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#am I the only one who doesn’t like the falcon’s goggles
spideyhexx · 3 years
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SHWISJWJWN
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yelena-bellova · 3 years
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Safe Haven: tfatws!Bucky Barnes x fem!reader - Chapter Three
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chapter two - Chapter Three: Ceasefire - chapter four
Series Masterlist
Plot: Bucky, Sam and Y/n visit Baltimore and unearth a long kept, heartbreaking secret. Bucky and Y/n’s tension comes to a head when they meet with Dr. Raynor.
Word Count: 7.3k
Warnings: spoilers for episode. 2, angst, language, racial undertones, racial profiling, PTSD, mention of torture, mention of suicide, fluffy angst, Walker is an asshole and Y/n is a bad bitch, the start of the slow burn 🔥
A/N: This shit was heavy to write because of the subject matter so hopefully the fluff towards the end makes up for all the angst I’m about to put you through lol. Honestly, it’s so hard to write this series not having the ending of the show yet 😂 Like I’m trying to build this and I know where I need it to go but it all depends on the show. This week’s episode was 👀 and I’m already drafting in my head. Anyways, enjoy!
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Military craft bathrooms, I had found out, were not an ideal place to apply makeup.
I had woken up in the early morning hours stiff, achy and with a deep purple bruise on my cheek. I’d done my best to conceal it as to not attract attention wherever Bucky was taking us, but I wasn’t a magician.
Sam and I had yet to speak about me going home, but the tense exchange we’d shared before I passed out still hung over us. It wasn’t like we’d never fought, but the reasoning had never been over one of our lives being endangered. I didn’t want to leave him, but it was futile to argue the point.
The neighborhood that we were passing through didn’t look all that different from New Orleans. Bucky still had yet to tell us who we were here to see, only that it was important that Sam met him. I was done asking questions and trailed behind them on the sidewalk, my hands shoved in my jacket pockets and my head hung in defeat. I’d tried to do the superhero thing and failed miserably.
“Hey, it’s Black Falcon! What’s up?” “It’s just Falcon, kid,” Sam replied to the boy sat in front of a chain-linked fence with his friend.
“No, no, my daddy told me it’s Black Falcon,” the kid insisted. 
Sam stopped in front of them, “Is it because I’m black and I’m the Falcon?” “Well, technically, I mean, yes,” he shrugged. “So are you, like, Black Kid?” The kid’s friend burst into laughter and Sam did the same, “I got him, right?”
“Whatever, man…” the kid sat down, I was just about to pass him when he stopped me, “Are you a superhero too?” Sam stopped and looked back at me, his lips pressed in a thin frown. His eyes were sympathetic but I wasn’t in any mood to discuss my unsuccessful attempt to enter his world. I gave a sad smile to the kid, “No, I’m not.” I patted his shoulder and left, Sam chose to walk with me instead of ahead of me.
Bucky was already on the house’s front porch when we climbed the stairs, he banged on the door marked with a ‘No Trespassing’ sign. We waited a few seconds before it opened to reveal a boy, 16 or 17 maybe.
��We’re here to see Isaiah,” Bucky said. “Nobody named Isaiah live here,” the teen replied.
“Look, we just want to talk to him,” Bucky gently pushed.
“You must not hear what I just said, you ain’t getting in this house. Ya’ll can leave now.” Bucky dropped his head and shut his eyes, looking as if what he was about to say pained him. “Tell him the guy from the bar in Goyang is here,” his voice dropped, “He’s gonna know what that means.”
The boy’s eyes bounced between the three of us before backing away from the door, “All right, wait here.” “Nice kid,” Sam commented once he was gone, “How do you know this guy?” “I used to, we had a skirmish during the Korean War,” Bucky explained. The screened door opened once again to reveal the teen, “Today’s your lucky day. He said he wanna see for himself.”
Bucky led the way inside followed by Sam and I. Where the living room met the dining room was where a tall, grey haired black man stood. “Isaiah,” Bucky greeted him as we stepped inside. “Look at you,” Isaiah said, taking cautious steps toward Bucky. “This is, uh, Sam. Sam, this is Isaiah,” Bucky raised his hand toward the man, “He was a hero. One of the ones that HYDRA feared the most, like Steve. We met in ’51.”
“If by met, you mean I whupped your ass, then, yeah,” Isaiah interrupted to correct Bucky’s inaccurate storytelling. “We heard whispers he was on the peninsula, but everyone they sent after him, never came back. So the U.S. military dropped me behind the line to go deal with him,” he spat the last part of the sentence. “I took half that metal arm in that fight in Goyang, but I see he’s managed to grow it back. I just wanted to see if he got the arm back or if he’d come to kill me.” I watched over Sam’s shoulder as Bucky shook his head. “I’m not a killer anymore,” his voice hitched slightly.
“You think you can wake up one day and decide who you wanna be? It doesn’t work like that,” Isaiah’s voice hardened, “Well, maybe it does for folks like you.” There was a pause as Bucky collected himself before we got to the heart of the matter, “Isaiah, the reason we’re here is because there’s more of you and me out there.” 
“You and me…” Isaiah seethed, his eyes boring into Bucky.
“And we need to know how…” “I’m not gonna talk about it anymore,” Isaiah growled before picking up a metal tin and flinging it across the room. Sam threw an arm out to shield me but the tin lodged itself in the wooden paneling of the walls. With that power at his age, Isaiah was undoubtably a Super Soldier. 
He took deliberate steps toward us till he stood only a foot away from Bucky. “You know what they did to me for being a hero? They put my ass in jail,” Isaiah’s voice broke, the traumatic memories were hitting him as he spoke, “For thirty years. People running tests, taking my blood, coming into my cell. Even your people weren’t done with me.” “Isaiah…” Sam said carefully.
“Get out of my house!” Sam and I startled at the sudden noise, but I didn’t fault Isaiah for his reaction. My heart broke for him in fact. Tears had welled in my eyes as he told us fragments of his life, my hand slipped to my mouth to prevent my sobs from escaping. Bucky turned away first, leading me out as Isaiah’s presumed grandson did the same to Sam. He pushed ahead of us both, every emotion possible playing out on his face.
“Sam…” Bucky began as we descended the front steps of the house.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Isaiah? How could nobody bring him up?” Sam angrily pointed a finger towards Bucky, who remained quiet as the three of us walked down the middle of the road. “I asked you a question, Bucky.” “I know…” “Steve didn’t know about him?” Sam asked.
“He didn’t, I didn’t tell him,” Bucky answered, his eyes never leaving the ground.
“How could you not tell him?” I exclaimed, my tears still tracing abstract patterns down my cheeks, “If there were anybody to tell, it would have been him!” “So you’re telling me,” Sam stopped walking and pointed back to Isaiah’s house, “That there was a black Super Soldier decades ago and nobody knew about it?” 
Before Bucky got the chance to answer, the siren on a nearby police car sounded off. Two officers pulled up and exited the vehicle, “Hey.” “What’s up, man?” Sam said.
“Is there a problem here?” one asked, focusing on Sam.
“No, we’re just talking,” he answered, gesturing between the three of us. “We’re fine,” Bucky answered, visibly put out by the interruption.
“Really, we’re fine,” I shakily spoke up, wiping my palms under my wet eyes.
The officers didn’t accept our answers, instead coming closer towards Sam. “Can I see your ID?”
“I don’t have ID, why?”
“Okay, sir,” the officer held up his hands, “Just calm down.” “I am calm,” Sam responded, I could see the anger bubbling below his surface, “What do you want? We’re just standing here talking.” Bucky gestured towards the policemen, “Just give him your ID so we can leave.” The tears I was fighting so hard to control couldn’t be stopped as I watched the scene play out. “No,” Sam protested, “I’m not giving him shit, we’re just talking.” “Officers, there’s nothing going on,” I insisted, sniffling as I tried to speak. “Ma’am,” one of the men approached me, holding his hands out carefully as if to shield me from Sam, “If this man is making you uncomfortable in any way-“ “He’s my brother,” I sidestepped away from the cop, “You’re the only ones making us feel uncomfortable.” “He’s not bothering either of us, do you know who this is?” Bucky gestured towards Sam, I came to stand between both of them and placed a protective hand on Sam’s shoulder. If anything was going down, I was going down with him.
The cop that had briefly stepped away to his car came back and whispered something into his co-worker’s ear. His jaw dropped as he looked Sam over again, this time with a much less aggressive stare. “I am so sorry, Mr Wilson,” the bastard had the audacity to chuckle, “I didn’t recognize you without the goggles. I’m really, really sorry about this.” A second police car came down the street and stopped in front of us. The officers told us to wait as they hurried to try and clean up their mistake. It didn’t matter, the damage had already been done. Neighbors and people passing by were stood outside houses and on the sidewalk watching the scene unfold. And there stood Sam, the leading role of a story these men had written and forced him into. I’d never felt more helpless in that moment when I realized that had he not been recognized, there wouldn’t have been anything I could’ve done to save him.
“I didn’t…I didn’t tell anybody because he had already been through enough,” Bucky said quietly, reeling us back to our original point of conversation.
“Mr. Barnes,” the officer who had tried to cage me from Sam approached Bucky, “There’s a warrant out for your arrest.” “Look, the president pardoned him for all that,” Sam said. “Not for that. You missed your court-mandated therapy. It’s like missing a check-in with your PO. I’m sorry, Mr. Barnes, you’re under arrest.” Resigned was the only word I could think of to describe Bucky’s expression. He willingly followed and allowed them to handcuff him, quickly shaking his head at us as if to apologize for the ridiculousness as he got into the car. The worst part was I knew that if Sam or I were stupid enough to speak up, the consequences would be far worse than our reluctant cooperation. The car drove off, carrying Bucky and all his demons he hadn’t told his therapist about this week.
Sam and I remained frozen in the street, playing the last five minutes back in our heads. In a little house in a corner of Baltimore sat a war torn, wrongfully imprisoned, black Super Soldier who hadn’t had the suddenly privileged lifestyle Steve Rogers had. Isaiah had been beaten down, experimented on and abused for almost half of his life. The samples that had been taken from his body against his will had been used to create the Super Soldiers we’d met, ones that were out for blood. “Let’s get out of here,” Sam muttered, putting a hand on my back and pulling me into his side protectively. I snuck one last glance at Isaiah’s home, praying that whatever time he had left on earth was spent in the peace he deserved.
——
We hitched a cab ride to the downtown police station and were informed at the front desk that Bucky was being released. His therapist was flying in from New York to come and meet with him.
Sam and I sat in the uncomfortable chairs of the waiting area, him on his phone and me zoning out on the wall. The ‘what ifs’ of our confrontation with the police were still swirling around in my head, each one more brutal than the last.
“I’m not leaving,” I blurted out, “After this, I’m not leaving you guys.” Sam sighed and switched off his phone, “I’m not gonna argue this again with you. I’m keeping you safe, I don’t care whether you like it or not.” “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m feeling,” I turned to him, my eyes watery and my fidgeting fists clenched in my lap. “I’m not going home just so I can sit from a safe distance and worry whether or not you’re gonna die at the hands of some cop who feels brave. Or a bunch of Super Soldiers with a grudge against the world,” I forced the lump building in my throat down, “I’m not going to leave and wait for your body to come back in a casket. The only way I’m going home is if you’re with me.” His lips parted like he was about to say something before deciding against it. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but I could see that my speech had affected him. He pulled me into him, my head laying on his shoulder and his arm around my neck. I had worried for my brother’s life when he was first in the service, even more when he first became an Avenger. But that fear couldn’t compare to the kind I felt when the cops disregard each of his truths. I sniffled as I rested against him, trying hard not to imagine a world where Sam Wilson wasn’t by my side.
“Sam,” a women approached us, “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Dr. Raynor, James’ therapist.” We rose and Sam shook her hand, “So nice to meet you.” “Y/n Y/l/n,” I introduced myself as she extended the same greeting, “Thank you for getting Bucky out.”
“That was not me,” she smiled politely.
“Christina!” a nearby voice shouted, “It’s great to see you again.” 
When bulls see the color red, it angers them to the point that they’ll charge toward it in a fit of rage. My reaction to seeing John Walker in the red white and blue suit was one of a similar caliber.
“You gotta be kidding me,” I grumbled, covering my face with my palm. 
“You know him?” Sam asked in disbelief. “Yeah, we did some field ops back in the day,” Dr. Raynor answered.
Walker strutted towards us, “I heard you were working with Bucky so I thought I’d step in. Bucky’s not gonna be following a strict schedule any longer.” 
“We haven’t finished our work,” she asserted, “Who authorized this?” Walker held up two hands and aimed them at his arrogant self. “He’s too valuable of an asset to have tied up. Just do whatever you got to do with him, then send him off to me. Got some unfinished business, him and I,” he pointed to me and Sam, “You guys too. I’ll be outside.”
He marched back out through the door he’d come through and if we hadn’t been in a police station, I might have reeled him back in with my energy to inform him of just how low of a chance there was that we’d ever take an order from him. But if we had to go through him to spring Bucky, I’d bite my tongue for his sake.
“James,” Dr. Raynor turned, addressing Bucky who was now leaned up against the nearby counter, “Condition of your release, session now,” she looked over her shoulder towards us, “You too, Sam, Y/n.” Sam was quick to decline for us both, “That’s okay, we’ll be out here-“ “That wasn’t a request.”
Judging by the unenthusiastic glare we were getting from Bucky, he wasn’t any more excited than we were. “The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can leave,” I said to Sam, taking the initiative and following Dr. Raynor, once again with the men in my tow.
“What exactly is your relationship with James, Miss Y/l/n?” Dr. Raynor asked as she slowed her pace to match mine. “I don’t have a relationship with him,” I answered plainly, “I only met him yesterday. We got our asses kicked in Munich together.”
We were led into an interrogation room, just as cold and bleak as the ones I’d seen on tv. There were two chairs on each side of the table awaiting us. “Since I’m here primarily to speak with James and Sam, Y/n,” Dr. Raynor removed her coat and placed it on the back of her seat, “You can observe alongside me. You two on that end.” A simple thing as even sitting next to one another seemed like too big an ask for Sam and Bucky. The two of them looked like kids sent to the principal’s office as they begrudgingly sat down. I for one was looking forward to watching them sort out whatever beef they had that I had gotten tangled up in.
“So,” Dr. Raynor set her notebook down on the table, “Who would like to start?” “All right, look, Dr. Raynor?” Sam began, “I get it, why you want me to talk to Freaky Magoo over here. But I’m 100% fine.” Sam’s fatal mistake was darting his eyes over to me before looking back at her. I already knew he was lying, but his tell confirmed it.
“It is my job to make sure that you’re okay,” Dr. Raynor addressed Bucky, “And so, yeah, this may be slightly unprofessional but it’s the only way that I can see if you’re getting over whatever’s eating at you.” 
“This is ridiculous,” Sam rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I agree,” Bucky shook his head.
“This is the first time they’ve agreed on anything for the past twenty four hours,” I spoke up, leaning back in my seat to watch the show unfold.
“See? We’re making progress already,” Dr. Raynor said, “So, who wants to go first?”
Silence.
“No volunteers? Wow, how surprising…” she remarked, “Okay, we’re going to do an exercise. It’s something I use with couples when they are trying to figure out what kind of life they wanna build together. Are you familiar with the miracle question?”
“Absolutely not,” Bucky answered. 
“Of course not,” Sam’s voice overlapped with Bucky’s.
“Okay, it goes like this. Suppose that while you’re sleeping, a miracle occurs. When you wake up, what is something that you would like to see that would make your life better?’
Bucky suddenly became chatty, “In my miracle, um, he would…he would talk less.”
“Exactly what I was gonna say,” Sam replied, “Isn’t that ironic?”
“You guys are leaving me with no choice,” Dr. Raynor shrugged, “It’s time for the soul-gazing exercise.” “I like this better,” Bucky perkily pointed a finger towards his shrink.
Sam chuckled quietly to himself, “He’s gonna love this.” “Yeah, I’m ready.” “This is right up your alley…” Dr. Raynor motioned for them to rotate, ”Turn around, face each other.” “You should really enjoy this,” Sam said acidly. 
“I’m going to,” Bucky said with a sarcastic smile, the only one I’d seen him wear. “Let’s do it,” he said happily as Sam moved to face him, “Let’s stare. This is a good exercise, thanks Doc.” “Alright, get close,” Dr. Raynor instructed, they scooted slightly towards one another, “Come on, get closer.” With their knees touching, any further would put them much closer than either of them would ever want. “Which way do you want to go?” Bucky asked, “Right or left?” “Why are your legs open?” Sam asked impatiently, “You know what? Fine, here, you happy now?” He used Bucky’s chair to pull him forward so they legs were locked together.
“That’s a little close,” Bucky said loudly, adjusting in his seat. Sam nodded in agreement, “It’s very close, that’s what you wanted, right?” 
I couldn’t hold in my laughter anymore, causing both of them to shoot daggers at me. “Is this fun for you?” Sam snapped, gesturing towards their touching thighs. “Very,” I grinned unapologetically.
“Guys,” Dr. Raynor held up a hand to silence us all, “Now, look at each other. You need to look at each other in the eyes,” they obeyed and lifted their eyes to meet, “There, you see? That wasn’t so hard.” The stares they wore intensified, “Wait, what are you doing?” Dr. Raynor asked, “Are you having a staring contest?” Sam adjusting his eyebrows was her answer, she leaned over the table and snapped her fingers. “Just blink! All right, James, why does Sam aggravate you?” Bucky turned to his therapist with as close to a real smile as I’d seen on him when she cut him off, “And don’t say something childish.” His head lolled to the side in defeat, his pink tongue came out to wet his lips as he thought over his answer. “Why did you give up that shield?” “Why are you making such a big deal over something that has nothing to do with you?” Sam shot back.
“Steve believed in you, he trusted you. He gave you that shield for a reason,” Bucky’s emotions were starting to seep out, “That shield, that is- that is everything he stood for. That is his legacy. He gave you that shield and you threw it away like it was nothing.” “Shut up…” Sam muttered.
“So maybe he was wrong about you. And if he was wrong about you, then he was wrong about me.”
The way that Bucky’s voice had quivered at the end was telling of just how deep the wound ran. But Sam’s forgoing of the shield was backed by reasons that Bucky could never wrap his mind around.
“You finished?” Sam spoke up, when Bucky said yes, he continued, “All right, good. Maybe this is something you or Steve will never understand. But can you accept that I did what I thought was right?”
This was the issue that made the heavy silence we were sitting in all the more complicated. Both men were valid in their feelings, but there would be no resolve for either of them. Steve was gone, Walker carried the shield and Bucky and Sam were trying their best to navigate a new world.
Sam scoffed, burying the emotions that I knew he was trying to hide from. “You know what, Doc? I don’t have time for this. We have some real serious shit going on. So how about this? I will squash it right now. We go deal with that, and when we’re done, we both can go on separate long vacations and never see each other again.” My eyes widened at how quickly the conversation had escalated. “I like that,” Bucky agreed.
“Great. Well, let’s get to work,” Sam turned to Dr. Raynor, “Thanks, Doc, for making it weird. I feel much better,” he turned to Bucky, “I’ll see you outside.” With a slap to his shoulder, he rose from his seat and was out the door in seconds. There was so much left unresolved that didn’t sit well with me. As Bucky went to stand up, I did too. “Actually, Doctor,” I walked around to table to take Sam’s empty seat, “I’d like to say a few things.” Bucky annoyedly fell back down into his chair and shook his head in irritation. I didn’t particularly care that he didn’t want to speak with me, all he had to do was listen. “I know you and Steve were best friends and I know how much he means to you. But I can’t sit here and watch you berate my brother relentlessly over the fact that he didn’t take up that mantle. It’s easy for someone like Steve to be Captain America without any pushback, but Sam?” I pointed to the closed door, “It’s a whole ‘other ballgame. And while Steve would never have fully understood it, he would have made an effort to. And he wouldn’t be pressuring Sam like you are. You need to drop this and you need to drop it now.” “Let’s get one thing straight,” his razor sharp jaw ticked in anger, “You don’t get to talk about Steve like you knew him or like you understand anything about our friendship. You never met him, you don’t get to speak for him.” He could have never known what button he had just pressed, but my reaction wouldn’t have changed even if he had. I sat up straighter in my chair, my steely eyes boring into him. “I didn’t know Steve? Well, then I guess it was a different Steve Rogers that Sam introduced me to when I came to visit him in D.C. And it must have been a different Steve Rogers that I visited at the Avengers compound when I helped Sam move in,” I leaned forward, the dam in my eyes threatening to break, “It must have been a different Steve Rogers that I ran to when people all around me started turning to dust.”
————
It was pouring rain outside the Avengers compound, the piles of dust that had rested on the ground having long since been washed away. Y/n stormed across the front lawn of the compound to the entrance, she had driven straight through for 20 hours from Delacroix to upstate New York. Getting past security hadn’t been hard once she had said who she needed to speak to and who it regarded.
Her boots squeaked across the floor as she marched through the compound, she’d only been once but she still remembered her way around. She navigated through hallways until she’d found the main room, she only recognized one of the figures that stood hunched over a table in deep discussion. At the sound of her entrance, each one of them turned around. “Y/n…” Steve said in shock, a relieved sigh spilling from his lips, “You’re okay.” “He’s here, right?” she trembled, “He’s in his room or the kitchen? Steve, tell me he’s here.” When Steve didn’t answer and ducked his head, Y/n pushed harder. “Tell me he’s here, Steve.” He looked back up, finally meeting her eyes. “I can’t do that.”
Y/n let the last bit of strength she had slip through her fingers as her soaked form dropped to the floor. Steve was quick to hold her, offering what little comfort he could, knowing that he wasn’t the person she wanted to see most in the world. She sobbed in his arms, the first step in the long process of mourning her brother.
Steve made a true effort to keep in contact with Y/n over the next five years. He flew down to New Orleans to visit every couple months or he offered to fly Y/n up to New York. About two years post Blip were when financial struggles really started to hit Sarah and Y/n’s business and Y/n had to decline each kind offer to meet him on his turf. When she explained why, Steve showed up on her doorstep two days later, ready to stay for the week and help out however he could. It wasn’t hard to see why Sam had bonded so deeply with Steve, he had just as big a heart as her brother.
The day that Sarah and Y/n received the joyous call from Sam that he was back from the dead was the best day of their lives. Y/n called Steve immediately after to tell him the news and thank him for whatever part she had guessed he’d played in reuniting their family. Her calls kept going to voicemail. After Sam’s reunion with his sisters and nephews, he took Y/n aside and handed her an envelope. Inside it was a letter from Steve explaining that he wouldn’t be returning after the restoration of the population. He wished her a good life with her family and that he had valued her friendship and kindness towards him. As brokenhearted as Y/n had been over the loss of her friend, when Sam told her the true reason behind Steve’s sudden disappearance, she was overjoyed that Steve had gotten somebody he loved back too.
Steve Rogers was there for Y/n in some of her darkest hours. They had bonded deeply, their friendship a single ray of light in their then darkened world. To see his shield paraded around by someone who didn’t embody the same qualities and values that he did hurt more than she let on. The world may have accepted John Walker, but he’d never be Captain America in Y/n’s eyes.
————
I had somehow made it through my retelling of my time with Steve without completely breaking down. A river of silent tears streamed down my cheeks but my voice held firm. 
Bucky’s harsh stare had diminished significantly the longer I spoke. His plush lips were parted in surprise, words I didn’t care to hear hanging off of them.
“I don’t ever want to hear that I didn’t know Steve Rogers,” my voice threatened to break finally, “You’re not the only one who wants to protect his legacy.” Dr. Raynor had remained so silent while I talked, I’d forgotten she was there until she offered me a tissue. I hastily wiped my cheeks, ducking away from Bucky’s gaze. “Thank you, Doctor,” I said softly as I stood up, “This has been really helpful.” I wrapped my arms tight around my torso and exited the room as quick as I could, making a beeline for the lobby to find Sam. When he spotted me, he stood to attention. “What’s wrong? What happened?” “Nothing,” I shook my head, “I just want to get out of here.” He placed a protective hand on my shoulder as he watched me sniffle the last of my tears away. Bucky joined us seconds later, I couldn’t look directly at him after bearing so much of myself to him. The three of us left the police station in a now familiar silence, each deep in thought about what we’d revealed. 
“Well, I feel better,” Sam said as we stepped out into the cool evening air. “I feel awful,” Bucky grumbled.
A siren whooping caught our attention, I wished it hadn’t. There stood Lemar Hoskins and John Walker, waving at us and calling us over. The three of us reluctantly made our way towards them. “Look, if we divide ourselves, we don’t stand a chance, you guys know that.”
Sam rolled his eyes and humored him, “So what do you got?”
“Well, the leader’s name’s Karli Morgenthau,” Walker explained, “We’ve been targeting civilians who’ve been helping Karli move from place to place.” “They geotagged a location, then scrambled the signal,” Hoskins interjected, “But our satellites have found their symbol popping up in various displaced communities all across Central and Eastern Europe.” 
“We think she’s taking the medicine she just stole to one of these camps,” Walker finished.
“Well, there are hundreds of those all over the planet since The Blip,” Bucky spoke up across from me, “So I guess you’ll have to look real hard.” Walker smiled, “Good thing I have 20/20 vision, huh?” “Where is she now, Walker? Do you know?” Bucky asked. “No, we don’t know, Bucky,” his voiced raised, highlighting his frustrations, “It’s only a matter of time before we find out.” If I knew anything about Bucky by now, it was that he had no issue with provoking people. “Things are really intense for you, aren’t they, Walker?” I clapped my hands together once, “Okay, if this keeps going, someone’s probably gonna end up back in there behind bars so let’s just settle down.” “Look, Walker’s right,” Sam stepped forward, “It is imperative that we find them and stop them. But you guys have rules of engagement and all kind of authorizations you have to get. We’re free agents. We’re more flexible. So it wouldn’t make sense for us to work with you.”
We didn’t make it further than a three steps when Walker spoke up again. “Miss Y/l/n,” I stopped walking at his call, “You’re an enhanced individual, right?” “I’m what they call a mutant,” I spun on my heels to face him, “But to simplify it, sure, I’m enhanced.” Walker raised a condescending eyebrow, “Are you familiar with the Sokovian Accords?”
My spine stiffened, he was trying to blackmail me without actually saying the words. I was far too familiar with the accords and the ramifications they’d had on the Avengers. They’d sent Steve and Sam on the run for two years. “I think I’ve heard of them, yeah,” I smiled humorlessly. “It clearly states that any enhanced individuals who haven’t signed are not authorized to participate in any national or international conflicts or any missions run by private organizations such as the Avengers,” he gestured towards Sam, “You’re running with an Avenger, aren’t you?” A mirthless chuckle fell from my mouth as I watched him try and intimidate me. “Look, Craptain America,” I took slow and calculated steps towards him, “You can order your partner around or the soldiers that look up to you, but don’t think for one second that you can threaten me and try to pull the same shit the government did with Wanda Maximoff. I’m not going to be told who I can and cannot help.” Walker looked down at me menacingly, resembling a little boy who hadn’t gotten his way. “A word of advice then,” he said, eyes flicking between Sam, Bucky and I, “Stay the hell out of my way.” The juxtaposition between him and Steve had never been more apparent. Here he was daring to threaten me with incarceration followed by an ominous warning when it hadn’t worked. Bucky, Sam and I waited until him and Hoskins had left before heading our own way. “‘Craptain America?’” Sam echoed, slinging an arm around my neck, “I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of you.” “It was a low blow,” I admitted with a contradictory smirk.
“Someone needed to say it,” Bucky chimed in, hesitantly looking over to me before quickly averting his gaze back to the sidewalk.
“Do I need to be worried that he threatened me with the accords? Are Sarah and I going to have S.H.I.E.L.D showing up on our door or something?” I asked.
“I think he’s just trying to intimidate you, but…” Sam inhaled wearily, “But I’d rather keep you here with us, just to be safe. If anybody were to come, we could protect you.” My smile grew as I looked up at Sam, the parameters of how to keep me safe had changed in my favor. I was almost grateful Walker had threatened me. “I can stay?” “Stop looking so happy about it,” Sam dropped his arm from around me, “This isn’t going to be easy,” he looked to our left to Bucky, “So what are you thinking?”
“Well, I know what we have to do,” he answered, if he had reservations about me sticking around, he was kind enough not to mention them. “When Isaiah said “my people…””
“Oh, don’t take that to heart. That’s not what he meant.”
“No, he meant HYDRA, HYDRA used to be my people.”
Sam thought the answer over for a second, decoding it. “Not a chance,” he scoffed.
“Walker doesn’t have any leads,” Bucky shrugged.
“I know where you’re going with this, no.” “He knows all of HYDRA’s secrets. Don’t you remember Siberia?” “Wait, you’re not talking about…” I sought out Bucky’s eyes that were still dodging mine. I didn’t need a history lesson on who he was referring to. “No. Not him. He’s crazy.” “We don’t exactly have a lot of other options,” Bucky said as if that was justification for what he wanted to do. “So you’re just gonna go sit in a room with this guy?” Sam asked. Bucky hesitated, searching for a more sophisticated answer. “Y-yes.” I may have been allowed to stay, but I knew that I wasn’t experienced enough yet to argue on their level. They knew when and how to make the difficult calls, they could operate in a grey area with little to no issues. All I could do was sit back, be taken along for the ride and tolerate any passengers who got in along the way.
“Okay, then,” Sam finally concurred, “We’re gonna go see Zemo.”
————
I couldn’t sleep.
We were back on the jet speeding back to Germany, this time with an even more sinister problem at hand. I had wanted to come along, I just hadn’t guessed that the reason I’d be allowed to stay would be because of a threat to my safety. All because of my powers. This was the reason why my father had been hellbent on keeping them a secret. I felt in a way that I’d failed him, that somewhere in the afterlife he was disappointed in me for telling the truth, even if I’d done it for the right reasons. Sam was conked out next to me, I envied his military training to get quick sleep wherever he could. I personally felt like I’d injected caffeine into my veins back in Maryland and hadn’t been able to come down since.
“Can’t sleep?” Bucky asked from where he laid on the floor, I thought he’d been unconscious the whole time.
“Can’t imagine why,” I dryly chuckled, “We’re only flying cross country to sit down and meet with one of the world’s most dangerous criminals. Why the floor?” “Oh,” he’d sat up and was looking back down at his lousy makeshift bed, his jacket balled up as a pillow and an itchy blanket, “It’s, uh, hard to explain.”
After a few seconds of near uncomfortable silence, he pushed himself up and made his way to where I sat. I tucked my legs under me to make room for his burly body. He was big enough that with all the space I’d tried to give him, my knees still brushed against his thick thigh. He sighed loudly, giving voice to the divide that if we’d have gone our separate ways, as planned, wouldn’t have mattered. Now that we were going to be working together, we couldn’t ignore what had been said in that interrogation room.
“Listen, about what…happened,” his face contorted in a mild cringe as he played the scene back in his head, “I’m sorry, for what I said.” “You didn’t know,” I offered, picking at a loose thread on my jacket, “I don’t talk about Steve a whole lot except with Sam.” “Still, I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that,” Bucky continued, folding his hands in his lap. “I’ve been rude since we met and that’s not okay. Especially when all you’ve done is try and help.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it,” I leaned my head against the back of my seat, “No permanent damage done.” His thumbs danced together, his brows were knitted in concentration as he prepared to speak. “Can I, uh, ask you about your powers?”
I twisted so that I could properly face him, “Ask away.” “How did they happen?” “I was born with them, actually. I’ve got this thing called the X-gene, it’s supposed to manifest at puberty but for me it activated when I was really young,” I ran a hand through my hair, “Imagine being five years old and having blue come out of your fingers when you were reaching for a juice box.” A miracle occurred and Bucky’s lips actually quirked up in a half smile. It encouraged me to keep talking. “My mom wanted to take me to this school for kids like me but my dad forbade it. He kept saying that it was too dangerous and that somebody could find me. It was like he didn’t realize that it was a refuge for people with powers, not a hunting ground,” I paused, flashing back to arguments between my parents of which one of them actually knew what was best for me. “So instead, I just taught myself how to control them. There were a couple incidents but other than that, I’ve kept them under lock and key for a long time.”
Bucky had remained still and fascinated as I spoke, switching between watching my eyes and my lips. Suddenly it felt like nothing had ever gone on between us. We were just fellow soldiers or co-workers having a conversation outside of work.
“What do they think now? Your parents?” he asked, the ease of the moment slipping away with a simple question. He couldn’t have known the minefield he was stepping into.
“My mom doesn’t know yet that I told Sam,” I sighed deeply, inhaling strength and exhaling bad memories, “And my dad killed himself when I was a kid.” “Oh,” Bucky’s eyebrows lifted, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried into-“
“No, no, it’s fine…” I waved him off, “Whether I want it to be or not, it’s a part of me. He was in the service and when he returned, he was diagnosed with severe PTSD. I was so young when he came home that I don’t really have any memories of him before it happened. He had all the classic symptoms; flashbacks, nightmares, paranoia, fits of anger, at some point he even stopped believing that he was a good father and husband,” I tear slipped down my cheek, “That was around the time it happened. We tried for so long to help him but the trauma consumed him. Every day he was just doing his best to survive himself.” I glanced up at Bucky to find that his eyes were just as watery as mine. It hadn’t dawned on me that I was telling him everything that he already knew about what happened when someone returned from war. He was living it out right now. 
“I’m not trying to strike any nerves but…in that session tonight, I saw how much you were holding in. With Sam, with me…” I started, praying I wasn’t going to end up pushing him further away, “I’ve seen what bottling things up and isolating yourself can do to a person and it’s a hell I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I know you don’t trust me yet but…if you ever do need somebody to talk to…I can’t understand your experiences, but I can recognize some of it.” Bucky truly looked lost, like he’d never been in the position of receiving such an offer. His face, usually so hardened, had softened so much he was almost unrecognizable. And yet there was still some barrier, some pain weaved between the hope and vulnerability that kept him from receiving my kindness with open arms. In the session, the pain I had seen in his eyes reminded me so desperately of that in my father’s eyes. If I didn’t try to help him, that look would haunt me for a long time.
“Thank you,” he finally said, his voice raspy enough to make me shiver. We sat there in the dark, both our walls we’d built around ourselves starting to crumble as we chipped away at one another. There was some feeling I couldn’t put a name to that had settled over us. The eyes that I’d avoided all day were now all I could focus on, digging into the deep blue pools and feeling like I could lay down my sword there. If we were going to get through this mission, we needed to be friends at least and I felt confidant we were on the path.
Bucky eventually cleared his throat, shaking me from my thoughts that he was at the center of. “We’re gonna be to Berlin soon, you should get some sleep.”
Internally, I smiled at the familiarity, it was almost word for word what he’d told me the other night. Only now the hostility had been dropped.
“You need it too,” I replied as he rose and made his way across the plane, “Goodnight, Barnes.” I curled up in a ball near Sam’s feet, praying he didn’t kick me in his sleep. I had just shut my eyes to try when a voice spoke up, “Bucky.”
“Hmm?” I opened one eye to see him lay back down on the floor, attempting to get comfortable.
“Call me Bucky.”
I pursed my lips slightly to decrease the size of my smile, I wasn’t the only one laying down their weapons. “Alright. Goodnight, Bucky.”
----
A/N: There’s something so powerful about name dropping Wanda Maximoff and Y/n having been besties with Steve Rogers lol. Hope you all enjoy, let me know what you thought or if you’d like to be tagged! 
Safe Haven taglist: @tanyaherondale​ @wanniiieeee​ @asoftie4bucky​ @edencherries​ @i-reblog-fics-i-like​ @ttalisa​ @gcfty @withyoutilltheendofthismess​ @rinaispunk​ @weirdowithnobeardo​ @felicityofbakerstreet​ @godlypotterwhodiaries​ @eternalharry​ @voguesir​ @mizz-kraziii​ @okayline​ @smellmymisunderstoodfluff @wanderin-stories​ @nicklet94 @intricate-melody​ @aesthethickks​ @stumbleonmywords​ @simplybarnes​ @21bruhs​ @lostinwonderland314​ @superbookishhufflepuff​
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purebarnes · 3 years
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courage to change— (fem!avenger x bucky!)
ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ ➢ sam, bucky and y/n get in an intense therapy session when bucky gets arrested, lashing out at eachother only wanting to finish the mission and go their separate ways.
ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ➢ 3.1k
ᴅɪꜱᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀꜱ ➢ angst, mention of deaths, intense convo, yelling/swearing
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ꜱᴘᴇᴀᴋꜱ ! ➢ nothin, please enjoy!
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every once in awhile, silence would creep upon y/n and it was completely be torture for her. she would stay quiet for along time and just stare at the floor or even at a wall. it was unhealthy for her to not talk about how she felt but she had no one. she stared at the all slumping into her chair just waiting to get off the plane. sam looked up to see bucky and y/n silent just not saying anything. he closed his eyes and then spoke up, “you alright?” she swore every time someone would ask that question, she grew even more aggressive. it wasn’t their fault but she hated that question and it was even worse when she wasn’t. she looked up to meet sam in his brown eyes before nodding to not worry him about anything.
she was someone to express her feelings and especially to sam or bucky, she saw them as family even when she didn’t want to admit it. sam went on to go and ask bucky if he was fine, “let’s take the shield. let’s take the shield and do this ourselves.” bucky spoke wanting to have that shield back so badly, “we can’t just run up on the man, beat him up, and take it. do you remember what happened last time we stole it?—maybe—I’ll help you in case you forgot. sharon was branded enemy of the state, and steve and i were in the run for two years. i don’t know about you, but i don’t wanna live the rest of my life la vida loca. we just got our asses handed to us by super soldiers, and we got nothing.” sam explained.
