She didn’t know how to explain it to him, that the moment he jumped into her taxi he introduced her to a world where her words could actually mean a change instead of hiding behind the convenient privilege of writing slop that didn’t matter to anyone, not even to herself.
That his passion and interest for fighting for what was right was contagious, and it opened her eyes to injustices, and now she couldn’t look away and ignore them, not when it was affecting him in ways that made her heart heavy and her blood boil with justified anger.
That just the thought of him hurting was more hurtful than she could bear.
In 1968, Mexico is getting ready to host the first edition of the Olympic Games in Latin America.
Jyn Erso, a British journalist, is sent two weeks before the inauguration to cover the many improvements the country has made for the event. But when she arrives, she discovers not everything is as good as everyone outside thinks.
Read on AO3
A little late, but here's week 2 of Rebelcaptain Month: Historical AU
Thank you @rebelcptain for hosting this amazing event!
Scalpels & GunFire Series: What does the Director of the FBI want more than anything? Simply you, the bone doctor of the mob world!
Protection or Poseesion? : Mob Boss & Bartender AU - Agatha/Reader
An Alpha Boss & A Card Game : In the 50's Maya Mason is the biggest mob boss. But she could care less about the game now. All she wants is you, that sweet omega just out of her reach.
A Mobster's Actus Reus : 1950's Mob Boss Rio Vidal stops by your store everyday, not for the coffee. Or the murder weapons she must purchase, but for your sweet smell.
Do No Harm : Dr. Al-Hashimi doesn’t know how to do no harm. Mobster Au Pitt
Summary: Garth grew up in a carnival freakshow, and he never thought about the world outside the glass walls of the Aquarium until a group of kids befriended him. Their love and interest in finding his people might be the key to escaping the silent horrors of his home life at the carnival.
Chapters: 1/?
Characters: Garth of Shayeris, Donna Troy, Wally West, Dick Grayson, Roy Harper, Original Character(s)
Relationships: TBA
Additional Tags: Carnival AU, Developing Friendships, Rescue, 60's AU, 70's AU, No Capes AU, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Childhood Trauma, Lies, Escape, Childhood Memories, Team Bonding, Fish out of Water, Tiny Garth, Beaches, Angst with a Happy Ending, Found Family, Road Trip, First Person POV, POV Garth of Shayeris
Chapter One: Fish Boy
Sometimes I can remember what my first home looked like. I remember the ocean. I remember the sky above me, the waves washing over my face, the sound of seagulls overhead. On other days, I can barely remember the taste of fish and seaweed on a summer’s day. I eat their strange food, but it’s familiar to me now. As far as I know, I’m the only one of my kind. I watch from my tank as people pass by. Some of them stop and look and wonder. Others point and make faces. It used to scare me. Sometimes it still does. I’m not allowed to come to the surface when we have guests. It makes me seem like a regular person when I breathe their air, and I wouldn’t mind it if I could hear what people say. They all look at me and move their mouths, but I can’t understand them through the water and the glass.
The man who found me said he’d had me since I was two or three. So, I think I was six years old the first time I saw her. The man didn’t talk much. But he taught me how to read and count after hours when the freak show called it quits for the night. I was their Aqualad, but I also overheard people call me the Fish Boy of Happy Harbor when they cleaned my tank. Everyone else had a real name outside of what they were on the stage, but I was the show’s property. My name was my title.
The Tattooed Man’s name is Luis, the Wolf Man’s name is Walter, and so on. Sometimes they came to see me. Some of them told me about life outside the Aquarium. I wasn’t allowed to leave the building, not that I’d get far. I never got to walk much further than the length of the Aquarium. Sometimes at night, the other folks from the show would visit and read to me until I sank to the bottom of my tank and fell asleep. I loved hearing their stories, but sometimes it frightened me.
We had dinner together in the Aquarium late after all the guests went home, and I sat outside my tank, eating and listening. It was the only time other than breakfast that we were all together. “Drink your milk, Fishy,” Eunice whispered as she pulled me onto her lap. I gripped my cup and drank my milk as Eunice requested.
I always ate dinner wrapped in a towel. It was the only time of day when I was dry. It was the only time of day when I was held. Eunice babied me, and I loved her for it. She stroked my cheek with her finger. “Fisher, give him another meatball. He’s a growing boy-.”
“You’re more than welcome to give him one of yours-.”
