LOL Yessss!! I Saw Somewhere That The Real Enemies To Lovers Arc Was The Readers And Dain And Honestly,

Sfksfsksfsk noot noot thank you so much!💕💕

Since I can't decide who to write for next and I've got a couple fics in the works for both of them, I'll let yall decide in my very first poll :)

Yet another wonderful piece of work!💕

Wooden Birds Pt2 (John Price X Fem!Reader)

Summary ~ Kate Laswell calls you in to help track down stolen missiles.

Disclaimer ~ I do not own Modern Warfare or any of its characters.

Word Count ~ 8k

Warnings ~ COD violence, blood, injuries, choking (not the fun kind), Mild PTSD,

Modern Warfare Masterlist

John Price Masterlist

Part 1

A/n ~ first 6k words are what I got edited, the rest is just kinda edited. Enjoy

SEMI UNEDITED

••••••

It was the middle of the night when Kate Laswell called you, the loud music playing from your phone causing you to gasp quietly and wake up. The light from your phone screen illuminated the dark hotel room around you and makes you squint while you struggled to read the name on your phone.

“Kate?” You asked groggily as you reached over to flip on the lamp and sit up.

“Y/n, I hope I'm not waking you up?” Kate’s voice sounded from the phone as you held it to your ear.

You rubbed your eyes, “Don't worry about it.” You pushed the white sheets of your body and let the cool air hit your skin, “I assume you're not calling just to catch up?”

“How soon can you get to Amsterdam?”

“Amsterdam? Uh, two maybe three hours.” You leaned back against the headboard and stared at the black screen of the tv at the other end of the room, “May I ask why?”

“I’ll brief you when we meet up, I'll text you the address,” Kate said quickly, a few voices speaking in the background, “Price is already on the ground there with Sergeant Garrick, they'll be meeting up with us.”

You looked over at your bags sitting against the wall, “John? What’s he doing in Amsterdam?”

“Business trip.”

You knew what that meant.

“Send me the address Kate, I'll be there as soon as I can.” You said while climbing off the bed and looking for your pants.

“Thank you Y/n.” Kate said a moment before a text from her with an address, “I'll see you in a few hours.”

So with that, you ended the phone call and began gathering your belongings from where they were scattered around the small room. The only sound to fill the room was the quiet humming of the AC unit below the window, the soothing noise had been what lulled you to sleep only a few hours ago.

You grabbed your duffle bag from the floor and heaved it onto the bed before digging around inside for a change of clothes. You knew if Kate was calling you to meet with her and John it was likely going to involve guns and fighting, so you settled for an outfit that was easy to move in, black jeans and a black short sleeve mock neck.

It had been a few months since you had last seen John, he stayed in contact with you as much as possible but due to the nature of your jobs, you could sometimes go months without seeing or hearing from one another.

You and John were super close, you had been for a long time, after everything the two of you had gone through you supposed it was expected for you to grow closer. Kate Laswell paired you both together frequently because of how well you both worked with one another, a lot of times it was like you didn't even need to speak for the other to understand what they were saying. You worked seamlessly together on and off the field.

Even though you knew you had likely been called to meet Kate and John because something had gone wrong you couldn't help but be a bit relieved that you would get to see him, you had missed him.

After gathering all of your clothes and other items you shoved them all into your duffle bag and ran to the bathroom to wash your face and fix your hair, bedhead never made for the best field hair.

It didn't take long for you to be out the door and check out of the hotel. Your car chirped at the far end of the parking lot as you pressed the unlock button on your keys, your duffle bag hanging from your hand and your backpack slung over your shoulder as you walked toward it.

You check the address Kate had sent you and pulled it up on your GPS, it was a parking garage near the center of Amsterdam, you always did like an obscure meeting location.

•••

“Alright, Kate, what's going on?” You asked as you pushed your hands into the pockets of your denim jacket and walked over to where she was leaning against the wall.

Kate did a quick scan of the area with her eyes, confirming that you were both alone before speaking, “Hassan Zyani, you know him?”

You furrowed your brows, “I know the name, what about him?”

“He has American missiles.”

The loud bustling of the streets outside was flowing around the garage as you leaned back against the door of your car.

“How the hell did he get those?”

Kate shrugged, “I don't know, what I do know is he's using Narcos to smuggle things through Amsterdam, John found out where they're having a meeting and he's headed there now.”

“He’s been busy.” You raised a brow.

Kate pushed off the wall and walked to her van that was parked beside you, “You're meeting him at Cafe Gracht, that's where the meeting is happening, Kyle and I are going to move in and take care of any cartel guards in our way.” She slid open the door on the side of the van, “Once we get our guy we’re getting out of here so we can get some answers from him.”

Kate turned back to you and handed a silenced pistol to you, “Cafe Gratch? It close?” You turned the weapon over in your hand before tucking it into the waistband of your pants and pulling your jacket over it.

“Just around the block.”

“Laswell!” A male voice came from the other end of the garage causing both you and Kate to turn your heads toward it.

You smiled when you saw Kyle walking toward you, “Gaz! It's been a while.” You greeted him with a wave as he walked over to you both.

Kyle walked up beside you and smiled, his elbow moving out to nudge your side in greeting, “Alright ladies?”

The contact made your body tense up and caused you to instinctually lean away from him.

You had a weird relationship with physical touch, you didn't always recoil from it, but after what happened in Russia whenever someone touched you whether it was an accident or not it made your skin crawl and your head roar.

“Keeping the captain out of trouble Gaz?” You raised a brow at him.

He grinned, “I try my best.” He shrugged.

“Anything else I need to know Kate?” You looked back at her.

She glanced down at her watch, “Their meeting is in fifteen minutes, you should get going.” She handed you a small earpiece, “Keep in contact.”

You nodded and put the earpiece in, “See you guys soon.” You waved at them both before turning on your heel and walking off toward the busy streets outside.

Amsterdam was a beautiful place, you had been here many times over the years but you had yet to come for anything other than business.

You remembered when you were little your father would tell you stories about all of the places he would visit when he was in the military. You always thought it was so cool that he got to go to so many different places, and now here you were following in his footsteps and you couldn't help but wonder if he would be proud of you or not.

As you walked your eyes scanned the streets around you, your gaze settling on every face that you passed trying to assess whether or not they were a threat. The weight of the gun under your coat makes you all too aware of how exposed you are on the streets should something go wrong.

“John, Y/n, comms check.” Kate’s voice sounded in your ear.

You glanced around once more before speaking, “I hear you.”

“Copy Kate.” John’s rough voice followed yours.

You looked around but you had yet to see John anywhere among the crowds, “I'm almost to the cafe John, where are you?”

“Turn around.”

You froze and whirled around, your eyes settling on the familiar face, “I hope you weren't planning on sneaking up on me John.” You frowned as you stood still and waited for him to catch up to you.

“I wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart.” He gave you a small smile before stopping in front of you.

John knew how you were about people touching you, so he never initiated it because he knew sometimes you just didn't like it, even from him. Something about John though never bothered you, so more often than not you would greet him with a quick hug that he would gladly return.

You smiled and moved forward, wrapping your arms around his torso and squeezing him tight. John’s arms moved around your back as he squeezed you right back, the hug only lasted for a couple of seconds before you both pulled away from each other and John started walking.

