just thought I can wear this when I go away and ye can wear that when ye go away” you explained. “When we can’t be together”
“Will you put it on me?” Alexia asked.
You nodded and took it from the girl’s hand. She turned her back to you and you wrapped the necklace around her neck before attaching the latch at the back.
“Es preciosa” Alexia smiled, turning back to you and holding on to the necklace. “Gracias” she added.
“Está bien” you shrugged. “Will we continue?” You said, pointing at the TV and reaching for the remote control.
“Wait” she blurted out, taking hold of your hand that had been trying to get to the remote. “You know since you got here there’s been a story”
“I don’t wanna-” you shook your head and tried to pull away from her.
“No, listen” Alexia stopped you. “I want you to know, I don’t believe what people say about you” she said as she let go of your hand and gripped onto your t-shirt, staring at your lips.
“Ye shouldn’t believe it” you shook your head and subtly licked your lips.
Alexia waited for you to pull away, she was lost in her own thoughts on if she wanted you to pull away or lean closer. But then you leaned closer and her mind was made up. You felt the Spaniard lean in and push her lips against yours, so you completely relaxed and melted against her mouth.
Alexia kissed you like it was her full time job. It wasn’t intense but it had an element of longing from both of you. Something had changed between the two of you, even before the kiss. Maybe it was from the late night calls on camp or the distance that had been put between you, but there was something different in the way you saw her now.
You never wanted anything with anyone after Laine, but Alexia was different. It had been a show with Laine, constantly at her beck and call, showing off in front of people and online. But with Alexia it was like this level of calm, where nothing was forced or pushed. You didn’t have to be anything other than yourself with Alexia.
“Dios, te he deseado” God, I’ve wanted you Alexia practically groaned as she sat on your lap and continued to kiss you. You had no idea what she said so you just continued to kiss her.
“I promise ye, none of what ye heard about me was true” you said before you kissed her neck. She let you continue for a few seconds more before she pushed herself away from you.
“I want this” she clarified, tugging your t-shirt again. “But you need to tell me everything that happened with you and her” Alexia challenged and you sighed.
training was supposed to be the easy part of your day.
half a day where nobody asked you whether ivory and off white were actually different colours, where florists didn't email asking for final number, where venues didn't suddenly decide they were unavailable unless deposits were paid within twenty four hours.
instead, you'd somehow turned arsenal's media day into another wedding planning session for yourself
the photographer was still setting up for the next round of content, giving everyone a forty-five minute break. most of the squad had scattered, majority were making coffees while others were just chilling in the players' lounge.
you however… you were hunched over a laptop at one of tables, your phone wedged between your shoulder and ear. three colour coded notebooks open around you, tabs multiplying across your screen faster than you could close them.
"...no, i understand that's your policy..." you pinched the bridge of your nose, a huff coming from your lips. "...i'm just asking if moving the seating plan by two tables really requires an entirely new floor plan."
silence followed by another pause. you closed your eyes in frustration, "...right"
click. the call ended.
you let your forehead fall against the laptop with a soft thunk, for exactly three seconds before sitting back up.
- email.
- venue.
- spreadsheet
- guest list
- budget
- accommodation
- transport
you clicked between documents so quickly even you couldn't exactly be sure what you'd been trying to do anymore. "why isn't this saving?" you groaned, hitting the save button repeatedly.
nothing.
"...you've got to be jokin'!" you huffed the screen loading and that annoying little buffer sign spinning annoyingly, taunting you and again nothing.
"oh, come on." you whispered, the laptop had now frozen that stupid little buffer sign now sitting still in the middle of your screen.
you stared blankly at it in disbelief, "no, surely not-"
click. nothing"
"no, no don't you dare."
click. but still nothing.
your jaw clenched, your patience running thinner "you've actually got to kidding me-"
across the room, beth looked up from where she'd been arguing with alessia over a game of monopoly deal. "...is she talking to herself?"
katie glanced over, putting her cup of coffee down on the table nearby, "she's been sat there for half an hour"
leah frowned, looking over with a furrowed brow "i thought she was just editing media stuff"
"no," beth laughed, loudly. "she's deep in the wedding planning."
