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Curious Creatures PT 3. Venom/Eddie Brock X Fem!Reader
This is the third installment of Curious Creatures! All Feedback is appreciated!Â
This is also for Little Darlinâs Marvelous Writing Challenge! Sorry Itâs late, but life is cruel sometimes. @littledarlinhavefaithinme
WARNINGS: Some language, but nothing else! I didnât proofread this so sorry for the mistakes!
"No! Listen... No... Come on. Just let me explain... I just want to know..." You drum your fingers across the wooden surface of your kitchen table. "Fine. Thank you for your... Hello?" With a heavy sigh, you drop your phone onto the table and run both your hands through your hair. "Dick."
You had called three police stations, four of the local papers, and six of the local news stations. All you wanted was to prove that you didn't need to check yourself into a nut house because you kept finding this giant, black monster wherever you went. You couldn't seem to make it past the front desk no matter where you called. No one wanted any part of your 'publicity stunt'.Â
It had been 2 weeks since your night on the beach with Venom, and you couldn't bring yourself to tell your roommate about him because you were starting to think that maybe it was all in your head and you had just suffered a mental breakdown that night in the park after you left the bar. 'I'm going out. Don't wait up!' You sent the text to your roommate and on a light hoodie. "I'll just retrace my steps and start at the beginning," you mutter as the door closes loudly behind you.
The sun was just starting to set over the city as you made your way toward the dive bar that you were hustling in the night you met the giant monster. It wasn't too busy inside for a Thursday night, but there were people playing pool and a few men leaning on the bar for balance, obviously too drunk to walk three steps alone. Your eyes scan the dimly lit room and land on a jacket that seemed to tickle your memory. It was the same man that was here the night you were here.Â
The reporter. You couldn't remember his name.
"This seat taken?" You ask lightly and drop into the bar stool beside him. He looked over at you with a sly smile, but it quickly faded. Several things crossed his face from recognition, to shock, to panic, to frustration. "I can sit somewhere else," you offer, confused.
"No!" he says forcefully and then chuckles quietly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "No. It's not taken."
"Okay," you laugh and order a beer. The bartender nods and tosses a dingy, white dishrag over his shoulder as he pops a top and slides the bottle your way. You catch it easily. "I'm y/n." you look up at him and really get a good look at him. Dark scruff, messy dark blond hair, hooded blue eyes, and a crooked smile. Your breath caught in your throat.
"I'm Eddie," he says and shakes your outstretched hand. You smile and take another sip of your beer. "Do I know you?" He asks suddenly.
"I was here a few weeks ago. I, uh, left in a hurry," you explain vaguely. He nods slowly and smirks, remembering. "So you're Eddie Brock the reporter?" He nods cautiously but doesn't answer. "Can I ask you something? I've been trying to do some research for a project," you lie smoothly and tuck your hair behind your ears.
"I guess it depends on what you ask. I may have an answer," he responds smoothly and then he turns his head and mutters something under his breath.
"I'm looking into vigilante groups in the city. Do you have any leads on where I should look. Especially f they don't appear to be human?" You ask pointedly and lean forward, catching his eye before he can look away.
His jaw tightens and he stands suddenly. "You should pick a different project," he says through clenched teeth and turns to leave, but not before placing a twenty on the bar. "Drinks on me."
"No wait!" you try to grab his arm, but he's already out the door. "Thanks," you mutter and sit back down, drinking the last of your bottle. Another dead end. "Ah hell," you mutter and dart out the door, following the handsome reporter. "Eddie?" you call his name, scanning the dark streets.
"Shut it, VEE! It's out of the question!" His voice floated up to you from one of the back alleys.
"But it's Y/N," he protested and you recognized the hiss of a voice. It was Venom. Eddie Brock knew Venom, you were sure of it.
"I don't care! It's dangerous. You shouldn't see her anymore. Leave her alone. I mean it." Eddie's voice was stern, almost like he was scolding a toddler.
"Eddie..." Venom hisses, holding the 'e'.
"No. I said No!" He says again.Â
You peer around the brick wall and see Eddie standing half in the shadow of a streetlight. Venom's large white eyes shine in the darkness. "Maybe he should decide for himself," you say loudly and step into the light, trying to see them better.
"Y/N!" Venom smiles, showing rows and rows of shark like teeth.
"Let me do the talking for a minute. This will be tricky," Eddie says as he leans close to Venom. The creature nods and disappears into the shadows before Eddie steps forward. "You found me," he surmises lamely. "Listen. I can explain."
"I wish you would," you snap at him and fold your arms across your chest.
"It's, ah, it's complicated," he begins and rubs his hand behind his neck again. A nervous tick, you notice, amused. "Venom and I... We... Uh..." He stops, trying to come up with the right words.
"You're friends? You're partners in crime? You're secretly seeing each other?" You smirk and tick the reasons off on your fingers. "Am I getting close?"
"No." He laughs nervously. "It's a bit more than that."
"Just tell her already!" Venom's face emerges from the shadows and seems to hover over Eddie's right shoulder. "We are Venom," he says simply. "Eddie is my host."
"Fucking Parasite," Eddie growls and glares at Venom's head.
"Take it back!" Venom mutters indignantly.
"Um..." You are at a loss for words as you slowly realize that Venom isn't standing behind Eddie, but that his head is coming out of Eddie's back in a thick stream of black goo. "I think I just... I don't..." You slowly walk backwards until your back hits the cold brick wall. "What..." No words. You had no words for what your eyes were seeing. It was like your brain just wouldn't process the information.
"Just breath. Take a minute." He looks at the face beside him. "Maybe you should just... Go away for a minute. Give her some space."
"But it's y/n. She's seen us before," he protests.
Not like this!" Eddie puts his hand over his face and exhales loudly. "There are at least 17 different ways this could have gone better," he mutters and you aren't sure if he's talking to Venom or himself. It's really the same thing if you think about it. "Literally. Like I'm counting them right now, you moron." Venom licks his lips and disappears without another word.
"Eddie?" you whisper once the two of you are alone again. "I think you need to buy me another drink. Something stronger," you suggest quietly.
He gives you a faint smile and nods, holding his hand out to you. "That seems fair."
This is for Little Darlinâs Marvelous Writing Challange! The prompt is:
#22 - âMurder wasnât on todayâs agenda.â âItâs not on anyoneâs.â âNo, itâs on mine, just not until next Thursday.â Â
Bucky Barnes X f!Reader
Warning: Slight NSFW and some language.
When I originally chose this prompt I had the perfect idea of this conversation, but as I was writing it... It took a completely different turn. Let me know what you think! I know Iâm cutting it kind of close to the wire.
@littledarlinhavefaithinme
âDo you have eyes on him?â Falconâs voice crackled across your ear piece.
âNegative. I have no idea where he is. I saw him go in the east entrance, but itâs been quiet since then. No movement at all.â You keep your voice low, eyes scanning in different levels of the building through the large glass windows.
âDammit! Where did he go? This is supposed to be an Intel mission, not an assassination!â Falcon mutters. You can hear him shift his weight as he repositions.
You reach up and click a button to switch over to Buckyâs channel. âWhere in the seven hells are you?â
No answer.
âYouâre supposed to be observing, not doing anything idiotic!â You mutter into the silence with an eye roll. There are three distinct pops and then more silence. With your left hand you pinch the bridge of your nose and sigh before switching back to Samâs channel. âHe did it. Letâs move.â
Sam didnât say anything, but you could almost hear him fuming. He turned off his COM and you knew he was already in the jet waiting.
And then you could see him. Bucky Barnes. The Winter Soldier. The fucking STUPID Winter Soldier who was just a little too trigger happy sometimes. He walked out the front doors nonchalantly, hands in the pockets of his black tactical pants and sunglasses covering in stormy blue eyes. Your heart did a little skip as his eyes landed on your position on the roof across the street and he shrugged his shoulders just slightly, almost imperceptibly. Rolling your eyes, you gather your bag and jump lightly from one rooftop to the next.
The ride back to the mansion was silent. You snuck an occasional glance at Bucky, who smirked back at you each time he caught you looking.
Tony and Natasha were waiting at the door as soon as the jet touched down. âAlright, Robocop, what part of âDO NOT KILL THE TARGETâ do you not understand? It seems to be simple enough. You go, watch for a little while, gather some important, useful information, and then you come home. No guns required!â Tonyâs voice was soft as he looked up at the three of you with disdain. âFury very well could have you grounded from missions for a month.â
âI had an opening and I took it. No one saw a thing. No one heard a thing. Iâm a Russian ninja after all,â he retorts and tucks his long hair behind his ear. âFury will get over it.â
Tonyâs face turned 6 different shades of red as he stood there trying to form the words to yell at the Soldier.
âAlright then. I think everyone could use a few hours to calm down and collect themselves. We can go over everything at the debriefing tonight,â you say loudly, trying to cut through some of the tension in the air. Sam just nods and puts his arm around Tonyâs shoulder, muttering something under his breath as they walk into the compound. Nat just rolls her eyes and follows them without a backward glance at you and Bucky.
âHeâs pissed.â
âUh⊠yeah heâs pissed, Bucky, you completely disobeyed orders,â you snap and shoulder your bag, trying not to let your irritation with him be too obvious.