“Kate brief you?” He asked while down over at you.

You nodded, “Missing merchandise?”

“Correct.”

You could feel John’s eyes on you as you walked into the small square and headed for the cafe across the way, his gaze burning into the side of your head as you approached the tables outside. John moved ahead of you and pulled the chair out for you, a quick grin flashing across his face as he moved to the other side of the table and sat down.

“Nice cafe Kate.” You spoke while looking across the table at John, acting as if you were just speaking to him.

“We’re in position watcher.” John said as his eyes drifted over to the table beside you, “two at the table to my three o'clock, one cartel and one Iranian.”

You followed his gaze and noted the men he was talking about.

“How cozy.” Kate said, “What are they up to?”

“Transaction of some kind from the looks of it.” You said while crossing your ankles in front of you under the table.

“Electronically?” kate asked.

“Affirm.” John clasped his hands together on the table.

“They're paying the cartel for something.” Kyle chimed in.

You nodded even though he couldn't see, “We need to figure out what.

“Security?” Gaz asked again.

You noticed John’s eyes move behind you and scan around the square, “Several.”

“I'll deal with them.”

You smirked.

“Well don't take all the fun eh?” John raised a brow.

“Copy, coming your way now.”

You looked across the table and made note of the small changes to his appearance, his beard was trimmed differently than it usually was and he had switched out his usual bucket hat for a grey beanie.

While you kept your eyes on John and the scenery around you both you kept all of your focus on the table to your left, the men sitting around it were talking rather loudly about their plan to move cargo later on tonight.

“0-6, sitrep?” Kate spoke after a few minutes of silence on their end.

John turned his head away from the men when he spoke, “Talking timeline.”

“When are they moving?”

“Tonight.” You told her.

A sigh could be heard through the comms before she spoke again, “Stay on ‘em, we need to know what it is and where it's going.”

“Copy.” John looked over at you with his brows lowered.

You glanced around at the other people around you, a lot of civilians, too many casualties if this went south.

As you listened to the men beside you talk your stomach sank when you heard them mention their cargo, Hassan Zyani headed for the US. A quick glance across the table to meet John’s eyes was all you needed to know he had heard it too.

“Watcher 1.” John looked away from the men, “The cargo is human, one VIP bound for the US.”

“Who John?”

You brought your clasped hands up to rest in front of your mouth, “Major Hassan Zyani.” You informed her.

Kate cursed, “That means he's in Mexico.” Her and Gaz exchanged a few words before she continued, “We need to roll up our cartel friend for a talk.” You knew what kind of talk she meant.

John eyed you carefully, “If Hassan gets a missile anywhere near the US there will be a death toll.” John warned.

“There’s guards all over him, what's the call?” Gaz asked.

You looked around at the crowded square, “There could be more guards here that we don't know about.”

“There’s no time to case the area.” Kate said, “We need a distraction.”

John raised a brow, “I've got something.”

You borrowed your brows and looked at him.

“Meet at the cafe Gaz.” He leaned back against the back of his chair.

You glared over at him with a silent question that he refused to answer as Gaz rounded the corner and walked up beside the table.

John reached his hand under the table and looked up at Gaz, “Take it.”

“The bloody hell is this?” Gaz asked as he grabbed the decoy grenade from his hand.

You weren't even going to ask John why he had that with him.

“Decoy grenade, it'll work,” John told him, “Price to Laswell, let's kick this off.”

As Gas walked away you raised a brow at John, “I don't think I want to know why you had that with you.”

A moment later Kate spoke again, “When panic starts to spread that's when the cartel moves in.”

“And that’s where we come in.” You added.

You sat back in your chair and waited for the chaos the erupt, your eyes bouncing around to look at different people as you tapped your fingers along your thighs.

“You ready Y/n?” John asked quietly as he stood from his chair.

Before you could respond the loud sounds of the decoy grenade came from the alley Gaz had taken it.

“That's our queue.” You sighed and stood.

People around you had begun to panic after hearing the loud noise, men and women getting up from the cafe and moving to leave along with the cartel members. So, you and John moved to follow behind him as Gaz informed you he was on his way.

You pulled your gun from your waistband and moved up on one of the guards while John went for your target. The guard you were going for turned around but before he could react you drove your elbow up into his nose and fired a shot into his chest, dropping him to the ground.

John grabbed the man he was going for and held his gun to his back, “Shut your mouth, follow me.” He hissed in his ear.

“Watcher, package is secure and we are headed your way.” You spoke into your ear while stepping behind John to watch his back as he lead the man forward.

Two men ran around the corner of a building with their guns drawn and you immediately raised yours, “John, move now!” You yelled back at him as you fired at the two men, “Gaz give him cover!” You ducked behind the tree along the street and shot at another cartel member.

John pushed the man behind a trash can and ducked with him, “Watcher-1 we are taking fire, three hostiles to our south!” John’s voice boomed in your ear as you shot at another man, your bullets hitting their mark and dropping him to the ground.

The three of you successfully took out the cartel members by the time Kate spoke again, “Alright you guys, police are on their way and they're three minutes out. We need to wrap this up.”

You noticed the SUV pull up down the street with Kate in the driver's seat and hauled yourself to your feet. Your knee aching slightly from where you had dropped onto it while shooting and you were sure it would be bruised later.

John pushed the man down onto the ground and climbed on top of him, using his legs to hold his arms at his side while he called for Gaz to bring the syringe he had.

While they took care of him you kept your eyes on the square, most of the people who were there had run as soon as the gunfire started but there were still a few that hung around and made you a bit nervous.

“Y/n, let's go!” John called from behind you.

You turned around and saw John and Kyle drag the now unconscious man to his feet, both of them draping his arms over their shoulder so they could move him toward the SUV Kate had brought. You ran in front of them while tucking your gun away and opened the back door so the guys could put the man in the back seat.

Once he was in the seat Gaz moved around to the other side and climbed into the back row of seats while John told you to take shotgun and he sat next to your new friend.

“Good job everyone.” Kate looked over at you and then back at the guys before speeding off down the street, “We need to find where they're moving Hassan and intercept him.”

You settled back in your seat and rubbed your palm over your knee.

“We’ll wake him up and have a little chat,” John said from behind you.

“How do you know he’ll talk?” Gaz asked from the back seat.

Kate let out a breathy chuckle, “I can be very persuasive.”

•••

You hate to admit it but this was far from the first time you found yourself in a warehouse with a man tied to a chair, it was a shockingly regular occurrence for you.

The cold metal of the shipping container you were leaning against had bled through your coat onto your back sending a chill down your spine. Your arms were crossed over your chest and your eyes were fixed on the man tied to the chair, his head drooped forward and his chin pressed against his chest.

“How long is that stuff supposed to last Kate?” You asked while keeping your eyes on the man.

Kate looked up from where she stood next to John, the two of them going over a few things on her laptop.

“Shouldn't last too much longer.” She told you.

John left her side and walked over to you, his posture straight as he stopped in front of you, “You want to go keep watch outside?” He asked quietly, keeping his voice low so only you could hear him.

You looked behind him at the man slumped over in the chair, “That alright?”

He nodded, “Yeah, the three of us can handle it.”

