The babies are just a few weeks old, not able to shape-shift into their human forms yet. Their daddy a deadbeat alley cat who left the moment you told him that you’re pregnant.
Cue Johnny, a mostly human presenting cat shape-shifter, who stumbles upon your little hideout in his parents’ barn when he’s on leave.
The barn smells like hay, old wood, and warm milk.
You’re curled in the far corner of the loft, deep in a nest of stolen blankets and straw, your four tiny kittens nursing in a squirming pile against your belly.
In full cat form right now—sleek black fur, white paws and chest, tail curled protectively around them—because it’s easier to keep them warm this way. They’re only three weeks old: blind, deaf little things with stubby legs and high, pitiful mews. Still pure kitten, no hint yet of the human shapes they’ll grow into.
You’re exhausted. Bone-tired. The deadbeat tom who sired them took off the moment you showed him your swelling belly, hissing something about “not wanting to be tied down.” You haven’t seen him since. You’ve been alone ever since, scavenging what you can, keeping your babies alive on sheer spite and stubbornness.
The loft creaks.
Your ears swivel. A warning growl rumbles low in your chest as a new scent drifts up—male, unfamiliar, but not threatening. Not yet.
A head appears at the top of the ladder: short mohawk, bright blue eyes, a cautious smile. Human. Mostly. You catch the faint hint of cat underneath—Scottish forest cat, maybe.
John MacTavish freezes when he sees you.
He’s home on leave, crashing in his parents’ farmhouse for the first time in years. He came out to the barn for some quiet, maybe shift and stretch his legs in cat form away from prying eyes.
He didn’t expect to find a wary queen and four nursing kittens.
“Easy, lass,” he says softly, voice low and gentle, hands open and visible. “Not gonna hurt ye.”
You don’t relax, but you don’t bolt either. The kittens are too small to move quickly, and you’re too tired to fight if it comes to it. You just watch him, ears flat, tail lashing once.
Johnny stays on the top rung for a long minute, letting you scent him, letting you decide. Then he very slowly pulls a small tin from his pocket—tuna. He cracks it open; the smell hits the air and your stomach clenches painfully. You haven’t eaten properly in days.
He sets the tin on the floor of the loft, well within your reach but far enough that he’s not crowding you, and backs down a few rungs.
“I’ll leave ye to it,” he murmurs. “Barn’s warm enough. Door’s cracked if ye need out. No one’ll bother ye here.”
He disappears.
You wait another minute, then creep forward and devour the tuna in desperate gulps.
He comes back the next morning with more food—proper wet kitten food for you, since you’re nursing—and a soft blanket. Leaves them the same way: at a respectful distance, then retreats.
By the third day, you let him sit on the loft floor while you eat.
By the fifth, you shift to human form for the first time in weeks—curled naked in the blankets, kittens tucked against your chest—so you can speak.
“Thank you,” you say, voice hoarse from disuse. “For not… making me leave.”
Johnny’s sitting cross-legged a few feet away, careful not to stare even though you’re covered. His ears—human now, but you can tell where the feline ones would be—are tinted pink.
“Least I could do,” he says quietly. “Ye’ve got wee ones to feed. Place is mine as much as anyone’s.”
You study him. He’s big—broad shoulders, thick arms—but there’s something careful in the way he holds himself around you and the kittens. Like a gentle giant.
“You don’t have to keep feeding us,” you say matter-of-factly.
“Aye, I do,” he replies, simple as that. “Not leavin’ a queen and her bairns to fend for themselves. Not my way.”
The kittens are four weeks old when the smallest one—a little black-and-white tom—opens his eyes for the first time and stares straight at Johnny with tiny, unfocused curiosity. Johnny’s face goes soft in a way you’ve never seen a man before.
“Can I…?” he asks in quiet awe, nodding toward the nest.
You hesitate, then nod slowly.
He crawls closer, slow and deliberate, and lets the kitten sniff his finger. When the little one butts his head against it, Johnny’s grin is wide and helpless.
“Och, you’re a brave one, eh?”
You watch him let all four of them climb clumsily over his hands, listening to him murmur nonsense in a soft Scots burr—calling them “wee terrors” and “perfect little monsters”—and something tight in your chest unclenches for the first time since you realised you were alone.
Weeks slide by.
Johnny’s leave stretches. He tells his parents some half-truths and spends most days in the barn with you. He brings proper food, soft blankets, a little space heater when the nights turn cold. He sits with you in human form and talks—about his team, his work, his life. You tell him about the alley cat who left, about how scared you were but kept pushing on for your babies.
He never pushes. Never asks for anything.
But when you shift to cat form to nurse the kittens and he shifts too—big, powerful tabby with the same bright blue eyes—you feel the low, steady rumble of his purr vibrate through the straw as he curls carefully around the edge of your nest, not touching, just there.
One evening, the kittens finally asleep in a warm pile, you shift back to human and find him watching you with something careful and aching in his expression.
“You could stay,” he says quietly. “After my leave ends. Mam and Da wouldn’t mind. There’s room in the house. Proper heat. A garden the wee ones can play in when they’re bigger.”
You swallow. “Why?”
He shrugs, jug ears red. “Because ye shouldn’t have to do it alone. And because—” He rubs the back of his flushed neck. “Because I want ye here. All of ye.”
You look at the kittens. At the soft blanket he brought today. At the gentle way he’s already learned which one likes to sleep on his chest when he’s in cat form, which one tends to start crawling away to explore when none of you is looking.
You scoot closer until your shoulder brushes his.
“Okay,” you whisper eventually, allowing the softest smile to tug at the corner of your lips.
His smile, in return, is small and stunned and radiant.
Later, when the barn is dark and the kittens are fed and sleeping, you curl against his side in human form—warm skin to warm skin for the first time—and let him wrap an arm around you.
He presses a careful kiss to your temple.
“Got ye now, lass,” he murmurs into your hair. “Not goin’ anywhere.”
And for the first time since those two pink lines appeared on the stick you scavenged from a bin, you believe it.
You’re not alone anymore. You have a home.
You and your babies have Johnny—and he is staying.
Imagine that Aerion accidentally summons you, an ancient sorceress from Old Valyria, one who was cursed with a nature similar to his and one of the few who managed to survive the kind of magic he keeps dreaming about.
He keeps you his little secret. Introducing you as a priestess from his latest exile travel, and you let it because, as much as you feel like a kindred spirit with the foolish boy, he was not the reason you answered his call.
