#MARVEL’S VOICES: IDENTITY 1

[ijustlikemovies]

do they know i love them

#amadeus cho #cindy moon #it me #🇵🇭 #this is from marvels voices identity no.1 #marvel #poc representation #aapi representation

[scarletspider2the2ndpower]

“Life after Death,” Scarlet Spider (Vol. 2/2012), #1.

Writer: Christopher Yost; Penciler : Ryan Stegman; Inker: Michael Babinsky; Colorist: Marte Garcia; Letterer: Joe Caramagna

#Marvel #Marvel comics #Marvel 616 #Scarlet Spider 2012 #Scarlet Spider vol. 2 #Scarlet Spider #Kaine #Kaine Parker #Annabelle Adams #last over-analyzation for this issue I swear hahaha #I just like these panels because #firstly it speaks to my very specific niche interest in the accents of comic book characters #like #I hold onto with both hands that one set of panels from ASM (vol. 1/1963) 502 where it’s heavily implied that Peter as Spidey #has a super thick Queens accent and that time during Identity Crisis where Peter implies he changes his voice as Spider-Man #that and I know Moon Knight’s Jake Lockley is supposed to be based on your stereotypical New York cabbie #but I can’t help but think it would be funny if he had just the strongest Chicago accent you’ve ever heard hahaha #just as a remnant of how both of those characters were created when American regional accents were a bit more pronounced #ANYWAY #I can’t help but wonder if Kaine having a muddled accent is a result of him trying to purposefully distance himself from Peter #or if it’s a product of all his wanderings #and if it’s the latter what does that mean for Ben’s accent??? #(perhaps Ben sounds vaguely…Canadian??? hahaha) #furthermore there’s Kaine and his unendingly complicated relationship with his name #fantastic

[emjayewrites]

Private Landing (Lewis Hamilton Fanfic)(1/?)

SUMMARY: In the high-speed world of Formula One, Lewis Hamilton subtly introduces a mysterious partner via Instagram after a slight mishap during an interview. Sparking media intrigue, everyone wants to know: who is the enigmatic figure that calls herself Mrs. Hamilton?

INSPO: this post

PAIRINGS: Sir Lewis Hamilton x Aurora "Rorie" Phillips-Hamilton (faceclaim is Justine Skye)

WARNINGS: drama, angst, sexual content, formula one b.s., pre-established relationship (with flashbacks). RATED M (18+)

TAGLIST: @queenshikongo3 @cocobutterqwueen @httpsserene @mauvecherie-writes @galatially @pausmoon @a-moment-captured @nikki01234 @yeea-nah @sirlew44 @melodichaeuxx-lacritquexx @weetjy @lewisroscoelove @hxneyclouds @questionable-behaviour @marzzrambles @lovebittenbyevans @tian-monique @alika-4466 @saintslewis

A/N: Please let me know if you want to be added/removed from the taglist. The headers/dividers are by @inklore

CHAPTER 1: Loose Lips, Sink Ships

Rorie was surrounded by the familiar hustle and bustle of her morning routine. Her 10-month-old son sat contently in his highchair as she carefully prepared his breakfast. The scent of freshly chopped fruit mixed with the soft hum of bubbling porridge on the stove, creating a cozy and comforting atmosphere. She turned off the heat with a smooth flick of her wrist and poured the thick mixture into a small bowl for her baby, gently blowing on it to cool it down.

At the sight of this, her son began to fuss and was on the verge of throwing a tantrum. His whimpers turned into soft cries and from his corner of the room, Roscoe trotted over to investigate the commotion.

"Just a minute, peanut," she cooed while stirring the cooling porridge, but like his father, her son was always impatient. Deciding that the porridge was ready, she spooned some freshly cut fruit into the bowl before sprinkling cinnamon on top and placing it in front of the fussy infant. "You and your Daddy need to work on that," she chuckled, speaking in a low, baby-like voice. "You're just like him, aren't you?"

Rorie's son, with his chubby cheeks and bright brown eyes, looked nearly identical to his father. The resemblance was uncanny, from his curly hair plaited in baby braids to the mischievous glimmer in his eyes when he was up to something. Yet, there was one striking difference that set him apart – his skin color matched Rorie's, which was a deep sable.

She couldn't help but marvel at how the little one inherited both her nurturing determination and Lewis' unwavering impatience. It was as if their contrasting qualities were interwoven seamlessly in their child's very being. She watched as tiny hands reached out for the bowl of porridge, smearing it across his chubby cheeks and button nose. Roscoe edged closer with his wagging short tail, hoping for a taste of the gooey treat.

"Don't even think about it, Roscoe," Rorie warned with a playful scowl. "This is for baby boy only."

Roscoe gave her a sly look, tilting his head to the side as if considering whether or not to listen. But ultimately, he let out a soft whine and plopped down on his haunches.

Glancing up at the television mounted in their cozy kitchen nook, Rorie spotted her husband, Lewis. Her stomach tightened with a familiar mix of excitement and nerves as she watched him being interviewed. With practiced skill, he deflected questions about their personal life and redirected the focus to his upcoming race.

One reporter called out to Lewis, "Can you address the rumors about your family?"

Another chimed in, "You've mentioned having a wife and kids before. Can you tell us more about them?"

Lewis' smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "My priority right now is winning this race," he stated confidently, his voice cutting through the clamor of voices. "That's all I'm focused on."

As a public figure, Lewis was well aware that every aspect of his life was under intense scrutiny from the media. Despite this, he always held on to the importance of keeping certain aspects private - especially when it came to his family. He had never mentioned them in interviews, until one slip-up after the Miami Grand Prix.

The public was taken aback when they discovered he was married, and even more so when he posted an anniversary message for his wife on Instagram. His media and talent manager, Penni Thow, felt it was necessary to give the public a glimpse into his personal life before things escalated further. Though it went against his principles, the plan proved successful - yet now it seemed like everyone was invested in him and his family, leaving Lewis and Rorie unsure of how to handle it all.

As luck would have it, their home was only a few miles away from Lewis and the drive to the main street where the Monaco Grand Prix took place was less than five minutes. As she gathered their son's belongings for their visit to the paddock, Rorie couldn't shake off a feeling of unease. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy spending time with Lewis, quite the opposite in fact, yet with all the media attention on their family now, she did not enjoy the feeling of being under a microscope.

Rorie finished feeding their son and cleaned up his messy face then she got herself ready before walking to her car. She strapped their son into his car seat and loaded up the stroller and diaper bag before heading out to meet Lewis. As she drove through the winding roads of Monaco, Rorie marveled at how different her life was now compared to just a few short years ago.

Growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania, Rorie never imagined herself marrying an F1 driver and living a jet-setting lifestyle. But after meeting Lewis at a bar in New York City, things changed quickly for her. She had been enjoying a drink after a stressful business meeting when they crossed paths. They hit it off immediately and before long, she found herself whisked away to Monaco where Lewis was based.

As she pulled into the paddock entrance, Rorie tried to push aside her anxiety and focus on enjoying the day with her husband and son. After parking her car, she unloaded everything and headed towards Lewis' team's hospitality area.

His dark hair, styled in his usual signature braids, caught her attention immediately as she scanned the group. His piercings and tattoos were on full display, and he seemed relaxed and confident surrounded by his team, discussing cars and racing strategies. Her smile widened as their eyes met, causing him to pause briefly in conversation with George and Toto. The other two men turned to look at her as well, but Rorie couldn't make out Toto's words from the distance.

With about an hour before the race, she knew Lewis needed a break to calm his nerves. This was nothing new for her; discreetly slipping away, Rorie headed towards Lewis' motorhome. To anyone else, she would have appeared like any other attendee, dressed casually in jeans and a knit bodysuit top. She never wanted to draw attention to herself when attending Lewis' races, but secretly she longed to be front and center in the pit area cheering him on like any other WAG. However, until she felt ready for that kind of exposure, this was how she preferred things.

Lewis respected their decision to keep their son out of the public eye, but when it came to Rorie? He wanted to shout his love for her from the rooftops. Yet he could never be upset with her desire for a quiet life, and he respected her decision. But when the time came and Rorie was ready for more, his fans would be inundated with posts about her day and night - that much was certain.

Minutes after Rorie, Lewis entered the motorhome. "Hey gorgeous," Lewis greeted with a warm smile. "You made it just in time."

Rorie smiled back at her husband, enjoying this brief moment of tranquility before the race began. "Hey yourself," she responded, leaning in for a kiss.

"How was the drive?" Lewis asked as he pulled her into a hug.

"Not too bad," Rorie shrugged as they settled on the couch. "Traffic wasn't too terrible."

"Good," Lewis nodded as Rorie handed him their son, who cooed happily at seeing his father after being away due to his busy racing schedule. "Hey, little man," he cooed at his mini-me. "How's my boy? How're you, Lyric?"

Lyric giggled and reached for Lewis' braided hair, causing both parents to laugh. Lyric Apollo was the apple of his parents' eye and he knew it. Despite their busy lives, they always made time for their son and he was always surrounded by love.

Rorie couldn't help but admire the sight in front of her. Her two boys, both with their matching dimpled smiles and hair, looked content and happy together. It was a scene she never thought she'd have the privilege of witnessing, but here they were.

"Can you believe how big he's getting?" Lewis said proudly as he bounced Lyric on his lap.

Rorie smiled fondly at them. "I know, right? It feels like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital."

Lewis kissed Lyric's forehead before turning to Rorie with a mischievous grin. "Remember how scared we were? We had no idea what we were doing."

Rorie rolled her eyes playfully. "Speak for yourself; I had it all under control."

"Oh really?" Lewis raised an eyebrow in jest.

"Yeah," Rorie replied assuredly. "I mean, I did read every parenting book out there."

Lewis chuckled at her response before leaning in to kiss her cheek. "You're amazing," he whispered. "I wish I could spend more time with you guys, but the race season is just so hectic."

"I know," Rorie replied with a hint of sadness in her voice. She understood that racing was Lewis' passion and career, but she couldn't help feeling a bit lonely when he was away.

Lewis sighed and looked into Rorie's eyes. "Hey, don't worry about it too much," he reassured her. "After this race, we have a few days off before the next one. We can plan something fun for our little family then."

Rorie smiled at his words and leaned in for another kiss.

The sound of an alarm suddenly broke the peaceful moment as Lewis' timer informed him that it was almost time to head out for the grid.

"It happens all the time," he joked, taking out his phone to turn off the annoying shrill. Lewis handed Lyric back to Rorie before getting up from the couch where they had been sitting.

"Good luck out there today," Rorie said with a loving smile as she stood up as well.

"Thanks, babe," Lewis replied. "I'll see you after the race."

"Go kick some ass," Rorie said with a playful smirk.