“Thanks.” You gave him a short smile, “How did Hassan get the missiles?” You changed the subject.

“Don't know, right now Shephard is only worried about getting them back,” John explained.

You scoffed, “General Shephard.” You pushed off the wall you were leaning against, “Who else do we have on this?” You raised a brow at him.

“Sergeant MacTavish and Lieutenant Riley.”

“Soap and Ghost eh?”

John crossed his arms over his chest, “They're the ones who found the missiles.”

“John, you ready?” Kate spoke up from behind you both.

John studied your face for a moment longer before turning away from you, “Let's talk to our new friend yeah?”

You excused yourself and walked out of the warehouse just as the man’s screams started to echo around the building. You set your gaze on the small stack of crates outside the door and walked over to sit on top of them, the sounds inside the warehouse dulling when the door clicked closed behind you.

Crossing your legs in front of you, you leaned back against the metal wall behind you. You tuned out the sounds of the screaming inside as best you could but no matter how hard you tried you could still hear it.

Despite the cold temperature outside your skin still started to feel clammy, your chest feeling hot as you pressed your head back against the wall. You quickly slipped your jacket off so you were left in just your shirt, your arms now exposed to the chill air making your body start to cool down.

You sighed and looked down at your arms, your eyes landing on the large indent along your forearm. The pale scar in the shape of a bite mark was a permanent reminder of why you couldn't handle interrogations anymore.

The first time you had been present for an investigation after what happened in Russia had been a complete shit show.

It was nearly a year after you had been cleared for field work again, your mission was infiltrating a terrorist cell with a group of men. Everything went perfectly and you had your man, but soon as the interrogation started and the man started screaming it was like your mind just shut down and all you could think about was being back in that room with Barkov.

You had been sent back to base and weren't allowed back in the field for another month when the shrinks cleared you again.

John knew all about how much interrogations affected you, so whenever he was there he made sure to excuse you from them.

Absentmindedly you started running your fingers along the large dented scar on your arm, the uneven texture beneath your fingertips allowing you to take your mind off of the man inside and the way he was screaming.

Your eyes scanned the area around you, the large stacks of shipping containers and the water that ran alongside the warehouse, the dock had been mostly empty when you arrived which was why you settled on this location.

Slow even breaths fell from your lips as you focused on the cool air around you and let your eyes wander around the docks. The stacks of shipping containers acted as walls around you and blocked your view, but they also blocked you from the view of others.

The door opened to your left and your eyes snapped over to it only to see Kyle walking out with his hands raised slightly.

“Didn't mean to startle you.” He cringed slightly.

You waved him off, “Don't worry about it,” You assured him it was fine, “How are things in there?” You nodded toward the wall.

“Kate was right about being persuasive.” Kyle’s eyes flickered down to your scarred arm, “Price sent me to come and get you.”

You nodded and hopped down off the crate, swinging your jacket over your arm to cover the scar from view, “They get what we needed from him?”

He held the door open, “Yes ma'am.”

“Good.”

Following Kyle inside your eyes landed on the man who was once again unconscious in the chair, this time he was covered in sweat and his hands were bleeding, you pulled your eyes from him and looked at John.

“Well?” Your voice bounced around off of the metal containers.

John walked over to you, “They're taking Hassan across the border tonight.” He explained.

You frowned, “We can't get there in time, do we have anyone stationed there we can trust?” You looked back at Kate who was already on the phone me with someone.

“Laswell knows someone.” John noticed your jacket slung over your arm, “You alright?”

Kyle must have taken that as his queue to leave because he walked over to join Kate.

“I'm good.” You nodded.

John knew you better than that though, “How much did you hear?” He stepped closer to you so he was blocking the man in the chair from your view.

“Enough, I'm good though.” You put on a smile, “don't worry.”

“You sure?” He motioned to the way you had your arm covered.

You nodded.

•••

Everything that happened in the next twenty-four hours seemed to go by in slow motion even though you were rushing around for most of it.

Kate had enlisted the help of an old friend of hers, Colonel Alejandro Vargas with the Mexican special forces. Shepherd had sent Soap and Ghost to met up with Colonel Vargan in Las Almas where they had tracked Hassan.

Hassan was holed up in a cartel safe house and after a run-in with the Mexican army who was working with The cartel, the group finally managed to capture Hassan and get him into their custody along with the help of Shadow Company.

After questioning Hassan in the middle of nowhere and going through everything on his phone the guys, unfortunately, had to let Hassan go after Kate told them to. Keeping him would have been taken as an act of war and that was not something that they wanted. So ultimately Hassan was released after everything they went through to get him.

His phone did prove to be useful however and you were able to find out about an old fish hatchery that was being used by the cartel as a smuggling front.

Kate had formulated a plan for infiltrating the hatchery, she would be out in the water on a boat while You, Kyle, and John were on the ground. From the boat, Kate would be able to watch the coast for them and provide exfil when you were ready.

John had pushed back against her a bit, the idea of Kate being left alone not sitting well with any of you. So, you volunteered to stay on the boat with her, and that was enough to ease John’s nerves.

Before you set off for the hatchery John had pulled you aside his hand loosely holding your arm for a second before he dropped it, “be safe out there yeah?” He looked down at you.

You nodded, “I will if you will.”

“Deal.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to the top of your head before quickly pulling back, “See you on the other side.”

With the lingering feeling of John’s lips on your skin, you and Kate went on your way while John and Kyle went their own way.

“Watcher 1 to bravo, we’re in position half a click off the coast, and the structures are visible. What's your status?” Kate asked as she stared down the scope of her gun at the coastline.

You shifted your hips so you were resting on one knee as you held your own gun in your hand, your eyes moving to look down the scope at the various structures on the hill.

“We are set at our firing point, eyes on a pair of armed targets hiding in the field.” Price’s hushed voice came through your earpiece.

Kate leaned away from her rifle, “You're green-lit, execute when able.”

“Stand by.”

The two of you waited in silence for the guys to check in again, nearly a minute went by before you spoke.

“Bravo, what do you have?” You moved your scope to the top of the hill, “Bravo how copy?” You spoke again.

“Solid Watcher, two down,” John said.

Kate nodded, “copy that, move forward, and see what you can find.”

As the two of you waited on the boat you kept your eye on the hatchery where several armed cartel members were milling about, you made note of the few unarmed civilians you saw as well. There were three main structures along The hill, two large warehouse-like buildings, and the lighthouse that was closer to the top of the hill.

“Bravo-6, what's your status?” Kate asked again, she wanted to keep close tabs on the guys since they were on their own up there.

“We’ve got transports moving north of our position,” John informed her.

“One of them is hauling a container, it may have the missiles.” Kyle chimed in.

Both you and Kate shared a look, “Copy, that's what we’re here for.” Kate stepped away from her gun and let it rest along the railing, “We are moving along the coast for a better view, stay on it.”

You leaned back on your heels as Kate moved to the controls, the engine of the bit roaring to life a moment before she drove it farther up the coast and closer to the lighthouse.

As you waited you listened to John and Gaz talk, the two of them bouncing back and forth about different reasons why cartels and terrorists would be working together.

“What’s the common ground?” Kyle asked

You leaned back against the side of the boat, “Territory and fresh blood, they can both help each other out.” You explained.