You feel a pull towards someone else. Someone who carries his immeasurable strength with quiet dignity, someone who would be honourable enough to fight for a lowly knight against his own kin because it was the right thing to do. And you might call him a fool for it too, but you don't get to curse anyone but yourself when you run away from the crowd, let the flames consume you, and you step in to save Baelor from the cruel, untimely death that you have just witnessed in a flame a few minutes before it would come true.
And now they all know, for the first time in a long time, there's a living, breathing dragon in Westeros. Fortunately, no one but the mad prince knows it's you.
Steve Rogers x shapeshifter!Reader (platonic Bucky Barnes x Alpine!Reader)
Summary: You met Bucky by chance when you ran and hid from your past. You certainly never expected to fall in love with his best friend. Could Steve ever see you as more than just 'the cat?' Will Bucky ever forgive you for being more than just his Alpine?
Drabble series of fluff and fun. Warnings given for each post; please read those and decide if this fic is right for you.
Romance 🔥 || Smut 🦆 || Author Fave 🍀 || Angst ⛈ || Fluff 🌼 ||
*** indicates work FOR ALL READERS
Meep Cute (meeting Bucky) ⛈🌼***
Scaredy Cat (reasons you shifted) ⛈
Pampered (Steve cat sits) 🌼***
Shameless Enjoyment (playtime) ⛈🌼***
'Babygirl' (Sharon flirts w/Steve) ⛈🌼***
Outing (Natasha sees through you) 🌼***
Love Bites (cuddling Steve) 🌼🔥
Scrappy (accidental reveal) ⛈🌼***
Cozy (Steve and Bucky meet you-You) ⛈🌼***
Artist's Discretion (first kiss) 🌼🔥***
Codename: Agent Alpine (getting your 'uniform') 🌼***
Lineage (you find out what you are) ⛈🌼
Doting (just fluff) 🌼***
Borrowed For Blue (a sleepover at Steve's) 🌼🔥🦆 NEW!
BONUS: Bucky's Camera Roll (not my content, show love to creator!)
Asks: When you change in your sleep; Riding with Bucky; How the Mission Went
[Main Masterlist; Steve Rogers Series List; Bucky Barnes Masterlist]
THE SIREN, THE SAINT— THE FRUIT THAT LEAVES A STAIN. tired of residing on the pedestal that the media’s placed her on, she’s looking for someone that’ll let her fall without seeking something in return.
NOW PLAYING... “shapeshifter” by lorde.
SHAPESHIFTER!READER... who comes from a planet that no longer exists— its name lost to time aside from its former inhabitants and their descendants. those who survived its destruction millennia ago have resettled all across the galaxy, and it does help that their species’ abilities make assimilating that much easier.
SHAPESHIFTER!READER... whose parents chose to settle in the heart of gotham in the 90s, doing their best to stay under the radar and keep unwanted eyes off of them. unlike her parents, shapeshifter!reader always wanted more for herself, even if it meant stepping into the limelight and making her name a household one. her hard work is quickly beginning to pay off, and if she uses the powers her parents worked so hard to conceal... no one’s the wiser.
SHAPESHIFTER!READER... whose main abilities include altering her appearance, whether it be as simple as the length of her hair to shifting into a completely-different person. most days, though, she just makes little “adjustments” here and there to get the job done. minor changes are like breathing, major ones wear down on her the longer she maintains them. it’s all fun and games until she’s collapsing from holding a shift for so long it makes her nose bleed. but she’ll do it again if it means making her way up the modeling world’s ranks.
SHAPESHIFTER!READER... who makes a name for herself as a model. an it girl in her own right, shapeshifter!reader takes pride in being whatever the casting directors, the fashion houses, and the masses want her to be. she needs a little height boost during a casting call? done. her hair needs a dye job for a photoshoot? she’s got it covered. the casting directors are looking something else? whatever she needs to change, she’ll change— it’s only one night, one photoshoot, one magazine cover… until it isn’t.
SHAPESHIFTER!READER... who’s maybe bitten off more than she can chew. the more eyes she draws, the more she finds herself craving the life she left behind. there’s no more fading into the background like she used to; there always seems to be someone on the lookout for the model who took metropolis by storm. once wishing for the chance to be somebody, shapeshifter!reader now wishes for someone to understand her for who she is, not who they think she is. no tricks, no illusions, just reality.
꩜ ambitious ꩜ enigmatic ꩜ people pleaser ꩜ convoluted ꩜ feels deeply ꩜ works to the bone ꩜ jaded ꩜ cautious ꩜ grounded ꩜ pensive ꩜ lonely ꩜ searching for her place ꩜
BEST PAIRED WITH...
C. KENT : the empathetic journalist.
L. LUTHOR : the egotistical tech mogul.
B. WAYNE : the elusive prince of gotham.
shapeshifter!reader is so near and dear to my heart— she’s been living in my head for so long and i am so happy to finally share her with you all. SO excited to be delving into my own !readers and all that (and to write more for the dcu!!) if you have any questions about shapeshifter!reader + requests for me to write, PLEASE let me know! also i finally have a taglist!!! go ahead and fill it out if you want more updates/notifs from me :)
Summary: After a rough mission, Bucky returns to his room only to find you, in cat form, perfectly loafed in the center of his bed and entirely unwilling to move. (Bucky Barnes x shapeshifter!reader)
Word Count: 500+
Main Masterlist | Shapeshifting Shenanigans Masterlist
It started out innocent enough.
One evening, after a particularly grueling mission involving a collapsing HYDRA base, malfunctioning comms, and at least two near-death experiences (one of which involved you dangling upside down over a vat of electrified water), Bucky was ready for sleep. Not food, not a shower, just a bed and six hours of unconsciousness.
He dragged himself to his room, still half in tactical gear, kicked off his boots, and opened the door to find…
You. In cat form.
Curled up dead center on his bed.
A perfect little loaf with paws tucked under, tail wrapped around, and eyes squinted in smug feline bliss. You didn’t even lift your head. You just blinked slowly at him, like you were doing him a favor by allowing him into his own room.
He stared. “No.”
You blinked again. Yes.
“I need to sleep.”
You stretched one paw lazily and yawned in an exaggerated, almost theatrical way.
Bucky sighed the way only a man who’s fought in multiple wars and still lost a bed to an eight-pound shifter-cat could. He approached the bed. “Come on. Off.”
You flopped to your side, showing your belly in a deceptively adorable display of innocence.
He frowned. “You’re not gonna move, are you?”
You chirped. A soft, high-pitched little meow that sounded for all the world like a definitive “nope.”
With the patience of a saint and the expression of a man seconds from swearing in every known language, Bucky gingerly scooped you up and held you like a slightly cursed loaf of bread.
