𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘.

⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ Welcome to the neighborhood.⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⎡#Marvel・#RedSoldier⎦

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

—𝙄’𝙢 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣. 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣’𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙮.

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⎡ —— ✪ ——⎦

Ruby Katheryn Harvey. Post-Endgame. Pre-TFATWS. Pre-planned ship.

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

"Slacks and a button down? If that's
okay? But you don't need a tie or a coat or anything like that. I promise."

She glances down.

"But you know, only if you're not busy. If you are, please don't worry about it."

[𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. @Vibraniumarmed]

“You want to take me with you?”

He turned his attention to her, briefly, smiling to himself.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do. I’ll be there.”

That was a step forward, wasn’t it? Going to a work party with her?

“Is there a dress code, or —?”

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

— wanna come?"

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

"I know Mrs. Chen misses having you to help carry her groceries up."

Oh, come on. Say something better than that.

"I, uh. . . There's. . . a dinner party at work in a couple of weeks, and we're meant to bring someone. I know you're probably busy, but it's free food, if you —

[𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. @Vibraniumarmed]

𝘖𝘶𝘤𝘩.

“That’s fair.”

He shrugged to himself, fully in agreement.

“I’m working on it. Kinda miss being home.”

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

"I'm. . . getting used to it."

Oh. She regretted the words as soon as she said them.

"You're a busy guy, you know?"

[𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. @Vibraniumarmed]

“Then I will.”

He fell into step by her side, smiling to himself.

“Guess it’s been a while? … That’s on me. Sorry.”

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

Oh.

That put a color in her cheeks that had absolutely nothing to do with the cold.

"I'd like that, actually."

[𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. @Vibraniumarmed]

“I can run anytime.”

He shrugged lightly.

“It’s not every day I can walk back home in your company.”

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

"It's refreshing after a day at the office."

Her hands moved to her pockets so that they didn't feel so empty.

"I feel like I interrupted your run, actually."

[𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. @Vibraniumarmed]

He’s smiling to himself upon hearing the sound of her laugh. He removes the earbud he has in, deftly slipping it away into his pocket.

“How’s the cold figuring out so far?”

He brushes his hand against her arm, nodding forward.

“Do you mind if I join?”

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

— more connected to the world.

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

That makes her laugh in a way that makes her lips and nose scrunch up as she tries to fight it, but her shoulders shake to give her away.

"Yeah. Decided to walk instead of take a taxi today. Figured the cold would be nice."

And being around people in the wild made her feel —

[𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. @Vibraniumarmed]

“Yet I never bump into Spider-Man.”

Glances toward the buildings nearby to the empty spaces between them where there is decidedly not anyone swinging between them from a web.

He turns back, flashing a smile, gesturing slightly to her bag.

“On the way home?”

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

Oh—! She's been caught.

She slowly walked towards him as soon as she knew she couldn't quietly escape to leave him to his own errands.

"You know, this is supposed to be a big city."

[𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. @Vibraniumarmed]

He slips his phone back in his pocket, adjusting the earbud he’s wearing so that he can hear the steady stream of music that he has on low.

He’s almost ready to set back off on his jog, when he spots her. Almost instantly, one hand is waving and his course has changed — to her.

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

Quietly glancing up to find @Vibraniumarmed across the park, her work bag in hand and breath billowing away from her like a mist from the cold air.

There's a soft smile there as she watches, but ultimately decides not to disturb. He could be busy.

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

@Vibraniumarmed She shakes her head softly.

"Was gonna take a walk to visit mom and dad, leave flowers at the cemetery, but that's it. Just the usual."

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

@Vibraniumarmed "Oh! Do you have friends coming over? That's good. You deserve that."

Cue the telltale smell of fresh bread in the oven starting to waft from the kitchen.

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

@Vibraniumarmed "Surprise?"

She arched a brow, opening the door wider.

"I figured you'd be spending the holiday with like. . . Avengers or something?"

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

Sneaks a kiss to @Vibraniumarmed's cheek before disappearing again.

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

Something simple this year. . .

[𝑳𝑨𝑫𝒀 𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑬. @ACuriouserAlice]

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐤?

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ─ ♘ ─

the alice. courtier. prisoner. curious girl. mirrored lit. au. wonderland. disney. ouat.

[Hands couple @1Pics_]

You and your 3@

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

— douse the lights and hide in her locked closet was gnawing at her still.

Old fears had a funny way of doing that.

And God, she certainly couldn’t figure out how to tell Bucky just what kind of old ghosts had returned for her.

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

The temptation to close the curtains fully was gnawing at her as she stared, untrusting out to the darkened street of Brooklyn. Yes, the city wasn’t fully dark, and yes, the city wasn’t fully quiet, but for the first time in a long time, she didn’t trust it.

The legal letter —

[𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐘. @demuretouch]

— was supposed to be a permanently closed chapter in her life. She was grown now.

And yet, she couldn’t help but feel the need to stare at the street below, watching as if his face would suddenly appear out from around a corner.

But the temptation to close the curtains, —