“Here, Fishy,” Walter whispered as he gave me half his last meatball. He held his hand under my chin and fed it to me.
“What do we say, Fishy?” Eunice asked. She liked to hear me talk. I was afraid to speak because I didn’t sound like anyone there. I’d never heard another child’s voice before. So, I always thought I sounded strange. “It’s alright…”
“Thank you,” I peeped.
Murray, the strong man, stared at me before glancing at Fisher. He was fairly new to the show. “How old is Fishy? And what’s his Christian name?” Murray questioned.
“Fishy doesn’t have a name. We call him Lad or Fish,” Fisher replied, “And he’s five or six maybe… I don’t know. I fished him out of the water three years ago.” I didn’t like hearing the story. I still had the scars back then and didn’t like feeling like the strangest oddity in the bunch. They all felt bad for me because they’d never seen anything like me. I shut my eyes and laid my head on Eunice’s chest. She rocked me as Fisher spoke.
“I was out fishing for dinner when I pulled up a net full of fish. At first, I heard this whining noise like the whippin’ of the wind, and when I opened the net, a tiny hand reached up from the midst of the fish…
“The nets cut him up pretty bad because he struggled like the dickens to get loose… I thought he might’ve fallen in the water, but he had on these funny-lookin’ kelp shorts, and his neck-. He had gills like a fish. I’d never seen anything like him. Once I got him loose of the fish and the net, he sat up, hollerin’ worse than any baby I’d ever heard. And the fish stopped their jumping and laid flat and still.
“When I got him home to the carnival, he’d nearly dried out, burning with fever, and I filled a tub with water, and he got to splashin’ and playin’ like nothing was wrong. So, I called him Fishy. Sometimes I called him Aqualad for the show once I got the tank together, though,” Fisher explained.
Eunice stood up, still holding me, and handed me over to someone else. “I think it’s time for Fishy to get to bed. We’ve got a big day tomorrow,” Eunice whispered. I didn’t want to open my eyes, so I kept them shut as I sank to the bottom of the tank. Then, they shut off the lights. I slept until the first summer’s crowd woke me in my tank.
It was early morning, and the guests ogled and snapped pictures, and some of the children pressed their faces against the glass. It frightened me, and I hid behind my rocks until Fisher came and glanced at me through the other side of the glass. I had to come out because I was the star. The crowds thinned out around lunchtime, and I never got lunch during the summer. I worked as long as there were people around.
But I wouldn’t have seen her if I took a break. She had to be my age because she was small like me. She held the hand of an older girl as she traveled through the Aquarium, and I swam beside them, hoping to grab their attention. Sometimes I did that to guests to get a closer look. She turned toward me and gasped. I couldn’t hear it through the glass, but I saw it on her face as she covered her mouth with both hands and stumbled backward into the older girl. I’d seen it hundreds of times. Most children were frightened, and some ridiculed me when they were that small, but she did something no one else had ever done. She stepped toward the glass and gestured with her hands for me to come close. I hid behind a boulder. The girl stepped even closer, beckoning me with a single finger. She held her hands over her heart to prove she meant no harm. I sank to the bottom of the tank and stepped toward the glass. She pressed her hand against the glass and smiled.
I placed my hand where hers was. Then, I used a trick I reserved for people that got close enough to feel it. I cooled the glass between our hands, not enough to harm the girl or crack the glass, but enough for her to know I did it. She giggled, lifting her palm away from the glass, looked at the older girl, and said something. Other guests came, and I had to leave, but I hoped she’d follow. When I returned, she was gone, and I wept bitterly. I’d never experienced loneliness or longing like that before, but it was quickly interrupted by the rapping of Fisher’s knuckles against the glass. A threat. No one wanted to pay money to see a sad freak. Fisher constantly warned me about seeming upset in front of guests, and this time was no different.
I stuck my thumb in my mouth and turned a few flips in the water to distract the guests from my short tantrum. Still, I missed the mystery girl and her sweet gesture. No guest had ever been that kind to me before. I thought about her so long after she’d gone that I forgot I was due for punishment from Fisher.
After the guests left, he fished me out of my tank —which was always terrifying. Then he gave me the speech. “See this strop here?” Fisher asked as he paced in front of me. I nodded. “I use it to sharpen my blade when I shave. It also makes a kid sharp.” He paused. “You gotta be sharp in this business, Fish. If this place goes under, where does that leave you? Huh? Do you like taking food out of all those people’s mouths? People are depending on you, Fishy. And now I have to punish you.”