y/n looked up to see them, “not entirely true.” bucky got up his seat and went to go sit next to sam moving slowly, hearing his dog chains move along while he went to sit. he wouldn’t say anything until he spoke up, “there is someone that you guys should meet.” they made it to baltimore and had to walk down to someone’s house. the girl honestly was going to leave and not look back but sam dragged her because he didn’t want to be alone with bucky. they encountered two kids playing on he streets, “hey, it’s black falcon, what’s up?—it’s just falcon, kid.” sam told the little kid, “no, no. my daddy told me it’s black falcon.” sam stopped with y/n to hear how this was going to end, bucky kept on walking.
“is it because i’m black and the falcon?—well, technically, i mean, yes—so are you, like, black kid? i got him, right?” sam chuckled when he rolled his eyes in defeat while y/n kept walking to meet behind bucky to finally be standing in front of a grey house and a sign that said no trespassing. y/n looked over to see the neighborhood, bucky knocked on the door making it open. “we’re here to see isaiah—nobody named isaiah lives here.” the boy said not wanting them to enter but bucky begged.
bucky told him, “we just want to talk to him—you must not hear what i just said. you ain’t getting in this house. y’all can leave now.” he said to them making y/n stare at him uneasy, “tell him the guy from the bat in goyang is here. he’s gonna know what that means.” the kid went to leave to see if they could all come in and once he came back, he opened the door and let them all in. y/n grew confused as what was happening and how bucky knew this older man as he never told her anything about him. “look at you—this is, uh, sam and this is y/n. sam, y/n, this is isaiah.” he introduced all of them to each other.
“he was a hero. one of the ones that hydra feared the most. like steve. we met in '51—if by met, you mean i whupped your ass, then, yeah.” bucky smiled lightly, “we heard whispers he was in the peninsula. but everyone they sent after him, never came back. so the u.s. military dropped me behind the line to go deal with him. i took half that metal arm in that fight in goyang, but i see he’s managed to grow it back.” isaiah said noticing the metal arm bucky had on, “i just wanted to see if he got the arm back. or if he’d come to kill me.” he finished before bucky spoke, “i’m not a killer anymore.” bucky whispered softly, “you think you can wake up one day and decide who you wanna be? it doesn’t work like that. well, maybe it does for folks like you.”
the man through a lot and y/n could tell how, the way he spoke and the pain in his voice. “isaiah, the reason we’re here is because there’s more of you and me out there—you and me.” he interrupted him not believing anything he was saying, “and we need to know how—i’m not gonna track about it anymore.” isaiah grabbed something and through it into the wall with a lot of force making y/n look at him. he walked to bucky, “you know what they did to me for being a hero? they put my ass in jail for 30 years. people running tests, taking my blood, coming into my cell. even your people weren’t done with me.”
the pain in his voice and hurt made y/n want to show sympathy but he wasn’t having it from her, “get out of my house!” he yelled as y/n walked behind sam following them outside and y/n couldn’t believe what was happening. “sam—why didn’t you tell me about isaiah? how could nobody bring him up? i asked you a question, bucky.” sam was angry, “i know—steve didn’t know him, did you know?” sam pointed at y/n and she shook her head , “no, she didn’t. i didn’t tell her or steve.” bucky said looking at her, “so you’re telling me that there was a black super soldier decades ago and nobody knew about it?”
the next thing they heard was siren and they all looked up to see what was happening, “hey—what’s up, man?” sam asked not wanting to cause anything, “is there a problem here?—no, we’re just talking.” sam tried once again to not cause anything with the police. y/n knew what this was about and it was wrong of them, “can i see your id?—i don’t have id. why?” y/n sighed at the police men and was grossed out to them, “okay, sir, just calm down—i am calm. what do you want? we’re just talking.” sam said.
“give him your id so we can leave—no. i’m not giving him shit. we’re just talking.” y/n moved from behind bucky and the police saw her and softened when she noticed who she was, “oh, miss stark. is he bothering you?—what, no, he’s not bothering me. do you know who this is?” she raised her voice as bucky pulled her back, they both whispered something about them being the avengers. “oh, god. i am so sorry, mr. wilson. i didn’t recognize you with the goggles. i’m really, really sorry about this.” the officer laughed nervously which no part of what he was doing funny at all. bucky moved to them before whispering, “i didn’t tell anyone because he had already been through enough.” sam just looked at him in disbelief.
the officers went back to all three of them, “mr. barnes, there’s a warrant out for your arrest—the president pardoned him for all that.” sam said telling him before the officer explained it again, “not for that. you missed your court-mandated therapy. it’s like missing a check-in with your po. i’m sorry, mr. barnes, you’re under arrest.” bucky sighed walking over to get handcuffed and entering the cop car.
sam and y/n went to the police station to see bucky but was met with a unknown face. “sam. I’ve heard a lot about you. i’m dr. raynor. i’m james therapist.” she stopped when she saw y/n looking at the floor just think about anything, “and you must be y/n. i have heard a lot about you as well, a little more than expected, miss stark.” y/n looked up smiling and got up to shake her hand and greet her and her heart ached a bit. “oh, it’s nice to meet you.” sam thanked her to get him, “that was not me.” she said before looking at john.
the door buzzed and bucky came out while bucky kept staring, “james, condition of your release, session now. you too, sam and y/n.” she said before y/n could protest to not wanting to be in a therapy session with bucky. “no... that alright, i’m—that wasn’t a request.” she told them as y/n sighed before following her already looking annoyed. they all sat next to each other not speaking already. “who would like to start?—all right, look, dr. raynor? i get it why you want us to talk to freaky magoo over here. but i’m 100% fine.” sam said gesturing towards bucky.
“it’s my job to make sure that you’re okay. and so, yeah, this may be slightly unprofessional, but it’s the only way that i can see if you’re getting over whatever’s eating at you.” she told them while y/n rolled her not that this lady was bogus but that she didn’t need this at all. “this is ridiculous—yeah, i agree—yup.” they all agreed not wanting to be in that position, “see? making progress already. so, who wants to go first.” no one spoke up and the silence was eating them alive, “no volunteers? wow. how surprising. okay. we’re gonna to do an exercise. it’s something i use with couples when they are trying to figure out what kind of life they wanna build together.” bucky glanced at y/n but she kept looking away so she wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“sam, i want james and y/n to go first though. turn around face each other.” she said while sam moved to the side waiting for bucky and y/n to face each other. y/n moved her chair and bucky did the same meeting her eyes but she just stared at the wall. dr. raynor saw y/n not meeting bucky’s eyes. a moment passed before she spoke, “okay, y/n tell me what bothers you about james.” y/n looked up to see bucky and glared at him as bucky went to stare but in a timid way, “he’s prevaricator. yeah you know it’s funny because sometimes i thought you would turn out different but i guess they were right.” she said.
bucky looked at her wanting to say sorry for everything he has done to her, “honestly, i feel fine. i don’t need this okay?” she told them sitting up straight crossing her legs. dr. raynor looked up and sighed since she wasn’t getting anything from her, “y/n, you’re father died. i lost many people, you must feel some type—nope, i’m alright. when will people stop telling me how to feel.” she sighed not meet the therapist’s eyes because deep down she knew she was right. “he’s gone. but nothing will bring him back... i’m waiting for some easy way out. i was isolated in my room and i wouldn’t leave, not when i had no one.” y/n breathed out, her foot shaking.
it was something she did to calm her nerves, “i never called.” bucky paused looking back up to see her staring to see what he would say, “i never called because i didn’t know what to say.” bucky felt this way because the winter soldier was the one that killed her grandparents. she knew that but she also knew that he was brainwashed and so that wasn’t him. not the real him. y/n inhaled and sensed, “i lost everything, i... uh, i was hurting and all i wanted was someone. to ask me how i was doing or to tell me everything was gonna be ok but— i kept hoping to get a call from the person that i loved..”
bucky looked up to her and looked at her with sympathy as she said she loved him but winced at that being in the past. he couldn’t let her be in pain but could anything he would say to her, help at all in the situation. “i guess miracles don’t just happen.” bucky sighed when she got up and moved to the side.
after dr. raynor went to write a few things in her notebook as sam went to move his chair, “you should really enjoy this—i’m going to—i know you are.” not even ten seconds and they started bickering at each other while turning to see each other. “let’s do it. let’s stare. this a good exercise. thanks, doc—all right,get close. get closer.” she said when they went to get close, “which way you want to go?—right or left?—you know what? fine here.” they kept arguing about how close they wanted to be, “you happy now? we’re locked in—that’s a little close.”
“that’s very close. that’s what you wanted right?—guys.” dr. raynor told them to stop it before telling them to look at each other, “look each other in the eyes.” it took a moment before they both looked up, “there, you see? that wasn’t t so hard.” they started staring at each other trying to intimidate each other as y/n rolled her eyes at their childness. “wait. what are you doing? at you having a staring contest? just blink.” she snapped her fingers causing them to blink. she asked what agrravated bucky about sam.
bucky smirked wanting to say something, “and don’t say something childish—why did you give up that shield?” y/n could sense something was going to happen between them both, she knew this was a horrible idea. “why are you making such a big deal out of something that has nothing to do with you?—steve believed in you. he trusted you. he gave you that shield for a reason. that shield. that shield is... that is everything he stood for. that is his legacy. he gave you that shield, and you threw it away like it was nothing—shut up.” y/n was hurt by hurt bucky was feeling, she understood what he was feeling but maybe sam had a reason to do that.
“so maybe he was wrong about you. and if he was wrong about you, then he was wrong about me.” bucky seethed while sam asked if he was finished so he could go, “all right, good. maybe this is something you or steve will never understand. but can’t you accept that i did what i thought was right?” sam scoffed wanting to end all that was happening. “you know what, do ? I don’t have time—no, we don’t have time for this.” sam looked at y/n, “we have some real serious shit going on. so how about this? i will squash it right now. we go deal with that, and when we’re done, we both can go on our separate, long vacations and never see each other again.” sam spoke.
y/n nodded while getting up, “thanks, doc, for making it weird. i feel much better. let’s go y/n. i’ll see you outside.” she nodded walking out the door before glancing at bucky then making her outside. this was a chance where she could leave and not look back. when sam and bucky noticed she wasn’t by their side, bucky went to call her name. no response, bucky sighed going to walk towards her and grab her hand as she yanked it away. he stepped it back and it was a habit that she would do.
she bit her lip them turning to see him, “where are you going?—i’m leaving bucky. this wasn’t a good idea. we both know that.” she scratched the back of her head while sticking her tongue inside of her mouth. “you can’t leave. we need you.” bucky put his hands in his pockets as the wind his his face, “no, you guys don’t. i’m unstable and will ruin—just stay. please, i need you to stay.” bucky wanted to bring up what happens back there but he saw sam calling him over. “stay here. give me a minute.” she nodded waiting at the exact same spot, him running off.
the girl could hear faint arguments from the boys and john but didn’t seem to care. she was getting colder as time went by, she saw them walking towards her. y/n shivering and her nose red and her not having a coat or jacket made everything worse. bucky noticed her getting cold and started to take off his jacket but she stopped him, “keep it. i’m okay.” she lied right through her teeth, she wanted that jacket so badly but she wouldn’t show him that he had that effect on her. he took it off completely and handed it but she wouldn’t grab it.
bucky took that as she didn’t want it then he went to put it around her shoulders. she gripped her shoulders from behind and tensed at the feeling when he let go. the tension they both had for each other made things difficult and sam watched them awkwardly not knowing what to say. “yeah, ok. can we go?” bucky looked at him, glaring at his direction leaving to walk with both of them.
y/n asked what john had to say to them and they just told her that they needed to stay out of his way. she raised an eyebrow at what they told her, walking around. “i know what we have to do. when isaiah said “my people”—don’t take that to heart. that’s not what he meant.” sam told him when bucky went to explain what they needed to do even if y/n was still going to work with them. “no. he meant hydra. hydra used to be my people.” sam scoffed not wanting to listen to bucky about his new plan. “walker doesn’t have any leads—i know where you’re going with this and no.” y/n spoke up and bucky turned to see her and when she had his jacket wrapped around her arms he smiled but not enough so she could see.
“y/n, he knows all of hydra’s secrets. don’t you remember siberia?” y/n shook her head not understanding the whole concept of what he was getting out. “so you’re just gonna go sit in a room with this guy?—yes.” bucky hesitation come from him while sam and y/n shared a look then sam spoke up. “alright. we’re gonna go see zemo.”
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luluxa · 4 years
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Drifter
Something I wanted to do for ages - an illustration to one of my original worlds. And I’m using James as a character because of reasons :D
Edit: the reasons :)
An intro for an AU fic set in one of my original worlds. Written a while ago and by now I honestly don't know when (if) I'm gonna finish it, and as a standalone bit it doesn't make much sense, but I guess it can provide some context for the art.
Guide You
Summary: Jeremy and Richard are set to have an adventure in the lands they know very little about, and of course, for that they will need a guide.
So it would appear they were going in the entirely wrong direction.
Hammond glares at Jeremy, weariness and anger on his little mug underlined poignantly by a ratty beard.
“You are a bellend, Clarkson,” he says very politely due to their new company, a nice change to all the abuse that was hurled at Jeremy for the last three days.
Their – well, Jeremy doesn’t want to say ‘saviour’, since they weren’t dying or anything – their finder inclines his head at Hammond’s expressiveness. An inclined hand is all the emotion that can be read off him, since he doesn’t remove his scarf or goggles, remaining mysteriously faceless and nameless.
“You could turn around and go in whichever direction you wished,” Jeremy retorts testily. He really doesn’t fancy appearing incompetent and pathetic in front of strangers.
“And then explain to your wife and children I just left you in the desert for the wild goats to feast on your flesh?”
Jeremy huffs, gesturing at his face. “Of course, the wild goats wouldn’t do you any harm since you look so much like one they’d accept you in their ranks immediately.”
Hammons scratches at his beard. “I look like Rob Dawny Jr and you know it. Don’t be jealous of my good looks.”
Jeremy lets out a massively sarcastic snort and the mystery man sighs and switches off the engine of his Falcon.
“Would you prefer to continue with this admittedly entertaining comedy double act or shall we make a camp?”
Jeremy and Hammond both grin at the comment and agree that the camp would be great.
“I’m Ainnay,” the man introduces himself at last, as they all dismount. “You, I gather, are from Ktider.”
“We are,” Jeremy nods, “I’m Clarkson, the midget is Hammond, and we were supposed to make a documentary about the desert but he’d challenged me to a race and then we got into the sandstorm and lost all our bearings.”
“You lost our bearings!” Hammond starts again, jabbing a finger at him. “I told you were going the wrong way!”
“Oh sure, because the direction you had proposed wouldn’t have lead us to the mountains a thousand miles from where we’ve started!”
“Yeah, where there’s at least some civilisation and not endless dunes with just an occasional goat skeleton stuck in a dried bush!”
“Gentlemen, please,” Ainnay interrupts them suddenly, holding his palms up. “It’s very easy to get lost in the desert, especially for someone who’s never been here before. Experienced Freemen sometimes get lost in sandstorms. I wouldn’t fight about it on your place. Of course, going for a race in the desert is another matter entirely,” he adds smoothly.
Jeremy gapes at him for a second, exchanges a glace with Hammond, and they both smirk.
“The race was definitely not my fault,” Jeremy says easily.
“You agreed to that!”
“And you agreed to follow me around! Five years ago, in fact!”
At last, Hammond gives up. “Yeah, all right, that was my biggest mistake and I have no choice but to concede it,” he says with as much sarcasm as he can muster.
While they were arguing, Ainnay managed to start a fire and somehow task semi-distracted Hammond with erecting a canopy, so Jeremy can celebrate his victory by sitting down and taking off his incredibly annoying itchy scarf.
“Ohh, I swear, it only cumulates the sand in your hair and does nothing to protect you from it!” he groans, scratching at his head vigorously, while Hammond nods along. “This is rubbish!”
Having brought all his pots and little bags under the canopy, Ainnay sits down as well. “It’s cos you’d put it on all wrong,” he comments. “I’ll show you later how it’s done, but one of the main things is that you put your goggles on it, not under it.”
Jeremy shrugs sheepishly and then has to spend a while ignoring Hammond’s speculations about the comfort of goggles-wearing, because Ainnay takes all his head-gear off as well and appears to be immensely pleasurable to look at.
Swallowing and averting his eyes with an effort from the sinfully pretty bow of pink lips, Jeremy hopes his blush will be mistaken for a heat rash. Will he ever be past this stupid and perverse notion of finding men attractive?
“Are you a Nahan, then?” he hears Hammond ask cautiously and looks up to see a red vertical stripe on Ainnay’s forehead, revealed now when he’s flicked the curls away from his face.
“I am. Couldn’t you tell that by me name?” he asks, looking confused, his accent very slight but audible now when Jeremy thinks about it.
Jeremy glances at Hammond, both of them shrugging.
“Not really. Should we?” Jeremy scowls. “Are we being massively ignorant and rude somehow, by any chance? In which case, please excuse us, we’ve literally came over here a week ago and know close to nothing about the local customs.”
Ainnay smiles, eyes squinted and sparkly, making Jeremy’s insides quiver. “No, not so far, although I can tell already you have a potential.”
Jeremy finds it in himself to snort and Hammond grins ruefully – well, he could get away with a lot, being stupidly charming when he wants to, but Jeremy has nothing to counterbalance his bellendism. He rather hopes he won’t offend Ainnay terribly at some point, as he does, indeed, has a lot of potential – and experience – in this area.
“Nahan people have pretty distinct names,” Ainnay explains calmly, making tea. “A Nahan man will always give you just one, it’s our ‘Amma namet’, a tribe’s name, given to us by someone from the tribe we live in. Those names are Ruisk in origin and usually descriptive – mine, for example, is two words: Ain – soft and Nay – hard.” Ainnay glances up from the tea, looking very soft and lovely indeed, and although Jeremy has known him for twenty minutes, he can tell the ‘hard’ part is there as well.
He nods. “Got it. Why is it always just one name?”
Ainnay offers them cups with tea and switches to making some sort of heavily spiced sandwiches that Hammond eyes with deep distrust.
“Do you believe in any sort of higher power – gods, fate, anything at all?”
Jeremy scowls at the sudden subject swerve. “No,” he says categorically, and Hammond shrugs with indifference. The little fussy moron sips the tea and tries very hard to not make a face – Jeremy thinks the tea is perfectly fine, but then again, Hammond is known to make faces at water. “I mean, we have organised religion in Ktider but it’s no more than a collection of fairy tales and a list of ridiculously strict rules and improbable threats of post-mortem punishment to make an illiterate peasant behave.”
Ainnay frowns fleetingly at that. “How odd. Well, here people do believe in higher powers, although no one’s imposing it on them. I would guess it’s because living somewhere as unpredictable and dangerous as a desert makes you invoke anything at all to ease your struggle with the world around.”
Jeremy contemplates it and nods. “Maybe. The seamen are like that as well – every sea-going man I’ve ever known was superstitious as hell, regarding the seas to be well, almost a deity of its own.”
Ainnay nods. “Yes, so is the desert – you know these lands as Tensah, I think, but it’s really the name of the goddess that is supposedly looking over us.”
Jeremy notes that Ainnay doesn’t seem to be very religious himself, wondering, why doesn’t he conform to the beliefs of his people.
“So what does it have to do with names?” Hammond asks, ever impatient and probably annoyed with the non-promising dinner.
Ainnay doesn’t look bothered with the rudeness, remaining serenely calm and immersed in the food making. “Our tribe names are designed to hide us from the goddess who’s known to not like men very much. Women go by the first name always, as they’ve nothing to fear.”
Men fearing a goddess sounds pretty entertaining – Jeremy’s heard about ancient people worshipping Earth like the ultimate Mother, and it was proposed by some historians in those ancient times women were the rulers – he wonders, whether it was or hell, still is, true for the local desert people.
“I think we have something similar to your Amma namet thing – nicknames,” Jeremy says on an afterthought. “His is Hamster,” he points at Hammond, making the latter glare.
Ainnay hums. “Yeah, we have nicknames too, but it’s not the same thing. Amma namet is absolutely formal and ritualistic rather than amusing and affectionate. It’s for permanent use, since our first name has to be hidden. The first name can only be used one on one, and only your mother can use it, or a person to whom you give that name – usually a life partner. So, if a Nahan man ever gave you his first name he would be actually saying ‘I love you and I want to spend my life with you’.”
“I hope to never hear that one,” Hammond says immediately, and Jeremy immediately and ridiculously wonders what is Ainnay’s first name.
Bad thought, he tells himself angrily. Incredibly bad and out of order.
They receive their plates with the sandwiches and Jeremy makes a point to declare it very tasty – which it is – to counterbalance Hammond’s politely concealed but still evident disgust.
“Don’t mind him. Hammond hates everything that isn’t eggs and gin,” Jeremy explains, talking away his portion to not waste anything.
Hammond lets him with relief. “I don’t hate everything. I’m just not used to foreign food, sorry. I have some crackers on me, I’ll be fine with those.”
Ainnay shrugs. “All right. What’s gin?”
They spend another hour discussing alcoholic beverages and food, Hammond increasingly horrified with Ainnay’s descriptions of the local drinks that seem to include snake bile and scorpions, until Jeremy realises that while remaining perfectly deadpan, Ainnay is having a lot of fun making Hammond queasy, and sits back to be entertained.
“There’s no such thing as rotten shark soup!” Hammond cries eventually, riled up and red in the face. “You’re having me on!”
Ainnay looks at him with clear-eyed sincerity. “Why would I be having you on? It’s a delicacy, I’ve had some, they serve it with fried whale intestines – it’s actually delicious, as long as you don’t breath in.”
On that, Jeremy gives up, giggling and pointing helplessly at Hammond’s constipated mug. “Your stupid tiny face, all scandalised,” he manages at last. “Ainnay, you’ve got to stop or Hammond will be sick.”
Looking pleased with himself, Ainnay nods. “As you wish. Although everything I said was the truth.”  
“You’re worse than Clarkson,” Hammond says, looking hurt. “I hoped to meet someone nice on this journey.”
Ainnay’s expression remains as kindly and innocent as it was. “Tough luck.”
Jeremy dissolves in giggles again, delighted beyond words, and Hammond turns away pointedly, sulking.
“And here I thought we’ll be stuck with just the scenes of the dunes and Hammond moaning,” Jeremy says, pleased, patting his absorber under the coat. He’ll have to sort the stream soon, to not spend hours and days editing the raw material. “That would’ve made a boring show.”
Noticing Ainnay’s confusion, Jeremy produces the absorber disc from under the layers of his dusty robes. “We have them on us 24/7, basically. Bit difficult to make a comprehensive story out of the uninterrupted stream, but we resolved it by embracing a lot of the randomness. People like it, oddly enough.”
Ainnay just looks more confused. “Hold on. I did not understand a word. What is that thing?”
Hammond turns around from his sulking and his crackers to gape at Ainnay along with Jeremy. “You don’t know what it is?”
Ainnay shrugs. “Should I?”
Jeremy looks at his absorber. “Well, yeah, since it came from your part of the world. It’s black niurite, it absorbs the perception of a person connected to it.”
Still blank, Ainnay reaches for the absorber but thinks better of it. “Could you be more specific, please?”
“It absorbs your perception, things you see, or hear, or smell, or what you feel by touch – it stores it as a stream of uh, sensory experience. People then can duplicate it to their absorbers and tune in. It’s a bit like dreaming,” Jeremy tries to explain, “only it’s not your dreaming and everything is real. Well, you could tune into your own stream, which would be like remembering something, but you know, with full presence in the moment. So what Hammond and I are doing here is making a stream – after editing it’ll be his and mine streams in turn combined into one. There should be also a third-person perspective of our discmen, but since we’ve lost them right after coming here, it’ll be just our points of view, so to speak.”
Ainnay listens with his mouth open. “Whoa,” he manages at last. “That’s amazing!”
Bemused, Jeremy exchanges a glance with Hammond again. “Are you saying you have nothing like that in your lands?”
Still transfixed with the absorber, Ainnay shakes his head. “No. We don’t really know what to do with black niurite – your lot likes it enough to buy it, so we sell it to you. We just thought you use it for jewellery or something else decorative. Can you show me how it works?”
Luckily, Hammond has a spare absorber, so he gives it to Ainnay, tying his scarf around his eyes securely and explaining how to connect to it, which takes Ainnay a while but eventually, he lets out a startled yelp and waives his hands about, reacting to something Hammond has on it.
“Bloody Norah!”
Filing away the unfamiliar curse, Jeremy watches Ainnay go from flaily amazement to the stillness of intent concentration – he always loves to watch kids do it, but a grown man discovering streaming is especially endearing.
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denimbex1986 · 3 years
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NOTE: This video will not play for those outside of the UK.
“Sebastian, you’re Bucky Barnes, AKA The Winter Soldier - how the heck did that happen?”
Sebastian: “I don’t know - I really don’t know. 2010 was definitely a turning point in my life, and it was getting this part. And it was all still speculative at the time because we had a lot of, uh, a lot of talks and meetings about the potential of this character and what he would become; whether or not he would ever be even explored as the Winter Soldier at the time. It was just more about the success of Captain America: The First Avenger and, and , and how much that story in itself worked. The fact that we were able to get it this far is, you know, a huge success, but it’s definitely something that’s attributed to many factors and, you know, I think there was always a plan there, but there were many times along the road I didn’t quite know how it was going to happen, or if it was gonna happen. It’s always kind of like an on-going discovery; I think people think we know a lot more about these things, but I think one of - one of the good things about Marvel is that the are always remaining very flexible and reflective of the times and what the fans respond to, and what’s the most interesting storyline, and what feels right, and then that’s kinda where decisions get made. So now we’re here - ten years later.”
“I’m loving it, yeah. So just to be clear; it started off as just Bucky. Apparently, the story goes that you only realised you were playing The Winter Soldier when the title was announced in 2013.”
Sebastian: “Yep; that - that also, uh, I think, I think the way I really learned about it was my, uh - a - I had a friend who texted me from Comic Con (interviewer laughs quietly) saying ‘Dude, they’ve just relay - the, the, the people your name’s in the title, and I was like ‘Oh. I mean that’s, I guess I’m, that’s - that’s good, that means that I’m in the movie, right? (interviewer laughs quietly) I mean -’ So, yeah, that’s very also true.”
“And talking of titles, was there ever any conversation about the show being called The Winter Soldier and The Falcon?”
Sebastian: “You know, first of all, I’ve already had my name in a title of a movie, you know - ”
“Ah, yes.”
Sebastian: “Arguably, Falcon we haven’t really ever learned his backstory period, I mean, you know, it’s - it’s a tough one to argue because I technically have had two movies dedicated to my character (laughs). So in a way I feel like, you know, it really should be about the Falcon, to be honest.”
“You gotta give him a leg up, that guy, Anthony Mackie.”
Sebastian: “Sometimes he might need a hell of a lot more than that. He’s got the legs covered, I’ll tell you that. (interviewer laughs) I mean the guy doesn’t skip leg day but - ”
“No Sir. And how happy are you now that you don’t have to wear the mask and the goggles anymore?”
Sebastian: (laughs) No, I kinda liked the mask. I, I - I was always a little bit hesitant of the goggles because when you have the goggles, you don’t have the, the eyes and so like as an actor, you wanna use the eyes, right? But the mask was kind of a cool thing because I knew what the Winter Soldier had looked like in the comic books, I knew - but any, you know and again, we had tried the eyeliner and, and that was sort of an interesting, bold choice and fortunately we decided to kind of maybe not use it, uh, so much, although it had made sense at one point that he had been - you know, he’d been using that; but it - that was just a - a nod to the comics, when he has the actual (motions across his eyes) you know, but again, the mask made the characters so much more brutal and sort of machine like and then that kind of informed a little bit of how, how I was gonna play that role at the time, so it was kind of a cool thing. I’m always a believer less is more and all that stuff, which is again why I was really worried this time around, I was like ‘ don’t, don’t give me, don’t give me too many - too many words (interviewer laughs quietly) because, (laughs) because I’ve been a lot better without a lot of words.’ So now if we’re gonna say something - what are we gonna say, you know?”
“What - who am I?”
Sebastian: ”Always the question, my friend. It never ends.” (laughs)
“You’ve worked with some utterly incredible people in these movies over the years. I was wondering who intimidated you the most because back in the day, you once told me this story of what happened to you when you first shot a scene with THE Robert Redford.”
Sebastian: “Oh man, that was such a good dream come true. All I wanted was to ask him about everything (interviewer laughs quietly) that he had ever experienced, and he was so kind. And yeah, I mean you work with these actors and you sort of kind of start to see how they do it, and I think I was always very lucky because I felt, you know, the Captain America trilogies and, and storylines were always very grounded, it’s really after like the most relatable storyline. Robert Redford got to be Robert Redford, with all that intensity, in our movie, um you know, that was the same guy from 3 Days Of Condor and stuff, and so like, you know, he really sort of was perfect in that part.”
“I - I know you’ve explained this a million times on a thousand different interviews, but indulge me. How does that metal arm work on set and how has that process evolved over the years?”
Sebastian: “Well the arm itself has changed. The first arm was really, really difficult to work with, in fact, it - we had to have like, it broken in two pieces because the one piece in itself, like the hero one, the particular material that shined and was the most - that looked the most metal was, was a really hard material so I couldn’t even like (motions moving arm) - just getting it to, to use it was like, extremely difficult. But again, that also informed sort of a kind of a behavior of the character in a way and I, and I remember refusing to, to wear the le - the, the the less shiny one. I wanted the hard, uncomfortable material because that was - was gonna look the best. And then as we went, obviously once he got a new arm, - every time they, they mold them again, based on your body; it’s all very specific to you. And then this particular one was the most flexible one, and again, it’s like one piece; obviously it can’t be a whole full on arm, right, ‘cos otherwise how are you going to get into it? - but it was the most, uh, comfortable one. But yeah, I still find myself sometimes catering to the old one, you know, ‘cos it just had such a specific shine to it and it was so iconic in the comic books so um -. But yeah, its, it’s a whole thing and, and it, it does do something to you after a while because you are essentially working your left arm more - ”
“Yeah.”
Sebastian: “ - I mean, it’s, it’s a very tiny, tiny difference, like your body knows when it’s saying ‘Hey, that’s working a lot more.’ So, (laughs) so physically, I’ve definitely, uh, had some love wounds from the - from, from my partner in crime - the, the left arm.”
“Now we know Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a favourite amongst the cast of the MCU - the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I know that ‘cos they’ve actually told me so. And you’ve had some really special, emotional scenes over the years, like the ‘with you till the end of the line’ scene with Steve for example, and one of my favourites - ‘Who the hell is Bucky?’ And I love that your character is actually introduced in the very first film, your first scene, by knocking out a bad guy and then turning around and kicking him in the backside - I just love that. What are your standout moments over the movies?”
Sebastian: “As an actor you always want - you always want to do a movie that’s a period movie and a period movie in the 40′s was always really fun; the idea of it. I loved those, those scenes that he had with Steve Rogers in the first movie ‘cos they were so innocent but also in a way like really established their dynamic. And then of course The Winter Soldier movie was really incredible for me because I got to do so many cool things, and again it was not on a, on a green screen. We were really on a bridge - I was given a 35 pound thing to fire with. It was all very practical to be doing that kind of action.”
“The knife-stuff alone - ”
Sebastian: “The knife stuff. We had a good two months to get down to the hand-to-hand combat, so again, stuff I’d never done, so the character was really cool to me, and I loved all those, all those pieces. So there have been moments all throughout that kind of all add up i, in terms of really having enjoyed playing the character, From an acting perspective, you know, to play, uh, a character that seemingly could always go dark is interesting and fun, and it was a complex character like that. But then I think going forward it was more a good question of ‘What are we gonna really explore with him now?’”
“Hmmm.”
Sebastian: “And finding a way to - to marrying both sides of this character and, and kind of having and witnessing how, how he’s able to accept the past and, and claim his sort of dark Winter Soldier past and side, and, and then evolve forward. Because he’s never gonna be the man he was back in the 40′s and he’s certainly not gonna be the guy that was this assassin. So what is he gonna be now, you know, and how is he gonna figure out a way to  - to grow from that?”
“For sure. I love the bits with the therapist in the first episode. It makes me think - you know the bit in Infinity War where you pick up Rocket and use him as like a moving machine gun?”
Sebastian: (with a laugh) “Yeah.”
“Are you bringing that up with the therapist? Surely there’s gotta be a moment where you go: ‘There were these alien dogs attacking me - and just -’ ”
Sebastian: “Well yeah, right? That, that would be a good thing to talk about. Because, I remember in, in that particular moment, which was a very cool moment, and it was fun, but we were sitting there with the Russo’s in Infinity War trying to figure out what his humor was and like, how does that character now respond to a talking raccoon, you know?”
“I’ll leave you with these two wrap-up questions. What do fans typically say to you in the street when the spot you? Do you get lines quoted back at you: ‘End of the line?’ Do you get people quoting: ‘Longing, rusted, seventeen, daybreak, furnace, nine, benign, homecoming, one, freight car?’”
Sebastian: (with a sigh) It happens quite often. (interviewer laughs) It happens at, uh you know, coffee shops and uh, it - it happens a lot, you know, and, and it’s always very, uh, it’s always very funny. And it’s a good, hon - honorable thing, you know, I guess. You know you’re, you’re very taken with it all - all the time but - it, you do have to sometimes look at people in the face and say ‘No, I will - I will not become The Winter Soldier’ as you say that, you know? (interviewer laughs quietly) You can keep saying it, and maybe you should say it, um, maybe that’s a moment we both need to have together, now, here. But, uh, but nothing crazy will happen, uh, you know?’”
“Er, I’d like to apologise and say goodbye, which is it was with me where we decided your fans were gonna be called The Winter’s Children, back in the day.”
Sebastian: “It was, wasn’t it? Well that really stuck didn’t it?”
“Yep. I can only apologise. And - ”
Sebastian: No, it’s all good. I’m glad - I’m glad that stuck around.”
“And obviously as the White Wolf, I should say ‘Wakanda Forever’, so thank you so much Sir.”
Sebastian: “Hey, thank you man.”
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Text
Us and Andie Ch. 3
Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.
Pairing: Bucky x singleparent!Reader
Word Count: 5130 (Guys, this just keeps getting higher and higher, wtf)
Warnings: Nothing. Guys, this is fluff. I mean, there will be angst in later chapters, but not yet. I’ll warn ya when we get there.
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Silence had a way of filling a room and making it feel heavy. For the Avengers, a team that was constantly outspoken and filled with energy, that silence was deafening and suffocating. The only person who ever seemed to find true peace with it was Bucky. But now, everyone was silent for a different reason.
They were watching Andie.
The girl had so easily snuck out from under the nose of five heroes and managed to evade a team of them for hours. It took a Hulk with a craving to find her again.
And that alone was enough to impress Tony. He was highly amused by the girl and found her brutal honesty as refreshing as being around Happy or Rhodey. He hadn’t realized it was a quality he respected so much until he was fine with a kid behaving in such a manner. But he knew Andie wasn’t supposed to be here and after an update from F.R.I.D.A.Y., he realized how out of hand everything had gotten. So now, he watched as Bruce and Andie kept up their game, listening to Peter and Sam explain the last several hours of their day.
He shrugged, turning back to them. “Well, I called her mom and she’s on her way.” 
“You know her mom?” Steve raised an eyebrow and Tony laughed.
“Uh…F.R.I.D.A.Y.” Tony pointed up to the ceiling and Steve knew in that moment that he should have already assumed. F.R.I.D.A.Y. was extremely good at getting information.
“So she’s heading this way?” Steve glanced back at Andie, arms crossed and brow furrowed. Tony knew that look all too well.
“Is there something wrong with that, Cap?”
“No…I…” He trailed off and Tony snorted, shaking his head and going back to his work.
“Keep your secrets, Old man. But make sure Manchurian Candidate over there doesn’t explode. I really don’t want to have to clean this place up.”
Steve chuckled. The more forgiving Tony was as time passed, the more he teased Bucky. And it showed a much needed progress for his two friends. He wanted his team to be a family. To be able to work together and rely on one another. That being said, he turned his attention back to his oldest friend.
Bucky was sitting on a stool, leg bouncing restlessly but eyes never wavering. He was absolutely fixated on Andie. It seemed the concern he had was clear to everyone in the room except for him. But no one dared comment on it. Instead, he let himself smile as Andie turned over an empty bag that was once filled with what was hers and Bruce’s favorite candy. He rose to his feet, finally earning the kid’s attention. “Come on, Andie. Can throw that away and wait for your mom in the living room.”
She nodded and hopped off, taking his hand in hers before following him out of the room. When the doors finally closed, there was nothing but silence. Everyone had watched how easily she had listened to him. How easily she had touched him. And there was no fear from her. No tension from him.
“She’s got him wrapped around her finger, doesn’t she?” Sam asked, already knowing the answer.
Rather than answer Sam’s question, Tony asked, “Why do you think I called her mom?”
Steve immediately looked at him.
Still, Tony didn’t look up. The only sign of ‘guilt’ on his face was the smirk that was cast in a glow emanating from the iron-suit.
-.-
Bucky sat in one of the awkward, too-stiff chairs near the foyer. It seemed Tony knew the Avengers should expect guests and had this area set up for just that. Right now, he had Andie situated on the couch with a pair of Falcon’s goggles in her hands. She had tried to put them on to the best of her abilities, jumping around as if she was about to take flight. Unlike most kids he had crossed paths with these days, she was heavily relying on her imagination. He wandered if it was a choice or because her family didn’t have the means for her to have access to technology.