“They both attract the youth, always a long line of new recruits.” Kate said as she turned the boat off again and walked back to join you on the floor.

You looked up at the cloud-covered sky, your eyes finding different shapes in the clouds before you turned your attention back to the coast. You noticed the trucks that John had mentioned earlier coming up over the top of the hill and heading down toward one of the buildings.

The sound of the water lapping against the side of the boat reminded you of the white noise you would play to help yourself sleep sometimes. After all the years you had spent sleeping on base and sleeping around other people you had grown used to the noise and often found yourself unable to fall asleep if it was quiet.

“I think it's going to rain Kate.” You hummed as you pulled away from your scope once more.

You saw her look over at you out of the corner of your eye, “What makes you say that?”

“My arm is tingling.” You deadpanned.

She stared at you, “Seriously?”

You smirked, “No, look at the clouds.”

Kate sighed loudly and you knew she was rolling her eyes, “Smart Alek.”

“Laswell?” Kyle spoke through the comms.

Kate sat up on her knees and pulled away from her rifle, “Talk to me, Garrick.”

“You done this before?”

You furrowed your brows at the question.

“Mmm, many times sergeant, since you were in diapers.” Kate hummed.

You it back a laugh.

“Well, in fairness, he was probably potty trained by then Kate…” John said, and you could tell he was smirking slightly just from his tone.

“Still am sir.” Kyle chuckled.

You grinned, “Remind us to check your ghillie suite when we are done eh? Yours too John.”

“You're on Y/n.”

“This is going to be in my final report you know.” Kate reminded you.

•••

“Watcher this is Bravo, we are moving into the tunnel now.” John informed you.

You leaned back in the seat behind the boat’s controls, “Be careful you two.”

“Remember, we are a small team so if they call in reinforcements it goes real bad real quick.” Kate cautioned.

“Just get down in those tunnels, check around for the missiles, and get out alright?” You rested your rifle across your lap and eyed the water around you with wary eyes.

“Copy that.” John said before the comms went silent again.

Both of the main hatchery buildings had been empty, the only thing Gaz found inside were some blueprints of a tunnel system beneath the lighthouse. So, that's where he and John were headed.

On the horizon, you noticed a handful of boats heading straight for you and waved Kate over.

“Watcher to Bravo, be advised multiple boats approaching our position,” Kate said while keeping her gaze on the boats.

“You need help?” Kyle asked.

You furrowed your brows, “could be fishermen, stay on mission you two.”

Slowly the group of boats got closer and closer to your position, you and kate quickly stowed your weapons out of view in case they were just fishermen but kept them within reach in case they weren't.

You counted three boats altogether.

“Moving down to the next level of tunnels, you two okay?” John asked after a few minutes of silence.

Kate leaned against the wall beside you, “Boats are still closing, no trouble yet.”

A long sigh could be heard from John through the comms, “I don't like this.”

You looked down at your boots, “Comes with the job I'm afraid John.” You sighed, “We’ll be fine.”

Keeping your eyes on the boat you couldn't help but notice the sinking feeling in your stomach, it was like something was trying to tell you that something was wrong.

As the boats got closer you noticed the men on board, all of them armed.

“Kate, I think we have problems here.” You looked over at her.

John spoke through the comms to tell you the cave they found was empty and you could see the frustration in Kate’s eyes.

“We are directly across from that cave John, we’ve got trouble out here.” She told him while you moved to grab your rifle again.

“Boats are closing in, looks like AQ.” You cursed and moved to duck below the edge of the boat just as the gunfire started from the boats.

Two boats came up on either side of yours and men started jumping on board, you fired at them and dropped two before a man came up behind you and grabbed you. A loud grunt left your lips as you pulled the knife from your belt and swung it backward sinking the blade into his head and causing him to loosen his hold on you.

Once you were free you pulled your knife from his head and turned to find Kate, your eyes landed on her being picked up by two men and pulled onto their boat.

“Kate!” You yelled and moved to grab the pistol the man had dropped.

You fired at one of the men holding her when a sharp pain went through the side of your arm as a bullet grazed your skin, you continued to shoot until the gun ran out of ammo and Kate was out of view.

Another pair of arms wrapped around you and held your arms tight against your side so you could fight back, you moved to drop your weight forward to the ground in an attempt to throw them off of you but an arm wrapped aroud your neck and squeezed.

You reached behind you and tried to claw at your attacker's face to get them off of you but it was no use, they only squeezed harder.

Black spots floated around your vision as you fought to stay awake, John’s voice echoing in your head as he yelled at you through the comms.

The last thing you heard before your vision went black was him cursing and calling your name again.

•••

They were taking you to Al Mazrah, that much you had gathered in the short periods that you were conscious. You hadn't seen Kate since they grabbed her from the boat and you were beginning to worry they had killed her.

You were less worried about yourself and more worried about her as they loaded you up into the back of an armored truck with three armed guards, all of whom had guns pointed at you.

You knew all too well that if they got you across the border into Al Mazrah you would likely never be found, that fact sat like a ton of bricks in the pit of your stomach.

As you sat with your hands cuffed to the floor you stared at your wrists, the old scars wrapped around them in the same place the cuffs sat earning your whole attention. You forced your mind to go somewhere else as the men around you shattered back and forth in Arabic, your knowledge of the language wasn't the best but you were able to make out that they were talking about you.

It didn't take long for you to zone out completely as you stared down at your wrists, your mind working on overdrive to try and figure out a way out of your current situation. Any solutions you worked up ended with you getting shot and killed.

Your breathing was slow and even as you reminded yourself how to breathe, your mind took you anywhere but where you were squished between two armed men.

The truck around you bounced around as it drove over the bumpy ground, the men beside you continuously pressing against your arms making you tense up.

The truck was too small.

Too cramped.

You counted slowly in your head as your breathed to keep yourself calm.

Inhale, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Hold, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Exhale, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

You repeated this over and over in your head like it was your mantra, the simple act of breathing slowly being enough to keep your mind and body calm.

The sound of the truck engine roaring around you was an almost soothing sound, it helped to calm your mind as you breathed.

From the front of the truck, you heard the driver yell back at the three men who were with you, something about rebels moving in from the north.

You furrowed your brows and listened closely to what they were saying, you could only make out bits and pieces of their conversation but you gathered that the Urzikstan rebels were moving in on the caravan.

Farah.

You straightened your back and stared at the man across from you, your eyes dropping to his gun.

“What are you looking at?” He hissed while looking down his nose at you.

You knew that if Farah was coming it was likely because John had enlisted her help, that fact alone gave you a bit of hope that you would get out of this.

A loud explosion sounded from somewhere at the back of the caravan, the force of it shaking the truck around you.

The guards at your sides tightened their grip on their guns as you felt the truck lurch forward and speed up, Farah’s forces were closing in.

You tilted your head up and bit back the pained grunt that caught in your throat, the skin around your neck was still sore from being choked on the boat and you were sure it was bruised as well.

The sounds of motorcycles outside the truck earned your attention as well as the guards, their eyes moving back to look out the small windows along the truck before giving each other nervous glances.

They were afraid, that much was clear.

