A/N: Written for the June Jukebox Scribbles. Prompt: Mr. Brightside - The Killers / “But it's just the price I pay”
Word Count: 235
"Why are you letting them do this?" Curtis growls, glaring at your engagement ring like it's a portent of doom. In his defense, it is certainly doom for your relationship.
"Mother and Father only ever raised me to marry well," you shrug.
"You mean 'marry rich'," he scoffs. "Do you even care for him?"
"No," you shake your head sadly. "Not even sure he's a good man. But it's the just price I pay for being raised. I owe Mother and Father."
"Do you? Because I'm pretty sure you didn't ask to be born. Didn't ask for them to be your parents."
"It's...it's how things are."
"It doesn't have to be." Curtis gently takes your face in his hands. "We can run away together."
"Love doesn't pay the bills," you lament.
"You love me?" he gasps.
"Always," you confess, tears pouring. "But how can I go against my family?"
Curtis smashes his lips against yours in a hungry, desperate, needy kiss. You open your mouth, your small moan stifled by his mouth on yours.
When he breaks the kiss, his own eyes are teary.
"Five days," he breathes. "It'll take me five days to go and get things in motion so we can be together."
"What?"
"I have a few favors to call in from people I'd hoped I'd never have to see again. But it'll be worth it. For a life with you."
Pairing: Alpha Curtis Everett x Omega Female Reader
Word Count: ~4.3k
Summary: Curtis has been volunteering as a foster alpha for three years now. He's never seen a case this bad...
Warnings: Heavy angst (with an eventual happy ending), past abuse (not Curtis), alpha/beta/omega dynamics, physical scarring, extreme sexism (both external and internal), adult themes, referenced past non-con, fear of non-con, explicit language, the slowest burn I've done yet. All of my work is 18+ - Minors DNI
Dividers by me this time!
Series Masterlist
Masterlist
A/N: Here we go! We're back with Curtis's POV this time.
A huge thanks to @bigtreefest for talking through so much of this with me and especially gut-checking the Ari appearance. I've never written him before!
Any comment, reblog, or ask to let me know what you think will be greatly appreciated. And if you need to come scream at me, that's ok too!
As always, thank you so much for reading! 💜
“You look terrible.”
Curtis sighed and slumped a little in his kitchen chair. “Gee, thanks, Tanya. So glad you came over.”
Across from him, Tanya ignored his comment. “Are you sleeping?”
He grimaced. “Not really.”
She hummed in acknowledgement before moving on. “Are you eating?”
He nodded, then added, “When she does.”
“Curtis.”
“I’m eating, ok? I am. I’m fine.”
His friend just raised a judgmental eyebrow at that as she glanced around the kitchen. “This house has never been cleaner.” She wiped a finger across the wooden table. “Recently polished.”
Curtis groaned, finally dropping his head into his hands. “I don’t know how to get her to stop. I’ve tried to tell her she doesn’t have to, and she just nods and says ‘Yes, Alpha,’ and then continues to clean every surface. And she’s kind of mad at me, I think, for cooking as much as I do. She looks completely bewildered every time I’m in the kitchen.”
“So, she really drank the Kool-Aid on all that alpha supremacist stuff, huh?”
Curtis sighed. “I think the Kool-Aid’s all she’s ever known.”
His friend gave him a scrutinizing look. “You’re in over your head.”
He couldn’t help the humorless chuckle that came out of him. “Yeah, I’m well aware.”
Tanya sighed with her whole body. “But you aren’t going to stop, are you?”
Instead of answering, Curtis drummed the fingers of one hand on the table for a few moments, then said, “I set up a Google alert for the Snowpiercer Collective. I can’t stop reading about it. I keep hoping they’ll release some detail about the investigation that will open the whole thing up for me, you know? Clue me in on how to actually help her. But so far, it’s just been stories about the guns and the drugs and the money. Nothing about the sixty-three omegas they pulled out of there or the well over a hundred children. For just twenty-five alphas! I can’t–” his hand came up to cover his mouth briefly, the horror he’d been feeling on and off for the last week sweeping over him again. “I can only imagine what she’s been through, what’s happened to her. And, of course, she won’t tell me. She doesn’t talk to me at all unless she’s answering a direct question. She is so–” He dropped his head into his hands and did his best to take a deep breath, the constant stress and worrying of the last week settling in his chest. He looked back up at Tanya. “She needs so much help, and I don’t know– I don’t know how to help her. How do I help her?”
He helplessly laid his hands on the table, and Tanya immediately covered one of them with her own. “Curtis, you are helping her. It’s been a week. She isn’t going to heal from a lifetime of abuse in just a week. But you’re giving her a safe place to be, and you’re showing her kindness. That helps. And you’ll continue to help her. But you have got to take care of yourself too. Take care of yourself so you can take care of her. “
Curtis exhaled slowly. “Yeah,” he eventually said quietly. “Okay.”
“And you will call your friends when you need help. Got it?” Her tone left no room for argument, her eyes steady and determined.
That finally got a real smile out of him. “Yeah, Tanya, I got it.”
You had insisted on making tea for Curtis and his guest when Tanya had first arrived. Then, as soon as the pot was placed between them, you’d disappeared into your room, door open, but out of sight.
After Tanya left, Curtis carefully approached you, lingering in the doorway. He was committed to never entering your room without your explicit permission. And he’d figured out that you couldn’t say no to him yet, so he’d stopped asking if he could come in. He was just fine staying in the hallway for as long as you needed him to do it. He rapped lightly on the doorframe to let you know he was there. You looked up at him from where you sat on your bed, your eyes not quite meeting his. “Hey,” he said softly, “I just wanted to let you know that Tanya’s gone. And– And that you didn’t need to stay in your room while she was here. You could have joined us. Or gone anywhere in the house you wanted. I want you to feel at home here.”
You curled in on yourself, trying to make yourself as small as possible. You did that too often. It sent a sharp pang through his heart every time. “I’m sorry, Alpha,” you whispered.
Goddamnit. He was fucking this up. “No, nothing to apologize for. I just wanted to make sure you knew that you have free rein over any part of this house. But if this room feels safe, and that’s where you want to spend your time, that’s okay too. I want you to feel safe.”
There was a long pause during which you didn’t move out of your curled-up position. Then, even quieter than your apology came, “Yes, Alpha.”
Reflexively, one of his hands coiled up into a tight fist. He was going to lose his mind if he heard that phrase one more time. “Right,” he said with a tired sigh. He should leave you alone; he knew that, but he lingered in the doorway. He just couldn’t walk away quite yet, even if the conversation was clearly over. As he searched for something to say, all he could come up with was a necessary reminder that he knew wouldn’t go over well. “You have your doctor’s appointment tomorrow. We’ll leave for the center right after breakfast.”
He’d tried to keep his tone as calm and gentle as possible, but panic still spiked in your scent. “Yes, Alpha.”
“It'll be okay,” he said quietly. Uselessly. “We just– We just want to make sure you're healthy.”
You didn't respond to that. Of course you didn't.
He looked down at his hands and shook his head. “Alright, I'll leave you alone now. But please come get me if you need anything.” And then he turned around and walked down the hall, knowing full well that you wouldn't.
You were quiet on the drive to the center the next morning, so Curtis was too. He’d turned the radio on to try to drown out your silence. He knew you were scared about your appointment. The scent of your fear filled his truck. He had no idea what to say to make it better.
When you got to the center, Yona met you at the door. “Hi,” she said warmly. “It’s so nice to see you again. If it’s okay with you, I thought I’d come to your appointment with you.”
Instead of answering, you looked to Curtis. He did his best not to sigh. “That might be nice,” he said, trying to keep his tone even, “having a friendly face with you.”
You nodded, and turned to follow the omega down the hall.
He stood and watched you go, slowly trailing behind Yona. Then he took a deep breath and went out to the large courtyard behind the building. There were several omegas milling around, and he gave them a wide berth, not wanting to be obtrusive. He’d planned to just sit quietly by himself until your appointment was done, when he saw a familiar figure sitting at a nearby picnic table.
“Steve!” he called out. The blonde alpha raised his head at the sound of his name, his lips turning up in an exhausted smile when he zeroed in on Curtis.
“Oh hey,” he said as Curtis sat down next to him. “You ended up with one of the compound omegas, too?”
Curtis nodded as he carefully looked at his friend. Steve had dark bags under his eyes, and he sat hunched over. “You look about as good as I feel,” Curtis told him.
Steve let out a humorless chuckle. “Yeah, that sounds about right.” He sighed with his whole body. “The pups are really running me ragged.”
Curtis shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d known since that first day when he picked you up that most of the rescued omegas had come with children, but since you hadn’t had any, he hadn’t put much thought into the logistics of fostering an omega and their pups. “How many?” he asked.
“Three,” Steve answered, his lips turned down. “An alpha boy and two little omega girls.”
“Shit, that's a lot to handle on your own. I just have an omega and I’m completely exhausted.”
“Yeah,” Steve sighed.
“How are the kids adjusting?”
“Well. The little omegas still haven’t said a single word in my presence and the alpha pup won’t stop saying the most vile shit while he keeps trying to be all buddy-buddy with me because we’re both Alphas.”
“Shit,” was all Curtis could come up with.
“Yeah,” Steve sighed again as his shoulders sagged even more. “And their mom– I don’t know. She just seems really sad all the time.”
Curtis scrubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah,” he said, “mine too. And very, very scared.”
They both just sat there in silence, next to each other, Steve staring off into the distance, while Curtis looked down at his hands.
Suddenly, Steve’s posture changed. Curtis looked up and followed Steve’s gaze over to a man who was slowly approaching them. “Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Curtis called out.
Ari’s face split into a wide grin as he reached them. “Been a while,” he said warmly.
Steve smirked and nodded pointedly at the prominent, deep mating scar peeking out from the collar of Ari’s shirt. “Well. Looks like you had a decent excuse for losing touch.”
“Yeah, how’s it feel to foster fail?” Curtis teased as well.
Ari’s smile stretched wide, and his eyes shone. “There was no failing about it, boys.”
Curtis’s grin matched Ari’s, and Steve looked lighter, for a moment, too. “Congratulations,” they both said.
Ari ducked his head a little. “Thank you. I never expected it, but shit, it’s good. It’s really good.”
Curtis looked at his friend, who really did seem to be glowing with an uncontainable happiness. Mating with an omega you were fostering wasn’t unheard of, but it also didn’t happen quite as often as one might expect. News of Ari’s relationship and retirement from the program had rippled through the small, tight-knit community that revolved around this center. He was a fixture here, one of the longest-running alphas in the program. He took on a mentorship role for the incoming foster alpha classes, going as far as leading some of the workshops. That was how Curtis and Steve had met him, hitting it off after he’d taught one of their classes.