"still?" leah questioned as beth nodded, it being a common theme for you at the minute.
katie just looked over her shoulder, "didn't she spend four hours doing that yesterday?"
"no, five," alessia corrected absentmindedly before looking back at the card game they were playing. alessia had stopped keeping track as you insisted you were fine and had everything happily under control and that you were really enjoying the planning process
and alessia had believed her, mostly. until now as you let out another frustrated groan from across the room.
"that makes absolutely no sense." you swore, thinking aloud as your head sunk into your hands, your mind spinning in circles.
katie wandered over first, placing a hand on your shoulder as she sat beside you, "you al'right?"
you took your head out your hands quickly but you barely looked up from the screen as you hummed a little in response to katie's question.
"your a terrible liar"
"'m fine."
katie looked at the screen, eyes widening wonder how on earth you were able to make any sense of what was on the screen, it just being filled with words and charts. "...what are you supposed to be lookin' at?"
"it's not matching." you pointed to the screen, katie nodding her head as if she understood but really she was still just as clueless if not even more so.
"what isn't?" she asked as you turned your head to look at her, seeing the confused look on her face.
"the seating software." you said as if it was the most obvious answer katie could able come up with.
katie blinked, "sorry.. the what?"
you sighed, "the seating software." you repeated a little louder this time.
katie looked genuinely horrified but still confused before asking. "there's software for stuff like that?"
"there are seventeen different seating software programmes." you pointed out, only knowing that because you had tried each and every single one out before deciding on the one you were using, deeming it the best on however you were now having doubts.
"...why?"
"i don't know!" your voice cracked with frustration the stupid software starting to buffer again, "i just need it to work!"
katie slowly stood back up, lingering for a minute watching as you stared intently at the screen she was slightly worried your eyes may turn square. "i'll be back in a minute"
within minutes beth, leah and caitlin had all wandered over, crowding around the table alongside katie.
beth pointed at the screen sitting in the seat katie previously had been, "so..." you nodded distractedly, humming to acknowledge their presence. "...what's wrong?"
you gestured helplessly at the screen which hadn't been making sense to you for the last hour, "everything,"
leah leaned in over the top looking at your laptop, "you've got spreadsheets linked to spreadsheets.." you nodded as leah continued to analyse your work, "and colour coding... and formulas?... what do you need them for?"
"and...is that a seating simulation?" leah continued as you dropped your head back into your hands mumbling a 'yes'
there was a brief silence before beth eventually spoke, ".. you are aware people usually use pegs and plates for that type of thing..."
you lifted your head and turned to look at beth like she'd just suggested setting the venue on fire. "it's our wedding."
"yeah?"
"it has to be perfect."
leah softened, a concerned look flashing across her face at your words, "y/n..."
"what if someone can't see because they're behind a flower arrangement?"
"...could always move the flowers?" beth pointed out as you dismissed it straight away.
"and what if cousins who don't like each other get put too close together?"
"...move the cousins?" caitlin suggested but again you dismissed it straight away.
"what if—"
"y/n." leah said sternly over the top of your voice as you stopped talking. leah exchanging a glance with beth who nodded understanding the signal as she quietly slipped away.
"so..." katie whispered, trying to bring the sound back to another conversation that wasn't colour schemes and seating arrangements.
"where are you going?" caitlin asking spinning a little as she watched beth back away a little
"i'm getting her fiancée." beth called out walking straight in the direction of your blonde wife to be.
alessia was halfway through having photos taken when when appeared beside the backdrop.
"less." beth called over a worried look on her face as alessia looked up and around for the sound of the voice before landing on beth sending her a smile.
"i think your future wife might be having a breakdown."
alessia immediately lowered the football she'd been holding, brows furrowing immediately. "what?"
beth nodded towards the lounge, alessia following the movement and seeing you sat once again with that laptop. "she's been wrestling with seating plans for about forty minutes now." beth said as alessia looked between beth and you.
"and?" alessia waited knowing there was something else as this was the 'norm' for you at the minute.
"and i think she's genuinely considering fighting the laptop." beth continued, as alessia hummed she knew there was going to be something else.
alessia's smiled faintly. "that bad?"