âHis orders,â he mutters under his breath. You open your mouth to ask what he meant, but when you turn around heâs already done.
Damn Russian ninja.
After you deposit your bag in the weapons room, you head to your room for a hot shower. Maybe the hot water with help dissipate some of your irritation. And it does. With your hair wrapped in a towel and an oversized t-shirt, you curl up on your bed and close your eyes. A soft knock pulls you from your daydreams. âYeah?â
Buckyâs form appears in the doorway and he smiles sheepishly at you. âAre you less bristly now?â he asks quietly.
âI guess you could say that,â you laugh softly and sit up with your back against the pillows. He sits beside you and twines his fingers through yours, rubbing slow circles on the back of your hand with the rough pad of his thumb. âYouâre so stubborn sometimes, did you know that?â
He shrugs his large shoulders and places a tender kiss on your cheek. âWere you worried about me?â
âNo,â you say indignantly.
âYou were! You were worried about me,â he teases and places another soft kiss on your nose. His lips barely brushing across your skin, sending little shivers down your spine.
âOf course I was. Iâm always worried about you because youâre so reckless! You never listen to anyone. You never actually do whatâs on the agenda-â
âAgenda?!â He laughs and pokes at your side. âNo one really has an agenda anymore, doll.â
âWe did! We had an agenda!â You try to twist away from his relentless fingers. âMurder wasnât on todayâs agenda!â
He just laughs and itâs a deep, throaty laugh. Itâs heaven. âItâs not on anyoneâs agenda!â He replies and wraps his arms firmly around your waist, pulling you against his broad chest.
âNo, itâs on mine, just not until next Thursday,â you say matter of factly and nuzzle your nose against his neck, his scruff tickling your skin.
âYou would schedule something like that.â He tries to sound exasperated, but he chuckles.
âWhat can I say? Iâm just an organized person. I get my hair done, I go shopping, I schedule out my assassinations. Iâm booked up weeks in advance.â
âI guess youâre just that good, huh?â Bucky places kiss after chaste kiss along your jawline and neck. His fingers slide lightly up your inner thigh, his teasing touch getting higher and higher. âWonder what else youâre that good at?â He asks suggestively and wiggles his eyebrows. His blue eyes darken with lust as he gazes down at you in nothing but a t-shirt, his shirt. A blush creeps into your cheeks as he openly admires you.
âOh wouldnât you like to know,â you giggle as he pulls you into a heated kiss thatâs all teeth and tongue. The fingers of his flesh hand knot in your hair as the cool metal of his other slips under your shirt.
In a matter of moments the two of you are nothing but a tangle of limbs and sheets, and you know that neither of you are going to that debriefing tonight, but neither of you care as you get lost in each other.
Alright guys, this is the FINALE for this storyline! I hope you guys like it! Mostly Angst but some fluff and a happy ending. Iâm a sap for that sort of thing! Stay tuned for more of my work! Check out my page for more ideas or send me something if you want to see it!
The hiss of steam jostles you out of your light slumber. Brakes screech along the metal tracks as the train slowly snakes into the station. It was just after 4AM. The train station was completely empty except for the man mopping the floor with a dingy looking mop head, the conductor that just hopped off the train, and a young man with a large backpack waiting patiently for the passenger doors to open. You pull your jacket tightly around your body, hoping that it would somehow protect you from the outside world, but you knew better. Nothing could protect you now.
The gaping hole in your chest split just a little wider as you disembarked the train and brushed past the man. His light blue eyes met yours shyly and he gave a slight nod. Dipping your head, you scurried away from him. The blue dredging up painful memories that you were trying in vain to hide from.
Bucky.
Bucky Barnes.
Sgt. James Barnes.
âNot today,â you muttered to yourself and climbed the stairs to the next platform.
It had been 5 months. 5 months since you had ran from Bucky. Since you had ripped your own heart out. 5 months since you killed all those people without a second thought. 5 months since your life had ended. You blame yourself for it all. You always do when this happens, and it always happens.
Tony and the others didnât blame you. They had said it multiple times on the emails and messages that they left you before you cancelled your email account and turned off your phone. They were all the same.
âNo one blames you. Itâs not your fault. Please come home. We can fix this. We can figure this out together but we need you to come back.â
Everyone had left a message similar to that on more than one occasion, everyone except the one person you actually wanted to hear it from. Bucky had called you once. Just once. And left a simple message. A message that you replay every night before you try and sleep.
âI understand. I was you once. Stay safe.â there was a long pause and you can hear Bucky still breathing deeply on the other end of the phone. âAnd, y/n, I will find you.â
His words were always a comfort, and you knew deep down that he meant them. He would find you. He would come for you one day, but you had to be different when he did. You had to be safe. Your lips tug up into the smallest hint of a smile as you replay his words in your mind once more.
The train whistle jerks you out of the daze you were in. It was time to board. Another night, another train, another station. All the same. It was all the same. Run and hide. Keep your head down. Stay low. Stay quite. Just be normal.
Normal.
That was an overrated word if youâd ever heard one. What was normal anyway? What one person deems normal might mean something completely different to another. It was normal for a business man to carry a briefcase to work everyday. It was normal for two teenage girls to go to starbucks before going to class. It was normal for you to constantly vibrate with untapped energy.
Tomato Tomahto.
You settle into the corner seat in the very back of the car and pull your hood over your head, hiding your face from any curious patrons working the car. This had become routine for you. Train ride after train ride. You never really got off and settled anywhere. You just kept riding until you needed to rest for a few days, and then right back on you got. The thought was that if you stayed mobile then maybe they couldnât find you. Couldnât track you as easily as if you were hiding in one place.
You couldnât have been more wrong.
âMind if I sit down?â A painfully familiar voice whispers just beside your left ear. Natasha sits down beside you and gently pulls the hood from your head, revealing your tired face. âYou look like shit, y/n, really. When was the last time you ate⊠or washed your hair?â
You shrug your shoulders and sit up slowly. âHow did you find me?â you whisper hoarsely. It sounded like you had been screaming for days, and you had been on the inside.
âWe never lost you,â she admitted with a sheepish smile. âTony doesnât like to let his toys go completely awol.â You roll your eyes but say nothing. âSeriously. When was the last time you stopped moving and actually got some rest?â Her voice was low and silky. It was kind.
âProbably a week ago when I stopped in Denmark. I donât sleep much,â you say quietly and shrink back at her glare. âI donât deserve much more. I just want to be left alone.â
âDo you? Is that what you really, truly want?â Natasha leans forward, her eyes boring into yours. There were so many things that you wanted to say. So many things you wanted to tell her, but you just couldnât find the words. âI have a safe house that I used to use in Bosnia. You can stay there for a while. No one knows about it. Not even Tony. I wonât tell HIM either.â From the tone of her voice you knew that she meant Bucky. âHeâs hurt real bad, y/n, but he understands. We donât see him much anymore, but I think heâs looking for you. Tony had the good sense not to tell him that he had access to you. We all knew that you just needed time and space.â
You nod slowly, processing everything Natasha was saying as you listened to the sound of wheels on the metal tracks. âCould you tell him for me?â You finally muster up the courage to ask. âCould you tell Bucky that Iâm so sorry. And Iâll be gone in a month. You can tell him I was in your safe house then. That way he knows Iâm safe but Iâll be gone before he can get to me.â
âI will,â she says and gives you a soft smile. âHereâs the address and the passcode. Thereâs plenty of ammunition in there should you need it for anything.â She writes the information down on a scratch sheet of paper and hands it to you. âOh!â Natasha reaches into a hidden pocket in her overcoat. âHereâs a burner. It can still be traced if you use it so only use it once and then get rid of it.â
âThank you, Nat, for everything,â you whisper and slide the phone into your pocket along with the address slip. âMaybe one day Iâll be back. Maybe one day Iâll be normal.â your voice breaks on the word normal and a single tear slides down your cheek.
Natasha wraps you in a warm embrace. âNormal is highly overrated, sweetheart, we all just want you to be you and nothing else.â Without another word, she gets up and disappears into another car. The Russian spy was always a mystery to you, but you didnât follow her.
There were several more hours before you reached your stop, so you pull your hood back up and bring your old phone to your ear and hit play, listening to that familiar message and letting his low voice lull you to sleep.
***
It was raining when you finally got off the train in Bosnia. Not a hard downpour, but an annoying drizzle that an umbrella couldnât fully protect you from. The lights shimmered in puddles in the streets as you slowly made your way to the safe house, not wanting to look to suspicious. Your fingers curl securely around the burner phone that Nat had given you on the train. âDonât use it unless you have to.â Her voice echoes in your mind.
Suddenly an image of Bucky flashes to the forefront of your mind, an image so vivid it seems as if you could reach out and touch him. Heâs standing shirtless in the pool of water in Wakanda that the two of you called your âsecret oasisâ. His long dark hair is dripping and falling in his face as he smiles down at you, blue eyes dancing with mischief. Your eyes trace over the planes of his face, the curve of his jaw, his muscular abdomen, taking in every minute detail. His voice ghosts into your mind, whispering your name feverently, like he had all the times the two of you made love.