You gently pulled up on your arms to test the cuffs, the chain attached to the floor pulling the metal down against your skin. You tugged a little harder and noticed the slight give in the chain, the cuffs loosening up just slightly but it was enough to tell you that if you pulled hard enough you could break the chain loose from the floor.

As the truck made a sharp turn you were forced to lean against the man beside you, your mind recoiling at the contact and you forced yourself to sit upright.

The truck sped up once more and the roaring of the engine grew louder and louder, and so did the gunfire and the explosions.

You knew the truck was getting closer to the border and that meant time was running out, John and Farah could follow you over it.

You barely had time to process what was happening when the truck was hit by another vehicle, the force of the impact was enough to push the truck up onto one set of wheels and tip it onto its side.

The men around you cursed loudly as you were all thrown forward, the action making your wrists pull against the chain hard enough for it to break away from the floor and the chain dropped against your head.

You didn't waste a single second and immediately moved to grab hold of one of the guard's rifles, as soon as the weapon was in your cuffed hands you shot at the man in front of you.

The sound of the man’s cries being cut short as you shot him in the chest filled the truck as the other two guards scrambled for their weapons. You were faster than them though and pushed yourself upright so you could aim at them, two of your shots hit their mark and dropped one of the guards but the other one already had his hands on a gun and fired at you.

The bullet hit your shoulder and you cried out in pain as you kicked your legs out, your boots connecting with his stomach and knocking the wind from his lungs. This gave you enough time to move forward and swung another hit at his face.

The man cursed at you under his breath as he grabbed your leg and pulled you toward him. You swung the chain still connected to your handcuffs and wrapped it around his neck, you used what little momentum you had to push him back with your knees and move so you were behind him.

With the chain wrapped around his neck, you grabbed a hold of it and pulled as hard as you could, the chain slowly tightening around his neck as he clawed at it to try and free himself. You kept pulling on the rope as blood dripped from your shoulder, your knees pressed against the man’s shoulder blades as you held your breath.

You kept pulling on the chain even after his body went still, his chest stopped rising and falling and his face was turning blue.

The bullet in your shoulder started aching as you loosened your grip, your eyes snapping toward the door at the back of the truck as voices sounded outside and started I open it.

You pushed the man off of you with your legs and grabbed a hold of the rifle next to you. Your body moved before your mind could catch up with it as you aimed down the site at the door of the truck.

The light pouring into the truck when the door opened made you squint, your gun still raised as you stared at the familiar face in front of you.

Kyle holstered his own gun and held his hands up in front of himself, “Hey, you're good.” He said gently before glancing off to the side, “Captain! I found her.”

Your breathing was still heavy as you lowered your gun but kept it held firmly in your hands.

John came into view and his eyes softened as he took in the bodies laying around you, “Hey, Y/n, put the gun down okay?” He said softly as he ducked and climbed into the sideways truck, his hand held up in front of him as he moved.

You dropped the gun on the ground and stared at John, “Kate, you have to get Kate.” You said, your voice hoarse from the pain in your throat.

“She's fine, we got her.” John said while motioning for you to move toward him, “Come on, we need to get outta here before more AQ soldiers come.” He explained while reaching out and grabbing your arm.

You immediately flinched and pulled your arm away from him, a silent apology lying behind your tired eyes.

“Want me to get those cuffs off of you?” John asked quietly while moving his hand to his vest where he always kept a set of keys for them.

You nodded and held your arms up.

He took extra care while unlocking the cuffs to make sure he didn't touch you, he didn't take it personally because he knew you would be on the for a while before you calmed back down.

“Captain, we need to move,” Kyle said from where he was standing outside the truck.

John hovered behind you as you moved past him, his eyes staying on you and his arms out ready to steady you should you need it.

Your shoulder was throbbing as you climbed out of the truck and a good up straight.

“You take all three of them out?” Kyle asked as he stepped up beside you, he let his distance though and you appreciated it.

You nodded while searching behind you for John, “The truck tipped and gave me an opening.” You explained.

“She’s good at holding her own.” John stepped up beside you and must have given Kyle a look because the sergeant excused himself to go load up in one of the vehicles.

John stepped in front of you and moved in as close as he could without touching you, “You alright?” He asked while scanning your face, his eyes lingering on your bruised neck for a few seconds longer.

Your eyes dropped to his chest and you inhaled slowly before nodding, “I will be.” You said quietly.

“We’ll get back to base and get you patched up, that sound good?” He dipped his head so he could look at you.

You nodded and reached your hand out to grab his pinkie, the small bit of contact was enough for you to feel safe.

It wasn't until the car ride back to Farah’s base that the events of the last few days finally caught up with you, the exhaustion you had felt ever since Kate called you that night in your hotel finally taking its toll on you.

You were sitting in the back seat of a truck next to John and your head was resting against his shoulder as you slept soundly, John kept his eyes on you as you slept and watched the way your shoulders moved as you breathed.

He would never admit it to you or anyone else but when you were taken on that boat he was scared, he was terrified he would lose you and he didn't know how to handle that.

You meant more to John than he had ever told you and the idea of losing you terrified him.

Taglist ~ @nightingale-ghost-writer @simonea27 @dyzlks @iccedays @chaoskrakenuwu @untoldshortsofthefandoms @exhaustedpotat0 @mysticcandydeer @captainpricemybbg @toastbrot8410 @u-wakatoshii @mikasakuchiki @reiya-djarin @cold-blooded-girls @joceymoo @smoggyfogbottom @1234ilikecowsthanyoumore @scaredknight @swissy23

Omg how are you Geeky??!!🥺 @historygeekfics

Tis The Season

Summary: John helps you decorate the house for Christmas

Pairing: John Price x wife!reader

Word Count:

Warnings: none just fluff :)

A/n: here is my first ever fic for our man John Price! I really hope you enjoy this :) if you have any requests please send them my way I love writing for these boys! As always be aware of typos! Feedback is always appreciated :)

John fiddled with the lock on his front door, juggling his duffel bag and the bouquet of flowers he had gotten for you. He slid the key into the lock and heard it click before stepping inside and locking the door behind him. John toed off his shoes knowing you don't like shoes on in the house. He tossed his keys into the bowl by the front door and his duffel bag made a thump as he dropped it by his shoes. He heard soft Christmas music drifting throughout the home you shared and he smiled to himself.

"Love?" He asked, noticing boxes sitting around his living room and his kitchen bar counter. The boxes had labels that read things like "Christmas lights" and "tree ornaments". "Darlin' I'm home," he called out. He heard a thump coming above him and heard you grunting and he made his way to the attic, seeing the ladder down. He saw your face appear over the side and smile down. "John! You weren't supposed to be home yet!" You said. "Yeah I got done early wanted to come home and surprise you," he said, his thick accent rumbling in his chest. "Did you move the boxes down the ladder by yourself?" He asked.

"Yeah I wanted to get it done before you got here. You weren't supposed to be here for another couple of hours Bear," she said and John caught himself smiling at the little term of endearment you had for him. "Okay well I can help you I don't want you to hurt yourself," John said. "No babe it's okay. Why don't you go shower? I've already laid some fresh clothes on the bed for you," you said, coming down the ladder. "Thank you for the flowers they're beautiful," you added, giving him a peck on the cheek before taking them to put them in a vase. He noticed you were wearing his shirt and boxers and smiled, remembering when he was trying to find that shirt before he left.

John stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped securely around his waist. He noticed the fresh clothes his wife had laid out for him and his heart clenched. Even though it was something so small that people would normally not notice, it meant a lot to him. The fact she had even thought ahead to lay clothes out for him made him love you even more. He slipped on the gray t shirt and gray sweat pants before drying his hair. He made his way to the attic once more and saw you struggling to get the tree down from the attic.

John came up behind you and caged you in his arms as he grabbed onto the tree. You inhaled his sandalwood body wash and for a minute you swayed. "Let's get this tree down dove," he said, his lips dangerously close to your ear. You and John walked down the ladder and finally got the large Christmas tree to the ground. "Is there anything else up there?" He asked. "Just a few more boxes," you said. John went back up the ladder to get the boxes that were still left. "Most of that stuff is for outside Bear," you said, taking a pair of scissors to cut open the box the Christmas tree was kept in. "Can you put up the lights and decorations for outside? There's not much," you said, looking over at your husband. "Yes, ma'am," he said, giving you a kiss on your head and started to move the respective boxes outside.

Half an hour later John had the light and frond yard decorated and went back inside the house. He stopped in his tracks when he saw you. You were focused on fluffing the tree and strategically placing different ornaments on the tree. The fireplace crackled, making the house smell pleasant and warm. You almost seemed to glow in the firelight and he almost lost his breath. Your hair cascaded down your back and his clothes had never looked better on someone. He couldn't believe he ended up with someone as perfect as you.

With all the death and terrible things he's sees everyday, it's hard to believe something so wholesome and wonderful ever found it's way into his life. The first few years you two had been dating he didn't believe you would actually stay. Mission after mission he expected to come back to a cold and empty house; a note on the kitchen table saying you couldn't do this anymore and you couldn't wait for him even though you reassured him you weren't going anywhere. But year after year you stayed and he still couldn't believe it. You noticed him in your peripheral and looked over at him and gave him the most wonderful smile; like he was the most important thing in your life and he didn't think he could fall further in love with you but that smile proved him wrong. "What's wrong Bear?" You asked.

"Nothing love," he said with a smile. "Do you want to help me with the tree?" You asked. "Can't think of anything I'd rather do instead," John said. He walked over and grabbed a couple ornaments to lay on a branch. "John?" "Hmm?" John hummed. "Since we don't have any plans for Christmas except with each other," you started. "Yeah?" John said, glancing over at you. "Why don't we invite the rest of your team?" You suggested. "I don't know love I like using my leave to be rid of them," He joked.

"Oh come on John!" You begged. "It's not like we don't have the space and it would be nice to have some company for the holidays," You said, securing an ornament onto a branch. "And besides, I know you joke about wanting to not be around them but I know you care about them," You added. John sighed and picked up another ornament before looking over at you. "This is something you really want?" He asked and you nodded vigorously.

"Okay then I'll get in touch with them tomorrow," he relented. John knew he could never say no to you; you truly had him wrapped around your finger. You squealed and threw your arms around his neck. "Thank you Bear!" You smiled. "You really are an amazing woman love," John said, planting a kiss on your lips. "Now let's get that star ontop of the tree," he said, giving you the star and picking you up by your waist. "I love you John Price," you said once you square on your feet. "I love you too y/n Price,"

First of all, I’ll give you that a lot of talk around Captain Carter is weird and clearly about something else, but some of it - particularly some of it from yesterday and today isn’t, and y’all damn well know it. I like Peggy just fine, I do. I have defended her, but some of y’all are starting to get very weird because people have rightfully expressed their concern at the lack of Sam content. Sam is Captain America. It’s not weird that people want to see him. What is weird are these antagonist and passive aggressive posts I just saw in the Sam Wilson tag.

Sam Wilson is Captain America.

Sam Wilson has a pretty decent following.

Sam Wilson fans want to see him in multiple projects.

What’s not clicking for y’all????

And if you’re gonna be a deliberately obtuse dick about it, then stay out of his tag. Jesus Christ

Oh my gosh thank you for everyone who voted!!😭💕

If you want to be tagged in the upcoming fic just send an ask to my inbox :)

Since I can't decide who to write for next and I've got a couple fics in the works for both of them, I'll let yall decide in my very first poll :)

omg thanks for including me!!🥺💜

So since I’ve been away for a while and kind of on and off even before that does anyone have any fic or author suggestions? I feel like I’ve read almost everything of everyone I follow and then more too so if you have any suggestions please let me know! (Especially if they are ddlg related!)

Off Limits

Pairing: Dain Aetos x Riorson sister!reader

Summary: What happens when Xaden finds out about Dain having a relationship with you and makes it clear his sister is off limits?

Word Count: 3.5k(I went a bit overboard on this one!)

Warnings: angst(?), suggestive themes, cursing, fluff

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who showed love on my first Fourth Wing fic I love you all sm! This was requested by an anon and honestly I had way too much fun writing this one so I hope you like it anon! 🤭Hopefully my writing is a bit better on this fic!

Not proofread so please be aware of typos! Hopefully you all enjoy and don't forget my requests are open. I'm hoping to post the first part to my oc story soon and also work on a few requests :)

***as always likes, comments, and reblogs are always appreciated***

The sparring gym was empty with the other cadets filtering out and heading in different directions in a sea of black. You and Dain remained behind to get one of those moments where it was just the two of you. Not only were you Xaden Riorson's sister, which came with its own challenges, but Dain was your wingleader and fraternization between a Cadet and their chain of command was strictly prohibited by the Codex, so you and Dain were forced to keep your relationship a secret until he graduated. The only people who knew were your squad. Dain stood before you, rolling his shoulders and looking infuriatingly at ease. Your eyes wander over his bare chest and down his sculpted abs. Gods how could he look so perfect covered in sweat? You thought to yourself. "You sure you're up for this Aetos? You're looking a little tired," you remarked, taking your place in front of him. Dain's lips quirked upward in a smirk. "Oh I'm sure," He took a lazy step forward onto the mat. "But I appreciate the concern," He added. "Whatever I just don't want you using being exhausted as an excuse when I win," You retorted playfully while shifting into your stance. "Show me what you've got then Cadet," he chuckled softly.

You struck first, fast and decisive just like he taught you, aiming for his ribs. Dain deflected it effortlessly without so much as shifting his stance. "That was predictable," he said, the two of you now circling each other. "I'm just warming up," You grinned. You feinted left and saw Dain's body shift to block the incoming blow, and you shifted your feet to the right to aim a well placed kick on his thigh earning you a grunt that sent shivers down your spine and made your body flush. Is now really the time to think about your wingleader in such a fashion? Your dragon sent down your bond, half-teasing half-disapproving. You rolled your eyes but said nothing ignoring that she was right. "Is that all you've got?" Dain teased, recovering quickly. You huffed, going in for a palm strike and Dain grabbed your wrist before your strike could land. He twisted your arm gently and spun you so your back was pressed against his front. "Nice try but you're allowing me too much time to counter," he whispered, his lips pressed against the shell of your ear. Your pulse raced and not because of the fight. Dain let go of your arm and stepped back. "Try again," He said, playfulness dancing in his golden brown eyes. "Are you enjoying yourself?" You asked. Dain smirked. "Immensely," He threw a half-hearted swing with his fist, leaving his middle exposed. You ducked under his arm and instead extended your leg, attempting to sweep his legs from under him. He dodged easily and hooked your balancing leg from under, causing you to hit the mat. "If you wanted me on my back Aetos you know all you had to do was ask," you flirted, springing to your feet.