So when Ari had fallen for one of his long-term foster omegas and left the program to settle in together as a mated couple, the news had spread like wildfire. Curtis had sent his best wishes by text and then had left him alone to enjoy the honeymoon period in peace. The last place he’d expected to run into Ari again was here at the center.
And really, there could be only one reason he was here. “So, you got called in for this mess, too?”
Ari’s smile dimmed slightly. “Yeah,” he said with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. “Cherry and I had just started talking about the possibility of maybe coming back here and fostering as a couple, but it seemed a long ways off. Then we got the call and–” he shrugged. “How could we say no?”
“Yeah,” Steve said quietly. “Me too.”
“Me too,” Curtis echoed.
The silence stretched on again until Ari asked, “You guys dealing with this omega hierarchy bullshit?”
“Huh?” Curtis asked at the same time Steve let out a resigned, “Yeah.”
“Poor Cherry was so confused when our foster, Mary, started following her around, waiting for orders.”
Steve snorted in response, but Curtis just looked between his two friends, cluelessly. He had a sinking feeling he was missing something important. “What are you talking about?”
Ari didn’t answer right away, just looked at him seriously. “So, most of these alphas had more than one omega, right?” Curtis nodded. “Apparently, there was a pecking order in these houses. The first omega the alpha claimed was in charge, sort of, under the alpha, at least. Then the further you got down the line, second, third, sometimes fourth omegas, the fewer privileges and worse treatment you’d get. Mary was a first omega. She had a younger alpha who hadn’t claimed anyone else yet. When she came into our house, she assumed she was now second in line. It took Cherry a lot of talking to get her to understand.”
“My foster was second,” Steve said, darkly.
Curtis’s head whipped around. “She told you that?”
Steve shook his head as his expression got more grim. “No, the alpha pup.”
“It might be a good idea to find out what number your foster was. Could be helpful,” Ari said.
“How?!” Curtis exclaimed. “She won’t talk to me unless I ask her a direct question, and then the only answer is either ‘Yes, Alpha,’ or ‘No, Alpha.’ I don’t know anything about her. I don’t have any details that might help me help her. I’m reaching my wits’ end and it hasn’t even been a week! I mean, my god, she even refused the suppressants and I don’t know why–”
“Wait,” Ari stopped him, “she isn’t on suppressants?”
“No,” Curtis told him, defeated. He felt Steve staring at him on his other side. “I tried. I explained what they were, but she still said no.”
“What are you going to do?” Steve asked with urgency.
Curtis shrugged. “Hope like hell she doesn’t get her heat soon?”
Ari shook his head, “That’s not–”
He was cut off by a commotion near the doorway into the main building. Angry voices rose over the din of a gathering crowd. Instinctively, all three alphas started moving towards the sound of omegas in distress.
Curtis’s instincts were on high alert as he moved and tried to parse out what he was hearing at the same time. There was indistinct shouting, and then he could see the crowd move back as he distinctly heard someone hit the ground. That was followed by a wild, guttural, rageful cry that something inside of him recognized instantly. It was you. What the fuck?? “Shit,” he said to the other alphas, “that’s my foster!”
How could that wail possibly have belonged to you? You were meek and quiet and painfully deferential. But was it really that far off from what he knew of you? That cry had been full of pain and anger and hopelessness. His pace immediately picked up as he got closer to whatever fight was happening. The seconds it took for him to get to you were completely unbearable.
The crowd immediately parted for him once he was close enough, all of the omegas bowing their heads before an unfamiliar alpha. But he didn’t have time to pay attention to any of that. His eyes were on you, sitting on top of another omega, trying to hold her down as she scratched at your face and kicked and screamed. Your face was contorted in rage as you tried to hit her right back.
It only took him one long stride before he was close enough to grab you by the waist and lift you off the other omega. You gave no indication that you knew who was holding onto you as you kicked and screamed. Curtis was shocked by how much he struggled in the face of your rage, even using all of his alpha might. Ari was quickly by his side, gently holding on to one shoulder so Curtis could hold you by the other. Steve was immediately on the ground, checking on the other omega while trying to disperse the crowd.
Curtis recited a litany of comfort into your ear— ”It’s okay, omega. You’re okay. You’re safe. You can calm down now. It’s okay. Calm down,”—as he and Ari moved you down the hall, searching for a quiet room to use. He couldn’t tell if you heard him at all. You were crying now, big heaving sobs. What the fuck had happened?
Ari opened the door to a small conference room, similar to the one he had met you in. As Curtis ushered you inside, Ari sent him a questioning look. “We’ll be fine,” Curtis said. “Thanks for your help.”
“Anytime,” Ari said, patted Curtis on the shoulder, and left.
Curtis got you settled in one of the chairs and then crouched in front of you. Your sobs had subsided somewhat, now mostly just little sniffles and whimpers. He was desperate to touch you, hold you, comfort you. But he was determined not to do that until you gave him the verbal okay. He wouldn’t be one more person taking a choice away from you.
He stayed that way, silently crouched in front of you, until you finally seemed calm enough to talk. “Okay,” he started, softly, “can you tell me what happened?”
You hunched over, wrapping your arms around yourself tightly, and ducked your head. You didn’t say a word.
He sighed deeply. Mostly at himself. He had no idea how to do this. “Omega, please. I need you to talk to me. This is–” another sigh, “it’s really important that you tell me what happened.”
All you did was hug yourself tighter. “I’m sorry,” you whispered. Your hands were shaking.
“It’s–” He stopped. He couldn’t tell you it was okay when he didn’t actually know if it was. “All I need right now is for you to tell me what happened.”
A long silence passed, and then with a voice packed with an aggression he hadn’t expected, you growled, “I hate her.”
“The omega you were on top of?” You nodded but didn’t say anything else. “Who is she?”
“Claude,” you snarled. When just her name clearly did nothing to answer Curtis’s question, you continued with a huff. “She is– no, was Wilford’s omega.” Now, Wilford was a name Curtis knew. He’d featured prominently in all of the news stories coming out about Snowpiercer. The head of the compound, the list of his crimes was ever-growing. But Curtis didn’t have time to dwell on that. In your rage, you seemed to have finally found your voice. “She called herself the head omega, when everyone knows that’s not a real thing!” you scoffed. “She’s always thought that made her such hot shit, but it never stopped him from bringing me to his bed, did it?”
Curtis’s eyes got big, first at your language, which he’d assumed you weren’t even capable of. But then he got over that shock and was able to actually focus on what you’d said. From the way you’d said Claude was Wilford’s omega, Curtis surmised that he wasn’t the one who’d given you the scar on your neck. But he’d still hurt you and taken from you. God, it just kept getting worse.
Curtis desperately wanted to do something about all this. But as lost as he’d felt since you’d first entered his home, he did know what his job was here. And that was creating an environment for you to feel safe. And him reacting too strongly right now wouldn’t do that. Especially when he still didn’t have the answers he needed. “Why did you get mad at her today?” he asked, trying to keep all of his feelings out of his tone.
“She was running her mouth,” you said with a dark glint in your eyes that took him aback. “Thinks she’s still so important and I should care what she thinks about me. Doesn’t understand that none of that matters anymore. Wilford isn’t her alpha now. She still ended up here just like the rest of us. I don’t have to take her shit anymore.”
Curtis let out a deep sigh. “Okay,” he said slowly. “I understand where you’re coming from. But this is serious. Fighting like that, that’s not– If you were staying here, instead of with me, you’d be at risk of getting kicked out.”
And just like that, it was like a switch had been flipped. Your head shot up, and your eyes widened with fear. You were back to the scared, meek omega he was used to. “Kicked out?”
“Well, yeah. They have a pretty strict no-tolerance policy for physical violence. Now, since you’re staying with me, it’s a little di–”
Your hands jolted out and grabbed his, your eyes full of desperation. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please don’t send me to a breeding program!”
“A what?” he asked, his brain trying to catch up to the leap you’d just made.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be good. I will. I’ll be better! Just, please. Not a breeding program. Alpha, please!” Your hands were wrapped around his, and your gaze was so pleading that his heart broke.
Breeding programs. Now that he had a moment to think about it, his mind jumped to the deepest, darkest, stupidest corners of the internet, where conspiracies ran wild of secret underground centers where omegas were kept chained up only to help the government control the population. Of fucking course you’d been taught about that.
“Sweetheart,” he said, so gently, “that’s not something that’s going to happen. Breeding programs aren’t real.”
“They are!” you cried, and it didn’t escape him that you were so scared that you’d just corrected an alpha without thinking. That had to be a good sign in this entire shit show, didn’t it? That had to show that maybe he’d earned just a little bit of your trust.
Curtis paused. Arguing back and forth with you on this wouldn’t do any good. But maybe this would. “I promise,” he said, making sure to look you right in the eye as he said it, “that I will never send you to a breeding program, okay?”
You swallowed nervously and glanced down to where your hands still clasped his. But you didn’t move them. “Really?” you whispered.
“Really,” he said, trying to imbue his words with all the certainty and steadiness he possibly could. “Not ever.”
“But then why haven’t you–” you started, but stopped abruptly, ducking your head.
“Why haven’t I what, honey?” he pressed. The moment felt loaded, like whatever the next words out of your mouth might be, they’d be absolutely vital.
You kept your head down, and he had to strain to hear you as you asked, “Why haven’t you used me, yet?”
Fucking shit. He took a deep breath as he chose his next words very carefully. “Because you aren’t a thing to use. You’re a person. A whole person. And you should get to decide what happens with your body. Not anyone else. Including me.”
You lifted your head at that and just stared at him. He held your gaze, refusing to blink. He needed you to know how seriously he meant it.
After a pause that felt like it spanned an entire age, you said, in a soft whisper, “Thank you, Alpha.”
“Hey,” he said quietly. “You can call me whatever you want. But I’d really like it if you called me Curtis.”
A war played out on your face as he could see you fighting your instincts. But eventually, you said, slowly like you were trying out the words for the first time, “Okay, Curtis.”
Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. He didn’t even try to fight the smile that broke out on his face. This felt like the first real win since he’d met you. Maybe he could do this after all.
He took a few more minutes to make sure you were okay and calmed down, then, when you were ready, he guided you out of the room. Yona, of course, was waiting outside the door. “Give me just a minute,” he said to you, then stepped into the hall with her. “I know, Yona,” he said immediately. “We talked about it.”
She sighed and shook her head. “This isn’t the first incident we’ve had with Claude. And some of the other omegas said it was provoked. But this can’t happen again, Curtis.”
“I know,” he nodded quickly. “It won’t.”
She sighed again, and he noticed the hunch in her shoulders, the bags under her eyes. He wasn’t the only one overwhelmed by this situation.
“How’d the appointment go?” he asked.
“She did well,” she said. “You know that’s all I can say, but we’ll call her with any results in a few days.”
“Alright. I’m gonna take her home then.”
