Amazing Art Done By Lightsintheskye! Just Saying Though, Does Anyone Else Get ‘Stranger Things’ Vibes

Some art for my future project:

Saiyan Pride and Prejudice

Murderplier x female reader - Love: The Imaginary Dagger

(A/n: This story was inspired by Loki’s "What is love" quote. I hope you all enjoy it!) ----------------------

Love is a dagger

Murdock never had time for love. His hobby kept him quite busy and his job certainly didn’t help that case either. Being a paid murderer wasn’t easy. The constant thrill of the hunt if his victims ran, the adrenaline rushing through his veins as he slowly tortured and killed them, and the long and arduous process of hiding his presence and evidence from the police kept him on his toes and occupied a good portion of his brain. It never got easier, but that’s what made it so fun so who was he to complain? 

Today was another day and another murder. Murdock was hired by an anonymous man to take out a woman. He was given a brief description as well as some pictures of the man and woman together. She was beautiful, he couldn’t deny that, but a job was a job and he had to see it through. As he roamed the streets of her residencial city, he noticed her across the street. 

The murderer frowned in frusteration. He couldn’t simply shoot her from his position. The streets were rather crowded that day which meant at least one person would see him take out his target. 

He needed to get closer. 

As Murdock quickly crossed the street, he watched as she entered a French style cafe. He rolled his eyes at her choice of dining. That specific cafe was known both for their amazing food, and for their incredibly fake accents. She could’ve done so much better, but that wasn’t for him to decide. Maybe this was his chance.

He quickly entered the cafe, which to his dismay was rather packed. Looking around, he saw plenty of people but not enough seats, and surely no sign of his target. “Bonjour! How may we help you today?” Came an awfully fake French accent and Mudock looked to see a scrawny waiter in a suit vest and pants with dyed blue hair. “Uhh, I’ll take a black coffee please.” He said this out of slight panic, but played it cool on the outside. “Ah, splendid! Would you like cream? Sugar? And are you dining in or ordering to go?” 

“No thanks, and I’d like to dine in, though I don’t see any available seats.”

“You can sit with me! Don’t worry!” A feminine voice interrupted, and both turned to see his target waving at them from her spot in a booth with a beautiful smile. Murdock was shocked. She was even more beautiful in person. The pictures he had been given just didn’t do her justice. Yes (Y/n) (L/n), his next victim, had taken his breath away with only a single sight. 

“Ah magnifique! I’ll get your order ready right away, sir.” Murdock nodded at the man and sat down across from (Y/n). “What’s your name, sir?” She asked, making him tense up slightly. He wasn’t used to his targets being so friendly right away. “My name’s.. Murdock Iplier. What’s yours?” She smiled again, making his cheeks heat up just a little. “My name’s (Y/n) (L/n). It’s nice to meet you.” He already knew her name, but this interaction with her didn’t bother him at all. How many times had he charmed his female victims through conversation only to slaughter them and laugh at their rotting corpses? Too many to count. 

Murdock’s drink arrived soon after and the pair in the booth began to talk. He found himself engaged solely in the conversation, and his thoughts avoided the gruesome topic of his mission. After his cup was empty, (Y/n) excused herself to go to the bathroom and his thoughts returned. 

‘I could put some drugs in her drink.’ He thought, staring at her drink from his side of the table. He contemplated it for a minute, but couldn’t bring himself to pull through. She returned to the table and they returned to their previous conversation, the murderous task once again forgotten.

When the bills later arrived at the table, Murdock paid both of them off much to (Y/n)’s surprise. “Why did you pay for mine?” He smiled at her, internally chuckling as her face donned a slight pink hue. “I owe you for letting me sit with you. It’s the least I can do to repay your kindness.” She looked down with a shy “Thank you.” They left the cafe together, about to part ways when she suddenly turned around. “Hey, uh… Murdock?” He looked at her beautiful being again with a slight head tilt, waiting for her to continue. “Would you.. maybe want to do this again sometime?”  

He was shocked and surprised to say the least but smiled and nodded. “I would like that very much. Would it be alright then if I got your number?” The slight pink on (Y/n)’s cheeks turned into a darker shade and she nodded happily. The two exchanged contacts and left in different directions, his target still very much alive. 

It’s a weapon to be wielded far away or up close. 

Their next meeting turned into another and that third outing turned into many more. Much to his confusion, Murdock began to feel odd around his stalled target. There were butterflies in his stomach when he thought about her, his face became unnaturally warm when he looked into her (e/c) eyes or received a text asking to meet up, and every waking moment was about his lovely (Y/n) in his arms without a worry in the world. He had to kill her. That was his mission and he had to see it through, but much to his confusion, he didn’t want to kill her.