Everything was so crystal clear, so distracting, that you didnât realize you had arrived at the safe house. Tripping up the front steps, you catch yourself on the hard metal front door. The building was so innocent looking, so nonchalant that you had almost walked right by it. It was so normal and you were expecting something more âStark likeâ for lack of a better description. You enter the passcode shakily and walk inside, trying to escape the cold and the haunting image of Bucky.
The dull pain in your chest blossoms into something so intense that you double over onto the couch before you take two steps into the room. It was a black hole that was spreading rapidly, swirling madly like a vortex that would swallow anything in its path. You donât know if it was the pain or the exhaustion, or maybe it was both, but you closed your eyes and succumbed to the infinite darkness, letting it pull you into oblivion.
You awoke with a start, trying to regain your bearing as you glance wildly around the room. You had been so distracted that you hadnât even checked the place, but you trusted Natasha to give you somewhere safe and away from prying eyes. Sunlight was peeking through the closed curtains on the front window so you knew you had only been out for a few hours. You pull the curtains apart and let the sunlight come flooding in revealing a small one room flat with a twin size bed in the corner opposite the window, a small kitchenette, and a couch directly in front of the window. There was a door without a window at the foot of the bed that you already knew was an escape route, and another door beside the couch that was a full bathroom. It was small and dusty, but it was safe.
You hesitantly pull open the cabinets in the kitchen and sigh loudly. âBless you,â you whisper as your eyes slide over the fully stocked cabinets. Food and shelter was more than you had ever hoped for in the last few months, and Natasha had delivered on both. Eyeing the bathroom, you slowly walk inside and discover a stack of towels on the counter and soap and shampoo already in the shower. âOh yes,â you moan and shed your still damp clothes and turn the hot water on. Steam fills the room as you drop your jacket to the floor. It lands with a loud thump. A reminder of the phone nestled securely in your pocket.
Then a war broke out between your heart and your mind. âDonât do it. Do not. You will ruin everything.â Your brain screamed, but your heart was persistent. âJust a quick call. He wonât answer. He never does. Just a message and then you can toss the phone.â Your heart won. It always wins in the end.
You pick the phone up and slowly dial the number that you had memorized. It rang twice and then went to voicemail. âHey. Uhm. Itâs me. I just wanted you to know that Iâm safe. Iâm really fine. Just trying to find myself and all that. I guess I just wanted to.. I actually don't know why I called you. Iâm so sorryâŠâ you go to hang up but pause. âI love you, sarge,â you whisper and then hang up the phone. âWhy⊠Why am I so stupid?â The phone lands with a dull thud on the bathroom rug as you finish undressing and hop in the shower. There is a thick layer of fog in the air at this point, and the heat feels almost suffocating. Almost.
You let it soak into your bones, revelling in how your body was finally thawing out from the weeks of running and washing in dingy bar bathrooms or gym showers. Your legs give out and you drop to the bottom of the tub, letting the hot water run in rivulettes off of your skin. You sit like that until the water starts to turn luke warm and then you wrap a towel around your body and a towel around your head. As you step out of the bathroom, you survey your new room and start making a list of everything you need from the store in town to start fresh. It was going to be better now. You just needed to get your feet back under you and then you would be fine and things could go back to the way they were before the Avengers even found you in Russia, but first, you had to get rid of that phone.
*** 5 days later ***
A tea kettle hisses on the stove as you rummage around the kitchen, trying to come up with something to have for dinner. You were wearing a new hoodie and jeans, compliments of the large sum of money that Natasha had hidden away in the safe house. You hum softly to yourself as you pour yourself some tea and return to your book on the small twin sized bed, but before you could find your place, the floorboards on the front porch groan under someoneâs weight.
You freeze in terror.
You had been found. Someone had seen you enter the house and now they were here for you. You werenât exactly sure which âtheyâ had come for you, but you were sure that you werenât going willingly. The small gun that Bucky had given you was hidden under your pillow. Your fingers wrapped tightly around in, you tiptoe to the side of the door, just out of sight when the doorknob starts to jiggle violently. Before you had time to even think, the door flies off its hinges and hits the refrigerator on the opposite wall with a loud crash.
Deep breath in, and you raise the gun as a large figure dressed in black steps through the dust. âDonât move,â you whisper, finger dancing across the trigger.
The figure chuckles and itâs a gravelly sound. âDoll, you gonna shoot me with my own gun and wound my pride?â Bucky turns his head and cocks his eyebrow at you.
The gun falls to the floor and you stagger back in complete shock. âHowâŠâ The wheels in your mind are turning, working in overdrive to figure out how this could have happened, but you canât seem to pinpoint anything.
âI told you I would find you, didnât I?â His voice was low and his eyes flashed with something that you hadnât seen in a long time. âItâs been 6 months, y/n. 6 very long months that I havenât seen you and all I get is a stuttering âhowâ as a greeting?â
The dam breaks and tears flow down your face. âBucky,â you sigh and launch yourself into his arms. You hadnât realized just how badly you had missed him and just how badly that you had wanted him to come after you until you saw him standing in your doorway.
âDo not. Do that. Again.â he says quietly between kisses. His lips are soft but insistent on yours. âItâs been too long,â he whispers and his tone is pained. He had been hurting just as much as you had. âIt was like a black hole in my stomach that wouldnât go away no matter what I did.â
âI know,â you whisper back and your lips find his once more. You gently start to pull him backward toward the bed.
âDoll. I have to fix the door first,â he pulls away and nods toward the heavy metal door with a soldier sized dent in the front. He picks it up and sets it back in the doorway, flipping one of the deadbolts so it would stay in place before joining you on the bed. âNowâŠâ He gently pulls your hoodie over your head and tosses it onto the floor. His lips ghost along your neck and jawline sending shivers down your spine.
âJames,â you moan quietly and tilt your head back, surrendering to his touch. He quickly removes his jacket and shirt, revealing his scarred chest. He blinks slowly at you and you can see the pain and fear in his eyes. âIâm so sorry.â
He takes your hand and places is gently on his chest, right over his heart. Your eyes widen and you open your mouth to speak, but he shakes his head. âThis is all I have to give you. Itâs broken and damaged, but I want you to have it.â You feel the steady beat of his heart under your fingertips and choke back a sob. It was the first time that you had actually touched his bare chest.
You surge forward suddenly and your lips meet his. The force knocks the two of you to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Laughing, you lean back just enough to look into his eyes. âI love you, Sarge,â you whisper and start to kiss along the muscled planes of his chest.
âI love you too, y/n,â he whispers and arches his back as your lips travel lower on his abdomen. âOh, and itâs best to destroy a burner phone immediately once you use it. Not an hour and a half later,â he whispers with a chuckle.
âIâll remember that next time,â you snap halfheartedly and pull him back up onto the bed. âRight now. I just want to get lost in you and forget everything else.â
âI can probably arrange that,â he says huskily and his eyes darken with lust. His large body looms over you as he kisses up and down your neck. âIâm going to be with you until the end, y/n, the very end of the line.â
Thank you to everyone who read this series and left feedback or even just liked my posts!
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Iâm having kind of a shit day (week, month and all) if you guys have cute pics of your pets, headcanons or anything, Iâd looooove to see to soothe my aching heart and sour mood
Gosh I love Bucky Barnes so much. Here is the next installment. I think Iâm going to wrap it up soon because I donât want to drag it on for too long. Iâm sure Iâll write a lot more Bucky and other MCU characters.
Taglist is open if you still want to be tagged in this series or any of my other posts. Please check out my master list and send me any feedback! Itâs always welcome! Seriously!
Tony spends the next hour and a half tell Nick Fury about your past and how they acquired you as an asset to the team. Explaining nearly everything, but leaving out a few of the finer details. Like you being kidnapped and experimented on by H.Y.D.R.A. Those tiny details werenât really that important, right?
Bucky stood up after Tony finished his extended lecture and cracked his knuckles loudly. âItâs obvious that y/n is not a potential threat to anyone. Can we please just get back to our normal routine and forget about all this?â His fingers grasp your shoulder and squeeze gently.
You reach up and place your fingers over his, tracing your fingertips over the cold metal hand. âI wish it were that simple,â you whisper. âWhat is it that you want from me?â you ask Fury directly.
âI wish it were that simple,â he repeats your words and smirks, the corner of his mouth tilting up mischievously. âIâve heard about these...gifts that you possess. S.H.I.E.L.D. could use something like that. A power like that could be harnessed to do a lot of good in the world.â
âIt could also do a lot of bad,â Steve interjected sternly. âI donât like where this is going.â He crosses his arms across his broad chest and moves to stand in front of the door like a human shield.
âUnfortunately itâs not up to you, captain,â Fury responds calmly, his one good eye leveling on you once more. âItâs not up to you either,â he says as you open your mouth to speak. âIâve come to collect you so we can either do this the easy way or the hard way.â
Bucky lets you go and moves to stand in front of you. The metal in his arm coming to life as the plates shift quietly. âI donât think youâll like where this will end up, sir,â he says and his voice is low and deadly. His shoulders are relaxed, but his stance is dangerous. You could pick out the Soldier in the way Bucky moves his head and eyes, like a predator waiting for his prey.
âStand down, Soldier,â Fury says sternly, but nobody moves a muscle.