"I will," he responded confidently. "Oh, Miles is here with Spinz if you want to head up to the paddock club."

"Do you really think I should go, Lewis?" asked a worried Rorie. "You know how chaotic it's been lately."

"There are no reporters up there and you know all the back entrances to be discreet," he reassured her. He took a step closer to her and let out a sigh. "I just want you to have some fun and enjoy yourself for a little while, okay? And Nina is coming, right?"

Nina was their nanny. Rorie nodded. "Yeah, she should be here any minute."

"Great, so just relax, have some drinks, and do whatever you want," he encouraged her. "Let your hair down. You've been taking excellent care of Lyric, Roscoe, and me, but mummy needs some time for herself too."

Rorie smiled at Lewis' words, knowing she needed to take some time for herself and have a little fun. It had been a while since she had the chance to let loose.

He kissed her on the lips before bidding her farewell.

Soon after, Nina arrived and Rorie smiled warmly as she handed over Lyric to her. As the Hamilton family's trusted nanny since Lyric was just a few months old, Nina was an older woman with wiry gray hair neatly tied up in a bun. Her olive skin was flawless and her bright blue eyes exuded warmth and compassion. She spoke with a soothing French accent, her words gentle and affectionate towards Lyric, like a sweet lullaby.

"Has he taken his nap?" asked Nina eagerly.

"No, but I've changed and fed him, so he's definitely tired," Rorie informed her. "I'm heading out now, please call if—"

"We'll manage just fine, Aurora," Nina interrupted.

"Merci." Rorie smiled gratefully at Nina before heading out to the paddock club. As she entered, the noise and energy of the crowd hit her. She felt a little overwhelmed, but also excited to be in this exclusive area where only sponsors and VIP guests were allowed. She made her way upstairs to the terrace, keeping an eye out for Miles and Spinz. It didn't take long for her to spot them at a table near the bar.

"Hey Rorie!" Miles called out as he noticed her approaching.

"Hi guys," Rorie said with a smile as she joined them at the table. "Thanks for inviting me to join y'all."

"You know we always got your back," Spinz said with a grin before taking a sip of his drink.

Rorie thanked him as she took a seat next to Miles. "When did you get here, Miles?"

"I got here yesterday afternoon," Miles answered in his British lilt, his brown eyes sparkling with excitement. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and a tailored pink suit. "I would've swung by, but I figured you guys were sleeping by the time I was free. I had to handle some things before spending some time with Lew."

Rorie shook her head with a chuckle. "Yeah, we were probably in bed by then."

"Right, because taking care of a toddler is so easy," Spinz joked, earning a playful punch from her.

"I'm just glad you guys are here," she said sincerely. "It's nice to have some familiar faces in this sea of strangers."

"We wouldn't miss this for the world," Miles said with a grin. "You know we got to support our bro."

Rorie found herself having a great time with Miles and Spinz. She sipped on a glass of champagne, enjoying the cool breeze and the stunning views of the racetrack below.

"How's our nephew doing?" Miles suddenly asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them. "I saw some pictures of him and I swear to God he looks more and more like Lew every single day. That baby stole his whole face."

Rorie couldn't help but smile at Miles' words. "He's doing great," she said proudly. "Growing so fast, just like you said he would."

"I can't wait to see him again," Spinz chimed in. "Is he going to be 'round later?"

"Yes," Rorie replied, "if he's not asleep by then, of course."

"How is Lew handling being away from him?" Miles asked with concern.

"It's been tough for both of us," Rorie confessed, taking another sip of her drink. "But we make it work with video calls every night before bedtime."

Rorie couldn't help but feel grateful for their friends, who had always been there and supported her and Lewis through thick and thin.

Rorie politely excused herself to take a call from Nina, regarding Lyric. It was nothing serious, just a minor issue that needed immediate attention. Lost in her thoughts, Rorie was unaware of the figure approaching her until a deep, melodious voice broke through her reverie. Startled, she turned to find herself face-to-face with a captivating stranger. He had tall, broad shoulders that spoke of strength and confidence, and his deep brown eyes sparkled like pools of melted chocolate below a mess of messy curls.

The stranger approached Rorie with a charming smile, his voice smooth and polished like silk. "Excuse me, miss," he said, his eyes fixed on her from across the terrace. "I couldn't help but notice you. What's a gorgeous woman like yourself doing all alone?"

Rorie offered him a polite smile, but inside she was already feeling uncomfortable. "Thank you for the compliment, but I'm not available for conversation right now."

Undeterred, the stranger leaned against the railing and continued to gaze at Rorie. "Ah, I see. Well, I must say, I usually don't take 'no' for an answer."

She thought it was weird and creepy for him to say that. Rorie's smile faltered, her façade starting to wear thin as she looked around for someone to save her from this persistent stranger.

Just when she was about to make a quick exit, Miles arrived, bringing a sense of relief with him. Rorie felt a wave of gratitude wash over her as he approached.

"Hey man," Miles greeted the stranger with a friendly tone, but also a hint of suspicion. "Do we know you?"

The stranger straightened up and maintained his confident smile. "I don't believe we've met," he replied smoothly before extending his hand towards Miles. "My name is Alexander."

Miles shook his hand cautiously before turning to Rorie with questioning eyes. She shook her head slightly, indicating that she also did not know this man.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Alexander," Miles said politely. "But as you can see, the lady wants to be left alone."

Alexander's smile faltered at Miles' firm tone, but he quickly recovered. "My apologies," he said smoothly. "I simply couldn't resist."

Rorie rolled her eyes at Alexander's persistence and had no interest in entertaining him any longer.

"Excuse us." She looped her arm with Miles' and he led her away.

Once they were out of earshot, Miles turned to Rorie with a concerned expression. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Rorie let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the railing next to him. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied with a small smile. "Thanks for coming when you did."

Miles nodded understandingly and gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry I couldn't get here sooner," he said regretfully.

"No worries," she assured him. "You were here when it mattered most. Besides, I can handle myself. But seriously, who was that guy?"

Miles shook his head. "No clue. Never seen him before. But he gave off a weird vibe, didn't he?"

Rorie nodded, her mind still reeling from the encounter. "Definitely. It's like he appeared out of nowhere and just wouldn't take no for an answer."

Despite his disappointment after losing the race, Lewis was determined to let go of his frustration and attend Justin and Hailey Bieber's yacht afterparty. Rorie sent a text to Nina, asking her to take Lyric home, and joined Lewis at the party. Though he couldn't shake off the thought of finishing in fourth place, Lewis stayed positive when he was with his wife.

The afterparty was in full swing when Rorie and Lewis arrived. The music was blaring and the yacht was packed with people dancing, drinking, and mingling.

She followed Lewis as he made his way through the crowd, greeting familiar faces and introducing his wife to new ones.

They made their way to the bar, where Lewis ordered her a drink while Rorie took in their surroundings. The party was filled with models, actors, and other high-profile individuals. It was clear that Justin and Hailey Bieber's connections ran deep.

She sipped on her martini as she noticed Justin making his way towards them with Hailey by his side. Justin and his wife Hailey, close friends of the couple, greeted Lewis and Rorie with warm embraces. "Hey man, sorry 'bout the race," Justin said sympathetically before turning to Rorie. "Hey Rorie, how's it going?"

Rorie smiled back at him. "I'm doing well, thanks for asking."

"Good to hear," Justin replied eagerly. "We should definitely catch up tonight, it's been too long since we've seen you guys."

Hailey chimed in from beside her husband, her eyes lighting up. "Yes, let's celebrate! How about coming back to our place for an after-after party?"

Rorie glanced at Lewis uncertainly, but he shrugged nonchalantly. "Sounds like a plan," he said with a grin.

"Lyric's with the nanny anyways, so we're good," she added.

Hailey's smile widened at the mention of their son. "I can't believe he's almost one already!"

"Time flies," laughed Rorie. "He's doing great, trying to walk and getting into everything at home."

Both Lewis and Rorie had a good time hanging out with their friends, which was a rarity since becoming parents. Whilst Lewis stayed sober, Rorie had the time of her life and was feeling the effects of consuming too much alcohol. They made their way home at around three in the morning and Lewis slowly lead his beautiful intoxicated wife inside their home.

She managed to not bump into anything until she tripped over her own two feet as she took a step down into the sunken living room, exploding into fits of giggles as she landed onto the rug-covered floor with a thud.

"Fuck, are you okay, love?" Lewis questioned, suppressing his laughs. He instantly made his way to her to help her stand. "C'mon, let's get you some water and into bed."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" chortled Rorie as Lewis walked her into the kitchen. "That's how we became pregnant last time, 'member? You got me drunk one night and then...poof...pregnant."

He settled her at the kitchen nook as he filled a glass with water. Rolling his eyes in mock annoyance, he let out a scoff. "It didn't happen like that, baby."

"Mmmhmm," she added with a small hiccup.

"Come on, come on, let's hydrate you," said Lewis as he held a glass of water to her lips.

Lewis helped Rorie drink the water and then led her into their bedroom. He helped her change into her pajamas and tucked her into bed. She let out a content sigh as she snuggled under the covers.

"You know, I think I might still be a little tipsy," she slurred with a sleepy smile.

"I have no doubt about that," Lewis chuckled as he stripped down to his boxer briefs and slid into bed next to her. "But it's okay, you had a good time tonight."

Rorie snuggled closer to him, feeling warm and happy. "I did. I miss hanging out with our friends like this."

"We'll have to do it more often," promised Lewis, kissing her forehead.

"I love you," murmured Rorie, already starting to drift off to sleep.

"I love you too," whispered Lewis, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer as they both fell asleep.

The next morning, Rorie woke up with a slight headache but overall feeling okay. She smiled as she remembered the fun night they had with their friends. She turned over in bed and was greeted by Lewis' sleeping face.

He looked so peaceful and handsome, even in his sleep. She traced his jawline lightly with her fingers before planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Mmm, good morning," he mumbled against her lips before opening his eyes.

"Good morning indeed," giggled Rorie.

"How are you feeling?" asked Lewis, sitting up slightly and rubbing his eyes.

"Surprisingly not too bad," replied Rorie. "I guess drinking lots of water last night helped."

"Well, that's good to hear." Lewis leaned in for another kiss before getting out of bed to start the day.

As they went about their morning routine of getting dressed and making breakfast together as a family, they chatted about their plans for the day. Rorie suggested taking their son to the park for some quality family time, and Lewis eagerly agreed.

They sat down at the breakfast table, ready to enjoy a delicious homemade meal of fluffy vegan pancakes, fresh fruit, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Lyric sat in his mother's lap, chewing happily as Rorie fed him.

Just as they were about to dig into their mouthwatering breakfast, a familiar ringtone broke the tranquility of the morning. Penni's name flashed on Lewis' phone screen. With a sigh, he picked up the call and put it on speaker.