How did this happen? The cold hearted killer, Murdock Iplier, didn’t want to end the insignificant life of his victim? No, he didn’t. He wanted to protect her and that’s what scared him. He wasn’t supposed to gain any actual feelings of affection toward her. She was supposed to be dead. That’s what he was being paid to do. So then why does he keep meeting up with her? Why didn’t he just do this one job and move on with his life? Why did he put it off and take other jobs, completing them without any problem? 

He needed to kill her and he needed to do it now.

After they went out again the next day, Murdock invited her to his home, which was the perfect place to eliminate her without anyone noticing. As he led her to his living room, he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around (Y/n). The night had been rather chilly so she thought it was nice, but in Murdock's mind it could also help with carrying the body away without getting blood stains on the couch. 

They settled down and began to watch a movie. There was a knife nearby, if only he could reach it without her panicking.. the job would be over before he knew it. His arm, as he reached for the hidden weapon, wrapped around her shoulder and his face got close to hers. Both of them blushed heavily at the position they were in, but neither of them seemed to mind it. 

Slowly but surely, they leaned in and their lips met in a warm and sweet kiss. The knife and movie were quickly forgotten as they continued their moment of passion, both of them only separating for quick breaths before coming back for more. This carried on for several minutes before they both finally pulled away, red faced and panting. 

"Murdock.." (Y/n) murmured softly, looking into his chocolate brown eyes as he stared back. Embarrassed, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, feeling her warm flesh meet his flushed cheek. (Y/n)’s right hand ascended to his hair, massaging his head while her left embraced him in a hug. 

He began to pepper small, chaste butterfly kisses on her neck and lower jaw which made her giggle. He was simply relishing in the glory and warmth that was (Y/n)'s embrace without a care in the world. Her melodic voice reached his ears and he smiled. "I love you, Murdock." 

"I.. I love you too." 

That night, once again, his victim left his clutches unscathed. 

Murdock groaned in anger. Why couldn’t he do it? Why didn’t he let himself harm her? He was a cold blooded killer with a heart and soul as black as the coffee he drank, so why couldn’t he bring himself to go through with his job? As he lay down on his couch, the plush cushions still warm from where the two had been together, he realized the horrific truth.

He was actually in love with his victim, (Y/n) (L/n) and there was nothing he could do about it.

You can see yourself in it.

"So, hypothetically, if you wanted to hide a dead body, would you remove the feet of the victim after their hands or would you not take them at all?" 

Murdock looked over at his girlfriend in shock. This was not something he expected to hear from (Y/n) of all people. "Why would you want to remove the feet?" 

"Toes have fingerprints too, right? So if you wanted to make sure that the body couldn't be identified by prints, you would want to cut the feet off too, right?" 

Murdock laughed a bit and leaned forward. "Why would you need to know the answer to this hypothetical question?" 

"I've been really into mystery and Detective shows and novels recently and I was wondering if that was logical." 

He smiled at his lover. "Well, I don't think toeprints are used enough in crime labs nor would anyone have active records of them to keep, so I'd say the answer is no. You could leave the feet, but if you're paranoid enough, sure take em." 

It was these rare moments he could talk about something pertaining to his job without causing a panic. She still didn't know, nor would she ever if he could help it. 

Sometimes, however, he did wonder how she would be as a partner to his work. With her passion for crime knowledge, she could help in so many ways, but alas he needed to keep his dirty work a secret. It was for the best. 

Murdock just wanted to be with her and his job prevented so many happy possibilities from happening. He thought once again about the best way to get rid of her but his heart ached at the mere thought of her being gone. He could never hurt her. How could he hurt the one person who made him feel so alive? The thought of (Y/n) leaving him hurt just as much as the reality that he still had a job to do and telling her would be a one way ticket to heartbreak.

Their one year anniversary was coming up and Murdock dreaded it. One year, no, over one year of putting off what was supposed to be an easy kill and run mission. His employer had reached out to him many times asking why the job wasn’t done yet, but how could Murdock tell him that he was in love with and dating the person he was hired to kill? That night, as he lay in his bed after another date with (Y/n), he silently cried because he finally knew how to kill the love of his life.

It’s beautiful until it makes you bleed.

“Happy anniversary, darling.” Murdock invited her into his home, admiring the beautiful woman in front of him. (Y/n) smiled and gave him a warm and comforting hug. The clock on the wall was ticking, irritating the murderous male. It was another reminder of his limited time. Why was he doing this?