She nodded, said goodbye to you, and walked away down the hall.
He continued herding you out towards his truck, when you were both stopped again, this time by Ari. “Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Curtis said. “I think we’re alright.” Then he called your name to introduce you. “This is my friend, Ari.”
“Hi,” Ari said, “it’s so nice to meet you.”
Your eyes were on the ground as you nodded, but he saw you sneak a glance up at the other alpha, and your eyes went wide as they landed on his neck.
Before Curtis had a chance to wonder what that was about, Ari pulled him aside. “You’re doing really good, Curtis,” he said quietly. “I want you to know that. And if you need anything, I’m just a call or text away, okay? You aren’t alone in this.”
Curtis gave his friend a warm smile. “Yeah, he said. “That’s what everyone keeps telling me. Thank you.”
“Absolutely, anytime,” Ari said, then made his way back inside.
“Alright,” Curtis said to you. “Ready to head home?”
You nodded, and your shoulders relaxed a fraction. “Yes, Curtis.”
"Just… don't look at me like I've already become a stranger."
with the CE babe of your choice!
💜
Come join the sleepover ✨
No surprise with an angsty prompt from you! And you get it with Curtis too! 😘
The man in front of you was packing his bag while tears ran silently down your face.
Curtis looked up from time to time, seeing you standing there, but he didn't say anything.
Moving around the room, he picked up the few belongings he had and managed to get them in before forcing the zipper shut.
Everything was so different from what it had been this morning. Curtis was different from this morning.
He walked to the door, and you followed like a lost pup, your feet moving on their own. Right at the door, he turned back towards you, and for a moment, your eyes met.
"Just... don't look at me like I've already become a stranger," he pleaded.
You swallowed down most of your rage and hurt, furious that he would ask something like that from you.
"You promised you wouldn't leave," you pointed out.
Curtis looked down at his feet and sighed, clearly remorseful, but when he looked back up, his eyes were so different from this morning. Seeing the change sent a chill through you, and you retreated a step.
"I'm doing this for you. For us."
"No." You shook your head, your voice trembling. "No, the man I knew isn't a coward who would leave. But you are. And I don't know you."
With that, you walked back into the house and only succumbed to your tears after the front door had been shut and the car had left the driveway.
summary - curtis decides to finally visit the strawberry shack after a hard days work.
warning - smut, oral, gloryhole.
18+ only please, the gif and headers I use aren't mine.
Warnings and Reminders - Please do not plagiarise, copy, repost/republish, adapt, or translate any of my work on any social media platforms, apps, or third-party sites. The only platforms I post my work on are: Tumblr and Wattpad. I do not own any character of any franchise (Marvel etc.) All my works are fiction and may be dark or triggering content: READ ALL WARNINGS BEFORE PROCEEDING.
Curtis may have been one of the lower class people that were put at the end of the train but The Strawberry Shack was open to all, no matter your status. Curtis didn’t know how the business had gotten onto the train and he didn’t care about going to visit it either. Until today, when he was in a particularly bad mood and in need of a release. He made his way through the other train carts, all while mentioning The Strawberry Shack so he didn’t get dragged back to where he came.
Curtis finally made it to the section where The Strawberry Shack was set up, his eyes darting around as he made his way over to the receptionist's desk. Her eyes on him the moment he stepped inside, “Whatcha lookin’ for, Sugar?”
“Uh…” His hand comes up to mess with his beanie, eyes still darting around the room, unsure.
“How about something simple?” Curtis nods and the woman gestures towards a door.
“I… I don’t have anything to trade…”
She waves him off with a smile. “First timers are on the house.”
Curtis nods, walking towards the door that she pointed to. Once he enters, his eyes scan the room, searching for something, he didn’t know what exactly but something in his gut knew. His gaze lands on your hole, something piqued his interest about your hole and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He walked over, clearing his throat to announce his presence.
You lean against the wall, peeking out the hole to try and get a better look. “This your first time, Baby?” You watch the mysterious man shuffle from behind the hole, his hands tucked into his jean pockets. “It’s okay, I’m here to please you. You don’t have to feel anxious.”
Curtis feels himself grow hard at the sound of your voice, wondering how someone could sound so… Perfect. Without a word, Curtis unzips his pants, pulling out his hardening cock. He grunts as he sticks it through the hole, head falling back as your lips immediately wrap around the tip of his cock.
His hand rests on the wall while the other feeds the base of his cock through the hole, feeling himself throb as you take him deeper. He lets out low grunts and groans, your head bobbing back and forth. The sound of you slurping his cock fills the room, his hips slowly begin to move, thrusting himself into the hole as you continue to suck and lick. Your hands coming up to jerk off the rest of him.
Curtis lets out a loud grunt, his cock twitching as cum shoots out of his tip, coating your pretty little mouth with his cream. You lick his cock clean, swallowing even though you don’t have to, though you always enjoyed the men you got, being lucky enough to get ones that tasted so good despite certain circumstances. You hum as he pulls his cock out of your mouth, tucking it back into his jeans, your tongue flicks out, licking your lips as you watch him through the hole.
Curtis grunts before turning away and walking out of there. He heads back to his section with a thought in mind that he’ll be back but for more than a blowjob.
So, for @saiyanprincessswanie’s Writing Challenge, I decided to write a little PWP, and picked the following from her list;
Character - Curtis Everett
AU - Bodyguard
Trope - Forbidden Love
Quote - You look cute wearing my clothes
It then transpired that I couldn’t write a ‘little PWP’ without a lot of plot finding its way in, so yeah, this isn’t a two minute read.
Beta’d by @gremlin-girly - thank you Grem!
Mood board by me and dividers by @firefly-graphics
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Summary: You hated attending galas for your father and you absolutely hated being guarded by stupid handsome Curtis, with his stupid grumpy face and stupid hostile mannerisms. The guy obviously despised you, but you couldn’t stop your brain and body from wanting him.
Relationship: Bodyguard Curtis Everett x CEO’s daughter Reader
Word Count: 7.9k
CW: Mild Angst, attempted kidnapping, attempted murder, canon typical violence, gun violence, minor character injury (they're not explicitly dead, but they'd not explicitly still alive either), action, protective Curtis, only one bed, enemies to lovers, forbidden love, schmoopy smut, hopeful ending, open ending.
Fuck this gala, fuck your overbearing father and, most of all, fuck Curtis Fucking Everett.
Safe to say, you weren’t in the best of moods.
When your father needed to show face at some hoity-toity shindig, but couldn’t be bothered to attend himself, he’d wheel you out — the pretty little heir to his empire — to keep his investors and partners happy. Then, because you were just oh-so-precious to him, he’d send you with Curtis Everett as your babysitter bodyguard. It was ridiculous. Yes, your dad was rich — a Fortune 500 CEO — but the idea that someone would try and snatch you to get to him seemed laughable in your mind. Your father didn’t care about you, not as a person — not as his daughter. He only cared about what you represented and how you could help him advance even further, and anyone who knew him well would know that too, friends and competitors alike.
Then, just to add insult to injury, it had to be Curtis he sent with you out of all of your available security staff. Stupid handsome Curtis with his stupid grumpy face and stupid hostile mannerisms. It was obvious that the number two of your family's protection detail detested you, but for some reason that didn’t stop your brain and body from wanting him. Tall, blue-eyed and stoic, with a buzzcut and dirty blonde facial hair, Curtis looked like every ‘bad boy’ fantasy come to life. However, once again, you had to put up with him hovering three feet behind your right elbow for the entire evening; your body virtually vibrating with awareness. Even if he didn’t hate you, you wouldn’t — couldn’t — act on your feelings. Your father would pitch a fit about you getting involved with ‘the help’.
Ninety minutes after arriving at the gala you’d had enough of, well, everything. What you wouldn’t give to be at home, sitting on your bed in your pajamas, with a pint of ice cream and a trashy romance novel. Your bra was too tight, your dress too revealing, — seriously, what father picked something like this for his daughter to wear, even if she was in her mid twenties? — your heels too high and the ballroom too bright and noisy. Drunk guests milled around you, trying to make business connections and secure deals and you really couldn’t care less.
In front of you, an associate of your father’s was talking to you about investments and shares while simultaneously trying to look down your neckline. The one good thing about Curtis was that he made sure that people kept their hands to themselves. He looked angry enough at the best of times that no one wanted to risk making it worse. Although, the leers still made you feel gross and disgusting.
Having had enough of the conversation, you laughed loudly —- and fakely —- and rested your hand on the arm of the old man ogling you. “I hope you’ll excuse me, Bryn, but I need to freshen up.” Your companion nodded and you suppressed a small smile — if anyone ever paid attention to how often you used that excuse at these events, they’d think you had a recurring UTI. Turning away, you were once again begrudgingly grateful for Curtis presence due to the way his bulk walking behind you stopped anyone from staring at your backside.
As you got to the washroom, you paused with your hand on the door and looked over your shoulder at the perma-scowl watching you. “You gonna follow me in here too?” you taunted with a raised brow. Curtis just rolled his eyes at you, then turned to stand parallel to the wall, arms behind his back at parade rest. You shook your head and strolled into the opulent washroom.
After using one of the stalls and washing your hands, you moved over to one of the large, backlit mirrors and opened your clutch. You were re-slicking your mascara, your mouth pulled into an ‘O’ when another woman, similar in age to you, came and stood at your side. She pulled some gloss from her bag and reapplied it with a smack of her lips.
“Some party, huh?” she said. You smiled in return. No matter the venue, there was always something about the camaraderie that always formed inside the ladies washroom.
“Would it be wrong of me to say that I am both insanely bored and over-peopled?” you stated beneignly.
Your new partner in crime snorted in solidarity. “If that’s wrong, I don’t wanna be right. It seems that this is the only place to get some quiet as well as intelligent conversation.”
“Absolutely, but I’d also love to get some fresh air,” you replied. “Just ten minutes on my own, but he won’t let me out of his sight.” You pulled a face in the mirror.
“You talking about ‘Big, Tall and Grumpy’ outside?” She jerked her thumb towards the door. “Protective boyfriend?”
“Something like that”, you mumbled, not feeling comfortable enough to admit you had a bodyguard, female solidarity non-withstanding.
“You want me to run interference? Distract him for you so you can sneak out onto the terrace?”
It was obviously a terrible idea but, in that moment, it was everything you wanted. And anyway, you thought, what harm could it do? “Would you? He’ll be pissed at me, but it’ll be worth it.”
“No problem. I’m sure the make-up sex will be worth it too.” She winked at you and walked out of the washroom as you tried not to think about an angry Curtis fucking you. You failed miserably.
“Fuck,” you bit out under your breath, before doing one last check of your makeup in the mirror and moving over to the door. You could hear your new friend talking outside, her laugh purposely a little too loud and you pushed the door open a crack.