"Hey, Penni," Lewis greeted, trying to sound nonchalant. "What's up?"

"Morning, lovebirds," Penni sang. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a tabloid got hold of a picture from last night at the Bieber yacht party, and they're planning to post it online by early afternoon."

Rorie's fork clattered onto her plate, her eyes widening in surprise. Lewis felt his heart sink.

"Are you fucking serious?" Rorie exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice.

"I wish I was kidding," replied Penni. "But the paparazzi are ruthless, and they're always on the lookout for anything that would make them money."

"The picture showed up on their radar and now they're going to exploit it," added Lewis, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness.

"What are we going to do?" asked Rorie, her mind racing with possible solutions.

"We could try to get ahead of the story and release a picture ourselves," suggested Penni. "But we have to act fast before it goes viral. I hate to ask this again but—"

"Penni, we can't keep playing this tit-for-tat game with them," Lewis argued. "I'm tired of putting my family in this bullshit."

"It's just me, right?" piped Rorie.

"Yes," answered Penni. "We've been scrubbing the Internet and there's no pictures of Lyric. There are actually laws in place that protect his privacy against the media. Unfortunately, it's a different story for adults. I suggest maybe a recent photo and a cute caption."

"Until how long though?" grumbled Lewis. "This is a never-ending situation unless we...goodness I can't believe I'm even thinking of this."

"What's going on, Lewis?" Penni couldn't help but wonder what was happening.

Rorie, on the other hand, immediately understood the situation. She and her husband had always been in sync, and this time was no different. It could be seen as a blessing or a curse, but they had a certain synergy about them.

"You can't keep me hidden forever, honey," she said in a soft voice. "We knew this would happen sooner rather than later. I have to go public now, unfortunately."

After five years of avoiding the limelight and the constant intrusion of paparazzi, Rorie finally had to make her debut into the world of celebrity. Hopefully, everyone would calm down soon, but she couldn't trust the media too much. While she did have an Instagram presence, it was small compared to her husband's and was set to private, but all of that had to change now. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make for her family. Rorie wasn't exactly shy - if anything, she exuded cool confidence - but that didn't mean she enjoyed being in the spotlight. But it was something she had to come to accept.

"Fine," Lewis reluctantly agreed. "Just give us ten minutes, Penni, and we'll post it."

Even though he wanted to show off his beautiful wife all over social media, he didn't want it to happen like this - he wanted Rorie to decide on her own terms without any pressure.

"Are you sure, baby?"

"Yes," Rorie affirmed. "I mean, what else are we going to do?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

#sir lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton fanfic #lewis hamilton x black!reader #sir lewis hamilton x black!reader #lewis hamilton fanfiction #lewis hamilton x black! oc #formula one fanfiction #f1 fanfic #formula 1 fanfic #private landing

[multifariousqueer]

Don’t be late pt.2

GO READ PT.1 IF YOU HAVENT

A/n: Ahhhh I hope y’all enjoy this as much as I did. Lmk if I should write something else. As always, keep requesting

Warnings: none, miles being nervous, spoilers ig, your dad being a dad

So what was his marvelous plan? He was just gonna swing by his house, web his jacket and shorts, and swing over as fast as he could; the issue with this plan? He would’ve been 3 minutes late and he couldn’t take that. He could text you but your words rang through his head like a bell:

“don’t. be. late."

It was the one thing you asked of him and he couldn’t even do that. Reveal his identity? He didn’t even tell his own parents, let alone yours; forget it. Maybe just go to your window, web the clothes, change on the fire escape, swing down and ring your doorbell? That seemed like the best plan in the moment. So, Miles carried out the act; he was whimsical, quick and still managed to make it the only issue? He was a minute late.

“Where is he?” you mumbled to yourself

Suddenly, you heard a knock at the door and your parents voice:

“Hello, young man. How can I help you?” your parent asked

“Uhm, I am here for, Y/n. We’re dating and I was supposed to meet you” Miles said, nervously.

“Why did I add in the dating part?” Miles questioned in his head

“Oh! Well, hi; I’m Y/n’s mom. Don’t mind (y/d/n dads name), can be a bit mean” your mom answered

“It’s okay. It’s nice to meet you both. I’m Miles” Miles said, his voice still trembling

“Well nice to meet you, Miles! Y/n has told us so much about you, you’re all she talks about” Your mom said

“Mom!” you said

“Hey, Miles. You can set your jacket down in the closet” you said

“Okay” he obliged

Miles began to take off his shoes out of habit when your dad jumped in:

“woah dude, what are you doing?"

“Oh! It’s customary to remove your shoes in my house. It shows you have respect for someones house by not tracking dirt in” Miles informed

“oh. well don’t get too comfortable here, we don’t do that.” Your dad said, sternly

“Yes sir. I’m sorry.” Miles said, feeling embarrassed

“Y/d/n! Don’t be so mean to the boy.” your mom scolded

“He’s the one taking off his shoes and shit.” your dad said.

“Dad!” you started

“It’s okay, y/n. I mean it.” Miles reassured

The rest of the meal and day went well. Miles gave your mom the flowers, he reintroduced himself to your dad and gained a bit of his respect, and he managed to make them both laugh. You thought the meal couldn’t get any better until your dad brought out your favorite game:

“Let’s play Uno"

“Oh yay! I love uno but someone always beats me at it” your mom said looking at you

“Well what can I say? I’m the champ” you said, proudly

“Miles, are you good at Uno?” your dad asked, patting him on the neck

“yeah I’m pretty okay at it. Y/n always beats me tho” he replied with a smirk

“Hey maybe we can team up on her” your dad laughed

“Hey! No fair!” you laughed

“you know we’re kidding, y/n” your mom said before gesturing to Miles and your dad to team up

The cards were dealt and before you knew it, you had been down to your last two cards. Just when you thought you were about to sweep and win again, Miles puts down a +4 which you prepared for but what you weren’t expecting was for your mom and dad to put one down going back to miles who whispered an “I’m sorry” to you and put down another +4.

Your heart dropped in horror; you know were forced to pick up 20 cards. You stared in disbelief while Miles smirked and your parents picked up the cards and slid them over to you. You slammed your hand on the cards and slowly dragged them over to you.

“Hijo de puta” you cursed under your breath

“Hey don’t curse because you got +20’d” Miles laughed with a smug smile

As your entire family was laughing at you, Miles froze. You knew this look all too well because this was the look he gets when his senses go off. You looked in his eyes and followed his gaze to a man in a full black attire with spots, staring at you. Your breath hitched and your family took notice

“Is everything alright, y/n?"

“Mhm” you said, your mouth becoming dry

“I have to go. I am so sorry, something came up with my parents” Miles said

“Oh okay! It was nice having you, feel free to come by anytime” Your mom said as Miles rushed outside, stripping on the way

“What was his deal?” your dad asked

“His parents needed him for something” you lied

“They couldn’t wait until I showed him my rare coin collection?” your dad chuckled

All you could do was laugh and smile at your dad.

“Oh look! It’s spider-man!” your mom exclaimed

You snapped your head in that direction, earning a crack from your neck and you saw Miles getting rocked while the man in black escaped into a portal. You texted Miles:

You: Is everything alright?

Miles: notreally

You: Can I help?

Miles: nosorry

Miles: I’m gonna be gone for a while. This guy is bigger than I thought. In case I don’t come back, Mami; I had a great time and I love you

You: Miles don’t say that you’re gonna come back

You: You always do

You: Miles?

seen

#mcu fanfiction #miles morales headcannons #miles x reader #miles morales x y/n #miles morales x reader #miles morales #miles!spiderman #across the spiderverse fanart #across the spiderverse #spider man: across the spider verse #across the spiderverse spoilers #into the spider verse #spiderman #spiderverse #marvel #hes so cute #foryou

[arceespinkgun]

One thing I really love about the UK Marvel continuity is how it handled Decepticon leadership. All of the leaders were so unique and well-defined characters! There are so many civil wars among the Decepticons that I actually lost count. I think they each show different aspects of Decepticon culture, too. In this post I wanted to showcase the leaders and discuss why I really enjoyed the way they were portrayed!

Megatron: used to be the equivalent of an Olympic athlete. Started the War by preying on political unrest caused by preexisting tensions between the city-states, an aging Autobot council who wouldn't listen to their one radical voice (Emirate Xaaron), and a lack of resources. He started the War with a plan to equip giant engines to Cybertron to pilot it around the universe to conquer other planets lol Megatron is a dictatorial strongman at heart, and his major trait seems to be his indomitable will. No matter who tries to brainwash him or how embarrassed he ought to be by his defeats and stupid mistakes, he keeps going shamelessly.

Shockwave: used to be the ruler of Tarn, and constantly tries to take leadership from Megatron, probably missing the control he had over his city-state. Has a brains vs. brawn dynamic with Megatron, but tends to get extremely frazzled when things don't go his way and don't follow his twisted, self-serving idea of what logic is. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't emote.

Starscream: used to be a figurehead dictator of Vos. Generally tries to backstab whoever's in power, which is probably informed by the fact that he wasn't #1 in his own city-state back before the War. Also, props to Starscream for killing more people than Unicron (the majority get repaired, but still)! Something I find interesting is that Megatron preyed on the war between Vos and Tarn, but usually Starscream and Shockwave work well together in present-day, which suggests the whole war thing was entirely about power and not personal. They're both also ultimately cowards out for themselves.

Soundwave frames Wild Rider when, of course, Soundwave had been the real traitor the whole time

Soundwave: this continuity has such a good version of Soundwave... unlike Starscream, whose treacherous actions are big and loud, Soundwave's treachery is quiet. He serves under nearly every leader and never faces the consequences of blackmailing and betraying any of them, until eventually he is left as the ultimate leader in at least one future timeline. He is such a snake!

Straxus: initially was the leader of the Decepticons while Megatron was on Earth. Despite only being leader for a short time, he leaves a lasting impression with his absolute brutality in the way he melts POWs down to make ingots, beats his own soldiers, and is obsessed with taking over Megatron's body. He also has lasting impacts on the story overall because the identity of Megatron becomes questionable due to Straxus's attempts to subjugate his mind with his own.

Ratbat: originally kinda like Straxus's Laserbeak, Ratbat takes over and becomes one of the most intelligent leaders! He used to be an auditor and his entire philosophy surrounds being as energy-efficient as possible. He even gives Shockwave a negative performance review LMAO Interestingly, he's positioned almost as more of an enemy to the Witwicky family than to the Autobots at times. He also likes to use his own enemies as test subjects and slaves. Eventually, though, his string of successes leads to him being too arrogant for his own good.