âSheâs one of us. If you want her then youâll have to go through all of us,â Steve states and comes to stand beside his oldest friend. âShe means more to us than youâll ever realize and weâre not going to give her up easily.â
âIâm not a piece of property! You canât just stake a claim and then expect to fight for it like youâre fighting for my virtue! Iâm not leaving this compound for a while.â You stand and all but stomp your foot for emphasis. âYou canât just come in here with this S.H.I.E.L.D. bullshit and expect me to just bow down and submit to you. Iâm a human being. I stayed in hiding for all these years to keep away from people like you!â Your fingers lace with Buckyâs and Steveâs as you stand between the two super soldiers, comforted by their massive forms.
However, it still wasnât enough.
Fury looks over your shoulder and suddenly there is a cold barrel pressing against the base of your skull. âAgent Hill will escort you out now. I was afraid this would turn ugly.â
âHow the hell did she get in here?â Tony roars, outraged by the breach in security yet again. âThis is ridiculous!â
âDonât be too hard on yourself. I overrode the system so you wouldnât know who was coming or going. It should be back up within the next hour or two. No harm done.â Fury waves his gloved hand in a flourish and grabs you by the elbow. Agent Hill grabs your other arm and they both walk you out of the building like a deranged criminal. Your eyes met Buckyâs in a desperate plea, but he just watched helplessly, knowing that if he tried anything they would kill you without hesitation. He had found you once. He would find you again.
Deep in the pit of your stomach you could feel something churning. A hatred toward the situation that you found yourself in. A helplessness toward the broken look in Buckyâs eyes. An anger toward the people that treated you no better than a science experiment. The air around your form began to vibrate, to hum with an energy that was all but unfamiliar to you. It felt almost as if the energy around you was whip, coiled and ready to go, and all you had to do was let it go.
Testing the new feeling that was slowly seeping over every nerve ending in your body, you urged the air to whirl around you, causing just a slight breeze. Something that even the average person would just assume was the weather. You felt nothing like you used to. Not even a tingle of uncontrolled power. This feeling was entirely different, and it was hard to even put into words. You just knew that this power, this energy was yours and you could do whatever you wanted to do with it and it would not leave you depleted.
The whole team had followed Fury and Hill out of the compound and were voicing protests as the three of you approached the band of blacked out SUVs that they had arrived in. âIâm so sorry,â you whispered quietly to them and inhaled deeply. Agent Hill looked at you, confused, as your hair started to quiver.
âOh shit,â you heard Nat say. âGet back. Get down. Do something because this is not going to be pretty!â
It felt as if you had drawn in all the energy from everything around you until it was coiled tightly around your entire frame, and just when it felt so tight that you were afraid you couldnât breathe, you exhaled and the rush of energy erupted from your body. The gust knocked both Fury and Hill to the ground several feet away. They both landed with a hard thump. It rocked the SUVs to the side and the balanced on two wheels for a few moments before slamming back down on all four wheels, metal crunching as the tired bounced twice before settling.
You could tell that you had created a window for yourself to escape, but for some reason you found that you couldnât move your feet. You were planted firmly where you stood as the energy churned and pulsated around you. Drawing close to your skin and then pushing out again. It was almost mesmerizing to watch. Willing the energy to stop, you curled your fists into tight balls, but it only seemed to make it worse.
The feeling in your stomach kept rolling. The energy around you kept churning. It felt equivalent to nearly being crushed to death by the pressure of deep sea diving, whatever that feels like. Panicked, you glance over your shoulder at Bucky and the rest of the team, but none of them made a move to come near you. Fury and Hill had also stood and were watching you closely but unwilling to approach. No one in their right mind would want to get near that massive jolt of energy.
As quickly as it started, the pulsating energy seemed to just vanish. The twisting tendrils disappeared within your body, but the feeling only intensified. You open your mouth to scream, but no sound comes out. Your hair continues to whip around your face like youâre standing in the middle of a twister. Dropping to your knees, you feel completely overwhelmed and helpless, like there was nothing else to do but surrender completely.
You realize just how wrong you had been to feel at ease with yourself. Whatever they had done to you in that base, you were far from better. Far from ever being in control of yourself. Far from being as confident as you were not even moments ago. You hear Bucky shout your name over and over as the feeling overwhelms you, the pressure crushing you all the way down to your soul.
And then itâs over. In a blinding flash of light and tremendous roll  of thunder, all the energy you had absorbed shot out of your body and leveled everything in front of you. Fury and Hill jumped to the side as the rocket shot past them. The SUVs were gone, nothing left but a few bits of crumpled steel and a large crater where they used to be parked. It was a massive blow that you hadnât even meant to do.
Bucky shouts your name once more as he surges forward to get to you. No one else moves. Theyâre too shocked to do anything other than blink at the destruction before them. âAre you hurt?â Bucky pants as he drops to his knees in front of you.
You look up at him, tears staining your dusty cheeks, and just shake your head. Unable to find the words. To find any words for that matter. You couldnât even fathom what you had just done.
Murder.
That is what you had just done.
The word repeats itself over and over in your mind and all the feelings resurfaced from your childhood. Every accident. Every mishap. Every death. All your fault, and there was nothing that you could ever do about it. Just like now. There was nothing you could do about it.
Bucky reaches out and takes you in his arms, resting his cheek against your hair. He inhales deeply and then lets it out. It almost sounds like heâs relieved, but how can he be? Had he not seen what you had done? Of course he had.
You pull out of his grasp and stumble to your feet. âDonât touch me,â you gasp. âDonât come near me.â
âDonât say that, doll. You wouldnât hurt me. Itâs okay now. Youâre safe. Iâm sure we can fix this.â Bucky holds out his large hand, pleading you to take it, but there is fear in his eyes. He knows youâre going to run. Itâs what you always do. Itâs what he always did.
You laugh bitterly. âFix it? I almost just leveled the compound and I couldnât stop it! I canât do this. I thought that whatever H.Y.D.R.A. did they somewhat fixed me. I thought maybe Shuri had fixed me, but I am far from fixed! I canât even trust myself now! At least before I knew what I was capable of. This!â you sweep your arms out in a large gesture. âI canât live in fear of doing this to anyone else. I killed those people, Bucky! I killed them. For no reason! AND I COULDNâT STOP!â you shout between broken sobs. âIâm sorry. Iâm so so sorry!â
You retreat further into your shell as you continue to back away from Bucky and the rest of the team, who had started to approach warily. Buckyâs eyes glistened with unshed tears as he nodded once, understanding. It hurt like hell, but he understood. He didnât like it, but he understood.
You want to run to him. To bury yourself in his strong arms and never let go. To get lost in his soft, tender kisses. To feel his lips on yours just once more, but you canât. You canât risk killing anyone else. âI love you, James,â you whisper sorrowfully and take off, sprinting from the compound without a backward glance. And they let you go. No one dared come after you.
âI love you too,â He whispered and gasps quietly, choking back a broken sob.
Tears flow freely down your cheeks as you replay Buckyâs heartbroken expression. How he reached for you even after you pulled away. How he whispered âI love youâ as you sprinted away.
There was nothing to do now but run. And so you ran. You ran from the fear, the anger, the love, the heartache, the good, the bad. You just ran to get away from it all, but you knew deep down that he would find you. He would always find you.
And that little sliver of hope was all you needed to push yourself forward.
Curious Creatures PT. 2 Venom/Eddie Brock x Fem Reader
Masterlist // part 1 // part 3
**Not my gif but it was fitting for the scene**
Taglist is open. Let me know what you think of our favorite Symbiote and his new friend!
"That's what I saw! I'm telling you, it was like nothing I've ever seen before!" You say forcefully and lean forward in your chair, bracing your hands against the edge of the kitchen table, holding your cell phone to your ear with your shoulder. "Before you say anything, I'm not making it up. I feel like I'm going insane. Maybe I am. Who knows, but I'm going back out there and I'm going to find it again." Tucking your camera into your messenger bag, you pull on a blue plaid jacket and a navy baseball cap.
"You can't go out at night! You'll never find it!" Your roommate, Naomi, argues sternly. She was using her 'mom' voice now. "Why can't you just wait until I come home in three weeks?"
"Are you kidding? It'll be easier to spot at night anyway! I can't wait 3 whole weeks! It could be gone by then! This will be a major break through if I can find it again." One boot. Other boot. You grunt as you nearly stumble, hopping down the hall on one foot, trying to shove your heel into the boot without untying it.
"If you get yourself killed over a stupid sea turtle nest then I'm going to be really pissed at you, y/n." Naomi sighs, accepting the fact that she can't talk you out of this. "Please be safe. There are -"
"Bad people in the world. Strangely enough you are not the first person to tell me that this week." Chuckling quietly, you remember Venom telling you the same thing just three nights ago. "My taser is charged and I just picked up another can of pepper spray. I'll be fine! Don't worry. I've got my camera, a sleeping bag, a thermal blanket, and food. I've got everything I need. I'll call you tomorrow okay?"
"Okay, y/n. Please be safe." Her voice holds a note of worry, but she doesn't argue further and hangs up.
Checking off the things on your list again, you make sure you have everything you need before locking the door behind you. The chilly night air dances around you. A shiver snakes up your spine as you scan the sidewalks and surrounding area of a black mass of sinister teeth and muscle.