“Kid, take a seat. Your mom’s going to be here soon.”
She had been hanging over the back of the couch, but at the title ‘kid’, she looked back at him. “I thought you weren’t going to call me that anymore.”
“I thought your name was ‘Andie’.”
She frowned, taking off the goggles and tossing them on the table between them. “It is.”
“No. According to your mom, your name is ‘Lauren’.”
Her shoulders tensed at that name. He couldn’t help but be curious as to how often she actually heard it. Why did she hate it so much? “You don’t get to call me that.”
“I don’t?”
“You’re not my parent.”
Bucky leaned back in his chair, rubbing his jaw and the back of his neck. He noticed the way she stared at the table between them. It seemed the goofy kid everyone found utterly adorable was no where in sight. He’d overstepped. Tapping his foot, he found himself watching the way she picked at her nails. They were short and he realized she probably chewed them. A nervous habit. “I don’t go by my first name either.”
“I know.” Her voice was soft as she tucked a leg into her chest. She changed her mind as she started playing with her laces. “You go by a nickname from your middle name. Same as me.”
“More like what you’re doing is the same as me. I am older.”
She giggled at that and the small smile was enough to ease at least some more minor worries.
“Was it your dad that named you?”
She nodded against her knee, the action stiff and awkward, but enough of an answer for him.
“And Andromeda?”
Andie looked at him, finally meeting his gaze as she gave him one of his favorite smiles. “Look it up.” Bucky chuckled, crossing his arms and slouching more in his seat. She tilted her head, cheek resting on her bony leg. “Mom says bad posture screws up your back.”
“Oh, is that right?” He raised an eyebrow. “And what does she say about putting your shoes on the couch, huh?”
“She says don’t.”
Both immediately turned their attention to the front doors of the foyer. Y/N was standing there in scrubs and a hoodie, exhaustion even more prominent than the night he had seen her. Was it because she had gotten off a shift? Or was she always so tired?
“What the hell is she doing here?” Y/N crossed the foyer, gaze settled intently on Bucky as he rose to his feet. “I had Peter taking care of her and – “
“And the kid has an internship here. He’s friends with the Avengers.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, not entirely sure why she was angry. Sure, she hadn’t known where Andie was, but she was safe. There was no where else she could have been that would have made her more so. “Steve and Sam saw them at the park and – “
“I don’t care. That’s my kid. And Peter knows better. Just because you’re a bunch of heroes doesn’t mean – “
“Mom…”
“Not right now, Andie,” Y/N murmured, shoulders slumping. The only reason she was even remotely functional right now was because of her anger. It was keeping her awake. And she still had a long drive to get them back to Brooklyn and return her coworker’s vehicle. And she still had work tomorrow night. Crossing her arms, she looked back at Bucky and said, “She could have been with every single superhero you know. I don’t care. The fact that I didn’t know where my child was, that’s what matters. I didn’t know that she was safe. For all I knew, her fucking father – “
“Mom, I’m okay.”
“Andie.” Y/N exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. It was then that Bucky saw the tears in her eyes. He watched as Andie reached across the back of the couch and grabbed her hand, squeezing gently. “It took a call from Tony Stark for me to find out where my kid was. Do you have any idea how terrifying that is for someone like me?”
Someone like her?
Oh. A single parent. A single mother.
“No. I don’t know. And I’m sorry.”
Y/N watched him, studying his features and it seemed she believed him because she simply nodded. This reaction to his presence was so different from their last interaction that he wasn’t sure what to think. He would’ve thought she’d be happy that Andie was with good guys, but it seemed she didn’t care. She really did just want to know for herself that her kid was safe. He thought back to the community they lived in. The hospital she worked at. It wasn’t even one of the better hospitals that could provide good pay. It made him wonder – what had happened to their family?
“You must be Y/N Y/L/N.”
The trio looked back towards the inner workings of the building. There, as if waiting to make a grand entrance, was the rest of the team. Normally they would expect someone to freak out, get excited and ask for autographs, maybe a photo. But not Y/N. No, her gaze fell on Tony, recognizing his voice from their earlier phone call and the numerous times she had heard him on the news.
He walked forward, immediately shaking her hand. Bucky watched the exchange, completely puzzled. There was nothing about this situation that required the whole team and yet even Wanda and Vision were lingering in the background, waiting to get to know these two people.
“Please, don’t introduce yourselves. I’m pretty sure anyone with common sense knows who you are,” Y/N said, smiling at Tony before looking to everyone else.
“Those are our codenames though,” Sam reminded.
Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Alright.”
Andie grinned as if something really cool was about to happen. She looked at Sam, as if her expression alone told him: You are so wrong.
Pointing one by one, Y/N said, “Sam Wilson. Steve Rogers. Natasha Romanoff. Clint Barton. Bruce Banner. Vision. Wanda Maximoff. Tony Stark.” Her gaze settled on Bucky. “James Buchanan Barnes.”
“Just – “
“Bucky.” The nickname slipped out of hers and Bucky’s mouths together and Steve was barely able to hide his smile.
Andie added, “She knows.”
Y/N chuckled down at her girl, pulling her into a little side hug as she told the team, “You aren’t nearly as anonymous as you would like to believe. Anyone with a computer can find out your actual names and anyone who witnessed Sekovia or the Accords would certainly be reminded.”
“You’re not one of the people who hates us, are you,” Sam asked, earning a shove from Steve. “Look, it is a legitimate question. Especially in our line of work.”
Y/N laughed. It was beautiful and simple and the sound made Bucky smile. He ducked his head, hiding behind loose strands of hair so as to hide any flush that could have appeared. No one seemed to notice. Except for Steve. “I don’t hate any of you. I think all of you mean well and, except for Vision and Thor, you’re human. Humans make mistakes. Humans try their best. With your talents, you’re trying to do some good in the world, right?” She didn’t need an answer. “So it’s not even that I don’t hate you. I can’t.”
Tony smiled at that, looking back at Steve. The two seemed to have their own little conversation, silent to everyone but themselves.
“And on that note,” she said, squeezing Andie before releasing her. “We got to get on the road.”
Tony whipped his head around as Bucky looked up. But both reacted for entirely different reasons. It seemed Andie’s initial joke of playing matchmaker now had two important players: Tony and Steve.
And they were determined to see if maybe there was potential for something.
Nothing wrong with that, right?
“Since we scared you and you have that long drive ahead of you anyway, why don’t you stay for dinner,” Tony offered. The confused look from Bucky didn’t go unnoticed, but it was certainly ignored. “Consider it a peace offering?”
“Please, Mom?”
Y/N offered a weak smile, shaking her head. “I wish we could, but I work tomorrow night and Andie has school.”
“We can take her,” Steve offered, shrugging.
“And there’s plenty of rooms here. You could stay the night. Get some actual sleep instead of worrying about all that traffic,” Natasha added.
Andie’s eyes seemed to light up like a kid at Christmas. “Oh, please! Please, can we, Mom?” She swung off Y/N’s arm, seemingly trying to exhaust her into a yes.
“I – Look, as kind as that is, it really isn’t necessary.”
Peter smiled, knowing exactly where this was coming from. Y/N didn’t like charity. Though May hadn’t told him everything that had happened in Y/N’s divorce, he knew it was messy. He knew she had to pick up a lot of pieces and right now she was just looking out for Andie. She had a lot of pride despite everything. Still…it was okay to accept a nice gesture. It wasn’t pity. It was help. “I was going to stay for dinner. If you want, I can stay the night too and take Andie to school tomorrow.”
The idea of Andie going with someone she was more familiar with made Y/N feel at ease. It was ridiculous. They were superheroes. She should feel perfectly fine with her daughter in their hands, but she didn’t know them. And that made a difference. At least now it did. Turning her gaze back to Andie, she noticed that pleading look in her eyes. Andie was pretty good at reading rooms and not asking for things. She was good at knowing when it wasn’t time to push.
So this must really be something she wanted.
“…Okay.”
-.-
The kitchen was chaotic to say the least. Since the Avengers normally ate out or ordered in, it was odd seeing them try to be so…domestic. It turned out that none of them really knew how to cook. Except for Sam and Wanda.
So now they were trying to put together something that could qualify as a meal for Y/N and Andie.
Y/N watched them from the couch as her daughter tried to settle on a movie. At first, they tried to offer her some of Natasha’s clothes to change into, but she had merely laughed at the idea. She knew she could never fit in Natasha’s clothes and didn’t need that twinge of self-loathing. So instead, Steve leant her a hoodie and sweats. They were baggy on her, but she looked cozy.
Cute, Bucky thought as he sat on the opposite end of the couch.
“Do they need help in there?” Y/N pointed to the kitchen, looking at Bucky and then Steve who had taken up the whole loveseat.
Bucky glanced back to see Clint trying to steal a taste of whatever meat Sam was cooking. When he was swatted away with a spatula, he knew they’d all be fine. “Don’t worry about it. They can handle a meal in the kitchen.” He looked back at Y/N. She was doing her best to be in the corner of the couch, trying to take up as little space as possible as Andie made herself comfortable, using her mother’s stomach as a pillow.
“Buck, you should braid Andie’s hair. It’d probably get her to focus on finding a movie.” Steve was mostly teasing, but it seemed his friend was determined to keep as much space between himself and the family as he could. What was he so afraid of?
Bucky glared at Steve as Andie looked from the captain to him. “Could you?”
“Uh…”
“Andie,” Y/N murmured, tugging at a strand of her hair. “These guys are already doing a lot for us. Don’t – “
“I don’t mind.”
Y/N looked up, her y/e/c eyes meeting his bright blue ones. It really was strange hearing him talk so much, but she was starting to get used to it. She was starting to like it. There was something about his voice that was calming. And here he was, playing to the whims of her little girl. “Are you sure?”
Before he had a chance to answer, Andie was already scrambling out of her mother’s lap and settling in his. He chuckled, dropping his legs from the coffee table in front of him and settling them on the floor. She took off the hat, such a small thing that she hadn’t parted with in three days, and held it out for her mom.
“Guard it with your life,” Andie said, eyes wide and silent promise already being made as Y/N chuckled and took the hat.
Bucky glanced at Y/N, silently asking if it was genuinely okay for him to do this. She simply shrugged. Who was she to deny such a simple and sweet request? Bucky turned back to Andie, gently combing his fingers through her hair. There were only a few tangles and if they hurt, she gave no inkling that that was the case.
Satisfied that her hair would behave for him, Bucky’s nimble fingers started working on her hair. It reminded him of Rebecca. When she was a little girl, she’d always ask Bucky to do her hair and he had gotten rather good at it. It seemed the muscle memory never quite left him.
Meanwhile, Steve looked at Y/N, curious how she was feeling about all of this. Everything about her looked tired and drained, but he was almost certain that she was far from relaxed. He had experience with someone being a single parent and knew that worry was always high on their list. His mom raised him as a single mother, but it was because she was a widow. She had loved her husband with everything. Seeing someone put such stress on themselves willingly made him want to ask why.
“So,” he spoke up. Clearing his throat, he was relieved when Y/N looked his way and seemed calm. “If you don’t mind my asking, how long has it been just you two?”
Bucky jerked his head, glaring at Steve. “She doesn’t have to answer that.” Whether he wanted to know the answer or not, she didn’t owe them an answer. She owed no one an explanation.
Y/N laughed softly at Bucky’s clear irritation towards the comment. “It’s fine. Honestly. Being a single mom, you get those questions every day,” she told Bucky. Looking back at Steve, she answered his question with, Eight years.”
Steve raised an eyebrow as Bucky looked her way. Eight years? Andie had a whole family for such a small period of time. “I – Wow.”
“Anything else you want to know?”
Yes. Why? How often does Andie see her father? Who decided to get the divorce? Was it mutual? Are you on good terms? What is Andie’s father like?
The questions went on and on and on, listing themselves in Bucky’s head. But he didn’t bother asking. It wasn’t his place.
“You like being single?”
Y/N hesitated when she was asked that, looking back to the kitchen. Clint was the one who asked. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and came to the chaise, plopping down on it as he looked at Y/N. Leave it to him to ask such a weird question. But she thought about it for a moment and shrugged. “Does your team?”
“Hell nah,” Sam called from the kitchen. Laughter came from everyone and Bucky couldn’t stop himself from sighing in relief. Leave it to these guys to ask something that was none of their business. “But maybe we should invite Scott over. Try to get you two…What was the word you used to always call it, Steve?”
Steve shifted, cheeks flushing red. “I don’t remember.”
“Fonduing,” Tony answered, earning a burst of giggles from Andie.
“Are you done yet,” she whispered to Bucky. He chuckled, tugging off the hair tie that was located on his wrist. He secured the braid and dropped it against her back. She grinned and touched it, trying to figure out which braid he had done for her.
“Now pick a movie, Rugrat,” he whispered in her ear. “Before the whole team decides to find a date for your mom.”
Andie wrinkled her nose at the very idea, shaking her head. “She’s not supposed to date anybody.” Looking at her mom, she added, “Not yet at least.”
Yet? What the hell was that supposed to mean?
He chuckled and shook his head as he leaned back. Bucky had every reason to believe that she would move back to her mom, but instead, she did just the opposite. Squeezing between him and the end of the couch, she had practically forced him to wrap an arm around her. Again, Bucky looked to Y/N, not sure that this was okay. But instead of anger or worry, she smiled. It seemed she was anything but bothered by the sight.
“Oh, this one!”
The team looked to the screen to see that Andie had picked out a Disney movie. “Treasure Planet.”
“But first,” Wanda called. Several plates glowed red and hovered in the air. Each was filled with food and ready to be snatched. “Let’s eat.”
Andie immediately bolted, jumping over the arm of the couch as most everyone made their way in the same direction. Bucky glanced at the spot she had wedged herself into, suddenly feeling cold. But when he noticed the way Steve watched him, that knowing smile, he shrugged off any curiosities he had. Andie was just a good kid. That’s all it was.
But then she came back with two plates of food. She held one out to him and immediately dropped back in the spot she’d been occupying. He stared, absolutely dumbfounded as he took the plate and settled it on his spare leg. She was completely oblivious, meeting his gaze and explaining, “Dinner and a show.”
Bucky laughed. Wholeheartedly. A sound Steve hadn’t heard since the 40’s and no one else had ever heard. They all paused for the briefest of moments, trying their best not to simply stare at the pair as Andie pressed play.
Sam glanced at Y/N, passing her a plate. She watched Bucky and Andie with a look on her face that he couldn’t quite read. “You know, if it’s easier on you, we could watch over her.” Y/N faced him. “There’s always someone at the compound and…I mean, we really like having her here.”
Y/N chuckled at that, shaking her head. “You’ve had her for a day.”
“Half of one,” Sam corrected, still not caring. He could make his argument. “When she’s not visiting her dad and you’re working, have her come here. You can save money on babysitting that way, right?”
She hesitated at that. It was true. Though Peter and May didn’t ask for much when it came to babysitting, the number of times she had to ask them meant that particular bill was adding up. And with Andie’s dad not paying child support…she needed all the money she could get. “I get to know who is going to be here, right?”
Sam smiled and nodded, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a small hug. “Of course. I’m sure Tony can work something out. Get you access to the compound. Half a day or not, your kid has quite a way with people. Particularly heroes.”
Y/N looked at Bucky and Andie. They were settled on the couch in such a way, it reminded her of a long time ago. Ten years. When she was still a baby and her marriage was still attempting to function. She looked like a little girl with her dad, watching a little boy on screen freak out over a space-story. It was Andie’s favorite movie. And she knew exactly why.
Blinking away tears before they had a chance to fall, she nodded. “Okay. I think – Yeah, I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”
-.-
“Bucky…Bucky, wake up.”
He jolted awake. The metal arm flexed, gears churning as he remembered where he was. He’d fallen asleep? For how long? Running a hand over his face and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked around and saw Andie was sitting on his lap. She’d been poking his face, but now she just watched him. The credits from whatever movie were rolling on the screen and he shifted.
What time was it?
“It’s way past my bedtime,” she told him. Holding a finger to her lips, she pointed to her sleeping mom. “I need to go to bed.”
Bucky watched her, barely hiding his amusement. “Alright.” Groaning as he rose to his feet, he kept her in his grasp. She didn’t seem to mind, instead wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. It was such a simple act and yet it felt unbelievably natural. “Let’s find you a bed.”
She nodded as he carried her down the hall and he was almost positive that she was asleep. But he couldn’t exactly judge. He was tired too. Finding one of the spare rooms, he opened the door and looked around. It was bland and empty. Not nearly the type of room any kid should have, but it was just for the night. “Come on, Andie, wake up,” he whispered in her ear.
“Mmm,” she whined into his chest. His heart warmed, beating faster, but he didn’t dare think too hard about it. Instead, he set her on the bed and took her shoes off.
“Come on, Andie, wake up long enough to get under the covers.”
Andie blinked slowly, yawning. How had she fallen asleep so quickly before? He didn’t try to think too hard about it. Instead, he pulled the covers and sheets free as she shimmied out of her jeans. He barely got a chance to get the pillows ready before she dived underneath. Her arms wrapped around one of the overly fluffy pillows, burying her face in it and smiling. “Thank you, Bucky.”
“No problem, Rugrat.” He stood up, watching her for the smallest moment. She looked so frail and innocent…He still couldn’t wrap his head around it. So instead of overthinking, of dwelling, he slipped out.
Closing the door behind him, he wandered back into the common area to find the credits to the last movie still playing. Really the only one he had found himself paying attention to was the first. There were parallels in the movie that he was sure Andie related to. It made sense. Kids identified with characters for multiple reasons, but mostly it provided a validity to who they were. To their trauma.
Turning off the tv, he immediately heard movement on the couch. He glanced down at Y/N as she rolled over, still fast asleep. At some point during the second movie, she had fallen asleep. No one had the heart to wake her, instead wrapping her up in a blanket and just letting her sleep.
A part of him wanted to let her.
But he knew she would be painfully uncomfortable if she stayed there all night. He knelt beside her, brushing her hair back. She looked so peaceful, calm and at ease. He wondered if it was as rare for her to feel like this as it was for him.
God, you’re being creepy.
He dropped his hand and shifted slightly. Instead of playing with her hair, he started shaking her shoulder. “Y/N. Y/N, wake up,” he murmured. “You need a bed.”
She murmured something incoherent, curling into herself more. God, if he wasn’t so worried about her back, he’d leave her like this. She looked so adorable. He didn’t want to be the one to kill that.
“Come on, Doll.” Bucky slipped his hand underneath her, freezing for a moment when he felt her moving again. “Wake up or don’t, but please, don’t pick a time where I look like a creep,” he whispered, lifting her into his arms. His metal arm slipped under her legs as her head rest on his shoulder. She was easy to carry, especially with the serum, but he wanted to be careful all the same. “Let’s find you a bed, hm?”
He carried her down the same hall, hoping the room across from Andie would be open. He knew Y/N would feel better being closer to her kid. Shifting her in his arms, he opened the door and silently swung it open. Repositioning her, he froze as one of her hands wound them in his shirt, her face nuzzling his neck.
If his heart hadn’t been racing before, it sure as hell was now. He exhaled slowly, trying to ignore how hot his face felt, trying to ignore the faint feel of her heartbeat against his chest. Taking quick strides to the bed, he carefully laid her down. Her fist still clenched tightly around his shirt and he worked to free himself from her tight grip. She was strong for such a frail human. It was impressive. Dropping her hand, he slipped her shoes off and set them at the foot of the bed. There was no way in hell he was going to undress her. Nope. Not happening. But he shifted her underneath the blankets. She had to be dead tired. It was the only way someone could stay asleep during all of this.
Finally pulling the blankets to her chin, he smiled and lightly traced her hairline and brow. Her face relaxed and she rolled onto her side, cuddling into one of the pillows.
So that was where Andie got that from.
Bucky rose to his feet and left, silently closing the door behind him. Slumping against the door, he stared at the ceiling and exhaled slowly. That was too intimate. Too real. But he liked it. He liked the idea of taking care of someone.
“They tucked in for the night?”
He looked to the end of the hall, the faint smile on his lips dropping so fast when he saw Sam. That smug smile was in place, a back in hand from when he and Natasha had gone to the store to get Andie some clothes. Turning on his heel, he quickly put more space between him and his friend. He didn’t need Sam’s comments. He really didn’t.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Sam asked, waving at his retreating form.
“Goodnight, Sam!”
“Night, Bucky.”
Sam laughed, unable to stop as he heard Bucky’s door slam at the end of the hall. Shrugging, he hung the clothes on the outside of Andie’s door. “Definitely will be taking that as a yes.”
-.-.-.-.-.-
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simmonsofshield · 4 years
Text
Broken, Mended Chapter 5
Pairings: Steve Rogers x Reader, Sam Wilson x Reader (platonic)
Summary: After breaking off an engagement, Y/N may have possibly hit rock bottom. But she doesn’t have time to think about it because she gets deployed to Iraq. Leaving their daughter with her friend, Sam Wilson, she’s gone for a year. She doesn’t like talking about her ex-fiance and is unsure if she’ll ever be able to love again. What happens a certain Captain is his literal doppelganger?
Words: 1400+
Warnings: None I think.
A/N: It’s been 5 weeks or so and I’m sorry for that. I had a serious case of writers block. Luckily to work through it, I’ve already started my next fic! Can’t wait to get to that one :)) This is for @ussgallifreyfics​​​ 550 follower writing challenge! Takes place during Civil War.
tag list is open
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A gentle shaking of her shoulder wakes Y/N up. She knew she was exhausted, but didn’t realize it was this much. She remembers sitting in the warehouse while waiting for Steve to return with a car and now she is being woken up inside the car. She looks around and blinks a few times, waking her eyes up. “A Bug? Is this really the ideal car for three giant men?”
Sam chuckles as Steve answers, “It’s low profile.”
“Not with you three in it.”
The car slows and comes to a stop. Steve gets out and pushes his seat forward so Y/N can get out. He offers his hand and she takes it, pulling her out as she grabs the Falcon wings with the other.
“The facility is up two blocks and across the bridge. When the road splits go down and take the tunnel.”
“’Kay, got it.” she nods. She turns and waves at Sam before beginning her walk up the block. She hears the car turn around and the sound of its muffler fading as it gets further away.
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As Y/N approaches, the big garage door opens, revealing Sharon and Nick Fury. She suddenly feels nervous, her hand going to scratch the back of her neck.
“Got something to say, Airman?”
She looks at Fury and shakes her head, bringing her arm down, “No, Sir. Just been a long few hours.”
He gives a single nod in response. He turns and begins walking back into the headquarters, towards one of the surveillance rooms. “I’m putting you with Agent Carter on this hunt for Barnes. I know you’re close to Wilson, and I’m assuming wherever Barnes is, Rogers and him are close. So if you have any way of contacting or tracking him, I’m all ears.”
She looks at him with mild confusion, “How did you…?”
“I did a background check and saw that you both served together. Also, you both have wings. It’s not hard to put it together.”
“Right,” she shakes her head at herself and chuckles. She looks back at Fury, “unfortunately, I have no idea where he is. We don’t exactly keep our phones on us when we're flying.”
“Okay. How ab-” his phone rings and he answers it. He doesn’t say a word and hangs up after only a minute or so, turning to Sharon. “Agent Romanoff has requested you.”
“Yes sir.” she waves her hand for Y/N to follow. She does and they go up an elevator and down a corridor to where Commander Ross was when James was still in holding. They enter the small briefing room where Natasha Romanoff is waiting. Tony Stark sits at the opposite end, out of earshot.
Natasha speaks in a hushed tone, “Secretary Ross just gave us 36 hours to find Barnes and the other two. I need you to find them and figure out a way to get them to willingly come back.”
“All due respect, that’s near impossible,” Sharon replies, “I can get in contact with Steve but there is no way he’s just going to waltz in here with Barnes. A fight of some kind will happen.”
“I was afraid you’d say that. Just get me a location then.”
She nods and walks out, Y/N following. She turns to Sharon, who’s already typing on her phone, “So you expect a fight to happen, and you’re still just….gonna give Agent Romanoff their location? Wouldn’t it be better to, I don’t know, not do that?”
“Theoretically yes, but James Barnes isn’t just anyone. He’s the Winter Soldier, yes, but he’s also Steve’s childhood friend. Assassin or not, that bond is not something that Steve can just push aside.” They walk down some stairs and into a back room as she continues, “He’s going to do whatever he can to keep the authorities - local and SHIELD - away from him. He’s reckless in that manner.”
“You really seem to know the man.”
She shrugs, “I lived across the hall from him for a couple years in Brooklyn. Undercover. I also heard a lot about him from my Aunt Peggy.���
“Peggy Carter?”
“Yeah.” Entering the room, she grabs the shield and Sam’s wings, telling the agent there that she was ordered to transport them. He nods without a question and the two women leave with the items.
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They arrive under an abandoned bridge and wait less than five minutes before the blue Bug drives up behind them. There’s a short exchange of words, the trunk is popped, and then Sharon and Steve….kiss. That was unexpected. She crawls back in the car as Steve takes the items out and closes the trunk. He hits the car twice letting them know they can go.
It’s silent for a couple miles before Y/N speaks. “So...we gonna talk about that?”
“Eh..” she shrugs, “it was nothing.”
“Nothing? You just kissed Captain America.”
She laughs, “Yeah. Well, after watching him for two years and pretending to be his neighbor and everything, I thought there was something there. He must’ve too. And yeah, the kiss was good, but I don’t see a relationship happening. It would just be weird,” she shrugs again, “I mean, he really had a thing for Peggy. It would be weird to date him.”
Y/N makes a face, “Oof, true. Probably shouldn’t keep it in the family.” They both laugh at that.
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“Your leg is shaking,”  Y/N looks down then at Sharon, not even realizing it was happening. “nervous about something?”
She looks out the window for a moment, then back at the blonde, “I guess.” she sighs, “it just...you nonchalantly told Agent Romanoff that a fight was probably going to happen, and she barely reacted. Like she expected you to say that. How are you two not more concerned?”
“This is like a normal Tuesday for us. These people are literal superheroes, and with the whole Accords thing and Vienna on top of that, there’s currently a lot of bad blood running through the Avengers. The only way they know how to solve that is by fighting.”
“Not everyone has superpowers,” she points out, “what if someone dies?”
Sharon shakes her head, “They will fight, but not to the death. None of those people have the stomach for that. It’ll probably be mostly hand-to-hand fighting. Moderate injuries at worst, barely a scratch at best. No hospitals even.” 
“You sound so sure.”
“I am,” she nods, “you’re thinking about your buddy, Wilson?”
“Yeah. He lost his right hand in Afghanistan. I just don’t want him to have the same fate.”
Sharon pulls over, putting the car in park. “Get out.”
Y/N looks over at the blonde, “Excuse me?”
“I’m an agent. I can tell that this is going to bother you the whole drive back and if we were to get back to HQ, you’d probably just pace, thinking about all the what if’s. Grab your wings and head back to the airport.”
Y/N considers that, “Yeah, you’re probably right.” She gets out of the car and closes the door, opening the back one to get the wings. Closing that door, she looks through the window and gives Sharon a salute before extending her wings and taking off.
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As she approaches, she sees a lot of damage. The parking structure is smoking, basically in ruins, planes and numerous vehicles are destroyed, the tarmac is destroyed, but among all the damage, she sees a black plane leaving a hanger. She’s too far away to see who’s flying it but if she had to guess, it’s most likely Steve taking James somewhere.
Besides being out of eyesight, she doesn’t have the time to figure it out because a line of flying suits are going after the plane. From where she’s at, it looks like Iron Man and War Machine, and a little further behind is…..Sam. She ups her speed and tries to catch up with him.
She gets close, but enough to get his attention. She continues to tail him until suddenly something happens to her jet pack. She glides for a little bit before free falling, but she’s trained for instances like this, so she’s not panicking yet. It’s not until she tries to deploy the emergency chute and it won’t eject that she starts to worry. 
The ground continues to get closer. Y/N tries the second emergency chute and that one finally does deploy, but it’s too late. It catches some air but not enough to lift her or slow her fall. She knows what’s about to happen, she just hopes she lives through it. Before hitting the ground, she hits a button on the side of her goggles that sends out an emergency signal to any nearby Falcons. And then she does, not knowing what happens next, everything going black.
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tags:
@cake-writes​​ @supraveng​​ @vxidnik​​ @kallafrench​​ @itsallyscorner​​ @polarcrystall​​ @eliza5616​ @ilovesupersoldiers @ashwarren32​ @itsgonnabe-brian-may
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tisfan · 4 years
Text
Title: A Thousand Words Written by: @tisfan 3023 Square: S5 Tony Stark/T’challa Rating: teen and up Triggers/warnings: none Tags: were creatures, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Wakanda,  Created for: @tonystarkbingo Word count: 1897 Summary: Tony knows he’s not supposed to cross the border, but the call of a prize winning photograph is strong. When he finds his subject, things are more than they appear...
Fic for the Photographer / werecreature mood board
 “And how am I supposed to know where the Wakanda border is,” Tony Stark, award winning photographer, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and self-proclaimed major annoyance, demanded. 
The guide only gave him one of those insufferable looks. “You will know,” he said. “And you must not venture over the border. Those who go to Wakanda often get sick. The disease will take its toll on your mind and body. If you even come back at all.”
Tony had used his considerable money and influence getting this far. One of his colleagues -- and his most loathed rival, if you wanted to pick nits -- had spotted a rare black panther. Keeping in mind that panthers were not, in fact, a real species at all, and Justin Hammer had all the keen insights of a brick, Tony was doubtful.
But the pictures of the great cat fleeing into the jungle had garnered national attention.
And Tony could take better pictures than ones of a blurry black cat. It might not even have been black, just bad lighting.
Whatever.
The point was, a melanistic tiger was a worthy photo subject, especially given how endangered tigers were, and that Tony could shine a spotlight -- metaphorically speaking -- on the species through some really good photos.
The problem was the creature seemed to live around the northern end of Lake Turkana. Which bordered on Wakanda. And Wakandans were very unwelcoming to visitors. Given that most of the rest of the continent had been invaded by northern Europeans and stripped of their rights and resources, and Wakanda had been spared that fate, Tony didn’t really blame them.
But that did mean that they wouldn’t give him permission to enter their country on a wild cougar chase.
He didn’t even get a meeting with the Wakandan ambassador himself; his message went through intermediaries, and all he got back was a no. No explanation or apologies. Just. no.  
Tony didn’t take no for an answer; he never had. It was both his best quality and his most annoying one.
He was going to get those pictures, with or without the Wakandans’ permission.
Of course, it would be easier if he could find the panther on the southern side of its territory. The Kenyan government had been all but falling over itself to accommodate him. Well, he’d have to hope.
Or sneak across.
“Why isn’t there any coffee from Wakanda,” Tony wondered, changing the subject. The guide wasn’t going to be going with him. Wildlife photo shoots were almost as dangerous as wartime shoots, and no one who could avoid it wanted to be that close to animals that might look at you like you were a snack. (Wartime photography was more dangerous, Tony knew for a fact, after spending three months as a prisoner of Ten Rings. If nothing else, a large cat wasn’t cruel. Just hungry. It wasn’t worth the cat’s time to keep Tony alive. If he was going to be kitty kibble, it would be over quickly, and he wouldn’t wake up from nightmares for more than four years now.) Tony’s mouth kept going without conscious input from his brain, because that’s what it did. “Kenya AA is some of the best coffee in the world. Burundi is an excellent bean. Why-- is there single source Wakanda bean?”
The guide gave Tony a condescending look. “The Wakandans do not grow coffee,” he said.
“Waste,” Tony muttered. “Well, I’ll stay out of their territory. No coffee, now that’s a hardship.” He would know Wakanda borders by all the sleeping guards. Got it.
*
He recalled the conversation, looking down at the grass. He didn’t know much about grass, really, except that it was green (usually) and growing on the ground (primarily) and that sometimes people made a fuss about how long it was in the yard.
You will know the Wakanda border when you see it.
Yeah, okay, so why didn’t anyone bother to mention the grass was fucking purple? You’d think that would be a relatively easy thing to say. Purple grass means do not trespass here. 
And it wasn’t just purple, Tony noted, kneeling. It was glowing. Very faintly, in the growing darkness, but it did make the small area very, very noticable.
Probably more so at night than during the day. Purple grass, it could be a thing, right?
Unfortunately for the purple grass, the damn panther had been seen-- well, just on the other side of that hill. Tony’d spotted it out in the plains, running along after some long-legged deer. Antelopes. Whatever. Probably not a gnu, except that Tony wouldn’t know what a gnu looked like if it bit him. 
He’d gotten a few action shots, but even with the telephoto lense, he really hadn’t gotten any good, personal shots.
He was just going to have to ignore the guide and cross over the border. Right? Wouldn’t hurt anything. In, take some pictures, out. No one had to know.
Stepping into Wakanda territory shouldn’t have felt like taking a step on the moon, but somehow, it sort of did.
Everything seemed softer, more natural, better. Fresher. Tony was obviously being influenced by the mythos and mystery that surrounded the place. Stupid, primitive monkey brain. He ignored the sense of awe and foreboding and crept toward the jungle.
He’d seen the great cat enter the trees, dragging its kill-- surely it would be too occupied with its meal to notice him. Animals didn’t hunt for sport, and eating an already killed and tasty gazelle was a better use of calories than catching one scrawny human photographer whose muscle tissue was flavored by cheeseburgers and kale smoothies.
He tugged on the night vision goggles, which brightened the landscape up considerably, and it wasn’t long before he saw the cat, laying on the branch of a tree, overseeing a small clearing. Tony was just to the edge of the woods and found himself a blind spot to sit, upwind of the great cat, before he noticed--
There were already people in that clearing, sitting outside of a low tent. One was kneeling near the gazelle, the other was poking at a small box that looked very much like a microwave, but couldn’t be, because no one dragged a microwave out into the jungle, did they?
Tony turned his camera carefully; with people nearby he had to be even more careful about making noise. A cat might be evaded. People were predation hunters. If they thought he’d desecrated their country or something, they would track him down.
One woman, one girl. The cat was watching them, and they obviously knew it was there. They were speaking a language that Tony didn’t know, and had never heard. But they were addressing some of their remarks to the cat.
Maybe that was it, Tony decided. Some cultures raised hunting dogs, or falcons, and those animals, over time, had grown into different colors and sizes that arose in nature. Look at the black lab, to the pekinese, to the dachshund. No one would think they all originally came from wolves. The black panther could be nothing more than a specially trained domesticated cat.
Which would be fascinating, but he’d have to consider very, very carefully if he wanted to publish those pictures, since it would be immediately obvious that he’d trespassed to get them. Didn’t matter. He’d decide later. Pictures now. He would be no sort of photographer at all if he let the opportunity pass him by. 
Tony took dozens of pictures; of the two women, one with black hair, the other with white, but both beautiful. Of the cat, lounging in the tree. Of the dead gazelle, neck neatly snapped but unmarred by the cat’s teeth otherwise.
Finally, whatever meal the one woman was cooking was done, and she said something to the other -- the smells were amazing. Tony’s stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten in a while, but he didn’t dare even try to get one of his granola bars out.
He focused on the meal. One, two… three. Three plates. The woman hesitated, sighed, and then made a fourth plate.
Tony blinked, then realized to his horror, that the cat was-- 
Coming right at him.
Tony took several pictures by reflex alone, which is the only reason why, later, he could convince himself that he hadn’t gone insane.
“You may as well come to dinner,” the cat-- the CAT? Said, walking toward him, body moving, and then shifting up onto two legs, and finally, a man stood there in front of him, noble and strong and pure and-- smiling?
“Tony Stark. I should have known you would not be so easily disuaded.”
Tony blinked and looked up at the man. There was something cat-like about him in his grace and figure. Very long, dexterous fingers reached down. “Come on up out of there. We’ve known you were there, the whole time. Do not think you can sneak up on the tribe of the Panther God. One of these days, it will get you into trouble.”
Tony reached for the man’s hand, not entirely sure if he was dreaming, or hallucinating in the last moments of his life. 
“You know me?”
“I am T’challa,” the man said. “You requested an audience with me, to plead your case. Of course I know who petitions me.”
“Your majesty,” Tony said. And then, because his brain was still running full cycle, he blurted out-- “You’re like, a werecat?”
T’challa scoffed, and the girl behind him made an even ruder noise. “No. We are not cursed monsters, like in your horror movies,” T’challa said. “It is a gift from the gods.”
“I don’t believe in God,” Tony said automatically.
“That’s all right, Mr. Stark,” the girl said, bringing a mug of something fragrant to drink. “God doesn’t believe in you either.”
“What happens now?”
“Now? Now you drink, and you have dinner, and after dinner, we will return you across the border,” T’challa said. He pressed the cup into Tony’s hand, and there was something in his eyes that didn’t allow for refusal. “You will, unfortunately, contract one of the jungle fevers. You will wake up in a few days, and you will have forgotten all about this night. You have seen nothing. You will remember nothing.”
“What--”
“It’s that, or we could kill you,” the girl said.
“Shuri--”
“I’m just saying, there are options.”
“But I--” Tony protested. 
“We are not stealing your memories,” T’challa said, and led him over to the fire. “We are only taking back that which you first stole from us. It is fair, and right, and you will never miss it.”
It was fair.