I never ran. There was no point in running. I didn’t kick, scream, or fight. But boy, did I cry! Sometimes his punishments felt like they’d never end. I didn’t get supper that night. I hid in my little cave and cried myself to sleep.
summary: Sarcastic, facetious, and sometimes crude, those are the characteristics that shape the personality of Y/N Rogers: a flick of caustic wit, a prick of melted ice cream on heated skin, a woman part sugar and hellfire. A stark contrast compared to her brother whom is three years her senior. But when the impossible happens and she’s drafted to fight in a war that’s not her own, their friend group comprised of childish innocence and family will be torn apart and ravished by the claws of war. Now there’s only one principle remaining in the group of three: survive, and hope Bucky and Y/N don’t kill each other in the process. Or, perhaps, fall for each other—because in Steve’s words, what an utter disaster that could be.
pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem Rogers!Reader
word count: undetermined
warnings: descriptions of violence, torture, blood/gore, angst, fluff, smut (will be marked with an *)
a/n: this story is a sixties!au ! it’s inspired heavily by forrest gump so there will be some changes to the mcu storyline but you can still expect war bucky, all the good steve & y/n sibling stuff, HYDRA, new original characters etc. instead of ww2 this is the vietnam war bc of the forrest gump bit but i think that this era would cater rly well to bucky’s character .
— story inspired by the song ‘the false knight on the road’ -> covered by fleet foxes, a traditional folk song
Hello loves! I’m not sure how I feel about this one, but I really, really wanted to get it done! Hope you like it!! This is for @fratboievans moodboard writing challenge! (Which means it’s her moodboad is fhtat’s not clear)
It’s a 60′s AU, and I tried my best, so please be nice!
It’s also my first OC fic, so again, be nice!
Word Count - 4010
Warnings - Slight angst?
The knock on the front door sent Elizabeth into a frenzy. She smoothed out her black and white polka dotted dress, checking her hair and makeup in the mirror, she listened to the sound of her father greeting James at the front door. He invited him in to wait for her, and she let a sigh pass her ruby red lips. Her long brunette hair was curled to perfection and pinned back neatly. Deep down, Elizabeth knew she looked like a dream, perfection in human form for her date that night, but still felt a sense of dread wash over her.
Truth be told, she knew why she wasn’t exactly excited for her date. James, while being a great guy and very good looking, was as much fun as watching paint dry. He was too clean-cut, something her parents absolutely loved, but made her feel animosity towards him. With James, you knew what you were getting right away. There were so surprises or spontaneity with him, and Elizabeth was sure the lack of excitement was going to put her into an early grave. But, her parents liked him, so she swallowed her own feelings and hurried down the stairs, hoping that if the date started sooner, it would also end sooner. James came into view, his nicely styled brunette hair moving a little as he turned his head to meet his green eyes with her brown ones. Pasting on as realistic of a smile as she could manage, she took James’s arm, fingers wrapping around the arm of the letterman jacket he wore so proudly.
James was a football all-star back in high school, and he wore the stupid jacket as a reminder of his glory days, and Elizabeth frequently wondered if it was to make up for the fact that he hadn’t done much with his life since graduating. With a tight-lipped smile, Elizabeth thanked her date quietly when he complimented her. It was all routine, and quite frankly she was exhausted with it. But in order to spare his feelings, she let him believe that everything was okay.
“Lizzie, did you hear me?” James asked her quietly while opening the door to his Volkswagen Beetle, making her face scrunch up in confusion.
“Huh?”
“I said we’re meeting with Viola and John at the diner.”
“Oh. Sure. Great.” She mumbled, excited to see her best friend, Viola, but still wishing the night would just end already.
“You alright, doll? You seem a little uptight tonight.”
“I’m not uptight.” She growled defensively, making James fall silent, driving his boring car to the boring diner that he always brought you to so that you could have the same boring meal and share the same boring milkshake.
---
“What a fox!” Tom mumbled, laughing at Harry who howled loudly in her direction.