"less..." beth's grin and usual joker expression disappeared, "i don't think she's okay."
the smile slipped from alessia's face as she thanked the photographer before quietly making her way across the room. spotting you immediately still exactly where she'd left you after the first round of media attention.
your shoulders still tense and jaw tight with hair messier than usual from repeatedly running your hands through it. your eyes glued to the screen with an intensity normally reserved for major finals.
you didn't even notice alessia walking up behind you. alessia looked at the screen: seven different tabs, an inbox overflowing with unread replies, a spreadsheet she'd never be able to understand, notes, timelines, colour codes, checklists half written.
you had done all this... for one day. a day just for the two of you. the thought made alessia's chest squeeze.
without saying a word, alessia stepped behind your chair and wrapped both arms gently around your shoulders. you startled slightly at the sudden contact, but you knew exactly who it would be. "..hi"
alessia rested her chin against the top of your head. "hi"
you immediately reached for the keyboard again. "i've nearly fixed it." a sense of achievement in your tone slightly, however it came across more tiredly than you expected.
"you've said that for the last hour babe" alessia said sweetly, knowing you and your stubbornness that you wouldn't leave it be until there was a sense of accomplishment.
"but.. but i actually have this time." you said quietly, tapping away at the keyboard.
"y/n."
"i'm serious." you quipped back, your brow creasing with concentration as you carried on tapping away furiously at the keyboard.
"i know." alessia kissed your hair. "so serious you've forgotten you've not eaten lunch."
you paused. "...have i?" you asked looking around the room for signs of lunch but there wasn't any, everyone else was back to doing their media duties so you had in fact missed lunch,
"you've also ignored three messages from me." alessia listed her arms tightening around you.
"...did i?" you reached for your phone and along with messages to do with the wedding also sat alessia's messages which you hadn't even remember popping up on the screen.
"and you've been frowning so hard i'm worried your face is going to stay like that." alessia pointed out as she poked at your cheek with her nail.
you couldn't help the tiny smile. "it might."
alessia gently slid the laptop a few inches away and immediately you reached for it. "no."
alessia reached first, closing it with a soft click as you gasped dramatically as if she had just personally offended you. "babe-"
"no." alessia deadpanned looking at you dead in the eyes.
"but my work, our wedding"
"it'll still be there tomorrow."
"it won't if i don't—"
"it will, i promise baby" alessia said constantly as she held you hand in hers before kissing the top of your head again.
you sighed, leaning slightly back into her feeling somewhat of comfort for the first time since you arrived at training.
"it has to be perfect" your voice was quieter now, smaller and more vulnerable "its just.." you swallowed, the words on the tip of your tongue, "i only get to marry you once"
alessia felt her heart ache that little bit more cause you weren't stressed because you cared about centrepieces or the seating charts or the colour of the table linen.
you were stressed because every decision carried the same thought. this is the day i marry the love of my life.
alessia loosened one arm before gently taking your hand. "y/n." alessias blue eyes finally meeting yours, "i don't care if someone sits three chairs further away."
you opened your mouth to try and interrupt but alessia shut you down, "i don't care if the flowers aren't exactly the right shade."
"they're not—"
"i don't care if it rains." alessia carried on, before shrugging slightly "it probably will"
that drew a weak laughter from you as you agreed "it probably will."
"and do you know why?" alessia asked as you shook your head, "because i'm marrying you"
alessia brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear."i could marry you in a registry office with two plastic chairs and a tesco meal deal afterwards."
you just laughed, as alessia continued, “i'm serious!"
"i know."
"the only thing i've ever cared about..." alessia leaned forward until your foreheads rested together. "...is that, at the end of the aisle, it's you waiting for me."
your eyes shimmered as you nodded lightly, alessia carrying on with her loving words, "so stop trying to build the perfect wedding."
a thumb brushed gently across your cheek. "because the moment you asked me to marry you..." alessia smiled, impossibly soft pressing a quick kiss to your lips, "...it was already perfect."
you breath caught. every spreadsheet, sleepless night, colour comparison, frantic email, backup plan, every moment you’d spent worrying...
all because you wanted alessia to have the best day of her life. and alessia... alessia had never needed any of it. she just needed you.
you let out a shaky laugh. "i hate how easily you fix me."