But-- the things he’d seen, that he’d photographed. They couldn’t be lost. And maybe they wouldn’t be. His camera uploaded automatically every ninety minutes. If he could just delay, the pictures would be on a Stark satellite and then downloaded to his home network. 
“All right,” he said. “Dinner, and you can tell me about your gods.”
When Shuri rolled her eyes, Tony added, “Does it matter? I won’t remember it anyway. What possible harm can it do for me to know, just for tonight?”
T’challa laughed, warm and rich and appealing. “You are a stubborn man,” he said. “I like that. Sit, share a meal, and listen to our tales.”
Ninety minutes…
Surely, the stories would take ninety minutes.
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lalaurelia · 5 years
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Quick Gotham 5x09 thoughts
No Gobblepot again, Jim and Lee are the worst possible couple ever, Harvey should have more friends and BatCat are amazing. I had better hopes for this ep. Let’s get to the sad and bitter rant and get this over with.
The shooting happens right at the start, and Oswald says the “mi casa - su casa” line and it’s the only Gobblepot interaction we’re apparently going to get. How, why? Okay, no time for tears just yet...
Jim is hauled off dramatically and is critical and the only doctor left is, apparently, Lee, who hasn’t done surgery since forever. Just what makes this woman “the best” doctor in Gotham again? Ah. It’s the fact that she’s the only one. We’re just gonna ignore the med ward staff who cared for Selina and Lucius who fixed Ed’s head, for the sake of this stupid detail.
I had such great hopes for Jim’s trial, for his trip through his guilty conscience and I feel absolutely robbed that the only witness we got for him was Lee. Seriously? He never even mentioned her for the several eps in the beginning, he ignored her existence for the whole previous ep, and now suddenly she’s the only person he’s hurt? Let’s not get into the amount of Jim’s wrongdoings to Oswald, I can keep my shipping goggles off here - what about Barbara? He got her in danger with Falcone back in the beginning and she was terrified of Zsasz because of him. Ogre targeted her and tortured her because of her connection to Jim. Then Jim ignored her when she was vulnerable and wanted to feel human again, but apparently she was good enough to use for help and intel throughout several seasons, apparently she was good enough for some comfort sex, she will be the mother of his child. And she doesn’t even get a mention in his thoughts. That’s just low.
And since I started ranting, it’s also quite low how Lee only has criticism for Jim and his wish to help Gotham, to save the city. Sure, it masks his suicidal tendencies. Sure, Jim is a complete mess, no matter how you take it. Will constant nagging and guilt-tripping fix it? Will it make him change? I don’t think so.
What nags and squicks me is the fact that Lee is so sure she gets to raise the baby that Barbara’s pregnant with. She is sure of it to the point she thinks she’s going to do it if Jim kicks the bucket. “What am I supposed to do, raise it with Barbara Kean?” No, Lee, you don’t have any claim to the kid, even your supposed moral claim due to your relationship with Jim is tenuous at best. And if anything happened to Jim I’m positive Babs wouldn’t want the toxic Lee Thompkins anywhere close.
God. It’s an unholy mess of a triangle and it’s terribly handled and I will praise Gotham to high heaven on public social media like Twitter, but really... it’s bad. I want to believe it could be better handled with slower pacing. With more episodes to develop the relationships and deal with the emotional baggage left behind by previous storylines. But it’s astonishingly bad as it is now.
The trial lacks input from other characters. It would’ve made Jim’s journey and guilt be brought into focus more, it would’ve been an interesting study of his perception of himself. Of what he thinks of other characters. But we only got the most boring option of Lee. Not even Harvey got a say. Ugh.
On the outside, Bruce and Selina have the cutest date. They’re just good. It was a pleasure to see them grow closer and closer consistently. Seriously, such a contrast.
The Ivy plot feels somewhat repetitive. We’ve been through this. We’ve seen this already. But I do love that it also brings BatCat closer. And Ivy is compelling and beautiful and it’s sad we don’t get more of her.
Ugh I don’t know. I wanted to enjoy this episode so much. But Jim and Lee get on my nerves too much with how unnecessary their relationship is. And how badly it affects Barbara, who already gets treated like a surrogate mother bearing a child for Jim and Lee and I can’t stress enough how terrible this plot is and how much dread it fills me with. I don’t want Babs to die for Lee to get her murderous mean hands on the kid. I don’t want Lee anywhere close to Gotham, actually. How is she not treated as a criminal? She poisoned the whole damn city with the Tetch virus. She went on the criminal spree with Ed. How is she suddenly elevated to the white-clad desirable bride is seriously annoying on so many levels. A woman character shouldn’t be treated like this, shouldn’t be deprived of her own agenda and stuffed into the cliche love interest role that doesn’t even get any more depth than that.
And uuugh Lee and the kid. What prevents her from getting her own? Apparently Jim is fertile enough - shouldn’t they just, I dunno, try? Instead of basically plotting to take the child away from the real mother. It is so terrible, FFS.
It also feels awful how Barbara tries to do the right thing, keep Gotham under control, all of it for Jim, - and get to see him marrying another woman and her not even getting some respect and gratitude she really is due.
It also feels weird to see her perform the Oswald role and him reduced to standing on the sidelines. Because really. Intel gathering and keeping Gotham in check has always been Oswald’s prerogative, his MO, his role. Even the motivation is more or less the same for him and Barbara - to get Jim appreciate them and consider their feelings. So this is all kinds of weird and wrong too. It would’ve felt so much more interesting and poignant if it was Oswald still.
Also this was the last ep to be filmed. Will this terrible wedding be ignored in the later ones? What was the point to it then?
The only thing it was good for was getting that sweet BatCat kiss. Now that made me go “awww”. And only that.
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that-shamrock-vibe · 5 years
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Superhero Spotlight: Avengers Endgame Posters - Reveals and Theories
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Alright so we have our first set of characters posters for the upcoming juggernaut that is Avengers: Endgame to conclude and capitalize on the equally huge Avengers: Infinity War and wrap up what has been called the Infinity Saga phase of the MCU.
As these posters have raised many opinions, questions, theories and rather touching memes relating to other franchises and properties, I thought I would give my thoughts to some of the questions and theories as well as raise my own.
Missed Opportunities:
Alright so I can’t really go into what’s good or bad in terms of breaking down the posters because, unlike others, these are simply more or less headshots of the characters. Now on the one hand, this is a rather touching throwback to the first Avengers movie where the character posters there were also somewhat headshots as the main six characters were only shown to the side of the posters half-in in full supersuit attire. But that raises the negative aspect to this choice in that, it would have been nice to have seen the characters that aren’t in full supersuit attire in supersuit attire.
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Now I can understand both sides of the argument to why they didn’t do this. As to why it would have been a good idea is because, for some of them, this is most likely their last hoorah when it comes to starring in an MCU movie and so to show Iron Man, Captain America, War Machine, Spider-Man and Black Panther with their masks/helmets would have been a nice touch rather than just seeing the character end with the head and then the actors take over from the neck up. But at the same time I can see why they didn’t because it adds another layer of drama and likeability to these characters if you can see the defeated look in their eyes and the determination they have to “Avenge the Fallen”.
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Falcon, Star-Lord and Captain Marvel I give passes to on that because the latter two’s headgear isn’t always used and goggles pretty much block out any emotion. Also Thor and Loki’s helmets haven’t been used recently, Ant-Man and Wasp I give passes to in the same way I give Iron Man a pass.
In terms of characters not getting a poster, I do believe this all but confirms that Peter Dinklage’s Eitri will not return because even some of those who died prior to the snap made the cut for a poster and we will get into that.
Others who didn’t get a poster, who I am not so much surprised about but if Wong and Happy got posters why not them, are Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, Maria Hill, Nakia, M’Baku, Erik Selvig and Jane Foster. While we don’t know the fate of the latter four we didn’t know the confirmed fates of Valkyrie or Shuri to be certain.
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Another missed opportunity is not having Ruffalo pictured with some sort of Hulk colouring. I still say his full promo shot for The Avengers which showed the Jekyll/Hyde of the character perfectly was one of the best promos the MCU has had. Whether or not they don’t want to reveal too much of this new Hulk they’re teasing may explain his absence but we’ll see.
The Reveals:
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Alright so three major things are revealed in these posters alone. 1) Valkyrie, Wong and Happy survived the Snap, Valkyrie’s survival most likely means her rumoured appearance in the movie is true. I do find it interesting how all of the shippers who try pairing Cap and Bucky together in a romantic way are now also pairing Carol Danvers and Valkyrie together, yet unlike “Stucky” this pairing actually seems to be a potential thing as not only has Captain Marvel become an overnight LGBT icon akin to Wonder Woman, but because Tessa Thompson has already revealed Valkyrie is bisexual there are grounds for this ship to become canon and for us to have our first LGBT superhero romance in superhero movies either kicking off or teased in Phase 4.
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The second thing that is revealed is Shuri apparently did not survive the snap, I genuinely believe this is a fake-out by Kevin Feige and/or the Russo Brothers as a way of throwing us off guard for a massive shock reveal.
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I suspect, much like a lot of fans, that the shot of Shuri’s image among the list of the missing which also includes Spider-Man and Ant-Man is simply that, a list of the missing...not deceased or dusted. Yes Spider-Man is dead but unless Tony and/or Nebula are back on Earth at the time of this scene, no one knows if he’s actually dusted or not. We know Ant-Man isn’t dusted but trapped in the Quantum Realm so it stands to reason that after being knocked out by the Black Order during the Battle of Wakanda, she came around and simply went into hiding. There is every chance she survived the Snap because unless we see them turn into dust I wouldn’t trust the word of directors.
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The third thing is the fact that only all of Tony’s supporting players survived the Snap. Rhodey, Pepper and Happy all survived to potentially see Iron Man’s last stand? It is weird that both Falcon and Bucky are dusted, no mention of Erik, Darcy and Jane, Fury and Maria Hill are both dusted and Banner lost his supporting players before Mark Ruffalo took over. So out of all the main six’s supporting players only Iron Man has his full team with him, maybe with the exception of Spider-Man but he’s a superhero in his own right.
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Heroes are going to die in this movie, thee is no doubt about that. It is just a question of how gut-punching they want to make the deaths.as memorable and outstanding as possible. In my opinion, any of the main six dying would be a gut punch for the MCU but I feel at least Captain America or Iron Man will be one if not two of the casualties in this movie.
I don’t see Black Widow or Thor dying because Thor’s popularity of late has most likely saved him and he’ll hopefully go off and find a new Asgard while Black Widow, who looks fantastic here by the way, has her own movie coming out.
Banner and Hawkeye are the two I am on the fence about from a business and directorial standpoint, I love Hawkeye and am thrilled Renner looks set to finally full realize the character’s awesomeness here but when you think there have to be some casualties here it doesn’t look good. Also I think Bruce Banner/Hulk has run his course within the MCU.
The Theories:
So I have or have heard 3 major theories to come out of these posters, the first is my own Shuri theory in that her colourless photo here is simply a rouse.
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The second is one I’ve heard revolving around Loki with fans saying that because he legitimately died prior to the Snap that it is a little bit odd that his photo is among those who have been dusted...unless he is going to return in Endgame. Firstly I am believing the same theory applies to Gamora because while she is in the Soul Stone rather than suffocated to death, she was never dusted and therefore technically shouldn’t be among these photos, otherwise where is Heimdell?
But secondly, I genuinely believe this is simply a list of fallen heroes who fell at the hands or Snap of Thanos and, for better or worse, Loki was a hero in the end as he tried standing up to Thanos. Do I think that means he’s getting a revival with everyone else, well I still say they need to make some deaths stick but because Loki is getting his own series and he has survived death a couple of times before, I would this it is plausible for him to make a surprise return.
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The third, long-standing theory is that Marvel and Disney will use the Snap as a way of keeping certain Guardians members dead. This was something brought up in the aftermath of the original blow for James Gunn...but then it turned out he was never really fired and it was all just a fake-out.
When fans thought he had been fired though, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was in flux to the point where it was getting pushed back and fans believed it would be easier on Disney to keep the dusted Guardians members dead and have Rocket and Nebula either join the Avengers or go off on their own, but again this is now not the case.
If Gunn wants to wrap up his trilogy with his original team, as to be honest I think he should, then it makes sense for the four dusted Guardians members to come back. However, in this fan’s personal opinion, I think the MCU and Guardians 3 could do without at least Drax and Mantis. Star-Lord either needs to be held accountable for his stupidity on Titan or just needs to lead the team and be intimidated by Zac Efron’s Adam Warlock in Guardians 3, Gamora needs to return because she is currently in the Soul Stone. But of course, Dave Bautista is Gunn’s biggest supporter and so he will not stay dead.
Overall:
So it is sad because as nice as these posters look, we as fans already know they’re going to bring people back and looking at all of them lined up...if they don’t have a movie sequel or a co-star role in a movie sequel coming up, they have a television series in the works on Disney+. Now this again could be a rouse by Disney to try and lull us into a false sense of security but the ones who have TV shows like Falcon, Vision and Scarlet Witch are all three of my favourites so I don’t want it to be true and them to be reduced to TV but I also don’t want them to remain dead.
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I would say the only ones on the dead side who currently could stay dead are either Hope van Dyne or Nick Fury. Hope because Ant-Man does not have a threequel planned while Doctor Strange, Black Panther, the Guardians and Spider-Man all have upcoming movies. Nick Fury because I can never remember how many more movie’s he has left on his contract and feel Spider-Man Far From Home would be a great fake-out not only if Fury in that movie was an illusion of Mysterio’s but also if it then when further to reveal that Fury was really dead.
So what do you guys think? What’s your favourite poster? Who do you think will stay dead? Do you see a romantic future for Captain Marvel and Valkyrie? Post your comments and check out more Superhero Spotlights as well as other posts
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postedbygaslight · 6 years
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You’ll Be the One to Turn - Part 33: The Rebel and the Pilot
...
It was morning on Vedic III. Whatever that meant. Finn had stopped trying to make sense of the day-night cycles of the moon they’d chosen as the location for their base after the first twenty-four hours. All he knew at the moment was the yellow sun of the Vedic system was coming out from behind the imposing mass of Vedic Prime, and the sky was currently bleached white with streaks of red and orange and the palest shade of blue imaginable. And he also knew they’d just landed at the main base of the Resistance against the First Order.
With Kylo Ren.
After the man who’d once been Ben Solo had collapsed into Chewie’s arms, he and Rey had taken Kylo back to the crew quarters, and that’s where he still was. It was understandable, considering everything that had happened. Now, Finn was stalling for time. Or biding his time. Or taking his time. Whatever he was doing, he’d been standing near the boarding ramp for awhile, not wanting to punch the button for the hatch release.
So, instead of make that decision, he went back to the common room, where Rey and Rose were sitting, talking about the device Rose had rigged up. The one that had saved Kylo’s life. He watched them talking about it for a minute, admiring their ability to be so entirely fascinated with the way things worked. At length, though he hated to interrupt, he cleared his throat and got their attention.
“Guys, I think it might be better if I go talk to Poe alone.”
“You won’t hear an argument from me,” Rey said, leaning back and crossing her arms.
Finn had been hoping one of them would disagree with him. But Rose just looked on, waiting for him to say something.
“What the hell should I tell him?” Finn asked, shrugging slightly, palms out.
“The truth, dummy,” Rose said matter-of-factly. “You’re a terrible liar. And anyway, there’s no way to— it’s not even something I know how to explain to myself. Yet.”
Rey stood up and crossed the room to where he stood.
“Finn,” she said, her voice even and unconditional. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but I won’t let him be taken as a prisoner. I won’t.”
“He’s not going to the brig. I promise you.”
“Why don’t we just get Leia?” Rose asked, coming over to join them. “Poe’ll listen to her for sure.”
Rey’s eyes grew sad, and she looked down.
“Because she’s gone.”
“She’s... gone?” Rose asked, looking to Rey.
“That’s what you meant,” Finn said, remembering. “In the bunker.”
“I felt her pass. Into the Force,” Rey said quietly. “She’s gone.”
“Does... he... know?” Finn said. He realized suddenly that he really had no clue what he was supposed to call him. Kylo. Ben.
Rey didn’t say anything, only nodded, and looked off into the distance. Finn sighed and turned to go, but found that he couldn’t make himself move.
“Oh, this is going to be so much worse than I want it to be, isn’t it?”
He looked back at Rey and Rose. Rey was still distracted. Rose simply shrugged. He sighed again, shook his head, and headed back toward the ramp.
***
It had been the better part of an hour since the Falcon had landed, and, apart from Chewie disembarking right away, closing the hatch behind him immediately, there hadn’t been any sign of life from the old freighter at all. It didn’t help Poe’s nerves. Ever since Finn had signed off, he’d had a sinking sensation in his gut, and he hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that his friend was bringing bad news at best. And, at worst, well, Poe didn’t want to think about what that might be.
“Poe,” Connix said, turning from her terminal, “I think I may have cracked the codex.”
“What?” Poe said, snapping out of his daze. “That’s great. Start monitoring their communications. Get me some information. Kaydel,” he said, crossing the room and planting a kiss on her forehead. “You’re incredible. Keep going.”
Connix looked like she’d been hit by shock baton, but she shook her head after a few seconds and smiled, turning back to her terminal. Poe turned around, looking at the Taris holo again. He was about to check some of the data coming through about the First Order’s deployments, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Finn through the transparent display.
“Finn! I saw you guys land! What took you so long?”
“I, well— Poe, we need to talk.”
Poe nodded. He’d been preparing to talk about the disruptor rifles since Corporal Vicks had told him about Finn’s reaction, and he was sure that they’d eventually have a long discussion about it, but Poe could see a nervous tension in his friend that set him off balance.
“Sure, sure. Let’s go in the office.”
“Yeah, that’s— that’s probably best.”
Poe followed Finn into the office and closed the door.
“Okay, what is it? Lay it on me.”
“Poe, okay, first— there’s a lot you need to know in a really short time, so I’m just gonna— oh, damn it, man, I don’t even know how to begin this.”
“You’re scaring the hell out of me if it makes any difference.”
“That’s... probably the right initial response.”
This hesitation from Finn was making Poe even more anxious than he’d been, and he put his fingertips to his temples and closed his eyes, talking slowly.
“Just— okay, I know you’ve got something on the Falcon. Something that I’m not gonna like. So just spit it out, because otherwise I’m —“
“Kylo Ren,” Finn said, cutting him off.
“What about him?” Poe asked. Finn just looked at him, his expression a mixture of worry and guilt. Poe’s jaw dropped. “He’s on the Falcon?”
“Okay, just hang on a second,” Finn said, putting his hands out in front of him, “because it’s, well, it’s complicated.”
“This is a prank,” Poe said with a frantic sort of smirk, shaking his finger at Finn. “This is funny. You’re not serious.”
“I’m dead serious. He’s on the Falcon.”
“So, what, he’s your prisoner? How’d you even catch him? Why don’t we have every gun we have out on the tarmac right now?”
“Because he’s not a prisoner.”
“I don’t get it. Because if you’ve got the Supreme Leader of the First Order on our base— a man who almost killed you, who tortured me, who’s almost killed Rey at least a few times— and he’s not a prisoner, then what the hell is he?”
Finn looked at a loss for words for a second or two, but shook his head and centered himself.
“First off— goddamn, this shouldn’t be so hard to— Poe, he’s Leia’s son. He’s Ben Solo.”
“What?”
Poe didn’t think he’d ever heard anything so preposterous in his life. But then he started thinking about it. He was the right age. Leia had always seemed hesitant to talk about him like an enemy. There was her family history and the damage the revelation that Darth Vader was her father had done to her political career.
“I’ve known since Starkiller,” Finn said with a note of regret. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Leia wanted it kept quiet.”
Leia. She was right down the hall.
“Why aren’t we talking with her about this?” Poe said, starting toward the door. Finn held his hand out, stopping him.
“Rey says Leia— Rey told us she felt Leia pass. While we were on Taris.”
Poe looked Finn in the eyes. There wasn’t any hesitation there. Poe felt a creep of panic grasp at him, and he opened the door, starting down the corridor to Leia’s room at a run.
“Poe, wait— hold on!” Finn called after him.
Leia’s room was only about fifty feet from the main command center, and Poe closed that distance quickly. He came around the corner and through the doorframe to find the room empty. Leia’s bed was neat, with the blankets hardly disturbed. Her evening coat and nightgown lay half hidden under the blankets. Poe stood in the room, unsure of what to do, blinking.
“She’s gone,” a voice said from behind him.
Poe turned around to see Maz Kanata standing in the doorway, walking slowly toward him. Finn rushed in behind, stopping at the door.
“I can see that,” Poe said, feeling the panic in him growing. “Where’d she go?”
“Home,” Maz replied softly.
“You mean she— Maz, where is she?”
“I told you,” Maz said, stopping a few paces from him, looking up through her goggles. “She’s gone. Leia has become one with the Force.”
“She’s... dead...” Poe said, his voice shaky and disbelieving.
“She went home. But, yes. She is dead.”
“And her—“ Poe motioned to the empty bed.
“She passed into the Force whole,” Maz said, smiling. “Her body is part of the Light now.”
Poe reeled where he stood. Leia couldn’t be dead. She’d been fine that afternoon. He stumbled back, hand on his forehead, and sat down on her bed.
“Poe,” Finn said after a few seconds, “what do you want to do?”
“I— I need a minute.”
Maz turned to Finn.
“Is he with you? Did you bring him?”
Finn looked at her quizzically for a moment before nodding and responding, “Yeah.”
“Where’s Rey?” she asked.
“On the Falcon.”
“Good,” Maz said with an air of authority. “She needs to stay with him.”
Poe broke free of his reverie and shook his head hard, trying to keep from screaming.
“Has everyone gone crazy? It doesn’t matter if he’s Leia’s son,” Poe shouted, standing. “That means he murdered his own father. He’s the leader of— wait. If he’s not a prisoner, what is he doing here? And why does Rey need to stay with him?”
Finn squinted like he was trying to stave off a headache.
“Rey and... Ben... have a thing. A... Force... thing.”
“A thing. A Force thing,” Poe said flinging his hands in the air. “And you’re calling him Ben.”
“It’s— I don’t know, he’s different. And he’s seriously wounded.”
“What, did Rey Force thing a hole in his head?”
“Hux stabbed him. In the heart.”
“‘Hugs,’” Poe said, his mouth hanging open. “Stabbed Kylo Ren.”
“We had to rescue him during our escape. He almost didn’t make it.”
“What— rescue? What is going on?”
“She loves him, all right?” Finn said abruptly. “And he loves her. It’s been going on awhile. Since before Crait.”
“This is a bad dream,” Poe recited, beginning to pace the room. “This is a bad dream.”
“Poe, listen—“ Finn began, but Poe exploded turning toward him, eyes wide.
“I am listening! I have been listening! And nothing I’m hearing is making any of this better.”
“All right, boys!” Maz shouted, startling both of them. “That’s enough!”
An uneasy silence filled the room. Maz walked between Finn and Poe, and looked at Finn.
“Finn, go. Let me talk to him.”
Finn looked back at Maz, paused, then nodded, and walked out of the room. Poe grit his teeth a second, then let out a long breath.
“Poe,” Maz said, approaching him. “You’re holding on too tight.”
“Holding on too tight?” Poe said, barely holding in his anger and frustration. “Leia is dead. There’s some kind of revolution happening, and I’m not a part of it. We’re supposed to be the spark that lights the fire, and the last Jedi is in love with our generation’s Darth Vader. And I’m holding on too tight?”
Maz didn’t say anything, but only stared up at him with her eyes, magnified as they were by the goggles, staring holes through him. He suddenly felt a wave of reality crash through him. Leia was gone. He’d looked to her for guidance for as long as he could remember. He’d revered her as a hero, sought her counsel as a mentor, loved her as a son loves his mother. And she was really gone.
Poe Dameron staggered, and sat back down on Leia’s bed, angry, confused tears gathering in his eyes. But, quickly, the anger faded, and the confusion gave way to an aching grief. He looked at Maz through the blur of tears.
“I— I thought there was time. I—“
“Poe,” she said, standing near him. “This is your story now. Yours and the others’. Weep for her passing, yes. But do not forget what she fought to save. Do not forget what she loved. Be a leader.”
“What does a leader even do, Maz? I don’t know anymore.”
“A leader knows his strengths,” Maz said, resting her small hand on his. “And the strengths of those around him. And how to use both for the good of all.”
Poe looked at her, mouth agape, for a moment, and a slow understanding came to him. His expression softened. He nodded, wiping his eyes, and, at length, stood up, and left the room.
***
Finn sat in the command center, watching the display of Taris, and the ongoing battle, as more information filtered in. Connix had been able to get much more up to date and accurate information. The battle was still escalating, and Finn was having a hard time figuring out why the First Order’s high command would be sending more and more troops in there, knowing that a good number of them would defect.
He wasn’t able to think much about it, though, because Poe came back in with a look on his face that Finn couldn’t quite read: serious, but calmer, and more purposeful.
“Poe, look—“
“I want to talk to him,” Poe said, interrupting Finn’s thought. “No shackles. No blasters. But I want to talk to him.”
“Listen. I don’t want you to think I’m a hundred percent on this myself. I just think he deserves a chance. For Rey. For Leia.”
“Buddy,” Poe said with a joyless laugh, “if it wasn’t for that, we wouldn’t be having this conversation at all.”
“You sure you’re ready for this?”
Poe set his jaw and breathed hard through his nose.
“Bring him in.”
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Bloodreina - The New Avenger Chapter Four (The 100/Marvel)
Prologue || Chapter One || Chapter Two || Capter Three
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Summary: The 100 AU in the Marvel Universe What if Octavia and Bellamy joined the Avengers after escaping HYDRA’s Ark Project? Set after the Battle of New York. 
Pairings: All platonic for now: Steve x Octavia, Avengers x Octavia, Bellamy x Octavia, Bellamy x Raven, Octavia x Raven, Boodreina x Winter Soldier, more to come soon…
Word Count: 2287
Warnings: Bad writing maybe? (sorry about that)
A/N: I had to divide the previous chapter into two, because it was getting too long. Also, I am moving into my new home, and therefore I won’t be able to post regularly. I am sorry for that, I was really hoping to keep the updates at least once a week, but please, don’t give up on this story, I am still very devoted to it, and I’m hoping next week I’ll have that problema solved :)
Chapter Four - Revelations Part 2
 Sam Wilson was a nice guy. When you get home from your morning run and you have three beaten up SHIELD agents, who also happen to be fugitives, in your door steps asking for shelter what do you do? You should probably say “Hell no” and close the door on their faces, but not Sam. What does cool-guy Sam? He cooks you breakfast while you clean your wounds. 
“So, the question is: who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?” 
Steve said, as he walked around the table, where Nat and Octavia stood sit, eating the breakfast Sam cooked.
“Pierce” Natasha answered as she finished chewing her food “Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world.”
“But he's not working alone, Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star.” Steve stated
“So was Jasper Sitwell.” Octavia said with a raised eyebrow and a triumph smile, as she acknowledge that Sitwell’s presence in the ship might had something to do with Zola’s algorithm being there too. As Zola stated, HYDRA was everywhere. 
Steve nodded “So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?” 
Sam had stood quietly, listening until that moment, when he left momentarily and came back to drop a manila folder at the centre of the table “The answer is: you don't.”
“What's this?” Octavia opened the folder, reading the files inside, as Steve leaned from behind her, grabbing a photo of Sam with a fellow winged pilot
“Call it a resume.” Natasha smiled at the remark, as she leaned closer to Octavia, inspecting the content herself.
“I thought you said you were a pilot.” Steve said, to which Sam smirked
“I never said pilot.”
Steve shook his head hesitantly, not wanting to put Sam in more trouble “I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason.”
“Dude, Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in.” he sounded just like a kid seeing Santa at the mall, Octavia couldn’t help but smile at his excitement.
Steve looked back at Octavia, his lips curled up, matching her smile. It was all the convincing he needed to agree with Sam’s involvement “Where can we get our hands on one of these things?” 
“The last one is at Fort Meade, behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall.” Steve looked at Natasha, who simply shrugged her shoulders, the plan was already arranged in her head.
“Shouldn't be a problem” Natasha assured “How do you plan on getting him to talk?”
Octavia dropped the closed folder back at the top of the table and stood up, full agent mode on “Leave that to me. I have a way with people”
*** 
They had manage to take Sitwell to the rooftop of a building, away from his security. Sam stayed in the alleyway as Natasha and Octavia watched with amusement Steve throwing Sitwell across the rooftop, the weaker man scurrying away from the soldier’s touch.
“Tell me about Zola's algorithm.” Steve demanded
“Never heard of it.”
“What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?” Natasha asked now, her voice low and menacing
“I was throwing up, I get seasick.” Sitwell lied, and even when Steve forced him to the edge of the rooftop, he just stood there, smiling “Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof? Because it's really not your style, Rogers.” 
Steve shrugged, a small smile played in his lips. He loosen the grip on Sitwell, allowing the man to stand on his own feet, and even gently smoothed the creases in the smaller man’s jacket “You're right. It's not. It's hers.  
Steve and Natasha stepped aside, allowing Octavia to raise her foot and kick Sitwell right across his chest, and off the roof. Octavia raised her head, her eyes meeting Steve’s amused expression.
“Is this your way to persuade people, O?” he asked, and Octavia chuckled lightly
“I don’t think asking nicely would’ve suffice, Cap”
Suddenly Sam, now equipped in his Falcon jet-pack suit with wings, flied back up to the rooftop holding Sitwell and tossed him down on the floor. Octavia walked towards Sitwell in long strides, pulling him up with ease, and he held his hand up in fear, shaking, ready to squeal out everything “Zola's algorithm is a program...for choosing Insight's targets!”
“What targets?” Steve asked, as he came closer 
“You!” Sitwell replied, pointing at the super-soldier “A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future.”
“The Future? How could it know?”
Sitwell laughed “How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it. Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future.”
Natasha and Steve spoke in unison “And what then?” but Sitwell was already lost in his thoughts “Oh, my God. Pierce is gonna kill me.”
“What then?!” Octavia spoke, more threatening, as she shook him by the hem of his jacket 
“Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time.” 
*** 
They were now heading to the Triskelion, SHIELD headquarters. Sam was driving, and Steve stood on the passenger seat, as Natasha and Octavia were stuck on the backseat with Sitwell in the middle of them.
“HYDRA doesn't like leaks.” Sitwell said, looking directly at Octavia
“So why don't you try sticking a cork in it.” Octavia chimed, but the man ignored her 
“HYDRA doesn’t like traitors either... Bloodreina”
The entire car felt into an heavy silent. 
“What’s a Bloodreina?” Sam asked, oblivious to the name
“Bloodreina was HYDRA’s biggest creation. Born and raised inside the organization, trained from a young age by the Winter Soldier herself. Ruthless, cold-blooded, a force to reckon with. Your friend here killed hundreds, elevating HYDRA with each death-” 
“That’s enough” Steve voice ringed above Sitwell’s, shutting the man down.
Suddenly something landed on the car roof in a thud, and before anyone could react to it a silver hand crashed through the rear window, pulling Sitwell out through it and throwing him into the oncoming traffic, killing him instantly. 
Bullets flew from the gap of the window. Octavia leaned down, quickly covering her head on her hands while Natasha jumped from her seat into Steve’s lap, pulling his head down just as a bullet hit the head-rest, and shoving Sam’s shoulder aside avoiding another one incoming. 
Instinctively, Steve pulled the break handle, stopping the vehicle abruptly, and making the assailants body flung out of the roof and down onto the street, who methodically used his metal hand as a support for his effortlessly landing, coming to an halt right in front of them. Octavia raised her head from her hands, and she was now facing the Winter Soldier.
Before she could register the events, another car smashed into theirs from behind, pushing them forward, and all it took to the Winter Soldier to jump back onto their car was a long stride, smashing through the windscreen with his metal hand and pulling out the steering wheel from Sam’s hand “Shit!” Sam yelled as he threw his hands up, and the car kept going forward, with any acceleration or steering from him.
Octavia was already prepared for that outcome. She pulled her gun from the holster and shot at the Winter Soldier, barely hitting him at his metal shoulder, but it was enough to make him retreat, jumping onto the vehicle behind them. 
Their car was now being pulled off the road, and Steve held on to the car door, pulling Natasha and Sam closer. Octavia burst her door open and nodded to Steve, smiling briefly before jumping out of the car, rolling to the side of the road.
Her head was spinning and her ears were ringing, as Octavia struggled to stand up. She looked around for her friends, just as Sam made contact with the asphalt, rolling to the side of the road a few feet onwards, and Steve and Natasha slid down for a while longer, still on top of the door. 
Octavia started to walk towards them, but the clicks of safety locks alerted her to the incoming gunfire.
“Watch out!” Octavia yelled, throwing herself behind a flipped car, watching as a group of HYDRA agents, commanded by the Winter Soldier, started shooting at them. The rest of her group scattered, running in different directions, and Octavia seized an small opening in the enemy’s advance to shoot one of them down, and just as the Winter Soldier was about to fire against her she hit him in his eye goggle. She ran towards the opposite direction, knowing very well that shot only gave her a few second of advantage, as she heard his voice, rough and domineering, command his group in Russian “She’s mine. Find him”
*** 
Octavia ran looking for cover as her mind raced, trying to come up with a plan to take down the soldier. She  couldn’t beat him in speed or strength, but maybe she could outsmart him. She used a chapter from Natasha’s book, placing her phone behind a car while playing a record of her voice on loop, as she hid herself close, waiting for him.
Soon, she saw the Winter Soldier stride closer, drawn by the voice. He stopped silently, pulled up a grenade and rolled it down on the floor, over to where he though her to be. The bomb exploded and Octavia took advantage of the loud noise to jump towards the soldier, right fist curled and up, hitting him across the cheek with all her power.
The soldier stumbled back a few steps, and Octavia brought her gun up, holding it to his temple, but before she could take the shot the soldier grabbed the barrel and pushed it aside, the bullet grazing his hair, but missing entirely.
He then used his metal arm to hit Octavia across the ribs, and as she backed down, winded, he raised his own gun, unlocking the safety, but instead of shooting Octavia, who stood on the ground in front of him, he shot Natasha, but not before she sent one of her electromagnetic bands towards the metal of his arm, disabling it momentarily.
“Nat!” Octavia cried out, as she ran towards the girl, pulling her aside just as Steve arrived, giving them coverage. She inspected the wound, it was bleeding substantially, and although she wanted to help Steve, she knew Natasha would bleed out if she didn’t stop the bleeding.
Sam flew right into them, looking worried at Natasha state before turning his head to the battle ahead of them. He was ready to go help Steve, but Natasha tugged at his leg, stopping him “Let O help Rogers, I need you to do something else for me” then she turned her attention to the girl, mouthing “go” to her, wincing when she took her hands away from the bullet hole, blood starting to flow again. Sam took Octavia’s place, setting the palm of his hand over the wound, as Octavia walked towards the two man fighting, just in time to grab Steve’s shield, which had been thrown away earlier, and sling it back to Steve, standing in between him and the full force of the metal fist.
Steve then grabbed the metal arm with one hand and buried the shield in the metal bellow the shoulder, disorienting the soldier, and in one swift blow he raised the shield, knocking him in the face, and using his free hand he grabbed the Winter Soldier and whipped him over his shoulder, into the ground.
The soldier didn’t seem to loose his balance, as he gracefully rolled unto the ground, standing with his back turned to Steve. His mask hanged loose on the ground, and as he turned around Steve lost all composure, his voice barely more than a whisper
“Bucky?”
The Winter Soldier froze for a moment, at the mention of the name, and as he looked back to Steve and raised his weapon he spoke hesitantly “Who the hell is Bucky?”
Before he even got the chance to fire, Octavia kicked him on the ribs, and this time he lost balance and rolled a few meters on the concrete. As he got up, his eyes moved erratic, as if the name was familiar, but still he chose to raise his gun, but this time, he was met with a grenade fired by Sam. 
When the smoke and flames cleared out, there was no trace of the soldier.
Tags: @glossiefandom, @dayanna-hatter
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yelena-bellova · 4 years
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Don’t Be Afraid: Poe Dameron x Solo!Reader - Chapter Twenty One
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Chapter Twenty One: Old Friends
Series Masterlist
Plot: Y/n and Poe pay a visit to Maz Kanata, but don’t find what they expect to.
Warnings: maybe one curse word
Word Count: 6.1k
A/N: This day has been...a day...and I almost didn’t get this one out because of how long it took me to edit. There’s so much dialogue in these chapters that can’t be cut (especially about planets created for Resistance Reborn lol) so sometimes I feel like it’s a bit messy. Anyways, hope you enjoy!
—���——
“Y/n. Sweetheart, wake up.”
I groggily moaned as I forced my eyes open, blinking a couple times till my vision was clear. I hadn’t intended to fall asleep but as soon as Poe had said it was going to be a while till we arrived at our destination, I was out like a light. We were flying a one man ship so I’d inevitably ended up sitting on Poe’s lap, the sound of his heartbeat had soothed me to sleep.
“We’re coming into the atmosphere,” he announced.
“Good,” I yawned, “Anything from the Falcon?”
Poe shook his head, “Nothing yet.”

