What A World; Steve Rogers x Reader (Tarzan AU) [reader insert]

6 (3/5)

Your life starts flashing before your eyes. The most embarrassing moments are easily shadowed by the most wonderful ones, those shared with family and loved ones. Experiencing your early adult life in the big city, making friends with complete strangers and listening to the same three songs on repeat.

Most prominent are your moments with Steve. They gleam amongst the rest, still fresh in your mind and if you try hard enough, you could relive them.

That would be the best way to go. Fading into the memories.

Steve calls your name again, more urgent.

Terror numbs you, tingling your face and immobilizing your bones. Like you're sewn into the log beneath you, you can't move. Not even an inch. A still frame in a movie, you were desperately jamming the play button in your mind.

The hyena growls again, and you squeeze your eyes shut. Biting your tongue to muffle your scream. Your shoulders rise and fall in quick fashion, shuttered breaths escaping between chokes. If you didn't already do your business, you would have emptied your bladder at that moment.

In a split second, it lunges at you with razor claws and an unhinged jaw. One of the nails catches on your collar, tearing the fabric as a massive shadow blocks the sun. It happens too quickly for you to comprehend, you barely catch Steve's furious expression before he's tackling the animal, sending them both tumbling through the bushes.

Vicious hisses and loud pounds follow the man and the hyena.

You lurch forward, tripping through the plants and coming upon a small clearing. Immediately, you're met with a downright brutal fight.

Steve's monstrous frame allows him to subdue the creature, easily dodging the snapping jaw and shiny claws. His muscles contract under the strain as he repeatedly strikes the animal in the side, pinning it to the soil. Swinging his huge fist back and aimed directly at the jaguar's chest. Then, he lifts the animal above his head as it roughly squirms, growling and attempting to scratch him before Steve throws the creature straight across the clearing into a tree.

An ear-splitting crack echoes through the jungle, the tree stump split with a dent the size of the animal lying below it. He struggles to stand, still snapping its jaw as Steve draws closer. One final stomp to the head has the animal flopping to the dirt.

Steve darts towards you, snatching your hand. "These pack hunters—need to go, now." He pulls you hastily after him.

There are bloody scratches down his back and his ribs, in groups of four. No teeth marks from what you could see, although that relief is briskly swept away when another guttural snarl resonates through the wilderness.

Steve only picks up his pace but eventually hauls you into his arms and runs. Given the circumstances, you'd be stupid to make him put you down.

Like nature's very own haunted maze, with every twist and turn, the animal's laughter deterred Steve from all directions. The worst part is, you can't even see them. Only hear their taunts filtering through the jungle trees.

When he sets you down again, your legs are shaking so much that you almost collapse, clutching his forearms for support. He's speaking to you, but you can't hear him over the blood rushing through ears.

He cradles your face between his hands, intense eyes begging for you to say something, anything. All you can manage is a quiet whimper.

The next growl comes directly from behind Steve, and that's when the tears start falling. The giant gradually twists around, feet firmly planted on the jagged floor. Through the hefty leaves surfaces three more pairs of murderous eyes. Automatically, you step backwards, only for Steve to reach behind and press you flat against his back.