"i don't."
"no?"
"i quite enjoy reminding my future wife she's allowed to breathe." alessia smiled, kissing the side of your head as you finally stood, turning in alessia's arms until you could wrap both of hers tightly around her waist.
you buried her face into alessia's neck. "i love you."
"i love you too." alessia whispered into the side of your ear.
"i just wanted it to be worthy of you." you whispered, while it was quiet alessia still heard and felt every word as she held you a little tighter.
"you are."
you frowned, "the wedding"
"no." alessia shook her head lightly before pulling back just enough to look you in the eyes. "you." your eyes filled despite yourself.
across the room, beth nudged katie. a proud smile spreading across beth's lips. "told you she'd sort it"
katie watched you melt completely against alessia. "its actually disgustingly cute"
leah smiled over the rim of her water bottle, standing like a proud mum, "no." she watched as alessia pressed a gentle kiss against your forehead before leading you away from the abandoned laptop and towards the lunch room.
Guardian Zoey and Mira desperately trying to court Rumi, unfortunately Rumi is dense as hell so the go to more absurd/blunt methods to have her get the hint.
Even then, it still doesnt work.
Miyeong sighs seeing her daughter like so, as if Celine and Min-ji isnt staring at her in disbelief.
Miyeong: It's so obvious! Why can't she see it??
Celine holding a flower bouquet with Miyeong's favourite flowers: I- I wonder where she got it from....
Min-ji: [eyebrow twitching]
Miyeong: I don't know! Look at them! Zoey even gave her a heart shape cookie. Mira even does a courtship dance. Oh Rumi...
Min-ji: [takes a deep breath] Celine.
Celine: Hm?
Min-ji: You know I'm very much an eloquent dragon, with nice manners.
Celine: ..... Sure..?
Min-ji: I'm just going to say it to her face.
Celine: Ok.
Min-ji: Miyeong... I want you to really listen to me.
Miyeong looks at Min-ji wide eyes, vehemently ignoring the fiery emotion she's feeling in her heart seeing the dragon's sharp eyes.
Min-ji: Me and Celine have been trying to court you. For months. Months! In fact, we even started to make it very much obvious we want you! We like you!
Miyeong: Oh! I like you too :)
Celine:... Miyeong. We like like you. As in. We fell in love with you.
Miyeong: Ohhhh. I love you guys too :D
The young trio hears these. Mira and Zoey pales when they see how oblivious Miyeong is. They then stare at Rumi who is complaining how obvious the two Guardians are on courting her mom.
Celine: Oh no...
Min-ji: AAAAAA I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!
Miyeong: Wha-
Min-ji: Miyeong! We love you. We want to sleep with you. We want to worship you in our bed and make you sing to the Moon and Sun. Drink your sweet nectar and for us to no longer be parch.
Celine: Basically, we want to be together with you. And have sex if that's what you want.
Miyeong: I-
Min-ji: [releases a sigh] I'm sorry for that. You don't have to accept our proposal. You're not obligated to. There's nothing stopping you from declining our advance.
Celine: Min-ji's right. You can take the time you need to think about it. We genuinely hope you're not beholden to be with us. Don't think of our past. Think of the here and now. Think of it as you. Miyeong.
Miyeong: Oh.. I didn't think you two would. I didn't think you would want me.. A broken fragment of the being you knew and a woman cursed by the demon king. W-Why would ypu want me?? I'm not-
Celine: Perfect? Good? No one is perfect. And you are good. Just because you're cursed by him doesn't make you bad. You're still you.
Min-ji: You cared for the garden, the creatures who roam your domain [holds up her hand when Miyeong was about to interject] It's your domain still.
Celine: With or without the curse. It has always been yours. We haven't seen the garden blooms for a long time.
Min-ji: So, yes. We want to be with you.... If you'll have us.
Miyeong:.. I- I would like that. But, can we take it slow? It's still hard for me to accept that you still want me.
Celine: [smiling gently] Of course. We have all the time in the world.
Mira and Zoey watching them unfold, "Oh my gods.. It works!" They look at each other, "Let's do it! RUMI! We have something to tell you!"