“Wow,” I breathed as I took a look at the planet we were approaching, “That’s Ephemera, huh?”

It’s beautiful, Bee commented.
“It is beautiful,” Poe replied, bringing one hand off the controls to squeeze my thigh affectionately.
What kind of planet is it?

“It was once a mining planet, like Bespin. But here they mined the tibanna gas to extinction.” Poe explained to the droid, “After it was all gone, the Empire abandoned its colonies and most of the settlers ran with them. Good riddance, from what I hear. It left the planet back in the hands of its original inhabitants and a few holdouts who weren’t there just to cash in but had grown to love the place. And then, surprise, they discovered tuusah.”
“What’s tuusah?” I asked, still admiring the colors of the planet.

“Residue from the mine runoff. Turns out tuusah has medicinal properties, so a new industry was born. Maybe it wasn’t as lucrative as the Empire’s strip mining, but it was a heck of a lot kinder to the planet’s flora and fauna.”
When were they ever kind?

“You’re right,” he said. “The Empire has never been kind. But the planet is a resort destination now, and the capital is called Wish. What a name, right? It used to be Outpost 665 or something boring like that. But now? Wish. It’s one of the largest spas in the galaxy. All kinds of mineral baths and healing treatments and some kind of legendary oxide therapy that’s supposed to make you look younger.”
Poe and I had both seen our share of the galaxy and anytime we’d go on missions together, we’d get into a debate of who knew more about the planet’s history. Once we knew where we’d be going, we’d both usually try to cram as many facts into our heads in an attempt to outsmart the other.
“What?” he chuckled as he caught me staring at him.
“Nothing,” I grinned, “Just enjoying the lecture, Professor Dameron. When’d you find time to study?”
Poe’s lips tugged upwards into a small smirk, “Doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve got nothing.”

They don’t have any treatments for droids, right?

“I think you’re safe. Bee,” I laughed, “We’re not here for facials, we’re here for Maz.”

Poe flew us through the pastel clouds of the planet, it was absolutely gorgeous. I wouldn’t have minded coming back at some point. But the thought of visiting planets purely for recreation seemed like a distant dream. Maybe one day Poe and I could vacation somewhere but for now, our trips were centered on war.
A transmission came in from the landing strip.
“Welcome to Ephemera airspace,” came from a breathy, zen-like voice, “Please identify yourself so that we can grant you landing clearance.”

“This is…” Poe hesitated in giving his name, we hadn’t thought whether or not we should’ve been using aliases. Was it likely that the First Order was hiding out on a planet known for their spa facilities? No. But being cautious never hurt anyone, especially people in our situation.
“Poe Dameron, is that you?” a familiar voice came through, “Oh, give me that mike, dear, I can take it from here.” There were more muffled protests on the other side, leaving us confused.

“Maz?” Poe called.
“What? Of course it’s me, you fool. Who else would have asked you to this backwater?”

“Maz, is everything all right?” I asked.

“Baby Solo! Your boyfriend didn’t tell me you were coming too!” she cried happily, putting heavy emphasis on the word ’boyfriend’.
“Yeah, it sounded like something was going on.” I replied.
“Bah. Just some people getting a little possessive with the equipment. Nothing to concern yourself with. I’ve handled it. Now hurry up. I haven’t got all day.”
Poe furrowed his brows as we looked for a place to park, “Uh, I’d be happy to land, but I don’t see anything that looks like it’ll hold the ship up. Am I in the right place?”
“Oh, you’re right. Isn’t that funny? Some kind of security measure, the locals assure me, but really I think they’re just partial to the undulation.”
“Undulation?” I repeated.
“You’ll see. Everything here sways a bit. Now...let me...”
It took a moment of hearing various sounds on Maz’s end before one of the platforms solidified before our eyes.
“What in the...?” Poe mumbled to himself.
“It’s perfectly safe, Dameron.” Maz assured, “Now are you going to land or not? I thought you were on urgent Resistance business.”
I shook my head in disbelief, only Maz could have picked a place like this. “Copy,” I said. “We’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“Good, good. See you soon. Oh, are you hungry? Have you two eaten? I should have food brought up, shouldn’t I? I’ll have to ask them to prepare something special unless...you don’t have time for a psychedelic experience do you?”
Poe chortled at the question, “Not today, Maz. Like you said, urgent business.”
We landed on the, surprisingly stable, platform Maz had formed for us and headed into the grand looking facility. For all my years of knowing Maz, I still sometimes didn’t understand her. Her connections spanned across the galaxy and back, she knew everybody from beggars on the streets to political diplomats. She had eyes everywhere even if she didn’t move around all that much. Out of all the people the Resistance was seeking aide from, I had no doubt that Maz could probably help us the most.
————
“I’m not helping you with anything,” Maz said, adjusting her goggles to see us clearer. Our faces were nothing sort of shocked. “If you recall, last time I stuck my neck out for the Resistance, the First Order destroyed my castle. Do you know how much I loved that castle?”
“I know, it was spectacular.” I replied, memories of that day flooding back.
“The best. Do you know how long I had had it?”
“A thousand years?” Poe offered.
“A thou...” Max paused, and shot daggers at Poe, who offered her a playful smile in return, “Longer than you’ve been around, flyboy, that’s for sure. So don’t sniff at me like I’m being unreasonable.”
Maz put her hands in a bowl of colorful thick goop and pulled out a handful. It reeked something awful but she didn’t seem to mind as she offered us some, “You want?”
“No, we’re fine.” Poe answered for both of us, my face was scrunched up in disgust at the odor.
Here we were, sitting on lounge chairs inside one of Wish’s day spas putting everything out on the line. And here Maz was refusing to help us. She was perfectly content to sit with her feet soaking in mud and having attendants bring her various teas. She hummed as she rubbed the gelatinous stuff into her face without a care in the world when Poe and I bore the fate of the galaxy on our shoulders.
“What is that stuff? It smells horrid.” I commented, taking another whiff of the air and immediately regretting it.
“Feline poop.” Maz answered casually, “From some species that’s lived here so long that it’s practically native to the planet. Imagine. A planet with no solid ground but plenty of cats. The story is that the founder of Ephemera was a Rothkahar philosopher. He domesticated this species because he thought them of advanced intelligence...or maybe they domesticated him. I forget. Anyway, later on, he found that their excrement had healing properties. High concentrations of tibanna gas, naturally processed into tuusah. Does wonders for the skin.”
Rubbing animal feces into your body to achieve better looking skin. Sure. Totally normal.
“That’s great, Maz,” Poe said, changing the topic quickly, “But can we get back to the topic at hand? The Resistance needs your help.”
“Yes, you told me.”
“We need a place to hide and regroup. It needs to be outside of prying First Order eyes but able to handle our needs for housing, supplies, communications...” Poe explained.
“Didn’t you say there were only a handful of you left on a single ship? What needs could you have?” she replied.
Poe and I glanced over to each other, surprised at how insensitive she sounded. This wasn’t the Maz I knew.
“There’s going to be more,” I pointed out, “The Resistance is scattered across the galaxy and we’re going to continue to grow. We need shelter but we also need people like you. Leia was the only member of our leadership that survived, we need your help in leading the Resistance.”

“Lead the Resistance?” Maz’s eyes moved suspiciously between Poe and I, “I thought that was your job.”
“We…” Poe began, biting his tongue almost immediately. Very few knew about our demotions but we wore shame as if the whole galaxy mocked us.
“Expecting me to do your job for you?” Maz grumbled with a humorless laugh, “You two are the commanders in the room. Or has that changed?”
“Nothing’s changed,” Poe replied quickly, causing me to turn to him in confusion. Were we supposed to lie and cover up the fact that we’d lost our titles? Either way, Maz didn’t seem to care as she lay back in her lounger and closed her eyes. We waited for something, anything, to come out of her mouth. She always had some sort of unique and cryptic wisdom to offer. It was when light snores escaped her lips that it seemed like it was a hopeless cause.
Poe rose from his seat and offered me his hand, “This was a waste of time. We should go.”
“No!” Maz shouted suddenly, grabbing hold of his wrist. All of her trademark personality had left the one eye she had opened and she was dead serious. “Listen closely to me, Poe Dameron. You see me like this, and you think me a fool. Good for me, because when an enemy perceives you as foolish or weak, that is when they are most vulnerable in their arrogance. That is when you strike.”

Upon her last word, she yanked down on Poe’s hand and his feet went out from under him. He landed harshly on his back and had the wind knocked out of him on impact. I rose to help him up but Maz forcefully pushed me back onto my lounge chair with her other hand. She climbed off her seat and stepped onto Poe’s chest, bending over so that her face was almost touching his.
“I see arrogance in you. And that is what gets you in trouble, causes pain.” Maz observed before blindly pointing to me, “And fear in you. It’s controlled you all your life.”
I hated when Maz did this, or at least when it was directed at me. While my ego played a part in the mutiny, fear had been my main motive. Fear played a bigger part in my life than Maz even knew. It stopped me from picking up my lightsaber, it stopped me from telling people that I was Force sensitive, it delayed me from deciding to train as a Jedi…
“We learned our lesson,” Poe gritted out, still pinned down and I didn’t dare to help him.
“Have we?” Maz asked, looking between the two of us.
I struggled for words, I didn’t want to have to recount the events again. Especially to someone who could see right through me. The few times I’d slept since Crait had been filled with nightmares containing the transports exploding and the screams of my fallen comrades. Asleep or awake, I was being forced to relive my mistake constantly.
“You asked if we were still leaders,” Poe started, he could tell I was too wrapped in my thoughts to speak, “The truth is that I don’t know. W-We made some mistakes...”
“Mistakes?” Maz repeated.
“We led a mutiny,” I blurted out, the truth flowing from my lips quicker than I could manage. “We were being kept in the dark and didn’t trust the person in charge. I had just lost Dad and Mom was in a coma and I panicked, alright? I-I felt like I had to do something! I didn’t want anyone else to die and we ended up killing so many.”
“And did you?” Maz jutted her chin up as she looked at me, “Have to do something?”

I blinked away the tears that filled my eyes, guilt rose in my chest as I thought of Holdo. Standing in the hanger as she watched our transports flee the Raddus, she had everything under control while I’d been scheming behind her back.
“No,” I trembled and ducked my head as if that would shield me from her vision.
“Dameron?”

“No,” he said, “I’m a soldier and she was my commanding officer. All I had to do was trust.”
I peered up to see Maz plop down on Poe’s chest, a sight that should’ve amused me, but didn’t. The moment had drained me of every emotion that wasn’t sorrow or guilt.
“And now what?” she asked.
“What?” Poe said, his eyes rested on me to make sure I was relatively alright.
“Let’s say you’re right. That your actions, your arrogance, got many people killed. Led the Resistance to where they are now: broken, on the run, destitute, and begging for help.”
As I stayed silent, Poe spoke up, “We fix it.”
“How will you do that?” she asked. “You can’t bring the dead back. You can’t single-handedly rebuild the Resistance, although,” Maz snorted and looked between the two of us, “If anyone was going to try it would be you two.”

“I can bring down the First Order.” Poe answered.
“Alone?” Maz raised her eyebrows in amusement
“If I have to.”
She shook her head, “Arrogance. Still.” Maz adjusted her position so she was kneeling over him, “You know who else is arrogant? The First Order.”
“The First Order is evil, Maz, that’s not a fair comparison.” I stuck up for my boyfriend, sniffling after, “No one knows that better than me.”
Maz adjusted her goggles again, seemingly staring straight into my soul. While I’d never explicitly told her about my family history, she’d always known. If you knew the Solo family, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots as to why we suddenly became a permanent party of three one day. I hoped she wouldn’t push it, that was one wound I didn’t need reopened.
“I’ve seen evil in many forms, children. The First Order is no worse than the Sith, or the Empire, or countless others who would use the dark side. As always, they must be countered with the light. But...” Maz finally climbed off of Poe and came back to sit on her lounge chair, removing her spectacles as she did, “I have my own way of fighting. Not everything is about armadas and starfighters, you know.”
Poe sat up finally, rubbing at his sore back and stared at Maz. I was just as surprised, I never thought that she would be the one to disappoint me. She seemed so…
“You think I’m callous,” she finished my thought, “But I’m not. You will be fine without me.”
I scoffed at her dismissal and stood up, “You’re the last person I would’ve expected to say no to helping, Maz. Especially after what happened to Dad…”

“I sure hope you’re right, lady,” Poe said bitterly, “Because if you’re not, me and mine are going to die. And you can sit with that for a thousand more years for all I care.”
With that, we silently made our way out of the spa feeling like even bigger failures than we had when we entered.
————
I dried the last of my tears as Poe asked for clearance to leave for the second time, only to be denied. One of his arms was tightly wound around my torso, Maz’s questioning had opened a floodgate I’d been trying to keep shut. The mutiny, Holdo, Dad…I wished more than anything that my father was here, he would know exactly what to do. How to rebuild, how to lead, how to atone for my sins…
I growled and smacked the side window of our ship, “Why won’t they just let us off this damned planet?”