Scorponok: wow, I don't even know where to begin. Introduced as the archenemy of Fortress Maximus, he becomes a Headmaster commander by teaming up with the evil Nebulan politician, Zarak. Scorponok begins as a complete mess, with hilariously idiotic plans like using bubbles against his enemies or humiliating the Autobots by having his soldiers defeat them in wrestling matches... and on Earth, he and his soldiers live in a dump. Literally, they live in a dump. He also has more truces than battles with Optimus Prime as he comes to know him, never having seen him until Earth. But Scorponok's ineffectual villainy and eagerness to team up with the Autobots actually leads up to something, as it becomes clear that he actually wants what's best for all transformers but needed to be inspired by Optimus Prime's compassion and support to become confident enough to risk losing the Decepticons' respect and aim for peace. Scorponok (and Optimus) show the strength that lies in choosing to give up conflict and try for peace. In some ways, Scorponok is more like Optimus Prime than Optimus is in this continuity!

Thunderwing: really fascinating. At first he kinda comes across like a generic distillation of what a Decepticon leader is, with all the traits you'd expect of one, and he even takes a test to become one... not the norm given that it's usually backstabbing and civil war that decides who comes out on top. He also thinks he fails the test because he gets distracted by revenge, but then he passes because that proves he's a true Decepticon!!! It's Thunderwing's relationship with the Matrix that is especially interesting. He's obsessed with it, but it's the Matrix's own desire to have new experiences that's corrupting his mind and eventually possesses him. Thunderwing is actually honorable and it's his goodness that allows him to temporarily fight back against it. By current TF standards, Thunderwing would actually be a Prime, since he opened the Matrix, but the Matrix isn't benevolent here. It's more like a little kid that wants to learn by acting out, and Thunderwing is a casualty of that.

Decepticon leaders don't look like this anymore!

Megadeath: the reason Thunderwing is like That™️, and the reason five specific prominent Autobots are the way they are. I mention him because he only appears in a single story in one of the annuals, yet his actions were so unspeakably horrible (the Autobots he traumatized certainly thought so) that he's one of the most sadistic Decepticon leaders ever.

Galvatron: such a multi-faceted and cool villain, that I already made a whole post about him! Notable for his cunning, his fears, and the fact that he was made from at the very least both Megatron and Straxus.

Bludgeon: introduced as part of the Mayhem Attack Squad, which is the Decepticon equivalent of the Wreckers. Specifically, he's introduced hunting down former Mayhems for fraternizing with Wreckers! Bludgeon hates the possibility of peace and loves war, to a religious degree. He thinks he believes in honor, but to be honest, he really doesn't. He's also incredibly fake in that he will pretend to be all for peace just long enough for the Autobots to let their guards down. I'm impressed by how much I love to hate this character given how short Bludgeon's time on-panel was.

There are a few other minor ones that appear as well, so there are even more! I'd like to say that while it probably shouldn't be given that this was like... the first continuity ever, as a fan who became introduced to TF during the Aligned continuity, the way the Marvel UK stories approach Decepticon leadership is so refreshing.

One reason is that Megatron is not portrayed as special just by nature of being Megatron. Yes, he started the War and founded the Decepticons, but he's not given more respect from his troops or his enemies automatically, and he gets his shit rocked constantly. Shockwave's intro was to immediately beat him up and take over, and Megatron embarrasses himself constantly. That's not to say that Megatron isn't worthy of being a Decepticon leader, no—but it means he's often shown clawing his way back up and constantly battling legitimate threats to his position. As a fan, it made me respect him a lot more.

Another thing I appreciate is the way the Decepticons are humanized. There are a lot of blatantly evil ones, but there also many of them who have a sense of honor and goodness, and it's clear that both many Decepticons and Autobots feel stuck and don't even remember why the War started at this point. And even the Decepticons who lack compassion or honor have very understandable struggles, such as facing trauma and trying to overcome it.

Along with the above point is the way the story of Scorponok is handled. I love that Scorponok is a Decepticon leader who always secretly held values that align with Autobot values, but then he ended up stuck in this bloodthirsty culture and endless conflict where he felt like he couldn't do anything, and I love how this is slowly foreshadowed throughout the comic. His friendship with Optimus is also excellent. I really enjoyed how they didn't meet until Earth and slowly became friends as they continually teamed up against greater threats. I appreciate that the Decepticon leader who's best friends with Optimus isn't like... Megatron, who started the War. I feel like a lot of newer continuities make the War center on the falling-out of two friends, which I think is a ridiculous way to handle the conflict.

Speaking of Megatron and Optimus, I appreciate how this continuity just doesn't have a lot of the dynamics that are typically present regarding these Decepticons. Megatron and Optimus are definitely each other's oldest enemy, but their conflict is de-centered in the narrative and they never had a falling-out. Instead, they always disliked each other from before the War. It's actually Shockwave who becomes the nemesis of both Optimus and Megatron for many issues! A lot of Optimus's deepest trauma was inflicted by Shockwave. Also, Megatron and Starscream still have a conflict, but that conflict is rarely present. Starscream causes problems for everyone and is mainly linked to Shockwave for a long time. And as I said before, it's Optimus and Scorponok become friends.

I think a lot of the approaches this continuity took with the Decepticons should be used in the future!

#transformers g1 #transformers marvel #Megatron #Shockwave #Starscream #Soundwave #Straxus #Ratbat #Scorponok #Thunderwing #Megadeath #Galvatron #Bludgeon #my analysis #maccadam #long post

[agent-tempest]

My favorite fanfics!

Loki Friggason [Marvel]

Dancing in the dark (with you between my arms) by @holymultiplefandomsbatman [Fluff]

Paper rings by @cherryrogers [Pure fluff]

Back in your arms by @sarahscribbles [starts angsty but happiest fluffiest ending]

Remus Lupin [Marauders Era]

I don't want them. I want you by @theemporium [Fluff, Marriage, Drunk!Remus]

You are in love by @starstruckmoony [fluff]

Red by @jamespottersdaisy [Banter, fluff]

Gold Rush by @jamespottersdaisy [pure fluff]

Hiccups and hijinks by @dreaminginpastels [Plus-size!Reader, fluff, mutual pining, mentions of insecurity and self-doubt]

Jealous Prof!Reader by @turvi [Fluff, wife!Reader]

Let me help by @jamespottersdaisy [bad mental health, eating disorder?, angst]

Remus saying "I love you" to the for the first time by @theemporium [xReader, pure fluff]

Remus taking care of Drunk!Reader by @theemporium [Potter!Reader, Drunk!Reader, Soft Remus]

Remus being soft only with reader near fullmoons by @lizard-onawindowpane [Pure fluff]

Calm after the storm by @earthgirl616 [enemies to lovers, swearing, kissing, mention of blood and wounds]

Pinky Promise by @jamespottersdaisy [Pre and Post Moon!Remus, Remus and reader have a fight]

Our Band Part 1 Part 2 by @wzrd-wheezes [Marauders Band AU, Barista!Reader]

Kaz Brekker [Grishaverse]

Deadly fever by @webslinger-holland [mentions of severe illness, mentions of traumatic childhood, mentions of needles and bloodletting]

Book Club by @rainydaymiscellaneous [fluff, Kaz is in love]

There was this boy... by @mcntsee [Fluff]

Schon by @mcntsee [Kinda ooc Kaz, kaz is ok with y/n’s touch. Stabbing, blood, killing]

Peter Parker [TASM]

Worth Saving by @fettuccin-e [Hurt/Comfort]

Sirius Black [Marauders Era]

I think he knows by @theemporium [potter!reader, fluff, James being a Mood]

Words that slip through by @padfootagain [Fluff, tiny bit of Angst(?)]

For your family by @padfootagain [Fluff, Arrange marriage trope, Soulmate au]

Forced by @sirisuorionblack [Fluff, Arrange Marriage trope, toxic household]

Sirius wants a hug, but doesn't know how to ask by @gtgbabie0 [Fluff, touchstarved Sirius]

Everything has changed by @once-upon-an-imagine [Fluff, Lupin!Reader, Jilly Wedding]

Sirius being jealous of a cat by @theemporium [fluff, jealous!Sirius and *in steve's voice* Language]

A cozy rainy night with Sirius by @theemporium [pure fluff]

James Potter [Marauders era]

Stop flirting with the nurse, it's embarrassing by @perpetuallydaydreaming [Fluff, Siri & Pete being melodramatic]

First Impressions by @jackie5656 [Fluff, Descriptions of assault and attempted assault]

Just to Kiss by @chrryhrt [Frat!James x Reader, Idiots to lovers, friends to lovers, small mention of alcohol]

Regulus Black [Marauders era]

Coward by @sirisuorionblack [Hurt/comfort, Arrange marriage trope, acedemic rivals]

Moon Boys [Moon Knight, Marvel]

Jake Lockley- Cucumber face mask and fist of vengeance by @wysteria-clad [Fluff]

Jack Lockley- dlz by @ichorai [Angst, mild fluff, marriage au]

Marc, Steven and Jake- Clumsy by @marvelsswansong [fluff]

Marc, Steven and Jake- Secret Identities Part 1 Part 2 by @bensolosbluesaber [Fluff, reader is an Avenger]

Benedict Bridgerton [Bridgerton]

Matchmakers by @siempre-bucky [fluff]

Not for him by @iwritefandomimagines [Platonic!Anthony playing matchmaker, Fluff, slight angst]

Second son by @fayes-fics

Druig [Eternals, Marvel]

Druig x Reader by @siempre-bucky [fluff]

Stephen Strange [Marvel]

July 19th by @frostandflamesfanfic [Fluff, Strange being a dad to America]

#Loki x reader #Tom Hiddleston #marauders era #remus lupin x reader #andrew garfield #Sirius black x reader #ben barnes #james potter x reader #Moon knight x reader #marc spector fluff #marc spector x reader #steven grant x reader #oscar isaac #kaz brekker x reader #freddy carter #regulus black x reader #benedict bridgerton x reader #timothee chamalet #tasm! peter x reader #marvel #grishaverse #bridgerton #enya talks

[veryace-ficrecs]

Batman Outsider POV Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

Wait... you're backup? by Ceciliedr - Rated T

When her team is captured by Lex Luther, Traci can do little more than cross her fingers for a rescue. When someone does crash the party, it isn't anyone she knows. Traci sincerely hopes the guy in the red helmet is on their side.

library card by mikkal - Rated T

Jason Todd, Red Hood, and the Park Row Public Library (and her librarians).

Finding a New Perspective by njw - Rated T

“I got this, Hood.” Red Robin sounds annoyed as he arcs and twists through the air, kicking one henchman into another and wrenching the gun away from a third while simultaneously retracting his grappling line and then launching it to catch another unwary henchman. Just, how?

“I can see you do,” Red Hood says, and wait. Was his voice always that deep? Is he… Maya squints. Is he staring at Red Robin’s ass?