She was hanging off Curtis’ arm, having dragged on it enough so that he was now angled away from the where you would exit.
“You sure look lonely, are you sure you don’t wanna go have some fun?” Her voice was wheedling and a little bit slurred as she put on her best display of a drunk socialite out for some entertainment. “I bet you could show me a really good time.”
Taking a deep breath, you pushed the door open further and slipped out, grateful for the plush carpet of the hallway that muffled the click of your heels.
“Sorry Miss,” Curtis said gruffly. “But I’m not interested.”
You took some quiet, calculated steps, heading for the corner up ahead, hoping that you’d be able to get there without being spotted.
“You don’t think I’m attractive?” your co-conspirator carried on in a high-pitched, offended tone that was bound to draw some on-lookers. However, you didn’t wait to find out how Curtis was going to deal with it, instead closing those last few feet that would give you a few minutes of freedom.
You darted round the corner, heading back toward the ballroom, where you skirted the edge, taking the most direct route to the large French windows and the coolness of the night. You weren’t alone straight away — you had to meander through the groups of people enjoying their cigarettes, cigars and vapes first, trotting down a few steps that lead to the lower terrace which surrounded the formal gardens. After a few feet you spied a bench and sank down onto it without any grace, huffing out a sigh.
Finally!
You were certain it wouldn’t take Curtis long to find you, so you were determined to make the most of your interlude, despite how brief it might be. You pulled your phone out of your clutch and shot a text off to your bestie, bemoaning at how utterly boring this evening had been. The pair of you could have been video chatting while painting your nails instead.
Resting your head on the back of the bench you looked up at the night sky. Despite the glow of lights from the ballroom, you actually had a good view, with only a few wispy clouds floating in front of the moon and stars. You were always taken aback by just how many stars there were, twinkling away above your head, billions of miles away and thousands of years in the past. The feeling of insignificance was actually comforting. You may be only a small, tiny stitch in the tapestry of the universe, but you were here just the same.
After a few minutes of star-gazing you decided you ought to return inside and face the music — hopefully Curtis wouldn’t be too mad. You stood up and started to walk back towards the steps and the groups of other people, when something snagged your wrist and halted you in your tracks. Anxiety sparked inside you, but when you turned you saw that it was just your bathroom friend and you relaxed again.
“Hey,” you said jovially. “Thanks for the assist — it worked really well, and I’m feeling a lot better.”
She smiled back at you, feline and knowing. “Oh definitely,” she replied. “It worked like a charm.” Her hand tightened on your wrist and you winced as you looked down at it.
“What are—“ in the next moment what little light there was vanished as something was placed over your head. The hand on your wrist disappeared as well, but that was replaced by what felt like a pair of thick arms wrapping around your torso. You shrieked as you were hefted up into the air and kicked your legs, but it seemed ineffectual.
“Quick, to the van,” came the harsh command from the woman who you now realised had betrayed you. You tried to shout again, but the fabric over your head got caught in your mouth. You captors were moving, taking you with them to goodness knows where and it was going to be all your fault for ditching Curtis.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
“Hey! Let her go!” A voice rang out and you could have cried in relief when you recognised it as Curtis’. However, the man holding you didn’t obey, which frankly was to be expected.
“Keep going,” the woman shouted and suddenly the night was shattered by the sharp retort of a gunshot. You heard a muffled curse and the sound of scraping gravel, before another gun responded. The woman screamed and in the next moment you were tumbling through the air as your male captor threw you to the ground. You landed mainly on grass, but from your knees down you were still on the gravel path and you felt the small pieces of stone and flint cut into you through your pantyhose. You didn’t have time to pay the pain any mind as two more gunshots from beside you echoed through the air. One answered back.
You dragged the fabric from your head, scrabbled onto the grass and clambered to your feet. You needed to get away and back toward Curtis. You stepped forward and immediately your heels sunk into the soft ground.
“Fuck!” you cursed, and yanked your feet out of your shoes, leaving them where they lay as you ducked low and attempted to to take a circuitous route back toward your bodyguard. Another gunshot, immediately followed by a shout from behind you, had you looking over your shoulder where you saw a man-shaped shadow drop to the floor — Curtis must have taken out the guy assisting in your attempted kidnapping.
“Curtis!” you cried out into the darkness, trying to identify where he was. You could hear shouting coming from further away, from back toward the main house. Probably other gala goers or security staff investigating the gunshots.
When Curtis found you and dragged you against him in a rather uncharacteristic display, you couldn’t help but mutter out “oh thank god” into the cotton of his dress shirt. However, he soon widened the gap between you again.
“We’ve gotta get out of here, Princess. Your safety is compromised.”
Your brows pinched together in confusion. “But you got them — surely it’s all good now?”
“We don’t know if it was only those two — there could be more of them.” He took one of your hands in his — boy, did the adrenaline coursing through your body react to that — and started to drag you across the garden, obviously intending to take a non-direct route to where the valets had parked the car. You went along with him blindly, until he stepped off the grass and his foot crunched on the gravel.
“Curtis, stop!” You yanked on his hand to halt him and he whirled around, frustration evident in his eyes, despite the dim light.
“I told you, Princess. We can’t stop. It’s not safe.”
You shook your head. “I know that, but… I can’t walk on that — I don’t have my shoes.”
Curtis quickly glanced down and you wiggled your toes — toes that were only covered by shreds of nylon — at him. “Oh.” In any other situation, such an exclamation coming from such a big guy would have been funny. However, in the next moment, he swept you up into his arms and you let out a soft ‘oof’ as you landed against his chest. Holding you carefully, he picked his way across the gravel towards a stand of trees and edged his way between them. A minute or so later, you moved out of the trees and into a clear strip of land that was obviously being used as the night’s parking lot. Curtis looked around and then confidently set off down one of the rows until he reached the sports car he’d driven you here in. “Stay here,” he ordered as he put you down and a shiver of something that definitely wasn’t fear zipped through you. You told your brain this was not the right time to get turned on. Although, saying that, any time you were around your bodyguard wasn’t the right time.
You leant against the cold metal and watched Curtis scurry — you’d never, ever, imagined him scurrying — down another row only for him to reappear a few moments later up another, the car key clutched in his fist. “Get in quickly,” came the next gruff command as he unlocked the car, the lights giving a brief flash and the horn a short honk.
Yanking the door open, you threw yourself in and grabbed at the seatbelt. The engine roared into life and the wheels spun on the grass as Curtis threw it into reverse. You managed to engage the clip by the time he’d managed to turn the car and return to forward motion, but you still had to hold onto the door handle as you were both bounced across the grass. Curtis ignored the indignant shouts of the valets as he pulled onto the tarmac drive and floored the accelerator. He didn’t even slow to look as he peeled onto the road at the foot of the driveway and you gritted your teeth.
“Do you really think I’m still in danger?” you asked as soon as you could relax your jaw.
Curtis snorted. “Princess, you’re in danger everytime you leave the goddamn mansion.”
“It’s not that bad,” you replied, outraged.
He snorted again, but louder. “You don’t know anything. Your father, Rogers, and I protect you from nearly all of it. That way you don’t have to worry your pretty little head about anything except your clothes and your ponies.”
“Hey,” you cried with scowl. “You might think you know what’s going on with me, but I can tell you that you don’t have the first idea.”
Curtis looked at you, disbelieving, with one eyebrow raised, and you were going to retort again, when his expression suddenly changed to one of confusion and then worry. At the same time, the car started to slow. “What the fuck?” In a matter of moments, you’d come to a complete stop and Curtis smacked at the steering wheel before pulling on the handbrake, all the time continuing to curse under his breath.
“Stay here,” he growled. “Do not get out.” He opened his door and had just gotten one leg out when he stopped. You watched him, confused, as he leant over the centre console — and over your legs — to open the glove box. Inside was a pistol and he looked at you ruefully as he pressed it into your hand. “Do you know how to use this?” he asked.
You raised both your brows. “Curtis, Daddy taught me to shoot not long after I started kindergarten.” You ejected the clip, checking it was full, before replacing it and cocking it to place a bullet in the chamber. “I’ve got your back.” You thought later it must have been a trick of the light, but you could have sworn you saw Curtis smile. He did give you a firm nod though, before getting out and popping the hood. He was only under it a few moments before he slammed it shut and walked around the car. He did not look happy. You turned in your seat to keep him in view, until he ducked down by the rear wheel. You wound down your window and leant out. “Curtis?”
In an instant, he was back on his feet and yanking at your door. “Out!” he barked and the panicked tone in his voice shook you to your core. “Get out now!” For once you didn’t wait to be told twice. There was a pungent scent in the air — the scent of gasoline and you looked toward the rear of the car, trying to work out where it was coming from, before something else caught your eye.
“Curtis!” Terror ran through you as you pointed at the glowing orange and blue line that appeared to be getting closer and closer to you.
“Run!” Curtis shouted and before you even had a chance to think his large hand had wrapped around your upper arm and he was dragging you away from the car and into the trees that lined the road. It felt as though you were running forever, yet you’d only taken a few steps when there was a loud boom from behind you and a wave of heat that sent you staggering. It was only Curtis’ grip on your arm that stopped you from falling over. You looked back over your shoulder and saw a huge fire flickering at you from between the trees.
Your car.
“What in the actual fuck?” You couldn’t hold back your confused panic.
“Someone put a hole in the gas tank — wanted to make sure we didn’t get far. And the fact that they set it alight suggests they don’t just want to kidnap you, Princess. We need to get out of here.”
“And go where?” you asked, your terror becoming more tangible and threatening to bubble up your throat. “I don’t have any shoes and I don’t have my phone. It was in my clutch, which I think is still in the gardens.”
“Don’t worry, Princess,” Curtis placated. “I’ve got my phone. We’ll find somewhere to lay low and I’ll call for extraction.” He pulled it from his pocket and tapped the screen to wake it up.
Nothing.
He tapped it again.
And again.
“Sonofabitchfuckingpieceofjunk.”
You signed. “Battery died?”
“Battery died,” he confirmed.
Silence fell between you momentarily.
“What now?” You tried to keep the tremble from your voice — you had to pull it together. Now was not the time for hysterics.
“We get out of here.” Curtis crouched down again and began to unlace his shoes.
“What are you doing?” You watched as he took one shoe off, then his sock and put the shoe back on. He repeated the same action with the other leg and then passed you his socks.
“As strong as I am, I can’t carry you forever. Put these on. They should protect your feet a little and you should try to walk on soft ground as much as you can. I’ll carry you over anything dangerous.”
Your brow furrowed, but you pulled on the still warm socks as he’d asked. It did make some sense. “Where are we going to go?”
“We can’t follow the road — we’d be too obvious for anyone looking for us. We ought to go further into the woods and hole up for the night. It’ll be easier to get help in the morning.”