Nothing. Just silence. It was almost 2 a.m.
Pulling your collar up and around your neck, you start off down the hill toward the bay. The cable cars were no longer running, so this was going to be a long walk.
***
"No you are not eating the Maltese from down the street. I don't care how annoying it is." Eddie says exasperated as Venom rumbles in protest. "What do you want to do tonight? The sky's pretty clear, we could climb the bridge and sit at the top for a while."
"We could." Venom's head emerged from Eddie's back and he flicked his tongue through the air. "The lights are pretty from up there."
"Yeah. They are. And it's peaceful. No loud music. No car horns."
"It is peaceful. But then you speak," Venom teases and disappears again.
"Very funny. Are we riding or walking?" Eddie rounds the corner of the alley and jangles the keys to his motorcycle in his pocket. Venom doesn't answer. "Fine. I'm driving. That's a long walk. You can climb it when we get there." He swings his leg over the bike and the engine rumbles to life. Revving it twice, he breathes in the smell of the exhaust before taking off down the side street.
***
The sand sinks beneath the weight of your boots as you trudge along the shoreline, searching for the slide marks of the turtle, hoping that it came back to the nest again. The sea turtles were becoming endangered in the area because people were destroying their nests. As a nature photographer and sea turtle fan, you help locate nests along the bay and preserve them. "I remember it was past the dunes, over to the left of the lifeguard stand..." you mumble to yourself and adjust the strap on your shoulder. "This is impossible!"
The beam of your flashlight illuminates a clear, smooth path on the sand from the water to a clearing between to sand dunes. "Bingo!" Shuffling forward quietly, you make sure there are no turtles around the nest before setting up a wide perimeter with wooden stakes and orange tape. Once the area was secure, you spread a blanket out over the sand about 15 feet behind the nest and settle into your sleeping bag. The camera propped up on your knees, night lens focused on the water's edge.
Maybe tonight would be your lucky night.
***
"Climb!" Venom purrs gleefully and takes over. His black goo completely enveloping Eddie's body. His arms extend, flexing his muscles as he pulls them up the side of the bridge. Pull after pull. Jump after jump. The ground quickly disappears beneath them, leaving the world behind. It takes no time to reach the top of the bridge. Venom crouches down and closes his eyes, breathing deeply. Taking in the fresh, clean air. "Eddie?"
"Yeah, Vee?" Eddie's voice is soft as he looks at the world through Venom's eyes.
"Are you trying to work things out with Anne? Are you trying to get her back?" His voice rumbles out slowly, cautiously. He knew that Anne was always a sensitive subject with Eddie.
"No, Venom. I think that ship has sailed. She's with Dan now and they seem very happy. I'm happy she's happy." Eddie's voice breaks once. He stays silent for a few moments. "Why?"
Venom hesitates, gauging Eddie's reaction to his questions. After a few minutes, he shrugs his massive shoulders and sits down on the cold metal. "There is someone better for you," he says finally.
"Oh yeah? Who? The girl from the park that you wanted to eat the other night?" Eddie's voice is teasing.
"What girl?" Venom asks, trying to sound oblivious.
"The one you haven't stopped thinking about in two days. You need to just drop it and leave her alone before you cause any trouble."
"I don't know what you're talking about..." Venom folds his arms across his chest and turns his face into the wind, inhaling deeply. His eyes narrow as he breathes in a familiar scent. "OH!" He cries and pushes off the edge, tumbling downward rapidly.
Too rapidly for Eddie's liking. "What are you doing?! I just told you no!"
"Well we say yes!" He hisses the last word with a sneer.
***
Eyes half closed, knees pulled to your chest, arms wrapped around your knees, you fight the urge to succumb to sleep. If you close your eyes for a second that turtle could appear and then disappear without a second chance. "Stay awake," you whisper to yourself over and over, Â yawning deeply. The half moon casts a bright reflection against the dark water of the ocean. A pretty picture with the bridge in the background. Turning the camera on, you raise it to your eye and snap a few shots in quick succession. Anything to distract you from how tired you feel.
You're about to turn it off and place it back in your bag when a loud crash comes from the area of beach just to your right. The ground shakes slightly beneath you, the sand rumbling to find a new place to settle. The flashlight beam flails wildly as you look around from your spot between the dunes, but you can't see anything.
"Maybe we just say hi." you hear a gravelly voice whisper. The sound tickles your memory. "We won't scare her.... I will be nice!" The voice hisses indignantly. You lean forward, trying to peer around the edge of the sand dune. If you lean just a little more, crawling on your knees, you strain your eyes against the dark. Suddenly, two large, white eyes appear in the darkness followed by rows of long, sharp teeth. "Hello!" Venom says loudly.
"Oh my God! Venom!" your hand flies to your chest, trying to keep your heart from hammering out of your rib cage. You can hear your pulse ringing in your ears. "what are you doing here?" you snap in a low voice. Now the turtles would never come out with this... creature lurking around you.
"We were... I was sitting up there and smelled you. I wanted to make sure you were safe." It gives you an innocent smile. Well, as innocent as anything with four inch fangs could.
"That's...creepy? Sweet? I'm not really sure which I'm leaning more toward." Pausing, you lean around him, watching the water once more. "I'm fine. You can go now."
"What are you doing? This isn't where you live. Why are you here?" He takes in your sleeping bag and pillow.
"See that hole in the sand right there?" you point to the area you had staked off. He nods once. "That's a sea turtle nest. There aren't that many around here anymore and the turtles are starting to die off. I come out here sometimes to try and find nests and block them off so people don't destroy them," you explain quietly and pull the sleeping bag around you.
"At night?" His voice sounds doubtful.
"Yes. That's the one time the beach is empty and the turtles feel safe enough to come up from the water." Smiling at the giant creature kneeling in front of you, you can't help but feel a little sorry for him. He's on a strange planet with strange customs and he's got no one to explain things to him.
"So it's safe? These... turtles don't attack?" He asks cautiously, raising an eyebrow.
"No. They're harmless." He nods again and then turns to leave. "Venom?" you catch how his back goes rigid when you say his name. "You can stay if you want to. It's a little boring just sitting here waiting for something to happen, but we can just talk to each other to pass the time."
He turns slowly and relaxes his shoulders. "I would like that," he says to you. "I don't want to leave yet!" he whispers over his shoulder like he's arguing with someone. The sand shifts and sinks down when he sits beside you, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "Why not let them die?" He asks after a while. "If they're so defenseless, maybe it's for the best if they cease to exist."
Blinking up at him in the moonlight, you shrug your shoulders a little. "It's not fair to them. It's our fault that they're dying off. It's nothing that they did. I think some people feel responsible. I know I do. So we try to do little things like this to help them. It's the same with bees, tigers, polar bears... They're dying off and it's our fault because we're taking away their environment." Venom nods his head slowly, understanding why you feel the way you feel. "Do you want to see what they look like?"
Fishing in your bag, you pull out your tablet and open a photo file of some leather back turtle photos that you had taken last summer. You slide back so you are sitting beside Venom and hold the tablet up so he can see, swiping your finger across the screen every few seconds. As you lean over to show him the photos, your side brushes against Venom's arm. He lets out a low purr before leaning back, away from your touch. You put the tablet back and neither of you speak for a long time.
"Name..? Oh! Name!" Venom whispers to himself. "What is your name?" He asks you to break the silence stretching out between the two of you.
"Y/n," you answer softly and stifle a yawn. It was nearly dawn. The cable cars should be up and running soon. "No sign of anything tonight. I guess I should be heading back."
"What about the turtles?" Venom protests and jumps to his feet with a loud thud.
"I'll let the rehabilitation center know the location and they'll keep tabs on it," you explain and shove your things back into your bag. "Where were you sitting before you found me?" Rounding on him suddenly, you cause him to flinch back at the closeness.
"We... I... I was on top of the bridge," he admits quietly and points to the tip top of the tower. "It's nice up there."
"I'll bet! That's so cool! how did you...?" your eyes fall to the very sharp claws at the tips of his fingers and answer your own question. "That's so cool," you repeat and stand up straight, holding your hand out to him. "Thanks for sitting with me last night. I'm glad you dropped in." you bite your lip and internally kick yourself for the terrible joke. "Next time... Let's make it the top of that bridge."
Venom wraps his large, black hand around yours, completely engulfing it, and grins wickedly. "Absolutely, y/n." You shudder slightly at the sound of your name on his tongue. It was a deep hiss, but somehow, despite his sinister looks, he made it seem soft.
Your entire arm starting to tingle as Venom holds onto your hand, and you can't be sure, but you think he feels it too. He releases you suddenly and in two large bounds he's gone. Disappeared into the early morning mist.
***
âY/n,â Venomâs voice whispers through Eddieâs mind as he drives back to his apartment. âI like it.â
âWhy are you so attached to this girl. Is it because she didnât faint when she saw you?â Eddie muses quietly as he unlocks his door. âShe did vomit,â he reminds Venom.
âThat wasnât because of me!â he roars in protest.
âSure. Sure. It was JUST because you ate someoneâs head off right in front of her.â
âEDDIE! What if she doesnât like me?â Venomâs head rises out of Eddieâs shoulder, his brow knit together in frustration.