Poe tried again to be met with the same breathy voice with a different message, “Negative, pilot. You have company.”

We looked around through the pastel fog that surrounded us and found nothing. A sudden knock on the window had us both jumping and reaching for our blasters till we saw who it was. Maz.
“Open up,” she said with another tap on the glass.
Poe opened the cockpit and Maz leaned into the small space.
“There’s something I meant to tell you before you ran off like that. But first, where did you get this ship? It’s a relic.”
“It’s a loaner.” Poe answered exasperatedly, “I told you we’re down to scrap metal, everything else destroyed. Now what do you want?”
“It’s a relic, but it’s also a collectible. When you’re done with it, come see me. I might buy it.”
I sighed frustratedly, “Maz, what do you want? We’ve got places to be.” That was a lie, we had absolutely nowhere to go.
Maz waved us off as if we had all the time in the world. “We’ve long suspected that the First Order has been taking children and disappearing people on the margins of the galaxy. But things are escalating now: arresting people on phony trumped-up charges. Small crimes that they’ve blown up into capital offenses, or charges simply fabricated out of nothing. People going missing in the dead of night, their families having no idea what happened to them. Nighttime raids or picked up off the streets and vanished. And the people most likely to disappear? People with ties to the old rebellion. And interestingly enough, we’re seeing it with some old Imperials, as well. Those who have been outspoken about their distaste for the First Order, but also those who have remained neutral. Anyone who might pose a threat, now or down the line.”
“Do you think that’s what happened to our allies?” I thought out loud, “They could’ve been arrested?”

“Maybe. Possibly.” Maz answered with a shrug, “But the First Order used to do it in secret. Now they don’t bother. They snatch people off the streets and don’t even pretend to have whatever planet they’ve infiltrated hold a sham trial. Just death or labor camps.”
“Labor camps?” Poe breathed, it was a heavy revelation.
“Someone has to build all those fancy new ships, eh?”
Poe and I shared a look, trying processing the information. “Thanks, Maz,” he said thoughtfully, “Leia will want to know about this.”
“Yes, I thought she might. Rumor has it that there’s a list somewhere of all the people they’ve taken. A big list. No one’s seen it, but I’ve got people chasing it down. I hear something definitive, I’ll call you.”
“Please do,” I responded with a single nod.
“You sure you don’t want to sell this ship?” Maz gestured to our ship once more.
“Not ours to sell.” Poe replied.
“A shame.”
Poe began to close the cockpit just as Maz called our names, “Poe! Y/n!”
We turned our heads to see a knowing smile on her face, “Be the light.”
————
We’d just gotten off Ephemera when we began to discuss the visit.
Bee initiated the conversation, What’s wrong?
“I guess I expected more.” Poe answered, earning a hum of agreement from me.
Well, what did you expect?
“Anything. I’ve known Maz a long time and never once has she disappointed me.” I shook my head, “Guess I can’t say that anymore.”
I’m sorry.
“Maybe our expectations were too high.” Poe let out a heavy sigh.
I leaned my head back against his shoulder and let out a similar sound. My mind was swirling with chaos, most of which I’d created for myself. I felt like there was going to be a dark cloud of shame that followed me around for the rest of my life. Poe’s reply to Maz back in the spa still had me thinking though, we had to fix our mistake. We couldn’t bring back the people we’d lost, but we could try to make amends. The question of how we would do that, I still didn’t have an answer for but I was determined enough to figure it out.
Communication coming in, it’s from the Millennium Falcon.
I sucked in a breath, it was the first contact I’d had since I’d left the ship. What was waiting on the other end? I felt my anxiety building once again at the extreme scenarios that filled my head. As if he could read my mind, Poe grabbed my hand and squeezed hard. His nerves were just as high as mine.
“Put it through, buddy.” Poe requested, his thumb rubbing over my hand lightly, “This is Poe Dameron, everything all right?”

“Poe!” Rose’s voice greeted, “Good to hear your voice. Wait, isn’t Y/n with you?”

“I’m here, Rose. Is everything okay?” I held my breath as we awaited her answer.
“Falcon’s on land,” she answered, “We’re hoping you and Maz will join us.”
“Maz isn’t coming,” Poe said regretfully, “I’m afraid she’s decided to sit this fight out.”
“What? Why?”
I didn’t want to lie to Rose but didn’t feel right telling her just how disinterested in our sufferings Maz appeared to be. “It’s a long story. Where are you guys?”
“That’s a long story too but the short version? Leia secured us temporary shelter on Ryloth.”
“That’s great news, Rose,” I sighed, turning to Poe who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and giving him a nudge. He shook himself out of his daze, “We’ve got a place to land. Ryloth system.”

“The Ryloth system?” Poe repeated with a small chuckle, “How did Leia pull that one off? I thought Ryloth didn’t pick sides.”

“She’s Leia,” Rose replied.
“She is, indeed,” Poe reenforced as I grinned, I was beginning to think there truly was nothing my mother couldn’t do.
“I’m sending BB-8 the coordinates now.”
I watched as the coordinates appeared on the display screen, Poe examined them, “This says head for the outermost moon. Is that correct?”
“Ambassador Yendor has asked our starfighters to meet there. Once everyone’s collected, he’ll bring you in under cover.”
“Ah,” he said, “So we’re not officially on Ryloth.”

“It’s a bit of a stealth mission. The government knows we’re here but they can’t acknowledge us. We’re working directly with the Ryloth Defense Authority.”
“The Ryloth Defense Authority? I don’t know what that is, but it sounds promising.” Poe said, I heard just an ounce of hope in his voice for the first time in a while.
“Leia can explain once you guys are here. Any word from the rest of your Black Squadron?”

“Negative,” he answered, “But we’re just clearing planet orbital space. We’ll follow up with Black Teams One and Two shortly and give them the coordinates.”
“Affirmative. Leia also wants you to follow up with Inferno Squadron and give them the coordinates, too.”
“We will.” I replied.
“Great. See you soon.”
“Out,” Poe said before ending the transmission, “If I haven’t ever said it, your mother is incredible.”

“I’m pretty sure you sing her praises in your sleep,” I jested, earning a pinch to my side.

“BB-8, open a secure channel to Black Team One.” Poe directed.
After a few seconds waiting, Snap’s voice came through, “Is that you, Poe? Y/n? Everything okay?”
“All good, here, Snap.” Poe stated, “Checking in on the status of your mission and to give you coordinates to a meeting place.”
There were muffled curses through the speaker of the ship followed by a voice shouting “Yes!”. Snap followed, “Copy that, Poe. And your timing is excellent. Karé and I have left Akiva with Norra and Wedge in hand.”
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Nothing we couldn’t handle. Some local opposition and some less than effective surface to air cannons. We took care of it.”
“Good to hear,” Poe replied, “And everything’s good with Wedge and…and your mom?”

“Oh, she’s crazy as ever,” Snap laughed, “But aren’t we all these days? It’s her life, right? I’m going to let her live it.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Snap” I smiled, “I’m going to send you the coordinates right now.”

“Received.” he answered after a moment, “I’ll get them to the team. Listen, we’re going to make a couple of detours to see if we can find any of Phantom Squadron still kicking around.”
“Phantom Squadron?” Poe asked, “They haven’t flown together since my mom was still an active pilot.”

“We need people, right?”
I shrugged, “It’s worth a shot, they’d have experience.”

“See, your girlfriend approves. It won’t take long. We’ll see you on Ryloth before you know it.”

Poe chucked under his breath, “Alright, watch your back out there, Snap.”

“Always do.” Snap answered just before Poe ended the communication.
“So are you calling the shots now for my squadron?” Poe asked with a smile.
I snickered, “All I did was endorse the idea. One pilot is enough for me to manage, I don’t need five of you.”
Without even having to ask, Bee started connecting us to Sura and Jess.
“Poe! Y/n!” Sura yelled, causing us to jolt back in our seat, “I can only talk for a sec. Real busy here!”
“What’s going on?” Poe’s voice drained of all humor, “Are you and Jess under fire?”
“Uhh...you could say that.” Suralinda screamed just as the comm ended suddenly.
“Bee,” I hurried, “What happened?”
I don’t know!

“Well, can you reconnect?” Poe cried, nerves had over taken him.
I’m going to try.
“Keep trying,” he replied, “Something’s happening to them, why did I make the call to send them there? I should have-“

“Stop,” I said, attempting to keep my anxiety at bay for Poe’s sake, “We don’t know anything yet. Do not start beating yourself up before we even know what happened.”

He attempted to take some deep breaths as I kept a hand on him, but I didn’t sense his panic decreasing at all. We waited for several minutes, consumed by fear that our friends were dying, until the connection finally went through.
“Poe?” Jess’s voice rang through, “Is that you? Y/n?”

“Jess,” Poe breathed, his body relaxing back into the seat, “Is that you?”

“Oh yeah. I just tagged Suralinda into the ring, so she had to go,” she answered as she panted for breath. There was an unmistakeable roar of a crowd in the background.
“Ring?” I asked, “Jess, where the hell are you?”

“Barterus. Gladiatorial ring. The ex-Imperial Suralinda was looking for? Teza Nasz? She wouldn’t see us unless we bested her greatest warriors in hand-to-hand combat, so Suralinda thought-”
“Fuck,” Poe cursed and threw his head back, “Suralinda thought she’d throw two very much needed Resistance pilots into the death pits of Rattatak for the sake of simply talking to an ex-Imperial who may or may not be of help to us?”
“Well,” Jess responded meekly after a few seconds, “When you put it that way.”
“Get out of there, Jess,” Poe ordered, “It’s not worth losing either one of you. We need you flying for Black Squadron more than we need this Teza Nasz.”
“Yeah, I’m afraid it’s a little too late for that, Poe. The Rattataki don’t take kindly to quitters. It’s sort of a win-or-die situation. But don’t worry. We got this in hand. Oh!”
There was a crash in the background and the sound of a vibro-ax being charged up. It was going to be harder now to reassure Poe that everything was going to be fine…
“I’m up! Gotta go, don’t worry!”
“BB-8 is going to send coordinates for our rendezvous point,” I said, “Get there in one piece as soon as you can.” 

“Don’t mess around.” Poe said, ”And don’t die! That’s an order.
“Order received!” Jess announced before disconnecting the communication properly.
“Insanity…” Poe grumbled, though I couldn’t help myself from laughing, “Something funny?”

“I’m sorry,” I said in between my giggles, “I really hope you appreciate that the rest of your squadron are just as hotheaded as you are.”

He sighed irritatedly at me before I felt his chest begin to rumble with laughter. For just a few brief seconds, everything felt okay. Sitting in Poe’s lap, flying together and laughing.
“We need to make one last call,” I said, asking Bee to put it through.
“Shriv here.”

“Shriv,” Poe greeted, “It’s Poe and Y/n, how’s your mission going?
“Oh, you know,” he answered, ”Lots of flying around and getting doors slammed in our faces. But we did find a couple of old friends of the Rebellion. I think Leia will be pleased.”
“I’m sure she will. We’re headed for Ryloth,” I spoke up, “Does Inferno Squad feel like joining?”

“Absolutely.”

“Great. We’re sending the coordinates now.” Poe replied as he pressed the button.

Shriv answered soon after, “Received. We’re on our way.”
“See you there,” I said and ended the transmission, “Well, that’s a little bit of good news.”
“Yeah,” Poe adjusted a control before asking Bee to jump to lightspeed, "We’re going to need a lot more of it though.”
————
We were one of the thirteen ships that landed on Ryloth in the middle of the night. I was happy to see as many ships as that in the hanger when Poe and I dismounted, it was a good start. He was the first one to spot Mom,
“Leia!” he called out and we jogged across the hanger to get to her. Even though I’d known she was safe on Ryloth, I couldn’t relax until I’d actually seen her with my own eyes.
“Commander,” she said with a nod to Poe. He was so embarrassed by his casualness that he hadn’t even realized that she’d called him ‘Commander’ again.
“General,” he greeted again as he blushed, “Sorry for the informality. Just glad to see you again.”
“I’m glad to see you, too, Poe. You too, Commander Solo,” she said, with a wink directed towards me, “Walk with me and tell me what we have.” I’d have to ask her later what we’d done to earn our titles back.
We made our way through the hanger and explained as many people as we could.
“The two pilots there you know from Black Squadron, Jessica Pava and Suralinda Javos.” Poe pointed towards the duo, plus a recently added third person, “The woman with them is ex-Imperial-officer Teza Nasz. They found her on Rattatak after fighting in the death pits.”
Sura and Jess looked…well, they could’ve looked worse. Jess’s dark hair was matted with blood, Sura had a few bruises and her lip was split. Teza Nasz was easily the most intimidating person I’d ever seen in my life. She wore a one-shouldered jumpsuit made up of various animal skins and mismatched pieces of armor. There were lines that were cut into her arm, no doubt by a knife and she had dark red dreadlocks down her back.
“That warlord is ex-Imperial?” Mom asked, I could hear her stifling a laugh.
Poe explained her backstory and how she’d been an officer in the Imperial Navy, strategist in the Battle of Jakku and was assumed dead shortly after. Suralinda and her had known each other at some point.
Mom was thinking it all over, “Well, she looks like a warrior, not a strategist, but perhaps I shouldn’t judge by looks alone. If she dropped off New Republic scopes that thoroughly and was able to rise to power on Rattatak, she’s probably both. What’s her name, again?”
“Teza Nasz,” I answered at the exact moment the warlord turned around and locked eyes with Mom. There was some sort of silent standoff between the two of them, they were both powerful in their own right. Only once Nasz turned away first did we continue our discussion.
“Who else?” Mom asked before a voice called her name. We turned to see a young girl behind us eagerly waiting to shake Mom’s hand.
“It’s good to finally meet you in person, Zay,” she greeted, “Where’s Shriv?”
“Over here,” the Duros said, walking up to join us. “Good to see you General.”

Shriv had been a Rebellion, now Resistance, fighter. He’d seen everything from the Battle of Endor to the Battle of Jakku during the old days. If you wanted to hear some good war stories, Shriv was your man. I’d only heard of Zay from my mother, I knew that she was recently orphaned and an excellent pilot. Naturally her story tugged at my heart.
After we’d caught up and Shriv had excused himself, Mom asked Zay if they’d located anyone. We made our way over to the civilian transport where she said she thought we’d be happy with what we found. She also filled us in on what had gone on during their mission. Once she got to the point where they were unable to locate many of the people they’d been trying to find, I decided to jump in.
“Maz told us something similar,” I said, “It seems like they’ve disappeared.”

“What does it mean?” Zay asked.
“The First Order, most likely,” Poe answered, “If we know about these potential allies, so do they. They’re just getting to them first.”

We made our way to the transport and took a look at the group. There were two native Twi’lek’s handing out hot towels and water to our allies, everyone was in their own conversations that seemed to die as they noticed Mom’s presence. A single figure broke apart from the small crowd and began walking toward us.
“This is-“ Zay began to say.
“I know who this is,” Mom said quietly before greeting the older man, “General Rieekan.”

As they embraced, I finally placed where I’d heard the name. He’d been a General during the Rebellion, working closely with my mother on Hoth and everywhere else the Rebellion had taken them. Poe, Zay and I broke away from them to let the two old comrades catch up.
“I can’t believe you and Shriv found him,” I patted Zay on the shoulder, “Good job.”

“Thanks,” she beamed at me, before her eyes caught my lightsaber on my hip, “Wait, you’re Commander Solo.”
“Last time I checked.”
“You’re a legend!”

Poe and I exchanged a confused look before I turned back to the girl, “How so?”

“Crait! You took on Kylo Ren all by yourself!” Zay exclaimed, her hands flying to her head, “It’s all over the galaxy how you battled each other. A-And then I heard Luke Skywalker showed up and the two of you fought together. Oh man, I can’t believe I’m actually talking to you!”
How the hell had that story gotten out? I assumed that moment would live and die on Crait, maybe it would spread slowly through the Resistance. I didn’t think I would turn into a galaxy-wide tale. Much less, that it would be told falsely with the embellished storyline that my uncle and I had fought together. I wished that was the truth.
“Well,” I awkwardly smiled, “That’s not entirely true.”

Zay’s face fell as if I’d just crushed some dream of hers, “So you didn’t battle Kylo Ren?”