Therefore, you responded by executing your best defense measures. You immediately went limp. Full ragdoll. Zero bones. Pure, spiteful jellycat mode.
He tried to place you at the foot of the bed.
You squirmed and climbed up his arm, momentarily perching on his shoulder like a little parrot-cat before backflipping right back into your previous loaf position. You curled up as if the interaction hadn’t even happened.
Bucky stared at you in pure betrayal. “Seriously?”
You tucked your head down.
He sat on the edge of the mattress. It was a big bed. King-sized. There was room.
So, fine. He figured he’d just lie down and ignore you.
Ten minutes later: you were slowly, imperceptibly inching closer.
He felt it. Like a cat-shaped glacier scooting toward his ribs.
When he cracked one eye open, you were three inches from his chest, staring directly at his face.
He exhaled sharply. “You planning to smother me in my sleep?”
You gently reached out one paw and touched his cheek.
He muttered something that was half curse, half exhausted laugh, and rolled to his side.
You followed. Instantly.
Eventually, Bucky gave up and just curled around you. One arm draped over your fluffball body, like some reluctant pet owner who did not ask for this, but also didn’t really want to move you anymore either.
“I swear, if you start snoring-“
PrrrRRRRrrrrr.
He groaned into the pillow. You purred louder. The bed was officially yours.
-
The next morning, Sam passed by Bucky’s room, paused at the door, and snapped a picture.
You were stretched across Bucky’s chest, limbs sprawled in all directions. His metal arm was dangling off the edge of the bed while he was unconscious, mouth slightly open, and looking like a man who hadn’t gotten a single inch of his side.
The photo was uploaded to the team group chat with the caption:
“Cat: 1. Terminator: 0.”
Oooo can I please request a Steve rogers x fem!reader where she has the powers of turning into any animal from hydra experimenting on her, it takes place when Bucky and his unit are captured in 1943 by Hydra, when Bucky is in the cage they put them all in, he sees a nearby cage only holding one person, it’s Y/n and it looks like she’s been there a long time and she is just wearing a dress hydra gave her that doesn’t cover much so she’s shivering 🥺 When they drag Bucky out of the cage to go experiment on him, they drag her out too and he notices it looks like she’s completely used to this treatment because she doesn’t fight the Hydra soldiers at all when they drag her out with Bucky to the experimentation room🥺 She’s put on the table next to him and they’re both experimented on (Bucky for the first time)🥺 She has been there for about a year because she had moved onto an army base with her father who was in the military but Hydra attacked the small base and killed everyone but Y/n and abducted her and brought her to the Hydra base to experiment on🥺 When Steve goes on the mission to save Bucky and his unit, he finds both Bucky and Y/n barely conscious strapped to the metal tables 🥺 He’d be like “Bucky? Bucky!” Shaking him and that’s when Bucky says the whole “I thought you were smaller?” And Steve says “I joined the army”, but then their attention is turned to Y/n on the other table and Bucky is like “We can’t leave without her, we have to help her, who knows how long she’s been here” and Steve would be like “Oh my gosh, who is she?” And they’d both be really concerned 🥺 Maybe Steve picks her up to carry her because she’s really weak🥺 When they get to that part where Steve is telling Bucky to leave and he’s like “No not without you!” Maybe it’s because at this point Y/n has woken up a little more and is too scared to jump to the other side and Steve is like “Go, I’ll stay with her!” But Bucky won’t leave🥺 And then red skull comes by to fight Steve and says “I think you took something of ours, we’d like it back” referring to Y/n🥺 Steve would get Y/n and Bucky out of there and back to the army base, and Steve would be carrying her in that scene where all the soldiers are walking back and Bucky says “let’s here it for Captain America!” Both Y/n and Bucky would be seen by the nurses in the med tent and she wouldn’t want Steve to leave her side because she’s still very scared and the other soldiers keep making her uncomfortable with their stares and flirting, and she still has the very small dress hydra had her in and is covering herself with a blanket🥺 He’d defend her and keep her safe and so would Bucky! Shed turn into an animal, maybe a little bat and they’d be shocked! She’d travel to each new base with them and would eventually come out of her shell and Peggy would loan her a dress and she’d come out to the bar with Bucky and Steve and they’d think she looks so pretty🥺 When Steve is trying out his new shield, that blond girl who flirted with him would make a mean comment about Y/n being a freak because of her powers🥺 She’d run off and turn into a cat and curl up upset in Howard’s office, Steve and Bucky checking on her, they’d also destroy her hydra file🥺 When Steve and Bucky go on that last mission when he falls from the train, Hydra abducts Y/n from the room she’s in with Peggy and Howard and takes her to Red Skull on the plane and she goes down in the plane with Steve, later found in the future with Steve🥺 He’d be so protective of her when they wake up and he’d take her and run, and Fury would calm them down🥺 They’d both get settled in the future in the apartment shield set up for the two of them 🥺 Later on she’s relaxing on his gym bag as a cat when Fury tells him about the Avengers mission, and she goes with him. Then in Winter Soldier, Pierce finds out about her and has winter soldier grab her and she gets experimented on again and gains elemental powers 🥺 Steve, Nat, and Sam would save her and he’d help her recover🥺 She’d be so happy to see Bucky again in civil war🥺
Forever My Hero » Steve Rogers/Captain America
Pairings: Steve Rogers x Animal Shapeshifter!Female Reader
Summary: Steve is your hero when he saves you from HYDRA in the 1940s and he does it again years later.
Warnings: Fluff, Angst (not you and Steve), language, mentions of death of a parent, HYDRA/Red Skull/Winter Soldier, unwanted staring and flirting, husband!Steve/wife!reader, reader and Bucky have a brother sister relationship, kidnapping, crying, kissing, pet names
A/N: @kpopgirlbtssvt thank you for the beautiful request🩵
Written on my phone. My apologies for any mistakes
Header made by my friend🩵 / divider made by me
GIFS ARE NOT MINE! Gif credits go to the creators
1943
You were kidnapped by HYDRA a year before they got their hands on Bucky and his unit and locked them in cages. You were taken to the lab at the same time Bucky was taken out of the cage and taken to the same lab you’re in. You’ve been there for so long that you don’t bother trying to get away from them anymore. Both of you were strapped to cold metal tables side by side. Bucky was injected with the super serum while they experimented on you some more.
When Steve got to the HYDRA base, he managed to sneak inside of the building without getting noticed. Well, he did knock out a few HYDRA agents. That caught Bucky’s unit’s attention. Steve releases everyone in his unit and asks them where Bucky is. He then gives them orders for what to do next while he went to go find and save his best friend. Steve was cautiously and quietly walking down a hallway looking for Bucky. Then he found a lab. Not only did he find Bucky in there, he saw you too. Bucky was mumbling and you were unconscious.