He had made dinner for the two of them, cooking her favorite meal which brought a smile to her face. Murdock’s heart panged painfully in his chest. How many more times would he be able to see that happy face? Nevermind. He didn’t want to know.

After dinner came relaxation and he put some nice music on. The couple cuddled on the couch, relishing in the warmth that they both produced. Murdock wanted to be happy, but he couldn’t be. The clock ticked again, and every click made Murdock feel sick. He couldn’t do this.

But he had to… or else she would eventually find out and leave. He couldn’t deal with that pain. He didn’t want to let her go but he needed to.

As he was untangling himself from his lover, a song came up over the radio and (Y/n) smiled excitedly. “Dance with me! I love this song!” The song was a sappy tune about star crossed lovers who wanted to be together but one of them had to leave the other forever. ‘How fitting.’ Thought Murdock as his hands landed on her hips and her arms wrapped around his neck. 

They gazed into each other’s eyes as the music played, the pair lazily swaying side to side, completely lost in the moment. Murdock knew that one day, this very scene would be his own personal hell. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead and then taking her hands as he knelt down on one knee.

(Y/n)’s look of surprise and happiness made Murdock nervous as he pulled out a small leather box. Opening it up, he produced a beautiful ring, black metal with a small red ruby in the middle. With a dry throat and shaky knees, he spoke.

“(Y/n), I love you. There’s no other way to say it. You’ve impacted my life in a way I could never repay. My life changed forever when you let me sit with you at that cafe. I don’t want to imagine my life without you, so will you marry me?” 

She nodded happily and threw her arms around him, kissing him on the lips. Murdock couldn’t prevent tears from falling as he held his darling. The ring found its new home on (Y/n)’s left ring finger and the two shared their love together. The song was ending and Murdock’s right hand flicked slightly behind her, producing a knife from inside his sleeve. 

With shaky hands and a heavy heart, he drove the blade deep into her back. A small gasp escaped her kiss swollen lips and she looked into his eyes, tears filling her own. “M-Murdock?” she whispered as she fell into his arms, the light leaving her eyes forever. 

He had done it. Murdock Iplier had finally completed his year-long task, but it cost him everything. He cursed himself, hugging the limp body of his lover and crying into her shoulder, wishing he would have taken it back. Why did he do this? He loved her and he killed her. His hands were shaking as he took off the engagement ring and hung it around his neck, right next to his pendant. 

He sadly carried her body down to a special furnace in his basement where he cremated her body. Many hours and with many tears later he took her ashes, placing them in both a fancy box, and a small portion was placed in a small vial which joined the ring and charm on his necklace. 

The murderous man informed his employer that the deed was done, but refused to accept the pay. No amount of money could replace the treasure that he had taken from the world. The world looked so bleak and cold. He could hardly remember the last time he felt like this. The world had seemed so bright and wonderful when she was with him and now his darling, his light, and his world was gone. 

He was alone with no one to blame but himself. His heart, once joyful and light, was heavy and as dark as his preferred coffee. (Y/n)’s last look of betrayal and pain was burned into his memory and as he sat on his couch, realizing that her lightly perfumed scent still lingered on the cushioned seat, he held his head in his hands and cried. 

Love is an imaginary dagger.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!

Thank you to everyone who made 2022 so special. Now, onto 2023 and new adventures!

It took me about 3 hours to make this. This is what quarantine does to someone who has nothing to do, no friends they can see, is homeschooled, and has a bed time curfew of 9:00 PM.

(Btw, the girl in the middle is me)

Bucky Barnes x reader - (Un)Happy Independence Day

The sound of firing guns rang in Bucky’s ears as he ran across the field, occasionally ducking into the yellowed grass and firing his own weapon. Small explosions of dirt from the enemy’s active assault sprayed across his army green uniform, filling his nose with the musky and spicy smells of the earth and gunpowder. His commanding officer shouted commands which were barely audible over the ringing in his ears. 

Looking to the side, Bucky watched as one of his fellow soldiers was shot down. His eyes widened and heart raced as he began to panic. Never once since he enlisted had Bucky regretted joining the army, but now he was beginning to. He could have been home, relaxing and reading a book, or hanging out with his best friend Steve Rogers, maybe he could have been going out on a nice date with a beautiful girl, but no, he chose to join the front lines and potentially lose his life for his country.