âWhy do you care? Youâre just a parasite anyway,â Eddie teases and starts the shower, letting the hot water steam up the bathroom.
Venom bares his teeth and growls menacingly. âParasite?!â
Fun fact: technically, because of its inability to roar and its ability to purr, the cheetah is not a âbig catâ (or Great Cat) - they are still classified as Lesser Cats.
Also you havenât heard anything until you hear them cheep.
So I borrowed a bunch of these fictional kisses from this post and made it up into a prompt list. Feel free to reblog of course!
breaking the kiss to say something, staying so close that youâre murmuring into each otherâs mouths
moving around while kissing, stumbling over things, pushing each other back against the wall/onto the bed
kissing so desperately that their whole body curves into the other personâsÂ
throwing their arms around the other person, holding them close while they kiss
hands on the other personâs back, fingertips pressing under their top, drawing gentle circles against that small strip of bare skin that make them break the kiss with a gasp
lazy morning kisses before theyâve even opened their eyes, still mumbling half-incoherently, not wanting to wake up
routine kisses where the other person presents their cheek/forehead for the hello/goodbye kiss without even looking up from what theyâre doing
being unable to open their eyes for a few moments afterward
one small kiss, pulling away for an instant, then devouring each other
staring at the otherâs lips, trying not to kiss them, before giving in
when one stops the kiss to whisper âIâm sorry, are you sure you-â and they answer by kissing them more
a hoarse whisper âkiss meâ
following the kiss with a series of kisses down the neck
starting with a kiss meant to be gentle, ending up in passion
a gentle âi love youâ whispered after a soft kiss, followed immediately by a stronger kiss
when one personâs face is scrunched up, and the other one kisses their lips/nose/forehead
height difference kisses where one person has to bend do wn and the other is on their tippy toes
kisses where one person is sitting in the otherâs lap
kisses meant to distract the other person from whatever they were intently doing
So my follower count has jumped quite a bit (WTFWHY?!!) these past few days, all thanks to the always wonderful and stunning @sweetboybucky + @bucky-at-bedtime reblogging my things. Thanks all for hanging out in this tiny corner of the internet đâš Hereâs my Masterlist if you havenât checked it out yet.
Iâm in a bit of a rut at the moment, so consider this me dipping into the waters of requests. I am working on a Stucky fic (ohgodsendhelp), but will consider some requests/drabbles. Please note that I only write for Steve + Bucky, because I could never do any of the other characters justice.
So if you guys are cool with me taking 84 million light years to fulfill a kiss promptâŠ
STRUT-GART!!!!!! You realize I will never spell that or pronounce it correctly ever again, right? I am now officially a bumbling idiot. Iâll just THINK about Strutgart now, and get tongue tied. Thanks a lot @nikkoliferous . Thanks a lot. *smirk.
I just read your venom story and I loved the atmosphere and details of the story and I feel like you did venom justice, staying true to his character. And congratulations on the wedding. :)
Oh my gosh thank you so much! I've got several more installments that I'm working on for that story! It means a lot! đ
Curious Creatures PT. 1 Venom/Eddie Brock x reader
Masterlist  Part 2
This is my first time writing for Venom, but I got this idea after watching the DVD for like the 8th time!Â
Imagine having Venom save your life, but instead of being terrified you are intrigued and slightly attracted to the giant mass of black goo. And Venom is equally intrigued by you and canât seem to leave you alone.
This is the first installment (not sure how long it will be) and is establishing all the important things. More to come! Please let me know what you think and IF YOU WANT TO BE TAGGED!Â
"So if I hit the 8 ball in the pocket I lose? And I have to hit the white ball with the pool stick to hit another ball into a pocket? This game sounds really complicated. I don't know..." You purse your lips and blink your eyes innocently up at the three burly men leaning against the pool table in front of you.
The one in the stained white wife beater smirks and folds his arms across his chest, hiding the curling patch of black hair peeking up from the neck of his shirt. "We'll go easy on you. Fifty bucks for a game. Two hundred for redemption." He bares his yellowed teeth at you. Eyes sliding up and down your form, taking in your exposed skin. You were wearing a denim mini skirt, low cut grey converse, and a tight black v-neck sweater. Hair pulled up in a messy bun, exposing your long neck. Easy distractions.
Twirling your hair around your finger, deep in thought, you wonder if this is a good idea. Three men. $200 a piece. That's nearly one months rent for your apartment. In one night. "I guess I can try one game," you sigh, defeated, and chalk up your stick with the little blue cube, your bangle bracelets jingling with the motion.
Their raucous laughter fills the room. 'Wife beater' pulls a stick from the holder on the wall while the other two men disappear for another round of drinks. "I'll give you the first game. Just you and me. $50 even and you're in." His voice is excited as he reels in his prey.
Fishing in your pocket, your fingers wrap around the fifty dollar bill you had strategically placed there, you hand him the money and watch as he breaks and the multi color balls shoot out in all different directions. He sinks the solid 2 ball and the striped 12 ball. "So does that mean you get to decide what color you want?" You chime in and lean over the table, interested.
"Sure does, sweetheart. I'll take the stripes. So you just try to sink those solid color ones, okay?" He winks at you and you try not to vomit in your mouth.
"I'm going to go get another beer for my nerves while you finish your turn. I'll be right back!" you call over your shoulder with a wave of your hand. "Hey, Jake, can I have another?" Your palm smacks the top of the smooth, wooden bar twice to get his attention. He nods once. "Thanks!" you shout over the chatter and turn to take in the scene around you.
The dimly lit, dingy bar was crowded for a Thursday night. Rock music played softly in the background from the old, beat up jukebox machine in the corner. It smelled faintly of cigars and stale beer, but it felt homier than most places in the city. Jack sets the beer bottle in front of you before turning back to talk to the other patrons sitting on bar stools around the bar. "Don't cause any trouble, y/n, those are regulars," He mutters as he wipes a glass dry with a rag before setting on the top shelf.
"I thought I was a regular, Jack," You whine softly and stick out your lower lip, pouting.
"Yeah. A regular pain in the ass!" He retorts and continues to dry glass after glass. "Geezus. You look like shit," He calls as a man in a dark leather jacket stumbles onto a bar stool at the other end of the bar. The man just smiles and nods once. His eyes shift back and forth uneasily and he flinches suddenly, like someone had snuck up on him.
"Do you ever feel like your whole life is just... shit...? Meaningless? Messed up?" The man mutters as he orders a drink.
Jack stares at him in silence for a moment before saying, "Nope." and placing a bottle in front of him. Jack was right. That man did look like shit.
"Hey honey! It's your turn now!" 'Wife beater' calls from the pool room. Jack shoots you a warning glance. You smile at wave slightly as the man looks over at you with blurry eyes. Skipping down the two steps, you let your heels click loudly on the tiled floor as you pick up your pool stick and survey the table. He had only landed two shots. Biting the inside of your cheek to keep from smirking, you line up and sink the striped 13 followed quickly by the 15. "You're pretty good at this. Are you sure you haven't played this before?" His eyes narrow suspiciously.
"They were just lined up for easy shots," you lie smoothly and purposefully miss the next shot, the cue ball bouncing aimlessly off the side and rolling to the center of the table.
"You wouldn't be hustling us now would you, darlin?" He steps behind you, pinning you to the table with his body. "That wouldn't be very lady like, now would it?"
"No. I swear. I've only ever watched my brother play. I didn't even know how to rack the balls," you stutter, holding your breath so you don't vomit from his close proximity. They buy your story and continue the game. He sinks the eight ball and grabs the money on the side of the table with his beefy hands. Your stomach lurches at your lose, but sometimes you need to lose a few to win big. At least that was what you had come to learn. "Redemption? You all against me?"
They raise their eyebrows and whistle lowly. "You so eager for us to take all your money, sugar?"
Rolling your eyes, you shake your head. Enough with the pet names, you creep. "I just want the chance to win it back. That was my portion of the rent this month," you admit sheepishly and bat your eyelashes.
"Well who are we to disagree. Redemption. 200 bucks a piece boys. Let's give the lady another game." They place their bills in a pile on the edge of the table. You smile and place your own money on the top of the pile. "Stupid bitch." One of the mutters as he chalks is pool stick and breaks the rack.
"Dump asshat," you mutter under your breath and watch the game. The odds just didn't seem fair. They didn't add up for you, but you knew that they were heavily buzzing now and you were their greatest distraction. Leaning forward, you use your stick for balance, and push your cleavage out just a little, catching the attention of two of the three. You smile when you catch them staring and bite your lip. They nearly fall over each other, knocking 'wife beater' off balance and he misses the shot. "My turn!" you chirp sweetly and sink all of your numbered balls followed by the eight ball.
"What the-!" They shout in protest. "Hey! You cheated." The reach for you with sweaty palms, but you dance just out of reach.
"Thanks, boys! It's been fun! See you later!" Shoving the pile of money in your pocket, you dash up the steps without looking back. "Bye, Jack! Be back to pay my tab in a few! Forgot I left my curling iron on!" Your fingers close around the strap of your messenger bag and you fling it over your shoulder as you dash out the door, nearly running into the man in the leather jacket. "Sorry!" you shout over your shoulder. breathing deeply, you take off in a sprint down the sidewalk. Those idiots are far too out of shape to actually chase you anywhere. They barely made if out the front door before getting winded. "Easy peasy," you mutter and slow to a walk, turning into the park on your left.