You saw his eyes darken at your suggestion and you used his brief hesitation to lunge forward, aiming a strike at his side. His arm shot out, once again grabbing your arm but you used the opportunity to drive your knee into his midsection. He quickly caught your knee before it could do any damage to his ribs, and his eyes sparked with approval. "Better," He said. He lets go of you and steps backward. “Let's see what happens when I stop taking it easy on you,” He smirked. The next exchange was faster, sharper. He let you once again press the attack but any strike you attempted to land on him he countered with precision. And worst of all-he seemed to be enjoying it.

“Your stance is slipping,” he noted, as he effortlessly parried your next strike.

“Your mouth is slipping,” You shot back, unable to come up with anything better.

“Oh, you like my mouth just fine from what I remember last night,” He flirted.

Your next punch came faster than expected, grazing his jaw slightly. His eyes darkened, his pupils dilating with something you weren’t sure was irritation and you smirked. “That was decent but I wouldn't get too confident just yet," He said. Then he was moving fast, too fast. He pressed the attack now, his movements controlled and methodical leaving you with barely any time to dodge or block his strikes. His palm grazed your rib as you just barely twisted away, your breath coming faster. “Getting tired yet?” Dain asked, his voice way too casual. “You wish,” You taunted. He smirked and you took advantage of the distraction to aim a well-placed palm on his chest, driving him backward. You only just barely managed to shove him backward, his dense muscles working for him(in more ways than one) but you caught a flicker of surprise in his gaze. You carried it through with a high kick to knock him down but he caught your ankle, swept your leg, and you fell backward. He caught you before you could hit the mat too hard and trapped your body beneath his. He still had hold of one of your legs, holding it gently by the back of your calf and he pinned your wrists above your head with his other hand. You struggled against his grip but it wasn’t much use; he was bigger, heavier, and worse-entirely too pleased with himself as he smirked like he won something far better than a sparring match. “Not bad,” he murmured with his face just inches above yours. “But not quite good enough.” “You’re enjoying this way too much,” You remarked, your pulse quickening as he leaned in slightly.

His gaze flickered briefly to your lips and his smirk softened. “Maybe.” Before you could fire back with another retort, he pressed his lips against yours. The kiss wasn't rushed; Dain never rushed he was too controlled for that. The kiss was slow, certain, and firm as though he had already decided this outcome like he had the fight. His lips moved against yours with slow precision, savoring the moment. He wrapped your leg around his waist and ground his hips into you slightly, eliciting a moan from you. He pulled back, his lips ghosting over yours and staring at you with those brown eyes that caused you to melt. “Now that,” he murmured. “was a win.” You exhaled, a smile forming at the corner of your lips as you stared up at him. “Cocky bastard,” you teased. “Care for a rematch?” He smirked, sitting back on his heels. Before you could answer a voice rang out across the gym.

“Am I interrupting?" The voice was low, lethal, and way too familiar and it caused you to freeze underneath Dain. You look over to see your brother standing off to the side with Garrick next to him. "Xaden!" You squeaked. "Get the fuck off my sister Aetos," Xaden growled. His shadows surged forward, dark tendrils ripping Dain off and away from you and Dain slammed onto his back. Simultaneously, his shadows wrapped themselves around your wrists and pulled you backward away from Dain until you stopped at Garrick's side. "Xaden what the fuck!?" You exclaimed, your initial shock being replaced with indignation. You look up at Garrick who only offered a somewhat apologetic smile. Your brother didn't even glance at you, his entire focus on Dain who was picking himself back up with a clenched jaw. "You overstepped Riorson," Dain snapped. "I don't give a damn if she's your sister you don't get to pull that shadow shit with me," He said, his voice rigid. "You know Aetos I'm a bit surprised you had the audacity to go that far, " Xaden took another step forward, his shadows swirling around his feet. "I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to shove your tongue down my sister's throat," Xaden's voice dropped. Her face flushed with embarrassment and you felt Garrick shift beside you, a little uncomfortable. You watch as Xaden stares daggers at Dain and suddenly you weren't sure you recognized your own brother. The man standing in front of you was no longer the older brother who always looked out for you. Instead he was every inch the soldier that Basgiath had forged him into. For the first time in your life, you understood why so many people were afraid of him.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Dain's voice was tight but unwavering. "You heard me," Xaden replied. "And in case you forgot who she was I'd like to remind you who's been protecting her this whole time," Xaden's eyes smoldered with rage but Dain didn't flinch. "She's not your possession Xaden." "No she's not but I am her brother and that makes it my responsibility to make sure she doesn't end up in a situation she's going to regret when she gets hurt," Xaden said, his eyes narrowing. You stood frozen. Xaden said when not if. Does he really think Dain would ever hurt you? You looked up at the hulking man who stood beside you. "Do you think Dain is something I'd regret?" You asked Garrick. Garrick was one of your friends, going back to when you were kids and he always let you tag along with him and your brother, and you knew he would be honest with you. Garrick glanced down at you, hesitating for a moment unsure if he wanted to get involved. "No, I don't think so. But he and Xaden barely tolerate each other so seeing him with you was probably more of a shock than anything," he replied sincerely. "You deserve to be with someone who treats you right and loves you. And Dain seems to love you especially if he's willing to go toe to toe with Xaden to defend you," You smiled and he returned the gesture before Xaden and Dain's voices pulled you back. "I don't need your permission to do anything with her. I certainly don't need you to remind me how to treat her right. And I'm not going to be scared of you and back down like you want. Ever. Not when it comes to her," Dain growled and your heart seemed to stop. Xaden's shadowy presence seemed to grow even more oppressive as he stalked closer to Dain, their faces inches apart. "You're walking a fine line, Aetos. You think you can just play these games with her? Pretend like you're her hero while you're distracting her from everything else around her?"

Dain's nostrils flared and for a split second it seems like they may actually clash with each other. As much as you loved Dain, you weren't entirely sure he was a match for your brother. You opened your mouth to intervene when Professor Devera walked into the gym. "Professor Tavis? Professor Riorson? You're needed to attend a meeting with the other professors," She stated, looking at the situation before her before turning to leave a moment later. Professors? you thought. That must be why Xaden is back but why didn't he mention anything? Xaden's shadows seemed to disappear and his icy gaze glared at Dain. "This isn't the last time we'll be talking about this," He promised, his voice low. Xaden turned away making his way to the gym doors while Garrick gave you a reassuring squeeze on your shoulder before following his friend. You glanced at Dain who's eyes met yours and suddenly, that indignation came back full force. You spun on your heel and stalked after the two men. "Xaden!" You shouted, garnering brief glances from people nearby. Xaden and Garrick stopped abruptly and you came to a stop in front of them, your arms crossed. "Who the fuck do you think you are!" You asked your older brother and Garrick's eyes went wide. "Excuse me?" Your brother asked, peering down at you. "Why are you acting like a total asshole?" You asked angrily and you could hear Garrick chuckle. "Me?" Xaden asks with disbelief. "This is the first time I see you in months and you berate my boyfriend?" You snapped but you cringed inside. Boyfriend seemed a little...immature but you didn't know what else to say. "Considering what I saw him doing, you're lucky I didn't kill him right there," Xaden replied coolly and you gaped at him. "You could've chosen anyone y/n and you choose Aetos?" He asked, incredulously. "I don't need your approval for anyone I want to date," You spit back. "He isn't good for you," Xaden insisted. "You don't get to make that decision for me Xaden!" You raised your voice. "If you want to act like a big brother and look out for me and care for me, by all means please do so," You continued. "But I'm not a little kid anymore and you have to stop treating me that way. You don't get to decide who I can and cannot spend my time with," You finished. Xaden stared at you while you chastised him.