As Bucky quickly got on his knees, firing his gun, a large wave of pain flowed from his chest. He had been hit by an enemy bullet. ‘No,’ he thought, lying on the ground as his vision began to fade, ‘It can’t end here. Steve, I’m sorry..’ Everything went black but lit up again just as quickly. Bucky looked around, trying to recognise his surroundings. 

To his horror he finally did.

Bucky Barnes was back in a Hydra Headquarters, strapped into that cursed machine while scientists read words from a book. His head hurt so much and his chest felt like it was on fire as he struggled against his bindings, screaming in agony. His feet slammed against the metal footrest and he shut his eyes, wanting to wake up from this horrible nightmare.

BANG BANG BANG

“Bucky?? Are you okay?? Open the door!”

The winter soldier opened his eyes, falling off of the bed as he woke up. He was back in his room in the Avengers’ tower, his dark gray sheets around him and disconnected from the rest of the bed. From outside, he could hear the sounds of fireworks being shot into the sky by some of the neighbors. The knocking on the door just added to the unwanted noise as the voice of Steve Rogers commanded F.R.I.D.A.Y. do unlock the door and let him in. 

He then entered the room and rushed to Bucky’s side. “Hey, are you okay, I heard you crying out in your sleep.” Steve said, his hand squeezing his best friend’s shoulder in a comforting manner. He then realized what was going on. “Was it the fireworks?” Bucky was shaking underneath his wrinkled sheets and didn’t respond. He was too afraid to speak, even to act because he didn’t know what he would do out of pure instinct. 

“The war is over, Bucky, and Hydra isn’t going to get you. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’m here. You’re safe.” Bucky wanted to believe those words, and for the most part he did, however his time behind enemy lines had messed him up. The sound of fireworks that he used to run toward as a child he now backed away from, as he remembered the sounds of battle and visions of fallen soldiers filled his mind. Bucky didn’t want to seem weak, but here he was about to cry like a child over fireworks of all things. He used to love this time of year, but now he could only stay in his room and pray for it to be over for the next few days.

“Do you want to talk about your dream, Buck?” Asked Steve, looking worriedly at his friend who shook his head. “I.. I don’t feel well. I think I’m just going to try and sleep again and skip the celebration tomorrow.” Steve was saddened by this. Sure, he wanted his friend to be okay, but he really wanted to spend Independence Day with him as well. “All right. You know where I am if you need me.” Steve gave Bucky a tight hug before exiting the room, leaving Bucky alone with the sounds of distant fireworks. 

The next day, the Avengers’ Tower was alive with the hustle and bustle of the Fourth of July. Tony and Steve were arguing over the last donut with red, white, and blue sprinkles, Natasha, Clint, and Peter were setting up decorations, and Bruce Banner worked on some new fireworks for the celebration later that night. (Y/n) (L/n), Vision, and Wanda Maximoff both watched the chaos going on from the kitchen while preparing food for the grill and table. 

“I don’t really understand the concept of Independence Day.” Said Wanda softly, looking at the other two in the room with her. The bickering between the co-leaders of the Avengers stopped and they looked toward the young witch in surprise. “Really?” Asked Tony who took another bite of his donut much to Steve’s annoyance. “Do you want to understand it?” 

Wanda nodded and Steve took the opportunity to delve into his patriotic passion as two of the three decorators rolled their eyes. “Look what you’ve started.” Said Clint, his shoulders shaking with a suppressed laugh as Wanda struggled to keep up with the history lecture that she had unknowingly asked for. 

(Y/n) looked around suddenly, noticing something, or rather someone, was missing. “Hey Steve, where’s Bucky?” Steve stopped talking about the Revolutionary War long enough to answer her. “He was.. Having some trouble sleeping last night and isn’t feeling well so he’s spending the day in his room.” (Y/n) frowned in concern. She hadn’t known her boyfriend wasn’t feeling well and felt guilty that she hadn’t gone to check on him at all. “Vision, you and Wanda can handle the rest of the food, right?” She asked the mechanical avenger who nodded and motioned for her to be off.

It didn’t take long for (Y/n) to reach Bucky’s room and when she did, she knocked gently on the door. “Bucky? It’s me, (Y/n), are you okay? I heard you weren’t feeling well.” From beyond the door she heard a rustle, as if something or someone was moving around, but no one answered the door. “Babe?” She tried again, hoping he would open the door so she didn’t have to. (Y/n) wondered if maybe he was asleep, but was proven wrong when there was a soft reply. “Don’t worry, I’m okay doll, you can go back downstairs. Go enjoy the festivities.” 