“Bucky? Bucky!” Steve says, shaking him.
Bucky looks over at Steve and smiles at him.
“Steve.” Bucky says.
Steve unstraps Bucky from the table and helps him off of it.
“I thought you were dead.” Steve says.
“I thought you were smaller.” Bucky says.
“I joined the Army.” Steve says.
As they were about to leave the lab, they saw you unconscious and strapped down to a cold metal table. They immediately knew that they needed to help you.
“We can’t leave without her. We have to help her. Who knows how long she’s been here.” Bucky says.
“Oh my gosh! Who is she?” Steve asks.
“I don’t know. I think she was already in here before I got dragged in here.” Bucky says.
Steve couldn’t agree more. Bucky unstrapped you from the table and Steve carefully took the IV out of your arm. Then he tried to wake up.
“Ma’am?” Steve gently shakes you. “Ma’am, can you hear me?” He asks.
Your eyes fluttered open and you saw two unfamiliar people standing next to you. Just by looking at their Army uniforms, you could tell that they weren’t HYDRA agents or HYDRA doctors.
“What’s- What’s going on?” You asked weakly.
“You’re going to be fine. Me and my friend are going to get you out of here. Ok?” Steve says softly.
“Ok.” You say.
Steve picks you up bridal style and carries you out of the lab with Bucky following closely. As they were trying to get out of there, they were stopped by Schmidt and Zola.
“I think you took something of ours. We’d like it back.” Schmidt says, referring to you.
Steve’s jaw clenches. He hates the way he’s talking about you, especially referring to you as “it”. He carefully hands you over to Bucky and walks over to Schmidt, punching him in the face. Then Schmidt took his mask off, revealing what he actually looks like. Schmidt tries to punch Steve, but Steve quickly shields himself with his shield. One thing led to another and then Schmidt left with Zola. Steve and Bucky knew that they had to get out of there before the building was blown up. They had to think fast. Then they found a beam to walk across. Bucky walks across it to the other side. You’re more awake now there you were a little bit ago as soon as Bucky got to the other side.
“There’s gotta be a rope or something!” Bucky shouts.
“Go! I’ll stay with her!” Steve shouts.
“No! Not without you!” Bucky shouts.
Steve got to thinking quick. The only way for him to get to the side Bucky is on is to jump across.
“Ma’am, I’m going to need you to trust me.” Steve says.
You were clearly scared, but you didn’t question him. All you did was give him a nod. Steve takes a few steps back and takes a deep breath. Then he gets a running start and then jumps across to where Bucky is. Bucky helps both of you over the railing. Now that they figured out how to get out of there, their next mission is to get you out of there. When Steve, Bucky, and the soldier got to the Army base, Steve was carrying you bridal style. Steve informed Peggy on how him and Bucky found you.
“Hey!” Bucky shouts, quieting down the soldiers. “Let’s hear it for Captain America!” He shouts again.
Bucky and the soldier cheered Steve on. Then Steve took you to get medical attention. Bucky and the other soldiers got medical attention as well. As you were getting medical attention, a group of soldiers stood in the entrance of the medical tent checking you out in a flirty way. Considering that you were still in a hospital like gown, you were extremely uncomfortable. You got even more uncomfortable if it’s possible when they started whistling at you and flirting with you. You covered yourself up with a blanket and looked away from the soldiers who are flirting with you and making you uncomfortable. Steve immediately notices and goes over to them.
“Don’t you guys have anything else better to do than make her feel uncomfortable with the way you’re looking at her and flirting with her?” Steve says in his Captain voice.
“Sorry, Captain Rogers.” They apologized.
“You guys should be sorry. Now, go away before I report each and every one of you for the way you’re treating her.” He says.
The soldiers nodded and quickly left. Steve walks over to you and sits down on the cot next to you. You didn’t feel uncomfortable anymore after those soldiers left.
“Thank you for doing that.” You say.
“You’re welcome. No woman should be treated like that.” Steve says.
Steve stayed with you while the nurses checked you out. When Bucky was done getting medical attention, he went over to sit with you too.
“What’s your name?” Steve asks.
“Y/N.” You introduced yourself.
“I’m Steve.” Steve introduces himself.
“And I’m Bucky.” Bucky introduces himself.
“Can you tell us how HYDRA got ahold of you?” Steve asks softly.
You breathed shakily. The horrible memories of HYDRA invading the small Army base your dad was stationed at and them kidnapping you flashed in your mind. You took a deep breath before telling them anything.
“A year ago, I was living with my dad on the small Army base he was stationed at and HYDRA invaded it. My dad and the soldiers did everything they could to stop them, but then one of the HYDRA agents shot and killed my dad right in front of me. As I was running over to help him, another HYDRA agent grabs me and took me to their base. Then they experimented on me. I tried getting away many times, but I was always caught. The more they experimented on me, I didn’t bother fighting them. I just took everything they did to me and accepted defeat.” You tell them.
Tears were streaming down your face by the end of the story. Steve gets you some tissues for you to wipe your tears away.
“That’s horrible. We’re sorry for your loss and that you had to experience that.” Bucky says softly.
“What kind of experiments did they do on you?” Steve asks.
“They did a lot of experiments on me, which gave me the ability to turn into animals.” You say.
“Does it hurt when you turn into animal forms?” Bucky asks.
“It did at first, but I’m used to it now.” You say.
“Is it ok if we ask to see you in animal form or would that be too much for you?” Steve asks.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” You say.
You turned into a little bat. Steve and Bucky were shocked in a good way. They’ve never seen anything like it before. You stayed in bat form for a few more seconds before turning back into your human form. You saw the shocked looks on their faces, which made you a bit nervous.
“I didn’t scare you guys, did I?” You asked nervously.
“No, of course not.” Bucky says.
“We’re shocked in a good way. We just never seen anything like this before.” Steve says.
“Oh ok.” You say.
From that day on, Steve and Bucky vowed to protect you from any kind of harm and evil there is. Not only that, they’ve become your best friends and they got you settled into the Army base. One day, you were wandering around the base looking for Steve and Bucky. You knew you found Steve when you heard his voice. You stopped in your tracks next to a shelf when you heard a woman who works on the Army base say something rude about you to Steve.
“Are you and Sergeant Barnes still hanging out with that freak?” The blonde woman asks.
“Yes, we are and please don’t call her that.” Steve says.
“She is a freak. She’s a freak with powers.” She says.