Harrison kept his chin tucked, not really caring about the girl who was walking by. His tongue played with the end of the toothpick that was resting in between his lips. His leather jacket sat comfortably on his broad shoulders, a trademark for the gang Tom had put together. The group consisted of Tom, his twin brothers Harry and Sam, Harrison, Tuwaine, and a few other odds and ends friends they had made along the way. Harrison knew that Tom took their gang very seriously, making each one swear to fidelity and family, even going so far as to make a list of rules that the boys had to follow.
“Why don’t you go talk to her then, Harry?” Sam quipped, chuckling when Harry shook his head strongly.
“Why don’t you?” He quipped back, making Sam laugh, showing off his pearly white teeth.
“Don’t think my old lady would be too happy ‘bout that, do you?” Sam retorted.
“Why don’t you go talk to her, Haz?” Tom suggested with a nonchalant shrug, eyeing the girl as she came closer to their group.
“What would I go an’ do a stupid thing like that for? You think I’m on the make?” Harrison growled, not appreciating Tom’s tone. Tom lifted his hands with a gentle laugh, showing surrender before starting a conversation with his brothers. Harrison dared to look up at the girl who had her arm around some square, and he fought the urge to wrinkle his nose in disdain for the couple. “She looks stuck up anyway.” He mumbled, ignoring the way his heart had shifted to fifth gear.
Her brown eyes reminded him a bit of his best friend’s, the same color as milk chocolate, warm and inviting. Her light brown hair had been curled to perfection, not a single ringlet out of place as they bounced with each step. Her dress was border-line sinful as it hugged each curve she’d been blessed with. Harrison felt the sudden urge to speak to her as her eyes met his, a small, polite, smile playing on her ruby red lips. Her date looked at him uncomfortably, green eyes filled with concern as he wrapped his arm tighter around her.
“Come on, Lizzie. You don’t want to be caught out here with these badasses by yourself. Pretty girl like you should be protected.” He mumbled loud enough for the group to hear, making Tom’s fists clench in anger. Harrison knew he needed to act fast, or the boys would be spending yet another night running or hiding from the fuzz.
“Easy, Tom. Don’t let this candyass chop you, ‘right?” He spoke quickly putting a hand on his shoulder in an effort to hold him back. Sam tensed, reaching towards his pocket knife in case he needed it, while Harry wore a shit-eating grin. Harrison sighed, shaking his head at the hothead of the group, repressing jokes about his hair color being a great indication of his temper. Now wasn’t the time. Tom huffed angrily, straightening out his leather jacket before turning his back on the pair, who went into the diner as if nothing had happened.
“Come on, I’m hungry,” Sam grumbled, heading for the door before pulling a comb from his pocket, slicking his petroleum jellied hair back into perfection.
The waitress was an older woman, probably old enough to be the groups’ mother, but she was friendly enough. The greasers had no problems with her until she sat them at the table right beside the couple, who had now joined another two people who also looked like a couple. Harrison rolled his eyes, watching Tom who hadn’t noticed yet. Sam looked exhausted, being the most level-headed brother, while Harry looked entertained. He knew not to act without permission from Tom, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t stir the pot a little. He intentionally bumped into the arm of the guy in the letterman jacket, making him spill his soda on his shirt.
“What the hell, dude! You think you’re some kind of badass?!” The guy shouted, standing from the booth abruptly, heading into the bathroom to clean off his shirt. Harrison smirked, sliding into the booth next to the girl from earlier. He slung his arm carelessly across the back of the booth, turning his head to look at the girl.
“What’s your name, babe?”
“Well, it sure isn’t ‘babe’. Why don’t you flake off?! We don’t want you here!” The other guy growled at him, tensing his jaw in frustration. Harrison laughed, running a hand over his slicked-back hair.
“And who are you?” Harrison’s lips spread into a tight smile, clenching his jaw in an attempt to stay calm.
“John. Not that it should matter to you!”
“Oh, it doesn't. I just figured if you were being that much of a prick about it, you clearly needed the attention. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to asking this pretty girl what her name is.”
“Elizabeth.” She responded curtly, tossing her brunette hair over her shoulder, eyeing the greaser and raising an eyebrow in a challenge.
“Aren’t you going to ask me my name?” Harrison quipped, ice blue eyes holding her cognac colored ones. He was definitely entranced by her, seeing the sparkle of mischief dancing in the eyes he just couldn’t look away from.
“I would, except I don’t care.” She bit back, causing Harrison’s eyebrows to shoot towards his hairline.