“Well,” I rubbed the back of my neck, “I did, but-“

“So you are a hero!” she grinned before excitedly shaking my hand, “I can’t tell you how excited I am to meet a real live Jedi knight!”
I could tell I wasn’t going to get in a word edgewise, the girl already looked up to me seemingly. But I felt unnerved at the thought that I was letting someone else think I was a hero. Heroes didn’t lead mutinies and they certainly didn’t get their soldiers killed.
Shouts began to rise behind us in the hanger, we turned to see a crowd was beginning to form. I could clearly hear the punches that were being thrown.
“A fight!” Zay excitedly shouted.
Poe, Shriv and I ran off together to see what was going on. I should’ve known things were going just a little too well to continue that way.
————
A/N: Fun Fact: The conversation between Zay and the reader is based on the ending of TLJ with the three kids reenacting the lightsaber fight. As always, thank for all the support on this series! I’m having the best time writing it 🖤
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ohnohetaliasues · 6 years
Text
Greenland OC review
//mmm- Yes hello I am here to submit my friend’s oc because she’s really shy cinnamon roll. ;u;  If you have time, please take a look at her oc and critique it for her! Thank you!!!!
@mochimoochie
Why hello there! Of course I’ll look through this. I'd be happy to give my critique. Let’s jump right in, and tell your friend I say hello!
First Player
Country Information:
Official Country Name: Greenland
Capitol: Nuuk
Languages: Greenlandic (West and East dialects (specifically Kalaallisut and Tunumiisut), Danish, Eskimo–Aleut, Inuktun, English
Government: Constitutional Monarchy. Current leaders are Kim Kielsen (Prime Minister) and Margethe II of Denmark (Monarch)
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Good, you’ve done your research. 
Human Information:
Name: Arvid Falk
Meaning: “Arvid”, from the old norse name Arvior, eagle tree. “Falk”, From Old Norse Falker, falcon.
Okay, good name.
Gender: Male
Birthday: He used to celebrate the day the island was discovered as his birthday, but in more recent years just celebrates around December 14th as his birthday, in a week-long celebration.
 Why that date specifically? I honestly think the date his island was discovered is a better idea.
About Them:
Personality: Arvid is known for being adventurous and welcoming, first and foremost. He loves meeting people and exploring new places. He’s extremely well versed in movement on snow and ice, and loves to climb mountains and, if the weather is warm enough (which is rarely is, so he’s usually doing this when he’s in other countries) dive in water to see what’s underneath. He’s intensely brave and almost too eager to speak his mind. However, when there’s no one around, he’s known to get extremely lonely extremely quickly. He gets jumpy and timid alone, even when he’s exploring, so he far prefers to be with at least two other people. He also has a strong belief in the supernatural, believing himself to have magical powers (he does not.) The culture and traditions of his people are very important to him, as well as the life of his island’s wildlife. He hates having to disturb it if he doesn’t have to.
I like this, he’s quirky and unique, but Greenland is sort of isolated, so I don’t think loneliness would be a big issue.
Hobbies: Arvid is most often found in the mountains, or in a small hunting party. Occasionally, he’ll be found trying to get passage on a ship to visit other countries just to explore and experience them. He’s fascinated with literature and enjoys spending any time he can reading, though a lot of his time has to be dedicated to working.
Physical Attributes:
Description: (Images) Arvid was, at one point, far paler than his native peoples, due to the large number of Norwegians and Danes in his nation. However, he is back to matching them in skin tone. His dark hair and eyes have been a constant from the beginning, making him the odd one out among his brothers. He has a thick layer of a mixture of fat and muscle on his torso, both to help him insulate against the cold and to generally be able to work. He keeps his hair tied back most of the time to keep it from bothering him while he’s working or travelling.
Good! I’m loving your representation. 
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Height: He stands about 168cm, or 5’5’’
Weight: 165lbs
Outfit: Most often, Arvid is seen wearing a blue shirt with a blue coat over it, with a pair of earmuffs that match his scarf, both a light brown. He wears a pair of goggles on his forehead, though they will sometimes be over his eyes when the snow is heavy. Occasionally, he will add a dark green cloak to this outfit. The coat and cloak were dyed in far more recent years.
It goes with his country name. 
Family and Foreign Relationships:
Iceland, older brother. Emil and Arvid don’t get along at all, for the reason of Erik The Red, and the various events in history they share. It’s really petty at this point, and Arvid is trying to mend fences. Denmark, older brother. Mathias and Arvid get along very well, despite the two having difficulty in the past. They’re often two peas in a pod when one is in the other’s country. Sweden, older brother. Berwald and Arvid don’t interact often, but they know of each other and seem to care about the other. Finland, older brother. Tino and Arvid share a relationship very similar to the one Greenland has with Sweden, but their care for each other is much clearer. Norway, older brother. Lukas and Arvid hardly interact at all. It’s hard to tell what their relationship is. It is positive, however. That much is known. America, friend. Alfred and Arvid have been friends since the end of WWII, when Denmark’s Nazi capture led to America gaining control of the country. (Roleplay only: Love Interest) Canada, friend. Matthew and Arvid get along fairly well, sometimes more than people would expect. This may partially be from them being somewhat related from the time when Canada was Vinland.
Good! You’re keeping the OC related to countries it has actual relations with. I’ve found many Ocs that don’t do this.
Brief History:
Greenland was discovered some time in the 11th Century by an Icelandic man named Erik The Red, who was exiled for murder. Arvid appeared on the beaches after the man left back to Iceland to find people to help him found the country. He looked around, seeing his empty home, and almost too quickly ran off to explore. He did find his natives and lived with them for some time.
I’d mention Leif Erikson, who played a role in Greenland’s history.
Months later, he heard people arrive. He went back to the beach and watched people start to build. Norway and Denmark saw him, and after a short conversation, the two taught him about being a country over a span of years. Denmark took him as a part of his country for a few centuries. Note that Iceland was present during this this time.
Many, many years later, during World War II, Denmark was captured by Germany and cut off from Greenland, leading to Mathias handing over control of the confused country to America. Alfred and Arvid meeting on the battlefield when Arvid had the younger country on the other end of an arrow. He didn’t believe him until he was shown the signed contract.
A few decades later, Arvid went to Mathias to ask for his freedom. While a group of his people spoke to Danish parliament, he and Mathias argued about him being able to take care of himself. Mathias ended up having to allow his country’s parliament’s choice pass, giving Greenland home rule. Arvid and Mathias remained in agreement that Denmark would take care of all military endeavors… At least until 2008 when Greenlandic citizens voted for their complete independence, though the country still heavily relies on Denmark for their economy.
Okay, this is good, but more extensive research is in order. Like I said, Leif Erikson is a part of Greenlandic history.
Extra:
Arvid has four dogs. The oldest is a Greenland Dog named Agner. There’s also his Canadian Eskimo (who’s a puppy) named Bo, the Labrador Husky named Helgi, and the Alaskan Malamute named Lykke. They work as his sled dogs and are with him when he’s off exploring his country. Bo is still too young to pull the sled, he sits on it with Arvid. Arvid has the nickname “Aputsiaq” from his people, which translates from Greenlandic to “Snowflake.”
I do wonder why, but okay.
Arvid mostly prefers to speak in either Danish, English, or Kalaallisut depending on who’s with him.
Okay, all in all, this is a good OC. He needs some touching up in the spots I commented on, and some deeper explanation for some things, but this looks great so far! Keep up the good work!
~Kat 
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verdigrisprowl · 6 years
Text
Oct 30 Dancitron Movie Night - Dog Soldiers
Soundwave was in a holomatter avatar in his pre-flier frame with impressive tires. Prowl 1) could barely pay attention to anything else all night, and 2) still managed to figure out one of the movie’s major plot twists.
Today Tarantulas 7:41 pm *guess who's been invited over early - it's everyone's favorite science spider friend! he pops into dancitron ready to roll, not sure who'll be meeting him downstairs but not really minding. he's got a CLUB to DECORATE.* ItsyBitsySpyers 7:44 pm Zori is the only one downstairs right now, sporting a tiny copy of Starscream's crown and purple cape. He's also got a miniature scepter held tightly in one claw and is waving it to and fro, humming to himself. He waves to Tarantulas - and then to the twins' choice of decor.
You know. Things like 'paper chains' made of old tire tread; honest to Primus trophies from some of Frenzy and Ravage's hunts in the Underworld; automated bits of (fake) injured or dying mechs 'phased' into the walls, courtesy of Bevel and Buzzsaw; creepy Unicron-purple lighting; energon cubes painted black to show off the glowing, anguished faces of popular multiversal Autobot and Decepticon officers carved into them...
#hi! #C: Tarantulas 7:49 pm *tarantulas snickers at the decor* Hello, Zori - just LOOK at this, lovely, lovely. How can I be of service? ItsyBitsySpyers 7:52 pm He's being a brave, brave scorpion tonight. Soundwave said that bad things don't REALLY happen on this Earth holiday, and anyway, the spider isn't coming near. Yet.
#Rumble and Frenzy said #um #they want spiderwebs #please #and you could have some extra snacks #... #but not by me #okay? Tarantulas 7:55 pm Aww, how generous. *yes, tara's keeping his distance, he knows how skittish the scorp is around spiders. tara starts scoping out the room* It sounds like a perfectly suitable proposal. It'll take me a little while, but we have time, I believe. *tara always does shit last minute, he's good* ItsyBitsySpyers 7:57 pm #we do! #...so #um #um um #I am going to check snacks #yes
Nope. That's it. The bravery ran out. He's heading to the bar, where there are lots of things to hide behind. And he'll be there while Tarantulas works, up until others start trickling in. Tarantulas 7:59 pm *tarantulas does his best to shush his own snickering* Please do. *and he's off to work - sizing up to reach the ceiling with ease and delicately trailing silk around the room. there are a few quick but full spiderwebs here and there too by the time he's done* Tarantulas 8:02 pm *the fact that the silk shimmers and glints in the dim lighting is totally intentional, also. quite eerie, and also sticky to the touch* Swoop 8:04 pm *bounds in, painted head to toe in black, with his bright gold goggles on* Bird? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:05 pm *Rumble and Frenzy are the first to come dancing downstairs, already admiring Tarantulas' work. Frenzy touches a silk runner, gets some stuck to a finger, and makes a grossed out face while laughing.*
*If you think something's off about them, you're right. Frenzy is all blue with red and white feet. Tonight, he'll be Sonic. Rumble's gone all red with white accents, spiny finger joints, and green and yellow magnetic patches. Obviously, he's Knuckles.* //She ain't ready yet, heh. Whatcha got the goggles for?// Swoop 8:06 pm Bird said goggles. And BLACK! Her get, uhh, other stuff. ((i <3 this musical)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:07 pm ((WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY i woulda dragged you to it saturday with us)) FakeProwl 8:07 pm ((IS SWOOPMUN WITHIN DRAGGING DISTANCE?)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:07 pm ((YEAH)) FakeProwl 8:07 pm ((I DID NOT KNOW)) Swoop 8:07 pm ((aww how was it?)) FakeProwl 8:07 pm *appears; for a moment, his optics widen in obvious worry. Dead people and ripped treads, the glow of dark energon, what happened in—?* Swoop 8:08 pm ((Dude, this is possibly my favorite musical. I've seen student productions, but not a professional one.)) FakeProwl 8:08 pm *Oh. decorations. it's fake.* Bevel 8:08 pm ((it was really fun aside from a couple cringy stereotypes mostly left out of the movie FakeProwl 8:08 pm ((yeah, if you've seen student productions then you've probably seen the icky parts already)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:10 pm *Where was the mun. Oh yes!*
//Ohh, the big - yeah, hold on. I think she got it with her.//
*Rumble nudges his brother.*
\\BIIIIIIIIIIRD\\ FakeProwl 8:10 pm ((other than that tho it was a lot of fun. the dentist SERIOUSLY hammed it up, he was a load of fun.)) Tarantulas 8:10 pm *across the room, tarantulas steps back from one last silken thread and crosses his arms, looking around* Hmm. Satisfactory. FakeProwl 8:11 pm *Looks around for Soundwave, can't find him, looks at Tarantulas instead. He's clearly involved.* What's all this? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:11 pm *And in floats Laserbeak, all red, black, and gold, with a fake wide tail on. Those who remember the Civil War movie might recognize Falcon's drone, Redwing. She's got a big yellow beak mask in her feelers for Swoop.* Bevel 8:11 pm *trundles in transformed to look like Alphonse from FMA and stops to admire all the awesome work on the room* FakeProwl 8:12 pm *IS THAT ANOTHER LEAGUER* Swoop 8:12 pm *giggles and holds out his hands for the mask* You Bird all Dinobot colors! Tarantulas 8:12 pm Oh Prowl, didn't you know? It's /Halloween/. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:12 pm *How much does Bevel know about FMA? There's a beige Chimera in feline mode walking downstairs. And there's a lot of long, brown wires on its head and back, presently serving as a creepy mane...* FakeProwl 8:12 pm *IT IS A TALLER-THAN-AVERAGE-HUMANS METAL PERSON, IT'S CLEARLY ANOTHER LEAGUER* Magnum Ace 8:13 pm ((on mobile. it kinda sucks FakeProwl 8:13 pm ... Oh, right. It HAS been a year, hasn't it. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:13 pm {{Yes, yes! Me Bird best Dinobot, got costume present.}} *Holds out the beak. Chimera makes a beeline for Bevel and offers a big, doofy smile.* Swoop 8:13 pm You Bird have fire breath? Kehhehhehhh ItsyBitsySpyers 8:14 pm {{Boss say when Bird mad, Autobot audials burn~}} Swoop 8:14 pm KEHEHHHEHHH Him mean You Bird YELLING Bevel 8:14 pm Nina! *not sure if amused or horrified but she can recognize Chimera under the mane and kneel down to greet them* Tarantulas 8:15 pm (( NINA 💔 ItsyBitsySpyers 8:15 pm <<Yes! Chimera is the Sad Monster.>> FakeProwl 8:15 pm ((nina is one of only three things i know about fma)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:15 pm <<Can Chimera sit with the Bevel?>> Magnum Ace 8:15 pm ((oh my god, snek no ItsyBitsySpyers 8:15 pm ((SUFFER)) Tarantulas 8:15 pm (( is one of the other ones hughes Bevel 8:15 pm You make a very good Sad Monster. Yeah! We gotta stick together. *grins* Magnum Ace 8:15 pm ((EVIL Bevel 8:15 pm ((I like that we accidentally got two FMA costumes here FakeProwl 8:16 pm ((i don't remember the /name/ hughes, but if he's very sad then yes he's one of the ones i know about)) Tarantulas 8:16 pm (( VERY very sad Magnum Ace 8:16 pm ((he is Bevel 8:17 pm ((Bevel is the suit of armor kid https://i.pinimg.com/originals/28/96/14/289614067ed1c67319858376013f5ae2.png
FakeProwl 8:17 pm ((yes, that's why prowl thinks she's a leaguer)) Bevel 8:17 pm ((lol Prowl FakeProwl 8:17 pm ((because that's not a cybertronian)) ((and prowl apparently has no object permanence around bevel)) Bevel 8:17 pm ((Most bots don't, it's ok Magnum Ace 8:18 pm ((actual leaguer will show up when I get my com back ItsyBitsySpyers 8:18 pm ((YAY)) Bevel 8:18 pm ((yay Tarantulas 8:18 pm *tarantulas is gonna stretch and strut over to prowl, putting his paws on prowl's shoulders from behind* Yes, the one day of the year I can simply be myself, hyeh. Gargantuan spider? No questions asked. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:19 pm *The slow drip of mechs down the stairs continues. This time, almost literally. Buzzsaw comes in splattered in fake human blood and globs of congealed paint made to look like gore.*
*Behold: the chainsaw in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.* Magnum Ace 8:19 pm ((did I mention rabbit on mobile sucks? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:19 pm ((it really does)) Magnum Ace 8:20 pm ((yuuup FakeProwl 8:20 pm *Right. If there's another leaguer here and it's possibly Prowl's fault, he'd better go over and deal with it.* FakeProwl 8:21 pm On the other hand, it means you're one of the only people here who isn't in costume. *Briefly squeezes hand over Tarantulas's paw.* I need to talk to one of the guests, I'll be right back. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:21 pm *Ravage is next. He doesn't seem to have anything different about him. At all.* Tarantulas 8:21 pm *snickers, allows prowl to go, with a mandible-bump kiss on his head* Bevel 8:22 pm *glances up when Ravage appears and...* Are you not wearing a costume tonight? Magnum Ace 8:22 pm ((poor prowl ItsyBitsySpyers 8:22 pm *He stares at Bevel and scoffs. Loud.*
=I am Bagheera. OBVIOUSLY.=
*Flops and turns his back on her.* FakeProwl 8:22 pm *Leans into the kiss, then heads over to what is /apparently/ a new leaguer.* Are you lost? Bevel 8:23 pm *...laughs* Sorry! You look awesome. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:23 pm =Mm.=
*That's better.* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:24 pm ((FIVE MINUTE WARNING)) Bevel 8:25 pm *sudden Prowl approaches! she used to bots not recognizing her so she takes the question pretty well* I do not think so. It is me, Bevel. I am just /wearing/ a costume. FakeProwl 8:25 pm ......... Right. Okay. Good. ... Very convincingly alien. Swoop 8:26 pm Me Swoop am COMEDIAN — Plague doctor Swoop for Halloween Me Swoop am COMEDIAN — Plague doctor Swoop for Halloween - Plague doctor Swoop for Halloween Bevel 8:26 pm *smiles happily* Thanks! Swoop 8:26 pm ((quick scribble)) ((of the borb)) Tarantulas 8:26 pm (( GOOD Bevel 8:26 pm ((creepy, i love it ItsyBitsySpyers 8:26 pm ((that's GLORIOUS)) FakeProwl 8:27 pm ((oooo)) Swoop 8:27 pm ((babbe needs minimal edits when he is an actual twig borb)) *puts on his mask and looks up at Bird for a reaction* Tarantulas 8:28 pm *tarantulas is gonna take the opportunity to transform into literal spider mode. probably should PRETEND he's costuming it up* FakeProwl 8:28 pm *Goes over to take his usual seat. Unless Tarantulas has claimed it; in which case he'll scoot Tarantulas over.* Tarantulas 8:30 pm *nope, he's just nearby! tarantulas is gonna climb on top of prowl as soon as he sits though, like a mastiff trying to sit on a human's lap* Fuck You Rabbit 8:30 pm ((I will fucking kill rabbit)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:30 pm ((HERE ARE TONIGHT'S WARNINGS: Violence and gore, foul language, sexist language, faked animal cruelty, vomit)) FakeProwl 8:30 pm *It isn't working.* Shrink a little. Fuck You Rabbit 8:30 pm ((I STG I'm going murder it for holding me hostage until I created an account)) Fuck You Rabbit 8:31 pm ((sorry don't mind me just. ticked off at this stupid website that refuses to let me be a guest????? argh.)) Tarantulas 8:32 pm *some chittering* That's no fun. Hmph. *does it anyway, downgrades from mastiff to lapdog* Swoop 8:32 pm Bird bird *bounces on his toes* bird FakeProwl 8:32 pm *now prowl can hug better. isn't that an improvement?* Magnum Ace 8:32 pm ((here we go! I am on my com! Bevel 8:32 pm *will find a good place for her and Chimera to sit* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:33 pm *And the host is finally here. Someone only about 18 feet tall, very broad, and thickly armored is silently striding down the stairs and over to the couch where Prowl and Tarantulas are parked. Those who have seen Soundwave in the frame so helpfully dubbed "Hot Wheels" might recognize it... sort of. Tonight, it's in shades of black, grey, and red, supposedly for the holiday. And it looks every inch the gladiator he'll be telling most people he is tonight.* Fuck You Rabbit 8:33 pm *finally, the dragon arrives! she looks tired. she also has a cart, a legitimate CART, of goodies with her! they're individually wrapped in a glittering paper-like substance, and they're shaped like energon crystals! thin crunchy shell on the outside, sweet liquid center on the inside! she's also wearing the most hideously green, tacky dragon costume. the tags indicate that it's supposed to be for Earth dogs of some universe. the security device hanging off the tags indicate it was stolen.* Magnum Ace 8:34 pm -and don't mind him. He's had this happen enough times that he doesn't even pause this time- ItsyBitsySpyers 8:34 pm [[He apologizes for being late. There was a malfunction with one of the feeds. Help yourselves to fuel.]] Swoop 8:34 pm *can't stop touching the mask* Magnum Ace 8:34 pm -what does make him pause is the /decorations/ and everything else- FakeProwl 8:34 pm *glances at soundwave. double takes.* Swoop 8:34 pm *what is on his faceee???* *does not evne a little bit captuer the appropriate body language for a creepy plague doctor, even if he has the look* Tarantulas 8:35 pm *that voice - must be sw. but he thicc, wat* Fuck You Rabbit 8:35 pm *looks around, and kind of hesitantly drags the cart over with the rest of the treats* Hello everyone! FakeProwl 8:35 pm *you know those scenes in movies where the main character sees the love interest All Dolled Up for the first time, usually as said love interest is walking down the stairs so that the camera can slowly and lovingly pan up over their body?* *that's prowl's brain right now* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:35 pm *Laserbeak swoops over to... Swoop, and whirs approval of his scariness. Chimera settles on Bevel's lap and gets ready for a nap, not quite into horror.* Fuck You Rabbit 8:35 pm ((puff u dork)) FakeProwl 8:35 pm ((true)) Bevel 8:36 pm *yay lap cat... er, dog monster... thing* Magnum Ace 8:36 pm ....what...happened here? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:36 pm *Rumble and Frenzy are all but scrambling over themselves to get to the dragon and the cart full of snacks.*
//Wait, so, ya... ya came as a weird you?//
\\...I KINDA LIKE IT.\\ Swoop 8:36 pm *flops backwards onto the sofa and giggles* You Bird ready for big fight ItsyBitsySpyers 8:37 pm {{No, but him Boss is.}} =A holiday, Earthling.= Fuck You Rabbit 8:37 pm Isn't it tacky! *the dragon is DELIGHTED by her hideous costume* I thought it fit. Swoop 8:37 pm Boss? *sits up and looks for Soundwave* ...... oh! Him BIG now. Bevel 8:38 pm It is my birthday tomorrow too! ItsyBitsySpyers 8:38 pm {{Noooo, him short, haha.}} Swoop 8:38 pm BIG. *holds his hands out to his sides, clearly the word we are looking for is 'wide'* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:38 pm [[Then we will give you a gift tomorrow, Bevel.]] Magnum Ace 8:38 pm ...Oh. I didn't think you would...well, the decorations are really in the spirit of the holiday FakeProwl 8:38 pm ((that's a waste of a perfectly good k-9 unit.)) ((it takes over two years to train up a dog that can track people.)) Bevel 8:39 pm ((srsly ItsyBitsySpyers 8:39 pm *Soundwave takes his usual seat next to Prowl.*
*...And, giving the tiniest glance over, causes one of his glowing red shoulder wheels to spin slowly.* //We like this holiday.// \\WHOLE THING FOR SCARIN'! HOW COOL IS THAT?\\ FakeProwl 8:40 pm *That wheel has ALL of Prowl's attention.* Tarantulas 8:40 pm *tara knows that wheel-spin was for prowl, but it absolutely caught his eye. and his other eye. and his other -* Magnum Ace 8:40 pm It is a fun holiday Fuck You Rabbit 8:40 pm I like the part where people give out treats, myself. *the dragon fluffs herself up proudly* But, of course I would. Swoop 8:40 pm *grabby hands at bird* Bevel 8:41 pm I like that everyone can be anything! ItsyBitsySpyers 8:41 pm {{That best part, snack.}} *Bird lets Swoop scoop her up* Swoop 8:41 pm *has a Bird* <3 Magnum Ace 8:41 pm -right, time to get off the floor- Bevel 8:41 pm *can't get snacks with lapful of Chimera hmmmm* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:41 pm {{You Swoop see others? Them got mech-cooties?}} Swoop 8:42 pm What cooties?? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:42 pm {{Germ! Virus! Nanoflea!}} Fuck You Rabbit 8:42 pm *well, snack is here, and set up, so the dragon will bring some over to Bevel and Chimera and settle herself down nearby* Swoop 8:42 pm Yah! Kehhehh. But them doing??? Tarantulas 8:42 pm *hhhmm. tarantulas... is going to leave prowl to it, escape the lap, and skitter off across the room toward the snacks* Magnum Ace 8:42 pm ((what would happen if you gave a leaguer energon?)) FakeProwl 8:43 pm ((you're the leaguer, you decide)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:43 pm *Chimera pats the dragon gently with one paw before resuming their power conservation mode* *Soundwave pings Tarantulas. Well done on the spider webs, there.* Bevel 8:43 pm Thanks! Tarantulas 8:43 pm *double ping back - kinda gives the impression of HEE HEE* Magnum Ace 8:43 pm ((heh Bevel 8:44 pm *appreciates snacks yay* Swoop 8:44 pm *tries to pat tara when he goes by* Magnum Ace 8:44 pm ((brb ItsyBitsySpyers 8:44 pm {{Them do nothing, just gross. That all.}} Fuck You Rabbit 8:44 pm *the dragon pats back, and offers the treats to Bevel* You're welcome! *her paws are bandaged! and it looks like her face points are darker than normal under the tacky green dragon hood* Swoop 8:44 pm Gross gross *nods* FakeProwl 8:44 pm *Prowl doesn't notice Tarantulas leave. He might not have noticed the movie's started.* Swoop 8:44 pm You Bird not gross. Noo! You Bird BEST. Kehhehh. You go trick or treat. All treat! AND! All trick kehhehhhehh. Bevel 8:45 pm *accepts the snacks and asks quietly* Are your hands ok? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:45 pm *Soundwave appears to still laugh the same way. It's more visible in this frame, but it's just as quiet. He stops spinning the wheel.* Tarantulas 8:45 pm *rears up at swoop on his back leggies if the plague doctor tries to pet him more* Swoop 8:45 pm *if swoop wasn't paying so much attention to Bird, he'd be yelling come at me bro at tara..... give him a minute* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:45 pm {{Us go trick others afterward, yes, yes! ... Heh heh, funny spider trick.}} FakeProwl 8:46 pm *oh no it's charming* Fuck You Rabbit 8:46 pm They'll be fine! Experiments in cybertronian cuisine have their dangers. But at least I was wearing safety goggles. Swoop 8:46 pm Funny spider trick?? *lost* Oh Spider *points at Tara* Tarantulas 8:46 pm *spider is already out of arm's reach, thank primus* Swoop 8:46 pm *throws a pillow* Bevel 8:47 pm You have to be really careful with energon, yeah. Tarantulas 8:47 pm *SPLAT. flat spider* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:47 pm *Rumble and Frenzy park themselves and giggle. This reminds them of missions with everyone all together, sorta.* Swoop 8:48 pm kehehhehhh Tarantulas 8:48 pm *pretty soon the spider's twice the size of the pillow and is giving swoop eight stink-eyes* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:48 pm [[Swoop. Don't be rude.]] Pause. [[Are you all right.]] Swoop 8:48 pm *chirps* : > ItsyBitsySpyers 8:49 pm //Heh!// Tarantulas 8:49 pm Perfectly fine. I'm not so fragile that a PILLOW - hyehehe. *is giggling at movie, spiderwomen* Bevel 8:49 pm *giggles* Swoop 8:49 pm TWO pillow Fuck You Rabbit 8:49 pm *the dragon is giggling at Tara giggling about spiderwomen. a mobius laugh* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:50 pm @Prowl: (txt): Arm allowed behind Prowl? Magnum Ace 8:50 pm -and he's making an attempt to get into a chair- FakeProwl 8:50 pm @Soundwave «Please.» ItsyBitsySpyers 8:50 pm //Hey, Magnum Ace! Or, uh. Is Mags okay?// FakeProwl 8:51 pm *Oh. Wait. Greeting/permission ping.* Swoop 8:51 pm Spider Spiderbot ItsyBitsySpyers 8:51 pm *Buzzsaw suddenly looks uncomfortable at the bit about exploding and being scooped up.* Magnum Ace 8:51 pm Ace is fine if you don't want to call me Magnum Bevel 8:52 pm ... ItsyBitsySpyers 8:52 pm *It passes quickly. Soundwave nods to Prowl and drapes his arm around Prowl's shoulders, curling his claws tight. Good strong hands. Tiny squeeze of affection.* //Ace. C'mon up, you could sit with us.// FakeProwl 8:52 pm *Scoots RIGHT up against soundwave's side.* Swoop 8:53 pm *bats Bird* Bird, bird. Why them all blanks? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:53 pm {{It war game, not real fight. Practice.}} Swoop 8:53 pm Oh practice Practice fun : > Paint rounds more fun than blank Fuck You Rabbit 8:54 pm Unless you're expecting a date, dead animals being flung at you isn't a good sign. Swoop 8:54 pm then you SPLAT shoot brothers kehhehh ItsyBitsySpyers 8:54 pm @Tarantulas: (txt): Tarantulas returns? Swoop's pillow: new seat? @T: (txt): Prowl: shareable space. Magnum Ace 8:55 pm Thank you. -okay, going up with the others- ItsyBitsySpyers 8:55 pm //I'm with the dragon. Great sign if ya ARE expectin' dates though.// ItsyBitsySpyers 8:55 pm {{Them not paint. More fun if paint, Swoop right.}} FakeProwl 8:55 pm *For a moment strongly considers laying a hand on Soundwave's thigh. But no. Not with guests around. Laces his hands and keeps them in his own lap instead.* Swoop 8:56 pm Us get paint, kehhehhh, then practice fight! You Bird fast BUT Swoop am bomber kehhhhhh. Me Swoop fast TOO! Fuck You Rabbit 8:56 pm The bigger the dead animal, the better the date! Except some of the sea snakes. Those tend to not die. Tarantulas 8:57 pm @Soundwave: ::Physically shareable, maybe, but I do believe he's wholly mentally occupied at the moment. Hyeh.:: @Soundwave: ::Besides, I'm busy.:: *he's eating a snack bowl now* *like not actually tho* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:57 pm @T: (txt): Then request: personal. ... When finished. {{You Swoop need biiiiig paint.}} Swoop 8:58 pm Bucket ItsyBitsySpyers 8:58 pm ((i remind you all that youtube videos are shit on LD/SD on rabbit and going to HD will let you see actual color and details)) Swoop 8:59 pm Spiderbot Spider Tarantulas 9:01 pm *turns away from snack bowl, grumpy* Yyyyes? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:01 pm @Prowl: [[He sees you approve of his costume. It was the fourth most frightening thing he could think of.]] Swoop 9:01 pm Where You Spiderbot costume go? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:01 pm \\SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD TIME TO ME.\\ FakeProwl 9:01 pm @Soundwave «... Should have gone with one of the first three. I'm not finding myself particularly frightened.» Tarantulas 9:02 pm What do you mean? Hyeh. This IS my costume. Swoop 9:02 pm That You alt mode 😆 Tarantulas 9:03 pm Yes, but I'm quite the monster myself. No one ever said we couldn't come as we are - and I certainly fit the theme. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:03 pm @Prowl: [[He doubts appearing as Unicron in this environment would have gone over well.]] Pause. [[And he supposes that makes sense. You /did/ like the idea of him having been a senator, when he first told you.]] Swoop 9:04 pm You not a monster. You a spider. Kehhehhhheh. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:04 pm //How fraggin' fast was he runnin'!?// ItsyBitsySpyers 9:04 pm \\GUESS IT DON'T MATTER NO MORE. HEH.\\ Swoop 9:04 pm Her Carly say alt mode not costume. Her say Swoop can't can't CAN'T be pterodactyl for Halloween. Fuck You Rabbit 9:04 pm *the dragon blinks* Faster than he should have been, I think. Tarantulas 9:04 pm Well obviously Carly's a spoilsport. Bevel 9:04 pm Can humans run that fast? Swoop 9:04 pm And. And! Her Bird get *pats his mask* Her Bird get for Swoop :? *: > Nuh-uh! No. Carly not a spoilsport. Carly steal grenades. That not spoilsport thing! Kehhhehh. Magnum Ace 9:05 pm -yup he's mildly uncomfortable with the movie- Fuck You Rabbit 9:06 pm *unnerved expression* That. That is not how intestines should work. What is wrong with humans. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:06 pm {{You not say her Carly steal. Her arrested?}} FakeProwl 9:06 pm *... Supposes he can't deny that.* @Soundwave «Is that your costume, then? Senator S—er.» *WHAT HAD HIS NAME BEEN.* «... Ssssoundwaver? No. That's wrong. I know that's wrong.» ItsyBitsySpyers 9:07 pm //Don't worry, li'l mech. It's fake scrap. Rubber or whatever.// FakeProwl 9:07 pm @Soundwave «SOUNDBANGER. ... No. I'm sorry.» ItsyBitsySpyers 9:07 pm *Another 'laugh'.* Swoop 9:07 pm No. Her Carly steal stuff from Autobot armory. Me Swoop not see. Me Swoop not there. But Me hear story! Her steal from armory and go swim down to Decepticon base - Nemesis - to blow hole in it. Salt water. FakeProwl 9:07 pm *... do that and you're just encouraging him to get it wrong.* Fuck You Rabbit 9:08 pm I'm sure it's fake. Just... you can't. Shouldn't. Whatever. *tries to pat her fur back down* Magnum Ace 9:08 pm !!! ItsyBitsySpyers 9:08 pm @Prowl: [[Soundblaster. And to you, yes. To them, his gladiator mode in 'scary' colors.]] <<Should not what?>> Big blinking grey eyes. Swoop 9:09 pm Spider SPider FakeProwl 9:09 pm @Soundwave «Soundblaster! These are "scary" colors?» Tarantulas 9:10 pm I have a name, you know, Swoop. Swoop 9:10 pm Spiderbot Fuck You Rabbit 9:10 pm *the dragon takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down* There's some-. Well. Don't worry about it. Just reminded of some old records I had to shelve when I was still fledging. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:11 pm @Prowl: [[To humans. Frenzy has told him that their decorations for this holiday are black, orange, and red.]] Swoop 9:11 pm You Spiderbot bring snack bowl - no no snack BOWLS - you bring snack bowls to Bird and Swoop : > FakeProwl 9:12 pm @Soundwave «Ah. Thematically appropriate.» Tarantulas 9:14 pm You're not convincing me very well. What do I get out of this? Swoop 9:14 pm Dunno Swoop 9:15 pm Me Swoop want goodies. And Bird eat AAAALLL the goodies forever ever ever. So. More goodies : > ItsyBitsySpyers 9:15 pm {{Neheheh. Is good plan.}} Swoop 9:16 pm (( o m f g )) Fuck You Rabbit 9:16 pm ((bad dog)) Swoop 9:16 pm ((this dog)) *looks at tara and points at Bird* Her Bird say "good plan" ItsyBitsySpyers 9:16 pm //Groooooss.// Tarantulas 9:16 pm Nope. *tarantulas is going back to his own bowl* Swoop 9:17 pm *blows raspberries at tara* Magnum Ace 9:19 pm -he's just going to watch the movie and cringe a bit- -not too fond of it- ItsyBitsySpyers 9:20 pm *Frenzy nudges Ace with a fist. It's cool, little mech. They got your back.* Tarantulas 9:20 pm *can't physically blow raspberries back at swoop but he might've if he could* Swoop 9:20 pm *sets Bird on his crest and gets up to go get goodies* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:20 pm *The twins scoot forward on their seat, looking forward to some good fighting.* Swoop 9:21 pm *grabs one free bowl (full for bird) and then makes a grab for Tara and his bowl* *MAXIMUM dinobot candy grab* Tarantulas 9:22 pm *swoop snatches/pulls a spider leg. WHUMPH. lorg spider flat on the ground* Swoop 9:22 pm *picks up tara under his arm and takes him along with the candy back to the sofa* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:22 pm [[SWOOP. PUT HIM DOWN.]] Swoop 9:23 pm Why? why? Fuck You Rabbit 9:23 pm *the dragon takes a moment to get up, stretch, and pace around bevel before settling back down. her fur is Maximum Poof.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:23 pm [[He is a living mech. Set him down.]] Magnum Ace 9:23 pm -leans with the nudge, blinking- Hmn? FakeProwl 9:23 pm ... Bridge time? Swoop 9:23 pm ????? *is so very confused what being alive has to do with being picked up* Tarantulas 9:24 pm If you bridge him, you bridge ME *hisses* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:24 pm ((fun fact: the sargeant's actor actually was drunk here and cooper's actor accidentally landed the punch and really knocked him out. that was an "oh god is he okay" rl check they kept in)) Fuck You Rabbit 9:24 pm ((holy shit)) FakeProwl 9:24 pm ((omg)) Fuck You Rabbit 9:24 pm ((that makes this like 100x better omfg thank you crow)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:24 pm [[You are not allowed to manhandle the guests. Set Tarantulas down. Or he will come separate you.]] Magnum Ace 9:24 pm ((awesome Tarantulas 9:25 pm *shrinks down and escapes* Swoop 9:25 pm *whines* It not MANHANDLE. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:25 pm *Or that.* Swoop 9:25 pm ??? Fuck You Rabbit 9:25 pm ((boi put that sword down before you chop your head off)) Swoop 9:25 pm *is down a spider but has two candy bowls and a bird, seems like a win* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:26 pm *Soundwave shakes his helm and stretches a feeler out to get another bowl for Tarantulas.* Tarantulas 9:26 pm *one of the bowls is mostly slurry tho. tara injected it with dissolving venom* *u don't wanna eat that, swoop* Swoop 9:26 pm *pours it on the floor* *still keeps the bowl* Magnum Ace 9:26 pm ...meant to ask. What are those? -and he's pointing at the snacks- Swoop 9:26 pm *a victory for dinobots everywhere* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:27 pm *Primus damn it, Swoop.*
*Soundwave bridges him out for bothering Tarantulas and making a mess.* Swoop 9:27 pm :V Fuck You Rabbit 9:27 pm I made the crystal-looking ones! I think they'll be tasty. You should eat them? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:27 pm *And uses the feeler to get some cleaning supplies and clean while he sits.* Swoop 9:27 pm *takes the bowl with him* Tarantulas 9:27 pm You didn't need to do that, Soundwave. *minor hiss* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:27 pm *Laserbeak goes with Swoop. They can bother the Autobots there.* Swoop 9:28 pm *yayyyy!!* Magnum Ace 9:28 pm Are they safe? I mean, for me? Fuck You Rabbit 9:28 pm I... *the dragon looks over at Soundwave* I don't know? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:28 pm [[He has told Swoop not to damage the premises.]] [[...And he does not know if they are dangerous. What do you normally fuel on, Magnum Ace?]] Magnum Ace 9:29 pm ...Oil? FakeProwl 9:30 pm ... Right. *Points at screen* The family that's lived here for generations are the werewolves. That's why they're out of the house and that's why there's multiple when only one was expected. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:30 pm *Nods to Prowl. Indeed.* Fuck You Rabbit 9:30 pm What I made are energon, and silver. Ironically, considering the topic! But, uh. Can you eat that? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:31 pm [[...Perhaps the scientist in the room would know better?]] Bevel 9:31 pm I know Cybertronians that drink oil. Magnum Ace 9:31 pm I don't know. I've never heard of energon FakeProwl 9:31 pm *Okay. That's enough paying attention to the movie for now. Caaasually looking at Soundwave and his tires again.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:32 pm *Takes to rubbing the back of Prowl's shoulder with his thumb. Now, now. He'll spin them later.* FakeProwl 9:32 pm *He doesn't have to spin them for them to be fascinating.* Tarantulas 9:32 pm Logical fallacy - just because he drinks oil as well doesn't mean he can drink energon. I highly doubt he'd stomach it well. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:33 pm (( i love the werewolf shooting back)) Fuck You Rabbit 9:33 pm The scientist has spoken. What sort of things are candy to you, Ace? FakeProwl 9:33 pm I thought energon was widely substitutable for many alien fuel sources? I don't know if that applies to Earth fuels, but... Magnum Ace 9:33 pm ...We really don't have many. Some softer metals Bevel 9:34 pm Sword! Tarantulas 9:34 pm ...Hm. Actually, go on and try some, will you, Magnum? FakeProwl 9:34 pm ((I like how seamlessly he switches to hammering the hand)) Tarantulas 9:34 pm A sip won't hurt. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:35 pm ((spoon is great)) Magnum Ace 9:35 pm Ah...well...okay? Tarantulas 9:35 pm Or a nibble, if you'd like. If you can consume soft metals, most of the snacks should be amenable. Magnum Ace 9:35 pm ((and yes, that was hilarious Bevel 9:36 pm ((the hammering the hand scene is one of my favorite bits Swoop 9:36 pm ((OH MY GOD)) Fuck You Rabbit 9:36 pm ((yeah he deserved that)) Magnum Ace 9:36 pm ((whooops FakeProwl 9:36 pm ((he brought it on himself)) Magnum Ace 9:36 pm ((yup Maybe one of the snacks? -he's kinda hoping there's enough metal in there to keep any danger to a minimum- Fuck You Rabbit 9:37 pm *the dragon gapes a grin and passes one of her creations over to Ace* I hope you like it! Tarantulas 9:38 pm *there's like a 50% chance it'll make him sick but magnum won't die at least* *somethin like that, heh* Bevel 9:39 pm My creator is a doctor. We can go to them if you react badly. Fuck You Rabbit 9:39 pm *tara you have to say that before convincing the dragon to help you science* Magnum Ace 9:39 pm Thank you...-stares at it for a moment. Has a feeling this is going to bite him in the butt later- -still breaks off a piece to try- ItsyBitsySpyers 9:39 pm *Soundwave is... iffy about this test, but if Magnum Ace is going to be coming here, he has to know. They'll have to be prepared in case he gets stuck some day.* Magnum Ace 9:41 pm -crunch. and then a hacking cough as it hits. no damage, but wow, he thinks he knows what an energy drink is now- Fuck You Rabbit 9:41 pm Was it good? Tarantulas 9:41 pm *good thing it's hard to tell when a spider's laughing* FakeProwl 9:42 pm ... Hold on. So, she--who was liaison to the spec ops team--told this team freely that there's multiple werewolves, and that they hunt together to take down single targets. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:42 pm [[Yes?]] Magnum Ace 9:42 pm -one hand is covering his face, the other is flapping uselessly at the dragon- F-fine. It was...fine. I'm fine. FakeProwl 9:42 pm But when they found the one spec ops survivor, he said something about how "there was only supposed to be one." ItsyBitsySpyers 9:42 pm *Still petting. Maybe digs his claw in to tease some.* [[He did.]] Bevel 9:43 pm ...Maybe she did not know then? FakeProwl 9:43 pm It's possible that, by that, he meant that they'd been attempting to peel off one f-from— *ooh, keep that up.* from the group to hunt it. Fuck You Rabbit 9:43 pm *the dragon twists around a bit to keep Ace within sight* Tell us if you start feeling weird. Or sick. FakeProwl 9:44 pm But it seems more probable to me that she gave false information to the spec ops team. Bevel 9:44 pm Why would she do that? FakeProwl 9:44 pm Where was she during the fight with the werewolves? Was she fighting them? I didn't notice her fighting them. *Admittedly, he WAS distracted.* Magnum Ace 9:44 pm I'll do that...not weird...more like a sudden surge of energy Fuck You Rabbit 9:45 pm It is called Energon. FakeProwl 9:45 pm She's one of only two houses in the area. The other house they're in is probably occupied by a family of werewolves. She might be friends or allies with them. Windchill 9:45 pm (( Aw man I thought this might be Dog Soldiers. Best. )) Magnum Ace 9:46 pm I figured. Just didn't figure it would hit quite so hard... Windchill 9:46 pm *Appears, takes note of the...decor, and creeps into a seat.* Tarantulas 9:47 pm *alright, tara's done with snacking and messing with aliens, he might as well come back to the couch* Windchill 9:47 pm *Raises eyebrows.* Bevel 9:47 pm Oh no. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:47 pm *Soundwave nods to Windchill and then digs a second claw into Prowl's shoulder. A reward for guessing well.* Windchill 9:48 pm The wariest wolves... ItsyBitsySpyers 9:48 pm @Prowl: [[Sharp guessing. Nicely done.]] Magnum Ace 9:48 pm -he's sitting and putting his face in his knees, still feeling it- FakeProwl 9:49 pm @Soundwave «........ Was it?» *he's too distracted by the claws to tell if the movie confirmed his guess.° ItsyBitsySpyers 9:49 pm *Soundwave bobs his helm to Tarantulas.* Tarantulas 9:49 pm (( i love debussy hhhh. this movie gains points (( also.... clair de... lune... ItsyBitsySpyers 9:49 pm @Prowl: [[It will be.]] *He'll let Prowl be for the moment now that Tarantulas is back. Arm still around shoulders, but no claws.* (( 😄 )) Windchill 9:50 pm *snorts.* Gotta hammer fast. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:50 pm *Rumble taps Ace.*