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not really dressed for an impromptu camp out.”
“Princess, I don’t think we really have a choice. Now, do you want me to carry the gun? Going back to how you’re dressed, there’s not really anywhere you can put it while we walk.”
You shook your head in resignation at the whole situation and handed it over. You might know how to use a gun, but that didn’t mean you were comfortable carrying one around, especially while you were running. “Which way then?”
“East,” Curtis answered decisively. “It’s the direction we need to go in anyway, and wherever we end up, we can set off again with the sunrise.”
“This is the last time I go to one of these galas, I swear.”
“Finally something we can agree on.”
The worst part about slogging through a forest in the dark with Curtis, while escaping from people who apparently wished to kill you not kidnap you, was that every third step seemed to be into boggy ground; soaking your sock-covered foot and covering you in mud up to your mid-calf.
“This fucking sucks,” you grumbled under your breath as the mud slurped around your ankle for the umpteenth time.
“It’s not exactly a picnic for me either, Princess,” Curtis bit back and in the low light you saw him lean his palm against a tree so he could pull his own foot from the sucking mire. “And you do realise this whole mess is of your making.”
“Oh, here we go!” Anger and frustration felt far more comforting than fear, so you lent into it. “You do realise that if people — my father, Rogers, you — would just let me breathe once in a while then maybe I wouldn’t feel the need to seek out solitude, even if it is just for ten minutes.” You stomped past him with as much dignity as you could muster in the circumstances.
“You’re spoiled, you know that?” Curtis called after you, and you turned on your heel. He took two strides towards you and grabbed your arms. The moon took that moment to come out from behind a cloud and shine down onto him through the tree branches. “You don’t know anything about what’s going on in the world. How much shit I have to go through to keep you safe.”
“Well I’m sorry for being such an fucking inconvenience to you and everyone else. I didn’t ask for this life, to be used as a pawn in my father’s business dealings and a target for his enemies.” You shook his arms off you and stalked a few steps away. “I’m surprised he hasn’t even tried to arrange a marriage for me like some kind of medieval princess. I wouldn’t put it past him. And I’m so sorry that you get paid to babysit a spoiled rich brat that you detest.” You threw your hands up in the air. “I’m sorry that my misery is such a fucking problem.” With that you turned your back on him and continued to walk through the forest, Curtis following you a few heartbeats later.
You could have cried when an hour later the pair of you came upon a small clearing with an equally small cabin sitting in it. You started to sprint toward it, when Curtis yanked you back.
“Nope,” he grunted as he set you behind him. “You stay here, while I check it out.” He dug into his waistband and passed you the gun from the car. “Don’t hesitate to use this if you have to.”
You resisted the urge to salute him as he ducked low and moved quickly towards the meagre building. It was difficult to keep an eye on him in the gloom, but you just about managed to follow his progress as he circled it and then quietly made his way inside. He was inside for less than a minute before he strolled back out. You assumed his nonchalance indicated that all was well inside. Carefully you picked your way over to him.
“It’s not as nice as you’re used to, Princess, but it’ll do for a few hours until the sun comes up.”
You rolled your eyes and shouldered your way past him into the dreary interior. There was only one room and from what you could make out it was filled with a variety of old wooden furniture. “Is there any way to make any light? I can’t see shit.”
Curtis shifted behind you and you heard the scraping of various drawers. “I’ve found matches. See if you can find a lamp, or some candles.”
With your hands out in front of you, you felt around and let out a small shout of triumph as they connected with a lantern. “Here!” You turned, almost bumping into Curtis, and clumsily passed him the lantern. Shuffling backwards you reached out behind you until you found one of the rickety chairs and lowered yourself down into it. As Curtis coaxed the lantern into life, suffusing the small space with a yellow glow, you found yourself suddenly feeling cold. Thinking about it, it was strange that you hadn’t felt cold before now - you’d been schlepping through the darkness for the last hour or so, with only your evening dress and a pair of socks on. Then, as you thought about it further — thought about everything that had happened — you started to shiver. The cold was seeping further and further into your bones. You wrapped your arms around yourself and felt yourself shaking.
“Princess? Shit. You’re going into shock.” You heard Curtis’ voice as if from underwater. A warmth settled across your shoulders and a deep musky smell that was all Curtis filled your nose. “Let me clear the bed, then we’ll get you all bundled up and warm.”
“I-I’m s-sorry for be-being such a p-pain,” you chattered out as you watched him move uncharacteristically quickly around the room. “You m-must hate m-me even m-more.”
“Contrary to your opinion, I don’t hate you. Find you incredibly exasperating? Yes. Think watching you is a waste of my skills? Yes. Hate you? No.” He frowned as he looked down at the meagre coverings available on the narrow cot and then turned back at you. “However, I do have some different bad news for you. You need to take off your dress and those socks.”
“W-what?” You were sure your eyebrows were joining up with your hairline. “W-why?” Curtis started to unbutton his shirt and you couldn’t help but stare at him, dumbfounded.
“Those socks are sodden and your dress is covered in mud and other stuff.” He shrugged out of his shirt to reveal the white vest he was wearing underneath, and then held the removed garment out to you. “You should get changed into this and climb into the bed. I’ll try to rinse out the socks and your dress.”
You felt heat rush to your cheeks at the idea of Curtis seeing you without your clothes on. You wanted it, but at the same time the idea was mortifying. “You won’t look?”
For the first time ever, Curtis smiled at you. “Princess, I’ve seen you wearing a bikini that appeared to be made from cobwebs and wishes. I wouldn’t hesitate to guess that whatever underwear you got on under that dress covers more of you than that thing did. But I also assure you, I won’t look. In fact, I’m gonna go to the well I saw out back and pull up some water. You get changed and into that bed.” He strode out swiftly, with what looked like a ceramic mixing bowl in his hands.
As soon as he disappeared through the door you shrugged out of Curtis’ jacket, despite the chill that seemed to seep into your bones, and yanked at the zipper of your dress. It pooled at your feet and you kicked it, and the socks, across the scarred wooden floor. With only a moment's hesitation, you also took off your bra — no way were you going to try and sleep in that —, carefully folded it, and placed it under the flat pillow. You were shaking now, feeling so cold that you might as well be made of ice — so brittle you could shatter any moment.
Grabbing Curtis’ shirt, you fought your way into it, your fingers fumbling the tiny buttons as you did it up. It fell to your mid-calf and while more comfortable than your dress, it wasn’t any warmer. Thrusting your arms back into his suit jacket helped a little, but the chill didn’t start to leave you until you clambered under the musty blankets on the cot.
Curtis returned after a few minutes and he gave a curt nod when he noticed that you’d done as he said. He picked up your dress and socks and started to rinse them out in the bowl of water. You watched him under the flicker of the lantern light and as you did so you felt a heavy tiredness weigh down on you. Your eyelids drooped as you observed Curtis, saw how his bare arms moved, how his muscles bunched, as he scrubbed and rang out the fabric.
You didn’t recall seeing him finish. He was there, in front of you, when you let your eyes close for just a second, but in the next moment there was something — someone — firm and warm settling behind. You opened your eyes in drowsy confusion to find that it was dark again — the lantern had been put out.
“W-what’s going on?” you asked sleepily, trying to sit up
“Shh, Princess,” Curtis rumbled as he slung his arm around your waist and pulled you back down. “It’s just me. Gotta keep you warm. Go back to sleep. Everything will be better in a few hours.”
“Thank you for saving me,” you slurred before letting yourself fall back to sleep.
You woke with a start, jerking so suddenly that you rolled off the bed and landed on the floor with a shout.
“Fuck!” You fought your way out of your blanket burrito and rubbed at your elbow.
“Morning, Princess.” You looked up from your inelegant sprawl to find Curtis smirking at you in the glow of sunrise. For a moment you were confused, until the memories all rushed back in with terrifying clarity.
“Do we need to go?” you blurted out in a rush.
Curtis climbed up from the cot with long-limbed grace, his undershirt and suit trousers all creased. You looked down at yourself to discover his shirt and jacket weren’t in any better state. He crossed the room to check on the state of your dress and his socks. “We ought to wait for a bit longer, otherwise you’re going to get very cold again.” He stopped back in front of you and held out his hand. You took it, allowing him to pull you to your feet. However, he must have tugged harder than he meant to, because you ended up crashing into his chest, your forehead almost connecting with his chin. His arms wrapped around you to stop you from careening back over.
“Oof!”
“Careful there, Princess,” Curtis chuckled.
You took a half step back and looked at him, perplexed, although you didn’t slip his hold entirely. “You’re uncharacteristically chipper this morning? Where’s Mister Stoic and Grumpy.”
“When it’s laugh or cry, always laugh — it makes people wonder what you’re up to.”
The amused snort came out of you unbidden. “And it’s only just gotten bad enough for you to enact that philosophy? Well, regardless, you’re a lot more fun to be around when you’re like this.”
“And you look cute wearing my clothes,” he threw back.
That comment made your head spin on your shoulders. “You think I’m cute?”
“I’m not blind or stupid, Princess.” His answer came with a soft smile.
“But you don’t like me,” you argued.
“I like you just fine. Told you that last night.”
“But you’re always mean and glaring and grumpy. And mean.”
“Because you’re exasperating. I told you that as well.”
“How do I exasperate you?” From where you were standing you had an excellent view of Curtis’ mouth. You’d dreamed of those pink, plush lips and what they’d be able to do to you. You had a good chance to think about it in the seconds he was formulating his reply. And then his tongue poked out and licked over his lower lip and you swore you stopped breathing.
“How are you not exasperating?” His voice was low and soft, with a new and unknown cadence to it. It sent a shudder of awareness through your body. Or maybe that was due to the fact that you were standing so close to him, half dressed in his clothes. “I know you’re intelligent, Princess. I’ve heard you argue with your father often enough to know you’re not an airhead, but for some reason that’s the image you choose to show the world. And then those outfits of yours. I’m just a man after all — I’m not made of stone.”
Your eyes darted up to his and you couldn’t help but notice how dark they’d become, despite the steadily increasing illumination from the windows. You felt heat flame your cheeks and quickly lowered them again, just to be captivated once more by his lips. “What’s wrong with my outfits?” you asked. You had more than an inkling, but for some reason you needed to hear him say it. It was though you were right on the cusp of something.
“You goddamn know there’s nothing wrong with them,” Curtis growled, “apart from how they drive me crazy — like that fucking bikini for starters.”
“Not all of my outfits are skimpy”, you replied, your voice small and tinged with embarrassment.
“Yeah, but they fit you real well, Princess. Just yesterday morning, when you were wearing those jeans and you bent down to get that bowl from the kitchen cupboard. Thought I was gonna damn near combust.”
You scowled at him. “You shouldn’t have been looking.”