“That’s not very ladylike, now is it, doll?”
“Yes, well it’s not very gentlemanly to spill coke on my boyfriend, so I guess that makes us even.” She was witty and feisty, and Harrison immediately admired that about her. Most girls were expected to sit still and look pretty, but this chick was feisty, refusing to conform to how society wanted her to be. It was noble.
“Fair enough. I’m gonna to get going before your meathead boyfriend comes back.”
“Probably a good idea.” She nodded, an amused smile threatening to spread across her face.
“See you around, Liz.”
“Elizabeth.” She corrected curtly, making Harrison laugh as he sat down with his trouble-maker friends and her boyfriend returned.
Though she tried to fight it, Elizabeth couldn’t help but look over to the handsome young man with blond hair and baby blue eyes. Each time she looked up at him, she found that he was already looking at her, causing her to blush, turning her attention on swirling the ice cubes around her coke, which was sure to have gone flat. Under the table, Viola gave her shin a good kick, making her hiss in pain.
“Come with me to the bathroom.” Viola gave her a stern look, showing that she really didn’t have any choice but to agree, following her best friend into the restroom.
“What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked once the door was closed safely behind them.
“What’s your bag? You keep looking at that greaser like a ditz! James sees it too.”
“Don’t have a cow, Viola. ‘M not doing anything wrong.” She shrugged nonchalantly.
Viola didn’t appear to be thrilled with her best friend’s response and rolled her eyes before leaving the bathroom, stomping her feet all the way back to the booth. Elizabeth sighed, looking at herself in the mirror before heading back to the table, offering James a fake, tight-lipped smile when he eyed her warily. She stayed quiet through the rest of the meal, remembering that she had wanted some excitement in her relationship, and nothing screamed excitement quite like a bit of drama.
Harrison could feel her eyes burning into him, and he had to bite back the smile that threatened to spread across his lips. Part of him, though, grew a little insecure with himself. She was a good, sweet girl, who deserved someone like the meathead on her arm. Someone who would take good care of her, and keep her out of trouble. What kind of life would Harrison even be able to offer her? He let a soft sigh escape his lips, fighting the urge to glance over at the group of four as they got up from their seats and headed for the diner’s door. Relief washed through Harrison as he realized that at least the worst was over. A few minutes later, Tom had decided he’d had enough and was ready to head home for the night. Harrison let out a huff, feeling calmness take control, knowing that the night would, thankfully, be over soon.
Saying his goodbyes, Harrison waved before climbing into his cherry red Cadillac, his pride and joy. Tom and his brothers drove motorcycles usually, but Harrison preferred his car. Harry hooped and hollered loudly as he tore out of the parking lot of the diner, earning the headshakes from the other three boys. Harrison rolled his eyes, turning the key in his ignition and deciding to take the long way home, enjoying the cool air of the night blowing through his perfectly greased hair. Not too far from the diner, no more than two miles, he noticed a familiar black dress with white polka dots. Even in the dark, he knew it had to be her. Part of his brain told him to keep driving, you’d eventually find your own way home, but instead, he pulled over in front of her, looking at her expectantly as she approached his car. She surprised him yet again as she stuck her nose in the air, stomping right past his Cadillac.
“What are you doing, walkin’ around out here. It ain’t safe for a pretty skirt like you to be off on your own.” He smirked, putting the car back into drive, and allowing it to roll slowly beside her as she walked.
“Leave me alone.” She growled, and he chuckled.
“Where’s meathead?” He teased, making her stop for a second in her tracks, offering him a scoff before picking up her pace.
“I hardly see how that’s any of your business.”
“Oh, come on, doll. Don’t be like that. I’m just trying to help a damsel in distress out.”
“If you must know,” She hisses, glaring at him, but never once slowing her stride. It was impressive. “James asked me to get out of his car.” She added, more quietly now, as if she were embarrassed to admit it out loud.
“Well, that’s no way to treat a lady. Hop in my ride, I’ll take you home.” He smiled that stupid, perfect smile, and Elizabeth rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to do as he asked.
“I’m fine walking, thank you.”
“Oh come on, I’m not trying to score, I’m jus’ trying to help you out. Will you let me help you, Liz?” He asks, and she stops in her tracks, making him pump the breaks suddenly, rocking back and forth in his seat at the abruptness of it. He can tell she’s considering it and smirks before he adds, “I’ll just end up following you the whole way, anyway. What kinda man would I be if I let you walk all alone in the dark?” He blinks at her twice before pouting his bottom lip out for good measure and it works.