“Do not call her a freak and she has a name. Her name is Y/N. She’s a beautiful woman who got kidnapped and experimented on.” He says.
“You can call her what you want, Captain Rogers, but I know a freak when I see one.” She says.
Your eyes teared up. You couldn’t listen to anymore. You ran straight into an office, which was Howard’s office. Steve heard you go into Howard’s office and then he went to go get Bucky so both of them can comfort you. When they walked into the office, they saw you in cat form and laying on the desk chair.
“Y/N?” Steve says softly.
You lifted your head and looked over at your two best friends. Even in animal form, they can tell that you’re crying just by looking at your eyes.
“Can you please turn back into a human so we can talk about what you heard a moment ago?” Bucky asks.
You turned back into your human form and walked over to them. They wrapped their arms around you to comfort you as you cried in their arms.
“Do you guys think I’m a freak with powers?” You asked.
“You’re far from it. You’re beautiful.” Steve says.
“That girl is just jealous that she’s not as cool as you.” Bucky says.
“Do you guys really think that?” You asked.
“Of course we do.” Steve says.
You smiled and gave your best friends another hug.
“Thank you for making me feel better.” You say.
“That’s what friends are for.” Steve says.
Later, Steve, Bucky, and the soldiers went out for drinks. They invited you to go with them, which you happily accepted, but there’s one little problem. You don’t have a nice outfit to wear. That’s where Peggy comes in handy. She offered you one of her dresses.
“Pick anything you like.” Peggy says, gesturing to her dresses.
You looked at her variety of dresses for a moment before choosing one. You chose a cute short sleeved green dress with a matching jacket.
“This one is cute.” You point out.
You took the dress off of the hanger and put it on. You stood in front of the mirror and rubbed your hands over the fabric of the dress, smoothing it out.
“It’s pretty.” You say.
“It is.” Peggy agrees. “Are you ready?” She asks.
“Yes.” You say.
You and Peggy walked into the bar together. Everyone went quiet and all eyes were on you. You weren’t sure why they were looking at you at first.
“They’re looking at you, because you’re pretty.” Peggy softly tells you.
“Really?” You asked.
She nods and smiles. You saw Steve and Bucky on the other side of the bar and walked over to them. Their eyes were on you too.
“Hi.” You greeted them.
“Hi.” They greeted you back.
“Peggy let me borrow one of her dresses. What do you guys think?” You asked.
“Beautiful.” Both of them complimented.
You blushed and smiled. You sat down at the table with them. Steve, being the gentleman he is, got you a drink. You were a bit quiet at first, because you haven’t went out and did anything fun since before HYDRA got their hands on you. After a little bit, you were talking up a storm. Steve and Bucky got to know you better and you got to know them better too. They’re happy you’re finally enjoying yourself. They also noticed that you’re coming out of your shell, which makes them happy as well.
Not too long after that, Steve, Bucky, and the Howling Commandos went on missions to take down HYDRA. Steve and Bucky are doing it for you. You stayed at the Army base and hoped that they would come back to the base unharmed. During one of the missions, Steve and Bucky came across something. Something meaning, your HYDRA file. They went through the whole thing. That was the only thing they took from the HYDRA base before returning back to the Army base. You felt relief wash over you when you saw them. You hugged them the second they stepped foot on the base.
“How was the mission?” You asked.
“Successful.” Bucky says.
“We found something.” Steve says.
“What did you find?” You curiously asked.
Instead of telling you, Steve handed you your HYDRA file. Your breathing makes a hitching sound. You cringed when you saw the HYDRA logo on the front of the file. You opened it with shaky hands. Reading through each experiment they did on you. The horrible memories flashed in your mind. You closed the file and shoved it back into Steve’s hands.
“Get that the hell away from me.” You say in a shaky voice.
“Do you want us to destroy it?” Steve asks.
“Yes, please.” You say.
Steve and Bucky are more than happy to destroy your HYDRA file. Destroy it meaning, they burned it. When it was done burning, they went back to you to see if you’re ok or not.
“We burned it.” Bucky tells you.
“Good. That’s good.” You say.
You let out a breath you didn’t even know you were holding. They hugged you to comfort you.
“You’re ok. You don’t have to worry about seeing the file ever again.” Steve says.
When it came down to the final mission of taking HYDRA down, Steve and Bucky wanted you to have extra protection. So, they had you stay with Peggy and Howard. The mission was going according to plan, but then something horrible happened. Steve witnessed his best friend fall off of the train. Around the same time, a HYDRA agent came up behind you, covering your mouth so your screams were muffled. You passed out from inhaling the chemicals on the cloth. Then the HYDRA agent took you back to Red Skull. When Steve got on the plane, he proceeded with caution. When he got to the cockpit area of the plane, he found you strapped to a cold metal table. His heart drops and he rushes over to you. He immediately unstraps you from the table.
“Y/N.” Steve gently shook you. “It’s Steve. Wake up.” He says softly.
You mumbled incoherently as you came to. Steve picks you up bridal style at the same time Red Skull entered the cockpit area of the plane, aiming a gun at Steve.
“Put the girl down, Captain.” Red Skull demands.
“No.” Steve says.
“I don’t think you heard me correctly.” Red Skull takes a couple steps forward. “Put it down.” He says, referring to you.
“Her name is Y/N and like I said, I am not putting her down so you can experiment on her like she’s a science experiment.” Steve says.
Red Skull was going to negotiate with Steve, but that won’t get him anywhere. So, he just shoots at him. Steve quickly ducks and shields you. He put you down long enough to fight Red Skull.
“The girl has potential for the future.” Red Skull says.
“Being experimented on is something she doesn’t want for her future!” Steve says.
That’s when Red Skull got ahold of the tesseract and vanished. Steve checks on you to see if you’re ok before flying the plane. You woke up a short moment after Steve sat down in the Captain’s chair of the plane. You weakly sat up and got off of the table. You bumped into almost everything as you made your way over to Steve. You held onto the Captain’s chair tightly so you didn’t lose your balance and fall down.
“What- What’s happening? Where am I?” You asked.
“HYDRA kidnapped you and brought you onto this plane.” Steve says.
“Are you trying to land it?” You asked.
“I wish I could, but I can’t. I have to put it in the water.” He says.
Your eyes grow eye when he said that.
“There has to be somewhere to land this plane safely.” You say.
“I wish there was, but there isn’t.” He says.
Steve stands up from the chair long enough to kiss you passionately. You two gazed deeply into each other’s eyes for a few seconds before sitting down. Steve held your hand as he landed the plane in the water. You and him had no idea if you two are going to survive this, but at least you two are together when it happened.