Curtis’ arms moved from their limp hold round your back and waist to take hold of your arms once more. You looked up again and the intensity you saw in his eyes was a little scary. “Have you ever tried not looking at a work of art? Known the torture of being so close to the thing you crave, but not able to touch it. You drive me to distraction, Princess, but I can’t seem to say no. You think I don’t like you, but if that were true, why would I request to be on your detail as often as possible? Why would I be grinding my teeth when I see all those rich men, young and old, ogle you like you’re just a piece of flesh to be bartered and sold? I want the one thing I can never have, so forgive me for looking less than happy most of the time.”
Your eyes grew wider with each word of his impassioned outburst, and you felt hope unfurl and bloom inside you. Your every fantasy was within your reach and at this moment you couldn’t care less about your father’s inevitable disapproval. You reached up to cup Curtis’ stubbled face and watched his eyes close as he pressed into your touch. “What if I said you can have me?”
His long eyelashes fluttered and he gave you a stricken look. “Please don’t tease me, Princess. I don’t think I could take it.”
“I’m not teasing, Curtis. I want you too. I’ve been trying to hide my feelings for you forever. It didn’t feel that difficult when I thought you despised me, but now that I know, I can’t not tell you the truth. I dream of you.” With your free arm you shook off one his hands and moved it to your waist.
“Your father—” He started to argue, but you cut him off.
“Isn’t here. You want me. I want you. We’re both adults and we’re both sober. What my father does or doesn’t want is immaterial.”
He let out a groan and his hand tightened on your waist. “You’re sure? Because I won’t wanna stop once we start. I obviously will, if you ask — if you change your mind — but I’m asking; please don’t put me through that if this is just some joke to see how much I can take.”
“It’s not a joke,” you breathed out as you reached up onto your toes and finally pressed your lips to his.
The kiss turned from soft searing instantly, as though that one action had broken down both your defences. Curtis clutched you like a lifeline, pulling you impossibly close as his mouth moved over yours. His facial hair scratched you in just the way you’d imagined countless times and your hand fisted into his undershirt. When he lifted you, your legs wrapped around him, bringing your scantily covered core in contact with the bulge in his pants, and he let out a grunt that sent a thrill straight through you.
Curtis spun on his heel and dipped, carefully placing you on the small cot as he knelt on the floor. He ripped his mouth from yours so he could slide his jacket from your shoulders and work on the small buttons of his shirt and you watched him with lust-filled eyes. “This is the worst outfit you’ve ever worn, Princess. Whoever recommended this look to you should be shot. Far too distracting.” You giggled at his joke and he grinned back at you, a sight that you had never thought to see.
When his fingers fumbled the buttons again, you brushed them away and tackled them yourself. “I’d have thought you’d have been better at undoing the buttons on your own shirt,” you teased.
“In my defense, they’re currently backwards and all the blood in my body is rushing away from my brain. It’s not my fault I’ve lost my fine motor skills.” He kissed down your throat and your chest as the opening of his shirt revealed each new inch of flesh. When you finally undid the last button, Curtis swept the white fabric open and off your body. Then, he sat back on his heels and stared at you. He had such a sweet and disbelieving expression, like a child that had opened a plain looking present only to find the toy they’d been dreaming about inside.
“You alright there, Curtis?” You pushed up onto your elbows and stretched out your left foot, placing it on his right thigh and rubbing your sole up and down his upper leg.
“I just don’t know where to start,” he admitted. “I’ve dreamed of this moment so many times, and now it’s here, I'm frozen with indecision.”
You sat up fully, your legs bracketing his and your bare breasts hanging tantalisingly in front of his face. “You could start by touching me and then move on to kissing me? Maybe, if you play your cards right, I’ll return the favour.”
Curtis knelt up and rested his hands on your waist, his face a hair’s breadth from yours. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He captured your lips this time and as he did so, his hands slid up your rib cage. You moaned when his thumbs, rough with callouses, brushed over your nipples and you tried to slide your own hands up, under his vest to duplicate his touch. “Off,” you mumbled against him, and he pulled his hands, and mouth, away long enough to comply, removing the vest and also wriggling out of his wrinkled pants.
Curtis’ hands returned to your body, roving over your skin as though he was trying to learn everything about you by touch alone. With your hand on the back of his neck, you pulled him down on top of you, his hips cradled by your thighs. Now there were only two thin pieces of material separating you, and you couldn’t help but tilt your hips to rub against him.
“Princess! Oh god!” Curtis shuffled down your body and while you were momentarily frustrated by the lack of friction where you wanted it, it did mean that he could take one of your nipples in his mouth. Your own hands grasped at his head, revelling the feel of his short hair under your fingers and palms. This was better than your wildest dreams. You touched and kissed each other for what felt like millennia. It felt so good and it was difficult to imagine that anything could top it, but eventually those last two barriers were lost and Curtis’ cock was nestled between your wet folds.
“Fuck,” he muttered as his hips rocked and he coated himself in more of your arousal. You whined in response, eager for him to fuck you.
“Curtis, please!”
“I don’t — don’t have a condom,” he stuttered out.
You dug your heels into his ass and cupped his face in your hands. “Don’t care. It’s fine. You know I’ve got an implant, you took me to my doctor’s appointment three months ago, and I haven’t had a boyfriend since that dweeb Jason last year. Please! Fuck me already. I need you.”
“You’re sure?”
God, he was the sweetest, but also so very annoying. “Are you trying to exasperate me in retaliation? I’m absolutely sure. I need your cock inside me. I want you to make me come and I want to feel you come. Is that enough for you, Curtis?”
“Yes, so much.” As his tongue invaded your welcoming mouth, his hips shifted, the tip of his cock catching on your opening before he started to ease his way inside the clutch of your body. His kiss muffled your cries and whimpers and you tried to concentrate on the feeling of him within you, of him filling and stretching you. You wanted to commit every moment to memory, just in case this was the only time. You hoped it wouldn’t be, but when you both got out of this, there was no telling what would happen.
Curtis’ strokes were slow and deep — wonderfully unhurried — and he held you as close to him as possible. Your legs were crossed at the ankles in the small of his back and you had one hand on the nape of his neck and the other on his shoulder, your nails curling into his powerful muscles. The thought of marking him, claiming him as yours, was intoxicating, and sent your arousal spiralling higher. You rocked your hips in time with his movements, feeling so wonderfully in sync, like this was always meant to be. And maybe this had been inevitable; especially now you knew that the desire between you had been mutual? Despite your previous assumptions about his feelings for you, you had always been drawn to him. His grace. His quiet competency. Everything about him was magnetic.
Your orgasm, when it came, was as unhurried as everything else; cresting and crashing over you like waves on a warm beach, leaving you dizzy but still yearning for more.
“Oh fuck! Feels so good,” Curtis muttered against your lips, and you knew that he’d been waiting, had been holding himself back, until you’d had your pleasure. You clenched down on him purposefully and listened to him moan. You couldn’t help but do it again.
“Princess! ‘M gonna come. Can’t hold it back.”
“I want it, Curtis. Please. Come in me. I wanna feel you.”
His thrusts became uncoordinated and more frantic, and you squeezed him with your body while whispering in his ear. You’d never thought you’d be one for dishing out the dirty talk, but it definitely seemed to be working for both of you at this moment in time.
In less than a minute, Curtis was groaning and gasping into your neck and you could feel the warmth of his cum inside you.
“Fuck, Princess!” Curtis panted out and you giggled at how completely fucked out he sounded. “Don’t laugh at me,” he groused.
“But I’ve now decided that you’re cute when you’re grumpy.” You rubbed your palm over his short hair, and snuggled into his hold. The way his bulk covered you and pressed you down onto the bed made you feel safe.
“‘M not cute,” he argued, but you could feel his mouth smiling against your neck.
The pair of you lay in silence for a few minutes, before you let out a heavy sigh. “I suppose we ought to get going. Go and find help and get home.”
Curtis pushed himself up on his forearms and dropped a kiss to the tip of your nose, before pushing away from you and standing up. “Unfortunately, I agree with you.” He retrieved his briefs from the floor and put them back on, before passing you your panties.
“I don’t suppose there’s anything resembling a clean cloth around here?,” you asked him, realising how disgusting you felt.
“The best I can do is this,” Curtis replied as he passed you his undershirt. “Let me go and get you some water. Afraid it will be cold, though.” He dragged up his pants and pulled his shoes on, before heading back outside with the same old bowl he’d used last night. As you waited for him to come back in, you got up from the bed and started to poke around the small cabin. In a random drawer, which required a hard yank to open, you discovered some safety pins which gave you an idea. Another drawer yielded up a knife. When Curtis returned a few minutes later, he found you kneeling on the floor, the raggedy blanket from the bed lain out in front of you.
“What are you doing?” he asked with a smile as he watched you cut a hole from the centre of it.
“Making a poncho,” you said. “That way I will have something more than my evening dress to cover me and you can keep your jacket.” You folded the blanket in half and used the safety pins to create some side seams, leaving enough space on each side to stick your arms through.
“Aren’t you resourceful?”
You poked your tongue out at him and took hold of the bowl. In a few moments you had cleaned yourself up as best you could and pulled your underwear back on, along with your slightly damp dress and Curtis’ socks. You wrinkled your nose as the squishy feeling, but you knew it was the best that could be done. With your ‘new’ poncho pulled over your head, you were ready to set off.
You held out your hand to Curtis. “You ready to continue rescuing me?”
The skin around his eyes crinkled as he grinned at you. “Of course. I’ll always be here to look after you.”
The pair of you stepped out into the morning light and set off walking, hopefully towards help. But whatever happened next, you’d have each other.
Tag list: @christywrites, @alexakeyloveloki, @doasyoudesireandlive, @goldylions,
Pairing: Mechanic! Farmhand! Curtis x Bartender! Reader
Summary: It’s a long night for both you and Curtis following his capture from the bar
Word count: 3,682
Content/warnings: depictions of light torture (punching, smacking), mentions of blood, bruises, mob themes, mentions of fire and guns, knives, kidnapping, sad vibes, I tried not to make it too graphic, threats, kissing, lil bit of sad vibes, happy ending tho
Author’s Note: it’s been awhile, so go easy on me as I jump back into writing. I’m still trying to figure out Cherry, but I hope you can see her toughness here, as well as how deeply she cares. Takes place at the same times as YCMBWH Ch. 11 and The Rainmaker Ch. 8
I can’t wait to hear your feedback in all forms! Thank you for reading!
Dividers by @firefly-graphics
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Everything felt heavy as Curtis’s head lulled to the side. He was blinking back into consciousness as he awoke from a sleep that was anything but restful. The world was black. His muscles felt tight and sore as he tried to wiggle his fingers for sensation but his wrists were restrained by a familiar burning sensation: rope.