She blinks, then studies the line of sight more closely. Maybe he’s just checking out Red Robin’s kneecaps, in preparation for shooting at them? That seems more his style. Sexual attraction is kind of confusing and she still doesn’t totally believe Tosh that it’s actually as big a thing as people make it out to be—seriously, do other people really spend that much time thinking about it? Sounds fake but okay.

But no, Red Hood’s helmet is totally pointed at Red Robin’s ass. Huh. That’s new.

Captain Marvel's Adopted? by Len_suilon_mellon - Rated T

When Captain Marvel sends out a distress call, the only League member available is Batman. Bruce comes to his aid, but he finds out that Billy is a 10-year-old homeless orphan with black hair and blue eyes. Obviously, he makes the only logical decision and adopts Billy. Because it's Bruce—who's allergic to revealing life-changing information—the League is left in the dark. This story is written as 5+1 story from the Justice League's POV as they attempt to define the weird relationship between Batman and Captain Marvel. 5 times they didn't realize Batman had adopted Captain Marvel, and the 1 time they did.

The Startling Secret Identity of The Batman by Nokomis - Rated T

Good evening, super-sleuths! Boy, do we have a treat for you today. We’re delving into one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the modern era. The million-dollar question. The billion-dollar question, if one of these theories holds water. That’s right. We’re gonna risk life, limb and sanity by asking the question… who is The Batman? [In-universe Buzzfeed Unsolved accidentally stumbles on Batman’s secret identity. The Batfam reacts.]

playacting by nex_et_nox - Rated G

“So,” Jim said, “are you one of Wayne’s new kids?” Because only siblings acted that way toward each other, and it seemed like every time Gotham turned around, Bruce Wayne was adopting more kids. It was a reasonable question. “What?” Jay asked. “No, I’m—” He paused. Very slowly, his head tilted as he looked over Jim’s shoulder in the most obvious way he possibly could. Jim Gordon accidentally meets the "newest" member of the Wayne family.

5 times the Justice League catch Bruce acting domestically by TimesBeingWhatTheyAre - Rated G

...and the one time he lets them see it aka 5 times the kids torment Bruce, and the time that he actually arranges a meet-up and minds are blown

the politics of dancing by TheResurrectionist - Not Rated

After months of silence following his mysterious resurrection from the dead, the prodigal Wayne heir shows up at an unlikely meeting. “Where is Mr. Wayne?” Jason crossed his legs, cracking his neck. “He’s not coming.” “I was assured Mr. Wayne would be here.” “Tough. Looks like you’ll have to settle for me, huh?”

I Love My Gay Son(s) by reeby10 - Rated G

But the part that had everyone’s attention was the shirt, a plain white t-shirt with “I LOVE MY GAY SON” emblazoned across the chest in bold, rainbow letters.

Bat Out Of Hell by arguablysomaya - Rated G

Five times the Bats are weird, and one time that weirdness saves the world Or, the Bats are weird, everyone that’s even remotely aware of the superhero game knows this. But, odd as they are, they’re still humans. Which is why it should probably be impossible that they’re such forces of chaos. And when they’re all together? Well, most people are just glad they’re on the good side. And they are. Mostly.

The five times Flash came to Gotham for help and the one time he didn't need to (5+1) by Silver_Athena - Not Rated

Barry needs help solving a murder, he goes to Gotham for help. Though he's looking for Batman he seems to constantly run into new heroes. Why do they all seem connected to Batman? --- “You know where he lives?” “I practically live there myself, why is this so surprising to you? You’ve worked with him for- Oh… oh my God, you guys don’t know!"

A Break in Tradition by incogneat_oh - Not Rated

Gordon had seen something when he caught the canary yellow cape out the corner of his eye– something in the way the kid had moved. So he figures he should ask, “You doing okay up there, son?” AKA: The one where Jim Gordon minds a tiny vigilante until his bigger, scarier partner can collect him.

gotham aviary by pepperfield - Rated G

“I see you have a new addition to the family,” Bella says, smiling at the group pushing their father along toward the plaza stairs. “Yeah, we stole him from his backyard,” Jason tells her brightly.

“average billionaire adopts 1000 children a year” factoid actualy just statistical error. average billionaire adopts 0 children per year. Orphans Bruc, who lives in cave & adopts over 1 child each month, is an outlier adn should not have been counted.

what goes around by Goldmonger - Rated G

A civilian accidentally kills the Joker. It’s a confusing time for everybody.

artemis crock coming to the wrong conclusions by impravidus - Rated G

Nightwing has his hands outstretched, his palms opening and closing exaggeratedly. Red Hood shakes his head. “I am not gonna—” “Just one?” Nightwing interjects sweetly. “Please please please?” “You are such an idiot—” “Just ooone. C’mon, Hood. Don’t these arms look so warm and inviting?” “Inviting for a stab, yeah.” Artemis sees Nightwing being his affectionate (or as Red Hood would put it, extremely annoying) self and comes to the wrong conclusions.

#veryace recs #batman fic recs #batman #bruce wayne #tim drake #jason todd #dick grayson #batfam #ao3 fic recs #fanfic recs #ao3 #red robin #damian wayne #robin #dc robin #red hood #nightwing #the flash #barry allen #jim gordon #the justice league

[amageish]

I make a lot of posts about comics and queerness, but I feel like I don't talk about the weirdness of how it's 2024 and Anya Corazon still isn't out of the closet enough.

Like, here is Anya's DEBUT in Amazing Fantasy #1 (2004) which uses some excellent 2000s slang slight-of-hand with her friend Lynn calling her "my girlfriend"...

They do this same "saying girlfriend just in a friendly way... unless?" trick again later in Young Allies #5 (2010) with this villain calling Rikki Barnes "your girlfriend"... Rikki who is canonically Sapphic at this point.

And, in the modern day, Anya is basically the college campus activist Spider-hero, including having this Socratic dialogue with the Morales family about the way language around ethnic and gender identities evolves in Marvel's Voices: Community (2021).

Meanwhile, in the Spiderverse films, she looks like THIS.

I don't think I need to make any further argument here. They gave her a friggin' carabiner on her buckle.

Finally, in Madame Web, they have an entire scene of the other girls being distracted by boys while Anya sits around like 🙄 and it's like... C'mon, Marvel. Just let her be gay? I love Anya, but she cannot be so important to your brand that she cannot come out of the closet.

#anya corazon

[elionwriter]

Sherlock Holmes the Awakened: a Review

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

Sorry, sorry, sorry, but I just NEED to talk about this game! I have been a Frogwares Holmes fan since the very beginning and 'The Awakened' was always among my favourite titles. Not to mention one of the games that had scared the wits out of me. So I have to speak about the Remake now.

First and foremost, I think it needs to be reiterated that this game was made DURING THE FU****G INVASION OF UKRAINE! During such dark times, the team kept working on this. I would have supported this game even just for this reason alone.

Now, let's be honest: Frogwares never had the most marvelous graphics nor the most polished of gameplays and this entry is not an exception. I still feel the map system is a bit difficult to navigate (I may be an idiot, but I had the same issue with Chapter 1) but I really appreciated the added help the game gives you when you're recreating a scene, letting you know which passage you got wrong. Last game I found myself changing everything trying to hit the right combination so I really liked this fix.

This needs to be said: the game doesn't feel under any shape or form a product for a new fan. Everything from dialogues to game mechanics sort of take for granted that you've at least played 'chapter one'. Honestly? I'm ok with this, I hate having to always go through nearly identical tutorial stages for games I know inside out (like Pokémon) and I believe that most of not all people who are going to get this game ARE old fans!

I wasn't originally a big fan of the new Holmes and Watson models when the last game came out but....I dunno, they have grown on me. I find myself liking them now for, I suppose, no other reason than 'they are very expressive' and 'I've gotten used to them'. I think it's gotten to the point that these might be my favourite models of the two to date. Please ignore how fickle I am! (In honesty, just to draw a similar parallel, when Roger Craig Smith was first announced as Sonic's voice I hated it and now he's my fav Sonic v. actor)

This game has something.....compared to its predecessor, that makes it less scary. I can't really put my finger on it, but I distinctly remember the feeling of claustrophobia building in me when I was in the Black Edelweiss. Or the sheer jumpscare I got when the sacrificed American detective on the altar had tentacles coming out of it and severing his head making it roll to the ground. I remember almost not wanting to paddle the rowboat under the tree of hanging men in the Bayou. I remember how viscerally sick I felt at the lighthouse by all the gore and blood depicted. This time round.....I just didn't. I'm honestly not sure why this didn't hit me nearly as hard as its 2006 predecessor did!

And talking about comparisons, one thing I'm a bit disappointed they didn't grab the chance to do in this remake was fix the loose ends that were left hanging in the 2006 version. I mean....they still abandoned completely the search for that one Maori servant, what happened to all the people they managed to rescue? Who hired the private American detective that was killed? Why give out the cheap pendants? I know I'm a bit dumb and need extra explaining than what is necessarily needed but...I can't be the only one right? Sometimes you want to be told just a bit more.

Now, getting into the really good bits, that make all of it worth it!

'Chapter One' acted as a 'de facto' reboot of the Frogwares Holmes series, and I honestly think that was for the best. I don't really see where they could have gone with things after 'Devil's Daughter' and their Holmes had changed too much to be the same guy from 'The Silver Earring'...let alone Watson. But like this? They have a fresh, clean slate to start off from and they can rebuild the two mains' relashionship and lore from the ground up in a more strictly consequential manner. And the way they are doing it? I think it's state of the art!

The fact that they poke fun at themselves on certain points like Watson stating: "What about when you used to roll up only one of your sleeves? Did you get bored halfway through?!" I think the Devs themselves realized this was a cringe design choice and I like that they said so out loud.

The meta-conversation they wrote in towards the end, 'because yes, this HAS Happened before and the story still has the same outcome', is brilliant. I don't think I've ever seen another remake that acknowledges that it is a remake, and in the general madness that is mounting in the narrative this makes perfect sense! It adds one more layer of horror and inexplicable to the tale. The villain's warning 'that the Final Problem is coming and Sherlock will fall in the abyss too' is such a powerful way to use Canon. The prophecy is only made more real and dreadful by the fact that this person is aware of what has already happen in a similar but different scenario!

Also, not them using that one quote from 'The Valley of Fear' novel which happens to be one of my all time favourites!

I say, Watson,’ he whispered, ‘would you be afraid to sleep in the same room as a lunatic, a man with softening of the brain, an idiot whose mind has lost its grip?’ ‘Not in the least,’ I answered in astonishment. 'Ah, that’s lucky,’ he said, and not another word would he utter.