60+ YEARS LATER…
You and Steve don’t know how long you two have been asleep. You two aren’t sure how you two survived 60+ years in the ice before anyone found you guys. Steve was the first one to wake up. You were the first thing he looked for as soon as he woke up. He didn’t have to look for long and far, because you were still asleep in the bed next to him. Relief washes over him when he saw you. He got out of the bed he was in and moved over to yours.
“Y/N, wake up.” Steve says softly as he gently shook you awake.
You softly hummed as you woke up. You rubbed your eyes before opening them. You felt relieved when you saw Steve. You immediately sat up and hugged him tightly. Then you two took a look around the room you two are in. It’s set up like a room in the 1940s, but something didn’t feel right. You two couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Where are we?” You asked.
“I don’t know. That’s what I’m trying to figure out too, sweetheart.” Steve says.
As you and Steve continued to figure out where you guys could possibly be, a woman dressed in 1940s clothes comes into the room. Steve instinctively wraps his arms around you. He asked the woman where you and him are , but neither of you got anywhere with the questions. Then you and him are running hand and hand on the road. You two got stopped by a few vehicles and SHIELD agents got out of them. Nick Fury walks towards you guys. Steve wraps his arms around you protectively again.
“Sorry about that back there. We just wanted to break it to you guys.” Fury says.
“Break what to us?” You asked confused.
“You two have been asleep for over 60 years.” He tells you.
Yours and Steve’s eyes grow wide. It’s like one minute, you two are in the 1940s and Steve and Bucky are doing everything they can to protect you and then the next minute, you two are 60+ years in the future without Bucky.
You and Steve had no idea how you two were going to adjust living in modern day, but you two quickly adjusted to it. With SHIELD’s help, it was a little easier for you two. You two are now living in an apartment together. It’s small, but you and Steve call it home. Also, you and him are engaged.
One day, you decided to tagalong with Steve to the gym. You turned into cat form and relaxed on top of his gym bag and watched him punch the punching bag. When Fury walks towards Steve, he sees you laying on Steve’s gym bag. Actually, he doesn’t know that’s you. He also doesn’t know that you have the ability to turn into animals.
“I didn’t know you had a cat.” Fury says.
“I don’t. That’s Y/N. She has the ability to turn into animals.” Steve tells him.
You got off of Steve’s gym bag and turned back into your human form so you can properly greet Fury. Fury was amazed by your ability to turn into animals.
“How come I didn’t know about your powers before?” Fury curiously asks.
“It’s something I don’t generally talk about unless if we’re close friends.” You say.
Fury nods, completely understanding. Then he explains a mission to Steve.
“I’m sure you want your fiancée to have extra protection so you can bring her.” Fury says.
Steve was going to bring you anyway. When the day of the mission came, you and Steve walked hand in hand onto the helicarrier. You sat at the big table while Steve changed into his uniform.
“What do you think, sweetheart?” Steve asks, showing you his new uniform.
You took a good look at Steve’s new uniform. It’s not too different from the one he wore in the 1940s. It’s designed a bit differently. Other than that, he looks great in it.
“I think you look incredibly handsome, baby.” You complimented.
“Thank you, honey.” He smiles.
“You’re welcome.” You smiled back.
When Steve had to get to working on the mission, he was about to rush out of the main room of the helicarrier when you grabbed his arm. You’re not scared. Well, you’re nervous, but you know Steve can handle this mission, but that’s not why you pulled him back to you. He was about to ask you what’s wrong, but you kissed him passionately.
“That’s for good luck.” You say.
“The only good luck I need is you.” Steve says flirtatiously.
You couldn’t help but blush. After the mission, you and Steve went out for shawarma with the Avengers. You also went with Steve and the Avengers when Thor took Loki back to Asgard.
“Wanna go home and pick up where we left off on wedding planning?” You asked your fiancée.
“You know I would never say no to that, sweetheart.” Steve says and kisses you.
2014
You and Steve have been happily married for 3 years now. You two couldn’t have asked for a better life together. Meanwhile, Pierce did digging into your history and found your HYDRA file, which was destroyed by Steve and Bucky in the 1940s, but apparently, HYDRA made copies of it. Pierce read through your file thoroughly. That’s when he got an idea. His idea involves the Winter Soldier.
“During your mission, I want you to bring this woman back with you.” Pierce tells the Winter Soldier, showing him a picture of you.
The Winter Soldier nods and went on his mission. Meanwhile, you and Steve had just got home from going out to dinner when you two ran into Sharon in the hallway.
“Hi, neighbors.” Sharon greets you and Steve.
“Hi.” You and Steve greeted her back.
“It looks like you two had a good night.” She says.
“We did.” You say, smiling up at your husband.
“Well, don’t let me keep you two. Oh and by the way, I think you guys left your stereo on.” She says.
You and Steve frowned in confusion. You and him didn’t turn the stereo on today, which made you two suspicious. Steve unlocks yours and his apartment and you two cautiously walked inside. He picks up his shield and gently pushes you behind him to shield you from whatever threat is awaiting in yours and his apartment. Steve turns off the stereo and you turned on the light. Fury was sitting in a chair a few feet away from you and Steve. You gasped when you saw his injured state. Fury softly shushes both of you and turns the light off.
“Are you ok?” You asked him.
“I’m fine.” Fury says.
Fury shows you and Steve his phone, telling you and him that there’s ears everywhere. That made you two even more suspicious. As soon as Fury stood up from the chair, bullets come through the wall and hits Fury. You screamed and Steve grabs you, pulling you against him and shielding you and him with his shield.
“Stay here.” Steve says.
Steve chases down the shooter, going to the roof. He throws his shield at the shooter- the Winter Soldier and he catches it with his metal hand. He stares Steve down for a few seconds before throwing his shield back at him. The Winter Soldier jumps down, shooting a grappling hook onto something and swinging himself through the window of yours and Steve’s apartment. You screamed again and ran to the door to escape him, but he grabs you before you could even open the door. You squirmed in his grip on you, but then he injects you with a sedative, which made you fall asleep. Then the Winter Soldier reports back to the HYDRA base with you like he was told to.
As soon as the Winter Soldier took you to the HYDRA base, he was told to take you to the lab where you were strapped down to a cold metal table. You don’t know how long you were asleep, but you woke up about a couple hours later. You were in a bit of a daze when you woke up. You took a look around the room, trying to figure out where you are. The equipment, the IV bag, the needles, and the tray of surgical instruments gave you flashbacks of when HYDRA experimented on you in 1943. That’s when you began to freak out.
“This isn’t happening again!” You say frantically.