There was a hint of sadness in his voice and (Y/n) couldn’t help feeling bad about his condition. “I’m coming in.” She said, opening the door before Bucky could tell her not to bother. There he was, looking healthy as a horse and getting up to try and stop the door from opening. (Y/n) was confused. “Bucky? What’s going on? Are you okay?” 

Bucky knew he had been caught in his lie. He invited her to sit on his bed, thinking out what to say next. (Y/n) looked at him expectantly and suddenly spoke up. “You’re not actually sick, are you?” She said that in a monotone voice, sounding a bit upset. Bucky felt awful. The two of them hadn’t even been together for a year yet, and he didn’t want her to feel obligated to throw away a fun holiday like this for his sake. 

“No. No, I’m not actually sick.” He confessed, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking down. “Then why aren’t you joining us downstairs? We’re going to start up the grill outside on the balcony, maybe get a campfire up and running, and watch the fireworks. Doesn’t that sound fun?” 

It did sound fun, but that’s what made Bucky so sad. After everything he had done, why should he be out there celebrating America’s independence after he worked for Hydra to take over his beloved home country. Why should he celebrate freedom after he had taken so many innocent lives?

 A tight hug snapped him out of his damp mood and his eyes widened to feel tears falling on the back of his hands. He hadn’t even realized he had started crying. Furiously, Bucky wiped at the tears, trying to get rid of them and toughen up. 

“It’s okay, you can cry. I won’t judge you.” Said (Y/n) softly, hugging him tighter and nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. Bucky’s wall of emotions shattered and he broke down. Turning around to face her, he held her in his arms and cried freely. He couldn’t form coherent words as he tried to explain to her why he hid from everyone. She didn’t say anything, trying to understand him as he finally managed to calm down. 

“I just don’t feel welcome. I’ve hurt so many people, heck I’ve killed so many people. I killed Tony’s parents and even tried to kill all of you at one point or another. I don’t deserve to be celebrating with all of you.” He looked at (Y/n) who looked at him with sad eyes. 

“You deserve to be with us as much as anyone else, Bucky. First of all, you didn’t have a choice in the matter during your time with Hydra because you were brainwashed. Second, you’re forgetting who all you’re celebrating with. Tony has indirectly killed thousands of people with the weapons he used to manufacture, Natasha used to be a Russian spy, Clint is technically an assassin, Wanda used to work for Hydra, Bruce is literally a green radioactively-made monster who can take down giant flying carnivorous alien worms,Thor has killed thousands of people because he’s a small-g god, and I work as an agent for SHIELD. You fit right in with us!”

Bucky laughed softly, falling back into her arms. “I guess you’re right..” He murmured but his faint smile didn’t last. “Do fireworks bother you?” Guessed (Y/n), a small puzzle being put together in her mind. “Is that why you had trouble sleeping?” Bucky nodded, feeling a bit stupid for admitting it. “They.. give me nightmares and flashbacks from the war.. And Hydra.. And they keep on going for days because of the Fourth of July.” 

“If there was a way to make the noise disappear from the fireworks, would you go out to see them?” Bucky nodded. “I love fireworks.” (Y/n) smiled happily. “I’ll be right back.” She left his side and Bucky immediately missed her warmth and comfort. He wondered what she could be doing. Bucky prayed that she wasn’t going to tell the others and hugged his knees to his chest anxiously. 

When (Y/n) returned, she was carrying a pair of large black headphones. “What?” Bucky asked in confusion. “They’re noise canceling headphones. I use them sometimes when I go to the firing range for practice. Try them on.” He hesitantly put it on, adjusting the ears to fit his head and he was shocked when all the noise from his room and downstairs disappeared. It was like he was just alone with his thoughts with nothing to interrupt him. 

(Y/n) tried to speak to him but he could hear her. She tried again and this time he told her he couldn’t understand what she was saying, making her laugh as she took the headphones off. “It looks like they work.” Bucky hugged her tight, kissing her cheek happily. “Will you be joining us downstairs? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” She assured him, the question lingering for a second as he considered the option for the first time in quite a while. 

“I’ll be downstairs in a bit. I need to freshen up.” (Y/n) smiled happily and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Alright then! I’ll see you later!” As she left Bucky’s room, he watched her retreating figure with a smile. What did he do to become so lucky that he could have a girl like her?

By the time he had gone downstairs, everyone was already on the balcony. The smell of grilling chicken, burgers, and steak wafted through the air as well as the sound of laughter. When he appeared in the doorway, Steve was the first to catch sight of him, looking at his best friend with a look of absolute shock, not expecting to see him out and about that evening. 