The smell around him was familiar, yet different. There was a rich fertilizer undertone, paired with the apparent moisture in the air. It was crisp, yet toasty almost. He knew this one: barn with a hint of hay, not one of his, but likely local? The only other farm owner around was-
Curtis’s eyes were presented to a searing light as a black veil was pulled away. He tried to blink into adjustment under the lamp that hovered only a few inches above his head as the world slowly became clearer. A dirt floor was under his feet and he was surrounded by four red walls. They weren’t worn like the ones on his family’s farm, though. They seemed new. As his gaze continued to search around, that’s when he finally saw her, the one woman who had been at the bar, and suddenly he knew exactly what was happening.
You bit your nail on one hand, the other wrapped around your torso for comfort, as you paced across the rug in the living room of the farm home. After the fight had been handled and dissipated at the bar, Decks had driven you back to Bee’s house in your truck, in near silence. The whole ride home, you’d have been trembling if it wasn’t for the way she let you hold her hand with a reassuring squeeze, but now she was nowhere to be found.
Perhaps she was out wherever Bucky and Steve were, but you were pulled out of your thoughts about where she or Curtis could have possibly gone as Bee burst through the front door.
“Hey, I’m not sure how to say this, but I think it’s about time for an interrogation? Bucky’s men have Lloyd and Cole in one of the old barns. Weren’t sure if you wanted to be there or not for it.”
Her normally bright voice held a tentative and gloomy tone, as did her eyes. You dropped your arms with a sigh and nodded, following her out the door.
When you got to the barn, you saw it was lined with twice as many guards as the bar earlier in the night. You looked around at the men standing tall and alert, a look on their faces like they weren’t about to make the same mistake twice. Good.
You stopped at the open doors as Bee went in to find Bucky and took a deep breath and a moment to steel yourself.
You walked into the barn, boots scuffing the hay floor, head turning, taking in the sights before you. In two metal chairs, tied up, were the men from the bar: Cole and Lloyd who crossed well, everyone here.
Bucky stood in front of them with a menacing glare, Steve off to the side, leaning back against a stack of hay bales, arms and legs crossed as he watched the scene occurring.
They must’ve been at this for a little while now based off the bruises you could see forming on the mob boss’s hand, but the look on the mustached rival’s face wouldn’t have given that away. He smiled through the grime that physically and metaphorically coated him. Cole looked as scared and unsure as ever, evidently not cut out for this. You weren’t either, if you were honest with yourself, but you’d seen your fair share of things in your day. And you wouldn’t let yourself dare to think if Curtis was going through worse than what you witnessed now.
You calmly made your way over and stood next to Bee, who had leaned next to Steve. Sensing your arrival, Bucky came over and began lowly whispering his strategy.
“I can’t get jack shit with Lloyd here, fucking bastard. I know Cole will squeal as soon as he’s alone, though. We just need to-“
He was cut off by a sound that made you all turn your heads. The rafters of the barn creaked and down swung Decks, before landing onto the soft floor. The action caught the attention of the captives, too, as the watched her stalk over to them. Her shoulders were stiff, unyielding.
Steve made a movement to go towards her, but Bucky barred him with an arm, likely curious to see where this went. You strained your ears to hear her.
“I’ll give you one more shot. I’m sick of watching this dance. Where. Is. Curtis?”
A stuttering voice came out of Cole. “I-I don’t know.”
Smack. In a flash, his head was tossed to the side.
“Wrong answer.”
She took a step to her left, putting herself directly in front of Lloyd.
“Where?”
Her voice was alarmingly even. Calm, yet rage-filled. All you could see was the back of Lloyd’s shaking head, paired with his shoulders that appeared to be raising up and down with laughter. You weren’t sure if he took notice, though, at the way Decks’s fists tightened.
“Oh, come on, Pumpkin. You’re a smartie. Bet you’re a sweet peach just like your friend, too, but I’m not giving up whe-“
Punch. Right to the jaw. It was almost in slow motion as Lloyd fell to the hay floor in a heap with a dull thump and a rustle. She had knocked him out cold.
Her eyes were fixed on Cole again.
“Is that motivation enough for you to help us now?”
Cole furiously nodded and looked back over his shoulder at you. “I’ll talk to her.”
Your eyes went wide. You knew the least here out of everyone. Well, you guessed Decks knew less since she was in the dark for so long, but you were the farthest removed from it all. You were saved, though, when Steve shook his head, this time stepping forward without being stopped.
“No way. You lost your right to negotiate when you let Lloyd cross that line. You talk to me or you don’t have a tongue to talk anymore. Got it?”
You could see Cole swallow even from your distance as he nodded. With that, Bucky tilted his head in reference for you and Bee to leave the barn. When you searched for Decks to follow out, she was already long gone on her way back to the house.
Curtis had been here for hours now, but with the adrenaline running through him, it simultaneously felt like minutes and days. His wrists and ankles were getting sore from the tight restraints, but at least he wasn’t gagged. He guessed that whoever these people were didn’t think they were in for a tongue lashing. Boy, were they wrong. Every ounce of politeness was wrung out of him by now, if not from the torture he faced, then from having to listen to Lillian yell at seemingly incapable henchmen. Bucky would never. Curtis had seen what a tight ship he ran.
After rolling her eyes at a man furiously typing on a computer, she made her way back over to Curtis.
“Do you know where you are?”
Curtis let out a dry, humorless laugh. He’d been sitting here for how long and that was what she had to say to him?
“Not really, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell me. I might have a couple guesses, though. But really, thank you for your hospitality for finally getting around to that.”
Lillian continued to circle him like a shark in her red bottom heels, doing her best to blow off his sardonic tone. The floor of this barn wasn’t dirt like the ones on his own farm property. It was wooden, so he heard the obnoxious clunk with every step she took.
She stopped and crouched down in front of him, hands on her knees over the grossly inappropriate pencil skirt she wore on this occasion.
“I thought you were supposed to be a nice, kind country boy. Chivalrous. Polite. Especially to women.”
Curtis tried his best to hold back a scoff.
“Perhaps I’d change my tune if you hadn’t…ya know, kidnapped me. But based on your behavior in general, how you were treating my girl? Calling someone a bitch knows no gender.”
Lilian slapped Curtis across the face at that and he leaned to the side, spitting, lucky to find no blood. At least she hadn’t gone in on him that hard. Yet.
She turned around and strutted to the table where the henchman sat with a computer and leaned back on her hands against it, crossing her ankles.
“When I’m done with you and your little friend group, you’ll be lucky to find yourself in a speaking position at all.”
Curtis’s body wasn’t sure whether to shudder at the coldness or roll his eyes. Maybe if he just kept talking, he’d be able to stall enough until help came.
“I thought Lloyd was supposed to be the unhinged one”
An eerie smirk crossed Lilian’s face at that. “Where do you think he learned his skills? I rarely spent time this far outside the city, but, you know, I’d like to think of myself as somewhat of a cowboy killer.”
Curtis shrugged before he remembered why he was hardly moving due to the jolt of pain that ran through him from the ropes. “While that’s mildly concerning, I do feel compelled to tell you that I’m more of a farmer and less of a cowboy. I’d say the closest thing you know to one of those is your boy Cole.”
Curtis was taking in every detail he could of his surroundings as he kept this conversation going. One of those details, though, included how Lilian’s eyes slightly widened at the mention of the prick Curtis had spent almost his whole life despising.
“Huh, that got something out of you….” Realization took over his features. “Oh my gosh, you’re sleeping with him, aren’t you?”
Her previously cool and deranged demeanor had shifted. “Psh, what? That’s absurd. You’ve known Cole for how long? Why would I want to be with him?”
If he wasn’t careful, he’d say he was almost enjoying seeing someone who seemed like they had it all figured out make such a terrible decision. He had to tread a line, though. Keep talking without fully upsetting her and making the torture worse.
“That’s a great question, but I mean, I didn’t have great taste in romantic partners in my twenties, so I can’t blame you, really. So what’s this all about? You’re attacking Bee because she turned down Cole’s business proposal? No, even he doesn’t have the brain capacity for this sort of a vendetta.” Another moment of realization accompanied a gasp. “Oh my gosh, you used to date Bucky, didn’t you? It’s because of that? You want to take her down because of that? Like, come on. This is a bit much, Lil.”
She scowled at the nickname and accusation. “You’re ridiculous if you think all of this is over a lost lover.”
Curtis cocked his head to the side. “Am I? Am I, though?”
Lilian sighed and threw her hands up at exasperation, not only at being exposed, but at the fact that Curtis wouldn’t believe her fake denial at the situation. “God, you hicks are so dense. Never listen. I’m sure I could say anything to you and it would go in one ear, out the other.”
Curtis droppped his head and shook it. Yeah, okay Lilian. Believe whatever you want. It’s your funeral. He looked back up at her through his eyelashes. So sass only got him more insults, what about compliments?
“You’re right, I think you’re probably the only one with a law degree within 100 miles of this place.”
She nodded. “You bet I am. And one would think tha-“
She was cut off by a henchman coming up behind her and whispering over her shoulder into her ear. Her ruby red lips turned down into a frown as she rolled her eyes once again behind a mask of mascara, eyeliner, and dark eye shadow. The more he looked at her, the more Curtis saw a person. One capable of making mistakes, several, sloppy mistakes, that were hopefully to his advantage. The henchman stepped back, awaiting further instruction.
Lilian groaned. “Ugh, fine. Alright.”
She pointed at Curtis with a menacing squint. “You stay here while I investigate. Move an inch and I’ll pull out the knife. You haven’t seen me yet with one of those.”
You waited anxiously in the farm house, pacing the floor once again before you gasped in alarm, stopped by a hand on the shoulder. When you looked up from your feet, you were met with concerned eyes before you were pulled in for a hug. It was Decks.
Her chin was tucked over your shoulder and she squeezed you close.
“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. They’re going to find him. I bet they already have.”
You nodded and squeezed her back, holding tight to the baggy flannel shirt she wore. From the smell of it, you could tell it was an old one of Curtis’s. You couldn’t blame her, it was probably way more comfortable than anything she had left.
You pulled away, seeing the sincerity in her gaze.
“Yeah, I know. Doesn’t mean I’m not a little on edge, though. Thanks for what you did back there, by the way. I was afraid I was gonna have to jump in and show those guys who’s boss, but you had it covered.” You gave a watery laugh.
Decks gave a shrug. “Eh, anything for a friend. And you’re really the only one here that I’m not upset with right now.”
That brought a rare smile to your face. It was a little funny, but also sadly true. You knew she wasn’t dealing with this all as well as you, but admired her for sticking around. You could see so much honesty in her, probably a quality that drew her so close in her friendship with Curtis. It was comforting and exactly what you needed.
And speaking of comfort, a welcoming smell began to waft in from the kitchen. Bee was cooking, which didn’t seem super appropriate for the moment, until you looked at the clock above the stove.