You tried to get free from the restraints, but it was no use. The restraints are too tight. You looked over at the door when Pierce, Rumlow, a couple HYDRA doctors, and a few HYDRA agents came into the lab.
“Please let me go!” You pleaded.
“Now, why would we do that, Mrs. Rogers?” Pierce says.
“My husband will be pissed when he finds out that you guys kidnapped me.” You say.
Pierce chuckles and walks closer to you.
“Your husband is Captain America, right? We know who he is. We also know who you are.” He says.
Your heart drops and your eyes grow wide when Pierce shows you your HYDRA file.
“How- How do you have that? My husband and my best friend destroyed my HYDRA file in the 1940s.” You say.
“HYDRA made a copy of it when they were experimenting on you.” Pierce says.
You put the pieces together and figured out why you’re there. You’re going to get experimented on again.
“Please, don’t.” You begged, your voice cracking.
“You don’t have a choice, Mrs. Rogers. You’re going to make a wonderful asset for us.” He says.
Pierce walks away from you and nods at the HYDRA doctors. You already know what they’re going to do to you and there was nothing you could do about it. All you were hoping is that Steve is looking for you. Meanwhile, he’s at the hospital with Natasha. The only thing he can think about is that you were kidnapped by HYDRA.
“HYDRA kidnapped my wife again.” Steve says.
“Again?” Natasha asks.
“I saved her in 1943. HYDRA raided the Army base her dad was stationed at and they killed him and took her. They experimented on her and that’s how she got the ability to turn into animals.” He explains. “They’re going to experiment on her again. I can’t let that happen again. I can’t lose her, Nat.” He says, his voice cracking.
“You’ll get her back and I’ll help you. So will Sam.” She says.
While Steve was coming up with a plan to save you from HYDRA again, you were getting experimented on again. You did fight them a bit and try to get away from them, but it was no use. Partly due to the second sedative they injected into you. Everything was a blur after that. Meanwhile, Steve, Natasha, and Sam are on their way to you. Steve’s mind was making him think the worst. He can’t let his mind go there. He knows you’re fine. You have to be fine. You will be fine when he gets you the hell out of there.
When they got to the HYDRA base you’re at, Steve, Natasha, and Sam split up to cover more ground. Steve was getting even more upset than he already was when he couldn’t find you. He kept asking himself where you could possibly be. He checked one last room, which is the lab you’re currently being experimented on in. His heart drops and his eyes grow wide.
“Get the hell away from my wife!” Steve growls.
“Now, why would we do that, Rogers? She would make an amazing asset for HYDRA.” Pierce says.
Steve’s jaw clenches and he cringes when Pierce called you an asset.
“Get the hell away from my wife!” Don’t make me say it again.” Steve says in a threatening tone.
“Or what, Rogers?” Pierce taunts.
Natasha was a few feet behind Steve when she shot Pierce. The few HYDRA agents who are in the lab got their weapons out and aimed them at Steve, Natasha, and Sam. The three of them took them down with ease. Then Steve rushes over to you.
“Y/N, sweetheart, I’m here.” Steve says softly.
You mumbled incoherently and turned your head towards him, your eyes closed. Whatever HYDRA injected you with made you weak. Steve carefully takes the IV out of your arm and then unstraps you from the cold metal table. He picks you up bridal style and takes you home. Steve took care of you as soon as he got you home. He didn’t leave your side for a second. Sam and Natasha took care of you too. Steve was also trying to figure out what experiments HYDRA did on you before he got to you. Natasha found the copy of your HYDRA with an updated piece of paper of what HYDRA experimented on you when the three of them were looking for you.
“What experiments did they do on you, sweetheart?” Steve asks softly, talking to himself.
“This will give the answers you’re looking for.” Natasha says, handing him the copy of your HYDRA file.
Steve’s eyes grow wide and his heart drops when he saw it. He knows for a fact that your HYDRA file was destroyed. Him and Bucky watched it burn years ago.
“How is this possible? Me and Bucky destroyed that in the 1940s.” Steve says.
“They made a copy of it.” Natasha says.
Steve opens the file and reads through the updated piece of paper in it. His jaw clenches as he reads it.
“Whatever they injected with gave her elemental powers.” Steve says.
Steve closes the file and puts it on the nightstand.
“I’m sorry they experimented on you again, darling.” Steve says, his eyes tearing up and his voice cracking.
You woke up after he said that. Steve felt relief wash over him. You took a look around the room. You noticed that you’re that you’re not in HYDRA’s lab anymore. You’re home. Then you looked at your husband.
“HYDRA experimented on me again.” You tell him.
“I know they did, honey, but you don’t have to worry about them ever again. I promise.” Steve says softly.
Like Steve promised in 1943 and in his wedding vows, he’ll do everything he can to protect you.
2016
You and Steve are currently in Bucharest, Romania where Bucky has been hiding out for the past couple years. You quickly noticed that Bucky’s apartment isn’t homey, but you could tell that he tried to make it a bit homey. Steve found a journal on top of the fridge and opened it, smiling when he saw a picture of the three of you in 1943. Then you and Steve sensed a presence behind you and him. You two turned around and saw Bucky.
“Hi, Bucky.” You say softly.
“Hi, doll.” Bucky says.
Bucky noticed yours and Steve’s wedding rings.
“You guys are married?” Bucky asks.
“Yes.” You say.
You walked over to Bucky to give him a hug, but he backed away, not wanting to hurt you again.
“Bucky, it’s ok.” You say softly.
“No, it’s not. I kidnapped you and took you back to HYDRA for you to be experimented on you again. I promised to protect you from them, but instead, I took you back to them.” Bucky says, his voice cracking and his eyes tearing up.
“That is not your fault, Buck. I’m not mad at you for that and neither is Steve. We know it wasn’t you.” You say.
“But it is my fault.” He says.
You gently put your hands on the sides of his head to get him to look you in your eyes.
“James Buchanan Barnes, what you did is not your fault. I know you would never intentionally hurt me. You’re my best friend and I love you. I forgive you too.” You say softly.
Bucky couldn’t help but break down into tears. You hugged him tightly.
“Let me and Steve help you.” You say.
“I can’t. I don’t trust my own mind.” Bucky says.
“Everything is going to be ok. I promise. Steve and I aren’t going to let anything happen to you.” You say.
“She’s right, Buck. We can protect you.” Steve says.
“Let me repay you from the years you protected me.” You say.
“Ok.” Bucky gives in.