“Ay, Manchurian Candidate, nice to see you!” Called Tony, waving at him from his spot next to his wife, Pepper. (Y/n) looked over at him and smiled as one of Clint’s daughters braided her hair. “There are some sodas and beer in the cooler if you’d like one.” Said Wanda as she drank a Pepsi beside Vision on the couch. Peter was already over at the cooler, grabbing two juice pouches, one for him and one for another one of Clint’s kids. 

As Bucky got settled down nervously between (Y/n) and Steve, his fellow soldier patted him on the shoulder. “I’m happy you could join us, Buck.” 

“You can thank (Y/n) for that. She convinced me that I was welcome.” 

“You’re always welcome. The past is in the past so enjoy the present. It’s not like we have a time machine and can go back to when and where we came from.” Joked Steve and Bucky laughed. 

Two hours later, the fireworks started. (Y/n) was seated comfortably in her boyfriend’s arms as they watched the colorful display in the night sky. Bucky looked down at her, the black headphones placed comfortably on his head and keeping away the loud sounds of the explosions. 

“I love you, doll.” He murmured softly, nuzzling his face into her shoulder as she held onto him with a smile. “I love you too, Bucky. Happy Fourth of July.”

Tony Stark x requested oc Ray Rawls - One Month

-------------

(3rd Person) "Hey, sunshine."

Ray frowned, hearing the smooth yet irritating sound of the iron avenger behind her. "What do you want, Stark?" The rich man walked up to her as she turned around, an annoyed look on her face.

"Same thing as usual, gorgeous." He smiled, placing his caloused hands on her hips. "Go out with me." Ray rolled her eyes, used to this question and its reoccuring answer.

"No thanks, playboy." She took his hands off of her body, not looking away from his shining eyes. Yes, he was handsome, but she wasn't interested.

"Oh come on, that's what you always say. You know that it's only a matter of time before you fall for me."

"Mr. Stark, you know as well as I do that your little fantasy won't ever happen." Tony frowned with an eyebrow raised, resulting in a skeptical look that was quickly returned. "Agent Rawls, report to Director Fury's office. He wants a word with you." Came a voice over her earpiece as she turned to leave. "Copy that."

With those words she left a disappointed Tony Stark behind.

(Tony's POV) "I don't get it." I said, talking to Steve Rogers from across the room. "I've asked her so many times and never given her a reason to hate me. Why doesn't she say yes ready?"

"Sometimes, the person you like just doesn't like you back." He responded, giving me a shrug. "Why do you think this will work? Asking her out over and over again, I mean."

"I think it's some sort of unspoken game between us. Like, how long will the two of us last? I won't give up, because if I do, then I lose and vice versa. If she accepts, she loses."

Steve rolled his eyes, face palming with an annoyed look. "Listen, Tony, I think you're trying to trick yourself into believing she actually is in love with you. I've seen the way she acts around you, and I'm telling you now, she doesn't actually like you."

I leaned on the table with a grin. "But what if she actually is? She's a good actor, I should know. I've seen her in action on missions before. She's really good."

"Stark, please. For the sake of my sanity, just give up already. It's not like if you keep asking then she'll magically like you."

A figurative light bulb turned on above my brain and I smiled, pointing at the patriotic hero. "Actually, that's a good idea. Thanks Cap."

"Wait, I-"

But I was already leaving and happily walking to the training room.

(Ray's POV) Days had passed since I last rejected Tony. He hadn't spoken to or approached me lately, not that I minded it, however that was a little strange. Did he seriously give up?

I began to walk across the glass walkway in SHIELD HQ when I suddenly noticed him on the other side. Before I could walk away, he called out for me. "Ah! Ray, just the person I wanted to see."

"What is it today, Stark?" I asked, crossing my arms in a bored position. Truth be told, it was nice to hear his annoying voice again. "I have a proposal for you."

"If you ask me out again.."

"Go on a date with me-"

"No."

"You didn't let me finish."

"My answer won't change."

"Go out on a date with me, every day for a month. If I can't get you to fall for me by then, I'll stop asking you out and I won't try my shot with you ever again."

I looked at him in surprised. "You can't be serious, right? You really expect me to believe that you'd just never ask me out again? Seems a bit far fetched for you."

Tony looked at me, his eyes burning with determination. "I promise. Stark's honor." He held his hand up like a boy scout which made me roll my eyes, but smile a bit.