I think the thing that has most benefited from the Remake is Watson's character. Compared to the 2006 version, this Watson is a truly compelling character in his own right and this time round he's not just along for the ride. In this version, you simply cannot imagine how Holmes would have done it on his own. Watson was in every way a key component to the solution of the problem and the reason why Holmes didn't drown in madness. That point is driven home by Rochester asking 'How did you defeat me?' and Holmes answering 'I made a friend!'

Much of the narrative in the game was focused on Holmes truly learning to accept Watson's friendship and him as a person when he was still clinging so much to his old imaginary friend. You can see how, at first, Holmes refuses to be honest with the Doctor about what he thinks and feels and it's only as they move forward in the adventure that they both open up to each other. You can see as the adventure progresses that Holmes shifts his desperate cries from 'Jon' to 'Watson' to 'John' and the Doctor goes more and more often from 'Holmes' to 'Sherlock'. Mycroft also points this out when he says that Sherlock 'went from one Jon to another'. But this one, John Watson, is real and there to stay. In the context of a story that happens mostly in the detective's mind, Watson's friendship is really what turns the situation around!

I could add of little tid bits which were so random and on the nose that somehow worked, like the possessed 'Heidi' doll or the fact that you had to actually 'Kill Holmes' with the booby traps instead of avoiding them.

Also, "The director Guygax was randomly killed.....by a doll?!????!?!?! Yeah, let's just walk out of here no questions asked. That's too deep a wormhole even for this f***d up Adventure to go down. I'm sure nobody is gonna ask us questions, suspect or stop us as we go out the main doors!" 😃 -Holmes, probably.

So, yeah, I loved this game despite it not being perfect and my love and support goes to Frogwares more that ever!

#sherlock Holmes the awakened #sherlock holmes chapter one #sherlock holmes #john watson #frogwares holmes #sherlock holmes devil's daughter #holmes x watson #sherlock x john #sherlock and jon #jon #mycroft holmes #chtulhu #eldrich horror #lovecrafian

[novakiart]

Best spider man comic?

oh!! I'm going to stick to self-contained comics that you can just hop right into

i loooove the amazing spider-man annual #1 (2018) by saladin ahmed. the take on peter & venom's relationship (told through venom's pov) is really really good

peter parker: the spectacular spider-man #310 (2017) by chip zdarsky has been recommended a lot and for good reason!! strong emphasis on peter's relationship with average new yorkers (and vice versa). will make you feel feelings

spine-tingling spider-man #1-8 (2021-22) also by saladin ahmed is a great little self-contained story for spooky season!!! it's a marvel unlimited exclusive rn but physical copies are set to come out soon and a sequel is in the works!!! i love juan ferreyra's traditional art so much too

deadpool annual #2 (2014) by christopher hastings. ok I'm cheating because it's a deadpool story BUT it deals with peter's anxiety and spidey senses going rampantly out of control because he's 1) convinced random new yorkers are chameleon and therefore are out to get him and 2) he has not gotten any sleep because of this. deadpool as the voice of reason is pretty fun. it's just a lighthearted little one-off plot (bros keep bros secret identities safe)

mary jane & black cat: beyond #1 (2022) by jed mackay is also another cheat but you should read it anyway (don't let the bad cover dissuade you). peter is unconscious in the hospital and attracting unwanted attention because he's suspiciously got both mj and black cat looking after him, and their resulting team up dynamic is really fun! mackay's standalone black cat stuff is pretty great too

are these, like, the best spider-man's 60+ yr run has to offer? probably not! but they're fun little stories if you're dipping your toes into the comics

#listen. I read the comics pretty sporadically so please understand that my recs are going to reflect that #so I'm probably not The Best person to ask #but i appreciate it nonetheless and i hope you enjoy these (assuming you haven't already read them!!) #i know these are fairly modern comics but do not think that means i like the current run because i Do Not. #mags answers #anon #comic recs #spider-man

[dontcallmeeds]

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

CW: I cuss a lot in this one, I usually don’t warn for that, but I know some Tumblr fic readers want to be warned!! FINALLY PART 4 IS HERE DON’T COME TO MY HOUSE WITH PITCHFORKS LOVE YALL!!!

Steve blinks at the open box, Nancy’s hand on his shoulder trying to peer around and see for herself.

The piece was different, rougher. Nothing like the original trinkets left.

It was nearly black in color, peaks of silver coming through where it was hammered. It didn’t have one even edge, it looked like Steve could cut himself on it. But it was smooth when he ran a fingertip over the piece.

There was also a wire wrapped around the thinnest part of it, he took the wrapped wire between his thumb and index finger, feeling the curves of it.

Steve realizes he’s just been standing there, marveling at the rugged beauty of it, when Nancy nudges him with her shoulder.

“Wow, Steve, that’s not—“

“It’s not very me, is it?” Steve lightly chuckles, slipping it on to his right middle finger.

A perfect fit, per usual. He admires it, flipping his hand over to see where the wrapped part of it sits on the back of his finger.

It’s silly that something so small could have such an impact on you.

That ring, that gift Eddie had given to him, it opened everything in him.

Flayed him alive and displayed his most buried thoughts on his sleeve. Well, more so his hand.

Steve speed walks into his house, waving Nancy away, stating he needed time to think. The thing was, he wasn’t ready to unpack how he felt in front of his ex girlfriend.

But as the ring was forged, it forged something new in Steve that he wasn’t quite sure how to feel.

Something quite terrifying.

Steve Harrington had spent years not knowing who he was. Extra minutes spent looking himself over in the mirror, feeling like a robot. All the polos he still wore that his mother had bought him, the soft sweaters that truly brought out that babysitter everyone walked all over.

His fucking hair.

The hair was still…him. It was his identity for years. Steve wasn’t ready to give that up.

But something snapped.

Steve got out the trimmer that he never thought he’d use for anything other than…well, not the hair on his head. He knew he should call Robin or tell Nancy to come back, he thinks he heard her car finally pull out of his driveway, it wouldn’t take long.

But he didn’t need to be told no right now.

A shaky breath in, a look in the mirror and the trimmer is buzzing through the right side of his hair.

Steve feels the stray pieces fall onto his shoulders and onto the floor, it feels…good. Like weight plucked off his heavy fucking shoulders.

After the right side is done, he starts on the left side, now on a mission. Hair continues to fall onto his shoulders, the sink, the floor.

A few tears have rolled down Steve’s cheek, the wave of emotions hitting him all at once. Manic laughter bubbles out of him as he stands there after finishing, looking at the new image that he created over a ring.

But it wasn’t really the ring, he knew that. It was was the fact Eddie gave him something to help unlock the facade he had been keeping up for too long.

When Steve is considering going for the whole shebang, the doorbell rings and startles him out of his spell. He had felt like he was forgetting something, he just truly couldn’t remember what it—

“Steve? Honey?” Joyce’s warm voice rings out into the home after the creaky front door opens. He needed to fix that ages ago.

“Joyce, you can’t just burst into a man’s domain—“ he can practically hear the eye roll in Hopper’s voice.

“I’m up here,” Steve weakly calls out, sliding onto his bathroom floor. He hears the stairs creak as well, soft footsteps jogging up.

“Honey, did you forget we’re here for din—“ Joyce stops at the doorframe and slowly takes in the sight in front of her. She slowly lowers to his level, a look of sympathy heavy on her face.

“It was time for uh, a change, I guess,” Steve doesn’t meet her eyes, feeling embarrassed now for how crazy he must look.

“Change, change is good,” she offers, smiling and sweeping some hair off his cheek, “let’s clean this up and get some food in you. We brought Will and El, but we can have Jon come get them if—“

“No, it’s okay,” Steve clears his throat and starts to get up, his hair starting to make his neck itch. They clean in silence, he appreciates that she can always tell what he needs. Joyce Byers was always more of a mom than Steve’s own mother. Which is why he asks—

“Can I—can I trust you with something?”

#PART 4 HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!! #sorry i was uhhhh not doing well lmaoooo #I’m not doing much better now but i wanted to get this out!!! #now if you’re keeping track: robin nancy mike and Lucas know #now joyce knows and hopper and the Byers-Hopper kids will know #who am I leaving out…mayhaps on PURPOSE #stranger things #eddie munson #steve harrington #steddie #platonic stancy #joyce Byers #Jim hopper #good mom joyce Byers #joyce Byers being Steve’s surrogate mother #steddie ring ficlet #steddie fic #steddie ficlet

[canonmisogynyvictimstournament]

PROPAGANDA

ELEKTRA NATCHIOS (MARVEL COMICS)

1.) Elektra was created by the misogynist himself, Frank Miller, who would write female characters like garbage including her. Throughout her entire existence within a majority of Daredevil comics, Elektra has been treated as a character made to be a trophy for Matt Murdock. Daredevil writers love making her life revolve around Matt in a way that its framed as romantic when the reality of their relationship should be framed as a tragedy due to their conflicting ideals (and in my honest opinion, I think she should start hating him).

Frank Miller’s Man Without Fear completely butchers Elektra’s character by changing her character to this “crazy woman with voices in her head who loves to kill anyone and anything” completely shitting on the original backstory of her being a sheltered rich girl who was very kind and sweet until her father’s death that shattered her hopes and dreams, leading her to become vengeful and turn into an assassin who believes that all she’s good at is killing and that she can’t ever live a happy normal life.

[…]

And of course thanks to the mcu, that influenced current Daredevil writer Chip Zdarsky, who ruins her character EVEN MORE by trying to follow up on the MWF backstory AND make it align with the mcu version as well to this spy that was sent by the Hand to purposely seduce Matt just like how mcu Stick did in the show. Zdarsky writes Elektra in a way that ruins her character completely and makes her infantalize/belittle Matt by calling him naive and foolish despite in previous incarnations where she UNDERSTANDS why Matt wouldn’t follow in her footsteps and wouldn’t kill and WOULD NEVER TRY TO CONVINCE HIM OTHERWISE (and Zdarsky made her fetishize Matt’s blindness in a way in which she would never do if she was in character). Zdarsky made her stop her ways JUST FOR MATT and then writes Matt to constantly disrespect her and call her a murderer despite in previous iterations where he WOULDN’T DO THAT AND ALSO UNDERSTANDS WHY SHE’S LIKE THIS WITHOUT CHANGING HER. (Zdarsky wrote everyone OOC in his run but the most who suffered from it is def Matt and Elektra). Then Zdarsky made Elektra become Daredevil which yeah, the suit is cool, but the implications of it sucks as Daredevil is not an identity that anyone can pick up on like Spider-Man. Daredevil is explicitly an identity that Matt took up bc of the injustice his father received after his murder along with the desire to protect the victims of the justice system. Elektra is a foil to Matt so her uprising as Elektra wouldn’t align with becoming Daredevil. How he framed it was essentially on par of a woman taking up the husband’s last name but so much worse. Elektra as Daredevil doesn’t work because it completely erases her identity as Elektra and further pushes the idea that she only exists to serve as Matt’s trophy, as his pain, as his wife, as his tragedy, etc etc.