//...You gonna be okay?// Magnum Ace 9:51 pm Ask me again in ten minutes ItsyBitsySpyers 9:51 pm //...Okay.// Windchill 9:52 pm *Chin, meet hand.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:53 pm \\...NO OFFENSE, BUT THESE AIN'T WHAT HUMANS THINK'RE CUTE 'N FUZZY.\\ Tarantulas 9:53 pm *tara comes up the back of the couch, where to sit, where to sit* Magnum Ace 9:53 pm -he's hoping he'll be good in ten- ItsyBitsySpyers 9:53 pm \\THEY'RE KINDA... KILLER 'N SNARLY.\\ Chuckle. \\I MEAN, *I* LIKE 'EM. BUT, Y'KNOW.\\ *A feeler taps Prowl's leg. Down here will do.* \\OOOOOH.\\ Windchill 9:54 pm The werewolf is coming from inside the house. Fuck You Rabbit 9:54 pm Oh. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:54 pm //Ha!// Windchill 9:54 pm Dead? No? Fuck You Rabbit 9:54 pm That's going to look lovely coming up. FakeProwl 9:54 pm *Twitches. Leg touches, now? In the middle of the movie?* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:55 pm *He wasn't thinking about that one. Do forgive him.* FakeProwl 9:55 pm *............ go on.* Windchill 9:56 pm Is she a werewolf too? Fuck You Rabbit 9:56 pm Why would they assume that werewolves- yep. Tarantulas 9:56 pm *hhhmm. into prowl's lap, methinks* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:57 pm *That's what he was tapping and hoping for. Tarantulas will get an idle feeler pet if he wants one.* Tarantulas 9:57 pm *yis pls* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:58 pm //...Do ya think the dog's one?// FakeProwl 9:58 pm *twitches. Oh. Hi. Runs his fingers through Tarantulas's fuzz. A bit rougher than usual.* Windchill 9:58 pm ...Not the dog. I hope. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:58 pm //...Do dogs turn into humans?// ItsyBitsySpyers 9:58 pm //If they get bit, I mean.// Bevel 9:58 pm *giggles* Fuck You Rabbit 9:58 pm That would be funny! Windchill 9:59 pm Don't think so. Windchill 10:00 pm Ooooh, fire? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:00 pm *Soundwave carefully avoids looking at his deployers at that line. That may be part of command, but he'd rather avoid it from now on. If possible.* Windchill 10:00 pm It's a shame Swoop is missing it. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:00 pm [[He was here earlier.]] Magnum Ace 10:00 pm -might be turtling a bit- -okay, a lot- Windchill 10:00 pm Man, his loss. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:00 pm *Pooooke.*
//...Yo, mech. Do ya need a medic?// Fuck You Rabbit 10:01 pm *looks over at Ace* You good? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:01 pm //Cause yer lookin' kinda... like slag.// Magnum Ace 10:01 pm Huh? No, just the topic Windchill 10:01 pm Gotta go fast. FakeProwl 10:01 pm *Sobers, for a moment. Yeah. That's command.* Tarantulas 10:01 pm *don't think tarantulas doesn't notice the roughness, heh. amusing* Magnum Ace 10:01 pm It's not one I like to think about Windchill 10:01 pm *Snorts* Beautiful. Fuck You Rabbit 10:02 pm *giggles* That's one way to do it. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:02 pm \\RUN FASTER, MEATSACK!\\ Windchill 10:02 pm I didn't see any wary wolves in there. Uh huh. *Snorts.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:04 pm ((never did like that speech)) FakeProwl 10:04 pm ((eugh)) ((The Real Threat Was Women All Along. nah. fuck that.)) Magnum Ace 10:05 pm ((sheesh Fuck You Rabbit 10:05 pm ((the real threat was bad writers)) Magnum Ace 10:05 pm ((couldn't have done anything better? FakeProwl 10:05 pm ((periods are scary and bitches be crazy. really? y'all had a solid werewolf movie until you pulled that rubbish out.)) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:05 pm ((i usually just fast forward about 30 seconds and pretend they ate her instead)) Magnum Ace 10:05 pm ((yup Tarantulas 10:05 pm (( ^^^ i like that better FakeProwl 10:05 pm ((same)) Windchill 10:06 pm He's dead. Magnum Ace 10:06 pm ((yup ItsyBitsySpyers 10:06 pm ((HERE WE GO BEST BIT)) Windchill 10:06 pm Nice. Fuck You Rabbit 10:06 pm ((did he punch out a wearwolf)) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:07 pm \\GET HIM!\\ FakeProwl 10:07 pm *Tiny nod of satisfaction. Called it.* Magnum Ace 10:07 pm -okay, he's better...now...what is going on now?- Windchill 10:08 pm *Trying to not cackle* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:08 pm *Frenzy salutes Spoon. An end he'd be proud of, himself.* Windchill 10:09 pm I could see his guts and everything. Bevel 10:09 pm *proud of Spoon for fighting until the very end, awesome human* Magnum Ace 10:09 pm . . . Windchill 10:10 pm *But will they find Narnia?* Fuck You Rabbit 10:10 pm *they found some bones! that's close* Magnum Ace 10:10 pm -he missed a bit, didn't he?- FakeProwl 10:11 pm ((did they fvcking)) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:11 pm (( 😄 😄 😄 )) FakeProwl 10:11 pm ((did they name him spoon JUST so they could do that)) Magnum Ace 10:11 pm ((yuuuup Tarantulas 10:11 pm (( omfg FakeProwl 10:11 pm ((how dare)) Magnum Ace 10:11 pm ((wow Fuck You Rabbit 10:14 pm Oh. Windchill 10:14 pm I don't think humans are meant to transform. Fuck You Rabbit 10:14 pm I don't think he'd have managed to survive that close to an explosion either. Magnum Ace 10:14 pm -dead silence from him- Windchill 10:14 pm Ew. Ewwww. Fuck You Rabbit 10:15 pm That's bad. FakeProwl 10:15 pm ((NOT THE SQUEAKING OH MY GOD)) Windchill 10:15 pm Good dog. Fuck You Rabbit 10:16 pm Good dog! Tarantulas 10:16 pm (( fricken. wow Magnum Ace 10:17 pm ((pfff ((that was interesting Windchill 10:17 pm *Covers his mouth at that newspaper* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:17 pm \\...I GOTTA. I GOTTA FIGHT SOMETHIN'.\\ Magnum Ace 10:17 pm -marking that as another movie to not show his teammates or humans- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:18 pm \\BOSS. BOSS. SWEAR WE'LL CLEAN UP LATER CAN WE GO HUNTIN' PLEEEEEEEASE.\\ FakeProwl 10:18 pm ((i didn't see soon enough, what did the newspaper say)) Tarantulas 10:18 pm (( "werewolves ate my platoon" ItsyBitsySpyers 10:18 pm (("Werewolves ate my platoon!" and then up in a bigger headline "ENGLAND 5 GERMANY 1")) Bevel 10:18 pm Fighting something sounds fun. Windchill 10:18 pm (( Yup. )) FakeProwl 10:18 pm ((omg)) Fuck You Rabbit 10:18 pm *the dragon shifts a bit* I think I'll stick to fighting dough. Much easier. Windchill 10:19 pm I'm not fighting because...I'm a weenie. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:19 pm [[He wants this taken down by tomorrow night. And you will not be late to your shifts.]]
//We won't! Swear!// Tarantulas 10:20 pm *tarantulas isn't saying this aloud but he's a tad inspired. as mad science goes* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:20 pm [[...Fine. Take Ravage.]] Bevel 10:20 pm *torn on her feelings about the movie but it did make her want to punch things so yay* Magnum Ace 10:20 pm -and a poke to the rest of the snack that was shoved at him. Debating if he should take it back home or not- Bevel 10:21 pm Can I go with? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:21 pm [[...Are you capable of defending yourself in the Underworld?]] Bevel 10:21 pm Sure! Windchill 10:22 pm ... Magnum Ace 10:22 pm -Underworld. Soundwave can't be serious- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:22 pm [[Notify your creator first. Do not stray from the group.]] *Soundwave is /deadly/ serious.* Bevel 10:22 pm ...Fine. Magnum Ace 10:23 pm -That is not comforting- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:23 pm [[Contact Chimera if there is an emergency. The rest of us will come.]] Bevel 10:24 pm *oh right Chimera, she gently pats said bot to wake them so she can get up while simultaneously placing a private comm to her creator, multitasking is fun* Magnum Ace 10:25 pm -concerned look from him all the same- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:25 pm *They're never really asleep, just in energy conserving mode. Chimera shakes out their fake wire mane - a few fall out, whoops - and hops off her lap.* //It'll be okay, Ace. We done this loadsa times. How d'you think we got all them decorations, heh?// ItsyBitsySpyers 10:26 pm *Light punch to the shoulder* *Very light. Doesn't wanna stab the poor guy with his Knuckles knuckles.* Bevel 10:27 pm *after making even more promises to call more bots if something happens, Bevel pings Soundwave with a transcript of the convo. she did the thing even tho she's an adult :|* Magnum Ace 10:27 pm -thank you for that, he'd rather not explain holes in his shoulder- You're sure you're going to be okay? Bevel 10:28 pm *checks the room for Tara really quickly* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:28 pm *She's an adult with a creator capable of making his life a minor level of hell. He'll take the convo transcript and nod.* Tarantulas 10:28 pm *tara's busy climbing off prowl's lap and doing his whole size/transform thingamajig* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:28 pm \\LISTEN. AIN'T NO GROUP SAFER 'N US THREE. 'CEPT MAYBE IF WHIRL WAS HERE.\\ Windchill 10:29 pm *Sighs.* Bevel 10:29 pm *then she'll play it safe and stay in Al mode while levering herself up from the floor, she can transform once they've left* Magnum Ace 10:29 pm -nods- I guess I'll have to take your word for it ItsyBitsySpyers 10:30 pm //Maybe we'll bring ya somethin' back. Heh. C'mon, bro. Ravage, Bevel. Seeya later, Prowl - hey, 'n ya still gotta explain infinity. I ain't forgot.// Bevel 10:30 pm Night, Prowl! FakeProwl 10:30 pm ... Do I? *Huh. Hadn't thought it, y'know. Mattered.* *Nods to the people that wished him farewell.* Windchill 10:31 pm *Waves in a wide, slow, sweeping arc.* *Good bye brave adventurers.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:31 pm *Ravage gets up, does the cat stretch thing - round back, squish the front, stretch the little does, wiggle the claws. All right, he's ready. Off they all go, with Rumble shouting over his shoulder:*
//Yep.// Fuck You Rabbit 10:31 pm *the dragon stretches* I should go too. Goodnight, everyone! Thank you for having me! *and with that, she wanders out* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:32 pm [[Goodnight, dragon. Thank you for the fuel.]] Magnum Ace 10:32 pm -waves after them- Good night! Bevel 10:32 pm *will follow the twins and Ravage out* Magnum Ace 10:32 pm -and never got the dragon's name- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:33 pm *Soundwave pings Tarantulas curiously. He's transforming? Has he somewhere to go, then?* FakeProwl 10:34 pm *Only reluctantly lets go. He wasn't done clinging.* Tarantulas 10:36 pm *shakes a little to resettle his fluff* Hm? What is it? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:37 pm [[You moved.]] Windchill 10:37 pm *Stretches a little, just soaking in the atmosphere that reminds him too much of The Basement.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:39 pm *Tarantulas and Bevel contributed to the deployers' efforts.* Windchill 10:39 pm *He's just used to trash and corpses.* *That is, sadly, how it's reading to him.* Tarantulas 10:40 pm *visor smirk* I do that, yes. If you're asking why, I - hyeh. Just had an itch to. *basically he wasn't feelin being a pillow. leans on the couch, not leaving* Windchill 10:41 pm You could twerk to this. *But he won't, he'll spare you all.* FakeProwl 10:42 pm *... Will take his hands back. Laces them tightly in his lap again.* Magnum Ace 10:42 pm -and he's settling down where he is- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:42 pm *Well, Soundwave finds trash and corpses unsettling when they're inside his home, so it's still something.*
[[Ah. Very well.]] *He'll let that feeler from earlier drift back down to Tarantulas' shoulder and rest there.* Tarantulas 10:43 pm ...Is there anything you CAN'T twerk to? Are there requirements for that? agooddistraction 10:43 pm why do humans like trees ItsyBitsySpyers 10:43 pm *Looks down at Prowl's hands and up at Prowl's face. Casual knee nudge.* Windchill 10:43 pm Nah, but some things are better suited. In my opinion, anyway. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:43 pm *Zori peeps an eyestalk over the bar to look at Wheeljack.*
#they are nice #...when did you get here agooddistraction 10:44 pm Zoriii Windchill 10:44 pm Trees are a plague. agooddistraction 10:44 pm I have no idea Magnum Ace 10:44 pm ...? -who is that?- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:44 pm [[The plague that isn't a tree.]] agooddistraction 10:44 pm I'm not a tree?? Magnum Ace 10:44 pm Trees aren't a plague ItsyBitsySpyers 10:44 pm [[Not yet. Give the roots time to settle.]] Windchill 10:44 pm Are too, they're everywhere. Magnum Ace 10:45 pm No. They're a plant Windchill 10:45 pm Taking up space where I don't want them. A plague of plants! FakeProwl 10:45 pm *... Casual knee nudge back.* Windchill 10:45 pm Too much green, which is the worst colour. agooddistraction 10:45 pm You can' tfool me again Green is okay Magnum Ace 10:45 pm That is not how it works Windchill 10:46 pm Green is the worst colour, because it clashes with my pink. Red is a close second. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:46 pm [[Who's fooling you? He can hear them growing from here.]] Magnum Ace 10:46 pm And? agooddistraction 10:46 pm Prove it Windchill 10:46 pm And trees are green. They get in my way. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:46 pm *Soundwave plays wood and metal creaking.* agooddistraction 10:46 pm Fine Magnum Ace 10:46 pm The point being? agooddistraction 10:47 pm Then how come Bee doesn't feel 'em when he's got half a servo wedged in my plating Windchill 10:47 pm The point is there's too many of them. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:47 pm [[They're inside, obviously.]] Magnum Ace 10:47 pm Then move somewhere there are none? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:47 pm [[Either that, or Bumblebee is a plant creature himself.]] Windchill 10:47 pm *Irrationally robo-salty that trees take up more space than he does, or something.* Can't. Magnum Ace 10:48 pm Why? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:48 pm [[Earthlings have an entire documentary about plants replacing humans.]] [[He's certain there are Cybertronian versions.]] agooddistraction 10:48 pm Why would Bee be a plant Windchill 10:48 pm That's the plot of The Happening, too. Kinda. Not really. agooddistraction 10:48 pm what? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:48 pm [[To get closer to you and deposit seeds.]] Windchill 10:48 pm Anyway. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:48 pm *Assigns himself a point for that bad joke.* agooddistraction 10:48 pm Sexy Windchill 10:49 pm I'm stranded on Earth, stuck with all of those trees. Tarantulas 10:49 pm *snrk. plant sex humor* *u get a point from tara* FakeProwl 10:49 pm *Didn't get it.* agooddistraction 10:49 pm Mom ItsyBitsySpyers 10:49 pm *Prowl needs to listen to Soundwave rattle about his plant some time. As soon as he gets more of them that aren't readily identifiable as stolen.* *Then he'll get it.* Magnum Ace 10:50 pm Wait. You're on Earth? Where? Windchill 10:50 pm On...a version of Earth. I can't tell you where. It's top secret. Tarantulas 10:50 pm *comes around the back of the couch. apparently tonight tarantulas has a thing for putting his paws on prowl's shoulders* Magnum Ace 10:51 pm A version...oh. Not the one I'm from then Windchill 10:51 pm I would say not. FakeProwl 10:51 pm *No no, he understands that plants grow from seeds. He doesn't know the OTHER definition of depositing seeds.* agooddistraction 10:51 pm Wait if Bee's pollinatin' me am I a flower? Windchill 10:51 pm No. You're pregnant. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:52 pm [[Isn't that what he's been trying to tell you.]] Magnum Ace 10:52 pm No, most likely not. You'd hate if, if you're so ready to call trees a plague agooddistraction 10:52 pm You didn't say I was a flower Windchill 10:52 pm You think your Earth has more trees than mine does? *PERISH THE THOUGHT* Magnum Ace 10:53 pm -shrugs- I have no frame of reference for that, so... agooddistraction 10:53 pm Alright, time to go get pollinated again Have fun, mom Windchill 10:54 pm I only like one tree. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:54 pm [[Try not to give details. And he is NOT your mother.]] Magnum Ace 10:54 pm One tree? agooddistraction 10:54 pm You're my mom and you wash my mouth out with cleanser every night and it's hot. Night. Windchill 10:54 pm One tree. It lives with me. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:55 pm *Soundwave raises his free hand to his visor and rubs his helm. The tires on his back spin with irritation.* Windchill 10:55 pm I named it Trooper. FakeProwl 10:55 pm *Oh good, closing time. He's going to hope this does not apply to himself. Glances at Soundwave to check.* Windchill 10:55 pm *He loves his one stupid tree.* FakeProwl 10:55 pm *... gets distracted by the tires he can juuuust barely peek from this angle* Magnum Ace 10:55 pm -not commenting- Windchill 10:56 pm *Rolls his massive weight onto his feet, instead of his butt.* Tarantulas 10:56 pm *nice tires, but look at those Good Strong Hands tho* Windchill 10:56 pm You guys have fun fuckin'. I'm out. Magnum Ace 10:56 pm ....what ItsyBitsySpyers 10:56 pm *Soundwave's vents STUTTER* FakeProwl 10:56 pm *Okay the Good Strong Hands are nice but the tires are— Prowl missed something, didn't he?* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:56 pm *...He makes a note to have Buzzsaw remove that function.* *The avatar doesn't need to show surprise.* Tarantulas 10:57 pm I do hope you enjoy sexting your mate as well, or whatever you're doing these days Windchill 10:57 pm *Makes a sweeping, obviously Vosian bow. You're welcome.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:58 pm [[Windchill is being Windchill, Ace. Do not worry yourself.]] Magnum Ace 10:58 pm -oh, oh no. This feels like it's more of private conversations and he's turning as red as his armor- Tarantulas 10:58 pm *poor kiddo* Magnum Ace 10:58 pm -TOO LATE- ItsyBitsySpyers 10:58 pm [[But he does have to return the seats to where they belong soon.]] Windchill 10:58 pm *Windchill is being Windchill, AKA the resident loud pervert.* I might. You're missing out. FakeProwl 10:59 pm I can help... *vaguely gestures around.* Clean this up. Magnum Ace 10:59 pm -Magnum Ace is not used to these thiiiings- Windchill 11:00 pm *Boy you gon' learn.* Tarantulas 11:00 pm As you say. *snickers, albeit amiably. waves Chill off with a spider limb* Magnum Ace 11:00 pm I...I think...I think it's time for me to go home now FakeProwl 11:00 pm ... Or help bridge him home. Windchill 11:00 pm Good night, suckers. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:00 pm [[Help bridge him home, yes.]]
*He'll find other things for Prowl to do after that.*
[[Goodnight, Windchill.]] Windchill 11:00 pm *Finger guns, walks out backwards now that he's traumatized people. Mission complete.* Magnum Ace 11:01 pm That'd be nice...-thank you so much Windchill. He did not need that- Tarantulas 11:01 pm (( h-how old is magnum (( mentally, at least Magnum Ace 11:02 pm ((old enough, but they're not...they're kinda made to play sports. Period FakeProwl 11:02 pm Same coordinates as usual? Magnum Ace 11:02 pm ((this is kinda new territory Tarantulas 11:02 pm (( hmm! no one's given him the talk, heh Magnum Ace 11:02 pm Yeah. Same as before. Windchill 11:03 pm (( *WHEEZE* )) Magnum Ace 11:03 pm ((and Magnum's kinda a special case in itself FakeProwl 11:04 pm *Nods. Opens up a bridge for Magnum.* Magnum Ace 11:05 pm Thank you. Good night. -and he's going through, still a faint shade of red- ItsyBitsySpyers 11:06 pm *Shakes his helm.*
[[Not what he meant the new guest to know, but he supposes there is no more harm in it than when Whirl realized.]] Magnum Ace 11:07 pm ((dyyyying FakeProwl 11:07 pm He's an alien. I can't imagine what he'd do with the info. Magnum Ace 11:07 pm ((and I am out now that I'm done laughing ((thanks for the stream, g'night! ItsyBitsySpyers 11:08 pm ((night!)) [[Nothing, hopefully.]] FakeProwl 11:13 pm *Right. Everyone gone? Everyone except Tarantulas, anyway? Tarantulas can see, that's fine.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:15 pm *Everyone except Tarantulas, yep.* Tarantulas 11:16 pm *yeppers, and he doesn't seem to be going much of anywhere* FakeProwl 11:17 pm *Prowl IMMEDIATELY swings around to straddle Soundwave's lap. ... And then realizes he maybe should have explained himself first.* If you actually would like me to clean I'd be happy to assist with that, but I /think/ it was mutually understood that that was a justification to stay late and do far less productive things. Tarantulas 11:20 pm *lets prowl's shoulders go, amused huff* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:21 pm *Soundwave starts slightly, unused to such direct action out of Prowl. Or the way the avatar's contact distribution feels different on this older, thicker frame he's 'borrowing' for the night. He's not actually sure what to do with his hands at first.*
[[It was. He cleaned Swoop's mess and the twins will clear all of this.]]
*He'll just. Where does he put them? Fine, they're going on Prowl's thighs.* FakeProwl 11:22 pm Good. ... I'd still like to help clean, though. *As long as he's already volunteered.* *... And as long as they're relatively alone, turns on the ambient noises he'd suppressed during the movie. Meaning immediate whooshing vents and revving engine.* Tarantulas 11:26 pm Personally I'm not that interested in cleaning, but I AM potentially interested in the unproductivity. If Prowl has room in his processor to spare, that is. *amused visor squint* FakeProwl 11:28 pm *Gives Tarantulas a considering look. Then Soundwave's wheels. Then Tarantulas. Then the wheels.* Tarantulas 11:28 pm You don't have to /choose/ between the two, silly. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:29 pm [[There'll need to be a new mess first.]]
*The whooshing and revving promptly calls forth similar sounds from Soundwave's avatar. If there is one thing Soundwave's good at doing with it, it's making sure it sounds like him.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:30 pm *He can see Prowl eyeing his wheels. Slooooooow spin and an inviting lean.* FakeProwl 11:31 pm *he is. gonna. rrrrrreach out to touch the tread.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:33 pm *Nice and deep, lots of paths to trace. The sort that mechs who do a lot of roaming along different kinds of rough terrain have. A little hint about what he did at times.* FakeProwl 11:34 pm *Plus it glows. He's gonna trace it.* Tarantulas 11:34 pm *tarantulas is a tad jealous, his were always street treads* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:35 pm *The revving stops being in bursts and drifts into becoming a dark, low rumble..*
*Well, you know. Not every secret is somewhere nice and clean. Especially if you're tracking down your fellow Senators' messes.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:37 pm *Soundwave's claws tick their way up Prowl's legs, moving over his hips and toward his sides. There are biolights here. These are his.* FakeProwl 11:38 pm ... Wouldn't have pegged you as the off-roading type. *Oh, yes, good. Shifts slightly to give him better access.* Tarantulas 11:38 pm *don't mind tarantulas if he comes around behind soundwave to examine his back for a while. new frame, new questions, new research* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:44 pm [[Most mechs wouldn't have thought he was a gladiator either. He's stuck his olfactory sensors in more than his share of unpleasant places. Mistakes are hard to make, otherwise.]]
*He's dancing around a hint there.*
*Soundwave leans more, letting Tarantulas toy with the thick plates and glowing wheels there.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:48 pm *...While he's here he's just going to get his visor rubbing up against Prowl's helm. Like you do when you don't want to take your mask off in front of a spider who still has yet to see the whole thing.* FakeProwl 11:49 pm *Leans in to nuzzle Soundwave back.* Hmm. Did your own dirty work. *Kind of impressive for a senator. With his free hand, he starts tracing the bright biolights over Soundwave's chest.* Tarantulas 11:49 pm *tarantulas had no idea there was a hint there, but he's eating up the tidbits about soundwave's past in general. he hasn't heard much, so some of this is news. he'll be quiet and patient, pawing subtly at his back and slowly trailing claws between plating* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:51 pm [[Always.]] *Plates ripple and shift, making room for claws. He loves them on his back. Loves, loves, LOVES.* [[He has a mind to demonstrate.]] Tarantulas 11:52 pm *heh, tarantulas can take THIS hint. he'll keep on, certainly* FakeProwl 11:53 pm *Dryly.* It's not going to be the kind of demonstration you gave me last time, is it? *You tease.* Yesterday ItsyBitsySpyers 11:56 pm *Injured! He'll let go long enough to splay a hand over his chest glass - which is conspicuously missing the Decepticon symbol, for the record. It's a fair shot though.*
[[He hopes not. We have more time tonight.]]
@Prowl: [[But different location privileges, if Tarantulas joins. The upstairs lounge, specifically. His deployers will remain busy elsewhere.]] FakeProwl 12:00 am *A split second of uncertainty as he processes Soundwave's gesture, wondering if it's actual offense or just humor; before smirking.* I hope not, too.
@Soundwave «Oh? Don't want to do anything in the sultry glow of knock-off Blood of Unicron?» ItsyBitsySpyers 12:01 am *No actual offense. He would not be behaving in such a good mood if there were any.*
@Prowl: [[...No. No, he doesn't. He disliked that decoration choice from the start. But they had a theme.]] @Prowl: [[But he would rather return to the other subject.]]
*Places his hands back on Prowl, specifically where the shoulders are able to open up to reveal tires. Dig dig.* *Hint hint.* FakeProwl 12:04 am @Soundwave «That's fair.» *He lets out a rev as the fingers dig in, clicking open his shoulders to give Soundwave access and kissing lightly around the frame of Soundwave's visor.* FakeProwl 12:06 am *And then straightens up.* I recall trying to coordinate on a narrow couch being a little... restrictive, last time. We should relocate. Tarantulas 12:06 am *hums, hooks a claw on a thin wire beneath sw's plating, and tugs briefly before pulling back* ItsyBitsySpyers 12:08 am *Soundwave returns to revving a little bit. Listen to that smooth piece of pretending Prowl thought of that all on his own instead of going along with Soundwave's earlier comment. What a talented amica he has.*
[[As you wish.]] *Lets go of Prowl and - ohhhh, he barely felt that, but he knows what that was and the idea is working for him - and starts to rise.* [[Upstairs, then. Both of you.]] FakeProwl 12:10 am *Slides off the seat.* Yes, /sir./ *If Soundwave's going to get commanding, Prowl's going to respond accordingly.* ItsyBitsySpyers 12:10 am *BIOLIGHT FLARE.* Tarantulas 12:11 am *chuckles, and follows prowl quietly, fluidly. tonight's the night to practice restraint, for tarantulas, he thinks - tough, but hopefully worth it* FakeProwl 12:11 am *Oooh. He's going to do that more often.* ItsyBitsySpyers 12:14 am *He hopes so. That was... it was. Tonight might not be the night for /Soundwave/ to practice restraint(s), but some other time...*
*Maybe Tarantulas too, once he figures out how to bind up someone who can mass shift that severely.*
*He'll track after them both, silently locking the front door to all but the hunting party and placing the staircase door on permission requirement. No accidental intrusions~*
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waitjustaflick · 7 years
Text
Home Run
A short for the first day of Han and Leia Appreciation Week Day 1: Home.  I’ve missed this the last couple times, so I am excited to participate!  A quick summary: Leia’s pride trumps her pride, and though Han can be a really big jerk, he can also be really helpful when he wants to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is for your father, your planet and the Galaxy, Leia reminded herself as she made her way through the hanger.  The ships were mostly quiet for the night, dark and hulking, almost stately, like standing sentinels guarding the base in its sleep.  She twisted her hands together as she thought about what she was going to ask, her face flaming a little as she remembered their last heated argument.
“If you’re gonna order me around like a slave, you might as well chain me up, Princess.  Would make it hell of a lot more fun!”
Han and she had been sniping at each other for days on a fraught mission to Eadu. Leia didn’t know why they kept fighting like this.  She would always go in with the best of intentions.  Sometimes with affection, and trust, and…even a little anticipation.  Moments with the Captain were certainly never boring (and he isn’t too terrible to look at either.)
At first they’d get along fine.  Sometimes they’d laugh and tease each other and banter in that way that made her skin prickle with pleasure.  Leia had always been smarter than most of the people around her - even the diplomats, senators, and advisors that surrounded her parent’s court.  The last thing she had expected would be to find such a worthy sparring partner in an inveterate smuggler who had so obviously been brought up light years from polite society.
But he was smart.  Smart as a whip.  Maybe he didn’t have the book learning that Leia did, but he was observant, innovative, and had the kind of knowledge only the streets or the space lanes could give.  So why did their amusing mental exercises so quickly turn into heated snark?
“It would certainly be safer!” Leia growled back.  “If you don’t stop showing off, you’re going to get us all killed.”
“Showing off?  Is that what you call loosing the squadron of tie fighters that responded to your bantha-brained comm?”
Leia seethed as she scrambled for a response.  
“Well, if you hadn’t insisted on taking that kriffing short cut - on risking all our lives AGAIN in the process - we wouldn’t have been early enough to garner their attention.”
Han gave her an odd look, the scowl on his face warring with the slight quirk of his lips.
“Did you say kriffin’?”
And Leia could have smacked him, the slight flip in the pit of her stomach be damned.
“This isn’t a joke, Captain.  I can’t continue to fly with you, if you willfully flout my authority time and time again.”
The smirk disappeared in an instant.
“Your authority?  Your authority?!  I am not taking orders from a pig-tailed, snot-nosed girl who’s barely reached her majority.  I don’t care if you’re a Princess or a Senator or a kriffing Jedi.  Han Solo,” he hit his chest like some jungle primate, “don’t take orders from no one.”
“That’s,” Leia had fought through a heady mix of hurt and fury, “a double negative.”
Leia grimaced at her pathetic comeback as she picked her way, more slowly than she should to his ship.  They hadn’t spoken in more than a week. The one time they had crossed paths in the mess hall, neither had been willing to cede Luke so they had both sat silently on the either side of him, only responding to direct address from the flummoxed young Jedi-in-training.
She wasn’t going to admit she missed him.  Not in a million years.  But, she couldn’t help the relief that melted into her as she got closer to his ship.  
What was it about that man?  How could she hate him one moment and then…
“GLUUUUggggghhhhh,” Chewie’s greeting rolled through the near darkness.  
Leia couldn’t help her smile.   
“Hi Chewie,” she said as she came up next to him.
He patted her on the head, a move that would have made her bristle if it came from any other sentient creature.
[Where…been?] he asked.  
Leia, a whiz in most languages she heard, had made an consistent effort to trade vocabulary and sentence structure (well, as much as Shyriiwook had) with the Wookie for the last couple years.  She was only just beginning to get the gist of his growls and yips.
Her girl’s eyes scanned the Falcon as her politician’s mouth did its job, “I’ve been preparing for a diplomatic visit from a few different planetary officials.”
Chewie gurgled good-naturedly.  Leia picked up something about “Pup” and “dumb” and “sorry”.
Leia looked up at the Wookie, suddenly hungry for more information.
“Is he there?”
Chewie nodded, waving towards the cockpit, [Go…talk…sad.]
Leia felt a well of frustration at her piecemeal translations.  She really needed to spend more time with the Wookie.  Of course, that meant spending more time around his friend.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Leia mumbled, thinking of the way he never seemed perturbed by their arguments.  He’d saunter into the mess, laugh with the other pilots, flirt with every woman in the place.  All the while she was still steaming, still coming up with retorts that would have been just right. Chewie shook his head, and said something too complex for Leia’s comprehension.  She shook her head apologetically, reaching up to finger the bun she wore.  No braids this time.  Pigtails.
Chewie slowed down this time, [He. Likes. You.]
Leia blinked.  She knew that.  Of course she did.  But as Chewie ushered her up the ramp, she wondered just what kind of liking he meant.  
She walked to the cockpit, with purpose though without speed.   She suddenly felt so tired.  Didn't she have enough on her plate without these skirmishes?   Couldn’t he just smile at her and banter with her and put his arm around her the way he did on that mission to Rishi?
The door was open and there he was facing a side panel, absently tinkering with a mess of wires Leia hadn’t seen before.  She thought he looked absent at least.  He didn’t have his goggles on - the ones that made her mentally chuckle every time she saw them - and his tools were strewn about rather than in his hands.  
“Han,” she murmured.
He glanced up and before he could stop it, that smile spread on his face.  She secretly called it the Leia smile.  He only gave it to her right before he said:
“Leia”
And there was her own Leia smile, stealing onto her face like a thief, responding to the silken sound of her name on his lips.
Why had she worried so much about coming here?  They grinned at each other like loons for a moment, before the weight of the last week settled back into the space.
He released the wad of wires and leaned back in his chair. With a lazy hand he gestured to the co-pilot’s chair.
“Take a seat, Princess.”
The Leia smile vanished - off both their faces - as she gingerly picked her way across the graveyard of fallen tools.
“What brings you to my ship?  Or, I’m sorry, to my decommissioned manure tank?”
Leia grimaced.  She really had said that, hadn’t she?
“At least you got the stink out.”
The side Han’s mouth quirked, and his eyes sparked a bit, even as he crossed his arms in a non-nonsense manner.
“What do you want, Princess?”
Leia sighed.  She smoothed down her pants and looked briefly out the cockpit window.  It wasn’t much of a view, though she could just make out the door that lead circuitously to her side of the base.  She frowned as she thought of Han catching her coming into the hangar.  Was that why he was so often ready with a teasing remark or a needling question to stop her in her tracks?
“Well, good conversation,” he muttered, “If you don’t mind—“
“I need you to teach me Smash Ball.”
The silence that followed had the feel of a bad joke.
“Excuse me?” He managed to sound incredulous, amused, and annoyed in the same flick.
“Smash Ball,” she said, somehow retaining an air of dignified authority, “The Rogues are hosting game against our visiting diplomats, and, well, I agreed to play for the visiting team.”
Han didn’t even try to keep the smile off his face this time.  But it wasn’t her smile.  This one was the shit-eating grin that both aggravated her and attracted her in equal measure.
“And what made you do that?”
Leia wanted to cite any number of logical, cool-headed reasons, but a deep twang in her gut told her that Han wouldn’t buy any of it.  “The Rogues didn’t want me on their team.”
Han quirked an eyebrow, and Leia quirked one right back.  With a chuckle, he shook his head.
“Just when I think I got you figured out.  How’d that happen?”
“I’ve been trying to be more…” the word felt foreign to Leia’s mouth, “friendly.  I want to increase camaraderie, support the troops.  My father was always so good at that.”
Han’s expression softened infinitesimally as he listened.  
“So, when the topic of the game came up and they were short a man, I offered to round out the team.”
“And they said no?”  Han sounded both amused and offended in a way that made her aware in a strange way of the vicinity of her heart.
“Not exactly.  They sent Luke to,” a blush stained her cheeks as she ground out, “let me down gently.”
Han whistled.  “Kid doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”
Leia couldn’t help her slight smile and ping of pride.  Han knew.
“So, I signed up for the other team.  It will be good for relations, after all.”
Han beamed at her and she wondered if there was another Leia coming on.
“That’s right.  Wouldn’t want those politicians to feel unwelcome.”
“So you’ll help me?”  
There was just a moment, a slight pause, that made Leia want to squirm.  She wasn’t sure why she’d felt she could ask him, after the fireworks of the week before and frostiness of the following days.
But Han stretched his hands in front of him, lacing them together and giving them a good crackle.
“Oh, I’m gonna do more than help you.  I’m gonna make you the best damn ball player on this side of the Galaxy.”
The warmth that flooded through her as he pulled her up with him was almost drug-like. His hands remained on hers, so big and warm and strong.  She suddenly wondered how many sports those hands had played, not to mention that tall, athletic body.  
“You got any equimpent?”
Leia nodded dumbly, finding her voice after a slight bit of digging, “We can use the rec room. It’s closed for the night.”
“Well come on then,” he tugged her towards the exit without a backward glance at the mess he’d left in the cockpit.  “And grab some caf.  We’re not leaving till you hit a home run.”
Leia grinned down at their joined hands then looked up in confusion, “What’s a home run?”
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