"Fine. One month and that's it. After that, we're done." Tony smiled excitedly and gave me a sudden hug, pulling away just as fast and crossing the glass bridge behind me. "You won't regret this! I'll meet you outside the compound at 7!" He called over his shoulder as I watched him walk away.

'What did I just get myself into?'

(3rd Person) Tony had a pep in his step as he walked toward the exit of the building. His mind was moving at so many miles per second as he thought about all the fun dates he had been planning ever since he gained a crush on the attractive agent of SHIELD.

Is it really any wonder that he would fall for her though? She was the most beautiful and amazing girl he had ever seen with her long hair, fitted outfit, and confident stature.

She was completely his type and speak of the devil, there she was. The dress Ray had chosen for herself showed off her figure in just the right way and Tony almost stepped back in shock and awe. Outside of undercover missions, he had never seen her in anything so fancy.

"Ready to go, beautiful?" he asked, offering his arm to Ray in a gentlemanly manner, which to his delight was accepted. "You and I have a fun night ahead of us."

"What do you have planned?"

As Ray looked at her date under the light of the fading sunset, she was suprised to find that she found him incredibly attractive in this kind of outfit. She didn't typically see him in clothes other than casual t-shirts with jeans, the occasional tank top with sweat pants, and the special occasion Iron Man suit he wore out on missions.

Many woman would kill to be the reason he dressed up so nicely and Ray couldn't deny how lucky she felt in that moment. Anyone could see that Tony was clearly excited for their outing and this made his date a little flustered. "Date number one is gonna be a bit more fancy then you're probably used to. Everything's been set up so we have a reservation at this really good Italian restraunt in the city." Bit by bit, Tony was getting her very excited for their outing, not that she'd admit it out loud, but she couldn't stop a smirk from creeping up onto her face. "You really out did yourself, didn't you Stark?"

"Can't have you bored on our first date now can we?" Ray shrugged as she was led away to the fancy black car that Tony picked out as your ride for the night. Electric lights shown through the windows as he drove, the beautiful sight of the city greeting Ray's eyes as she watched everything fall behind them.

As that time, while they were driving, the multi-billionare man couldn't really stop himself from looking at her every so often. Tony still couldn't believe that it had actually managed to get this far with Ray. Of course, he hoped that one day she would agree to at least one date, but he managed to get an entire MONTH of dates. Rarely would he be so dang excited for something like this, but tonight was special and he was gonna make sure that Ray knew how much she really meant to him by the end of the month.

Creating every activity for their outings would be difficult but at the end of the day, he would just be happy to be with her, even if it was as simple as a picnic on a hill. Anything for her, as he had said before, and he meant it. The fact that he was rich definately helped his case.

He hoped to make this a night to remember.

-time skip-

"The look on the waitresses face when you walked in though!" Laughed Ray, the two of them reminiscing their experience during the drive home. "I don't think she knew about the reservation." Tony's presence had caused a bit of panic among the restaurant, but it was hilarious. "Oh yeah, I could've sworn one if them was trying to secretly take pictures, but the flash went off."

Both if them were giddy and had clearly had an amazing time, neither of them quite ready to let the night be over. Over all, the first date went well. The food was amazing (as Italian food typically is), the building was relatively quiet (other than the whispers from the staff) which was a nice change of pace from the busy SHIELD HQ, and they left happy and full.

When they arrived back at the base, Tony led Ray out of the car, arms linked like before. "So," he said as he looked at her, "We have a whole month of this stuff. It won't always be this fancy, but I think you'll have fun."

Ray smirked, looking at the rich man beside her. "We'll see, Stark." Tony then asked a question, his eyes dead serious, yet loving.

"Will you be mine?"

"No."

Her answer was simple and not unusual, still her admirer was a bit disappointed. Just as quickly though, he smiled at her. "Heh, we'll see about that. Good Night, Miss Rawls." He took her hand and kissed the back of it before walking back to his car and driving away.

And so, every day after that for a month, the two of them went out, sometimes at different hours but usually it was within the classic evening date hours. It brought joy to both of them that when they left the date location there would be a sky full of stars waiting for them. It turned out that both of them had a love for the late evening stars and on a few occasions they would spend extra time together just stargazing.

Everyday however, there remained one constant thing. Every day, Tony would ask Ray if she would be his and every day she would say no. Slowly, he was losing hope. The next day would be their last date. Ray never once, despite all his efforts, had said yes to him wanting to be with her officially.

He looked out of the window of his office and thought about what he could do. Nothing really came to mind though. He had done so much with her over the past month. Eating at restaurants, random thrills like skydiving and an amusement park, even the simple things like picnics and going to the beach had already been used. Even through all of those memories, she still refused to be with him.