Not a single male Daredevil writer should ever LOOK at Elektra ever again until they know how to write her because she has been done so dirty and receives misogyny on EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF HER EXISTENCE. There’s only been a few times where Elektra’s been done well and a lot of them had Matt be involved very little in it and it really makes you think.

2.) Both show and fandom perperativing the sexist and racist troupe of a dragon lady: overt sexual and physical aggression, untrustworthiness, and mysteriousness. The fandom is notorious for saying Elektra is toxic, instead of recognizes she’s an abuse victim working for her abuser. More often that not, all nuance is thrown out the window

(Comics and show) Killed for Matt’s(Daredevil’s) pain/fridged

3.) Constantly mischaracterized and used as a prop for Matt Murdock/Daredevil, especially in the case of his netflix series and his ongoing comics written by Chip Zdarksy (where she is so intensely out of character she’s almost unrecognizable, and in the case of the current Daredevil run parts of her origin story have even been heavily retconned to more closely resemble her Netflix counterpart which is. Oh my fucking god its infuriating.) But it’s an issue really like half the time she shows up in any given daredevil comic (im being generous)

ABBIE MILLS (SLEEPY HOLLOW) (CW: Racism)

1.) Abbie starts out as one of the two protagonists of the show, only to get almost entirely sidelined as early as season 2, getting less and less screen time and allowed no relationships, either platonic or romantic, while the other lead Ichabod Crane has a seemingly infinite amount of them. It got bad enough that her actor wanted to leave the show, which they did by having her sacrifice her soul in the season 3 finale for the male lead to live, and then they ended the show after season 4 anyway, because guess what, it’s a bad idea to entirely sideline and eventually kill off one of your leads!

2.) She was killed by the narrative to advance her white male co-protagonist’s plotline and I’m still mad about it, Abbie deserved so much better. This is an example of racism in the narrative too and it extended to the production of the show, see news coverage:

3.) Look, I only watched the first season but they killed her off the show SHE was a co lead of!! Misogyny AND racism, all rolled into one. I remember seeing the fan reactions and I was so mad on their behalfs. They wrote her off her own show and from what I recall, gave her less and less screentime leading up to that. Truly, she deserved so much better and I will always be upset by this.

#polls #round 4 #week 8 #new #cw racism

[scarletspider2the2ndpower]

“‘Round and ‘Round with Ricochet!,” Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1/1963), #434.

Writer: Tom DeFalco; Penciler: Joe Bennet; Inker: Bud LaRosa; Colorist: Bob Sharen; Letterer: Kiff Scholl

#Marvel #Marvel comics #Marvel 616 #Amazing Spider-Man #Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #Amazing Spider-Man 1963 #Spider-Man #Peter Parker #Cover Gallery #Ah Identity Crisis! I remember enjoying this arc during my Spider-Man read-through #I wasn’t always a fan of Black Tarantula as a villain or how the creators treated Delilah #but it was fun seeing Peter craft four other superhero identities (and confirm that he uses a different “voice” as Spidey) #As well as seeing Mary Jane give some much needed fashion and disguise input #(but let’s be honest seeing Mary Jane problem solving with her signature flair is always a gift)

[nanowrimo]

Step Up Your Character Game: Character Building Through Repeated Actions

There are many ways to establish character building in your writing. NaNo Participant Kathryn A. Patterson talks about how you can use repetition of certain actions to show off your characters’ personalities! I find inspiration for my writing in the usual places: podcasts, the dog park, alien encounters. This year I found a nugget in, of all places, a book about how to build habits.

In Atomic Habits, James Clear discusses the word identity. He traces the origins of the word back to two Latin words:

   • essentitas: which means the essential of something, being    • identitum: which means repeatedly

Identity translates literally into “repeatedly being”.

How does this affect my writing? Two words: character building.

A character is more than a physical description and clothes. A character needs personality, affectations, mannerisms, and other less tangible attributes. However, writing something like “Sam is a kind and warm-hearted person” falls squarely into the tell-not-show category.

Using the idea of “repeatedly being”, an author can show who a character is through their actions and habits as well as their dialogue. A character who habitually hosts dinners for their friends comes across as social and nice. Someone who texts while driving is thoughtless and selfish. By having your characters repeat specific actions, you show the audience who that character is.

For example, Patricia Briggs has written a series of books around her protagonist, Mercy Thompson. Mercy doesn’t take attitude or crap from anyone, but she also is kind-hearted and smart. The readers learn this from how Mercy gets revenge on people who have done something wrong to her. The revenge is never physically damaging, but also completely memorable. On one occasion, Mercy puts blue dye into someone’s shampoo. Even though she knows the dye wear off eventually, the person is very vain, so it works fabulously as revenge.

Readers also learn about Mercy through her baking. Mercy loves baking with chocolate, and she makes cookies and brownies for her people on a regular basis. The author never outright says: “Mercy shows people that she cares about them through her baking.” Instead, the act of baking speaks for itself.

When I start a new writing project, I use a character template for each of my main characters. There, I record all the details about that character. I started this to help with consistency within a story and within a story universe. But I also use the templates to help me define my characters.

After reading Atomic Habits, I changed my character template to include three new fields:

   • Habits: a record of important repeated behaviors    • Quirks: a catalog of the character’s peculiarities    • Behavior Patterns: a description of how the character acts or reacts in specific situations

Not every character gets an entry in every field, but I list the fields so I have a place to put the relevant information.

In preparation for NaNoWriMo, I fill out character templates for all the major people in my story. I use the template to construct the character’s personality, tone of voice, and expected behaviors. That makes it much, much easier to write when November 1 rolls around.

Kathryn A. Patterson lives in a crooked house on a crooked road. Alas, she is allergic to cats so she does not own a crooked cat. She lives in a marvelous world, filled with vampires, werewolves, and magic - oh, my! But she pretends to live in a dull, boring world filled with post offices, taxes, and calculators. It makes her family happier when she pretends. You will find her writing like a fiend during November on every day that ends in a "y".

Her template can be found here. This template is flexible. For example, her templates for her vampire universe includes fields for characters' vampire house affiliation. For her sci-fi novels, she adds fields for home planet and other related info. Photo by Marissa Grootes on Unsplash

#nanowrimo #writing #amwriting #character building #by nano guest #kathryn a. patterson #characters

[punemy-spotted]

Iris - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie

Pairing: SoftDark!Devil!Helmut Zemo x Sky-Captain!Reader

Warnings: Cosmic Horror; Dubious Consent; Dubious Morality; Estranged Relationship; Zemo and Reader are not in the Good Place; THIS IS A HORROR FIC; Soul Stealing; Incredibly Loose Relationship with Physics; This is a Fallen London x Marvel Crossover Moment; There are Space Bees; And Giant Lovestruck Space Crabs; Violence; Murder; Death; Poison; At Least One Reference to a Garrote; Estranged Relationship; Dead Dove: Do Not Eat

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOUR CONSUMPTION OF MEDIA IS YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY AND IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CONTENT THAT IS BEING PRESENTED, PLEASE DO NOT READ

Chapter Summary: Sokovia rose, then fell, and then rose again. And now the stars will never be the same.

Notes: Hi, welcome, I really wanted to write an MCU crossover with the Fallen London 'verse so here we are. Imagine House of M except Wanda Maximoff became an actual factual God and it actually wasn't that bad after all. And now imagine all of that is background noise in favor of one unhinged Devil and one overly hinged Epistolarian. An Intrepid Epistolarian.

Oh also Wanda's waging war against Queen Victoria. It's fine.

For those of you who have read my other Zemo fics, finished and unfinished, if you notice similarities between this fic and the other ones... yes. I am Frankenstein trying to raise this fanfiction monster and put scenes, passages, and themes to better use than languishing in my Ao3/Tumblr cupboard. (Also if you've read my other fics, hi, hello, I love you.)

I crave feedback, so tell me what you think!

All of my work is 18+ Only, Minors DO NOT INTERACT. I do not consent to my work being posted anywhere besides Tumblr or Ao3 and I post my work there myself. Do not copy, translate, or repost any of my content.

The First taught Restraint, and the Second Betrayed. The Third taught us Hunger and the Fourth we Remade. The Fifth will live on in the Heart of the Sun but the Sixth did quickly Fade. The Seventh City will never Fall, never ending the Deal we made.

She kept some of the old names when she took this place, you know. Built onto it, even when her Renewed Empress had to bend the knee to the Scarlet One, sealed away in her undying mausoleum.

The Proclaimers of the Cult of the Sanctified, still seated at the Avid Horizon’s High Gate and whispering Truths to their counterparts on the other side, were right — the Seventh City would never fall; the Bazaar would never be compelled to deliver that fatal missive to that Beacon of Bright Betrayal it loved so much; there would be no opportunity to argue that Seven Cities worth of love is proof enough of Her Worthy Love.

If there is one thing you know about opportunities, it is that they are also opportunities to fail.

The long tradition of the Duchy of Sokovia — that Bulwark which once stood the test of time against even the Tsars of Russia — is not what it once was. There is, in fact, no such thing as Sokovia now, not the way you would think. There are Sokovian people, clinging to an identity lest it be lost in the abyss below, but all that remains of the Earthly land which remembered the Duchy’s history with the joint Empires of Austria and Hungary is now nothing more than a chasm of stone and steel.

A monument to violent delights in want of violent ends.

Cast your eyes not to the ruins of her past but to the gleaming future written in the stars ab—

The sound of a train whistle drowns out what remains of the tinned announcement, an earsplitting shriek you endure for what feels like forever, but is in fact — if the clock before you is accurate — no more than two minutes. Which — as it turns out — is plenty of time to interrupt the announcement’s conclusion and leave ringing silence in its wake.

Good. You were rather tired of hearing your own voice drone on any longer.

You turn your head away from the train schedule you had previously been pretending to occupy your mind with, watching the rails with mild impatience and fidgeting with your gloves.

He is late.

It’s not abnormal, really, for the more independent locomotives — those not on the Scarlet Empress’s own payroll, that is — to run on their own definition of time, but you’ve never known your contact to be anything more than a man of his word.

When you’ve properly interpreted his words, that is.

No matter. You have the luxury of time. Collecting your luggage takes little effort — a rather bulging handbag and a briefcase is not so terrible compared to the crates of fuel, souls, and hours you see being carted around you — as you step briskly towards the more busting central parts of port. The station itself has seen better days, almost empty save for a handful of dock-workers and the occasional Employee making sure the schedule runs on time, but as you pass through an open archway into the city proper, they seem eager to resume whatever activity they might otherwise have abandoned for your intrusive presence.

NORTH.