You smiled and hugged him again. Steve smiles, knowing that he made the right decision by bringing you to Bucharest to convince Bucky to let you and him help him. Part of him was thinking that Bucky wasn’t going to agree to it and another part of him knew that you could do it. He’s just happy that you were able to convince him to let you and him help him. He’s also happy that you and Bucky got to see each other for the first time in years, which is part of the reason why he brought you to Bucharest with him.
Imagine that Shanks adopts you into his crew as his pet...
Imagine that Shanks adopts you into his crew as his pet after he rescued you, not knowing that the cutest little cat that likes to take naps with him is actually a human who's got shapeshifting powers after eating a devil fruit.
You quite enjoy being pampered and adored by this confusing man so you wouldn't be against staying with him but you would rather not spend your life as a cat, so that puts you into a dilemma.
You only had one job until you figured out what to do: avoid sea water. How hard could that be? On a ship. In the middle of the endless sea. With a storm coming your way...
shapeshifter! Reader and boothill where reader follows them around trying to learn how to be human off him, and just generally likes boothills oddity ｡◕‿◕｡
With a Heart Like a Bullet
Summary: Boothill is followed by a shapeshifting being seeking to learn what it means to be human. With Boothill's rough and unrelenting nature, the shapeshifter becomes fascinated by him and his complex emotions. As they journey together, the shapeshifter learns that humanity is more than just survival—it's about fighting for something greater, even when the world seems unforgiving. Alongside Boothill, they find themselves drawn into a world of revenge, resilience, and unexpected connections.
Tags: Boothill x Reader, Shapeshifter!Reader, Romance (Slow Burn), Hurt/Comfort, Learning to be Human.
Warnings: Mentions of loss and grief, Violence (Gunslinging), Emotional struggles, Mild language.
The stars blinked in the vast expanse of the galaxy, casting their pale light over the rugged landscape of a distant world. Boothill sat atop a rocky ledge, his cowboy hat pulled low over his hair, the red star emblems glinting faintly in the cool, moonlit night. The vastness of the universe never seemed so suffocating, not when his mind was on a singular focus: revenge against the IPC.
But tonight was different.
He wasn’t alone.
You, the shapeshifter, had been trailing him for weeks now, shifting between forms in an attempt to learn more about the ways of humanity. Something about Boothill’s brash nature and self-assured confidence drew you in. You admired his oddity, the way he seemed like an out-of-place relic of a bygone era—someone who didn’t fit the mold of the modern galaxy, yet was fiercely determined to leave his mark on it.
You'd taken the form of a small creature at first, darting in and out of his peripheral vision, observing his every move. At first, you hadn’t thought much of your fascination with him. But the more you followed him, the more you found yourself intrigued by the way he interacted with the world. He didn’t care for anyone's opinion, didn't seek validation. His sense of justice was raw, untamed, much like the world he once came from.
And then, without warning, you took on the form of a human. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for him to notice. You hoped, perhaps, that he would teach you how to walk, how to talk, how to be... human.
Tonight, you had taken the form of a traveler—like so many others you had observed from afar. Dressed in neutral clothing that allowed you to blend in, you sat just beyond Boothill’s gaze, watching him with wide eyes as he studied the desert horizon.
He spoke without turning to look at you, his voice as deep as the canyon walls.
“You think you’ve figured it out yet?” Boothill asked, his fingers idly twirling the barrel of his gun, his eyes scanning the endless stretch of dust and ruin.
You shuffled slightly, a nervous habit you had picked up in your human form, and nodded hesitantly. You didn’t speak, not yet—he hadn’t asked you directly, after all. You had learned over the past few weeks that Boothill didn’t care for pleasantries. He didn’t need them. It was why you admired him so much.
"You don't have to follow me, you know," he muttered, his voice sounding tired yet somewhat amused. "It's not a game. I’m not here to be some kind of guide."
But even as he spoke, he knew you wouldn’t leave. You had already proven to be relentless. Not in a bothersome way, but in a way that made him pause—wondering what drove you to cling to his shadow.
There was something familiar about you, though. It wasn't the form you wore or the strange air of curiosity you carried, but something deeper. Maybe it was the way your gaze lingered on him or how you seemed to study every motion, every gesture he made, as though trying to unravel the mystery of who he was. It made him think—something he didn’t often do.
“Why me?” he asked, this time finally glancing at you. His eyes narrowed in genuine curiosity.
You hesitated, the answer both simple and complex. “You... are different," you said softly, your voice tinged with the faintest edge of uncertainty. "You seem... human, even though you aren’t. I want to learn from you. How to be like you."
Boothill tilted his head, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Human? Ain't nothing human about me."
You tilted your head, mimicking the gesture, your human form still awkward but growing stronger each day. "But you have emotions. You act. You care. You... fight for something. That’s what makes you human, right?"
The smirk faded, and for a moment, Boothill was silent. His mechanical hand clenched around the worn leather of his gun, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. His gaze turned inward for a long beat before he spoke, the words low and heavy.
"You really think I fight for something?" he asked. His voice was laced with a bitterness that seemed out of place—like a man who had lost everything yet couldn’t stop moving. "I fight because the world needs someone to fight for it. It’s not about being human or not. It's about surviving. The IPC—they took everything from me."
You wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him in some way, but you had learned that Boothill wasn’t the type to accept comfort. Not in any form.
Instead, you simply nodded, your gaze softening. You could feel the weight of his past pressing against you, and it made your heart ache, something you weren’t entirely sure you should feel. You had been born from a thousand different creatures, a being who had never known grief or pain in the way humans did.
But you were starting to understand it now. You understood him.
“I’m sorry,” you whispered, the words feeling almost foreign as they slipped from your lips. You hadn't expected the empathy to feel so... real.
Boothill sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping slightly. He was a complex man, even more so than he appeared. “You don’t have to apologize. Life ain’t fair. And I’m not here to teach anyone how to live. But if you’re gonna follow me, you better be ready. This ain’t a road for the faint of heart.”
"I can handle it," you said with more conviction than you felt, your human form now feeling a bit more natural, your voice steady.
Boothill gave you a long, calculating look before finally nodding. He didn’t offer much else in terms of explanation, but it was clear you had passed some unspoken test.
“Alright, then. Stick close. I won’t be slowing down for anyone. Not even you.”
You smiled at him, the genuine warmth shining through your usually reserved nature. "I wouldn't dream of it."
As you walked alongside Boothill, the moonlight casting long shadows on the ground beneath you, you couldn’t help but feel a little closer to the human experience. Maybe you didn’t understand it all yet, but with Boothill by your side, you felt like you were on the right path.
And as long as you stayed by his side, you would keep learning—how to be human, how to be more than just a shadow in the night.