Tony looked down, feeling sadder than he had in a long time. Maybe Steve was right. If Ray hadn't said yes by now, she likely never would say yes in the future. He had to wipe his eyes to prevent any tears from falling.

'I guess I'll just let her go early.'

Tony picked up his phone, looking at his lockscreen as he turned the device on. It was a picture of Ray in a field, smiling in a red sun dress with the light shining on her so perfectly it took his breath away. He frowned, remembering when he took that picture. On their 15th date, Tony had taken Ray to the beach, and then had a picnic nearby on a grassy piece of land. She looked so happy and he couldn't help but love her even more in that moment.

He couldn't believe he would never get to do anything like that with her again. He tapped his password into his phone and tapped Ray's texting number.

<Tony> We need to talk

It didn't take long for her to reply.

<🖤Ray🖤> No nickname? That's new. What's up?

<Tony> You don't have to go out with me anymore

<🖤Ray🖤> I though tomorrow was the last day

<Tony> It is, but I shouldn't have forced you to go out out me in the first place. I won't bother you again. I'm sorry for wasting your time

<🖤Ray🖤> Tony, you never forced me to do anything. I said I would take your deal. Let's go out one more time. Just for fun. Ok?

Tony was on the verge of tears again. She wanted to see the deal through? No. This didn't mean anything.

<Tony> Alright <Tony> Make sure to dress casual. <Tony> See you tomorrow.

The message was left on [seen], but that was enough for him. The next day seemed to drag on, the coming dread of the final outing eating away at Tony's heart and concious until he finally got in the car to pick her up.

When he arrived, Ray exited her house in comfy navy blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a purple sweater. It was a good look for her.  Heck, he loved her and doubted anything would change that, even if he could never flirt with her or ask her out again. He would always love his darling Ray.

"Tonight will be kind of a simple mish mash if that's okay with you." He said, sheepishly looking at her. His heart skipped a beat as she smiled and nodded.

They went through a Burger King drive through and ordered a ton of food. Afterwards, he drove her to the beach, dark and beautiful in the pale moonlight and stary skies.The two of them set up a picnic blanket and ate their food in a comfortable yet awkward silence.

"I've had a lot of fun this past month." Ray broke the silence and Tony looked up at her and away from his cheese burger. "I don't think I've ever enjoyed a date, or really any past dates as much as the ones you took me on. Thank you for that."

He nodded. "I had fun too. I've never been so serious about a relationship before, so it was a nice change of pace to see the same pretty girl with me every night."

A light pink blush spread across Ray's face at the compliment and they finally got to a normal conversation.

Though the day seemed to be so long before. Their last date went by too quickly and both of them didn't want the night to end. However it wasn't quite over.

As they walked back to the car, two masked thugs jumped out from behind it and began to fire guns at the couple. Ray was hit in the hand and Tony barely managed to dodge. A third man tried to kidnap the multi-billionare only to be kicked in the face by an injured Ray as Tony activated a portable Iron Man glove and shot down the other two.

When they got in the car, which thankfully still worked and drove fine, Tony, panicking, quickly drove to the SHEILD Base for immediate medical attention. Fortunately, the hand that Ray was injured on wasn't her dominant hand so she would still be able to work.

The pair walked out into the main entrance and Ray prepared to leave, but looked at Tony expectantly. "What's wrong?" He asked, looking back at her. "Does it still hurt?"

"No. My hand feels fine. It's just.. you aren't going to ask me?"

"What? Ask you what?"

"If I'll be yours? You always ask me that at the end of a date."

"Oh, well, you always say no, and especially after tonight.. no I don't think I should ask you again."

"Ask me."

"Pardon?"

"Ask me. One more time. The night doesn't feel complete without it."

Tony was hesitant. He didn't want his heart to be broken again. However, she was looking at him so expectantly, he supposed he could just prepare for the inevitable rejection.

"Will you.. will you be mine?"

Tony didn't even wait for a response. He turned away and began to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, the girl he loved was smiling at him with shining eyes. Tony's mind was racing but all his thoughts stopped as she leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss to his cheek.

"Maybe."

With that she turned around and left the building, leaving a stunned and blushing Tony Stark behind.

"What.. what just happened?" Came a familiar voice. As he turned around, Tony noticed Steve watching Ray's retreating figure with a shocked and confused expression.

Tony began to smile and pressed his hand to his warm cheek.

"I won."

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