How did it happen? Was it prophecy — or maybe some mad interpretation of the scream-whispers of Distant Polythreme, a vision of the Garden — that led the Proclaimers to make their rhyme, completing the riddle and speaking for the Masters themselves?

Something must have rung true to the Masters, for them to solve the riddle.

Novi Grad rose, then fell. Fell until it could fall no further, until there was nothing left of decades of history but ash and blood for the ghosts of her denizens to wander through. Until there was nothing for the Masters and their bats to drag to cavernous depths.

So she, in her infinite tragedy and infinite pain, became the solution.

Your tea, madame. You look up from your scribbling absently, glancing briefly up at the server and then feeling your polite smile immediately fade off your face.

Must you always play games?

Helmut Zemo stands before you with a perfectly placid smile on his cruelly handsome face, So lovely to see you again, sweetling, and you’re quite welcome for the tea.

You narrowly avoid the temptation to roll your eyes, closing your journal and placing the cap on your pen, its nib glimmering venomously in the candlelight, You are late. A casual accusation, one he dismisses with an easy wave of his hand, just before seating himself before you and stealing a biscuit from your place.

And you are impatient. Surely this must mean you have missed me, little bird. If he notices the way you flinch at the sweetname, struggling to compose yourself before you manage to settle on sternness, he does not say.

You have faced worse things than Helmut Zemo, you know. Worse than the ache that slices through your heart when you look at him and his easy smile, the one you might have fallen in love with once again, if you forgot yourself.

You will not.

Instead, you breathe, letting the heavy air in your lungs out slowly as you tug the fingers of your glove until the whole thing is loose enough to be removed entirely.

You always hated getting biscuit crumbs on your whisper-satin fineries.

You asked me to meet you here, Helmut, a fact which he seems to dismiss with another too-sharp smile, eyes flickering over you.

It burns. Licking over the neckline of your dress before moving down to the delicate pearl buttons that hold shut your bodice, heat rising over the thin lace collar wrapped around your throat, and you wonder idly how often he fines pleasure in watching people struggle to breathe and die.

I’m told you have been busy, he tells you flatly, practiced hand snapping his biscuit in half before dipping one perfect semi-circle into the cup of tea he’d placed in front of you, Too busy, it seems, to inform your husband of your whereabouts.

The knifeblade edge of his voice is enough, slipping past the plates of armor you always try to wrap around yourself every time you agree to meet him, his joyless smile the barbs he leaves in your heart, ensuring it will bleed for him for a few months more after your eventual parting.

The first time he’d touched your cheek in the shadow of a clockwork sun while you wept, his lips ghosting  your skin, you nearly fell to your knees at his feet.

That should have been the last time you would ever see him, as he whispered sweet nothings and sweeter promises in a language you did not speak, burning intention into your skin and leaving you forever bound, words falling from his lips like a waterfall.

The third time you met Helmut Zemo, you cried. And the fourth. And the fifth.

You refuse to meet his eyes, smoothing out the wrinkles in your gown with trembling hands, Is this what you came to remind me?

He does not stop smiling, even as you make note of the uneasy tension sitting on his shoulders, the vicious gleam in his eyes as he continues his visual examination of your countenance, tea soaked biscuit melting idly on his tongue.

Yes, it is.

You should be grateful for his honesty — Devils rarely are, after all.

He continues before you have a chance to consider it, How much farther do you plan to run from this place, sweetling, before time returns you back to me?

You wish he wouldn’t call you sweetling.

You haven’t been sweet in a thousand years.

But that’s beside the point, isn’t it? He already knows that, anyway.

Though you suppose that maybe you ought to tell him about something he doesn’t know.

Why did you call me here, Helmut?

Why does any man call his wife back to the port where they parted last? I missed you.

You swallow thickly, avoiding the unyielding blade of his sharp-eyed gaze and even sharper smile, refusing to let your heart leap out to him as it aches to do, You are lying, Helmut, you accuse, pretending to busy yourself with the biscuits he brought to your table.

As always, as you should have expected, he only grins at you — a cruel, twisted grimace that makes your stomach twist not-wholly-unpleasantly — before reaching out and brushing his knuckles over your cheek, Would you let me lie, little bird?

I certainly hope you don’t expect an honest answer to that question.

His laugh is as sharp as his smile, a huff of bemusement you recall bringing you happiness before, a long time ago.

Now it reminds you of the taste of poison, of bile curling in the back of your throat, of blood and metal and the screaming agony of time stretched to its very limit.

The silence too, stretches between you, taut as the wires you would wrap around your palms to cut through cheese and impertinent throats, waiting for you to finally surrender and rise to your feet, gather your things and bid him as formal a goodbye as you’ll allow yourself — always just out of reach, I have no intention of playing games, Helmut, you challenge with the same tone of voice you might use to scold the Empress’s misbehaving sons, If you refuse to do me the courtesy of your honest, then do me the gift of your absence.

He watches you, eyes glimmering amber with insult, but does not dishonor you enough to reach out, There was a time, little bird, when you loved me without such reservation.

The words burn across your skin like living fire, your vows and his molded together in a single remembered sigil, a bond forced with the very language of Judgment, unbidden agony scorching your composure as you make a desperate, futile attempt to push away the memory; his voice soft, the low timbre of his accent sliding over your ears like honey in your mouth, gentle lips on yours as he sealed your fate with a kiss, I have memorized you like a prayer.

You could almost have forgotten he was a liar, standing lost in your memories as you are, forgotten the price of promise and the weight of truth.

Almost.

The tears burn at the backs of your eyes, but you blink them back, let bone grind against bone before, More fool I, then, for thinking you did the same.

You turn to walk towards the door, four sovereigns in hand to pay for your meal — interrupted though it has been — making a concentrated effort to not look back, even as you hear his voice cutting through the otherwise silent room, When everything goes wrong, it is a terrible burden to bear alone, don’t you think?

You cannot help yourself, can you? Shoulders slumping as you declare a reluctant defeat and turn to face him, swearing your heart has lit aflame.

You cannot ignore His Law forever, little bird.

You know nothing of responsibility, Helmut, your voice is cold as the icy expanse beyond the warm walls of Novi Grad station, still aching to leave and frustrated by your uncooperative feet.

There’s a twitch at the corner of his lips, amusement sparking in his own eyes, And what of you, little bird, what have you learned of responsibility since your escape from Perdurance?

You visibly flinch, the name sparking an endless array of horror and memories within you, just as his expression falls into uncharacteristic regret.

Nothing, clearly, you reply hollowly, words bitter on the back of your teeth, Much to your pleasure, I think.

That wounds him, to your surprise, hurt painting his face before he controls his features and buries both regret and rage beneath a placid mask, Infinite freedom is as tight a prison as an opulent cage, on occasion.

#helmut zemo #zemo x reader #helmut zemo x reader #dark!helmut zemo #dark!helmut zemo x reader #dark helmut zemo #baron helmut zemo x reader #fallen london #mcu #dark fic #fanfiction

[smallbutplucky]

Roguneto Rant

Long-form answer to a survey @rogueslove asked. I didn’t realize I had so many thoughts on the MagnetoxRogue ship vs GambitXRogue ship. When I was a kid I shipped Rogue and Gambit in the cartoon show. However as an adult I’ve gone back and am reading all of the X-men comics (literally all of them) and now I ship Rogue and Magneto hardcore.

  I just feel they are healthier. They have their own identities and didn’t define themselves by their relationship with each other. I feel that even though Magneto has a tendency to take the lead when it comes to missions, he encourages her to make her own decisions when it comes to her personal life (even when it’s not in his best interest) and treats her as an equal, encouraging her to be confident in herself. Even when they aren’t together anymore, he comes when she calls and is always able to tell when something’s bothering her. Because of the nature of her powers, she’s always internalized her negative feelings but he always encourages her to speak her mind and say what’s on her heart and gives her good advice (again- even if it’s not to his benefit). I like that they challenge each other, he pushes her to be decisive and shows her the world isn’t always black and white while she leashes his ego and convinces him to be more of a team player and empathetic on missions. I really hate that Marvel didn’t give them a chance to really be in a real relationship. To be fair, the timing of them starting to date was pretty bad with everything that was going on, but I really feel the writers handicapped Magneto and Rogue by 1) not allowing them to define what their relationship was and 2) by literally splitting them up and having them refuse to reach out to each other for comfort or support for undefined reasons. And even when Magneto reached out to her to ask for commitment after he almost died and she broke up with him, he still respected her decision and her need to find herself as an independent person. He still clearly has feelings for her, but does not pursue her or try to sabotage her marriage to Gambit. In fact, he encouraged Rogue to pick Gambit over him because he makes her happy and she makes the thief be a better man. 

Rogue and Gambit I feel are a fun couple, but they are too codependent on each other and are very sexually motivated. A couple having a high sex drive isn’t a bad thing, except Rogue’s powers sometimes inhibit their ability to be physical, and it tends to cause her to spiral emotionally and dip in self-confidence. Her powers fluctuating literally drove Rogue to tears in fear that her power inconsistency was going to drive Gambit away literally after they just got married, after having only jumped back into their relationship a few months prior. His proposal was very out of the blue, and while romantic, this shows she’s still not secure in their relationship. And who did she confide in? Who immediately realized something was off about her? Who encouraged her to voice her fears to her husband instead of crying alone in the sky? Magneto. To Gambit’s credit, he has put in the time with Rogue, he’s been romantically chasing her forever and was there for her for a long time, even when they couldn’t touch; but he hid a lot from her and still does, he takes her previous romantic encounters with other men personally, even though they weren’t together during those times, and once again--I feel he (unintentionally) pushes her to place her value in her ability to be physical with him as opposed to her own personal strengths. He constantly tries to find ways to shut off/neutralize her powers, which while they are an inconvenience, they are a part of her identity. I also really hate that he stated (while being influenced by an emotion-power mutant) that he “sent” Rogue to Magneto so she would get her feelings for him out of her system and was banking that she would come back to him, that she just needed to “see [Magneto] up close” and that it “works every time”. That’s not okay. He’s always shown his displeasure in Rogue’s feelings for Magneto, even though-to be fair, she knew Magneto in a personal way long before Gambit joined the team, which isn’t fair to Rogue. In the early days he was very sexually aggressive with her and even pushed her to physically strike him on multiple occasions to get him to stop, clearly showing he has issues respecting boundaries and consent. Even after she explained to Gambit that she left Magneto but needed to be on her own for a while to find herself, he began flirting with her in front of students and asking her out on dates as “just friends”. And honestly, Kitty and Gambit conspired against Rogue to send the two on a “romantic therapy” related mission to jump-start their relationship again. Not to mention he proposes to her in front of all of their friends because it was a shame to waste a wedding. It’s so manipulative and Ick.

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