The cold night air brushes across your skin, the cold tingling just a little. Should have grabbed your jacket when you grabbed your bag. It was fresh and crisp. The smells of grass and dirt fill your nose as you inhale deeply, reveling in the peace and quiet of this little retreat in the otherwise bustling city. Turning your head to make sure no one followed you, you take the concrete steps two at a time, climbing to the top of the hill that overlooks downtown.
It was beautiful at night. The lights of the city twinkling against the black backdrop of the night sky. All life just ceases to exist when you sit in the grass under a large oak tree, hidden from view from the walking path. Your eyes close as the silence of the world engulfs you.
Until a twig snaps.
"Hello, little dove. What's a pretty little thing like you doing alone in the park at night?" A menacing voice cuts through the silence.
You whip your head to the left and right, trying to see through the inky blackness. The streetlights didn't reach this far from the path. "I'm waiting on my boyfriend," you answer lamely and clutch your bag to your chest, fingers clasping around the taser in the front pocket.
"You look just like the girl my friends described that cheated them out of money in a bar. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
You shake your head, eyes searching for the owner of the voice.
He scoffs and steps into the light, eyeing you dangerously. "Cut the shit, you little bitch. Give me the money you took and I'll let you go. Fair trade. You're life for just a little cash." He holds out his hand to you, wiggling his fingers impatiently.
"He's lying." An animalistic voice reverberates around you. It sounded calm, but strangely disembodied.
"Who the fuck said that?" the man growl and pulls something from his back pocket. A long blade glints in the yellow light of the streetlamp. "Show your face."
"He's not nice. He's very bad, right? We can eat him?" The voice pauses, as if waiting for an answer, and then speaks again. "So many tasty snacks."
"Who are you?" The man's voice cracks as he turns in the direction of the voice. His entire body goes rigid. His face pales, and you could see the sweat soaking through his grey t-shirt. "What the... What are you?" he whispers and starts backing away.
Curiosity gets the better of you and you edge closer to the halo of light, trying to see what  was happening. That's when you see a hulking, black mass step into the light. Towering at nearly 8 feet tall, the creature stalks forward slowly, like a predator. The dragon-sharp teeth bared in a snarl. A long, pink tongue flicks the air in front of it like a snake, but you know that it can see perfectly. It's large, white eyes narrow just a fraction as it takes in the whimpering heep of a man before it. "WE are Venom." It's voice echoes through your mind.
You know that you should turn away. You should run. You should scream. But you remain silent. Watching in silent awe as the creature continues to stalk forward, circling the man. Toying with him. Like a cat toys with a mouse before it eats it. You watch as the massive muscles of it's chest rise and fall in an even, steady rhythm. Before you can blink, it's massive jaws open and close around the man's throat, tearing his head clean off his body. Your stomach lurches and you gag in the bushes beside you.
Venom turns to you and regards you curiously. "Another snack?" His tone was questioning. "Why not?" It demands, protesting a voice you never heard. "Looks tasty. Smells tasty.... I can smell your... you're not afraid?" It accuses you, narrowing its eyes.
You stand slowly and hold your hands up, palms out. "Not a snack," you say, trying to keep your voice calm. You had seen what this thing could do in a split second. "Thank you."
"What for?" Venom asks, standing straight up, towering over your small frame.
"For saving me."
"You are weak. Defenseless. Tiny," it states, matter of fact. "I was hungry."
"Uh huh." You nod once and take a few steps closer, trying to make out what the creature was. "What are you?"
"WE are -"
"Venom, yeah I heard that. That's your name? What are you made of?" You stupidly reach your fingertips out, trying to touch it's arm.
Venom snarls and jerks away. "You are stupid. Why do you stay? Why are you not afraid?"
You shrug, trying to seem nonchalant when in fact your knees were shaking so much that they might give out on you, and smile slightly. This thing was right, you are stupid. "I'm just curious. You know what they say... Curiosity killed the cat." picking up your bag, you start walking back down the concrete steps, leaving the headless body and Venom behind. "Thanks again!"
"WAIT!" It's voice rumbles through the air.
Turning your face, you see it bounding toward you. "What?"
"Not safe. Bad people in this world." it's tongue flicks out and slides across it's needle-like teeth, sending a shiver down your spine.
"Yes. But I'm fine. I just live three blocks away. I think I can make it on my own." You wave and start walking again, closing your eyes tight, trying to squeeze the image of Venom's tongue out of your mind. "Maybe I'll see you around!" you say loudly and disappear into the night, trying to fight the urge to sprint all the way to your front door.
"Eddie, What is Curiosity and why did it kill a cat?" You hear Venom mutter quietly, holding your breath, you wait for a response, but nothing comes. "Do they taste good?"
You release the breath you didn't realize you'd been holding and slump against the front steps of your apartment. "Holy shit! It bit that guys head off!" you whisper, your brain finally coming out of shock. "And I tried to touch it! What is wrong with me?!" Fumbling with the keys, you unlock the door and duck inside before you think of any other idiotic ideas for the night.
***
"We will follow her." Venom's voice vibrates with unease.
"Why would we do that? Leave the poor girl alone. She's had enough for one night!" Eddie's voice floats through Venom's head.
"Safe. She needs to get home safe."
"Why do you care so much?â Eddie snaps but gets no response from Venom other than a shrug of his broad shoulders. âI'm sure she's fine big guy,â he sighs. âLet's go home. I'll make you some tater tots."
Venom's body hums with pleasure at the thought of warm tater tots. "But first..." He surges forward suddenly, his body airborne as he dashes through the park and climbs onto a nearby building. His eyes scan the sidewalks, searching for you in the moonlight. He finds you quickly and leaps from roof to roof, following you all the way to your doorstep. "She is safe," he hums proudly. "Now⊠Tater tots."
Eddie inwardly rolls his eyes. âYeah, buddy, tater tots.â
Venom saves your life, but can't seem to leave you alone because of his own curiosity.
Imagine if venom saves your life and then keeps coming back to you because he's curious about you, and you end up falling for him before you even know he has a human counterpart, Eddie. If I write it, would people read it?
Alright all you Venom hungry peeps. Here is the first bit. I was so excited to write this. Venom is one of my favorite characters.
Sorry Iâve bee gone for a while. Hereâs the next installment! Please tell me what you think!
"Does this hurt?" Tony asks as he jabs a sharp object into your side, his eyes never leaving your face.
"OW! Yes that hurts!" You cry out and try to turn away from him. "Asshat," you mutter as he drops the probe onto the metal table with a loud 'clink'.
"Perhaps this isn't the best way to go about checking her over," Bruce mumbles from the corner of the room, watching Tony decide what to poke you with next. "I feel like doing this in a contained environment will end badly."
"What's the matter, big man, afraid I'll break your toys again?" You laugh lightly and shift on the table.
"What?" Tony asks and folds his arms over his chest. The two men exchange a brief, knowing glance. "His toys? Who are you and what have you done with y/n?"
"Tony," Bruce warns quietly. "Maybe she just needs some time to adjust. She was there for awhile and maybe her body developed some new... defenses... to keep her mind from going insane?"
"Are you blaming my sarcasm on the fact that I was kidnapped, held against my will, experimented on, tortured, and not to mention my boyfriend has been the Winter Soldier ever since I got back? Surely that wouldn't turn anyone insane?" You roll your eyes and eye the needles on the table beside Tony. "More?" You are exasperated. Done with the pobes. Done with the testing.
"Listen, y/n, you are acting a bit... different," Bruce says cautiously. "James is coming around slowly, but you...You were never like this before. We have no way of knowing what happened to you in there, or what they did to you. What they gave you... it could have changed your entire make up. We just have no way of knowing -"
"How dangerous I am now?" You interrupt him bitterly. "I assure you. I'm even more dangerous than before." Hopping to your feet, you turn quickly and level both of them with a glare. "We're done for the day." Before either of them can say anything, you turn on your heels and stalk through the double glass doors.
"Well that went well," Bruce mutters under his breath to Tony as they watch you disappear down the hallway.
"Yeah. I'd say it did. She's different now... More... I can't put my finger on it." He scratches his chin and leans against the glass wall, staring off into space.
***
"Nat! Have you seen Bucky? I can't find him anywhere." You jog up to Natasha, who was lying on her back, lifting weights in the training center.
"No I haven't seen him? How did things go this morning?" She asks and drops the weight back onto the bar before sitting up to face you, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead.
"Same old same old. They tried to get me to go all psycho. Tony kept poking me with sharp objects, but nothing. I don't feel the need to... you know... release the energy that I have."
"Do you think you can even control it if you were to release it?"
"I don't know," you answer honestly and sit down beside her on the bench. "But I don't really care. Like, I don't feel the need to hide behind a wall of insecurities, wondering if I'll kill someone if I sneeze in the wrong direction."
"I'll make sure I have a bit more than tissues if you ever get a cold then," Natasha jokes.
"Very funny. I'm going to go find the Soldier before he offs someone. Bye!" you call over your shoulder.