"So I'm supposed to just be fine with you picking probably the worst guy at Basgiath?" He asked you. "Yes!" You snapped. Your sharp words did nothing to dull the pain from Xaden's words. Could he really think your taste in men, or rather your decision making in general, was so bad? Despite how you were yelling at him, you desperately wanted his approval. "And he's not the worst," You continued. Xaden opened his mouth but you cut him. "You need to get over this Xaden because I'm not planning on breaking it off with Dain anytime soon," Once you were finished, you spun on your heel and stalked off. "We're in the middle of a conversation! Where are you going?" He called after you, ignoring the fact he was supposed to be in a meeting. "To fuck my boyfriend!" You shouted over your shoulder. You weren't actually going to fuck him, but you heard Garrick's laugh as you rounded the corner and the look you imagined on Xaden's face made the retort worth it.

Later that night you sat with the rest of your squad in the dining hall with Ridoc and Sawyer fighting over who was stronger-which led to an arm wrestle-Aaric looking somewhere in between bored and amused, Rhiannon shaking her head in amusement at the two boys' antics, and Sloane laughing as the arm wrestle came to a conclusion. You weren't even sure who won. You had tried to eat, you were certainly hungry enough, but the thought of Xaden and Dain's interaction gnawed heavily on your mind. Xaden had intercepted Dain in the corridor as he made his way to the dining hall with his wing and you were instantly uneasy. Xaden wouldn't actually kill Dain. Right? Violet noticed you were uncharacteristically silent. "You okay?" She asked, nudging your shoulder with hers. "She's just upset because big brother Riorson found out she's been getting it on with her wingleader," Ridoc said smugly. You fixed him with a glare and Rhiannon swatted the back of his head causing Ridoc to laugh out loud. "Seriously?" Violet grimaced at the brown haired man sitting across from her before returning her attention onto you. "He's not technically wrong," You muttered. "Dain and I were practicing sparring after everyone left. It escalated and I sort of ended up....underneath him," You finished. Ridoc and Sawyer tried to keep from laughing. "Xaden walked in as Dain was kissing me,"

You took a drink of your water to try and cool the wave of heat that caused your cheeks to flush. Violet's eyes went wide for a moment. "How did he take that?" She asked, everyone listening in. "About as well as you'd expect," You replied. "I'm surprised either one of them walked away alive." You went on. "Don't forget the shouting match you had with him in the courtyard," Ridoc threw out there. You scowled at him and Violet raised her eyebrows in curiosity to which you told her about your confrontation with Xaden. "So I told him I was going to fuck my boyfriend," You finished, your cheeks on fire. Ridoc and Sawyer collapsed with laughter, Rhiannon and Sloane smiled at you proudly, and Aaric had a slight expression of amusement on his face. "Wow," Violet said. "Yeah it wasn't my best moment," You admitted. "I saw Xaden corner Dain in the hallway and disappear somewhere before we all came to the dining hall," You told them. Violet sensed you were uneasy about your brother's conversation with Dain. "I'm sure everything will be just fine. Xaden and Dain may not always be on the best of terms all the time," Violet started. "But Xaden loves you and we all know how well Dain treats you. I wouldn't let it bother you so much," She finished, giving you a small hug.

You happened to glance up to see Dain appear in the entrance to the dining hall and he motioned with his head to follow him. "I'll be right back," You told your squad. "Good luck," Violet said. You made your way across the hall and rounded the corner of the dining hall entrance to see Dain standing a few feet away. "Well you're alive," You joked, but your tone was laced with a little relief. "How did it actually go?" You asked, worry in your eyes. "Xaden had some strong words and honestly I wasn't sure if I was gonna make it until Tavis vouched for me," He joked and you gave him a pointed stare. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "So...is he....okay with this?" You asked, the nervousness clawing at you. "Xaden is Xaden. I don't think he's going to ever be too thrilled I'm with his sister but for now...yeah he seems okay with it," Dain nodded, giving you a smile. You felt your shoulders drop in relief. "We’d better head back before people start gossiping,” he said, the familiar twinkle back in his eyes and you nodded. His hand fell to the small of your back but you heard your name being called. You turn around and see your brother staring at you. "I need to talk to you," He said, his expression unreadable. Dain gave your waist a squeeze and left you and Xaden to talk.

You walked over to where your brother stood and crossed your arms, still a little angry with him. "Thanks for not killing him," you said sarcastically. "I thought about it," Xaden muttered. "Listen, I appreciate you wanting to protect me and I don't want you to think I'm not grateful for you. You're my brother; I'm always going to need you, it's just in a different way now. I'm not a little girl any more you don't have to keep protecting me. Dain...he isn't the enemy Xaden. He wouldn't ever hurt me and I trust him," you told him. Xaden ran a hand through his dark hair, sighing. The words stung he couldn't lie; but not in the way he had expected. There was pride in your voice, a sense of confidence and determination he hadn't anticipated.

"I know and I get you're an adult now....but it's hard for me to see my sister with someone who I could never come to terms with," he admitted. That was putting it lightly. You thought. "If he's good enough for me Xaden, why can't he be good enough for you?" You asked him. He could see in your eyes you just wanted him to say he approved of this relationship, of your decisions, and your words hit him like a punch to the gut. "I'm your brother Y/n no one is ever going to be good enough for you," it came out as a joke but deep down you knew he meant it. "Xaden you can't control everything. You need to let me make my own decisions and learn my own lessons," you said, a little frustrated but with a new understanding of where Xaden was coming from. "I can't be your little sister forever," you added quietly. His chest tightened and for a brief moment he saw a younger version of you in his mind.

When he looked at you, he no longer saw the small kid who always needed her brother to be there. You were no longer the kid who looked at him as though he hung the moon. You had grown up. "You're right. You're an adult now, capable of making her own decisions. But I'll always be here for you; that's what older brothers are for," he gave you a smile and you felt yourself grin. "And can you please try to not threaten Dain as much from now on?" You asked him. "He's not as bad as you think." Xaden raised an eyebrow at you. "We'll see." The two of you walked back towards the dining hall and you smiled to yourself. It was a long road ahead before Xaden would, if ever, be comfortable with you and Dain being together but at the moment he tolerated it. And that was enough for now.

Now accepting curious anonymous messages 🌚

Been writing a soap fic over my break from school and I can't wait to release it :3