It was early morning by now. Though the curtains were all pulled tight, through the seam in the middle, you could see the beginnings of daylight peeking through. It was then that you realized you’d been running for nearly twelve hours on sheer adrenaline and a need to stay strong until Curtis returned. It seemed like you should keep fighting, keep pushing for him to come back, but it was out of your hands now. Bucky’s men were on the job. All you could do was wait at this point. Hopefully this good meal could hold you over until then.
It was an ambush. All Curtis heard was a light shuffling inside his shielding of the barn, followed by dampened swift blows and brief screams. That must’ve been Bucky’s men.
The closed barn doors allowed him little room to see what was going on, but the scattered gunshots were enough to sense that something was coming closer. Only Lilian’s men were fools enough to cause that much of a scene.
As the sounds died down, the barn door slid open, and Curtis squinted at the morning light that was directed right towards his eyes. A shadow quickly covered it, though. Curtis couldn’t make out the face, darkened by the rays of sun that framed it, but he knew the outline of that build. It was similar to the one that was in his farm fields for weeks, but the waist was slimmer. It carried itself with just a little more proper posture and grace.
“Steve?”
The figure approached and his face was lit up by the overhead barn lights. A crooked, apologetic smile was there under a pair of sincere blue eyes. It was Steve. Curtis wasn’t sure whether to scowl or smile at his savior.
“Hey there, partner. I’m here for retrieval service.”
Steve walked around behind Curtis and crouched down, pulling the knife out of his breast pocket, flicking it open, and cutting the ropes from his wrists. Curtis immediately brought his hands to his front, rubbing the tender area.
“Did you get Lilian? She was outside. And all the guards? Is everyone else okay? How’s Cherry? Decks? Bee?”
Steve walked around to Curtis’s front, crouching once again to begin sawing at the ropes that held his ankles.
“The girls are good. Safe on the farm being guarded, but I think they can handle themselves. Your girl has taken this quite well all things considered.”
Steve broke through the ankle restraints and looked up at Curtis’s face. There was a cut on his cheek that appeared to be bruising slowly.
“Lilian got you pretty good, huh? Don’t worry, we’ve got her now. And Lloyd and Cole. They’re getting delivered back to an old friend in the city as we speak. Probably won’t have to see their faces ever again. That’s a blessing.”
Curtis nodded in assent. “You could say that again.”
Steve looked Curtis once over. “Can you walk?”
Curtis nodded and groaned as he threw his hands to his knees and pressed out of the uncomfortable metal chair.
“Yeah…you never really answered all of my questions, though, city boy, at least not fully….”
Steve walked with Curtis up to the edge of the barn, peeking out to check if the coast was clear and speaking into an ear piece. He nodded with confirmation and his shoulders relaxed a little, although Steve grabbed the gun from the holster on his hip just in case, keeping it low as they shuffled out into the open field.
When Curtis looked around, he could see it was one of the Turners farms, but not the original one. A newer one: one that had been taken over. Scattered all around him were other, smaller barns on fire. When he looked back behind him to where he had just been moments ago, that one was too, flames ripping through it like a warm knife in butter.
Once Curtis turned back to him as they approached a black SUV, Steve looked at him with his eyebrows pinched inwards.
Curtis got up in the driver’s seat despite the way Steve was very evidently guiding him towards the passenger side and held his hand out for the keys.
“Come on. While I drive home, you’re gonna walk me through your plan to get Decks back. If the next time I see her, she’s as mopey as she’s been this weekend, or worse yet, this hardens her, you’ll have hell to pay.”
Steve sighed as he settled into his seat. “Okay, okay. But I think I’m gonna need a lot of your input. Just be nice about it.”
Curtis raised a skeptical brow at Steve as he pulled out onto the country road, leaving the burning farm behind them and Bucky and his men to finish up.
You had finished you meal and sat back on the couch, leg bouncing as you worked out a plan. Curtis needed to get back safely. He had to. You didn’t know what you’d do if he didn’t. Probably beat up Bucky first for getting you all in this mess, then move. Far, far away. Run like you always needed to, even if this was the first place you really felt like you belonged. That would be easiest, your truck could probably handle it, right?
You were startled by the sound of the front door clicking and in an act of self defense, you grabbed your empty coffee mug off the table and threw it at the front entryway. As the door opened, it shut just as quickly from the startle of the ceramic shattering against the wall. From the outside, you could hear, “Holy cow. Um, good arm? But it’s me, darlin’…”
Your shoulders dropped in relief. “Curtis!?”
You ran to the front door, socked feet gliding on the wood, and you pulled the handle and whipped it open. He was standing there, Steve behind him. You threw yourself into his arms, hands wrapped around his neck as he squeezed around your torso.
“It’s me. Hi sweet girl. I’m okay.”
You pulled away with a smile on your face. Your hands ran along his beard and you leaned in for a deep kiss. When you looked at him, your eyes roamed over his face, bruised and slightly wincing at the gentle circles of your thumb. You moved to pull away and apologize, but he grabbed your wrist to keep you there. I’ll never let you go.
You simply nodded and smiled, before looking over his shoulder at the dark-haired mob boss walking up the driveway. His car had just pulled in.
Your eyes narrowed to slits as you gave Curtis a quick peck on the nose.
“You go on ahead and get in there. I think some people will be very happy to see you.”
Curtis nodded, sensing what was about to go down, and gave you a kiss on the top of your head as his hand rubbed your waist before walking through the threshold, and Steve followed behind him.
As Bucky scaled the front porch steps, about to take the same path as the other two men inside, he was stopped by your pointer finger to his chest. Your voice was threatening and low. “You, mister. If you ever let another threat like this, or one of your crazy ex girlfriends near us again, no one is coming out that unscathed. Am I understood?”
His eyebrows raised as he gave you a salute. “Yes ma’am. You have my word.”
You gave him a curt nod of agreement and went inside.
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Bonus A/N: sorry for the dark vibes, but go Curtis and Cherry! Two badasses even in a hard situation imo, although she’s not so forward with it because she doesn’t have the direct threat. What do you think?
Being the lead singer in a band comes with its own trials and tribulations. Luckily, your weathered band member Curtis is there to guide and mentor you. The energy between you and Curtis is passionate and intense, but it also comes with immense risk. As your relationship deepens, you both learn to navigate the pressures of fame, the scrutiny of the media, and the jealousy of their bandmates, all while keeping your relationship a secret.
Genre: Smut 🌶️ , Angst 🩹, Fluff 🥹 Galore~
DISCLAIMER NOTE:
I don't give permission for anyone to post this work on any other platform. This only exists on Ao3 AND now Tumblr (5/29/24), so pls don't copy/paste. Also, I don't own any of the Marvel universe (I wish). All of my works are also unbeta'd so please be kind, and apologies for any edit mishaps.
*I'm thinking this will be more of a drabble series more than anything cohesive, but who knows where this will take us!*
Sapphire Serenade [1/?; IN PROGRESS]
His Little Gem [3.6k words~] 🥹 🌶️
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event | whumptember 2022
prompt | afraid of the dark
pairing | boyfriend!curtis everett x reader
warnings | curtis and reader are dating but idk if they'd call each other boyfriend/girlfriend?, no real context as to how curtis and reader got off the train/found a place to live, reader is younger than curtis (she can't remember life before the train), SOFT!SOFT!SOFT!curtis i love him i adore him he is everything to me :'-))), me not really remembering snowpiercer that well lmao :^)
word count | 705
an | wow! i was struggling to find where to fit curtis into the list of prompts but tbh i think this worked out really well! i kind of love this little piece, it felt like i got to be artistic with it and i love that, i love writing stuff that blurs the lines between traditional storytelling and loose poetry <333 hope you guys enjoy!
As hard as you tried, you could never get used to it.
After living what felt like your whole life trapped in a noisy train car, adorned with dim but durable box lights chained to the ceiling that ran twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, one might think that finally having the peace of silence and darkness would be a luxury. But as you lay in your shared queen-sized bed, blinking up at the pitch-black ceiling, nothing within you felt at ease.
Tossing and turning amongst the tangled sheets, you tried over and over to close your eyes, tried your very best to turn off your racing mind and embrace the void before you, but as the minutes dragged on you could only feel yourself growing more and more restless. Tears prickled at your eyes as you turned again, this time to face back towards the other warm body settled in under the covers beside you. When his voice broke the silence to murmur your name, your heart nearly leapt right out of your chest. "Y/n."
Breath catching in your throat, you froze for a moment, cool droplets making their way sideways down your cheek. "C-Curtis, I-"
"Baby. Come here." His voice was low, steady. And as all your anxious thoughts swirled violently inside of you, you couldn't help but be drawn to that sense of stability, that rock.
Shuffling over, you let out a small sigh of relief as your body melted into his. He turned you gently to have your back pressed up against his front, wrapping his strong arms around you as you settled into his embrace. You could smell the faint remains of the expired drugstore soap the two of you had found on him, the almost familiar scent surprisingly comforting in a world that all felt so desolate and foreign. It almost smelled like something your father would have used, almost smelled like something from home.
"Pretty girl," Curtis breathed into your hair as he ran gentle fingers over your side, "what's on your mind?"
Tucking a little further into him, you admitted aloud what felt so peculiar, so counterintuitive. "The quiet, th-the dark, Curtis. I can't stand it. It feels..."
"Like you're lost. Completely lost, alone," he finished your sentence for you.
Letting out another breath, something deep inside of you was put to rest. He understood; he could put it into words better than yourself. "Lost, alone," you confirmed. "I hate it."
"Mhmm," he hummed knowingly, hand trailing up to brush back your hair from your face. "But I'm right here, sweetheart," he reminded you, tightening his hold around you so that as much as he could, he was encompassing you. Surrounding you, keeping you safe in every way you might need it. "We'll figure out something for light. Tomorrow, that's the first thing we'll do," he promised, the slow motion of his hand over your hair gradually easing all tightness in your muscles.
"But the quiet..."
"Let me sing to you," he offered, and for some reason, the suggestion only brought tears back into the corners of your eyes. "I'm no good, but at least it'll be something. And someday, I'm gonna find a way to give you real music. Like those discs and records you always heard about back on the train." Nodding, you knew what he was talking about: some of the tailenders you had known were old enough to remember life before the end of the world, where apparently entire orchestras and symphonies could all be listened to from tiny machines that ran on electricity. The only music you could remember yourself was singing, and the rare occasion that the higher-ups would audition folks on instruments to go play for the more fortunate cars.
"A music box," Curtis's voice broke your train of thought as you both grew closer and closer to a warm, deep slumber. "I'll make one for you- I'll figure out how. Any song you want, y/n. Any song you can remember. You'll never have to sleep in silence again." And as you finally drifted off to sleep, you found comfort in one fact that you could be certain of: Curtis was a man of his word.