"Try the target range in the basement!" She calls after you. You give her a thumbs up and wait until you are in the stairwell to break into a sprint. Taking the stairs two at a time, you bounce to a stop right in front of the heavy metal door labeled 'RANGE 4'.
"Hello? Anyone home?" You push the door open with your shoulder. A rapid succession of bullets hitting the target at the end of the range causes you to jump and put your fingers in your ears. Should have worn earplugs, you think to yourself and peer around the wall.
Bucky is standing with his feet apart, aiming down the range. Another succession of shots. All hitting the target square in the head. You watch him in silent awe as he reloads and places the gun on the table in front of him and picks up another. He repeats his actions several more times, never missing. Never looking away. "What is it?" He asks finally, his voice deep and gravely.
You jump a little, embarrassed to be caught watching him. "Sorry I didn't mean to disturb you."
"I knew you were there," he states matter of factly.
"Can I shoot one?" you ask shyly and walk up to his large figure, placing your hand lightly on his metal forearm.
He pulls his arm away and loads another glock. "If you want to."
You take the gun he offers you and stand with your feet apart like you watched him do. You had never actually shot a gun before, but Bucky always made it look so easy. You pull the trigger and jump as the explosion of gunpowder echos in the concrete room. The bullet completely misses the target. "Shit," you whisper to yourself and look over your shoulder.
The Soldier is standing directly behind you, expressionless. It reminds you of the first day you met in the Quinjet on the way back from Russia. "You're too tense. You need to relax. Expect the recoil. Expect the bullet. Anticipate," he says quickly and steps behind you. His hands cover yours. He raises the gun and pushes your finger against the trigger. "Ready?"
You nod once and bite down hard on your lip, preparing for the noise and the motion of the gun in your hand as it recoils. Bucky pulls the trigger six times. Each time the bullet hits the mark on the target perfectly. "Again," you say and hand him the gun to reload. Picking up another from the table, you stand and fire 9 rounds into the target. None of the bullets hit the mark, but at least they hit the target.
"Again?" He asks with a slight smirk.
"Again." Handing him the gun, you select another. You develop a system. Firing the rounds, handing the gun to Bucky to reload, and then firing more rounds from a different glock.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Reload.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Reload.
Over and over again. The Rhythm began to feel normal. The glock felt good in your palms. The smell of gunpowder a strange comfort.
"This is therapeutic," you say after you fire another six bullets directly into the targets forehead. Placing the gun on the table, you turn to find Bucky staring at you with an odd expression. "What?"
Before you can say anything else, Bucky has you pinned against the wall with his body. The concrete digging uncomfortably into your back. You can feel every inch of him against you. "I didn't think you could get any more beautiful, but watching you fire my guns..." He pauses for a moment, skimming his nose along the exposed skin of your neck. "You are the sexiest and most deadly thing I've ever seen."
"Is this Bucky talking or the Soldier?" You ask, panting slightly. Heat pooling in your lower abdomen. The Soldier was rough and hard, but never cold. And Bucky was a little softer, but never this bold.
"Both," he whispers and places an open mouth kiss beneath your ear. A smile breaks across your face. "I know this is different and difficult for you, but we're trying. I'm trying," he whispers softly.
"Bucky?"
"Yeah?" His voice nearly breaks as he pulls you into a tight hug. "It's me. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. I knew that 'He' could get you back safely. I was so... Broken. I had just gotten you, and then I lost you. I didn't know what else to do."
"Hey. It's fine. I'm fine. I'm here now. You're here now. Where is..."
"He's still here. It's strange. We're the same person. The same body, but just with two different minds. I don't know how to connect them. To become just one." He sighs and leans back just enough to see your face. His eyes close and he inhales deeply, like he's trying to memorize the very scent of you. "Maybe we can go back to Wakanda and Shuri could find a way."
"I don't care how many different versions of you there are," you mutter quietly. "As long as they're all with me." His lips press firmly to yours, silencing anything else you were about to say.
"Excuse me. Mr. Stark requires your immediate attention in the common room." F.R.I.D.A.Y's voice sounds over the speaker in the range.
"How immediate?" Bucky asks hoarsely. He was fighting to stay in control of himself. You knew just how badly he needed you, because you needed him just as bad.
"Right now, Barnes! You too, y/n. Now!" Tony's voice sounded mechanical and robotic over the speaker. Of course he had overridden the system because you were taking too long.
"Alright, alright!" Bucky lets you go and starts to holster all his weapons. You shove your hands in your pockets and watch him work. His fingers nimbly clicking on the safety and buckling each gun securely into place. "Here." He reaches out to you. A small, black glock in his outstretched palm. "You can keep this one. You've got a nice shot."
"Thanks, Buck!" You beam up and him and secure it to the inside of your waistband, hiding it from view. "Locked and loaded," you tease and turn from side to side. "You can't even tell, right?"
"Nope." He enunciates the 'P' sound and you both smile slightly.
"NOW!" Tony's voice thunders over the speakers again.
Rolling your eyes, you follow Bucky up the stairs. "Maybe we can pick up where we left off?"
"That is a definite possibility."
***
âI donât know what to do about this. About her! Iâm not sure what weâre dealing with. Iâve already got one problem on my hands with the Winter Soldier walking around here, I donât need another potential  H.Y.D.R.A. weapon threatening to implode at any second! I-â
âTony,â Steve says calmly as you and Buck stop in the doorway.
ây/n, IâŠâ Tony starts but you hold up your hand to stop him.
Bucky speaks before you can even formulate what to say next. âThanks, Stark. That was real nice.â His tone is acidic. âNeither of us is a threat, alright? Weâve both had some tough shit to work through, but neither of is is âgoing to implode at any secondâ as you put it. Iâve got it handled. And y/n - â
âBuck? Is it really you?â Steve says and moves to stand in front of the two of you. His eyes never leaving Buckyâs
âYeah, Stevie, Iâm back. I just needed some⊠some time to work through some things,â Bucky admits quietly.
âAlright, Robocop, but you canât sit there and tell me that something isnât different about her. Something isnât quite right with y/n.â Tony rubs his stubbled chin with his fingers and levels you with a cautious glare. âWe just donât know what weâre dealing with, and thatâs not okay.â
âThank you so much, Tony, for your compassionate concern. Anyone else have any concerns about my âwellbeing?ââ You ask venomously, eyes glinting.
âYou have been a little more⊠bold⊠since youâve been back,â Sam mutters cautiously, keeping his voice level and calm.
âIâm just not afraid anymore,â you admit with a shrug. âIâm not afraid of what I am, of what I can do.â
âAnd that right there.â Tony points at you and turns to face the rest of the Avengers. âThatâs what Iâm worried about! Sheâs not afraid of what she could do.â
âThatâs not what I meant, Stark, and you know it! This is just your excuse to send me away again. To keep me out of the mansion for just a touch longer. Why? So you can figure out how to harness my power before H.Y.D.R.A. does?â Your voice is level, quiet, calm. But inside you are a tornado of emotions. Hurt. Anger. Frustration. Betrayal. âI was afraid of myself for so long, but now⊠Iâm just⊠I donât know how to put it⊠At peace with who I am? Maybe thatâs not the right way to put it.â
âSECURITY BREACH. FILES ACCESSED FROM EXTERNAL SOURCE. NOT AUTHORIZED. NOT AUTHORIZED. SECURITY BREACH.â
The sound system blares overhead as white and red lights start blinking.
âH.Y.D.R.A.?â Steve shouts over the alarms.
âOr something worse. Something much, much worse,â Tony shouts back and scrambles to his office as fast as he can, everyone else in hot pursuit behind him.
âWhat could be worse than H.Y.D.R.A.?â Sam calls out as Tony overrides the system and silences the alerts.
His fingers glide over the keyboard of his laptop, eyes searching the screens. âThe government.â
âYou didnât tell Fury about y/n?â Steve asks incredulously.
âNo I did not, Captain. They donât take well to new things! You should know that by now,â Tony retorts and continues to type.
âWhy would they be concerned with me?â
âWell, princess, unlike me and the rest of the team, they truly would like to find a way to harness your power and use it against forces like H.Y.D.R.A. Their hearts are in the right place, they just donât always go about it in the most ethical of ways.â
âMore experiments,â you mutter quietly and grab Buckyâs hand tightly.
âCorrect. Gotcha,â Tony says triumphantly with a final click, freezing the screen in the current frame.
âHello, Tony.â A deep voice sounds from the doorway, everyone turns to look, everyone except Tony. âSeems we have a lot to catch up on.â
âFury! I guess you arenât the only one capable of keeping secrets,â Tony smiles and stands to great the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
âSECURITY BREACH. SYSTEM OVERRIDE. Nick Fury is on his way to your office, sir,â F.R.I.D.A.Yâs disembodied voice comes across the speaker.
âThanks. Youâre just a touch late. Remind me to sell you for parts later,â Tony mutters to the AI system.
âWeâre already in your office, Tony. Sit. All of you. Letâs talk,â Fury says calmly, his eyes landing curiously on you.
Does somebody wanna write a Bucky fic? Involving shovelling snow. Maybe heâs your neighbour and youâre shook at how fast he can clear his property.
But in like a cute way.
Like how his hair would curl around a toque, and his nose and cheeks would be pink from the cold.