“No funny business.” She says firmly, crossing in front of the car before getting into the passenger seat. Harrison’s heart is hammering in his chest and he hates every second of it. The sooner he drops the chick off, the sooner he can go back to feeling normal again.
“What was your boyfriend thinking, dropping a stone fox like you off on the side of the road?” Harrison knew he was likely playing with fire, but he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened in the short amount of time since she’d left the restaurant.
“He’s not my boyfriend anymore.” She grumbled, and Harrison slammed on the breaks in shock, making them both lurch forward and she groaned in protest.
“Sorry, what?” He asked, eyeing her frantically, wanting to make sure he’d heard her right. She rolled her eyes, trying to push the tears that sprung to them away with little success. Harrison cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable with the chick crying in his caddy, putting the car back in drive and heading down the road in the direction she’d been walking.
“He didn’t like the way I was looking at you in the diner. It was going to happen sooner or later. He’s such a square.” She laughed gently, and Harrison was sure his heart all but stopped in his chest at the sound. It was beautiful, melodic, and he hated her so much for having any kind of effect on him.
“Oh? And what way were you looking at me, doll?” He teased, glancing over at her.
“Do you have to take me right home? I’d like to hang out for a little while if that’s alright with you.” Her voice was quiet now as she changed the subject, and Harrison tried to ignore the tear he could see sparkling on her cheek under the lampposts.
“Uh-sure.” he was confused, just a few moments sooner, she’d wanted nothing to do with him, and now she was asking to spend more time with him. “I know a great spot.”
It didn’t take long to get there, five minutes at the most, and he parked his caddy. This spot was at the top of a hill, just outside of town, overlooking the lights from the neighborhood below. The moon was full and bright, creating enough light in the car that they could properly see each other. Even though he’d known what she looked like, he couldn’t help but revel in her beauty, but he frowned when she shuddered. Wordlessly, he reached in the back seat of the car, offering her a blue denim jacket. She smiled at him gratefully, sliding her arms inside it and smelling the sleeves, sighing in content when she could smell him on it.
“Why do you have this?” Her voice was small, and he turned to her, eyebrows furrowing.
“Whaddaya mean?”
“I’ve never seen you wear anything except that leather jacket,” she mumbled, pointing at the jacket he’d been wearing all night, “I’m just surprised that you have this at all. It’s not really your style.” She shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Maybe it’s the leather that’s not really my style.” He mimicked her gesture, allowing his shoulders to nearly touch his ears before dropping them.
Elizabeth was quiet for a little while, playing with a string that was hanging from the right sleeve of her borrowed jacket, and Harrison watched her intently. He was completely enamored with her, helplessly bound by some wordless spell she’d casted on him. He wanted her-needed her- and he realized that it seemed creepy, but he’d do anything, be anything for her. Something about how sweet and innocent she was made him want to protect her from the world around her because she was also sheltered. She hadn’t seen the ugliness around her yet, and he wanted to be there to shield her from it when she did.
“Why did your boyfriend break up with you?” He blurted out, instantly regretting it. He started to apologize when she interrupted him.
“You fascinated me. James was a square, but you, you seemed so exciting. I can’t imagine how dangerous it is to be in that gang, and maybe it shouldn’t be, but it’s all so interesting to me. It seems...exciting.”
“It is exciting. But it’s also dangerous and scary. It’s not a world for a chick like you to be living in.”
“I could handle myself just fine,” Elizabeth growled defensively, and Harrison chuckled to himself as he realized her nose scrunched up a little when she was annoyed. It was cute.
“I know you could. And, I’d love to take you out sometime, but what kind of man would I be if I brought you into my world, knowing how dangerous it could be?” He asked, and Elizabeth fell silent, making him worry just a little. After a few quiet moments, she finally spoke up.
“I’d like to go home now.”
Harrison watched her for another moment, letting out a sigh when she didn’t speak again or even spare so much as a glance his way. He knew that what he was doing was right, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t suck for him. He felt as though he’d finally found a shred of light in the dark, only to quickly snuff the light out himself. The whole way back to her house, Elizabeth refused to say a word to him, and he couldn’t help but kick himself for saying anything when he did. Had he waited just a little longer, the drive back wouldn’t have been so tense, not that he could blame her. Upon pulling into her driveway, she got out of the car, slamming the door closed behind her and making Harrison wince. She’d barely uttered a thank you before going into her house, never to be heard from again. Or so he thought.
Weeks had gone by, and Elizabeth had managed to avoid Harrison at every opportunity she could, but it was only a matter of time before fate took the reigns of their lives, causing them to bump into each other one early Saturday afternoon at the store. Elizabeth had walked there, as she did most places, and Harrison was just out with Tom and his brothers, no doubt picking a few things up on a five finger discount. Ever since that night with Elizabeth, Harrison had found himself second guessing everything he thought he knew. He wanted to say something to you, tell you he was wrong, but he knew if he tried with his friends around, they would never let him hear the end of it. So, he let her slip through his fingers once again.
It was another two weeks before she’d seen Harrison again. She’d been sitting in her bed, flipping through a magazine when she heard a soft thud hit her second-floor window. She ignored it at first, but when it persistently continued, she got up, opening it to see Harrison standing beneath it on the ground. She raised her eyebrows, showing her unamusement and he flashed her his brilliant smile, almost making her cave. Almost. Instead, she crossed her arms, letting a sigh out through her nose, trying not to smirk when his smile faded substantially.
“Look, Liz, I’m sorry!”
“Elizabeth.” She corrected coldly. “What do you want, Harrison?” She hissed, and he flinched, trying to keep his nerve.
“Can you come down? I’ve got some things to say to you.”
“I’m not interested in-”
“Please, Elizabeth.” He interrupted, begging. She let out a huff before heading to her bedroom door, flying down the stairs in record time. She ignored her parents as they asked her what she was doing, opening the door before slamming it behind her in frustration, crossing her arms as she rounded the house to meet Harrison.
“What do you want?” She repeated with a snarl, making him sigh heftily.
“I don’t know.” He answered with furrowed brows, grasping her elbow after she scoffed and turned to walk away. “But, I can’t stop thinking about you. I’m no good at this because I’ve never had to chase a skirt before. I like you, Liz. Hell, I might even love you. Honestly, I have no idea what’s happening to me, and I’m flipping my wig. Look, Liz, I like you. I really, really like you and I was just trying to-”
She rolled her eyes, taking a step forward and pressing her lips firmly to his to interrupt his monologue. He let out a quiet whimper, clearly surprised by her forwardness, which made her smirk into the kiss. His lips were chapped, but Elizabeth didn’t mind at all. He slowly placed his hands on her hips, pulling her into him and sliding his tongue along her bottom lip. She let out a breathless whine, opening her mouth to let her tongue twirl with his. Her heart pounded hard against her ribs, pulling away to catch her breath before looking into his eyes with a soft smile.
“You talk too much.” She whispered, looking at the ground beneath her.
“Your parents aren’t going to like me the way they liked meathead, you know. I’ll be on my best behavior, but it won’t make much difference…” He trailed off, holding your eyes with his.
“I don’t care. I want you.” She whispered, earning another firm kiss to her lips.
Elizabeth had spent far too long with James, knowing that something was missing and having the hardest time figuring out what it was. And while Harrison had mellowed out quite a bit after meeting you, spending a little less time with Tom and his brothers and spending less time hiding or running from the fuzz by consequence. However, he still offered her just the right amount of excitement, making adrenaline pump through her blood in the thrill of it. He loved her, and she loved him, both balancing each other perfectly, as all things should be. Harrison had truly been everything she never knew she needed.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Benji Dunn/Ethan Hunt
Characters: Benji Dunn, Ethan Hunt, Luther Stickell, William Brandt, also that motherfucker that betrayed Ethan in MI3, Whose Name I don't remember and it won't show up in the suggestions
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Magic, set in the '60s, Cold War, Mentions of homophobia, past mentions of Ethan/Jack, Ethan Has Magic Powers on this, Magical Benthan AU set in the '60s, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Summary:
Ethan's familiar was assigned to him by the CIA. Benjamin Dunn, a graduate of Oxford, young, timid and incredibly well mannered.
But not is all as it seems when they both begin working together.
Conspiracy during the Cold War is a dangerous thing, especially in statecraft.
What lies beneath the facade of Benji's powers? And what has the powers that be planned?
